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Raw Bytes Computer News KPBX FM 91.1 Radio National Public Radio Network Frank Delaney Producer Broadcast on Wednesday Morning 7:35 AM During Morning Edition Support Public Radio ! The Theater Of the Mind |
In computer news this week 06/18/2008 How the internet has changed the American
way of death – the funeral Last week
I did a book review of The Cult of the
Amateur – How Today’s Internet is Killing our Culture - by Andrew Keen http://thecultoftheamateur.com/ The theme of Keen’s book is
that the internet threatens our values, our economy, and our American way of
life, with its blurring, obfuscation, and even disappearance of truth. But in
some ways, obviously, the internet is providing many benefits allowing
instant access to information of all types from anywhere in the world. Take the
example that one thing that happens to all of us, death. Death
requires the immediate notification of relatives, friends, and family; the
writing of an obituary, the planning of funeral services, memorial services,
and other countless details hard to deal with in times of bereavement. My Mother
died in 2000, and I arranged her funeral and memorial service, but it was
hard for me both emotionally and logistically. She was born in 1914, part of the
Greatest generation, but she had never entered the cyber world of the
internet and email. I had to
look though old address books, written in her handwriting, to try to find the
addresses and phone numbers of friends of hers that I should notify, and I
know there were some that I missed. I received calls from them up to years
afterwards asking about my Mom’s death and the memorial service. I ended
up placing a eulogy to my Mother on my
website that they could access to read about the services, see pictures
and even hear the music, but I know only her more internet-aware friends
could do that. The
traditional way of notification of death is still a phone call to those
closest to the deceased, and it’s hoped that the obituary in the local
newspaper will notify those in the periphery of friends and acquaintances. Funeral
services today – and the information related to a death – are now
actually much more accessible with the internet. In the 21
years I’ve been in business, I’ve gone to the funerals of several
of my clients who passed away, including one recently of a prominent Spokane
attorney who was greatly respected in our community. The
obituaries placed in our local newspaper are also available online so you can
email the link to friends and relatives. Some
Funeral homes offer online obituary and memorial information. This includes
the obituary and services schedule. But additional
services now include online condolences book where you can enter a personal
message, and an online memories book where you can share a favorite memory.
These can then be viewed online, and by people unable to attend the services. And an
online video tribute can also be offered, a collage of photographs with
music, celebrating precious moments and scenes, giving you some reason to
smile at your fond remembrance of this person, in an otherwise time of
sadness. |
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For Raw Bytes This is Frank Delaney (C) 2008 MTA Micro
Technology Associates http://www.mtamicro.com/kpbx.html PO Box 31522 Spokane, Wa 99223-1522 (509)624-7230 |
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