16 February 2014

Birthdays
Jimmy ‘Jax’ Pinchak b. 1996 (Ender’s Game, Let Me In)
Agyness Deyn b. 1983 (Clash of the Titans)
Sarah Clarke b. 1972 (The Tomorrow People, Twilight)
Elisabeth Olsen b. 1969 (Avengers: Age of Ultron, Godzilla [2014])
Christopher Eccleston b. 1964 (Thor: The Dark World, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, Heroes, Doctor Who, 29 Days Later…, eXistenZ)
Faran Tahir b, 1967 (Elysium. Warehouse 13, Supernatural, Star Trek [2009], Lost, Iron Man, Charmed)
Pasha D. Lychnikoff b. 1967 (The Big Bang Theory, Star Trek [2009], Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystall Skull, Cloverfield)
LeVar Burton b. 1957 (The Big Bang Theory, Star Trek, Captain Planet and the Planeteers, The Supernaturals)
Ardwight Chamberlain b. 1957 (Babylon 5)
Vincent Ward b. 1956 (director, What Dreams May Come, writer, Alien³)
Iain M. Banks b. 1954 died 9 June 2013 (author, The State of the Art, The Hydrogen Sonata, Against a Dark Background)
William Katt b. 1951 (Earthling, Heroes, Gamers, Andromeda, Piranha, The Greatest American Hero, Carrie)
Jeremy Bulloch b. 1945 (Starhyke, Star Wars, Doctor Who)
Hugh Beaumont b. 1909 died 14 May 1982 (The Mole People)

First things first, the Picture Slot. Levar Burton got it last year, so this year it was a choice between Doctor Who, Boba Fett (Bullock) and Kosh from Babylon 5 (Chamberlain). I gave some thought to William Katt from The Greatest American Hero, but I figured that was a little too dated. (Also, every time I type the title of that show, the theme song runs through my head. Grr.) So you are looking at Christopher Eccleston, my favorite doctor, whose choice was certainly made easier by the fact the other guys are in masks and never seen. I also respect Eccleston for leaving Doctor Who as quickly as he did. He's too good an actor to get typecast.

Secondly, two names that are close to others. Sarah Clarke in not Sarah Chalke from Scrubs and Elizabeth Olsen is not Elisabeth Moss, who plays Peggy Olson on Mad Men.

And a quick mention of Hugh Beaumont. I grew up watching 1950s monster movies on TV, and a lot of the actors in these low budget movies later catch their big break as regulars on TV series. Beaumont is linked forever to his role as Ward Cleaver on Leave it to Beaver.

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


Movies released 
Ghost Rider released, 2007

Prediction: In 1992, the Eugenics Wars begin, giving rise to different factions of genetically enhanced “supermen” ruling over one third of the Earth. The most powerful of these rulers was Khan Noonien Singh.

Predictor: Space Seed, written by Gene L. Coon and Carey Wilber, an episode from the first season of Star Trek, aired 16 February 1967

Reality: I used this prediction last year, but Khan is just too much fun to be ignored. As I noted last year, to be genetically enhanced should mean being born with some special traits. Even if Khan was supposed to be 30 in 1992, that would put his birth in the early 1960s. (Montalban was 46 when this picture was taken.) This would mean the genetic enhancements would have taken place before the story was actually written.

I give the same defense of Coon and Wilber I gave last year.

Math is hard.

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

The future of the San Francisco Bay as seen from the 1960s.

Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!