On Fri, 19 Jul 2002 00:35:52 GMT, Sakaki <Alphonse@work.com> wrote:

>"Disaster" <disaster@disfanfic.net> wrote in 
>news:uje6vrsqd8up19@corp.supernews.com:
>
>> "Frank White" <fwhite*NOSPAM*@colfax.com> wrote:
>>> Shi also means 'death'.  The Japanese get nervous about
>>> reminders of death (don't stick your chopsticks straight
>>> up in a bowl of rice - that's what's done for offerings
>>> to the dead - or pass things from one pair of chopsticks
>>> to another person's - that's what they do with the bones
>>> of loved ones after cremation) and try to avoid them.
>> 
>> Ummmmm, what bones? Cremation doesn't leave any bones!
>> 
>There is many times a few small chunks left, nothing like a intact bone 
>just little pices.
>
>Sakaki 


Quite a few large bits and pieces, in fact. The remains are often run
through a mill before release to the family.  Even so, there are
enough fragments left to, say, strip the paint from a plane doing an
ash dispersal. A friend who did scattering services years ago said it
sounded and looked like someone had sandblasted the side of his craft
with pea-gravel! (this was before he had a proper dispersing mechanism
installed. mental note: pushing ashes out the window at 120kts does
bad things to paint!)
Hmm.. looks like Neptune Society has a good description published:
<http://www.neptunesociety.com/cremation/>


Back on Shi related matters... as well as the aversion to 4's, I am
told that it is inappropriate to give timepieces as gifts (not sure if
this is only for particular occasions, or in general).  Apparently
something about marking the passage of time = implying impending
death. (presumably giving four timepieces would be extremely rude)
Perhaps someone here can confirm or deny this tale...
        -KD