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Joined 11 months ago
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Cake day: August 22nd, 2023

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  • I went to a non-uniformed elementary school (which has since adopted a uniform), a uniformed high school, and then university which was obviously non-uniformed. I much preferred the uniformed years because I don’t care one whit about fashion I never had to think about what to wear.

    Granted, my high school uniform had a lot of variety, considering. There were two cuts/styles for the long sleeved shirts, a short sleeve shirt, polo shirt, knit sweater, knit vest, knit cardigan, 1/4 zip sweatshirt, and blazer, which could be mixed and matched as you liked.

    I don’t remember how the conversation came about, but in a previous office job, some discussion (among us low-level employees) came about regarding an office uniform. Most people were horrified by the idea, but I was totally for it.



  • It’s a slow burn introduction to Trek. The show starts off having not much to do with Trek, as the crew itself has nothing to do with the Federation or Starfleet, but they go through a process of learning what Starfleet is, and they try their best to aspire to its ideals so they might be accepted to the academy when they reach the Federation. Ideas (e.g., prime directive, augments, temporal directives) are introduced one at a time with explanations. It’s not meant to “just” be a kids’ show, it’s meant to be a kids’ introduction to Trek. And as a fan of Trek, I think also a good introduction for a non-fan who might feel lost by how vast the Trek universe is. It’s not about politics or diplomacy, but it carries the same spirit of unity, optimism, and the hope for the best of humanity that underlies Trek.





  • Dukat. I don’t like him a person, but he’s a great character. No other Trek character has ever been written as richly or layeredly as he.

    At first you assume he’s your basic racist bent on hatred and power. Then you realize his obsession with Kira isn’t just about destroying an enemy, but his secret love-hate for Bajoran women. We meet Ziyal whom he mostly loves, but is ashamed of. He goes mad, starts a cult, makes himself appear Bajoran and starts a relationship with Kai Winn (ostensibly with other motives, but I think he reveled in it), and ultimately dies for and in his mad faith.

    DS9 is lower on my list when I rank the various series, but some of the characters, and defininitely Dukat, top the list of characters.


  • As a non-Christian, I never made that Xmas connection.

    Well, as a Christian, I wouldn’t feel bad about it because the poster is not correct. The X in Xmas does not stand for a cross, it comes from the Greek spelling of Christ which is Χριστός. The chi-rho symbol (☧) is an imposition of the first two letters (Χ and ρ) and is still commonly used to refer to Christ in some denominations.

    As a bonus: if you’ve ever wondered (or not wondered) why some Christian symbolism uses a fish, ἸΧΘΥΣ (or ICTHYS) is an acronym for Ἰησοῦς Χρῑστός Θεοῦ Υἱός Σωτήρ, “which translates into English as ‘Jesus Christ, God’s Son, Savior’.” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ichthys) This has been used since the first century.


  • I’ve been shipping them since Rutherford told Badgey, “I was just trying to impress Tendi. I mean, look at her, she’s so cute!” Earlier that same ep they’re in the holodeck in the EV suits and they accidentally embrace (due to mag boots) which mirrors the B’Elanna and Tom scene where B’Elanna told Tom she loved him.

    But if you really think about it, they’ve been hinting at the crush since the beginning. He was willing to change his career to make the time to watch a pulsar with her (which was episode 2). When Tendi thought T’ana was transferring her off the ship, they tell each other how much they love the ship and hug. Later that ep he tells Billups he’s been triple backing up memories with her because he doesn’t want to forget her again. (Notably he doesn’t mention backing up memories with Mariner or Boimler.) They’ve always just a little closer than best friends, and damned if it isn’t adorable!



  • Well, I mean, the obsessively and angrily chasing Aang party definitely shouldn’t be emulated, but he’s got a very good character growth arc.

    • He learns his worth as a person (and as a prince) doesn’t come from his abusive father, but intrinsically from his own self.
    • He gains the insight and humility to admit he was wrong and seek forgiveness from the people he wronged
    • He learns to empathize with other people, and that he is his strongest when he releases (and is no longer clouded by) his anger and fights for good.
    • He learns to appreciate the people who love him (Iroh) instead of chasing after someone who doesn’t (his father).

    The world would be a better place of everyone could learn the lessons that Zuko learned.


  • It’s nice that “new” Trek wants to portray things like equality for LGBT people as a given; hopefully we can reach that one day. And I think it’s good that LGBT people can “see themselves” on the screen without having their queerness be the focus of the drama. People just want to live their lives, and they want to see other queer people just living their lives.

    On the other hand, showing the struggle and making it the focus of the drama, as Orville does, is the thing that helps people understand and confront the issues themselves. The whole story around Topa is very strong. Societal misogyny. Klyden’s entire journey (his own sex reassignment, hiding it from Bortus, their separation, his rejection of Topa when she transitioned back, the family’s eventual reunion). Bortus’ struggle to make the right choice as a loving husband and father. Bortus having the choice taken away from him. Topa lacking female role models.

    These kinds of things are still very real issues that a lot of people don’t think about unless presented to them on this way. These kinds of stories help people imagine how they might need to support their own children, families, and friends.

    It’s not really possible to compare Star Trek vs Orville because Trek is an entire franchise (even now there are 4.5 shows) and Orville is just one. But if I had to say of the current shows, which one does society need the most for social progress, I’d actually say Orville.



  • I’m all for not using Facebook, but this is really dumb. The federal Gov’t and media outlets gave Meta and other SM platforms an ultimatum: pay for linking to news, or don’t link at all. Meta called the bluff and chose the latter. Now the Gov’t and media outlet are crying foul.

    It takes a lot to make me defend Facebook, but they are absolutely not in the wrong here. They are playing by the government’s and the media outlets’ own rules. It’s not even malicious compliance, its just compliance.

    Have these media and the government even offered to make an exception for emergency messaging? I think they would say so of they did (to make themselves look better). The lack of say-so is telling.

    Instead they’re trying to shame and coerce Meta into paying them. Well, shame on the govt and shame on the media.