Starfleet Command eNewsletter APRIL / MAY / JUNE 2006 VOLUME 2, ISSUES 4, 5, & 6
Newsletter Consolidation for Summer 2006 by ADM Eliza Mitchell, Chief of Public Affairs Dear Starfleet Command Members As you may have surmised, we have combined April, May and June’s E-Newsletter into one issue. As summer approaches, article submissions tend to drop and therefore we are consolidating the summer months for the E-Newsletter. July and Augusts E-Newsletter will be combined and issued in September. Starting in September, we will be back to our monthly E-Newsletter. Please take a moment to review this summer’s E-Newsletter. These Issues (Issues 4, 5, & 6) are packed with a lot of information for your enjoyment and to provide you the latest news in the SFC world. Please submit any articles for July or August 2006 as soon as possible. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. Sincerely, ADM Eliza Mitchell Chief of Public Affairs Starfleet Command [email protected]
SFC Biography from ADM Andy Sams by ADM Andy Sams, Candidate for Fleet Admiral
I think the best way to tell you about me is to tell you the story on how Star Trek found me. I don’t remember exactly when I started watching Star Trek, if it was the first season I would have been three years old so I’m thinking it was the second season. Ever since that first show Star Trek has been and is a part of my life. From that first show I was hooked. I remember the third season very well because it took everything my brother and me had to talk our parents into allowing us to stay up to watch it on Friday nights. Honestly my friends and I never realized it was cancelled till the cartoon seasons started up, but by then we didn’t care, we loved anything Star Trek. As I
got older I started reading Star Trek novels and playing Starfleet Battles. In school my teachers had to require me to read other books for reports because I guess Mark Twain never got around to writing a Star Trek novel….geez! Anyway it was in Junior High that I found Starfleet Battles (SFB), a board game based on Star Trek that I’ve played with fellow members from Starbase Four via the computer version. I got pretty good and played it all the way through into college. It has only been recently that I’ve gotten back into it and now play every other Friday with friends here, and they are very good. I’ve been working hard to improve my skills so that they won’t get bored blasting my ship off the map all the time. Then Starfleet Command found me! Well actually I saw their ad on my school’s access channel on cable. I called thinking it was a group of Starfleet Battle players! Little did I know, but at the time that was my first contact with the great Fleet Admiral Don Dailey! I was so into SFB that the idea of a fan club never dawned on me. Needless to say that day our ships passed into other quadrants of space only to pick each other up on our scanners five years later. I was an insurance agent and in the Army Reserve’s when a good friend Sergeant First Class Janet Dailey told me that her husband retired Master Sergeant Don Dailey, was in the market for a policy. At the time I didn’t make the connection it was the same person I spoke to so many years earlier, of course I said sure! It’s not like an insurance sales person to miss an opportunity like this. Well to make a long story short Don said, “I tell you what. I’ll buy your policy if you join my club.” I asked what club he was talking about and he told me about Starfleet Command and that I would have the opportunity to meet other fans from all over. I said, “Sure!” I signed up that day 14 years ago in FADM Don Dailey’s home selling life insurance. It has been a roller coaster ride since then… I was assigned to his flag ship the USS Halsey, now VADM Mary Bischoff Commanding. I asked and was assigned into Operations. I was promoted to Ensign 6 months later and 6 months after that promoted to Lieutenant Junior Grade and Chief Operations Officer! I was surprised as there were other senior officers in the section, but everyone was very nice to me and was OK with it. I had a blast! I tracked all the ships personnel promotions for the Captain and coordinated the ships activities for the year. We started doing away missions all over and even coordinated big events with the USS Yorktown and USS Bismarck from Starbase Five! In few years, I was a Commander and started to have visions of my own command. It was then that former FADM Paul Sundstrom, then the Chief of Operations on the ADM Board, asked me to be the Fleet Training Officer which I accepted and was then promoted to an old rank we used to have called Staff Captain. I was in that position for just under a year when the club met its darkest hour. FADM Wayne Chang resigned and several of his staff along with him, but not before tapping Paul Sundstrom to take the center seat. FADM Sundstrom needed help, the club needed help and I knew that I might be able to offer something to him and the club. I was and still am a personnel officer in the Army. I informed him that although I didn’t feel I had the seniority to qualify, that I did have that training if he felt he could use it. This obviously would put any hopes of a ship command out for quite some time, but if there wasn’t a club then what would be the point. FADM Sundstrom did ask me to take the Chief of Personnel position in 1997 along with many other senior officers. I did that position till I just had to have a command of my own for at least a little while and asked him if I could step down to take the center seat of the USS Adventure. He agreed so in February of 2003 I became a Ship Captain!!! The best job in Fleet by far and at the time the best ship in Fleet! I had a great time for a spell till FADM Mark Bischoff asked me to come back to be his Second as Chief of Operations or what is now the Deputy Fleet Commander as I am currently assigned. Fleet is now a part of my life and one I can’t imagine being without. Regardless of who wins this year’s election, I will be an active member and look forward to having a blast in Fleet and fandom. Of course if I am elected, I will be honored with the opportunity of leading that fun and will eagerly participate in moving fandom in Fleet forward for the next four years.
BIOGRAPHICAL SUMMARY SAMS, JAMES ANDREW, SH 100-2397 DFCSC Admiral DATE AND PLACE OF BIRTH: 20 January 1963 Earth, Indiana PRESENT ASSIGNMENT: Deputy Fleet Commander, Quadrant One, Starfleet Command
CIVILIAN OCCUPATION: Trading Consultant, Schwab Signature Services Premier Trader Division, Charles Schwab and Co. Inc
SOURCE AND DATE OF COMMISSION: Starfleet Academy 1992
TOTAL YEARS OF COMMISSIONED SERVICE: Over 14 Years
STARFLEET ACADEMY EDUCATION: YEAR COMPLETED Starfleet Academy 1992
EDUCATIONAL and PROFESSIONAL DEGREES: YEAR RECEIVED Indiana University, Indianapolis BA (Communications) 1988 US Army, Basic Officers Course, Adjutant General (Personnel and Administration) 1988 US Army, Advance Officers Course, AG (Personnel and Administration) 1995 US Army, Combined Staff Off. Course 1995 Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) Securities License (Series 7) 1995 College of Financial Planning, Certified Financial Planner 1997 SEC, Securities License (Series 8-Supervision) 1998 US Army, Command and General Staff College (Master Degree Program) 2004
DECORATIONS: YEAR AWARDED Website of the Year, 1st Place, Chief of Personnel (COP) 1998 Senior Officer of the Year, 2nd Place, (COP) 1998 Senior Officer of the Year, 2nd Place, (COP) 2000 FADM Paul Sundstrom Lifetime Achievement Award 2005 Large Ship of the Year, 2nd Place, USS Adventure, COP Flag Ship 1999 Large Ship of the Year, 1st Place, USS Adventure, COP Flag Ship 2000 Website of the Year, 1st Place, USS Adventure, COP Flag Ship 2000 Website of the Year, 1st Place, USS Adventure, COP Flag Ship 2001 Large Ship of the Year, 1st Place, USS Adventure, Captain 2002 Recruiter of the Year-Unit, 1st Place, USS Adventure, Captain 2002 Website of the Year, 1st Place, USS Adventure, Captain 2002 Large Ship of the Year, 1st Place, USS Adventure, Captain 2003 Unit Recruiter of the Year, 2nd Place, USS Adventure, Captain 2003 Large Ship of the Year, 3rd Place, USS Adventure, COPS Flag Ship 2004 Website of the Year, 2nd Place, USS Adventure, COPS Flag Ship 2004
CHRONOLOGICAL LIST OF APPOINTMENTS: DATE ENS 1992 LTjg 1993 LT 1993 LTCDR 1994 CMDR 1995 SCAPT 1996 FCAPT 1996 COMM 1997 VADM 1997 ADM 1997 STARFLEET ASSIGNMENT DATE Starfleet Academy 1992 Operations Officer, USS Halsey 1992-1993 Chief Operations Officer, USS Halsey 1993-1996 Fleet Training Officer, USS Halsey 1996-1997 Chief of Personnel, Starfleet Command, Q1 1997-2002 Captain, USS Adventure 2002-2003 Deputy Fleet Commander, Starfleet Command, Q1 2003-Present
EXTERNAL PROFESSIONAL ASSIGNMENTS DATE Dalts, Head Bartender, Waiter/Waitress Trainer, Head Bus Person 1981-1992 Prudential, Financial Planner 1992-1995 Charles Schwab, Trading Consultant/Stock Broker 1995-Present US Army-Three Company Commands, Served twice as a 1985-Present Chief Operations Officer, twice as an Executive Officer and as a Personnel Officer Current Rank/Position: Lieutenant Colonel, Chief Operations Officer, Brigade Level Command
SFC Biography From Candidate ADM Jerome Eller … by Jerome Eller, Candidate for Fleet Admiral
Admiral Jerome Eller RADM Gary Bartle
Biographical Data: Name (SFC): Jerome D. Eller (Klingon): Jerell Hegh-pIn'a' Rank: Admiral Position: Chief of Command Staff (former title Chief of Staff) Stationed: Headquarters Division - U.S.S. Reliant NCC 1864-D Height: 194 cm or 6' 4" Weight: Classified Eyes: Grey Hair: Light Brown Born: Classified Homeworld: Q'onoS (Kronos, the Klingon Homeworld). Joined Starfleet Command: July 5, 1988
Family: Name: Timothy R. Kennedy Relationship: Son Rank: Cadet Position: Marine CDT Stationed: U.S.S. Melbourne
Awards: NL40 Officer Recognition 1998 - USS Halsey - Headquarters Officer of the Year 1999 - SFC Officer of the month for December 1999 - Honorable Mention Recruiter of the Year - Individual 2000 - Honorable Mention Senior Officer of the Year (Captain or above) 2000 - 3rd Place Website of the Year 2001 - 1st Place Recruiter of the Year - Individual 2002 - 1st Annual PALS Award Winner (Received from USS Iwo Jima) 2002 - 3rd Place Website of the Year (USS Reliant) 2002 - 2nd Place Website of the Year (Command Staff Support) 2003 - SFC Officer of the month for March. 2003 - Admiral's Ovation Award Winner from ADM Simson at Mid-Year Meeting. 2004 - Admiral's Ovation Award Winner from ADM Simson at Mid-Year Meeting. 2005 - 1st Place Website of the Year (USS Reliant) 2005 - 2nd Place Newsletter of the Year - The Mutara Gazette (USS Reliant)
History: 1988 to 1990 - Transferred from Imperial Klingon Empire to Starfleet Command aboard USS Reliant NCC 1864-A as Chief Security Officer. Rank: Lieutenant Commander. 1990 - Became First Officer of the USS Reliant NCC 1864 C. Rank: Commander 1991 - Became Commanding Officer of the USS Reliant NCC 1864 C. Rank: Captain 1992 - Entered Ambassador Corps. Rank: Captain 1992 - Became Commanding Officer of the New Starbase 06. Rank: Fleet Captain 1993 - Re-Entered Ambassador Corps. Rank: Fleet Captain 1994 to 1997 - Became Deputy Chief of Security. Rank: Commodore 1997 - Became Deputy Chief of Staff. Rank: Rear Admiral 1998 - Promoted to Vice Admiral and given title of Commander of the Command Staff Support. 2000 - Transferred Command Staff Support Headquarters from the USS Halsey to the USS Reliant. 2004 - Promoted to Admiral and the Position Chief of Staff. 2005 - Position title changed to Chief of Command Staff.
Now - Currently Served Starfleet Command for 18 years.
World Science Fiction Convention to Celebrate Star Trek’s 40th Anniversary by Bjo Trimble Forty years ago, on September 8th, 1966, Star Trek debuted on television screens across America, forever changing the landscape of television and science fiction. But days earlier, the show’s creator, Gene Roddenberry, flew to Cleveland, Ohio and the 24th World Science Fiction Convention to preview his new series for the science fiction fans gathered there. He came, along with Sam Peeples, a writer for the series, and screened two episodes: the original pilot, The Cage, and What Little Girls Are Made Of. They spoke, extolling the wonders of their series. They also brought three women’s costumes and models to display them. With that association, how could L.A.con IV, the 64th World Science Fiction Convention not commemorate and celebrate the 40th anniversary of Star Trek? This year the convention will have hundreds of speakers and program items over its five day run at the Anaheim Convention Center, with topics covering the literature and business of science fiction books, movies & television, science & space and more. Top authors, artists, filmmakers, scientists from around the world will all take part in the convention's program. And a portion of that program, as well as the convention's extensive exhibits, will be dedicated to Star Trek, the people who created it, and the fans who love it. The program is still in the works and the convention is still contacting people involved with Star Trek in all of its incarnations, but already scheduled are:
• Appearances by stars from the original Star Trek series Walter Koenig and Barbara Luna as well as Star Trek: The Next Generation's Marina Sirtis, Star Trek: Voyager's Richard Herd, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's Andy Robinson, and Suzie Plakson, who appeared on Next Generation, Voyager, and Enterprise. More stars expected but not yet confirmed.
• Writers from the original series including DC Fontana, David Gerrold, and Robert
Sabaroff, talking about crafting a legend.
• A display of costumes actually used on the series.
• Writers and producers from Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager, and Enterprise.
• Graphics, miniatures, and props.
• A slide presentation on Star Trek: Phase 2, the first planned revival of Star Trek,
from 1977, which was dropped at the very last minute in order to bring Star Trek to the motion picture screen instead.
• A slide show by John & Bjo Trimble on the history of Star Trek Fandom.
• Panels with fans of Star Trek, talking about the first fan-run conventions, keeping
Star Trek alive between its cancellation in 1968 and the debut of Star Trek: The Motion Picture.
• A show by Star Trek designer Mike Okuda, showing behind-the-scenes graphics
from various versions of Star Trek.
• A presentation by Star Trek: TNG, Voyager, and Enterprise Special Effects Supervisor Ronald B. Moore.
• Behind The Camera From Behind A Camera A slide show of crew-taken photos of
behind-the-scenes moments on Star Trek Enterprise.
• A lesson in speaking Klingon from the director of the Klingon Language Institute.
• The creators behind Star Trek: New Voyages and Hidden Frontier, the two internet series continuing the adventures of the Starship Enterprise.
• A screening of Free Enterprise, followed by a talk by Mark A. Altman and Robert
Meyer Burnett, the film’s writers, producer, and director.
• A screening of Galaxy Quest, followed by a talk by Robert Gordon, the film’s writer.
• The convention’s traditional first-night welcome reception, this year themed to the
Babel Conference Ambassadorial Reception, with David Gerrold as Master of Ceremonies.
And much, much more. Keep checking our website for more details and future announcements. You can find out everything you need to know about the convention from our website at http://www.laconiv.org or by writing to [email protected]. Even learn how you can book one of our specially-discounted rooms, as low as $99 per night, single/double/triple/quad. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ L.A.con IV, the 64th World Science Fiction Convention, will be held August 23-27, 2006, in Anaheim, California. Our Guests of Honor are Connie Willis (author), James Gurney (artist), Howard DeVore (fan), and Frankie Thomas (special). See us on the internet at www.laconiv.org. Worldcon, World Science Fiction Convention, Hugos, and Hugo Awards are service marks of the World Science Fiction Society, an unincorporated literary association.
The State of Genre by COMMODORE Joseph Campbell & Lieutenant Commander Phillips
When we were young, there wasn't much sf on television. "Lost in Space", "It's About Time" ...."Star Trek". The first was fun for a kid at least and we were so glad that there was any sf at all on tv that it didn't matter how cheesy it was. (Besides, I had a crush on Major West. - SP) The second can be argued as to whether it actually is sf. It's there mostly cause...well, mostly I guess because it was a comedy and darned funny and about cavemen. But it didn't last. "Star Trek" is in a class by itself if only because of the phenomena it became. Back then my father and I watched it every week together. Every week he'd get huffy because of the split infinitive in the "to boldly go" speech. I smiled and nodded because he was a university professor and fathers knew best anyway. I got so into Trek that I bought things from Lincoln Enterprises, lots of things, spending most of my allowance on them. It was my first true fannish obsession way before I knew about fandom itself. Today, there is a LOT of sf on television both bad and good. "Lost", "Invasion", "Surface", the Stargate franchise -- indeed, a whole channel for sf. Today...well, it isn't your father's science fiction out there. "Battlestar Galactica" is a remake of a seventies show. It's darker and grittier and has a wholly more realistic feel to it than the original. It's a smash hit. It's well-written, well directed and the actors are better too. Shows like that are doing remarkably well right now. They speak to the times we're in and they grew out of what amounts to another culture. One of these ancestors of today's sf is "Blake's 7". Made by the British, it told the story of a plucky band of revolutionaries fighting the tyranny of the Federation. No character here was perfect; in fact they were far from it. Flaws were what made this show work; flaws in the characters and the conflict they created. Even back then, it wasn't your father's science fiction. After that came "Babylon 5". Great story, great writing, wonderful cast. Again, the characters weren't perfect. They fought, laughed, loved, argued, made mistakes. Not everything in any of these three shows is sweetness and light. And there was Trek. Our fathers' Trek was Roddenberry's vision, a world of cooperation and unity, where everyone was accepted...but nothing was talked about. For today's sf, they tried
again and we got Enterprise. Unfortunately, it still was our fathers' Trek in the sense that nothing truly happened. It was Trek light, the Baywatch of the sf genre. Some will say that there was conflict - sure there was. Big open conflict between the Xindi and everybody else. The aliens had tons of conflict. The key factor here is change. The Enterprise characters barely changed at all between beginning and end of the series. A show's characters must be adaptable to change and show that change to be interesting. A good example here is Stargate and it's spin-off. Stargate SG-1 is not the show it started out to be. It has grown, evolved into something much darker and more real than it used to be. A good "franchise" will do this, not merely reiterate the same ole, same ole. At the same time it has revitalized itself with the spin-off Stargate: Atlantis. It is an example of the Worm Ouroboros, circling round onto itself and in doing so becoming better. With Enterprise, Star Trek refused to look in the mirror and see the bad parts, the parts they needed to work on. They just saw the great and mighty Franchise. It's hard to see how Trek would fit into the current genre oeuvre. DS9 would be closest out of what they've done so far. Yet in some circles that show isn't seen as a success on even the level that Voyager was. It can't be that Trek fans are only interested in sweetness and light because some are just as rabid about Galactica...or Blake's 7....as they are about Trek. Perhaps it is that the Powers That Be have tunnel-vision so badly that because they *think* that's all we want, that's all they'll give us. Let's hope that Enterprise has cured them of that delusion
Admiralty Board Contact List
Fleet Commander, Starfleet Command Fleet Admiral Mark A. Bischoff Indianapolis, Indiana 46203-0565 Stationed: U.S.S. Adventure NCC 22024 Deputy Fleet Commander, Starfleet Command Admiral J. Andrew Sams Carmel, Indiana Stationed: U.S.S. Adventure NCC 22024
Chief of Membership Services Admiral Lillian L. Sams Carmel, Indiana Stationed: U.S.S. Adventure NCC 22024
Starfleet Command Who We Are: We are one of the first fan clubs patterned after Star Trek. We are a group of science fiction fans, space enthusiasts, trekkers and trekkies who like to have fun while supporting local, regional and national charities.
Starfleet Command P.O. Box 33565 Indianapolis, IN 46203-0565
The Science of Black Holes By RM Wey Black holes are extremely interesting phenomenon, thought to form from stars (or other massive objects) when the gravity pulling against them outweighs their ability to push back. Throughout the life a stellar object, it is continuously producing an electromagnetic field from the fusion of particles at its core. However, towards the end of its life, this process begins to shut down, and the forces of gravity begin to take over. Now, if said stellar body is of eight times mass or less, as that of earths sun, its final phase of life will be that of a white dwarf (Sirius B has a white dwarf as a companion); Now star many more times the mass of earths sun tend to go as supernovae, and if the remnant of the explosion is still greater than 1.4 solar masses, you have a neutron star. But if it is truly massive, above 2 solar masses, what emerges from the collapse is a black hole (also known as a quantum singularity). But what exactly is a black hole? A black hole is a region of space-time where light (and electromagnetic radiation cannot escape. Now, the event horizon (or ‘surface’ of the black hole) is that area in space above the singularity, for an object with the mass equal to that of 10 suns, its radius would be roughly 30 kilometers (or 19 miles) and its critical circumference 189 kilometers (or 118 miles). Now, as the doomed stellar body reaches this ‘critical’ point, an ‘apparent’ horizon forms (that point where some light rays are still moving away from those collapsing inward toward the singularity). Yet, even before it has met its final doom, as the star continues to collapse, the event horizon is forming at the core and ballooning outward, merging with the apparent horizon until they are one. Now this may sound like a game of semantics, but it does aid in the understanding of how black holes form and evolve. One thing one must understand, the basic laws of physics cease to have any meaning within the confines of the singularity. There, you are in the strange world of quantum gravity. Now there are thought to be two kinds of “Black holes” the stationary and the rotating. They are known as Schwarzschild and Kerr black holes, respectively. Both are considered stationary (unless acted upon by an outside entity); in theory, they may hold an electric charge (Q), but such would quickly be negated by attraction of its opposite sign, effectively giving the singularity a zero charge. But what happens when one black hole is affected (or collided by) another? The resulting disturbances created in space-time would
emit graviton waves for generations. Not to mention what repercussions such an event might bring about.
UnitedFanCon Set for November 10-12, 2006 by Captain Brian Peterson
Greetings UFCers! The Pre-Registration List is now available on-line and can be found here: http://www.unitedfancon.com/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=24 If you purchased tickets at last year's fantastic show, please take a moment to confirm that you are on the list and make sure you are listed and the information is correct. If you would like to purchase tickets, you can do so on-line or via mail. Please click here for more information: http://www.unitedfancon.com/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=4 If you have any questions regarding your registration, please do not reply to this message. Instead please contact [email protected] See you in November!
Theory of Dark Energy Bolstered By RADM RM Wey Research into distant, dying galaxies, has produced the largest three dimensional mapping of the currently known universe. And though only covering a distance equal to forty percent of the distance of the visible universe, it contains roughly six hundred thousand ‘Red Galaxies’ (that is, ancient galaxies where only red stars are known to exist). Through the painstaking observance of the color and red shift of more than ten thousand of these ‘Red Galaxies’ a map of a fan shaped slice of the cosmos was created. From this, variations in the grouping of ordinary matter were seen every four hundred fifty million light years or so; thus, giving some confirmation to the theories of dark energy (a mysterious force that accounts for the acceleration of the universe's expansion. As expected, its influence is outsized, making up nearly seventy five percent of the universe's density. Dark Energy Confirmed Research using the Chandra X-ray observatory has confirmed that seventy five percent of the known universe consists of dark energy. This concept was first proposed in the year two thousand, when observations of distant supernovae explosions hinted that the expansion of the universe was accelerating (rather than slowing down). From observations made of twenty six galactic clusters ranging in distance from one billion to eight billion light years away; from the measurement of hot gases within them, and plotting the results over cosmic time, it seems the expansion began some six billion years ago; and due, to dark energy. Further observations and research will be needed to refine just how much of our universe is comprised of dark energy and whether that amount changes over time.
Sci Fi Studios - Project X launch www.scifi-studios.com by Tim Brazeal
Hello All, I am sure that many of you have seen Project X and have wondered what exactly all the fuss is about for some time. Today, you find out! We sincerely hope that Sci Fi Studios was worth the wait. Hollywood professionals, TrekUnited staff members and I have been working to get Sci Fi Studios up and running since May 2005, and as with many things, it simply takes time to organize a project so huge. We still have much to do to the website and will be working on it for some time to come. We want your involvement and your input, so you can help form and shape Sci Fi Studios as we move into the future.
Sci Fi Studios will be like no other Hollywood business. Professionals and fans working together within the Hollywood development process is a cutting-edge idea that is long overdue. There are many talented fans around the world would like a voice in the entertainment media they watch and buy. Sci Fi Studios will create that opportunity. It doesn't matter if your talent is writing, acting, directing or just ideas; this is the place to bring it all together. Sci-fi is imagination, and dreams do come true! We want you to be directly involved with the process from conception to completion on making movies, television series and other content including graphic novels, comics, and games. You get to help create worlds, characters, ships, races and almost anything within your imagination. Just think other members or some of our professionals could actually choose your ideas for use in a movie or television series produced by Sci Fi Studios! Did I mention we have some of the top entertainment professionals onboard? Manny Coto: Executive producer for Star Trek: Enterprise and the current hit series 24, starring Keifer Sutherland. We also have Jim Uhls who penned the screenplay for Fight Club starring Brad Pitt. Jim currently has multiple movies in production. The list goes on and on! If you want to be part of history in the making, NOW is your chance to actually have a say in what you watch and how you watch it. FAN POWERED ENTERTAINMENT! http://www.scifi-studios.com Don't just watch the adventure - Be a part of it! ------------------------------------- TrekFansUnited Forum Statistics: ------------------------------------- Registered Users: 4150 Total Posts: 348919 Busiest Time: 525 users were online on 3rd April 2005 - 02:24 AM ------------------------------------- Handy Links ------------------------------------- Board Address: http://www.trekfansunited.com/forum/index.php Log In: http://www.trekfansunited.com/forum/index.php Lost Password Recovery: http://www.trekfansunited.com/forum/index.php?act=Reg&CODE=10 ------------------------------------- How to unsubscribe ------------------------------------- Visit your email preferences (http://www.trekfansunited.com/forum/index.php) and ensure that the box for 'Send me any updates sent by the board administrator' is unchecked and submit the form.
A Year Later…. by Captain Dana Dougan
Some of you know and some of you don't know, but I am from South Louisiana. Yes I am Cajun and after this away mission I am more proud than ever to be a Cajun. I knew following last years hurricane season, the impact of Katrina and Rita in particular on my home state and the Gulf coast was obviously beyond words. What I was not prepared for was that a year later, there are still so much devastation, blue roofs (FEMA Tarps), FEMA Trailer parks and Tent Cities. I arrived in New Orleans on Saturday evening and my Mother told me I was going to be very surprised at what I was going to see while I was here. Of course the pictures you see on television and in print don't even begin to tell the story. On Monday I had the pleasure of going to a local nursing home and helping with Bingo and visiting with these wonderful folks. “Mey Shay, let me told y’all, we a strong group of peoples here. We going to be okay, don't you worry now." was just one of the comments I heard while visiting. Despite everything, the thought of not getting on with life as normal doesn’t seem a part of the thinking here. There is however a sense of "worry" with a new
hurricane season approaching. There is a commercial on local television telling people if your still in the FEMA trailers and a storm is coming, seek shelter because these trailers provide no safety in a event of a hurricane. Seek shelter from a shelter. How sad...... The area of the state I am from is 65 miles South west of New Orleans. Terrebonne Parish as a matter of fact. Much of the lower Parish is still underwater due to erosion when the levies broke. They have not yet been fully repaired. The Corps of engineers are still working on the New Orleans levies they have not begun to work on those in my home parish. Lafource Parish has a remarkable levy system that withstood the storm surge of Rita. Terrebonne Parish no longer can wait for the corps of engineers to come inspect or approve their levy system. With the assistance of Lafource Parish they are going to take a leap of faith and repair and build their system without approval of the federal government. The safety of these people in the lower bayou area is a priority and well they don't have as much faith in government as in the past. The area I am from is not a highly visible area. CNN and MSNBC are not going to report on the losses of these people. They are not going to scream to the newspapers and television cameras how they feel betrayed by government. They are going to quietly rebuild, pray and believe. Friday I am going to deliver some meals on wheels. I am going to energize my soul with hugs from some blessed people and get more from them than I can ever get by delivering a meal. This trip has humbled me. For all my complaints, I am truly blessed. I am blessed to be from South Louisiana. I am blessed to be an American. I am blessed to have a family and friends that care. Please do not take your homes , your lives or your families for granted. It doesn't take much to lose alot and it may takes years( if ever) to reclaim just a part of it back. Hailing Frequencies Closed
Calling All Ships to the 2nd Annual Olympics!!!!! by Captain Dana Dougan and RADM Jeff Wolfe
The USS Independent along with Starbase 6 would like to invite you to this event. Last year was such a great success and best of all, so much fun. It was an example of remarkable sportsmanship and friendly competition. The event will take place at Leiber State Park. We will also be camping for those who like to camp. Info on camping will be sent out soon. Like last year, we are asking ships to sponsor an Olympic event. The USS Independent will again sponsor a Horseshoe competition. This year we are going to sponsor a 12 year and under Horseshoe competition as well. For those of you who were unable to attend, the events last year were horseshoes, softball, euchre, golfing, and banner competition. We are also asking the ships that sponsor an event to provide awards of their choice. The date for the event is August 18th thru the 20th. The Olympics will take place on Saturday August 19th. We are working on other activities for this weekend. This will be passed on to you as soon as possible. The USS Independent will also have food available at a nominal cost for lunch. This is optional and you can bring your own lunch if you chose. A pitch in supper is planned. Further details will be available as we hear from those planning on attending. I am asking all Captains to please let me know if you plan on sponsoring an event and or if you or any of your crew is able to attend. Guests are welcome to participate. It is free to participate in the event the only cost is your cost in to the park and camping fees if you plan on camping. This is an event you don't want to miss. Hope to hear from you soon.
Starbase Indy Online Ordering Now Available by ADM Kim Huff
Starbase Indy's main guest lineup for this Thanksgiving weekend is complete and it is sure to please a wide array of discerning science fiction fans! Here is a taste of the smorgasbord SBI will be offering: Katee Sackhoff (Battlestar Galactica's Starbuck, in her only scheduled US appearance this year) Christopher Judge (Stargate SG-1's Teal’c)
Gary Graham (Enterprise's Ambassador Soval and Alien Nation's Det. Matthew Sikes) Gary Jones (Chief Mst. Sgt. Walter Harriman of Stargate SG-1) Dean Haglund ( Lone Gunman Ringo Langly of The X-Files) Alexis Cruz (Skaara of Stargate SG-1) Many Coto (Executive Producer & Writer for "24", Enterprise, and Odyssey 5) In addition to this stellar lineup, SBI will once again offer Dinner with the Stars, this year to include the hilarious skit 'Kirk vs. Spock" performed by Gary Jones and Dean Haglund in full makeup and costume. Also back by popular demand, SBI will host a formidable Dealer's Room, Opening Ceremonies, Masquerade, Sat Night Dance, Karaeoke, Con Suite, titillating Secondary Programming, Photo Ops with the Stars, and the return of David Reddick as Master of Ceremonies. Exclusive to this year, Dean Haglund will have us roaring during his X-Files Improv, and a surprise performance including many of our guests will be featured on Sunday. Check out the website to learn about the four weekend membership packages available. Autographs with Katee and Christopher will only be available to weekend ticket holders. In addition to weekend memberships, the online ticket office is offering past Con merchandise, pre-orders for the 2006 SBI T-Shirt (designed by the Trek Life's David Reddick), and pre-orders for Photo Ops (price includes autograph). Photo Ops are limited and will be sure to go fast! http://www.starbaseindy.com/
