13 December 2014

Birthdays
Michael Socha b. 1987 (Once Upon a Time, Being Human, Paradox)
Tanya Van Graan b. 1983 (Starship Troopers 3: Marauder)
Jeffrey Pierce b. 1971 (The Tomorrow People, The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Knight Rider [2008], Journeyman, Charmed, S1m0ne, The Astronauts)
Bart Johnson b. 1977 (Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street, Vamp U, Monster Mutt, Tremors [TV], Babylon 5)
Christie Clark b. 1973 (Children of the Corn II: The Final Sacrifice, A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge)
Tony Curran b. 1969 (Defiance, X-Men: First Class, Doctor Who, Primeval, Underworld: Evolution, Night Stalker [2005], The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Blade II, The Mists of Avalon, Being Human)
Jamie Foxx b. 1967 (The Amazing Spider-Man 2)
Harry Gregson-Williams b. 1961 (composer, Shrek, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, The Chronicles of Narnia, The Borrowers)
Johnny Whitaker b. 1959 (Sigmund and the Sea Monsters, Bewitched)
Lynn-Holly Johnson b. 1958 (Tales from Dark Fall, Hyper Space, Alien Predator, The Watcher in the Woods)
Amy Stock-Poynton b. 1958 (Beanstalk, Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure)
Steve Buscemi b. 1957 (The Island, Spy Kids 2 and 3, Armageddon, Tales from the Crypt)
Afemo Omilami b. 1950 (The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Sheena)
Wendie Malick b. 1950 (Adventures of a Teenage Dragonslayer, Strange Frequency 1 & 2, The X Files, Apollo 11, Tales from the Crypt, Scrooged)
Robert Lindsay b. 1949 (Atlantis, Tales from the Crypt)
Darlene Cates b. 1947 (Wolf Girl)
Kathy Garver b. 1945 (Hercules Saves Christmas, Horrorween, Soupernatural)
Richard D. Zanuck b. 1934 died 13 July 2012 (producer, Dark Shadows [2012], Clash of the Titans [2010], Alice in Wonderland [2010], Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Reign of Fire, Planet of the Apes [2001], Cocoon 1 & 2)
Robert Prosky b. 1930 died 8 December 2008 (Last Action Hero, Gremlins 2: The New Batch, World War III)
Christopher Plummer b. 1929 (The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus, National Treasure, Dracula 2000, The Dinosaur Hunter, Twelve Monkeys, Wolf, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, Vampire in Venice, Prototype, Dreamscape, Somewhere in Time, Starcrash)
Dick Van Dyke b. 1925 (Night at the Museum, Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Mary Poppins)
Maria Riva b. 1924 (Scrooged)
Don Taylor b. 1920 died 29 December 1998 (director, Island of Dr. Moreau, Damien: Omen II, The Final Countdown, Escape from the Planet of the Apes)
John Hart b. 1917 died 20 September 2009 (The Greatest American Hero, The Astral Factor, Blackenstein, Atlantis, The Lost Continent, World of Giants, The Shaggy Dog, Atom Man vs. Superman)

Today's list presents a quandary. It is not short of well known names, but it's a little weak on iconic roles. Last year I used Christopher Plummer from Star Trek VI and this year Dick Van Dyke from Mary Poppins. My quandary is this. While those roles are iconic, they are among the worst performances ever by both actors. Plummer chewed the scenery so much, there was hardly any scenery left for Shatner to chew. And I quote a lyric of Joss Whedon which I agree with completely: "As convincing as a Cockney Dick Van Dyke." My top choice for next year is Jamie Foxx in his one genre role. I didn't see the film, so I will have to rely on others to tell me how over the top Mr. Foxx went.

And in other news, I found no Canadians born today to spot.

Many happy returns to all the living on the list, and to the dead, thanks for all the memories.

Movie released
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug released, 2013  
 

Predictor: John J. Carty, electrical engineer (1861-1932), predicting the 20th Century in response to questions sent out by the organizers of the 1893 Columbian Exhibition in Chicago

Prediction: The probable developments in electricity in the 20th Century are almost inconceivable...

In domestic life, electricity may well replace gas, steam and coal as they are used today...

Coal will no longer be delivered from house to house, but instead to a few plants, perhaps only one, that will produce energy for an entire city...

It is estimated that if the all the energy in coal could be extracted, it would be a fivefold increase. This might solve the problem of aerial navigation...

The experiments of Tesla that show electricity can be passed from one conductor to another without need of an intermediary conduit, such as a wire. This will be found invaluable in the 20th Century. A war ship at sea might be powered by a great motor on land. Electricity as a weapon of war might also be possible.

Electric trolleys will obliterate the problems of distance. It could be possible for a man to leave his front yard - or for a farmer out from his driveway - and directly board an electric trolley that could transport him at the rate of 20 miles per hour into the great city. The trolleys would run so often that no timetables would be necessary.


Reality: First things first, a fine mustache. As for the uses of electricity, he gets stuff right and wrong. On the plus side of the ledger, home delivery of coal is extinct almost everywhere and electric stoves are useful, though gas ovens are also still in use.

As for the incorrect, his aerial navigation idea is likely talking about zeppelins fueled by electricity, which we don't do, electric weapons are limited to tasers - hardly weapons of war -  and trolleys can go much faster than 20 mph. When it comes to the most useful electric appliances, Carty would have sounded like a madman if he predicted radio, computers and television, and he was not a crazy person, but instead a practical man with a reputation that lasts until day, his name attached to a yearly award for excellence in electrical engineering first given out by AT&T in 1931.

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

Another lazy Sunday and another nuclear conflagration avoided.

Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!