Brainstorm backup mar14

Minicon 44 programming items

This is a BRAINSTORM IN PROGRESS. However, it's about time to stop brainstorming, settle on some programming items and get them populated! If you are interested in participating in any item you see on this page, please email programming@minicon44.mnstf.org.

List is being pruned today. Removing items with little or no interest shown. (backup mar 7)

Links

• Full set of programming Wiki related links (room requirements, planning tips, etc.)
• Sheraton Bloomington room capacities
• Minicon44 home page
• Minicon44 Programming

Art, the Arts, and Craft

Arts vs. Crafts

For those who produce works of both sorts, what distinguishes art from craft? when does craft transcend its defining characteristics to be counted as art? Why do we distinguish art as a separate category? For those who specialize in one area or the other, how does craft improve art, art inform craft?

Social Issues, Internet, Fandom

Non-English Fandom

Not all speculative fiction is written in English. What is spec fic fandom like in countries where English is not the primary language? What about spec fic written in other languages in the US? How is Western and US-style fandom different from other spec fic fandoms around the globe?

Creating Web Pages that Don't Suck

Whether you're a writer, an artist or a fan, chances are you're going to find yourself creating a web page sooner or later. What common mistakes should you be sure to avoid? How can you improve your website without getting too complicated? It's all about art and design, with a dash of marketing thrown in!

The Legend of Forry Ackerman

In memoriam for Forrest J. Ackerman, one of the founders of science fiction fandom. This sounds like a good Krushenko's item.

Etiquette for Social Networking

There is no Emily Post for Live Journaling (is that a verb?), but perhaps there should be. Let’s create a set of social & politeness standards to journal and facebook by.

Polyamory 101

The basics of open relationships, polyamory, etc.

The Whole World as "The Village"

Number 2's dream voiced to Number 6 in the 1967 Prisoner episode "Chimes of Big Ben". While we might not be numbers, as a series of database entries that risk theft of identity & individuality, spyware in communications technology & cameras everywhere, among other things we've come to accept, yet guard against invading our privacy today, how well did McGoohan predict this New Global Village in which we live?

Science

Ask a Scientist

This panel is always so popular we just have to do it again. If you're a scientist of any type, please volunteer! The participants always have a great time.

The Maker Movement

Teenagers used to tinker all day with their hot rods or their ham radio sets - where has that creative impulse gone in the modern world? In all sorts of crazy/wonderful directions it turns out, from kids hacking their iPhones to crazy inventors combining old VCR motors with gears and empty CD spindles to scout troops that spend their weekends building pumpkin trebuchets. The Maker Movement is gaining speed, with its own magazines (Make), Maker Faires, countless blogs, and most recently a fascinating TV show with a Minnesota connection.

Secret Underground Physics Labs

What's going on in the old Tower Soudan mine? (and why does it look so much like a Half-Life game?) Other underground neutrino detectors/experiments.

LHC First Light

The first collisions there may well be during Minicon. [This is no longer the case. They now project turning on in the fall.]

Current Trends in Science

If you had $700 billion, what would you put it into?

SETI Fact vs. Fiction

How is the real-world endeavor of SETI the same/different from how it is portrayed in SF (see Contact, Factoring Humanity, etc - there are LOTS of examples). Does the public perception of SETI really match what they do?

First Contact

What else might we use besides radio waves? A message other than primes?

The Future of Batteries

or How Can I Ever Get a Multi-Shot Laser Weapon? Energy storage in the future.

Intelligent Balloons

Seems like one long-term science fiction meme is intelligent jellyfish-like creatures living in the atmosphere of a Jovian planet. How plausible are such creatures, and why are they such a fixture of xenology?

Astronomy with Children

Note: this item has a single presenter, not looking for panelists. This class is for parents or teachers looking for easy, cheap astronomy projects to do with children. Topics will include how to create a solar analemma on the ground in a sunny yard or on a ceiling in a sunny room; how to use the wonderful planisphere; and how to find a person's real sun sign; plus various types of telescopes, where to buy telescopes, and where to go for a free astronomy experience. I will also give my take on how to get into amateur astronomy (go to a free star party, join a club, before spending money!) Children accompanied by an adult are welcome.

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SF Literature and skiffy concepts

Lady Poetesses from Hell

An old favorite that we love doing every year - I just forgot to list it.

The Science Fiction That Lurks Beneath

[m] Greg Johnson Some of the most memorable novels of the last thirty years and more have come in the guise of fantasy stories that are revealed to actually be science fiction beneath the trappings of fantasy. We’ll talk about some of the best examples, and discuss the challenges faced by authors attempting to write stories which, when they work, contain the best of both worlds. Several of Karl Schroeder's novels fit right into this topic, as does the artwork Stephan Martiniere has done for Kay Kenyon's Entire and The Rose series.

There's Something about Twilight

No matter how you feel about Stephanie Meyer’s skill as a writer, you can’t deny that her Twilight books have captured the imaginations of teenage girls everywhere. I would like fans of the book to talk about the reasons they find it so compelling, and what messages the story sends to its readers. Non fans of the book can then decide whether or not the books’ popularity is a Good Thing. Feminist issues may or may not be discovered.

Vampires and Zombies and Werewolves, Oh, My!

The long standing popularity of these three fictional races argues that the stories we tell about them are more than just horror stories to scare children. Is there a cultural reason for this popularity? Can we mine any deep psychological meaning from our interest in these sorts? If vampires are a metaphor for forbidden sexuality (aren’t they?), then lets see what we can make of zombies and werewolves.

The English Romantic Poets in SF/F

We’ve done Shakespeare and Jane Austen in the past, and now it’s time to talk about the influence of the English Romantic Poets on the genre. Since I’ve learned everything I know about these poets from Tim Powers and Pamela Dean, if this panel needs any more description than that, perhaps someone else should write it.

My Mind, It’s Going: Memory Loss in Science and Fiction

From Flowers For Algernon to the popular pre-teen video game Kingdom Hearts, memory loss has a place in SF and fantasy. Sometimes it’s just a plot device, and badly researched at that. But sometimes, intentionally or not, it taps into our deepest fears of loss of self. We will discuss stories that deal with memory loss, and why they are important in an age when Alzheimer’s seems to always be on the news.

The New Male Hero Class?

Starting with Dorothy Dunnett’s Lymond (or maybe before), I have noticed a new type of male hero. Instead of charging into battle, sword at the ready, he is more likely to betray his loved ones (and himself) for important reasons known only to himself and the reader. He is secretive, vulnerable, and bound by an acutely painful sense of honor. Who are these guys, and who is creating them? Why now? (Brandon Sanderson, Elizabeth Bear, Scott Lynch, Patrick Rothfuss, The Runed Man)

Steampunk: the Romance of Science

What is Steampunk? Attitude or merely fashion statement? Or is there something about the buoyant spirit of the late 19th century that speaks to our feelings about technology today? Who else is defining the genre? Check out this incredible video: Steampunk meets Maker Movement.

“Careful the Wish You Make . . .”

The line is from Sondheim’s Into the Woods, and is followed by the assertion that “wishes come true, not free.” From wishing upon a star to three wishes, we will discuss the techniques, rewards and perils of having one’s wishes granted. What would you wish for?

Just Borges

Jorge Luis Borges wrote strange and wonderful stories that always seem to be at the edge of science fiction. Phil Dick was called an American Borges, and Borges' story "The Aleph" strongly inspired 2001: A Space Odyssey. Let's give Borges thought in this panel.

Adventures For Young Women

Even young women get to kick a lot more butt these days than they used to, but adventure stories for girls are still different from those for boys. We’ll discuss both female and male young adventurers, with the goal of discovering directions yet to be taken. Feminism may come up.

Empowerment of Children During Wartime

Hmmm . . . The Narnia books and Bedknobs and Broomsticks were mentioned by someone.

Harlequin Science Fiction panel

You got your romance in my SF! No, you got your SF in my Romance! Romantic plotlines seem to be making frequent appearances in SF/F. And fantasy or SF settings for romance novels have become extremely popular. Combining romance with fantasy or SF might even be a good way to get published.

Wikis as Literature

There's a long history of wonderful worlds presented in a reference or non-fiction format -- Pure setting, no plot. One logical extension of this is for authors to create beautiful multimedia wikis (perhaps by a single author, perhaps by collaborative effort) that people can explore, and maybe even expand, without the encumbrance of a plot or main characters -- would people pay for this? What examples already exist?

The Future of Fashion

Corsets are back in style, but worn on the outside. Who knew? What other fashion statements will the new century bring?

The Future of Food (and Drink?)

This could be about either science--cloned food, irradiated food, better/worse nutrition--or fiction--soylent green, anyone? Alcoholic beverages were essential in the Middle Ages, perhaps they will be again when all the water is polluted.

Booze and S.F.

Alcohol has a special place in s.f. fandom (smoooooth) and has also played a key part in a surprising amount of classic s.f. and fantasy. Remember a Bicycle Built for Brew? Pan-Galactic Gargleblaster anybody? An associated workshop or lab for this panel has also been suggested. There are several directions that this could take: a workshop on creating (and more important, naming) new mixed drinks; serious discussion of single malt scotch (preferably with samples); or a panel of con bartenders sharing their favorite stories.

SETI Fact vs. Fiction

A discussion of SETI and the possibility of contact with life on other planets. How is the real-world endeavor of SETI the same/different from how it is portrayed in SF? Does the public perception of SETI really match what they do?

This Year in SF/F

The usual discussion of the best books and stories of the year. It never gets old!

Swashbucklers in Space

More fun than pirates, better dressed than ninjas, swashbucklers, whether in space or on the high seas, are often found fighting on the side of the good guys - but in quite non-standard ways! We’ll discuss swashbucklers, their appearance in our favorite stories, and their particular code of honor.

Zeppelins in SF/F

This might be combined with the panel on Swashbucklers, who seem to have a fondness for airships in SF and fantastic worlds. Not just in books but also movies (Treasure Planet, Adventures of Mark Twain, Stardust) and games (Crimson Sky).

Victor Raymond observed that you can always tell a book is alternate reality because there will be zeppelins. Humor aside, he's got a point -- we often seem to wish for a world in which airships are commonplace. What needs do zeppelins fulfill for us?

Which singularity is it?

SF has dealt more and more with the Singularity, Vernor Vinge's concept of the point beyond which we cannot predict, but which singularity is it? The post-scarcity singularity, when no one has less than they need? The post-scarcity singularity where everyone gets everything they want (an important difference)? Or the one where artificial intelligence is cheap and frequent? Or the one where we all upload ourselves and our intelligences are no longer limited by flesh and blood. Transhumanism is a kind of singularity -- humanity evolving to the next stage, whatever that is -- as are Christian "left behind" narratives. Which singularities seem likely, which ones do we actually hope for, and what does that say about us?

Writing and publishing

Collaborating

What does it take for two or more creators to work together?

Humor With An Edge: Mixing The Silly With the Profound

What is it about the writings of humorists (like Terry Pratchett) that allows them to work on controversial issues that other writers won't touch? Does humor give more license for subversion? What about depth? How does humor allow writers to strike deep emotional chords with their readers?

Breaking into Publishing in the 21st Century

An update of the perennially popular "Publishing 101" topic. What do you as a new writer need to know to get your big break? How is the process changing with the advent of printing on demand, audio books, and the paperback publishing industry in a state of freefall? Last year's advice on how to break into the business may already be obsolete.

The Scoop on Writers' Workshops

The Ups and Downs of Local Critique Groups, Online Critique Groups, Clarion & Odyssey. How to get good feedback on your work without succumbing to group think. Also, cogent advice on what not to do in a writers group.

Short Fiction Markets You Should Know

We all know the big names in short fiction, but what magazines and web sites should you be reading that you aren't? Come hear the panelists discuss their favorites, and bring your own lists to share.

What Negative Emotions is it Okay to Evoke in Your Readers?

How much of a social contract do writers have with their readers? What about making past memories come back painfully?

How To Not Get Depressed When You Work Alone

There’s always something on the writer’s life. For some reason, people are actually jealous. Let us know what direction to take with it this year.

Let’s Create a World

This is a panel to practice world-building by actually doing it. Join our team of experts as we create a new world. Will it be science fiction or fantasy? Aliens or elves? How many moons? How will the magic/ science work? And who will be the first person to write a story in it when we’re done?

Characters You Care About

How do you create a character that the reader really cares about from Page One?

Writing Historical Detail

Getting your thread counts, cannonball weights and whatever right takes a lot of research. Where do you as a writer get started, and how far do you go?

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Media and comics

Pushing Daisies: what comes next?

While we don't *know* how the story works out, and won't until the three finished episodes are aired and the graphic novel wraps up the story (if these things ever happen), we can certainly speculate. Come prepared to discuss Ned's last name, the fate of Lil Gumshoe, the agelessness of Digby, and all those glorious colors.

Building Your DVD Collection Inexpensively

Shopping for DVDs in the 21st century.

What's New in Old Comics

Comics publishers have had to look beyond publishing periodicals to maintain their bottom line & have dug into the past to reprint classic material in collected volumes. From Marvel's Masterworks, Omnibus & Essential lines, DC's Showcase, Archive & Absolute lines to Dark Horse's reprinting of Gold Key classics (Magnus Robot Fighter, Doctor Solar, MARS Patrol, Tarzan, et al) and the Warren horror line, find out what's available at a fraction of the cost of the original back issues. Also: Titan Books' 007 newspaper strip collections, Gladstone's EC collections & various Irwin Allen & Gerry Anderson properties, 1960s Star Trek, Conan and more.

The Convenient Comic Book

Now that publishers are regularly collecting multi-issue story arcs into Trade Paperback & Hardcover editions, it is easier than ever to enjoy comics, without spending time looking for individual issues (& discovering you missed a chapter/issue) or trying to remember what happened last month. If you love comics, but gave up on the frustrating weekly pursuit of "floppies" (comic magazines) and just want to read a good stand-alone story of your favorite heroes with a minimum of confusion, find out which TPBs allow you to do just that.

The Many Faces of Batman

Did Frank Miller go too far when he turned a beloved comics icon into a borderline psycho, or was it a return to Batman's 1939 essence? Was there really any point in Heath Ledger redoing The Joker after Jack Nicholson defined the character in the 1989 movie? Did its sequels channel too much camp from 1966? Does the latest cinematic take on the Dark Knight pull its punches, or correct the balance?

SF Films Sans SFX

Science fiction has always been about ideas. But, in film, they often take a back seat to the rush of visual effects. Some of the most thought provoking films in SF have little in (obvious) effects. Find out what they are and discuss their merits.

Reboots/Remakes: Necessary/Not?

Make your pitch!

• Did Michael Rennie's then-unknown status make him a more convincing alien than superstar Keanu?
• How many remakes of a Kevin McCarthy classic does it take to convince us that "They're Here!" ?
• Did we need to see Director Tim Burton "go ape"?
• How many times can a man fall to earth?
• How many versions of War of the Worlds are there?
• Is Will Smith finally the Last Man on Earth after Charlton Heston & Vincent Price became 'Legend'? "
• Are you tingling with anticipation over the upcoming Fantastic Voyage remake and dreading that of Forbidden Planet?

The Pitfalls of Comic Book Continuity in the DC & Marvel Universes

Marvel successfully pioneered continuity for its superheroes in the 1960s, & DC followed suit after 1985's Crisis on Infinite Earths. What does this do for characters who never age, but need to grow? Is the DC Universe easier to "re-set" than Marvel's?

Long Live Number 6!

From the wrap of production for The Prisoner until his until his recent death, Patrick McGoohan said little about his most influential work. Do Ice Station Zebra and the Columbo episode "Identity Crisis" tie in to The Prisoner? Was Number 6 actually Danger Man/Secret Agent John Drake? If so, some episodes of the earlier series reveal clues to the question, "Why did he resign?". Why would McGoohan never tie Number 6 to Drake? The answers may surprise you! Plus, news on the 2009 AMC/ITV mini-series with Jim Caveizel as Number 6 and Ian McKellan as Number 2, adaptations & homages of The Prisoner in books, comics and a place you never expected!

This Year in Film

What were the best and worst sf/fantasy films this year?

Who Watched The Watchmen?

Obstacles beset Watchmen from the start. When DC acquired Charlton Comics' superheroes & had other plans, Alan Moore's idea to grandly reinvent them as the Watchmen had to be reinvented itself, with new, albeit similar characters. Once filmed, "the graphic novel that could not be filmed" for almost 20 years, saw lawsuits over the movie rights threatening to prevent its release. With no on-going characters, realizing Watchmen on film had one chance only. The final hurdle: Did they get it right?

Prequels: When You Know the Ultimate Outcome, Where's the Drama to the Back-Story?

If you found individuals on this planet who had never seen Star Wars, would you show them Episodes 1 - 6 in that order, or 4 - 6, then 1 - 3? Remember how blown away you were when Vader tells Luke, "I am your father"? Would you ruin this moment for someone by showing them Episode 3 before Episode 5? Babylon 5's sequel series Crusade occurred 15 years before B5's final episode. Since you know that Earth survives, was the series a pointless exercise? What of the upcoming Caprica prequel to Battlestar Galactica?

Fringe: X-Files Conspiracy Show for a New Decade?

After 8 years of real life conspiracies from the Bush administration on the news, TV viewers seem to have a renewed tasted for fictional ones. How does Fringe compare to X-Files? And, does anyone remember Heroes creator Tim Kring's short lived Strange World? Would Eleventh Hour benefit from an ongoing conspiracy element?

TV Show to Movie and Back Again

Are shows like Futurama and Star Wars: The Clone Wars more palatable in 22-minute increments on TV and insufferable at feature-length? How does Sarah Connor Chronicles stack up to the Terminator films? Should we even mention X-Files?

The Worlds of Blade Runner

Released the same week as E.T., initially critically and financially trounced, Blade Runner became a cinematic phoenix. While last year's DVD release of The Final Cut closes the book on the original film, we'll enlighten you to films and TV shows similar in theme and look to help relieve your withdrawal.

Note to programming per GL: If this panel is scheduled, the following are moderator notes that should not be included in the program guide:(Anime series Ghost in the Shell and sequels; TV series Total Recall 2070 owes more to BR than the PKD-inspired Total Recall film; Natural City, referred to by reviewers as "the Korean BR" to name a few). Also, see [[1]] for this page.

Who's Your Doctor?

Calling all Dr. Who fans! Who was your favorite Doctor? Is there one you couldn't stand?

Gaming

The Secret RPG Gamer

A lot of people are into RPGs but don't admit it, or at least aren't forward about it. Why? What's to be done, if anything?

Board Games: What's new and cool

New board games just keep coming out, and many of them are beauties. Here's a chance to hear about the latest trends in board games, see some examples and take a few for a test drive.

Info-dumping in RPGs

In RPGs, there's a great deal of exposition to be done. GMs need to explain setting information, and as a player, it can be frustrating when the GM tells you vital information after you needed it. ("What do you mean there's a lever on the wall? Why have we been trying to bust down this door for the past half-hour?") But exposition can become long-winded and tiresome. How do GMs and players strike a balance?

Publishing your RPG

How to go from basic idea to holding it in your hands to being a rich and famous RPG author. Okay, maybe not the last part.

Not exactly panels

Popup Books and More

Come and see some resplendent examples of the popup book art form, and learn what goes into the construction of these little masterpieces. We may also throw in a little paper craft fun for everybody - learn a little origami, cut out a snowflake, or make a folded-paper fortune telling machine customized for Minicon.

The State of Lego

What's new and cool in Lego bricks? This would be great if we can get people to bring some in to demonstrate.

Knit Knacks

Is there enough interest to do this again? Crafters?

Costuming Workshop

There's interest in attending one of these - is anybody prepared to present it?

Prep for Anticipation?

Sci-Fi French, or useful French, etc.?

Texting Competition

YA programming (or texting vs. Morse code)

There and Back Again

Sci-fi quotes run through machine translation as a game show

I'll Show You Mine if You Show Me Yours

Hey, let's all get together and compare our new mini-laptops, smart phones and whatever other electronic gadgetry we got for Christmas. We can set up our own wireless network right there in the programming room! Does anybody still have one of those cute little Roombas? We could run them through a maze or obstacle course.

Opposable Thumbs Appreciation

Part panel, part “workshop” on what it’s like not having opposable thumbs. Tentacles vs. thumbs -- how would society be different? Participate in exercises that help you understand what life would be like without opposable thumbs. [this one just cracks me up. I can't remember who suggested it, but I hope whoever it is comes back and offers to run the panel. ed]

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Film Room

• TBD *