OUSFG Michaelmas Termcard 2007

Sunday Library Meetings (from 2nd Week, 14th October) are held from 8pm till late in the shared house inhabited by our Librarians near Botley Road. These evenings are an opportunity to socialise, and chat about life, the universe and everything, whilst also perusing and borrowing from OUSFG's library of over 2,400 books.

Wednesday discussion meetings (see below for topics and specific locations) are held at 8pm in St Hilda's College Lady Brodie Room or New College Lecture Room 4 or 6.

Wednesday video meetings (see below for programme) start at 8pm in New College Lecture Room 4 or 6.

St Hilda's Lady Brodie Room is in Hall Building, which is the first one you see directly opposite you as you go through the gates, and it's signposted as soon as you go into hall. New College Lecture Rooms 4 and 6 are marked "C" or "D" respectively on this map (or PDF).

Termcard
7 Oct  Sunday 1st Week Freshers' Drinks 4-7pm In the Private Dining Room at St. Catherine's College (see map), near the bar and JCR. Drop in for obligation-free drinks and nibbles, introductions, and conversation! It would probably be a bad idea to include a link to descriptions of previous Freshers' Drinks.
10 Oct  Wednesday 1st Week Discussion Saving the World: how to repair environmental damage to planet Earth. Discussion in St Hilda's Lady Brodie Room, led by Colin. Triffids? Asteroid collisions? Greenhouse effect? Someday we might have to save the world for real. Luckily, SF has given us lots of ideas! Come along for a lively discussion in St Hilda's College Lady Brodie Room.
17 Oct  Wednesday 2nd Week Video Children of Men in New College Lecture Room 6. In 2027, as humankind faces the likelihood of its own extinction, a disillusioned government agent agrees to help transport and protect a miraculously pregnant woman to a sanctuary at sea where her child's birth may help scientists to save the future of mankind (Dir: Alfonso Cuarón).
24 Oct  Wednesday 3rd Week Discussion OUSFG Awards discussion in St Hilda's Lady Brodie Room, run by Owen. This will start the process of selecting the 4th annual OUSFG Award, which is for the best "speculative fiction" novel published in paperback during the preceding year (i.e. October 2006 to September 2007 in this case - see here for background). Come along to find out what's new, and discuss suggestions of what to read. We will pick a short-list next term, and have a final vote in the summer.
31 Oct  Wednesday 4th Week Video Howl's Moving Castle in New College Lecture Room 6. Studio Ghibli's magical adaptation of Diana Wynne Jones' fantasy (Dir: Hayao Miyazaki).
7 Nov  Wednesday 5th Week Discussion SF in Computer Games discussion in New College Lecture Room 4, led by Zhifan. A Case for Speculative Fiction Stories in Computer Games: on the surface, it seems games should only interest people who have a competitive streak or seeking an adrenaline rush. But there is surprising breath and depth when it comes to narratives, and a lot of excellent-SF filled fun can be had. So come and share your own experiences, or hear the advantages that this relatively new medium can provide.
8 Nov  Thursday 5th Week Quiz Oxford Geek Quiz - battle of wits and knowledge against Docsoc, Tolksoc, RPGsoc, et al. 8pm (doors open 7.30ish), North Quad Lecture Room, Staircase 4, St. John's College.
14 Nov  Wednesday 6th Week Discussion Is Scientific Accuracy Important in Science Fiction? Discussion in St Hilda's Lady Brodie Room, led by David. As anyone who has used a Thermos flask will know, a vacuum is a great thermal insulator. But in Hollywood, a movie character unlucky enough to fall out of their spaceship will instantly freeze solid - and you will probably hear it happening. Does science fiction have to play fast and loose with the real science? Would insisting on scientific accuracy lead to boring stories and dull visuals? Or are such goofs a cause of the public's scientific illiteracy, leading to poor decisions by voters and policy makers? Come and discuss this, while sharing your [least] favourite examples. Mentioning the Kessel Run is specifically forbidden.
21 Nov  Wednesday 7th Week Video TV Night in New College Lecture Room 4. A chance to recommend or request your favourite TV episodes.
24 Nov  Saturday 7th Week Christmas Party 6:00pm to 10:30pm in St Hilda's South JCR. Bring any food, games, or optional fancy dress you like.
Directions: Go through St Hilda's main gate and immediately turn left. Follow the path into South Building (obvious by the many windows; it is the first door on your left), then turn right into a hall lined with notice boards. Go straight on, and the South JCR is on your left before you get to the stairs.
28 Nov  Wednesday 8th Week Discussion Recommendations and Readings in New College Lecture Room 6. Bring your favourite passages from SF books, and read them or have them read by our resident Orator, talk about why you like them.

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Tim Adye, <T.J.Adye@rl.ac.uk>