From: "Strong, Lee" <StrongL at MTMC.ARMY.MIL>
To: "'WSFA members'" <WSFAlist at keithlynch.net>
Subject: [WSFA] Re: Murder at the Clone Convention
Date: Wed, 12 Feb 2003 12:47:55 -0500
Reply-To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at keithlynch.net>

	_Murder at the Clone Convention_ resembles "The Barbie Murders"
because both involve murders in a society of identical human beings.  My
recollection of "The Barbie Murders" is a little hazy but I think that
"barbie-dom" was achieved surgically rather than genetically, and the
motivations for the barbies and Neffs are different.
	The case of "CC" the cloned cat suggests that clones need not look
like their originals as CC has a noticeably different fur pattern compared
to the donor.  This suggests that Clone 001 need not look especially like
Clone 002, etc.  The upbringing would potentially have a major impact.  If
all the clones were raised in a mass facility such as depicted in _Star Wars
Episode 2_, then greater similiarities would be expected than if one were
raised on Tatooine and another on Corescant, etc.  An important detail for
the author to determine.
	I have no "school solution" to the mystery posed but am certainly
enjoying the discussion.
	Questions for Detective Lubell:
		Why do you assume that all the Neffs registered at the front
desk and are wearing their identification, or that there is a finite set of
Neffs to be dealt with?  If sf author Neff is anything like
Disclave/Capclave attendees, there will be Neff drop-ins, no-shows, and
Neffs wearing the wrong ID's.  Clones *would* presumably be more sensitive
to proper ID than the average citizen.  (I have enough trouble with sharing
a name with my father and grandfather!)
		Why do you assume that any Neffs will be missing?  If the
clones strongly resemble each other, a murderous clone may assume that he
will go undetected in the crowd and will therefore remain on the scene
acting innocent.  The Barbie Murderer was recorded on film acting
innocently.
		Why do you assume that no Neff had no motive to kill
Logan/Neff?  In addition to the usual human motives, identity theft is more
of a threat to a community of identicals than a community of uniques.
Suppose Neff X suspects that his wife is sleeping with Neff Y....
	Additional questions:  SF fandom includes a costume fan
subcommunity.  What if a Neff-fan is posing as a Neff, or even as
Neff/Logan?  "Logan's" identity may be news to the detective but fans are
often well acquainted with their heroes' foibles.

-----Original Message-----
From: Eric Jablow [mailto:erjablow at netacc.net]
Sent: Tuesday, February 11, 2003 10:39 PM
To: WSFA members
Subject: [WSFA] Re: Murder at the Clone Convention

Just a random observation.  For some reason this idea reminds me of
John Varley's novel, The Barbie Murders.  I'm not sure why.

Eric