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Star Trek
Star Trek Movie – Any Good? –Spoilers–
Jun 30th
I am an avid Star Trek fan. I have enjoyed it since I was a kid, watching the Original Series. I became more of a fan in 1987 with the first airing of Star Trek the Next Generation. I loved and enjoyed the idea of an uplifting future where famine and poverty were gone. Star Trek DS9 deviated too far from Gene’s vision for the future, but I still enjoyed the series. I was a little concerned about the new Star Trek movie with fears it would stray even more from Gene Rodenberry’s vision of the future.
I have to say that I was surprised, for the better. The movie was a stunning success. There are certainly holes in the plot, and even areas that bugged me a little when compared to the original series (Spock and Uhura?). Overall, however, it was really fun to watch. I really enjoyed Karl Urban, Pine and Quinto as the three main characters.
Although I really like the actor that plays Scotty, especially in Shawn of the Dead, I don’t think he made a good fit for the character. I also really didn’t like the boiler-room appearance of engineering. It looked like they didn’t have enough money to complete the set and went with a nearby factory for on-site filming. When they ejected the core at the end of the film, it looked like there were 4-6 cores that were ejected.
I’m iffy about Vulcan being destroyed. That was a jaw dropper. All I could think was, “I’m sure they’ll fix this at the end of the film.” I suppose Tuvok from Voyager will probably never come to be. I have had several conversations with people about weather this was an alternate timeline or the same timeline, now altered. What did you guys get from it?
Anyway, I would give the movie 4.5 out of 5 stars. I still have to say, however , that I still put the Wrath of Kahn and First Contact above this movie in my list. It has been a great summer for movies.
Trekcast – A Very Enjoyable Star Trek Podcast
Apr 21st
So I just received a free iPod Nano from my sister (thank you), who decided to upgrade to something with a little more storage space. I received the package from her about two weeks ago. I had previously been using a Sandisk Sansa (love it), but decided to try out the PodCasts with my Nano.
I can’t even begin to tell you how bad some of the podcasts out there are, many of them with volume levels all out of whack and hard to understand. Many of them sound like a frat group got together and decided to throw something together on their mother’s computer.
I did a few searches for Star Trek, Star Wars and Stargate and came upon a podcast by a few people out of Las Vegas, Nevada. The podcast is Trekcast. I have to say the podcast is enjoyable, informative and great listening during work. Best of all, the sound levels are just right. Trekcast also seems to be overall work safe. They also give some good updates on the progress of the new Star Trek the Experience. Dang I miss that place!
When you all have time, you should go check them out and subscribe, that is if you like all things Star Trek.
You can find their site here: Trekcast
Star Trek PEZ Dispenser – How Could You Say No?
Mar 26th
I love PEZ candy and Star Trek. As luck would have it, there is a Star Trek TOS themed PEZ dispenser now available. My wife saw Drew Carey give one away on The Price Is Right. As soon as she told me, I thought it must be something promoting the new Star Trek movie. While I have nothing against the new movie, William Shatner is the only true Kirk and Leonard Nimoy is the only true Spock. I decided to look them up on Amazon and sure enough, it is the original series. Pretty cool huh?! You can find the Star Trek themed PEZ dispenser here.
Majel Barrett Roddenberry, You Will Be Missed. God Speed!
Dec 21st
I am a huge Star Trek fan and had to post a few comments about Majel Barrett Roddenberry. She passed away on December 18, 2008. Ironically I have been watching Star Trek TNG for the past few weeks now and have recently seen her character many times. Although Lwaxany Troi was a quirky character, I enjoyed watching her and her interaction with Deanna and Captain Picard. I have been watching her since the Original Series.
All I can say is that I offer my sincerest condolences to the family. Hopefully she is up there chilling out with Gene Roddenberry. Thanks for all you brought us Trekkers! I appreciate it all! You will be missed.
I read this on www.roddenberry.com and thought I should post it.
Majel Barrett Roddenberry passed away this morning, December 18, 2008, at 12:27 AM in her Bel Air home. She died peacefully, in her sleep, and was surrounded by family and loved ones.
“My mother truly acknowledged and appreciated the fact that Star Trek fans played a vital role in keeping the Roddenberry dream alive for the past 42 years. It was her love for the fans, and their love in return, that kept her going for so long after my father passed away.” – Eugene “Rod” Roddenberry, Jr.
I was curious to see what other cast members from TNG had to say about Majel. All I could find was a comment by Wil Wheaton. You can read what he had to say here.
Feel free to post your own condolences in the “comments.”
Cryptic Entertainment Assumes The Helm Of The Star Trek MMORPG Called Star Trek Online.
Oct 22nd
A few months ago I deemed the Star Trek MMORPG dead in space. After Perpetual Entertainment went belly up, I figured that was the end of it. There really haven’t been many good Star Trek games anyway, so I figured this was the end.
Well, it has been picked up by Cryptic Entertainment, and from their site it is looking pretty good. It already looks better (based on the site) than Perpetual Entertainment ever had it looking. You’ll have to swing by the site and take a look.
Official Star Trek Online Site
Do you guys recognize all the races in the above picture? I see a Vulcan, a Human and an Andorian. I have no idea who the other races are! Do Vulcans now come in bald Reptile and Night Elf flavors? 
They even have a forum where you can go chat about it. Hopefully they will take a little advice from the fans when developing it.
You can find wallpaper based on the new video game here:
There appears to be no release date set yet and they are not yet to the stages of Beta testing the game yet. Pricing has not been established either. It sounds like they scrapped all previous development and are building the thing from the ground up.
Here are a couple of excerpts from their FAQ section that I find interesting:
Q: When does the game take place?
A: Approximately 30 years after the events in Star Trek Nemesis. The game starts in 2409. Technology has advanced and the galaxy is a much more volatile place.
Q: What races will I be able to play?
A: The plan is Human, Vulcan, Andorian, Klingon, Orion, Gorn, and several others. You will also be able to create your own race with its own custom look and attributes.
Hopefully they don’t stray too much from the what little there is of Star Trek canon. I hate it when non-fans develop games and it ends up being a poorly developed “B” sci-fi game. I’m keeping my hopes up!
In need of a Star Trek costume? I may be able to help.
Oct 21st
Before I realized I was broke and had no money, I was seriously considering dressing up as a Starfleet officer for Halloween (Last year it was a member of Stargate SG-1). I was inspired even more after going to Star Trek the experience. I did quite a bit of research and found some helpful sites and links. 
I looked on E-bay initially, but didn’t like what I saw. A lot of the costumes were simple jumpsuits that looked really cheap. I think the manufacturer of my least favorite costumes were by Rubies.
I want the real pips & pins, including an authentic looking com badge. I want to get a TNG Season 3+ uniform. I decided the only way to do this was to make one myself. I found a couple of sites where you can get the pips & pins and a pattern to make a nice looking uniform.
You can get your pips, pins & badges here:
You can get your patterns here:
Roddenbery.com
Exscapeprops.com
Starland.com
Please be aware that I have never actually purchased from these sites, so I cannot verify their credibility.
Enjoy making your Star Trek costume this year!
Star Trek The Experience – Pilgrimage Made!
Sep 16th
I am happy to say that I managed to make it to Star Trek The Experience before it closed. I made it down on the 22nd of August, just a few weeks before it closed down.
I decided, since this would be the last time, to go ahead and fork out the 80+ bucks for the latinum pass. This included the pictures in the Borg Chamber, Captain’s Chair and the backstage pass. It all ended up being very fun, yet very sad at the same time.
The place was packed! It was fun to remember the previous experiences I had there. They had a nice memorial set up, which consisted of sheets of paper taped to the wall. Each sheet of paper had notes and memories from visitors. There were even a few e-mails that they had printed out and hung on the wall. It was nice to see I wasn’t the only one who was sad about it leaving.
Contrary to many rumors, Gretchen, our backstage pass guide, told us there were no plans to move the exhibit anywhere else. She informed us that it would probably be going away for good. She said this was especially sad because many of the actors who dressed up as aliens had been there for years. This was their life. By the way, the backstage pass was well worth the money!
She also told us that nobody knew for sure what was going to happen with all the props. The owners of Star Trek The Experience (Cedar Fair Entertainment) own the props, but Paramount owns the rights. She said everything was still very much up in the air. I personally hope they auction off some of the stuff as souvenirs.
While my wife, child and I were getting our Star Trek caricatures drawn, the artist told us that the Las Vegas Hilton was planning on replacing the exhibit with a Michael Jackson exhibit. Can you believe that! What a bunch of garbage.
To finish, I got to eat one last time at Quark’s Bar & Grill and got to get my picture taken, with my two-month old son, on the captain’s chair! That will be a great memory. I am raising this kid to appreciate Sci-Fi and Star Trek!
Star Trek The Experience Is Going Away!
Jul 3rd
I really can’t believe it, and perhaps I took it for granted. Star Trek the experience is no more as of September 1, 2008. I have been three times and have very fond memories of the place. I went in 2000, 2001 and 2006. I have fond memories of having my picture taken with Borg, Andorians and Klingons. Stopping by Quarks Bar & Grill and getting a Warp Core Breach was a blast.
According to TrekToday.com, the fate of Star Trek The Experience has been shaky at best. Apparently the Las Vegas Hilton changed ownership, which helped lead to its demise. Apparently the contract between CBS and Cedar Fair (currently run The Experience) were not renewed. This is after cost reductions were implemented.
If you have time in the next two months, pay it a visit. The restaurant is great, gift shops are fun and the rides are blast. Also be sure to do the Backstage Tour. I got my picture taken on a replica of the NCC1701D bridge and in a Borg drone chamber. Great stuff! I think I will try to head down in August. It will probably be very busy.
You can read a copy of the press release here:
A few excerpts of the news release are as follows:
Las Vegas – Star Trek: The Experience, Las Vegas’ premier interactive attraction will conclude its historic 11 year run at the Las Vegas Hilton on September 1, 2008….
Asked if there is any final transmission he’d like to convey from the Enterprise bridge, Chad Boutte, Operations Manager and Director of Marketing said “Hailing frequencies open. We’d like to thank all the fans and friends of Star Trek, whose constant and amazing support we’ve enjoyed throughout our tenure at the Las Vegas Hilton. As we boldly go into the futures that await, know that we take your love of Star Trek: The Experience with us. We share the memories of time spent in the most unique place in the Galaxy, and we carry those memories into our futures with us. Live long, and prosper.
Hailing frequencies closed.”
Hopefully they auction off some of the stuff there. I would love to own a piece of that history. Perhaps I will go to the convention being held there August 6-10. It will be the last convention held there. You can read more about the convention here. Go check it out while you can!!!
Star Trek MMORG Now Dead – Must Have Been Wearing A Red Shirt
Feb 25th
It seems that the much awaited Star Trek MMORPG is dead. I just read that Perpetual Entertainment, also known as P2 Entertainment, has closed its doors. According to the site WarCry.com, they have closed their doors and their projects.
This is unfortunate news for Sci-Fi geeks like me who consider themselves Trekkies and would love a Star Trek MMORPG. The Perpetual Entertainment site no longer features any of their projects and appears to display a static page.
Hopefully somebody else will take on this project. We need to have a Star Trek MMORPG!
John Cho Has Takei’s Blessing
Feb 25th
I like to swing by SciFi.com every so often and read what’s going on in their Sci Fi Wire. They often have some good articles there from time to time.Being a sci-fi junkie, I thought it was fun and interesting to see that George Takei gave John Cho his blessing before taking the roll of Hikaru Sulu.
The article goes on to quote John Cho as saying:
“I had lunch with George before we started filming,” Cho said. “I wrote him a letter, and we met, and he gave me what amounted to a blessing, and in his typically classy way, … I told him I was nervous, and he said, ‘Relax. Pretty soon people are going to refer to me as the guy who played the old version of John Cho.’”
I think it is pretty cool that John Cho takes feels it important to pay tribute to the original character. So far I think the cast for the new Star Trek XI looks like a great bunch. Many of them are excellent actors. If Star Trek XI ends up doing well in the box office, I’m sure there is room for more movies. I will certainly be there in line buying tickets!
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