Milwaukee Time Lords Blog

This weekend has arrived! Dragoncon 2009 begins as of Thursday at 4:00 PM, the time that registration opens. After nearly a year of planning this trip, all that is left is travelling to this annual gaming & fantasy convention. I still have my MARTA card, which I saved and thought to place in my wallet so I don’t forget it.

Last year, I was the sole Milwaukee Time Lord member in attendance. This year, my sister, Debbie Frey, will be with me. The cost is less more me this year. I found a cheaper hotel that is closer to the Chamblee MARTA station. Gas prices are much lower this year. At home I’ve seen prices around $2.54/gallon, whch is much better than over $4/gallon.  I observed price drops as I travel southwards. Also, my sister paid for half the hotel and expenses. And this year, some help from mom.  Thanks!

Last year, I also brought along ads to place on tables. This year, I am printing up ad cards, which require less hand processing than our MTL flyers. I was able to place six ads on one page, multiplying the number of cards. It’s still much less than the anticipated 30,000+ attendance, but I intend to mainly target the Britrack area, where I am most likely to find Doctor Who fans who may be interested in our club. We still publish a printed newsletter that includes a summary of science fiction and general tv/movie news. We mostly communicate with each other by email. I don’t know of any member who has a Twitter account or any other “New Media” online presence.

I will be driving to Atlanta, following the same route as before. Last year was a learning experience driving all through the night for the first time and longer than I ever have within 14 hours. We’ll stop at least four times, perhaps more if needed. I used both Mapquest and RandMcnally sites to plan the trip this year. I liked the RandMcnally print out format much better as a navigation aid and the maps were smaller and used less ink. It’s hard to be precise, however, when selecting stopping points. I was unable to select the Lake Forest Oasis as a stop, since the map site uses cities as stopping points. Lake Forest, ILL was as close as I could get.

I hope to take lots of photos this year. Last year I had a credit card sized camera that was powered by USB cable and had limited power and memory. This year, I purchased a Kodak EasyShare camera from an Office Depot bargain table. If I have my laptop with me, I can transfer images once memory is full. This camera used two AA batteries. I hope to switch to rechargable batteries once I get through the ones I got. I practiced using the camera at various events and situations this summer. I have a travel tripod which I can use to get timed and low light photos.

I will post images from this blog along with a summary for each day. After registration, I am really looking forward to a Star Party being held at the Bradley Observatory. There is a banquet at 7:00 pm and a lecture at 8:00 pm.

There is sure to be video recordings posted at YouTube so you can enjoy some of the panels. Do a search on “Dragoncon 2009″. Add name of your favorite series to narrow search. There are Battlestar Galactica cl

The list has grown considerably since the last post.  If you are fans of Star Trek, Babylon 5, Battlestar Gallactica, Farscape or Firefly, this year’s line-up looks great!  The Dragoncon site lists guests alphabetically, so you need to scan through the list if you seek guests for your favorite series.  The guests are by TV series.

Star Trek
John Billingsley
James Cawley
Robert Duncan McNeil
Kate Mullgrew
Leonard Nimoy
Dwight Schultz
Garrett Wang

Dr Who/Torchwood
Eric Roberts
Eliza Roberts

Battlestar Gallactica
Dirk Benedict
Aaron Douglas
Richard Hatch
Alessandro Juliani
Kandyse McClure
Mary McDonnell
Edward James Olmos
Kate Vernon

Babylon 5
Bruce Boxleitner
Claudia Christian
Stephen Furst
Tracy Scoggins

Farscape
Claudia Black
Virginia Hey
Lani John Tupu

Stargate-SG1
Michael Shanks

Firefly
Ron Glass

Other Guests
Catherine Bach
Trace Beaulieu
Julie Benz
Bob Bergen
Michael Connell Biehn
Jennifer Blanc
Barry Bostwick
Doug Bradley
Charisma Carpenter
Bill Corbett
Bruce Davison
Lexa Doig
Peter Facinelli
Charles Fleischer
Louise Fletcher
Paul Goddard
Dean Haglund
Kane Hodder
Richard Kiel
Traci Lords
James Marsters
Paul McGillion
Jason Momoa
Michael Nankin
Jasika Nicole
John Noble
Mary Jo Pehl
James Randi
Alan Ruck
John Schneider
Helen Slater
Kristy Swanson
Michael Welch

Monday, September 1st

Edward James Olmos Q&A - Excellent Q&A which was capped off with the “so say we all” that had become by now an established feature of BSG panels and events.
Earth at last? (BSG) - Hurricane Gustav landfall in New Orleans reduced panel to two guests: Richard Hatch and Tahmoh Penikett.
Skeptrack Sign Off Party - Wrap-up and review of new Dragoncon panel. New guests were impressed with the opportunity to reach a new audience with the message of critical thinking and rationality while having fun while doing so.
Interstellar Travel - Overview of space travel options. It was a bit anti-climatic for me after the very satisfying final Skeptrack panel.

At 5 pm I went around to collect any promotional flyers that were left (I paid a lot for them) and then left for my train to the MARTA parking lot and departed Atlanta soon after getting a tank of gas. I opted to drive all the way home, rather than stopping at a hotel as I had previous envisioned doing. It seemed to be best to leave the hurricane-affected area as soon as possible to avoid possible bad weather for driving and increased traffic. I arrived home in Waukesha, WI by sunrise Tuesday morning after three stops for fuel-ups and a late night dinner at McDonalds.

I plan to return next year. Don’t forget to start searching YouTube and other sites for Dragoncon media and reports as attendees return home and recover enough to post.

Now back to the reality of some new work ahead of me this month.

Sunday, August 31st - Convention Day 3

Supernatural How To (skeptrack) - Richard Saunders, Australian skeptic, shows us spoon bending, cold reading, dowsing and other tricks that so-called “psychics” use to fool the public.
The TANK - LIVE! (skeptrack)  - Now renamed to “The Skeptics Zone”, Richard Saunders and company lead a discussion of the current state of skepticism in his country.
Skeptics Guide To The Universe  (skeptrack) - Dr Stephen Novella presents his weekly podcast live at Dragoncon. Panel featured a hilarious video with podcast member, Evan Bernstein, interviewing various Dragoncon characters on skeptical topics.  You can go here to get a copy of the show at the link.
Wibbly Wobbly, Timey Wimey: New Series Doctor Who (brittrack) - This panel was so popular, it was moved to a larger room thanks to the excellent hotel service.  Yay for Doctor Who and the Sheraton hotel!
Boomers to Millennials: What We’ve Learned in a Generation (space track) - Panel members of various generations, from “baby boomer” to “generation X” discuss the space program from their perspectives.
Robots Vs Humans (space track) - A discussion about the role of both humans and robots in space exploration
Ask the Boffins: the Science of British Sci-Fi (britrack) - Phil Plait and Kevin Grazier contribute to this Brittrack panel, discussing the science of Doctor Who, Torchwood and other British television shows.
Where Do We Go From Here?  (skeptrack) - Skeptrack panelists discuss the current state of skeptism - Dragoncon has become an excellent venue to promote critical thinking.
ANNIVERSARIES PARTY - Brittrack party consisted of a meeting of British SF fans at their Sheraton room.
THE 1ST ANNUAL MAD SCIENTIST’S BALL - I wanted to attend to see their show which was heavily promoted, but the hall was full when I got there and there was a line to get in.  I did hear the “singing” tesla coils from outside the room at the Hyatt.
Live Astronomy - I tried this again and got to view a few images that were obtained in the last session.

The two highlights of the day for me were the SGU live podcast and the British SF panel.  I’ll be back with a few more photos.  Go to the Dragoncon site for more and better photos than what I managed to get with my little camera.

I will post my fourth day after I get home.  It’s been great having this free wireless access from my hotel room.

I hope my experiences and a view of the Dragoncon website will convince you to register for Dragoncon next year.  There are so many ways to choose your fun.  I only saw a slice of what this convention had to offer.  I missed the Saturday parade in favor of the space track panel, though I heard it described how it was to have a large band of Star Wars stormtroopers marching down an Atlanta street. 

Go there now!

Saturday, August 30th - Convention Day 2

Cassini-Huygens - 4 years at Saturn (space track) - Excellent overview of highly productive mission to Saturn.  Good news:  More years have been added!
Inside the Actor’s Gaffe: Torchwood (brittrack) - Anthony Lewis, Gareth David-Lloyd, James Marsters
Bad Astronomy and Death From the Skies (skeptrack) - Phil Plait promotes his new book due out in October that discusses all the ways our planet (and we) can meet a terrible end. (Terrific plot ideas for science fiction TV and movies — hint, hint)
Science Based Medicine (skeptrack) - Dr. Steven Novella discusses the current situation with attempts to redefine what is meant by “Standard of care”.  You can read about this very effective counter to “alternative” medicine and quackery, by checking out this blog, blog that is the same name as this panel.
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Reunion (American TV Track) - Avery Brooks, Michael Dorn & Cirroc Lofton answer questions about their roles in Star Trek and their contributions to social change regarding who we choose for our leadership.
So Say We All (American TV Track) - Edward James Olmos, James Callis, Tahmoh Penikett, Aaron Douglas, Michael Hogan, Kevin Grazier - Most excellent BSG panel ended with the entire crowd yelling with a hearty “so say we all” led by Edward James Olmos, just as at the end of the miniseries.
Issues in Education (skeptrack) - The current poor state of education (especially science) in the US and what to do about it was discussed.
Phil Plait Q&A (skeptrack) - This impromptu panel replaced a paranormal investigation topic panel that was canceled due to Bed Radford not being available in time for it.  No one seemed to mind the change.
The Science in Science Fiction (space track) - Phil Plait and Kevin Grazier discuss the role of science advisers in science fiction television shows. - Kevin led us with “so say we all”, just as at the BSG panel I attended earlier.  It got better where we had two scientists who are also HUGE sf fans, just like we MTL members.
Selling the Impossible (skeptrack) - Dr. Pamela Gay plays consumer advocate here and discusses the sorts of bogus products that are available on the market and how to fight back against it. 
BSG - Colonial Defense Force Party - I peeked in the hall to view many in BSG character costumes.  Aaron and Tahmoh were there to assist with the charity auction.

One of the most awesome experiences was viewing the Battlestar Gallactica trailer viewed by San Diego Comcon attendees earlier this summer at the science in science fiction panel.  We viewed it TWICE, it was that good.

There’s so many reasons you should consider attending Dragoncon next year.  Go to their site now and look at the excellent costumes in the photo section and the events scheduled for this year.

If you are an MTL member reading this, seriously consider this as a new and terrific way to promote our club.  We’ve been missing out on this opportunity to forge new connections and meet new friends for our club.

I summarize my experience here with the list of panels I attended and each day separated by post.

Friday, August 29th - Convention Day 1

Welcome (Brittrack) - Orientation meeting for the British TV programming track.
Skeptics 101 (skeptrack) - Introduction to the new Skeptrack programming introduced this year at Dragoncon.  Panelists James Randi (JREF), DJ Grothe (Point of Inquiry podcast), Jeff Wagg (JREF), Benjamin Radford (managing editor of Skeptical Inquirer magazine), Phil Plait (Bad Astronomy website and now the president of JREF) and Richard Saunders kicked off a weekend of topics relating to how to encourage critical thinking in the public in a variety of subjects.
Why Magic Matters (skeptrack) - DJ Grothe interviews James Randi on the topic of how magic plays a role in skepicism and critical thinking.
Babylon 5 (main programming) - Jerry Doyle and Walter Koenig together in one panel.  Isn’t this an awesome idea for a panel?
Science Based Medicine: Spotting the Quacks, Charlatans and Those Elixer of Life Salesmen (science track) - Physicians, including Dr. Ginger Campbell MD of the Brain Science podcast, discuss standard of care issues and the affects of CAM on their medical practice.
The Big Bang - Why It Is Real (space track) Dr. Pamelia Gay - Runs the excellent Astronomy Cast podcast.  I highly recommend it.
A History of Planetary Probes (space track) - Overview of human space exploration from Sputnik to what lies ahead.  Summary:  LOTS of things blew up early in human space flight history.  We got it wrong MANY times before getting it right later in the 1960’s.
Live Astronomy (space track) - The science teacher you wished you had in school led a panel which involved the use of a telescope alloted for our use for a few hours.  Instructions and images were relayed completely online.  I had to leave early to catch MARTA train and get back to hotel to get some sleep.

James Randi, DJ Grothe, Benjamin Radford, Phil Plait, Richard Saunders

All panels were excellent.  I got a mix of science, science fiction and a history overview, along with current issues in skepticism.  The Skeptrack is a new addition to the collection of tracks Dragoncon hosts.  I encourge you to visit the links.  They go to a separate page.

As of June 11, 2008, Elisabeth Sladen (Sarah Jane of Doctor Who) has been added to the guest list for ChicagoTardis. The convention, to be held November 28-30, 2008, is located at The Westin Lombard Yorktown Center in Lombard, Illinois.

Go Here For More Details

For fans of both the classic and new series, the Sarah Jane character is a “bridge” between past and present. Compare her first entry into Doctor Who via The Time Warrior to the new series second season episode School Reunion and you will see just how far Doctor Who has come.

In the new spin-off series The Sarah Jane Adventures, we also get a glimpse to the past in Sarah’s attic stocked with bits and pieces of her travels in the TARDIS. Apparently, at least some companions remember and cherish their time spent with the Doctor. Will we see anyone else come out of “hiding”? I hope so. I like reunions and get-togethers of past characters.

Keep your eyes open when viewing Season 4 Doctor Who. More surprises await. (Even the Doctor is not allowed to see his own spoilers.)

Come and help celebrate 45 years of Doctor Who. Register for ChicagoTardis today! Our club will be there, as usual, to greet convention attendees at our fan table.

Have you always wanted to attend a science fiction convention, but never had enough funds or it was too far away?  Perhaps you have attended conventions in the past and want to know if there are video clips available that you can view right now.  Good news! Here’s your chance to be an “armchair” convention-goer, provided you have broadband access.

Today, I have added a new feature next to the conventions list in the Links section of our website. This feature makes use of the New Media resource YouTube, which is a huge collection of video clips, both original and captured.  You can find anything you want by typing search keywords that relate to your interests.

I have set up links based upon specific convention names.  For “ChicagoTardis”, I have a link to ChicagoTardis-related video clips.  Likewise, I found collections of clips for MarsCon and DragonCon (really huge collection!).  At our site all you have to do is click the virtual convention link next to the convention name and you’ll get a list of clips you can view.

Some are split into multiple parts, so be sure to view them in order in that case.  You can find all parts by entering the complete clip name into the searchbox.  If you seek a specific guest, you can add the name to the search box and it will narrow it down.

I spent last weekend “attending” DragonCon and other US conventions by searching for interview and panel video clips.

Now, everyday can be science fiction convention day!

To get you started, here’s a special treat to enjoy:  BSG Panel Dragoncon 2007

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kASMCTj44lU&hl=en]