News and Blog Updates: July 25, 2008

News Worth Reposting:
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RustyCon 26 - Hotel & date for the next Rustycon!
The next RustyCon will be held on January 9-11, 2009, and will be at the Seattle Airport Marriott. Make your reservations soon. Rooms will sell out fast. Also, get your memberships in soon, $30 now but the rates will go up! More information can be found on the Rustycon site: http://www.rustycon.com/

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SF Reviews.Net - New review posted: Buckell's SLY MONGOOSE
"Added to the main site on 7/21: Toby Buckell's sequel to his Nebula-nominated Ragamuffin is a phenomenal example of action-packed space-opera storytelling."

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Are We Alone - Next show available July 21, 2008: "Genes That Fit"
Remember Mr. Potato Head? You changed his look by snapping in plastic mustaches, googly eyes and feet. Now imagine doing the same with a living cell: inserting the genes you want to create the organism you want. Welcome to the world of synthetic biology. It has potential to create new bio-fuels and life-saving drugs. It also ushers in a host of ethical and safety concerns. We examine both when we discuss this emerging science of mix and match genes. Plus, does doing an end run around Mother Nature challenge the essence of life itself? Guests:

• Jay Keasling - professor of chemical engineering and biological engineering at UC Berkeley and founder of Amyris Biotechnologies
• Jonathan Eisen - biologist at UC Davis
• Jim Thomas - researcher at ETC group in Ottawa, Canada
• Ed Regis - science writer and author of What Is Life: Investigating the Nature of Life in the Age of Synthetic Biology
• Michael Dosmann - curator of Living Collections at the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University

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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Next Steamcon Meeting! - Sunday July 27th at 3:00 - 4:45 P.M. at the Capitol Hill branch of the Public Library. 425 Harvard Ave. E. Seattle WA

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GUD Magazine - Special offer for NWSFS News Blog readers!
For the entire month of July, GUD Magazine ( http://www.gudmagazine.com/ ) will be offering 50% off for the PDF versions of Issues 0 and 1 for readers of the NWSFS Blogs. Go to: http://www.gudmagazine.com/subs/subscribe-nwsfs.php


Headlines From SF News Sites:
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Clarkesworld Magazine and Wyrm Publishing: Some quick Clarkesworld Updates

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io9:

• Vertigo Launches Two New Books [Vertigo Comics], More Star Wars Toys: Hasbro's New Lineup and Other Cool Stuff [Star Wars]
• Rockne S. O'Bannon To Write Farscape Comic [Farscape], The Best Conspiracies in Sci-Fi [Conspiracy Theory]
• Cylinder-Headed Man of Future Has Back Eyes, Not Hair [Retro Futurism], Welcome to Comic-Con Day 2 [Comic-con 08]
• Dr. Horrible's Singalong Panel at Comic-Con: Yes There Will Be More Horrible [Dr Horrible's Singalong Blog]
• The Look Of Clone Wars Will Be Gritty, Not Pretty [Star Wars: Clone Wars], MTV Does Rocky Horror? No. No! [Rocky Horror Picture Show]
• This Is What Ender's Game Will Look Like From Now On [Comic-con 08], Greg Broadmore: Friend to Rayguns [The Jewels Of Apator]
• Sarah Michelle Gellar Is a Photon and Brent Spiner Is Her Light Coach [Science Nonfiction], Star Trek Reboot To Begin In Comic Book [Star Trek]
• Greatest American Hero Soars On Nostalgia, But Will Its Comeback Crash? [Greatest American Hero]
• First Glimpse Of Doctor Who's Christmas Villain [Doctor Who], Birthplace of Modern Computers Is "a National Disgrace" [Computer History]
• Rinse Out Your Day Glo Unitards — It's Time For Tron 2 [Tron 2]

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RevolutionSF: X-Files: Who's Scully's Baby Daddy? (Feature), Tron 2 Coming Soon; Will Love Us Unconditionally (News)

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SciFi Scanner: The X-Files: I Want to Believe Review - Gillian Anderson's Pained Expression Says It All

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SF Signal:

• The Dept. Of Is This Necessary: Star Wars in 3D, John Carpenter's The Thing Re-enacted by G.I. Joe
• Friday YouTube: Highly Illogical, Recently Free Fiction, SF Tidbits for 7/25/08, Tube Bits for 07/25/2008

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SFScope:

• X-Philiaa review of The X-Files: I Want to Believe, Karen Traviss writing Gears of War novelization, Paul Haines battling cancer; friends seek donations
• Boom! Studios and Disney Publishing team up to bring Pixar films to comic books, Asylum of Horrors to be new quarterly horror anthology comic
• Cinema Spec seeking stories about the future of moving pictures

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The Website at the End of the Universe: I still want to believe


Selected Blog Updates:
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Ask Nicola (Nicola Griffith) - Friday audio: Spawn of Satan

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Chuck Palahniuk - "I’ll Be At Comic-Con This Sunday"

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Cynthia Leitich Smith - "YA Book & Writer News; Giveaways"

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Dark Horse Comics - "Dark Horse Announcements From San Diego Comic-Con 2008", & "Buffy is the Best Superhero!"

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Janet Lee Carey - "GOOD GOLLY MISS MOLLY"

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Karina L. Fabian - "My Novel’s Journey: Pit Stop for a Short Story"

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kelleyeskridge.com - Open mic at Enter the Octopus, & Ranty rant rant about publishing

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Lisa Mantchev - "Spicy Slipstream Stories (cover and preorder!)"

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Lois McMaster Bujold - "WorldCon in two weeks!"

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Maria V. Snyder - "Taste of Liberty - not my summer ;>"

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Marianne De Pierres - "Paul Haines Fundraiser"

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Morpheus Tales - "Morpheus Tales 1 Available from Withywindlebooks.com"

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Pacfic Science Center - Calendar Of Science On Twitter

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Paul Halpern - "Time Journeys", & "Linked by Cosmic Wormholes"

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Planet Pride - "Open project puts exoplanet searches to the test", "Planet and star in puzzling waltz", "Blasted by Impacts", "Comets may be spawned when mum breaks up", & "Midnight Sun on Mars"

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SF Novelists - Bringing Together Authors and Readers - Book Groups Edition

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Spectra Pulse - Lynn Flewelling signing copies of Shadows Return at ComicCon

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Steampunk - "Steampunk Art Show , August 16 -24 th "

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"Whatever" (John Scalzi) - Don’t Stop MP3in’, Hold On That Feeling, & Your Instructor For Your “Advanced Catnappery” Course