M48 Programming Brainstorm
Art
Striking a Pose
Based on this post [1] by Jim Hines. Examining the way women are portrayed on SF/F book covers. In particular - Are these poses realistic? Can they be replicated by a male body? What do such images say about the portrayal of women (even in books with strong female protagonists) in SF/F?
Fandom and Zeitgeist
Not That Kind of Geek
I'm not a Star Trek geek, a Star Wars geek or a comic book geek, but I'm still a geek. Fans seem to have a unique perspective concerning their fascinations with things, and many of those things exist outside of fandom. Gardening geeks, combustion engine geeks and model train collectors rejoice! We'll examine the mind of the geek, and celebrate what we have in common.
Yoda Said There'd Be Days Like These
What did Science Fiction teach us that we had to relearn the hard way?
Aliens Invade! (But, Why?)
From "War of the Worlds" to the TV series "Falling Skies," Earth is always getting invaded by aliens. But why? What, if anything, does Earth have that you can't get somewhere else? And, if you really wanted to get it from Earth, how would you go about doing it?
When Flamewars Took A Year
Social networks in the days of snail mail had a distinct smell: Ditto, mimeo or photocopy. The texture of communication helped pass the time between comment and response. What was it like in Days of Yore? Why do people still print zines when they could just post them online and ignore all blog responses? What has modern social media taken from zine culture?
Gaming
Creating Good Characters, Settings and Plots for RPGs
A panel about the proper self-maintenance of happy players and a happy GM.
Literature/Writing
Media
Aliens Invade! (But Why?)
From "War of the Worlds" to the new TV series "Falling Skies," Earth is always getting invaded by aliens. But why? What, if anything, does Earth have that you can't get somewhere else? And, if you really wanted to get it from Earth, how would you go about doing it?