25 February 2013

Birthdays
James and Oliver Phelps b. 1986
Sean Astin b. 1971
Tea Leoni b. 1966
Alexis Denisof b. 1966

So we have two pair of exact same birthdays today. One pair are twins so it kinda doesn't count (The play the Weaseley twins in Harry Potter), but the other is Tea Leoni and Alexis Denisof. As a breeder (at least theoretically if not in actual practice) I usually pick the picture of the pretty girl out of a group like this, but I am such a Whedonverse fan I decided to go with Wesley during his scruffy, dark and brooding phase.

And let's not for Sean Astin, the hobbit from Notre Dame.

 

Predictions... for the year 2001!

Predictor: A.W. Zelomek (President, International Statistical Bureau):

U.S. population at 310 million...

Average family of four will have an income of $20,000 in 1955 dollars

Reality: He's high on the population, actually only 285 million. He was project an average increase 1.4% a year and it was closer to 1.2%.  Off, but not crazy off. After all, he's a statistician.

Or maybe he is crazy. The actual median income in 1955 was $5,000. Using the Consumer Price Index to change 1955 dollars to 2001 dollars, $20,000 magically turns into $120,000.

That's a big miss.

Predictor: N. Gonzalez, head of research, Eagle Pencil Company

Prediction: The lead pencil in the hands of creative man has been the genesis of technological advance in our era. And it will remain so for years to come...  I predict that in the year 2001, the lead pencil will be substantially the same as it is today.  

Why? Because today's pencil is perfectly designed and does its job faultlessly.

Reality: I love this prediction, because it's a guy rooting for his company (Yay, pencils!) and talking himself out of a job. The ellipsis leaves out a sentence where he says there will be improvements; I mean, he IS the head of research for pity's sake, but you know his heart isn't really completely in it. How do you improve a perfectly designed product that does its job faultlessly?

I'm betting the guy drank. A lot. And I mean "a lot" by 1956 standards. At least at Roger Sterling "a lot", maybe all the way to Freddy Rumson "a lot".

And this concludes our predictions from Amazing Stories from 1956. My thanks again to Alan Ponder for letting me rifle through his collection of sci-fi pulps. I will be taking more trips up to Stockton to study this valuable resource.

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!  Tomorrow, we climb back into the regular routine and see what Grumpy Old Bob Heinlein had to say. Will it be Goofy Heinlein or Sensible Heinlein? I haven't picked it yet, so even I don't know.

Join us then... INTO THE FUTURE!