It has been difficult for me to verify but CNN has reported today about a Web page which archives dead My Space members. I tried My Death Space but it didn’t connect. Perhaps it isn’t a hoax.
But one might ask, why would they want to read about dead My Space members? Actually, it’s perfectly understandable.
For years now I have read obituaries in the newspapers as well as having written a few in my time as a reporter. Obits, of course, gives notice of a person’s death as well as sometimes chronicling their lives. For some people it’s the only time their name is in the paper.
But obits also tell stories. These stories are of an indivdual’s accomplishments, their passions and other information which are a written testimonial of the person’s life. In newspapers they are definitely much read.
Once at a newspaper where I worked a fellow reporter accidentally listed the name of the man from the funeral home who was giving him information over the phone instead of the decedent’s. The next morning, this poor fellow (the funeral home guy) walked into church and the old ladies there all started screaming and crying seeing that the fellow was not dead. He had not read his own obit so the guy was understandably befuddled until he found out what had happen.
And if that isn’t bad enough, this same reporter was later an editor at another publication and he got the names of a fairly famous dead guy mixed up with a relatively famous country singer. The former co-worker who told me this said her friends were calling the erroneous editor “Serial Killer.” He really was a nice guy and tried hard but I guess one would say he had a little trouble with details.