{"id":17624,"date":"2021-05-08T13:00:15","date_gmt":"2021-05-08T17:00:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.monsffa.ca\/?p=17624"},"modified":"2021-05-10T08:26:05","modified_gmt":"2021-05-10T12:26:05","slug":"post-1-of-6-opening","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.monsffa.ca\/?p=17624","title":{"rendered":"Post 1 of 6: Opening"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>This is post 1 of 6 related posts which together make up our May 8, 2021, DIY, Virtual MonSFFA Meeting.<\/p>\n

1) QUICK CORONAVIRUS UPDATE!<\/strong><\/h3>\n

It has come down to a race between the vaccines and the variants!<\/p>\n

Qu\u00e9bec is faring fairly well through this third wave. While the variant forms of the coronavirus are far more transmissible\u2014and if some cases, rather deadlier\u2014than the original, this necessitating enhanced restrictions in some areas, the good news is that the vaccine supply has largely stabilized and is robust, with hundreds of thousands of doses now arriving regularly. The roll-out is proceeding apace and by the end of next week, all<\/em> adults in Quebec will be eligible for a first jab, so book your appointment as soon as possible! To date, almost 50 percent of Qu\u00e9bec\u2019s adult population has received at least that first shot, and with the recent approval of Pfizer\u2019s vaccine for children as young as 12 years old, officials expect that teens will have had their initial dose by the end of June, with the second to follow before the start of the next school year.<\/p>\n

All good! We anticipate an almost<\/em> normal summer, so hang on just a while longer. And even if you have had your first shot, continue to practice all recommended safety protocols so as to protect those who have not yet received theirs.<\/p>\n

2) HAPPY MOTHER\u2019S DAY!<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Tomorrow is Mother\u2019s Day! For those of you fortunate enough to still have your mom, give her a big hug, and if that\u2019s not possible, call to wish her a happy Mother\u2019s Day. It has been an especially difficult year for us all, separated from family as so many are, so she will surely appreciate hearing from you. We can all take the opportunity of this day in particular to celebrate with fondness our beloved moms!<\/p>\n

3) MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\u00a0<\/strong>We remind club members that MonSFFA has resumed the collection of annual membership fees beginning officially<\/em> in April. Note that every active club member has benefitted from a full year of fees-free membership.<\/em><\/p>\n

For most MonSFFen, our 2020 renewal dates now become 2021 renewal dates. So if your annual membership fees were due in May 2020, that\u2019s been bumped up a year to May 2021. If your fees were due last June, they are now due this upcoming June, July 2020 to July 2021, and so on.<\/p>\n

But what about those few MonSFFen who had, in fact, paid<\/em> their fees last year, most prior to pandemic lockdowns going into effect and our suspension of in-person meetings? These folk, then, having paid last year\u2019s fees, will not miss out on the fees-free year enjoyed by their fellow club members; their<\/em> annual fees will next become due beginning in 2022<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Of course, we welcome back any former members who may have let lapse their memberships, and we invite to join our ranks any prospective members who may have discovered the club via our virtual meetings.<\/p>\n

Note that there is no change to our fee structure. A standard one-year membership is still only<\/em> $25; the premium Platinum Level membership, $35; a family membership (up to four people, single postal mailing address), $40; and the Platinum Family Level, $50. Make your cheques or money orders out to \u201cMonSFFA\u201d and mail to our new postal mailing address:<\/p>\n

MonSFFA, c\/o<\/p>\n

125 Leonard<\/p>\n

Ch\u00e2teauguay, Qu\u00e9bec, Canada<\/p>\n

J6K 1N9<\/p>\n

Download here the latest issue of MonSFFA\u2019s news bulletin, Impulse<\/em>, for all the details: ImpulseApril-May2021(PDF)<\/a><\/p>\n

4) TODAY\u2019S MEETING: INTRODUCTION<\/strong><\/h3>\n

As we gather online for this month\u2019s virtual club meeting, we take a moment to strongly encourage all MonSFFen to get their vaccine shot as soon as available, and to please<\/em> continue to take all possible precautions in order to keep themselves and others as protected from the virus as can be. It is especially important that we not let up on those safety protocols prematurely.<\/p>\n

This is our 14th virtual MonSFFA meeting. The afternoon\u2019s get-together will unfold right here on the club\u2019s Web site over the course of the next few hours, beginning with this first post, and followed by subsequent posts at 1:30PM, 2:30PM, 3:00PM, and 4:00PM, with a concluding post at 4:30PM. All content will also be available concurrently on MonSFFA\u2019s Facebook page (www.facebook.com\/MonSFFA<\/a>), however, note that the interface best suited for taking in this meeting is this very Web site.<\/p>\n

Today we\u2019ll be talking comedy, parody, and puns in SF\/F, scale-modelling, feature a brief Starlost<\/em> episode guide, and more!<\/p>\n

We will officially open today\u2019s Zoom chat at 1:30PM, running in parallel to the Web site-based content that will be put up throughout the afternoon. Our Zoom will afford folk opportunity to catch-up, chat about the disappointment of Godzilla vs. Kong<\/em>, and discuss with or ask questions of our presenters directly. If our Zoom is interrupted, that\u2019s likely a temporary technical glitch, but this weekend, could also be an errant rocket booster falling out of the sky and crashing through our roof! Just refresh.<\/p>\n

As we cannot yet safely assemble in person, this May virtual meeting has been prepared especially for you, MonSFFA\u2019s membership. Sit back, check out each of the afternoon\u2019s posts, scroll down leisurely through the proffered content, and enjoy!<\/p>\n

And don\u2019t forget to comment on what we\u2019ve presented. Let us know what you think of specific topics or the meeting overall. Your input helps us to tailor these virtual meetings for maximum interest and enjoyment.<\/p>\n

You may also wish to Zoom with us during the course of the meeting. To join our expanded Zoom session, beginning at 1:30PM, click here: This Afternoon\u2019s MonSFFA Zoom<\/a><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re not fully equipped to Zoom by computer, you can also join in by phone (voice only); in the Montreal area, the toll-free number to call is: 1-438-809-7799. If you\u2019re from out of town, find your Zoom call-in number here: International Call-In Numbers<\/a><\/p>\n

Have this information on hand as you may be asked to enter it:<\/p>\n

Meeting ID: 823 6592 4425
\nPasscode: 768740\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

5) MEETING AGENDA<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

In This Afternoon\u2019s Virtual Meeting:<\/p>\n

1:00PM, Post 1 of 6 (Opening)<\/strong><\/p>\n

1) Coronavirus Upate<\/p>\n

2) Happy Mother\u2019s Day<\/p>\n

You can tuck couple of pillows under your head for this purpose. tadalafil cheapest<\/a> For instance, submucosal fibroids cause heavy periods whereas subserosal fibroids push against the bladder http:\/\/cute-n-tiny.com\/cute-animals\/tamarin-monkeys\/<\/a> discount viagra causing frequent urination. The blood circulation increase is cialis australia<\/a> a function that has been laboratory tested on animals. There are very few who know the issue by taking certain pills which can let you levitra 10 mg Visit Your URL<\/a> free from the issue for certain time duration. <\/span>3) Membership Renewals<\/p>\n

4) Today\u2019s Meeting: Introduction<\/p>\n

5) Meeting Agenda<\/p>\n

6) Cheesy Dad Jokes, These Groaners Are!<\/p>\n

1:30PM, Post 2 of 6 (Sci-Fi Laughs; Zoom Opens!)<\/strong><\/p>\n

7) Space\u2014The Final Frontier (Humour, Parody, Puns in SF\/F)<\/p>\n

8) Zoom Chat Opens<\/p>\n

2:30PM, Post 3 of 6 (Break)<\/strong><\/p>\n

9) Mid-Meeting Break (Display Table, Raffle, Zoom Continues)<\/p>\n

3:00PM, Post 4 of 6 (Modelling Hour!)<\/strong><\/p>\n

10) Zoom Chat: Scale-Model Building Show-and-Tell<\/p>\n

4:00PM, Post 6 of 7 (Internet Gems!)<\/strong><\/p>\n

11) Starlost<\/em> Episode Guide<\/p>\n

4:30PM, Post 6 of 6 (Wrap-Up)<\/strong><\/p>\n

12) More Star Wars<\/em> Dad Jokes!<\/p>\n

13) Thank-You!\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

6) CHEESY DAD JOKES, THESE GROANERS ARE!<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Star Wars<\/em> fans celebrated their favourite sci-fi franchise earlier this week, on May 4 and 5, respectively, Star Wars<\/em> Day (May the Fourth be With You), and Revenge of the Fifth. In honour of this, we offer for your amusement 13 cheesy Star Wars<\/em> jokes and puns, dad-style<\/em>, plus a few cartoons, all culled from the Internet! (Cartoons by Scott Nickel, Jon Carter, and Nathan Cooper.)<\/p>\n

1) Luke Skywalker\u2019s love life hasn\u2019t exactly been stellar! I mean, he was hitting on his own sister at one point! He seems to be looking for love in Alderaan places!<\/p>\n

2) At breakfast, how does Darth Vader like his toast?… On the dark side!<\/p>\n

3) What do you call a Rebel princess who eschews the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides in her vegetable garden?… Leia Organic!\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

4) What Rebel commander runs a hotdog stand on the side?… Admiral Snackbar!\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

5) Where do Sith shop?… At the Darth Mall!<\/p>\n

6) Where did Luke buy his cybernetic hand?… At the second-hand store!<\/p>\n

7) Hear about the big discount sale down at the Darth Mall?… Half off!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>8) There\u2019s this Star Wars<\/em> fan who really likes it when fangirls dress up as bounty hunters! He has a Boba fetish!<\/p>\n

9) Who is short, green, and plays the cello?… Yo-Yo Da!<\/p>\n

10) What is the Emperor\u2019s favourite Qu\u00e9becois delicacy?… Palpoutine!<\/p>\n

11) As a child, Luke rode a do<\/em>-cycle\u2026because there is no tri<\/em>!<\/p>\n

12) What do you call an evil procrastinator?… Darth Later!<\/p>\n

13) What was Governor Tarkin\u2019s favourite brand of toilet paper?… Charmin, to the last!\"\"<\/a>