I just got back from Dragon*Con, and I plan on writing up some thoughts on it when I get a chance. Until then, the folks at D*C just posted an interview I did with them last year. It’s really long but full of brilliance and wisdom. Or mostly me talking up the end of the world, the JREF, and skepticism. You know the drill.
Archive for the ‘SciFi’ Category
The Best Place on Earth
… well, to observe astronomically, that is. It’s been found, and it’s not exactly your backyard: it’s in Antarctica, and moreover in a fairly remote spot.
Universe Today has more details. I love the idea that this spot has the best atmospheric conditions on Earth yet found, but I wonder 1) how they’re gonna build a big observatory there, and b) who will winter over to staff it?
And actually, c) will they stock a flamethrower?
My Dragon*Con schedule
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As you read this I will be somewhere between Boulder and Atlanta (inclusive), attending Dragon*Con, one of my favorite weeks of the year. D*C is a huge (45,000+attendees) convention about scifi, science, fantasy, comics, and also skepticism. Like last year, the JREF has a big presence at the con, and Derek Colanduno from Skepticality, who runs the Skeptic Track, has lots of critical thinking stuff planned.
Below is my schedule, and as you can see it’ll keep me hopping. I’ll barely have time to go dancing again with Felicia Day and hang with Patrick Stewart and William Shatner! I need to pencil them in…
THURSDAY
Star Party in memory of Jeff Medkeff
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: The Bradley Observatory at Agnes Scott College
FRIDAY
Title: Who Are The Skeptics?
Time: 01:00 pm
Location: 207 / 206 / 205 – Hilton
Description: An introduction to a few of the well known Skeptics and what their passions are.
SATURDAY
Title: What Do We Do Now?
Time: 10:00 am
Location: 207 / 206 / 205 – Hilton
Description: Skeptics we are faced with an overwhelming feeling that there is so much out there which needs attention. The annual Jeff Medkeff memorial panel.
Title: The Astronomer, the Alien Hunter, and a UFO Skeptic
Time: 07:00 pm
Location: Crystal Ballroom – Hilton
Description: Three Four of the world’s leading researchers, and skeptics (Pamela Gay, Seth Shostak, Joe Nickell, and me) discuss the state of UFO and Alien paranoia here and around the world.
Title: Myths In the Movies: How NOT to do Space Exploration
Time: 10:00 pm
Location: Crystal Ballroom – Hilton
Description: Don’t miss these kindred scientists (Kevin Grazier, Jaime Paglia (producer of Eureka) and me) rip apart the biggest myths & fallacies in Sci-Fi TV & movies. Better than a comedy show; guaranteed laughs!
SUNDAY
Title: Are We Alone: A Discussion
Time: 10:00 am
Location: 207 / 206 / 205 – Hilton
Description: Seth Shostak, Pamela Gay and I discuss the current public outreach goals of SETI, and how using the skeptical mindset relates to the work at SETI as a whole.
Title: Stealth Science and Skeptical Thought, aka How to Teach Critical Thinking Skills
Time: 11:30 am
Location: Centennial II – III – Hyatt
Moderator / MC for panel
Description: As skepticism becomes more mainstream, My Close Personal Friend Adam Savage™, Scott Sigler, Rebecca Watson, and Melissa Kaertcher discuss the non-traditional ways they promote science and skeptical thinking. I’m moderating this panel.
Title: JREF Presents: How You Can Combat Woo
Time: 02:30 pm
Location: Crystal Ballroom – Hilton
Description: We live in troubled times, but we can make a bit impact on the world at large. Learn how you can be a major player in shaping the world of tomorrow. Jeff Wagg, Maria Walters, Naomi Baker, D. J. Grothe, and me.
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Title: Dragon*Reading: Phil Plait
Time: 04:00 pm
Location: Marietta – Hyatt
I’ll be doing a dramatic reading from my book, Death from the Skies! Interpretive dance? Maybe.
MONDAY
Title: Dragon*Autograph
Time: Mon 10:00 am
Location: M301 – M304 – Marriott
I’m signing books! Buy two!
So as you can see I’ll be busy. I’ll also be seen at the JREF and IYA tables in the hallway, too, so drop by and say hi!
Dragons and stars
I hear tell that there are still a few tickets left for the pre-Dragon*Con star party, where Pamela Gay and I will regale you with tales of heavenly wonders, then we’ll take you outside and show you stuff. Not only that, but the proceeds go to the American Cancer Society in honor of my friend Jeff Medkeff who died last year from liver cancer.
If you’re going to D*C anyway, why not have some food and drink in good cause with some science-lovin’ skeptics, too?
Got Comic Con stories?
Did you go to Comic Con and have an experience worth recounting? The folks at Adventures in SciFi Publishing are looking for funny tales of CC to put on their page. I heard it through @tarynoneill on Twitter, sent them my David Tennant story, and it’s up on their site now. Here’s your chance to share whatever goofiness you went through, and hear about others’ too.
THAT IS NOT HOW FUTURAMA WORKS!
Pardon the title, Morbo was yelling at me.
So Futurama is coming back. Yay!
Then rumors abounded that Fox wasn’t bringing back the original voice actors. Boo!
But now it looks like they are bringing back the original actors. Yay!
So what’s next? They won’t have Hypnotoad?
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Listen up, Fox: YOU WILL BRING BACK HYPNOTOAD. YOU WILL…
Science panel of Eeeeeevvvvvil!
Last week, I moderated a very cool panel at Comic Con about the Science of Science Fiction, stressing science for good or evil in fiction. IMO it was a really good discussion, and now you have a chance to see for yourself! The full video and description of the panel has been posted on the Hive Overmind blog Science Not Fiction, and I’ve embedded it here for your convenience:
[Feel free to grab the embed for your blog if you'd like.]
Watching it, I was struck by how serious the discussion was. Not "serious" as in we were all sourpusses and frowny and finger-wagging — we laughed and joked a lot — but serious in that the depth of the discussion surprised me. I had a lot of fun up there, and somehow I was remembering that as haha fun. But now, thinking back on it, I had fun talking about deep philosophical topics — life, death, torture, memory, the knowledge of self — with smart people.*
Smart people are cool. A panel full of them is awesomely cool, and it was a privilege to stand up there with them. Go give that video a watch. I think you’ll enjoy it.
And, of course, I can’t wait until next year!
* And how much did it rock that Jaime Paglia quoted from Dawkins’ Unweaving the Rainbow? That was a defining moment in the panel for me.
