Mark Alfred
A child of the Sixties, Mark is a fan of Silver Age DC, monsters, and TV shows with ten minutes or less commercials per hour. He grew up on library-book anthologies of sci-fi and short-stories, and remembers that the Dewey Decimal System classification for flying-saucer books was 629.13. Nowadays he maintains blogs about pop culture, music, the Apollo Moon program, and Central-OK fandom history. Mark is an author and editor for Jacobs/Brown Press, for whom he wrestles books about Trek, X-Men, the Moody Blues, and more. A founding ConComm member of SoonerCon in 1986, they still let him hang around.
1:00 PM | Location: Boomer A
Game Show: Real or Alternative History?
Contestants decide if certain "facts" are alternate history or really happened. Audience participation encouraged!
Moderator: John Eads/Jim Shorts
Panelists: Dara Fogel, PhD, David Carrico, Jeff Provine, John Eads/Jim Shorts, Mark Alfred, Ted Pennella, vickey malone kennedy
Tracks: Pop Culture & Entertainment, History, General Interest
5:00 PM | Location: Boomer B
I Knew You'd Say That
Look into works which feature prophecy, from The Matrix and Dune to Bajoran edicts in DS9, Minority Report, or even tech versions, like Asimov’s Foundation tales. Does an accurate prediction require a deterministic universe?
Moderator: Dara Fogel, PhD
Panelists: Dara Fogel, PhD, J.D. Woods, M. Scott Carter, Mark Alfred, Selina Rosen, Tim Frayser
Tracks: Writing & Publishing, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Pop Culture & Entertainment, Film & TV, Comics
2:00 PM | Location: University C
Poetry & Acoustic Music Open Mic
Two poems or songs, or six minutes of freestyle, whichever comes first. Share your poetry and music and listen to fellow creatives in this open-mic session.
Moderator: Daniel Erickson
Panelists: Daniel Erickson, David Carrico, Mark Alfred, Melinda LaFevers, Rook Riley
Tracks: Meetup, Performing Arts, Writing & Publishing, Music
9:00 AM | Location: Embassy Hotel: Interior Courtyard - Atrium
Koffeeklatch
Join panelists in the hotel breakfast area for morning networking and conversation. BYO coffee, please.
Moderator:
Panelists: A C Smart, Aaron Bossig, Bradley H Sinor, Brook Bullock, Harold Neal, Jeff Provine, Julia S. Mandala, L.L.Killjoy, Laura J. Underwood, Linda Donahue, Mark Alfred, Mark Finn, Michael Cross, Mimic Rae, Ms Fae Mullens, Peri Charlifu, Sally Hamilton, Scott Zrubek, Sue Sinor, Terry Southard, Tim Frayser, Tracy S. Morris
Tracks: Meetup, General Interest
10:00 AM | Location: Boomer A
Designing Your Fortress of Solitude or Evil Lair of Evil
Lay out the specs for your own supervillain (or hero) hideaway. In a volcano? On a satellite or the Moon? Get creative with anti-burglary tech. What would you display in your own Museum of Victory?
Moderator: Mel White
Panelists: Bradley H Sinor, James Hollaman, Mark Alfred, Mel White, Mike Kennedy, William Ledbetter
Tracks: Pop Culture & Entertainment, Writing & Publishing, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Comics
2:00 PM | Location: Boomer B
Who Decides High Culture?
Jim Grealy: “Popular culture is the culture of a subordinate class.” Do you agree? What pop culture trends have achieved recognition by the cognoscenti (think Andy Warhol)? Is it only a matter of time before a work or artist can ascend to Art? Don't forget college classes on Trek or pulp detectives. Turns out, pop culture creation and collecting is BIG MONEY nowadays and it's still the art of the people.
Moderator: Dara Fogel, PhD
Panelists: Dara Fogel, PhD, Kevin Dilmore, Mark Alfred, Red Bard
Tracks: Pop Culture & Entertainment, Culture & World Affairs, Art, Writing & Publishing