Saturday, October 14, 2006

Dr McCoy's Medical Miracles


Dr Leonard H. McCoy is the chief medical officer of the USS Enterprise 1701. He is an emotional, illogical, country doctor who doesn't mind having the odd sip of Saurian brandy between patients. Sorry about the illogical bit, blame Spock. Dr Mc Coy also called "Bones" affectionately by Kirk, is highly respected and as of 2267, had earned the Legion of Honour, and was decorated by Starfleet surgeons. Spock, however would invariably antagonise McCoy, refering to the good doctors concoctions, magic potions and latest victims.

" I am an accomplished Scientist devoted to logic..." Spock has declared to Kirk and McCoy
So what did that make Dr McCoy? he's a man of science too, highly qualified and decorated.
Spock is well known for his statements of logic and analyical prowess like the one above. Which he has unashamedly announced in front of Dr McCoy. Was Spock having fun at the doctors expense? How much of the human is speaking out? Was Spock actually enjoying himself? McCoy has countered Spocks own brilliant attestments of logic with a healthy dose of scepticism.

"In a pigs eye!" stirs McCoy, hoping for an emotional outburst from Spocks human half.
"That is a human emotion " is Spocks clever response.
"You bet your pointed ears, it is!" Comes the warm human reply from Bones. The camera focuses and we see a look of astonishment on Spocks face and the famous arched eyebrow is raised.



The copyright of the these images
belongs to Paramount Pictures.
Source: Star Trek T.O.S.
Memory Alpha


Left alone Spock and Mc Coy would love to torment each other to bits using humiliating jibes and tear downs. When these two are at each others throats, with Kirk as referee, it makes for great laughs. I wonder does Spock ever breathe a deep sigh of relief and say "Great" (to himself)when DrMcCoy leaves the Bridge to go back to his Sickbay. But that would be so human and illogical.

Personally, I think Spock knows that Dr McCoy is on to him. Poor Spock is half human and half vulcan and our good 'ole Dr Sea Bones doesn't let up on this. The cool calm exterior of our first Officer, doesn't fool the ship's Chief Medical Officer. Deep inside, McCoy knows Spock is struggling with the stern discipline of Vulcan Logic and the emotionalism of his human side, which Bones has played around with occasionally, much to the vulcans embarassment.



Some of Dr McCoys Medical Miracles included the well known handheld
1)medical scanners. These were used to take readings of a persons vital lifesigns. The device itself is cylindrical in shape. In the image opposite is a pair of hands and a medical tricorder. The right index finger is resting on the silver scanner, which is then taken out and used to diagnose.


Image copyright belongs to Paramount Pictures
Star Trek T.O.S. Memory Alpha


2)Medical Diagnostic Bed with the overhead scanner. Its been rumoured that NASA were facinated with the orange bed covers in The Uss Enterprise 1701 Sickbay and at the time had a good look at them. Here you have 24th century biobeds .


Image copyright belongs to Paramount Pictures.
Star Trek T.O.S. Memory Alpha.


3) A Surgical support frame is equipped with a sterilization field, cardiostimulator and other inbuilt support functions for surgical procedures which assist the surgeon when operating. Here you can see a 23rd century biobed with overhead scanner also. Usually there is a cute nurse on standby also to help in the surgical procedures. It looks like the patient is ambassador Sarek, another of the good doctors victims. We all know whose words those are!


Image copyright belongs to Paramount Pictures.
Star Trek T.O.S. Memory Alpha.


4) Dr McCoys Hypospray! Never beams down without it. This medical instrument was used by Mc Coy to administer "stimulants" such as cordrazine to Lt Sulu, who suffered serious electrical burns on the Enterprise Bridge in 2267 This device later became an inspiration to "real world engineers" who have since invented medical devices based on these designs.

5) Cordrazine. Lifesaving medical wonder drug treatment, used to treat life threatening illnesses, burns etc. Beverly crusher administered 25ml of this drug to Worf in a last ditch effort to save his life when , (as Q has put it- entertainingly) under the inept ministrations of the Doctor Crusher - everything else failed.




6) Psychotricorder-This is an instrument used to record past memories. Kirk ordered a 24 hour regressive memory test on Chief Engineer Scott, to help clear him of murder on Argelius II in 2267. Chief Engineer Scotty. Wolf in the fold has an especially humourous aspect to it. Scotty is always not far from the crime scene and that "voice" just cracks me up.


Image copyright belongs to Paramount pictures.
Star Trek T.O.S. Memory Alpha.


7)Dr McCoy's Biocomputer was an independant piece of computer technology capable of analysing and isolating complex medical problems/viruses etc and obtaining a vaccine using totally logical means. The computer doesn't have an interface with the Enterprises computer, so the results have to be fed via the communicator to the sickbay labs above where a formula is processed.

Wow you read this far! Thanks for stopping by. Live Long and Prosper Trekkers!!












Monday, October 09, 2006

Khan Noonien Singh is a Dynamic,Powerthirsty, Ruthless, Notorious Superhuman

Khan Noonien Singh the ex-prince of Earth's millions, how that must have hurt. Genetically engineered and Superhuman, this merciless, charming, cutthroat was on a quest for revenge. People who stood in his path were eliminated with the flick of a phaser or at a given command. He was ruthless, calculating, mentally superior, aggressive and ambitious. The perfect respected, ruthless, leader.

There was a time from 1992 to 1996 when Khan was the ruling prince of millions on Earth. Where there was chaos, the prince offered order. He was a popular tyrant who ruled fairly and was worshipped by one quarter of the planets population. Khan's fellow super humans meanwhile were busy changing the balance of power on earth, fighting and enslaving the population. Except for Khan's corner of the world, hostile warring became part of daily life.

Eventually Khans luck ran out. For four years, the supreme commander, His Excellency, dictated order to his Kingdom of People on Earth. In 1996 Earthlings opposed the super humans. Khan was stripped of power, defeated and humiliated, along with his remaining sworn to die subjects. They evaded capture by fleeing the planet aboard the S.S.Botany Bay.

The starship displayed here is USS Enterprise NCC-1701 constitution class. After her historic five year voyage, she returned intact to Earth. Kirks gallant crew of explorers rose to the status of living legends, with a following of fans in their millions, well known across the galaxy today.

Spaceflight gained popular momentum on Earth with these powerful Federation vessels in service. Starfleet Command had to swallow their secret plans to decommission this twenty-five year old Federation Flagship due to the fact that the Enterprise had become legendary. The Admiralty approved a refit for political reasons giving the USS Enterprise NCC 1701 the full green light! Soon word spread throughout subspace. Starfleet's Core of Engineers were being dispatched to the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC 1701! The Enterprise refit was official now and no longer a joke at Starfleet Academy. Scotty's beloved engines were being pryed apart by engineering outsiders. The Core Engineers carefully decommission vital mechanisms of the warp engines in which matter and antimatter are combined safely eliminating any danger of a warp core breach. Another Engineering team moves in and installs the new FWG-1 warp engine components under the watchful eyes of Scotty who scrutinizes their every move. Captain Kirk's Enterprise was in dry dock, and was living proof of an outstanding success story in the eyes of the enchanted people of planet Earth. It was important no-one goof this up because at the time the Enterprise was a remarkable symbol of hope for all humanity.



Image Copyright Belongs to
Paramount Pictures and/or CBS Studios.

Instead of dismantling the ship, Starfleet finally approved Enterprise's refit which was long overdue. Since 2190 when she was launched into the mysterious depts of space and the great unknown, the USS Enterprise 1701 couldn't spare the time for a full refit. Instead she returned to starbases to have her systems periodically repaired and updated. Four overhauls were carried out but now the ship technologies were obsolete. Chief Engineer Scott and the Starfleet Core of engineers oversaw refit of Enterprise. Leeding Engines Ltd were chosen and given the contract to install the new FWG-1 warp nacelles which replaced the old Shuvinaaljis Warp Technologies Model FWF-1 nacelles which had faithfully served the Enterprise for the last 25 years.

Federation Starships, Federation Planets, Federation Star bases, Federation Spy posts, Federation Involvement, Federation do-gooders and overhead fluttering in the breeze the flag of the UNITED FEDERATION of PLANETS. All of this pomp and ceremony, Khan couldn't have cared less. His days of leadership brought him back to a daydream when it seemed he had the power to control millions. Khans Kingdom predated even the mighty Federation. However, Khan's current location on Ceti Alpha V bugged him the most. The planets twin Ceti Alpha VI blew up and affected the orbit of Ceti Alpha V turning it into a barren sand heap. The living conditions were horrible for Khan and his dear wife who died a slow death traced to one of the planets indigenous lifeforms. The Ceti Eel. The Ex-Prince of Earth and ruler of Ceti's sand dunes couldn't fathom why Captain Kirk did not check on their progress. Khan vowed to escape Ceti's dunes before he and his Botany Bay followers perished on Ceti Alpha V for good.

When The USS Enterprise NCC 1701 first encounter Khan and eighty of his crew on a sleeper ship, the SS Botany Bay, Captain Kirk's landing party awakens them from their cryogenic deep sleep into the 23rd century. That was Kirk's first mistake. Khan attempts to take control of the USS Enterprise and when he fails in his bid to murder James Tiberius Kirk, Khan is exiled to Ceti Alpha V. Kirks Enterprise deposits Khan, a now stripped, powerless leader of nothing along with his loyal band of subjects, who accompany him to the new fruitful, bountiful planet. Marla McGivers goes with Khan to be his wife with ambitions of creating a new civilisation and starting a family which all turned to dust six months later. The ex-ruler had a dream of creating a new world order, which was destroyed forever more when Ceti Alpha VI blew to to bits.

Kirk is furious and demands:

What is the meaning of this attack?

Where is the crew of the Reliant?

Khan attempts to influence Chekov after Terrell vaporises himself, but like a true human weakling, Pavel Chekov collapses in a heap. I suppose I shouldn't be too hard on him. The Ceti Eel crawls its way out of his ear, smearing its body along the ground making its mark. Pavel had the Ceti Eel wrapped around his Cerebral Cortex which meant he was easily affected by Khan's power of suggestion. Starfleet's finest were struggling to control their emotions of disgust at the mere sight of the Ceti Eel with eventual gasps of revulsion deciding the the creatures fate. Kirk points his phaser and vaporises Chekov's slimey tormentor. Grabbing the wristband device, Kirk yells,
"Khan , you bloodsucker, you'll have to do you're own dirty work now! do you hear me? do you?"

Earths thoughtful Tyrant of world order is swamped with feeling towards Kirk. Circling high above the planet in the Reliant, Khan has good reason for pause and is in deep reflection. His eyes roll in his head in sheer awe and wonder at Kirks continuous lucky escapes. Khan decides to keep Admiral James T Kirk talking until he gets the co-ordinates of the Federation's Genesis "Doomsday"Device and beams it aboard the Reliant.

"KIRK! Kirk you're still alive - my old friend...." affection can be heard in the Princes voice.

"Still OLD FRIEND! You've managed to kill just about everyone else, but like a poor marksman, you keep missing the target!" responds Kirk , clearly enraged by Khans wrathful ways.

"Perhaps I no longer need to try! I shall leave you as you left me marooned in the centre of a dead planet....buried alive!" declares an avenged Khan who says no more.

"Khan...Khaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaannn!!"

Live Long and Prosper, Trekkies, Niners and Trekkers!

Monday, October 02, 2006

USS Enterprise in Asteroid Field

On her five year mission, the USS Enterprise 1701 commanded by Captain James T. Kirk with Mr Spock as his Second Officer, encounters a massive asteroid belt but rather than go around it, she decides to phaser fire her way through the space debris. This is one of my favourite desktop wallpapers which I found on an excellent Star Trek Wallpaper Website. Just point and click at the Enterprise 1701 and she'll take you right there!

(0r you can save to your photos/ images folder and set as a Desktop Wallpaper from there.)

Live Long and Prosper Trekkers! Enjoy Your Star Trekking!

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