Re: [scifinoir2] More info on Palpatine and others
You know Keith, I should know by now than to question you...As I sat reading this, I am reminded of a trilogy written by Kevin J. Anderson called the Jedi Academy Omnibus which I have in audiobook form. I think it tells a story somewhat similar to what I just read from you...I'll be listening to it tonight...Keith Johnson [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Astro, to answer your question about the source of my info Star Wars' web site has a section called "Expanded Universe" that delves into the characters and stories beyond the movies. Go to StarWars.com and click on "Beyond the Movies". Or, look for the movie listings on the lefthand side. Click on any movie and then look for "Cast and Characters". Click on any character and you'll get a bio in three parts: the bio as seen in the movies, an "Expanded Universe" entry that gives a whole bunch of data that's been created for books, and "Behind the Scenes". It's the Expanded Universe where you get great info. For example, I spent three hours one night reading about Han, Luke, and Leia. Luke falls to the Dark Side in the future, but manages to save himself. Leia and Han have a very powerful daughter. One of the early evil Sith lords' spirit torments Luke, who is a teacher for a whole new generation of Jedi. Fascinating stuff, and way more interesting than what's been on the big screen. I put the info on Palpatine below... http://www.starwars.com/databank/character/ http://www.starwars.com/databank/character/palpatine/?id=eu No one is quite sure how Palpatine was first introduced to the power of the dark side. He is the most powerful practitioner of the Sith ways in modern times. He studied the ancient ruins on the Sith mausoleum world of Korriban. He unlocked secrets of the Force from a captured Jedi Holocron. The dark side energies flowing through Palpatine's body were so intense, that they ravaged his mortal frame. The very source of Palpatine's strength was killing him. To counter the dark side's consumption, Palpatine turned to a bizarre combination of technology and Sith magic. Palpatine used Spaarti cloning cylinders to create a store of younger bodies, and employed an ancient Sith technique to transfer his consciousness into a waiting clone. Thus, Palpatine could avoid death indefinitely -- as long as his supply of clones remained intact. He would change his form again and again, prolonging his life. Palpatine constructed a secret throne-world deep within the galaxy's core, on a shadowy world called Byss. Here, he kept his clones safe, protected by a loyal cadre of Dark Side Adepts. Although Palpatine called for the extermination of the Jedi and any Force-sensitives who could conceivably challenge him, he did keep a few loyal agents who were trained in the Force. Darth Vader was chief among them, as his primary lieutenant and Sith apprentice. Palpatine also had a string of loyal, deadly agents referred to as his "Hands." Mara Jade was foremost among these dedicated enforcers. At the Battle of Endor, Palpatine found himself facing death yet again. Betrayed by Vader, Palpatine's body was destroyed aboard the second Death Star. Separated from his clones, Palpatine was forced to survive in the maddening, bodiless existence of the void. Through sheer will he retained his identity, crossing the gulf of space to again take residence in his clone body. He barely survived Darth Vader's treachery. Palpatine remained sequestered at Byss while he rebuilt his strength, and his Empire. Palpatine's rule was so absolute that his apparent death at Endor fragmented the Empire. With no obvious heir, opportunistic moffs and warlords set out to carve their own private fiefdoms where they could. Years of infighting worked to the advantage of the fledgling New Republic, who proceeded to reclaim three-fourths of the galaxy. One warlord who succeeded where imitators failed was Grand Admiral Thrawn, the only non-human to hold that rank. His cunning tactics and unerring strategies brought the Empire to the brink of victory five years after the Battle of Endor. Only a last minute betrayal spelled his defeat. Spurred on by Thrawn's victories, the remaining Inner Circle of Imperial warlords staged a devastating attack on Coruscant. Whereas Thrawn sought to take the capital world intact, these Imperials attacked without compunction. Much of Imperial City was laid waste by the fighting, and the New Republic was forced to evacuate. Once on the surface, the Imperials splintered yet again, and skirmishes dragged on in amongst the ruined skyscrapers. It was then that the resurrected Palpatine struck. Using his dark powers to invoke a Force storm of great magnitude, Palpatine swept Jedi Master Luke Skywalker to Byss. There, he revealed himself to Skywalker, and unveiled the true strength of the dark side. Faced with an immortal enemy, Skywalker did the unthinkable -- in order to defeat the dark side from within, Skywalker knelt before Palpatine, and declared himself his new
[scifinoir2] Re: More info on Palpatine and others
Sounds interesting. I've never been a Star Wars fan, so haven't read any books like that you mention. That is, I really like it as entertaining scifi, but haven't plunged into the lore and history the way I have Star Trek or certain comic characters. But all the stuff around Palpatine and the Sith got me curious. I'd heard the official Sith always number only *two*, a master and apprentice, and I didn't get that. I was confused as to how many evil Force adepts were out there to do Sidious' bidding and help control the Empire and kill any remaining Jedi. Not to mention he'd need some Force adepts to help discover talented people out there who might be turned to the Dark Side. That's how I came to read Expanded Universe. The stories behind the stories are incredibly fascinating... [Astromancer wrote]: You know Keith, I should know by now than to question you...As I sat reading this, I am reminded of a trilogy written by Kevin J. Anderson called the Jedi Academy Omnibus which I have in audiobook form. I think it tells a story somewhat similar to what I just read from you...I'll be listening to it tonight...Keith Johnson [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Astro, to answer your question about the source of my info Star Wars' web site has a section called "Expanded Universe" that delves into the characters and stories beyond the movies. Go to StarWars.com and click on "Beyond the Movies". Or, look for the movie listings on the lefthand side. Click on any movie and then look for "Cast and Characters". Click on any character and you'll get a bio in three parts: the bio as seen in the movies, an "Expanded Universe" entry that gives a whole bunch of data that's been created for books, and "Behind the Scenes". It's the Expanded Universe where you get great info. For example, I spent three hours one night reading about Han, Luke, and Leia. Luke falls to the Dark Side in the future, but manages to save himself. Leia and Han have a very powerful daughter. One of the early evil Sith lords' spirit torments Luke, who is a teacher for a whole new generation of Jedi. Fascinating stuff, and way more interesting than what's been on the big screen. I put the info on Palpatine below... Yahoo! Groups Links To visit your group on the web, go to:http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/ To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.
Re: [scifinoir2] Thoughts on Revenge of the Sith--Spoilers
I've heard that from friends who read the books (granted some feel that the books are not canon).Astromancer [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Just where did you learn about this clone stuff? This is news to me...[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Windu is powerful indeed, but not on the Yoda/Sidious level. I get the impression that the use of Force Lightning is one of the higher levels of Jedi power. There's no indication Windu had yet reached that stage. He was supremely powerful in all other usages of the Force, including sabre dueling, feats of physical strength (in the "Clone Wars" cartoons he literally kicks robot ass by punching through bare metal with his hands, leaping at least a hundred yards at once, and moving at superhuman speeds). I believe Sidious used Mace in order to pull Anakin into his web. You can tell that by the ease with which Sidious dispatched Mace's three cohorts--those Jedi were no joke, believe me. And, note the power he had left over after being "defeated" by Mace. Fried Brotherman then threw him about half a mile! No, he was faking. Sidious' appearance is caused by the extreme power of the Force running through his body. he's so infused with the Dark Side that it literally twists his appearance and burns his body out. (Note Anankin manifests a bit of this with his eye color changing after he went bad). Sidious is so intense that he has to keep a secret hoarde of clones. When he burns out a current body he's able to transfer his spirit into a fresh clone body. Indeed, Sidious did *not* die at the end of "The Return of the Jedi". He was able to access another clone body and go on to cause more trouble for Luke in the future. -- Original message -- Do you think Mace could have defeated the Emp. or was Sidious using him as a lore for Ani? Was Sidious' transformation a permenate result of that aforementioned battle or was it his true form (deformed by the darkside) revealed? If anyone can answer these or speculate, please do. Thanks!Astromancer [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I loved your analysis and I'd love to pick apart, even debate with you about it, but in all, we agree in most respects. As I mentioned before, the most striking thing about Episode III is how it could have been used as a basis for the entire prequal trilogy...I have to say this, though; Remember that some time had past since Dooku's defeat of ObiWan and Anakin, so they had to improve over their last confrontation. Also they did something that they didn't last time: they worked together to bring him down. Also consider that Darth Sidious wasn't exactly supportingDooku this time around... Remember also the younglings were not the first time Anakin killed children. Remember the Sand People encampment? I was wondering if it's just me, or was Anakin's reception of Padme's announcement of her pregnancy was less than warm? The way he said"I'm sohappy"reduced that great love affair to something like a booty call on the side...And finally, as far as who was the most powerful, Darth Sidious or Yoda? Well, somebody had to win is all I'll say and to benefit the plot line, it had to be Sidious.As awhole, Episode III was good thought some of the scenes wererushed through for the sake of time constraints. Maybe there will be a Director'swith the missing or reshot footage that would make it flow? Only time will tell...Keith Johnson [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: SPOILERS! If you haven't seen "Revenge of the Sith" yet, delete this e-mail or save it for later. Some thoughts I had on the film. Things I liked: As noted earlier, much improved dialogue and good overall plot. Very little in the way of the cheesy lines from Episodes 1 and 2. Great action, good FX (especially Grievous), impressive sabre battles in many cases. Loved Palpatine's melodramatic overacting! Especially the way he was lying on the ground all pitiful, pretending that Windu had the best of him. And then, when he hit Brotherman with that Force lightning and threw him about half a mile across the city--excellent! Also cool how he skillfully manipulated Anakin with talk of saving Padme. Man the Jedi made a mistake letting that friendship grow! Anakin's atrocities. I expected him to kill adults, but was I caught offguard when he slew the kids! Didn't see that one coming. Even my wife, who's a casual scifi fan, was moved. "He's beyond redemption now", she said at that moment. The really quick scene when the young kid defends Organa against the troopers. The boy was maybe twelve years old, but he gave a good accounting of himself. Very powerful. "Order 66". I was wondering how the Emperor managed to take out most of the Jedi. I'm still very confused as to how many Dark Side adepts exist. Are there enough evil Force users to take on the Jedi one-on-one? Doubt it, so his prearranged directive to turn the clones against the Jedi was brilliant. Note that Obi Wan managed to modify the Jedi distress signal to read "stay away!" That means there are Jedi out
[scifinoir2] Hard Shell Word Factory
AUTHOR INFORMATION: Hard Shell Word Factory is a royalty paying publisher of works for sale in electronic format and trade paperback.. (We DO NOT charge our authors for publication. The work must be submitted and pass our editorial review process.) We publish book-length quality non-fiction and fiction--Romance, Mystery Suspense, Action Adventure, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, Western, Historical, Mainstream, Young Adult and Children's books.There are no "content" guidelines regarding age, race, career, setting, etc. in our fiction stories. The best way to see what we're looking for is to read some of our books.To help our readers find the kind of books they want, we reserve the right to use content ratings regarding sex or violence on explicit material. SUBMISSIONS: Hard Shell Word Factory is now accepting submissions for a four book anthology series of 25,000 word novellas, centering on Egyptian artifacts. Chronicles of Egypt: Book I: Stelas of Terror (Horror, optimal release date 9/05)Chronicles of Egypt: Book II: Temples of Desire (Romance, optimal release date 2/06)Chronicles of Egypt: Book III: Echoes of Intrigue (Mystery, optimal release date 8/06)Chronicles of Egypt: Book IV: Realms of Orion (SF optimal release date 2/07) This series of anthologies will be published approximately every six months starting in September/October of 2005. Each anthology will consist of three novellas of 25,000 words each for a total of 75,000 words for each genre. Each novella in the series revolves around an artifact, but needs to fit the genre. The artifact can be a mummy, or amulet, or scroll, or anything that is ancient Egyptian. The story can take place in Egypt or anywhere in the world. The artifact can also be new if the story is set during the time of the pharaohs. Stelas of Terror: three horror novellas. Temples of Desire: three hotter, spicier romances than traditional, but not erotica. Echoes of Intrigue: three mysteries set in Egypt or centered on Egyptian artifacts. Realms of Orion: three science fiction novellas centered on the Orion theory that the Egyptians were descendants of an alien race. Submissions should be two chapters of the novella and a complete synopsis. If we like your partial, we will request the complete novella. Submissions can be for any of the four anthologies, however, since the horror anthology is time sensitive, we would like those submissions as soon as possible with a cut-off date of July 31, 2005. Microsoft Word is preferable. If you would like to submit, please send your submission as an email attachment to Diane Kirkle at [EMAIL PROTECTED] PLEASE NOTE: REGULAR SUBMISSIONS ARE STILL TEMPORARILY CLOSED! We hope to reopen them soon, and will probably do so by Genre.Please check back here for updates and submission guidelines. Carole McDonnell"If I've told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how will it be when I tell you about heavenly things?" Let the weak say I'm strong.Let the redeemed of the Lord say so. Yahoo! Groups Links To visit your group on the web, go to:http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/ To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.
[scifinoir2] Re: Thoughts on Revenge of the Sith--Spoilers
Liked: The visuals of course. The fight scenes for the most part. Yoda was a trip. The war on Kashyyyk was cool as of course the battle in the lava. ( I also agree, Jedi powers must be really strong for them to survive that atmosphere just by standing there.) I liked that R2D2 showed some skills. That there was one main thread that made sense. (Anakin becomes Vader that is the essence of the story) Obiwan. For some reason, Ewan MacGregor made him more likable to me. Not crazy about: Admittedly, I have only watched in total 10 minutes of Episode II so clearly I missed some things. My main problem with the movie was that the reasons given as to why Anakin becomes Darth Vader were just not compelling enough for me. I felt that there were reasons thrown out but the internal logic was not there for me. At least, even if I bought the whole he wanted to learn of the dark side to save Padme because he could not save his mother, why take out everyone at the Jedi Temple? Sure Mace is a traitor but not all of the Jedi would be. I feel as if Lucas said, okay...this is the one where he turns into Darth Vader. Whatever else happens, he has to become Darth Vader in the end. I also agree that both Mace and Grevious got punked. I expected better deaths for them. Mace's I can excuse-he did not see Anakin rising against him. Grevious, who routinely kicked Obiwan's butt and spectacularly as well, gets taken out by a laser blast...come on... Padme wins the useless female award. It's not her fault. Apparently at times Lucas shows his weakness in maintaining strong female characters or rather female characters at all. There were two that I identified as Jedi and they just should have been wear the Star Trek regulation red shirts in the movie since they were on the screen to be cannon fodder. Other than Padme, the only other females with anything like screen time that did not die were Mrs. Organa and Aunt Beru. The visuals that I liked so much dominated some scenes too much such as the scenes where characters had extended dialogue. There were times I did feel like saying, Yes Coruscant is a beautiful and wonderful place. We get it. I agree about the Darth Vader N!! Again an example of tacking on something just to say emotive. If Vader is going to be a badass, he has to be one all the way. More Mace. I felt that Sam could have used a bit more screen time. Then again, he may have gotten in in Clones. The droids chatterting-the evil ones. They sounded like Alvin and the Chipmunks infested the ship. That's all from me. I'm not going there to die. I just need to know if I was ever really alive. - Spike (Cowboy Bebop) Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ~-- In low income neighborhoods, 84% do not own computers. At Network for Good, help bridge the Digital Divide! http://us.click.yahoo.com/S.QlOD/3MnJAA/Zx0JAA/LRMolB/TM ~- Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/ * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
RE: [scifinoir2] Voyager 1 reaches solar system's final frontier
Leaning strongly toward Option 2.Keith Johnson [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Saw that on the news today. Cool as hell! I remember watching the launches back in '77 as a teen. Captivating. I figure one of the following may happen with the Voyager: In two hundred years it'll return as V'ger, supremely powerful and self-aware, demanding to know who the hell made it and why In 2020it'll crash outside NASA with a note attached: "No littering. Keep your sh% in your own system!" Nothing An armada of aliens will surround the planet. They'll thank us for the map showing the way to Earth, and for the DNA drawing proving that our biologies are compatible. They'll carry a book titled "To Serve Man". -Original Message-From: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Brent WodehouseSent: Wednesday, May 25, 2005 19:19To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.comSubject: [scifinoir2] Voyager 1 reaches solar system's final frontierhttp://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/space_voyager_dcVoyager 1 reaches solar system's final frontierWed May 25,12:00 PM ETWASHINGTON (Reuters) - NASA's Voyager 1 has reached the final frontier ofour solar system, having traveled through a turbulent place whereelectrically charged particles from the Sun crash into thin gas frominterstellar space.Astronomers tracking the little spaceship's 26-year journey from Earthbelieve Voyager 1 has gone through a region known as termination shock,some 8.7 billion miles from the Sun, and entered an area called theheliosheath."Voyager 1 has entered the final lap on its race to the edge ofinterstellar space," Edward Stone, Voyager project scientist at theCalifornia Institute of Technology, said in a statement released Tuesday.Voyager watchers theorized last November that the craft might be reachingthis bumpy region of space when the charged solar particles known as thesolar wind seemed to slow down from a top speed of 1.5 million miles perhour.This was expected at the area of termination shock, where the solar windswere expected to decelerate as they bump up against gas from the spacebeyond our solar system. It is more than twice as distant as Pluto, thefurthest planet in our system.By monitoring the craft's speed and the increase in the force of the solarwind, Voyager scientists now believe the craft has made it through theshock and into the heliosheath.Predicting the location of the termination shock was hard because theprecise conditions in interstellar space are unknown and the terminationshock can expand, contract and ripple, depending on changes in the speedand pressure of the solar wind."Voyager's observations over the past few years show the termination shockis far more complicated than anyone thought," said Eric Christian, ascientist with NASA's Sun-Solar System Connection program.Voyager 1 and its twin spacecraft Voyager 2 were launched in 1977 on amission to explore the giant planets Jupiter and Saturn. The pair keptgoing, however, and the mission was extended.Voyager 2 went on to explore Uranus and Neptune, the only spacecraft tohave visited these outer planets. Both Voyagers are now part of theVoyager Interstellar Mission to explore the outermost edge of the Sun'sdomain.Both Voyagers are capable of returning scientific data from a full rangeof instruments, with adequate electrical power and attitude controlpropellant to keep operating until 2020.Wherever they go, the Voyagers each carry a golden phonograph record whichbears messages from Earth, including natural sounds of surf, wind, thunderand animals. There are also musical selections, spoken greetings in 55languages, along with instructions and equipment on how to play the record.More information and images can be found online athttp://www.nasa.gov/vision/universe/solarsystem/voyager_agu.html"Excuse me while I whip this out."Cleavon Little , "Blazing Saddles" Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Small Business - Try our new Resources site! Yahoo! Groups Links To visit your group on the web, go to:http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/ To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.
Re: [scifinoir2] FW: Group Seeks Ban of Twentieth Century From Kansas School Text Books
You CAN'T keep giving these folk ideas like this! "Tracey de Morsella (formerly Tracey L. Minor)" [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: -Original Message-From: Borowitzreport.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]Sent: Wednesday, May 25, 2005 1:13 AMTo: [EMAIL PROTECTED]Subject: kansas education shockerMay 24, 2005GROUP SEEKS BAN OF TWENTIETH CENTURY FROM KANSAS SCHOOL TEXTBOOKSLast Century 'Just a Theory,' Activists SayA political action group in the state of Kansas is applying pressure on theKansas State Board of Education to ban any and all references to thetwentieth century from school textbooks, a spokesman for the group confirmedtoday.The move to ban the twentieth century came up in a series of contentiousschool board hearings this week as the group loudly complained that thestate's current textbooks are rife with references to the controversialcentury, which they say may or may not have happened."These textbooks state unequivocally that the twentieth century occurred, asif that were a proven historic fact," said Gordon Lavalier, the group'sleader and spokesman. "The simple truth is, the twentieth century is andhas always been nothing but a theory."If the group gets its way, starting in the fall of 2005 Kansas studentswould be taught from newly reconstituted history books that end in the year1899.Among students at Kansas City's John F. Kennedy High School, which the grouphas demanded be renamed William Jennings Bryan High School, reaction to theban on the twentieth century was mixed."If the twentieth century didn't happen, does that mean I have to give up myiPod?" asked junior Carolynn Bevins, 17.But sophomore Zach Golloway, 16, was more upbeat about the news: "If itmeans that we have to learn a hundred less years of history, that wouldrule!"Elsewhere, actors Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes denied that their romanticrelationship was a publicity stunt after a trailer for their weddingappeared in over 3,000 theaters.To unsubscribe to this e-mail list please paste the following URL:http://www.borowitzreport.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED]antage.com into your browser address bar or forward this message to"[EMAIL PROTECTED]".www.Borowitzreport.comWaste Someone's Time: Forward to a Friend:http://www.borowitzreport.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED]advantage.comrec=1139SUBSCRIBE TODAY! Free Email Updates, click the link below or paste it intoyour browser.http://www.borowitzreport.com/subscribe.asp***ANDY IN NYC MAY 31***Mark your calendar! Andy returns to the Marquee Theater in Manhattan onenight only on Tuesday, May 31. 356 Bowery bet. E. 3rd and E. 4th. Doors at7:30; show begins at 8. Only $5. For more information contact[EMAIL PROTECTED]--No virus found in this incoming message.Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.Version: 7.0.322 / Virus Database: 266.11.16 - Release Date: 5/24/2005--No virus found in this outgoing message.Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.Version: 7.0.322 / Virus Database: 266.11.16 - Release Date: 5/24/2005--No virus found in this outgoing message.Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.Version: 7.0.322 / Virus Database: 266.11.16 - Release Date: 5/24/2005"Excuse me while I whip this out."Cleavon Little , "Blazing Saddles" Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Small Business - Try our new Resources site! Yahoo! Groups Links To visit your group on the web, go to:http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/ To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.
[scifinoir2] NYTimes.com: With the Gloves Off
Title: E-Mail This This page was sent to you by: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Theinsanity of the Bushites as depicted here boggles the mind nad it is even more appalling that the whole lot of them aren't deposed thanks to the propaganda media that keeps most of the public ignorant. OPINION | May 26, 2005 Op-Ed Columnist: With the Gloves Off By BOB HERBERT Torturing prisoners, rather than making the U.S. safer, puts us all in greater danger. 1. Guest Columnist: Listen to My Wife 2. These Cameras Are Lean but Not Spare 3. Its All in How the Dog Is Served 4. Op-Ed Columnist: A Natural Alliance 5. Steep Rise in Prices for Homes Adds to Worry About a Bubble Go to Complete List Copyright 2005 The New York Times Company | Privacy Policy Yahoo! Groups Links To visit your group on the web, go to:http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/ To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.
[scifinoir2] NYTimes.com: With a Little Help From Our Friends
Title: E-Mail This This page was sent to you by: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Astute and cogent observations. The whole Newsweek thing is just a "shoot the messenger" Bushite media manipulation that cannot hide their crminal policies. OPINION | May 26, 2005 Op-Ed Contributor: With a Little Help From Our Friends By SARAH CHAYES Are Pakistan and Iran to blame for riots in Afghanistan? 1. Guest Columnist: Listen to My Wife 2. These Cameras Are Lean but Not Spare 3. Op-Ed Columnist: A Natural Alliance 4. Its All in How the Dog Is Served 5. Loud, Proud, Unabridged: It Is Too Reading! Go to Complete List Copyright 2005 The New York Times Company | Privacy Policy Yahoo! Groups Links To visit your group on the web, go to:http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/ To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.
[scifinoir2] NYTimes.com: A Lawmaker Works, Oddly Enough, to Keep His Voters' Backyards Dangerous
Title: E-Mail This This page was sent to you by: [EMAIL PROTECTED] The dangers of, out of blind greed, the Bushite policy of letting foxes guard chickens. OPINION | May 26, 2005 Editorial Observer: A Lawmaker Works, Oddly Enough, to Keep His Voters Backyards Dangerous By ADAM COHEN Joe Barton, the chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, seems poised to block legislation to secure chemical plants against terrorist attacks. 1. Guest Columnist: Listen to My Wife 2. These Cameras Are Lean but Not Spare 3. Op-Ed Columnist: A Natural Alliance 4. Its All in How the Dog Is Served 5. Loud, Proud, Unabridged: It Is Too Reading! Go to Complete List Copyright 2005 The New York Times Company | Privacy Policy Yahoo! Groups Links To visit your group on the web, go to:http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/ To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.
Re: [scifinoir2] Thoughts on Revenge of the Sith--Spoilers
I have a feeling Lucas did a little research for his stories from some of those novels...yinka oyekunle [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I've heard that from friends who read the books (granted some feel that the books are not canon).Astromancer [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Just where did you learn about this clone stuff? This is news to me...[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Windu is powerful indeed, but not on the Yoda/Sidious level. I get the impression that the use of Force Lightning is one of the higher levels of Jedi power. There's no indication Windu had yet reached that stage. He was supremely powerful in all other usages of the Force, including sabre dueling, feats of physical strength (in the "Clone Wars" cartoons he literally kicks robot ass by punching through bare metal with his hands, leaping at least a hundred yards at once, and moving at superhuman speeds). I believe Sidious used Mace in order to pull Anakin into his web. You can tell that by the ease with which Sidious dispatched Mace's three cohorts--those Jedi were no joke, believe me. And, note the power he had left over after being "defeated" by Mace. Fried Brotherman then threw him about half a mile! No, he was faking. Sidious' appearance is caused by the extreme power of the Force running through his body. he's so infused with the Dark Side that it literally twists his appearance and burns his body out. (Note Anankin manifests a bit of this with his eye color changing after he went bad). Sidious is so intense that he has to keep a secret hoarde of clones. When he burns out a current body he's able to transfer his spirit into a fresh clone body. Indeed, Sidious did *not* die at the end of "The Return of the Jedi". He was able to access another clone body and go on to cause more trouble for Luke in the future. -- Original message -- Do you think Mace could have defeated the Emp. or was Sidious using him as a lore for Ani? Was Sidious' transformation a permenate result of that aforementioned battle or was it his true form (deformed by the darkside) revealed? If anyone can answer these or speculate, please do. Thanks!Astromancer [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I loved your analysis and I'd love to pick apart, even debate with you about it, but in all, we agree in most respects. As I mentioned before, the most striking thing about Episode III is how it could have been used as a basis for the entire prequal trilogy...I have to say this, though; Remember that some time had past since Dooku's defeat of ObiWan and Anakin, so they had to improve over their last confrontation. Also they did something that they didn't last time: they worked together to bring him down. Also consider that Darth Sidious wasn't exactly supportingDooku this time around... Remember also the younglings were not the first time Anakin killed children. Remember the Sand People encampment? I was wondering if it's just me, or was Anakin's reception of Padme's announcement of her pregnancy was less than warm? The way he said"I'm sohappy"reduced that great love affair to something like a booty call on the side...And finally, as far as who was the most powerful, Darth Sidious or Yoda? Well, somebody had to win is all I'll say and to benefit the plot line, it had to be Sidious.As awhole, Episode III was good thought some of the scenes wererushed through for the sake of time constraints. Maybe there will be a Director'swith the missing or reshot footage that would make it flow? Only time will tell...Keith Johnson [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: SPOILERS! If you haven't seen "Revenge of the Sith" yet, delete this e-mail or save it for later. Some thoughts I had on the film. Things I liked: As noted earlier, much improved dialogue and good overall plot. Very little in the way of the cheesy lines from Episodes 1 and 2. Great action, good FX (especially Grievous), impressive sabre battles in many cases. Loved Palpatine's melodramatic overacting! Especially the way he was lying on the ground all pitiful, pretending that Windu had the best of him. And then, when he hit Brotherman with that Force lightning and threw him about half a mile across the city--excellent! Also cool how he skillfully manipulated Anakin with talk of saving Padme. Man the Jedi made a mistake letting that friendship grow! Anakin's atrocities. I expected him to kill adults, but was I caught offguard when he slew the kids! Didn't see that one coming. Even my wife, who's a casual scifi fan, was moved. "He's beyond redemption now", she said at that moment. The really quick scene when the young kid defends Organa against the troopers. The boy was maybe twelve years old, but he gave a good accounting of himself. Very powerful. "Order 66". I was wondering how the Emperor managed to take out most of the Jedi. I'm still very confused as to how many Dark Side adepts exist. Are there enough evil Force users to take on the Jedi one-on-one? Doubt it, so his prearranged directive to turn the clones against the Jedi
Re: [scifinoir2] Thoughts on Revenge of the Sith--Spoilers
I hope you read Keith's contribution to this convo...Really interesting stuff!yinka oyekunle [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: graciousAstromancer [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: It was obvious that Sidious was using Mace to coerce Anakin into attacking. As forwhether that was the way Sidious looked normally or because of the attack by Mace I have no idea...yinka oyekunle [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Do you think Mace could have defeated the Emp. or was Sidious using him as a lore for Ani? Was Sidious' transformation a permenate result of that aforementioned battle or was it his true form (deformed by the darkside) revealed? If anyone can answer these or speculate, please do. Thanks!Astromancer [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I loved your analysis and I'd love to pick apart, even debate with you about it, but in all, we agree in most respects. As I mentioned before, the most striking thing about Episode III is how it could have been used as a basis for the entire prequal trilogy...I have to say this, though; Remember that some time had past since Dooku's defeat of ObiWan and Anakin, so they had to improve over their last confrontation. Also they did something that they didn't last time: they worked together to bring him down. Also consider that Darth Sidious wasn't exactly supportingDooku this time around... Remember also the younglings were not the first time Anakin killed children. Remember the Sand People encampment? I was wondering if it's just me, or was Anakin's reception of Padme's announcement of her pregnancy was less than warm? The way he said"I'm sohappy"reduced that great love affair to something like a booty call on the side...And finally, as far as who was the most powerful, Darth Sidious or Yoda? Well, somebody had to win is all I'll say and to benefit the plot line, it had to be Sidious.As awhole, Episode III was good thought some of the scenes wererushed through for the sake of time constraints. Maybe there will be a Director'swith the missing or reshot footage that would make it flow? Only time will tell...Keith Johnson [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: SPOILERS! If you haven't seen "Revenge of the Sith" yet, delete this e-mail or save it for later. Some thoughts I had on the film. Things I liked: As noted earlier, much improved dialogue and good overall plot. Very little in the way of the cheesy lines from Episodes 1 and 2. Great action, good FX (especially Grievous), impressive sabre battles in many cases. Loved Palpatine's melodramatic overacting! Especially the way he was lying on the ground all pitiful, pretending that Windu had the best of him. And then, when he hit Brotherman with that Force lightning and threw him about half a mile across the city--excellent! Also cool how he skillfully manipulated Anakin with talk of saving Padme. Man the Jedi made a mistake letting that friendship grow! Anakin's atrocities. I expected him to kill adults, but was I caught offguard when he slew the kids! Didn't see that one coming. Even my wife, who's a casual scifi fan, was moved. "He's beyond redemption now", she said at that moment. The really quick scene when the young kid defends Organa against the troopers. The boy was maybe twelve years old, but he gave a good accounting of himself. Very powerful. "Order 66". I was wondering how the Emperor managed to take out most of the Jedi. I'm still very confused as to how many Dark Side adepts exist. Are there enough evil Force users to take on the Jedi one-on-one? Doubt it, so his prearranged directive to turn the clones against the Jedi was brilliant. Note that Obi Wan managed to modify the Jedi distress signal to read "stay away!" That means there are Jedi out there other than Yoda and Obi Wan. Makes for interesting possibilities for future books and the TV series. Gruesome as this may sound, kudos to Lucas for killing so many Jedi, including children. I'm not bloodthirsty, but his past usage of droids always left me cold. This is war, darn it, and nothing about legions of robots being mowed down by lightsabres made me feel the sacrifice inherent in war. Here, seeing Jedi literally shot in the back, innocent children turning to the man who'd kill them--well, that's what struggle's all about. It brought home the human element to his saga. Obi Wan. McGregor brought the perfect blend of humour and gravitas to his role. He was the perfect complement to Yoda. And I was extremely impressed with how he did his duty with Anakin, though it broke his heart. Along with Yoda, my favorite character from Eps 1 -3. Yoda. Not sure I realized how awesomely powerful and wise he was. Yoda's fight with the Emperorhad me on the edge of my seat.I groaned whenhe felldozens of feet to the council chambers floor. It was all over then, as he wasinjured and the time lost allowed security to come to the Emperor's aid. Do you think Yoda ultimately could have defeated Sidious? The ending was a suitable homage to Luke, who'd later stare off into the distance comtemplating his future, in much
[scifinoir2] Over a Million Displaced - Ask Congress to Help!
As you probably have heard, a horrific humanitarian crisis continues to unfold in Sudan and Chad. Suffering doesn't always make sexy headlines; news about the crisis in Darfur has vanished from the front pages. But no news isn't necessarily good news. Since early 2003, violence has driven more than two million people from their homes and left untold others dead. If nothing is done, we believe the crisis in Darfur will continue at least until late 2006, causing further unrest and loss of life. But with the click of a mouse, you can help. On May 12, in testimony before the Senate, Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice said there may come a time when a special envoy is needed in Darfur. For the people of western Sudan, that time is now. Please email your members of Congress and encourage them to urge the Bush administration to appoint a special envoy to help resolve the crisis in Darfur. High-level diplomatic engagement by the United States has worked in the past. It can help save lives again. While the mainstream media appears to have forgotten about the violence in Sudan, you don't have to. http://ga0.org/campaign/sudan_envoy?rk=vdz3eFp10XIdW *** Powered by GetActive Software, Inc. Relationship Management for Member Organizations (tm) http://www.getactive.com *** Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ~-- Has someone you know been affected by illness or disease? Network for Good is THE place to support health awareness efforts! http://us.click.yahoo.com/rkgkPB/UOnJAA/Zx0JAA/LRMolB/TM ~- Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/ * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
Re: [scifinoir2] FW: Star wars sex
[EMAIL PROTECTED] It is the Borowitz report = a spoof! Not to worry and funnier than The Onion! Cheers! Amy Please tell me this is a spoof...Everyone who truly is in the know is aware that nerds and fans are the biggest horndogs on the planet...Think about this: does not sex involve a healthy imagination? And does good sex involve the elements of a good imagination? Look at the pics, you'll see very few of them are whatsome call 'nerdy-looking'...Is this article written by one of the 'jealous brood?'...I think they never saw Revenge of the Nerds...Keith Johnson [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Study: Some Star Wars Fans Have Sex New Data Confounds Conventional Wisdom As the countdown continues to the release of "Star Wars Episode Three: Revenge of the Sith," a new study indicates that contrary to the conventional wisdom, a small but significant number of "Star Wars" fans may actually have sex. Dr. Davis Preedon, who supervised the study for the University of Minnesota, said that while sexually active "Star Wars" fans still represent a tiny minority of the fan base, the fact that any "Star Wars" fans at all have sex may force scientists to reevaluate their theories about this little-understood population. "The prevailing profile of the 'Star Wars' fan as a geek who spends ten hours a day on the Internet trying to dig up details of the new film's plotline is only one piece of the puzzle," he said. "For every one thousand 'Star Wars' fans who meet that description, there is another one who has a girlfriend." Shane Losby, 27, a sexually active "Star Wars" fan from Gary, Indiana, says he has tried for years to convince people that he has sex but "it's really tough to get them to look past the whole 'Star Wars' thing." Dr. Preedon said his next research project is to test the conventional wisdom that "Star Trek" fans do not have sex: "We've just started the preliminary research, but so far that theory seems to be holding up." Elsewhere, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld said that with the U.S. bogged down in Iraq, the only way to contend with the Axis of Evil will be by somehow convincing North Korea to attack Iran. http://www.borowitzreport.com/archive_rpt.asp?rec=1124srch= This message and any attachments are intended only for the use of the addressee and may contain information that is privileged and confidential. If the reader of the message is not the intended recipient or an authorized representative of the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, notify the sender immediately by return email and delete the message and any attachments from your system. Do You Yahoo!?Yahoo! Small Business - Try our new Resources site! Yahoo! Groups Links To visit your group on the web, go to:http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/ To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.
[scifinoir2] Fw: NASA technology reveals texts of Trojan Wars, early gospels
[EMAIL PROTECTED] This is marvelous! Wow!http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2002284845_texts23.htmlNASA technology reveals texts of Trojan Wars, early gospelsBy Tom HundleyChicago TribuneOXFORD, England - The scholars at Oxford University are not sure how itworks or why; all they know is that it does.A relatively new technology called multispectral imaging is turning a pileof ancient garbage into a gold mine of classical knowledge, bringing tolight the lost texts of Sophocles and Euripides as well as some earlyChristian gospels that do not appear in the New Testament.Originally developed by NASA scientists and used to map the surface ofMars, multispectral imaging was successfully applied to some badly charredRoman manuscripts that were buried during the eruption of Mount Vesuviusin A.D. 79. Examining those carbonized manuscripts under differentwavelengths of light suddenly revealed writing that had been invisible toscholars for two centuries.Now scientists are shining the multispectral light on the OxyrhynchusPapyri, an enormous collection of texts unearthed from the rubbish heapsof the vanished city of Oxyrhynchus, about 100 miles south of Cairo.First excavated by two Oxford archaeologists in the late 19th century, thehoard of papyrus from Oxyrhynchus has long been a source of fascinationand frustration for scholars: fascination because it holds some of thelost masterpieces of classical literature, frustration because much of itis in such poor condition that it's impossible to read.But the multispectral imaging has "produced miraculous results," accordingto Dirk Obbink, a lecturer in papyrology and Greek literature at Oxfordwho is directing the project."No one knows exactly why it produces the results it does," Obbink said ofthe technology. "But with texts that are difficult to read, it's anight-and-day difference."In the past few weeks alone, researchers have succeeded in deciphering a70-line fragment from a lost tragedy by Sophocles and a 30-line fragmentfrom Archilochos, a Greek soldier-poet who chronicled the Trojan Wars.The Archilochos fragment confirms what scholars have long suspected: thatthe Greeks got lost on their way to invade Troy and mistakenly landed atplace called Mysia. There they fought a battle, lost and had to regroupbefore heading off again for Troy.The Archilochos fragment will be published this month. The newlydiscovered lines from Sophocles are scheduled for publication in August."To get a piece like that every 10 years, we think ourselves lucky, soI'd have to say that this is a very exciting development," said professorRichard Janko, head of the classics department at the University ofMichigan.Multispectral imaging uses digital cameras equipped with a kind ofrevolving Lazy Susan of light filters that isolate the waveband at whichthe obscured ink contrasts most vividly with the dark background of thepapyrus, the paper of the ancient Egyptians.A sequence of images taken at all ranges of the light spectrum are thenput together, and the result often is a document of startling clarity. Thetechnique for adapting NASA's technology to the reading of ancientmanuscripts was developed at Brigham Young University in Utah, which isassisting Oxford with the Oxyrhynchus project.The Oxyrhynchus collection, housed at Oxford University's Sackler Library,consists of more than half a million scraps of papyrus. Some of it is inexcellent condition, but much of it is worm-eaten and darkened by time.All of it was collected from the rubbish dumps of Oxyrhynchus, a city thatflourished after the conquest of Egypt by Alexander the Great in 332 B.C.The city remained prominent in the Roman and Byzantine periods butdeclined after the Arab conquest in A.D. 641.For a thousand years, the inhabitants dumped their trash in the desert.Over time the dump sites were covered by sand, and they remained covereduntil 1896 when Oxford archaeologists Bernard Grenfell and Arthur Huntbegan excavating the area.At first, Grenfell thought that what he and Hunt had found was "nothingbut rubbish mounds," but they quickly came to appreciate that they hadfound a remarkable window into the literary and ordinary lives of theancients.There were plays by Sophocles and Euripides, poems of Pindar and Sappho,and some of the earliest documents recording Christianity's spread toEgypt. The gospel of Thomas, for example, records the "Sayings of Jesus"in a manner that some scholars of early Christianity believe is moreauthentic than the Gospels in the New Testament.There also is an abundance of life's everyday stuff and miscellanea: taxrecords, marriage contracts, horoscopes, erotic musings, advice on how tobuy a donkey and advice on how to cast a decent magic spell."It's as if you took a slice out of everybody's hard drive, or every 10thpage out of every 10th book in the library - what you have is a completeslice of life," said Obbink, the project
RE: [scifinoir2] Voyager 1 reaches solar system's final frontier
Title: Message I realized I didn't give myself any really positive options, unless number 1 is positive. Can't figure out if I'm most afraid of #4 or #3... -Original Message-From: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Martin PrattSent: Thursday, May 26, 2005 13:34To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.comSubject: RE: [scifinoir2] Voyager 1 reaches solar system's final frontier Leaning strongly toward Option 2.Keith Johnson [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Saw that on the news today. Cool as hell! I remember watching the launches back in '77 as a teen. Captivating. I figure one of the following may happen with the Voyager: In two hundred years it'll return as V'ger, supremely powerful and self-aware, demanding to know who the hell made it and why In 2020it'll crash outside NASA with a note attached: "No littering. Keep your sh% in your own system!" Nothing An armada of aliens will surround the planet. They'll thank us for the map showing the way to Earth, and for the DNA drawing proving that our biologies are compatible. They'll carry a book titled "To Serve Man". -Original Message-From: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Brent WodehouseSent: Wednesday, May 25, 2005 19:19To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.comSubject: [scifinoir2] Voyager 1 reaches solar system's final frontierhttp://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/space_voyager_dcVoyager 1 reaches solar system's final frontierWed May 25,12:00 PM ETWASHINGTON (Reuters) - NASA's Voyager 1 has reached the final frontier ofour solar system, having traveled through a turbulent place whereelectrically charged particles from the Sun crash into thin gas frominterstellar space.Astronomers tracking the little spaceship's 26-year journey from Earthbelieve Voyager 1 has gone through a region known as termination shock,some 8.7 billion miles from the Sun, and entered an area called theheliosheath."Voyager 1 has entered the final lap on its race to the edge ofinterstellar space," Edward Stone, Voyager project scientist at theCalifornia Institute of Technology, said in a statement released Tuesday.Voyager watchers theorized last November that the craft might be reachingthis bumpy region of space when the charged solar particles known as thesolar wind seemed to slow down from a top speed of 1.5 million miles perhour.This was expected at the area of termination shock, where the solar windswere expected to decelerate as they bump up against gas from the spacebeyond our solar system. It is more than twice as distant as Pluto, thefurthest planet in our system.By monitoring the craft's speed and the increase in the force of the solarwind, Voyager scientists now believe the craft has made it through theshock and into the heliosheath.Predicting the location of the termination shock was hard because theprecise conditions in interstellar space are unknown and the terminationshock can expand, contract and ripple, depending on changes in the speedand pressure of the solar wind."Voyager's observations over the past few years show the termination shockis far more complicated than anyone thought," said Eric Christian, ascientist with NASA's Sun-Solar System Connection program.Voyager 1 and its twin spacecraft Voyager 2 were launched in 1977 on amission to explore the giant planets Jupiter and Saturn. The pair keptgoing, however, and the mission was extended.Voyager 2 went on to explore Uranus and Neptune, the only spacecraft tohave visited these outer planets. Both Voyagers are now part of theVoyager Interstellar Mission to explore the outermost edge of the Sun'sdomain.Both Voyagers are capable of returning scientific data from a full rangeof instruments, with adequate electrical power and attitude controlpropellant to keep operating until 2020.Wherever they go, the Voyagers each carry a golden phonograph record whichbears messages from Earth, including natural sounds of surf, wind, thunderand animals. There are also musical selections, spoken greetings in 55languages, along with instructions and equipment on how to play the record.More information and images can be found online athttp://www.nasa.gov/vision/universe/solarsystem/voyager_agu.html"Excuse me while I whip this out."Cleavon Little , "Blazing Saddles" Do You Yahoo!?Yahoo! Small Business - Try our new Resources site! Yahoo! Groups Links To visit your group on the web, go to:http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/ To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo!
[scifinoir2] Bob Marley, Africa and Lost
I was pretty underwhelmed by the season finale (I'll keep that rant to myself) but the writers have thrown a couple of interesting clues our way. What do we make of "The Black Rock" and the Nigerian drug smugglers? Coincedence? On the raft, Sawyer was singing "Redemption Song", was that a foreshadowing of things to come with Walt, the hatch and the-island-is-like-purgatory theme? Here are the lyrics: Old pirates, yes, they rob i; Sold I to the merchant ships, Minutes after they took i >From the bottomless pit. But my hand was made strong By the and of the almighty. We forward in this generation Triumphantly. Wont you help to sing These songs of freedom? - cause all I ever have: Redemption songs; Redemption songs. Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery; None but ourselves can free our minds. Have no fear for atomic energy, cause none of them can stop the time. How long shall they kill our prophets, While we stand aside and look? ooh! Some say its just a part of it: Weve got to fulfil de book. Wont you help to sing These songs of freedom? - cause all I ever have: Redemption songs; Redemption songs; Redemption songs. Yahoo! Groups Links To visit your group on the web, go to:http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/ To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.
