Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form – There is a lot of debate about whether METAtropolis was appropriate as a nominee for the category (seems a little strange that fans who claim to be so forward-looking can be so close minded).  If you are unaware, it’s an audiobook, nominated in a category traditionally populated by full-length feature films.  Let me tell you why METAtopolis has my vote:

It is just an outstanding piece of work  -  5 excellent stories by great authors, all which fit within the framework that John Scalzi and the other authors developed  -  beautifully read by 5 pros, led off by a dramatic performance by Michael Hogan.  The concept and the execution (content and production) are simply outstanding, and very different than what’s expected in this category.

This is the kind work that deserves a Hugo.  If you haven’t yet listened to METAtropolis (yes, I know, it’s 9 hours long), stop what you’re doing and start listening  -  it will be well worth your time.

Best Professional Artist – an unbelievably difficult category to vote on, for a couple reasons. 

First, there is no specific piece of work to vote on as there is in the literature categories – so as a voter you are left much more to your own resources than with many of the other categories.  Second, the talent nominated in this category is always just unbelievable  -  every year it is a choice from amongst nominees who are masters in the field, every one deserving a win. 

This year I want to point you toward the work of John Picacio  -  there is a very lot I could say about his work, but the most convincing argument comes from the work itself (see: John Picacio’s 2008 published work).  Review John’s work and I think you’ll agree – this is the work of a grandmaster, the kind of work that honors our genres.

Best Semiprozine – there is a lot of excitement around this category, not because of the nominees but because of the possibility that the category may be discontinued after this year.  I’m told the reason is because Locus has won so many times that a foregone conclusion is that as long as the category exists, Locus will win.

But I think the Hugo should go to a magazine which publishes literature.  And I think Weird Tales has done an outstanding job of bringing us some of the best new authors, and the best established authors, in the last year (see – Year In Review).  From Peter Atwood, whose Weird Tales story “All In” is nominated for a Prix Aurora Award, to Michael Moorcock’s all new Elric novella  -  Weird Tales hit a home run bringing us great stories from great storytellers.  And isn’t that what the Hugos are all about?

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This is the small print that says the opinions above are mine and mine alone.  These opinions may be biased – perhaps by many factors, not the least being my attention to Science Fiction and Fantasy, on screen, in print, and in the spoken word, for over 50 years.
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When I was a kid, and even a young adult, I had certain expectations of what would happen in the world.  This year I’m going to be 60 . . .and I’m thinking about those expectations, and realize some have happened, in some cases way beyond my imagination. . . and some have not, and may not.

Are you surprised or disappointed by “the future”?

( Click here for what I thought, back in the 50’s and 60’s: )

• I am told the NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command) declared the test a failure, as no satellite was put in orbit.
• I am also told that since the "satellite" story was just a big lie, and the real goal was to test the missile (which did launch correctly, and separated, and the second stage fired correctly), NORAD's position is just ridiculous  -  as this was a successful missile test.
• And now I'm hearing that this means North Korea can hit all of Europe or North America with a missile; and presumably with a nuclear warhead.
• And further, that given their relationship with Iran, it puts this capability within Iran's reach

• The Cuban Missile Crises - and President Kennedy's response was to deploy the US Navy to blockade Cuba, and examine the contents of every incoming ship.
• The Russian Invasion of Afghanistan - and President Carter's response was to "condemn" the actions of the Russians and to boycott the Moscow Olympics.

After I posted a bunch of car and bike pix on Facebook, my friend Dennis Z. made a very nice comment that I am "the coolest dude on wheels", which of course is not true, but got me thinking - who is the coolest dude on wheels?

I need your help to decide; please answer the poll below.  IF YOU'RE NOT A REGISTERED LIVE JOURNAL USER, JUST GO TO THE "LEAVE A COMMENT" LINK AT THE BOTTOM, TELL ME WHO YOU'D VOTE FOR, AND I'LL TALLY YOUR VOTE.
Poll #1373987 The Coolest?
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All

Who is the coolest dude on wheels?

• Best Semiprozine  -  Weird Tales, edited by Stephen H. Segal and Ann VanderMeer  (see Year in Review and eligible works published in WT)

• Best Graphic Story  -  "In the Cage", published in Mushishi volume 4

• Best Novel  -  "The Alchemy of Stone" by Ekaterina Sedia

I love carving the bird, but not so much for culinary reasons.  Years ago, my cousins Dave & Miriam Witten gave Rashmika and I the carving tools you see on our table. 

Dave, who was actually my Mom’s eldest first cousin, was a Captain in the elite Army Ranger battalion, Merrill’s Marauders.  (This was the only Army Ranger battalion active in WWII, and has the rare distinction that every soldier in the battalion was awarded a Bronze Star).  The unit was assigned to “deep penetration”, their mission being to engage enemy troops in Burma.

Dave brought home the carving tools, and the beautiful peacock handled serving tools, from India.  When he and Miriam moved to Washington, DC (in, I think, 1991) they made a gift of these to Rashmika and I.  Whenever we use them I think of Dave and Miriam, two of the sweetest, most cultured people I ever knew.

And a side note, Dave is the first person I ever knew who ever told me he was going to be cremated.  This was clearly not the norm for Jewish people, and certainly not for people of Dave’s generation.  (As I recall, Dave was the oldest of the cousins and was actually about the age of my Grandmother, born around 1910.)  So I asked him about it, about not having a headstone, and I’ll always remember what he said  -  not a quote, but it was something like  -  I’ll be happy knowing people think of me kindly sometimes.  Rashmika and I think fondly of Dave and Miriam - the music, the bread - and were enriched and influenced by them.

Then of course there’s the other Thanksgiving tradition, the Absinthe.  OK, I’ll admit it’s not exactly an established tradition  -  what with Absinthe being banned in the U.S. for 92 years, and just being legalized again in 2007.  But Rashmika, David and I are going to establish this as a family tradition, starting today  -  we’ll let you know how it goes.

We went to an F1 race with Grand Prix Tours (www.gptours.com) this summer, and I promised a couple other members of this community I would report back on Grand Prix Tours, and how it went.

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