Monthly Archives: April 2010

The dates have been announced for WonderCon 2011 in San Francisco. It'll be April 1-3. This would not be a bad time to start planning to be there then.

Here's Peter Beinart with another piece about Ronald Reagan…the real one, the guy who raised taxes, grew the size of government and granted amnesty to illegal immigrants. Today's Republican Party is selling a fictional Reagan who would never in a million years have done what the real one did.

Daniel Larison itemizes why "The Surge" in Iraq didn't accomplish most of what it was intended to do.

Bruce Bartlett reminds us about something that a lot of Republicans want to pretend never happened: Ronald Reagan raising taxes.

In conjunction with the 200th issue celebration of Animation magazine, there will be a special breakfast event on Friday, April 23 to celebrate the longest-running comedy in TV history, The Simpsons. Al Jean, the show's show-runner will appear along with Exec Producers Ian Maxtone-Graham and Matt Selman, plus Animation Directors Mike Anderson, Mark Kirkland and David Silverman. The press release says, "Fans of the show will have a chance to find out how Jean and his team bring Homer and his family to animated life week after week and learn how they keep this hugely influential show fresh after 20 seasons on the air. And yes, pink donuts with chocolate sprinkles will be served in honor of Homer!"

It's at the Landmark Theaters in West L.A. and costs $25. Get more info over here.

Wandering about WonderCon, I was asked a few times about rumors that the Comic-Con International may be moving out of San Diego one of these years and relocating in Anaheim. I pointed out to all who asked that these rumors all seem to be coming out of Anaheim…maybe even wholly from those who have a strong financial incentive to make that relocation happen.

I think it's quite unlikely. Using a sliding scale of 1-10 with "1" denoting the likelihood of me besting Apolo Ohno in speed skating and "10" signifying Glenn Beck saying something stupid, I'd peg the chances of Comic-Con moving to Anaheim — or anywhere outside San Diego in the next decade — at about a 3. I haven't even heard a lot of good reasons for it to do so. This article tries to list five but I get the feeling its author has never set foot in a comic book convention. I side with this one that lists five why it shouldn't move.

I even thought a move was not in the cards before I read this article about how a new land deal is bringing San Diego close to a $753 million dollar expansion of its convention center. It would bring the exhibit space up to around the size of what's available in Anaheim, including an additional 200,000 square feet of exhibit hall and 100,000 square feet of meeting rooms. Not only that but I hear they may add as many as nine more hotel rooms and five new parking spaces.

Fred Kaplan again. This time, the topic is Barack Obama and his strategy about nuclear weapons.

Christopher Helman explains how it is that you and I pay more in taxes than General Electric and Exxon. Big corporations now have the same rights as ordinary citizens to donate money to political campaigns. Shouldn't they have the same responsibilities as ordinary citizens to pay taxes?

Fred Kaplan on what, if anything, we should do about Hamid Karzai.

Back from San Francisco. The flight up was delayed three hours. The flight back was delayed two. But in-between, I had a great time.

There is much unpacking to be done here and tomorrow, I have to go in and play director at a Garfield Show recording. But normal posting should resume here shortly.