SPECIAL NOTE: We’re trying a little something new this week (and going forward); feedback, and the history of our genre, strongly suggests that not only should we gather news from around the web through a variety of resources, but that we should also make them personal by adding the originator’s contact information – an analog of printing name and address following a letter to the editor in the pulps. We’re now attempting to add something similar to our news bits. Let us know what you think. (Names are often separate links to social media or web sites.)
SPECIAL FAREWELL: Storied macabre cartoonist Gahan Wilson has passed.
SOCIAL
Banned? XMas Cartoon Pulls Heart Strings AND Makes a Political Point
Amazon Scam (Not one created by Amazon)
George Takei endorses Buttigeig
SpaceX Creates one problem as they solve another: Starlink satellite train is ruining observations
Not Reading Has a Direct Impact on US Elections (Stupid is as stupid does)
Transgender Rememberance Day – Brought to notice by Tom Smith
Google’s Cameras for Android Devices Have Been Watching Youfrom Chris Barkley
ENTERTAINMENT
Michael A. Ventrella shared this commentary on bucket lists on his Facebook feed
From the Shaver Files: Another boringly prosaic explanation for sightings of aliens
Ruby Kapture offers up this illustrated commentary on the importance of art
Hidden Details in SF Film Posters You May Have Missed (then again, you probably didn’t miss these)
Taral Wayne shares a take on Rocket J Squirrel
Anton Marks says Star Trek 4 is Back
Jenny Jerjes shares a depiction of Saturn from Titan on the International Association of Astronomical Artists page
Barbara Letson shares this bookstore commentary on current events
The Washington Science Fiction Association‘s Mike Walsh Highlights a Collection by Jeffrey Ford, a former Capclave GoH
Ten SF Masterpieces You (May) have missed (not)
More from Mike Walsh: a cartoonist’s take on the intersection of fantasy quests and apps
Ed Bidwell shares this unusual Atomic Cake design
Megan Nightingale shares these Klingon Dolls with the Star Trek group
INDUSTRY
Samuel R. Delany has some words about writing reviews
Dave McCarty sends us some pictures from the Chengdou SF Convention in China
Erika Harlitz-Kern on historical change in SF
Jeff Mariotte reminds over on the International Association of Tie In Writers page of this anthology crowd funder ending tomorrow
Sean Grigsby interviews Amazing’s Editor Ira Nayman
Becky Kyle links to these ancient tree pictures – good inspiration for alien landscapes
Over in the FB Science Fiction Group, Christopher Crosby Morris is talking about the author’s cut of The 40 Minute War
Erin Underwood Highlights the first Boskone Mini Interview on the Boskone page
Writing by Hand, some thoughts from Anton Marks
On Fanhistory, Mike Walsh posts a link to File 770’s Coverage of Lenny Kaye’s Fanzine Collection
John DeNardo brings our attention to The Years Top Hard Science Fiction Stories
WAPO Offers up a list of the Top SF & F From 2019
Fictional science in Science Fiction
the Atompunk group’s David Grinnell highlights the Trans Godmother of Electronic Music
SCIENCE
NASA Makes Their Stuff Royalty Free
3D Printed skin, NOW with more blood vessels
How You’ll Live on Mars – if Elon Will Have You
Listen to the Earth: Magnetic Song, might be related to whale song
Dave Johnson wants us to know that Pluto is a Planet Again!
Solar Energy Startup Backed by Bill Gates Show Promise
This article from Space.com details the companies working on the return to the Moon, from Paul Bousquet
Planet DNA may offer up a solution to aging
Who Knew Neutrinos Could Solve Math Problems?
Elephants Walk 12 Miles to Mourn Rescuer, from Mark Chadbourn
Duane Spurlock shares news of the mapping of Titan on the Space Opera page
Hot Wall of Plasma Surrounds the Solar System from Horatio Padua on the Star Trek page
Starship Explodes and Jim Burns reminds us what Musk said about breaking things
Surgical “Freezing” Procedure Could be used for space travel from Orlin Pettit on the Analog FB Group
Star Trek Groups Joseph McGarry wants us to know about the biggest explosion since the big bang