jlc

Excellent point. We would have to keep the gritty look and retain the fact that the future does not magically solve the legacy problems of humankind (or other species-kind, such as Narn and Centari).

Jan

This article is full of conditionals, and presents opinion, not evidence. It basically boils down to: TSA subcontracts Preventative Maintenance and does not run Quality Control tests on its own. This does not mean that the instruments and processes do not work, just that you can substantiate you have followed a commendable SOP to verify their operation.

I do not endorse TSA, but the important matter that this article addresses should be handled in a more logical fashion.

Jan, MT(ASCP) - did a lot of PM and QC in her day

Point for faustian bargain. And I think you may have picked out the main theme from the tangle of elements. (Knowing what the 'story' is helps me a lot in figuring out what to do next.) Perhaps you should be the reporter for the account of this incident.

Jan

Pity that is true...

Jan

Gkar: "No dictator, no invader can hold an imprisoned population by force of arms forever. There is no greater power in the universe than the need for freedom. Against that power tyrants and dictators cannot stand. The Centauri learned that lesson once. We will teach it to them again. Though it take a thousand years, we will be free."

Jan

Granted they will not be 'the same' but I think a re-casting and remake of the series would be a good idea. The annual threat of cancellation caused some rifts in the storyline, and the replacement of Sinclair by Sheridan was not part of the original plot (though it was a great idea, in retrospect). A better story could be made out of the existing material if it were re-shot.

My problem with the reboot of Star Trek is not so much the characters (who are, in many respects, better portrayed than in the original Star Trek; the acting in Next Generation was (you must admit) a lot better than in the original) but the plot - or lack thereof. The producers have fallen into the 'lets have a lot of things blow up and people will be happy' category of film-making and they need to realize that the SF genre is quite picky about plot and - need I say it - rational behavior. (The plot of Into Darkness made NO sense whatsoever.)

This thread is a spin-off of the "Objectivist Movies" thread. I think that we could make a stronger presentation of the value of freedom in three ways: Gkar against the Centari (a better speech you cannot find!), younger species against the Vorlons and Shadows, and spacer cultures against totalitarian Earth.

Jan
Scarecrow? (edited to add question)

Morning coffee laugh! Thank you.

Jan

The purpose of this thread is to discuss whether or not America is finished...not to present the premise that she is. We differ in our opinions, here.

Besides which...I like Fairy Tales...

Jan

You state what cannot be done because 'America is finished'. I state what must be done in order for America not to be 'finished'.

Jan

But...but...but..."IF?" One Always needs to blow stuff up!

Jan, liked JupAsc.

The most difficult part to cast will be Gkar; next, Mollari. The elevator scene is boggling, and Gkar's speeches on freedom provide the underlying meaning for about a third of the show.

Jan

Good fortune to you. Your emails seem much younger than that - obviously, they are the correct measure of your age.

Jan

Cynic.

Jan
(or "Realist"...)

I agree on Straczynski's writing; second only to Whedon for quality. Please see the thread I just started on a remake of B5. This conversation inspired me (and I am taking all of the credit! MWahahahaha!)

Jan, chortling maniacally

I will overturn my prior advice and look them up. Maybe watch one tonight - I feel like revisiting that universe.

Did you see Jupiter Ascending? It was a good movie in its own right and it showed what a remake of B5 could be!!

Jan

I agree with bbuckeye, RonC, and Herb. I do not think the Republic is per se finished. There is still a chance to delay its decline or turn it around altogether.

Abaco has the right of it as far as history is concerned, so we have to take into consideration that we are fighting against an innate human tendency as well as against the immediate situation. Nonetheless, we have extended human life span and I see no reason that we cannot extend the lifespan of the USA.

What steps do we take? One, which we have been discussing on other threads, is to lead with media: Aglialoro, the hallings, and others on this site are doing this personally. We need to cheer them on and support their attempts to promote Heroism, individuality, and Capitalism.

The next big step is for individual states to stand forth against the socialist trend - Texas and Alaska come to mind (Arizona was heading that way but seems to have foundered; New Hampshire maybe is in the game). These big states need to politely decline government funds on the basis of their own profitable economies and, within their boundaries, strike out for as much personal freedom as they can.

I think that if these things happen (and we are presently watching the attempts) we will have the foundation to elect a series of presidents and congressmen who can perform simple math, only take discrete bribes, and who can keep their dorks in their pants for a whole 8 years at a time.

This is not as spectacular as a red-running-in-the-street revolution, but it is a better path. We still have a chance to take it.

Jan

Excellent planning. A major step should be made with due consideration and well ahead of catastrophe

Jan, panic now and beat the rush.

All of them have socialized medicine and I believe they all have restrictive gun laws. Just sayin'...

Jan

I have avoided them because I like the show so much - and the movies were pretty much panned. You think they were worth seeing?

Jan

The state required him to hike his prices $1 and the money was to go into an account to buy a boat he does not need?

There are too many tangled threads to this situation for me to figure out what is actually occurring.

Jan

You guys are pleasantly bloodthirsty this morning. Glad to know y'all.

I am now guarded about the use of the death penalty (overturns by reviews of evidence by 6th grade classes does not imbue one with confidence in the judicial system) but if ever there were a 'worthy' subject, this would be the case.

I still like death by feral pig, though...and the 'head down in a hole drilled by an auger' is just plain poetic. Ramses III's assassin (son) was found next to his sarcophagus - garroted and sewn into a goatskin: Looks like we are not the first to think that an unclean death was fitting for some crimes.

Jan,, wants to stay on the good side of imaginative people

Star Citizen...need to look that up...

Just did. So you are suggesting that programming a game AI to fight against human controlled opponents is a viable step towards improving AI vehicles. I think that is a great idea, and you will get many hundreds of hours of testing by people who are just enjoying themselves playing the game.

I could not see if the gamers who were themselves programmers had a venue to suggest/write improvements to the AI.

Jan

Either the metaphor or the literal truth means you had an interesting childhood. (As in "May you live in interesting times...")

Jan

We both no doubt responded to the absolute beauty of the film as well as its story (and great music).

Do you still ride?

Jan

This is one of the overlooked aspects of government growth. The only system I can think of that would negate the very human tendency to make increasing regulations is to put a time limit on each law - say, 10 years. If you want that law in effect, you have to pass it again from scratch 10 years from now.

Then you are left with the problem of retroactively timing out all of the old laws in small enough chunks not to cause chaos.

Jan, stole idea from ancient Icelandic law