Can't Stop the Serenity - Charity Movie Screening for Equality Now

The following was sent to NWSFS and we figured our members might be interested in attending.

Can't Stop the Serenity - Charity Movie Screening for Equality Now
When: Saturday, July 18th
Where: Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI)
Museum of History and Industry

2700 24th Ave E
Seattle, WA 98112
206 -324-1126

What's the plan: Doors open at 4:30 p.m. - the film, Serenity, starts at 5:00 p.m. - with a special event that includes a raffle, catered reception, Firefly Fashion Show and a Dr. Horrible Sing-a-long Blog presentation after the movie screening. Created by fans of the movie Serenity, Can't Stop the Serenity (CSTS) has become a worldwide benefit movement in support of Equality Now - an international organization that works for the protection and promotion of human rights for women and girls around the world.
www.equalitynow.org.

**NOTE: Please be aware, RSVP's will NOT guarantee you a ticket. You MUST buy tickets through the website** www.cstsseattle.org
Tickets, t-shirts and raffle tickets are available for purchase on-line at CSTS Seattle (www.cstsseattle.org)
Tickets: $15 advance/$17 day of show (movie and raffle only) Available for purchase on-line until July 16th and at the door on the day of the event.
Event Tickets: $30 advance- includes Serenity screening, raffle, buffet reception and Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog presentation.
Available on-line until July 6th. These tickets will NOT be sold at the door
T-shirts - $20 each - Sizes available: S-5X (black) in unisex and women's style. T-shirts are only available for purchase online and must be picked up at the event. T-shirt orders will close on midnight, July 1, 2009.

More information is available at
http://www.meetup.com/Seattle-Browncoats or at www.cstsseattle.org

NWSFS Tweets!

Earlier today NWSFS joined the ever growing ranks of Twitter!

The NWSFS Twitter account is actually comprised of RSS feeds from all seven NWSFS News Blogs, the NWSFS LiveJournal Blog, the NWSFS Google Group, and the Norwescon LiveJournal Blog.

Right now the account and the RSS feeds are at Beta, meaning we are still testing and flushing out some configuration issues with the feed service (TwitterFeeds), and as a matter of fact ths post is part announcement and part test post to check on a few tweeks of our twitter :)

Feel free to join us, but be patient as we work out a few bugs. Here's the URL: https://twitter.com/nwsfs

Cheers ~ Jim Cox

Boxcar Astronaut for 06/28/09

Boxcar Astronaut - Boxcar Astronaut #120: Things are getting a little squirrelly.
Greetings, Fellow Astronauts! If you've been reading Boxcar Astronaut for a little while, you know that a quiet, happy moment in the backyard can only be followed by utter chaos. This week's adventure continues to prove this, as poor, unaware Ben is happily playing with his yo-yo only to have his serenity shattered by terrified squirrel seeking refuge from a relentlessly pursuing Diogee. Check out this week's spine-tingling installment of Boxcar Astronaut to find out what all the screaming is about!

Locus Awards honor science fiction family

There was a lot of love for fen and the science fiction community June 26 in Seattle at the Locus Awards and Science Fiction Hall of Fame Induction ceremonies. Author Connie Willis, artists Michael Whelan and Frank R. Paul, and editor and publisher Edward L. Ferman are new Science Fiction Hall of Famers.

As voted by readers of Locus Magazine, for the science fiction and fantasy field, the awards went to:

Anathem, Neal Stephenson (Atlantic UK, Morrow) — science fiction novel
Lavinia, Ursula K. Le Guin (Harcourt) — fantasy novel
Singularity's Ring, Paul Melko (Tor) — first novel
The Graveyard Book, Neil Gaiman (HarperCollins, Bloomsbury) — young adult novel
"Pretty Monsters", Kelly Link (Pretty Monsters) — novella
"Pump Six", Paolo Bacigalupi (Pump Six and Other Stories) — novelette
"Exhalation", Ted Chiang (Eclipse Two) — short story
F&SF — magazine
Tor — publisher
The Year's Best Science Fiction: Twenty-Fifth Annual Collection, Gardner Dozois, ed. (St. Martin's) — anthology
Pump Six and Other Stories, Paolo Bacigalupi (Night Shade Books) — collection
Editor Ellen Datlow
Artist Michael Whelan
P. Craig Russell, Coraline: The Graphic Novel, Neil Gaiman, adapted and illustrated by P. Craig Russell (HarperCollins) — non-fiction/art book

And here's the complete list of Locus Award finalists.

SF Seattle: Science Fiction Awards Saturday

Following a day of science fiction panel discussions, an autograph session and the Locus Awards Banquet and Ceremony author Connie Willis, artists Michael Whelan and Frank R. Paul, and editor and publisher Edward L. Ferman will be inducted into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame on Sat., June 27 in Seattle. The Locus Awards ceremony, from the magazine of the science fiction and fantasy field, is a sold out event this year.

Luminaries at the event will include: Paolo Bacigalupi, Elizabeth Bear, Greg Bear, Brenda Cooper, Ellen Datlow, Gardner Dozois, Karen Joy Fowler, Eileen Gunn, John Kessel, Stephen D. Korshak (editor of From the Pen of Paul: Fantastic Images of Frank R. Paul) Nancy Kress, Todd Lockwood, Christopher Moore, Matt Ruff, Ken Scholes, Gordon Van Gelder, Michael Whelan, and Connie Willis.

The Science Fiction Museum will unveil the new hall of famers' laser-etched images on the translucent, glowing hall of fame display at 6:15 p.m. on the second level of the science fiction galleries. Photo op for museum guests!

Last chance to place bets and weigh in on the Locus Awards. Which science fiction novel moved you?

* Matter, Iain M. Banks (Orbit UK)
* City at the End of Time, Greg Bear (Gollancz, Del Rey)
* Marsbound, Joe Haldeman (Ace)
* Anathem, Neal Stephenson (Atlantic UK, Morrow)
* Saturn's Children, Charles Stross (Orbit, Ace)

Favorites in the other categories (fantasy novel, short story, magazine, anthology, etc.)?

Looking to the future: Picnics in space

On a sunny Saturday, The Northwest Science Fiction Society picnic delivered some entertaining discussions — not surprisingly, but happily — about both science and fiction. NWSFS outgoing chair Michael Ormes described one of the major challenges of making the space elevator (a 62,000 mile carbon nanotube composite ribbon anchored from a sea platform near the equator to a small man-made counterweight in space) — beanstalking. More familiarly known as power beaming "climbers," added Bill Boyde, NWSFS treasurer.

Laser power beaming, the wireless transmission of energy from one location to another using laser light, aims to power vehicles traveling up the space elevator. Ultimately, it's what will send people, satellites and solar power systems into space — so say the hopeful.

Ormes and Boyde both had more insider space elevator knowledge and Boyde firsthand intel. He's a new member of LaserMotive, Seattle's team participating in the Power Beaming competition at the 4th Space Elevator Games, organized by The Spaceward Foundation and funded by NASA. The games will take place, end of July/early August, at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center in the Mojave Desert, Calif. Follow the games @segames.

Teams entering the Power Beaming Challenge must power a vehicle more than 1-kilometer (nearly 3,300 feet) straight up a ribbon using only energy beamed to the vehicle from the ground. A test, in preparation for the games, took place in June.

LaserMotive is one of only six teams in the United States and Canada in the competition. The stakes in these games are higher than most with a $2,000,000 prize on the line plus the glory of helping to engineer the future of inexpensive space travel.

Of course, at the NWSFS picnic, surrounded by earthly delights (park, BBQ and low stakes games), it was tough to get too deeply into the space talk. For more news, follow @spaceelevator and @LaserMotive and read Ted Semon's Space Elevator blog and the LaserMotive blog.

Fortunately, there will be more chances to talk sci-fi and space exploration at upcoming NWSFS events in July (see all the earlier posts) as well as at the mad scientist theme party Ormes hosts in October. Who knows, inventive NWSFS members just might solve the beanstalking issue there!

NWSFS July Pirate Social

Please join NWSFS for Pirate Social on Saturday July 25th, 2009 at the home of Becky and Michael Citrak’s home near Olympia, WA. 7701 Bobcat Dr SE, Olympia, WA, 98503 - 360.456.7441. The social will begin around 5 PM and continue until around 10 PM, or whenever we get tired.

Why a pirate themed party? Why not? I mean, I keep getting Pirate stuff and thus we have to have a party. If you want to wear pirate garb, great, if not, that’s fine to. Just please do not bring cows, even as garb.

We'll have some burgers and hot dogs, and a new grill, which is the real reason for the social (ha, ha), and we suggest you bring anything else that you may want to grill. As usual, this is a potluck, so bring your contribution of a main dish (occasionally have enough), side dish (rarely have enough), munchies (usually have enough), or dessert (often have enough, if there is such a thing as enough dessert).

Extra credit will be awarded for pirate themed foods. Some ideas: skull and cross bones snicker doodles; meatball canon balls (small size only) but don’t shoot them across the room; pirate potato boats. Hey, you can Google “pirate theme party foods” just as easy as we did.

Bring your own beverages if you want something particular, although some basic beverages will be available.

Pirate costumes are encouraged, but not required. Prize for best costume. Judges can be bribed.

We show Pirate themed movies in the rec room. Oh, and you think we’ll show Pirates of the Caribbean….well, there’s more to pirate movies than just them…..I just have to find them.

NWSFS members are encouraged to attend, and non-members in the SF/Fannish community are welcome, as always.

In keeping with the theme, maybe you’ll want to visit “Shipwreck” Beads just before the social as you take exit 111 to get to it as well. Shipwreck Beads is HUGE and is at 8560 Commerce Place Dr NE Lacey, WA 98516 (800)950-4232; Store Hours: 9am-6pm. Maybe you’ll find some beads to make some of the beaded dangle things that Jack Sparrow has. See Shipwreck Beads’ web page for directions, watch out for the roundabouts. http://www.shipwreckbeads.com/support/docs/Location You’ll pass near the Thurston County Landfill. They have lots of buried treasures there, just the wrong kind of treasures.

Logistics
House is one level; one step to the courtyard and half a step at the
front door. Two step out back to the patio. We have cats, (they will
be locked up). No smoking inside. Parking on street. No busses come
close to the house.


Directions to the Citrak's home:
Note: these are different directions to avoid the congestion on 3rd Ave.

From I-5
If Southbound Take Exit 111
• Turn left at light on to Marvin Road.
• Travel (half a mile) past Hawk's Prairie Mall, McDonalds, Costco,
Safeway to Martin Way
• Turn right on Martin Way. (76 Gas on right)
• Travel (9/10 of a mile) on Martin Way past two lights and at the
third light turn left on to Ranger (don’t turn right on the Hensley;
we’ll never see you again.)
• Continue at Ranger below:

If Northbound Take Exit 111
• Ramp makes a “Y”, take the right "Y"s
• At the roundabout turn Right on to Galaxy Road.
• Travel (4/10 of a mile) past mall shops and Goodwill to Martin Way.
• Turn right on Martin Way. KFC is on right.
• Travel (7/10 of a mile) on Martin Way past one light and at the
second light turn left on to Ranger (don’t turn right on the Hensley,
we’ll never see you again.)

Once on Ranger
• Drive straight into Tanglewilde Residential area,
• At “T” intersection, turn left, you’re still on Ranger,
• Follow Ranger to right and at stop sign turn left onto Husky.
• Travel about four short blocks (3/10 of a mile) to Bobcat St.
• Turn Right on to Bobcat. House is on the right on corner of Husky and Bobcat.

House is pink with purple trim; some brickwork in front and a
basketball pole on the side of driveway.


Directions from Shipwreck Beads To Citrak’s home
• Left out of their parking lot on to Commerce Pl Dr N
• Right on Willamette Dr NE
• Left on Marvin Road (around the roundabout)
• Travel straight through next roundabout and over I-5.
• Travel past Hawk's Prairie Mall, McDonalds, Costco, Safeway to
Martin Way (Old Highway 99).
• Turn right on Martin Way. (76 Gas on right)
• Travel on Martin Way past two lights and at the third light turn
left on to Ranger (don’t turn right on the Hensley; we’ll never see
you again.)
• Continue at Ranger above:

Boxcar Astronaut for 06/21/09

Boxcar Astronaut - Boxcar Astronaut #119: Worst. Toy. Ever.
Greetings, Fellow Astronauts! It's a game of physical coordination and mental concentration. It's the age old that combines the athletic skills of ping pong with the social skills of solitaire. It's paddle ball! Unfortunately for Ben, it's also a game best played far away from Diogee. Check out this week's All New Boxcar Astronaut and watch the simple brand of slapstick action that only that lovable little mutt can deliver!

2009 SFN / NWSFS Election Results

The counting of the ballots for the 2009 SFN / NWSFS Election took place today at a SFN / NWSFS Business Meeting at the Overlake Round Table Pizza in Bellevue WA.

41 ballots were received either via mail, or handed in at the June NWSFS Picnic or today's meeting. Of those ballots, 7 were invalid due to not having any identification, either member number and/or name on them. Below are the election results based on the remaining 34 valid ballots, with the vote tallies listed below the winner for each position:

2009 SFN / NWSFS Chair - Michael Citrak:

Michael Citrak - 32 votes received
Doug Booze - 1 write in vote received
Eric Pawtowski - 1 write in vote received


2009 SFN / NWSFS Vice Chair - Shawn Marier:

Shawn Marier - 24 votes received
Michael Ormes - 9 write in votes received
Daniel Pawtowski - 1 write in vote received


2009 SFN / NWSFS Treasurer - Bill Boyde:

Bill Boyde - 33 votes received
Yvonne Pawtowski - 1 write in vote received


Cherie Playter received a write in vote for Vice Chair, and Doug Booze also received a write in vote for Treasurer, but unfortunately those ballots were not valid due to the lack of a member number and/or name on the ballot envelope as required.

It was also interesting to note that long time write in favorite "My Left Foot" did not receive any votes this year, but Frankenstein received a write in vote for Chair and Thumbalina received a write in vote for Vice Chair. Unfortunately (or fortunately) neither person or creature is a member of NWSFS, and the ballot was invalid due to a lack of ID.

Congratulations to Michael Citrak, Shawn Marier, and Bill Boyde, and many thanks to all who participated in this years elections.

Cheers,

Jim Cox
2009 SFN / NWSFS Elections.

July MFR - Buca di Beppo

July NWSFS’s My Favorite Restaurant

Please join NWSFS on Wednesday July 8th at 7:30 PM for one of the Pawtowski’s favorite Restaurants, Buca di Beppo in Lynnwood.

Buca di Beppo is an authentic Italian restaurant that offers flavorful Italian dining. Dine with family and friends while enjoying the Italian traditions of food, friendship and hospitality.

NOTE: In the spirit of Italian culture, their dishes are served family style and are meant to be shared. At past MFRs held there theyhave not allowed separate checks, so we have divided the bill up among the number of people and each paid a share. This has come out to be
about $30 per person (including tax and tip). If this is a problem please let us know in advance so we can talk to the restaurant and see what other options are available.

The Restaurant is at 4301 Alderwood Mall Blvd, Lynnwood WA 98036.

The phone number is 425-744-7272. You can also get details on their website at:

http://www.bucadibeppo.com/

NOTE: This is always one of our most attended MFRs, so please RSVP to info@nwsfs.org or the hotline at 360-438-0871. If you do not RSVP wecan not guarantee that you will be able to sit with the group. We'd prefer to get your RSVP by early evening of July 6th, but any attempt
to RSVP will help us plan for you.

Norwescon & the Northwest Science Fiction Society

Do you want to share your love of the Northwest Science Fiction Society (NWSFS) with others?
Would you like to attract more volunteers to Norwescon?
Do you want to bring new ideas to NWSFS and Norwescon?
Do you want Norwescon and NWSFS to have a more fannish focus?


The elected officers of the Northwest Science Fiction Society (NWSFS) and Norwescon invite you to learn more about our long shared history and to a brainstorm how we can partner in the future to support the goals of both organizations.

July 26, 2009
Noon – 4:45 PM

Lake City Branch, Seattle Public Library
12501 28th Ave. N.E.
Seattle, WA 98125
206-684-7518
http://www.spl.org/default.asp?pageID=branch_open&branchID=15

RSVP to jeanine@norwescon.org


NWSFS and Norwescon are part of Science Fiction Northwest (SFN), a non-profit umbrella corporation. The early beginnings of the Northwest Science Fiction Society trace back to the mists of time. Well, to 1976. Greg Bennett with a handful of friends formed NWSFS (pronounced Nizz-Fizz) so that people with an interest in science fiction could meet, have parties, do things together and at the same time provide a pool for the 1981 World Science Fiction Convention Committee. For more information, please visit Don Glover's Norwescon Unofficial History web site

Visit www.nwsfs.org for more information about the Northwest Science Fiction Society.
Visit www.norwescon.org for more information about Norwescon.

NWSFS movie outing - 6/28/09

Posted on behalf of Shawn Marier - NWSFS Vice Chair ( aka The Cruise Director )

Sunday - 06/28/09 – NWSFS Movie Outing

Please join NWSFS for a group outing to see the new movie “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” at the new Regal Thornton Place Stadium (Near Northgate Mall). We will be attending the 12:50pm showing on Sunday June 28th. We will meet outside the theater about 45 minutes before show time.

I recommend that you order tickets a couple of days in advance, just in case it sells out.

http://www.fandango.com/regalthorntonplacestadium1426imax_aaviy/theaterpage?date=6/28/2009

There is also a 12:20 IMAX showing of the movie; it costs a couple of dollars more. If people would rather attend the IMAX showing please let me know ASAP and we can switch to this showing.

After the movie we can find a nearby coffeehouse or restaurant and discuss the movie.

Regal Cinemas
Thornton Place Stadium 14 & IMAX
301 NE 103rd Street
Seattle, WA 98125

Just for laughs: Klingon shoes!

Have you ever wondered what Klingons would do with their stimulus checks :)

(Thanks to Boxcar Astronaut artist Marc Lapierre for giving us the OK to post this here!)

This Saturday, $9 admission to EMP|SFM, brought to you by the number "9"

Join us for EMP|SFM's 9th Birthday Celebration, Family Day and the popular, limited-run exhibition, Jim Henson's Fantastic World Saturday, June 20 from 10 a.m.-7 p.m.!

In celebration of the museum's 9th birthday, Washington state residents will receive $9 admission to the museum as well as a 10% discount in the museum's stores. The $9 admission price is not valid with other discount offers.

Families, take advantage of the special Family Day programming in honor of Jim Henson's Fantastic World:

Picture Puppet Workshop with John Kennedy
Venue: The Rec Room at EMP|SFM
Time: 11:00 am - 12:30 pm and 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm.

Join author and Muppet performer John Kennedy as he shows you how to make a puppet from a picture of you. The Picture Puppet is from John’s puppet making book Puppet Mania which details John’s early days of puppet building and dreaming of being a professional puppeteer. When you’re done with this workshop you will have a puppet of your likeness to show your family and friends.

John Kennedy is a puppeteer who has performed on various Muppet projects since the early 1990s. In recent years Kennedy has developed a career as an author and written two popular puppet making books, Puppet Mania! and Puppet Planet.

Art of Puppetry and Storytelling film screenings
Venue: JBL Theater at EMP|SFM
Time: 3:00 pm.

Go behind the scenes to witness the magic of the Muppets in this compilation of rare footage of the variety of puppetry created by Jim Henson. See a classic episode of The Muppet Show (1979) directed by Philip Casson. A special highlight of the program, Harry Belafonte sings an African song with puppets derived from traditional masks. Another kind of puppetry is used in The Storyteller: “The Heartless Giant” (1989) directed by Jim Henson. In this episode of the remarkable TV series based on classic folk tales, an evil giant — who has hidden his heart so he will feel no emotion — tricks young prince Leo into releasing him from his dungeon. Consumed with guilt, Leo searches for the heart and learns about friendship and betrayal. Part of Muppets™, Music and Magic: Jim Henson's Legacy.

Today's events are brought to you by the number 9.
Check out some fun "Sesame Street" shorts featuring the number 9:

Number Nine Martian Cutie
Number Nine with Baker
Number Nine Special of the Day


Experience Music Project
Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame
T: (206) 262-3245 F: (206) 770-2727
330 Sixth Avenue North Suite 200 Seattle WA 98109
empsfm.org


Current Exhibitions
Jim Henson's Fantastic World
May 23 – August 16, 2009

American Letterpress: The Art of Hatch Show Print
October 11, 2008 – July 19, 2009

Jimi Hendrix: An Evolution of Sound
April 26, 2008 – April 11, 2010

Upcoming Exhibitions
Spaced Out: The Final Frontier in Album Covers
August 15, 2009 – January 3, 2010

Boxcar Astronaut for 06/14/09

Boxcar Astronaut - Boxcar Astronaut #118: A quiet afternoon..........NOT!
Greetings, Fellow Astronauts! We all enjoy a little quiet time every now and again, and that's just what Ben and Diogee are up to. Unfortunately, that quiet is interrupted by a frantic stampede of poor little would be peacemaker, Devin, and the newly formed alliance of Caveman and Robot! Proving once again that life's quiet moments never last long... especially when there's children involved. Tune in to this week's All New Boxcar Astronaut for all the not-so-quiet fun!

PS: Later today Boxcar Astronaut artist Marc Lapierre will post a blog entry over at his cartoon blog Funnier In My Head featuring a new cartoon that I know many of you will enjoy. Click here for a sneak peak of the artwork.

NWSFS 2010 Alaska Cruise

If you have been to a social lately you have heard me talk about organizing a 2010 NWSFS Seattle-Alaska Cruise.

I just put up a poll on NWSFS's Live Journal Community to collect more info on this:

http://community.livejournal.com/nwsfs/151546.html

If you have any interest in the Cruise (or want more info when it becomes available), please either respond to the poll or send me email (smairer 'at' gmail 'dot' com).

Thanks

Shawn Marier
NWSFS Vice-Chair

Reminder: Picnic this Saturday

Hope to see you all there, weather report is for low 70s with a small chance of showers.

NWSFS Election and Picnic Social

Saturday - June 13th, 2009

Please join us Saturday, June 13th, 2009, for the NWSFS Picnic Social at Woodland Park Shelter No4, tables # 46 – 50. The social will begin at 1 P.M. and end at 7 P.M.

There will be a grill available. The club will provide burgers, hot dogs, condiments and buns. Please bring a contribution of munchies, salad, side dish or dessert that will complement the grilled main course. Bring your own beverages. To coordinate contributions you may contact Shawn Marier email (smarier AT gmail DOT com). Also, we’d love an R.S.V.P. so we can plan the amount of food. NWSFS members are encouraged to attend and non-members in the community are welcome, as always. We hope to see you there.

Logistical Information:

The shelter has covered tables. Bringing your own lawn chair or blanket guarantees you won’t be sitting on the ground. Grills and water are available. Bathrooms are across the parking lot. The shelter is right next to the parking lot. No stairs are required. Some handicapped parking and plenty of general parking is available. There is a fenced off-leash dog area down the hill. There will be some fooling around with super-soakers™, frisbees™ and other non-pointy
toys for the young & the silly!

Directions:

* I-5 North & I-5 South, take the NE 50th St exit.
* Turn LEFT if from I-5 Northbound; turn RIGHT if from I-5 Southbound.
* Continue on NE 50th Westbound.
* Turn RIGHT at N 50th St and Stone Way N. Stone Way N will turn
into Green Lake Way N when you make the turn.
* Move into the LEFT lane and continue on Green Lake Way N to W
Green Lake Way N, which is at the Green Lake Pitch and Putt Golf
Course.
* Turn LEFT onto W Green Lake Way N.
* Make the first LEFT into the parking lot, and then quickly turn
RIGHT to go up the hill.
* Shelter No4 is immediately on the LEFT hand side of the road at
the top of the hill.
* Look for the NWSFS signs.

Uncomyn Gifts selling off old inventory

Posted on behalf of Bruce Ritter - Uncomyn Gifts

For years I ran Uncomyn Gifts selling Science Fiction collectables online (www.uncomyngifts.com) and at the conventions, but I am not currently doing it and a lot of my inventory is just taking up space in storage ($$). I need to reduce my expenses and inventory, so I will be selling a lot of it at the annual River Park Estates Community Garage Sale this Saturday and Sunday (6/13-6/14). Times should be 9am-5pm. My address is 3012 M Street NE, Auburn, WA. I will be selling it at up to 90% off suggested retail, so come get it while it lasts!

If someone wants to buy a big box of stuff grab bag style at an even better deal, please contact me!

Just some of my items:

Star Trek Costumes, Toys, and MicroMachines
Babylon 5 T-shirts, toys, gaming supplies and MicroMachines
Star Wars Toys and MicroMachines

Tons of other misc toys and costume items as well!

Bruce Ritter
Uncomyn Gifts

Just for laughs: Doctor Who ala Dallas

Thanks to Isaac for suggesting this one

Boxcar Astronaut for 06/07/09

Boxcar Astronaut - Boxcar Astronaut #117: The battle is on... or is it?
Greetings, Fellow Astronauts! Previously in Boxcar Astronaut, it appeared as if war might break out between Robot and Caveman after they each fashioned their own mighty battle clubs. Just as the tension is reaching it's peak and violence seems unavoidable, Devin, always the ambassador of goodwill in the backyard, rushes in. He tries a desperate ploy to forge an alliance between the two potential foes. Will it work? Can a devastating battle be avoided through diplomacy? What unforeseen consequences might this truce put into motion? The answers can be found in this week's All New Boxcar Astronaut!

A couple of cool videos just for laughs!

Hopefully these videos will help you get over your hump-day :)

EMP|SFM's 2010 Science Fiction + Fantasy Short Film Festival Accepting Entries Starting Today

EMP|SFM’s Science Fiction + Fantasy Short Film Festival Accepting Entries Starting June 1

SEATTLE— Science fiction and fantasy cinema filmmakers will have the opportunity to submit their films for Experience Music Project|Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame’s (EMP|SFM) 2010 Science Fiction + Fantasy Short Film Festival (SFFSFF) beginning today, June 1, 2009. The fifth-annual festival will screen 20 films at the renowned Cinerama Theatre in Seattle, Wash. on Saturday, Jan. 30, 2010.

EMP|SFM, in partnership with the Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF), is encouraging original and creative science fiction film submissions 15 minutes or shorter in length for the festival. The festival will accept original entries created no earlier than January 2005. The festival will accept animated or live-action submissions in science fiction (examples: futuristic stories, space adventure, technological speculation, social experiments, utopia and dystopia) and fantasy (examples: sword and sorcery, folklore, urban fantasy, magic, mythic adventure). The festival will not accept horror submissions.

SFFSFF will bring together industry professionals to judge the top films in the festival. Judges for the 2010 festival include filmmakers A.J. Bond, Howard McCain, Daniel Myrick and Vincent Taylor, as well as writer and producer Marc Scott Zicree, director Jesse Harris and producer Susan LaSalle. The jury will award Grand Prize, Second Place, Third Place and the Douglas Trumbull Award for Best Special Effects. The audience will determine the Audience Favorite award during the festival.

Submission deadlines are June 30 (early deadline), Aug. 15 (final deadline) and Sept. 15 (late deadline). Entry fees vary from $15 to $60, depending on submission date. All submissions are processed through withoutabox.com.

For additional rules and regulations, visit empsfm.org/filmfestival.

About the Science Fiction + Fantasy Short Film Festival
The Science Fiction + Fantasy Short Film Festival promotes and encourages an awareness, appreciation and understanding of the art of science fiction and fantasy cinema. Its mandate is to create a forum for creative artistry in science fiction and fantasy film and recognize the most outstanding short films produced.

About the EMP|SFM Building
Since EMP opened in 2000 and SFM in 2004, EMP|SFM has welcomed more than 4.5 million visitors through its doors. From its museum planning stages in 1998 through 2007, EMP|SFM has been a key economic driver among Seattle nonprofit arts and culture organizations, with combined EMP|SFM institutional expenditures and EMP|SFM audience-member spending resulting in $580 million dollars of local economic impact. EMP|SFM is housed in a 140,000 square foot Frank O. Gehry-designed building. This spectacular, prominently visible structure has the presence of a monumental sculpture set amid the backdrop of the Seattle Center.

About Experience Music Project
Experience Music Project (EMP) is dedicated to the exploration of creativity and innovation in popular music. By blending interpretative, interactive exhibitions with cutting-edge technology, EMP captures and reflects the essence of rock ‘n’ roll, its roots in jazz, soul, gospel, country and the blues, as well as rock’s influence on hip-hop, punk and other recent genres. Visitors can view rare artifacts and memorabilia and experience the creative process by listening to musicians tell their own stories.

About Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame
The Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame (SFM) is the world's first museum devoted to the thought-provoking ideas and experiences of science fiction. SFM’s exhibitions promote awareness and appreciation of science fiction literature and media while encouraging visitors to envision new futures for humanity. In the Science Fiction Hall of Fame, the museum pays homage to the most respected of science fiction practitioners—writers, artists, publishers and filmmakers.


Maggie Skinner
Manager, Public Relations

Experience Music Project
Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame
Tel: (206) 262-3245 Fax: (206) 770-2727
330 Sixth Avenue North Suite 200 Seattle WA 98109
empsfm.org

Steamcon Meeting this Sunday - June 07, 2009

Steamcon, Seattle's first steampunk convention could use your help!

The next Steamcon organizational meeting is:

Sunday, June 7th at 3:00 P.M. at the Capitol Hill branch of the Seattle Public Library.

425 Harvard Ave. E. Seattle WA

The parking in the library garage is free, but it does fill up.

For future reference, the next meetings will be:
July 12th (usual time and place)
August 2nd (usual time and place)

www.steam-con.com
http://www.zazzle.com/steamcon