With all of the economic strife in the world, the funeral industry is still going strong. There is a niche for all budgets these days, including the availability of coffins at Costco. [more inside]
posted by grapefruitmoon on Apr 20, 2009 - 55 comments

You can take with you. A colleague of mine showed me this page and asked if I knew what it was all about. I suggested, doll houses. He said you're warm. After a few more guesses I gave up. When he told was it was about, it all clicked. I live in Taiwan and know quite a bit about funeral ceremonies here. I've seen a couple of cars and planes...but never have I seen items like these or these or these. Talk about going out in style! All of this stuff is made out of paper and is set afire! As for the prices....just divide by 34 to get US dollars.
posted by rmmcclay on Mar 19, 2009 - 7 comments

> The Business of Death (a short animation, somewhat reminicent of Edward Gorey, by Alejandro Cardenas). > The Business of Death (Time magazine, Sept. 28, 1936) > The Business of Death (This American Life, Apr. 18, 1997) > The Business of Death (Inc. magazine, Oct. 16, 2006)
posted by spock on Nov 1, 2007 - 29 comments

Home funerals Think the cost of funerals is out of control? Do it yourself!
posted by annieb on Mar 12, 2006 - 79 comments

Taps: Sometimes broken, recently automated; an American melody.
posted by mr_roboto on May 31, 2004 - 18 comments

How I Sent My Father to Heaven. A Hindu funeral. 'My non-believing heart had melted and I once again saluted my father's dedication to my mother. '
New content on The Call of Yama, a page about death and dying in Hinduism (and part of Kamat's Potpourri, a huge personal site devoted to Indian culture, history, art and scenery).
posted by plep on Dec 10, 2003 - 6 comments

Dress Rehearsal Rag: Well we have pre-nuptials; trial separations; 30-day pre-purchases; secondary virginity and revirginizing and preemptive wars: so why not hold your own funeral while you're still lively enough to enjoy it?
posted by MiguelCardoso on Dec 11, 2002 - 7 comments

Family Asks Cheney Not To Attend Wellstone Service. "Upset by Republican activities", the Wellstone family has uninvited Cheney to Sen. Wellstone's funeral. This article suggests that it's as much an issue of the awkwardness of Cheney being at what might amount to a Democrat rally, as it is about the family not wanting him there.
posted by badstone on Oct 29, 2002 - 62 comments

Hell Bank Notes are a chinese funeral custom of burning paper money in specialized cemetary ovens for use in the afterlife (Some even feature US Presidents JFK and LBJ). I have heard of instances where entire paper houses or cars are burned in tribute. Find out more about contemporary chinese funeral practices, such as funerary music like Mei Hua Ts'ao (Plum Blossoms) [3 meg mp3] and personal insightful interviews. What unique funeral practices have you witnessed or participated in?
posted by Stan Chin on Sep 7, 2002 - 33 comments

When I Die I Want... The whole world to dance? Stop in its tracks? No one to notice? Everyone else to die too? Or will a simple deleted MetaFilter thread do? It's not only control freaks who have an idea of how they'd like their own funeral to go. Matthew Parris, for instance, wants a trial with a counsel for the prosecution, as well as the obligatory one for his defense... [Cultural attitudes to death vary wildly and convey different images which may or may not exactly reflect the predominant attitude towards life. Well, for making your own very particular arrangements, despite the gruesome sideshows, The Sepulcher and The Dark Side Of The Web are two resources to die for.]
posted by MiguelCardoso on Aug 16, 2002 - 7 comments

Damned if you do, damned if you're dead. If families don't purchase an expensive urn for cremated remains, require them to purchase a $45 temporary container. But be sure to stamp it "Temporary Container" on all four sides, advises one industry newsletter. The funeral industry may not be making any friends, but they're making a boatload of money. The Funeral Consumers Alliance would like to help them make a little less.
posted by headspace on Mar 19, 2002 - 14 comments

Beyond Indigo is a site devoted to death and dying. Includes channels on funerals, caregiving, and sudden death, as well as quizzes, stories, memorials, products and more.
posted by swift on Jan 30, 2002 - 6 comments

KISS Kasket
"This is the ultimate KISS collectible, " said Gene Simmons. "I love livin', but this makes the alternative look pretty damn good."
posted by riley370 on Jun 18, 2001 - 4 comments

Drive through Funeral Home Viewing? This has got to be the most disgusting thing I've seen in a long time. "Convience in your time of grieving"??? How about respect for the dead? [obscene word] convience. THIS is where American society is just going down the tubes. Some things just should NOT happen. And this is one of them.
posted by eljuanbobo on Jul 21, 2000 - 10 comments

Gut check - I find this very disturbing. Inevitable, but disturbing. Look at the page as it loads up and please share the first thoughts or emotions that grab you.
posted by ZachsMind on Jun 6, 2000 - 32 comments

BringOutYourDead.com. Coming soon to a browser near you: webcasted funerals. What a great idea, I could really see people getting emotional over some jerky, highly-compressed, blurry RealVideo of a casket. On second thought...
posted by mathowie on Feb 25, 2000 - 0 comments