3/5     What exactly is the purpose of an obituary in the newspaper?
        I mean it probably made sense in the 50s in a podunk town but
        in today's world where you don't even know your neighbor's
        last name, it doesn't seem to make as much sense. I mean, who
        in their right mind besides George Castanza's dad reads through
        a long list of the deceased with less than 0.01% of hit ratio?
        \_ I guess it's for legal purpose.  For example, if your evil brother
           doesn't show up within X days after the obituary, you get to
           inherit 100% of your dad's worth.  Something like that.
           \_ What world do you live in where you get to keep the entire
              family's inheritance because someone didn't see the obit?
        \_ In small (say up to 60k people?) communities you'd be amazed
           how connected people are.
           \_ Yes but how many people actually live in such a community
              today? People are more virtually connected, esp. the
              tech/motd/Silicon Valley crowd.
              \_ Most of the rest of the country outside, NY, Chicago, and LA.
              \_ People in small towns are very connected, in cities less
                 so and in suburbs the least of all. But about 25% of the US
                 poplulation still lives in small towns and rural areas.
                 \_ And big cities don't have the same kind of obituaries.
                    You generally have to be someone to merit one.
                    \_ Nonsense. Obits are purchased. You can write your own
                       or pay the paper to write one for you. The paper may
                       run its own obit for a famous person, but most obits
                       are just normal people whose family decided to spend a
                       few bucks on their memory.
                       \_ I don't think you can purchace at obit in the
                          New York Times.
              \_ You really think most people live like the SV crowd outside
                 SV?