John is a year behind, Alison is opening nominations, and Liz is Elizabeth (!).

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Content warnings this episode: Israel/Palestine war (Montreal in 2027 segment), serial killers (John’s pick)

• Letters of comment

• Ali Baker Brooks

• TAFF

• Announcement

• Tel Aviv in 2027

• 2005 Guest of Honour speech

• Trademarks

• WIP announcement

• Transcript

• File 770 comment

• John: How to Find Zodiac by Jarett Kobek (Amazon)

• Los Angeles Magazine article

• Alison’s map

• Cover art: “Hugo Regalia Shop” by Alison Scott

• Alt text: The words “Octothorpe 103 Hugo Regalia Shop” appear above a selection of costumes. There are small depictions of a clown, a pirate, a panda and a banana above full-length depictions of a member of the Catholic church (with Hugos on their mitre and crosier), a gangster (labelled “boss”, holding a Hugo), Zaphod Beeblebrox (holding three Hugos) and Jesus (with a crown of thorns but made with Hugos).

John, Alison and Liz respond to a letter of comment from Tobes.

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Content warnings this episode: Chinese censorship (discussion of the Hugo Awards), Jim Crow Florida (Liz’s pick), general socioeconomic inequality (John’s pick)

• Glasgow 2024’s hotel bookings are open

• Alex Ingram

• File 770’s roundup

• Abigail Nussbaum

• A reaction from Zimozi Natsuco

• His apology

• It’s not Lenin, it’s a Western term originating in the 1940s and 1950s

• John: The Kitchen, dir. Daniel Kaluuya and Kibwe Tavares

• Cover art: “Scooby Gang” by Alison Scott

• Alt text: Scooby, Velma and Daphne unmask the panda from last week’s cover art, and the person wearing the panda suit looks a lot like Dave McCarty. They say “It was old Mister McCarty all along!” and he says “And I would have gotten away with it too if it hadn’t been for you meddling Hugo finalists!” He is tied up with rope. The words “Octothorpe! 102” appear at the top of the image.

John is self-promoting, Alison ”doesn’t have COVID”, and Liz is distracting.

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Content warnings this episode: large power and age differentials in sexual relationships (John’s pick)

• Letters of comment

• Chris Garcia

• Adam Roberts on romantasy

• Triple Time!, the 34th filk convention (2–4 February 2024, Buxton)

• Three Black Halflings

• John: Poor Things

• Exhibition of costumes at the Barbican

• Relevant Penny Arcade

• Cover art: “Glasgow Hotel Board Game” by Alison Scott

• Alt text: A board reminiscent of a well-known board game about property trading. There are three purple properties (Campanile, Village, Moxy), each of which has one hotel. There are two teal properties (Crowne Plaza, Marriott), a replacement for “In Jail” called “In WSFS”, a Statue square featuring a man on horseback with a traffic cone on his head, and a square called Telephone Kiosk with a depiction of a police box. In the middle of the board, the words “Octothorpe Episode 101”. Each property has asterisks for the rent and the words “Rates coming very soon but not quite soon enough for this cover” appear at the bottom.

John, Alison and Liz receive a telegram.

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Content warnings this episode: None

• Letters of comment

• Chris Garcia

• Warren Ellis and Declan Shalvey’s run

• Warren Ellis’ predatory behaviour

• Article at the time of the original story

• Want an invite to the Discord? Hit John up! - Glasgow 2024 announces Tanya DePass as special guest

• John: The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jiminez [paperback, Amazon]

• Late-breaking news of a new paperback from Jo Fletcher Books

• John:

• EXIT: The Game: Advent Calendar: The Silent Storm

• Schotten Totten

• FryxGames’ CEO posted transphobia and racism

• Cover art: “Telegram from the Queen” by Alison Scott with telegram by Claire Brialey

• Alt text: A telegram lies with a golden thread bookmark on a plush purple surface. It has two pieces of Weetabix above text which reads “I am so pleased to know that you are celebrating your one hundredth episode in January 2024. I send my congratulations and best wishes to you on such a special occasion. Claire R (of Croydon).” The words “Octothorpe 100” are at the top in golden lettering.

John doesn’t study herpetology, Alison knows lots of words, and Liz goes first.

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Content warnings this episode: Games, SMOFs

• If I Ran the Zoo… Con

• PDF version

• 3401 Pre-Supporting Memberships by Leslie Turek

• 2201 The “Relationship” by Priscilla Olson, Mark Olson

• Modest food

• 701 The Lady and the Snake by Mark Olson, Leslie Turek

• Cover art: “Game of Privies” by Alison Scott

• Alt text: John, Alison and Liz are on a large privy holding drinks with a snake wrapped around the privy. Speech bubbles surround them: “Have you seen my emotional support python?” “The perfect spot for the old pharts photo”, “It’s another ‘what if…’ episode”, and “Oi! There’s a queue here mate”. A banner with “Punctuation Worldcon 2030” appears at the top and the words “Octothorpe 99” appear at the bottom.

Points at the end of each phase:

John thinks it’s grandfathered in, Alison doesn’t think it’s SF, and Sandra is Liz.

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Content warnings this episode: None

• Letters of comment

• Chris Garcia

• Where to buy Moon (USA, UK)

• The full text of Mark Plummer’s and Leigh Edmonds’ previous locs

• TAFF

• Free ebooks

• With news of the upcoming TAFF race

• #13 is forthcoming

• The Psychopath Club

• John: A City on Mars by Kelly and Zach Weinersmith (hardback, epub, Amazon)

• Cover art: “Stunt Lizard” by Alison Scott

• Alt text: The heads of John and Alison regard a lizard version of Sandra Bond who is doing stunts (on fire, skateboarding) while wearing her signature hat. The words “Octothorpe 98” appear at the top.

John has played some games, Alison will play some games, and Liz is playing games RIGHT NOW

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Content warnings this episode: China, being burned alive, classism

• Letters of comment

• Chris Garcia

• Chinese v foreign attendees

• An example

• Current WSFS constitution and standing rules

• Online convention news

• Novacon 53

• John: The Wicker Man

• Tabletop games

• Hadrian’s Wall

• Cover art: “To the LizBatmobile” by Alison Scott

• Alt text: John, Alison and Liz are depicted as Robin, Harley Quinn and Batman, but the Batman logo is replaced by “WSFS”. The Batmobile is in the centre of the three of them. The words “Octothorpe 97” appear at the top and the words “…to the LizBatmobile” at the bottom.

John didn’t, Alison would’ve done, and Liz tried.

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Content warnings this episode: China

• Was Chengdu a shower?

• Nicholas Whyte signs autographs

• Site selection meeting videos are going up here

• John: Hallowe’en

• Cover art: “Chengdu Worldcon Report” by Alison Scott

• Alt text: A giant panda stands in a metal tub wearing a rainbow show cap with helicopter blades beneath a shower made of bamboo. A purple towel with “42” on it is over the side of the metal tub. The words “Octothorpe 96” are above “Chengdu Worldcon Report” with a footnote reading “might not have been a shower after all”.

John is playing a game, Alison is in New Zealand, and Liz’s head is on fire.

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Content warnings this episode: Privilege (letters of comment), carbon emissions (GUFF), grant applications (picks)

• Letters of comment

• Dave Mansfield

• Congratulations to Hugo, Girl!

• Being our designated Hugo acceptor

• It goes from Australasia to Europe (and vice versa)

• Australasia

• John: Don’t Play This Game (play the demo)

• Cover art: “Birds” by España Sheriff

• Alt text: A kakapo, a kiwi and a SIAMESE FIREBACK just chilling out. They look a bit like John, Alison and Liz. The words “Octothorpe 95” adorn the top of the cover.

John is eating cinnamon rolls, Alison doesn’t think it’s funny, and Liz has two lists.

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Content warnings this episode: colonialism (chapter 2), COVID (chapter 3), organised crime (chapter 5), privilege and capitalism (chapter 7).

• No letters of comment this week, normal service resumes next week!

• The Daughter of Doctor Moreau, by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

• Coffee Shop AU

1. Nettle & Bone

1. Nettle & Bone

1. Nettle & Bone

1. Nettle & Bone

• Cover art: “Favourite Reading Positions” by Sue Mason

• Alt text: John is in the bottom-left, sitting in a chair, wearing a blue shirt and purple trousers, holding a can, and reading an ebook. Alison is in the upper-middle, lying down upside down, wearing a purple shirt and stripy trousers, and reading an ebook. Liz is in the bottom-right, wearing a pink shirt with green trousers, holding a mug of a hot beverage, and reading a physical book. They are surrounded by floating beer bottles, books, the Moon, a mug with a moose on it, and two cats. The word “Octothorpe” appears in scattered letters around the artwork, against a pinky-purple background.