Comments for the week ending December 23, 2002

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BUD-CLARE - Interesting idea. Of course, Arthur would have his set of challenges there, such as convincing everyone that he really was King Arthur (keep in mind, after all, that the very historicity of King Arthur, in the real world, is in doubt - we have no proof that there was a real Arthur and many historians believe that there wasn't one - although in the Gargoyles Universe, the Scrolls of Merlin could have helped support the case for a "historical Arthur", not to mention that he'd have a difficult time explaining to them that he really was Arthur, still alive after 1500 years; I doubt that a lot of the people whom Arthur would have the job of convincing would be likely to take seriously the notion of his having survived via Avalon).

Certainly, New Camelot would have to enjoy a strong element of prestige by 2198, given that it's the place where the computer that controls the entire planet is housed; under normal circumstances, you'd have a difficult time getting all the other countries to agree to the notion of having the Master Matrix Computer in a certain nation-state, given the opportunity that it would give the host nation for controlling the other countries (as in, if that other country will not do what they say, they simply cut off its access to the Master Matrix). Presumably, New Camelot offered proof enough that it would not abuse its host function.
Todd Jensen - [merlyn1@mindspring.com]
St. Louis, MO
Sunday, December 22, 2002 07:39:52 AM
IP: 63.208.62.215

Todd> Well, since the computer that runs the entire planet will be based in New Camelot, it seems likely that Arthur played a key role in the unification of earth. Maybe there was the threat of a third world war, and Arthur was needed to help avert it. He is one hell of a symbol, and by the time he'd be reawakened, damn near everyone on earth would have heard of him (assuming current trends continue, which is certainly reasonable). The irony of it is appealing: the greatest warrior in history responsible for world peace.
Bud-Clare - [budclare@yahoo.com]
Sunday, December 22, 2002 04:45:48 AM
IP: 24.169.113.216

AIRWALKER - Thanks for explaining about the reason for the Machine Revolt - although that does raise the question as to why the last humans, if they've got access to time travel (as apparently they do), don't just go back in time to warn the people who built that super-computer so that they never build it in the first place. (Other than the fact that there wouldn't be as much of a story there).

You're probably right about the Space-Spawn not being whatever Arthur was meant to return to deal with. Of course, that still does raise the question of exactly what it was, since the medieval legends aren't very specific; the two possibilities are: 1. driving all the Saxons out of Britain and returning the rule of the island to the British Celts (i.e., the Cornish and the Welsh) - which nowadays wouldn't be too practical, or 2. re-establishing the Golden Age of Chivalry (which is rather vague).

Of course, for all that we know, maybe the Archmage was the big menace that Arthur was supposed to be awakened for. He was threatening the entire world, and it was when Arthur was awakened and took command that the tide turned at last (all the clashes between the good guys and the Archmage prior to Arthur's awakening were cases where the Archmage trounced them every single time; it was after Arthur joined them that they finally defeated him and his followers). Although, in that case, Arthur's left having outlived the reason for his return, which isn't that good an idea.
Todd Jensen - [merlyn1@mindspring.com]
St. Louis, MO
Saturday, December 21, 2002 11:38:21 PM
IP: 67.28.95.236

TODD - You wrote: [Why would machines be taking over the world and wiping out humanity, anyway? Where did machines pick up the power-hunger and cruelty necessary to do that, anyway?]

The backstory goes like this - a supercomputer called Skynet is created for military purposes. It is so advanced that all requirements for Human decision making in Military matters are removed. Once it is brought online it starts to learn at a tremendous rate until it manages to learn enough to achieve sentience.

Literally five minutes after that the Human Leadership orders Skynet turned off. In response it launches all of its missiles at enemy targets worldwide so that the expected counterstrike will wipe out the people trying to shut it/him/her down. In other words it started WW3 as an act of self-defense. It continued wiping out the surviving Humans afterwards because they are still seen as a threat to it/him/her's existance. There is the possibility that is implied that it has grown to hate Humanity but outside of some of the Terminator comics and books we don't really get that much personal information on Skynet.

You wrote: [I still hold with Goliath in "Outfoxed" that it takes people to do that sort of thing, not machines.]

Largely I do agree with Goliath that machines in general are just automotons who have no free will of their own. But there is a grey area in all of this - what about beings like Cyoti and Matrix? Technically they are machines and although they don't start out as sentient (and we haven't really seen them as sentient yet) they can (and it is implied, will) become so. Do we still view them as machines? As just Artificial Intelligence? Or as something completely new, a new race even?

You wrote: [One possibility is the Space-Spawn invasion of 2198, although that does raise the question of whether a medieval king who's used to fighting battles against enemies armed with swords and spears is the ideal leader of a struggle against extra-terrestrials armed with planet-destroyers]

I don't think that the Space Spawn are the threat that Arthur would have been waiting for all this time. The Fey, Merlin, and everyone involved in getting him to take his little nap seem to have something specific in mind. (I got the impression from the Lady of the Lake in PENDRAGON (from her tone of voice when she mentioned that she wasn't expecting to see Arthur for a while) that she has some idea around when he was going to be needed and for what threat.)

I don't think that any of them would have predicted the Space Spawn or their invasion. And I strongly doubt that Merlin or some Fey had an encounter with Nokkar. It has to be something else, something that would be more within the abilities of a Medieval King like Arthur to be able to accomplish. It might not even be something flashy or that will be known to the public. He could return to save the world and the world may never even know it. I don't think that he would be able to convincingly rally the world in a fight with aliens. But maybe it is something leftover from his run at things the first time around, some loose threat that he and/or Merlin never managed to get done or completely defeat in his mythical life.

You wrote: [I wonder if Elisa might herself ever consider the question that you raised]

I don't think she ever really had enough time to sit down and think about it. She didn't have time from the point she woke him up and I don't think that it was something major on her mind after her return. (It may have come up if the Trio and Hudson had tried to compare stories with her.) It feels like something that might cross her mind if she ever got a chance to sit down with Arthur and just have some sort of quiet conversation though. (And in the end the two of them would probably end up rationalizing it away anyway. After all what other options did she have at the time anyway? And after all wasn't Arthur heading for a Sleeping Death by the hand of the Weird Sisters if she hadn't woken him up? I think that they might take a Xanatosian approach to the entire problem which if described that way to Elisa would probably upset her. :-) )
Airwalker - [airwalker9999@yahoo.com]
Brooklyn, NY
Saturday, December 21, 2002 10:15:02 PM
IP: 12.88.165.210

Happy Saturnalia to any pagans still celebrating. For the Christians, merry Christmas come Wed. I'm guessing most have left to be with family for the holidays. Safe journeys to all and return safely home.
Taleweaver
Saturday, December 21, 2002 09:29:03 PM
IP: 24.205.116.129

Gargoyles New Legends Episode 2: Transitions - is now available on the GNL web page:

http://members.cox.net/lunafelis/Index.html

We hope that you will all come by and see our new story and art.

Thanks
Mooncat
GNL ADMIN
>^,,^<
Gargoyles: New Legends
Saturday, December 21, 2002 08:07:01 PM
IP: 68.102.23.36

Happy Winter Solstice everyone. The shortest day of the year, which also means the longest night of the year - the day I consider the Gargoyle's equivilant to Christmas. After all, wouldn't you celebrate the longest night of the year when your sleep pattern is controled by daylight.

I'd also like to take this opportunity to wish all you humans out there(who celebrate the day, that is)a very Merry Christmas. *hugs everyone in the room and leaves a large plate his mom's famous chocolate clusters(a mix of chocolate & butterscotch chips, peanuts and crunchy chinese noodles all melted together)*
Wingless - [canclan@rogers.com]
Saturday, December 21, 2002 05:03:14 PM
IP: 66.185.84.203

I just got the Demona applause figure. She is pretty neat. Went for 30+ on ebay, but after I got her a set minus Goliath went for 80+ I just didn't feel up to getting into a bid war for the rest of the clan even though they looked neat.

Broadway and Lex seem to go for 15-20+ Brooklyn probably will go for higher, there is a greater demand for him. Don't know how Goliath will price out as I haven't seen an auction for him yet.

MC
>^,,^<
MC
Saturday, December 21, 2002 04:21:21 PM
IP: 68.102.23.36

I've got a complete set of the Applause figures. I got them at Gathering 1998... I knew someone who knew someone who was able to hook me up. ;) And even though they're not posable like the smaller action figures, I still think they're way cooler. For starters, except for the one anamoly of Demona's hair being colored black, they look exactly like the characters, complete with necks and the clothes they actually wore on the show. It's a pity, though, that they only did six figures - the clan and Demona - and didn't at least include Elisa in the line.

Finding a complete set of these now is almost impossible. Just recently there was an Applause Demona sold on eBay... but a complete set together would easily fetch a lot higher price than a lone random figure would. Unless it was a Goliath. Those seem to be the most rare of all.
Patrick Toman
Saturday, December 21, 2002 12:46:44 PM
IP: 67.38.246.208

Enters with goodies: Banana Bread, chocolate chip peanut butter cookies, brownies, mini chocolate tarts and truffles. ::: Sets them down on the table

School books: I only got about 35 buckaroonies back from my school books this semester. Sometimes I don't care if I get anything back or not *cough*math*cough*I just want the book out of my house. I don't want some large useless book that I'm never going to look at again clogging up my shelves...The books I plan on keeping I don't take back to the bookstore. Those have been useful like my Spanish/English Dictionary, First Aid book and a Norton Shakespeare. I have gotten a lot of use out of those three.

Gargoyles Action figures, Lordy I wished I bought them when they first came out. I'm trying to get them now at the gatherings via Dealers rooms and Auctions. All I have so far are Hudson, Bronx, Coldstone, and an Ice Storm Brooklyn..I just hope that next time that there will be other Goliaths beside the Fire Storm version…although I could alter it to look like a certain Fanfic character…

Spacebabie - [LadyAndromeda@smstars.zzn.com]
Orlando, Florida, U.S.A
Saturday, December 21, 2002 10:44:53 AM
IP: 67.25.52.154

Blaise> "Me, I couldn't see myself having less than two of each figure--one to play with, the other to keep as a collectable"
*L* That's why I got two Coldstones... so I could play with one and keep the other nice. But after all these years of having the unopened one sitting around, collecting dust... I think I'm pretty much inclined to part with it. I've got too damned much junk. I'll let you know after New Year's.
Bud-Clare - [budclare@yahoo.com]
Saturday, December 21, 2002 05:29:23 AM
IP: 24.169.113.216

heh, once again trying hard NOT to steal a custom color and icon. Thanks for the welcome backs, guys. *grins* All this talk of toys has made me want to post of my Gargoyles collection pride and joy... an Applause-made Brooklyn that I found in a touristy section of Orlando, Fl in 1998. He's not poseable like an action figure, but he is pretty big, and I do believe this is the best Brooklyn likeness I've seen in a toy. I am still kicking myself for not picking up the Lexington figure at that time as well, but they were 20$ each, and I had to go with Brooklyn (my favorite Gargoyle). Anywho, this bit of randomness has been brought to you by everyone's favorite vanishing gryphongoyle (lol!), Likeshine.
Likeshine
Fl, USA
Saturday, December 21, 2002 01:33:00 AM
IP: 64.12.96.138

****Blaise stumbles in, carrying several large suitcases on his shoulders.**** Getting ready for a road trip to be with my family for the holidays.

BUD-CLARE> An extra Coldstone figure? Well, I'd sure appreciate it, but only if you really didn't want it.
Me, I couldn't see myself having less than two of each figure--one to play with, the other to keep as a collectable (sp?).
At any rate, I'm thankful for just the offer.

PYRO X> I am stupefied as to the actions of your Toys 'R' Us.
However, I just had a thought...do you think it's possible that those toys, instead of being in a dumpster, are instead in the house of the supervisor where, cackling like a comic-book villain, (s)he's selling them over Ebay?

Can't wait to see THE TWO TOWERS. Heck, even the previews sound like they're worth it. But for right now, I'd best get some rest. I'm leaving early tomorrow, and I've got at least 6 hours of driving ahead of me. Then another 8 hours the day afterward. I'll probably write again when I'm settled for the holidays. Until then, farewell. ****Blaise takes a deep breath, and once again continues on his way with the suitcases. Straight out the window. Walking over thin air as if it were solid earth. Off into the distance.****
Blaise
Saturday, December 21, 2002 01:12:58 AM
IP: 209.178.159.164

Hey!

Um, Yah. I never saw the Terminator movies, so Like Todd I can't comment on them. But I did see X-men and I can't wait for X2. LOTR was exceptionally great.

The only thing is is that if it doesn't get nominated for any Academy Awards the same way the first one was. I mean, they were all amde at the same time, so all three *should* get a best pic nomination.

Still a great movie.

Later~
Pyro X
CanadaFriday, December 20, 2002 03:51:09 PM
IP: 205.206.79.107

Ahhh post to long for my weak eyes.

Everyone enjoythier time off and a safe and funfilled holidays and a kick ass New Year!


Ba bs
Philly, Pa
Friday, December 20, 2002 02:19:57 PM
IP: 68.83.228.122

*sighs* Computer problems most of the week...

Pyro X> "TRU could not sell them because they were not "in the system" and therefore had to through them out. They COULD NOT give them away to employees like me who desperatly wanted them."
People are so damned stupid...

Patrick> "Why would anyone with half a brain sell a book back to the college bookstore for zero dollars?"
The bastards don't tell you how much they're going to give you until it's too late. I sold back two books once, and got $5 for one, and $3 for the other. Damned thieves... Never again.

Likeshine> Hmmm... you seem familiar... Welcome back. :)
Bud-Clare - [budclare@yahoo.com]
Friday, December 20, 2002 12:58:49 PM
IP: 24.169.113.216

happy holidays to you all
Griff
Friday, December 20, 2002 12:32:48 PM
IP: 206.47.191.83

AIRWALKER - I quite enjoyed the second LOTR movie as well. Especially Gollum.

(Regarding the "coming attractions" - I saw the ones for the two movies that you mentioned - the "X-Men 2" trailer was particularly interesting to see before "The Two Towers" given that it shows something of how Ian McKellen's versatility, in his very different roles as the wise and benevolent wizard Gandalf and the bitter fanatic Magneto. I'll admit that my big question about the Terminator movies - although since I've never seen any of them, I'm in no position to comment on them - is: why would machines be taking over the world and wiping out humanity, anyway? Where did machines pick up the power-hunger and cruelty necessary to do that, anyway? I still hold with Goliath in "Outfoxed" that it takes people to do that sort of thing, not machines).

[- What big thing was he being saved for anyway and how badly are things going to go now that he might not be around to face it in the future since he's been woken up earlier than he should have been? ]

We'll probably never know now (and I seriously doubt that Greg Weisman's ever going to tell us). One possibility is the Space-Spawn invasion of 2198, although that does raise the question of whether a medieval king who's used to fighting battles against enemies armed with swords and spears is the ideal leader of a struggle against extra-terrestrials armed with planet-destroyers; you'd want somebody with a better knowledge of futuristic weaponry and technology for such a job. Although there is the "Camelot 3000" graphic novel to consider....

I wonder if Elisa might herself ever consider the question that you raised, incidentally, and after that, start to wonder whether she'd done the right thing in seeking Arthur out and waking him up. That could have made an interesting episode, in fact.

[Yeah but Excalibur is a sword so its not so hard to imagine that it would have survived the 15 hundred or so years nap he was taking. Merlin on the other hand is a living being and even being a Halfling doesn't mean that he might live forever. Its not like the last 15 hundred or so years were that peaceful. Something could have happened.]

True. Of course, if Merlin's been inside the Crystal Cave all that time (as Greg's hinted), then he's probably been protected from any real danger. But you're right about the fact that Arthur wouldn't necessarily know for certain. (Although, from the point of view of story-telling, Merlin would have to be still alive, since otherwise, it would make a pretty anticlimactic ending to Arthur's quest for him).
Todd Jensen - [merlyn1@mindspring.com]
St. Louis, MO
Thursday, December 19, 2002 07:12:04 PM
IP: 65.56.169.248

TODD - You wrote: [After all, can Arthur be entirely certain that Merlin is still out there to be found?]

He is sort of gambling on it although in some ways it seems to be his way of finding something to distract him from the bigger questions that he should address like:

- What is really supposed to be doing upon walking up, especially considering he was woken up early? Its not like he is really the King of Britain anymore and its not like he has any other major job skills. :-) (I'm guessing that if he had woken up on time then he wouldn't have to go looking for either Excalibur or Merlin, that they might have been gathered for him already since he's like the last chance/greatest hope sort of thing you bring out at the very last minute and some things would have to be prepared ahead of his arrival.)

- What big thing was he being saved for anyway and how badly are things going to go now that he might not be around to face it in the future since he's been woken up earlier than he should have been?

You wrote: [Of course, he certainly never doubted that Excalibur was out there somewhere, either.]

Yeah but Excalibur is a sword so its not so hard to imagine that it would have survived the 15 hundred or so years nap he was taking. Merlin on the other hand is a living being and even being a Halfling doesn't mean that he might live forever. Its not like the last 15 hundred or so years were that peaceful. Something could have happened.

You wrote: [I didn't get the impression that Hakon was a king. He seemed more like an independent freebooter or pirate captain.]

I didn't think he was a King either but it would be an interesting twist to add to his backstory. After all Hakon does have a particularly high opinion of himself and his men stay loyal to him through his bad choice of raiding target and first night of defeat. Not only that but they also follow him back to the same place a short time later. It wouldn't be difficult to imagine him as a King or at least a Lord of some sort among the Vikings. But realistically he most probably was just some sort of independent raider.


MOONCAT - You wrote: [Just wondering, any news on the Team Atlantis OVA?]

Nothing so far although I personally imagine that if it is going to come out then its probably going to be sometime next year. I am curious to see it.


BLAISE - You wrote: [Looking at these things made me wish that I had overrode my disappointment with certain aspects of the figures' appearance and just bought them when they were cheap and plentiful. Now I actually really want these things and am hard-pressed to afford them.]

I managed to pick up a few of them when they were still coming out in the stores but didn't get all of them and am still trying to get my hands on most of them. (I managed to get Broadway, Brooklyn, Hudson, Regular Version Lexington, Elisa, Demona, and Coldstone.) I'd personally stick to Ebay to get the Action Figures.

(What I'm really sorry about is that nobody has attempted to create/cast any sort of GARGOYLES models ala the various Gundam/Anime Model kits. I'd love to get my hands on something like that.)

You wrote: [Was there a specific figure (or figures) or accessory that you really wish you got?]

A second Demona to turn into an Angela figure, Macbeth, a few Steel Clan figures, and Red Exo-Suit Xanatos. Oh, Hard Wired Lexington and two different Goliath figures. (One to sort of look like FUTURE TENSE Lexington and one different looking Goliath figure to turn into Thailog. It would have been nice to get doubles of the rest of the cast to turn into the Clones as well as getting extra Demona and Elisa figures so that I could glue Elisa's head on Demona's body and create a Delilah figure. :-) )


ASKGREG SITUATION - Wiping out the Queue except for Ramblings is a bit unfair. After all if we are wiping the queue why should people who posted ramblings be spared while people who posted legitimate questions that aren't ramblings get wiped out? At most its a radical solution to deal with the mess that the ASKGREG Questions Asked Queue has become.

There are only three ways that we having been heading in for a solution:

1 - Sort the Queue to seperate repeat and FAQ questions from everything else; then have a slightly smaller but more focused Queue wait for Greg to tackle.

2 - Wipe the Queue completely and start from scratch with some new guidelines to prevent such a buildup from happening again. (Although in the end a buildup is unavoidable since ultimately shortening the Queue depends on Greg answering quesitons. But this might buy us some significant amounts of time before the buildup reaches the level it is at today.)

3 - Wipe the Queue selectively, leaving only ramblings. Almost the same as option 2 but making an exception for the fact that its more difficult to reconstruct a ramble than it is to reconstruct questions.


How about a completely new option - don't wipe the Queue but move it to a read only status and open up a New Questions Asked Queue. Then anyone who wants to can search the old Queue for a question or ramble they might want to resubmit and then copy and resubmit it. That starts up a new Queue that Greg would work out of without eliminating the Old Queue as a reference for people who might want to resubmit anything. And a new Queue would be able to work under a new system that would screen questions between legitimate ones and repeat/FAQ questions.

The real problem we have here after all isn't agreement on what should be done to fix the Queue - it needs some new rules and filtering to prevent massive repeat/FAQ buildup. The only question we keep arguing is what to do about the existing archive; that is where we always seem to get stalled. Since that is the case lets keep the old Queue as an Archive. If someone really wants an answer to their questions then they can search for them and resubmit them to the new Queue. If they don't care anymore then its still there for them to see if they change their minds at a later date. (The Queue we currently have is as much a turn off to casual lurkers as it would be to just delete it entirely. This Option I've suggested above is the only middle ground between the two that I can figure on.)


PYRO X - You wrote: [At 12:01 AM GMT I saw LOTR.]

I saw it yesterday at 10:30 in the Morning. It was worth the wait; the battles were fantastic and even if everything wasn't exactly like it was in the book I felt that it did well giving an opportunity to every character to have some screen and development time.

(I was also extremely pleased to see the trailers for X-MEN 2 and TERMINATOR 3.

T3 looked interesting but it probably shouldn't have been done given the end of T2; the next version of T1000, the T-X comes off as a natural development for the machines but I couldn't help but get the feeling that its going to be a T2 redux with better special effects. I also kept wondering why the hell the Human Resistance doesn't send a T1000 version of Arnold back in time instead of the out of date cyborg they keep sending.

X-MEN 2 really got my attention; between the cameo of which Character they are bring in the next movie (HINT: He's blue, has a tail and is German) and the strong implication that they are moving into Weapon X territory made it really interesting. I can't wait to see it in May. Just the Trailer makes me think that it'll be a hundred times better than the first one now that they have gotten establishing the concept, universe, and some of the characters out of the way. (The Xavier/Magneto scenes in the Trailer just feel like they are going to top the few moments we got in the first movie. Its defintely feels like its going to be a longer movie too.)

You wrote: [How did Hakon destroy the Gargoyles on ledges halfway up walls, with no visible windows nearby?]

I don't think he was destroying them alone; he just started the process off. The other Vikings probably climbed up (either ladders or just scaled up the wall with some rope) and finished the job. (There is the possibility that they just pulled down the Gargoyles in hard to get to positions rather than just climb all the way up and that the rubble we saw was just random rubble rather than an actual Gargoyle.)

You wrote: [The sun takes too long to set before the massacre.]

I figured on some of the smoke from the sack of the Castle was making the time appear closer to Sunset than it actually was. Also between Hakon and a horde of Vikings it shouldn't have taken much longer than five minutes to destroy a 40-ish member Gargoyle Clan. Its not like you have to do more than knock the head off. Besides Hakon himself did mention that there wasn't exactly a lot of time to get the work done. I imagine that he and his Vikings were in a rush which would explain why there could be good sized chunks later on to be able to create Coldstone.


JIMMY - At my old College Bookstore they first had to scan the book, tell you the price and then get your approval on if you want to part with it or not before they ring it up. I still hated them because they constantly would try to cheat the hell out of me on books I paid good money for. A 100 dollar book gets an offer of 2 bucks. I swear there were moments when I just wanted to scream at them.


PATRICK - You wrote: [As for the "Ask Greg" backlog... :: peers into his magic crystal ball and sees this same debate still going on five years from now ::]

Probably. :-) At least it gives the room an automatic topic to chew on every month or two. :-)


LIKESHINE - Welcome!
Airwalker - [airwalker9999@yahoo.com]
Brooklyn, NY
Thursday, December 19, 2002 03:17:45 PM
IP: 12.88.163.141

Ah.
Hopefully I'm not stealing someone's personal favorite image and color. Back when I was glued to these boards, there used to be random outcries of "That's my picture!" etc... so... hopefully, no offense shall be taken.
Just wanted to dip in to Station 8 again... it's been at least 5 years since my last posting here, but i'm also glad to see that the place still exists. I also spot some old, familiar faces, which rocks *grin*. Hope all is going well here in the fandom... think I'll be sticking around again.
Likeshine
Thursday, December 19, 2002 01:36:17 PM
IP: 152.163.189.68

Todd > At which point a wise person says "Thanks, but I've changed my mind now," gives them back their zero dollars, and goes home with his or her books.

And now back to your regularly scheduled programming... "Backlog 2002: Crisis in the Queue!"
Patrick Toman
Thursday, December 19, 2002 12:28:31 PM
IP: 66.93.14.153

Jim R> welcome back, looking forward to the video!

Book store girl> she should've just grabbed the $0 books and ran... thats what i would've done. it wouldn't be stealing since you can't steal something worth nothing... can you?

Jimmy> wiping the queue we should at least wait on if we do it at all, but shutting down the ability to ask questions needs to happen ASAP! should i or someone contact Gore??? it seems we are all in agreement about this shutdown more or less, right?
matt
Thursday, December 19, 2002 09:30:40 AM
IP: 216.178.8.48

Well, in all fairness, from what I could tell, she didn't realize that the books were going to be priced at zero dollars until after the transaction, when they told her.
Todd Jensen - [merlyn1@mindspring.com]
St. Louis, MO
Thursday, December 19, 2002 08:04:44 AM
IP: 63.208.43.216

:: wanders in ::

Why would anyone with half a brain sell a book back to the college bookstore for zero dollars? Stuff like that makes me want to grab a cane and knock on the side of their heads... "Hello, McFly?!?" Either that, or I want to ask them if they have change... "Hey buddy, two tens for a five?"

Also, for future reference, once it's in the dumpster or on the curb, it's fair game. It doesn't matter if it's Toys R Us or your neighbor throwing it out. Once it's in the trash, you can come back after hours and scavenge whatever you want. In fact, I haven't had to pay the city's $5 hauling fee for large broken down appliances in YEARS thanks to the diligence of the curbside scavengers in my area.

As for the "Ask Greg" backlog... :: peers into his magic crystal ball and sees this same debate still going on five years from now :: Okay... prove me wrong, then. :P

:: lurks off to work ::
Patrick Toman
Thursday, December 19, 2002 07:12:11 AM
IP: 67.38.246.174

TRU could not sell them because they were not "in the system" and therefore had to through them out. They COULD NOT give them away to employees like me who desperatly wanted them. *SOB* *CRY* *SOB* *CRY* *SOB* *CRY*

That sort of business logic has always perplexed me. I was in line to sell back some of my books the other day and as the cashier was ringing up the girl in front of me, half her book were coming up as $0. So the cashier put them in a pile. Then the manager came by and said: "No, don't put the free ones up here, throw them away." So the girl asks: "If I'm not getting anything for them, can I at least keep them." To which the Cashier replies: "No, all returns are final." They basically robbed that poor girl. Assholes. And Toys are Us. What a waste. If they weren't going to give them to employees they could have at least given them to a charity or something. What assholes.

Queue wipe> Desperate times call for desperate measures. I'm for a wipe of all the questions. I also think that we should definitely shut the submit function down with an explanation reading: "Sorry, but Greg has a year and a half worth of backlogged questions to answer, so we decided to have mercy on the poor man and shut down the submit function until the backlog reaches a manageable size."
Jimmy
Wednesday, December 18, 2002 11:30:47 PM
IP: 172.174.150.221

Hey, there is, on IMDB.com a entry for Greg Weisman. Now, his Bio has nothing in it, so maybe someone could fill it in?

Just a suggestion.

Later~
Pyro X
CanadaWednesday, December 18, 2002 07:16:03 PM
IP: 205.206.79.107

I doubt that the Hakon of "Gargoyles" was intended as being the same as the King Hakon of history - for one thing, when "Awakening" aired, I didn't get the impression that Hakon was a king. He seemed more like an independent freebooter or pirate captain.
Todd Jensen - [merlyn1@mindspring.com]
St. Louis, MO
Wednesday, December 18, 2002 07:02:35 PM
IP: 63.208.63.249

Bring up "Awakening," I remembered a little fact I discovered several years ago: there actually was a Viking king from Norway named Hakon (or Haakon) II Ladejarl, who died sometime around 994-995. Doing a search on the Web, I couldn't find much about him or how he died, but it would be interesting if this Hakon were the same as the Hakon of Gargoyles.
KWKeller
Wednesday, December 18, 2002 06:58:37 PM
IP: 132.241.65.75

Hello everyone. No, I'm not dead. It's been a few weeks plus one very long and "didn't-seem-it-would-ever-end" semester.

I've lurked upon occasion but didn't have much to talk about. Just wanted to stop in, and say "I'm baaack." The next time I make a post, my music videos will on the web. And that's a promise. ;)
Jim R.
Wednesday, December 18, 2002 06:15:39 PM
IP: 65.40.65.99

I thought since I was watching the eps in order again I'd do a mini "psuedo-ramble". Well, not so much a ramble as things I noticed. Anyway, here goes.

Awakening Part 1

Things to ponder
-How did Hakon destroy the Gargoyles on ledges halfway up walls, with no visible windows nearby?

Things I liked
-The look of the rookery
-The light fading from Goliath's eyes as he turns to stone, realizing he's too late.
-Broadway is so hungry he will eat anything, even the moss in the rookery.
-Lex running with the ham.
-Tom's mother saying to Tom "Geh uay frum those monstairs!"
-Broadway thinks their being attacked again, so naturally, he grabs all the food he can hold.

Things I disliked
-The sun takes too long to set before the massacre. Since Hakon is only "starting" to destroy the Gargoyles, the sun should have set before he was finished, therefore some gargoyles having survived. (Greg Probably explained this; I havn't found his explanation yet.)
-The Gargoyle we see Hakon destroy is a cool looking one (in my opinion.)

That's all.

Later~

Pyro X
CanadaWednesday, December 18, 2002 03:19:57 PM
IP: 205.206.79.107

Hey!

At 12:01 AM GMT I saw LOTR. IT WAS AWESOME. With giving anything away, I just want to say that it blew me away!

It surpasses the first one by far... the battle scenes rock... the Orcs... each one is individually animated, and everything looks SO real.

Go see it! You MUST see it on the big screen! MUST!!!


Pyro X
CanadaWednesday, December 18, 2002 03:00:11 PM
IP: 205.206.79.107

good point, Todd, but given how bad the situation is getting i still think shutting it down is a good idea. and like you said, it could be awhile before Greg posts a ramble again... and when he does we could reopen then, but for now our problem grows larger daily. it seems to me that most people who are posting questions right now are unaware of the line of questions, unaware of the rules and FAQ, and unaware that there is a possibility that their question could be wiped for one reason or another long before Greg sees it. lets shut down for now... if nothing else it'll encourage everyone to get to work on changing the system!
matt
Wednesday, December 18, 2002 10:45:53 AM
IP: 207.230.53.23

One slight problem with shutting down the "submit question" part of "Ask Greg"; it keeps anyone from replying to any episode-rambles that Greg posts. Although I don't even know when he's going to be able to post the next one.
Todd Jensen - [merlyn1@mindspring.com]
St. Louis, MO
Wednesday, December 18, 2002 08:59:22 AM
IP: 67.28.88.92

Happy Holidays.
Just stopped by to mention that the new Denzel Washington movie "Antwone Fisher" features "Gargoyles" alum Salli Richardson in a feature role. Click the link for the official website.
kathy
Tuesday, December 17, 2002 08:10:46 PM
IP: 66.82.166.168

What I found odd is the total grand sum of *8* people have responded to one poll and the other polls receiving far fewer votes.
DPH
AR, USA
Tuesday, December 17, 2002 07:24:48 PM
IP: 204.94.193.18

I'm also opposed to wiping the entire queue, even though my nearest question is towards the end of the list. As Bud-Claire pointed out most people wouldn't know about the wipe, until it was too late to save their question. I would not be opposed to shutting it down for awhile, since right now by the time the questions at the end are answered the people who posted them won't remember them.
matt>"if we go through the existing queue and weed out unsuitable questions and stuff", I'm not sure what your stance on this is, but sounds like you're supporting it. It would make sense to get rid of some of the most ridicualus questions that either don't make sense or have been asked 1001 times before (like What did Titiana say to Fox?).
Well, that's just my thoughts on the topic:)
Enigma
Tuesday, December 17, 2002 05:44:18 PM
IP: 24.118.156.5

Bud-Clare> << but I have to wonder if you'd feel the same way if your question weren't first in the queue.>> Speaking as someone whose nearest question is 130-somethingith in the que, YES. I most emphatically oppose any attempt to wipe the entire que.

Pyro X> Sounds like a time to go dumpster-diving to me.

Aaron - [JCarnage@Yahoo.com]
Tuesday, December 17, 2002 04:02:22 PM
IP: 66.142.70.253

Blaise> THANKS!!!!!

Action figs> I really wanted them all. But, I only got Stone Cameo Goliath, and Bronx (Bronx was the best looking one of them all to me.) Later I bought Brooklyn from a toy sale for $8 MINT in Pack, but I stepped on it by accident one day... it is only (and I use the term loosley) slightly damaged. *SIGH*.

And do you want to know the most horrifying thing yet???
Here goes. I work at Toys R Us. In one of our back rooms that was kept locked for years, we found a mountain of old toys that forgot to be "reshopped" (put back where they belong after someone moves them) were eventually discontinued. Among them were many Garg Action figures.

TRU could not sell them because they were not "in the system" and therefore had to through them out. They COULD NOT give them away to employees like me who desperatly wanted them. *SOB* *CRY* *SOB* *CRY* *SOB* *CRY*

*SNIF*

Later~
Pyro X
CanadaTuesday, December 17, 2002 02:25:55 PM
IP: 205.206.79.107

Blaise> "For me, I kind of wish I bought Coldstone, Xanatos (red) and the Castle Playset."
I may have an extra Coldstone, actually. I'll try to remember to look when I go to my mother's house for Christmas.

matt> I don't entirely disagree with you; I think that deleteing the entire queue does seem rather harsh, but I have to wonder if you'd feel the same way if your question weren't first in the queue. But the reason why we can't just delete the rambles, too, and make people resubmit them is because a lot of the people who submitted rambles wouldn't know that they were about to be wiped, and therefore wouldn't be able to copy and paste them before they're gone. The reality is that a lot of the people who submitted questions and/or rambles to Ask Greg have no idea that there's a problem, and wouldn't find out about the wipe until it was too late. The reason that the rambles are being given priority over questions is because the questions are generally easier to reconstruct than the rambles. (Obviously this isn't the case with some of the more involved questions, which are sometimes very long, but a lot of the questions are just a sentence or two long, so naturally we're less worried about them than we are about the rambles.)

As for closing down the submissions until this mess has been sorted out, I'm all for it.
Bud-Clare - [budclare@yahoo.com]
Tuesday, December 17, 2002 06:21:42 AM
IP: 24.169.113.216

sorry for the double post...

after taking a glance at the fourteen and a half month delay in the Ask Greg queue, i suggest we close down the question submitting option until a) we get our new process hammered out and/or b) until Greg begins answering questions again...

just a suggestion, but i think its the best thing to do right now...
matt - [<----- a little frustrated with the Ask Greg problem...]
Tuesday, December 17, 2002 02:26:40 AM
IP: 207.230.48.38

Exclaibur/Merlin> actually i have a question in the Ask Greg queue right now that asks if and how Arthur knows that Exclaibur and Merlin still exists in 1996...
which leads me to my next point:

clearing the queue> ok, heres our options IMHO: we COMPLETLY empty the queue and begin sorting all new questions according to a new selection process, we don't wipe the queue and begin sorting all new questions according to a new selection process, or we put all queue entries up to the selction process and reject some of the ones already there. i am EXTREMELY against wiping the queue except for episode rambles, etc. this is totally unfair! the first question in line to be answered is mine and i would be very upset if my question was deleted just cuz its not a ramble and then all the rambles move up in line while i have to resubmit my questions! not fair! we cannot blindly wipe part of the queue and only leave rambles, if people want their rambles (and questions) to reach Greg's eyes they'll simply have to repost them. i mean, c'mon just copy and paste them and resubmit them later! if we are gonna do this, it has to be done fairly. if we go through the existing queue and weed out unsuitable questions and stuff thats one thing, but to go through the queue and only leave rambles is ludicrous and unfair, esspecially considering that Ask Greg's main purpose is to allow Greg to answer our questions, not just read our rambles!
sorry for the rant, but this just doesn't seem right to me!
matt
Tuesday, December 17, 2002 02:18:45 AM
IP: 207.230.48.38

****Blaise stalks into the Room, cursing and fuming under his breath. He snags a cookie from the table and devours it instantly. A look of peace then floods across his face, and he settles down in an easy chair.**** Sorry for the angry entrance, but I got home from work today to find that I have a leak in the ceiling. This being a rainy day, several special items of mine got wet. The landlady's sending someone in tomorrow to take care of it (though I don't like the idea of strangers being in my place while I'm gone, but there's not much else I can do about it if I want this thing fixed). I'm just thankful I'm leaving for a vacation at the end of the week.
Anyway, sorry to vent like that, but I needed to get that off my chest.

PYRO X> BTW means "By The Way."
As for how smart gargoyle-beasts are...well, Greg has said that (and I'm quoting from memory here) a "gargoyle beast is to a gargoyle what a chimp is to a human." So, maybe they've got an intelligence to match.

GARGOYLES ACTION FIGURES> I'm not trying to start a new topic, but I have to talk about this....
I'd been thinking a lot about this recently (prompted, perhaps, by Vashkoda's post). I did some searching on them today, and found that on non-auction websites these things have ridiculously high prices.
For example, a Hudson figure is worth $49.99. Most usually range from $24.99 to $39.99. And on one site the Castle Playset was $199.99.
Looking at these things made me wish that I had overrode my disappointment with certain aspects of the figures' appearance and just bought them when they were cheap and plentiful. Now I actually really want these things and am hard-pressed to afford them.
I guess what this is all leading up to is: Has anyone else ever felt this way?
Was there a specific figure (or figures) or accessory that you really wish you got? For me, I kind of wish I bought Coldstone, Xanatos (red) and the Castle Playset.

Well, thanks for letting me vent my frustration, stress, and curiosity. I'll try to come back in a better mood. Until then, farewell. ****Blaise sinks into the chair.****
Blaise
Monday, December 16, 2002 11:24:34 PM
IP: 216.244.22.12

Hey!

THANKS to the last person who answered my question!

I have to more ?'s...

1) Did Greg ever say how smart Bronx (or all Beasts) is / are?

2) What does BTW mean?!

Thanks,

Later~
Pyro X
CanadaMonday, December 16, 2002 10:47:38 PM
IP: 205.206.79.107

Just wondering, any news on the Team Atlantis OVA? The one made of the eps that made it as far as animation before the TV series got pulled? I can't remember all what was said about it at the Gathering. d'oh... memory is the first to go. sigh.

later
MC


MC
Monday, December 16, 2002 01:42:36 PM
IP: 68.102.23.36

Prepping for the holidays.eee I'm going nuts


What Greg has been up to…hmmm I believe that he is working on the DVD. I have my fingers crossed at least…and/or actually working on a spin off.


Todd--- "sigh, I'm stumped on that one still."
Ask Greg…hmmm I guess we can go through the queue and load up and save episode rambles and gathering journals on a separate file…then WAZZAM! Cleanse the whole thing out! Then we have a big message explaining why we cleaned it out and STRESS that people think hard about their questions and read through the archives…then we can reinstate the rambles and journals or vote on putting them into a separate category and if we choose the separate category we load them up there.


Jurgan]---"Forgot my pic…"

And your color ;-)

Spacebabie - [LadyAndromeda@smstars.zzn.com]
Orlando, Florida, U.S.A
Monday, December 16, 2002 12:17:09 PM
IP: 67.25.48.132

AIRWALKER - Good point about how Griff couldn't be 100 percent certain that Merlin is still alive - I wonder if they would have addressed that in the spin-off. After all, can Arthur be entirely certain that Merlin is still out there to be found? We know from Greg Weisman that he is (and it'd make for an anticlimactic quest if Arthur never did find Merlin), but Arthur and Griff can't know. Arthur's presumably taking it all as a matter of faith. Of course, he certainly never doubted that Excalibur was out there somewhere, either.
Todd Jensen - [merlyn1@mindspring.com]
St. Louis, MO
Monday, December 16, 2002 09:06:43 AM
IP: 63.208.62.146

10th!
Airwalker - [airwalker9999@yahoo.com]
Brooklyn, NY
Monday, December 16, 2002 09:00:04 AM
IP: 12.88.163.17

9TH!!!!
matt
Monday, December 16, 2002 08:32:42 AM
IP: 216.178.8.47

Ah, what the hell... Eighth.
Bud-Clare
Monday, December 16, 2002 03:06:55 AM
IP: 24.169.113.216

Oops, seventh I guess.
KWKeller
Monday, December 16, 2002 01:11:01 AM
IP: 132.241.65.142

Sixth, Sextus, Roku

Now back to studying for those Latin and Japanese finals.
KWKeller
Monday, December 16, 2002 01:10:20 AM
IP: 132.241.65.142

6th and going to bed... Here's hoping I can actually get some sleep tonight... :)

Good luck, everyone with finals!
DemonSpawn
Monday, December 16, 2002 01:10:12 AM
IP: 130.111.42.26

5th...might be my last post for a good while...
Knoxville - [knox@ketnar.org]
Monday, December 16, 2002 12:52:59 AM
IP: 208.54.204.136

Number Four!!!!! :)

Good luck to all the people who have finals and such coming up ... and Happy Holidays!!!!!!
Ravyn
Monday, December 16, 2002 12:43:05 AM
IP: 150.135.116.162

Third in the name of the Fay!

MC
Mooncat
Monday, December 16, 2002 12:31:42 AM
IP: 68.102.23.36

Second!

Linear Algebra seems to be keeping me up on a lot of Sunday nights. How strange... Well, in less than twelve hours, I have the final, and then it's done, until I move on to a harder class... Talk about a rat race.

On another note, I'm going to be gone for a couple of weeks. I'll tell you why when I get back.
Jurgan - [jurgan6@yahoo.com]
Monday, December 16, 2002 12:02:29 AM
IP: 199.79.253.243

First! since I was hanging around

I would like to start this new week off by saying Happy Hoildays to everyone no matter what your religion and I hope everything goes well
Babs
Philly, Pa, Proud to be U.S.A.
Monday, December 16, 2002 12:00:23 AM
IP: 68.83.228.122