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J. Michael Straczynski Explains Why Babylon 5 Had to Be Rebooted

“You cannot step in the same river twice, for the river has changed, and you have changed.”

[.... JMS] who will write and produce the new series—wanted to calm fans down who were immediately concerned. He explained why now was the time for more Babylon 5 and more importantly, why it had to be a new iteration, rather than a continuation.

[....] In the years since B5, I’ve done a ton of other TV shows and movies, adding an equal number of tools to my toolbox, all of which I can bring to bear on one singular question,” [...] “If I were creating Babylon 5 today, for the first time, knowing what I now know as a writer, what would it look like? How would it use all the storytelling tools and technological resources available in 2021 that were not on hand then?”

[....] the series’ dark sci-fi storytelling commenting on the state of the world in the mid-’90s needs to evolve, Straczynski argued, so that a new Babylon 5 could be more than just relevant to our current time, but try to imagine a future beyond it as well. “How can it be used to reflect the world in which we live, and the questions we are asking and confronting every day?” Straczynski continued. “Fans regularly point out how prescient the show was and is of our current world; it would be fun to take a shot at looking further down the road.”

It had to be rebooted because the current uptime was too long.

I very fondly remember the original. I'm happy to give the new one a chance.

I do wish we could see the original vision of the story where Sinclair is the final commander of B5.

*SPOILER* (click to show) *SPOILER* (click to hide)

In S1 there were foreshadowings of Sinclair and Delenn.

What would Talia have been after Jason's gift in The Mind War?

I would like to see Iva-Nova become commander of B5 after Sinclair becomes President of the Interstellar Alliance.

Who would Ivanova have seen on episode Day Of The Dead?

I would love to be teased by even more mystery surrounding the first ones -- along with some later payoffs, including maybe a visit to the Vorlon home world.

I can think of ways a reboot could be fantastic and yet different from the original.

In the pilot episode, did you notice:

*SPOILER* (click to show) *SPOILER* (click to hide)

When Kosh is coming on board B5 for the first time, and what visually appears to be Sinclair comes out to greet Kosh, did you catch how Kosh referrs to Sinclair? It's as if Kosh instantly recognizes Sinclair and knows his name and title. Keeping Sinclair as final commander would definitely have an effect on the episode War Without End.

If you didn't catch it, you can watch B5, including the pilot episode, and that particular scene on HBO Max. The HBO Max remaster is amazing even if it is in 4:3 aspect. Don't let the 4:3 deter you. The colors come out better than on the DVDs.

I hear now that legislators are going to start passing so called 'seat belt' laws (or mandates) that require me to wear a seat belt when I am in my own personal automobile? How dare they! This is government over reacharound at its worst!

Seat belt laws are an infringement upon my personal freedumbs!

Please don't try confusing me with actual numbers, math and statistics that prove the actual safety of freedom depriving seat belts.

This is a giant liberal conspiracy! We can never allow these seat belt mandates to become law. It would be the end of our way of life as we know it. It would represent an unprecedented loss of our freedoms as induhviduals. It would create tranny! tyranny!

Nobody can tell me what to do! The laws don't apply to me! Because I'm special!

Update: I learned another term for it. If you wear seat belts, you are a boot licker! liquor

My these people really are special.

Here's the gist of it in a nutshell:

Mike Lindell (My Pillow guy) saying that despite big box stores dropping his product, he has experienced increased sales and can now hire 200 more people. Basically: boast about profiting from the behavior that got him sued by Dominion (eg "spreading the lies"). This plays right in to the hands of Dominion's lawyers.

Mike claimed in court that the Dominion lawsuit had hurt his business.

A nice quote:

Former journalist and recent Duke Law School graduate Robert DeNault, in a conversation, with Salon, further discussed the contradictory statements made by Lindell and his team:

Any time a client publicly contradicts an assertion an attorney made in their defense, it's not a great situation. Here it seems really problematic, because Lindell's attorneys directly asserted he had taken a loss on his business in response to Dominion's claim Lindell was defaming them to profit with MyPillow sales. But now Lindell appears to be out here suggesting his company is actually profiting and even growing based on media exposure he's gotten from the situation. The big issue is that if you're his lawyer, you might need to argue that he was embellishing or perhaps even lying when he said that MyPillow actually got busier and hired more people, in order to avoid accusations by Dominion that you've misrepresented facts to the court. But even that argument has pitfalls, because it involves admitting to conduct that strongly resembles the allegations Dominion is making against him, which is essentially that Lindell lies freely on TV and elsewhere. It's not an enviable situation to be in.

More lawyers sanctioned trying to overthrow election

Here is an article about this. But it only scratches the surface.

A federal judge in Michigan has denied a lawsuit seeking to decertify the state’s Nov. 3, 2020 General Election results based on claims of widespread fraud in the distribution, collection, and counting of ballots.

There has been no evidence of such fraud in Michigan’s election. The election results were certified in Michigan on Nov. 23.

Related: AG Barr: No evidence of voter fraud that’d change election outcome

In her opinion, Judge Linda V. Parker, of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, called the plaintiffs’ request “stunning in its scope and breathtaking in its reach.”

“Plaintiffs ask this Court to ignore the orderly statutory scheme established to challenge elections and to ignore the will of millions of voters. This, the Court cannot, and will not, do. The People have spoken,” reads Parker’s opinion.

Wow. That says it right there.

But the order is 110 pages of pure smackdown! It is well written and goes into great detail about why these lawyers should pay the legal costs for the taxpayers of City of Detroit and other defendants. The legal costs may be least of what these lawyers should be worried about. The lawyers are all referred for suspension or disbarment to their state bars.

For some reason this judge takes a dim view of using the judicial system to try to undermine the election and destroy US democracy.

You can read the order here or hear or hear.

Here is how it starts out:

This lawsuit represents a historic and profound abuse of the judicial process. It is one thing to take on the charge of vindicating rights associated with an allegedly fraudulent election. It is another to take on the charge of deceiving a federal court and the American people into believing that rights were infringed, without regard to whether any laws or rights were in fact violated. This is what happened here.

[....] America’s civil litigation system affords individuals the privilege to file a lawsuit to allege a violation of law. Individuals, however, must litigate within the established parameters for filing a claim. Such parameters are set forth in statutes, rules of civil procedure, local court rules, and professional rules of responsibility and ethics. Every attorney who files a claim on behalf of a client is charged with the obligation to know these statutes and rules, as well as the law allegedly violated.

Specifically, attorneys have an obligation to the judiciary, their profession, and the public (i) to conduct some degree of due diligence before presenting allegations as truth; (ii) to advance only tenable claims; and (iii) to proceed with a lawsuit in good faith and based on a proper purpose.

[....] the question before the Court is whether Plaintiffs’ attorneys engaged in litigation practices that are abusive and, in turn, sanctionable. The short answer is yes.

The attorneys who filed the instant lawsuit abused the well-established rules applicable to the litigation process by proffering claims not backed by law; proffering claims not backed by evidence (but instead, speculation, conjecture, and unwarranted suspicion); proffering factual allegations and claims without engaging in the required prefiling inquiry; and dragging out these proceedings even after they acknowledged that it was too late to attain the relief sought.

And this case was never about fraud—it was about undermining the People’s faith in our democracy and debasing the judicial process to do so.

It goes on. Begins with the history of the case and details this farce in detailed detail.

Other related documents are here and hear.

OPINION AND ORDER DENYING PLAINTIFFS’ “EMERGENCY MOTION FOR DECLARATORY, EMERGENCY, AND PERMANENT INJUNCTIVE RELIEF” (ECF NO. 7)

Plaintiffs filed this lawsuit, bringing forth claims of widespread voter irregularities and fraud in the processing and tabulation of votes and absentee ballots. They seek relief that is stunning in its scope and breathtaking in its reach. If granted, the relief would disenfranchise the votes of the more than 5.5 million Michigan citizens who, with dignity, hope, and a promise of a voice, participated in the 2020 General Election.

If they had some evidence, they should bring it. Something of substance, bring it. Not liking the outcome of the election, too bad, that's how elections work. Not everyone gets their way. Most people learn this in 2nd grade when the class votes on what game to play at recess. What?! Not everyone gets their way?!? Waaaaaaaaaah! (sniff) Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

NBC News poll shows demographic breakdown of the vaccinated in the U.S.

• All adults: 69 percent -- Do better
• Men: 67 percent
• Women: 71 percent
• 18-34: 63 percent
• 35-49: 58 percent -- Grow up, act like an adult
• 50-64: 71 percent
• 65+: 86 percent
• Whites: 66 percent
• Blacks: 76 percent -- Quite unlike the Fox Noise lies
• Latinos: 71 percent
• Urban residents: 79 percent
• Suburban residents: 67 percent
• Rural residents: 52 percent
• White evangelicals: 59 percent -- Jesus said to get vaxxed
• Democrats: 88 percent -- Pretty good
• Independents: 60 percent -- Get smart, get vaxxed
• Republicans: 55 percent -- The Party of Stupid
• Republicans who support Trump more than party: 46 percent -- Darwin's waiting room support group
• Republicans who support party more than Trump: 62 percent -- Not impressed
• Democratic Sanders-Warren voters: 88 percent
• Democratic Biden voters: 87 percent
• Biden voters in 2020 general election: 91 percent
• Trump voters in 2020 general election: 50 percent -- No surprise
• White non-college grads: 60 percent
• White college grads: 80 percent -- Education makes 20% difference?

Surprised that Whites are less vaccinated than Blacks or Latinos? Be not surprised! Republicans are all whiter than copier paper, and thus bring down the vaccination rate of that demographic.

Historic low water levels are not good. Once it was possible to drive your eight cylinder leaded-gasloine car to enjoy the beauty of the lake and the dam.

First we arrived at the dam entrance.

Then we got to drive on the dam road that is built along the top of the dam.

As we admired the dam, we had to marvel at the great dam engineering we were seeing.

We came to the dam parking lot between the dam gift shop and the dam viewing area.

We were able to take a dam tour for only $4.

After buying some dam souvenirs, we ate at the dam cafeteria.

On the way out to the dam viewing area, we signed the dam guestbook.

Then we exited through the dam exit.

Update: an anonymous cow herd suggested I had mist an opportunity to add the following. All is not lossed dew to the Edit button.
We enjoyed a day at the dam lake.

Alas, today we have these very unfortunate low water levels that prevent millennials from enjoying a day at the lake and the dam.

Florida breaks daily COVID-19 record again with nearly 25K cases

Florida reported just shy of 25,000 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, according to the latest data available from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDC listed Florida with 24,869 cases for that day, the state’s most since the start of the pandemic.

Florida’s weekly coronavirus metrics report is expected to come out Friday showing an eighth consecutive week with an upward trend in new cases.

The CDC reports a 7-day moving average of 21,210 new cases in Florida, with over 20,000 cases in six of the past eight days.

Broward County, Florida, educators died within about 24 hours from Covid-19 complications

The week before classes begin, four educators in Broward County, Florida, have died within about 24 hours of each other from Covid-19 related complications, local education officials said.

Three teachers and a teaching assistant died from Covid-19-related complications within the span between Monday night and Wednesday morning, the president of the Broward Teachers Union, Anna Fusco, told CNN.

At least three of the educators were unvaccinated

[...] The teachers' deaths come just days before classes start in Broward County, among the country's largest school districts, and as coronavirus cases surge in Florida and other states, driven by the Delta variant and low vaccination rates.

(don't shoot the messanger)

I hope people will protect themselves by getting vaccinated.

I hope people will protect others by wearing masks.

I hope failed policies will be reconsidered.

I wish people would think of others.

_{And I want a large fries with that.}

Tomorrow is Friday the 13th. A day well known for bringing good luck to everyone!

I think Friday 13th will bring us all fantastical good luck tomorrow!

It will be especially lucky for Donald Trump. Tomorrow is the day that Mike Lindell (My Pillow) will reveal his evidence that the election was stolen in a massive conspiracy hack that he and his cyber nitwits ninjas alone could uncover! After this, tomorrow the Supreme Court will vote 9 to 0 to throw out the 2020 election, and they will reinstate Trump as rightful president.

It will be good luck for the entire planet.

Sanity will be restored.

The news media can be outlawed.

The entire planet will worship Trump as he rightfully deserves.

It will be wonderful I tell you!

From the ABA Journal. Rather than a news source that might be considered too political.

Federal magistrate judge sanctions lawyers for election suit that was 'one enormous conspiracy theory'

A federal magistrate judge has imposed sanctions on lawyers who challenged 2020 election methods in an opinion that criticized their “woeful lack of investigation” into the law and the facts.

U.S. Magistrate Judge N. Reid Neureiter of the District of Colorado ordered lawyers Gary Fielder and Ernest Walker to pay attorney fees to cover the cost of their opponents’ motions to dismiss the lawsuit and to oppose an amended complaint, Law.com reports.

In an Aug. 3 order, Neureiter said the lawsuit “is one enormous conspiracy theory.”

[....] The alleged conspirators included governors and election officials in four states, a voting technology company, Facebook and a nonprofit seeking more secure and inclusive elections. The suit sought $160 billion in damages, which “is greater than the annual GDP of Hungary,” Neureiter said.

[....] “Albeit disorganized and fantastical, the complaint’s allegations are extraordinarily serious and, if accepted as true by large numbers of people, are the stuff of which violent insurrections are made.”

Affidavits filed with the suit repeat a generalized fear and suspicion that the system is rigged, and democracy no longer works, Neureiter said. Those affidavits demonstrate that plaintiffs had no firsthand knowledge of election fraud, he said.

Neureiter said the plaintiffs did not have standing, and the suit failed to address “the conspicuous personal jurisdictional problems raised by suing, in federal court in Colorado, state government officials from Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Georgia and Michigan.” The proposed amended complaint did not eliminate the problems, which would be obvious to any “first-year civil procedure student,” Neureiter said.

[....] “It appears that plaintiffs’ counsel’s process for formulating the factual allegations in this lawsuit was to compile all the allegations from all the lawsuits and media reports relating to alleged election fraud (and only the ones asserting fraud, not the ones refuting fraud), put it in one massive complaint, then file it and ‘see what happens,’”

See also:
Pro-Trump Attorneys Sanctioned In Colorado Over Election Lawsuit — ‘One Enormous Conspiracy Theory,’ Judge Fumes

Lawyers sanctioned for 'conspiracy theory' election fraud lawsuit

The states, Dominion, Facebook and the nonprofit are set to estimate their legal expenses by later this month so the judge can determine sanction payment amounts.

I hope this is just the beginning for those 60 ridiculous baseless lawsuits in the hands of over 80 judges, that were quickly dismissed. Some of those judges were Republicans. Some appointed by Trump.

When the purpose of the lawsuits is just so you can claim in the news that the lawsuits exist, then the plaintiffs or their lawyers should have to pay everyone else's (including taxpayers') legal bills to defend this nonsensical farce about the election being stolen. Without any evidence. But with lots of conspiracy theories. Italian satellites. Dead dictators.

I'm sure this isn't anywhere close to the last of it.

The actual order is here. (as PDF)

Update more links
2 Lawyers Ordered to Pay Legal Fees for Dominion Voting Systems, Others in Election Suit

It is sad to report that fully vaccinated people are getting covid-19.

Some fully vaccinated people test positive for covid-19 and go on to develop mild symptoms. About 0.004 % of fully vaccinated people are testing positive for covid-19 and get hospitalized. About 0.001 % of fully vaccinated people die from getting covid-19.

Also I must sadly report that you have a 1 in 15,300 (0.0065%) chance of being struck by lightning in your lifetime. That means YOU PERSONALLY are over six times as likely to get struck by lightning than a fully vaccinated person is to die from covid-19.

It seems bad news is all around us.

About 99.999% of fully vaccinated Americans have not had a deadly COVID-19 breakthrough case: CDC

Divide those severe breakthrough cases by the total fully vaccinated population for the result: less than 0.004% of fully vaccinated people had a breakthrough case that led to hospitalization and less than 0.001% of fully vaccinated people died from a breakthrough Covid-19 case.

Most of the breakthrough cases -- about 74% -- occurred among adults 65 or older.

Data shows about 99.999% of vaccinated Americans have not had a deadly COVID-19 breakthrough case

More than 99.999% of people fully vaccinated against COVID-19 have not had a breakthrough case resulting in hospitalization or death, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The data highlights what leading health experts across the country have highlighted for months: COVID-19 vaccines are very effective at preventing serious illness and death from COVID-19 and are the country's best shot at slowing the pandemic down and avoiding further suffering.

Don't forget that you should be highly concerned about the incredibly high unknown risk that covid vaccines pose. That risk must be incredibly high because it is yet unknown. Also, people do die from other vaccines. Some people even die from aspirin. So be careful of modern medicine. Listen to your twitter and facebook friends who know what they are talking about instead of medical professionals.