Star Trek: State of Flux

Episode: "State of Flux"

Series: Star Trek: Voyager

Season 1, Episode 11

Original Air Date: April 10, 1995

via Memory Alpha

There's a spy aboard Voyager.  

Our heroes respond to a Kazon distress call.  When they arrive at the vessel, all aboard are dead, victims of an explosion.  Investigations reveal that Federation equipment - material that most certainly came from Voyager - is the cause of the trouble.  Who on the crew would do such a thing?  The two primary suspects are both in engineering: Seska, a Maquis alum, and Lieutenant Carey, a Starfleet officer.  The plot thickens when Seska's blood scan reveals she's not actually Bajoran as we've been lead to believe...

For the most part, the series has steered clear of Maquis-Starfleet tensions to this point - rather surprising as it was a promising story line in the beginning.  Even Torres, Hothead #1 in the pilot, has settled into rock solid dependability.  Seska is the only one who has remained a bit of a wild card and her story kicks into higher gear with "State of Flux."  Actress Martha Hackett (Seska) was not made aware of her character's true identity until three or four episodes into the first season.  Fortunately, she'll be back in future seasons.

Interestingly, Carey will not, except in flashback scenes.

"State of Flux" is a good Chakotay episode.  We get a glimpse of his past romantic relationship with Seska.  More importantly, we learn a lot about his sense of loyalty.

Food Notes

The story begins with a foraging expedition led by Neelix for a disgusting but evidently nutritious leola root.  Shortly after, Seska makes mushroom soup for Chakotay.  As she stole the ingredients from the food stores, it is an early indication that perhaps her loyalties are still clouded.

Acting Notes

via Dexter Wiki

Martha Hackett was born in Boston, February 21, 1961.  She graduated from Harvard, cum laude.  

Hackett auditioned for the principal role of Jadzia Dax in Deep Space Nine before it was given to Terry Farrell but the producers liked what they saw.  Prior to landing Seska, she'd had guest roles on both TNG and DS9.  In total, she appeared in 13 Voyager episodes.  

Beyond Star Trek, she has made multiple appearances on Hill Street Blues, I Heart Vampires and Days of our Lives.  Films include Never Been Kissed, The Lone Ranger and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.

On the Road: North Adams

As discussed in previous posts, we've been making rather frequent trips to North Adams, Massachusetts over the past few years.  The main attraction in town is the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (MASS MoCA), a space converted from an old factory.  The museum is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.

Our primary excuse for our most recent trip was a Seun Kuti concert.  Seun is the son of Fela Kuti, the legendary King of Afrobeat.  In fact, Seun leads his father's former band Egypt 80.  As you can see from the photo, the son projects the same revolutionary posture as his dad.  But in live performance, he was jovial and personable.  He puts on a great show.  I highly recommend going to see him if you have the chance.  Linked here are the details for his current North American tour, running through this coming Sunday.

There's always plenty going on at the museum.  Our highlights this trip: The Plastic Bag Store, a multimedia experience created by Robin Frohardt (see photos) and The Cost of Industry, a video animation piece by Chris Doyle.

Our favored hotel, The Porches Inn, is almost worth the trip in itself.  Built around what was once middle management housing for the factory, the Inn features a (sort of) heated pool and a hot tub, both outdoors and both open year-round.  Hot water bathing has become a bit of a travel sub-hobby for us.

We'll definitely be back.

On the Coffee Table: Yani Hu

Title: Udon Noodle Soup: Little Tales for Little Things

Writer and Artist: Yani Hu

via Amazon

Udon Noodle Soup is a graphic-novel collection of short stories by Chinese-born creator Yani Hu.  As clearly indicated by the subtitle, the subjects are the simple objects that connect people in a life: the flavor of a soup, the warmth of a hand-knit sweater, a used toothbrush, a thoughtful gift, a soccer jersey.  

I was born a sentimental old fool so stories like these tug at me.  I don't let go of anything or anyone easily.  Held onto tchotchkes for way too long because they remind me of people?  Yes, I've done that.  Remembered old friends decades past the point when they've likely and understandably forgotten all about me?  All the time.  There are morals in Hu's tales, too, reminders of how cruel we can be to those who are unexpectedly generous.  It's easy to feel sorry for oneself in life - put upon, even victimized.  It's important to remember the moments we've been on the receiving end of more kindness than we've deserved.

Udon Noodle Soup is a soothing, quick read with beautiful, manga-style artwork.  It's Hu's first work in English.  I'll keep an eye out for more.

Star Trek: Prime Factors

Episode: "Prime Factors"

Series: Star Trek: Voyager

Season 1, Episode 10

Original Air Date: March 20, 1995

via Memory Alpha

The Sikarians, famous for their hospitality, welcome the Voyager crew to their beautiful planet.  Gathorel Labin, their handsome magistrate, takes a particular shine to Captain Janeway.  Matters quickly become complicated when Ensign Kim, who experiences his own quasi-romance, discovers their hosts possess a technology which could get our heroes halfway home.  Unfortunately, the Skiarians, so generous in every other area, are reluctant to share in this case.  It would seem they have their own prime directive.

"Prime Factors" is a strong episode.  The shoe is on the other foot in this Prime Directive scenario, in itself a welcome Trek twist.  Once news of the "space folding" tech and the diplomatic complications spreads to the crew, the back channel scheming begins.  The desire to get home weighs heavily against loyalty to the Captain and it's not just the former Maquis who are conflicted.  Relationships are tested and for narrative considerations, that's a good thing.  It remains to be seen whether there will be long-term ramifications.

Needless to say, the shortcut doesn't work out.  I'm finding, at least so far, that the most effective episodes are the ones that push hardest on the far from home anxieties.

Acting Notes

via Memory Beta

Garrett Wang (Harry Kim) was born in Riverside, California, December 15, 1968.  His family moved around quite a lot, first to Indiana, then to Bermuda, then to Memphis and finally back to California.  He graduated from UCLA with a degree in Asian Studies.

Wang's parents were dead set against him pursuing a career in acting.  He made a deal with them.  He would give it a go for two years and quit if it didn't work out.  They agreed.  A year-and-a-half later, he got the part on Voyager.  

Wang's resume is pretty slim compared to his regular cast colleagues.  This speaks to the reality of the industry.  Opportunities for an actor of Asian descent, even one who attains a significant level of early success, are severely limited.  Apart from a few commercials, his only paid job before Star Trek was a guest appearance on All-American Girl.  Films since include Ivory Tower, Demon Island and Unbelievable!!!  He has made guest appearances on Into the West and American Dad!  

On the Coffee Table: Unnatural Death

Title: Unnatural Death

Author: Dorothy L. Sayers

via Target

Lord Peter Wimsey is back for more adventures.  While out to dinner one night with his friend Charles Parker, a police inspector, Wimsey learns the details of a mysterious death from a doctor at a nearby table.  While the demise was attributed to natural causes, our man isn't convinced.  So begins an unlikely murder investigation based on close to zero evidence.

As I have written before, Wimsey is a cross between Doyle's Sherlock Holmes and Wodehouse's Bertie Wooster and per usual, the text references both characters.  Fortunately for all of the other principals involved, Wimsey is more grounded than either and his world more earth-bound.  A Sayers mystery is different in that the author is a procedure nerd: medical, legal, whatever.  And the question of who? is less crucial than how? to this particular story.  Wimsey's logic in even pursuing the case is largely philosophical:

...if you read all the books on this shelf, you'd come to the conclusion that murder was a failure.  But bless you, it's always the failures that make the noise.  Successful murderers don't write to the papers about it.  They don't even join in imbecile symposia to tell an inquisitive world "What Murder means to me" or "How I became a Successful Poisoner."  Happy murderers, like happy wives, keep quiet tongues.

Following this logic, it is the very tidiness of the crime which leads Whimsey to suspect.

A new character is introduced to the series: Miss Katherine Climpson.  A seemingly harmless "spinster," Lord Peter employs her as an undercover investigator, drawing on her powers as an expert gossip.  Sayers is often credited as being the first mystery writer to promote feminist ideas in her work.  Climpson is her first, though not her last, character to get directly involved in the detective work.  Sayers herself was, of course, a victim of the professional limitations placed upon women of her era.  No doubt such characters were meaningful vehicles for expressing her views.  

The book was published in the 1920s, not an era known for enlightened thinking in regards to race or religion.  Several highly questionable remarks are made regarding both Jews and Catholics (Miss Climpson is Catholic).  Far worse is the language regarding Black people.

Interestingly, it's never Lord Peter himself making these comments.  Indeed, Sayers paints him as more tolerant than those around him.

Overall, the book is great fun.  When not offensive, it's quite funny, especially given the dark topic.  Sayers's unusual approach is refreshing.  I look forward to reading more.

Squid Perks: Tunnel City Coffee

Tunnel City Coffee has two locations, both in northwestern Massachusetts: North Adams and Williamstown.  We went to the one in North Adams during a recent weekend getaway.  We all ordered the iced hibiscus herbal tea but in different sizes: small for me, medium for my wife and a large for our kid.  We didn't plan it that way.  Just happened.  And interestingly, we all finished at about the same time.

via Wikipedia

The name of the cafe got me curious.  I wasn't aware that North Adams is known as the Tunnel City.  The nearby Hoosac Tunnel is a 4.75-mile railroad tunnel built between 1851 to 1875, costing $21 million - that's quite a lot in 19th century dollars.  Evidently, it was a transformative development for the local economy and the tunnel is still in use today.

Yes, the tea was good - pretty, too.

Star Trek: Emanations

Episode: "Emanations"

Series: Star Trek: Voyager

Season 1, Episode 9

Original Air Date: March 13, 1995

via Memory Alpha

Our heroes discover a burial ground on an asteroid.  When the away team transports back to the ship, Ensign Kim isn't among them and one of the corpses is in his place.  We soon learn that he is on another planet, perhaps (as the natives believe) in a different dimension.  Meanwhile, back on Voyager, the Doctor revives the corpse and the afterlife is not what she expected it to be.  In essence, she and Ensign Kim have switched places.

"Emanations" tackles the greatest mystery of all: what happens to us when we die?  The Vhnori, the species Kim encounters, believe they know.  They put those near death in a device called a cenotaph which euthanizes the occupant, then transports them to the "next emanation."  They believe the deceased encounter their own passed loved ones and carry on in a higher state of existence.  But actually, their corpses end up on asteroids in a planetary ring.  

The episode covers a lot of important issues: euthanasia, assisted suicide and the afterlife.  Harry especially stumbles over Prime Directive gaffs at every turn in his effort to find his way home but the exploration itself is certainly compelling for the viewer.

The two best parts of the episode come at the beginning and the end.  Chakotay demonstrates impressive anthropological knowledge about death rituals as the away team explores the Vhnori burial ground, stressing how the care given to disposing of the dead suggests the belief in an afterlife.  Torres counters that the Klingons believe in an afterlife but are expedient in dealing with corpses.  Chakotay replies, "Good point.  However, some archaeological digs on the Klingon homeworld..."  He never finishes the sentence because they're interrupted.  Oh, how I wanted him to finish that sentence...

Even better are Janeway's words to Harry after he returns, telling why she wants him to take some time before he resumes his duties:

I just want to give you a chance to reflect on what's happened. This may not make much sense to you now, a young man at the beginning of his career. But one of the things you'll learn as you move up the ranks and get a little older is that… you wish you had more time in your youth to really, absorb all the things that happened to you. It goes by so fast. It's so easy to become jaded, to treat the extraordinary like just another day at the office. But sometimes there are experiences which transcend all that. You've just had one, Mr. Kim, and I want you to live with it for a little while. Write about it, if you feel like it. Paint. Express yourself in some fashion. The bridge will still be there in two days.

Those are words to live by, folks.

Acting Notes

via Nukapedia Fallout Wiki

Tim Russ (Tuvok) was born in Washington, D.C., June 22, 1956.  An Air Force brat, he spent part of his childhood in Turkey.  He attended St. Edwards University in Texas, then Illinois State for grad school.

Before Voyager, Russ had a regular cast role in The Highwayman and guest appearances in The Twilight Zone, The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine.  Early films included Crossroads, Bird and Star Trek Generations.  He had only one line in Mel Brooks's Spaceballs but it is far and away the best line in the movie.

Since Voyager, Russ has had a regular role on Samantha Who?, a recurring role in iCarly and guest appearances on Hannah Montana and Star Trek: Picard.  In 2014, he won an Emmy for public service ads he did for the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office.

Squid Eats: Maliwan Thai Restaurant

A few years ago, Maliwan Thai Restaurant took over the space previously occupied by Joyce's Noodle House, our family's default Chinese food option (see here).  I will always take Thai cuisine over Chinese so even though it's not far from Sukho Thai (our usual spot, see here), I see Maliwan as a welcome upgrade.  My wife and I went for lunch last Friday.

She got pork shumai dumplings and tom yum soup.

I got pad ka prow with chicken - on the hotter side of medium spicy, I'd say, which is a good thing by me.

I would still call Sukho our favorite but not for any particular reason other than sentimental value.  Maliwan is still perfectly nice - more windows, too, which makes for more natural daylight.  Maliwan is also marginally closer to Phoenix Books, one of our favorite local independents so depending on our other errands, it might be the better choice.

Star Trek: Visionary

Episode: "Visionary"

Series: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Season 3, Episode 17

Original Air Date: February 27, 1995

via Memory Alpha

Due to radiation poisoning, O'Brien is experiencing time jumps five hours into the future and back.  Meanwhile, a Romulan delegation has arrived.  They're none too happy about the lack of intelligence available regarding the Dominion.

Once again, I roll my eyes over time travel in Star Trek.  I don't even see the point this time.  Some on the creative staff thought it was too much like a technobabble heavy NextGen episode.  Actually, I don't have any trouble with the basic Romulans-up-to-no-good story itself.  In fact, I think the same tale could have been told more effectively without the time shifting garbage.  And the wrinkle at the end where one can't even be sure if the Miles still alive is the "right Miles" is unnecessary nonsense.

As ever, there are redeeming elements.  The Miles/Julian darts "rivalry" begins when the board is put up in the bar.  Quark closing his eyes and hurling all three darts simultaneously is definitely funny.  The bar brawl involving Klingons and Romulans is good value.  We get a brief continuation of the Odo Crush on Kira story.  There's decent character development, particularly for Miles, of course.  So, there's 5-10 minutes of quality material sprinkled through the mess.  

Acting Notes

via Wiki 24

Jack Shearer played the role of Ruwon, the leader of the Romulan delegation.  Shearer was born March 21, 1944.  "Visionary" was his second of six Star Trek appearances.  In First Contact, he played Admiral Hayes, a role he would reprise for two episodes of Voyager.

Other films include The Usual Suspects and Senseless.  Television appearances include Ally McBeal, Malcolm in the Middle and Boston Legal.

Squid Perks: The North Branch Cafe

The North Branch Cafe has been operating in Montpelier since 2013.  Central Vermont in general and Montpelier in particular have been through a lot in the past few years.  Obviously, COVID took a big bite out of local businesses just as it did for many others worldwide.  Then last summer, our state capital was hit with severe flooding that caused damage to everyone at ground level.  On top of that, Vermont's recent mild winters (climate change is real) have hurt the ski industry, robbing everyone of tourism dollars.  Plus, there are the ongoing workforce shortages currently plaguing many cafes and restaurants.  So North Branch is not in the strongest financial position these days.  If you're in a position to help, check out their gofundme page here.  

North Branch is seemingly never open when we're in town, though learning more about their struggles offers clues as to why.  As luck would have it, they were open this past rainy Saturday afternoon so my wife and I stopped in.  We ordered a pot of Assam and a piece of gluten-free Scottish shortbread to share.  You will likely notice in the photo above that we were served in to-go cups rather than a pot.  Understaffed, management elected to close an hour early at 4.  And yet, they continued to take orders right up to closing time.  I suppose it's understandable given their cash crunch but it didn't make for the most relaxing experience.  

On the positive side, the tea was perfectly nice as was the shortbread - a little dry for my taste but flavorful.  I'm all in favor of bringing North Branch more business the next time we visit Montpelier... assuming they're open.

Family Book Swap: Starter Villain

Title: Starter Villain

Author: John Scalzi

via Amazon

Charlie Fitzer is down on his luck.  Once happily married and gainfully employed as a business reporter, he is now divorced and working as a substitute teacher.  He moved back into his childhood home to take care of his ailing father, now deceased.  His financial situation is dire.  On the bright side, he has two cats who clearly adore him.

Charlie's world gets turned inside out when he learns an estranged billionaire uncle has died.  Charlie is his only living relative so much to Charlie's own shock, he is placed at the head of an international financial empire that extends way beyond owning parking lots.  He becomes, in effect, a supervillain based in a remote Caribbean volcano cave.

The story that unfolds is a combination of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Doctor No and The Cat from Outer Space.  The ties to James Bond are the most obvious with direct references to Goldfinger, Blofeld and SPECTRE.  But the Douglas Adams narrative elements are many: a lovable loser who learns his world is not at all what he thought it was; animals (including dolphins) who turn out to be a lot more intelligent than expected; Ford Prefect- and Zaphod Beeblebrox-like characters plus a generally irreverent sense of humor.  We're talking laugh out loud funny.  As for the cats, well, some surprises are worth preserving for anyone intending to read the book.

Scalzi is a well-established scifi novelist. He has won several Hugos in various categories, including Best Novel.  Starter Villain has been nominated for that award for 2024, the winner to be announced in Glasgow on August 11th.  The fantastical elements aside, the basic premises of the billionaire playground world are surprisingly believable.  The typically incompetent super rich play by their own rules with minimal accountability to anyone besides, only occasionally, each other.  Sounds about right.  

I'm not sure how I feel about the ending.  It's not all tied up quite so neatly as one expects which I suppose it's a good thing.  Fortunately, Charlie is certainly better off than when the book started and the most important characters are still devoted to him.  There's just enough of a crack in the door to allow for a sequel but perhaps better to leave the story as it is.

Overall, it's definitely a strong book.  I'll be keeping an eye out for Scalzi's other work and certainly will check in for the Hugo results in August.

Star Trek: Ex Post Facto

Episode: "Ex Post Facto"

Series: Star Trek: Voyager

Season 1, Episode 8

Original Air Date: February 27, 1995

via Memory Alpha

Tom Paris has committed murder, or so the Banea would have us all believe.  While visiting the Banean homeworld, Paris and Kim meet a physicist, Tolen Ren, and asks him for help in repairing Voyager's collimator.  The accommodating Dr. Ren invites his new friends to his home for dinner where they meet his beautiful wife, Lidell.  Playboy Tom instantly falls for her and naturally, that's where the trouble begins.  The doctor is killed and Tom stands accused on the strength of damning evidence.  The victim's own memories of the crime are replayed at the trial.  The punishment is cruel.  Those same memories are implanted in Tom's brain where he will experience them every 14 hours for the rest of his life.

Obviously, all of this eventually gets sorted out cleverly and Tom is absolved.  Tuvok plays the Holmes/Poirot sleuth role.  The final clue is derived directly from Arthur Conan Doyle's 1892 short story, "The Adventure of Silver Blaze," included in The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes.  

"Ex Post Facto" is, in many ways, a rehash of the NextGen Season 3 episode "A Matter of Perspective," in turn inspired by Rashomon, the Kurosawa masterpiece.  However, there are important differences.  There's no attempted rape element this time which significantly reduces the ickiness.  Also, while Riker is technically acquitted, Manua, who accused him of trying to rape her, genuinely believed she was attacked.  Even Counselor Troi acknowledges that.  So his "innocence" is not 100% clear.  While Tom certainly comes off as a cad in this week's story, no one accuses him of rape.

Acting Notes

via Wikipedia

Ethan Phillips (Neelix) was born in Garden City, New York, February 8, 1955.  His father was the owner of Frankie & Johnnie's a Manhattan steakhouse, originally a speakeasy.  Phillips studied at Boston University and Cornell.

Phillips's stage resume is impressive, even by Star Trek standards.  During a revival of Eccentricities of a Nightingale, legendary playwright Tennessee Williams wrote a new monologue for Phillips.  He performed in Measure for Measure with Kevin Kline.  He was in the Broadway premier of My Favorite Year.  His stage work has continued post-Trek, appearing in the premier of David Mamut's November, Best Play Tony winner All the Way and the Broadway premier of Junk: The Golden Age of Debt.

Before Voyager, Phillips, like René Auberjonois, was in the principal cast of Benson, playing Pete Downey for five seasons.  He also made guest appearances on L.A. Law, JAG and Star Trek: The Next Generation as the Ferengi doctor Farek in "Ménage à Troi."  Films include Ragtime, Lean on Me and Green Card.  

On the Coffee Table: Cal Newport

Title: Deep Work: Rules for Success in a Distracted World

Author: Cal Newport

via Amazon

Cal Newport defines deep work as "professional activities performed in a state of distraction-free concentration that push your cognitive capabilities to their limit.  These efforts create new value, improve your skill and are hard to replicate."  If you can program a computer to do it, it's not deep work.  If you can do it with minimal focus, it's not deep work.  His broader point: if you need to set aside time in your life for demanding intellectual enterprises, deep work is an approach to making it happen efficiently, mainly by creating a distraction-free environment.  Obviously, this isn't easy in our hyper-connected, distraction-rich world.  Fear not.  Newport has some advice.

I liked the book.  In fact, I think I'll get a lot out of the advice in the long run.  I feel I need to say that before I dig into the bits that irk me.  I also feel it's important, for myself, to bear in mind who Cal Newport is and for whom he is writing.  His day job is computer science professor at Georgetown so the output he has in mind for himself is primarily the academic publishing required to get tenure.  Deep Work reads like an advance brochure for speaking gigs, a lucrative source of supplemental income.  So his audience is corporate "business" types, always out to get more value out of everyone's time, including their own.  With all that in mind...

I take issue with the implicit limits on meaningful work.  Surely, the daily efforts of teachers, nurses, social workers and many others add "value to the world" even if they're not creating new, profound ideas for the general public to digest.  Indeed, is not parenting a child adding value?  Aren't there other - typically identified as "soft" - skills that are valuable in the work place?  How many CEOs and other corporate big shots have gotten to the top on the strength of their interpersonal skills as much as their financial wizardry?  How many people thrive thanks to their improvisatory gifts?

And so on.  Fortunately, there's more to the book than that.  Moreover, even though I am not in the target audience, I believe I can gain a lot from Newport's ideas.

According to the author, the most important requirement for attaining the mental state enabling deep work is the elimination of distractions.  The global scope of the problem is obvious.  The Internet (still capitalized, you'll notice) is ubiquitous.  As I write this, I have seven other browser tabs open.  My smartphone is within arm's reach and I don't need to lean too far forward to grab the television remote.  Delayed gratification is a quaint, archaic concept, especially in our post-COVID society and overall, that reality has undoubtedly done as much harm as good.  I cannot deny that reducing such distractions could only add value and meaning to my life.  In light of the awareness Newport's book has brought, I have already discovered what a huge difference it makes to be in a separate room from my phone. 

Late June is an interesting time to be reading such a book.  With the school year just finished, work motivation is at a low ebb indeed so the idea of taking on a huge project like Newport has in mind is not remotely appealing.  On the other hand, there's plenty of brain space for new ideas even if I'm not quite ready to put them into action.  In particular, it's a fantastic time to experiment with disconnection.

Coincidentally, I made significant progress with this book while lounging at a hydro spa in Bromont, Quebec.  Phones are forbidden once you enter the spa area, a wonderfully liberating inconvenience.  Silence - not quiet, but silence - is encouraged and even occasionally gently enforced.  So for the most part, there's "nothing to do" except sit in hot water and stare off into the distance.  It took a while for me to adjust to this intentional idleness.  Small, self-conscious preoccupations like what to do with my arms crept in.  When I settled on simply letting them float, I made real progress on relaxing.

Of course, we can't afford such indulgences very often so I'll need to find other means of achieving this mental state on a regular basis.  Newport recommends walking in nature most highly - easily accomplished in my neighborhood, at least in non-winter months.  He also suggests casual conversation, listening to music, playing a game (off-screen) or going for a run.  He didn't mention it but I certainly believe in meditation, something I've experimented with in the past.

I also want to remember Newport's advice regarding email: ignore what you can, avoid the knee-jerk tendency to respond to everything and when you do write, take the time to craft meaningful messages that get to the point and avoid endless back and forth.  

Overall, Deep Work is a good book and I'm glad to have read it.  While I'm not prepared to put all of Newport's advice into action tomorrow, he's provided tools for pursuing a more meaningful life.  At my age, that's my most important goal anyway.

Squid Mixes: Kir

A kir combines creme de cassis and white wine.  The wine separates it from the kir royale which features champagne instead.  I chose the recipe from The New York Bartender's Guide even though it uses far more cassis than is typical - probably obvious in the photo.  I wouldn't do it that way if I were to make the drink again but my wife suggested it as a drink for helping to clear shelf space in the liquor cabinet.  She ended up adding more ice to hers to water it down.

Star Trek: Prophet Motive

Episode: "Prophet Motive"

Series: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Season 3, Episode 16

Original Air Date: February 20, 1995

via Memory Beta

The Grand Nagus (Wallace Shawn) is on the station for a visit and he appears to have lost his mind.  He has rewritten the Rules of Acquisition: greed is out, generosity is in.  Meanwhile, Doctor Bashir has been nominated for a prestigious medical award.

DS9 can get pretty heavy.  An occasional, frivolous Ferengi romp provides essential comic relief and Shawn Wallace is always good value.  That said, it would be a stretch to call this a good episode.  The Quark and Rom development is minimal, though Rom's gradual rising in his brother's estimation is nice to see.  The Bashir B-plot is mostly forgettable though somewhat notable for his first game of darts with Miles, an important feature of their friendship moving forward.  

Acting Notes

via Muppet Wiki

Juliana Donald played the role of Emi, a woman looking to buy stem bolts from Quark and not above using her feminine charms to encourage him to bring down the price.  Donald was born in Washington, DC, January 1, 1964.  "Prophet Motive" was her second Trek episode.  She played Tayna in "A Matter of Perspective."

Donald's films include The Muppets Take Manhattan, The Purple Rose of Cairo and Dragnet.  Television appearances include NYPD Blue, Babylon 5 and The X-Files.

On the Coffee Table: Mark Twain

Title: The Prince and the Pauper

Author: Mark Twain

via Wikipedia

Prince Edward of England accidentally switch places with his doppelganger, Tom Canty, whose life of poverty and brutality on the streets of London could hardly be less like his own.  The plot thickens when the King, Henry VIII, dies and Edward must succeed him.  The novel, first serialized in 1881, was Mark Twain's first historical fiction work.  The already famous author wrote the book after his second European publicity tour.

Tom's adjustment to life in the royal court is mostly comical.  All of his attendants attribute his evident amnesia to madness.  But he adapts and, indeed, grows to like his new station quite a lot.  Who wouldn't?  Edward's transition is a lot more perilous.  Miraculously, he survives Tom's abusive father long enough to be rescued by Miles Hendon, a down-on-his-luck nobleman.  When Edward and Miles are soon separated, the prince turned pauper is exposed to the darker side of pre-Elizabethan England.

Through both stories is woven a quest for justice.  Both boys witness, from opposite perspectives, the unfairness of the criminal justice system.  Each, while acting as King, exacts reforms.

As I have written before, I love Mark Twain.  The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is certainly one of my all-time favorites.  I've also read Tom Sawyer, The Mysterious Stranger, The Autobiography of Mark Twain, parts of Life on the Mississippi and Innocents Abroad as well as numerous short stories.  This was my first time reading The Prince and the Pauper.  It shares theme with other Twain works.  For a time, Edward falls in with a gang of thieves, clearly a fantasy the author likes to indulge - a midwesterner's version of pirate tales.  

Most interesting to me, the Miles Hendon character serves a similar narrative function to that of Jim in Huck Finn.  Both men rescue their respective protagonists from abusive fathers and save the boys' lives numerous times over the course of the books.  The psychological insight revealed in these relationships is ahead of its time.  It's much discussed in education and other industries focused on children: a child with a troubled life can survive and even thrive with the help of just one adult (can't be a parent) who cares about them and believes in them.

There's more Twain on my shelves.  I'm looking forward to spending more time with his work.

Squid Mixes: Manhasset

A Manhasset combines rye, dry vermouth, sweet vermouth and lemon juice with a lemon twist.  Essentially, it's a Perfect Manhattan with lemon juice rather than bitters.  I got my recipe from The New York Bartender's Guide.  I assume it's named after the town in Long Island but I couldn't find anything regarding etymology.

The recipe contains a misprint.  It calls for 1/2 part of dry vermouth and 1/2 part of sweet but the actual measurements list the dry at 1/4 oz. and the sweet at 1/2 oz.  Quick internet research wasn't especially helpful either.  Some had the two equal, some favored the dry, others the sweet.  So, I went with Punt e Mes, a combination of both and my wife's favorite vermouth anyway.  

The result was quite nice.  I generally favor whiskey drinks, my wife lemony wins so this is a good one for pleasing both of us.  I'm not sure either of us would take it in favor of a Manhattan or a Sidecar but it's still a good one to have in the repertoire.  

Our child gave me a most thoughtful Father's Day gift: a magnifying glass I can keep in the kitchen.  As I get older and my eyes get weaker, it has become increasingly challenging to read fractions in drink recipe books.  It has already come in handy.

Star Trek: Eye of the Needle

Episode: "Eye of the Needle"

Series: Star Trek: Voyager

Season 1, Episode 7

Original Air Date: February 20, 1995

via Memory Alpha

The Voyager crew discover a wormhole, one that leads back to the Alpha Quadrant!  Could it be a way home?  There are two problems (initially): the opening is only a few centimeters wide, obviously not enough for the ship to get through.  Also, it connects directly to the heart of Romulan space.  Even so, a plan is hatched.  Using a probe as a relay, they should be able to transport the entire crew to a Romulan ship on the other side.

Without a doubt, this is Voyager's best story so far, perhaps even the first great episode of the series.  Even (especially?) in speculative fiction, the most effective narratives connect with the audience on an emotional level.  "Eye of the Needle" toys with a particularly vulnerable emotion: hope.  It's the first episode to deal meaningfully with the toll taken on a group of people lost and far from home.  Even though I, as the viewer, know perfectly well there are still six more seasons to go after this one and the gang doesn't actually make it back until the end (spoiler), the characters don't know that.  We see the hope on their faces - even for Torres, who professes not to care - and we see it snatched away.  100% relatable and perfectly executed.

There's more.  Their contact on the other side of the wormhole is the captain of a Romulan science vessel named Telek R'Mor.  At first, he is skeptical and really, who can blame him?  Once Janeway convinces him they are who they say they are and, more importantly, they are where they say they are, he reluctantly agrees to help them.  The encounter is a welcome and likely intentional contrast with the Enterprise's experience in "Balance of Terror."  Telek R'Mor is a multi-dimensional Romulan.  As a scientist, he is genuinely impressed by our heroes' technological achievements.  Janeway is ultimately able to win him over partly by appealing to his devotion to family.  By the end of the story, he is willing - perhaps even proud - to serve as their champion.

As if that weren't enough, there's a rewarding Kes-Doctor story, too.  To say Kes has quickly become a capable medical assistant would be a gross understatement.  She has a remarkable memory and is eager to learn.  She has also noticed how disrespectful the rest of the crew is towards the Doctor and brings the problem to the captain.  Janeway is at first reluctant to take on the problem but Kes convinces her.  The Kes-Doctor relationship is the first on the show to exhibit genuine warmth.  Full credit to both actors.  In a touching moment, the episode ends with the Doctor expressing a desire for a name.  The idea evolves into a running gag over the course of the series but in the moment, it's very sweet.

It's a solid episode, first minute to last.

Acting Notes

via West Wing Wiki

Robert Picardo (Doctor) was born in Philadelphia, October 27, 1953.  He went to Yale, initially for pre-med but he ultimately graduated with a degree in drama.  He has solid music credentials, too.  He sang with the prestigious Society of Orpheus and Bacchus at Yale and also performed a major role in the European premiere of Leonard Bernstein's "Mass."  

Picardo hit Broadway in 1977, first in Gemini, then in Tribute.  Among the Voyager principals, he probably had the best on-screen resume coming into the gig with a regular cast role on China Beach and recurring roles on Alice and The Wonder Years.  Pre-Trek films included Innerspace, Gremlins 2 and Total Recall (voice role).

Squid Eats: Flavors of India

via Flavors of India

A new Indian restaurant is always an exciting thing.  We recently visited Flavors of India in Essex Junction for the first time.  It's right across the street from the railroad station, a location with good visibility but I wonder how many people are actually stopping in.  We met friends there at 6 on a Friday and we were the only customers.  

The offerings are standard (for the US) Indian fare.  We ordered a fairly typical assortment to share: naan, chicken tikka masala, lamb mango, saag paneer, vegetable biryani.  Interestingly, nearly everything on the printed menu lists cashews among the ingredients - a no-no given my allergies.  Fortunately, they were able to make adjustments.  The same is not true for the online menu.  I wonder if that's intentional or if they're even aware of the discrepancy.  It's BYOB so we brought our own beer and cider.  The kid had hot tea.

Food, service and decor were all fine.  We'll definitely be back.  It may, in fact, be our closest India place so it could be a reasonable takeout choice, too.  I do worry about the lack of customers.  I hope they survive a while. 

Star Trek: Destiny

Episode: "Destiny"

Series: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Season 3, Episode 14

Original Air Date: February 13, 1995

via Memory Alpha

In a joint project, scientists from Bajor, Cardassia and the Federation are working to establish a permanent communications link through the wormhole.  But a Bajoran prophecy warns of trouble.  Commander Sisko, still uncomfortable with being identified as the Emissary, must navigate tricky waters through the political and religious complications.

Sisko's personal journey from denial to acceptance of his role as Emissary is an essential theme of the series from first episode to last.  In the broader sense, his attitude defines his relationship with the Bajorans.  On a more personal level, it impacts his relationship with Major Kira and ultimately of course, his understanding of himself.  In "Destiny," as the prophecy appears to come true, we see one of the first sparks of belief for Sisko.

I'm not a huge fan of the Emissary arc.  It's meaningful and well-executed, yet it makes me uncomfortable.  Part of it is my own non-religious life experience, I have to admit.  But I'm also wary of Star Trek overemphasizing the importance of the individual in any story.  It feels un-Trek to me.  Wesley's chosen one narrative in joining the Traveler: not a fan.  The god-like importance attached to a young Spock in Season 2 of Discovery: not a fan.  Such matters are more the realm of Doctor Who, Marvel comics, Star Wars... to me, they feel out of place in Star Trek.  

Acting Notes

via Wikipedia

Tracy Scoggins played the role of Gliora Rejal, a Cardassian scientist who takes a liking to our man, Miles O'Brien.  Scoggins was born in Galveston County, Texas, November 13, 1953.  Scoggins was an accomplished child athlete, winning diving championships by age nine and swimming medals by 13.  She was on the varsity gymnastics team at Southwest Texas State University and nearly qualified for the US Olympic diving team.  She graduated from college with a degree in physical education.

After college, she was recruited by a modeling agency, working in both New York and Europe.  Her first acting job was a guest appearance on Dukes of Hazzard.  Regular roles on The Renegades and Hawaiian Heat, both short-lived series, soon followed.  She found her way to the Dynasty franchise, in which she was cast in the role of Monica Colby, appearing in two episodes of the parent show, then all 49 episodes of the spinoff, The Colbys.  She was also a regular for a time on both Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman and Babylon 5.  Films include The Strange Case of Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde, Popstar and The Cutter.

Squid Eats: Paradiso Hi Fi Lounge

I have a new favorite restaurant in Vermont.  Paradiso Hi Fi describes itself as "a listening lounge with creative cocktail and culinary programming in Burlington."  The cuisine is "New England-inspired."  Take that to mean what you will.  The result is awfully tasty.  My wife and I have been a few times now.  Our most recent visit was our first time bringing our child.

The food menu includes small plates and large plates, intended to be shared - recommendation is two plates per person.  This time, we got pickles, sourdough pull apart rolls and smoked bluefish drop dumplings for small plates and rhubarb and fennel salad, green onion gnudi and rack of lamb for the large.  The combo made for good balances with hot/cold, meat/veggie/starch and sweet/savory/sour.  My wife's a big lamb fan but not always easily pleased at restaurants.  She said she could have eaten about three of the rack of lamb plates.  Dessert was good, too.  We got one of each from the menu: preserved blueberry tart for my wife, honey cake and fly me to the moon, a root beer float made with rye bread ice cream, for me.  A stunning meal all around.

Rye bread is clearly a favorite flavor for the chef.  The best item we've had at the restaurant involved a rye bread sauce.  I don't even remember what the main feature of the dish was supposed to be.  That sauce was the star.

A DJ spins vinyl to accompany the meal - the music is pleasant, though hardly conventional.  On a previous visit, we were introduced to a fascinating Japanese prog rock band called Kikagaku Moyo.  I recommend you check out their song "Smoke and Mirrors."  We were hoping the music would be a hit with the kid but they found it a bit too loud.  

The drink menu is fun, too, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic.  Most of the drinks are named after songs or are otherwise music-inspired: Yacht Rock, Push It, The Policy of Truth, etc.  I ordered a beer, something I've decided to do more often in restaurants.  I feel it's more cost-effective than cocktails.  Unfortunately, all of the beers on offer were in cans.  I'd have made a different choice if I'd known.

Wait staff is highly attentive.  I really like the vibe of the place, though I can understand how the music might not please everyone.  The price is on the higher side so while I have no problem claiming Paradiso Hi Fi as my new area favorite, there are better value choices around.

Star Trek: The Cloud

Episode: "The Cloud"

Series: Star Trek: Voyager

Season 1, Episode 6

Original Air Date: February 13, 1995

via Memory Alpha

Given Voyager's predicament, addressing limited supplies is going to be a major factor in long-term survival.  Last week, it was the search for dilithium that lead to trouble.  This week, our friends encounter a nebula which is rich in omicron particles, a resource essential to their power reserves.  Of course, this is Star Trek and the nebula is not what it seems.  It is a living organism and our heroes have inadvertently caused it injury.  They do their best to make things right.

The series's most famous line is featured in "The Cloud," delivered by Captain Janeway: "There's coffee in that nebula."  The line was repeated by an astronaut aboard the International Space Station in 2015.

"The Cloud" is a significant world-building episode, the world aboard ship, that is.  The broad theme is Janeway finding her proper role among the crew, a role certainly complicated by circumstances.  Tom Paris recreates a Marseille pool hall, Chez Sandrine, on the holodeck which becomes a favored social hangout spot for the crew.  The captain joins the gang at the end of the story, setting an important contrast with Jean-Luc Picard's reluctance to join the officers' poker game until the final scene of the final TNG episode.  Janeway is pretty good with a cue in her hands, too.  Kate Mulgrew did her own "stunts" at the pool table.

Janeway and Chakotay attain a new level of (platonic) intimacy as Chakotay guides the captain in a vision quest to find her spirit animal.  The writers were cautious in utilizing Chakotay's Native American heritage.  They wanted to be respectful, not playing too much on stereotypes.  They walked a thin line with the vision quest idea but I think it works here.

Neelix promotes himself to Ship Morale Officer, bringing hors d'oeuvres to the bridge during a tense moment.  Comic relief?  I suppose - still more than a tad annoying.  And frankly, The Doctor trying to get everyone's attention on the view screen (see image above) is much funnier.  In a more revealing scene, Neelix goes on a brief tirade to Kes about the crew's general recklessness:

"These people are natural born idiots if you ask me. They don't appreciate what they have here. This ship is the match of any vessel within a hundred light years and what do they do with it? Well, uh, let's see if we can't find some space anomaly today that might RIP IT APART!"

While Kes manages to calm him down, Neelix is not exactly wrong in expressing his concerns.  Perhaps the idea was for him to share what could just as easily be going through an audience member's mind from time to time.

A couple random thoughts for the road...

• I've often found Kate Mulgrew's voice a bit grating but I've come to hear it in a new light (mixed metaphor - sorry).  Imagine Katharine Hepburn as Kathryn Janeway and it works just fine.
• How did cast and crew manage having three Roberts in the principal cast?  The answer (thank you, Google): Robert Beltran (Chakotay) was referred to as "Robert," Robert Duncan McNeill (Tom Paris) was "Robbie" and Robert Picardo (The Doctor) has evidently always gone by "Bob."

Acting Notes

via Memory Alpha

Robert Duncan McNeill was born in Raleigh, North Carolina, November 9, 1964.  He attended the Julliard School in New York.  In 1986, he scored the role of Charlie Brent on All My Children, the fourth of six actors to play the character over a 24-year period.  He also appeared with Stockard Channing on Broadway in Six Degrees of Separation.  He made guest appearances in The Twilight Zone, L.A. Law and Quantum Leap.  He'd previously appeared on Star Trek as Nick Locarno in "The First Duty" as previously discussed here.

Since Voyager, most of his high profile work has been in producing and directing, notably for Chuck, Resident Alien and Turner & Hooch.  

Squid Eats: Istanbul Kebab House

Istanbul Kebab House (IKH) in Burlington is one of our favorite restaurants for before or after events at the Flynn Theater.  We went most recently before the final Vermont Symphony Orchestra concert of the season.  Most of what westerners think of as "Middle Eastern" or "Eastern Mediterranean" cuisine is actually Turkish in origin, a legacy of one of history's most powerful empires.  So many would be familiar with the hummus, baba ganoush, tzatzki and, indeed, kebabs on offer at IKH.

We kept things simple on this visit.  I got the Chicken Shish Kebab, my wife the Döner Kebab.  We like everything on the menu, though.  On other occasions - with more time and, ideally, more people - we've enjoyed both the Large Meze Platter and the Mixed Grill Kebab.  Both are great ways to get a little bit of everything.  

IKH is not the most esteemed restaurant in its category in our area.  That would be the nearby Honey Road.  I personally prefer IKH for several reasons: Honey Road is more fusion-oriented.  That certainly has its place but when I'm in the mood for such fare, I want as close as possible to the real deal.  Honey Road is also more expensive and, as it is more popular, more crowded.  We can nearly always get a table at IKH, though reservations are recommended, particularly on the weekend.

Of course, for the best in the area, one must go to Montreal - no great hardship for our family.

IKH has a new cocktail menu, probably due to what I assume is a brand new head bartender.  We were in the perfect spot to watch staff get trained to make some of the new drinks.  I got a Black Sea Serpent, my wife a non-alcoholic Watermelon Fizz.