Thursday, September 2:
2 PM
Panel: (Really) Hard Science for Beginners - Susan Born, Michael A. Burstein (M), Keith G. Kato (H307)
So much of the current SF literature talks about quantum physics and other recent hard-to-understand concepts in modern science. An overview, in layman's terms, to help the fan without a heavy science background get more out of the new hard SF. String theory? Quarks? And (best of all), no math! Our panelists will answer the hard questions for you!
4 PM
Panel: Stump the Scientists! [ages 7-12] - Michael A. Burstein (M), Bridget Coila, Isaac Szpindel (Gardner)
We know you're smart. Here's a chance to test your skills against our panelists. Bring your questions and quiz these specialists
5 PM
Autographing at Analog / Asimov's table - Michael A. Burstein
6 PM
Panel: Language: Barrier or Bridge - Nomi Burstein (M), Anna Feruglio Dal Dan, Sheila Finch, Yves Meynard, Vera Nazarian (H307)
Translations bring works to audiences who can't read them in the original, but how are the works affected when the words change?
7 PM
Panel: The Return of 20 Panels an Hour... - Michael A. Burstein, Keith R. A. DeCandido, Bob Devney (M), Leigh Grossman (H311)
A preview of the program? Using patented ThoughtSquasher compression technology, Boskone's barely tolerated "Sunday, Funny Sunday" crew flees to Noreascon's First Night. Watch with whimpering amazement as they whip through at least twenty complete panel topics (not including this one) in fifty-five minutes or less. Warning: do not apply directly to brain.
9 PM
Panel: A Scene a Minute? / Whose Line Is It? - Michael A. Burstein (M), Nomi Burstein (M), Solomon Davidoff, Michael McAfee, Michael Rennie, Josepha Sherman (H206)
How well can our teams of participants act out well-known scenes in a minute or less...and have the audience guess what they're doing?
Friday, September 3:
10 AM
Panel: The Enchanted Apple: New York in SF and Fantasy - Michael A. Burstein, Esther Friesner, George R. R. Martin, Madeleine E. Robins, Susan Shwartz (M) (H311)
The very first history of New York City, written by Washington Irving (under the name of Deitrich Knickerbocker) in 1809 was a work of fantasy. Since that time, NYC has appeared repeatedly in works of science fiction and fantasy. How has The City been portrayed? What makes it such a perfect locale for the fantabulist?
12noon
Panel: How to Become Invisible - Michael A. Burstein (M), Dave Clements, Howard Davidson, Robert A. Metzger (H305)
From fairy tales to H.G. Wells, we have always loved stories about people becoming invisible. Our panel discusses a variety of ways, scientific and silly, that humans might accomplish this wonder. Join this exercise in creative thinking
1 PM
Panel: 15 Years of "The Simpsons" - Michael A. Burstein (M), Pam Fremon, Daniel Kimmel (H301)
It's now one of the longest-running TV shows, and shows no sign of slowing down. (Maybe that's because someone always seems to be chasing them, for something they shouldn't have done. There are still a few states that haven't yet run the family out.) How does the show manage to stay fresh? Is it the large number of characters? The loose sense of location? The fact that their family looks like ours? (Don't we all have a Homer and a Lisa?) What subjects would we still like them to cover? Should Skinner and Edna tie the knot? And do we think Bart will someday become Chief Justice of the Supreme Court?
5 PM
Panel: Turning Science into SF - Michael A. Burstein, Thomas A. Easton (H203)
Saturday, September 4:
11 AM
Panel: Really Alien Languages - Suzanne Alles Blom, Nomi Burstein, Mark Mandel, Lawrence Schoen, Timothy L. Smith (H303)
Klingon looks pretty strange to an English speaker, but it's still (just barely) within the boundaries of possible human languages (after all, we know that humans can learn it). What about really alien languages? What are some possible features that would make a language so different from any human language that no human could ever become fluent in it? How would you transliterate it so that people can make some reasonable attempt at pronouncing it? (Um...assuming that humans are physically capable of pronouncing it, that is...)
1:45 PM
Panel: Using SF to Teach About... - Michael A. Burstein (M), Barbara Chepaitis, Theodora Goss, Leslie Howle, Larry A. Lebofsky, Dennis Livingston (H203)
An academic roundtable.
3 PM
Panel: Smallville - Michael A. Burstein, Pam Fremon, Tom Galloway (M), Kimberly Ann Kindya, Nicki Lynch (H205)
The hip and edgy story of Clark Kent's teenage years in a Kansas farm town caught fire when it appeared on TV in 2001. Why does this series work so well? Is it the weird effects of Kryptonite? Clark's slow development of his super-powers? Guest stars such as his real father, Jor-El? What other people from the greater Superman stories would you like to see-or is there a limit on how many future hints we can take?
8 PM
Hugo Awards Ceremony -
Hynes Auditorium
Sunday, September 5:
11 AM
Panel: Writers' Tools and Desk Fetishes! - Michael A. Burstein, Daniel P. Dern, Vera Nazarian, Amy Thomson (M), Shane Tourtellotte (H204)
What do writers keep on their desks? How do these objects help their writing? Professionals show-and-tell what their compositional touchstones are all about, and five hints on how to find your own particular desk fetishes
3:30 PM
Reading (Exeter)
4 PM
Panel: Jewish Time-Based Mitzvoth in a Lunar Colony - Nomi Burstein (M), Solomon Davidoff, Janice Gelb, Daniel Kimmel (H306)
Monday, September 6:
10 AM
Kaffeklatsch - Michael A. Burstein (ConSuite)
12noon
Panel: Alternate Holocausts - Michael A. Burstein (M), Evelyn C. Leeper, Susan Shwartz (H311)
Why is this timeline different from all other timelines? There have been some works that have explored Jewish alternate history, such as Poul Anderson's In the House of Sorrows and Robert Silverberg's To the Promised Land. There have also been many potential turning points that could be explored-"What if the Maccabees succeeded in their revolt?" or "What if the Roman Empire adopted Judaism as the official religion?" The panel looks at Jewish alternate history, with special attention to the holocaust.
2 PM:
Panel: TV Storytelling: From Arcs to Episodes - Michael A. Burstein, Craig Engler, Daniel Kimmel (M), Bey King, Melinda Snodgrass (H304)
Different TV series use different storytelling techniques. There's the series arc (Babylon 5), the episodic approach with occasional recurring themes (most of the Star Treks), the seasonal arc (Buffy and Angel), and the series arc which has no real conclusion in mind (The X- Files). The panel compares and discusses the various techniques used in telling stories on TV.