"something worth reading"

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"The resiliency of any complex adaptive system is embodied in its diversity and in the capacity for adaptive change among system components."

"Natural systems are highly nonlinear, and what we observe in any environment is in part the result of accidents of history and of the influence of emigrants from neighboring ecosystems."

- Simon A. Levin , Fragile Dominion: Complexity and the Commons

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"If we look at the various fields of human knowledge�from physics to biology to psychology, sociology, theology, and religion�certain broad, general themes emerge, about which there is actually very little disagreement�My point is that if we take these types of largely-agreed-upon orienting generalizations from the various branches of knowledge�from physics to biology to psychology to theology�and if we string these orienting generalizations together, we will arrive at some astonishing and often profound conclusions, conclusions that, as extraordinary as they might be, nonetheless embody nothing more than our already-agreed-upon knowledge. The beads of knowledge are already accepted: it is only necessary to string them together into a necklace."
- Ken Wilber, A Brief History of Everything

esoteric

GLOSSARY

STRESS Any external stimulus, from threatening words to the sound of a gunshot, that the brain interprets as dangerous

FEAR The short-term physiological response produced by both the brain and the body in response to stress

ANXIETY A sense of apprehension that shares many of the same symptoms as fear but builds more slowly and lingers longer

DEPRESSION Prolonged sadness that results in a blunting of emotions and a sense of futility; often more serious when accompanied by an anxiety disorder

ARE YOU TOO ANXIOUS?

Everybody feels a bit of anxiety from time to time, but a clinical anxiety disorder is a different matter. If you suspect you may be suffering from one, you should consult a professional for a diagnosis. The psychological diagnostic manual lists 12 anxiety conditions. Here are the signs of five of the most common ones:

PANIC DISORDER

WHAT IT IS:
Recurrent, unexpected attachks fo actue anxiety, peaking withitn 10 minutes. Such panic may occur in a familiar sitation, such as a crowded elevator.

WHAT IT ISN'T:
Occasional episodes of extreme anxiety in response to a real threat.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:
Palpitations; chest pains; sweating, chills or hot flushes; trembling; shortness of breath or choking; nausea; light-headedness or feeling of unreality; fear of losing control or dying.

BOTTOM LINE:
Four or more of these symptoms in at least two descrete episodes could spell trouble.

SPECIFIC PHOBIA

WHAT IT IS:
Consuming fear of a specific object or situation, often accompanied by extreme anxiety symptoms.

WHAT IT ISN'T:
Powerful aversion to certain places or things

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:

Do you come up with eleaborate ways to avoid the object or situation?

Do you derad the next possible encounter?

Are you aware that the fear is excessive but you are unable to control it?

Does merely thinking about the thing you fear make you anxious?

BOTTOM LINE:
Don't worry if you just plain hate, say, snakes or crowds or heights. The key is how powerful your feelings are - and how you handle them.

OBSESSIVE - COMPULSIVE DISORDER

WHAT IT IS:
A preoccupation with specific thoughts, images or impulses, accompanied by elaborate and sometimes bizarre rituals.

WHAT IT ISN'T:
Fastidious - even idiosyncratic - behaviour that does not significantly interfere with your quality of life.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:
Are the obsessive thoughts persistent and intrusive?

Do you expend a lot of energy suppressing the thoughts, usually unsuccessfully?

Are you generally aware that the thoughts are irrational?

Is the anxiety temporarily eased by a repetitve ritual such as hand washing or a thought ritual such ass praying?

Are the rituals time consuming?

BOTTOM LINE:
Some researchers question wether OCD is a genuine anxiety disorder. Whatever it is, it does respond to treatment - provided you seek help.

POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER

WHAT IT IS:
Repeated, anxious reliving of a horrorfying event over an extended period of time.

WHAT IT ISN'T:
Anxiety following a trauma that fades steadily over the course of a month or so

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:
After witnessing, experiencing or hearing about an event that caused or threatened to cause serious injury, do you:

Have recurrent recollections or dreams about the experience?

Feel emotionally or physically as if the event were still occurring?

Experience intense anxiety when something reminds you of the event?

Try to avoid thoughts, feelings, activities or places associated with the event?

Have difficulty recalling details of the event?

Experience anxiety symptoms such as irrirtability, jumpiness, difficulty sleeping, feelings of detachment from others, diminished interest in things, feelings that you future is in some way limited?

BOTTOM LINE:
Sometimes, PTSD will not appeaer until six months after the event. Seek help whenever symptoms occur.

GENERALISED ANXIETY DISORDER

WHAT IT IS:
Excessive anxiety or worry, occurring more days than not for six months.

WHAT IT ISN'T:
Occasional serious worry that doesn't markedly diminish quality of life.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:
Restlessness; difficulty concentrating or sleeping; irritability; fatigue; muscle tension.

BOTTOM LINE:
If you have three or more symptoms for the required six months, the diagnosis may fit.

- Jeffery Kluger, Time, June 10, 2002

computer

How to find the OEM number on your Windows installation:

Click the Start button and select Run
Type regedit and press Enter (be careful not to modify your registry here)
Select: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
Select: Software
Select: Microsoft
Select: Windows
Select: Current Version
By the heading ProductKey on the right window pane the is the 25 digit OEM number

You can also download a nifty utility called Tweak Revisited that can tell you your OEM number along with several other cool Windows tweaks.

centrefold

from Annalise

tips

Nose-Septum Aftercare Information

Primary Suggestions

Anti-bacterial Soap
The optimal way to care for your piercing is to clean it twice daily (If you are physically active, try to schedule your cleanings after you exercise). The easiest and most comfortable way to clean your piercing is either during or immediately following a hot shower. The hot water and steam will help soften your skin and loosen the crust at the base of your jewelry (making it easier to remove). While in the shower, wash your hands thoroughly with anti-bacterial soap�preferably a medical grade soap such as Provon or Satin. (Beware: anti-bacterial soaps containing fragrances can irritate your piercing or cause allergic reactions.)

Next, gently remove the crust from your jewelry with a disposable, one-use product such as a tissue, cotton-ball, swab, or square. (Do not use a hand towel because bacteria can lie dormant in the cloth.) Then, place some anti-bacterial soap in your hands and rub them together as to create a nice lather. Gently wipe the jewelry and your piercing with the tips of your fingers, being careful not to scratch or irritate the area. Once the jewelry and piercing are lathered with soap, spin the jewelry so that the ball on the jewelry rests on one hole of your piercing; then, spin it so that the ball rests on the opposite hole. This process will help run some soap into the wound, helping to ward off bacteria. After spinning the jewelry back and forth several times, rinse the area and jewelry thoroughly while continuing to spin the jewelry back and forth. (Tip: Do not place your piercing directly into the shower�s streaming water. Instead, try to redirect the water with your hands in order to reduce the intensity of rinsing.) If your starter jewelry is not a captive bead ring or circular barbell, try your best to perform the above process without overworking and irritating the area.

Sea Salt Soaks
After completing the above process, you can perform your sea salt soaks either in or out of the shower. First, fill a fresh disposable cup with approximately 8 ounces of water and add � teaspoon of sea salt, stirring until it is dissolved. When ready, either place the cup over the piercing--forming a vacuum-type seal--or dip the piercing into the cup. If either of these techniques are not possible, pre-soak a fresh tissue, cotton-ball, swab, or square in the sea salt solution and firmly press it on your piercing. In order to promote effectiveness, the first sea salt soak should last at least 10 minutes. All additional soaks should last at least 5-10 minutes. Following the sea salt soak, pat your piercing and jewelry dry with a fresh disposable paper or cotton product.

Ibuprofen
For those who are extremely sensitive, an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory such as ibuprofen (Motrin IB, Advil, etc.) can help reduce swelling and pain.

Additional Tips
According to piercing-friendly physician Dr. Janet L. H. Keating with the Duke University Student Health Service, one of the best ways to care for and heal a piercing is to �promote healthy lifestyle habits.� Some additional tips for this include:

Remember: A piercing is a wound. Consequently, you should expect tenderness, swelling, discoloration, and possibly bruising, bleeding, and itching. Also, a natural part of the process for healing any wound includes the secretion of a white-yellow fluid (containing dead cells and blood plasma). This fluid will dry and form crust on your jewelry. To properly remove this crust, refer to the Primary Suggestions for healing your piercing.
Never touch your piercing without first washing your hands with anti-bacterial soap. This is a great way to avoid infections even after your piercing is healed.
Do not use petroleum-based ointments (e.g., Neosporin, Bacitracin, etc.), peroxide, alcohol, Betadine, iodine, and Hibaclense!! These substances can hinder and prolong the healing process.
Check the accessories (e.g., balls, gem-ends, dice, etc.) on your jewelry for tightness at least once a day. Make sure your hands are first cleaned with anti-bacterial soap!! Checking your accessories is something that you should make habitual throughout the life of your piercing. Remember: tighten all threaded accessories by turning them to the right�righty, tighty.
During the entire healing period, the jewelry should remain in place to act as a drain. If the jewelry is too large to allow adequate drainage, it could be replaced with a smaller size by a piercing professional. Removing your jewelry prematurely can cause an infected hole to close up, trapping an infection and leading to complications requiring a medical professional. If you feel that the normal secretion is turning into a thicker and darker discharge, please do not hesitate to contact your physician for more advanced treatment (e.g., antibiotics).
Always wear loose and clean clothing around your new piercing. Tight or unclean clothing can irritate or infect the piercing, possibly causing it to migrate.
Do not engage in rough activity that may threaten your piercing. Intense friction and pulling on a fresh piercing is a common way to trigger migration, a process in which the body �pushes� the jewelry out of the body.
Do not expose your fresh piercing to oral contact or other bodily fluids. Use protective barriers such as condoms, dental dams, and finger cots�even if you are in a monogamous relationship.
Do not expose your piercing to cosmetics such as make-up, hair styling products, lotion, etc. Cosmetics contain many different ingredients and can cause irritation and infection.
Eat nutrient-dense meals throughout the day and consider supplementing your diet with Vitamin C (3000 mg in mineral ascorbate form) and Zinc (120 mg for males and 60 mg for females). These supplements are most effective during the first 2-3 weeks of the healing process. If you are very active (e.g., work hard, partake in regular exercise, etc.) extra nutrient-dense meals and an additional multi-vitamin supplement may help keep your immune system working efficiently.
Drink plenty of fluids. 8-10 glasses of bottled or purified water is a good way to keep your body hydrated.
Try to get at least 8 hours of sleep a night. This is considered the optimal amount of sleep for the body. This will help your body heal as best as possible. If you are living in a high-stress environment, consider resting as much as you can in your down time.
Try not to sleep on your new piercing. This cause irritation and prolong the healing process.
Replace your bedding with clean sets of sheets, blankets, and pillow-cases as much as possible during the healing period.
Do not leave jewelry out of a piercing for too long! If you must remove your jewelry, either put in a retainer or replace it ASAP. For example, a tongue piercing can close-up in a matter of hours.
Avoid going into a pool, hot tub, lake, etc. These types of water can be unclean and may induce infection.

Approximate Healing Period: Septum 6-12 weeks

For additional reputable resources, please visit:
The Association of Professional Piercers
Gotham Body Piercing (Formerly the Master Piercers of Gauntlet)
Elayne Angel�s Rings of Desire

Tribalectic

post

Twisting of the blade
A dagger thrust at my own heart
Dictates the way I'm swayed
Left I stand, and right I yield
To the twisting of the blade.
What am I?

Answer: A Lock

"something worth reading"
19 August 2002
#8