HW 56 - Culminating Project Comments

Sam's Blog:

Sam,

I liked your blog because you had a really clear beginning that was interesting and had good points, which made reading the rest of your blog easy to read. One thing i found interesting about jewish faith is that it's more natural than christianity, for example things such as kosher. There's also some similarities between the two, for example they both believe that the dead will resurrect. I personally believe the reason people believe that is because its a way for people to cope with a death, by believing they'll come back, but there's a contradiction with that, all the people who believed that before they died and than they're relatives when they died kept believing that, meaning that many generations are due to resurrect. Other than that you had a great blog, good work.
- Rigel

Here's a link to Sam's blog.
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Stephen's Blog:

Stephen,

Your blog had a lot of god info, facts and personal knowledge (you can think for yourself.) Which andy yesterday said is a good perk to have, and it is. The ending of your blog was good because your right funeral homes should acknowledge the fact that, they cost a huge deal of money. Like most industrialized things, once they become successful businesses it's only natural for them to lose their morals, about the customer first. Besides that Good job.

- Rigel

Here's a link to Stephen's blog.

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Matt S.'s Blog:

Matt,

I hang out with you all the time at school, but damn when it comes to your blogs, your not only on point, but are a completely different person. You go in depth, you analyze what you're talking about and you give personal insights which makes this read even more engaging. You should pursue a career in writing and giving speeches, cause you're a natural. You're blog related to my elevator speech about how we're our own person, except I didn't have enough time to go in depth in my speech, one of the examples and topics I wanted to talk about was how people believe that our loved ones spirits protect us and, from their the cycle occurs, but i believed that we are all connected and we're constant flowing energies, and if spirits and reincarnation exist, and we live on through our children, how would we know? I'm sure you feel connected with your relatives, but do you experience everything they do, and most likely the answer is no, because we are our own individuals. Again great blog, I always look forward to your next ones.

-Rigel

Here's a link to Matt's blog.

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Matt B.'s blog:

Matt,

You have that deep voice that gets peoples attentions during your speeches, and the topics you talk about, are interesting, which is another plus. I think the transition from you in the beginning questioning life and death, and you having your own ideas of life and death is what really matters in this unit, using what you learned and now know to achieve your own ideas, is the best thing anyone can do. Because like most peoples views, especially traditional ones such as ones that are made from their religion, we all have our own interpretation on everything, so i like that you have you're own say. You're blog had a lot of good facts, that i didn't now about before, and you used own personal idea to define what you believe. Good job, and i'm interested in reading your next to come.

-Rigel.

Here's a link to Matt's Blog:

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From Alix:

Rigel,

Your blog was pretty good I like how you analyzed what life and death really is by focussing on how technology plays a role at keeping someone "alive", and how we view of life and death should be updated. You had a lot of strong points, such as open heart surgery, because 100 years ago that was something a bit fictional, and now it's done only regular basis with positive results. Their's a few things about your blog I was a bit puzzled about one being, you didn't go in depth on some of the topics your brought up, also I think you had many good ideas and thoughts, but rushed them and got lazy. For your next blog you should give it your all and enjoy it so it's more engaging, proof read as well, other than that not bad.

-Alix

xc-COTD1

...it'd be wrong if i made a joke.

Washington Cemetery Panorama facing Bay Parkway.

Washington Cemetery Panorama facing Ocean Parkway.

Me.

The resting people.

Brendan on the right, me in the middle, Chris on the left and Christian on the camera.

I went on a small trip with my classmates Brendan, Chris and Christian to the cemetery to observe what we saw, and the ideas we got from our visit. I visited two cemeteries; of two different religions two compare and contrast what I noticed. I went to the Trinity church cemetery (Christian) on city hall, and the Washington cemetery (Jewish) on Bay Parkway and Ocean Parkway (it’s huge). When I went to the trinity church cemetery it was pretty peaceful but it being in city hall made it a bit annoying to be, so many tourist, cars, and tight space, it seems a bit un-peaceful for the dead. One somewhat obvious observation was that the trinity cemetery, is very old, some of the gravestones date back all the way to the 1840’s and older, Thomas Jefferson has a tombstone in the trinity, but his body isn’t buried their. The good thing about the trinity is that there is a lot of historical aspects to it, like most of lower Manhattan because its one of the earliest, parts of Manhattan and New York City when it was forming. The Washington cemetery was much, much quieter than the trinity; one of the reasons is due to the area, less people, and more rural neighborhood. Another difference is that the Washington cemetery is mainly for people of the Jewish religion, meaning that every decease person in the cemetery was buried following Jewish tradition, buried in 24 hours, no embalming, etc.

Some similarities that were interesting was that both cemeteries, uses tombstones, they can be made by however way the person’s family choose it to be so they’re not all the same, some have pictures of the decease, some are glossy (marble material) some are hard concrete, etc. The only small difference is that in trinity and most catholic cemeteries there’s a cross, and for Washington cemetery, they use the Star of David, which I thought was cool and interesting, shows each religions emblem. I my little trip to the cemetery, for a few reasons, first one being I pass cemetery’s all the time, I was never scared of them but never found them interesting, but after all this it’s a bit interesting it’s more or less like a trip to a park, but with organize concrete figures, lots and lots of them. I think everyone should go to a cemetery for two reason’s even if the people in the cemetery aren’t related to you, you’ll notice how different and how similar all dead people and their families are. They all die, grieve move on, like everyone else.

HW 55 - Culminating Project - Care of the Dead

For a long time I’ve always found life to be an interesting topic, because of the events that take place from beginning to end. I always found it interesting how when a mothers is pregnant that’s when life starts, or is it. Like any experience, everyone’s is different, causing people to have different ideas about things. One can argue that life doesn’t truly start until you can start communicating and others can say it’s the moment you’re born.

Both birth and death share similarities, because they both deal with existence. Scientifically we know that when a person is born it’s due through the process of sexual reproduction, and when one dies it depends on whether the person has a pulse, caused by the heart; or if their brain is functioning. One reason people are so focused about death is because after someone dies, many believe that there is a continuation of some sort, an afterlife. One of the reasons people believe this is because before a person was born they didn’t exist. The definition of the word existence is; a obsolete: reality as opposed to appearance ,b : reality as presented in experience. (Merriam-Webster). Basically if people knew one existed was visible than they existed, but there’s a contradiction to that. Mainly because it’s based on whether a sperm existed or an egg, which is constantly being created, so technically everyone that could have been exists or existed, if it was created. To go even deeper some of the building blocks of life are nutrients, and when someone dies, their remains break down and become nutrients. Depending on how a person is interred they’re remains naturally breaks down.

With technology playing a role in helping people survive when ill or damaged, there are ways to help people stay alive through major situations. Situations such as open heart surgery, or a coma. Remember one of the main factors that describe someone, as being alive or dead, is the state of their heart and brain. If people went with those factors than technically any person in a coma/vegetable state or are being helped by an artificial heart to stay alive is dead, which is why with every new breakthrough the definition of existence is requisitioned and gains a new definition.

I personally believe that birth and death are connected more than people think. The fact that everyone who is born will eventually die, is pretty remarkable. At the same time I think birth and death are closely connected, because of energy. Before we’re born we’re energy that is forming based on our parents our ancestors our environment (surroundings), what we eat, everything. And when we die, I don’t think we’ll consciously continue in another realm knowing the same people and will be able to see future generations to come. And when we die we become energy again, our body breaks down, becomes nutrients or is burned, and we’re constantly being used. One of the reasons I believe the idea of a afterlife such as heaven is non existent, is due to the fact of when we die and how. What if someone had Alzheimer’s when they died, would that person suddenly start remembering things again, and what about the age someone died, would they be that same age.

Citations:
John, Dinolo. Medline Plus. New York City: Medline, Web. .

William, Kevin. "The NDE and Religion." Research Conclusions 2010: n. pag. Web. 16 May 2011. .

HW 53 - Independent Research A

With Poem, Broaching the Topic of Death
By Ben Daitz, M.D.

Many cultures all around the world have their own way of dealing with death and views. This article mainly focuses on the culture of the navajo, in their culture when one dies it's bad luck, and there's a fear that it'll bring you death. Ms. Begay, a navajo is trying to change the way most navajo's portray death and wants them to accept it as something normal.

Before reading this article i always assumed native americans were the least superstitious when it came to death, and would handle it better than dominant religions such as christianity. But reading this shows how most cultures in society are puzzled by death, and are scared to face it.

Citation:
Ben, Daitz. "With Poem, Broaching the Topic of Death." New York Times (2011): n. pag. Web. 9 May 2011.
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Dance, Laugh, Drink. Save the Date: It’s a Ghanaian Funeral.
By Sam Dolnick:

In most cultures when their is a death, we mourn in total sorrow and make the process of recovery harder for us, because of our dominant social practices. One of the things we do that make it harder for us is us worrying about being judged or our religious beliefs. We sometimes hide our emotions like laughing or crying and having conversations casually at a funeral because it's not the average "norm"/normal way.

This article counters the first article because it's showing, how some cultures accept death better than others, in fact it was the total opposite, the first one was about how in the navajo culture people don't even talk about the deceased, while in the ghanaian culture they have an actual party. When i found this article i was stunned because coincidently i was looking for something that would counter my first read and i got lucky. After reading this I was a bit inspired, because I always told people when talking about death, I always mention that I want my funeral to be happy, not the typical all dark and quiet look, i want people to talk, socialize and do fun things as much as possible, even if its hard and when they're sad and the best way i think that would be possible is if everyone releases the true emotions and says whats on their mind.

Citation:
Sam, Dolnick. "Dance, Laugh, Drink. Save the Date: It’s a Ghanaian Funeral.." New York Times (2011): n. pag. Web. 9 May 2011. "

HW 52 - Third Third of the COTD Book

On the middle portion of the book, I talk about other burial alternatives, one being reef balling. Reef balling is the process when a decease is cremated, tan their ashes are put in a cement ball, that is than sunken to the sea, for aquatic life to flourish on. The purpose of this is so families feel and put their body in good use, and when it's being used in a way where colonies of fish, bacteria and algae or growing on it, which are some of the early building blocks of life, so it makes a person feel like they're apart of life.

“Carrie would have preferred to inter John in one of his favorite diving sites off the Cayman Islands." (Harris, 92)

"By placing material like rock, concrete, ships, and fabricated reef balls on our part of the seabed, we're trying to create structures that will serve as aquatic nurseries where there are none" " (Harris, 97)

"No sooner has the crane begun winching up the cable hen the plank reaches its tipping point, and the two tons of concrete and five pounds of human ashes that is John V. Slowe memorial reef shoots down the wooden slide and , with a crashing sound that the boat hull, splashes into the Atlantic." (Harris,

Reef balling to me isn't a bad idea, and has a lot of environmental benefits. One thing about reef balling is that I feel that it's mainly for people who aren't that religious, because there isn't that many religious significant to reef balling. Their are some problems with reef balling to me, one of the them is the fact it uses 2 tons of concrete, that's almost more than what the average tombstone uses, which isn't that economical. My favorite part about reef balling is that to me it seems better than just spreading ashes over a body of water and it floats and spreads around. While reef balling stays in one place and will eventually home fish and sea plants. I imagine that years into the future, divers will go down and see the reef ball extract it and the ash and bring me back to life, like some sci-fi thing.

HW 51 - Second Third of COTD Book

When our loved ones dies, depending on the deceased's culture is what was determined on what would happen to the body. A death on average can be the second most expensive thing a family will spend. In the united states many people have funerals, at cemeteries. Person dies, body is embalmed to last, than buried, and depending on a persons income, the better quality burial. The perseverance of a corpse is become a booming business, and a fad.

“Holy Savior insists that a vault be used to think the ground from sinking into the grave when the casket eventually collapses and creates a depression that mars the uniformity of the grounds and makes mowing difficult” (Harris, 32)

"Pounded out in the factories of an industrializing North, the sturdy metal coffin promised the dead greater protection from the elements" (Harris, 43)

I think it's a bit funny how people find ways to make money off people, from products as simple as food to coffins. Before reading this book, I thought the process of death was, person dies, gets put in a fridge in a morgue or something, funeral service open or closed, than buried. And I thought the coffins just stay there with no problem, and the body decays in it. It's a bit like all the other units we did before this, we think these simple things have a simple process, but it's more complicating than it seems. It's funny how like most things in life the higher quality/price of a coffin wil determine how well protected someones body is, it's like a modern day sarcophagus almost like what ancient egyptians did, so the richer/more money someone spends the more you can be buried like royalty.

HW 49 - Comments on Best of Your Break HW

My comments to my Thinking/Writing groups:

Sarah's blog:

Sarah,

I really liked the fact that you interview your aunt, and your friends mothers as a change of "norm", it made reading your blog more interesting to read. I found it interesting how for your aunts family (also your family) they believed in an afterlife, and that ones life continues in a different realm. The reason i said in's interesting is because, I find it interesting, that in most cultures, and majority of people on this planet, believe in an afterlife or some sort. But i wonder why we believe that, is it an unexplainable feeling? or is it a belief that's been imbedded in us? For your mom's friend I thought it was a bit heart wrenching that she had to see her own dead parent, I don't know how i would handle seeing one of my relatives, and I wouldn't know what to do with their corpse. But for your mothers friend to cremate her fathers corpse I thought it was an interesting option, because that's someone you knew and to turn their body into ash, I think is pretty bold. Before reading grave matters i had already known that funerals were expensive, so i thought that the main reasons people cremated their loves ones for two reasons, won to keep a physical part of them at their homes or wherever, and second because it's cheaper. Anyway, your blog was a smooth read, and interesting most of all, I don't have anything negative to say, except for good job, and look forward to the next to come
-Rigel

Their are a few typos, all of the times i meant to type "your" my phone put "you're", freaking auto-correct, ignore them, thank you.

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Anthony's Blog:

Anthony,

your blog was an interesting read, it had very good comparisons and stories. You interviewing a grown woman, and a child was what made reading this interesting. The first person you interviewed is obviously very dedicated to taking care of the deceased, but a question that came to mind when reading this is, is she superstitious? because you said she prays over the body, once every hour. For your next interviewee, I can tell he's like most people in our generation, we accept death because we know it affects everyone. For feedback though, your second interview (the kid) wasn't long enough, you just ended it, and i feel like you could of said more. Other than that, not bad, and i look forward to your next blog.

-Rigel

Their are a few typos, all of the times i meant to type "your" my phone put "you're", freaking auto-correct, ignore them, thank you.

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Felipe's Blog:

Felipe,

first I'd like to point out, your blog page makes me keep thinking that there's a glitch, cause it looks like my blog site, but i like how your blog page is in reverse, first time seeing that so neat background. Now for you blog, very in depth, short, good topic/points. I like how your blog analyzed the process of taking care of the corpse than the care of the already embalmed. One of my favorite quotes on your blog was "The idea of the dead accepting their own death is rarely something you hear about", because people believe that the dead go to another realm/afterlife, so do they think about their own death. I just thought that was a good statement, gives people something to think about. Good blog, do more homework, so i can read your next blog.

-Rigel

Their are a few typos, all of the times i meant to type "your" my phone put "you're", freaking auto-correct, ignore them, thank you.

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Jess C's Blog:

Jessica,

your blog made me reflect a lot back to mine, the way you described how funerals go, and what they mean is the way my mother described it for my homework 48, people gather, rekindle, and go back to a home or hall and eat and etc. Not a big deal but for me it struct me because i've never been to a funeral, so i cant imagine eating at one, and to hear that food plays a role surprises me. One of the things i liked about your blog was that it was short, and went straight to the point, which are my favorite type of things to read. One feedback I'd give you is use more capital words in the beginning of each sentence, so that way it'll be more of an organize read, and will flow. Other than that good job, and look forward to reading more of your blogs to come.

-Rigel

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Comments on my blog:

My Uncles Comment:

Rigel,

your blog was a decent read, but was mostly a quoted story, rather a narrative story with your thoughts and ideas using quotes, or even an interview. One of the reasons it wasn't too bad was because your questions to your mother, got you a long story, which gave me all the info to understand her experience. Which is what made your blog good, the reason 'm a bit disappointed with it is because it lacks what your title says it would be about "your families perspective", you didn't say what your moms perspective on the care of the dead was. Other than that not bad, but i look forward to a better blog next time.

- Alix

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My little cousin's comment:

I liked your blog because it told me the story about great grandmas death, and i was amazed to read how much our family bonded and was all together, more than it is today. It's almost like most things in life, people only come together after a tragedy, I guess that's how people heal emotionally, and once we get better we go on with our lives, until the next emotional wound. The only feedback I would give you is the same as uncle Alix, so next time focus on the main topic. Good job though.

-Nick