ADVERTISE HERE
REACH OUT AND TOUCH A LARGE LITERARY WORLD

Advertisments

ZEDWORK

ZIZZOO
Online digital publisher. Offers outcomes based learning material, communities & testing to students around the world www.Zizzoo.com

Premier Straight Talking Topical Online Magazine
 : with readers input : expert critique : access to online art : fiction : images :

DREAM MACHINE

A Japanese toymaker claims to have invented a gadget that can help people control their dreams. Tokyo-based Takara Co says its Dream Workshop can be programmed to help sleepers choose who or what to dream about.
In a study on a group of men and women aged 20 to 40, it had a success rate of 22 per cent in inducing dreams in which one of the prompt words appeared, said the Yomiuri Shimbun.
While preparing for bed, the user mounts a photograph on the device of who should appear in the dream, selects music appropriate to the mood and records word prompts, such as a name.
Placed near the bedside, the Dream Workshop emits a special white light, relaxing music and a fragrance to help the person nod off.
Later, it plays back the recorded word prompts, timed to coincide with the part of the sleep cycle when dreams most often occur.
It even helps coax the sleeper gently out of sleep with more light and music so the dreams are not forgotten.

Dream on

Funny isn’t how the Japanese have to interfere with our dreams? Wasn’t Pearl harbour enough interference?
Why ‘prompt’ dreams? Research shows that during the average nights sleep we dream up to 400 times. That’s dozens of times and hour. A dream can last ten minutes (Older people have to use the toilet in the interval).

Dreams are significant and ever since man could hardly ever remember them they held a huge intrigue. The Bible heaves with dreams as part of what was thought then as divine inspiration. Job, Daniel, Ezekiel, Nebuchanezza, Pharoah all had dreams from the deepest sleep and actually used stargazers, philosophers and magicians to try and interpret their dreams.

Dreams are the part of our mind that lodges surreal images in an artificial twilight psychosis. Dreams can duplicate with such emphasis they may even have caused suicide and multiple personality disorders. Many wake up schizoid and paranoid. On the upside, that is a scenario that could work. They may double their chances of a date. In fact, if two schizophrenics dated it could end up with group sex. Pretend arms and legs everywhere. But if they hear too many voices it could interrupt the proceedings. I don’t have a multiple personality and it's bad enough when I talk to myself during sex.

Dreams can even influence us to change direction in our home or career. We resort to dreams as a kind of release valve, a mechanism to reduce pressure. Some individuals claim they don’t dream at night. Well, they must daydream then. Dreams are a fantastic set of mirror images in a bizarre format. A bit like Ebay. Certainly, some of the early bids are the stuff of fairytales.

Lots of psychics and mediums are ‘dreamworkers’. Putting interpretations on dreams. Sadly only a fraction is remembered by the dreamer and just before awakening. It is always a good idea to have a notebook and pencil to write down the details of the remembered dream. Astrologers can then put some relevance to the dream. If you dream too much you could end up with the notebook a bit hard to open and the pencil a little tacky.

Freud ascribed primary meanings to dreams and made it into a very complex type of language. I believe that dreams are a series of personal and intimate revelations that we can slot together with our own realities and that may be a result of a general upheaval or have links to our emotions. They may be thrown together like a puzzle.

Dreams can be very therapeutic and reassuring. Our minds are dream factories. We are not alone as a species that indulge in dreams. My dog often runs after cats in dreams. She cries if it is her being chased. I wonder what the cat dreams about?

There is always a trigger for her dreams. It seems she dreams more if there is a TV blaring in the room, so I assume this sensory bombardment, while she sleeps encourages dreams. Jung believed that dreams overlapped with others and your dreams were completely unique to you. They evolve and adapt to your circumstances and the symbolisms are readable. For instance if you dream of a cat then its likely you secretly may seek warmth and companionship. Yet, almost as a complete opposite you might prefer to be more independent and show your wild side. It very much depends on the resonance of your association with your own feelings at the time. Tomorrow your dream dictionary could have another definition, or symbolise a different key for a different door.

Dreams can become reality. Coincidence often plays a part. If you believe in the random/chaos theories where we are merely a pinball in life’s lottery, then its doubtful you will ever read your stars or consult the Tarots. If you have determinist views then you far more likely to join queues on beachside piers to have your palm read. Horoscopes are big business of that there is no doubt. Astrology is not just peculiar to the West or the Celts and paganism. Chinese and Eastern charts have been heralded for thousands of years. Only the other day I found a fortune cookie in my takeaway. Its wise words read. ‘When a woman leaves her mark on you make sure it’s not a lovebite in a place your wife may see.’

But wistful prophecy can shock us with accuracy. Phrenology or ‘having your bumps felt’ was once hailed as a science. Though never an exact one. The shape of the head is supposed to hold the secrets of your future. Manipulating the nodules on your cranium will reveal your true character although not as popular today as in the nineteenth century when it was a cherished and revered skill.

Graphology has replaced palm reading in the industrial world. Apparently, your handwriting can reveal a lot about you. For instance in some social services documents, whole departments can be exposed as illiterate.

We live with public warnings everywhere. Generally we ignore advice in our best health interests while we believe stupid adverts of no benefit to us at all. Look at the shelves of the newsagents, full of media hype and advocating high fashion as more important than having a vestige of personality or any depth of character.

How about this?

Health warnings on cigarettes could be of higher impact.

“These only give you 10 years”

“Don’t make any plans for tomorrow”

“Send off for a free biopsy with this packet”

“Free ID ticket for your big toe inside”

Other silly prophesies for consumers could be placed more appropriately:

“Contains traces of Nuts” …… could be placed on the door of the House of Commons.

“Contents may settle” …… Ditto

“Any resemblance to the characters depicted here relating to actual people is purely coincidental” …… Ditto.

I always have to smile at some Health warnings on bottles and packets.

“If drunk consult a Doctor.” …… What’s that all about? It would mean a surgery full of p*ssheads.

“Keep out of the reach of children” ……. Only, if they want money.

“Irritant. If in contact with eyes, rinse thoroughly and call your GP.” …… Ok, I’m blind where’s the telephone directory?

I just picked up a bottle of Lynx shower gel and read the warning. “If this shower gel gets in your eyes rinse out with warm water.” What a lucky coincidence you just happen to be in the shower at the exact time you get some in your eyes”

“Do not inhale”  …… This could kill you … but don’t hold your breath.

“This deodorant offers full protection” …… So, how come I got mugged on the way home from the supermarket?

“Essential oils” …… not if you don’t need them.

“In case of suffocation dispose of thoughtfully.” …… Bit difficult if you are already asphyxiated.

Now, after a rummage through my own bathroom cabinet, here are some very silly marketing mottos that manufactures honestly believe some half-baked vain idiot is going to buy!!!

I found this on a bottle of my ‘Dentyl’ mouth rinse. “Shake VIGOROUSLY until one overall colour.” What does this mean? We shake the bottle until our now purple temples have spread to our arms and legs? Or, do we shake it until we become blue as a pair of overalls? It would be simpler to state. Shake the bottle until as pasty faced as a ‘bib and brace’.

“Helps prevent bad spots” …… What about the Dartford tunnel?

On “Aussie Miracle Moist”. ‘There’s more to life than hair- but it’s a good place to start.’ …… Not according to very bald people and Dr Stephen Hawkins.

Carex hand soap says “Give a couple of squirts”. …… Give Ant and Dec what?

Colgate toothpaste says “We don’t make toothpaste for anybody else” …… So does that mean I have the only one or that asylum seekers can’t get a tube either?

‘Gillett shaving gel’. “Rust resistant bottom” …… Who has? Aren’t gay sex toys made of stainless steel or latex?

‘Mosiguard’ reads. ‘Repellent for Adults and Children’. …… Surely it’s just for mosquitoes?

This reassurance from ‘FHM grooming hair putty’ “For lasting messed up effects”

A presumption from ‘Original Lime source foaming shower gel’. “For the most refreshing and reviving shower experience you’ve ever had.” …… Not if you already have some company in the shower.

A strange label from 'L’Oreal Kids No tears shampoo' "With its soft bottle it is easy to hold. Keep out of reach of children unless supervised" …… So, who is in charge of the bottle then? How hard can holding the bottle be? (also, says, of its ‘No tears’ value.. “to keep away from eyes”?)

Last but by no means least

Good old ‘Nivea body sheen moisturiser’ advises, Directions “Apply liberally, gently smoothing onto your skin. Avoid contact with clothing until dry. …… Question: Who puts on wet clothes without tumble drying them first or using the clothes horse?

My advise is only buy products that have multi language directions and then just read the foreign text. The fact that you don’t understand and it will probably make more sense. Just like Dreams.

Click on Dr Farquar's Dream Surgery for your own dream interpretations.
 

All content on this site is subject to copyright © 2000/2006
If you wish to use anything    either text or graphics   please ask permission

Looking for a particular subject. Search for any word or phrase!

Too much information? Try the alternative ...
Advanced Search

SHORT CUTS