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ME AND OPHELIA

Sunday, November 30, 2003

 
SEARCH ENGINE BLOG LISTINGS
Found Kittens!

Sorry, I had to delete some links in my sidebar to make way for new additions. Hope I've not offended anyone. Had no choice as my sidebar was "dragging" and taking too much time to unfold on screen.

Over the past four months, I've registered this blog with these search engines:

Technorati: Member Sign-Up
blogdex - add a weblog
BlogRolling - The best link manager for your weblog and more!
Truth Laid Bear Ecosystem: Add Weblog
Daypop - Submit Site
Add Your Site to Popdex - get crawled daily!

Search engines frequently crawl registered blogs for daily updates. I know of 20 to 30 more blogs that have linked to this blog, but they do not show up in the listings at Technorati or Blogdex, or are scattered in other lists.

If your blog is NOT registered with ALL of the above, I have provided the links to make it easy. It's free of charge, does not take long to register and is a great way for readers to find your blog. I visit the listings daily to click into blogs. If you know of any others, please share them here.

Recently in the Ecosystem at Truth Laid Bare, ME AND OPHELIA turned from a slimy mollusc into a flippery fish, so please do not forget to submit your site - you could turn out to be a happy flappy bird! Thanks.

Just found Kittens! via Popdex. Purrrr...could not help blogging it here.
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JAPAN STUDYING HOW TO PREVENT KILLER FATIGUE KAROSHI
Researchers establish the world's first research base to find a cure for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Japan is conducting what it claims to be the world's first project to devise a scientific method of measuring fatigue and finding a cure for tiredness.

The project was launched this month and involves 18 leading Japanese companies in the pharmaceutical, food-processing and trading fields, as well as five universities and the city administration of Osaka.

'Basic research is in its fifth year under a government request for a study which meets the needs of ordinary people,' said Osaka City University professor Masayasu Inoue, one of the project's key researchers.

'You see medical and health products for curing tiredness all over in newspapers and on television. Karoshi is known around the world.

'Naturally, the subject seemed relevant,' Prof Inoue said. Karoshi means death from overwork.

'There hasn't been a project anywhere in the world to probe fatigue in a scientific way before and we wanted to establish the world's first research base on chronic fatigue syndrome.'

The project is being coordinated by Soiken Inc, an Osaka-based venture for bio-technological and medical research.

Project leader Osami Kajimoto, a Soiken board member and assistant professor in the health management centre at the Osaka University of Foreign Studies, said the undertaking is the first of its kind in the world, the Japan Times reported on Thursday.

'Our project is connected to the revitalisation of industry and controlling medical costs,' Prof Kajimoto was quoted as saying.

'We would like to bring the power of industry, government and academia together to find out fatigue biomarkers, develop anti-fatigue food products and train our sights on prevention of overwork and improvements in work hygiene.'

A biomarker is a chemical in the body which has a particular molecular feature that makes it useful for measuring the progress of disease or the effects of treatment.

The statement said it is 'extremely important to objectively grasp the degree of fatigue' in preventing karoshi, which has risen at an alarming rate in recent years as the economic recession has increased pressure on workers.

The Health Ministry recognised that 136 people had died or suffered serious disease such as brain and heart ailments as a result of overwork in the six months to September, up from the previous record high of 115 a year earlier.

The project will focus on finding fatigue biomarkers and a method of assessing tiredness in its first phase, which lasts to 2005.

In the second phase, until September 2006, the project will concentrate on clinical tests to verify fatigue control and fatigue recovery. -- AFP

Courtesy The Straits Times, Japan studying how to prevent killer fatigue November 29, 2003.
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Note to self: God bless the clever Japanese people for taking the lead to establish the world's first research base on chronic fatigue syndrome. I have high hopes for this. In three years time they will make a big name for themselves, and a fortune, if they achieve the world's first breakthrough.

# posted by Ingrid @ 11/30/2003

Saturday, November 29, 2003

 
THURSDAY'S THANKSGIVING IN BOSTON AND CALIFORNIA
Turkey dinners from east to west coast of America

Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday at James Moore's home, in the woods west of Boston, was cooked by his nine-year-old son, with Jim as the sous chef having fun with several-hours-long political conversation wafting across the Turkey pan and various fixings.

Over at James Lee's home in San Jose, California, Thanksgiving dinner for nine turned out very well: turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, corn, creamed yam, cranberries, Italian Sausage dressing (if it is cooked inside of the turkey, it's stuffing; if it is cooked outside of the turkey, it's dressing), baby greens salad, coffee, pumpkin pie, apple pie and ice cream. James says, "Thanksgiving is indeed a really special holiday and becomes an occasion where people are given opportunities to share a joyful meal with those who are otherwise left alone and result in great memories that last a long time." He is glad to be carrying on the tradition. (So is President Bush by the look of that photo, taken in Iraq, at the top of James' post).
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TIME FOR A CAT PICTURE
And more of Shelley's gems

Today, I received an email from London barrister Mr Khasimi thanking me for letting him know about my post here yesterday. He has read it and thinks it's an excellent way to publicise the cause. Mr Khasimi says he is collating the responses/offers help etc., and will let me how the network could shape up.

Yesterday, I melted over Shelley's photo of her cat Zoe and her links to Midnite, poor burning hot cat Primo, and Joe's photo of his two dogs and his cooking up a storm of a Frittata. Purrrrrr.....woof.....ouch!!

Smokey looks a little like my Ophelia. Only a little though. Imagine Smokey with a mix of tortie/ginger/cream/brindle and that's what my little darling looks like.

Happy Thanksgiving weekend to all American readers: here is Shelley's fascinating Mineral Collection recently posted for sale at eBay with a modest reserve of $800 (why wouldn't anyone love to own it - I know I would). And, her beautiful essay The Insignificance of Small Beings.