Is this even physically possible?

Awesome, I just found another reason to crack a cold beer and relax instead of heading out to the back 40 to whack some bush with the chainsaw:

"A ‘vulnerable’ man cut off his own head with a chainsaw after being ordered to move out of his home to make way for developers, police believe.

David Phyall’s severed head was found beside the power tool inside his housing association flat shortly after receiving his eviction notice."

In addition to this poor guy being evicted and apparently having trouble coping with the situation, this is a troubling story for other reasons.

I can't believe this wasn't some kind of a bizarre accident. In the sad case that the poor guy was so disturbed that an eviction notice would put him over the edge (and it could happen), would a chainsaw be anyone's choice of exit strategy? Is it even physically possible to cut one's own head off with a chainsaw?

This story resonated because I have a Fear of Chainsaws so profound that every time I start one I scream. Nothing ever happens, of course, but I scream just the same, out of habit. Just yesterday, I was talking to a friend who also fears chainsaws, and I said "I'm always afraid the goddamn thing's gonna whip back and lop my head off or something". I didn't know it could really happen.

Heading out now (so to speak). Wish me luck.

Vindication

Clowns: ugh! Most of my life I've hated and feared these odious creatures. Rewind to 1958, the Santa Claus parade in Toronto. A 4-year-old Me stood with my grandmother watching the parade go by, when suddenly a passing clown bent towards me, his vicious leering face just inches away from mine, and yelled out something like "Bleeahh!" as he went by. The psychological damage is with me to this day -- clowns really, really creep me out.

Fast forward to today, and the truth about clowns is coming out -- I'm not the only one with Clownaphobia:

"The news that will no doubt have clowns shedding tears was revealed in a poll of youngsters by researchers from the University of Sheffield who were examining how to improve the decor of hospital children's wards.

The study, reported in the Nursing Standard magazine, found all the 250 patients aged between four and 16 they quizzed disliked the use of clowns, with even the older ones finding them scary.

"As adults we make assumptions about what works for children," said Penny Curtis, a senior lecturer in research at the university.

"We found that clowns are universally disliked by children. Some found them quite frightening and unknowable.""

"Universally disliked". I feel so validated.