28 October 2013

 Birthdays
Devon Murray b.1988 (Seamus Finnigan in Harry Potter)
Matt Smith b. 1982 (Doctor Who)
Joaquin Phoenix b. 1974 (Signs)
Michael Dougherty b. 1974 (writer, Superman Returns, X2)
Stephen Hunter b. 1968 (Bombur in The Hobbit)
Chris Bauer b. 1966 (True Blood)
Lauren Holly b. 1963 (Alphas)
Daphne Zuniga b. 1962 (Spaceballs, The Fly II)
Jonathan Mostow b. 1961 (director, Terminator 3)
Joe R. Lansdale b. 1951 (writer, Bubba Ho-Tep, Batman, Jonah Hex)
Ian Marter b. 1944 died 28 October 1986 (Doctor Who)
Jane Alexander b. 1939 (Terminator Salvation)
Elsa Lanchester b. 1902 died 26 December 1986 (Bride of Frankenstein)

On this list, there are two obvious choices for the Picture Slot, Matt Smith and Elsa Lanchester. I decided the Doctor this year, the Bride next.

Many happy returns to all the living on the list.

Movies released
In Time released 2011

Prediction: October 28, 1988 is War Day. The nuclear conflict lasts thirty six minutes.

Predictor: Whitley Strieber and James Kunetka, published 1984

Reality: Let me borrow from the review by Paul Brians, taken from his wonderful compendium of nuclear predictions.

"Despite its unremarkable style, its rudimentary plot, its political improbabilities and its shallow characters, this is by far the most thoroughly researched of all the attempts to depict nuclear war realistically. It reads almost like a collection of notes on various studies and reports."

Such high praise! I'm surprised it isn't quoted on the cover.

All kidding aside, the 1980s are the end of the big fear of nuclear war. The fall of Eastern European communism made the very unlikely chance of toe to toe nuclear confrontation with the Russkis seem even more unlikely.

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

We are back to the regular schedule, and Tuesday means Isaac Asimov, gazing into the future world of 2014 from his comfortable vantage point in 1964.

Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!