Points of Departure: The Reformation 10: 00 Lido/ Auditorium

If the Civil War is the twist of choice for US Alternate Histories, then the Reformation and religious upheavals of the Tudor period serves for the UK. Does the continuation of the Roman Church in Britain mean the suppression of science?

Gripe Session 10: 00 Plemont

Let the committee know of any problems you may have.

Why Tech is Fun? 11: 00 Lido/ Auditorium

Why do tech people do it? They seem to have fun and so now they would like to share that with you. Come and get an insight into the world of lights, sound and expensive equipment.

If We Knew Then What We Know Now: Futures That Are Past 11: 00 Giffard

What is the value of SF which has been overtaken by events? For example, do stories set on a Moonbase seem quaint in world where Apollo 13 is sold as Science Fiction rather than as dramatised historical reality?

Kaffeeklatsch: Brian Stableford 11: 00 Rozel

Coffee with our Guest of Honour, Brian Stableford. Numbers are limited so please sign up at registration desk.

Points of Departure: The American Civil War 12: 00 Lido/ Auditorium

This is the big turning point in American history - if you don't count the Revolutionary war This item will examine the actual Civil War, identify what events could have brought about a difference and what the effects might have been. Eddie Cochrane, Harry Turtledove and Peter Weston.

Sex Drives in SF and Fantasy 12: 00 Giffard

If men are the ones who think about sex every 14 seconds, how come so much fan fiction pornography is written by women? What is the target audience for SF & Fantasy these days - has the demographic moved from spotty male adolescents to spotty female adolescents? Mike Allum chairs a discussion with Farah Mendlesohn and Judith Proctor on the driving forces behind media and literate SF & Fantasy.

Short Fiction Readings 12: 00 Plemont

Kaffeeklatsch: TBA 12: 00 Rozel

Coffee with one of your favourite authors. Numbers are limited so please sign up at registration desk.

George Hay Memorial Lecture - Alastair Reynolds 13: 00 Lido/ Auditorium

Presented in association with The Science Fiction Foundation. Alastair Reynolds gives a lecture on his work in advanced methods of detecting astronomical events.

Fandom: 40s - 50s 13: 00 Giffard

What was fandom doing in the 40s and 50s?

Writers Workshop 13: 00 Rozel

See Friday for details.

Customs, Traditions And Silly Games. 13: 00 Golden Room

The truth behind Pork Pie racing, The Astral league and all those things that bore the pants off people talking to anyone whose been in Fandom five years longer than they have. Some of them are fun you know.

Evaluating Sources 14: 00 Lido/ Auditorium

Historians, lawyers, journalists, detectives and systems analysts all make a living by going through the stories presented by different witnesses. Dialectic reasoning may be common in all these situations but what are the similarities and differences. What counts as evidence for these people? How can reliability be assessed?

Through Poverty To The Stars! Desperation at the root of progress 14: 00 Giffard

Has technology benefited more from a need to do something with available resources rather than a decision to throw money at a problem until it goes away? Is low cunning and survival instincts more useful than deep pockets?

Tobes and O'Shea Blush for TAFF 14: 00 Golden Room

Sue Mason does her best to embarrass Chris O’Shea and Tobes Valois as a fund raiser for TAFF.

GoH: Harry Turtledove 15: 00 Lido/ Auditorium

Tanya Brown Interviews our Guest of Honour.

Book Auction 16: 00 Giffard

Fanzines Which Shaped The Age 16: 00 Golden Room

Now that production equipment is in the hands of so many individuals where are the definitive magazines for our age? Is the fanzine itself an outdated form overshadowed by its past?

Space Launches 17: 00 Lido/ Auditorium

Gerry Webb shows some of his home movies of Space Launches.

Things To Do With Chocolate. 17: 00 Plemont

Recipes and advertisements for Andrew's chocolate shop.

Kaffeeklatsch TBA 17: 00 Rozel

Coffee with an author to be announced. Numbers are limited so please sign up at registration desk.

Assumptions, McGuffins & Dei Ex Machina 18: 00 Giffard

An examination on the use of info- dumps and plot coupons. Which are legitimate and which down right sneaky? Is it worse to have your hero come up with just the right gadget out of thin air or to have him briefed on every bit of equipment he will need on his mission in the order in which he will use it?

Insufficiently Advanced Science (is Indistinguishable from magic) 18: 00 Plemont

Has technological advance made it more difficult for us to invent interesting alternatives. When we know one way to do things, does this inhibit us from looking for a different one?

Fan Room 101: Harry Turtledove 18: 00 Golden Room

Harry Turtledove tells us what he hates.

The Starlight Room: Helicon Banquet 20: 00 Lido/ Auditorium

The Starlight is the setting for the now traditional Jersey Banquet. This is a ticket- only event. Please see Registration for details.

Fannish Readings 23: 00 Golden Room