June 15, 2012

May News Roundup

* Would you like to be an artist?  Precita Eyes <http://www.precitaeyes.org/index.html> is hosting a Community Mural Painting Intensive Workshop this July; they'll be painting a brand new mural in the Mission Playground on the side of Borderlands' building in August!  If you want to participate, the workshop is a bit pricey - $450 - but you'll have the opportunity to learn the principals of a community-based mural process from an experienced muralist, and have your work immortalized in the park!  (And maybe even put Ripley back in the mural.) The workshop is open to all skill levels.  Call (415) 285-2287 for more information.

* Fascinating three-part piece on Philip K. Dick and philosophy from the New York Times: http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/20/philip-k-dick-sci-fi-philosopher-part-1/?hp

* Our friends at Other Change of Hobbit were featured in this Oakland Local article! http://oaklandlocal.com/article/other-change-hobbit-owners-continue-success-science-fiction-focus-qa

* Slate.com absolutely raves about Kim Stanley Robinson's new novel 2312: http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/books/2012/06/science_fiction_review_kim_stanley_robinson_s_2312_.single.html . Also, you can build an asteroid terrarium in honor of the book! http://www.orbitbooks.net/2312/

* UK newspaper The Independent mentioned Borderlands Books as one of the "select" things to do in 48 hours in San Francisco! http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/48-hours-in/48-hours-in-san-francisco-7764058.html

* If you can't make the SF in SF event on June 16th, you'll have a second chance to see Lev Grossman at the Commonwealth Club on Monday, June 18th.   That event takes place at the Cubberley Theatre in Palo Alto, and costs $20 for non-members.  For tickets call 1-800-847-7730 or register online at http://www.commonwealthclub.org/events/2012-06-18/lev-grossman-master-magician.

* Congratulations to this year's Nebula Award Winners, including Best Novel winner Jo Walton (AMONG OTHERS)! http://www.sfwa.org/2012/05/2011-nebula-awards-announced/

* For all you Lovecraft fans, a bizarre and creepy deep-sea creature caught by a robotic camera: http://www.wimp.com/creaturecaught/

* Everyone likes cake -- like this extraordinary Tim Burton zoetrope cake!  http://io9.com/5913308/this-tim-burton-zoetrope-cake-is-way-too-nifty-to-eat.  And these J.K. Potter-esque nightmare cakes might be an exception to the "everyone likes cake" rule.  Thanks, io9.com: I'll never look at dessert exactly the same way: http://io9.com/5913815/if-hr-giger-were-a-pastry-chef-his-cakes-might-look-something-like-this

* Although they are the government agency that I trust the most, it may indeed be time to worry when the CDC begins officially denying rumors of a zombie apocalypse: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/01/cdc-denies-zombies-existence_n_1562141.html .  In related news, we have signed copies of all three of Mira Grant's "Newsflesh" trilogy available.  Annnnnd, now ammunition makers are manufacturing zombie-specific bullets. And it's being reported by CNBC. http://www.cnbc.com/id/47737718

* Forget zombies, says ROBOPOCALYPSE author Daniel H. Wilson: beware the robot uprising. Survival tips here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-G3RoBHMu-o&noredirect=1

* Taking a cue from the founders of the James Tiptree, Jr. Memorial Award, NASA held a bake sale June 8th. http://news.yahoo.com/scientists-hold-bake-sale-nasa-saturday-221048232.html .  As author Pat Murphy says, "If you can't change the world with chocolate chip cookies, how can you change the world?"

* Huge thanks (and a bit of awe) to local artist (and customer) Kiri Moth, who created this gorgeous Ripley poster: http://kirimoth.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/kirimoth_ripley.jpg . For more of her amazing work, see http://kirimoth.com/blog/ .

* We were saddened to hear of the death of glorious curmudgeon Maurice Sendak, who passed away in May at age 83. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/09/books/maurice-sendak-childrens-author-dies-at-83.html?pagewanted=all

* We're very sorry to report the death of versatile and brilliant artist Leo Dillon.  http://www.tor.com/blogs/2012/05/leo-dillon-1933-2012

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