As many folk know, some of the Stargate Atlantis (and SG-1) actors are at Dragon con in Atlanta, GA this weekend. Paul McGillion, Jason Momoa, Michael Shanks, Claudia Black, Christopher Judge, Corin Nemec, Alexis Cruz. Since I'm not at the con, I'm living vicariously via the internet, collecting links, etc. and why not share 'em with the rest of fandom :)

If you attended the con, or find a link, feel free to send it to me as I'll probably do several Dragon Con related posts, like I did with Comic-Con.

http://audreysmagic.livejournal.com/73286.html

Sep 01 - But...so. anyway, I'm in Atlantis medical. And someone waves at me as I'm passing, and I smile and wave back...and then realize upon glancing back over my shoulder.... It's Paul McGillion. He was hanging outside the bar and I was like "zomg!" the rest of the walk. I briefly considered doubling back, but I didn't want to look like a total goofball and I'll see him at the autograph table this afternoon. ;-D

http://featherjean.livejournal.com/483849.html

We got through registration and hit the Stargate guest panel that was going on. That was a remarkably good panel! The guests were Alexis Cruz (Skaara), Corin Nemec (Jonas), Paul McGillion (Beckett), and John de Lancie (Q; Colonel Simmons on SG-1). Given that they're all former 'gate actors and that two were only guest stars (albeit recurring), I honestly wasn't sure what kind of questions they'd get. But it was great, because they got "tell us about your jobs and about you" questions instead of things about the show or characters. It was fascinating, really. John de Lancie went to Kent State back when something massive went down there, and he actually testified to Senate and at the White House about it. The things you hear from these people sometimes will blow your mind. Also, Alexis Cruz is amazingly eloquent. He is a very thoughtful, well-spoken guy. Which I didn't expect, given that he was hungover or maybe still drunk at the panel I saw him at two years ago.

[Okay, that John de Lancie remark makes me feel sooo old. How can anyone not know what happened at Kent State? May 1970, the infamous “Kent State massacre”? Argh, schools probably ignore it now. Or probably, most people using the net probably weren’t even born yet.]

Dragon con photos:

Clowning around shots of Paul McGillion and fans, darn that they’re so tiny

http://www.flickr.com/photos/slesnik/1285697475/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/slesnik/1286554332/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/slesnik/1285697337/

Paul McGillion

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cayusa/1296449790/

Jason Momoa

http://www.flickr.com/photos/justanuptowngirl/1295361187/

Claudia Black

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cayusa/1297734017/

Corin Nemec

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nogoth/1295034557/

Michael Shanks

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nogoth/1295893452/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cayusa/1298606602/

Christopher Judge

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cayusa/1297733167/

Fan in SG uniform

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nogoth/1289365113/

A serpent guard costume

http://www.flickr.com/photos/patcave/1294735508/

Fans in front of a Stargate banner

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nogoth/1290907924/

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

That's... not really the same thing at all. The lunar landing changed the world. For the first time ever, human beings stepped foot on to the surface of the moon. That's huge.

The Kent State Massacre, while a tragedy, did not have anywhere near the same effect. (I did my homework and asked someone who was alive back then to fill me in on what happened.) Yes, it was an anti-war protest, and yes, people died. However, given that so many people were against that war and that there were a lot of protests going on, I'm not sure what happened at Kent State gets more than a paragraph or two in any textbook I've seen. What is considered important that there were protests and that sometimes they got violent; they don't make sure we know the specifics of any particular protest. I'm sorry if you feel that's a mistake; personally, I think it's just fine.

Also, I thought I'd mention that I work as an aerospace engineer at the Johnson Space Center. I wouldn't have a job if we hadn't landed on the moon. I certainly wouldn't be helping design the vehicle that's going to take us back there. So yeah, I've heard of that. Grade-school children have heard of that. I might not have been alive in the 60's and 70's, but I got done with grade school a while ago.

Ah, oh, we're on different threads here. I was talking about people actually knowing about stuff. I remember when the Berlin Wall came down and a bunch of us were at work talking about it, and the young temp came around and said "What wall?" and we said "Berlin" and the blank look was just, sigh, people like this will rule the world one day....

I'm not debating the impact of news, but just that important historical points just don't seem to be taught in school anymore...

If a person doesn't know history, they're bound to repeat its mistakes. Alas, can't remember the exact quote ;)

Stargate Atlantis at Dragon Con #1: Photos and links to fan reports