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A disturbing, but necessary post

AntonyF

Administrator
Staff member
Making this kind of post is hard, but it must be done.

I'm sceptical by nature. Not as bad as Garibaldi, but getting there. I take nothing at face value. Such things have benefits.

All the actors are wonderful in posting here with you, and I certainly appreciate that. But I never took that at face value. In this day and age, anyone can pretend to be anyone. So every actor who has posted here I initially kept an eye on, basically for that reason. Thankfully, all is safe in that department. And any actors I'm not sure about, I'd ask some security questions. This is not quite easy to do, asking an actor who has graciously come here to prove who they say they are. It could be taken as rudeness. But I do hope they appreciate that it is so easy to fool anyone these days, and is just a necessity.

A while ago, someone named Raider posted here quite a lot. Friendly guy it seemed, talked about a a B5LR magazine for one. However this was a guy I never took at face value. I couldn't ban him or anything because I expected him to be full of BS, but it was on my mind. I watched him, and was concerned that people were (naturally) talking to him a lot and taking in what he had to say, but I avoided it.

His claims became all the more fanciful, that he's doing so many programs, when in fact this is a company that is mentioned nowhere. The latest figure today was over £100m ($150m) for some series. This is ludricious. He says he creates films, TV and now this magazine. What proof of this was there?

Anyway, I needed proof. I got him to claim that his company was a registered limited company in the UK, and got him to reconfirm it. Using the companies house website, it doesn't even exist. He tried to blame it on a mess up. He was also increasingly reluctant to comit to this magazine. It was odd that Titan were giving the OK for a mag that they don't have copyright permission for. But anyway I kept pressuing, and he wouldn't give details. Until I finally asked if he was working with "Jay Cox", a name I'd made up from two words on Cinescape's front page. "Yeah, that's the guy!!" was the message that sealed his guilt. Backtracking afterwards, he tried to say he got confused. He's also said that JMS contacted him about his site, and then later said he hadn't been contacted. He also tried to just cover all this up, and made lots of contradictions, to many to mention.

Even now he maintains his innocence, and I find it hard to say "this person is lying." I like to believe in people. But there is really nothing I can do with this, I can not find one single shred of evidence to support is claim.

It is sad that my thoughts were confirmed. It's taken quite a few months, I hope you can all see this wasn't a knee jerk reaction.

It's a sad episode indeed. He is no longer welcome at this site, and I strongly suggest no one visits his site. If you choose to believe him, or want to take his side into account, then fine. I'm not going to ask for unconditional loyalty. In fact, make up your own minds... I'd suggest everyone does that, it's always good practice. Maybe go read some of his old posts, check out his company if you can. I looked... lots.

This is very troubling for me, the whole situation.

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Dreg: "Most beauteous and supremely magnificent one, this dark spell I hold in my worthless and scabby hand is our gift to you, most tingly and wonderful Glorificus..."
Glory: "Please, call me Glory. And get up, looking at you is hurting my neck."
Dreg: "Forgive me, shiny special one. I beg of you to rip out my inadequate tongue."
Glory: "Gimme."

[This message has been edited by AntonyF (edited August 22, 2001).]
 
Well, I certainly feel better. If I'm not mistaken, the very first post in reply to Warren Takeuchi (Kitaro Sasaki) was my saying "how do we know you are who you claim to be?" I feel a little less silly now that you have come to suspect Raider.

I figure as long as I don't send anyone money, I'm safe.
crazy.gif
And the actors posting SOUND genuine to me. But that is really worth about 0%.

I'd like to thank you, AntonyF, for keeping track of the posters and their claims to fame. We're in good hands. (Do you work for Allstate?
laugh.gif
)

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"I do not believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense,
reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use."-- Galileo
 
hypatia, they are natural worries. Dylan I've not even spoken to yet, but will be emailing him a grovelling letter soon.
smile.gif
But it was quite obvious from his posts that he was who he says he was. I do have some email catching up to do. It's nice being in demand.
smile.gif


Maybe I'm like Nightwatch more.
laugh.gif
But actually I'd like to quote from something a Founder said in DS9. "Very little escapes our attention." It's true. I may play along, but I ain't stupid.


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Dreg: "Most beauteous and supremely magnificent one, this dark spell I hold in my worthless and scabby hand is our gift to you, most tingly and wonderful Glorificus..."
Glory: "Please, call me Glory. And get up, looking at you is hurting my neck."
Dreg: "Forgive me, shiny special one. I beg of you to rip out my inadequate tongue."
Glory: "Gimme."
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by hypatia:
I figure as long as I don't send anyone money, I'm safe.
crazy.gif
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

My thoughts exactly.
laugh.gif
Be careful and don't get your hopes too up about promises, that's how I look at things.

Thanks for all the detective work, Antony. My first instinct is usually to trust people to be who they say they are and I believe that the majority of people here have no reason to lie, but at the same time I try and stay at least a little sceptical as well... in a healthy sort of way, I hope. I don't want to get paranoid.
wink.gif


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"It's animal magnetism. What can I say?"
- G'Kar, A Tragedy of Telepaths
 
Antony! THANK YOU!!

I never expected this site to be so well cared for and its members to be as looked after as we are. I never expect that of any site, as I have been let down in the past.

Your actions have helped seal something for me, a sense of community. This is the first site I have visited where it actually feels genuine.

Thanks for looking out for us, and also for looking out for the credability of Babylon 5. Imposters could severly jeapordise the show, and the fan base. We're a crazy bunch, but I think at times a very gullible and easily hurt bunch as well!
smile.gif


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We are Grey... We stand between the Candle, and the Star...
Between Darkness, and the Light...
 
My mother always tells me to be skeptical when it comes to the internet. How do we know people are who they say they are?

I usually hang out with people from my area in IRC, although I've only met three of them in person. I tend to accept people at face value, although, when it comes to being an actor, or a high profile member of the community, then I start to get skeptical.

I guess this time, mum knows best!
smile.gif


Your pagh is strong, my child.
 
Thank you for the warning, Antony, and I echo Dah'een - thanks for looking out for us and taking such obvious care in your site!

It is appreciated!
laugh.gif


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"Officially, I'm a P5. Unofficially, my range is more... much more."
 
I honestly wondered about the legitimacy of Mr. Neal's identity here as well until I read the Prevue magazine article, that of course was enough for me....

Thanks for the "heads up" and potential warning regarding any other "actor" postings Antony
smile.gif


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"Faith Manages"
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by PsionTen:
The guy never bothered me so why do I care?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

If he is feeding everyone a load of bull, you should care. If you were expecting a magazine, and won't get one, you should care.



------------------
Dreg: "Most beauteous and supremely magnificent one, this dark spell I hold in my worthless and scabby hand is our gift to you, most tingly and wonderful Glorificus..."
Glory: "Please, call me Glory. And get up, looking at you is hurting my neck."
Dreg: "Forgive me, shiny special one. I beg of you to rip out my inadequate tongue."
Glory: "Gimme."
 
smile.gif
Thanks for your tireless work or this web site, I check in often but don't post much but when I saw all the actors posting I was skeptical, but it seem we are in good hands here.All my support

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It can be hard to trust people when you can't look them in the eye and see if they return your gaze. I'm glad to know you trusted your gut and followed up on something that didn't seem right to you.

My philosophy when I'm not sure of someone's claims is, "I'll beleve it when I see it."

Lot's of people have great ideas and a sincere belief that they can make them happen; that it seldom works out the way they think it will is just the sad reality of life. For those people I can have compassion. Those who set out to sucker people in an effort to elevate their own status are just sad people to be pittied. I guess Raider falls ino the pitiful category.

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The avalance has already started. It is too late for the pebbles to vote.
 
Hmmm...very interesting. I'm fairly new to the forum and have not read any of the posts from this character, but anyone claiming to be involved with proposed magazines etc, should be treated with extreme caution.
I think Dylan is genuine because he mentioned in an interview that he was posting here which attracted me to the message boards.
I'm not sure why people get off on lying over the net and they must have a very sad life in reality.

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I'm not a particularly suspicious person and usually take people at face value as long as it doesn't cost me anything.
smile.gif


As you probably know someone (was it Raider) has set up a B5LR magazine web site which I have visited from time to time. However after a brief flurry it seems to have subsided into a big nothing.

Thanks Antony for passing on this information. It is easy to be gullible when it is all done by email. I'll be taking a little more care from now on.
crazy.gif


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If his goal was/is to sell people phony Rangers magazines, then shouldn't someone alert JMS, or Warner Bros., or the FBI?


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<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Jomar:


As you probably know someone (was it Raider) has set up a B5LR magazine web site which I have visited from time to time. However after a brief flurry it seems to have subsided into a big nothing.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yes that is the magazine and person Antony mentioned above.

From memory Raider was always talking about a online Ranger magazine then paper magazine.



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Deviot
Lincbot@yahoo.com.au
 
Perhaps Raider was suffering from Delusions of Adequacy??



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Yes, I like cats too.
Shall we exchange Recipes?
 
It was definitely a paper one he was on about. He said that he'd been in contact with Titan, and discussed it, and it was go. This was really early on, and alarm bells were going off in my head. The odd thing straight away, was how did they get WB's permission? Anyway time went by, and he said the week before last that he wasn't working on it, "too busy." I asked for contact details for Titan, they didn't come. He claimed this week he was going to London to discuss it... after saying he wasn't going to do it? Trouble is, he didn't know who he'd spoken to, no names, no telephone numbers. I asked him if he was meeting "Jay Cox", who I made up, and he said "Yeah, that's the guy!!" When I said that he didn't exist, he just said that it sounded like the name, he thought. Yeah, right. So he says he's gonna drop in, doesn't know who he's meeting, hasn't got an appointment. Geeze.



------------------
Dreg: "Most beauteous and supremely magnificent one, this dark spell I hold in my worthless and scabby hand is our gift to you, most tingly and wonderful Glorificus..."
Glory: "Please, call me Glory. And get up, looking at you is hurting my neck."
Dreg: "Forgive me, shiny special one. I beg of you to rip out my inadequate tongue."
Glory: "Gimme."
 
Antony, thanks for sharing this with us. You brought up a good point saying no one is really sure who everyone else is here. That is one of the things you see on the net all the time. Rest assured, I am just who I claim to be, a fan of Babylon 5 who likes to come here and talk about his favorite show. I'm not famous or anything, I'm just me. You would like to think that most people, includidng the actors, post here with those same intentions. That is not always what happens, as you have pointed out with Raider. I for one, am glad that you check up on the cast of LotR when the come here. Since they are actors, which is a very public kind of profession, there could be impostors out there claiming to be them. That could be a bad thing, and could cause the actors grief. If you get proof that they are who they claim to be, maybe you can better take care of them when they do come here. I like hearing from them. I feel it is a great priveledge that they would come here and talk with the fans of B5. They do not have to do that, but have chosen to do so, and I am glad that they did. And I am glad that you watch out for them, and for all of us here. Thanks for your efforts.

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Long live the Salad Rangers! We live for the Salad Bar, we die for the Salad Bar.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR> If he is feeding everyone a load of bull, you should care. If you were expecting a magazine, and won't get one, you should care. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Maybe its because of my job or my hectic schedule, but I didn't even know this guy existed until 24 hours ago. It sounds to me like the guy pulled a scam, you caught him and banned him. Good. I doesn't really affect me because (1) I didn't fall for it; and (2) Even if I had fallen for it, I'd be blaming myself right now, not him. There's an idiot over on the TrekToday boards who's been "selling" NX-01 hats for the past two months -- claiming up and down that he isn't violating any copyrights/trademarks since "its just letters and numbers." And, apparently, people are blindly sending off checks and money orders to this guy. Maybe I'm just a cynic, but I can't muster up a lot of sympathy for people who send money off for this 'NX-01' hat and don't get anything back. I'm sure this magazine scam was different, but these idiots are all over the place. At least you've made a stand to kick the guy to the curb, which is more than I can say for the NX-01 hat guy on the TrekToday boards, who, I think, is still there.

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The Revolution Will Not Be Televised.

[This message has been edited by PsionTen (edited August 23, 2001).]
 

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