BayCon 2008 Preliminary Schedule

FRIDAY

Dealers Room — Friday's hours are 12:00pm to 7:00pm.

Come join us in our 26th BayCon! Our Pirate Captain Convention Chair and his crew have put together a great event and it all starts here.

The Gaming Room will be open all weekend. Please double check the schedule at the door for special announcements and more detailed information.

Art Show — Friday's hours are: 2pm to 6pm. Bids may be placed throughout the day. Please see the Art Show summary for bid and buying rules.

Why do you need a moderator? What makes someone a good (or bad) moderator? Expert moderators share their tips and tricks.

What, exactly, is a hall costume? Does it require references that "everyone knows" or is it best if it's from an obscure reference in a story? Our panelists discuss the whats, whys and hows of hall costuming, with an emphasis on civilian (non-military) costumes.

As educators, writers and parents, how do we reach out to the children of the future? How do we enliven their minds with speculative fiction and bring renewed interest to a dwindling SF/F/H audience?

Whatever the media, ongoing comics and tv shows do (eventually) come to an end. Is it better to have a specific ending (à la Star Trek: The Next Generation or Y: The Last Man) or to just disappear (Firefly)? What about cross-media returns (Buffy and Angel in the comics)?

Retro-futurism includes a vision of the future as seen through the eyes of the past or versions of the past in which the exaggerated technological innovations imagined in SF/F are indeed real. Steampunk is one form of retro-futurism; mixing styles and genres of the past into a futuristic setting may not be considered retro-futurism. Our panelists discuss all this and more.

Which of the many ideas pitched this year are likely to become the next "must have"and household tool? And which are likely to still be around 5 years from now?

Welcome to Family Friendly Programming! You will see a variety of items as you read through the panels which are aimed at our younger members and their parents.
Please note that our schedule does not completely match that of the other panels.
We will be open until 8pm tonight.

What distinguishes a fan artist from a pro artist (besides a sale)? How does a fan artist make the transition to being a pro? Our panelists are at varying stages along this continuum and share their experiences.

If so, why do we keep writing them, selling them, and reading them? Over the past few years, there have been an increasing number of original and reprint anthologies (primarily published by the small press), all of which have done well, as well as a rise in numbers of online 'zines — as the subscriptions and sales of short fiction magazines continue to decline. We can't make a living writing only short stories, yet writing them is beneficial to the new, beginning writer, and even the old timers who continue to hone their skills. So, is the short story really dead?

First Contact — are we more likely to see xenophilia or xenophobia? If fandom sets the stage, we're far more likely to see the former. But is our interest and affection for unknown objects/species likely to lead us to destruction? Does xenophobia make more sense? Our panelists discuss this and more.

What makes a pirate? Is it the same as being a privateer? What are the economic factors that make piracy a viable lifestyle? How have they changed from the 1600s to today? How are they likely to change in the future?

The Fanzine Lounge will be open for most of the weekend. Drop in any time the door is open this weekend. The Fanzine Lounge will be on the party floor, in room 349.

Fear of Technology, Technology Illiteracy and Religion repudiating Technology have been all too common in recorded history. The problems continue to exist today, and may actually be more prevalent among people in positions of power. Panelists discuss the implications for individuals and society as a whole.

Want to make your Masquerade presentation even better? What about impressing everyone with your Hall Costume? Come join us and have a chance to get some pointers.

Do you want to go to a party? Are you having a party? Come check out the listing of all the parties, and meet some of the organizers ...

You could be everyone's favorite Fanboy, providing you listen to these helpful do's and don't from our panel of seasoned Con-goers and Guests. Learn valued secrets of how to not offend your fellow fen, and marvel at the gems of wisdom our panelists will impart.

2001, a Space Odyssey, wasn't a huge hit on release, but it's had staying power. Images of Ape Men, monoliths, and the first bars of "Also Sprach Zarathustra" have penetrated culture in a way few movies have. In addition to metaphorical images of a star gate and the star child, the movie is rich in prophesies, some of which have come true, some of which await; glass cockpits, AI, spinning space stations, thin graphic displays, moon colonies, video phones, etc. How much did Arthur Clarke and Stanley Kubrick's art anticipate technology and how much did it lead it?

Fiction podcasting is exploding. With sites like EscapePod, PseudoPod and more, people can get free audio books delivered on a weekly basis. Hugo and Nebula winners are joining the craze, providing validity to this form. It's a way for readers to try new authors for free, it's growing by word-of-mouth, and it's already changed the face of publishing. What are the pros and cons?

New to Masquerade? Whether you're entering or just going to watch, come join our experts as they explain how to enter, and enjoy your experience. No costume required!

Join others of like mind to discuss Christian Fandom.

How do you deal with the drama llamas? How do you avoid picking up the negative energy they emit? Listen to our panelists as they expound upon the ways to shield yourself and not feed the drama...

"Let's Make a Movie" is a series of panel workshops that actually script, cast, film, edit and show a movie, all during the convention. In this session, Ed & Ryan will show all the movies* made as a part of this ground-breaking series of workshops, including hilarious video introductions by the filmmakers. Here's the best place to watch all these movies at once, and behold the genesis of one of the weirdest and funniest workshops ever to be tolerated by fandom! Learn about some of the weird and heinous behind-the-scenes stories! Feel free to ask the filmmakers questions afterwards, if they're brave enough to stick around!

*some of these movies may also be seen on BCTV

There has been a recent resurgence in books and video purporting to be history. Is it really history, or is it historical fiction? What distinguishes the two? How can the reader know the difference, and should anyone really care?

Bad science is more pervasive than most people think. Friends can swallow media hysteria as all scientific evidence is twisted to promote fear and panic. Politicians are more interested in spin than evidence.

How can you identify it? How can you counter it? Our panelists are skilled in debunking pseudoscience.

You can't be found, but you can find other fans of the hit show.

Come join all of our guests for our opening reception. The Brethren of the Coast (our Guests of Honor) will have a few words to say, along with our Toastmaster and the Convention Chair.

Community led Friday night Shabbatt services.

Join the Boffers on Opening Night for a variety of fun and games. Please see the description elsewhere, and be prepared to "walk the plank" a time or two.

The Anime room will be open about 8:00pm and will be running all night. Everyone is welcome to view our offerings. The exact schedule will be posted at the door.

The English Regency was just over a decade, but it has had broad influence on everything from literature to music and dance. Don't worry if you don't know the dances — expert Alan Winston will teach you as he calls the dances.

Maya and Jeff Bohnhoff play a variety of works, ranging from the parodies on Retro Rocket Science and Aliens Ate My Homework to their original works on Manhattan Sleeps. Whatever they play, it will always be a pleasure to listen.

Every dockside tavern has dancing... no matter what the music. Join hosts Alex and Liza for instruction followed by a Swing Dance.

Along with that dancing, every dockside tavern has games of chance. Test your skills and luck at this year's Charity Casino.

The filk lounge will be open all night. Bring your instruments, your voice and your songs, if you can. But definitely bring your ears!

"So There I Was... in the middle of the field when... " Join RPGers as they share their gaming war stories. Bring your own to share.

A sailor's daily ration of grog was limited only by the Captain's order. But not all grog is the same. Join like-minded folks to discuss all things about grog.

Callie Hills, Steve Savitsky and Joyce Uggla got together one day and formed Tres Gique — appropriate as they are all computer geeks during the day! They are joined this year by Chaos and Jordan Uggla. Enjoy their lively music.

Join Barely Legal as they enhance the showing of The Rocky Horror Motion Picture Show.
Over 17 only, please.