11 April 2015

Birthdays
Morgan Lily b. 2000 (Deadtime Stories, X-Men: First Class, 2012)
Dakota Blue Richards b. 1994 (The Secret of Moonacre, The Golden Compass)
Marcus Johns b. 1993 (The Punisher)
Eka Darville b. 1989 (The Originals, Terra Nova, Power Rangers R.P.M.)
Kelli Garner b. 1984 (Horns, Buffy)
Monica May b. 1984 (Battle Planet, Power Rangers S.P.D.)
Alessandra Ambrosio b. 1981 (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2)
Matt Ryan b. 1981 (Constantine, Torchwood)
Marlene Katz b. 1980 (Arachnophobia)
Reina King b. 1975 (Scrooged)
Tricia Helfer b. 1974 (Ascension, The Librarians, Battlestar Galactica, Bloodwork, No Ordinary Family, Warehouse 13, Supernatural, Them [2007], Jeremiah)
Jennifer Esposito b. 1973 (Dracula 2000)
Simon Reynolds b. 1969 (Haven, Warehouse 13, Earth: Final Conflict, The 5th Quadrant, Our Hero, Forever Knight)
Patrick Bishop b. 1958 (Starship Troopers, Werewolf)
Gerry Becker b. 1951 (Charmed, Spider-Man, Angel, The Cell, Mystery Men)
Jay Benedict b. 1951 (The Dark Knight Rises, Genie in the House, Mansquito, Lexx)
Bill Irwin b. 1950 (Interstellar, Lady in the Water, Third Rock from the Sun)
Carl Franklin b. 1949 (ALF, The Incredible Hulk)
Peter Riegert b. 1947 (The Mask, The Runestone, Twilight Zone [1985], Americathon)
Meshach Taylor b. 1947 died 28 June 2014 (Hyenas, Ultra Warrior, Mannequin, ALF, The Howling, The Incredible Hulk, Damien: Omen II)
John Milius b. 1944 (director, Twilight Zone [1985], Conan the Barbarian)
Shirley Stelfox b. 1941 (Nineteen Eighty-Four)
Louise Lasser b. 1939 (Mystery Men, Frankenhooker, Slither)
Joel Grey b. 1932 (Warehouse 13, Buffy, A Christmas Carol [1999 TV], Star Trek: Voyager)
Billie Hayes b. 1932 (Tabitha, Bewitched, Lidsville, Pufnstuf)
Jack Betts b. 1949 (Spider-Man. Power Rangers Lost Galaxy, Alien Avengers II. Batman & Robin, Batman Forever)
Paul Douglas b. 1907 died 11 September 1959 (The Gamma People)

Notes from the birthday list.
1. The Picture Slot. On 11 April 2013, there was a picture of Tricia Helfer on the blog.

On 11 April 2014, yet another picture of Tricia Helfer.

Are you beginning to detect a pattern?

The other people I consider iconic in genre are Joel Grey as Doc on Buffy and Billie Hayes as Witchiepoo from all those Sid and Marty Krofft shows.

Instead, we have a third picture of Tricia Helfer. Sue me.

2. Spot the Canadians. You might be able to tell Simon Reynolds is Canadian from his credit list, but did you know Tricia Helfer is as well? This gives me an excuse to look at her picture again.

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Okay, I'm back.

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

Predictor: Henry V. Boynton (1835-1905), Union general, journalist, asked to predict the future in honor of the 1893 Columbian Exhibition held in Chicago

Prediction: Before the next centennial, the American South will be the manufacturing empire of the continent. The rich lowlands surrounding it will find consumers there for its products. The mountains and hill resources, the manufacturing population and the supporting lower countries together will form mighty communities, of which the new life now everywhere throbbing through this wonderful region gives certain promise.

Reality: As far as I can recall, this is the only prediction that deals with the great nagging political problem of the late 19th Century, the tendency of both parties to re-fight the Civil War over and over again, which was referred to as "waving the bloody shirt". A history teacher friend of mine says the first instance of Americans re-uniting for a single cause after the Civil War was in their fervor for the Spanish-American War, which is still a few years away when Boynton writes this praise for the South. In reality, while there is manufacturing all over this country, most people would point to the states bordering the Great Lakes as the manufacturing empire of the country in the 20th Century, now sadly referred to as The Rust Belt.

Note: this is the last prediction from the book on the 1893 Columbian Exhibition. As of next week, a new regular will sit in the Saturday slot.

Looking one day ahead... INTO THE FUTURE!

Sunday means another visit from Robert A. Heinlein and his predictions for the second half of the 20th Century in his 1956 book The Door Into Summer.

Join us then... IN THE FUTURE!