The Kiosk of Death at the Mall

 

The Mall

Now, it seems, you can have it all. One-stop lifetime shopping from baby clothes, to wedding supplies, to tax services, and funeral arrangements.

 

Earlier this year, a California funeral home, Forest Lawn Memorial Parks & Mortuaries,  http://www.forestlawn.com began placing kiosks in 4 southern California malls. 

Mall Shopping

The cart kiosks are low key, featuring urns, some with themes, to entice folks to stop and talk to the advanced planning representative that staffs the cart. Literature and brochures are also available and may be taken home and perused.

While at first the idea seems a tad unconventional, it’s really just another way of

reaching out to those who might want to pre-plan for death but can’t bring themselves to go to the funeral home or a cemetery.

But Forest Lawn is not the first funeral home to open a mall kiosk about death.  An Indianapolis, Indiana funeral home, Flanner & Buchanan Funeral Centers partnered with two Indianapolis area Simon Malls beginning in 2004 to provide unmanned kiosks to market their cremation services.

Flanner & Buchanan Kiosk

It proved to be very successful, not only in assisting people in making pre-need decisions but also in placing several sets of cremains in area cemeteries.

Cremation is now the fastest growing service for funeral homes, and having the ability to feature urns, photos of eco-green cemeteries, and cremation jewelry at a mall kiosk is an excellent strategy. It seems that most consumers view cremation as an alternative to a funeral. They don’t understand that a funeral service can still be held, and the cremated remains can also be placed in a cemetery plot.

Today, not only are funeral homes stepping out and becoming more visible, they are also starting to engage potential customers online through social media. Since the recession of 2009, funeral homes have seen a decline in the use of their services.

2013 Hearse

1960 Hearse

Not too surprising since the average cost of a “traditional” funeral has gone up about 940% in almost 50 years. According to the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) http://nfda.org, the cost of an adult funeral in 1960 was  $708. In 2009 (the last year figures were available) the cost was $6,560. Add the price of the cemetery vault ($1,195) and a funeral will now run around $7,700.

Donate to Science

New England Burials at Sea

Consumers are now looking for alternative methods to the traditional ‘burying their dead.’ Cremation is just one of these options, along with burial at sea and donating your body to science.

Crematory

And the cost of cremation is a relative bargain compared to a traditional funeral and burial. The average cost of a direct cremation (no service) is between $700 and $1,000, and that covers the cremation, urn, death certificate and taxes. Adding a funeral service, graveside service, or cemetery plot will cost extra, so plan accordingly.

In 1960 only 3.56% of those who died were cremated. As of 2011, 42% had chosen this alternative. That’s more than double the rate of cremations in 1995, and the Cremation Association of North America http://www.cremationassociation.org predicts that by 2050, over half (51.12%) of those who die will be cremated.

Mall Food Court

While it may seem a bit morbid or morose to some, it is just another opportunity for each of us to consider what we want to happen to our remains after death and provides a way for that conversation to begin; even if it is at the mall, over an Auntie Ann’s pretzel, – it’s still a beginning.

And as the band Semisonic sings in “Closing Time” -

“Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end…”

How prophetic.

~ Joy

Desegregtion of the Military Ordered 65 Years Ago Today

President Harry Truman

Executive Order 9981

Sixty-five years ago today, on July 26, 1948, President Harry Truman signed into law, Executive Order 9981, with the intent of ending racial segregation in the armed forces.

The order read, "It is hereby declared to be the policy of the President that there shall be equality of treatment and opportunity for all persons in the armed services without regard to race, color, religion, or national origin."

The President’s Committee on Equality of Treatment and Opportunity in the Armed Services obligated the government to begin integrating the military immediately. Finally, it was time.

Segregated Military Police

Whites & Blacks Only Entrances

Jim Crow laws were in effect throughout the military, and the country, from 1876 to 1965. During WW II over 2.5 million African American males registered for the draft, over 75% were placed in the Army, and 125,000 served overseas.

Whites Only Mess Hall

Black soldiers knew when they enlisted during WWII, they would be serving in segregated units, most working non-combat jobs driving trucks, working in mess halls, or working as dock laborers. Only the Army Air Corp and the Marines accepted African Americans for combat roles as fighter pilots.

Red Ball Express

Red Ball Highway

But despite segregation, many African American units stood out for their spirit and courage. The Red Ball Express, operated mainly by black soldiers, was a convoy of about 6,000 trucks that delivered over 12,000 tons of supplies, each day, to the European Allied forces. The Red Ball Express ran from August to November 1944 and gave the Allies the traction needed on the ground to defeat the Germans.

761st Tank Battalion

Black Panthers

The 761^st Tank Battalion of the US Army was known as the Black Panthers. They served under General George Patton’s US Third Army, at his request, seeing action throughout central Europe, the Battle of the Bulge, and ending the war fighting on German soil.

Tuskegee Airmen

The Tuskegee Airmen were the first U.S. African American military pilots. Known as the Red-Tailed Angels, they flew P-40’s Warhawks and P-51 Mustangs, escorting the heavy bombers lumbering to and from Germany, Poland, Austria, Hungary and Czechoslovakia with their bomb loads.

Children at a Nazi Camp

Remains at a Nazi Concentration Camp

At the war’s end, the world was stunned by the atrocities committed against the Jews, by Nazi Germany. It was a revelation that made many Americans take a deeper look at racism in this country. “With liberty and justice for all” now had a new meaning to many, including our European Allies who could not understand why the U.S. was still segregated.

African American veterans came back home after the war determined to stand up against the racial injustices occurring against them in the country they had fought for. Now they were fighting a war for equal treatment and opportunity.

Committee on Civil Rights

In 1946, President Truman appointed a Committee on Civil Rights to document racial violence and civil rights violations throughout the country for one year.

In 1947, the committee released its report “To Secure These Rights” reporting that the “disease of racism” was still thriving in the U.S. and especially in the nation’s military. The report recommended legislation be enacted "to end immediately all discrimination and segregation based on race, color, creed or national origin in...all branches of the Armed Services."

President Truman Addressing Congress

Congress 1948

In February 1948, President Truman called for Congress to enact the recommendations issued by the committee. When southern members threatened a filibuster to stop the bill, Truman overrode them by using his executive powers and making Executive Order 9981 the law.  

 

United States Colored Troops

Arlington Cemetery

Arlington Cemetery, along with all other national cemeteries, adopted the President's policy and stopped all segregated burial practices that year. By 1954, the Army announced its last black unit had been desegregated. By the end of the Korean Conflict, most of the military was integrated.

Comrades

Although racism continued in the military and throughout the country for years after Executive Order 9981 was signed into law, it was the first major blow struck against segregation. That ruling gave African Americans hope to believe that in time, justice would be served and liberty and justice would, indeed, be for all.

~ Joy

Horror Show Hosts – The End of an Era

Horror Hosts

Last week we took a look at horror show hosts from the 1950’s and 60’s. Today, we wrap up our scary look back at horror host from the 1970’s, 80’s and beyond…

Ads for Horror Shows

Those Creature Feature packages that television stations bought for late night viewing contained the best and worst of the B movies from the 1930’s – 50’s. But most viewers tuned in to be entertained by the show’s host – usually a station employee moonlighting as a vampire, ghoul, mad scientist, or an array of other undead beings. By the early 70’s they had learned how to deliver a high-energy show on a low, low budget simply by providing a dry wit and cool patter. By the end of the 70’s over 200 horror hosts roamed the late night television airwaves.

1970’s

Dr Shock & Bubbles

Dr Shock was a well-known horror host in Philadelphia during the 1970’s. Portrayed by magician Joseph Zawislak (1937 – 1979, he was known as the “Mad Magician of Fright.” Dr Shock was a zombie with slicked back hair and a black frock coat – a bit sinister and over the top. The station decided to soften his shocking image by adding his daughter, Doreen, to the show. Her character was named Bubbles after the show’s sponsor Bubbles-Booth soda. The Doctor’s signoff, “Let there be fright!” was a catch phrase in Philly for years. When Zawislak died of a heart attack in 1979, the show died with him.

Watch a music video from Dr Shock’s only single record,

“Eat Your Heart Out, Baby

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xx2fG5FjCy8

Sivad

Sivad & His Coffin

Sivad, the Vampire with the southern accent, was the “Monster of Ceremonies” for the Fantastic Features horror movie program on WHBQ. Portrayed by Watson Davis (1913 - 2005 (Sivad was Davis spelled backwards), Sivad ruled the prime-time airwaves on Saturday nights in Memphis, Tennessee. His campy humor appealed to adults and youth alike, as was apparent when 30,000 people showed up for one of his personal appearances at the State Fair. Sivad was an expert at playing the "ghoulaphone" and the "coffinola," both instruments Davis created for Sivad.

Enjoy witty one-liners delivered by Sivad

to show sponsors

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qG62kDIMeo

Svengoolie & a Chicken

Svengoolie

He began as a horror host on a film program in the Chicago area in the late 70’s, but has moved on to become a national host for Saturday night movies on Me-TV. Such is the life of (Son of) Svengoolie whose name is a play on the word Svengali, meaning someone with evil intent.  Portrayed by Rich Koz since 1979, Svengoolie clues viewers in on the cheap movie effects, sings catchy little dirges, and tells corny jokes, all which usually ends up with him being pelted with rubber chickens by the undead audience.

Svengoolie and a parody of Mambo No. 5:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZLFA3rWBGE

1980’s

With the Me Decade came the influx of She ghouls! Women were taking to the airwaves as vamps, vixens, and man-eaters.

Stella the Man-eater

In Philadelphia, following Saturday Night Live, you could curl up with some popcorn and watch Saturday Night Dead, starring Stella the Man-eater from Manayunk (a working class suburb of Philly.) Stella was not a vampire or a ghoul; she was a self-described vamp, a ghoul next-door type who was the “Daughter of Desire.” Portrayed by Karen Scioli, Stella was a cult favorite with her vibrating bed, known as Beda Logois, and there were always a few half-dressed men hanging around her haunted home; it's said, she definitely knew how to keep a guy on his toes.

Hide-n-Go Seek with Stella

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xcg9PSLr9vs

Elvira & Friend

Horror hostess Elvira greeted viewers in Los Angles each week in a low-cut, high slit gown as she introduced the current Movie Macabre feature. More quirky than creepy, Elvira quickly began appearing on other television shows during the 80’s before taking on NFL football in the 90’s and movies at the turn of the century. Portrayed by Cassandra Peterson (1951 -), a former go-go dancer and Vegas show girl, Elvira is a combination of sexy vamp and punk rocker who talks like a Valley Girl, but has a wit that’s razor sharp.

Elvira at Comic Con

After 30 years, Elvira is still making the rounds, touring the country as the Mistress of the Dark. With her own webpage that sells DVDs, music, costumes, apparel, and autographed photos, it appears Elvira will not going gently into that good night…

Campy Elvira presents -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6aOuHUF2E4

1990’s and Beyond

With the 1990’s came the public’s acceptance of the home computer and a new kind of horror host was born. Mystery Science Theatre 3000 aired for 11 years, beginning in Minneapolis, Minnesota on KTMA and moving to the Comedy Channel (Comedy Central) and later the Sci-Fi Channel. 

Robots Say the Funniest Things

The premise? Horror host Joel Robinson, is stranded on a space station, forced to watch awful movies as part of an evil science experiment. He builds four robots from parts lying around, and hilarity ensues as they critique and bash each week's film from front row seats. The show’s original host Joel Robinson was portrayed by show creator, Joel Hodgson (1960 -) for the first four years, before Michael Nelson took the reigns. But it was the robots Crow T. Robot, Tom Servo, Gypsy and Cambot, and their wisecracking comments during the film, that stole the show and made MST3K the most successful TV program to satirize those B movies from the past.

A taste of Mystery Science Theatre 3000 (MST3K)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v71Epv4g6jY

The Remaining Undead –

Dr Gangrene

Dr Gangrene provides southern fried horror for the residents of Nashville, Tennessee. What began as a public access program called Chiller Theatre on a Hendersonville cable access channel spun out of control into a full-fledged horror show. Dr Gangrene, portrayed by Larry Underwood (1966 -) is one of the first horror hosts to self syndicate his program. The show moved to WNAB in Nashville in 2005 and became the Creature Feature. In 2008, Go Green with Dr Gangrene, a series of Public Service Announcements began airing in Nashville and won a Rondo Award.

Dr Gangrene goes Green with PSAs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGVbjDJVNVs

Penny Dreadful

Penny Dreadful XIII is a witch intent on casting a spell on viewers and bringing back the “daze” of the late night horror host to the Boston-area airwaves. Portrayed by Danielle Gelehrter, Penny Dreadful is a hex-citing host, one minute delighting with a dry wit and the next casting a sinister gaze upon the proceedings. Penny Dreadful’s Shilling

Shockers now air in 10 states around the country, and online. Penny is a regular witchy attraction at horror conventions around the country.

Penny Dreadful Shilling Shockers Open

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTfy5s6YsoQ

And there are so many more –

Vincent Price

So, to all of the horror hosts who have guided us down those dark and dank alleys, late at night, providing a bit of wit and humor along those dark passages, we remember you with the words of Vincent Price – Master Horror Host:    

      

The foulest stench is in the air
The funk of forty thousand years
And grisly ghouls from every tomb
Are closing in to seal your doom
And though you fight to stay alive
Your body starts to shiver
For no mere mortal can resist
The evil of the thriller

Thriller

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-405Vvn3OU

~ Joy