World Watch OnLine: The Unofficial Buckaroo Banzai Mailing List
# 93 (19 July 1999)
Submissions: WWatchOne@aol.com
Editor: WWatchOne@aol.com
Homepage: http://www.worldwatchonline.com
FAQ: http://www.figmentfly.com/bb/bbindex.shtml

Number of subscribers: 548
(NOTE: anyone who doesn't have an "@something" behind their name is
from 'aol.com.')

Contents:
Greetings
Re: World Watch OnLine 92 - 11 July 1999
Mystery Men
Re: Sheet music
Misc Ramblings
return of the demon
Re: Supersize Fries
Re: BBI Miss Rachel's comments in #92
Dragon Tales
BB, of course!

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Greetings,

Technical difficulties delayed this one. Sorry about that, but it was out
of my hands. Couldve been electromagnetic pulse, I suppose.

Folks getting talkative this time around. Had to cut a bit and drop the
installment of "Lock and Key." As long as it stays focused on BB in 
some way, keep it up.

Make sure you check out the FAQ. Link to what seems to be effects
tests for the BB TV thing.
Ill be tossing in a few comments, so I leave you now.

Later...
ArcLight

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Subj:	Re: World Watch OnLine 92 - 11 July 1999
Date:	7/11/99 8:51:37 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From:	BanzaiSGI

I also have heard from several ''trusted agents'' at comp usa and a video
store that a dvd of bb is due out soon.....we can only hope.....

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Subj:	 Mystery Men
Date:	7/11/99 8:24:06 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From:	lf@chele.cais.net (Apache)

Anyone else noticed that there's a real glimmer of Buckaroo-ness in this
movie, at least as it's being set up in its promos?  I saw a preview for
it last night and one of their tag lines came straight from TABB's:  
"Expect the unexpected."  (TABB's ended, "He does.")

In my mind, these guys are turning into a sort of second-string BBI strike
team which is suddenly confronted with an evil adversary greater than it
would normally be expected to handle.  They have to rise to the occasion,
with true Banzai reliance on imagination, improvisation, and figuring out
a constructive use for every single talent they possess, however obscure
or marginal.

Man, I hope this'll be a good film.

Apache

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Subj:	Re: Sheet music
Date:	7/12/99 12:10:19 AM Eastern Daylight Time
From:	Everheart

>> Kenn McDonald asked about sheet music for the Banzai March << 

Howdy Ken! I was still a piano player at the time the movie came out, and
searched high and low for any sign of BB-related sheet music. Nothing ever
turned up, alas. Jeff Goldblum was (and for all I know still is) an
accomplished player, and could easily have sat down and improvised a few bars
himself -- or Michael Boddicker just dashed off a page or so of the theme for
him to work from.
 
BBI Everheart

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Subj:	 Misc Ramblings
Date:	7/13/99 2:48:21 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From:	paul.czaplicki@skynet.be (Czaplicki)

Greetings all,

The weather is hot and humid here in Belgium.  Welcome to summer.  
Don't blink it'll be gone.

First things first, any news update on the video watchdog article on
Buckaroo?
Being out here in Europe, it'll have to be a special order from the U, S of
A to get this magazine and I need plenty of warning.

Second are just some response to Miss Rachel's posting.

Wow. Not that it's any of my business, but  with all that Japanese
background you appear to be wasting your time at some PR agency.  
Despite having lived in Japan, work for a Japanese company, and travel to 
Japan quite a few times a year... I'm just too plum stupid to learn the language. 
I can barely speak English, much less Japanese.  Anyway, like I said... none of my
business.

OK, the reason I'm writing today is to voice my opinion on some of Miss
Rachel's comments on the paramilitary section of BB. There is
nothing quite like a slight disagreement to stimulate some intelligent
(well, hopefully my statements will be viewed as intelligent) discussion.

I am having a hard time matching the tone of my word's to my intent.  My
words seem much harsher than my intent. Please forgive.  But..................

1. Weapons: Weapons, be they hands or guns or sticks or stones are just
tools. The greatest asset we have is our brain.  Anything can be used as a
weapon.  Firearms are tools and can be used for good or ill.  What does a
stockpile matter?  It's a measure of quantity.  How is that in any way
related to usage?  Access to and use of must be strictly controlled. And I don't
mean by any government, it's time we took responsibility for our own actions.  I
have firearms and edged weapons.  I don't leave 'em lying around so my kids can
play with them any more than I leave a hot iron or open flame where they can
burn themselves.  And no one should have an unlicensed firearm.  That's illegal
and no illegal action should be encouraged or condoned.

Regarding the movie:
1.A. Note that none of the weapons were fully auto.  In theory they all
could be legally acquired (before the "assault rifle ban" ) in semi-auto version.
The exception being Reno's Stirling SMG. Civilian version had the legally
required 16" barrel. (The exception being the rare civilian licensed fully auto
version) Of course, all these weapons are illegal in the state of New Jersey.
1.B. It is not beyond the realm of belief that Team Banzai has some
exception to restrictions on civilian ownership/usage of these weapons.  After all, it's
not every person who can call the President (and have him answer the phone).
Please note that  some elements of elite units of the US military (e.g. US Navy
Seals) have been issued their firearms (Milspec full auto) and carry them around
at all times.  (These are very rare exceptions of quick response teams, such as
the US Army Delta force, and certainly not the norm, but it has happened - e.g.
Red Cell)

2. Training: Yes training is important. Let me first say that I am in no
way an expert. My advice is based off no actual combat experience nor years of
martial arts training.  I've been involved in some martial arts training:
Jiu-Jitus, Akido. I've taken limited edged weapon training with the best: US Navy
Seals. I've gone thru tactical firearm classes which included Federal Agents,
local SWAT teams, military units. But I am in no way an expert.  OK, disclaimer's
aside... All I can say is that  I avoid situations where a fight is likely.
It's common sense, discretion is the better part of valour.  What little
I've learned is this: fighting hurts. (Isn't that a revelation!)  Avoidance is
the best policy.  Use your best weapon (that's your brain) and avoid any
situation where you can get in a fight.  If you can't avoid, minimize contact and
escape. Deadly force is no joke.  Even a fight will likely bring on consequences
beyond physical injury: American's love their lawyers after all.

And I regret to advise that any "bad guy" carrying a gun will not really
care if you are armed or not - they will shoot you. Besides, brandishing a firearm
is an illegal action. No "bad guy" should see your gun unless you plan to use it.
And you better have a good reason to use it (see first paragraph above)

As a martial artist, I'm sure Miss Rachel was in jest when she advocated
roping. Roping is not a viable defensive option. (where would you carry your rope
anyway?).  More practical is edged weapons. I was trained that gun vs.
knife is an equal fight within 21 feet.  That is, if the adversary is within 21 feet
they can reach you and use their edged weapon before you can clear and use your
gun. Someone who knows how to use a knife is someone to be avoided in close
combat. It's scary to see what a professional can do.

Again, without sounding too harsh or critical... Avoidance is your best
strategy. Be prepared and be aware.

Regarding the movie:
2.A.  I sure hope these people were trained in the use of their weapons.
New Jersey worries me.  Perfect Tommy has to give him advice at one point. (By
the way, it is no longer common tactical teaching to hold your pistol up. This
position is too easy for an adversary to disarm you.  Correct movement with
weapon is low ready, with the pistol at a 45 degree angle downward, in case
of negligent discharge).
2.B. GET A GRIP, IT'S A MOVIE !  Come on, we've got to give them a break.
Hey, space aliens from planet 10, a girl name john, should this happen in my
neighbourhood I'd be cocked, locked and ready to rock too.

Finally, before I dismount my soap box....

There is plenty of violence in movies.  Most of it is harmless comic book
stuff. The action in Banzai is quite fun.  Even if Banzai could be seen as
advocating paramilitary participation, which I don't think it does, maybe the world
would be a better place if more paramilitary groups subscribed to the philosophy
of Team banzai.  (Wow, doesn't that sound like a load of horse pucky?)

Once again, sorry for the overly serious sermon sound.  Please: no flames

As Elvis Costello once said "What's so funny with Peace, Love and
Understanding?"

PCz

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Subj:	 return of the demon
Date:	7/15/99 8:31:07 AM Eastern Daylight Time
From:	azset@yahoo.com (Greg Pizzino)

Btw.  Regarding the question a few issues ago about casting for the new
series, what about six string samurais (a film every BBI should pick
up. The Russians took over the world and buddy holly never died, he
just became a swordsman trying to rule the home of freedom that is los
vegas) Jeffrey Falcon? 

===
For I have sworn thee fair, and thought thee bright, 
Who art as black as hell, as dark as night.
-Shakespeare, "Sonnet 147"

**** Due to a formatting problem when it arrived at my end, the next chapter 
of Return of the Demon will have to wait for another day. - ArcLight ****

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Subj:	 Re: Supersize Fries
Date:	7/16/99 1:06:42 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From:	malon@pacbell.net
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Subject: Several Hypothesis Suggested By the Data
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<public, no censor, to wwatchone mailing list>

  Regarding the collision/collusion/conglomeration of titles, hints, omens
and the smell of bubbling beef grease,  several preliminary runs through
DeepBlue suggested the following hypothesis:

   Why would Buckaroo Banzai, certainly a healthy-eating person, align
himself with an organization infamous not only for glutenous cloggy
quasi-foodstuffs but for ecological terrorism and extortion? 

   On the other hand, Land of the Giants, of which I had the most groovy
models of the crashed ship and several figurines, has already been remade
several times as a film and currently incarnated in the TV series "Honey I Shrunk My
Shorts" or something like that, and one could hardly accuse WD
and Mac of being pedestrian.

   On the third hand (being an extention of the current 10-dimensional
model), the Golden Arches themselves might offer the gleamings of a clue:
The arch is a section of a paraboloid, and if one were to exyend the
paraboloid along the x- and y-axes, one would inevitably produce a figure
that closely resembles the magneto-electronic configurations of force
emitted by the Overthruster <write me for a POV file demonstrating this
rotation>. Working along the lines proposed by Dr. PJ Farmer in his "Down
In The Black Gang," moving at light speed would conversely cause space to
expand, velocity equaling mass, as any elementary student knows. So it is
possible that, given modern advances in quantum mechanics and molecular
electronics, that Drs. Banzai and Hikita have managed to crack the light
speed barrier? Intriguing, ne?

  One other interesting island poked its little head above the datafield:
could the Mothersbaughs, known for their involvement with both television
and cutting edge electronics and computers, be involved in this project?
Certainly there are enough potato references to support the hypothesis that
the Spud Boys are diddlin' (while the right hand goes to work). After all,
the Mothersbaughs (and Todd Rundgren) were involved in Peewee's
Playhouse... and Buckaroo has always been looking for a cute tomato.

   stay cool, flush often, scan incessantly, and correlate mercilessly;
thus are the Patterns revealed in the Matrix.

Ja ne and cool runnings.
relayer


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Subj:	 Re: BBI Miss Rachel's comments in #92
Date:	7/17/99 8:36:08 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From:	jetlightfoot@juno.com

In the last issue, BBI Miss Rachel said a thing or two I feel I need to
respond to, so here goes.

>I've been scanning through some of the comment on BB boards and
fanfiction,
>and I would have to say my major comment is about the so-called
paramilitary
>nature of the BBIs. 

I could just say that paramilitary is as paramilitary does, but that's a
cheap shot and doesn't really address the issue, especially of late. I
don't know that I really want to get into a lengthy discourse on whether
the BBIs were originally intended to be paramilitary in nature, nor do I
want to discuss the greater issue of whether or not the current law of
the land constitutes an appropriate level of gun control. When you get
down to it, this isn't the forum for that kind of (usually-reactionary,
on both sides) debate.

I think how the BBIs came to be *perceived* as paramilitary in nature is
in part due to the kind of commitment involved when you opt to be
prepared to defend either yourselves or the people you're assisting in
the face of a disaster. There are a lot of people in this world who'd
like to call the Red Cross a paramilitary organization if they saw *one*
Red Cross worker on tv with a pistol tucked in his belt; most of them
wouldn't bother to find out if his day job was as a policeman or if he'd
just put the thing there to keep it away from kids and hadn't had time to
get it properly secured yet.

Miss Rachel further says:

>I don't think BB would approve of people stock-piling unlicensed weapons
>in their homes-- especially where kids could reach them People can get 
>killed by intruders using their weapons too.

As far as it goes, there's entirely too much truth to this. The safety
issue alone is problematic in several respects, not to mention what kind
of damage it could do to the Institute's reputation if some BBI got
arrested for having unlicensed weapons at home.

And:
 
>For the sake of story, I can see people being trained and having their
own 
>flack jackets (kevlar?) at home, but not actually having the weapons 
>(unless they are legal for their jobs) until being handed them in
flash-point 
>situations. 

There are times when a gun is the right weapon for the situation at hand,
and times when it's the last thing you'd really want to use. The real
issue at the center of the gun control controversy is whether *you* stay
in control of the gun, or let the *gun* get control of you; knowing the
difference between an appropriate situation and an inappropriate one is
part and parcel of staying in control. So is knowing how to use the
weapon properly. 

In any event, it's *never* smart to hand someone a weapon *until and
unless* they're either in a training class learning how to handle it
safely, or have already been properly trained. There are an inordinant
number of people killed each year simply because they think seeing
someone else shooting in the movies is sufficient instruction and that
they don't need a class. If you haven't been trained, don't mess with it
except in the presence of a qualified instructor who's paying close
attention to what's going on. Otherwise, you're an accident waiting to
happen to someone. Maybe even yourself.

As for firearms issues in "Lock and Key", I can only say the following:
things are in a relatively high state of alert simply because Team Banzai
was very recently attacked, but that doesn't mean that everyone had a gun
at all times. Rawhide and the rest of the on-duty security crew had
reason to go armed. Can't say much about Jet Lightfoot at present without
giving away things ahead of schedule, but her reputation as a nightfighter
comes along with the territory from her life before she met Buckaroo; her
idea of a valid target only includes living creatures if absolutely
necessary. Other people, including T-Bear, had to retrieve their own
weapons from various locked locations, or at the least remove gun locks
to be able to use them -- saying much about this sort of thing does,
however, tend to bog down a story if it's in the main text. Rest assured
there will be comments on this, and on the permits issue, in the
footnotes on the final HTML version. 

If anyone thinks I'm perhaps assuming a bit too much about the HKC and
BBIs here, let me just point out a scene in the book (which made it into
Rafterman's proposed script pretty well intact, as I recall) where
special reference is made to the fact that the Cavaliers have no special
rights, unless one cares to count the extraordinary rights granted every
US citizen by the Constitution. To my mind, this is at least one
indication that abiding by the law is more than just a good idea, and I
can't see Buckaroo -- or anyone around him for long -- being stupid when
it comes to safety issues. The rest may just be conjecture, but I think
the underpinnings hold up.

Having ranted quite long enough on this subject at least,

Replay
BBI #6188
Strike Team Renegade Communications Chief and senior webmistress
(trained to shoot safely, no longer allowed anything with more kick than
paintball guns for medical reasons, but you'd be surprised how much you
can distract the other guy with an airgun and some bbs. Those things
*hurt*!)

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Subj:	 Dragon Tales
Date:	7/17/99 1:52:29 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From:	alandsmith@uswest.net (Alan (BBI Dragon) Smith)

Greetings all!

Welcome to Team Banzai BBI Miss Rachel and Lady Rhain!
"Team Banzai is not a bunch of gun toting yahoos",  or so I've been told
in the past.
I too have expressed my concerns about the paramilitary slant on Team
Banzai that many BBIs have taken. I agree with the ideas you two have
suggested for TB/BB to encourage creative problem solving and disabling
techniques rather than always going in with guns drawn. Personally, I
feel that our species has spent enough time and energy into perfecting
tools for killing and that it's high time for us to develop as efficient
non-lethal tools. I envision an Electro Magnetic Pulse weapon that would
short out the nervous system of the target. This seems like a worthy
cause for the Institute to delve into.
I recently viewed the video and found a least one places in which the
use of "gun toting yahoos" was discouraged. After the Yoyodyne van chase
scene, Rawhide makes it clear to Perfect Tommy that there were to be no
strike teams sent out to help BB once they got a fix on him. As for the
fans take on this issue, I believe some of the paramilitary tendencies
come from the observation that a fair percentage of the "regular"
Irregulars have military backgrounds. Also, we live in a society where
the use of deadly force is acceptable to solve some of our more serious
problems. Unfortunately, we seem to be in the minority in our views on
guns and TB, but that's okay, there is plenty of room for all opinions.

The BB chat room's first experiment went well the other night. Had five
show up and 4 at one time during the two hours. The site Crazy Horse
suggested worked great.
We are inviting you all to join us next week at one of the regularly
scheduled Buckaroo Banzai chats.
They will be at: http://home.talkcity.com/
The BB chat room schedule for next week will be;
Wednesday July 21st evening 7PM pst/10PM est
Saturday July 24th morning 8AM pst/11AM est
Once you get to the above site the instructions are:
Click on "chat" on the black strip near the top of the front page. Then
go to "If you already know the room you want to chat in? Enter here:",
type in "BUCKAROO BANZAI" (all caps) and click on "Go!" From there
you'll have to type in a user name. This site won't like "BBI(space)
your name" as a user name. So I suggest that you run the "BBI" into your
name (like "BBIDragon") or just use your name alone.
If you are on the OneList for BB you will also get an e-mail reminder of
these chat room events.  To sign up for this go to :
http://www.onelist.com
All chats will last around two hours, give or take some.
Crazy Horse and I hope to see you there!

Novel contest rules and schedule. It's about time! Okay here it goes. I
will be accepting two forms of entries for the novel.
#1 will be the "could have been" a BB quote or saying.
#2 will be a Banzai haiku.
Either must be submitted to this newsletter between now and the 99th
issue.
Only one entry per BBI/fan please. That's one Banzai haiku or one BB
quote or saying.
I will choose one, either a haiku or a saying for receiving the novel. I
do ask however, if you already have the novel that you put your entry in
as "noncompetitive" so that the novel is given to someone who doesn't
already have a copy.
The BB saying does not have to be original. It can be from another
source.
The Banzai haiku, is a short verse of three lines, first of 5 syllables,
second of 7 syllables and the third of 5 again. This is the basic guide
line and can be expanded upon by the adventurous.
On the 100th issue of this newsletter I will announce the winner!  I can
dig up something from my collection for a few "Honorable mentions" as
well.

On the proposed Fox tv series pilot script. I have personally heard from
two sources that have said we need to watch the Official Banzai
Institute site for any developing new or updates.
http://www.banzai-institute.com/5.html
Visit often and post messages.

Always True Blue,
BBI Dragon

Random novel quote: Reno and Penny , on the bus heading back to the
Institute after the news conference. Reno notices the perfume Penny is
wearing with: I inhaled a faint breath of the most unusual perfume I had
ever encountered and complimented her on it.
"It's chinese, " she said.
"Chinese," I pondered aloud. "It's very different, what's it called?"
"It's called I Don't Remember," she said.
"Interesting name."
"Well, you know the Chinese."
"Not really."
I did not really mean to fence with her, but now she had me, I was
intrigued. All the old questions, my doubts about her, came back, and I
queried her stonily.
"Where did you buy it?" I asked, "I'd like to get some for my friend."
"What's her name?"
"Pecos"

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Subj:	 BB, of course!
Date:	7/18/99 3:16:52 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From:	cdcrsh@webtv.net (Shawn Harrington)

 BBI Crazy Horse here, reporting in from the fabulous Florida Keys!
Well, it's been a busy week. BBI Dragon and I finally touched base in
the BB chat room this morning. We've been trying to get it right all
week and finally did it. Rally was also there. It was pretty cool...
Dragon is supposed to be listing the times for group get-togethers. Hope
y'all show up. Remember, though, that ANYONE can start-up the chat room.
All you need to do is go to Talk City, choose "Create a Chat Room," give
it a name (something simple like Buckaroo), then wait for the others to
get there. However, Dragon's idea of scheduled times will make it easier
for all of us to get together.  By the way, has anyone noticed that HBO,
Showtime, etc, used to show TABB all the time, but in the last year is
hasn't been aired? I wonder if that has something to do with the
possible series? Any feedback?  Well, gotta go kick some red lectoid
butt. Hope to see y'all wednesday at the chat. Until then, stay True
Blue what ever you do!!!!

BBI Crazy Horse

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