Dragon*Con in 500 words or less

Dragon*Con is the ultimate manifestation of the phrase ‘Only in America’.

Some 50,000 social deviants withdraw from their computer posts, donned inane constumes, and proceeded to pose, play, party, game, drink, attend lectures, panels and shows, hide in bathrooms, and not bathe for four days straight. The conference is a surreal blur of bumping into B-grade actors, riding elevators with ninjas, and conversing with wizards, aliens, ghouls, beasties, monsters, monks, warlords, flamboyant gay men, scantily-clad ladies, nondescript weirdos and a host of sci-fi and comic book characters whose names totally elude me because I’m a functional member of society.

It was like a Velvet Underground song on nitrous oxide…

The inaugural Skeptrack was a comparatively conservative affair, although, no less fun.

You ask: Why skepticism at a sci-fi, dungeons and dragons, gaming and comic book convention?

Where better to discuss fictitious concepts such as ghosts, goblins and god?

 

Here I am with Richard Saunders and the Ghostbusters!

Dragon*Con’s latest track, Skeptrack, is more intimate than other skeptical conventions. Where else can you sit a mere few feet away from the speakers, join in a cosy group discussion, and grab a coffee and a chat with the guests afterwards?

The Skeptrack was one intense protracted skeptical orgasm. Lunch, dinner and magic ticks with James Randi. Podcast parties with pimps and Phil Plait. Cuddles with Derek Colanduno. A threesome with Kylie Sturgess and Richard Saunders (sharing a room, that is, my filthy-minded readers!). George Hrab dropping his pants, as did a few others, so I hear…

There were provocative panel discussions and titillating talks treating monsters, psychic detectives, dodgy merchandise, magic and more by Michael Stackpole, Dr Pamela Gay, James Randi, Dr Michael Shermer and Ben Radford (incidentally, Dragon*Con saw the debut of Playing Gods, Ben’s phenomenally cool new boardgame).

Excitingly, we Aussies announced the relaunch of the TANK Vodcast as the Skeptic Zone. This first show features interviews with Dr Ginger Campbell of the Brain Science Podcast and the ever-present, ever-popular Phil Plait.

Global Skepticism, the final panel of the Skeptrack, featured myself, Kylie, Richard and Randi (resplendent in a black cape and hat) discussing important skeptical activities and paranormal/ psuedoscientific beliefs and practices in other countries, including the ‘God-men’ of India, Traditional and Complemetary Medicine in China, Homeopathy in the UK, and the status of skeptical organizations in Hungary, New Zealand and Australia. This lead to an animated discussion amongst the panelists and our audience.

My personal highlight was appearing in the panel The Future of Skepticism: Where do we go from here? with James Randi, Phil Plait, George Hrab, D.J. Grothe, Lori Lipman Brown and Ben Radford. My pride was somewhat restrained by the fact that I was relegated to the extreme end of the table, squished beside Ben, with my thighs wrapped around the table leg.  (Daniel Loxton who inspired the panel with his essay Where Do We Go From Here? was sorely missed, and will hopefully be a part of the proceedings next year.) Admittedly, the panel went off on tangents throughout, but we’ll all have more to say on this vital topic…

I even had the chance to attend Atlanta Skeptics in the Pub the night before the conference, where I caught up with skeptical stalwarts Masala Skeptic, Rich Ludwig and Reed Esau (both of Skepticamp fame), Joe Anderson and that incomparable woman of mystery, A.  

Visit Podblack Cat for daily reports, videos and incriminating photographs of the gorgeous Richard Saunders and Phil Plait all wrapped up deliciously in sparkling feather boas. *kisses*

Dragon*Con is set to expand next year. Perhaps I’ll see you there.

In the meantime, I have been trekking through the plantations, cemeteries and oak-tree lined, haunted heritage oyster-shell streets of Savannah.

Soon, I shall return unto the Bay Area where the really scary thing is that those ain’t costumes…