On the Coffee Table: The Hernandez Brothers

Title: Love and Rockets

- Human Diastrophism

- Perla la Loca

- Beyond Palomar

- Amor y Cohetes

- Penny Century

- Esperanza

- Luba and Her Family

Writers and artists: Gil, Jaime and Mario Hernandez

Since my last post about the series in August, I've gone on a deep dive with Love and Rockets, powering through seven more trades.  For the most part, each volume is devoted entirely either to Jaime Hernandez's Locas world or Gil Hernandez's Palomar, though few of those are actually set in Palomar anymore, much of the family having moved to Los Angeles.  The exception is Amor y Cohotes which includes unrelated material from each of the two main creators, plus a few stories from brother Mario.  

I won't pretend that over several hundred pages, all of the material is great.  But when Love and Rockets is good, it is astonishingly good.  The greatest strength throughout is the seemingly effortless intimacy.  A few thoughts on specific volumes:

Human Diastrophism

via Amazon

Palomar stories.  The residents suffer through a serial killer and an earthquake.  For the reader, it's rough when terrible things happen to a community you care about.  Kids grow up too fast as decades often pass in just a few pages.  The most interesting story follows Pipo - interesting because the tale told in the images is independent of the one told in the text.

Perla la Loca

via Amazon

Maggie and Hopey start out in Hoppers (LA) but ultimately wind up on separate cross-country adventures.  Loads of wrestling in this one.

Beyond Palomar

This one moves way too fast for me.  Quite a lot of time passes from one panel to the next and it's hard to keep track of it all.  This is also the book where, as the title suggest, the characters start to move away from Palomar to the US.  When they finally do make it back, it feels like coming home for me, too.

Amor y Cohetes

via Amazon

This one is a collection of shorter pieces.  My love for the series relies on absorption and I couldn't get into most of the material here.  However, AyC does include a truly excellent biography of artist Frida Kahlo with images based on her work.

Penny Century

Back to Locas.  One of the most important through stories of L&R is the on-and-off-again love affair between Maggie and Hopey.  They're rarely actually dating.  In fact, they're both usually with other people.  But they still hook up with each other seemingly every chance they get and clearly, it's not just about sex.  There is a potent love between them.

However, it's not exactly equal.  Hopey is the more attached (though also the less dependable) of the two.  At one point in this volume, she muses about the nature of the relationship, basically acknowledging that it's all pretty messed up but in the end, she'll take what she can get from Maggie.  

I've heard people say this in the real world, too.  In effect, they'll take all of the dysfunction over being alone.  Honestly, I've never understood that attitude.  But here, I kind of understand it.  Hopey knows they can never have anything normal.  But she's in love with Maggie.  She doesn't really have a choice.  If it's the mess or nothing, she'll take the mess.

It's still unhealthy.  But I kind of get it.

More wrestling.  

Esperanza

via Amazon

Still with Locas.  Esperanza is Hopey's given name.  Esperanza, of course, is the Spanish word for hope.

The truth is, it's nearly impossible not to fall in love with Maggie.  Most of the other characters do at one point or another.  I kinda did, too.  She's not perfect - far from it.  But she's believable, accessible, vulnerable, unassuming.  Her reflections on her divorce - from a marriage that never even seemed to be especially important to her - comprise my favorite story in the entire series.  

We're also reminded that she's still a kickass mechanic.

And still more wrestling.

Luba and Her Family

via Amazon

Much of this collection is told from the viewpoint of the precocious Venus, Luba's niece, as she writes letters to her cousin back in Palomar.  Venus, probably about 10 years old, is hilarious and her insights into her family are keen.  However, her perspective is far from omniscient.  There's quite a lot of sex going on among the adults, including her own mother's extra-marital affairs.

In my previous post, I proclaimed Palomar to be the superior of the two main worlds.  I've since changed my mind.  Those stories are still good but for me, they lose something after the family moves to the States.  Meanwhile, Maggie and Hopey always draw me back.

I've still got two more trades on my shelves and there are two more beyond that in this series.  At this point, I see no reason not to read all of them.

Squid Mixes: Empress Aviation

I last posted about the Aviation cocktail about five years ago (see here).  I first posted about Empress Gin, dyed indigo with butterfly pea flower, about three years ago (see here).  When my wife recently requested an Aviation (a drink she's been ordering a lot at restaurants lately), I thought to put them together in order to enhance the purple color.  While Empress Gin has a recipe of their own on the company website, I chose to stick with the recipe in David Lebovitz's Drinking French in order to maintain flavor balance (and not cut out the creme de violette altogether).  

As I hope you can see in the photos, my latest attempt is definitely more purple than my 2021 effort.

2026

2021

However, they're still not as dark as the ones The Playwright made for us back in 2016.

2016

Sadly, he's not around anymore to ask but my guess is that he swapped the 2:1 proportion between the maraschino liqueur and the creme de violette in favor of the latter.  I may try that next time.  My wife has also suggested that his were more bitter which could bring greater flavor balance.

Star Trek: Blood Fever

Episode: "Blood Fever"

Series: Star Trek: Voyager

Season 3, Episode 16

Original Air Date: February 5, 1997

via Memory Alpha

Ensign Vorik attacks B'Elanna Torres.  He is suffering through the pon farr, an intense Vulcan hormonal episode which crops up every seven years.  Torres, in turn, starts exhibiting the same symptoms, a la rabies.  She turns her own attention to Tom Paris.  The episode is, in many ways, an homage to the original series's "Amok Time."

There's a lot of ickiness here.  Consent is evidently not a major concern for a Vulcan experiencing pon farr and Vorik is too easily forgiven for his attack.  There is also a problematic perspective on non-human species (too easily interpreted as "non-white") as animalistic when not properly controlled.  

On the bright side, I appreciate the Doctor's broad and inclusive attitude toward sexual understanding across humanoid species.  We could do with a bit more of that here at home in the 21st century.

The story is another step on the road to B'Elanna and Tom having a more romantic and sexual involvement.  Fortunately, the relationship to come is a lot healthier than what we see here.

Acting Notes

via Memory Alpha

Alexander Enberg played the role of Vorik, "Blood Fever" being one of eight appearances for the character.  Enberg also played Taurik in the NextGen episode "Lower Decks."  I think it would have been nice if Taurik's story could have been continued via Voyager but the producers preferred having an all-new character.  Jeri Taylor - executive producer and also Enberg's mother - once suggested that Vorik and Taurik are twin brothers.  In total, Enberg has played four different Trek characters.

Enberg was born in Los Angeles, April 5, 1972.  He is the son of the aforementioned Jeri Taylor and legendary sportscaster Dick Enberg.  Beyond Trek, Enberg appeared in Quincy, M.E., Simon & Simon and Jake and the Fatman.  Films include Pump Up the Volume, Junior and Senseless.  

On the Road: So Long... for Now

For the student, it's four years of transformation, self-discovery, inspiration, exploration and affirmation.  

For the parents, the adventure is partially vicarious.  Watching the child become a self-actualized adult is one of the most gratifying parts of the whole journey.  And the community - both on campus and off - becomes an important part of your own lives.  If you're lucky, and we have been, occasional visits are relatively easy and frequent.

And now, at least for a while, the family geography contracts a bit with future plans still forming.  All three of us are grateful for the experience just completed and excited for the next steps.

Star Trek: For the Uniform

Episode: "For the Uniform"

Series: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Season 5, Episode 13

Original Air Date: February 3, 1997

via Memory Alpha

Sisko hunts Eddington, the DS9 security officer who betrayed Starfleet and Sisko specifically by joining the Maquis.  Whenever Sisko gets close, Eddington always manages to sidestep.  Eddington says he wants to be left alone but he also can't help bating our dear captain.  It's quite a game they play.

The Eddington story overall is a good one.  Betrayal is always a meaningful way to kick off a narrative and a manhunt is inherently engaging.  That said, this particular installment is a mixed bag for me.  The quality of storytelling is solid.  But there are elements I find troubling.

First the good.  "For the Uniform" introduces Captain Sanders, commanding officer of the USS Malinche, for his only canon appearance.  Starfleet sends Sanders to take over the Eddington mission from Sisko, seeing the latter as both ineffective and emotionally compromised.  It's a tricky role.  Sanders first approaches Sisko with regret but also with a tinge of a scolding tone.  In the end, he must admit his own failure to catch Eddington and concede the mission is rightfully Sisko's.  His "save me a seat at his court martial line" is a nice face-saving moment, restoring trust between himself and Sisko.  An understated yet effective performance by guest star, Eric Pierpoint.

Now the trouble.  To get his man, Sisko deploys a biological weapon on a Maquis-settlement planet.  That's a war crime, folks, and it sure as hell isn't good Star Trek.  Even his own Defiant crew reacts with disbelief, though they do follow his order.  And this, my friends, is part of the problem with the Sisko as Emissary arc.  If you tell a man he's essentially a god, eventually he'll start to believe you.  Then he'll believe everything he wants is justified as a matter of divine right.

Sound familiar?

"For the Uniform" includes homages to several classic films, including Run Silent, Run Deep, The Adventures of Robin Hood and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.  

Acting Notes

via Wikipedia

For Eric Pierpoint, "For the Uniform" is the second of seven Trek appearances as five different characters on four different series.  Pierpoint was born in Redlands, California, November 18, 1950, though he spent his adolescence in Bethesda, Maryland, not far from where I grew up myself.  He even graduated from Walt Whitman High School, our arch-rival.  For undergrad, he attended the University of the Redlands where he was also captain of the soccer team.  Then he got an MFA from Catholic University.

Pierpoint's best-known role is George Francisco in the Alien Nation series.  Other television work includes Hot Pursuit, Fame and Parks and Recreation.  Films include Windy City, Liar, Liar and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.

Squid Mixes: Bacardi Cocktail

Several years ago, I posted about a cocktail called the Bacardi Special which combined rum, gin, lime juice and grenadine.  At the time, I wondered what the drink would be like without the gin.  Well, of course, there is already a name for such a concoction, the slightly different Bacardi Cocktail.  I got my recipe from The Joy of Mixology by Gary Regan.

Regan's version is intensely sweet, maybe too much so.  Rum generally pairs well with sweet flavors as it is itself sugar-derived.  Gin might help to cut into the sweetness but then so would adjusting the proportions.  Less grenadine next time, I think.  I would still be interested to try the two side-by-side.  My post on the Special praised its balance.  I liked the Cocktail but I would say it's out of balance.

And now, since he obligingly posed for the photo, I should properly introduce the newest cat in our family.  He's been with us for six months now.  Everyone needs an alias here at The Squid.  His shall be Pretty Boy.  It's what I call him half the time anyway.

Star Trek: Coda

Episode: "Coda"

Series: Star Trek: Voyager

Season 3, Episode 15

Original Air Date: January 29, 1997

via Memory Alpha

On the way back to the ship from an away mission, Janeway and Chakotay get caught in a time loop.  Or is Janeway dying?  Or both?  Eventually, an ethereal entity disguised as her own deceased father strives to lure our captain into the afterlife and away from her Voyager crew.

Honestly, the story for "Coda" is kind of all over the place.  The time loop idea is ultimately meaningless, part of a near-death hallucination.  In fact, did any of what Janeway experienced "really happen"?

And yet there is something meaningful weaved in through it all.  Star Trek has never been shy about exploring death, and not simply the obvious loss aspect either.  Is there an afterlife?  The franchise has, in fact, offered several different answers to that question.  "Coda" suggests the involvement of a higher intelligence.  What is "god" if not a higher intelligence?  Again, this is all well-tread territory for Trek and it won't be the last time for such questions.

"Coda" manages to offer an interesting angle: how does the person dying cope with the fact that she will no longer be a part of other people's lives?  In effect, how does she mourn herself?  For nearly three seasons worth of television, Janeway's primary drive has been getting her crew back to the Alpha Quadrant.  If she dies, she can't help them any more.  She can watch in a ghost state but she can't impact.  She will play no role in their successes or their failures.  Ever-growing loneliness is inevitable.  The only alternative is acceptance and she's not ready for that.

As is so often the case with Voyager, the basic premise is good while elements of the execution fall flat.  First, an obvious narrative oversight: Janeway never catches on to the fact that the one time Kes was able to sense her presence was when Kes physically passed through the Janeway ghost.  Why didn't the captain think to try that again?  The movie Ghost had come out in 1990.  In Ghost, that trick worked - with Whoopi Goldberg's character, no less!  A narrative question has a narrative answer: that wasn't the point of this story.  Whatever.  The inconsistency distracted me.  

Then the funeral speeches from the crew - so moving and so... staged.  It's sweet.  None of it feels organic.  It feels like a school play.  "Okay, it's your turn to emote now..."  DS9 is always effortless.  Voyager rarely is.  I know I just need to move past the differences but it's hard when the gap is evident.  Better actors + better writing = superior narrative flow.  Every time.

But the death stuff is interesting.

Acting Notes

The guest star cannot be blamed for "weak acting."  They brought in a heavyweight for "Coda."

via Blue Bloods Wiki

Len Cariou ("ghost" of Vice Admiral Janeway) was born in Saint Boniface, Manitoba, September 30, 1939.  He started both acting and directing while he was still in high school.  He graduated from St. Paul's College in Winnipeg.  

After several years at the Guthrie in Minneapolis, Cariou made his Broadway debut in 1968.  He received Tony nominations for his lead performances in Applause opposite Lauren Bacall and A Little Night Music opposite Elizabeth Taylor.  The Tony win finally came in 1979 when he debuted the title role in Sweeney Todd, opposite Angela Lansbury.  Films include The Four Seasons, Prisoners and the Best Picture Oscar winner Spotlight.  He's done well on television, too.  He was in the principal cast of Blue Bloods for 14 seasons.  He has had recurring roles in Murder, She Wrote, Brotherhood and Damages.  

On the Road: The Botanic Garden of Smith College

Star Trek: The Begotten

Episode: "The Begotten"

Series: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Season 5, Episode 12

Original Air Date: January 27, 1997

via Wikipedia

Quark sells a young changeling - little more than a jar of goo at this stage - to Odo, effectively making our dear constable a parent.  Odo sets about trying to teach his young charge to shapeshift, a bit tricky given that he can't do it himself anymore.  At Captain Sisko's urging, Odo enlists the help of his own Bajoran mentor/father, Dr. Mora.  Meanwhile, Kira gives birth to the O'Briens' baby.

"Begotten" can be challenging to watch at times as it treads on tricky territory. As previously explored in "The Alternate," Odo is highly resentful of Mora.  Before realizing Odo was a sentient life form, the scientist poked and prodded, generally making Odo miserable.  From Odo's perspective, it was an abusive relationship and his anger is understandable.  Mora, on the other hand, is fully convinced that he was doing what he thought was best.  There was no handbook for raising a Changeling so he had to make it up as he went along.  From the Odo-Mora viewpoint, "Begotten" is a story of forgiveness.

But the more interesting and gratifying tale is the relationship between Odo and his child.  Odo takes a gentler approach than Mora had and with gratifying results.  The young Changeling rising up to form Odo's face in a clear sign of affection is one of DS9's most moving moments.  

The episode ends bittersweetly on multiple fronts.  Saddest, the young Changeling dies.  However, in so doing, it dissolves into Odo, restoring the latter's shapeshifting abilities.  Odo's parting with Mora is surprisingly emotional.  They even hug.  Finally, Kira expresses regret over no longer being with the new baby - probably a very real emotional rollercoaster for many surrogate mothers.

Acting Notes

via Memory Alpha

Peggy Roeder played the role of Y'Pora, Kira's Bajoran midwife.  "Begotten" is Roeder's only Trek appearance.  Other television guest roles include Wings, ER and Law & Order.  Her most memorable movie role may be the piano teacher in Groundhog Day.  Other films include Eagle Eye, Road to Perdition and The Lake House.

On the Road: Noho in Two Photos

A moose head over the bar - standard New England choice

An alligator head just a few feet away - decidedly less so

Both can be found at Packard's in Northampton, Massachusetts.

Star Trek: Alter Ego

Episode: "Alter Ego"

Series: Star Trek: Voyager

Season 3, Episode 14

Original Air Date: January 15, 1997

via Memory Alpha

Ensign Harry Kim is in love with Marayna, a holodeck character in Neelix's luau program.  He's got it bad.  It's interfering with his work.  He goes to Tuvok for guidance on emotional control.  The Lieutenant goes to the holodeck to check out Marayna.  She ends up falling for Tuvok instead.  Perhaps there is more to Marayna than originally suspected.

"Alter Ego" is a great Tuvok episode.  I'm finding there are a lot of those.  Tuvok provides more in-depth exploration of Vulcan culture and philosophy than Spock ever did.  Kim's questions and especially Marayna's challenges reveal much of Tuvok's own thinking, even bringing new and unexpected self-awareness.   "Alter Ego" also introduces kal-toh, a complicated and beautiful Vulcan strategy game.  

via Memory Alpha

Solution via Memory Alpha

The story is a meaningful continuation of a couple TNG holodeck threads.  Falling in love with a holodeck character hearkens back to "11001001," NextGen's best Season 1 offering.  Such a character taking over the ship is an expansion of Moriarty's efforts in "Ship in a Bottle."

Acting Notes

via Memory Alpha

Sandra Nelson (Maryana) was born in Madison, Wisconsin, December 29, 1964.  "Alter Ego" is her first of two Trek appearances.  She played Phyllis Summers for two years on The Young and the Restless.  Films include Life as a House, De-Lovely and The Wolf of Wall Street.  Other television guest roles include ER, Monk and NCIS.  

Squid Eats: Burlington Beer Company

As discussed previously, Vermont is beer heaven with the most breweries per capita of any US state.  Quality is high and the local competition fierce.  We, the consumers, only benefit.  Burlington Beer Company was established in 2014.  They run their taproom in a reclaimed industrial warehouse, not an unusual business model in itself in our area.  In addition to their restaurant, they also own a performance venue in back.  My wife and I went to a VSO Jukebox concert there this past weekend and combining with dinner seemed a natural choice.

The beer is good.  Around here, it had better be.  I favor ales and the Little Wizard IPA has long been my go-to at BBCO.  Now, however, that particular product is more widely available in retail stores so I'm more inclined to try something else when I'm on site.  I went with the Elaborate Metaphor, a pale ale, this time.  It was good but I still prefer the Wizard.  The EM is more melon-y while the LW is more citrus-y.  I will say, though, I still prefer the Wizard on tap to a can.  Some products make that transition better.

Right, food.  I chose the Crispy Chicken Sandwich.  Full disclosure, I'm often hesitant with chicken sandwiches.  Not infrequently, I find them disappointing.  They look better on the menu than they taste.  Even knowing this, I still take the risk from time to time.  And this one was a little bland.  I asked for hot sauce and that helped a lot.  There is a "Make it Hot!" option on the menu and I might try that next time.  Because there will definitely be a next time.  One disappointing chicken sandwich isn't enough to scare me away.  I know the risks going in.

The concert space was lovely - quite resonant.  And the VSO String Quartet is always good value.  I'd vote for better folding chairs but overall, it was a satisfying evening.

Star Trek: Fair Trade

Episode: "Fair Trade"

Series: Star Trek: Voyager

Season 3, Episode 13

Original Air Date: January 8, 1997

via Memory Alpha

Voyager arrives at the edge of the mysterious Nekrit Expanse.  Our friends head to a nearby space station to trade for supplies and hopefully gather helpful information for navigating this difficult region of space.  Meanwhile, Neelix is facing an existential crisis.  Do Janeway and company even need him any more now that they've reached a part of the Delta Quadrant he doesn't know?  His anxiety leads to trouble when he runs into Wixiban, an old friend and a connection to Neelix's shady past.

At this stage of the series, the search for Neelix's raison d'être extended to both sides of the camera.  By mid-Season 3, both NextGen and DS9 were well-oiled machines.  Voyager is still an awkward fledgling and unsettled characters are a major issue.  Adding Worf to the DS9's cast was a matter of building on strengths.  Similar bold changes await Voyager in its fourth season.  With historical hindsight, we know what's coming.  But I think even a viewer in January 1997 might have sensed that addition by subtraction was looming.  Neelix has been mostly annoying to this point and I can't imagine that cutting him loose wasn't considered.  If they were going to keep him, they'd better help him find a foothold fast.

Fortunately, "Fair Trade" is a pretty good episode - certainly the strongest Neelix story so far.  Connecting back to his previous life is meaningful.  Voyager is a well-established reform project for several characters: Tom, B'Elanna, Lon Suder, etc.  Why not Neelix, too?  And the way he manages to wiggle out of trouble is genuinely clever.  The crisis point with the Captain in the final scene cuts to the chase: no, Neelsix, casting you off would be too easy.  You need to live with the guilt and rebuild trust.  And I, the viewer, will acknowledge, that's not just an episodic television convenience.  It is genuinely the more interesting narrative choice.

Neelix is a nervous but loyal dog.  He's eager to please, to impress, to love and be loved.  He sees love as something he must earn, then guard jealously.  He whines when threatened or neglected.  He understands the shame he deserves.  He is grateful for forgiveness.

21st Century Notes

We need to talk about the cancellation of Starfleet Academy.  I'll put my cards on the table.  It is the best Star Trek series of the streaming era - indeed, the finest Trek since Deep Space Nine ended.  The stories are rich.  The characters are amazing and refreshingly unpredictable.  The concept is long overdue and the narrative possibilities enticing.  Two separate Season 1 episodes brought me to tears.  A four-season run was already mapped out.

And now, the trolls have killed it.  Paramount will say it was the ratings and to be fair, plenty of amazing shows have met similar fates for crass commercial reasons.  Firefly and Freaks and Geeks come to mind.  Television producers want an adequate return on their considerable investments.  Artistic quality doesn't always sell.  

But good luck convincing me it doesn't run deeper with Starfleet Academy.  The Internet trolls set their sights on the series from Day 1.  And yes, it's well-documented that right-wing interest groups actually pay people to go on social media and be assholes.  The objections are mainly two: a gay Klingon and unconventional women in positions of authority.  

I'm not going to linger too long on the basics of representation because anyone who's actually paid attention knows it's been the whole point of Star Trek since 1966  If you have a problem with extending tolerance to LGBTQIA+ characters, you are not a Trekkie.  You're also on the wrong blog.  If anyone is going to spew any of that shit here, understand that I will not treat your "opinion" as valid.  Your squeamishness harms people.  Period.  Grow up.

via Memory Alpha

And heaven forbid the franchise should finally bring some dimension to Klingon society.  Jay-Den is a pacifist in what has long been projected as a monolithic warrior civilization.  He would rather heal others and watch birds than kill anyone.  That alone would probably have been tough to swallow for the idiots but likely not enough to kill the show.  The much greater sins: he's gay and he occasionally wears gender-nonconforming clothing.  Even worse, no one in-story, his own Klingon family included, gives a shit.  Where is the public shaming?  We all know queer characters must be made to suffer, right?  Hell, if the writers aren't going to do it, the MAGA fuckers sure better do it for them.

The women?  Two of the faculty members, Jett Reno and Lura Thok, are open gay lovers.  Lura Thok is also bi-racial (Spock, anyone?): Klingon and Jem'Hadar.  "Is that even biologically possible for the Jem'Hadar?" the trolls whine.  It's all fiction, dipshit, of course it's possible.  But this sort of deviance is only to be expected in the horrible halls of academia, right?  The trolls' most vehement objections are directed at the Academy Captain and Chancellor, Nahla Ake.  Her crimes?

She walks around barefoot and won't sit properly in the Captain's chair.

No, seriously, that's it.

via Wikipedia

You see, the idiots don't mind a female leader as long as she still adheres to masculine expectations.  Act like a man as much as possible while still looking pretty.  Even a lesbian is borderline acceptable because, well, she wants to sleep with women and that's dude stuff, right?  Now, to be fair, these standards extend deeply into the real world and across all fictional platforms.  Ake is a challenge to the norms and that is exactly what Star Trek is supposed to be, folks.  The entire mission from the beginning has been to push us all just that little bit further out of our comfort zones until it starts to feel normal.  Then push us a little bit further again.  Repeat.  For 60 years.  

Have there been missteps along the way?  Of course.  Have there been obvious opportunities for them to push harder that they didn't take?  You're damn right there have.  But the mission has always been there and it's exactly why so many of us care so deeply.

The fact that a woman who won't sit up straight is enough to kill an otherwise wonderful show says quite a lot about where we are as a society.  It's not exactly an encouraging revelation.

I won't put all of this on the political/religious right just as I can't in the real world.  Morally ambitious though it has been, Star Trek has always reflected the current anxieties of white liberalism.  The color blindness we were taught in the '80s and '90s is mirrored by the attitudes toward "alien races" in the NextGen-era series.  Indeed, the fact that they're still referred to as aliens is revealing.

21st century wokeness has its limits and gender - even more than sexuality at the moment - is a major test of those limits.  Plenty of white "liberals" feel we have gone too far in advocating for transgender people, not because they don't think it's right to do so but because they worry it has made the Democratic Party vulnerable in elections.  This is not my imagination.  I've heard people say it.  This anxiety is cowardly and it is 100% real.  

The trolls know they can push on certain buttons and sow the seeds of doubt in white liberals.  They know they can scare them away from a show like Starfleet Academy with suggestions that it might be going too far on gender.  The ratings are what they are.  But the trolls put a heavy thumb on the scale and it worked.  And the current leadership at Paramount have made clear they're not inclined to stick their necks out in the present political climate.

Season 2 is already in the can so we will get a little more.  There have been fan petitions to save Starfleet Academy but the set pieces have already been sold off.  In the eyes of those with control of the funding, it's all over.  Unfortunately, that's all that matters in the end.

I hope Star Trek survives this setback.  Yes, I know there will eventually be more material.  I mean that I hope the mission itself survives.  

Acting Notes

via Grey's Anatomy Universe Wiki

James Nardini (Wixiban) was born in Jersey City, New Jersey.  His films include Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man and voice dubbing in the English-language version of The Tale of the Princess Kaguya.  Television work includes Night Court, Cheers and Criminal Minds.   

Squid Eats: Stone's Throw

Stone's Throw makes the best pizza in our immediate area: a beautiful crust and fresh ingredients.  To be honest, the crust is thinner than I would usually want but the flavor more than makes up for it.  Our closest location is pick-up only but the Richmond branch has table service, making it a perfect choice on a recent evening.

Our typical order is the Hunter: red sauce, pork belly, peppers, onions and rosemary.  I am not a rosemary fan so we swap it out for basil.  This visit, we decided we'd each get our own small pie.  My wife picked the Casablanca (top shelf in the photo): white sauce, chicken, lemon, harissa sauce, feta and parsley.  I got a sausage and onion (bottom shelf).  I did not try my wife's but she assured me I'd like it.  I don't know.  Lemon and feta on pizza?  Not sure that's for me.

Regardless, quality is top notch.  Still the best pizza in town, by a comfortable margin.

Star Trek: The Darkness and the Light

Episode: "The Darkness and the Light"

Series: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Season 5, Episode 11

Original Air Date: January 6, 1997

via Memory Alpha

An unknown assassin is hunting Kira's former Bajoran Resistance comrades and taunting her with each successive kill.  Kira is a pregnant woman and therefore should let Bajoran and Starfleet authorities (one of the attacks happened on DS9), pursue the killer rather than taking matters into her own hands.  Right?  We know better, don't we?

There's been a lot of meaningful Kira development recently, particularly in regards to her history with the Resistance.  In "Things Past," knowledge of Odo's unfortunate role in a Terok Nor assassination investigation soured Kira's relationship with the Constable.  In last week's "Rapture," she had a memorable exchange with Kai Winn, a conversation I didn't even cover in my reflection.  The Kai, generally cast as the antagonist in DS9, shames our dear major, sharing her own heretofore undisclosed suffering under the Cardassian Occupation.  In this week's story, Kira is confronted by one of the civilian victims of her own cell's attacks.

The clear message: war is ugly and it's not easy sorting out the good guys.  Kira never asks forgiveness for her role in the struggle.  From her perspective, she was doing a job that needed doing.  But stories like this reveal that her moral standing is not as cut-and-dry as would normally be the case for a Star Trek principal.

Acting Notes

via Memory Alpha

Randy Oglesby played the role of the assassin, Silarin Prin.  Oglesby has played seven different Trek characters over four different series, the role of Degra on Enterprise probably the highlight of his career.  Oglesby was born in Memphis, Tennessee, August 31, 1948.  Other television guest appearances include The X-Files, General Hospital and Mad Men.  Films include Independence Day, Pearl Harbor and Argo.  

Squid Mixes: Yellow Submarine

Ever since I first tasted chartreuse, I've thought of the remarkable liqueur as psychedelia in liquid form.  So when considering a cocktail devoted to my favorite band, it seemed sensible to use it as one of the building blocks.  While there are a lot of yellow submarine cocktail recipes to be found online, there is no universal agreement as to ingredients.  So, I figured I could do as I pleased with my own interpretation.

The Yellow Submarine 

1 oz. white tequila

.75 oz. yellow chartreuse

.75 oz. honey amaretto

.25 oz. lime juice

I deliberately chose four ingredients to go with the Fab Four but until the kid (age 21+) asked, I hadn't given any thought to which corresponded to which band member.  I think I've got it now.

The chartreuse is Paul McCartney, the dazzler.

The amaretto is George Harrison, the mellow soul.

The lime juice is Ringo Starr who always adds a kick, especially when paired with an almond flavor.

The tequila is John Lennon.  In my first attempt, I used vodka.  My wife suggested a salty note so I swapped in the tequila.  Salty note: definitely John.

The end result is very tasty and very yellow.

Star Trek: Rapture

Episode: "Rapture"

Series: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Season 5, Episode 10

Original Air Date: December 30, 1996

via Memory Alpha

On the eve of Bajor's acceptance into the Federation, Captain Sisko has a vision.  The vision leads him to the lost city of B'hala, a site which had eluded archaeologists for thousands of years.  He has more visions - rapturous visions (thus the episode title).  The Prophets are clearly trying to communicate through him as their Emissary.  His own life is at risk, yet he doesn't want to break the connection.  His earthly son Jake is left with a difficult decision.

This episode is vitally important.  Sisko's journey from denial to acceptance of his role as Emissary has been central to his character arc from the beginning.  In "Rapture," for the first time, Sisko fully embraces the reality.  He is the Emissary.  There's no question about it any more.  The implications for his relationships with his family, with Starfleet, with his friends and, of course, with the Bajorans are profound.  

And even with over 2.5 seasons left to go, this shift is another marker of the beginning of the end for this extraordinary Deep Space Nine series.  Being separated from the visioning elicits regret comparable to what Odo felt being separated from The Great Link (see here).  Once again, it is the sort of deep regret that implies a return is inevitable.  For two principals now, we can see points of finality on the horizon - points beyond which we as the viewers are unlikely to be allowed to follow.

I am reasonably certain "Rapture" won't make my Top 10 at series end.  So far, it's only #3 for Season 5 and I know there are still several memorable stories yet to come.  It's another reflection of DS9's remarkable quality.   Not many TOS or TNG episodes are this meaningful.  And it's not just Star Trek.  Very few mainstream television shows have had the courage to go so far down this road.  Like it or not, the Emissary arc is part of what makes DS9 special.

Acting Notes

via Memory Alpha

Ernest Perry, Jr. played the role of Admiral Charlie Watley, on hand for Bajor's admission ceremony.  Perry was born in Evanston, Illinois, May 30, 1947.  His films include Liar, Liar, The Color of Money and Dunston Checks In.  Other television appearances include Chicago, P.D., The Chi and Turks.  

Perry passed away in 2023.

Squid Cooks: Taco Kit

When my wife said she was thinking of a taco kit for dinner one night, I got surprisingly excited.  I grew up with taco kits, indeed one of the first dishes I learned to make myself back in my latchkey kid days.  My wife asked me if I wanted to be the one to cook it.  We both know she's the better cook so I rarely get that suggestion.  I jumped at it.

First, let me make clear, I'm actually pretty confident about making real tacos.  I've even posted about taco rice bowls before which are similar.  The only significant differences with a kit are the ready-made shells and seasoning.  And as you can see below, I don't actually believe in hard shells so I crumbled mine over the top.  Left entirely to my own choices, I'd pick soft flour tortillas.  I added onion, avocado and tomatoes for toppings.

And the end result was just fine - the taste of adolescence.  Certainly easy, too.  I'd do it again.

Star Trek: Macrocosm

Episode: "Macrocosm"

Series: Star Trek: Voyager

Season 3, Episode 12

Original Air Date: December 11, 1996

via Memory Alpha

Captain Janeway and Neelix return from an away mission to find the entire crew suffering from a debilitating virus.  The Doctor accidentally brought it back from his own away mission.  What had been microorganisms have grown and they're reproducing quickly.  Neelix quickly succumbs as well so it's left to the Captain and the Doctor to save the day.

How handy that Star Trek so often has one non-organic life form who is less vulnerable than everyone else, not unlike the Scarecrow and Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz.  

"Macrocosm" is a fairly obvious Aliens send up, though the writers have always denied it, likely for copyright infringement reasons.  The Trek creatives were no doubt still stinging from the brush back from the James Bond lawyers regarding "Our Man Bashir."   But Janeway wandering the halls in a tank top with a big, rifle-like weapon while weird creatures are emerging from people's bodies?  Sure looks like Aliens to me.

This episode goes on the long list of episodes other people seem to like but I don't.  The reason is not complicated.  I'm not a fan of horror films.  Indeed, I've never actually watched any of the Aliens movies myself.  So the tropes tend to induce anxiety rather than thrill.  Honestly, I found "Macrocosm" difficult to watch.  But I won't say it's a bad episode - just not my jam.

Acting Notes

via Dexter Wiki

Albie Selznick plays the Tak Tak Consul, representative of a culture who incorporates intricate body movements as part of their language.  Neelix masters the language quickly.  Janeway, not so much.  Selznick Selznick was born in Los Angeles County, January 1, 1959.  "Macrocosm" is his second of three Trek appearances.

Selznick performed as a magician with a group called The Mums for 25 years.  The Mums appeared together in Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo.  Most of Selznick's high-profile work has been on television, including appearances on Suddenly Susan, The Young and the Restless and NYPD Blue.