Fiction/ Issue 42 Date: April 4, 2007 Editors: Jean Martin, Chris Garcia email: [email protected] Copy Editor: David Moyce Layout Editor: Eva Kent

TOC

News and Notes...... Christopher J. Garcia...... 2 Hugo Nominations...... Christopher J. Garcia...... 3-4 Letters Of Comment...... Jean Martin ...... 5-6 Editorial...... Christopher J. Garcia...... 7 Dreams of the City...... España Sheriff...... 8 We All Go For Hugos...... Christopher J. Garcia...... 9 Confessions of a Serial Fanzinista...... Christopher J. Garcia...... 10-11 Congress of Vienna Waltz ...... Jim Bull ...... Photos by Jim Bull...... 12-13 ...... España Sheriff...... 14-15 Peter Denning at the History Museum...... Howeird ...... Photos by Howeird...... 16-19 BASFA Minutes: meeting 868-869...... 20-22 Bay Area Fannish Calendar ...... David Moyce...... 23-33

Science Fiction/San Francisco is the twice monthly news zine for the . All issues can be found at www.efanzines.com All articles and photos are copyright 2007 by the original creators. Used with permission. News and Notes Who fan, you should show up the fourth The best Sercon going today, Some By Christopher J. Garcia Friday of every month for the fine stuff Fantastic, has released a late but wonderful Editor that’s been showing. issue. Issue 11 features a lot of great reviews eFanzines.com has had a slower than and a look at modern Japanese Horror. It’s Busy time as always in fandom. usual period, mostly due to the fact that a good read. BayCon is ramping up and there are more no Drink Tanks came out until the 29th Mike Glyer has put out another and more meetings. Things are coming when the Hoax issue hit the web. There archive issue of File 770 on eFanzines.com. together and it’s looking more and more was the debut of John Purcell’s Askance. It’s and my man Dick Geis put out another like things’ll be great as always with the replacement zine for his two zines, In couple of short issues of Taboo Opinions. BayCon. Westercon is coming together A Prior Lifetime and …and Furthermore. too, though a number of departments It’s a good zine with a lot of wonderful are short…including my little realm, the contributors, including Linda Bushyeager Fanzine Lounge! (whose 1970s zine Granfalloon was one of The Legion of Rassillon met on the the zines that my Dad used to teach me to Obituary 23rd at the Carl’s Jr. on First in San Jose. read), Roxanne Mills, and Teresa Cochrane. Two episodes of Torchwood and a pre-show John also finished off the letters from his Gerald R. Perkins, long-time fan, screening of Shaun the Sheep from the previous zines and had a piece from our passed away on March 30th after falling Aardman folks, who also do Wallace and good buddy Lloyd Penney. Good stuff and into a coma earlier in the week. Gerald Gromit—a great new set of cartoons that a fine successor toIAPL . was well-known as a con attendee should be available via Amazon UK soonish. As always, Pixel dropped on and was a part of Furry Fandom for a The meeting was well-attended, as most eFanzines.com and is a wonderful zine. number of years. He was also a writer, have been of late, and I’m not surprised There’s a wonderful conversation piece artist and collector. He left the BArea with the recent buzz surrounding Dr. Who. between Dave Locke and Eric Mayer, a few years ago and moved to Seattle. Lots of DVDs and memorabilia as part of Whither Fandom from the Legendary Gerald was 63 years old. SF/SF will the raffle. I won a Prisoner gift pack (which Ted White, a nice piece from Lee Lavell, a include a fuller appreciation of Gerald is AWESOME!) and a Torchwood DVD. piece from me and a good-sized lettercol. in an up-coming issue. There was also a March 30th meeting, but Everything is solid and there’s a very good as I’m writing this it’s still in the future. I reason that Pixel was second in the voting had a real good time, though. If you’re a Dr. for the FAAn Awards.  Hugo Nominations

By Christopher J. Garcia Editor ballot as has Cheryl Morgan. I stand no Paul Melko, “The Walls of the Universe” The Hugo nominations are out, and chance in this group. William Shunn, “Inclination” it’s an interesting field in the fannish Hugo Michael Swanwick, “Lord Weary’s categories: Fan Artist Empire” Brad W. Foster, Teddy Harvia, Sue Mason, Robert Charles Wilson, “Julian” Fanzine Steve Stiles, Frank Wu Banana Wings, Challenger, The Drink Tank, No surprises on this list. It would have Novelette Plokta, Science-Fiction Five-Yearly. been very nice to see Dan Steffan get Paolo Bacigalupi, “Yellow Card Man” Missing from this list are last year’s nominated, but this is still a very good Michael F. Flynn, “Dawn, and Sunset, and nominees File 770 and Chunga. It’s also list. I know Frank’s pulling for Steve the Colours of the Earth” a personal scrape that The Drink Tank Stiles. Brad Foster has recently turned to Ian McDonald, “The Djinn’s Wife” was nominated over eI by Earl Kemp and colorizing his art and using his Photoshop Mike Resnick, “All the Things You Are” Pixel by Dave Burton. Good to see Science to good effect. Geoff Ryman, “Pol Pot’s Beautiful Fiction Five Yearly up, though, as it’s the Daughter” last issue. All the Hugo nominees: Short Story Fan Writer Novel , “How to Talk to Girls at Chris Garcia, John Hertz, Dave Langford, Michael F. Flynn, Eifelheim (Tor) Parties” John Scalzi, Steven H. Silver Naomi Novik, His Majesty’s Dragon (Del Bruce McAllister, “Kin” This is a helluva fivesome of Rey) Tim Pratt, “Impossible Dreams” nominees. Scalzi won the Campbell Charles Stross, Glasshouse (Ace) Robert Reed, “Eight Episodes” last year and Dave Langford has Vernor Vinge, Rainbows End (Tor) Benjamin Rosenbaum, “The House twentysomething Hugos for Best Fan Peter Watts, Blindsight (Tor) Beyond the Sky” Writer and Fanzine. John Hertz is on the ballot again from last year, as is Silver. Novella Related Book Sadly, Claire Brialey has dropped off the Robert Reed, “A Billion Eves” Samuel R. Delany, About Writing: Seven  Essays, Four Letters, and Five Interviews Editor, Long Form John Scalzi Joseph T. Major, Heinlein’s Children: The Steven H. Silver Juveniles James Patrick Baen Julie Phillips, James Tiptree, Jr.: The Double Ginjer Buchanan Fan Artist Life of Alice Sheldon David G. Hartwell Brad W. Foster John Picacio, Cover Story: The Art of John Patrick Nielsen Hayden Teddy Harvia Picacio Sue Mason Mike Resnick & Joe Siclari, eds., Professional Artist Steve Stiles Guest of Honor Speeches Bob Eggleton Frank Wu Dramatic Presentation, Long Form Stephan Martiniere John W. Campbell Award for Best New Children of Men John Jude Palencar Writer (not a Hugo) Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest John Picacio Scott Lynch The Prestige Sarah Monette A Scanner Darkly Semiprozine Naomi Novik V for Vendetta Ansible Brandon Sanderson Interzone Lawrence M. Schoen Dramatic Presentation, Short Form Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet Battlestar Galactica, “Downloaded” Locus Doctor Who, “Army of Ghosts” and The Review of “Doomsday” Doctor Who, “Girl in the Fireplace” Fanzine Doctor Who, “School Reunion” Banana Wings Challenger Editor, Short Form The Drink Tank Gardner Dozois Plokta David G. Hartwell Science-Fiction Five-Yearly Stanley Schmidt Gordon Van Gelder Fan Writer Sheila Williams Chris Garcia John Hertz Dave Langford  Letters Of Comment

John Purcell writes: I just described a typical con you attend, My AggieCon 38 report will be in Askance I have a confession to make, Jean. didn’t I? #2, due out in May. This past weekend I really wanted to walk Thanks for the compliment! Fandom AggieCon sounds like a lot of fun. We up to Richard Hatch at AggieCon 38 and and dancing keep me young. I have friends in don’t get a lot of unusual bands at our cons. I show him the picture of you and him in their 60s who are still so active and vibrant. love live music and used to go to concerts all SF/SF #41 to see if he remembered you. I aim to be like that when I’m their age. Our the time. I haven’t been to any in a long time. It could have been a funny moment, but outer appearance, I think, reflects our inner This past month, however, I was invited to a I never ran into him or managed to get to selves. So young at heart translates to young free concert at a tech convention in San Jose. the programming items he was on. *sigh* of body. But I guess I have my Asian genes I got to see 80s rock John Cafferty and Another lost opportunity to make a funny. to thank too. Oh, and I’ve been moisturizing the Beaver Brown Band, with guest singers And I really wanted to ask him if he ever since I was 20. I almost did the character Mike Reno from Loverboy and Ligertwood felt stupid saying “feldergarb” on Battlestar: Cassandra from Doctor Who—she’s the last from Santana. I was right up against the stage Ponderosa. Really, I did! As Roger Rabbit living human in the distant future— for bopping up and down to the music with a big always says, “I do it only when it’s funny.” SiliCon last year but that didn’t pan out. She smile on my face. And with my camera in tow, Jean Martin responds: That would says, “Moisturize me, moisturize me” all the it felt like the good old days of my heavy metal have been so funny! He’s quite a nice guy. time, which would have been fitting. magazine, when I used to take photos of rock Very approachable. Battlestar: Ponderosa... That also sounds like AggieCon bands and write about and hang out with hilarious! I liked Lorne Green in both those 38, too. Heavy Anime influence this year, them. By the way, I just realized how much shows. especially Naruto, on the costume contest. money there is still floating around Silicon Also, as far as that picture of you goes, The SCA folks were out in full force, too, Valley. Everything was free at this arena-size you cannot possibly be 40 years old, Jean. which made for an interesting combination. concert from the food, to the drinks, to the You look too good to be 40. Obviously, you Overall, a fun time, complete with two tchotchkes. The crowd was also at least 80% are one of those folks who simply doesn’t good bands in concert: Friday night it was male. All of these felt very strange… I’m not look their age. Do you act your age? Geez, I Eyeshine (from Los Angeles); Saturday’s used to living in , obviously! hope not! After all, you’re a fan, for crissakes! show was by Ghoultown, which I urge Anime seems to be gaining popularity, Dress funny; hang around goofy people for people to see to believe. I have never seen especially with the younger generation. I think an entire weekend; speak in tongues; listen a Goth Country band before. Interesting that’s what’s going to be the future of fandom. to odd music and dance to it. Oh, wait; music, different stage show, but a lot of fun. Call me old-fashioned, I guess, or just plain old,  but I have trouble watching the new anime. ballerina in a pink tutu. It was strange and in L.A. started on my birthday but I decided They’re too fast, intense and overstimulating silly, and had everyone in the room howling. not to go as I wanted to have a big party for me. I loved anime in my teens when the Most of the films were by TAMU students, instead. But I did get to have lots of my friends stories and animation were simpler and easier but anybody could have shown their film if at my birthday party. It almost felt like a mini- to digest. The only animation I’ve been able to it had been received and registered by the BayCon! get into is Avatar: The Last Airbender. And 22nd of March. So, that ought to do it for now. Thanks that’s aimed at kids, I believe. But I love the I would have liked to attend Cinequest for the zine, and I hope you folks survive the sense of that world being familiar yet magical. too. Too many things at the same time, though! conning season now forthcoming out there. It also has a very eco-friendly theme to it. And I remember years ago I went to see Sir Ian Come to think of it, that’s happening in who knows, if I needed a change I could easily McKellen at a Cinequest panel. He was quite , too! “Tis the season to be conning.” start dressing up in anime costumes. I already funny and elegant at the same time. Happy conning to you and everyone! have one from Final Fantasy, Yuna, that I Speaking of fun, short films, some Yes, con season is commencing here too. It’s haven’t worn yet. friends just turned me on to the Pink Five currently the calm before the storm for me, in I don’t often see SCA folk at cons around trilogy, a spoof of the original Star Wars between WonderCon and BayCon. Oh, hang here. They tend to keep to themselves and have movies. The Star Wars one was short and I on, I already have to start getting ready— their own events. I know several people in the didn’t enjoy it too much. But the Empire and sewing, accessorizing, rehearsing—for BayCon SCA, and I used to dance with one of their Return of the Jedi ones were very impressive as I’m going to be in the masquerade with dance groups, but I’ve never gotten around to and hilarious! Professional quality acting, friends. Be sure to check us out there. We have their big events. They’re usually at the same editing, music, effects, props, locations, etc. a special, secret treat in store for everyone. time as PEERS events, unfortunately. I’ve You can find all three onwww.trudang.com/ tried to connect with several of their “PR” pinkfive/. They’re actually making another folk to see if they’d like to contribute to SF/SF one as the third one was only half of Return but haven’t had much luck. If anyone from of the Jedi. the SCA reads this and would like to submit That date, by the way, was my 53rd stories and photos about SCA events, please birthday. It was a particularly fannish contact me! birthday this year. Not only did AggieCon Chris Garcia’s Cinequest reviews 38 start on it, but Askance #1 was posted to reminded me of the mini-Schlock Film efanzines that day, and I also started mailing Festival Friday night of AggieCon. Some fun out copies. Yes, it was a good day. short films were shown, my favorite being Happy birthday! That’s awesome to Dance, which was a choreographed fight have all these things that you love to celebrate scene between a ninja and an overweight on your birthday. The One Ring Convention  Editorial By Christopher J. Garcia (and probably never will) that I did because I gotta thank folks like Andy Trembley, Kevin Editor wanted to do an issue for me. Roche, Kevin Standlee, Howeird, Trey and And now, I find myself facing a Hugo Barbara, Mark Valentine, Frank Wu and HELLS YEAH!!!!! nomination and it’s wonderful. I gotta admit everyone else for giving me so much great OK, that’s out of the way. A while back it’s a great feeling to know that as long as material. And of course there’s always Leigh I got an email saying that I was nominated there are Hugos, my name will be on that list Ann, Ed Green, Jason Schachat, Sprinkles, for a Hugo. Not a Hogu, an actual Hugo. A of nominees. It doesn’t change my life, but it Genevieve, Evelyn, ML Heath, the legendary , the kind they give to people like makes me realize that folks are really looking Ted White, the equally legendary and more Dave Langford and Charlie Browne. That at what I put out there. When I looked at English Peter Weston, Cheryl, Brad Foster, Hugo. I was blown away, nearly speechless the list of zines that were nominated for Best the late Bill Rotsler, Selina Phanara, Kelly for almost five minutes (and if you’ve met Fanzine, I realized that at least a few of my Green, Jay Lake, Mark and Claire, Andy me, you know that’s a big deal) and simply words appeared in every single one of them! Porter, James Bacon, Bob Hole, M, Jay, Mike, shocked. That’s weird. SaBean, Judith and Kathe. And of course all And then I started thinking about So, can I win? No, I don’t think so. the folks in the APAs I’m in and the folks of this editorial. You see, I don’t have a lot of I’m not well-known around the world, I’ve LASFS and Vegas. experience with getting big time kudos from never had anything in the biggies like Locus, And a hundred more I can’t think of. a large swatch of people. I knew that I had to I’ve never really gone out of my way to sell Sadly, I had to sit on the info for more say something, and simply saying “Thanks” my writing. Sell myself…yeah I’ve done that than a week and as a guy who loves to write just seemed too damn simple. I’ve got a lot (Chris for TAFF!) but not really my work. about the stuff goin’ on in his life, it was not of folks to thank and I’ll be doing that in a I imagine I’m going to have a hard time at all easy. bit, but first I gotta say that I’m not a guy beating No Award in both categories, but I By the way, I’m announcing a contest. who does this stuff for egoboo, but because I think I can pull it off! I’m trying to convince Dr. Noe, that devil- actually love the process of zining, of writing, So now for the thankyous. I gotta may-care once-in-a-while writer for us here of emailing folks to discuss their zines, of start with Jean, David, Eva, Jack, España at SF/SF, to write a regular column. I thought laying out an issue, of basically being a and all the rest of us here at SF/SF. I really the best way to convince him would be to fanzine fan. That, and I have a lot of time love this zine, and I’m hoping that we’ll have come up with a good title for his column. on my hands at work and I really don’t feel another great year working together. Props My thoughts: Dr. Noe’s Secret Volcano Lair, like taking up smoking. It’s kinda weird that are owed to the eFanzines.com Mafia led by or Dr. Noe’s Valley. The Good Doctor himself I’d get nominated. I’d do this stuff even if no Don Bill Burns along with Johnny Purcell, said that it should be Where the Hell is Dr. one was watching. I’ve got a few zines that Dave Burton, Lloyd Penney, Earl Kemp, Noe, which is pretty good. I’ve done that’ve never seen the light of day Arnie Katz, Peter Sullivan and Eric Mayer. I You got any ideas?

 Dreams of the City - a column

By España Sheriff 1999 and yes, it involved more kissing and good in the UK, and we all waited to find car chases than Doctor Who fans were used out if this would mean a new series. It did After years of absence, a beloved TV to then. Unlike another San Francisco time not, and that’s too bad because a season of icon was finally returning to , and travel tale, Time After Time, in this instance Eight would have been a wonderful thing. anticipation was high; after years of waiting it’s pretty obvious that aside from some We do have at least a season’s worth of and badgering the BBC, Doctor Who was stock footage of the Transamerica Pyramid audio adventures with McGann, and more coming back. and the Golden Gate Bridge, nothing on to come, but it’s still interesting to think Of course there was some trepidation. screen takes place in the city. The climactic what might have been. The actor that had been cast as the new scenes which take place at the Institute for Doctor was a bit on the young side, and Science and Technology are actually at the attractive. Was this new version going to Plaza of Nations in Vancouver, and even the ruin everything? Was there even a point in news anchors are local to Vancouver, not resurrecting a show that had been off the SF. And it’s a shame, really, since it’s rare for air so long, and had been on the decline this series to venture outside of the UK in towards the end anyway? its filmed incarnations—unless it is to leave I’m not talking about the triumphant Earth entirely. rebirth of the series that was Russell T. Paul McGann was the Eighth Davies’ “Season 1,” starring Christopher Doctor, and while he was admittedly Eccleston. In 1996, the BBC reached an prettier than some previous incarnations, agreement with Fox Television, and a Doctor he was and is a well-respected and talented Who TV movie was produced. Set in San actor. The movie was far from perfect, but Francisco, but filmed in British Columbia, not as bad the reaction of some fans would it was the first new Doctor Who produced lead one to believe. Americanized, to be for the screen in nearly a decade, although sure. Melodramatic in spots, and campy books, comics, and audios had filled the in others. But no worse than some classic vaccum in the intervening years. episodes and specials of the original run. The story was set during New Year’s Ratings in the US were poor but  We All Go For Hugos

By Christopher J. Garcia for a while. Niekas for a good long time, and part of Editor With Best Fan Artist we come to that time he lived in Livermore. I think he an area where I’m just not sure. I don’t see had left Livermore by the time he won in The BArea has had a long history any names that I know were BArean at the 1967. Locus moved out West in the 1980s of providing Hugo nominees, and once in time of their nomination or win, though and it won a couple before they started the a while we win them. I don’t think that’ll I do know that Vaughn Bode was around Best Semi-Prozine category for Locus in the be a problem for me this year, but it could San Francisco in the 1970s (he knew my 1980s. happen to others. Dad a little bit), but it would appear I can’t There was something of a break The Best Fan Writer award has a be certain until Frank Wu’s nomination before Trap Door was nominated in 1987. It longstanding tradition with the BArea. in 2002. He’s been nominated every year was nominated again in 1992. Then another Terry Carr won Best Fan Writer in 1973, since, winning in 2004 and 2006. He’s the break before Emerald City was nominated and although I think he was living outside favorite this year in my eyes, though Brad in 2003. Cheryl won it for EmCit in 2004. the BArea for a while, I’m also certain he Foster’s gotta be right up there too. Nominated in 2005, she moved it off to moved back just before he won. (I may be Best Fanzine? Yeah, we’ve had compete with Locus and Ansible in Semi- misreading a few sources.) I don’t think nominees and winners in our little area. Prozine for 2006. The Drink Tank is another Charles Browne was a BArean yet when he The first was FANAC by Terry Carr and one in the line. was nominated for Best Fan Writer, but he’s Ron Ellik in 1959. It was nominated the Locus isn’t the only one to have come here since. There was a long drought following two years as well. Ellik left and multiple nominations in Semi-Prozine. in Fan Writer (though one or two might moved to LA and started another zine called There’s another great Semi-Pro called have been nominated and I’m not sure Starsprinkle, a bi-weekly zine that featured Speculations that had seven nominations where they lived) until Cheryl Morgan, news and chatterings. (Sound familiar?) Bill between 1997 and 2003. Sadly, they haven’t who could also be considered a Brit, was Donaho’s zine HABAKKUK was nominated put out an issue in a while. Kent Brewster’s nominated in 2004. She came close to in 1967. I recently saw an issue, and it was a great guy and a BArea fannish legend. derailing the Langford Machine in 2004, really good. He returned to publishing it in So, will we have another Hugo but she never managed; she was nominated 1993 when Dave Clark, good ol’ reliable winner locally? Well, Frank’s got a shot, and in 2005 and 2006, and maybe she declined WorldCon chair Dave Clark, invited him Locus is nearly a sure thing. Just don’t count her nom in 2007, but we won’t know that to come to ConFrancisco. Ed Meskys did on me to be the one!  Confessions of a Serial Fanzinista

By Christopher J. Garcia to the water cooler and discover it needs com and dash it off. It’s 11 a.m. and I’m Editor to be changed. Realize half-way through tired, but I check my blog. No comments. changing it that I meant Rats Doing the Great. I then start checking out eFanzines. If I manage to get so much material Conga Off a Ship, meaning it’s supposed com and realize that there’s a new zine up. out every week, usually enough to fill an to be an article about how people are I spend twenty minutes LoCing it and entire zine, it figures that my entire life must abandoning traditional fannish ways. Smile then recall that I’m still not done with the revolve around producing writing. That’s and start to write it. By 9:30, I’m 2/3 of the article. I open up Word again, but sadly I’m not entirely untrue, but it’s not wholly true way through the article when I remember interrupted by Alana saying that it’s time either. Here now is a look at an average that I’ve not written my wrestling review for lunch. I leave. When I get back, there’s week in my fanzine production. yet and Derek was expecting it an hour ago. a note saying that I’m needed downstairs Monday I quickly fake up a report for fanboyplanet. to go through donations. I go down and I wake up and grab a quick bath. end up sorting through things for almost Yes, a bath, because who ever had a good three hours. Drive home, cursing because idea for a fanzine article while they were I didn’t send myself a copy of the article taking a shower? I think of something to work on while I’m watching Evelyn. I and I immediately I send myself a cryptic watch Evelyn at Gen’s house and recreate email about it. Get dressed, run to the car the entire article as best I can. Evelyn then and drive to work, thinking about what begs to write her own article. I like fanzines I’m going to say in my editorial for SF/ because Chris is a poopbutt is as far as she SF. Wander into work nursing some sort gets. Gen comes home, I go to BASFA and of hangover that I must have acquired then it’s time to bother people into doing between the car and the Museum’s front art in the little book. I head home again door. Slowly trudge upstairs and sit at my kick myself for not remembering to send computer. Spend twenty minutes catching myself the article at home. I rewrite it again up on emails. I come across my cryptic while watching the last half of Monday email and can’t figure out what the hell I Night Raw. I manage to finish and send it meant by “Giant Rats do the Congo.” Walk off to myself at work. I sleep at Midnight. 10 Tuesday write him a response to an email he sent Run down and finish it right before anyone Wake up with a weird feeling in my over the weekend. Write responses, go and notices. Go to lunch. Come back to find a head (my CPAP must not be working). Take pick up Evelyn at Cheerleading. Read her series of emails about a con I’m working for. a bath and start whistling Marty Robbins’s some Isaac Asimov as a way of trying to Write some copy for the Progress Reports. song “El Paso.” Realize that there’s a ton of introduce her to Science Fiction. Realize Finish the Half Dome Happenings. Lay out connections between the way the story of after only ten pages that this technique another article that M sent me about drug the song plays and the lesser short fiction isn’t going to work. Go home and write an use. Find the perfect image of a boobular of H. Beam Piper. Write the article in my article about how hard it is to get her into chick shooting H. Send for permission and head while I’m getting dressed and rewrite SF. get it right quick. Pick up Evelyn and try it on the way to work. Tear up the stairs Wednesday reading Eragon to her. She’ll have none of it. and start typing without stop. Look at My boss asks me how the Big Project Neither will I. We watch Simpsons together. the corner of my computer screen around is going. I realize that I haven’t done anything Go home and write an article about the 10:30. Look at my email in-box and see on it for a month. Say that there’s IT issues. difficulty of turning a Seven Year Old on to that 45 emails have piled up. My boss wants She buys it. I run downstairs and finish the SF. a scan of something she’d left on my desk. project in the space of an hour. Run back Friday I go through the papers and find it, pull a upstairs and add to my various blogs. Read Spend most of the day reading few art pieces for The Drink Tank and go my Friends List. Respond to Jay Lake’s fanzines while renaming hundreds of entries down to the scanning lab. Scan them all. recent anti-Republican rant. Write an entry in our database. LoC at the same time. Return to my desk and work on the about the new issue of The Drink Tank. Start This leads to some very confused database issue. LoC the latest eFanzines.com zine, laying out new issue. Go home a little early, entries. I fix them after lunch. I get ready for get pulled away for lunch. Realize that I’ve pick up Evelyn and then make her a special the next Legion of Rassilon meeting. Finish still not finished the article from Monday. dinner. Read her some China Mieville. the next issue of The Drink Tank. Send it off Find the file and finally finish it. Layit Realize that was a GIANT mistake. Let her to Bill Burns, who then sends it back when into an issue of The Drink Tank along with watch The Simpsons instead. he notices that I misnumbered it. I fix it the one about “El Paso.” Send issue off to Thursday and head home a little…well, a lot early. As Bill Burns and work on latest issue of Half Write Falls Count Anywhere for soon as I’m home, I get email from David Dome Happenings for AhwahneeCon. Get fanboyplanet.com. Read the new File 770 about the lack of material for the next issue an email from Lloyd Penney commenting that got sent to work. Write an LoC. Go to of SF/SF. I start writing a bit of levity from on the previous four issues of The Drink the lounge to take a nap. Send my boss the an otherwise humorless fool about a week Tank. Get an eMail from John Purcell update on the project. Get praise for doing of my fanzine production… commenting on SF/SF. Get an email from such a great job over the last few weeks. Arnie Katz reminding me that I forgot to Realize that I forgot a step in the project. 11 Congress of Vienna Waltz at the Cyprians’ Ball

Story and Photos by Jim Bull (BAERS), was held February 17 at the Contributing Writer San Mateo Masonic Temple. Held around Valentine’s Day, this particular ball is meant The annual Cyprians’ Ball, hosted to be a romantic and flirtatious event in the by the Bay Area English Regency Society style of the early 1800s.

Stephanie and Mike

The evening’s dancing began and ended with The Congress of Vienna, a dance that was also done at the Browncoat Ball back in October. A little background on this dance that is popular in the Vintage dance community: Dances of this type, that consist of a pre-choreographed sequence of figures, English Country Dancers 12 are usually referred to as sequence dances. Regency period to a dance of this name, tunes. The dance can only be done to this Another one popular in the Vintage dance but no surviving description of the steps. music because the figures fit the unusual community, and that was also done at the The dance as developed by John is phrasing. In fact, it is that unusual phrasing, Browncoat Ball, is the Bohemian National a combination of folk dance-style waltz, especially the long 14-bar A music that, in Polka. sometimes call the rotary waltz in the Bay my opinion, makes the dance something “Congress” was created by John Area, with figures from the Landler. The special. Hertz of Los Angeles sometime around the Landler is a German couple dance also done early 1980s. John is the person who started in 3/4 time that some believe may have English Regency dancing in Southern influenced the development of the Waltz. , and was into folk dancing The music used for the dance isa before that. There are references from the combination of three Scandinavian waltz Editor’s note: Another unexpected place where the Congress of Vienna was performed was at Burning Man. Imagine my surprise when I heard this dance’s familiar melody and steps while watching the 2005 documentary Burning Man: Beyond Black Rock recently. It brought a smile to my face to see my favorite dance, which I had thought was limited to the Bay Area vintage dance community, performed at the huge, cultural phenomenon that is Burning Man.—JPM

Divertimento Dance Orchestra

13 The Phenomenauts Play Rocket Roll

By España Sheriff the name of a Staff Writer song. They set the tone quite nicely What can you say about a band with and the next two its own videogame? bands maintained The Phenomenauts are an Oakland the energy, the band that play a blend of and lead singer of the punk which they describe as “Rocket Roll.” Teenage Harlets A little , a little Revillos and a lot of fun, in particular they hit the scene in 2000 when they snuck when he dove into the Vans and proceeded into the mosh pit to impress reviewers, fellow performers and and disappeared organizers enough to be invited back the into the crowd following year. for some minutes, They have a reputation of putting on all while keeping a great live show, so I was excited to finally ahold of his get a chance to see them. Along with four microphone and other bands, they were part of a lineup called continuing the The Phenomenauts Photo by Liz Lazich “Plastic!” at the Bottom of the Hill, billed as song. a night of 80’s and New Wave, The club audience member made it on stage during but clearly having a genre bent. I arrived late was packed, and only the front of the their set to stage dive. The Ghoulies where to find the Adventure Kids, crowd had formed a small and more or less more Horror-themed, naturally, veering purveyors of “Fried Chicken Rock ’n’ Roll,” contained mosh pit, but I stayed safely on towards Dickies or Cramps territory. They already on stage. They were fun and loud and the sidelines anyway. It was hard not to played a great cover of “Pet Sematary” that at first I thought they were simply making admire the energy both on and off stage. I liked better than the original, as well as up their steam-of-consciousness-sounding The third band, the out of a crowdpleaser called “Till Death Do Us song titles. But apparently “Boobies, Rock Sacramento, was a little bit calmer, mostly Party.” They ended their set with R.E.M’s ’n’ Roll, Hot Dog and a Jelly Roll” is actually staying on stage—though at least one “It’s the End of the World as We Know it 14 Not having seen the favorites with the crowd, which sang band play live I wasn’t sure along while still moshing their be-dickie’d if they always performed asses off. Highlights included in full uniform or reserved “Galactic Pioneers,” “Progress vs. Pettiness,” that for special occasions, and of course, “Rocket Roll,” every single so I was pleased to see the one an absolute blast and on its way onto stagehands setting up some my iTunes even as I type this. gloriously sci fi mic stands, Not content to simply rock the a glow in the dark grid house, they also blasted the audience with backdrop, and a bunch of smoke machines and at one point Professor other stage props. Every Arius shot the delighted crowd with the time there was a lull in the “streamarator,” a modified leaf-blower that between-acts tinned music, shoots toilet paper rolls. After their last song, Left to right: Professor Greg Arius (keys/effects), Captain the entire crowd would lean a short mix of exit music played, including Chreehos (stand-up bass), Commander Angel Nova (vocals/ ), Corporal Joe Bot (vocals/guitar), Major Jimmy Boom forward in anticipation a few seconds of the “The Space Academy (drums) Photo by JCB and eventually they were Marching Song” from Tom Corbett: Space rewarded when the lights Cadet. I had to laugh, since I recognized the (And I Feel Fine),” a lovely segue for the dropped way down low tune from having heard it during opening (retro)futuristic rock ’n’ roll of the band I and the band members took their places on ceremonies at ConJose. was there to see: The Phenomenauts. stage. When the lights came up the crowd Although there was one more band, The crowd was having a ball already went nuts and so did the band. They were The —also science fictionally but clearly anticipation for this band was in full space cadet regalia: Professor Greg inclined, though without the retro high: Half the audience was wearing Arius in white and red, Captain Chreehos, sensibilities of the Phenomenauts—I was Phenomenauts t-shirts, including me. Major Jimmy Boom, Corporal Joe Bot up past my bedtime on a work night, so I Even if they had sucked it would have been and Commander Angel Nova all wearing decided to end on a high note and call it a impossible for me to resist the rocket-in- black and red, each with his own special night. atom logo shirt bearing the band’s slogan, accessories, the best of which is Joe Bot’s http://www.phenomenauts.com/ “Science and Honor,” especially at the half-face silver helmet. This is a band that http://groovie-ghoulies.com/ extraordinarily reasonable price of $12. seriously needs to have some action figures Excited by the bargain I added some logo made of them. patches, buttons, and a nifty wings pin to Starting off strong with “I Am the pile and it still didn’t hit $20. ,” they played songs that were clearly 15 Great Principles in Computing: Peter Denning at the Computer History Museum

Story and Photos by Howeird members’ reception prior to each event. attempted to show that computation is Contributing Writer One of the perks of working right down as natural as biology, and hence machines the block from CHM is they still have that compute should be looked at as One of the perks of being a member food left when I get there. The wine and natural phenomena. of the Computer History Museum in soft drinks, on the other hand, never seem Denning comes to us with a long Mountain View is the free food at the to run out. and impressive résumé, and he speaks On March 29 there was such a with enthusiasm, humor, and belief in reception, and it was packed. It had been his subject. But for a hardware geek a couple of months since the last CHM like myself, the concept of a computer event, and I think people were making (even a HAL-level AI) being a natural up for lost time. The lecture by Peter J. phenomenon just doesn’t sell. His premise Denning was also SRO, which is pretty breaks computing into seven parts: impressive considering the size of the • Computation (meaning and limits CHM auditorium. Denning is currently of computation) the chair of the Computer Science • Communication (reliable data Department at the Naval Postgraduate transmission) School in Monterey. His talk was entitled • Coordination (cooperation among “Great Principles in Computing,” but was networked entities) really about trying to show that computer • Recollection (storage and retrieval science is a “natural science,” a process of of information) nature. • Automation (meaning and limits of “Computing is no longer a science automation) of the artificial. It is a science of natural • Evaluation (performance prediction information processes. The remarkable and capacity planning) shift to this realization occurred only in • Design (building reliable software the last decade,” according to the abstract systems) Peter Denning on computerhistory.org. Denning’s talk Grabbing the top-level breakdown 16 of these categories from his full report on Coordination: that are globally unique in very http://cs.gmu.edu/cne/pjd/GP: • A coordination system is a set of large name spaces. Computation: agents exchanging information • Handles enable sharing by • Representations hold information. according to agreed-on protocols, providing unique-for-all-time object • Computation is a sequence of states working together to achieve a identifiers that are independent of of a representation. system objective. all address spaces. • Representations can be compressed, • Coordination tasks can be delegated • Data can be retrieved by name or by but not too much. to computational processes. content. • Finite representations always • All coordination systems depend Automation: contain errors. on solutions to concurrency control • Physical automation maps hard • Computations can be open or problems. computational tasks to physical closed. Recollection: systems that perform them • Computations have characteristic • All computations take place in acceptably well. speeds of resolution. storage systems. • Artificial intelligence maps human • Complexity measures are defined by • Storage systems comprise cognitive tasks to physical systems the sizes of representations. hierarchies with volatile (fast) that perform them acceptably well. Communication: storage at the top and persistent • Artificial intelligence maps tasks to • Information can be encoded into (slower) storage at the bottom. systems through models, search, messages. • The principle of locality deduction, and induction. • Data communication always takes dynamically identifies the most • Models represent processes by place in a system consisting of useful data, which can be cached at which intelligent beings generate a message source, an encoder, a the top of the hierarchy. their behavior. channel, and a decoder. • Thrashing is a severe performance • Search finds the subsets of states • Information in a message can degradation caused when parallel of a complex system that must be measured by the amount of computations overload the storage participate in the final outcome of a uncertainty it resolves (Entropy system. task. Principle). • Access to stored objects is controlled • Deduction locates the outcome of • Messages can be corrupted during by dynamic bindings between a task by applying rules of logic transmission and recovered during names, handles, addresses, and to move from axioms to provable reception. locations. statements. • Messages can be compressed. • Hierarchical naming systems allow • Induction builds models by • Messages can hide information. local authorities to assign names generalizing from data about a 17 complex task’s behavior. partitioning. • Levels organize the functions of a Evaluation: Design: system into hierarchies that allow • The principal tools of evaluation are • Design principles concern human downward calls and upward returns. modeling, simulation, experiment, conventions for planning and • Virtual machines organize software and statistical analysis of data. building software systems. The into interacting subsystems that • Computing systems can be criteria for good design are context simulate computing machines. represented as sets of equations sensitive. • Objects organize software into balancing transition flows among • Error confinement and recovery are networks of shared entities that states. much harder in the virtual worlds activate operations in each other by • Network of servers is a common, of software than in the real world of exchanging signals. efficient representation of physical objects. • In a distributed system, it is more computing systems. • The six fundamental principles of efficient to implement a function • Network-of-server systems software design are abstraction, in the communicating applications obey fundamental laws on their information hiding, decomposition, than in the network itself. utilizations, throughputs, queueing, levels, virtual machines, and objects. Denning went on to show how these response times, and bottlenecks. • Abstraction, information hiding, principles apply to many fields of natural • Resource sharing, when feasible, and decomposition deal with , and posited that this means is always more efficient than different aspects of modularity. computer science must be a natural

Members Reception Peter Denning chats after his speech 18 science as well. While he made a strong point that computer science shares methodologies with many sciences, I saw nothing in his evidence which supported computing as natural. To my mind, can be used to study nature, but the science about computers is not a study of nature, any more than the science of optics used to study the stars is a natural science. After the presentation Denning took questions from the audience, one of which was a rather shoddy plug by the CHM head, along the lines of “How can CHM continue to attract great speakers like yourself? (sell more memberships).” After the formal Q&A and the traditional presentation of a plaque to the speaker, Denning chatted with lots of folks who came up to the podium. The museum’s next event will be Thursday, April 19: The Commonwealth Club and Computer History Museum Present Digital Crossroads: Where Technology Meets Our Daily lives: Taming Gaming in Your Home. Details can be found here: http://www.computerhistory.org/events/

19 BASFA Minutes: meeting 868

March 19, 2007 monster move and a bit of a parody as it has the Harold proposed something to annoy the ugliest monster in it he’s ever seen, as funny Trey Haddad, President secretary and it was quashed. and worth bargain matinee. Chris Garcia, Vice-President Dave Gallaher, Treasurer Chris proposed making an official issue of the Chris reviewed the DVD of ‘Casino Royale’ Galen Tripp, Sergeant at Arms BASFA Times this fall and it was moved to as kick-assedly-awesome and the extras are Barbara Johnson-Haddad, Secretary establish a BASFA Publication committee with excellent, especially the Bond Girls featurette him at its head and it was so ordered. and recommends it as perfect. Began 8:02, with me wanting my bag of eggshells. Announcements: Adrienne reviewed ‘Amazing Grace’ as she Dave G announced that Spring will be having a enjoyed it, said it has good costumes and 20 people attended. studio show, 2-8 pm on March 24 at their place recommends it if you like historical stuff. [6133 Genoa Terrace, Fremont, phone: 510- We established a party jar. 744-9559]. [evil] Kevin reviewed giving the keynote address at the Latino College Preparatory Secretary’s report: the minutes of meeting 867 Joni announced that she and Garth are still Academy as he was expected to be inspiring were accepted as ‘whatever.’ looking to sell their BayCon memberships at [and it sounded as though he succeeded] and $60.00 each. rated the experience as worth full price. The Treasurer reported that last week we took in $5.25 in the regular jar & $0 in the party jar Adrienne announced that Gather.com’s novel Dave C reviewed a CD by Artichoke, ‘Never & $20.75 in the jar for flowers for Judy Bemis entry deadline was March 15 and her entry is Mind the Bollocks, It’s the Sex Pistols’ - as & he has ice tea. a Gothic mystery, ‘Bettina’s Ghost,’ so go rate based on the 30-second previews he could get it/vote for it. on Amazon, he didn’t buy it and said the songs The VP reported that there’s no new ‘Drink made him drowsy; there were follow-on’s, with Tank’ out [‘sorry,’ said [evil] Kevin] & Evelyn Dave C announced that the fundraiser for Bob Trey eventually saying, ‘I don’t understand all kicked him awesomely in the knee and he Wilkins March 22 is sold out, but the March this self-inflicted pain.’ fell… hilariously and a new SF/SF will be out 25 one in Sacramento’s Crest Theatre still has Wednesday. some tickets. Trey reviewed ‘300’ as the font of all manliness and those seeking historical accuracy need The President reminded us that NEXT week [evil] Kevin announced that IBM is sending not apply [and there was much talk of rouged [March 26] we will be meeting at the Sonoma him to speak to the press next week - to explain nipples] - but there were some neat scenes and Chicken Coop at 2nd Street and Campbell Ave. spintronics. worth - well, it’s a rental. - and we welcomed a visitor, David Casteneda, who just moved here 6 days ago from Arizona Reviews: We auctioned off a poster for $2.00; cards for and found us because of the website. Harold reviewed ‘The Host,’ a thinking man’s $1.25, a book for $4.25 & birthday auctioned 20 off Spring to Dave for $15.00.

We adjourned at 9:09.

And the rumor of the week was ‘that the RWA wants Kevin Standlee to administer their awards next year’ [with a final vote on that being 25 for and 6 opposed].

Meeting 869 BASFA Minutes: meeting 869

March 26, 2007 The President reminded us that NEXT week Reviews: Trey Haddad, President [April 2] we will be meeting back at the [evil] Kevin reviewed the BayCon committee Chris Garcia, Vice-President Hickory Pit. meeting as it lasted over 4 hours & Chris still Dave Gallaher, Treasurer has permission to chase him around with a big Galen Tripp, Sergeant at Arms The Publications committee wants people. stick if the CostumeCon meetings last that long Barbara Johnson-Haddad, Secretary [there were follow-ons]. Announcements: Began 8:02, with flung fake sugars. [evil] Kevin announced that the next phase of Harold reviewed ‘Torchwood’ as worth buying his work-site will be online at www.almaden. on DVD at full price & the 2nd season of 23 people attended. ibm.com/spinaps and there’s a St. Louis con ‘Rome’ as containing spoilers & had nice this weekend, CostumeCon 25. costumes & a free hand with historical accuracy We established a party jar. [then there were follow-ons about ‘The Mike announced this year’s season of Dr. Who Tudors’]. Secretary’s report: the minutes of meeting 868 starts this Saturday on BBC1 [and deleted]. were accepted as ‘all cooped up.’ Dave C reviewed the tribute for Bob Wilkins Ken announced that KTEH is running some as it sold out & Dave suggested that donations The Treasurer reported that last week we took documentaries - ‘Lust in Space’ at 11 pm can be made to the Alzheimer Aid Society of in $41.75 in the regular jar & $5.25 in the party Saturday & ‘Mythmaker - William Hartnell’ Northern California for the care of Bob Wilkins jar. will be next Saturday & April 10 sees the start & he reviewed ‘Are you Smarter than a 5th of ‘Dr. Who.’ Grader’ as perversely attractive & recommends The VP reported the claim that the hoax issue it [with some shame] & there were follow-ons. of the ‘Drink Tank’ is out - or will be out & Bob announced the Contra Costa Library has there’ll be a new SF/SF out Wednesday. for free the Rosetta Stone language courses Bob reviewed having his car hit in the parking online. lot as not worth full price & reviewed having 21 6 fillings as not worth the terror & reviewed Ken reviewed a John Waters show on Court TV the Escher exhibit at the SJ Museum of Art as - ‘Till Death Do Us Part’ as a bit amusing and We auctioned off foam things for $0.75; a hat really, really good & reviewed ‘Planet Earth’ as worth catching. for $0.75, a magazine for $0.25, various Disney worth seeing. kitsch for $5.00, an eyepatch for $0.50, a button Andy reviewed the ‘Dresden Files’ as the last 2 for $0.50, a book for $1.00, & a Cinequest Chris reviewed ‘Challenger’ as thick, very big episodes were worth watching & also reviewed magazine for $0.25. and possibly the best fanzine out there & worth the Shure E2c noise-canceling earphones as writing 2 letters to & reviewed ‘Askance’ as worth buying and worth full price. We adjourned at 9:37. having a great cover & there are pictures of Chris in it & is also worth writing a letter to it. Trey reviewed movies he saw so you don’t And the rumor of the week was ‘that Kevin have to - ‘TMNT’ was more or less predictable Standlee will be elected president of SFWA.’ Carole reviewed hearing she needs major car and very true to the Saturday morning cartoon repairs as it sucks. & reviewed ‘Wild Hogs’ as far too cliched & worth rental. Join our crew: We are looking for writers to cover local events, conventions, fan groups and the fannish scene in general. Contact Jean Martin and Chris Garcia at: [email protected]

22 Bay Area Fannish Calendar

While some effort (OK, OK, damn little 2261 Fillmore effort) is made to verify event listings, Thursday, April 5 San Francisco please check before attending, as events are Drunk Puppet Night www.landmarkafterdark.com sometimes cancelled or times and locations Amnesia Bar Midnight changed. 853 Valencia Street $9.75 San Francisco New listings are in red. www.amnesiathebar.com Friday-Sunday, April 6-8 Ongoing events are toward the back. 9 p.m. Tales of Anime Free Marriott San Mateo Wednesday-Friday, April 4-6 A night of inebriation and adult puppetry 1770 South Amphlett Blvd. Curse of the Cat People (1944) featuring performances by Shadow Circus San Mateo Stanford Theatre Creature Theatre, Jenny Jo and Ms Mac, the www.talesofanime.com 221 University Avenue Big Tadoo Puppet Crew, Janaki Ranpura, and $40 Palo Alto P-Raw’s Barbie Show Live. Over 21. Second edition of the con for fans of shoujo 650-324-3700 (“girl”) anime and manga. 6:10 and 9:20 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, April 5-7 $7 Chemical Imbalance Saturday, April 7 The seldom-seen sequel to 1942’s Cat People. EXIT Theatre Red Carpet Ball 156 Eddy Street (1930s Hollywood Academy Award Ball) Thursday, April 5 San Francisco PEERS Event Comics 4 Comix Benefit www.precarioustheatre.com Masonic Lodge Cartoon Art Museum Thursdays-Sundays 8 p.m. 100 N. Ellsworth 655 Mission Street $15-$30 sliding scale San Mateo San Francisco Return of Lauren Wilson’s darkly comic play www.peers.org www.cartoonart.org based on Doctor Jekyll and Mister Hyde, $20 at the door 7-10 p.m. directed by Matthew Graham Smith. Dance lesson at 7 p.m., dancing begins at 8. $20 (There’s a glamorous calendar available at A benefit for the museum featuring stand-up Friday and Saturday, April 6-7 www.cafepress.com/peers.75762076) comics Michael Meehan, Kurt Weitzman, Nick Late Night Picture Show: Leonard, Mark Silverman and host Michael The Road Warrior (1981) Saturday, April 7 Capozzola. Silent art auction, food and drink. Clay Theatre Streamliner

23 Borderlands Books 866 Valencia Street San Francisco www.borderlands-books.com 3 p.m. Free Richard Lupoff and the New Retro Radio Players perform a live adaptation of a story from Lupoff’s recent collection Terrors, written in the style of an old-fashioned radio drama.

Sunday, April 8 7th Annual BYOBW Lombard and Hyde San Francisco www.jonbrumit.com/byobw.html 4 p.m. Free BYOBW stands for “Bring Your Own Big Wheel.” An adult Easter Day road rally down Lombard Street on children’s trikes, now in its seventh year. Costumes, prizes, silliness.

Sunday, April 8 Crimson Cult (1968) The Dunwich Horror (1970) Werewolves on Wheels (1971) Anousheh Ansari will give a keynote speech at the “Yuri’s Night” Victoria Theatre party at NASA/Ames in Mountain View on April 13th. Ansari is a 2961 16th Street businesswoman, commercial spaceflight booster (one of the people for San Francisco whom the Ansari X Prize is named), and the first female “space tourist,” www.deadchannels.com having traveled in a Soyuz spacecraft to the International Space Station First film at 7 p.m., double feature at 8:30. in 2006. “Yuri’s Night World Space Parties” are held in over 30 countries Individual films $8, $15 for the double feature and $20 for all three. Part of the “Sleazy and 91 locations worldwide to mark the anniversary of Yuri Garagin’s Sundays” series presented by Dead Channels– flight and celebrate humanity’s first venture into space. The San Francisco Festival of Fantastic Film. Photo by NASA Thursday, April 12

24 Jewish Superheroes Free Friday and Saturday, April 13-14 Jewish Community Center Borderlands Books and Variety Children’s Midnight Special: 1414 Walnut Street Charity invite you to a Science Fiction double Scary Movie (2000) Berkeley feature. Refreshments will be available for Shattuck Cinemas www.jcceastbay.org purchase, and your purchase supports Variety’s 2230 Shattuck Ave. 7:30 p.m. efforts to aid disabled, disadvantaged, abused Berkeley Free and neglected kids. www.landmarkafterdark.com What does Superman have to do with Samson? $8 Was Batman of Gotham really Golem of Friday, April 13 Prague? Local comic book expert Rabbi Harry Yuri’s Night ‘07 Friday-Sunday, April 13-15 Manhoff talks about the secret “Jewish-ness” of Hangar 211 ConQuest Sac favorite comic book characters. NASA Ames Research Center Sacramento Marriott Moffett Blvd. 11211 Point East Drive Thursday, April 12 Mountain View Rancho Cordova Thrillville’s 10th Anniversary Show: www.worldspaceparty.com www.avalonconventions.com/conquestsac/ Creature From The Black Lagoon (1954) 6 p.m.-late $45 and It Came From (1953) $30 (VIP pass $200) General gaming convention including military, Cerrito Speakeasy Theater A space-themed party marking the anniversary miniatures, card and board games, collectibles, 10070 San Pablo Ave. of Yuri Gagarin’s pioneering flight, with live RPGs. El Cerrito bands, art installations, science and technology www.thrillville.net demos, the Big Bang Beer Bar, keynote speech Friday-Sunday, April 13-15 8 p.m. by “space tourist” and commercial spaceflight Mists/Cynagua War $10 advocate Anousheh Ansari. Society for Creative Anachronism Event Thrillville celebrates its 10th birthday with a 3- Ed Levin Park D double feature, your hosts Will the Thrill and Friday, April 13 3100 Calaveras Road Monica-Tiki Goddess, Cinema Insomnia’s Mr. Carrie (1976) and Prom Night (1980) Milpitas Lobo and the Queen of Trash, and Kitten on the Castro Theatre www.phmoms.com/mistscynaguawar Keys. 429 Castro Street Site fee $5 San Francisco Feasting, fighting, bard competition. Overnight Thursday, April 12 www.thecastrotheatre.com campers welcome. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) 9:45 p.m. and The Thing (1982) $10 Saturday, April 14 Preview Room A “Midnites for Maniacs” program with a Author: Jonathan Lethem Variety Children’s Charity prom night theme; preceded by Pretty in Pink Moe’s Books 582 Market Street (1986) (which also features high school kids, 2476 Telegraph Avenue San Francisco but not so much blood) starting at 7:30. Berkeley 7 p.m. www.telegraphbooks.com

25 7:30 p.m. Free Isotope Comics Lounge Free How chemical processes in the brain translate 326 Fell Street The author of Gun, With Occasional Music has into human thoughts and behavior, with David San Francisco a new book out, You Don’t Love Me Yet. Presti, UC Berkeley Neurobiology Professor. 415-621-6543 7 p.m.-midnight Saturday, April 14 Tuesday, April 17 Free Author: Robert Balmanno Author: Jonathan Lethem The Isotope’s annual event coinciding with the Borderlands Books Kepler’s Books Alternative Press Expo features the awarding 866 Valencia Street 1010 El Camino Real of the Isotope Award for Excellence in Mini- San Francisco Menlo Park Comics. www.borderlands-books.com 650-324-4321 Noon 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 21 Free Free Author: Scott Sigler Reading from September Snow. The author of Gun, With Occasional Music has Borderlands Books a new book out, You Don’t Love Me Yet. 866 Valencia Street Sunday, April 15 San Francisco Squirm (1976) Friday and Saturday, April 20-21 www.borderlands-books.com Kingdom of the Spiders (1977) Midnight Special: 1 p.m. Son of Blob (1972) The Re-animator (1985) Free Victoria Theatre Shattuck Cinemas With a new book out, Ancestor. 2961 16th Street 2230 Shattuck Ave. San Francisco Berkeley Saturday, April 21 www.deadchannels.com www.landmarkafterdark.com Author: Ray Garton First film at 7 p.m., double feature at 8:30. $8 Borderlands Books Individual films $8, $15 for the double feature 866 Valencia Street and $20 for all three. Part of the “Sleazy Saturday-Sunday, April 21-22 San Francisco Sundays” series presented by Dead Channels– APE (Alternative Press Expo) www.borderlands-books.com The San Francisco Festival of Fantastic Film. Concourse Exhibition Center 3 p.m. 620 7th Street Free Monday, April 16 San Francisco Author of the new book Night Life and its Ask a Scientist: www.comic-con.org/ape/ predecessor, Live Girls. The Mind-Body Connection Billed as the nation’s largest show devoted The Canvas Gallery to alternative and self-published comics. Sunday, April 22 1200 9th Avenue Announced guests include Art Spiegelman Maniac (1934) San Francisco (Maus). Preacherman (1971) www.askascientistsf.com Saturday, April 21 Black Gestapo (1975) 7 p.m. APE Aftermath Victoria Theatre

26 2961 16th Street $9 whisky tasting, Bonney Knees contest, more. San Francisco An artist (Franco Nero) tries to get away from www.deadchannels.com it all with his girlfriend (Vanessa Redgrave). April 27-May 13 First film at 7 p.m., double feature at 8:30. Unfortunately, their country villa may be Jekyll & Hyde: The Musical Individual films $8, $15 for the double feature haunted. In Italian with subtitles. Preceded Lucie Stern Theater and $20 for all three. Part of the “Sleazy at 7:00 by Investigation of a Citizen Above 1305 Middlefield Road Sundays” series presented by Dead Channels– Suspicion (1970); both films feature spooky Palo Alto The San Francisco Festival of Fantastic Film. scores by recent Academy Awards honoree www.paplayers.org Ennio Morricone. 8 p.m. (Sun. 2:30 matinee) Sunday, April 22 $26-30 ($20 preview on April 27) Cherry Blossom Festival Parade Thursday, April 26 Civic Center to Japan Center Author: John Scalzi Saturday, April 28 San Francisco Borderlands Books Author: Ellen Klages www.nccbf.org 866 Valencia Street Borderlands Books 1 pm San Francisco 866 Valencia Street Free www.borderlands-books.com San Francisco A cosplay contest traditionally precedes the 7 p.m. www.borderlands-books.com parade, with the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners Free 3 p.m. getting to ride a float to Japan Center. Reading from The Last Colony. Free Reading from her new short story collection, Tuesday, April 24 Friday, April 27 Portable Childhoods. Author: John Marks Author: John Scalzi The Booksmith Dark Carnival Books Saturday, April 28 1644 Haight Street 3086 Claremont Avenue Sensible Prejudices: San Francisco Berkeley Divergent Jane Austen Ball www.booksmith.com 510-654-7323 Masonic Lodge 7 p.m. 5:30 p.m. 100 North Ellsworth Free Free San Mateo Author of Fangland. Reading from The Last Colony. www.baers.org 8 p.m. Tuesday, April 24 Friday-Sunday, April 27-29 A Bay Area English Regency Society dance. A Quiet Place in the Country (1969) Sacramento Scottish Games and Festival Castro Theatre Yolo County Fairgrounds Saturday, May 5 429 Castro Street Woodland Bay Area Games Day San Francisco www.saccaledonian.org Los Altos Public Library www.thecastrotheatre.com $17 ($15.50 in advance) 13 S. Road 9:15 p.m. Athletic events, highland dancing, crafts, music, Los Altos

27 davekohr.users.sonic.net/gamesday/ Thursday, May 10 The Shinn House 10 a.m. Thrillville: Barbarella (1967) 1251 Peralta Blvd. $1 Parkway Speakeasy Theater Fremont Regular event featuring German-style strategy 1834 Park Blvd. www.gbagc.org board games like Settlers of Catan, Avalon Oakland Noon-5 p.m. Hill-type multiplayer games, card games, and www.thrillville.com $14.50, $7.50 for GBACG members historical board wargames. 9:15 p.m. A Greater Bay Area Costumers Guild event. $7 Saturday, May 5 With the Twilight Vixen Revue live onstage. Thursday, May 24 Sleeping Beauty’s Christening Fantasy Ball Author: Esther Friesner PEERS Event Monday, May 14 Borderlands Books Masonic Lodge Author: Michael Chabon 866 Valencia Street 100 N. Ellsworth Book Passage San Francisco San Mateo 51 Tamal Vista Blvd. www.borderlands-books.com www.peers.org Corte Madera 7 p.m. $15 in advance (by April 28), $20 at the door www.bookpasssage.com Free Dance lesson at 7 p.m., dancing begins at 8. 7 p.m. Free Friday-Monday, May 25-28 Sunday, May 6 Author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Amazing BayCon 8th Annual How Weird Street Faire Adventures of Kavalier & Clay talks about his Marriott San Mateo Howard Street between 11th & 12th new book, The Yiddish Policemen’s Union. 1770 South Amphlett Blvd. San Francisco San Mateo www.howweird.org Saturday-Sunday, May 19-20 www.baycon.org Noon-6 p.m. Maker Faire $75 at the door ($65 until April 30) Some would call this the most “Burning Man” San Mateo County Fairgrounds 25th Anniversary Edition of the largest annual of SF’s (many) summer street fairs. 2495 S. Delaware Street general SF convention in Northern California, San Mateo featuring a new location and Guests of Honor Thursday, May 10 www.makerfaire.com Alan Dean Foster, Diana Paxson, Richard Authors: Holly Black and $20 ($15 in advance, one-day passes available) Hescox, and Linda Von Braskat-Crowe, Cassandra Clare Crafters, tinkerers, artists and geeks converge Special Guest Ctein, and Toastmaster Seanan Borderlands Books for a weekend of science, mechanics, art, and McGuire. Diverse panels, dealer’s room, art 866 Valencia Street entertainment for all ages. (Last year’s faire show, masquerade, anime room, hall costumes, San Francisco featured welding and glass bending, Segway gaming, much more. www.borderlands-books.com polo, robotics demonstrations, crafts made from 7 p.m. recycled computer parts, much other fun stuff.) Friday-Monday, May 25-28 Free Sunday, May 20 FanimeCon Little Women Picnic San Jose Convention Center

28 435 South Market Street www.norcalpiratefestival.com San Jose Saturday-Sunday, June 2-3 10 a.m.-dusk www.fanime.com Super-Con Arrr…the launch of what hopes to become an The Bay Area’s largest annual anime San Jose Convention Center annual event in the Bay Area. Details to follow. convention returns. Dealer’s room, panels, 435 South Market Street costume contest, J-pop concert, more. San Jose Saturday, June 23 www.super-con.com Batlh Jaj: Klingon Day of Honor 11 Friday-Monday, May 25-28 $20 (one-day pass $15) Chabot Space Science Center KublaCon Super-Con heads south for 2007. Dealers, guest 10000 Skyline Blvd. Burlingame Hyatt Regency artists, cosplay contest, more. Oakland 1333 Bayshore Highway www.ikvbloodlust.net/kalendar.htm Burlingame Sunday, June 10 7-10 p.m. www.kublacon.com Ardenwood Celtic Festival An evening of feasting, singing, and celebrating $35 Ardenwood Historic Farm Klingon-style. Details to follow. Annual gaming convention returns with panels, 34600 Ardenwood Blvd. dealer’s room, game demos, flea market, more. Fremont Saturday-Tuesday, June 30-July 3 www.ardenwood-celtic-festival.com Westercon 60: Gnomeward Bound Friday-Sunday, June 1-3 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Marriott San Mateo Dollectable $10 1770 South Amphlett Blvd. Clarion Hotel SFO Celtic music, dancing, living history, ethnic San Mateo 401 E. Millbrae Ave. food, more. www.westercon60.org Millbrae Guests of Honor: , Theresa www.bjdcon.com Friday-Sunday, June 15-17 Mather, Christian McGuire $65 at the door ($50 until May 1) RoboGames Toastmaster: Jay Lake A convention for enthusiasts and collectors of Festival Pavilion Asian-style ball-jointed dolls. Fort Mason Center Friday-Sunday, July 13-15 San Francisco Sac-Anime Saturday, June 2 www.robogames.net Red Lion Inn Space Cowboys’ Ball $55 ($20 single-day ticket) 1401 Arden Way PEERS Event The event formerly known as the Sacramento Masonic Lodge ROBOlympics returns to Fort Mason for www.sacramentocomics.com 100 N. Ellsworth another weekend of mechanized mayhem. $30 at the door ($20 until May 1) San Mateo Anime convention featuring viewing room, art www.peers.org Saturday-Sunday, June 16-17 contest, vendor’s room, costume ball, J-pop $15 in advance (by May 26), $20 at the door Northern California Pirate Festival bands, more. Browncoats, take note! Dance lesson at 7 p.m., Marina Green Park dancing begins at 8. Vallejo Saturday, July 21

29 Harry Potter Party Friday-Monday, August 3-6 $15 in advance (by August 25), $20 at the door The Booksmith MythCon 38 A Gilbert and Sullivan cast party. Dance lesson 1644 Haight Street Clark Kerr Center at 7 p.m., dancing begins at 8. San Francisco 2601 Warring Street www.booksmith.com Berkeley Friday-Sunday, September 28-30 11 p.m.-1 a.m. www.mythsoc.org Creation’s Salute to Free $60, $50 for Mythopoeic Society members DoubleTree Hotel Midnight release party for J.K. Rowling’s The annual Mythopoeic Conference returns to 2001 Point West Way Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Berkeley with Guests of Honor Ellen Kushner Sacramento and Delia Sherman. www.creationent.com Friday-Sunday, July 27-29 A Creation con to celebrate the 20th Con-X-Treme Saturday, August 4 Anniversary of Star Trek: The Next Generation. DoubleTree Hotel Pride & Prejudice Picnic Announced guests include Jonathan Frakes, 2050 Place PEERS Event Marina Sirtis and George Takei. Details to San Jose Location TBA follow. www.con-x-treme.com www.peers.org $50 at the door ($45 until June 30) Noon-5 p.m. Friday-Sunday, October 5-7 A promising newcomer on the Bay Area con An afternoon picnic and dance set in Jane SiliCon scene, though details are still a little sketchy. Austen’s England during the late 1790s. DoubleTree Hotel Anime viewing, cosplay, Taiko drumming, 2050 Gateway Place martial arts demos, art show, and The Black August 10-16 San Jose Hole Bar. Dead Channels–The San Francisco Festival of www.siliconventions.com Fantastic Film Media-oriented general SF con features art July 29-August 4 Roxie Cinema show, dealer’s room, panels, masquerade, swap The Dickens Universe 3117 16th Street meet, more. Details to follow. Kresge College San Francisco UC Santa Cruz www.deadchannels.com Saturday, October 6 Santa Cruz Now accepting entries (through May 31). Edwardian Gothic Ball dickens.ucsc.edu Details to follow. PEERS Event $335, plus accommodations and meals Masonic Lodge The Dickens Project hosts a week-long seminar Saturday, September 1 100 N. Ellsworth open to the public as well as academics, with Mikado Ball San Mateo sessions focusing on Dickens’s Pickwick PEERS Event www.peers.org Papers, Victorian genres in poetry, drama, and Masonic Lodge $15 in advance (by September 29), $20 at the the novel, afternoon teas and other activities for 100 N. Ellsworth door Victorianists. San Mateo Edwardian as in macabre illustrator Edward www.peers.org Gorey. Dance lesson at 7 p.m., dancing begins

30 at 8. 2050 Gateway Place Free San Jose Saturday, November 3 www.cc26.info Mondays Le Bal des Vampires $75 (through April 30, 2007) Dukefish PEERS Event CostumeCon will be coming to Silicon Valley Jake’s of Sunnyvale www.peers.org in 2008. Details to follow. 174 E. Fremont Avenue The annual hematophagic gala. Details to Sunnyvale follow. Ongoing: 8 p.m. Dukefish is a bunch of people who get together Saturday, January 5, 2008 Through June 17 to play board games and, sometimes, bridge Victorian Twelfth Night Ball Worlds of Wonder every week. PEERS Event Cartoon Art Museum www.peers.org 655 Mission Street Mondays and Wednesdays A.k.a. The Dickens Fair Reunion Ball. Details San Francisco Silicon Valley Boardgamers to follow. www.cartoonart.org Match Play $6 (Pay What You Wish every first Tuesday) San Antonio Shopping Center Saturday, February 2, 2008 Exhibition of twelve comic-book and comic- Mountain View Le Mardi Gras des Vampires strip illustrators and the worlds built from their www.davekohr.users.sonic.net/svb/ PEERS Event imaginations. 7 p.m. www.peers.org $2 Details to follow. Daily Group meets regularly to play mostly German- San Francisco Ghost Hunt style strategy boardgames such as Settlers Saturday, March 1, 2008 Walking Tour of Catan; also multiplayer Avalon Hill-style, Pride and Prejudice Ball Begins: Queen Anne Hotel historical wargames, and others. PEERS Event 1590 Sutter at Octavia www.peers.org San Francisco Wednesdays Details to follow. www.sfghosthunt.com Bay Area Role-Playing Society 7 p.m. – 10 p.m. Go-Getter’s Pizza Saturday, April 5, 2008 $20 1489 Beach Park Boulevard The Royal Debutante Ball Foster City PEERS Event Mondays www.BayRPS.com www.peers.org Bay Area Science Fiction Association 6 p.m-10 p.m. Details to follow. The Original Hick’ry Pit Hosts a weekly game night. For club and game 980 E. Campbell Ave. night details email [email protected]. April 25-28, 2008 Campbell CostumeCon 26 www.basfa.org Wednesdays DoubleTree Hotel 8 p.m. East Bay Strategy Games Club

31 EndGame 8 p.m. 921 Washington $20 Monthly Oakland Led by Mina Harker. Tour is cancelled if there Dorkbot-SF www.michaeldashow.com/eastbaystrategy/ is heavy rain. Free, donations welcome home.html www.dorkbot.org/dorkbotsf/ 7:30 p.m.-11 p.m. Saturdays Dorkbot hosts regular forums for artists, Free Rocky Horror Picture Show designers, engineers, students, and other people Parkway Speakeasy Theater doing strange things with electricity. Fridays 1834 Park Blvd. SF Games Oakland Fantastic Frontiers Muddy’s Coffeehouse Midnight www.freewebs.com/fantasticfrontiers/ 1304 Valencia Street $7 Social club for Sacramento County Sci Fi/ San Francisco www.parkway-speakeasy.com Fantasy fans usually meets the second Saturday vax.hanford.org/dk/games Barely Legal Productions presents the classic of the month. Check website for meeting times 7 p.m. to midnight midnight movie every Saturday night. No one and locations. Free under 17 admitted. SF Games is a collective name for a bunch of Foothill Anime people who get together and play board games Biweekly Building 5015, Foothill College and card games every week. Also has a regular PenSFA Party Los Altos Hills cards night at Atlas Café, 20th and Alabama The Peninsula Science Fantasy Association Free Streets, Tuesday nights from 6:30-10:00. meets every two weeks for a party at the home Monthly event where people can get together of one of their members. They also host parties to watch anime and meet like minded others. Fridays-Mondays at local conventions. Email commander@ Usually meets the first Sunday of every month Haunted Haight Walking Tour pensfa.org for information on attending. at noon. Meets at Coffee To The People PenSFA standard party rules: bring something 1206 Masonic Avenue edible or drinkable to share, or pay the host $2. Legion of Rassilon San Francisco Don’t smoke in the house without checking Carl’s Junior www.hauntedhaight.com with the host first. Normal start time is 8 p.m. 2551 N. First Street 7 p.m.-9 p.m. but may vary depending on the host. San Jose $20 www.legionofrassilon.org Reservations required. Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers’ Group 7:30 p.m. Borderlands Books Free Fridays and Saturdays 866 Valencia Street Doctor Who fan group usually meets the fourth Vampire Walking Tour San Francisco Friday of the month: Episodes of Doctor Who, Meets corner of California and Taylor Meets the second and fourth Thursdays of each news, discussion of recent movies, and a raffle. San Francisco month at 6 pm. Contact Jade Livingston at www.sfvampiretour.com [email protected] for more information. No-Name Anime

32 Saratoga Library USS Augusta Ada 13650 Saratoga Avenue Round Table Pizza Saratoga 3567 Geary Blvd. www.nnanime.com San Francisco Free trek.starshine.org Anime screenings usually take place on the 1 p.m. second Saturday of the month. Free Augusta Ada is both a chapter of Starfleet SF Browncoats International and a Linux and *BSD user group. Cafe Murano Usually meets the fourth Saturday of every 1777 Steiner Street month. San Francisco www.sfbrowncoats.com USS Defiance Noon Round Table Pizza Free 1566 Howe Ave. SF Firefly/Serenity fans usually meet up on the Sacramento second Saturday of the month. www.ussdefiance.org 7 p.m Silicon Gulch Browncoats Free Various locations (see website for details) Star Trek fan group meets the third Friday of www.silicongulchbrowncoats.org the month. Noon - 2 p.m. Free Veritech Fighter Command ONE-THREE Silicon Valley fans of Firefly/Serenity meet up Round Table Pizza on the first Saturday of the month. 4403 Elkhorn Blvd Sacramento Tangential Conjectures: The Science Fiction 916-338-2300 Book Club Anime/cosplay group usually meets the last Books Inc. Saturday of the month at 1800 hours. 301 Castro Street Mountain View 650-428-1234 7:30 p.m. Free Generally meets the third Thursday of the month.

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