[This is a text-only version of the Minicon 19 program book, created in 2010. It does not attempt to reproduce the formatting of the original (except when doing so is trivial and not harmful to the following goals), but rather is meant to be as accessible to people and computer programs as possible. This file does not contain the text of advertisements. Errors may have been made in transcription, others are lovingly reproduced from the original. Check the scans if it matters to you which are which.] Minicon 19 Backward into the Future! MINICON, uh..... 19! April 1, and-a 2, and-a 3, 1983 Pro Guest of Honor Larry Niven Fan Guests of Honor Pamela (Dean) and David Dyer-Bennet Artist Guest of Honor Dave Sim Musician Guest of Honor Spider Koerner Proxy Guest of Honor Nostradamus (who knew it all along) Toastmaster Steven K. Zolta'n Brust Join us, dear friends, as we back, Back, BACK our way into the future at Minicom 19! Jumpshift your way to thrills and excitement! Go native, go Aardvark! Sing "Acres of Clams" at the top of your vocal apparatus! We hope you're really sick of exclamation points! Cover art by Ken Fletcher and David Egge. (c) 1983 Minnesota Science Fiction Society, Inc. Registration Hours are: Friday 9 AM - 9 PM Saturday 10 AM - 7 PM Registration will be located in the cloak["ing device" struck out] room just off the escalators on the lower level where most programming will be. when registration is closed, pre-registrations can be picked up at room 114 (The Bridge). T-Shirts Once again we bring you a great selection of Minicon memorabilia: Minicon T-shirts, featuring the work of Artist Guest of Honor Dave Sim (see illo); MORE Minicon 19 T-shirts with artwork by Laramie Sasseville and Deborah Kilian Larson; Maturity by Theodore Sturgeon; Spindizzy, a comedy record by Shockwave; frisbees, and more. Stop by the Sales table near registration between Noon and 7 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, or 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, and trade some of your filthy lucre for a nice clean T-shirt. Concert Gnus Don't miss the Spider John Koerner concert Saturday night at 9:30 p.m. in Wabasha North. This is good-time music at its best, folk and blues embroidered with Spider John's distinctive guitar sound and warm voice. (Read Spider Robinson's introduction to the man elsewhere in the program book.) Policies & Other Good Things to Know 1. In case of emergency contact any committee member or call room 114 (committee headquarters. 2. Anyone carrying an alcoholic beverage in the hotel lobby or public function areas that was not purchased from the hotel is endangering the hotel's liquor license and may be subject to arrest. Please do not visit these areas while carrying open beer or wine bottles. 3. Please do not bring glass containers of any sort into the pool area. We are allowed use of the pool past its usual operating hours. Treat it nicely. 4. Hotel check-out time on Sunday has been extended to 5 p.m. A Word To The wise The legal age for drinking alcohol in the state of Minnesota is 19 years old. It is illegal to serve alcohol to anyone under that age. Other lawful psychoactive substances include caffeine, tobacco, and sugar. The Minicon committee will not condone any use of illegal substances. Con Suite What can we say about the consuite? |t's in room 2022, the McKnight Suite. For all you fishy people, there's also a consuite-by-the-pool. Check the schedule for hours. Weapons Policy Our weapons policy remains unchanged from last year. 1. Edged weapons are allowed but must be handled responsibly. Irresponsible handling of any weapon is dangerous and may be grounds for ejection from the convention. 2. No real-looking guns. The plexiglass, light-emitting "zap guns" generally do not "look real" to us. 3. Lasers are permitted if they belong to Class one or Class two as defined by the Bureau of Radiological Health. 4. In order to avoid disturbing our cetacean members, no Nukes!!! Peace-bonding, as practiced by the Society for Creative Anachronists, is recommended for edged weapons. It is the practice of tying a blade into the sheath with twine or a ribbon. This prevents others from drawing your blade and reduces the temptation to draw it yourself in locations and situations where it is not appropriate. (Remember, "If you kill it, you eat it.") Artshow & Auctions Operating Instructions: l. Come in. Look around. Enjoy. Buy things. 2. Oh, you want to know _how_ to buy things. All right. A) Each piece of art has a Bid Sheet attached to it, with room for your name and bid to be written on it. Write your name and bid on it. Make sure your bid is at least as much as the minimum bid of the artwork. (Remember, a written bid is a contract to buy the art -- unless you are out-bid, the art is yours! Please don't bid on anything unless you intend to pay for it.) B) If you really want the art, and don't want to take the chance of somebody out-bidding you (horrors!), there is often a Quick Sale Price listed on the Bid Sheet. Pay that, and the art is yours (that is, if nobody has already bid on it, in which case you have it out in the Auction). Auctions and How They Work: 1. Any piece of art which receives two or more written bids is declared Fine Art, and goes to the Voice Auction. The first person to recognize the work's sterling qualities and bid on it has the honor of choosing which Auction it will be sold in. A) lf you don't tell us which Auction you want the art in, we'll tell you. 2. If no one else has the good taste to recognize the obvious value of a work of art on which you've bid, and yours is the only bid at the time of the specified Auction, the piece is yours for the written bid. Do's and Do Not Do's: Things you do: Ogle; Drool (at a discreet distance from the artwork); Spend lots of money; Bring friends; Have them spend money, too; Curb young children. Things you don't: Smoke; Bring cameras or large bags into the Artshow (we can watch them for you at the front table); Handle the Artwork; Buy Artwork for minimum bid after the last Auction. ****FANTASTlC OPPORTUNlTY!**** Can you walk? Can you write legibly and fairly quickly? Do you have an overwhelming need to get up in front of large groups of people? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you're just the person we're looking for. Come be a Runner at the Art Auction! We'll even provide instruction at no extra charge. Apply at the Art Show during open hours, Friday or Saturday. (Please, we prefer people at least l4 years old.) Art Show and Auction times are: Friday 1 PM - 5 PM (check-in and set-up only) 5 PM - 8 PM Saturday 10 AM - 7 PM 11 PM - ? (Auction) Sunday 10 AM - 11 AM 12 Noon - ? (Auction) Special thanks to Rusty Hevelin, who is running this year's art auctions. Pro Guest of Honor: Larry Niven by Don Bailey I first met Larry Niven at Minicon 7 in 1973. (You remember 1973, the year we're going to hold a worldcon?) I remember a pleasant, brown-haired man who seemed to be having a good time. Shortly afterwards, I began reading his works (IRS take note: SF cons really are a business expense), and soon declared him to be my favorite writer. Anyone who would name a planet "We-made-it" is my kind of person. In 1976, I had an opportunity to move to California and observe Larry in his native habitat. I found him to be a quiet man who enjoys sharing interesting ideas with people. I also found him to be a very good poker player. If you have never read anything by Larry Niven, you have a lot of good reading ahead. From the spectacle of Ringworld to the predicaments of Svetz the time traveller, Larry consistantly creates plausible cultures, creatures, and contraptions. Even his magicians seem too realistic to be considered "fantasy." Larry's sense of humor tends toward logical in- congruities, word play, and writing people into stories. His novel, The Flying Sorcerors, co-written with David Gerrold, is great fun for any long-time SF reader because of the many author references in a plot which has a modern, scientific, space traveller encounter a primitive society and a very jealous witchdoctor. One of Larry's more remarkable talents is his ability to collaborate with others. It takes a special blend of assertiveness and attention to coordinate such efforts without a lot of friction. To date, Larry has co-authored seven different novels, the latest being Oath of Fealty, with Jerry Pournelle, and Descent of Anansi, with Steve Barnes. Some writers use the same character types repeatedly, and their personality comes through quite strongly. With Larry, it's not so obvious. He's not afraid of everything, he's not out to conquer I the world, and he doesn't show-off by lifting drinks telekinetically. Yet, I have discovered the true Larry Niven: It's the Warlock! So if you meet him in the hall, say hello and tell him which of his stories you liked, but if he shows you a little copper wheel, please don't ask him to demonstrate it in the hotel. (And if you don't recognize some of my references, ask Larry.) BIBLIOGRAPHY The following is a partial (very!) list of books by Larry Niven, with the most recent at the top. DESCENT OF ANANSI, with Steve Barnes OATH OF FEALTY, with Jerry Pournelle THE MAGIC MAY RETURN, edited by Larry Niven DREAM PARK, with Steve Barnes THE PATCHWORK GIRL THE RINGWORLD ENGINEERS CONVERGENT SERIES (collected stories) THE MAGIC GOES AWAY LUCIFERLS HAMMER WORLD OUT OF TIME THE LONG ARM OF GIL HAMILTON (collected stories) TALES OF KNOWN SPACE (collected stories) INFERNO THE MOTE IN GOD'S EYE, with Jerry Pournelle A HOLE IN SPACE (collected stories) THE FLIGHT OF THE HORSE PROTECTOR INCONSTANT MOON RINGWORLD ALL THE MYRIAD WAYS (collected stories) THE FLYING SORCERERS, with David Gerrold THE SHAPE OF SPACE (collected stories) A GIFT FROM EARTH NEUTRON STAR (collected stories) WORLD OF PTAVVS If you'd like to know more about what he has written, check your local public library! Fan Guests of Honor: Pamela Dean David Dyer-Bennet by Will Shetterly I don't think Pamela and David should have been our Fan Guests of Honor. I think they should have been our People Guests of Honor, but that would have meant creating a new category, so the con committee made them fans. Well, Pamela and David made themselves fans many years ago. Both were members of Minneapolis fandom until their recent move to Massachusetts. Both introduced others to fandom. Both have, in their own ways, helped to sustain, advance, and improve local fannish projects and publications. Pamela and David aren't interchangeable, they're complementary. David has been more visible in Minneapolis fandom, perhaps because he's taller. His house was long a center for fannish activity. He's done his time doing Minicon's dirty work (in video, security, treasury, and operations), and resented it enough to sit down and, with a few others, revamp the structure of Minicon operations, thus making the running of this con a much easier and more efficient thing. Some of us couldn't care less about that; we love him for his way with a wok. Pamela I just love because she's small and cute and red-headed and (lest any wonder at my sexist priorities) intelligent and observant and considerate and wise and... Pamela has been one of the stalwart supporters of local fandom, serving quietly and ably when such is necessary and few are able to do so. Her fannish writing has established standards of gentility, wit, grace, style, and education that most of us can only strive for. She helped found a writing group that has since produced two published authors and may soon produce more. But I just love her because she's cute and... Ooops. This year, some of the Minicon committee wanted to bring David back as fan guest of honor. Some wanted to bring Pamela back. In a rare moment of fannish compromise, we decided to bring them both back. Perhaps in that same spirit, they recently married, so what we actually got was David and Pamela Dyer-Bennet, but that's close enough for us. I'm happy with our choice. I hope you will be, too. Artist Gucst of Honor: Dave Sim by Kara Dalkey At 26, Dave Sim is something of a phenomenon among underground comic book artists. He's a success. His main claim to fame, a monthly comic called Cerebus, The Aardvark, is now in its 47th issue and circulation is continuing to skyrocket. Not bad for a young guy from Kitchener, Ontario with little prior published material. Cerebus, The Aardvark is a sort of parody of Conan The Barbarian, and the sword and sorcery genre in general. It features as its unlikely hero a little, grey, furry aardvark that happens to wield a mean broadsword. The other characters around him are more normally human in appearance, but anything but normal in personality. They include such folk as Elrod The Albino (who just happens to talk like Foghorn Leghorn), Red Sophia, Moonroach (a superhero before his time), Lord Julius (who looks and sounds suspiciously like - Groucho Marx) and many others. The comics are a series of more-or-less connected stories, telling of Cerebus' rise from lowly barbarian mercenary to the prime-minister of a major city-state. Sim manages to fill them all with the best in dramatic art and wacky humor. This is, no doubt, why the Cerebus comics have become so popular. So popular, in fact, that just last year Dave made a nation-wide tour of the U.S. promoting Cerebus and meeting his fans. That tour was so successful, that Dave is planning a similar tour of Canada. Cerebus hasn't quite achieved the marketing success of E.T., but it's showing some of the symptoms; there are now available Cerebus t-shirts, Cerebus stuffed toys, Cerebus posters, Cerebus metal action figures, and a Cerebus color portfolio is coming soon. Cerebus even has his own fan club, and (locally) a radio show based on the comic series. Not bad for an earth-pig born, eh? Dave has such a busy schedule these days, we were lucky to have him agree to come to Minicon. Regrettably, his lovely wife Deni, who is the publisher of Cerebus, founder of Aardvark/Vanaheim Press, and is largely responsible for the comic's existence, is unable to attend with him. Has success spoiled Dave Sim? Say Hi to him sometime during the con and see. And give Cerebus, The Aardvark a read sometime (though if you want to start at the beginning, you may have to borrow from a friend -- mint copies of Cerebus #1 are selling for around $225 among collectors). You'll be able to see the secret of Sim's success for yourself. Microprogramming Microprogramming is more than the re-creation of Vaudeville. ln addition to bits of business between programming items, there will be various people doing impersonations, skits, occasionally explicable actions, signs and much more. Do not be alarmed at people doing weird things. To find out if they are part of the Microprogramming Committee, offer them bribes and they might give you a straight answer. If you find yourself doing weird things and are not sure if you are part of Microprogramming, ask yourself these questions: l) is what you are doing funny? 2) is what you are doing acceptable to people listed in the program book as being part of Microprogramming? 3) is what you are doing relevant? 4) does your chewing gum lose its flavor on the bedpost overnight? 5) what's the difference between a duck? lf you have answers to any of these questions send two boxtops and a stamped, self-addressed envelope to Microprogramming c/o Minicom. lf you don't have answers to any of these questions, you are much too normal and shouldn't be reading this. SCHEDULE OF EVENTS FRIDAY Registration open 9:00a- 9:00p Coat Check Room Huckster Room open Noon- 8:00p Capitol Room Minicon Sales open Noon- 7:00p Lower Level Lobby Arcade opens Noon Pool Area Child Care open Noon- 4:00a Suite 301-303 Art Show: Check in and set up only 1:00p- 5:00p Wabasha South Games Workshop: "Visit Sunny Blackmore Dungeon" 2:00p- 5:00p Plaza Krushenko's opens 3:00p Indian Suite Art Show open 5:00p- 8:00p Wabasha South Consuite officially opens 6:00p McKnight Suite Closing Ceremonies 8:30p-10:00p Ballroom Meet the Authors 10:00p- ? Pool Area Poolside Consuite open 10:00p- 2:00a Pool Area Masquerade Dance and Light Show 10:30p- 2:00a Plaza Films 10:30p- ? Ballroom Massage Seminar 10:30p-Midnight Indian Suite SATURDAY Registration open 8:00a- 7:00p Coat Check Room Huckster Room open 10:00a- 6:00p Capitol Room Minicon Sales open 10:00a- 7:00p Lower Level Lobby Art Show open 10:00a- 7:00p Wabasha South Columbia Pictures Previews-Krull & Blue Thunder 11:00a- Noon Ballroom Panel: Tales of Hell & Manna. Mythopoeic Society. 11:00a- Noon Wabasha North Child Care open Noon- 4:00a Suite 30l-303 Lecture: The Future of Computers. Brian Toren Noon- 1:00p Ballroom Panel: SF Looks at the Mainstream Noon- 1:00p Wabasha North Computer Seminar l:00p- 2:00p Ballroom Panel: Do it Yourself Comics 1:00p- 2:00p Wabasha North Niven Autograph Session 1:00p- 2:00p Huckster Room Sim Autograph Session 2:00p- 3:00p Huckster Room Computer Workshop 2:00p- ? Computer Room Panel: Aliens-A Sense of Otherness 2:00p- 3:00p Ballroom Slide Show: A Minn-Stf Family Album. DD-B 2:00p- 3:00p Wabasha North Juggling Workshop 2:00p- 4:00p Plaza Panel: L-5: The Need for Permanent Space Stations 3:00p- 4:00p Ballroom Slide Show: Spider Looks at Astronomy. Spider John Koerner 3:00p- 4:00p Wabasha North Panel: Dyson's Cube. World Building 4:00p- 5:00p Ballroom Panel: Alternate Fandoms 4:00p- 5:00p Wabasha North Omnitheatre Show 5:00p- 6:00p MN Science Museum Belly Dancing Performance 5:00p- 6:00p Ballroom Belly Dancing Workshop 6:00p- 7:00p Ballroom Larry Niven Interview 8:00p- 9:00p Wabasha North Spider John Koerner Concert 9:30p-10:30p Wabasha North Films 9:00p- ? Ballroom Poolside Consuite open 10:00p- 2:00a Pool Area Art Auction #1 11:00p- ? Wabasha North SUNDAY Hucksters Room open 10:00a- 5:00p Capitol Room Minicon Sales open 10:00a- 4:00p Lower Level Lobby Art Show open 10:00a-11:00a Wabasha South Art Auction #2 Noon- ? Wabasha North Discussion: Tales of Known Space-SF of Larry Niven Noon- 1:00p Indian Suite Comics Roundtable 1:00p- 2:00p Indian Suite Panel: Creating Dreamparks l:00p- 2:00p Ballroom Slide Show: Chuck Holst 2:00p- 3:00p Ballroom Dragon Slide Show: Ruth Berman 3:00p- 4:00p Ballroom Opening Ceremonies 4:00p- 5:00p Ballroom Musician Guest of Honor: 'Spider' John Koener by Spider Robinson You ask me of John Koerner. In 1965, a freshman at Le Moyne College, I stumbled across an anthology album called THE BLUES PROJECT (Elektra EKS-7264) and discovered "Spider" John. Whomp bom! I was in love. Dug up and dug his albums with Dave "Snaker" Ray and Tony "Little Sun" Glover, records like BLUES, RAGS & HOLLERS; LOTS MORE BLUES, RAGS & HOLLERS (EKS- 7267); STILL MORE B, R & H; and THE RETURN OF KOERNER, RAY & GLOVER (EKS-7305), not to mention his solo album, SPIDER BLUES (EKS-7290), which contains the legendary "Rent Party Rag." As these sounds began to emanate from my room, hallmates paid me increasingly large sums of money _not_ to play "that weird Spider guy and his nigger music." Koerner's stinging 7-string guitar runs were unamplified, his rhythm section was the bass strings of his ax and his big stomping boot, his humor was subtle and laconic -- he sounded very little like the Dave Clark Five, is what I'm trying to convey, and later when a dozen friends conferred the name Spider on me, my inexpli- cable fondness for his music was one of the most consistently cited reasons. I didn't give a damn. Being a Koerner fan was like being an sf fan: in any given city there were perhaps a dozen people who understood your passion -- but you and them was _brothers_, united by good taste in the Land of Philistines. Jump cut. 1969 or so. Somebody gave me a tablet which turned out to be a 2-trip tab of STP. Wish I'd known before I ate it. 30 hours later I hadn't peaked yet. Walked around a corner and into a concert by Spider John and a fat red-bearded guy he called "Sweet William," who spoke only in falsetto and played an upright piano with tacks in the hammers. Convinced I was hallucinating, I wandered up onstage and sat at the Spider's feet, holding his cigar for him between songs. Oh God, what songs! Six months later I moved into a crashpad full of strangers; you know how it is when you and new housemates are feeling each other out? I put on the box an album just bought that day, RUNNING JUMPING STANDING STILL by Koerner & Willie Murphy, and by halfway through the first cut ("Red Palace"), everyone in the house had run in the room, torn off all their clothes, and started to dance. I have since bought 18 copies of that disc, and worn out 16 (Elektra EKS-74041). That was Koerner's last commercial record. In I972 he cut a record for a Minneapolis label called Sweet Jane Ltd.; it is one of his very best and has the greatest title I've ever heard: MUSIC IS JUST A BUNCH OF NOTES. The album art is done by hand in magic marker, and the 3 pages of notes enclosed give extensive details about the recording, including cost data (1000 copies: $1,110; list price $2.50). Since then I have seen only one record, SOME AMERICAN FOLK SONGS LIKE THEY USED TO, and all my letters to Sweet Jane Ltd. offering cash for more Koerner have gone unanswered, more's the pity. In 1970 I had the honor of opening for Spider John at S.U.N.Y. Stony Brook, NY. No trick; my partner booked him for the gig. He played his ass off and showed his new Ford-Foundation-Grant movie, THE SOUND OF SLEEP, which I hope will be shown at Minicon someday. I got him drunk and stoned and begged him for the chords to "Friends & Lovers," but he honestly couldn't recall them; he'd written it a whole year ago. By now his guitar had 9 strings, and he claimed it played itself. (I've always wondered what he does with the extra 3 strings.) Once when student-teaching I got in serious trouble for playing to a group of HS seniors the Koerner song "Bill & Annie" (the chorus runs "Don't let the bastards wear you down/Don't get hassled to a frazzle/Coz they're all full of beans/anyway"). I once knew a folksinger/barkeep (I've since borrowed his bar, the Scorpio Room, for the story "Satan's Children," and his name, Mike Callahan, for something or other) who claimed that one day he and Spider John sat down in a Minneapolis bar, gave the owner $500, and told him to let them know when that was gone. He says they drank and talked and laughed for 72 hours, and when the barman apologetically told them their stake was gone, they got up, ran round the corner, played a gig together, made $200, came back and put it on the table and got back to work. Koerner and Willie Murphy (later of Willie and the Bumblebees) played Carnegie Hall one night and a roadside bar the next. Koerner will, apparently by choice, never get any serious money or fame, and no one will ever play and sing the blues as well, and I envy like dammit those of you who are going to get to hear him this year. I'd appreciate it if some one'd tape everything he says and does there and send me a copy, especially if he drops any hints on how to find Koerner records these days. He's my favorite singer/picker in the world, and if you're about to hear him for the first time, you're one lucky sonofabitch, or bitch as the case may be. Enjoy. Toastmaster: Steven K. Zoltán Brust by Pat Wrede One evening about five years ago, my friend David Dyer-Bennet (who is described elsewhere in this book) phoned me and said, "You've been asking about fantasy role-playing games, and we're having some at my apartment tonight. Would you like to come try it?" or words to that effect. So I trundled on over, and found one person I knew and two I didn't sitting around a long table with lots of papers strewn about. The person on the end, a slightly disreputable-looking man (or maybe it was only the mustache that looked slightly disreputable), looked up and said, "I don't believe I know you. I am Steven, of the House of Brust. Are you married? I am; wonderful, isn't it? Sit down and roll up a character." He managed an elegant bow without standing up; I still haven't figured out how he did it. And that was my introduction to Steve Brust. Steve is incredibly good at talking people into things. The year he was in charge of Minicon recruiting I stopped by the hotel, ran into Steve, and somehow wound up checking badges at the Art Show for two hours. And I hadn't even intended to go to the con! Steve is also one of the most versatile people I know. In addition, I suspect he has found some way to fit an extra twelve hours or so into every day, and I think it's a bit mean of him not to share the secret with the rest of us. How else can you explain all the things he manages to do, and do well? For starters, he has a full-time job as a systems programmer for a computer manufacturer. He also has a full-time family, consisting of his wife, Reen, three children (two of them twins), assorted cats, a series of dogs, and occasional puppies or kittens, depending on which kind of pet got out at the wrong time. He is an author (his novel, JHEREG, just came out about a month ago, and he is at work on "something completely different..."). He is a musician/songwriter (both folk and filk) who has been both a guitarist and a drummer in assorted local bands. He also studies Shotokan karate and practices pistol-shooting and fencing (critics: be warned...) When not busy with all of the above, he argues with people, invents traditional Hungarian and Dragaeran cuisine, plays fantasy role-playing games, argues with people, works on Minicons, acts in community theater, reads Roger Zelazny, argues with people, is generally active in local fandom (he has been vice-president of Minn-stf), and once in a while even sleeps. He is also Hungarian, which ought to be mentioned in here somewhere, but which doesn't fit anywhere else. Proxy Guest of Honor: Nostradamus by DavE Romm Nostradamus: Seer, Mystic and party maven. Michel de Nostradame was born in 1503 and his physical body died in 1566. it is as a seer that he is chiefly remembered in this century. Through astrology and divination he made predictions that range over at least four hundred years. Though he started making prophecies in 1547, his first book of predictive verse was published in 1555. He wrote in "centuries," or books of 100 verses, though not all verses survive. Scholars assume twelve of these centuries were written, and these compose most collections of his works. Minicon is fortunate to be the recipient of a long lost and heretofore unsuspected Century, the 19th. Even though this work was found after the selection process, he predicts being Guest of Honor at Minicon 19! Nostradamus lived at the time of the Inquisition, wherein accusations of heresy or witchcraft sent millions to the stake or the rack. To prevent his own death in this manner, Nostradamus wrote in a still bewildering mixture of symbols, Old French, anagrams, Latin and other literary devices, and deliberately confused the dating of his quatrains. Like Minicon, the quatrains are not in any order. He rarely mentions specific dates, prefering astrological conjunctions in many cases -- though when he does give dates, they have been quite accurate. interpretations vary widely, and most always make sense _only_in_hindsight_. Consequently, the Minicon committee has included the Original French as well a as our probable translation, and including our inter- pretations. Some of these may be found in various places in the Radisson, including those of the newly found 19th century. Of the predictions dealing with the future no one can say with certainty, only with a moderate degree of probability. ln this regard, Nostradamus ranks with many of the science fiction writers of today. Even though he is not with us in the flesh, he predicted he will have had a good time at Minicon 19. He sets the example for us all. Minnesota Munchie Movement by Rick Gellman "The Showcase of Faanish Culinary Artistry, OR Uncle Rick's Garden of Gastronomic Delights" The 3M (no relation to the corporation of the same abbreviation) is the illegitimate offspring of Disclave's (the Washington D.C. area con) International Cookie Conspiracy (ICC), and my fecund imagination's intertwining with the sensual aestheticism of my palate. In other words, I liked Disclave's idea of having fans bring home-made goodies to share with other con-goers, and supplement consuite supplies. It is NOT the intent of the 3M to feed 1200 or so people for three days. Most of the supplies with be found _late_ at night in the consuite and the poolside auxiliary consuite. We don't know how much food will be brought to the con. Contributors get first shot at titilating their taste buds, others thereafter. The 3M will be run as we think best. You may disagree with us; therefore, we retain the right to be arbitrary and capricious. The following is a sampling of the dishes we've been informed will be part of the 3M. Lentil soup, German cole slaw, fresh fruit salad, Mexican stew, stuffed mushrooms, shrimp creole, tuna Galapagos, veal scallopini, vegetarian lasagna, pan-fried dumplings, jambala, chocolate turtles, healthy oatmeal cookies, quiche, pine- apple upsidedown cake, brownies. Contributers include: Sandy Haines, Margie Lessinger, Peter Touluzzi, Mitch and Rhip Thornhill, Denise Nelson, Susan Murr, Darlene Maldonaldo, Tod Levitt, Lanny Waitsman, Laura Ann Cramer, Bob E. Felske, Toots LaRue, Galadriel Yunet, Annie Isenberg, Linda Ann Moss, Barry Lyn-Waitsman, Kate Worley, Joni Stopa, Rick Gellman, Jeannie Dietz, Marcy Lynn-Waitsman, Samantha Matthews, Sandi Wedemeier, Doc and Jean Bonewits, Karen Trego, Peter Larsen, Jean Messer, Dave Messer, Alan Searle, Ben Lessinger, Louie Spooner, Steven Bond, Sue Hanson, Geri Sullivan, and Anonymous. Huckster Room Huckster Room hours: Friday 12 Noon - 8 PM Saturday 10 AM - 6 PM Sunday 10 AM - 5 PM (room cleared by 5 PM) No food, drinks, or smoking will be allowed in the room. Also, no swords, plergb, staves, or other long and/or pointy objects will be allowed in the room. Such items offered for sale will be required to be wrapped and immediately carried out of the room when purchased. Mimeo Room Lots of fun with ink and stencils. Come in and get something printed, or, better still, talk with our expert staff of mimeographers about such arcane topics as fanzines, e-stencillers, gunked-up ink guns, hectographs, and what not. Check the pocket program for location and hours. Child Care Free child care by professional child care providers will be available in suite 301-303 during these hours: Friday Noon - 4 AM Saturday Noon - 4 AM There will be a special music program in the child care suite on Saturday from Noon to 4 PM, and maybe other children's programming if there seems to be a desire for it. Watch for signs at the con with more information, or inquire at the child care suite. Films This is a partial listing of films we'll be showing during Minicon. Look for the schedule of films and times in the _pocket_ program book, and also posted near the film room. Features: Quintet Doc Savage: the Man of Bronze The Last Days of Man on Earth The Omega Man Featurettes: Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome (with Boris Karloff) Mr. Moto's Last Warning (with Peter Lorre) and more... Plus Shorts! Omnitheater The Omnitheater at the Science Museum of Minnesota surrounds you with a thrilling show of sound and colour. This year we will have two shows, at 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Saturday of the con. Both shows will feature the Omnitheater's new production, GALAPAGOS, dealing with the wonder of evolution and Darwin's voyage to the Galapagos. Tickets will cost $3.50 and include ad- admission to the Science Museum of Minnesota. Artists Credits Emma Bull - page 8, from photo by John O'Rourke page l4, from photo by Judy Cilcain page 16, from photo by William C. Johnson page 28, from photo by Fred Haskell Kara Dalkey - pages 5, 12, 15, 18, 3 David Egge - cover Ken Fletcher - cover, pages 7, 22, 25 Erin McKee - pages 7, 17, 22, 29 Dave Sim - page 3 Le Con Committee mes enfants: ARCADE: David Cargo* ART SHOW: Erin McKee*, Steve Bond, Steve Cox, Dave Crawford, Kara Dalkey, Joel Halpern CHILD CARE: Sharon Kahn* EXEC: Don Bailey, Steve Bond, Scott Imes, Mark Richards, Caryl Wixon FILMS: Floyd Henderson*, John Bartelt, Keith Hauer-Lowe, Todd McInroy, Lee Reynolds GoH LIASON: Will Shetterly* HOTEL: Jean Messer*, Caryl Wixon* HUCKSTERS: Greg Ketter* LIFE SUPPORT: Beth Friedman* LIGHT SHOW: Richard Tatge* MAIL: Mark Richards* MAILING LIST: Don Bailey, Steve Bond, Judy Cilcain, Dean Gahlon, Karen Johnson, Scott Raun, MICRO-PROGRAMMING: DavE Romm*, Brian Westley*, David Cummer MIMEO ROOM: Erik Biever* MN MUNCHIE MOVEMENT: Rick Gellman* OPERATIONS: Martin Schafer* Communications: Beth Friedman, Joel Halpern, Robert Ihinger, Kathy Marschall, Virginia Nelson, Karen Schaffer, Geri Sullivan, Gerri Williams Den Mothers: Gerri Balter, Emma Bull, Eileen Lufkin, Jean Messer, DavE Romm Keypers: David Cummer, Kara Dalkey, Karen Johnson, Todd Mclnroy, Barney Neufeld, John Stanley Recruiting: Steven Brust Troubleshooters: Steve Glennon, Curtis Hoffmann, Dave Messer, Jerry Stearns PARTIES: Jonathan Adams*, Carol Kennedy*, Virginia Nelson, David Cummer, Brian Major, Lee Pelton, Herman Schouten PROGRAMMING: Mike Smith*, Emma Bull, Kara Dalkey, David Egge, Doug Friauf, Eric Heideman, Blas Mazzeo, Lee Pelton, Lee Reynolds, DavE Romm, Richard Stuefer, Brian Westley, PUBLICATIONS: Karen Johnson*, Erik Biever, Emma Bull, Sarah Prince, Geri Sullivan, plus thanks to Kara Dalkey, Ken Fletcher, Mark Hopkins, Erin McKee, Will Shetterly REGISTRATION: Peter Larson*, Judy Cilcain*, David Cargo, Kashia Curney SALES: Scott Raun*, Kate Worley TREASURY: John Robey*, Sharon Riger T-SHIRTS: Kate Worley* Plus: Lynn Anderson, Dave Wixon * indicates head of department ----------------------------------------------------------