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Wilek: Yup. :) Carlin had all kinds of ideas. Such as...boiling criminals in oil--or, occasionally, dipping one in egg batter and french-frying him, just for a goof. :) He also suggested burning people at the stake on Sunday mornings. "The Praise Jesus, Evangelical, Send us an Offering, Human Bonfire," or something like that....

Starsinger: Yeah, I've noticed a similar problem in schools. When a teacher does something like that, he usually just gets transferred. One such teacher used to be on the paper route I used to do at 4 every morning, and a year or two ago one of the counselors at the local community college was convicted of molesting a kid. It's a sad, sick world we live in....

And before anybody wants go go off on me about this, let me say that I never said "all" or "most" teachers do this. I just said that the problem exists.

Zath: Actually, that was part of the same "Pay Per View Executions" bit in a show he did a couple of years ago. One of his best ideas: Dip a guy in brown gravy and lock him in a small room with a wolverine that's high on angel dust. :)

Stephen: About why the bodies were cremated so quickly--I imagine that they were a real mess after an impact like that. After the autopsies were done, the bodies were probably cremated because nobody would want to look at mangled corpses in coffins. And the families probably wanted to get it over with as soon as possible to lessen the chances of paparazzi sneaking in and turning the whole thing into more of a circus than it already was....
Pistoff - [pistoff@outgun.com]
Sunday, July 25, 1999 09:18:36 PM
IP: wire-12.koalas.com

Hey all,

David G. > Interesting tibit about the one page per minute translation. It makes sense, but there's the fact that most of a 200-300 page novel is devoted to descriptions rather than dialogue. Where it might take an author two or three paragraphs to describe the contents of a room or the look of a character, a film translation will take mere seconds as the audience gets to take it all in visually and audially instead of imagining it through the author's words.

A screenwriter does have to cut out a lot of material (one of the reasons I do NOT want to see George Lucas make a trilogy out of Timothy Zahn's books; they're just too long to edit fairly), but a good deal of that can go back in as costume and set designers, crew, and the director translate the descriptive text - the flesh and blood, if you will - of the novel into on-screen format.

But I completely agree with you; novels and movies are two completely separate mediums, and to compare them is really unfair as each is capable of totally different things. (Except, of course, when somebody does something just plain STUPID like screw up a main character's name like the novelization of Face/Off.)

Wilek > Nice D.C. death. Thanks. Oh, and I have the Goochy beanie baby. Weird lookin jellyfish, that.

==Hollywood knows as much about weapons as my dog. --Eliot Kaagan==
Steve Gooch - [Erebus642@aol.com]
Malverne, NY
Sunday, July 25, 1999 09:13:21 PM
IP: 98cc7f7e.ipt.aol.com

Stephen> comments about the quickness of the JFK funeral:
Honestly, the turnaround time from moment of death to funeral is actually pretty quick (mainly because it's not a good idea to have bodies lying about that long...)

In recent memory, I've been to two funerals, both of which were less than a week after the death. My grandmother's funeral was only four days after her death, so the timing on JFK Jr.'s is not that suprising to me.
Skippy the Klingon - [shakedwn@ultravision.net]
Sunday, July 25, 1999 08:59:46 PM
IP: 207.22.234.116

Hello everyone. I'm not going to write much cause my parents and I are having some problems...

Zath> I always go for the guys with the spikey black hair and long noses! And the accents...(drool)...

Doug> Totally agree! Raven sucks!
SOROW
Sunday, July 25, 1999 07:37:25 PM
IP: usr12-dialup334.mix1.irving.cw.net

**RP HERE**

Brendan strides out of the engine room carrying a heavy blaster rifle and muttering under his breath. "What's your problem?" Pete asks as he stands beside them. "That little egotistical growth-stunted moron told me to come out here," Brendan sighs. "You outta go back and give him what for!" Berg suggests. "He can't order you around like that." "For once our friend is right," Sharon says, her voice sounding as though it's a miracle. "Go back there and tell him who's boss." "No thanks," Brendan sighs. "I'm not in the mood for that right now." "Fine," Pete rolls his eyes. "Guess you never will be. Now here comes the enemy. Brendan, you guard the rear." (For a continuation of this scene, see Wilek's last post.)

The display changes to elsewhere in the Devastator, where the Ravens are walking down yet another empty corridor. "Yo, bad guys!" Jammer yells. "Come out and play! We're ready for you!" "Uh, Jim, don't we want to conserve our ammo and spells a little?" Shauna points out. "Duh," Daria agrees. "Uh, right," Jammer grins. "Sorry." Doug and Kit chuckle to each other, following behind down the featureless passageway. Explosions echo from outside as Doug turns to make a post.

**PAUSE RP**

Hello everyone. I decided to post a little early, get it out of the way. Hope no one minds the room being a little bigger. Okay, on with the post.

Fanfic Progress: Started Eruption this morning, hope it comes out well. In case anyone's wondering, the reason for the title is that the story starts off with an erupting volcano. Emotions also erupt in various ways after the event. It should be good.

Kaioto: Sorry you had a terrible birthday. I bet in nine days it will all be made worth it, though. <grin> Hope your sister feels better soon.

Silver Wood: You're right, they must not be very smart. :) Welcome to the CR.

Steve: Kit and I did a review of Arlington Road. We agree with you, it was a good and terribly realistic and frightening film.

Inspector Gadget: As has already been said in here, it was pretty entertaining. More so than I expected it to be after the lackluster reviews. :) I'm looking forward to the other two unnecessary but good-looking live-action cartoon films coming out this year- Dudley Do-Right and Bullwinkle (saw the trailer for DDR before Gadget, that film looks like it'll be hilarious. As for Bullwinkle, it'll have Jason Alexander and Robert de Niro in bad guy roles perfect for them so it'll be good even with a possibly bad plot. :).

Wilek: Welcome back! $ Go ahead and handle the TGGAPP trio if you want, you seem to have their characters right so far. I don't watch their show, but know from commercials and TV guide that Pete is a smart-ass cynic, Berg an egotistical and slightly dumb loser, and Sharon a stuck-up whiny ditz who hates them both. All very uninteresting and unentertaining people. Beats me why ABC ever gave them their own show. <shrugs> Good luck taking them out. (Oh, and if you want to add a little in-joke comedy, I suggest having Berg's last words be a whiny "Sharon, I love you!" Sharon screams "What?" and then they die.) $

Robby: Sounds like you have a good contest set up. May the best people win. :)

Airwalker: Nice paragraph about predestination and free will both being part of time's highway. I completely agree with it (except that I see time as a river instead of a highway for sentimental reasons).

Zath: I agree with you, Methos should have gotten the spinoff. He is way more of an interesting character. As for Amanda, I liked her myself, but the way she is now she looks awful. That's the main reason I don't watch Highlander- the Raven in addition to its boring and cliched plots.

Paul: Thanks for the heads-up about Azado. In answer to your questions, I was a little bothered when I heard Ghaelon's voice in the Ruins (I thought it had to be someone who sounded like him). Then when he appeared, I nearly jumped up and screamed "Hey pal, you have the right to remain dead!" or some such pronouncement. <shakes head> It's good to see the guy back, but was a little surprising at first. :) As for Lucia, I don't care for her so far. Mostly because she's pretty stuck-up and not a real member of the party (she doesn't gain levels but still gets exp, you can't access her inventory, she's not that useful in battle, you can't control her, and still she has to take up space). But she is pretty and does have a few other good qualities (like her character premise). Maybe Lucia will become more standable and interesting later in the game.

Fall TV Shows: I don't like most of the new programming they're doing, but there are two new shows that look interesting (Angel and CBS's Now and Again) and one that might have possibilities (Fox's Harsh Realm). And Simpsons, X-Files, Buffy, and Martial Law are all coming back with new episodes. So some shows this fall should be bearable. I just wish they hadn't dumped Vengeance Unlimited, Invasion America, and Brimstone. <sighs>

That's all. See you again tonight after the...oh wait, we're not gonna get a new episode. See everyone again tonight anyway. Bye!

**RESUME RP**

The Ravens keep going, eventually reaching the door to the large room that they think is the control center. "Get ready!" Doug shouts, and they bust it down and charge in, stopping as they find the room full of nothing but empty space and silent machines. "This is the ship's central Borg drone factory," Keith says after looking at the equipment. "Must be down due to the engine failure. We got the wrong room." "Rats," Doug sighs. "Okay, let's damage these machines beyond repair and then go to the next largest room in the Devastator. That should be the control room." The others nod, then raise their weapons and go to work smashing the drone replicator machines.

Meanwhile in the engine room, an elevator opens to admit Clive and Bill hauling several hundred gallon-size bottles of water. "You asked for some Ozarka?" Clive asks, wheeling his trolley out with Bill following behind. "That is correct," Stewie nods. "Put it over by the radiator." The two drivers nod and set their water down by the Devastator's gigantic mass of engine-cooling equipment. "Alright, children," Stewie tells the Rug Rats. "Open the main valve and dump that water in." "Uh," Tommy asks confusedly, "are you sure we can lift all this?" "No excuses, brats!" Stewie snaps. "Get to work!" "Now hold on," Clive interjects suddenly. "You can't put our water in there!" "Oh?" Stewie asks, turning to face them. "Why not?" "Ozarka isn't just any old water!" Bill declares. "It's the natural one!" "Yeah," Clive agrees. "Putting it in a radiator, even the radiator we're gonna use to conquer the world, that would be like using the Mona Lisa for carbon paper, man!" "Shut up, water weenies!" Stewie yells, then transforms his hands into shrapnel-firing machine guns and takes out both Ozarka drivers as they continue to protest. "Uh, boss," Chuckie stammers, "you just killed two of our men!" "They were useless!" Stewie declares. "It doesn't matter. Now get that water into the radiator before I shoot you as well!" The Rug Rats nod and begin to comply.

**END THIS BIT OF RP**
Doug - [frostfire@mail.utexas.edu]
Sunday, July 25, 1999 03:22:23 PM
IP: pool-207-205-237-72.dlls.grid.net

VOTE FOR THE FANDOM TOP FIVE!

Books to movies- Well, there's been one or two really, really close adaptations from book to movie, the best I can think of being Dragonheart, and the Neverending Story 1. Dragonheart hits almost the entire book except a couple of paragraphs, and Neverending story faithfully adapted almost scene for scene the first third of the book. THey knew they couldn't do the whole book in one movie, so they didn't try. Good for them. Then the sequals both took like ONE lousy chapter and tried to expand it into a movie upon itself... Oh well...

But since book to movie translations are usually bad, I am sooo dreading the release of Ender's game... Specially since an 8 year book is gonna be compressed into less than a year to allow for that stupid kid who played Anakin... (Dangit, why couldn't it have been done when Elisha Wood was the proper age? He's a child actor who was able to act! Arrg!)

Wilek- That Ascii art just looks like Demona to me... A big eyed, happy Demona, but Demona...

Invasion America fans- I just discovered today that there's at least one book based on the series. It covers the first five or so episodes. Now the question is, are there books that cover what happened after the series?
Robby - [MrNoying@aol.com]
Sunday, July 25, 1999 02:44:26 PM
IP: spider-ta063.proxy.aol.com

Thanks, Airwalker. That was driving me crazy.

I'll write your 'thank you' in right now.
David G. - [david_goodner@yahoo.com]
Arlington, TX, USA
Sunday, July 25, 1999 02:37:24 PM
IP: pppb23-resalefortworth2-2r1005.saturn.bbn.com

DAVID G - Renard's robots were called Cy-bots.
Airwalker
Brooklyn, NY
Sunday, July 25, 1999 02:25:46 PM
IP: 203.new-york-30-35rs.ny.dial-access.att.net

OK, I'm supposed to be writing Hot Lead and Coldsteel, but I'm taking a break. Here's a few little random bits:
Utopia vs Eutopia> Like I said before, Sir Thomas More was the first person to name a fictional country Utopia, and he did it sort of as a pun. The book Utopia is written as a travelers' account of his stay in the fictional country 'Utopia' which would be physically located somewhere around New Mexico, if memory serves. By calling it Utopia (no-place) he was signaling his readers that the story was made up.

Book vs. Movie> Just a little bit of comparison for you guys. A screenplay in Master Scene format (which is the standard) runs about one page per minute of screen time. Thus, a 2 hour movie is about 120 pages long. A novel can run anywhere from 200 to 300 or even more pages. A screenwriter trying to adapt a novel to a screenplay has to cut out at least half the material. Beyond that, writers can do things that cinematographers can only dream of. When you're comparing a book to a movie, try to keep those things in mind. The mediums are really so different that it's hard to compair them fairly.

That said, I usually enjoy the book better than the movie, except in cases where the book was adapted from the screenplay. Lost World is a special case. Crichton wrote it pretty much to turn into a movie. He did it for the money, in other words. I really didn't like either very much.

Now, something almost Gargoyles related. When Renyard built Sky Fortress II, he ran the whole thing with robots, but they weren't just called 'robots.' They were called something like 'Autodrones.' Does anybody remember off hand what they were called? I'll give a note of thanks in the introduction to Hot Lead and Coldsteel to the first person to give me the answer.
David G. - [david_goodner@yahoo.com]
Arlington, TX, USA
Sunday, July 25, 1999 02:13:53 PM
IP: pppa3-resalefortworth1-1r1035.saturn.bbn.com

Hey all,

Tim > You think *you're* full of useless information? How's this one: LT. Huxley's first name was Lenina, which is also the first name of the main character of Brave New World.

Patrick Toman > I'll agree conditionally that books are better than the movies made from them. the condition s that you read the book first. Case in point: As soon as "The Lost World" (the book) was released, everybody I know dove to read it. I didn't, and waited until I saw the movie that everyone knew was coming. I *liked* the movie for what it was - a movie adaptation of a novel. I read the book and *liked* that too, for what it was - a novel. Everyone I know now challenges my assertion that the movie wasn't a piece of crap, becauase none of them waited to read the book, and by doing so they sat through the whole movie comparing it to the book and missed out on a good deal of entertainment.

==I don't want any yes-men around me. I want everybody to tell me the truth even if it costs them their jobs. -- Samuel Goldwyn==
Steve Gooch - [Erebus642@aol.com]
Malverne, NY
Sunday, July 25, 1999 01:45:04 PM
IP: 98cacffe.ipt.aol.com

Re: A HANDMAID'S TALE - Yep, very disturbing movie. Just from the fact it disolves down to a pseudo-cult, brainwashing women to believe they are "blessed" to give birth to children that they'll never see again, except in the arms of a sterile woman that claims to be the child's mother. About as disturbing as "The Stepford Wives"...

JFK, JR. - I'm just glad they found the bodies, but I kind of wonder, was it really pilot error that made them crash? And why did they creamate them so quickly? Ugh, I shouldn't chanell Matt Bluestone too much!

Not much to say on TGS, since we're in limbo, working on new stories... we'll get them done soon! :)

And, with that...

***** BEGIN RP *****

[Scene opens on a location inside the Devestator, as a troop of Borg drones (regular ones this time) troops towards a point to stop the invading Ravens... when suddenly, a maelstrome of energy erupts into their midst, sending several of them to the scrapheap!]

As the Borg-cell leader tries to recover from the sudden disruption of space, a line of .50 caliber slugs stitches across his torso, dropping him to the deck, inactive.

From his position astride Sara Jane, Big Jake drops another Borg with his Desert Eagle, before having to switch magazines. Doing so, he leaves his back open to another Borg, who is about to launch assimilation tentacles at the biker. But, the drone suddenly jerks back as what appears to be a large icicle stabbing out from its chest appears. Soon, several others erupt out from a dozen other places, making the cyborg look like a odd-looking porcupine.

Weapon reloaded, Jake turns around, just in time to see the pincushioned Borg be split in two by Jess's energy blade.

"Thanks, Jess!" Drawing his other pistol, Jake hammers two more drones into inactive components.

"Let's get moving, you lug!" Jess says, climbing on the hoverbike to sit facing backwards. "We have to find the command center! That's where Thailog should be!"

Jake growls darkly, "Right. Hang on!" Holstering one of his sidearms, he grabs Sara Jane by the controls, gunning the throttle...

[Scene closes as the two speed off down the corridor, headed for the superstructure of the World Devestator.]

***** END RP, FOR NOW *****

Maintain and Check Six!
Stephen "Coldstone" Sobotka, Jr. - [scififangargoyle@yahoo.com]
Spokane, WA, USA
Sunday, July 25, 1999 01:39:45 PM
IP: m27.ieway.com

<----- "I talk to myself mainly because I like dealing with a better class of people."





Patrick Toman: <<"Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley >> Here's an ironic peicew of info; In the movie "DEMOLITION MAN," the name of a female police officer in the utopian city of San Angeles is Lt. Huxley.

See? I'm not dumb. I just got my head full of useless information.

Demona, punishment, and executions: This subject is of some interest to me because my mom was on the the criminal jury for "Walking Wiley" Otey, who was sentenced to the electric chair in Nebraska. My dad also knew a guy a guy in college who's on death row now.

The controversy over capital punishment often brings up the Justice vs. Vengence discussion. Is the death penalty fair? Yes. Is it right? No. People all too often forget that justice isn't always about being fair, it's often about doing what's right no matter how much it hurts.

Should Demona be punished for what she has done? Yes. Should she or someone she cares for die for her crimes? No.

Court is adjourned.
Tim P. - [dtkphipp@pionet.net]
Sunday, July 25, 1999 12:20:04 PM
IP: s11-onawa.pionet.net

Sorry for the double post.

Scott Iscow> Did you receive my email of a couple days ago?
Aris Katsaris
Sunday, July 25, 1999 11:17:08 AM
IP: athe530-e046.otenet.gr

Something boring and irrelevant (because I'm in a "boring and irrelevant" mood):
Someone said that Utopia comes from Eutopia (nice place). That's incorrect actually though I've heard it before. Utopia comes from U-topia (no-place) the name by itself signifying that no such place can exist. The first is pronounced in greek "Eftopia", the second is pronounced "Ootopia". The misconception comes I think from the fact that in English the combination of letters "eu" is pronounced the same with initial "u". (So that "Eureka" becomes "Yoorika" instead of "Evrika") No such thing occurs in greek.
Aris Katsaris - [katsaris@otenet.gr]
Sunday, July 25, 1999 11:15:42 AM
IP: athe530-e046.otenet.gr

Well, I won't be here after tomorrow. I'm going to stay at a friend's house...that is a college dorm! I'm going to stay with my friend Sam that is in college at Florida State. She's letting me stay there! I'm so excited!
Heather - [kheetor84@aol.com]
Sunday, July 25, 1999 10:58:35 AM
IP: abd2e937.ipt.aol.com

Wilek wrote: "A Handmaid's Tale? I remember seeing that on the Sci-Fi channel. Sick little movie, that, and one of the few that has ever really, really disturbed me. And...did anyone else happen to notice that one of the symbols of the Republic Of Gilead was an eye atop a pyramid...?"

Sci-Fi channel, huh? I recall I first saw the movie version of "A Handmaid's Tale" on HBO, about a year after I had read the book (I had read the three books I mentioned for the thesis paper I did for HS senior year AP English.) Like most movie adaptations of novels that I've seen over the years, it was watered down and the plot had been altered somewhat, I assume to give it more "action" and make it more "appealing" to a movie-viewing audience by not asking them to think as much about what they were seeing. While the movie adaptation followed a lot closer to the book than say, the movie "The Running Man" did to Steven King's short novel of the same name, the differences were still substantial enough that a lot of what came through in the book was lost in the movie. In short, to me it seemed that they probably could've invested a bit less money in painting all those cars and vans with flat black primer in a vain attempt to make the Ford Escorts and Aerostars look "futuristic" and instead put a bit more in developing the screenplay.

So I would still recommend reading the book, even if you have seen the movie. Quite frankly, between the book and the movie, the book is always better 99% of the time.
Patrick Toman
Sunday, July 25, 1999 10:37:41 AM
IP: 98af8c23.ipt.aol.com

Doug and Kitainia-Missing Link, eh? So far, two questions. One. What do you both think of Lucia? Two, what was your initial reaction when you heard Ghaleon speak in the Ancient Ruins before he even came through the door, then when he did come through the door?
As for the hard places, well, once you get near Azado, GET STOCKED UP ON HEALING ITEMS!!!!! I'm not going to Spoil why, but you'll understand soon enough. That's not where the difficult Boss is, but the place was still a royal pain because I didn't know what lay ahead. I'm not telling you, either, but I'm warning you right now.

Dystopias and Utopias-Utopias won't hinder evolution of the mind or any form of evolution. Or development. On the other hand, some utopias will. It depends on the type of utopia. Some people, probably the Second Class Citizens, and the First Class Citizens, could call Solaris a utopia. Doug, Kitainia, we three know just how much of a 'utopia' Solaris really is, eh?

The 'No Duh' Comment-Sorry if I offended you. What were you talking about then?

Demona-I still say she was only seeing things through her viewpoint. I suppose we'll wait and find out, and if it doesn't get revealed by the end of TIMEDANCER, ask the Authors for an explanation. Of course, telling them if it'll get explained elsewhere to just tell us its a Spoiler, and then not give the explanation.

"My purpose is the same as always. Total destruction. That and that alone!"-Fei/Id
XENOGEARS
Paul Allen Nathans - [LacanPanother@worldnet.att.net]
Sunday, July 25, 1999 08:35:30 AM
IP: 171.morristown-05-10rs.nj.dial-access.att.net

Okay, I think I'm completely caught up on the room now, although I may have missed something important while skimming in places.

Happy birthday to everyone who has/had birthdays this week. (I knew I had forgotten something in my last post...

<<20 bucks to see Demona take off DiCaprio's head>> Oo, I like that... How much would it cost to see her strangle him with his own intestines and then eat his brains on toast?

SOROW> <<Peter Wingfield (Methos) is pretty damn hot :)>> I agree. Personally, I like him better than Adrian Paul. Why couldn't they have given Methos the spinoff instead of Amanda? I never liked her character and now she looks like the Taco Bell chihuahua.

Pistoff> <<And as for the Pay Per View executions, George Carlin had a bit about that in one of his recent shows. Basically, the idea was to execute criminals by nailing them to a large wooden cross at half-time during the Monday Night Football.>> Didn't he also have an older bit about televising beheadings and then letting the heads roll down a hill so that people could bet on which basket they would land in? >: ) I always liked Carlin's stuff.

Christine> <<every pinhead with a scuba suit out looking for the remains..>> Can you imagine what would have happened if they *had* left him there and then someone found the body. Knowing the type of perverts out there these days, I could easily imagine someone selling it over the internet, little chunks at a time.

Zath - [zath@rocketmail.com]
Sunday, July 25, 1999 08:25:17 AM
IP: ns3-09.viptx.net

Tonight on the Disney Channel. GARGOYLES. 9:30 mountain time.

Pistoff we have had the problem with pediphile priests here in NM sometime back. They church was in total deniale and would just transfer them to other parishes where they persisted in their abuse. It took several extremely large lawsuits for them to address the problem of both the abuse and the abusers. To this day, the church has a guarded reputation, which I find sad. There are truly many good men and women in the church, but they have all suffered for the stupidity of a few people.

Starsinger
Theresa - [Starsinger@Webtv.net]
Sunday, July 25, 1999 07:56:13 AM
IP: proxy-323.public.rwc.webtv.net

<<No posts for three hours?>> Er...four hours. Took longer to type that post than I thought. :)
Wilek
Sunday, July 25, 1999 07:08:35 AM
IP: tnt-1-102-56k.portsmouth.zoomnet.net

**LONGER THAN USUAL RP!**

[Toliana and Buick's battle with the Pokemon is proceeding apace, the Ice Dagger taking out more than a few of the enraged creatures, but taking severe damage in the process. Soon, however, thanks to Buick's piloting skill and Toliana's marksmanship, the Pokemon are cleared, although at a heavy price--the Ice Dagger is so badly damaged that it has to return to the Avatar Of Ganon for repairs.

Meanwhile, on said station, Dark Eternal once again contacts his mysterious master..."Sir, I have made an...interesting...discovery. The cyborg race that inhabits this station appears to possess sophisticated matter-energy exchange technology--specifically, matter replication." Darth Jashin: "What...?! That would solve so much...can they be persuaded to...share it?" Eternal: "Unknown. Perhaps if we can convince them that we have something of equal value to give them. <types a command into a nearby keypad> I am transmitting everything I have been able to find out about them; perhaps you can learn something from it." Jashin looks over the data... "Indeed...I have an idea. What's going on over there just now?" Dark Eternal: "The station's forces are still engaged in battle with the World Devastator, although it now appears to be disabled, and the staff has just chosen a permanent chief of security to replace me." Dark Eternal's appointment to the post was temporary, until the staff could find someone else. Jashin: "Good; that frees you up for what we are about to do. I will arrive shortly after the destruction of the Devastator." Eternal: "Lord Jashin, with all due respect, are you certain that's wise?" Jashin: "They're not likely to want to come here. I believe that little planet has a saying: If the mountain will not come to Mohammed...whoever he is..."]

**PAUSE**

No posts for three hours? Slow night. Oh well. And thanks, everyone who welcomed me back! :D

Airwalker> <<Let's say that for travel to the past and to the future two different rules exist [...]>> Ah, that prevents a single fixed future *and* preserves Gargoyles' rules of time travel. I love it. :)

Patrick Toman> A Handmaid's Tale? I remember seeing that on the Sci-Fi channel. Sick little movie, that, and one of the few that has ever really, really disturbed me. And...did anyone else happen to notice that one of the symbols of the Republic Of Gilead was an eye atop a pyramid...?

Pistoff> <<Basically, the idea was to execute criminals by nailing them to a large wooden cross at half-time during the Monday Night Football.>> Interesting. I just know a few churches would have complained about *that*. :P

$SJ> <<I always feel colossaly paranoid when I'm left in charge of another's characters.>> You too? I try to avoid writing specifically for other ppl's characters in the RP, mostly because I'm always worried about messing up. But you've done *great* with my characters while I was away. :) <<Wookies are a warrior race. Warrior races are my friend. Gungans, sir, are no warrior race!>> Ah. I must have been misled by their talk of having a 'great army'; probably their really good fighters are a minority. Still, there have to be at least a *few* Gungans who are good in a fight and don't make you want to toss them into a Sarlacc. :) (I think one of them works on the Avatar...)$

$Doug> <<Don't forget that Pete, Berg, and Sharon (from ABC's bleah sitcom Two Guys and a Girl) are guarding the engine room door. If you want, Kit and I can eliminate them for you next post.>> Thanks, but I have a bit of an idea (see exit RP for a distinct implication thereof). ^_^ Although I don't have a clue as to what they're like, so feel free to correct any characterization errors...$

Jaden> <<After I finished my report I burned all my research. The last thing I want is for someone to find that stuff and assume the way wrong thing.>> ACK. It's getting ridiculous when your homework becomes potentially incriminating. O_O'

Christine> <<Phantom Menace > saw it again yesterday, liked it even better the second time around, and am more sure than ever that Obi-Wan is the hunk of the galaxy. Might even have to write a 'fic to get him out of my system. Hmm ... "Jedi Nights"?>> You, writing a Star Wars fic? It's the end of the world. ;P j/k Feel free to consult me regarding any historical or technological concerns. :) (Not that the kind of thing you're probably thinking of is likely to require that...<G>) <<then again, if they hadn't retrieved the bodies, there would have been a.) persistent rumors that JFK Jr. didn't really die or b.) every pinhead with a scuba suit out looking for the remains. Or, really, c.) both.>> Like that'll stop them? There are ppl who still think Elvis is alive, despite the fact that there is documentation of his autopsy.

And as it would probably be a good idea if I said something about Gargs or TGS in a post of this length...I found an interesting ASCII drawing of Demona (I presume?) at my name link (the drawing is at the bottom of the page). :)

**RESUME RP**

[Jake has just about torn all the engineering service access plates off the walls, and found no sign of any conduit feeding power to the corridor defenses. Jake: "Sorry, guys; the power for those things must come from somewhere else. Probably the engines, and well, we can't get to them." Anoth: "Perhaps a spell of--" A voice interrupts him from the other end of the corridor: "No magic can help you now." It's the borgified Pete, with Berg and Sharon standing at either side. The three drones stride down the protected corridor, their designator circuits preventing the defenses from incinerating them, and ready their weapons. Berg: "I say spells are for wimps anyhow." Sharon: "Yeah, let's get these creeps!" They open fire, and the battle is joined...]

**END RP!**
Wilek Nereus
Sunday, July 25, 1999 07:06:57 AM
IP: tnt-1-102-56k.portsmouth.zoomnet.net

SJ: "Significant number" doesn't necessarily mean thousands or millions or whatever. Maybe it's because the town I live in is jam-packed with perverts of every size and shape. There are people here who make Caligula look like Paul Reubens whacking off in a porno theater. This is where my experience comes from, and if that has skewed my perspective, then so be it.

I'm sick of this whole thing. I already apologized, and I'm not gonna keep on apologizing for the next six months. I was tired and grumpy when I made that first post, and I was pissed at the guy I was responding to. So I screwed up. Sorry. That's the last thing I'm gonna say about this.
I'm putting behind me, whether anybody else wants to or not. I'm moving on. If anybody else attacks me, I'll ignore it. I've got better things to do than keep up an argument that won't change any minds one way or another.
Pistoff - [pistoff@outgun.com]
Sunday, July 25, 1999 03:16:44 AM
IP: wire-10.koalas.com

Sevarius Jr. & Mighty Mutanimals> I know...great concept, just sucky artwork and plotline...save the United We Stand trilody...that was cool...anyway, klick on my name to see some life-after-death fics on these dudes that, what I understand from other MM fans, are the more believable MM fics out there...hey, I think they're good...and, if you have read them, I'll tell you right now...

HOW POE GOT TO PURGATORY (You'll love this one, Jebbers): During WWII, a then-unnamed raven was sucked into the jet engine of a certain ME-109 piloted by one Wagner von Schloss...

Okay, I'se tired...night all...

*PTOOFF!!*
Cyrway - [blkblade@excite.com]
Sunday, July 25, 1999 01:37:17 AM
IP: ddialup-w-3.mint.net

****NO RP TONIGHT****
Just stopped by to wish you all a happy B-day. I wish I could send you all present.
It's weird now isn't it. When people talk about teenagers they won't be talking about us anymore.

Wilek-First welcome back! Second-Same here. After I finished my report I burned all my research. The last thing I want is for someone to find that stuff and assume the way wrong thing.

I'll post more next time. Later!
Jaden - [jaden12@hotmail.com]
Los Alamos, CA
Sunday, July 25, 1999 01:22:22 AM
IP: pm1-18.vpop1.avtel.net

Note to everyone: Voyage was posted pretty far down on the GFW new stories list for some reason. Don't know why that happened, you'll have to scroll down a bit to find it. But don't worry, it's there. <grin> Hope I soon get feedback.

SJ (and Wilek): $ Don't forget that Pete, Berg, and Sharon (from ABC's bleah sitcom Two Guys and a Girl) are guarding the engine room door. If you want, Kit and I can eliminate them for you next post. Also don't forget that Stewie has a possible contender for his leadership- Angelica. Just friendly RP reminders. <grin> $

More after the room clears tomorrow.
Doug
Sunday, July 25, 1999 12:27:40 AM
IP: pool-209-138-163-97.dlls.grid.net

Picture tonight in honor of an absent friend.

Anyway, what a lousy day. I missed my Fading Suns game because one of the players had to go to San Antonio to help a friend move, so I decided to do my laundry, only I forgot to check my pockets, and there was a pen in one of my pants pockets. Now all my light colored clothing, including most of my socks, is covered in little black spots.

On the bright side, I finally figured out the plot for "Hot Lead and Coldsteel." It always makes writing easier when you know what you're supposed to be saying.

Replies:
delphi> I'll send it Monday. Attachments work much better from work than from home.

Robby> There are entire forests that exist only in memory becaues of all the drawings I've started that didn't come out right. I feel for you.

Utopia Discussion> Just a bit of trivia, courtesy of my Liberal Arts education. The first recorded use of the word Utopia to describe a perfect society was by Sir Thomas More in the 1500's. He wrote it in Latin, which was the custom of the day. Translatedinto English (From Latin or Greek, I can't remember) Utopia means "Nowhere."

Now, as to whether or not a Utopia (or Eutopia ='good place') can really exist, I don't think so, because of the inherrant flaws in humanity. For a perfect society, you have to have a perfect population. If even one person refuses to play along, the society can't work. The others have to either cave in to what the dissenter wants, kick him out, or kill him.

For some interesting reading on the subject, I suggest:
Walden 2 - by B.F Skinner
Those who walk away from Omleas - a short story by Ursla Le Guin
Squadron Supreme - a trade paperback from Marve Comics
The Appleseed manga - by Misume Shiro, I think

Anyway, that's about enough for tonight. See ya'll later.
David G. - [david_goodner@yahoo.com]
Arlington, TX, USA
Saturday, July 24, 1999 11:55:17 PM
IP: pppa3-fortworthb3-3r522.saturn.bbn.com

***BEGIN RP*****
"Stewie! Stewie!" the Borg Chuckie cried. "Wilek, SJ, and the rest are almost here! They've almost made it past the corridor defenses!"
"Ha ha ha!" Stewie laughed viciously. "As I expected! They shall be met with a rather rude surprise! But I suppose I should send one of you pathetic peons to take care of them. Brendan! Chop chop!" Stewie clapped his little hands.
"What? What do you want?"
"Don't stand there with that stupid look on your face, get going!"
"Wait a minute, who the hell said you could volunteer me to do anything?"
"JUST GO, YOU WORTHLESS SIMPLETON!!!"
Brendan gathered a few weapons, and, cursing under his breath, left to join the battle....
****END RP****

Wilek: Glad you're back. I always feel colossaly paranoid when I'm left in charge of another's characters. I don't want to step on any toes.
Oh, and as for the Gungans....I've seen The Phantom Menace. Wookies are a warrior race. Warrior races are my friend. Gungans, sir, are no warrior race! ;)

Tom Baker fans: Well, it doesn't look as if Tom is gonna be in LOTR (although you can always hold out hope that Pete Jackson will cast him as Saruman). You can be assured, though, that Tom *has* been cast in the new Dungeons and Dragons movie. Don't know exactly which part though.

TMNT Comics: I always preferred the more mature, violent Mirage issues, but the Archie Comics version was pretty good as well. Well written, I liked the visual style, it was fun. Can't really say I took to well to the Mighty Mutanimals, though. Yeesh.

Back to School Woes: Hey, don't complain. I finished taking a summer CS class THURSDAY. My next semester begins August 23. I now have less than 1 month of summer vacation. Yeah for me.

Dystopias/Utopias: This reminds me of a scene in "The Matrix". Agent Smith was explaining to Morpheus how the AI's constructed the matrix vr world....he said that they initially created a utopia, but people rejected that. They actually needed the adversity and stress of an "ordinary" world. Of course, this is just science fiction, of course, but it poses an interesting question: if we did achieve a utopia, would we lose our drive? Our initiative? Or, as it has been sometimes said, do we only continue to grow because of constant struggle? Evolution, if you believe in it, is based upon the whole idea that we need the struggle for survival in order to progress. Would a utopia halt our ability to grow and change as a species, and consequently that is why no utopia on earth has sufficiently been successful? Heaven, or its equivalents, are a form of utopia, but that is based upon the belief that, at that point, we will have achieved perfection. Are we as a species incapable of an earthly utopia? In fact, do we need some form of a dystopia in order to really thrive and evolve?

Pistoff: Okay, I'll admitt I was tired and in a bit of a foul mood. But I still think my comments had some merit. That IS an unfair stereotype of priests, pure and simple.
You said that a "significant" number of priests get off on little boys. Not *most* of them, but a significant number. Think about that. There are probably at *least* a 100 million Catholics in the world. That averages out to several million priests alone. Are you telling me that, out of those millions a significant number of them are child molestors? No way, not *that* many.
I can speak from experience with this. Back in high school, I went for a time to a parochial religious school. It was a good school, with a good history, and a fine curriculum. During my tenure there, one of the teachers got caught (and consequently served time) for sodomizing a few of the students (female students). This was 1 man. One teacher, out of literally hundreds in the history of the school, and the school had decades of a spotless record. My point is that, yes, the occasional pervert does slip through the cracks. But they are in no way numerous, or even "significant" in their number. You say you know people who've seen it--hey *I* have seen it. It's horrible, it's tragic, but in no way is it so very commonplace or frequent.
I'm not Catholic, and frankly, there are a lot of things I disagree with, dogma-wise, with the Catholic church. But I think that this is one hell of totally negative, undeserved stereotype that has been placed upon the Catholic priests, simply because a few perverts, out of millions, go and perform certain acts that are truly f***ed up. I'm not saying it *never* happens, it does, but c'mon, your initial comment made it sound as if it happens everyday (or at least it's a constant threat), as if a good-sized portion of the priesthood are closet members of NAMBLA. I have to agree with Green Baron, even though yes, some cases do occur, it is people like the media who jump up and down with joy as soon as one of them pops up, hyping them up, almost as if they are practically orgasmic that they can take a chink out of the Catholic church. Whether you realized it or not at the time, you DID help perpetuate a stereotype, a particularly cruel one. You yourself said that *most* priests don't molest altar boys....and it's not most of them, or a majority, just a random group of sick f!cks. It's one of the saddest things in the world when it happens, but the whole "priests are child molestors" idea IS, by and large a stereotype, and an unfair one at that.
I don't want a flame war. Hell, I like you, you're a cool guy. I just don't think it was fair to say what you did. I don't think you're a bigot, but I do think your initial comment was pretty below the belt. It's not fair to say a generalized comment like that about priests, because for every bastard clergyman who does touch a kid, there are literally thousands who don't, who are decent, normal individuals. I am sorry if I've offended you, but I...I just did not think your comments were fair at all. I said the wrong, thing, though (as I unfortunately often do), and for that I'm sorry.
Sevarius Jr. - [bpoole@mailexcite.com]
Saturday, July 24, 1999 11:50:52 PM
IP: 207-172-52-254.s254.tnt1.brd.va.dialup.rcn.com

TALEWEAVER - You wrote: [If you believe that the past is immutable, one of the price is that free will is just an illusion.]

Actually I believe in both predestination AND free will.

The best way to describe this is to describe time like a huge endless highway. The entire highway is laid out. You are going down this highway and it extends endlessly in front of you. That is Pre-destination.

But on the highway, you still have the ability to choose between lanes, between which path you go down on that highway. That is free will. Everytime we choose between good and evil, we are choosing which lane on the highway we want to go down.

The lanes are there. The highway is there but the way we go down it is still in our hands. That's how I believe in Pre-destination and Free Will.

Now I also believe history is immutable. You can't go back and undo a decision. The past has passed by. It's behind you. You can look back at it but you can't change it. The choice of what way to go is the only thing that matters now.

(If you did go back, odds are that history would find a way to sabotage your intent to change everything. If you don't remember running into yourself then it never happened. You can go back but in the end you are only part of that existing past. In fact, by going back you probably help bring events closer to what you know then change them.)

If history can be changed by anyone then chaos will be the result. The universe has been moving from chaos into order since the beginning. (At least I believe so anyway.) It will seek to keep everything from changing just to avoid the chaos that would result.


As for Demona in the future, I don't mind her as an outcast. It's just that there shouldn't be a uniform response. There will always be a majority that will go one way but there should be others that would stand out and not go the way of the majority. If most reject her or avoid her, then I believe that there would be some who wouldn't do this. It's the uniformity that bothers me, not the actual rejection which is possible given 160 years.
Airwalker
Brooklyn, NY
Saturday, July 24, 1999 11:32:28 PM
IP: 50.new-york-28-29rs.ny.dial-access.att.net

In the spirit of the farie Puck, who I played in four performances of A Midsummer's Night Dream a while back, I've decided to throw a contest of sorts... So, I'm proud to announce...

FANDOM TOP FIVE CONTEST!

What I'm doing is basically holding a poll of favorites in a few categories.

Favorite Author
Favorite Artist
Favorite Cycle
Favorite Individual Story
Favorite Individual Artwork
Favorite Male Character
Favorite Female Character
Favorite Villain/Villainess

The rules are simple enough. Anyone who wishes to vote sends me an e-mail with ONE choice for each category. In the interests of fair play, I ask that you don't vote for your own work, but I won't disqualify a vote if you do. The deadline is August 8th, 12:00 AM Eastern time. After this date has passed, I will tally up the votes, and then announce the top five in each category and post the fandom's picks. There are no prizes or anything, this is just for fun and curiosity. (Note: TGS work IS applicable for this contest.)
Robby - [MrNoying@aol.com]
Saturday, July 24, 1999 11:11:53 PM
IP: spider-wj032.proxy.aol.com

Delphi enters the room wiping tear from here eyes>

Found another good story in the fanfic archives, I will be glad when the problems are fixed I really hate starting a story theard and not being able to finih it.

Thanks for all the book sugestions, my vaction is coming up and I'll probably pull a few book allnighters. I just cant put a good story down.

Thanks also for the movie ratings on inspector gaget, the kids and I are debating what we want to do for our day trips.

David G>> I'd love an advaced copy use my other email cmiller16@netscape.net(this one the kid's can't mess with)

I'm looking for an out of print book by Janny Wurts Stormwarden I would pay to get a copy since I have been sitting on the next two volumes (I really HATE reading them out of sequence)
delphi - [cmiller@magiclink.com]
Twin Falls, Idaho, s
Saturday, July 24, 1999 10:28:11 PM
IP: 207.14.195.176

Well, I'm in a bit of a funk... A large part of yesterday and for quite a few hours today I've been working on some upcoming TGS story illustrations, and not a single one of the two dozen or so drawings I've attempted has even started to come out right... Drawing... Not a fun process sometimes...

Really not much to say right now. Haven't seen any movies, and I've already gone over all the hot topics of the last three days or so...

Dragonball fans- THe new season finally starts on Cartoon Network September 15th. Yay!

Patrick- 1984 and Brave New World? Gee... Both of those are on my school asigned summer reading list. (Are they allowed to do that?) I suppose I should look into finding a copy of both books soon, since school starts in about two weeks...
Robby
Saturday, July 24, 1999 09:47:25 PM
IP: spider-wj071.proxy.aol.com

Wilek: Hey, welcome back! :) And I've heard a lot of people talking about exploding manhole covers, but I've never seen it myself. I've asked a couple of people in NYC if the manholes really explode there, but I haven't gotten an answer yet... And as for the Pay Per View executions, George Carlin had a bit about that in one of his recent shows. Basically, the idea was to execute criminals by nailing them to a large wooden cross at half-time during the Monday Night Football. :)

Paul: About your "another big DUH!" You missed the point of the question entirely. Don't insult my intelligence if you can't even figure out what I was really asking.

Kitainia: I agree completely. The only time I really enjoyed school (in small moments) was in my senior year, when I got to do a presentation on Monty Python's Flying Circus for my Honors English class. :) But other than that, ick! I would go into a six-week depression every time the "back to school" ads started....
Pistoff - [pistoff@outgun.com]
Saturday, July 24, 1999 09:34:53 PM
IP: wire-23.koalas.com

The problem with utopias is that not everyone has the same idea of what a utopia is. One man's idea of utopia is ofter another man's living hell. For some excellent examples, I'd recommend reading "1984" by George Orwell, "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley, and, for something a bit more contemporary (and IMHO, more disturbing), "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood.

:: end shameless plug for broadening your literary horizons ::
Patrick Toman
Saturday, July 24, 1999 08:43:32 PM
IP: abd1e681.ipt.aol.com

<Drum Roll and Shameless Plug Alert!>

Attention everyone! Now available at GFW for your reading pleasure- my new story "Voyage." If you want to, please go read and enjoy!

Note: The next story in the saga will not be "Protected Species." I've decided that I want to do another fic first called "Eruption." Sorry to any who were temporarily misled.

More later.
Doug
Saturday, July 24, 1999 08:22:30 PM
IP: pool-207-205-237-88.dlls.grid.net

The future and free will> I won't say whatis to believed or not, but one my philosophy teachers one said that every point of view has benefits and a price. If you believe that the past is immutable, one of the price is that free will is just an illusion. The only fundamental diference between past, present and future is frame of reference. Our present is someone else's past and anothers future. So which is the truth? I think the past is changible. Just because we haven't done it yet, doesn't mean it's impossible. Change is different from manipulating. Understanding the myraid of factors and contributing points that make a historical event are greatand many. Doing it for a specific outcome is not easy.

As far as Demona in the future. What makes you think Demona didn't want it that way? Demona's only way of relating to others is through intimidation. In City of Stone she said she'd rather be feared than respected. Maybe Demona is a victim of her own success. She's universally feared and surprise few people want her around. But like others have said. It's 160 years and a lot can happen. Just look at what's happened in the gargoyle universe in just 5 years.

Dystopia/Utopia> My opinon only people who are in paradise would want to leave it. When you've struggled, I mean *struggle* can you appreciate happiness. I haven't sturggled like that. I've noticed in these dystopia it usually some suburb fantasy. I know that if I toiled just to survive. Just to eck out enough to make it through that day and that at any moment for any reason that are beyond my control, I'd think a utopia would be pretty nice.

but as the dragons say, reality is what we choose to accept and what we choose to ignore.
taleweaver - [taleweaver@usa.net]
Saturday, July 24, 1999 07:28:13 PM
IP: pool591-cvx.ds68-ca-us.dialup.earthlink.net

...
Anonymous
Saturday, July 24, 1999 04:47:29 PM
IP: spider-we061.proxy.aol.com

Heh...actually,I marginally like Load and Reload as much I as like Harvey Danger and Smashmouth: Take it or leave it. I did like And Justice For All a lot, though it was during that "commercial" transistion...let's face it: the only reason I have Load and Reload is because it's Metallica. As much as their new music sucks (Until It Sleeps and Unforgiven II makes me twitch and want to shoot something), I did swear to my friend Mike, the manager of Bull Moose Music, "If Garage Inc doesn't have any Sabbath covers, I'm not getting it." Lo and behold, not only is there Sabera Cadabra on it (with National Acrobat, one of my faves, in the middle of the song), there's a kick-ass version of Astronomy on it. So they didn't totally go commercial on that, though "Turn The Page" became one of the *twitch twitch* songs on The List That Should Not Be...

*sighs.* I miss Cliff Burton...he's been dead for thirteen years, but I still miss him...

*yawns.*

BBL.

*PTOOFF!!*
Cyrway - [blkblade@excite.com]
Saturday, July 24, 1999 04:29:59 PM
IP: ddialup-w-61.mint.net

**RP HERE**

Gubio wakes up inside the Onslaught's cab, impulsively chuckling as he sees his companions' marked-up faces. Tricia and Stephanie tell him to look at himself and Gubio frowns. "Great," he sighs as he wipes his face off, realizing the Onslaught has toppled over and is now being banged on and torn to pieces by Borg Huns. Tricia hits the button to electrify the mech's outer shell and thankfully it works, throwing off the screaming Huns and destroying them but leaving the Onslaught disabled. "Great," Tricia sighs. "How are we going to beat these guys now?" "Get out and fight them on foot of course!" Stephanie replies, waving to her two companions. "Come on!" Nearby on the battlefield, Atilla the Hun is awakened by Reverend Atilla's mewing just in time to jump up and block Napoleon's latest swordthrust. "Curse you!" the short Frenchman growls. "I shall still give the coup de gras!" Their fight goes on.

Meanwhile, inside the Devastator, the Ravens have just finished off Bob Saget of America's Dummest Home Videos and a small army of his contestants (they were all assimilated, of course, but we didn't need that excuse!). Kitainia kicks one destroyed Borg's head across the room and then turns to make a post.

**END RP 1ST HALF**

Greetings and thanks again to everyone who wished me a happy birthday. The party was a lot of fun (don't worry, Coyote, we didn't take your advice. <grin> <zaps Execution Cake into a Strawberry one> Thanks for the gift. ) Hope Dags, Jaden, and Mandi had/have good birthdays too. Now on to replies.

Pistoff: I despise those back to school ads too. They remind me of times gone by, times that weren't that enjoyable. As I've mentioned in here before, my time in school had its ups and downs. Going back to it after summer vacation was always part of the latter.

Warpmind: You'll be missed while you're gone. Hope you have a good trip.

Paul: Thanks for the warning about Lunar 2's difficulty. So far the game hasn't been too much of a problem, but we're only at the Missing Link boss so we're not that far along. The tough bosses are probably ahead. :)

David G: Got your second fic and read it, I thought you did a pretty good job. Some plot and character developments seemed inconsistent when looked at after reading your first story, but nothing major. I enjoyed the well-written action and dialogue. James was a pretty interesting character as well. I look forward to seeing more development on him once you post more of your work.

Airwalker: Good points about the development of the Gargs future. I agree that the Garg-Human Relations subplot needs to be focused on again soon, it probably will be next season. Wonder what Clifford will do when he comes back.

Jewel, Wilek, Argent, Everyone else who's returned- Welcome back!

Time Travel: I've always liked the idea of it in stories, but don't think it would work in real life. If it does, I hope it works the Gargoyles way for history's sake. :)

Good Stories: I agree with Patrick, good plots and characters are what create good stories. As for what type of stories I like best, it's usually the one where characters' actions and development drive the plot more than vice versa.
Gargs was of course a story like that.

Argent: Good luck surviving Drivers Ed and passing it, hope you get it behind you soon.

Metallica: I like their new music better than the old too. Though the old is also very good. :) Def Leppard also has good music, IMO. I like their Greatest Hits CD as much as Metallica's Black Album.

Kaioto: I agree with you about Richard's character. He may be an ordinary guy, but he also has heroic potential. Hope to see your stories with him real soon.

Green Baron: Congrats on becoming a godfather. And congrats to Atilla on becoming a godfather's cat. :)

**SPOILERS FOR INSPECTOR GADGET**

Saw this movie yesterday. It was suprisingly quite entertaining. Like Coyote, Doug and I liked all the film's in-jokes and material from the original Gadget cartoon. The movie had a nice plot and decent characters, too. The Gadgetmobile was annoying at first, but it grew on me and by the end I liked it. He and the guy from Tokyo had the best lines. The movie also had nice cinematography and special effects. I gave it a 7/10, thumbs up.

**END INSPECTOR GADGET SPOILERS-REVIEW**

Okay, guess that's everything I wanted to give my two cents on. See everyone again, next week, and later!

**RP AGAIN**

"Wonder how many more of these things we're going to have to wade through before we find Guod," Jammer says as he carefully steps over a pair of destroyed Borg who used to be "kids who do the grossest things imaginable." "No matter how many there are," Doug replies, "we'll take care of them all." The others nod and they walk on.

Meanwhile down in the engine room, Brendan is sighing heavily as he works at a computer. "I just got the turbolasers back online," he says, throwing up his hands. "Now that hoverjet allied with the Ravens has taken out some of them and the remaining ones are quickly being destroyed as well." He glares at a monitor displaying Tricia using pyrokinesis to heat up the Devastator turbolaser's batteries so Gubio can take them out with his pistol while Stephanie stays close to and protects them both. "We have to get the engine started again," Brendan declares. "Only then can we reactivate the Devastator's main wave cannon and wipe out all of our enemies." "That should be easy," Grandpa Pickles tells him. "Startin' the engine, I mean. We put all the parts in." "But it's still not working," Brendan sighs. "Stewie, what do you think is going on?" "It's obvious to those of superior intellect!" the evil baby genius snaps. "The ship's radiator overheated when those explosives hit us and it's still not cool!" "Okay," Brendan says calmly. "We'll need some water." He presses the communicator button. "Hey Guod, can you send down our remaining H2O supplies immediately? Thank you." The screen goes blank.

**END THIS BIT OF RP**
Kitainia
Saturday, July 24, 1999 04:07:37 PM
IP: pool-207-205-148-47.dlls.grid.net

I took an old friend visiting from Houston to the movies and couldn't post yesterday... my ex was there too! Eeep...

Happy Belated Birthday to Kit, Dags, Jaden, and anyone else I missed! We luv you!

Methos, Cronos, Sithas, & Caspian> They were the four horsemen portrayed in the Highlander series, and Peter Wingfield (Methos) is pretty damn hot :)

***REVIEW & SPOILERS FOR THE HAUNTING***
Well, I'll say it was *nothing* like the original (which was lame)! I didn't think it wasted my time, cause I got in free, but it was very slow at first. I'll give it credibility that the one scary part of the movie (the skeleton) freaked me out! And oddly enough, when Crane was floating down the staircase, I though of TGS! I have no idea why! The dialogue was...simple and I liked the characters. If you have nothing else to do, then you should see this movie. Not bad, but not great...IMO.
***END REVIEW***

Off to read Dark Ages. OKIloveyoubyebye!
SOROW
Saturday, July 24, 1999 02:57:13 PM
IP: usr12-dialup274.mix1.irving.cw.net

Does anyone want to talk with a Demona-fan? ;): ...
Exin - [exin@gmx.de]
Saturday, July 24, 1999 01:50:04 PM
IP: 193.97.193.250

Oh, and one more thing...

Go to the GFW...I have a teaser and a MiSTed fic up...

*PTOOFF!!*
Cyrway - [blkblade@excite.com]
Saturday, July 24, 1999 01:11:53 PM
IP: ddialup-w-60.mint.net

SJ> Def leppard? Gimme a break. I love Metallica. Just that it seems that as soon as Newstead joined the ranks, Metallica went commercial. Master of Puppets was the best album. Cliff Burton shouldn't have died, or else I bet they'd still be writing stuff that would have evolved on MoP rather than go commecial. Metallica lost a quarter of its soul with Burton's death, and Newstead didn't replace it. Don't get me wrong, Jason's a talented bassist, it's just that he doesn't have that special something Cliff did...

In case most ppl don't know, I hate most of the crap they play on the radio these days. I'm not into bands that sold out. Probably explains why I'm such a Hawkwind nut. 29 years and still going, without airtime outside Great Britain.

JEB> Still trying to finish up on the HTML, but probably next week, you'll see the Nine-disk theory. And yes, I'm working on a TF fic...it's called "Till All Are One", and it's about a Decepticon who's not sure what side she's on anymore...also, it has a lot of Soundwave in it...

TMNTA> I loved Chris Allen's artwork. That was the best. I believe the one reason why Mutanimals bombed was that the artwork was too Disney-esque (like, Mickey Mouse, not Gargoyles), and the plotlines sucked. If they had the storylines and art more like the TMNTA series, the Mutanimals would have lasted a lot longer.

Man, I would have loved to get a chance doing pencils and story for the Mutanimals...hey, I could keep it clean...

Coyote> Heh...I just got the settlement from the state. I'm elegible for unemployment, despite being fired, because they didn't have any documentation and the boss lied in my face, I found out. I had printed a job four times, he told me six, and told the state I printed it nine. So I'm really happy. Now, to find another part-timer so I can keep my apartment. ^_^

Hai...back to whatever...

*PTOOFF!!*
Cyrway - [blkblade@excite.com]
Saturday, July 24, 1999 01:10:26 PM
IP: ddialup-w-60.mint.net

Delphi > Lisanne Norman's Sholan books are great! Well, the first one is lukewarm, but lordy lordy don't I know how that goes; the rest are _much_ better. My fave character is Kaid; I really tend to go for the strong silent suffering type.

Phantom Menace > saw it again yesterday, liked it even better the second time around, and am more sure than ever that Obi-Wan is the hunk of the galaxy. Might even have to write a 'fic to get him out of my system. Hmm ... "Jedi Nights"?

Burial at sea > then again, if they hadn't retrieved the bodies, there would have been a.) persistent rumors that JFK Jr. didn't really die or b.) every pinhead with a scuba suit out looking for the remains. Or, really, c.) both.

Christine - [vecna@eskimo.com]
Saturday, July 24, 1999 01:04:05 PM
IP: vecna.ndip.eskimo.net

I would think that living in a universe where the past can be changed would be very unsettling. At any moment some fool could go back in time and do something that would completely louse up your life. Then you or someone else would have to go back in time to correct matters - always assuming you had some way of discovering you ever had a decent life. And you might not even be able to make the discovery if the fool did something that prevented your ever existing. As you lived your life in the present, you'd never know from one minute to the next if your next breath would be your last. I wouldn't like this at all.

Jenniren
Saturday, July 24, 1999 12:50:21 PM
IP: user-2ivf5al.dialup.mindspring.com

To all those who had a birthday this past week happy belated birthday.
Lawrence Stone - [craft_celtic@yahoo.com]
Chillicothe, Ohio, USA
Saturday, July 24, 1999 11:16:51 AM
IP: chil-ras4-3-cs-10.dial.bright.net

Kronos, Caspian, Sithas, and Methos are well first you gotta understand I'm not talking about Biblocal men. Okay with that said I can safely say they were the four horseman of the apocolypse in the bronze age. Now remember I'm not talking about the bible ones. Oh well anyhow Methos-death, Caspian-famine, Kronos-conquest, Sithas-pestilence (ie disease).
James Birdsong - [LennexMacDuff@yahoo.com]
San Diego, CA, USA
Saturday, July 24, 1999 11:15:15 AM
IP: dt041n34.san.rr.com

WILEK - Welcome Back!


You wrote: [Because, if changing the past can be done, it's so unpredictable that it *shouldn't* be done. I mean, if there hadn't been a Wyvern massacre, the survivors wouldn't have ended up in the modern day, and the world would be devoid of a rather important clan.]

That's true. But if the past can be changed by any one person then this senario could be done. The consequences matter to us in that our present would be changed, but to that one person who wants to see the Wyvern Clan not get slaughtered then the present doesn't matter.

I'm against being able to change the past in stories. I like the Gargoyle approach to time travel. "History is immutable." You can't change it and if you try all your really doing is being part of the events as they existed in the actual history. (I like Todd's example once of someone trying to warn Caesar about his assassination. They got a letter to him warning him but he never got a chance to read it.) It complicates the characters life which is what stories are supposed to do. If you are ending a series then you try to end it on more or less a happy note. But in a continuing series, while characters can find happiness every once in a while and while their lives don't have to degenerate into a FUTURE TENSE or DAYS OF THE FUTURE PAST senario, it shouldn't be too easy for them.

(Goliath loves Elisa but if he really could change history and save his clan from massacure and stone sleep then it's possible he might have done it. Anyway if he did it, he would be wiped out of existance and only the Goliath of the new timeline who never knew Elisa would be around. So there wouldn't be any problem. Ignorance is bliss. He would never know what he was missing or what he gave up and it wouldn't haunt him. Like this he has no choice but to make a new life for himself in the present. The past is gone, the future is yet to be, the only time in now.)


My theory with Alternate Realities could be a good one but my main flaw in it is if Brooklyn is visiting alternate futures, then it is possible that he visited alternate pasts, something which just confuses everything. So I'm amending my theory. Brooklyn can only move to alternate realities when he is traveling past 1996, the time in which he was taken by the Gate. His timeline's past is set so he has no problem visiting that set past. But since he doesn't know what his future is supposed to be, it could be an alternate reality that he would be visiting.

Let's say that for travel to the past and to the future two different rules exist.

To the set past travel is no problem since the traveler would only be part of events. Not only that but the traveller has some knowledge of past events and this can act as sort of a guide, limiting travel to that one reality.

To the unknown future, travel to more than one reality is possible because the traveler has no idea what the future will be and the Gate has less limitations on it. It can now literally take you anywhere THE FIRST TIME. When Brooklyn visited the future in REQUIEM he had no idea what the future would hold so he was taken to A future. From that point on, he has an idea in his head of what the future would be like even if it might not be the future of his timeline. That's how the come the Gate took him back to that specific future again, and how the Gate will return him to his timeline's Sata who was left in what might be an alternate future.

This frees up Main TGS from TIMEDANCER's shown future since it might just be an alternate reality.
Airwalker
Brooklyn, NY
Saturday, July 24, 1999 10:57:38 AM
IP: 196.new-york-20-25rs.ny.dial-access.att.net

First:
To answer the question "What happens if the person doesn't get married?", well, the simple answer is if said person who has chosen not to mate unless married never gets married then said person plain won't mate.
No offense here, but that is another big Duh!
Now that the very obvious topic is out of the way...

Scott Iskow-I haven't read anything Marvel mostly because of certain cliche aspects. That excludes their GARGOYLES Comics and a few others, but seriously, I'm not one for any of their aspects. I'n addressing this to you because of the 'sympathize' comment. I'm pretty sure you know that the gargoyles and all characters besides them in that Series can be understood. Hence, why the comment?
I think a lot of people could understand the people in the GARGOYLES Series.

Jewel Faulkner-Dystopian societies need to be used as plot devices, not for them to be there. There's no point in having people suffer just for the sake of having them suffer. Of course, if I had to choose, dystopian society would be much better than living as a Third Class Citizen in the Sacred Empire of Solaris. Actually, better than living anywhere in Solaris.

The TIMEDANCER Debate-I'm sure that Brooklyn and Sata will find out about the 'sneaking into heaven'. Speaking of them, I'm sure that there'll be wonderings about Jerusha when they meet Demona again in this time period. Brooklyn's promise should come up then. As for the aftermath of what happened with Jerusha, one, there was no mention of the spell being removed, and two, I think that was intended as a cliffhanger.

The Demona Debate-I still say what she saw was possibly from her point of view. Quite probably. If you expect to be treated bad you can very well interpret actions of others towards you as treating you badly.

Kitainia-Happy Birthday!

Doug-Thank you for the compliment. Where exactly are you in LUNAR II: ETERNAL BLUE, now, anyway? Any opinions yet? Oh, and after beating the Game, check your Save Files for a surprise.

As for why I didn't Post yesterday, I was on a vacation.

Also, about pent-up emotion. I have my own theories as to some of the recent school shootings and they don't involve pent-up emotions. You can block your emotions, and you can release them without hurting others.

"All this pain... all this sadness... Is that it!? Is that all there is!?
"Is that all there is to us?"-Fei Fong Wong
"Yes. This is 'our world'."-Fei/Id Fong Wong
XENOGEARS
Paul Allen Nathans - [LacanPanother@worldnet.att.net]
Saturday, July 24, 1999 09:48:54 AM
IP: 38.morristown-18-19rs.nj.dial-access.att.net

Quick post

Welcome back Wilek!!:)

C'yas later!

Xanathar
Melbourne, victoria, Australia
Saturday, July 24, 1999 07:10:43 AM
IP: 203.29.192.74

**RP!**

[In the World Devastator, Wilek returns the lightsaber he borrowed from Miriam and looks at the dead Borg Gungans suspiciously. Wilek: "I thought they were a warrior race; they shouldn't have gone down *this* easily." SJ: "Well, they *are* clones of Jar Jar. He isn't exactly a great fighter." Wilek: "True. So now what?" Anoth: "We proceed to the engine room." The team stalks off in that direction, encountering only token resistance--much of the rest has been sent after the Ravens--until they reach the final corridor leading to the engine room. They're about to walk blithely into the corridor when Anoth says, "Wait. Something isn't right here..." He looks around, telekinetically draws a piece of debris to his hand, and then throws it in the conventional manner into the corridor, where it is incinerated by the weapons lining the corridor. Wilek: "Uh oh. Now what do we do?" Jake: "Hm...if I could find the power conduit leading to those lasers..."] I've been away for a while, so forgive me if I messed anything up, continuity-wise. :)

**PAUSE RP!**

I'M BACK, EVERYONE! :D It's great to be home! <sees exactly how much he has to reply to> Ack...better get started...Some of my replies are going to be kind of outdated, since I've been away for a while.

Trent> <<New York doesn't attract weirdness... weird is its natural state.>> Ah. So, all the bizarre stuff that happens there is...normal. Normal is subjective I suppose. :)

SJ> <<Apperently, the Mexican Catholic Church has just recently come out and attacked Star Wars-Episode One: The Phantom Menace. They claim that the "virgin birth" of Anakin, the Jedi Council interrogation of Anakin (supposedly symbolic of young Jesus' meeting with the Jews in the synagogue), and the "messianic-like" Qui Gon-Jinn are all some form of blasphemy.>> Um...what? <blink> What in the world are they smoking over there?! <<I've been around a few atheists who, upon my mentioning my Faith, looked at me as if I had just told them I was off to go worship at the Cult of the Dead Cow on the planet Vulcan.>> I thought the Cult Of The Dead Cow was purged in the Vulcan Inquisition. Unless of course they're in seclusion, which wouldn't surprise me since Vulcans are good at hiding. I've heard they're in the middle of a holy war with the Temple of the Rotating Lagomorph. Hm, a new Dr. Who movie? Very kewl. Maybe the Daleks will be in this one. :) $Kewl spell. What language is that?$

Jaden> <<In my sociology class my group got stuck with writing about the Aryan Nations.>> ACK. If there's one group I'm prejudiced against, it's racists...

Pistoff> Manhole covers exploding? ACK. I'd never heard of that before; are the sewers really under that kind of pressure? <<If things keep going like they are, celebrity death will be an event on Pay Per View...>> I can just see it: 'Live celebrity executions, next time on Jerry Springer!' :P

Demona> Hm...this is the kind of debate I tend to avoid, since I'm just too twisted about this kind of thing to contribute anything worth hearing. As for what I'll be doing with her in my fics...well, I won't, not again anyhow. I just don't know much about writing such a complex character. I'll leave that to the veteran writers. I'll say this though--if humans are really as bad as she thinks, then she doesn't need to wipe them out; they'll do it themselves.

Shogun Raptor> <<Shogun flips open a panel on his armor, presses a few buttons and de-evolves into a velociraptor(cyber-cookie for anyone who can guess what TV show that de-evolution bit is from)>> Um...Dinosaucers? <<I will say one thing, was I the only one confused as to what gender Terk was?>> Um...female, I think.

Warpmind de Inzane> A mutant? That is so kewl. Interesting little modification. Has he been that way all his life, or...did he find a scientist who takes commissions? <G> <<maybe the ancient Egyptian art Sebat Kha>> There was an Egyptian martial art?! That must have been so kewl. <<Well, gotta go, some of those disgusting humans just arrived.>> They can be annoying, can't they. But we gargoyles will inherit the earth. >:) <<WARNING: The librarian present knows more about causing severe, painful injuries than about mending them.>> <laughs evilly> I LOVE IT. >:) <<who knows, maybe there's a few strange people out there who actually like Windows.>> Um, I've been using it and Win98 for about as long as I've been using computers. I like it because it's just about the only operating system that a decent amount of computer games are made for. Hm, you're leaving? Ack. Well, have fun. :) <<Korean Master was sent to dispose of this "upstart". Six seconds into the match, including the warm-up exercises, the Korean Champ was on the ground, begging for mercy. How I wish I'd been there to see it.>> WOAH. Now THAT is impressive.

Forrest> As is having belts in six different martial arts. WOW.

Matt Dymond> <<JEB> You mentioned a Transformers soundtrack - do you have the movie one?>> I do, and it's interesting. The theme is just about the only rock song I can stand. And it's very reminiscent of the Unseelie War. :)

Skippy> <<You mentione Ghostbusters, well, they just released the DVD version and I've heard it has some interesting features including a "pop-up video" mode where small captions show up mentioning various little triva tidbits>> Sounds neat; I'll have to check it out.

Christine> <<dreams of a black Chihuahua? (wow, what a title that would be!) ... well, I guess it proves that Taco Bell is in league with the Devil ...>> Hm...the little dog *is* apparently trying to take over the world...oh well, at least he has a kewl song. :) (I wonder if there's a MID of it...) <<Imagine some sexy thing's got you in the same spot as Nick. Imagine the sexy thing suddenly sprouts a bunch of extra bristly legs and venom-dripping mandibles and big faceted eyes ... right at _that_ moment.>> Didn't that happen in an anime; 'Wicked City' or something to that effect?

Deuce> <looks at his post in shock> YOU'RE LEAVING?! Over...what, the rant at Nguyen?! He deserved that, and it was justified! You've hurt and damaged NO ONE! (No one who didn't thoroughly deserve it anyhow.) Please, don't leave; you're a valued member of our clan, both as our co-administrator and as a friend.

Glimmer> <<And you forgot the 80's TV show Beauty and the Beast on your New York wierdness list. And if I'm not mistaken Spiderman, too.>> Ah. Thanks for reminding me. :) Hm...Spiderman's from New York? I thought he was from somewhere else, Empire City or something. I could be mistaken though. And about your grandmother, you have my condolences. But I'm glad she's at least still alive. <<Anybody know how to preform exorcisms?>> Well...I know a great incantation, but I'm afraid I don't have any magical talent (that I know of). :)

Dagastino> I'm sorry to hear of the loss of your grandmother. We seem to have a lot in here with ailing family (and all of those I missed, you have my sympathy). :(

Favorite Villains> Oh, where do I begin? Hm...Maleficent, Scar, Zira, Ursula, Henry Stauf, Emperor Palpatine, Ganondorf Dragmire, a lot of others I forget...

Greg 'Xanatos' Bishansky> Um...who's Hecate? :}

Coyote> <<Does anyone recall if Tress MacNeille was a Garg voice actress? Because she's credited for backup vocals on two of the tracks on "Running with Scissors" and I *swear* I've heard that name before!>> She's been in a LOT of animated series--Babs on Tiny Toon Adventures, Dot on Animaniacs, I think that one girl on Rescue Rangers, and a lot of others I can't remember. <<Unfortuately, my grandmother's condition has apparently worsened.>> Oh no. She'll be in my thoughts.

Theresa> <takes and lights a candle> Great idea; thanks for thinking of this. :) And I'm glad your mother is out of the hospital. :)

Spike> Kewl pic. :)

Entity> <<As for clues on Asrial's future... you may have better luck asking Greg who he had in mind for Lex's mate.>> That mean you'll tell us eventually? <G>

Kaioto> <<You put a bright evil and a dark evil on either side.>> Bright and dark evil? That sounds fascinating...<<Gargoyle claws reaching up, somehow animated from the death, raised in supplication. The voices of her slaughtered rookery siblings whispering … louder and louder … the claws grasping at her legs, trying to grab a piece of her life, shaking her, the chorus of whispers becoming more and more audible until she makes out the angry, hurt question, "why … why … Why?" And then, left with no other answer than her own responsibility, "awakening" from the daymare, drenched in sweat and screaming … Settling her heart-rate, immersing herself back in work through the tears of agony … glancing down at the rug as she thinks she seems claws out of the bottom corners of her vision … until the dreams consume her again … dreading when she finally has to sleep … for in sleep, the daymares seem like gentle fantasies compared to the nightmares that ride her … and now she has no anger, no denial to hide behind. Her soul is vulnerable, and is being torn at for the rest of her immortal existence.>> You're twisted. I like it. >:)

Paul> If you're *that* concerned with typing Pistoff's name (for some reason), you could simply copy and paste it. <<there's only one story that, when using light, and dark, has used dark for goodness, light for evilness. Well, only one that I can remember, and I was pleased with the plot idea.>> Hm...I don't know if this is the one you're referring to, but I seem to remember a made-for-TV movie called White Dwarf--I think that was the name--about a planet that had light and dark sides. I think the leaders of the light side were amoral and decadent, and the leaders of the dark side were noble and honorable. Although it's been years and years since I saw that movie, so I'm probably remembering it completely wrong.

Todd> <<what are the religions of the major human characters in "Gargoyles"?>> Um...I think there's a Grimorum essay at GFW that theorizes that Halcyon Renard may have been Catholic. <<As long as it doesn't involve some Fey waving his or her hand and making everything better, as long as it has some expensive price attached to it, then I guess I could live with it.>> Hm...maybe Asrial could be brought back in the same way Coldstone was (in a cybernetic body)? I can't think why they would do that, and it doesn't make much sense story-wise, but it'd certainly be appropriate for her. :)

Xanathar> Favorite eps? Um...I have no idea. :)

Aaron> <<Lame, I know, but I'm beginning to think we've used all the really good ones.>> Heh heh heh...as long as there is one twisted and sadistic mind here, there are always new frontiers of fear and torment to explore. >:)

For those of you who are just now tuning in, no I am not Traveler. :P

James Birdsong> Methos, Cronos, Sithas, and Caspian? They sound interesting. Who...are they, exactly?

Steve Gooch> <<What do you CALL someone like that? Dick? Mr. Dick? Dick Dick? Double-Dick? :)>> Er...I *could* say something really disgusting right about now. :P Oh, and while I was away, I encountered one of those weird little stuffed beanbag toys, a jellyfish called Goochy. Strange little coincidence. :) <<Btw, Wilek, come up with a nice D.C. death for me on this one, I'm not in the mood and I'm at my best with Microsoft employees. Something with a chipper-shredder or a combine, please>> I'd be glad to; he and I have a few issues to resolve anyhow...

**DC DEATH**

[Mr. Disconnect is running home, as usual, attempting to avoid the notice of his many, many enemies...when he hears what sounds like a very, very large helicopter hovering directly overhead. A spotlight shines from above, directly on to him. He flees, and once he's no longer being blinded by the spotlight, sees that the pursuing vehicle is a stealth-rigged Fortress-class skyship. Several garglike flight-modified battle droids swoop from the ship's hangar bay, grab DC, return him to the ship, and strap him to a rack, where Wilek is waiting. Wilek: "Greetings, old friend. Now, I wonder who COMPLETELY REARRANGED the channel listings on DirecTv, DESTROYING my timers and preferences file? And I further wonder who has kept my mail server down for the past THREE HOURS? And what's this I hear about you playing with Wyvernweb? Ohhh, you are in for a treat today..." Wilek slices open DC's torso with a hooked knife, takes a hot iron from the nearby furnace, and entwines DC's intestinal tract around it, before shoving it up DC's throat and out his mouth. He then uses several foot-long crystal spikes to nail DC to the rack, even though he's already tied up, then pours cold water into DC's thoracic cavity, which interacts with the hot iron to produce a great deal of steam, which is even more agonizing than the hot iron. He then regards DC thoughtfully, not sure what to do next. He then decides upon driving a multitude of small nails into just about every part of DC's body that hasn't already been slashed open, then pouring acid all over DC, making his many wounds all the more painful. Then, remembering Steve's request, he unties DC and removes the crystal spikes, then tosses him out a convenient trapdoor and into a yard (about a mile below), where his shattered and broken body falls into a coincidentally-placed chipper-shredder that is merrily compacting dead leaves into fertilizer. The owner of the chipper-shredder somehow fails to notice DC falling into his machine, and eventually, DC is fed to his garden.]

**END DEATH**

Robby> You're back! YEAH! Welcome back, and I hope you didn't become too sane while you were gone. :) <<It was that stupid image of Calvin peeing the Watterson never authorized that made him quit.>> Ugh, I've seen that stupid thing everywhere, as an automotive decal. And, usually, the sigil of some car company is on the recieving end of Calvin's attentions; I've seen both Ford and Chevy treated this way.

Less welcome is the apparent return of the Percent Sign Error. :/ Which coincides with Ask Greg's current inability to answer any questions. Which started right when Greg answered my question, so I now have a complex. :P

Killing off Angela? Well, if I do it, it'll be for some reason other than to simply punish Demona. If I want to punish Demona, I think I can do better than that. >:)

All newcomers> Welcome! Allow Robby to confiscate your sanity, so it won't get in the way of your creativity and intelligence. :)

Zath> Welcome back! :D

Finally, made it to this week. Ah, a new episode...

**SEEDS OF CHANGE SPOILERS**

<<Marjorie Hathaway came out of the kitchenette wiping her hands on a tea towel. "I'll have it for you in a minute, dear. It's Bubble and Squeak again, I hope you don't mind, but grocery money doesn't seem to go as far as it used to.">> What in the name of all darkness and light is Bubble and Squeak?! It sounds like a strip club. :P Hm...ppl getting mysterious letters, a shadowy figure in London with a pet crow...this could be interesting. :) So Goliath finally proposed. Heh...y'all are lucky I wasn't writing that. I'd have found a way to mess that up *very* creatively. >:) Hm...a grand council of gargoyles? I like it, I like it a lot. Oh, FINALLY we get that transcript of the Halloween party. YEAH! :D I believe that picture will cause more than a few ppl to hurt themselves laughing. :) <in awe> Xanatos...bought the theme park?! <helpless laughter> That is just too...too...*something*! :D

**END**

David G.> Looking for fics to read? Well, I highly recommend Merlin Missy's 'All Through The Night' and 'Forever' (despite small historical inconsistencies in the latter, which don't really detract from the story), and there are one or two halfway decent ones at my name link...

Cyrway> Welcome back! :D

Ed> <<Like, the writer knew the very last bit, or the way it should go, but was unsure about the path to get there making it seem clumsy.>> <blink> I am like that with each and every story I write. :}

Kathy> <<If you killed all the gargoyles and left everyone else then what would you call the series?>> Um...Gargoyle? :P

JFK Jr> Is it me, or is the media giving this a LOT more attention than it deserves? Not that I'm not sad that someone died, but really, this is *insane*. And not in *our* way (ie the good way) either. Oh well. And...well, the family's misfortune is most likely due to their lifestyle, but that's not a very interesting explanation, so I like to believe it's some kind of curse. :)

Green Baron> You're back too! Yeah! :) And congratulations on the birth of a new family member. ^_^

Earl Allison> You're back as well! We have a lot of ppl coming back lately. :)

Amy da Tigger> <<The subject no one seems to notice but I cannot seem to get out of my head: Iago and Hyena. Don't they JUST make the perfect couple>> I don't know, I always saw Hyena with Arthur. But then, I'm too stinkin' twisted to live. >;P

James Birdsong> <<Condoms are evil!>> Actually...Kaioto's right, they're only objects, and objects are only as evil as what they're used for. I happen to know that condoms are used for certain blood effects in movies, and well, that can't be bad. :)

Aaron> <<JFK was killed by the Illuminati as part of a ritual designed to bring about the end of the world.>> Gozer worshippers?

Jewel> Welcome back! Again! :D <<Arg. I hate downloading stuff. I'm trying to get my Linux box set up, and Wordperfect is flat out refusing to download--it just jumped for "100 to" to "79" done and informed me it now needs 25 hours to finish. It's done this the last 4 times I've tried to download it. Blarg.>> ACK. Have you tried the download manager GoZilla (www.gozilla.com)? It can resume downloads.

Everyone else who's come back> WB to you too! :D

Wow, lots of August birthdays. Let's bring in one big cake for y'all. :)

And this psychotic post has no end in sight! :P

Sabrina> Kewl pic. :)

Time travel> I like to think that 'History Is Immutable' only applies to travel via the Phoenix Gate. At least, that's the way it is in my fics. :) You know...wouldn't it be interesting if, as a result of an ancient fling between Brook and Meryt, Brook was one of his own distant ancestors...?

Airwalker> So...the 'real' future could be different from the Timedancer future? Oh, I like this a *lot*. Thanks for the marvellous loophole. >:) <<After all if history can be changed, then why not go back and make sure that the Wyvern Massacure never happens?>> Because, if changing the past can be done, it's so unpredictable that it *shouldn't* be done. I mean, if there hadn't been a Wyvern massacre, the survivors wouldn't have ended up in the modern day, and the world would be devoid of a rather important clan.

Oh, and happy birthday to whoever has one right about now. :)

It's getting late, I'm into my fourth hour of reading and typing, I'm starting to see little creatures gibbering just beyond the edge of my vision, $and I have yet to write my bit for the RP$. And yet I press on. :)

Whoever mentioned it> There's one other difference between Win95 and Win98: The former will play 'Star Trek: Borg', and the latter won't. <grr>

**RESUME RP!**

[In the skies over the Devastator, Toliana in the Ice Dagger now faces a horde of angry Pokemon. She fires a concussion torpedo into the center of the densest group of them, taking out fully half of them in one blow. The remainder of them split up to surround the ship, shooting off their various attacks and making escape almost impossible. Toliana: "This one's going to be rough, little dog. You take the controls, I'll be on the upper gun turret, and we'll both hope those things aren't as tough as they look!" Buick: "Woof!"]

**END RP!**
Wilek Nereus
Saturday, July 24, 1999 05:36:54 AM
IP: tnt-3-200-56k.portsmouth.zoomnet.net

Green Baron: Sure, some of the stories aren't true. I never claimed that all of them are true. My information did not come from gossip or anything like that. My information did not come from the tabloids or the damned Jerry Springer show. I get my information from sources that I've verified and know I can trust. Some of this information came from people I knew, people I talked to in person. So whether you believe it or not, I do know what I'm talking about.

SJ: I never said *most* priests were pedophiles! I said there's a significant number! So you just back right the hell off, bubba. Don't you accuse me of perpetuating stereotypes.
Pistoff - [pistoff@outgun.com]
Saturday, July 24, 1999 03:38:10 AM
IP: wire-9.koalas.com

Spike> Ostriches eh? Yeah you have to watch those buggers, they'll nip you any chance you get.

Tom Baker Rumors> While it was mebntioned before that he was in the running for Gandalf in LOTR I found out from the Scifi wire that he's also been considered for a part in an proposed Dungeons and Dragons movie....speaking of Doctor #4 in fantasy movies, I saw him once in a BBC production of the Narnia series. He played Puddleglump the Marshwiggle in "The Silver Chair" I don't know whether you might find it on video, but the whole series is worth watching...

Neat News about The Blair Witch Project> It seems that the movie has scared the other studios so bad that they are moving back the release of Mystery Men another week to give a wide berth to BWP's wide release next Friday. I guess when a movie makes $1.5 million on just 27 screens nationwide, it draws the attention of the big wigs...
Skippy The Klingon - [shakedwn@ultravision.net]
Saturday, July 24, 1999 01:53:01 AM
IP: 207.22.234.79

Yes that's it Sevarious Jr I'm very glad you know what I'm talking about.
James Birdsong - [LennexMacDuff@yahoo.com]
San Diego, CA, USA
Saturday, July 24, 1999 01:42:36 AM
IP: dt041n34.san.rr.com

Short post tonight. It's late, and a long day has finally come to a close.

Watched Mallrats again tonight.....that's still a funny movie, no matter what anyone says. Not as good as Clerks (which I'll watch tomorrow)....I did this in honor of the fact that Kevin Smith's DOGMA *will* be hitting movie theaters in October. I'm thrilled, I don't think Catholics will be.

Inspector Gadget: *sigh* No offense to those who enjoy it, but this movie represents all that I think is wrong with Hollywood. That's why I'm effectively boycotting this movie, as well as any other tv-shows-turned-into-movies/unnecessary remakes (like the Haunting. Blecch)/ unnecessary-and-tasteless sequels, unless of course I am *exceedingly* passionate about the film or genre. I feel....no, I know....that many original, fresh, wonderful ideas get turned down day after day in Hollywood so schmucks like Jan de Bont or Gus Van Sant can remake classics like the Haunting or Psycho, cause these dumb a-holes think said classics are "good, but not perfect" and they think they can improve them. Down with them all.

Good Books I've read recently: Well, I'm currently re-reading the LOTR trilogy so as to familiarize myself for when the movies come out (two year wait, okay, but it's summer reading anyway). Other stuff I check out recently were Kathy Koja's "Cipher" (very good, also *very, very* dark and disturbing), and Clive Barker's "Forms of Heaven" (3 of his original plays), and Nancy Collin's Sonja Blue collection.

Metallica: To all those who don't like the modern day Metallica, what would you prefer, freakin' Deff Leppard? I'm with Doug, Load and ReLoad were great albums. Thank *God* James and the boys finally moved out of the eighties, even if they have to put up with all the whiney "you sold out" BS. Any album by Metallica is a thousand times better than the lame-assed non-metal of today, such as Limp Bizkit or Kid Rock.

James: I believe the comic you are thinking of is Frank Miller's classic "Year One" work with Batman. If memory serves me, Selina Kyle was a prostitute who later became the Catwoman in those comics.

Pistoff: Yeah, most priests are pedophiles. Just like most Jews are greedy shysters, most blacks are criminals, and most latinos are unemployed freeloaders. And most atheists are evil.
I think you can see the stereotypes here.
Sevarius Jr. - [bpoole@mailexcite.com]
Saturday, July 24, 1999 01:14:50 AM
IP: 207-172-53-106.s106.tnt4.brd.va.dialup.rcn.com

Thanks to everyone who wished me happy birthday. One more year till I'm 21 years old. well, I gotta go, see you all later.......
Dags - [Dagastino_2000@hotmail.com]
Saturday, July 24, 1999 01:06:05 AM
IP: 216.1.24.219

Hi, folks. I figured I should at least say Hi today, but I don't really have much going on right now.

Delphi> I'm glad you liked "Enemy of My Enemy." "Someone to Watch Over Me" (Episode 2) is finished, but the Fanfic archive is messed up, so I can't post it. I'm working on episode 3 now. The working title is "Hot Lead and Coldsteel." If you want, I'll e-mail you an advance copy of number 2.

Book suggestions, since somebody brought it up...
I finished Keeper of the King, by P.N. Elrod and Nigel Bennett about two days after Gathering 99. I really loved the blending of vampire mythology and Arthurian legend. I'm looking forward to more.

Sort of by accident, I ended up with a copy of the first book in the Gatekeeper Trilogy, part of the Buffy the vampire slayer series. I don't usually read books based on TV shows, but this one was pretty good. I had to scrape together some money after a major car repair to go buy the other two books.

In a related incident, I highly recommend a book called "The View from Saturday." I can't recall the author right now. You'll find it in the children's section of your local library or bookstore. It doesn't have gargoyles, vampires, or giant robots, but read it anyway. There are very few books that have ever touched me. This is one.

On the other hand, there's "The Bridge to Terabithia" (sp?) I can't think of the author of this one, either. I had to read it for my Children's Lit class in college. It's really good, but ask your therapist and/or suicide counselor before you read it.

I guess that's enough for tonight. Kyryn, don't get mad since I didn't mention Gargoyles. I used the word in one paragraph, and I did talk about my fanfics. :)
David G. - [david_goodner@yahoo.com]
Arlington, TX, USA
Saturday, July 24, 1999 12:27:59 AM
IP: ppp02-508.algx.iadfw.net

Hey all,

Damn, I've got to stop these short hiatuses, hiatusses, hiati, hiatussesses...

Well, the Season Two finale was pretty good IMO, all things considered. Though the main source of conflict (Dracon and the Yakuza) seemed a little out of place, "Seeds of Change" was good overall. Not a cliffhanger as much as "Reprisals" was, but it did its job of making me anticipate the Season Three premiere. All in all I think that Season Two as a whole was written much better than Season One, and the illustrations just exploded in quality and quantity. Staff ppls, you deserve a pat on the back. And maybe a fistful of cash, but really, what's more easily transmissable in this medium? :)

***Spoilers for 'Arlington Road'***

I honestly don't remember if anyone's done a review of this movie here, but I just got back from seeing it and it was pretty darn impressive. It totally shatters the veil of safety we hold over our lives, and shows how easy it is to cross the line between privacy and security, trust and paranoia, desperation and sanity. "Disturbing" is a word I'd use to describe it. So is "frightening." Everyone in the theater left feeling a little less secure about their safety than they felt going in. It also showed how easily the authorities and the media can be convinced of a lie, how resourceful and just plain clever terrorists can be, and how doing what you think is the right thing may turn out to be the complete opposite...

All in all, a killer movie. Jeff Bridges, Tim Robbins, and Joan Cusak were all outstanding. The environment was extremely creepy, suspenseful, and dramatic. There was so much tension in the teather you needed a chainsaw to cut through it, but the filmmakers knew exactly how to release it; there was one point where everyone in the theater just jumped. Collectively. Myself included, and movies usually have *no* effect on me that way. Definitely a movie I'd recommend to anyone here.

***End spoilers***

==A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on. - Sir Winston Churchill==
Steve Gooch - [Erebus642@aol.com]
Malverne, NY
Friday, July 23, 1999 11:59:04 PM
IP: 98cac804.ipt.aol.com

Coyote>> They've been running bits on "Inspector Gadget" on Disney for the last week or so, and you're just going to have guess as to what the Gadgetmobile was built FROM --- it's 8 different cars and they're all a patchwork quilt of various classic cars. Good to hear your review tho --- my son's determined to see the movie (whether Mom wants to go or not!)
Spike
Friday, July 23, 1999 11:32:40 PM
IP: ppp14-27.ght.iadfw.net

Aaron wrote - [Also the actress doing Jade is one Ming Na-Wen. Now why does that name sound farmiliar. Anybody know?]

Wasn't Ming Na-Wen the voice of Mulan?

This color is Sun Orange.



Jenniren
Friday, July 23, 1999 10:55:58 PM
IP: user-2ivf1ni.dialup.mindspring.com

RP WARNING!!
**Jigglypuff has set the heroes to sleep an dhe is writing on everyone's faces, incluidng soem interesting marks onthe Ravens and OJ. As he puts a pen on Rev. Attila, Attila wakes up since it is three AM, and sees a Pokemon drawing on him. Attila retaliates by etaing the Jigglypuff and then belching. Next, he notices it is three AM, so he meows very loudly waking everyone up.**
END RP for Now!!

Utopia> They are impossible to achieve, except for Heaven (if you believe in it). Such societies may appear Utopian, but are in fact Totalitarian and opressed, like in Demolition Man. Regrettably, we have many in our Government on the left and right who want to establish a Utopian police state. I'll settle for an unfettered free market, and the good and bad that goes with it. I also think we need less Government, not more.

Kathy> Good points about how times change. Too abd my last girlfirend was of the same mentality you pointed out as an example of the past.

Jenniren> LOL!! There are worse thinsg you can put in your mouth. Back in the forties, a truckload of condoms fell into the street, and my uncles did the exact same thing. My grandmother was quite horrified.

As fo rour desire for a royal family, the Kennedys are a sign of teh American dream, where the great-grandson of a penniless Irish immigrant became President, and where JFK's dad, though born to wealth, has to battle constant predjiduce from the WASP elite in Boston, being denied access to high soicety, because of his faith, and then to see his son become the first Catholic Preisdent. In addition, JFK was elected in one of the most prosperous economic times, and was a proud cold warrior, whose youth and charisma were symbolic of America as it ended WWII and was still in the fifties era to soem extent. People need heroes and many see the Kennedys as that. Also, like a dynasty, it has faded with a fat worthless drunk as its patriarch and wild lawless successors raised by Ted. Now, the family has become a bunch of spoiled rich brats, just like the British Royal Family :)

Jewel> So that was how Monica got pregnant :)
When Ted Kennedy dies, I imagine many will be holding big parties to celebrate :)

Happy Birthday to Kit, Dags, and Jaden. Happy late Birthday to Mandolin.

Pistoff> Soem of the stories aren't true. There are people who make up the stories to get money from the Church. The media also hypes up the stories for teh same reason scumbags elite liberals in the press tried to trash Mother Teresa. I hope you are also cynical about the sources for the information.

Warpmind> You're right, the Pope is a great man. It will be a terrible loss when he dies, and sadly, that may be soon.

Kaioto> I hope your sister feels better. Do you enjoy being 19?


Green Baron - [greenbaron@hotmail.com]
New Orleans, Louisiana
Friday, July 23, 1999 10:52:36 PM
IP: 98a9e619.ipt.aol.com

**enters the room, switching out the candles. Sits down in the big chair**

Fairly productive day today ... I picked up my programmable horn and my grandmother was taken off the respirator, so all in all it was pretty decent.

**SPOILER WARNING FOR "INSPECTOR GADGET!!"**

Went to see this movie after work today ... it sure helped to get me out of my pissy mood (see below for reason). The effects were great, and Matthew Broderick managed to *not* turn Gadget (real name: John Brown) into a complete moron like he's portrayed in the show. I liked the integration of some of the show's elements (the TV theme music arrangement used to open the film, Penny and Brain, their radios in the very last plot bit in the credits, Claw's parting shot at Gadget: "I'll get you next time, Gadget!"), and some of the in-jokes were pretty good, too (The Gadgetmobile reminding Gadget to buckle up because "after all, it's a Disney movie!"; Evil Gadget's Godzilla-like rampage through Riverton, complete with roaring and fire-spewing; the Henchmen Support Group, complete with Odd-Job, Tattoo, Tonto, Igor, Mr. T (the real one) and Jaws (ain't *nobody* but Richard Kiel as Jaws!).). The story was very interesting, kind of like "RoboCop" on laughing gas. :)
Only two things bugged me about this movie ... the length (it's only a little over an hour) and the fact that ... **deep breath** I CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT THE HELL KIND OF CAR THE GADGETMOBILE IS!!!! ARRRGH!!

**composes self**

Sorry. But 'tis driving me nutso! I can only pick out that it's some kind of mid-to-late '60s full size convertible sedan, but through all the modifications I can't tell what it is ... the front end (cute as it is) looks like a Lincoln Continental, but the back end looks like an Impala! **grumble**

Still, overall it's a good movie.

**END SPOILERS FOR "INSPECTOR GADGET"**

All CR birthdays: HAPPY B-DAY EVERYBODY!! **pulls out remotes and hands 'em out to all the birthday children in the room** Pick yer flavor when the Execution cake gets here. :)

Kitainia: Have fun at yer party ... don't do anything I wouldn't do!
(Then again, don't do anything I *would!* ;)

SJ, re: GFW Archive problems: Very good reason for this ... the last GFW crash produced everything in quadruplicate when it resolved itself ... something went funky when "Liberty or Death" was uploaded ... and additionally, an earlier crash of GFW deleted every story that had been posted after December 5th. Since December 5th was the first day Skydancer had posted any of my stories to the Archive, those ones she *did* post on the 5th (I believe it's the first eight, up to "Honor Above All", and "Spirits of the Green") were kept. Later, as the series continued, Sky posted three more trying to catch up ("Soulscape," "By the Grace of Oberon" and "Ark of Destruction"), but has yet to post the rest of them. Perfectly understandable, though, since I *do* have them already archived at my site ... my GFW space was meant to be a backup in case Geocities ever went down.

Silver Wood: Willkommen!

Spike: It could've been worse ... I recall once when I was a wee tyke (4, I believe) and went to the San Diego Zoo with my parents. We went to their petting zoo ... it happened to have an attitudinal goat who decided it'd be fun to eat a $10 bill right out of my dad's pocket!!

Cyrway: Hey, it's employment, and ya can't complain too much 'bout that. Now then again, when your employer screws up ...
Okay, here's the situation. Because of somebody's finger slipping off the wrong keys at the payroll department, my paycheck for next week is going to be microscopic. Reason why? They *accidentally* gave me somebody *else's* vacation pay!!
This normally wouldn't be a problem, my check would be voided and a new one issued. What *made* it a problem was that I have direct deposit ... and the mistake was discovered *after* the DD had been processed. So, they gave me two options ... either keep the money and have it deducted from my check next week, or have the *entire* amount withdrawn from my account, and then have a check cut to me.
I chose the first. Now it's not really such a bad thing ... the extra money put my account above $600. But the problem is that this occurred in the *first* place at all. Now I'm gonna feel guilty all friggin' week because I took some poor schlep's vacation pay, just because somebody's finger slipped.

**sigh** Ah well, c'est la vie. The good news about this whole problem, though, is that I'm getting closer and closer to the amount I need to refinish my Caddy in the base color, and ergo *that* much closer to starting work on my murals. :)

Cyrway again: Gen X? Kewlies! How much of the series do you have? (I've been collecting it since Ish #1 with that Godawful solid chromium cover.)

Christine: Right. **wink wink nudge nudge**

**sits back in the chair, focusing his nightly meditation once again upon the two candles' flames**
Coyote the Bando - [1134@i-is.com]
Algonac, Michigan
Friday, July 23, 1999 10:46:50 PM
IP: modem74.i-is.com

oh boy tought I looked fos spelling errors warped = wrapped



delphi - [cmiller@magiclink.com]
Twin Falls, Id
Friday, July 23, 1999 09:19:38 PM
IP: 207.14.195.118

GOOD BOOKS THAT ONE'S BEEN READING LATELY - I can recommend a few of these myself.

First, I've recently gotten started on Terry Pratchett's Discworld series. It's quite a delight, really - you could best describe it as being to fantasy what "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" series by Douglas Adams was to sci-fi. One or two books in the series may particularly stand out to "Gargoyles" fans: "Wyrd Sisters" (which I just finished reading) is filled with Shakespearean parody (particularly "Hamlet" and "Macbeth", with a bit of "King Lear") and has its own take on the three witches (human witches, not fay like the Weird Sisters, but still due to get involved in lots of unusual activities), and "Guards, Guards!" includes as one of the main characters a city ruler named Lord Vetinari, Patrician of Ankh-Morpork, who has a very Xanatosian atmosphere about him (as I got further and further in the book, I began to imagine his words being spoken as if voiced by Jonathan Frakes, in fact).

I've also been reading C.S. Lewis's Deep Space trilogy, "Out of the Silent Planet", "Perelandra", and "That Hideous Strength". "Out of the Silent Planet" I've talked about earlier. "That Hideous Strength" ought to interest "Pendragon" fans, as it makes Merlin into