Thursday, November 09, 2006

California's Lassen Park Star Tree.


corkscrew
Originally uploaded by ehoyer.
Heres one of California's natural skyscrapers in Lassen Volcanic National Park. Its the same star tree i mentioned in my previous post (pictured at night) only here it is, standing proud in daylight. it has victoriously, endured the test of time and weathered many wicked storms throughout the ages. Three cheers for the star tree!

Featured by Ehoyer

Lassen Nat. Park California

Surrounding the old tree are the star trees sentries, all gathered around. In this pocket of forest they seem to be guarding the old one, which is exactly whats happening. Without the surrounding peaceful Lassen forest, trees like this would'nt survive as long. The natural environment protects and supports itself.

Live Long and Prosper!

Wednesday, November 08, 2006

Lassen Volcanic National Park's Star Tree


reaching for the stars
Originally uploaded by ehoyer.
Here is a tree hundreds of years old in California's Lassen Park. Its reaching up into the stars to the celestial heavens above where only humans can gaze and wonder, what if..

On the left is the light from someones campsite and on the right is the glow from a candle on another trekkers table.

Conifers such as these protect the watertable, mountainside and provide recreation spots for humans and shelter for wildlife. The glow from the nightsky can be seen eeking through the rooftops of the trees, which is kind of exciting, imagine being there at night.

Lassen National Park

Thats if you're not afraid of being in the woods in the dark. This photo really gives you a pretty good idea of what that might be like! Look closely at it. The Lassen National Park has over 106,000 acres of land in north California.

This is a great place to explore and become one with the trees. Many of the mammals make Lasson Park their home and why not? its a beautiful place. The glacial lakes help sustain these critters and the plants.

In my next post, i'll show you what this tree looks like in daylight.

Live Long and Prosper!

Tuesday, November 07, 2006

Worf's Bumpyhead Secret

During my research, I have discovered why Klingons of an earlier era, stardate 3198.4 had the exact same facial features as Humans and why they displayed Human tendancies. I hope Worf is'nt growling, if he ever gets to read this. I'll have to start at the beginning.

In "Trial and Tribble-ations" (DS9) the crew of the Defiant, Sisco, Worf, O'Brien, Odo, Dr Bashir, and Dax head back in time to apprehend Arim Darvin and prevent him from altering time. A device called an Orbe enabled them to timetravel.


Copyright Belongs to
Paramount Pictures
Trials and Tribble-ations
Memory-alpha

With a mix of Star Trek TOS and DS9 actors in this episode, the crew of the Enterprise and the cloaked Defiant crew, clearly enjoyed themselves in the filming with our cooing, furry, fuzzball, fluffy friends aboard the old deep space station K7 with neighbourly Klingons stopping by for Eractagino.

Copyright Belongs to
Paramount Pictures
Trials and Tribble-ations
Memory Alpha

Aboard the K7 spacestation in the lounge section of the bar a conversation starts off between Dr Bashir, Worf, Chief O' Brien and Odo. Everyone is seated and the bar waitress heads over.

"What'll it be boys and don't ask for Eractagino, if I..."
Suddenly Odo's interest is sparked.
Who ordered the Eractagino? the Security Chief waits in anticipation.
" The Klingons " answers the waitress.
Odo is confused. " Klingons?"
" Over there and over there" the smile vanishes from her face.
" Those are Klingons?" enquires Dr Bashir, equally dumbfounded.
The waitress figures that either shes being toyed with or these guys are drunk. She gathers up the glasses and says
" All right boys, you've had enough" and leaves.
" Mr Worf?" prompts Odo, hoping Worf will shed light on the Klingon situation.
" They are Klingons and it is a long story" explains Worf.
"What happened, some kind of genetic engineering?" suggests O' Brien.
" A viral mutation" hints Dr Bashir.
Worfs anxiety takes over and he has no intension of explaining.
" We do not discuss it with outsiders"

In 2154 Klingon scientists accidently created a Klingon Augment Virus. A test subject had the Levodian flu and was combined with enhanced augment DNA. Eventually the mutant virus escaped causing a global epidemic on the Klingon Homeworld that threatened to obliterate the klingons during the 22nd century. The ultimate goal was of course to engineer enhanced warriors using genetically altered DNA obtained from Earth's Eugenic Wars.

Copyright Belongs to
Paramount Pictures
Trials and Tribble-ations
Memory-Alpha

During this time Klingons were fearful, humans would create augments and overthrow their empire which is why Klingons decided to create some of their own. Scientists recovered DNA and began experimenting with test subject augments. The experiments were a disaster. Augmented Klingon demonstrated enhanced strength and intelligence but they were also afflicted with human characteristics.

Their suffering included the dissolving of their cranial forehead ridges and human personality traits. Numerous Klingons d--d agonizing d--ths from incompatible DNA resulting in neural breakdown. What started as a controlled experiment with promising results was actually a complete failure. A cure for the neural breakdown was desperately needed. Further tests were conducted on a new Klingon subject who unwittingly had the Levodian flu. This experiment created an awful epidemic (Augment Virus) that spread fast on the Klingon Homeworld.

Copyright Belongs to
Paramount Pictures
Trials and Tribble-ations
Memory-Alpha

Dr Phlox from the first "Enterprise" found a cure but it meant human looking de-evolved Klingons would'nt be fully restored to their proper appearance, while cured of the virus they still looked like humans! How humiliating for them. Klingons for generations bore this discrace for over a century before scientists discovered a method of full restoration.

In Trial and Tribble-ations stardate 4523.3 Worf is forced to admit that the human looking Klingons without cranial ridges are in fact Klingons. Their human characteristics are painfully evident. Even the Klingon villian insulting Scotty's Enterprise NCC 1701 and captain Kirk was behaving in a fashion very unbecoming to klingons, whom we know to be highly honourable and tradition bound.

Klingon Virus

Poor Worf. He must have been cringing from within his own skin. To have to explain all of this and the failed genetic engineering experiments, the global epidemic on the Klingon Homeworld, Generations of human looking klingons, the tragic d--ths and dissolving cranial ridges, this would have been too embarrassing to explain to outsiders.

It also portrayed the Klingons in a " human weakling" fashion which is a description reserved for true humans (read my post on Commander Kruge is a Dynamic, Powerthirsty, Merciless, Klingon Warrior)

Copyright belongs to
Paramount Pictures
Trials and Tribble-ations
Memory-Alpha

Soon after the conversation with Worf, a Klingon renegade fires insults at Scotty, laughing at him in his face and slagging off Kirk and the Enterprise. Chief Engineer Scott restrained himself quite well considering, which is why he asked him nicely to rephrase.

Meanwhile the crew of the Defiant are seated accross the Lounge watching all of this unravel. Odo is horrified. Bar fighting scenes run amok with flying chairs and people landing all over the place. Not hard to guess who threw the first punch? I have in essence discovered and revealed Worfs hidden Homeworld past. Your big bumpy head secret is out. Sorry, Worf but it had to happen someday!

Live Long and Prosper!

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