A continued comparison

Admiral M'iaa T'Chall on board the bridge of the U.S.S. Lynx, Odyssey Class Starship, United Federation of Planets.

I wanted to add this in the last size comparison I did a while back.  Because this ship is huge!

In the Star Trek universe, the time setting has hit the early 25th Century.  The Klingons have torn up the Khitomer Accord with the Federation.  The Gorn have become a part of the Klingon Empire.  The Orion Syndicate has forged an alliance with the Klingons (and in response to that alliance, the Orions sent 1500 Orion Slave Girls to Quo’Nos).  There is still the threat of the Borg as the Federation negotiates with the Deferi to enter the Federation.  Caitians have become more visible in Starfleet.  The Undine, better known as Species 8472, have made attacks on Klingon and Federation outposts.  The Cardassians are rebuilding, but their efforts are slowed by a rebel faction of Cardassian-Jem’Hadar called the True Way.  The Romulans have become more dangerous since the destruction of their homeworld.  And the Breen… well, the Romulan saying still holds true.  Never turn your back on a Breen.

In response to all of these threats, the United Federation of Planets had to construct a ship capable of meeting these problems head on.  Introducing the Odyssey Class starship.

With a crew capacity of over 2000, the Odyssey has four forward weapons slots and three aft weapons slots.  These are mostly fixed with phaser banks and photon torpedo cannons.  The Odyssey also has the advantage of Chevron separation.  The saucer section of the ship can separate and become a dangerous enough tactical strike vessel.  Thus making the Odyssey doubly dangerous.

While I’m not sure of the exact length, it’s safe to say that the Odyssey is over 700 meters in length.  Here’s a size comparison using the chart that I have had before, but now includes the Odyssey.  Famous Odyssey class starships:  U.S.S. Enterprise-F.  Naturally, in the size comparison, the ships from the Rocket Fox series are kept.

Related articles

• STO: “The 2800″ episode 1 – Second Wave (westkarana.com)
• DS9 Stories/News: The Dominion Members (rindastartrekds9.wordpress.com)

 

Same old, tired stories being told over and over again

Have we hit the bottom of the barrel in the movie industry?  I’m just wondering that.  I know that there’s a plethora of movies based on books such as Harry Potter, The Hunger Games and even such properties as Iron Man, Captain America and the Avengers, and even re-imaginings of such classic tales as Snow White, Jack and the Bean Stock that are coming out.  But mixed among all of that is the slough of remakes being announced.  Such as Chucky.
Remember Chucky?  The demonic toy that carried the soul of executed mass murderer and then went on a rampage of killing in his new form as a doll.  Well, that one’s being made.

The question to ask is why?  Why make (or remake, as the case may be) a film that, when viewed again in its original format, was pretty horrible.  I don’t mean horrible in the fact it was a masterpiece of horror, I mean it was horrible in the same way that a pile of garbage dumped on your front lawn is horrible.  Yet, for some reason we tend to cling to these film pieces like they were an important part of history.  History they are a part of, and maybe it’s that part of history that examines what kind of a culture we were back then.  But they don’t need to be dragged back to life as though Dr. Frankenstein was building another monster.

But why do we feel this need to remake films like Chucky, when there’s a number of properties out there that could stand the treatment of the silver screen.
Like, for example, Wonder Woman.  Her story isn’t that hard, but for some reason, producers and executives don’t know how to tell it.  It’s not hard, in reality.  It’s like 300, but with women (and a better story, to be honest).  Wonder Woman is the story of myth and legend, reaching back to the tales of the ancient Greeks.  How hard is it to find that cool?  How difficult is it to create that movie?  Instead, we are treated to attempts at modernizing the story, placing Diana in the modern age, either as a military personnel or the CEO of a major company.

I truly believe that the potential of a lot of really good stories is being wasted thanks to movie companies attempting to thrust tired and old story ideas, plot lines and characters upon a viewing public.

But of course, many of the really good and original ideas that are springing up now are actually quite difficult for movie companies to figure out.  Because the main characters are women for the most part.  Movie companies don’t know how to treat women as the main protagonist.  It’s no different than the fight that was had to bring Red Tails to the big screen.  It was an all black movie, with no white saviour in sight at all.  “How can we tell this story” some producers might ask.  I don’t know, but what I do know is you’re not even trying.

The same goes for women.  Hell, I’d love to see Black Mask and Pale Rider as a feature film, but Hollywood would go insane, because not only is there one female protagonist, there’s two lead female roles.  That might give them a brain hemorrhage.  Could I have written the story with two male leads?  Sure, but it would have been the same as every other wester, every other fantasy, and every other bromance movie that’s been done.  There would be nothing new about it.  With women as the lead characters, you suddenly have something different, something new, new places to go and new places to explore.

But the viewing public, it seems, fueled by Hollywood, wants to take zero risk with their entertainment.  They want things that are familiar, things that take no risks, offer nothing new.

Just the same old, same old.

Have we hit rock bottom?

 

Eulogy for a friend

Dear friends.  Today is a sad, and humbling day.  Yet at the same time, we should look not to the past with sorrow, but use it to step boldly into the future.  Today, we have lost a true, dear friend.

The Canadian Penny was with us always.  He was that little spark that reminded us there are small things in life, and sometimes, there are small prices.  Penny, as he was often called, with the proud image of the Queen on one side, a bold and beautiful maple leaf on the other, was a symbol that we never quite forgot.  Still, while the penny was always there for us, there times that we weren’t always there for the penny.

We could always see Penny, sitting there in a handful of change.  Penny was always easy to differentiate from Dime and Nickle, often which Dime being mistaken for Nickle and vice versa.  And sometimes, Nickle was mistaken for Quarter.  But not Penny.  Penny was bronzed and different, something you could see and know without studying closely.  You could spot it from the corner of your eye and say with pride and confidence “That is a Penny!”.

But that day is coming to an end.  The Canadian Mint will no longer bring life to these hardy and noble pieces of currency.  With the passing of the penny, so too will pass on such memorable things as “Penny for your thoughts” or “A penny or a pound” and “A penny saved is a penny earned” plus “penny pinchers”.  One can only think, what does this spell for Penny’s family.  What must Dime be thinking, and will the phrase “stop on a dime” follow suit?

Penny, you were the last thing I wanted to see leave this world.  I would have much preferred that pocket lint left before you.  You, Penny, after all, were something I enjoyed pulling out of my pocket far more than lint.

Though your time with us is short, dear Penny, know that you will be missed.  Yet, I believe that while you will no longer be produced, no longer have love and tenderness etched into the two sides you so lovingly display, that you will not be gone forever.  For you will continue to gather in places like old peanut butter jars, the tops of bedroom dressers, that spot next to the keys on the fridge and even between the cushions on the couch.

Penny, oh penny, you will be missed.

 

 

Friday morning wordsmith

From the Bard himself, words and phrases we use in everyday conversation today that we owe to Shakespeare.

 

CBC singled out for vindictive cuts

In today’s Budget, the Harper government has broken itselection promise and cut the CBC’s budget by 10% – this is $115 million!

This will require CBC to cut hundreds of staff, including some of the most famous personalities from flagship TV and Radio shows, thereby incurring heavy separation costs, putting further downward pressure on programming.

We were expecting something like this, but it’s shocking when you consider the impact of these cuts:

• The death of Radio 2
• Reduced depth, quality, diversity and distinctiveness of CBC News
• CBC Radio will be less relevant to Canadians
• Canadian bureaus in major cities around the world will be closed
• Further reductions to cultural programs
• CBC Television will look a lot more like private-sector commercial channels

The Table below (Budget 2012, page 269) shows how CBC has been singled out for cuts in the “Heritage Portfolio”, where other cultural institutions, such as the Canada Council and the National Gallery have been spared:

We are not going to take this lying down!

Now we have to mobilize CBC’s supporters – 8 out of 10 Canadians – to hold Stephen Harper’s government to account in the years leading to the next election, when the impact of what Harper has done today will be painfully obvious.

Thanks for standing with us as we move forward with this fight for Canadian culture and democracy! You will hear from us again soon.

 

Hunger Games can teach us a lot

I recently saw the movie, based on the book by Suzanne Collins.  Hunger Games, as a movie, is visually pretty good and does capture the main premise of the book quite well.  Granted, just as with any book to movie, there are some things that just don’t translate well from the written word into visual settings.  Still, read the book first, then watch the movie.  One will not detract from the other, and try to withhold the urge to scream at the screen “BUT THAT WASN’T IN THE BOOK”.  It is a method of self muzzling that I learned for myself many years ago.

Hunger Games is essentially a dystopian future where children are thrust into an arena to survive and fight to the death.  All of this broadcast on television for the viewing pleasure of the mass audience.  If that were suggested in today’s world, the person who suggested it would be carted off to the funny farm.  Though, the idea in Hunger Games isn’t too far off what we see now.

We do live in an MTV world, where reality television has taken hold quite fast.  Survivor, Britain/America/Canada’s Got Talent (and most likely other countries as well), American/Canadian Idol, Fear Factor, and many others that have become a mainstay of television.  Especially in the western world.  And most of our television viewing is pretty white washed.

So, you may inquire how did I go from Hunger Games and it’s MTV style gladiator arena pitting children against children to any issue like race?  If I have to fully explain, then some have been living under a rock.  Even I consider myself a hermit and I get out enough to realize what’s going on in the world.  But, seeing how this is an editorial, and before I fully dive into this subject there needs to be some clarification.  Some context, as one might say.

Hunger Games has many unique and varied characters.  Collins goes so far as to give detailed descriptions of the tributes that will take part in the games.  Including a young girl named Rue.  Rue, in the book, is described as such, which is found on Page 45 of the Scholastic Edition of Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games (first printing Scholastic, copyright 2009 Scholastic Press, 2008 hardcover Scholastic Press), or my way of saying LOOK IT UP!:

And most hauntingly, a twelve-year-old girl from District 11. She has dark brown skin and eyes, but other than that, she’s very like Prim in size and demeanor.

Dark Brown Skin. DARK BROWN SKIN!  How much clearer does that need to be?  You might ask, why is that description needed about this one character.  Because Rue happens to be the target and subject of some of the most overt, stupid racism I’ve ever seen.  The Twitterverse is abuzz with how they were sad Rue died UNTIL THEY FOUND OUT SHE WAS BLACK!  HOW MORE FUCKING RACIST IS THAT?  It’s also not just a small incident retweeted by one or two people.  It’s so bad that there’s now a tumblr that displays these messages of ignorance.

This is not any different than what fans of Avatar The Last Airbender went through (no, not Avatar, Title That James Cameron Stole For Land of the Blue People).  The creators of the show had done a great deal of research into cultural backgrounds from China, Tibet, India, Viet Nam and the Northern Inuit.  When you watch the animated series, you get the proper feeling that these people are all from a different culture and you’re following them through their world.

Then came the movie.

Try to imagine that said in an ominous voice with something akin to a funeral dirge or the Imperial Death March.

There was so much white washing of the main cast, with the exception of the villains.  Is this what movie goers want?  Everything to be white?  Is that why it took so long to get Red Tails off the ground?  Because it was a movie about the Tuskegee Airmen?  The only black squadron of fighter pilots to fly during the Second World War?  How is that not an interesting movie?

And now we’ve got Hunger Games which includes this sudden apathy toward a character who dies because she happens to be black.  She’s 12!  And forced to fight in a televised event!  For her life!  KILL OR BE KILLED!  DID I MENTION SHE’S FUCKING 12?  Skin colour should be the absolute last thing a person thinks about.  This is a young girl, the youngest of all the tributes from a poor district in the book.  Forced to fight or die, all for the thrill of the upper class entertainment.

I’m not saying we should all become colour blind.  But we had damn well better become more aware of issues regarding race that surround us everyday.  When we (and I use the Royal We for me and all other white people, I don’t care if you have black/gay/lesbian/east indian/native american/mexican friends/relatives) make flippant, off handed comments about “oh, I was sad about Rue’s death until I saw she was black”, we need to check our privilege.  We need to understand that what we are typing/saying is incredibly racist, and we’re setting the bar back to the early 1900s (or in some cases even earlier).  How can we on one hand say that we’ve come so far since the civil rights movement of the 60s, and then spout garbage like that?  It only proves we haven’t come very far at all.

Hunger Games can teach us a lot.  But in a lot of cases, it’s what it can teach us about ourselves that matters most.

 

Super Earth: Tens of billions of habitable planets in our galaxy alone: astronomers

Super Earth: Tens of billions of habitable planets in our galaxy alone: astronomers | News | National Post.

Seeing this gives me hope that we haven’t stopped dreaming as I mentioned one post ago.  It’s still relevant, we need to keep dreaming, and seeing articles like this helps a lot.

Astronomers hunting for rocky planets with the right temperature to support life estimate there may be tens of billions of them in our galaxy alone.

A European team said on Wednesday that about 40% of red dwarf stars — the most common type in the Milky Way — have a so-called “super-Earth” planet orbiting in a habitable zone that would allow water to flow on the surface.

Since there are around 160 billion red dwarfs in the Milky Way, the number of worlds that are potentially warm enough and wet enough to support life is enormous.

Read more at the link.

Related articles

• ‘Habitable’ planets found orbiting red dwarf stars in our galaxy – and there could be billions more, including 100 ‘next door’ to our solar system (dailymail.co.uk)
• New ‘life in space’ hope after billions of ‘habitable planets’ found in Milky Way (oyiabrown.wordpress.com)

 

Have we stopped dreaming?

Odyssey Class Starship, the U.S.S. Enterprise F. Star Trek Online.

There was a great comment made by Neil deGrasse Tyson on Real Time with Bill Maher a while back.  It asked the question, or at least it gave the opinion “we stopped dreaming”.  Here’s the comment in it’s entirety.

Dr. at the November 29, 2005 meeting of the NASA Advisory Council, in Washington, D.C. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

First of all, let’s clarify what the NASA budget is. Do you realize that the $850 billion dollar bailout, that sum of money is greater than the entire 50-year running budget of NASA? And so when someone says, “We don’t have enough money for this space probe,” I’m asking, no, it’s not that you don’t have enough money, it’s that the distribution of money that you’re spending is warped in some way that you are removing the only thing that gives people something to dream about tomorrow.

You remember the ’60s and ’70s. You didn’t have to go more than a week before there’s an article in Life magazine, “The Home of Tomorrow,” “The City of Tomorrow,” “Transportation of Tomorrow.” All of that ended in the 1970s. After we stopped going to the Moon, it all ended. We stopped dreaming.

And so I worry that the decision that Congress makes doesn’t factor in the consequences of those decisions on tomorrow. Tomorrow’s gone. They’re playing for the quarterly report, they’re playing for the next election cycle, and that is mortgaging the actual future of this nation, and the rest of the world is going to pass us by.

For a better representation, here’s the video clip from Real Time.

It’s something that worries me as well, because I grew up wanting to know about space, exploration, the Moon, and so much more.  A while back I talked about books that introduced kids to the wonders of space.  Where is that now?  Where are the books and the teaching of what’s out there?  Where’s the interest?  It’s almost like when the last Star Trek series wrapped up, the interest in space exploration was gone.  Even before then.

I don’t speak of that lightly.  Star Trek had a hand in shaping people’s interests.  In the documentary by William Shatner, The Captains: A Film By William Shatner, Shatner himself talks about meeting the head of Bombardier in Canada who told Shatner Star Trek was the reason he became an aeronautics engineer.

But we don’t do that anymore.  We don’t celebrate the discovery of space.  A very large part has to do with the current climate of politics, and the upsurge of racial tensions that are occurring again in the world.  Overtly racist comments and the worry about our national security is overshadowing the want to explore space.  Yes, I know Newt Gingrich said that if he were president there would be a lunar base during his term.  In time, that might happen.

But not with the current climate in the world.

We need to start dreaming again.

 

Tuesday morning quotes

Starting things off early today.  Here’s a series of quotes from some of the worlds greatest authors.  Stuff that I’ve been finding helpful the past few days with my own writing.

“I have come to believe that a great teacher is a great artist and that there are as few as there are any other great artists. Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit.” ~John Steinbeck

“Stories of imagination tend to upset those without one.”  ~Terry Pratchett

“When we tell stories about creativity, we tend to leave out this phase. We neglect to mention those days when we wanted to quit, when we believed that our problem was impossible. Instead, we skip straight to the breakthrough. We tell the happy ending first. The danger of this scenario is that the act of feeling frustrated is an essential part of the creative process. Before we can find the answer — before we can even know the question — we must be immersed in disappointment, convinced that a solution is beyond our reach. We need to have wrestled with the problem and lost. Because it’s only after we stop searching that an answer may arrive.”  ~The Importance of Frustration in the Creative Process

“Writing is the only profession where no one considers you ridiculous if you earn no money.”  ~Jules Renard

“You get ideas from daydreaming. You get ideas from being bored. You get ideas all the time. The only difference between writers and other people is we notice when we’re doing it. You get ideas when you ask yourself simple questions. The most important of the questions is just, What if…?”  ~Neil Gaiman

 

Make Your Own, Then tumblr submissions

[W4A] Rocket Fox: Flight of the Nighthawk.

The link leads to my own submission to this wonderful project.  What it’s all about is connecting writers and artists to “Make Their Own, Then”, which has been a long spouted cry from those attempting to defend the current trend of the comic book industry.  When fans will make note of harsh changes to characters (such as the issue with characterization in the book Red Hood and the Outlaws: opinion, Jason Todd should’ve stayed dead: anyway…) the comic execs, creators, writers, artists, those fans who defend crappy changes, would often cry out “well make your own, then”.  So, thanks to tumblr hero, Gail Simone, she suggested to turn this negative into a positive.  Hugh McMullen, of the Goddamn Cobras Collective, listened and delivered with Make Your Own, Then.  To date there are now three projects underway for web and print, and those three met through this tumblr.

Here’s my own submission (click the link, or read here).

The idea is science fiction and one I’ve had in mind for a while (oh, since I was 12, and considering I’m 41, that’s a long time).  Consider it a cross between Wind in the Willows and Star Trek.  The main characters are anthropomorphised foxes, with there also being lizards, tigers, bobcats, lynx, wolves, lions and others.  The story takes place in it’s own star system, and references different technologies of the system.  All of the planets that hold life have space flight capabilities.

It would be a chance to create some interesting characters, ship designs, space ports, planetary systems, star fields, alien worlds, and space battles.  Currently, I’m writing the story in long form novel like serial series, and can be read here: https://taholtorf.wordpress.com/thebarrowsrevenge/

The story begins in Rocket Fox: Flight of the Nighthawk.  Viewers may notice there is also Swift Fox and the Pirates of the Jackai.  Same universe, but it’s actually the third in a long draft of stories, FotN is actually the first arc in the series, PotJ is the third arc.  Stories are posted daily, and after this first arc is done, I’ll be taking a bit of a break to go over the text and brush a few things up.

blackbowman@gmail.com