After a jam-packed-busy Friday for this reporter, Saturday has been my “easy” day so far. Having a lull in panels to review and having lost the fight for the last slice-of-life-cake, I will now add some non-dairy-whipped-topping-fluff to the Daily Dragon content.

Let us presume, for argument’s sake, that the only important measure of worth in our society is not family, money, fame, social responsibility, or spiritual contentment, but coolness. Then my duty, as an upstanding member of the Volunteer Reporters’ …

Imagine a room full of elegant revelers, each wearing a sinful, decadent, or mysterious mask. That’s the scene this reporter found herself in at the 25th Anniversary Masked Ball on Friday night in Regency VI-VII (Hy).

The line wrapped and twisted, filled with the buzz of anticipation mixed with sophistication. While waiting for The Ghosts Project to begin their set, baroque inspired riffs drifted from the sound system. The collective mood was one of subdued and respectable enthusiasm.

Masks were a must-wear …

The Alternate History track presented a panel featuring the stars of the Back to the Future franchise. Christopher Lloyd (Dr. Emmett Brown) and James Tolkan (Principal Strickland) fielded questions from the enthusiastic crowd. When asked what Principal Strickland would have said to them when they were in high school, Tolkan replied that for a certain period, he was a slacker. In his sophomore year, he moved to Tucson, and high school turned into everything he’d wanted it to be. Speechless, …

William Shatner graced the Centennial Ballroom Friday morning at 10AM, filling the space with his charm, his sincerity, and a dash of Shatner-style.

Immediately, he walked in front of the tables and strode back and forth, stating, “I hate those desks. I want to be among you at this extraordinary event.”

Photo by Greg Mooney

The first question from the audience reminded us of the wonderful panel in 2009 when Shatner and Leonard Nimoy bared …

Fans of Battlestar Galactica packed the Centennial Ballroom at 1PM Friday for the “BSG—Children of Humanity” panel (American Science Fiction track).  Panelists Michael Hogan, Edward James Olmos, Richard Hatch, Tricia Helfer, Tahmoh Penikett, and Dr. Kevin Grazier spent the next hour answering questions from fans.

When you’re sitting at the back of a panel in a reaaalllly big ballroom, watching your favorite celebrity on the big screen and listening to their witty comments on the sound system, take a moment and silently thank the volunteers on the Tech Ops crew.

This reporter spent about an hour in one of several designated lairs for the 200+ staff of Tech Ops on Thursday, asking many of them why they volunteer for this particular branch of the convention, especially …

For the last several years, I have followed the new Battlestar Galactica panels for The Daily Dragon. This year, instead of reporting a sampling of the many interesting comments by ALL of the BSG actors, I decided to focus solely on the many contributions made by Edward James Olmos. Not because the other actors’ comments were any less important or entertaining, but simply because they all said so many wonderful things, and I’ve only got so much space in my …

Kate Baker is the podcast director for Clarkesworld, an online magazine of speculative short fiction. She is a long-time resident of North Central Connecticut. When she isn’t pouring her heart and soul into the magazine, she’s working for a software company on the East Coast, or spending time with her three children.

I had the pleasure of interviewing her a short while after learning that Clarkesworld won the 2010 Hugo Award for Best Semiprozine.

Ilse Spuijbroek, a sculpture and Jewelry artist from the Netherlands, is a first-time member of the Art Show this year. Being a steampunk fan, I was compelled by the intricate clock parts she uses on her goggles, hats, eye patches, necklaces, and bracelets.

“We get the parts from a clock company in the Netherlands,” she explained. This attention to detail gives her steampunk pieces not only authenticity, but some serious class. In the Netherlands, items are not considered to be “antiques” …

One of the most exciting components of my annual pilgrimage to Dragon*Con is the opportunity to shop for items that I simply cannot find anywhere else. (Except online, of course, but I live in Canada, and don’t get me started on shipping, customs, and the exchange rate!)

Finding magnificent loot requires some careful planning, though, so heed the following important guidelines: