Past Meetings

---- 2003 ----

November 26, 2003

• Our November meeting was some chat followed by listening to two radio dramas which were given to us by Bill Glass. They were old X Minus One productions of short stories from Galaxy magazine. The first was Colony by Philip K. Dick and the second was The Saucer of Loneliness by Theodore Sturgeon. Then we listened to some Filk music with Dorsai songs by Gordon Dickson and friends and some old favorites like "Banned from Argos" by Leslie Fish
  
  Greg announced that the room was going to remain available for the coming year and asked if everyone wanted to continue meeting. Without dissent, we are on for another year and contributions to cover the cost of the room are requested from the regulars.
  
  
  Wes Kawato announced that the new issue of NovaSF is now available. Wes will have a table in the Dealer's Room at LOSCON.
  
  Elise Edgell invited us to a New Year's Eve party at her house in Orange. For directions email her at eliseme@aol.com
  
  


• READING ORBIT- OCSFC Book Club:
  Our November book will be Pavane by Keith Roberts
  In the year 1588, Queen Elizabeth was assassinated. That single tragedy set off a whole series of events, resulting in the Spanish Armada's defeat of England and subsequent demise of Protestantism. Now it's the 20th century, and the Church of Rome reigns supreme. People live a pastoral existence of guilds and farming, with technology held back to the level of the steam locomotive and primitive radio. Still, science cannot be held back forever... a revolution is building.
  (227 pages © 1968 reissued 2001)
  [Available at OC system (3 copies) & Braille audio; NOT at Anh., Fullerton, YL, Plac., B. Pk.]

October 29

• A remembrance of Philip K. Dick
  Due to Tim Powers and James Blaylock being invited to be Guests of Honor at a Science Fiction Convention in France. The live conversation with these authors is postponed to our January meeting.
  Instead, we will have a presentation of a BBC video production on Philip K. Dick.


Here are Dave Moore's comments on the October meeting for those who weren't able to make it.

"For those of you on the list who missed the last meeting, a short report. We had a good turnout, 24 in all, including 2 first time attendees. Thanks Marcia for the drinks and cookies and Halloween pumpkin. It really added a something to the meeting. We've rescheduled the Philip K. Dick discussion to January due to author scheduling conflicts, but John came across a tape of an excellent BBC documentary done about 10 years ago so we watched that. It was a good primer as it included interviews with the authors who will be at the January meeting. I'd also like to thank Tess and Rick for the loan of the TV set. Not a large crowd at Coco's afterwards, mainly the book group, discussing Philip K. Dick's Solar Lottery. It looks like the restaurant may be closed down end of this year so if anyone has any suggestions for a place nearby that is open late let us know."


• READING ORBIT- OCSFC Book Club:
  Our October book will be Solar Lottery by Philip K. Dick (188 pages) [available at Anaheim, Yorba Linda, Fullerton, OC Libraries (2 copies) Not available at Buena Park nor Braille audio.]
  

September 24

• Dell Wolfensparger, Multimedia and Web Producer
  Dell missed getting to the meeting and we toured the CDROM of Forry's collection without him.
  We have invited him to return for our February 2004 meeting.


• READING ORBIT- OCSFC Book Club:
  Our September book will be "Shatterday" by Harlan Ellison
  Short story collection, 332 pages. [available at Anaheim Libraries (3 copies), OC Libraries (5 copies), Braille audio; Not available at Fullerton, Buena Park] + Dave has an extra copy to lend.
  

August 27

• tbd


• READING ORBIT- OCSFC Book Club:
  Our August book will be The Years of Rice and Salt by Kim Stanley Robinson
  It is the fourteenth century and one of the most apocalyptic events in human history is set to occur–the coming of the Black Death. History teaches us that a third of Europe’s population was destroyed. But what if? What if the plague killed 99 percent of the population instead? How would the world have changed? This is a look at the history that could have been–a history that stretches across centuries, a history that sees dynasties and nations rise and crumble, a history that spans horrible famine and magnificent innovation. These are the years of rice and salt.
  [Note: Available at Anaheim library system, Fullerton library & possibly OC libary system]

July 30

• tbd


• READING ORBIT- OCSFC Book Club:
  Our July book postponed from May will be Up the Walls of the World by James Tiptree, Jr.
  [Note: Available at Anaheim library system, Fullerton library & possibly OC libary system ]
  

June 25

• Frank Bustamante and Mike Nickoloff of Third World Games
  Will talk about their SF role playing card game Firestorm


• READING ORBIT- OCSFC Book Club:
  Our June book left over from May will be Up the Walls of the World by James Tiptree, Jr.
  Participants in a secret U.S. military research project on telepathic powers receive messages from alien beings threatened with destruction. An interstellar entity is destroying whole solar systems and appears to be part of a plan to create a new mode of existence for aliens and humans alike.
  And possibly: Gateway by Frederik Pohl. Earthman Robinette Broadhead wins a one-way lottery ticket to Gateway, an abandoned interstellar depot of the vanished Heechee race, but does not know whether the trip will make him a millionaire or a corpse.
  [Note: Available at Anaheim library system, Fullerton library & possibly OC libary system ]

May 28

• Open meeting.


• READING ORBIT- OCSFC Book Club:
  Due to several missing principles, discussion was postponed.

April 30

• John Karwin, Curator: Fullerton Museum
  Rescheduled from February 26
  John will join us for a short wrap up of the SF exhibit which closed January 26th.
  Then we will take advantage of John's special interest in Frankenstein to discuss the history of this novel and related matters. What would the author of Frankenstein, Mary Shelley, think about what her novel means to us today? What would she think about cloning and genetic engineering?
  Bring your questions and ideas for discussion.


• READING ORBIT- OCSFC Book Club:
  Our April book will be Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. LeGuin
  Confused and afraid, a lone human becomes the pawn in an intrigue on Gethen, a planet inhabited by creatures that are neither male nor female. They are not neuters but have the potential to be either man or woman. Originally published in 1969. Hugo and Nebula Awards

March 26

• Lew Stedman, Thereminist
  Lew will give talk about his instrument and give a demonstration. The Theremin is one of the best know electronic instruments and has produced the earie background music heard in many Science Fiction films such as Forbidden Planet, spooky films like Spellbound, and popular music like Good Vibrations by the Beachboys.


• READING ORBIT- OCSFC Book Club:
  Our March book will be "Revelation Space" by Alastair Reynolds.

February 26

• John Karwin


• READING ORBIT- OCSFC Book Club:
  Our February book will be the sequel to Joe Haldeman's The Forever War, entitled Forever Free.
  (bonus reading will be the original Forever War and the sequel to Forever Free entitled Forever Peace.

January 29

• Warren James, host of the Hour 25 web broadcast. He'll be talking on how Mars has been reflected in humankind's imagination. Warren James' s day job is that of aerospace engineer. He is currently working for Northrop designing launch trajectories for the Reusable Launch Vehicle project.


• READING ORBIT- OCSFC Book Club:
  Our January book will be Perdido Street Station by China Mieville