Westwind #71 June 1983

NWSFS, Norwescon 6, Norwescon 7

The June 1983 issue of Westwind, with the Norwescon 6 post-con report, early Norwescon 7 information, poetry, reviews of other conventions, and the fourth and final part of a look at potential catastrophes with the Space Shuttle program.

• Artist
• Editorial
• NWSFS Elections
• Norwescon 6 Stuff
  • NWC Printout
  • Masqeurade Finals
  • Olympiad Winners
  • Thank Yous
• Convention Calendar
• A Poem
• NASA, We’ve Got A Problem: Part 4: The Aftermath…
• The Chairman’s Corner
  • Convention Reports
    • FutureFest '83
    • V-Con Eleven
  • On Hotels and Cons and Such
  • Norwescon 7 News
• The Annual Nizfiz Camp In
• Serpent’s Tooth
• NEWSFS

Elizabeth Warren

Northwest Science Fiction Society

June 1983

Julie Zetterburg-Sardo

Contents copyright © 1983 for the contributors by The Northwest Science Fiction Society.

English

Westwind: Clubzine of the Northwest Science Fiction Society

June 1983 No. 71

[Art by Tarkas of a priest holding a cross standing in front of a spacecraft]

artist

Chehalis-based Randy Hoar, aka Tarkas, is one of the northwest’s most prolific artists. His work is appearing on record jackets, songbooks (by no less than Led Zeppelin) and several prozines, among them Twilight Zone Magazine. His work has also appeared in fan publications worldwide, and we thank him for this month’s cover. (But if he doesn’t sign his work, how does he ever expect to get ahead, we wonder?)

in the wind…

FEATURES

NORWESCON SIX: TYING UP THE LOOSE ENDS By Judy Suryan, Kitty Canterbury, and a cast of thousands 4
A POEM By Ann McCurdy 7
NASA, WE’VE GOT A PROBLEM Conclusion, by Art Bozlee 7
THE CHAIRMAN’S CORNER FutureFest, V-Con 11, and advice on hotel contracts, by Richard Wright 11
NORWESCON 7 NEWS Updates on progress: Richard also 13

DEPARTMENTS

EDITORIAL (ELIZABETH Warren!) 3
CONVENTION CALENDAR 6
NEW SWSFS MEMBERS & RETREADS 14

PLEASE NOTE ELECTION NEWS ON PAGE 3!!!

Please Take Note

Buddy is a 9-year-old boy in Paisley, Scotland, who is suffering from leukemia and has less than six months to live. Buddy’s ambition is to set the Guinness Book of Records mark for the number of postcards received by any one individual. If you want to help Buddy, send a postcard (28¢) to Buddy, P.O. Box , Paisley, Scotland. This announcement comes from Pepper.

Thanks!

WESTWIND- The newsletter of the Northwest Science Fiction Society. Issue #71- June 1983. Published by the Norhtwest Science Fiction Society - Judy Suryan, Chairman ([REDACTED]); Elizabeth Warren, ViceChair ([REDACTED]); Thom Walls, Sec’y-Treas. ([REDACTED]). Opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the publisher.

STAFF- Editor; Elizabeth Warren. Contributors; Judy Suryan, Richard Wright, Art Bozlee, Jon Gustafson, William R. Warren Jr., Ann McCurdy, Elizabeth Warren, Kit Canterbury and Bob Suryan. Layout; William R. Warren Jr. Interior Art; William R. Warren Jr. Back Cover; William R. Warren Jr. Printing; Michael Brocha. Labels; Tony Pepin.

Contents copyright © 1983 for the contributors by The Northwest Science Fiction Society.

WESTWIND is mailed monthly to members of NWSFS Post Office Box [REDACTED], Seattle, WA. 98124. Advertising is accepted; must be received (camera-ready) by the 20th of the month prior to issue. Mail to NWSFS. Full page(7.5 x 10), $20; half page(7.5 x 5), $12; quarter page(3.5 x 5), $7; eighth page or business card, $5, NWSFS Information Hotline: [REDACTED]

EDITORIAL WRITES:The Dragon Lady

[Cartoon by Warren of a dragon with long dark hair, weraing glasses and smoking a cigarette, sitting at a typewriter and surrounded by stacks of paper, thinking, ‘Back again, when will I ever learn?’]

Are you surprised to see me here again? I am. Steve and William decided that they couldn’t do all that nice artwork and all the other things that they do and still do the WESTWIND on time every month. So I got stuck with it at least until I can find another sucker editor.

In this issue you will find your NWSFS ballot and some articles concerning NORWESCON. Please remember to vote, either at the social or by mail.

As for NORWESCON 7, I was present at a meeting with the Hyatt Hotel staff the other night and we talked about using our “second home” for NORWESCON 7. The staff at the Hyatt are exceptionally nice and exceptionally helpful. We are really spoiled. They treat us very nicely and I presume that as soon as a few minor details are worked out we will be signing a contract with them. The decision is not mine, but I have my fingers crossed! The Hyatt is a wonderful site for us with a few small problems, one is that we have outgrown it. But I surely don’t want to have to move to a different hotel and have to completely retrain the staff!

As for William and Steve, they will still be helping on the magazine when time permits, so fear not, we will try to maintain a high level of quality .

The Northwest Science Fiction Society is the proud owner of a Kaypro 2 computer. As soon as we all learn to use it properly, a lot of things should be easier. The WESTWIND will be done on its word processor, and all the accounts are done on some silly kind of math program and, well, you get the idea. So be patient with me until I get the hang of the computer.

Thanks to William and Steve and the entire Gallacci Clan for all the nice work they put into my “baby”.

NWSFS Elections! Science Fiction Northwest

Elections are this month for members of NWSFS to make their voices heard (?). Either be at the Social at Bob and Judy Suryan’s house or mail in your ballot. June 25 is the big day.

For your ballot to be legal, you must have been a member in good standing for the year between the last Sat. in March through the last Sat. in May of this year.

It helps the elections committee if you know your membership number and put it on the envelope if you mail your ballot, or can tell them if you vote in person. Your membership number is on the mailing label of your WESTWIND.

[Hand-drawn map to Judy Suryan’s house.]

Ballot 1983

For Chairman
Judy Suryan or

For Vice-Chair
Elizabeth Warren or

For Sec’y-Treas.
Bob Suryan or

Membership Number

Norwescon 6 Stuff

INCOME

General Chair	1077.30
Business	0
Registration	20567.00
Publications	2159.41
Convention Services	25.00
Programming	12066.43
Total	35895.14

EXPENSES

General Chair	2957.37
Business	466.54
Registration	945.41
Publications	5678.13
Convention Services	3817.49
Programming	17186.87
Total	31051.81
NET INCOME	4843.33

NWC6 PRINTOUT

You can sorta tell by the number, that we have been doing NORWESCONs for a few years. I think that we are getting the hang of it and it’s beginning to show. The June issue of Locus has a page and a half of real nice words about our efforts. Locus seems to think that we know what we are doing. Their reporters come to NORWESCON as paying members and then go home and write nice things about us! If you are listening Locus, thank you very much.

Another publication took a poll of it its readers and the readers of Science Fiction Chronicle made NORWESCON the third best regional convention. We were only bested by the likes of World Fantasy Convention and Boskone. Talking about being in good company!

We owe it all to the cohesion of our committee and the loyalty of our convention members. The fact that we have such a wonderful hotel and hotel staff could have something to do with it. We are really fond of the Hyatt and hope to always be there or a place that treats us as well. After some communication with a few other con committees, we really understand the value of a good hotel staff.

Thank you all, especially you, the attendee, for making NORWESCON a fun place to be in March.

[Cartoon by Warren of a line of people standing under a sign that says ‘entrants’ with Darth Vader in front, then a nervous-looking person holding a sword, and then a Xenomorph, then the feet of several dissolved people. A sign on the wall says, ‘all steel must be James Bonded’.]

Masquerade Finals

The Norwescon masquerade went off with its usual flair. We want to thank all the contestants for adding to a wonderful evening. And now it’s time to congratulate our winners.

Best of Show-Sue Taubeneck for her Purple Kootch Bug.
Science Fiction-Bob Youngs as Dark Angel
Second Place-Michael Kenmir as Ariel
Fantasy-Julie Zetterberg as Soceress of Cha-Fa-Nai
Second Place-Rochelle Hatcher as Apache Gan Spirit
Book Character-Karen Savage as A Pierson’s Puppeteer
Second Place-Cindy Okumoto as Winnowill
Media Character-Kevin Karvonen as Mad Max the Road Warrior
Second Place-Onnie Granados as Darth Vader
Best Performance-Nick Gerety as The Joker
Best Humorous-Hogan’s Goat
Best Impromptu-Mary Hafner-Laney as An Item on the Men at Milliways the Restaurant at the End of the Universe.
Second Place-Kathryn Grabner as Hyper Moth
Judges Choice-Jerry Stoddard as Stomper Smurfsbane
Second Place-Kim, Karin and Curt Waller as the group of Ancient Egyptians
Best Childrens Costume-Charon MacDonald as Aragorn (Strider)
Second Place-Misty Gottlieb as Moon Warrior
Best Try-Brian McNett as Wowbagger the Infinitely Prolonged
Second Place-Katherine Malsch as Jolanta Reginarha
Third Place-Sarah Schaper as Amanda Sarek

OLYMPIAD WINNERS

The Fannish Olympiad had its usual room full of crazy laughing people, audience and competing teams alike. We had one small hitch in the proceedings, our 12 cardboard pizzas were stolen from the hotel freezers (God only knows why) and we had to subsitute Superman Peanut Butter sandwiches (we were told by some team members that if we ever used Superman Peanut Butter again they were going to make us eat it all, they said it tastes sorta like peanut butter flavored school glue). Our thanks to all the teams and our congratulations to Hogan’s Goat (Bruce Anderson, Bonafacio Pauza, Joe Pauza, Mark Vandeway and Ian Campbell) for the first place win in the NORWESCON 6 Fannish Olympiad.

THANKYUES TO…

NORWESCON 6 had a few changes in the committee structure. Our dear and beloved Programming Chairman, Steve Bard, decided that after several years of chairing, he was tired and we had to find a new Programming Body. After careful consideration we asked Jon Gustafson from Moscow/Pullman and the fool wonderful man that he is, he took the job. In case you don’t know, it is really hard to chair anything from a long distance, but Jon did a marvelous job. The rest of us old pros would like thank Jon very much for pulling the fat out of the fire. Thanks also go to Vickie Mitchell for her help in keeping Jon sane through the ordeal.

The NORWESCON 6 Convention Committee would also like to take a few sentences here and thank the following people for various jobs well done.

Sue Berven
Leroy Berven
Michael Scanlon
Ray Miller
Dani Eder

…AND TO…

Two Very Special People were awarded special prizes for meritorious service above and beyond the call of duty.

Jenifer Parkinson seemed to be helping out in many departments, as well as providing NORWESCON with the very stealable signs that adorned the halls and rooms of the Hyatt. They were simply gorgeous! She was recognized as The Most Valuable Worker and was given a nice pendant for her efforts.

Andrew Kildow was honored as Dead Gopher for his unfailing positive attitude towards any department he came in contact with. It was Andrew’s first SF convention and he really made the most of it. He worked a solid 30 hours and because he brought little or no funds, he was welcome to trade work for a place to sleep. He was given an award of books to keep him reading til next NORWESCON.

Thank you very, very much!

And thanks to the dealers who provided the goodies.

…AND WE MUSTN’T FORGET…

[Cartoon by Warren of the word Thankx and Darth Vader saying ‘and hats off, too’ as he lifts his helmet to reveal his disfigured head.]

And a very special thanks to the following staff people and committee members. Their hard work and commitment to making a fun-filled and successful convention is the reason NORWESCON keeps getting better. We hope to see many of them back helping on NORWESCON 7, hint, hint.

Peter Citrak
Michael Citrak
Jeanine Gray
Mark Schellberg
Elizabeth Warren
Michael Brocha
Steve Gallacci
Carolyn Palms
Libby Evans
Don Glover
Beth Dockins
Bob Suryan
Judy Suryan
Richard Wright
Sue Berven
Leroy Berven
Ray Miller
Michael Scanlon
Kit Canterbury
Tim Bennett
Robert LaPlante
Jason Gray
Tony Blankinship
Thom Walls
Dave Bray
Jeff Levin
Andrea Levin
Lauraine Miranda
Barbara Hunter
Mark Richardson
Jim Cobb
Chuck vanDerLinden
Jerry Kaufman
Paul Schaper
Becky Desmarteau
Don McKinlay
Chris McDonnell
Shelley Dutton

Last but not least we want to thank all the people who keep coming back each year to NORWESCON, you are the reason we keep coming back too.

Judy Suryan

convention calendar

Jun 25: NWSFS Social. At Judy and Bob Suryan’s, [REDACTED] 4th Ave NW, Seattle, [REDACTED]. 5:30 business meeting, 6:00 potluck (BYOeverything), 7:00 social, 8:00 NWSFS elections.

Jul 4th Weekend: WESTERCON 36. San Jose Red Lion Inn. GoH Phil Klass (William Tenn), AGoH Alicia Austin, FGoH Tom Whitmore, TM Damon Knight. Info [REDACTED] Center #[REDACTED], Berkeley CA94704.

Jul 8–10: NWSFS Outing. Flowing Lake, Snohomish County. Main meals and campsite, $18/person. BYOB, films, video, games, crawdad fishing. Reservations to Judy by June 30, [REDACTED] or [REDACTED].

Jul 15–17: SPOKON. New Hotel: Sheraton Spokane Davenport. GoH David Eddings, FGoH Jon Gustafson, TM F.M. Busby. Memb: $15 door. Info [REDACTED] E. Broadway, Spokane WA 99206.

Jul 17–23: Space Week. Various activities; stay tuned.

Jul 23: NWSFS Space Week Picnic. Gasworks Park, Seattle. 4:00 BYOeverything picnic, 9:00 Seattle Astronomical Society Star Party.

Jul 30: NWSFS Social. Lauraine Miranda’s.

Aug 27: NWSFS Social. Berven’s.

Sep 1–5: WorldCon 41 ConStellation. GoH John Brunner, FGoH Dave Kyle, TM Jack Chalker. Hugo Awards, Masquerade, and everything else. Memberships: supporting $15 to 7/15, attending $40 to 7/15, higher at door. Info Box [REDACTED], Baltimore MD 21203.

Sep 23–25: MOSCON. Cavanaugh’s Motor Inn. Guests Fritz Leiber, Frank Kelly Freas, Georges Giguere. Memb. $12 to 7/1, $15 to door. Art Show & Auction, Sunday brunch, Lensman awards, masquerade dance, Jacuzzi party, NWSFS Social. Info POB [REDACTED], Moscow ID 83843.

Oct 29–30: NWSFS Social and NORWESCON 6.5:

Nov 11–13: ORYCON 5. Portland Hilton $45/50/55. GoH Octavia Butler. Memb: $15 til 10/3. Info POB [REDACTED], Portland OR 97214.

Nov 26: NWSFS Social.

Dec 30-Jan 1, 1984: NWSFS New Years Party.

Jan 20–22, 1984: Rustycon. SeaTac Hyatt. GoH Robert L Asprin, AGoH William R Warren Jr, FGoH Jerry Kaufman. Memb: $14 til 7/15, $16 til 12/31, $18 door. Info: POB [REDACTED], Seattle 98146.

Mar 22–25, 1984: NORWESCON 7.

[Ad: White Center’s GEMINI BOOK EXCHANGE & COMIC CENTER

Specialties: Science Fiction & Westerns

[REDACTED] 16th Avenue SW • Near Roxbury Street
Seattle. WA 98106 • Phone [REDACTED]

DONALD D. KEEFE CWO-4, USAF, Retired Proprietor

ROBERT D. HACK Manager

Visit our store for a very pleasant surprise! We have nearly 9,000 used science fiction paperback books, one of the largest supplies in the Northwest. And, as Seattle’s Super Shopper paperback book says about our store: “No dusty bins or rickety shelves here! This used bookstore stands out compared to many, because it is a spacious, new looking, modern, clean shop.” Try it, you’ll like it!

Our prices are competitive! We sell most used science fiction paperback books for about 1/2 price, plus 20¢. And to encourage sales, we will lower our price for NWSFS members showing us this ad in a current WestWind, by 10% for cash purchases over $6, or 15% for cash purchases over $12. Also, for SF trade-ins, we usually give trade-in credit equal to 1/2 of our regular SF selling price.

Don Keefe, the original owner of the store, repossessed it in Nov 81, after an 18 month absence. No more irregular hours! The store is open from 11 am to 6 pm - Mon thru Sat, excluding holidays. It is located in White Center in S.W. Seattle, sandwiched between Burien, West Seattle, and South Park. For directions on how to reach the store, please dial [REDACTED].]

Jun 29-Jul 3, 1984: Westercon 37. Portland Marriott Hotel $37/42/45. GoH Harlan Ellison, FGoH F.M. & Elinor Busby, TM Ed Bryant. Rates $20 til 7/4/83, supporting $9. Info POB [REDACTED], Portland OR 97216.

Aug 30-Sep 3, 1984: WorldCon 42 LA Con III. Anaheim Convention Center. GoH Gordon Dickson, FGoH Dick Eney. Memb. $30 til 4/30/83, $40 til 12/31/83. Info POB [REDACTED], Van Nuys CA 91409.

a poem by ann mccurdy

Harbinger of gladness universal,
I love Norwescon, sans reservation!
Where mundane life turns complete reversal
The thought inspires anticipation.
Great events and movies we have declined,
So undying our faith in your spectacle,
That each penny that’s earned has been destined
For your visions extra-terrestrial.
So on the fated day of our galaxy
Can partake of cosmic imagination
With costumes, famous personalities,
The cream from throughout the solar system.
My singular wish is that time will make haste
For the ultimate Con in outer space!

NASA, we’ve got a problem!

[Photo collage of the Space Shuttle launching and a drawing of five men in space suits.]

Nonfiction by Art Bozlee

Since Art Bozlee opened the first part of this article in the February issue of WESTWIND, repercussions and debate have flowed freely over his contention that the United States is going to lose a shuttle orbiter, payload, and crew before the vehicle reaches the end of its serviceable life. Unfortunately, this view is shared by many at NASA who actually have hands-on experience with the vehicle and its millions of support elements, and whose task it is to foresee the unforeseen and correct potential problems before they result in catastrophic failure.

Part One introduced the theme of the article and examined computer-related problems which may — and have — cropped up on the vehicle. Part Two looked into the mechanical systems of Shuttle, andoutlined a few of the ways the vehicle itself can become its own worst enemy.

Part Three, found in the April-May issue, examined in very brief terms the most complicated, versatile, and fragile system in the Space Transportation System, the human factor.

All of these articles dealt with facts which are readily obtainable, and which this opinion may only be one extrapolation of many that can be drawn from them. While we don’t like to think of losing a shuttle, it is certainly something better thought of now with rationality and prudence, than after the fact with defensive rhetoric and despair.

And so, with this conclusion to “NASA, We’ve Got A Problem …” we examine the most devastating of the results of a major accident with Shuttle …

PART FOUR: THE AFTERMATH

"Absolute power does not corrupt absolutely. Absolute immunity corrupts absolutely. "
—John W. Campbell

In the preceding pages, we have explored several ways a Shuttle flight can be lost. But if we don’t explore the result of this loss with as much care as we examined the loss itself, the whole exercise will have been a wasted effort. We have some background to draw on regarding the technical aspects. If the Apollo 1 and Apollo 13 accidents are any indication, the entire spacecraft will undergo what will amount to a complete redesign. If the spacecraft is nearing the end of its service life, we may see a completely new vehicle roll into production. It could take several years to see this redesign effort completed. Any second generation Shuttle will certainly be less expensive to operate, and will therefore make space that much more accessible.

The political effects (and in this context, public attitude must be factored into any political equation) will probably be much more devastating. The press, which was pro-space during the early days of manned spaceflight, became either indifferent or downright hostile after Skylab fell in 1979. NASA has to accept some of the blame for this attitude, by not making enough effort to inform the public what it was doing. Before the first flight of Columbia, it was not difficult to find a press report that was unfavorable to Shuttle. The press has not yet recognized, and NASA has not yet done enough to sell, the role of space in the future of mankind.

A prediction will now be made by this author that may not settle too well with the readers. Press coverage of Shuttle will effectively cease after the seventh flight ((currently slated for launch later this month — ed.)) STS-7’s flight will attract the press since it will mark the first flight of an American female astronaut. She is Dr. Sally Ride, and after this monumental flight, this major digression from past US space policy, Shuttle will get about as much coverage as a commercial airline flight for all subsequent missions.

Then — just wait ’til we lose the first Shuttle. The press will descend upon the wreckage like a pack of hungry wolves picking apart a dead animal! In the eyes of the press (and this author can claim no knowledge as to why this is the case), somepredictions can safely be made as to the content of their reports. First of all, they will call for all shuttle flights to be ended, at least temporarily. They will cite reasons of safety, of course, but they may also make references to the costs and benefits of Shuttle without responsibly giving all parties a fair forum. One example will serve to demonstrate this.

Several years ago, a DC-10 crashed during takeoff from Chicago’s O’Hare Airport. During take-off, an engine literally fell off the aircraft. Within hours, some segments of the press called for all DC-lOs to be grounded. For weeks, the press reported any pronlem with a DC-10. The reporters were not pilots, and certainly were not engineers. Nevertheless, they were filling the public ear with engineering opinions. When several DC-1Os were subsequently found to have cracks in their structures, the wolves all came out of hiding, while failing to mention (or perhaps not realizing) that several other aircraft (unrelated to McDonnell Douglas, by the way) had also experienced similar problems. These were considered common flaws, and had been repaired without incident or comment. (“But that couldn’t possibly be true,” you say, "THAT was NEVER in ANY of the news reports!”)

Several months later, a DC-3 (!) crashed, and reports went into minute detail in pointing out — somewhat inanely — that the DC-3 was made by the same people who made the DC-10, and was therefore obviously suspect. They failed to mention that the DC-3 was made four decades ago during World War II! This is a whole lot like whispering conspiratorially, "Did you know that Ford just recalled the Pinto, and you know, they built the Edsel too!”

This is a clear-cut case of yellow journalism, not to mention shoddy reporting. The effect on the manufacturer and the airlines flying the DC-10 was so great that a former Apollo astronaut was seen on TV ads telling the world what a great machine the DC-10 was. NASA certainly can’t compete with the press for time on news reports. You won’t see Shuttle pilots appearing on the news to tell the public that the reports are not completely accurate. The press will graciously decline to afford them that opportunity.

Most people in this nation form their picture of the world based on what they see on the nighttime news. The attitude of much of the press is summed up: “So what if my reporting isn’t 100% accurate? What are you going to do about it?” Ever since Watergate, the press can’t forget its position in the public conscience.

It could be argued that the President and Congress are more effective places to lay the blame for anti-space attitudes. Admittedly, the present economy makes it difficult (and note the use of the word ‘difficult’ as opposed to ‘impossible’, which some elements of the press would have you believe) to justify the massive expenditures of money that occurred during the Apollo years. To chronicle the total net benefits of our investment in space at this time would occupy more space than allotted to the original topic, and will therefore not be addressed in any other way than to direct the reader to peruse the back issues of a NASA document called Spinoffs.

What’s it worth to you that we now have sophisticated electronics (TV’s, calculators, medical equipment, computer graphics, satellite communications, telephones, etc.) beyond our wildest dreams? And that’s just the beginning — GAO (the Government accounting office) estimates that out of every dollar invested in the space program, we have realized seven dollars returned to private industry! ’Nuff said.

Congress can be swayed by percieved public attitudes. A short, well-written letter from a voter will often alter the opinion of a congresscritter. And 500 well-written letters will almost certainly cause a vote to change. Read the last sentence again.

The President is already pro-space. Last July 4th, the President was present at the landing of the fourth Shuttle flight. In the speech he made after the landing, one got the feeling the public didn’t need to sell him on space. A president does not make a July Fourth speech without first gauging its political impact. So if the President is in favor of the space program, and the congress can be swayed, why then does an anti-space attitude get such wide coverage by the press and, more importantly, what can be done about it?

In a democratic government there should be some connection between public attitudes and political choices. Hopefully, this connection will extend beyond policy in general to more specific issues. An Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) document, #STI-177, presented to the President and Congress in June of 1982 indicates that by a margin of 63 to 33 percent, the American public is in favor of spending several billion dollars over the next ten years to develop the full potential of Shuttle. The source of these data is a Harris survey taken in May, 1981. The OTA report goes on to say that the more educated a person is, the more likely he or she is to have a pro-space attitude. Interestingly enough, the press has not, to the best of this author’s knowledge, reported these data in any form. Even more interesting is the fact that in August of 1981, an Associated Press/NBC TV poll found that 60 percent of the adult population believed that America was not spending enough on space, and that 66 percent felt that Shuttle was a good investment. When the poll was repeated in October, 1981, the earlier results were confirmed. Again, to the best of this author’s knowledge, these data were not presented to the public. It is clear that space has captured a sizeable portion of the public’s interest. We must therefore ask why we have not been more successful in seeing our wishes achieved.

For any mass movement to succeed, three elements are needed. The first is an issue. The pro-space forces certainly have that. Issues can be found anywhere, from scientific research to military preparedness. The second element needed is a great leader. Space has not had a great leader since Lyndon Johnson. All those who claim to be leaders now seem to be more interested in preaching to the choir than to the public.

Third, and most important — any mass movement needs a villain. In the early days of space activity, the Soviet Union served as a very convenient (and very tangible) villain. The American public was filled with the fear that the Russians would soon use their space-faring abilities to drop bombs on American cities rather like stones dropped from a freeway overpass. It is now difficult to remember the hero-worship that the public displayed with the first flight of an American into orbit. John Glenn met the Russians on their own ground, and showed the world that the United States was not sitting idly by. A spirit of “catch-the- Russians-at-any-cost” filled the land.

To examine these three factors in greater detail will be instructive. Issues will not be hard to find in the coming years. Already groups are being formed to lobby for increased use of space for military and commercial activities. DELTA-VEE and HIGH FRONTIER, to say nothing of the ubiquitous L5 SOCIETY, are examples of the more successful groups. In 1986, a real issue will probably turn the space program around: Halley’s Comet is scheduled to return in that year, and a swarm of spacecraft are being prepared to meet it. Probes from the Soviet Union, Japan, and the European Space Agency will photograph, poke, prod, and examine the comet, searching for answers to fundamental questions. People will be able to see it with the naked eye, this subject of so much scientific study. Hopefully they will ask why the United States is not involved in this adventure. Here we have at least one, and perhaps two, of the parts needed for a successful mass movement. We will certainly have an issue — namely, the participation of the U.S. in an adventure which had been preempted years previous by budget constraints.

We may even find a villain. Public feeling against the Soviet Union, while not as strong as in the 60’s, has never completely died. They may again serve as a convenient, and most competent, foe. Few Americans are even aware that Japan has a small but vigorous space program. With the increasingly vocal anti-Japanese sentiment being displayed by some sections of the public, it may not be too difficult to use the Japanese as a whipping-boy. People will ask, “Where did those guys come from?” Questions concerning the relative competence between America and Japan may be asked in the same way that comparisons between Russia and the U.S. were made in the 60’s.

All that will be needed then to complete the resurgence of interest in the space program is a strong, capable leader. John Kennedy is widely regarded as the political father of the space program. In reality, Lyndon Johnson was the man behind the scenes that pushed the program through Congress. Without his strong leadership and influence, the space program probably would not have succeeded. There was strong sentiment in Congress that space was not worth the tremendous effort and investment needed. Considering the indifferent attitudes now being displayed by most segments of the press, it is doubtful that any leader without the usual power accompanying an elected office can find effective press coverage. However, there is one hope which, while it may be simplistic, might show the press that a strong space constituency does exist.

In January of 1982, this author was recovering from surgery. During the late night hours, when sleep is difficult and boredom comes freely, I happened to tune in one of the late night talk shows on the radio. The topic of the evening was, “What was the most significant news event of 1981?”

By a wide margin, most of the people who responded opined that the most important story that year was the Royal Wedding! A few stated that the Presidential assassination attempt was the top event, but after listening to people gush about how “romantic” and “charming” the Royal Wedding was, I could take no more. Remember, this took place at 2:30 a.m., I was in pain and I was getting mad! I called the radio station and for the next 15 minutes vented my spleen (which I actually no longer had — a little editorial license) admonishing those people who had watched the Royal Wedding that the space program made it possible for them to even see the event, live via satellite in their own living rooms. Furthermore, I ranted, didn’t the first flight of the Space Shuttle merit any discussion at all? (It did first fly in that wonderful year, did it not?) The moderator responded that no one cared about Shuttle; he wondered aloud why we were wasting valuable time and money on an obviously useless program. Unfortunately (for him) his mike was open at the time.

The floodgates opened. People called in and began taking the moderator to task for his anti-Shuttle attitude. During the next hour, not one person talked about weddings. No one mentioned the Presidential shooting. The topic on everyone’s lips became — you guessed it — how proud everyone felt when Columbia was launched.

After an hour, the moderator could take no more, and changed the topic to something that he felt was more important. If memory serves, it was something on the lines of where he could get the best deal on a hair shirt.

The space supporters are out there. Many of them are articulate, intelligent, informed people. When was the last time you called into a talk show? When was the last time you wrote a letter to the editor of your local newspaper to make your feelings known? The press will respond if they feel that part of their paying public is being left out. If nothing else, you may make one more convert to the space bandwagon.

At the best, we may convince the press — and, by inference, the Higher-Ups-That- Make-The-Decisions, that Americans do want space, and they had better change their philosophy regarding supporting it.

Sure, it’s a simplistic idea, but it may be the only one we have. Why not get into practice by writing the editor of this magazine, and tell us what you thought of this series? That is one first step.

After that, it gets easier!

The Chairman’s Corner

Richard Wright

Convention Reports

Future Fest '83

I could have said “I told you so”, gentle readers, but I cannot because I did not. Various “friends” of FutureFest argued that it would be tacky for me to “blow the whistle” before they had a chance to solve the many problems that FutureFest had. Besides, as it turned out, the attendee actually benefited from the small turnout and minimal programming. It was the charities, promoters and huxsters that got hurt.

FutureFest was held in the Seattle Trade Center and the Westin Hotel. The Trade Center is a wonderful site for trade exhibits, and the accomodations for the huxsters were ultra-nice: carpeted, lockable, glassed-in booths. However, the promised at least 6,000 attendees failed to materialize, and all the huxsters that I talked to claimed to have lost their shirts. There was a wide selection of dealers to buy from, from comics to books to crafts to art, and the few of us who attended probably made some good deals.

The programming rooms at the Trade Center were small, and given the small turnout, intimate. The four tracks of programming turned out to be about two. David Prowse proved to be quite personable and informative, and presentations by Vonda MacIntyre, Starlog, the Trimbles, Gordy Woodcock, and others were quite interesting.

The costume laser spectacular at the Westin was supposed to be the pièce de rèsistance (at a $25 additional cost) of FutureFest. It turned out to be amateur night at Hollywood High, though not entirely the fault of the participants, but more the poor relationship between the organizers and the hotel (see more on the subject below). The doors opened 40 minutes late, and many of us who had wandered the empty halls of the Trade Center during the day were quite ready to sit. Three of us, though, bravely made it to the bar set up in the corner to grab a needed refreshment. We were the only ones. Seconds later, the hotel closed the bar and wheeled it away. It appears, given an overheard conversation between three of the hotel servers, that the hotel Food and Beverage Manager had just met, for the first time, the 19-year-old FutureFest organizer and had decided that it would be dangerous to have an open bar with that many “children” around. Even though my three tables (24 over-21’s) complained bitterly, he stood by his decision. Two other of our group then headed to the hotel bar downstairs and overheard the barman tell his server that “there are a bunch of crazies upstairs…if they come here, card them; if they are in costume, throw them out.”

After much further delay (while the organizers rounded up the guests who had wandered away during the wait), there was a poorly executed “beam-down” sequence as the FutureFest guests were introduced. Then the masquerade parade began. The 30 contestants paraded across half the wide stage (so our side did not get a good look), interspersed with poor Mike Citrak transversing the stage to deliver the paper identifying the next contestant to the MC. (I found out later that this silly delaying tactic, unfair to contestants and audience alike, was ordered because the food was not ready yet. I would have moved some after-dinner speeches forward, instead, with an explanation.)

The food, finally, was delicious, though spoiled for some of us with a lack of an accompaning wine (the servers came around and picked up all the wine glasses before serving us). There were then some after-dinner speeches, some very awful tacky awards, and the masquerade awards (Rick Stierl won two awards, including GoH best of show). Then the dance (OK, I suppose, but I headed for the NWSFS Social, still in process).

Back at the Trade Center, for two more days. The Program Books, badges, and pocket program never did show up (locked up at the printers, they said). Alpha Omega Printing, David Bourgeois and Bonnie Robinson (just married, congratulations!), printed an emergency pocket program for them. The Art Show finally opened on Sunday, with many posters and little original art. The Art Auction did raise some money for Children’s Hospital, with a Revenge of the Jedi poster going for $550 (I heard).

This brings me to the point of all this. FutureFest was supposed to be a big benefit for Children’s Orthopedic Hospital. FutureFest was supposed to be the large media convention that we have been sure that this town could support. The sponsoring organization, Oberon, was started up about two years ago just to do these.

FutureFest failed to meet this mark.

Oberon started off well. Judy Suryan and I were invited to join their first Board of Directors as director/advisors. But after several changes in management, Judy and I were effectively fired last February when we told them to either get their act together or cancel FutureFest before it turned into another CancelConstellationCon- Victoria. The organizers were reportedly so paranoid with a suspicion of a NORWESCON takeover (as if we had time to) that their advisors’ advice had no merit.

Rather than seek out the advice of ones who had had some experience in putting on such events, they pointedly ignored such advice. And we were not the only ones; several other experienced people, not connected with NORWESCON, offered their help, only to be rebuffed. Most only wanted to help, to see FutureFest meet its potential. But the paranoia prevailed and FutureFest lost many worthy hands.

Most good cons borrow from others; it is a wise and honorable thing to do. NORWESCON unabashedly copied from V-Con and the WorldCons. Several of the recent cons have asked for and received our assistance. RustyCon is being co-sponsored by Northwest Convention Fandom. No ongoing convention group, like ours, has the time nor interest in “taking over” another con. It is, though, a time-honored fannish trait that we all want to and will help other fans, as we were helped. The altruism is that a good convention will benefit all of fandom, while a failure is often used by the popular press, as “Sci Fi crazies’ irresponsibility”, against us. We can do without that kind of publicity, thank you.

We have learned, through bitter experience, that good management, planning, organization, and fiscal responsibility will give direct benefit to our members, pro guests, huxsters, and the general public. When we insist that all these are necessary, we mean it. FutureFest failed because they refused to believe it. Toward the end, one of two organizers was enjoying being Chief, and the other was doing all the work. Without being able to delegate the work to an in-place organization, he did not have time for the important things like detailed planning, publicity, printer relations, and hotel relations.

If any of you are planning a major event, like a convention, for the first time, ask for help. From us, the SCA, DragonFlight, any of us who have done it, learned our lessons. We will help. Honest. And we do not want to take you over. Really.

V-CON Eleven

This was supposed to be the first of the revitalized V-Cons, but it was not. Membership was much lower than expected, and the hotel (again) treated us as third-class citizens. And, there does not seem to be a good reason for either failure.

Now, the foregoing is not to say that this and other V-Cons are not fun nor interesting. Every V-Con that I have attended has been fun for me. But the attendance and vitality of, say, a V-Con 6 or 7, has been missed lately. And it was the intention of BCSFA and the committee that this one was going to recapture that loss.

But the attendence was not there. As with FutureFest, the need for attendees can only be met with an orchestrated publicity campaign; and neither got “a round tuit”. There were local flyerings and such, but no campaign. Apparently only WestWind, of the zines, pro and fan, carried much promotion.

The Richmond Inn is a beautiful property, with nice sleeping and function rooms and a landscaped park around the pool and such. But the staff could not have been nastier. The committee said that they had fully informed the hotel about what to expect, but the word certainly did not get passed on to the hotel staff. The hostess of the coffee shop acted as if she was the princess of the Empress high tea, refusing to seat more than four together, refusing to allow late joiners, and loudly proclaiming her abhorrence for “these” people.

When we went into the bar, we took one sour faced gent to be the hotel dick; it turned out to be the host, who banned anyone in costume, even as the regular patrons were yelling “Let them in!”

And, of course, rooms were not blocked together, hall parties were threatened arrest, room parties were harassed and closed down, and Hospitality had to simmer down (even in its separate hotel wing) while we were still eager to boil.

On the other hand, I was glad to see several Canadian friends who do not get to come to NORWESCON or who I do not have a chance to visit with then, the Guests were interesting (Frank Herbert kept several audiences enthralled, Elizabeth Warren makes a wonderful Fan GoH, AGoH William R Warren Jr collected many of his “children” for a gallery showing that was spectacular!, and TM Georges Giguere was enjoyably himself), the 1 1/2 tracks of programming were quite enjoyable, and the Art Show was well received (though they changed the bidding rules several times during the con). I truly enjoyed myself at V-Con; it is a real shame that their expectations were not met.

On Hotels and Cons and Such

I was quoted in BCSFAzine 100 to say “Always carefully negotiate the hotel contract.” With recent V-Cons’ hotel troubles, Spokon’s move from their Sheraton, and our abortive affair with the Seattle Sheraton (Frank Herbert told at V-Con how he loudly left it recently, and the Vancouver area Sheraton won this years uncoveted Elron award for their shabby treatment of V-Con 10), it surely makes us appreciative of our friendly Hyatt, Moscow’s great Cavanaughs, and Portland’s Hilton.

I cannot be sure why affairs with hotels hosting SF cons often go sour, but it is a fact that SF conventions must face. My advice RE: contracts holds (it is more difficult, but not impossible, for a hotel to screw you if they are prohibited from doing so in their own contract), plus it surely helps if the committee is completely open with the staff and gets to personally know their counterparts. Our bacon has been saved often because the Manager on Duty was on our side in a dispute with an underling.

One possible explanation for the low turnout at V-Con, VikingCon, Eucon, and FutureFest may be that there simply are too many cons today. While this has been hotly debated on recent panels, the fact is that except for NORWESCON, possibly Orycon, and last (but not the previous) Moscon, convention attendance has slipped significantly. Surely, in these times, the "regular” con-goer has to carefully choose which of now many cons to attend, as do pros, artists, and huxsters.

Therefore the “traditional” audience has been spread thin, and it becomes imperative that conventions promote themselves and reach a larger audience. A carefully orchestrated campaign that starts slowly and builds to a climax the week of the con is definitely necessary. Some one or more persons have to have this assignment, and no others. Carefully placed, press releases can be effective and free publicity. Flyers on campuses and bookstores can saturate these areas. And the fan and pro zines need attention. With careful planning and attention, a campaign can help a SF con gain or regain membership. Try it.

NORWESCON 7 News

Planning for NORWESCON 7 is off and running. It will be held March 22–25, 1984, at our home, the SeaTac Hyatt Hotel. They were the only hotel who gave us a bid that we found acceptable, and even with the knowledge that it will take a huge shoehorn to cram us in, we are glad to be back. The management and staff of the Hyatt want us back, and continue to make concessions to make us want to stay. So, we will.

Our pro guests are still being lined up, so stay tuned. We are going to try some different things next time, and these are being worked on. We do want your help and ideas; don’t hold back; give us a call on the Hotline, [REDACTED], or write. The people lined up so far to work the con are: I am going to chair it one more time, Bob Suryan is Business Manager and Treasurer, Carolyn Palms is Member Services and Registration, Mike Brocha will do the Program Book, Judy Suryan is Convention Services, Mark Schellberg is Program Director with Dave Bray doing Art Show and Huxsters with Steve Gallacci and Thom Walls, and Elizabeth Warren will again be hospitable. More staff positions will be announced later; if you want to help, let us know. Thanks.

The Annual Nizfiz Camp In

[A drawing of a UFO landed between three tents.]

Our Annual NWSFS Campout is scheduled to occur on July 8, 9, and 10th. We will be camping at Flowing Lake which is about 15 minutes northeast of the town of Snohomish.

Your meals (dinner Friday night, breakfast lunch and dinner on Sat., and breakfast and lunch on Sun.)will be provided as well as your camping spot. You must provide the following; camping gear, (sleeping bag, tent, fishing gear, boat, swimwear, etc.) transportation, between meal snacks and drinking stuff. (That means, beer, soda pop, booze and milk.) We will provide coffee, tea, and breakfast juices.

Flowing Lake is only about an hour out of Seattle. There is a long list of outdoor activities available. F’rinstance, hiking, trout fishing, crawdad fishing, swimming, volleyball and boating. We also hope to have some movies to be shown in the outdoor theatre and maybe a telescope or two for some ‘other’ night-time fun.

Cost per person is $18.00 and it is necessary to make advance reservations. Please call Judy Suryan at [REDACTED] or talk to her at the Social.

A map with directions to the lake will be given to those who make their reservations.

The last time we went up as a group we had a great time, we hope you will join us this year. However, there is a limit to the space (therefore the number of people who can attend), make your reservations soon. See you there!

Serpent’s Tooth

by Jon Gustafson

[Serpent’s Tooth column header with art by Warren of a snake curled up and reading a book.]

“99% of everything is carp…”
THEODORE’S STURGEON LAW

L. Neil Smith is fast becoming one of my favorite writers. He sucks you into a story, keeps you entertained all the way through, then leaves you waiting for the next book. Well, the next book is out; it’s The Nagasaki Vector (Ballantine/Del Rey Books, #30382, $2.75), and it’s yet another of Smith’s fast-paced romps through space and time. Captain Bernard M. Gruenblum, of the Ochskahrt Memorial Academy, is the pilot of the George Herbert (as in Wells… think about it) whose task it is to be the glorified bus driver for three archaeologists/histori- ans in their trip back to sixteenth century Japan. What should have been a milk run turns rather sour when the time-travelling ship is hijacked by the three passengers (with the help of a traitorous co-pilot) for the purpose of allowing them to change history… for their own benefit, of course. They accidentally pass over Nagasaki on a bright August day in 1945 and the result is: time machine plus nuclear explosion equals alternate universe. Well, if Gruenblum had to choose an alternate universe, he couldn’t have done better than this one, which happens to have gun-toting gorillas in it it. Yep, it’s the Earth of The Probability Broach and The Venus Belt, and none other than our old friend, Win Bear, comes to Gruenblum’s aid. Smith also throws in, just to make things interesting?, three aliens from Yamaguchi 523 who look likefluorescent-pink army helmets with lotsa legs and who regard Bernie Gruenblum as their God. This is an absolutely delightful adventure yarn and I recommend it very highly.

Now we come, more or less, back to Earth (ours) for another excellent romp. This time, though, it’s On The Good Ship Enterprise: My 15 Years with Star Trek by Bjo Trimble (Starblaze Books/The Donning Company, $5.95). Bjo is a charming lady in person, and much of her personality shows up in her writing, something that turns what could be just another trip down memory lane into something much more fascinating. In Enterprise, she chronicles many events relating to the Star Trek tv show, some of them well- known (such as spearheading the campaign to save the show for the third season) and some obscure (such as the time Harlan Ellison was threatening the Nean- dertal sports car driver, or the story behind the Klingon Diplomatic Corps, or Walter Koenig’s battery-operated dogs, or John and Bjo’s trip to Japan, or the Klingon light bulb jokes, or… but you get the idea). She also gets into the making of the two movies and there are 11 pages of photos to make things more interesting. I’m a fan of Star Trek, but not a fan (if you know what I mean), but this book kept me enthralled all the way through. Recommended quite highly.

Lauraine Miranda’s NEWSFS

New and Renewed NizzFizzers

Mark Grohowicz
Libby Evans
Howard Carson
Mark Cecil
Peter Citrak
Daryl Clark
Barbara Firth
James Frederickson
Jonna Groad
Paul Grover
Holly Hautala
Paul Kammerzell
Angela Lande
Allen Lehman
Jerry Neal
Ruth Peterson
Elizabeth Porter
Liz Scharzin
Deborah Shaver

[Ad: SPOKON

SPOKANE’S 1st SCI/FI FANTASY CONVENTION

July 15, 16,17, 1983

Guest of Honor: David Eddings

Fan Guest of Honor: Jon Gustafson

Toastmaster: F.M. Busby

WITH CONFIRMED GUESTS JULIAN MAY AND DR. ALAN E NOURSE

• Movies
• Videos
• Panels
• Game Fair
• Dealer’s Room
• D&D Tourney
• Computers
• Demos
• Trivia Bowl
• Masquerade
• Autograph Party
• Art Show & Sale
• Costume Contest
• And all the (un)usual fun!

[Drawing of a dragon watching as a rocket ship blasts off.]

The committee wishes to point out that Ann Fox is no longer among their number.

Mail to: SPOKON 83, [REDACTED] E. Broadway, Spokane, WA 99206

Held at the Davenport Spokane, $32 for two-and-up occupancy.

Please send me memberships at $ each Enclosed is $

Rates:
MEMBERSHIP COSTS $15.00 FROM NOW UNTIL THE CONVENTION, KIDS 12 AND UNDER 1/2 PRICE
(When accompanied by a paid adult only, please.)

SPOKANE’S 1st SCI/FI FANTASY CONVENTION

Make checks payable to: S.A.I.F.]

[Art by Warren of a wizard, two gnomes, two pixies, and a dragon, sitting around a campfire and drinking happily.]

A Westwind Subscription is included in NWSFS membership, at $10.00 per year. Westwind is mailed during the first week of each month.

Contributions of art, reviews, articles, etc., are welcome. Deadline is the 20th of the month prior to issue.

P.O. BOX [REDACTED] SEATTLE, WA. 98124

Advertising is accepted - see page 2