B5 Physics (was Re: OFF-TOPIC mini review B5 Wars (Designers Comments))

> At 09:08 PM 7/29/97 -0700, you wrote:

> The Really interesting bit is the phenomenon of Precession. Changing

Geez, you're right. God, has it really been about 12 years since I studied
physics? The same reason a gyroscope doesn't fall off the piece of string is
going to make an Omega class ship awful difficult to steer. Better shut down
the rotating section before combat or there will be hell to pay. Of course,
the show completely ignores this...

I found that I was a little less impressed with B5 in the second half of this
season. Sheridan acts like a complete idiot, the Shadow War was over
far too quickly. What they've done with/to Garibaldi is interesting,
though. I wonder what will happen now that Claudia Christian has been turfed
from the show? The last show of the season has already been shot and she's not
expected to return next season (unless JMS bows to fan pressure). I wonder how
they're going to explain her disappearance. Maybe a lead White Star with
Ivanova on board is about to go bye-bye.

> At 7:01 PM -0400 7/30/97, Allan Goodall wrote:

A very excellent (if a bit dark and depressing) series of books is Stephen R.
Donaldson's "The Real Story." In all of the space combat sequences the
rotation of the ships plays a prominent role. Some of the ships have seperate
rotating sections for the bridge. The effects on personnel of evasive actions
is played up, several characters risk their life moving around a ship in
combat situations. Damage control during evasive maneuvers also happens. They
give medals for that sort of thing.

The longest space combat sequence is at the end of book four: "the Gap into
Madness."

I will point out that the series begins with a beautiful young police woman
being captured by pirates. She goes through hell. Donaldson doesn't pull any
punches. Ever.

The series does come to a satisfactory conclusion. Many people won't have the
stomach to get through book one.

Enjoy at own risk.