Ansible 345 -- April 2016 [long]

[David Langford]

ANSIBLE 345
APRIL 2016

From DAVID LANGFORD, 94 London Road, Reading, Berks, RG1 5AU, UK. Website
news.ansible.uk. ISSN 0265-9816 (print); 1740-942X (e). Available for SAE
or the radiant car thy sparrows drew.

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AXED! No champagne corks will pop for the 21st anniversary of my _SFX_
magazine column (in every issue since the June 1995 launch). The next one,
in _SFX_ 274, is my last. Austere overlords counting beans at Future
Publishing HQ have imposed a budget cut, and editor Richard Edwards can no
longer afford what he kindly calls 'star writers and illustrations'; column
illustrator Andy Watt also gets the push.
Free from the four-weekly _SFX_ deadlines, I'll be turning more of my
backlist into ebooks. _Up Through an Empty House of Stars: Reviews and
Essays 1980-2002_ now has its first digital edition -- see ae.ansible.uk.
Also in preparation is a book of the 91 still uncollected _SFX_ columns --
plus extras to make the count up to 100 -- all tentatively titled _The Last
SFX Visions_.


### FOOL'S GOLD ###

PINTER BENCE cries '_J'accuse!_' (though in Hungarian) with a post at
sci-fi.mandiner.hu stating that almost all translated foreign content in
the Hungarian magazine _Galaktika_ is pirated from such online sources as
_Clarkesworld_, _Lightspeed_, _Strange Horizons_ and Tor.com, without
rights-holders' permission and of course without payment. (23 March) [SFS]

ARTHUR KRYSTAL explains the literary Catch-22 that has so long perplexed
the tiny minds of genre-lovers: 'Literary work is not a genre. You can't
have bad literary writing in the way that you can have bad mysteries or bad
science fiction, because then it wouldn't be literary.' (_Chronicle of
Higher Education_, 6 March) [MMW]

JACK MCDEVITT officially has a heavenly body: the IAU-approved name of
Asteroid 328305, discovered in 2006, is Jackmcdevitt. [L]

SHARYN NOVEMBER's senior editorial position at Viking Children's Books was
'eliminated' in a reorganization. She began at Puffin in 1990 and had been
editorial director of Firebird from its 2002 launch.


### CONK-SINGLETON ###

9-10 Apr [] SCI FI SCARBOROUGH (comics, media), The Spa Complex,
Scarborough. Tickets Pounds27.50 (day Pounds16.50); 6-16s Pounds11 (day
Pounds5.50); under-6s free. See www.scifiscarborough.co.uk.

11 Apr - 20 Jun [] _DOCTOR WHO_ (11-week Monday evening class), Aquinas
College, Stockport. Contact Sheila Lahan, 0161 419 9163.

21-24 Apr [] DEAD BY DAWN (horror film festival), Filmhouse Cinema One, 88
Lothian Rd, Edinburgh, EH3 9BZ. Pounds75 reg. Box office 0131 228 2688.
Online booking via www.deadbydawn.co.uk.

27 Apr - 6 May [] SCI-FI LONDON (film), various London venues. Clarke
shortlist to be announced at opening. See sci-fi-london.com.

30 Apr - 1 May [] EM-CON (media), Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham. Pounds160
reg with extras (2 photoshoots, 1 autograph); Pounds10 day (11am); Pounds15
day (10am); Pounds115 day (10am) with extras. See www.em-con.co.uk.

27-30 May [] SUPERNOVA sf film festival, Odeon Printworks, Manchester.
Tickets Pounds50. See grimmfest.com/grimmupnorth/.

28-29 May [] SATELLITE 5, Marriott Hotel, Glasgow. Pounds55 reg; 12-17s
Pounds20; 5-11s Pounds5; under-5s Pounds2. _Rates rise on 4 April._ Contact
c/o Flat 2/1, 691 Shields Rd, Pollokshields, Glasgow, G41 4QL. Membership
forms and online registration at satellite5.org.uk.

12-14 Aug [] NINE WORLDS GEEKFEST (multimedia), Novotel London West,
Hammersmith, London. _Now Pounds100 reg_, rising to Pounds115 on 1 July;
5-15s Pounds33; under-5s free. Book online at nineworlds.co.uk.

3-4 Sep [] MIDDLE-EARTH FESTIVAL, Sarehole Mill, Cole Bank Rd, Hall Green,
Birmingham, B13 0BD. Free. See middleearthfestival.co.uk.

17-18 Sep [] FUTUREFEST (futurology), Tobacco Dock, London. 'Early bird'
tickets Pounds70, _rising to Pounds80 on 1 May_; day tickets to be
available in June. See futurefest.org for 2016 'themes and curators'.

1 Oct [] TITANCON, Wellington Park Hotel, Belfast. Pounds25 reg; Pounds5
supporting; tickets available from 9 April. See titancon.com.

7-9 Oct [] DESTINATION STAR TREK, NEC, Birmingham. Day Pounds29; 2 days
Pounds39; 3 days Pounds49; VIP Pounds145 to Pounds2999! See
destinationstartrek.com.

28-30 Oct [] FESTIVAL OF FANTASTIC FILMS, Pendulum Hotel, Manchester.
Pounds75 reg; day Pounds30 Fri or Sun, Pounds40 Sat. Contact 95 Meadowgate
Rd, Salford, Manchester, M6 8EN. See also fantastic-films.com.

28 Nov - 3 Dec [] ARVON SF COURSE, The Hurst, Shropshire. Pounds750 per
single room. See www.arvon.org/course/speculative-fiction/.

3-5 Feb 2017 [] QUOI DE NEUF (filk), Best Western Hotel, Marks Tey,
Colchester. _Now Pounds36 reg, Pounds25 unwaged._ Cheques to UK Filk
Convention, c/o 20 Glynbridge Gardens, Cheltenham, GL51 0BZ. See
www.contabile.org.uk/quoideneuf; email quoideneuf at hewett org.

3-5 Feb 2017 [] SF BALL (media), Grand Harbour Hotel, Southampton.
Pounds132 reg; child Pounds66; other options. See sfbevents.com/sfball.

10-12 Feb 2017 [] CONRUNNER 4 (conrunning), Park Inn, Nottingham. Pounds35
reg _until 31 May_. Contact 56 Jackmans Place, Letchworth Garden City,
Herts, SG6 1RH. See also www.conrunner.co.uk. (First announced for 3-5
February; moved to avoid clash with filk con.)

24-26 Feb 2017 [] REDEMPTION '17 (multimedia), Royal Victoria Hotel,
Sheffield. Pounds55 reg _rising to Pounds65 on 12 April_ (day Pounds40);
under-18s Pounds25 (day Pounds15); under-3s free; Pounds15 supp. Contact 61
Chaucer Rd, Farnborough, Hants, GU14 8SP. See
www.redemption-convention.org.uk.

30 Mar - 1 Apr [] SCI-FI WEEKENDER, Hafan y Mor Holiday Park, near
Pwllheli, Gwynedd, North Wales. Booking by accommodation from Pounds520 for
two; Fri+Sat day pass TBA? See www.scifiweekender.com.

CANCELLED. 14-17 Apr 2017 [] PASGON (Eastercon), Mercure Holland House
Hotel, Cardiff. Cancellation announced at www.pasgon.org.uk on 10 March,
owing to 'location issues' believed to be unfeasible hotel facilities
charges. Refunds are planned; members who didn't receive email about this
should contact membership at pasgon org uk.

14-17 Apr 2017 [] INNOMINATE (Eastercon), Hilton Metropole, NEC, Birmingham
-- replacing Pasgon. GoH Pat Cadigan, Judith Clute, Colin Harris. Pounds55
reg; Pounds40 YA/unwaged; Pounds20 child; Pounds1 infants -- _rising on 1
May to Pounds60 reg, Pounds45 YA/unwaged._ Cheques to Eastercon 2017 c/o 3
Deveron Rd, Halfway, Sheffield, S20 8GE. See www.eastercon2017.uk.

30 Mar - 2 Apr 2018 [] FOLLYCON (Eastercon), Majestic Hotel, Harrogate. GoH
Kieron Gillen, Christina Lake, Nnedi Okorafor, Kim Stanley Robinson.
Pounds60 reg; Pounds45 YA/unwaged; Pounds30 supp. Cheques to Eastercon 2018
c/o 19 Uphall Rd, Cambridge, CB3 1HX. Credit cards (_preferred_) via
www.follycon.org.uk. Email: info at follycon org uk.

RUMBLINGS. _London First Thursdays:_ still moving to The Bishop's Finger as
of the 7 April meeting. See news.ansible.uk/london.html.


### INFINITELY IMPROBABLE ###

AS OTHERS ABUSE US. 'No self-respecting adult should buy comics or watch
superhero movies'. (_Daily Telegraph_ headline, 28 March)
'Like most science fiction, this is a pack of lies meant for babies.'
(Sam Biddle, Gawker.com, 4 January) [TM]

AWARDS._ A. Bertram Chandler_ (Australia): James (Jocko) Allen.
_BSFA:_ NOVEL Aliette de Bodard, _The House of Shattered Wings_. SHORT
Aliette de Bodard, 'Three Cups of Grief, by Starlight' (_Clarkesworld_
100). NONFICTION Adam Roberts, _Rave and Let Die: The SF and Fantasy of
2014_. ARTWORK Jim Burns, cover for _Pelquin's Comet_.
_Ditmar_ (Australia), best novel: Lisa L. Hannett, Lament for the
Afterlife.
_Doc Weir_ (unsung UK fan heroes): Kathy Westhead. [BB]
_James White_ (unpublished short): David Cleden, 'Rock, Paper,
Incisors'.
_Kitschies:_ NOVEL Margaret Atwood, _The Heart Goes Last_. DEBUT Tade
Thompson, _Making Wolf_. COVER Jet Purdie, _The Door That Led to Where_ by
Sally Gardner. NATIVELY DIGITAL FICTION _Life Is Strange_. SPECIAL Patrick
Ness's refugee-crisis Save the Children fundraiser.
_Kate Wilhelm Solstice Award_ (SFWA; formerly just Solstice Award) for
career achievement: Sir Terry Pratchett.
_Lambda Awards_ (LGBT) sf/f/horror shortlist: John Inman, _The Boys on
the Mountain_; Fletcher DeLancey, _The Caphenon_; Ally Blue, _Down_; Robert
Levy, _The Glittering World_; Kirsty Logan, _The Gracekeepers_; J.A. Rock,
_Minotaur_; Kate Sherwood, _Sacrati_; Jude McLaughlin, _Wonder City
Stories_.
_Norma K.Hemming Award_ (Australia): Louise Katz, _The Orchid
Nursery_.
_Philip K. Dick Award:_ Ramez Naam, _Apex_.

FUTURE CHIC. 'The 21st-century man will abandon tie, shirt, and trousers.
Instead he will be outfitted in the masculine version of the one-piece
stretch moonsuit for travelling, and will strip down to long tights and a
short toga, reminiscent of the free-swinging styles of the Roman
charioteer.' (_Saturday Evening Post_, 17 October 1964) [MMW]

R.I.P. _Sir Ken Adam_ (1921-2016), German-born UK production designer whose
sets included the villain's HQ in _Dr No_ (1962) and the War Room in _Dr
Strangelove_ (1964), died on 10 March aged 95. He worked on seven Bond
films in all, and designed the car for _Chitty Chitty Bang Bang_ (1968).
_Sylvia Anderson_ (1927-2016), UK tv/film producer, writer and voice
actress, co-creator with her husband Gerry of the much-loved _Thunderbirds_
(in which she famously voiced Lady Penelope) and other sf tv series using
their trademark 'Supermarionation' puppets, died on 15 March; she was 88.
[AW]
_Ken Barr_ (1933-2016), Scotland-born US artist whose magazine work
appeared in _Nebula SF_, various DC and Marvel titles, _Eerie_ and
_Vampirella_, and who later painted hundreds of book covers beginning with
Zelazny's _The Guns of Avalon_ (1974), died on 25 March aged 83. [SQP]
_Howard Berk_ (1925-2016), US screenwriter and novelist whose one sf
title was _The Sun Grows Cold_ (1971) and who wrote a few 1969-1972
episodes of _Mission: Impossible_, died on 27 March aged 91. [PDF]
_Terry Brain_, UK animator who created the children's tv series _The
Trap Door_ (1984, 1986) and worked on Aardman productions including
_Chicken Run_ (2000), _The Curse of the Were-Rabbit_ (2005) and _Shaun the
Sheep Movie_ (2015), died on 25 March; he was 60.
_Tony Burton_ (1937-2016), US heavyweight boxer turned character actor
seen in _The Shining_ (1980), _Exorcism_ (2003) and several genre tv series
from _The Invisible Man_ (1975) to _Poltergeist: The Legacy_ (1996), died
on 25 February. [MMW]
_Adrienne Corri_ (1931-2016), UK actress whose genre credits include
_A Clockwork Orange_ (1971), _Vampire Circus_ (1972) and other horror
films, and _Doctor Who_: 'The Leisure Hive' (1980) died on 13 March aged
84.
_Richard Davalos_ (1930-2016), US actor seen in _Battle Beyond the
Stars_ (1980) and _Something Wicked This Way Comes_ (1983), died on 18
March aged 85. [PDF]
_Patty Duke_ (1946-2016), US actress whose genre credits include _The
Daydreamer_ (voice, 1966), _She Waits_ (1972), _The Sixth Sense_ (1972),
_Look What's Happened to Rosemary's Baby_ (1976), _Curse of the Black
Widow_ (1977), _The Swarm_ (1978) and _Grave Secrets: The Legacy of Hilltop
Drive_ (1992), died on 2 March; she was 69. [PDF]
_Tony Dyson_ (1947-2016), UK special effects creator who built eight
R2-D2 droid models for the first _Star Wars_ films and also worked on
_Moonraker_ (1979), _Altered States_ (1980), _Superman II_ (1980) and
_Dragonslayer_ (1981), died on or before 4 March; he was 68. [PDF]
_Earl Hamner, Jr._ (1923-2016), US screenwriter/producer who scripted
eight _Twilight Zone_ episodes (1962-1964) and the film of _Charlotte's
Web_ (1973), died on 24 March aged 92. [F770]
_Barry Hines_ (1939-2016), UK author and screenwriter who scripted the
BAFTA-winning docudrama _Threads_ (1984) -- about a nuclear strike on
Sheffield and its aftermath -- died on 18 March aged 76. (BBC)
_Ken Howard_ (1944-2016), US actor with tv credits for _Batman: The
Animated Series_ (voice, 1993), _Captain Planet and the Planeteers_ (voice,
1994), _Ghost Whisperer_ (2006) and _Eli Stone_ (2008), died on 23 March
aged 71. [MMW]
_Gary Hutzel_ (1955-2016), multiple Emmy-winning US visual effects
artist whose credits include _Star Trek: The Next Generation_, _Star Trek:
Deep Space Nine_ and the rebooted _Battlestar Galactica_, died on 3 March
aged 60. [PDF]
_Morris Keesan_, long-time US fan and active participant at the _File
770_ blog, died on 30 March; he was 63. [AIP]
_Justin Leiber_ (1938-2016), US academic and author -- Fritz Leiber's
son -- whose work on the philosophy of the mind was dramatized in his sf
novel _Beyond Rejection_ (1980) and its thematic sequels, died on 22 March;
he was 77. [MD]
_Eric Medalle_ (1973-2016), US _Pokemon_ artist and designer, died in
a storm accident on 13 March when a tree fell on his car; he was 42.
_Peggy Ranson_ (1948-2016), Hugo-winning US fan artist who created
small-press book covers and much interior art (including cover and
interiors for George Alec Effinger's _Maureen Birnbaum, Barbarian
Swordsperson_), died on 19 March aged 67. [GHL]
_Nancy Reagan_ (1921-2016), former US First Lady and actress who
starred in _Donovan's Brain_ (1953), died on 6 March aged 94. [PDF]
_Paul Ryan_ (1949-2016), US comics artist who worked for Marvel
(_Spider-Man_, _Avengers_, _Iron Man_, _Fantastic Four_) and DC
(_Superman_, _Flash_, _Batman_) and drew many coloured Sunday instalments
of the newspaper-syndicated _Phantom_ strip, died on 6 March aged 66. [PDF]
_Augie Scotto_ (1927-2016), US comics artist and cartoonist who worked
for Will Eisner's _PS_ magazine, Marvel Comics and DC Comics, died on 15
March aged 88. [PDF]
_Garry Shandling_ (1949-2016), US comedian whose film credits include
_What Planet Are You From?_ (2000) as writer/producer and _Iron Man 2_
(2010) and _Captain America: The Winter Soldier_ (2014) as actor, died on
24 March aged 66. [DL]
_James Sheldon_ (1920-2016), US director whose genre credits include
episodes of _The Twilight Zone_ (1961-1962), _Batman_ (1966) and _The Man
from U.N.C.L.E._ (1967), died on 12 March aged 95. [PDF]
_Pauline Whitby_ (1928-2015), UK author who wrote as Paul Ash, Paul
Ashwell and Pauline Ashwell -- under which name her debut was the
Hugo-shortlisted 'Unwillingly to School' (1958 _Astounding_) -- died on 23
November 2015. 'The Lost Kafoozalum' (1960 _Analog_) was also a Hugo
finalist; both form part of her _Unwillingly to Earth_ (1993).
_Michael White_ (1936-2016), UK theatre and film producer whose
credits include _The Rocky Horror Show_ (1973 London stage premiere),
_Monty Python and the Holy Grail_ (1975) and _The Rocky Horror Picture
Show_ (1975), died on 7 March; he was 80. [F770]

AS OTHERS SEE THAT THING OF WONDER WOMAN'S. 'What are we to make of the
gender codes in Batman v Superman? Is it confused or certain, modern or
prehistoric? To reach a clear conclusion, I might have to tell you the end,
or at least flesh out my analysis that the lasso in the final battle is a
metaphor for the omnipotent but non-lethal vagina.' (Zoe Williams, _The
Guardian_, 23 March) [JCo]

OUTRAGED LETTERS. _Steve Sneyd:_ 'In upfronting US election daftitudes in
_A344_, you exercised extraordinary self-restraint, as a mega Sladekist, in
not pointing out that Trump himself is clearly influenced by sf for his
tentpole policy, viz. John Sladek's "The Great Wall of Mexico" (1973;
reprinted in _Keep the Giraffe Burning_), a terrifying prophecy of a Trump
presidency!' John's earlier masterstroke of political satire, in _The
Muller-Fokker Effect_ (1970), was President Ronald Reagan.

THE WEAKEST LINK. _Bradley Walsh:_ 'In _Julius Caesar_, which character
said "Cry Havoc! and let slip the dogs of war?"' _Contestant:_ 'Macbeth.'
(ITV, _The Chase_) [PE]

THE DEAD PAST. _50 Years Ago:_ 'LAFAYETTE RON HUBBARD and his dear old
Sussex based Scientology were cut to ribbons in a long feature in the 14th
February _Daily Mail_ which pointed out that "Doctor" Hubbard's Ph.D degree
was awarded by the non-existent Sequoia University. In _The Times_ of 8th
March Hubbard ran a 15 guinea advert to renounce his bogus doctorate
because of "the damage being done in our society with nuclear physics and
psychiatry by persons calling themselves 'doctor'." Hey ho.' (_Skyrack_ 87,
April 1966)
_40 Years Ago_, another strange and powerful cult was born: '_The
Astral Leauge_ is a new group hoping to promote peace and understanding
should extraterrestials land on Earth. High Priest is Don West ...'
(_Checkpoint_ 68, April 1976)

HARLAN IS EVERYWHERE. On the tortured aspect of the US politician required
to stand mutely behind Donald Trump at the latter's 1 March press
conference and elsewhere: 'Chris Christie has no mouth, but he must
scream.' (Alexandra Petri, _Washington Post_, 2 March) [LW]

FANFUNDERY. _TAFF 2016 result:_ Anna Raftery 94 votes (69 Europe/25 NA),
Wolf von Witting 82 (56/26), No Preference 14 (4/10); 190 ballots cast.
Anna Raftery wins and travels to MidAmeriCon II in August. Details and
newsletter at taff.org.uk.
_DUFF 2016._ The race from Australasia to MidAmeriCon has only one
candidate, Clare McDonald-Sims:
ozfanfunds.com/duff/DUFF_onlineballot2016.html. Deadline 16 May.
_GUFF:_ another trip report! Gillian Polack's _Gillian's Book of
Lists_ (2014 trip) can now be bought online: see taff.org.uk/guff.html for
the link.
_Fan Funds Auction Bonanza:_ Pounds866 was raised at Mancunicon, to be
split equally between TAFF and GUFF. A further $700A was raised at the
Australian Natcon in Brisbane, mostly for GUFF.

GROUP GROPES. _A2Z SF Group_ meets on the third Thursday each month at The
United Brethren Pub, New Writtle Street, Chelmsford, Essex, CM2 0LF. 8pm
onward. 'All SF fans welcome.'

THOG'S MASTERCLASS. _Out of Context Dept._ 'But when she took the warm
shaft in her hands, she found that she did not know how to call upon its
strength.' (Stephen Donaldson, _The Runes of the Earth_, 2004) [JaC]
_Dept of Musical Quakes._ '... for several minutes he went on quaking
and hyperventilating. He sounded like a Brazilian musical instrument.'
(Jean-Patrick Manchette, _3 to Kill_, 1976; trans Donald Nicholson-Smith
2002) [PB]
_Eyeballs in the Sky._ 'Her eyes have the puckered sheen of day-old
ripe olives.' Perhaps this is why '... fifty percent of his eye contact is
below her collar bone.' (Ed Bryant, 'Their Thousandth Season', _Clarion
II_, 1972) [BA]
_Back of an Envelope Dept._ Scientist: '... we will start the rocket
off _[from Earth]_ at a moderate speed.' Reporter: 'What do you consider a
moderate speed?' Scientist, twinkling: 'Oh, perhaps two miles a second.'
Reporter, after rapid calculation: 'Then the rocket will reach the moon in
about thirty-five seconds, Doctor?' (John Blaine, _The Rocket's Shadow_,
1947) [RR]


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### ENDNOTES ###

APPARITIONS.
[] 8 April 2016: Jacey Bedford talks to the Brum Group. 7:30pm for 8pm at
the Briar Rose Hotel, Bennett's Hill, Birmingham city centre. £4 or £3 for
members. Contact bhamsfgroup at yahoo co uk. Future meetings/speakers: 13
May 2016 tba; 10 June 2016 Ian Whates; 8 July 2016 Dave Lally; 12 August
2016 Summer Social meal; 12 September 2016 tba; 14 October 2016 Andy Lound;
4 November 2016 tba; 2 December 2016 Xmas Social.
[] 27 April 2016: Thomas Olde Heuvelt signing, London Forbidden Planet
Megastore, 6pm-7pm.

PAYPAL TIP JAR THINGY. Support _Ansible_, cover website costs and keep the
editor happy! Or just buy his books.
http://ansible.uk/paypal.html
http://ae.ansible.uk/
http://ae.ansible.uk/ebooks.php
http://ansible.uk/books/index.html

WORLD FANTASY AWARD. The competition to design a new trophy is open: 'The
ideal design will be simple and elegant, _representing both fantasy and
horror_, without bearing any physical resemblance to any person, living or
dead.' (Jim Henley at _File 770_: 'So, an elf impaled on a stake?') Perks
including ten years of complimentary World Fantasy Convention memberships
are offered, though no actual money.
http://www.arctera.com/wfa/wfadmin-design-rules.htm
http://file770.com/?p=28255

TIPTREE AWARD NEWS! Pat Murphy excitingly confides that the 2016 results
announcement will be just too late for this issue.

C.O.A. _Kim Huett_, 4D 36 Glenorchy St, Lyons, ACT 2606, Australia.

BSFA LONDON MEETING. As we go to press, the April event date remains
unconfirmed: the normal fourth Wednesday, 27 April, clashes with the
opening ceremony of Sci-Fi London and the Clarke shortlist announcement.
Other expected details: Artillery Arms, 102 Bunhill Row, London, EC1Y 8ND.
5/6pm for 7pm. With Tessa Farmer. Free. Keep watching the skies at:
http://www.bsfa.co.uk/
http://news.ansible.uk/london.html

THOG'S SECOND HELPING. _Pathetic Fallacy Dept._ 'Billions of stars looked
down on me like the eyes of cold and disapproving nuns at the world's worst
Catholic school.' (Allison M. Dickson, _Colt Coltrane and the Lotus
Killer_, 2013) [WM]


Ansible 345 Copyright (c) David Langford, 2016. Thanks to Brian Ameringen,
Paul Barnett, Bill Burns, Jamieson Cobleigh, John Collick, Matthew Davis,
File 770, Paul Di Filippo, Denny Lien, Guy H. Lillian, Locus, Todd Mason,
Wayne Mook, Andrew I. Porter, Private Eye, Roger Robinson, SF Site, SQP Art
Books, Andrew Wells, Martin Morse Wooster, Lee Wood, and our Hero
Distributors: Dave Corby (BSFG), SCIS/Prophecy, Alan Stewart (Australia).

1 April 2016

--
David Langford | http://ansible.uk/ | http://news.ansible.uk/

[David Langford]

On Fri, 01 Apr 2016 16:09:55 +0100, David Langford <ans...@cix.co.uk>
wrote:

>BSFA LONDON MEETING. As we go to press, the April event date remains
>unconfirmed: the normal fourth Wednesday, 27 April, clashes with the
>opening ceremony of Sci-Fi London and the Clarke shortlist announcement.
>Other expected details: Artillery Arms, 102 Bunhill Row, London, EC1Y 8ND.
>5/6pm for 7pm. With Tessa Farmer. Free.

Dave Lally now tells me that this meeting will be held a week early on 20
April 2016, venue and guest as above.

[John Hall]

In message <cn3tfbph33ikcc52u...@4ax.com>, David Langford
<ans...@cix.co.uk> writes

>AS OTHERS ABUSE US. 'No self-respecting adult should buy comics or
>watch superhero movies'. (_Daily Telegraph_ headline, 28 March)

Let's give discredit where its due. The writer of the article over which
this headline appeared was someone called Rhymer Rigby. Of course, he
didn't actually say that in his article, but the headline isn't that
much a distortion of hiss position.
--
John Hall
"Honest criticism is hard to take,
particularly from a relative, a friend,
an acquaintance, or a stranger." Franklin P Jones

[John Hall]

In message <cn3tfbph33ikcc52u...@4ax.com>, David Langford
<ans...@cix.co.uk> writes

>OUTRAGED LETTERS. _Steve Sneyd:_ 'In upfronting US election daftitudes
>in _A344_, you exercised extraordinary self-restraint, as a mega
>Sladekist, in not pointing out that Trump himself is clearly influenced
>by sf for his tentpole policy, viz. John Sladek's "The Great Wall of
>Mexico" (1973; reprinted in _Keep the Giraffe Burning_), a terrifying
>prophecy of a Trump presidency!' John's earlier masterstroke of
>political satire, in _The Muller-Fokker Effect_ (1970), was President
>Ronald Reagan.

The prospect of Donald Trump becoming US President makes me wonder if
someone has time-travelled into the past and stepped on a butterfly. (I
don't imagine I need to explain to which Ray Bradbury short story I am
referring.)

>
>THE WEAKEST LINK. _Bradley Walsh:_ 'In _Julius Caesar_, which character
>said "Cry Havoc! and let slip the dogs of war?"' _Contestant:_
>'Macbeth.' (ITV, _The Chase_) [PE]

I hadn't consider "Julius Caesar" an SF work until now. :)

[Dorothy J Heydt]

In article <LvVNztEIlp$WFwpC@jhall_nospamxx.co.uk>,

John Hall <jo...@jhall.co.uk> wrote:
>In message <cn3tfbph33ikcc52u...@4ax.com>, David Langford
><ans...@cix.co.uk> writes
>>OUTRAGED LETTERS. _Steve Sneyd:_ 'In upfronting US election daftitudes
>>in _A344_, you exercised extraordinary self-restraint, as a mega
>>Sladekist, in not pointing out that Trump himself is clearly influenced
>>by sf for his tentpole policy, viz. John Sladek's "The Great Wall of
>>Mexico" (1973; reprinted in _Keep the Giraffe Burning_), a terrifying
>>prophecy of a Trump presidency!' John's earlier masterstroke of
>>political satire, in _The Muller-Fokker Effect_ (1970), was President
>>Ronald Reagan.
>
>The prospect of Donald Trump becoming US President makes me wonder if
>someone has time-travelled into the past and stepped on a butterfly. (I
>don't imagine I need to explain to which Ray Bradbury short story I am
>referring.)

Well, his odds appear to be dwindling. Somebody at Slate has
been posting a "Trump Apocalypse Watch" for the last several
days; it started at two (out of four) Horsemen, and is currently
down to one-half.

http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2016/03/30/donald_trump_s_odds_of_becoming_president_just_went_down.html

The artwork is borrwed from a Russian painting, which I found on
Wikipedia:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Horsemen_of_the_Apocalypse

--
Dorothy J. Heydt
Vallejo, California
djheydt at gmail dot com

[Keith F. Lynch]

John Hall <jo...@jhall.co.uk> wrote:
> David Langford <ans...@cix.co.uk> writes

>> John's earlier masterstroke of political satire, in _The
>> Muller-Fokker Effect_ (1970), was President Ronald Reagan.

> The prospect of Donald Trump becoming US President makes me wonder if
> someone has time-travelled into the past and stepped on a butterfly.

An espisode of The Simpsons 16 years ago predicted Trump's presidency
-- and that it would not be a good one. See
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bart_to_the_Future
--
Keith F. Lynch - http://keithlynch.net/
Please see http://keithlynch.net/email.html before emailing me.