Democratic Convention Not Awarding Hugos

Web site names notwithstanding, the DNC nominating convention in Boston will not be voting on the Hugo Awards this year. In a spasm of originality, the Democratic Convention web site was named Boston04.com, while the 62nd World Science Fiction Convention (WSFC) named theirs Boston2004.com. You can see the potential for confusion.

To prevent any misguided science fiction fans from trying to nominate Neal Stephenson for President instead of for a Best Novel Award, the Noreascon Four committee which is hosting the WSFC posted a list of the top 71 reasons that they are different from the Democrats. The top ten reasons are:

1. We're not $10 million over budget. We don't even have a $10 million budget.
   
2. Our promises for the future are supposed to be fiction.
   
3. You
   don't have to donate thousands of dollars to us (though we wouldn't
   complain)—we'll give you a high-level appointment to work for us for
   free!
   
4. The media will not outnumber the attendees.
   
5. Thoats and banthas are more interesting animals than donkeys and elephants.
   
6. The folks wandering around with walkie-talkies are likely to be helpful and friendly.
   
7. The slogans on our buttons are actually funny, and many of them are about cats.
   
8. No one will be kissing babies except their immediate families and friends.
   
9. When we talk about "skull and bones" it's probably in a discussion about paleontology.
   
10. When we sling mud, it's probably in a workshop on making alien pottery.

The Hugo Awards are given out annually, based on a vote by attendees at the WSFC.