Comments on: Death in the digital age? http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/2008/06/28/death-in-the-digital-age/ Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:39:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: drinian http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/2008/06/28/death-in-the-digital-age/comment-page-1/#comment-30424 drinian Sun, 29 Jun 2008 05:53:48 +0000 http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/?p=846#comment-30424 Think that's bad? The house that my parents and I have lived in since 1987 was previously owned by an elderly former nurse. That's over twenty years ago, and I'm sure she sent change-of-address cards, etc. when she moved out. However, that doesn't stop us from getting credit card offers from the American Federation of Nurses every few months for her. Even more bizarrely, I have recently started receiving junk mail advertising the publication "Nursing 2008" -- <em>with my name on it!</em> I can only surmise that this nursing organization paid some company for the service of having their database "corrected," and decided that the old lady's name was actually mine. Think that’s bad?

The house that my parents and I have lived in since 1987 was previously owned by an elderly former nurse. That’s over twenty years ago, and I’m sure she sent change-of-address cards, etc. when she moved out.

However, that doesn’t stop us from getting credit card offers from the American Federation of Nurses every few months for her. Even more bizarrely, I have recently started receiving junk mail advertising the publication “Nursing 2008″ — with my name on it! I can only surmise that this nursing organization paid some company for the service of having their database “corrected,” and decided that the old lady’s name was actually mine.

]]> By: Cyde Weys http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/2008/06/28/death-in-the-digital-age/comment-page-1/#comment-30400 Cyde Weys Sat, 28 Jun 2008 21:20:13 +0000 http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/?p=846#comment-30400 Names weren't in databases back in the 1800s though. At some point, in ten years, my great-aunt's name and address will be in a poorly validated database that is sold to some junk mailer, and more letters will start arriving. Things like this didn't use to happen. Names weren’t in databases back in the 1800s though. At some point, in ten years, my great-aunt’s name and address will be in a poorly validated database that is sold to some junk mailer, and more letters will start arriving. Things like this didn’t use to happen.

]]> By: William (green) http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/2008/06/28/death-in-the-digital-age/comment-page-1/#comment-30388 William (green) Sat, 28 Jun 2008 15:17:20 +0000 http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/?p=846#comment-30388 But really, it's always been like that. Imagine how it must have been, not so long ago, when a loved one would die and every so often, one of their dearest friends wouldn't know and <i>you</i>'d be the one to tell them the news. And you never know when something like that will happen. I guess that kind of thing still happens, probably, but I imagine it's a lot less frequent. I was thinking way back when; in the 1800s when it might take weeks to discover even that one of your parents has died, as an example. Again, this could still happen, but... I don't see it as being particularly likely. But really, it’s always been like that. Imagine how it must have been, not so long ago, when a loved one would die and every so often, one of their dearest friends wouldn’t know and you‘d be the one to tell them the news. And you never know when something like that will happen.
I guess that kind of thing still happens, probably, but I imagine it’s a lot less frequent. I was thinking way back when; in the 1800s when it might take weeks to discover even that one of your parents has died, as an example. Again, this could still happen, but… I don’t see it as being particularly likely.

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