Newsletter/Kawaraban Issue #3 – Friday Evening 65th Annual World Science Fiction Convention & 46th Annual Japan Science Fiction Convention Programming Changes Program Number 414422: The 2007 Chesley 2 September, Sunday, 1400, Room 422, Surprised! Scientific Experiment subject changed to Awards “A Bed of Nails.” (Originally Best Cover Illustration – Hardback scheduled for Friday.) Stefan Martiniere Well Wishes from Best Cover - Paperback Mr. Taro Aso, Daniel Dos Santos Former Minister for Foreign Affairs, Japan Best Cover - Magazine: “Welcome to the 65th Worldcon, Renee LeCompte which we proudly open in Yoko- hama. I would like to welcome Best Interior: our many guests from all over the Omar Rayyan world. I wish you a lot of success for your convention.” Best Unpublished Color: Stephen Hickman Friday Night Parties Room Time Seattle in 2007 Best Unpublished Monochrome: 601 (unk) Donato Giancola Space Force 30th Ann. Party 602 (unk) Best 3-D: Kigurumi 606 (unk) Laura Reynolds Aussiecon in 2010 622 2000 until Best Gaming Related: Kansas City in 2010 Todd Lockwood 624 (unk) Anticipation (Montreal2009) Best Product: 626 (unk) Japanese Tea Party Eugenio Caballero & William Stout 1432 2000-2200 All parties are in the Artistic Achievement: Intercontinental Hotel and John Jude Palencar are in Tatami Rooms. Take your shoes off at the door! Best Art Direction: Irene Gallo Autograph Update “Speculative Japan”, Time: Sat- Lost and Found ‘Where is the Art Show urday 1700 (5 p.m.) Location: 3F Looking for your Japanese cell Reception?” You Asked. Foyer. Some of the contributors phone? Check at the Information It’s at the Art Show! Hall A, to the book will join Grania Davis Desk 3rd floor Conference Center. 1900 – 2100 (7 p.m. – 9 p.m.) for autographs. Robert Anson Heinlein appointed various WSFS commit- On the shoulders of giants… tees, adopted a number of tech- This year marks 100 years since the birth of Robert Anson Heinlein, and nical proposals from those com- there’s no doubt that he left his mark on the field of Science Fiction, but mittees, and received financial in what ways has his writing influenced the genre, and how will his works reports from past Worldcons and influence coming generations of writers and readers? That was the ques- NASFiCs. tion put forth in Friday Morning’s Panel: Robert Anson Heinlein: His Im- pact on Us. David Silver, president of the Heinlein Society, moderated LEGO Free Build Off and the panel, and each of the panelists (Farah Mendlesohn, Kari Maund, G. Running David Nordley, and Dr. Keith G. Kato) discussed at length how they LEGO Bricks transcend language came to know and appreciate Heinlein’s writing. and nations! The Free Build area is now open in the Con Suite The panelists praised Heinlein’s ability to push the envelope a little far- (Rooms 211-212 in the Confer- ther with each story, as well as his diverse cast of characters, which in- ence Center). All bricks must re- cluded protagonists of many races, genders, and orientations. Kari main in the Con Suite. Supplied Maund cited what she called “Heinlein’s Law”, namely, “Sin is hurting by Phillip Thorne of the American other people,” and that apart from that, pretty much anything goes. LEGO group Del Va LUG There was also much discussion about the quality of his female charac- (http://www.delvalug.com). ters. Not everyone agreed that his ability to write women was strong, P Thorne but all agreed that he did a great deal to advance the portrayal of female protagonists in Science Fiction. The panelists also noted that the genre Donbura-con Dinner Cruise today suffers from a shortage of the sort of optimistic, inclusive futures How to pick up your tickets! often described in Heinlein’s work. As announced on the convention website, Donbura-con will be a There was little disagreement that Heinlein had a profound impact on the dinner cruise where those at- genre of Science Fiction, in particular, the transition of writing about the tending can rub elbows with this effect of technology on ordinary people, as opposed to writing about the year's Guests of Honor, Seiun technology itself. Most of the panel was somewhat pessimistic about Award, and Hugo Award winners Heinlein’s continuing level of influence, claiming that the sort of self- and munch the buffet and enjoy sufficient, engineer-adventurers seem to be out of style. But David Silver the fabulous nighttime view of concluded the panel by saying that the current trends are a test, and the Yokohama's Harbor Skyline. question of whether or not Heinlein’s influence continues into the future is up to us, the fans who love his work. Check-in for the cruise is from C Ellis 1830 (6:30 pm) on Sunday, 2 September at Pukari Sanbashi “World Enough and Time” Pier, which is harborside, just Encore Screening with WSFS Business Meeting east of the Intercontinental George Takei Results - Friday Grand and the National Assembly Hall, and is visible on the location For those who missed Friday’s The Preliminary Business Meeting map on pages 4-5 in the Pocket landmark screening of Star Trek on Friday morning established Program guide (top right of the “World Enough and Time” star- debate time limits for the three map, partly covered by the fold). ring George Takei, there will be constitutional amendments listed The boat leaves at 1845 and the an encore presentation, with in Issue 2 and also one additional cruise lasts about two hours. Japanese subtitles, at 4PM in constitutional amendment that room 421 with co-writer-director would create a Best Web Site If you have purchased a ticket Marc Scott Zicree in attendance Hugo Award as a permanent for the cruise, you can collect to answer questions. category. These proposals will be M S Zicree debated and voted at the Satur- your ticket and information card day Business Meeting (1000, on Saturday and Sunday be- Volunteer Prize Winners room 415), except for the "One- tween 1000 and 1800 at the Congratulations! Ten volunteers Vote Wonders" proposal, which DONBURA-CON Desk in the have won a prize in the drawing was postponed until Sunday's EXHIBITION HALL (not the Con- for August 30. The winning meeting. ference Center!). If you could badge numbers are: 191, 349, bring a copy of your proof of 460, 1778, 2392, 3054, 5087, The Business Meeting also re- payment, that would be appreci- 5503, 5940, 8004. See the Vol- newed the "Blanket Eligibility Ex- ated. Phone number for enquir- unteer Coordinator to pick up tension" resolution described in ies: 080-3849-9601. your prize. Issue 2, continued and re- V. Docherty Changing Tides/SF Kawaraban Issue #3 brought to you by: Martha Holloway, Paul Fischer, Marilyn Mix, Christiana Ellis, Flick, Vincent Docherty, Nanase Tominaga, and Sachiyo Matsushita (Publishing Editor). Illustrations by Michael Whelan, Sue Mason, Paul Fischer and Steve Stiles. .