SFWA opts for the status quo
Five hundred sixteen (516) ballots were received by the deadline of April 26, 2013. This is up one hundred twenty-one ballots from last year. Of these, twenty-three (23) ballots were discarded for lack of cover sheets as required by the instructions sent out with the ballots. This number is down eighty-seven invalid ballots from last year.The resulting four hundred ninety-three (493) ballots were tabulated as follows:
PRESIDENT:
444: Steven Gould
46: Theodore Beale
1: Robert E. Waters
1: John Scalzi
Congratulations to Steven Gould, who will be the next president of the SFWA. I don't know about you, but I'm a bit surprised. That's about thirty-one more votes than I anticipated receiving. Ironically, it was a closer vote than those for VP (Rachel Swirsky) and Treasurer (Bud Sparhawk). Anyhow, I certainly wish Steven Gould good fortune in piloting the organization, although given his support for the status quo and his stated opinion that SF/F is not in any trouble as an industry, my concern is that his victory will tend to increase the probability that the organization will founder upon the very shoals my platform was designed to avoid.
But that is Mr. Gould's concern now, not mine. I appreciate the support from the 46 members who voted for me; the campaign was certainly an eye-opening experience. And if nothing else, the membership is now aware of some of the changes to the industry that are around the corner, which was my primary purpose in running for the office.
PRESIDENT:
444: Steven Gould
46: Theodore Beale
1: Robert E. Waters
1: John Scalzi
Congratulations to Steven Gould, who will be the next president of the SFWA. I don't know about you, but I'm a bit surprised. That's about thirty-one more votes than I anticipated receiving. Ironically, it was a closer vote than those for VP (Rachel Swirsky) and Treasurer (Bud Sparhawk). Anyhow, I certainly wish Steven Gould good fortune in piloting the organization, although given his support for the status quo and his stated opinion that SF/F is not in any trouble as an industry, my concern is that his victory will tend to increase the probability that the organization will founder upon the very shoals my platform was designed to avoid.
But that is Mr. Gould's concern now, not mine. I appreciate the support from the 46 members who voted for me; the campaign was certainly an eye-opening experience. And if nothing else, the membership is now aware of some of the changes to the industry that are around the corner, which was my primary purpose in running for the office.
Labels: SFWA
59 Comments:
Damn. A landslid lost.
At least you finished second...
I regard the rest of the vote count with considerable amusement.
Were the votes sub-contracted out of the country for tabulation?
How hard is it to start a rival organization? I'm guessing it's not hard ... get those 46 voters to join up with your new group. In 5 years, you'll be the "Fox News" to their "CNN."
Isn't it really, really, really embarrassing when the only vote you get is your own?
Time to gear up for next election. Posters, buttons, ad campaigns, digging into opponent's sordid past...victory or pull down the whole rotten structure down on their collective heads Samson style.
> How hard is it to start a rival organization?
An interesting question. Given that half the purpose of the SFWA is as an ego-stroking society and that they set the bar in a certain way to accomplish that goal (selling a million copies of a self published book won't get you in, but Tor printing up 5,000 copies and then pulping the 4,900 unsold copies will), an alternate organization might be a great idea. You've got the technological and demographic changes in your favor!
I'm surprised those twenty-three ballots were tossed, considering the ideological makeup of SFWA; that would make this the first election in recent history in which leftists cared about whether voters had followed instructions properly.
There's only one conclusion to draw: all twenty-three spoiled ballots were for Vox.
So fantasizing about raping under the false pretense of "caring" when the real agenda is for fun and profit isn't lost on most/all of the SF/F writers?
I wonder if he is surprised?
When he dreams, is he haunted by a purple rappit?
Isn't it really, really, really embarrassing when the only vote you get is your own?
I wouldn't know. I never vote for myself.
This is not that bad. That's a base to build from.
VD - the RP of the SFWA.
VD - the RP of the SFWA.
You stole my thunder.
How does incumbent Gamma Rabbit only get one vote? Is it:
A) everyone else has the same low opinion of him that Vox has, or
B) he wasn't running because of term limits or personal choice, but some fanboy wrote his name in anyway?
If only you had executive hair...
How does incumbent Gamma Rabbit only get one vote?
B, he wasn't running.
I quote JS:
Sometimes being a man without shame has its advantages.
and show this.
> 10% means they know the genre is in trouble.
I guess it's not ironic that humans will be humans. But it's still funny that SF writers will uphold the status quo. They, no doubt, lack essential self-awareness (commenting as an outsider, of course).
Vox answers...
B, he wasn't running.
Okay then how did he get that vote?
This much seems clear: this election has at least as much to do with denigrating people as with advancing the welfare of animals. Of course, there is an infinite number of holes in the ground to be dug and then filled in again.
Okay then how did he get that vote?
Write-in.
For the people who failed to use the cover sheets on their ballots, have you made sure they got the memo?
Those cover sheets also have to be used on all TPS reports.
Stephen Gould - I just realized he is the huge sellout who took a mediocre book and made it a so-so movie (no movie with Mila Kunis could be a complete failure, that would be impossible).
I think the election was stolen. When Gould gets that 3 AM phone call, will he be ready??? I think not!!
At least you gave them a chance at change.
The resulting four hundred ninety-three (493) ballots were tabulated as follows:
PRESIDENT:
444: Steven Gould
46: Theodore Beale
1: Robert E. Waters
1: John Scalzi
Hm. 444 + 46 = 490. Plus one is 491, plus one is 492. Where is vote 493?
Still good to see that out of the 492 ballots you listed, you did get slightly more than 9% of the vote. There are more unrabbits is the SFWA than I'd thought.
Robert E. Waters didn't win?
Well, there it goes.
I guess now that Vox has lost the election he can go back to working on his game that will FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGE THE GENRE.
Damn.
I guess now that Vox has lost the election he can go back to working on his game that will FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGE THE GENRE.
Go back to it? I've been working with several publishers on it for the last few weeks. How very strange that they take it seriously while you don't.... In some ways, it's going to be even more disruptive than I anticipated.
Welcome to the club. Losers learn more than winners, but winners could care less. At least you didn't devote two years of your life to it. Years later people will come to you and tell you you made it possible for (fill in the blank).
From the looks of the results, 444 to 46, you were up against a hell of a machine. That kind of margin only comes when you're battling a robot. Think Chicago. Mc whateverhisnameis should fear for his life. If I was him I wouldn't wander down any dark alleys.
"Sometimes being a man without shame has its advantages.
and show this."
Seriously, WTF is wrong with that guy?
Not that you need or care for my endorsement, but that was a genuine and magnanimous congratulations to Steven Gould. Kudos.
What kind of hardware will we need to play your game?
@VD: In some ways, it's going to be even more disruptive than I anticipated.
I'm not a gamer but this might be a time to start. I'll wait and see what it looks like. I suppose to use a game like this you will have to have a super duper, 10K giga machine with more memory than there are particles in the universe. And, one of the Vox super mice.
That or take two weeks to run one scenario.
Well, I was hoping for a different outcome. Welcome and good luck to the new prez.
Go back to it? I've been working with several publishers on it for the last few weeks. How very strange that they take it seriously while you don't.... In some ways, it's going to be even more disruptive than I anticipated.
That's an interesting word choice. Follow Sean Malstrom's blog by chance?
For the rest of you guessing, this doesn't mean in the "needs moar hardware" sense. My guess is that it will run on common existing stuff. It'll be different in some other fundamental way, either gameplay or possibly cost/distribution method.
My analysis is simple: Rabbits gonna rabbit. Did we expect anything else?
. I suppose to use a game like this you will have to have a super duper, 10K giga machine with more memory than there are particles in the universe. And, one of the Vox super mice.
Dude...it's a freaking mobile game, for Android tablets. No monstrous hardware required (not that monstrous hardware is not awesome).
Of these, twenty-three (23) ballots were discarded for lack of cover sheets as required by the instructions sent out with the ballots.
---"Yyyeeeaaahhh......You see...We're putting _cover sheets_....on all of our TPS reports now, so if you could _try_ to remember to do that....that would be ggrreeeaaatt....yeah."
LOL :-)
Outgoing SFWA President John Scalzi was in fact elected on marginal votes. Let’s revisit some of the voting results which led to putting Scalzi in the position of President of the SFWA. The SFWA claims to have a membership of 1800. During the 2010 elections, only 305 ballots were received (16%). 44 ballots were discarded due to SFWA procedural requirements; leaving 261 qualified ballots (14%). President, John Scalzi received merely 208 votes. Therefore, approximately 11% of the entire membership voted Scalzi into office. Treasurer Amy Casil Sterling was elected with 151 votes (8% of the entire membership). Comparatively, national voter turnout in federal elections has been as high as 56.8% in recent years.
http://thewriteagenda.wordpress.com/2013/02/28/the-2013-sfwa-presidential-election-hypocrisy-heresy-hate-part-i/
Dude...it's a freaking mobile game, for Android tablets.
Well, ARM7 on the Android side....
What kind of hardware will we need to play your game?
Shitty hardware.
The revolution is not in what you're thinking of. You'll understand when the first article comes out.
It's a thin client. Logic and AI runs completely on server-side.
What's the revolution in, game design, game play, or some multiplayer component?
Can't say yet. But it will be announced before it comes out. And then you'll understand why I can't say yet.
No insult intended but I'm surprised you got 46 votes. Not bad in my book really.
When I ran for SFWA V-P last year as the non-PC candidate, I got 40 votes.
BTW, there is a new organization for people who don't want to put up with the PC bullshit:
https://www.facebook.com/SocietyForTheAdvancementOfSpeculativeStorytelling
Ok,'fess up, which one you wrote in Scalzi?
Pathetic performance, Vox.
When I stood for my first election, as Minister for Apathy in the Total Anarchy Party, fighting against the Conservative and Labour machines in central London, I didn't bother with policies. I didn't turn up for the debates. I didn't even put myself forward as an election monitor, but then they offered...
...so we won by a huge margin. The school cancelled the elections after the results were counted. and girls started chasing me. Apart from the somewhat awkward interview with the Headmistress, I think this was the origin of the subsequent conflict between myself, the Lord of Chaos and the other guy whose title I don't even remember now.
Lesson learned.
Ok,'fess up, which one you wrote in Scalzi?
I bet they drew in Scalzi.
With a pink marker.
Markku, I'm a developer in LA. If you ever want someone who'll work for free and for the experience, I'm in. I don't care. I'll do the grunt work. Right now, I'm cube farmin' it. Boooorrrreeeddd.
Damn, Vox. I was gunning for ya (even though I'm not big into SF).
Look at this way: you got your message out there and more votes than McRapey.
Here's a little Emma Hewitt to brighten your day.
Cajun... You officially have a project:
Code us up a translator for android. Very simple. You input french via test or voice... and it translates for you. Except it doesn't actually translate. It returns things like, "I surrender please don't hurt me." or various something to that effect.
Anyway... it has to look like a real french translator and above all else it should be serious and not at all humorous. These things have to be done with a straight face.
Cajun: I assume Vox has already been in contact with you, or at least he will be in the near future. It might not be what you'll be starting with, but if you are entertaining thoughts of going into game programming, I strongly recommend starting to practice with the Unity game engine already. (I'm using C# in our project, both in Unity client and the game server). The free version gives you everything you might wish for, except mobile platforms.
It's going to feel very alien at first, if you are used to traditional main loop and callback programming. But you'll learn to love its architecture when you understand it.
Especially, if you're like me, you'll immediately feel suspicious when you see the word "script" everywhere. But in reality, what they call scripts are really C# objects with a couple of additional callbacks coming from Unity. They have the full functionality provided by C#.
Ok,'fess up, which one you wrote in Scalzi?
I'm so embarrassed. I cast a write-in vote for the really ugly chick with red shoes. What a silly blunder.
"Isn't it really, really, really embarrassing when the only vote you get is your own?"
I guess "white privilege" isn't as all-powerful as it used to be.
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