Dragon*Con 2007, Day 0

No, that's not a typo above; the biggest annual SF/fantasy/horror/gaming/comics/costume/you-name-it convention on the planet, Dragon*Con, had its unofficial start last night, with registration opening and an un-schedule-listed mega-concert in the evening featuring three talented Renfair-type bands: Three-Quarter Ale, The Lost Boys and Emerald Rose. (Official programming starts today, which I will miss a lot of until I get off work at 5 PM or so.) Being fortunately a local, I went down after work to pick up my performer's badge (I share an hour with Roberta Rogow tonight at 8:30 PM, Inman Room, Hyatt sub-basement), and ran into D*C current filk czar/performer filkertom, running around like a decapitated chicken and already looking haggard enough to have been here three days, the poor sod. (Of course, driving down from Michigan [!!] might have had something to do with that...)

The only other two people I knew who showed up this early were Roberta, who had flown in Tuesday from her NJ digs, and another longtime crony of mine,filkferengi, who showed up for the concert. We stayed long enough to hear 3QA's miked-acoustic set, which was still at a respectable volume given the towering amps and cavernous room the show occupied. Once the electric-guitar contingent took over around 10:30P or so, we both bailed; any music that hurts *my* half-deaf ears from 50 feet outside closed auditorium doors was more than either of us could stand. (Both TLB and ER will be performing in more intimate, less deafening setups on the Hyatt concourse level, as well as more ballroom concerts, during the weekend, so this show was just gravy for me and wasn't a heartbreak to miss 2/3 of.)

I even get to share dealer-table space with Roberta and the Bedlam Bards, two levels up from our concert room. Now if only I'd had the foresight to get some CDs and/or songbooks made up to sell...Grrr.

So who's gonna be here this weekend? Who's already here that I haven't mentioned? Or if you're not attending, what are you doing that's exciting and fun this weekend? Post here.

Your Quote of the Day

Arthur C. Clarke, Grand Master science fiction novelist, on whether humanity as a race exemplifies Darwinian "survival of the fittest":

"Perhaps a species that has accumulated four tons of explosives per capita has already demonstrated its biological unfitness beyond any further question."

--quoted in his book, Astounding Days: A Science Fictional Autobiography, Gollancz Press, 1989

Another Bushie bails...but this one has a good excuse

Today, White House Press Secretary Anthony "Tony" Snow, currently undergoing treatment for cancer, announced he will retire from public life next month. Unlike the other recent departures of Bush Regime figures, which have the air of the proverbial rats deserting a sinking ship of state, Snow at least has conducted himself with a modicum of probity -- and has a much better excuse than the usual "I want to spend more time with my family" line so often used in D.C. when escaping prosecution, public calumny or the hot breath of scandal.

Though I may loathe his politics (he came to the Bush II White House from the Faux Fox News Channel, you may recall), I wish him every success in fighting off this disease, and a speedy and complete recovery. Anyone have any thoughts as to who will succeed him? Or on who should?