Question about ISN

[Jacque Lee]

Hi all,

I love the idea of media in B5 and especially ISN, so I decided to create a quiz about ISN and I have one question concerning that matter: What does the abbreviation ISN actually stand for?

I know that question seems somewhat stupid, for it is quite obvious that it means "Inter Stellar Network", that's the words melting together to build this abbreviation in "Illusion of Truth".

But I just started thinking (always a bad idea ): If that's the real meaning of that abbreviation, why is there a tag which says "ISN Network"? Wouldn't that read "Inter Stellar Network Network"? That seems odd to me.
So does ISN maybe stand for "Inter Stellar News" and the Network is added here?

Many of the anchors also say repeatedly "Inter Stellar Network News" so that's a possibility too.

I didn't find an answer to this anywhere, so I thought I'd bring it up here, for you guys seem to know everything there is about B5 and I just don't want to place a quiz on the net if I'm not 100% sure everythings right and approved.

Oh, and I have another question: Does anyone know, what Susan Ivanova's hometown is? Is it mentioned anywhere?


Greetings,
Mona

[SLerman]

If the phrase "ISN Network" only shows up once, it's probably a simple case of someone screwing up. I've seen people do it fairly often with other such abbreviations, though I can't think of any examples offhand.

I vaguely recall that Ivanova is from St. Petersburg, but I'm not certain.

[Jan]

Hi, Mona!

I love the idea of media in B5 and especially ISN, so I decided to create a quiz about ISN and I have one question concerning that matter: What does the abbreviation ISN actually stand for?

I know that question seems somewhat stupid, for it is quite obvious that it means "Inter Stellar Network", that's the words melting together to build this abbreviation in "Illusion of Truth".

Best I could find was this post from JMS about it. Looks to me like it should've been INN, but I like ISN better.

Oh, and I have another question: Does anyone know, what Susan Ivanova's hometown is? Is it mentioned anywhere?

Not that I know of. From various JMS posts she was born in the Russian Consortium but raised overseas and attended a number of schools. I think SLerman's memory might be of when Marcus and Ivanova were talking about what they'd do after the war and she mentioned that she wanted to visit her father's grave. So that might be it, too.

Jan

[OmahaStar]

ISN - InterStellar Network News (usually abbreviated as ISN News).

And if you have any questions about the Anchor, Jane ... Feel free to ask. Someone here *looking around innocently* probably knows everything about Her.

[Jan]

And if you have any questions about the Anchor, Jane ... Feel free to ask. Someone here *looking around innocently* probably knows everything about Her.

Ya think ???

Jan

[AmyG]

If the phrase "ISN Network" only shows up once, it's probably a simple case of someone screwing up. I've seen people do it fairly often with other such abbreviations, though I can't think of any examples offhand.

I've got one - it's the one that bugs the crap out of me: people often say "ISBN number," when the "N" itself _stands_ for number. Others include "PIN number," "UPS service," and probably a host of others I can't think of until I have my coffee.

[OmahaStar]

I've got one - it's the one that bugs the crap out of me: people often say "ISBN number," when the "N" itself _stands_ for number. Others include "PIN number," "UPS service," and probably a host of others I can't think of until I have my coffee.

Yeah ... When I went to open a new bank account, one of the things I was asked was to choose a "personal PIN number" ... I stared at this girl for about a minute and said "I'm sorry, I can't continue this. I need someone smarter than you to handle my money" .. then went to another bank.

That's like the department of redundency department. Only worse.

[WorkerCaste]

"Number" is particularly abused in that situation. SSN number. FEIN number. I've also heard CNN News, which while not as bad, is still somewhat redundant. Or maybe not, since a lot of what appears on CNN isn't really news. Oh, well.

[AmyG]

Bwa-hahahaha! OmahaStar, you made me snort water out my nose!

[Jacque Lee]

Thank you all for your replies!

I guess I'll just have to live with the fact that even JMS (or in this case his Art Department) makes mistakes and go on with my life .

Ah well, I think there's a general opinion here that ISN means Inter Stellar Network News so I'll phrase my question accordingly. Thank you for reassuring me on that matter!

For the other matter, Susan's hometown:

I think SLerman's memory might be of when Marcus and Ivanova were talking about what they'd do after the war and she mentioned that she wanted to visit her father's grave.

That conversation was the one I wanted to refer to, I just didn't know if her hometown (maybe St. Petersburg, maybe not) was mentioned anywhere else with a bit less ambiguity.

Oh and Omaha Star, about this:

And if you have any questions about the Anchor, Jane ... Feel free to ask. Someone here *looking around innocently* probably knows everything about Her.

I was about to answer to that "Ah, yes, Maggie Egan, played the anchor Jane (didn't have a last name, surname was mentioned by Rick in 'Severed Dreams') in 8 episodes, including the Crusade episode 'War Zone'. Wasn't around in B5 during Clark's regime (was replaced by Allison Higgins/Diana Morgan) but returned in the episode 'Endgame'; she made many major announcements (the deaths of two Presidents, the obliteration of the whole Markab civilisation, the release of the Drakh plague on earth) as well as smaller ones (the outcoming results of the president ballot on earth, the departure of ISA President Sheridan from Babylon 5).
Oh and, by the way, she's my favourite character/actress from B5." but then, I read this post by you:

On Babylon 5, that character is Jane, the ISN Anchor. And I'm Maggie Egan's biggest fan. I might be her only fan, but that's ok, cuz she gave me the title herself.

and decided to wrote this thing off as a bad idea 'cause I guess you know a lot more about her than me and instead just be happy to have found someone who really likes her too .
That's great!!

Mona

P.S. I never even realized the stupidity of saying PIN number (or Nummer as we do here in good old germany), but I'll certainly pay attention to not saying this in the future (yeah well I don't work in a bank so maybe that's not that important )

[OmahaStar]

"Oh and, by the way, she's my favourite character/actress from B5."[/I] but then, I read this post by you ... and decided to wrote this thing off as a bad idea 'cause I guess you know a lot more about her than me and instead just be happy to have found someone who really likes her too .
That's great!!

There can never be too many members of the Temple of Jane. As long as I'm the head priest. Cuz I look fabulous in purple robes, don't ya know.


On a side note ... One wonders, does Jan get frustrated, knowing she's only an "e" away from greatness? *hiding*

[NotSoWize]

Ah well, I think there's a general opinion here that ISN means Inter Stellar Network News so I'll phrase my question accordingly. Thank you for reassuring me on that matter!

I believe that everyone actually is saying that ISN stands for InterStellar Network. The "News" is separate (just like CBS, ABC, NBC all have newscasts nowadays in the U.S.)

and if I am wrong about that, just read my screen name.

[Andrew_Swallow]

A common example is RAM memory - Random Access Memory memory.

A pin is something a dress maker uses. A PIN number allows you to access your bank account.

[SLerman]

All the bank stuff made me remember one- ATM machine.

Yeah, that conversation between Ivanova and Marcus is what I was thinking of. She says that she wants to see St. Petersburg again, so it's either her hometown or just someplace that she really enjoys visiting. I figured either guess is as good as the other.