The First Shot

[Jerry Organ]

To accept your theory that JFK is NOT reacting to his neck wound prior to z226

Between Z222 and Z226, Kennedy and Connally are simultaneously reacting involuntarily to a shot (SBT) that struck about Z221/Z222. Their conscious reactions may begin at Z226 (if Kennedy's right hand towards the throat Z225-Z226 is voluntary). Z227 is blurred; the two men appear to reaction voluntarily at Z228.

one would have to explain the dramatic change from a smiling wave 1.5 seconds earlier to having curled hands and a look of horror on his face before he was shot. Was the clairvoyant President steeling himself for the bullet he was about to receive?

Not this thing about the "look of horror".



The cupped right hand could be involuntary, given the nerve trauma near the cervical spine. Or it could be Kennedy was about to rest it that way on the car rail, as he had done during the motorcade.



The President had been waving with his right arm as he approached the sign; he begins to lower that arm as the car takes him behind the sign. Between Z224 and Z225, the right arm continues lowering. The hand diverts towards the throat Z226/Z226.

[Marjan Rynkiewicz]

A Connally jacket pluck (or lapel flip) at Z224 shows that a slug exited Connally throo Connally's jacket near the lapel (it went throo the inside RH pocket actually)(tumbling)(slightly sideways)(probly end over end)(i karnt remember) at say Z219.
But Z218 or Z219 or Z220 makes little difference to any theory -- it means that Oswald fired at say Z215 or Z216 or Z217 -- he fired his first shot at pseudo-Z112.

[Andrew Mason]

Between Z222 and Z226, Kennedy and Connally are simultaneously reacting involuntarily to a shot (SBT) that struck about Z221/Z222. Their conscious reactions may begin at Z226 (if Kennedy's right hand towards the throat Z225-Z226 is voluntary). Z227 is blurred; the two men appear to reaction voluntarily at Z228.

Not this thing about the "look of horror".



The cupped right hand could be involuntary, given the nerve trauma near the cervical spine. Or it could be Kennedy was about to rest it that way on the car rail, as he had done during the motorcade.



The President had been waving with his right arm as he approached the sign; he begins to lower that arm as the car takes him behind the sign. Between Z224 and Z225, the right arm continues lowering. The hand diverts towards the throat Z226/Z226.

Very persuasive Jerry. Really. I now see what you guys have been saying and I have to say that I have finally realized I have been wrong about the SBT. I am now convinced that really did happen the way you have been saying. I don't know how I missed it.   I apologize to Dan and you and Jack and all the others for being so intransigent about wanting to follow the witness evidence. More to follow.

[Mitch Todd]

Very persuasive Jerry. Really. I now see what you guys have been saying and I have to say that I have finally realized I have been wrong about the SBT. I am now convinced that really did happen the way you have been saying. I don't know how I missed it.   I apologize to Dan and you and Jack and all the others for being so intransigent about wanting to follow the witness evidence. More to follow.

To think that today of all days Andrew would give in....

[Jerry Organ]

To think that today of all days Andrew would give in....

April Fools is the highmark of Mason's year.

Probably a coincidence that when Mason was a student, he returned from a road trip to Michigan just as the "Elvis" Kalamazoo sightings started.

[Dan O'meara]

I said "No. It is quick, but quite credible".

Yeah Andrew. That's what's being said.

"Do you acknowledge the evidence that JBC makes this incredibly quick movement as soon as he emerges from behind the Stemmons sign?"

The answer to this question is either Yes or No.
You have chosen No.
You've written it down Andrew.
It's on the record.
You point-blank refuse to accept evidence that conflicts with your dead theory.
Now I've pointed out your denial, you have started back-tracking.

Both men are making incredibly rapid movements as they emerge from behind the Stemmons sign.
This cannot be denied. It is there for all to see in the Z-film.
The obvious candidate for causing the men to react so violently at exactly the same moment is a bullet passing through both of them [or that they were shot by different bullets at exactly the same moment].

But is it exactly the same moment and does this violent reaction begin after they have emerged from behind the sign?

You are trying to relate his actions to an event at z223 or z224. If he was reacting at z228 to a shot at z223 or z224 it would be incredible as in not believable. According to the evidence he is reacting quickly, but believably so, to a shot about 1.5 seconds earlier that, according to his evidence, he heard but did not feel.

If he was reacting at z228 to a shot at z223 or z224 it would be incredible as in not believable.

Rather than just your biased opinion about this why don't you provide some evidence backing up this point.
You argue a physical reaction within 4/5 z-frames would be "incredible". What is your evidence for this?

This is from Reply#900 [beginning a discussion on the effect of bullet cavitation as it passes through the Brachial Plexus - including the nerves controlling motor function to the arms/hands]:

Comments from Dr. Robert Artwohl explaining why we saw the arms stiffening upward.
“JFK’s reaction to the neck wound was, for all intents and purposes, instantaneous to the hit at Z-223/224. As the bullet passed through his neck, the pressure cavity caused an immediate and wide spread stimulation of all the nerves in the immediate vicinity, that is of the brachial plexus, the large group of nerves that emerge from C5-T1. These are the nerves that supply motor function to the arms.”

This is from the same post discussing the speed of reflex reactions (I've underlined relevant passages):

"While human reaction times tend to require hundreds of milliseconds, "One of the fastest [neural feedback] loops is from arm sensors to spinal cord and back out to arm muscles: it takes 110 milliseconds for feedback corrections to be made to an arm movement." (William H. Calvin, "The unitary hypothesis: A common neural circuitry for novel manipulations, language, plan-ahead, and throwing?" in Tools, Language, and Cognition in Human Evolution, edited by Kathleen R. Gibson and Tim Ingold. Cambridge University Press, pp. 230-250, [1993].)

So there could already be a reaction of a subject's arms in as early as 110 milliseconds, the equivalent of two Zapruder frames. But, of course, with JFK and Gov. Connally shot between 223 and 224, we should not be able to discern a significant reaction before frame 226. While only a few milliseconds later, this would still be too late.

However, an experiment cited by conspiracist Milicent Cranor demonstrates that even less time may be required.

Cranor summarizes a study published in the British journal, Brain (Brown P, Rothwell JC, Thompson PD, Britton TC, Day BL, and Marsden CD. New observations on the normal auditory startle reflex in man. Brain 1991; 114:1891-1902):

Auditory Stimulus Response Times in Milliseconds (m/s)
The following figures come from a study by Brown et al, published in the British journal, Brain. The authors tested the latency period (time it takes to respond) of the auditory startle reflex in 12 healthy volunteers ranging in age from 18 to 80 years. While relaxing in a chair, the subjects were randomly treated about every 20 minutes to a tone burst of 124 decibels, the equivalent BANG! of a car backfire 20 feet away. The average latency period of the relevant muscle groups in milliseconds:

Neck: 58 m/s (range 40-136 m/s)
Paraspinal muscles: 60 m/s (range: 48-120 m/s)

Forearm Flexors: 82 m/s (range: 60-200 m/s)

Forearm Extensors: 73 m/s (range 62-173 m/s)

Thumb: 99 m/s (range 75-179 m/s)

Back of Hand: 99 m/s (range 72-176 m/s)

The authors concluded:

"The most generalized startle response to the standard sound stimulus employed consisted of eye closure, grimacing, neck flexion, trunk flexion, slight abduction of the arms, flexion of the elbows and pronation of the forearms. There was considerable variation in the degree to which this response was expressed, and in some subjects only eye closure and flexion of the neck was apparent."

[See Cranor, "Neurology and Jiggle Analysis"]

The experiment demonstrated that, in response to an auditory stimulus, quantifiable physical reactions can be observed occurring most quickly in muscles the shortest distance from the brain: in the neck as quickly as 40 milliseconds (less than one Zapruder frame), in the paraspinal muscles as quickly as 48 milliseconds (less than one Zapruder frame), in the forearm flexors as quickly as 60 milliseconds (slightly more than one Zapruder frame), in the forearm extensors as quickly as 62 milliseconds (slightly more than one Zapruder frame), in the thumb as quickly as 75 milliseconds, and in the back of the hand as quickly as 72 milliseconds.

This means that it is possible for JFK and Gov. Connally, if struck between frames 223 and 224, to display quantifiable reactions originating in the men's necks and paraspinal muscles — and, depending on how many milliseconds elapsed between the shot and the exposure of frame 224, possibly even their forearm flexors, forearm extensors, and hands — as early as frame 225."

The scientific studies and results presented by Cranor demonstrate that a reflex reaction can be detected in a time so short it is the equivalent of 2 Z-frames. Your personal and subjective opinion that this seems "not believable" is in error. These results come from a study by Brown et al, published in the British journal, Brain.

Do you now accept this scientific evidence that a physical reflex reaction can occur so quickly?

To accept your theory that JFK is NOT reacting to his neck wound prior to z226 one would have to explain the dramatic change from a smiling wave 1.5 seconds earlier to having curled hands and a look of horror on his face before he was shot. Was the clairvoyant President steeling himself for the bullet he was about to receive?

"...a look of horror on his face..."

 
Some of the things you come up with are priceless.

"...having curled hands..."

What on earth are you talking about?

[Jerry Organ]

In particular it fits with Linda Willis' recollection

You think Linda Willis could see through people? She remembered a sign but it must have been the Thornton sign. Linda would have become familiar with her father's famous photo with just the Stemmons Frwy sign in it.

and Rosemary Willis' head turn at z204-207:

Rosemary's quarter-second visual check. Most people seeking the source of a strange noise look longer than that. Rosemary begins slowing and looking to her right (and away from the limousine) long before your cherry-pick. GIF animation is slowed down to quarter-speed.

Do you think that he paid Rosemary to do that? or that he paid Linda to say that? Or TE Moore to say that it occurred by the time JFK had reached the Thornton sign?  etc....

Did somebody pay this witness?

[Dan O'meara]

We have seen film proof that both JFK and JBC are making extremely rapid movements just as they emerge from behind the Stemmons sign [Reply#1087, page 136].
Scientific proof had been presented that a detectable reflex reaction can occur within 2 Z-frames [Reply#1103]

What frame does JBC first show signs of reacting?
It seems clear, to me at least, that JBC is showing no signs of a physical reaction in z223, the picture below.
This appears to be the same position and posture he has before he passes behind the Stemmons sign.



After this frame JBC's physical appearance and appearance begin to rapidly change:

In 1976 the Itek Corporation, specialists in photographic analysis, looked at the issue of exactly when Connally was showing a reaction to being hit. The following is their report.
By frame 232-234 there is strong evidence that the Governor is reacting to a significant effect on his body; or from other data, to a bullet wound. He placed the time of his reaction at 234. We studied the film in this area to determine if there were any striking changes in his physical appearance which could be interpreted as the onset of a reaction. Five photo analysts studied the original film from frames 222-240. They all concluded independently that somewhere between 223-226 there are signs of the beginning of a significant change in the governor's position and appearance. Some of their comments are paraphrased below.
— As Connally first clears the obscuring sign on frame 221, his facial features are not discernable or distinct. Frames 222 and 223 show no unusual action and Connally's face and features remain frozen (normal). With frame 224, I observe a slight grimace, a minor body twist, a slight arching of the back and a rearward head motion. These reactions continue on frame 225 which includes a slight hiking up in the seat. By frame 226 Connally's head is turned forward which I judged to be a rapid reaction. Frame 227 yields no information due to the high amount of smear, but the following frames 228, 9 and 30 indicate a rapid reaction of the hand holding the Stetson which was flicked up and down quickly.
— I observe a rotation of the Governor's body from right to left beginning at frame 223. It isn't obvious that this is significant relative to the study objective, however I also observe what I would consider an involuntary and unusual motion of his right hand and arm at 225. Before 225, his hand is hidden from Zapruder's view, down below the edge of the door. At 225-226 it can be seen to travel rapidly upward until it is about level with his chin in 228. From 228-230 he flips his hat rapidly. At 229 it appears upside down in his hand with the thin edge of the brim extending toward Zapruder. By 230 the hat has flipped so that one can now see into it. This all takes place within less than 1/3 of a second so it would appear to be somewhat unusual.

— At frame #223 he is turned in the jump seat sitting well into the car. I noticed a facial expression changing between #223 and 224 to a grimacing look. His body has moved forward (toward the edge of the car) with his right shoulder twisting to his left and downward. Between frames #225 and 226 a rapid motion of the Governor's right hand begins, i.e. #225 - his hand inside of car, #226 - his Stetson hat appears over the edge of the car, #228 - the hat is up in front of his chin concealing it. At #229 and 230 he flips his hat from edge on to a view of looking at the inside of it.

Source: "John Kennedy Assassination Film Analysis" — Itek Corporation, May 2, 1976, pp. 36-39 Emphasis in original.
(https://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/jbchit.htm)


From z223 to z224 certain changes are noticeable, including a slight rotation or twist in JBC's upright position, his right shoulder moving slightly forward and downward and his left shoulder moving slightly upward and backwards.
It is also noticeable that there is a radical bulging of the right side of JBC's suit jacket between the 2 frames. The same side the bullet exits through:



This is the moment JBC's extremely rapid movement begins, from a resting, relaxed position, resulting in his Stetson being raised up to his face from down by his side in one third of a second.



The Zapruder film reveals when JFK begins his extreme and rapid reaction.
As he emerges from behind the Stemmons sign his LEFT ARM is down by his side. It is down by his side as he passes behind the Stemmons sign. The pic below shows his LEFT ARM down by his side in z193 [the last clear frame before he passes behind the Stemmons sign] alongside z224, the first clear frame of JFK as he emerges from behind the Stemmons sign.



From being down at his side, JFK's LEFT ARM suddenly rockets upwards. It is an incredibly rapid movement. The gif below shows the beginning of this incredibly rapid movement:



z224 shows the left arm down by the side. The left elbow is hidden below the edge of the door.
z225 shows a slight movement of the left arm but the left elbow is still below the edge of the door.
z226 shows the left arm is definitely beginning to rise as the left elbow comes above the edge of the door.

From being down by his side in z224, JFK's LEFT ARM shoots up to this extreme position in z232



This movement occurs in 0.44 seconds. It is an extreme and rapid reaction that begins at z225.
The Z-film proves both men had extreme and rapid reactions beginning at the same moment from a resting position.