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DeWitt Bailey, a renowned scholar of historic firearms, passed away in March 2024 after a long illness. Born in the USA, he spent most of his life in England, where he became an authority on shooting with muzzle loading weapons and military firearms. Remembered fondly by friends and family, DeWitt's contributions to the field of firearms research will continue to be studied and appreciated by those interested in guns and shooting. [Extracted from the article]

Gendered norms in society can strongly influence the presence of men or women in professional contexts. This study examined the perceptions of 13 women working in the funeral directing services in order to better understand how they perform gender roles to play in a field that has long been considered male‐dominated. The findings suggest that women face many challenges to play a professional role in funeral directing and that they rely on their ability to perform care work to be recognized as better professionals. The issue of physical strength—a characteristic element of funeral work—seems to be an issue that still arouses contrasting positions among women. Another finding was that women also perform gender roles through their professional appearance, which they recognize as an important aspect of their professionalism. This work brings new insight into this specific and under‐researched area and provides new understanding on how women use gender performativity to achieve professionalism in the death care; in particular, it shows that women do gender in different ways to achieve the same entitlement to be good funeral professionals as men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the significance of funeral services for animal companions, focusing on grieving clients and the human-animal bond. Reflections of employees at the Animals’ Heaven Cemetery (Cimitirul Raiul Animalelor in Romanian) on the motivations, emotions, and reactions of clients who used the cemetery’s post-mortem animal care services are examined. Findings revealed differing responses from owners, ranging from open expression of emotions to silence; acceptance of loss, desiring to honor their animals’ existence with a final gesture even posthumously. Participants also reported occasional situations arising from distance or situational challenges when clients offer no assistance in their animals’ burial or cremation. The results suggest the necessity of formal qualifications in therapy, psychotherapy, psychology, or a related profession to enhance funeral service providers’ ability to communicate with grieving clients. The concept of an animal companion cemetery as a park, perceived as “a place of hope” and “a spiritual place” is suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The navigation waterways to the harbors of Rostock (Warnow Estuary), Germany, and Szczecin (Oder/Szczecin Lagoon), Poland, were recently deepened. Both activities required Environmental Impact Assessments. We conducted expert- and data-based ecosystem service assessments for both case studies. Additionally, we performed 3D-ecosystem model simulations. For the Oder Lagoon, the model results show that the waterway deepening increased the burial in sediments by 807 t N/a, 112 t P/a and 4661 T C/a. However, altogether, the impacts of the deepening to 12.5 m draught on the lagoon ecosystem are minor and a model application is not necessary, but the results improve the data basis for ecosystem service assessments. Our expert-based ecosystem service approach is adaptable to the needs of coastal engineering and hydraulic projects and is both easy and quick to apply and transferable. The assessment results highlight the relevance of cultural services and can complement EIAs. Our approach can especially support the early scoping stage of an EIA. It has the potential to enhance cooperation and communication with and between stakeholders, reduce conflicts, and save time. Additionally, it could improve the compilation and addressing of stakeholder concerns, potentially reducing costs associated with unnecessary studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractAs little attention has been paid to dysphemism in death-related discourse, the goal of this study is to analyze the dysphemistic language in a sample of funeral cards, i.e., personalized keepsakes distributed at memorial or funeral services, of Nationalist Spaniards, including both combatants and civilians, who were killed in the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) and, by doing so, have access to the motivations and purposes underlying dysphemistic use in wartime funeral cards. The inductive, “bottom-up” analysis carried out demonstrates that dysphemism is used to express a negative evaluation of the political enemy through intense and emotionally charged language that refers to the cause and circumstances of the death, on the one hand, and to those responsible for the death, on the other. In this way, dysphemism creates a narrative atmosphere charged with contempt and hatred toward the political enemy and thus becomes a strategic tool of ideological propaganda. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rhetorical studies of public memory explore the ways in which memory is made material and how those means condition our own embodiment of memory. One space for this type of rhetorical memory work featured in this essay is the encounter with the corpse during funeral services. While research on funeral rhetoric has been foundational to our understanding of memory and epideixis, we focus on the embodied rhetorics that support and sustain the values we have toward the deceased in the processes of encountering them. We share interviews with deathcare workers and a rhetorical ethnography of the deathcare industry to elaborate on the figurative work and backstage processes that make memorializing the dead possible. We contend that “memory pictures” can be understood as material instantiations of memory that shape the processes of encountering and remembering the dead. This article details phases of encountering the recently deceased body and how the deceased body is made into a corpse to remember and mourn. The phases and technical processes of working with corpses are bluntly described with details about preparing, embalming, and displaying dead bodies. The straightforward and sometimes graphic description of these phases and processes may be disturbing or upsetting for readers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deryck Anthony Scarr, a renowned historian of the Pacific, passed away on March 29, 2024. Scarr was born in England in 1939 and obtained his PhD from the Australian National University. He authored numerous books and articles on the Pacific, including biographies of influential figures in Fiji. Scarr emphasized the importance of accessing local sources and traveling to the places he studied. He mentored many students and had a deep love for Fiji. Scarr's funeral was marked by the singing of a traditional Fijian farewell song. [Extracted from the article]

The article* focuses on an analysis of the funeral and memorial rituals of the Ludian Karelians in the context of folk religion. For many years, rites of Orthodox origin were either viewed unilaterally or ignored altogether in ethnographic literature, with the reconstruction of 'pagan' elements being highlighted, which in turn gave rise to the theory of dual faith. According to the results of my research, the funeral and memorial traditions of the Ludians (from the late 19th to the late 20th century) are based on an Orthodox funeral system in which many aspects derived from a Christian basis found new interpretation. For example, the requirement to light candles was explained as lighting the way to the afterlife, the importance of making confession was so that the dying person's sins would not attach to the living, and funeral services were to help the soul of the deceased 'settle', etc. The principal exponents of the funeral rituals, who ensured the successful transition of the soul to the next world, were representatives of the people: women who washed the body of the deceased, and lamenters, but the church priesthood nonetheless played a significant role in conducting the rituals. The priest's participation is apparent at all stages of the funeral ritual, from confession to commemoration. Following the abolition of the institution of the church during the Soviet period, the functions of the priest were assumed by elderly women who knew the prayers and church burial traditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses marketing tools for promotion of funeral services wi thin the framework of the digital marketing communications model. The key characteristics of consumers’ perception of these services, the features and methods of effectiveness improvement of marketing promotion in the digital environment are highlighted. Practical implementation of marketing tools on the example of a funeral agency is considered with special attention. It is proved that effectiveness improvement of the enterprise website as a model of digital marketing communication in the context of the specifics of the services perception by target audience largely depends on the formation of trust through various communication tools. Within the framework of the mo del developed by the author it is substantiated that the maximum effect from the marketing tools implementation can be achieved only in the unity of all its functions (informational, communicative, marketing, interactional, reputational). Moreover, as a result of the analysis, it was discovered that the most important function for consumers, due to the market specifics, is the reputa tional function. On the basis of this conclusion, the company was rebranded and the website was transformed. The made changes, as shown by statistics, have had a positive impact on the website effectiveness.

Objective: The aim of this research is to examine the factors that influence Chinese vocational college students who want to work in funeral services and to offer suggestions and strategies for encouraging students to work in the funeral service field for a longer period of time. Design/Method/Approach: This paper selects students from Chinese funeral colleges and universities for a questionnaire survey. The data was evaluated using regression and correlation analyses in addition to interviews. The factors that influence funeral students' decisions to work in the funeral field were examined. Results: The results of the data analysis showed that psychological and emotional needs, employment intention and family support ranked among the top three influencing factors for funeral students choosing employment in the funeral industry. Conclusion: The factors influencing funeral students to choose employment in the funeral industry subjectively are that the actual work does not match the work expectations. Objectively, it is an unadaptation to professional roles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is a sermon preached by Susan Howdle at the funeral service of the Revd Dr. Brian Beck. The sermon reflects on the Gospel reading from Luke 4:16-21 and discusses Brian's life and ministry in the context of preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. It highlights Brian's dedication to exploring and sharing the meaning of scripture, as well as his commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion within the Methodist Church. The sermon concludes with a reflection on the hope of resurrection and Brian's desire to continue striving for holiness. [Extracted from the article]

Background: Cadavers are essential for anatomical education, yet their scarcity plagues medical colleges in Kerala and India. However, the Government Medical College in Thrissur has experienced a rise in annual body donations. Aims and Objectives: This study aims to explore the motivating factors behind this increase among the population of Thrissur. Materials and Methods: This study employed a cross-sectional survey design conducted at the Department of Anatomy, Government Medical College in Thrissur, Kerala. The study utilized data from the Body Donation Register, which covered a period from May 1st, 2011 to April 30th, 2012, encompassing a total of 223 individuals. During this specific period, which was selected due to the notable surge in body donation trends, there was a significant increase observed. The sample size was set at 110 participants. Data collection was conducted through face-to-face interviews with the voluntary body donors and was analyzed using the statistical package for the social sciences, version 16.0. Results: Gender distribution: Among 120 donors, 56.7% were male and 26.7% were female. Age groups 61–70 had the highest percentage (36%) of body donors. Socioeconomic status: the majority were above the poverty line (78.2%). Religious affiliation: Hindus had the largest representation (40 individuals). Marital status: Most donors were married (92 out of 110). Number of children: Most donors had two children (64 individuals). Sources of information: Family and relatives were the primary sources. Awareness of dissection: An equal number of donors were aware and unaware. Motivations for donation varied, including social service and avoiding burden after death. Conclusion: A good proportion of donors had a socioeconomic status above the poverty line, and most of them were graduates or postgraduates. The majority of body donors did not have a religious affiliation. However, they had a strong family background and received support from their families. Interestingly, most of the donors were unaware of how their bodies would be used after donation.

Εἰκών εἰμι τῆς ἀρρήτου δόξης σου : the opening of one of the Eulogētaria hymns in the Byzantine funeral service – a highly interesting composition with roots in Late Ancient Jerusalem – invites a connection with Genesis 1:26. However, even though the allusion to the story of creation, Eden, and the Fall is undeniable, this hymn does not speak of the human being as κατ᾿εἰκόνα , but straightforwardly as the εἰκών of God's glory. A first step in interpreting this line should therefore be the consideration of another set of biblical references, dealing not with "image" but with "glory." We can then, as a second step, make sense of the resulting interpretation within the larger theological context of Byzantine Christomorphic anthropology, with its rich biblical and extra-biblical sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cadavers are essential for anatomical education, yet their scarcity plagues medical colleges in Kerala and India. However, the Government Medical College in Thrissur has experienced a rise in annual body donations. Aims and Objectives: This study aims to explore the motivating factors behind this increase among the population of Thrissur. Materials and Methods: This study employed a cross-sectional survey design conducted at the Department of Anatomy, Government Medical College in Thrissur, Kerala. The study utilized data from the Body Donation Register, which covered a period from May 1st, 2011 to April 30th, 2012, encompassing a total of 223 individuals. During this specific period, which was selected due to the notable surge in body donation trends, there was a significant increase observed. The sample size was set at 110 participants. Data collection was conducted through face-to-face interviews with the voluntary body donors and was analyzed using the statistical package for the social sciences, version 16.0. Results: Gender distribution: Among 120 donors, 56.7% were male and 26.7% were female. Age groups 61–70 had the highest percentage (36%) of body donors. Socioeconomic status: the majority were above the poverty line (78.2%). Religious affiliation: Hindus had the largest representation (40 individuals). Marital status: Most donors were married (92 out of 110). Number of children: Most donors had two children (64 individuals). Sources of information: Family and relatives were the primary sources. Awareness of dissection: An equal number of donors were aware and unaware. Motivations for donation varied, including social service and avoiding burden after death. Conclusion: A good proportion of donors had a socioeconomic status above the poverty line, and most of them were graduates or postgraduates. The majority of body donors did not have a religious affiliation. However, they had a strong family background and received support from their families. Interestingly, most of the donors were unaware of how their bodies would be used after donation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through analysis of written sources, architectural evidence, excavation reports and antiquarian records this paper argues that charnelling of human skeletal remains was more common in medieval England than has hitherto been fully recognized. It became increasingly widespread following formalization of belief in Purgatory in the late 13th century, and charnel houses can be found both at the better-documented greater churches and at parish churches, for which churchwardens' accounts are important sources. Charnel houses are mainly freestanding buildings in churchyards, or crypts within the body of the church, and both forms are often semi-subterranean, with the carefully maintained charnel visible through windows high in the charnel house walls. There was typically a chapel located above the charnel room, in which prayers for the dead were offered, similar to chantries. The paper presents the first detailed exploration of the potential liturgical contexts for charnelling. It is argued that the most likely form of rite to accompany the translation and deposition of charnel would have comprised a re-enactment of the Office of the Dead followed by an adapted version of the burial service, with possible secondary uses of the charnel house in the days leading up to Easter, the most solemn part of the Christian year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to determine the prospect of takaful funerals as an Islamic insurance product and its marketing strategy. The multicase study analyzed is the Takaful Funeral Amsterdam of Indonesia, launched in 2015, Millî Görüs of Turkey in 1970 and Arrahma of Morocco in 2006. Design/methodology/approach: This study delivers an analytic hierarchy process to qualitatively and quantitatively describe Muslim customers' priority choice and interest criteria for takaful funerals as a forerunner of Islamic insurance products. Findings: Based on the priority choice and interest criteria, the highest priority element of takaful funeral products is market need (49.21%). The group subcriteria were dominant compared to the individual subcriteria. Product design is the second choice (20.9%), with function as the priority in subcriteria. Practical implications: This indicates that the Muslim community urgently needs funeral service products that are consistent with Islamic law, which emphasizes its function. The market needs as the highest priority element implies that bundling products, affordable prices and simple design are the most suitable methods for developing takaful funeral products in Indonesia. Originality/value: To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first study to discuss Islamic funerals in Indonesia, with the potential to be further developed with the increasing need of the Islamic insurance industry for new products. Previous research did not examine the PPME Al-Ikhlas Takaful Amsterdam, Millî Görüs of Turkey and Arrahma of Morocco as case studies for developing Islamic funeral insurance in Indonesia. Therefore, this gives the present study high originality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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