Shocked Cat

"Serotonin cell discoveries mean rethink of depression "

New Scientists latest...sort of

 

"If you thought depression was caused by low serotonin levels, think again. It looks as if the brain chemistry of a depressed person is much more complex, [No really!] with mounting evidence suggesting that too much serotonin in some brain regions is to blame.

If correct, it might explain some of the negative side-effects associated with selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs), antidepressants like Prozac which increase the amount of the neurotransmitter serotonin in some parts of the brain..."

Read the full article Here

 I am not going to rant on about how dangerous or useless drugs can be or how the pharmaceutical companies are making mass profits, covering up negative study trials and have a hold over the health system meaning that people are often not getting the treatment they need, or how the lack or proper support and treatment is destroying millions of lives unnecessarily.
Ok just a mini rant!

But this has been known it seems for some 18Years!!!  (read the comment below the article) 

The 1997 article suggest the findings be used in the "molecular mechanism of prescribed antidepressant drugs". 

And so it should have.

Damn those pharmaceutical companies

Perhaps now some progress in really tackling mental health problems can be made.
A more personalised care plan can be created and medications will only be used when absolutely necessary and alongside treatments like talking therapies (I hate that description) as they should have been all along! And hopefully with a more personalised approach to medication there will be less people suffering with side effects or worse suicide.
Well we can dream

Mark Thomas again pointing out how the general populace are being screwed

British Government buildings (as well as others) have been leased to PFI companies that avoid paying taxes

Tax Havens & Avoidence

And the Government want to crack down on the Benefits system!
Let's tackle the already rich tax dodgers first!

"What about ME"

What About Me? Trailer - UK from Double D Productions on Vimeo.

Website

An insight

"An invisible illness is one that isn't readily apparent to the people who don't have it. Two factors contribute to a disease's invisibility"...

Good days, bad days, and invisibility

 

Perhaps there is a God

Neil Gaiman is doing an episode of Doctor Who!!!

I can not express how excited I am

My mind is quite literally Blown!

"I don't know what it's like to be God - obviously," Gaiman said in an interview with the BBC. "Until that very first moment when you get to sit down and type the words in your script: INTERIOR. TARDIS

Bring on 2011

BBC

Fun with the Law

Mark Thomas has some fun with the police and the laws of video footage

I love the way he does things calmly and with a smile

Mark Thomas

Sexiest Male Act Ever!

I have never seen a male show that has actually turned me on.

This on the other hand is Something else entirely!

David O'mer is sex on silks

It is also a first rate Web/Silk work act and a wonderful use of a bath

 

And just for a closer glimpse

 

La Clique is definately a show I would love to see when they next come back to Britain.

A multitude of wonderful acts

"A heady cocktail of cabaret, new burlesque, circus sideshow and contemporary variety"

I will also look out for their featured acts on tour as well.

A wonderful night out me thinks

'Swiss Army knife' bathroom

 

"It looks like an art installation inspired by a hi-tech corkscrew or Swiss army penknife.

But this is no ornament or sculpture. It is, in fact, the world's first fold-up vertical bathroom.

Called the Vertebrae"

Read more Here

 

This is so cool. 

A wonderful mixture of practicality, technology and design.

I love gadgets and in particular space saving innovations. I would definitely have like to have had this on my boat. Or as a way of adding an en-suite to a guest room.

Shiny!

HitchHikers Guide to the Daleks

Greg Laswell - Your ghost NEW SONG

This was the song I originally sought

Somewhat maudlin, but beatuiful

Beautifully haunting

and somehow comforting

You know...I think I could go for being a "Doll" for a while...

You know...I think I could go for being a "Doll" for a while...

If it wasn't for the pervy clients and hideous corporate greed of the company running things

I worship the WhedonVerse and although Dollhouse is not my favourite work of his (Firefly obviously!), it is clever, interesting and certainly brings up many, often awkward, ideas. 

And many ideas Joss was unable to pursue due to he networks control-Boo!

I recommend watching it through the two seasons, it gets really good at the end.

I came across this just now while searching for another song on the show.

Dollhouse Music Video with Jonatha Brooke

 

What skills would you want...?

Everything Causes Cancer! -Russell Howard!

Vaudeville Act: Lowe, Hite and Stanley

Carnival Of Wonders

Via the talent that is Warren Ellis  

ITG Productions present 

Carnival of Wonders

Such a beautiful video

Like the old style Macabre Circus's 

Reminds me of when I nearly ran of with the Circus

This is probably the best lady in box trick I've seen

Super Cool Robot

This is one of the cleverest robots I have seen to date

The way it moves does give me the willies though 

BigDog

by bostondynamics

Katgiraffe gives you Boob emoticons

Perfect Boobs (o)(o)

Fake Silicone Boobs ( + )( + )

Perky Boobs (*)(*)

Big Nipple Boobs (@)(@)

A Cups...

For the full Boob list go Here Journal entry Sun May 2, 2010

"Tattoos and Piercings May Advertise Good Health"

 copyright katgiraffe

"Tat­toos and body pierc­ings—com­mon world­wide since an­cient times—may ex­ist be­cause they ef­fec­tively ad­ver­tise ro­bust health and good genes to po­ten­tial mates, a study pro­poses"

 Read full article...

 from: scienceoxfordonline

(click on lady with piercing)

The Wonders of The Universe

Awe-inspiring

Source: Hubblesite.org

Nebula

Source: Hubblesite.org

"About 1,500 galaxies are visible in this deep view of the universe, taken by the Hubble Space Telescope. The image covers an area of sky only about width of a dime viewed from 75 feet away."

Source: Hubblesite.org

"Eight-Burst" Nebula

Source: Hubblesite.org

"The Veil Nebula, left behind by the explosion of a massive star thousands of years ago, is one of the largest and most spectacular supernova remnants in the sky. This is only a small section of it."

Death Note

Death Note Rocks

More to come...

South Park creators warned over Muhammad depiction

Islamists have warned the creators of TV show South Park they could face violent retribution for depicting the Prophet Muhammad in a bear suit.

 

The posting gave details about a home Stone and Parker reportedly co-own.

It also listed the addresses of their production office in California and the New York office of South Park's broadcaster, Comedy Central.

 "This is not a threat, but a warning of the reality of what will likely happen to them," it added.

---

World gone Mad

South Park takes the piss out of everyone and everything

This kind of reaction is totally over the top and only serves to encourage and incite violence. 

It also gives Muslims a bad name.

It also shows Budda snorting cocaine, can't wait to see it!

Porn for the Blind

This came up on "Have I Got News For You?" and I had to look it up

It's not exactly what I would call sexy! But it is a start.

I had never thought about this before, despite working with and knowing visually impaired people. But it's an obvious idea now, and I hope that people will be inspired to produce more work.

Porn for all!

(except children)

Produced by photographer Lisa Murphy

 

"We live in a society that is much sexualized - just look at advertising," she said by telephone from her Toronto home. "But if you can't see then you are probably not aware of how sexualized it is."

"And I believe that vision-impaired people have been (wrongly) left out of the experience."

"Or course, anyone can find it erotic, not just the vision-impaired," Murphy added.

The book, entitled "Tactile Mind," features pages made of thermoform plastic - the same material used for Braille.

Each page contains raised images of naked men and women in various poses, some wearing masks or in suggestive bondage, along with titillating phrases in Braille.

---

I also came across this site while searching it

I didn't hang around long as the walls are very thin here!

*Cough*

Let me know what you find
-I know you're going to look-

How to Feel Happy

Robin Williams

I watched an old show of his the other week and this recent one tonight.

He is absolutely brilliant

We would have a much better world if he were President

My cheeks and sides are sore, my belly is warm and my spirits lifted

I highly recommend you watch it

"Quotes"

Books have the same enemies as people: fire, humidity, animals, weather, and their own content.

  - Paul Valery

My friends very clever hard work

For a good cause with great ideas

Think about your impact on this Wonderful World of ours

"Quotes"

Behind every great fortune there is a crime.   

- Honore de Balzac

Extreme sex avoidence!

Do female guppies risk their lives to avoid sex?

 "Sexual harassment is a burden that females of many species face, and some may go to extreme lengths to avoid it. Female guppies might risk their lives to avoid too much attention from males, venturing into the deep water where the predators lurk, where it is just too dangerous for the males to follow." 

 

They would rather face suicide than an overly aggresive or genetically inferior males! 

I have to say that I can relate.

What lengths have you gone to to avoid the undesired?

 

Great Pacific Garbage Patch

When I think about the sea it brings to mind many things...

 

  

Sometimes these!

Certainly not this!

 

Or this...

My friend N told me about it and the "Plastiki" Expedition trying to raise awareness

I was shocked that this mass garbage dump existed and that -oh who am I kidding- I was not shocked that it had not made it into the news. It not only stretches throughout most of the pacific ocean, it gathers in large "Islands" (6). Breaking up into smaller and smaller peices that mix in with all levels of the food chain, including us.

This issue has been known about for years.

Makes you think twice about that fish supper


What can we do...?

• Google it
• Check out the pictures, videos and websites
• Tell your friends
• and try to do your bit for Our Planet

Handsome Cat

In Loving memory of Handsome Cat.
Left us 03.02.10
He rests in peace and good company

  

 The best cat I have ever known

Life will not be the same without you

Boogy on Down to some Funky Jazz Beats

Ben Cummings

A Must See

I can not wait for this to come out!

Alice in Wonderland 

 

"Quotes"

Indeed, history is nothing more than a tableau of crimes and misfortunes.

-Voltaire

ECO ART: Brilliant Images Carved into Leaves

by Moe Beitiks, 01/30/10

"Why settle for a postcard of the Mona Lisa, when you could have a hand-carved leaf engraved with her mysterious face? Making art with leaves isn’t a new idea, but several online purveyors have taken the medium to a new level. Offering up intricately cut images of everything from landscapes to the female form to even Napoleon – yes, you can have the face of the famous emperor cut into a leaf and framed - sustainable art just got a little more interesting."

I love this. I don't know how they do it but it looks fantastic. They must be very patient.

Yet another gem form "Inhabit" 

I could just keep adding stuff to my blog from there but I will try to stop now.

Go look for yourselves

New Tech Love

ASUS WAVEFACE ULTRA SMARTPHONE BRACELET

"Want to pretend you’re in a sci-fi movie? The Waveface Ultra can help. Asus’ conceptual OLED wristband doubles as a piece of jewelry and an ultra high-tech smartphone. No word on a release date, but information junkies are sure to be waiting with baited breath."

 

Me Wants!

I Love new tech, I am an out and proud Geek.

If I had the money I would have all sorts of clever, usefull, entertaining and just plain sexy stuff.

I do worry however about the ecological side of all these things. They often use some rather nasty chemicals and materials that do not break down and leach out into the environment. Also, as new tech gets replaced by even new tech the old ones get left in drawers and cupboards, handed on to someone else if they're lucky or in the worst cases-binned. And much of the materials can be reclaimed, so can the tech inside. 

Also, although the western world may be able to keep up with this fast paced and expensive materialism, there are many (most) that can not. Including myself. I remember the first "Palm" I had, it was such a joy and so very clever, it was a hand me down from a friend, and now has passed on to someone else. It is now though almost obsolete, many mobiles phones do much of what my little "Palm" did.

So I was very pleased to be routed via a friend to the site "inhabitat". It is full of ingenious and eco ideas covering a whole spectrum of topics. 

Go check it out and I can garantee you will find something that appeals.

The eco-undies...well need I say more!

"Inhabit"

"Quotes"

Computer games don't affect kids, I mean if Pac Man affected us as kids, we'd all be running around in darkened rooms, munching pills and listening to repetitive music.
  - Marcus Brigstocke

"The Phone Problem"

My response to Cliff's post

I remember my uncle having one of the early "Car Phones"

It was a like a briefcase

 

My first phone was a hand me down from a friend many years back. It was basic -it made calls!- chunky and the battery went flat fast, but living on the canal it was a useful lifeline.

Oh my how times have changed. -Hoorah!

I now still lagg somewhat behind the wonderful glittering tech that is out there. It is not for lack of want, oh how I love new tech wrapped up in sleek, shiny packaging. However living in an oddly dead zone for mobiles I can not justify the upgrade I would like...

 

 ...perhaps...Probably.

But do I follow the crowd and join the iphone populace or go for some of the other tasties out there? 

I am after all looking, not just for a clever phone but a mini computer; to access my virtual world, keep me in touch with my friends, work and basically manage my life! 

For now I make do with a rather nifty, curvacios little phone and my stallwart PDA. My phone is ace! Beautiful scrolling writing within the phone, telling you who's callling, messages, what music's playing etc.

Plus it doubles as my alarm clock radio while it charges.

I look forward, however,  to the day I move and can indulge my geeky, magpie side and have just One all-in-one gadjet.

Don't worry cliff I still use the good old paper and pen everyday to write, 

but I do also write a lot on my pda.

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