29 November 2014

 Birthdays
Laura Marano b. 1995 (FlashForward, Heroes)
Briana Cuoco b. 1988 (Big Bang Theory, The Nightmare Room)
Lucas Black b. 1982 (Legion, The X Files, American Gothic)
Eddie Spears b. 1982 (Sleepy Hollow [TV])
Samantha Ivers b. 1982 (Enchanted)
Janina Gavankar b. 1980 (Code Academy, The Vampire Diaries, True Blood, Arrow, The Gates, Dollhouse, Stargate: Atlantis)
Timo Vuorensola b. 1979 (director, Iron Sky)
Beatrice Rosen b. 1977 (2012, The Dark Knight, Charmed, Smallville)
Anna Faris b. 1976 (Frequently Asked Questions About Time Travel, My Super Ex-Girlfriend)
David No b. 1972 (The Matrix Reloaded)
Naoko Mori b. 1971 (Torchwood, Doctor Who)
Gena Lee Nolin b. 1971 (Sheena)
Daniela Nane b. 1971 (Bloodrayne)
Larry Joe Campbell b. 1970 (R.I.P.D., Pacific Rim)
Yvonne Suhor b. 1965 (Enchanted, Star Trek: Voyager)
Ellen Cleghorne b. 1965 (Mattie Fresno and the Holoflux Universe, The Chronicle, Little Nicky, Armageddon)
Don Cheadle b. 1964 (Avengers: Age of Ultron, Iron Man 2 & 3, Mission to Mars, Volcano, The Meteor Man)
Andrew McCarthy b. 1962 (The Spiderwick Chronicles, Kingdom Hospital, Mannequin, Amazing Stories)
Tom Sizemore b. 1961 (Night of the Living Dead: Origins 3D, Dreamcatcher, Strange Days, Red Planet)
Kim Delaney b. 1961 (Nightmares & Dreamscapes, 10.5, 10.5 Apocalypse, Mission to Mars, Darkman II)
Hinton Battle b. 1956 (Buffy, Quantum Leap, Red Dwarf)
Jeff Fahey b. 1952 (Under the Dome, Lost, Planet Terror, Scorpius Gigantus, Absolute Zero, Manticore, Locusts: The 8th Plague, Johnny 2.0, The Lawnmower Man, Revolution, Darkman III)
Gary Shandling b. 1949 (Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Iron Man 2, The X Files, What Planet Are You From?)
John Calvin b. 1947 (Dragonworld, Critters 3, Quantum Leap, V, Knight Rider, The Six Million Dollar Man)
Diane Ladd b. 1932 (Carnosaur, Something Wicked This Way Comes, Faerie Tale Theatre)
Madeleine L'Engle b. 1918 died 6 September 2007 (author, A Wrinkle in Time)
C.S. Lewis b. 1898 died 22 November 1963 (author, Narnia, The Screwtape Letters)

It's a shortish list today and it's Canadian free. There are a lot of actors with only a role or two in genre and I would argue the dead authors are among the most iconic names here. I used Madeliene L'Engle last year, and this year it's Don Cheadle as War Machine from the Iron Man films. I haven't made up my mind about 2015, but I might go Whedonverse nerd and used Hinton Battle in his role from the musical Buffy episode. I also might make some convoluted argument that Janina Gavankar has an iconic role because... wow, purdy.

Many happy returns to all the living on the list, with special birthday wishes to The Gal at the Door Diane Ladd, and to the dead authors, thanks for all the memories.

Predictor: Reformer and economist Henry George (1839-1997), predicting the 20th Century in honor of the 1893 Columbian Exhibition in Chicago.

Prediction: The condition which will exist in this country in 1993 must depend on a single decision. That determination is whether, while they yet have power, the masses of our people accept or reject the one great reform which is embodied in the single-tax proposition. (Note: by this, he means taxes for owning property and none on industry. He does not consider the income tax.)

If they accept it, and I now believe they will, then the Twentieth Century may see the development of a civilization that transcends the imagination of the Nineteenth Century. If they reject it, then there must befall us - but on a far grander scale and with a far quicker movement - what befell ancient Rome.


Reality: Okay, Hank... may I call you Hank? Well, screw you, you're dead, I'm calling you Hank.

First things first, Hank. Great beard. Not ostentatious, but definitely manly.

Then there's your dream that the property tax will solve everything. We have it, but it's by no means the single-tax of your grand vision. We didn't take your advice and the Twentieth Century did develop a civilization beyond the Nineteenth Century imagination, and we didn't go to hell in a handbasket at breakneck speed. You are getting a zero on this prediction.

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

Let's all be thankful at the end of the long weekend we haven't had one of the many nuclear holocausts that authors predicted for us. We'll be reviewing one tomorrow, as is our Sunday custom.


Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!


P.S. Sorry for the late posting today, it was a travel day.