August 23, 2024 • 14 mins
Dragon Con Spokesperson Jo Garland talks about Dragon Con for 2024, the parade, the blood drive and more! Plus Steve Taylor from the Arthristis Foundation joins us to talk about what partnering with Dragon Con has meant for their organization. And Dr. Shawn Cruzen from CSU's Coca-Cola Space Science Center talks about science and science fiction.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
King Eye, Peanut, I'm gonna need you to come with
me right now, why says who? Who made up the
silly rules?
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Not that FETs.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
This is the dragon Con Pregame Show, powered by Columbus
State University's Coca Cola Space Science Center, where you can
learn the science behind the fiction. And now here's your host,
Wes Carrol.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
Welcome to the twenty twenty four edition of the dragon
Con Pregame Show, where we'll do our best to get
you ready for dragon Con this year, happening a Labor
Day weekend in downtown Atlanta this year. On the dragon
Con Pregame Show, we'll talk with Steve Taylor from the
Arthritis Foundation, co host of the Mative Stars podcast, doctor
(00:46):
Sean Crusin. We'll talk about cosplay with a mom that lifts,
Catherine Tate from TV shows like The Office and Doctor Who,
Kristin Kruk from Smallville, and Reacher and Ross mar Kwan
from The Walking Dead and X Men ninety sive. We
began the show with dragon Con spokesperson Joe Garland, who's
probably best equipped to answer the question for you, what
(01:07):
is dragon Con?
Speaker 2 (01:09):
You know, that's probably my favorite question, and that's also
the most commonly asked question for me, and what dragon
Con has always been is the largest multi genre pop
culture convention that happens every year Labor Day weekend in
downtown Atlanta. We cover everything from science fiction and fantasy, gaming, comics, literature, art, music, film,
(01:29):
and it's all ran by fans. So it's five days
of fellowship and fun, music, costuming, people watching, shopping, gaming,
and of course the largest parade in the Southeast.
Speaker 3 (01:41):
The parade is something that you guys at dragon Con
refer to as a gift to the city of Atlanta.
I think it's really a gift to the entire state
of Georgia. But let's talk a little bit about the parade.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
It is one of the three events that happens, and
it is a mile long. It starts, you know, goes
down Peach Tree, wraps its way around past our hotels
in lands at the Marriott, and it is, as you mentioned,
one of the ways we do give back to the
city because it is a glimpse into dragon Con. It's
a view into what we do in the hotels without
having to go into the hotels. But I will say
(02:14):
the parade starts at ten am. I see people lining
the streets as early as seven am.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
The parade isn't the only way you guys give back.
You not only work with a charity every year to
raise funds for them, the Arthritis Foundation this year, but
there's also that blood drive that happens every year at
dragon Con.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Yeah, so the blood drive is definitely one of those
things that has happened and it become a staple of
dragon Con every year. It's in the bottom of the
Hyatt and it starts and goes every day during Con,
so you can go down, give blood and then continue
with your con experience. We partner with Lifeselfs, so everything
that is donated at the con goes directly into the
(02:54):
blood banks to help pretty much all of the Southeast.
We also do a lot within the community itself throughout
the year leading.
Speaker 4 (03:03):
Us to dragon Con.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
We support several of our local Atlanta communities, the Shelters,
the Open Hands Atlanta, and we also do have programs
like the Dragon Con Superheroes where our volunteers step up
throughout the year to then add their hands and their
support to these communities. The Blood Driver is one of
my favorites. You do have events that happened throughout dragon
(03:26):
con itself, that the money is being collected for the
charity that year, and this year it is the Arthritis Foundations,
and everything that we do in each one of our departments,
each one of our parties, and all of the buckets
that you see around the convention, all of that money
does go back into the supporting charity for that year.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
And this is a great place to now welcome in
our next guest. He is the President and CEO of
the Arthritis Foundation, Steve Taylor. Steve, what's it meant to
work with dragon con in twenty twenty four?
Speaker 4 (03:59):
Well, first of all, thanks dragon con for being the
charity of choice for this year. Their incredible history in
the Atlanta area nationwide has been critical for us to
raise awareness around ourth Brightis. There's nearly sixty million people
in the United States that live with a form of Arthrightist.
That includes children all the way up to senior citizens.
Our race isn't just your grandmother's disease, because it affects
(04:21):
all ages, and so attendees at Dragon Connie there might
have our braces themselves or surely know someone that has
a form of Arthrightis, And so the partnership is so
critical for us to raise awareness and be a part
of this incredible, iconic event that happens every year in Atlanta.
Speaker 3 (04:35):
The number one cause of disability in America.
Speaker 4 (04:38):
That is correct, you know, the challenge was our disease.
Most people think of their grandmother's arth Brightis and they
all think they're going to live and probably get ours
brtist some day. But the people that live with disabilitating
arth Brightist is vast in regards to young children, teenagers,
young adults who have various forms of Earthrightists that really
take away what they thought their life was going to be. Like,
(04:58):
we believe in the Threatist Foundation to make sure that
we're helping those with us right is kind of envision
a life where they don't have limits, help them find
solutions and as we say, become the champion of yes
in regards to being able to say yes to more
things and not have to say notice so many things.
We're hoping to get them back to the life they
had before their diagnosis and before they have the disease
(05:19):
the best that we can, and so it is a
major life changing diagnosis for many people who are diagnosed
with a form of our thirds.
Speaker 3 (05:26):
Dragon con is a convention that prides itself on sort
of ownership by the fans and the people involved. This
isn't just one of those sort of top down conventions.
It's about the people who attend the convention. They call
them memberships. They don't sell tickets, and that sort of
passion that they have for so many fandoms that are
represented is something that comes through in their interest and
(05:51):
desire to be a part of these organizations like your own.
What are some of the things that you have seen
already as we're not even too dragon Con yet, but
just the amount of passion that is brought in by
the people at dragon Con when it comes to working
alongside you guys as a nonprofit.
Speaker 4 (06:10):
Yeah, I think, well, one of the things we have
in common the way you just you ask me that
question is the Earth Brice Foundation is equally the same
in regards to a community of volunteers and those that
live with ourth brightus. And so we believe in creating
a community amongst our followers and supporters as well, because
they all kind of inspire each other support each other,
just like members of Dragon Con. And so we have
(06:31):
that in common in regards to have that community. But
us to be a part of the dragon Con community
as the charity of choice opens us up to be
able to educate people about Earth brightis and to things
like understanding that kids get ourth rightist too. Kids are
diagnosed as young as three and six months old all
the way through their teenage years, and then young adults
as well gets diagnosed. And so being a part of
(06:53):
the community of dragon Con to be able to increase
that knowledge among all of those people that are very
passionate about dragon Con is equally exciting for us to
make sure that we can open ourselves up to a
whole other community that can be a part of the
Arthritis Foundation. And we've already seen the amazing following the
amazing events that are planned, and of course we'll be
there and be engaged throughout the weekend, and the staff
(07:16):
and our volunteers in Atlanta are very very excited about
taking part.
Speaker 3 (07:20):
For folks who want to learn more about Arthritis Foundation,
where should they go?
Speaker 4 (07:24):
Sure so they can go to arthritis dot org and
learn more about all forms of arthritists anywhere they want.
Of course, they can find us on dragon CON's web
page as well. You can click there and learn more
about arthritis and come to our website and support us,
and also stop by our booths at dragon Con where
we'll be near the badge picked up and registration area.
You can learn more about our Britus, how you can support,
(07:45):
how you could volunteer, how you could just know more
about the disease for you and your luvet.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
One more dragon Con pregame show right after this. When
(08:10):
you think of a convention like dragon Con, you probably
think science fiction. But that's not all it is, and
we've discussed all of the things that it is. One
of the things it is is also real science, as
actual scientists, some of whom consult on TV shows to
help keep the science in the science fiction more accurate.
(08:31):
And our next guest knows a little bit about that.
He's the executive director of Columbus State University's Coca Cola
Space Science Center, Doctor Sean Kruzen. Sean, can you talk
a little bit about how scientists have to be very
specific with the way they articulate information as they reveal
it from their studies in a way that helps them
(08:54):
keep their credibility they.
Speaker 5 (08:55):
Do you, you know, and let's just let's think about
a couple of example of why scientists have to be
careful because when a scientist comes out and says something
that seems to be a bit outlandish, they're really rolling
out their credibility and putting it at risk. But the
(09:17):
odd thing is they're not just putting their own credibility
at risk. They're putting the credibility of all scientists everywhere
at risk. So what role does then science fiction has.
Science fiction can allow the creative thinkers and the knowledgeable
people to ask the what if questions in a venue
(09:39):
where it's actually acceptable. And one of the greatest examples
I can think of Carl Sagan, a very noted scientist
and then a popularizer of science, came out with a
book called Contact, which was a fiction novel, but the
(10:01):
premise was, well, what if one of these radio signals
that we detect with the VLA out there in New Mexico,
what if it actually has an embedded signal from alien civilizations?
What if? Well, if Carl Sagan comes out at a
scientific conference and says those things, he's a nut and
(10:25):
the credibility of all scientists everywhere takes a hit. But
if Carl Sagan writes a novel, a fictional novel, then
it's an okay venue, an okay vehicle with which to
ask those big what if questions. Another one a great
motion picture called Interstellar Matthew McConaughey. You know, are their
(10:46):
planets around black holes? Could we go visit them? What
would be the effects of that? How would quantum mechanics,
you know, interact in that really strange environment? Could you
actually have time travel? Well? Who thought of all those questions?
Well it was Kip Thorn. And if you don't know
who Kip Thorn is, Kip Thorn is a scientist from
Caltech that just recently won a Nobel Prize for his
(11:09):
work on the Ligo project, where gravitational ways were discovered.
So he's a very very high level scientist. But those
same questions. He might have raised those questions at the
pub with his buddies, but he never came out and
asked those questions in some kind of a serious way
at a scientific conference. Instead, he wrote a novel that
(11:30):
was turned into a motion picture, and those questions can
be explored. So without science fiction, scientists themselves or just
scientifically literate people don't really have that venue where they
can safely come out and ask the outlandish questions, but
we really need people to ask the outlandish questions, to
(11:55):
have the big speculations about what the future might actually
look like. It separates science fiction from science fantasy, a
more Star Wars kind of thing. It's more of a
star trek thing. And just in the last two weeks
on our podcast Made of Stars, we've discussed two things
about the planet Mars. We've discussed the discovery of organic
(12:16):
material by the Mars Perseverance Rover, and we've also discussed
large quantities of water being discovered in the data of
the Mars Insight Lander. And yet those scientists that find
these things, they're not they're very very careful not to
come out and say and that probably means there's life
(12:37):
on Mars right now. No, they can't do that. They
have to say, well, in no way does this suggest
any kind of life on Mars. We have no data
to confirm or deny above. They have to be very
very careful. Don't think that this is gonna okay. But
really at the pub they're going hey with their buddies
when no one's listening and the press are around, they're like,
(12:58):
you know, this be fill in the blanks, right, So
it's through science fiction like Star Trek, for instance, that
we can ask those kinds of questions. Star Trek is
a great exploration of hard scientific concepts but then taking
those to the next step and extrapolating what those might
(13:18):
mean for planets out there in our own galaxy that
we could actually jump on a spaceship and go out
and visit, not a galaxy far far away with wookies.
And there's nothing wrong with Star Wars, but Star Trek
is a series that it's a little bit more hard sciency,
and yeah, they get a little two specula once in
a while in my opinion, but really there's a lot
of really excellent scientists like Aaron McDonald, who's a science
(13:42):
advisor for the Star Trek series, who we've interviewed on
the show before working to say, hey, let's try to
keep this in the realm of the scientifically possible, because
then that makes this show and series more interesting.
Speaker 3 (13:55):
Ross mar Kwan joins us.
Speaker 1 (13:56):
Next. This is the dragon Con show, powered by Columbus
State University's Coca Cola Space Science Center, where you can
learn the science behind the fiction
King Eye, Peanut, I'm gonna need you to come with
me right now, why says who? Who made up the
silly rules?
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Not that FETs.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
This is the dragon Con Pregame Show, powered by Columbus
State University's Coca Cola Space Science Center, where you can
learn the science behind the fiction. And now here's your host,
Wes Carrol.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
Welcome to the twenty twenty four edition of the dragon
Con Pregame Show, where we'll do our best to get
you ready for dragon Con this year, happening a Labor
Day weekend in downtown Atlanta this year. On the dragon
Con Pregame Show, we'll talk with Steve Taylor from the
Arthritis Foundation, co host of the Mative Stars podcast, doctor
(00:46):
Sean Crusin. We'll talk about cosplay with a mom that lifts,
Catherine Tate from TV shows like The Office and Doctor Who,
Kristin Kruk from Smallville, and Reacher and Ross mar Kwan
from The Walking Dead and X Men ninety sive. We
began the show with dragon Con spokesperson Joe Garland, who's
probably best equipped to answer the question for you, what
(01:07):
is dragon Con?
Speaker 2 (01:09):
You know, that's probably my favorite question, and that's also
the most commonly asked question for me, and what dragon
Con has always been is the largest multi genre pop
culture convention that happens every year Labor Day weekend in
downtown Atlanta. We cover everything from science fiction and fantasy, gaming, comics, literature, art, music, film,
(01:29):
and it's all ran by fans. So it's five days
of fellowship and fun, music, costuming, people watching, shopping, gaming,
and of course the largest parade in the Southeast.
Speaker 3 (01:41):
The parade is something that you guys at dragon Con
refer to as a gift to the city of Atlanta.
I think it's really a gift to the entire state
of Georgia. But let's talk a little bit about the parade.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
It is one of the three events that happens, and
it is a mile long. It starts, you know, goes
down Peach Tree, wraps its way around past our hotels
in lands at the Marriott, and it is, as you mentioned,
one of the ways we do give back to the
city because it is a glimpse into dragon Con. It's
a view into what we do in the hotels without
having to go into the hotels. But I will say
(02:14):
the parade starts at ten am. I see people lining
the streets as early as seven am.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
The parade isn't the only way you guys give back.
You not only work with a charity every year to
raise funds for them, the Arthritis Foundation this year, but
there's also that blood drive that happens every year at
dragon Con.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Yeah, so the blood drive is definitely one of those
things that has happened and it become a staple of
dragon Con every year. It's in the bottom of the
Hyatt and it starts and goes every day during Con,
so you can go down, give blood and then continue
with your con experience. We partner with Lifeselfs, so everything
that is donated at the con goes directly into the
(02:54):
blood banks to help pretty much all of the Southeast.
We also do a lot within the community itself throughout
the year leading.
Speaker 4 (03:03):
Us to dragon Con.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
We support several of our local Atlanta communities, the Shelters,
the Open Hands Atlanta, and we also do have programs
like the Dragon Con Superheroes where our volunteers step up
throughout the year to then add their hands and their
support to these communities. The Blood Driver is one of
my favorites. You do have events that happened throughout dragon
(03:26):
con itself, that the money is being collected for the
charity that year, and this year it is the Arthritis Foundations,
and everything that we do in each one of our departments,
each one of our parties, and all of the buckets
that you see around the convention, all of that money
does go back into the supporting charity for that year.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
And this is a great place to now welcome in
our next guest. He is the President and CEO of
the Arthritis Foundation, Steve Taylor. Steve, what's it meant to
work with dragon con in twenty twenty four?
Speaker 4 (03:59):
Well, first of all, thanks dragon con for being the
charity of choice for this year. Their incredible history in
the Atlanta area nationwide has been critical for us to
raise awareness around ourth Brightis. There's nearly sixty million people
in the United States that live with a form of Arthrightist.
That includes children all the way up to senior citizens.
Our race isn't just your grandmother's disease, because it affects
(04:21):
all ages, and so attendees at Dragon Connie there might
have our braces themselves or surely know someone that has
a form of Arthrightis, And so the partnership is so
critical for us to raise awareness and be a part
of this incredible, iconic event that happens every year in Atlanta.
Speaker 3 (04:35):
The number one cause of disability in America.
Speaker 4 (04:38):
That is correct, you know, the challenge was our disease.
Most people think of their grandmother's arth Brightis and they
all think they're going to live and probably get ours
brtist some day. But the people that live with disabilitating
arth Brightist is vast in regards to young children, teenagers,
young adults who have various forms of Earthrightists that really
take away what they thought their life was going to be. Like,
(04:58):
we believe in the Threatist Foundation to make sure that
we're helping those with us right is kind of envision
a life where they don't have limits, help them find
solutions and as we say, become the champion of yes
in regards to being able to say yes to more
things and not have to say notice so many things.
We're hoping to get them back to the life they
had before their diagnosis and before they have the disease
(05:19):
the best that we can, and so it is a
major life changing diagnosis for many people who are diagnosed
with a form of our thirds.
Speaker 3 (05:26):
Dragon con is a convention that prides itself on sort
of ownership by the fans and the people involved. This
isn't just one of those sort of top down conventions.
It's about the people who attend the convention. They call
them memberships. They don't sell tickets, and that sort of
passion that they have for so many fandoms that are
represented is something that comes through in their interest and
(05:51):
desire to be a part of these organizations like your own.
What are some of the things that you have seen
already as we're not even too dragon Con yet, but
just the amount of passion that is brought in by
the people at dragon Con when it comes to working
alongside you guys as a nonprofit.
Speaker 4 (06:10):
Yeah, I think, well, one of the things we have
in common the way you just you ask me that
question is the Earth Brice Foundation is equally the same
in regards to a community of volunteers and those that
live with ourth brightus. And so we believe in creating
a community amongst our followers and supporters as well, because
they all kind of inspire each other support each other,
just like members of Dragon Con. And so we have
(06:31):
that in common in regards to have that community. But
us to be a part of the dragon Con community
as the charity of choice opens us up to be
able to educate people about Earth brightis and to things
like understanding that kids get ourth rightist too. Kids are
diagnosed as young as three and six months old all
the way through their teenage years, and then young adults
as well gets diagnosed. And so being a part of
(06:53):
the community of dragon Con to be able to increase
that knowledge among all of those people that are very
passionate about dragon Con is equally exciting for us to
make sure that we can open ourselves up to a
whole other community that can be a part of the
Arthritis Foundation. And we've already seen the amazing following the
amazing events that are planned, and of course we'll be
there and be engaged throughout the weekend, and the staff
(07:16):
and our volunteers in Atlanta are very very excited about
taking part.
Speaker 3 (07:20):
For folks who want to learn more about Arthritis Foundation,
where should they go?
Speaker 4 (07:24):
Sure so they can go to arthritis dot org and
learn more about all forms of arthritists anywhere they want.
Of course, they can find us on dragon CON's web
page as well. You can click there and learn more
about arthritis and come to our website and support us,
and also stop by our booths at dragon Con where
we'll be near the badge picked up and registration area.
You can learn more about our Britus, how you can support,
(07:45):
how you could volunteer, how you could just know more
about the disease for you and your luvet.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
One more dragon Con pregame show right after this. When
(08:10):
you think of a convention like dragon Con, you probably
think science fiction. But that's not all it is, and
we've discussed all of the things that it is. One
of the things it is is also real science, as
actual scientists, some of whom consult on TV shows to
help keep the science in the science fiction more accurate.
(08:31):
And our next guest knows a little bit about that.
He's the executive director of Columbus State University's Coca Cola
Space Science Center, Doctor Sean Kruzen. Sean, can you talk
a little bit about how scientists have to be very
specific with the way they articulate information as they reveal
it from their studies in a way that helps them
(08:54):
keep their credibility they.
Speaker 5 (08:55):
Do you, you know, and let's just let's think about
a couple of example of why scientists have to be
careful because when a scientist comes out and says something
that seems to be a bit outlandish, they're really rolling
out their credibility and putting it at risk. But the
(09:17):
odd thing is they're not just putting their own credibility
at risk. They're putting the credibility of all scientists everywhere
at risk. So what role does then science fiction has.
Science fiction can allow the creative thinkers and the knowledgeable
people to ask the what if questions in a venue
(09:39):
where it's actually acceptable. And one of the greatest examples
I can think of Carl Sagan, a very noted scientist
and then a popularizer of science, came out with a
book called Contact, which was a fiction novel, but the
(10:01):
premise was, well, what if one of these radio signals
that we detect with the VLA out there in New Mexico,
what if it actually has an embedded signal from alien civilizations?
What if? Well, if Carl Sagan comes out at a
scientific conference and says those things, he's a nut and
(10:25):
the credibility of all scientists everywhere takes a hit. But
if Carl Sagan writes a novel, a fictional novel, then
it's an okay venue, an okay vehicle with which to
ask those big what if questions. Another one a great
motion picture called Interstellar Matthew McConaughey. You know, are their
(10:46):
planets around black holes? Could we go visit them? What
would be the effects of that? How would quantum mechanics,
you know, interact in that really strange environment? Could you
actually have time travel? Well? Who thought of all those questions?
Well it was Kip Thorn. And if you don't know
who Kip Thorn is, Kip Thorn is a scientist from
Caltech that just recently won a Nobel Prize for his
(11:09):
work on the Ligo project, where gravitational ways were discovered.
So he's a very very high level scientist. But those
same questions. He might have raised those questions at the
pub with his buddies, but he never came out and
asked those questions in some kind of a serious way
at a scientific conference. Instead, he wrote a novel that
(11:30):
was turned into a motion picture, and those questions can
be explored. So without science fiction, scientists themselves or just
scientifically literate people don't really have that venue where they
can safely come out and ask the outlandish questions, but
we really need people to ask the outlandish questions, to
(11:55):
have the big speculations about what the future might actually
look like. It separates science fiction from science fantasy, a
more Star Wars kind of thing. It's more of a
star trek thing. And just in the last two weeks
on our podcast Made of Stars, we've discussed two things
about the planet Mars. We've discussed the discovery of organic
(12:16):
material by the Mars Perseverance Rover, and we've also discussed
large quantities of water being discovered in the data of
the Mars Insight Lander. And yet those scientists that find
these things, they're not they're very very careful not to
come out and say and that probably means there's life
(12:37):
on Mars right now. No, they can't do that. They
have to say, well, in no way does this suggest
any kind of life on Mars. We have no data
to confirm or deny above. They have to be very
very careful. Don't think that this is gonna okay. But
really at the pub they're going hey with their buddies
when no one's listening and the press are around, they're like,
(12:58):
you know, this be fill in the blanks, right, So
it's through science fiction like Star Trek, for instance, that
we can ask those kinds of questions. Star Trek is
a great exploration of hard scientific concepts but then taking
those to the next step and extrapolating what those might
(13:18):
mean for planets out there in our own galaxy that
we could actually jump on a spaceship and go out
and visit, not a galaxy far far away with wookies.
And there's nothing wrong with Star Wars, but Star Trek
is a series that it's a little bit more hard sciency,
and yeah, they get a little two specula once in
a while in my opinion, but really there's a lot
of really excellent scientists like Aaron McDonald, who's a science
(13:42):
advisor for the Star Trek series, who we've interviewed on
the show before working to say, hey, let's try to
keep this in the realm of the scientifically possible, because
then that makes this show and series more interesting.
Speaker 3 (13:55):
Ross mar Kwan joins us.
Speaker 1 (13:56):
Next. This is the dragon Con show, powered by Columbus
State University's Coca Cola Space Science Center, where you can
learn the science behind the fiction
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