Monthly Archives: July 2009

“You Have No Honor!”: More Parallels Between Star Trek and Outlaws of the Marsh

“Great men do not seek power; they have power thrust upon them.” — Kahless John and I continue to watch Outlaws of the Marsh, and we keep remarking at how much the Outlaws remind us of Klingons. A few episodes … Continue reading

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“The Finest Organic Suspension Ever Devised”: Top 10 Coffee Moments in Starfleet History

Picard may love his Earl Grey, hot, Worf prefers prune juice, and the Cardassians can’t get enough kanar, but all those potables pale in comparison to the beverage Starfleet really runs on: coffee. More vital than plasma fluid, coffee’s what keeps admirals and ensigns alike up and alert whenever the Romulans attack or there’s a space-time continuum anomaly to be puzzled through. So, without further ado, I bring you the Greatest Coffee Moments in Starfleet History: Continue reading

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Elizabeth Bennet Is My Wonder Woman

Pride and Prejudice and comic books seem to belong to two separate universes: one’s high tea with scones and clotted cream, the other’s hot buttered popcorn; one’s a hike through the Cotswolds, while the other’s a snowboard ride down a slope with plenty of moguls. But now, the two worlds have collided: There’s a P&P comic book, and geek girls everywhere can rejoice. Continue reading

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New Harry Potter Flick Is Intermittently Brilliant

Solid but often workmanlike, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince feels as though everyone involved wanted to get through with it and focus on the grand finale – the two-part Deathly Hallows, now being filmed. It’s a decent film, and yet there’s a restrained quality to it, as though director, actors, and crew alike are saving up the really good stuff for the big finish. (Contains spoilers.) Continue reading

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The Sadomasochistic Joys of Sichuan Hot Pot

Only that which never ceases to hurt stays in the memory . . . Continue reading

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Books That Make You Dumb; or, Are We a Nation of Literature Snobs?

Are readers of Gabriel Garcia Marquez smarter than fans of Nicholas Sparks? If you loved Lolita, does that mean you’ve got more going on upstairs than someone whose favorite book is He’s Just Not That Into You? We book nerds want to believe the answer’s a resounding “yes” (though, if pressed, we’ll admit that one can lead a fulfilling life without being able to name five characters from Pride and Prejudice) and now, we have been vindicated. Sort of. Continue reading

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Klingon Warriors of the Song Dynasty

What’s Mandarin for “q’apla”? Continue reading

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