Nippon, Worldcon 2007, Program Schedule

Program participants* * Thursday * * Friday * * Saturday * * Sunday * * Monday

2006 Worldcon Schedule * * 2008 Worldcon Schedule

Thursday, August 30

Thursday, 1:00 PM

Exomusicology

Science fiction has been creating alien cultures for decades, but we rarely think about alien music. Where are there descriptions of alien music in the genre? What might truly alien music sound like? Would we like it? Would we even recognize it?

Dave Howell, John T. Sapienza, Jr., Peter Heck

Heroines in Anime

Some people claim that there are no heroines in Anime; that the females are simply eye candy or in need of rescuing. Is this true? Or are female Anime heroes capable of kicking ass on an equal footing with the males?

Lillian Csernica, Rene Walling, Terry O'Brien

Kaffeeklatsch

Robert Charles Wilson

Reading

Alma Alexander

The Aardvark Panel

The first panel of the convention. We talk about aardvarks or whatever other fancy comes to mind.

Jessica Langer, Paul Cornell, Susan de Guardiola, John Hertz

The Future of Computers

Computers are getting lighter and more capable every year. (The latest innovation: tie two or more onto the same piece of silicon). Is there an end in sight? Or does it only end at some point in the so called "Singularity?"

Chris Cooper, David D. Levine, Jack William Bell, Mark L. Van Name

Thursday, 1400

Alternative Family Structures

A discussion on how the family has changed over the ages, and how this can be integral to the art of storytelling.

Margene BAHM, Jessica Langer, Farah MENDLESOHN

Thursday, 1400

Fan Funds and What They Are

For fifty years we've had Fan Funds that carry people across the seas to visit other fans. Two special one-time funds were made for Nippon 2007, bringing John from the U.S. and Chris from Britain. Ask them questions! Hear their stories!

John Hertz, Chris O'SHEA

Thursday, 1400

Interstellar travel

A slide presentation on interstellar travel.

G. David NORDLEY

Thursday, 1400

Kaffeeklatsch

Charles STROSS

Thursday, 1400

Reading

Scott EDELMAN

Thursday, 1400

Want to Play a Game? Teaching Other People to Play

How many times have you flipped through the rule book, trying to find answers while others wonder "can we just start playing already?" Learn what not to tell people, why the rulebook's are bad and other ways of assuring that you're not ruining a good game with a bad explanation.

James L. CAMBIAS, Michele ELLINGTON, Terry O'Brien

Thursday, 1400

War Crimes: A Summer in Kosovo

Darfur. Bosnia. Kosovo. Rwanda. Can there be justice? Can these crimes be prevented? Learn about the graves of Kosovo, and the ensuing court case. The forensic team in Kosovo (summer 2000) was the largest and most professional ever assembled to work on war crimes. What's next, and where?

Patricia MACEWEN

Thursday, 1500

Autographs

Christopher BOLTON, Paul Cornell, Gregory BENFORD

Thursday, 1500

Introduction to the WSFS Business Meeting

The Worldcon business meeting can be intimidating for newcomers. The panels provides an introduction to why the business meeting is important and how it works. We'll also talk about some of the topics that will be covered at the meeting.

Kevin STANDLEE

Thursday, 1500

Is This Your First Worldcon?

What everyone should know about about Worldcons.

Gay HALDEMAN, Martin EASTERBROOK, Perrianne LURIE

Thursday, 1500

Kaffeeklatsch

Ken BRADY, Michael WHELAN

Thursday, 1500

Reading

Mary TURZILLO

Thursday, 1500

The ArchiTECHS

Take a bunch of geniuses, give them a problem and 48 hours to solve it, then let the cameras roll to watch it happen. Two pilot episodes of this series aired on USA's History Channel. With an introduction by GOH David Brin.

David BRIN

Thursday, 1600

Autographs

Joe HALDEMAN, Ellen KUSHNER

Thursday, 1600

Children of Haruki Murakami

Introducing the slipstream writers in the tradition of Haruki Murakami in Japan.

Nozomi OMORI, Yoshio KOBAYASHI

Thursday, 1600

Evil Leaders

Evil leaders in history and literature are fascinating. What makes them evil, and why do they interest us? What is evil? Can an evil leader benefit his people? Does writing about evil help us understand the reality? Should a writer feel obligated to say something profound, or just have fun?

Dave LUCKETT, David D. Levine, Esther FRIESNER

Thursday, 1600

HOW TO ?? (Kimono Dressing)

How to put on a kimono from underpinnings to obi.

"M-AI-M", Flick CHRISTIAN, Inge HEYER

Thursday, 1600

How to Make SF More Inviting to Teens

SF attracts tons of teens via video games, movies, anime, and comics but how do we get them to read books? Should we port books to cell phones? Perhaps if we add more sex, disrespect for authority, hip bildungsromans, and work with media tie-ins?

Cory DOCTOROW, David M. SILVER, Farah MENDLESOHN, Lisa C. FREITAG, Patrick NIELSEN HAYDEN

Thursday, 1600

Kaffeeklatsch

Pat CADIGAN, Marc ZICREE

Thursday, 1600

Reading

Kari MAUND

Thursday, 1600

Sapir–Whorf Hypothesis

In the early 20th century, Sapir and Whorf hypothesized the nature of a particular language influences the thought patterns of its speakers. This concept is pervasive in western thought. Has research proven or disproven this, and is the concept a useful tool or a dead end?

Geoffrey A. LANDIS, Jean LORRAH, Lawrence M. SCHOEN

Thursday, 1600

Travel as a Research Method

So here you are in Japan; can you use the trip to stimulate your work? What are the ups and downs of tourism-as-research? What do you miss? What does it add?

Amy THOMSON, Jon COURTENAY GRIMWOOD, Peter Heck

Thursday, 1700

Reading

Delia SHERMAN

Thursday, 1900

Opening Ceremonies

Thursday, 2100

WSFS Mark Protection Committee Meeting

The WSFS Mark Protection Committee manages the registered service marks on "Worldcon," "Hugo Award," etc. This is the first of two Meetings held at Worldcon. Meetings of the MPC are open to all members.

Kevin STANDLEE

Friday, August 31

Friday, 1000

A Look Back: Kurt VONNEGUT

A look back at the life and works of Kurt Vonnegut.

Allen BATSON, Eileen GUNN, Mary TURZILLO

Friday, 1000

ASFA Business Meeting

Business meeting of members of The Association of Science Fiction & Fantasy Artists (ASFA).

ASFA Members

Friday, 1000

Autographs

Alma Alexander, Anne HARRIS

Friday, 1000

Is This Your First Worldcon? (Japanese)

What everyone should know about about Worldcons. This session will emphasize knowledge for first timers from Asia.

Amy THOMSON, Marah SEARLE-KOVACEVIC, Joe SICLARI

Friday, 1000

Reading

James L. CAMBIAS

Friday, 1000

Robert Anson Heinlein: His Impact on Us

Robert A. Heinlein was the most influential writer in SF, but which Heinlein? The author of: short works that set a new standard for SF, Heinlein Juveniles, or the longer, lesser, later works. What is Heinlein's legacy? Where was he influential and who did he influence?

David M. SILVER, G. David NORDLEY, Kari MAUND, Keith G. KATO, Farah MENDLESOHN

Friday, 1000

Searching for Extra-Solar Planets

Inge HEYER

Friday, 1000

Sprawl Fiction

"Sprawl fiction" was coined to show how new writers, most in their thirties, are trying to expand our genre yet still loving its very core, straight SF. Terms like "new Weird", "interstitial", "strange fiction" or "new fabulist" don't cover the trend fully. It is a natural reflection of our urban society and probably heralds the new stage of our evolution; to the stars. We talk about why the new generation slipstream is not the fusion of literary fiction and SF/F.

Ellen DATLOW, Gavin J. GRANT, Lou ANDERS, Yoshio KOBAYASHI

Friday, 1000

Teaching Writing

Ellen KUSHNER, Scott EDELMAN, Gay HALDEMAN, Delia SHERMAN

Friday, 1000

The Ethical Issues of Biotechnology

Who own genes? Can you hide your genetic flaws? Should you tailor your kids for appearance? Should androids have human rights? Should we seed the galaxy with Earth plants? Which will destroy civilization: clone wars or genetically modified food crops? How are these issues handled, mishandled, or neglected by SF?

Carolina GOMEZ LAGERLOF, Elisabeth MALARTRE, Gregory BENFORD, Robert SILVERBERG

Friday, 1000

The Henson Company: Character Building and More

Find out what's hot at the Henson company, and what drives them towards the projects they pursue. Presented by VP Halle Stanford, and brought to life by puppeteer Julianne Buescher

Halle STANFORD, Julianne BUESCHER, Rachel BROWN

Friday, 1000

WSFS Business Meeting

Every member of Nippon 2007 is a member of the World Science Fiction Society (WSFS), and is eligible to attend and vote at the Society's Business Meetings. The agenda for the main meeting will be set at today's meeting. Exercise your rights as a member.

Kevin STANDLEE, Pat McMURRAY, Don EASTLAKE III

Friday, 1100

Autographs

Jon COURTENAY GRIMWOOD, Jean LORRAH

Friday, 1100

Conference in Chengdu, China

A talk about the conference in Chengdu, China.

Adam RAKUNAS, Jason STODDARD, Ken BRADY

Friday, 1100

Hugo Discussion Group

The Hugos are Saturday; our panelists discuss what they think of everyone else's work but their own…

Mike SCOTT, Perrianne LURIE, Vincent DOCHERTY

Friday, 1100

Kaffeeklatsch

Christopher BOLTON, Amy THOMSON

Friday, 1100

Reading

Cory DOCTOROW

Friday, 1100

What Every Pro Should Know About Fandom

Without fandom, there would be no Worldcon and no Hugo Awards. Once you immerse yourself in fandom there are definite do's and don'ts. Find out what they are from people who know.

Gay HALDEMAN, Lillian Csernica, Patrick NIELSEN HAYDEN, Susan de Guardiola

Friday, 1200

Autographs

Dave LUCKETT

Friday, 1200

Avant-Pop Revolutions

Takayuki TATSUMI, Tetsuya SATOU, Yoriko SHONO, Tadashi NAGASAWA, Christopher BOLTON

Friday, 1200

Basics of Book Design and Publishing

There's nothing quite like reading (or holding) a really beautiful book. The cover design, interior illustrations, type face, layout, and even paper quality all contribute to the experience. What goes into creating a satisfyingly artistic volume? How does it effect the experience of the reader? What are your favorite books?

Dave Howell, Jennie FARIES, John D. BERRY, Kelly BUEHLER, Stephen SEGAL

Friday, 1200

CSI in the 22nd Century

How real is CSI? A lot of its technologies are illegal or misrepresented. More of it is unproven, unreliable, or outright fictional. Is CSI SF or just a few years ahead of its time? Forensic IT, chemistry and engineering are making great strides. Where will they be in the next century?

Patricia MACEWEN

Friday, 1200

Digital Maoism: Drowning the Individual Voice

A book is small set of people, usually one person, authoring a story. The web turns this sideways, allowing many to collaborate, drawing upon snippets from everywhere. What effect does this have on creativity, our reading habits, and the way we process information? Is there a future for the book as we know it?

Cory DOCTOROW, Eileen GUNN, Chris O'SHEA, Elizabeth Anne HULL

Friday, 1200

Guest of Honor David BRIN

David Brin's Guest of Honor presentation. This speech will be aimed primarily at the English-speaking audience.

David BRIN

Friday, 1200

How Healthy is the Short Story

For decades, there has been talk of the death of short fiction in science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Are markets shrinking? Is the quality less than it was thirty years ago?

Ellen DATLOW, Gavin J. GRANT, Joe HALDEMAN, Larry NIVEN

Friday, 1200

Kaffeeklatsch

Paul Cornell, David D. Levine

Friday, 1200

Painting Demonstration

Guest of Honor Michael Whelan, Bob EGGLETON and Naoyuki KATO demonstrate painting using ideas and suggestions flown in from the audience.

Michael WHELAN, Bob EGGLETON, Naoyuki KATO

Friday, 1200

Reading

Edd VICK

Friday, 1200

Remembering Robert Anton Wilson

Remembering the golden days of the geeks.

Jack William Bell, Lou ANDERS, Yoshio KOBAYASHI

Friday, 1200

Slideshow about the Mars Exploration Rovers mission.

Geoffrey A. LANDIS

Friday, 1200

Unexplored Alternate Histories

What makes for a good alternate history? Are WWII, Rome, and the US Civil wars all overused? Are there other overlooked but interesting possibilities? If so, why aren't they being used?

Alma Alexander, Ben YALOW, Linda ROBINETT, Robert Charles Wilson, Edward JAMES

Friday, 1:00 PM

Autographs

Lawrence M. SCHOEN, Amy THOMSON

Friday, 1:00 PM

Fannish Inquisition I The 2009 Worldcon Bids

Kansas City and Montreal are bidding to host the 2009 Worldcon. Come hear what each bid has to say before casting your vote.

Margene BAHM, Jim MURRAY, Rene Walling, Eugene HELLER

Friday, 1:00 PM

Godzilla 1954

Bob Eggleton speaks about Godzilla on rare materials.

Bob EGGLETON, Kazuo SUMIYA

Friday, 1:00 PM

Kaffeeklatsch

Peter Heck, Jessica Langer

Friday, 1:00 PM

Reading

Mark L. Van Name

Friday, 1:00 PM

The Hospital of the Future

Given advances in medical care, what will a hospital look like in 25 years? 75? Will they even exist as the centralized entities we know and hate today?

Heidi LYSHOL, Pat CADIGAN, Tore Audun HØIE

Friday, 1400

George TAKEI: Q & A

A question and answer session with George Takei.

George TAKEI

Friday, 1400

Golden Guidelines for Good Game Design

All good games share a few common characteristics. This presentation for aspiring game designers and aficionados will emphasize design guidelines that can be used to determine why some games aren't fun, whether you'll like a new game (before you play it), and what changes make the game even better.

Dave Howell

Friday, 1400

How Much Science Should SF Contain?

Hugo Gernsback created SF to teach science. Should this be a foundational idea for SF or is it a horrible error? Why do we care whether the science is right even when the story is good? Much of SF seems to get along quite nicely with no discernable reality in its science althogh there is the occasional piece accorded masterpiece status *because* of its science content. Is the issue the technical details or is it a general approach to the universe that is important?

Chad ORZEL, David M. SILVER, Gregory BENFORD, Stanley SCHMIDT

Friday, 1400

Kaffeeklatsch

Candas Jane DORSEY

Friday, 1400

Reading

Charles ARDAI

Friday, 1400

The Art of John Picacio

A slide presentation of John Picacio's artwork.

John PICACIO

Friday, 1400

The Transparent Society

David Brin wrote "The Transparent society." In it he claims that current information technology kills privacy and that we must all adjust. Related concepts are scattered through his fiction. Is it possible to put social and legal limits on the processing of private information, now and in the future?

Charles STROSS, Chris Cooper, David BRIN, Dr Andrew A. ADAMS

Friday, 1400

What Do You Read Passionately Besides SF

Is cross-genre reading all that popular? Can an author of one genre rightly expect his/her readers to follow when the author switches genres? What, as a fan, do you like to read? Do you read outside that genre? As an author, do you write outside that genre?

Grant CARRINGTON, Kelly LINK, Kirsten (KJ) BISHOP, Marianne PLUMRIDGE-EGGLETON, Susan de Guardiola, Carolina GOMEZ LAGERLOF

Friday, 1400

Yaoi vs. Slash

Mari KOTANI, Anne HARRIS, Amy THOMSON, Reiko HIKAWA, Hisayo OGUSHI, Junko KANEDA, Azusa NOA

Friday, 1500

Autographs

Esther FRIESNER, Robin HOBB

Friday, 1500

Kaffeeklatsch

Jack William Bell, Patrick NIELSEN HAYDEN

Friday, 1500

Pyr: Upcoming Books Slideshow

A look at Pyr's upcoming schedule.

Lou ANDERS

Friday, 1500

Reading

Naomi NOVIK

Friday, 1500

SF for the Handicapped

As the population ages, more and more people have special needs in order to function fully within society. How do those with "Special Needs" access their SF?

Lillian Csernica, W A THOMASSON, Farah MENDLESOHN, Pat CADIGAN

Friday, 1600

6 years (almost) and counting

Sept 11, 2001; 9/11. Are the wounds still too fresh to talk about? How about 7/7? Does the rest of the world care? Can it happen again? Can we use it in a story? If not now, when? Is this a line that cannot be crossed?

Joe HALDEMAN, Jon COURTENAY GRIMWOOD, Lawrence PERSON, Maura MCHUGH, Pat CADIGAN, Elizabeth Anne HULL

Friday, 1600

Autographs

Scott EDELMAN, Stanley SCHMIDT, George TAKEI

Friday, 1600

Fantasy and Traditional Songs and Ballads

Ellen KUSHNER, Delia SHERMAN, Reiko HIKAWA, Hicaru TANAKA, Yasuko

Friday, 1600

Interview with Naomi NOVIK

Talking about the dragons again, sponsored by Sony Magazine.

Naomi NOVIK

Friday, 1600

Kaffeeklatsch

James L. CAMBIAS

Friday, 1600

Klingon: The Fastest Growing Language in the Galaxy

The signs are everywhere; and in a fascinating language. Meet and listen to the man who created the signs, and one of the world's foremost authorities on Klingonese.

Lawrence M. SCHOEN

Friday, 1600

Prometheus Awards

The Libertarian Society presents the Prometheus Awards.

Charles STROSS, Fred C. MOULTON

Friday, 1600

Reading

Dave LUCKETT

Friday, 1600

The Chesley Awards

The Association of Science Fiction & Fantasy Artists (ASFA) presents the Chesley Awards, to recognize individual works and achievements during the past year.

Julie Faith RIGBY (mc)

Friday, 1600

The State of Cosmology

A look at the work being done in the field of cosmology.

Inge HEYER

Friday, 1600

The Tech Savvy Criminal

What tools, techniques and technologies would be required today for someone to break the law and evade detection or capture? What will CSI: Mons Olympus need to keep up? This panel is for discussion purpose only, and is not intended to be a handy dandy guide to our criminal elements...

Cory DOCTOROW, Geoffrey A. LANDIS, Patricia MACEWEN

Friday, 1600

Women of the Future

Mari KOTANI, Motoko ARAI, Mariko OHARA, Hisayo OGUSHI, Saori KUMI, Mio WAKAGI, Candas DORSEY, Mary NIGHTON

Friday, 1600

Writing Non-Human Characters

It's difficult for humans to think past themselves sufficiently to create something that's more alien than an athropomorphized Gila monster or a psychic tarantula. How do we make non-human characters alive and real without making them copies of ourselves?   How do we avoid cliches?

Amy THOMSON, Cecilia DART-THORNTON, G. David NORDLEY, Candas Jane DORSEY

Friday, 1700

Autographs

Larry NIVEN, Robert Charles Wilson

Friday, 1700

Introducing the Triptree Award and the Sense of Gender Award

Reona KASHIWAZAKI, Yutaka EBIHARA, Hisayo OGUSHI, Tomoyo KASUYA, Megumi KOBAYASHI, Yasuhiko NISHIZAWA, Natsuko MORI, Mari KOTANI, Kelly LINK, Candas Jane DORSEY, Eileen GUNN

Friday, 1700

Kaffeeklatsch

Gavin J. GRANT, Eileen GUNN

Friday, 1700

Reading

Kirsten (KJ) BISHOP

Friday, 1800

Art Show Reception

Open to all Members.

Friday, 1830

Star Trek New Voyages: World Enough and Time

A showing of the new production, Star Trek New Voyages: World Enough and Time. With an introduction by George TAKEI and Marc ZICREE. Japanese subtitles.

George TAKEI, Marc ZICREE

Saturday, September 1

Saturday, 1000

Do fans read faster? Workshop in speed reading by Kjetill Gunnarson

Do fans read faster than other book lovers? Kjetill will examine if this is the case, and walk through first steps in kinesthetic, auditive, and visual reading strategies.

Kjetill GUNNARSON

Saturday, 1000

Guest of Honour Speech: Yoshitaka Amano

A presentation by Guest of Honor Yoshitaka AMANO.

Yoshitaka AMANO

Saturday, 1000

Is Science Fiction Necessary?

Haven't we won? Aren't science-fictional ideas, vocabulary, themes and predictions now deeply embedded in the popular culture? Aren't a disproportionate percentage of popular movies from our genres? Don't mainstream authors dip into the slipstream every day? So, what's our mission now? What worlds are left to conquer -- and why?

Inge HEYER, Paul Cornell, Peter Heck, Robert Charles Wilson

Saturday, 1000

Kaffeeklatsch

Jay LAKE, David BRIN, Ellen DATLOW

Saturday, 1000

Reading

Geoffrey A. LANDIS

Saturday, 1000

Research 101

Writers must know what they are writing about: or must they? How much research is enough? Must you know and identify your target audience (hard science/trek/fantasy) first? Is there a minimum amount of science a SF author needs to know.

Alma Alexander, Jon COURTENAY GRIMWOOD, Stanley SCHMIDT

Saturday, 1000

SFWA Business Meeting

Meeting of the Science Fiction Writers of America.

Saturday, 1000

Talk with Mr. Benford

Gregory BENFORD, Jun'ichi KADOKURA, Tsutomu NIHEI, Jouji HAYASHI, Mizuhito AKIYAMA

Saturday, 1000

The Inevitable Google Panel

Love it or hate it, more than half of all net users search via Google. Is it really the end all and be all of all human knowledge? Computer knowledge? Our panelists have fun and try to predict where it will be in 2 year? 10 20? 100?

Dr Andrew A. ADAMS, Eileen GUNN, Tom GALLOWAY, Adam RAKUNAS

Saturday, 1000

What Editors Want From Artists

Is it realism? A particular color? Many editors return to the same artists again and again. What sets these paragons apart? Style? Originality? A distinctive look or varied approach? Reliable telepathy? (Oh, and must the artist read the story, or what?)

Bob EGGLETON, Jennie FARIES, John PICACIO, Karen HABER, Lou ANDERS, Betsy MITCHELL

Saturday, 1000

WSFS Business Meeting

Every member of Nippon 2007 is a member of the World Science Fiction Society (WSFS), and is eligible to attend and vote at the Society's Business Meetings. Today most proposals to amend the WSFS Constitution will be debated and voted upon. Exercise your rights as a member.

Kevin STANDLEE, Pat McMURRAY, Don EASTLAKE III

Saturday, 1100

Autographs

Pat CADIGAN, G. David NORDLEY

Saturday, 1100

Kaffeeklatsch

Lou ANDERS, Lawrence M. SCHOEN

Saturday, 1100

Reading

Jay LAKE

Saturday, 1200

Autographs

Geoffrey A. LANDIS, John PICACIO

Saturday, 1200

Class-Based Societies in F & SF

Why do so many writers create a world with class politics, a hereditary rulership and limited social mobility? Should a democratic citizen write glowingly of kings? Is it appropriate to do so in SF set in the far future (Is Damon Knight right to criticize A.E. van Vogt)?

Cecilia DART-THORNTON, Edward JAMES, Heidi LYSHOL, Grania DAVIS

Saturday, 1200

David BRIN Reading with Origami Play

A Reading and origami program by GOH, David Brin.

David BRIN, Kazuo SUMIYA

Saturday, 1200

History of Masquerade Costumes

Yuichiro SAKUTA, Richard MAN

Saturday, 1200

Kaffeeklatsch

Jon COURTENAY GRIMWOOD, William SHUNN

Saturday, 1200

Location,Location,Location: How Setting Influences and Structures the Story

How do the arc of the Ringworld, the hills of the Shire, the plazas of Trantor shape their stories' characters and events? Does local color bewitch or bore the reader? (Does it matter? -- why?) Are real places easier to evoke than imaginary ones? Which genre settings can't you forget?

David D. Levine, Delia SHERMAN, Lillian Csernica, Stanley SCHMIDT

Saturday, 1200

Meet the John W. Campbell Award Finalists for Best New Writer

A discussion of how the finalists for the John W. Campbell award made their professional debuts. What kind of backgrounds do they have? Where did they submit work? To what do they attribute their success?

Jay LAKE, John A DAVIS, Lawrence M. SCHOEN, Naomi NOVIK

Saturday, 1200

Mundane or Transcendent?

Many American SF writers write about the near future, the Singularity, or the far future; all completely different from our reality. Some are in favor of realism, while other prefer fantastic elements. Is this necessarily contradictory? Can we find fantastic in the real world, or write a realistic alien future?

Charles STROSS, Cory DOCTOROW, Robert SILVERBERG, Patrick NIELSEN HAYDEN, Yoshio KOBAYASHI

Saturday, 1200

Panel Dialogue: Amano Yoshitaka vs. Bob Eggleton

Yoshitaka AMANO, Bob EGGLETON, Yutaka IZUBUCHI, Yasuo KAWAI, Hicaru TANAKA

Saturday, 1200

Reading

Ellen KUSHNER

Saturday, 1200

Regency Dance

John Hertz, fandom's expert on the English Regency era (about the year 1800), will once again teach Regency ballroom dancing.  This is a participatory event -- feel free to join in, even if you have three left feet.  Costumes welcome, but not required.

John Hertz

Saturday, 1200

The Books Ate My House

When SF fans admit (embarrassed) "I have piles," they might not mean what outsiders think. Confess the challenges of living with way too many books, and discuss possible solutions. Tesseract-shaped bookcases? Inventive new technologies (hmm, what *is* the insulating value of paper?)? Or even <shudder> getting rid of some....?

Allen BATSON, Edd VICK, Flick CHRISTIAN, Margene BAHM

Saturday, 1200

The Death of Individual Innovation

Early Sf is replete with stories about individuals who, with a single idea and lots of grit, time, funds or all three, could implement an idea with little or no outside help. Could this have happened in reality? Or was this simply a fable? Could it happen today? Or would today's society, corporations or the web doom this hapless _individual_ to failure?

G. David NORDLEY, Tore Audun HØIE, Farah MENDLESOHN

Saturday, 1200

The Future of War

Attrition warfare with men and machines is fast becoming obsolete. If the ultimate goal of war is to destroy your enemy's will to resist, with what shall we wage war in the future?

David M. SILVER, Joe HALDEMAN, Lawrence PERSON, Stephen DAVIS

Saturday, 1200

We Love Cyberpunk!

Takayuki TATSUMI, Makoto KIKUCHI, Mari KOTANI, Eileen GUNN, Trinity, Ellen DATLOW

Saturday, 1:00 PM

Autographs

Lou ANDERS, Michael WHELAN

Saturday, 1:00 PM

Heroes: The TV Series

Heroes has made the world safer for comics culture. The creators say they've got 5 more seasons scoped: is there enough depth to sustain that? There are more unanswered questions than ever before, not the least of which is who's cuter: Hiro or Niki? (Or Jessica?)

Maura MCHUGH, Michele ELLINGTON, Paul Cornell, Perrianne LURIE

Saturday, 1:00 PM

Kaffeeklatsch

Kirsten (KJ) BISHOP, Inge HEYER

Saturday, 1:00 PM

Reading

Esther FRIESNER

Saturday, 1:00 PM

Upcoming Del Rey Titles

A presentation on upcoming titles from Del Rey books.

Betsy MITCHELL

Saturday, 1400

Alien Sexuality

Alien sex is frequently depicted as being the same as human sex with differences in superficial biology. What if the Venerians are not just us with bad haircuts and bigger ... ears? How would aliens enjoy sex? Is it necessary to enjoy it? For all 2 to the x partners.

Amy THOMSON, Anne HARRIS, Geoffrey A. LANDIS, Pat CADIGAN

Saturday, 1400

Autographs

George TAKEI, Michael WHELAN

Saturday, 1400

Kaffeeklatsch

Charles ARDAI

Saturday, 1400

Making Writing More Vivid and Memorable

How can a writer make their story particularly vivid or memorable? Show, don't tell? How else do writers bring their writing to life? Why do some passages stay with us after the book is done, but others are gone a month later. Panelists are welcome to bring their favorite passages.

Alma Alexander, Jean LORRAH, Kirsten (KJ) BISHOP, Jay LAKE

Saturday, 1400

Reading

Lawrence M. SCHOEN

Saturday, 1400

Religion In SF

Though their pursuits are not mutually exclusive, religion and speculative fiction are almost anathema to one another. In SF, religion is ridiculed as superstition, derided as a pursuit of less advanced minds. Why is this kind of discrimination acceptable? Why are there not more proudly religious characters in SF?

Jessica Langer, Kari MAUND, Robert Charles Wilson, William SHUNN

Saturday, 1400

SF Studies and SF Education

Takayuki TATSUMI, Takashi ISHIKAWA, Tadashi NAGASAWA, Christopher BOLTON, William GARDNER, Thomas SCHNELLBAECHER

Saturday, 1400

SF Tribes? The New Communities in Internet Society.

Our community has grown so big, we have many small cabals, each of which cares nothing for the others. Through the Internet, blogging and e-mails our ties are strengthened and old community values wear thin, as proved by Hurricane Katrina. Any connection there?

Lou ANDERS, Mark L. Van Name, Yoshio KOBAYASHI

Saturday, 1400

The Killer B's

SF eagerly explores change driven by science and technology. David Brin, Gregory Benford, Greg Bear, Vernor Vinge and Stephen Baxter are known for successful predictions and forecasts that frighten and inspire. They were asked to complete Isaac Asimov's epochal "Robots & Foundation" universe. Some of them are here at Worldcon. Ask them what's next!

David BRIN, Gregory BENFORD, Robert SILVERBERG

Saturday, 1400

The Universal Library

Imagine if all the information of the world was available via the web; all the books, magazine, videos, TV shows and crossword puzzles ever produced. What would be the effect be on the world? How would it come about, and would it change the world?

Charles STROSS, Cory DOCTOROW, Linda ROBINETT, Patrick NIELSEN HAYDEN, Tom GALLOWAY

Saturday, 1500

Autographs

Naomi NOVIK, Delia SHERMAN

Saturday, 1500

Reading

Candas Jane DORSEY

Saturday, 1500

Ted Chiang Interviewed

Just nine stories so far but that are enough to prove the world he's one of the greatest science fiction writers of our time. So let's hear him talk about his new story in five years 'The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate' and a lot more. Interviewed by a physicist Makoto Kikuchi, so it's gonna surely be deep and profound.

Ted CHIANG, Makoto KIKUCHI

Saturday, 1600

?s It Really Strange?: New Slipstream

Bruce Stterling coined the term Slipstream nearly twenty years ago. Since then a bunch of new writers has written a lot of that kind of unclassifiable strange fiction. But is it a type, or subgenre? One thing is clear now. Many writers in their thirties now prefer to write bizarre and surrealistic stories within our genre. And it happens in Japan, too.

Kelly LINK, Patrick NIELSEN HAYDEN, Mark L. Van Name, Takashi OGAWA

Saturday, 1600

Kaffeeklatsch

Stanley SCHMIDT, Michele ELLINGTON

Saturday, 1600

Levels and Limits of Metafictionality

Stories about stories. When can the teller of a story successfully interact with the story, and when is it a cheat?

Candas Jane DORSEY, Jessica Langer, Kate NEPVEU, Scott EDELMAN

Saturday, 1600

Reading

Eileen GUNN

Saturday, 1600

Religion in Fantasy

Does C. S. Lewis's and J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy promoted Christianity, while Philip Pullman's subverts it? Too simplistic? How is creating a credible religion like creating a workable economy? Who are the best at this? Must you believe, even a little, in a god you make yourself?

Lisa C. FREITAG, Esther FRIESNER, Lillian Csernica

Saturday, 1600

Sex and Technology

The automobile.....the movie......the Internet......then? How has modern technology affected sex? What lies ahead - virtual reality harems? Computer-enhanced marital aids? The orgasmatron? What can we look forward to? (and is this all a Good Thing?)

David D. Levine, Dr Andrew A. ADAMS, Patricia MACEWEN

Saturday, 1600

Star Trek New Voyages: World Enough and Time

A repeat showing of the new production, Star Trek New Voyages: World Enough and Time. Japanese subtitles.

Saturday, 1600

The ArchiTECHS

Take a bunch of geniuses, give them a problem and 48 hours to solve it, then let the cameras roll to watch it happen. Two pilot episodes of this series aired on USA's History Channel. With an introduction by GOH David Brin.

David BRIN

Saturday, 1600

The Universe as seen from the Hubble Space Telescope

Inge HEYER

Saturday, 1600

Thomas the Rhymer

Ellen Kushner does an one woman show with music & storytelling, reading from the novel and accompanied by singing of the ballads that inspired it. For details: http://www.sff.net/people/kushnerSherman/Kushner/appearance.html

Ellen KUSHNER

Saturday, 1600

Women of Japan Exhibit Artists Talk (Docent)

Women of Japan, Laurie Toby Edison's recently completed eight-year intercultural photography project, is a featured exhibition of Nippon 2007. This is the first time the finished project has been shown. The exhibition includes 40 photographs with bilingual texts and an introduction by Mari Kotani. The images show the beauty and power of Japanese women of diverse age, class, size, ability, culture and background. Together with the accompanying bilingual text, the photographs extend the boundaries of both Japanese and US standards for "who" is beautiful and "who" is significant. Some of the work has previously been shown at the National Museum of Art (Osaka), Third Gallery Aya (Osaka) and the Kyoto Art Center.

Laurie Toby EDISON

Saturday, 1600

Women of Japan Panel discussion

Women of Japan, Laurie Toby Edison's recently completed 8 year intercultural photography project, involved both Japanese and US fans (among others) and is a featured exhibition fo Nippon 2007. The images show the beauty and power of diverse Japanese women, and extend the boundaries of both Japanese and US standards for "who" is beautiful and "who" is significant. Come hear Laurie Toby Edison, and several of the women in her photographs, discuss the project and its importance.

Laurie Toby EDISON, Junko FUKAZAWA, Rebecca JENNISON, Manami TACHIBANA, Mari KOTANI

Saturday, 1700

Autographs

Charles ARDAI, Grania DAVIS

Saturday, 1700

Reading

G. David NORDLEY

Saturday, 1800

Hugo Awards Ceremony

The Hugo Awards will be presented by the World Science Fiction Society for the best works in the field for 2006.

Sunday, September 2

Sunday, 1000

A Look Back: Jack WILLIAMSON

A look back at the life and works of Jack Williamson

G. David NORDLEY, Scott EDELMAN, Grania DAVIS

Sunday, 1000

Alternate Futures

We talk about alternate histories, but there are also alternate futures. What futures might plausibly grow from today. Are the traditional SF futures still possible? Is history really at an end? How do you build a future anyway? How about futures based on alternate pasts -- do they count?

Charles STROSS, James L. CAMBIAS

Sunday, 1000

Gibberish

Developing a language system involves more than just removing the vast majority of the vowels in your characters' names. What distinguishes a good language system in fiction from a bad one?

Lawrence M. SCHOEN, Stanley SCHMIDT, Mary TURZILLO

Sunday, 1000

Guest of Honor David BRIN (translated)

David Brin's second Guest of Honor presentation, with material aimed for the Japanese and international members.

Sunday, 1000

Is Fantasy Necessary?

We never would have flown without Icarus. Alchemy came before nanotech. But fantasy is mired in kings and cookie-cutter dragons not the dreams, concerns and requirements of modern life. Fantasy can be seen as anti-democratic and racist. How can fantasy address the complexities of the 21st century? Should it?

Anne HARRIS, Delia SHERMAN, Esther FRIESNER, Kirsten (KJ) BISHOP, Stephen SEGAL

Sunday, 1000

Kaffeeklatsch

Cory DOCTOROW, Geoffrey A. LANDIS

Sunday, 1000

Longer Life Expectancy = More Time to be Miserable?

What is the maximum human lifespan? Can it said to be worthwhile to live to 135 if 35 of those years are bedridden?

Grant CARRINGTON, Gregory BENFORD, Margene BAHM, Joe HALDEMAN

Sunday, 1000

Reading

Robert Charles Wilson

Sunday, 1000

Shotokan Karate-do Workshop

Would you like a simple and safe first experience in the traditional Japanese martial art of Shotokan karate-do?  For many years, this workshop has been offered at Worldcons to introduce the basic mechanics of Shotokan karate-do.  The underlying physical and physiological principles of distance, breathing, movement, and timing will be taught in the areas of basic motion ("kihon"), pre-arranged sequence of defense and attack ("kata"), and no-contact simulation of sparring ("kumite").  Level of effort will be no greater than low-impact aerobics, with emphasis on safety.  Come dressed in light, loose-fitting clothing.  Instruction will be in English.

Keith G. KATO

Sunday, 1000

Small Press Publishing in the United States, Japan, Europe ...

Some of the most exciting work in science fiction, fantasy and horror is produced by small presses. What makes a book good? Can small presses save us from degeneration? What challenges in design, production, and marketing do small presses face? Can labors of love make money?

Daniel SPECTOR, Bob EGGLETON, Charles ARDAI, John D. BERRY, Kelly LINK

Sunday, 1000

The Economics and Sociology of Abundance

Over millennia, humankind has grown steadily richer. Eventually, will money no longer be an issue? How will this culture of plenty affect human motives and interactions? Are the motives we see in today's SF believable in an ultra-wealthy far-future setting?

Marianne PLUMRIDGE-EGGLETON, W A THOMASSON, Mike SCOTT, Tore Audun HØIE

Sunday, 1000

Was Margaret Mead Full of S***?

Mead said "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." Many intelligent and well-informed people say Mead's philosophy is purest fantasy. Panelists discuss/debate about whether or not Mead was right.

Eileen GUNN, Elisabeth MALARTRE, Farah MENDLESOHN

Sunday, 1000

Writing for TV

So, you want to get something on TV! What does it take: Character? Plot? Action? Romance?! Some industry veterans discuss what it takes to get there.

Halle STANFORD, Marc ZICREE, Paul Cornell

Sunday, 1000

WSFS Business Meeting

Every member of Nippon 2007 is a member of the World Science Fiction Society (WSFS), and is eligible to attend and vote at the Society's Business Meetings. Today the results of Worldcon Site Selection will be announced and any remaining proposals from yesterday will be debated and voted upon.

Kevin STANDLEE, Pat McMURRAY, Don EASTLAKE III

Sunday, 1100

Autographs

Robert SILVERBERG

Sunday, 1100

Kaffeeklatsch

Scott EDELMAN

Sunday, 1100

Movement of the solar system

Inge HEYER

Sunday, 1100

Reading

Jon COURTENAY GRIMWOOD

Sunday, 1100

Upcoming from Baen Books

Baen Books upcoming titles and publication schedule.

Mark L. Van Name, Jennie FARIES

Sunday, 1200

Autographs

Ellen DATLOW

Sunday, 1200

Autographs

Eileen GUNN, Charles STROSS

Sunday, 1200

Celtic and British Influenced SF and Fantasy

Celtic and British myth and culture have profoundly influenced English-language fantasy. How much influence has it had on fantasy in other languages?

Kari MAUND, Cecilia DART-THORNTON, Maura MCHUGH

Sunday, 1200

Creating an SF Franchise

The story of creating Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius, an 800 mil franchise.

John A DAVIS

Sunday, 1200

Cyberpunk Seen from Outside

Sure, most of us consider the cyberpunk is a history. But every new near future hi-teck stories looks like cyberpunk now. So let's examine it from the fresh view points, points from outside. Japan notably welcomed it wholeheartedly in the eighties, but what was it like in Germany? Or even UK and Canada might have seen it as a curiousity. Was it really a global phenomenon?

Gire E. GOEZEN, Takashi OGAWA

Sunday, 1200

Defending Public Domain from Corporate Copyright Maximalism

Copyright is the new conspiracy. What can we do to keep public domain works public. And how do we get them to release what should be public? If a company can make a buck, it will – but where does capitalism end and copyright maximalism begin?

Cory DOCTOROW, Inge HEYER, Naomi NOVIK, Patrick NIELSEN HAYDEN

Sunday, 1200

Design a Truly Alien Alien

In science fiction aliens resemble humans with rubber face masks, inspired by rare terrestrial life-forms. Their behaviors, while extreme, are familiar (like Crazy uncle Ted). Is it alien if it is familiar? The panelists will be asked to conceive of the most inhuman, least earthly aliens possible.

Amy THOMSON, Geoffrey A. LANDIS, Lawrence M. SCHOEN, Patricia MACEWEN

Sunday, 1200

Future Art: What New Forms of Art might Arise from Current Technologies or Esthetics?

Computer composition, collaborative kinetic sculpture, zero-gee dance? "Blogging" is one new candidate, as are phone-cam web journals and "reality" television. What's likely to be next, and do we really want it?

Dave Howell, Karen HABER, Susan de Guardiola, Chris O'SHEA, Pat CADIGAN

Sunday, 1200

Godzilla 2007

Bob EGGLETON, Norman ENGLAND, Hicaru TANAKA, Shinichi WAKASA, Yuji KAIDA, Takayuki TATSUMI

Sunday, 1200

Interstitial Arts Foundation

"Art that crosses boundaries." What does this mean? What does it include? Why does it need a Foundation? What can the Foundation accomplish? A talk about the Foundation, it's accomplishments and goals. http://www.interstitialarts.org/

Alma Alexander, Delia SHERMAN, Ellen KUSHNER, Stephen SEGAL

Sunday, 1200

Kaffeeklatsch

Joe HALDEMAN, Robin HOBB

Sunday, 1200

Reading

Marc ZICREE

Sunday, 1200

Seiun Awards Ceremony

Sunday, 1200

The Art of Michael WHELAN

Guest of Honor Michael Whelan presents an overview of his work.

Michael WHELAN

Sunday, 1200

Women of Japan Exhibit Artists Talk (Docent)

Women of Japan, Laurie Toby Edison's recently completed 8 year intercultural photography project, involved both Japanese and US fans (among others) and is a featured exhibition fo Nippon 2007. The images show the beauty and power of diverse Japanese women, and extend the boundaries of both Japanese and US standards for "who" is beautiful and "who" is significant. Come hear Laurie Toby Edison, and several of the women in her photographs, discuss the project and its importance.

Laurie Toby EDISON

Sunday, 1:00 PM

Autographs

David BRIN, Marc ZICREE, Candas Jane DORSEY

Sunday, 1:00 PM

Kaffeeklatsch

G. David NORDLEY, Esther FRIESNER

Sunday, 1:00 PM

Reading

Joe HALDEMAN

Sunday, 1:00 PM

The Golden Duck Awards for Excellence in Children's Science Fiction

Awards being presented include The Hal Clement Award for Young Adult Literature, and The Eleanor Camerson Award for Middle Grades.

Helen GBALA

Sunday, 1400

A "Survey of Readers"

Farah Mendelsohn has surveyed 900+ readers. After a summation of her finding, she and the panellists will discuss her findings.

Heidi LYSHOL, Mary TURZILLO, Paul Cornell, Farah MENDLESOHN

Sunday, 1400

Autographs

Lillian Csernica, Bob EGGLETON

Sunday, 1400

Free Will? Or Neurochemistry?

Some behaviors (anger, violence) might be neurological in nature. If these traits can be identified and treated, what implications does this have on social interactions, legal contracts and frameworks? The social contract? The idea of individual responsibility? Could we program ourselves into becoming mindless sheep? Should we?

Eileen GUNN, Jack William Bell, James L. CAMBIAS

Sunday, 1400

Kaffeeklatsch

Gregory BENFORD, David BRIN

Sunday, 1400

Reading

Amy THOMSON

Sunday, 1400

SF and our Classics

Robert SILVERBERG, Hitoshi YOKOMICHI, Kazuma SHINJOW, Shinji KAJIO

Sunday, 1400

The Integration of Science and Religion in SF & F

Science Fiction is the literature of the humanist, the rationalist and the skeptic. As theoretical physicists look at the underpinnings of the physical universe, they see the presence of the hand of God. How do authors integrate religion and science? Can it only be done in fantasy?

Lisa C. FREITAG, Robert Charles Wilson, William SHUNN, Edward JAMES

Sunday, 1400

The Short Story's Role in Fantastic Fiction

Short fiction rarely gets the attention that novels do by reviewers. It is harder to sell collections and anthologies than novels. The panelists, writers and editors of short fiction discuss their thoughts about the shorter forms (short story, novelette, novella) of fantastic fiction.

Ellen DATLOW, Gavin J. GRANT, Larry NIVEN, Pat CADIGAN

Sunday, 1400

Upcoming Books from Tor

A presentation on Tor's publication schedule.

Patrick NIELSEN HAYDEN, Tom DOHERTY

Sunday, 1500

Kaffeeklatsch

Grania DAVIS

Sunday, 1500

Masquerade

Sunday, 1600

Anti-Americanism

Is it just jealousy? Or is there some basis to how most of the world feels towards the United States, the first Hyperpower the world has ever seen

Dave LUCKETT, Gregory BENFORD, Jon COURTENAY GRIMWOOD, Maura MCHUGH

Sunday, 1600

Kaffeeklatsch

Alma Alexander, Delia SHERMAN

Sunday, 1600

Living with Another Writer

Robert Silverberg through the eyes of his wife, Karen Haber and vice versa.  Can two writers live together easily?  What are the joys and difficulties they share?  How does living with another writer affect one's career?  Lifestyle?  Writing style?

Karen HABER, Robert SILVERBERG

Sunday, 1600

Lost Tribes of Cult Novels

Where have the cult novels gone? They were once legion; "Stranger in a Stranger Land", "Cat's Cradle", "The Lord of the Rings", "Illuminatus!", "Even Cowgirls Get the Blues", "Neuromancer" and "The Wasp Factory" . But what about "Snow Crash" and "Harry Potter"? Why aren't they cult novels?

Elizabeth Anne HULL, Gavin J. GRANT, Yoshio KOBAYASHI

Sunday, 1600

Reading

Paul Cornell

Sunday, 1600

Science Fiction Museum - A Virtual Tour

Take a tour of Seattle's Science Fiction Museum & Hall of Fame, home of the Death Star and Enterprise-D. A member of the curatorial department will show you the galleries, artifacts, and exhibitions.

Brooks PECK

Sunday, 1600

Second Life and Other Virtual Worlds

Virtual worlds are a perfect example of science fiction becoming part of mainstream culture. People work, play, and create everyday in these virtual spaces. How are these cutting-edge applications changing how we live, work, and participate in society and entertainment? And what does the future hold for storytelling and communication as the technology improves?

Adam RAKUNAS, Ken BRADY, Naoyoshi SHIMAYA, Yuki SAEKI

Sunday, 1600

Tracked experiment of planet

Inge HEYER

Sunday, 1600

Why FTL is Time Travel

A slide presentation.

G. David NORDLEY

Sunday, 1700

Kaffeeklatsch

Anne HARRIS, Ellen KUSHNER

Sunday, 1700

Miss Piggy and Godzilla

We have fun and speculate on some interesting dates. Poor Godzilla.

Amy THOMSON, David D. Levine, Tom GALLOWAY

Sunday, 1700

Reading

Charles STROSS

Sunday, 1830

Donbura-con (Dinner Cruising Party)

Monday, September 3

Monday, 1000

Blogging and Live Journals in SF

Blogging (and related activities) are having an impact on the world at large, and the SF community in particular. Blogs tell us more about the people in the field, the way the field works, and who is who -- and at a pace and a distribution that few if any fanzines ever matched. Blogs influence the directions of our community, can impact awards by making works or their creators better known, and perhaps even influence the works being created. Or is the impact overstated, as all things net related seem to be? Can writers use blogs to market themselves? Are blogs a way to engage the community? And is this true worldwide, or is it just an US-centric fad? Or even the English speaking world?

Adam RAKUNAS, Chad ORZEL, Yoshio KOBAYASHI, Patrick NIELSEN HAYDEN, Paul Cornell

Monday, 1000

Denvention and the 2009 Worldcon

Questions and answer session for next year's Worldcon and the winner of the 2009 bid.

Kent BLOOM

Monday, 1000

Kaffeeklatsch

Larry NIVEN

Monday, 1000

Masquerade Postmortem

Masquerade staff and judges will answer questions and get feedback from entrants and audience members on how the Masquerade ran. Any award winners unable to receive their awards at the Masquerade may pick up their certificates at this panel. Entrants may also pick up their judging Polaroids, music source, and any documentation provided for the judges at this time.

Sakuta YUICHIRO, Essai USHIJIMA, Sanbi (Carole) PARKER, Karisu, John Hertz

Monday, 1000

Mysteries: Cross-Overs, Overlaps and Marketing

Some fans read both mysteries and SF/F; while others read from only one genre. But when Glen Cook's works show up on the mystery shelves, and Laurel K. Hamilton's are now labeled SF/F, what difference do marketing lines and writing styles make?

Carolina GOMEZ LAGERLOF, Chris Cooper, Marianne PLUMRIDGE-EGGLETON, Mark L. Van Name, Patricia MACEWEN

Monday, 1000

Reading

Grant CARRINGTON

Monday, 1000

The History of _Your_ World

The layers of deep history underlaying Lord of the Rings gave it a depth and richness missing from Conan. Does a world need a history which rarely shows up in the stories. If so, how is it built? On what is it based? Can there be too much history?

Esther FRIESNER, Lawrence M. SCHOEN

Monday, 1000

The Singularity: How to Write About It

The singularity may be the most interesting idea to come out of SF, yet may pose a challenge which may be insurmountable — how to set a story in a world which is, by definition, incomprehensible? If a singularity lurks about a hundred years after the invention of the computer: does this mean that hard SF is a contradiction in terms once it gets outside the near future? Can SF stories cope? Or should writers just ignore it and move on?

Charles STROSS, Gregory BENFORD, David D. Levine, Jack William Bell

Monday, 1000

Visiting Japan 2

The Worldcon is nearly over.  Use this opportunity to meet up with other science fiction fans who plan to explore Japan or talk with folks who have already had the opportunity to tour Japan. 

Inge HEYER, Michele ELLINGTON

Monday, 1000

WSFS Mark Protection Committee Meeting

This committee manages the WSFS service marks (like "Worldcon" and "Hugo Award") and consists of members elected by the Business Meeting and appointed by Worldcon committees. This meeting is open to all Nippon 2007 members. Note that this meeting may be rescheduled. Check the convention Newsletter for schedule updates.

Kevin STANDLEE

Monday, 1100

Exploring Mars: The Inside Story

When SF explores Mars, it is done by military spacecraft or eccentric scientists in secret. Why is the reality so very different? What are the years of preparation, team building, and ideas like? Can the individual participate and make a difference? Is it as fun and exciting as the fiction?

Geoffrey A. LANDIS, G. David NORDLEY, Mary TURZILLO

Monday, 1100

Fannish Inquisition II: Post 2009 bids

Information from possible NASFiC Bids and future Worldcon bids.

Alexander VON THORN, Marah SEARLE-KOVACEVIC

Monday, 1100

Kaffeeklatsch

Stephen SEGAL, Mary TURZILLO

Monday, 1100

The Zygote (Games) Panel

The last panel of the convention. We talk about Zygotes or whatever other fancy comes to mind.

James L. CAMBIAS, Diane A. KELLY

Monday, 1200

Closing Ceremonies

Worldcon programs * * Program participants * * Thursday * * Friday * * Saturday * * Sunday * * Monday

2006 Worldcon Schedule * * 2008 Worldcon Schedule