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Corflu News

2012 FAAn Awards Statistics

Andy Hooper compiled and published a printed complete rundown of the 2012 Fan Activity Achievement Awards. It can be downloaded here: 2012-FAAN-Awards-stats

To aid voters, Andy prepared a list of 2011 fanzines eligible for awards,which is kept here for reference.

Corflu Glitter Trivia Challenge

Fans following Corflu online are invited to show their memory for fannish trivia in the Corflu Glitter Trivia Challenge.

The Trivia Challenge form can be downloaded here: Trivia Challenge

Corflu Program Book

The Corflu Glitter Program Book can be downloaded here: Glitter #60 - Program Book

Corflu Restaurant Guide

The sightseeing and restaurant guide can be downloaded here: The Trufan's Guide to Vegas Eats

Reservations Deadline Extended to April 14

Sunset Station has graciously agreed to extend the deadline for reservation until Saturday, April 14. (Play it safe; get it done by the end of Friday.

They’ve done this to make up for some reservations glitches and because the number of reserved room-nights seems low in light of the number of Corflu memberships.

Those who have reserved rooms through discount sites should note that reservations made through the convention are cheaper, because the hotel has waived the $15/day amenities fee.

Corflu 28 Passes on Funds

Corflu 28 (E Corflu Vitus) has sent pass-along funds to Corflu Glitter. After being alerted by Corflu 28 Chairman Chris Garcia, Corflu Glitter Chairman Joyce Katz has received a check for $500.

“The money has arrived at the opportune time,” Joyce comments. “Our big pre-convention expenses are coming up fast.” She also noted that the pass-along funds may be more sorely needed by Corflu this year, when other revenue streams figure to be lower than originally anticipated.

Corflu Offers Membership Deal

April 1 marked the end of the $60 membership. It’s $65 from this point.

However, Joyce Katz has announced a special deal. “To encourage fans to pay sooner rather than later so we can use the money,” says the High Priestess of Fandom. “Fans can still join Corflu at the old $60 rate.”

The $60 rate is good through Wednesday, April 18, 2012. If your electronic payment or snail mail check reaches Joyce by the end of that day, you get the $60 rate.

Corflu Gets Free Con Materials

Once again, Corflu’s good reputation with the Las Vegas Convention Bureau has worked to the convention’s advantage. The sterling record of the three previous Las Vegas Corflus has earned our group a high level of cooperation from the tourist agency.

As a result of discussions between Joyce Katz and the convention folks, the convention is getting free badges and badge-holders. Every fan at Corflu will also get a bag with information about places to eat and things to see in Glitter City. (This is in addition to the restaurant guide Brenda Dupont is putting together for Corfluvians.)

Awards at Corflu

Because Corflu is a rallying point for Trufandom, many of our subculture’s honors are bestowed at the convention.

The Fan Activity Achievement (FAAn) Awards continue a tradition almost as old as fanzine fandom itself. Many big name fans have turned poll-taker over the years to help dispense egoboo to all the fine writers, artists, publishers and posters who do so much to entertain us.

All knowledgeable fans are eligible to vote for the FAAn Awards. The ballot consists of six-to-eight categories, as determined by the FAAn Awards Administrator.

The FAAN Awards Administrator counts the vote to generate a hierarchy of excellence for each category. The results make it obvious that the second place point-getter is pretty close to the first-place fan.

The FAAn Awards Administrator has the honor of presenting framed certificates to the first-place finisher in each category at the Corflu banquet. The fan who pulls the most overall points is acclaimed the year’s Fan Face #1.

Corflu Glitter is reviving a once-popular tradition, dormant since the 1970’s: the results fanzine. This publication salutes all the significant vote-getters in each category with a short essay about their achievements during the year.

The Lifetime Achievement Award (LAA) honors a living fan for lifetime contributions to Trufandom.

The selection process combines a popular vote with an expert panel. The system insures that the award will go to a popular and worthy fan without bringing embarrassment to those who were considered for the LAA, but did not receive it this time.

During the popular voting phase, all knowledgeable fans may nominate a fan for the LAA. The Teller, appointed by the current Corflu Chairman, receives the nominations, tallies them and presents the names of fans who got sufficient popular support.

The LAA Chairman sends the names to the rest of the Judging Committee for discussion. The committee consists of the current Corflu Chairman, the immediate past Corflu Chairman, the current FAAn Awards Administrator and all living LAA recipients who care to participate. (The Teller is not privy to the deliberations and the Judging Committee doesn’t know how many nominations each fan got.)

The recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award is announced at the Corflu banquet and they are presented with a framed certificate designed by Dan Steffan.

The Past President of the Fan Writers of America (fwa) is elected by fans at the Corflu banquet. Since the honoree is the Past President of an essentially non-existent organization, the office carries neither duties nor perks.

Despite this, or perhaps because of it, fans love to be added to the list of illustrious Past Presidents of fwa. It is a spontaneous (mostly) egoboo, a wave of affection from fellow Trufans.

The Corflu Guest of Honor gives the featured after-meal speech at the Corflu banquet. The GoH is chosen randomly during the Opening Ceremony. Corflu adopted this method in the belief that all fans are worthy of honor.

Important Note: Some people genuinely fear public speaking and we certainly don’t want to ruin anyone’s Corflu. If you don’t want your name in the hat, notify Chairman Joyce Katz ([email protected]) to opt out without fanfare. There is no charge.

Audio and Video at Corflu Glitter

Corflu Glitter continues the strong audio and video component introduced ay Corflu Silver. Fans who aren’t able to attend will be able to keep up with most of what happens at Corflu Glitter, and all fans will be able to acquire a digital record of the weekend.

We’ve had some Unforeseen Circumstances, but we have managed to ride out these storms.

A four-fan team will run all the audio and video activities. JoHn Hardin will work with Peter Sullivan on the Virtual Consuite. JoHn will also supervise both live video and digital recording of the banquet and program. Don Miller will do a lot of the camera work, conduct some roving video interviews, and host a program of fannish audio and video on Friday evening in the suite adjoining the Main Consuite.

Gary Mattingly will serve as Corflu Glitter’s Official Photographer. We hope to make his fine pictures widely available to fans through a variety of channels. JoHn Hardin is an IT professional who works for Station Casinos, so we ought to have a very smooth relationship with the hotel.

Tentative plans call for the following audio and video at Corflu Glitter:

The Virtual Consuite. Bill Mills invented it at Corflu Silver; we’ll continue it at Corflu Glitter despite not having Bill there to work his magic. Fans will be able to login to see what’s happening in the Main Consuite and talk to fans at the con.

Video Recording. We will record as much of the program as possible, including the opening ceremony and the banquet. We plan to make this available to fans both as a video transcript and as a digital memory book.

Corflu Live Online. We will broadcast much of the convention online as it happens. There are some factors yet to be determined, but we would like to make fans who have to stay home feel part of the Corflu experience.

Roving Reporters. We would like to have our fannish videographers do short interviews with Corflu attendees. There will be a “question of the day.” The resulting footage will be edited into the digital memory book.

Important Note: You can decline an interview. We don’t want to make anyone uncomfortable. Just say, “No, thanks.” The videographer will leave you alone without further discussion.

Reservations Deadline Extended to April 2

As briefly reported in a Glitter #53, several fans had trouble making reservations or were quoted a much higher rate during the week prior to the deadline. Earl Kemp and Andy Hooper reported the problem to chairman Joyce Katz and The Arnie.

Joyce immediately took the matter to the hotel’s representative, Mary Andrews. The hotel is as eager to record reservations as the con is and the system was functioning properly by that evening.

That doesn’t help those who declined a much higher rate or didn’t get to make any reservation at all. When the High Priestess of Fandom pointed out this facet of the problem, Sunset Station extended the deadline for reservations until April 2, 2012.

At the same time, Joyce was able to clear up a problem that Earl Kemp experienced when he tried to reserve a room from his current home in Mexico.

We hope you’ll take advantage of this reprieve and reserve your room for Corflu Glitter. Because of the amenities fee waiver, worth $60 0ver a four-day (Thursday to Monday) stay makes the convention rate superior to what the discount sites can offer – and it helps the convention’s position with the hotel.

Shuttle Bus Problem

The Corflu committee has learned, thanks to Lenny Bailes’ investigation, that Sunset Station has discontinued its free airport shuttle. Upon receiving this upsetting news, Joyce took up with the matter with the hotel.

Her argument that this would work something of a financial hardship on our attendees carried the day. So far, the hotel has promised shuttle service for Corfluvians on Thursday and Monday.

Additional coverage is still being negotiated. We can’t get start-to-finish shuttle coverage, but you can help us figure out which days and times would be best for the greatest number of fans.

So, if you are planning to use some form of public transportation between the hotel and the airport, send the day and time of your arrival and departure to Joyce ([email protected]). Obviously, she can’t make any promises, but she will do what she can. Please do it now, today, so Joyce will have the information for the next negotiation session.

Reservations Glitch

With the room reservations deadline looming, Sunset Station’s reservation system suffered a partial collapse. Fortunately, Corflu Glitter committee member Andy Hooper detected the problem and reported it to Chairman Joyce Katz.

Joyce conferred with Sunset Station’s Mary Andrews on Friday and the system appears to be up and running. If you were quoted a high rate or got turned away, please try it again.

Con rates will be good until March 26.

Steffans to Head Corflu 30!

Dan & Lynn Steffan have reaffirmed their desire to put on Corflu 30 in Portland, OR, in 2013. In strict adherence with time-honored Corflu practice, the popular fan couple will describe their plans at the Corflu Glitter banquet. As in the past, fans will vote to confirm or reject the Steffans’ proposal.

Many Corflu traditions grew out of the desire to replace some aspects of contemporary cons with methods that reflect the principles of Trufandom.

A prime example is site selection. There is no bidding competition as with, for example, the World Science Fiction Convention or the Westercon. A group announces its desire to put on Corflu and asks for fans’ approval at the Corflu prior to the one they wish to host. If more than one group expresses an interest, they work it out between them so that only one group makes a presentation.

Corflu Glitter has not altered this process, just made it more open and fair. Previously, it was unclear when to announce and many fans didn’t know how to make their desire to host known.

Glitter carried two announcements of the Steffans’ wish to host in 2013 and, each time, called for any group with similar desires to contact Dan to work out things.

Since no other group has come forward, the Steffans will now be able to hunt for a hotel, put together their detailed proposal and ask for approval at the Corflu Glitter banquet. Glitter will have some comments from Dan and Lynn in the next few weeks.

A message from Dan Steffan

Dan Steffan, co-chairman of the recently announced Corflu 2013, sends this message to fans:

“Yes, Jophan, it’s true.  The 30th edition of Corflu is coming in 2013 and the party is going to be in Portland, Oregon — home to the nation’s best brewpubs, book stores, food carts, Ursula LeGuin, Richard E. Geis and the ghost of the 1950 Worldcon.  

“CORFLU XXX — it’s pronounced “Corflu Triple-X’, if you please — will be hosted by Dan and Lynn Steffan (and a cast of ones) in the Rose City in the second half of April, 2013.  Hotel negotiations are underway and we will be announcing the exact date and place once the details have been finalized. 

“Attendees at this year’s convention in Las Vegas can expect to be locked in a room and forced to listen to an oh-so-exciting and brief presentation about how each of you and each of them can and will be celebrating almost three decades of fannish tribalism next year, in the shadow of Mount Hood.

“Portlandia, Beervana and Powell‘s Books awaits you.”

Discount Car Rental at Corflu Glitter

Corflu Glitter has finalized its agreement with Budget Car and Truck Rental. Budget is now the official car rental company for the convention and, in exchange, has given us the following rates for day/week:

Compact $29.00/$145.00
Intermediate $31.00/$159.00
Full Size $35.00/$189.00
Premium $42.00/$199.00
Luxury $59.00/$299.00
Minivan $59.00/$299.00
Sport Utility $59.00/$299.00
15 Passenger Vans $139.00/$695.00

Convention rates include free unlimited miles on all vehicle classes

Here’s how to reserve vehicles through Budget Car & Truck Rental, the official car rental company of Corflu Glitter. Reservations may be made by telephone (702-736-1212) or online (www.Budgetvegas.com) at the company’s site. In either case, use the code: R468000.

Corflu Glitter Logo Merchandise Available at Café Press

Don Miller, the proprietor of Corflu Glitter’s Café Press store, has responded to Vast Popular Demand by adding several tempting items to the original selection. All items are adorned with Don Miller’s logo and the legend “Vegas, 2012.” All profits go to Corflu Glitter.

Items newly added are a golf short with a small logo on the breast ($18.99+, a regular tee-shirt ($15.99), a 3.5-in. button ($3.45) and a 2.25-in. button ($2/99).

Currently available are a regular-size coffee mug ($10/99), a large mug ($11.99), a 20-oz. tankard ($13.99) and a Corflu Glitter baseball cap ($14.99). The cap comes in black as well as a range of colors. (Did RH Macy really start this way?)

Check out the store at: www.cafepress.com/CorfluGlitter. If there are other items you’d like such as the wall clock or stickers, drop Don Miller (scifiguy666@cox.net) and let him know.

Another Fannish Song Parody Salutes Corflu Glitter!

Corflu Glitter has already become the first edition of Trufandom’s World Convention to boast its own themesong, thanks to theprodigious work of Bill Mills. Host of the popular fannish website TheVoicesofFandom.com, wrote the fannish song parody “Walk Through the Glitter” and recorded an outstanding performance that can be heard at www.corflu.org.

Now, a number of Vegrants have joined forces to produce a second fannish song parody about Corflu Glitter. Nic Farey wrote “Hey Hey Hey Hey (Take a Trip)” and recorded the keyboard and vocal (also featuring wife Bobbie). At a small gathering at the Fareys’ home, JoHn Hardin, Jacq Monahan, Teresa Cochran, James Taylor and Brenda Dupont contributed some additional touches.

Nic Farey has posted a preliminary version of “Hey Hey Hey Jey” on a private listserv. The acual release will probably occur before the end of the month. Glitter will deliver the link.

2012 Lifetime Achievement Award Nominations Phase Now Open

Now is the time for Trufans to nominate a worthy fan for the 2012 Lifetime Achievement Award. Given in recognition of long and meritorious contributions to Fandom, the 2012 Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented at the Corflu Glitter banquet.

A two-step process selects the recipient. First, any Trufan can nominate a living fan who has attained distinction through his or her contributions to Fandom. Put “LAA” on the subject line and the name of the fan you want to nominate in an email and send to Arnie Katz crossfire4@cox.net.

When nominations close, Arnie will provide the Lifetime Achievement Awards Committee with the names of the three-to-five fans who received the most support. Arnie is the non-voting Helper and also will not participate in the deliberations that produce the 2012 LAA winner.

The LAA Committee is composed of the current Corflu Chairman, Joyce Katz, the current Fan Activity Achievement Awards Administrator, Andy Hooper, the chairman of the previous Corflu, Chris Garcia, and all living recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award, Ted White and Art Widner. For the 2013 Lifetime Achievement Award, Chris and Andy will drop off the committee, Joyce becomes the previous Corflu chairman, and the new Corflu Chairman and FAA Administrator join as well the 2012 recipient of the award.

Corflu Glitter (Corflu 29)
Sunset Station Hotel-Casino
Las Vegas, Nevada
April 20-22, 2012

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