Sci-Fi Updates

Battlestar Galactica will begin its fourth (and final) season tonight.

Here’s the promo picture for the premiere:

And for those interested in the sci-fi genre, Dragon*Con is taking place on Labor Day weekend (Aug. 29^th to Sept 1^st) and the guest list is already filled with impressive speakers (including the following from the skeptic/atheist world):

Lori Lipman Brown
Lori Lipman Brown is a lawyer, an educator, and a former Nevada State Senator who now directs The Secular Coalition for America. In this position, she is the first Congressional lobbyist explicitly representing nontheistic Americans (atheists, humanists, naturalists, skeptics, agnostics, etc.)

Phil Plait
Phil Plait is a professional astronomer and writer. On his blog, Bad Astronomy (the 2007 Weblog Best Science Blog winner) he debunks myths about astronomy, and defends science against attack both political and religious. His latest book, Death from the Skies!, is about astronomical events wiping out life on Earth.

Benjamin Radford
Benjamin Radford is an investigator and editor of two science magazines, author of three books, and columnist for Skeptical Inquirer and LiveScience.com. Radford has scientifically investigated the paranormal and “unexplained” for a decade. Radford has appeared on CNN, History Channel, Learning Channel, BBC, etc. Web site: www.RadfordBooks.com.

James Randi
A former professional magician, he is one of the major figures in the international skeptics community, a founder of the Committee for Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal – now known as the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry – and president of the James Randi Educational Foundation, headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Richard Saunders
Richard Saunders is one of Australia’s media commentators on claims of the paranormal and supernatural. A regular on TV and radio, Richard brings a skeptical approach to such claims. Richard is also the host and producer of the TANK Vodcast, the world’s only skeptical YouTube Vodcast.

Alison Michelle Smith
Alison Smith is the Founder of Skeptical Analysis of the Paranormal Society and a Research Assistant for the James Randi Educational Foundation, where she helps develop initial protocols for the Million Dollar Paranormal Challenge.

John C. Snider
John C. Snider is the editor of the online science fiction magazine www.scifidimensions.com, published since February 2000. He’s also the co-host, along with David Driscoll, of the new skeptical podcast www.AmericanFreethought.com.

Anyone planning on attending?

(Thanks to Susan and Deanna for the links!)

[tags]atheist, atheism, Last Supper[/tags]

Paul

There are only twelve people in that picture. Do you think those represent the twelve models?
Shaded Spriter

Two more skeptics are going to be there – they are not on the guest list since they are Staff at Dragon con – Derek and Swoopy from Skepticality.
Godless Geek

This will be my third year in attendance at Dragon*Con. Fair warning to anyone who is considering attending…it gets crowded there. It’s far beyond anything you’ve ever experience or imagined.They added a 4th hotel this year, but I’m not sure how much they’ll have there. I kinda get the idea is mostly just going to be for the extra guest rooms.

Don’t want to scare anyone off, it’s an absolute blast, but be aware, because if you can’t stand crowds, this isn’t the place for you.
WayBeyondSoccerMom

“Judas” is missing from the Battlestar Galactica version of “The Last Supper.” Notice the gap, fourth from left?

So, what regular character is missing from the picture? And, who will be revealed as the final Cylon? Who will be “Judas”?
Maurice Broaddus

this will be my first dragon*con