#research list

[cepheusgalaxy]

*Research list*

PTSD

Grief

Denial state

Trauma processing

Masking

Mental illness

[quill-of-thoth]

Things Researched Recently, the I must be on a Watch List Edition

In no particular order: Lockpicking with hairpin Lockpicking with bump key Symptoms of digitalis poisoning

(I’m not even writing a MURDER mystery...)

[girlslikegirlswithswords]

Research List

Yen. How money works, how it works in comparison to USD and what is a fair price/whats not. 

Lodging/Wifi/Unlocking iphones & how to get an international carrier that works in japan.

Bus & Subway systems, how they work, what bus/subway passes to get and what to use for them. 

DEBIT CARD INFORMATION (and how to get cash, and how atms work internationally).... also how to count yen. 

Passport & airplane info. How much for a round ticket, how safe are the planes, what is turbulence like,  is blue hair going to be an issue when I get to japan? 

[anomalously-written]

Let's Talk About: Living in the Tropics

Unlike my posts on Living in the Desert and Living in the Cold, I actually do live in a (sub) tropical climate. But obviously not everyone does. Not everyone has the time/money to go to the tropics for a bit and feel out the environment.

What do we do? Scour the internet trying to put the pieces together. I have done this. And, picking out & putting together various sources of information (including forums) I have put this together to share. So please keep in mind, these are other people’s experiences and opinions on living in tropic conditions (and also general facts/information). Thank you :)

I also figured we could use this information to apply to possible extraterrestrial tropic-like environments.

Enjoy!

(**Important: the videos at the end of the post will probably prove to be the most helpful for the realities of living in a tropical climate, especially with natural disasters**)

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Tropical climates tend to become cooler with increasing elevation much more quickly than do temperate climates. At 500 meters above sea level, the edge is off of the heat and humidity, at 1000 meters, temperatures can be cool and pleasant with an occasional chill, and at 1500 to 2000 meters, it can be cool to the point of being chilly, and at night, or in certain times of the year or in certain microclimates, it can get downright cold. 

Fog is much more common in the tropics than it is in temperate climates, and can be a real nuisance. If a microclimate is particularly prone to fog, you will find your books and important papers will have a constant soggy feel to them, and they will deteriorate very rapidly - they can disintegrate in as little as two or three years. Electronics equipment is vulnerable, too, to mildew growth, which can cause it to fail. Highly miniaturized electronic equipment such as iPods, laptop computers, cell phones, digital cameras, etc., are particularly vulnerable.

The critter factor. Anywhere in the tropics you go, you are going to find bugs you don't much like. In the African tropics, it's the nasty little tumba fly that lays eggs on clothes hung out to dry - when you put them on, the egg hatches out and the maggot burrows into your skin, feeding on your sweet, juicy flesh. Prevent tumba fly infestation by ironing or machine drying every textile your skin will come in contact with - socks, towels, sheets, everything. You also learn quickly to flick off insects rather than slapping them, because the acid bug can cause a sore that will take months to heal.

[x]

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Tropical Storms Seasons for Hurricanes What natural disasters happen in the tropical rain forest?

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"One of the most dominant aspects of life in tropical and subtropical regions is the climate. Tropical regions are located along the equator, the part of the Earth that is closest to the sun; because these regions are closer to the sun, the resulting temperatures are very hot. Sub-tropical regions are not as close to the equator, but can still reach very high temperatures during the summer, like southern Texas, for example. Tropical and sub-tropical regions are marked by extremely hot summers, and depending on the continent or area, can also be extremely humid and dense feeling.

Benefits of living in tropical or subtropical regions include mild winters and having a potentially much longer growing season, but negative aspects of these regions would definitely include the stifling heat and humidity as well as the danger of mosquitos and mosquito-transmitted diseases like malaria or West Nile." [x]

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Survival Tips for the Tropical Adventurous Vacationer

Sunscreen up: If you haven’t been out in the sun lately, heaven help you if you try to spend a whole day in it with no protection. Especially if you’re fair-skinned.

Protect your eyeballs: Yes, your eyes can get sunburned! There are short and long term risks, and The American Optometric Association states that “The longer the eyes are exposed to solar radiation, the greater the risk of developing later in life such conditions as cataracts or macular degeneration.” 

Wear a rash guard: A rash guard is not only for guarding against rash but also for keeping your upper body protected from the sun while doing water sports. 

Make a first aid kit: This could include an antiseptic, some antibiotic ointment, and band-aids in a Ziploc. If you’re in the water, forget the band-aids. It will just become ocean pollution.

Drink up: Hydrate and then hydrate some more. Take water wherever you go. 

Lotion yourself: Flaky is never good in any form. 

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My 6 Cardinal Rules for Living in the Tropics and Having to Coexist with Bugs

The Reality Of Living In A Tropical Location

What it’s like to live in the Amazon rainforest

Tropical Vegetation

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Images | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10

Videos

"How To Deal With Mosquitos, Bugs & Insects Living In The Tropics"

"Tropical lifestyle - Open house vs a closed house / pros and cons" 

"The Tropical Rainforest"

"The Swiss Robinson Crusoe"

"Ray Mears' Extreme Survival S02E06 - Desert Island Survival"

"Hurricane Wilma Video - Miami Beach, Florida"

"2004 Tsunami Documentary (Sad Documentary)" (real recordings & testimonials from survivors of the Boxing Day Tsunami -very sad & at times intense to watch -some disturbing/graphic images)

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From me...

I live in South Florida -more of a subtropical climate, in other words: not as intense. I've lived here for fifteen out of my twenty five years of life. I'm just going to throw out random bits of information off the top of my head, in no particular order.

-- Humidity. It's so humid here, 99% of the year, I'd say, if not 100%. You go outside (especially during the spring/summer months) and you are instantly just covered in this gross, sticky layer of sweat. When it's 90 degress F or higher and a high humid day, it's hard to even breathe sometimes. CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONING IS JUST ABOUT A NECESSITY.  -- Mosquitoes. With humidity & heat comes mosquitoes. They are huge here, I call them Dinosaurs. Your best friend is that Deep Woods bugspray, even if you aren't "in the deep woods". If you live by a water source (canal/pond) the mosquitoes are even worse. Although during the winter months, they're not nearly as bad at all -virtually gone. Virtually. -- Beach. Yes the beach is nice and fun and it's a good time. But after a while, it's kinda of... eh, yeah the beach -lets go get sand in places that sand should not be and be surrounded by tourists who bring their stereos and glass bottles of booze they leave lying around. After a while the beach gets old and frustrating because of the litter. -- Tourism. I understand the draw to subtropical/tropical climates, I really do. And living in South Florida, you get used to the tourism and the Snow Birds (people who live down here during the winter months, to get away from the Northern cold -mostly retired individuals). Tourists can be hilarious to watch and completely annoying at the same time. -- Rain. Never rely on a weather station. You can get rain when the sun is shining (sun showers). You can get rain for 20 mins every day for a week to a month and then not get any rain for the next couple of weeks. Rain is on it's own time. It comes when it wants and leaves when it wants. -- Lightning (or "Electrical") Storms. I'm not sure if this is just a thing in subtropical/tropical climates or if they're everywhere.. but they are actually really cool and sometimes really scary. Basically it's just a bunch of (sometimes intense/huge) lightning strikes without rain..? These are actually called Dry Thunderstorms. Like This. -- Postcard Life. Do not be fooled by the post cards. It's not sun, surf and sand 24/7. People work. There's bad parts of town and good parts of town. There's the ridiculously rich and the people just barely getting by. It's real. -- Things To Do. Aside from beaches, theme parks and resorts? I mean... I guess it's just like everywhere else. My sister and her fiancee just took their kids to the gulf coast during the summer to visit some natural springs and they had an amazing time & said it was like stepping into another world. -- People. You're going to find good people and bad people whever you go. Some areas are more 'superficial'. Some areas are more 'down to earth'. Where I live, it's kind of known as the 'back country', which honestly is not even accurate.. it's just that everyone has at least an acre of land and we're about 20 mins away from 'in town'. There's more of a "country" or "redneck" feel out here, but still you can find assholes and prima-donnas here too. People are people.

---

I hope this was somewhat informative and put a more ‘realistic’ perspective of what life is probably actually like in the tropics, as opposed to looking at a bunch of charts and climate information sheets and trying to make it up from there! Happy writing!

Xx

[anomalously-written]

Og's Research List Vol. 3 [Anxieties]

What is anxiety?

Anxiety is the body’s natural response to danger, an automatic alarm that goes off when you feel threatened, under pressure, or are facing a stressful situation.

In moderation, anxiety isn’t always a bad thing. In fact, anxiety can help you stay alert and focused, spur you to action, and motivate you to solve problems. But when anxiety is constant or overwhelming, when it interferes with your relationships and activities, it stops being functional—that’s when you’ve crossed the line from normal, productive anxiety into the territory of anxiety disorders. [x]

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Panic Disorder [x]

Characterized by “panic attacks,” panic disorder results in sudden feelings of terror that can strike repeatedly and sometimes without warning. 

Symptoms: Sense of impending doom or danger, fear of loss or control or death, rapid heart rate, sweating, trembling, shortness of breath, hyperventilation, chills, hot flashes, nausea, abdominal cramping, chest pain, headache, dizziness, faintness, tightness in your throat, trouble swallowing.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) [x]

OCD is characterized by repetitive, intrusive, irrational and unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and/or rituals that seem impossible to control (compulsions). 

Obsession Symptoms: Fear of contamination or dirt, having things orderly and symmetrical, aggressive or horrific thought about harming yourself or others, unwanted thoughts including aggression or sexual or religious subjects.

Examples of obsession signs and symptoms: Fear of being contaminated by shaking hands or by touching objects others have touched, doubts that you've locked the door to turned off the stove, intense stress when objects aren't orderly or facing a certain way, images of hurting yourself or someone else, thoughts about shouting obscenities or acting inappropriately, avoidance of situations that can trigger obsessions such as shaking hands, distress about unpleasant sexual images repeating in your mind.

Compulsion Symptoms: Washing and cleaning, counting, checking, demanding reassurances, following a strict routine, orderliness.

Examples of compulsion signs and symptoms: hand-washing until your skin becomes raw, checking doors repeatedly to make sure they're locked, checking the stove repeatedly to make sure it's off counting in certain patterns, silently repeating a prayer or phrase, arranging your canned good to face the same way.

Causes: Biology (OCD may be a result of changes in your body's own natural chemistry or brain functions -may also have a genetic component, but specific genes have yet to be identified). Environmental (Some environmental factors such as infections are suggested as a trigger for OCD, but more research is needed to be sure.)

Risk Factors | Complications

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) [x]

(PTSD) is a mental health condition that's triggered by a terrifying event — either experiencing it or witnessing it. Symptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares and severe anxiety, as well as uncontrollable thoughts about the event.

Symptoms: Intrusive Memories. Recurrent, unwanted distressing memories of the traumatic event, reliving the traumatic event as if it were happening again (flashbacks), upsetting dreams about the traumatic event, severe emotional distress or physical reactions to  something that reminds you of the event.

Symptoms: Avoidance. Trying to avoid thinking or talking about the traumatic event, avoid going places, activities or people that remind you of the traumatic event.

Symptoms: Negative changes in thinking and mood. Negative feelings about yourself or other people, inability to experience positive emotions, feeling emotionally numb, lack of interest in activities you once enjoyed, hopelessness about the future, memory problems including not remembering important aspects of the traumatic event, difficulty maintaining close relationships.

Symptoms: Changes in emotional reactions. Irritability -angry outbursts or aggressive behavior, always being on guard for danger, overwhelming guilt or shame, self destructive behavior such as drinking too much or driving too fast, trouble concentrating, trouble sleeping, being easily startled or frightened.

Causes: You can develop post-traumatic stress disorder when you go through, see or learn about an event involving actual or threatened death, serious injury or sexual violation. Doctors aren't sure why some people get PTSD. As with most mental health problems, PTSD is probably caused by a complex mix of: Inherited mental health risks such as an increased risk of anxiety and depression, life experiences including the amount and severity of trauma you've gone through since early childhood, inherited aspects of your personality -often called your temperament, the way your brain regulates the chemicals and hormones your body releases in response to stress.

Risk Factors | Complications

Phobias

A phobia is a disabling and irrational fear of something that really poses little or no actual danger for most people. This fear can be very disabling when it leads to avoidance of objects or situations that may cause extreme feelings of terror, dread and panic. “Specific” phobias center on particular objects (e.g., caterpillars, dogs) or situations (e.g., being on a bridge, flying in an airplane). Many people are very sensitive to being criticized and are ashamed of their phobias which can lead to problems with self-esteem.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) [x]

Living with generalized anxiety disorder can be a long-term challenge. In many cases, it occurs along with other anxiety or mood disorders. In most cases, generalized anxiety disorder improves with medications or psychological counseling (psychotherapy). 

Symptoms: constant worrying or obsession about small or large concerns, restlessness and feeling keyed up or on edge, fatigue, difficulty concentrating or your mind 'going blank', irritability, muscle tension or muscle aches, trembling -feeling twitchy or being easily startled, trouble sleeping, sweating, nausea or diarrhea, shortness of breath or rapid heartbeat.

Symptoms in Children & Adolescents: In addition to the symptoms above, children and adolescents may have excessive worries about such things like: performance at school or sporting events, being on time, earthquakes, nuclear war or other catastrophic events They may also: feel overly anxious to fit in, be a perfectionist, lack confidence, redo tasks because they aren't perfect the first time, strive for approval, require a lot of reassurance about performance.

Causes: As with many mental health conditions, what causes generalized anxiety disorder isn't fully understood. It may involve naturally occurring brain chemicals (neurotransmitters), such as serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine. It's likely that the condition has several causes that may include genetics, your life experiences and stress. Physical health conditions are associated with anxiety: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), heart disease, hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism, menopause.

Risk Factors | Complications

Social Anxiety Disorder [x]

in social anxiety disorder, also called social phobia, everyday interactions cause significant anxiety, fear, self-consciousness and embarrassment because you fear being scrutinized or judged by others.

Symptoms: Emotional and behavioral. Fear of situations in which you may be judged, worrying about embarrassing or humiliating yourself, concern that you'll offend someone, intense fear of interacting or talking with strangers, fear that others will notice that you look anxious, fear of physical symptoms that may cause you embarrassment such as blushing, sweating, trembling or having a shaky voice, avoiding doing things or speaking to people out of fear of embarrassment, avoiding situations where you might be the center of attention, having anxiety in anticipation of a feared activity or event, spending time after a social situation analyzing your performance and identifying flaws in your interaction, expecting the worst possible consequences from a negative experience during a social situation.

Symptoms: Physical. Fast heartbeat, upset stomach or nausea, trouble catching your breath, dizziness or lightheadedness, confusion or feeling 'out of body', diarrhea, muscle tension.

Causes: Inherited traits (Anxiety disorders tend to run in families. However, it isn't entirely clear how much of this may be due to genetics and how much is due to learned behavior.) Brain structure (A structure in the brain called the amygdala may play a role in controlling the fear response. People who have an overactive amygdala may have a heightened fear response, causing increased anxiety in social situations.) Environment (Social anxiety disorder may be a learned behavior. That is, you may develop the condition after witnessing the anxious behavior of others. In addition, there may be an association between social anxiety disorder and parents who are more controlling or protective of their children.)

Risk Factors | Complications

Agoraphobia [x]

A type of anxiety disorder in which you fear and often avoid places or situations that might cause you to panic and make you feel trapped, helpless or embarrassed. People with agoraphobia often have a hard time feeling safe in any public place, especially where crowds gather. You may feel that you need a companion, such as a relative or friend, to go with you to public places. The fears can be so overwhelming that you may feel unable to leave your home.

Symptoms: Fear of being alone in any situation, fear of being in crowded places, fear of losing control in a public place, fear of being in places where it may be hard to leave such as an elevator or train, inability to leave your home or only able to leave it if someone else goes with you, sense of helplessness, over-dependence on others.

Causes: Having panic disorder or other phobias, or experiencing stressful life events, may play a major role in the development of agoraphobia. 

Risk Factors | Complications

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8 Things Only People With Anxiety Understand Understanding Panic Attacks Understanding the Anxious Mind The 10 Best-Ever Anxiety Management Techniques

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"Its not stress that kills us, it is our reaction to it." -Hans Selye

[anomalously-written]

Og's Research List Vol. 2 [Medieval Torture]

[via] In the middle ages torture was used to extract information, force confessions, punish suspects, frighten opponents, and satisfy personal hatred.

Historically, ancient Greeks and Romans used torture for interrogation. Until the second century AD, torture was used only on slaves.. A slave's testimony was admissible only if extracted by torture.

The word 'torture' comes from the French torture, originating in the Late Latin tortura and ultimately deriving the past participle of torquere meaning 'to twist'. Many characteristically Christian tortures rely on a twisting of the limbs, twisting ligatures, or turning screw mechanisms as the Church discouraged the shedding of blood.

The Norman French who came to England with William the Conqueror used torture to extract treasure from the Anglo-Saxons in their new kingdom. During the Anarchy, the Norman supporters of both of the claimants to the throne practiced torture to extract gold and silver from the peasantry. As the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle for 1139 puts it:

They hanged them by the thumbs, or by the head, and hung fires on their feet; they put knotted strings about their heads, and writhed them so that it went to the brain ... Some they put in a chest that was short, and narrow, and shallow, and put sharp stones therein, and pressed the man therein, so that they broke all his limbs ... I neither can nor may tell all the wounds or all the tortures which they inflicted on wretched men in this land.

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Torture And Execution Methods

Remarkable ingenuity has been shown in the invention of instruments and techniques of physical torture.

Torture devices can be classified in many ways.

-Tortures that leave a visible mark v those that do not -Tortures that draw blood v those that do not (in theory the --Catholic Church permitted only the latter) -Physical torture v psychological torture -Tortures used to extract information v tortures used as an additional punishment to prolong death

Restraint or Confinement in Painful or Damaging Positions

The Barrel Pillory / Spanish Mantle / Drunkard's Cloak [Barrel fitted over entire body except for head -causes of death usually hunger/thirst, scaphism and/or septic shock]

Branks or Scold's Bridle / Gossip Bridle | Variants 

Pillory [Were set up to hold petty criminals outside churches, in marketplaces, crossroads, and other public places & also served as a symbol of the power of the judicial authorities.]

Stocks

Scavenger's Daughter [Conceived as a complement to the Duke of Exeter's Daughter (the rack) because it worked the opposite principle to the rack by compressing the body rather than stretching it.]

Animals

Rats

Horses

Extremes of Heat & Cold

Boiling Water

Branding Irons

Brazen Bull [In middle ages it was used in Central Europe.]

Exposure [In many cases, the victim was sentenced to a short period of exposure, depending on the crime. However, death was frequent since they were completely defenseless] 

Physical Damage: Piercing

Instep Borer [It was common for the prisoner to die of toxemia soon after. It seems that the instep borer was used only in Nuremberg.]

Chair of Torture / Iron Chair [It was a common practice to extract a confession by forcing one victim to watch another being tortured with this instrument.]

Impalement

Iron Maiden

Physical Damage: Crushing

Boot, Spanish Boot, Buskin & Foot Press

Crushing Devices

Tablilla [Were essentially a pair of pillories for the feet but could theoretically be applied to the fingers as well.]

Thumbscrews or Perriwinks 

Physical Damage: Mutilation

Denailing Devices

Flaying Knives [Searing or cutting the flesh from the body was sometimes used as part of the public execution of traitors in medieval Europe.]

Flogging Equipment: Whips, Flails, Cats o'Nine Tails [As in many forms of torture practiced within Christendom, flogging provided a pretext to expose women's naked or semi naked bodies. Inquisitors and witch finders were renowned for finding reasons for exposing female bodies.]

Hanging, Drawing & Quartering (& castration)

Mutilation Tools

Physical Damage: Amputation

[Decapitation has been used as a form of capital punishment for millennia. The terms "capital offence", "capital crime", "capital punishment," derive from the word caput, Latin for "head", referring to the punishment for serious offences involving the forfeiture of the head.]

Axes and Swords

Decapitation - the Halifax Gibbet & the Guillotine

Physical Damage: Twisting & Stretching

Hanging (suspension)

Judas Cradle [The device was rarely, if ever, cleaned. If victims did not die from the device, they almost always died from infection.]

Pear of Anguish, Pear of Confession, Pope's Pear, Oral pear, Vaginal Pear, Anal Pear

Piqchet

Rack

Strappado [Best known for its use in the torture chambers of the medieval Inquisition.]

Tearing Limb from Limb

Wooden Horse

Public Humiliation

Drunkards' Cloak [It was used for a range of other misdemeanours, often represented pictorially on the exterior of the barrel.]

Branks or Scold's bridle or Gossip's Bridle and Variants

Pillory [The criminal could also be sentenced to further punishments while in the pillory: humiliation by shaving of some or all hair or regular corporal punishment.]

Stocks

Tarring and Feathering [In some cases a match was held to the feathers to light them, as well as the tar, on fire to inflict pain.]

Restrictions on Breathing

Ducking Stool, Cucking Stool (North America, Dunking Stool)

Garrote [At one point execution victims were killed by beating with a club while constrained.]

Pressing, Peine Forte et Dure

Water Cure (Water Torture)

Starvation or Thirst

Wheel or Breaking Wheel or Catherine Wheel [Used in the Middle Ages and early modern times for public execution by cudgelling to death, especially in France and Germany.]

Sensory or Sleep Deprivation

Heretic's Fork  [Traditionally, the fork was engraved with the Latin word abiuro (meaning "I recant"), and was used by the various Inquisitions.]

Drugs  [Although poorly documented, it is clear that some torturers were familiar with a range of drugs that could elicit confessions even when physical torture failed.]

Murder Torture

Hanging, Drawing & Quartering.

Gibbeting  [In some cases, the bodies would be left until their clothes rotted or even until the bodies were almost completely decomposed, after which the bones would be scattered.]

Intestinal Crank.

Sawing.

Burning Alive

As many historians have noted, the most vicious procedures in Medieval times were inflicted on devout Christians by even more devout Christians. Dominicans gained a reputation as the most fearsomely innovative torturers.

Torture had long been practiced by bishops, but it was formally authorized for the Medieval Inquisition in 1252. It should have ended in 1816 when a papal bull forbade its use, but secret torture continued in the Papal States until they were seized by French Forces in the 1870s.

Torture was usually conducted in secret, often in secure underground dungeons. In contrast, torturous executions were usually public, and drew large crowds of spectators. Public holidays were often declared and free penances given to spectators to ensure large attendance.

[breziarchive]

Obviously I was working a lot with the False Daughters last night. Here's a post I'm making for myself to remind myself of things I need to research:

LGBT safe-houses esp. in the Boston area

Restrictions of the TSA/international airline restrictions (can the False Daughters fly on planes? probably not with the exception of RK being a rockstar)

How far the "Americans with Disabilities Act" goes and whether or not the Daughters choose to enact it for certain things

Articles and papers on hairweaves and the racism surrounding a black person's natural hair textures--how "straightening and flattening" hair works, the insecurities surrounding it, etc

Excessive scar tissue/body deformations and health risks

Hallucinogens in gas form; catalysts, volatilizers, dangers

Louisiana Voodoo (it's so hard to get good results on this)

Speech patterns/accents for Minnesotan Twin Cities/Boston/New Orleans (black community)/Portland, Oregon

Japanese first generation stories (and other first generation stories from immigrants around the world)

alright i think that's all i have in my head right now

If anyone can point me in the direction of anything pertaining to any of these feel free to do so because I will most certainly eat it up!

[blackbaudhowto]

ResearchPoint August 2013: Exciting New Features and Help Offerings

The August 2013 release of ResearchPoint includes the new Research List feature, helpful topic-specific tip sheets, role-specific user guides, and more. The links below provide a comprehensive tour of all the new offerings.

Release Notes

New Features Page

Tip Sheets: Quick Start Guide, Add a new users

Role-Specific Documentation: Development Officer - View Only, Development Officer - Advanced Rights

Video overviews of the Research Lists feature

A move away from version numbers. To help you better identify a release, we replaced version numbers with the month and year of the release.