In today’s Wall Street Journal, Joseph Epstein [link probably for subscribers only] observes that blague is homonymous with blog (to Anglo-Saxon ears anyway). This fact suggests a new distinction: between worthy blogs, such as the ones on the roll in this one’s sidebar, and blagues of the Daily Kos, democrats.com, Donkey Rising ilk. I of course do not mean “blague” in any derogatory sense. At least, I don’t see how any of the sites so labeled can reasonably complain. The word is, after all, French.
Incidentally, I am currently at SMOFCon, the annual convention for people who run science fiction conventions, particularly Worldcons. One of this year’s attendees is New Jersey fan Gary Blog, who is heartily embarrassed at seeing his name used so freely in the media. He hasn’t yet hit on the idea of demanding royalties.
I’ll pass along any interesting news or gossip that I pick up this weekend but am too sleepy to do a lot of schmoozing tonight. I did learn from Kent Bloom that he expects the prospective Denver in 2008 Worldcon bid to launch its official campaign over Fourth of July weekend at the 2005 Westercon in Calgary. As a long-time critic of over-lengthy bidding, Kent evidently intends to conform his practice to his precepts.
Also, Kevin Standlee emphatically denies any intention to organize a San José in 2012 bid. Emphatically.
That's only because people keep asking me about it. Fans at conventions where I'm sitting behind tables promoting Due North/Westercon 58 and Interaction come and ask "When is the Bay Area going to bid for another Worldcon?" The San Jose Convention Center reps asked me "When are you coming back?" when I decided to take advantage of their invitation to me (and hundreds of other people who have held events in their building) to come to big reception a few weeks back. At least to the CVB reps, I explained that the Worldcon is unlikely to come to the same area more often than once a decade at the most, which to my dismay led to people around me assuming that I planned for us to be back in 2012. Doggoneitall, we only folded the ConJosé operating committee as an organizational entity last July. With a brief interlude around 1995-1996, I've been involved at a high level with Bay Area Worldcon bids or Worldcons almost continuously since 1989. I'm taking a bit of a breather.
(Although a "breather" that includes me working as a division manager or equivalent for the 2005 Westercon and the 2005 Worldcon, followed by being Fan Guest of Honor at CascadiaCon, not to mention agreeing to do the registration database for ConStruction Bay Area, SFSFC's recently-resurrected conrunning convention, isn't exactly restful. Must remember to say "no" more often.)
That doesn't mean that someone else may have big plans about which I know nothing.
Posted by: Kevin Standlee | Tuesday, December 07, 2004 at 05:42 PM