joe randel's art dump

The other day I posted about a dream I had.  Usually I’m left wondering… how cool would it be to view my dream in the waking world rather then just trying to remember it.  Well, the ability to do that is closer then you think.

Scientists from Japan have developed new brain analysis technology that allows images from the brain to be shown on a computer monitor.  How freak’n crazy is that?  Apparently it has something to do with monitoring the cerebral blood flow using a fancy MRI machine.  Subjects where shown 400 different 10×10 black and white pixel images all the while the MRI tracked the blood flow.  Later in anoher test the subjects where shown the letters N-E-U-R-O-N and well… see for yourself.

Right now the technology can only read black and white images but you know that they’re working towards colour images.  Infact, they’re suggesting that in about 10 years we might be able to see another persons thoughts.  This sort of technology is going to greatly benifit those in the Doctor fields when treating people with brain damage or psyological issues.  Artists will also benifit seeing as how what ever they thing in thier haed can just be displayed right in front of them.  Man, I’ve wished for that kind of gagetry on more then one occasion.

So once again we see science fiction become science fact.  One wonders what else we’ll see in our life time.

What’s the weather like where you are right now?

It’s currently snowing outside where I am and is -7C (19F).

Brrrr… but I love it ^_^

Oh and here’s a picture of Tinkerbell.

Last night I had a dream…

I dreamed I was on a ocean cruse but shortly after the voyage started something terrible happened.  There was an explosion on the upper decks.  Screams of panic filled the night air as people fled to the lower parts of the boat.  All the rescue rafts where blown to splinters or sank to the bottom of the dark void below us.  I must have passed out because when I came to I was in the cargo hold of the ship laying in a huge box of supplies… or what was left of them.  In front of me I could see sky and the horizon.  A huge hold was now in the side of the ship.  Not low enough for the water to come in though.  I got out of my box and wandered the cargo hold and saw many where injured or dead.  Those that where still alive where helping those that needed it or at least comforted those that didn’t.  Some how the ship was still floating though what ever had happened to it.  I never did find out.  The way I dreamed this was in sections, almost like I was reading a diary where I only saw snippets of ever few days or so.  As the dream moved on the ship actually broke in to two parts and sailed away from each other.  I’m still not sure exactly how these two sections continued to float after the break up but hey, it’s a dream.

The dream went on for quite some time.  We on the ship had no way of making contact with land but we had the back end of the ship and the engine still worked to some degree and so we could make better time then the other ship half.  As I mentioned, I only saw the goings on about the ship every few days or so like a diary, and the only things I remember most was spending time in my supply box.  I do remember witnessing a murder on the ship, which had turned in to sort of Martial Law.  I also remember myself and the rest of the survivors watching a whale get caught up in the ships propellers.  It was a horrific sight.  I don’t remember much after that.  Then I woke up and went to work.

My wife thinks I tap in to past lives when I dream because I don’t have dreams where “it was raining chocolate sprinkles and then He-Man showed up and we did a puppet show”.  My dreams are quite epic… when I remember them that is.

Do you remember you dream last night?

How did you treat your toys when you where younger?

We got to talking about this topic today as friends where over visiting.  I kept all my toys in the best condition I could.  I never destroyed or damaged them in any way and I kept all the extra bits they came with.  I still have all my transformers and the the guns they came with in my basement.  I had friends that would just trash their toys and I never understood why.  I still don’t actually.

So how about it?  Did you trash or cherish your toys?

Quick poll…

Do you have an innie or an outtie belly button?

Me?  I have an innie.

I’m sure that most have heard now that Bettie Page has passed away at the age of 85.

I think it’s quite amazing the influence she’s had on pop culture and sexuality.  I mean, jet black hair and bangs is so iconic now and will be forever thanks to Bettie.  It’s too bad the later part of her life was scared with depression and bad marriages.

Here’s to you Bettie.  I bet you never thought you’d inspire hundreds of thousands of people, and thanks to your photos you’ve gained immortality in our culture.

May you rest well.