Monday, February 22, 2010

Big Heads? Bad Idea!


In the world of old science fiction (60s and earlier) your super-advanced aliens and your super-evolved human beings usually have big heads, like Gwyllim Griffiths (top) in the Outer Limits episode The Sixth Finger or like the aliens from the Star Trek episode The Menagerie


It makes sense.  Our pre-human ancestors had smaller brains, so our descendents a zillion years from now should have gigantic brains.  But I notice that these beings pictured above still have spindly necks like the current homo sapien.  How could a neck that thin support all that extra brain and skull?  I say it couldn't.  If we want to grow bigger brains, we must concurrently grow thicker, more muscular necks.

However, there is another evolution solution.  We now know that the brain isn't the only place with neurons; just look in your gut.  The gut brain rests on a solid base and could safely grow much bigger.  This is the place for brain evolution.  Guts are the thinkers of tomorrow!

Friday, February 19, 2010

Window Dressing

 

Here are a couple of snaps looking out of my cubicle window.  On the left note the cactus candle that my neighbor Rosemary gave me after I complained about all my cactus plants dying.  On the right note the nosegay of tulips that Sue gave me for Valentine's Day.  In picture number 1 I accentuated the noted items and deaccentuated some of the background.  In picture number 2 I used the poster edges filter.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Captain Future: Wizard of Science

While catalog-surfing I discovered that Widener had a science fiction pulp magazine form the 40s called Captain Future.  I requested it form the depository and scanned some of the covers.  Recently, I decided to use the new scan and deliver service to get scans of all the covers.  The new ones are higher quality.

Fall 1940
I'm putting them all in a Picasa web album.

Thursday, February 04, 2010

Give Me Liberty and Give Me Lunch!

I had been curious about the Liberty Hotel for some time.  This hotel used to be th historically significant Charles Street Jail.  My neighbor Rosemary had been at receptions there, so she suggested we do lunch at its cafe, the Clink.  We ate there today at noon.
Before we got there, Rosemary pointed out the new jail.  It looks like a hotel to me.

There's a prison-related artwork between the escalators.  What's black and white and red all over?  The Liberty!










The central lobby is surrounded by balconies.













 This is at lobby level.










Here's Rosemary at our table in the Clink.  The bricks and bars are authentic jail leftovers.  They must have cleaned off all the graffiti and hash marks.
For more pictures go to my Picasa web album.