1 TBS&E Number 51 - February to April 2012 Pages 13 - 16 – Garry’s Book reviews Pages 21 and 24 – Elizabeth’s Produced by Garry Dalrymple as Movie Review, the Battle for Los a contribution to mailing No. Angeles 666, of the Australian and NZ Amateur Press Association. Postal Address: Garry Dalrymple, Local Post Office Box 4152, Bexley North NSW 2207 Home ph. (best after 7 pm) 02 9718- 5827 Email; [email protected] The August 6, 2012 Sydney City Skywatchers meeting, Sydney Observatory. Topic; Gale’s Crater and the Landing of the Curiosity Not much to say, bit of a rush job as usual, had more material for this issue Mars Rover, followed by a than I could use. More for TBS&E #44 I Telescope viewing session. guess. If I can, there may be a TBS&E #43c, for Mailing Comments. Speaker : Dr Andrew Jacobs Who was there? - Twenty members and friends were present at the meeting Issue Index tonight, on what promised to be coldest Pages 1, 2, 27 & 28; Travellers night of the year – 2 degrees in Sydney Tales and Basenjis Tales overnight? Pages 3-5 & 25-27 – Astronomy On this occasion our usual meeting and Science format, Member’s observations then Guest Pages Index speaker was discarded. The event of the Pages 6 & 7 – Galaxy Paranormal hour was the safe and successful landing Romance of the robotic Curiosity Mars explorer Pages 7, 22 – 24 – The March 2011 earlier today, local time. Members Kipling Society of Australia observations were shelved for this meeting, so we could use the meeting Observatory’s 3D theatre (formerly the Pages 8 - 12, 17 – 21 – Feb & Astronomer’s lounge room) between the March Sydney Futurian & Infinitas other paying bookings. After this there SF&F Book Review notes was a session of sky viewing using the big telescope in the Observatory’s (cold and windy) North dome. 1 2 Australia’s role - As Mars was ‘Up’ in Curiosity is currently being ‘set up’ for the Australia at the time, the news of curiosity’s active part of its mission. Two low safe landing first came through Australia’s resolution, ‘proof of landing’ photos which Tidbinbilla Satellite ground station, and had been radioed back were shown. The thence to NASA in the US. suite of cameras on board, once activated The Rover - Andrew briefly explained the and calibrated will return better than ‘Mecchano-like-Centaur’ Plutonium human eye levels of resolution etc. powered Mars rover. It ‘stands up’ so as Gale’s Crater – Gale’s crater is named to give a human like perspective of the after Walter Gale F.R.A.S., a very Martian geography and it is about the size distinguished Sydney Astronomer and an of a dune buggy / lite SUV. It has a ex-President of the predecessor group to number of cameras and glove box sized our current Sydney City Skywatchers, the laboratories to examine for signs of NSW Branch of the British Astronomical evidence of past life, as well as geology Association. The observatory possesses type research. Its nuclear power source, a portrait of Walter Gale, whose pre- ‘warm’ plutonium heating bi-metallic joints to eminence in Australian Astronomical generate current, frees it from the necessity circles was only exceeded by John Tebbutt to only operate in daylight as well as F.R.A.S. Walter Gale F.R.A.S. was in substantially reducing the rover’s bulk. some ways the main driver behind the The Mission – The mission of Curiosity is setting up of the NSW Branch of the British to explore the vicinity of Gale’s crater. Astronomical Association, and was for Gale’s crater is a large, 90 km diameter, many years the ‘go to guy’ for comment on crater, which lies on a slope at a fairly high astronomical matters, after John Tebbutt’s latitude and it features landforms which are retirement from active observing. interpreted as being evidence of erosion Andrew was able to ‘walk us around’ effects. Its size and shape suggests a Gale’s crater using the 3D theatre’s great diversity of Martian landforms within a projection of orbiter images of the crater relatively small area, i.e. examples of collected over several Martian seasons. Highlands, Plains, Slopes, Crater bottoms Targets for the Curiosity rover to and semi-permanent ice covered features. investigate were clearly seen. A particular curiosity of this crater is that it possesses a ‘central peak’, which due to Members Observations? – the size of the crater is ‘nearly annular’ (see Members observations were shelved for diagrams of the original shape of the this meeting, so we could use the Central American ‘Dinosaur killer’ crater and Observatory’s 3D theatre (formerly the several large lunar Astroblemes) but Astronomer’s lounge room) between the peculiarly ‘Australia Shaped’ (if you squint a other paying bookings. Stalwart Solar bit). This identification was first made by (Star) observer, Monty Leventhal is Dr Nick Lomb of Sydney and Melbourne currently unwell. Monty is believed to be Observatories, and has subsequently made resting up after receiving back surgery. it’s way into the official NASA briefing about On the way out – I handed out 20 or so the mission. An obvious target for the copies of an 8 page booklet about the life Curiosity to observe are some of the and times of Walter Gale as revealed by erosion features, as these are likely to Sydney Morning Herald articles indexed provide a ‘cutaway’ view of the sedimentary under “W. F. Gale”, found (and corrected) geology, of the crater bottom and slopes. 2 3 TBS&E Number 51 - February to April 2012 on the Trove website. I had spent much of the preceding weekend looking up Trove to edit / correct a substantial number of ‘W.F. Gale’ references to allow for a representative selection to be made and this booklet formed. While we paused beside the transit instrument, on the journey through the Observatory between the 3D theatre and the North Dome, I was able to address the meeting to explain the booklet, my attempt at selective, chronological view of many of the aspects of Walter Gale’s public life. The booklet did include three occasions when Mars was discussed, but I got the feeling that Mars was not a major pre-occupation of Gales’ (he observed Comets and Jupiter more frequently?), instead, it was largely coincidental that he was the B.A.A. N.S.W. President at a time of several significant Mars oppositions, and consequently his opinions were sought on Mars, as the major Astronomical issue of I was there on George Street on the day the day. that the world changed. Being drawn from only a single newspaper, the booklet provides an imperfect When it all happened I was just standing at biography. It probably excludes a number the window idly watching the Street, a of his ‘out of Sydney’ activities, a significant passive observer, my mind in neutral, omission given the evidence of the range of having failed to find a new book that was his ‘in Sydney’ activities. It also excluded, compelling enough for me to want to buy. as I was to discover after setting up the I saw, but honestly, I did not comprehend. booklet, a number of items indexed under ‘Walter Gale’, including his obituary and What I saw was a dozen or so presumably also any items indexed under supermodels leave the Apple (Pear) Apps ‘W. Gale’. shop and walk along George street, with © G. Dalrymple Aug. 2012 pedestrians on the crowded street parting like the Red Sea to let them through and I was there on George then to stand and stare. Was it some sort of World Hunger, Anti-Fur Street or Pussy Riot style protest? My inner Nerd asked, ‘How was this being By Garry P Dalrymple, an entry in the projected?’. Short Story Writing competition of the 2012 Unicon Freecon (it came nth out of 12) My mind was not fully processing what was actually happening, until they met a similar group of super models emerging 3 4 from the Korean Pear Apps clone shop clones) turned out to be wildly more (identical in number and form). Then the powerful than even its makers had penny dropped and then I realized exactly dreamed. It could, and did, download what it was that I had not previously been down whole load people, assisted by a able to accept. rogue computer virus generated by some adolescent minded boys that temporarily They ... were ... all ... absolutely ... naked. united the processing power of all online Dozens of supermodels, all tall thin and computers (including the hypothesised angular young women, were walking along quantum ones) into a random and lunch time crowded George Street, bare- unplanned one off super computer capable assed and buck naked. They stopped of real time matter replication and pedestrians in their tracks. transmission. It was an effect that will take a generation of Phd.s to fully explain. They soon stopped traffic. Beyond the chaos in the City, a similar but The last I saw of them, panicked by the different type of chaos had spread at light crescendo of chaos that surrounded them speed across the world via copper cable, and surrounded by a halo like glitter of glass fibre and even wifi. For the phone camera flashes going off, they fled supermodels to emerge from city computer into the open doors of the Anglican stores, University Computer Labs and Cathedral and out of sight, Angels to College Dorms was to be expected, and receive an uncertain welcome from the accepted as no one in particular’s fault, but Fathers of that church. a gym full of naked women at exclusive boys schools and garages full of nude Civilisation did not fall that day, with supermodels in suburbia, well they each in supermodels running naked in the streets, their own way required a lot more but it was a bugger to get home, all public explaining away. transport was stuffed, as the Sydney CBD filled with a New Year’s sized crowd, or As for what happened elsewhere, some of more correctly a Schoolies week ‘toolies’ the consequences were not to be laughed sized crowd of pervs and the curious, at. Let us just say that there are rushing en mass up and down Sydney’s countries where an appetite for Modern CBD canyons at any rumour, true or false of technology is not matched by modern another ‘sighting’. In the confusion, one social values. There was panic and religious radio station, based on garbled disorder through the Middle East and reports, even started to broadcast many other excessively patriarchal triumphantly that the rapture had cultures, their misogynist tendencies, self- commenced but that rejected sinful folk described as ‘traditional values’ were such as Models were to be seen falling from unmasked, as the survivors of the day the skies everywhere! were herded into brutal detention camps until repatriations could be organised. The say that we experience things as they Campaigners for their freedom had a occur, but only understand them afterwards. generation long fight on their hands before It was a day before the ‘What’ was known. the last of this newly captive minority were The new Pear app, a super-dooper three- finally freed, or were known to have died in dee bio-printer (and its cheaper north Asian sordid captivity. 4 5 TBS&E Number 51 - February to April 2012 the ocean among our teeming Billions, and A single image was burned into worldwide we finally learned one ultimate truth. The conscience, the suffering of prisoners nature of the dire circumstance would caught behind barbed wire under relentless cause the World’s Authorities to act in middle eastern skies, wearing full length concert and use their never before Burkas that only managed to reach mid-calf admitted powers, to simply turn off the length on these prisoners held for crimes internet. ‘against public virtue’. It was for only 15 minutes, a poignant One wry and ironic consequence of this inversion of Andy Warhol’s famous ‘fifteen increase in the number of women needing minutes of fame’, but their cause was ‘supermodel fit’ sized clothing, the standard universally accepted as being righteous of most women’s fashion shops, from ‘High and just. End’ to ‘Budget’ was that it was now the turn of the Skinny girls to find that clothing that The internet was dropped just in time to fitted was hard to find. At one stroke prevent an unthinkable and appalling reversing the universal and age old second wave of chaos and confusion from complaint of normal sized women that they happening, a plague that would have could never find ‘their size’ on the clothes delivered a Justin Bieber copy to nearly racks. every tween (or adult?) ‘Belieber’ with internet access. Within a week unexpected economic effects were evident. It was soon established that the ‘clones’ as they came to be known had full personhood rights and an entitlement to share in their ‘original’s citizenship and wealth. Countries like Lichtenstein and the various Tax haven islands were forced to accept an influx of thousands of new replicated and impoverished but attractive citizens. Elsewhere an international airlift swung into action, airbuses with row on row of identical passengers filled the skies. How did the customs

Elsewhere even ordinary countries were Word count 1070 vexed with the problem of what to do with tens of thousands of surplus supermodels, Notes from my Sixth & final wildly in excess of any fashion industry WEA Class, The Mandaens, demand, who needed to be housed, fed the only surviving Christian and retrained to be fit for useful occupations. Gnostics? Thursday November 24, 2011 And in the end, worldwide, the day had added three million or so new people on Incidentally, this class was to be Milad Planet Earth, a small but shapely drop in Milani’s last WEA lecture for the

5 6 foreseeable future, presumably due to his all they would need was a little ‘help’ in 2012 University teaching load. From becoming good Catholics. An earlier other classmates I learned that he had reference to their existence can be found offered an extended series of Persia / Iran in the writings of Mohammad ibn Isaq related courses. alnadim (died 995) who wrote of the ‘Sabians of the Marshes’, al Muqtasilla, The Mandaens, The way of ‘The Baptists’ or ‘the ones who wash knowledge Origins and Discovery themselves’. There are also ruins of So who / what are the Mandaens? As ‘Sabian’ Temples on both sides of the Red with all the other religious movements sea, their angular stone carved script was encountered in this course, the answer to adapted to ink and paper by the Arabs to that is really ‘What do we know about the form ‘Arabic’ script, but it is unclear what Mandaens?’, as what is known about this relation is any these Sabeans have to the faith by outsiders only starts when they ‘Sabean Mandaeans’. encountered our written history, about 100 A group of Mandaens _were_ living in the AD. Their claim, to be the original and Jordan valley region and were in a only ‘true’ religion includes a self claimed presumably Hebrew majority community in pedigree, i.e. that they received their late biblical times. They claim the religion from the biblical Adam, who was in Biblical figure of John the Baptist as their turn instructed by the Angels, but physical _final_ and Great Prophet, their claim on records from that time (like Joseph Smith’s the (Hebrew) John The Baptist as being a Golden Tablets of Mormon) are hard to Mandaen is difficult to sustain, and they locate at this time. Elements of their claim that his advent and teachings were faith suggest a far greater antiquity and meant to correct the ‘mistakes’ of the given their attachment to some ‘Biblical Christian and the Hebrew traditions. Elements’ it is suggestive that their central This claim is rather Islamic in nature, the Gnostic belief pattern, i.e. closeness to final revelation, all previous faiths having godhead by knowledge and special strayed etc.). By Islamic tradition they interpretation of scriptures, could have are accorded ‘People of the Book’ status, reflected a similar adaptability to other i.e. a faith to be tolerated under Islamic preceding but presently unrecorded rule. While distinct and separate from religious faiths. As a people, the Christian, Hebrew, Moslem and Zoroastic Mandaens can be found in the cities and religions there are elements within their villages of the lower Euphrates / Tigris faith that make it comprehensible to each Rivers, the rivers that feed into the Shatt-al- of these four major religions under which Arab and the adjacent Iranian province of Mandaens have had to live at various Khuzistan, which was once called times. Whether by divine revelation, or Arabistan. They were ‘Named and opportunistic evolution, the Mandaen faith Claimed’ as the ‘Christians of St John’ (The has tried to fit in with the majority religion / Baptist) by the Portuguese monks who culture that it finds itself within. encountered their communities in the Gulf of Hormuz in the Middle East. They were Some Mandaen Faith essentials first recorded in 1555. Whose point of -Gnostic religion (Manda). view was that if these people were simply -Strong Dualistic (Light Vs Dark) the followers of John The Baptist, who had Worldview. simply missed out on hearing of Jesus, then 6 7 TBS&E Number 51 - February to April 2012 -They revere as Patriarchs / Prophets the and hence the Portuguese monks naming Biblical figures of Adam, Abel, Seth, Enosh, and claiming of the Mandaens when they (Enoch?) Noah, Shem, Aram (the son of encountered them in the middle east Shem) and especially John the Baptist. (1500s). The Baptism with water by the -Mandaens believe that Abraham, Moses Biblical version of John The Baptist is only and Mohammad were false Prophets# a shallow representation of the -They identify with the Sabian religion within significance of Water baptism to an Arab/Muslim context. Mandaens, who must undergo baptism -Migrated from the Jordan Valley to Iraq in each week. You can see them each the first centuries of the Christian era. weekend at Parramatta Park, in their white -Are Semites who speak a dialect of baptismal robes getting ‘dunked’ in the eastern Aramaic: Mandaic (similar to what Parramatta River, as this baptism is an Jesus spoke etc. essential reconnection with the life-force -Until recently, Mandaens have been that flows through living waters down from intensively private about their religion ‘above’ realms of Light. It is essential to nourish/ activate the soul and to bring the #The Mandaens ‘beef’ with Abraham is that spirit inside outside etc. Consequently, he was also instructed by the Angels, a due to difference in baptism form, practice Mandaen priest etc. but he chose to wander and theology, the Mandaens do not revere off and create Judaism. Moses is ‘out’ Jesus or Mohammad. because his ‘Ten Commandments’ are not enough (also coz he ran away from Egypt, Some Mandaen differences - The the land of the River?). Mandaens feel Mandaens are included in this course as that Jesus was baptised, informed by John they are a religion of the people inhabiting the Baptist etc. but also wandered off to the Persian / Iranian sphere, although their form his own (wrong) religion. Mohammad religion is not particularly ‘Persian’ in was too late, the scriptural books were character, although their Angelology and closed, taught the wrong things etc. cosmological view of the world as a place of struggle between Light and Dark does Their faith has a very layered set of higher have some echoes of Zoroastrian belief. and lower priesthoods, and also a very Also, Mandaens are not required to be complex ‘Angelology’. The Koran gives circumcised, would ‘River People’ as Mandaens ‘People of the Book’ status, i.e. opposed to Middle Eastern ‘Desert People’ they are a faith to be tolerated under Islamic really need to incorporate this ‘health’ rule. While distinct and separate from measure into their religion? Christian, Hebrew, Moslem and Zoroastrian religions there are elements within their ‘Manda’, the root word of the name faith that make it comprehensible to each of Mandaenism, means Gnosis which is these four major religions under which connected to ‘Light’, which is connected to Mandaens have had to live at various times. Godhead. In their cosmology a spark of good had been injected at the creation of New Testament connections? this present world, similar in some aspects With Christians generally being blind to the to the Manichaen Cosmology, but the Jewish significance of Jesus, it is hardly major difference is that this world is ‘OK’ surprising that this blindness / wish and Worldly things are OK. fulfilment is extended to John The Baptist 7 8 By comparison, in the Christian sense, Salvation is _not_ only through Jesus, but Ghod’s grace / Salvation, an equivalent act it is available at all times, not just the once, to the injection of Light into this world came so people have available all the necessary with Jesus and through faith in Jesus alone, help needed to be able to get back to the not through observation of rules or Light realm. understanding of deeper meanings of scripture. The Mandaens have a set up of A Mandaen Creation Story essentially three worlds, with a ‘Light’ realm The Archangel Gabriel, Ghod’s ‘go to’ above an ‘Earth’ above a ‘Dark’ realm. It is guy to get things done, was given a the attempts of the lord of the Dark realm to ‘Mission impossible’, to go down into the rise into the Light which has caused Earth Dark Realm and to find out their secret, to be created as a middle and contested the one that let the Dark Lord rise etc.. ground between Light and Dark realms, to To achieve this ‘He’ (did you know that keep the Darkness from reaching into the Mandaen Angels have gender?) has to Light World. Within this framework, a turn a bit to the dark side, to fit in down personal connection with god is possible (at there, and he marries the Queen of the various levels and degrees) but it requires Dark Realm, or at least her daughter considerable physical and intellectual effort, ‘Druha’, ‘The Spirit’ (and this is how Jesus as the individual must keep all the rules and got it wrong, he offered baptism by ‘The acquire ‘Gnosis’, to become ‘Light’ in order Spirit’, not the done thing at all!). Gabriel to be able to rise up to the Light World. learns the secret, takes off to the Light Realm, a process that takes a lot of time to The ultimate Mandaen Ghod is high and work through all the layers, a period of unseen, called Haii or Hayye, and also time that Mandaens celebrate, including known as ‘Life’ or ‘The Living One’, from 365 Baptisms to re-purify himself. whom all life comes. The Organic world, However, he and Druha had a child, Pfahil Earth as we know it, follows as an and as he takes after his father, spark off extension of Haii. The Light Realm is itself the old divine block etc. he is allowed to be split into three layers, a First, Second and level 4 and to create Earth below him, as Third layer, and there is also a Fourth, he has a foot in both Light and Dark which serves as a gateway between the Realms. The Earth is created, Adam is lower Earthly realm and the Light realm. instructed in religion by the Angels, The Fourth creates Pfahil, or the Soul and it creating Mandaenism as the original and is a realm where similar to some Hellenic only ‘true’ religion. conceptions, the Planets (as the personification of Ghods?) have arbitrary In Mandaenism the saving grace of light ‘personalities’ reflected in human behaviour, is Gnosis, you need to know and and an affect human lives as is presumed in understand things to become awakened / Astrology. In Mandaeism this Fourth realm enlightened, rather than just going through n effect is something that must be negated / various form guide style rituals. discarded if your soul is to be able to move Water? Water to Mandaens is the up to the Light realms, step by step, essence and the vital spirit of creation. shedding each Planetary layer of ‘skin’ to Water that flows is alive and is connected expose your light essence etc. There are with the higher realms and creation is Messiah / Saviour spirits about to act as nourished by water that flows. Heavenly soul ‘life guards’, i.e. for the Mandaens, 8 9 TBS&E Number 51 - February to April 2012 water is Light, which has within it the seeds Mandaens that found themselves on either of Light / Life and it flows down through the side of the Persian / Semetic divide four realms of light until it hits the Earthly needed to outwardly conform to prevailing realm where it activates ‘ordinary’ water local values during intolerant times. Their running through all real world rivers. religion however has no opinion on the Primarily and Theologically through the central Zoroastrian message, but would Tigris Euphrates Rivers. Thus it is not disagree strongly with the Manichaen actual water itself, but as with the Bread outlook? and Wine of the Christian’s Holy Communion, it is the light within the trans- Mandaenism could be seen as a perfect substantial / metaphorical water that amalgamation of borrowings of the reconnects the Mandaen to the Light elements of all previous religions, or at Realm. least a faith that would be understandable by Zoroastrians Hebrews and Christians. Mandaen Art – A set of pictograms each demonstrating an individual or principal of Mandaenism is also mentioned in the Mandaenism, possibly a relic from the era Koran, with its followers being listed as ‘People of the Book’, a people whose faith before writing? Mandaenism has a ‘no- shave’ policy for it’s priesthood, hence is to be tolerated by Muslims, this is Sikh-like head wear. They are fond of possibly based on pragmatism after the living trees, believing them to have a Arab conquest of Persia, there were healing potential. simply too many Zoroastrians around to They have a Mandaen banner, which is effectively suppress, or possibly some assembled at baptism, consisting of cloth, lingering thread of the peace of Mecca, crossed sticks and a small wreath of where Mohammad brokered a peace greenery. This ‘Cross’ is created and between local tribes / creeds, or an dismantled after use. It is not a symbol to illiterate confusion with the Sabaens of place up on display or to wear between Hormuz, possibly the pre-Islamic religion baptisms. of the Arabian peninsula, who left Temples and inscriptions on both sides of the Red Ganzibra Dr Brikha H.S. Nasoraia is an sea (and up into Ethiopia!) and whose Australian resident Mandaen High Priest. angular carved inscriptions on stone gave In something of a break with past traditions rise to Arabic script. of keeping their beliefs out of public view, at this time he is attempting to spread some A progress of Zoroastrianism through understanding of Mandaenism through a time? Phd program, specifically through a A monotheist revelation amid a world of translation and explanation of two Polytheism – Philosophic psychological Mandaens texts that he has possession of. realization text via the Gathas – leads to Zoroastrianism as a distinct religion – How does Mandaenism relate to Which redefines itself due to contact or Zoroasterianism and other earlier faiths? conflict with Christian and Hebrew Mandaens seem to have borrowed a religious traditions (intellectual borrowings number of Zoroasterian recogniseable likely to be both ways) – the appearance of religious terms and values (such as the ‘Christian’ Gnosticism, in the sense of a world being a good place). Those new innovation / revelation about 9 10 _personal_ ‘Salvation’ / ‘Enlightenment’ and language, as it is very symbol laden and how it can be achieved. (Gnostic) you have to study it deeply to read the right interpretation, which may Mandaen Vs Manichaen cosmology, differ greatly from the superficial diametrically opposed on the nature of this translation (Scriptural Literalist the current world, Mandaens and Zoroastrians Mandaens are Not!). think it’s nature is ‘Good’, Manichaens think it is irredeemably corrupted by evil. Another oddity about the Mandaens is their place as a Iranian / Persian religion. The intended (apparent) reforms of They are included mostly because they Zoroaster, that you can get on well with occur within the traditional Iranian / Ghod without a priestly establishment Persian sphere, but apart from their controlling things is coopted and subverted. dualistic position (The World is Good, but The Mazdakian experiment introduces contested between the forces of Light and some correctional or revolutionary reforms Darkness etc.) it really doesn’t fit in. It that outlast the movement. Does it fits more comfortably in the ‘Semitic’ represent a revolution or just ‘back to religious sphere. traditional Zoroastrian Values’ reclaimed from Magi and dynastic co-option? Shortly In Conclusion - Thus we end our after it’s appearance proto-communistic course in Zoroastrian ism and Gnosticism. views for the re-shaping of Persian society Which I commenced in anticipation of are defeated / rejected, Mazdak is jailed receiving a greater understanding of the and followers persecuted etc. For ‘dawn’ of the revelation of Monotheism, the accounts of the exactly what the Mazdakian basis of the ‘Biblical’ faiths that dominate aims and objectives were we can only rely current world thinking when it comes to on the commentary of those who defeated Ghod, Ethics and Moral behaviour etc. them! Objectivity and accuracy or self Instead we went on a journey through serving lilly guilding? 4,000 years of the history of Iranian Religions, where waves of inspired The continuing mystery about Mandaenism revelation and religious innovation have are the unanswered questions about this been followed by evolution, absorption, group’s origins. Are they late comers to co-option by priesthoods and regimes the field of religion, composed of with eventual re-establishment as borrowings and revisions, or do they have orthodoxies, time and time again over deeper roots way back into time beyond this slice of recorded (literate) history. historical records? Where do they fit in the And what of those years before recorded ‘March of Relevation’ and the historical history, the 8,000 years of Agriculture and Theological Evolution from the past to the the settled lifestyle? What cycles of present? They have a clear affinity with Religion flowed then, from the steppes the early Gnostic Christian traditions, but is through to the Fertile Crescent, through this their point of origin, or the result of an Asia Minor to and From India and the episode of adaption to allow an earlier East? religion to survive in a (then) Christian dominated area? What Religious innovations occurred and travelled the steppes to the immediate Hints of antiquity of their religious tradition North of Iran, blocked from entry to Europe may be seen in their liturgical and scriptural 10 11 TBS&E Number 51 - February to April 2012 by the Urals and Caucasus Mountains, What occurred further to the east, across the Indus River, what religious baggage did the Eastward Aryans take with them to create the basis of Jainism, Hinduism and Buddhism as opposed to our ‘biblical’ western faiths? For better or worse, all fingers point to Zoroaster as being the Father of Monotheism, the basis of Ghod speaking to the people through Scripture or Clergy as the servant of the political classes? What else could the hand of history point to if only it had words or sign language to speak? And the voice of Gnosticism, Christian or otherwise? It quietly awaits your attention, ever liable to rise in the mind of whoever takes the effort to seeks the path to deeper understanding and quiet enlightenment, a counterpoint to the plain Roman truths of Marcus Aurealius and the open and Present were – Stephen Bingle, Garry unilateral boastfulness of the Judeo- Dalrymple, Diane Fox, John Fox, Ann Christian and Islamic faiths? Rankins and Dean Wheatley Incidentally, the meaning behind ‘Moses’ name may be read as ‘Drawn from the What we have been reading recently; Water’. (c) Garry P Dalrymple December SB- No books read recently, has been pre- 2011 poll campaigning for the Australian Democrats. Mentioned the recent success of ‘The Secret Tunnel’, a book written by two Sydney school teachers. Notes from the Sydney Has been watching the Steven Spielberg TV series (on Cable) ‘Falling Skies’ and Futurian SF Discussion enjoying the run of Planet of the Apes meeting of Friday August movies on HD TV (Vale Pierre Boule?). GD - Currently Reading a review copy of 17, 2012 - Topic; Science in ‘Existence’ by David Brin, a story of the SF&F Stories future where Humans and AI’s might be Meeting Notes Pages 99 to 99 / Published about to re-define their relationship, as an alien artefact / communication device is TBS&E No. 99 discovered, very detailed future, with multiple independent viewpoint strands eventually heading to a climax / meetup? Has been watching Doll House during the Olympic TV viewing Drought. 11 12 DF- Has seen Prometheus and Snow White watching as the world below ends. He and the Huntsman. Found Prometheus to finds and takes great solace from the diary be Mad and Crazy, with less than credible of a US Civil War Veteran. characters standing in the way of a more detailed back story than in the original News ‘Aliens’movie. In this movie, Humans and Progress report on the Unicon Freecon, a lot of other species were made up by a there will be Kafee Klatches and a Writing creator species which grew disappointed course, Short Story forms and with humanity and so created the ‘Aliens’ membership applications are out, ‘postals’ species as a form of biological pest control. about to go out for the Freecon. Passed i.e. a Cane Toad solution? However, one on news the September visit of Art of the Creator species didn’t agree, and Widner, who is possibly the ‘oldest SF fan survived in stasis to tell the story. in the world’. Was at the Observatory the JF- Is currently Reading a couple of books day Curiosity landed and handed out a about bikies, starting with ‘ Hells Angels’ by booklet on Walter F. Gale, Astronomer late Hunter S. Thompson, the original Gonzo of this parrish. Gore Vidal is dead. The Journalist who lived with the Hells Angels Australian Greens are ‘over’, the for two years to write the book. Americans have installed a Plutonium AR- Currently Reading ’Angel of Ruin’ by powered vessel in a previously Nuclear Kim Wilkins (Aust), which is set in the Free area on Mars, cameras on site and London of Milton (of ‘Paradise Lost’) and it not a single protester chained to a fence is about his three daughters who meet up anywhere (Curiosity lands on Mars, at with a fallen Angel and become involved in Gale’s Crater) I mean, everyone knows its evil schemes. Not so much SF or that there are Green men on Mars. Fantasy as Horror in a historical setting. Evidence of a Giant Avalanche on the Has also seen ‘Batman Dark Knight’ at the Moon discovered. Scientists at the UTS Omni theatre (but had no urge to massacre have created a ‘thought controlled’ fellow movie goers) and has visited the wheelchair. You can now get a mobile Narnia exhibition and Mars room at the telephone app that allows you to track Powerhouse Museum. individual White Pointer sharks, appalling DW- Currently Reading ‘Midnight Riot’ (US interspecies privacy violation, or a ‘must Edn.) AKA ’Rivers of London’ (UK Edn.) by have’ for the environmentally conscious Ben Arronovich, a writer of Whovian would be suicide? significance. The first of a ‘tri-ology’, Moon over So Ho, Whispers Underground. It is Science in SF - discussed more of a police procedural with some The easy answer to this question is – All magic and some humour. He bought the Hard SF involves Science. Undoubtably first book on the basis of a recommendation true, but this does not leave much room for in SFX magazine and has been so discussion, other than personal views of impressed that he will probably buy the next what is and isn’t Hard Science Fiction. two soon. Has finished reading ‘The So, looking for some examples of Science Reproductive System’, was about to discard used (for better or worse) In SF Stories we it until the story reached Las Vegas and were able to come up with; went very interestingly strange. Greatly affected by seeing a movie titled ‘Love’ In Robert Heinlein’s ‘Multiverse’, a which features an Astronaut in orbit ‘scientific’ explanation is offered for why 12 13 TBS&E Number 51 - February to April 2012 Dragons can breathe fire. Many stories annoying little brother) use science to exist ‘explaining’ how Fantastic creatures defeat their kidnappers. Also it might be and events actually took place, said that in Edgar Rice Burrough’s explanations for the ‘Star over Bethlehem’ Barsoom series there was Theosophical are almost a subgenre, possibly more so in Science involved in the plot and story ‘faith based SF’ (none of us have been background, all that power of the Eighth there). One example is the book from the Ray was Barsoomian Science, as much as Stapleton’s ‘The Swan of Space’ series ‘The Force’, sexually transmitted where a Jesuit space explorer discovers Midichlorian, was the Science of the that the Bethlehem Star was the star of an Starwars Universe and a form of advanced species going Nova. Psychohistory, for very different ends in In the story ‘I shall fear No Evil’, total body Isaac Asimov’s Foundation Series and in transplantation is the go, and science has a Dune’s generation spanning ancestral good run, an Old Rich guy is transplanted consciousness . A taste of Hive Life into the body of his young secretary. They (apiarists in space!) can be experienced in are both still in the brain / body. Which is Frank Herbert’s pre-dune novel not to be confused with the movie ‘The Hellstrom’s Hive. Final Destination Monster with Two Heads’, where the head features a great deal of pattern of a racist old Scientist is transplanted onto recognition. Star Trek presents the the still living body of a Black prisoner who pedant’s paradise when it comes to is due to be executed for a crime he did not Scientific nits to pick, great on inspiration, commit. Said racist head then is a ‘back acting wooded, Science tissue paper thin seat driver’ while the ex-con goes on a road at times. One example discussed trip seeking the evidence of his innocence. focuses on Voyager, arguably the runt of The control of the added head gradually the litter, and the ‘innovation’ of allowing increases until, innocence proved, the ex- the Doctor to upgrade to being a con rips it off! ‘Hardlight’ Hologram, being able to interact In Frank Herbert’s Dune series (the early with physical objects which was screened ones at least) the Science of Ecology and shortly ‘Red Dwarf’ did exactly the same the water cycle was a major part of the thing for Rimmer, their on board Hologram story. person, but this was played for laughs, so In Kim Stanley Robinson’s ‘Rainbow he could have sex with other Hologram Mars’ series, there was buckets of Science, people. the terra-forming of Mars, Mars Geography and the cable to the sky etc. Catastrophism SF, how the world ends or In Claire Corbett’s ‘When we had Wings’, nearly so, relies heavily on Science, good the possible biology of people with wings and bad, to predict the end of the world and bird flight is explained. and to save it usually in the very nick of A book (recently discussed) that explains, time, i.e. ‘ID4’, defeating the aliens with as the background to the SF story set on software glitches and ‘Armageddon’ saving Venus, the ‘science’ behind what really the world from an Asteroid impact, each happened to allow Velicovski’s ‘re-write’ Science as we know it to observations / predictions to be factual. In dramatic effect. Robert Heinlein’s Juvenile / non-Juvenile Really Big Things and Amazing Scenes ‘Podkayne of Mars’, the heroine (and her 13 14 – There are some Science Fiction stories seen in ‘Fringe’, re-introducing a ‘Mad where the setting has that extra ‘Wow’ Scientist’, to solve ‘X file’ crimes using factor, usually the product of exceptionalism Science and a kind of existential logic, explained by Science. Larry Niven’s which then goes trans-dimensional, with ‘Ringworld’ and Sir Arthur C. Clarke’s watchers and parallel existences, crime ‘Rendezvous with Rama’ are both examples fighting gone down an ‘Alice in of mind bogglingly big things explainable by Wonderland’ style rabbit hole. Science, although in the case of Ringworld, there is still active debate about how and At the conclusion of the discussion we where to tweak Science to make the considered a few discussion topics for structure feasible or stable. future meetings. We came up with the Dr Who, who solves problems with Star following list of dates and topics; Trek level Science, reasoning and September 21 – Favourite standalone SF humanism. Books Bad Science isn’t restricted to Science October 19 – SF stories set in the past Fiction, it is just more noticible to a November 16 – Open Mike Night, bring frequently scientifically literate audience. along and discuss two books you have For example in Dan Brown’s ‘Angels and enjoyed recently (one SF) Demons’, evil Vatican Scientists whip up December 14 – Discussion of SF books some Antimatter (What Monsignor Vatican needing a sequel or series where the property being used to create ‘anti mass’?) sequels were unneccessary which is then slipped into a pocket and 2013 pilfered! As if! January 18 – Your Year’s Best and Worst Science in Crime – towards the edge of SF our Science Fictional concern there is the February 15 – Robots, A.I.s and Thinking question of Science in crime solving. The Machines in SF Stories first Detective story, Edgar Allen Poe’s March 15 – Supernatural Creatures in SF ‘Murder on the Rue Morgue’ was based on Stories the life / personality of Eugene Vidocy, April 19 – Science Fiction by Australians founder of the French Secret Police. He and SF about Australia used a firsthand knowledge of criminal May 17 – Social Media and technology practice to Solve crime, a Poacher turned based Networking in SF stories Game keeper. Later, Sir Arthur Conan June 21 – Mental Powers in SF Stories Doyle’s ‘Scientific Detective’ Sherlock July 19 – Insects and Insect like creatures Holmes arrived on the scene, based on in SF stories Doyle’s teacher Dr John Bell, but Sherlock August 16 – SF found in books that arn’t, did run a laboratory of sorts and apply SF books reason and some Scientific methods to his crime solving. Which takes you to Batman, Notes from the Sydney an ordinary but wealthy man who lacking Futurian SF Discussion the Super Powers of Superman, instead meeting of Friday September had a Bat Lab, Bat Computer et al. in his cave to assist his crime solving efforts. 2012 – Topic; Your Favourite The final word on this is probably to be Stand alone SF&F books /

14 15 TBS&E Number 51 - February to April 2012 Series (Book Week Topic) Meeting DF - Has recently been Reading Agatha Christie’s ‘The Clocks’ (and she read a Notes Pages 99 to 99 / Published TBS&E section that seemingly described the Fox No. 99 household / book collection) and ‘Halting State’ by Charles Stross AR - Has read ‘Hunger Games’. Which provoked some discussion, mainly on what it is ‘based on’? One suggestion was Mary Renault’s ‘The King Must Die’ which is based on the legend of sacrifice of young people by subject people to the Mycenian Rulers of Greece’s pre-classical era. DW - Has recently been Reading the last of Ben Arronovitch’s Rivers of London Series, ‘Whispers under ground’ which is a sort of Police Procedural series, with Magic. Present were – Stephen Bingle, David JY - Has recently been Reading – Bofinger, Garry Dalrymple, Diane Fox, Ann Rankins, Brian Walls, Dean Wheatley and John Yasmineh (contributed News by email). John Fox was absent. SB – Has been watching ‘Oddysee 5’ on Instead of queuing for the newly released Pay TV, that JRR Tolkien’s slender book, Iphone5, he has gone ‘retro’ and was ‘The Hobbit’ is going to be made into attending an auction of steam age Three movies (including one featuring an telephones! attack by Zombie Elves?) using JRR Tolkien’s other tales and some video What we have been reading recently; leftovers from the LOTR movies. A new SB – Hasn’t read any SF&F books recently, ‘Blakes Seven’ series project has too bust campaigning! advanced to having a Director. Dr Who is DB - Has recently been Reading ‘Chosen’ back on Free to air ABC TV (after being about a Nuclear Powered Submarine which available on Iview). The production and receives instructions to start WW3, but does use of Triffid oil is proposed as a solution not fire it’s missile, psychological drama / to Global warming in a third (and character study as they wait out the war. unnecessary?) ‘Day of the Triffid’s’ book. Also reading various books by Greg Egan. DB – Harper Collins (Publishers) are GD - Has recently been Reading ‘Bitter currently accepting unsolicited story Seeds’ by Ian (not so good) and ‘Existence’ manuscripts from Writers without Agents. by David Brin (rather good). Both have GD – This afternoon I have created a been reviewed and will appear in TBS&E ‘Meet Up Group’ for the Sydney Freecon 50/51. I will admit to reading a book by etc. The Freecon’s Short Story Nalini Singh, which resulted in a mention in competition currently has six stories the Thog’s Masterclass section of Dave entered. There already is a movie Langford’s Ansible! version of ‘The Hobbit’, a 90 minute film 15 16 with a CGI Dragon made by British School he sleeps on ice between assassination children! A Woman currently holds the gigs. All this crap when there are Hugo highest job on Earth – Commander of the and Nebula award winning Best Selling SF International Space Station. Psychopaths books that could be made into movies? apparently have a poor sense of smell (NB The Movie ‘Jesus Christ Vampire Slayer’ is this newsletter _is_ orange scented, can apparently a better movie than ‘Abraham you smell it), as do Aspies and Alzheimer’s Lincoln Vampire Slayer’ – Which I note sufferers, particularly Oranges, but are WAS NOT protested by US Republicans prepared to lie about it! A fragment of 4 th on it’s public release. century AD Papyrus has been translated as referring to Jesus as being married, and his Discussion of the Topic: Your wife having an equal status to the other Favourite Standalone SF&F books Apostles. / Series (that need / deserve a DF – Has seen the biennial and an installation on Cockatoo Island which sequel) featured a Science Fictional interactive Movies deserving a sequel / installation which seems to react to visitors (as has AR). This lead to a discussion as further episodes to how ‘Pop Art’ and Modern Art usually co- Dark City and The Matrix Movies each opts Science Fictional images. Has also deserve resolution or further exploration? seen ‘The Sapphires’ a movie about a trio of John Christopher’s ‘The Tripods’ series, Aboriginal singers who toured Vietnam consisting of three books, made into three during the war TV series (one of which isn’t legally AR – The new ‘Total Recall’ movie is out (a available in Australia?), but the TV series re-make rather than a sequel) has seen finishes midway through one of the books Iron Man 2. Animania, the big Sydney – is this series ‘based’ on HG Wells’ ‘The Anime festival is taking place this weekend. War Of The Worlds’ or on Brian Aldiss’ DW – Neil Armstrong (truly he had the ‘Bow Down to Null A’ – or is this just taking ‘Right Stuff’) has died, his passing marked ‘Tripodal life forms’ too far? by a ‘Blue Moon’, two Full Moons in the one L Ron Hubbard’s, ‘Battlefield Earth’, month. From September 24 to October 5, which is not that bad a movie. It ends Sydney is to feature a ‘Dinosaur petting with a bloke ‘beaming up’ to the Psychlo Zoo’ (does no one _ever_ learn from the home world with a portable Nuke, but what Jurassic Park Movies?), which will feature happens next? A Psychlo free universe ‘Animatronic’ puppetry type animation and or Human Psychlo war ‘round two’? will take place in the Redfern Train sheds Books deserving a sequel / as part of a Children’s festival. Hollywood continues to scrape the bottom further episodes of the comic book barrel for ‘remake’ David Brin’s ‘The Kiln People’ clay folk sequels, Iron Man 3 will be released in April made up as knock offs of original people 2013, Thor will be released in November and sent out into the dangerous world. 2013 and ‘Captain America Winter’ during This idea was extensively ripped off for the 2014. The last being the more Science Bruce Willis movie ‘Surrogates’. Fictional, with Captain America having been The Skylords series by John Brosnan captured and ‘turned’ by the Soviets during (deceased Australian SF Writer) would be the cold war, known as the Winter Soldier, worthy of continuation? 16 17 TBS&E Number 51 - February to April 2012 ‘Tower of Fear’ Somebody Cook’s Black sequels, and inhabited by monsterous Company series, a fantasy series about giant book worms! some very busy mercenaries who have a Wizard. The first was brilliant and a first Two traditional favourites are of novel by the Author and subsequent books course explored many of the ideas introduced in ‘Dangerous Visions 4’ Edited by Harlan the first book. It was based on a re-telling Ellison, will never see print, but it would of the Punic Wars, from a Carthaginian be interesting to see what contemporary point of view. stories Harlan Ellison would have seen to Claire Corbett’s ‘When we have wings’ be relevant as ‘Dangerous Visions’ while which takes further the consequences of Harlan Ellison was still relevant, and from the variation of the human species into a Alexi Panshin to continue his Thurb War flying upper class (extensively bio-modified trilogy. to allow flight muscles and low density bones to explain how flight could be A slightly mischievious line emerged after possible etc.) and the terrestrial the discussion of Beneath the Planet of ‘unimproved’ lower social classes. the Apes Movie, where after consultation ‘Little Big”, by John Crowley, which is with Pierre Boule all main characters about a family who live in a house which is were killed off and the Earth blown up – the linkage point between different worlds / i.e. let’s see them do a sequel to that! In Alternate realities. this case, the commercial imperative for Greg Egan’s ‘Quarantine’, where brain more movies was resolved for sequels / washing and conditioning breaking are prequels which involved time travel. carried to extremes. A Sequel to Nevil Shute’s ‘On the Beach’ ‘1610 a Sundial in a grave’ by Mary would be interesting to try to imagine, Gentle, is a quasi-historical Fantasy novel, requiring a 360 degree turn plot using many of the characters of Andre development? Dumas’ ‘The Three Musketeers’ . Ben Bova’s Planets based series, out of a ‘The Stand’ by Stephen King. sense of curiosity as to what adventures The Bible – especially some parts of the he can conjure up after the Kuiper Belt / Old Testament – Needs updating with new Oort Cloud, i.e. cooking up an adventure favourite Tribal tales such as the gospel of to take place out of the nearly zero prosperity, this has partly been done by the degrees Kelvin interstellar vacuum / void. Prophet Joseph Smith, from an original Largely unexplored was the issue of idea by the Reverend Campbell, but it still Great first books which were followed by needs work. sequels that were so dismal that they ‘The Golden Key’, by Melanie Rawn, J. failed to impinge on the fannish Robertson and K. Elliot, which features a consciousness and so promote the idea Renaissance era group of artists who are that a particular book was a ‘Stand alone’. able to alter reality by painting it. One book like this was All the Gods of Frank Herbert’s ‘Dune’ and it’s sequels – Eisernon which started out as a pitch for a can there ever be enough Dune sequels, Star Trek episode, but was turned down as imagine a future desert world covered by it didn’t reflect well on the Federation, continents of discarded / remaindered Dune which was depicted as an institution 17 18 whose intervention always resulted in thieves guild. The members of this sect catastrophe. Four more books were or order worship a thirteenth and nameless written in this series, but they failed to Ghod in a society that has twelve official match the first, sinking into a Dagobar like Ghods. The story is set in a city that was swamp of mediocrity. ‘Tea with the Black built by now absent aliens. It’s is Dragon’, for its mixture of Chinese culture architecture is mostly made of glasslike and ‘dawn of the internet’ era stuff and like Venice it is threaded by communication culture, there were sequels, canals, but it is not an Alternative world but they failed to spark. story set in a post Byzantium Venice. The Society of the book is pseudo medieval We also talked about – Not Killing and the young man seems to be the Hitler – Time travelling stories, where protégé / replacement for the head of the people went back in time, but who did not thieves guild / religious order. It is a attempt to Kill Hitler. Dr Who is believed to fantasy without much magic in it, other have had at least two non-lethal encounters than the magic of a successful ‘Italian job’ with Hitler. Helen Magnus in ‘Sanctuary’, type crime caper which runs through the who is eternal due to the ingestion of a vial book, talk of Ghods with real world powers of ‘authentic ancient Vampire blood’, once and a little bit of Alchemy. The characters had a time travel experience of 113 years of this book are well detailed and living in a cave in Tibet, travelling forward at realistically imperfect. Lachie Lamora is the rate of one day per day, as she could go good at a number of things, but no back in time to save the world or something, superman, or master swordsman. Lachie but she could not return the same way, i.e. has a love interest is absent from the she had to hide out and not affect book, as he was ‘dumped’. He is still _anything_ in the world for over 100 years pining for her and his mates in the story until after the present day time that she have moved on from teasing him about it went back in time to being concerned that he hasn’t got over her. They buy him a date with a prostitute, but that doesn’t work out. Tim Garry’s notes from the August found strong personal resonances in the 16, 2012 Infinitas Book Review book, as a subplot was the relationship meeting– Published in TBS&E between the main character and his best friend (see, Tim _does_ have friends). In No. 99 the absence of his Mentor he is in line for The Book discussed was; The Lies the position of head of the order, and unavoidable responsibilities. Other of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch - favourable comments centred on a Fantasy ‘workable’ Thieves Code of Honour, observed most of the time. Present were; April, Anthony, Garry, Geoff, Len, Michael, Sam, Tim and one Final word on this book – The surprising other (but where was Amanda?) thing about this book is that it is so ‘complete’ for an Author’s first book, no This book is about a young chap who is loose ends. The story moves at a good brought up or mentored by a figure who is pace, but to fully understand all the twists the head of both a religious sect and a and turns of the plot it would be best to sit 18 19 TBS&E Number 51 - February to April 2012 down and read this book in long slabs. It is Young Liberals, for career complete within itself as a standalone book advancement. although there is apparently a sequel. The A suggestion for a future book review conclusions of readers were mixed, an choice is ‘Faith’ by John Love, a enjoyable but not absolutely brilliant book, a Science Fiction book with extreme goodish light of an ‘I couldn’t put it down’ Adult content, but no Sex or Violence. book, depending on personal taste. The It is apparently a Moby Dick like space world of this book is a very dangerous place quest for an elusive ship of Aliens who and it is described in a manner that readers dispense riches in the form of of Joe Abercrombie may feel very advanced technology. comfortable with. My suggestion for future book review group book choices involved choosing Deviations a ‘Radium Age’ (1908 to 1933) era SF Random Chatter – Mostly about football, book (or similar) that was still in print or differences between US and American available as an e-text, reasoning that if codes, Audience numbers and levels of this SF is both available and still community support / organisation. And then spoken of, then it is probably a fairly the ladies returned. good read. (c) Garry P Dalrymple Earlier that day Amanda had phoned me to August 2012 pass on the message that she would be unable to attend this evening. She invited Garry’s notes from the Sept. me to invent some excuse that would be 20, 2012, Infinitas Book more convincing than ‘work commitments’, Review meeting - Published in so in turn I invited all present to contribute TBS&E No. 99 their suggestions resulting in; 1. Had received a _very_ lucrative offer The Book discussed was; The from a discerning ‘gentleman’ Nemesis List by R. J. Frith – SF consequent to hearing of her exceptional Ukelele playing and Belly Present were; Amanda, Anthony, Garry, Dancing talents. Len, Lynette, Phil, Sam and Tim 2. She has gone back to her old job as an undercover assassin and needs It was all Amanda’s fault, she confessed, to ‘case’ addresses in Bridge street the explanation for this book choice. It and Macquarie street prior to a ‘hit’ had been selected as a choice as it involving multiple high profile targets. contained ‘some Science Fiction’, a 3. She has joined a religious sect which response to the run of Fantasy books that does not permit mixed gender had been chosen in previous months. A meetings, and consequently all first reaction to this book was that much of faithful may only communicate in the ‘action’ promised on the cover blurb binary code. failed to occur, immediately dropping a 4. She has been signed by the Dallas reader’s potential satisfaction if that blurb Cowboys franchise, lingerie League. had lead you to buy / read that book. For 5. The most disturbing suggestion example a point of the book is that the however was – She has joined the Main Character is supposed to be on a

19 20 single-minded righteous vendetta intent on extensive Dumerest of Earth series) you wiping out a list of 57 names. Only two might enjoy this book and presumably the are killed in this book and they were not series that follows from this book, although killed by the Main Character. A second there are better examples of this sub- egregious error was that this book fails to genre to be had. One can only hope / clearly disclose that it is in fact the first of a expect that the next instalment will be series, i.e. the story is not complete at the more proficiently written and that the cover end of this book, and that it is also unclear blurbs will be written by someone who has when / if future episodes in the series will actually read the book! I believe that all be available, an inexplicable breach of good who read this book were in some degree with the reader? The story line of this book disappointed by it, some to the point of is strikingly similar to that of the Firefly exasperation, others merely to the point movie, a space chase to avoid assassins that they would have been satisfied to read from the government, a person with the book as is, if the cover blurb hadn’t ‘weapon grade’ mental powers who is raised other expectations. shielded / protected by a disgruntled merchant / mercenary type space ship Deviations captain. The purpose of the flight in this Future Insurance – Given the occasional book is however that the Government is apology worthy book choices and the paying to keep the Main character out of unavailability of really good books (Tim reach from the revolutionaries who plot to frequently sells out stocks of the really use the main character as a pawn. Is the popular / good books before book review Author a Lady? Some discussion of this group people can buy them!) it was point sparked by the ambiguity of the use of suggested that a reserve list of ‘Classic’, initials used by the Author in place of a first that is to say always in print / in stock past name. The point of this being that the Hugo and Nebula winning titles and books writer dwells at length on the feelings / by SF authors who are dead long enough motivations of the characters in the story, to be regarded as ‘Literary’ SF writers however, to the contrary, this treatment of should be compiled. The idea being to the Serenity story seems to lack any female create a pool / list of ‘evergreen’ SF characters, something that Joss Weedon Authors / Books, which can be the source ‘delivers’ on. As to the characters of this of a Review meeting choice when we fail book – not really sympathetic at all, some to find a tolerable recently published book commented that a reader would not care if choice, or a choice is out of stock in the they lived or died. The main character is bookshop. The first fruit of this is the distrustful of everyone, the revelations of suggestion that a book by John the details of his earlier life as a child Wyndham be a next book choice, i.e. pick experimental subject may be intended to any book by John Wyndham, bring it engage our sympathy / interest, but fail to along and discuss it, irrespective of the make for an engaging character. additional burden that this places on the Boswell of these meetings. Final word on this book – This book does not deliver what the cover promises. It is not a great book, if you are looking for an erzats ‘Firefly / Serenity’ style space Opera, Space Chase adventure (like E.C. Tubbs’ 20 21 TBS&E Number 51 - February to April 2012 completely unattractive to men and Adam thinks he is a complete ‘tool’ in relationships with women and consequently avoids Women and the complications of relationships. This is in spite of her describing every physical contact with Adam as if she were a full body erogenous zone. In Space, only their ‘Issues’ can keep them apart and much of the story is ‘inconclusive foreplay’ ISBN 0-553-44187-6 Loveswept with consummation derailed / delayed by #517, ‘Ever Since Adam’, by Terry emotional issues until they can each ‘work Lawrence (US) Romantic Fiction, of the full through’ and help each other ‘heal’ their disclosure / full penetration type, set on respective self-image issues and discuss board a Space Station, 180 pages, (c) their feelings. It goes on and on and on. 1992, 14 mm - Read July 1 to 12, 2012. It may be only a 180 page story but it seemed so much longer. Then of I noticed this book and picked it up because course, they are free to go off like a fire it had a Space Station interior scene on the cracker – several times – and after this cover, and nearly put it down again because they discover that they can love of what else was on the cover, a close up themselves and each other. and personal Zero Gee tableau, only made ‘decent’ by the artists licence and ‘gravity Titillating? Somewhat, _her_ every simulating terry towelling’. Was this ‘Sci-Fi physical feeling / arousal is disclosed in Romance’? No it wasn’t; it was a full on lurid / purple detail, his aren’t described ‘Lady’s Romance’ story of the modern type much at all, apart from physical that just happened to be set on a Space appearance. She experiences him, but Station and involved the sex life of two his experience of the encounters Astronauts. So, out of a sense of ‘I’ve described as often, which I found a bit never read any of that before’, I decided to surprising after all the pages of alternating persevere and read it, even though its ‘His and Hers’ feelings, issues and genre is way beyond my personal comfort backstory being described at great length zone. through the middle of the book. They discover Sex, and Love and then are set The story of the book, such as it is, is that up for a separation drama, will he go to she is an ergonomic expert and Space Mars for three years, how will she get by habitat / capsule designer, with a without him etc. Which is all neatly but psychology degree and he is a long improbably resolved by NASA deciding duration Space Station based Astronaut that they BOTH can go to Mars, as a who is being seriously considered for the honeymoon couple, with two other Men. first three year mission to Mars. It soon However so convenient, but as unlikely as emerges that they both have emotional the crew of Ray Bradbury’s ‘ Martian issues, from past experiences (which Chronicles’?. emerge during the story) Maggie thinks that she is a ‘dud root’ and consequently Conclusion – I presented this book for

21 22 discussion at the Infinitas SF&F book urgent stocktaking on board a space ship, review meeting. Everyone had a look, explaining a missing item from inventory read a bit and were ... amazed, at the results in a bureaucratic logjam that affects content and the writing style. I expect that all spacecraft. some would consider it ‘Pornographic’, but I expect it just reflects where ‘Romance’ is Legwork – An alien arrives, a scout for a these days, don’t just hint at sex occurring, parasitical species with the ability to describe it in detail, blow by blow, physical control people’s minds at will and to and emotional reactions – Very different to assume any appearance. How can he the at times dispassionate style of some fail? Dogged police work establishes the Science Fiction. No doubt a valid form or unidentifiable visitor’s powers, establishes recreational reading for some, but only of its modus operandi an it is from this that ‘Literary Research’ interest to me. the alien is found and killed, before the Stranger things happen in Slash Fan scout is able to radio back Earth’s Fiction? vulnerability. The alien’s legacy, it’s © Garry P Dalrymple July 25. 2012 spacecraft and other technology falls into human hands for back engineering and a future human future in space. No ISBN - Far Stars, by Eric Frank Russell (UK dec’d), A single Author Diabologic – The subtle art of First contact collection of Six stories originally published is explained, a process of logical anti-logic in 1950s SF&F Magazines, 128 pages (c) to put alien species ‘in their place’ more 1961 10 mm. Read July to 2012 effectively than with a fleet of Space Battleships and Mega-death falling from The Waitabits – A Space Scout of the the skies. The lone space scout expanding Human Space Commonwealth confidently engages the best minds alien reports an ‘unconquerable’ Planet. A species / government in mind games that Mission is despatched to investigate. hint at the superior depth of mind of the They discover a Planet with a different pace Earth lead federation of inhabited Planets. of life, a ‘day’ in a year, natives who are frustratingly slow in motion and perception, The Timeless Ones – An Alien Historian, where effective communication of routine with a long view of history becomes proposals for federation / association are concerned about a threat to the status quo likely to need the life of generations of of the Universe. The threat it emerges ambassadors for the natives to consider are us, humans. The threat is identified and reply. as the constantly breeding and spreading tide of Han Chinese! P.S. – A retired doctor’s chance encounter with a relativistic time lapsed Astronaut, Comments and Conclusion – All these reveals an an expected fact about his stories were written more than fifty years lifelong alien penfriend, which challenges ago and published at the beginning of the his lifelong assumptions about the 1960s when the fashion in Science Fiction personality of the alien with whom he has (like much else) were changing. Views of shared the intimate details of his life to date. the Alien, human and extra-terrestrial have changed, the characters are recognisably Allamagoosa – The original space ‘shaggy characters 1950s characters with attitudes dog’ story. An inspection provokes an and technology to match. Ignoring for the 22 23 TBS&E Number 51 - February to April 2012 moment the ‘PC’ issue, the theme of most Conclusion – I bought it and read it in the of these stories remains viable, proof of the one day, mostly while in transit to and from essential nature of post 1940s SF as a the Kipling Society meeting last Saturday. ‘Literature of Ideas’ rather than stories It was enjoyably juvenile and I expect that about Ray guns, BEMs and girls in ‘Space it is all true, so, it contains ‘much Bikinis’. (c) Garry P Dalrymple August goodness’. Only time will tell if this sort 2012 of TV program / book is leading a wave rather than following it, i.e. does this sort of thing lead to a generation of ISBN 0-590-13972 – Archaeological obsessives, as Harry Horrible Histories the Cut-Throat Potter has lead to a rise in studies of Latin, Celts, or just satisfies the perverse reading habits of people who read ‘The Fortean Times’? by Terry Deary, illustrations by Martin If I see more of the series I will probably Brown (Both UK), Ancient History, TV buy them, pity I do not have any young series tie in. 128 pages, (c) 1997, 12 mm - nieces or nephews to corrupt with this sort Read July 21 and 22, 2012. of literature. © Garry Dalrymple July 24, 2012 This book is one of a series of thin books generated by the UK TV series called ISBN 978-0-575-09658-5, ‘Horrible Histories’ (currently on channel 23 ‘ABC Kids’) which was intended to amuse Deadlocked, By Charlaine Harris children with the bits of history that are (US), Paranormal Romance, with yucky and horrible, the sort of stuff that Vampires, Werefolk and Fairies etc. an children (of all ages) want to know but eleventh (!) Sookie Stackhouse book, 327 which are usually sanitised out of school pages (c) 2012, 24 mm History books. The TV series was If you have been following the book series originally based on a large format ‘Horrible or have been watching the HBO TV series Histories’ book, which covers a number of you know what to expect. Some sort of European and American historical places crime that has to be solved, which involves and periods, ancient Egypt to the Second a cast of supernatural characters living World War. The TV program presents a ‘normally’ in the American south, with number of ‘dramatizations’ of the facts of lashings of ‘soap opera’ as the point of Horrible History in each episode, and view character views all things through the usually from a number of times, so I expect prism of her relationships with the people, that the facts in this book were the by- two natured and supernaturals who inhabit product of additional research generated by Bon Temps Florida / Louisiana etc. the making of the TV series, including items For this outing the essential words are they couldn’t think how to present ‘Fairy Blood’, ‘Cluvial Dor’ and ‘Fairy ‘tastefully’. This much smaller book Prince’. The crime is the murder of a focusses on just the life and times of young woman who was paid to make Britain’s pre-Saxon inhabitants, no doubt herself available to Sookie’s Vampire there are several other similar books each boyfriend. A vial of Fairy Blood was focused on one or other period of British or provided to her to ‘drug’ Eric and hopefully classical History. drive him to murder. The word is out 23 24 among the supernatural community that Australia Sookie may have possession of some seriously powerful magical device, and Present were 28 people, 12 M and 16 F Sookie fears that someone who knows about her Cluvial Dor is behind the murder It was a cold night, (the winter Solstice two and possibly plotting more mayhem in the days before) and threatening to rain. local Supernatural community. Apparently Elsewhere, It was -9 at Armidale this out of the blue Sookie’s Great Grandfather, week!. There was much to do over the the last surviving Fairy Prince turns up on inability to locate / access the meeting an undisclosed mission. Babies are born, room’s fuse box, as the power points of weddings are planned, A vampire princess one side of the room were ‘out’ requiring shows up to claim her boyfriend as a leads and power boards to be used to run consort, The mastermind behind everything power to the computer and projector from turns out to be her cousin Claude, who had power points the kitchen area. The usual plotted events likely to distress Sookie, with list of the unwell and other apologies were a view to bringing his father out of Fairie to read out and what association ‘business’ Sookie’s aid, so he could kill his own father there was, was dealt with unusual speed. and then take over the fairy realm. This is During this ordinary meeting a number of resolved, all the Fairy folk get ‘whooshed’ visitors arrived. The turnout for tonight back to fairie and the portal closed off. was greatly boosted by the attendance of ‘Were Justice’ is meted out, resulting in members of the Mytilenian Brotherhood collateral damage, the Cluvial Dor is (inhabitants of Lesvos are frequently deployed to save a life, Eric the Vampire referred to as ‘Mytilenians’, after the boyfriend racks off. Setting up Sookie for island’s largest town). The brotherhood the next adventure? has a club / meeting place at the old ex- cinema near the Cook’s River. Conclusion – I get the feeling that this series is continuing not on its own merits, The Eastern Aegean Island of Lesvos but to continue to provide material for the TV series. I am no longer as affected by the characters and the story line, possibly all that should be explored of the Bon Temps has already been explored. With the exit of the Fairie folk and apparently the Vampire lover Eric, much of the original premise is lost?

Notes from the June 26, 2012 meeting of the Canterbury and District Historical Society.

Speaker; Vasilis Vasilas, The Talk Topic; Lesvos, My Parent’s The Speaker – Vasilis Vasilas, currently homeland and the journey to a school teacher at East Hills, while being

24 25 TBS&E Number 51 - February to April 2012 Australian born, he has the pedigree of both large enough and prosperous enough to of his parents being born on the Greek be an independent minded ‘Greek’ island Aegean Island of Lesvos. He has been in a Turkish. It supported some industry, active in Greek Australian Community Olive pressing and ceramics. This trade affairs, and inevitably sport, since his based orientation was changed early in the University days, but his first entry into last century by events of the final writing was through attempting to document transformation of the Ottoman Empire into some of the life and times of the Olympic the modern state of Turkey and its Football Club. neighbours. It was a ‘Greek liberated’ It is fitting that Vlassis took us on a journey, island during the first Balkan war of 1912, his journey into writing, mostly about the formally recognised as part of Greece and journey and migrant experience of after the 1921/22 Anatolian war which lead Australians of Lesvos origin. to a population exchange between Turkey and Greece which involved 1.5 million Lesvos, the Aegean and the Turkish Greeks leaving Turkey (and 600,000 Turks mainland leaving Greece), severing its economic links to the East via the Black sea port town of Smyrna. Lesvos currently has a population of about 90,000. Journey as a writer, being involved with the Olympic club his first engagement as a writer was to try to document and preserve the memories of a generation passing. Nearly completed a book on this but became discouraged, however got into the practice of going door to door to collect life stories and photos which ended up on a website, nearly 900 people, their story and up to eight images to tell their story to posterity. This lead to a display, of images and stories collected were set up to simulate the migration experience, visitors were lead through ‘home’, transit, arrival and progress in a new land sections. Lesvos – The significance of Lesvos (or Reaction to this made the first book Lesbos) needs explanation. It is the third (Lesvos based) ‘Journeys of Uncertainty largest of the Islands of Greece and as and Hope’, publishable, then ‘Our such a big place by the standards of the Homeland, Lesvos’. The success of the islands of the Aegean Sea. It is also very first lead to interest in creating the second close to Turkey and the formerly Greek book, ‘Our Homeland, Lesvos’, which is populated parts of the old Ottoman Empire. something of a prequel to the first book in Thus it was not a backwater, but an island that it is more focussed on documenting at the centre of the Mediterranean – Adriatic Lesvos and the world these Australian – Aegean – Black Sea trade. Lesvos was pioneers left behind His next book will be 25 26 postponed ‘Soccer’ book and future projects view that they left Greece as people from for the future is a book on the Lesvos to separate islands or regions, but by the New Zealand story, which is nearing journey out to Australia they were completion, and an Estonia focussed book. transformed and changed into a new collective identity of being ‘countrymen’ Local History – his books are assembled and ‘Migrants’. Many of the people that in Australia from local and imported parts, Vlassis interviewed had an experience of photos memories and stories carried at the catharsis during the interview process, an bottom of Dowry (Glory) boxes several of emotional release of feelings about leaving the people whose stories are in the books home that some had bottled up for 50 or are local, several living along Homer Street 60 years or more without ever sharing Earlwood and Belmore. even with their families. Untold Stories? – during his researches Discoveries – Many and varied were the Vlassis has encountered local Greek people images which turned up during his with memories and experiences of WW2 researches, as often to the suitcase or occupation in Greece, Korean War dowry boxes, as an afterthought the last Veterans, the Greek Civil war ‘Stolen thing added before departure was a wallet Generation’ of Greek children ‘fostered’ to of family or other photos depicting all Soviet Bloc countries. All stories worthy of aspects of the pre-migration experience. re-telling Images that crop up may include photos of Hellenic Pioneer - Michael Manusa scenes of the Greek-Turkish war of seemingly the first successful Greek (free) 1921/2, WW2 occupied Greece, the Greek migrant, came to Australia, from America in army in Palestine, the post WW2 Civil War the Gold rush during 1853, married a local, internment and exile photographs, School and did very well indeed out at Mandoran, shots, wedding festivals, sport and family where his name still present in that gatherings / departure group photos. All community, attached to several local of which are now shared with the world via landmarks. He married an English girl and the website are shared with the world via didn’t bring family out. the website and occasionally join up time and distance severed family connections, The Migrant experience - Australia too far as some of these images no longer survive away, until the diaspora caused by the 1922 in their native land. war and WW2 dislocation, previously America, Alexandria and Athens were more Other past Lesvos residents have familiar places to migrate to. The young included; were sent abroad, ‘to have a future’ Sappho (7th and 6th centuries BC), poet frequently 15 and 16 year old boys were sent out across the world, some endured the experience of arriving to meet no-one on the docks. For most family groups, the rural Migrant camps (Silver city) were their first impression of Australia and within these families there was great concern at whether migration under these circumstances had been the right decision. Many voiced the 26 27 TBS&E Number 51 - February to April 2012 Kostas Kenteris, athlete Gold Olympic metal Sydney 2000, World and European championship gold medal © Garry P Dalrymple July 2012

Terpander (7th century BC), poet and citharede Alcaeus of Mytilene (7th century BC), poet Notes from August 28, 2012 and politician Canterbury and District Historical Aristotle (384–322 BC), philosopher, was Society meeting*, Topic; The life born in Chalkidike but lived for a time on the and travels of Jeanne Baré, (aka island. Baret) 1740 – 1807, the First Theophrastus (370–285 BC), philosopher and botanist Speaker;Woman to Bruce sail around G. Shying, the world. from Theoctiste of Lesbos (9th century), hermit the Sydney Maritime Fleet. saint [email protected] Christopher of Mytilene (11th century), poet *(NB In the account that follows notes from Hayreddin Barbarossa (1470s–1546), this meeting have been ‘fortified’ by adding Ottoman admiral in some information from Wikipedia). Georgios Jakobides (1853–1932), painter To be Published in TBS&E No. 99 Theophilos Hatzimihail (c. 1870–1934), painter Present were; 19 people, 10M 9F Tériade (1889–1983), art critic, patron, and -The various Association committee publisher member’s reports were received and Hermon di Giovanno (c. 1900–1968), accepted. painter -Given the uneven response to the Hüseyin Hilmi Pasha Ottoman Grand Vizier proposal for a formal dinner to celebrate 1909–1910 the Association’s Silver Jubilee, a less Odysseas Elytis (1911–1996), poet formal meal at Beulah Vista at the end of Tzeli Hadjidimitriou (b. 1962), photographer the year seems more likely. and writer -Old Street Directories – are in demand, Stratis Myrivilis (1890–1969), writer to be scanned for future reference. Ahmed Djemal (1872–1922), Ottoman -It is proposed to designate a room at commander, politician Beulah Vista as the ‘Lesley Muir Room’

27 28 (with a plaque) as a lasting memorial to her Phillibert’s passion was to be a botanist, work and significance to the Association. however his father insisted that he study -Tuesday October 30 has been scheduled medicine, so at the age of 32 he married as a clean-up day at Beulah Vista. Antoinette and moved to establish a -A new member has joined the practice in the town where Jeanne Bare Association, following to the recent Article in lived / worked, where Phillibert’s new the Canterbury and Bankstown torch. Brother-in-law was the local priest. His -In association with the National Local wife died in or after childbirth, so was History conference later this year (Tempe landed with a child, he engaged Jeanne as Rowing Club) there will be a ‘meet and his housekeeper, she became pregnant greet’ at History House Macquarie St. and they decamped for Paris, funded by Sydney. Members are asked to volunteer Antoinette’s inheritance, leaving the to assist the catering effort. legitimate child with his brother-in-law. At Other News – invitation to visit an this time, a pregnant servant was a exhibition of Frank Hurley’s Antarctic notifiable offence and an exceedingly photos (Centenary of Australian Antarctic inconvenient scandal. With Antoinette’s exploration). Threads Exhibition, at the this money Phillibert no longer needed to local library there will be a ‘Threads-They work as a doctor so he was able to follow Wore What’ exhibition during local History up on his botanical interest. The week, starting September 6. illegitimate child, named Jean-Pierre Baret A local ‘Walk for Reconciliation’ event will (after Jeanne’s father) was sent off to a take place around the banks of the Cooks foundling’s and as so many did, died River on December 16, 2012. soon afterwards. During this time Jeanne Bare was known as "Jeanne de The life and travels of Jeanne Bonnefoy". Baré, (aka Baret) 1740 – 1807, the During the 1760s, a concern in France First Woman to sail around the was what to do about replacing the world. Colonies (Canada and in India) that had been lost to the British? The response A Heroine? - Jeanne Baret (sometimes was to mount a series of ‘Scientific’ spelled Baré or Barret) was born in 1740 explorations of the then unknown parts of (July 27) to day labourers. Unusually she the World, i.e. the Pacific. was literate, possibly because she was a protestant (Hugenot). In early life she Louis de Bouganville, an Aristocrat, who worked as a herbalist, supplying local had briefly settled in the South Atlantic doctors and peasants with medicinal plants Faulkland Islands, (before the French sold in the Loire valley region. them to Spain!) was the man to lead an expedition of two ships, the Boudeuse and A Villain? – Phillibert de Commerson was the stores / supply ship Etoile, and in 1765 born 17 years before and 100 miles away to he attempted to engaged Philibert as ships a much higher station in life. In ordinary Botanist and a haircut and some cross circumstances they would never have met. dressing later, the ship’s Botanist acquired The ‘de’ in the name indicating that the an assistant / servant, allegedly after an person or an ancestor had once owned an improbable random and spontainious estate and as such in pre-revolutionary dockside encounter (some evidence France could style themselves as gentry. 28 29 TBS&E Number 51 - February to April 2012 suggests that this fiction had some level of solved! official complicity, as Phillibert was unwell, Stranded on Mauritius for four years, until in need of care during the voyage. The Phillibert’s death in February 1773, in a expedition commenced in December 1766, housekeeper’s role (It is likely that she including landings in tropical Brazil and sub- accompanied him to botanize on Madagascar Antarctic Patagonia, it Jean who did the and Bourbon Island in 1770-1772.) Jeanne fetching and carrying of the Botanists trade, was then left without the means to return as well as preparation and cataloguing to France to claim the money due her from between landfalls. It was remarked how well de Commerson's will, six years ‘Jean’ (the bloke) worked. Rounding Cape accumulated salary from the voyage and Horn the expedition crossed the pacific their flat in Paris. She had to support (discovering) to Tahiti. The French herself as a barmaid, in a pub at Port expedition’s ‘Great South Land’ search Louis, until May 17, 1774, when she (months ahead of Captain Cook’s arrival in married Jean Dubernat, a non- the Pacific, he was still in Detford setting up commissioned officer in the French Army for his Venus Transit and ‘Great South who was most likely on the island on his Land’ expedition) was to transit the Pacific way home to France, returning to France at Latitude 15 degrees south. They at an unknown date, about eight years encountered the Great Barrier Reef, but after she had left France. On her return running out of supplies, by June 5, 1768 to Paris she was able to access her legacy they headed North and towards home. from Philibert’s estate, bought some land They had seen land behind the Great at Saint Aulaye, her new husband’s native Barrier Reef and they had approached village, where he did blacksmithing and within 200 km of Cooktown / the passage she went back into herb gathering. In through the reef that Cook was to 1785, ten years after her return, she was discover. On board the Boudeuse and granted a government pension of 200 the Etoile things were grim, the officers livres a year, at the perogative of a then were dining on ships rats, and finding them government Minister, de Bouganville, in delicious! (incidentally not a such a bad recognition for the scientific work she thing to do, to prevent scurvy, as all conducted, a first ever French recognition animals, with the exception of humans, of female contribution to scholarship. This great apes and guinea pigs create their own soon forgotten story is currently emerging vitamin C.). They were later to eat the into print via several authors. ship’s dog. During a landing on New Ireland (to the North of Papua New If you want to know more about Jeanne Guinea), in search of food Jean / Jeanette’s Bare, then the following two books gender subterfuge was ‘discovered and might be helpful; Dunmore, John explored’, most likely in a particularly brutal (2002), Monsieur Baret: First Woman manner, resulting in a pregnancy that would Around the World, Heritage Press, ISBN 0- have had recriminations for all, sailors and 908708-54-8 officers if the matter became widely Ridley, Glynis (2010), The Discovery of known. De Bouganville’s solution to the Jeanne Baret, Crown Publisher New York, problem – to offload the Botanist / Doctor at ISBN 0-307-46352-4 Mauritius, his ‘servant’ as attached Legacy and loose ends? Of the many baggage, and to sail for home – problem plants that Jeanne Bare gathered / 29 30 catalogued, perhaps the best known is ‘Bougainvillea’. So think of Jeanne when next you see Bougainvillea in bloom. The Australian circumnavigator Matthew Flinders was also to be detained on Mauritius, and a member of the household with whom he was lodged bore the surname de Bonnefoy, being about the right age to be Jeanne’s child from the New Ireland encounter. Nautical Cross Dressing? Sir Joseph Banks attempted to bring aboard his inseparable but rather effeminate friend ‘Mr. Barnette’ ahead of what would have been his second voyage with Cook. The refusal to countenance this deception resulted in Mr. Banks (and his retinue) pulling out of the voyage, no doubt to the relief of Captain Cook et al. A portrait of Jeanne Baré dressed in the Words that Came ashore - Bruce spoke manner of a French sailor, 10 years after briefly to a handout illustrating a number of her death. nautical terms, largely from French, which © Garry P Dalrymple September 2012 have come assure and entered the English language, usually with some ‘adjustment’ of meaning; Produced by Garry Dalrymple Rummage Sale, from an old French word, ‘arrumage’ a word for ‘cargo’. as a contribution to mailing No. Jury Rigged, from an old French word 666, of the Australian and NZ ‘Ajurie’ from a word meaning ‘aid’, as in to assist. The Jury in a court of law being a Amateur Press Association. panel to ‘assist’ a judge making a decision on a case. Postal Address: Garry Dalrymple, Local Post Office Box 4152, Bexley North NSW 2207 Home ph. (best after 7 pm) 02 9718- 5827 Email; [email protected]

© Garry P Dalrymple November 2012

30 31 TBS&E Number 51 - February to April 2012

March 10 – Attended the Paranormal Romance meeting at the Galaxy bookshop. Provided one litre of Pomegrate Nectar, which failed completely 31 32 to have the effect (Gift of Aphrodite for Rusty discovered that he could get out of a lime green ones, weighed a few bunches locked cage _ by nearly destroying it_ . out of curiousity, you get five to the Kilo, so A recent discovery is that the local Big W has ~$2.60 a Banana, and week till they’re ripe. 12 kg , ‘I know how he got in there, but I don’t observed since the see how he is going to manage to turn or get out of there. And yet he does! (c) Garry P last meeting, as well as his recent Dalrymple April 2011 observing statistics and some speculation on the progress of the current Solar Cycle – C24.

Produced by Garry Dalrymple as a Notes from the Sydney contribution to mailing No. Futurian SF Discussion 260, of the Australian and meeting of Friday February 18 NZ Amateur Press – Planet Modification in SF Association. Stories Postal Address: Garry Present were – Garry Dalrymple, Diane Fox, John Fox, Kevin McKern, Ann Dalrymple, Rankins and Dean Wheatley. Local Post Office Box 4152, Apologies were received from Stephen Bexley North NSW 2207 Bingle and Sonia Lal Home ph. (best after 7 pm) What we have been reading recently; GD – The December 2010 issue of Analog 02 9718- 5827 and the Nov/Dec 2010 issue of Science Fiction & Fantasy Email; [email protected]

© Garry Dalrymple April 2011

Re the Heatwave, one night we did keep them in the house until the early hours of the morning and it was open cage sleeping thereafter, after

32 33 TBS&E Number 51 - February to April 2012 next time you run hundred or more years, passed down through generations of birds! 6. National Broadband Network – Eric Lindsay Dear Eric, I can’t say if I agree or disagree with what you say, but I will try to pass it on to this issue. May I have an e version of this to aid transmission? 7. Kingdom of the Bland - Eric Lindsay Dear Eric, I take issue with your view that and High Domestic demand, in a pump it in, pump it out manner.

1. OBO #258 - Bruce Gillespie 8. Jeanzine 2010-4 - Jean Weber Dear Bruce RAEYCBNCATT Dear Jean, Nice Phoots, The Major difference between Northern and Southern 2. Quoz 22 – Claire Brialey & Mark Hemisphere and more numerous stars to Plummer be seen of the night sky. Dan McCarthy Dear Claire & Mark I noted with interest 9. . Panopticon 63 - Dan McCarthy your comments on beaurocracy living in the Dear Dan, I’m reminded of the Chapel on shadow of social disorder, particularly as I the lake at Queenstown, just on the water, had just ? As for TBS&E 41 I’m proud can’t Pasturian’ (e or paper?) to have managed four full colour Phoots. 15. Land of 10,000 Loans - Jeanne Mealy 4. Rhubarb 35 - John and Diane Fox Dear Jeanne, Halloween? A passing Dear John and Diane, pleased to see your strange celebration in our neck of the Freecon Report and coverage, particularly woods, received as being predominantly as for you the Freecon was a ‘residential’ ‘American’ in convention. y will put into chewing up a plastic food container for that last taste of grease or 3. BRG 66 - Bruce Gillespie food you wouldn’t believe. Dear Bruce ‘adventures’ with Diabetes during be damned, by it I concluded that 17. Hold That Tiger – Gerald Smith it was 1000 metres up the road! Dear Gerald, In my change a week or so before Christmas I received two bright 4. Necessity 97: Juno - Jack Herman new 2010 this during the year, I take it Dear Jack your report on your trip to China that Paul Hogan is unlikely to feature in was Mad Men’s re-creation of the 1950s / the movie of this Centenary. 60s. 19. Sparrowgrass & Battle-twigs 17 – 5. Lyre Bird 1 – Knud Larn Roman Orszanski Dear Knud, we send Denmark one Princess Dear Roman, I appreciated your and two Tasmanian devils and all we get Aussiecon 4 coverage, your participation back is one Knud! Say hi to Mary for us 33 34 was rather at the Worldcon’ file for these con reports and comments?

20. YRKYHWYFAWIYB 132 - Cath Ortlieb Dear Cath, commiserations on your mother and for a ‘dud’ year in general. Hope your 2011 is much more agreeable.

22. OZ SF Fan - Lucy Schmeidler Dear Lucy, good to see that you areat last getting more mobile. Of the books you list I’ve t date, I suppose that would make the ideas in it ‘ahead of their time’.

21. That was the Year that wasn’t – Marc Ortlieb Dear Marc, congratulations and my Sunday – December 5, 2010 appreciation on your service to cub dom I decided to go to Marrickville and Reverse and Garbage to try to sort out the matter of the non-delivery of a TV set and arm chair 23. Anzapa 770 15 – Roger Sims picked and paid for on Sunday July 11 Dear Roger, again another view of (cost, $56 Aussiecon, different facets of the whole. I The End of the Road for issue can’t give you an and personal during love making possibly explains why they went #43 mythological? 24. The Unfortunate Rhinos - Spike Pages 1 to 3 – Front Page (a few Dear Spike, I note the Sherlock Holmes Frews?) Editorial, and the Jan 25 interest, common enough among SF fans (and how stories than SF stories?), but this 2010 meeting of the Canterbury & isn’t to well known even among SF fans? District Historical Society Pages 3, 4 and 5 – Original Fiction 25. Yterbium 92 – Alan Stewart ‘UXB14’ (an entry in the 2010 Dear Alan, I share your pain on PO Box Freecon’s Short SF Story writing capers, my ‘new’ PO box is last year’s PO competition, placed 7th) box, only they have changed the number (adding correspondents and mail sorters! Pages 5 to 7 – An interview with Thus is Progress! Ian M. Banks, ‘live’ from London via Skype and Gleebooks on 26. Interstellar Ramjet Scoop - Bill October 2010 Wright Dear Bill, Your newsletter deserves far Pages 7 to 10 – Book Reviews more comment than I can deal with at this Pages 11 to 13 – Mailing time, the deadline looms, hope you found Comments The Pasturian (1.2 will be out soon) interesting 34 35 TBS&E Number 51 - February to April 2012 Pages 13 to 16 - Book Reviews cont. © Garry P. Dalrymple February Pages 16 to 18 – Sydney Futurians’ 2011 Bests and Worsts of 2010 (January 21, 2011) and notes from the Dec. 16, 2010 Infinitas Book Review Page 19 - Traveller’s Tale and Our Last Soldier Settler Pages 20 to 24 – Basenjis Tail Piece

35