Chris for TAFF FAQ

 

Who is Chris Garcia?

Chris Garcia is a science fiction fan, film maker, and wrestling fan, who is also Assistant Curator at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California.

What is TAFF?

"The Trans-Atlantic Fan Fund was created in 1953 for the purpose of providing funds to bring well-known and popular [science fiction] fans familiar to those on both sides of the ocean across the Atlantic. Since that time TAFF has regularly brought North American fans to European conventions and European fans to North American conventions. TAFF exists solely through the support of fandom. The candidates are voted on by interested fans all over the world, and each vote is accompanied by a donation [...] These votes, and the continued generosity of fandom, are what make TAFF possible."

(Taken from the unofficial TAFF website, http://www.taff.org.uk, where you can find much, much more information on TAFF.)

What fanzines does Chris produce?

The Drink Tank was Chris's first fanzine, and has recently reached its 100th issue in just over two years.

Claims Department is Chris's fanzine for FAPA (the Fantasy Amateur Press Association), but which is also available on the web. It talks about trips that he's made and what happened on them.

Science Fiction/San Francisco is the main news zine for the San Francisco Bay Area, featuring news of science fiction and other fannish events, plus an extensive fannish calender. Chris co-edits this with Jean Martin, with help from a supporting cast of several.

PrintZine is Chris's TAFF bid zine.

What other fannish activity does Chris do?

Chris has attended many science fiction conventions over the years, starting with the first ever NASFiC (North American Science Fiction Convention) in 1975, which he attended literally as a babe in arms. Thus being one of the few attendees to be shorter than Harlan Ellison...

Chris was toastmaster at San Jose's Baycon 2005, one of the largest regular regional conventions in the U.S.

Chris is a regular on panel discussions at science fiction conventions, especially on topics related to computer history or fanzines.

Chris has been a regular panelist on Kevin Standlee's 'The Match Game SF,' featured at several U.S. science fiction conventions this year. ('The Match Game' is, of course, the U.S. version of the British game show 'Blankety Blank.') Chris has made the middle seat of the bottom row his own - the traditional haunt of Kenny Everett in the British TV version. Although, to date, he is not known to have bent any microphones...

Chris does fanzine reviews on his livejournal, http://johnnyeponymous.livejournal.com/

What is the 30 Day Pledge?

Chris has promised that, if he wins, within 30 days of his plane touching down back home, he'll have a complete and beautiful trip report ready to circulate!

Where can I get 'Chris for TAFF' merchandise?

You can buy T-shirts, mugs, hats, bags, badges from the 'Chris for TAFF' Cafe Press store - all items marked up with a $1.01 profit for TAFF.

How can I keep up to date with 'Chris for TAFF' news?

As well as checking this website, there are two other ways of keeping up:

Who are Chris Barkley, Linda Deneroff and Christian McGuire?

They are the other candidates for the TAFF race to the 2008 Eastercon. For more details, see the official ballot form.

Who is Mary Kay Kare?

Mary Kay Kare was the other candidate for the postponed 2007 TAFF race. She's not running in the 2008 race, as she's otherwise engaged with matters rocket-ship-shaped for most of next year... Her livejournal is at http://www.livejournal.com/users/marykaykare.

What is Hold Over Funds?

'Hold Over Funds' is the fifth 'candidate' for TAFF. If Hold Over Funds wins, then no TAFF trip will take place and the money raised will be held over for a future race. We think this is a bad thing, and we would urge you (always assuming you are impervious to our entreaties to vote for Chris Garcia) to vote for one of the other candidates instead.

When/How can I vote?

The official TAFF ballot is available on-line at the TAFF website. Deadline for voting is Midnight, PST, Saturday 17 November 2007. This is 8 AM, GMT, Sunday 18 November 2007.

Is Chris Garcia some sort of Fannish Hoax?

As is required by Fannish Law, Chris may neither confirm nor deny that he is, in fact, a completely fabricated being sent to Earth to cause ripples in Fan-Time continuum.

What's with The Drink Tank? Where'd the name come from?

Chris made a minor error when trying to register a trademark years back for a production company. He was so amused with it, he's kept it as the title for his fanzine.

Can Chris Cook/Dance/Sing/Mix a Good Manhattan?

Yes/A Fair Bit/NO, but that doesn't Stop Him/The Best You Ever Had

How do I get PrintZine sent to my mailbox?

You don't. You send an eMail to Garcia@computerhistory.org and ask for the PDF. PrintZine, with very few exceptions, will be an eZine. Things are just too darn expensive to print these days!

I had one grunch, but the eggplant over there. What can I do?

Avoid them at all costs. Believe us. We know whereof we speak.

If you have any other questions (frequent or otherwise), please e-mail either the web site maintainer or Chris himself.