On Brock Peters

The other voice of Darth Vader, Brock Peters, has passed away. He was 78. Many will associate Peters with To Kill a Mockingbird or his two Star Trek roles–as Admiral Cartwright in films IV and VI and as Joseph Sisko in Deep Space Nine–but I will always associate Peters with the voice of Darth VaderContinue reading “On Brock Peters”

On Klingon Fairy Tales

Once upon a time the Klingon Language Institute translated Shakespeare’s Hamlet back into its “original Klingon.” Likewise Much Ado About Nothing and the Epic of Gilgamesh. I’ve sometimes wondered about Winnie-the-Pooh, Klingon Warrior. Now, Klingon Fairy Tales. Not translations into the Warriors’ Tongue, but titles of fairy tales that would appeal to the bumpy headsContinue reading “On Klingon Fairy Tales”

On Iraq and the No-Win Scenario

There’s not really an argument here, more of a statment—Is Iraq our own Kobayashi Maru? Iraq is fast becoming the Kobayashi Maru for the United States. If we stay, suicide terrorism will continue to rise. If we go, the civil war is practically inevitable. On the surface this Kobayashi Maru framework for Iraq seems toContinue reading “On Iraq and the No-Win Scenario”

On Jimmy Doohan

James Doohan, best known as Scotty from Star Trek, passed away today. He was 85. I had the opportunity to write for Scotty in my Star Trek: SCE novella, Ring Around the Sky. Scotty is the officer in charge of the Starfleet Corps of Engineers, and he doles out the assignments to the da VinciContinue reading “On Jimmy Doohan”

On Shore Leave IV

Mystery Trekkie Theatre. It’s an annual tradition–Peter David, Mike Friedman, and Bob Greenberger play Mike and the ‘bots picking nits and making fun of Star Trek episodes. This year, they didn’t do a Trek episode. They dug up the 1964 Alexander the Great pilot, starring William Shatner and Adam West. Oh, the horror! The horror!Continue reading “On Shore Leave IV”

On the Psi Phi Awards

The Psi Phi Awards are given each year for outstanding achievement in Star Trek publishing. Awards are given for best novel, best cover, best series, best new novelist, and a dozen other categories. This year I was asked by the Awards’ organizers to write the presentation speech for Best Cover. Even though I had aContinue reading “On the Psi Phi Awards”