Wednesday 6 January 2010

1853 The Snowfall, Babylon 5 and Myspace friends

The snow falls across the UK have been mild compared those in China, India and other parts of Europe although is expected to change with central and southern England having over a foot of snow in the next 24 hours. Here in the North East the fall is expected to be less but the winds will make it feel colder. The problem is that over recent years local government has restricted road gritting and the use of snow ploughs because the odd day here and there in the Winters did not justify the expenses of more employees or more machines standing idle for the great part of the year.

What of global warning? The two developments are not inconsistent. Britain has some of the most unpredictable weather in the world, affected by conditions over Northern Europe and across the Atlantic with only limited periods from southern Europe, which results in weather at times different to those always affected by one of the three regions. What can be expected is that over time there will be fewer of the prolonged cold spells and more of the hotter and drier summers in the UK. Because the variations and extremes cannot be predicted year upon year and will occur one or twice within a decade it is not financial sense to prepare on the basis that it is an annual event within a regular period of time.

I decided to go for a big shop today January and at one point had to switch the contents from the smaller trolley to the larger size in order to manage the purchases at the check out. I have filled the freezer and the food storage cupboards sufficiently to last several weeks without a further shop, except for fresh fruit, fresh milk. I also bought sufficient ink cartridges to keep me going for several weeks and various toiletries. I still need a hair cut and may going on walkabout before the week is out now that the children have returned to school to school.

I was able to catch up on Babylon 5 when I returned and over New Year was fortunately alerted to showings at 4 instead of the usual 6 or 7 depending on which channel and time preference. It is several weeks since last writing so I will begin with the second series and episode 23. Lt Commander Ivanova is temporarily in Charge, as Jeffrey Sinclair has been reassigned to the post as Ambassador to Minbari and his replacement is also a successful fighter in the war with Minbari John Sheridan. Whereas Sinclair was captured and used to find out the character strengths and weaknesses of their opponents and released when it was realised that Minbari souls were migrating into human kind, Sheridan is the most hated of the former human fighters. He is immediately faced with a major challenge where a Minbari fighter which went AWOL as the war ended appears and attempts engage in conflict just as its leaders has arrived at the space station and commits suicide. Fortunately Sheridan works out that the suicide and the attack are attempts for the earth led station to attack and destroy the former Minbari war craft and provoke another war. The ship is eventually destroyed by Minbari forces.

In Episode 24- Revelations the story sets the scene for much of what is to follow. G’Kar of the Narns who I originally miscast as the baddie finds himself attacked by the Shadows, the ancient race intent on destroying everyone and everything other than themselves, but when he warns his homeworld and the Babylon Council everyone is sceptical. When he persuades a space ship investigation, Londo Mollari overhears and realises that this could lead to discovery of the part the Shadows played in the recapture of the Narn colony, and his role and arranges for the Narn ship to be destroyed by Shadows in waiting.

Dr Franklin, who is to play a significant part in the second series, with the help of Sheridan finds a way to bring Garibaldi, the head of Security, out of his coma, so that the security chief is able to work that it was his assistant who attempted to kill him when he was on the point of finding out about a plot to kill the President. The assassin and all the records about the incident disappear when the new president insists the man is handed over to an earth bound vessel for further questioning without a trial on Babylon 5.

The episode also enables us to learn some of the background of the Commander who blames his dedication to duty for cancelling a get-to-gether with his wife who is then killed when her exploration craft blows up, allegedly in an accident. Sheridan’s sister arrives and is able to reassure the Commander that his wife had intended to also postpone their meeting because of the opportunity to participate on the exploration visit following a major discovery. She had a recording in which Sheridan’s wife speaks of her love for her husband even though he was so busy that he forgot to end their last conversation with their usual exchange of loving good wishes. Sheridan‘s decks are cleared to tackle his new challenge, or are they?

DeLenn the Minbari Ambassador has emerged from the Cocoon more human like than Minbari as part of fulfilling the prophecy of the coming closer of the Minbari and Human kind. However she has taken this step with the approval of the special council, the Grey council of nine of which she is an important Member and where she turned down the opportunity to become head of state.

In Episode 25 a previously unknown race called the Technomages visit the Space station en route to the outer rim of the explored universe, saying they are getting away from the violence to come. They tell Mollari that they are aware of billions of voices crying out his name. Mollari, a deluded egotist assumes they have become his followers but is told, Your Victims.
Within the station the population of Drazi divide themselves into two groups one Green and one purple in order to fight for supremacy in a once a decade activity. When they start to kill each other, Sheridan assigns his deputy to resolve the problem without further disruption and she has to take the Green Leaders badge of office when she is kidnapped and ends the pointless but harmful engagement. Garibaldi recovers from his ordeal and returns to duty.

In Episode 26 - A Distant Star, a space ship commander friend of Sheridan returns for their long exploration to the outer rim for supplies and tells of their experience with a strange craft. No sooner does the Exploration ship leave does it run into trouble with the risk of being lost for ever in deep space. Sheridan works out a way to bring the ship back for repairs but only at the expense of the loss of a fighter who is attacked by the vessel seen by Exploration ship previously. This is a Shadows’ craft.

DeLenn faces increasing hostility from the Minbari at the Space Station and she agrees to relay their concerns to her home planet leadership. In celebration of his survival Garibaldi has arrange fro the ingredients of special dish, Bagna cauda to be sent to the space station. This is an authentic Italian dish which Sheridan shares with his security chief to mark the satisfactory end of the episode. There are to be few good moments in the time to come.

Episode 27, The Long Dark- a 100 year old exploration craft arrives at the station bringing with it a deadly creature able to shape shift. This creature is different from the subsequent Shadows but is seen by some as a test trial for the enemy yet to emerge. The episode paves the way for 28 -A Spider in the Web. The episode raises several issues of subsequent relevance especially development of a human with extraordinary fighting powers later to be used in the 4400 series as the special black ops unit.

There are indications that the Psi Corp are behind the special unit/programme on earth. When the programme creator was informed that the name of the Unit was already used in a role playing game there was no further reference. The series begins to switch from the threat from without to the threats from within.

Attention turns to Ambassador Londo in Episode 29 - Soul Mates in which he brings his three wives to the station with the intention of divorcing two having gained special permission from the Home world because of his recent anti Narn activities. He announces his intention to the three women saying he will picks the one who serves his needs most. Two compete and one rejects all interest. When he finds himself the subject of an assassination plot he picks the indifferent saying- with you I will always know where I stand. Episode 30 is a climax preparing episode in returning to the role of Psi Corp who come to Babblon 5 to track down an escape line for those who have understood the black and sinister power of the force and want to leave. The episode reveals that Dr Franklin is the organiser of the underground and Sheridan and his team have to use their ingenuity to hide the fact from the investigator who returns to earth convinced that he uncovered and eliminated the ring without compromising the position of the space station. Talia Winters begins to question her loyalty to the Psi Corp

Episode 31 is the next key point in the series and overall story development - with The Coming of the Shadows is the name given to Series 2.

The Centauri head of state, already in failing health with not long to live, visits Babylon Five with the intention of making a public apology to G’Kar and the Narn people for their colonization and brutality. Unaware of this G’Kar decides it is his duty to try and kill the President knowing that it will mean the loss of his own life. As the Emperor dies from natural causes he reveals his intentions to Dr Franklin who relays them to G’Kar. Following the death, Londo’s contact with the homeworld, Refa, urges him to do something dramatic to enhance their respective positions in the battle for power unfolding.

Each of the three main Ambassadors. DeLenn Londo and G Kar have faithful assistants who over time have established a relationship in which they feel able to express caution and even opposition to a course being followed. When Londo orders his assistant Vir to set about contacting the Shadows through the human looking Mr Morden and to tell the home planet to send fighters within the vicinity of the largest Narn Colony in the area, Vir trembles at the implications and urges caution and reflection. When they visit the dying Emperor Londo pretends that he has been given a blessing for the attack on the Narns however he admits to Refa that what the President had said is that both of them are damned. Unusally Ambassador Kosh seeks a personal meeting with the dying President to warn him that the Centauri action will end in fire although the precise meaning opf this is left unknown.

When G’Kar learns of the Centauri/Shadows attack ontr he colony he becomes uncontrollable having been prepared to accept the olive branch communicated by Dr Franklin and he sets out to kill Londo, stopped by Sheridan who appeals to him help to save his people on the colony and reduce the casualties which have commenced to mount. In the same episode Garibaldi is concerned about the activities of someone who appears to be following him and when he arrests the individual the man reveals that he is part of a force called the Rangers who are working with former station Commander Sinclair. Sinclair who had established a close relationship with Garibaldi uses the Ranger to pass on a message to say that a great darkness is coming and that the Rangers whose presence should be secret from Sheridan and everyone else are there to find out what is happening and they do a deal to allow the force to operate in secret in exchange for information which could help keep the station secure.

At a meeting of the Council G’Kar announces that his people have declared war on Centauri following the unprovoked attack on their colony. G’Kar who had appeared cold and villainous now becomes noble and tragic while Londo who had seen a good time fellow and harmless has become ruthlessly ambitious, Stalin and Hitler rolled into one. The new Centauri President, a supporter of Refa and Londo is a megalomaniac and one of his first acts is to murder the Prime Minister, a responsible man of peace and honour.

Londo also has a dream which is to recur in which he is destroyed by illness and hate with his life ending as he and G’Kar strangle each other. The curse of his President is to haunt him. There is no turning back or preventing what is to come. London has opened Pandora’s box and for the moment Hope seems a distant possibility.

The third group of Myspace friends from K to N take the number to 463 with 92 departures identified

K


340 Kate Voegele added 2007

341 Kim added 2009

342 Klarita P Added May 2007

343 Kelly Osbourne moved from Miscel before May 2008

344 Kate Melua Added May 2007

345 Kim Novak nov dec 2008

346 Kirsty Harris Added May 2007

347 Ketz nov dec 2008

348 Kelv Before May Accepted

349 Kenneth autumn 2008

350 Karl nov dec 2008

351 Kathy Arts added 2008 Jan

352 Karl Brazil nov dec 2008

353 K D Lang added before August 2007

354 Kelly added before May 2007

Keith Richard Before May 2007 dep (74)

355 Keziah Added Before May 2007

356 Kelly nov dec 2008

357 Kim Leon Added Before May 2007

358 King Oliver Added mid 2007

359 Kadesha added 2009

KRY May 2007 dep ( 75)
Kurog Kag 15.6 2007 76

360 Karla added autumn 2008

361 Katie and the Questions added 2009

362Katherine Jenkins added 2009

363 Kadesha fans added 2009

364 Kevin Skinner added 2009


L

365 Lo added 2007

366 Lizette acceptedd 2007

367 Linnzi added before May 2007

368 Lady Backlight Before May 2007

Lena 18.6 2007 departed (77)

369 Lucid Windows added 2009

370 Love 146 2007

371 Lemon added 2009

372 Lady Haidee added before April 2008

373 Lindsay Swan autumn 2008

374 Lindy La F added before April 2008

375 Lois Marie nov dec 2008

376 Lucio Amanti accepted 20 July 2007

377 Leon Kid summer 2008

378 leJazzaffaire autumn 2008

379 Lil Lady Added Before May 2007

378 Lucio Amanti 2 accepted 20July 2007

379 Lucifuge accepted before May 2007

Luke added before may 2007 78

Lori 16.6 2007 added departed (79)

Loyla Skye added 200hune 2007 dep (80)

Louis Armstrong 1 Jul 2007 added dept (81)

380 Loud Jazz autumn 2008

Looks like autumn 2008 82

381 Laing Art Newcastle added Jan 2008

382 L Proctor. nov dec 2008

383 Lahiri added 2009

384 Ludwig von Beethoven Autumn 2008

385 Itk,itk added 2009

386 Last summer autumn 2008

Lord Byron nov dec 2008 83

387 Lady Summers added 2009

Le Velle autumn 2008 84

388 Lezarts d nov dec 2008

389Lumina added 2009

390 Lonely Lad London added 2009





M

391 Mike Gallegos added 2009

392 Mziah added 2009

393 Marc Brussard August 2007 accepted

394 Mia Hope added August 2007

395 Morrissey Before May 2007 added

396 Matt Wertz August 2008 accepted

397 Mary 4 Music added 2009

398 Marvin Sewell added 2009

399 Medieval Before May 2007 added

400 Mary Magdalene Before May 2007 added

Michelle during 2008 85

Marielle Before May 2007 added 86

401 Margot Mac Added February 2007 Top list

402 Magicfolk Before May 2007 added

403 Mortfiquez accepted August 2007

404 Meighan 2007 added

405 Michelle L Before May 2007 added

406 Michelle and midnight added 2009

407 Marco autumn 2008

408 Michelangel Antonioni autumn 2008

409 Monica Vitti autumn 2008

410 Mike Angel added 2009

411 Milla Gems added June 15 2007 SP

412 Marea Alta added 2009

413 Mariza added 2009

414 Myartspace summer 2008 top 40

415 Moon Doggey accepted Before May 2007

416 My Space UK accepted autumn 2007

417 Merick by April 2008

418 Motoriori Before May 2007 Accepted

419 Mark Slater added 2009

420 Maria Robin added 2009

421 Miss Sophie Lee autumn 2008

422 Mickey Nov accept 2007

423 Martel nov dec 2008

424 Mr Skin July 13 2007 Accepted

425 Marcel Proust nov dec 2008

426 Mairi added Jan 2008

427 Merlin Magic Before May 2007 Accepted

428 Marcia Ball Before May 2007 added

429 Manet added 2009

430 Mr E accepted autumn 2008

MyFox by April 2008 87

431 Marie Jeanne Before May 2007 Request

432 Mad Monk accepted summer 2008

433 Muddy Waters added 2009

434 Meech Wells added 2009

435 Myspace artists gallery summer 2008 Top 40

436 Malcolm S summer 2008

437 Ma Rainey Added Nov 2007

438 Megafon added 2009

439 Montana B accepted Jan Feb 2008

440 Mark Bruns accepted autumn 2007

441 Megan 2007

442 Matt 2998

Mark the 2008 88

443 Mordor nov dec 2008

Marie Sleka nov dec 2008 89

444 Mighty added 2009
445 Marina added 2009

446 Mr 937 Street

447 Music Promotions nov dec 2008

448 Somewhere top 40s from before 2007 April

Malice Before May 2007 request (90)
Maldaror Before May 2007 request ( 91)
Maria Before May 2007 request (92)
Marie Meier Before May 2007 request (93)
Melannie Before May 2007 Request (94)


N

449 Nina Simone Before May 2007 Request

450 Nelo added 2009

451 No Mad nov dec 2008

452 Neon animal Before May 2007 Accepted ?

453 Nervosa Before May 2007 Accepted

454 New Orleans autumn 2008

456 Norig nov dec 2008

457 Nigel nov dec 2008

459 New Earth autumn2007 accepted

460 Nalige added 2009

458 Nikkita Before May 2007 request

459 Natalie C nov dec 2008

460 Number 27 autumn 2007 accepted

461 Naid by April 2998

462 Night Owl added 2009

New Song accepted autumn 200 gone Jan 95

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