Conference noted::sf

Re:< Note 699.0 by RBW::WICKERT "MAA DIS Consultant" >

I didn't hear it, but I think they'd nominate Percivle (sp?) Lowell, the 
astronomer who discovered the "canals" on mars.

Tony

    I didn't hear it either, but if the idea is to have statues of Martians
    (or at least characters who had been to Mars), then Percival Lowell
    doesn't qualify.  Maybe someone from Ray Bradbury's Martian stories?
    Maybe Dr. Manhattan from the Watchmen comic?  You would 
    definitely want a squidgy, tentacled, Wellsian Martian, but we never
    learned any of their names.  
    /jlr

    Damn....  I remember a story, part of a collection similar to Ray
    Bradbury's stuff about Mars, but I cannot remember the author.
    I remember our heroic explorer discovering a series of small
    "monuments", for lack of a better term, that start off very small
    and become slightly larger, one after the other, finally disappearing
    off into the distance.  Imagine a child's sand pail at the beach,
    filled up with sand and turned over leaving the sand standing outlining
    the original mold of the pail.  Imagine something similar to this
    shape, separated by a few feet until the next one, and so on, getting
    progressively larger and disappearing into the horizon.  Of course
    our hero follows this trail and comes upon the creature depositing
    these "droppings".  I want to say that it was some sort of silicon
    based entity, but who knows....an author's perogative.
    
    I do remember that the short story truly held my interest perhaps
    of the excellent way that such "mysteriousness" was imparted to
    such a simple shape.  But this was just one of many short stories
    collected into a paperback that dealt with Mars, ala "The Martian
    Chronicles" by Bradbury, written by the author whose name I cannot
    remember.
    
    I want to say that this individual did his work in the late fifties
    and is now deceased.  I would love to reread those short stories.
    
    I nominate this individual for a statue.
    
    Damn...I still cannot remember.
    
    S. Chase
    

    Double damn...
    
    Hi Ray, this is Scott over in the ACT.  
    
    It's driving me crazy.  Maybe my mystery author is this John guy
    that you refer to in your original note?
    
    I remember another short story about our hero, he encounters another
    creature that leaps about, landing on it's head.  Turns out, this
    entity is semi-intelligent, some sort of communication develops,
    etc. leading to another interesting conclusion.
    
    I think it's time to call that weird little Sci-fi store down on
    Pennsylvania Ave, across from GWU (if they're still there) and 
    resolve this.
    
    Come to think of it....I never read much of it...but didn't
    Edgar Rice Burroughs write a bunch of the "Prince/Princess" of
    "whatever type kingdom" that was always on Mars?
    
    S. Chase

    re:.4
    
    The Burroughs series was the one about John Carter, who was
    mentioned as one of the "statuees" in .0.
    
    If the statues included non-humans, then aside from John Carter
    and Valentine Michael Smith, the other two would be a Wellsian
    Martian (as John suggested) and Tweel (from Stanley Weinbaum's
    "A Martian Odyssey").
    
    Or perhaps Martin the Martian from the Warner Brothers cartoons.
    :-)
    
    --- jerry

    And don't forget the Martian Lensman (I forget his name) from the
    "Doc" Smith series!

    re .3
    
    Fairly sure it was by John Cambell under one of his alter egos (can't
    spell psuedonames).
    
    	Stan
    

    re .3,.4:
    
    that sure sounds like "A Martian Odyssey" (mentioned by Jerry in
    .5, but since he didn't refer to these two replies I'll take the
    credit (or the blame, if I'm wrong)). 
    
                                                   
                  /
                 (  ___
                  ) ///
                 /
    

    re:.8
    
    How silly of me not to mention it -- yes, the story .3 describes
    is "A Martian Odyssey". I think what happened is that I read the
    replies, said, "Ah, that's Weinbaum," got distracted by something,
    and came back thinking only of mentioning Weinbaum's "Tweel" but
    not what made me think of it.
    
    --- jerry

    Re .4:
    
    > I think it's time to call that weird little Sci-fi store down on
    > Pennsylvania Ave, across from GWU (if they're still there) and 
    > resolve this.
    
    That's the Moonstone Bookceller, 2100 Pennsylvania Avenue.
    
    
    				-- edp

    Re .8 (re .3):
    
    You can take the credit, kinda.  Actually, the creature wasn't exactly
    depositing "monuments"; it was building pyramids.  The critter was
    a pyramid-builder.  It started off tiny, and as it got larger, so
    did its pyramides.  It was silicon-based, and its "breath" was silicon
    dioxide, which came out in solid, brick-shaped form.  The
    Pyramid Builder was blind, and it stuck one end into the ground;
    the other end had a tentacle and an opening (in its rather
    barrel-shaped body) from which it removed the finished bricks. 
    The bricks it built _around_ itself in pyramid shape.  When it
    completely enclosed itself, the Pyramid Builder would uncap the
    latest pyramid, crawl out of it, move a short distance, stick its
    tail in the ground, and start again.
    
    In "A Martian Odyssey," which is still a _superb_ story, there was
    more than a hint that much Martian life had a plantlike component
    (even Tweel, with his beak that could _maybe_ double as a root).
    The Pyramid Builder was something of a hint at the sequel, where
    it's learned that Tweel's race once visited Earth, and ...
    
    Aw, that'd be spoiling it.
    
    Steve Kallis, Jr.

    "A Martian Odyssey".  Of course.
    
    Thanks to all for the reminder.
    
    re .11   Wow.  I haven't read it since some 15 years ago.  I must
    find a copy at the Moonstone.
    
    For all, why not Mr. Weinbaum's likeness on Mars?
    
    S. Chase

    Has anyone written to NPR to get the real dope on this topic?
    
    					andrew

    I WAS (half) listening to NPR at the time.  I believe H.G. Wells
    was mentioned as one of the four.
    
    Steve
    
    \ \     / /
     \ \   / /
      \N\ /H/ 
      |     | .
      |     |//
      \      /
    
    

    Talking about pyramids, wasn't there a story by Larry Niven, something
    about creatures of that shape?
    
    Tally-ho,
    
    Ray

Article: 1795
Newsgroups: rec.arts.startrek.info
From: [email protected] (Jim Bumgardner)
Subject: Kids' art to go to Mars
Sender: [email protected]
Organization: Time Warner Interactive Group
Date: Mon, 11 Oct 1993 18:01:25 GMT
 
I thought this might be of interest since Mike Okuda from STTNG is one
of the judges in this children's art contest, in which the winner's
picture gets sent to mars. 
 
Incidentally, we are also including a rendering of Mike's Enterprise
Dedication Plaque on the Mars disc, which mentions that the Enterprise
was constructed on Mars. 
 
- Jim Bumgardner
 
==================================================================
         TIME WARNER INTERACTIVE GROUP
           THE PLANETARY SOCIETY
     NATIONAL PUBLIC TELECOMPUTING NETWORK
 
         *****  VISIONS OF MARS *****
 
       ***** CHILDREN'S ART CONTEST *****
 
About Visions of Mars
---------------------
 
A Russian spacecraft is going to be launched in 1994 on a mission to
the planet Mars.  Nestled inside the Mars lander will be a unique
CD-ROM - a disc containing classic science fiction stories in many
languages, science fiction art and greetings from the people of Earth.
The disc is being produced by The Planetary Society and Time Warner
Interactive Group with assistance from IKI (The Russian space agency)
JPL (Jet Propulsion Lab) and many others.  It is our hope that this
disc will be discovered, and enjoyed, by future human visitors to Mars.
 
About the Contest
-----------------
 
The Visions of Mars Children's Art Contest is an attempt to get the
children of Earth involved in this unique project.  Children ages 4-12
(grades K through 6) are invited to submit an original artwork of
Mars.  You may show us the Mars of yesterday, today, or tomorrow; real
or imagined.  The winning artwork will be included on the Visions of
Mars CD-ROM, and will be launched to the planet Mars.  One day,
perhaps, the artist will get the opportunity to retrieve it.
 
Prizes
------
 
First Prize
The winning artwork will be included on the Visions of Mars CD-ROM
which is scheduled to be launched on the Russian Mars 94 mission.  The
winner will receive a Visions of Mars CD-ROM, and a certificate.
 
10 Runners Up
10 additional pieces of art will be selected to appear in the
commercial edition of Visions of Mars.  Runners Up will receive a
Visions of Mars CD-ROM for their school library or computer lab, and a
certificate.
 
20 Honorable Mentions
Honorable Mention winners will receive a certificate and their choice
of one of the following Time Warner Interactive Group CD-ROMs for 
their school library or computer labs:
 
                The View from Earth
                Murmurs of Earth
                Life Map I, II or III
                How Computers Work
                Creation Stories
                Word Tales
 
Judges
------
 
The following people will be judging the artwork:
 
	Mike Okuda, Art Supervisor, Star Trek: The Next Generation
        Lou Friedman, Executive Director, The Planetary Society
        Jon Lomberg, Project Director, The Planetary Society
        Jim Bumgardner, Producer, Time Warner Interactive Group
        Steve Johnson, Art Director, Time Warner Interactive Group
 
About The Planetary Society
---------------------------
 
The Planetary Society is a non-profit organization with 100,000
members worldwide dedicated to planetary exploration and the search
for extraterrestrial intelligence.  Headquartered in Pasadena, CA, the
Society also sponsors many educational projects for students.  For
further info about the Planetary Society, contact...
 
About Time Warner Interactive Group
-----------------------------------
 
Time Warner Interactive Group is the multimedia publishing arm of Time
Warner Inc.  TWIG publishes a variety of educational and entertaining
CD-ROM discs for both Windows and Macintosh computers.
 
About the National Public Telecomputing Network
-----------------------------------------------
 
The National Public Telecomputing Network (NPTN) is a non-profit
organization dedicated to establishing and developing free, public
access, computerized information and communication services for the
general public.  One of the programs of NPTN is ACADEMY ONE, a
national online educational resource for primary through secondary
students, parents, educators, and administrators.  This art contest
is an Academy One special event.
 
Rules
-----
 
1. Children from 4-12 years of age are eligible to enter the contest.
To facilitate meeting the launch deadline, no more than 3 entries from
each class should be submitted.
 
2.  Either natural or computer art may be submitted.  Winning entries
which are natural art will be digitally scanned for inclusion on the CD.
 
3. Natural art should be no larger than 11 by 17 inches and should be
flat so it can be scanned easily (no macaroni or pine cones please!).
Natural art should be mailed flat or in a tube to Mars Art Contest c/o
Time Warner Interactive Group, 2210 W. Olive Ave., Burbank, CA, USA,
91506-2626
 
4. Computer art should be no larger than 640 x 480 pixels.  The
following file formats will be accepted: PICT, TIFF, PCX, DIB, BMP,
Targa, GIF, Amiga IFF.  Computer art may be mailed to the above
address, or e-mailed to  [email protected].  
 
5.  Each entry should be accompanied with a short document containing
the following information: Name of Contestant, Age, Grade, Home
Address, Phone Number.  Name and Address of School.  Title of Artwork.
Include a short statement describing the artwork.  This information
should either be attached to the picture or written on the back of the
picture.
 
7.  The deadline for natural art entries is November 8, 1993.  The
deadline for computer art entries is November 15, 1993.  Winners will
be announced in January.
 
8.  All images become the property of Time Warner Interactive Group
(TWIG) and The Planetary Society (TPS).  TWIG and TPS reserve the
right to publish the work, free of charge, in any medium, be it
CD-ROM, print, television or some new media not yet invented.
NPTN will display as much of the artwork as possible in electronic
format in the Academy One program.
 
For further information, contact T. J. Goldstein ([email protected]) or
Jim Bumgardner ([email protected]).
 
====================================================================
-- 
--
-- Jim Bumgardner                 |   [email protected]
-- Time Warner Interactive Group  |   [email protected]
 
--
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Edited by Jim "The Big Dweeb" Griffith - the official scapegoat for r.a.s.i.
Email submissions to [email protected] and questions to [email protected]

Article: 550
From: [email protected] ()
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.reviews
Subject: Ben Bova's 'Mars'
Date: Wed, 30 Mar 1994 01:27:58 GMT
Organization: University of Illinois at Chicago, ADN Computer Center
 
   Ben Bova's 'Mars' is a novel about an alien race.  Namely, the
cardboard and contradictory characters he portrays.  His main
character is a Navajo whose description is about what one would expect
from someone who talked to someone once who read 'Nightwing' and 'The
Manitou' (pulp horror stories which give much more detailed Native
American themes).  His novel is filled with implausibilities such as a
Hungarian woman who hides her hatred of Russians for three years, then
brings along a picture of her grandfather being taken away by Russians
and waves it around whenever she can cause trouble.  For no apparent
reason.  Then tearfully forgives them at the end with little more cause. 

   As far as science is concerned, hard science fans:  put away your
slide rules.  Aside from the turn-around time for radio signals (25
minutes), the time to reach Mars (one year) and the length of stay (8
weeks) he gives few technical details.  Descriptions are vague and
contradictory.  A major element of the story revolves around the fact
that the food is 'reconstituted' and contains no nutrients, making
separate vitamin supplements necessary.  Yet the main character
complains that he is forced to suffer Italian food constantly,
intended for the person he has replaced.  Suggesting that the food was
shipped from Earth containing no vitamins?  Another annoying flaw
concerned his claim that the moons of Mars could be used as a source
of hydrogen and oxygen, and therefore could be refueling stops for
ships.  Just how or why these elements would be present on captured
asteroids, or where the energy to separate all that fuel was supposed
to come from, is unspecified.  Still another flaw comes when it is
claimed that the astronauts 'have no facilities for encryption' as
they work with their laptop computers!  Yet at the same time the
conversations are treated as private, as though 1,000 amateur radio
buffs wouldn't be hanging on every word sent from Mars. 

   Aesthetically, I have little appreciation for the tightly
controlled, high security situation presented in this book.  What is
more, it is sufficiently inconsistent and illogical that I have a
strong feeling it is used more to cover for things Bova is unable or
unwilling to write, than as an actual story device. 

   I recommend that others simply add "Ben Bova" to their killfiles.
 
%A Ben Bova
%T Mars
%I Bantam Books
%C New York
%D July 1992
%G ISBN 0-553-56241-X
%P 549 pp
%O paperback, $5.99 US, $6.99 Canada
 
World Peace Forever!  Nuclear War NOW!    Finger for PGP:[email protected]