What a chillingly annoying "video".

1500 stills x ~10KB each = only 15MB, but it's done in the most obnoxious, inefficient way possible ... each frame is downloaded separately by a JavaScript. It's like Web 0.0. You know, streaming video was invented for a reason.

"Legendary" is the proper term. Randi has some serious backers. (e.g. the James Randi Foundation was set up with a very large donation from a supporter.) I have no doubt that he can certainly deliver the money if he's ever proven wrong.

He won't be, of course.

@92: I know, which is why the qualifiers of "if this is allowed to continue". The SFWA executives ultimately have to answer to the rank-and-file members. Any and all writers who are members really need to make it clear that they won't stand for this.

You can give your consent to this kind of stuff in two ways: actively, with your vote; or passively, by not acting at all.

I'm quite honestly horrified at the thought that this might continue... but I have hope that sanity will ultimately prevail. Still, like any good pessimist who's lived through the Bush administration, I'm forming back-up plans in my head. (There have been an awful lot of good authors coming out of the UK lately...)

I'm really disgusted by this. SFWA, please take note:

The readers you depend on for your livelihood are the very same people who are at the forefront of the digital revolution. Pissing them off is NEVER a good idea.

Until hearing this news I would've said it was impossible for anything to turn me off to science fiction, which I've loved since I was a young child. But the horrifying thought that the SFWA might start adopting the RIAA's abusive tactics has made me realize that it's not impossible after all. I'm not there yet ... but I can imagine a future in which these sort of actions continue.

It's funny, you know? I'm just not particularly interested in reading any book by an author who hates me. Oh sure, you say you don't, but if the SFWA is allowed to continue down this path your actions will speak much louder than your words.