6 March 2013 – The Good Funeral Guide

Getting off the rock

6 March 2013

Charles

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Categories: ashes

The indefatigable Tom Walkinshaw, to whose market survey many readers of the blog contributed, is coming closer to realising his dream of launching ashes into space. He has given up the day job in order to make it happen.

He already has a prototype of the satellite that would carry the ashes. It is about the size of a Rubik’s Cube and would hold the ashes of around 40 people. The satellite would be attached to a commercial rocket and launched in the US.

The satellite would then either burn up in space or return to Earth, meaning there would be no space junk or environmental impact. Alba Orbital would also offer a memorial service before the launch and a chance to watch the launch on the internet.

Says Tom:

“There’s an opportunity now in Scotland to be a world leader in small satellites and we want to give it a go.”

More here.

Dog saves owner from death

6 March 2013

Charles

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Categories: Uncategorised

A happy dog story for those of you who like happy dog stories. It’s from The Times (£)

A German shepherd in the South of France has kept its owner from committing suicide by knocking aside the rifle that she was about to use to shoot herself in the heart.

The dog’s owner, 63, had gone into the garden of her home in Sorgues, near Avignon, with the intention of taking her own life with a .22-calibre rifle.

She fired a few test shots to make sure that the weapon was working and then turned it round and pointed it at her heart, a local police officer said.

“Just as she pulled the trigger, her dog jumped on her and diverted the shot,” the officer said.

She did wound herself in the chest but did not lose consciousness and was found by her husband.

She was taken to hospital but the injury is believed not to be life-threatening, police said.

Crowdfunding for funerals?

6 March 2013

Charles

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Categories: Uncategorised

We don’t do crowdfunding for funerals in this country. It would be a great way of helping people who can’t afford one. In the US there seems to be a much stronger tradition of appealing to the wider community.

Hence the website above, GoFundMe.

On it is the appeal pictured above by a British couple wanting to raise a headstone for their little boy, Daniel. They’re asking for £700 and they’ve got to £650. You might like to help them over the line.

Our GFG techie genius, who also comes up with our best ideas (he is often called the brains of the GFG), likes this so much that he wants to create his own charitable website dedicated to people living in the UK. We’re right behind him. Britain is, after all, one of the most charitable nations on Earth. What better cause?

Find GoFundMe here.