5 Most Torturous Execution Methods in Ancient History June 3, 2009
Posted by vikasreddyd in Science, History, and the World.Tags: brazen bull, crucifixion, execution methods, executions, hanged drawn and quartered, impalement, scaphism, torture
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The world may seem cruel today and many people believe the death penalty goes too far. But few people realize how different the moral standards of our ancestors were compared to ours. In ages past, the method of death was as integral as the death itself. Extremely severe punishments were given to deter serious crimes, treason, regicide, and other high-level atrocities.
But when you think about it, which side is really the one that is atrocious? Such is the blur between the line of distinction.
Regardless of morality, here is proof that there may be some fates that are worse than death. Here are the brief details of 5 the most torturous execution methods in ancient history.
Click here to read the full article for additional details and history of each method: The Five Most Painful Execution Methods in History
Note: Viewer discretion is advised.
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Hanged, Drawn, and Quartered
“As explained in British Criminal Law2, first the prisoner is dragged on wooden frame to the site of his execution (drawn). Then he is hung repeatedly by the neck until almost dead and is released before the final moment – this is meant to act as pre-emptive torture. The executioner will then strap the naked prisoner down onto a rack (usually to a public audience) and perform the most gruesome part of the method. He is castrated and disemboweled on the spot, and his respective body organs (genitalia, entrails, and others) are set aflame in front of his very eyes. He would still be alive at that point and will be decapitated. His body parts would then be cut up in four pieces to be gibbeted (put on public display) in different parts of the country to deter future treason.”
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CRUCIFIXION
“The victim’s hands are outstretched and nailed to the cross, either through the palms or wrists (differing ways existed).7 Sometimes the heels of the feet are were also nailed, which would have caused tremendous pain.8 The victims are then left to die on the cross, exposed to the blistering heat of the sun. Death usually occurred from sepsis, hypovolemic shock, dehydration, or from the pain itself. Asphyxiation9 also occurs since the victim isn’t able to draw air into his lungs due to the difficulty of inhaling, and he would have to draw support with his outstretched arms (or use his nailed feet), leading to increasing exhaustion. The process of death is very slow and painful, sometimes lasting for days.”
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BRAZEN BULL
“First you were locked inside and a fire was set under the Brazen Bull, causing it to glow yellow hot. You are left to 
slowly roast within the device in agony. In addition to that, the head of the ox was built with a system of tubes and stops so when you screamed, the sounds would be manipulated to sound like an angry bull – hence the name. Your screams of agony would be amplified as you roasted and the smoke would rise in “spicy clouds of incense.” Not a pleasant way to go.”
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IMPALEMENT
“Public torture and rape usually came before the actual execution. The victim would be tied up and a cut was made between the rectum and genitals, where a sharp pole with a blunt end was driven through. The blunt end ensured the 
damage to the body wouldn’t cause death too quickly by pushing important organs to the side. The other end of the stake came out of the upper half of the body, typically out of the sternum. A person can live for as many as three days as he is hoisted up in the air, suspended to die slowly in agony.”
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SCAPHISM
“First you are stripped naked and tied inside a back to back pair of canoes (or a hollowed out tree trunk). You are force-fed honey and milk until you develop extreme diarrhea, causing an accumulation of feces inside the compartment in which you are trapped.
Your executioners will then proceed to rub honey on your body to attract even more insects, such as stinging bees. Hands, head, and feet will protrude out of the boat, for attracting hungry insects. Typically, you would be left to the burning sun or forced to float on a stagnant pond of water.
Some indigenous tribes used voracious flesh eating ants to carry out the execution on victims.
The pain would have been unimaginable, especially due to insects breeding within your own gangrenous flesh (including laying of eggs) as you succumbed to physical and psychological pain, diarrhea, delirium, nausea, dehydration, starvation, septic shock, and so on. Sometimes the force-feeding would be repeated to make sure you don’t die too soon, prolonging the suffering.”
Read the full article here.
The TNM and Gleason Stages of Prostate Cancer June 3, 2009
Posted by vikasreddyd in Health, Fitness, and Diet.Tags: gleason staging, prostate cancer, prostate cancer diagnosis, prostate cancer prognosis, stages of prostate cancer, tnm staging
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Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in older men, right after lung cancer. But few people realize that when detected in its early stages, prostate cancer is quite manageable. The key to successful recovery is determining the specific stage in which the prostate cancer is in, which allows pathologists to figure out an accurate prognosis of the disease.
The stages of prostate cancer are classified according to the TNM (Tumor, Nodes, Metastasis) and the Gleason staging system.
To learn everything you need to know about how doctors use these systems to guage the spread and lethality of cancers, read this article – Understanding the Stages of Prostate Cancer.
Prostate cancer can be deadly, especially when it becomes metastatic. Therefore, it is highly important to determine the correct stage to receive the best treatment and for doctors to predict the prognosis.
Still confused? Visit this link to the website of the National Cancer Institute to learn more about what you need to understand about prostate cancer, such as the extremely important types of tests and treatments that work to classify the stages and more. Do not wait until it is too late. The sooner you visit your doctor and receive proper and frequent check-ups, the more preparation and time you will have to overcome prostate cancer in the event it shows up in the future. Make the healthy choice.
TNM Staging
The Lion King Review – Classic Disney Movie June 3, 2009
Posted by vikasreddyd in Entertainment.Tags: animation, classic disney movie, disney, movie review, simba, the lion king
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Even to this day, The Lion King is one of the best examples of damn good animation that both kids and adults can enjoy. It seems like it was yesterday when it was released and started breaking records at the box office, but that was way back in 1994. Since then, the movie has been heralded as a true classic in animation.
Here is a classic Disney movie review of The Lion King:
After murdering Mufasa during a breath-taking wildebeest stampede (one of Disney’s most powerful scenes, deemed a classic) that he had set up, Scar makes Simba believe it was his fault for being the reason for the king’s demise. Unwilling to bear the shame and having the pressure of being next in line for the throne on his shoulders, Simba runs far away to escape his responsibility (and to save his own life). His life takes a drastic turn after two memorable characters, Timon and Pumbaa, save his life and help raise him with a new perspective – Hakuna Matata. Meanwhile, Scar has corrupted the kingdom and allowed the hyenas (the lions’ enemies) to roam free within their territory and hunt their food (now more scarce than ever). Does Simba have the strength to remember who he was, reclaim his rightful place as king, defeat his uncle Scar, and rescue his family from certain starvation?
THE FAMOUS STAMPEDE SCENE
