The Affairs Organizer Blog

According to this Wall Street Journal article from Dana Mattioli:

“…Sales of caskets have been declining for years as more people choose cremation. But the economic slump is compounding the industry’s woes as those who do pick caskets buy cheaper, more spartan accommodations for the hereafter.

In response, casket makers are diversifying, building less expensive models and expanding cremation offerings …

Part of the problem is people (who don’t) want a casket burial regardless of how strong the economy is (preferring cremation instead) …

Annual U.S. casket sales peaked by volume at 1.9 million caskets in 2000, according to the Casket and Funeral Supply Association of America. Since then they have drifted down as cremations, which cost less and are gaining broader acceptance, have risen.

For the 12 months through September 2009, U.S. casket sales totaled 1.69 million, down from 1.74 million a year earlier.

The average cost of a traditional burial is $7,200, compared with $1,400 for the crematory fee, some form of memorial service and an inexpensive urn, says John Ross, executive director of the Cremation Association of North America.”

Click this link to read the full article: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704511304575075811946202750.html?mod=WSJ_hp_editorsPicks

“Cemeteries and funeral homes across the USA are offering environmentally friendly burials featuring formaldehyde-free fluids for embalming and biodegradable caskets made of pine, wicker or even cardboard.

Green burials are available in nearly 30 cemeteries nationwide, up from a handful at the start of 2008, says Joe Sehee, executive director and president of the Green Burial Council, a non-profit organization that encourages environmentally”

Click here to read the whole article.

Jeffrey Zaslow’s article “Love, Honor, Cherish and Scatter” in the Wall Street Journal is interesting.

Excerpts:

“More Americans these days are scattering loved ones’ ashes widely, with great purpose and often without permission—an act known in the funeral industry as a “wildcat scattering.” It’s a reflection of both the marked rise in cremation and the growing desire by people to find their own ways to ritualize grief.”

“Scientists agree that there is no health or environmental hazard from the spread of human ashes. “It’s mineral-based and typically, with wind and rain, will melt into the soil within days,” says John Ross, executive director of the Cremation Association.

Despite this, theme parks, sports facilities and other public facilities often discourage the scattering of ashes or decline requests, though some stadiums, typically overseas, designate certain areas where it is permitted. “A stadium is for the celebration of baseball; you don’t want to think of it as a graveyard,” says Mr. Jokinen. “If someone runs a golf course, it seems unsavory to have people golfing over the remains of dead bodies. There’s a ghostly connotation.”"

Here is a link to the full article: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703422904575039280799336638.html?mod=WSJ_hps_MIDDLESecondNews

Below is an excerpt from Sue Shellenbarger’s 09/22/2009 WSJ “Work & Family” column, in which she answers an inquiry about finding high-quality child care:

“A useful checklist of qualities to look for in high-quality child care can be found at ChildCareAware.org by clicking on “Parents,” then “Site Map,” and finally “Evaluating a Provider.”

The state-funded child-care resource and referral agency that serves your county (Riverside, Calif.) employs counselors who can answer your questions and provide free referrals to state-licensed providers near your home or work, says Jill Johnson, coordinator of the agency, part of the Children and Family Services unit at the Riverside County Office of Education. They can send you a handout about what to look for in quality child care, Ms. Johnson says. These referral agencies can be found almost anywhere in the U.S. by searching at ChildCareAware.org by ZIP Code, or by calling 800-424-2246.

Before signing up, ask to see the facility’s license and health and safety documents …   Perhaps most important, trust your instincts. Observe classrooms, and take note of whether teachers seem to really like the children; behave in a nurturing, responsive way; create a positive emotional climate; and seem willing to communicate with parents. Beyond safety and cleanliness, research shows the central element of good child care is the relationship between caregivers and each child … child-care centers in (Riverside, Calif.) are accredited for high quality by the National Association for the Education of Young Children; find them at naeyc.org.”

Check out “Free Ivy-League Lectures on the Economy” by Barry Ritholtz on his blog The Big Picture.

While I’m not one who believes the Ivy League has cornered the market on great ideas* or analysis or teaching, there are many useful resources.

*In fact, many of those who bear significant responsibility for the Great Recession of 2007+ are from the often overvalued “Ivy League”

In this WSJ “Wealth Report” blog entry, Robert Frank writes:

“Lesson to billionaires: get a will. Especially if you have fathered nine children with mistresses.

That sounds blindingly obvious, of course. But a nasty estate fight breaking out in New Jersey demonstrates that even multibillionaires can sometimes neglect the most basic of wealth-management issues.”

Melinda Beck, in this Wall Street Journal article, outlines the long line of women in her family who have suffered from osteoporosis.

Here are my remarks in the comments section:

Ms. Beck, you hit the nail on the head about being aware of our genetic predispositions.

I’m sorry for the loss of your great-grandmother, grandmother and mother to osteoporosis (directly or indirectly), however knowing your family medical history arms you and your health care providers with very important information about what to be especially on the lookout for, as well as preventative actions to you can take.

Here http://12criticalthings.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/12cr_med_hist.pdf is a free PDF for documenting and your family medical history. Share it with your family members and consider keeping a copy in your travel luggage.

-Mark Gavagan
http://12criticalthings.com/
http://www.affairsorganizer.com/