This week on Episode 113, The passing of Tom Disch is the major downer of the week. I start the rest of the hour with a story from Shaun Saunders. I run his short story H.A.D. as a prime example of how Science Fiction is on the bleeding edge of not only science but social and cultural dynamics. The tie in concerns new concerns in medicine and the age group they are aimed at. The story is disturbing in its own right, the truth is frightening. Plus AMC cable channel wants to one up SCI Fi, discussion on Tor Books release of free E-Books, does it benefit the authors? EOS is joining the free ebook fray - however I have reservations, Cambell and Sturgeon awards are out - with some drama thrown in with the Locus awards and at the bottom of the hour I play part two of Matthew Jarpe's Chicken Soup for Mars and Venus. Its 2 for a penny at the BMU penny candy store and you have a brand new quarter, enjoy!

Standard weirdness on this weeks BMU episode 112. For the story, I start reading Matthew Jarpe's Chicken Soup for Mars and Venus which is a good space yarn in the spirit of the genre. You know the type, hardened loner finds if not true love, then something close in the middle of no where. I had great fun reading it, I think you will like it. From the blog, Weird UFO sightings, Another SF passing, Tor's newest e-book, a great find in the sf film world!, what killed the mammoths? and print- crime a step closer! Keep your eyes in the heavens and your hands inside the ride, its time for BMU!

You up for 2 stories today? Great! First story is a quick tale from Shaun A. Saunders called Uncertainty. Very much in the style of the golden age of science fiction, Shaun's tale deals with cutting edge quantum physics. The "Uncertainty" in the story is the Heisenberg uncertainty principle - but far from being boring, Shaun spins a very clever tale. At the bottom of the hour I read the last half of The Tomb Wife by Gwyneth Jones, which is one of the Theodore Sturgeon finalists and was also featured in the Year's Best SF 13 by David Hartwell and Kathryn Cramer. (I will have a review of the collection soon) From the blog, Tor's newest freebie, more evidence that Mars took a big hit, Gravity tractor gets some traction, Canada to put up a NEO spy in the sky and a pocket full of sunshine.

This week, in episode 110, I start reading The Tomb Wife by Gwyneth Jones. This is a very cerebral tale, not to say that you have to burn out a few synapses just to understand it, but what I mean is, that it deals with loneliness, loss, isolation and know that your life depends on everyone agreeing what the "world" is suppose to be like. Plus I really think Mz. Jones' version of FTL is very inventive. Not to say that the terms have not been bandied about, but getting inside the people's heads that have to deal with this very abnormal way of traveling. The Tomb Wife is up for a Sturgeon award, and you will find that it is an righteous nomination. From the blog, taking a picture of not with light, Charlie Jade is busted to the minors, Phoenix, did it or did it not find water?, Is there a "Planet X"?, and how to measure the speed of light with chocolate! Yes Willie Wonka never had a clue! Get your sweet tooth ready, its time for Beam Me Up!

Music by Metek + Pythagora

Episode 109, and get ready for an emotional rollercoast ride courtesy of Elizabeth Bear! Oh yes, Mz. Bear has graciously allowed me to read her award nominated short story Tide Line. I knew the first time I read this story that it was something special. Now up for 2 major awards, I guess I got it right! lol. This story aims at your emotional nether regions and is deadly accurate! I am sure you will enjoy it. From the blog, The Sturgeon Award finalists, Tor's newest, how would religion handle the coming....of aliens, Sky-Net is online, and a sad passing. Hands inside the ride at all times kiddies.... its time for Beam Me Up!

Episode 108! Tim Pratt has graced us with a quirky short story called "The Frozen One" What makes it quirky? Well, you have heroes, heroines, monsters, swords, mythic battles ..... fantasy right? ummm no. Tim gives us a twist on the multiple universe theme, uhhh kinda! lol I think I do it justice. I found a very fitting piece of backing music from Kevin Macleod to kind of set the mood, without being obnoxious. From the blog: weirdness with black holes and white dwarfs. New pics from Phoenix and Ulysses ends its' mission. Review of F&SF's July issue, Charlie Jade on the Sci-fi channel, but Moonlight won't and the weirdest twist on 1984 - sock puppets!

Note: There are a few minor instances of adult language

Tim Pratt's main page: http://www.timpratt.org/

Kevin Macleod's main page: http://incompetech.com/

It's Beam Me Up for May 31 2008! Episode 107. Get ready for the tense conclusion to Greg Egan's Dark Integers. That will play at the bottom of the hour. From the blog this week, The person who set the tone each week for the original Star Trek has left the building....but I did learn an interesting piece of trivia - What would inflation do to the Six Million Dollar Man? - Phoenix Lander observations - and a couple of really interesting animations. So get ready to go where no man has gone before: It's time for Beam Me Up!

Part three of Greg Egan's Hugo nominated story Dark Intergers. A truly amazing story that takes, advanced math, quantum physics and the fate of the known universe and mixes them all into high drama. A true Hugo level tale. But first from the blog, USA's IceCube neutrino detector, Ridley Scott does Andromeda Strain, Tasmanian Tiger redux, Burton's Frankenweenie and other more foolishness from the blog.

In the first episode of BMU's third year, I continue reading Dark Integers, the Hugo nominated story from Greg Egan. But the first story this week is a short from Shaun Saunders called Let It Slide, a wicked tale of what goes around comes around. From the blog, radiation concerns for long term space flight, what the real problems is with Speed Racer, review of Jemma 7729, a special offer for readers of the blog from F&SF, Witchblade movie possible, some science fiction movies GET the science right and how to survive a zombie attack!

Episode 104 puts 2 years in the can! So, why not go out with a bang?! Back to the Hugos. This week I start reading Greg Egan's Dark Integers. Greg's story shows how math can get you into another whole world of trouble. For those of you that might think mathematics is a turn off, you will find this Hugo nominated tale an eye opener. From the blog, The Air Force is on a major propaganda binge, regrow body parts with pig bladder powder, the father of the transistor is with us no more, and other idiocy ...

Beam Me Up episode 103! With the Nebula award winners being announced, I thought I would step away from the Hugo nominated stories to read one of the Nebula winners this week. Karen Joy Fowler has graciously agreed to let me read her award winning short story "Always" to you this week. "Always" is melancholy look at a woman's quest for imortality, of sorts, what she much give up and how it changes her. In the end you wonder if Always is a place or a state of being. Karen's autobiography can be found here
- http://www.sfwa.org/members/Fowler/KJFInfo.html -

From the blog, Nebula awards, Asimov SF magazine and Analog SF magazine's reader award winners, Nasa offers its own version of immortality, Jelly-bot, space boomerangs, Tesseracts Eleven review, Escape Velocity magazine news, and Chicken Rex

Photo by Laurie Roberts

It's Beam Me Up episode 102! We continue on in the Hugo tradition with part 2 of Michael Swanwick's "A Small Room in Koboltown" which has been nominated for a Hugo in the short story division. I hope your enjoying this story as much as I did reading it. If anything, part two goes a step further in revealing the seedier underbelly ofSwanwick's fascinating world. From the blog, Bum Bot, Peta tube steak challenge, Sueded Star Wars, Dark Vader get an arrest warrant, Terminator tv and movie get reprieve. Tor is Free E-bookin again, the do's and Don't of being a sci-fi fan plus other strangeness.

Content warning: This story contains some language and situations that some listeners might find offensive.

I start of the second centi of shows with another Hugo nominated short story. This week part one of "A Small Room in Koboltown" by Michael Swanwick. This story can best be described (in my humble opinion) as Mixing Harry Potter and Sin City with maybe a Sam Spade garnish! A neat piece of speculative fiction where ghosts,bogarts, trolls, demons and who knows what else exist side by side with humans, magic and science in balance. Mix in quasi corrupt politicians and murder and you have a fast paced romp in a city that could be New Orleans once universe over. From the blog: Apophis - could we be in for a closer brush?, robot Sherlock Holmes?, can Speilberg do Ghost in the Shell?, do some bugs communicate by smelling their own farts?, Sarah Jane Chronicles first impressions, First mammal to Mars could be an ape?!, your living 10 seconds in the past and a totally unforgettable musical version of the Star Wars cantina.

This week's story contains instances of strong adult language that some listeners might find objectionable.

Michael Swanwick Photo Allen Batson

It's episode 100! whoooooooooohoooooo! no applause, just send money! For this week's program, at the top of the hour, Shaun Saunders sends us a very dark, "Local News", which casts a suspicious eye on the inner working of you local news gathering institution. At the bottom, I read part two of Ken MacLeod's Hugo nominated short story, "Who's Afraid of Wolf 359?" which answers the question of when life throws you lemons... From the blog, TOMO becomes a feature, while some others might have passed on. Military cyber-warfare, Boeing shenanigans, robotic mishaps on the battlefield, Stargate Universe and good bye to CH

Last of the double digit podcast! It episode 99 of Beam Me Up. This week part one of another Hugo award nominated story. This time a high energy space opera by Ken MacLeod called Who's Afraid of Wolf 359! From the blog, Bruce Willis' new sci-fi movie where he plays...yep a cop. Major shakeup on Sci-fi Channel concerning Flash, SG Atlantis and a new pick up show, Sanctuary. Department of Defense has been developing some pretty creepy weapons, Canada is expanding its' astronaut force, TRON sweded and some hint to tell if your a alien sleeper agent.

This week I jump start the Hugo season by reading a great story from author Mike Resnick. His story, Distant Replay, has been nominated for a Hugo in the short story catagory. From the blog news on The Bionic Woman, The Sarah Connors Chronicles, suspended animation, more free Ebooks, problems with the science behind the Space Elevator, an anime Bleach feature film possible, a Caprica pilot in the works and sub-orbital flight for the masses!

The music used in this week's story was by Keving Macleod. The piece is called Fluidscape. For more information please check his website at: http://www.mcleodmusic.com/

In light of the passing of Arthur C. Clarke I am spending the first part of the hour as a bit of a personal tribute to AC. I have some personal thoughts and comments from a few of the regulars on the blog. From the BBC I have a snippet from an interview with Terry Pratchett who speaks on the better known accomplishments of Sir Arthur. In Clarke's own words I have a message he recorded on his 90th birthday outlining some of the things he would still like to see come to pass. Also it's a bit of a thank you and good bye to his fans that is bound to affect even the most hard hearted amongst us. For the balance of the hour, I play the conclusion to Michael F. Flynn's Dawn Sunset and the Colors of the Earth. A moment of silence for the passing of an era please....... Now on to episode 97 of Beam Me Up.

For this week's program, episode 96, I read two stories. First I read Shaun Saunders short story, The Best Things in Life..." and at the bottom of the hour I read part 4 of "Dawn Sunset and the Colors of the Earth" by Michael F. Flynn. From the blog, Cassini makes a dramatic fly through, how to take down a t800, a look at life on the ISS, a space ARK?, schedule move up of Stargate Atlantis, Myth-busters do Apollo and more. For a musical interlude, I found "Hail to the Geek" by Deaf Pedestrians. I do want to advise listeners that this program contains some adult language and situations. Though appropriate for most audio groups, some listeners might be offended. So get yourself some snackies and snuggle in, its time for Beam Me Up!

Episode 95!! The Blog is chocker-block full today. For our story, I continue to read Dawn Sunset and the Colors of the Earth by Michael F. Flynn, this week its part 3. From the blog, why the movie Johnny Mnemonic has suddenly become quaint, evidence that life came from the asteroids, Earth may be staring down the barrel of a gamma - ray burst The Sci-Fi channel has a "Water World" remake in the works, Wasteland stories of the Apocalypse has listed some of it's stories online, Adventure Books starts a podcast and more!

P repair to board episode 94 me hearties! Arggggggggh. Ah well, something like that. On tap for this week's program is part 2 of “Dawn Sunset and the Color of the Earth” by Michael Flynn. Again, even though it's very mild, there are some strong language and adult situations. Though I strongly feel that the material is totally appropriate, for any reader or listener, some might be offended. This section of the story contains what I feel is one of the most heartfelt portions of the story, I am sure you will agree that these two sections, are very powerful. From the blog, The strange case of the Wilhelm Scream, research suggests that there is a massive planet out past Pluto, 20 novels that changed science fiction, The Nebula Award finalists nominees, electronic tattoos and much more strangeness. Come about helmsman, its time for Beam Me Up!

Episode 93! Yep, getting closer to the big double 00. Hey! I know what you're thinking, and don't go there. This week, I start on a longer story, yes, Michael F. Flynn has agreed to let me read his story Dawn Sunset and the Colors of the Earth. A multi-vignette spun with the central core of a retelling of the Bermuda Triangle. Told from multiple viewpoints and different methods of story telling, Michael not only shows us why he is a Hugo level writer, but also gives us a damn good yarn to boot. From the blog, Space has BO, The Navy shows that if you use a big enough rock....The French “Daily Program”, Tor gives away the Old Man War, WTF is Kyle XY? And a few other raves.

Show 92 is a twofer! Before I start reading the news from the blog I read Simon Petrie's Fomalhaut 451 about a space station that mysteriously stops functioning. This is the first time I have read Simon's work and I am very impressed. I hope to read more of his stories. At the bottom of the hour Ron continues his read of Leigh Brackett's A world is Born. Which has convicts teraforming Mercury. Good golden age space opera! From the blog, Tor is giving away books, a new Gene Roddenberry project, a personal helicopter, oil wells on Titan?, is teleportation possible? And your desktop may be being invaded!

Hey, lets do some retro Sci-fi. Ron Huber is going to read Leigh Brackett's "A World is Born" this week. Well part one at least! I listened to the run through and I think your going to love Ron's rendition, very lively and Ron really gets into the read. From the blog, I take a look at the straight to web program staring Amanda Tapping called Sanctuary, the controversy dealing with the age of modern birds, new autonomous subs, Quantum Universes via Super Mario, Mach V airliners are on the drawing board but the rides won't be cheap, a new lab to the ISS, a new FireFly novel that IS cheap and robots attack suburbia!

Episode 90 of BMU fellow travelers! Rather auspicious would you not agree? I should get something for reaching these lofty heights...right? Huh...everyone is a comedian. Ah well anyway, I think this week will have something for everyone. From the blog – Ron does an excellent review of the new science fiction magazine Escape Velocity, a rather interesting
and ummm revealing photo of Kate Moss, new findings on the brain and memory, the controversy over the CalTec paper that equates reading science fiction with stupidity, a real world 'Urban Monad' game designers designing the game that 'Ender' Wiggins played, the first creative commons anime short from the UK called Codehunters. And finally, this week's story is “Eight Episodes” by Robert Reed, which deals with alien contact bin in a totally strange manner. Climb in, strap in, its time to begin. Beam Me Up

Welcome travelers! Today's voyage takes us to places with a certain Caribbean flavor. Tobias Buckell sets the tone today with his thoughtful piece "Four Eyes". When old world tradition clash with modern culture, often the battle is won in the heart. From the blog, designer life, weird life on Mars? Nasa's new moon rocket may shake rattle and ..... How about bionic I spy? Oh and I don't think the Israelis have been watching the Terminator movies.... It should prove to be a very entertaining trip this program....Enjoy the ride!

In Episode 88 I have the great pleasure to read Jack McDevitt's Windrider which first appeared in Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine in July 1994. Which tells the tale of two devotees who discover much about their faith. I think you will find Jack's story every bit as interesting and diverting as I did. From the blog, 15 ways to tell your already living in the future, 75 words every science fiction fan should know. News on the Mercury Messenger spacecraft close encounter with the inner-most planet. New books from Edge publication, comments on the Sarah Connor's Chronicles and ZOMBIE RAT HEARTS!!!!!

Well kiddies it's web weirdness and a Beam Me Up twofer on show 87! To open, a short from Shaun Saunders called Hypochondriac - What if your wilded paranoid feelings were right and for once you really were sick, but in the strangest way possible. I finish with another story From Colin P. Davies book, Tall Tales on the Iron Horse called The Defenders. A heart breaking tale that asks the question, at what price the defense of a world. How far would you go and what happens if you go too far. From the Blog, The Milky way is about to collide with a huge hydrogen cloud, "wasteful" art, bionic skin and laser assassinations! The weirdometer is at full scale, take appropriate precautions, it's time for Beam Me Up!

Greetings gentle travelers. This week's trip is one of the most twisted train rides you are bound to make. Our engineer for this week's excursion is none other than Colin P. Davies. He has produced for us: Tall Tales on the Iron Horse, From the book by the same name. Before we start our tour, I review Colin's upcoming book Tall Tales on the Iron Horse. Plus a preview of the Sarah Connor's Chronicles, A hilarious mashup of Who's on First, discover of the building blocks of life in star dust, how you can get yourself into the new mmorg Stargate Worlds...literally and so much more! and we wind it up with a peculiar promenade at the hands of Mr. Davies. Les billets s'il vous plaît it's time for Beam Me Up!

Its a Boing Boing episode! Oh yes, we have something lampooning Cory Doctorow, From the blog we have FBI news from Boing Boing, and from the master himself we have a story. First up Ron reads a story from Paul Di Filippo called Plumage from Pegasus which tells the tale of the collapse of the Web and how it affects certain denzins of the 'net. From our blog: Microsoft patents technology to see if your working hard enough, sexbots and The FBI wants to spend billions over the next 10 years building hardware and software to collect and store all forms of personal and biometric information. And finally I read Cory Doctorow's Scroogled.
a tale of government and Google of all things, bent on knowing everything about everyone and the dangers that brings.
So make sure your papers are in order....its time for Beam Me Up!

photo by Bart Nagel music in Scroogled by DJ SylverMay

Tis the season! and what better way then to start with the twisted tormented tale of Teddy from Shaun Saunders from his new book Navigating the New World. I finish the hour with Fear Itself by Lewis Shiner, its the day before Christmas, your freezing to death and down to your last dollar. How did this happen?! Another Christmas tale that will leave you ummmm cold? Ho HO Ho! In between I read from the blog....personal nuclear power plants, how to talk to Martians, a review of Wastelands, Pigs on a plane....true terror at 20 thousand? lol pork pork
pork, real life Cylons? and black holes taking pot shots at other galaxies! My present to you! Enjoy!

Well, tiz the season...ho ho ho and all that. Oh but don't get me wrong! We will do the season right again this year! This week, episode 83 for 12/15/07 - Shaun Saunders let us read his short Christmas story C.R.T. from his newest book Navigating the New World - which is set in his MallCity universe. The book is available at http://www.lulu.com/antisf. In this tale, even good ole St. Nick is not exempt! I end the hour by playing a story called All Aboard, from Podiobooks.com. I really enjoy visiting Podiobooks. They have such a wide variety of material, plus their readings are all high quality. In between, Ron joins me to read the blog. We cover A.C.'s 90th birthday, Dragonriders, Mars life and so much more! Loads of fun.

Remember you can download these podcasts. Simply right click on the download button and the mp3 file will be saved wherever you select.

Get ready for non stop entertainment!!! not buying it huh? damn....well would you believe that I managed to get Ron to sit still long enough to give me a review of Timothy Zahn's book The Third Lynx. (there is even a great review that he wrote on the blog at www.wrfrbeameup.blogspot.com) I spend the balance of the program with part two of Gareth Powell's The Last Reef.
That adds up to a damn entertaining program!

Episode 81 my friends. In this episode Ron and I sit down and review Orson Scott Card's newest Ender Novel "a war of Gifts" (fyi a more complete review is available on the blog, www.wrfrbeameup.blogspot.com) which should be entertaining enough. But wait, there's more! I run part one of Gareth Lyn Powell's short story The Last Reef which I am sure your going to find as entertaining as I did. Enjoy!

Ahhhhhh episode 80 and a fine vintage it is! Dave sits in for a few minutes to talk about some unusual things he has been observing in the fla. and ME. skies. Oh Dave says he sent me some of the photos he took, so I am going to try and put them up on the blog. (www.wrfrbeameup.blogspot.com) Ron talks about some of the problems living in space, space food and a new Canadian bird due for launch. In the fiction department I have an odd "Im me, but this ain't my world" type of story called "Straws" from his site Fiction Liberation Front, http://www.lewisshiner.com/liberation/index.htm. I would strongly suggest checking out this site.

Interested in a sub orbital ride? Ron talks to Pam a sales rep for Virgin that can book you a 2 hour ride on a sub orbital craft! Seats are going fast! All kidding aside, Ron has an excellent conversation and we learn some very interesting facts about what could be the biggest thrill ride of your life! Afterwards, from the blog, the writers strike, bio - scans for GBR, 22 of the worst thing to happen in Science Fiction, a new comet does something strange!, Plus a cute story and odd short from J. Alan Brown

Episode 78 for 11/10/07 I'm Baaaaaaaaaack! Oh yeah! Thanks ever so much to Ron Huber and Shaun Saunders for taking up the slack a creating some very entertaining shows while I was gone. And so on to this week!
Peter Voumard wrote a very interesting bio of writer Robert E. Howard, creator of Conan. I also play Shaun Saunders short story The Family That Works Together, which is set in his MallCity universe. What happens when corporations are allowed to abolish a standard work week. Very unsettling! In science, proposed missions to Mars' moons, the largest extra-solar planetary system is discovered and human/robot interactions. Plus JP Kelly finishes his Look into the Sun podcast read and 10 SF/F books that should be movies....

This week its time to slouch toward dystopia. Microbes on the space shuttle are mutating faster than us....a ringside seat at an intergalactic brawl...NASA forced to fess up about its secret UFO files, Shaun saunders on the making of Mallcity 14 the book, and Cory Doctorow on wikipedia and the rest of the interet.

We take a look at the new team visiting the International Space Station, dip back into fictionalized history, check out some space tunes (by earthlings) and ponder the roots of the latest rtoubling advances in totalitarian tech.

This edition of Beam Me Up is hosted by Ron Huber, while Paul trips the light fantastic comewhere off the Pacific coast.

Clothing made of viruses...Mars' holy trinity that could bring a cool form of life to the red planet...a prediction that sex and marriage is about to cross the inorganic line...trees with rabbit genes that love to eat_____.....latest on the spaceshuttle...and a look baaaaack into the history of science fiction for a riveting tale of ancient space cowboys and giant gnats. ANd more. Lots more..