BASFA

Minutes of Meeting #1876
Monday, August 31, 2026

Trey Haddad, President
Ken Patterson, Vice President
Dave Gallaher, Treasurer
Galen Tripp & Laser Pistol Packin’ Mama, Sergeants at Arms
Barbara Johnson-Haddad, Secretary
meeting held online AND meeting live at Parktown Pizza [at Meridian & Hillsdale in SJ]
https://www.parktownpizza.com

***************************
NEW ZOOM FOR 2026
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82190960810?pwd=k8qAIDt9sntTTLOI6FoerafmYvU2AR.1

Meeting ID: 821 9096 0810
Passcode: B4SF41D
---
One tap mobile
+16699009128,,82190960810#,,,,*5724576#
---
By Telephone
669-900-9128
Meeting ID: 821 9096 0810
Passcode: 5724576
Find your local number:https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kcSpSAHaD
***************************

Called to order at 8 pm
4live/6online beings attended the meeting

The minutes of meeting 1875 were accepted as 'the bar is in the room'

Proxy Treasurer's report = Regular: $15,805.32
Party: $230.58
Money can be sent to salve guilt via PayPal - sent to: dwgallaher@gmail.com
Though we have accrued $166.84 since the resumption of live meetings.

the VP was reporting from WorldCon in Anaheim that he saw the treasurer, who is now zooming home & in transit. He pressed on though, even with lost signals & had nothing otherwise fannish to report & things will be back to normal for next week's BASFA meeting

the President had nothing fannish to report

There were no committee reports

There was no old or new business

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Lisa announced that Brisbane will be the site of WorldCon 2028
also see = https://www.brisbane28.org/

Yochanan announced that there is an Egyptian exhibit at the DeYoung museum in SF now, through January 2027
see = https://secretsanfrancisco.com/treasures-of-the-pharaohs-opens-de-young-museum/

Rick announced that there will be a full solar eclipse in Australia 1 week before the 2028 Brisbane Worldcon, so make travel plans accordingly
see = https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_eclipse_of_July_22,_2028
also see = https://www.brisbane28.org/

Reviews:

Yochanan reviewed 'The Magic Far Away Tree', a fantasy movie based on the series by Enid Blyton. He found the humor very British and silly at times. He found it enjoyable, but not great, worth matinee
see = https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Magic_Faraway_Tree_(film)
Yochanan also reviewed the de Young Museum 'Treasure of the Pharohs' as a very nice display - not splashy - & it had a nice audio track. He really enjoyed his visit and recommends it
see = https://secretsanfrancisco.com/treasures-of-the-pharaohs-opens-de-young-museum/
Yochanan also reviewed a media-con, GalaxyCon 2026 in SanJose, this last weekend that he attended for about 2 hours. He found it sparsely attended and that there was not much to do or see there. He found it disappointing, but hears that next GalaxyCon will not be scheduled opposite another major scifi con.
see = https://galaxycon.com/pages/galaxycon-san-jose

Lisa reviewed WorldCon as over 1700 panels, most of which she missed. She enjoyed all the ones she attended & that - if you were a member - many of the pales were recorded for online viewing. She found the Masquerade to be fantastic & the Hugo Awards presentation was long - at 3 hours. The animal facts given during it were fun. She wishes she could attend next year's WorldCon in Montreal. Lisa found the parties to be fun and she had a good time.
Valerie commented that she also attended and agrees with everything Lisa reported. She was on 7 panels, which limited her chance to attend a lot of panels. Sales were okay at her Dealer's table & she plans to watch panels that she missed online. She attended a party that was Peeps themed with The "Minneapolis in 2076" Worldcon bid (a long-running hoax bid) & was offered SO many Peeps & had fun.
Yochanan also attended and he says he had 'SO MUCH FUN!' & he's so glad he went. He found it amazing and enjoyed meeting authors in person & thought the Art Show was magnificent. He agrees that all the parties were awesome & definitely needs to go to another WorldCon. He found the belly-dancing Klingons to be amazing!
Ken thought the 'Party Deck' was really well set up & excellent for its ability to socialize while not feeling over-crowded & really nice. He found the numbers at-con to be lower than usual which was ascribed to current political tensions, but he noticed that there were a lot of 1-day attendees. He also enjoyed the panels he attended - many of which has BASFA members on them. He enjoyed the chance to see a lot of familiar faces who have since moved away.
Rick was too tired to give a review other than that he was too tired.
It was commented that panels & events all started ON TIME. Shock! Amaze amaze amaze!
see = https://www.lacon.org/

Ken reviewed this week's 'Star Trek, Strange New Worlds' episode as '24 meets the Poseidon Adventure', maybe a little less gimmicky, but still a pastiche. He recommends the show, but opined that this episode might not be for the squeamish. There were follow-ons that discussed the episode, generally, but without spoilers - and with very positive reactions
see = https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Trek:_Strange_New_Worlds_season_4

we adjourned at = 8:43 pm

Rumor of the Week: 'BASFA folk are always zooming around'

there were no auctions

Minutes of Meeting #1874
Monday, August 17, 2026

Trey Haddad, President
Ken Patterson, Vice President
Dave Gallaher, Treasurer
Galen Tripp & Laser Pistol Packin’ Mama, Sergeants at Arms
Barbara Johnson-Haddad, Secretary
meeting held online AND meeting live at Parktown Pizza [at Meridian & Hillsdale in SJ]
https://www.parktownpizza.com

***************************
NEW ZOOM FOR 2026
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82190960810?pwd=k8qAIDt9sntTTLOI6FoerafmYvU2AR.1

Meeting ID: 821 9096 0810
Passcode: B4SF41D
---
One tap mobile
+16699009128,,82190960810#,,,,*5724576#
---
By Telephone
669-900-9128
Meeting ID: 821 9096 0810
Passcode: 5724576
Find your local number:https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kcSpSAHaD
***************************

Called to order at 8:02 pm
5live/6online beings attended the meeting

The minutes of meeting 1873 were accepted as 'having ICE in all the appropriate places, like Antarctica instead of Minnesota'

Proxy Treasurer's report = Regular: $15,805.32
Party: $230.58
Money can be sent to salve guilt via PayPal - sent to: dwgallaher@gmail.com
Though we have accrued $166.84 since the resumption of live meetings.

the VP reported that 'Next week, and the following week, he will not be here. Next week I may not even be able to attend by Zoom. The following week, I will set up a Zoom session from WorldCon in Anaheim. As most of us who show up in person will be down there, I have notified the staff here (at Parktown) that we will not be here on the 31st.'

the President had nothing fannish to report

There were no committee reports

There was no old or new business

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Yochanan announced that the actress Hayden Panettiere had died

Reviews:

Yochanan reviewed 2 seasons of 'Sense8', seen on Netflix as he enjoyed it. The characters represent a new form of humanity & how they cope with sharing senses. The series was filmed in many different locations around the world & was about compassion & understanding. He highly recommends it as worth full price. Lisa followed that, as reported on a Babylon5 group, Joe Straczynski said he was pleased with being able to get onto film what he wanted to get across. Rick also gives the series top marks and was giddy with his enjoyment of the series.
see = https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sense8
Yochanan also reviewed 'One Night Only' as 'the Purge, but for sex' and was treated as a light-hearted Rom-Com. He found it to be rather tame but still enjoyed it & rates it as worth matinee
see = https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Night_Only_(2026_film)
Yochanan also reviewed the AMC Plus series 'Interview with the Vampire', season 2 as it takes many liberties with the source material. He considers it worth full price.
see = https://www.primevideo.com/detail/0R3NX402CNSE2P1M0L100OMP0D/
Yochanan also reviewed 'Our Time' as seen on Netflix as a time travel movie that he enjoyed a lot & it has a bit of a telenovela ending. He rates it as worth matinee
see = https://www.imdb.com/title/tt35630700

Ken reviewed the latest episode of 'Star Trek Strange New Worlds' - 'A Case of Chiaroscuro' as a film noir episode set on a frontier world where everything is shown in monochrome. He enjoyed that there were lots of 'Casablanca' tropes. Yochanan followed, saying he liked the episode. Rick also commented that the ensemble effort was carried off very well & was a lot of fun. Lisa has also been following the series & has been having a good time & looks forward to new episodes.
see = https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Trek:_Strange_New_Worlds
Ken also reviewed the 1982 'Slapstick' as a movie he saw so you don't have to. He found the film to be in the 'D' list or lower category but it has 'A' list actors in it & the cast was great. He rates it as a mild curiousity. Duncan has read the book it's based on and very much recommends reading the book, remembering that Vonnegut was writing it with an audience of college students in mind.
see = https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slapstick_of_Another_Kind
https://watch.plex.tv/movie/slapstick-of-another-kind

Rick reviewed 'Lanterns' from the DC universe as an 8 episode mini-series handled as a small-town Western that he very much enjoyed and says it completely defies expectations
see = https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lanterns_(TV_series)
Rick also reviewed the season closer for 'House of the Dragon' as several plot threads were followed, lots of bloody fight scenes & the episode ended up as a bit of a mess. He thinks it was done well, not really worth re-watching, but is worth seeing once
see = https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_the_Dragon

we adjourned at = 8:55 pm

Rumor of the Week: 'Play it again Sam ... Kirk'

there were auctions

Minutes of Meeting #1872
Monday, August 3, 2026

Trey Haddad, President
Ken Patterson, Vice President
Dave Gallaher, Treasurer
Galen Tripp & Laser Pistol Packin’ Mama, Sergeants at Arms
Barbara Johnson-Haddad, Secretary
meeting held online AND meeting live at Parktown Pizza [at Meridian & Hillsdale in SJ]
https://www.parktownpizza.com

***************************
NEW ZOOM FOR 2026
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82190960810?pwd=k8qAIDt9sntTTLOI6FoerafmYvU2AR.1

Meeting ID: 821 9096 0810
Passcode: B4SF41D
---
One tap mobile
+16699009128,,82190960810#,,,,*5724576#
---
By Telephone
669-900-9128
Meeting ID: 821 9096 0810
Passcode: 5724576
Find your local number:https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kcSpSAHaD
***************************

Called to order at 20:00
7live/4online beings attended the meeting

The minutes of meeting 1871 were accepted as 'Highly likely that they are there waiting for me to read'.

Proxy Treasurer's report = Regular: $15,805.32
Party: $230.58
Money can be sent to salve guilt via PayPal - sent to: dwgallaher@gmail.com
Though we have accrued $165.59 since the resumption of live meetings.

the VP reported that 'the last two Mondays of August I will not be in town. There is a chance that on the 24th I will not be in a position to join remotely (that’s our travel day) but should be able to Zoom in on the 31st from WorldCon. We’ll need someone to present the Zoom for the in-person portion of the meeting on those two dates.
& he reported that Michael Wallis changed our email list over to a new service called Gaggle (the old Mailman service was discontinued by our hosting service). If you didn’t get the email, and want to be on the list, pop over to basfa.org and click “Join List” or, click here gaggle.email/join/basfa-list@gaggle.email
Also, also, he reported that while he had Michael Wallis’ attention, he asked Michael to spin up a WordPress installation. There is a parallel site running at basfa.org/basfa. Comments are appreciated & functionality requests will be entertained. The hope is to make that our primary site.

the President was not present

There were no committee reports

There was no old or new business

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Rick announced that this Saturday there will be a party at his place. Homemade pizza will be had. Look out for an the email with the details.

Lisa announced that she will not be at Ricks event, as she will be attending the BAERS Jane Austin dance at her Odd Fellow’s hall. It’s from 6:30-10:30 p.m. and costuming is encouraged. Tickets are sold out online, but may be available at the door.

Reviews
Yochanan reviewed 'Pinnochio Unstrung' (Rated R, in theatres) as a horror reimagining of the classic tale told as a slasher movie. Practical effects are a plus, but definitely not for the kiddos. Loved the shadow puppet opening, with some behind the scenes clips in the end credits. Worth matinee – maybe full-price for horror aficionados.

Yochanan also reviewed 'Ready or Not' (2019) and 'Ready or Not 2: Hear I Come' (2026) (both Rated R, on streaming) as the first one was better and more original. The second features more well-known actors. Both worth matinee.

Yochanan also reviewed '13 going on 30' (Netflix, 2004) as the plot is Jennifer Garner as a 13 year old who wishes to be “thirty and flirty and thriving”. The wish comes true in a cute and charming fashion. Features a very young Mark Ruffalo. Worth matinee.

Gerald reviewed 'The Odyssey' (Rated R, in theatres) He and Gayle had mixed reactions. It's a spectacle that is surprisingly true to the original text. It moved right along and didn’t feel like a three-hour run time. However, when there was a choice between what to show or tell, he felt that they didn’t choose what he would have done. Some of the fight sequences went on too long. He rates it as worth seeing – especially the gates opening to Agamemnon. Definitely matinee. Samantha Morton (Circe) deserves an Oscar nod.
Yochanan followed that he reviewed it last week, and liked it a lot (full price). Thought it was brilliant that they sometimes didn’t show some things.
Gayle: Was looking forward to when they put wax in their ears as they sailed past the sirens.
Rick: Another example of going to extraordinary lengths to get Matt Damon home.

Rick reviewed the final installment of The Laundry Files, 'The Regicide Report' by Charles Stross, as he stuck the landing. Sad that it’s over. Well done!
Rick also reviewed 'Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: The Griffin Incident' as a horror bottle episode. He was a bit underwhelmed. Predictable ghost story. Well acted and directed.
Yochanan: Liked it more than Rick did. The atmospheric music was really cool. There were some unexpected bits for him. Some things were and weren’t explained. They tried something different for the series. Liked some parts, and some where too “magic wandy.”
Lisa: Found this one a little weak. Seemed to throw out all the usual horror tropes just to do so. Kind of weird and annoying.
Rick commented that the previous episode was also very predictable.

Rick also reviewed 'Star City' (appleTV) Season one as a triumph and worthy of a Hugo. A lot of verisimilitude about what was going on at the time in the USSR. Shot in Lithuania which lived through this period. The atmosphere, architecture, and lighting were of the time. Very well written, and thoroughly unpredictable, with a perfect resonance. A little over the top – especially in the last episode. Hoping for a second season.
Yochanan: Thoroughly enjoyed it as well. Echoes that it’s amazing. Vastly different from its parent series (though he wished there would be some crossover information). Prays for a season two. More of an espionage show than a space show.
Gerald: It would have been unlike the real Soviet Union if they had a woman as a big KGB bureaucrat.

Kennita reviewed 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day' (PG-13) as she really liked it, and the stars. Fight choreographers really need recognition! The plot was more complex than you normally think of for a superhero film – and it was a good thing. Saw in 3D – which she thinks MCU films really lean into. Had a good time. Worth full price.

we adjourned at = 21:00

Rumor of the Week: 'Horror in space: The Frightful Frontier.'

there was an auction

Minutes of Meeting #1870
Monday, July 20, 2026

Trey Haddad, President
Ken Patterson, Vice President
Dave Gallaher, Treasurer
Galen Tripp & Laser Pistol Packin’ Mama, Sergeants at Arms
Barbara Johnson-Haddad, Secretary
meeting held online AND meeting live at Parktown Pizza [at Meridian & Hillsdale in SJ]
https://www.parktownpizza.com

***************************
NEW ZOOM FOR 2026
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82190960810?pwd=k8qAIDt9sntTTLOI6FoerafmYvU2AR.1

Meeting ID: 821 9096 0810
Passcode: B4SF41D
---
One tap mobile
+16699009128,,82190960810#,,,,*5724576#
---
By Telephone
669-900-9128
Meeting ID: 821 9096 0810
Passcode: 5724576
Find your local number:https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kcSpSAHaD
***************************

Called to order at 20:00
7live/1online beings attended the meeting

The minutes of meeting 1869 were accepted as 'Viva España'

Proxy Treasurer's report = Regular: $15,805.32
Party: $230.58
Money can be sent to salve guilt via PayPal - sent to: dwgallaher@gmail.com
Though we have accrued $165.59 since the resumption of live meetings.

the VP reported that the last two Mondays of August I will not be in town. There is a chance that on the 24th I will not be in a position to join remotely (that’s our travel day) but should be able to Zoom in on the 31st from WorldCon. We’ll need someone to present the Zoom for the in-person portion of the meeting on those two dates.

the President was not present

There were no committee reports

There was no old or new business

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Lisa announced that today is the wedding anniversary of Dave and Spring (Our treasurer and a fellow BASFAns)
Lisa also announced that GallifreyOne’s first guest has been announced: Carole Ann Ford (Susan Foreman of Doctor Who). gallifreyone.com

Yochanan announced that the Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology, or KIPAC, will present a lecture on Wednesday, 22 July at 7 p.m. called Exploring Strange New Worlds: Rocky Exoplanet Atmospheres with JWST by Prof. Laura Schaefer, at Stanford University(Sapp Center for Science Teaching and Learning, Room 111) and on YouTube. kipac.stanford.edu/events/public-lectures/exploring-strange-new-worlds-rocky-exoplanet-atmospheres-jwst
We were reminded that the penultimate season of Star Trek Strange New Worlds premieres this Thursday at Midnight. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Trek:_Strange_New_Worlds

Ken announced that this Friday is the fourth Friday (not the last) of the month and time, once again, for the monthly meeting of the Legion of Rassilon – your Doctor Who fan club. This month we will be watching the Second Doctor story The Dominators. Meeting starts at 7:30, at the Denny’s on Abbot Ave in Milpitas – just off Calaveras Boulevard near 880. lor.club
Lisa said she won’t be there as she will be at MythCon (in Ooooooklahoma). mythsoc.org/mythcon/mythcon-54.htm

Rick announced that Antoinette Bower, Sylvia from the Star Trek episode Catspaw, passed away at 93. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antoinette_Bower

Reviews:

Yochanan reviewed 'Minions & Monsters' (PG in theatres) Third (and earliest) minions prequel, set in 1920s Hollywood. Love letter to Hollywood, Keaton & Chaplin homages, the advent of sound. Funnier than it has any right to be. The best of the three prequels. Full price. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minions_%26_Monsters
Yochanan also reviewed 'The Golden Grove' by Nancy Kress. Not a fan of fantasy, but a big fan of Kress – she is his second-favorite author (after Connie Willis). 1984. Characters spring to life. Bit dense at first, but picks up steam. Worth full price, and glad he read it. nancykress.com/the-golden-grove
Yochanan also reviewed 'Defiance' (Prime) older sci-fi from 2013-15. 3x 13 seasons. Set in 2046, in the town of Defiance, where humans and aliens coexist. Has a wild-west feel. Great performances, especially Tony Curran as an alien crime boss. Amazing world building, but there was a lack of explanations. The conclusion was acceptable. Worth matinee. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defiance_(TV_series)
Yochanan also reviewed 'Moana' (live, in theatres, PG) Follows the original story closely. OK. Way too much CGI (so much, that it’s barely live action!) and full of seams (as opposed to seamless)! Dwayne Johnson just acted and looked like The Rock in a wig! Some pretty scenes. Matinee at best. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moana_(2026_film)

Rick reviewed 'Silo' & 'House of the Dragon' (HBO). Both were moving pieces into place for future episodes, and were only mildly interesting. Rhys Ifans made a tour de force appearance in House…
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silo_(TV_series)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_the_Dragon

Gayle reviewed 'Beggars in Spain' by Nancy Kress (part of a trilogy) Parents gen-mod their kids so they don’t need to sleep, and the non-mods are considered inferior.
Yochanan: Highly recommends.

we adjourned at = 20:36

Rumor of the Week: 'The Rumor of the Week has been cancelled.'

there were no auctions

Minutes of Meeting #1868
Monday, July 6, 2026

Trey Haddad, President
Ken Patterson, Vice President
Dave Gallaher, Treasurer
Galen Tripp & Laser Pistol Packin’ Mama, Sergeants at Arms
Barbara Johnson-Haddad, Secretary
meeting held online AND meeting live at Parktown Pizza [at Meridian & Hillsdale in SJ]
https://www.parktownpizza.com

***************************
NEW ZOOM FOR 2026
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82190960810?pwd=k8qAIDt9sntTTLOI6FoerafmYvU2AR.1

Meeting ID: 821 9096 0810
Passcode: B4SF41D
---
One tap mobile
+16699009128,,82190960810#,,,,*5724576#
---
By Telephone
669-900-9128
Meeting ID: 821 9096 0810
Passcode: 5724576
Find your local number:https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kcSpSAHaD
***************************

Called to order at 8 pm
6live/6online beings attended the meeting

The minutes of meeting 1867 were accepted as 'Belgium man, Belgium!'

Proxy Treasurer's report = Regular: $15,805.32
Party: $230.58
Money can be sent to salve guilt via PayPal - sent to: dwgallaher@gmail.com
Though we have accrued $165.59 since the resumption of live meetings.

the VP had nothing fannish to report

the President had nothing fannish to report

There were no committee reports

There was no old or new business

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Dierdre announced that WesterCon is dead & its bylaws have been dissolved

Reviews:

Lisa reviewed BayCon 42 as fun & she enjoyed herself & has memberships for next year. Next year Westercon will be part of BayCon & the year after that it will be part of LOScon. Rick said that he also had fun there. Yochanan commented that he went to many more writing panels than he had been to before. He enjoyed the charity auction, the BASFA party and other parties. He really really enjoyed the con & felt it was worth full price.
see = https://baycon.org/

Rick reviewed the latest episode of 'Star City' as 'boy the other shoe dropped' & felt it was all done really well & can only say the last few episodes have been a beaut, unable to say more. Many others agreed that the series is 'so good!'
see = https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_City_(TV_series)
Rick also reviewed the premiere of the 3rd season of 'House of the Dragon' as unpredictable and held his interest. He feels it was pretty good.
see = https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_the_Dragon_season_3

Yochanan reviewed 'Supergirl' as he did enjoy it overall, but found the movie to be uneven. He feels it was worth matinee.
see = https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supergirl_(2026_film)
Yochanan also reviewed a book, 'The Long and Short of It', short stories by Jodi Taylor and rates it as worth matinee, having gotten a little tired of the series
see = https://www.amazon.com/Long-Short-Chronicles-St-Marys/dp/1472264312

we adjourned at = 8:20 pm

Rumor of the Week: 'The Onion is suing the Trump Administration for rendering reality too silly to parody'

there were no auctions

Minutes of Meeting #1866
Monday, June 22, 2026

Trey Haddad, President
Ken Patterson, Vice President
Dave Gallaher, Treasurer
Galen Tripp & Laser Pistol Packin’ Mama, Sergeants at Arms
Barbara Johnson-Haddad, Secretary
meeting held online AND meeting live at Parktown Pizza [at Meridian & Hillsdale in SJ]
https://www.parktownpizza.com

***************************
NEW ZOOM FOR 2026
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82190960810?pwd=k8qAIDt9sntTTLOI6FoerafmYvU2AR.1

Meeting ID: 821 9096 0810
Passcode: B4SF41D
---
One tap mobile
+16699009128,,82190960810#,,,,*5724576#
---
By Telephone
669-900-9128
Meeting ID: 821 9096 0810
Passcode: 5724576
Find your local number:https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kcSpSAHaD
***************************

Called to order at 8 pm
7live/7online beings attended the meeting

The minutes of meeting 1865 were accepted as 'Larry the cat will have a 7th Prime Minister'

Proxy Treasurer's report = Regular: $15,805.32
Party: $230.58
Money can be sent to salve guilt via PayPal - sent to: dwgallaher@gmail.com
Though we have accrued $165.59 since the resumption of live meetings.

the VP had nothing fannish to report

the President had nothing fannish to report

There were no committee reports

There was no old or new business

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Ken announced that this Friday is the 4th Friday of the month, so there will be a meeting of the Legion of Rassilon – 'your Doctor Who fan club'. This month, we start the summer with a pair of cool Ice Warrior stories. First off, the TARDIS leaves the Doctor and Clara stranded on a Soviet submarine where the crew has picked up an unusual frozen passenger. Then we head back in time, and out to Mars, with the Doctor, Bill and Nardole as they deal with some Victorian soldiers and a crafty Ice Warrior whose goal is to revive his Queen. The meeting is live in person at the Dennie's on Bascom in Milpitas on Abbott Rd, near the 880 freeway, at 7:30pm - wear a mask - for more info check their Facebook page
see = lor.club

Yochanan announced that season 3 of 'The Ark' premiers July 29th
see = https://www.syfy.com/the-ark

Reviews:

Rick reviewed James Cory's novel 'The Faith of Beasts', book 2 of the Captive's War & gives it a rave review, saying you definitely want to read this.
see = https://www.jamessacorey.com/books/the-faith-of-beasts/
Rick also reviewed episode 5 of 'Star City' on Apple TV Plus as very well done. He recommends it, enjoying how the espionage elements were handled. He gives it high praise. Duncan commented that the best spy thrillers are multi-layered, containing within them the feeling of sci-fi and this episode was excellent at showing this edge of the seat tension.
see = https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_City_(TV_series)

Ken reviewed seeing Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass. They played at Davies Symphony Hall and there were definitely a bunch of bangers played. He rated it as worth full price for box seats.
see =https://localnewsmatters.org/2026/06/17/review-herb-alpert-tijuana-brass-delight-with-nostalgia-great-tunes-in-davies-hall/

Yochanan reviewed 'Disclosure Day', Spielberg's latest movie as an enjoyable and competent film, but not as good as the promotional material he saw implied it would be. He thought the film was a bit too long and worth matinee.
see = https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disclosure_Day
Yochanan also reviewed 'Bugonia', seen streaming on Netflix - as a conspiracy theory, sci-fi, horror movie & almost worth full price. He thought it was a very good movie and adds it has some very unsettling parts. He recommends it as not for everyone, but he enjoyed it. Duncan was glad for the review as this was a movie he wanted to see but kept putting off.
see = https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bugonia_(film)
Yochanan also reviewed 'My Old Ass', that he saw streaming on Prime. He found the movie to be much better than the premise and thought that it captured small town dynamics well.
see = https://www.primevideo.com/detail/0I1NQNGUFGJHUETGXCD3TC2S6Q/

Trey reviewed 'He Man & the Masters of the Universe' as not deathless cinema and was - as Rick put it 'expensive fan fic'. Trey rates it as worth matinee, or wait for cable. He felt most of the actors did a good job, but thought the script let the actors down. He warned that there were 3 cookies at the end of the movie.
see = https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masters_of_the_Universe_(2026_film)

Duncan reviewed a book coming out tomorrow, 'Regime Change' by Maggie Haberman & Jonathan Swan about the Trump administration - as the interview with the authors was mind-blowingly good and he can't wait to actually read the book
see = https://www.amazon.com/Regime-Change-Inside-Imperial-Presidency/dp/1668067242

we adjourned at = 8:44 pm

Rumor of the Week: 'BASFA's club President will have a meeting about internal affairs this week'

there were no auctions

Minutes of Meeting #1864
Monday, June 8, 2026

Trey Haddad, President
Ken Patterson, Vice President
Dave Gallaher, Treasurer
Galen Tripp & Laser Pistol Packin’ Mama, Sergeants at Arms
Barbara Johnson-Haddad, Secretary
meeting held online AND meeting live at Parktown Pizza [at Meridian & Hillsdale in SJ]
https://www.parktownpizza.com

***************************
NEW ZOOM FOR 2026
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82190960810?pwd=k8qAIDt9sntTTLOI6FoerafmYvU2AR.1

Meeting ID: 821 9096 0810
Passcode: B4SF41D
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By Telephone
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Meeting ID: 821 9096 0810
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Called to order at 8 pm
4live/7online beings attended the meeting

The minutes of meeting 1863 were accepted as 'THE Kitty!'

Proxy Treasurer's report = Regular: $15,805.32
Party: $230.58
Money can be sent to salve guilt via PayPal - sent to: dwgallaher@gmail.com
Though we have accrued $165.59 since the resumption of live meetings.

the VP had nothing fannish to report

the President had nothing fannish to report

There were no committee reports

There was no old or new business

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Yochanan announced that actor Anthony Stewart Head died

Lisa announced that Casa Doom is having a meeting 2pm June 14, Sunday for a reading
see = https://mythsoc.org/groups.htm

Reviews:

Yochanan reviewed 'Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance', season 1 on Netflix, that was then cancelled - as he enjoyed it. He had some trouble getting into it initially because he kept seeing the muppets as puppets, but enjoyed the depth of the world lore. He felt it dragged a little & thinks the movie was better. He also recommends seeing the 'making of' special even more than the series.
see = https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dark_Crystal:_Age_of_Resistance
Yochanan also reviewed 'Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children' by Ransom Riggs as he found it to be an amazing story. He then went and watched the movie based on it, finding the movie to be loud and bombastic. The book was exceptionally good and photos in the book are integral to the plot. He really, really likes the book & recommends it.
see = https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miss_Peregrine%27s_Home_for_Peculiar_Children
Yochanan also reviewed a Fathom event movie - 'The Amazing Digital Circus: the Last Act' & found it to be unusual & guardedly worth full price at $18. He thinks the series is fairly interesting & 'quite, quite unusual' with animation that is sometimes cartoonish.
see = https://www.fathomentertainment.com/releases/the-amazing-digital-circus/

Ken reviewed having seen last Thursday 'Toxic Avenger, the Musical' as a lot of silly fun. He rates it as definitely worth full price & the cast of 5 was excellent.
see = https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Toxic_Avenger_(musical)
and see = https://losaltosstage.org/the-toxic-avenger/

Rick reviewed another episode of 'Star City' on Apple TV Plus as very well done. He recommends it and plans to watch future episodes. Yochanan also enjoyed it, but finds that everything is very dark - dark clothes and dark-haired and all look very British.
see = https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_City_(TV_series)

Duncan reviewed 'Spiderman Noir' as seeing it in color does not help the show & maybe it's better in black & white. He can't recommend it after seeing the first 3 episodes.
see = https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spider-Man_Noir

we adjourned at = 8:37 pm

Rumor of the Week: 'The cat's heat is already here'

there were no auctions

Minutes of Meeting #1862
Monday, May 25, 2026

Trey Haddad, President
Ken Patterson, Vice President
Dave Gallaher, Treasurer
Galen Tripp & Laser Pistol Packin’ Mama, Sergeants at Arms
Barbara Johnson-Haddad, Secretary
meeting held online AND meeting live at Parktown Pizza [at Meridian & Hillsdale in SJ]
https://www.parktownpizza.com

***************************
NEW ZOOM FOR 2026
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82190960810?pwd=k8qAIDt9sntTTLOI6FoerafmYvU2AR.1

Meeting ID: 821 9096 0810
Passcode: B4SF41D
---
One tap mobile
+16699009128,,82190960810#,,,,*5724576#
---
By Telephone
669-900-9128
Meeting ID: 821 9096 0810
Passcode: 5724576
Find your local number:https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kcSpSAHaD
***************************
Called to order at 8 pm
7live/2online beings attended the meeting

The minutes of meeting 1860 were accepted as 'love in the 60s'

Proxy Treasurer's report = Regular: $15,805.32
Party: $230.58
Money can be sent to salve guilt via PayPal - sent to: dwgallaher@gmail.com
Though we have accrued $165.59 since the resumption of live meetings.

the VP had nothing fannish to report except Happy Towel Day and Orthodox Star Wars Day.

the President was not present

There were no committee reports

There was no old or new business

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Yochanan: Harry Potter Drone Show 7/3 & 4 at the SCC Fairgrounds. thedroneartshow.com/san-jose/harry-potter/
and = AMC+ Has the rights to pre-Disney modern Doctor Who (#9-13) Amazon is having/had a special $39.99/year (may be over). amcplus.com

Rick: This Friday is the debut of Star City (TV+) spin off from For All Mankind (from the Russians POV). en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_City_(TV_series)

Lisa: Fairy Tale Masquerade Ball (PEERS) Avalon Rising doing the music. Tickets are $35, up to 6/5 (not available at the door). June 6, doors at 6:30, lessons 7, open dance 8 peersdance.org/faerie.html

Ken: KFJC Sunday, Mayhem 31, 7-10pm
Women Cover the Rolling Stones and More
Announcer’s Name makes her KFJC debut with a Mayhem special spotlighting women covering songs originally performed by men. This mix pulls from punk, post-punk, indie rock, soul, country, folk, reggae, blues, and classic rock in the KFJC library. Featuring Unwoman live in the studio! kfjc.org

Reviews

Rick = TV+ For All Mankind’s current season’s penultimate episode on Friday (the finale is the same day as the follow-on series). Looks they have a plan, and likes the set-up. Looking forward to the season finale and debut of Star City. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/For_All_Mankind_(TV_series)
Yochanan: Saw the antepenultimate episode, and was pleased – and got a rush when they landed on Titan!

Rick = Late Show Final Episode Ever. A scene with a worm hole, narration by deGrasse-Tyson had him laughing very hard. youtube.com/@ColbertLateShow
Duncan: Strategic and terrible loss
Gayle: The Paul McCartney ending is something she could watch over and over…

Rick = The Mandalorian and Grogu. Has not seen the movie, but is arrogant enough to review it based on other reviews. It appears to be a bunch of filler episodes turned into a film. If you can’t get enough of this pair, this is thinly stitched together series of episodes. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mandalorian_and_Grogu
Ken: It’s not that bad. It’s not Citizen Kane either. Just a fun summer popcorn movie. Twists aren’t terribly surprising. You don’t need to be up-to-date on the series to enjoy (maybe it was a benefit that we weren’t!)

Yochanan = Pluribus (TV+) 9 episodes (99% RT score!) Black comedy, thriller, post-apocalyptic premise. Not an alien invasion – the humans become a hive-mind – bar our protagonist. Unique show, needs more seasons. Worth full price! en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pluribus_(TV_series)
Rick: Vince Gilligan knows how to set up a season cliff-hanger!

Yochanan = The Sheep Detectives (theatres) comedy mystery (94% RT) a flock of sheep investigate the death of their shepherd (Hugh Jackman). Simple, and lots of fun. Full price – even if you’re not a mystery fan. Lots of great voice (and live) actors. There is a cookie… wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sheep_Detectives
Lisa: They understand the British Cozy Mystery…

Yochanan = Fanime 2026: 5 days of lots of fun. Volunteered again (despite it being a major Jewish Holiday!) Huge costume contest, artist alley, dealers room. They took over hotels and the conventions centre, as well as a more adult orientated section at the Doubletree! Lota-lota stuff, and lota-lota fun! May become staff next year. Highly recommend. Glad he didn’t miss it… fanime.com
Lisa = Having an ancient pipe develop a pin-hole leak is not worth full price! There was much commiseration…

Rumor of the Week: Adjourned in honor of those we have lost.

Adjourned at: 20:55
There was no auction

Meeting #1860 - Monday, 11 May, 2026
Trey Haddad, President
Ken Patterson, Vice President
Dave Gallaher, Treasurer
Galen Tripp & Laser Pistol Packin’ Mama, Sergeants at Arms
Barbara Johnson-Haddad, Secretary
In-person at Parktown Pizza 3031 Meridian Ave, San Jose, CA 95124

***************************
NEW ZOOM FOR 2026
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82190960810...
Meeting ID: 821 9096 0810
Passcode: B4SF41D
---
One tap mobile
+16699009128,,82190960810#,,,,*5724576#
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By Telephone
669-900-9128
Meeting ID: 821 9096 0810
Passcode: 5724576
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Called to order at 20:00
Total of 7/2 in attendance

Secretary = The minutes of meetings 1857 were accepted as happy Mothers Day!

Treasurer
Regular: $15,805.32
Party: $230.58
Money can be sent to salve guilt via PayPal - sent to: dwgallaher@gmail.com
Though we did accrue $165.59 since the resumption of live meetings.

Vice President = Nothing fannish to report.

President = Not present

Committees: None.

New Business: None.

Announcements:

Yochanan: Lego has changed their toys’ age limit has been change from 4-99 to 4-100+, to honor Sr. Richard Attenborough, who just turned 100.

Ken: British Invasion! Saturday, May 23 4-8pm South Bay Yacht Club, 1491 Hope Street, Alviso southbayyachtclub.org/events Authentic British food, The 5150 Band - A Rock And Roll Emergency - playing British Invasion tunes, a Pub Quiz, photo booths, a TARDIS, Martin Gooch's films, and loads of fun! Only $30 per adult, under-18s go free!
SNL-UK Has been renewed for a second season, with four more episodes. This week is the season one finale, with host Ncuti Gatwa.
3-Below is having another public sale this Saturday from 11 - 4. And another in June. 3belowtheaters.com

Reviews

Yochanan: New adaption of Lord of the Flies (Netflix) 4 1-hour episodes. Each one focusses on the four different characters. Visually gorgeous. Mior quibbles. Very British, and kept in the same era as the novel. Excellent, worth full price. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord_of_the_Flies_(TV_series)
Peacemaker (Max) 2 seasons or eight 1-hour episodes. James Gunn’s DC Comics action comedy, John Cena’s Peacemaker character post Suicide Squad. First DCEU series. Stand alone seasons. Opening dancing sequences are a sight to see (season ones were better). Episode titles are pun-tastic. Not sure final episode of season two stuck the landing. Show is better than it has any right to be. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peacemaker_(TV_series)
Recursion by Blake Crouch (novel) Author of Dark matter (as seen on TV+) Powerful road not travelled. It’s not time travel – or is it? Uses False Memory Syndrome as a plot point. Chapters are non-sequential dates. Had dreams about the novel – he was troubled (in a good way). An amazing novel. Worth full price. goodreads.com/book/show/42046112-recursion

Ken: Chess, CMTSJ – Bishop Cast
I have been listening to the music from Chess for over 40 years now, when a friend in high school made me a cassette of the album (I have since bought both the album and CD). As I really only knew that original release, I had some surprises in seeing an actual staging.
From what I can gather, this is the version that ran on Broadway in the '80s – which has many changes from the original album and West End versions (and even more for the 2025 revival!) So, I was a little confused with why some things were missing and why some of the songs were out of order. None of that, however, impacted my enjoyment of the show.
Besides this being my first time seeing Chess staged, this was also my first time seeing a show put on by the Children's Musical Theatre - San Jose (CMTSJ). They have two separate casts that alternate shows. I saw that Bishop Cast (the other is Rook). Despite my trepidation of a youth ensemble tackling an adult story, they managed to do so admirably.
While there are a couple members of the cast that I don't think were up to the task (who I will not name, because they did put in the effort) there were definitely a couple of stand-outs for this group: Their Anatoly (Jai Kaushik) the Russian grand master, and Florence (Klara Klotzbach) the American's second.
Kaushik's performance as the Russian player was incredible from his first song (Where I Want to Be) and especially the act one finale (Anthem). He even manages to carry his (I assume learned) Eastern European accent into the singing – which is not something one usually hears (unless you're a Proclaimer...)
Klotzbach has a commanding presence as the Hungarian-American refugee (it's an important distinction) who is the second to the erratic American player. Both her, and her character, carry the story through a roller-coaster of emotions, and many amazing solos (Someone Else's Story, Nobody's Side, and Heaven Help My Heart). The two really work well together, as their characters' romance blossoms.
They pair play all the emotions with an amazing level of maturity that some adults would find hard to pull off. They are obviously the elder members of the cast (Klotzbach listing herself as a senior at her high school, where she was also a director of a play at the end of last year) so they bring all the experience of their deceptively young years.
Something that you just can't get from the albums is the staging. Modern technology has made it easier to have the original multi-media aspect of the staging realized on a modest budget. Here they use projection to illustrate the chess board squares on the set. There are moving parts to that just slide in and out effortlessly – and even one moving section that gives a surprising punctuation to the emotional ending of the first act.
I should also give a shout out to the choreographer Whitney Janssen – and especially her balletic chess pieces, which were wonderful to watch. This is something, I gather from the CMTSJ's Artistic Director's message, that is relatively unique to their productions of Chess (this is the second time they have staged the show, the last was 20 years ago – which is just about as far back now as the original stagings were to that!)
There is one aspect of the show that the production can't do anything about, and that is the audience. Sometimes the people around you can negatively impact your experience. This has been a running problem for me (which is why I don't do many concerts any more). I ended up relocating to the balcony for act two.
All these pieces moving on stage produce an amazing game of Chess.
see = https://www.cmtsj.org/chess/

Rumor of the Week: A belated happy Mothers Day to all BASFAN mother (of humans or pets) and to the Mothers of all BASFANs.

Adjourned at: 20:41
There was no auction

Meeting #1858 - Monday, 27 April, 2026
Trey Haddad, President
Ken Patterson, Vice President
Dave Gallaher, Treasurer
Galen Tripp & Laser Pistol Packin’ Mama, Sergeants at Arms
Barbara Johnson-Haddad, Secretary
In-person at Parktown Pizza 3031 Meridian Ave, San Jose, CA 95124

***************************
NEW ZOOM FOR 2026
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82190960810...
Meeting ID: 821 9096 0810
Passcode: B4SF41D
---
One tap mobile
+16699009128,,82190960810#,,,,*5724576#
---
By Telephone
669-900-9128
Meeting ID: 821 9096 0810
Passcode: 5724576
Find your local number:https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kcSpSAHaD
***************************
Called to order at 20:00
Total of 7/2 in attendance

Secretary = The minutes of meetings 1857 was accepted as we should baste them.

Treasurer
Regular: $15,805.32
Party: $230.58
Money can be sent to salve guilt via PayPal - sent to: dwgallaher@gmail.com
Though we did accrue $165.59 since the resumption of live meetings.

Vice President = Nothing fannish to report.

President = Not present

Committees: None.

New Business: None.

Announcements:

Yochanan: Star Trek: Strange New Worlds premieres on July 23. paramountplus.com
The Mandalorian and Grogu will be released in cinemas May 22. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mandalorian_and_Grogu
The Amazing Digital Circus will be having a theatrical event of the final two episodes June 4 - 18. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Amazing_Digital_Circus

Rick: Third season of House of the Dragon will start June 21. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_the_Dragon_season_3

Gerald: The SpaceX Starship may be launching tomorrow, weather permitting. spacex.com/launches

Lisa: Odd Fellows True Fellowship #52, san Jose. First Friday Gaming Night this Friday. true52.org/mc-events/monthly-board-game-night/

Ken: KFJC’s month of Mayhem begins on Friday. I’ll be participating in Doing it to Death, 24 hours of James Brown, this Sunday, Mayhem 3. The following week, Mayhem 10, I’ll be doing songs from stage musicals. And on Sunday, Mayhem 17, I’ll be playing songs featuring the Organ. Full schedule is available at kfjc.org/listen/mayhem
As announced previously, the 3 Below ceased operations yesterday, with the final show of The Bardy Bunch. Now they will be selling off their assets – including props and scenery from productions going back to (and maybe earlier) their Retro Dome days. 3belowtheaters.com for more information.

Reviews

Yochanan: Super Mario Galaxy Movie (in theatres) PG family GC animated film. Didn’t like part one (streamed in preparation). Pleasantly surprised. Visually richer, and more complex. Meant for kids, but worth matinee. Stay for the post credit cookie. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Super_Mario_Galaxy_Movie
The Bardy Bunch (3 Below) Loved it. Amazing Dacing - especially Keith Partridge. Convoluted Shakespeare plots. Worth full price. He’s going to miss 3 Below sooooooo much! en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bardy_Bunch
A Rubin Series lecture (De Anza College Planetarium) sponsored by KIPAC. Small crowd, and very wonderful presentation with photos from the Rubin Observatory. Highly recommend. KIPAC.stanford.edu

Ken: Frozen: The Broadway Musical (Palo Alto Players). Amazing stage production of the more recent Disney retelling of Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale The Snow Queen. Watching this, you might forget that this is a community theatre production. Large cast, live orchestra, and amazing stagecraft. Lauren Berling (Anna) is amazing – her face is so captivating, I couldn’t keep my eyes off it. She definitely carries the whole show. And her child counterpart, Lily Sazdanoff, is hilarious! Astraea Brown’s Elsa is fierce – and a technically challenging part. And the sauna number is hilarious. Shows are Fridays through Sunday, through May 10. paplayers.org/event/frozen/

Rumor of the Week: Space… The finally frontier!

Adjourned at: 20:40
There was no auction