Cemeteries and smart phones - perfect together

tdew · 03-21-2012, 11:40 AM

I've written before about taking photos in cemeteries for those who live too far away to check out the gravestones for themselves. This application for Iphones and Android phones is the perfect tool for this.

If you find yourself in a cemetery, take pictures of some stones with gps enabled and upload them for others to index the names.

http://billiongraves.com/contribute.php

Ned · 03-21-2012, 04:19 PM

Not to be a spoil sport, but I can think of lots of reasons not to do this, unless asked by a particular person with a legitimate interest in seeing the gravestone.

This project sounds all too much like an invitation to some to utilize the information in a nefarious way.

I give the example of the Mormon people who continue to think their desecration of the lives of those who don't believe as that believe is alright because they don't think it's harmful. They don't consider the position of outsiders who's lives they are harming to be valid. The psychological trauma they have inflicted on Holocaust victim's families I know is just awful.

Moreover, this could identify Jewish graves which are unknown to skinheads and other antisemites who are numerous, as such and their location of which could be then be seen by all so they can be vandalized and desecrated, which is a problem already at many Jewish cemeteries. The cemeteries my grandparents are buried in has been vandalized numerous times in the past decade, with stones smashed, swastikas spray painted everywhere, fences bashed down by vehicles, flowers torn up, and stones stolen. While the severity is less, where my mother and brother are buried, there has been damage there as well, including the stone marking both my mother's and brother's grave.

It is my intention, now that I know of this program, to petition Apple to remove it, to make the good intentions with unforeseen horrid consequences of this organization more difficult, and I intend to write to the organization to ask them to stop their work which I'm sure they'll poo-poo, but at least I can try.

tdew · 03-21-2012, 08:06 PM

Ned, this isn't the only site that lists gravestones or graves. It's just the easiest for people to add to. You already have Jewish cemeteries if anyone is looking for graves of a specific religion.

I for one hope you are not successful in getting this application removed. I think it can be an enormous help to many people who are searching for more information about their families.

I've had quite a number of ancestors who were baptized into the Mormon faith after they'd been gone for a long time. I know they would not have accepted the offer and am content that no harm has been done because of it. I use the records of the LDS often and appreciate their work, even if I don't subscribe to their reasons for doing it.

pezmanffx · 03-21-2012, 10:12 PM

I think it is a decent idea. The graves for my family are 350 miles away and I rarely get a chance to see them.

As far as I'm concerned the mormon's pose no threat. I agree that there are hate groups out there but they just need to walk through a cemetery and look at the names. That kind of hatred is hard to stop because they will go looking for it app or not.

03-21-2012, 11:40 AM	#1
tdew Senior Member Über Poster Member since: Apr 2005 Location: Bergen Co, NJ Posts: 4,265 Rep Power: 278	Cemeteries and smart phones - perfect together I've written before about taking photos in cemeteries for those who live too far away to check out the gravestones for themselves. This application for Iphones and Android phones is the perfect tool for this. If you find yourself in a cemetery, take pictures of some stones with gps enabled and upload them for others to index the names. http://billiongraves.com/contribute.php

03-21-2012, 04:19 PM	#2
Ned Kishef macher Super Duper Über Poster Member since: Jul 2005 Location: Philadelphia, PA USA Posts: 16,687 Rep Power: 449	Not to be a spoil sport, but I can think of lots of reasons not to do this, unless asked by a particular person with a legitimate interest in seeing the gravestone. This project sounds all too much like an invitation to some to utilize the information in a nefarious way. I give the example of the Mormon people who continue to think their desecration of the lives of those who don't believe as that believe is alright because they don't think it's harmful. They don't consider the position of outsiders who's lives they are harming to be valid. The psychological trauma they have inflicted on Holocaust victim's families I know is just awful. Moreover, this could identify Jewish graves which are unknown to skinheads and other antisemites who are numerous, as such and their location of which could be then be seen by all so they can be vandalized and desecrated, which is a problem already at many Jewish cemeteries. The cemeteries my grandparents are buried in has been vandalized numerous times in the past decade, with stones smashed, swastikas spray painted everywhere, fences bashed down by vehicles, flowers torn up, and stones stolen. While the severity is less, where my mother and brother are buried, there has been damage there as well, including the stone marking both my mother's and brother's grave. It is my intention, now that I know of this program, to petition Apple to remove it, to make the good intentions with unforeseen horrid consequences of this organization more difficult, and I intend to write to the organization to ask them to stop their work which I'm sure they'll poo-poo, but at least I can try. __________________ Ned [Visit my Travel Photography Blog, and Photography website NSL Photography]

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03-21-2012, 08:06 PM	#3
tdew Senior Member Über Poster Member since: Apr 2005 Location: Bergen Co, NJ Posts: 4,265 Rep Power: 278	Ned, this isn't the only site that lists gravestones or graves. It's just the easiest for people to add to. You already have Jewish cemeteries if anyone is looking for graves of a specific religion. I for one hope you are not successful in getting this application removed. I think it can be an enormous help to many people who are searching for more information about their families. I've had quite a number of ancestors who were baptized into the Mormon faith after they'd been gone for a long time. I know they would not have accepted the offer and am content that no harm has been done because of it. I use the records of the LDS often and appreciate their work, even if I don't subscribe to their reasons for doing it.

03-21-2012, 10:12 PM	#4
pezmanffx Senior Member Diamond Poster Member since: Aug 2005 Location: Fairfax, VA Age: 44 Posts: 2,300 Rep Power: 163	I think it is a decent idea. The graves for my family are 350 miles away and I rarely get a chance to see them. As far as I'm concerned the mormon's pose no threat. I agree that there are hate groups out there but they just need to walk through a cemetery and look at the names. That kind of hatred is hard to stop because they will go looking for it app or not.