The Geekly with a Twist: March 23rd-29th

I don’t know about you all, but I’m ready for the weekend!  This weekend, in particular, is exciting because it’s none other than the home Con for many from this site…Planet Comicon!  Our very own fearless leader will be moderating some panels, we’ll have a lovely table, and there’ll be so much more…but I’ll save that for later.  For now, onward with the history!

March 23rd, 1912:  Far be it from us here at SciFi4Me to venerate a former Nazi (hate is just one of those things…it spreads like wildfire and is just as destructive), Wernher von Braun is born in Wirsitz in the German Empire.  He is generally considered the father of the United States space program.  Though a decorated Nazi officer, he was recruited through the project known as Operation Paperclip and was transferred to the United States (with associates) on June 20th, 1945.

March 23rd, 1965: When Alan Shepherd was grounded due to illness, astronaut Virgil “Gus” Grissom took off on Gemini 3, the first of two-person space flights.  This flight made Grissom the first man to fly into space twice.

March 23rd, 2001: The Russian space station Mir reentered the Earth’s atmosphere after just over 15 years of use.

March 24th, 1974: A girl who made witches cool through her role as the best friend Willow in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the future Mrs. Alexis Denisof, Alyson Hannigan is born in Washington, D.C.

March 24th, 2001: Apple releases its MAC OS X operating system.

March 25th, 1655: Christiaan Huygens discovers Titan, Saturn’s largest satellite.

March 26th, 1931: Okay, so I know I missed Shatner’s last week, but I can’t miss this one!  Geek icon Leonard Nimoy is born in Boston, Massachusetts.

March 26th, 1985: Known to the geek community for her roles in the first three Pirates movies, Keira Knightley is born in London, England.

March 26th, 1997: The bodies of the 39 members of Heaven’s Gate are found in Rancho Santa Fe, California.  (In case you didn’t know, they were a “UFO religion” who believed that, upon committing suicide, they would be picked up by an alien spaceship following the Hale-Bopp comet.)  Among the dead was Thomas Nichols, the brother of Nichelle Nichols of Star Trek fame. 

March 27th, 1968: Yuri Gagarin, the first man to orbit Earth, dies in a plane crash during a routine flight.  The official cause of the crash is unknown, though negligence is the prevailing theme.  At the time of death, Yuri is only 34 years old.

March 27th, 1985: Billy Dee Williams, a man known by many simply as Lando, receives a star on the Walk of Fame in Hollywood.  In another note about Mr. Williams…guess who’s going to be at Planet Comicon? 

March 29th, 1974: Mariner 10 reaches Mercury.  The U.S. space probe was the first spacecraft to reach the planet.

For a Twist, I’m going to do something a bit unconventional (no pun intended that time): drink some water! 

This weekend brings to light something that’s often forgotten in the craziness and excitement of cons- don’t forget to hydrate!  A friend of mine has been an EMT for a few years now and tells stories of the under hydrated (and usually over-caffeinated) passing out at home and at such public events as conventions.  Mountain Dew and energy drinks are not enough!  As a matter of fact, such drinks can worsen states of dehydration.  Especially in surroundings such as a crowded convention center, please remember to always have some of that lovely H2O on hand and take care of yourself! 

And, of course, it goes without saying what the Garnish this week is an event I’ve been looking forward to for some time: Planet Comicon.  The event is a little early by comparison this year, but it should prove no less awesome. 

SciFi4Me will have a large presence at the Con (since the Kansas City area is home for many of the contributors) and our own editor, Mr. Jason P Hunt, will be moderating panels which include famous faces such as Billy Dee Williams and Edward James Olmos (yes, Edward James FREAKING Olmos!).  Mr. Hager will also be moderating a few panels, and there will be a lovely SciFi4Me booth where you can enjoy special goodies and meet some of the amazing people that make this site work (myself included)!  Stop on by and see us, spend some time surfing the Con, and enjoy the cosplay, the madness, the Buck Rogers reunion, The Guild fandom, and so much more!  What better way to spend $20 this weekend?  I know WoW will be there on Monday for me. 🙂

I hope to meet you at the Con but, until next we meet, geek on!