JMS on CompuServe (Apr 10, 1996 PM) *POSSIBLE SPOILERS* 2/3
Brent Barrett
brent.barrett at 24stex.com
Wed Apr 10 18:51:23 EDT 1996
[ Continued from previous section -- BB ]
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WARNING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The following posts may contain SPOILERS for
upcoming Babylon 5 episodes.
Continue at your own risk.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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THE FOLLOWING MATERIAL IS THE COPYRIGHT OF THE
RESPECTIVE MESSAGE AUTHORS AND CANNOT BE
REPRODUCED IN ANY FORM WITHOUT THE EXPRESSED
PERMISSION OF THE AUTHOR.
Note that JMS has expressed his public permission
that all of his messages may be reproduced freely.
I give permission for my summaries to be reposted in
any form, however I reserve all rights to them and
the right to revoke this permission at any time.
#: 484623 S5/Babylon 5: General
09-Apr-96 16:27:02
Sb: #484265-#B5 FAN CLUB INFO!
Fm: GERARD KEATING (IRELAND)
Joe,
>> the first 100 people to join get: A Limited Collection Sticker of the
>> alternate B5 Logo as designed by artist Peter Ledger.
How about reserving a few of these for Canadian and Foreign memberships. It
will take us longer to get our post to North Hollywood.
Thanks for the club, $19.95 is great value.
Thanks also for the on-line conference over the weekend. It's the first time i
join one and it was great.
Yours
Gerard Keating (Ireland) 10-Apr-96 @ 00:14:38 GMT
#: 484664 S5/Babylon 5: General
09-Apr-96 17:58:22
Sb: #484623-B5 FAN CLUB INFO!
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Thanks. Yeah, we could've gone for something more expensive, but our
sense for now is to make it as accessible as possible, not to turn this into a
big profit venture. This will about cover the expenses, after a certain number
of memberships, or a little less. But that's okay.
jms
#: 484627 S6/Babylon 5: Upcoming
09-Apr-96 16:33:27
Sb: #484182-#SD: The Roanoke
Fm: MORRIS L. GAVANT, M.D.
When is the 'Elvis' going to be leading an attack?
#: 484665 S6/Babylon 5: Upcoming
09-Apr-96 17:58:25
Sb: #484627-#SD: The Roanoke
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
As soon as I can find a pair of blue suede cruisers.
jms
[ Summary: Wants to know when JMS will/if be showing his blooper reel
at Syndicon. ]
#: 484666 S5/Babylon 5: General
09-Apr-96 17:58:27
Sb: #484630-B5 at SyndiCon SF
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
I haven't heard a final schedule, but I'd imagine one day will be much
like the next. (Yes, planning to bring the blooper.)
jms
[ Summary: The poster screams "FIRE!" in a crowded forum. ]
#: 484676 S5/Babylon 5: General
09-Apr-96 18:07:52
Sb: #484480-#B5 v Star Trek
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
One also doesn't yell "Fire!" in a movie theater in Los Angeles because
people will shoot at you....
jms
[ Summary: A Star Trek forum poster thanks JMS for spending time with
the "other camp" and comments that he loves B5 as much as he loves
Trek and doesn't "see why there has to be a 'one-or-the-other'
choice made." ]
#: 484890 S2/Star Trek: General
10-Apr-96 00:20:11
Sb: #484836-ST v Babylon 5
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
I absolutely agree with you, which is why it's so discouraging from time
to time to have folks come into *either* forum and stir people up.
The simple fact is that there's room in the SF universe for a
multiplicity of views. If every SF novel were written by Larry Niven, sure,
they might be good books...but we'd miss out on all the Heinleins and Gibsons
and Asimovs and others. SF thrives on diversity, and the ultimate beneficiary
of more successful, quality SF shows is the viewer, because the shows on the
air have to work harder.
So for me, there IS not "other camp." We're all in the same camp: the
"good SF camp."
jms
[ Summary: Another Star Trek forum member states that he loves Trek and
B5 and S:AaB and Star Wars. ]
#: 484891 S2/Star Trek: General
10-Apr-96 00:20:14
Sb: #484857-ST v Babylon 5
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
"...is there a pattern here?"
Yes. You have an open mind, and an appreciation for SF. (I've seen most
S:A&B episodes myself, and generally liked more than I disliked. And as for
Star Wars...if there's anyone who DIDN'T like the trilogy, we should do all we
can to prevent them from breeding.
jms
#: 484805 S5/Babylon 5: General
09-Apr-96 20:35:41
Sb: #483990-#Universes: ST vs. B5
Fm: CAROL NAYLOR
>> Actually, though, because he *did* have his hand in his pocket, it let
me handle the break in the next episode without stretching credulity too far.
It was...well...I guess you'd call that part of it a lucky break.
That was _lucky_ ?
<backing away slowly> I see......
Well, they told me the bear was a warning but sometimes the way your mind
works can be _really_ scary <g>.
Carol
#: 484892 S5/Babylon 5: General
10-Apr-96 00:20:17
Sb: #484805-Universes: ST vs. B5
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
"...the way your mind works can be *really* scary."
Why, thank you...that's the nicest thing anyone's said about me in days.
jms
[ Summary: A poster re-asks a question in public that JMS declined to
answer in private concerning JMS' beliefs with regard to religion. ]
#: 484893 S5/Babylon 5: General
10-Apr-96 00:20:26
Sb: #484648-JMS question
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
I declined to answer this privately because I'm really and honestly leery
of spreading, or trying to spread, or being perceived as trying to spread my
own notions about. What works for me, works for me; your mileage may (and
obviously does) vary. What I do or don't believe shouldn't enter into it.
That's why I've deliberately left it *out* of the show. Otherwise you're not
telling a story anymore, you're engaging in propagandxa. But if you're going
to press the issue....
As a writer, I don't feel it's my obligation to be fair to every group on
the planet. That way madness lies. But I do feel that it is my absolute
obligation to be *honest* in my portrayal of any group, as well as I am able to
perceive it. If I write about a Minbari, then I must be as honest I can in
addressing who that character is, what he feels, what he believes, and so on.
So why should it seem such a leap that, as an atheist, I do the same when
it comes to religion? I suppose the question itself is the truly astonishing
thing...that it should seem strange or unusual to be even handed and at least
*try* to be honest. Have we dropped so much as a culture that the absence of
pushing one's own agenda, and giving an honest hearing of someone else's
viewpoint, is considered extraordinary?
"The weaving of religion and scifi in your show is so well done. Where
does it come from then?" It comes from the characters who believe in whichever
religion is under consideration. If I am fairly rigorous in presenting the
scientific or extrapolative aspects of the show, what then is odd about this
other part?
As a writer, it's my obligation to put myself in the mind of my
characters, and feel what they feel, and while I'm in their head, believe what
they believe. If I do my job right, I offer those opinions and thoughts and
feelings with conviction, sincerity and strength.
Also, bear in mind that the religious impulse is not that far removed
from the sense of wonder of a scientist on unlocking a particularly thorny DNA
code. (Note: science and religion are NOT the same thing, their methodologies
are diametrically opposed, and creationism is NOT science, and evolution is NOT
religion, however much some might wish to make it so by saying it is.) The
emotion is the core truth of it all, what it *feels* like. We've all
experienced the sense of wonder in one form or another; it's no major task to
translate it to another venue.
The religious impulse, and the scientific impulse, both spring from the
same source...the desire to answer the questions, Who am I? What am I doing
here? and Where am I going? Those had to be the very first questions we began
asking when we became sentient, and we're still asking them. The supernatural
or religious approach to that question came first; the scientific approach much
later. The scientific approach is, "How can I figure out the answer to the
question?" The religious impulse leads you to, "Who can tell me the answer to
the question?"
The one approach is not intrinsically better than the other; they feed
very different needs. And the whole point of *asking* the question is to feed
that particular emotional need for an answer. You find the venue that most
matches the wellspring of your desire. They serve vastly different functions,
are not comparable, but are no less valid experiences for those involved. The
core feeling of a scientist on receiving the first images from the surface of
Mars are not far removed from the feelings of the newly converted upon stepping
forth at a revival meeting. Each gets what he *needs*. And each is an
honorable pursuit within its own framework.
"What brought you to the conclusion that there is no god?" That I
haven't yet seen one in any of our "holy books" that deserved the name; not one
that wasn't afflicted by the same jealousies, pettinesses, irrationalities and
meannesses of the average human. I've met many humans who were better and
nobler than some so-called deities, who sacrified their limbs, their fortunes
or their lives without the sure knowledge that they would end up on the great
white throne of heaven for doing so.
"Do you believe that we are all here due to one happy (or unhappy)
accident?" My belief doesn't enter into it. The best physical evidence
indicates that we evolved ourselves up from the ground, pulling ourselves up by
our genetic bootstraps across a million years of struggle, evolution and blood,
surviving because we were smarter than anything that was stronger than us.
This, to me, is something to be proud of; we did it ourselves, we weren't just
created whole and complete, all the work pre-assembled at the factory. We
walked on the moon because we *earned* it by growing smart, and learning -- in
however inconsistent and fractured a way -- to live and work together more
often than we fought with each other.
"From your perspective -- what is the meaning of life?" As an atheist, I
believe that we get just one ride on the merry-go-round, one shot at the brass
ring before they close the park. That's it. As a result, I view life as being
*incredibly* precious, a resource rarer than any jewel. A resource that must
be protected, nourished, put one step further along the road to a better road.
What we leave behind, our only shot at immortality, is the work we leave, the
accomplishments that hold their place in the record books long after we've
turned to dust, so that our names have meaning. In 50 years, nobody will care
much what religion Jonas Salk subscribed to; they will care only that he cured
a terrible disease, and made the world a better place.
If we believe we are immortal, then we have wiggle-room to screw up,
because we'll get another chance; to waste our lives on the theory that as long
as we believe a certain way, it doesn't matter if we do anything of
consequence, we're guaranteed an eternity of harp music. If we believe the
world will be swallowed by armageddon in a few years, then there's no reason to
protect the planet, plan for the future, find a comfortable balance between
nature and industry, so that we can achieve the stars without destroying the
planet.
I don't have that luxury, and a luxury it is. So I find my version of
immortality in the words, and in the work, and in the memory of those I may
touch, or help, or instruct, or entertain.
You may not operate that way. And that's fine. It's our differences
that make us human, and our humanity that makes us endlessly interesting.
jms
#: 484687 S5/Babylon 5: General
09-Apr-96 18:28:07
Sb: #484265-#B5 FAN CLUB INFO!
Fm: SHANE S. SHELLENBARGER
Joe,
Thanks for the B5 club info. Is there anything special being done for those
of us who were subscribers to the newsletter that Christy Marx edited?
#: 484894 S5/Babylon 5: General
10-Apr-96 00:20:28
Sb: #484687-#B5 FAN CLUB INFO!
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Yes, those individuals will receive the newsletter free of charge even if
they don't join the fan club, until such time as the remaining 2 issues are
worked off.
jms
#: 484751 S5/Babylon 5: General
09-Apr-96 19:48:54
Sb: #B5 candy
Fm: JAMES R. KAPESIS
Quick question, what is your favorite candy bar?
Thanks.
#: 484896 S5/Babylon 5: General
10-Apr-96 00:20:32
Sb: #484751-B5 candy
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Anything, as long as it's solid milk chocolate.
(Isn't this rather a silly waste of forum space?)
jms
#: 484820 S5/Babylon 5: General
09-Apr-96 20:59:58
Sb: #I hope this is a rumor..
Fm: MIKE HOFFMANN
Hi Joe!
I found this on Usenet, where you might have read it too. Is it only
rumor-mongering? Or sad truth? Can you even comment at this time?
Cheers
Mike
-------------------------- snip snip -------------------
Today a representative of KTXA Ch. 21 here in Dallas came into the
Remember When shop and stated the following info:
That they were told that B5 will cease production this year.
That the ratings have gone up, but as PTEN is closing shop, they are
shutting down all shows.
\That TV stations across the country are not pleased with the loss of
B5 and are urging 1st run syndication.
That now DEFINATLY is the time to write Warner Bros and show support
for two more seasons.
He also stated they were told under NO circumstances was The Warner
Bros. Network interested in B5, and our only hope is the syndie deal.
I will be writing separate letters to Wrners, Babylonian Productions,
and KTXA noting my displeasure with this plan, and cc each separate
letter to the other two entities.
I can only hope this is Warners way of getting out of the PTEN
business and they are wise enough to see they have a ratings winner in
B5.
-Mike Hoffmann
"Only one human captain has ever survived combat with the Minbari fleet.
He is behind me... you are in front of me.
If you value your lives - be somewhere else!" -- Ambassador Delenn
#: 484897 S5/Babylon 5: General
10-Apr-96 00:20:35
Sb: #484820-I hope this is a rumor..
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
No, it's just a rumor. These things come up every year.
jms
[ Continued in next section -- BB ]
/*********************************************
* Brent Barrett brent.barrett at 24stex.com *
* Senior Software Engineer Automedia, Inc *
* http://www.ailink.com *
*********************************************/
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