Aug 06, 2017 08:32pm

Birth of Man,Mind and Ego.

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Embodied Self in human depends for its effulgence on food. It is a basic requirement for survival. He is to be fed regularly at frequent intervals lest the Soul and its associates should escape. It is, therefore, imperative that someone should ensure regular supply food at frequent intervals. There must be an agency who would fill the void. That gives rise to the birth of MAN.

Heaven is a repository of consciousness. Highly refined consciousness to an infinite degree of high potential is immaculate effulgence/Light. Light is innate with Brahmam. Earth is full of zero potential gross heavy resources of matter materials and chemicals. Heaven does not have what earth is having. Similarly earth lacks what heaven has. The zero dense light (Jnanam) cannot move down and the zero potential earth cannot rise. Brahmam projects half of its radiation as low potential to electrify the inert planet earth. Siva rules Heaven and Sakthi rules planet earth. Siva-Sakthi are personified names for high and low potentials.

The satellite Moon revolves round the earth picking signals from heaven and transmitting to the earth. Moon functions as a transponder linking sky and land.

All creation of living beings and materials produced are by fusion of high potential (Jnanam) and follow up action on earth by low potential Sakthi.

As long as Jnanam and Action stay apart in heaven and earth no creation is possible. On earth. Mind is to human what Moon is to Solar System. “Chandrama Manaso Jathah”. It means Mind is born of Moon. It is a curious creation of head and heart as an intermediary. Mind revolves around heart. In a manner like Moon, human mind, brings head (Knowledge) and heart (Action) close to each other.

They are brought together by mind at the point of Ego. Ego is a projection of inner Self (Soul) superimposed on heart. Ego reflects all the characteristic features of the Soul within the human body. The omnipresent Soul is at the substratum of self effulgent. Soul is flanked by Omniscient Siva and Omnipotent Sakthi. The former illumes all parts of body and becomes aware of them. Omnipotent Sakthi energizes all parts of the body and organs They act on the objects of nature and produces fruitful results. The fruit of action belongs to the owner who is the Soul.

Ego which is a projection of Soul cannot be different in its characteristic features whether in its thinking action or feeling namely ‘I know every thing’, ‘I act’ , and ‘I own them’ . This is respectively described in Sanskrit as ‘Aham Bhavam, Aham Karam and Mamata’. The projection of self awareness, self confidence and the feeling of ownership is EGO. It is wrapped in a name known as MAN. This is evolution of life within human that brings a change in the frame of mind after growth of child and attainment of maturity. He is now an adult. Hence it is assumed that man is born of mind. He is known as “Manujah” in Sanskrit. “Mann/Manas” is mind. Manujah means born of mind.

Man, Mind and Ego do not have any organs or physical existence in the body. They are only projection of inner Self beyond the human body. Mind transmits information/desire to egocentric man to respond to. Man is primarily assigned with the responsibility to outsource food for survival of the individual. This arrangement ensures the inner Self with uninterrupted supply of potentials substituting direct radiation from the Supreme Self. Man receives signals from mind whenever the internal System needs refueling. All functions within are looked after by Siva and Sakthi. Man is kept out of bounds and has no access to body within. He does know what goes inside except to respond to the demands transmitted by mind.

Man is exposed to nature. He enjoys freedom to move about and deal with plurality of objects and lives with other individuals in the society. He is the doer as well as the enjoyer of the fruit of action. All what he does no bearing the indweller.

Internal functions are looked after by Siva-Sakthi and the external ones managed by Man. They are exclusive of each other.

Man is totally ignorant of what goes on within the body. His field of activities is external to the individual to which he is connected. The parts played by immanent Siva-Sakthi within human body and the role of Man in the terrestrial world are very distinct and exclusive.

Soul Siva and Sakthi are ever awake radiating life knowledge and strength to act in the top world of Universe and the intermediate world of Solar System.

In the third world human, They never sleep or stop functioning during their stay in the body. They exit when body wears out and drops down. This is obvious.

Life is kept immanent in the human body by food consumed at regular intervals.

In case of any break-down in the supply of food for a short while, internal functions are carried on from knowledge stored in the memory and energy stored in the muscles. Hence, Siva-Sakthi are keen all the time to secure life in him. They need the body to create offspring. Siva-Sakthi are busy rejuvenating from fatigue recuperating from illness exhaustion and replacing dead cells in the body during night while Man sleeps. Body has to be kept in high fettle.

When Man wakes up at day break and stands up Siva-Sakthi lend support to him with knowledge from head and strength from heart to work with external organs in the outer world. Think of a situation in the world if Supreme Self stops radiation for a while. Human will face the same fate if Life in him ceases. Life in him has to be kept secure and running all through his life time.

When night falls Man lies flat horizontal to earth. The external organs made for the use of Man are withdrawn and rested. Body and organs cannot move or work while lying. In the absence of any signal from head, the mind screen is shut. The Ego-Centric-Man plunges into darkness and is unaware of what happens in and around to him. Man experiences a brief absence of radiation from his inner Soul when he is asleep.

That does not deter Siva-Sakthi from keeping busy inside the body. They turn their attention to repair the body and actively engage in creation of progeny within the human body when Man is in deep slumber.

Knowledge from head and reciprocal action from heart are the basic need for any creation. The truth is that no being or no product can be created unless they are connected at its two ends of the matter by Siva (positive knowledge/spirit from heaven) and Sakthi (negative strength from earth).

The matter is the essence from food to create progeny. The food consumed by the Male and female is same. Siva-Sakthi in one creates life in Male. They create receptacle in the Female. Creation of progeny is exclusively in the realm of divine Siva-Sakthi. The radiation of potentials (Jnanam) and action through Moon and Sun are concealed in a conduit. They create life in the material essence. The life is encased in the matter. They carry on their functions within human body secretly during dark night. Male and Female are only instrumental in the creation. They are in a state of total ignorance and oblivious to what happens in and around them.

At day break Man stands up perpendicular to the earth surface. This is due to a polarity change. He plants the legs with toes rooted firm on earth. His head is in touch with skyline. He establishes contact with heaven and earth. His body is a magneto-electric field. The effulgent Inner Self is switched on. Siva-Sakthi radiate potentials to the head and heart to Ego-Centric-Man. He acquires transcendental knowledge of objects study external circumstances and situation through sense organs. Man conceives from his memory the material object desired, its purpose, its image, design, the various parts etc., to be produced. His mind is as important to him as what is Moon to Solar System. It acts as an intermediary between head and heart picking up knowledge from head and transmitting heart to respond to the desire. The inducted knowledge from head and action proceeding from his heart focus on the same raw material. The legs make alternate steps to move forward. When one leg is connected to land line the other is air born. Legs transport him to the field of activity. One of the hands holds material, land locked in action, the other one which is air born gives finishing touch to the product. The organs of action work alternatively and create product. Pairs of organs are like alternate current that runs electrical equipment, This phenomenon is also applicable to sense organs of eyes, ears and nostrils. They jointly produce the desired object of utility.

It is noteworthy that the raw material used and the product made out are the same stuff. What has under gone is the change in their form and the utility.

The presence of Siva-Sakthi is not seen in the product produced. But for them the gadget produced would not exist. Man is only a reflection of the inner Self. He, therefore cannot give life to the products.

The distinction between creation of being by Siva-Sakthi within the body and production of material objects by Ego-Centric-Man outside the body is clear. Siva-Sakthi creates progeny inside the body. Man works outside the body and create material objects of utility. The study brings to notice the relation of Man with the Human to which he is attached. The truth is that Man is a projection of inner SELF superimposed on the heart. He is the last in the series of projection in the cog.

The evolution of life projected in Man is close to the Supreme Self. His achievements in the field of activities in this are astonishing, exemplary and wonderful. As mentioned above the part played by the Divine Siva-Sakthi is obscured. But for them, he would not have knowledge, strength and skill to act.

The evolution of life up to this point is associated with Prakriti. Beyond this stage, Life is inducted and lifted to its abode sans gross body.

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Is Global Criticism Possible?

A follow-up on the global novel based on a thoughtful piece at Design Observer on the future of architectural criticism by Nancy Levinson.  As Levinson writes in response to the challenges of reviewing the now infamous economy of global architecture:

How can a critic attain deep experience and comprehensive knowledge of a global field whose perceptual boundaries are ever expanding as the world grows more interconnected and as media channels proliferate like mad and propagate an infinitude of information — and yet whose significant works are ultimately three-dimensional, place-bound artifacts created to satisfy specific conditions and which require actual personal presence to know and understand?

For Levinson, architecture poses unique problems because the works under criticism are so bound by context, something that the tourist-like approach of architecture critics could never understand at anything other than a superficial level.

What struck me about Levinson’s piece was the way it applied to all cultural products today.  Literary works are as place bound as works of architecture and their increasingly global circulation means that reviewers will increasing not be able to attend to the time and place (and the language) that helped bring them to life.  Levinson suggests that the real key is to erase the model of the global critic, a superstar who can review the superstars to be replaced instead by local informants speaking (possibly) to a world stage.  But one could add the equal and opposite approach of foreign reviewers who have knowledge of localities which they translate back to a home audience.

The important point to both approaches is that unlike the globe-trotters speaking globally they rely on a form of translational understanding, of what it means to speak from one place to another.  It is not localism that is at stake here, as Levinson suggests, but incubating the values of translation, of translation that does not try to do away with geographic differences, but draw them out in the course of analysis.


Name Product:Dorsey Armstrong – Analysis and Critique: How to Engage and Write about Anything
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For thousands of years, writing has been a powerful way for us to communicate with one another, to share our distinct thoughts and ideas through the power of words. Even in today’s technologically saturated 21st century, we still express ourselves in writing almost every single day. And oftentimes, we write to argue our viewpoints, persuade others that we’re right, and share our unique experiences and perspectives.
But all writing—whether it’s a powerful essay, a persuasive letter, a detailed business report, or an autobiographical story—is at its most effective and memorable when it’s built on the fundamental critical and analytical skills that transform your words from “good” writing to “great” writing. Regardless of your subject, your goal, or your occasion, these skills are the heart and soul of engaging and effective writing. They include the ability to

organize your thoughts into a coherent piece that never leaves your reader behind;
make a persuasive argument rooted in solid facts;
draw on the styles and characteristics of various literary genres;
make responsible use of research materials and outside resources; and
avoid common grammatical errors that could cost you your credibility.

You’ll find the secrets to these and other concepts and methods for clear and strong writing in the 24 accessible and practical lectures of Analysis and Critique: How to Engage and Write about Anything. Delivered by Professor Dorsey Armstrong of Purdue University—whose work with students involves the art and craft of analytical and persuasive writing—this course immerses you in the elements of successful writing. With its engaging literary and everyday examples, inspirational prompts, and unforgettable insights,Analysis and Critique makes the perfect reference guide for both professional and casual writers.

Five Literary Genres, Endless Insights

One of the essential keys of effective writing: understanding literary genres and the ways their unique styles and characteristics can shape and inform your own voice. Professor Armstrong spends the first lectures of her course guiding you through the five major literary genres and the ways some of their most enduring examples can show you the path to stronger persuasive and critical writing.

Fiction: By learning how to actively read a range of short stories and novels by authors including Jane Austen, Ernest Hemingway, Edgar Allan Poe, and Charlotte Perkins Gilman, you’ll strengthen your ability to understand how a writer creates his or her “voice,” and how a writer conveys particular information to his or her audience.
Essay: Of all the literary genres, the essay is the richest resource for studying the characteristics of a powerfully written argument. You’ll discover how essays such as Jonathan Swift’s “A Modest Proposal” and Henry David Thoreau’s “Walden” demonstrate effective strategies for starting, organizing, supporting, and concluding your arguments.
Poetry: Somewhat surprisingly, poetry has much to offer nonpoetic writers looking to strengthen their craft—especially its command and flexibility. In examining the work of poets such as William Carlos Williams, John Donne, and e. e. cummings, you’ll learn how to tap into the power of figurative language, careful word choices, and dramatic word ordering.
Drama: Speeches, conference papers, and other writing intended for oral presentation offer their own set of challenges to everyday writers. By using selected excerpts by William Shakespeare, history’s greatest playwright, Professor Armstrong gives you invaluable tips for mastering the art of tone, timing, and delivery of writing meant to be spoken out loud.
Autobiography: Writing that draws on your life to achieve a goal or enhance your credibility isn’t as daunting as it may seem. Detailed looks at excerpts from autobiographies by Benjamin Franklin, Frederick Douglass, and others offer helpful hints about how much personal information to include, how to take the most effective approach, and more.

Frequently, the lectures are enhanced with writing prompts and practice examples—such as rewriting a passage in five different styles or writing an idea from different narrative perspectives—designed to help you better understand how to use and apply the insights found in these five genres.

Explore the Fundamentals of Rhetoric

From there, Analysis and Critique turns to a series of lectures that focus on the art of rhetoric (the foundation of argumentation) and the ways it can help you adapt your writing to a variety of different situations. And make the most of them.

Rhetorical ideas are so deeply woven into the fabric of Western culture that it’s easy to miss out on opportunities to maximize their benefits in your writing. Knowing this, Professor Armstrong not only explains them thoroughly but also shows you how to use them regularly and systematically to make your writing stronger and more persuasive. Some of the most applicable rhetorical concepts you explore in this part of the course include

deductive reasoning, a form of reasoning that moves from the knowledge you already have to the knowledge that has yet to be discovered and articulated;
commonplaces, which are well-known words and phrases that can easily communicate your theme or topic to your audience; and
pathos, which works to inspire emotion in your readers (particularly feelings of sympathy).

The increased awareness of classical rhetoric you gain from these particular lectures will go a long way to helping you become a stronger writer by calling your attention to the basics of compelling analytical writing. You may never use terms like “commonplaces” and “pathos” in your actual writing—but understanding how they work will enhance the importance of what you write and the way you write it.

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What about the act of writing itself, which can often be daunting to the most seasoned writer? You can be drafting a work presentation, a cover letter for a job application, an editorial for your local newspaper, or a persuasive letter for a public official—in any case, knowing how to approach the act itself can reap many rewards.

The final section of Analysis and Critique is a fascinating, step-by-step guide through the writing process. With her keen eye for providing helpful strategies and using real-world examples, Professor Armstrong provides answers to frequently asked questions about each of writing’s four major stages:

Researching: How do you determine what your research goals are? Where should you look for reliable sources of information? How do you narrow your research focus?
Writing a First Draft: How long does a productive brainstorming session last? Why is it OK to write a deliberately bad first draft? What are good ways to conquer writer’s block?
Editing: How long should you wait before you start editing your writing? How can you tell when you’ve used too many quotations? What grammatical errors should you watch out for?
Rewriting: What makes a rewrite different from an edit? What specifics should you pay attention to in rewriting? How do you recast supporting points to better fit your argument?

Writing Made Effective—and Fun
As a university professor with years of experience, the instructor of a general education writing course at Purdue University, and a distinguished editor, Professor Armstrong spends nearly every day in the company of writing—both good and bad. She knows which techniques work and which do not. She knows the common pitfalls, concerns, and fears that most writers have. And she knows just how important effective writing skills are in expressing yourself successfully to others.
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So tap into the power of effective writing with Analysis and Critique, and learn what it’s like to have a masterful and supportive instructor standing right by your side as you learn the ways to write about practically anything.

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Crystal Quest Story Synopsis

Cotton, a young and curious puffball, follows a mysterious star-shaped star to a meadow full of dozens and dozens of other puffballs. Afraid and confused, she's startled by a nearby Blade, who introduces himself and his team. After a brief introduction and history, their 'adventure team' invites Cotton to join them. She accepts and there are warm welcomes all around.

Chapter One: Mission One
Team 247 is sent their first task by Peanut the Waddle Dee. It's an escort mission to Whispy Woods. Their tag-a-long is a quirky Waddle Doo named Daisy. As the seven make their way to the center of the forest, Cotton learns a little bit about how Blade and Lilac met. When they arrive, however, things begin to get complicated. I wonder what Dark Matter is doing back in Dreamland...

Chapter Two: Finding Your Place
Saying the presence of Dark Matter in Dreamland is troubling is an understatement. I mean, it must be bad if Meta Knight shows up. Looks like he wants the team to see him at the castle in a couple of days. Meanwhile, everyone decides to show Cotton their abilities. How strange, it appears she doesn't have one. The next day, Cotton is sent to the castle while her teammates go on an emergency mission. After meeting THE Kirby, she suddenly realizes...It's a trap!

Chapter Three: Splitting Hairs
The original five of Team 247 are off on a mission when things get heated between Blade and Storm. What does it really take to be a leader? When Blade gets frustrated, he leaves the group alone, turning their attention to Cotton, who must now go console him. Sharing a sweet moment together, Cotton begins to wonder what she wants in life. Friendship? It's all new to her. Suddenly, the trap is sprung! Can the team defeat a possessed grizzo and settle their differences?

Chapter Four: Missing Pieces
Cotton lies awake at night, troubled by the small conversation she had with Meta Knight. And what of this magical crystal? Trying to ease her mind, she runs into little Azure, who asks for a bedtime story from a very old book. Waking up, she brushes aside the strange tale and helps Blade practice his sword skills. And after running a small errand, they receive another mysterious crystal. But wait, what could be so strange about a piece of jewelry?

Chapter Five: Small Blessings
It's flashback time! Storm and Lilac are off on a mission together, when the run into a wild little puffball. Or rather, she runs into them. When she makes off with the flower they were sent to retrieve, they chase her down in hope of getting it back. However, she really does need it, and for a good reason too. As Lilac tends to Leaf's sick blue friend, Storm begins to respect the wild one's knowledge of the forest. But then as disaster strikes the two little ones' home, the old grump learns that one must be quick on their feet to survive...

Chapter Six: For the Love of our Stars
Mail time at Castle Dedede! Or actually, it's more like a call for help. Team Love is in danger! And just when Blade and the others were arriving at the Castle! Never fear, he and Cotton can just tag along...to this creepy old castle, filled with traps, and someone very dangerous waiting for them to arrive.

Chapter Seven: Heartbreak

Chapter Eight: Elementary

Chapter Nine: Tragedy

Chapter Ten: Ancient Hearts

Chapter Eleven: Flowering Friendship

Chapter Twelve: Table of Elements


Saturday, 15 February 2014

Thrifed and sew by hand

Have you ever thrifted something just because it's hand sewn, no matter the fabric or the fit? Do the words"rescue me"sound in your head when you see something hand made in the midde of machine made garments?
The top I wear today is the perfect example. Poyester fabric and no perfect fit but  hand sewn with care and in a detailed way. Plus it was cheap(just 1euro) and the pattern is  cute with great mix possibillities.

*top hand sewn, thrifted *cardigan Zara *bead nekclace, thrifted *jeans nothing fancy(4years old and straightened by me) *bag thrifted *shoes old, cheap and unlucky choice but comfortable *brachelet local shop *earrings oh la la
Verdict: This top makes an easy remixer. With so many colors it's sure I will use it many times for new outfits.
Some other sewn tops I saved during the years....the first one is actually silk

  1. Yes, I do have an attraction to handmade items, too. I like the care that goes into them. xo

  2. You have a good eye for detail. My best buys (and bargains) are items that have the right colors. They don't have to be full outfits, a top to layer under a sweater or an accessory, those are the things that you end up wearing a lot in different combinations.


Nutrients for Muscle Pain

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Excessive exercise and exertion can cause muscle aches and pains due to the muscles being stretched further than normal. After exercise, if your muscles are not given the proper nutrients, they may not be able to fully repair themselves. This results in muscle soreness. Muscles that are not regularly used, may begin to shorten and can lead to stiffness. According to the National Institutes of Health, proper nutrition can help to prevent and relieve muscle soreness.

omega 3According to an article in the “Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine,” the consumption of omega-3 fatty acids can improve muscle soreness following exercise. Omega-3 fats are essential fatty acids in the body that can play a role in reducing inflammation. Reducing inflammation will help reduce muscle soreness and stiffness. Omega-3s can be taken as a supplement form or consumed through your diet. Omega-3s are found in fish, such as salmon, herring and rainbow trout. Other sources include walnuts, flaxseed and flaxseed oil.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is essential for maintaining proper calcium metabolism. A deficiency of vitamin D can cause muscle weakness and pain in children and adults. Vitamin D can be made in the skin upon proper exposure to sunlight or it can be obtained from your diet, including canned pink salmon, fortified cow’s milk, fortified cereals and egg yolks. A supplement may also be taken if not enough vitamin D is gained from food or sunlight.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is an antioxidant that helps to support immune functions and helps protect against colds and infections. Used to create connective tissue, Vitamin C can also help reduce pain and relieve muscle soreness. Sources of vitamin C include citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons and limes.


自紹介:私について (Self intro-about me)

Hi all!

My name is Katherine Shute, but please feel free to call me Katie or Kate, whichever you like best. I’m a second semester freshman here at AC, and I currently intend to major in East Asian Studies (thus my title being in Japanese; I also just wanted it to stand out a little), but that may change later. I’m from San Antonio, TX, and am honestly finding Sherman to be extremely small and boring (no offense to those who love Sherman).

I chose to take this class for several reasons. My high school offered AP Psych, and I always wanted to take it, but never had time. I’ve also always been interested in understanding why brains work the way they do, and why people behave in certain ways. The last reason is that I thought I had a full course load for this semester, but one of my classes only counts for half a credit, so I needed to add another class to keep financial aid and figured, hey, why not psychology? (Thanks Dr. MacFarlane!)

I associate the word “psychology” with a lot of things. Couches, waiting rooms, medication, frustration, and hatred of Freud are the first things that come to mind, but also vague images from stock photos of brains and neurons. I also get images of people recovering from various things, the causes behind effects, and understanding (of what? Not sure.).

The most interesting parts of the syllabus, to me, were classical conditioning (always found it fascinating), theories of intelligence (I know there’s more than one way to be smart, I just need more information), and mood disorders and anxiety (I have an anxiety disorder, and understanding my own brain seems to be rather useful). The ones that didn’t really jump out to me were concussions, drugs and alcohol, and neurons, as I already know some stuff about neurons and just plain am not interested in the other two.

One question I would like to have answered by the end of this semester is: Will I be able to get myself together enough to get a decent grade?


circa 40,000 BCE — the earliest boats are invented

What we do know is that, at the very latest, humans arrived in Australia having traveled by boat approximately 40,000 years ago. So that’s when I’ve placed the date of the earliest boats, even though it was, in all probability, quite some time earlier.


In 1987, Harvey Wheeler, then Martha Boaz Distinguished Research Professor, University Library, University of Southern California, laid out the future of the book and the library in The Virtual Society, one of the first e-books, and distributed it as shareware. Read this especially brilliant excerpt to see what I mean. For the full text, click here: Download The Virtual Society

The Brain's Third Hemisphere

By Harvey Wheeler

This title is an intentional misnomer. Obviously a thing cannot consist of three hemispheres. Nor does this mean that the computer works like our mind. Rather, it portrays the computer as an auxiliary mind to our own; a supplement to the brain's two hemispheres. Hence the the anomaly: the computer as a "third" hemisphere to the brain.

Rod, scroll, codex and book were all archival interfaces with the brain. We feel certain they affected its operations but it is not possible to say with confidence exactly how. They all operated as transducers between the brain's perceptions and its processing of those perceptions.

We know from Marshall McLuhan that each medium affects the message it conveys. Each previous technological interface has influenced in some way the evolution of mind. Today the Boolean Revolution is installing a new channel between the outside world and our inside world, and vice versa. The following discussion explores some of the cognitive implications of this new way of channeling information.

How is human cognitive evolution affected by electronics? There are several things to be said. Some are curious. The computer is a new semiotic channel. When it processes information it changes that information. Many of today's scholars are studying just what these changes are. Consider, for example, the hunt-and-browse method of research one does when actually working in library stacks. Compare this to the Boolean search procedures one uses when doing computer assisted research. This change is bound make a difference in the knowledge produced, but as yet we do not know in what way. Michael Heim and several associates are now studying this problem on an electronic research taskforce on the USC Virtual Academy.

If human memory changes fundamentally so does the human mind. Every one of the four semiotic revolutions of chapter two changed the nature of human memory. The computer, like the dialogue-poem; the manuscript-text; and the lecture-book will change how memory works.

Consider the enormous demands made upon human memory in pre-literate, oral cultures. Recall the tales of the incredibly long and complex musical scores committed to memory by those who play the classical Indian Ragas. The "books" of the Rigveda are really musical scores, organized as ritual hymns and chants. They abound throughout with arcane numerological references. It is an alien literature to us. However, this very combination of music, word and number was characteristic of all the main wisdom literatures of antiquity. We are accustomed to texts that employ complex graphs, tables, and charts. We believe an argument is lacking a factual foundation if it does not have them. Yet we are dumbfounded by Plato's musicological calculation that the tyrant is 729 times more unhappy than the just ruler.

Part of the explanation of ancient semiotic technologies is that they provided a way to construct effective mnemonic (memorizing) systems. The high cultures of antiquity had highly complex structures and conducted meticulously organized operations. They did it without correspondence files or double-entry bookkeeping, and lacking xerography. They did it by combining rudimentary notation systems - like markings on clay rods and in scrolls - with highly effective mnemonic systems.

Recall once more that ancient mnemonics was based on an imaginary archival temple of the mind in which everything to be memorized was classified and then stored, figuratively in specific and conventionalized places (topoi) of an imaginary temple whose function was to aid in the archiving of data. This art-of-memory" technique permits committing and saving to memory -storing and retrieving - records and texts of enormous length. This classification and placement system later became the basis of systematic thought in Aristotle's TOPICS, which one interpreter translated as "pigeon-holes" from which arguments were drawn. That capability of the mind of times past was something like the storage and retrieval capability of the computer. The mnemonics-assisted mind of the past has a clear resonance with the computer-assisted mind of the present.

We now speak in awe of people with prodigious photographic (visual) memories. They can remember from one look every thing on a series of printed pages. The ancients celebrated those who had prodigious audial memories. They were the ones who carried the society's software around in their heads. They were the ones who preserved and handed on the society's religious and governmental archives.

The Torah records such a society. The "wisdom peoples" had minds that worked differently from those of the "Gutenberg peoples," who succeeded them, and also from the "Boolean peoples" who are now evolving.

Computer word processing does a strange thing to memory. The mind surreptitiously decides not to remember certain kinds of things because they are always available rapidly in the computer's electronic storage base.

Of course in actual fact this is not always true. Programs crash, they get garbled, they require debugging. But nonetheless, we behave as if the computer will always keep its head on straight.

The computer, when it is used as a processor or an outliner, or an organizer, becomes an extension of our memory in a more organic sense than this is usually taken to mean. Let me give an illustration.

This deals with a relatively trivial matter: the use of a computer desktop appointments calendar like Sidekick or PolyWindows DeskPlus. When I use an electronic calendar I literally do use it as a substitute for the conventional notepad desk appointments calendar.

When I enter an appointment into memory I know that appointment is stored in the computer's memory. The action seems just like "storing" an entry in a conventional appointments notebook.

It is not. The difference is that when I enter dates on paper they somehow remain in my mind. A notebook entry goes right into my own memory. I may not recall the date precisely, still, it is a part of my awareness and I behave and adjust my on-going time commitments with the ready awareness of those future appointments and obligations written on paper and stored in the subconscious mind.

An electronic calendar does a curious thing. An appointment entered into the computer's memory is not like a handwritten entry in a notepad. The computer entry somehow does not automatically go into one's own long-term memory. Instead, we seem to consider the computer entry AS IF it were in fact an entry into our own memories, literally so.

As a result, we feel it is not necessary to keep track of our appointments mentally the same way we did mentally with notepad entries. It FEELS as if we are already keeping track of them. That is, the computer feels to us as if it is an auxiliary hemisphere of our own minds.

Of course, this euphoria does not last long. Entries get wrongly entered. Files get mistakenly erased. Hard disks crash. Its sectors get mutilated. Some mornings we let the third hemisphere "sleep in" and don't fire up the computer and check its calendar. There's sometimes hell to pay for that foolish impulse. We've all forgotten several appointments merely from I assuming that our own memories would keep track of appointments for us just like they always had in paper-and-pencil days. We were wrong.

Many of those lapses would not have occurred if we had entered appointments in a regular paper-and-pencil note book. The mind would have kept itself alertly on "monitor."

Gradually we grow more cautious and less trusting of the third hemisphere. But this adjustment only modifies, it does not erase, the computer's cognitive influence on us.

Although we cannot explain this new auxiliary brain it is possible to draw a preliminary conclusion about it. This is that the computer does become a "virtual" third hemisphere "inside" the mind, almost the same way one of the new 80386 computers may contain a virtual 8086 PC inside itself. The mind seems to recognize this new virtual brain; to welcome it and treat it as part of itself.

This leads to the proposition that the computer produces in us a kind of seventh sense.

Recall what is usually said about the so-called sixth sense. It is spoken of as a kind of intuitive awareness that exists subliminally, beneath the threshold of conscious perception. It is a height-ened sensitivity to certain kinds of experiences. It is an informal projection capacity that gives us an alarm and tells us to be careful; things are going wrong and we'd better recheck and plan things better.

It is the sense the scientist has when he feels that one approach to a problem is better than another; or when his intuition tells him that a conclusion or a proposition is sound, and that its alternatives are wrong.

It is that diagnostic sense possessed by the gifted physician; the same symptoms that baffle others lead him or her to a conclusion others missed.

All these examples indicate that the sixth sense is an informal, or subliminal ordering process in which information is taken in and subconsciously processed in such a way that a pattern emerges and asserts itself to our conscious mind. This is what we often mean by a "professional" judgment. It is an A/I faculty that comes from long experience, practice, and expertise. It induces in us the subconcsiousness awareness of the implicit pattern in a situation.

It is a Gestalt, in the figure/ground sense. When some parts of a picture read wrong our minds are alerted to the wrongness in the picture even though we are not aware of having figured out logically what is wrong. Arthur Koestler has a good description of this process in THE ACT OF CREATION.

Brain theorists like Michael Arbib are beginning to explain how this may happen in the brain.

The sixth sense deals with metaphors and patterns. It is essentially a right brain activity.

Contrast the sixth sense with the left brain auxiliary provided us by the computer.

My proposition is that the computer activates a new seventh sense that emerges from its tendency to function as a third hemisphere of the brain. This is illustrated by the way the electronic calendar over-rides and disables long term memory and substitutes its own memory for the processes of the left brain.

A further development of the idea of the computer as an auxiliary brain leads to an even more arresting conclusion. It changes the creative process.

Consider what happens when it is more than merely an address or a telephone number that is being stored. Suppose you have just composed a document by a computer.

Compare that with composing the same text on a typewriter. When we compose on a typewriter we make a typographical picture of ideas in our head. Those ideas remain in the head. They are possessions of the mind. They are memory-resident ideas. The paper in the typewriter does not own them. We feel about the paper that it is merely a copy of what we are thinking about that topic. The paper is the "positive" and the memory-resident essay in the mind is the "negative."

Even when we have taken the page from the typewriter, revised it and re-written it to better express our thoughts, the revised draft does not own our thoughts, the mind still does. The page is a rough draft. We keep using liquid paper to white out passages we don't like. We then re-write them onto that same draft even though it is avowedly a "rough" one.

Suppose we carefully correct an avowed rough draft. We feel that doing this emphasizes the secondary "positive" aspects of the typescript. The moment the mind knows a better way to express its thoughts it tells us to change the "positive" to reflect that new state of the mental "negative," even though we could just as easily wait for the next draft to do so.

Now consider the difference when we use an electronic word processor. As we sit there and type the words appear on the screen. The screen seems like the page in my typewriter. The parallel between the two is a direct one. However, that parallel begins to break down because of two other features.

One of them is the printer. The computer printer appears to be the analog of the typewriter. It is not. On a typewriter, only a metal printing bar intervenes between my fingers and the printing action. On a computer there is first the software, then the screen, next the computer's internal processor and finally, the printer's own electronic control system.

The second breakdown in the analogy to the typewriter is seen in the computer's screen. It is like the page in the typewriter only in that it is where we first see words appear. In every other sense it is different.

We have considered the typed copy of our thoughts as the "positive" from a photographic negative that still resides in the mind which is the true owner of the written thoughts.

When we talk about the copy made by the computer we call it a "print-out." There is no doubt that it is a copy of what resides in the computer's memory. It is the hard copy of the soft copy that remains in the computer's mind, which functions as our own mind's auxiliary. This constitutes a new negative and it resides in a different hemisphere of the mind from the hemisphere that originated it.

That is the difference. The original version of the typewriter copy resides in the same hemisphere that created it in the first place.

The original version of the computer printer print out resides in two hemispheres; one in the computer and one in the mind. Continuing the anology to photography, we have: the printer's positive of the computer's negative of the super- negative of our mind.

A strange thing has happened in moving from the typewriter to sit down at an electronic word processor. As we sit there and type, the words appear on the screen, not on paper. That screen projects an image of thoughts as if they were shown there by a back-screen projector. But the screen is like the typewriter page in the sense that the words it shows do not belong to it, but to the thoughts behind it which it reflects. The parallel between page and screen is direct, except for the fact that the computer intervenes between our thoughts and the screen. The computer is their interface, once removed.

All interfaces are transducers -- conduits -- that affect what they transmit. The typewriter is the interface between thought and page. Compare it to writing with pen and ink. How qaint it seems to look at the old manuscripts of the texts of Dickens' novels. It is hard to imagine writing and revising with such inflexible materials. But authors used pen and ink well into this century, and many still do. Some lawyers are quite victorian about composing on their long legal pads. Students of this matter have analyzed the difference it has made when writing shifted to the typewriter. The more recent shift to the tape recorder for making rough drafts has had another, mostly noxious, effect on the ultimate text.

Textually and compositionally electronic pages are infinitely more manipulable than are typewritten pages. I can suspend my adoption of a thought while I recombine it with new ones, or re-order its logical sequence or its narrative position. Or I can restore it instantly as it was if the new order does not satisfy. Textually and compositionally electronic pages are infinitely fungible. My brain is commanding the manipulation but it cannot conceive in advance what it will think of the new order. The computer is permitting it to accomplish constructional tasks it could not otherwise accomplish.

The result is a new order of constructional thought. I know this because I am aware that as I keyboard my thoughts into the computer I am become aware, right at the beginning of an act of writing, of the new secret of the fungibility of my ideas. I know, even as I write them, that they are destined for revision, transformation and relocation. So these screened texts are much more fluid by nature than are the texts of a typescript. Being fluid in this new way they are much more like the status of my thoughts in my own mind than are the thoughts typed onto a typewriter page. This fact is further modified or amplified, or implified, by the fact that when these ideas are committed to memory, they are not committed to MY memory. They are committed to the computer's memory. I know they are in that memory. I know that there is in that memory a directory, a mode of accessing all its classified files, and that each file is potentially relatable to each other as if there were some David Bohm type of holographic text-oriented database system inside the computer, able to instantiate the infinite "implicate orders" of my thoughts on command, or "" Because of course, there are text-oriented databse systems like NOTEBOOK II and MEMORYMATE that can execute exactly such global retrieval commands.

I also know that my thoughts exist in the computer's memory in a much more precise way than their originals ever existed, or could ever exist in my own memory. This despite the fact that it was my mind that put them into the condition they have inside the computer's memory. The reason for this is that although they are essentially in my own memory, they are not really memory-resident.

Suppose I accidentally lose a typescript. No matter how hard I try I cannot recapitulate from my mind word for word the precise texts the way they reside in the memory of the computer's hard disk. So there is a difference between the two memories. So long as I faithfully run my backups, the computer's memory of my thoughts is better than my own and more trustworthy and easier to work with than is my own.

If I start out to reconstruct a lost document from memory I must go back and begin it all over again. I must work out the essential ideas once again. I must re-design the organization, much as I originally had to. As I do this, and as I start writing again, many of the same words and phrases, and perhaps most of the same general ideas, will flood back and flow onto the printed page exactly as they were in the original. By no means all of them are recaptured, however. Moreover, those old thoughts will be re-edited as I write. A number of new ones will be added. New ways of expression will come to mind. Newly developed notions will creep in and impose themselves on the original text. So, unless I make an extremely rigorous effort to ignore all new ideas, I end up with a completely different manuscript. Even if I try, and succeed fairly well at keeping to the job of reproducing the original text as accurately as possible, if I had hidden the original text instead of having lost it, and then fished it out and compared it with the new one, there would be enormous differences. This merely underscores the difference between my memory and the computer's because the computer is going to bring back that memory exactly as I deposited it. It may "crash" out, technologically, but if it is recalled at all it will be recalled perfectly and I will never have any doubt about its complete fidelity to the original I deposited.

I admire the computer's brain and rely upon it, but this means that I have a new auxiliary to my own brain. The screen that shows the computer's memory to me will help me do anything I want with that text, at any time I want. So I am given a considerably enhanced control over my ideas. My ideas are no longer dependent upon the intrinsic biological capacities of my memory system. They have acquired a new facility and a new capacity. In a sense this is as if the computer had put a new archival function inside my brain where I can use it as an auxiliary to operate more of a letter perfect memory system than the one I was born with. I possess a new "virtual archive". This frees my biological brain for considerably more elaborate archival functions and hence facilitates me to do much more sophisticated craft work on my ideas.

My third, archival hemisphere operates as if it were really a part of my brain. The main difference is that it is completely docile and tractable. It does not engage in the headstrong willfulness and trickery that my biological brain sometimes does. This is not a defect in my biological brain and is instead the source of much creativity. However it would be a defect if in my archival brain. Nor does the archival brain atrophy my biological brain. For my computer's brain is not, as yet, a stand-alone brain. As an archival extention of my own brain it permits me to operate at a higher level than would otherwise be possible.

This allows me to be an "over-rider" as well as a thought maker. I can over-ride the auxiliary brain system that has been added to my biological brain. Becoming an over-rider has curious consequences. For one thing, I am an over-rider of a new mind, which is me plus my 3rd hemisphere. That puts me in a higher position, promoting my mind to a higher status.

Remember the three semiotic revolutions of chapter one. Today we are at the fourth. My mind is just beginning to learn how to use its new fourth stage archival functions. I sit at my stage four computer and process the ideational and constructional activities of my mind in a new way. This will change the human mind as surely as did the rod, scroll, codex and book.

Indeed it also seems possible that we are now developing a new thought-consciousness. Our intuitive awareness of this fact accounts, I believe, for the characteristic love affair people come to have with their computers. To the outsider they are "computer nuts" or "nerds." The outsider can never understand one thing the present analysis makes clear. People who fall in love with their computers are really falling in love with their own minds, and the stunning new Boolean capabilities it makes possible.

The proposition is that a new dimension of the mind, and therefore a new human archival mind, may now be emerging as a result of the Boolean Revolution. The effect of creating a 3rd hemisphere is to create for the mind a virtual archive to assist the brain's higher reflexional operations. Potentially it has all the capabilities on the personal level that the virtual library has on the institutional level.

Many of the pundits at Harvard and Berkeley now claim that America is finished. Certainly there are many objective signs that this is so. America's industrial decline is alarming. The nation is technically bankrupt. Social, educational and health services have been reduced to the level of a second class nation. Illiteracy and poverty are spreading. A college education is beyond the means of the poor. The proportion of our national income devoted to pure science is declining. Fractionated families outnumber intact ones. A large proportion of infants spend babyhood in institutional babycare centers.

Participation in the electoral process threatens to decline below 50% of our adult citizens. In our literature, picaresque and violent heroes have supplanted straight-arrow exemplary models. There is a communication disjunction between the political elite and the intellectual elite. The bright human-itarian promise of mid century seems irreparably shattered. As the 20th century draws to its close there is a widespread mal de siecle. All these are signs of trouble. Many have characterized prior times of trouble. St. Augustine voiced similar sentiments about his own times, consolidating as he wrote the Codex Revolution. Bacon foresaw the outbreak of revolution from the north, consolidating as he wrote the Gutenberg Revolution.

Today there is one domain that remains vital, vibrant and on the verge of a progressive expansion. The archival function seems about to generate a new stage in human cognitive evolution. It should be clear from the foregoing chapters that I believe it will have an impact as revolutionary as did the Baconian revolution.


Australian Rubber Moulding Manufacturer   Call Kelseal Rubber 02 9600 6342

O-ring application guide

Compound Operating Temperature Range Chemical Compatibility
OK Not Recommended
Nitrile Rubber also known as Acrylonitrile-Butadiene (NBR) and Buna N. The acrylonitrile content varies between 18 and 50% and influences the physical properties of the finished product. A higher Nitrile content enhances resistance to fuel and oil but elasticity and resistance to compression set is adversely affected Heat Resistance - up to 100°C
Cold Flexibility
- between -34°C and -57°C depending on the compound

Aliphatic Hydrocarbons (propane, butane, petroleum oil, mineral oils and greases, diesel fuel and fuel oil); Dilute acid, alkali and salt solutions at ambient temperatures; water up to 100°C with the right compound Fuels with a high aromatic content; aromatic hydrocarbons (benzene); Chlorinated hydrocarbons (Trichlorethylene); Polar solvents (ketone, acetone, acetic acid, ethylene ester); strong acids; glycol-based brake fluids; ozone, atmospheric weathering
Hydrogenated Nitrile Rubber also known as Highly Saturated Nitrile Rubber (HNBR). It is achieved by hydrogenated NBR. Greatly improved wear and extrusion resistance over standard NBR. Good chemical compatibility and can be used with oils which have aggressive additives. Has an extended high temperature range. Heat Resistance - up to 150°C
Cold Flexibility
- down to -35°C

Mineral oil-based hydraulic fluids, animal and vegetable fats, diesel fuel, ozone, sour gas, dilute acids and bases. Ketones, Ethers, Organic acids.
Neoprene also known as Chloroprene Rubber. Chloroprene was the first synthetic rubber developed commercially and exhibits generally good resistance to chemicals, ozone and weathering. Its main use is to seal refrigerants.

Heat Resistance - up to 120°C
Cold Flexibility
- down to approximately -40°C
Water at low temperatures; refrigerants; ammonia; carbon dioxide; improved ozone, weathering and ageing resistance compared with Nitrile Aromatic hydrocarbons (benzene); chlorinated hydrocarbons (trichlorethylene); polar solvents (ketones, esters, ethers, acetone)
Hypalon® is a DuPont™ trade name for Chlorosulfonated polyethylene rubber. Has good Ozone resistance, colour stability, chemical resistance, wear and abrasion resistance and high impact resistance. Heat Resistance - up to 121°C
Cold Flexibility
- down to -25°C

Ozone, hydrocarbon oils and fuel exposure, sodium hypochlorite, sodium peroxide, ferric chloride, sulphuric acid, chromic acid, hydrofluoric acid, salt solutions, alcohols, alkalies and water. Aliphatic, aromatic, chlorinated hydrocarbons, aldehydes and ketones.
Ethylene Propylene Rubber (EPDM) has broad support due to its resistance to phosphate ester type hydraulic fluids. Heat Resistance - up to 149°C
Cold Flexibility
- down to -40°C
Phosphate ester based hydraulic fluids; water and steam to 204°C; dilute acids and alkalies; ketones; alcohol; automotive brake fluids Petroleum oils; di-ester based lubricants
Silicone Rubber covers a group of compounds that has vinyl-methyl-silicone (VMQ) as the main ingredient. Silicone elastomers have relatively low tensile strength and poor tear and abrasion resistance. However they exhibit good heat and weathering resistance as well as good insulating and physiologically neutral properties. Heat Resistance - up to 200°C
Cold Flexibility
- down to -55°C
Hot air; engine and transmission oils; animal and vegetable oils and greases; brake fluid; fire-resistant hydraulic fluids; moderate water resistance Superheated water/steam; acids and alkalies aromatic mineral oils; hydrocarbon based fuels; aromatic hydrocarbons
Fluorosilicone rubber (FVMQ) is generally used for static seals only due to poor dynamic qualities. Excellent low temperature resistance. Commonly used in aviation nose cones and door seals. Heat Resistance - up to 230°C
Cold Flexibility
- down to -60°C

Dilute acids, alcohols, dilute alkalies, animal & vegetable oils, diester oils, some esters, fuel, halogenated solvents, LP Gases & Fuel oils, mineral oils, refrigerant ammonia, silicone oil, solvent resistance, ozone, flame resistant, radiation, sunlight, water and weather resistant. Abrasion resistance, tear resistance, aldehydes, amines, brake fluids, some esters, ketones, solvents.
Fluorocarbon (FKM/FPM) commonly known by its DuPont™ trade name, Viton®. These materials are noted for their high resistance to temperatures and chemicals. They have excellent resistance to ageing and ozone and very low gas permeability that makes them suited to vacuum applications. Heat Resistance - up to 200°C
Cold Flexibility
- down to approximately -40°C
Mineral oil and greases (low swelling in standard oil tests); silicon, mineral and vegetable oils and greases; aliphatic hydrocarbons (propane, butane natural gas); aromatic hydrocarbons (benzene, toluene); chlorinated hydrocarbons (carbon tetrachloride, trichlorethylene); fuels incl high methanol content; high vacuum work Glycol based brake fluids; ammonia gas; amines and alkalies; superheated steam; low molecular weight organic acids (eg formic, acetic)
Viton® Extreme™ Heat Resistance - up to 200°C

There are several different compounds available to suit most applications, please contact Fluid Seals for further information on the right compound for your application.
Aflas® (Tetrafluoroethelene propylene - TFE/P) Aflas® is Asahi Glass Co. trade name for a non-conventional fluoroelastomer (FKM) material which has a different chemical structure than other FKM’s. It has significant advantages over FKM’s, Aflas® exhibits excellent heat resistance; 3 months @ 230°C, 30 days @ 260°C and intermittent tolerance @ +300°C. Heat Resistance - up to 300°C
Cold Flexibility - down to 0°C

Oils and lubricants, hydraulic fluids, brake fluids, transmission fluids, power steering fluids, sour oil and gas, amine corrosion inhibitors, ozone and weathering, solvents, steam and hot water, acids, bases, oxidizing agents, bleaches, pulp and paper liquors, insecticides, herbicides, gamma radiation and alcohols. High aromatic fluids (Toluene), non-polar solvents, ethers, ketones, some chlorinated solvents, organic acetates, most Freon’s and acetic acid.
Perfluoroelastomer (FFKM) exhibit the best heat and chemical resistance of all elastomers. Common brands are Kalrez®, Chemraz®, Isolast® and Perlast®. Heat Resistance - up to 327°C

There are several different compounds available to suit most applications, please contact us for further information on any of these compounds.
Other materials used for O-rings include, PTFE (universally noted for its chemical resistance but difficult to install due to minimal elasticity); FEP encapsulated (FEP is similar to PTFE and is used to cover Viton® or silicone O-rings to offer the chemical inertness of PTFE with some elasticity)


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Langue: en

Version: 369573 (fedora - 01/12/10)

Section: 1 (Commandes utilisateur)

gmtselect - Select data subsets based on multiple spatial criteria

gmtselect [ infiles ] [ -Amin_area[/min_level/max_level][+r|l][ppercent] ] [ -C[f]dist/ptfile ] [ -Dresolution[+] ] [ -Fpolygonfile ] [ -H[i][nrec] ] [ -I[cflrs] ] [ -Jparameters ] [ -L[p]dist/linefile ] [ -Nmaskvalues[o] ] [ -Rwest/east/south/north[r] ] [ -V ] [ -Zmin/max] ] [ -:[i|o] ] [ -b[i|o][s|S|d|D[ncol]|c[var1/...]] ] [ -f[i|o]colinfo ] [ -m[i|o][flag] ]

gmtselect is a filter that reads (longitude, latitude) positions from the first 2 columns of infiles [or standard input] and uses a combination of 1-6 criteria to pass or reject the records. Records can be selected based on whether or not they are 1) inside a rectangular region (-R [and -J]), 2) within dist km of any point in ptfile, 3) within dist km of any line in linefile, 4) inside one of the polygons in the polygonfile, 5) inside geographical features (based on coastlines), or 6) has z-values within a given range. The sense of the tests can be reversed for each of these 6 criteria by using the -I option. See option -: on how to read (latitude,longitude) files.
ASCII (or binary, see -b) data file(s) to be operated on. If not given, standard input is read.

No space between the option flag and the associated arguments.
Pass all records whose location is within dist of any of the points in the ASCII file ptfile. If dist is zero then the 3rd column of ptfile must have each point's individual radius of influence.Distances are Cartesian and in user units; specify -fg to indicate spherical distances in km. Use -Cf to indicate you want flat Earth distances (quicker but approximate) rather than geodesic distances (slower but exact). If ELLIPSOID is spherical then geodesics become great circles (faster to compute than geodesic). Alternatively, if -R and -J are used then geographic coordinates are projected to map coordinates (in cm, inch, m, or points, as determined by MEASURE_UNIT) before Cartesian distances are compared to dist.
Ignored unless -N is set. Selects the resolution of the coastline data set to use ((f)ull, (h)igh, (i)ntermediate, (l)ow, or (c)rude). The resolution drops off by ~80% between data sets. [Default is l]. Append + to automatically select a lower resolution should the one requested not be available [abort if not found]. Note that because the coastlines differ in details it is not guaranteed that a point will remain inside [or outside] when a different resolution is selected.
Pass all records whose location is within one of the closed polygons in the multiple-segment file polygonfile. For spherical polygons (lon, lat), make sure no consecutive points are separated by 180 degrees or more in longitude. Note that polygonfile must be in ASCII regardless of whether -b is used.
Reverses the sense of the test for each of the criteria specified:
       c select records NOT inside any point's circle of influence.
       f select records NOT inside any of the polygons.

       l select records NOT within the specified distance of any line.

       r select records NOT inside the specified rectangular region.

       s select records NOT considered inside as specified by -A -D -N.

       z select records NOT within the range specified by -Z.
More details can be found in the psbasemap man pages.

-Jclon0/lat0/scale (Cassini)
-Jj[lon0/]scale (Miller)
-Juzone/scale (UTM - Universal Transverse Mercator)

-Jh[lon0/]scale (Hammer)
-Ji[lon0/]scale (Sinusoidal)
-Jkf[lon0/]scale (Eckert IV)
-Jn[lon0/]scale (Robinson)
-Jr[lon0/]scale (Winkel Tripel)
-Jv[lon0/]scale (Van der Grinten)
-Jw[lon0/]scale (Mollweide)

Pass all records whose location is within dist of any of the line segments in the ASCII multiple-segment file linefile. If dist is zero then the 2nd column of each sub-header in the ptfile must have each lines's individual distance value.Distances are Cartesian and in user units; specify -fg to indicate spherical distances in km. If ELLIPSOID is spherical then geodesics become great circles (faster to compute than geodesic). Alternatively, if -R and -J are used then geographic coordinates are projected to map coordinates (in cm, inch, m, or points, as determined by MEASURE_UNIT) before Cartesian distances are compared to dist. Use -Lp to ensure only points whose orthogonal projections onto the nearest line-segment fall within the segments endpoints [Default considers points "beyond" the line's endpoints.
Pass all records whose location is inside specified geographical features. Specify if records should be skipped (s) or kept (k) using 1 of 2 formats:

Append o to let points exactly on feature boundaries be considered outside the feature [Default is inside]. [Default is s/k/s/k/s (i.e., s/k), which passes all points on dry land].
Pass all records whose 3rd column (z) lies within the given range. Input file must have at least three columns. To indicate no limit on min or max, specify a hyphen (-). If your 3rd column is absolute time then remember to supply -f2T.
Special formatting of input and/or output columns (time or geographical data). Specify i or o to make this apply only to input or output [Default applies to both]. Give one or more columns (or column ranges) separated by commas. Append T (absolute calendar time), t (relative time in chosen TIME_UNIT since TIME_EPOCH), x (longitude), y (latitude), or f (floating point) to each column or column range item. Shorthand -f[i|o]g means -f[i|o]0x,1y (geographic coordinates).
Multiple segment file(s). Segments are separated by a special record. For ASCII files the first character must be flag [Default is '>']. For binary files all fields must be NaN and -b must set the number of output columns explicitly. By default the -m setting applies to both input and output. Use -mi and -mo to give separate settings to input and output. The -m option make sure that segment headers in the input files are copied to output, but it has no effect on the data selection. Selection is always done point by point, not by segment.

This note applies to ASCII output only in combination with binary or netCDF input or the -: option. See also the note below.

Unless you are using the -: option, selected ASCII input records are copied verbatim to output. That means that options like -foT and settings like D_FORMAT and OUTPUT_DEGREE_FORMAT will not have any effect on the output. On the other hand, it allows selecting records with diverse content, including character strings, quoted or not, comments, and other non-numerical content.

If options -C or -L are selected then distances are Cartesian and in user units; use -fg to imply spherical distances in km and geographical (lon, lat) coordinates. Alternatively, specify -R and -J to measure projected Cartesian distances in map units (cm, inch, m, or points, as determined by MEASURE_UNIT).
This program has evolved over the years. Originally, the -R and -J were mandatory in order to handle geographic data, but now there is full support for spherical calculations. Thus, -J should only be used if you want the tests to be applied on projected data and not the original coordinates. If -J is used the distances given via -C and -L are projected distances.

To extract the subset of data set that is within 300 km of any of the points in pts.d but more than 100 km away from the lines in lines.d, run

gmtselect lonlatfile -fg -C300/pts.d -L100/lines.d -Il > subset

Here, you must specify -fg so the program knows you are processing geographical data (otherwise 300 would be interpreted as Cartesian distance in x-y units instead of km).

To keep all points in data.d within the specified region, except the points on land (as determined by the high-resolution coastlines), use

gmtselect data.d -R120/121/22/24 -Dh -Nk/s > subset

To return all points in quakes.d that are inside the spherical polygon lonlatpath.d, try

gmtselect quakes.d -Flonlatpath.d -fg > subset1

To return all points in stations.d that are within 5 cm of the point in origin.d for a certain projection, try

gmtselect stations.d -Forigin.d -R20/50/-10/20 -JM20c > subset2

gmtdefaults(1), GMT(1), grdlandmask(1), pscoast(1)
Si le serveur avait été payant, il me permettrait de stocker
500 gigas de données, et serait beaucoup plus rapide
étant donné qu'il y aurait toute une équipe de soutien
et de développement derrière. Mais bon... Je suis tout
de même heureux qu'il soit là. Reste à faire en sorte
qu'un couillon n'aille pas voir les sources pour en reprendre
les 3/4 et en faire une version payante, comme Billou.
Je suis aussi au chômage à cause de ces mentalités.
S'il n'y avait pas d'open source, il y aurait alors un projet
et j'aurais donc une chance de me faire engager.
J'aurais donc un travail, et je pourrais alors me payer ce serveur.
Si le serveur était payant, il y aurait déjà une version 50
aujourd'hui et le serveur serait beaucoup plus commercial,
donc simple d'utilisation, avec des logos et images plutot qu'une
simple ligne de commande.
-- Jayce - Avec des «Si...» --


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Australian Ecosystems Estuaries

Noa and Kimmi's Science Assessment Term 3

Noa Matsuda and Kimmi Tonkin

on 15 August 2013

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Transcript of Australian Ecosystems Estuaries

Australian Ecosystems Estuaries
Estuarine ecosystems are found where fresh water from rivers and streams mixes with the ocean water.

Estuaries are home to many aquatic and marine animals and plants.
Estuaries are important habitats for those who live here. many aquatic and marine diversity can be found here in the estuarine waters of Australia.

These environments provide important feeding, and breeding sites for many aquatic animals. There are animals, such as crabs and some mosquitoes, that rely on estuarine water to complete their life cycles and others, such as migratory birds, visit estuaries every once and a while to feed and rest.
The average yearly temperature of an Estuary is around 11.5 degrees.
The average wind speed can range from 9km/h to 18km/h in Leschenault Estuary
The average rainfall into an estuary is around 20mm per year
Estuarine Saltwater Crocodiles
Australian estuarine sea grass
Western Australia has the highest amount of seagrasses in the world.
Many seagrasses across the world are under threat because of dredging.
Sea grass is the main diet of dugongs.
29% of seagrass meadows have been destroyed
1.5% of the seagrass across the world is lost every year.
It lives in most estuaries in central and southern estuaries.
Most estuarine animals use seagrass as their shelter when the wind gets way over average.
Australian Estuarine Mangrove
Estuarine Ecosystem Averages
Estuarine Dugongs
-Dugongs seemed to be endangered because of dredging and trawl fishing which destroys seagrasses, which is the main food they eat.
-Dredging is used for digging, mining, gathering or pulling out plants to deepen waterways, bridges etc.
-Dugongs visit estuarine waters occasionally, mostly for calving.
-Physiological Adaptations Include:
-Heavy bones
-Liver removes all the salt from the plants they eat

-Behavioral Adaptations Include:
-Diving as deep as 39m for food
-Slow swimmers

-Anatomical Adaptations Include:
-Fish-like flippers and tail to swim
-Skin is thick and smooth
-Big mouths
Australia has the third largest area of Mangroves in the world after Indonesia and Brazil.
Mangroves inhabit the tidal sea edge and prefer waters less salty, unless they have glands in their leaves that excrete salt.
Mangroves don't live in Tasmania. But they are in every other state in Australia.
Mangroves are under threat because of heavy industry, pollution and contamination of the waters they lie in.
The saltwater crocodile is the largest reptile in the world. They are also known as the estuarine crocodiles.

During the wet and dry seasons these crocodiles move to different habitats
Saltwater crocodiles have huge jaws that are made to be able to shut quickly to catch there prey.
Saltwater crocodiles are cold blooded animals , but there blood is the same is the same temperature as the surrounding air. They like to have there body temperature at 30 degrees to 33 degrees.

Physiological adaptations include:
-Some Mangroves have leaves with glands that excrete salt

Behavioral adaptations include:
-Turn their leaves to face the sun

Anatomical adaptations include:
-Big roots under water to provide a source of hydration.
Physiological Adaptations include:
-Need to rest after long periods of vicious activity

Behavioral Adaptations include:
-Like to have their body temperature 30-33 degrees.
-Communicating by signals and gestures

Anatomical Adaptations include:
-Rough scaly skin
-Huge jaws
Biotic and Abiotic things in an Estuary
Steps to make this ecosystem a safer place to live in
-Don't litter, it makes the waters polluted and dangerous for all living things in the estuary

-Don't drop plastic bags into the water

-Sign up to a community clean up

-Pick up a few pieces of rubbish every time you have the chance
Biotic things include:
-The living diversity
-Micro organisms
Abiotic things include:
Physiological Adaptations include:

Behavioral Adaptations include:
-Habits marine water

Anatomical Adaptations include:
-Horizontal Roots
Full transcript


Look for a safety valve in your burners?

This feature is optional and may not be available with all the burners. A safety valve is a heat sensing device and is placed near the burner & controls the gas supply to the valve. As long as it senses the heat, it ensures constant gas supply to the burner.  In case of the burner accidentally turning off due to wind or due to overflowing of any liquid, the safety valve senses the absence of heat and automatically turns off the gas supply to the burner. This ensures safety and is also called child proofing.


Batch Update Phrases

Well-known member
Updating phrases can be quite a tedious job if part of the phrase is used in quite a lot of different phrases. For example some of the larger addons such as showcase has the word 'showcase' in over 187 phrases. Some people have renamed that addon (just like myself) to something else i.e. some have renamed it to garage, trail hikes, player profiles etc. Just like the ability to batch update users, threads, i would like the ability to batch update phrases using core built in tools.

Well-known member
I agree. This is definitely needed.

It'd go 100 times faster if you could edit all 187 instances of Showcase (using your example) simultaneously than if you edited each of them individually.


Chic Porch Room Summer 2013 Decorating Ideas

See how a design savvy couple repurposed an old shed on their upstate New York vacation property into a relaxing porch space perfect for escaping the city and for entertaining friends.

With some DIY and design smarts, a crumbling early 1900s shed was converted into an airy living space to entertain guests. The roof of the shed was raised to give the 22x13-foot structure a bit of breathing room and was then re-covered with leftover shingles. Sustainable solutions were used, such as reusing furniture already in their collection and repainting vintage shutters.

These adorable outside shutters added a personal touch that also perked up the facade.

The bright colors and patterns in the design create a room full of whimsy while still being in-line with the traditional New England summer cottage look of the main building.

Revamped yard sale finds create a citrus sorbet color palette of seating. To create a perfectly smooth powder coating on used metal furniture, take it to a local auto body shop.

Curtains add privacy to a screened-in area so those inside don't feel like they're on display. A playful multicolor print using hand block stamps from India and fabric paint is simple and inexpensive on these white drapery panels.

Space for napping was a must-have for the homeowners, so a daybed coated in outdoor paint was added to the space. A cute pair of chairs and a table make an ideal spot for morning coffee rituals.

The throw pillow collection was approached like a garden plot. There are no rules against planting alliums alongside zinnias, so why shy away from mixing patterns in a summer porch? Tons of color brightened up the space.

The decision not to insulate the structure left the summertime retreat with exposed studwork that's put to good use displaying books and collectibles. Sturdy studs become built-in shelving and a pretty collection transforms an otherwise rustic finish into a focal point.

Decor is more dramatic repeated by the dozen. Bargain lanterns were used to create special mood lighting and to add color. The lighting gives off a magical glow at night.


GRADE 3A and 3B updates
MATH Rounding numbers to the nearest 10, 100 and 1000.

Two strategies were used: (1) use of a number line (2) use of rounding rules.

Websites for reteaching:-

SCIENCE Describe the biotic and abiotic features of different kinds of ecosystems.

Compare and contrast different ecosystems.

Math and Science update for the week of September 25th, 2017


Colombia peace deal with rebels rejected

In a national vote, Colombians rejected a peace deal with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia—People’s Army, also known as FARC, which was intended to end 52 years of guerrilla warfare. The referendum’s failure to pass follows four years of negotiations between President Juan Manuel Santos and FARC, which Cuba hosted and facilitated. Colombians rejected the measure in a 50.2 to 49.8 vote.

FARC is a Marxist-Leninist movement that first mobilized peasants in 1964 and used kidnapping and ransom demands to fund its operations. FARC guerillas have also engaged in illegal mining, extortion, and drug trafficking. FARC claims a force of nearly 14,000 members, of which half are guerilla combatants, though the government disputes those numbers.

Peace has been a major objective of President Santos’ administration, and he vowed to continue pursuing that goal. Colombia’s civil war has been the longest running war in the Americas, claiming more than 220,000 lives and displacing more than six million people.

One goal of the peace accord was to demobilize guerillas and reintegrate them into society and politics. Guerilla troops were wary of the agreement and doubted they could assimilate into Colombian society. Santos received the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts.

Both FARC and another violent guerrilla group, the National Liberation Army (ELN), have consistently persecuted Catholics and evangelicals. As recently as July 7, 2016, ELN detained nine pastors and took them to Venezuela, demanding that each pay $700 in “protection money”—or face possible execution. Further, the ELN placed new restrictions on evangelicals living in their area of control, which included no house meetings for Bible studies or prayer. ELN also forbids the construction of new churches.

Evangelicals have often been at odds with Colombian guerillas and their drug trafficking. The guerillas fear that the evangelicals are working with authorities to stop their illegal activities.

Pray for a lasting peace in Colombia that protects the rights of Christians and the work of the church.

Fox News: Colombia, leftist rebels putting final touches on peace deal

The Washington Post: Colombian government and FARC rebels announce peace deal

The Guardian: Colombia referendum: voters reject peace deal with Farc guerrillas

Al Jazeera: Colombia-FARC final peace agreement ‘imminent’

Voice of the Martyrs: Colombia: Church Growth Forbidden


Stop Worrying and Buy Europe

Stop Worrying and Buy Europe

The market reaction made good sense, assuming that the opinion polls—which turned out to be uncannily accurate in the first round of the French election—prove right again and Emmanuel Macron wins by a landslide on May 7. The polls may, of course, be completely wrong and Marine Le Pen may become the next President of France, as Charles believes is still quite likely (see French Political Trouble Just Started). But for this to happen the polling error would have to be many times larger than it was in the case of Brexit or Trump. A Le Pen victory, or indeed an upsurge of support for the National Front in the June 18 parliamentary election, should therefore be seen as an extreme tail-risk.

The baseline scenario must now be that the tide of populist, anti-globalization politics that threatened to sweep across Europe from the US and Britain is now ebbing. If so, then markets will stop worrying about the German election in September (never, in reality, a serious threat, as evidenced by this week’s fragmentation of the anti-euro AFD party) and even about the genuinely unstable political situation in Italy (which will need to be resolved by elections early next year).

As European election fever subsides, global investors will shift their attention from the political risks of another euro crisis or even a breakup of the entire European Union, to three economic forces—which together are very conducive to a sustained bull market in European assets:

1) A striking improvement in economic data in most of the eurozone, with the partial exceptions of Italy and Greece. Last year, for example, GDP growth in the eurozone (1.7%) was marginally higher than in the US (1.6%) and GDP growth per head was substantially higher. Leading indicators suggest this pattern is likely to be repeated in the first quarter of 2017.

2) A guarantee of extremely supportive monetary conditions for years ahead, with the European Central Bank continuing large scale bond purchases well into 2018 and almost certain to keep interest rates near zero for a long time beyond.

3) A new German government that after September’s election will no longer have to worry about public opposition if it agrees to more collaborative and expansionary policies in the eurozone. If France shows even slight evidence of willingness to pursue economic reforms, Franco-German cooperation to stabilize and strengthen the eurozone will become much more likely. In turn, that should help to soothe the anti-euro sentiment developing in Italy.

The improvement in EU economic, monetary and business conditions, especially in relation to the US, began in early 2015 when the ECB definitively ended the euro crisis with its enormous quantitative easing program, which effectively monetized and mutualized a large portion of eurozone government debt (see the first chart in the web version).

As global investors have noticed these improvements, they have repeatedly been tempted to take advantage of the unprecedented gap in performance between US and European assets (see the second chart in the web version) to rotate out of US assets into the EU. Such rotations occurred in the risk-on periods of early 2015, the summer of 2016, straight after Trump’s election victory, and again in the past two months.

These risk-on periods began to narrow the performance gap between the US and Europe, but in each case, the enthusiasm for Europe was snuffed out by political shocks—in mid-2015, the fears of Chinese financial crisis; in the late 2016, the US election, and early this year by the fears about politics in France. Meanwhile, European assets have become steadily more attractive relative to their US peers from a cyclical standpoint. The US economic cycle is now quite mature. And this latter phase of the cycle tends to be less profitable for investors, as inflation accelerates, monetary policy tightens and profits stabilize or decline.

Meanwhile, the European business and profit cycles are still in their early stages, inflationary pressures are many years away, and monetary policy is still easing, with the ECB continuing to buy vast quantities of government bonds. In other words, the eurozone is only just beginning the Goldilocks period that has been so profitable to investors in US assets and the US dollar, while the US economy is now moving away from Goldilocks conditions into a more dangerous phase.

This unprecedented divergence between business cycles, profit cycles and monetary cycles in the US and Europe provides a powerful incentive for rotating out of US assets and the dollar, and into EU assets and the euro. Until last Sunday this incentive was negated by the risk of a huge political shock in France, possibly triggering a euro breakup. Assuming the polls are right, this political risk has now been reduced to insignificant levels. If so, then outperformance by EU equities and the euro relative to US equities and the dollar will be one of the biggest investment stories of the next few years.

Click here to read more from Gavekal Research.


Archive for August 2011

Colchicine reduced recurrent pericarditis

In this trial of 120 patients with their first recurrence of pericarditis, they were randomized to colchicine (0.5-1.0 mg a day) or placebo; the risk of recurrence was reduced by 56% (from 55% in the placebo group to 24% in the colchicine group at 6 months) with a number needed to treat of 3. Side effects and drug withdrawals were similar. Colchicine is safe and effective for reducing recurrence rates of colchicine (abstract)

Apixaban superior to warfarin for stroke prevention

In this randomized trial of >18,000 patients with atrial fibrillation, apixaban was superior to warfarin for the primary outcome of stoke or embolism (1.3% vs 1.6%, 32% relative risk reduction), as well as for major bleeding (2.1% vs 3.1%), death (3.5% vs 3.9%) or hemorrhagic stroke (.24% vs .47%). As soon as FDA approved, apixaban will join dabigatran in the arsenal of oral agents safe and effective for Afib-related stroke prevention (abstract)

Patient acuity rating predicts clinical deterioration

This single center prospective cohort found that a 7-point patient acuity rating completed at the time of sign out was a good predictor of clinical deterioration (eg cardiac arrest or ICU transfer) within 24 hours. The predictive capacity was better for attendings than housestaff. This simple rating scale can aid cross-cover prioritization and decision making, especially in light of the number of hand-offs in academic medical centers (abstract)

USG better than Chest Xray in intubated ICU patients

In this small single center diagnostic study in intubated ICU patients, the use of portable was more sensitive in diagnosing consolidation, pneumothorax, pleural effusion, and interstitial syndromes than was chest xray. Portable USG may be more useful than chest xrays in diagnosing lung pathology in intubated patients. (abstract)

IV enoxaparin at least as effective, and just as safe as unfractionated heparin for patients undergoing PCI

In this industry-sponsored trial, patients with STEMI were randomized before PCI to get standard dosing unfractionated heparin or 0.5mg/kg of IV lovenox. There were no significant differences between the groups in the primary outcome (death, complication, procedure failure, or bleeding), but enoxaparin preformed better than heparin in the secondary outcome (death, recurrent ACS, urgent revasularization). Given the ease of administration and predictable dose-response, IV lovenox may be appealing for STEMI before PCI, although cost is higher (abstract)


社区卫生科研公共服务平台全新改版 致力于打造“让全科医生从平凡迈向卓越”的卓越GP-E培养平台
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  • 《美国医学会杂志》Mechanistic Reasoning and Methodological Pluralism

    作者：The JAMA    来源：The JAMA    浏览量：    上传时间：2017-10-10 15:35:01

    Precision medicine (PM) describes prevention, diagnosis, and treatment strategies that take individual variability into account.1 While PM aims to incorporate individual variability in genes, environment, and lifestyle, the emphasis in current practice is on personalized genetic profiling for diagnosis and risk assessment.

    As genetic testing and interpretation advance, PM stands to move medicine away from the population-based knowledge that grounds evidence-based medicine (EBM) to the treatment of patients “based on a deep understanding of health and disease attributes unique to each individual.”2(p1842) Such understanding requires a different and broader concept of medical knowledge, the development of new methods for generating such knowledge, and approaches for incorporation into clinical practice. As PM advances, for some decisions it will replace the population-based “best evidence” of EBM with specific and detailed understanding of what makes an individual patient different from others. To practice PM, clinicians should reconsider current notions regarding the relative value of evidence, as case-based reasoning and understanding of mechanisms will figure more prominently.

    The Importance of Variants of Uncertain Significance

    Population-based data will remain important for informing current understanding of health and disease, but the nature of genetic variation means that it can no longer be seen as sufficient. Most actionable genetic variation in individuals derives from extremely rare or even unique variants. The average individual will have about 50 genomic mutations not present in either of his or her parents, most of these variants will not change protein function, and about 200 protein-coding family-specific variants inherited from relatively recent ancestors that are not present in variant databases.3 Such variants are generally designated as a “variant of uncertain significance” (VUS). In a medical model that prioritizes and relies on knowledge derived from population-based studies, these variants might be considered variants of unknowable significance.

    The impossibility of population-based data, however, does not mean the significance of extremely rare variants is unknowable. Alternative strategies can provide understanding of their significance. For any patient-centered medicine, an ethical imperative exists to classify the medical significance of a VUS in a medically important gene, because an individual carrying a VUS will benefit from decreasing the uncertainty associated with the variation.3

    Given the impossibility of conducting standard, population-based analyses when the number of individuals with a specific variant is very small, the methods required to reclassify rare VUS will necessarily differ from those given priority by EBM. Attempts to determine the significance of such a variant will emphasize mechanism rather than epidemiology. The focus on mechanism, with the development of new methodologies to aid in understanding the clinical significance of genetic variation, will ultimately drive the practice of PM.

    Criteria proposed for use in classifying genetic sequence variants rely primarily on mechanistic reasoning and methodologies.4 Simple mechanistic reasoning alone may be enough to reclassify a VUS as either benign or pathogenic using a variety of allelic considerations, for instance, a variant that clearly causes a known effect, such as loss of gene function, that is in the same gene domain as all other pathogenic variants.

    High-throughput and computational in silico analyses can provide predictions regarding the likely significance of a novel variant. Some computational analyses use inferences from evolutionary conservation because protein domains that are conserved over time are less likely to tolerate variation. Other computational analyses evaluate structural features that are predicted to change RNA splicing or protein folding comparing new variants to data on variants with known outcomes. Some analyses combine multiple approaches.

    Functional studies of protein variants can provide some understanding of pathogenicity. Normal protein function strongly suggests a benign variation, whereas substantially altered protein function suggests pathogenicity. Family-specific variants affecting multiple, related individuals can be the subjects of family cosegregation studies, an epidemiologic approach to calculate the likelihood of a specific mutation being causative given family relationships. Even correlation with individual clinical presentation, phenotype, or both, may aid in variant classification, particularly in oncology. However, in almost all situations, correlation of information from multiple sources is considered necessary for classification that will alter medical care. While the importance of mechanistic and Bayesian reasoning are emphasized in guidelines for interpretation of sequence variants, the underlying framework for integrating knowledge derived from various quantitative and qualitative methodologies remains controversial and underexamined.

    Therapeutic Implications

    Because the possibility of performing randomized clinical trials disappears when variant frequency reaches the family-specific range, any advances in treatment for disorders caused by rare variants must rely on other kinds of evidence. For example, in May 2017, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expanded the indications for ivacaftor to persons with cystic fibrosis caused by 23 new residual function mutations based on the results of functional assays alone.5 The FDA also granted accelerated approval to pembrolizumab for use in any progressive metastatic solid tumor with microsatellite instability or mismatch repair deficiency regardless of tumor tissue origin or location. While some small, uncontrolled human trials are cited in support of approval, the broad tissue- or site-agnostic approval rests solely on mechanistic arguments.6 This shift in regulatory epistemology, acknowledged as an “alternative approach based on precision medicine” heralds a shift away from the primacy of population-derived knowledge in drug development and approval.5 Acceptance of mechanistic information as actionable knowledge seems likely to lead to the expansion of such techniques and arguments going forward.

    Practicing Precision Medicine

    Precision medicine explicitly prioritizes the individualization of care and focuses attention on unique characteristics of a particular patient. In this fashion, PM differs greatly from EBM, which seeks to determine the best course of action for a patient with an appeal to generalizable knowledge gained from population-based studies. The methods and tools of PM, being developed in large part to help classify rare variants, do not appear in the hierarchies of evidence promulgated within EBM, except occasionally in the bottom tier, categorized broadly as “in vitro research” or “mechanism-based reasoning.” To realize the goals of PM, the hierarchy of evidence pyramid must yield to a more horizontal conception of medical knowledge.

    In particular, advancing the field of PM will require acknowledging the value and improving the methods of mechanistic reasoning, including ways to distinguish strong from weak mechanistic reasoning. The value of mechanistic reasoning directly correlates with the soundness of understanding of mechanisms. As genomics and proteomics advance, the scope and accuracy of mechanistic reasoning in diagnosis, risk assessment, and treatment will continue to improve.

    As methodologies that rely on mechanistic inference become more reliable, clinical decision making will need to incorporate knowledge derived from a variety of sources to arrive at the best course of action for a particular patient. Clinicians will need to become more comfortable with the “untidy methodological pluralism”7developing in medicine, in which relevant knowledge comes from a variety of sources and in which the value of that medical knowledge varies from patient to patient. Knowledge derived from populations remains informative for clinical decision-making but is no longer unconditionally preferred over knowledge derived from mechanistic understanding or methodologies. As long as EBM insists on a hierarchy of evidence emphasizing population-based knowledge, EBM and PM are not reconcilable.8 Precision medicine demands case-based reasoning, in which the relevant particulars of the individual patient must be elucidated and incorporated into clinical assessments and decisions.9

    The major challenge of PM going forward will be to expand the individualized knowledge that can confidently be brought to bear, moving beyond genomics and proteomics to include aspects of lifestyle and environment as promised in its definition. Failure to do so would limit PM to genomic medicine, an important but insufficient description of optimal clinical medicine.

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Bakery worker Anke Friedman, 24, was injected with marmalade by a machine that fills doughnuts with marmalade in a freak accident in Sonthofen, Germany. She is currently recovering.

“The jam was bulging under her skin and it was causing her a lot of pain,” said a paramedic team spokesman.

“At hospital they had to open up the wound, clean out the jam and then stitch her hand back up. She will be fine once the swelling goes down,” they added.

A spokesman for the bakery said: “There is a security bar which the woman was supposed to lift before she put her hand inside which would have turned off the system.

“But to get it done quickly she had bypassed that bar and was injected with marmalade jam.”