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We’re less than three hours away from 2011.  Wow.  It’s going to take some time to get used to writing THAT.  2011.  For a person my age [and I ain’t ancient], it’s weird to think that we’re living in the future that we read about and saw on movies and tv as kids growing up in the 60’s and 70’s.

Think about it.  Escape from New York would have taken place nearly 14 years ago.  The Space Odyssey that we took in 2001 would be a decade old.  Where are the hovercraft, flying cars, trips to Mars, and all the cool stuff we thought would be part of our world in 2011?

Okay.  So we don’t have some most of the fantastic stuff that we thought the future would bring.  That’s okay though.  If we’re lucky we have our friends, family and our health.  If we have those three things all the other junk will fall into place.  Who knows, maybe we’ll get jetpacks for Christmas in 2012.

Enjoy New Years Eve.  May 2011 bring you all that you desire, or at least “the three things” we all really need.

Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, Merry Kwanza, and of course there’s Festivus for the rest of us. Oh, and if you don’t celebrate any of these, than good day! I hope that you’re surrounded by friends and loved ones and that the day brings you all that you desire.

The Santa used in today’s post was drawn by John Beatty for a charity comic story that we did last year. John has posted the entire three page story on his site, so if you have the desire you can see it there. Hope that you enjoy it, if you take a look.

[This was the same Christmas day post that I used last year, but because the sentiments haven’t changed and because some new readers may have missed our Christmas comic, I’m running it again.]

I hope that no matter what holiday you celebrate, you are surrounded by friends and family.

I’m not afraid of heights.  Watching this video of a worker climbing a radio tower [and most of the time free-climbing, without a safety harness] could make me change my opinion of high places.  It’s insane to not only think that some poor worker [and I don’t care how much he/she gets paid] has to climb higher than the Sears Tower to make a repair, but it’s even more insane to think that there are folks out there who want the job. [via Neatorama]

The video has been pulled.  You can learn why here.

Although if everything goes as planned, I’ll be spending the weekend at MegaCon, that doesn’t mean that updates at the ZONE will stop.  Thanks to the miracles of modern technology not only will the ZONE continue to receive updates, but I will also be tweeting live from the convention floor.

Granted, it’s not like getting transmissions from the moon, but it is still pretty cool.

I’ve been going to Heroes Cons for years. Heroes is without a doubt one of the best run, most loved and finest conventions you could ever find. It’s put on by good people, always has great guests, and has something for everyone.  Heroes Con 2010 will be the 28th year of the show and surprisingly, the event was in danger of not happening.   Shelton Drum, who runs the show, discovered that the only date that he could book the Charlotte Convention Center was the same weekend as Florida SuperCon.  Shelton didn’t want to infringe on the SuperCon and so his options were to go to a smaller venue on a different date or cancel the show for 2010.  Neither was a good option.

So Shelton contacted Mike Broder [who runs the Florida SuperCon] and told him of the conflict.  Surprisingly, Mike said that he thought he would be able to change the date of his show and after a little research, did just that.  How often do you hear of “competitors” helping each other out?

I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.  Mike Broder also puts on a great show and has always come across as a straight shooter who truly loves comics, art and conventions.  I was able to attend his show last year and had a blast.  I planned to attend again next year.   After reading about his willingness to help Heroes Con, not only do I plan to attend, but will encourage everyone to join me!

According to this article, a leading genome researcher at Harvard says

...a Neanderthal could be brought to life with present technology for about $30 million.

Whoa!  Bring a cave man to life!  At least that’s the imagine that initially ran through my mind.  How cool would that be?

But then I gave it another second to sink in.  We wouldn’t be bringing a cave man back, we’d be artificially creating a life that would then be studied and probed and whose only purpose was scientific research.

Just because we have the ability to do something doesn’t mean we should.  Besides, once the scientists had tired of studying Mr. Neanderthal, what could he do?  Geico commercials?

[Thanks and a raised cave man club to Bill Crider for the link.]

I love traditions. The family get-togethers on Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve.  Watching fireworks on the Fourth of July.  Bears games in the fall.   Trips to see family members in the summer.  One of my oldest traditions is watching the ball drop on New Year’s Eve.

That tradition started many years ago when I was a youngster.  I was spending the night with my grandparents — my Nanny and Happa as I called them.  We ended up watching Guy Lombardo’s orchestra [well, I mostly listened and played with my action figures].  Everything stopped as midnight and the New Year approached.  We all watched the ball drop with the countdown to the New Year.  That began a tradition that continues to this day.

In the early 70’s, I started watching Dick Clark’s Rocking New Year’s Eve.  I thought it was cool to see all the hot bands of the day kicking out their latest jams… and then the cut to Times Square in New York to watch the ball drop with the countdown to the New Year.   As the years passed Dick Clark continued to host his Rocking New Year’s Eve show.  I grew up… finished high school… went to college… got married and Dick Clark was still bringing in the New Year from Times Square.  I got a job teaching…. we had kids.. and Dick Clark continued to Rock in the New Year.   When the boys were younger we would have their cousins for a sleepover on New Year’s Eve.   We’d make a day of it and then as the night settled in ‘d set off fireworks.  We’d watch some good tv [Twilight Zone Marathon] or movies and then it’d be time for Dick Clark to take us to Times Square for the drop of the ball.

My kids are grown now and it’s been a few years since we’ve had the sleepovers with the cousins.  But all over us, no matter where we are still tune in to check out the ball dropping in Times Square.  Dick Clark suffered a stroke in 2004, and turned the main hosting job over to others — the first year it was Regis Philbin and since then Ryan Seacrest.   The stroke left Dick Clark with limited use of his right arm and some trouble speaking and yet he still appears on the show.  You have to admire that.  I guess Dick Clark loves traditions too.