Happy Birthday Nichelle Nichols

Nichelle Nichols is famous for playing Star Trek's Lieutenant Uhura on the starship USS Enterprise NCC 1701. Today our Star of Freedom celebrates her 81st birthday. Doesn't she look awesome! Broadcast throughout the galaxy on our tv's, our beloved Communications Officer always kept the Enterprise's hailing frequencies open, alerting the bridgecrew keeping them safe from danger. Correctly establishing incoming and outgoing communications was so crucial for making first contact with alien worlds. Remember how Uhura distracted Sulu in Mirror, Mirror?

So deep within the hearts and minds of Star Trek fans,

Happy Birthday Nichelle

Star Trek's Classic Redshirts

In keeping with the seasons festive spirits, why don't we celebrate Star Trek's itchy trigger finger 'Red Shirts' with a burst of nostalgia. Many of us already know, the curse of the Redshirt began with Captain Kirk's five year mission enforcing peace in the galaxy, firing phasers first and asking questions later. Fans know that the USS Enterprise NCC 1701 has standing orders to investigate all interstellar phenomena wherever they may be which is totally cool.

 Kirk's starship has afterall an endless supply of 'marines' to serve and protect which is really neat. When things get dicey, Kirk calls in the 'Red Shirts' to scope out mystery alien planets etc just in case. Which usually pays off big time until you add the fatalities up.: At the start of Star Trek TOS, the USS Enterprise NCC 1701 had a Starfleet family of 430 men and women.

 Remember Rayborne? Poor fellow was assigned as a security guard to protect Kirk's Enterprise. While on a landing detail to Exo III, Raybourne is left at the entrance of a cavern while Captain Kirk and Nurse Chapel are led by Dr Brown to meet Dr Roger Korby. All is never what it seems in star trek. The music steps up a few beats and a strange creature steps out from within Exo's shadows. Unfortunately Raybourne meets Ruk, an ancient, advanced 'old one' left over from a byegone era. Android Ruk does his job only too well and protects!

So you see of the 430 Enterprise crew, 59 Starfleets died during the call of duty. Among our fallen heroes 6 were goldshirts. 5 were blueshirts and 4 were from Scotty's engineering dept (RED) but get this, 43 died defending their ship because they were 'REDSHIRTS.' To put it in Dr Mc Coys lingo, 'Hes dead Jim.'

To roll in with some cosmic festive fun heres a list of Redshirts that fell honorably during Enterprise duty . Can you tell which ones survived Captain Kirk's reign of exploration and LIVED? Who escapes a court martial but is later killed by a Ceti Alpha V creature?

1. Lieutenant Compton - 'Wink of an Eye' Ageing/Cellular damage.
2. Lieutenant Desalle - 'Arena', 'The Squire of Gothos', 'This side of Paradise', 'Catspaw'.
3. Lieutenant Galloway - 'Miri', 'A Taste of Armageddon', 'The City on the Edge of Forever', 'The Omega Glory'. Phaser blast
4. Ensign Garrovich - 'Obsession'.
5. Lieutenant Commander Giotto - 'Devil in the Dark'.
6. Ensign Harper - 'The Ultimate Computer'. Vaporized
7. Lieutenant Grant - 'Friday's Child'. Speared
8. Lieutenant Kaplan - 'The Apple'. Lightening
9. Lieutenant Kyle - 'Tomorrow is Yesterday'.
10. Yeoman Landon - 'The Apple'.

11. Lieutenant Mallory - 'The Apple'. Explosive Rocks.
12. Crewman Marple - ' The Apple'. Clubbed.
13. Lieutenant Marla McGivers - 'Space Seed'. Madness.
14. Crewman Montgomery - 'The Doomsday Machine'.
15. Ann Mulhall - ' Return to Eden'.
16. Lieutenant O' Herlihy - 'Arena'. Phasered.
17.  Lieutenant Osborne - 'A Taste of Aramegeddon'. Disintegration Chamber, Stay of Execution
18.  Lieutenant Palmer - 'The Doomsday machine, The Way to Eden'.
19. Crewman Raybourne - ' What Are Little Girls made of?' Thrown off a ledge.
20. Ensign Rizzo - Obsession'. Salt Vampire.

Holiday Long and Prosper, Trekkies and Trekkers.

Star Trek TNG Outrageous Okona

O is for the Outrageous Okona but who is he? In Star Trek TNG of "the outrageous okona" the USS Enterprise NCC 1701-D encounters an unidentified vessel on the viewscreen. Worf eyes glint as he zeroes in on the spaceships co-ordinates at sector 3, 9, 5, 6, mark 0, 9, 1. Datas sensors scan for lifesigns and locate one humanoid on an interplanetary cargo ship. All is not what it seems. Data's readout confirms a burnout in the inertial guidance system explaining the little spacecrafts erratic flightpath and unconfirmed final destination.

Worf establishes hailing frequencies and Captain Picard allows the pilot, Thadiun Okona to beam aboard with the malfunctioning part. Data's estimates repairs will take seven hours and sixteen minutes. So far so good. After friendly banter between Okona and Picard, Okona and Worf, tough guy Okona hands over all his weapons including a long heavy knife. Its interesting to note nearly every TNG character, including Data (struggle with humor) gets serviced in this episode which isn't an easy feat for any writer.


 Meanwhile below decks, Okona is finally foot loose and fancy free, fraternizing with several Enterprise females. Remember Teri Hatcher from Lois and Clark and Desperate Housewives? Well as Okona's luck played out in 2365, he got real friendly with a B.G. Robinson in the Enterprise Transporter Room, if you know what I mean. Believe me, its the same dame. Isn't she sweet?

At the time Hatcher starred as the transporter chief in her only (uncredited) Star Trek appearance, who freely submits to Okona's chatup lines. I can't believe the words "You have the majestic carriage and loveliness that could surely be traced back to the noble families who once ruled romantic lands with benevolent and tender hands." actually worked! Robinson was eating out of Okona's hand. In the end she's dishing out her room number!

When two alien ships track Okona's flightpath co-ordinates, things get interesting for the Enterprise bridgecrew. Who stole the the Jewel of Thesia and impregnated Altec's daughter, Yanar? Picard needs answers fast!

Enjoy you Star Trekking Trekkers and Trekkies.

Arleebird Cheersfest

Hi Trekkers, Ive written a poetic flash fiction, hosted by Mark "Madman" Koopmans and Alex "Clone Me A" Cavanaugh Morgan "the Borg" Shamy, Stephen "Wormhole" Tremp and "Dont Mess with the King."celebrating the 'Major of awesome levity" creator of A to Z! The guy that looks like a Don in his cool shades, Arleebird. I drew my inspiration from a sci-fi superhero, so have fun reading.




Arleebird, Arleebird,
Seeker of friendly ubernerds ,
 Master juggler of piping words,
 Tossing readers super curves,
 Look out! Here comes Arleebird.

 Is he a trekkie? listen spirit,
 Hes got super solarian wit.
 Does he have a drinking song?
 I guess you'll have to join in and sing along.
 (Hey earthie, there goes Arlee Khan.)

 On an odyssey of stellar challenges,
 Exploring humanity with comedy,
 Our comrades primed for blogtime,
 Toasting brown jackets with Arlee shine, (wine)
  (Hang on, I race you to Arlee's goal line!)

 Arleebird, Arleebird, Friendly sailor Arleebird,
 English Major with precise levity,
 Seeker and speaker for geek entities.
 clever coot who knows cube roots,
 He always gobbles the kiwi fruit.
 Loves to write and recite.

 Originator of A to Z,
 Plucked the apple from the tree,
 Transgressed blogfests and requests,
Winning showdowns in the good ol' American West.
  Arleebird, Arleemania,
 Maybe Arlee's a super alien!



 Fest and Prosper, Trekkers.

Museum of Science Fiction

A new "Museum of Science Fiction" is kicking off in Washington D.C. In their online preview, the MSF appeals to fans from all over the great galactic divide with their fascinating website. Do you get that special pang when you turn on the tv and Star Trek or Star Wars flashes in front of you? Well then trekologist, you're in for a treat.

Science Fiction stories unlike tales of horror - frequently entice fans to explore strange, new worlds in distant galaxies spreading peace, scientific progress and technology. Sci-fi's epicness encourages us to eat, breathe and evolve into fully fledged time travellers. As per Starfleet's Standing Orders, its my job to investigate such anomalistic phenomena and report.

The obvious question here to ask is "Will D.C's Museum of Science Fiction catch on?"




I think its cool Science Fiction continues to grow and infect humans throughout time. We're all living proof of that. Why do we reach for other planets, develop new technologies and want to meet aliens? At the MSF thoughts take on physical shape revealing the "fun" aspect of why we want to do these things. Its only logical to believe fans will want to trek out and see the fun exhibits with historical artefacts, including: full size space vehicles, robots, voice activated space probes and of course cool aliens.

The MSF Executive Director, Greg Viggiano explained "Our approach begins with a web-based blueprint—an online museum. You're visiting it now. This blueprint allows you to see our progress, make suggestions, and share your ideas."

Its a dream thats spreading throughout the stars and will make its debut at a full scale facility within 24 to 36 months. Right now money raised will kickstart the project into life. The museums Crowdfunding campaign is attempting to raise $160,000 in 38 days.

Meanwhile, The preview museum will house a number of Star Trek filming props from renowned collector Adam Schneider. A cool podcast is available with Adam giving a talk on the restoration of Star Trek's Shuttlecraft Galileo!




Gary Cannavo has offered to loan the MSF Preview Museum the actual filming miniatures used in the 1970s production of the Battlestar Galactica motion picture and television series. Plenty of artifacts and display objects from film, literature, and art, along with prototype analog and digital interactive exhibits are in the pipeline.

Image Credit: Howard and Jane Frank Collection.

So how about it? Are you ready to book your interplanetary MSF flight? Whats your instinctive science fictional reaction?

Whats the name of the spaceship in the top three photos? Where was the last one taken?

Live Long and Prosper Terrestrian Time Traveller!