Table of Contents
Meeting Announcements
The February meeting will be held at Amy Denton ’s house (Map of 3510 La Costa Dr, Missouri City, 77459 ). The Video Party will be held at Carolyn O'Neal's house (Map of 114 Beverly Lane, Bellaire, TX)
February/March Birthdays
- David Damico -- March 9
Club News
Prez Mez February 2008 - Dee Beetem
Folks, Revelcon is coming up fast, so we need to get our planning done ASAP. Remember, everything that really works well we can encore at Apollocon.
The Story (and Planning) So Far:
- Erika and I reserved the Several room at the Holiday Inn.
- Amy and Elizabeth volunteered to do a panel on Fanfic Writing and Research. We’ll email Jan immediately and see whether it’s approved.
- As usual, there will be a Saturday Pizza Party in the room. Since we don’t have a table this year, Anita will collect money at the Art Show.
- Several Breakfast in the room Saturday and Sunday—you can invite a few people but let’s not make “watching me stump around bleary-eyed” an official event.
- Late Night TV Parties Saturday and Sunday—Erika needs to formalize the play list but I suspect it will run to anime and other strange.
- Erika and I hope to premiere the Once Upon a Time Game—Media Edition (or, A Shot Rang Out). We haven’t picked a time slot yet.
- And??? What have I missed? There’s still time to propose something else.
Fannish Summer Party
So we don't forget... We’re beginning to plan for a party in July to balance Jennifer Hebert’s Christmas party. Some suggestions that have been made:
- Side dish/dessert potluck (we could supply hot dogs, condiments and buns)
- Book/collectibles swap meet
- Publicizing the event through the fannish lists, (Revelcon, Hou-Sf, Ilscifi, etc.)
We need a site! An apartment/condo clubhouse would be ideal (electrical outlets needed!) A kitchen and a pool would be nice but not essential, also grass where we could throw frisbees.
Finally, please inform Margaret or me if you’re willing to volunteer your home for a meeting or video party. Don’t make us hunt you down…
Don’t forget the Yahoo Group for Several Unlimited!
If you find something interesting to do or talk about, you don’t have to wait for the newsletter or a meeting. Post it on the Several Unlimited Yahoo Group at
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/severalunlimited/
If you’re not a member of the group, it’s free to join, and you get to select how you want the messages delivered to you!
Upcoming Events
COSMIC EXPLORATIONS: A Speaker Series, Feb 7
The Lunar & Planetary Institute introduces the following lecture series:
-
LPI 40th Anniversary Speaker on February 7th:
Forming the Planets: What’s New with the Oldest Events in the Solar System with Dr. Bill Bottke
- LPI 40th Anniversary Speaker on April 17 th with Dr. Jeff Taylor
Each presentation will begin at 7:30 pm and will be followed by a light reception with the opportunity to meet the speaker. The Cosmic Explorations Speaker Series is free; all adults are welcome.
Location: The Lunar and Planetary Institute, USRA, 3600 Bay Area Blvd, Houston (Entrance via driveway on South side of Middlebrook Dr, just East of Bay Area Blvd. - See Map at http://www.lpi.usra.lpi.areamap.pdf/)
For more information, please call 281-486-2135 or visit:
- http://www.lpi.usra.edu/education/lectures/
- http://www.lpi.usra.edu/lpi/seminars/
- http://www.lpi.usra.edu/
ConDFW, February 22-24, 2008
A Literary Science Fiction & Fantasy Event
Radisson Hotel Dallas North, 1981 North Central Expressway, Richardson, TX 75080
- Author GOH: Peter S. Beagle
- Artist GOH: Donato Giancola
The Expected Activities:
Art Show, Autographs, Dealer's Room, Con Suite, Panel Discussions, Gaming, Readings
And the Unexpected:
Cliche Challenge (NEW), 3rd Annual Sci-Fi Spelling Bee, Pro Artist Drawing Competition, Charity Book Swap, Hard Science Panels
For more information, write:
ConDFW
750 South Main-#14
Keller, TX 76248
Or send email to info@condfw.org
REVELcon 19, March 14-16, 2008
The Little Con with the Texas-Size Heart in Houston
http://www.severalunlimited.com/revelcon/
Revelcon is THE only fan-run relax-a-con/zinefest in the Southwest US. It's a fab weekend of vids, panels, art, zines, merchandise, food and fun! [Note - Revelcon is an adults-only/18-and-over con.]
For further information write:
Revelcon 19
c/o E.D. Pearlman
P.O. Box 130602
Houston, TX 77219-0602
Or send email to mailto:Revelcon2007@gmail.com
Denvention 3, August 6-10, 2008
66th World Science Fiction Convention, Denver CO
- GOH: Lois McMaster Bujold
- Artist GOH: Rick Sternbach
- Toastmaster: Wil McCarthy
- Fan GOH: Tom Whitmore
- Ghost of Honor: Robert A. Heinlein
Five days of programming on hundreds of topics from books to media, from art to costuming, from movies to television to anime, from science fiction to science fact, as well as an art show, masquerades, the Hugo Awards ceremony, dealer's rooms, and much more!
News and Reviews
Scanning Tips
If you’ve ever been frustrated by scanners, or you just want better results, check out this website. It describes image resolution basics for printing and video, and explains why dpi means one thing in video and another in printed images.
The concepts might be confusing at first. It’s easier to understand once you experiment with some scanned pictures. I adjusted pixel and width settings on some old jpeg and tiff files to see what they looked like. The on screen size differences were amazing.
Bookmark this site. There’s so much good information in it you’ll visit it more than once.
Websites of the Month
Webcomics Nation
http://www.webcomicsnation.com/
Webcomics Nation is a place for comics creators to show off and share their work. Many different comic strips, all online and unavailable anywhere else.
You’ll find at least one comic strip that you like. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to have a search function, so you’d better bookmark your favorite strips.
Comics include:
Malefic Malfoy
http://www.webcomicsnation.com/mattb/maleficmalfoy/series.php?view=archive&chapter=7499
Young Draco has found himself a little skirt-lifting charm. It’s Harry Potter drawn by Matt Bayne.
We've Got Issues V2 By Michael Parkinson
http://www.webcomicsnation.com/snufflymonkey/issues/series.php
Set in a comic store with two comic freaks and a couple of illegal aliens. The outer-space kind.
Intergalactic Law Lisa Fary (writing), John Dallaire (art)
http://www.webcomicsnation.com/intergalacticlaw/intergalacticlaw/series.php
Inter-species divorce? Extra-dimensional accident? We can help! Ginsburg, Quieghel and Stein Intergalactic Law.
Edward Gorey's "The Trouble with Tribbles"
http://www.webcomicsnation.com/shaenongarrity/tribbles/series.php
We included this one a few months ago, but you have to admit, it deserves another look and mention.
Supernatural Law
http://www.supernaturallaw.com/
Attorneys Alanna Wolff and Jeff Byrd have a unique law practice: they defend vampires, werewolves, and things that go bump in the night, with the aid of their intrepid secretary, Mavis!
