Monday, January 20, 2014

20 January 2014

Birthdays
Evan Peters b. 1987 (X-Men: Days of Future Past, American Horror Story, Kick-Ass, Invasion [TV])
Daniel Cudmore b. 1981 (Twilight, X-Men)
Crystal Lowe b. 1981 (Primeval: New World, Almost Human, Smallville, Supernatural, Stargate[TV])
Skeet Ulrich b. 1970 (Jericho, The Craft)
Rainn Wilson b. 1966 (Super, Monsters vs. Aliens, My Super Ex-Girlfriend, Galaxy Quest, Charmed, Dark Angel)
R. A. Salvatore b. 1959 (author, Forgotten Realms series)
Daniel Benzali b. 1950 (Jericho, The X-Files, Star Trek: The Next Generation)
David Lynch b. 1946 (director, Dune, Eraserhead)
Tom Baker b. 1934 (Doctor Who, The Golden Voyage of Sinbad, Frankenstein: The True Story)
Buzz Aldrin b. 1930 (astronaut)
Peter Donat b. 1928 (The X-Files)
Patricia Neal b. 1926 died 8 August 2010 (The Day the Earth Stood Still)
DeForest Kelley b. 1920, died 6/11/1999 (Star Trek)
Colin Clive b. 1900 died 25 June 1937 (Frankenstein, Bride of Frankenstein)
A. Merritt b. 1884 died 21 August 1943 (author, The Moon Pool, Burn Witch Burn!)

The birthdays on the list span slightly more than 100 years today, and for my money there are four people who deserve The Picture Slot in nearly equal measure. Last year on this date, I put up a picture of DeForest Kelley, and I promised to have Buzz Aldrin this year. But I've done more research now and if I keep this up for four years, Tom Baker, still the most popular Doctor after all these years, and Colin Clive, the original Dr. Frankenstein in the first two movies in the series, have to get a shot as well.

Many happy returns to the living on the list, and to the dead, thanks for all the memories.

Movies released
Underworld Awakening released, 2012
 

Predictor: OMNI Future Almanac

Prediction: in 2005, the first commercially viable biochip "interface" will be demonstrated. A volunteer will be connected by wire to a device that averages human brain waves and recognizes the wave that is a command to the computer by means of a biofeedback-learned code. The user will be able to answer any difficult question within thirty seconds by accessing the computer's massive database.

Reality: Oh, OMNI Future Almanac, you're adorable. This prediction isn't that much goofier than some of the stuff from our current regular Tuesday predictor Ray Kurzweil, but seeing the word "biofeedback" brought on a wonderful wave of nostalgia for me.

And since this section is labeled Reality instead of Enjoying the Quaint, I should say that nothing like this existed in 2005 and still doesn't exist today.

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

Yes, tomorrow will be a Tuesday and we will hear from Ray Kurzweil with another prediction about 2009 from his 1999 book.

Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!

3 comments:

  1. I remember biofeedback from the early 70s. A friend went into the business and wanted to sell me a machine that would train me to get into the alpha wave state or some such. Didn't buy one, maybe I should have and spent a career selling incense, bongs and essential oils.

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    Replies
    1. I remember there was a program on a campus computer with a dot matrix printer that would show you your biorhythms back in this era as well.

      Ooh, alpha states! It's hip and happening.

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    2. Biorhythms! I'd forgotten about them. They used to print them in the paper on the same page as the horoscopes, ah, good times.

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Traveler! Have you news... FROM THE FUTURE?