News and Blog Updates: June 15, 2008

Special Feature
Sylvia Engdahl: "The New Mythology of the Space Age"
About a year ago I stated that I would write a review of the material for an online course entitled "The New Mythology of the Space Age" that Sylvia Engdahl taugh through Connected Education in the Spring of 1995. Well, one thing led to another and I forgot. Then Sylvia's press release for her recent IPPY Award came in, and BAM!, I suddenly remembered I dropped the ball. Instead of pounding out a quickly and poorly written review, I feel it's best if I just post the link to the material, and let the material speak for it's self. I am sure you will agree that this is well worth the read:

• "The New Mythology of the Space Age" - http://www.sylviaengdahl.com/space/myth01.htm

Be sure to check out the rest of Sylvia's site because there is a lot of incredible stuff there:

• http://www.sylviaengdahl.com/
• http://www.sylviaengdahl.com/space.htm

And don't forget about her blog on Blogspot. Enjoy! ~ Jim


News Headlines:
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Are We Alone - Current Show: June16, 2008 Get Your Boson

What happens when particles collide? The answer may tell us the dark secrets of the cosmos. At least, that's the hope for the Large Hadron Collider, the world's largest particle accelerator. When it fires up this summer, colliding protons may produce the elusive Higgs Boson - the so-called God particle - and reveal the building blocks of the universe.
We talk to the Director of CERN, home of this massive device, about what happens when they throw the big switch. Also, what if black holes happen? Find out how these weird gravity pits are created, and whether they're actually two-way streets that allow information to escape after all. Also, plans are already underway for the next particle accelerator, and playing with fire: a new fusion reactor in France. Guests:

• Robert Aymar - Director General of CERN in Geneva, Switzerland
• Barry Barish - Physicist Emeritus, California Institute of Technology and Director of the International Linear Collider Global Design Effort
• Norbert Holtkamp - Principle Deputy Director General of ITER and physicist at the Spallation Neutron Source at Oak Ridge National Laboratory
• Simon Steel - Astronomer, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics

You can listen to this and other episodes at: http://radio.seti.org/ and be sure to check the Are We Alone Profile and Blog on MySpace.

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Are We A Blog? - "I don't keep a Top 40 list of..." (click the link to find out)

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NASA Lunar Rovers and more at Moses Lake WA. - Here a great video clip of some NASA action in Moses Lake: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFnFtt8lqBc

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The Edge of Propinguity - The next issue should be out shortly, so watch their site for Volume 30: June, 2008

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Nomadic Delirium Press - Moving Sale!
"Nomadic Delirium Press will be moving it's offices in the middle of July, and we really don't want to lug all of these books with us, so to lighten the load, we're offering special discounts on all of our titles until we get into the new digs. Simply go to http://www.nomadicdeliriumpress.com/moving.htm for all of the details."


Headlines From SF News Sites:
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British Fantasy Society News: British Fantasy Society 2008 Awards Showcase

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io9: Our Endangered Space Shuttle Glides, As Seen From Space [Space Shuttle], Blinky Light Combination Lock Keeps Aliens out of Your Quarters [Design], Find Out The Secrets Of Shepherd Book [Serenity], The Award-Winning Spacesuit that NASA Will Use on the Moon [Sci Fashion], Tears And Mutilations In New Stargate DVD Movie [Stargate: Continuum], A Fleet of Atomic-Electric Space Ships Embark For Mars, 1957 [Retro Futurism], & New Official Doctor Who FAQ Includes Shocking Revelations [Morning Spoilers],

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Locus Online: Algis Budrys update: "The Independent has published an obituary by John Clute" , Feature: Yesterday's Tomorrows: Eight Contemporary Classics, & more Algis Budrys updates

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Pantechnicon.net: WhoPanCast 8: The Wasp & The Unicorn, Silence in the Library and The Forest of the Dead

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Science Fiction Awards Watch: Queen Honours Doctor Who Writer

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SciFi Scanner: Masters of SciFi - An Interview With Incredible Hulk Screenwriter Zak Penn, & The Incredible Hulk Review -- A Stark Contrast to Iron Man

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SF Novelists: Getting Things Write

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SF Signal: SF Tidbits for 6/15/08, Saturday Cinema: Roadents and Gorgeous Tiny Chicken Machine Show, SF Tidbits for 6/14/08, Tube Bits for 06/14/2008, This Week's Free Tor Book: In the Garden of Iden by Kage Baker, Friday YouTube: The Ending of Invasion of the Body Snatchers, & SF Tidbits for 6/13/08

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SFScope: Updates to Previously Published Articles (8-14 June 2008), Publications Received: June 2008, Howard Waldrop Hospitalized, Paul Jessup signs with FinePrint Literary Management, Janna Silverstein sells to Denise Little's Sword Play, Circlet Press launching new series of e-book erotic sf/f anthologies, & Brimstone Press launches Black magazine

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StarShipSofa: StarShipSofa No 93 Second Editorial mp3
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The Website at the End of the Universe: Battlestar Galactica appeals to both the high and the lowbrow


Selected Blog Updates:
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Alethea Kontis - "Live from Mo*Con"

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Are We Alone? - "Get Your Boson - New Episode"

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BELL CON 2008 - "Bell-Con Exclusive Comic By Ben Hansen"

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Boxcar Astronaut - "Spin Cycle!"

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Bret Jordan - "Knock, Knock...Who’s There? Death..."

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Cornelia - "Long Swords, Hot Heroes, & Warrior Women"

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Cynthia Leitich Smith - "Immortal: Love Stories with Bite", & "YA Book & Writer News; The Juliet Club Giveaway"

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Dark Horse Comics - "Hellboy Animated DVD 2 Pk W/ Figure Ltd Ed"

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Donna Barr: All Things Barr - "Crash and Bounce"

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Echelon Press, LLC - "Are you a Green Reader?"

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Fran Friel - "Happy Father’s Day!...and a little Cleggage", & "A Chrispy Review and Nashville Paneling"

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HARPER PERENNIAL - "Willy Vlautin and Chuck Palahniuk"

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Heather S. Ingemar - "Prophet’s Choice now on Fictionwise!"

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Horror Library Blog-O-Rama - "Happy Father’s Day!...and a little Cleggage - by Fran Friel", & "Old School and Competition, What A Combo By AJ Brown"

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JAMES AND DADDY - "Update 15th June 2008"

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Janet Lee Carey - "DRAGON’S KEEP PAPERBACK IS OUT"

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Jeff Carlson - "Rave review of PLAGUE YEAR", & "new Jeff Carlson short story !"

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"Jeremy C. Shipp, Dark Fiction Writer " - My Grandmother passed away today

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Marianne De Pierres - "MDP is a Hidden Talent", & "Suite 101"

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Paul S. Kemp - "Worlds of Their Own Table of Contents"

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Planet Pride - "Icy Oasis", "Comet Boattini Sails Towards the Sun", "Crossing the Interplanetary Dateline", & "June 2008 PDS Release"Cynthia Leitich Smith

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Robert J Sawyer's Blog - "Eulogy for Bill Dial", "BookExpo Canada", "Bill Dial, R.I.P."

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Sylvia Engdahl's "Toward Tomorrow" Blog - Semifinalist for the IPPY Award!

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Willie Meikle - "Short Script Available Audio", & "story at Well Told Tales"

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Yasmine Galenorn - "Dragon Wytch Countdown: Six Questions With Menolly", "Dragon Wytch Excerpt", "Dragon Wytch Countdown Giveaway 2", "I’ll be on the Raven Radio Blog Talk Radio Show...", & "Another great review of Dragon Wytch!"