If cremation 'is only the beginning,' what else do they do? I also find this almost as disturbing as the 'funeral home across from the hospital' theme that dominates small southern towns. Heck, my mom is buried across from the local hospital. Weird
and what kind of message is the funeral home sending? some light atheist amusement, perhaps? i don't know about you, but it seems a bit insensitive, possibly offensive. even though the dear people i've attended funerals might've smiled, their passing hasn't been all that much to chuckle about, 2 and 20 years later
"Only the beginning?" I find that almost as disturbing as where the ad is placed!
It makes me think about the fact that not too far from my home we have a hospital, retirement/assisted living facility, cemetery, funeral home and an inpatient "mental" hospital that all share one very large parking lot! I've always find that incredibly creepy!
What's even worse was the bill my friend received for her Mom when she had to be taken by ambulance across the parking lot from said Assisted Living facility to the Hospital! It was criminal!
Maybe it's a joke? It could be an offbeat marketing campaign.
"All your aches and pains are gone, no danger can harm you, Now the adventure can really begin! Try all the experiences you feared while living. Cremation is only the beginning."
I can tell you that those who place ads USUALLY try to avoid such placement. In most papers I've worked at, this is the responsibility of someone in the back room. The editorial people have to place their stuff around whatever the composing staff has done (and you thought reporters/editors did it).Money is power, and ads are $$$.
My guesses (and they are only guesses) are: This is a color ad, and there were no color positions left (papers USUALLY only have certain pages open for full color,) so it went on the last page available. Second, the descriptions for some ads are vague, and Composing did not realize they were placing a funeral ad next to comics.
Finally, the people who takeout the ad are responsible for the message,
"Your ashes will be mixed into India ink, which will then be used to draw a week's worth of 'Arlo and Janis' strips. Afterward, the original artwork will be tastefully framed and given to your next of kin."
As a Catholic, I could see this possibly acceptable in a very small town surrounding a Catholic seminary.
Maybe, there was a discount on ads placed near the comics section.
I wouldn't know. I always turn to the funnies first in the newspaper, so I would see it right off (or ignore it right away). Or, maybe the newspaper organization agreed to donate an extra $1,000 to the fund for St. Mary's collection for the poor..., if allowed to place the ad in the particular location.
By the size of the comics section, the newspaper might have a readership of a pretty small locality.
Otherwise, in a general audience of readers, one might find the ad rather distasteful, a tad, tasteless, and for lack of better words, well, unappetizingly creepy, and a sort-of in-your-face poke-in-the eye.
So may cremation or burials or funerals be the beginning of an afterlife, as Catholics believe, but next to a page of cartoons is a sort of a 'joke' on the gravity of the belief, especially in light of past reluctance by 'some' in the Church's views on cremation.
It sort-of reminds me of the article in today's paper about Ellis Island's hospital for the gravely ill, for immigrants who'd never get off the island alive, yet have a picture window view of the Statue of Liberty.
1. Paginator had trouble finding another full page in the paper. 2. Was done on purpose. Frequently Newspaper folks would make up stupid headlines, or place stories in such a way as to be prankish. A favorite : Local Strip club gets busted.
Joke about small towns with both Catholic seminaries and cemeteries by all means, among the seminarians. Wednesday, after all, is the first day of October.
Well technically they are correct. People don't generally realize it, but the body is not 'burnt away' in a cremation. A lot of recognizable bone remains. After the body is cremated, it is necessary to grind up the bones and put them in a box or urn.
"Only the beginning", eh? Do they know something the rest of the world doesn't?!?!?!
ReplyDeleteWow. I cannot believe that ad is right next to the funny pages.
ReplyDeleteIf cremation 'is only the beginning,' what else do they do?
ReplyDeleteI also find this almost as disturbing as the 'funeral home across from the hospital' theme that dominates small southern towns. Heck, my mom is buried across from the local hospital.
Weird
and what kind of message is the funeral home sending? some light atheist amusement, perhaps? i don't know about you, but it seems a bit insensitive, possibly offensive. even though the dear people i've attended funerals might've smiled, their passing hasn't been all that much to chuckle about, 2 and 20 years later
ReplyDeleteWe cremated my dad and rented a coffin for the service beforehand. His spirit found it quite funny I'm sure.
ReplyDelete"Only the beginning?" I find that almost as disturbing as where the ad is placed!
ReplyDeleteIt makes me think about the fact that not too far from my home we have a hospital, retirement/assisted living facility, cemetery, funeral home and an inpatient "mental" hospital that all share one very large parking lot! I've always find that incredibly creepy!
What's even worse was the bill my friend received for her Mom when she had to be taken by ambulance across the parking lot from said Assisted Living facility to the Hospital! It was criminal!
The ad says "Catholic cemeteries". Living in a majority-Catholic country, I gotta say the placement is... dead on.
ReplyDeleteMaybe it's a joke? It could be an offbeat marketing campaign.
ReplyDelete"All your aches and pains are gone, no danger can harm you, Now the adventure can really begin! Try all the experiences you feared while living. Cremation is only the beginning."
I'm picturing someone taking grandpa's ashes parachuting...
And, speaking of eternity, they're still running "Sally Forth?"
ReplyDeleteI can tell you that those who place ads USUALLY try to avoid such placement. In most papers I've worked at, this is the responsibility of someone in the back room. The editorial people have to place their stuff around whatever the composing staff has done (and you thought reporters/editors did it).Money is power, and ads are $$$.
ReplyDeleteMy guesses (and they are only guesses) are: This is a color ad, and there were no color positions left (papers USUALLY only have certain pages open for full color,) so it went on the last page available. Second, the descriptions for some ads are vague, and Composing did not realize they were placing a funeral ad next to comics.
Finally, the people who takeout the ad are responsible for the message,
How about in the travel section, next to all the ads for vacation packages?
ReplyDelete"Your ashes will be mixed into India ink, which will then be used to draw a week's worth of 'Arlo and Janis' strips. Afterward, the original artwork will be tastefully framed and given to your next of kin."
ReplyDeleteAs a Catholic, I could see this possibly acceptable in a very small town surrounding a Catholic seminary.
ReplyDeleteMaybe, there was a discount on ads placed near the comics section.
I wouldn't know. I always turn to the funnies first in the newspaper, so I would see it right off (or ignore it right away). Or, maybe the newspaper organization agreed to donate an extra $1,000 to the fund for St. Mary's collection for the poor..., if allowed to place the ad in the particular location.
By the size of the comics section, the newspaper might have a readership of a pretty small locality.
Otherwise, in a general audience of readers, one might find the ad rather distasteful, a tad, tasteless, and for lack of better words, well, unappetizingly creepy, and a sort-of in-your-face poke-in-the eye.
So may cremation or burials or funerals be the beginning of an afterlife, as Catholics believe, but next to a page of cartoons is a sort of a 'joke' on the gravity of the belief, especially in light of past reluctance by 'some' in the Church's views on cremation.
It sort-of reminds me of the article in today's paper about Ellis Island's hospital for the gravely ill, for immigrants who'd never get off the island alive, yet have a picture window view of the Statue of Liberty.
'Twas the Rock and Roll Cremation...
ReplyDelete"Your body burned for a couple of hours, but now your soul is going to burn for all eternity! Ha ha ha!"
ReplyDeleteThe newspaper is the Chicago Sun-Time, so that answers your question about the newspaper locale...definitely not small-town.
ReplyDeleteStill, probably not as bad as this:
ReplyDeleteSaginaw funeral home opens a drive-thru window
http://michiganradio.org/post/saginaw-funeral-home-opens-drive-thru-window
1.
ReplyDeletePaginator had trouble finding another full page in the paper.
2.
Was done on purpose. Frequently Newspaper folks would make up stupid headlines, or place stories in such a way as to be prankish. A favorite : Local Strip club gets busted.
Nothing to get all hot about.
"As a Catholic, I could see this possibly acceptable in a very small town surrounding a Catholic seminary."
ReplyDeleteI assume Anonymous meant "a Catholic cemetery."
As a Catholic seminary graduate, I see some potential jokes here...
Joke about small towns with both Catholic seminaries and cemeteries by all means, among the seminarians. Wednesday, after all, is the first day of October.
ReplyDeleteWell technically they are correct. People don't generally realize it, but the body is not 'burnt away' in a cremation. A lot of recognizable bone remains. After the body is cremated, it is necessary to grind up the bones and put them in a box or urn.
ReplyDeleteThe obituaries are known as " the Irish comics" in some regions....convenient to have them all in the same section.
ReplyDelete