Star Trek: Bar Association

Episode: "Bar Association"

Series: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Season 4, Episode 16

Original Air Date: February 19, 1996

via Memory Alpha

Quark's bar is suffering through the month-long Bajoran Time of Cleansing.  With profits down, the proprietor cuts wages by a third.  Rom and his colleagues have finally had enough and they go on strike, an egregious violation of Ferengi law.  Brunt returns as an agent of the Ferengi Commerce Authority (FCA) with orders to quash the labor action by any means necessary.  In the B plot, Worf's struggles in adjusting to life on the station continue.

Full disclosure, I'm a labor man - deeply involved with my local union.  As such, much of the material in this episode speaks to me on a personal level.  Labor relations are also a major driver in the entertainment industry.  The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and Writers Guild of America (WGA) are still among the most powerful unions in the country.  Armin Shimerman (Quark) himself has served on SAG's executive board.  It's surprising stories like these don't pop up so much on screen.  There aren't many TV shows in which the good guys quote The Communist Manifesto.

The two plots intersect when Worf crosses the picket line and the pro-labor O'Brien takes offense.  The two engage in an off-camera bar brawl with Bashir caught in the middle.  That storyline ends with Sisko berating the trio in the bridge, the scene an homage to the John Ford 1948 film, Fort Apache.  I'm not a huge fan of this side-narrative - it feels like they did it for the sake of the homage rather than adding anything meaningful to the story.  Filler.

For the long-term, "Bar Association" offers the first suggestion that there might be romance potential for Rom and dabo girl, Leeta.

Acting Notes

via Transformers: Robots in Disguise Wiki

It's time to give Jeffrey Combs (Brunt) his proper due.  In 2025, Combs is a social media favorite for playing several different recurring Star Trek characters across multiple series - over 20 appearances in all.  As Brunt alone, "Bar Association" is his second of seven appearances.

Jeffrey Combs was born in Oxnard, California, September 9, 1954.  He trained at the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts and the University of Washington.  On the big screen, horror films have been his wheelhouse, especially the work of director Stuart Gordon.  He has appeared in the Re-Animator trilogy, From Beyond and The Pit and the Pendulum.  Beyond Trek, his TV credits include Babylon 5, The 4400 and Masters of Horror.

On the Coffee Table: Herman Melville

Title: Moby Dick

Author: Herman Melville

via Amazon

Pull up a chair.  We have a lot to talk about...

Captain Ahab leads the crew of the Pequod, a 19th-century whaling ship.  Most are just trying to make a living but Ahab is out for revenge.  A white whale - THE white whale - chomped off one of his legs.  Ahab means to make him pay.  If ever there were a story to convince you that genius is often wasted on the maniacal, this is it.

Moby Dick is, of course, on a short list of Greatest American Novels - indeed the finest works in world literature.  Melville's masterpiece is a profound reading experience: global in scope, richly detailed, lingually dazzling, expertly cast and ultimately unforgettable.  There are brief-candle caliber passages: Ahab throwing his lit pipe into the sea, for instance.  You read them once and you know they'll be with you for the rest of your life.

I finally made it all the way through for the first time.  It took me six months.  I didn't skip any of the chapters about whales - so many chapters about whales!  There are individual chapters about their classification, their spouts, their bones, their heads (two: one for the right whale, one for the sperm whale), their tails, etc.  There are three separate chapters about whales depicted in art. 

So many damn whales...

And I didn't skim over a single one.

The biological details aren't 100% accurate by 2025 standards.  Little was known in the mid-19th century, for example, about the blue whale - identified by Melville as the sulphur-bottom whale - as it was too fast to be hunted.  Furthermore, the author frequently refers to whales as fish.  That said, there's no denying the whaler of his day had far more intimate knowledge of the animal than most 21st century biologists ever get.  

And boy, was Melville eager to share everything he had learned.  Expertly written though it undeniably is, there is a notebook-dump feel to the prose for hundreds of pages at a time.  I get it.  Like all of his serialized contemporaries, Melville was paid by the word.  If the reader of 1851 was willing to stick with you through all of the minutia, more power to you, Herman.  The action of the story could probably have been told in 150 pages.  Maybe even fewer.  But then it wouldn't be Moby Dick.  This is a book the reader has to earn.  At last, I have.

On one of my childhood visits to The Philosopher's Island (read here), The Philosopher's dad brought a copy of  Moby Dick along to read on the trip.  I have fond memories of this kind, quiet man reading by lamplight with a delighted smile on his face.  The story begins in that part of the world, you see: specifically New Bedford, Massachusetts, then the ship launches from nearby Nantucket.  As a family, we've been to NB - even visited the whaling museum and the famous chapel described by Melville.  Having read the book, I'd love to go back.  The novel makes me curious about Nantucket, too.

The monomaniacal Ahab has become a character template all his own.  After reading, I'm also curious about the legacy of his first mate, Starbuck.  The world's largest coffeehouse chain is named for him, of course, but I wonder more at the literary legacy.  Every stubborn leader needs someone to talk them out of the crazy shit they want to do.  Every Ahab needs a Starbuck, even if he ultimately ignores him.  

Frequent visitors might remember my challenges in pinning down the narrative purpose of Riker in Star Trek: The Next Generation.  I see now, he's Starbuck.  Of course, Picard is no Ahab.  In Star Trek, Khan is the best equivalent.  But Riker is clearly a Starbuck, perhaps best demonstrated in "The Pegasus."

Without a doubt, Moby-Dick is one of the most extraordinary books I've ever read.  However, I'm not eager to read more like it (not that there are many).  At six months per, who has the time?  Even so, I can see myself picking it off the shelf from time to time for a quick fix: "Oh, lonely death on lonely life!  Oh, now I feel my topmost greatness lies in my topmost grief."

So many damn whales...

Squid Eats: Halvorson's

Over two decades ago, now, my wife and I were at the hospital.  My wife had been hooked up to a pitocin drip all day, intending to induce labor for the birth of our first and only child.  The doctors told us we could keep going with the drip through the night or take a break and get a good night's sleep.  My wife chose sleep.  My job was to run out to get some real food for dinner so we wouldn't have to settle for hospital grub.  I went to Halvorson's, one of the few places on Burlington's Church Street that was still open and taking orders.  I came back with cheeseburgers.

They were the best cheeseburgers we've ever eaten in our lives...

If hunger is the best sauce, exhaustion runs a close second.  That last night of our pre-parenting lives, we had plenty of both.  The story itself is one I still gleefully tell expecting parents, particularly those preparing for a planned inducement.  A return visit to Halvorson's seemed as good a way as anyway to celebrate Father's Day, our first without the kid - they have an internship in Massachusetts for the summer.

My cheeseburger was still damn good - a reasonable medium rare but with a respectable sear on the outside, as if fresh off the grill.  I'm not sure it was worth $17 but that seems to be the going rate at restaurants these days.  My wife was less impressed with her fish tacos, essentially deconstructed for her to put together at the table.  The mud pie for dessert was nice.

We haven't been to Halvorson's much in the intervening years.  That's mostly because of ample preferable alternatives on Church Street.  Apart from sentimental value, I don't know if I'd be inclined to go again.

But the classic cheeseburger really is pretty good.

Star Trek: Death Wish

Episode: "Death Wish"

Series: Star Trek: Voyager

Season 2, Episode 18

Original Air Date: February 19, 1996

via Memory Alpha

Our heroes encounter Quinn (Gerrit Graham), a member of the Q Continuum.  Quinn wishes to be allowed to die and suicide is illegal among his kind.  Our usual Q (John de Lancie) turns up to bring Quinn in for punishment.  Quinn requests asylum, giving Captain Janeway a decision to make.  Q agrees to abide by her choice, though he dangles a bribe: bringing Voyager home.  

The right to die on one's own terms is a relevant moral question for any society and not entirely new turf for Star Trek.  The philosophical debate aside, "Death Wish" earns praise from critics for the acting.  Graham, de Lancie and Kate Mulgrew are all wonderful.  Plus, we get a brief cameo from our old pal Will Riker.

The series's strong run continues.

Acting Notes

via Memory Alpha

Gerrit Graham was born in New York City, November 27, 1949.  He attended but did not graduate from Columbia, though he did meet Brian De Palma, a fortuitous encounter in the long run.  "Death Wish" was Graham's second of two Trek appearances.

Graham has been in several of Brian De Palma's films, including Greetings, Hi, Mom, Home Movies and Phantom of the Paradise.  Beyond Trek, he had a principal voice role in The Critic and a recurring role in Parker Lewis Can't Lose.  He was one of the finalists for DS9's Odo along with René Auberjonois and Andrew Robinson.  He also wrote the teleplays for two Twilight Zone (80s version) episodes.  

Squid Plays: Solo

Solo is a card game produced by AMIGO, a German company.  It's been described as "UNO on steroids."  It's basically the same concept: play a card, next player matches number or color, lots of other cards you can play to mess with your opponents.  Solo has some additional fun cards which involve swapping hands with another player, gifting two cards, everyone passing cards to the left (or right), etc.  The biggest change, and the most fun, is that you can play a matching card - color AND number - anytime, effectively stealing the turn.  So, you've gotta pay attention all the time.

Left to right: Protection, Gift, All Swap Cards, Swap Cards with Another Player

Our game group fell in love with Solo during COVID as it was one of several games we discovered on Board Game Arena during social distancing times.  We've since played a few times in person and it loses none of its appeal offline.  I might even go so far as to describe it as addictive.  Simple, well-designed games often are.

How does AMIGO produce what appears to be an UNO knock-off without getting sued?  Well, the more famous game itself is simply a marketed version of the much older, public domain game of Crazy Eights.  You can't really sue someone for stealing the same thing you did.  And it's not technically stealing if it's public domain.

Star Trek: Sons of Mogh

Episode: "Sons of Mogh"

Series: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Season 4, Episode 15

Original Air Date: February 12, 1996

via Memory Alpha

Worf's brother Kurn is back - his final Trek appearance and his only turn on DS9.  Worf got off pretty easy for opposing Gowron (see "The Way of the Warrior").  Whatever personal distress he might have experienced, at the end of the day, he was able to just go back to his life in Starfleet.  For his brother, the family disgrace has not been so easy to bear.  The story begins with Kurn (Tony Todd) asking Worf to kill him in the Mauk-to'Vor ritual in order for Kurn to recoup his honor.  Fortunately (from the human perspective), Dr. Bashir is able to save Kurn.  Predictably, Captain Sisko is none too pleased...

Meanwhile, this is the first episode that makes direct suggestions of romantic possibilities between Worf and Dax.

Obviously, this is a big development story for Worf, opening up new, fruitful narrative paths.  However, the end of the Kurn thread is a shame.  I can understand wanting Worf to move on but I love that Kurn shows up from time to time to try to draw him back.  Especially in light of future attempts to bring Alexander back into the fold, one can't help but think how much better a Kurn story should have been.

Even now, nearly 30 years later, Worf is easily one of the most fascinating characters in all of Star Trek.  A Worf-centered series would be an easy sell.  Goodness knows, Michael Dorn has aged better than anyone else from the TNG cast.  Just imagine how much they could have done with a return for Kurn before Tony Todd passed away.  Cutting him out of the saga in 1996 was a huge mistake.

Mind you, it's still an enjoyable episode.

Acting Notes

via Wikipedia

Robert DoQui played the role of Noggra, a friend of Worf's father who helps Kurn start a new life.  DoQui was born in Stillwater, Oklahoma, April 20, 1934.  He served in the Air Force before embarking upon an acting career.

Films include Coffy, Nashville and the first three RoboCop movies.  Television appearances include The Jeffersons, The Fall Guy and Family Affair.

DoQui passed away in 2008.

On the Road: Paul F. Tompkins and Gnome Houses

We took a swing through southern New England this past weekend.  The main excuse was Paul F. Tompkins's Varietopia tour stop in Westerley, Rhode Island.  We also visited our child in western Mass and our dear friends the Mocks in eastern Mass - quite a lot of territory for one weekend.  

Tompkins's tour is essentially a traveling variety show.  He himself, of course, is the comedian.  He also has a four-piece band, a singer and a magician along for the ride.  Tompkins sings, too, and he's surprisingly good.  I don't mean to imply that I'm surprised he's talented as he certainly is.  I just didn't know singing was among his talents.

The show's a lot of fun.  Tompkins's comedy is the highlight, though the singer (Medusa) was also quite good.  The magician (don't remember his name) was a good showman but the tricks themselves were pretty basic: card tricks I've seen friends do.

As ever, a stop in Northampton requires a visit to The Botanic Garden of Smith College.  At the moment, they're featuring a student-initiated and -created exhibit of Gnome Houses, hidden among the other plants for visitors to find, scavenger-hunt style:

A few other highlights:

Star Trek: Dreadnought

Episode: "Dreadnought"

Series: Star Trek: Voyager

Season 2, Episode 17

Original Air Date: February 12, 1996

via Memory Alpha

Voyager encounters Dreadnought, a Maquis weapon of mass destruction programmed to hit a Cardassian target.  What's it doing in the Delta Quadrant?  It's assumed to have gotten there the same way and at the same time as Voyager.  Why is it targeting a non-Cardassian world instead?  Well, something seems to have gone wrong with the programming.  Okay, who programmed it in the first place?

B'Elanna Torres

The set up is a bit contrived but the story that unfolds from there is outstanding.  Wouldn't you know, after a turkey like "Threshold," Voyager would offer two of the strongest episodes to this point one right after the other. "Dreadnought" is 90% Torres.  Roxann Dawson-Biggs played both her own usual part and the voice of the Dreadnought ship computer.  She's wonderful in both roles.  Her performance is more than enough to carry the piece, then Captain Janeway adds a star move of her own to seal the episode as one of Voyager's best.  

Our captain realizes the best way to stop the Dreadnought from destroying its target is to sacrifice her own ship, and herself along with it.  It's a moving moment for all involved, audience included.  Solid Trek.  Thank goodness Torres saves the day and everyone survives.

Acting Notes

via Criminal Minds Wiki

Michael Spound played the role of Lorrum, the new Kazon contact for the treacherous Michael Jonas.  Spound was born in Santa Monica, California, April 8, 1957, then grew up in Concord, Massachusetts.  "Dreadnought" was his first of two Voyager episodes.  He graduated from Northwestern University with a degree in Theatre and Film.

In 1983, Spound won a principal role in the series Hotel which ran for five seasons.  Guest appearances include Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley and Family Ties.  Films include Must Love Dogs, The Ring and Bye Bye Love.  He also has a co-writing credit for 1981's Wacko.

Squid Eats: The Hive Cafe

We drove out to the islands this weekend.  The Lake Champlain Islands are, in a way, the least Vermonty part of the state in that the terrain is relatively flat.  Because the landscape is dominated by lake shore rather than hills and mountains, there's a different feel to the place culturally, too.  Businesses cater to boaters and fishermen rather than hikers and skiers.  The islands are still pretty, though, and a fine destination for a drive on a beautiful day.  

Our primary target was the Kraemer & Kin tasting room in North Hero.  K&K has emerged as one of my favorite Vermont breweries - no small triumph.  We live in beer heaven.  Their Extra Special Bitter is reminiscent of a good Bass Ale draft.  

The beer is good.  The real treat is the labels:

I adore naturalist drawings and these are gorgeous - fun facts included.

Food was provided by The Hive Cafe food truck.  Hive Cafe is based in South Hero.  I can't say my burger was particular exciting but it paired well with the wonderful beer.

Star Trek: Return to Grace

Episode: "Return to Grace"

Series: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Season 4, Episode 14

Original Air Date: February 5, 1996

via Memory Alpha

Once again, Major Kira and Gul Dukat are compelled to work together.  Dukat, recently disgraced because of his newly discovered half-Bajoran love child, has been abandoned by the rest of his family and demoted within the Cardassian militarily to the role of freighter ship captain.  He has been assigned to transport Kira to a conference.

All goes horribly wrong.  The conference itself is attacked by a Klingon Bird-of-Prey, all attendees - both Bajoran and Cardassian - are killed.  Though our two leads hate each other (at least Kira hates Dukat), they are temporarily united in their thirst for vengeance against the Klingons.

"Return to Grace" is one of a series of episodes (including "Indiscretion") intended to soften the character of Dukat.  Unfortunately, he just comes off as sleazy and gross.  Or is that the idea?  It's hard to tell.  

Dukat does his best to ingratiate himself to Kira.  Clearly, he admires her combatant skills earned as a member of the Resistance.  He's direct.  He wants to work with her more, to draw on her experience as he seeks to regain his former status.  However, every attempt he makes to flatter her also comes across as an unwelcome sexual come on.  

It's not the actor's fault.  Marc Alamo played the part to the hilt.  It's the writers', directors' and producers' fault.  Having recently learned more about head honcho Rick Berman's persistent sexual harassment of Terry Farrell (Jadzia Dax), I'm less inclined to be forgiving of the Trek machine here.  Yes, we are reminded by the end of the story that Dukat is thoroughly evil.  But the fact that they seemingly saw nothing wrong with him speaking to a woman this way before that revelation is problematic.

A happier development is the return of Tora Ziyal, the aforementioned love child, to the series.  Even better, at the end of the episode, with Kria's encouragement, Ziyal decides to live on the station.  It's the last appearance for Cyia Batten in the role, though.  It will be Tracy Middendorf in the part next time.

Acting Notes

via Memory Alpha

Casey Biggs plays the role of Damar, Dukat's second in command.  At first, Damar seems like an incidental character but as we shall see in time, the creatives had big plans for him.  For Biggs, "Return to Grace" was the first of 24 Star Trek appearances.  Biggs was born in Toledo, Ohio, April 4, 1955.  He graduated from Julliard and studied acting at the Toledo Repertory Theatre.

Star Trek is probably his career highlight but he also made appearances on Ryan's Hope, General Hospital and ER.  Films include The Pelican Brief, Broken Arrow and Dragonfly.  Biggs was married to Roxann Dawson (Voyager's B'Elanna Torres) but they divorced several years before either was on Star Trek.  

Food Adventures: The Mushroom Forager

The Mushroom Forager is a husband and wife team who lead guided mushroom forays around Vermont.  This past weekend, we joined their tour at the Green Mountain Audubon Center in Huntington.  It's morel season!

Full disclosure, I'm not a huge fan of mushrooms as food.  My wife, however, loves them.  If she has a quiet night at home without me, mushrooms are almost invariably on the dinner menu.   That said, from a biological perspective, I think fungi are fascinating.  If someone had told me at, say, twelve years old that the underground mycelium network (mycelia are the fungal organisms for which mushrooms provide reproductive function) is largely unknown and unknowable, that might have inspired a lifelong interest.  Mycelia are dependent on darkness, you see.  In fact, exposure to any light - natural or artificial - will kill them.  So humans will likely always be limited in understanding their world.  That's exactly the sort of mystery that would have hooked me at an impressionable age.

Plus, our child (briefly home for a couple weeks) is an aspiring botanist so tagging along for their woodland explorations is always gratifying.  

Even during high season, morels can be elusive.  But they did not disappoint us this rainy mid-May morning.

As part of the cost of the tour, we got snacks at the end: oyster mushrooms and ramps with a baguette.  I have to admit, they were quite yummy.  I even went for seconds.

A bonus treat: earlier in the weekend, I nearly tripped over this gorgeous bullfrog while out on a walk in the neighborhood.

Star Trek: Meld

Episode: "Meld"

Series: Star Trek: Voyager

Season 2, Episode 16

Original Air Date: February 5, 1996

via Memory Alpha

There's been a murder and Tuvok must investigate.  The whodunnit question is resolved quickly.  Crewman Lon Suder, a Betazoid and a former Maquis, killed Crewman Frank Darwin.  With that out of the way, there's plenty of time left for a more interesting story.

Tuvok is frustrated by Suder's inability to articulate a logical motive for the crime.  He suggests a mind meld and Suder agrees.  The session has a welcome regulating effect on Suder but the impact on Tuvok is highly disturbing, awakening his own violent tendencies.  

"Meld" addresses several important philosophical quandaries in regards to criminal justice: punishment vs. reform, suspicion vs. guilt, logic vs. impulse and so on.  And, of course, there's the long-standing Star Trek question of what happens when a Vulcan lets down their well-honed emotional controls.  Tim Russ gets a wonderful opportunity to flex his acting chops and he makes the most of it.  

One of my favorite lines came early, before Suder's guilt is established.  When asked why Suder was initially recruited despite misgivings, Torres replied "In the Maquis, we didn't ask for resumes.  We needed all the help we could get."

Acting Notes

via Wikipedia

Brad Dourif (Suder) was born in Huntington, West Virginia, March 18, 1950.  He briefly attended Marshall University before leaving for New York to pursue acting.  "Meld" is his first of three appearances as Suder.

During an off-Broadway production of When You Comin' Back, Red Ryder?, Suder was discovered by director Miloš Forman who subsequently cast him in what would become Forman's masterpiece, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.  Suder played the unforgettable (aren't they all in that film?) Billy Bibbit.  Latere voiced Chucky in the Child's Play franchise.  As if that weren't enough to cement both a career and geek-cred for life, he played Wormtongue in The Lord of the Rings trilogy.  Television has been kind, too.  He played Doc Cochran in Deadwood.  He has won a BAFTA, a Golden Globe and a SAG and been nominated for an Oscar, an Emmy and a Saturn.

On the Road: Northampton in May

Driving south this time of year is like time traveling through seasonal change.  On the way down, you get more spring, then less again on the way back up.  The Smith College campus is bursting with color, just in time for graduation next weekend.

Our child wanted to introduce me to Paco, a pacu who lives in the children's section at the Forbes Library.  By my calculations, Pacu is 38 years old.  

As it's a children's library in Northampton, it should not be surprising that there's an Eric Carle original on the wall.  (The children's author lived in Northampton for many years)

Star Trek: Crossfire

Episode: "Crossfire"

Series: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Season 4, Episode 13

Original Air Date: January 29, 1996

via Memory Alpha

Odo, as previously discussed, is in love with Kira.  Unfortunately, the Major is falling for her former comrade in arms, Shakaar, now First Minister on Bajor.  Further complicating the situation for the constable, he is in charge of Shakaar's security during his visit to the station meaning he needs to spend far too much time in the vicinity of the budding love affair.

"Crossfire" is all about Odo.  After the "Homefront/Paradise Lost" story, this one feels lighter on the surface, though anyone who has experienced unrequited love knows it's no laughing matter.  Even beyond the Kira situation, the episode involves meaningful development in Odo's relationships with others, particularly Quark and Worf.  This exchange between the two security officers is especially satisfying...

Suddenly and unexpectedly, I have mixed feelings about the Odo/Kira story.  I understand that it's meaningful self-actualization for Odo but honestly, Star Trek should be above the typical "will they? won't they?" schlock that was ubiquitous on mid-90s television.  Admittedly, with an actor of Rene Auberjonois's ilk in the role, the trope plays better than it would for most.  I have the benefit of knowing where this is going and fortunately, the writers don't leave the question dangling for as long as they could have.  Overall, I love the Odo story.  I wonder what it could have been without this element.

Acting Notes

via Battlestar Wiki

Bruce Wright played the role of Sarish Rez, Shakaar's right-hand man.  He guest-starred on the original Battlestar Galactica series as well as Cheers and The X-Files.  Films include Speed, Apollo 13 and The Negotiator.

Squid Eats: Parkside Café

Parkside Café is a relatively new spot in a relatively new commercial plaza in Hinesburg, Vermont.  Hinesburg is mostly a bedroom community south of Burlington and quite a prosperous one.  Nice place to live but shopping and dining options are few.  But with the new shopping center, there's hope that could change - within reasonable affluent exurb zoning limits, of course.

We stopped at Parkside Café for lunch over the weekend while out doing errands.  It's a pretty casual affair - order at the counter, they bring it to the table.  It's clean.  It's reasonably friendly - the two staff at work were in the late high school/early college age range.  It's... fine.

As far as the offerings, they did better on the coffee than they did on the food.  My wife's been complaining about American coffee ever since we got back from our Spain/Morocco adventure but she was pleased with what she got - latte, I think.  My burger was fine but it was an awfully flat, uninteresting patty.  I expect a lot better for $15 (once upon a time, a burger in that price range seemed so exotic - now it's practically average).  My wife didn't even finish her BLT, usually her dependable standby.  First, she wasn't pleased there was (unlisted) cheese.  Then she realized all she really wanted was the bacon so she ate only that.  The rest wasn't so exciting.

So, a mixed bag.  I'd stop for coffee again but probably not a meal.