2011/04/23

CME-Zine 002

Plasma: What’s hot today

 Encyclopedia Dunica
The Dune Encyclopedia is now available online or as  pdf download. No longer Cannon due to the expansions of Herbert’s son, but if you are a purist about Herbert’s original works, a must have
http://www.tor.com/blogs/2010/09/out-of-print-for-decades-the-dune-encyclopedia-surfaces-online

Re-Slimed
Going through withdrawal and looking for an ectoplasmic fix? More fuel on the on-again-off-again Ghostbuster’s 3 fire, as Sigourney Weaver discusses progress being made on the preparations
http://www.sffchronicles.co.uk/2010/09/03/sigourney-weaver-talks-ghostbusters-3/

Sand F&F
Women’s Day discussing SF&F? Well, related art anyway. 10 Impressive SF&F themed Sand Sculptures:
http://www.womansday.com/Articles/Family-Lifestyle/10-Impressive-Sci-Fi-Fantasy-Sand-Sculptures.html

Writerly Rumours and markets: Tesseracts 15 is open for submissions
Canada’s premiere marker for short genre fiction is out of the acquisition gates. The anthology is to be edited this time ‘round by Julie E. Czerneda and Susan MacGregor, who have decided on a YA theme and are looking for a strictly PG14 flavour.
http://www.edgewebsite.com/books/tess15/t15-catalog.html
http://liswire.com/content/julie-czerneda-and-susan-macgregor-edit-tesseracts-fifteen-case-quite-curious-tales
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A&E&SF&F
A&E Canadian Science Fiction Review recently published an online interview with Peter Watts. Despite the no-doubt inescapable urge to stray into his recent border altercation, the interview remained primarily about his body of work and reveals a few interesting insights into his writing for newcomers. Long time fans will discover little of note.
http://aescifi.ca/watts.php

Martian Invasion’s of an unusual kind
June 8, 2012 marks the date. Disney has announced the release date for John Carter of Mars, E.R. Burroughs tale of a civil war soldier who enters a cave and ends up on the red planet. Fans who appreciate a nice set of abs will no doubt be delighted by the selection of Taylor Kitsch as the hero of the piece.
http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/joshw24/news/?a=21317

Mass Ejection Interactions
If you’re exactly like me, you can’t get enough of the Auroras. Recent high solar activity has led to some of the most impressive Aurorae in recent history. National Geographic recently posted some of the most breathtaking auroral photos available
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/09/photogalleries/100921-aurora-borealis-northern-lights-norway-new-pictures/?now=2010-09-21-00:01

Coming soon to a bookshelf near you
Jessice Strider of The World’s Biggest Bookstore dishes up a list of what fans can expect at their local bookstore in October:
http://scififanletter.blogspot.com/2010/08/science-fiction-and-fantasy-books_31.html

Mass Condemnations: Pandora petering out?
Say it isn’t so! Reports indicate that the much talked about re-release of Avatar is bombing in theatres. I find it appalling that having embraced the film in its original release, and in its initial disc release, fans aren’t leaping to the theatres to pay high prices to see an extra 9 minutes even though they will be forced to wait a whole three months before getting a fourth chance the pay for the film when the Bluray disc comes out with the two theatrical versions plus a 3rd version with an extra half hour of drool inducing images of the fictional planet.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainmentnewsbuzz/2010/08/box-office-last-exorcism-in-dead-heat-avatar-re-release-fizzles.html

C-32
Do you understand the implications of Bill C-32? Recently, ZeroPaid Interviewed Russell McOrmond and asked him to help us understand what C32 is all about. The interview is in three parts, with the first linked here. The rest are accessible from the bottom of that page.
http://www.zeropaid.com/news/90462/zeropaid-interviews-russell-mcormond-2-canadian-bill-c-32-part-1-of-3/

On the Fringe
Fans of J. J. Abrams’s Fox series “Fringe” have been eagerly anticipating the third season. Those looking for a Fringe-fix, or who just want their first hit for free, can find out a lot more at
http://www.fringetelevision.com/

Mass Hallucinations
Billy Ray Cyrus and his Son Trace will criss-cross America investigating unexplained phenomena. Whether this says more about Syfy channel, or about Billy Ray, is left to the discernment of readers.
http://www.sliceofscifi.com/2010/09/07/syfy-developing-ufo-reality-series/

Shining Stars
2010 World Fantasy Award nominees are announced. The ballot is available on the main page of this year’s WFC at http://www.contextsf.org/WFC/

Do-it-yourself Knight Kit
Terry Pratchett is taking his new knighthood seriously, to the extent of forging his own sword of iron and star-metal
http://www.geekosystem.com/terry-pratchett-sword/

Interstellar Gauss
From University of California via sciencedaily.com - Universal, Primordial Magnetic Fields Discovered in Deep Space
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/09/100921144135.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sciencedaily+%28ScienceDaily%3A+Latest+Science+News%29&utm_content=Google+Feedfetcher

Mass Extinctions
Hot on the heels of our article on species destroying asteroid events, came news of two near misses this month. NASA reported that on Sept 8, two asteroids passed closer to the Earth than the moon’s orbit.
http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2010/sep/HQ_M10-128_Asteroids_Pass_By.html
De-ejections
I first got interested in “Napier’s Bones” when then-soon-to-be-fellow-Saskatonian Derryl Murphy was reading from it at Westercon Due North. At that time, he had been recently clubbed over the head when the collapse of the American dollar caused an editor at Tor to drop the novel from his plans. Having heard him read from the story, I’m pleased that I will finally get an opportunity to read the whole thing, as Chizine has contracted to publish it in spring of 2011.
http://derrylmurphy.blogspot.com/search/label/Napier%27s%20Bones

On the Offensive - Military SF as Art
Andrew Liptak, on IO9 provides an interesting insight in to Military SF. What is it, what isn’t it and what it could be. For those with lots of time to fill, some interesting points are made in the comments section.
http://io9.com/5638146/what-is-military-science-fiction

FanFlares: Gatherings of a Fannish Nature

C.U.F.F.
The federal government seems to have all but abandoned the idea of Canadian Unity, except as it relates to hanging on to our assets in the Arctic. Not so Genre Fans. Canadian Unity Fan Fund is a way of promoting East/West fan interaction. Diane Lacey, last year’s CUFF delegate from Eastern Canada has indicated little activity this month, but look for big things in the months ahead.
Aurora Altercations:
The Prix Aurora fan page on Facebook has been hosting a (relatively) lively discussion on the direction of the awards and the recently announced Nominee Pins. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Prix-Aurora-Awards/259496546602. CSFFA is continuing distribution of the Aurora Finalist pins that were donated by Conadian, and made their first appearance at the Aurora Ceremony at Keycon in May of this year. Based on the Aurora award itself, the pins are being distributed to all previous finalists at several events across Canada this fall. The first two scheduled events art Vcon and Con*Cept. Both taking place on the first weekend in October. (in Vancouver and Montreal) The CSFFA is asking fans assistance in  tracking down previous finalists.  If you are a previous finalist for an Aurora, or know of one, who is eagerly awaiting this fine looking piece of Canadian Genre Bling, you are asked to contact them at csffa.publicity@gmail.com.

Mega Joules: Large releases of Fannish energy

  • Vcon - Oct 1-3, 2010
    • Vancouver Airport Marriott Hotel, 7571 Westminster Highway, Richmond, BC, V6X 1A3
    • GoH: Author Guest of Honour: Cherie Priest, Artist Guest of Honour: James Beveridge, Music Guest of Honour: Heather Dale
    • Vancouver's Science Fiction & Fantasy Convention. Theme: Steampunk: From Alchemy to Zeppelins
  • Con*Cept - Oct 1-3, 2010
    • Hotel Espresso, Montreal, QC, Canada
    • GoH: Tad Williams, Deborah Beale, Nicki Clyne
    • Montreal's annual SF and fantasy convention
  • Con-Version Oct 15-17, 2010
    • Calgary Alberta, Canada
    • Robert Picardo, John de Lancie, Marina Sirtis, Ethan Phillips, Chase Masterson, David B. Coe, Sean Cummings, The 404s, HeroIncredible
    • Calgary's longest running Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Convention.
  • Pure Spec Oct 22-24
    • Edmonton Alberta, Canada
    • Tanya Huff, Andrew Hackard, Mark Askwith
    • Edmonton’s Friendly Little SF&F Fesitval.
  • Toronto SpecFic Colloquium - Oct 23, 2010
    • Hart House, Toronto, Ontario
    • Guests: Peter Watts, Karl Schroeder, Tony Burgess, Gemma Files
  • World Fantasy Convention - Oct 28-31, 2010
    • Hyatt Regency Hotel, Columbus OH
    • Guests of Honor: Dennis McKiernan, Esther Friesner, David Hartwell, Darrell K. Sweet
  • SFContario - Nov 19-21, 2010 (updated Sept 4)
    • Toronto Ontario Canada
    • Author GoH: Michael Swanwick; Editor GoHs: Patrick and Teresa Nielsen Hayden; Artist GoH: Billy Tackett; Fan GoH: Geri Sullivan; Filk GoH: Karen Linsley,
    • Toronto's newest science fiction convention.


Historoscope: You must be this far away to see...

Observers using visible light would need to be 24.5275664 Parsecs away to observe the first public availability of cellophane tape. 3M (originally Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co) introduced the public to cellophane tape in Sept, 1930, after employee Richard Drew figured out how to apply adhesive to a strip of cellophane. for Science geeks, and those looking for plot elements, one of the product’s most cool uses is Triboluminescence (Wiki article), with it’s ability to produce X-rays.
http://www.wired.com/thisdayintech/2010/09/0908scotch-tape-marketed-3m/


Obligatory Vampire news:

Season three of Tru Blood has been put to rest, so those of us looking for our weekly vampire fix are forced to move on. Space has recently begun showing the BBC original “Being Human” with a Ghost, a Vampire and Werewolf sharing a house that belongs to the ghost’s former boyfriend. Bit of a slow start, but the fact it made it through two seasons in the UK, and is renewed for a third, gives me hope.
http://www.spacecast.com/shows/beinghuman.aspx


Nova

Coronal Mass Ejection (“CME”) number 002 is Copyright (c) Kent G Pollard, 2010. Errors and omissions are my own, everything else is shared with the Spec-fic fans of Canada. While I am active in several organizations, this newsletter is my own, and in no way represents the official viewpoints of any such group.

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