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#1 (permalink) |
Gastrolithuanian
Location: low-velocity Earth orbit
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Ever wondered how long you live after decaptitation?
Hail Citizens with Heads!
I will spare you the image to a question I ask myself often. Possible answer: A particularly detailed report comes from Dr Beaurieux who, under perfect circumstances, experimented with the head of the murderer Languille, guillotined at 5.30 am on 28 June, 1905. (From A History of the Guillotine by Alister Kershaw. His source is Archives d'Anthropologie Criminelle, 1905): "Here, then, is what I was able to note immediately after the decapitation: the eyelids and lips of the guillotined man worked in irregularly rhythmic contractions for about five or six seconds . . . I waited for several seconds. The spasmodic movements ceased. The face relaxed, the lids half closed on the eyeballs, leaving only the white of the conjunctiva visible, exactly as in the dying whom we have occasion to see every day in the exercise of our profession, or as in those just dead. It was then that I called in a strong, sharp voice: 'Languille!' I saw the eyelids slowly lift up, without any spasmodic contractions . . . Next Languille's eyes very definitely fixed themselves on mine and the pupils focused themselves . . . After several seconds, the eyelids closed again, slowly and evenly, and the head took on the same appearance as it had had before I called out. "It was at that point that I called out again and, once more, without any spasm, slowly, the eyelids lifted and undeniably living eyes fixed themselves on mine with perhaps even more penetration than the first time. Then there was a further closing of the eyelids, but now less complete. I attempted the effect of a third call; there was no further movement and the eyes took on the glazed look which they have in the dead." |
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#3 (permalink) |
Intently Rocking
Location: Davey's
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I think someone's been reading "Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers" by Mary Roach.
If not, you should be GH, it's pretty damn good and it sounds right up your alley.
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Howard Moon: The wind is my only friend. Wind: [whistling] I hate you. |
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#4 (permalink) |
Gastrolithuanian
Location: low-velocity Earth orbit
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Whoa.
Thanks, Troublebot. I am not reading it nor had I heard of it until your post. I will be getting it ASAP. If I don't cut off mine own head first. -GH Last edited by Giant Hamburger; 07-21-2003 at 01:29 PM.. |
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#6 (permalink) |
Gastrolithuanian
Location: low-velocity Earth orbit
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An excellent question which I can’t answer.
It could be floating in the ether. ![]() Visiting with friends on on a remote island ![]() or in a jar ![]() or hanging out at your local eatery ![]() Perhaps mine is like all the other disembodied heads ![]() just waiting for the right time to emerge. -GH Last edited by Giant Hamburger; 07-22-2003 at 01:28 PM.. |
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#8 (permalink) |
The Cheshire Grin...
Location: An Aussie Outback
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I've read somewhere that the head can survive for like 10 secs afterwards or something.. The crowds were starting to get freaked out after the decapitation because the heads would look at them.. So they started to put a cloth on them...
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Can you see me grin grin grrriiiiinnnning?! |
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#11 (permalink) | |
Gastrolithuanian
Location: low-velocity Earth orbit
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Quote:
-GH Last edited by Giant Hamburger; 07-21-2003 at 09:33 PM.. |
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#12 (permalink) |
Fluxing wildly...
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
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Giant Hamburger is full of useful knowledge. It would seem that education on planet Hamburger is very high quality indeed.
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flux (n.) Medicine. The discharge of large quantities of fluid material from the body, especially the discharge of watery feces from the intestines. |
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#14 (permalink) |
Psycho
Location: Pasadena, CA
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Holding severed head in place, he defied death
IANS AGRA: A 28-year-old carrier van driver's head nearly got chopped off in a road accident. Weeks later he is alive, thanks to sheer grit. His head almost severed, blood oozing and eyes popping out, Balram was in a dazed state when the accident took place on July 5 in Fatehabad in Uttar Pradesh. He, however, kept his head attached to his body with some cloth. When no one came to help him, he drove his own vehicle for 30 km to reach a nursing home in Agra. Doctors there found the head partly joined with the spinal column -- something that saved his life. D.V. Sharma, who runs the nursing home, said it was Balram's supreme confidence and presence of mind that must have made him drive without any loss of time. "Had there been some delay, death was a certainty." "Imagine someone walking into the nursing home with his head almost cut off from the neck. The very thought gives shivers," said an attendant who first saw Balram at the nursing home. On Sunday evening, a felicitation function was organised by Agra's clubs and some NGOs for Balram. People who donated blood for him were also praised at the function in the hospital, which incidentally refused to take money for his treatment. Recalling the accident, a family member said: "Balram was returning from Arnauta in Bah tehsil (sub-district) with 10 quintals of wheat in his van. When he was passing through the main market in Fatehabad, a tractor trolley carrying iron rods and pipes ahead of him suddenly applied the breaks. "Balram could not stop in time and banged into the trolley. The iron rods pierced through his neck. His head fell on one side, attached precariously to the spinal cord. "He was fully conscious and all his organs were in command. Promptly, Balram straightened his head and tied a 'safi' (a thin cloth towel) around it and rushed towards Agra. Whoever saw the scene couldn't believe his eyes. The crowd that assembled around did nothing. "When Balram tried to speak, blood oozed from his mouth. "Soaked in blood and in a totally shattered state, even his co-worker collapsed unconscious. But Balram did not lose heart. He kick-started the van and went to a nearby doctor who advised him to immediately rush to Agra. The first nursing home on the way refused him admission as he was in a critical state. "Then around 7.30 p.m., he reached D.V. Sharma's bone clinic. He fell unconscious. Sharma immediately got his team together as both his pulse and breathing rhythms had come under strain." It took nearly three-and-a-half hours for doctors to complete the operation. Papers on the van helped them trace his family members. A life was saved. On Sunday, Balram was fit and ready to return. He is still having trouble speaking, but doctors said a minor operation later would restore his voice.
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"take me down, little *Susie*, take me down I know you think you're the Queen of The Underground" |
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#15 (permalink) |
Gastrolithuanian
Location: low-velocity Earth orbit
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Thanks for the story DonkeyPuncher.
If I ever knock off mine own head I will have hope. I will just confidently head into the emergency room... <img src="http://www.middlebury.edu/~lib/gifs/dante.JPG" width="550" height="450"> "Will someone please put this back on?" -GH Last edited by Giant Hamburger; 07-22-2003 at 01:49 PM.. |
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#16 (permalink) |
Gastrolithuanian
Location: low-velocity Earth orbit
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An excellent question comrade Bones.
In my evolution into a Giant Hamburger I had to periodically leave my sesame-seeded shelter and seek a newer, larger bun. This is a time of extreme vulnerability for me. Forunately, I am as large as my fragile ecosystem will support. Perhaps if I move to a bigger city there will be room for more growth. Now let's get back to heads. ![]() not those heads... ![]() sigh er... human heads ![]() Argh, close enough. -GH |
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#19 (permalink) |
Gastrolithuanian
Location: low-velocity Earth orbit
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Hail Embodied Heads!
I have forgotten about the most nefarious severed head of them all, Dr Carl Hill’s ![]() of Re-Animator and Bride of Re-Animator. As a doctor he was witty, intelligent and really had a lot going for him. [img]http://groups.msn.com/_Secure/0RQDYAhgVguGsJd8mEKEbnvSw5ZeFh97MCrUlldmve5V*ooZsxqD*GgiYiyfweIxxMvb*io16W0Jxe*X8hYwZEfWq!Y22T!zYnBJaORMsfpY/re01.jpg?dc=4675431372231847290[/img] As you can see, he loved the ladies. But who could forgive his unwanted advances on the young Megan Halsey? [img]http://groups.msn.com/_Secure/0RQDTAhsVQ!IKXKcmS*dtREZjt!8ALwp1vBRw6LjTzmeU8yT2Zedp281azVFQBFIYj2i8Z*6wtqb4hCuBzN2XVzerj1ok5KXP9c2Iywrtkik/re13.jpg?dc=4675431372235526645[/img] Not me. Alleitup, no human heads were harmed in the making of this movie. Hire him to entertain at your next birthday party. David Gale, Professional Head (batwings optional) Thank you and goodnight -GH |
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#21 (permalink) |
Intently Rocking
Location: Davey's
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"Re-Animator!"
Possibly, the most messed-up scene I've ever have the pleasure of watching. Even better is listening to the commentary on the DVD. Barbara Crampton (who played Megan) talks very sweetly about David Gale, who played the severed head. Strange but true. Thanks for the trip down memory lane GH. When I become a severed head, I'm going to find me a coed!
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Howard Moon: The wind is my only friend. Wind: [whistling] I hate you. |
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#22 (permalink) |
Gastrolithuanian
Location: low-velocity Earth orbit
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Ah, Barbara Crampton.
All severed heads should be so lucky. She was delightful in her role as the inquisitive Dr. Katherine McMichaels in From Beyond, as well. ![]() By the way... David Gale's last role as a living actor was his reprisal of Dr. Hill's head in Bride of Re-Animator. Those two together were electric. Who else can chart the rapid decline of a relationship from this ![]() to this ![]() I certainly have tried but fell short evoking such pathos. -GH |
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#23 (permalink) |
Intently Rocking
Location: Davey's
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I don't know about you GH, but I'm looking to join the Barbara Crampton fan club.
No severed head should be without a Barbara Crampton. There should be a law.
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Howard Moon: The wind is my only friend. Wind: [whistling] I hate you. |
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#24 (permalink) |
Gastrolithuanian
Location: low-velocity Earth orbit
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Has anyone seen Bring Me The Head of Alfredo Garcia?
It came out in 1974 and was directed by Sam Peckinpah. Warren Oates ![]() cruises around Mexico with a rotten head in a bag. He punches it, yells at it and occasionally refills the bag with ice. Sometimes he must defend his putrid prize with a gun. ![]() Here is the Turkish poster for the movie. ![]() Colorful but bears not even a close resemblance to the characters or the story. Here is the Japanese poster ![]() Much better Here is Mexican Jose Garcia’s head ![]() No relation to Alfredo And this is Cabeza de Vaca ![]() that is Spanish for… ![]() Heads, -GH |
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#25 (permalink) |
Gastrolithuanian
Location: low-velocity Earth orbit
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No love for the heads.
That’s cool, I have enough to go around. Brains too… ![]() The human brain weighs about 3 pounds, but uses 20% of one's blood and oxygen. ![]() This one probably weighs significantly more. We can’t forget about the Bad Brains ![]() But for me, it’s really all about heads right now. The doll house that is our skull. An adult human head weighs ten to twelve pounds. Not eight pounds like that kid says in Jerry Maguire. ![]() Maybe his bean weighs eight pounds. I’d like to see that thing blow up on the big screen. Is there anything more dramatic than an exploding head? ![]() It should happen more often, hypothetically. Perhaps someday I’ll meet that great floating head that dwells in the cold vacuum of space. ![]() You know, the one that watches our every move. Scanning us. Judging us. Making our heads explode. ![]() Until we know more, please keep your heads in jars. ![]() I wouldn’t want anyone to get hurt when one of these babies goes off. Thank you for your time. -GH |
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#26 (permalink) | |
green
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Quote:
Oh, and if you're looking to know a bit about heads, you'd ought to ask Joe Pesci. ![]() I hear he has a few lying around.
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Your arms are broken! |
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#27 (permalink) |
Junkie
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You certainly are an interesting fellow, GH! Never out of character, and always with good grammar! Witty, too, I must add.
Perhaps this is what your head really looks like? ![]() ![]()
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The most important thing in this world is love. Last edited by Stiltzkin; 07-29-2003 at 11:28 PM.. |
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decaptitation, live, long, wondered |
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