Greetings all.
First of all, congrats to Xenu and the team for the growing success on RA.
Second of all, thank you for the unrequested feedback on my character and motivations. No doubt some of you understand me better than I understand myself. The insight has been helpful, if not a bit painful. Hearing what others think of you can often challenge what you know about yourself. In this case, I've gotten a grand dose of that.
I disagree with much of what has been written here but everyone can work most of it out for themselves. Regardless, since I have become the topic, not the subject of the post, it seems fair to provide some feedback.
I personally don't feel that I have some intolerance for people who disagree with me. I have intolerane for insincerity, lying, TROLLING, and game playing. Some fairly fierce fueds that arose when the miniseries was first announced as a concept may have tainted some of my thinking but most seem to think I'm a reasonable guy. To believe that I can't stand someone who disagrees with me misses what I see as my real character. I can only believe that anyone who feels this hasn't really read the things I write or realized the basis of the conflicts that have occurred.
I didn't like being called volitile but I can understand why that characteristic may seem valid to many. That and the comments about being confrontational were useful to me and I thank those that made them as it is a valueable perception that I'll try to keep in mind in the future.
As for my motivations behind posting the first and second message, there wasn't and isn't any sinister plan to sway anyone to one side or the other, deflate anyone's hopes or dreams, soften the blow for TOS fans, spin doctor a situation to seem to be different than it is, or anything else. It was simply to provide information that people could consider or not.
Every time I do this I get a storm of flak like this and I ask myself why I even bothered. In this case, I heard scores of folks firmly under the belief that if the new series broke a certain mark it would be renewed. I know for fact that there are far more considerations than that under the table. If the posts sounded like I was dissing the show, I don't think you read them for their real content. If you note, there were also comments about how Larson saving the day for the TOS crowd isn't a viable possibility either and that the Sci-Fi Channel isn't about to backpeddle and get more TOS friendly even if the show tanks.
One could bellieve I'm at war with everyone and that would fit the evidence before you OR you could simply consider that things are just as I claim they are and that I was merely relaying an insider's view with no other motive than to provide people with a window as to some of the thinking going on behind the scenes.
Someone noted that I didn't announce a series pickup before it happenned in early 2004. That's true. I knew when it happenned but was asked to keep it to myself. In fact, I keep a lot of information to myself (about 1/2 to 2/3rds). Usually that's simply to honor requests made by those who share things with me but increasingly, its because sharing information with this fanbase isn't worth the hassle that always accompanies it. Try having every word you write scrutinized with sinister motives added and see how ambitious you become to tell people things you know, epecially if its what they don't want to hear. To many, it sounds arrogant that I think my words have such impact but experience has shown me that even things I write causally impact a lot of people and are often used as ammunition for one side or the other often years later. (Ask people you trust if this is arrogance or truth). I may come across like Moses coming from the mountain but in my mind, I'm simply a fan sharing some things I know for those that want to consider them. If some (or even most) don't, that's fine too. The last time this sort of conflict of info took place I made a lunch bet over it and would have laughed and enjoyed the lunch had I lost.
I recently decided to post a basic review of the series (my personal thoughts) because I'd been requested to do so by quite a number of folks, including some members of the production team. I posted it on the Skiffy board and pointed people towards it. Within a day, the mods had to close it down due to the backlash and personal attacks launched against me.
In this latest case, I posted information on Cylon.org, not to stroke the egos of anyone but just because that's the closest thing I have to a "BSG Home". I clearly said, "take it or leave it" yet for some reason, its posted all across the internet now and people are whining about some secretive plan I must be following. You guys should really listen to yourselves sometimes because your explainations are pretty rediculous. If you live in a world framed by a struggle of making the new series succeed or die you live in a world unconnected to mine. Some are correct, that I wouldn't shed a tear if this new series were cancelled. I've told Ron that directly. I also wouldn't be bothered if it continued for another ten years. My participation in fandom (minimal at the moment) is to interact with other fans not sway anyone to any cause or press forward under some misguided belief that I'm going to change anything about any production. If anyone thinks they're swaying any production team or media studio with their BBoard posts they're very sadly mistaken. I might be passionate about Galactica but I'm not a stupid person nor do I belief I inflate my view of my own importance.
The info I posted doesn't parallel what everyone hears. That's absolutely true. I think I even noted that. I posted it precisely because it contrasts. If things I heard were the same as what everyone else was saying, there wouldn' be any reason to post it. If I did have some anti-TNS agenda, trust me, it would be a LOT more fun to let you guys continue to get spun up about how a second season was a certainty and then laugh when the cancellation was announced. Then, there would be a sea of comments to throw in people's faces.
I'm not that way and anyone who thinks I am isn't even trying to understand my character -- not that I think anyone should try to understand my character but if you spend effort describing what I must be like you should at least try to see if I really am this villian you describe.
As many know, I and KR have a profound dislike for each other. I now like Michael Hinman but we've been through some strong challenges and you could claim we are at odds based on what's posted on the internet. Yet, with these two, I still wouldn't assign some ulterior motives to thier actions for posting information. I take what they present at face value until I know otherwise. I think many of you would be well advised to do the same. I explained in context the information I presented and explained why I bothered to post it in the first place. Before you call me a liar, you should at least have something to go on other than a belief that I must have some secret agenda. In ther future, if anyone really wants to know what I think or intend about anything, you're welcome to contact me directly at realshades@cfl.rr.com . I doubt you'll find me to be the evil, plotting mad-scientist so many of you picture me to be.
If the membership here intends to alienate and attack everyone that doesn't sing the top praises of the new series, that's fine in itself but I'm reminded that this site was originally concieved because new series fans felt they couldn't express themselves without someone attacking them. I personally find it ironic that its become a safe haven for engaging in the exact same conduct against members of other sites who either like the original series or dislike the new series. I recall that a chief complaint was that people at Cylon.org weren't considerate enough of new series fan's views and a place where everyone was respected had to be created. Somehow, I thought mutual respect would sound less vicious than what I've read here.
Of course that's only my opinion.
Sandy