AXLER@Upenn-1100@sri-unix.UUCP (07/26/83)
From: AXLER@Upenn-1100 (David M. Axler - MSCF Applications Mgr.)
"NY and Philly have had their share of the action already."
I'm not sure what action you're speaking of in this statement. While both
of these cities have their local conventions, neither has sponsored a Worldcon
in quite a while, for various and sundry reasons. In terms of fannish history,
too, the Philly in '86 bid ought to win, since it's (intentionally) fifty years
since the first "worldcon" -- the train trip that Isaac Asimov and a few
companions made from NYC to Philly to have a fannish gettogether. My only
concern for the Philly bid (speaking as a local resident) is whether all the
facilities planning will work, but I think it'll come off. I believe, however,
that the Atlanta bid will win because of the (no-longer-deserved) reputation
of Philly as a dull and boring place.
The statement you make about the worldcon being "exported" to Australia is
sadly chauvinistic. Nothing kept us Yankees from bidding against them except
our own laziness. And it's all too true that most American fans are totally
uninterested in seeing the "World"con occur in a non-English-speaking locale,
which is a pity. (This, by the way, is why World SF got founded -- so there
would be some truly international conventions.)
Dave Axler
(Axler.Upenn@Udel-relay)