FWIW:
The apology itself is a bit of a shame - they’re apologizing for things they had no control over and weren’t involved in. The Glasgow Worldcon is a separate, independent entity and they’re making sure nobody involved in Chengdu is part of Glasgow. It’s a virtual certainty Seattle will do the same as well.
But kudos to them for working to clean up the mess other people (Dave McCarty with the lion’s share) made.
Really, what needs to happen is more centralization on the awards administration. Each Worldcon can continue to be operated independently but that contract needs to be awarded with additional rules and restrictions on the awards to ensure openness and independence of the nominations, verification, and award.
As for the relevance of the Hugos, I don’t see how there have been more and more scandals every year. There was the few years the Puppies tried to politicize them, and the community put an end to that. And obviously people still care. That’s almost something Yogi Berra might have said - yeah, nobody cares about the Hugos, but people care enough about them they think it’s worth politicizing them? That notion is nonsensical on its own face. The very fact people try to manipulate them is itself evidence they are still relevant, regardless of the effect on sales.
As for the current crew, the worst part of the mess is that the Chinese government didn’t even get involved. It was the administrators of the award pre-emptively deciding they didn’t want problems and creating their own as a result. And even worse, they did it so ineptly they got caught almost immediately. And also galling is the non-apology (apologizing for acting like a jerk - not for rigging the awards) by McCarty.
Only by having Kat Jones resign.
The biggest loser out of all of this is Chinese fandom, it seems.
Well, yes, there wasn’t a whole lot of overlap in the broader Worldcon committees. Is the suggestion that they should all resign despite not being involved in Chengdu?
That is, of course, separate from the WSFS, which administers the awards.
So, yes, it’s a good thing that the Glasgow organizers are taking this seriously, but they really weren’t involved and it is a shame that they, rather than the people actually responsible, are having to be the ones who publicly apologize and clean up after them.
No, I’m saying if she hadn’t resigned (and she didn’t do so immediately, only after the extent of her involvement was made apparent. *), there would still have been a strong connection between Chengdu and Glasgow, as she was the Hugos Administrator for 2024.
* And her last word on things was shitty, too, more calling out the whistleblowing and washing her hands than showing any remorse.
I’ll take “Acts that would count as treason if there was a war on” for 200 quatloos.
Just when you think all the shit has hit that fan, another turd pops out.
What a remarkable display of cowardice and responsibility-ducking.
If you’re going to be an international organization, make sure you have representation and counsel familiar with international issues. You can be a REALLY smart person and still have no idea of the pitfalls that await. Yes, professional representation can be expensive, but that’s because that knowledge is worth it.
With that said, I suspect they’ll get a slap on the wrist or a minor fine. It’s in nobody’s best interests to make this a thing.
I was thinking exile to the Phantom Zone myself.
The Phantom Zone seems like you’re making it “a thing”.
What makes it cruel and unusual? They never go hungry, they can’t be harmed, their health will be perfect and they are free to roam their entire universe.
They can’t argue with people on the internet about why this book was better/more deserving than that book? As is their God-given* right!
* Your god may be different than mine or not exist at all. IMHO, YMMV, IANAT, nothing matters anyway.
Yahweh’s mileage may vary?
I Am Not an Acolyte of Tiamet?
I was considering trying them in the courts of the Post-Atomic Horror where the 8th amendment doesn’t apply
Only if you believe in Yahweh and who am I to insist that you do that?
I Am Not A Theologist, but I think I like your answer better.
But…then wouldn’t you have to have the Atomic Horror first? Not sure I can support that plan nor would I like to subscribe to your newsletter.
Well, I suppose we could try to use our foreknowledge to stop the Atomic Horror from happening, but then 29st century Starfleet is gonna be all over us and I hate dealing with those guys.
Apparently there’s a new controversy, or new layer to the controversy. I first heard about it in this video
which references this blog post
but here, I think, is the gist:
And now there’s a scandal surrounding the 2024 Hugos. The subcommittee announced that 377 votes were disqualified after apparently being fraudulently paid for to help one finalist win.
Not what the Hugos needed right now.