JMS on CompuServe (Oct 18, 1996) *POSSIBLE SPOILERS*
Brent Barrett
bbarrett at speedlink.com
Fri Oct 18 22:00:53 EDT 1996
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 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.
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Archives of this material may be found at:
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[ Summary of subjects in this section: ]
Sb: #A Funny Thought
Sb: #594484-#URGENT! HELP! from jms
Sb: #594538-#<Rock: Lord Refa?>
Sb: #594622-<Rock: Lord Refa?>
Sb: #594632-#HAMILTON B5 PLATES
Sb: #594702-Book?
Sb: #594715-#URGENT! HELP! from jms
Sb: #594847-#URGENT! HELP! from jms
Sb: #594852-URGENT! HELP! from jms
Sb: #594895-HAMILTON B5 PLATES
Sb: #594931-Fighting staff
#: 594561 S5/Babylon 5: General
18-Oct-96 00:44:40
Sb: #A Funny Thought
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
It's a funny thing...just to show you how sometimes even jms can be just
a LEEETLE bit slow on the uptake....
I've known, at some level, for four years that we're a syndicated show,
that we don't have the usual network censors to deal with.
Then, this season, it finally hit me..."waitaminnit...we don't have
CENSORS! As long as it doesn't use the words you absolutely can't say on
TeeVee, as long as it doesn't directly involve nudity or blood and guts, I can
take things *CONCEPTUALLY* as far as I want."
Heh.
Heh-heh-heh....
jms
#: 594484 S5/Babylon 5: General
17-Oct-96 20:38:31
Sb: #594066-#URGENT! HELP! from jms
Fm: MARTE BRENGLE
Yeeow. No backup?
What you need to do is get your DOS disks out and reinstall it. It won't take
too long. You can expand the win.exe from your Windows disks if you need to
(the files on original Win disks are stored in compressed format). This is
after you've restored your DOS directory, though. Locate the Win disk with the
.exe file on it (it will appear as win.ex_ in the disk directory) and then
change to your Win directory and type
expand a:win.ex_ win.exe
and you'll get that file back.
You're getting the "bad or missing" error messages because those files *are*
missing and your autoexec is trying to call them up and they're not there.
Likewise the "loading DOS low" is because the utility that puts DOS into high
memory isn't there. And your COMMAND.COM file is hosed with that missing DOS
directory.
I'm in the LA area and free all day Friday if I can help in any other way.
--M--
#: 594566 S5/Babylon 5: General
18-Oct-96 01:02:22
Sb: #594484-#URGENT! HELP! from jms
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Thanks. Alas, some of my backup was on a Zip drive, but I couldn't use
the Zip without Dos being present, so I was basically screwed. At this point
I've got the Dos directory restored (using the files from the twin computer at
work), and so far it *seems* to be okay...but it also screwed up all the files
in the windows system directory, and now I've got to go through, restore and
rename all of them, and since I don't know offhand what they all are, it's
going to be a slow process.
jms
#: 594538 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
17-Oct-96 22:42:22
Sb: #<Rock: Lord Refa?>
Fm: COLIN GLASSEY
Dear Joe,
There is a great deal to like about his episode. Londo's threats against Vir,
G'Karr's visit to Narn homeworld. The preacher coming in and talking to
Sheridan. Delenn and Sheridan. Lots of really super material.
Still, my reaction to the key scene is: I don't believe in the logic of Refa's
death. I admit Londo has a reasonable trap but it depends on two very
questionable elements: 1) Refa will not bring his own men for the capture of
G'Karr and 2) The Centauri on Narn will NOT be swayed by Refa's actual presence
in a VERY morally tough situation.
1) Why won't Lord Refa bring his own people? Is he over confident? Is he
actually weak on man power? He has enough people to kill the Prime Minister.
He has his own telepath. It is odd that Refa does not to have some really good
fighters in his service (as body guards at the least, though he hasn't traveled
with any in the past).
2) Why will the Centauri on Narn go along with Molari's plan, even to the
extent of walking away and letting one of the most powerful Centauri nobles be
murdered by a group of Narn "terrorists". And that's not all! They also are
letting the last member of the Ka'Ree escape from Narn? G'Karr has a price on
his head, one would imagine a very large price.
I admit that the Centauri are not human and should not be judged as such, but
it would take a remarkably EVIL group of human warriors to let such a thing
take place. It seems to fly in the face of all the "racial pride" that the
Centauri think so much of. Now, if Refa were killed by another Centauri, that
would be different. But here, these Centauri guards, are going to just walk
away and let Refa be killed by NARNS?!?
Well, I will miss Refa, he was a great bad character: ruthless, ambitious,
smart, and cunning. The sort of character that doesn't show up often
(fortunetly) but without great vilians, what chance is there for great heroism?
My favorite Refa scene is in "The Long Twilight Struggle" when he dismisses
Londo's fears that the Narn might be sending misinformation. "I don't think
so" said Refa "it has just the right touch of desperation." Wonderfull.
Lord Refa, RIP.
-- Colin Glassey
#: 594567 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
18-Oct-96 01:02:24
Sb: #594538-#<Rock: Lord Refa?>
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Bear in mind that all of Refa's people were *back on Centauri Prime*. He
didn't bring them with him; to send word to Centauri Prime to bring them all
the way out here, then on to Narn, would double the time required to get there,
and by then the "rescue" would've been over. That was part of Londo's
scheme...he wouldn't have much time, he had to get in and get out. Refa only
brought a few with him, and they were needed to watch Londo and guard Vir.
As for the Centauri back home...you proceed from the assumption that all
Centauri act as one. I'm basing this somewhat on the early Roman civilization
and government, where one side would sell out the other, arrange for deaths and
murders, turn people over to their hated enemies as long as it advanced their
position, or if they were allied with persons of power on a particular side.
Why did the Roman guards escorting Tiberius (a much less worthy emperor) kill
the heir to the throne in "I, Claudius" (a much better leader, and well liked
among the military)? Because they were told to do so.
SF in TV has the tendency to portray aliens as monolithic...they put the
good of their species as a whole above everything else. Some do that; some do
not. Just as with humans.
jms
[ Summary: Wonders if Londo and G'Kar's new alliance in "And The Rock Cried
Out, No Hiding Place" means that they now hate each other less. Also
wonders how Londo approached G'Kar with his plan. This poster couldn't
see Londo actually going to see G'Kar alone. ]
#: 594823 S6/Babylon 5: Spoilers
18-Oct-96 14:12:12
Sb: #594622-<Rock: Lord Refa?>
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
No, I wouldn't say they hate one another any less now than before; and
yes, he would've sent word to G'Kar and arranged a private meeting, just the
two of them.
jms
#: 594632 S5/Babylon 5: General
18-Oct-96 08:42:44
Sb: #HAMILTON B5 PLATES
Fm: STONEY TRUETT
Joe - I just read an excerpt from your participation in an IRC last Friday at
Necromicon in Tampa. In answer to a question re. B5 figures, you spoke of
seeing a Hamilton Collector's plate. I called Hamilton and they have never
heard of this plate series. Is this something you were reviewing before it is
made available to the public? Thanks for any info you can provide...
-Valerie Anderson-
=^..^=
#: 594824 S5/Babylon 5: General
18-Oct-96 14:12:14
Sb: #594632-#HAMILTON B5 PLATES
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
The designs are just now being finalized; I think they're on track to be
released by Christmas.
jms
#: 594702 S5/Babylon 5: General
18-Oct-96 11:28:29
Sb: #Book?
Fm: SUSAN PEAK
Hello,
I recall a reference to you producing a book about B5 scripts, or
scriptwriting(?). What is it, and will it be available in the UK?
Also, when you are writing B5, are you, in a sense, reporting what you see in
your mind (so that B5 continues when you are not looking, so to speak!), or are
you each of the characters in turn? I know people write from different bases,
and I'd be interested to know yours.
Thanks,
Susan.
#: 594825 S5/Babylon 5: General
18-Oct-96 14:12:16
Sb: #594702-Book?
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
"The Complete Book of Scriptwriting" is out, yes, and can be ordered
from the UK via Writer's Digest Books, or www.amazon.com.
And yes, the characters do somewhat live in my head, and I check in with
where they are at various points, and write it down. It's very weird.
jms
#: 594827 S5/Babylon 5: General
18-Oct-96 14:17:31
Sb: #594715-#URGENT! HELP! from jms
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
To know how to rename all the hundreds of files in my windows\system
directory, is there any way to save to a file all of the file names in my
directory, so I can bring that one file home with all their names? (I know, I
should do a print screen, but the printer here at the office is broken, and I'd
have to hook up another one from another office, which is a pain.)
Also, how does one uncompile a .com file? I think I caught the Trojan
Horse before it did anything else, but I kinda want to open it up and look
inside in case it did anything else I should know about. Don't want to go
through all this and get another surprise in a few days.
jms
[ Summary: Suggests that JMS be sure to scan his drive for viri now that
he's recovered from the Trojan Horse. ]
#: 594985 S5/Babylon 5: General
18-Oct-96 18:11:09
Sb: #594847-#URGENT! HELP! from jms
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
I'll definitely scan the drive, thanks.
jms
[ Summary: Sent JMS a listing of a clean WINDOWS\SYSTEM directory. ]
#: 594986 S5/Babylon 5: General
18-Oct-96 18:11:10
Sb: #594852-URGENT! HELP! from jms
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Many thanks...it's appreciated.
jms
[ Summary: This poster plans to buy those collector plates from Hamilton. ]
#: 594987 S5/Babylon 5: General
18-Oct-96 18:11:11
Sb: #594895-HAMILTON B5 PLATES
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
The only full-color one I've seen so far is Sheridan, and it's gorgeous.
jms
#: 594931 S5/Babylon 5: General
18-Oct-96 17:08:53
Sb: #593014-#Fighting staff
Fm: RICHARD M. PERRY
<< Thanks again for the staff; I didn't have time or circumstance to thank you
properly at the time (or voice). >>
Well, you did start the day off on Sunday with the statement that your
voice was pretty much gone, so I payed it no mind. Besides, you signed my SW
program (although it was under duress) not to mention I didn't have time to
engrave slugger upon it. <G> I trust the stewardesses weren't too annoyed with
the big kid that was playing with his new toy.
BTW, I loved the season 4 opening credits and the blooper reels and the
Jason Carter story and well... all of the presentations I got to see.
So, how did you like you first trip to Fla?
May the Light shine forever,
Rich
#: 594988 S5/Babylon 5: General
18-Oct-96 18:11:12
Sb: #594931-Fighting staff
Fm: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Florida was fine...except that the on-and-off laryngitis I came down
with while there morphed into an upper respiratory infection which I'm fighting
off as best I can...on top of everything else that's been going on.
jms
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