Friday, September 30, 2011

Death Cafe

A Cafe to talk about death (and grief) with strangers has been opened in London: what do you think? The more (talking) the better?

"Death Café, in Hackney, claims to be the first of its kind in the UK, inspired by a movement that started in Switzerland.

Founder John Underwood is using his living room for groups to take part in a number of exercises facilitated by a grief specialist."

(from http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23992397-death-is-the-only-subject-at-this-sad-caf.do )

[image from http://mcdeathfreak.blogspot.com/ ]

Twitter: @deathcafe

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Human bodies: donation for medicine and research, Launch Seminar, Tuesday 11 October

For those lucky enough to be in London Tuesday 11 October 2011, 14:00-17:00 at the Royal Festival Hall, Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8XX there will be the launch of a report "which considers the ethical issues that arise when people are asked to donate bodily material to benefit others." (http://medicalhumanities.wordpress.com/2011/09/21/human-bodies-donation-for-medicine-and-research-launch-seminar-tuesday-11-october/ )

Not to be missed!

Thursday, September 1, 2011

New body 'liquefaction' unit unveiled

A Glasgow-based company has installed its first commercial "alkaline hydrolysis" unit at a Florida funeral home. (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-14114555 )

This hydrolysis procedure "produces a third less greenhouse gas than cremation, uses a seventh of the energy, and allows for the complete separation of dental amalgam for safe disposal" (ibid.). It is a well know fact that cremation is not as environmentally friendly as one would believe. The struggle for "green" and sustainable ways to dispose of the dead (understandably) continues, but what I find interesting is the focus on rational, clean disposal as opposed to previous priorities (e.g. embalming = the dead looking good; funeral monument = celebration of death; religious rites = religious moral monopoly; and so on).

image from http://watchoutnews.com/body-liquefaction-unit-unveiled/1735/