BayCon 2008 Preliminary Schedule

MONDAY

Family Friendly will be open from 9am to 4pm today. Stop by to check out the schedule.

Well, we may still be running from last night. In any case, the Anime room will be open again at 10am, and run until 'con closes. Everyone is welcome to view our offerings. The exact schedule will be posted at the door.

Pseudonyms are frequently used by authors. But why would you want to use a different name? Isn't there an advantage in name recognition? Our panelists have all used different names or versions of their names in their writing, and will explain the pros and cons of using a pseudonym.

Our panelists discuss their favorite stories and novels for reading (or reading again) when you're feeling under the weather.

Einstein said "Science without religion is lame. Religion without science is blind." Can you have one without the other? Does the religion (Judaism, Christianity, Islam) make a difference? Does the science (physics, biology, sociology) make a difference?

Dealer's Room — Monday's hours are 10:00am - 2:00pm

What exactly is the role of the editor of a book or video? Can a good work be ruined by bad editing? And conversely, can good editing save bad writing?

Last year it was pet food. This year it's critical medicines. What is going on with the safety of products in our global culture? Is it money, infrastructure, education, or something else?

This workshop will make a basic slipper style shoe, and teach basic methods that can be adapted for more elaborate works. There is a $5 materials fee if you want to make and take your project.

A live action blocking and scene building exercise with audience participation. Build and block a fight scene in a theoretical fantasy, then re-do it as a humorous piece.

There are many familiar faces missing this year. Join us for an opportunity to reminisce in a supportive environment.

"SF fan seeks same" — What makes for good personal ads and online profiles? How much of a difference does it make in your success?, And what, specifically, makes it an attractive personal ad from a fannish point of view.

Let's make a movie! You were there for Part 3, right, where we shot video like crazy? Quick! Time travel! In part 4, we show you a little about editing*, how we put all that crazy footage down and made it into the movie you're about to see. You tell us if it makes some kind of sense. We never really know.

*If you bought a computer within the past two years, chances are excellent that you have more digital video editing power at your fingertips than has ever been subject to the hands of Ordinary People. Learn about using this power for Good. Or Evil. We don't care, because we only use it for Fun. The key to making a movie, of course, is editing.

"I know the pop, but not the culture" A discussion on how fantasy and SciFi classics (HG Wells, Jules Verne, Lewis Carroll, Frank L Baum) can be so well "known" by the masses (i.e.: me) yet I haven't read any of them, but I bet you I saw the movie...

What have been the effects — both short term and long term — of the Hollywood writer's strike? Will this bleed over to affect print media? How did the last strike change what we read and view?

Join our expert pirate clothiers as they outfit a typical landlubber or two in high piratical style.

If you have purchased or have the winning bid on artwork, please come pick it up between 12:00 and 4:00pm today. Artwork which is not collected will not be held for you.

In the middle of your first contact scene, a sudden outbreak of an infectious disease occurs. Is it truly an alien infection? Is it biological warfare on a new level? Or is it just a coincidence? Everyone has their own role, with their own agenda, but it will be up to the group to solve the puzzle — audience participation required.

BayCon just wouldn't be the same without our dances. Our DJs get together to talk about how they got into the business, about the music they spin and why they keep coming back.

Missed the Masquerade Saturday night? Want to see it all over again? Be prepared, as we may be recording the "director's commentary" track while we all watch the video.

Laws pervade our lives — whether the laws of physics or the laws created by government. What defines a legal system? How different can a legal system be from that we currently have in the United States? Our panelists discuss what systems currently exist, those from the past and those possible in the future or in fiction.

Art Auction — Pieces that have 4 bids go directly to auction. Make sure you're early to get that piece you really wanted.

People (and characters drawn from them) can be very resistant to changing opinions, even in the face of overwhelming data. From the holocaust in Germany to global warming today, political - cultural - religious loyalties can lead to a heavy personal investment in a wrong interpretation. How do people eventually give it up, if ever? Can story characters be as stubborn as real people?

Sir Arthur Clarke died earlier this year. Many of us took our first foray into SciFi by reading one of his works. Our panelists discuss their favorites and his life.

In this interactive presentation, Dr. Arizona analyzes the detritus of a science fiction convention, and opines on what this says about us all.

Unfortunately, all good things come to an end. Join our Guests of Honor once more as we bring our 26th BayCon to a close. And stay tuned for special announcements about 2009.

We hope you have enjoyed yourselves! Join us and tell us what went wrong as well as what went right.