(1) BEST NOVEL WINNER TESH INTERVIEWED. [Item by Nickpheas.] Front Row, the main BBC Radio 4 arts show includes an overview of the recent Hugo controversies and an interview with Emily Tesh following her Best Novel win: “BBC Radio 4 – Front Row, Emily Tesh and the Hugo Awards”.
This year’s WorldCon – the World Science Fiction Convention – took place in Glasgow and pop culture critic Gavia Baker-Whitelaw reports on the international gathering where the winners of the Hugo Awards 2024 were announced last night.
Emily Tesh on winning the Best Novel prize at this year’s Hugo Awards with her debut novel, Some Desperate Glory.
(2) SPREAD THE WORD. Maybe fans should have been told this was DNQ – then by now everybody would know it.
(3) BEAUTY SHOTS. Richard Man has received his 2023 Hugo Award trophy and has posted a gallery of beautiful photos of it on Facebook. They include close-ups of the based and its artistic panda sculpture. Here’s the first in the series.
(4) GLASGOW 2024 PHOTO TEAM. And you can see the Worldcon in all its glory in this gallery of “Worldcon Photos” at Flickr.
(5) LOST IN TRANSLATION. Glasgow 2024 apologized for problems at last night’s Hugo ceremony with onscreen cards in rendering Chinese names. One commenter thinks the apology underplays the extent of them.
(6) WEE, SLEEKIT, COWRIN, TIM’ROUS BEASTIE. Cora Buhlert, who is headed home at this hour, shared a “Brief Worldcon Update – and a Fannish Poem”. The title of the poem is “The Phantom of the Armadillo”. You might be able to guess what it’s about from the first two lines. See the rest at the link.
There’s a spectre haunting Glasgow,
a spectre by the name of Dave…
(7) DARKLIT PRESS. Publishers Weekly has compiled the available information about the meltdown in “A Grim Fate Befalls Horror Publisher DarkLit Press”.
A metaphorical bloodbath has occurred at Canada-based independent horror publisher DarkLit Press, with authors clawing back rights, publicly splitting with the company, and claiming royalties have gone unpaid. A year ago, DarkLit was announcing new imprints and developing its audio offerings, but its website and social media accounts have gone black, and the company is not listed in the Canadian Business Registry….
(8) CAMERON Q&A. “James Cameron Interview: Avatar 3, Alien: Romulus, Terminator Zero” in The Hollywood Reporter.
There has been a lot of conversation in the last few years about UAPs [Unidentified Aerial Phenomena] along with USOs — Underwater Submerged Objects — which you brought to the pop culture forefront with The Abyss. You’ve spent so much time on and in the ocean. Have you ever seen anything that you cannot explain?
I’ve seen some geological formations that were intriguing that I really wanted to understand better that I don’t think have been well observed before. I’ve photographed new species — things that were not immediately identifiable. But I’ve never seen anything that couldn’t be explained in the sense of some extraterrestrial phenomenon. Now, “belief” is a principle that I don’t have. I don’t believe things. I admit the possibility of things because the universe is infinite and obviously much stranger than we think, and much more complex than we think — that’s what makes science so appealing. But I don’t make broad statements like, “Well, I believe there must be extraterrestrial life; the universe is so big.” Yeah, it’s really big — and getting here would be a really, really big problem if there is even life out there, and if that life is intelligent. How are they crossing light years of space? I studied physics before I became a lit major, and people have no concept of the magnitude of that problem from a physics standpoint. I have a pretty good grasp of where physics was in 1972 — which basically is laughable at this point — but I keep up.
(9) MY ALIBI. There we go – Xiran Jay Zhao and George R.R. Martin are each other’s alibis for not turning in their next book.
(10) NOW WITH ADDED DRAGONS. Erin Underwood Presents brings viewers a“House of the Dragon, Season 2 Review – Here’s why it’s actually a good season”. (Did you have doubts?)
House of the Dragon, George RR Martin’s A Game of Throne’s prequel, enters its second season with the Targaryen’s internal succession war at its peak — and it’s tearing the Seven Kingdoms apart. Plus, there are so many DRAGONS. Check out my new review of season 2.
(11) TODAY’S BIRTHDAY.
[Written by Lis Carey.]
Born August 12, 1931 – William Goldman. (Died 2018.)
By Lis Carey: William Goldman was a novelist, playwright, and screenwriter. He won two Academy Awards in writing categories—Best Original Screenplay for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969), and Best Adapted Screenplay for All the President’s Men (1976).
But the work for which we best know and love him is The Princess Bride, both novel and film.
The Princess Bride is, As You Know, Bob, the film adaptation of William Goldman’s “good parts version” of S. Morgenstern’s long political satire, The Princess Bride: S. Morgenstern’s Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure, The “Good Parts” Version.
Except, of course, S. Morgenstern never existed, and Goldman only wrote the “good parts,” including “footnotes” referencing fictional bits of the politics, etc., of the kingdoms of Florin and Guilder, and the frame story of a grandfather reading the story to his grandson. The adaptation for the film was, fortunately, written by Goldman himself, and is remarkably true to the novel. A grandfather reads to his grandson the “good parts version” of Princess Buttercup; her true love Westley; Buttercup’s evil betrothed, Prince Humperdinck; and of course the giant Fezzik, Inigo Montoya, Vizzini the Sicilian, and assorted other people of questionable character.
Altogether, it’s a lovely package of wit, humor, fantasy, adventure and romance. With positive critical reception but only modestly successful at the box office, it has become a cult classic. Lines from the movie are happily quoted by fans who have seen it, and those who never have, because it’s just so darned quotable and engaging.
“Inconceivable!”
“You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.”
“Never get involved in a land war in Asia.” (Solid advice, that one.)
It’s a pure delight, and has a 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. You can watch it on Disney+, if so inclined.
(12) COMICS SECTION.
- F Minus points out why a planet has a bad reputation
- Doug Eat Doug shows that horror readers start young
- Strange Brew whispers a secret.
- Wumo mixes realities.
(13) PAGING THROUGH THE SF HALL OF FAME. David Agranoff’s new Postcards from a Dying World podcast episode is about “SF Hall of Fame #7 The Weapons Shop by AE Van Vogt”.
In 1970 Avon Books published a landmark anthology “Science Fiction Hall of Fame” featuring 16 classic short stories that represent landmark tales of the genre. The stories were voted on by the members of the new (at the time in the late 60s) organization Science Fiction Writers of America. In this series, I will be joined by a panel of different guests to break down these stories and talk about the authors in the book.
In this episode, I am joined by two experts on Philip K Dick. Wait a second I thought this episode was about AE Van Vogt. It is.. but the Canadian Golden Age author was a massive influence on PKD, so I was interested in introducing two Dickheads to Van Vogt. So joining me is the Total Dickhead blogger – Professor David Gill and author/publisher/editor Keith Giles of Quior Books.
(14) COMIC-CON PROGRAM BOOK IS FREE DOWNLOAD. [Item by Bill.] The San Diego Comic-Con’s program book is released as a PDF. It contains much of SF interest. Find it here.
(15) DISNEY LEGENDS AT D23. The star-power was turned up bright this past weekend at the D23 Expo in Anaheim.
Jamie Lee Curtis has always been legendary, but now it’s official: she was named a Disney Legend on Sunday during the D23 Expo.
Lindsay Lohan took the stage to queue up a montage of Curtis’ most memorable roles, telling the crowd, “I have been able to have the pleasure of working with Jamie Lee Curtis. And the magic of Jamie Lee Curtis is that she is timeless. Every character she plays is different, and she always brings something unique to the role. And I feel so blessed to have Jamie as a friend in my life, and I feel lucky to work with a woman that I admire so much.”
Jodie Foster surprised the crowd after Lohan’s introduction to further lionize Curtis, saying, “There are many things that my bestie Jamie and I have in common,” recalling their upbringing as young women in Hollywood.
“Here are many of the absolutely freaky things that you may not know about her: You probably don’t know she eats dinner at 3 or 4, and is asleep by 7:30. She gets up at 3 a.m., she saves the world and she online shops a little bit,” Foster continued.
“She is so thoughtful and so generous, such a supportive and kind cheerleader, that it just makes me want to punch her,” Foster said with a laugh. “Is that wrong?” Foster then presented Curtis with her own embroidered pair of Mickey Mouse ears….
…After a montage of Harrison’s most iconic work, Ford took the stage to an enthusiastic standing ovation. Referencing one of his most iconic “Star Wars” moments, he told the crowd, “I love you, too” (a more direct version of Han Solo’s famous response, “I know.”)
He continued, “I love the life you’ve given me. I love the people that I’ve had the opportunity to work with. Nobody does anything in this business for long. We work in collaboration, no matter what who we are and what we’re doing.”
Ford called himself an “assistant storyteller,” adding, “The stories are for you, about you, about us,” Ford said as he choked back tears. “To be able to work in that area is a privilege.”….
- “Angela Bassett, Kelly Ripa, James Cameron and More Honored as Disney Legends at D23” reports Variety.
Angela Bassett was recognized for three decades of work with Disney, including her role in Touchstone’s “What’s Love Got to Do With It,” narration of National Geographic’s The Flood and the Disney+ docuseries “The Imagineering Story,” and, most recently, her Oscar-nominated performance as Queen Ramonda in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.”…
…“Titanic” director James Cameron was also among the honorees, recognized for his work on the “Avatar” film franchise, for which he’s currently in post-production for the third entry, with a planned fourth and fifth in pre-production. He’s also behind several documentaries made in partnership with National Geographic, including the Emmy-winning “Secrets of the Whales” and Emmy-nominated “Secrets of the Elephants.” He also executive produced the OceanXplorers series, due in fall 2024 from National Geographic….
…Ripa began her career as an actor on the soap opera “All My Children” and the sitcom “Hope & Faith.” She’s best known for her work on morning television as the co-host of ABC’s “Live,” which she’s appeared on since 2001….
…Bassett, Cameron and Ripa were joined by fellow Disney Legend honorees Jamie Lee Curtis, James L. Brooks, Harrison Ford, Frank Oz, John Williams, Miley Cyrus, costume designer Colleen Atwood, Disney Parks cast member Martha Blanding, the late Marvel comic artist Steve Ditko, animator Mark Henn, and imagineer Joe Rohde….
(16) FREAKIER FRIDAY. And once D23 is over, everybody goes back to work. “‘Freaky Friday 2’ Title Revealed as ‘Freakier Friday,’ Brings Back Lindsay Lohan’s Rock Band Pink Slip And Loads of Cameos” – Variety has the story.
…“It feels like no time has passed,” Curtis told the ecstatic crowd.
Lohan revealed the two had stayed in touch over the years and said, “We’re very close.” To which Curtis replied, “It feels like we’re picking up where we left off.”
And with that, the trailer for Nisha Ganatra’s “Freaky Friday 2,” starring Curtis and Lohan was revealed…
(17) PRIDE OF DISNEY. A trailer has dropped for Mufasa: The Lion King – in theaters December 20.
Exploring the unlikely rise of the beloved king of the Pride Lands, “Mufasa: The Lion King” enlists Rafiki to relay the legend of Mufasa to young lion cub Kiara, daughter of Simba and Nala, with Timon and Pumbaa lending their signature schtick. Told in flashbacks, the story introduces Mufasa as an orphaned cub, lost and alone until he meets a sympathetic lion named Taka—the heir to a royal bloodline. The chance meeting sets in motion an expansive journey of an extraordinary group of misfits searching for their destiny—their bonds will be tested as they work together to evade a threatening and deadly foe.
(18) IS CONSCIOUSNESS DOWN TO QUANTUM EFFECTS. [Item by SF Concatenation’s Jonathan Cowie.] Physicist Matt O’Dowd over at PBS Space Time takes a look at Nobel laureate Roger Penrose’s idea that the brain might enable consciousness through quantum effects: the brain might be a quantum computer, his rationalization being known as orchestrated objective reduction. Basically, we think – outside the box – like quantum and not analogue computers.
Now, the arguments against this are that physicists currently entangle atoms in vacuums at very, very cold temperatures: conversely, brains are warm and wet. (We biologists like things warm and wet.) Subsequently, in the mid-1990s, an anaesthetist, Stuart Hameroff, suggested microtubules found in brain cells might have the macromolecule, the tubulin protein, Penrose was looking for as many anaesthetics work by impairing microtubule function.
The latest news is that a paper has been published showing that molecules in microtubules exhibit superradience and superradience (as you all know well?) is a phenomena arising out of quantum entanglement.
Now, just because a molecule exhibits supperradience by itself is not proof that the molecule can behave in an entangled quantum way, however it is at the very least corroborating evidence and so we can file this in the ‘interesting’ drawer.
Also, don’t be quick to rule out the ‘warm and wet’ problem just because physicists find it difficult. In biology we think that photosynthesis (how plants harness sunlight’s energy) likely relies on quantum effects: it is possible that quantum coherence and electron tunneling are involved in photosynthesis. Quantum_biology is a thing.
Finally, let’s think of the SF implications of all of this. Given the number of microtubules in the brain and given the number of calculations quantum computers can do, then to get General Artificial Intelligence (that’s 2001 HAL level of A.I.) we would need a very, very large quantum computer and that seems a very long way off and is certainly not something we can do with conventional, analogue computers. If this is so, then it may mean our getting a powerful A.I. capable of conscious, independent thought is unlikely… This, some may say, could be good news. I keep on telling people that the machines are taking over. But nobody ever listens…
That’s everything in a nutshell. Matt O’Dowd explains it with a little more detail (and fortunately with no heavy mathematical equations). You can see the 19-minute video here.
Nobel laureate Roger Penrose is widely held to be one of the most brilliant living physicists for his wide-ranging work from black holes to cosmology. And then there’s his idea about how consciousness is caused by quantum processes. Most scientists have dismissed this as a cute eccentricity – a guy like Roger gets to have at least one crazy theory without being demoted from the supersmartypants club. The most common argument for this dismissal is that quantum effects can’t survive long enough in an environment as warm and chaotic as the brain. Well, a new study has revealed that Penrose’s prime candidate molecule for this quantum activity does indeed exhibit large scale quantum activity. So was Penrose right after all? Are you a quantum entity?
[Thanks to Teddy Harvia, Mike Kennedy, Andrew Porter, Erin Underwood, Nickpheas, Bill, John King Tarpinian, Chris Barkley, Cat Eldridge, SF Concatenation’s Jonathan Cowie, Steven French, and Kathy Sullivan for some of these stories. Title credit belongs to File 770 contributing editor of the day Jon Meltzer.]
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(5) Square boxes with an X are a typical rendering when the current character set doesn’t include those characters. In other words, a technical glitch that’s all too common given the large number of differing character sets in use.
(11) He’s only mostly dead.
Pixels of Unusual Size?
A couple months ago I was lucky enough to recognize a couple of square boxes in some Chinese text I’d been sent were failed renderings of the actual character. I had to come up with a workaround that involved a JPG of the original source.
I’m sure a lot of Westerners can’t tell the square box isn’t just another ideogram.
(5) Yeah, a sadly standard result of characters needed but not included in the character set. And it must be absolutely infuriating, when it’s your name and you’re (supposed to be) being honored.
(6) An excellent and wholly appropriate poem.
I just checked the fonts on my computer (Win10, Office2007, and an older version of LibreOffice), and there are a number of non-Roman fonts, including Chinese.
P J Evans: Remember when File 770 posts couldn’t render a number of non-Roman fonts — not just Chinese, but the special characters in several European languages? (I think it’s still a problem for comments. Obviously a different font set, but don’t ask me to explain why.)
However, in my latest encounter with square boxes, I also couldn’t get the character to display properly in Word or some other things I tried. But it was correct in Journey Planet. That’s why I ran the first page from the fanzine in that particular post.
“Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You scrolled my pixel. Prepare to die.”
@Mike
Fonts in Windows are weird. I never know what’s going to not render. (I don’t have much need for Mongolian. But it’s there.)
And a font designer [1] who thinks they have glyphs for all the code points they need to cover may be wrong.
[1] Or a government. Middle of last century, a Japanese ministry codified all the characters approved for official use… but did not include some less common characters – which are mainly used in personal names. So an annex had to be approved.
(18) I recently reviewed a collection of essays on quantum mechanics and consciousness which included a long contribution from Penrose (and another by one of his collaborators). And the problem with their proposal isn’t so much the whole ‘brains are warm and wet’ thing but that they argue that determinate mental states arise retroactively ie on the basis of future choices. Which adds to the ‘high buy in costs’, to put it mildly.
(For those who might be interested here’s my review: https://www.thebsps.org/reviewofbooks/french-on-gao/)
4) I think we as a team did a decent job.
(11) Here’s to William Goldman. Because of him I went to the Argosy bookstore, where the fictional version of him found a copy of the unexpurgated version of the Priness Bride for his fictional son
3) Wow. That looks a lot better than the one that one of the Hugo, Girl! podcasters received (with the Panda broken off and the base all scratched up).
4) – Hopefully still doing (rather than just did) a decent job as per Paul’s comment – the convention may have been formally closed, and cleared the SEC, but I’ve still got the last official Tour to take round some of Glasgow tomorrow, and with my other hat on, also likely to take a photo or two as well.
I’m also still working through a backlog in processing and uploading photos to that Flickr channel.
@Steven French: Very interesting review; thanks for posting the link.
P J Evans:
“Render unto Microsoft what is Microsoft’s”
Accents indeed don’t work in comments, I know well. ?š??žýáíé óú? ??? (Interesting: so Italian would work, and maybe even half of Latvian?)
Goldman was a brilliant writer even in mainstream, which seems forgotten now much more than his filmed genre stuff. In Father’s Day (pity that I never came across the prequel) he does several audacious narrative tricks that would make Ellison proud, and the biggest of them repeatedly! Gotta admire the chutzpah. (I think now I have seen similar on TV; wonder whether Chuck Lorre knew the book.) Also, Control is science fiction, as becomes clearer when gradually revealing another very, very neat trick, which Evan Hunter / Ed McBain in his rather poorly written NYT review shamelessly spoiled; good thing that Wikipedia links to another, perceptive by Mary Cantwell.