Deathcare Profession Link Round-Up 8

Each month we will post links to pertinent articles in the deathcare profession. From lawsuits to quirky sites, we’ll bring you a one-stop shop from deathcare-related items on the web. Here are this month’s links. Battle over athlete Jim Thorpe’s burial site continues, The Washington Post When Patsy Thorpe — the third and most difficult spouse of Jim Thorpe, that primordial American athlete — pulled up to her husband’s in-progress Native American funeral service at a farm on the night of April 12, 1953, with a hearse and a highway patrolman in tow, everybody knew something bad was about to happen.

A thought for the dear departed, The Hindu The Mokshda cremation system, installed recently in Delhi, provides an eco-friendly option to citizens.

Govt to boost rates of cremation, China Daily The downward trend for cremations in China may begin to reverse following a plan to cut or waive funeral expenses for poor households that choose cremation.

Thousands of Tibetans attend cremation of ‘martyr’, The Times of India Thousands of Tibetans gathered at the main temple when Jamphel Yeshi (26), a Tibetan who died after setting himself on fire in Delhi, was cremated like a martyr by Tibetan exiles at McLeodganj on Friday. Strangely, the Dalai Lama, who was in the town, was not present while Tibetan prime minister-in-exile Lobsang Sangay was in Japan.

Documents show debate over handling of 9/11 remains, Reuters Cremated remains that may have included those of victims of the September 11 attacks were incinerated and sent to a landfill despite an internal debate in which some officials at the main U.S. military mortuary recommended the ashes be dispersed at sea.

'Death and Cremation' Burns home Video This April, Bloody Disgusting Some relationships can really burn you up in Death and Cremation (review), on DVD April 24 from Green Apple Entertainment.

And finally, a little fake news... Dead Body Explodes in Funeral Home, Weekly World News

The corpse blew a casket! Family members who gather at a Texas funeral home to mourn the death of 38-year-old Robert Cavazos Jr. reeled in horror when the dead man’s corpse suddenly exploded, according to their shocking lawsuit.

Deathcare Profession Link Round-Up 7

Each month we will post links to pertinent articles in the deathcare profession. From lawsuits to quirky sites, we’ll bring you a one-stop shop from deathcare-related items on the web. Here are this month’s links. Japan Finds Story of Hope in Undertaker Who Offered Calm Amid Disaster, The New York Times “I dreaded finding my mother’s body, lying alone on the cold ground among strangers,” Mrs. Arai, 36, said. “When I saw her peaceful, clean face, I knew someone had taken care of her until I arrived. That saved me.” Atsushi Chiba used Buddhist rituals in caring for nearly 1,000 bodies in Kamaishi.

Secrets of St Albans' Roman burial urns unlocked, BBC News CT scanners are being used to help unlock the secrets of five Roman burial urns that were discovered at a housing development in Hertfordshire.

How to be Environmentally Green Even in Death, US News & World Report The world of consumer choice has come to the funeral industry. And the choice being offered is between a funeral process using traditional cremation in a high-temperature chamber and a new process that uses pressure-heated water and chemicals to achieve the same results.

What to do with a loved one's ashes, The Guardian They pose a peculiarly modern problem. Some scatter them, others bury them. You can even launch them in a firework. But what if you can't make up your mind what to do with a loved one's ashes after the cremation?

A nail in the coffin of old funeral ways, The Independent (UK) The UK's obesity epidemic may soon see a generation of people departing this life in a less than traditional fashion. Super-size ovens at crematoriums, designer coffins, and lifting gear to lower caskets into graves are also part of the modern way of death in Britain.

A Thai Cremation, dpreview.com This site is dedicated to allowing users to review the photos of one another, and user posted beautiful images of a monk's cremation in Thailand.

Deathcare Profession Link Round-Up 3

Each month we will post links to pertinent articles in the deathcare profession. From lawsuits to quirky sites, we’ll bring you a one-stop shop from deathcare-related items on the web. Here are this month’s links.

Pet owners who can't let go turn to freeze-drying, MSNBC.com Expensive niche taxidermy takes sensitivity and skill, but it's growing across the U.S. Mike McCullough never intended to start freeze-drying beloved pets for grieving owners. But more than a decade ago, a friend of a friend asked the Fort Loudon, Pa., taxidermist to save his beloved dog from the grave or cremation by preserving the animal instead. McCullough agreed. Then he talked to a Wall Street Journal reporter about the process. It made the front page. Requests from bereaved owners started rolling in.

Sisters carry dead brother to cremation ground, The Times of India Three sisters have gone a step ahead in getting their brother closer to his final journey. Setting aside the taboo, the sisters on Thursday lent a shoulder in getting their brother to the cremation grounds. Though, a daughter lending a shoulder for the father is now somewhat common in parts of Punjab, carrying the brother to the cremation ground is unheard off.

Funeral Director Sues Yorktown Highway Chief, The Daily Yorktown William LaPierre, the owner of Clark Funeral Home, has filed a lawsuit against Highway Superintendent Eric DiBartolo and others for several hundred thousands of dollars LaPierre claims DiBartolo misappropriated from the town.

Pentagon admits it dumped some 9/11 remains in a landfill, MSNBC.com For the first time, the Defense Department acknowledged Tuesday that some cremated remains of victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks were dumped in a landfill, conduct the White House called "unacceptable." For more on this story, also see The Chicago Tribune, and Stars and Stripes.

Senate Bill Passes Requiring Proper Burial for Veterans, The Weekly The Georgia Senate passed SB 372 today in a unanimous vote. Sponsored by Sen. Renee Unterman (R-Buford), this legislation would require funeral directors to make a reasonable effort to determine whether the deceased is a veteran.

Roots & Branches: Tombstones are better with a verse or two, LDNews.com OK, it's time to come around to one of my favorite "gripes" - how little information people today put on gravestones.

Bihar to use eunuchs to improve birth registration, The Times of India Worried over the lowest ever birth and death registration figures in Bihar, the state government has decided to engage eunuchs and traditional cremation workers called 'doms' to improve birth and death registration rates in the state, officials said.

Deathcare Profession Link Round-Up 2

Each month we will post links to pertinent articles in the deathcare profession. From lawsuits to quirky sites, we’ll bring you a one-stop shop from deathcare-related items on the web. Here are this month’s links. Ohio police: Thief steals dead people's urns for metal, USA Today Alan R. Smith Jr. will have to answer to a judge— and maybe to the spirits of the dead whose urns he allegedly stole and sold as scrap metal. Smith, 26, of Harrison, was arrested Tuesday on charges of theft, vandalism and desecration, crimes he's accused of perpetrating at Hillside Chapel and Cincinnati Cremation Co., where he formerly worked.

Minister praises plan to heat swimming pool from fires of crematorium, The Telegraph (UK) A money-saving plan to heat a swimming pool with energy from the cremation of dead bodies has been backed by a senior Government minister.

Ancient cremated bodies found in field, Rugby & Lutterwoth Observer (UK) Archaeologists digging in Cawston have described the discovery of the remains of two cremated bodies dating back some 2,000 years as a major find.

Cremation Ash Diamonds, Dude I want that! From ash to ash...to bedazzled ash. Gone are the days of keeping the deceased in our hearts. In their place? Keeping the deceased around our fingers, atop our wrists, or dangling from our necks.

Coalition pushes to find, honor ashes of veterans, PilotOnline.com Veterans support a proposal that would require funeral homes to provide the names of any unclaimed cremated remains to the Department of Veterans Services so that any veterans can be interred in veterans cemeteries.

Turning artificial joints into scrap metal at the crematorium, Boingboing Combine the spike in commodity metal prices with advances in geriatric medicine and the increased trend to cremation and what do you get? A thriving trade in artificial joint harvesting and recycling. A Dutch company called OrthoMetals recycles 250 tons of scrap from cremated bodies -- cofounder Ruud Verberne notes that it takes five hips to make one kilo of metal, which fetches €12 on the scrap market.

Funeral protest bill goes to governor, The Statesman Journal Gov. John Kitzhaber's desk is the last stop for a bill increasing penalties for disorderly conduct, but not simple protest, within 200 feet of a funeral.

Cellphones for Soldiers, Northwest Ohio.com Coyle Funeral Home and Cremation Services is collecting cellphones to create calling cards for soldiers so they can stay in tocuh with their families, no matter where they are.

126 Brand New Winter Coats Donated

Wintertime without a coat can be unbearable, especially for a child. Lemasters Consulting, a Cincinnati-based law firm, completed its third year of raising money to purchase brand new coats for Cincinnati-area adults and children.

“Something as simple as a new coat can really take the edge off of a family that is struggling,” said Poul Lemasters, Owner and Attorney, “Each year, my goal is to donate more and more coats so that more and more people are warm this winter. And this year, we really did well,”

Lemasters Consulting teamed up with other companies both here in Cincinnati and around the country. A total of 126 brand new winter coats for boys, girls and adults were donated along with 50 brand new hats and 200 pairs of brand new gloves. All of the garments were purchased through a Cincinnati-area Old Navy store.

“Thanks goes out to the companies that participated and to Old Navy. They provide us with great deals so we can buy the most new coats as possible. A special thank you to Bill and Missy from the Old Navy Store in Blue Ash for all their time and assistance,” said Lemasters.

The coats were distributed through St. Vincent De Paul.

“Many of the children we help have never had a new coat. They often wear hand-me-downs that are too large, too small, too thin, or just worn out. Seeing their excitement as they picked out a brand new coat from Old Navy was unforgettable. We're extremely grateful to Poul and all who worked with him to give the gift of warmth to our neighbors in need this year," said Liz Carter, Executive Director, St. Vincent De Paul—Cincinnati Council.

Supporting companies in this year’s coat drive include: Paxus Services, Inc, Boerne Texas Cremation Safeguard, Tulsa, Oklahoma Foundation Partners Group, Tampa, Florida Legacy Funeral Services, Houston, Texas The Outlook Group, Franklin, Ohio Anderson Funeral Homes, Franklin, Ohio Serenity Funeral Home and Memorial Gadens, Mobile, Alabama ICCFA, Sterling Virginia Havenbrook Funeral Home, Norman, Oklahoma Nelsen Family Funeral Services, Inc, Richmond, Virginia

To download a complete copy of the press release, click here.