WOSSNAME -- NOVEMBER 2008 -- PART 2 OF 6 (continued)
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====Part 2 -- MORE NEWS...

9)  CONVENTION NEWS
10) MICRO ART STUDIO DISCWORLD FIGURINES UPDATE
11) GAMES NEWS: RHIANNA PRATCHETT
12) ACTION REPLAY: IN TEXT, THIS TIME
13) REVIEW: THE FOLKLORE OF DISCWORLD
14) REVIEW: NATION, THE AUDIOBOOK
15) THE GUARDIAN APPROVES...
16) ANOTHER LITTLE EDITOR IN THE MAKING?

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9) 9) CONVENTION NEWS

9.1 THE DWCON DVD COMETH

2008 Discworld Double-Anniversary DVD

"At the opening ceremony of the 2008 Discworld Convention, we
announced the making of a DVD to celebrate the double anniversary of
25 years of Discworld books and 60 years of Terry Pratchett. Well,
we now have a trailer for you to view or download. The full DVD
contains in-depth interviews with key figures in the Discworld
Universe (e.g. Stephen Briggs, Bernard Pearson) as well as
recordings from the Convention itself, including Terry's opening
ceremony speech and the 'Disc Is Your World' event. All profits from
the sale of the DVD will go to the Alzheimer's Research Trust.

"We took over 160 pre-orders for the DVD from our members at the
Convention and will shortly be opening the same opportunity to the
general public. This will be at the same price of £10 plus postage
and packing, until 1st December 2008 -- at which point the price
will rise to £15."

http://www.dwcon.org/news/display-item.php?newsid=160


9.2 THE RINCEWIND OF CHANGE

"I've been rumbled by the Discworld lot! Hello to the charming bunch
at the Cunning Artificer forum, who seem to have recently discovered
Wiffle Lever and been very nice about it so far..."

An unusual point of view from an unusual attendee at the 2008 DWcon:

http://tinyurl.com/6kn6mu

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

10) MORE DISCWORLD FIGURINES COMING

As noted last month, Micro-Art Studios have been licensed to issue a
series of Discworld miniatures, based on Paul Kidby's images of
various characters. The first five figurines -- Death, Granny
Weatherwax, Vimes, Nanny Ogg and Rincewind, have now been released;
next up, and coming soon, will be Corporal Nobbs and the Luggage.

For more details see:

http://www.shop.microartstudio.com/discworld-miniatures-c-48.html

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

11) GAMES NEWS -- PRATCHETT: THE NEXT GENERATION

11.1 RUNNING THE MIRROR'S EDGE WITH RHIANNA PRATCHETT

"Pratchett started writing as a journalist, working for magazines
such as PC Zone and the U.K. based newspaper The Guardian. The
writer made her big jump to video games after she left her job with
PC Zone and received a rather fortuitous phone call. 'I got a call
from a developer who was looking for a story editor for his next
game,' Pratchett told CBR. 'As a journo I'd been a big supporter
of his previous game and he remembered me. I said yes and it went
from there really. I actually got one or two of my easiest gigs from
developers whose games I'd been a fan of. Who says being a fangirl
never pays off!'

http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=18743


11.2 REVIEW OF THE MIRROR'S EDGE

from kotaku.com:

"This game has gotten a lot of attention – not just for the
parkour gameplay, but also for Faith and her dynamic background
that's meant to jibe perfectly with the plot authored by Rhianna
Pratchett (daughter of novelist Terry Pratchett). But for all its
edginess, does Mirror's Edge really stand apart as a different
kind of game, or does it fall short of the far window ledge of
innovation?"

http://tinyurl.com/5adzjz

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

12) ACTION REPLAY, SORT OF: Den of Geek review of tCoM DVD

"As a card-carrying member of the Word Play Appreciation League, I
love the narration (by Brian Cox) and dialogue peppered with puns.
Much of it is groan-inducing, but you're grinning while you're
groaning and it's all good fun."

"Costumes, sets, scenery and effects are first-rate... It's easy
enough to get swept up into this world on a plate that is just left
of centre of ours and you might even forget this is made-for-TV
fare."

http://tinyurl.com/6zy4xw

Also, last month's feature about a Den of Geek competition to win
The Colour of Magic on DVD is now closed:

"The competition is over now, and thanks to everyone who entered...
Many thanks to everyone who entered for this great prize, which went
to Ben Stockman in London. Well done, Ben!"

The winning answers were:

1.) What is the name of the tavern where Twoflower befriends and
hires Rincewind? {The Broken Drum}

2.) In what type of business is Twoflower employed back on the
Counterweight Continent? {Insurance (or inn-sewer-ants)}

3.) What does Cohen the Barbarian buy for himself? {Dentures (made
of troll's teeth)}

http://tinyurl.com/6g3j3c

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

13) "OF COURSE, WHAT EVERYONE KNOWS IS WRONG..."

A review of The Folklore of Discworld, by Terry Pratchett and
Jacqueline Simpson (which is also somewhat wrong, but not in a bad
way)

by Annie Mac

A friend of mine is unsettlingly enthusiastic about a current BBC
television series called Merlin. After listening to her wax lyrical
about the show, I pointed out that I was pretty sure Malory never
said anything about young Arthur and Merlin being slacker teens and
that Uther Pendragon definitely wasn't a long-suffering sitcom
father -- at which point she confessed to me that the film Monty
Python and the Holy Grail was her first experience of the Arthurian
legends, so that approach to Merlin seemed completely reasonable and
familiar...even traditional.

It's fascinating how folklore and enduring tales get mucked about in
their passage down through the years. Whether by Chinese whispers,
by amalgamation with other stories and legends, or by the "magic" of
Hollywood, things change and every new generation inherits a version
that might be ever more distant from the original source. These
days, everyone knows that the tradition of silver weapons being
lethal to werewolves comes from the Olde Dayes of Europe...except
that it was a twentieth-century invention by the American film
industry. Everyone knows that the magpie rhyme goes "One for sorrow,
two for joy"...except in the many regions where it doesn't. Everyone
knows that the "ring of roses" rhyme (also known by various regional
names) refers to the Black Death...except that it doesn't. Part of
the job of a folklorist is to track down stories and traditions and
rhymes and "folk wisdom" as far as possible towards their sources,
by way of local documents and village elders and whatnot; the
results can be astonishing or edifying or even disappointing, but
they are always interesting. And that's where Terry Pratchett, as a
picker-up of unregarded trifles, and Jacqueline Simpson, as a well-
established folklore detective, come in.

The Folklore of Discworld seems to me to be, title credits
notwithstanding, not so much a book by Terry Pratchett and
Jacqueline Simpson as a book by Simpson with Pratchett's blessing.
Once you get past the preface (definitely by Mr Pratchett), the body
of the text is unquestionably hers (apart from the many snippets of
Discworld novels quoted in illustration). This is certainly nothing
to complain about: Ms Simpson is an articulate and engaging writer
who wields a fine turn of phrase on her wordsmithing anvil and who
has no fear of rough-and-ready vernacular. She gleefully presents
the Discworld universe as no less real than our own rubber-sheet
reality, and classifies various tales, practices, creatures and bits
of geography into three broad categories (things from Discworld that
have leaked into our own world, things from our world that have
leaked into Discworld, and things that are, as it were, universal
throughout both universes...and probably throughout all the others)
Her findings take us all the way from world-turtle creation myths at
the start to death -- and Death -- at the finish (well, where else
would one put a chapter about Death?). And when the reader gets to
the finish, there is a fine bibliography (including some of
Simpson's other works, and indeed why not) and suggestions for
further reading.

One of my favourite chapters is about the Nac Mac Feegle -- yes,
they get an entire chapter; if they didn't, they would probably
steal one anyway. As an original native of the so-called British
Isles, I've had much experience of the wilder sorts of Scots and I
tend to forget that many Discworld readers might not recognise the
Feegles' roots of Scottishness (with a generous wallop of
Glaswegian-ness thrown in, especially the Glaswegian-ness of central
Glasgow on a Saturday night). The Folklore of Discworld presents
those roots, going all the way back to the legendary Finn MacCool,
but Simpson cheekily suggests that it might be that the Scots got
their trademark Scottishness from the Nac Mac Feegle's extended stay
in our world, rather than the other way around. I was also pleased
to see the confirmation (ish) of what I'd always assumed -- that Wee
Mad Arthur and Buggy Swires are almost certainly urbanised rogue
Feegles, rather than gnomes.

At 372 pages, The Folklore of Discworld is a wide-ranging and
ambitious book that covers a lot of territory and includes
historical fact as well as folklore and fairy tales. I have to admit
that there was very little in it that I didn't already know, but
then I've made a lifelong practice of reading everything I can get
my hands on and I have lived in some colourful rural areas with my
ears wide open (as Simpson points out, folklorists tend to ignore
cities since cities are perceived as being too well organised to
generate *real* folklore...though urban legends are alive and well,
so maybe that's an unreasonable prejudice). For most readers, The
Folklore of Discworld makes a useful resource and will be great fun
for reading aloud to friends and family. It's a handsome book as
well, liberally sprinkled with Paul Kidby's famous illustrations.
Highly recommended as a Hogswatch present.

A wee thought in closing: when I first got to know my husband, I was
nonplussed to discover that he'd got most of his pop-culture
education by way of parodies in episodes of The Simpsons. Since that
beloved cartoon has been running for so long and has covered so many
films, books, tales and, yes, urban legends, and since -- presumably
-- millions of viewers are like my husband in terms of never having
read, seen or heard the source material for those parodies, I think
a Folklore of the Simpsons book would be a bestseller. And who
better to tackle it than a folklorist who shares that surname? Go
for it, Ms Simpson!


THE FOLKLORE OF DISCWORLD
Doubleday, 2008
ISBN 9780385611008

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

14) REVIEW: NATION AUDIOBOOK

Nation (audiobook) – by Terry Pratchett, read by Stephen Briggs

a review by Dianne Hughes

When it comes to audio versions of the Discworld books, I personally
much prefer Tony Robinson to Stephen Briggs, as Robinson's voices
and characterisations are in my opinion more enjoyable. But
unfortunately those are abridged and you find the interesting bits
are missing. My CD player breathed its last on the final CD of
Nation -- I'm not sure if there is a message in that event!

The book is full of the wonderful satirical talent which makes
Pratchett one of my favourite authors. It is set in an alternative
world (down a different trouser leg to the real world) but almost
everything in the story is familiar. I enjoyed the joy and wonder of
the experience Mau goes through when he finishes his transition from
child to adult and is looking forward to seeing his parents and
friends again (even having the ceremony with sharp knife, during
which you weren't allowed to cry out). The description of the
tsunami put me in mind of the description by a Royal Navy midshipman
who survived the disaster of the Krakatau eruption.

As usual, the wonderful mind pictures which are evoked when you
listen to the description of the trauma Mau went through when he
found all of his family dead, and of the way he closed his mind and
just went about the task of burying all -- even the dogs and the
pigs were treated respectfully. He felt he was a ghost and didn't
see Daphne but noted the strange footprints. Daphne (not her real
name) was the victim of a shipwreck on her way to join her father
who was the Governor of an island. The foul-mouthed parrot belonging
to the late captain of the ship Sweet Judy, who took a dislike to
the "grandfather birds", was very funny. I've tried to work out what
the birds are in our world but have given up.

Captain Roberts was my childhood impression of my Methodist
relatives brought to life, including the hymns, all lightning and
brimstone. Sailing the Sweet Judy into the top of the forest singing
hymns must be one of the most wonderful word pictures on the CD. His
lack of fear is admirable, even as he sails into the jungle and
crashes into a valley filled with trees.

The tragedy of the death of Daphne's mother and little brother and
her recurring memory of the baby's tiny coffin sitting on top of the
mother's troubled me; I wonder how often this has an effect on
children.

Despite the differences in their cultures, Daphne and Mau manage to
work life out, even though the priest who joined them (another
survivor of the tsunami) caused more trouble than he was worth. The
arrival of the baddies gave a bit of excitement to the story.

I loved the various characters and the stories they tell and the
problems which come with them, and the ending is so lovely. A story
well worth hearing and sometime in the future also reading.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

15) THE GUARDIAN APPROVES OF PEOPLE READING PRATCHETT...

The Guardian's usual smarmy self-aggrandising opinion pages list
fantasy books, especially Gaiman and Pratchett, as the number one
'guilty pleasure'. Sounds to me like they could do with some fresh
Lancre air and a dose of harden-up reality, because there's no shame
in loving good fiction...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2008/nov/02/women

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

16) ANOTHER LITTLE EDITOR IN THE MAKING?

An announcement in Locus Magazine's "Milestones" column:

"Discworld Monthly editor JASON ANTHONY & wife LISA are the parents
of ISOBEL SUSAN ANTHONY, born October 7, 2008. She joins older
sisters Emily and Lucy."

[Editor's note: Surely that should be *Ysabell* Susan, hmm?]

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------
End of Part 2 -- continued on Part 3 of 6.
If you did not get all six parts, write: interact@...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright (c) 2008 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

WOSSNAME -- NOVEMBER 2008 -- PART 3 OF 6 (continued)
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====Part 3 -- ...AND MORE NEWS AND REVIEWS...

17) THE TURTLE MOVES! REVIEWS AND NEWS
18) THE MAKING OF THE COLOUR OF MAGIC: VADIM JEAN
19) ANIMATED PRATCHETT FILM NOT HAPPENING
20) TRYMON'S SORE FEET
21) THE MAN WHO PUT DISCWORLD ON TELLY
22) PRATCHETT PRICES IN FOURECKS
23) IMAGES OF THE MONTH
24) A CERTAIN AUTHOR POPULARISES 'EMBUGGERANCE'
25) REVIEW: NATION, BY AUTHOR NORAH PIEHL
26) CURIOSITIES OF ROUNDWORLD: THE REAL LESHP
27) "WITH GREAT PLEASURE": A REMINDER

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17) THE TURTLE MOVES! NEWS AND REVIEWS

17.1 PODCAST INTERVIEW

Lawrence Watt-Evans was interviewed by Summer Brooks for the Dragon
page Cover to Cover podcast series (podcast #336a). Listen online or
download from here:

http://www.dragonpage.com/2008/11/17/cover-to-cover-336a/


17.2 WIN A FREE COPY OF THE TURTLE MOVES!

Also by way of The Dragon Page, BenBella Books will be giving away
two signed copies of The Turtle Moves!: Discworld's Story
Unauthorized! This contest is via email and is open to residents of
the USA and Canada. The competition runs from 17th November until
midnight (Pacific time) on 5th December 2008. For entry details, go
to:

http://www.sliceofscifi.com/2008/11/17/the-turtle-moves-giveaway/


17.3 ANOTHER ONLINE REVIEW

By Bruce Grossman on Bookgasm:

"What Watt-Evans does really well is set up the book to where it can
either be read right through or just for the books that you are a
fan of instead. He covers each book or story as they were published,
giving synopses without major spoilers, at the same time discussing
how they fit into the larger world of the series..."

http://www.bookgasm.com/reviews/entertainment/the-turtle-moves/

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

18) "MORE TURTLE!" VADIM JEAN ON THE MAKING OF tCoM

from Sci Fi Wire:

"Jean said that the miniseries will also make more use of the
turtle. 'Because I'm hoping that we'll get to make a whole series of
these films, and if people came to them fresh, they'll start with
The Color of Magic,' he said. 'So I wanted to make sure that we
really established the turtle, because a lot of the story is about
what happens to it, and we get to see the edge of Discworld, we get
to see the middle, and we get to see...'"

http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/index.php?category=0&id=62311

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

19) DANNY BOYLE: NO PRATCHETT PROJECT AFTER ALL

"One I was working on (an adaptation of Terry Pratchett's fantasy
tales The Bromeliad Trilogy) is a DreamWorks project. They've got
the rights, but it didn't work out because it's just too expensive.
You talk about indie financing being troublesome -- animation is so
expensive because you can't estimate how long its going to take."

http://tinyurl.com/56txzh

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

20) TRYMON'S SORE FEET

"For Tim Curry, playing the evil maniac, Trymon, in Terry
Pratchett's The Color of Magic was a painful experience —
literally. He tells us that after playing King Arthur in Spamalot in
New York and London, he was having foot problems..."

http://tinyurl.com/6ccf6o

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

21) THE MAN WHO PUT DISCWORLD ON TELLY

An interview with Richard Woolfe of Sky TV:

"We've had two amazing successes with [Terry Pratchett's] The
Colour of Magic and Hogfather, and now we're in development on the
next one, Going Postal, which is great fun. We're finalizing our
plans with that franchise."

http://tinyurl.com/5db8sa

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

22) PRATCHETT PRICES IN FOURECKS

From The Age:
"Terry Pratchett's The Illustrated Wee Free Men, for instance, is
advertised at $49.50, when the recommended price is $45. But
Pratchett's Nation is 32.95, while the recommended is $49.95. Dymocks,
like most booksellers, is selling both for the recommended price."

http://www.tinyurl.com.au/x.php?1iqw

[Except that my local Dymocks had Nation for $37.95. And
Angus&Robertson, for $34.95. -- ConMan of BU]

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

23) IMAGES OF THE MONTH

23.1 GUARDS! GUARDS! AT TRING, HERTS (UK)

Frayed Knott Theatre Company presented Guards! Guards! at The Court
Theatre, Tring last week. Unfortunately, the play wasn't advertised
until after the October issue of WOSSNAME, but it looks like the
production had plenty of sizzle, to judge from the excellent
Librarian, Death and Dwarf costumes:

http://tinyurl.com/5zmwfv


23.2 THE MORPORKIAN EMBASSY IN BONK?!

Brought to our attention by Mrs Cake of BU. All it needs is an
Igor...except he'd be standing right behind the iconographer, of
course:

http://www.shorpy.com/files/images/01450u.jpg

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

24) A CERTAIN AUTHOR POPULARISES 'EMBUGGERANCE'

Now that the American presidential election is over, the world can
go back to more general politician-watching -- for example, the
gossipworthy behaviours of UK politicians. But even there, there are
Pratchett references...like this one  from the Globe and Mail
(Canada):

"And while 'embuggerance' has been noted before, it's never achieved
the poignancy it did when author Terry Pratchett used the word to
describe his struggle..."

http://tinyurl.com/5hjr3k

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

25) NATION

Reviewed by author and blogger Norah Piehl

"While certainly appealing to his legions of existing devotees,
NATION should help broaden Pratchett's fan base significantly" --
Piehl gives Nation the maximum five stars

I was fortunate enough to discover Terry Pratchett's books about
young witch-in-training Tiffany Aching a few years back. Since then,
I've been recommending these titles -- and the rest of his stellar
Discworld novels -- to friends and family, young and old alike.
Pratchett is sometimes dismissed as only a humorist, an author of
light fantasy that, while offering plenty of comedic social satire,
doesn't have much backbone. I would beg to differ with that
characterization of the Discworld series, which has as much heart as
it does humor.

But, with the publication of NATION, a stand-alone novel that is not
part of the Discworld oeuvre, Pratchett should silence those
criticisms once and for all. NATION is at once adventurous and
contemplative, playful and philosophical, and it should appeal to
long-time devotees of the author and new fans alike.

NATION is not set in Discworld but rather in a world that bears a
great deal of resemblance to our own in the mid-19th century. There
are a few differences in history and geography, but cultural issues
such as scientific investigation, the rights of women, and the role
and responsibility of the monarchy and religion will certainly be
familiar to any student of the Victorian period, even if Pratchett
takes some delightful liberties with the historical record.

Ermintrude is the teenage daughter of the Governor of Port Mercia,
who had been 139th in line for the throne of England. That is, until
a bout of influenza wipes out everyone between him and the throne.
The only problem? The presumptive king is thousands of miles away,
governing one of the dozens of tiny tropical islands that dot the
Southern Pelagic Ocean and contribute to the nation's extensive
empire. His daughter is also at sea, on a ship called the Sweet Judy
with an unscrupulous crew, eager to join her father. Neither one of
them has any idea of the myriad ways in which their fortunes are
about to change.

Ermintrude's fortune changes dramatically indeed, when a killer
tsunami runs the Sweet Judy aground on a tiny island. Ermintrude is
the only survivor of the shipwreck and, as she soon discovers, is
one of only two people left alive on the devastated island. The
other is Mau, a teenage boy who was in the process of successfully
passing his manhood ceremony when the tsunami destroyed his entire
Nation. Now Mau is confused about his place in the world. If he has
left his boy's soul behind but not yet been given a man's soul, does
that make him a human? A demon? Or something else entirely?

Mau and Ermintrude (who quickly takes this opportunity to rename
herself Daphne instead of her given name, which she has always
hated) don't have too much time to consider these philosophical
details. There are hundreds of dead to be buried at sea, shelters to
be made, fires to be built, new languages and customs to be learned,
and, soon, as dozens of desperate refugees from other islands arrive
at the Nation seeking support, other people's problems to which to
attend.

Daphne, who has lived her whole life under the thumb of her martinet
grandmother, soon discovers she has a passion for doctoring, a
talent for making beer, and an appreciation for walking around in
the tropical climate in just her petticoat and pantaloons. Mau, who
continues to question his soul's worth and his own place in a
warlike culture, grows into a capable, confident and kind chief of
this new Nation. Together, Daphne and Mau develop a new civilization
-- and learn truths about Mau's people's history that may change
views of science, culture and religion forever.

NATION may be more philosophically dense and less broadly comic than
most of Pratchett's Discworld novels. There's plenty of adventure to
be had, though -- with shipwrecks, cannibals, murders and even a
hidden sacred burial ground. While certainly appealing to his
legions of existing devotees, NATION should help broaden his fan
base significantly. It raises some of the most fundamental moral and
ethical questions that humans have always struggled with, and then
turns them on their head in ways surprising, thought provoking and,
finally, eminently satisfying.


(c) Copyright 1997-2008, Teenreads.com. All rights reserved.
Reprinted with permission.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

26) ROUNDWORLD'S LESHP: FERDINANDEA aka GRAHAM ISLAND

The volcanic island of Ferdinandea lies some 30km south of Sicily,
and like a number of volcanic islands, has played hide and seek over
the years -- and just as Ankh-Morpork and Klatch contested the here-
today-gone-tomorrow island of Leshp, no fewer than four Roundworld
nations have disputed Ferdinandea's ownership.

Ferdinandea (or Graham Island, or Julia, Sciacca, Nertita, Corrao,
or Hotham, depending on which nation was claiming it at the time) is
part of the underwater volcano Empedocles, which is situated in a
volcanic area known as the Campi Flegrei del Mar di Sicilia located
between Sicily and Tunisia in the Mediterranean. Volcanic activity
at Ferdinandea was noted thousands of years ago during the First
Punic War (264-241 BC), was also recorded in 10 BC, and has since
appeared and disappeared four or five times, with several risings
reported since the 17th century.

The island's most recent appearance above sea level occurred in
1831, when it became the subject of a four-way dispute over its
sovereignty: on July 18 1831, Capt Humphrey Le Fleming Senhouse led
a British naval party to the summit and named it Graham Island after
the first lord of the admiralty, Sir James Robert George Graham. The
king of Naples, Ferdinand II, was furious at losing a potentially
strategic base and sent a warship to replace the union flag and
claim it as Ferdinandea for the Bourbon crown; the French navy made
a landing and called the island Julia; and Spain also declared its
territorial ambitions. The dispute nearly caused open war and was
still unresolved by early 1832, but all became moot as the island --
comprising about 4.8 square kilometres at its maximum area and 63
metres above sea level at its greatest height -- began to erode and
disappear beneath the sea a few months later. By 8th December 1831,
an exploring party found nothing but a small column of hot water
that stank of bitumen, and nine days later two officers of the
Naples Topographical Office found that the entire island was covered
by the sea.

One particularly amusing event of note occurred during this brief
rising: two English tourists braved the heat and stench and ankle-
deep volcanic debris -- not to mention the danger of the active
volcano itself -- in order to have breakfast on the island. How very
Victorian...though the Ramkin family would also surely have
approved!

Fresh eruptions in 1863 caused the island to reappear briefly before
again sinking below sea level. After 1863 the volcano lay dormant
for many decades, its summit just eight metres below sea level. In
1987, it was apparently mistaken for a Libyan submarine and bombed
by a U.S. Air Force plane on its way to bomb Tripoli.

In 2002, renewed seismic activity around Ferdinandea led
vulcanologists to speculate that a new eruption might be imminent,
and that the seamount might once again become an island. To
forestall any renewal of the 19th-century sovereignty disputes,
Italian divers planted a flag on the top of the volcano in
anticipation of its expected resurfacing. But the eruption never
occurred, and as of 2006 Ferdinandea's summit remains about six
metres below sea level. Nonetheless, Sicilians summoned the
descendant of the Bourbon King of Naples, and in a ceremony filmed
by a flotilla of camera crews, Prince Carlo di Bourbon lowered a
plaque into the waves and told cheering locals: "It will always be
Sicilian."


Sources:

http://www.grifasi-sicilia.com/isolaferdinandeagbr.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2000/nov/13/rorycarroll1
http://ferdinandea.com/

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

27) "WITH GREAT PLEASURE": A REMINDER

BBC Radio 4'S "With Great Pleasure", featuring Terry Pratchett, will
be broadcast at 10am (Greenwich time) on Christmas Day. The winner
of the two available tickets to the show was Kate Gowers.
Presumably, a good time was had  by all!

http://www.pjsmprints.com/news/index.html

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------
End of Part 3, continued on Part 4 of 6.
If you did not get all six parts, write: interact@...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright (c) 2008 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

WOSSNAME -- NOVEMBER 2008 -- PART 4 OF 6 (continued)
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====Part 4 -- BU AND ABP

28) BUGARUP UNIVERSITY CAMPUS NEWSROUND
29) ABP BITS

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28) AROUND THE BU CAMPUS

It's been a lively month on ozdw@yahoogroups, aka Bugarup
University. Here are a few selections:

28.1 THE GLOOPER

Asti:
I'm currently reading Electronic Brains/Stories From the Dawn of the
Computer Age and chapter 8: Water on the Brain deals with the
Hydraulic Economics Computer.

http://tinyurl.com/5tpepr

This is a fascinating book and I highly recommend it!


28.2 A RACEHORSE RINCEWIND WOULD LOVE?

New Bruce, on the day of the Melbourne Cup:

Unfortunately, he is not racing today but there is a racing
thoroughbred called Ankh Morpork whose sire is Fantastic Light.


28.3 COMMENTS ON THE tCoM FILM:

Asti:
1. Vetinari is overacted - too much menace.
2. Twoflower - Although the actor does a fine job in the role, I
always saw Twoflower as being oriental.
3. Rincewind - I think David Jason was being selfish in glomming this
role for himself. He's wrong, wrong, wrong. If anything, he would have
been better placed as the arch-chancellor.
4. Tim Curry - perfect casting
5. Cohen - wonderful

Vera:
1. Disagree. The original Patrician -- who was NOT Vetinari, no
matter how much The Author backpedals and dodges! -- *was* that
menacing! So we got *a* Vetinari that also echoed the *other*
Patrician :-)

2. Yes, we all did. But I think the decision to play him as a Merkin
tourist was sensible, given that the idea is for the fillum to
appeal to people who didn't already grok Discworld.

3. Disagree. I was totally against DJ as Rincewind, but I think he
worked some magic of his own and made the role his. However, I
shall never, ever forgive him for being wrong wrong wrong as
Albert! Albert should have been played by Warren Mitchell or
Richard Wilson :-(

4. He did a great job in the role, but I don't think he was visually
right. Trymon was supposed to be sleek and oily, not blobby and
oily.

5. At least we agree on this one :P

"I vote for Guards, Guards!"

That's as may be, but what you're getting is Moist von Lipwig!
...who BTW should totally, as in TOTALLY, be played by Neil Patrick
Harris!


SteVen:

Vetinari: Too much menace? Tell that to Moist von Lipwig. I'd
suggest you tell that to Reacher Gilt, except he found out what
happens when you refuse one of Vetinari's very reasonable and
entirely optional one-time-only  offers.

Look at it this way: Vetinari has *tamed* Ankh-Morpork, even the
Shades and the Thieves Guild and the Assassins. Admittedly some
places are "tame" more or less in the way insane pit bulls are tame
-- that is, so long as the chain doesn't break, and you never show
fear or turn your back on them. Nevertheless the city is tamed. You
don't tame the  Assassins Guild by being less scary than them.
Besides, Vetinari *is*  an assassin. Possibly non-practising now,
but that's only because he's so good at it he doesn't need to
practise.

I also give you the "discussion" between Ridcully and Vetinari about
the wizards paying taxes. Despite Ridcully rightly pointing out that
he could turn Vetinari into a small lizard and jump around the room
on a pogo-stick, the end result of the discussion is that the
wizards make an "entirely voluntary donation" coincidentally equal
to precisely the tax Vetinari wanted. Vetinari sufficiently
frightens Ridcully to get him to pay de facto taxes, and Ridcully
doesn't have enough imagination to be frightened of monsters and
Things From the Dungeon Dimensions. That should tell you something.
Given all that, I think Jeremy Irons played the role with just the
right amount of menace.

Twoflower: Me too. But the hey-day of the Japanese tourist was 20
years ago, and many people wouldn't get the joke and would think it
was politically incorrect. Although I still think Masi Oka (Hiro
Nakamura from Heroes) would have been PERFECT for the job.

Rincewind: That's what I thought before watching the movie. I
thought that Sir David was going to discover new frontiers of
Wrongness beyond the event horizon, into areas of the universe
where the very laws of physics would be different.

But I grudgingly have to admit he won me over. His Rincewind wasn't
the Rincewind I expected, but it was a perfectly credible Rincewind.
Perhaps not quite as skinny as he should have been, but nevertheless
skinny enough. The Rincewind in the books is ageless, but he's not
young: sort of a past-his-prime over-middle-age ageless, in the same
way that James Bond will always be in his late 30s.

...I love G!G!, but the main reason I'd like to see it filmed is so
that in a couple of years they could film Night Watch.


Takahe:
Vetinari: As aficionados of Pterry's creations, we are well aware
of the sphincter-tightening -- or loosening -- terror that the
Patrician can invoke amongst the denizens of A-M. The great unwashed
(aka the telly audience) -- in their benighted ignorance -- are
not. Therefore it has behooved Mr Irons to go a little over the top
in portraying the ruler in a way that the Patrician himself would
probably think a little overdone.

Twoflower: I agree the part could have been written with Hiro in
mind, given his enthusiasm, extreme likeableness - and initial
naivety. Perhaps Masi should be approached with Interesting Times
in mind.

Rincewind: Physically, David was wrong for the part. You simply
can't see him as the long-distance runner type. Psychologically, he
was good. He had that down-at-heels, slump-shouldered demeanour that
typifies Rincewind. The W*I*Z*Z*A*R*D on his hat should have been
spelled L*O*Z*Z*E*R.

Trymon: I enjoyed Tim's portrayal -- although he did tend to 'twirl
his moustache' a little too much at times.


Vera:
Looking at it from both sides...maybe he (or Vadim Jean/Pterry) felt
the character of Trymon had to be fairly panto- ish to win over a
newbie audience?


New Bruce:
I thought the sets were great although I would have liked the sign
in the market when the credits start to have said "Fruit and
vegetable's". The "(Ices and Creche)" sign next to that pointing to
the Dread Tower of Darkness was a nice touch. The Luggage and the
Octavo were both well done and managed to have personalities. The
iconograph was lovely and I like that the pictures were all signed
"Imp".

The costumes, especially the wizard's hats and pointy shoes were
very well done although Liessa looks like she is wearing a leather
nappy (diaper in some countries). I liked Twoflower's tourist garb
particularly the socks-with-sandals. The glasses were a big
improvement on Josh Kirby's TLF cover where Twoflower is depicted
with four eyes.

I'm wondering if Sean Astin was cast just so we could have the-
actor-formerly-known as-Sam-Gamgee *ask* to go to the home of the
terrifying spider and utter the line "I can hear the potatoes
calling!"

I loved the bit where Rincewind does the nudge-nudge-wink-wink when
talking to Cohen about Bethan.

I thought Vetinari was too effete. He is cradling a puppy and when
he wishes Rincewind "Good Luck" he puts his hand on Rincewind's arm
in an overly solicitous manner. I would have preferred that scene
to be set in The Oblong Office with a desk between them.

I agree with what others have said about Sir David. He acted the
part very well but isn't the Rincewind from the novels. I adore Tim
Curry and forgive him his blobbiness as some of us find it difficult
to keep blobbiness at bay as we get older (maybe we need to do the
Time Warp for half an hour a day) :)

I'd like to see the Tiffany books done. I don't think Nightwatch is
filmable as so much is inside Vimes' head but the BBC did an
excellent job with the radio play. I don't know why they chose
Making Money.


Dianne:
My goodness Wuffles was very elderly in the later books, so a few years
must have passed very quickly.

SteVen:
As I see it, events in the Discworld more-or-less follow their
publication in Roundworld. For example, Tiffany Aching was nine in "Wee
Free Men" (2003), eleven in "A Hatful of Sky" (2004) and thirteen
in "Wintersmith" (2006). Presumably she'll be sixteen or seventeen by
the time "When I Am Old I Shall Wear Midnight" comes out.

"The Colour of Magic" was published in 1983, and "The Truth" in 2000.
Seventeen years for a little dog like Wuffles is quite respectable.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

29) ABP ITEMS OF INTEREST

LEO'S REVIEW OF NATION

Warning: This post contains serious SPOILERS for Nation.

I have been browsing the online reviews and readers' comments for
Nation, and have found myself amused and bemused.

Most reviews are positive to ecstatic, but so many of them seem to
regard this book as a major departure for Terry, cautioning that
long-time fans may not find it to their liking because it is (a) a
YA novel, (b) not set on the Discworld, and (c) not thigh-slappingly
funny.

I don't get that. These warnings seem to be addressing a
hypothetical set of Pratchett fans stuck in 1992, still wondering
why Terry stopped writing 100-gags-per-page Rincewind romps.

The rest of us (and really not just the reviewers) have, I like to
think, by now managed to come to grips with the fact that for the
past two decades or so Terry has steadily been moving towards the
more thoughtful end of the literary spectrum, where funny becomes
witty, and the 'serious' themes (which have of course almost always
been present) take a more central role, even (especially?) in the YA
books.

Nation fits perfectly well into that progression. There are some
novelties in the execution, and the seriousness factor is notched up
a little bit higher than what we're used to, but I don't think
there's anything here that should come as a big shock or surprise to
even the more casual fans of Terry's work. But that does *not* mean
Nation isn't Terry's best book in years, because I most certainly
think it is.

If there is one issue I personally have with Terry's more recent
efforts, it is that they tend to get too preachy for my tastes.
Perhaps 'too explanatory' is a better phrase. It is difficult to
describe, but over the years I have found myself increasingly more
impatient and turned off by Terry's growing focus on his characters'
internal monologues and ruminations. We spend so much time inside
the heads of Vimes, Tiffany, Polly -- even Moist von Lipwig, that
overexposure sets in. I feel it upsets the narrative balance -- too
much 'tell', not enough 'show', and in general just a lack of focus
on an actual *story*.

With Nation, we get a tale that is so well-written and well-balanced
that I did not experience any of the above problems, even though the
book is actually quite didactic. I don't pretend to know Terry's
mind, but it certainly *feels* as if he has tried to use Nation as a
definitive exploration/thesis of his thoughts on religion, culture,
science and what it means to be human. Yet neither Mau nor Daphne
feel like puppets or avatars to me, and the philosophy bits ring
true within the context of the story. Put in another way: I may be
getting lectured at again, but it is done in such an expert way that
I hardly notice, and certainly don't mind.

There are many things in Nation that I particularly enjoyed,
but perhaps nothing better than the opening chapter. It already
gets off to great start with Captain Samson and the Gentlemen of
Last Resort. To my mind, that section *is* a more radical
departure for Terry, of a kind I dearly hope we'll see more
often. We are dropped head-first into the action: unknown world,
unknown characters, none of the familiar Discworld land- and
storymarks, the first person we meet doesn't know what's going on
either, and his confusion and panic are pleasantly infectious.

Then, just as you think you are getting your bearings in time and
space, you suddenly realise: no wait, things are wrong, this has
to be an alternate timeline, wow, cool -- but before you get the
chance to fully think that through, the action heats up even
further, with the switch to captain Roberts and the shipwreck
scene, then things go relatively quiet for a few pages with Mau
on Boys' Island, and *then* the Wave happens and Mau escapes and
the Nation gets wiped out -- and at this point we are still only
on page 26! More has actually *happened* here in one chapter than
in the last three Discworld books put together. Well, okay, that
may be exaggerating a tad, but it certainly has been a long time
since reading Terry Pratchett has left me feeling so excited.

The good stuff does not end there, although the pace does slow
down considerably, and the mode of storytelling moves into far
more familiar and predictable territory. There are some great set
pieces (pig milking!), intriguing characters (that I wish we
could have gotten to know better), and many wonderful lines.
Don't let anybody tell you Nation is not a funny book, because
in many places it's downright hilarious -- just perhaps not in a
Twoflower-sets-fire-to-Ankh-Morpork kind of way.

There of course always remain some things to complain about. As
usual for Terry, the villains are mustache-twirlingly,
one-dimensionally eeeevil (even the Priest is not that much
better), which makes them rather uninteresting and the sections
dealing with e.g. Daphne's guilt and subsequent 'trial' not
nearly as intriguing or powerful as they could have been. Killing
people *this* obviously irredeemable is fairly easy to accept,
but it is not very fair with Terry so firmly stacking the deck
against them. Terry rarely designs his heroes to be perfectly
good -- he makes them human, instead. What if he had allowed his
bad guys to be human, too?

I also thought the final chapter was a teensy bit self-indulgent.
Referencing Sagan and Feynman and Einstein and Darwin etc, must
have been great fun to do, but in the final analysis a temptation
that I think should have been resisted, if only because it spoils
the illusion of an alternate reality. But okay, that's a very
minor quibble, and the rest of the chapter is actually quite
touching and fitting. Never mind.

Finally, with respect to the thinking Terry encourages us to do
in his afterword: I still like implicit better than explicit,
and, despite the fact that it manages to do so without annoying
me, Nation does tend to spell things out a lot. As far as I'm
concerned, an unpretentious story like Truckers does a vastly
better job at actually making me think about the relationship
between man and religion than anything I found in Nation. But
as an example of engrossing storytelling done by a master of his
craft at the peak of his powers I think that even Terry is going
to find Nation a very tough act to follow.

-- Leo Breebaart <leo@...>

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End of Part 4, continued on Part 5 of 6.
If you did not get all six parts, write: interact@...
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Copyright (c) 2008 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

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====Part 5 -- WEIRD ALICE AND HOROSCOPE

30) WEIRD ALICE LANCREVIC: A POEM
31) YOUR MONTHLY DISCWORLD HOROSCOPE MAR > FEB

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

30) THE DIBBLER AND THE ALCHEMIST

(a tale of Moving Pictures)

The sun shone on the Circle Sea, shone there as small suns can
He did his very best to make bright lights for Beast and Man
And this was odd, because it was
Deserted beachfront land

The moon was shining sulkily behind Great T'Phon's trunk
She'd got no business to be there but she was in a funk
"It's very rude of him," she said,
"To highlight ancient junk!"

The sea was calm from Rim to shore, the sands without rainfall
You could not see a crowd, because the crowd were corpses all
No priest called out Performances
There was no priest to call

The Dibbler and the Alchemist were walking close at hand;
They wept like anything to see such property unplanned
"If this were only put to use,"
They said, "we'd make ten grand!"

"If several men with several imps worked on from dawn til tea
Do you suppose," the Dibbler said,
"That we could wrap Reel Three?"
"I doubt it," said the Alchemist, and sighed impotently.

"O actors, come and walk with us!" The Dibbler made his pitch
"A few hours' work (not counting perks)
Will roll without a hitch
We cannot lose, this golden shore
Is bound to make us rich."

The famous Gaspode looked at him with never a bark of "Cheers!"
The famous Gaspode bared his teeth
And scratched his flea-bit ears
Meaning to say this enterprise
Was bound to end in tears.

But more young hopefuls hurried up all keen to make their name
Their thoughts were fogged, their faces blank,
Their hearts immune to shame
And this was odd, because, you know,
They knew not why they came.

More would-be click-stars followed them, and yet another crew
Quick as they could, to Holy Wood, to make their dreams come true
While painting wooden scenery
And eating Borgle's stoo.

The Dibbler and the Alchemist worked on a month or so,
And then they rested on a rock (in fact, a disguised troll)
Then totted up percentages
And said, "We're on a roll!"

"The time has come," the Dibbler said, "To talk, and let's be frank
Of Passione, fire, and elephants. Of premieres on the Ankh
And why the world has all Gone Madde
And how to fill the bank."

"But wait a bit," young Victor cried, "Before we leave this shore;
For Ginger's in the grip of Things behind the magic Door!"
"No worries!" said the Alchemist.
"We're thaumless to the core."

"A Wonder Dog," the Dibbler said, "Is what this epic needs
Adverts subliminal besides, and two romantic leads
Now if you're ready, handlemen,
Bring on the dashing deeds!"

"Here comes de Syn!" the public cried, giving the stars their due
Beauty and beasts all on display; the Wizards came to view
"How puzzling," the Patrician said,
"I'm less well-known than you?"

"It was so kind of you to come, in fog as thick as steam!"
Then Bezam Planter's daughter played the Dungeon Dimensions theme
All patrons were transfixed until
The crowd began to scream!

"In Ribobe's name," young Victor said, "I curse you, now depart!"
Gigantic Ginger grabbed an ape and climbed the Tower of Art
Then Victor conjured horse and sword
And played it from the heart.

"I weep for me," the Dibbler said: "Alas, my empire dies."
With sobs and tears he sauntered off to more familiar lies,
Back to a life behind a cart
Of sausages and pies.

"Oh, buggrit," said the Alchemist, "My grand career is gone!
Shall I be trotting homeward now
To face a jobless dawn?
The world is back to sane again..."

...but Holy Wood dreams on...


-- Alice


Note for Roundworlders: the original poem The Walrus and the
Carpenter, by Lewis Carroll, can be found at:
http://www.jabberwocky.com/carroll/walrus.html

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

31) THE NEW DISCWORLD HOROSCOPE

by Fernando Magnifico

Buongiorno my friends, it is I, Fernando, your astrologer today as
the bellissima Lady Asterisk has come down with a bad case of the
chives.

My friends, you may remember two months ago that Fernando's
astrological charts disappeared under the very mysterious
circumstances. Fernando's heart was crushed by his failure to be
your astrologer, but he promised not to rest until he has discovered
what fiend or diavolo would steal his star charts and leave you, my
dearest readers, without your horoscope for the month. And this is
what Fernando has done: Fernando has walked the streets of Ankh-
Morpork tirelessly, he has visited the worst dens of iniquity and
the lowest dive bars, and has consorted with all sorts of ruffians.
Fernando has left no palm ungreased, no street unwalked, for nothing
shall get in the way of Fernando's promise to "get to the underneath
of" this mystery, as they say in Ankh-Morpork.

Fernando's tireless investigation has been successful, for I have
discovered what afeared me last month: the shame of Brindisi,
Carlos, that despoiler and corruptor of youth, that vain, conceited,
shameless, brazen, swaggering popinjay, with his flowing hair and
tight pantaloons and silk shirts, has arrived in Ankh-Morpork.
Morporkia, beware!!! Lock up your sons and daughters!!! But do not
fear, my friends, for Fernando is here, and so long as he can draw
breath into his broad, manly chest, he shall not let the mocker and
pretender Carlos lay waste to lovely Morporkia.

It is fitting that Fernando continues to investigate this mystery,
for this month the stars too have much to say about mysteries. For
is it not true that there is a lot that happens that we do not know
about? Mysteries like, who is the werewolf in the Watch? How does
Fernando look so good in his tight pantaloons and silk shirts? What
was Fernando's cousin Tomas doing up the tree overlooking the
nurses' dormitories outside the Lady Sybil Free Hospital? What do
the Nac Mac Feegles wear under their kilts? Read on, my friends, to
learn what the stars have to say about these, and many other,
mysteries. Ciao bella!

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Adamant Hedgehog  21 Mar - 20 Apr

Your mystery this month is, "Who is the werewolf in the Watch?"

One of the worst-kept secrets on the Disc is that the City Watch of
Ankh-Morpork has a werewolf working for them, but nobody knows who
the werewolf is. Word on the street is that it must be Corporal
Nobby Nobbs, but Fernando is unconvinced. Fernando has asked the
stars, and can reveal for the first time the secret truth: the stars
say that it is no less than Commander His Grace Sir Samuel Vimes
himself who has a terrible beast inside him, a fearsome, ferocious
monster kept barely leashed by the famous Vimes iron will.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Half-Eaten Sandwich  21 Apr - 21 May

Your mystery is: "Why do fools fall in love?"

Ah, my friends, this is the most beautiful mystery of all, "il
mistero di amore" as we say in Brindisi, the mystery of love.
Fernando knows that all people in love are the magnificente fools,
or even the Fools like the King Verence of Lancre. As the famous
song says, "Perchι gli uccelli compaiono improvvisamente? Poichι
vogliono essere vicine a voi." Fernando has been the fool for love
many, many times, for Fernando has molto grande love in him, enough
for all (except perhaps Carlos, who does not love as Fernando
loves). Perhaps the stars know why fools fall in love, but they are
not saying. For Fernando, it is enough that they do. Viva il
mistero!

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Herne the Hunted  22 May - 21 Jun

Your mystery is: "What are the Dwarf Devices?"

Fernando hears that Lord Vetinari's wonderful new plans for the
Undertaking are based on a device found under the city, known as the
Device. It seems the Dwarfs have known about Devices for years
beyond reckoning, but the origin of the Devices is lost in the mists
of time, and even the Dwarfs don't know who created them, what they
were for, when they were built, or how they work. The stars too have
nothing to say about them, which is very unusual, but perhaps one of
you Hernians will be the one to solve this mystery. For Fernando
knows that when it comes to Hernians, all life is a mystery, mostly
the mystery of "Why is everyone chasing me again?" and "Why does
everything in Nature have such big teeth?"

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Wizard's Staff and Knob  22 Jun - 22 Jul

Your mystery is: "Why does the wizard's staff have a knob on the
end?"

Some say that the knob on the end is for the benefit of the wizard,
to protect him from dark magicks and occult forces. Others say that
the knob on the end is for the benefit of others, to prevent the
staff's magic from leaking out and grounding itself through innocent
bystanders, or at least bystanders. Fernando hears that
Archchancellor Ridcully of Unseen University says that the knob on
the end is to give the staff extra weight, for those times when
magic fails and a wizard needs to take a swing at a problem. But the
stars suggest yet another reason: the knob on the end is to prevent
the wizard's hand from sliding off the staff during some of the more
energetic gestures.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Bilious, God of Hangovers  23 Jul - 23 Aug

Your mystery is: "Why are sheeps found facing the other way?"

Sheeps farmers have known of a mysterious phenomenumenumenum for
generations. The sheeps will be seen in the field, and the very next
morning they will be facing the other way, without anybody having
turned them around. Fernando has consulted the stars about this, and
they say that the mystery is caused by strange quantum
phenomenumenumenums, the 'fluence of the Disc's standing magical
field on the sheeps, but most of all, by the farmers liking to play
the practical jokes on city people.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Celestial Parsnip  24 Aug - 23 Sept

Your mystery is: "What happened to the Merry Celery? And why were
the captain's boots found 250 miles away, in the Morpork mountains,
still smoking?"

The mystery of the disappearing ship Merry Celery is known all over
the Disc. During the rule of the Patrician Winder, as the ship was
entering Ankh-Morpork port with a cargo of Bearhugger's Whiskey,
bottled Wow-Wow Sauce, Agatean fireworks and flints, there was a
mysterious flash of light, a mysterious loud noise described by
eyewitnesses as "a really loud noise, like a million souls cried out
Bang! and then were suddenly silenced", and the entire ship just
disappeared. Lord Winder blamed it on a party of Zoons and had them
executed, but he was always doing that sort of thing. Many people
have studied the mystery of the Merry Celery, and blamed it on
alchemists, dwarfs, trolls, Klatchians, left-over sourcery from the
Mage Wars, and wood-worm, but Fernando is the first who has
consulted the stars and can reveal the truth: the ship and its poor
crew were caught in a quantum-electrical energy shift which caused
every molecule of their beings to suddenly separate at high speed.
As for the captain's boots, the Gods will have their fun.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Small Boring Group of Faint Stars  24 Sept - 23 Oct

Your mystery is: "What is the secret of the missing socks?"

Why do socks disappear when you wash them? Why is it only one sock
of the pair that always disappears? Fernando has learned that socks
disappear because they are eaten by a mystical (but not mythical)
bird called the Eater of Socks. Wherever there are socks or
stockings being washed, the Eater of Socks is there to eat one. But
only one. There can only be one.

The stars also suggest that sometimes socks go missing because they
are used as weapons that kill people and leave buildings standing.
Fernando does not understand what the stars mean by this, for surely
not even Foul Ole Ron's socks could smell that terrible.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Androgyna Majestis  24 Oct - 22 Nov

Your mystery: the BeTrobi Quadrangle

One of the strangest areas on the Disc is the BeTrobi Quadrangle,
reaching between the BeTrobi Islands and the Counterweight
Continent. Ships in the Quadrangle disappear, sometimes even the
witches on their broomsticks disappear, never to be seen again.
Fernando's paesano Vincento Gambi, who used to make the unofficial
imports from Agatea, told me that he had once seen a two-headed
whale with two bodies in the Quadrangle. What causes the Quadrangle
to be so mysterioso? Is it a gateway to another dimension? Are there
strong winds and currents that blow the ships over the Hub? Are the
Quirmians to blame? Gnarly ground over the water? Giant pockets of
gas released from the ocean floor? Fernando has consulted the stars,
and they say: giant waterspouts, monstrous waterspouts with teeth
like sabres and claws like spears, or perhaps the other way around,
rising from the ocean like a diavlo.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Spoons, a.k.a. the Greater and Lesser Spoons, 23 Nov - 21 Dec

Your mystery: "What was Fernando's cousin Tomas doing up the tree
overlooking the nurses' dormitories outside the Lady Sybil Free
Hospital, and how did his pants end up in a completely different
tree?"

Fernando would like to give you the stars' answer to this question,
but he has been advised by Tomas' lawyer that to do so might hurt
his client's chances of getting off. Fernando is very much sorry,
but you will understand: Tomas is family.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Hoki the Jokester  22 Dec - 20 Jan

Your mystery is: "What do gnolls keep in their wheelbarrows?"

To the untrained observer, the gnolls' wheelbarrows look like they
are piled high with garbage, but many people have wondered if that
could possibly be all they carry? Fernando has consulted the stars,
and they have answered the question: "Everything".

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Rather Large Gazunda  21 Jan - 18 Feb

Your mystery is: "Is there a talking dog in Ankh-Morpork?"

Fernando had hardly been in the city for a week when he started to
hear stories of a talking dog. No two of the stories are alike: some
people say the dog is a great hound, as big as a bear and twice as
fierce, working for the Thieves' Guild as enforcer. Others say it is
a sausage dog from Uberwald, or the Chairman of the Royal Bank, Mr
Fusspot. The stars say that the werewolves know, but they won't
tell. Fernando has made his own enquiries, and can reveal that it is
a poodle with pink fur. But the stars also say that all is not as it
seems.

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------
End of Part 5, continued on Part 6 of 6.
If you did not get all six parts, write: interact@...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright (c) 2008 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

WOSSNAME -- NOVEMBER 2008 -- PART 6 OF 6 (continued)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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====Part 6 -- HOROSCOPE, LATE BREAKING NEWS, AND CLOSE

32) HOROSCOPE CONTINUED
33) LATE BREAKING NEWS
34) CLOSE

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

32) HOROSCOPE, CONTINUED FEB > MAR

Lesser Umbrage   19 Feb - 20 Mar

Your mystery: "What do the Nac Mac Feegles wear under their kilts?"

Fernando has spoken to many people who have met the pictsies and
survived, and consulted the stars, and he has learned that the
Feegles go al fresco under their kilts. Fernando is a seeker of
truth, but even he thinks that the real mystery is why anyone would
like to know what the Feegles wear under their kilts.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

And finally, Fernando has solved a mystery for all the signs: "How
does Fernando look so good in his tight pantaloons and silk shirts?"
My friends, Fernando is a very modest man, and it pains him to talk
about himself, but his sainted mamma taught him to always be honest,
and the stars have spoken. Who is Fernando to go against the wishes
of the stars? Fernando looks so good in his pantaloons and shirts
because Fernando has the excellente taste in the clothings, and also
because Fernando looks magnificent without his pantaloons and
shirts. As they say in Brindisi, "non puoi fare un portafolio di
seta da un orecchio di maiale", and Fernando is not the ear of the
pig.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

33) HOLD THE BACK PAGE! LATE BREAKING NEWS

33.1 AN ELOQUENT VOICE FOR ALZHEIMER'S AWARENESS: PTERRY INTERVIEWED
ON THE BBC

Did you know that there are some 700,000 Alzheimer's sufferers in
Britain alone? And that some 35,000 of these people have PCA, the
early-onset variety that has afflicted Terry Pratchett? You have to
sit through a BBC DVDs  advertisement to see this short video, but
it's worth it:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7750244.stm


33.2 THE MESSENGER: A PETITION TO NUMBER 10

The Telegraph:

"Best-selling author Terry Pratchett is due to deliver a petition to
Downing Street calling on the government to confront the 'worldwide
tsunami' of dementia..."

http://tinyurl.com/6hz3a5


The Daily Mail:

"After handing in the petition, signed by 20,000 members of the
public, Pratchett said: 'Nearly everybody I have talked to around
the country talks about caring for their mother or father with the
disease, so it seems there is not a family in the land that hasn't
been affected, yet it is like a huge secret everybody shares.'"

http://tinyurl.com/6fu8ww


The Press Association:

"However, his method of protest will be a relief for the Prime
Minister after Pratchett recently joked he would like to 'kick a
politician in the teeth' over the treatment of dementia patients.
Pratchett, in his role as patron of the Alzheimer's Research Trust,
will first address a group of politicians about what it is like to
live with the condition before handing over the petition to Number
10..."

http://tinyurl.com/62g5m8


BBC News:

"Rebecca Wood, chief executive of the Alzheimer's Research Trust, of
which Mr Pratchett is a patron, said dementia cost the UK economy
£17bn a year. 'If scientists could work out how to delay the
condition by five years, we could halve the number of people who die
with dementia. The support from across the political spectrum for an
increase in dementia research funding is overwhelming; what other
issue unites petition signatories like Lord Rees-Mogg and Tony
Benn?'"

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7746478.stm

[Page also includes a small-screen video of the interview linked
above in item 33.1]


Also...

PJSM Prints links at the top of their news page to the Salisbury
Journal's article about the petition -- http://tinyurl.com/5h9pjg
-- and promises there will be photographs soon.


33.3 NADWCON UPDATES

by Lee Whiteside

In this update from the North American Discworld Convention, have we
got a deal for you! We've got news on the latest UK Discworld book
releases, convention news, a couple of updates from Terry, and a new
book giveaway. In exchange, you'll tell us how to build a better
convention by filling out a brief survey. It's the best bargain
you'll find outside of Sham Harga's All-You-Can-Gobble-for-a-Dollar,
and won't leave you nearly as queasy.

====================================================

The Color of Magic on ION Television - Now in early 2009, with
Hogfather repeated on Nov 30th.

Originally, RHI Films and ION Television had planned to air The
Color of Magic on Nov 23rd. However, after sending out press
releases they changed their plans and will now air it sometime in
early 2009. We're disappointed that it won't be on sooner on this
side of the pond. Once we do find out the new date, we'll make sure
to let everyone know. In the meantime, they have scheduled a repeat
of Hogfather for next Sunday, Nov 30th, on ION Television at 7 pm
ET/PT. ION Television is available via satellite (Direct TV Channel
305 and Dish Network Channel 280, which is a recent change) as well
as via cable and local station broadcasts. To find out where you can
catch it in your area, go to http://www.iontelevision.com and enter
your zip code into the "Find us by Zip Code" box in the upper right
corner. Times may vary depending on your local station, so it's best
to check your local listings to make sure of the exact time. So if
you haven't picked it up on DVD yet, here's a chance to catch it
again.

=================================================

North American Discworld Convention News

=================================================

Convention Promotion Update

We've continued to send flyers to just about every SF/F convention
in North America over the last couple of months. In October,
convention Vice-Chair Emily made it to Capclave, a Washington, D.C.
area convention, where Lawrence Watt-Evans signed the copies of The
Turtle Moves that BenBella Books had donated to us. This is good
news for one of the winners in our most recent book giveaway,
detailed later in this newsletter.

Earlier in the month, some of the committee were at the annual
TusCon convention in Tucson, Arizona
(Nov. 7-9; http://home.earthlink.net/~basfa ), while our volunteer
coordinator, Rowan, was in charge of the Phoenix Faerie Festival
held Saturday, Nov 15th in Goodyear, Arizona
(http://westerngatesfaerierealms.com/PhoenixFaerieFestival.htm ).
To end the convention year on a high note, we'll be hosting a room
party on Friday night, November 28th, at LosCon 35 at the LAX
Marriott in Los Angeles, California (http://www.loscon.org/35 ).
Stop by the party for a new badge ribbon, a selection of Discworld-
themed foods, and a prize raffle for donations to Alzheimer's
Research. Note: If anyone is in the Los Angeles area and would like
to help out at the party, please let me know via email at
nadwcon@... -- I may be able to arrange for a guest
membership.

================================================

OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE FROM THE ANKH-MORPORK CONSULATE - WINCANTON It
is noted that the weather in the land of the phoenix and red indian
is inclined toward the somewhat sunny. More so than the damp hills
of Somerset in olde England. Therefore we propose that the Cricket
Match between the Consulate Cricket Club XII and the home team is
played indoors to Col Crowther's Rules under sec 2: inclement
weather & hostile natives.

Message Ends

===============================================

Convention Surveys

Here's the first of a series of surveys designed to tell us what you
would like to see, do, and buy at the convention. The SurveyMonkey
service allows us 100 free responses for each survey, so we've set
up three identical surveys that should be enough to handle everyone.
If necessary, however, we can always make another copy and post that
link on our livejournal community. Please take a moment to click on
one of the links below – your feedback is very important to us!

First 100 -
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=4oKUYGHH_2fzT44FuqdQtP0w_3d_3d

Second 100 -
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=djEeqHFhxw16q1ioVv193w_3d_3d

Third 100 -
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=mTZat1JqAkNYNEsoIlArQA_3d_3d

To sweeten the pot, a special codeword will be encoded in the
surveys that you can use to enter our next book giveaway. Details
below...

===========================================
Additional Convention News

We've passed the 350 member mark and are getting close to 400 pre-
registered members, while rooms at the Tempe Mission Palms hotel
keep filling up at a steady rate. We're currently setting up a
programming team to brainstorm panels and activities beyond the main
events. Once we make it through the holidays, things will start
moving pretty quickly. We'll be working with the hotel to finalize
the banquet details and begin the ticketing process. We also plan to
provide more information about other major convention events, and
hope to announce some additional guests.  We're working on an
updated online membership list and hope to have that online soon.

============================================
Books Giveaway

Thanks to HarperCollins and BenBella, we were able to give away some
books with the last newsletter. We've shipped out most of the books
to the winners, but not all of them. Once again, HarperCollins has
come through for us with some additional books to give away. So, for
this contest, we will have a special codeword listed in the above
mentioned survey. To enter the contest, send an email to
nadwcon.contest@... with the codeword and your top three
preferences of the book you would like. Available books include the
US Hardback of Nation, US Hardback of The Illustrated Wee Free Men,
US Hardback of The Wit and Wisdom of Discworld, US Hardback of
Making Money, US Paperback of The Art of Discworld, or a signed
paperback of The Turtle Moves by Lawrence Watt-Evans.

Lee Whiteside
2009 North American Discworld Convention Chair
nadwcon@..., chair@...


33.4 ...AND ANOTHER NATION REVIEW

From Suite 101:

"Pratchett fans will not be surprised to find that Nation has a
strong message to share with readers well packaged in a very
readable, enjoyable story with likeable, multi-faceted characters
who respond in believable ways to the challenges they face. Unlike
the multi-layered social commentary underlying the Discworld series,
Nation is a more simple narrative with a clear message. The themes
are evident in the interactions and conversations between the
significant characters rather than half-hidden in the fantasy
construct of the Discworld..."

http://tinyurl.com/5lmotm


33.5 AN INTERESTING LETTER-OF-THE-MONTH LETTER

Geoffrey Johns wrote, in this month's Discworld Monthly:

Some years back, in Sydney, a group of Pratchett fans visited my
flat with a view to using my kitchen to explore the Nanny Ogg
cookbook. (I shall conquer Quattro Rodenti before I die, I swear
even if I have to eat it myself.) They were all under, I guess, 30.
As I recollect there was a goth. Now actually they were not all that
good at the cooking bit. But as far as being sweet, kind,
intelligent and sensible they moved off the scale into goodness.
Imagine being asked at your door, 'should we take our shoes off Mr
Johns?'

So, Jason, I wish to conclude. Old fashioned though I may be,
laughter needn't be, shouldn't be nasty. Young people shouldn't be
categorized as hooked on cheap sensation,

DWM replies:  Geoff gets this month's Letter of the Month.

ConMan of BU noted, in ozdw (BU):

Unless my memory is playing tricks on me, this little story would
have to be of the CookMeet held in Sydney back in the year
19OhGodsIDontWantToThinkAboutIt. As quite possibly the last list
member present at that event who is still (sporadically) posting to
the list, congrats to Geoff on getting LotM, and thanks for the
memories.

[Editor's note: If that meet was in 19-something, ConMan was at the
time so far below 30 that he'd have needed a telescope to see it!]


%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

34) AND NOW I GET TO SLEEP...

That's all we have for this month, as far as I know. Don't forget --
the 25th Anniversary Illustrated Edition of The Colour of Magic/The
Light Fantastic, and The Colour of Magic: The Illustrated
Screenplay, are both available as of today; along with Nation and
The Illustrated Wee Free Men and The Folklore of Discworld, there's
a lot of goodness to fill this year's Hogswatch stockings with.

Congratulations to the NADWCON team for getting nearly 400 pre-
registered conventiongoers, but, um, hellooo, this is a historic
first and will be not only a major event but possibly also the only
time Terry Pratchett visits the USA for a Discworld convention, so
how about 4,000 instead? After all, the man is working harder than
ever at a time when he's fighting illness. Spread the word -- and
remember, the NADWCON runs from September 4 - 7, 2009 in Phoenix,
Arizona so there's still plenty of time to organise your travel
plans.

We wish all our USA readers a happy Thanksgiving and a hopeful 2009
with your new Patrician, I mean, President. Take care, everyone, and
we'll see you next month!

-- Annie Mac

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
End of Part 6.
If you did not get all six parts, write: interact@...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright (c) 2008 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

WOSSNAME
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
DECEMBER 2008 (Volume 11, Issue 12)
*********************************************************************
WOSSNAME is a FREE publication for members of the worldwide
Klatchian Foreign Legion and its affiliates, including the North
American Discworld Society and other continental groups. Are you a
member? Yes, if you sent in your name, country and e-mail address.
Are there any dues? No! As a member of the Klatchian Foreign Legion,
you'd only forget them...
*********************************************************************
Editor in Chief: Annie Mac
Editor Emeritus (retd): Joseph Schaumburger
News Editor: Fiona (not Bruce) Bruce
Newshounds: Vera, Mogg, Sir J of Croydon Below, the Shadow
Staff Writers: Asti Osborn, Paul Blake, Steven D'Aprano
Convention Reporters: Mithtrethth Hania Ogg et al
Staff Technomancer: Jason Parlevliet
Book Reviews: Drusilla D'Afanguin
Puzzle Editor: Tiff
Bard in Residence: Weird Alice Lancrevic
DW Horoscope: Lady Anaemia Asterisk, Fernando Magnifico
Emergency Staff: Jason Parlevliet
World Membership Director: Steven D'Aprano (in his copious spare
time)
Copyright 2008 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

------------------------------------------------------------------------

INDEX:

====Part 1 -- ALL THE NEWS THAT FITS

1) QUOTE OF THE MONTH
2) LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
3) UPDATE FROM THE MASTER
4) PTERRY AND ALZHEIMER'S: NEWS AND SUCH
5) DOCTOR PRATCHETT...AGAIN!
6) NATION: NEWS AND REVIEWS
7) PRATCHETT NOVELS: RECOMMENDED HOLIDAY READING
8) BEARD OF THE YEAR: PTERRY NOMINATED

====Part 2 -- MORE NEWS AND REVIEWS...

9)  CONVENTION NEWS
10) MICRO ART STUDIO DISCWORLD FIGURINES: UPDATE
11) PRATCHETT: A WEAPON IN THE WAR ON BAD GRAMMAR
12) FOLKLORE OF DISCWORLD DVD GIVEAWAY
13) ONLINE REVIEW OF SMALL GODS
14) IMAGES OF THE MONTH
15) THE TURTLE MOVES! REVIEW
16) MR PIN FOUND...IN A POTATO
17) A DISCWORLD DIRECTOR'S LEARNING CURVE
18) ABP BITS

====Part 3 -- MORE STUFF, WEIRD ALICE AND HOROSCOPE

19) ABP BITS, CONTINUED
20) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS
21) THE TURTLE MOVES!: ANOTHER REVIEW, ISH
22) WEIRD ALICE PRESENTS A SEASONAL PARODY
23) YOUR MONTHLY HOROSCOPE MAR > MAY

====Part 4 -- HOROSCOPE, LATE BREAKING NEWS, AND CLOSE

24) HOROSCOPE CONTINUED  MAY > MAR
25) 'WITH GREAT PLEASURE': A REMINDER
26) LATE BREAKING NEWS
27) CLOSE

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

1) QUOTE OF THE MONTH

"If I'd known what a progressive brain disease could do for your PR
profile I may have had one earlier." -- Terry Pratchett

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

2) LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

It's said, somewhat hyperbolically, that some people can't walk and
chew gum at the same time. That may or may not be true, but it's
certain that not many people can run a marathon whilst knitting a
scarf to raise money for Alzheimer's Disease research! But that's
exactly what the remarkable Susie Hewer has done, raising thousands
of pounds for the Alzheimer's Research Trust in the process. The
story of the scarf -- which ended up around Terry Pratchett's neck
in front of Number 10 Downing Street -- can be found in item 4 on
this page.

This has been a good year, all things considered, for the community
of Pratchett enthusiasts. 2008 saw the publication of what many --
including me -- see as perhaps his finest and most enduring novel
(Nation, of course), and also the exciting continuation of the saga
of Ankh-Morpork's voyage to modernity (Making Money), not to mention
a harvest of illustrated Discworld tales and a very memorable
convention (DWcon 2008). Furthermore, it's been Mr Pratchett's
busiest-ever year, as he became an unexpected world spokesman for
the fight against Alzheimer's Disease. And another year has passed,
and we all still ate'nt dead yet. I call that a win.

So raise your glasses high and toast yourselves and Pterry for a
year well done! And for your general holiday enjoyment, have a
Hogswatch troll, courtesy of L-Space:

http://tinyurl.com/a27ytf

-- Annie Mac, Editor

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

3) A MESSAGE FROM PTERRY

December 11th 2008

The Embuggerance - One Year On

Folks,

It's exactly one year since the Embuggerance was announced and
yesterday I wrote about 1,000 words for Unseen Academicals. The
reason that the book still has a long way to go (although it's all
downhill from here) is that it's a bloody amazing day if I can get
time to do more than a few hundred words; the year has been very
busy, right up to knocking on the door of 10 Downing Street a couple
of weeks ago, although the Prime Minister was kind enough to pour my
tea for me.

There is mail and email here that I regret will never be answered.
We hope that the next four months will give me a reasonably clear
run at finishing the book. After all, all this fuss has happened
because I stood up as Terry Pratchett the Writer. Regrettably, no
one would have noticed very much if I had stood up as Terry
Pratchett the Gardener. So it seems to me that I must put some time
by to be the former, although I suspect I am living in hopes.  I
would like to think things will quieten down a bit in the New Year.

As some of you will already know, we had great fun recording `With
Great Pleasure' for BBC Radio 4 and I can now reveal that the BBC
have given it a better slot of midday on Christmas Day, repeated on
Boxing Day evening. This will give it a much needed thirteen minutes
extra, which means most of the stuff we recorded in Bath on November
14th will get on air.

We don't yet know the transmission dates for the BBC2 documentary,
but the neighbourhood of January 15th has been mentioned. We'll
let you know as soon as we hear something definite. The last piece
of work I had to do for it was completed today with the mopping up
of a few final voiceovers. Incidentally, the Pratchgan, so lovingly
created by so many fans this year, has found a remarkable apposite
use as a reasonably efficient portable sound studio. It is so big
that we can use it to partition part of my library and has been
pressed into service twice so far. The current plan is to give it a
permanent home on the second floor, but given its weight a certain
amount of metalwork is required.

I officially opened the RICE Centre in Bath on December 5th, where I
and many others go for our treatment; those of you who were at
Bernard's recent bash know all about this and apart from the money
raised at said bash they had a very big cheque from me as I thought
this a better use of my money than Christmas cards!

Finally, I'm off to Dublin in the morning, where against all
probability, Trinity College are giving me an honorary Litt.D.

Happy Hogswatch All and may Gods Bless Us, Every One.
(Atheists may ask for the vegetarian alternative.)

[signed] Terry Pratchett


The original message, with signature, can be found online at:
http://www.pjsmprints.com/news/index.html

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

4) PTERRY AND ALZHEIMER'S: THE LATEST NEWS

4.1 INTERVIEW IN THE INDEPENDENT (UK)

"I'd been worried that Pratchett's disorder might silently dominate
our interview, like the proverbial elephant in the room. But the
elephant's gone rogue already, and is crashing about our encounter
as if such a meeting could have no other possible purpose. Pratchett
talks beautifully, as beautifully as he writes, and once he starts,
there's no stopping him."

http://tinyurl.com/5hnecx


4.2 MARATHON SCARF RAISES MONEY FOR ALZHEIMER'S RESEARCH

Susie Hewer, aka Extreme Knitting Redhead, made both the scarf *and*
the Guinness Book of Records:
http://tinyurl.com/3u37kx

The story of the scarf, step by step and stitch by click:
http://tinyurl.com/4g26cn

Also see the Charities Aid Foundation's article on this:
http://www.cafonline.org/Default.aspx?page=16583


4.3 PTERRY OPENS 'RICE' RESEARCH CENTRE IN BATH

From This is Bath:

The author said: "It never occurred to me to deny I've got it. I
decided to speak my mind. There's a saying 'you should never let
them see you bleed,' but that's wrong. If no one sees you bleed, no
one is going to offer you a bandage."

http://www.tinyurl.com.au/x.php?1kmz


4.4 PTERRY DELIVERS THAT PETITION TO DOWNING STREET

4.4a A BBC video interview (after travel advertisement) with Pterry
outside No. 10:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/7751399.stm

4.4b Daily Mail columnist Amanda Platell lauds Pterry as her Hero of
the Week:

"He knows it's too late to save himself and yet still he works
tirelessly to help those who will come after him. What a marvellous
man."
http://tinyurl.com/49lm7x

4.4c Julie Morgan, MP for Cardiff North, was among those presenting
the petition:
http://tinyurl.com/4enhmf

4.4d Article on the petition, at medical research website Speaking
of Research:
http://tinyurl.com/3nngp5

4.4e Article in The Telegraph

"Neil Hunt, chief executive of the Alzheimer's Society, said: "The
NHS is completely failing to face to the fact that we have a serious
issue here, not just in terms of numbers but in terms of the
terrible impact of dementia on an increasing number of sufferers or
their families. If we were talking about cuts to services for
another disease, such as cancer, there would be a national outcry,
and the NHS would not be able to get away with it. What we need the
NHS to do is to detect the signs of dementia, diagnose it early,
break the news properly and offer sources of help. That is not
happening.'"

http://tinyurl.com/5xfzxp


4.5 LIVING WITH ALZHEIMER'S: BBC 'HEADROOM' DOCUMENTARY FEATURING
TERRY PRATCHETT

"As part of BBC TWO's documentary strand focusing on mental health
and wellbeing subjects, BBC Headroom, where high-profile
personalities tackle a subject matter of personal importance to them
- we join Terry Pratchett as he journeys into his uncertain future
living with Alzheimer's - a world ultimately without words. Having
sold almost 60 million books worldwide, Terry is a man whose
imagination is in constant overdrive. The prospect of living without
memories or words frightens him."

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/131916.php

[Editor's note: the two-part documentary will air in the UK in
January 2009, broadcast date to be determined.]

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

5) DOCTOR PRATCHETT...AGAIN!

5.1 from The Irish Times:

"Naturalist Sir David Attenborough and popular writer Terry
Pratchett are among a number of recipients who will be awarded
honorary degrees at Trinity College Dublin later today..."

http://tinyurl.com/6dz4nf

For a good photo of Pterry in his very colourful robes with the
other honorees, go to:
http://tinyurl.com/9wsz8y


5.2 Irish blogger Mollydot's Twitter chronicle of the ceremony:

"The Wee Free Men's language is part Old Scots, part Glaswegian, and
part gibberish. The turtle's sex is 'yes'. We're on audience
questions..."

http://mollydot.livejournal.com/241419.html

[Editor's note: This blogger also has a superb user icon in the form
of "iGranny". Note pointy hat and headphones...]

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

6) NATION: NEWS AND REVIEWS

6.1 NATION Q&A WITH PTERRY

"Mau absolutely does believe in Death. And again, since he's a boy
with huge responsibilities devolved on to him, who knows how his
subconscious works? So I leave that open. It was very interesting to
tell a story about this, but magic definitely doesn't dominate the
book. I know what we can call it: narrative realism! To prevent
being tarred with the brush of fantasy. Narrative realism, we'll
cling on to that one like a lifebelt."

http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6591388.html?nid=2788

6.2 REVIEW IN THE NEW YORK TIMES

by James Hynes

"Pratchett's characteristically British comic technique juxtaposes
comic exaggeration, like funny names and ­over-the-top situations,
with pomposity-puncturing asides, usually from the characters, but
just as often from Pratchett himself, who is a wryly twinkling
presence in all of his books."

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/07/books/review/Hynes-t.html?_r=1

6.3 SUITE 101 REVIEW

by Susan Whelan

"It is a reflection of Pratchett's talent that such serious themes
and preoccupations are presented in a very readable and enjoyable
format that is suitable for readers from their mid-teens through to
adult. The humour is gentler than the more raucous and frequently
mocking humour of the Discworld, but it nevertheless enables
Pratchett to share his message in a manner which readers will find
not only instructive but enjoyable."

http://tinyurl.com/5lmotm


6.4 FROM THE ROVING HEARTS BLOG

"If you're a fan, you probably bought and happily devoured this book
already; if not, know that this exciting, deeply thoughtful tale of
shipwreck and derring-do is one of my favorite 'young adult' novels
of all time. And I've been through quite a few!"

http://rovinghearts.net/2008/12/15/book-review-nation/

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

7) PRATCHETT NOVELS: RECOMMENDED HOLIDAY READING

The Miami Herald recommends The Illustrated Wee Free men:
http://www.miamiherald.com/living/story/790663.html

The Young Adult Library Services Association recommends Nation:
http://tinyurl.com/57hs95

...as does the School Library Journal, in a section entitled "For
Those Tough-To-Please Teens":
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6620274.html

Literary blog The Swivet recommends Guards! Guards! and Good Omens:
http://tinyurl.com/6468xn

The Financial Post recommends The Illustrated Wee Free Man, and
Nation:
http://www.financialpost.com/story.html?id=1068147

The Toronto Star recommends Nation, very enthusiastically:
http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/article/552817

The Louisville Courier-Journal's book-chooser Carla Carlton has only
just discovered Pratchett by way of Reading Nation, but waxes
ecstatic about it towards the end of the book choice article:
http://tinyurl.com/3hhanp

On the Independent.ie site, critic Anne Marie Scanlon strongly
recommends Nation:
http://tinyurl.com/4cdqzm

Phil Henderson, Senior Marketing Manager at Trade Books, recommends
Making Money as his Book of the Year:
http://blog.oup.com/2008/12/2008_books_uk/

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

8) A TALENTED...BEARD?!

The annual prize is the idea of The Beard Liberation Front (BLF) –
who call themselves an "informal network of beard wearers". The
BLF say the award is designed to highlight those who have given
beards a positive image in the public eye during the last year.
Pterry faces stiff competition from, among others, Tom Jones -- and
the Archbishop of Canterbury!

http://tinyurl.com/64o2fk

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
End of Part 1, continued on Part 2 of 4.
If you did not get all four parts, write: interact@...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright (c) 2008 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

WOSSNAME -- DECEMBER 2008 -- PART 2 OF 4 (continued)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

====Part 2 -- MORE NEWS...

9)  CONVENTION NEWS
10) MICRO ART STUDIO DISCWORLD FIGURINES UPDATE
11) PRATCHETT: A WEAPON IN THE WAR ON BAD GRAMMAR
12) FOLKLORE OF DISCWORLD DVD GIVEAWAY
13) ONLINE REVIEW OF SMALL GODS
14) IMAGES OF THE MONTH
15) REVIEW: THE TURTLE MOVES!
16) MR PIN FOUND...IN A POTATO
17) A DISCWORLD DIRECTOR'S LEARNING CURVE
18) ABP BITS

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

9) CONVENTION NEWS

9.1 THE DWCON DVD COMETH

from http://www.dwcon.org/news/display-item.php?newsid=161

"The anniversary DVD, first made available to Convention members at
the event, is now available for sale online. I do apologise for the
delay in making this service available: the original price will now
not change this year. This means that the DVD will be available at
£10 plus postage and packing. There will be no price rise before
2009.

"It may take 5 days to process online orders, so the latest that a
UK resident could make an order and confidently hope to take
delivery before Christmas would be 10th December. For other
destinations, orders would have to be made on or before 8th December
to have a reasonable chance of arriving before Christmas.

"DVDs will begin shipping on 8th December. UK residents who made
orders at the convention should receive their DVDs in that calendar
week (i.e. by 13th December).

"Please note that the DWCon web site will be undergoing maintenance
at some point during the final days of the year, so online sales may
be disrupted from December 20th onwards."


9.2 GERMAN DISCWORLD CONVENTION 2009

...or, as it's called in Germany, Scheibenwelt-Fest! Convention
organiser Jens Kleine writes:

The German Discworld Convention 2009 will take place at Castle
Bilstein from August the 14th to the 16th. The festival will be
Unseen University themed. Registration and more information can be
found in form of a bilingual wiki at:

http://www.discworld-convention.de

Ideas, suggestions, workshop instructors and helpers are always
welcome! Surprise presents for early registrations!


9.3 AUSTRALIAN DISCWORLD CONVENTION 2009

Nullus Anxietas 2: The Second Australian Discworld Convention will
take place from February 27 to March 1 2009 in Melbourne at Storey
Hall, RMIT, 342 Swanston Street.

For more information, ticket prices, etc, go to:
http://ausdwcon.org

To join the AusDWcon mailing list:
http://ausdwcon.org/subscribers

[Editor's note: Bring a cushion. I can tell you from personal
experience that the seats at Storey Hall can be torture!]

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

10) MORE DISCWORLD FIGURINES ON THE WAY

Sculptor Kul Asyrk has posted photos of the greens for three new
Discworld miniatures: Susan Sto Helit, Nobby Nobbs and The Luggage:

http://www.tabletopgamingnews.com/2008/12/10/20848

These will eventually join the Micro Art Studio Discworld figurines
collection, as featured here recently:

http://www.shop.microartstudio.com/discworld-miniatures-c-48.html

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

11) BEWARE THOSE MULTIPLE EXCLAMATION MARKS...

In Great Falls, Montana, Simms High School's English teacher Mike
Schwabenbauer is waging a war for the cause of good grammar, and
uses Terry Pratchett's quotation about excessive exclamation marks
in his battles. Go Mike!

http://www.greatfallstribune.com/article/20081209/NEWS01/812090303

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

12) FOLKLORE OF DISCWORLD DVD GIVEAWAY

To celebrate the book release of The Folklore of Discworld, SciFi
Online have five DVD copies of The Folklore of Discworld up for
grabs. Answer the question and send in your details to enter the
prize draw.

http://your.loquax.co.uk/goto.htm?compid=94476

(requires registration)

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

13) ONLINE REVIEW OF SMALL GODS

Novelist Jay Lake:

"Brutha has one of the most amazing character arcs I've ever seen
in fiction. Regardless of what you think of Pratchett, fantasy or
humor in genre, this book is worth reading for the sake of studying
what Pratchett does with Brutha's transformation, and how he does
it."

http://tinyurl.com/65otsr

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

14) IMAGES OF THE MONTH: WONDERFUL DISCWORLD FANART

Some gems from the back catalogue of artist Lady Twatterby:

Mmm, Klatchian coffee:
http://tinyurl.com/443m9l

Lu-Tze and his bonsai mountain:
http://tinyurl.com/48sgpe

The Chairman of the Bank and his pet Patrician:
http://tinyurl.com/4oejt5

Miss Treason and her skulls:
http://tinyurl.com/4ja5pw

"Are you smiling, Vimes?":
http://tinyurl.com/4czh66

Also, a post from Lady Twatterby's blog, containing an extract from
one of her Discworld fan-comics, plus some fine Discworld-based user
icons:
http://lady-twatterby.livejournal.com/48805.html?nc=35

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

15) THE TURTLE MOVES! REVIEW

A review by John Enzinas

"On the plus side, as I said before he is very much a fan of the
series and is not ashamed to show it while still being willing to
point out things that he did not like. He also has some very
worthwhile things to say about the nature of the series and what we
can learn from it. His analysis is interesting and engaging and
definitely worth reading..."

http://www.sfsite.com/12a/tm285.htm

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

16) MR PIN: FOUND?

...not to mention this being a humorously shaped vegetable -- and
apparently the world's heaviest potato:

http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/8/22/1373408/pin-potato.jpg

The potato was grown in southern Lebanon. Read all about it:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7771042.stm

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

17) DISCWORLD TOURIST GUIDE DIRECTOR'S LEARNING EXPERIENCE

Director Jon Amiel is supporting Directors Guild Trust Direct Access
Candidate Sarah Grohnert by providing her with the opportunity to
observe him at work on 'Creation', a biopic on the life of Charles
Darwin. Grohnert's work includes the Discworld Tourist Guides for
Sky, based on their adaptation of Terry Pratchett's 'The Colour of
Magic' and a host of commercials for The Mob Film Company, where she
was the company's first-ever woman director signed for commercials.

http://www.4rfv.co.uk/industrynews.asp?id=86678

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

18) ABP BITS

REVIEW AND DISCUSSION OF WINTERSMITH

This was a review of the novel Wintersmith written by myself to a
member from the newsgroup in an e-mail a couple of months ago. He
recently asked me if I'd consider putting it up on abp...so here it
is.

Tiffany seemed to lose all all the courage she had in the first two
novels as the strong, brave and independent minded "big wee hag" who
ran around fighting evil monsters without needing anybody else's
help... except the feegles of course. She had now become the sweet
and innocent stereotyped Maiden-in-distress, simply awaiting her
strong, brave, hero (Roland) to come and rescue her.

She had suddenly become like a little kitten, now depending on other
witches to rescue her, such as Miss Treason at the beginning, mainly
Granny Weatherwax after her, who then, together with Nanny Ogg
protected and advised her 24 hours a day. Even Miss Tick and
Annagramma helped out to some extent!

I have to say, I simply fell in love with Roland in this story.
Although he was only 13, his courage, loyalty and love for his lady
seemed to astound me. How brave and romantic he was, and his
willingness to be a hero, a Knight in shining armour searching the
dark, spooky depths of the Netherworld for her.

I wasn't quite sure what the job of the Cornucopia was as a weapon
against the Wintersmith. At first I thought the Summer Lady had sent
it to Tiffany especially to kill him with... just in case she didn't
wake up in time to help her. It wasn't used for this purpose though
- it just made lots of chickens instead. Giggle, giggle! :-)

The Wintersmith only died after Tiffany kissed him at the end...
which made me curious as to why she didn't know this before and
destroy him earlier... and why on earth did she need Roland for in
the first place if she could kill the snowman herself?!

All in all though, it was a very pleasant and enjoyable read, but
just a little confusing at the end!

Thanks for reading

-- Sofia

Not sure if you are looking for explanations, but at the end both
Winter has to be banished and Summer has to be summoned. Tiffany
and Roland needed to work together (but apart) to archive this.

The key to the kiss was first given when Granny moved the heat from
the tea cup so that it froze. (Important that the heat does not go
through you) *

Tiffany, with great courage because she knows the risk, takes this
shifting of heat to a much higher magnitude when she shifts the heat
of the bonfire to the drifts of snow. Tiffany, with great courage
because she knows the risk, takes this shifting of heat to a much
higher magnitude when she shifts the heat of the sun to the lips of
the Wintersmith.

That's how she banishes him and that's why it could not have been
done earlier. She did not have the opportunity, did not know how
and the time was not right. Winter makes way for Summer. Without
Summer - Winter can never be truly banished, the Morris Men don't
come, and you get a grey cold year where crops fail and people
starve, followed by a Winter when they die.

*An IW for this skill is in CJ when Granny moves the heat of the
Vampires 'curse' into the Iron of the anvil. I will have to check
if there is a IW for Granny being able to move heat and pain before
this book.

-- Reader in Invisible Writings

Something similar takes place in Maskerade after Granny catches the
sword. There the pain and damage from the sword cuts are transfered
through time rather than space.

Possibly something similar takes place in Witches Abroad when Granny
thrusts her arm in the flame causing Mrs Gogol's voodoo doll to
burst into flames. The explanation for the doll bursting into
flames is that it is due to Mrs Gogol's belief in voodoo being
manipulated by Granny [1]. However, that isn't enough to explain
why the flame doesn't injure Granny. She must be using some method
of transfering the heat and pain elsewhere.

[1]  i.e. Mrs Gogol believes that any damage done to the doll will
affect Granny and Granny simply reverses the process.

-- Nigel.

Also in Maskerade, Granny moves the heat away from her body, after
eating Nanny's famous dessert at the lunch with Senor Basilica.
Afterwards, she holds a water jug (or something like that) and the
water starts boiling.

-- Anery

I thought there may be something is WS but then realised I was
getting the WS scene with the child and the cow interlinked with
the CJ scene with the woman and the baby "But first no pain" which
is an IW for the skill Tiffany learns and uses on the Baron. But
you have a point regarding the torch and the doll... Granny just
pushed to where Mrs Gogol was pulling.

The M! incident is much closer to what happens in CJ as it is heat
in the body shifted to else where - the WS trick is to shift is
from A to B via the body without getting incinerated! Just the
same, but more so!

-- Reader in Invisible Writings.

Splutter! Did you read the same book I did? Tiffany needs rescuing
at one point (when she's in the wintersmith's castle) and she
rescues herself.

"She had suddenly become like a little kitten, now depending on
other witches to rescue her, such as Miss Treason at the beginning,
mainly Granny Weatherwax after her, who then, together with Nanny
Ogg protected and advised her 24 hours a day. Even Miss Tick and
Annagramma helped out to some extent!"

Ah, you didn't. In the one I read, Tiff helped Annagramma, not the
other way round, and Granny did her usual thing of helping her help
herself, rather than handing her the answers.

Roland, meanwhile, provided a deeply symbolic and undeniably
romantic gesture, which probably didn't actually make much
difference.

-- Dave

When I wrote "Annagramma helped to some extent", I was talking about
after she'd picked up Witchcraft from Tiffany and bought herself
several scary, fake, Witch-like jokey objects from Boffo's joke
shop. She didn't even know he was the Wintersmith at the time, all
she saw was Tiff arguing  with a man, so she came out of miss
Treason's old cottage in a rage, and dressed as an ugly Boffo witch.
With her witches hat, green hair, warts on warts and bullying
tactics, she frightened him away immediately! Tiff was very
grateful, and they called it a truce.

Roland was asked to be a brave hero, a knight in shining armour for
his sweetheart. He had to get into the Netherworld by joining the
ferryman, Death, the last thing anybody would want to see on a
journey, on a trip across the ferry to find his next frightening
fate of finding and fighting those Bogles... with his eyes shut! He
then had to find and awaken the Summer Lady with a peck on the
cheek, when he ended up having to make the same trip all the way
back again with those Bogles and the ferryman before he finally got
the Summer Lady back again.

If he hadn't gotten her back again, then she couldn't have replaced
the Wintersmith after Tiff had kissed him. That's the part I was
confused about most. How she killed him with the kiss at that
moment, and why she didn't try it before.

I think others in the group are saying that Tiff killed the
Wintersmith by taking the heat from the Summer Lady who was standing
behind her at the time, and used that heat to kill him with it. I
obviously didn't know that before which is what left me confused at
the end, but if that is the case, might I thank those others as I
know that now. Also, if Roland hadn't gotten the Summer Lady out of
the Netherworld, then she would never have been there to have taken
the heat from in the first place, so Roland played a very important
role in waking her up!

BTW: thanks to everybody who explained the heat transfer death to
me, it seems to make everything fall to pieces now.

-- Sofia

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
End of Part 2 -- continued on Part 3 of 4.
If you did not get all four parts, write: interact@...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright (c) 2008 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

WOSSNAME -- DECEMBER 2008 -- PART 3 OF 4 (continued)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

====Part 3 -- ...AND MORE, WEIRD ALICE AND HOROSCOPE

19) ABP BITS, CONTINUED
20) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS
21) THE TURTLE MOVES!: A REVIEW, ISH
22) WEIRD ALICE: A SEASONAL PARODY
23) YOUR MONTHLY HOROSCOPE MAR > MAY

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

20) ABP BITS, CONTINUED

20.1 NATION REVIEWED
by ABP reader Richard

Ok, then, review. Liked it, didn't love it. PTerry's best? By no
means. His worst? Certainly not. There's something different about it,
which is good, and the alternative Earth is a nice touch. A lesser
author would have put it either on another world altogether, or on
ours as-is. The story is good, and the characters (well, most of them,
anyway) well written.

I did actually like the way not everything is spelled out for you.
Some things _should_ not be explained, especially not if one of the
aims of the book is to make its readers think. If some people can't
be bothered to do that, then some authors would pander to the lowest
denominator and pin down every detail for you, leaving no room for
your own thoughts and opinions. PTerry doesn't, and that
intentionally. And on a trivial note, I like the typography.

On the negative side, there were times when I wanted to slap some of
the characters. Daphne really does worry too much over some of her
actions, even for what amounts to a home-bound Victorian society belle
in training. Then again, some real-life teenage girls deserve a bucket
of water in the face, too.

Ataba. Really didn't like him, and didn't like how he was treated.
He's the most simplistic, most stereotypical kind of Primitive
Ooga-Booga Priest you get, and he's the only one, so he's _all_ the
priesthood you get in the book. The "modern" priests, by contrast, are
well-meaning but vague and inconsequential. I suppose that if all your
information about organised religion comes from watching TV interviews
with Jerry Fallwell on the one hand and with Rowan Williams on the
other, that would be just to be expected, but from PTerry I do expect
a more thought-through image.

In balance, then, would I buy another book in this series, should
there ever be one? Without a doubt, but I wouldn't make a trip to the
city especially to buy it (which I do do with DW books).

On a scale of 1 to 10, about an 8, I guess.

20.2 19.2 THE ANNOTATED PRATCHETT FILE: BEAUTIFUL PLUMAGE...

Just to wander off on a tangent here, whatever happened to the
'official' annotated pratchett file? It seems to have been not
very updated for a while now :(

-- John Hinge

Not dead.

Resting.

-- Leo Breebaart

"That is not dead which can eternal lie. And with strange eons, even
death may die."

Like that?

-- Chris Zakes

More like: "Remarkable document, the APF, idn'it, ay? Beautiful sub-
headings!"

- Nigel


"Dead APFs are files, too! End updateism now!"

-- Richard

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

21) THE PLAY'S THE THING: DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS

21.1 WYRD SISTERS: THE DIRECTOR'S CUT

Studio Theatre Club, Stephen Briggs' own theatre group, will present
a special new dramatisation of Wyrd Sisters in celebration of 25
years of Discworld and 60 years of Terry Pratchett. Wyrd Sisters was
the first Discworld play ever performed by the company, but this
time around they promise a bigger cast, new scenes and characters,
and spectacular -- or at least better! -- costumes and effects.

Where: the Unicorn Theatre, Thames Street, Abingdon, OXON
When: 20th to 24th January 2009 at 7:30pm (matinee at 2.30pm on 24th
January).
Tickets: £8, available from Tickets@... -- full
booking details can be found on their website:
http://www.studiotheatreclub.com


21.2 THE TRUTH IN OXFORD

Parabox Productions return to the Old Fire Station, after their
successful Edinburgh Fringe run of Mort, with Terry Pratchett's
The Truth to celebrate the Discworld's 25th Anniversary.

Where: Old Fire Station Studio, Oxford, UK
When: 3 March - 7 March 2009

For further details, please see:
http://tinyurl.com/4ejk5y

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

22) THE TURTLE MOVES! ...OR MAYBE NOT

A review by Annie Mac

So. After quite a lot of searching around the wild bookshops of
Fourecks, I finally got myself a copy of The Turtle Moves!
Discworld's Story Unauthorized, by Lawrence Watt-Evans. And I read
it from cover to cover, for the purpose of reviewing it. And I find
that, having read the book, I'm not at all sure what to say about
it.

That in itself says something. After all, I found plenty to say
about Andrew M. Butler's Unauthorised Discworld Companion, didn't I?
And there's no question that Mr Watt-Evans is a dyed-in-the-wool
Discworld enthusiast. And he hails the greatness of Tiffany Aching,
which buys him a myriad of brownie points with me. And he's
obviously put a lot of time and effort into classifying the sub-
series of the Discworld novels, and into writing footnotes... lots
and lots of footnotes. But ultimately, I'm not sure The Turtle
Moves! is a book worth buying or borrowing, because I can't say with
certainty what it's *for*.

In the course of the book's 285 pages, Watt-Evans covers an apologia
to both potential and existing fans of the series, what the series
is generally about, a description of the Discworld and its universe,
a short (far too short, in my opinion, to be enlightening to
newcomers) essay on each extant Discworld novel (with a nod to
several short stories not included in the novels), essays about the
Discworld phenomenon, essays on each sub-series (the
classifications, of course, being his own), essays on secondary and
background characters, and a bibliography. Again, all good... but
very little of the content strikes me as particularly enlightening.
For those of us already familiar with the series, there's certainly
nothing new there. Watt-Evans does offer the disclaimer that he
wasn't trying for any sort of serious literary analysis of Terry
Pratchett's writing, but while what he accomplishes may not be
lit-crit it also isn't sufficiently detailed to entice prospective
readers who come across the book. At least, not in my opinion...

There's no question that Watt-Evans can write well. His style here
is bright and friendly, easy to read and intelligent in a casual,
almost bloggish way. But at the same time I found his voice a bit
too preciously self-effacing in places, and he rides the "Pratchett
is a genius, but I've been writing for a long time so why can't *I*
be as successful as he is?" train until it gets old and loses any
charm it might have had at the start.

I do have to complain about the footnotes. Yes, I've always found Mr
Pratchett's own Discworld novels' footnotes charming (and often
extremely funny), but they are there for a purpose. In The Turtle
Moves!, Watt-Evans' footnotes -- which he openly admits are there as
homage -- often serve no real purpose, and sometimes would have been
more effective in the body of the text; also, there are far, far too
many of them.

One thing I did gain from The Turtle Moves! is a greater cultural
understanding of why most American readers simply wouldn't "get" the
essential Englishness of the Discworld novels -- something that
never occurred to me as a native of those little islands tucked away
in a corner of northwestern Europe. The more I think about it, the
more surprised (and delighted) I am that Discworld is at all
successful across the pond. If this book helps increase the profile
of Discworld, more power to its bindings!

My Dearly Beloved has asked me to add his comments to this review:
"Speaking as the fellow who handed over his hard-earned cash to buy
the book, I'm not sorry I did. It might be damning the book with
faint praise, but TTM! isn't a bad book -- there's nothing
particularly wrong with any of it. But somehow it just wasn't as
satisfying as it might have been. In my opinion, it reads like a
series of well-written tributes to Discworld, written as blog posts
by a talented, loving fan. And that's not intended as a put-down:
good writing is good writing, whether on a blog or in a book. But
it's missing that extra something that (in theory at least)
distinguishes books by pro writers from blog posts by talented
amateurs, and that's a shame, because Lawrence Watt-Evans is a pro
writer. As a tribute to Discworld, TTM! is quite good, but if
you're looking for something more, you may be come away feeling,
not exactly disappointed, but not quite satisfied either."

So...is The Turtle Moves! a good book, or a waste of time? I don't
know. Was it worth the effort of writing? I don't know. Am I
recommending it as a purchase or read, or giving it a thumbs-down? I
don't know. Did it make me want to read any of watt-Evans' own
original fiction? Not particularly. Ah well, that's the way the
figgin crumbles.

THE TURTLE MOVES! DISCWORLD'S STORY UNAUTHORIZED
By Lawrence Watt-Evans
Published by BenBella Books
ISBN 1-933771-46-1

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

23) WEIRD ALICE PRESENTS...

WE THREE HAGS, ANE HOGSWATCHE CAROL

NANNY, GRANNY AND MAGRAT:
We three Hags Lancrastian are
Straddling brooms, we travel afar
Hearth and privy, pub and smithy
Casting our spells bizarre

Ohh...
Stars of Lancre, stern in black
Dames in regal pointy hats
Hubwards breezing, nethers freezing
Witches three who've got the knack

VERENCE:
Born a Fool, yet destined to reign
Never cruel though sometimes a pain
King well-meaning -- New Age-leaning
Sensible, in the main

Ohh...
Star of Lancre, staunch and meek
Castle sanitation geek
Bells a-clinking, forward-thinking
Modernise your farm techniques

MAGRAT:
Frank but senseless, soppy am I
Wrinkled gowns and head in the sky
Sweet tomfool'ry, occult jewellery
"Wet as a hen," they sigh

Ohh...
Star of Lancre, star-crossed Queen
Star of herbal research scene
Keen defender, nappy-mender
Keeping Ynci's armour clean

NANNY:
Scumble mine, 'tis boozy perfume
Breath like fire can clear a big room
Girlish in spirit, bawling lyrics
Bawdy and rude -- boom-boom!

Ohh...
Star of Lancre, super-Gran
Head of matriarchal clan
Crude and chummy, Greebo's Mummy
Who can fix things? Nanny can!

GRANNY:
Hogswatch parties? Sausages fat?
Ha! I can't be having with that!
Bees I'll borrow near and far, so
I can patrol my patch

ALL:
Ohh...
Stars of Lancre, wyrd and wise
We've no need to advertise
Maiden, mother, and the... other
Guarding all 'neath Lancre's skies


-- Alice

For the original lyrics to the carol We Three Kings, go to:
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/w/e/wethree.htm

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

24) THE NEW DISCWORLD HOROSCOPE

by Fernando Magnifico

Hallo and buongiorno to all my friends, it is I, Fernando, and I
shall be your astrologer today, for the Lady Asterisk has got her
hand stuck in her Hogswatch goose.

Unless you have been hiding in the basement building the machine for
modelling the ebb and flow of money through this fine city (but
Fernando cannot think of anyone in their right mind who would want
to do that), or perhaps you are one of the unfortunates deep in the
Patrician's dungeons (but then how would you be reading this, my
friend?), then you will be aware that Hogswatch is upon us. In only
a few more days, the Hogfather will be bringing presents to those
who have been good, and bloody bones for those who have been bad.
Fernando is always very good, except once when he was very tired and
had the flu, but the signorina and her friend were very
understanding and forgiving.

This month, the stars say, is the time for parties -- big parties,
small parties, parties for many people and small intimate
tete-a-tetes for two. During this month, some of the most powerful
men in the city will be having the very large balls, and this
requires much careful handling to prevent embarrassment. Even Lord
Vetinari, who normally is not a man who has problems with anything,
has taken on extra staff to plan and prepare for the Annual
Patrician's Charity Ball. Fernando hears that Lord and Lady Rust's
plans for their Hogswatch Ball are in complete disarray after their
son has shot another butler. Not that Fernando has been counting,
but that is the fourth servant this year.

Whether you are catering for the Patrician's Ball, or, how do you
say it, having a knees up down the pub, this month is a molto
difficile time. There is so much to be planned, so many parties to
attend, enemies to be polite to, lesser enemies to snub, friends to
pull out of the gutter and carry home, and so much more. At a time
like this, Fernando knows that it is more important than ever to
have the guidance from the stars, and so this is your guide to the
parties. Happy Hogswatch and ciao bella!

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Adamant Hedgehog  21 Mar - 20 Apr

For Hoggers who are single, or those with understanding wives and
husbands, the stars smile on you this month for your party is the
singles party. Fernando gets the many invitations to singles parties
all year round, but for those who have never been to one before, you
can expect many awkward silences, much desperate attempts to impress
with the machismo, the occasional cutting remark or face slapping,
and, if you are very lucky, a quick and fumbling grope in the
corridor with somebody who is not too unpleasant. Fernando is very
sorry about this, but if you see him at one of these parties,
perhaps he can "set you up", as they say, with the attractive and
confident young ladies and gentlemens, since they will all be
gathered around Fernando talking to him. Such is Fernando's burden,
but he loves to share.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Half-Eaten Sandwich  21 Apr - 21 May

Those born under the sign of the Half-Eaten Sandwich are known as
Munchers, but also sometimes as Sandies. So what better party for
you than the beach party? The stars agree and say that this is the
good time to hire a cart, make up a picnic basket, and go for a day
trip down to the Holy Wood beach with your friends. Watch out for
sand in your drinks, ants in your food, biting flies, salt water in
your eyes, and sharkses. The best thing about a beach party is that
you can't go hungry, because of all the sand-witches there! Ha ha,
Fernando has made the joke!

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
End of Part 3, continued on Part 4 of 4.
If you did not get all four parts, write: interact@...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright (c) 2008 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

WOSSNAME -- DECEMBER 2008 -- PART 4 OF 4 (continued)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

====Part 4 -- HOROSCOPE, LATE BREAKING NEWS, AND CLOSE

24) HOROSCOPE, CONTINUED -- MAY > MAR
25) 'WITH GREAT PLEASURE': A REMINDER
26) LATE BREAKING NEWS
27) CLOSE

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

24) HOROSCOPE, CONTINUED

Herne the Hunted  22 May - 21 Jun

Hernians this month will find their party is the stag party. The
stars say that this is the best time for you to go out to the woods,
drink a lot of scumble (although even a little scumble is a lot),
put on a silly hat with enormous fake deer antlers, and run around
without your drawers on getting hot and sweaty. Then afterwoods, you
can drink more scumble and have a barbecue with all the meats you
can eat. Alas, Fernando has the bad news for the lady Hernians --
the stag party is strictly for the mens. But do not be sad, for
Fernando knows that the woods near Ankh-Morpork are full of stinging
nettle and poison ivy.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Wizard's Staff and Knob  22 Jun - 22 Jul

For wizards, every night is a night for a dinner party, although for
these learned gentlemens the music, good cheer and friendship is not
as important as the size of the dinner. For Staffies, the stars
suggest that you let your inner wizard out: this is a good time for
dinner parties. But be careful, for Fernando knows that sometimes
the dinner party can go wrong. Avoid all talk about religion and
politics, and beware of the Wow-Wow sauce and home-made grappa. Make
sure that you have with you a designated cart driver for the
afterwards, because the Watch love to catch the drunk drivers at
this time of year.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Bilious, God of Hangovers  23 Jul - 23 Aug

If every night is a dinner party for wizards, every night is a
cocktail party for Bilians. The stars this month they say that this
is an excellent month for the cocktail parties and wine-tasting
parties. The cocktails, they are not bad, but Fernando prefers to
drink the wine, like his blessed mamma taught him. "Fernando," she
told me when I was a small boy, "a drop of vino is good for the
digestion, but don't be like that good-for-nothing Bruno who gets
drunk every day!" Except she said it in Brindisian, which is a much
more beautiful language.

Fernando does not think much of the Ankh-Morpork wines: too much of
the Quirmian merda, and the Tsortean wines are only good for the
stripping of paint. For the proper wine, full of body and flavour
and colour, you need wine made with la passione from the best
Brindisian grapes, not the sour Quirmian rubbish. Fernando knows
that your parties will be a success if you stick to the real vino
from Brindisi.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Celestial Parsnip  24 Aug - 23 Sept

For the Snippies, the stars suggest that it is the good month for
the garden party. This confused Fernando at first, because the Ankh-
Morpork weather is not the best at this time of year. But I have
checked and double-checked my calculations, and there is no doubt
that the stars say this is the month for garden parties. How can
this be?

But then Fernando remembered what the difference between a garden
party and a picnic is. If you have invited people called Fred and
Sally, and asked them to bring a plate, it is probably the picnic.
But if you have had your servants hand-deliver the invitation
written on paper with gold edges to people called Lord and Lady
Panjandrum, then it is probably a garden party. For those of you who
are having the garden party, you can afford to have it at your
summer residence in the Tsort islands. For the rest of you, Fernando
recommends that you have the thick coats and warm hats, or better
still, you have your picnic indoors.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Small Boring Group of Faint Stars  24 Sept - 23 Oct

Not for Boring'uns is the wild party lifestyle. It is difficult to
be the party animal when a small sherry, a couple of cheese biscuits
and bed by 9 o'clock are what you consider to be an exciting night.
But the stars understand and they suggest that your party for this
month is a quilting party. If the sharp needles and scissors are too
worrying, Fernando suggests that you supply the snacks and leave the
dangerous implements to others.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Androgyna Majestis  24 Oct - 22 Nov

For Andies, the stars are saying that this is the good time for the
coming-out party. If you are the young lady of the certain age, this
is the good month for you to be presented to society. The Ankh-
Morpork young gentlemens don't normally have the coming-out party.
Fernando is not sure why this is so -- perhaps the young mens are
never ready to be presented to polite society?

For the other young mens, the ones who perhaps have the "wide
stance", as they say, Fernando can say do not worry my friends, the
stars are with you this month. This is a very good month for your
very own coming-out party too.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Spoons, a.k.a. the Greater and Lesser Spoons, 23 Nov - 21 Dec

This month the stars say your party is the costume party, or "fancy
dress" as they say. You can let everyone dress in whatever wild
costumes they choose, but the stars suggest that a themed party will
be better, although nobody is sure how the wizards will react to a
party full of civilians dressed the same as them. Beware though,
Fernando knows that you should avoid the toga party, for he has much
experience in such matters. Fernando has an uncle Giovanni, not the
shoemaker, the other uncle Giovanni, on Fernando's papa's side. For
this uncle Giovanni, every party is the toga party. He is always
dressed like the old Latinium patron, in a toga with a laurel
wreath, and then drinks very much of the vino and climbs on the
table and shouts "Food fight" (only in Brindisian, you understand)
and throws the food at the bride and groom. It is molto
embarressment, and we would like to not invite him, but what can we
do? He is family.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Hoki the Jokester  22 Dec - 20 Jan

As a Hokian, your birthday is coming up, and the stars say that this
is a good time for a Birthday Party. Fernando knows that it would
be, of course. It would be silly to have your birthday celebration
at a different time of the year, unless you are royalty or a race
horse. So Fernando wishes you a molto happy birthday, and the stars
say that this year, unlike last, there will be no fights over what
our Val said to grandmamma.

Unfortunately, the stars say nothing about embarrassing relatives
falling drunk into the punch bowl. Fernando knows you are on your
own with that.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Rather Large Gazunda  21 Jan - 18 Feb

Fernando knows that some things are timeless and can be enjoyed by
anyone no matter what their age, like Fernando's dearest mamma's
melanzana parmigiana, or lying on the soft grass under the shade of
a fine old tree on a hot summer's day. Other things are not so
universal, and for Gazundians, your party for this month is one of
the others, for your party is the pyjama party. So if you are the 15
year old girl, this is a good month to invite your best friends over
and talk about boys and Fernando, and play the Truth or Dare game.
And if you are the 45 year old man, Fernando understands that
Wednesday night is Pyjama Party night at the Pink Pussycat Club. For
the rest of you, Fernando is afraid that the stars are not on your
side this month.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Lesser Umbrage   19 Feb - 20 Mar

Umbragians, your preferred party for this month is the surprise
party, although Fernando is saddened that by telling you this, it
will no longer be a surprise for you. But surprise parties are not
just for receiving, they are also for giving, and the stars say that
this month you should give surprise parties for your friends and
family. Why wait until their birthday or anniversary? There is
nothing more surprising than a birthday party six months before the
guest of honour's birthday, except perhaps for a cake with Fernando
in it.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

25) WITH GREAT PLEASURE: A REMINDER

BBC Radio 4's "With Great Pleasure", featuring Terry Pratchett, will
be broadcast at 12.05pm (Greenwich time) on Christmas Day. In The
Times Online's round-up of holiday season radio, this programme
takes the top spot among their recommendations:

http://tinyurl.com/7yg4fl

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

26) LATE BREAKING NEWS

26.1 WYRD SISTERS IN BASILDON

A mysterious theatre company -- which is to say that the newspaper
article gives no indication as to its identity -- will present a
single performance of Stephen Briggs' adaptation of Wyrd Sisters in
late January.

Where: Towngate Theatre, Basildon
When: Wednesday, 28th January (doors open at 8pm)
Tickets: £10, concessions £7.50, available in advance by calling
01268 417854.

http://tinyurl.com/942ofa


26.2 A LIBRARIAN RECOMMENDS NATION

No, not *the* Librarian, but the Rowan Public Library, Salisbury
(UK) highly recommends Nation (and the rest of Terry Pratchett's
work!):

"A crossover novel written for teens that will appeal to adults as
well, it requires no knowledge of Pratchett's previous work...
plenty of excitement, with at least one scene evocative of an
Indiana Jones film."

http://www.salisburypost.com/Opinion/122108-book-lib-notes


26.3 ANOTHER PRATCHETT READING RECOMMENDATION

Denver newspaper The Rocky Mountain News recommends The Illustrated
Wee Free Men as a seasonal gift:

http://tinyurl.com/767f4p

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

27) AND IT'S HAPPY HOGSWATCH FROM US

Just a little anecdote to close with: yesterday morning, I was
trawling our bookshelves in search of some light reading for the
bath when I came across one of a Larry Niven-Steven Barnes series
called Dream Park. This one was The Voodoo Game, third in the
series, and I realised that I'd only ever read the first two, so I
grabbed it. And what should I find in the story but a reference to
Terry Pratchett -- in fact, three references: first a character was
described as looking like "a Terry Pratchett wizard" (though, given
the rest of the description, more of the Rincewind or Bursar than
the Dean or Two Chairs variety); then there was a reference to a
"Diskworld" live-action game (oh, you wacky Americans and your wacky
spellings); and finally, one of the characters was pointedly, erm,
aping the Librarian. Dream Park: The Voodoo Game was published way
back in 1991, when Discworld books were the best-kept secret amongst
bestsellers. It seems enough people were already in on that secret
that the authors were confident that the references would be
understood. These days, of course, our little niche group is many
millions strong -- and so it should be.

Again, at the year's end, we extend our heartfelt thanks to all the
helpful Newshounds and other contributors. Keep 'em coming!

WOSSNAME wishes all of you readers a happy and safe holiday season,
and we'll be back in the new year. Be careful out there, and don't
overdo it on the scumble! Happy Hogswatch to all...

...and to all a good night...

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
End of Part 4.
If you did not get all four parts, write: interact@...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright (c) 2008 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

Oops! Regarding item 12 in Part 2, FOLKLORE OF DISCWORLD DVD GIVEAWAY:
it's been brought to my attention that there ain't no such animal as a
Folklore of Discworld DVD, or indeed even a Folklore of Discworld
audiobook. The item was printed in good faith on a tip from the
Newshounds, and I did check the site, but I assumed SciFiOnline knew
something I didn't.

If anyone can supply an answer as to exactly what SciFiOnline think
they're offering as a giveaway, do let me know!

I apologise for any confusion caused by this misinformation. Tis the
season to be...well, I'm blaming the scumble.

-- Annie Mac

WOSSNAME
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
SPECIAL EDITION, DECEMBER 2008 (Volume 11, Issue 12a)

*******************************************************************
WOSSNAME is a FREE publication for members of the worldwide
Klatchian Foreign Legion and its affiliates, including the North
American Discworld Society and other continental groups.
*******************************************************************

A very special announcement:

ARISE, SIR PTERRY!!!

WOSSNAME is hugely delighted to report that Terry Pratchett will
receive a knighthood in the New Year's honours list.

Due to the vagaries of the British honours system, Pterry will be a
Knight Bachelor, which differs a bit from receiving a knighthood in
the Order of the British Empire, of which he's already an Officer
(OBE).

We join with Pratchett fans around the world in extending our
heartfelt congratulations. Woot woot woot!


Some twenty-and-a-bit months ago:

"I think that making me a knight would be extremely silly, and would
therefore embrace the idea in true Chestertonian fashion by taking
it seriously. I would buy a suit of armour (and stand vigil over it,
but since praying in a chapel is not my scene, maybe the Humanists
would let me sit in their lobby and read Darwin. Maidens, dragons...
oh, the possibilities are endless."

-- Terry Pratchett on the possibility of being knighted, in a
conversation started by the one and only Bruce Richardson on
Alt.Fan.Pratchett (13th April 2007)

...and now:

"There are times when phrases such as 'totally astonished' just
don't do the job. I am of course delighted and honoured and,
needless to say, flabbergasted."

-- Terry Pratchett on the reality of being knighted (30th December
2008)


Extra! Extra! Read all about it!

The BBC:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7805468.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7805143.stm

The Press Association:
http://tinyurl.com/8fwqrk

The Independent:
http://tinyurl.com/9algy7

Google:
http://tinyurl.com/6wvo8r

(this last link is likely to contain numerous other links as the
page is updated)


So raise your glasses to Sir Pterry! For he's a jolly good fellow,
and so say all of us...

And a happy new year to one and all!

--Annie Mac, Editor

WOSSNAME
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
JANUARY 2009 (Volume 12, Issue 1)
*********************************************************************
WOSSNAME is a FREE publication for members of the worldwide
Klatchian Foreign Legion and its affiliates, including the North
American Discworld Society and other continental groups. Are you a
member? Yes, if you sent in your name, country and e-mail address.
Are there any dues? No! As a member of the Klatchian Foreign Legion,
you'd only forget them...
*********************************************************************
Editor in Chief: Annie Mac
Editor Emeritus (retd): Joseph Schaumburger
News Editor: Fiona (not Bruce) Bruce
Newshounds: Vera, Mogg, Sir J of Croydon Below, the Shadow
Staff Writers: Asti Osborn, Paul Blake, Steven D'Aprano
Convention Reporters: Mithtrethth Hania Ogg et al
Staff Technomancer: Jason Parlevliet
Book Reviews: Drusilla D'Afanguin
Puzzle Editor: Tiff
Bard in Residence: Weird Alice Lancrevic
DW Horoscope: Lady Anaemia Asterisk, Fernando Magnifico
Emergency Staff: Jason Parlevliet
World Membership Director: Steven D'Aprano (in his copious spare
time)
Copyright 2008 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

------------------------------------------------------------------------

INDEX:

====Part 1 -- EARLY EDITION: ALL THE NEWS THAT FITS

1) QUOTES OF THE MONTH
2) LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
3) SO, HOW *DOES* ONE PRONOUNCE 'SIR PTERRY'?
4) PTERRY AND ALZHEIMER'S: NEWS
5) NATION AT THE NATIONAL THEATRE
6) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS
7) AN AFP MEET-UP
8) CALLING ALL DISCWORLD SONGLIST VOLUNTEERS
9) CONVENTION NEWS
10) DISCWORLD COLLECTABLES NEWS
11) TEMPORARY CLOSE

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

1) QUOTES OF THE MONTH

"Terry promised to 'scream and harangue' about dementia research. He
did much more than that. He became a voice for the 700,000 people in
the UK who live with dementia but cannot scream and harangue so
loudly. Dementia research is still vastly under-funded, but this is
changing thanks to Terry's incredible work."

-- Rebecca Wood, chief executive of the Alzheimer's Research Trust

"I would like to congratulate Terry on this fantastic and well-
deserved achievement. Terry is not only a successful author and
well-loved public figure; he is also playing a key role in fighting
the misunderstanding and stigma surrounding dementia."

-- Neil Hunt, chief executive of the Alzheimer's Society

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

2) FROM THE EDITOR: TO SIR OR NOT TO SIR...?

This weekend coincides with the great Fourecksian national holiday
of More Beer Than Usual Day, otherwise known as Australia Day, so
I'm going away for a few days. But there are some hot news items
that simply couldn't wait, so what you have here on your screen is
an 'early edition'. More news, assorted items and our usual WOSSNAME
features will follow at the back end of next week, I promise.

It's something of a tradition in the arts world that persons who
receive a knighthood or other posh title tend to forego using it at
work (when's the last time you saw the DVD of Spinal Tap "starring
Lord Haden-Guest"?). In keeping with this, WOSSNAME will largely
continue referring to the master as Pterry, Terry Pratchett or Mr
Pratchett, unless Sir Pterry lets it be known otherwise. Just
saying...

In other news, WOSSNAME would like to extend heartfelt
congratulations and raise a thimble of salutatory scumble to Joe
Schaumburger, our founder and former editor, on the occasion of his
recent marriage. Well done Joe and Frances, and may you make it to
that combination 120th birthday and 41st anniversary party in good
health!

Right, on with the show.

-- Annie Mac, Editor

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

3) SO, HOW *DOES* ONE PRONOUNCE 'SIR PTERRY'?

User Friendly says it nicely:

http://ars.userfriendly.org/cartoons/?id=20090104

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

4) PTERRY AND ALZHEIMER'S: THE LATEST NEWS

LIVING WITH ALZHEIMER'S DOCUMENTARY

BBC2

Part 1 : Wednesday 4th February @ 21:00 GMT
Part 2 : Wednesday 11th February @ 21:00 GMT

Trailers will be broadcast between now and transmission and we will
keep you updated with the latest times here:

BBC 2
Wednesday 21st January @ 21.59 GMT
Thursday 22nd January @ 11:59 GMT
Thursday 22nd January @ 20:00 GMT
Thursday 22nd January @ 23:36 GMT


Thanks to PJSM Prints for the heads-up. There will be behind-the-
scenes photographs up on their site soon!

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

5) NATION AT THE NATIONAL: AT LAST, THE BIG TIME BECKONS

Nation is to be adapted for the London stage as the National
Theatre's new family epic in November 2009.

5.1 THE PLAY ITSELF

From the press release at
http://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/download.php?id=4885

Following the highly successful productions of His Dark Materials,
Coram Boy and most recently War Horse, Nation will be adapted by
Mark Ravenhill. Directed by Melly Still, the production will open in
the Olivier Theatre in November and is sponsored by Accenture,
supporters of Innovation at the National Theatre.

Terry Pratchett's Nation is a brilliantly wise and witty story about
two children from cultures a world apart coming of age on a desert
island, which challenges the way we think about identity, nationhood
and the history of the Empire.

Nation was published by Doubleday in September 2008.

Terry Pratchett is one of today's most popular and successful
authors. Creator of the phenomenally successful Discworld series
which has enjoyed global sales of over 55 million copies, he
received a Knighthood in the New Year Honours list. His first junior
Discworld novel, The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents, was
awarded the Carnegie Medal. Several of his works have been adapted
for television, including The Colour of Magic and Hogfather.

Praise for Nation includes:

"A wonderful story, by turns harrowing and triumphant. Mau and
Daphne are tremendously appealing characters" The New York Times

"an enchanting novel" The Times

"This is Pratchett operating at the peak of his powers. Nation's
often very funny, the characters are adorable, the plot
intriguing... Nation is wryly hilarious throughout." Death Ray

* * *

from The Stage:

"Pratchett's story is being adapted for the stage by Mark Ravenhill,
the playwright best known for controversial works such as Shopping
and F**king and Mother Clap's Molly House. He has also written plays
in the National's Connections programme of work for young people and
a pantomime for the Barbican Centre."

http://tinyurl.com/8hqh3y

* * *

From The Bookseller:

"There has been a huge appreciation of the slightly older family
shows. We were looking for a successor – we were looking for one
in that sort of tradition. Nation was one of the many books we have
read – our directors thought it filled the bill."

http://tinyurl.com/bxrv6d

* * *

From the London Theatre Guide:

"Described by National Theatre Artistic Director Nicholas Hytner as
'a wonderful book and, I suspect, perfect for an Olivier
adaptation', Nation is set on a desert island following a tsunami
which wiped out most of the population. The stage version, which
opens in the Olivier theatre in November, is adapted for an audience
as young as nine by playwright Mark Ravenhill and directed by Coram
Boy's Melly Still."

http://tinyurl.com/cejof4


5.2 POSSIBLE CINEMA TRANSMISSION?

"Britain's National Theatre announced Wednesday it will beam live
performances to movie theaters around the world in a bid to widen
its audience and test the public's appetite for watching stage plays
onscreen.

"The first of four planned simulcasts will be a June 25 performance
of Jean Racine's tragedy 'Phedre' starring Academy Award-winning
actress Helen Mirren and 'Mamma Mia' heartthrob Dominic Cooper.

"The three other plays have yet to be chosen."

http://tinyurl.com/b75oqf


"The National Theatre will broadcast four of its performances live
in UK cinemas in an effort to bring its work to a wider audience, it
has announced. Cinema tickets will cost £10 while theatre tickets
will be reduced because of disruption caused by cameras.

"The theatre said the four performances will be relayed to 50
independent and arts cinemas. It is in talks with the Picturehouse
cinema chain over the screenings, a spokesman said. It will cost
about £50,000 to relay each of the four shows by satellite."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7829114.stm


[Let's hope that Nation is one of those four! -- Ed.]

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

6) THEY PLAY'S THE THING: DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS

6.1 WYRD SISTERS IN LIVERPOOL

The Wavertree Garden Suburb Institute in Liverpool will present
Terry Pratchett's Wyrd Sisters (adapted for the stage by
Stephen Briggs).

Where: The Little Theatre, Wavertree Garden Suburb Institute, 149
Thingwall Road, Liverpool, L15 7XJ
When: Saturday 24th - Tuesday 27th January 2009
Doors open: 7:15pm
Performance: 7:45pm
Tickets: £5, available by calling 0151 220 5909 or 0151 427 5842.


6.2 ...AND IN SOUTHPORT

Sefton Theatre Company are performing Wyrd Sisters in March.

Where: Southport Art Centre Studio
When: Wednesday 11th to Saturday 14th March 2009
Time: all evening performances start at 7:45pm.
Tickets: £5.50 and £7.00
Box Office: 01704 540011


6.3 CARPE JUGULUM IN COLSTERWORTH

Newton's Players, are putting on a production of Terry Pratchett's
Carpe Jugulum. This follows on from their very successful production
of Terry Pratchett's Wyrd Sisters in both Grantham and Colsterworth.

Where: Colsterworth Village Hall
When: 6th and 7th March 2009.
Tickets: can be obtained from mark.wesson@... or by
calling 01476 862039.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

7) AFP MEET THIS WEEKEND

David Damerell writes:

Saturday the 24th January is as close as weekends come to the
eleventh anniversary of me flouncing out of afp, so it seems like a
good time for an afp (and ex-afp?) meet.

The Pembury Tavern, in Hackney, has an extensive selection of real
ale, some real cider, a decent kitchen, a bar billiards table, free
wireless, and no music - and at least one ex-afp type behind the
bar.

http://www.individualpubs.co.uk/pembury/ may be of some interest.
The pub is right next to Hackney Downs station and a few minutes'
walk from Hackney Central, as well as being surrounded by London's
extensive bus network.

The kitchen stops at 1500 so I propose to start about 1400, so as to
get lunch in to soak up the moist delicious beer.

I'll read the ensuing thread (if any) on afp to answer any questions
that might come up.

-- David Damerell <damerell@...>

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

8) CALLING ALL DISCWORLD SONGLIST VOLUNTEERS

Shoshana of From Rim to Hub writes:

I run the Discworld fansite www.FromRimToHub.com

I and a couple of other fans have started a Discworld playlist
(http://www.fromrimtohub.com/playlist/) where, basically, songs that
match the characters and books, or just fit into the Discworld, are
being archived. Sarah (the person whose idea this was) said, "This
is where you'll find music that relates to (hopefully, eventually)
most aspects of the Discworld universe created by the seriously
awesome and ridiculously brilliant Terry Pratchett."

So far we have songs for Men At Arms (I'll Make A Man Out Of You,
from Mulan), Rincewind (Your Horoscope For Today, by Weird Al),
Carrot (Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life, by of course the
classic Monty Python people), and others.

I thought this would be something readers of WOSSNAME might enjoy
looking at. We'd love also for them to send some suggestions, to
fromrimtohub@..., to expand the project.

Shoshana B
Webmaster, www.FromRimToHub.com

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

9) CONVENTION NEWS

9.1 IDWC

The first Irish Discworld Convention will take place on 6th-9th
November 2009 at the gorgeous Falls Hotel in Ennistymon, Co. Clare,
with guests of honour Terry Pratchett and Stephen Briggs:

http://idwcon.org/


9.2 GERMAN DISCWORLD CONVENTION

The German Discworld Convention 2009 will be held at Castle Bilstein
from 14-16th August:

http://www.scheibenwelt-convention.de/wiki/index.php/Start
http://www.scheibenwelt-convention.de/wiki/index.php/Programm


9.3 NADWCON: SEPTEMBER IS SOONER THAN YOU THINK...

http://www.nadwcon.org/


9.4 ...AND AUSDWCON IS EVEN SOONER THAN THAT

Nullus Anxietas 2: Feb 27th to Mar 1st, 2009

The second Australian Discworld Convention will be held at Storey
Hall, RMIT University in Melbourne, Victoria.

http://ausdwcon.org/

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

10) DISCWORLD COLLECTABLES NEWS

Remember, sales of PJSM Prints Discworld collectables go to support
Pterry's favourite charities. The RICE Centre has now been added to
the list of beneficiaries.

10.1 GUILD OF ASSASSINS CREST

A limited run of 200 Ankh-Morpork Guild of Assassins shields will be
available to buy from 23rd January. Don't miss out! For details,
check out www.pjsmprints.com -- given how quickly the other limited
edition badges sold out completely, you'd best be quick.

Also coming soon: the Vetinari family crest, and the Great A'Tuin
mission patch.

http://www.pjsmprints.com/pins/index.html


10.2 WONDERFUL BUTTON BADGES

PJSM Prints are offering a varied selection of forty-odd different
pin-backed badges, featuring details of Paul Kidby's well-known
Discworld illustrations, as well as various familiar slogans and a
few surprises (including my personal favourite, showing a certain
familiar-looking hand giving a gesture of...well, you'll have to go
look). The badges look terrific and sell for only £1 each.

http://www.pjsmprints.com/badges/index.html


10.3 SOME VERY SPECIAL SIGNED FIRST EDITIONS

For the Discworld collector with a bit more money to spend, there
are some irresistible special items available. These include 120
signed copies of the UK softcover proof of Nation (unpriced; make an
offer by email), a hardcover copy of The Last Hero (deluxe edition)
signed by both author and artist (£125), and -- wait for it -- a
chance to buy your own signed first edition copy of the famous and
elusive Once More* With Footnotes, as originally published in honour
of Pterry's being GOH at Noreascon 2004, for £550!

http://www.pjsmprints.com/collectables/index.html

[Editor's note: this is me, carefully hiding our copy of OM*WF
(bought at standard price a while back) under a plain brown
dustjacket...]

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

11) ...AND THAT'S ALL FOR THE MOMENT

Stay tuned. Have a lovely weekend and we'll see you next week!

-- Annie Mac

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
End of Part 1.
If you have any queries, write: interact@...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright (c) 2009 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

WOSSNAME
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
JANUARY 2009 (Volume 12, Issue 1)
*********************************************************************
WOSSNAME is a FREE publication for members of the worldwide
Klatchian Foreign Legion and its affiliates, including the North
American Discworld Society and other continental groups. Are you a
member? Yes, if you sent in your name, country and e-mail address.
Are there any dues? No! As a member of the Klatchian Foreign Legion,
you'd only forget them...
*********************************************************************
Editor in Chief: Annie Mac
Editor Emeritus (retd): Joseph Schaumburger
News Editor: Fiona (not Bruce) Bruce
Newshounds: Vera, Mogg, Sir J of Croydon Below, the Shadow
Staff Writers: Asti Osborn, Paul Blake, Steven D'Aprano
Convention Reporters: Mithtrethth Hania Ogg et al
Staff Technomancer: Jason Parlevliet
Book Reviews: Drusilla D'Afanguin
Puzzle Editor: Tiff
Bard in Residence: Weird Alice Lancrevic
DW Horoscope: Lady Anaemia Asterisk, Fernando Magnifico
Emergency Staff: Jason Parlevliet
World Membership Director: Steven D'Aprano (in his copious spare
time)
Copyright 2009 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

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INDEX:

====Part 1 -- ALL THE NEWS THAT FITS

1) LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
2) THE KNIGHTHOOD, CONTINUED
3) NATION: NEWS AND UPDATES
4) MORE ALZHEIMER'S NEWS AND SUCH
5) PRATCHETT PROMOTES SCIENCE
6) INTERVIEWS OF NOTE
7) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS
8) MAKING MONEY: NEBULA AWARD NOMINATION

====Part 2 -- MORE NEWS, REVIEWS AND STUFF

9) READING DISCWORLD NOVELS: IT'S A MUST
10) PTERRY MEETS TWITTER...ISH
11) PRATCHETT'S GREAT PLEASURE
12) BEARD OF THE YEAR, NOT QUITE
13) DISCWORLD MINIATURES: LATEST FIGURINES UPDATE
14) DISCWORLD GAMES NEWS
15) GOING POSTAL: A REVIEW
16) PAUL KIDBY INTERVIEWED
17) IMAGE OF THE MONTH
18) MOIST VON LIPWIG: A HERO DECONSTRUCTED
19) A CROCHETED DAFT WULLIE?!
20) DISCWORLD FAN ART
21) TALES FROM L-SPACE: THE HOLY ANORANKH
22) LOOK WHO HAS A BLOG...
23) RISE OF THE DARK CLERKS
24) WHERE ROUNDWORLD MEETS KOOM VALLEY: ANYONE FOR TROLL TEETH?
25) THE VIMES THEORY OF BOOTS INVADES THE BLOGOSPHERE

====Part 3 -- HOROSCOPE, LATE BREAKING NEWS, AND CLOSE

26) YOUR MONTHLY DISCWORLD HOROSCOPE
27) FROM BU: A LITTLE KNIGHT MUSIC
28) CLOSE

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

1) LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

So there I was, thinking January would be a quiet month in
Pratchettland after all the Hogswatch celebrations. No chance! Ah
well, at least it's all good and interesting news.

The discussion groups *have* been quiet, though. It's almost as if,
between the success of Nation and the frenzied press activity
surrounding Pterry-is-Sir-Terry-now, the Pratchett has gone from the
best-kept secret of millions of book-buyers to an international icon
who has -- to paraphrase another famous Knight when he played a
certain famous knight -- taken his first step into a larger world.
Like Luke Skywalker, Terry Pratchett belongs to everyone now... and
that, dear readers, is a wonderful thing. But hey, we knew him when!

-- Annie Mac, Editor

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

2) "BRAVE SIR PTERRY...", CONTINUED

2.1 ONCE MORE, WITH VISUALS

"I don't think I got the knighthood for having a disease..." Sir
Pterry in his own words, interviewed on camera by the BBC:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7805468.stm


2.2 PRESS AND INTERNET

"Pratchett told The Bookseller: 'I really am in a very English way
– you know beforehand so it's not exactly a surprise when a
whole load of journalists descend – just flabbergasted especially
as I will now be married to a Lady after all these years.' ... Asked
whether the knighthood might help him in this campaign work he said:
'One imagines the "K" on the name will help the Alzheimer society
work but I have got it for services to literature – that's what
it says on the tin.'"

http://tinyurl.com/8sxmk2


Neil Gaiman's reaction:

"Let's see. The biggest and the best news of the day is that Terry
Pratchett is now Sir Terrence[sic] of Pratchett. Hurrah. I shall doff my
cap the next time I see him. It will be the best-doffed cap in the
land. I shall buy a cap first, specially."

http://journal.neilgaiman.com/2008_12_01_archive.html


The Alzheimer's research society is, naturally, pleased:

http://tinyurl.com/aeughy


...as are the folk in his area:

http://tinyurl.com/a32brb


...and those smarmy gi-, erm, nice people at The Guardian:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/dec/31/new-year-honours-list


...while The Independent explains what this knighthood lark is all
about, anyway:

http://tinyurl.com/6wx87b

...as Tor.com points out that no other fantasy writer has ever been
dubbed before:

http://tinyurl.com/aywrga

...and so on. There have been dozens -- nay, scores -- of articles
about this, but as most are identical or nearly so, I doubt you'd
want the full list of links. Of course, if you really do, feel free
to write in with a request! -- Ed.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

3) NATION NEWS

3.1 STILL A BESTSELLER IN CANADA

...and still in the top ten:

http://www.tinyurl.com.au/x.php?1n9j


3.2 PRINTZ AWARD

Nation has received a silver seal, one of four highly regarded
Michael L. Printz Honor Awards, from the American Library
Association's Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA):

"Pratchett's trademark humor leavens this epic tale of ravaged
islands, shipwrecked nobles and survival."

http://www.tinyurl.com.au/x.php?1n9u

"Terry Pratchett tackles big issues in a book that manages to be
entertaining while offering middle school readers lots to think
about... In an action-packed tale, Pratchett touches on the meaning
of religion and science, empire and colonialism, death, leadership,
politics and royalty. It's a thumping good read that is sure to find
a wide audience among fans of alternative history, fantasy and
adventure stories."

http://fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2009/012009/01272009/441116

An article on the Globe Newswire gives the full list of books:

http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/news.html?d=158310


3.3 NATION AUDIOBOOK AWARD FOR STEPHEN BRIGGS

The multitalented Stephen Briggs has been given an Odyssey Honor
Award for Excellence in Audiobook Production by the American Library
Association for his reading of Nation for HarperChildren's
Audio/HarperCollins (as reviewed in WOSSNAME recently). Nice one,
m'lord Patri-, that is, Mr Briggs!

http://tinyurl.com/bctytz


3.4 A NEW DISTINCTION

Here's a message from from Pterry's Young Adult books editor at
HarperCollins on the subject of the Printz award:

"And now we have the excellent news from the American Library
Association (ALA) that NATION is both an ALA Notable Children's Book
and on the Best Books for Young Adults Top Ten list. Both Notable
and BBYA are fine, fine distinctions that help promote and sell
books. Terry's books have been on both lists before (I think all of
the Tiffany Aching books are on both lists), but this is his first
showing on the  BBYA Top Ten. Hooray! NATION is also the only book
that was honored by both the Top Ten and Printz Committee."

[Thanks to Colin Smythe for the above item -- Ed.]


3.5 ON CAMERA: THE MAN HIMSELF

"There's nothing Disney about it": a video clip of Pterry talking
about Nation on the HarperTeen website:

http://www.tinyurl.com.au/x.php?1ndz

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

4) PTERRY AND ALZHEIMER'S: THE LATEST NEWS

4.1 LIVING WITH ALZHEIMER'S DOCUMENTARY: A REMINDER

On BBC2:

Part 1 : Wednesday 4th February at 21:00 GMT
Part 2 : Wednesday 11th February at 21:00 GMT


4.2 A NEW BLACK HAT FOR THE MASTER

As originally reported in The Northern Echo:

"THE idea that patients with Alzheimer's disease might be able to
slow down, or even reverse their dementia by wearing a therapeutic
helmet sounds like pure science fiction. But, as The Northern Echo
reveals today, one of the world's best-selling fantasy writers, Sir
Terry Pratchett, has been using such a helmet..."

"Dr Dougal, who was aware of Sir Terry's interest in finding ways
of treating Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia, was glad to
help... 'When Sir Terry's people contacted me I was very happy to
help,' he says. 'We made another prototype helmet and he has had
that since last August.'"

http://www.tinyurl.com.au/x.php?1n9r

Also in The Daily Mail, with photos of the helmet:

http://www.tinyurl.com.au/x.php?1n9s

...and the Daily Mail again, with a photo of the helmet on its
famous wearer -- could this be proof that Pterry has been
assimilated by the Borg, we wonder... Discutus of Borg?

http://www.tinyurl.com.au/x.php?1n9t

The IT Examiner has reprinted the article with an appropriate sub-
heading -- The Light Fantastic:

http://www.tinyurl.com.au/x.php?1n9v


The Alzheimer's Society reminds us that it's early days yet:

"We welcome any new initiatives to help fight dementia, but the
infra-red helmet is still at an early stage of research. We need a
proper clinical trial to determine whether or not it is a safe and
effective treatment... It is vital that we do not generate false
hope and that all potential treatments are rigorously tested."

http://tinyurl.com/cu62g2


4.3 A STEP FORWARD IN THE BATTLE

from the Tenerife News:
"All NHS GPs in England are to be trained to spot the early symptoms
of dementia, under government plans. Ministers also want to set up
'memory clinics' to help the growing number of patients live as
normally as possible... Terry Pratchett, dementia campaigner, said:
'As well as national training for GPs, we'd like to see memory
clinics in every town, where people can go for treatment and support
to help them live their life as normally as possible.' "

http://tinyurl.com/adghdj

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

5) THE SCIENCE OF...ROUNDWORLD

Terry Pratchett and Bill Bryson are among the high-profile science
fans who have been invited to Downing Street for a debate on how to
promote science, supported by UK science minister Lord Drayson. A
campaign, "Science (So What? So Everything)" has been launched, with
the aim of making the public more "science-literate",including a
website with information on relevant careers and events:

www.direct.gov.uk/sciencesowhat

Various events, including National Science and Engineering Week (in
March) and regional science festivals, will be held throughout the
year. According to Whitehall, up to 2.9 million new jobs could be
created in the fields of science and technology by 2017.

http://tinyurl.com/cz8qdn

http://www.number10.gov.uk/Page18151

And here is The Guardian's article on it, with photo:

http://www.tinyurl.com.au/x.php?1ng1

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

6) SOME GOOD PTERRY INTERVIEWS

6.1 IN THE IRISH TIMES

by Donal Clarke

"The Discworld books may not be to everybody's taste, but they are
humane, funny and stuffed full of big ideas. He deserves the
knighthood he got this month and (more importantly) his status of
Confirmed National Treasure... I suspect that Terry has a few more
books in him yet. We tend to use the word "fighter" sentimentally
when discussing people with life-threatening conditions, but
Pratchett really does manage to sound like a man who will battle to
the (distant, I trust) end."

http://www.tinyurl.com.au/x.php?1n9o


6.2 IN THE BOOKSELLER

by Alison Flood

"It's one of those things—the big literary people get the kudos
and the chance at the big literary prizes. The rest of us can go off
with the money."

http://tinyurl.com/7btjpd

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

7) THE PLAY'S THE THING: DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS


7.1 WYRD SISTERS IN SOUTHPORT

Sefton Theatre Company are performing Wyrd Sisters in March.

Where: Southport Art Centre Studio
When: Wednesday 11th to Saturday 14th March 2009
Time: all evening performances start at 7:45pm.
Tickets: £5.50 and £7.00
Box Office: 01704 540011


7.2 CARPE JUGULUM IN COLSTERWORTH

Newton's Players, are putting on a production of Terry Pratchett's
Carpe Jugulum. This follows on from their very successful production
of Terry Pratchett's Wyrd Sisters in both Grantham and Colsterworth.

Where: Colsterworth Village Hall
When: 6th and 7th March 2009.
Tickets: can be obtained from mark.wesson@... or by
calling 01476 862039.


7.3 MAKING MONEY IN ADELAIDE

Adelaide's Bakehouse Theatre continues what is now a well-
established tradition of presenting Discworld plays with the
offering of an adaptation of Making Money, in March.

Where:Unseen Theatre Company, The Bakehouse, 255 Angas Street
Adelaide
When: April 10 to 25th (Wed. to Sat.)
Tickets: $18/$15 Available by writing to
book@...


7.4 REVIEWS OF WYRD SISTERS IN ABINGDON

by Filmknitter

"Granny Weatherwax was the spitting image of Paul Kidby's excellent
drawings, inspired by the books, and got the perfect balance between
'stubborn old woman' and 'most powerful witch of her time'. Nanny
Ogg was suitably bawdy... Stephen Briggs, as Vitoller, was even
better than we had expected... I'm now very much looking forward to
the STC's next Discworld play, due November 2009 I believe, and
would recommend any Discworld fans in the area  to look out for it,
but book early..."

http://tinyurl.com/bnadq5

...and by Carsten Schmitt

"The play was tremendously funny and staged with an eye for detail.
The actors were good and I dare say they enjoyed it as much as the
audience. A thoroughly enjoyable experience and I will keep my eyes
open for the next performance!"

http://tinyurl.com/ad6hbv

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

8) MAKING MONEY NOMINATED FOR A NEBULA AWARD

http://www.sfwa.org/news/2009/08nebprelim.htm

http://tinyurl.com/d385n4

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
End of Part 1, continued on Part 2 of .
If you did not get all --- parts, write: interact@...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright (c) 2009 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

WOSSNAME -- JANUARY 2009 -- PART 2 OF 3 (continued)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

====Part 2 -- MORE NEWS, REVIEWS AND STUFF

14) DISCWORLD GAMES NEWS
15) GOING POSTAL: A REVIEW
16) PAUL KIDBY INTERVIEWED
17) IMAGES OF THE MONTH
18) MOIST VON LIPWIG: A HERO DECONSTRUCTED
19) A CROCHETED DAFT WULLIE?!
20) DISCWORLD FAN ART
21) TALES FROM L-SPACE: THE HOLY ANORANKH
22) LOOK WHO HAS A BLOG...
23) RISE OF THE DARK CLERKS
24) WHERE ROUNDWORLD MEETS KOOM VALLEY: ANYONE FOR TROLL TEETH?
25) THE VIMES THEORY OF BOOTS INVADES THE BLOGOSPHERE

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

9) READING DISCWORLD NOVELS: IT'S A MUST

From The Guardian's "1,000 novels everyone must read" series:

"Terry Pratchett's Discworld is an oddity... Through Discworld's wry
lens, Pratchett can view racial identity, gender equality, guns,
ethnic conflict, pressures faced by policemen and the
responsibilities of reading Where's My Cow? to small children. Oh,
and the books are also very funny."

http://www.tinyurl.com.au/x.php?1n9w

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

10) PTERRY AND TWITTER -- NO, IT'S NOT WHAT YOU THINK!

"Sir Terry Pratchett has revealed that as a result of spending all
of his working life in 'alternative realities' he prefers his TV to
be a bit more 'ordinary'...perhaps most surprising is his admission
that he is a listener of the radio station Birdsong."

http://tinyurl.com/a9j873

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

11) PRATCHETT'S GREAT PLEASURE

Here be the list of books from which Pterry read extracts on BBC
Radio's With Great Pleasure programme:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00g3fg2

[Unfortunately, the programme itself is not available through the
BBC's Listen Again service. Boo hiss! -- Ed.]

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

12) THE BEARD HONOURS LIST: NOT QUITE A KNIGHTHOOD THERE

Apparently our Esteemed Author didn't win 2008's Beard of the Year.
Then again, neither did Prince William, Bill Bailey or Tom Jones.
Looks like this whimsical award has gone to the Archbishop of
Canterbury...

http://tinyurl.com/apr2pv

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

13) DISCWORLD MINIATURES: LATEST FIGURINES UPDATE

The newest Discworld figurines, available from this week, are Susan
Sto Helit Nobby Nobbs at 8.54 Euro each, and The Luggage at 9.74
Euro. We presume the higher price this time around is a result of
having to model all those hundreds of dear little legs!

http://www.shop.microartstudio.com/index.php?language=en

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

14) DISCWORLD GAMES NEWS

14.1 THE MAGIC'S IN THE MUSIC

"The developers of ScummVM are pleased to announce that as of today,
the classic game Discworld has full support for James Woodcock's
Music Enhancement Project within the developers build... With
permission from legendary author Terry Pratchett himself, the
Discworld enhanced soundtrack (version 2.0) will be released in full
and compatible with ScummVM in the future..."

http://tinyurl.com/cfm8r4


14.2 NOT EXACTLY CRIPPLE MR ONION, BUT...

The Discworld Mafia site offers a charming selection of card
templates for those who might wish to play the Discworld-themed
mafia Card Game, "a party game that is played by at least 7 people
(preferably between 12-20)." The card graphics are available for
free download and the site contains how-to instructions for creating
your own pack of cards. The illustrations are charming and
appropriate, although the Fairy Godmother one looks more like Zoe
Wanamaker than the usual Magrat and the Igor is oddly reminiscent of
Derek Jacobi's Brother Cadfael:

http://tinyurl.com/c65dww

http://tinyurl.com/d8zf95

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

15) GOING POSTAL: A REVIEW

"I hardly care about the plot or even the characters when I read a
Terry Pratchett story. What I read for is the rip-roaring fun
Pratchett has with puns and allusions and double-entendres and
everything else he can load on a sentence."

http://www.bewilderingstories.com/issue156/going_postal_rev.html

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

16) PAUL KIDBY INTERVIEWED

From the French Discworld site Le Vade-mecum:

"My favourite characters are: Granny Weatherwax, because she is
such a powerful and interesting witch; Vimes, because he is another
complex individual and its fun trying to capture the different
elements of his personality. I also like to illustrate Death..."

http://www.paulkidby.net/Interview.html

Editor's note: pour lire en francais, on va ici:
http://tinyurl.com/cacuwo

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

17) IMAGES OF THE MONTH

Doctor Sir Pterry in his doctoral robes, enjoying a pint of Guinness
after the ceremony in Dublin last month:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/arcaist/3132553579/


And here's a less formal version of The Artist Known As...Lego:

http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=24692

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

18) MOIST VON LIPWIG: A HERO DECONSTRUCTED

Here be a fascinating essay on Moist in terms of the hero with a
thousand faces -- in his case, a thousand forgettable ones --
entitled Through Mailslides, Fire and Glom of Nit: The Hero's
Journey of Moist von Lipwig:

"Moist has already taken the first two steps on the hero's quest
without knowing it when he first sets foot at last in the Post
Office...."

http://plottwist13.livejournal.com/212385.html

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

19) A CROCHETED DAFT WULLIE?!

And the Discworld craft hits just keep on coming...note the
crocheted Great A'Tuin at the back of the photo:

http://kotaku.com/5139526/custom-crocheted-sackboys-defy-logic

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

20) DISCWORLD FAN ART

Here's a shufti at some of the works of artist "~yenefer" (aka
Justyna), a young Polish Discworld fan on Deviantart.

A "rainbow" of memorable Discworld characters:
http://yenefer.deviantart.com/art/Discworld-Rainbow-100708191

The wizards of UU:
http://yenefer.deviantart.com/art/Wizards-85549865

Scenes from Monstrous Regiment:
http://tinyurl.com/cnvvhz

...and from Hogfather:
http://yenefer.deviantart.com/art/Pratchett-Hogfather-107953803

Otto:
http://yenefer.deviantart.com/art/Otto-Chriek-70626635

A family portrait:
http://yenefer.deviantart.com/art/Family-portrait-81423310

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

21) TALES FROM L-SPACE: THE HOLY ANORANKH

For those of you who have no idea what an anorankh might be -- and,
never having occupied that rare and surreal corner of the internet
known as Usenet, I certainly had no knowledge of the Tale of the
Holy Anorankh until very recently -- here is the history of the
thing and the whole of the thing. Warning: may cause laughter.

http://www.ie.lspace.org/fandom/afp/timelines/holy-anorankh.html

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

22) LOOK WHO HAS A BLOG...

A certain Lord H. V. has some interesting information on finance,
banking, inflation and growth. After all, running a large city-state
does require more than a bit of knowledge about these things...

http://theonestoptyrant.blogspot.com/

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

23) RISE OF THE DARK CLERKS

For the past two-and-a-bit years, a very unofficial Guild of Dark
Clerks has been doing dark and clerkly things at Discworld
conventions - fomenting mayhem, defending Lord Vetinari at his 2006
trial, objecting to mime, creating secret intelligence networks, and
of course, handing out pencils. They are hard to track down (and so
it should be), but are known to occasionally frequent a certain
LiveJournal community. Go have a look and join in the clerkliness.
It would be good to see a Dark Clerks presence at some 2009
conventions, especially NADWCON!

http://darkclerks.org/

Source: DWcon 2008 Chronicle 5.3, and a few secret clerkly people

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

24) WHERE ROUNDWORLD MEETS KOOM VALLEY: ANYONE FOR TROLL TEETH?

A massive cave of giant diamond-like gypsum crystals, discovered in
a zinc and lead mine in Chihuahua, Mexico in 2000, has now been
floodlit and photographed. Known as the Cave of Dreams and situated
more than 1,000 feet underground, the find is a horseshoe-shaped 90m
by 10m cavity in limestone rock with a crystalline-paved floor. The
cave has been claimed by the Mexican government as a national
treasure, and heavy iron doors are being installed to keep the
chamber safe (will there be mine sign on them? I wonder).

Professional cave photographer Richard Fisher said, "I have often
admired crystal geodes held in my hand, but when photographing these
unique natural structures it was almost impossible to get any sense
of scale. This is a geode full of spectacular crystals as tall as
pine trees, and in some cases greater in circumference. They have
formed beautiful crystals that are a translucent gold and silver in
color, and come in many incredible forms and shapes... I have been
told that the mining company was afraid to tunnel through the Naica
fault for fear of flooding the entire mine. In April 2000, the
company became confident that the water table on the other side of
the fault had been lowered sufficiently to drill. When they did
this, it is almost as if a magical veil of reality was breached and
an entirely new world was discovered."

At an ambient temperature of over 150F, with 100 per cent humidity,
the crystal cavern is enveloped in steam and is so dangerous an
environment that humans dare not stay at the site for more than a
few minutes at a time; in fact, when the discovery was first made, a
worker intending to steal some of the crystals stayed in too long
and was later found baked to death.

Sources:
http://tinyurl.com/39brt5
http://www.canyonsworldwide.com/crystals/mainframe3.html

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

25) THE VIMES THEORY OF BOOTS INVADES THE BLOGOSPHERE

Here be a lively and thoroughly random conversation about false
economy and Samuel Vimes' Theory of Boots:

http://james-nicoll.livejournal.com/1620616.html

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
End of Part 2 -- continued on Part 3 of 3.
If you did not get all three parts, write: interact@...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright (c) 2009 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

WOSSNAME -- JANUARY 2009 -- PART 3 OF 3 (continued)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

====Part 3 -- HOROSCOPE, BU, AND CLOSE

26) YOUR MONTHLY DISCWORLD HOROSCOPE
27) FROM BU: A LITTLE KNIGHT MUSIC
28) CLOSE

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

26) THE NEW DISCWORLD HOROSCOPE

by Fernando Magnifico

Buongiorno and the happy new years to all!  It is I, Fernando, and I
shall be your astrologer today, for the Lady Asterisk has had an
accident with an egg whisk and a tin of fig jam.

Organising the good parties requires much planning, and so last
month Fernando asked the stars to reveal what parties are suitable
for each sign. But after the parties is also molto difficile, for
there are always the consequences to deal with. Fernando knows this
very well, for he went home to Brindisi for a week and went to the
very many parties. And after the party, there is always the
aftermath to deal with, and it is important to have the guidance
from the stars. Ciao bella!

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Adamant Hedgehog  21 Mar - 20 Apr

For Hoggers, your after-party aftermath is, what to do with the
unwanted suitors who you have met at the parties, and are now
sending you C-mail and Bluenose messages from their gooseberries at
all times of the day and night. Sometimes the messages have the
iconographs as well, often without the fig leaves. Fernando knows
this very well, for he much receives the C-mail iconographs from the
young senors and senoritas. Fernando is not complaining, but some
people are perhaps not as open-minded and understanding of the
little peccadillo's like Fernando is, perhaps because his peccadillo
is not little.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Half-Eaten Sandwich  21 Apr - 21 May

Last month, the stars recommended that the best Munchers party was
the beach party. This month, the aftermath you must deal with is the
sand-rash, the sun-burn, the seagull droppings on your picnic
basket, and the stings from the octarine-ringed octopus. The stars'
recommendation for these is lanolin for the sand-rash, butter for
the sun-burn, turpentine for cleaning off the seagull droppings, and
for the octarine-ringed octopus stings, with the services of an Igor
and a bolt of lightning you should be soon walking around again
almost as good as new.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Herne the Hunted  22 May - 21 Jun

For Hernians, your party last month was the stag party, running
around in the woods without the small drawers on while drinking a
lot of scumble. The stars warned you last month, and this month, you
know have to deal with the aftermath: poison-ivy on your manly bits.
Fernando sends his sympathy, and the stars give this advice: drink
more scumble. It won't cure the blisters, but you will no longer
feel anything below the neck.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Wizard's Staff and Knob  22 Jun - 22 Jul

For Staffies, your after-party aftermath is to deal with the mess of
your dinner party. Fernando went to the many dinner parties in
Brindisi, and helped to clean the tomato sauce off the walls, the
spaghetti off the ceiling, and the tiramisu off Uncle Joe, who has
an enthusiastic but not very accurate method of eating desserts.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Bilious, God of Hangovers  23 Jul - 23 Aug

My Bilian friends, you will not be surprised to learn that the
aftermath you have to deal with is the hangover. The stars make many
suggestions for the hangover cure: the hair of the dog, as they say
in Ankh-Morpork; Klatchian coffee; a big plate of fried sausage and
eggs; a whole lime; even the sure-fire cure taught to Fernando by
his paesano Stropenzo: take one big glass of flat warm beer, mix in
two raw eggs and a great big spoonful of Fourecksian yeasty-salt
spread, and drink the lot as fast as possible. The stars also say
you can avoid the hangover by staying drunk, but as a Bilian, you
will already know this.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Celestial Parsnip  24 Aug - 23 Sept

Last month the stars suggested the garden party or picnic for
Snippies. This month, you have to deal with the aftermath. Whether
your party was held at your winter mansion on a little Tsort island,
or on a blanket on the grass at the Tump, the aftermath is always
the same: the potato salad will have turned, somebody's stockings
and corset will be found in the bushes, Uncle Alfonso will be passed
out under a tree, and cousin Filippa will be hugging everyone and
telling them how much she loves them all and then bursting into
tears "because I'm so full of joy I can't hold it all in". No,
Fernando does not understand it either.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Small Boring Group of Faint Stars  24 Sept - 23 Oct

Fernando has good news for Boring'uns: after your exciting quilting
party last month, the only aftermath you have to deal with is
sweeping up the little bits of thread and putting away the scissors.
Be careful with those dangerous tools!

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Androgyna Majestis  24 Oct - 22 Nov

What the stars give, the stars take away, for they are distant and
cold and do not have il compassione like Fernando. (Fernando has
much passione, with or without the com.) If this month is all that
Boring'uns could ask for, it is all that Andies do not want. Last
month was your coming out party, but this month you have to deal
with the aftermath: for the young signorinas, there will be the
tears and recriminations for those whose dress made them look like a
giant pink meringue, or worse, was exactly the same as the dress
worn by that puttana cana who spent the night flirting with the
young man you wanted to flirt with. And for the young gentlemens
with the wide stance who had the coming out party, there is always
somebody who is not as open-minded as Fernando and takes -- and
gives -- offense. Fernando asks, why are people so cruel?

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Spoons, a.k.a. the Greater and Lesser Spoons, 23 Nov - 21 Dec

Spooners, last month you dressed up for the fancy dress party. If
you did not listen to Fernando's most excellente advice, you may
have had the toga party, and now the aftermath you have to deal with
is to clean the food off, well, everything, and to get your friends
out of the Tanty. For those who dressed as a wizard, your aftermath
is the urge to catch flies with your tongue. And for those who
unwisely dressed as mimes, your aftermath is a week in Lord
Vetinari's dungeon. Fernando knows it could be worse: you could have
been caught by the Fools' Guild.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Hoki the Jokester  22 Dec - 20 Jan

Hokians, it was your birthday last month, and this month your after-
party aftermath is to deal with the invariable arguments and
disputes over presents. Fernando knows this very well: the arguments
over which family member was shamefully cheap with his present, who
was shamefully ostentatious with an over-priced tacky gift, and
whose present was shamelessly inappropriate. And then there are the
gag-gifts, like Fernando's Auntie Rosa-Marie who, every birthday, no
matter whose birthday it is, gives a gorgeously wrapped parcel
containing a small dishrag. And then she laughs and laughs, and
every year she is hurt that nobody else thought it was funny.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Rather Large Gazunda  21 Jan - 18 Feb

Gazundians, last month your party was the pyjama party, a specialist
taste. For those who did not indulge in such a thing, Fernando has
only the good news: the stars say that this month you have no
aftermath to deal with. But for those young girls who indulged in
the pyjama party and stayed up all night playing Truth or Dare, your
aftermath is to deal with the heart-break when you learn that the
boy you are keen on would rather play Stomp On Billy's Fingers and
would not give you the time of day, as they day in Ankh-Morpork.
(Fernando sees this game being played all the time in Cockabill
Street. Fernando does not approve of such games, and thinks that the
growing young mens should be playing footsball.) Do not worry, cara
mia, in a few years the young mens' eyes will open, and then it is
you who will break their hearts.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Lesser Umbrage   19 Feb - 20 Mar

If you followed the advice of the stars last month, you will have
thrown a surprise party for one of your friends or family. The stars
say that if you have done so, the aftermath you have to deal with is
all the rest of your friends and family wandering why you did not
throw a party in honour of *them*. Fernando hopes you have chosen
your parties well.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

27) A LITTLE KNIGHT MUSIC

On the ozdw (Bugarup University) discussion list, Fiona Not Bruce
Bruce wrote:

I was watching a Parkinson re-run where Ian McKellen said that when
you get your "honour" from the Queen there are musicians
(minstrels?) playing in the gallery. He said they played "When I'm
Cleaning Windows" when he got the CBE and "Hi-diddle-dee (An Actor's
Life For Me)" when he received his knighthood. So, what do you think
should be played when Terry gets "stricken with the sword"?

The answer came back:

That's a no-brainer -- A Kind of Magic, by Queen!

..and the runner-up: Paperback Writer, by the Beatles.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

28) AND IT'S GOODNIGHT FROM US

...and pass the icebergs, please! Down here in Fourecks we're in the
middle of a rather impressive summer heat wave, with temperatures up
to over 45 degrees Celsius (for those of you who think in
Fahrenheit, you really don't want to think about what that
translates to). My thoughts go out, rather enviously, to those of
you who live in places where it's winter now. Here's hoping everyone
stays warm -- or cooled -- until next month...

-- Annie Mac

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
End of Part 3.
If you did not get all three parts, write: interact@...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright (c) 2009 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

WOSSNAME
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
31st JANUARY 2009

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: THE COLOUR OF MAGIC ON THE BIG SCREEN IN NYC

As announced by the New York Times, The Colour of Magic is now being
screened on a limited run in New York City, showing at the Quad
Cinema on 13th Street from 30th January to 5th February!

"Originally broadcast on British television and now receiving a
limited theatrical run here, 'The Color of Magic' mashes together
a pair of comedic fantasy novels by Terry Pratchett into one long,
rambling saga. Directed by Vadim Jean, who adapted the books with
help from Mr. Pratchett, it is by and large a droll, ingratiating
affair... What's refreshing here (aside from the inimitably British
mock-epic tone) is precisely this sense of an immense fantasy
played out in a diminished scale. Where even the quietest moments
of the Harry Potter films bludgeon the viewer with the immensity
and expense of their production, 'Magic' has a charmingly modest,
artisanal feel about it..."

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/30/movies/30colo.html?ref=movies

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright (c) 2009 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

WOSSNAME
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
FEBRUARY 2009
*********************************************************************

SPECIAL AUSDWCON 2009 EDITION

*********************************************************************

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

INDEX:

IT'S AUSDWCON TIME!

1) LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
2) AUSDWCON 2009 WANTS *YOU*! A LETTER FROM THE COMMITTEE
3) THE WAY IT WAS: AUSDWCON 2007
4) BOOKS FOR THE BUSHFIRE SURVIVORS?

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

1) LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Once upon a time, "fan convention" was a hopeful phrase that meant
"several dozen or so lonely fans gathered in the back room of a pub
to share their love for their favourite books, films or television
series". And then the Rise of Fandom came and changed that beyond
recognition, so that nowadays there are vast, glittering events at
huge venues, all chock-a-block with famous names and queues around
the block.

Nullas Anxietas, the Australian Discworld convention, is somewhere
between those two. Australia is -- for those of you who might not
have noticed -- far, far away from everywhere else; nonetheless,
this vast and not-glittering Last Continent boasts one of the
strongest, most significant Pratchett and Discworld fan populations
to be found anywhere in Roundworld.

Two years ago, fans in south-eastern Australia organised the first-
ever AusDWcon. The organisers put their hearts and souls into it and
managed to convince the Author himself to attend as Guest of Honour,
and by all accounts the event was a triumph. More importantly, it
was fun for the fans.

This time around there are no famous guests, but apart from that
AusDWcon 2 offers the same fun, excitement, and Rincewind. So if
you're in Melbourne, or anywhere nearby, of planning to visit
Australia at the back end of this month, join the convention and
show your support!

-- Annie Mac, Editor

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

2) A MESSAGE FROM THE AUSDWCON COMMITTEE

Heya! My name's Nathan and I'm one of the organisers of the
Australian Discworld Convention, which we'll be running from
February 27th to March 1st in Melbourne, Victoria. It's now close to
two weeks to go to the big day, and we hope to see as many of you
there as possible to help us kick off the second edition of this
great event.

To celebrate the upcoming convention, our friends at Snowgum Films
have released a sequel to the brilliant Run Rincewind Run, which
they produced to commemorate the first convention. It's only short,
and it's quite... Australian in its humour, but we think you'll
enjoy their work. You can check it out on our website located at
www.ausdwcon.org.

Our programme is now starting to really come together and will soon
be updated on our website. We have a lot of exciting events on
offer, starting with the big ticket items such as the always
entertaining Opening Ceremony, Trivia Night, Great Debate and of
course the Gala Dinner, over to a variety of interesting panels and
performances. These include a collection of one-person performances
of Terry's short stories, tidbits of footage produced by Snowgum
Films, and a brand-new show by Martin Pearson.

We'd also like to remind you of the Gala Dinner, which we are close
to finalising. We have already taken a lot of bookings for this
event, which previous attendees will confirm as one of the
highlights of the convention. We have a new venue this year, the
Ibis Hotel, and all reports from our Gala Dinner organisers are that
attendees are in for one exciting evening.

If any of the the above has taken your fancy and you wish to sign
up, or if you've already signed up and wish to upgrade your
membership, please head over to our website at www.ausdwcon.org, or
stay abreast of new announcements by signing up to our mailing list
at www.ausdwcon.org/subscribers.

Thanks!
Nathan Cooper
Nullus Anxietas

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

3) THE WAY IT WAS: A RECAP OF THE FIRST AUSDWCON

3.1) A report, as previously published in WOSSNAME two years ago:

HANIA OGG IN PTERRYLAND

I, Hania, attended the main day of this month's AusDWcon in
Melbourne, Fourecks, as a roving reporter for WOSSNAME. Here
are some of my observations:

Terry was fully afraid of me in the morning when I was chatting to
him in the lobby...(tehehehe) - and remembers me well...*lol*...
(mostly for my lost wallet last time....he didn't recognise the tits
at first...)

The con itself was very fun.

He signed the tits. One pair for us all (will get pictures) and
another that I brought along for the breast cancer foundation (which
he signed "feel a right tit" and drew an arrow pointing to the right
tit....)

The plays were excellent - especially Wyrd Sisters - very well done.
Magrat was gorgeous! And very believable, same as Duke Felmet .The
performance of Mort wasn't as professional, but there was plenty of
enthusiasm so I enjoyed it anyway.

The Young Readers panel was excellent! Some of those kids are bloody
smart!! Especially the one who was, like, eleven. Most of the kids
on the panel understood all the punes, jokes and culture references
in the Discworld books - though one boy of about 17 talked about how
he didn't get some of the double and single entendres when he was
younger, and had even more fun when he re-read them pretty recently
(now that he's a young man of the world, hehehehe).

I got to go to the ball. I was accosted, like, by a Casanunda, and a
doctor. An elderly man next to me kept pouring me single malt
whiskey, and I got to dance all sexy like with the lovely Tania to a
rendition of "Rubber Ducky". I had a number of people tell me I made
a great young Ogg!!!!!

There was a door in one room that had a sign on it. It read, "This
is not a door"!

I was seedy by 2.30am and got a taxi home and unbridled my passion.
Well...undid my corsets, like, sighed with relief, and fell asleep
with my signed copy of Wintersmith in my hands. What a day it was!


3.2) A memorable moment Pterry would possibly like to forget:

The Signing of the Ogg Parts:

or http://tinyurl.com/d48ynr

The real Ogg Parts:

or http://tinyurl.com/d4ml5b


3.3) PAUL and LIBWOLF Go To AusDWCon

Q: How was the turnout for the convention - as eyeballed by
yourself, erm, selves?

Paul: Let's see - two, three hundred on Saturday for The Master's
Speech. All shapes and sizes. Youngest was Bub in Arms, eldest A
Crone on Broomstick. Possibly more on Sunday, going from other
people's pics.

Libwolf: But Only One Wolf!

Q: Can you tell me about the events? - the ones you attended (or
missed!)?

Paul: Friday night and most of Saturday (missing The Dinner) -
Pratchett V's Rowling, Wyrd Sisters (most of it), Mort (Magrat!
*droool*) Umm...Terry's Speech, Guide to Newbies. And Thud Training,
but that went straight over my head.

Wolf: We went to everything, of course! The Ceremonial Rowling BBQ,
the Break into Terry's Rooms to Try to Steal his PDA to Get the New
Stuff (Bastard keeps it on him!), stealing staircases from the hotel
- the usual.

Q: What were your overall impressions of AusDWcon - how well/poorly
it ran, how well/poorly it seemed to be organised, whether there was
enough/too much time between events, etc...?

Paul: Did very well for a first time con - they had a great
committee & some help from the UK girls & guys. A different site may
have improved things - layout was odd and was impersonal. Dealers
were a bit thin on the ground, but that's to be expected the first
time out.

Q: What were your favourite moments?

Paul: Toss-up between Pterry jumping in on the Pratchett V's Rowling
debate and Rincewind's "YOU BASTARD!" to Terry.

Wolf: Heh heh heh - that's between me and the three young...- heh
heh heh

Q: Now, about that ol' 'Discworld-y spirit' - was there any? - if
so, how much?

Paul: Well, lots of Discworld Fans, admiration of T-shirts (if I
remember, I'll send a pic of my OOK! shirt). Discworld flavour to
things, certainly.

Wolf: Spirits? Spirits? There was wine and beer, but I didn't see
any spirits!

Q: People in costume - any good 'uns?

Paul: Two duck girls, a few Susans, a couple of great Grannys. And
Young Nanny Ogg of course. I'll sort though my pics and post a few
of the goodies. There is always
http://www.flickr.com/groups/nullus_anxietas/ for more.

Wolf: There were people in costume? That's not how they normally
dress!?! Could have fooled me...

Q: What were your impressions of Pterry himself (and his reaction to
Hania, if witnessed)? I know you've met him before at signings.

Paul: He did seem very tired - maybe next time The Con could fly him
and her out a week early, give him a chance to relax. He did really
spark up during the Pratchett vs Rowling debate - was sitting up the
back at the start and just couldn't keep out of it - ended up on the
panel. And hearing him talking about gold and silversmithing was
great. Little silver beees! As for Hania - "You again!"

Wolf: He was so tired I got away with one of his teeth!

Q: Did you see both plays, Wyrd Sisters and Mort? - and if so, your
verdict(s) on them?

Paul: Loved both of them - didn't get to see the end of Mort (Let's
see - watch rest of this play...Listen to The Master...no contest
...). Would cheerfully have sat and watched them again.

Wolf: All they needed (apart from starting on time!) was an
orangutan in the front row with a bag of peanuts! No Lords or Ladies
spotted.

Q: Was there karaoke as threatened or did they ~cough cough~
Rincewind out?

Wolf: Just myself on the golf course, singing at the top of my
lungs!

Paul & Wolf: Bring on the next one! We'll both be there!

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

4) BOOKS ARE NOT FOR BURNING...

...but, as we've suggested to the AusDWcon organisers, it would be a
lovely gesture to donate some Pratchett books to the bushfire
appeal. As the whole world knows, Australia is reeling in the wake
of the deadliest bushfire in its history. Some 7,500 survivors have
lost their homes to the fires and have nothing -- no possessions, no
clothing, nothing -- and now have to rebuild their lives. For the
children of the dispossessed families, toys and books are perhaps as
important as clothing and shelter. And what better story to give
hope for the future than, for instance, Nation -- a tale of a young
person who has to rebuild his life and community after losing
everything.

More on this in the main issue. Have a happy AusDWcon!

-- Annie Mac

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright (c) 2009 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

WOSSNAME
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
FEBRUARY 2009 (Volume 12, Issue 2)
*********************************************************************
WOSSNAME is a FREE publication for members of the worldwide
Klatchian Foreign Legion and its affiliates, including the North
American Discworld Society and other continental groups. Are you a
member? Yes, if you sent in your name, country and e-mail address.
Are there any dues? No! As a member of the Klatchian Foreign Legion,
you'd only forget them...
*********************************************************************
Editor in Chief: Annie Mac
Editor Emeritus (retd): Joseph Schaumburger
News Editor: Fiona (not Bruce) Bruce
Newshounds: Vera, Mogg, Sir J of Croydon Below, the Shadow
Staff Writers: Asti Osborn, Paul Blake, Steven D'Aprano
Convention Reporters: Mithtrethth Hania Ogg et al
Staff Technomancer: Jason Parlevliet
Book Reviews: Drusilla D'Afanguin
Puzzle Editor: Tiff
Bard in Residence: Weird Alice Lancrevic
DW Horoscope: Lady Anaemia Asterisk, Fernando Magnifico
Emergency Staff: Jason Parlevliet
World Membership Director: Steven D'Aprano (in his copious spare
time)
Copyright 2009 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

------------------------------------------------------------------------

INDEX:

====Part 1 -- ALL THE NEWS THAT FITS

1) QUOTES OF THE MONTH
2) LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
3) PTERRY'S LATEST UPDATE
4) TAPPED WITH THE ROYAL SWORD!
5) tCoM USA TELEVISION PREMIERE -- AT LAST
6) FIVE MINUTES WITH SIR PTERRY ON VIDEO
7) ...AND ON THE WIRELESS...

====Part 2 -- MORE NEWS, REVIEWS AND STUFF

8)  TERRY PRATCHETT: LIVING WITH ALZHEIMER'S
9)  OTHER ALZHEIMER'S NEWS
10) ODYSSEY AWARD FOR NATION AUDIOBOOK
11) GOOD OMENS WINS AUDIOBOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD
12) LOCUS MAGAZINE ON NATION

====Part 3 -- ...AND MORE...

13) BROKEN DRUMMERS MEET-UP FOR MARCH
14) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS
15) CONVENTION NEWS
16) SCIENCE: SO WHAT, FOLLOW-UP
17) AN ODD REVIEW OF NATION
18) DESPERATELY SEEKING "MAGIC"
19) BU CAMPUS NEWSROUND

====Part 4 -- HOROSCOPE

20) YOUR MONTHLY DISCWORLD HOROSCOPE

====Part 5 -- LATE BREAKING NEWS, AND CLOSE

21) LATE BREAKING NEWS
22) CLOSE

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

1) QUOTES OF THE MONTH

"Terry has now written forty-eight books (of which thirty-six are
Discworld novels) and co-authored a further fifty. Between them they
have sold over 60 million copies in thirty-seven languages, which I
calculate would be a pile of books over 1,000 miles high, stretching
further than Land's End in Cornwall to the furthest tip of the
Shetland Islands off the north coast of Scotland -- or from New
Orleans to Chicago, and then some."

-- Colin Smythe, in his biography of Pterry on the L-Space web

"You can't ask a fantasy writer not to want a knighthood. You know,
for two pins I'd get myself a horse and a sword."

-- The above-mentioned novelist, after being gently thwacked with a
sword by real-world royalty

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

2) LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

A VITAL LEGACY FROM OUR FAVOURITE AUTHOR

A few days ago, I watched the documentary Terry Pratchett: Living
with Alzheimer's, and it affected me even more strongly than I might
have expected. We're all well aware that Sir Pterry has mixed
feelings about now being known as much for his illness and his
campaigns to "kill the demon" as he is for his vast body of
wonderful novels and stories, but I'm becoming convinced that --
despite the enduring power of his prose -- his work on behalf of
Alzheimer's research is perhaps the most important contribution he
will have made to the world. It has been rare enough for famous
people to even admit to having Alzheimer's (comparisons have been
drawn with Ronald Reagan's "confession", but how many people out
there are aware even now of the fact that, for example, Margaret
Thatcher is severely afflicted with the disease?); and yet here is
Terry Pratchett, not only openly admitting it but coming out with a
figurative two-headed battle axe to make very public war upon it.

As a member of the baby boomer generation, I am only a few years
younger than Sir Pterry, but Alzheimer's never struck in my family
so I hadn't given it much thought. Now, though, the spectre of it
looms large. I've always been known to family and friends as a sort
of organic RAM, a living storehouse of random facts and personal and
family memories: for instance, my sixty-year-old brother, a
scientist by training who nonetheless never did have great memory
powers, frequently asks me about things we did in our adolescence so
the memories will stay alive for him. To quote the Master in the
first part of Terry Pratchett: Living with Alzheimer's, "What are
we? We are our memories. And Alzheimer's takes away your memories,
and then it takes away *you*", and the thought of experiencing such
a loss  simply terrifies me.

I had intended to write my own review of the documentary, but after
reading a number of press and blog reviews I concluded that those do
a fine job of covering the territory. So I will just exhort all of
you to watch Terry Pratchett: Living with Alzheimer's. If you live
outside the BBC catchment area, go out on the internet and hit the
torrents. Auntie Beeb has given us so much wonderful programming
over the generations, but she's a bit of a jealous old bird who
likes to keep her golden eggs in her own henhouse. Fie and bah to
that! I found it heartening that the search engine pages for "Terry
Pratchett: Living with Alzheimer's" were bursting with links to
torrents for it. A programme this important should be seen by all
around the world.

WOSSNAME extends its heartfelt thanks to Team Pratchett and the
programme makers for this moving, frightening but ultimately hopeful
work.

I'll leave the last word to the man himself, at the close of the
second segment: "This has been an extraordinary journey, and I'm now
living in hope, not fear; optimism, not dread; and I'm looking
forward to next year. And the year after. And the year after that.
And the one after that, obviously."

And now, on with the show.

-- Annie Mac, Editor

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

3) UPDATE FROM THE MASTER

Folks,

Well, there were around three million viewers of the documentary,
which seems to be well received so far. Of course, this means yet
another towering wave to the tsunami of mail that constantly crashes
down on this office. Can I add that I am astonished at all the
possible claimed causes of Alzheimer's that fans are sharing with
me; what with car exhaust fumes, mobile phones and white bread
(okay, so I made up white bread) I'm astonished that it is not
more widespread.

There is a rumour going around the Czech Republic, started by a
small group of students, that I can't sign my own name any more.
Technically speaking, I've probably been unable to sign my name
for the past twenty years. There is nothing like signing books for
hours and hours at a time to turn one's signature into something
like a squashed insect. In short, my signature is still the same as
it was several years ago and has actually settled into a curvaceous
shape that I think is rather spiffy. It does not look like my
signature of thirty years ago, but it never has, and I sign all the
time. What I've tried to steer clear of now is personalising
books, especially at large events. However, according to the lovely
Claudia, there seems to be no change in my condition since my last
major test in April 2008, PCA does have its effect and for some
reason my handwriting in general gets worse and worse the longer the
sentence. How can I put this...? When you have to concentrate on
something that until fairly recently was automatic, the mere fact of
you concentrating seems to make things worse. Besides, when I have
been doing large signings, it's made sense not to dedicate in any
case. The longest authenticated signing I've ever done was timed
at six hours thirty eight minutes and I never want to do one of
those again.

We are also having a problem here with people sending in books to be
signed and returned. At least the number of people who send in
books without return postage has reduced from about 75% to 10%, but
I do not like the whole idea of signing books by post because it
causes so many problems. The pile of books here is seven feet tall,
or it would be if it hadn't just fallen over. A lot of handling is
involved, especially since we are some distance from a major Post
Office and I have a suspicion, the cynical person that I am, that
quite a large number of the ones we now get are from dealers. The
days here are hectically overfull to begin with and turning the
place into a Sub Post Office is not what I had intended. The real
problem begins when people then contact us asking "What happened to
the book that we sent you?"; we go through the pile of what has not
yet been returned and find no such book -- but now the absence of
said book is our problem. All in all the flood of signed books
requests here is getting too much to cope with and we won't be.

My good friend Sandra Kidby is local to me and it's easy enough to
sign books that she exclusively sells here at PJSM Prints. And, to
reiterate, you will get my genuine signature, signed by me, in this
office, posted back to you in proper packaging designed to survive
the journey. You won't get a Certificate of Authenticity, because
they're not worth the paper they're written on, and anyway - who
would sign that? :o)

On top of all this, a few recent minor events have led us to upgrade
our security here. I'm sure fans will understand how hellish a chore
this is when you realise that we are two nerds, with a large budget
and a catalogue full of black and silver devices...

We're off to the Palace next week to collect my Knighthood. We'll
let you know how it goes.

All the best.

(signed)

Originally posted on www.pjsmprints.com

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

4) K-NI-GGGH-TED!

4.1 A very short clip of the actual Striking with the Sword moment:

http://tinyurl.com/arrzus

[This footage is rare and difficult to come by. Where are the
YouTube brigade when you need 'em? -- Ed.]


4.2 Three nice pictures here (one in which he's changed from his top
hat into a rather more familiar one):

http://tinyurl.com/b5fbzw


4.3 The Press Association report:

"Dressed in a top hat and morning suit the writer said after the
ceremony: 'It would appear to me that me getting up and saying "I've
got Alzheimer's", it did shake people, you cannot help but notice
it's in the news an awful lot.

"Everybody thinks the Government should be doing more about
everything but just think how many of the bonuses which are quite
rightly being dragged off certain people, just think to what good
causes they could be put -- wouldn't that be a lovely thought?"

http://www.tinyurl.com.au/x.php?1oh8


4.4 A BBC interview with Sir Terry following his investiture:

http://tinyurl.com/c3l3e7


4.5 The Daily Telegraph article on the knighthood and Pterry's
Alzheimer's campaigning:

"It enrages him that Viagra is easier to get on the NHS than a drug
to slow the progress of dementia. He is equally infuriated by the
embarrassment that surrounds such conditions, which resembles the
stigma attached to cancer 30 years ago..."

http://tinyurl.com/as57rf (includes short video)


4.6 ITN's report, with the same video:

http://tinyurl.com/d8x7gg

"Dressed in a top hat and morning suit the writer said: 'It would
appear to me that me getting up and saying "I've got Alzheimer's",
it did shake people, you cannot help but notice it's in the news an
awful lot.'"


4.7 ...and the commemorative stamps, of course!

On eBay, an A5 mini sheet commemorating Pterry's knighthood:

http://tinyurl.com/apzwjk

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

5) THE COLOUR OF MAGIC U.S. TELEVISION PREMIERE

5.1 IT'S A PROMISE THIS TIME

Yes, tCoM is going out on the American airwaves at last! Originally
scheduled for broadcast on 23 November 2008, the programme was
mysteriously reshuffled but is now promised to air as, well,
promised, on Sunday, 22nd March 2009.

Here is an extract from the ION press release:

ION Television, the "Positively Entertaining" general entertainment
network available to over 94 million homes, and RHI Entertainment,
the leader in the production and distribution of groundbreaking
movies, miniseries and series for television, today announced the
U.S. television premiere of The Color of Magic, a four-hour
production premiering on ION Television on Sunday, March 22 at 7:00
pm ET.

This critically acclaimed production, which first debuted overseas,
received rave reviews from the British press. TV Easy called it
"visually stunning"; "Menacing performances from Tim Curry and
Jeremy Irons are great." TV Times; "With a starry cast, it's a wild
adventure through a land full of magic and mystery." TV Choice; "The
two-part adventure will have you spellbound." We Love Telly; and
"It's the Lord of the Rings with a comic twist." Bella. Attracting
over a million viewers, The Color of Magic first broadcast on Sky
One, a UK entertainment TV channel, in March of 2008. The two-part
television adaptation was well received by fans, garnering Sky One's
highest performing program to date and scoring the largest audiences
for the network since Hogfather aired in December of 2006.


5.2 WHERE AND WHEN

Helpful advice from Lee Whiteside of NADWCON:

"As with the last time we went through this, ION television airs on
local broadcast channels and cable TV and is also available on Dish
Network and Direct TV. For people to find out where to watch in
their local market, they should to to www.iontelevision.com and
enter their zip code into the "Find us by Zip Code" box in the
upper right corner."


%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

6) FIVE MINUTES WITH SIR PTERRY..

A five-minute video interview by the BBC's Matthew Stadlen, who
grills our favourite Knight on a very green couch:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7861412.stm

...and a fine grill it is! A lively and brisk five minutes, in which
we learn -- among other things - that Sir Pterry is entitled to make
his own sword...and intends to do so.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

7) ...AND ON THE WIRELESS...

Here is an audio extract from Pterry's interview Radio 5 Live's
Simon Mayo about Terry Pratchett: Living with Alzheimer's, in which
he talks about looking at his own brain:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7867970.stm

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
End of Part 1, continued on Part 2 of 5.
If you did not get all five parts, write: interact@...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright (c) 2009 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

WOSSNAME -- FEBRUARY 2009 -- PART 2 OF 5 (continued)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

====Part 2 -- MORE NEWS, REVIEWS AND STUFF

8)  TERRY PRATCHETT: LIVING WITH ALZHEIMER'S
9)  OTHER ALZHEIMER'S NEWS
10) ODYSSEY AWARD FOR NATION AUDIOBOOK
11) GOOD OMENS WINS AUDIOBOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD
12) LOCUS MAGAZINE ON NATION

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

8)  TERRY PRATCHETT: LIVING WITH ALZHEIMER'S

A selection of reviews.

8.1 From The Times Online:

Review by Tim Teeman

"This was moving and not because it was like most illness
television. It didn't dwell pornographically on decline. It didn't
try to eke out every second of pain and bead of sweat. It didn't
wring out tears. It showed the up-and-down reality of living with
illness..."

http://tinyurl.com/cgqmlr


8.2 From The Telegraph:

Review by John Preston

"Part of the poignancy was in seeing the cracks appearing in this
carefully constructed facade... More puzzled than distressed, he sat
there, trying again and again, his words tumbling helplessly over
one another, his brain simultaneously churning away and letting him
down..."

http://tinyurl.com/bzww7g

Also in The Telegraph, a review by Damian Thompson:

"A shadow falling across the page. Could there be a neater metaphor?
For it was on the page -- or, rather, the computer screen -- that
Alzheimer's announced its presence to the novelist... It was brave
of Pratchett to make this film. Perhaps his initial thought was that
it would help him come to terms with his condition -- but, as he
admitted later, the presence of the camera served as a constant
reminder that he has a horrible, incurable illness..."

http://tinyurl.com/alcv64


8.3 From The Independent:

Review by Tom Sutcliffe

"For the disease itself, though, he feels something much grander
than mere annoyance, a rage that the future he'd planned for himself
has been hijacked by an unpredictable degeneration. Mostly this fury
is contained in those spare little jokes, but just occasionally it
spills over so you can see it..."

http://tinyurl.com/dal2yd


8.4 On TerryPratchettBooks:

Review by Jonathan Malory

"For me I found it just as interesting to see Rob and hear his
thoughts as those of Terry Pratchett. Up until now we, the fans,
have really only heard what Terry is quoted as saying on TV and in
newspaper articles, so it was nice to see someone speak who's
probably as near to Terry Pratchett as one can get without being
close family... It would be easy to use cliches and say Terry is
being brave, making the best of it etcetera, but the truth is the
documentary shows Terry in a very honest light, without any claptrap
or bogus facades..."

http://tinyurl.com/b9y9ty


8.5 A review of both parts by journalist Sian Meades:

"It wasn't easy to watch sometimes. Being introduced on the radio by
a presenter who said, "well, he's not dead yet" was anything but
funny. And when he admitted he was scared to meet people with
Alzheimer's because it would be like seeing his own future, I
couldn't help but be moved...it was compelling viewing. I started
off finding Pratchett's crusade slightly grating, but his frankness
and vulnerability towards the end of the show made this very moving
indeed."

"Seeing him in a home for people suffering with Alzheimer's was a
revelation, and very sobering... It was hard not to find this
uncomfortable -- these last stages of life are things that we don't
normally think about, let alone see on television..."

http://www.tvscoop.tv/2009/02/tv_review_terry_1.html
http://www.tvscoop.tv/2009/02/tv_review_terry_2.html

Note: There is a reader's comment on the site, worth reprinting here:

"Throughout the last episode I felt a real parallel with Terry
albeit I am not an Alzheimer's sufferer (yet). The essence of the
program, at least for me, was the similarity to Terry's internal
struggle with things that he has little or no control over. An
unfathomable fear of the unknown and a deep worry of the legacy he
might leave his wife and child.

"I believe many of us have a real empathy with Terry although this
is not to belittle Terry's plight. The fact is that many of us will
suffer the same fate and I applaud Terry's attitude in not taking it
lying down. Like most men (according to my wife) he wants to find
the answer and fix it. If there is something out there that might
help and, you have the wherewithal to do something about it, then go
for it!

"I understand there are a number of drugs in the final phase of
development that give us all real hope for the future. One (being
developed by an Irish company) is not that far away and, although it
has had some mixed press, the underlying message is very positive.

"I have never read a book of Terry's although I plan to do so in
future. However, I doubt this will enlighten me about the man who is
clearly going through a lot of torment.

"Good luck on your search Terry. Your energy to keep fighting is
inspirational and, maybe -- just maybe, there is something round the
corner that will stop this awful disease in its tracks!"

-- Tony and family


8.6 From SFF World:

Review by Mark

"The program was filled with Terry's customary intelligence and
humour in what must be a truly scary place to be. His search for the
truth and a possible solution was both uplifting and honest. As I
should've expected, this was not a depressing diatribe about the
unfairness of it all (which it so easily could have been) but a cry
to arms..."

http://www.sffworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21719


8.7 A moving review and tribute by author and blogger Neal Asher:

"When I first heard the news that Terry Pratchett has got
Alzheimer's, I felt a little sick. It's the kind of thing that rips
up someone's heart when it's a family member and, because he is so
well known and loved, there are millions who see him as part of
their lives, he's the humorous entertainer with the beard and wide-
brimmed black hat, he's the guy who regularly produces a book they
want to read at once and which never disappoints..."

http://tinyurl.com/adpz99

[The comments section is also well worth reading...especially the
comment at the end about how Sir Pterry *didn't* get his knighthood!
-- Ed.]


8.8 From The Student Room UK website:

Review by itchybrain (well, these *are* students...)

"In one uncomfortable scene, Pratchett is forced to halt a book
reading when he loses the ability to read the words on the page. He
acknowledges: 'What may look like a nightmare from the outside is
just one day at a time for me'... Throughout all, Pratchett
maintains his black humour and is determined not to be seen as a
victim..."

http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=806608


8.9 From The Mirror:

Review by Jane Simon

"After going public with his diagnosis of Alzheimer's in December
2007, fantasy author Sir Terry Pratchett has had ample media
opportunities to polish up his upbeat one-liners. 'I wanted to make
Alzheimer's sorry it had caught me!' is one, and his million dollar
donation to help find a cure may have the disease running scared..."

http://tinyurl.com/br8662


8.10 On Orange.co.uk:

Review by Jane Murphy

"But while Terry occasionally mocks his new media profile as 'Mr
Alzheimer's', he also fully embraces it. Basically, he just wants to
find out as much as possible about this disease -- and do as much as
he can to fight it. By acting as both the presenter and subject of
his documentary - meeting with scientists, doctors and fellow
sufferers, while still trying to do his day job -- Terry gives us an
insight into the fears, hopes and challenges that affect anyone with
Alzheimer's..."

http://www.orange.co.uk/entertainment/television/26731.htm


8.11 And also...

Finally (for now), a disapproving review, on Community Care UK. And
this is your editor getting editorial -- not because I take offence
at the idea of disapproval here, but because the review is a rather
dishonest piece of agenda-driven tub-thumping. I am aware that it
might be considered uncool to take swipes at presumably well-
intentioned public health professionals, but for my part, I find the
attitude of this reviewer to be blinkered and unacceptably rude, not
to mention factually incorrect in a number of places. Terry
Pratchett: Living with Alzheimer's is not, nor did it ever claim to
be, an expose about poor treatment of Alzheimer's sufferers; it's a
personal look at an acknowledged arts genius and world-famous face
whose own life is being affected by the disease. Reviewer Andrew
Mickel claims that his organisation's own cover- story person, an
unknown schoolteacher, is a more suitable candidate for interview
because she "offers more information on how to cope with the
condition and what it means to live inside Alzheimer's than in the
TV programmes", and further claims that "During the documentary
Pratchett tried all sorts of alternative treatments for the
disease... This may have reflected Pratchett's desperation to find a
cure for himself. If this were the case, it would have been
beneficial for the viewer to know." I can only wonder if he saw the
same programme we did. You know, the one in which the subject
repeatedly affirmed his desperation and willingness to try anything
that might help slow the progress of the disease...? But then, low-
level healthcare bureaucrats never did impress me much...

Full text of the review:

http://tinyurl.com/btl9g6

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

9) OTHER ALZHEIMER'S NEWS

9.1 MAKING A NOISE ACROSS THE LAND

The Sunday Herald's Sylvia Patterson applauds the public resolve of
some famous faces:

"The men of the postwar baby-boom generation are becoming the
greatest spokesmen for male emotional honesty we've ever known.
Suchet's decision to highlight dementia and its scandalous lack of
funding arrived after last year's decision by the author Terry
Pratchett (then aged 59) to make as much noise as possible about his
own early onset condition. His profoundly moving two-part BBC
documentary Living With Alzheimer's sought hope, and when it didn't
find any, refused to cover anything up. Two years prior to this, we
had the landmark mental-health documentary from Stephen Fry, kick-
starting the middle-aged male honesty phenomenon with The Secret
Life Of The Manic Depressive, publicly acknowledging his own
vulnerabilities, from astonishing self-loathing to suicidal
psychosis. In these three men alone, we've a new kind of male hero,
one who channels his aggression through indignation in the name of
the greater good -- in a bid, literally, to stop the madness."

http://tinyurl.com/blnroz


9.2 NEW BRAIN SCAN DETECTS ALZHEIMER'S EARLY

In the Daily Mail:

"It is already being tested in a trial of 70 patients who show signs
of cognitive impairment. The results will be published later this
year..."

http://tinyurl.com/cykqan


9.3 ALZHEIMER'S DOCUMENTARY ALSO A SUCCESS WHERE IT COUNTS MOST

The Alzheimer's Research Trust has announced that it received
£200,000 of donations inspired by Sir Terry Pratchett's campaigning
for the charity.

One scientist featured in the BBC's two-part Headroom documentary
Terry Pratchett: Living with Alzheimer's, Prof Simon Lovestone,
Scientific Adviser to the Alzheimer's Research Trust, said: "It is
vital that the public understands the importance of dementia
research. Through his candid and positive response to his diagnosis,
Sir Terry has been a great help in bringing scientists and the
public together in our fight against dementia. He has not only
raised awareness of dementia research, but also inspired many
scientists working in the field."

Rebecca Wood, Chief Executive of the Alzheimer's Research Trust,
said: "Sir Terry is challenging our perceptions of dementia. By
standing up and shouting, he is catalysing real change in a field
that has been neglected for too long. Dementia research is still
severely underfunded, but the 700,000 people in the UK who live with
the condition have a little more hope thanks to Sir Terry."

Sir Terry is donating the majority of his fee from the programmes to
the Alzheimer's Research Trust, with the remainder going to the
Bristol-based dementia research centre RICE.

Source: Alzheimer's Research Trust press release
For further information:
http://www.alzheimers-research.org.uk


9.4 PROUD TO BE AN OLDIE

"Winners included novelist Sir Terry Pratchett, named campaigner of
the year for raising awareness of Alzheimer's Disease which he
suffers from. 'I was a grumpy old man as well. I'm quite happy to be
an oldie,' said the 60-year-old writer."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7908599.stm

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

10) ODYSSEY AWARD FOR NATION AUDIOBOOK

Pterry has been given the Young Adult Library Services 2009 Odyssey
Award for the audiobook of Nation:

http://tinyurl.com/ahf5mf

His reaction is on the video around the 1.20 mark:

http://alfocus.ala.org/videos/2009-youth-media-awards-winner-calls

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

11) GOOD OMENS WINS AUDIOBOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD

Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman has been voted the
2008 winner of the annual Audible.co.uk Audiobook Download of the
Year awards. Both authors receive an award, as does the narrator for
his contribution to the audiobook's success.

Audiobook fans around the UK cast their final vote to find 2008's
Audiobook Download of the Year from a shortlist of titles that
included A Prisoner of Birth by Jeffrey Archer; The Appeal by John
Grisham; Devil May Care by Sebastian Faulks, and The Garden of Evil
by David Hewson. Good Omens was the clear winner after an array of
shining reviews by many Audible Listener members.

Sir Terry's award was presented to him at a luncheon given in his
honour at The Athenaeum, Pall Mall, London, following his
investiture.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

12) LOCUS MAGAZINE ON NATION

Journalist Adrienne Martini in Locus, musing on best-books lists:

"No one else could have written Nation, either. Pratchett's voice
has long been his hallmark, certainly, and is difficult to confuse
with any other writer's, no matter how many try to ape it. Nation is
like a pure distillation of all of the best parts of the Discworld
books. In here is all of the wit. Pratchett's love of the language
is in Nation as is his ability to mix skipping whimsy with bleak
reality. But what Nation does best is provide a primer on how to
cope when life goes very, very wrong while telling a story whose
weight you don't feel until the very end."

http://www.tinyurl.com.au/x.php?1o3w

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
End of Part 2 -- continued on Part 3 of 5.
If you did not get all five parts, write: interact@...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright (c) 2009 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

WOSSNAME -- FEBRUARY 2009 -- PART 3 OF 5 (continued)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

====Part 3 -- AND MORE...

13) BROKEN DRUMMERS MEET-UP FOR MARCH
14) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS
15) CONVENTION NEWS
16) SCIENCE: SO WHAT, FOLLOW-UP
17) AN ODD REVIEW OF NATION
18) DESPERATELY SEEKING "MAGIC"
19) BU CAMPUS NEWSROUND

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

13) BROKEN DRUMMERS MEET-UP FOR MARCH

The Broken Drummers (UK) Discworld meeting group appears to have
relocated on the web. Updates on meetings and future events can be
found at:

http://www.steeljam.co.uk/brokendrummers/

The next London meeting is on 9th March. Come one, come all. I
imagine there will be even more than usual to discuss!

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

14) THE DISCWORLD PLAY'S THE THING...

14.1 WYRD SISTERS AT SOUTHPORT

The Sefton Theatre Company, Southport will perform Wyrd Sisters next
month.

When: Wednesday 11th - Saturday 14th March 2009
Venue: Southport Arts Centre Studio
Time: 7:45pm
Tickets: £7 (£5.50 concessions). Box Office: 01704 540 011

http://www.seftontheatrecompany.co.uk/about.htm


14.2 THE TRUTH AT OXFORD

Parabox Productions return to the OFS, after their successful
Edinburgh Fringe run of 'Mort', with Terry Pratchett's 'The Truth'
to celebrate the Discworld's 25th Anniversary.

When: 3 March - 7 March 2009
Venue: OFS Studio, Oxford

http://tinyurl.com/c95udn


14.3 CARPE JUGULUM AT COLSTERWORTH

Newton's Players present Terry Pratchett's Carpe Jugulum at
Colsterworth Village Hall on 6th - 7th March 2009. This follows
their very successful production of Wyrd Sisters in both Grantham
and Colsterworth.

Tickets can be obtained from mark.wesson@... or by
calling 01476 862039.


14.4 WYRD SISTERS AT LEICESTER...

The Leicester University Theatre Society presents their production
of Wyrd Sisters on 11th-14th March 2009:

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/lutheatre/LUT_entrance.htm

[Leicester University Theatre has a beautiful website, but it's so
flash-heavy that I got dizzy trying to get more info from it.
They're definitely performing Wyrd Sisters, though... -- Ed.]

14.5 ...AND IN BEDS

That's Bedfordshire, actually. A production of Wyrd Sisters at
Sharnbrook, Beds.

When: March 24-28
Time: 7:45 p.m.
Tickets: 9 GBP to 11 GBP, available from Sharnbrook Post Office or
Bedford Central Box Office (01234 269519)


14.6 MASKERADE AT NORWICH

The Norwich Theatre Royal Youth Theatre Company presents their
production of Terry Pratchett's Maskerade next month.

When: March 26-28, 2009
Venue: Studio Theatre at The Garage
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Tickets: 7 GBP, available from Theatre Royal Box Office
(01603630000) or online

http://www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk

Editor's note:
A big "Wotcha!" and thimble of virtual scumble in thanks to From Rim
to Hub for *their* thank-you to WOSSNAME for Discworld theatre
information. Good to know the fans have got each other's backs!

http://www.fromrimtohub.com/


14.7  REVIEW: WYRD SISTERS AT BASILDON

The Thalian Theatre Group presented Wyrd Sisters at the Towgate
Theatre's Mirren Studio:

"A 20-strong cast rattles through the sprawling material and the
host of comic parts with zest and some memorable characterisations
...this is still a colourful and entertaining night out, with
Thalian in strong form, not just onstage, but also backstage in
areas such as costume and pyrotechnics."

http://tinyurl.com/c8hl2x

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

15) CONVENTION NEWS

15.1 NADWCON PICKING UP A HEAD OF STEAM!

NADWCON, the first North American Discworld convention, now has
over 450 conventioneers pre-signed. Keep those subscriptions coming!
Remember, Sir Pterry himself is the primary Guest of Honour, so in
addition to all the other delights and wonders the convention has to
offer, this could be American conventiongoers' only chance to meet
the Author Himself.

To sign up, go to

http://nadwcon.org

and click on the Registration link on the left-hand side of the
page. Prices will be rising after 31st March, but even so the
attendance price is astonishingly inexpensive at US$80 for the
entire four-day weekend (Discworld convention organisers in certain
other parts of the world should take note).


15.2 AUSDWCON ON THE HOOF

As you read this, the second Australian Discworld convention is
taking place in Melbourne. We've been promised a full report for
next month's issue on the doings, to-ings, fro-ings and goings-on.
Stay tuned...

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

16) SCIENCE: SO WHAT, UNDER THE MICROSCOPE

In The Times Online:

"The Science: So What? initiative seeks to explain its relevance to
ordinary life by extolling its achievements...  It is this openness
to new evidence, and the value placed on criticism and putting
things to the test, that makes science so powerful. There may be
disappointment in being refuted, but there is no shame. As a result,
it is self-correcting: egregious errors are never left to stand for
long. This is why the Science: So What? campaign has so many good
news stories to tell about technology..."

http://tinyurl.com/acn3dv

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

17) AN ODD REVIEW OF NATION

A good review, but one gets the feeling that they rather missed the
whole point of the book:

http://tinyurl.com/apzrsg

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

18) DESPERATELY SEEKING "MAGIC"

WOSSNAME reader Charlie Tarbox seeks help to locate the USA DVD of
The Colour of Magic. He writes:

"Amazon.com UK seems to have withdrawn it recently. I sent a long
inquiry to customer service and got a somewhat non responsive reply.
Is it possible to find out what possibilities are for obtaining
DVD's in US format of the film?  My friends in the UK can only make
copies of the UK format and that is of no universal use here unless
you have a multi format machine to play them."

If anyone can be of assistance, please write to the Editor:

interact@...

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

19) AROUND THE BU CAMPUS

19.1 A MAJOR EMBUGGERANCE

Fuzzy:
Just watched Pterry on Beeb 2. An embuggerance indeed. It wasn't
always easy or pleasant to watch a man with such a great mind unable
to tie a tie, or even to read from a book that he wrote himself, but
it's definitely worth watching, if only to learn more about
Alzheimer's and thus understand it better.

Martinus:
I'm surprised that nobody mentioned Detritus in connection with the
Loony Helmet. I would recommend this programme to anybody.

Fuzzy:
Blimey, yes! I didn't think of it at the time, but it was very much
like the thinking helmet. I think Detritus' helmet had more of a
positive effect than the Loony Helmet, but as Pterry said, not
getting any worse is almost as good as getting better when it comes
to Alzheimer's.

Mrs peculiar:
Blimey, you're right! I was so taken by the thought that Pterry had
joined the Borg collective that I never thought of Detritus :-)

New Bruce:
...and it rated better than Neighbours :)

Fuzzy:
I watched both :-D

Mrs Peculiar:
Yes, it was painful to watch, but I applaud Pterry's decision to
let the camera crews into his life and it was good to see that his
wry, sometimes prickly sense of humour is undiminished.

A friend of mine overseas rang me this afternoon to see if we were
safely out of the fire zone (blimey, it's made the news in Chicago!)
and I was telling him about the documentary and about Pterry's work
on behalf of Alzheimer's research and awareness. My friend's father
is 82 and an Alzheimer's sufferer, but unlike Pterry he has the
more classical  variety; his short-term memory is completely gone.
It was my friend's birthday a few days ago, and his father, who
still remembers things like that clearly, rang him a couple of days
early to wish him happy birthday...and then, on the day itself,
rang again. They had the same  conversation all over again, but for
my friend's father, the second time was the first and only time.
Surreal and scary.

Fuzzy:
I can say the second part is well worth watching - much more
uplifting and positive than the first part was.


19.2 A MODEST PROPOSAL

Steven:
I have a proposal for anyone who is looking for something they can
do for the people who lost their homes and possessions in the fires.

Over the next few months, the major charities will be focused on the
survivor's bodily needs (food, shelter, etc) as much as possible.
This is important, but I think that we should not forget their minds
and souls, and I don't necessarily mean in the religious sense.

I think Pratchett fans should donate books, particularly children's
books, (not necessarily Pratchett books themselves) to give to the
survivors. All books will be welcome, I'm sure, but in particular
"Nation" may be especially valuable. (I'd like every survivor under
80 to read that book, or failing that, at least every one under
18.)

Mogg:
Excellent idea. My only thought is to hold off for a few weeks --
these people don't want stuff that needs to be kept in houses,
because they don't have houses. Multiple people in this situation
have asked via the media that such things not be offered yet. At
the moment it's about food and basic necessities like soap, mobile
phone chargers, stuff like that. They haven't got anywhere to put
books, or fridges, or furniture.

Mrs Peculiar:
OTOH they *will* have homes again. And I can imagine a Fourecksian
great-granny 75 years from now, fondly reminiscing about surviving
the  Great Bushfire, "...and we lived in a tent for three weeks, and
all I  had to call my own was this magical book..." and proudly
holding out her  ancient, dog-eared[1] copy of Nation for the
grandbabbies to see...

[1] And undoubtedly badgered, beared, wolved and possibly somewhat
hedgehogged by then

Libwolf:
"Great-Grandma, what's a book?"

New Bruce:
Don't forget audio books for those whose burns and grafts will
prevent their being able to turn pages for maybe a year or more.


19.3 THE FIRE DOWN BELOW

Snow Queen, in California, asked:
When events in Australia make our evening news, it is definitely a
big thing. Are all the BUers down there OK?

A selection of responses followed...

Mogg:
OK here, but two of my close colleagues at work have relatives
missing, and we don't yet know about some of our patients. I'm about
an hour's drive from some of the worst areas (Kinglake/Whittlesea).
[A couple of days later, Mogg was suddenly only five minutes' drive
from fire danger, but all worked out well -- Ed.]

Libwolf:
Me & mine are fine -- but Dad has lost a few workmates.

Dianne:
We're OK here, the nearest fires to us were away to the west. We've
lost a volunteer at Births Deaths & Marriages. I spent Saturday
keeping water up to the wild birds, they were so exhausted and hot
they didn't move when I refilled their water dishes. I'm making
flannelette bunny rugs for the wildlife rescue people as they also
need lots of help.

New Bruce:
I'm very thankful to be in one of the states with no fires -- it is
60% under water. I'm in the part that isn't -- we had half the
normal rainfall in January and had to start irrigating the cane
yesterday. If we were on a Discworld one of the elephants could
wriggle or the turtle could do a banking turn and even it all out.
I hope everyone stays safe.

Mrs Peculiar:
All at the Fortress are fine -- in fact, our suburb isn't getting
the winds from *any* of the fire areas, so we've not even smelt a
whiff of smoke all this time[1] -- but yes, several of my friends
have had deaths among family and friends. It's expected that the
total death count may run as high as 250 by the time all is over.
Given that there are barely five million people in all of Victoria,
that's a significant number :-(

[1] Which is bizarre, because normally the bushfire season means
smoky stinging eyes and coughing in our area no matter where the
fires are. Even more bizarrely, this time the smoke can be seen
(and smelt?) in the Land of Fog, and yet nothing here.

New Bruce:
So, that's life, of a sort, returning to Kinglake:
http://tinyurl.com/cpjk97

Mrs Peculiar:
And it's still burning. A friend of mine was up visiting her parents
last night. Their property overlooks the Kinglake area, and she took
some phone photos as the sun set and the night was lit by flames. We
have weak, orange sunlight today in the northern suburbs, and the
air stinks of smoke and makes eyes and noses sting. I don't envy
anyone here with asthma or other respiratory diseases in the next
few days/weeks :-(

Bekki:
I actually had to drive down the Hume Highway on the day after the
fires started. We stopped for dinner an hour and a half before the
Kilmore exit (we timed it, cause we wanted to see how long till the
next food, which happened to be just after Kilmore) and could barely
breath. We had the a/c in the car on recirculate the whole drive
down from Sydney (yes, not the best move, but better than the
smoke), and the smell in the car the next day was still enough to
choke me.

I lived in Upwey when the fires burnt through Ferny Creek, and my
house was at risk. Driving down the Hume Hwy at night, and seeing
burnt out areas with a few gums that were still alive and burning
was just as distressing. They were obviously leaving these tiny
fires (basically just a fork in the tree on fire) to burn themselves
out, because they couldn't do any more damage and the fire fighters
would not have had the resources for it.


19.4 PRATCHETT FANS: THE NEXT GENERATION

Lady G, commenting on the Red Cross blood drive for injured bushfire
survivors:
O'course I canna give blood right now, since am in the process of
building yet another Discworld fan. I mean hey, somebody's gotta do
it.

Steven:
Woot! Building Discworld fans is a good idea. Anyone else want to
match it for Pratchett?

Vera:
"Muuuuuuum! Mummmyyyy! Wannawannawanna 'lephant! An' a other
'lephant! An' more 'lephants! An' an' an' a turtle! An' a Blind Io
an' mountains an' an' an'..."


19.5 AIRBORNE TURTLES...? WE KNOW ABOUT THOSE!

New Bruce:
"One can imagine circumstances in which turtles could become
airborne, although not of the turtle's volition. It would, however,
seem quite hard to hit a plane with a tossed turtle. Yet 80 turtles
suffered this fate, including 23 in New York State. The turtles
weren't alone. Armadillos are, if anything, even less aerodynamic
than turtles, yet planes struck 14 of them in Florida, two in
Louisiana and one in Oklahoma, although Texas armadillos
successfully avoided aircraft..."

from New Scientist
http://www.tinyurl.com.au/x.php?1oh9

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
End of Part 3, continued on part 4 of 5.
If you did not get all five parts, write: interact@...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright (c) 2009 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

WOSSNAME -- FEBRUARY 2009 -- PART 4 OF 5 (continued)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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====Part 4 -- HOROSCOPE

20) YOUR MONTHLY DISCWORLD HOROSCOPE

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

20) THE NEW DISCWORLD HOROSCOPE

by Fernando Magnifico

Buongiorno my friends, it is I, Fernando! The Lady Asterisk is
unavailable due to a surfeit of sparrows in her solarium, but never
fear, for I shall be your astrologer today!

When Fernando walks down the street, he is often surrounded by the
many wonderful peoples of Ankh-Morpork who ask him, "Fernando, how
can I be more like you? Fernando, how can I be the better person?
Fernando, what can I do to improve myself?" Fernando does not wish
to be the braggart, for Fernando is molto humble (but not so humble
as Fernando's grand-papa, who was a humble shoemaker so poor that he
could not afford to buy the leather and had to make the shoes out of
bacon), but Fernando was not born as magnificent as he is now. In
fact, Fernando was the very difficult baby, and Fernando's blessed
mamma was in labour with him for six weeks giving birth. Since then,
Fernando has always felt that it was his duty to be a magnificent
son, so his mamma would be proud, and so he has dedicated himself to
selfless self-improvement, making Fernando the magnificent specimen
of Brindisian manhood you see before you today.

This month the stars suggest that you too should work on self-
improvement, so that you can be more like Fernando. Fernando
understands that not everybodys can be as magnificent as Fernando of
course, but this does not matter. What matters is for you to be as
good as you can be, for everybodys is wonderful in your own way.
Except for Carlos. But Fernando does not wish to speak of him.

Ciao bella!

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Adamant Hedgehog  21 Mar - 20 Apr

Fernando has consulted with the stars, and they say that for you
Hoggers, your self-improvement is to learn to be a cheese-maker.
Cheese-making is a very honourable profession, and as a wise man
once said, "blessed are the cheese-makers". A gift of cheese is
always welcome wherever you go. Fernando likes his cheese like his
women: soft, creamy, and with bite. But there are many uses for
cheeses for people of all tastes: tasty cheeses, mild cheeses, hard
cheese for grating over the pasta, soft cheeses for the cakes and
the toothless peoples, and blue cheeses for eating with grapes.
Fernando understands that witches are very fond of cheese, so any
generous cheese-maker with a few spare cheeses need never fear being
turned into a frog. Some witches have a cheese as their familiar,
although Fernando hears that such cheeses can be not just familiar
but downright presumptuous.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Half-Eaten Sandwich  21 Apr - 21 May

Anything worth having is worth working for, and for Munchers this
month, the stars say that your self-improvement is to work hard and
improve your own body. Fernando is no stranger to the weights and
exercise machines, because it is his duty to have the hard stomach
and big muscles for the sake of the artists who paint Fernando with
his fig leaf. Fernando is also very fond of the fine art of body-
building, and has spent many hours watching the young signores (and
occasional young signorina) oil themselves up and flex their muscles
on stage. For Munchers in a hurry, you can hire an Igor to sculpt
your body, especially if you want the big scars to impress your
friends and afear your enemies.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Herne the Hunted  22 May - 21 Jun

Hernians, this month your self-improvement is to learn a foreign
language. Morporkian is the language of trade, commerce and
diplomacy across much of the Disc, even over most of Klatch, but
Brindisian is the language of love (and not Quirmian, as some
foolish poets have said), and Zlobenian is the molto excellente
language for the swearing. Truly there is a language for everything,
even Logjam which can only be used to describe how the gears fit
together in the clockworks. Fernando can whisper the sweet nothings
in eight languages, which has come in very useful during his
travels, and ask for a room in four, which is sometimes the
necessary prerequisite for the sweet nothings.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Wizard's Staff and Knob  22 Jun - 22 Jul

This month, for the Staffies, the stars tell me your self-
improvement is to learn needlework. No sniggering, please, Fernando
is not talking about seamstressing (which certainly requires much
improved flexibility, and not just in the working hours) but actual
needlework, the sewing, knitting and crocheting. These are good,
marketable skills, there is much demand from those who want their
socks darned, and unlike the *other* sort of needlework, there is
little chance of any priests condemning you from the pulpit, except
perhaps for the Nugganites. For the man Staffies, if you are
concerned about the needlework being, how do you say it, too girly,
Fernando knows that you can sew the leather too. Anyone who can push
a steel needle through a quarter inch thick piece of leather isn't
going to be called girly by *anyone*.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Bilious, God of Hangovers  23 Jul - 23 Aug

Bilians, this month your self-improvement is to open your mind by
studying the philosophy. There are the many philosophies: Ibidism,
Objectionalism, Chil-mon-chil and more. Do not forget Ankh-Morpork's
own Way of Mrs Cosmopolite! The stars say that all of these
philosophies will improve your mind, or at least improve the bank
balance of the philosophy teacher, but the one which is the most
natural fit for the Bilians is the philosophy of Inebriism, which
teaches that the meaning of life *can* be found at the bottom of a
glass, and that the biggest question of all is "What's yours?".

[Editor's note: those interested in the range of philosophies
available may wish to consult the Lady Asterisk's horoscope here:
http://turnwise.blogspot.com/2007/10/october-2007.html ]

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Celestial Parsnip  24 Aug - 23 Sept

Everybodys needs to eat, and good food brings all peoples together
in harmony, except perhaps for the terrible cannibals of Tezuman.
(Fernando does not approve of eating the hearts of people. We are
not like the artichokes.) For Snippies this month, your self-
improvement is to learn to cook. And what of those who already know
how to cook? Learn how to cook better! And what better cooking is
there than Brindisi cooking, the best food on the Disc? Listen
closely, my friends, as Fernando teaches you some secrets of the
Brindisian cooking, which he learned from his Auntie Maria, who is
as magnificent a cook as Fernando is at being Fernando.

Too much garlic is barely enough. The gods themselves would give up
immortality for a taste of the fresh tomato sauce with roasted fresh
vegetables and basil (except that, being gods, they don't have to
give anything, they just take). Cook the squids and octopussies
quickly on the very hot flame so they do not turn into rubber. The
fatty meats like pork are much improved by the fennel seeds. And no
matter what Uncle Enzo thinks, chili should warm the palate, not set
fire to your stomach. Take note, my friends, and with time the Ankh-
Morpork food might someday become edible.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Small Boring Group of Faint Stars  24 Sept - 23 Oct

Fernando knows that flowers can brighten up even the dullest house
or the most miserable day. Whether it is a posy of pansies or a
bouquet of roses fit for the prima donna Christine, flowers bring
joy to all, except perhaps those with the allergies. Boring'uns, the
stars say your self-improvement is to learn the fine art of flower
arrangement. But beware of the thorns. And stinging insects. And
poisonous sap. The splinters from woody stems. Hay-fever from
pollens. And especially beware the carnivorous plants. They say they
only eat insects, but that's just a matter of size, isn't it?

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Androgyna Majestis  24 Oct - 22 Nov

This month the stars say that Andies have two self-improvements:
pubic speaking and dancing. You can indulge your intellectual side
by learning how to speak in public. Good communication is molto
important, whether it is a speech at a wedding, a eulogy at a
funeral, giving a talk to the city Guild Leaders, or assisting the
Watch with their enquiries. Excellente public speaking skills are
also very useful for those who wish to stand on a box in Sator
Square and demand that the Patrician outlaw public speaking in Sator
Square. And so Fernando has spent many hours in front of a mirror
practising his speakings. Many hours.

For those who prefer their passionate, artistic side, you can
instead learn to dance: the stately waltz, the rustic polka, the
trendy Baked Potato, and Fernando's favourite dance of all, the
steamy Genuan tango, the famous dance of love. There is a dance
style for everyone. And for those who wish to combine both sides,
you can always answer questions through the medium of dance.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Spoons, a.k.a. the Greater and Lesser Spoons, 23 Nov - 21 Dec

Fernando is often saddened by the terrible things some peoples do to
each other in the frantic race to make money. Fernando knows that
money is the root of all evil, and wishes the Disc could be a
kinder, more friendly place. Spooners, if you too wish for a better
world, then you are in luck, for the stars say this month you can
improve both yourself and the world, for your self improvement is to
study the Yen Buddhism. Once you become the Yen Master you can
improve the world by taking on the evils of money to yourself.
Spooners, do not be afeared for your soul, for Fernando knows that
you will be Enlightened and will resist the temptation to do Evil.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Hoki the Jokester  22 Dec - 20 Jan

Hokians, if you thought you had put lessons and chalk dust and
getting six of the best for something that Stinky Jones did behind
you, the stars say different: your self-improvement is to go back to
school! But never fear my friends, for you do not need to put on the
school uniform (unless of course you want to) because Fernando
understands that Ankh-Morpork has many adult education classes.
Whether you need to learn your letters or the secrets of the decimal
point, there is a class for you. Fernando understands that the two
most popular classes are the Assassins' Guild's four-week course on
the correct use of stilettos, and coincidentally, the Seamstresses'
Guild's three-week course on the same thing or at least the same
word. Fernando suggests you don't confuse the two, it may lead to
embarrassment, or too much of the interest from the Watch.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Rather Large Gazunda  21 Jan - 18 Feb

Gazundians are know for being quick witted, with good imaginations
and the skill of good speaker. This is very much like Fernando. This
month, the stars say that your self-improvement is to use your
skills in the fine art of creative writing. Fernando knows that this
is an excellent skill to have, as it is good for the poets, story-
tellers and playwrights. It is excellente for the bardic sagas,
editorials in the Ankh-Morpork Times, and for writing the government
reports. But Fernando reminds you, creative writing is not so valued
when working as the accountant for Mr Harry King.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Lesser Umbrage   19 Feb - 20 Mar

Peoples often ask Fernando how he stays so calm, cool and collected
at all times. For Fernando, this is easy, because Fernando has the
very, how you say it, "laid back" personality. Except for the making
of love, where Fernando is moltissimo hot-blooded. But for
Umbragians who wish to be more like Fernando, the stars say that
your self-improvement is the ancient Laotan mystic art of yoga. You
too can learn to breathe through your third eye. And for those who
do not have the personality for yoga, never fear, for the stars have
the answer: the ancient art of tantrum yoga. If you can't stay calm,
let your tantrums work for you to give you the great power and
endurance in the obstacle race of life. Then you will be as relaxed
as Fernando.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
End of Part 4, continued on part 5 of 5.
If you did not get all five parts, write: interact@...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright (c) 2009 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

WOSSNAME -- FEBRUARY 2009 -- PART 5 OF 5 (continued)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

====Part 5 -- LATE BREAKING NEWS, AND CLOSE

21) LATE BREAKING NEWS
22) CLOSE

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

21) LATE BREAKING NEWS...AND STUFF

21.1 UU'S WELL COVERED!

A cover of two halves...here's a sneak preview of Paul Kidby's cover
for Unseen Academicals. Good to see Rincewind back on the playing
field -- we all know his running skills are nonpareil:

http://www.paulkidby.net/UA.jpg


21.2 UNSEEN ACADEMICALS RELEASE DATE

Unseen Academicals, the 37th Discworld novel (at least by my
counting), is due to be released on 8th October 2009. But even
though that's many months away, you can already pre-order it on
Amazon:

http://tinyurl.com/dlyzjk


21.3 NEW COLLECTION OF JOSH KIRBY PRINTS FOR SALE

Traditionalist Discworld art collectors will be delighted to learn
that the Josh Kirby estate is offering a selection of Kirby's
Discworld art to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the first
Kirby/Pratchett collaboration.

http://store.joshkirbyart.com/

Also, an unexpected intersection of (fantasy) worlds: it turns out
that Music with Rocks In veteran Tony Harnell is married to the
owner- director of the Josh Kirby estate. So here's something you
won't see every day on a heavy rock site -- the name Terry
Pratchett:

http://www.bravewords.com/news/105828


21.4 PRATCHETT SPOTTED IN THE WILD

"A single, surprised 'Oh!' escapes her chapped lips at something
he's read. They aren't on the subway; they're in the story, saving
mankind..."

A short, charming slice of city life from The New Yorker:

http://tinyurl.com/dzktft


21.5 WYRD SISTERS IN...TEXAS?!

Yes, a Texan university-students production of Wyrd Sisters hit the
stage in Houston earlier this month, courtesy of the Rice Players.
Sadly, according to this long, intelligent and thorough review of
cast and crew versus play, the cast and crew came a poor second. But
American productions of Discworld plays are a good thing to see
happening!

"The play, based on Terry Pratchett's novel from the Discworld
series and adapted for the stage by Stephen Briggs, rests upon a web
of light-hearted fantasy threaded with wit and charm. Largely a
parody of Macbeth, the story offers a raucous romp through a
storyline well-trodden by readers of Shakespeare or Tolkien... The
actors of Wyrd Sisters do an admirable job of tackling a script so
chock-full of punny wordplay and fast-paced dialogue, but the entire
cast could use a burst of energy to propel them to the final
curtain. Too often throughout the show, the audience is treated to
what feels more like a guided reading than an actual performance..."

http://tinyurl.com/adtxzm


21.6 TERRY PRATCHETT: THE SOUL OF WIT

The all-genres literary website Books and Authors has reprinted a
superb lit-crit essay, Terry Pratchett: The Soul of Wit, by Faren
Miller. Originally published in Contemporary Literary Criticism 197
(2004), this articulate, well-researched piece examines and
critiques the development of the Pratchett oeuvre and its underlying
themes, from the earliest novels through to the most recently lauded
young reader books at the time. Well worth a read! Some sample
extracts:

"Pratchett is no stereotypical epic fantasist incapable of telling a
story in fewer than three volumes, or a dull artisan stamping out
endless variations on the same scenario. Over the years he has honed
his skills as observer and ironist - which is to say moralist --
into a lean, flexible instrument that can skewer absurdities in the
space of a paragraph and deal with any mode from slapstick to
tragedy in the course of a largely self-contained narrative, with
Discworld as his stage."

"Stripped of their grandiose theatricality or aura of supernatural
mystery, Discworld's aristocrats, witches, wizards, and multitude
of uncanny creatures can become all too human... Pratchett
chronicles the mishaps that ensue, threatening the very fabric of
reality, with a journalist's eye for detail: literalized, the
cosmos that metaphysicians regards with awe becomes a matter of
simple cause and effect, governed by absurd yet tidy logic."

For the full text of the essay, go to:

http://booksandauthorsblog.com/archives/148


21.7 FOR KNITTERS: DEATH OF RATS KEEPS YOUR BOILED EGG WARM

Welsh super-knitter Sally Pointer has designed a fabulous Grim
Squeaker egg cosy, and Kentuckian knitter (and self-confessed "huge
Terry Pratchett fan") Suzanne the Knitting Samurai had a very
successful go at Sally's pattern. The results are...well, DANGER!
CUTENESS ALERT! -- in other words, wonderful! For a photo of the
finished creation and Suzanne's comments, go to her blog:

http://tinyurl.com/dhvzsh

For more of Sally's work, visit her blog at:

http://wickedwoollens.blogspot.com/


21.8 PREVIEW: NEW DISCWORLD FIGURINES

Micro Art Studio have posted photos of the "greens" for three
awesome new 30mm miniatures in their Discworld figurines collection.
This time it's the Librarian, Cohen the Barbarian, and Death with
his Soul Music guitar. These are possibly the best ones to date. No
idea of the release date yet, but watch this space...

http://www.tabletopgamingnews.com/2009/02/16/23420


21.9 ADAM'S DOG FROM GOOD OMENS?

Icanhascheezburger strikes again...

http://tinyurl.com/bx32wc

(spotted by Mrs Cake of BU)


21.10 PTERRY'S STILL THE BOOKTHIEVES' FAVOURITE AUTHOR

"A bookseller from Bakewell in Derbyshire recounts how an
'unassuming, doddery old lady' would come to the shop every week and
steal a novel by Terry Pratchett, the author of the hugely popular
Discworld fantasy series -- who, incidentally, is the most stolen
author in the UK. Police eventually found some 60 Pratchett books on
the old lady's shelves."

A very interesting article in The Times Online about who steals
books and why (apart from those readers whose need for a Pratchett
fix outstrips their budgets, of course):

http://tinyurl.com/c5kjxs


21.11 GRACE UNDER FIRE

Author Christopher Moore's tale of a dreadful heckler at one of his
book signings, and how he admired Pterry's equanimity when
confronted by the same horrid old lady at his own signing in San
Francisco:

http://www.powells.com/blog/?p=4580


21.12 PTERRY ON ALZHEIMER'S TREATMENT

Here be a further article about proposed "memory clinics" for
Alzheimer's sufferers. The page includes a short video of Pterry
(looking charming in a Fourecksian drover's coat) talking about the
future of Alzheimer's treatment:

http://tinyurl.com/ckm59x

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

22) AND IT'S GOODNIGHT FROM US

And another quiet month turns out to be a not-quiet month. Very
special thanks as always to the Newshound Gang, the most excellent
Colin Smythe, the vital news conduit Sandra Kidby of PJSM Prints,
the very odd student body of Roundworld's Bugarup University, and
the nice people who made it possible for our household to watch
Terry Pratchett: Living with Alzheimer's. Now it's time for your
Editor to get some sleep. See you next month!

-- Annie Mac

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------
End of Part 5.
If you did not get all five parts, write: interact@...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright (c) 2008 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

WOSSNAME
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
MARCH 2009
*********************************************************************

SPECIAL EDITION: MARCH NEWS THAT JUST CAN'T WAIT

*********************************************************************

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

INDEX:

1) LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
2) EXTRAS! EXTRAS!
3) PRATCHETT MONTH ON SECOND LIFE
4) TERRY AND ROB ARE A-TWITTER
5) THE CURSE OF THE LANCRE PLAY

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

1) LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Just a few items here, but all of them are either time-dependent or
too exciting to wait for the regular issue. The title EXTRAS!
EXTRAS! above is no mistype -- Mob Films is now gearing up for
Going Postal, and once again fans are most welcome to apply for
places as extras in the crowd scenes. Also, an amusing bit about an
ongoing production of Wyrd Sisters in England, a new presence on
Twitter, and a wonderful-sounding celebration of Sir Pterry and his
works on Second Life.

We'll be back in a couple of weeks with more news and all the usual
WOSSNAME features. Enjoy!

-- Annie Mac, Editor

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

2) EXTRAS NEEDED FOR THE TELEFILM OF GOING POSTAL

Yes, it's Discworld-on-the-screen time again, and Mob Films, makers
of Hogfather and The Colour of Magic, have a few openings for extras
to join the crowd scenes. Going Postal will be filming in Hungary,
starting in about seven weeks' time. So if you happen to be
wondering about an exciting place to take a holiday, this could be
just the thing for you!

Note: this offer is open to anyone anywhere on Roundworld, not just
European fans. Below are details from Mob Films and from Pterry and
Rob, reprinted from the PJSM Prints news page at www.pjsmprints.com


A letter from Mob Films' Rod Brown:

Dear Rob & Terry,

I want to give you and the Discworld fans, many who have written to
me, an update as to our filming plans for Going Postal.

We are planning to commence filming in Budapest at the beginning of
May 2009. The shoot will last 9 weeks, which will take us into July.

The day-to-day filming schedule will be issued much nearer the
shoot, probably in mid April. This will follow the recces and
planning in Budapest that is currently taking place.

When the schedule is issued, I will advise you of the days we are
planning to shoot crowd scenes.

I should stress that we will have plenty of Hungarian extras to
complete scenes on these crowd days however, if a limited number of
invited fans are interested to make their own way to Hungary and
accommodate themselves in Budapest, we would be very pleased to
welcome them on set. The current plan is to have one central
Budapest pick up point, and at an allocated time we would pick them
up and transport them to the set.

There are a few notes of caution, which people should bear in mind
if contemplating the trip:

We have to reserve the right not to film the crowd scenes on the
days which are scheduled. To explain: most of the crowd scenes are
filmed outdoors and if the weather is bad, we may not film in the
open on that selected day and we would have to cancel the crowd
scenes to film other scenes inside a studio (weather cover scenes).
However, we would still pick up the fans that have made the effort
to travel and bring them to set for a tour and meet with the
producers, which will probably last about an hour or so, but we
would have to reschedule the scenes to another day.

Once we announce the day when people are welcome to join us in
Budapest, please do not just turn up on spec as access to the set
will be by invitation only. There will only be a limited number of
allocated coach seats and the studios are in the countryside well
outside of Budapest.

The other issue that I should point out at this time is that we are
not in a position to guarantee "Premiere screening tickets" to
anyone at present, whether you have joined us on set or not.

As to what you will receive from us in the form of recompense;
everybody who does don a costume and is involved in the filming will
receive the same fee as a Hungarian extra, which is about £25UKP.

Sorry to throw out some negatives here, but I want people to fully
realise what we can offer to you in Budapest if you are planning to
travel.

We really do appreciate people's support of our filming,
especially on set, where the fans who made the trips to Horsley
Towers and Pinewood, were a fantastic addition to the atmosphere of
the movie.

I will supply more information right here as we get nearer to
filming.

Thanks and all best wishes.

Rod Brown - Producer
The Mob Film Company


IN BRIEF, THE IMPORTANT BITS FROM TERRY

To be invited to the set of Going Postal, this is what you have to
do:

Firstly, wait for the announcement here on www.pjsmprints.com/news
confirming applications are open.

Applications will only be accepted by email to a specific address
that we will give you once applications go live. Please do not
contact Mob Films or PJSM Prints directly.

If you have already been an extra, then we know who you are and
then, as old hands, you don't have to send us a photo. If it's
your first time then a photograph should be included in your
application. You do not have to be in costume, but we do need to
see what you look like ("This is a picture of me at my sister's
wedding and that's me in the third row" really does not cut it.)

Please note that this is open to fandom at large, not only UK fans,
but we really must reiterate that access onto set is strictly by
INVITATION ONLY.

We will announce dates, progress and updates on this page
(www.pjsmprints.com/news) as regularly as necessary.

As we have said, ever since this was first mooted, we will welcome
invited fans to the set of Going Postal, but we cannot possibly pay
for their travel or accommodation or ancillary expenses. We expect
that there will be a high take up on this, since indeed it is not
just open to UK fans, and so ALL applications will go into the
proverbial hat. We will make the draw one week after the date the
fan day has been announced on this page and let successful
applicants know as soon as possible. In other words, there will be
a one week window in which to apply.


A FINAL NOTE FROM TERRY & ROB

Fans who have taken part with Mob Films before know that they do
this sort of thing out of an inexplicable fondness for fandom.
They're doing it because fans would like to be there, not because
they are actually necessary for the making of the film. It's a
gift, in other words, and it's unfortunate that there's no
possible way of selecting everybody, but the lucky ones who do
actually make it onto the screen will be paid the local going rate
for, lets face it, something that they really, really want to do in
any case. Grumble by all means about the shortage of numbers, but
this is filmmaking. You could try and get a better deal from George
Lucas. We don't think you will, because Rob has tried fifteen
times already :)

IN BRIEF, THE VERY IMPORTANT BITS TO REMEMBER

DO be patient.
DO NOT CONTACT Mob Films directly.  They're very busy planning a
movie.
DO NOT CONTACT US regarding applications until applications are
open.
DO NOT CONTACT US regarding travel.
DO NOT CONTACT US regarding accommodations.
DO NOT CONTACT US regarding places to eat.
DO NOT CONTACT US for the location of the studio.

FINALLY, if you are successful in your application it is for YOU
ONLY. It does not include your boyfriend, girlfriend, partner,
wife, husband, mum, dad, sister, brother, children, nan, grandad,
niece, nephew, aunt, uncle, neighbour or your special friend. Or
your cat *

(signed) Terry Pratchett


* Sgt Braille has asked if he can bring his cat and will now not be
joining us in Hungary. Let that be a warning to all of you.


[Thanks again to www.pjsmprints.com for these updates! -- Ed.]

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

3) GET A (SECOND) LIFE - IT'S PTERRY MONTH!

In Dublin's fair city -- the virtual Dublin in Second Life, that is
-- it's March: The Month of The Flying Fruitbat! In which O'Caseys
Bar celebrates ALL things Terry Pratchett, in their own words:

After JK Rowling he is the best selling English author-- and is much
much funnier! We are all massive fans down here in O'Caseys bar and
we have decided to celebrate this mans awesome talent by holding a
month long orgy of Pratchett indulgence! And to do this we need YOUR
help-- you the fans of Terry Pratchett! You see we believe the best
content comes from the users of Second Life-- from fans themselves.
For two reasons-- one 'cos its more passionate. And two-- 'cos its
free!!!! (obviously) Come be part of the fun!

One-- Turn up and enjoy our stonkingly funny Pratchett events!
Two-- TAKE PART in our stonkingly funny events.
And what events are they?  Well, there are two types of events...

*My Favorite Pratchett Chapter!!! This is the main kind of event-
you pick ONE chapter of Terry Pratchett from ANY of the Discworld
books- and we listen to it. Either YOU read it aloud or you ask one
of O'Caseys staff to read it aloud (we be good at this) and everyone
turns up and just giggles...

*The Unseen University Lectures! Simply-- wherein you, being a total
fan, get up and talk about some aspect of the Discworld for about an
hour. Or so. And make it interesting...

Oh we said there were three ways you could get involved-- way number
3? Tell other Pratchett fans about this!

For more information and details on the Pterry-madness, go to:

http://community.livejournal.com/second_lifers/937665.html

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

4) PTERRY AND ROB ARE ALL A-TWITTER!

Yes, Team Pratchett now is Twittering to the world. Among other gems
of short-message information is the observation that although the
recent UK blizzard's deep snows have cleared, Pterry's email
"mountain" is still high enough to have snow on its upper reaches:

http://twitter.com/terryandrob

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

5) THE CURSE OF THE SCOTTISH, UM, LANCRE PLAY?

David Walker, who plays Duke Felmet in the Sefton Theatre Company's
current production of Wyrd Sisters, broke a literal leg not long
before the play opened but decided to carry on regardless.

"I'm normally the complete opposite of superstitious. If someone
says to me, 'Don't say the name Macbeth', I'm the type who would
scream it seven times. But funnily enough I hadn't said it this
time, and it got me! ...You're not supposed to say 'good luck' to an
actor because it's bad luck, so you say 'break a leg'. Well I've
already done that for the whole cast!"

And Walker has incorporated his walking stick into his
interpretation of the Duke. Good on him!

Wyrd Sisters finishes its run on 14th March, so there's still time
to see witches, wyrds and the crocked (and crooked) Duke at the
Southport Arts Centre Studio, 7.45pm nightly, with a matinee on
Saturday, March 14. Tickets are £7 or £5.50 concessions. To book,
call the box office on 01704 540011.

Read the rest of the article here:

http://www.tinyurl.com.au/x.php?1p6n

The company certainly have put their hearts into this production --
read about it here:

http://tinyurl.com/dceqyg

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright (c) 2009 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

WOSSNAME -- MARCH 2009 -- PART 2 OF 6 (continued)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

====Part 2 -- MORE NEWS AND STUFF

9)  DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS
10) OOK! PTERRY OPENS A NEW LIBRARY
11) WONDERFUL DISCWORLD FIGURINES FROM PJSM PRINTS
12) CONVENTION NEWS
13) IMAGES OF THE MONTH
14) A RIGHT KNIT-WIT: PTERRY'S KNITTING INTERVIEW
15) NATION: A REVIEW
16) BILL DOOR, STAR OF THE SCREEN
17) RADIO BIRDSONG STILL WARBLING
18) SAM VIMES: THE READERS' FAVOURITE
19) BUT BUT BUT HE ATE'NT DEAD!
20) THE REAL STICK AND BUCKET DANCE...
21) ...AND THE KIND OF SHEPHERDING GRANNY ACHING WOULDN'T APPROVE OF
22) STEPHEN PLAYER ILLUSTRATES A DIFFERENT KIND OF FANTASY BOOK
23) NEW RHIANNA PRATCHETT WEBSITE

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

9) THE PLAY'S THE THING...

9.1 REMINDER: WYRD SISTERS IN BEDFORDSHIRE

As featured in last month's issue. Remember, this production is
still running through the 28th of this month!

When: March 24-28
Venue: Sharnbrook (ring for details)
Time: 7:45 p.m
Tickets: 9 GBP to 11 GBP, available from Sharnbrook Post Office or
Bedford Central Box Office (01234 269519)


9.2 REMINDER: MASKERADE IN NORWICH

The Norwich Theatre Royal Youth Theatre Company's production of
Maskerade runs through the 28th of this month.

When: March 26-28, 2009
Venue: Studio Theatre at The Garage
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Tickets: 7 GBP, available from Theatre Royal Box Office
(01603630000) or online

http://www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk


9.3 GOING POSTAL IN HAMPSHIRE

Amateur dramatic group The Boundary Players will present Stephen
Briggs' adaptation of Going Postal in May 2009.

When: 12th to 16th May 2009
Venue: William Penney Theatre, Aldermaston Recreational Society
Time: curtain up at 7:30pm

Full details are available at:

http://www.boundaryplayers.co.uk


9.4 WYRD SISTERS IN BERKSHIRE

The Crowthorne Amateur Theatrical Society will present their
production of Wyrd Sisters in late April and early May 2009.

When: Wednesday 29th April to Saturday 2nd May
Venue: Parish Hall, Heath Hill Road South, Crowthorne, Berks, RG45
7BN
Time: Doors open 19:00, curtain up 19:45
Tickets: £8.50 (£7.00 concessions) Tickets will be available from
early April -- see website for more information.

Contact: http://www.catswebsite.co.uk
Email: boxoffice@...

http://amdram.co.uk/events/wyrd-sisters-3/


9.5 REVIEW: THE TRUTH, IN OXFORD

from The Oxford Times

"The Truth is one of Pratchett's most acclaimed Discworld
entries, not only because it is rich with the author's usual Monty
Python-style comic touches, but also because it has a lot to say
about journalism, writing and 'the truth'...  This production is
pretty faithful to the spirit, if not the exact content, of its
source material. Dialogue is at times so Pratchett-esque as to be
practically lifted from the novel's pages..."

http://tinyurl.com/bmj97e

This production also involved comedic magicians Robert Morgan and
Rhys West. At least we think it did, since they claim to have been
producing, directing and starring in the same play at the same venue
on the same days...here they are as a very believable-looking Mr
Tulip and Mr Pin:

http://tinyurl.com/b9phos

http://www.morganandwest.co.uk/


9.6 REVIEW: WYRD SISTERS, IN SOUTHPORT

The Champion newspaper's rather dyspeptic critic Ron Ellis liked the
production in spite of himself:

"...the cast threw themselves into their roles with gusto and I
especially enjoyed the three witches, brilliantly played by Tracey
Bachelor, Carolyn McAdam and Laura Franklin, who seemed to have
metamorphosed from the snug in the early days of the Rovers Return
to totally steal the show. Their down to earth Lancashire tones
played well against the implausibility of the action... David Walker
perfectly suited his part as the King[sic]. In fact he looked
remarkably like Henry the Eighth. What dedication to acquire a gammy
leg to go with the walking stick."

http://www.champnews.com/html/newsstory.asp?id=7344

[Looks like that broken leg mentioned in our previous issue did the
trick nicely -- Ed.]

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

10) OOK! PTERRY OPENS A NEW LIBRARY

Terry Pratchett stood in for the Librarian to formally open the new
library at Hounsdown School in Southampton, England. Students
dressed in Discworld costume, including James Harding as an
excellently four-eyed Twoflower, welcomed the author who then took
part in a question and answer session. Hounsdown students, who had
produced a book of creative writing they had done in his style,
presented him with the book and additionally with a cheque for more
than £200 raised for the charity of his choosing -- The RICE Centre
in Bath:

http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/4160333.Pratchett_opens_library/

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

11) WONDERFUL DISCWORLD FIGURINES FROM PJSM PRINTS

For Discworld figurine collectors with time on their hands, PJSM now
offers a range of our favourite characters for sale, ranging in
price from £7.50 to £8.00. The 30mm metal cast collection includes
Granny Weatherwax, Rincewind, The Luggage, Death (with scythe and
lifetimer), Susan, Nobby Nobbs, Sam Vimes, and of course Nanny Ogg.
All characters come with round plastic bases, but do require
preparation, assembly and painting.

To order, go to:

http://www.pjsmprints.com/miniatures/index.html

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

12) CONVENTION NEWS

12.1) NADWCON NEWS AND UPDATES

From Lee Whiteside of NADWCON:

*The Banquet*
The theme of the banquet will be "A Night at the Rhoxie," grand
palace of Creosote, the Seriph of Al Khali. Famed in myth and legend
for its splendor, the Rhoxie is said to have been built by a genie
in a single night (causing it to be known colloquially as the "Djinn
Palace"). Creosote himself will be in attendance, and the evening
will, of course, be hosted by his grand vizier, Abrim. Attendees are
encouraged to re-read "Sourcery," "Pyramids," and "Jingo" for
costume ideas, but any Discworld-related or evening attire will also
do nicely. The banquet will be late afternoon/early evening on
Sunday night, September 6th. Menu choices and prices and how to book
your reservation will be announced soon.

*Memberships Update*
Memberships have now reached close to the 500 member mark and we
should have an updated online list soon. The current rate will go up
by US $10 to US $90 after March 31st. We are also planning on
capping memberships at approximately 900 which is the capacity of
our main ballroom. The Leprecon, Inc. policy is that memberships are
non-refundable, but they are transferable. We realize with the
current state of the economy that some members may end up deciding
they are not able to come and will want to sell their memberships.
We have an area on the convention message board where you can post
about membership sales/transfers and have already had a handful of
people transfer memberships.

*Hotel Update*
The Mission Palms is filling up and we are looking into options for
official overflow hotels. Make sure that you are using the group
code when booking rooms at the Mission Palms, otherwise it does show
no rooms available since we have the entire hotel blocked for the
convention. We've had several people indicate the hotel was full
when it actually isn't, yet. The nearest hotel within easy walking
distance is the Courtyard by Marriott in Tempe which currently has a
very good rate for the weekend if you are looking to save a bit on
your hotel and don't mind a short walk. There's also many other
hotels along the light rail line which stops very close to the
Mission Palms.

*Additional Notes*
We're working on some updates to the convention web site, including
a Maskarade page, the addition of some of the Frequently Asked
Questions we've been getting, and updates on what we are planning
for the convention.


12.2) IDWCON NEWS AND UPDATES

From the IDWCon news archives:

Buy Your memberships now! The membership is now open and ready for
you to dedicate your allegiance to the First Ever Irish Discworld
Convention. Sign up quick quick because we have a membership
limitations

From the membership page you can apply and volunteer for tech, ops,
watch or gophering (if you wish) and you can sign up for the posh
dinner (approx. 35 euros).

But be weary, here be dangerous monsters.

http://idwcon.org/membership/

[Editor's note: I think they mean "be wary", but you never know...]

For the record, confirmed Guests so far include: Pterry (health
permitting), Stephen Briggs, Diane Duane and Peter Morwood, Colin
Smythe, Bernard Pearson the Cunning Artificer, and Jack Cohen. The
first Irish Discworld Convention will be held in Co. Clare in
November 2009. The second, in 2011, is already in the planning
stages, so if you live in or can play your holiday in Ireland to
coincide with the convention, show your support and get Irish
Discworld's visible fandom off to a grand start!

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

13) IMAGES OF THE MONTH

Photos of Sir Pterry celebrating his knighthood with family and
friends:

http://www.terrypratchett.co.uk/news/knighthood.html

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

14) A RIGHT KNIT-WIT: PTERRY'S KNITTING INTERVIEW

Extracts from an interview with the Master in Yarn Forward magazine,
and an update on the Pratchgan saga:

"I doubt very much if Granny Weatherwax could be bothered... and,
indeed, the same thing with Nanny Ogg. Nanny Ogg would encourage
other people to knit, and give her the sweater."

http://tinyurl.com/d4wtx4

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

15) NATION: A REVIEW

Blogging for a Good Book, the award-winning blog maintained by
Williamsburg Regional Library, features a thoughtful review by
blogger Charlotte:

"Don't skip this because it's a 'kid's book.' Mau's anger and
grief are the heart of the novel, along with all the big questions:
how we come to believe in higher powers and whether, after great
loss, we can continue in those beliefs. It's alternately a
heartbreaking and a heartwarming story, often quite funny, and as a
standalone book, a great place to start reading Pratchett if you've
never done so."

Charlotte also highly recommends the audiobook version of Nation,
read by Stephen Briggs -- who commented on the blog to register his
thanks!

http://bfgb.wordpress.com/2009/02/26/nation-by-terry-pratchett/

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

16) BILL DOOR, STAR OF THE SCREEN

Den Of Geek give the Death of Discworld a rare five stars in their
list of top ten Grim Reapers in film and television:

http://tinyurl.com/bdokpl

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

17) RADIO BIRDSONG STILL WARBLING

Daily Mail - UK
"Glyn Jones, operations director at DigitalOne, has said there are
no immediate plans to close it down. The recording quality has been
upgraded, and a CD or download of the 20-minute clip is now
available. News of the reprieve comes after author Terry Pratchett
said he is a fan of the station."

http://tinyurl.com/dy9r79

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

18) SAM VIMES: THE READERS' FAVOURITE

Our own Commander of the Watch easily saw off some stellar
competition, including Atticus Finch, Mr Darcy, Jo March,
Heathcliff, Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple, and Jane Eyre, to win the
Leeds Read 2009 place as readers' favourite literary character.
Rincewind took fourth place, and emo-boy vampire Edward Cullen could
only manage tenth. Many characters were proposed and a shortlist of
fifteen was then submitted for voting. Well done, Your Grace!

http://www.leeds.ac.uk/library/leedsread/index.htm

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

19) BUT BUT BUT HE ATE'NT DEAD! ...AS A LETTER TO THE GUARDIAN
POINTS OUT...

The Guardian quoted a pair of astonishingly self-satisfied
"literary" authors:

"To the University of Manchester, where Martin Amis and Howard
Jacobson were discussing literature and Britishness last week. 'You
see before you the last two comic British novelists,' Amis
announced. 'If I had to pick three pieces of prose to make you
laugh,' Jacobson said, 'one would be by Martin and the other two
would be mine.'"

http://tinyurl.com/ca9k8y

...and a fan's letter to the Guardian about that boast...

"This level of self-congratulation would be hard to take even if it
were true; which, since Terry Pratchett is Still Not Dead, it isn't,
and I wrote to the Guardian to say so. I was pleased, on Saturday,
to see that they had printed my letter..."

http://shewhomust.livejournal.com/219089.html


...made its way to the wider world of Ansible:

"Someone tell them that it's OK, they can relax: Terry Pratchett is
still here...."

http://news.ansible.co.uk/a260.html

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

20) THE REAL STICK AND BUCKET DANCE...

For those of you -- especially readers outside the United Kingdom
-- who have been amused, fascinated or simply mystified by the
Discworld novels' many references to Morris dancing, a very, very
funny "mockumentary" called Morris: A Life with Bells On will be of
interest. Beautifully filmed, with a fine cast including Sir Derek
Jacobi and Naomie Harris (Tia Dalma from Pirates of the Caribbean),
this shows Morris dancing as no-one but Jason Ogg and his mates have
seen it before:

http://www.morrismovie.com/

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

21) ...AND THE KIND OF SHEPHERDING GRANNY ACHING WOULDN'T APPROVE OF

Slightly off topic, perhaps, but I think Tiffany would be amused and
so might you, O readers. Here be a short video of the sort of
"Extreme Shepherding" you'll never see at proper sheepdog trials!
Don't worry -- it's completely work-safe:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2FX9rviEhw

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

22) STEPHEN PLAYER ILLUSTRATES A DIFFERENT KIND OF FANTASY BOOK

Game-book author Jonathan Green (or possibly Steve Jackson) has a
new You Are the Hero book, Stormslayer, illustrated by someone we
know well -- Stephen Player -- coming out soon:

"So far I've only had a taste of what Stephen's doing for
Stormslayer, but that taste has made me hungry for more."

http://tinyurl.com/bwwwkj

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

23) NEW RHIANNA PRATCHETT WEBSITE

Stellar games designer and Number One Daughter Rhianna Pratchett has
launched her own 'portfolio site', which includes various links to
interviews:

http://tinyurl.com/cd83w2

(Includes a nice photo of Rhianna dressed as a sort of Susan Sto
Helit meets Trinity)

Rhianna's site:

http://www.rhiannapratchett.com

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

EDITOR'S NOTE: REMEMBER, PARTS 3 THROUGH 6 OF THIS ISSUE WILL FOLLOW
IN A COUPLE OF DAYS' TIME!

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
End of Part 2 -- continued on Part 3 of 6.
If you did not get all six parts, write: interact@...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright (c) 2009 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

WOSSNAME
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
MARCH 2009 (Volume 12, Issue 3)
*********************************************************************
WOSSNAME is a FREE publication for members of the worldwide
Klatchian Foreign Legion and its affiliates, including the North
American Discworld Society and other continental groups. Are you a
member? Yes, if you sent in your name, country and e-mail address.
Are there any dues? No! As a member of the Klatchian Foreign Legion,
you'd only forget them...
*********************************************************************
Editor in Chief: Annie Mac
Editor Emeritus (retd): Joseph Schaumburger
News Editor: Fiona (not Bruce) Bruce
Newshounds: Vera, Mogg, Sir J of Croydon Below, the Shadow
Staff Writers: Asti Osborn, Paul Blake, Steven D'Aprano
Convention Reporters: Mithtrethth Hania Ogg et al
Staff Technomancer: Jason Parlevliet
Book Reviews: Drusilla D'Afanguin
Puzzle Editor: Tiff
Bard in Residence: Weird Alice Lancrevic
DW Horoscope: Lady Anaemia Asterisk, Fernando Magnifico
Emergency Staff: Jason Parlevliet
World Membership Director: Steven D'Aprano (in his copious spare
time)
Copyright 2009 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

------------------------------------------------------------------------

INDEX:

====Part 1 -- ALL THE NEWS THAT FITS

1) QUOTE OF THE MONTH
2) LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
3) PICK A STREET FOR WINCANTON!
4) ONLY YOU -- OR THEY -- CAN *SING* MANKIND
5) NOMINATIONS AND AWARDS
6) ALZHEIMER'S NEWS
7) HARRY LOVES PTERRY...
8)  ...AND SO DOES A CERTAIN HOBBIT

====Part 2 -- MORE NEWS AND STUFF

9)  DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS
10) OOK! PTERRY OPENS A NEW LIBRARY
11) WONDERFUL DISCWORLD FIGURINES FROM PJSM PRINTS
12) CONVENTION NEWS
13) IMAGES OF THE MONTH
14) A RIGHT KNIT-WIT: PTERRY'S KNITTING INTERVIEW
15) NATION: A REVIEW
16) BILL DOOR, STAR OF THE SCREEN
17) RADIO BIRDSONG STILL WARBLING
18) SAM VIMES: THE READERS' FAVOURITE
19) BUT BUT BUT HE ATE'NT DEAD!
20) THE REAL STICK AND BUCKET DANCE...
21) ...AND THE KIND OF SHEPHERDING GRANNY ACHING WOULDN'T APPROVE OF
22) STEPHEN PLAYER ILLUSTRATES A DIFFERENT KIND OF FANTASY BOOK
23) NEW RHIANNA PRATCHETT WEBSITE

====Part 3 -- ...AND MORE...

24) RAT INNA BUN
25) AUSDWCON REPORT
26) BU CAMPUS NEWSROUND

====Part 4 -- MORE BU DISCUSSION

27) BU NEWSROUND, CONTINUED

====Part 5 -- HOROSCOPE

28) YOUR MONTHLY DISCWORLD HOROSCOPE

====Part 6 -- LATE BREAKING NEWS, AND CLOSE

29) LATE BREAKING NEWS
30) CLOSE

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

1) QUOTE OF THE MONTH

"There's a thesis I'm working on that, actually, depending on
circumstances, kindness is better than love, because love is
ethereal, and kindness is a good meal when you need it."

-- Terry Pratchett, in an interview with Yarn Forward magazine

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

2) LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Wotcha, readers! This month's issue comes to you from the Editor's
Sickbay (no, I ate'nt dead, but I've been laid low by a nasty throat
bug), so I apologise in advance for any un-caught lapses in
proofreading that may have been caused by a fever-boiled brain.

I'm also sending out the first several pages of this issue a bit
early--see item 3 for why. Get your votes in now for your favourite
street names! My personal favourite is Shamlegger Street, but your
mileage may vary.

The remaining parts of the March issue will follow on in a few days.
IN A FEW DAYS, got it? So don't panic because you're missing the
latter parts...or at least, don't panic until *after* they're
published...

Right, mine's a hot Lemsip and back to bed. Enjoy, and don't forget
to put your clocks forward, or back if you live in Fourecks or the
Land of Fog...

-- Annie Mac, Editor

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

3) PICK A STREET FOR WINCANTON!

Esmi writes:

A new housing development is to be built in the town of Wincanton by
George Wimpey & Co. Those of you who have been paying attention over
the past few years will recall that Wincanton is officially twinned
with Ankh-Morpork. So Wimpey & Co have decided that some of the new
streets should be named after their Ankh-Morpork counterparts and
will also be donating £1000 to Alzheimers research.

Terry has agreed a shortlist of names, and fans are now invited to
vote for their favourites. The winning names will be revealed by
Terry during the Wincanton April Shower Event (see below for
details).

The shortlist of street names are:
Mollymog Street
Moon Pond Lane
Cable Street
Shamlegger Street
Peach Pie Street
Treacle Mine Road
Hen and Chickens Field
Lobbin Clout
Scoone Avenue
Tenth Egg Street
Kicklebury Street
Morpork Street
Ankh Street
The Ridings

Pick your favourite three names, and email them to:
discworld@....

Voting closes at 1pm GMT on Friday 27 March.

Of course, the choice is yours, but I will just point out that Terry
has said "Personally, I'd pay good money to live somewhere called
Treacle Mine Road". Not that that should influence your choice. In
any way. Perish the thought.

The April Shower Event will run from Saturday,4th April to Sunday,
5th April 2009 in Wincanton itself. On Saturday 4 April there will
be a Makers Market at The Bear and an area set aside for decorating
your April Shower Cap. The Costume Parade and the judging of the
best April Shower Cap will take place on Saturday afternoon.

There will also be the traditional Saturday night evening meal (a
Beef in Guinness Supper) at The Bear and The Dolphin. Cost: £9.50
per head including pudding. Please book directly with the pub of
your choice:

The Bear: 01963 32581
The Dolphin: 01963 32215

After supper there will be the equally traditional Charity Auction.
If you would like a table at the Makers Market or want to
contribute a lot for the Charity Auction, please email:

hilary@... as soon as possible.

On Sunday, Terry will reveal the chosen street names at around 3pm
at the Wincanton office of George Wimpey (which just happens to be
opposite the Discworld Emporium shop).

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

4) ONLY YOU -- OR THEY -- CAN *SING* MANKIND

More than four years after its triumphant run at the Edinburgh
Fringe Festival, "Only You Can Save Mankind - The Musical" by
composer Leighton James House and lyricist Shaun McKenna is finally
set to become "Only You Can Save Mankind - The Album". Recording
begins this month at Air Edel in London, with a stellar cast
featuring -- among others still to be announced -- musical theatre
stars Kerry Ellis, Sharon D. Clarke, Zubin Varla and Oliver
Tompsett, and noted cellist Zoe Martlew; the album will be produced
by Neil Brock, orchestrated by Tom Deering and engineered by Rupert
Coulson.

"Only You Can Save Mankind - The Musical" will then become a full
touring production in 2010, playing in select theatres around the UK
and finally coming back to London for a West End run.


From Broadway World, who also reveal that Pratchett is "now in the
top 10 most read non-American writers in the US":

"Songs from Only You Can Save Mankind - The Album will be
available to download individually or as an entire album from
Terry Pratchett's news website:
http://www.pjsmprints.com/news/index.html.

"If you buy the whole album, it includes a bonus podcast by Terry
Pratchett. The producers are donating 10% of the profits to the
Alzheimer's Research Trust."

http://broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=45713


From TheaterMania.com:

"West End performers including Sharon D. Clarke (We Will Rock You),
Kerry Ellis (Wicked), Oliver Tompsett (Wicked), and Zubin Varla
(Jesus Christ Superstar) will make a studio recording of the new
sci-fi musical Only You Can Save Mankind, based on the novel by Sir
Terry Pratchett..."

http://tinyurl.com/cgj8zt


From Playbill:

"Press notes for the musical, which received a 2004 production at
the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, read: 'As the mighty alien fleet from
the very latest computer game thunders across the computer screen,
Johnny prepares to blow them into the usual million pieces. And they
send him a message: We surrender. They're not supposed to do that!
They're supposed to die. And computer joysticks don't have "Don't
Fire" buttons. But it's only a game, or is it?'"

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/127398.html


Many thanks, as always, to PJSM Prints for the heads-up!

http://www.pjsmprints.com/news/index.html

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

5) NOMINATIONS AND AWARDS

5.1 Nation is a finalist for the Los Angeles Times 2008 Book Prize,
in the Young Adult Literature category:

http://www.latimes.com/extras/bookprizes/2008finalists.html


5.2 Here be a rather charming short video of the American Library
Association's awards selection committee as they telephoned the
winners of the Newbery, Printz and other awards, including Pterry
going "Woohoo!" when told that he'd won for Nation:

http://tinyurl.com/bs9t8v


5.3 Making Money has made the final Nebula Awards ballot for novel
of the year. The nominees are:

Little Brother - Cory Doctorow (Tor, Apr08)
Powers - Ursula K. Le Guin (Harcourt, Sep07)
Cauldron - Jack McDevitt (Ace, Nov07)
Brasyl - Ian McDonald (Pyr, May07)
Making Money - Terry Pratchett (Harper, Sep07)
Superpowers - David J. Schwartz (Three Rivers Press, Jun08)

http://tinyurl.com/cenkk3


5.4 The Chronic Rift's Roundtable Award Nominees

Podcast programme The Chronic Rift -- http://chronicrift.com/ -- has
nominated Terry Pratchett (for Nation) for their yearly Roundtable
Awards in the category of Best Writer of a Novel, Short Story, or
Comic Book. The winners will be announced during the 6th April
podcast:

http://sfscope.com/2009/03/the-chronic-rifts-roundtable-a.html

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

6) ALZHEIMER'S NEWS

6.1 FACING DEATH: SIR PTERRY'S LETTER TO THE TIMES

In which our favourite author argues eloquently for the right to die
with dignity:

"Suicide is an act of desperation by a mind at the end of its
tether... This is horrible, but it is a world away from the careful
and deliberate decision made by competent individuals, who suffer
from a chronic and incurable disease, about a way in which they wish
for the inevitable to be met. There can be nothing wrong in
requesting that one's life should be brought to a neat and dignified
end."

Full text:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/letters/article5870145.ece


6.2 PRATCHETT DONATION HELPING ALZHEIMER'S STUDY

"Scientists at the University of Sussex have revealed that money
donated by Sir Terry Pratchett to Alzheimer's research has been of
significant help... Researchers said his donation had allowed them
to see how the disease attacks the brain... Rebecca Wood, chief
executive of the Alzheimer's Research Trust, said Sir Terry's
support 'knows no bounds' and as well as speaking about his own
diagnosis, he had 'put his money where his mouth is'."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/southern_counties/7941728.stm


6.3 A KNIGHT'S QUEST

Canada's Globe and Mail has a good article, including extended
commentary from Colin Smythe and a recap of the Living with
Alzheimer's documentary:

"He was, as usual, funny, spry, self-deprecating; the kind of guy
who'd write a series of books about inept wizards, smart-mouthed
witches and a world carried on the back of an intergalactic turtle.
The kind of guy who would make a joke about worrying, during his
knighting, that his fly was down. Not a guy you'd think has
Alzheimer's. But of course he does have Alzheimer's, and the fact
that he's not typical is part of his campaign to raise awareness of
the disease."

http://tinyurl.com/degulk


6.4 JIM BROADBENT JOINS THE CAMPAIGN RANKS

Revered actor Jim Broadbent, a leading choice for the Dean on many
Discworld fans' "Casting the Discworld" threads, has publicly joined
the fight against Alzheimer's:

"The stigma is lifting, but we need more people out there
discovering, understanding and, ultimately, creating the treatments
that people need."

http://tinyurl.com/cz8qxq

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

7) HARRY LOVES PTERRY...

Harry Potter lead actor Daniel Radcliffe's shortlist of his six
favourite books includes one by J.K. Rowling -- and two by Terry
Pratchett:

http://tinyurl.com/d7vc9a

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

8) ...AND SO DOES A CERTAIN HOBBIT

8.1 A recent interview with Sean Astin, in which he discusses
meeting Pterry and filming The Colour of Magic:

"I remember when I started reading the "The Color of Magic" that had
I had this kind of sad feeling when I read about Twoflower because I
thought of course this book is gonna be made into a movie and it's
gonna be an English production and I have no chance or any right to
play Twoflower..."

http://tinyurl.com/c8ym3o


8.2 Another longish interview, on Fear Net, concentrates largely on
tCoM and Astin's love of Discworld and Pratchett:

"I actually think for people who like fantasy but kind of feel
sometimes like the fantasy world is a little redundant and
formulaic, Pratchett is such a great antidote for that. He bounces
back and forth between contemporary ideas and really fun old-
fashioned fantasy. The Discworld is just awesome...if Twoflower
appears in anything, I definitely want to be Twoflower. To think of
somebody else as Twoflower makes me sad."

http://tinyurl.com/d4gjhy


8.3 A video interview promoting The Colour of Magic, on Fox TV Los
Angeles:

http://tinyurl.com/cyqbkx


8.4 Another good interview by Ian Spelling on SCI FI Wire:

"I heard this great phrase from the librarian at my kids' middle
school, and it was 'Don't judge a book by its movie.' How perfect is
that? So I would say it's very faithful, but not perfect... I really
got a kick out of it. I saw it with my kids, and they had fun with
it. It's Pratchett. There's a very English sensibility to it in
terms of the comedy. British wit is so fast, and you've really got
to open your eyes and lean forward a little bit if you want to catch
everything that's coming at you..."

http://scifiwire.com/2009/03/how-sean-astin-comes-full.php

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
End of Part 1, continued on Part 2 of 6.
If you did not get all six parts, write: interact@...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright (c) 2009 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

WOSSNAME
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
MARCH 2009 (Volume 12, Issue 3)
*********************************************************************
WOSSNAME is a FREE publication for members of the worldwide
Klatchian Foreign Legion and its affiliates, including the North
American Discworld Society and other continental groups. Are you a
member? Yes, if you sent in your name, country and e-mail address.
Are there any dues? No! As a member of the Klatchian Foreign Legion,
you'd only forget them...
*********************************************************************
Editor in Chief: Annie Mac
Editor Emeritus (retd): Joseph Schaumburger
News Editor: Fiona (not Bruce) Bruce
Newshounds: Vera, Mogg, Sir J of Croydon Below, the Shadow
Staff Writers: Asti Osborn, Paul Blake, Steven D'Aprano
Convention Reporters: Mithtrethth Hania Ogg et al
Staff Technomancer: Jason Parlevliet
Book Reviews: Drusilla D'Afanguin
Puzzle Editor: Tiff
Bard in Residence: Weird Alice Lancrevic
DW Horoscope: Lady Anaemia Asterisk, Fernando Magnifico
Emergency Staff: Jason Parlevliet
World Membership Director: Steven D'Aprano (in his copious spare
time)
Copyright 2009 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

------------------------------------------------------------------------

INDEX:

====Part 1 -- ALL THE NEWS THAT FITS

1) QUOTE OF THE MONTH
2) LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
3) PICK A STREET FOR WINCANTON!
4) ONLY YOU -- OR THEY -- CAN *SING* MANKIND
5) NOMINATIONS AND AWARDS
6) ALZHEIMER'S NEWS
7) HARRY LOVES PTERRY...
8)  ...AND SO DOES A CERTAIN HOBBIT

====Part 2 -- MORE NEWS AND STUFF

9)  DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS
10) OOK! PTERRY OPENS A NEW LIBRARY
11) WONDERFUL DISCWORLD FIGURINES FROM PJSM PRINTS
12) CONVENTION NEWS
13) IMAGES OF THE MONTH
14) A RIGHT KNIT-WIT: PTERRY'S KNITTING INTERVIEW
15) NATION: A REVIEW
16) BILL DOOR, STAR OF THE SCREEN
17) RADIO BIRDSONG STILL WARBLING
18) SAM VIMES: THE READERS' FAVOURITE
19) BUT BUT BUT HE ATE'NT DEAD!
20) THE REAL STICK AND BUCKET DANCE...
21) ...AND THE KIND OF SHEPHERDING GRANNY ACHING WOULDN'T APPROVE OF
22) STEPHEN PLAYER ILLUSTRATES A DIFFERENT KIND OF FANTASY BOOK
23) NEW RHIANNA PRATCHETT WEBSITE

====Part 3 -- ...AND MORE...

24) RAT INNA BUN
25) AUSDWCON REPORT
26) BU CAMPUS NEWSROUND

====Part 4 -- MORE BU DISCUSSION

27) BU NEWSROUND, CONTINUED

====Part 5 -- HOROSCOPE

28) YOUR MONTHLY DISCWORLD HOROSCOPE

====Part 6 -- LATE BREAKING NEWS, AND CLOSE

29) LATE BREAKING NEWS
30) CLOSE

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

1) QUOTE OF THE MONTH

"There's a thesis I'm working on that, actually, depending on
circumstances, kindness is better than love, because love is
ethereal, and kindness is a good meal when you need it."

-- Terry Pratchett, in an interview with Yarn Forward magazine

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

2) LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Wotcha, readers! This month's issue comes to you from the Editor's
Sickbay (no, I ate'nt dead, but I've been laid low by a nasty throat
bug), so I apologise in advance for any un-caught lapses in
proofreading that may have been caused by a fever-boiled brain.

I'm also sending out the first several pages of this issue a bit
early--see item 3 for why. Get your votes in now for your favourite
street names! My personal favourite is Shamlegger Street, but your
mileage may vary.

The remaining parts of the March issue will follow on in a few days.
IN A FEW DAYS, got it? So don't panic because you're missing the
latter parts...or at least, don't panic until *after* they're
published...

Right, mine's a hot Lemsip and back to bed. Enjoy, and don't forget
to put your clocks forward, or back if you live in Fourecks or the
Land of Fog...

-- Annie Mac, Editor

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

3) PICK A STREET FOR WINCANTON!

Esmi writes:

A new housing development is to be built in the town of Wincanton by
George Wimpey & Co. Those of you who have been paying attention over
the past few years will recall that Wincanton is officially twinned
with Ankh-Morpork. So Wimpey & Co have decided that some of the new
streets should be named after their Ankh-Morpork counterparts and
will also be donating £1000 to Alzheimers research.

Terry has agreed a shortlist of names, and fans are now invited to
vote for their favourites. The winning names will be revealed by
Terry during the Wincanton April Shower Event (see below for
details).

The shortlist of street names are:
Mollymog Street
Moon Pond Lane
Cable Street
Shamlegger Street
Peach Pie Street
Treacle Mine Road
Hen and Chickens Field
Lobbin Clout
Scoone Avenue
Tenth Egg Street
Kicklebury Street
Morpork Street
Ankh Street
The Ridings

Pick your favourite three names, and email them to:
discworld@....

Voting closes at 1pm GMT on Friday 27 March.

Of course, the choice is yours, but I will just point out that Terry
has said "Personally, I'd pay good money to live somewhere called
Treacle Mine Road". Not that that should influence your choice. In
any way. Perish the thought.

The April Shower Event will run from Saturday,4th April to Sunday,
5th April 2009 in Wincanton itself. On Saturday 4 April there will
be a Makers Market at The Bear and an area set aside for decorating
your April Shower Cap. The Costume Parade and the judging of the
best April Shower Cap will take place on Saturday afternoon.

There will also be the traditional Saturday night evening meal (a
Beef in Guinness Supper) at The Bear and The Dolphin. Cost: £9.50
per head including pudding. Please book directly with the pub of
your choice:

The Bear: 01963 32581
The Dolphin: 01963 32215

After supper there will be the equally traditional Charity Auction.
If you would like a table at the Makers Market or want to
contribute a lot for the Charity Auction, please email:

hilary@... as soon as possible.

On Sunday, Terry will reveal the chosen street names at around 3pm
at the Wincanton office of George Wimpey (which just happens to be
opposite the Discworld Emporium shop).

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

4) ONLY YOU -- OR THEY -- CAN *SING* MANKIND

More than four years after its triumphant run at the Edinburgh
Fringe Festival, "Only You Can Save Mankind - The Musical" by
composer Leighton James House and lyricist Shaun McKenna is finally
set to become "Only You Can Save Mankind - The Album". Recording
begins this month at Air Edel in London, with a stellar cast
featuring -- among others still to be announced -- musical theatre
stars Kerry Ellis, Sharon D. Clarke, Zubin Varla and Oliver
Tompsett, and noted cellist Zoe Martlew; the album will be produced
by Neil Brock, orchestrated by Tom Deering and engineered by Rupert
Coulson.

"Only You Can Save Mankind - The Musical" will then become a full
touring production in 2010, playing in select theatres around the UK
and finally coming back to London for a West End run.

From Broadway World, who also reveal that Pratchett is "now in the
top 10 most read non-American writers in the US":

"Songs from Only You Can Save Mankind - The Album will be
available to download individually or as an entire album from
Terry Pratchett's news website:
http://www.pjsmprints.com/news/index.html.

"If you buy the whole album, it includes a bonus podcast by Terry
Pratchett. The producers are donating 10% of the profits to the
Alzheimer's Research Trust."

http://broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=45713


From TheaterMania.com:

"West End performers including Sharon D. Clarke (We Will Rock You),
Kerry Ellis (Wicked), Oliver Tompsett (Wicked), and Zubin Varla
(Jesus Christ Superstar) will make a studio recording of the new
sci-fi musical Only You Can Save Mankind, based on the novel by Sir
Terry Pratchett..."

http://tinyurl.com/cgj8zt


From Playbill:

"Press notes for the musical, which received a 2004 production at
the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, read: 'As the mighty alien fleet from
the very latest computer game thunders across the computer screen,
Johnny prepares to blow them into the usual million pieces. And they
send him a message: We surrender. They're not supposed to do that!
They're supposed to die. And computer joysticks don't have "Don't
Fire" buttons. But it's only a game, or is it?'"

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/127398.html


Many thanks, as always, to PJSM Prints for the heads-up!

http://www.pjsmprints.com/news/index.html

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

5) NOMINATIONS AND AWARDS

5.1 Nation is a finalist for the Los Angeles Times 2008 Book Prize,
in the Young Adult Literature category:

http://www.latimes.com/extras/bookprizes/2008finalists.html


5.2 Here be a rather charming short video of the American Library
Association's awards selection committee as they telephoned the
winners of the Newbery, Printz and other awards, including Pterry
going "Woohoo!" when told that he'd won for Nation:

http://tinyurl.com/bs9t8v


5.3 Making Money has made the final Nebula Awards ballot for novel
of the year. The nominees are:

Little Brother - Cory Doctorow (Tor, Apr08)
Powers - Ursula K. Le Guin (Harcourt, Sep07)
Cauldron - Jack McDevitt (Ace, Nov07)
Brasyl - Ian McDonald (Pyr, May07)
Making Money - Terry Pratchett (Harper, Sep07)
Superpowers - David J. Schwartz (Three Rivers Press, Jun08)

http://tinyurl.com/cenkk3


5.4 The Chronic Rift's Roundtable Award Nominees

Podcast programme The Chronic Rift -- http://chronicrift.com/ -- has
nominated Terry Pratchett (for Nation) for their yearly Roundtable
Awards in the category of Best Writer of a Novel, Short Story, or
Comic Book. The winners will be announced during the 6th April
podcast:

http://sfscope.com/2009/03/the-chronic-rifts-roundtable-a.html

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

6) ALZHEIMER'S NEWS

6.1 FACING DEATH: SIR PTERRY'S LETTER TO THE TIMES

In which our favourite author argues eloquently for the right to die
with dignity:

"Suicide is an act of desperation by a mind at the end of its
tether... This is horrible, but it is a world away from the careful
and deliberate decision made by competent individuals, who suffer
from a chronic and incurable disease, about a way in which they wish
for the inevitable to be met. There can be nothing wrong in
requesting that one's life should be brought to a neat and dignified
end."

Full text:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/letters/article5870145.ece


6.2 PRATCHETT DONATION HELPING ALZHEIMER'S STUDY

"Scientists at the University of Sussex have revealed that money
donated by Sir Terry Pratchett to Alzheimer's research has been of
significant help... Researchers said his donation had allowed them
to see how the disease attacks the brain... Rebecca Wood, chief
executive of the Alzheimer's Research Trust, said Sir Terry's
support 'knows no bounds' and as well as speaking about his own
diagnosis, he had 'put his money where his mouth is'."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/southern_counties/7941728.stm


6.3 A KNIGHT'S QUEST

Canada's Globe and Mail has a good article, including extended
commentary from Colin Smythe and a recap of the Living with
Alzheimer's documentary:

"He was, as usual, funny, spry, self-deprecating; the kind of guy
who'd write a series of books about inept wizards, smart-mouthed
witches and a world carried on the back of an intergalactic turtle.
The kind of guy who would make a joke about worrying, during his
knighting, that his fly was down. Not a guy you'd think has
Alzheimer's. But of course he does have Alzheimer's, and the fact
that he's not typical is part of his campaign to raise awareness of
the disease."

http://tinyurl.com/degulk


6.4 JIM BROADBENT JOINS THE CAMPAIGN RANKS

Revered actor Jim Broadbent, a leading choice for the Dean on many
Discworld fans' "Casting the Discworld" threads, has publicly joined
the fight against Alzheimer's:

"The stigma is lifting, but we need more people out there
discovering, understanding and, ultimately, creating the treatments
that people need."

http://tinyurl.com/cz8qxq

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

7) HARRY LOVES TERRY...

Harry Potter lead actor Daniel Radcliffe's shortlist of his six
favourite books includes one by J.K. Rowling -- and two by Terry
Pratchett:

http://tinyurl.com/d7vc9a

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

8) ...AND SO DOES A CERTAIN HOBBIT

8.1 A recent interview with Sean Astin, in which he discusses
meeting Pterry and filming The Colour of Magic:

"I remember when I started reading the "The Color of Magic" that had
I had this kind of sad feeling when I read about Twoflower because I
thought of course this book is gonna be made into a movie and it's
gonna be an English production and I have no chance or any right to
play Twoflower..."

http://tinyurl.com/c8ym3o


8.2 Another longish interview, on Fear Net, concentrates largely on
tCoM and Astin's love of Discworld and Pratchett:

"I actually think for people who like fantasy but kind of feel
sometimes like the fantasy world is a little redundant and
formulaic, Pratchett is such a great antidote for that. He bounces
back and forth between contemporary ideas and really fun old-
fashioned fantasy. The Discworld is just awesome...if Twoflower
appears in anything, I definitely want to be Twoflower. To think of
somebody else as Twoflower makes me sad."

http://tinyurl.com/d4gjhy


8.3 A video interview promoting The Colour of Magic, on Fox TV Los
Angeles:

http://tinyurl.com/cyqbkx


8.4 Another good interview by Ian Spelling on SCI FI Wire:

"I heard this great phrase from the librarian at my kids' middle
school, and it was 'Don't judge a book by its movie.' How perfect is
that? So I would say it's very faithful, but not perfect... I really
got a kick out of it. I saw it with my kids, and they had fun with
it. It's Pratchett. There's a very English sensibility to it in
terms of the comedy. British wit is so fast, and you've really got
to open your eyes and lean forward a little bit if you want to catch
everything that's coming at you..."

http://scifiwire.com/2009/03/how-sean-astin-comes-full.php

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
End of Part 1, continued on Part 2 of 6.
If you did not get all six parts, write: interact@...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright (c) 2009 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

WOSSNAME -- MARCH 2009 -- PART 5 OF 6 (continued)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

====Part 5 --  HOROSCOPE

28) YOUR MONTHLY DISCWORLD HOROSCOPE

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

28) THE NEW DISCWORLD HOROSCOPE

by Fernando Magnifico

Buongiorno my friends, it is I, Fernando! The Lady Asterisk is
unavailable due to an unfortunate incident involving a duck and a
spatula, but never fear, for I shall be your astrologer today!

My friends, Fernando does not believe that ignorance is a blessing
-- it is not true that what you don't know won't hurt you. There
have been many Kings and Grand Viziers who discovered that it is the
assassin they did not know about who killed them, and it is the slug
in your salad that you don't see that will give you the stomach
ache. The Disc is full of the very many wonderful things which the
inquiring mind should know about, and Fernando is not just a molto
handsome man with a fig leaf, he also has the inquiring mind. So
Fernando is the very interested in the natural philosophy, or
"science" as the young wizards at Unseen University have started to
call it. Science comes from the old Latinium word "scientia",
meaning "know it all", and it is the aim of the sciences to learn
everything there is to know about the things of interest. So
Fernando has consulted the stars about the sciences, and the stars
say everyone should have an ology. The ologies are the molto
important things. So my friends, read on and be de-ignorantised!
Ciao bella!

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Adamant Hedgehog  21 Mar - 20 Apr

Hoggers, your ology is the science of cryptology. This is not the
study of secret codes, as some people think; no, cryptology is the
study of the creatures of the crypt, known also as the Undead. There
is much you can learn from this science, espeziale about the self-
protection. Fernando does not approve of the street fighting, but
for those of a violent bent, never again shall you have the
embarrassment of going to a brawl against a zombie armed with a
wooden stake and garlic. (Such a waste of the garlic! Fernando says,
make the pasta sauce, not the fighting!) You too will learn the
difference between a ghast and a ghoul, and the right sort of
poppy seeds to put inside the vampire's socks.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Half-Eaten Sandwich  21 Apr - 21 May

Sometimes when Fernando studies the heavens, the stars say things
which Fernando does not approve of, but Fernando is dedicated to his
art as an astrologer and would never change what he sees even if he
disapproves. And so Fernando is afeared for you Munchers, for the
stars say your ology is demonology. Fernando knows very well that
the demons are not to be trusted. Fernando's very own cousin by
marriage, Vittorio the husband of Leonora, was the studier of
demonology back in Brindisi. One day Vittorio conjured the demon,
who turned him into the rag doll, and *that very day* people saw the
demon who looked *exactly* like Vittorio run off with the cash box
from the local tavern. It was so very tragic. So my friends, the
stars say that you should study the demonology, but Fernando begs
you, study it from a distance. With special clothing.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Herne the Hunted  22 May - 21 Jun

Herne the Hunted is the god of small things whose destiny is to be
lunch for larger things. Fernando knows that Herne is unique amongst
the Gods, for while other gods are doing the smiting, Herne is doing
the fleeing. How fortunate for Hernians then that their ology is
escapology, the science of escaping from traps, nets, webs, ropes,
chains and legal contracts. There are many branches of escapology.
Fernando knows you can learn much from the molto famous escapologist
Harry Linguini, who was the master of the escaping and could escape
from anything except the wrath of Signora Linguini when she found
him en flagrante with his attractive young assistant.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Wizard's Staff and Knob  22 Jun - 22 Jul

For the Staffies, the stars give you the opportunity to parade your
superior knowledge and satisfy your wizardly desires, for your
science is aristology, the science of dining, and not what most
people will assume, the study of aristocrats. Remember too that
while aristology deals with things gastronomical, it should not be
confused with gastrology, which is the study of snails and slugs.
Fernando knows that many people think that it is only the Quirmians
who eat the snails, but this is not so, trust Fernando on this! The
Brindisian snails are much more tastier than the Quirmian buttered
snail in buttered butter sauce. Fernando recommends the Polenta con
Lumache, especially for the lovers, for the snail has both the man-
bits and the lady-bits, and when they make the snail-love, their
moment of passion lasts for three hours. Even Fernando is impressed.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Bilious, God of Hangovers  23 Jul - 23 Aug

Bilians, your science is gnomics: the science of gnomes, pictsies
and other tiny fairy folk. There is much to be learned from the
science of gnomics, such as, if you have been knocked unconscious
after stomping on a wee little man, then you have probably trodden
on a gnome; if you have been knocked unconscious, and your purse is
gone, then it was probably a pictsie, and you are molto fortunato
not to wake up tied upside down to a tree naked and covered in boot-
black. The pictsies do enjoy their traditional sports.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Celestial Parsnip  24 Aug - 23 Sept

Snippies, your ology is the science of etymology, the study of words
and how the words got their meanings. One of Fernando's many
passions is to learn the many words, for every word has the
different meanings. This is why Fernando has learned to speak the
Morporkian so goodly. You too can learn that policeman and
politician both mean "man of the city", and that horse apples are
not the fruit of the tree, and that "a load of old cobblers" does
not refer to the group of retired shoemakers on a holiday coach.
With the learning of etymology, you can impress your friends and
even discover what the obscure words on the Guilds' coats of arms
mean in Modern. And when people call you a wise-arse, you will smile
because etymology tells you that this comes from wys-ars, "person of
great knowledge".

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Small Boring Group of Faint Stars  24 Sept - 23 Oct

My Boring'un friends, Fernando does not have the good news for you
this month, for the stars say that your science is thaumology, the
most exciting and dangerous of the sciences, and that what you
should do is the most exciting and dangerous experiment in this
discipline: the Large Cauldron Collider experiment. The LCC is the
joint project of the kingdoms of the Sto Plains, and involves
smashing large magical cauldrons into each other at enormous speeds
to see what happens when you collide large magical cauldrons into
each other at very high speed. Fernando is very interested in their
results, and is very happy that so far they have not caused the
ripping of the fabric of space and time yet, although some of the
nearby cabbages have started to complain about the noise.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Androgyna Majestis  24 Oct - 22 Nov

Alchemy is the science of transformation: the transformazione of
base metals into gold, the mortal human spirit into the immortal
soul, and the laboratory into the pile of rubble. Androgyna Majestis
is the sign that rules over change, and so the stars say that Andies
have the innate talent for transformation. For you, my friends, your
science is alchemy. And pay no attention to those proud Wizard-
lovers who say alchemy is not a true science. What do they know? A
good alchemist can make the fireballs every bit as impressive as the
ones the Dean of UU makes, and probably aim them better.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Spoons, a.k.a. the Greater and Lesser Spoons, 23 Nov - 21 Dec

Spooners, your ology is speleology, the study of caves. Fernando
knows well the difference between the stalactites (who hang on tight
to the ceiling, like the bats of Uberwald) and stalagmites (who
might trip you up, like the bambinos of Shamlegger Street) and with
patience and study you may go fishing for the blind cave fish.
Experts in the speleology may even be allowed to visit the famous
caves of Koom Valley and see the fossilised dwarfs and trolls. They
say that if you sit very still in the vurm-light in total silenzio,
after the many hours you will see B'hrian Bloodaxe and the Diamond
King play their next moves.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Hoki the Jokester  22 Dec - 20 Jan

Hokians, your ology is the science of headology. With the knowledge
of headology, you can impress your friends, control your enemies,
win prizes and get out of paying the taxes. But such power comes
with a price, or in fact two prices: firstly, with the great power
comes the great responsibility. And secondly, once people learn you
have the knowing of the headology, they will be completely on their
guard with you all the time... unless you can use your knowing of
headology to put them at ease.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

The Rather Large Gazunda  21 Jan - 18 Feb

For Gazundians, the stars say that your ology is astrochelonology:
the study of Great A'Tuin itself, or herself, or himself. Perhaps
you shall be the one who finally learns whether Great A'Tuin is the
man turtle or the lady turtle, or how she, or perhaps he, swims
through the emptiness of space. Fernando is very curious about the
bambino star turtles that hatched some years ago, and wonders where
they have gone, and whether they have the peoples living on their
tiny discs yet. Perhaps you will be the one who will solve these
mysteries!

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Lesser Umbrage   19 Feb - 20 Mar

Fernando knows that the Lesser Umbrage is the traditional sign of
Igors, and so it is fitting that for the Umbragians, your sciences
are the twin ologies of pharmacology and toxicology: the studies of
medicines and poisons. As any Igor will tell you, the difference
between medicine and poison is more often the dose than the
substance. Fernando knows this is so, for is it not true that a
little honey is good for the digestion, but too much honey is bad
for the teeth?

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
End of Part 5, continued on part 6 of 6.
If you did not get all six parts, write: interact@...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright (c) 2008 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

WOSSNAME -- MARCH 2009 -- PART 6 OF 6 (continued)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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====Part 6 -- LATE BREAKING NEWS, AND CLOSE

29) LATE BREAKING NEWS
30) CLOSE

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

29) LATE BREAKING NEWS...AND STUFF

29.1 2009 LOCUS AWARDS: VOTING IS STILL OPEN FOR NATION

Nominations for the Locus Awards are open until April 15, and Nation
is included in the Young Adult selection menu. According to Locus
Magazine, "subscriber votes count twice as much as non-subscriber
votes," so you don't *have* to be a Locus subscriber to nominate a
book. Be warned, though: the accompanying survey's might seem overly
invasive to some readers. Still, we want to see nation win, right?

Also worth noting -- The Unofficial Companion to the Novels of Terry
Pratchett is listed as a choice in the Non-Fiction/Art category.

https://secure.locusmag.com/2009/2009PollAndSurvey.html


29.2 PLAYS NEWS: MAKING MONEY IN FOURECKS

The Unseen Theatre Company in Adelaide, South Australia, continues
its excellent run of Discworld plays with a production of Stephen
Briggs' adaptation of Making Money in April 2009. Directed once
again by the talented and dedicated Pamela Munt, this production
looks like a Fourecksian winner. Moist's golden suit certainly
shines! For those of you Down Under, this is a don't-miss.

When: April 10 to 25 (Wed to Sat) at 8pm
Venue: Bakehouse Theatre, 255 Angas Street, Adelaide
Tickets: $15/ Adult $18/ Concession $15
Bookings: www.bakehousetheatre.com

http://www.fringebenefits.com.au/?p=1141


29.3 REVIEW: THE COLOUR OF MAGIC SCREEN VERSION

"I purchased HOGFATHER, a 2 part UK TV movie based on one of the
later Discworld books and enjoyed it quite a bit. More recently,
I've had a chance to watch the paradoxically newer 2 parter based on
the first two books, THE COLOUR OF MAGIC and THE LIGHT FANTASTIC!
It's even better. The problem with any of these types of shows is
the pacing. As a 2 parter, it can sometimes seem a bit leisurely and
episodic. That didn't for a second keep me from enjoying this
colorful concoction immensely! [David Jason] gives the role a
quirky, fidgety, mumbling, cowardly performance that delightfully
steals every scene he's in, even with such legendary scene-stealers
as Curry around."

http://booksteveslibrary.blogspot.com/2009/03/colour-of-magic.html


29.4 REVIEW: NATION UNDER THE PSYCHOLOGIST'S GAZE

From Robert Elliott, Professor of Headology -- all right, Professor
of Counselling -- at Scotland's University of Strathclyde:

"At a deeper level, however, the book is centrally and most
consistently about how we all have to differentiate ourselves from
our respective cultural traditions while still preserving continuity
with the past. Which voices of parents, grandparents, peers,
ancestors do we ignore because they are no longer relevant, which
ones do we simply follow, and which ones do we listen to and make
our own by modifying or adapting them in the current situation? This
is a universal developmental challenge, and Pratchett does a lovely
job of portraying how these cultural voices live in us, even in the
absence of external others to remind us and to reinforce these
views."

http://pe-eft.blogspot.com/2009/03/nation-by-terry-pratchett.html


29.5 REVIEW: NATION

Book blogger Anastasia was very, very impressed by Nation:

"I've read other Terry Pratchett books before, mostly Discworld
series ones, so I was expecting Nation to be in the same vein as
them. I was actually pleasantly surprised to find that it's not like
a Discworld book at all; it's got humorous bits in it, of course,
and there's a few footnotes scattered throughout, but it's nowhere
on the same hilarity level as the Discworld books are. Instead, it's
a sensitive, wonderful story about death and growing up and religion
and even colonialism, and it's told in a way that makes it all
bearable without turning it into a farce."

http://tinyurl.com/czpjuu

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

30) AND IT'S GOODNIGHT FROM US

Finally, I'd like to reflect on how the works of Pratchett have
influenced our lives in wonderful little ways. For example, I
received a text message the other day from a young friend in
Roundworld's Llamedos; she was stuck on a train in less than
pleasant circumstances, but put it this way: "OMG! I am on public
transport, trapped in with Foul Ole Ron & Foul Ole Ron's Smell.
Buggrit!" Thinking of it in those terms cheered her up quite a bit.
Sic (public) transit gloria mundi...

I've also tracked down -- at last! -- a copy of the Stephen Player-
illustrated 25th anniversary hardcover reissue of The Colour of
Magic/The Light Fantastic, which has been notoriously hard to obtain
in Australia. So I'm buying it this week, and will review it in the
April issue.

Take care, don't forget to vote for your favourite Ankh-Morpork
street names (see part 1), and we'll see you next month. And a
happy Soul Cake Tuesday to all!

-- Annie Mac

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
End of Part 6.
If you did not get all six parts, write: interact@...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright (c) 2008 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

WOSSNAME -- MARCH 2009 -- PART 3 OF 6 (continued)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

====Part 3 -- AND MORE...

24) RAT INNA BUN
25) AUSDWCON REPORT
26) BU CAMPUS NEWSROUND

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

24) RAT INNA BUN

Last month we featured the knitted Grim Squeaker egg cosy, and in
the same spirit this month we present some excellent Discworld-
themed knitting needles:

http://leesyknits.blogspot.com/2009/03/cmot-dibbler-swap.html

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

25) AUSDWCON REPORT

Read These Runes!
A report on AusDWcon
by Paul Godsil

With hope in our hearts and the Melbourne summer sun beating down on
our heads, Pratchett fans from all over Australia found their way to
RMIT's celebrated -- or at least notorious -- Storey Hall, site of
Nullus Anxietas 09!

While admittedly smaller than Nullus Anxietas 07, this was to be
expected with The Master not being in attendance this year. However
the smaller size made it easier to get to know some of the many and
varied attendees, some in costume, some without and some you don't
want to ask.

The choice of site was gifted, as RMIT's Storey hall resembles UU's
design. Fans numbering about 70 enjoyed such events as folk singing
(Il Porcupino Nil Sodomy Est), Miss Susan's Playtime, juggling
lessons (it's easy to start juggling, I started dozens of times) and
the board game Significant Quest (One on the Sunday session are
evil. You know who you are.)

The Gala Dinner and other evening sessions were held in the Ibis
Hotel, which seemed remarkably accepting of the Monstrous Regiment,
let alone witches, wizards, werewolves, folk singers (in his defence
he was a great singer and always gave the required warning) plus
various others (what duck?) wandering through. The Dinner was a
great chance to sit and talk with other Acolytes of the Master
without having to go running off shouting 'I'm late for trying to
peel a banana with my foot!' Good food, great conversation. The
dinner was followed by a few brief speeches and a mostly spontaneous
rendition of Il Porcupino Nil Sodomy Est.

The Dinner was followed by Late Night Lust Objects, an interesting
and occasionally ribald debate on the sexiest characters. Those
deemed most popular were Carrot and Moist Von Lipwig (possibly due
to the David Tennant for Moist campaign). All that could be decided
on was that PowerPoint doesn't spoil spoil a good argument.

The Charity auction raised a considerable amount for orangutans with
Alzheimer's with some very nice items going to lucky people. There
were cels from the cartoon adaptations, First Editions, sketches,
and quite a few props from the making of Troll Bridge.

As was to be expected, the costumes were excellent -- Death of Rats
(complete with glowing blue eyes) Granny herself and Angua deserving
special mention. Various photos ate online at:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/1007838@N24/
Many of the above events and costumes are encapsulated there.

In short (or wide or long) Nullus Anxietas was great fun, with many
events not being mentioned because your intrepid correspondent
either didn't get to the session, was concussed during the session
(juggling again), or was having too much fun.

Nullus Anxietas has an active web community at http://ausdwcon.org/
-- drop by the forums to see what they've got in stock for us next
time. Sign up now and get in on the bottom floor for the next Nullus
Anxietas!

** The Correspondent paid his own way so is unbiased, except in the
matters where he is biased.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

26) AROUND THE BU CAMPUS

26.1 CASTING 'GOING POSTAL' THE BUGARUP UNIVERSITY WAY

Mrs Peculiar:
This is a job for...John Rhys-Davies? Well, *I* think he'd make a
brilliant Reacher Gilt...The telly movie of Going Postal starts
filming in May. Since we've not played Casting the Discworld here
for some while, this is a good time to start again. So who do you
see for the various roles in Going Postal? Obviously, the actors in
question have to be alive. On account of this being Roundworld.

Libwolf:
There's a noisy fan group that want David Tennant for Moist...
Possibly cause he makes them....

Martinus:
If he promised not to do the silly voice, would you offer an amnesty
to Marc Warren so that he could bring his Hustle experience to
playing M. v L?

Vera:
Hmm. Good call. And Mr Warren has good acting chops; the silly voice
was  an artistic decision for Teatime :-)'

Snow Queen:
[Tennant's] not a bad choice though. I think Cate Blanchett might
make a good Adora Belle. Rupert Grint for Stanley? Would it be too
much of an insult to cast Lily Tomlin as Mrs. Maccalariat (so long
as she doesn't snort when she laughs?)?

Vera:
Hmm...I wonder who's going to be Vetinari this time. He does play a
far more significant part in Going Postal than *any* Patrician did
in tCoM/tLF. Which reminds me - I was looking through Feet of Clay
the other day, and according to Colon and Nobby, Snapcase did
directly precede Vetinari.

Snow Queen:
Ron Perlman as Mr. Pump? (although I rather think he'd make a good
Carrot)

Vera:
Ooo! He's a bit old for carrot, even at the time of Going Postal,
but Mr  Perlman does excel at playing wonderful roles in full-body
prosthetics :-)

Rupert Grint = Weasley? Definite possibilities there. Though I'd
vote for Mackenzie Crook. Lily Tomlin is still alive?! Sheesh, she
was already past it back in the '70s :P Blanchett's good, but Keira
Knightley does snappy standoffish bitch so  well...

Snow Queen:
[About Keira Knightley] Hmmm, I think I have to agree with you there

Steven:
If only he were a few years younger, Brian Blessed would be an
awesome Reacher Gilt. Otherwise, Hugh Jackman. I'm sure he would
enjoy growing his hair out and playing a villain.

I do like the other people's choices... I'd probably *just* give the
nod to David Tennant over Marc Warren for Moist, in which case Marc
Warren could be available for the banshee, whose name escapes me
right now.

Lily Tomlin would be *awesome* as Mrs Maccalariat, and I do like the
idea of Ron Perlman as Mr Pump, although he'd be wasted in the role.
Mr Pump doesn't exactly show much emotion. I don't know how Cate
Blanchett would look as a brunette... probably awesome.

Speaking of Spike, which I hope I hope I hope they don't cut out
Spike's smoking. Last year they re-made a St Trinians movie, and
while the girls were shown working as prostitutes and taking hard
drugs, not one of the hellions smoked???

As for Vetinari, I'd be happy for Jeremy Irons to play the role
again, if they could afford him. I thought Irons' portrayal of
Vetinari was excellent, and right on the money. Just the right
amount of understated menace.

Asti:
How about Gary Oldman for Vetinari?

Christina:
Oooooh Gary Oldman... great! But more important who will play the
love of Moist's life.... and who will play the golem and if blimmin
David I play any part Jason is ANYWHERE near this program I swear I
will SCREAM!

New Bruce:
Knightley and Tennant are both too thin - it would be like watching
Flatland. Cate Blanchett is brunette in Benjamin Button, smokes
cigarettes in it and a couple of other movies.

Richard E Grant or Alan Rickman for Vetinari, Damian Lewis for
Carrot. Richard Briers for Groat.

Vera:
Hah! With the amount that Spike smokes, I'm sure Keira has exactly
the right build to portray her :P

And ooh, yes - forgot about Doctor Horrible! (Which is the only
place I know Neil Patrick Harris from) Well reminded :-)

Richard Briers? I thought he was dead!

Martinus:
No - but if not available, how about Bernard Cribbins?

New Bruce:
Ooh, yes, and Richard Wilson - we need a few geriatric postmen! If
Tennant did Moist it would be the Dr Who Alumni Post Office :)

So it's Bernard Cribbins for Groat, Richard Briers for Aggy, Richard
Wilson for Mr Spools and Anthony Head for Vetinari. David Tennant
(on Dr Who confidential)said "Often the characters he (Tony) plays
are often rather stern and slightly patrician."


26.2 PTWITTER PTALK

New Bruce:
Maybe he's on Twitter to save Radio Birdsong?
http://www.tinyurl.com.au/x.php?1p5q

Mogg:
In his case, I think it's more that it's a huge effort to type the
coherent thoughts. They are still there, just difficult to get out.

New Bruce:
In Pterry's case I'm assuming Rob is doing the actual messaging

Snow Queen, clearly out of the loop:
Who is this Rob person?

Vera:
Rob is a mild-mannered superhero known as The  Buckstopper. By day,
invaluable personal assistant and best mate to Sir  Pterry. By
night, answerer of untold thousands of emails directed at his  boss.
By later-at-night, polisher of the Loony Helmet. Altogether a very
nice and helpful chappie!


26.3 A LETTER TO THE TIMES

(see item 6.1 in part 1 of this issue)

Vera:
Ahahahaha! He wrote to the Times! Just like R.P. Tyler!

...well, nothing like R.P. Tyler, actually. It's a well-thought-out
and  well-phrased letter. Good on yer, Brave Sir Pterry :-) One
thing did amuse me, though: "I have spoken to many people on this
subject, including my own late father..." Does he know something
that we should know? Like, f'rinstance, Mrs  Cake's real address?

New Bruce:
Yes, I'm sure he sees the irony. Can't you just see him stomping
down *his* country lane on *his* evening constitutional (sans
miniature poodle though)? I wonder if he's joined Neighbourhood
Watch too? :)

Libwolf:
Did anyone else get the mental image of Death dropping by for a
cuppa?

YOU'LL NEVER BELIEVE WHAT THEY GOT UP TO THIS TIME - THESE BISCUITS
ARE GOOD, HOW DO THEY GET THE CHOCOLATE BITS IN?

TP: "Confectioners chocolate.  Hang on a sec while I get a pen...."

Steven:
"... now where did I put that pen? Rob, where's my pen?"

Rob: "It's right in front of you Terry. You've been stirring your
tea  with it."

Brian who is called Brian:
To put a lighter note to this - had you heard that Stannah (who make
stairlifts for the aged) have introduced a new, GT model. This gets
you up the stairs before you forget what you were going up for!

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
End of Part 3, continued on part 4 of 6.
If you did not get all six parts, write: interact@...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright (c) 2009 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

WOSSNAME -- MARCH 2009 -- PART 4 OF 6 (continued)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

====Part 4 -- MORE BU DISCUSSION

27) BU NEWSROUND, CONTINUED


oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

27) BU DISCUSSION: BRING ON THE BAD GUYS

Libwolf:
I was talking to a few people at Nullus Anxietas (Aus DW Con) and we
realised that Terry kills his Bad Guys in quite 'no way they're
coming back' methods. I'm not talking about characters like Rust -
he's not evil, he's just a Aristocrat of the worst kind.

Lord Hong - Explosion
The Duchess - Eaten by the forest
Cohen & The Silver Horde (he was going to kill all life on the disc
= bad guy) - Explosion
Reacher Gilt - Long Last Step (presumably)
Wolf - Explosion

Any comments?

Mrs Cake:
Pterry doesn't need leftovers, he cooks 'em fresh every time! Slight
diversion -- it surprises me that the Long Step is still there, from
the time of the dragon I assume. Of course, Vetinari never gets rid
of anything he inherited in office, but I would have thought that a)
the damage would have seriously destabilized that part of the
building, and b) such a door would have a very limited number of
uses, even in a narrative context. Though the sweepers might have
found it handy. Or maybe he keeps it to remind him of the dangers of
dragons -- or to remind others? And I would bet good money that if
HE went through that door, he would have ready prepared a method of
doing so nonfatally.

Martinus:
"Let me just take this large sheet from my desk drawer, the one with
the strings hanging from it."

Lu-Pi:
I dunno about sweepers. Would _you_ have the brazen pair to skimp on
cleaning up around Vetinari? I know _I_ wouldn't.

Libwolf:
The Long Step isn't there the next time Moist visits in Making
Money: "Moist turned to Drumknott. 'May I borrow your pencil, Mr
Drumknott? Thank you.' He walked over to the door and opened it.
Then he cupped one hand to his ear, theatrically, and dropped the
pencil. 'Let's see how dee—' Clik! The pencil bounced and rolled
on some quite solid-looking floorboards. Moist picked it up and
stared at it, and then walked slowly back to his chair. 'Didn't
there use to be a deep pit full of spikes down there?' he said.

"'I can't imagine why you would think that,' said Lord Vetinari."

Martinus:
I'm sure Vetinari has a portable deep pit full of spikes that can be
installed where needed at a moment's notice. Or even a portable
floor that can be removed where no longer needed on a similar
timescale.

Steven:
"I'm not talking about characters like Rust - he's not evil, he's
just a Aristocrat of the worst kind."

Which /is/ evil. He's just not the antagonist of any story -- the
closest he comes to are Jingo and Night Watch, where he is a minor
obstacle in Vimes' way.

"Lord Hong - Explosion. The Duchess - Eaten by the forest."

I don't believe we actually /saw/ her eaten though. Her body has
never been found (not canonically at least), she might have fought
her way out, and even if she was killed, well, she's just the sort
of person who could come back as a zombie for revenge.

"Cohen & The Silver Horde - Explosion"

Cohen and the Horde as bad guys??? Did you read a different "The
Last Hero" to me? The bad guys in that book were the Gods, not
Cohen. Yes, he might have /accidentally/ exterminated all life on
the Disc, but his motives were pure (blowing up the Disc's Gods
counts as community  service). And he saved the day. Cohen is not a
lawful Good Guy, he's an agent of chaos, and nobody says he's
/nice/, so kidnapping bards and a certain amount of raping and
pillaging comes with the territory, although not so much of the
raping at his age. But he's still the Hero, and he acts heroically
at the end, when it counts.

(I think we can conclude from PTerry's treatment of Cohen that he
has a rather mixed view of the Hero.)

And considering that immediately after Cohen and the Horde were
blown up, they stole the Valkyries' horses, loudly proclaimed that
they weren't dead, flew off and set free the First Hero, Mazda, I
don't exactly see why you say they've been killed in a way that
prevents them  coming back. Cohen may never be written in another
story, but that's  because PTerry has moved on.

"Reacher Gilt - Long Last Step (presumably). Wolf - Explosion."

PTerry rarely writes the sort of story where the same characters go
up against each other over and over again. The closest he has is
the Queen of Elves and the Auditors of Reality, but they're not the
sort of characters that he can kill off -- the Auditors simply
/are/, in the context of the Discworld you can no more get rid of
them than we can get rid of space. Kill the Queen, and presumably
she has an heir, and possibly the King may be a little...peeved.
So it's probably better that Granny didn't kill the Queen. Besides,
what would be the point, how  would she know she lost if she was
dead?

But even then, note that Granny has fought the Queen once, the
Wizards have fought her (in a manner of speaking) once, and Tiffany
fought her once. PTerry doesn't do sequels as such: he doesn't
write the same story twice.

Other villains who haven't been killed off in the books:
* the Magpyrs
* most of the various people who have plotted against Vetinari over
the  years, in various books (including Lord de Worde)
* Coin (not so much a villain himself, but awfully dangerous)
* the Things From The Dungeon Dimensions
* Bel-Shamharoth
* the political leaderships of Borogravia and Klatch
* the Deep Downer dwarfs
* Dragon King of Arms
* Lily Weatherwax

"The Long Step isn't there the next time Moist visits..."

Surely you've heard of trap doors? When the Patrician wants the Long
Step, a door in the floor opens up and its there, and when he
doesn't, it's perfectly safe. He probably has the finest Dwarf
engineers keep it maintained.

Libwolf:
Almost all the villians are neutralised in one way or another.

The Magpyrs are no longer a threat - the Count is back.
Most of the minor plotters against Vetinari were being puppet
mastered by Vetinari anyway - sure a Free Press (The Truth) may
take a little power away from Vetinari, but it takes power away
from all the big players.
Coin left.
Dungeon Dimensions - sock full of sand
Bel left in a hurry and closed the doorway behind it.
The Klatchian prince got overthrown and probably met up with 71 Hour
Ahmed.
The Borogravian situation is fixed (for now) - he did send the Duke
of Ankh to fix it.
Deep Downer Dwarves were resolved with 'THAT'S NOT MY MOO COW!' and
the Low King regaining full control.
Dragon King of Arms ends the novel in the Palace Dungeons - and with
his power base destroyed.

Vera:
Knowing Dragon King - and Vetinari's liking for the traditional A-M
infrastructure to stay in one piece (relatively speaking) - I doubt
he was there for long. Possibly a verbal slap and a Look from his
lordship. And for all that Vimes' burning of the records was a
dramatic gesture, surely Dragon King, after so very long in the
job, would at least have copies of everything stowed away somewhere
else.

BTW, seeing as how alt-books-pratchett seems to be dead in the water
(and alt.fan.pratchett is beneath mentioning), it's amusing and
rather  sweet to see actual Discworld discussion taking place on
ozdw ~grins~

Steven:
"Almost all the villians are neutralised in one way or another."

Well, of course they are, in /some/ sense, otherwise the story
wouldn't be over. But you specifically mentioned that PTerry killed
off his villains so they couldn't come back. That's true for some
of them (e.g. Teatime, Lord Hong) but not so much for the others. A
less imaginative author could (e.g.) have the Magpyrs gang up on
the old Count and stake him, then go looking for Granny Weatherwax
for revenge. Or Lily Weatherwax could find her way out of the
mirrors. (Actually, I'd pay to read that last one.)

"Most of the minor plotters against Vetinari were being puppet
mastered by Vetinari anyway..."

I don't think Vetinari engineered to have himself poisoned with
arsenic, or shot, or hit on the head and framed for robbery and
attempted murder. I'm sure once events were in motion, Vetinari was
very good at manipulating events to his benefit, but he's not
immune to having holes poked in him by small lead slugs, and he now
walks with a limp.

"Coin left."

And could come back. At least, in a lesser writer, he could come
back -- I'd be very surprised if PTerry had anything more to say
about him.

"Dungeon Dimensions - sock full of sand."

PTerry has said that he's run out of things to say about the Dungeon
Dimensions. It's a pastiche and parody of fantasy monsters, but not
really interesting.

"Deep Downer Dwarves were resolved with 'THAT'S NOT MY MOO COW!' and
the Low King regaining full control."

I think you have misunderstood Dwarf politics. The Low King already
had full control, of the Dwarfs who acknowledge his authority. The
Deep Downers don't, and there's no reason to believe that the ones
who went to Ankh-Morpork are /all/ the Deep Downers. The analogy
with Roundworld politics isn't exact, but I look at it kinda  like
this...in theory all Islamic nations are supposed to merge under
the control of the Caliph. The Low King is like the Caliph. If
you've read your history, you'll know that there have been plenty
of historical periods where the supposedly subordinate kings have
told the Caliph  "I've got a bigger army than you", figuratively
speaking.

To put it another way...remember in The Fifth Elephant when the Low
King's political opponent went along with the charade that the
replica Scone of Stone was the original? The Low King made a
comment about Albrecht Albrechtson disagreeing about who should
captain the boat, not sink it. I suspect that, if Round World
politics is any guide, there are plenty of Deep Downers who would
be prepared to sink the boat, and remember that as crusty and
conservative as Albrechtson is, he's not a Deep Downer. Even he is
not endarkened enough for their liking.

"Dragon King of Arms ends the novel in the Palace Dungeons..."

He's a rich, powerful, ancient vampire with lots of friends, or at
least minions. Vetinari will be watching him now, and as Vimes
fantasied, the time might come that a very, very skillful assassin
would be sent out on a mission with a wooden stake and a bottle of
holy water. But if that has happened, we haven't seen it, so it
isn't canon, and the possibility of him making trouble is still
there.

New Bruce:
The Pratchetts are a game-playing family -- perhaps if he doesn't
kill "the boss" Pterry doesn't feel he has properly finished the
book. The [L-space] "death lists" are a handy (if incomplete)
reference for who got 'done' and how.

http://www.us.lspace.org/books/deathlists/index.html

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