This one to Kurt Bose...

"We heard about how everything and its mother was derived in some
manner from the ideas this hack was pitching around Hollywood."

So now I'm a hack. Tell me, Kurt, what have *you* done with your
life? I won't post my feelings about my work because that's subjective;
but the nominations for Writers Guild, Bram Stoker, Ace and Gemini Awards
over there on the wall might have a thing or two to say about this...or
the Emmy for Best Animated Series the year I story edited The REal
Ghostbusters...or the Inkpot Achievement Award from the San Diego Comic
Convention...or the recent award from the Space Frontier Foundation for
Best Vision of the Future...shall I go on?

To the point of what your screed said in this part...no, I have never
said what you pillory me for saying. I have certain very strong feelings
about an incident with another series, but that's just the one. You say
"We heard about how everything and its mother was derived in some manner"
from my work...please cite me where I have said this about anything else.
Or I can save you the time...you won't find any, because they aren't
there.

This is trait #1 of the net-bully...come up with an outrageous
statement that someone never made, and then assault them for it. Seen it.

"We heard all about how in HIS show, they weren't going to simply
make all the aliens look like actors in funny makeup. Well suprise, all
the aliens look like humans in funny makeup."

Error #1: once again, I never said it. I said we were going to work
to avoid the funny-forehead scenario with full-head prosthetics. This we
have done.

Second, as earth-shattering to your perspective as this may be, there
are currently no real aliens that we know of living on Earth. No matter
HOW elaborate the makeup, you're going to have an actor in makup (unless
you're doing puppets, as a rule, and this isn't a puppet show). Show me
any movie or series where the main alien characters have been other than
puppets or actors in makup, funny or otherwise.

Third...we are the *first* TV SF series to introduce a computer
graphic alien, in "Grail," and we plan to do more of this next season.

"We were treated to comments from JMS like "Sinclair should really go
over well with the ladies." (This in reference to being cast on sex
appeal.) I'm sorry, but this comment is so boneheaded and contradictory
and illogical that I can't even begin to respond.

Re: "no cute kids or robots," I was referring specifically to regular
cast members. We do not have cute kids as regular cast members. And we
de-emphasize kids in guest-casting. In our entire first season we have
had two, one in a B-story, and the other we killed off. I don't see the
problem which is making you so apoplectic in this.

"If JMS is really saying these things, doing these things, then he's
insane."

And, of course, I didn't, and haven't been. You're seeing them only
in whatever alternate universe you're experiencing through prolonged
exposure to your computer monitor's EMF.

"What I've heard about here and elsewhere makes me feel that his
'pariah' routine of the put-upon genius whose work is shamelessly copied
makes me wonder if there are REASONS for the role he's adopted."

First, see response #1. Never said it. What "you've heard" has no
bearing whatsoever on objective reality. Nor am I responsible for what
may or may not have been posted on other nets by people other than me. I
am only responsible for what I say. And what I say is generally archived
somewhere, so actually checking the *facts* (I know, another foreign
concept) is extraordinarily easy to do. This you didn't do.

Second: never adopted a pariah attitude; never felt like one; never
said any such thing. Are you feeling okay? Are things all right at
home? Do you hear spirit voices at night whispering into your ears the
things that you'd have *liked* me to have said? A helpful suggestion: if
these voices ever tell you to go save France...don't do it. I've seen
that movie, you wouldn't like the ending.

Finally, what are these REASONS you're wondering about? Nothing like
a little vague innuendo and then zoom-flash out the back door. Speak
plainly. You got something to say, say it.

(And in a note prior, when someone noticed the LSH telepath pin, I
commented that it was probably spontaneous duplication/simultaneous
creation. My first impulse, despite your willingness to attribute to me
some fanatical attitude, is that it wasn't a lift. My second reaction, as
written, is that if it was inspired by the Psi Corps, that it's really
kinda cool...SF literature builds on itself, as with Heinlein coming up
with slidewalks, which were then used by others. I think it'd be cool if
Psi Corps style badges started showing up in LSH; it'd mean that I added
something to the genre.)

Okay..now let's see...I read through all the notes, responded in a
manner without profanity, and ....oh, dear.

No profanity.

Can't have that. So really, Kurt, and I say this with the love of
Jesus in my heart...go fuck yourself.

And next time you want to go around calling someone a "hack," be
prepared to let us all examine *your* work, okay?

jms