موراي : طبيبان آخران أعطيا جاكسون عقار بروبوفول

مايكل جاكسون ( الرياض)

لوس انجلس- (رويترز) :

    تشير وثائق محكمة كشف عنها يوم الجمعة ان الطبيب الشخصي لنجم البوب الراحل مايكل جاكسون ابلغ محققين بأنه لم يكن اول طبيب يصف له عقار بروبوفول وهو مسكن قوي ويعد أحد العقاقير التي تسببت في وفاته. وسرد الدكتور كونراد موراس وهو هدف لتحقيق جنائي في وفاة جاكسون خلال استجواب لمحقق شرطة لوس انجليس ان جاكسون أبلغه بأن طبيبين لم يحدد اسميهما في المانيا وصفا له عقار بروبوفول كما تقول الوثيقة. وكان موراي وهو متخصص في امراض القلب له عيادات في هيوستون ولاس فيغاس قد كلف برعاية جاكسون بينما كان المغني يعد لسلسلة حفلات عودته في الاسابيع التي سبقت موته المفاجىء في لوس انجلس يوم 25 يونيو حزيران عن عمر يناهز 50 عاما. وكان المحقق في أسباب الوفيات في مقاطعة لوس انجلس قد استبعد ان تكون الوفاة انتحارا بجرعة زائدة محددا ان عقار بروبوفول والعقار المسكن لورازيبام هما العقاران الرئيسيان اللذان سببا وفاته.

واشير الى موراي في السابق على انه أخضع لتحقيق بالقتل الخطأ لكن ممثلي الادعاء في لوس انجلس لم يحددوا بعد إذا كانوا سيسعون الى توجيه اتهامات جنائية ضد أي من الاطباء الذين عالجوا جاكسون . ورفعت هذه المذكرة الاخيرة دعما لتفويض بالبحث أجري في اغسطس آب في مكتب لامدادات الادوية في لاس فيغاس حيث اشترى موراي عقار بروبوفول وعقاقير اخرى اكتشفت في وقت لاحق في جسم المغني كما تشير الوثيقة. ونشرت نسخ منها على موقع (تي ام زد دوت كوم) على الانترنت الذي يهتم بأخبار المشاهير.

واعترف موراي بأنه اعطى جاكسون جرعة 25 مليجراما من عقار بروبوفول صباح اليوم الذي توفي فيه كما تشير سجلات الشرطة.

وابلغ موراي الشرطة بأنه شعر بانزعاج ازاء جاكسون الذي أدمن عقار بروبوفول وانه حاول ان يقلعه عن هذا العقار بجرعات اصغر.

وتقول الوثيقة الاخيرة ان موراي اشار الى ان جاكسون اتسم بالغموض عندما سأله عن اسماء الاخرين الذين كانوا يعالجونه واي ادوية كانت موصوفة له. وذكر جاكسون ان طبيبين آخرين وأخصائي الامراض الجلدية الذي يتعامل معه منذ فترة طويلة الدكتور ارنولد كلين وطبيبه الشخصي السابق الآن ميتزجر «اعطياه علاجا وانه لم يكن فعالا». كما تقول الوثيقة ان موراي رتب بناء على طلب جاكسون لطبيب آخر في لاس فيغاس اسمه ديفيد ادامز لاعطاء المطرب عقار البروبوفول وهو ما فعله في وجود موراي في مكتب متخصص في التجميل لطرف ثالث.

كما تقول الوثيقة انه تم العثور على عبوات بروبوفول في الحقيبة الطبية لموراي وقرب مائدة منزل جاكسون بعد وفاته.

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60 ألف دولار ثمن رسالة من ابراهام لينكولن إلى طفل

واشنطن-ي ب ا:

    بيعت رسالة كتبها الرئيس الأميركي الراحل ابراهيم لينكولن إلى طفل صغير مقابل مبلغ 60 ألف دولار.

وذكرت شبكة «سي أن أن» الاخبارية ان لينكولن كتب قبل شهر من بدء الحرب الأهلية رسالة إلى طفل صغير يؤكد فيها أنه التقاه بعدما رفض زملاؤه في المدرسة تصديقه، وقد بيعت الرسالة مقابل 60 ألف دولار إلى هاوي تجميع تذكارات من الحرب الأهلية رفض الكشف عن اسمه.

وكانت شركة «رآب كولكشن» في مدينة فيلادلفيا قد اشترت الرسالة في وقت سابق من جامع آخر، وأشار نائب رئيسها نايثن رآب إلى أنه يبدو أن هذه الرسالة هي الوحيدة التي كتبها لينكولن إلى طفل وقد بقيت كوثيقة أصلية، إذ إن لينكولن كتب رسائل إلى عدد من الأطفال حول الولايات المتحدة في ذلك الوقت ولكن لم يبق إلا نسخاً عنها.

وكان الصبي جورج باتن البالغ من العمر 8 سنوات قد أبلغ أصدقاءه في المدرسة إنه التقى الرئيس ولم يصدقوه، فوجهت المعلمة رسالة إلى لينكولن تسأله فيها إن كان قابل الفتى فأجاب برسالة جاء فيها «إلى من يهمه الأمر، قابلت السيد جورج إيفانز باتن في ايار الماضي في سبرينغفيلد، إلينوي، مع احترامي، أي لينكولن».

وكان الرئيس التقى باتن ووالده الكسندر الذي كان يعمل صحافياً، بعد ترشيح لينكولن للرئاسة عن الحزب الجمهوري عام 1860.

ومن اشهر الرسائل التي بعثها اطفال الى لينكولن ،قد تكون الرسالة التي أرسلتها الفتاة غرايس باديل البالغة من العمر 11 عاماً والتي نصحته فيها بإطالة لحيته وقد أخذ بنصيحتها.

Lincoln’s Letter to his Son’s Teacher

He will have to learn, I know,
that all men are not just,
all men are not true.
But teach him also that
for every scoundrel there is a hero;
that for every selfish Politician,
there is a dedicated leader…
Teach him for every enemy there is a friend,

Steer him away from envy,
if you can,
teach him the secret of
quiet laughter.

Let him learn early that
the bullies are the easiest to lick…
Teach him, if you can,
the wonder of books…
But also give him quiet time
to ponder the eternal mystery of birds in the sky,
bees in the sun,
and the flowers on a green hillside.

In the school teach him
it is far honourable to fail
than to cheat…
Teach him to have faith
in his own ideas,
even if everyone tells him
they are wrong…
Teach him to be gentle
with gentle people,
and tough with the tough.

Try to give my son
the strength not to follow the crowd
when everyone is getting on the band wagon…
Teach him to listen to all men…
but teach him also to filter
all he hears on a screen of truth,
and take only the good
that comes through.

Teach him if you can,
how to laugh when he is sad…
Teach him there is no shame in tears,
Teach him to scoff at cynics
and to beware of too much sweetness…
Teach him to sell his brawn
and brain to the highest bidders
but never to put a price-tag
on his heart and soul.

Teach him to close his ears
to a howling mob
and to stand and fight
if he thinks he’s right.
Treat him gently,
but do not cuddle him,
because only the test
of fire makes fine steel.

Let him have the courage
to be impatient…
let him have the patience to be brave.
Teach him always
to have sublime faith in himself,
because then he will have
sublime faith in mankind.

This is a big order,
but see what you can do…
He is such a fine little fellow,
my son!

~ Abraham Lincoln

Lincoln's letter to his son's teacher - Soliloquies - Source

NOTE: In his comments below, "Mauri" cites a source that refutes Lincoln's authorship of this letter. I haven't investigated it carefully myself, but readers are warned. Though the letter contains wonderful advice, it doesn't look very likely that Lincoln wrote it.

Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin

Abraham Lincoln letter goes up for sale

President's acknowledgement of a meeting with an eight-year-old boy could fetch £36,000

The lesson of history for any small child is that if you are lucky enough to be presented to the future president of the US, then make sure you have evidence of the encounter before bragging about it to your classmates.

George Patten, aged eight, discovered the bitter truth of that maxim in 1860 after he boasted at school about having met Abraham Lincoln, having been introduced to the then presidential candidate with his journalist father.

The boy's friends thought he had made the story up, and bullied him. To settle the matter, Patten's teacher wrote to the White House asking for clarification about whether there was any truth to the anecdote.

On 19 March 1861, two weeks after his inauguration and despite being preoccupied with forming an administration and the early slide into civil war, Lincoln took the trouble to reply: "To whom it may concern: I did see and talk with Master George Evans Patten, last May, at Springfield, Illinois. Respectfully, A. Lincoln."

The letter has now been put up for sale by Philadelphia's Raab Collection at a price of $60,000 (£36,000).

Last year another letter written by Lincoln to a group of children sold for $3.4m – a record for a manuscript in the United States.

That was an 1864 reply to a petition made by 195 children who asked him to ensure the freedom of "all the slave children in this country".

In the letter, dated 5 April 1864, he wrote: "Please tell these little people I am very glad their young hearts are so full of just and generous sympathy, and that while I have not the power to grant all they ask, I trust that they will remember that God has, and that, as it seems, He wills to do it."

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تبرئة مايلي سايرس من تهمة عنصرية

مايلي سايرس (الرياض)

لوس أنجلس - ي ب ا:

    برّأت محكمة أميركية النجمة الشابة مايلي سايرس من تهم العنصرية الموجهة ضدها بعد نشر صور لها وهي تشد عينيها ما اعتبر إساءة إلى الآسيويين، فيما أعربت المغنية عن حزنها لوفاة سائق حافلة جولاتها إثر انقلاب الحافلة التي لم تكن على متنها أمس الاول الجمعة.

وذكر موقع "إي أون لاين" أن المحكمة في مدينة لوس أنجلس الأميركية برأت النجمة من اتهامات العنصرية التي وجهتها لها امرأة تدعى لوسي كيم، رأت أن صوراً نشرت لسايرس وأصدقائها وهم يشدون أعينهم في تقليد للآسيويين هي إساءة إلى المجتمع الآسيوي وطالبت بتعويض يبلغ قدره 4 مليارات دولار.

وقد ردت المحكمة طلب المدعية، مشيرة إلى أنه على الرغم من أن الصورة قد تكون مسيئة إلى أنها لا تخرق أي قوانين.

من جهة أخرى، أعربت سايرس وعائلتها عن عميق حزنهم لفقدان سائق حافلة جولات النجمة، بيل دوغلاس، الذي قضى حين انقلبت الحافلة التي كان يقودها ومعه 9 ركاب أصيبوا بجروح في مدينة ريتشموند في ولاية فيرجينيا أمس الاول الجمعة، ولم تكن سايرس على متنها.

وذكر موقع "بيبول" أن المغنية قالت في تصريح نشر على موقعها الالكتروني "نحن حزينون جداً لخسارة بيل، العم بيل دوغلاس.. إن أعضاء جولاتنا هم مثل أفراد العائلة" وأعربت عن تضامنها وتكاتفها مع أفراد عائلته في هذه المحنة، واضافت "سنشتاق إليك بحق".

MIley Cyrus - Party In The U.S.A. - Official Music Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M11SvDtPBhA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKStTGmha7Q

Judge rules: Miley Cyrus is not racist!

Judges says Miley Cyrus is not racist
AP Photo/Peter Kramer

As of today, Miley Cyrus is not racist (not that she ever really was). According to TMZ, a judge dismissed a lawsuit involving Miley Cyrus and controversial Asian photo.

In the party photo, Miley Cyrus had slanted her eyes. Lucie Kim of Los Angeles had sued her for $4 billion, claiming that the gesture had been offensive towards Asians.

As an Asian-American...I am pleased with the judge's verdict and relieved that the Asian photo scandal is finally over.

What Miley Cyrus does in a photo with her friends is really none of our business. She's a young girl who made a silly gesture in front of a camera--no more than that.

And the Hannah Montana star had apologized numerous times. Clearly Miley Cyrus is not racist against Asians.

In any case, the judge's ruling is a bit of good news in light of this morning's tragic tour bus accident.

Was the Miley Cyrus Asian photo really deserving of a $4 billion lawsuit? Or was it much ado about nothing? Do you agree with the judge's decision?

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انطلاق أول محاولة علاجية بالخلايا الجذعية لمرض يسبب العمى في العام المقبل

لندن - ي ب ا:

    من المقرر أن تبدأ العام المقبل أولى التجارب السريرية على الخلايا الجذعية لعلاج مرض شائع في العيون يسبب العمى لليافعين.

ومن شأن هذه الطريقة العلاجية الرائدة مساعدة اليافعين الذين قد يفقدون أبصارهم بسبب مرض " ستارغارديت" الوراثي الذي لا علاج له حالياً ويعد أحد أكثر أنواع العمى عند الأطفال على الشفاء.

وذكرت صحيفة "ديلي تلغراف" أن الدراسات التي أجريت على الجرذان والفئران أثبتت أنه بالإمكان الشفاء من المرض بواسطة إبرة تحقن في خلايا شبكية العينين وتؤخذ من الخلايا الجذعية التي خلفتها عمليات التلقيح الصناعي العلاجية.

وقال روبرت لانزا، المسؤول العلمي في "أدفانسد سيل للتكنولوجيا" ، وهي الشركة التي طورت العلاج" بعد سنوات من البحث والنقاش نحن الآن على وشك إظهار القيمة المحتملة السريرية للخلايا الجذعية الجنينية ". وأضاف " إننا بحاجة إلى إحراز نجاح كبير في هذا الميدان". وستشمل التجارب السريرية المقرر أن تبدأ العام المقبل 12 مريضاً يعانون من مرض.

"ستارغارديت" وتتفاقم حالتهم باستمرار بسبب عدم وجود علاج لحالتهم الآن.

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مزاد لمقتنيات ايف سان لوران يجمع 13 مليون دولار

باريس - (رويترز):

    قالت صالة " كريستي" للمزادات يوم الجمعة ان ثاني مزاد لفنون واثاث كان يملكها ذات يوم مصمم الازياء الشهير ايف سان لوران جمع 8.9 مليون يورو (13.22 مليون دولار) وهو ما يصل الى ثلاثة اضعاف المبلغ المقدر.

وجمع أول بيع لمقتنيات مصمم الازياء سان لوران ورفيقه بيير بيرج أكثر من 370 مليون يورو في فبراير شباط في واحدة من اكبر عمليات البيع بالمزاد التي تشهدها باريس.

وقدرت صالة كريستي ان عملية البيع الثانية ستجمع بين ثلاثة واربعة ملايين دولار وستذهب كل العائدات الى منظمة خيرية معنية ببحوث الايدز.

وعرض المزاد الذي استمر في الفترة من 17 الى 20 نوفمبر تشرين الثاني 1200 قطعة تقريبا استخدمت في تزيين عقارات مختلفة لايف سان لوران ورفيقه ومن بينها قصر جابرييل وهو منزل في نورماندي يعود للقرن الثامن العشر.

وقالت كريستي ان 98 في المئة من المعروضات وجدت مشتريا.

ومن بين هذه الاغراض التي شهدت مزايدات كثيرة مقعدان بذراعين صنعا في مطلع القرن التاسع عشر وقدر ثمنهما بما بين ستة وثمانية آلاف يورو وبيعا في النهاية بمبلغ 241 الف يورو.

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    قال باحثون يوم الجمعة ان العاملين في مجال دفن الموتى الذين يستخدمون الفورمالدهيد لحفظ الجثث معرضون بدرجة اكبر لخطر الاصابة بسرطان الدم. ووجدوا ان الوفاة جراء الاصابة بنوع معين من سرطان الدم وهو سرطان نخاع العظام زاد بزيادة مشاركة العمال في حفظ الجثث بالفورمالدهيد. وذكر الباحثون في دورية المعهد القومي الامريكي للسرطان ان دراستهم لاكثر من 400 من عمال دفن الموتى هي الاولى التي تفحص بعناية هذا الارتباط.

وكتبت لورا فريمان من الدورية الامريكية "اظهرت الدراسات السابقة زيادة معدلات الوفيات جراء الاورام الليمفاوية وسرطان المخ لدى خبراء التشريح واخصائيي علم الامراض وعمال دفن الموتى وجميعهم ربما استخدم الفورمالدهيد." واجروا دراسات على 168 متخصصا ماتوا من الاصابة باشكال مختلفة من سرطان الدم 48 منهم بأورام في المخ مقارنة مع 265 من عمال دفن الموتى لقوا حتفهم جراء اسباب اخرى.

ووجد الباحثون ان الاشخاص الذين قضوا اكثر من عامين في حفظ الجثث او تعرضوا خلافا لذلك لسوائل الحفظ يرجح بدرجة اكبر انهم ماتوا بسبب سرطان النخاع الشوكي.

وكتبوا في الدورية "في العقود الاخيرة تعرض اكثر من مليوني عامل امريكي للفورمالدهيد بينهم خبراء التشريح والمتخصصون في علم الامراض وعمال دفن الموتى الذين يتعاملون من الجثث او العينات البيولوجية المحفوظة بالفورمالدهيد."

1. What is formaldehyde?

   Formaldehyde is a colorless, flammable, strong-smelling chemical that is used to manufacture building materials and to produce many household products. It is used in pressed-wood products, such as particleboard, plywood, and fiberboard; glues and adhesives; permanent-press fabrics; paper product coatings; and certain insulation materials. In addition, formaldehyde is commonly used as an industrial fungicide, germicide, and disinfectant, and as a preservative in mortuaries and medical laboratories.

2. How is the general population exposed to formaldehyde?

   According to a 1997 report by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, formaldehyde is normally present in both indoor and outdoor air at low levels, usually less than 0.03 parts of formaldehyde per million parts of air (ppm). Materials containing formaldehyde can release formaldehyde gas or vapor into the air. One example of formaldehyde exposure in the air is through automobile tailpipe emissions.

   During the 1970s, urea-formaldehyde foam insulation (UFFI) was used in many homes. However, few homes are now insulated with UFFI. Homes in which UFFI was installed many years ago are not likely to have high formaldehyde levels now. Pressed-wood products containing formaldehyde resins are often a significant source of formaldehyde in homes. Other potential indoor sources of formaldehyde include cigarette smoke and the use of unvented fuel-burning appliances, such as gas stoves, wood-burning stoves, and kerosene heaters.

   Industrial workers who produce formaldehyde or formaldehyde-containing products, laboratory technicians, health care professionals, and mortuary employees may be exposed to higher levels of formaldehyde than the general public. Exposure occurs primarily by inhaling formaldehyde gas or vapor from the air or by absorbing liquids containing formaldehyde through the skin.

3. What are the short-term health effects of formaldehyde exposure?

   When formaldehyde is present in the air at levels exceeding 0.1 ppm, some individuals may experience health effects, such as watery eyes; burning sensations of the eyes, nose, and throat; coughing; wheezing; nausea; and skin irritation. Some people are very sensitive to formaldehyde, whereas others have no reaction to the same level of exposure.

4. Can formaldehyde cause cancer?

   Although the short-term health effects of formaldehyde exposure are well known, less is known about its potential long-term health effects. In 1980, laboratory studies showed that exposure to formaldehyde could cause nasal cancer in rats. This finding raised the question of whether formaldehyde exposure could also cause cancer in humans. In 1987, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classified formaldehyde as a probable human carcinogen under conditions of unusually high or prolonged exposure (1). Since that time, some studies of industrial workers have suggested that formaldehyde exposure is associated with nasal sinus cancer and nasopharyngeal cancer, and possibly with leukemia. In 1995, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) concluded that formaldehyde is a probable human carcinogen. In June 2004, after evaluating all existing data, the IARC reclassified formaldehyde as a known human carcinogen (2).

5. What have scientists learned about the relationship between formaldehyde and cancer?

   Since the 1980s, the National Cancer Institute (NCI), a component of the National Institutes of Health, has conducted studies to determine whether there is an association between occupational exposure to formaldehyde and an increase in the risk of cancer. The results of this research have provided EPA and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) with information to evaluate the potential health effects of workplace exposure to formaldehyde.

   Long-term effects of formaldehyde have been evaluated in epidemiologic studies (studies that attempt to uncover the patterns and causes of disease in groups of people). One type of epidemiologic study is called a cohort study. A cohort is a group of people who may vary in their exposure to a particular factor, such as formaldehyde, and are followed over time to see whether they develop a disease. Another kind of epidemiologic study is called a case-control study. Case-control studies begin with people who are diagnosed as having a disease (cases) and compare them to people without the disease (controls), trying to identify differences in factors, such as exposure to formaldehyde, that might explain why the cases developed the disease but the controls did not.

   Several NCI studies have found that anatomists and embalmers, people who are potentially exposed to formaldehyde in their professions, are at an increased risk of leukemia and brain cancer compared with the general population. In 2003, a number of cohort studies were completed among workers exposed to formaldehyde. One study, conducted by NCI, looked at 25,619 workers in industries with the potential for occupational formaldehyde exposure and estimated each worker’s exposure to the chemical while at work (3). The results showed an increased risk of death due to leukemia, particularly myeloid leukemia, among workers exposed to formaldehyde. This risk was associated with increasing peak and average levels of exposure, as well as with the duration of exposure, but not with cumulative exposure. Using an additional 10 years of data, a follow-up study published in 2009 continued to show a possible link between formaldehyde exposure and cancers of the hematopoietic and lymphatic systems, particularly myeloid leukemia, as was previously reported (4). As in the previous study, the risk was highest earlier in the follow-up period and declined steadily over time, such that the cumulative excess risk of myeloid leukemia was no longer statistically significant. The researchers noted that similar patterns of risks over time had been seen for other agents known to cause leukemia.

   A separate study of 11,039 textile workers performed by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) also found an association between the duration of exposure to formaldehyde and leukemia deaths (5). However, the evidence remains mixed because a cohort study of 14,014 British industry workers found no association between cumulative formaldehyde exposure and leukemia deaths (6).

   Formaldehyde undergoes rapid chemical changes immediately after absorption. Therefore, some scientists think that formaldehyde is unlikely to have effects at sites other than the upper respiratory tract. However, some laboratory studies suggest that formaldehyde may affect the lymphatic and hematopoietic systems. Based on both the epidemiologic data from cohort studies and the experimental data from laboratory research, NCI investigators have concluded that exposure to formaldehyde may cause leukemia, particularly myeloid leukemia, in humans. However, inconsistent results from other studies suggest that further research is needed before definite conclusions can be drawn.

   Several case-control studies and cohort studies, including analysis of the large NCI cohort, have reported an association between formaldehyde exposure and nasopharyngeal cancer, although some other studies have not. Data from extended follow-up of the NCI study found that the excess of nasopharyngeal cancer observed in the earlier report persisted (7).

   Earlier analysis of the NCI cohort found increased lung cancer deaths among industrial workers compared with the general U.S. population. However, the rate of lung cancer deaths did not increase with higher levels of formaldehyde exposure. This observation led the researchers to conclude that factors other than formaldehyde exposure might have caused the increased deaths. New data on lung cancer from the extended follow-up did not find any relationship between formaldehyde exposure and lung cancer mortality.

6. What has been done to protect workers from formaldehyde?

   In 1987, OSHA established a Federal standard that reduced the amount of formaldehyde to which workers can be exposed over an 8-hour work day from 3 ppm to 1 ppm. In May 1992, the standard was amended, and the formaldehyde exposure limit was further reduced to 0.75 ppm.

7. How can people limit formaldehyde exposure in their homes?

   The EPA recommends the use of “exterior-grade” pressed-wood products to limit formaldehyde exposure in the home. Before purchasing pressed-wood products, including building materials, cabinetry, and furniture, buyers should ask about the formaldehyde content of these products. Formaldehyde levels in homes can also be reduced by ensuring adequate ventilation, moderate temperatures, and reduced humidity levels through the use of air conditioners and dehumidifiers.

8. Where can people find more information about formaldehyde?

   The following organizations can provide additional resources that readers may find helpful:

   The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has information about household products that contain formaldehyde. CPSC can be contacted at:

   Address:	U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission 4330 East West Highway Bethesda, MD 20814–4408
   Telephone:	1–800–638–2772 1–800–638–2772 ( 1–800–638–CPSC 1–800–638–CPSC )
   TTY:	1–800–638–8270 1–800–638–8270
   Web site:	http://www.cpsc.gov

Arrange for a green funeral and burial

Leaving this world the green way is easier on the environment than burying a body embalmed with harmful chemicals in a metal casket surrounded by reinforced cement. The green way uses fewer resources and does little to interfere with the natural decomposition process, so the body can quickly become part of the earth. Green funerals and burials are lighter on the pocketbook as well, costing several thousand dollars less.

How to arrange for a green funeral and burial

Before you start

Your ability to arrange for a green funeral and burial depends largely on what services are available in your area. Eco-friendly cemeteries are few and far between (although growing in popularity). Additionally, local funeral directors may not offer biodegradable caskets, nor be open to visitation services without having the body embalmed first. Therefore, it helps to know various laws and rights before you initiate a dialogue with a funeral director.

Green funeral and burial options

Traditionally, a funeral director helps the family make decisions about a memorial and burial. Therefore, it’s important to find a funeral director who is willing to accommodate your green intentions. Turn to the Green Burial Council and the TheGreenFuneralSite.com to find one. And even if green funeral directors are scarce in your area, you can consider these steps to lighten your load in the earth.

• Arrange for a direct burial without a viewing or visitation service. A quick burial avoids the use of toxic embalming fluids.
• Ask for the body to be refrigerated instead of embalmed. Traditional funeral directors will want to preserve the body if you desire a viewing or visitation service with an open casket. If refrigeration isn't available, ice or dry ice can be used to preserve the body until burial. Note: dry ice is solid carbon dioxide that's harvested as a byproduct of the petroleum industry. When exposed to air, it releases this greenhouse gas.
• Reduce the number of cars in a funeral procession. If you arrange for a graveside service, rent large passenger vans or suggest that families carpool to reduce carbon emissions. For formal funeral cortèges, green limo services are an option.
• Choose a biodegradable casket for burial. Or, if being buried in a green cemetery, you may also wish to consider a simple cloth shroud.
• Ask for donations to charity instead of flowers. If you do display a few arrangements, choose organic or local flower growers. Seventy percent of cut flowers in the US are imported, and likely to be sprayed with pesticides and other chemicals. Buying local or organic reduces your carbon and chemical footprint.
• Consider a home funeral. Family-directed funerals where family members care for the body and transport it to the cemetery or crematory avoids the use of embalming fluids and other chemicals used by traditional funeral homes.
• Be buried in a green cemetery. With an emphasis on maintaining a natural setting, these cemeteries don't use irrigation or resource-intensive lawn care. Nor do they allow metal caskets, vaults, or elaborate headstones.
• If possible, decline the use of a cement vault. Buried around the casket, these vaults are designed to prevent the ground from sinking in when the casket and body decompose. Unfortunately, most mainstream cemeteries require either a vault with a lid or a simpler grave liner.
• Choose a headstone quarried locally. Most cemeteries have restrictions on size and placement of memorial stones. Choose the minimum size and try to find a local monument builder who gets stone locally, reducing the amount of fuel used to transport it. If burial is in a green cemetery, choose to plant a native tree or other vegetation.
• Be buried at sea. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) allows bodies and cremated remains to be slipped into the sea where they decompose naturally. It may also be possible to be buried in a lake or river but these burials are regulated according to the Clean Water Act and a permit may be required.

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Funeral industry workers at greater leukemia risk

Washington, November 21 (ANI): Funeral industry workers are at a greater risk of getting leukemia because they are exposed to formaldehyde for long durations, a new study has claimed.

Formaldehyde is used for embalming in the funeral industry but researchers suggest the exposure to it can be dangerous.

Researchers at the Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics at the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Md., who conducted the study, reached the conclusion after investigating the relation of mortality to work practices and formaldehyde exposure levels among these professionals.

The different causes behind the deaths of funeral industry workers between 1960 and 1986 was noted.

Researchers also compared those who died from lymphohematopoietic malignancies and brain tumors with those who died from other causes.

Lifetime work practices and exposures to formaldehyde were obtained by interviews with next of kin and coworkers.

Cancer risk was then linked to duration of employment, work practices, and estimated formaldehyde exposure levels in the funeral industry.

The number of years of embalming practice and related formaldehyde exposures were associated with statistically significantly increased mortality from myeloid leukaemia, with the greatest risk among those who practiced embalming for more than 20 years.

No associations were observed with other lymphohematopoietic malignancies; associations with brain cancer were unclear.

The authors wrote: “This study adds supporting and complementary data to other epidemiological evidence of an association between formaldehyde exposure and risk of myeloid leukemia.

“Further studies of leukemia risk in relation to specific embalming practices and exposures, as well as similar specific exposure studies in other professional groups that are exposed to formaldehyde and that have an increased risk of leukaemia, should help to clarify our understanding of cancer risks related to formaldehyde.”

The study was published online in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute on 20th November. (ANI)

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