Post July 16 Meeting Wrap Up

Hello all,

Last weekend was a lot of fun. We had a meeting that focused mostly on the 40th Anniversary prep, books sold, eating pizza and a fun time recording the podcast on High Fantasy!

Here are some of the highlights of the meeting!

THE KaCSFFS 40TH ANNIVERSARY MEETING
September 17, 2011 -- The Writer's Place!!

As of now, Robin Bailey and Sherri Dean are leading the group that is helping to put it together.

They need your help!

Here's what you can do:
--Volunteer to bring appetizers and desserts to the part.

--Donate any old convention booklets, Videos of past events (or future, you know, because we can!).

--Contact James M. if you have any articles or art for the 40th Anniversary zine!

--Volunteer! Contact Robin Bailey and Sherri Dean and get them your e-mail address so they can keep in contact!

--Cindy N. is in charge of the shirt display! Donate any old shirts from previous years!

--Tracy M. is setting up a slideshow. Donate any pictures you might have taken at our events!

--David M. is looking for Conbadges from before 1983.

If you can think of anything else you'd like to do to help out, please feel free to comment below or e-mail Robin or Sherri!


Mark you Calendars!

Upcoming events include the Laser Rangers Meeting and Film Cadets/Fanivores posted below.

The August Meeting is taking place on the 13th. The theme is CUPCAKES!!!! Be sure to bring something sweet!

This month is special since there will be two events being held at the same time. On side of the Writer's Place will be the KaCSFFS Art show run by Jan G.

On the other side of the Writer's Place will be Robin Bailey's Radio Plays.

Come and join the fun.

40th Anniversary - September 17th (see above).

October Meeting

October (duh) 29, 2011.
Susan and Becky are in charge of this event. We don't know what they have planned (something spooky!), but we know it will include a Costume Contest, Scary Food Contest, and other surprises. Come if you're will be strong enough!


HIGH FANTASY PODCAST!



The podcast went off amazingly well. Our main panel was hosted by:
Sherri Dean
Holly M.
James M.

It was produced by KaCSFFS and was directed and written by Tyrell G.

Tech Support by handled by the KaCSFFS Crew

Guests heard on the show, in order of appearance, include:
Ken K.
David S.
Diana B.
David M.
Dane G.
Robin B.

If you would like to learn more about, at least two of our panelists, you can find them at there websites:

Holly's Blog can be found here:
http://www.hollymessinger.com/

Holly has released books through Baens Universe:
http://www.baens-universe.com/authors/Holly_Messinger

And sells her costumes on her ETSY Page
http://www.etsy.com/shop/hollymessinger


Sherri Dean has books released through Yard Dog Books:
http://www.yarddogpress.com/Books.htm#D (search for Dean!)


Speaking of Books

Our own Dane Grannon has published a book! Go check it out now.

Lucky Streak
by Dane Grannon
Published By May December Publications LLC
Words: 68148 (approximate)

Go buy it on Amazon eBook Market or at Smashwords

Blurb from Smashwords:
Lucky is an 18 year-old with a record and is in debt. He pulls a final job which provides the means for clearing his accounts. A path to the straight and narrow is open before him, but a vivacious neighbor talks him out of his money. Faced with missing a court-ordered restitution payment, he decides to pull one final job. Things go terribly wrong and he comes face with a zombie outbreak. Drawing upon his skill, courage, and luck, he struggles to keep his streak alive.

Enjoy reading.

That concludes this wrap up for KaCSFFS July meeting. Hope to see you at the next one.

Upcoming Events

We've got two major events on the docket for the last few weeks of July (can you believe we are over half way through the year already!) Just wow!

Anyway, Here's what we got:

Laser Rangers:
July 23rd, 2011 (This Saturday) at David's House E-mail David here. Show starts at 4:15, and David requests that we start on time since they have company staying over of the under 10 year-old kind.

We'll be watching: DareDevil and Iron Man. Two superheros who wear red suits. It should be a lot of fun. Food Theme: All-American Food. Dress theme: Suits or Super Suits.

Shorts include Robot Chicken and a selection from The Incredibles.

Film Cadets/Fanivores:
July 31, 2011; Merriam Cinemark, KS; 5:10pm
Movie: Cowboys and Aliens

View Larger Map


Restaurant: Chili's (to follow immediately at the conclusion of the movie.)

View Larger Map

(See, it's the same map, only the theater is at one end and the restaurant is at the other!)

Hope to see you at both events!

Laser Rangers Date Change!

Saturday, July 23, 2011  


That's the new date. A scheduling conflict arose for the original date of July 9.  We apologize for any confusion.


Program, Captain Laser, food theme, 4:15 start time, and optional apparel remain the same.  If you have any questions, please contact David Sooby.

Super Red Suits Rule!

Laser Rangers embark into the Marvel universe this month, with Daredevil and Iron Man:

David Sooby again hosts Laser Rangers.

Date: July 9, 2011
Time: 4:15 p.m. "fan time"
Place: The usual.  See contact information for host David Sooby inside the proscenium arch.
Food Theme: "All Time American" food (hamburgers, fries, or anything with grease!).  Alternate "liquid" diet, suggested as a spoof: "The Tony Stark" (martinis or anything straight up with a proof over 20%).
Captain Laser: Ty Gephardt
Apparel: Wear superhero costumes, or business suits (in honor of Tony Stark or the blind attorney).

You have a truly broad range of costume alternatives in July!

On the Program: The Movies of the Evening both feature Marvel superheroes:

Daredevil is the first feature for July 9.

Daredevil
Released in 2003, the group will view the Director's Cut.
The movie was written and directed by Mark Steven Johnson,
It was based on the Daredevil comics by Stan Lee and Bill Everett.

The cast includes: 
Ben Affleck, as Murdock/the Daredevil
Jennifer Garner, as Elektra
Michael Clarke Duncan, as Kingpin
Colin Farrell, as Bullseye

Shorts:
Captain Laser has selected three short films to accompany the evening's features:
A scene from The Incredibles (2004), with Brad Bird as Edna "E" Mode, describing the pitfalls of capes.
The Robot Chicken short, Iron Chaney.
The How It Should Have Ended short, Iron Man (due to spoilers, this short film will be shown after the second feature!).

The second July 9 feature is Iron Man.

Iron Man 
This 2008 blockbuster was directed by Jon Favreau.
The screenplay was written by Mark Fergus, Hawk Ostby, Art Marcum, and Matt Holloway.
The movie was based on the Iron Man comics, created by Stan Lee, Larry Leiber, Don Heck, and Jack Kirby.

The cast includes:
Robert Downey, Jr., as Tony Stark
Terrence Howard, as Rhodey
Jeff Bridges, as Obadiah Stane
Gwyneth Paltrow, as Pepper Potts

A more in-depth description of this program, with reviews and at least one film clip, should be published on the Laser Rangers Website.

CREDIT WHERE IT IS DUE:
Many thanks to Ty Gephardt for most of the information in this post!
PHOTO CREDITS: The movie screen frame image used for the Laser Rangers contact information is courtesy of Psychology Today Online.  The photo of the man in the business suit is from Men's USA.  Paul Young's Screen Rant blog provided the image of fans in superhero costumes.  Many thanks to IMDB for the movie posters for Daredevil and Iron Man. 

There've been some Changes Made

Plans--gotta love 'em, right?

Right up till we change 'em, that is.  Or have them changed for us.

We'll be back in the Writers Place in July.

VKFF?  What VKFF?  

An abrupt change came when the Doubletree Hotel in Overland Park canceled our reservation to use their theater for the Vince Koehler Film Festival.  Sorry, folks--it looks as if the Show Won't Go On, at least not this year.

Instead, we will have a meeting in our usual venue, The Writers Place.  Our topic will be "Old and New Visions of High Fantasy."  See future posts for more information.

Earlier Dates in August

We also have a couple of date-changes in August, due to a problem that developed, about having the monthly KaCSFFS meeting on our usual 3rd Saturday.  As a result, the dates for Laser Rangers and the KaCSFFS meeting both have been moved up a week:

Laser Rangers: new date: August 6, 2011 - start time is still 4:15 p.m., "fan time."

KaCSFFS Meeting: new date: August 13, 2011 - the general meeting begins at 6:30, with setup starting at 6 p.m.

Please adjust your calendars accordingly!

Don't Tell the Ants!

If you have tropical decorations, contact Susan Satterfield!

The KaCSFFS Picnic is the June Meeting!

Meet at the Writers Place this Saturday, June 18, 2011 for the indoor version of the annual KaCSFFS Picnic!  We have moved it inside so it is possible for more of our members to attend, even when they have health issues.

Our theme is tropical fun, so contact Susan Satterfield if you can bring appropriate decorations, and dress in something summery, or  "tropical-looking," such as Hawaiian shirts, grass skirts, muu-muus, straw hats, leis, etc., to fit the theme!

Wear something "tropical"!

There is a sign-up list on the KAXFEN list where you can sign up to bring specific kinds of food.  We need:

• Meat or Casseroles (main-dish type)
• Veggies, including
• Tossed salad with dressing
• Veggie tray
• Cole slaw
• Baked beans
• Anything else you like!
• Chips and dip
• Fruit
• Bread and butter
• Cheese and crackers
• Desserts, such as



Bring your own ice!

• Cake or cupcakes 
• Pies
• Brownies or cookies

KaCSFFS will provide tablecloths, paper plates, and plastic cutlery, but each person should bring their choice of drinks, with their own ice.

We also need a few more tables.  Contact KAXFEN to volunteer yours!

Susan also is planning for some games, so come prepared to join in!

Next month: Vince Koehler Film Festival, July 16!

Have you reserved your seat for Vince and Kassie's Animation Festival?  Remember, it's at the Doubletree Hotel in Corporate Woods.  For more information go to the Vince Koehler Film Festival website, or see our earlier blog post.

Finally, here's early notice about the August 20 meeting!

The theme will be "Old and New Visions of High Fantasy," and we plan for the discussion to be featured on our PODPeople podcast.  

We also plan to have an art exhibit at this meeting, so if you are an artist please plan for it!

PHOTO CREDITS: Many thanks to the Social Couture blog for the beautiful image of luau table decorations; eBay for the image of the light-up flashing leis, and The Web Restaurant Store for the bucket of ice.

Camelot is a Silly Place - Laser Rangers

At long last, the Laser Rangers show what is perhaps the ultimate fanboy
movie, "Monty Python and the Holy Grail". Or at least, the most
oft-quoted one. "Bring me... a shrubbery!" And while you're at it,
come tomorrow to our "Camelot Is a Silly Place" program, featuring "The
Court Jester" and the above mentioned title.



"Oh, but you can't expect to wield supreme executive power just because
some watery tart threw a sword at you."

FOOD THEME: Well, nobody has come up with a brilliant idea ("Stupid
git!"), so we're doing Mexican.

"And now for something completely different."

DRESS THEME: Gumby

http://www.grenswetenschap.nl/blogs/O-brother-where-art-thou/

http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ljzcgrDjSc1qiobi1o1_500.jpg

"Now go away or I shall taunt you a second time."

Our website (to be updated on fan time):
http://lensman003.webs.com/

(Writing Credit goes to David Sooby)

(Silly placement of pictures goes to Tygepc and his poor understanding of blogger)

PodPeople Follow up to the 2011 May Meeting

Hello everyone, Ty here to follow up on the recording the Podpeople made at the meeting last weekend, and, well, it didn’t turn out as well as everyone hoped. It’s my fault really for overestimating the ability of the microphones and not giving enough instruction to the guests. While there are some salvageable parts of the recording, they come out as one-sided conversations that don't make any sense and the volume constantly fades in and out.

I’d like to thank everyone again for turning up for the meeting last weekend and helping out as best they could.

Lessons learned from this experience:

• Microphone positioning
• Instruction to the guests on how to effectively talk into the microphones
• Wire all the mics so the audience can participate. Especially when the guests unexpectedly ask for audience participation.

Lessons that still need to be learned:

• How to hook into the Writer’s Place’s sound system without causing feedback and blowing out the audiences’ eardrums.
• How to keep sound levels balanced while converting a Garageband File into an MP3 file.

If anyone would like to take a shot at this and has Garageband, please meet me at ConQuesT, I’ll give you the files. Thank you for your help.

News Updates: Laser Rangers Regular Meeting and a Successful Foray to the Storage Unit

"H.G. Wells' Two Time Machines" at Laser Rangers

Date: Saturday, May 14, 2011
Time: 4:15 P.M. ("fan time")
Place: The usual.  For directions email David Sooby as shown on the screen at right.
Food Theme: "Food of the British Empire" (This category offers endless possibilities.  Your food choice could be any of these and more: Indian, Egyptian, Canadian, American Colonial, Australian, or even . . . English/UK!)
Captain Laser: Ken Keller

On the Program: 

For more information about these movies, go to the Laser Rangers website!
The evening will open with a 22-minute short, the Big Bang Theory Season One Episode #14, "The Time-Share Time Machine."  Here is a 2-minute teaser for this episode, from YouTube:

The first feature will be Nicholas Meyer's 1979 film, Time After Time. In a note about the, er, timing of this film, Ken Keller observed that this "is a Laser Rangers' *repeat* showing from *precisely* a decade ago this weekend. (Thus Spake Captain Laser.)"
After that is the dinner break.
The second, "main" feature will be George Pal's groundbreaking 1960 film, The Time Machine.  It won an Academy Award for special effects that year.

Storage Unit Expedition Successful
KaCSFFS has a storage unit at Attic Storage in North Kansas City that provides much-needed space to stow many items the club does not need all the time, but very much needs for some events--especially ConQuesT.  With the convention coming soon on May 27-29, six KAXFEN went over to the unit to inventory and retrieve needed supplies.

The KaCSFFS Storage Unit spills its guts!  Visible L-R are Jim Dowdy's shoulder,
Cindy Norton, and John Platt IV, along with vehicles owned by Jan Gephardt and
Cindy Norton.  Also present: Jeff Orth and Diana Bailey. 

Can anyone spare storage containers?
Club Director Diana Bailey also sent out a call to the membership for plastic storage tubs that will fit on a shelf that is 15" tall by 18" deep by 30" wide.  The club is hoping for donations to replace some of the crumbling cardboard boxes and heavy, larger totes (that won't fit on the shelves) currently in use.

PHOTO CREDITS: The movie screen frame image is from Psychology Today Online, with added design work by Jan Gephardt.  The clip from The Big Bang Theory is from YouTube and CBS.
The photo from the storage unit is by Jan Gephardt.

Laser Rangers Head for "The Wild, Wild West"

The Laser Rangers are set for a The Wild, Wild West
marathon Saturday, May 7, starting at 4:15 p.m.
Captain Laser is Bill Ostrander.

Meeting Essential Facts:

Date:  

Saturday, May 7, 2011

Time:   

Starts 4:15 p.m.; ends ???

Place:   

The usual (contact information below)

Food Theme:   

Barbeque

Join James T. West, Artemus Gordon, and the Laser Rangers Saturday May 7, starting at 4:15 p.m. ("fannish time," so don't look for precision), for a marathon viewing of The Wild, Wild West  episodes.

Actor Michael Dunn played Dr. Miguelito Quixote Loveless,
mad scientist evil genius.

Jim and Artemus, you may recall, are President Grant's agents, fighting evil with a marvelous array of ingenious gadgets, and based out of a private train.

This month's Captain Laser, Bill Ostrander, has promised two "Dr. Loveless" episodes, as well as "Night of the Juggernaut," among the six selections.  

The steam-powered Juggernaut will be featured in one of
the episodes to be viewed Saturday.

The most likely schedule is watching three episodes before supper, and the other three afterward.  The food theme for supper is barbeque (what else?).

The TV series ran for four seasons, 1965-1969.  Robert Conrad played James West, and Ross Martin played Artemus Gordon. 

PHOTO CREDITS: The graphic from the show's opening credits is from the Classic Forever blog.  The black-and-white image of Dr. Loveless is from Advice . . . with Dr. Julia Chicken.  The color image of Dr. Loveless is from the Two Rags blog.  The Juggernaut image came from The RPF website.  Our thanks to all!