Michael Lee's Train of Thought

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2010-03-25T19:48:00.001-05:00

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Great LOST interview

2010-01-07T00:28:00.001-06:00

I really like this interview from the Hollywood Reporter with Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof.

I also like how they're realistic about the future of LOST -- and really, any reasonably successful franchise comes back and is revisited at some point.

I can't wait for the last LOST season to start, as one of my favorite shows of the past decade.

Taking the Geek out of Science?

2009-12-16T22:48:00.000-06:00

I'm a bit frustrated by this story about Geeks driving out Women from Computer Science.

I'm all in favor of women in Computer Science, and Science and Technology jobs in general. I'm a big believer that these are good jobs and careers.

But I'm not at all comfortable with the idea that "typically geeky" stuff like video games and science-fiction stuff can not appeal to women. CONvergence, as a large Science Fiction convention, is evenly split between men and women. I know lots of women geeks -- some in technology careers, and some that aren't.

But I've tended to encounter more women through my science fiction geek travels than I do through most of my IT travels.

I certainly can't really evaluate this research based on this news story -- I mean, besides clearly getting the impression that Women Don't Like (and aren't) Sci-Fi Geeks. And that may be more a comment on the reporting than the underlying research. Because I don't believe that is at all always true.

Why Lifehacker is awsome, or Google Contacts Can Kill Duplicates in Bulk

2009-12-16T18:20:00.000-06:00

One of the things that had been very frustrating for me over time is that I was seeing a lot of duplicate contacts in my address book. This was being made worse by me trying to synchronize my contacts with my Mac address book, my iPhone, my prior smartphone, and Google Contacts.

So seeing the article on Lifehacker about mass merges of duplicates was just about my favorite post all week.

The Death of Captain America

2009-12-02T21:47:00.005-06:00

One of the things that I think is important when reading any long-running series is to enjoy the run for what it is. We know that when the Captain America movie comes out, Steve Rogers will be Captain America, and that the Avengers movie will put Thor, Captain America, and Iron Man in the same film. For any character that is on-going, there is a "default" status so you know that changes aren't really permanent.

And if you're a fan of a long running series, you should accept that -- and enjoy each run on the series for the quality of how the make that series appropriate for that time. While continuity is valuable -- it's what the creators do with the series to make it fresh and appropriate for today that counts.

And that's exactly what I enjoy about Ed Brubaker's work on Captain America - I've picked up Captain America Omnibus, Vol. 1 and The Death of Captain America Omnibus collecting the first 42 issues of this series and it's by far one of the best runs on Captain America that I've had the pleasure to read. One of the things that I love about it is that it's part spy story, part super hero fantastic action, and part political parable. It is a Captain America appropriate for our time.

I don't want to go into plot details -- and really, it's that wonderful mix of heightened reality that you might get in a James Bond film or Alias [the tv series]. But the book also isn't afraid of being relevant for our time -- but without being preachy, which can so often happen when a comic is trying to be "relevant".

And I love the art on this run -- Steve Epting and the rest of the art team does a fantastic job and it gives the book a cinematic look that I think is just fantastic. I can just look at the pages again and again.

One of the things that is good about the recent batch of Marvel films (when they are good) is that they're happy to use the most recent examples of the characters to make successful films. And I can see challenges to bringing Captain America to the film is making a movie that is accessible, especially to a global audience. But if they make a Captain America film that uses Ed Brubaker's work as an inspiration, they will be well prepared and I will be very excited by the film.

Definitely recommended!

Running Again

2009-11-05T18:51:00.000-06:00

I am running again to be the CONvergence Events Director.

If you have any questions, please feel free to get a hold of me.

Also, the CONvergence programming brainstorming session is this Sunday at the Sheraton Bloomington at 2:00 PM. (It's a full weekend of convention planning for me.)

CONvergence 2009 Closing Cermonies Video

2009-09-29T18:03:00.002-05:00

From this year's closing ceremonies at CONvergence. I'm not in it. [I haven't seen any of the things I was in yet either...]

We Know This - Motivation, SF Conventions, and the Real World

2009-08-31T20:19:00.005-05:00

The content of this video is actually NOT surprising to those of us that work on SF Conventions. After all, in events like CONvergence almost everyone PAID to be there. We couldn't do the convention without everyone *wanting* to do it and volunteering.

Obviously the challenge with something like this is that we do that project in our "free time" -- I use vacation days on the convention, and spend my nights and weekends on the project. And to some extent, the same thing is true with the Free Software movement and things described in books like Free: The Future of a Radical Price. The challenge is how to work out a way that you can make a good, solid, 21st Century living with it -- and not just at places like Google, which come close to this -- but in more environments around the world.

Oh -- and if you're looking for something to do for CONvergence 2010, we're looking for people to help us with our Harmonic CONvergence music/performance stage, and more people to be sub-heads (with a possibility as a future head) of CONvergence Programming for managing our panels and discussion sessions.

SF Convention Design

2009-08-30T14:11:00.000-05:00

I was intrigued to read Brad Templeton's thoughts On worldcon and convention design. While I don't have a strong interest in Worldcon -- I've never gone, and it's at a price point that I'd have other things that I'm more likely spend my money to attend.

But there are definitely interesting points there. We used sched.org at CONvergence this year and had a positive experience with it, though I think the assumption that Brad has that it can replace a printed schedule -- even with a printable stand -- is very unlikely based on my experience. But using something like sched.org can potentially help with the production of a printed schedule.

I don't agree with every point in the article -- but that doesn't mean that they aren't interesting points to consider.

Tracking the Zombies

2009-08-25T23:24:00.004-05:00

Zombies are now showing up on Countdown with Keith Olbermann...with a reference to the study of the spread of Zombies as disease, but much of it turned into apartisan plug for the Zombie Survival Guide.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

More Zombie Math

2009-08-20T23:09:00.002-05:00

I think the interesting thing has been following this story through the media sphere -- spreading from website to website, radio show to radio show.

It is now on NPR:

What we now need is a mathematical model for the spread of a news story like this -- How does something like this go from math paper, to Boing Boing, to the BBC and NPR. How long does it take to "spread"?

Looking at Clubhouses

2009-08-20T18:58:00.001-05:00

I'm happy to see that the LASFS Clubhouse interview we asked the LASFS for has shown up on our League of Wonders site. One of the reasons why is it is nice to see how it has been done in other areas!

And video is always nice to add to a site...

(Do You Wanna Date My) Avatar

2009-08-17T21:47:00.004-05:00

Well, probably not mine!

Felicia Day (perhaps best known from Dr Horrible) has a new video, in support of her other web series, The Guild. If you've spent some time in World of Warcraft, you probably already know about it.

Sharing with Google Groups

2009-08-17T21:27:00.000-05:00

I'm very interested to see this new 'it just works' feature from Google -- I know that I've had some frustrations with Google Groups and Calendars in the past, and sharing with calendars and sites is especially exciting.

Taking The Step

2009-08-07T18:10:00.003-05:00

Really, this changes nothing. But at the same time, it changes everything.

Not the official word (that went out to the voting members earlier this week) -- but my official word. At our last board meeting of the Minnesota Society for Interest in Science Fiction and Fantasy we decided 12-0 (and the incoming 2 directors agreed as well) to spin off CONvergence from MISFITS, with the details to be worked out by January 1, 2010. Revenue donation will continue at current levels at least through the 2011 convention cycle. And we expect an active partnership between CONvergence and MISFITS for many years in the future.

I was in favor of this for a variety of reasons -- I've been actively involved with both CONvergence and MISFITS from very early on. (I don't quite get to be called a founder, but I was an early adopter.) I care passionately about both organizations, and am very proud of what we have done together. I've seen both organizations grow, mature, struggle, develop, and work together for many years. And I want them both to continue to do so as partners for many years in as successful a manner as possible.

I expect and will work to see that to continue -- and I am personally committed to an ambitious direction for the future as part of this process. The idea here is to build on our successes, support each other -- but then also get out of each other's way and not micromanage either. And let us all be the fantastic, imaginative, exciting community that I know that we are and will be.

There are a lot of details to work out. Lots of details. We'll have FAQs, meetings, discussions, arguments, decisions and paperwork to do.

But it is going to be exciting.

Microsoft, Apple, and Computers of Preference

2009-07-31T08:17:00.000-05:00

I'm reading Jamie Thingelstad's solution for how Microsoft can get the nerds back and was very interested.

I've also flipped from a Mac to a PC to a Mac again. And the switch to the Intel chip was a big part of that -- even though I have found that I rarely, if ever, use Windows on my Mac. Much less than I thought I would.

It will be interesting to see how the Microsoft stores are, especially considering how successful Apple's stores are. I think the move into stores is very positive, actually, if it is done right. One of the things that the Apple stores do very well is put a face on their services -- as opposed to Microsoft, which doesn't as often.

Maker's Schedule, Manager's Schedule

2009-07-28T21:55:00.000-05:00

Wow. Sometimes you read something and it really clicks into place.

I've said more than once that I need to think of things in "half days, at least" for quite a while, and seeing this write up of the Maker's Schedule and Manager's Schedule really hit home for me. Especially when you have to balance both types of schedules -- which many people have to do, especially if you are both managing and making.

Be Seeing You

2009-07-24T17:47:00.000-05:00

It is difficult to imagine that a Prisoner remake will be as effective as the original series, but based on the The Prisoner Exclusive Preview from Comic-Con I am more than willing to given them more than the benefit of the doubt and plan on watching it. After all, nothing can take away from the original series -- and I'd be happy to see a quality remake, and this looks promising so far.

And Ian McKellen is a fantastic choice for a Two.

CONversation

2009-07-09T21:16:00.006-05:00

One of my fellow CONvergence directors, Jon Olsen made the following post today:

=-=-=-=-

Please consider joining our conversation about the next possibilities for our diverse community. This touches the participants in CONvergence, Anime Detour, MISFITS, Marscon, Minicon, Gaylaxicon, Mn-Stf, Omegacon, and more and more. . .

http://leagueofwonders.wordpress.com

We began talking about big inter-community projects this year. There have been conversations at MN Society for Interest in Science Fiction and Fantasy open meetings. There have been conversations at closed meetings too. There was a wonderfully interesting panel at CONvergence last week on the subject of a "geek community center." That panel will likely make an appearance at other conventions.

Well we also want to have a public conversation with the members of the communities in which we are active. About joint efforts, about structure, about autonomy and interdependence, and about where we go from here. About what we could do if we start dreaming out loud.

That conversation lives here for now: http://leagueofwonders.wordpress.com and I invite you to take part. Share this info with others and get in on the action. Today!

=-=-=-=-

This is a conversation that I'm actively engaged in as well, and I encourage everyone interested in what we can do as a community in the future to participate.

Is President Obama a Geek?

2009-06-20T10:14:00.003-05:00

One of our panels at CONvergence this year is Is our President a Geek?. Of course, one of the challenges of putting together a schedule months ahead of time is that events can pass it up.

And while Wil Wheaton may have won Paul and Storm's bracket, we now clearly have the *real* Secretary of Geek Affairs, John Hodgman:

I can't wait for this Resturant to open!

2009-05-31T15:10:00.000-05:00

It looks like someone has decided that they need to open a resturant FOR ME in my neighborhood.

Galaxy Drive In - Intergalactic, Retro Futuristic Makeover Made On Earth�

Changing How I Get Comics

2009-05-25T14:27:00.004-05:00

I've been a comics collector for almost my entire reading life. It's been my hobby reading for a long time for a wide variety of reasons. I've got wardrobes and bookcases filled with comics and comics collections.

So one of the things that I'm realizing is that I'm slowly moving away from buying regular issues -- and I suspect that for Marvel especially, I'm going to be moving almost exclusively to collecting in trade publications.

Recently I've been enjoying a number of big collections -- Captain America Omnibus, Vol. 1 is one of the best Captain America stories ever, and I can't recommend it enough.

I'm also enjoying other collections that I'm picking up -- sometimes new, sometimes used. Over the weekend I picked up the first two New Avengers collections and am enjoying them enough that I will probably get the the third.

And even for older comics, I'm preferring collected issues -- perhaps with the cheaper Essentials versions, but then various Absolute or other collected editions as well.

The sad part of all of this is I'm not sure how pure comics stores survive in the future -- I'm more likely to pick up these books in different venues -- Half Price Books, Amazon.com, or Comics Conventions are just as likely to see me pick them up. I'm not quite in as much of a "weekly comic store" habit as I used to be. I see more deals when I'm looking around in the collection market -- and more options.

And the "neighborhood comic store" has some virtues that I'm sad to see being more difficult. It's a community center -- you can have a friendly conversation with your "dealer" a couple of times a month, and get recommendations of useful things. You can run into other people on a regular basis; people that you collaborate with on your additional projects -- I've discussed CONvergence business more than once over a comic book rack.

I don't know how that stays around, or if it doesn't, what takes its place. It's a challenge.

A Gathering of the Tribes

2009-05-20T21:25:00.001-05:00

I find this video of a speech by Seth Godin about Tribes
fascinating.

The phrase "gathering of the Tribes" has been used to describe CONvergence -- arguably, that's one thing it was set up to be, and it is in the convention name in a way. It is the bringing together of "sci-fi and fantasy aficionados of every stripe".

And one thing that hit me when rewatching another interview I saw a couple of months ago is that one other word for being committed is to be a fan.

President Obama on Star Trek

2009-05-17T09:56:00.000-05:00

From Newsweek:

"And the last movie you saw?
Now, movies I've been doing OK [with] because it turns out we got this nice theater on the ground floor of my house � So Star Trek, we saw this weekend, which I thought was good. Everybody was saying I was Spock, so I figured I should check it out and�[the president makes the Vulcan salute with his hand].

Very good.
Yes, absolutely.

Did you watch that when you were growing up?
I used to love Star Trek. You know, Star Trek was ahead of its time. There was a whole�the special effects weren't real good, but the storylines were always evocative, you know, there was a little commentary and a little pop philosophy for a 10-year-old to absorb."

The Pros and Cons of Sci Fi Cons

2009-05-14T18:58:00.001-05:00

However, since many fans enjoy both literary and media fiction, it seems ridiculous not to pool our resources in protecting one another.

There is a very interesting article about some of the recent national SF convention failures.

As we come across our final pre-registration cut off for CONvergence, something like the above article is very sobering. Not every convention *is* run well. CONvergence, which tries to run things as professionally as possible, is still a fan-run affair that is being run for fun.

One thing that is nice today is that technology makes conventions more open -- you can find out about CONvergence by searching for Minnesota Sci Fi Convention on Google; you don't need to find out about it only by going to the right book store, or knowing the right person.

The thirteen year old kid who had his or her mind blown away by Star Trek last weekend deserves the same rich community and opportunity that the Science Fiction Community has given me.

And another piece of setting up that legacy is the very interesting copy of Argentus dealing with convention runnnig. There are some things that are Worldcon specific (which doesn't really interest me) but different sorts of advice are always good to read and take on.

And don't forget -- preregistration for CONvergence ends tomorrow!