Star Trek is everywhere, it surrounds us…and binds us…oops wrong franchise. Maybe confusing Star Wars and Star Trek explains why the International Space Station has Wars and not Trek in their library? We have that story and all the other Trek flare ups around the web in this week’s ‘Great Links’ including a story about how one actor auditioning for Scotty almost got himself the wrong kind of happy ending.
A Scotty wannabe’s search for Trek at the wrong end of town
In an interview with The Daily Record, actor Martin Compston described auditioning for Scotty in the new Star Trek movie — and how he got lost on the way.
I’d gone to the wrong end of the street, pulled up outside a massage parlour and thought ‘this isn’t right’. It turns out I was an hour and a half away in the other end of town.
Hold on, I gotta stop laughing… hoo. Anyway, Compston did ultimately make it to the audition (two, actually) and revealed his thoughts on director/producer J.J. Abrams and what he thought of his chances on being the new Scotty.
JJ Abrams seemed a lovely guy and he knew some of my work which was nice. Meeting him was a big thing. But I had a good idea that I was probably too young for the part of Scotty. Scotty’s four or five years older than Kirk, and I’d just turned 23 at the time, so I was right up against it from the start. But it was good to get my foot in that door.
Hey ladies…where’s JJ?
ISS: No Trek Allowed!
As i09 reports, the US government has revealed the list of every book, movie and TV show in the International Space Station’s Library…There is tons of sci-fi and yet not a single Star Trek movie or TV episode on the station. Sorry, io9, we can’t explain this either, but we are looking into it.
The gospel of Kim
In an article on Crosswalk.com, Paul Dean, a pastor and radio talk show host, used the Star Trek: Voyager episode “Timeless” to help “real repentance makes things right.” Specifically, he used Harry Kim’s quest to fix the screw-up that caused Voyager’s destruction as an example of “real repentance.” .
Harry made things right, and we should do the same! Oh, um… Amen
Trek memorabilia involved in embezzlement case
Here’s something you don’t hear everyday: a pregnant Seattle woman has been sentenced to four months in federal custody not only for embezzling money from her former employee but for using the embezzled money to buy, among other things, Star Trek memorabilia. You can read the whole sad story at the Seattle Times.
Part of Riverside History Center dedicated to Trek
The Kalone News reports that Riverside, Iowa (the future birthplace of Kirk, remember?), opened their own history center on Saturday and that it has two sides. One side is dedicated to the town’s history; the other side is dedicated to Star Trek, the Trek Fest, and the William Shatner-hosted reality series Invasion Iowa. Trek/Shatner memorabilia are on display and there’s also a Trek-themed shop. Speaking of Riverside’s annual TrekFest, they just announced that this year their special guest will be Walter Koenig. TrekFest is celebrated June 27th and 28th this year, more at the official site.
The "USS Riverside"
Simi Valley, California… home of the Borg?
Veteran Star Trek carpenter Tony Genovese tells us of a place in Simi Valley, California, that was used for location shooting on the two-part TNG episode, “Descent.” It’s the Brandeis-Bardin Institute, and it was specifically used as the headquarters for the collective of Borg led by Lore. To read more, head on over to VenturaCountyStar.
Political resistance is futile
Speaking of the Borg,
CourierMail has a report on Australian politician Lawrence Springborg and his decision to capitalize on the popularity of the Borg in his own campaign. If you’re interested in learning more on Springborg or if you just want to check out his “Borg-Blog,” visit his official site.
We are the Borg, you will listen to our proposals on tort reform
First Contact, Last Primary?
The American primary election seems to be going on forever. In a new video, our old pal Paul ‘Spockboy’ Sibbald takes some inspiration from Trek to imagine how it might end.
Quick Links
- WIRED blogger Jacob “GeekDad” Russell describes his daughter’s response to the TOS episode “Amok Time” in this week’s You Let Our Child Watch Wat?!?
- A Mormon at The Salt Lake Tribune jokes a “Star Trek ward” within the Mormon community might do well.
- io9 denounces VOY’s "Threshold" and cites the TNG episode "Genesis" in their article "7 Totally Awesome Theories of Evolution from Sci-Fi"
Riker gives his ‘salute’ to evolution
good stuff
No Trek on the ISS? That’s just wrong. Somebody get Mae Jemison on the case.
Now I need to go back and watch “Genesis” to see if Frakes is really flipping the bird. LOL
does anyone else think that Riker – in all his proto-sapien glory – sort looks like the actor Luis Guzmán?
sorry Luis…
Hmm. Never really thought of Bill Clinton as android.
#2 I agree with you. No trek, do they remember the first space shuttle “enterprise”
with all this news, what about Star Trek the Tour!?
Where in the hell has it gone to?
lol,,kewl news
hmmm,, cant wait for a story on a new trailer
:o )
I find the story about ISS strange because, according to the documentaries “Failure is Not an Option” and “Beyond the Moon: Failure is Not an Option 2,” many people who work at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) were inspired to join NASA by Star Trek. Not to mention the fact that the space shuttle Enterprise was named after the classic Enterprise of TOS and Star Trek and NASA have always had a strong working relationship. Hopefully they’ll put Star Trek in the ISS library.
#4
That is actually a picture of Ron Moore. He was saluting all the fine folks who complain about BSG threads on Trek websites. And everyone at AICN who one year fawn over BSG and then the next year revile it.
Spockboy has done it again! That Clinton/Obama bit is hilarious!!
Oh come on, people. If you need something to take your mind off the fact that the only thing between you and inky black vaccuum is an 1/8 inch of aluminum, are you goint to pop in Nemesis or Caddyshack?
While it is funny that they cast Hillary as the Quen, I can’t help but take a bit of offense since I voted for her. That’s right! I’m one of the 51% in Indiana! Though, I’m not at all going to contradict the message it sends, since we know it to be true.
Though, just to point out in this particular analogy that the Borg have never been fully defeated, while Picard has nearly destroyed his ship on multiple occasions.
1. The 1701-D was actually destroyed
2. Was willing to sacrifice the E FOR the Borg, but it didn’t happen due to a freak incident involving “Bill”
3. Son’a nearly destroyed the engines
4. Sacrificed it to the point where it was little more than a glorified soup can by ramming it into the side of a Reman ship.
Just to point that out…. I’m not trying to point out the similarities between the Picard’s judgment and Obama’s campaign AT ALL…
Nader ’08!
CmdrR, you once again make a valid point. I don’t “pop in” Nemesis even in my own home, where I’m surrounded by nice, breathable air. Nemesis currently resides in a vacuum-sealed box, far out of my sight and mind… where it belongs…
America to dems: RESISTANCE IS FUTILE.
K. Marx ’08! (joking)
No Star Trek on the ISS? I wonder who is responsible for maintaining the library; maybe they are a Star Wars fan and not a Star Trek fan. Every Sci-fi movie/TV show listed came AFTER Star Trek. This is a travesty! I think we should start a petition and send it to NASA.
#8- they will give us a new trailer whenever JJ decieds that one can come out…just cause you ask they won’t just relase it….
Also pretty cool what you got here!
Trek is not available on the ISS because it would distract the people from their work ;)
And I think the station should be renamed ISS Enterprise :p
#15 good idea, you start it up, tell us where it is and you can count me in. !!
As I mentioned above, when the first space shuttle (Enterprise) was rolled out, I think I remember the entire cast of ST TOS was part of the dedication. Future space shuttles were used to send supplies, restaff the ISS. Even though the most the original Enterprise shuttle flew was on the back of a 747, there is a connection between the shuttle and the ISS.
Maybe the ISS can down load a couple of ST episodes from iTunes on their laptops and keep them there for future astronauts to enjoy.
#17 — they can’t name it the ISS Enterprise. Then, you’d have the women with bare tummies, go go boots, and daggers. Now THAT would be distracting.
Maybe Spockboy can do a sequel where they actually count Florida and Michigan votes and She re-emerges as the frontrunner
The russians probably worked in a ban. Stating it was some form of pro western propaganda adgenda. haha
#5-Yeah, probably true. But, on the other hand, we DO know that he is fully functional!!!! lol
*sigh* Hey did you all here that they made a new Star Trek Movie?
22, the original sentence I wrote was, “Never really thought of Bill as an android, but on the other hand, that would explain a few things.” (To complicate things, the missing “an” is a typo.) I deleted the last part because I didn’t think anyone would get the joke. Obviously, you did! :-)
23,
What?! When did this happen?!
As for Data’s “functionality,” is he able of communicating in over 6 million forms of communication?
That pic with Riker is just wrong on so many levels.
In other news, Court Martial has some new CGI.
The Riker Salute: so easy a caveman can do it.
.
.
.
.
.
);>-)
IMO RIker looks waaay more like Dom Delouise.
I would bet money we see Krik as a young boy in Riverside Iowa.
The ISS is already named “Alpha” – which you might see as a nod to Space: 1999….
There’s no Star Trek on the ISS because everyone’s already seen all of it already! (Seriously, though, I thought astronauts had no time for entertainment on the ISS.)
Braga went on the record and apologized for the “Threshold” Voyager episode. The dinosaur one was pretty pathetic in its reasoning, although the point of the episode was well taken (allegory of science vs. religion, viz. Copernicus).
The TrekFest model of the Enterprise is NOT CANON! (or CANNON either!)… ;-)
No, wait, I know… There’s no trek on the ISS because every other movie, the captain activates the self-destruct sequence, and NASA/CSA/RSA/ESA/JAXA don’t want the astronauts/cosmonauts getting the wrong idea!
28. ME – May 7, 2008
……….I would bet money we see Krik as a young boy in Riverside Iowa.
I can easily image the tremendous CHEER going up in theaters in Riverside when that town’s name is actually spoken aloud in ST XI. (Presuming that occurs, that is. Roberto? Alex?) Then again, the film-editor in post-production might think the scene would require an extra moment afterwards — in an “editing moment”– to allow for such an expected response. (Just thinking out loud…..)
ISS is not named alpha , i know thats what the americans wanted to call it , (and i think they wanted to call it freemdom at once stage ) but anyway , when it became a join project the name ISS was chosen. but i do know nasa still refer to the ISS by the call sign Alpha, but its just them, so its not really a name.
AND GET SOME TREK ON THE ISS, (expect that esp of enterprise where the xindi destory Yosemite sation in obrit of earth , that might freak all the astronaunts and costmonaunts out )
Thanks again Spockboy!
Let’s hope your spoof turns prophetic, and soon. Time to move on to the general election!
So let me get this straight:
Bill is fully functional, in every way of course. He rescues Obama from imminent danger. Hillary reminds us how small we’ve become because she can’t really be destroyed. Which means that in the end, they are both still around to duke things out..
So.. the battle will never end!! DAMMIT!!!
;-)
*cracks up @ video*
I don’t want to get political….but could the liberal idealism of TOS be a problem for our current administration? Reagan’s “Star Wars Initiative” kinda says it all. Maybe the episode A Private Little War would suffice?
….or perhaps a simple issue of license?
Riker looks like the Geico caveman.
I am amazed, dumbfounded – how could there be no ST videos there? Not even the original series? That is difficult for me to wrap my brain around, considering how many NASA folk are ST fans. All of the original cast members have, at some point, made comments concerning their being treated almost as royalty by NASA guys and gals – Nichelle even volunteered as a recruitment liasion for NASA for awhile. Unbelievable.
CmdrR#19- Even better than go-go boots – thighhighs, my darling. I watched Mirror, Mirror yesterday (purely for research purposes, of course) to get every detail on Uhura’s uniform for the one I am making, and those thighhighs were oh-so-captivating… You did raise a good point – how would the guys get any work done with that being the uniform of the day. One almost feels sorry for poor mirror Sulu.
I’ve actually been to the Brandeis-Bardin Institute out in Simi Valley, “by accident”. I knew that Descent, Parts 1 & 2 were filmed there and felt pretty excited since I live in Simi Valley.
One day my friends and I went on a hike off of, I think it was Tapo Street, towards the Santa Susanna mountains. Well after about 45 minutes, lo and behold we stumbled directly upon the Brandeis-Bardin Institute!
Being the only Trekkie in the group, I insisted upon stopping there and having lunch. It was closed at the time, so I couldn’t go in, but I walked around it and located the area where Capt, Picard, Troi and La Forge were when they found Lore’s HQs in the episode. I also found the spot where they filmed Data and Lore having their discussion outside with Borg drones walking in the background.
Nowadays I think they’ve gated off the area to prevent fans from going there “accidentally”, but I feel lucky to not only live here in Simi Valley, but that I’ve actually been there. :-)
Oh yeah, and I re-watched “Genesis” and Riker does give Picard and Data the Caveman Salute! Don’t know if Jonathan Frakes meant to do that or not… pretty funny still!
Jonathan Frakes always struck me as having a great (and under-utilized) sense of humor, so I wouldn’t be too surprised if he threw a Caveman Salute in there.