NITPICKER'S GUILD NEWSLETTER
December 1994
Volume 1, Number 4
TABLE OF CONTENTS
NOTES FROM THE CHIEF
November 20, 1994
Greetings Fellow Nitpickers!
First of all, I lied to you in the last newsletter,
again! I said that we had received letters from 18 countries including
Holland and The Netherlands. Some of you were kind enough to inform
me that Holland and The Netherlands are the same county! So much
for my understanding of geography.
Right off the bat I need to tell you I am not firing on all
cylinders as I write this column. I caught a cold yesterday and
I am trying to beat it quickly with drugs because I have a big
week ahead. Hopefully, I won't sound too incoherent.
The Classic Guide is off to a good start. I understand that
Dell has gone back for the second printing. Last night, I finished
up my last book signing in this area. Everyone seemed to have
fun.
The NextGen Guide is well over 100,000 units sold.
Dell has gone back for another printing so now there's over 150,000
copies in print. As always, I thank you.
The Guild has over 2200+ members now. I'm not sure of the
exact count. It might be as high as 2400 but I have fallen behind
with entering names and addresses in my database with the compilation
of this newsletter. It looks like I am actually going to break
even on this little endeavor this year (yeah!). Originally I had
calculated that I needed about 340 subscriptions to pay for the
cost of printing the newsletter and mailing them and sending membership
cards to everyone in the Guild. Thank you again for subscribing.
I trust that you feel it was worth the money. Speaking of subscribing,
a few of you have already sent me your subscription dues for next
year. For the rest of you, let's hold off a bit on that. I am
considering a few alternatives for the newsletter and I probably
won't make any decision until I can get the NextGen II Guide completed
(which should be at the end of February). I'll be in touch then
to let you know. (Note to John, Allie and Susan: I can either
hold onto your funds until I figure out what I'm going to do or
I can send you check. If you would like a check just let me know.)
I am plowing along on the NextGen II Guide. I've been working
on the Reader Mail section and have made it up through the beginning
of the fifth season. Lots of good stuff in there. It looks like
I may need to edit some of it down. Dell wants to keep it to approximately
the same length as the NextGen Guide. Everything seems to be on
schedule with the project although it is devouring my time.
And speaking of the NextGen II Guide, it will contain several
new sidebars. If you have any suggestions for tote boards or triathlon
trivia features, serious or humorous discussions, top ten lists
and the like, let me know. If I use your suggestion, I will credit
you.
Along the same line, I need a bit of information if any of
you happen to have it. In a recent episode of the X-Files--it
was the one when Sculley came back and Moulder was trying to figure
out what the baddies had done to her. Moulder goes to visit his
conspiratorial friends and one of them invites him over on the
weekend because they are going to be "nitpicking" the
scientific inaccuracies in Earth 2. Of course, I sat up
a little straighter when I heard them apply that term to
the activity of find fault with a television show. My question
is this: Was the term "nitpicking" in common usage with
respect to this activity that we enjoy so much prior to the publishing
of the NextGen Guide? I realize that people have been uncovering
the flubs, bloopers, scientific inaccuracies and continuity problems
in movies and television for a very long time. However, I distinctly
remember sitting in my little office and coming up with the title,
The Nitpicker's Guide to Star Trek: The Next Generation
(which became The Nitpicker's Guide for Next Generation Trekkers
because we couldn't use the title of the series in our title).
As I recalled, the assignment of the term "nitpicking"
to this activity didn't occur until the publishing of the NextGen
Guide but I'm not sure. If any of you have any information on
this matter, please let me know. If I happen to be right, we got
our first nod from the writers of a television show and that's
pretty cool! (Of course, it may have been a left handed compliment
because the guys who were doing the nitpicking on the episode
were kooks!).
I've seen the movie Star Trek: Generations four times
already and plan to watch it five or six more times before I finish
my review for the NextGen II Guide. I really feel hamstrung without
a remote control but there's still plenty of stuff to nitpick!
(There always is. Everybody is human. Everybody makes mistakes.)
Given that this is the first time around the block to make a movie
for much of the creative team, I have to say that I think they
did a fabulous job. The special effects are simply gorgeous!
(It was a bit sad to see Kirk die. I really liked that character.
He had just the right amount of arrogance. Sort of like an Alexander
the Great of Julius Caesar.) I am really looking forward to the
movies to come.
The month of March, 1995 is filling up fast for some reason.
I will be speaking at a convention here in Springfield during
the first weekend. The third weekend in March, Dell is planning
to fly me out to the Grand Slam in Pasadena, CA to speak at that
convention. I am really looking forward to it. Last year, there
were 15,000 fans in attendance! And, of course, the last weekend
in March, I will be speaking at Morris Museum in Morristown, NJ.
Tomorrow, I have a local TV appearance. Tuesday, a radio interview
by phone. On Thursday, I will be travelling to New York City to
speak at the 24th annual Thanksgiving convention hosted by Creation
Entertainment. Should be fun if I can get rid of this silly cold!
I don't relish flying with stopped up sinuses.
Last year at this time, I was still wondering how the NextGen
Guide would be received--wondering if I could actually support
my family with my writing or I would need to go out and get a
real job! I am grateful that you have received it kindly and allowed
me to continue to have some fun with my occupation. Have a great
holiday season. At this point, I plan to be in touch with you
all in the Spring of next year.
Nappy Hitpicking! Phil Farrand
CONTINUING COMMUNICATIONS
Nitpicking. The final frontier of fandom. These are the continuing
communications of Nitpicker Central
As always, I enjoy hearing from you. Here's a few excerpts
from your latest letters.
A New Great Line For Beverly?
Suzanne Kraus of Navasota, TX writes, "I wish the writers
would have had [Crusher] say at least once, 'I can handle any
crisis. I'm a mother.' It fits her."
Suzanne also mentioned that she sure wished she could personally
use the #7 reason for not dating a Betazoid. ("No I won't
have dinner with you. I make it a policy never to date men with
outstanding warrants.") I think she was joking. At least
I hope she was joking. (I trust this isn't a continual problem
for you, Suzanne!)
Guy Thing/Gal Thing Revisited . . . Again!
Coming to the defense of a segment within the female population,
Sandy Anderson of Taft, CA-after reading the entry under "The
Funnies" in the October 1994 issue of the newsletter-submits,
"In regards to the 'Girl/Guy' thing, I'm a bit offended.
I would be irritated if Data did display emotions and I'm
not a 'guy.' Some of us women are logical too. We all know Data
is not supposed to have emotions. Why would we expect him to go
out of character? It's not as if he's Spock and can get away with
it by claiming it's his 'human half' taking over."
The Paramount Way
Felix Mariposa of Oakland, CA offered the following ending
to his letter, "One last word: in fact, consider it some
free advice. It is well known that Star Trek is the most over-merchandised
entity on the planet. You can now own not one but two sets (one
for NextGen, one for DS9) of Star Trek Action Marbles. I am not
kidding. So I say, let's hop on the band wagon. Phil, you need
to merchandise! Start off with the cover of the NextGen Guide
and put that image on T-Shirts, coffee mugs and posters. How about
Nitpicker's Guild bumper stickers, complete with the magnifying
glass logo? Or, for that matter, an Official Phil Farrand Nitpicking
Magnifying Glass? Since our hobby almost requires a VCR, howsabout
a Nitpicker's Videotape Organizer? For the computer types, a Nitpicker's
Guild ScreenSaver! Nitpicker wristwatches! Nitpicker lunchboxes!
Nitpicker - The Board Game! Nitpicker Flea, Tick & Nit Spray
(for dogs)! The Phil Farrand Action Figure! Merchandising, Phil
-it's the American Way!"
To quote Imperial Spock to Kirk at the end of "Mirror,
Mirror," Felix . . . I shall consider it! (In all seriousness,
Felix also wanted to see more individual episode nitpicking so
I expanded that feature. See, you've got him to blame if you don't
like it! Heh, heh, heh.)
Symptoms of Trek Fanaticism Revisited
After sending me a detailed list of the typos in the October
issue of the newsletter David K. Smith of West Trenton, NJ offered
the following tale, "I fear that I've unintentionally created
a monster. When I first started dating my wife, Leslie, a few
years ago, she remarked that she never cared much for classic
Trek, so she never bothered to watch TNG. Since she was not especially
fond of science fiction, and even less enamored of television
programming in general, I thought I would introduce her to what
I thought was one of the best TV series regardless of genre. As
I recall, I played 'The Measure of a Man' and 'Who Watches the
Watchers,' then for a good dose of Trek-style humor I ran 'The
Naked Time' back to back with 'The Naked Now.' Leslie was so taken
by these shows that she asked to see every TNG episode, starting
with the first. We are now halfway through our third complete
viewing. She's also becoming a better nitpicker than myself. Watch
out, Phil!"
"I can imagine a lot of male fans out there, whose wives
probably regard themselves as 'Star Trek widows,' asking me what
my problem is. Well, she's now a bigger fan that myself. I was
disappointed, as I am sure very fan was, at TNG's cancellation,
but I was also sufficiently satiated. Not my wife. Every Monday
evening, when TNG would normally run, she would whine and moan
and complain that there's no Trek. 'Want Trek! Want Trek!,' she
would pout in a 'sad little kid' voice."
I know the feeling.
The Stocking Truth About Guinan
Rob Roszkowski of Jackson Heights, NY observes, "In the
24th century, Guinan has great difficulty adjusting to the concept
of wearing nylons, as evidenced in the TNG episode, 'Clues.' However,
this must be due to some memory lapse since in the 19th century,
she regularly attended high-class functions in the Ancient West
(Old West to us), as in 'Time's Arrow.'"
I think this is perfectly understandable. After all, there
are quite a few of us who have trouble getting those silly garters
hooked in back. (I'm just joking!)
An Authority Speaks on the Term, "Oriental"
May S. Chin of Silver Spring, MD offers her viewpoint on this
matter. "Being Chinese, I feel qualified to address Roci
Escobar-Blanco's comment in the July 1994 newsletter re 'Oriental'
vs. 'Asian.' Personally, I didn't find your use of the term 'Oriental'
offensive, and I find your point valid that 'Asian' could refer
to non-Oriental Asians such as Pakistanis, Sri Lankans, etc."
"This subject thus brings me to something that's puzzled
if not bugged me about ST:TNG. While they did okay with Clyde
Kusatsu a 'Admiral Nakamura,' why did the name Robert Ito's character
in 'Coming of Age' Lieutenant Chang, which is a Chinese name?
Ditto the character of Keiko Ishihara, played by the Chinese Rosalind
Chao. And I just read about the new ST:Voyager series, whose character
Harry Kim (Korean) is played by Garrett Wong, a Chinese. My point
is that I don't see why they couldn't just give each character
a name that matched his or her actual Asian ethnic identity."
Vindicated! I tell you, I feel vindicated! Now on the matter
of names matching characters, wouldn't it have been better to
just call the captain of the Enterprise, "McDougal"
and be done with it? (By the way, my "retired" missionary
parents are currently on assignment in Sri Lanka-which is just
off the tip of India)
Ducking Phasers II
Darrick B. Hom of Oakland, CA found a moment of humor in "The
Best of Both Worlds," "The Borg have locked on to the
Enterprise with a tractor beam and are cutting into the Engineering
section. At this point, Captain Picard orders, 'Fire at will.'
Worf then starts firing phasers and photons at the Borg ship.
However, interpreted differently it could have been bad news for
[our dear] Commander Riker. Perhaps Picard was already under the
control of the Borg and no one listened to him."
The Glossary Continues to Grow
Lee Zion of the USS Kitty Hawk adds the following to our vocabulary,
"How about DIETS? It's hard to find an example of DIETS in
Star Trek, but I just saw plenty of them in the Shwarzenegger
movie. DIETS is an extension of WHIRL (Wouldn't Happen In Real
Life). In True Lies, characters race a motorcycle off of
a 20-story building, dangle precariously in front of the powerful
jet intake of an AV-8B Harrier, take cover from machine-gun fire
behind a lamp post half as wide as the average human being, and
kiss romantically while a 30-megaton nuclear explosion destroys
a nearby island. And they all survive!"
"The difference between WHIRL and DIETS is simply a matter
of degree. While WHIRL is something that wouldn't happen in real
life, DIETS is something that, if it did happen in real life,
would make the people who did it Dead In Exactly Twenty Seconds."
Personally, I like Dead in Exactly Two Seconds but it's Lee's
entry and he can name it what he wants! Oh, and I came up with
another one a few days ago. How about IRTS (It Read The Script)?
In "Identity Crisis," La Forge walks into the holodeck.
The camera is set outside looking. La Forge takes eight and one
half strides. Then, the camera angle changes and we hear the doors
close. Now, a stride for a man measures around two feet or more
so La Forge walked 17 feet into the holodeck before the doors
closed. But is turns out to be a good thing. Otherwise, we would
have had to stare at the closed doors for several moments. And,
how did the door know to stay open? IRTS! (Or, TRTS for They Read
The Script or HRTS for He Read The Script or SRTS for She Read
The Script, etc.)
The Guild Comes Between Friends
Angela M. Rusoo of Roswell, GA adds the following confession
to her latest letter, "Do you know that I've sent you more
mail than my best friend whom I've known for twenty years and
lives about ten states away? I need to get a real hobby."
Cyclical Nitpicking
Jol Silversmith of Somerville, MA writes, "Is it kosher
to nitpick the newsletter? In #2, Michael AD Reid claim [sic]
to have watched TNG since 1986. Impressive indeed. TNG started
in 1987 for the rest of us!"
How many nits could a nitpicker pick if a nitpicker could
pick nitpickers? (Sorry Jol, I couldn't resist putting in the
"[sic].")
In The "Where Do They Get Those Alien Plants" Category
Paul R. Lilly of Danbury, CT displays his vast knowledge of
the culinary arts by noting, "In the episode 'Menage a Troi'
when Lwaxana offers Riker an Oscoid leaf at the picnic, I recognized
it. It is an Earth species of colored flowering kale. She must
have thought he needed the beta-carotene."
Wanted: Men In Dresses, Women In Pants
Ray Coshow of San Francisco, CA sent me a letter that he submitted
to the creators at Paramount. It contains the following excerpt,
"Please tell the costume people to stop dressing every alien
culture in the universe as Post 18th Century Western European
Earth Humans. Not every culture in the universe should dress exactly
like post 18th Century Western European Earth Humans. I'm talking
specifically about women in skirts or dresses and men in pants.
This is a style of clothing that was totally unknown to most earth
cultures prior to the colonization of the planet by Western European
forces. This style has absolutely no logical or biological reason
for its existence (women's legs are not appreciably different
from men's), it's just a quirk of modern earth culture.
Interestingly enough, before my parents were in Sri Lanka,
they spent a few years in Fiji. There, the big burly men wear
sulus-either a large piece of cloth wrapped around the hips, or
more formally, a wrap-around A-line skirt made of suit material.
So, I understand Ray's point completely. However, I must admit
that I do find women's legs appreciably different than men's and
would like to take this opportunity to publicly thank the creators
at Paramount for ridding the Enterprise of that silly skant uniform
that some of the male crewmembers had to wear in the first season.
Update from Taiwan
Upon moving with her parents to Taiwan, Mine Sharpe writes,
"Star Trek doesn't air here, but at the American School there
are several Trekkies. My 150 ST:TNG and DS9 episodes are constantly
being borrowed and watched. I have started a Trekkie club and
am pleased to say they have a copy of the Nitpicker's Guide in
the Library. There have been rumors of TNG airing here, but so
far, nothing has been confirmed."
Yet Another Satisfied Customer
Richard Ravalli of Modesto, CA acknowledges, "I just
wanted to let you know how much my sister and I enjoyed your book
and we both thoroughly appreciate what you've done for us. We
use to happily watch Star Trek together, laughing at Worf's funny
lines or Troi's Golden Globe winning performances. Now all we
do is sit around and nitpick at any little thing we think is wrong
with the show. Thanks a lot, Farrand!"
He was joking. He put a little happy face after the last line.
(Grin.)
Vulcan Felines
Jason Allan Haase of Pierce City, MO sent me a darling excerpt
from the November 1994 issue of the Reader's Digest feature
"All In A Day's Work." The contributor of the piece
was Johanna S. Billings. She is a freelance writer and was currently
on assignment with a cat magazine. As part of her duties she interviewed
the owner and trainer of the cats who play Spot on NextGen. She
called her father-in-law that same day and talked about her current
assignment including the fact that "Spot" will appear
in two scenes in Star Trek: Generations. Johanna's father-in-law
listened patiently and finally asked, "Isn't Spot the one
with the pointed ears?"
Ummm . . . Right!
Gerhard Thielman of Ridgecrest, CA writes, "In 'Deja
Q,' the Enterprise attempts to circularize the orbit of the moon
around Bre'el IV by adding energy (impulse) when the moon is at
its orbit's perigee (or lowest point in the orbit). This
would only serve to elevate the apogee (or highest point
in the orbit). No wonder Q has to rescue the situation in the
end! In this episode, the effort is undertaken to prevent the
moon's perigee from deteriorating to below the planet's surface
radius. The lowest energy method in orbital mechanics is the Hohmann
transfer, which applies change in orbital velocity at the opposite
end of the orbit from which the radius alteration takes effect.
In this case, the elevation in perigee to circularize the orbit,
requires the addition of velocity at the apogee. This can be expressed
via the illustration and equation below:
where delta-va is the change in velocity at the apogee
needed to circularize and match the perigee with the apogee, ra
and rp are maximum and minimum distance radii (apogee and
perigee from (approximately) the planet's center of gravity, and
u is the gravitational constant defined as u = G(m1+m2),
in which m1 and m2 represent the mass of the respective
bodies (planet and moon), and G is the universal constant
of gravitation (=6.6695x10-11 m3/kg-sec2), which Q suggested changing.
I gotta tell ya, the first time I read Gerhard's letter I
felt like saying, "Hi, my name's Forrest, Forrest Gump."
The Real Order for Season One of NextGen
Having read the Trek-dedicated issue of Entertainment Weekly,
Mike McGavock sent me the following comments. "In your book,
the stardates are messed up in the first season description. I've
got a possible solution, I recently purchased a magazine that
was a Star Trek special edition. Inside it had a rating of every
episode of ST, ST:TNG and ST:DS9 and at the end of the description
it gave the episode number and they didn't match yours."
In fact, Paramount decided at some point in the distant past
to make the official number scheme for the episodes, the order
in which they were produced. The numbers that Entertainment Weekly
used were the production numbers for the episodes. However, when
I did the NextGen Guide-since all the information had to come
from the television show-I used the airdate order. That's the
reason for the discrepancy. And-as I said in the July issue of
the newsletter-even if you use Paramount's production ordering
scheme, the stardates still don't proceed chronologically!
By the way, that edition of Entertainment Weekly rated the
NextGen Guide a "B+" and the Classic Guide an "A-."
Seems the reviewer liked "Kirk's Ten Top Reasons for Violating
the Prime Directive!"
Captain Khan
Having read the Classic Guide, Paul T. Mulik made an interesting
connection regarding Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan. "You
make a comment about Spock's observation that Khan thinks two-dimensionally.
I believe that this is an allusion to Moby Dick. This book
is seen in the Botany Bay, on top of a copy of Paradise
Lost, indicating that Khan had been reading Moby Dick
recently. (He referred to Paradise Lost at the end of the
Classic episode "Space Seed.") What I'm getting at is
this: Khan is (possibly unconsciously) playing the part of Captain
Ahab, who's obsessed with getting Kirk (the whale) no matter what
it takes. Like Khan, Ahab could only travel two-dimensionally
on the surface of the ocean, unable to pursue the whale through
the third."
Colors of the Flags
Isabelle Rips of Bonn, Germany notes, "At one point in
'The Last Outpost,' Picard and Data discuss ancient nations and
the colors in their national flags. Picard mentions the U.S. and
France, both countries having the colors red, white, and blue
in their flags, yet the French have a different order of colors:
blue, white and red. Then, Data mentions Germany and Italy. Data,
being an android, should be very precise in describing the flags,
so he should not only be able to know the correct colors of each
nation but also the correct order of these colors. However, the
colors of the Germany flag, according to Data are: red, black
and gold. Well, the colors are fine but the correct order is black,
red and gold. I could have mentioned the mistake earlier but I
watched, 'The Last Outpost' only a few weeks ago in the original
[English] version, that is when I found the mistake. In the German
version the mistake is corrected."
More "Borgs"
Scott McClenny of Newport, WA and Kailen Hong of Turtleford,
Saskatchewan (Did I get is right this time, Kailen?) sent along
some additional Borg personalities. My wife and I started talking
about them on the way back from a book signing and added a few
of our own.
I am Lassie of Borg. Woof-woof-woof woof woof-woof
(Resistance is futile.)
I am Astro of Borg. Rou rill ree rarimirated.
I am Eastwood of Borg: Resistance makes my day.
I am Ali of Borg. Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee,
assimilated too you soon shall be.
I am Pakled of Borg: Uh-huh.
I am Baywatch of Borg. Prepare to be ah . . . stimulated.
Before you get upset with me, ladies, my wife came up with this
one. I have been trying to talk her into the importance of doing
a Nitpicker's Guide to Baywatch-given that I would have to watch
the shows over and over. She's not buying it.
We are the IRS of Borg. Death is irrelevant.
I am Skywalker of Borg. Darth is irrelevant.
I am Lorena Bobbett of Borg. Your life, as it has been, is
over.
I am Berman of Borg. Your NextGen, as it has been, is over.
We are Gingritch and Dole of Borg. Your presidency, as it
has been, is over. Sorry, sorry. Really, no partisanship intended
here. Just an observation, given the Fall 1994 election results
here in the States.
Sara Green of Lake Elsinore, CA sent along the following list,
among others. She also included her rendition of the ever popular
Bloopie, as describe in the Intragalactic Trek Awards in the Classic
Guide. An interesting item indeed to see actually drawn up!
Top Ten Similarities between Kirk and Spot
10. They both have experienced hair changes.
9. The both have experienced gender changes.
8. They're both well-liked by emotionless men with bad hairdos.
7. They both have illegitimate children.
6. They both like to wear as little clothing as possible.
5. The both get into situation they know they shouldn't. (Spot
with the computer and Kirk with the Prime Directive.)
4. They both like a good fight.
3. Klingons don't like either one.
2. They're both excellent manipulators.
1. The both like sleeping in other people's beds.
HUMOR NOT INCLUDED
Hopefully, you did not find the “Humor Not Included” section of the last newletter literally fulfilling
it’s title! I’ve been corresponding with a friend over e-mail and she found this next selection from the original Nitpicker’s Guide Entrance Exam funny. With trepidation, I decided to push my luck and reprint
it here. Again, be forewarned: Depending on your life outlook you may find some of this a bit irreverent.
Question
5. Discuss the repercussions of the rulings of Judge Thurbius Cumberland on life in the 21st century. (Hint: “The Measure Of A Man,” Plot Oversights)
Answer
5. The Interplanetary Encyclopedia of Who’s Not but Used to Be contains the following information under Judge Thurbius Cumberland:
By all accounts, the 21st century was the worst ever for humanity. It started out well enough.
Political leaders around the globe hailed 2001 A.D. as the beginning of a new millennia of understanding and respect. Most historians credit the “Think Right to Be Right” Movement (TRBRM) of the late 20th
century as the source of this optimism. TRBRM sought to bring about a better world by ridding the populous of “Ill Think.” TRBRM defined Ill Think (IT) as “any thoughts transmitted by any mode of
communication which denigrates or enslaves another group by its expression.”
As the 20th century closed, TRBRM’s first line of attack drew close to completion. IT Patrols had identified the hidden prejudices in the languages of the world. Sudden revelation came as whole classes of
people realized, for the first time, the weight of their oppression—borne in silence through the centuries. For instance, in 1998 an IT Patrol identified “Filipino” as a spurious label. It referred to King Philip of
Spain. This king pompously assumed that, since Magellan was the first European to visit the lovely chain of islands, the islands should be called the “Philippines.”
“That’s IT,” the patrol declared. “Every time someone calls you a Filipino, that person is reinforcing the concept that what King Philip did was right. And, by allow that label, you are agreeing that you are a
people who should be dominated.” Of course, the government of the islands immediately voted to change the name to the Republic of Mabuhay. The people became Mabuhayians. Since “Mabuhay” means good life, a country-wide party accompanied the change.
After their successful cleanup of the languages of the world, the grateful governments granted the leadership of TRBRM broad ranging powers to refashion society. IT Patrols moved into the workplace,
schools, homes and courthouses. By the year 2030 TRBRM had rid the world of any trace of the oppression which festered before the IT Patrols took over. Finally, all the cultural groups of the world
could live free of the encumbrances of manifested ethnic denigration. Well . . . almost all the cultural groups in the world. One “fly in the ointment” remained, the white anglo-saxon males. Early on, IT
Patrols identified white anglo-saxon males as the true source of all prejudice in the world. The subsequent societal reorganization aggressively sought to correct this wrong. Reluctantly, TRBRM admitted that the
possibility existed that maybe this group should be offered some consideration also, since—at the time—white anglo-saxon males constituted one hundred percent of those living below the poverty
line.
In 2036, the governments of the world united. Once fortified with the strength of billions they
agreed to lift some of the restrictions placed on white anglo-saxon males. They even gave them a new name, “wamen.” The reader will immediately recognize TRBRM’s influence in this decision. A quick
explanation for those who do not. One of the IT Patrols’ first recommendations dealt with the labels applied to the feminine gender. “Woman” and “female” were obviously unacceptable because they
purported that “women” were somehow incomplete without “men.” Someone on the ruling council of TRBRM suggested “womyn,” but the label was rejected because it still sounded like “women” and
everyone would still be thinking “women” and the whole point of changing the labels was to discourage “Ill Think.” An eighty-year old grandmother suddenly pounded the table with inspiration. “Let’s call
ourselves, ‘Wam!’ “ she exclaimed. Everyone applauded. “Wam” sounded strong and forceful, a fitting tribute to the gender which contributed so greatly to the world. Overnight, “woman” became “wam,”
“women” became “wams,” “girls” became “gams” and “ladies” became “lams.” Much rejoicing followed.
Understandably then, the decision to call white anglo-saxon males “wamen” pleased the world government in two ways. First, “waman”—the singular of “wamen”—was simply an abbreviation for
“White Anglo-saxon Man.” No one could object to that. But, secondly, and more importantly, “wamen” wounded similar to the wams’ old label, “women.” This pleased the wams greatly since “wamen” did
reflect the true state of the world. White anglo-saxon males were dependant on wams for their existence (That fact that the label “wamen” was itself repressive, oppressive, prejudicial and denigrating seems to
have been lost on TRBRM). All went well for the next two years until the wamen started stirring up trouble. “Sure,” they insisted, “you’ve done away with oppression for ethnic groups. But what about the
individual? What about PERSONAL OPPRESSION?”
TRBRM scratched its collective heads for a few days and finally issued a statement. ‘The wamen are
right,’ TRBRM begrudgingly acknowledged, ‘We are instituting a new form of patrol called the Personal
Oppression-Ill Think Patrol or PO-IT, for short. Once and for all, we will rout oppression, in any form, from our midst.’ Great celebration lasted through the evening. From 2038 to 2042, PO-IT Patrols removed
every hint of repression, oppression, individual prejudice, denigration and inequality from each and every aspect of society. The world’s language was reduced to 23 officially approved words. Every form of media
closed down in 2040. TRBRM asserted that any scripted presentation—especially television— tended to restrict an individual’s awareness of themselves and potential for growth since the individual would
unconsciously identify with one or more of the actors and begin emulating the observed behavior. TRBRM also guided the enactment of a series of landmark laws criminalizing PO-IT. Because of the difficulties
associated with proving personal oppression, the law assumed the accused guilty until proven innocent. The only requirement for an indictment was that the plaintiff appear before a judge and declare, “I’ve
been personally oppressed.” Of course, many simply used the abbreviation.
No record remains of the next few years from 2043 to 2047. Historians have dubbed them, “The Years of Silence.” No one wanted to risk being charged with personal oppression. One February 8, 2048
something happened. No one knows for sure, but many suspect the latent anger building through the repressive Years of Silence finally burst out. Riots erupted. Madness raged. Millions died. Unfortunately,
they were only the beginning. On February 9, someone found THE BUTTON. Massive nuclear explosions cast the earth into a new and literal Dark Age. In the decades that followed, anarchy reigned. TRBRM’s
influence continued, however. Individuals used PO-IT as an excuse to kill, maim, steal and violate.
Slowly, a single voice emerged from the cacophonous mobocracy.
It was the voice of Thurbius Cumberland. "TRBRM and PO-IT
are the true oppressors," Cumberland proclaimed. "Do
you not know? Have you not heard the great words of wisdom, 'Sticks
and stones my break my bones but word can never hurt me?' If I
am strong, what you say will not effect me. Limiting my expression
so the weak will not be offended leads only to destruction!"
The crowds listened. Given the present condition of the Earth,
they were ready for a change.
An entire volume of new law came from the self-appointed Judge
Thurbius Cumberland. Appropriately called "The Acts of Cumberland,"
this great body of work contained lessons in agriculture ("Mary,
Mary quite contrary, how does your garden grow?"), understanding
gender ("What are little boys made of? What are little girls
made of?") and property rights ("Finders, keepers, losers,
weepers") among other things. Most believe that Cumberland's
simple understandable guidelines for living kept the world from
falling into oblivion after the nuclear holocaust. Scholars have
worked for years to understand or discover the source of his inspiration.
Cumberland humbly maintained that the catchy phases came to him
as he quieted himself at the end of the day.
Undoubtedly, the loveliest of his elocutions came as Cumberland
breathed his last breath. With it, he uttered, "Now I lay
me down to sleep. I pray the Lord my soul to keep. And if I die
before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take." (It was
a big breath.)
During the episode "The Measure of a Man," Data
must fight for his right to refuse a dangerous procedure. In order
to do so, Data must prove he is more than the property of Starfleet.
But Data wasn't built by Starfleet, they found him on a life-less
planet. How can the judicial officer in the case say there is
precedence for Data being property in the Acts of Cumberland?
Simple, she is referring to the one that deals with ownership
of goods. The Acts of Cumberland clearly state, "Finders,
keepers, losers, weepers."
Several nitpickers rose to the challenge of pointing out why
Picard is a better captain than Kirk in reponse to the feature,
"Top Ten Reasons Kirk Is A Better Captain Than Picard"
in the last newsletter. I sifted through them and culled out ten.
If yours didn't make the cut, please understand that it was a
matter of space not content. I did have a fleeting thought--given
the nearness of the departure of our beloved Captain Kirk in the
new movie Star Trek: Generation--that it might be better to hold
off publishing this list until we all have a chance to complete
our grieving over his passage. But, then I thought . . . "Naaaaaaaah."
Top Ten Reasons Picard Is A Better Captain Than Kirk
10. Real captains don't need fake hair.
9. Picard's bridge doesn't sound like an old-fashioned video
game.
8. Picard would never let some mini-skirted female steal one
of his officer's brain.
7. Picard was never neck deep in small, dead, furry animals.
6. Picard was never a woman.
5. Picard's management style can survive a weapons ban.
4. Performing the Picard Maneveur earns commendations from
Starfleet. Performing the Kirk Maneveur gets you sued for sexual
harrasment.
3. Picard has Troi on his bridge. (Of course, Uhura's not
bad.)
2. Picard's ship was never commandeered by hippies.
1. Kirk may be tough but Picard is tougher. When a Naussican
stabbed him through the heart, he like it so much that
he went back and had the guy do it again!
Contributors: Sandra Blom of Fredericia, Denmark; Sara
Green of Lake Elsinore, CA; Darrin Hull of Springfield,
MO; Melissa Ritchings of Weare, NH
STILL MORE SEASON NITS
Even more nits from the first season! Need I say it again?
You may not agree that all are nits, but look them over and see
what you think.
By the way, something struck me concerning these nits. What
you will read here is the "raw"-if you will pardon the
terminology-input that I receive from you all. If you hang on
to these newsletters and compare the nits you find here to the
nits listed under the episode reviews in the Reader's Mail section
of the NextGen II Guide, you might find it interesting to see
how I rework the information into my own format. Granted, you
may find in some cases that you like the original nit explanation
better but at least you'll get some clue as to how my little pea
brain works. And, in some cases you may find that I liked the
off-handed remarks that the original nitpicker made so much that
I incorporated them into my review. (I do try to follow a policy
that if the original nit explanation is substantially the same
as mine, I will just treat it as a quote and credit the nitpicker.)
HOWEVER, please realize and remember that Eric has not yet
edited my manuscript for NextGen II-it is due on February 28.
He is well within his prerogative and purview to cut out anything
he chooses. So . . . it is possible that some of these reworked
nits will disappear from the book. That's just the way the publishing
game goes.
Hide and Q
"When Dr. Crusher walks through the passageway, Captain
Picard says, 'Picard to Dr. Crusher.' She walks over to a wall
panel and talks to him. What happened to her communicator? She
has it in previous episodes, why not now?" David J. Ferrier
of Washington, DC.
"Q's forcefield is the same [footage] that is used in
'Encounter at Farpoint.'" Michael Warden of Pineville, LA
"This not definitely a mistake not yet mentioned but
I think probably. Q appears, as stated by Data, in the uniform
of a Napoleonic Marshal of France. Well, I have painted dozens
of Napoleonic figures and have several reference books on the
subject and I have never come across a Marshal in predominately
red-it was invariably blue; we [the British] were red. However,
the Marshals did have some license." John Burrows of Middlesex,
England.
"If Geordi could see the freckles on Worf's nose (if
he had any) then why did they have to send Worf anyway? Why didn't
La Forge just analyze the situation from the distance?" Caleb
Sjogren of Indianapolis, IN
"The 'vicious animal things' look and sound a lot like
pigs to me. Surely those in the future will still know what pigs
are, I hope." Louise Scales of Castlegar, British Columbia
"On the planet with the 'animal things,' La Forge says
that they were approaching in a skirmishing line. In the next
shot with the 'animal things,' they are coming in single file."
Mike Milligan of Langley, British Columbia
P.T.H. Carder of Lancashire, England sent along the following
possible explanation as to why Picard claims that Riker's experience
is outside anyone's experience when Gary Mitchell went through
basically the same thing in the Classic episode, "Where No
Man Has Gone Before." "Remember that J. T. Kirk sank
the true facts regarding Mitchell and Dehner in his formal report.
Presumably the truth was only mentioned in the top-secret records
referring to the dangers of attempting to leave the galaxy too
slowly without full shields."
"[In the scene where Riker joins Picard in his ready
room,] I noticed a model of a Constitution class starship (similar
to the original Enterprise). We are all accustomed to seeing a
Constellation class model (similar to the Stargazer) but this
wasn't so. To this day, that was the only time in which the model
in the background was different." Danny Da Silva of Toronto
Ontario
"While [the away team] is evacuating the surviving colonists,
Dr. Crusher detects someone buried under a pile of heavy-looking
rocks. Data clears the rocks away and exposes a little girl. He
promptly picks her up; only then does Dr. Crusher say that she
is dead. Somewhere in that vast encyclopedia perched on Data's
shoulders, he should have this little tidbit: NEVER move
an injured person unless something else in the area poses a greater
threat! Alex Nathan Shutmate of Cedar City, UT
"When Riker leaves the bridge after asking Picard for
a meeting with the bridge crew, the turbolift doors again show
their propensity for 'dramatic exits.' They stay open until he
is finished glaring at Picard." Louise Scales of Castlegar,
British Columbia
"Why doesn't Riker take his own powers away?" Caleb
Sjogren of Indianapolis, IN
"When Wes gets turned 10 years older, his voice doesn't
change a single bit!" Caleb Mullen of Daleville, AL
"Commander Riker makes Wesley Crusher 10 years older
using his new Q powers. Geordi says, 'Hey, Wes . . . not bad.'
That implies he can distinguish between someone who is and is
not handsome. Then when Riker gives Geordi sight he says to Tasha,
'You're as beautiful as I imagined, and more.' Wouldn't this mean
that he cannot distinguish beauty and ugliness because he could
only imagine it? And, we have seen through his VISOR in the episode
'Heart of Glory.' I'm sorry but it didn't seem like he could even
tell if Riker had a beard or not much less if he was handsome."
David J. Ferrier of Washington, DC
Riker gives La Forge the ability to see normally. When Geordi
takes off his VISOR, his eyes are a dark brown. In the final episode
of the series, the anti-time anomaly causes Geordi's eyes to regenerate.
He is seen with Picard in the future with light blue eyes."
Shael R. Hawman of San Jose, CA
"When Worf rejects the Klingon woman that Riker offers
to him, he states: 'She is from a world now alien to me!' But
every subsequent episode suggests that this is not true. For example,
he makes a great effort in 'Sins of the Father' to show that he
is as much a Klingon as anyone else. Also, in 'Family,' we learn
that he insisted on eating Klingon food even as a child."
David Foster of Charleston, WV
Haven
"[When Yar pages him,] Riker does not bother to acknowledge
the call to the transporter room; he just leaves the bridge. Do
they know, or just assume, he's on his way? There
are plenty of occasions in other episodes that a response is demanded
when the person receiving the call does not answer; however there
are almost as many exceptions, as in this case." David
K. Smith of West Trenton, NJ
"Mrs. Miller states that Lwaxana won't beam aboard until
Mr. and Mrs. Miller are gone from the transporter room. Picard
miraculously goes from two feet behind Mrs. Miller to standing
right beside her." Angela G. Jones of Pineville, LA
"When Deanna Troi tells Mr. Homm to perform his duty
('If you're the valet, then please valet!'), in the close-up she
is holding her rose upright, while in the long shot it is hanging
at her side, [pointing down.]" David K. Smith of West
Trenton, NJ
"Mr. Homm is identified as Mrs. Troi's new valet. Lwaxana's
last valet tried so hard to rid Deanna of her accent-which reminds
Lwaxana of Deanna's father. Yet in 'Dark Page' [a seventh season
episode,] a) Deanna's father doesn't have an accent b) Lwaxana
gets a picture of the family before Kestra's death. Mr. Homm saved
it in case she would ever again want to see it. So is Mr. Homm
the new valet or has he been Lwaxana's valet for 30+ years?"
Jennifer and Christine Seghers of Sacramento, CA
"The scene when Troi visits Wyatt. The picture on the
wall has the 'rotate' facility. At the start of the scene there
is a group of four stars on the right forming a distorted 'L.'
By the end of the scene, this is upside down on the left."
Ken Bailey of Surrey, England
"And now the real puzzle: If the Tarellians were in the
late 20th century Earth era of technological development, as was
reported in the conference scene early in the show, how could
they have interstellar space flight and, even more startling,
matter-energy transporters." David K. Smith of West Trenton,
NJ
"You forgot to mention it here but . . . why not just
beam the Tarellians through the transporters and filter the buggies
out? (But then, if they always did that, Crusher would be out
of a job.)" Myles S. Hildebrand of Niverville, Manitoba
"In the beginning of the pre-dinner party, Data is looking
at Mr. Homm. In the next shot, it shows Picard talking with the
Millers. Behind Picard, you can clearly see Data looking straight
towards Picard." Matthew Strommer of Great Barrington,
MA
"At the beginning of the episode, Troi has a bun for
a hairdo. At the reception, she still had the bun but she also
has two big, long things of hair hanging down. Where did she get
all this extra hair?" Joey Musheno of Scranton, PA
"In the holodeck, when Troi is lecturing Will on the
human problem of separating platonic and physical love, in the
long shot Riker is smiling broadly, and in the following close-up
he is sullen. I wonder if this could be considered a bona fide
blooper, since it appears that she is on the verge of blowing
her line, and Riker is on the verge of laughing." David
K. Smith of West Trenton, NJ
"Deanna storms out of the reception for Wyatt and her.
She seeks shelter in the holodeck where Will is considering the
loss of their relationship. When she enters the holodeck there
is a noticeable sound of the doors. Upon the entering of Wyatt
onto the holodeck no sound is made from the doors. When Will leaves
the holodeck, doors once again make an audible sound. Query, how
did Wyatt get into the holodeck if the doors didn't open? An audible
noise was heard from the doors when Deanna and Will both used
the doors. Why not Wyatt?" Dan Oates of Romney, WV
"Tasha says she can disable the Tarellian ship with a
phaser burst. Picard nixes the idea. When Picard turns back around,
Deanna is in her chair! She wasn't there before that! Maybe she
just transported in?" Angela G. Jones of Pineville, LA
"Lwaxana tells Wyatt that his mystical visions of some
unknown woman are a normal phenomenon in the galaxy, and mean
she is his destiny. Okay, maybe this happens to Betazoids, but
Wyatt is a human, and humans do not have any special paranormal
ability to identify the person they are going to mate with many
years before they have even met." Mark S. Painter, Sr.
of Mont Clare, PA
"According to this episode people cannot beam while a
tractor beam is in place. But in the episode 'The Emmisary,' the
Enterprise places a tractor beam on the class 8 probe carrying
K'Ehleyr and then beams her on board." Michael Hashemi
of Littleton, CO
"In 'Hero Worship,' Troi says that to operate controls
a person must have access codes. I didn't see Wyatt enter any
code [when he beamed over to the Tarellian ship]." Caleb
Sjogren of Indianapolis, IN
The Big Goodbye
"This episode has, neat appropriate music as Picard enters
Dixon Hill's building-'From Out Of Nowhere' but sung by Linda
Ronstadt (?)" Geoffrey Cook of Hammond, IN
"In the Plot Oversights [for this episode in the NextGen
Guide] you ask how does Picard make the log entry, '. . . I am
entering the ship's holodeck, where images of reality can be created
by our computer.' My question is why is he explaining how a holodeck
works? Is there anybody who would later have access to the captain's
personal log who wouldn't know what a holodeck does?" Nigel
Strafford of Surrey, England
"I enjoyed this episode because I have always enjoyed
Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler. But it occurred to me that
Hammett and Chandler were just 50 years ago to me; to Picard,
they are 350-plus years. This would be like someone today really
getting into The Canterbury Tales. Yes, I know that people
do get into The Canterbury Tales (as a matter of fact,
I enjoy reading them myself), but Picard's fondness of Dixon Hill
is shown as a sort of guilty pleasure in something not really
worthwhile (unlike The Canterbury Tales). I realize, of
course, that if Star Trek has as much connection with our
time as people of the 24th century really would, the show
would probably be unwatchable. Still, in this case, the 20th century
centricity seemed a bit much." John E. Sherman of Glendale,
CA
"Forget the fact that the lipstick [-that Picard receives
from the holo-woman and remains as he leaves the holodeck-] shouldn't
be there in the first place-it's still an unusual substance, since
it moves around on Picard's face. In the holodeck, he is kissed
just below his lips, on the side of his chin, and it is
a relatively light imprint. However, in the following scenes it
is partly on and partly above his lips, and it is also
now a very dark smear. David K. Smith of West Trenton, NJ
"Entering the holodeck seems to be something of a guessing
game. Why would the entry point change? Picard left the holodeck
from his office and [stored] the program. Why would they then
be re-introduced to a continuation of the same program on the
city street below (for any reason other than it being visually
much more interesting)?" David K. Smith of West Trenton,
NJ
This next one is tough to make out but it is clear enough
to see if you know what you are looking for. "When Data
reads the information on fictional detective Dixon Hill (originally
Dixon Steele), the records state that it was episode writer
Tracy Trome who was the author of those stories." Johnson
Lai of Ajax, Ontario
"Picard invites the 'fiction expert' to accompany him
onto the holodeck. Fiction expert? Is this an official ship's
position or the guy's hobby. What on earth does the Enterprise
need with a fiction expert? [One of the school teachers perhaps?]"
Tina Kirby of Bellevue, NE
"The newspaper man folds the paper in half as he hands
it to Picard, while the following shot shows Picard receiving
it unfolded." David K. Smith of West Trenton, NJ
"The Jarada scan shakes the whole ship, but the Captain,
who happens to be on the holodeck, doesn't bother to contact the
bridge to find out what happened. Are we to believe that scan
didn't shake the holodeck?" Suzanne M. Eckhardt of Killeen,
TX
"And the Jarada, who seem deeply fixated on proper protocol
during greeting, think nothing of demanding Picard's presence
before the scheduled arrival." David K. Smith of
West Trenton, NJ
"When Dr. Crusher goes onto the holodeck, the second
panel on the left (the one Wesley works on) is open. Then, when
Geordi goes down it is on, after that Wesley and Commander Riker
go down. The panel is off again!" David Penny of Calgary,
Alberta
"When Beverly enters the holodeck, she asks Data where
the captain is, and Data says, 'He's on ice.' [And later,]
'He's being grilled.'" Carrie Rostollan of Saxon,
WI
"Dr. Crusher asks Captain Picard if she can see his office
(actually Dixon Hill's office). Lieutenant Commander Data then
says in a 'lackey voice,' 'Ya, boss I'd love to take a gander.'
He uses the contraction, 'I'd.'" David J. Ferrier of Washington,
DC
"Felix Leach says, 'You're not going anywhere. Not until
we have a little chat.' On his first line, Beverly's arms are
down, on the second, they're raised." Angela G. Jones
of Pineville, LA
"After Whalen gets shot, couldn't Picard and Beverly
try to find a hospital in that town? Pick up the phone and call
the operator?" Angela G. Jones of Pineville, LA
"At the start of the scene when Riker says he want to
make some demands and then a squealing noise is heard, the reflection
of the boom can be seen in the screens at one of the stations
at the back of the bridge." John Morrison of Garibaldi
Highlands, British Columbia
"The beginning of the episode is, I believe, written
to emphasize the serious, perhaps deadly result of ignoring the
Jaradan custom of having the ship's captain making first contact
with a greeting in the Jaradan language. In fact, there is a staff
meeting specifically to cover that point, and everyone at the
meeting seems to understand. And yet, while Captain Picard is
trapped on the holodeck, Riker angrily demands that the
Jarada establish contact. Did he have a brain cramp at some time
after the staff meeting, or what?" Suzanne M. Eckhardt
of Killeen, TX
"Wesley says, 'The program could abort and everyone inside
could vanish.' NO WAY!" Angela G. Jones of Pineville,
LA
"When Data, Picard and Whalen enter the holodeck, the
door to the holodeck faces a wall. However, the view out of the
door (from inside the holodeck shows a long corridor leading up
to the holodeck." Jennifer Segal of San Diego, CA
"Another idea: when the gangsters leave the holodeck,
they could have fallen lifeless to the floor as you think
they should have. They don't because the computer has been programmed
not to leave bodies lying around the ship." Jeff Harris
of Atchison, KS
"When the gangsters went out of the holodeck, what happens
to the repair crew? I don't think they would leave until they
were sure that the captain was okay." Donald R. Jury of
Hollywood FL
"When Picard leaves the holodeck near the end of the
episode, the lights go out in his office and the door closes.
No one says, 'End program.' And every other time the holodeck
is used the lights have never gone out first-the program is told
to end and everything disappears and we see the grid walls."
David J. Ferrier of Washington, DC
"If the Federation is so concerned about Picard screwing
up the greeting he is to delivers to the Jarada, why don't they
have Data do it? Being an android, he is incapable of making an
error, and in 'Encounter at Farpoint,' Data demonstrated his ability
to perfectly duplicate Picard's voice. The greeting is not visually
delivered, and I assume the Jarada would never be able to tell
the difference." Robert Boone of Starke, FL
"The crew was so worried about the Jarada greeting in
the entire episode. Is it not strange that as soon as Picard greets
the Jarada, they warped away without doing anything?" Jeremy
Dabbs of Hueytown, AL
Datelore
"Data is one of the greatest creations in the history
of [Federation] science and his discovery marked a new era in
Federation law and its definition of sentience. So why, for 26
years, has no one bothered to return to the Omicron Theta system?
Starfleet should have found Dr. Soong's lab (and Lore decades
before.) Only when the Enterprise happens to be near the system
does anyone bother to look into the matter." Jeff Harris
of Atchison, KS
"Why should Wesley need to tell Data that the captain
wants him? Why isn't he just paged?" Gary Wesley of Cambs,
England
"When Data is practicing his sneezing, Wesley asks him
if he has a cold. Wes then goes on to define a cold as 'a disease
my mom says people used to get.' If people don't get colds anymore,
why would Wesley ask Data if he had one?" Tim McKenny
of Lawrenceville, GA
"During the bridge scene after returning to the Enterprise
with Lore, Wesley assumes the helm. The female ensign that leaves
the post exits the chair, goes to the left and appears to be headed
for the turbolift. The camera then shows Picard and Riker, who
happen to be standing behind Wesley and the helm with the walkway
and wall behind them. Now, the female ensign must be a fast walker
or she has decided to take a break in Picard's ready room [although
there is no door sound to indicate that she has left the bridge].
Lee Havenarr of Burlington, Ontario
"In the opening teaser, after Tasha asks Data about memories,
he replies, "Actually, I'm quite deficient in some basic
human information . . . like sneezing." Tim McKenny of
Lawrenceville, GA
"Upon beaming down to the planet's surface, Commander
Riker erroneously gives the stardate as 4124.5. A little later,
Captain Picard gives it as 41242.45" Bill van Heerden
of Toronto, Ontario
"After they beam down, while the opening credits are
rolling, Tasha asks Data again about his memories. He responds
with, "I've always felt that it was done hurriedly, but I
know little more." Tim McKenny of Lawrenceville, GA
"The children's drawings create a real puzzle, too .
. . If the crystal thing sucked up all life on the planet "in
one fell swoop," to quote Shakespeare [as shown in the episode
"Silicon Avatar", how did the colony's children have
any time to draw it, let alone have the art framed and hung in
Soong's lab? Evidently, the crystal thing must have made at least
two or more fairly widely-spaced passes at the colonists."
David K. Smith of West Trenton, NJ
"In your book you say that Lore's hair is changed from
over-the-ears when his disembodied head is examined on the surface
of the planet, to behind-the-ears once his components are moved
to the Enterprise. I believe you are mistaken about this. Look
closely at the footage in this scene. I don't think the things
that appear to be ears on the side of Lore's head are really ears;
just places to screw them in. Once the ears are connected the
hair is indeed behind the ears." Doris R Skiba of Springfield,
VA (After getting a better copy of this episode, I do believe
Doris is correct!)
"While assembling Lore, they wheeled in some body parts
submerged in liquid. Why? You wouldn't do that to a 'Walkman.'"
Geoffrey Cook of Hammond, IN
"After Chief Argyle examines the disassembled body of
Lore, Data says, "I've been most anxious to hear the Chief
Engineer's opinion, Mr. Argyle." Tim McKenny of Lawrenceville,
GA
"After Lore gives Data the spiked champagne, Data falls
backwards, but lands on his stomach." Ann McNeil of Owen
Sound, Ontario
"When Wesley tries to say something to Picard and the
bridge crew, Riker reprimands him and he was the one who sent
him in the first place. Why don't they listen to Wesley at that
point? Lois E. Kane Sedona, AZ (TRTS! It's a TRTS!)
"When the crystalline entity attacks, Picard issues the
following commands: "Bring photon torpedoes to ready, main
phasers to ready. Go to Red Alert, please." Please? Please!
Was that order such a stretch that Picard had to say please?"
Greg Reid of Toronto, Ontario
"When Data and Lore are grappling for the phaser on the
transporter pad, as the phaser is thrown it breaks in two pieces
as it lands." Garner McDonald of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
"Picard and Riker stand in front of a cargo bay door
for approximately five seconds and yet the door does no open,
In this final scene Riker has to press a control panel to open
it. Remember that this is the same door that Dr. Crusher stumbles
through while being fired upon by Lore." Kelly Ernst of
Columbia, MD
"After being shot in the cargo bay, Dr. Crusher leaves.
After Lore is beamed off the ship, she shows up again with Yar,
Riker and Picard. That means that including Data, five of the
six senior officers (I do not believe Geordi and Worf were senior
officers at the time), were in a potentially deadly situation
in which one person was shot." Joshua Etheridge of Fayetteville,
AR
"My problem is with Lore's status at the end of the episode.
Wesley beams Lore into space and the crystal entity flees, so
the ship is out of danger. At this point, Picard should have beamed
Lore back onto the Enterprise directly into the brig. We find
out later, in "Brothers," that Lore floated around in
space until finally rescued. Why did the Enterprise just leave
Lore in space? Jeff Harris of Atchison, KS