Tuesday, April 06, 2010
Monday, April 05, 2010
Monday, March 22, 2010
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Sunday, February 07, 2010
monthly food budget
Being single and only having to provide food for 3 people on weekends and eating out once or twice a week, I spend on average $150 - $200 a month on food. Being an admittedly lazy shopper when it comes to groceries, I suspect I'm overly spending on food by a large margin given my home situation. So I did a quick search online to find out what other people were spending on food.
Next to the rent or the mortgage, food comes in as the second biggest expenditure one will make in one's lifetime. My quick survey revealed that large families (4-6 members) spend somewhere in the neighborhood of $600 - $1000 per month. Frugal families spend around $300 - $400 per month. I also discovered that the uber coupon clippers out there regularly save 30-40% on their grocery bills and in some cases, up to 75%!
Ultimately my research confirmed what I already knew, that, while I'm not dishing out gobs of money, I do overspend a relatively gross amount on feeding my gut. I'm able to sustain this delicious mismanagement due to my relatively high rate of savings. While I'm not wealthy, going out for a Friday night prime rib au jus and a bottle of Grolsch Premium isn't exactly going to send my bank account into overdraft.
I then came across a blog created in 2006, written by a university student who had challenged himself to eat on a dollar a day for a month.
BLOG HERE
Amazingly he did it on 27 dollars and change! He lost 18 pounds but he never really went morbidly hungry. In fact, his body simply adjusted to the lower calorie intake. Admittedly his food choices were quite bland, tasteless and astonishingly unhealthy with too many carbs (rice), mostly processed junk and little protein or fruit.
Having been on a low (mostly empty) calorie diet at one time in my life for many years, I can relate to his experience. However, it's probably not sustainable. For one thing, it affects your ability to think properly, you become sort of a brain dead, chronically depressed zomboid from the lack of nutrition...
Wait a sec...
I STILL AM A BRAIN DEAD, CHRONICALLY...
Um, nevertheless, if you need your brain like most people do for work, study, family and personal life, then eating on 30 bucks a month is impossible in the long run going about it the way he did.
Yet, I suspect, such incredibly parsimonious budgets are a reality for many who live in poverty and as a grand gesture, this intrepid blogger donated the money he had saved on his one time food experiment to the local food bank, EPIC WIN!
Interestingly, many of his critics were people of various ethnic and immigrant backgrounds claiming that, with proper planning and forsight, many do eat very healthily and satisfyingly on similar budgets.
"We live like this all the time and this is a very expensive area of California. Under $200/month to feed 6 - this includes "splurges" for holidays like Thanksgiving. We have lots of veggies. Protein is dairy, beans and a smidgen of meat."
He was especially singled out for his lack of cooking skills and basic nutritional knowledge both necessary for maintaining a low cost food budget. The really anally retentive comments further pointed out how he had failed to factor in the energy costs of preparing the food which can be a big deal for the poor.
One of the more unusual cost cutting measures is the never ending stew.
"My dad told me about never ending stew where you add a new ingredient every day to a large pot of stew (and more water) - the stew gets tastier every day as you reheat it and the flavours blend."
YUMMIES!!
Other comments,
"...Asian families in married student housing would go in together and buy vegetables from the resturant supply houses. Many a Saturday morning saw them dividing a 30lb bag of onions or a 50lb bag of rice. I'll bet that saved a ton of cash."
and,
"Have you ever tried e-mailing companies for foods you like and complementing them? A lot of the times, they will send you coupons for free items and you can do this about every 3-4 months. Bar-S (meat products) usually sends '$5 off your total Bar-S purchase' coupons, along with a bunch of coupons for $.25 or $.50 off any products... This means in the summer, the hot dogs at places that double coupons, are free up to $.50. You should try it. You might be able to stick to that $30 per month and actually be able to have some yummy food (not just rice) I can usually do $200 or less each month for my family of 4 (including buying Pampers diapers for 2 kids)"
I'm not sure if I could ever go to such extremes to save money on food, especially given my current fiscal situation, but it's quite admirable how people are able to fill their tummies nourishingly on a nickel and dime budget. If anything many of these cost cutting measures actually look fun and doable, and once I'm truely independant and living on my own, I'll most likely make some sort of adjustment to my edible spending habits.
Time to eat!
Next to the rent or the mortgage, food comes in as the second biggest expenditure one will make in one's lifetime. My quick survey revealed that large families (4-6 members) spend somewhere in the neighborhood of $600 - $1000 per month. Frugal families spend around $300 - $400 per month. I also discovered that the uber coupon clippers out there regularly save 30-40% on their grocery bills and in some cases, up to 75%!
Ultimately my research confirmed what I already knew, that, while I'm not dishing out gobs of money, I do overspend a relatively gross amount on feeding my gut. I'm able to sustain this delicious mismanagement due to my relatively high rate of savings. While I'm not wealthy, going out for a Friday night prime rib au jus and a bottle of Grolsch Premium isn't exactly going to send my bank account into overdraft.
I then came across a blog created in 2006, written by a university student who had challenged himself to eat on a dollar a day for a month.
BLOG HERE
Amazingly he did it on 27 dollars and change! He lost 18 pounds but he never really went morbidly hungry. In fact, his body simply adjusted to the lower calorie intake. Admittedly his food choices were quite bland, tasteless and astonishingly unhealthy with too many carbs (rice), mostly processed junk and little protein or fruit.
Having been on a low (mostly empty) calorie diet at one time in my life for many years, I can relate to his experience. However, it's probably not sustainable. For one thing, it affects your ability to think properly, you become sort of a brain dead, chronically depressed zomboid from the lack of nutrition...
Wait a sec...
I STILL AM A BRAIN DEAD, CHRONICALLY...
Um, nevertheless, if you need your brain like most people do for work, study, family and personal life, then eating on 30 bucks a month is impossible in the long run going about it the way he did.
Yet, I suspect, such incredibly parsimonious budgets are a reality for many who live in poverty and as a grand gesture, this intrepid blogger donated the money he had saved on his one time food experiment to the local food bank, EPIC WIN!
Interestingly, many of his critics were people of various ethnic and immigrant backgrounds claiming that, with proper planning and forsight, many do eat very healthily and satisfyingly on similar budgets.
"We live like this all the time and this is a very expensive area of California. Under $200/month to feed 6 - this includes "splurges" for holidays like Thanksgiving. We have lots of veggies. Protein is dairy, beans and a smidgen of meat."
He was especially singled out for his lack of cooking skills and basic nutritional knowledge both necessary for maintaining a low cost food budget. The really anally retentive comments further pointed out how he had failed to factor in the energy costs of preparing the food which can be a big deal for the poor.
One of the more unusual cost cutting measures is the never ending stew.
"My dad told me about never ending stew where you add a new ingredient every day to a large pot of stew (and more water) - the stew gets tastier every day as you reheat it and the flavours blend."
YUMMIES!!
Other comments,
"...Asian families in married student housing would go in together and buy vegetables from the resturant supply houses. Many a Saturday morning saw them dividing a 30lb bag of onions or a 50lb bag of rice. I'll bet that saved a ton of cash."
and,
"Have you ever tried e-mailing companies for foods you like and complementing them? A lot of the times, they will send you coupons for free items and you can do this about every 3-4 months. Bar-S (meat products) usually sends '$5 off your total Bar-S purchase' coupons, along with a bunch of coupons for $.25 or $.50 off any products... This means in the summer, the hot dogs at places that double coupons, are free up to $.50. You should try it. You might be able to stick to that $30 per month and actually be able to have some yummy food (not just rice) I can usually do $200 or less each month for my family of 4 (including buying Pampers diapers for 2 kids)"
I'm not sure if I could ever go to such extremes to save money on food, especially given my current fiscal situation, but it's quite admirable how people are able to fill their tummies nourishingly on a nickel and dime budget. If anything many of these cost cutting measures actually look fun and doable, and once I'm truely independant and living on my own, I'll most likely make some sort of adjustment to my edible spending habits.
Time to eat!
Sunday, December 13, 2009
homemade facial masks
Three Choices
Depending on your skin type, here are some great masks to try. For oily skin use some plain Milk of Magnesia, rub it on and let dry, then rinse with lukewarm water. It absorbs oil wonderfully!
For Normal/combination skin mix one egg and 1/2 cup cooked instant oatmeal and a teaspoon olive oil until smooth. Spread on your face and leave 15 min then rinse.
For dry skin, mix one egg yolk, one teaspoon honey and a teaspoon olive oil and some vitamin E oil if you have it. Smooth on and leave on for 15 min. , rinse in lukewarm water and pat dry. If your skin is a bit dry you can put a dab or two of either olive oil, or any other light oil, or plain crisco if you want something heavier, on your moist skin after washing or a mask and your face is set without the $$ some people spend for the same look.
Jamie L.
Homemade Facial Scrub Instead of Soap
This is for the lady who wanted a homemade facial mask. First, clean your face with water only. Never use soap. You can open your pores with hot compresses (washcloth) For a facial scrub, moisten oatmeal to a "goo", use it to scrub your face (not around your eyes). Wash off with cool water.You may also make a paste of the oatmeal and allow it to dry..remove with cool water.You may also beat an egg white, put it on your face and let it dry, rinse with cool water. Sliced fresh cucumber placed on your closed eyes will reduce bagginess and dark circles.To make your hair shine, rub in some regular mayonnaise,shampoo out after 15 minutes.
Sonja in Goose Creek
Honey for Best Facial
The best facial mask that i have found is honey. Use warm cloth to open pores, smear on honey, leave on 15 to 30 minutes, rinse off with warm water, and then use cold water to close pores. Use for 3 days in a row and then once a week. Sometimes I mix a little gound oatmeal with the honey, which makes a great mask.
M.
Facial Feels Good
One my daughter and I had fun with and found to have a cleansing and softening effect was to mix regular clean kitty litter, the clay kind, with water and strain out the grit. It really felt good.
Carol
Exfoliating Mask
For an easy exfoliating mask, mix three tablespoons olive oil or any good oil and one tablespoon kosher salt mix and gently rub into dry skin. Do not use around eye area. This works great on elbows and feet, but it can also be used on cheeks and forehead
Donna R.
Egg Whites
I use egg whites. Just beat one egg white until it is frothy. Spread it all over your face. Wait until it dries. Rinse it off. My face feels very clean and "tight" after this application. And then I use the yolk for cooking.( I have yet to have found a use for the shell)
DS
Egg Yolk
The best homemade facial mask that I have used is a raw egg yolk. just apply the raw yolk to your face and neck for 30 minutes and rinse with cool water. Egg yolks are high in vitamin A. The mask is very effective in healing blemishes.
Leona
Match Mask to Your Skin Type
For trouble-prone skin, mix oatmeal with water to form a paste.
For normal to oily skin, use an egg white.
For dry skin, use an egg yolk.
In all cases, spread mixture on face and allow to dry. Rinse thoroughly with cool water.
For oily skin, witch hazel makes an inexpensive toner.
For dry skin, you may want to add moisturizer while skin is still damp.
Susan
Oatmeal
The cheapest and best facial mask I have ever come up with is oatmeal processed to a powder in the blender and either skim milk or if you are trying to fade spots lemon juice. Really works well for me and I have dry skin.
Jan
More Facial Maks Choices
The kind of the mask you want to use depends on your skin type.
For dry skin, try:
* an egg yolk mixed with olive oil and warmed honey
* sour cream
* plain olive oil
* avocado
For oily skin:
* dissolve a teaspoon of baking yeast in a small amount of warm milk, wait until foamy, then apply (best done in the bath tub);
* puree flesh of a tomato and mix with some potato flour to make a paste;
* cucumber (it will whiten your skin);
* beaten egg whites with a few drops of lemon juice (great for getting rid of blackheads);
* carrots (but don't use this one more than about every other week because it can overdry your skin). This one will make you look tanned.
General refreshing masks:
* grapes (just cut a berry in half and rub lightly)
* strawberries (test behind your ear first, because many people are alergic to strawberies used this way even thougth they can eat them just fine)
* honey and ricotta cheese
Many fruits and vegetables can also be used to good effect. Anything acidic (lemon, strawberries, etc) will tend to whiten and refresh your skin, but you need to be careful if your skin is dry.
In general, don't apply masks more often than about twice a week, and try to vary the ingredients.
It is a good idea to test the mask first. Apply a small amount behind your ear, wait 20 minutes, then wash off. Then wait 24 hours. If the skin behind your ear is normal, then go ahead and use the mask.
Marzena
Egg Yolk and Honey
I reader recently asked if anyone had a recipe for homemade facial masks. I often use an egg yolk and honey mask. Just mix one egg yolk with a little honey and spread it on your face and neck. When it dries, rinse it off. Your skin will feel so fresh and soft!
Sarah W.
Pampering our skin is something we should learn to do for our health and well being. Many of the commercially made soaps, lotions, and bath products are actually harsh on our skin, despite what they claim. However, there are some simple things you can do to nurture your skin without buying expensive spa products.
Do not over wash your face or body. A gentle rinse in the morning is often all you need for your face and neck area. Avoid scrubbing with the abrasive cleaners that are available or harsh soaps. I have found that a good quality handmade soap works well. When washing use warm water and finally, pat your face dry gently with a soft towel. The key to pampering your skin is to be as gentle as possible.
In "Age Erasers for Women" (Rodale Press, 1994) the editors of Prevention Magazine recommend this quick home facial. Grind 2 cups of dry red beans in a food processor or grinder. Mix 1/2 cup of the powder with a little water to form a paste. Spread on your face, avoiding your eye area, and leave on for about 5 minutes. Rinse with warm water. Save the remainder of the powder in a covered container. After this cleaning mask, you can follow with a hydration mask as follows:
Mix together:
* 1 tsp. honey
* 1 egg yolk
* 1/2 tsp. olive oil
* 1/2 tsp. half-and-half or heavy cream
Apply to your face, including your eye area, and leave on for 15-20 minutes and rinse with warm water.
I have found that the best moisturizers are fragrance and color free. The simpler, the better. It's important that you do not towel dry your face or body completely before adding a moisturizer. They do not ADD moisture, but instead they help retain the moisture from your bath or shower. If you do want to add fragrance, try adding a few drops of essential oil such as calendula, which has skin soothing properties.
Making your own facial masks and scrubs is really easy, really fun, and really inexpensive. Many of the ingredients that make up a scrub or facial you probably already have in your kitchen or bathroom, but you may find yourself visiting bulk stores and natural food stores to find new ingredients to experiment with.
Masks:
Before you decide whether you want to make a scrub or a mask, you need to know the difference between the two. A scrub generally contains scrubby bits to exfoliate away dead skin, but a mask may as well. A mask is left on for about ten minutes and may or may not "harden." A mask contains an ingredient that needs to stay on your skin for several minutes for full benefit. Some of these are yogurt (plain, full fat, unsweetened), honey (astringent), green tea powder, (macha tea contains anti-oxidants that are great for your skin), aspirin (combats acne) banana (moisturizing) and avocado (moisturizing).
Why aspirin? Aspirin (even the generic types) contains a type of salicylic acid, which is great for keeping acne away. Use one aspirin per mask. If you're preparing a large batch of your mask, try to figure about one aspirin per mask. If you use more, it will sting and dry out your skin. Aspirin masks should only be used once a week, and people with very dry skin may want to avoid aspirin masks. You don't need to crush the pills; simply place a drop of water on the pill and it will turn to powder within a few minutes.
An aspirin mask can be as simple as aspirin mixed with honey and/or yogurt and spread on the face for ten minutes. When you wash mask off, you can use the little aspirin bits to scrub your skin. Here's my favorite aspirin mask recipe:
One aspirin
One large tablespoon of plain, full-fat yogurt
One teaspoon green tea powder
One small teaspoon of honey
Whisk the above ingredients together. You can make a large batch, as it will keep in the fridge for several weeks.
If my skin is feeling dry and oily, I use this recipe:
One aspirin
One tablespoon olive oil or almond oil (or any oil, really)
One tablespoon ripe, mashed banana
One teaspoon green tea powder
Scrubs:
When making a scrub, avoid using honey alone as a base, as you will find it very hard to spread. Scrubs really just need to, well, scrub.
Choose a base: I typically use olive oil. You can use honey mixed with an oil of your choice; you can also use yogurt or mashed banana, although I prefer those in a mask.
Choose a grit: A trip to your local bulk food store should give you plenty of ideas! You can use coarse, organic sugar or coarse sea or kosher salt. You can also use cornmeal or oats passed through a blender. You can use dry, ground tealeaves or dried flowers (food grade).
When you're done with your mask or scrub, you can use a mild cleanser to wash it away. Follow up with a moisturizer. I just use plain shea butter.
Less than a month after switching from commercial soaps, scrubs, masks and moisturizers, my face has gone from being acne and dry skin prone (around my nose and forehead) to being smooth and small-pored.
Depending on your skin type, here are some great masks to try. For oily skin use some plain Milk of Magnesia, rub it on and let dry, then rinse with lukewarm water. It absorbs oil wonderfully!
For Normal/combination skin mix one egg and 1/2 cup cooked instant oatmeal and a teaspoon olive oil until smooth. Spread on your face and leave 15 min then rinse.
For dry skin, mix one egg yolk, one teaspoon honey and a teaspoon olive oil and some vitamin E oil if you have it. Smooth on and leave on for 15 min. , rinse in lukewarm water and pat dry. If your skin is a bit dry you can put a dab or two of either olive oil, or any other light oil, or plain crisco if you want something heavier, on your moist skin after washing or a mask and your face is set without the $$ some people spend for the same look.
Jamie L.
Homemade Facial Scrub Instead of Soap
This is for the lady who wanted a homemade facial mask. First, clean your face with water only. Never use soap. You can open your pores with hot compresses (washcloth) For a facial scrub, moisten oatmeal to a "goo", use it to scrub your face (not around your eyes). Wash off with cool water.You may also make a paste of the oatmeal and allow it to dry..remove with cool water.You may also beat an egg white, put it on your face and let it dry, rinse with cool water. Sliced fresh cucumber placed on your closed eyes will reduce bagginess and dark circles.To make your hair shine, rub in some regular mayonnaise,shampoo out after 15 minutes.
Sonja in Goose Creek
Honey for Best Facial
The best facial mask that i have found is honey. Use warm cloth to open pores, smear on honey, leave on 15 to 30 minutes, rinse off with warm water, and then use cold water to close pores. Use for 3 days in a row and then once a week. Sometimes I mix a little gound oatmeal with the honey, which makes a great mask.
M.
Facial Feels Good
One my daughter and I had fun with and found to have a cleansing and softening effect was to mix regular clean kitty litter, the clay kind, with water and strain out the grit. It really felt good.
Carol
Exfoliating Mask
For an easy exfoliating mask, mix three tablespoons olive oil or any good oil and one tablespoon kosher salt mix and gently rub into dry skin. Do not use around eye area. This works great on elbows and feet, but it can also be used on cheeks and forehead
Donna R.
Egg Whites
I use egg whites. Just beat one egg white until it is frothy. Spread it all over your face. Wait until it dries. Rinse it off. My face feels very clean and "tight" after this application. And then I use the yolk for cooking.( I have yet to have found a use for the shell)
DS
Egg Yolk
The best homemade facial mask that I have used is a raw egg yolk. just apply the raw yolk to your face and neck for 30 minutes and rinse with cool water. Egg yolks are high in vitamin A. The mask is very effective in healing blemishes.
Leona
Match Mask to Your Skin Type
For trouble-prone skin, mix oatmeal with water to form a paste.
For normal to oily skin, use an egg white.
For dry skin, use an egg yolk.
In all cases, spread mixture on face and allow to dry. Rinse thoroughly with cool water.
For oily skin, witch hazel makes an inexpensive toner.
For dry skin, you may want to add moisturizer while skin is still damp.
Susan
Oatmeal
The cheapest and best facial mask I have ever come up with is oatmeal processed to a powder in the blender and either skim milk or if you are trying to fade spots lemon juice. Really works well for me and I have dry skin.
Jan
More Facial Maks Choices
The kind of the mask you want to use depends on your skin type.
For dry skin, try:
* an egg yolk mixed with olive oil and warmed honey
* sour cream
* plain olive oil
* avocado
For oily skin:
* dissolve a teaspoon of baking yeast in a small amount of warm milk, wait until foamy, then apply (best done in the bath tub);
* puree flesh of a tomato and mix with some potato flour to make a paste;
* cucumber (it will whiten your skin);
* beaten egg whites with a few drops of lemon juice (great for getting rid of blackheads);
* carrots (but don't use this one more than about every other week because it can overdry your skin). This one will make you look tanned.
General refreshing masks:
* grapes (just cut a berry in half and rub lightly)
* strawberries (test behind your ear first, because many people are alergic to strawberies used this way even thougth they can eat them just fine)
* honey and ricotta cheese
Many fruits and vegetables can also be used to good effect. Anything acidic (lemon, strawberries, etc) will tend to whiten and refresh your skin, but you need to be careful if your skin is dry.
In general, don't apply masks more often than about twice a week, and try to vary the ingredients.
It is a good idea to test the mask first. Apply a small amount behind your ear, wait 20 minutes, then wash off. Then wait 24 hours. If the skin behind your ear is normal, then go ahead and use the mask.
Marzena
Egg Yolk and Honey
I reader recently asked if anyone had a recipe for homemade facial masks. I often use an egg yolk and honey mask. Just mix one egg yolk with a little honey and spread it on your face and neck. When it dries, rinse it off. Your skin will feel so fresh and soft!
Sarah W.
Pampering our skin is something we should learn to do for our health and well being. Many of the commercially made soaps, lotions, and bath products are actually harsh on our skin, despite what they claim. However, there are some simple things you can do to nurture your skin without buying expensive spa products.
Do not over wash your face or body. A gentle rinse in the morning is often all you need for your face and neck area. Avoid scrubbing with the abrasive cleaners that are available or harsh soaps. I have found that a good quality handmade soap works well. When washing use warm water and finally, pat your face dry gently with a soft towel. The key to pampering your skin is to be as gentle as possible.
In "Age Erasers for Women" (Rodale Press, 1994) the editors of Prevention Magazine recommend this quick home facial. Grind 2 cups of dry red beans in a food processor or grinder. Mix 1/2 cup of the powder with a little water to form a paste. Spread on your face, avoiding your eye area, and leave on for about 5 minutes. Rinse with warm water. Save the remainder of the powder in a covered container. After this cleaning mask, you can follow with a hydration mask as follows:
Mix together:
* 1 tsp. honey
* 1 egg yolk
* 1/2 tsp. olive oil
* 1/2 tsp. half-and-half or heavy cream
Apply to your face, including your eye area, and leave on for 15-20 minutes and rinse with warm water.
I have found that the best moisturizers are fragrance and color free. The simpler, the better. It's important that you do not towel dry your face or body completely before adding a moisturizer. They do not ADD moisture, but instead they help retain the moisture from your bath or shower. If you do want to add fragrance, try adding a few drops of essential oil such as calendula, which has skin soothing properties.
Making your own facial masks and scrubs is really easy, really fun, and really inexpensive. Many of the ingredients that make up a scrub or facial you probably already have in your kitchen or bathroom, but you may find yourself visiting bulk stores and natural food stores to find new ingredients to experiment with.
Masks:
Before you decide whether you want to make a scrub or a mask, you need to know the difference between the two. A scrub generally contains scrubby bits to exfoliate away dead skin, but a mask may as well. A mask is left on for about ten minutes and may or may not "harden." A mask contains an ingredient that needs to stay on your skin for several minutes for full benefit. Some of these are yogurt (plain, full fat, unsweetened), honey (astringent), green tea powder, (macha tea contains anti-oxidants that are great for your skin), aspirin (combats acne) banana (moisturizing) and avocado (moisturizing).
Why aspirin? Aspirin (even the generic types) contains a type of salicylic acid, which is great for keeping acne away. Use one aspirin per mask. If you're preparing a large batch of your mask, try to figure about one aspirin per mask. If you use more, it will sting and dry out your skin. Aspirin masks should only be used once a week, and people with very dry skin may want to avoid aspirin masks. You don't need to crush the pills; simply place a drop of water on the pill and it will turn to powder within a few minutes.
An aspirin mask can be as simple as aspirin mixed with honey and/or yogurt and spread on the face for ten minutes. When you wash mask off, you can use the little aspirin bits to scrub your skin. Here's my favorite aspirin mask recipe:
One aspirin
One large tablespoon of plain, full-fat yogurt
One teaspoon green tea powder
One small teaspoon of honey
Whisk the above ingredients together. You can make a large batch, as it will keep in the fridge for several weeks.
If my skin is feeling dry and oily, I use this recipe:
One aspirin
One tablespoon olive oil or almond oil (or any oil, really)
One tablespoon ripe, mashed banana
One teaspoon green tea powder
Scrubs:
When making a scrub, avoid using honey alone as a base, as you will find it very hard to spread. Scrubs really just need to, well, scrub.
Choose a base: I typically use olive oil. You can use honey mixed with an oil of your choice; you can also use yogurt or mashed banana, although I prefer those in a mask.
Choose a grit: A trip to your local bulk food store should give you plenty of ideas! You can use coarse, organic sugar or coarse sea or kosher salt. You can also use cornmeal or oats passed through a blender. You can use dry, ground tealeaves or dried flowers (food grade).
When you're done with your mask or scrub, you can use a mild cleanser to wash it away. Follow up with a moisturizer. I just use plain shea butter.
Less than a month after switching from commercial soaps, scrubs, masks and moisturizers, my face has gone from being acne and dry skin prone (around my nose and forehead) to being smooth and small-pored.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Friday, October 02, 2009
Twilight of Pax Americana
Interesting article on the fall of the American Empire.
ARTICLE HERE
...........................
The international order that emerged after World War II has rightly been termed the Pax Americana; it's a Washington-led arrangement that has maintained political stability and promoted an open global economic system. Today, however, the Pax Americana is withering, thanks to what the National Intelligence Council in a recent report described as a "global shift in relative wealth and economic power without precedent in modern history" -- a shift that has accelerated enormously as a result of the economic crisis of 2007-2009.
At the heart of this geopolitical sea change is China's robust economic growth. Not because Beijing will necessarily threaten American interests but because a newly powerful China by necessity means a relative decline in American power, the very foundation of the postwar international order. These developments remind us that changes in the global balance of power can be sudden and discontinuous rather than gradual and evolutionary.
The Great Recession isn't the cause of Washington's ebbing relative power. But it has quickened trends that already had been eating away at the edifice of U.S. economic supremacy. Looking ahead, the health of the U.S. economy is threatened by a gathering fiscal storm: exploding federal deficits that could ignite runaway inflation and undermine the dollar. To avoid these perils, the U.S. will face wrenching choices.
The Obama administration and the Federal Reserve have adopted policies that have dramatically increased boththe supply of dollars circulating in the U.S. economy and the federal budget deficit, which both the Brookings Institution and the Congressional Budget Office estimate will exceed $1 trillion every year for at least the next decade. In the short run, these policies were no doubt necessary; nevertheless, in the long term, they will almost certainly boomerang. Add that to the persistent U.S. current account deficit, the enormous unfunded liabilities for entitlement programs and the cost of two ongoing wars, and you can see that America's long-term fiscal stability is in jeopardy. As the CBO says: "Even if the recovery occurs as projected and stimulus bill is allowed to expire, the country will face the highest debt/GDP ratio in 50 years and an increasingly unsustainable and urgent fiscal problem." This spells trouble ahead for the dollar.
The financial privileges conferred on the U.S. by the dollar's unchallenged reserve currency status -- its role as the primary form of payment for international trade and financial transactions -- have underpinned the preeminent geopolitical role of the United States in international politics since the end of World War II. But already the shadow of the coming fiscal crisis has prompted its main creditors, China and Japan, to worry that in coming years the dollar will depreciate in value. China has been increasingly vocal in calling for the dollar's replacement by a new reserve currency. And Yukio Hatoyama, Japan's new prime minister, favors Asian economic integration and a single Asian currency as substitutes for eroding U.S. financial and economic power.
Going forward, to defend the dollar, Washington will need to control inflation through some combination of budget cuts, tax increases and interest rate hikes. Given that the last two options would choke off renewed growth, the least unpalatable choice is to reduce federal spending. This will mean radically scaling back defense expenditures, because discretionary nondefense spending accounts for only about 20% of annual federal outlays. This in turn will mean a radical diminution of America's overseas military commitments, transforming both geopolitics and the international economy.
Since 1945, the Pax Americana has made international economic interdependence and globalization possible. Whereas all states benefit absolutely in an open international economy, some states benefit more than others. In the normal course of world politics, the relative distribution of power, not the pursuit of absolute economic gains, is a country's principal concern, and this discourages economic interdependence. In their efforts to ensure a distribution of power in their favor and at the expense of their actual or potential rivals, states pursue autarkic policies -- those designed to maximize national self-sufficiency -- practicing capitalism only within their borders or among countries in a trading bloc.
Thus a truly global economy is extraordinarily difficult to achieve. Historically, the only way to secure international integration and interdependence has been for a dominant power to guarantee the security of other states so that they need not pursue autarkic policies or form trading blocs to improve their relative positions. This suspension of international politics through hegemony has been the fundamental aim of U.S. foreign policy since the 1940s. The U.S. has assumed the responsibility for maintaining geopolitical stability in Europe, East Asia and the Persian Gulf, and for keeping open the lines of communication through which world trade moves. Since the Cold War's end, the U.S. has sought to preserve its hegemony by possessing a margin of military superiority so vast that it can keep any would-be great power pliant and protected.
Financially, the U.S. has been responsible for managing the global economy by acting as the market and lender of last resort. But as President Obama acknowledged at the London G-20 meeting in April, the U.S. is no longer able to play this role, and the world increasingly is looking to China (and India and other emerging market states) to be the locomotives of global recovery.
Going forward, the fiscal crisis will mean that Washington cannot discharge its military functions as a hegemon either, because it can no longer maintain the power edge that has allowed it to keep the ambitions of the emerging great powers in check. The entire fabric of world order that the United States established after 1945 -- the Pax Americana -- rested on the foundation of U.S. military and economic preponderance. Remove the foundation and the structure crumbles. The decline of American power means the end of U.S. dominance in world politics and the beginning of the transition to a new constellation of world powers.
The result will be profound changes in world politics. Emerging powers will seek to establish spheres of influence, control lines of communication, engage in arms races and compete for control over key natural resources. As America's decline results in the retraction of the U.S. military role in key regions, rivalries among emerging powers are bound to heat up. Already, China and India are competing for influence in Central and Southeast Asia, the Middle East and the Indian Ocean. Even today, when the United States is still acting as East Asia's regional pacifier, the smoldering security competition between China and Japan is pushing Japan cautiously to engage in the very kind of "re-nationalization" of its security policy that the U.S. regional presence is supposed to prevent. While still wedded to its alliance with the U.S., in recent years Tokyo has become increasingly anxious that, as a Rand Corp. study put it, eventually it "might face a threat against which the United States would not prove a reliable ally." Consequently, Japan is moving toward dropping Article 9 of its American-imposed Constitution (which imposes severe constraints on Japan's military), building up its forces and quietly pondering the possibility of becoming a nuclear power.
Although the weakening of the Pax Americana will not cause international trade and capital flows to come to a grinding halt, in coming years we can expect states to adopt openly competitive economic policies as they are forced to jockey for power and advantage in an increasingly competitive security and economic environment. The world economy will thereby more closely resemble that of the 1930s than the free-trade system of the post-1945 Pax Americana. The coming end of the Pax Americana heralds a crisis for capitalism.
The coming era of de-globalization will be defined by rising nationalism and mercantilism, geopolitical instability and great power competition. In other words, having enjoyed a long holiday from history under the Pax Americana, international politics will be headed back to the future.
ARTICLE HERE
...........................
The international order that emerged after World War II has rightly been termed the Pax Americana; it's a Washington-led arrangement that has maintained political stability and promoted an open global economic system. Today, however, the Pax Americana is withering, thanks to what the National Intelligence Council in a recent report described as a "global shift in relative wealth and economic power without precedent in modern history" -- a shift that has accelerated enormously as a result of the economic crisis of 2007-2009.
At the heart of this geopolitical sea change is China's robust economic growth. Not because Beijing will necessarily threaten American interests but because a newly powerful China by necessity means a relative decline in American power, the very foundation of the postwar international order. These developments remind us that changes in the global balance of power can be sudden and discontinuous rather than gradual and evolutionary.
The Great Recession isn't the cause of Washington's ebbing relative power. But it has quickened trends that already had been eating away at the edifice of U.S. economic supremacy. Looking ahead, the health of the U.S. economy is threatened by a gathering fiscal storm: exploding federal deficits that could ignite runaway inflation and undermine the dollar. To avoid these perils, the U.S. will face wrenching choices.
The Obama administration and the Federal Reserve have adopted policies that have dramatically increased boththe supply of dollars circulating in the U.S. economy and the federal budget deficit, which both the Brookings Institution and the Congressional Budget Office estimate will exceed $1 trillion every year for at least the next decade. In the short run, these policies were no doubt necessary; nevertheless, in the long term, they will almost certainly boomerang. Add that to the persistent U.S. current account deficit, the enormous unfunded liabilities for entitlement programs and the cost of two ongoing wars, and you can see that America's long-term fiscal stability is in jeopardy. As the CBO says: "Even if the recovery occurs as projected and stimulus bill is allowed to expire, the country will face the highest debt/GDP ratio in 50 years and an increasingly unsustainable and urgent fiscal problem." This spells trouble ahead for the dollar.
The financial privileges conferred on the U.S. by the dollar's unchallenged reserve currency status -- its role as the primary form of payment for international trade and financial transactions -- have underpinned the preeminent geopolitical role of the United States in international politics since the end of World War II. But already the shadow of the coming fiscal crisis has prompted its main creditors, China and Japan, to worry that in coming years the dollar will depreciate in value. China has been increasingly vocal in calling for the dollar's replacement by a new reserve currency. And Yukio Hatoyama, Japan's new prime minister, favors Asian economic integration and a single Asian currency as substitutes for eroding U.S. financial and economic power.
Going forward, to defend the dollar, Washington will need to control inflation through some combination of budget cuts, tax increases and interest rate hikes. Given that the last two options would choke off renewed growth, the least unpalatable choice is to reduce federal spending. This will mean radically scaling back defense expenditures, because discretionary nondefense spending accounts for only about 20% of annual federal outlays. This in turn will mean a radical diminution of America's overseas military commitments, transforming both geopolitics and the international economy.
Since 1945, the Pax Americana has made international economic interdependence and globalization possible. Whereas all states benefit absolutely in an open international economy, some states benefit more than others. In the normal course of world politics, the relative distribution of power, not the pursuit of absolute economic gains, is a country's principal concern, and this discourages economic interdependence. In their efforts to ensure a distribution of power in their favor and at the expense of their actual or potential rivals, states pursue autarkic policies -- those designed to maximize national self-sufficiency -- practicing capitalism only within their borders or among countries in a trading bloc.
Thus a truly global economy is extraordinarily difficult to achieve. Historically, the only way to secure international integration and interdependence has been for a dominant power to guarantee the security of other states so that they need not pursue autarkic policies or form trading blocs to improve their relative positions. This suspension of international politics through hegemony has been the fundamental aim of U.S. foreign policy since the 1940s. The U.S. has assumed the responsibility for maintaining geopolitical stability in Europe, East Asia and the Persian Gulf, and for keeping open the lines of communication through which world trade moves. Since the Cold War's end, the U.S. has sought to preserve its hegemony by possessing a margin of military superiority so vast that it can keep any would-be great power pliant and protected.
Financially, the U.S. has been responsible for managing the global economy by acting as the market and lender of last resort. But as President Obama acknowledged at the London G-20 meeting in April, the U.S. is no longer able to play this role, and the world increasingly is looking to China (and India and other emerging market states) to be the locomotives of global recovery.
Going forward, the fiscal crisis will mean that Washington cannot discharge its military functions as a hegemon either, because it can no longer maintain the power edge that has allowed it to keep the ambitions of the emerging great powers in check. The entire fabric of world order that the United States established after 1945 -- the Pax Americana -- rested on the foundation of U.S. military and economic preponderance. Remove the foundation and the structure crumbles. The decline of American power means the end of U.S. dominance in world politics and the beginning of the transition to a new constellation of world powers.
The result will be profound changes in world politics. Emerging powers will seek to establish spheres of influence, control lines of communication, engage in arms races and compete for control over key natural resources. As America's decline results in the retraction of the U.S. military role in key regions, rivalries among emerging powers are bound to heat up. Already, China and India are competing for influence in Central and Southeast Asia, the Middle East and the Indian Ocean. Even today, when the United States is still acting as East Asia's regional pacifier, the smoldering security competition between China and Japan is pushing Japan cautiously to engage in the very kind of "re-nationalization" of its security policy that the U.S. regional presence is supposed to prevent. While still wedded to its alliance with the U.S., in recent years Tokyo has become increasingly anxious that, as a Rand Corp. study put it, eventually it "might face a threat against which the United States would not prove a reliable ally." Consequently, Japan is moving toward dropping Article 9 of its American-imposed Constitution (which imposes severe constraints on Japan's military), building up its forces and quietly pondering the possibility of becoming a nuclear power.
Although the weakening of the Pax Americana will not cause international trade and capital flows to come to a grinding halt, in coming years we can expect states to adopt openly competitive economic policies as they are forced to jockey for power and advantage in an increasingly competitive security and economic environment. The world economy will thereby more closely resemble that of the 1930s than the free-trade system of the post-1945 Pax Americana. The coming end of the Pax Americana heralds a crisis for capitalism.
The coming era of de-globalization will be defined by rising nationalism and mercantilism, geopolitical instability and great power competition. In other words, having enjoyed a long holiday from history under the Pax Americana, international politics will be headed back to the future.
Tuesday, September 08, 2009
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Friday, June 19, 2009
134 billion dollars of funny money
HERE
The amount is $ 134.5 billion. Many may not have an idea as to what this number adds up to. In Indian currency terms today, of course, it is Rs 6,44,000 crore. But this equals the cash value of the GDP of the bottom 49 countries of the world. The annual income of the entire people of these 49 countries adds up to $134.5 billion. What is the significance of this $134.5 billion? This was the value of US treasury securities which two persons had attempted to smuggle into Switzerland from Italy. It happened on June 3. The persons who attempted this daring act were two Japanese in their 50s. An Italian newspaper reported it on June 10; other media began following it up and kept reporting. But surprisingly none of the mainline newspapers anywhere in the world, except the online Bloomberg, even reported it.
The substance of the report was this. On June 3, the Italian finance police detained two Japanese nationals who tried to enter Switzerland with US Treasury bonds of the value of $134.5 billion. They were caught at Como, which is 50 km from Milano in Italy. They were caught in Chiasso’s train station after an inspection. The two men had hidden US treasury bonds in a suitcase with a false bottom. There were 249 bonds of the face value of $500 millions each amounting to $124.5 billion and another 10 bonds titled ‘Kennedy’ bonds of the face value of $1 billion each, that is $10 billion in all, making it a total of $134.5 billion. The Japanese consul in Milan in Italy confirmed that the detention had taken place; it was trying to confirm with the Italian authorities whether they were Japanese nationals and their identities. The media reported that the Italian police had asked the US Securities Exchange Commission to confirm whether the securities were genuine or not. Financial experts in Italy had already expressed the view that such high denomination securities could not have been issued by the US Treasury in 1934 which was the date appearing according to reports on the 249 bonds valued at $124.5 billion. Also no ‘Kennedy’ bonds ever existed, according to them. A few days later, on June 18, a spokesman of the US Treasury told the media that the bonds seized were fake ones; the US had never issued individual bonds of high value at all. So the US has officially declared the bonds which were being smuggled into Switzerland are fake. But this raises more questions than it answers. Yet none of the mainline media would touch this mysterious subject despite its high and exciting news value.
If the bonds seized by Italian police were fake, it would suggest, as William Pesek, columnist at Bloomberg says, that at the minimum the US risks control over its monetary supplies on a massive scale. There have been reports for long that the US dollars in the denomination of 100s were being counterfeited all over the world. But this is the first time that counterfeiting of US Treasury securities has been found. This report comes at a time when the US economy is going through its worst phase since the Great Depression. As a commentator said, in Asia the fear of counterfeit treasury security makes the genuine ones suspect in the minds of the investors. How will new investors put in their money in US treasury securities if there is no guarantee that the bonds which circulate in the name of the US government are genuine? The commentator further points out that while circulating perfectly counterfeited enemy currency was resorted to by rival governments during the World War II, the Bank of Italy went a step further and issued its very same security twice over with duplicate numbers to conceal the extent of public debt. Could the US government have done something similar? Raising this shocking question and answering it Karl Denninger in his blog titled Market Ticker wonders ‘if the US treasury has been surreptitiously issuing bonds to, say, Japan as means of financing deficits that someone didn’t want reported for the last 10, 20 years’. That the Bloomberg columnist cites Denninger’s comments shows the extent of desperation in the financial world for an explanation for what has happened at Como.
If one looks at the pattern of holding of the US Treasury Securities, even though the US Treasury asserts that it has stopped issuing bearer securities, it has issued its securities to tax haven entities. Tax haven means that the identity of the ultimate owner is opaque. Out of the total of some 3,262 billion worth treasury securities held by foreign governments and banks as of April 2009, the amount of securities held by what the US treasury says as ‘Caribbean banking sector’ is mentioned as 205 billion and that includes Bahamas, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Netherlands Antilles, Panama and from June 2006 British Virgin Islands. In none of these tax shelters the name of the real investor is ascertainable. Even the British investments into US Treasury takes place through the Isle of Man, the British tax haven. The US government has admitted that it has allowed address-less money, that is black money, into the Treasury bonds. The world of finance has nicknamed this as ‘funny money’. Is the $134.5 billion funny money then?
It is all mysterious. Denninger says, “Let’s hope we get those answer and this isn’t one of those funny things that just disappears into the night”. The Bloomberg columnist says “the US Treasury must go to the bottom of this tale and get the markets informed”. But will that happen? Will the truth come out and will the market ever get informed? Otherwise like many mysteries, this $134.5 billion will remain an unresolved mystery. But this is far too serious a matter to remain mysterious particularly given the depth of the financial crisis the US and thanks to the US the world is in.
QED: If the $134.5 billion bonds were genuine Italy will get 40 per cent of it — that is some $54 billion — as fine from the smugglers. That would solve all its financial problems; its external and public debt will be off its balance sheet.
The amount is $ 134.5 billion. Many may not have an idea as to what this number adds up to. In Indian currency terms today, of course, it is Rs 6,44,000 crore. But this equals the cash value of the GDP of the bottom 49 countries of the world. The annual income of the entire people of these 49 countries adds up to $134.5 billion. What is the significance of this $134.5 billion? This was the value of US treasury securities which two persons had attempted to smuggle into Switzerland from Italy. It happened on June 3. The persons who attempted this daring act were two Japanese in their 50s. An Italian newspaper reported it on June 10; other media began following it up and kept reporting. But surprisingly none of the mainline newspapers anywhere in the world, except the online Bloomberg, even reported it.
The substance of the report was this. On June 3, the Italian finance police detained two Japanese nationals who tried to enter Switzerland with US Treasury bonds of the value of $134.5 billion. They were caught at Como, which is 50 km from Milano in Italy. They were caught in Chiasso’s train station after an inspection. The two men had hidden US treasury bonds in a suitcase with a false bottom. There were 249 bonds of the face value of $500 millions each amounting to $124.5 billion and another 10 bonds titled ‘Kennedy’ bonds of the face value of $1 billion each, that is $10 billion in all, making it a total of $134.5 billion. The Japanese consul in Milan in Italy confirmed that the detention had taken place; it was trying to confirm with the Italian authorities whether they were Japanese nationals and their identities. The media reported that the Italian police had asked the US Securities Exchange Commission to confirm whether the securities were genuine or not. Financial experts in Italy had already expressed the view that such high denomination securities could not have been issued by the US Treasury in 1934 which was the date appearing according to reports on the 249 bonds valued at $124.5 billion. Also no ‘Kennedy’ bonds ever existed, according to them. A few days later, on June 18, a spokesman of the US Treasury told the media that the bonds seized were fake ones; the US had never issued individual bonds of high value at all. So the US has officially declared the bonds which were being smuggled into Switzerland are fake. But this raises more questions than it answers. Yet none of the mainline media would touch this mysterious subject despite its high and exciting news value.
If the bonds seized by Italian police were fake, it would suggest, as William Pesek, columnist at Bloomberg says, that at the minimum the US risks control over its monetary supplies on a massive scale. There have been reports for long that the US dollars in the denomination of 100s were being counterfeited all over the world. But this is the first time that counterfeiting of US Treasury securities has been found. This report comes at a time when the US economy is going through its worst phase since the Great Depression. As a commentator said, in Asia the fear of counterfeit treasury security makes the genuine ones suspect in the minds of the investors. How will new investors put in their money in US treasury securities if there is no guarantee that the bonds which circulate in the name of the US government are genuine? The commentator further points out that while circulating perfectly counterfeited enemy currency was resorted to by rival governments during the World War II, the Bank of Italy went a step further and issued its very same security twice over with duplicate numbers to conceal the extent of public debt. Could the US government have done something similar? Raising this shocking question and answering it Karl Denninger in his blog titled Market Ticker wonders ‘if the US treasury has been surreptitiously issuing bonds to, say, Japan as means of financing deficits that someone didn’t want reported for the last 10, 20 years’. That the Bloomberg columnist cites Denninger’s comments shows the extent of desperation in the financial world for an explanation for what has happened at Como.
If one looks at the pattern of holding of the US Treasury Securities, even though the US Treasury asserts that it has stopped issuing bearer securities, it has issued its securities to tax haven entities. Tax haven means that the identity of the ultimate owner is opaque. Out of the total of some 3,262 billion worth treasury securities held by foreign governments and banks as of April 2009, the amount of securities held by what the US treasury says as ‘Caribbean banking sector’ is mentioned as 205 billion and that includes Bahamas, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Netherlands Antilles, Panama and from June 2006 British Virgin Islands. In none of these tax shelters the name of the real investor is ascertainable. Even the British investments into US Treasury takes place through the Isle of Man, the British tax haven. The US government has admitted that it has allowed address-less money, that is black money, into the Treasury bonds. The world of finance has nicknamed this as ‘funny money’. Is the $134.5 billion funny money then?
It is all mysterious. Denninger says, “Let’s hope we get those answer and this isn’t one of those funny things that just disappears into the night”. The Bloomberg columnist says “the US Treasury must go to the bottom of this tale and get the markets informed”. But will that happen? Will the truth come out and will the market ever get informed? Otherwise like many mysteries, this $134.5 billion will remain an unresolved mystery. But this is far too serious a matter to remain mysterious particularly given the depth of the financial crisis the US and thanks to the US the world is in.
QED: If the $134.5 billion bonds were genuine Italy will get 40 per cent of it — that is some $54 billion — as fine from the smugglers. That would solve all its financial problems; its external and public debt will be off its balance sheet.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
even more guillotine
There are accounts of victims of the French Revolution being asked to blink their eyes when they were beheaded. They are supposed to have done this for up to 30 seconds after but it is not sure whether this is mortal spasms or not.
1880. Dr. Dassy de Lignières is given the head of a murderer three hours after decapitation. He pumps blood from a living dog into the head, and for two seconds the lips and eyelids fluttered. Concludes the doctor:"I affirm that during two seconds the brain thought."
1956. Dr. Piedelièvre and Dr. Fournier conclude, "Death is not instantaneous... every element survives decapitation... (it is) a savage vivisection followed by a premature burial."
Cecil Adams, The Straight Dope columnist, was initially skeptical of claims that humans retained consciousness after decapitation, but a reader spun to him the following story of a car crash, in which his friend was decapitated:
My friend's head came to rest face up, and (from my angle) upside down. As I watched, his mouth opened and closed no less than two times. The facial expressions he displayed were first of shock or confusion, followed by terror or grief. I cannot exaggerate and say that he was looking all around, but he did display ocular movement in that his eyes moved from me to his body and back to me. He had direct eye contact with me when his eyes took on a hazy, absent expression... and he was dead.
Adams declared that he had re-opened his mind on the subject. (http://www.newtimesbpb.com/issues/1998-06-11/columns.html)
During the French Revolution, when everyone was a little excited about using the guillotine, one aristocratic scientist, an Antoine Lavoisier (thanks mirv!), decided to see if there really was life after death. Sentenced to die by beheading, he vowed to perform a final experiment: he would blink for as long as he remained conscious. As his head rolled away, observers recorded that he blinked five times.
actually a chicken, the body, lived and functioned for 18 months after beheading, the owners had to poke food into the hole to the stomach and it lived, in fact it grew from 2.5 ot 8 pounds in that time... it only died because the breathing tube got a blockage and the chicken suffocated... it wasn't nerve impulses at all...
do a search about 'Miracle Mike the Chicken'...
yes heads remain conscious after decapitation... it was common in the guillotine-happy days of the French Revolution to have heads in the baskets trying to talk, looking up at the executioner and looking around... this is widely recorded history... it resulted in a practice of the executioner picking up the head out of the basket by the hair and holding it's face out to the crowd so the head(person)could see the crowd laughing and mocking it before expiring... this is history... it was so widely known doctors started doing experiments, some of which were the 'blinking' tests already mentioned...
1880. Dr. Dassy de Lignières is given the head of a murderer three hours after decapitation. He pumps blood from a living dog into the head, and for two seconds the lips and eyelids fluttered. Concludes the doctor:"I affirm that during two seconds the brain thought."
1956. Dr. Piedelièvre and Dr. Fournier conclude, "Death is not instantaneous... every element survives decapitation... (it is) a savage vivisection followed by a premature burial."
Cecil Adams, The Straight Dope columnist, was initially skeptical of claims that humans retained consciousness after decapitation, but a reader spun to him the following story of a car crash, in which his friend was decapitated:
My friend's head came to rest face up, and (from my angle) upside down. As I watched, his mouth opened and closed no less than two times. The facial expressions he displayed were first of shock or confusion, followed by terror or grief. I cannot exaggerate and say that he was looking all around, but he did display ocular movement in that his eyes moved from me to his body and back to me. He had direct eye contact with me when his eyes took on a hazy, absent expression... and he was dead.
Adams declared that he had re-opened his mind on the subject. (http://www.newtimesbpb.com/issues/1998-06-11/columns.html)
During the French Revolution, when everyone was a little excited about using the guillotine, one aristocratic scientist, an Antoine Lavoisier (thanks mirv!), decided to see if there really was life after death. Sentenced to die by beheading, he vowed to perform a final experiment: he would blink for as long as he remained conscious. As his head rolled away, observers recorded that he blinked five times.
actually a chicken, the body, lived and functioned for 18 months after beheading, the owners had to poke food into the hole to the stomach and it lived, in fact it grew from 2.5 ot 8 pounds in that time... it only died because the breathing tube got a blockage and the chicken suffocated... it wasn't nerve impulses at all...
do a search about 'Miracle Mike the Chicken'...
yes heads remain conscious after decapitation... it was common in the guillotine-happy days of the French Revolution to have heads in the baskets trying to talk, looking up at the executioner and looking around... this is widely recorded history... it resulted in a practice of the executioner picking up the head out of the basket by the hair and holding it's face out to the crowd so the head(person)could see the crowd laughing and mocking it before expiring... this is history... it was so widely known doctors started doing experiments, some of which were the 'blinking' tests already mentioned...
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