However, Judge Andrew Hurst was not impressed by one such drug dealer. Judge Hurst oversaw the trials and sentences of three men – Malik Ali, Devon Thompson and Barry Smith – who were convicted of or admitted their roles in a huge heroin and cocaine operation in south Essex. Judge Andrew Hurst branded Ali as “lazy”, stating there was “overwhelming evidence” that Ali was involved in the operation which saw heroin smuggled from Pakistan to Basildon. He said that Smith, who had tried to clear the package in customs, had been “naive” and was “exploited”, and that family man Thompson had “inexplicably” gotten himself involved in the crime.
Due to recent circumstances, there has been more death than usual. It has left a lot of people to grieve loved ones, either because of the pandemic itself or other causes. I, too, have recently had a family member die.
Even without that, I always thought funeral rituals around the world were interesting. I once wrote a paper that discussed how Viking funeral rituals could be used to chronicle religious changes over time because of their burial goods.
So, when I read a Daily Evergreen news article about Human Development 360, a course on death and dying, I was intrigued.
Cory Bolkan, associate professor of human development, has taught Human Development 360 for over twelve years. Bolkan said we should start conversations about death and dying early. It is not just one conversation, rather continued conversations throughout life.