Author Archives: Bob Evans

Chicon 7 – Day 2

So day two of the convention started with the now typical backache, but on the plus side my sweetie-wife and I had a very pleasant breakfast with a person whom I had only known as an on line poster.

There is a forum for people writing and submitting to the Writers of the Future contest and quite a few of us were attending Chicon 7. I had hoped to breakfast with two of them, but we failed to make the connection with one and so it was just three of us at the breakfast buffet. Still, it was very nice to put a face and voice to the posts and we had a lovely conversation before the start of another busy day. Continue reading →

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Chicon 7 – Day 1

The next morning we discovered what would become the worst recurring aspect to this year’s World Science Fiction Convention, the beds at the Hyatt Regency. The hotel supplied the rooms with beds of extreme softness. Now there may be those who think that means a night’s rest is like sleeping on a cloud when on such a bed, but those are not the sentiments of my sweetie-wife and myself. Both of us suffered from back pains through the convention due to the bedding, my sweetie suffering more than myself. Continue reading →

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Chicon 7 T -1 day

So we left for Chicon on Wednesday August 29th, the day before the convention started. I used to fly to convention on the first day of a con, but after getting burned more than once and missing panels I really wanted to attend, I changed that up.

So, in order to get down to the airport for our 7 am flight, we had to be up at oh-dark-thirty. Luckily a friend was kind enough to drive me, my sweetie-wife, and another pal down to the airport saving us taxi fare.

Passing through TSA was relatively painless, as much as that process can be now days, and we waited for our flight, along with at least two other fans heading to Chicago. (Side note, the prohibition of small blades and knives on airplanes is really a pointless rule. No highjacker or set of highjackers are going to take an airliner that way again. As we have already seen passengers adapted to the new terrorism very quickly, tackling anyone they suspected of foul intentions, including their own pilots. The days of meekly sitting there while the plan is taken are over and they are not returning.)

The flight was pleasant and I watched Captain America: the First Avenger on my laptop to pass the time. We arrived on time at Midway airport and after a short taxi ride found ourselves at the Hyatt Regency hotel. Check in went quickly and before long we had our badges and were ready for the con to begin.

 

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Vacation is over

My week off from work has ended and now it is time to man the desk again. I had sucha  good time at ChiCon 7 that I can return to work in a snappy happy mood.

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I’ve Been Away

Howdy:

So for the last week I have been in Chicago attending the 70th World Science-Fiction Convention.

At many conventions I would have done nightly updates on the panels and my activities, but ChiCon 7 was far too busy for that. The panels were really good, and even on the first day I was in panels from noon until 10:15 at night. I am so glad we arrived the day before.

I got to meet a number of my fellow Writers of The Future contestants and they struck me as a talented and engaging group of writers. (What the hell was I doing there?) Honestly I had a great time and I will try to post a little more about it in the coming days. Unusual for me, I skipped out on the last day of the con to go to Chicago’s Museum of Science and Technology, because they had an actual WWII German U-boat there (number 505, captured by Americans) and that was worth seeing and touring.

I had a great time, saw old friends, made new ones, and I am jazzed about my writing again. All in all a success!

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A Choice Election

I’ve heard from side of the political table that this particular election is stark choice election. I agree with that, there’s a clear and distinct difference between the two major parties and what they are offering up for the future of America.

Where this tend to go wrong is the idea I hear that when the choice is made it will reveal something about what the population wants and what they have rejected.

I contend that no losing side in the election will admit in any way that they might have lost because of their message.

Should Romney/Ryan win, the Democratic side will claim that it was because of Citizen United and the unlimited cash that flowed from the Koch Brothers, but not because American wanted the Republican Policies, never!

And If Obama/Biden win, then the Republicans will insist that it was because the Democrats ran a very dirty campaign, the media piled unfairly onto the conservatives, and it was close, voter fraud. Just like the Democrats they will never admit that the American populace wanted the Democratic policies.

So while this is a choice election, it won’t change one whit our cold civil war.

 

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Movie Review: Iron Sky

Odds are very much against anyone reading my blog will get a chance to see this film projected in a theater. This was a small independent production from filmmakers in Finland and the US release is very limited. (So far just one single showing in San Diego. One evening one time.) Go to Tugg.com to find were it is showing in the U.S.
Some of you may have heard your humble author and host praise a fan film “Star Wreck: In The Pirkenning.” This is the first professional feature film from the people behind that spectacular parody of Star Trek vs Babylon 5. Last night my lovely sweetie-wife and I drove about twenty miles to catch the single San Diego presentation of Iron Sky and it was worth every stop light and the long night it made for us both. Continue reading →

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Sunday Night Movie: Jaws

I have a confession to make. Back in 1975, when I was just 14 years old, it took me two attempts to sit all the way through Jaws. I left early the first time, the shock of that first attack having thoroughly unnerved me. Nothing in my horror film experience had prepared me for such a superbly crafted thriller. On the second attempt I stayed in my seat the entire film and thoroughly loved the experience by the film’s exciting conclusion. Continue reading →

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Sunday Night Movie: Red Tails

This was another film that I had a vague interest in seeing when it played in theaters earlier this year, but procrastination prevented me from actually going out to the cinema. Red Tails is loosely based upon the real life WWII 332nd fighter group, better known as the Tuskegee Airmen. It was a fighter squadron comprised of African-American pilots at a time when the U.S. Armed services still suffered from racist segregation of black and white personnel. Continue reading →

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Sunday Night Movie: Chronicle

I had seen the trailers for this film and it peaked a mild interest, but the knowledge that this was yet another found footage film kept me out of the theaters. Staying out of the theaters proved most wise, it is film is crap.

What follows will be a spoiler heavy review of the stinking pile of poo, so don’t follow if you have any care at all about the plot and think you might want to see the movie. Continue reading →

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