I like the idea of stipulating that any heirs will only receive their portion of the estate as long as they wear a Life Gem made out of me.

Of course, the idea falls apart when I realize my "estate" consists of comic books.

In that case, your job is properly brainwashing your heirs so that they really really want those comic books.

I've been involved in the conversations that ended up with the purchase of a $2,000 casket.

My mother was just telling me the story of going with her mother to get the casket, etc., for my grandfather, and how the cracked up in the car, thinking that the funeral home guy must have thought they really didn't like my grandfather all that much. Not true, BTW. But they weren't going to waste all that money!

Congrats, Hec!

Don't some people say that cremation isn't all that environmentally sound?

A former roommate of mine worked on a study assessing the emissions from crematoriums and their effect on the environment. Sadly, I don't remember the results. But there are people looking at it!

I'm not sure how to reply to him.

Dear sir, I regret to inform you that your submissions do not meet our editorial standards.

or

Hey, nutbag, if you think your daughter is sexy I DON'T WANT TO KNOW ABOUT IT.

Could go either way.

I wonder if I could start a business making cardboard/papier mache coffins that look exactly like the real thing. (With, like a glued-together frame of wood, so there's no metal.) With a couple nice coats of shellac they'd be all shiny and curvy and sleek which would satisfy the traditional-minded relatives but be quite biodegradeable, plus the materials and skilled labor would be cheaper than the regular coffin costs....

no way spending more on a casket than I have on furniture. Hopefully no casket at all.

I wonder if I could start a business making cardboard/papier mache coffins that look exactly like the real thing. (With, like a glued-together frame of wood, so there's no metal.) With a couple nice coats of shellac they'd be all shiny and curvy and sleek which would satisfy the traditional-minded relatives but be quite biodegradeable, plus the materials and skilled labor would be cheaper than the regular coffin costs....

Totally.

I wonder if I could start a business making cardboard/papier mache coffins that look exactly like the real thing. (With, like a glued-together frame of wood, so there's no metal.) With a couple nice coats of shellac they'd be all shiny and curvy and sleek which would satisfy the traditional-minded relatives but be quite biodegradeable, plus the materials and skilled labor would be cheaper than the regular coffin costs....

Ooh, they'd look kind of like sarcophagi!

Heh. That could be one of the specialty lines we hand-craft.

It's actually quite a shame that I don't know about business plans and stuff like that. Or really, all that much about papier mache production for LARGE items. I know in the past (1800s) there have been papier mache furniture (not much of which survives) so it doesn't have to be flimsy....

Eco-casket movement:

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