Blakes7 October 2001

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zine review: Big Boy's Book of 1001 Things To Do
by Julia Jones 23 Oct '01

23 Oct '01

THE BIG BOY'S BOOK OF 1001 THINGS TO DO IN ZERO GRAVITY WITH A FEDERATION HAND BLASTER Neither Love Nor Money Avon finally tells Blake about Anna Grant. Since the story was written shortly before _Rumours of Death_ was first screened, it bears no relation to canon. It's still a good might-have-been, with a plausible explanation of the backstory of Tynus and Avon. Well worth reading, even if it's now wildly AU. Licence Allegedly the first slash story written in B7. And it's a Tarrant/Jarvik! An explanation for why Jarvik thinks Tarrant is a Real Man, and a neat suggestion as to how and why an FSA graduate came to be a mercenary. Food for Thought Vila goes on a shopping trip and brings back a dragon. The preferred diet of dragons is freshly killed human virgin, which leads to much fun and games as we find out who does or doesn't qualify as dragon dinner. Yes, it's silly. I still liked it. A very slim zine at 22 pages, including a couple of pages of limericks and poetry as well as the above, but a lot of fun. Recommended. -- Julia Jones "Science is not about building a body of known 'facts'. It is a method for asking awkward questions and subjecting them to a reality-check, thus avoiding the human tendency to believe whatever makes us feel good." - The Science of Discworld

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AutoPost: Lyst Culture Guide
by kat＠welkin.apana.org.au 22 Oct '01

22 Oct '01

Guide to Lyst Culture ********************** (written for the B7 mailing list at <http://lists.lysator.liu.se/mailman/listinfo/blakes7>) composed by Kathryn Andersen version 1.2 (25 September 2001) Considering the number of newbies who have admitted to being nearly frightened away by the manner of folks on this list, and wondering how much larger the number who *were* frightened away, it was deemed a good idea to write a Gentle Introduction which will lift confusion and humanise the apparently terrifying denizens of these electronic halls. If there be errors here, then send the corrections forthwith to the maintainer of this document. (See above) This is by no means meant to replace the actual Lyst FAQ (at <http://www.lysator.liu.se/~calle/b7list/FAQ.html>) but serve as an adjunct to it. This is *not* a rule-set of customs. It is *descriptive* not proscriptive. The actuality, not the ideal. The distillation of our understanding of what the Lyst is like, so that folks don't have to read a year's worth of posts in order to get an idea of what the heck is going on here... Also, if you're new to the net, you might find the following helpful - common E-Mail abbreviations <http://www.zeusprod.com/glossary/mailterm.html> - Netiquette (net etiquette) <http://dir.yahoo.com/Computers_and_Internet/Internet/Beginner_s_Guides/Neti…> - The Google Search Engine <http://www.google.com> which was used to find the above URLs... Lyst Culture In A Bottle ************************* What's this "Lyst" business? ============================= The mailing list <blakes7(a)lists.lysator.liu.se> was the first Blake's 7 (electronic) mailing list to be created (and it also predates the newsgroup). Note the "lysator" in the address. Since there are other lists (most notably, the Other List (see Lyst FAQ)), presumably to save having to say "the lysator List", a shorthand for that is simply "the Lyst". Our Esteemed Listowner, Calle, is not a woman. This doesn't stop people calling him "Cally", indeed, it would be almost irresistible not to, considering the subject of this List. Nobody outside his native country can actually pronounce his name correctly, but it may help those who want to try, to keep in mind that "Calle" comes from the same root as "Carl". Not only that, it's a common short form of Carl, in the same way that Dick is for Richard. Contrary to rumour, "lysator" does not mean "liberator" in Calle's native tongue. It apparently doesn't mean anything in particular. Posting Style ============== Unlike many other lists, we don't tend to be chatty, and off-topic posts are (after a while) encouraged to go to the Spin-off list, so that we can get down to the serious business of discussing the political systems in B7 or the nature of terrorism or how teleportation works; or the lighthearted business of Avon's red leather trousers or what kind of ice cream the particular characters would prefer, or how to recast the series. (Note: it seems that the instructions for subscribing to the Spin list are not in the Lyst FAQ. So here they are: TO POST: Send an e-mail to <b7spin(a)metva.com.au> TO SUBSCRIBE: Send an e-mail with a Subject line of 'subscribe' to <b7spin-request(a)metva.com.au>. TO UNSUBSCRIBE: Send an e-mail with a Subject line of 'unsubscribe' to <b7spin-request(a)metva.com.au>. ) It isn't a required custom on this list to introduce yourself, though a few people like to. People also don't tend to issue a formal welcome to newbies -- we just get on with the discussion and expect folks to join in (or not). Please don't consider this unfriendly; it's simply... focused. We're always interested in fresh ideas. If someone doesn't respond to your posting it could simply be because they agreed with it -- and didn't want to write a "me too" post. On the other hand, feel free to consider this unfriendly... but if you do, then it behooves you to go and welcome people, don't it? If the Lyst seems particularly busy and snarky, it's probably February. Odd Acronyms and Other Collections ================================== If you are confused by people referring to "the wrath of FINALACT" or suchlike, be confused no longer. As with many online fandoms, groups of like-minded fans often declare allegiance to their particular favourite characters, and form groups. Generally in order to be part of such a group... one simply declares oneself to be part of it. One doesn't have to be part of any group at all, and these groups are not meant to be taken deadly seriously either. Though some are more tongue-in-cheek than others. Often they are formed of those who consider their view to be a minority one. The following list is not intended to be exhaustive. The Tarrant Nostra ------------------ Yes, this one doesn't have odd acronyms but with such a cool name, who needs them? The first known reference to the Tarrant Nostra by that name is apparently in 1995, though the core group was around for longer than that. The name sprung from the mind of Brooke Barker. This group, is, obviously, those who favour Tarrant. Carol McCoy is "The Godmother" of the Tarrant Nostra; other members may not be so clearly identified. See also <http://www.tarrantnostra.com/> F.I.N.A.L.A.C.T. ---------------- This stands for "Foundation Invalidating Numerous Accusations Levelled At Croucher's Travis". These are the fans who prefer Brian Croucher's Travis, aka Travis II. They have a tendency to threaten detractors with The Comfy Chair, Karaoke music and Teletubby torture. Jacqueline Thijsen is the Chief Inquisitor. Penny Dreadful is their Queen, hopeful of being elevated to godhood, so that Iain Coleman can be Pope. See also <http://tezcatlipoca.algonet.se/cgi-bin/getbyid.pl?id=26736> G.I.T.H.O.G. ------------ This stands for "Greif Is Travis, House Of Greif". Byline -- 'In Time, We All Come to Greif'. These are the fans who prefer Stephen Grief's Travis, aka Travis I. They appear to be less active than FINALACT, probably because they don't perceive themselves to be in the minority. See also <http://tezcatlipoca.algonet.se/cgi-bin/getbyid.pl?id=33344> A.S.K.S. -------- Avon's Sympathetic Kindred Spirits go against the flow of Avon fans because they don't give a fig whether he looks sexy in black leather, they just identify with him. Kathryn Andersen made up this acronym, so she is presumably the founding member. Gareth's Gorillas ----------------- Fans who are into Gareth Thomas and his work, as distinct from just being interested in Blake (though they are interested in Blake too). Chief Gorilla is Judith Proctor. One may see them at cons wearing "Gareth's Gorilla" badges. Ironically, many of Gareths Gorillas don't actually have Blake as their favourite B7 character. The Gan Defence League ---------------------- Those who appreciate the unsung and oft under-appreciated Olag Gan. Judith Proctor goes around distributing oak leaves to those who stand up for Gan and say nice things about him. S.C.A.M. -------- Society for Crushing Animals Maligners, given a name by Una McCormack, the (almost) sole person who not only liked the episode "Animals", but strives to defend it. Dedicated to the art of Justinification (justifying Justin). Followers of the Goddess ------------------------ The concept of the Golden Goddess Soolin, her Acolyte Dayna, and the Chief Hairdresser Vila was the invention of Ophelia (aka Kanna-Ophelia, aka (name suppressed on request))... not quite as gone as we thought. Jarrigoths ---------- The Jarrigoths' aim is to over-run the universe, conquering all opponents with their battlecry of JOY (Jarriere! Oh Yes!). Their influence has been far-reaching; not only did they get Jarriere, a minor character who only appeared in one episode (Gambit... Travis called him a powder-puff) into the top 20 of an online poll of favourite SF characters.... but they actually persuaded a fannish model-maker to include Jarriere into their line of die-cast models (after Avon, Blake, Travis and Vila). They are led by Harriet Monkhouse, who, after another Harriet joined the Lyst in 2001, decided to style herself Jarriet (or Harriere) to cut down on possibilities of mistaken identity. Avon Without Guilt ------------------ Not a terribly active group these days, but Pat Nussman founded "AWG" -- Avon Without Guilt. As in, "Yes, we *know* it's terribly common; we *know* that more discerning tastes move on from their first attraction to the Dark and Snarly One in favor of the more arcane delights of, oh, The Thaarn and Bruce The Spider; we *know* he has a less than stellar character. So what? We still love him, and we refuse to be guilty about it." It is worthwhile noting that Barbara Paul dedicated one of her novels to the Avon Without Guilt group. See <http://www.barbarapaul.com/holland.html> Sickly Equines =============== Certain topics have a habit of coming up over and over again. I'm reluctant to call them dead horses, because it can be the case that a newbie can actually offer new insight that nobody's thought of before, and pass the hand of healing over what was once assumed to be a corpse. - Hey, Maybe Avon Shot Blake's Clone! - Was Blake a Freedom Fighter Or A Terrorist? Should Blake Have Destroyed Star One? - Avon Was Mad (No He Wasn't) - Was Travis only following orders? Hot Topics ========== One topic which is pretty much guaranteed to start the fires burning no matter how nicely and calmly people may start the discussion, is slash. If you don't know what slash is, don't worry, since you probably don't want to argue about it either. An oldish summary of the pro-slash position from Susan Beth can be found at <ftp://ftp.lysator.liu.se/pub/blake7/misc/slash.defense> A summary of the anti-slash position is at <http://www.katspace.com/b7/slashsum.html> Another topic which tends to set the sparks flying is Horizon, the biggest and oldest B7 fan club. Or, more specifically, its Coodinator/Treasurer/etc, Diane Gies. I'm not going to reiterate it here, that would just stir people up again. Any topic can raise the temperature if it is pursued obnoxiously enough. There has been steam coming out of ears over - whether Deliverance is Sexist - posting style - con reports - religion just to name a few. But don't let that scare you off, we're generally quite calm and rational... Signs that a thread has gone on too long at too high a temperature are - posters start repeating themselves (worst case, reposting earlier posts of their own) - postings degenerate into a "he said, she said" dissection of why what so-and-so said was insulting. INTJ? MBTI? Huh? ================== Once upon a time, someone first brought up the idea of figuring out the Myers-Briggs (personality) Type Indicator for each of the characters. It was mentioned briefly once before, but the topic truly exploded in February 1998 when Adam Fuller posted this -- <http://tezcatlipoca.algonet.se/cgi-bin/getbyid.pl?id=21161> Much discussion ensued, and many people went off to <http://www.keirsey.com> to take the personality tests there to figure out their own type. Of those who took the tests and actually reported back, the majority appeared to be either INTJ or INTP types (and, oddly enough, the consensus was that Avon was either an INTJ or an INTP). This probably explains why the posting style of the list appears so unfriendly -- half of us are closet Avons. Some people are sick of this topic. Others remain fascinated by it. Penguins? What's that got to do with B7? ========================================= The connection between penguins and B7 can only be explained by the one who discovered the sinister conspiracy in the first place. For some reason, Calle seems to think it was Una McCormack, but the rest of the world blames it on Neil Faulkner. <http://homepages.tesco.net/~N.Faulkner/blakes7/darkheart/darkheart.htm> Except for Neil, who blames it on Alison Page. Acknowledgements ================ Thanks (in no particular order) to Penny Dreadful, Calle Dybedahl, Neil Faulkner, Una McCormack, Tavia, Mistral, Steve Rogerson, Ophelia, Andrew Williams, Sandra Kisner, M, Harriet Monkhouse, Jacqueline Thijsen, Wildean, Harriet, Carol McCoy, Susan Beth, Tiger M, Sandra Kisner, Carolyn, DDJ, Helen Atkins for additions, comments and corrections. Where To Find It ================ This FAQ-ish thing can be found on the web at <http://www.katspace.com/b7/lyst.html> and posted on the Lyst once a month. Tue Oct 23 06:42:23 EST 2001

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Character Change & Development
by Ann Basart 22 Oct '01

22 Oct '01

Which of the main characters change most over time? How? Why? Are these real developments in character, or are we simply shown different (and perhaps surprising) aspects of a given person at different times? (As in the Servalan/Tarrant "Girl-next-door" exchange in "Sand.") --Ann

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AutoPost: Lyst Culture Guide
by kat＠welkin.apana.org.au 22 Oct '01

22 Oct '01

Tue Oct 23 01:06:00 EST 2001

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Re: [B7L] FW: Orbit
by Ellynne G. 22 Oct '01

22 Oct '01

On Sun, 21 Oct 2001 11:04:33 -0600 Betty Ragan <ragan(a)sdc.org> writes: > > And Vila, you notice, was quite willing to play along, which it's > kind > of hard to imagine Tarrant doing. I'm not entirely convinced that > that > *was* Avon's line of reasoning, though, if only because I'm not sure > why > he would even *have* information about Egrorian's sexual > preferences, or > be able to so accurately deduce them on the fly. Me either, to be perfectly honest. But Avon is acting awfully strange and, while choosing Vila isn't out of character, the way he does it certainly is. Actually, I'm inclined to think his mind was being played with by off screen aliens (that strange being known as "Thedirector," perhaps). Although it would also make sense if this was one of those stories where the character lives most of the day backwards and Avon picks Vila because he knows he picked Vila and he's acting so strange because he already knows the ending . . . . Nah. Ellynne ________________________________________________________________ GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO! Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less! Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/web/.

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Re: [B7L] Top Ten Story Miscellany And Unrelated Babble
by Tavia 22 Oct '01

22 Oct '01

Penny bewailed the non-online-availability of Alison's 'Young Ladies Home Companion' -- actually Stadler Link is still in print with Judith Proctor and represents (IMO) really good value for money. There's an excellent story ('Dreamshadow') by Nickey Barnard in there as well, and Chris Blenkarn's priceless 'Blake's Seven: The Way Forward?' which I think has been recommended by various people. (It has the distinction of being almost the only humorous B7 piece that actually made me laugh outright...) Tavia

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Top Ten Story Miscellany And Unrelated Babble (fwd)
by Penny Dreadful 22 Oct '01

22 Oct '01

Hut hut! Surprise inspection! Front and centre! Look alive! Sister Jacqueline, you still keeping them FINALACT thumbscrews oiled? All right, well, anyhoo... Someone listed Kate Orman's "Beautiful World" in their top-ten fan-fic list, and said it was somewhere on Ms. Orman's website...as far as I know it isn't, but it is on mine, can be accessed via http://plaza.powersurfr.com/pennydreadful/linksilike.html#b7 --I agree, great story. Una and Tavia (your cheques are in the mail ;-p) both mention Alison's "The Young Ladies' Home Companion" in their top tens...I do hope this story will someday appear somewhere online. I've been pondering a top ten but don't really think I've read enough in the area to make any sort of meaningful list. All right, men, as you were... -- "I don't think they'd let someone like me carry a gun."

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Top Ten SF
by Leia Fee 22 Oct '01

22 Oct '01

If anyone still wants to borrow a tape of the Top Ten SF thing that was on Channel 4 a while ago, I managed to get hold of a copy which I'm happy to lend/copy. Leia

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Fw: The Daleks' Master Plan
by Una McCormack 22 Oct '01

22 Oct '01

Alan asked me to forward this: there's a section in the article which discusses similarities between 'Master Plan' and B7 (plus I know some of you are Who fans and then there's the Terry Nation connection) so I don't think it's entirely off-topic. Una ----- Original Message ----- From: Alan Stevens Subject: The Daleks' Master Plan Hi Una Could you please send this around. Master Plan Revealed: To celebrate the release of "The Daleks' Master Plan" on Monday, we've put up a review of it by Alan Stevens and Fiona Moore, with lavish illustrations at http://www.kaldorcity.com/masterplan.html What do the Daleks have to do with Blake's 7? Is Mavic Chen a clone of Ming the Merciless or the spiritual ancestor of Tony Blair? And does William Hartnell really spit on the floor in Episode 9? Find out! Cheers Alan

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Avon Egrorian and smiling...
by Nathan Hook 22 Oct '01

22 Oct '01

It's a classic episode is Orbit. I'm always amused by Egrorian and chuckle when ever I see my parents watching episodes of "Coro'" and "our Fred", by 'eck. Egrorian, I say...in deliberate Avon tones, purely for self amusement of course. One gets a bemused look of course. I love the beginning with Avon's "this is Avon in privateer scorpio calling Egrorian in Malodar command. we are receiving you Egrorian go ahead."...massive grin. Avon's brimming with self-confidence and I love the response to soolin's he's bluffing. "possibly.But somehow I don't think so, and he's right, we have come rather a long way to find out what he has to offer and any offer from a man like egrorian might just prove interesting." then again later he's thoroughly confident with himself, the gun in the locker...well then, lets just hope we don't need it. Very prophetic. Imagine the shuttle scenario with Tarrant instead of vila, there'd have been a fight for the gun surely...and tarrant would have wanted one too, just incase things turned bad. if avon had one, he did too. Only Dayna seems genuinely interested in going down, but Avon over rules and takes old faithful, Vila. I guess Vila's non-threatening image helped ease the tension...dayna or soolin might have got violent if egrorian had started slobbering all over them, see Servalans reaction as a case in point. she backed away from his advances with some fear. Only when she was sure he was not going to harm her did she start manipulating and become aggressive back. The man is quite clearly unhinged, and of course servalan knew his previous convictions. "By eck". nathan. Nothings so difficult as a beginning/ In poesy, unless perhaps the end. Byron. ------------------------------------------------------------ Free, BeOS-friendly email accounts: http://BeMail.org/ BeOS News and Community: http://www.BeGroovy.com/

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Blakes7 October 2001