Fan Rants

Dragon*Con is actually multiple conventions housed under the same roof(s). And each seperate section (track) has its own committee, guests and schedule of activities.

Each year we get seperate schedules from the various tracks and eventually just before the show a complete schedule is listed. But for those anal smart phone users out there its frustrating as heck!

So this year I have put each track into its own Google Calendar entry that you can access. You can subscribe to them, download them, and more.

Just so you understand, this is what is posted as of 8/19/10, so many tracks are not yet up. I will update them as they become available, but you need to check the master schedule when it comes out to see if room or guests appearances have changed.

ENJOY!

Main Programming Track   (iCal)

Alternate History Track   (iCal)
American SF Media Track   (iCal)
Animation Track   (iCal)
Anime Video Track   (iCal) 
Anime/Manga Track   (iCal)
Anne McCaffrey’s Worlds Track   (iCal)
Apocalypse Rising Track   (iCal)
Armory Programming Track   (iCal)
Art Show Track   (iCal)
Autograph sessions   (iCal)
CosPlay Photo Ops   (iCal) 
Costuming Track   (iCal)
Dark Fantasy Track   (iCal)
Electronic Frontiers Track   (iCal)
Filk Track   (iCal)
Independent Film Festival   (iCal)
Main Video Track   (iCal)
MMO Track   (iCal)
Parties   (iCal)
Podcast Track   (iCal)
Robotics Track   (iCal)
Science Track   (iCal) 
Skeptics Track   (iCal)
Space Track   (iCal) 
Star Wars Track   (iCal)
Stargate Track   (iCal) *OFFICIAL*
Tolkien Track   (iCal)
Whedon Universe Track   (iCal)
Wheel of Time Track   (iCal)
Young Adult Lit Track   (iCal)

The Stargate Track calendar listed above is the official one from the track director. So that one will be updated via the track on the fly throughout the Dragon*Con weekend.

Thanks to @MissLlil for the Cosplay Photo Ops Calendar!!

*UPDATE*
So I have updated the listed calendars with the data from the official pocket program. I decided not to add any additional calendars on Sunday because Dragon*Con stated they were producing iCal listings for all tracks (see here).  But it is now Wednesday and no movement on their part…kinda torked that I didn’t just finish them on Sunday (hate duplicating effort though).

Hope everyone has a great time that are going to D*C this weekend, I will be live blogging the show as I attend panels for those that can’t make it.

One of my favorite things about Dragon*Con is their way of keeping the audience entertained between panels. See, each year they produce small skits off site and then regail us with them as videos. Last year they made one on a perfume called Pon Farr (watch via this link).

Well I guess someone at Genki Wear caught their video, cause they have made it as part of their new Star Trek scents line. Here are the features of Vulcan Pon Farr:

• Drive him wild! Vulcan Pon Farr… perfume from the Star Trek universe. Because having is not always as pleasing as wanting!
  Straight from the planet Vulcan, this 50 ml container of Star Trek Pon Farr Perfume is all you need to drive your man (or men) wild.
  (Obviously the Vulcan women need it for those times between the 7 year itch)
• Because having is not always as pleasing as wanting! Pon Farr Perfume for women is a refreshing fragrance that’s both invigorating and dramatic, with light, clean notes of citrus, blackcurrant, lotus blossom, and water lily. With base notes from sandalwood, peach, and mulberry, Pon Farr is perfect for those bright sunny days and warm summer nights spent together at the beach, around the fire, or simply watching your favorite affaire d’honneur. Sharp and aggressive, simple yet exotic, use it with care!
  (Nights spent on the beach? Vulcan is a desert planet!)
• Pon Farr: In the Star Trek universe, Vulcan males and females go into heat every seven years, going into a blood fever, becoming violent, and finally dying if they don’t mate with someone with whom they’re empathically bonded.
  (Finally, the only statement based on Trek)

Not from us, we don’t have the budget, but if you win we will buy you a beer at the con!

Pyr books, an imprint of Prometheus Press, is celebrating their 5th anniversary by holding an essay contest on “Five reasons why science fiction and fantasy is important to you”. Details below in their official press release:

(more…)

Earlier this week, the Dragon*Con director of programming for the Wheel of Time track made the following announcement:

Do not procrastinate this year

Post by Kathana Trevalaer on Sun Jan 17, 2010 5:45 pm

Pre reg is running really high compared to last year. So DragonCon is considering a membership cap. This would mean that there would be NO onsite registration. So if you know for sure you’re planning to come, be sure to get your badge now.

President,

Age of Legends, LLC

Convention Chair, JordanCon

Director of Wheel of Time Programming, Dragon*Con

So what does this mean for the public? Maybe nothing, after all this is just one hypothesis from one of the many directors of Dragon*Con. But this does make a LOT of sense. The crowds have been getting larger and larger every year, and if you notice the pay at the door lines are pretty short.

Frankly I think this is a great idea. San Diego Comic Con has had to do this and it will not suffer for it. In fact, it only makes people plan a little bit better and get their memberships earlier. So my vote is to make it happen!