Am I defending his viewpoint? Absolutely, since I have been saying exactly the same things for quite a while now. And I am sure that somewhere in here I have a spelling error or two, but does his error somehow lessen the point he was making?
The first thing I read in Analog is your editorial, and it sometimes worries me that I agree with you 98% of the time, and am one of your fans for that alone, aside from the excellent magazine. But I honestly believe that in this response, you blew it big time.
Don Manyette
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No, I did not fault him for having a political bias, nor do I consider my response a personal attack (as at least one other reader claimed). I explicitly acknowledged that his general points were good ones, which was the main reason I printed the letter. What bothered me was that all his specific illustrations seemed to be chosen to expound a particular political bias, to the point where it seemed that that, not promoting more careful thought, was the primary purpose of the letter. I may have been mistaken in that impression, but it's the one I got, and I got it strongly. And that would have bothered me regardless of which political bias he showed.
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Clan Father (I mean Dr. Schmidt),
I was so intrigued by the first half of Barry Longyear's “Turning The Grain” that the minute the September issue arrived, I sat down and finished it.
That was a great story, full of interesting Native American mythology, an imaginative description of early humans, very earthy details, touching relationships, and a happy ending that I didn't quite expect. When I finished reading it, my spirits were raised.
Analog is without doubt, the very best.
Give my birthday regards to Otto Schmidt. He is my senior by four years.
Bob Stanton
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Reader's Department: UPCOMING EVENTS by Anthony Lewis
4-6 December 2009
SMOFCON 27 (Convention runners convention) at Hilton Garden Inn Downtown, Austin, TX. Theme: Time Management. Membership: $60 until 1 November 2009, more thereafter. Info: www.alamo-sf.org/smofcon27/; P.O. Box 27277, Austin, TX 78755-2277
15-18 January 2010
Late January 2010
VERICON X (Harvard University SF conference) at Harvard Yard, Harvard, Cambridge, MA. Info: Harvard-Radcliffe Science Fiction Association, Student Organizations Center, 59 Shepard St., Box 93, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138
12-14 February 2010
BOSKONE 47 (New England SF conference) at Waterfront Westin, Boston, MA. Guest of Honor: Alastair Reynolds; Official Artist: John Picacio; Special Guest: Tom Shippey; Featured Filker: Mary Crowell; Hal Clement Science Speaker: Vernor Vinge; NESFA Press Guest: Michael Whelan. Membership: $47 until Mid-January 2010. Info: www.nesfa.org/ boskone/; info-b47@boskone.org; Boskone 47, Box 809, Framingham, MA 01701; 617.776 (fax)
2-6 September 2010
AUSSIECON FOUR (68th World Science Fiction Convention) at Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Guest of Honor: Kim Stanley Robinson; Artist Guest of Honor: Shaun Tan; Fan Guest of Honor: Robin Johnson. Membership from 1 January 2009 until some later date (see website for latest details): AUD 210, USD 175, CAD 185, GBP 100, EUR 120, JPY 16000; supporting membership AUD 70, USD 50, CAD 50, GBP 25, EUR 35, JPY 4900. This is the SF universe's annual get-together. Professionals and readers from all over the world will be in attendance. Talks, panels, films, fancy dress competition—the works. Nominate and vote for the Hugos. Info: www.aussiecon4.org.au/, info@aussiecon4.org.au, GPO Box 1212, Melbourne, Victoria, AUSTRALIA 3001
Copyright © 2009 Anthony Lewis
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Attending a convention? When calling conventions for information, do not call collect and do not call too late in the evening. It is best to include a S.A.S.E. when requesting information; include an International Reply Coupon if the convention is in a different country.
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Visit www.analogsf.com for information on additional titles by this and other authors.