Mr Popescu was a biology teacher who taught day after day, year after year, in the same classroom, never missing a day. Then he died, and to keep his attendance record going, they mounted his skeleton and hung it in the room. Here’s Mr Popescu.
I sympathize with the man. Not only is it a rough gig, but he looks about how I feel right now.
I thought they only did that kind of thing in British universities that had been around forever. I seem to remember Oxford or Cambridge has the remains of some worth sitting in his favourite chair, or something like that.
Granted, there are some minor disadvantages to feeling like a skeleton, but I wouldn’t mind feeling a bit of weight loss.
Still, that must have been an unusual lab assignment.
He does seem a bit worse for wear.
That said, I’d totally do this. I’m already down for full donation already, with instructions to burn the leftover sloppy bits (composting meat is just too messy). Big advantage of being raised atheist: I was given no particular instruction in the importance or sacredness of cadavers, including my own, so I have none. Since I always liked the particular aspect of Dune‘s Fremen that their water belonged to the tribe (bodies’ water was reclaimed after death, in a harsh desert environment), I figured I could most easily adopt it by making sure my meatsuit gives some value back to society when I’m done with it. Medical, scientific, whatever makes most sense.
Probably medical, actually, now I think about it. I’m AB-.
@timgueguen: you’re thinking of the philosopher Jeremy Bentham, whose clothed remains are displayed at University College London, and is occasionally recorded as “present but not voting” in university council meetings.
I just want that cool latch on my forehead. Then I could look like Megadeth’s mascot Vic Rattlehead.
Heh. I have plans to donate my brain to Cuttlefish University, for use in classroom demonstrations. What I really want to do is a set of videos of various different brain scientists using their technology to examine my brain while I am still alive, so I can have that info to add to the classroom show-and-tell.
I should start a “project brain donor” kickstarter…
ewww, I’d hate to be taught in THAT classroom. I not scared, just grossed out. Ain’t that why we bury them in the ground? [no no no, sorry to throw out that snark] I really would be thoroughly distracted in that classroom by the human skeleton hanging there. My empathy circuits would work overtime lamenting the person whose skeleton was so disrespected as to be left hanging around. *slap* *slap* *slap*
Despite the cries of right-wingers that union, especially teacher’s unions, get too many benefits it appears to me that Mr. P did not have a decent dental plan.
He is, of course, in Romania. Home of Dracula, and all that. They might want to put a stake through his ribcage, just in case.
I would love to have my skeleton hanging in a science classroom after I’m dead, knowing that it would be dressed up for Halloween, perhaps a Santa hat at Xmas, green on St. Patrick’s Day,..
Alas, I too am settling for donating my body to a medical school (University of Minnesota).
Since I have Spasmodic Dysphonia and other neurological problems, my brain will go to neurological research for Spasmodic Dysphonia and other Dystonias.
The hubby and I have both requested that anything that is useful should be used and the rest cremated. We want our ashes be put together and scattered into the Monterey Bay in California, since that is the best place that we have ever lived in our lives.
Can’t the poor man have a day off even when he’s dead?
I have a bone to pick with you – Mr Popescu!
Kind of makes one think twice about accepting tenure at that school.
I think that’s cool. He’s still teaching even after he’s dead. Bravo for you, Mr. Popescu!
My mother has very explicit instructions on what to do with her body. It involves her riding on a Harley forever, in skeletal form. My mom is awesome, as is the place that will host her.
Bats… skeletons…. Does Halloween just go on forever around here? Having said that, Mr. Popescu looks a lot like my high school biology teacher. His name was Mr. Graves. I shit you not.
He has a similar problem to a couple of the teachers at my old school – the pupils could see right through them!
It would be nice to have a continuing positive impact after death. I’m sure his skeleton helps the students bone up on anatomy.
After my day in a functional-skills classroom, I would like to haunt one particular kid, but I swear that if you were to put my body in that classroom, I would haunt you, instead. There was a nice river on the way home, just dump me there, dead or alive.
It must have gotten pretty rank in that classroom during his “transition”.
Oh, please.
In the Harry Potter universe, the History of Magic teacher doesn’t settle for leaving his bones around after death- he KEEPS TEACHING, as a ghost. Now THAT is dedication.
I’m in agreement with most of the others on the threat about what’s left after the ol’ neurons stop firing. Use whatever you can, whether for donation or research, and burn the rest. Maybe use my ashes to feed a tree. If there was a suitable way to ‘compost’ that would be even better- no emissions from burning. I can’t comprehend this ‘need’ to treat my remains with some sort of ‘dignity’… I’m gone, ffs.
Professor Popescu looks more like an archaeological find than a prepared skeleton.
@chigau
You may be on to something there. I have prepared a number of skeletons (non-humans: mostly road-kill) and I used the lazy-guy’s technique:
1. [Optional] Skin, deflesh as much as practical.
2. Bury.
3. Wait.
4. Return and dig up as many pieces as you can find. (Teeth, finger & toe bones have a habit of becoming fewer somehow).
5. Wash the bones. Bleaching (optional).
The results tend to have the stained look of the current Professor Popescu.
Another popular preparation method involves replacing the above steps 2-4 with boiling which tends to produce much whiter bones.
So how was he prepared? A little Googling produces this:
And later, at some unspecified time:
No word about what the “special treatment” was.
And then, other photos show a lighter coloured skeleton. So who the hell knows…
I still want my body shot off into the sun…
Nate, in orbital mechanics it’s the delta-v that’s expensive. Very expensive, and that’s one reason why there have been so few visits to Mercury. It’s so expensive that it can take years while gravity (de-)boost maneuvers are set up with various planets to bleed off the angular momentum. Not that you’d be in any hurry or complaining about a lack of scenery.
I recently filled out the forms to donate my body to medical science.
The only problem I can see is the proviso that if I’m selfish enough to die more than 50 miles from an appropriate teaching hospital, my estate must pay the transportation bill.
If I die with my estate in credit, I’ve missed a party or two.
“Where’s your homework? I’m waiting!”
QFT: My hat is off to you, Mr Popescu.
(Literally, actually, it’s pissing down large mammals today, and to go outside without a reinforced hat is just asking to be knocked silly…)
JohnnieCanuck @ #27:
I know, but since I’m only 27, and plan to live for a very long time (I have a long bucket list… :p ), I’m guessing (hoping?) that the technology will be a lot further along by the time I’m ready to sleep forever.