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The Bizarre Fate of Cremation Ashes
8 Creative Ways People Have Utilized or Disposed of Cremation Remains1. Fireworks Gonzo journalist Hunter S Thompson planned his funeral years before his death. When he took his own life in 2005, Johnny Depp, who had befriended Thompson while preparing to play his character in the 1998 film adaptation of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, underwrote a memorial service that fulfilled Thompson’s wishes, which included a…
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Santolini Encourages Audience to Consider Life and Death
The artist’s conceptual pieces require audience input–literally and figuratively.Among the thought-provoking works of Frederico Santolini are some pieces that challenge us to consider our mortality and re-think our perceptions of life and death. Santolini utilizes his background in product design to manipulate objects into works of art that stimulate the viewer. “My intention is exactly to stimulate reactions and thoughts to those who…
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Laid to Rest in the Bay
San Francisco Bay Popular for Scattering Cremation RemainsEvery month, the remains of hundreds of people are laid to rest in the San Francisco Bay. With the popularity of cremation pulling ahead of burial as a means for disposition of remains, the scattering of cremains (cremated remains) is becoming a daily occurrence at popular places like the Bay. “There’s something calming about the water,”…
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At SevenPonds, White is the New Black
Iphones, the “black screen of death,” and the futureOne morning last week, as I was getting out of bed and the day’s agenda began whirling through my mind — I managed to drop my iPhone into a tumbler of water. I immediately dried it off and saw with relief that the screen happily continued to glow. A day of back-to-back meetings later, I…
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Part of my Girlhood Memory Dies
Barbie doll co-creator Elliot Handler passes at 95As if it were yesterday, I am standing in front of my Grandmother’s house when my Aunt Loraine hands me my first Barbie doll in a long, clear box. She’s a platinum blonde with a black and red ball gown and a white fur wrap. I spend hours on end playing out Barbie’s life (with…
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Tobi Kahn Creates Art to Make the End of Life Beautiful
The artist creates work to bring beauty to the end of life, inspired by the loss of his mother.Tobi Kahn, now 58, gave his mother a hand-made gift for her birthday every year throughout his life. They started as the sentimental hand-drawings of a child, but burgeoned into pieces worthy of the museum as he grew into a critically-acclaimed artist. In early 2004, Kahn’s mother was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, and lay dying…
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Amy Winehouse Found Dead in her London Flat
Soul singer’s death at 27 still “unexplained”Singer Amy Winehouse was found dead today in her London flat. She was 27 years old. The cause of death is yet “unexplained”, according to authorities, but sources suspect it was due to drug overdose. Winehouse is most well-known for her hit single “Rehab”, from the album Back to Black, which won five Grammy awards…
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What is Green Burial? (Interview)
The Green Burial Council founder talks standards, sustainability, and the futureJoe Sehee comes from a background of social justice as a Jesuit minister while his wife, Juliette Sehee, worked as an advocate for the environment. About a decade ago, they decided to open a retreat for the grieving, to inspire spiritual healing through nature — this idea ultimately led to the foundation of the Green…
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“Physics of the Future”
A book that explores emerging technologies and their potential impact on medicine, aging, and the future of human lifePredicting the future has always been tricky. Yet everyone, from a working family, to the Harvard School of Business, to the FBI, has probably given it a try at one time or another. The school of futurology, by monitoring trends and applying probabilities, has made predicting the future its business. Like everyone else, they are…
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