Why do you like obituaries?
Hyfler/Rosner
eeeewwww.
How do you guys answer that question? Or do you keep it a
secret?
Discuss.
Jason
Hyfler/Rosner wrote:
Its a big secret.
Jason
Laurie D. T. Mann
It's not that "I like" obituaries as much as death is a part
of life. We've got to get used to that fact. An obituary
helps to make death real.
Laurie D. T. Mann
http://www.dpsinfo.com/dps/
Dead People Server
Iceman
<40a7de00$0$3004$61fe...@news.rcn.com>:
I don't like obituaries *per se*, but the capsule information they
contain about famous or less-than-famous people. It's not morbid in
any way.
To...@fred.net
:
The first rule in alt.obituaries is never discuss alt.obituaries.
--
To...@Fred.Net http://www.fred.net/tomr
* "Hello, girls.... I'm the Easter Bunny!" - Janet Reno, "South Park"
* Look out! If Bender says "ass", Katherine Harris will appear!
* Remember The Pentagon: The Jan Brady of 9/11
"Hello. My name is Jack Bauer. You killed my wife. Prepare to die."
Mary Kay Bergman 1961-1999 - http://www.mkbmemorial.com/
"It's been a lot of fun." - Alison Brooks
Mpoconnor7
>contain about famous or less-than-famous people. It's not morbid in
>any way.
I find that I have learned quite a bit about people through their obits; odd
facts and trivia about their lives and careers.
Also, this NG is the definitive place to go to find out if a particular person
is dead or alive.
Michael O'Connor - Modern Renaissance Man
"The likelihood of one individual being correct increases in a direct
proportion to the intensity with which others try to prove him wrong"
James Mason from the movie "Heaven Can Wait".
Jim Beaver
"Iceman" <isma...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:2gq6svF...@uni-berlin.de...
That's it for me, as well. I'd like them a lot better if I didn't feel like
I swum through sewage to get to them, though.
Jim Beaver
reid
"Hyfler/Rosner" <rel...@rcn.com> wrote in message
news:40a7de00$0$3004$61fe...@news.rcn.com...
I find many of the obituaries, particularly of little-known persons, to be
fascinating. It's nice to know that alt.obits provides an outlet for more
of us to learn about the lives that others have lived, and a chance to smile
at a life well-lived that we would not otherwise of known about.
Reid
Texas
James Neibaur
rel...@rcn.com wrote on 5/16/04 4:32 PM:
> How do you guys answer that question? Or do you keep it a
> secret?
I am a media historian and write books and articles about film, TV, et. al.
It is necessary for me to keep up with whose alive and who is not. The
obituaries on these people provide very important information for my work.
Anyone involved in obituary work is something of a historian, I would think.
JN
James Neibaur
ai...@FreeNet.Carleton.CA wrote on 5/16/04 5:33 PM:
> In my case, I have always had a fascination with celebrity obits; most
> particularly, causes of death. It started with showbiz obits; I have a
> file cabinet full of index cards with names, dates and causes of death of
> celebs from all walks of life. Currently, I am working on the other end of
> the concept; I am researching the oldest living ex-major league baseball
> players. I dont just want to know who the "oldest-living" one is; I want
> to know who the current 1000th oldest living ex-major leaguer is. I am up to
> 507 and counting
That sort of historical research is interesting to me, too, Corby. Don't
you also have data on pro wrestlers as well as baseball players?
JN
James Neibaur
jnei...@wi.rr.com wrote on 5/16/04 5:55 PM:
> I am a media historian and write books and articles about film, TV, et. al.
> It is necessary for me to keep up with whose alive
(snip)
That should be "who's alive" not "whose alive"
(bowing my head in shame)
JN
Matthew Kruk
Historical purposes. In many cases, the people are creators/inventors of things
that I've taken for granted. Similarly for the politicians and others -
change/effect on others.
e. saxon
"Hyfler/Rosner" <rel...@rcn.com> wrote:
i suppose they keep me in touch with recent history.
An obituary opens a small window into the lives of interesting people
I'd never know about, like Guy Piche. Time passing on a very human
level.
eve
Sanford Manley
I read the obits so that I might say a prayer for the departed and
in the case of those who are accomplished I spend a little time
reflecting on their lives and contributions. In some cases, let's
just say I send my thoughts to the departed and hope I am
heard.
In my day to day life, I encounter a couple of thousand people
and I also read the local obits since there is a large likelihood that
I will know someone there.
--
Sanford M. Manley
"A good plan violently executed right now is far better than a
perfect plan executed next week." -- George S. Patton
http://www.livejournal.com/users/ansaman/
Brigid Nelson
The last time I remember divulging my morning habit was when I was able
to recount the current health status of Ronald Reagan - which led
straight to a discussion of dead pools and uncomprehending glances.
It's a secret best kept to ourselves really.
brigid
Terrymelin
I don't really mention it but when I do I get looks at dinner parties as if I
had spilled soup all over my shirt front.
Terry Ellsworth
MWB
Mark
Dave B
wrote:
Also to laugh when someone I don't like dies.:)
Dave B
-----
"Good little girls make mighty wild women"
>
>
Shirley
Hyfler/Rosner wrote:
The obits in the newspaper were the first thing my Dad checked in the
morning. He always said if he saw his name there it was going to put a
damper on the rest of the day.
I check for mine every morning as he did....but I also read all of the
others that are written up.
Hyfler/Rosner
> The first rule in alt.obituaries is never discuss
alt.obituaries.
Actually, things go swimmingly in the discussion until I
tell them about alt. obits. That's when the real horror
sets in. I don't keep it a secret. It's too much a part
of my life. It's a source of great amusement to many
people. And every once in a while, you meet a potential
soulmate. Just yesterday, I told a friend of a friend about
the obsession . He handed me his card with his email
address and insisted I send him the good obits from that
moment on. He's probably already lurking.
I love this stuff. I always have. It goes well beyond
turning to the obits first in the paper. I read the paid
obits. I love being the first person to announce the death
of a famous person in a social situation.. And I usually
am, by the way. Is that a terrible thing to admit? The
comedian Dom Irrara (sp?) has a routine about his mother
where he describes her phone calls always beginning, 'guess
who died?' My kids loved that. So familiar.
As for obits, of course I love the well-written ones, the
love stories, the war stories, the triumphs, failures, and
the incredible *humor.* You can't make this stuff up.
That's what I love.
And I love the stuff you all add. The personal knowledge,
the little-known fact or gossip, and the opinions. Yeah,
even those. Within reason, and without anything to do with
the 3 Stooges.
Louis Epstein
> > Hyfler/Rosner wrote:
>> I get this question ALL THE TIME. It's usually followed by
>> eeeewwww.
>>
>> How do you guys answer that question? Or do you keep it a
>> secret?
>
> It's not that "I like" obituaries as much as death is a part
> of life. We've got to get used to that fact. An obituary
> helps to make death real.
While some see interest in obituaries as part of accepting mortality,
I am drawn to them from the opposite perspective...by being alive
when someone else is dead,one is confirmed as not dead oneself.
-=-=-
The World Trade Center towers MUST rise again,
at least as tall as before...or terror has triumphed.
Tregembo
I'm a current events and celebrity whore and more often than not, those
people in whom I have an interest (that check out) are posted here first.
Secondarily, this ng group is filled with some very interesting folks. Even
those with whom I disagree are for the most part interesting...with the
clear exception of Erik.
Ray Arthur
The Kentucky Wizard
After giving long thought about this issue, and after careful
consideration, I have come to the following conclusion;
I'm here to pick up chicks. ;-)~
--
*I'm The Wiz, and I approved this message*
© The Wiz ®
«¤»¥«¤»¥«¤»
Bill Schenley
> by eeeewwww.
Besides the obvious obituaries (the well-known) ... I enjoy
the mini-bios of people I never knew of ... but wished I
had. The stories of people who did something wonderful with
their lives ... not for payment or fame ... but simply
because they wanted to. And the obituaries of those whom
overcame great adversity to lead vivid and interesting
lives.
> How do you guys answer that question? Or do you keep it
> a secret?
My friends, my five sisters ... and their friends ... all
call or e-mail me if they want to know if someone is dead or
alive ... or dying.
> Discuss.
I just did.
Heinz W. Wiggeshoff
> I get this question ALL THE TIME.
To learn how to write a half decent obit. Just read the 1990 one
reposted for S. Davis Jr. How time flies. Throat cancer got him,
as well as Mary Wells, (singer, "My Guy"). Nothing like a couple
decades of smoking to enhance life expectancy. In my case, after
20 years of smoking, I quit in 1987, but last week I was told that
my throat cancer was inoperable. Therefore, I'd better start the
obit to make sure it's right and leaves out the undesireable bits.
B-)
Kathi
Wiggeshoff) wrote:
>"Hyfler/Rosner" (rel...@rcn.com) writes:
>> I get this question ALL THE TIME.
Me too, usually with a "How morbid!" thrown in.
> To learn how to write a half decent obit. Just read the 1990 one
> reposted for S. Davis Jr. How time flies. Throat cancer got him,
> as well as Mary Wells, (singer, "My Guy"). Nothing like a couple
> decades of smoking to enhance life expectancy. In my case, after
> 20 years of smoking, I quit in 1987, but last week I was told that
> my throat cancer was inoperable. Therefore, I'd better start the
> obit to make sure it's right and leaves out the undesireable bits.
Sorry to hear of your prognosis, Heinz. Does "inoperable"
automatically mean "incurable" or "untreatable"? If you're going to
start preliminary work on your own obit, leave in the undesirable bits
- what a fascinating read we'll have!
I've always read the obituaries, even when I was a kid. I thought it
was interesting to see very old people who died in the late '60s, were
born during Lincoln's presidency! I like to read about interesting
facts and tidbits, and I love the anecdotal postings in this ng.
Kathi
PirateJohn
some diverse (and in a few cases perverse) personalities and some spirited
discussions which are interesting, but to my way of thinking an obit is merely
a way of keeping up with what's happening in the World. Many times an obit is
the final and irrevocable end of an era.
~~~~~~~~~
Drug free, no-spin radio: http://www.airamericaradio.com/
Democracy in action: http://www.moveon.org
Like father, like son. One term.
Dave B
<Kentuck...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>Hyfler/Rosner wrote:
>> I get this question ALL THE TIME. It's usually followed by
>> eeeewwww.
>>
>> How do you guys answer that question? Or do you keep it a
>> secret?
>>
>> Discuss.
>
>
>After giving long thought about this issue, and after careful
>consideration, I have come to the following conclusion;
>
>I'm here to pick up chicks. ;-)~
ROTFL. Be careful Wiz, you might get what you wish for and she will
become obsessed with you not want to ever let you go. It's been known
to happen.:)
lynn
"Hyfler/Rosner" wrote > I get this question ALL THE TIME. It's usually
followed by
> eeeewwww.
i get "ewww..." but, moments later, i get "is so and so dead?" or
something like that.
i love reading about actors, and going "there's a movie i need to see...."
or "now, do they *really* belong on the oscar list?" and, it's wonderful to
read the archive obits, because you can finally ask "well, *was* jim croce a
hit before his death, or after?" or "do you think mike todd would have been
elizabeth taylor's last husband?"
and sometimes, if the death is particularly moving, it gives you a chance to
mourn, and reflect. when charlotte coleman died at 35, from asthma, it hit
me because i am 35, and dealing with asthma.
jamison
Terrymelin
>>
>>I'm here to pick up chicks. ;-)~
>
>ROTFL. Be careful Wiz, you might get what you wish for and she will
>become obsessed with you not want to ever let you go. It's been known
>to happen.:)
That must be his code word for little boys.
Corby Gilmore
Actually, I havent really researched wrestling deaths, although I admit
to being a wrestling fan, or "mark" if you will, since the 1960's. I do
try to keep up with what seems to be the weekly wrestling obit, but my
efforts have been rudimentary at best.
one thing I do know, from having researched the obit pages of the NY
Times from 1964 (where my local library's microfilm collection starts)
through 1976 (and counting), is that very few wrestling obituaries
actually attract the attention of the major dailies. From what I have
read, not more than about 10-15 wrestling obits have actually appeared;
mostly, they were those of the old-time legends such as George
Hackenschmidt, Jim Londos, Strangler Lewis and Bronko Nagurski.
--
Corby Gilmore
co...@ncf.ca
Hyfler/Rosner
"Corby Gilmore" <ai...@FreeNet.Carleton.CA> wrote in message
> one thing I do know, from having researched the obit
pages of the NY
> Times from 1964 (where my local library's microfilm
collection starts)
> through 1976 (and counting), is that very few wrestling
obituaries
> actually attract the attention of the major dailies. From
what I have
> read, not more than about 10-15 wrestling obits have
actually appeared;
> mostly, they were those of the old-time legends such as
George
> Hackenschmidt, Jim Londos, Strangler Lewis and Bronko
Nagurski.
> --
>
Are you sure they weren't in the Sports pages? Give me a
few names and I'll look them up.
James Neibaur
ai...@FreeNet.Carleton.CA wrote on 5/17/04 7:16 PM:
> From what I have
> read, not more than about 10-15 wrestling obits have actually appeared;
> mostly, they were those of the old-time legends such as George
> Hackenschmidt, Jim Londos, Strangler Lewis and Bronko Nagurski.
One of the problems during the sixties was when a wrester was killed (the
first to come to mind is Leaping Larry Chene back in 1964) and the sports
pages would not stoop to carrying a story on him, even in the newspapers
sold within the region he was working. Wrestling was really looked down
upon until Vince Jr. made it into a worldwide media even and its started
making real money. Now it is still looked down upon, but with the
understanding that it is a lucrative enterprise.
JN
Tregembo
"Terrymelin" <terry...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20040517141116...@mb-m23.aol.com...
I thought "Terry" was the universal code for little boy.
Ray Arthur
Michael Rhodes
cabinet packed with them. Births, marriages and enagements too.
-- Michael
Hyfler/Rosner
"Tregembo" <tr...@krajfm.com> wrote in message
news:LvudnT0L253...@iwvisp.com...
Please, you guys. Keep one lousy thread on topic. Please.
Todd N. Verklarung
> one thing I do know, from having researched the obit pages of the NY
> Times from 1964 (where my local library's microfilm collection starts)
> through 1976 (and counting), is that very few wrestling obituaries
> actually attract the attention of the major dailies. From what I have
> read, not more than about 10-15 wrestling obits have actually
> appeared; mostly, they were those of the old-time legends such as
> George Hackenschmidt, Jim Londos, Strangler Lewis and Bronko Nagurski.
That final name is undoubtedly more well known now in connection with the
underwear referred to frequently by Tom and Ray Magliozzi on Car Talk.
Todd(a.o)
The Kentucky Wizard
If I'm fortunate, not in my lifetime. ;-)~
The Kentucky Wizard
Just as 'terry' is the universal code word for bestiality.
The Kentucky Wizard
Yes, mother. :-(~
Amanda
I got into the obit habit when I was a depressed teenager. I would read
the celebrity obits to see if anyone famous died. Then when people asked
me why I was so depressed I could say "I just found out so-and-so died"
and they'd leave me alone.
I also did a brief stint at a small local paper where one of my duties
was to write up the local obits. Always interesting.
-Amanda
Dave B
<Kentuck...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>Terrymelin wrote:
>>>> consideration, I have come to the following conclusion;
>>>>
>>>> I'm here to pick up chicks. ;-)~
>>>
>>> ROTFL. Be careful Wiz, you might get what you wish for and
>she will
>>> become obsessed with you not want to ever let you go. It's
>been known
>>> to happen.:)
>>
>> That must be his code word for little boys.
>
>
>Just as 'terry' is the universal code word for bestiality.
I was thinking of another 5 letter name myself:) I'll email you my
thoughts.
Dave B
I wish I didn't know now what I didn't know then, I wish I could start
the whole thing over again-Toby Keith
R H Draney
>
>Quoth Corby Gilmore:
>
>> ...Bronko Nagurski.
>
>That final name is undoubtedly more well known now in connection with the
>underwear referred to frequently by Tom and Ray Magliozzi on Car Talk.
And often worn under Sonja Henie's tutu?...r
--
"You can't do it unless the number is two, too."
Todd N. Verklarung
> And often worn under Sonja Henie's tutu?...r
Which some years back was supplanted (or attempted to be
supplanted) by Tara Lipinski's tutu. Not quite the same
somehow.
Btw, "It only works when the number is two" was how I
remember it. (But keep in mind, I have CRABS.)
Todd(a.o)
R H Draney
Yeah, but I was trying to tie it into the "tutu" reference....
(Next time, I shall attempt to find an unforced way to mention Arup Gupta)....r
Hyfler/Rosner
Thank you all so much for your insightful, funny, surprising
and quite moving responses to this question.
I may even have a use for them.
More on that later,
Amelia
R H Draney
>
>I get this question ALL THE TIME. It's usually followed by
>eeeewwww.
>
>How do you guys answer that question? Or do you keep it a
>secret?
>
>Discuss.
Why do I read alt.obituaries?...let me count the ways:
(1) To avoid getting into a conversation with someone and saying "the kid from
Seaquest DSV would be perfect in that new movie they're talking about making"
only to have everyone else look at me and say "you mean you didn't *know*?"...
(2) To discover from an obit biography that the person responsible for
something that I thought of as happening a very very long time ago was still
with us until just recently....
(3) To fume when some pop-culture-saturated obit writer dwells at great length
on a later and unimportant accomplishment of some great person and completely
overlooks the far more important thing that person did earlier in life (like say
if Don Adams keeled over tomorrow and all they could say about him was that he
was the voice of Inspector Gadget)....
(4) To swap anecdotes about the kind of things they don't put in "official"
obits....
(5) And then of course, there's the pointless and unending political
bickering...you gotta have *that*....r
Sarns
"Hyfler/Rosner" <rel...@rcn.com> wrote in message
news:40a7de00$0$3004$61fe...@news.rcn.com...
> I get this question ALL THE TIME. It's usually followed by
> eeeewwww.
>
> How do you guys answer that question? Or do you keep it a
> secret?
Nahhh i'm really open about it ay...besides... you learn about adversities
that people have overcome to become what they were (albeit not always the
best in some cases!) .. i'm sorta going thru that myself at the moment.
I find it just a really interesting aspect of life...death... and all it
entails ..cos we're all going to go thru it..Obits included... think i'll
write mine out before i go :-)
The question i got asked most was ..how on earth can u take your kids for
picnics in cemeteries? LOL
--
Cheers
Sarndra
Christchurch, New Zealand
www.angelfire.com/ok/nzfamily
One in five of the ANZACS who left their country
to fight in the war never returned; 80,000 in total.
[http://www.firstworld.com]
"It's not the bullet with your name on it that you have to worry about.
It's the twenty-thousand-odd rounds labelled 'Occupant'."
-Murphy's Laws of Combat
Waterlou4
eeeewwww.
How do you guys answer that question? Or do you keep it a
secret?<< -- Amelia
Sorry to hear that you have me killfiled. I've answered this many times, at
length, and recently. Obits are biographies.
Robert Feigel (aka Bob)
wrote:
>I get this question ALL THE TIME. It's usually followed by
>eeeewwww.
>
>How do you guys answer that question? Or do you keep it a
>secret?
>
>Discuss.
A tardy response:
Why like? At first it was because, other than skimming through back
issues of Time Magazine 'Milestones' in my doctor's or dentist's
waiting rooms, I had no other way of learning about the passing of
prominent people.
Since then, NZ news sources have improved their act and I can get the
same basic info via Google News, Life In Legacy, etc.
So why hang around? Except for all the political/personal bickering
(mea culpa), I have always enjoyed reading other poster's comments and
reminiscences, as well as contributing mine from time to time.
Other than my wife and a couple of close friends, no one else knows
about my fascination with alt.obits. That's not because I want to keep
it a secret, but because it doesn't come up in everyday conversation.
If I was still living in SoCalif it would probably be a different
story. And I do refer to alt.obits when discussing the passing of
someone we knew or knew of with an old friend via email.
And YES! I do get some odd looks or comments whenever I *do* attribute
something to alt.obits. But since they're from people who don't really
understand the usenet environment, I have got in the habit of saying
that I learned such-and-such from the internet and that doesn't raise
an eyebrow.
Anyway - I think this is a great resource and full of fascinating
people, both living and ... on topic.
"When weaving nets, all threads count." - Charlie Chan
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wax-up and drop-in of Surfing's Golden Years: <http://www.surfwriter.net>
Hoodoo
wrote:
>I get this question ALL THE TIME. It's usually followed by
>eeeewwww.
>How do you guys answer that question?
Because I'd be much more surprised if the recently deceased could talk
about me.
Therefore, it's simple...
I got somethin' on 'em!!!
Hoodoo
<Kentuck...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>After giving long thought about this issue, and after careful
>consideration, I have come to the following conclusion;
>
>I'm here to pick up chicks. ;-)~
Gee, not that I know you that well, KY Wiz, but, I don't really care
to see you go...
Man Commits Suicide After Sex with Hen
Fri May 28, 2004
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=oddlyEnoughNews&storyID=5288963
LUSAKA (Reuters) - A 50-year-old Zambian man has hanged himself after
his wife found him having sex with a hen, police said Friday.
The woman caught him in the act when she rushed into their house to
investigate a noise.
"He attempted to kill her but she managed to escape," a police
spokesman said.
The man from the town of Chongwe, about 50 km (30 miles) east of
Lusaka, killed himself after being admonished by other villagers.
The hen was slaughtered after the incident.
The Kentucky Wizard
BUZZ,,,,,, Wrong answer. That's a different type of "chicks"
than the ones that I'm interested in.