Although J.J. Abrams has received critical acclaim for his interpretation of Gene Roddenberry’s vision, it remains to be seen if the members of the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences can overcome their prejudice of science fiction and nominate the film in the “Best Picture” category for 2009.

Traditionally, Science Fiction has not been given the credit it deserves, often overlooked by the Oscar’s except for special effects. Star Wars (1977) remains the exception, although the attention this year will be on the maiden voyage of the USS Enterprise NCC 1701 to challenge the notion that the genre is too unrealistic to compete or win multiple awards for screenplay, directing, set decorations, score, editing and acting.

This form of fiction has provided a perfect format for presenting contemporary issues often by slipping under the radar of the censors, unveiling the relevancy of the subject matter by being just one step beyond reality yet distant enough to be non-threatening.

Classic Star Trek, first conceived in 1965, had numerous story lines based on the important subjects of its time, including race relations, arms proliferation, over population, and many others in imaginative and colorful ways. No other series could have presented these issues at that time without having some kind of severe public backlash, yet of all of the thirty Emmy’s the franchise has been awarded, not one was in writing, directing or acting.

The conflicts raised by science fiction also relate to expectations of how society might evolve based on assumptions created by advancements in technology and medicine, suggesting conceivable possibilities although sometimes far fetched. This form of story telling challenges the imagination  sometimes requiring a leap of faith beyond the logic of the story’s credibility, focusing attention on character development, using special effects and futuristic gadgets to further the story rather than dazzle the audience.

In the past, the demographics of the voting academy members of the Oscars and Emmy’s were different and much older, dismissing science fiction, fantasy and horror as not worthy of competing with other genres. However, in 2003, The Lord Of The Rings-The Return Of The King earned eleven Oscars, the first fantasy film to win best picture, suggesting that the academy, now comprising a majority of baby boomers who grew up with the original Trek, may be ready to give science fiction the spotlight.

Review of Star Trek (2009)

The Chupacabra (Spanish for goat sucker) is an animal indigenous to Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Latin American communities that speak Spanish in the United States. The name comes from the animal’s reported habit of attacking and drinking the blood of goats. Physical descriptions of the creature vary. Eyewitness sightings have been claimed for centuries near Ponce, Puerto Rico and have since been reported as far north as Maine and as far south as Chile. It is supposedly a heavy creature, the size of a small bear, with a row of spines reaching from the neck to the base of the tail.

The first photographs were taken in March 1995 in Puerto Rico by Madelyne Diaz don Diego who lost all of her 150 goats in an attack. Each animal she claimed had similar characteristic puncture wounds in the chest area and completely drained of blood.

In Coleman, Texas, a farmer named Reggie Lagow caught what he claimed was the Chupacabra in a trap he set up after the deaths of a number of his goats. The animal was described as resembling a mix of hairless dog, rat, and kangaroo. Lagow claims he delivered the animal to Texas Parks and Wildlife officials for identification, but reported in a September 17, 2006 phone interview with John Adolfi, founder of the Lost World Museum, that “the critter was caught on a Tuesday and accidentally thrown out in Thursday’s trash.”

One of the big shocks of a sudden untimely death is that it focuses attention on how fragile life is and perhaps taken for granted, especially  when it happens to public figures who are well liked. Such was the case for actress Natasha Richardson (1963-2009), a life cut short from a skiing accident on march 18th at the age of 45. A respected thespian, eldest daughter of Vanessa Redgrave, one of the fabled Redgrave’s, the foremost British theatrical family that spans five generations of solid remarkable performances on stage and screen.

Although steeped in the theater by training and choice, one of Ms Richardson’s memorable performances was in The Parent Trap, a charming 1998 Disney remake of the popular 1961 film that starred Haley Mills and was based on the German novel, Das Doppelte Lottchen (Lottie And Lisa) written by Erich Kastner.

It’s difficult to duplicate a popular film successfully, let alone a Disney Classic, but in this rare case the studio succeeded in adding new elements to the story directed by Nancy Meyers starring Lindsay Lohan, Dennis Quaid and Ms Richardson who created a genuine emotional appeal as the mother of twin “gerls,” in a feel good romantic comedy.

Although it was not the best showcase for her talent as was Cabaret, the Broadway musical revival that won her a well earned best actress Tony for a musical performance also in 1998, the chemistry between Quaid and Richardson, a divorced couple with separated twins who meet at summer camp and switch places in an attempt to get their parents together again left its impression.

Part of the remarkable life she led was a sixteen year marriage to Liam Neeson, two children and a career that included numerous roles that  challenged expectations of what she was capable of doing, while remaining below the radar of the paparazzi. No small feat since her mother  Vanessa was well known for her outspoken political activism, passionately displayed in her Oscar winning role in 1977’s Julia co-starring Jane Fonda. Her father, Tony Richardson also went on to win an Oscar for direction for Tom Jones in 1963.

Despite her pedigree, Ms Richardson found a way to become an accomplished actress without the expectations children of famous people are burdened with, or of a family so prominent on stage, screen and in the public eye. Often compared to her mother in looks and intensity, she had a nuanced depth all her own. A tragic loss to Broadway, Hollywood, her family and the public.

For more on the career of Natasha Richardson see IMbd data base.

“A lot of things to know even if there were some credible theories to invent a device to transport me back into the distant past, perhaps to the birth of philosophy when it was  discussed over a feast of wild fowl, grapes, wine and cheese, assuming I could eat the sustenance safely without getting sick and dying in the past unless I brought the right curative. Its also conceivable that transporting nineteenth century bacteria with me would expose them and I could effectively destroy the past, present and future or any hope that my work will ever be published.”

These words are among torn pages recently discovered in an old trunk found in a London flea market and identified as the lost pages of H. G. Wells early work, Experiment in Autobiography, where he ponders some of the less technical aspects of time travel before writing his classic work, The Time Machine first published in 1895. “Going back in time would involve much more than mastering physics. There would need to be considerable knowledge of the social structures, dress codes, and be linguistically fluent in ancient languages in order to appear contemporary to all those alert philosophers who viewed the study of the unknown with suspicion.”

A task of immense proportions he considered on pages now brown and cracked from exposure to moisture and time,  “I began to be consumed by time travel, I accept its conceivability, and although not possible now I shall be prepared for the time when it is, by unleashing the imagination to explore the possibilities. Discovering the truth of history for my own sake, introspective perhaps, but also a basis for a story creating a collective fantasy to aspire to.” Interesting words from an author uncomfortable with the time in which he was born.

Realistically, the invention of a time machine would effectively make anyone who used the device an applied anthropologist. Subjecting the traveler to a culture they are not prepared to join even with diligent research since all we know about the ancient world is from tools, text and art. Although these may reveal many things, there is nothing about a smooth transition  or how to blend in and survive if it were possible to physically transport  to a particular era. Many would not survive the trip, getting caught up in its dramatic events such as politics or war,  unable to retain temporal distinction. Those that did survive would not be guaranteed a successful second trip, since each journey would involve  unique circumstances requiring adaptation.

One reasonable observation about time travel can be made with relative certainty: If going into the future is the unknown, then traveling into the past is going into the unknown of the imperfectly known.

Future Time  Travel Into The Past

by Fredrick Fabian Smythe, North City Bugle

It was my second assignment as ACE reporter of the North City Bugle and I was being dispatched to Mud Lake. Strange appearances had been reported that perplexed state authorities. Academics disagreed on the data, often confusing potential conclusions. This was a perfect situation to investigate and uncover the truth, an opportunity to construct a coherent picture of what was happening, allowing the public to draw their own conclusions.

My mother, the late Gleda Heyworth-Smythe, a trained Marine Oceanographer from Columbia University said, “Look at it this way: a lake is like an ocean, surrounded by land. Many are very deep, with currents, however they are more mysterious and often characterized by the land that surrounds their boundaries.” I thought it an interesting way to portray a body of water but mother always had a way with words, cutting to the core while creating even more mystery along the way.

The problem that lay at the center of my investigation was the existence of many lakes, all with the same name. In New York State alone there are over 30 of these lakes scattered throughout its borders, all called Mud Lake. I tried to grasp all this information while sitting at the corner Starbucks in the West Village, off Seventh Avenue on a warm Summer’s night, gazing for meaning in the residue coffee grounds that lay at the bottom of my empty cup of Mocca Light Cappuchino with a half eaten piece of cherry pie, fork still lying at an angle.

I recollected how I used a random number table to choose 3 of the named Mud Lakes, a small sample to study. Published reports and photographs of each lake revealed that every one of them was surrounded by mud. Analysis of their moist samples did reveal variations in their level of Nitrogen and Carbon. High amounts of these two elements led to the first clue as I continued collecting my thoughts in my sketch book, in the same area steeped in the historic literary movement of Greenwich Village during the 1950’s and 60’s, while enjoying a cup of Earl Grey, extra hot, with a double chocolate chip cookie laying on the melmac plate served at my local Starbucks.

Increased amounts of C and N suggested these areas were used as campsites with the carbon produced by fire and the nitrogen by waste. However there were some lakes with a distinct inverse composition which led me to conclude they were highly populated by wildlife ritualistic marking their territory. My working hypothesis: Mud Lake had to be a place someone would have visited if only to substantiate the appearance of what I was sent to uncover.

Research Material
*Mud Lake, Chautauqua County, New York. 42°21?15?N, 79°19?00?W
*Laurel Lake, also known as Mud Lake, Delaware County, New York. 42°05?37?N, 74°46?26?W
*Mud Lake, Delaware County, New York. 42°05?38?N, 74°46?28?W
*Mud Lake, Delaware County, New York. 42°26?56?N, 74°51?59?W
*Mud Lake, Delaware County, New York. 42°27?32?N, 74°48?24?W
*Mud Lake, Delaware County, New York. 42°28?31?N, 74°55?40?W
*Mud Pond, also known as Mud Lake, Franklin County, New York. 44°32?11?N, 74°05?48?W
*Mud Lake, Fulton County, New York. 43°05?17?N, 74°25?03?W
*Mud Lake, Fulton County, New York. 43°10?21?N, 74°31?38?W
*Mud Lake, Fulton County, New York. 43°12?46?N, 74°13?49?W
*Mud Lake, Fulton County, New York. 43°13?32?N, 74°22?00?W
*Mud Lake, Hamilton County, New York. 43°20?27?N, 74°27?08?W
*Mud Lake, Hamilton County, New York. 43°22?47?N, 74°31?15?W
*Mud Lake, Hamilton County, New York. 43°29?28?N, 74°29?48?W
*Mud Lake, Hamilton County, New York. 43°31?08?N, 74°25?47?W
*Mud Lake, Hamilton County, New York. 43°35?38?N, 74°36?39?W
*Mud Lake, Herkimer County, New York. 42°54?15?N, 74°54?05?W
*Mud Lake, Herkimer County, New York. 43°17?26?N, 74°47?49?W
*Mud Lake, Herkimer County, New York. 43°53?46?N, 74°58?09?W
*Clear Lake, also known as Mud Lake, Jefferson County, New York. 44°16?40?N, 75°49?35?W
*Mud Lake, Jefferson County, New York. 44°17?31?N, 75°48?37?W
*Mud Lake, Lewis County, New York. 43°28?57?N, 75°31?53?W
*Mud Lake, Onondaga County, New York. 43°10?51?N, 76°24?35?W
*Mud Lake, Putnam County, New York. 41°25?24?N, 73°50?35?W
*Mud Lake, Rensselaer County, New York. 42°37?10?N, 73°36?33?W
*Mud Lake, Schoharie County, New York. 42°35?57?N, 74°36?55?W
*Lamoka Lake, also known as Mud Lake, Schuyler County, New York. 42°24?23?N, 77°04?41?W
*Mud Lake, St. Lawrence County, New York. 44°22?11?N, 75°36?01?W
*Mud Lake, St. Lawrence County, New York. 44°30?15?N, 75°27?31?W
*Mud Lake, Steuben County, New York. 42°28?13?N, 77°33?43?W
*Mud Lake, Steuben County, New York. 42°29?30?N, 77°16?46?W
*Harrisburg Lake, also known as Mud Lake, Warren County, New York. 43°24?30?N, 74°04?48?W

While flipping the hundreds of TV channels as the snow blanketed the pavement of NYC, muting the sounds of garbage trucks and sirens, backed up traffic as the horns honked with frustrated drivers, stuck, trapped on the white powdered concrete streets, sniffing the fresh odor permeating the clarity of white, I chanced across some old TV shows I hadn’t seen in years. The Time Tunnel, Land of The Giants, Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea and Lost In Space, evoking memories of past’s portrayal of the future in times long gone.

It was hard to acknowledge that I was conscious and alert during the very first season all three major networks broad-casted color television on prime time, spearheaded largely by NBC in 1965. ABC and CBS followed suit in the 1966-67 season. My brand new 32″ Zenith television set sat proudly in the living room on its custom-designed hand-assembled stand with wheels, purchased with a MACY’s credit card.

When turned on for the very first time, it took a minute or two to warm up as the tubes heated and the screen began to gleam all sorts of color, for it was September 8, 1966 around 8:30 - 9:30pm, and the very first episode of Star Trek was aired on NBC, Stardate 1513.1. The Man Trap, a shape shifting, salt-craving creature terrorizes the crew of the Enterprise 1701 in vivid green against a backdrop of psychedelic colors, skimpy uniforms, three dimensional chess and cheesy props long before digital remastering was ever conceived.

Imagine what life was like before color, a Twilight Zone of white, black and grays with monotone sound. A transforming moment seeing a purple colored wall, an orange sky and Gatorade blue liquid served at some ambassadorial function. Star Trek was one of the most colorful series in history, even before the current digital restoration that highlighted the drama and intrigue, also distracting the audience from deficits in the props, special effects or storyline.

Although constant readjustment of the color and contrast without benefit of a remote control was necessary, as the commercials betrayed an overly reddish or greenish hue. The switch to color and a Swanson’s TV dinner on a snack table was the ultimate way to see the future in living color during the Sixties.

Although the “slings and arrows of outrageous fortune” may portend attitudes’ interpretation of the fates deem inevitable, it can also reflect fatalistic expectations of future events within a cosmic play seen from a skewed perspective, just a nebulous notion or delusional state, demarcating individualized affect that attributes its own meaning to what images are suggested by “control”.

If seeking domination of circumstances to impact a specific effect is sought despite infinite unanticipated external possibilities, then personal thought, balanced upon positive and negative experiences, impress the ironic futility to any such endeavor. Now technology has an input into this very notion.

A variety of products developed for the enlightened individual who wants to take charge of his/her environment has been explored by slashgear.com; a reservoir of unimaginable ideas made concrete for anyone to redefine their personal surroundings.

First there is the color coordinated, Control Your Man Or Women Remote Control. Pink for the men and dark gray for the women who have issues with their paramour and require additional prodding instead of spending thousand of dollars in counseling or legal fees sucked up by lawyers to win a divorce settlement. The remote control claims to get them to do what you want on a whim, without the hassle of free will, free speech or love potion #9, conjured in a burning cauldron of witches brew so eloquently memorialized by The Three in MacBeth, Act 1, Scene1: “Fair is foul, and foul is fair: Hover through the fog and filthy air,” as an inspiration for the evil queen, stepmother of Snow White, as she transforms, a result of a dark potion,  into the ugly contorted witch in the sweeping 1940 animated epic Disney masterpiece Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs, surrounded by thunder, swirling wind and lightning and the poisoned apple, cackling her narrative to the mesmerized gaze of children and adults sitting in the audience. Although not a new concept it does have a soundly presented atmospheric charm all its own.

“Press a button and it yells at your significant other to do the task of your choosing. Both remotes emit obnoxious noises. the pink one sounds boyish  while the dark gray, whiny and ‘girlish.’” One remote is priced at $17.95, while the set, an amazing steal at $29.95. Perhaps behavior modification reminiscent of Psychology 101, the classic Lab Rat experiments devised for the quest to find the biological basis of behavior can apply here, or not.

Atmosphere is also a worthy condition to exist by making all life possible especially in a party environment within an array of merging amino acids. Now there is a way to test, and yes, manipulate your surroundings, and the people who comprise its milieu. Another genius invention shown on slashgear.com. Its the Portable Voice Stress Analyzer, particularly made for the paranoid of heart. Trapped in an affair with numerous people, the voice stress analyzer is small enough to slip into your purse or briefcase and works “by measuring the tremors in the audio signal from the vocal cords. It then assesses how honest the people surrounding you are,” a consideration of note when attempting to cultivate a sense of intuition.  Advertised on nerdapproved.com for $58.40 “with an easy to read LED layout makes determining innocence or guilt quick, easy and unequivocal,  so you can falsely accuse and alienate anyone you want, anytime, anywhere.”

The final piece to this triad effectively designed for any diagnosed or undiagnosed control complex is The Sonic Nausea Gadget to make those around you feel queasy enough to leave. “Sonic Nausea is a small electronic device which can really ‘boom’ one’s stomach. It generates a unique combination of ultra-high frequency sound waves which soon leads most in its vicinity to queasiness. It can also cause headaches, intense irritation, sweating, imbalance, nausea, or even vomiting. The unique sound wave characteristics make directional source determination difficult.  Powered by one 9-volt battery (not included). For extended run time six AA batteries in a battery pack with transistor clips (available from most electronics stores) can be used instead.  Use with extreme (paranoid) discretion.” $29.00. This product is also advertised on shomer-tech.com, which specializes in law enforcement and military equipment.

All of these treasures are a  testament to whoever said, “Things always comes in three’s”

My Percepto Rating: Its a secret. See if you can cajole it outta me.

The current climate changes occurring on the planet raise many questions as scientists meet around the world to consider not only global warming, but also the effects of global dimming.

The loss of sunlight reaching the earth (dimming) has been documented in a recent episode of Nova, the highly respected PBS series. Statistics presented on the program recorded as early as 1957 were compared to 2008 data proving the phenomenon. There is no doubt that the cumulative effect of increased particles released into the atmosphere, by products of the industrial revolution, has resulted in global dimming, which some scientists believe has masked the speed of global warming.

The shift and loss of the Arctic glaciers has been the subject of much speculation for decades, none more eloquently portrayed than 1957’s prophetic The Deadly Mantis. It was directed by Nathan Juran from a screenplay by Martin Berkeley, and starred Craig Stevens, William Hopper and Alix Talton. It was filmed in black and white and runs for 79 minutes. “A sudden geologic shift in the Arctic frees a 200-feet-long prehistoric praying mantis from a glacier in which it had become frozen alive. A United States military outpost commanded by Col. Parkman (Stevens), becomes the center for investigation after the creature destroys a transport plane.”

Putting aside disbelief of the existence of giant prehistoric Mantises, consider what you already know about this creature. It is called “praying mantis” to depict its prayer-like stance rather than the way it stalks prey. Its closest relatives are termites and cockroaches, and it waits patiently to ambush other insects. The larger species feed on small lizards, frogs, birds, snakes and rodents. A master of camouflage, it can blend into the rich green color of surrounding foliage to better capture unsuspecting victims and it’s also well known for its sexual cannibalism by biting off the head of its mate during fertilization.

Imagine having one of your very own, now made possible by Fascinations. Its World Alive Praying Mantis Kit advertised on gadgetsandgizmos.com, “It’s a fantastic way to spend some time with a Praying Mantis, in your home or a classroom. This complete Praying Mantis Kit includes a net habitat, tweezers, instruction booklet (English, Spanish, French), feeding pipette and magnifying glass. Raising your own Praying Mantis is a fascinating view into the world of insects, with their complex life cycles and fascinating social structures.”

Although the eggs are not included in the kit, ordering instructions are included. “Eggs are shipped only within the United States and between the months of December and June. Egg orders received outside that period will be held until eggs are available. Praying Mantis normally live from one spring until the next fall, or 4-6 months.” All this for a mere $16.99.

My Percepto Rating : A, B, C, D, E and more.
A- That all depends on what you plan to feed it
B- A pet canary, “Polly want a cracker?”
C- Perhaps more effective than a cat to keep the mice away
D- An unfaithful mate
E- Misbehaving children?

for more info, click here: http://www.shopgadgetsandgizmos.com/product/15153/234/

Although its green, nice to look at and fun to count, the US dollar has no intrinsic value. As an illustration of money, it’s just printed paper representing an IOU in lieu of some societal value. In fact, money everywhere has the same purpose, of easily providing purchasing power to whoever has it, while being a source of envy for those who don’t.

Most of history, and politics, issues of war, civil unrest and peace involve money somewhere in the mix as the causal factor of conflict even if no one is around to identify the transaction. Arguments often arise between nations when formulas are created to measure one countries’ currency in relation to another. Many cultures define success as the ability to get as much of it than is needed, while each generation passes down the misguided notion that “security” is synonymous with possessing it.

The idea that, suffering along the way to obtaining money will somehow teach the value of having it, has become more wishful thinking than a golden rule, since greed and temptation for an easy buck seems to be everywhere. What happened to the idea that self-confidence in one’s own ability to find a solution to whatever uncertainty presents is where the nature of true security lies.

People with “no money” usually fare better during economic downturns than those who have more than they know what to do with, as long as they have access to good education which translates into a level playing field. For them, ingenuity is the way of survival rather than spending their lives obsessing over how to generate more and discover ways to avoid losing it by inventing ways to keeping track of it.

Perhaps finding another way to engage goods and services is possible if money were totally abolished, as in the Star Trek Universe of the Twenty-Fourth Century, where society provides for all needs effortlessly allowing everyone to be creative and focus on higher pursuits. It sounds wonderful but removes incentives and the need for personal motivation, not necessarily a good thing for a balanced equation. Conservative Republicans might add their two cents, “It’s a bit too socialistic.”

Maybe science could eventually invent the ‘Duplicator’ to make everything out of nothing, so no one has to worry about anything, creating another form of a classless society, eliminating the need for competition. But wait, this is not a credible option since matter, according to Physics, can neither be created nor destroyed. However, if one is able to think outside the box, other alternatives will make it possible one day to lose money happily with a smile.