28 February 2014

 Birthdays
Georgina Leonidas b. 1990 (Harry Potter, Wizards vs. Aliens)
Karolina Kurkova b. 1984 (Rise of Cobra)
Alex Arsenault b. 1985 (Caprica, Supernatural, Tucker & Dale vs. Evil)
Natalia Vodianova b. 1982 (Clash of the Titans)
Ali Larter b. 1976 (Heroes, Resident Evil: Extinction, Final Destination I and II, House on Haunted Hill [1999])
Lemony Snicket b. 1970 (author, Lemony Snicket’s Series of Unfortunate Events)
Robert Sean Leonard b. 1969 (Falling Skies, My Friend Is a Vampire)
Rae Dawn Chong b. 1961 (Quest for Fire, Time Runner, Highlander [TV], Poltergeist: The Legacy, Pegasus Vs. Chimera)
Dorothy Stratten b. 1960 died 14 August 1980 (Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Galaxina)
Mark Ferguson b. 1961 (Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings, Xena, Hercules, Cleopatra 2525)
John Turturro b. 1957 (Transformers, Transformers: Dark of the Moon)
Bernadette Peters b. 1948 (The Martian Chronicles)
Walter Tevis b. 1928 died 8 August 1984 (author, The Man Who Fell to Earth)
John Carson b. 1927 (Doomsday, Doctor Who, 1990, Captain Kronos – Vampire Hunter, Taste the Blood of Dracula, The Plague of the Zombies, Blood Beast from Outer Space)
Alfred Burke b. 1918 died 16 February 2011 (Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Blood Beast from Outer Space, Children of the Damned)
Sir John Tenniel b. 1820 died 1914 (illustrator, Alice in Wonderland)

Last year, before I did as much research on birthdays, the Picture Slot went to John Turturro, a good actor whose only genre work is in Transformer movies, which I readily admit I haven't seen. Next Year, I'll probably go with Ali Larter, who of course fits the Pretty Girl = Picture Slot criterion and is best known for work in the show Heroes. But this year, an illustration from Sir John Tenniel, whose illustrations of Lewis Carroll's work are clearly iconic and have been so now for nearly a century and a half, since Alice's Adventures in Wonderland was first published in 1865.

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

Predictor: Vint Cerf, Vice President of WorldCom

Prediction: By 2010, over half the sales of books will be e-books.

Reality: This is the last of the Wired Long Bets. Two of them had people on both sides of the bet, but the person who initiated the bet lost. There are three more with a person only on one side, and none have come true so far, including this one. Hardcovers still out sell e-books even today, though the market is growing.

So the Wired Long Bets record is 0 for 4 with one bet not over until 2020. That bet predicts a horrible biological warfare event, so I'm sure the predictor Sir Martin Rees will not mind me hoping the final record for all these prophets is 0 for 5.

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

A new month begins and we return to the 1890s for bold optimism and bolder facial hair.

Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!
  

21 February 2014

Birthdays
Sophie Turner b. 1996 (Game of Thrones)
Ashley Greene b. 1987 (Twilight Saga)
Ellen Page b. 1987 (X-Men: Days of Future Past, Inception, X-Men: The Last Stand, ReGenesis)
Christopher Yost (writer, Thor: The Dark World, Max Steel)
Kelsey Grammer b. 1955 (Transformers: Age of Extinction, X-Men: The Last Stand, Toy Story 2, Star Trek: The Next Generation)
Mimi Kuzyk b. 1952 (The Day After Tomorrow, Total Recall 2070, Poltergeist: The Legacy, Seaquest 2032, Quantum Leap)
Larry Drake b. 1950 (Gryphon, Firefly, Stargate SG-1, Timequest, Star Trek: Voyager, Prey, Darkman)
Frank Brunner b. 1949 (illustrator)
Anthony Daniels b. 1946 (Star Wars)
Alan Rickman b. 1946 (Harry Potter, Galaxy Quest, Alice in Wonderland [2010], The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Dogma, Truly Madly Deeply)
Richard Beymer b. 1939 (The X-Files, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine)
Gary Lockwood b. 1937 (2001: A Space Odyssey, Star Trek, Dark Skies, Superboy, The Bionic Woman, The Six Million Dollar Man, Earth II, The Magic Sword)
George Mitchell b. 1905 died 18 January 1972 (The Andromeda Strain, Land of the Giants, The Time Tunnel, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Twilight Zone, Invasion of the Animal People)
Celia Lovsky b. 1897 died 12 October 1979 (Soylent Green, Star Trek, Twilight Zone)

Anybody count as iconic on this list? Let's see, we have Sansa Stark, C-3P0, Snape and Dr. Lazarus (I went with Rickman last year), Dr. Frank Poole and Lt. Commander Gary Mitchell. There are multiple choice for fabulous babes, including Ellen Page who made some news this month by coming out. If I wanted to go Oh That Guy, there's Larry Drake and George Mitchell, whose best known work is done after he turns fifty. But because I am a nerd of a certain age, you are looking at Celia Lovsky as T'Pau. I mean really, are thee Vulcan or are thee Human?

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

Prediction: By 2010, over half the books sold worldwide will be printed on demand at the point of sale in the form of library quality paperbacks.

Predictor:  Jason Epstein, former editorial director Random House

Reality: Epstein not only made this bet around 1999, he was the founder of 3BillionBooks, the company that makes the Espresso Book Machine, which Wikipedia says has been installed at about fifty places around the world, mainly in libraries. He did this in hopes that streamlining the book manufacturing process would save on distribution costs and the cost of destruction of unsold books. He's in the business and I'm not, but thinking this idea would take off so fast was just crazy dreaming. While books wouldn't have to be shipped, raw materials still would and anyplace buying into this also has to deal with the upkeep of the machines. In any case, Epstein was on the hook for $10,000 back in 2010 when that year came and went and his business was nowhere near half of the industry.

Oopsie.

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

The return of the predictions of a contest winner published in 1956 in the 30th anniversary issue of Amazing Stories.

Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!

14 February 2014

 Birthdays
Freddie Highmore b. 1992 (Astro Boy, The Spiderwick Chronicles, The Golden Compass, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Jack and the Beanstalk: The Real Story)
Stephanie Leonidas b. 1984 (Defiance, Atlantis: End of the World, Birth of a Legend, Dracula [2006], MirrorMask)
Erica Leerhsen b. 1976 (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre [2003], Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2)
Mark Lutz b. 1970 (Angel, Mutant X, Earth: Final Conflict, Specimen)
Simon Pegg b. 1970 (The World’s End, Star Trek, Paul, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Land of the Dead, Doctor Who, Shaun of the Dead)
Zach Galligan b. 1964 (Infested, Star Trek: Voyager, Gremlins)
Enrico Colantoni b. 1963 (Warehouse 13, Contagion, Stargate SG-1, A.I. Artificial Intelligence, Galaxy Quest)
Anton Lesser b. 1952 (Game of Thrones, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Primeval, Jack and the Beanstalk: The Real Story)
Frank Collison b. 1950 (Stargate: Atlantis, Carnivale, The Village, K-PAX, Star Trek: The Next Generation, The Lawnmower Man, Quantum Leap, Alien Nation, The Blob [1988])
Gregory Hines b. 1946 died 9 August 2003 (Eve of Destruction, Wolfen)
Andrew Robinson b. 1942 (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, The X Files, M.A.N.T.I.S., The Puppet Masters, Child’s Play 3, The Twilight Zone [1986], Hellraiser)
Vic Morrow b. 1929 died 23 July 1982 (Twilight Zone: The Movie, 1990: The Bronx Warriors, Humanoids from the Deep, Message from Space)
Jonathan Adams b. 1931 died 13 June 2005 (Star Cops, 1990, The Rocky Horror Picture Show)
Edward Platt b. 1916 died 19 March 1974 (Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, The Outer Limits, Twilight Zone)

Okay, let's start by stipulating that Simon Pegg got the Picture Slot last year and there are other worthy candidates. A lot of actors with iconic roles on the birthday list today, though guys like Edward Platt (Get Smart), Vic Morrow (Combat!), Gregory Hines (The Cotton Club) and Frank Collison (John Turturro's treacherous cousin in O Brother Where Art Thou?) have their best known roles in non-genre work. If I was younger, I might have had Freddie Highmore in the Picture Slot, since he's one of the premier child actors of this century. I might also have gone quirky and put Johnathan Adams as the wheelchair bound Dr. Scott from Rocky Horror. But instead we are looking at a picture of Andrew Robinson as Garak, the Cardassian tailor/spy from Deep Space Nine. Of all the Star Trek series, Deep Space Nine was the one full of creepy and a lot of the creepy was very well done.

Personal aside: Gregory Hines is one of those actors who I'm always surprised when I recall he's dead. I feel the same way about Raul Julia. The news of their deaths wasn't quite as big a story as other deaths like Phil Hartman or River Phoenix or James Gandolfini, and when I see a picture of Hines or Julia, I think "I haven't seen him in anything recently. Oh, wait... he died."

In any case, many happy returns to the living on the list, and to the dead, thanks for all the memories.

Movies released
Daredevil released, 2003

To my mind, this movie has a Valentine's Day subtext, since this is when Ben Affleck met his wife to be Jennifer Garner. Affleck was still seeing Jennifer Lopez at the time, and to my point of view he made a massive upgrade.

Predictor: Sir Martin Rees, author of Our Final Hour

Prediction: Bioterror or bioerror will lead to 1 million casualties in a single event by 2020.

Reality: His 2003 book Our Final Hour (in the U.K. Our Final Century) is obviously glum, but it doesn't have a lot of specific dates for future catastrophes. This is the only thing I have from him that follows the guidelines for predictions on this blog. I obviously can't say if he's right or wrong yet, but we are 11 years into a 17 year bet and his money is still on the line.  If we get to New Year's Day 2021 without such a huge event, I'm sure Sir Martin won't be that unhappy to be wrong.

Never to be Forgotten: Ralph Waite 1928-2014

Waite is best known for his role on The Waltons. As a trivia buff, he's one of a platoon of familiar faces that make Cool Hand Luke so much fun to watch. He's mentioned here for his roles on Carnivale (pictured here) and Timequest and Time Trax.

Best wishes to the family and friends of Ralph Waite. He is never to be forgotten.

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

Our standard weekend schedule will be interrupted by predictions from TV shows.

Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!

7 February 2014

Birthdays
Deborah Ann Woll b. 1985 (True Blood)
Cerina Vincent b. 1979 (Zombie Family, Power Rangers Lost Galaxy)
Ashton Kutcher b. 1978 (The Butterfly Effect, Dude, Where’s My Car?)
Chris Rock b. 1965 (A.I. Artificial Intelligence, Dogma)
Eddie Izzard b. 1962 (Mockingbird Lane, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, My Super Ex-Girlfriend, The Shadow of the Vampire, The Day of the Triffids, Mystery Men)
James Spader b. 1960 (The Avengers: Age of Ultron, Alien Hunter, Supernova, Stargate)
Miguel Ferrer b. 1955 (Iron Man 3, Bionic Woman [2007], The Stand, DeepStar Six, RoboCop, Badlands 2005, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock)
Pete Postlethwaite b. 1946 died 2 January 2011 (Inception, Clash of the Titans, Solomon Kane, The Omen, Aeon Flux, Alice in Wonderland [1999], The Lost World: Jurassic Park, James and the Giant Peach, Alien 3)
Buster Crabbe b. 1908 died 23 April 1983 (Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Flash Gordon)
Sinclair Lewis b. 1885 died 10 January 1951 (author, It Can’t Happen Here)

There are a lot of well known faces on today's birthday list, and the two young women at the top of the list certainly qualify on the Pretty Girl = Picture Slot criterion, but to my mind, only Buster Crabbe is truly iconic, here dressed as Flash Gordon.

I have to admit that until I saw his name on the list this morning, it had completely skipped my mind that Pete Postlethwaite died three years ago. He did so much good work and nowadays dying at 64 is way too young. Many happy returns to all the living on the list, and to the dead, thanks for all the memories.
 

Prediction: By 2012, Russia will be referred to as the world leader in software development in both The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times.

Predictor: Esther Dyson in a Wired Long Bet (Bill Campbell of Intuit bet against her)

Reality: Dyson's business is promoting software developers from Russia and Eastern Europe. Campbell was declared the winner of this bet. The Russians do good work, but they aren't considered THE world leader in anything these days, except in the competition for most corrupt government run by an out of control asshole.

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

It's back to 1893 and another vision of bright hope for the 20th Century.

Join us then... IN THE FUTURE! 

31 January 2014

Birthdays
Justin Timberlake b. 1981 (In Time, Shrek the Third)
Kerry Washington b. 1977 (Fantastic Four)
Minnie Driver b. 1970 (The Deep, Ella Enchanted, Tarzan, Princess Mononoke)
Grant Morrison b. 1960 (writer, All Star Superman, Batman R.I.P., New X-Men)
Jonathan Banks b. 1947 (Millennium Man, SeaQuest 2032, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Otherworld, Buckaroo Banzai)
Glynn Turman b. 1947 (Super 8, FlashForward, Millennium, Gremlins, Manimal, The Twilight Zone [1985])
James Franciscus b. 1934 (When Time Ran Out, Beneath the Planet of the Apes, Marooned, The Valley of Gwangi, Twilight Zone)
Jean Simmons b. 1929 (Howl’s Moving Castle, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Dark Shadows [1991])
William Hurst b. 1922 died 25 January 1995 (Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, The Six Million Dollar Man, Gemini Man, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Devil Doll [1964], Gorgo)
John Agar b. 1921 died 7 April 2002 (The Twilight Zone [1986], Zontar: The Thing from Venus, Women of the Prehistoric Planet, Journey to the Seventh Planet, Destination Space, Invisible Invaders, Attack of the Puppet People, The Brain from Planet Arous, The Mole People, Tarantula, Revenge of the Creature)
Eddie Willard b. 1911 died 21 August 1981 (Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope, The Mummy [1959])
Percy Helton b. 1894 died 11 September 1971 (Land of the Giants, Batman [TV], The Green Hornet, Twilight Zone, 20000 Leagues Under the Sea, The Adventures of Superman)

Today's birthday list skews older, with four people born after I was and eight born before. All of the women easily qualify for the Pretty Girl = Picture Slot rule, and we have two really good looking guys, James Franciscus and John Agar, who did bigger budget projects early in their careers but fell into the sci-fi genre ghetto and never quite came back. Jonathan Banks has become an Oh, That Guy with his roles on Breaking Bad and Community, but it's interesting to see him when he was young and had hair. But as you can see, the Picture Slot went to one of my favorite Oh, That Guys of all time Percy Helton. He did a jillion little roles, usually as the sweet faced old man. (In Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, his character's name was Sweetface.)

Many happy returns of the day to all the living on the list and to the departed, thanks for all the memories.)

Prediction: The US men’s soccer team will win the World Cup before the Red Sox win the World Series.

Predictors: Taking the yes is Mike Elliot, Editor at large at Time and taking the no, actor Ted Danson

Reality: This is our first prediction from the Wired magazine series of Long Bets. Some have two people betting, one on the yes and the other on the no. Some just have one side covered. Most of the propositions have exact years, but this one is of the form "x will happen before y". For folks who don't follow sports, this bet made in 2002 was resolved in 2004 when the Red Sox won the Series for the first time since 1918.

I'm assuming Elliot went out of his way to make the bet and I will say it was a very bad gamble and not just in retrospect. While it was true the Red Sox were on a terrible streak, they really weren't a terrible organization. One of the obvious things working against him is the World Series is played every year and the World Cup is only played once in four years. The other thing working against him is how far the United States is away from being an elite football power. Americans may like soccer as a sport for the kids to play, but we are so far away from loving it intensely we may never catch up to the Brazilians and Argentines in our own hemisphere or the best countries in Europe.

While I might not live to see either thing happen, I would wager the Chicago Cubs will win the Series before the United States men win the World Cup.

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!


Back to 1893 and some canny predictions from a Mr. Felix Oswald.

Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!