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The Uneasy Relationship between America’s Life Expectancy and Retirement Age
New data shows Americans are retiring later and dying soonerThere has been an unsettling trend happening in the United States. The retirement age has been steadily increasing, but the last two years have seen a dip in life expectancy for the average adult. This suggests that Baby Boomers and middle-age workers may face shorter retirements than previous generations enjoyed. Record numbers of Americans older than…
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“In Flanders Fields”
A doctor’s poem to his dead friend sparks a movement“In Flanders Fields” by John McCrae was inspired by World War I, which was known sadly and incorrectly as the war to end all wars. On June 28, 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand of the Austro-Hungarian Empire was assassinated while touring in Sarajevo. The Austro-Hungarian government blamed Serbia, and on July 28, 1914, World War I…
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Exploring Themes of Life and Death in Hasegawa Tōhaku’s Landscapes
The Japanese artist uses simple designs to express complex ideasKnown as one of the greatest painters in Japanese history, Hasegawa Tōhaku has influenced countless artists over the centuries. He is famous for his simple, almost reserved painting style; Hasegawa Tōhaku’s landscapes are all deeply serene and minimalist in nature. However, while the painter is most revered for his beautiful, calming landscapes, many of these…
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How Can Medical Marijuana Be Used at End of Life? (Interview)
An interview with Dress Wedding and Kelly Quirke of Harborside Health Center, Part TwoToday SevenPonds speaks with Dress Wedding, a Holistic Services Director with Harborside Health Center in Oakland, California. Also joining Dress is Kelly Quirke, Community Engagement Coordinator. This is the second part of a two-part interview with Harborside, a state-of-the-art medical marijuana dispensary that provides service to patients in Oakland and San Jose, California. Today Dress and…
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“Promise Me Dad: A Year of Hope, Hardship, and Purpose”
In his 2017 memoir, former Vice President Biden shares vows made to his dying son and others who have experienced great lossFormer Vice-president Joe Biden and his family were forced to mourn publicly when his 46-year-old son Beau died of a brain tumor in the spring of 2015. This was the second lightening strike of great loss Biden had endured in the public’s eye. Weeks after being first elected a U.S. senator from Delaware, just over 40…
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A “Bucket List” May Be Beneficial For End-Of-Life Treatment
A new study suggests that discussing one’s bucket list with a physician could lead to better, more personalized careA new study out of Stanford University suggests that patients should share a “bucket list” (if they have one) with their physician to facilitate better “preference-sensitive” care. With this strategy, researchers contend that doctors can make more suitable healthcare recommendations because they know their patient’s life goals. A bucket list is essentially a list of…
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The Burning Ghats in Varanasi, India
Death in Varanasi is on public display on the Burning GhatsVaranasi is located in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India, and is known as the epicenter of death for Hindus. The city, and its famous burning ghats, are located directly along the shores of The Ganges, a 1,500-mile long river that has been a lifeline to millions of Indians, as well as a sacred body…
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Death A Growing Topic In Pop Music
Songs about death and dying have become less taboo, especially with young rappersPop music, particularly new rap from the past year, has latched onto death. It is now an in-vogue topic to discuss. A song about suicide, Logic’s “1-800-273-8255” (named for the National Suicide Prevention Hotline), was even nominated for Song of the Year at this year’s Grammy awards. A study performed by Quartzy showed that there has…
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Gun Violence Is a Terminal Illness
The epidemic has claimed too many American livesIn the wake of the mass shooting in Parkland, Florida on February 14th, I’m having a great deal of difficulty writing about anything else. Yes, this column is intended to inform and enlighten our readers about the challenges posed by terminal illness. But it seems to me that the epidemic of gun deaths in this…
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