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UnCon 2008 - The Official Suggestions Thread

oll_lewis

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Suggestions speakers for the next UNCON

OK, it's not cast in stone yet that there is an uncon next year (2008) but how about we give some suggestions for speakers we'd like to see.
If the Powers that be see this thread then it could, hopefully, provide some inspiration.

I'd like to see the bloke from Ripley's that was interviewed in the most recent issue giving a general talk on some of the most fascinating tales he's heard during his time at Ripley's.

I'd like to see a ghost talk from the point of view of a folklorist.

I'd also like to do a talk myself. I'm fairly well known in Cryptozoology (expeditions and investigations including Llangorse Lake, the Gambia, the Baglan Beast and Lake Windemere as well as running the CFZ aquatic monster research group and writing the 6 page reports from it each issue in animals and men) and, good from Dennis's point of view, I'm cheap. I can talk on Welsh cryptids, a detailed talk on welsh lake monsters or Death Portents. Previous events I've talked at include the big cat conference and weird weekend the last 2 years.
 
If there's going to be any UFO content, then I'd suggest getting someone from the new guard, such as Paul Kimball, Mac Tonnies or even Jeremy Vaeni. Unfortunately, they're all based overseas, which may make them too expensive.

Two subjects that no-one should be allowed to talk about on the grounds that we're all bored stiff with them: Roswell and orbs.
 
Some of you have obviously seen the tentative announcement in FT235 about this year's UnCon. We're trying to finalise date and venues as quickly as possible and will let you know for sure as soon as all is confirmed. As I said in the editorial, we really do want your suggestions as to the content (or, indeed, form) of this year's UnCon, so please post suggestions in this thread or email me with them.

First question is: How is the weekend of 1/2 Nov for people. Someone had expressed concern that it might mean travelling on Halloween - is that a major problem, a minor inconvenience or a big plus? Obviously, if this is a bad date we need to know asap - as far as we know it doesn't clash with any other conventions and one nice potential venue is free that weekend.

DS
 
Any chance of the Speaker's line-up including, Alan Moore, Terry Pratchett, and/or Neil Gaiman, please? :D
 
Patrick Harpur, Alan Moore, a. n. exorcist might tell a good tale. A nuts and bolts ufologist would be fun.

No secret masonic/ grail/ treasure blockbuster floggers please.
 
Sadly, I don't think Patrick H likes public speaking - I've asked him on numerous occasions and he always refuses politely...
 
Hi Dave,

People have always got something on at Halloween so I think putting UnCon on at that time would perterb quite a few people. Later or earlier would be better.

Speakers:

Talks based on new research and cases or new perspectives on old topics and subjects.

Here's some talks I've put on / been to recently that I, I think, would be good (if not these topics then these speakers)

Neil Arnold - Big Cats Around The Capital
Catherine Rider - Magic and Medicine in the Middle Ages
Dan Baines - Dead Fairy Found in Derbyshire!
Simon Sherwood - Phantom Black Dogs: A Psychological Perspective

Skeptics in the Pub is soon to have:

Dr. Ciarán O’Keeffe and Steve Parsons - How not to investigate the Paranormal
 
Jon Ronson again, though he cancelled at the last Commonwealth institute UCon.

As someone above says an author like Neil Gaiman would be good.

The CFZ have got to do a presentation.... :D

Apropos skitster, some folks don't have anything on at Halloween and UnCon sounds like a good way to spend it.
 
May we have an Uncon out of London one year, please? :D
 
As ever we're down to personal preferrences. Dunno whether Sean Tudor the Road Ghost chap speaks publically and his site has been quiet awhile but I imagine he has a wealth of highway spectres, another vote for a Black Dog specialist and anyone in the daemonic reality business if Patrick Harpur isn't up for it. The Stoat article was fascinating - was that by Merrily Harpur?
 
Outside of London (but not too far north) would be great. And halloween would be a bad idea I think as there is always too much going on around that time.

Oh yes, include Dr Ciaran O'Keeffe please :blissed:
 
Hold it outside London, York would be alright, for example

Bring back Doug Skinners & his musical instruments, just because I missed that last time, and the HP Lovecraft Appreciation society (or any similar sort of thing)

A venue with decent air conditioning would also be nice, and a bar that doesn't just do Carling & John Smiths

No talks to do with The DVC, unless Rat Scabies is involved

Keep the 1/2 November dates for the talks, but have some sort of Halloween pre-talk event, not sure what, but it demands something more than going to the pub, surely?

Black Dogs talk

Or failing that, Big Cats & How Not to Investigate the Paranormal

Fanthorpe & Downes playing a selection of tunes from their CD one evening, or in the lunch hour.

That Fort Shorts thingy at Edinburgh sounded a good idea, try that for the last hour?
 
Is it at all conceivable that John Keel could be roped in as a speaker? That would certainly seal the deal for me.

Would also be interested in Merrily Harpur talk, Big Cats?
 
Jan Bondeson is a great speaker. i wasn't expecting his last uncon talk to be interesting at all, but it was fantastic. also Gordon Rutter is very enjoyable to listen to, and Gail-Nina Anderson
 
I would like to suggest my friends in Parasearch. They gave an excellent talk a few years back but had to cut it short because the previous talk overran.

I don't know if its suitably Fortean enough, but I could talk about my book, on a controversial aspect of the Titanic disaster. It makes the JFK conspiracy theories look like a water pistol fight.
 
By the way, November 1st/2nd is fine by me. Its the day after my birthday though!
 
original_fLeebLe said:
... Gail-Nina Anderson
Indeed, especially in that basque :shock: . Jan Bondeson is good fun, the mind of Mycroft Holmes, the delivery of Herr Flick.
 
Speed dating!

And what about a swap meet for books and other paraphernalia

And a "best of the best" of previous Uncon speakers

A few faves off the top of my head from previous years are: Lionel Fanthorpe, Loren Coleman, Jon Ronson, Richard Wiseman....

And perhaps a bit tricky but if there are multiple rooms for speakers perhaps people who aren't big or biggish names could do presentations? Some people from this forum perhaps?
 
Stewart Evans - not only does he know Jack the Ripper upside down and inside out, he's also just as well versed in other true crime lore, and I'm reliably informed, has just as many books on ghosts and other paranormal subjects in his rather extensive library (of which I'm incredibly jealous).
 
DrPLee said:
I don't know if its suitably Fortean enough, but I could talk about my book, on a controversial aspect of the Titanic disaster. It makes the JFK conspiracy theories look like a water pistol fight.
Yes please! And another vote here for Jan Bondeson, on any subject at all. Personally, I think having it close to Halloween is a bonus. Any chance of Julian Cope?
 
cherryhinton said:
... Any chance of Julian Cope?
Yes. I bought a copy of Megalithic European, last year. V.good photo illustrated book on European megalithic sites.


I really liked 'China Doll' too. :)
 
Would love to come, (My fave speaker is always Gail-Nina Anderson!) but unfortunately I already have stuff booked for Halloween. I am gutted.
 
Ken Campbell please.
I don't think Halloween is a good time for an Uncon. Not on a board like this. I already know of one group of us going off to do something else, there's a good chance that many of a Fortean persuasion have made other arrangements.
 
Can I put a word in for Nina-Gail Anderson and Jan Bondeson too.

A bit of an off the wall suggestion, but the author Christopher Fowler (better known for Roofworld and his horror) has a lot of Fortean stuff in his Bryant and May crime novels, particularly legends associated with London.
 
I'd second the request for Ken Campbell.

Mike Dash?

Def no UFO disinfo people....

Any chance of flying over John Keel? He's still around aint he?
 
Ohhh and no sceptics, they're boring, proper Forteans only :))
 
Steveash5 said:
Ohhh and no sceptics, they're boring, proper Forteans only :))

I sort of agree, but both Richard Wiseman and Chris French are actually pretty cool and I loved Wiseman's flea circus and was gutted to miss the seance

And how about a magician with an interest in scepticism (if we are allowing sceptics ?
Penn and Teller are great speakers (I heard them a few years ago) and good old Derren Brown? Let's aim high!
 
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