“There’s a need for the scientific study of UAPs and a requirement to assemble reliable evidence, something that could not be so easily ignored by science.”
~Kevin Knuth, a former scientist with NASA’s Ames Research Center

Explore the mysterious skies with our presentation on UAPs—objects in our skies that defy explanation. Delve into historical sightings, government investigations, and the latest in scientific inquiry into these enigmatic phenomena. From the famous Project Blue Book to recent declassifications, we’ll discuss the Lake George UFO sightings from 1955 and the ongoing debate about what these sightings might signify for our understanding of the universe. Whether you’re a skeptic or a believer, this presentation promises to open your eyes to the unexplained.

Embark on a fascinating journey into the skies with our panel on UAPs—those mysterious objects that have sparked intrigue and debate for decades. We’ll zoom in on Lake George, which has been a notable UFO hotspot since at least the 1950s. A significant sighting in 1955 captured national attention, leading to an investigation by none other than the U.S. Air Force’s Project Blue Book. Our panel will explore this and other historical cases, discussing the findings from Project Blue Book’s files, which are now housed in the Archive of The Impossible at Rice University. Whether you’re curious about government involvement or the cultural impact of these sightings, this session will delve into the unexplained, offering insights into how these phenomena have shaped our understanding of the cosmos.

Oh, and here, check out the Mt. Etna object.

Panel Concepts:

1. The Ethics of Elemental Exploitation
   • Discuss how magicians and sci-fi tech users might be depleting natural magical resources like ley lines or mana, akin to oil or coal in our world. Explore the moral implications of using sentient or semi-sentient materials for spell casting or powering spacecraft.
2. Magical Pollution: When Spells Go Wrong
   • Examine the consequences of failed spells or poorly managed magical energy, leading to “magical smog” or “spell residue.” How does this affect mythical creatures or alter the natural magical balance? Compare to sci-fi scenarios where experimental tech creates toxic byproducts or radiation.
3. The Galactic Garbage Patch
   • Envision a scenario where space is littered with old satellites, decommissioned ships, and alien tech waste. Discuss the interstellar environmental movement or the black market for salvage operations. How do different species deal with this cosmic litter?
4. Biomagical Mutations: The Unintended Consequences
   • Delve into how magical pollution or sci-fi radiation could lead to bizarre mutations in flora and fauna—or humans. Consider the societal implications of these mutations, from new species to ethical debates on what constitutes “life” in such altered states.
5. The Dark Side of Alchemy and Bioengineering
   • Look at how alchemists or futuristic bioengineers might ignore the environmental impact of their creations. Discuss the potential for creating “Frankenstein” creatures or plants that alter ecosystems irreversibly, leading to magical or sci-fi versions of invasive species.
6. Corporate Magic and Tech: Profit Over Planet
   • Analyze how magical guilds or tech conglomerates might prioritize profit, leading to unethical disposal of magical waste or hazardous tech byproducts. Include scenarios where they might lobby for less regulation or use their power to cover up environmental catastrophes.
7. Time Pollution: The Ripple Effect
   • Explore the idea of pollution not just in space but in time. How do time travelers or time mages affect the past or future with their residues or interventions? Discuss the concept of “temporal smog” or how altering history could backfire environmentally.
8. The Spellcaster’s Carbon Footprint
   • Humorous yet thought-provoking, this segment could look at how much magical energy casting spells consumes and the environmental cost, perhaps drawing parallels to carbon emissions. Consider magical carbon offsets or “green” magic practices.
9. Post-Apocalyptic Magic and Tech Recovery
   • Discuss how societies in a post-apocalyptic setting deal with or exploit the remnants of high-tech and magical civilizations. What does waste look like when everything is already in ruins?
10. The Great Alien Cleanup
    • Imagine an interstellar environmental movement where different alien species come together to clean up the galaxy’s mess. Discuss the politics, technology, and magic involved in such an endeavor, with a dash of cynicism on whether it’s even possible.

These concepts are designed to be provocative and entertaining, pushing the boundaries of conventional environmental discussions into the realms of fantasy and science fiction while keeping the conversation engaging and somewhat irreverent.

Panel Objective:

To delve into whether the ethos, aesthetics, and imagined technologies of Steampunk could offer insights or solutions for today’s challenges, sparking innovation through a mix of nostalgia and speculation.

Proposed Panelists:

• Someone with expertise in Victorian technology or history – Could provide context but also raise questions about applicability.
• An inventor or engineer – Perhaps with an interest in sustainable or DIY tech, to explore if Steampunk’s principles might guide modern innovations.
• An environmental scientist – To consider if the Steampunk fascination with alternate energy sources could inspire real-world environmental strategies.
• A futurist or speculative designer – To discuss how Steampunk’s alternate realities might influence contemporary design and policy.
• An artist or cosplayer from the Steampunk community – To showcase how art and fashion might educate or inspire sustainable practices.
• A philosopher or social theorist – To ponder if Steampunk’s social critique could offer new ways of thinking about technology and society.

Potential Discussion Points:

• Sustainability and Resource Use:
  • Could Steampunk encourage us to rethink resource consumption?
  • How might materials like brass and leather from Steampunk influence modern design?
• Innovation through DIY Culture:
  • Is there value in the DIY ethos of Steampunk for today’s tech development?
  • Can grassroots innovation lead to practical solutions?
• Energy Alternatives:
  • What if we explored Steampunk’s energy ideas like steam or aether in a modern context?
  • Could this inspire new approaches to renewable energy?
• Aesthetic and Functional Design:
  • Does the Steampunk aesthetic promote a philosophy of beauty with function?
  • How can aesthetics change our engagement with technology?
• Cultural and Educational Impact:
  • Might Steampunk narratives be used to teach science or history in an engaging way?
  • Could this genre shift our cultural narrative around technology?
• Social Commentary and Critique:
  • What can we learn from Steampunk’s critique of Victorian society for our own time?
  • How might this critique inspire equitable tech development?

Format Suggestions:

• Opening: A brief on what Steampunk might represent for modern problem-solving, but keep it open-ended.
• Roundtable: Each panelist offers thoughts, leaving room for questions and uncertainties.
• Q&A: Encourage audience interaction to add fresh perspectives.
• Interactive Segment: Perhaps a suggestion for some form of live activity or discussion where panelists and attendees can brainstorm or prototype.

The seminar titled “The Business of Cosplay: Tips on how to make money in the Imagination Industry” is presented by Alfonso Todd III of Imagination Nation. Here’s an overview based on available information:

Alfonso Todd III: Alfonso Todd III is the founder and managing partner of Imagine Nation Concepts, showcasing his entrepreneurial spirit and his passion for turning creative hobbies into legitimate businesses. His profile on LinkedIn highlights his role and his eclectic approach, blending street-level creativity with corporate strategy, focusing on community organization without political ambitions. This background makes him particularly suited to discuss the business aspects of cosplay, given his experience in both creative and business environment.

Seminar Overview:

• Title: “The Business of Cosplay: Tips on how to make money in the Imagination Industry”
• Focus: This seminar is aimed at providing insights into transforming the passion for cosplay into a profitable venture. It explores various avenues for monetization within the cosplay and broader imagination industry.

Content Highlights:

• Making Money through Cosplay: The seminar would likely delve into multiple strategies for generating income from cosplay, such as:
  • Selling Cosplay Merchandise: Including costumes, wigs, props, and digital content like tutorials or patterns.
  • Content Creation: Utilizing platforms like YouTube, Twitch, or Patreon for monetizing through ads, sponsorships, and memberships.
  • Event Appearances: Participating in conventions for both performance and selling opportunities, offering custom services or workshops.
  • Brand Partnerships: Engaging with brands for modeling or promotional activities at events.
• Building a Career: Insights on how to transition from a hobbyist to a professional cosplayer, including:
  • Networking and Community Engagement: Understanding the importance of social media presence, community involvement, and networking at conventions.
  • Skill Development: Tips on enhancing one’s skills in costume creation, performance, and digital marketing to increase marketability.
  • Economic Considerations: Practical advice on managing the costs associated with cosplay while aiming to make it a sustainable income source.
• Innovative Approaches: Given Todd’s knack for turning hustles into businesses, the seminar might also discuss:
  • Innovative Business Models: Exploring new ways to monetize creativity, perhaps through unique cosplay-related services or products.
  • Using Imagination for Business: How imagination can be leveraged not just for cosplay but for any entrepreneurial venture within the creative industry.

Expected Takeaways: Attendees would leave with a better understanding of how to professionalize their passion for cosplay, learning from Todd’s experience in merging creativity with business acumen. The seminar would likely encourage participants to think outside the conventional cosplay box, pushing for entrepreneurial thinking in the imagination industry.

This seminar would be particularly beneficial for those looking to turn their cosplay hobby into a part-time or full-time career, offering both inspiration and practical steps from someone who has navigated similar paths.

“I remember my first convention, and it was terrifying. I walked into this room, and there were all these people, and they were all looking at me. I thought, ‘What am I doing here? I don’t have a script.’ And then I realized, they were there because they loved the show. It was overwhelming, but in a good way.”

~William Shatner

Music. Writing. Art. Swinging pillows at monkeys. These are some of the most classic of human art forms, and our Guests of Honor will come together to talk about their creativity, their struggles, their advice for others, and, really, anything they want; they’re our guests of honor, we can’t exactly tell them what to do.

Buckle up, earthlings, for a cosmic collision of creativity at our Guest of Honor panel! We’ve summoned a motley crew of wizards, bards, and other dimension-hopping artists for a spectacle that’ll make your neurons dance. Prepare for tales that’ll warp your mind, from battling writer’s block with a magic quill to jamming with intergalactic beats. They’ll spill the beans on how to conjure art in an age where AI might just be your next collaborator, or archenemy; who knows?

General Creativity and Inspiration

1. What are some unusual sources of of inspiration for your works?
2. How do you overcome creative blocks or periods of low inspiration? Is murder essential, or just a good idea?
3. Can you describe a moment when you felt your work truly resonated with an audience?

Cross-Genre Exploration

4. Which genre outside of your primary one would you love to explore or have explored, and why?
5. Do you use other genres for inspiration or ideas?

Process and Technique

6. What’s the most challenging aspect of your creative process, and how do you tackle it?
7. Can you share a technique or tool that has significantly changed how you create?
8. In your field, what’s one thing you wish you knew when you were starting out?
   • Wisdom for new creators, potentially touching on both successes and mistakes.

Collaboration and Influence

9. Have you ever collaborated with someone from a different art form? What was that like?
   • Explores the dynamics of inter-disciplinary work and its challenges or benefits.
10. Who or what has been the biggest influence on your style or approach to your work?

The Future and Adaptation

11. How do you see your medium evolving in the next decade?
12. What’s the most exciting project you’re working on currently, or planning for the future?
13. With the rise of AI and new technologies, how do you see these tools affecting your creative process?

Audience Interaction

14. What’s the most memorable feedback you’ve received from a fan or critic?
15. If you could give one piece of advice to someone who wants to follow in your footsteps, what would it be?

“Airships are like steampunk’s version of the Internet: everyone wants to be connected, but the connections are slow and occasionally explode.”

– George Mann

Explore the governance, ethics, and societal structures of a steampunk world, with an emphasis on the roles and influences of its rogues, pirates, and those who operate on the fringes of society.

• Discussion Points:
  • Piracy in the Skies: Discuss the legitimacy of airship piracy as a form of resistance or redistribution, akin to Robin Hood in the air. What laws govern the skies, and how are they enforced?
  • Villainy as Catalyst for Change: How can villains or scoundrels push for technological or social advancement by challenging the status quo?
  • The Ethics of Villainy: Explore the ethical considerations of using technology for personal gain versus societal good. Is there honor among thieves in a steampunk world?
  • The Role of Scoundrels in Society: How do these characters fit into the societal structure? Are they necessary for balance, or do they disrupt the order?
  • Power Dynamics: Discuss how power might be redistributed or contested with the advent of steampunk technology, especially by those outside traditional power structures.
• Activities:
  • Mock Trial: Stage a trial where an airship pirate is on the stand for their crimes. Panelists and audience members can act as judge, jury, or witnesses, debating the pirate’s actions in the context of steampunk ethics.
  • Debate: A structured debate on a topic like “Should pirates be seen as heroes or villains in a steampunk society?” with audience participation in voting or suggesting points.
  • World-Building Exercise: Break into groups to design a utopian or dystopian steampunk society where villains and pirates play key roles, either as rulers or revolutionaries.
• Outcome:
  • A Declaration of Airship Rights: Draft a document that outlines the rights, responsibilities, or even the lack thereof for airship pirates, considering their unique position in society.
  • The Scoundrel’s Code: Create a set of principles or a “code” that might govern the behavior of villains and scoundrels in this universe, possibly with humor or irony reflecting their nature.
• Setting:
  • Transform the room into a steampunk courtroom or a captain’s quarters aboard an airship, using thematic elements like brass fixtures, wood paneling, and maps of the skies.

This panel celebrates the darker, more rebellious sides of steampunk, offering a nuanced look at how these characters shape the world around them, challenging attendees to consider the ethics of rebellion, innovation, and the pursuit of personal freedom in a society bound by gears and steam.

In this panel, you will meet some of our amazing authors, hear about the writing process, and understand that if you don’t spend a great deal of money on their tomes, all of Reality will be unmade, but hey, no pressure.

Step right up, bibliophiles, cosmic enthusiasts, and those who’ve ever wondered if their reading habits might perhaps be the key to universal destruction. Welcome the most pivotal panel at Wonderplace Alpha: “Why You Need To Support Authors And Purchase Their Books Or Else The Universe Will Explode Tomorrow.” Here, we’ll have a nice, cozy discussion with our authors about their work, art, writing in general, and the Universe ending.

The Panel Setup:

Imagine stepping into a room designed like the interior of a colossal, steampunk library where books don’t just sit on shelves; they orbit around you like planets around a star. The walls are adorned with gears that turn with each thought-provoking discussion, and authors, in their space suits, are perched on floating podiums.

Doesn’t that sound awful?

We’ll offer you a nice room with chair and such. It’s the people and the words that matter, after all.

Part 1: The Cosmic Impact of Fantasmic Literature

What would the world be like without Science Fiction and Fantasy literature?

Part 2: The Author’s Plight and Your Role

Wherein we meet our authors!

• The Existential Crisis of Authorship: It’s hard enough to put words together on a page, virtual or otherwise. Ransoming them to a happy audience is a unique and challenging skill. It also helps to have great readers.
• Writing For A Very Stressed Modern Audience.
• Trying To Write The Future Faster Than We Can Invent It

Part 3: The Call to Action

Oh, go ahead…tell us why we ought buy your books!

• The Economics of Existence: Sure illustrating how book sales correlate with the stability of time-space continuums.
• Interactive Q&A: A chance for the audience to engage with bizarre questions like, “Can horror stories scare away dark energy?” or “Is there a genre that could prevent the heat death of the universe?” Answers will be a mix of playful speculation and real insights into literature’s influence.
• The Art of Storytelling as Cosmic Glue: Discussion on how storytelling not only entertains but also binds the fabric of reality together, with each tale adding a thread to the cosmic tapestry.

Conclusion: The Real Stakes

As the panel concludes, the playful threats of universal doom will segue into a heartfelt appeal for the support of authors. The panelists will emphasize that while the universe might not literally explode, our cultural and intellectual landscape could certainly diminish without the continuous creation and consumption of literature.

“Every book you buy supports not just an author but the collective imagination of humanity. It’s about preventing the explosion of our shared consciousness, keeping the spark of creativity alive in an ever-expanding universe.”

Post-Panel Experience:

• Book Signing: With each book signed, authors will offer a “Cosmic Stability Certificate,” humorously ensuring the buyer has contributed to universal harmony.
• Photo Op: Capture your moment with a giant, mock book titled “How I Saved the Universe by Buying This Book.” Due to the whimsical nature of this universe, you might need to pose, send us your photo, and we’ll photoshop it for you. Compromise is key in the cosmos, after all.

This panel at Wonderplace Alpha is a quirky, yet profound reminder wrapped in humor of why we must support our creators. Because, in a way, they truly do keep our universe from exploding – both metaphorically and in the vibrant world of our collective imagination.