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BSFG News 359 August 2001 AUGUST 2001 ISSUE 359 Brum Honorary Presidents: BRIAN W ALDISS Group HARRY HARRISON Com m ittee: News Vernon Brown (Chairman) Vicky Cook (Secretary) Alan Woodford (Treasurer) The Free Monthly Newsletter of the BIRMINGHAM Rog Peyton (Newsletter Editor) + Steve Jones & William McCabe SCIENCE FICTION GROUP NOVACON 31 Chairman: Tony Berry Friday IOth August In-Group Discussion “Is There a Future in SF?” Do you have an opinion on the above? City, probably around the Christmas 2001 Is Science Fiction as we know it declining to period. Obviously the vast majority of films the point where it will be virtually to be shown will be the ultra-popular ones - non-existent in not too many years? Are the STAR TREK, STAR WARS, 2001, CE3K. chain bookshops dictating to publishers and ET, and the rest of the stuff that will put killing off the genre we love? Or do you bums on seats. But what of the lesser known believe that SF is on the comeback trail? ones? Make a short list of three The above title is just one of the subjects lesser-known films that you think should be w e’ll be discussing on Friday. This will be shown and we’ll see if we can come up with an excellent chance for you to air your the Big Three. RGP views on SF and allied subjects or to just sit back and listen to other members’ views. The meeting will take place in the Lichfield Knowing how vocal some members can be, room on the second floor of the Britannia it should prove to be a very interesting Hotel, New Street (entrance in Union evening. Passageway opposite the Odeon). It will SCI-FI MOVIES ANYONE? commence at 7.45pm so please arrive early, We have also been invited for input into a get your drinks from the bar and be seated Science Fiction Film Festival here in in plenty of time. Non-members always Birmingham. It'll be taking place at Star welcome. SEPTEMBER 14th MEETING - ex-Brummie and one-time SF fan DAVID PRINGLE is-now editing the UK's premier SF Magazine, INTERZONE. He'll be giving an illustrated talk on the history of the magazine and show how a magazine like INTERZONE is viable. the streets, at bars and just about any other Question" DID WE LAND ON THE place where people could gather and talk. MOON IN 1969? Answer: No! by The result has been a growing belief that the Vernon Brown. That was last month's Moon landings were a Hollywood stunt — article - we had this response from Dave the most expensive movie ever made - Hardy... filmed at Area 51. If the space race could I think Vernon's answer was really not be won with technology, we did what we 'YES!!!!', and quite rightly. It's a pity we do best - faked it on film. have to dignify this sort of stupid With so many of today's movies programme, made only for sensationalism, containing astounding special effects, it isn't with a serious reply. But sadly, a lot of much of a stretch to believe a young mind people watching it will actually believe it, so might assume that the ability to fake such an we have to refute it at any opportunity. I event as a Moon landing has always been was in Zambia for the eclipse when this possible. It’s equally hard to fault their programme was on. but yes. I did tape it, reasoning - since we can't make it to the and still have it, though only in LP form. I Moon today, how could we have done so could easily write my own reply, but Kim long ago? The program raises a host of Poor (owner of the Novaspace gallery in questions that to non-scientific types with a Tucson. Arizona) has an article entitled "National Enquirer" mentality sound like a 'One small show, one giant danger' at logical examination of the facts. Even my collectspace.com, addressing the possible kids expressed concern because of repercussions of that show. It’s at: schoolyard taunts related to the alleged hoax. Each of the questions can be http://www. collectspace.com/resources/moo explained, but many will take some study nhoax.html and guidance for a cogent and convincing argument. But for those who don't have access to the I submit that all "true believers" must web, here it is: go forth and spread the truth (do I sound like an evangelist?). If we do not, in another ONE SMALL SHOW; generation the "Moon Hoax" could cast (at ONE GIANT DANGER the very least) a strong shadow of doubt on the accomplishments of the early space by Kim Poor program. There will be no one left who was present, and certainly no Apollo astronauts. Conspiracy theorists have claimed for Your autograph collections could become years that the Moon landings were faked. It worthless, or worth less. used to be their ramblings were little more Sure, that sounds like an alarmist, than an annoyance, given as much credence worst-case scenario, but look at what's as flat-earthers. happening now. If you haven't already been Today however, their claims have confronted by a hoax believer (HB), it is begun to spread like a cancer, mostly due to only a matter of time. At minimum, it takes the repeated airing of the FOX Network's a noble exercise to debunk the major points "Conspiracy Theory: Did We Go to the that seem to comprise the cornerstones of an Moon?". No longer limited to the ravings of HB's arguments. The more people armed loonies, support has gathered among with facts, the more prepared for an HB housewives, children and those you thought encounter, then, to coin a phrase, that's one knew better. small step. We must be as focused and The broadcast of this program fanatic as they are. triggered wide scale debate inside offices, on 2 We have the ability to inspire a whole This is not possible. Personally, I new generation to understand the wonder believe Dave Scott's "hammer and feather" and glory of what we accomplished over experiment proves it all. thirty years ago. Born-again space geeks! Of Jim Lovell was asked about the HB course there are those who will never profiled on the FOX show, Bill Kaysing and submit. Evolution will take care of their in response called him a "kook." Lovell was kind. Of course, there will eventually come quickly sued for slander by Kaysing, but a time when people will be living on the the case was dismissed, as Kaysing couldn't Moon, and this whole debate will be moot, afford a lawyer (he was being evicted from but that may be a long time in the future. his trailer park). We will probably have people living on Conspiracy theorists are everywhere! Mars long before. They look just like you and me. It's them or The foremost HB argument seems to us. The future of the world is in your hands! be "Why can't you see stars in any of the KP pictures?" My simple answer was "You A few final comments of my own: can't see stars in the daytime." Just because the sky is black doesn't mean it's night. Those flags were wire-sprung to make them There is still a glaringly bright Sun, look as if they were being blown out by a Earthlight, and the landscape lit in every wind. Obviously, as the astronauts moved direction. Cameras cannot capture bright them about, they appeared to 'flap' (like and dim objects in the same shot. Even on NASA wouldn't have thought of that if they Earth at night, you need a long exposure to were faking it!) The graticules or cross-hairs photograph stars. in the cameras only appear to vanish Of the 20-odd HB arguments, some 'behind' an object where that object (like a are based on bad science, some on bad flag, rock, or part of the spacecraft) is a photography (even though they often quote glaring white. i.e. it's just 'washed out'. Oh photographic "experts"), but most are just dear, there's no exhaust plume when the an ignorance of the truly alien environment Ascent Stage takes off from the Moon. of an airless Moon and how things behave Again, obviously NASA would forget there. Some astronauts report no something like that, wouldn't they? In fact, confrontations, but others, like Neil it's just another pointer to the shot being Armstrong are called upon to "prove" they genuine (every artist, including yours truly, went to the Moon. Armstrong had a good showed some sort of exhaust flame. Though retort: laser beams are regularly bounced off 2001 got it right.). But the gases just expand special reflectors on the Moon to accurately outward in the near-vacuum, and vanish. measure its distance from the Earth. "I put Not only are there the well-known photos, one of those there," counters Armstrong. "If film and TV footage, but there are thousands we didn't go to the Moon, how did those get of wonderful shots of both sides of the there?" Moon, taken from orbit. Obviously all those Ironically, many of the HB's have to be faked too. I could go on, and I arguments can be used against them. They just wish I could confront those idiots on the speculate that details were "forgotten" by programme, point by point. I just hope I'm NASA's cinematographers, such as the lack preaching to the converted in this group; but of lunar dust billowing upon landing or the at the eclipse, a chap there told me he flags flapping "in the wind." However, for believed it was all a fake! Hopefully, he either of these not to have occurred, the doesn't any longer.
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