Captainkalaa1 
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(3/20/06 4:01 pm)
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 AMAFSR Newsletter for March, 2006
Our Featured Member's Of The Month
A Tribute to KOTOR (Knights of the Old Republic): A collection of Knights of the Old Republic fan fiction, based on the game! Gamers and non-gamer Star Wars fans will really enjoy this reading. URL: www.angelfire.com/ca/coffeemeister/index.html
Empress Palpatine's Realm : An all-Star Wars site. Smilies - Links around the online galaxy - Expanded Universe timeline - My collection - Desktop Wallpapers - Avatars - Petition to Del Rey books - More is always being added! URL: www.angelfire.com/theforce/emprs_palpatine
The Uncharted Territories : A friendly fansite dedicated to Farscape and general sci-fi, with loads of chat, fun games and competitions. If you're not a Scaping sci-fi geek when you arrive, you will be when you leave! URL: uterritories.proboards59.com
Editorials, Opinions and Special Interest Articles
Star Trek Singers by Amy Lynn
I was sitting here one day thinking of grabbing some music to listen to when my mind started to roam about Star Trek. Have you ever noticed how many Star Trek actors have a music album of their own?
I'd die of laughter listening to what Simon Cowell of American Idol and Pop Idol would think of their many albums. From Brent Spiner, William Shatner, James Darren, Leonard Nimoy, Tim Russ, to Nichelle Nichols. Just to name a few of them. Maybe they should make Star Trek Idol instead of American Idol or Pop Idol. Now that's a show I wouldn't miss no matter what! Don't get me wrong, I'm not insulting all of the above, just finding it interesting how many filled their career with record albums. In case you haven't taken the time to listen to any of the above artists, I do recommend it. I have a feeling with a few of them you will be pleasantly surprised. As for some of the others, just think about what Simon Cowell would say, it kills me every time and I'm sure it would you too if you follow the Idol series.
Amy Lynn is a regular contributor to our Newsletter. Would you like to see your opinions in print? Contact us at kinda@msn.com for more information. To read more of Amy's excellent writing, go to : groups.msn.com/Annikas/_whatsnew.msnw
Letters To The Editor
From: thausgt at Klingon Cultural Institute MSN Group
Re: Captain k'alaa's Corner for February, 2006
...One of the most damning things about sci-fi, from the perspective of the marketing freaks and bean-counting pinheads in charge of t.v. networks and movie studios is that sci-fi requires the audience to *think*, even if it's to answer a question starting with those magical words, "What if...?" Yes, mainstream films like "Die Hard" or "In Her Shoes" depict people and situations that are unlike any that anyone in the movie-going audience is ever likely to face, but they're still plausibly part of the human experience. Mr. McCaine just wants to have fun at a party with his ex-wife, and his opponents want to rob the place of piles and piles of money; at that level, the whole thing is perfectly understandable. But you've got to have a pretty powerful imagination to be able to empathize with Jen from "The Dark Crystal", feeling like you really are the last of your kind on the planet and tasked with cleaning up the whole trashed mess... by fixing a glowing, broken crystal that's easily five times your size?
Personally, I think that sci-fi is going through a phase where it's got to appeal to 'mature, mainstream audience' tastes; i.e.: sex and violence, but with much more sophisticated makeup and special effects, respectively. On the one hand, I would see this as a bad thing, basically the mainstream 'infecting' the sci-fi genre. But on the other, I choose to see it as an opportunity for sci-fi to become more approchable from the mainstream angle. I mean, your average non-sci-fi-junkie... *ahem* I mean, 'mainstream audience-member' doesn't like to be bothered with reference to how humans finally learned to communicate with the sentient vegetables from Betelgeuse and thereby saved the spiral arm from an eons-long conflict. But getting one's rocks off with a [fill in your three to five favorite physical adjectives here] alien with compatible plumbing after fighting off the lynch mob trying to kill the 'monstrosity from the stars'... well, who hasn't at least fantasized about something similar?
Look at Grandmaster Smith's "Lensman" series. Getting past the admittedly dated dialogue and social trappings ("Toots"? Kimball Kinnison actually called a woman "toots" ?!? And there can *NEVER* be a female Lens-bearer?), the notion that humans can set up a capital-C Civilization that allows lifeforms whose fundamental ecology is lethal to unprotected humans (and vice versa) to interact with each other and with humans to mutual benefit is pretty far-fetched. Shucks, even the Great Bird of the Galaxy (Roddenberry, for you heathens reading this over a listmember's shoulder) never actually spelled out the treaties and cultural changes and whatnot that allowed the Federation to wipe out war and hunger on Earth. Social commentary goes right over the heads of most folk, being trained as they are to respond to the BRIGHTEST FLASHING LIGHTS and the LOUDEST BASS LINES and the BOUNCIEST... well, you get the idea.
Me, I'm just glad that there are still folk out there who read sci-fi... out of actual books and magazines... and can still ask these questions. Curl up with your young cubs and read some Verne or Heinlein or early Golden Age comics with them, won't you? Keep the flame alive...
True, perhaps *I* failed to distinguish between 'juvenile' in the sense of stories written to appeal to that age-group *without* talking down to them (e.g.: the aforementioned Podkayne and the like) as opposed to the sense of juvenile as in 'badly-written tripe with lots of gratuitous sex and big-gun violence'. Figure that there is similar confusion around the term 'mature', for much the same reasons. The real trick is that the writers must be able to fulfill the dual (some might say mutually-exclusive) aims of art: to plumb the depths of experience, emotion, symbol and meaning while still generating a commercially-viable product. What I mean to say is that one of the fundamental messages of the entire Trek franchise is that, despite all of our differences in culture, language, technology, etc., it is still possible for the entire human race to interact in such a way that we all come away with just a little bit more than what we started with. (The multi-cultural musical blendings of the Firefly t.v. show soundtrack as an example of the heights to which such exchanges can aspire, with my own quasi-blasphemous experiments with udon noodles drenched in American cheese-like matter representing the low end of the scale.)
And while I mourn the notion that genuinely good television (with particular reference to quality sci-fi/fantasy) must essentially sneak under the radar of the production companies, I rejoice in the notion that it is still possible. It would make for a fascinating story, in and of itself, to see the behind-the-scenes story of exactly how Original Trek got made, not to mention what it took to convince Paramount that, yes, there really was a market for Next Gen. Heck, why stop there? I'd love to see the network meetings that allowed Babylon 5, Seaquest DSV and even Invisible Man (the Sci-Fi Channel original series) to be made. Perhaps it would serve as inspiration to the heirs of LeGuin, Sterling and Lucas (or whomever y'all feel are the signature sci-fi authors for print/television/movies/etc.) that they really might get their particular visions into the mainstream.
I must confess that I have a particular theme for stories for which I simply don't have the writing chops is a temporal vandal: After having driven a curiously-advanced delivery truck into a small Midwest town during the 1920's and buying the local movie theater (during the subsequent week the entire theater is closed down for 'renovations' which involve installing some very strange-looking speakers), the new owner greets the young kids for the Saturday matinee with the sad news that this week's episode of Flash Gordon has not arrived. "However," the owner goes on, over the chorus of disappointed moans from the customers, "...I happen to have a student film from a young film-maker whom I think shows a lot of promise. Just let me know afterward if you don't like it, and I'll refund your money."
The 'young film-maker' is, of course, George Lucas, and the 'student film' is the special edition of "Episode IV" in full digital stereo. I'd be willing to risk whatever punishment the Time Cops could throw at me just to see the looks on the kids' faces at the sound of the opening theme...
From: 1seekingwisdom at ST: Enterprise MSN Group
Re: Captain k'alaa's Corner for February, 2006
I agree with you, the kids acting and singing are younger and younger. Wish that the music and movie producers would realize that we need mature shows to watch too. Boy do i miss even 10 yrs ago.
From: Jadzia777 at ST: Enterprise MSN Group
Re: Captain k'alaa's Corner for February, 2006
I believe you're right. But it's not just sci fi, its television as a while. I started noticing it a little while ago, I think after the X-Files was over, it seemed like programs were just getting more unintelligent and aimed at younger and younger audiences, not because of more suitably rated content but because of things like unintelligent dialogue and storyline and annoying characters. And perhaps that reflects on the s criptwriters and directors, etc. who maybe aren't as mature nowadays. It seems like fifty years ago the movie/television industry was more highly respected, those working on programs were older and well educated perhaps. The famous actors and actresses were in their 30s, 40s and 50s. I look at the women who were movie stars in the 50's and realize that today the stars are a lot younger, in fact the majority of them are younger than me. That's when I started feeling old, when I realized that not just a few but many of the new stars are younger than me! I'm only 27!.
...and what about music? When I used to watch Much Music the bands had singers in their 30's or older, like ACDC and Whitesnake. Nowadays its young teens like Avril who was 14 I think when she started. You wouldn't have seent hat when I was a kid. 14 year old girls were still playing with dolls, or at least I was. Kids are growing up a lot faster and some 14 year olds look older than me now (not joking) their bodies are even growing up faster (and I blame that on the fast food industry and the hormones in our beef and chicken).
From: Luvy4531 at ST: Enterprise MSN Group
Re: Captain k'alaa's Corner for February, 2006
I am a mature women and I know I am not in the "demographic" the networks are looking for. I will always be a Star Trek fan no matter how old I get. I love science fiction and I do not feel that age should matter if the producers stick to intelligent s c r i pts. I am more worried about the viewing audience these days. When I read the postings on the Trek boards-especially on startrek.com I am concerned about how juvenile the postings can be. It seems a lot of the posters are intent on making fun of characters, shows and plots then understanding the message of the show, or giving a show (like Enterprise ) a chance to pick up steam. Star Trek was about getting a message across while being entertaining. I waited years to get online- I am a slow learner and my son never had the patience to teach me. I couldn't wait to log onto a Trek site because I had heard for years of the great discussions between people who truly loved Trek and I wanted to ge into that. As far as other sci-fi on the air, Battlestar Gallactica is good, much better then the original. I love the political intrigue. I loved Babylon 5. So for me it is the quality that will lead me to watch.
From: Simon at AMAFSR Home Page
Re: Captain k'alaa's Corner for March, 2006
I think science-fiction really needs imagination to create a good story. There are too many sci-fi films and shows which have cliches in them nowadays, so when Doctor Who returned last year it was a breath of fresh air to see something different and original.
My Doctor Who website has a story that I wrote for it last year called Summers Past (with part two being called Powers Of God) and features the Ninth Doctor and Rose. When I wrote it, my plan was to have it set in the same town as I live and use familar surroundings because I knew a lot about it which I could use in the story to make it feel believable.
I don't know whether any fans have read the story because I haven't heard any comments about it but I hope anyone who reads it, enjoy it.
Captain k'alaa's Corner
This article was originally published May, 2003, and has been republished in honor of the fortieth anniversary year of Star Trek.
Science fiction fans are basically optimists. You know, your
standard "glass is half-full" people . Every science fiction fan I
have met seems to enjoy (even more than the story) the positive aspects of his or her favorite show or book. And then suddenly, at that point, most fans diverge in opinion. Where one person will base their life on, for example, a certain friendship in Star Trek, another person will dismiss it as derivative and call only stories found in books "true science fiction". While all opinions have their valid points, I must point out that the very nature of science fiction itself invites, even demands divergence of opinion. Why do I say this?
Number one: the example of H.G. Wells springs to mind. His idea of the future was one of wonder, excitement and surprise. Several generations of science fiction writers were strongly influenced by his work.
Number two: From the 1930's to the 1970's, there was a group of science fiction writers who came up with most of the basic principles (the ABC's) of science fiction as we know it today. They are the pioneers who defined modern science fiction and fantasy. Each writer had his or her own take on spinning tales...but the main philosophy of exploring the unknown remained the same. Gene Roddenberry, Sidney Wilson and Verity Lambert, Douglas Adams, and George Lucas are the direct inheritors of this legacy. These people have themselves said they were inspired by the science fiction of their youth.
Number three: Science Fiction and Fantasy has basically opened our minds to events and circumstances impossible to find in everyday life. I would go so far to say as this is the main appeal of science fiction...exploring the unknown in the safety of a book or movie without the chance of nasty sand fleas jumping on your skin . Want to ride a rocket? Discover the cure to a disease? Create a world? The possibilites go as far as the creator's and the reader's imaginations will allow.
But...what does all this have to do with inviting divergence of
opinion? My answer is that every story is a human story. Every word put to a page, whether it be to describe a different world, to examine a relationship formed among the characters, or to expound on a plot device is put there to form a human idea. Human stories and ideas by their very nature are divergent. Science fiction at its best explores those divergent viewpoints. How many human ideas does it take to make a believable world? How many human stories does it take to make a believable universe? Ideas, by their very nature often conflict with one another. Other times, they often see a problem, an event or a person from an angle not readily apparent to the casual viewer.
To build a world in a few pages takes skill and imagination. Hard work, ingenuity and stamina! Let's remember as fans all the hard-working, intelligent writers, actors, directors and producers that make science fiction possible.
We would love to read your opinions on science fiction, past, present, and future. Have any ideas for new stories of your own, or new ideas for ongoing science fiction websites, movies, television shows, games or books? We'd love to hear from you! Just email us at kinda@msn.com, with your comments, and where you read this article. Your comments could be in the next AMAFSR Newsletter.
Reviewer's Retreat
This month, another in the series of Drew's Reviews : Who’s Afraid of the Cybermen?
With the second series of the new look Doctor Who coming in spring this year we have been promised that the big villain of the series will be the Cybermen, but a re-vamped Cybermen.
A change in the look of the Cybermen is nothing new. Since their first appearance in October 1966 (in the First Doctor’s last story The Tenth Planet) they have undergone several redesigns and face-lifts (including the short-lived addition of moon boots), yet they have still retained their ability to chill and scare. When we think of Doctor Who monsters we often first think of the Daleks but not far behind are the Cybermen. But why have the Cybermen remained such a figure of fear?
With the Daleks they were so obviously alien, no faces nor arms or legs, and they glided across the floor rather then walked. Cybermen were once originally human but had turned themselves into living machines to survive on their dying planet, Mondas. Mondas was once Earth’s twin planet, orbiting on the opposite side of the Sun. But, to survive, by replacing their frail flesh by metal and plastic, the Cybermen also lost their humanity.
This played into one of our modern fears, that technology would not just take over our lives but that we would become slaves to it (reflected in so much science fiction of the 1960’s and 70’s).
Today transplant surgery is almost taken for granted, so much of the human body can be replaced with artificial replacements. From artificial hips down to finger joints, from artificial eye lens to heart values, from ear implants to restore hearing to even replacement bones. Back in the 1960’s transplant surgery was in its infancy, was something new and even strange. Now, science is catching up with the technology needed to create Cybermen, though we’re not quite there yet. But, now we are also more used to and accepting of that technology.
So do Cybermen still hold any fear for a modern audience? If anyone has seen the publicity pictures of the new-look Cybermen will know how sinister they look. But the Cybermen still taps into some of our modern fears.
We still have a fear of technology taking over our lives, whether it be computers or televisions spying on us, or microchips implanted into our brains and stealing our personalities. Cybermen feed into one of our base fears, the loss of our very self, loss of our personalities. Cybermen have great physical strength but there were no individual Cybermen, gone is all personality, gone is all form of self.
Before Star Trek’s Borg and Star Wars’ Storm Troopers there were the Cybermen and even now, nearly forty years after they first graced our screens, they still have the power to send a shiver down the spine. But, like all good fictional villains and monsters, they are only as threatening as the writing for them is as good. In a handful of months we will know for certain, but the news is that the Cybermen are back and we’re going to be very, very afraid.
Resistance is…
For more interesting insights into the Doctor Who Universe, why not take a look at Drew's Doctor Who Zone, at: www.drewpayne.co.uk/pages/07_doctor_who_zonepag.html
Member's Announcements
Join us at Science Fiction in the month of March for a group read of Octavia Butler's critically acclaimed novel Parable of the Sower. We'll be taking a look at this glimpse into the near future together and discussing and posting about it here in the Books & Authors forum. Octavia Butler is a writer that many of our regulars have expressed interest in checking out, so this is a great opportunity. All are welcome to join in the fun!
   
"D..doctor?" (Doctor smiles widely) "Hello". -- The Tenth Doctor (David Tennant), and Rose Tyler (Billie Piper), Doctor Who Children in Need Special, 2005
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