Kapact's Rant: Being Honest With Yourself

When a person is confronted by a choice, the opportunity to do something right or wrong, is their decision based upon the chance of getting caught, or if they are thinking about taking something that is not theirs, maybe they think they 'deserve' whatever it is, or they think the owner won't miss it. It's not a rare thing, especially in these days that see all of us struggle to get by, and most might casually take something without wanting to think of that ugly 'thief' word.




Let's just imagine you are at a laundromat, and you find a cold can of soda, left unopened by a family that you've seen leave. Imagine further that this family is obviously traveling through, and will most likely not come back looking for it. Would you feel that it was acceptable to drink the soda? You aren't really stealing it, are you? They left it behind, maybe on purpose. What you are judging at this point is really the relationship, if you will, between the soda and its owner. Based just on that, you could make the case that there is no harm in taking the soda. But really, that relationship is not your concern. Not your business. It's not what you need to think about. What you need to think about and really use as the baseline for your decision is your relationship to the soda, because that's really all that counts. First and foremost, did you buy it? Did you earn it? No. And really, that should be all that it comes down to. But you can also consider that the traveling family could conceivably come back looking for their soda. What will they think? But again, that shouldn't matter. All that should matter to you is your relationship to the soda. And the simple question and simple answer. Did you buy it? Do you own it? No. That simple idea can apply to many situations. Any time you find yourself in the position of taking something that in fact isn't yours, even a snack left unclaimed in the breakroom at work, don't think about whether or not the owner might miss it, or whether or not you might get caught. Just think about whether or not you have any right to it. If you're honest with yourself (and if you're lying to yourself, you're lying to the whole world), you'll know the simple answer, and do the right thing.

Headlines From the Edge: "Obama Pushes Reset Button on First Term: "The Next Four Years Are Going to be Great ""

In his latest plan to succeed at fundamentally changing the country, the President returned to the site where some say his presidency was born, the Illinois State House, where he was greeted a cheering crowd. In prepared remarks, the president acknowledged difficulty in communicating his agenda to the majority of Americans, based on historically low poll numbers. "It's obvious, from the millions of jobs saved or created, that we've been successful. But it's just as obvious that a majority of Americans, many of them in the employ of the insurance companies and the Tea Party, simply don't understand. So rather than try to explain it to more than half the country, I'm going to use the same method that has been so successful in thawing relations with the Russians. I'm hereby officially, under my absolute authority as President, pushing the reset button on this term. The gulf oil spill? Shame on the previous administration. Record deficits and unemployment? Shame on the previous administration. Starting right now," he paused to push a large plastic red button, "it's the start of Obama, First Term, 2.0. And the next four years are going to be great!"

Kate’s Cooking: FRITTATA RING & BROWN RICE AND CHICKEN SALAD

FRITTATA RING & BROWN RICE AND CHICKEN SALAD


Hello there folks. Well today is high heat in the desert and I really don’t like it. As I have mentioned before in this column you have to nut it out until a better situation comes along. We are awaiting a work transfer and thought we would not have to spend another summer of high heat. So food in this weather tends to be fast and furious and cooked mostly in the early mornings and wherever possible cooked and made ready for easy reheating later on. The microwave gets a good workout. So today’s cooking involves the microwave.

“Simple Cooking Section.”

Today’s recipe with eggs is a really simple meatless frittata ring, done in the microwave. Its base is eggs and it is cooked in a microwave ring pan. Here are the ingredients:

4 to 5 eggs – beaten with ¼ cup milk and add a little black pepper or fajita seasoning

½ packet frozen spinach – cooked with a little margarine or butter, for a few minutes

3 medium potatoes – baked and diced

2 medium carrots – grated
½ cup parsley – chopped
Cream cheese – little bits

Using the ring pan (which has been greased) put the ingredients in the pan, in the following order: spinach, parsley on top of spinach, diced potatoes, grated carrot, milk & egg mix and lastly, dot with the small pieces of cheese. Cook in the microwave for about 8 to 10 minutes until set. This should serve 2 to 4 people depending on the size of the servings. It is nice with a green salad.

Don’t be afraid to try this if you are learning to cook. It is really easy to do. If you are trying it for the first time, let me know what you think. Experiment with the seasonings and cheese.

Brown Rice & Chicken Salad

This is a very simple recipe that came out of a need to make something in a hurry. I have taken to using brown rice quite a lot lately. I still use white rice for this and that, but I do feel that brown rice is better for you. It takes longer to cook but is worth it in the end, for its goodness and vitamins and nutty flavour.

Into a microwave proof bowl put the following: 1 to 1 ½ cups brown rice, 6 drumsticks, 3 to 6 cloves garlic cut in half (this is optional), 1 cup parsley (chopped), 1 tablespoon margarine or butter. Cover with broth (or seasoned water) and cook until rice and drumsticks are soft and the chicken is no longer pink – about 40 minutes. Remove drumsticks and take meat off. Put chicken meat back into the rice mix and cook for a further 5 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Add 2 tablespoons nonfat ranch dressing and chill for several hours. This is delicious and is nice served on a bed of shredded lettuce (of choice).

SOMETHING TO NOTE:

If you have bread that is looking a little dismal then here are a couple of things to do with it. Roll out the slices with a rolling pin and cut into 4 squares. Cook in the microwave until crisp. Watch them carefully so that they don’t burn. They make excellent instant crackers and are great with a little garlic butter spread on them to serve as a side dish to a salad. Dismal bread also makes great breadcrumbs – without rolling them out just put the bread into the microwave and cook until crisp and then put the crisped bread back into the bread bag and roll it out with the rolling pin and put the crumbs into an airtight container and use them for a topping or they are excellent to thicken meat dishes if you don’t want to do the flour and water thing.

Well that’s it for this week. The column is slightly late – I don’t have any excuses except that it is too hot to think. Take care and go carefully out there.

Cheers, Kate

Headlines From the Edge: Man Wastes Day Off, Doesn't Care

Fred Boyington of Dander, Illinois found himself with a paid day off from his job at the library due to a scheduling error, and rather than use the time to work on his car or a new guitar riff that had been frustrating him for the last week, he chose instead to sleep until ten am and then watch several hours of cartoons. "Sure, I could change the alternator in my car, but what's the point? It's just a car. And the riff will be there tomorrow. I wake up to it every day. How often to you get a chance to watch cartoons and get paid for it?"

Fantasy Trek Summary of Events Stardate 0610.24

Quick Start Play:




If you'd like to be able to jump right in to see if you like this game, you might want to try a few rounds of Simple Combat. The Simple Combat Game is a way for you to quickly resolve combat between vessels, or fleets of vessels. This is useful if you are playing a scenario or campaign that involves more than a few ships. Otherwise a simple scenario could take weeks to play through.



It is useful to keep a copy of the Simple Combat Template. This makes it possible to copy and paste the basics of your bit of 'paperwork', add however many ships you may need to, and change or insert ship names. Here is a very basic template (there are more in the files):



IKS rolls: o/d

USS rolls: o/d

Result:

IKS damage /15

USS damage /15



The first section is for points rolled (1d6 result times the appropriate multiplier), and how the points are allocated (offense/defense). The second "Result" section shows the calculated damage. In the case of basic AI ships, the damage potential is 15.. so you would indicate 5 points damage with 5/15. Pretty simple.



If you are playing a single player game, roll a 1d6 to see who 'wins the toss'. If you roll a 1-3, you do. Then you roll the 1d6 for your opponent first. Allocate available points according to this multiplier chart:



2 (DS) Defense Sat/(FR)Freighter X1

3 (FF) Frigate X4

4 (DD) DestroyerX6

5 (CL) Light Cruiser X8

6 (CA) Heavy Cruiser X10

7 (CC) Command Cruiser X12

8 (BCH) Heavy Battlecruiser X15

9 (DN) Dreadnought X20

10 (BB) Battleship X22

11 (CV)Carrier X25

12 (STB ) Starbase/ (BS)Base Station X50/75 (reroll, 50/50)



Here is an example of simple combat between the Klingon heavy cruiser Perseus and the Sha'kurian heavy cruiser Count: In this case, I won the toss, playing as the Perseus. That meant that I had to roll and allocate for the Sha'kurian first. (The point of all this 'coin tossing' is to add randomness to the gameplay in the single player game. It puts the luxury of being able to react to your opponent's first move on a totally random footing. And of course, whoever rolled second first time rolls first the next. Compare it to the coin toss to determine who receives the kickoff in a football game ) That first roll was a 6 (on a 1d6), for 60 points. Acting for the Shakurian, I decided to play it safe, putting it all on defense. As it turned out, the caution was unnecesary. The Klingon only rolled a 1.



IKS Perseus rolls:10 0o/10d

SRS Count rolls:60 0o/60d

Result:

IKS Perseus damage 0/25

SRS Count damage 0/15



For the next volley, the Klingon ship took its turn rolling first. It rolled a "3", for 30 points, and put them all on defense. It didn't save him because the Count rolled a 6.



IKS Perseus rolls:30 0o/30d

SRS Count rolls:60 60o/d

Result:

IKS Perseus destroyed

SRS Count damage 0/15



You'll note that the Perseus is able to take 25 points of damage. That is

because all of my play has given me a "Elite" rating. The increased available points is one of the benefits of that. For details, see "Experience Points: How to Get Them and What They Get You". If you want to take it a step further, you can capture ships using Simple Combat. You have to cause 10 points of damage to lower the enemy shields, then transport over. Ah, but to so that you have to lower your own shields. Do that by giving yourself (just for the 'transport' volley) 10 points damage. A bit tricky, with careful timing involved, but a great tactic. And of course, as new races are added to Fantasy Trek, there will be a few

necessary variations to these rules (i.e. Tholian Webs).



So what to do with all of this? As I said, the Simple Combat Game is ideal for extended scenarios involving many ships in combat.



Games in Play:



"DusaQ VeS"



As I map out the rest of the game (there are a total of 25 chapters), I am playing Chapter Eight. I am currently sweeping through a captured Sha'kurian starbase for intelligence and resistance. Here is the Summary:



Summary 8: "Secrets"



Finally in command of the Sha'kurian starbase, it is discovered that the station's internal sensors have been deliberately sabotaged. While engineering teams are attempting to repair the wide-spread damage, you are given responsibility for sweeping through the station to locate and capture any enemies who may be in hiding, as well as recovering intelligence not located within the main computer.



Throughout the station, you will encounter sporadic resistance. Despite the capture orders, you are free to eliminate all but one or two members of each group. One group will be guarding an unidentified important third enemy. That enemy must be recovered without injury.



Objectives:



Each of the five habitable levels contain five areas that must be investigated and cleared.



Investigate levels 1a through 1e

2a through 2e

3a through 3e

4a through 4e

5a through 5e



You have twenty warriors, with ten more immediate reserve. For each area, roll 2d6 for size of party encountered. In addition, roll 1d6 for presence of unidentified party.



"Fifty Points"



Turns 52 through 59



There has been more activity in Fifty Points in the last week or two than in the previous six months, thanks to the Tholians. So far the Tholians have been unable to hurt the major powers, but soon they'll begin to encroach upon unclaimed territory, and the powers will have to move to counter them. Here are the turn logs:



Turn 52)

0610.10

Federation: Turn 1/15 Tholian attack? No contact. FSY1 begins construct FCA3 2/2 contact? No contact. FF1 (FDN USS Tiberius FCA USS Independence FCA USS Archer FDD USS Entebbe) on station at Planet Blue17(v,10). FCA2 launched as USS Stewart. FDD USS Gallipoli on station. Completes analysis of civilian yacht, on course for FF1 (z,10).

Kingons: Turn 1/15 Tholian attack? No contact. KSY1 begins construct KCA3. KBF (KCVC IKS Ab'Qaff KCA IKS 'etlh KCA IKS Krenn KDD IKS Levek KCA IKS Chang KCA IKS Kolikos) on station Planet Red 16 (t,18) Bombardment waiting period 5/5.

Romulans: Turn 1/15 Tholian attack? No contact. RIF1 (Romulan First Imperial Fleet) on station at Planet Green 5. (af,12) RSY1 RCS1 on station. Duranium refinery complete. RFr begins mining system for raw duranium turn 3/5 (af,14)



Turn 53)

0610.10

Federation: Turn 2/15 Tholian attack? No contact. FSY1 idle. FF1 (FDN USS Tiberius FCA USS Independence FCA USS Stewart FCA USS Archer FDD USS Entebbe FCA USS Kukulkan) on station at Planet Blue17(v,10). FDD USS Gallipoli on station. Completes analysis of civilian yacht, on course for FF1 (y,10).

Kingons: Turn 2/15 Tholian attack? No contact. KSY1 begins construct KCA3 turn 1/3. KBF (KCVC IKS Ab'Qaff KCA IKS 'etlh KCA IKS Krenn KDD IKS Levek KCA IKS Chang KCA IKS Kolikos) on station Planet Red 16 (t,18) KCVC IKS Ab'Qaff lands troops, occupies Planet Red 16.

Romulans: Turn 2/15 Tholian attack? No contact. RIF1 (FDN RIS Valedore FCA RIS D'Shoanna FCA RIS Decius FCA RIS Imperium FDD RIS Shrike FDD RIS Talon) on station at Planet Green 5. (af,12) RSY1 RCS1 on station. Duranium refinery complete. RFr begins mining system for raw duranium turn 4/5 (af,14)



Turn 54)

0610.10

Federation: Turn 3/15 Tholian attack? No contact. FSY1 idle. FF1 (FDN USS Tiberius FCA USS Independence FCA USS Stewart FCA USS Archer FDD USS Entebbe FCA USS Kukulkan) on station at Planet Blue17(v,10). FDD USS Gallipoli on course for FF1 (x,10).

Kingons: Turn 3/15 Tholian attack? No contact. KSY1 begins construct KCA3 turn 2/3. KBF (KCVC IKS Ab'Qaff KCA IKS 'etlh KCA IKS Krenn KDD IKS Levek KCA IKS Chang KCA IKS Kolikos) departs planet Red 16 (u,19) Planet Red 16 occupied by Klingons.

Romulans: Turn 3/15 Tholian attack? No contact. RSY1 begins construct RCA RIS1 Turn 1/3 RIF1 (RDN RIS Valedore RCA RIS D'Shoanna RCA RIS Decius RCA RIS Imperium RDD RIS Shrike RDD RIS Talon) on station at Planet Green 5. (af,12) RSY1 RCS1 on station. Duranium refinery complete. RFr begins mining system for raw duranium turn 5/5 (af,14)



Turn 55)

0610.10

Federation: Turn 4/15 Tholian attack? No contact. FSY1 idle. FF1 (FDN USS Tiberius FCA USS Independence FCA USS Stewart FCA USS Archer FDD USS Entebbe FCA USS Kukulkan) on station at Planet Blue17(v,10). FDD USS Gallipoli on course for FF1 (x,10).

Kingons: Turn 4/15 Tholian attack? No contact. KSY1 begins construct KCA3 turn 2/3. KBF (KCVC IKS Ab'Qaff KCA IKS 'etlh KCA IKS Krenn KDD IKS Levek KCA IKS Chang KCA IKS Kolikos) departs planet Red 16 (u,19) Planet Red 16 occupied by Klingons.

Romulans: Turn 4/15 Tholian attack? Contact: 5 Tholians TCA1 TCA2 TCA3 TFR1 TCL1 vs RDN RIS Valedore RCA RIS D'Shoanna RCA RIS Decius RCA RIS Imperium RDD RIS Shrike RDD RIS Talon RSY1 *won toss.TCA1 TCA2 TCA3 TFR1 TCL1 destroyed. No damage to Romulans. RSY1 begins construct RCA RIS1 Turn 2/3 RIF1 (RDN RIS Valedore RCA RIS D'Shoanna RCA RIS Decius RCA RIS Imperium RDD RIS Shrike RDD RIS Talon) on station at Planet Green 5. (af,12) RSY1 RCS1 on station. Duranium refinery complete. RFr begins mining system for raw duranium turn 5/5 (af,14)



Turn 56)

0610.10

Federation: Turn 5/15 Tholian attack? No contact. FSY1 idle. FF1 (FDN USS Tiberius FCA USS Independence FCA USS Stewart FCA USS Archer FDD USS Entebbe FCA USS Kukulkan) on station at Planet Blue17(v,10). FDD USS Gallipoli on course for FF1 (w,10).

Kingons: Turn 5/15 Tholian attack? No contact. KSY1 begins construct KCA3 turn 2/3. KBF (KCVC IKS Ab'Qaff KCA IKS 'etlh KCA IKS Krenn KDD IKS Levek KCA IKS Chang KCA IKS Kolikos) departs planet Red 16 (u,19) Planet Red 16 occupied by Klingons.

Romulans: Turn 5/15 Tholian attack? No contact. RSY1 begins construct RCA RIS1 Turn 3/3 RIF1 (RDN RIS Valedore RCA RIS D'Shoanna RCA RIS Decius RCA RIS Imperium RDD RIS Shrike RDD RIS Talon) on station at Planet Green 5. (af,12) RSY1 RCS1 on station. Refinery raw duranium turn 1/5 (af,14)



Turn 57)

0610.10

Federation: Turn 6/15 Tholian attack? Contact. 2 Tholians TCA TCC1 vs FDN USS Tiberius FCA USS Independence FCA USS Stewart FCA USS Archer FDD USS Gallipoli FDD USS Entebbe FCA USS Kukulkan *lost toss. TCA TCC1 destroyed. No damage to Feds. FSY1 idle. FF1 (FDN USS Tiberius FCA USS Independence FCA USS Stewart FCA USS Archer FDD USS Gallipoli FDD USS Entebbe FCA USS Kukulkan) on station at Planet Blue17(v,10).

Kingons: Turn 6/15 Tholian attack? No contact. KSY1 begins construct KCA3 turn 2/3. KBF (KCVC IKS Ab'Qaff KCA IKS 'etlh KCA IKS Krenn KDD IKS Levek KCA IKS Chang KCA IKS Kolikos) departs planet Red 16 (u,19) Planet Red 16 occupied by Klingons.

Romulans: Turn 6/15 Tholian attack? No contact. RSY1 begins construct RCA RIS1 Turn 3/3 RIF1 (RDN RIS Valedore RCA RIS Stask RCA RIS D'Shoanna RCA RIS Decius RCA RIS Imperium RDD RIS Shrike RDD RIS Talon) on station at Planet Green 5. (af,12) RSY1 RCS1 on station. Refinery raw duranium turn 2/5 (af,14)



Turn 58)

0610.10

Federation: Turn 7/15 Tholian attack? Contact. 3 Tholian TCV vs FDN USS Tiberius FCA USS Independence FCA USS Stewart FCA USS Archer FDD USS Gallipoli FDD USS Entebbe FCA USS Kukulkan *won toss. 3 Tholian TCV destroyed. No damage to Feds. FSY1 idle. FF1 (FDN USS Tiberius FCA USS Independence FCA USS Stewart FCA USS Archer FDD USS Gallipoli FDD USS Entebbe FCA USS Kukulkan) on station at Planet Blue17(v,10).

Kingons: Turn 7/15 Tholian attack? No contact. KSY1 begins construct KCA3 turn 3/3. KBF (KCVC IKS Ab'Qaff KCA IKS 'etlh KCA IKS Krenn KDD IKS Levek KCA IKS Chang KCA IKS Kolikos) on station at Planet Red 16 (t,18) occupied by Klingons.

Romulans: Turn 7/15 Tholian attack? Contact. TBCH. RDN RIS Valedore RCA RIS Stask RCA RIS D'Shoanna RCA RIS Decius RCA RIS Imperium RDD RIS Shrike RDD RIS Talon vs TBCH. TBCH destroyed. No damage to Romulans. RSY1 idle (RDN RIS Valedore RCA RIS Honor Sword RCA RIS Stask RCA RIS D'Shoanna RCA RIS Decius RCA RIS Imperium RDD RIS Shrike RDD RIS Talon) on station at Planet Green 5. (af,12) RSY1 RCS1 on station. Refinery raw duranium turn 3/5 (af,14)



Turn 59)

0610.11

Federation: Turn 8/15 Tholian attack? Contact. 3 Tholian TCL TCC TDN vs FDN USS Tiberius FCA USS Independence FCA USS Stewart FCA USS Archer FDD USS Gallipoli FDD USS Entebbe FCA USS Kukulkan *won toss. TCL TCC TDN destroyed. No damage to Feds. FSY1 idle. FF1 (FDN USS Tiberius FCA USS Independence FCA USS Stewart FCA USS Archer FDD USS Gallipoli FDD USS Entebbe FCA USS Kukulkan) on station at Planet Blue17(v,10).

Kingons: Turn 8/15 Tholian attack? Contact 3 Tholian CV BCH DN *lost toss. TCV TBCH TDN destroyed. No damage to Klingons KSY1 begins construct KCA4 turn 1/3. KBF (KCVC IKS Ab'Qaff KCA IKS 'etlh KCA IKS Krenn KDD IKS Levek KCA IKS Chang KCA IKS Kolikos KCA IKS Mazeppa) on station at Planet Red 16 (t,18) Planet Red 16 occupied by Klingons.

Romulans: Turn 8/15 Tholian attack? Contact. 1 Tholian CL. RDN RIS Valedore RCA RIS Stask RCA RIS D'Shoanna RCA RIS Decius RCA RIS Imperium RDD RIS Shrike RDD RIS Talon vs TBCH. TBCH destroyed. No damage to Romulans. RSY1 idle (RDN RIS Valedore RCA RIS Honor Sword RCA RIS Stask RCA RIS D'Shoanna RCA RIS Decius RCA RIS Imperium RDD RIS Shrike RDD RIS Talon) on station at Planet Green 5. (af,12) RSY1 RCS1 on station. Refinery raw duranium turn 4/5 (af,14)



Head to Head Sector Assault

Turns 7 through 12



Very little actual activity in these turns. It's been all about building up fleets. The Federation fortress in System 5's asteroid belt has been untouched, while the Klingons easily defeated every random assault. Here are the admittedly uninspiring turn logs:



Turn 7)

(0610.08)

System 1 (nebula):KF2 (KCA IKS LoS KCA IKS TlhuHu KCA IKS QaHom KCA IKS QultuH) on station KSY1 construct KCA IKS ej'wo turn 1/3: contact? Contact 3 FCA's *won toss. KCA IKS LoS KCA IKS TlhuHu KCA IKS QaHom KSY1 vs FCA USS Juno FCA USS Omaha FCA USS Utah. FCA USS Juno FCA USS Omaha FCA USS Utah destroyed. Klingons undamaged.



System 5 (asteroid field/heavy): FF2 (FCA USS Washington FCA USS Jefferson FCA USS Independence FCA USS Montgomery) on station. FSY1 construct FCA USS Norfolk turn 1/3 contact? Contact: 1 KCA. FCA USS Washington FCA USS Jefferson FCA USS Independence FCA USS Montgomery vs KCA IKS Wejpu. KCA IKS Wejpu destroyed. No damage to Feds.



Turn 8)

(0610.08)

System 1 (nebula):KF2 (KCA IKS LoS KCA IKS TlhuHu KCA IKS QaHom KCA IKS QultuH) on station KSY1 construct KCA IKS ej'wo turn 2/3: contact? No contact.



System 5 (asteroid field/heavy): FF2 (FCA USS Washington FCA USS Jefferson FCA USS Independence FCA USS Montgomery) on station. FSY1 construct FCA USS Norfolk turn 2/3 contact? No contact



Turn 9)

(0610.08)

System 1 (nebula):KF2 (KCA IKS LoS KCA IKS TlhuHu KCA IKS QaHom KCA IKS QultuH) on station KSY1 construct KCA IKS ej'wo turn 3/3: contact? Contact: 6 FCA's. *won toss KCA IKS LoS KCA IKS TlhuHu KCA IKS QaHom KCA IKS QultuH KSY1 vs FCA USS America FCA USS Midway FCA USS Yamoto FCA USS Caprica FCA USS Israel FCA USS Crawford FCA USS America FCA USS Midway FCA USS Yamoto FCA USS Caprica FCA USS Israel FCA USS Crawford destroyed. KCA IKS LoS damage: 32/35 All other Klingons undamaged.



System 5 (asteroid field/heavy): FF2 (FCA USS Washington FCA USS Jefferson FCA USS Independence FCA USS Montgomery) on station. FSY1 construct FCA USS Norfolk turn 3/3 contact? Contact: 1 KCA. FCA USS Washington FCA USS Jefferson FCA USS Independence FCA USS Montgomery FSY1 vs KCA IKS Los Sad. KCA IKS Los Sad destroyed. No damage to Feds



Turn 10)

(0610.12)

System 1 (nebula):KF2 (KCA IKS LoS damage: 32/35 repair turn 1/2 KCA IKS TlhuHu KCA IKS QaHom KCA IKS QultuH KCA IKS ej'wo) on station KSY1 construct KCA IKS ToQ turn 1/3: contact? Contact:2 FCA's *won toss KCA IKS LoS damage: 32/35 repair turn 1/2 KCA IKS TlhuHu KCA IKS QaHom KCA IKS QultuH KCA IKS ej'wo vs FCA USS Baskerville FCA USS Elsinore. FCA USS Baskerville FCA USS Elsinore destroyed. Klingons undamaged.



System 5 (asteroid field/heavy): FF2 (FCA USS Washington FCA USS Jefferson FCA USS Independence FCA USS Montgomery FCA USS Norfolk) on station. FSY1 construct FCA USS John Quincy Adams turn 1/3 contact?



Turn 11)

(0610.12)

System 1 (nebula):KF2 (KCA IKS LoS damage: 32/35 repair turn 2/2 KCA IKS TlhuHu KCA IKS QaHom KCA IKS QultuH KCA IKS ej'wo) on station KSY1 construct KCA IKS ToQ turn 2/3: contact? No contact:



System 5 (asteroid field/heavy): FF2 (FCA USS Washington FCA USS Jefferson FCA USS Independence FCA USS Montgomery FCA USS Norfolk) on station. FSY1 construct FCA USS John Quincy Adams turn 2/3 contact? Contact: 3 KCA's FF2 (FCA USS Washington FCA USS Jefferson FCA USS Independence FCA USS Montgomery FCA USS Norfolk vs KCA IKS Bekk KCA IKS DuSQu KCA IKS ReQ. KCA IKS Bekk KCA IKS DuSQu KCA IKS ReQ destroyed. Feds undamaged.



Turn 12)

(0610.12)

System 1 (nebula):KF2 (KCA IKS LoS KCA IKS TlhuHu KCA IKS QaHom KCA IKS QultuH KCA IKS ej'wo) on station KSY1 construct KCA IKS ToQ turn 3/3: contact? Contact: 3 FCA's *won toss KCA IKS LoS KCA IKS TlhuHu KCA IKS QaHom KCA IKS QultuH KCA IKS ej'wo KSY1 vs FCA USS Bomay FCA USS London FCA USS Paris. FCA USS Bomay FCA USS London FCA USS Paris. destroyed. Klingons undamaged.



System 5 (asteroid field/heavy): FF2 (FCA USS Washington FCA USS Jefferson FCA USS Independence FCA USS Montgomery FCA USS Norfolk) on station. FSY1 construct FCA USS John Quincy Adams turn 3/3 contact? No contact.



What Are Your Orders, Captain?



"Drift" (ENT Era) Solution



Responding to a distress signal, Captain Erika Hernandez of the Columbia NX-02 discovers a planet near the edge of known Romulan space that presents a unique dilemma. The planet, designated Alpha Galorus IV, is part of a region of space that drifts into Romulan territory due to the unique nature of galactic drift in the sector and the imprecise mapping of the just-settled treaty boundary. Based on projections, the planet (which is home to a vital sensor outpost staffed by more than a hundred scientists) will begin its journey through the neutral zone in less than a day. At that point, there will be no way to retrieve the scientists or the vital sensor data without violating the hard-fought treaty. While it is a simple matter to upload the sensor data, it is doubtful that the limited transport facilities of Columbia could bring up all of the scientists in the short time remaining.



----------------



Captain Hernandez scans along the projected course of Alpha Gallorus IV and detects no ships. So she begins to retrieve the scientists using Columbia's four shuttlepods, as well as pushing the ship's transporter device to capacity. While she is unable to rescue all of the scientists before crossing into the neutral zone, they are able to complete the operation without Romulan interference.



"Parallel Effect" (TMP Era)



While enroute to an ion storm near the Sol System, Captain Morgan Bateson of the USS Bozeman encounters a ship, named UFS Challenger, that claims to have launched from Earth in the year 2152. According to Challenger's captain, they were on a mission to colonize a habitable planet in the 40 Eridanii A system when they suffered an attack by unidentified forces and become lost. They only request assistance in being set back on the proper heading, as the population on Earth is desperate for the mission to succeed. Checking all relevant archives, Captain Batesmon finds no record of any such ship launching from Earth. However, scans of Challenger and her crew reveal that they are exactly they claim to be. Captain Bateson concludes that they must come from some parallel universe, but can determine no way of returning them. He also knows that the fragile Challenger would never survive the approaching ion storm. While he has no desire to interfere with Challenger's mission, he cannot find a way to return them, nor does he know what to do with them in his universe.



What Are Your Orders, Captain?



Post your solution in the YahooGroup or through the blogsite's 'comment' feature.



"Captain's Log"



"... the benefit of hindsight..."



ENT Era

Captain Erika Hernandez

Columbia NX-02



As I look back at the events surrounding the evacuation of Alpha Gallorus IV, I actually find myself wondering what future starship commanders might think of what transpired here. This log has been encrypted and sealed, but they always eventually see the light of day. Even Zephram Cochrane's wild early memoirs have been unsealed. So once the truth comes out about Alpha Gallorus IV, will future generations, with the benefit of hindsight, paint me as a success, a failure or a minor footnote? I know that I'll eventually be judged not by my intentions but by my results. I can only say what I've done and why, and hope for the best.



There was no way I could get every scientist off of the planet before we crossed the treaty boundary, even using all four shuttlepods and overtaxing the transporter, so we worked as fast as we could and hoped we didn't get caught. We got lucky. That's what I thought as we crossed out of the neutral zone, until a Romulan Atomic Missile Cruiser appeared from out of nowhere, did a hard scan of the planet, then blanketed it with its full load of warheads. Even from a distance our scans showed that the atmosphere had been burned away, and the planet rendered uninhabitable.



So what can I say about that? We got every scientist off of the planet. For that, I justify crossing the border. We preserved vital scientific and intelligence data of unimaginable value to the Federation. For that, again, I justify crossing the border. But what of the thriving native ecosystem of Alpha Gallorus IV that has been wiped out as a result of a political disagreement? What of the open wound between the Federation and the Romulan Star Empire, over not just Gallorus IV, but the desperation-imposed treaty? Since there has yet to be a renewed flood of birds of prey across the border, I assume and hope that the cruiser Commander chose to keep the incident secret. Do even Romulans get sick of war? I certainly hope so. In the meantime, we seem to have a peace of sorts. Even at the cost of millions of people on both sides, and the innocent, unaware life on Alpha Gallorus IV.



For next week. write a 100+ word log entry including the phrase "... more than a question of style...". Post it in the yahoo group or on the blogsite's "comment" feature for a Command College Point.



Dev Notes:



This is the second writing of this. The T-650 has demonstrated why you don't turn your back on it as two hours' work vanished in a puff of cyber-dust. The Tholian threat seems to have breathed a bit of life back into Fifty Points. We'll see how it maintains interest moving forward. The Head to Head Sector Assault has reached the upper limit on complexity/playability, but it is also heading for a massive head-knocking party somewhere in the middle of the board that will probably cost enough ships on one side to shape the conclusion.



I'm also looking at a slightly less complicated 3-way fight on an Excel Worksheet, with twelve bases to be used for refueling or repair and heavy cruisers for all, with the tentative and imaginative title "Medium Assault". I haven't ironed out the rules, but I'm thinking that on one hand, as you arrive at a base you repair your ship, and claim that base as a respawn point, much like other games. Also, for every three bases you reach, you gain another ship. The game would obviously start with an initial dash to swallow up territory and overwhelm the other powers. The bases would have no offensive capabilities, nor would they be targetable. However, to flip a base (take it from someone else, you have to survive sitting on it for three turns. And of course you'll have to think about guarding them) That's still tentative. I'll play it through soon. The purpose is to have another simple, easy and quick-to-play challenge.



I have every mission of DusaQ VeS basically mapped out, and I'm playing through chapter eight at the same time. That really needs to move, one chapter a week.



The July calendar image is essentially ready to go. It's a submission from Mrs Kapact, most likely the most atypical Blalock Class Fast (Penetration) Cruiser. Forget the whole idea of a saucer and two nacelles. I'm also doing some mental planning for possibly an Enterprise Era Klingon dreadnought.



Space Terrain is turning out to be a viable aspect, and it certainly belongs. Frustrating at times, but it definitely adds a challenge. Here are those space terrain rules so far, repeated just in case you're curious and/or forgot from last time.



The rules are for asteroid fields, nebula, black hole accretion disc. I only have rules for heavy cruisers now, but that'll change. Here are the rules so far:



Asteroid field



-heavy

--to hit: roll 6

--accident rate

volley 1 roll of 6 roll for damage

volley 2 roll of 5-6 roll for damage

volley 3 roll of 4-6 roll for damage

volley 4 roll of 3-6 roll for damage

volley 5 roll of 2-6 roll for damage

volley 6 roll for damage



-medium

--to hit: roll 5-6

--accident rate

volley 4 roll of 6 roll for damage

volley 5 roll of 5-6 roll for damage

volley 6 roll of 4-6 roll for damage

volley 7 roll of 3-6 roll for damage

volley 8 roll of 2-6 roll for damage

volley 9 roll for damage



-light

--to hit: roll 2-6

--accident rate

volley 6 roll of 6 roll for damage

volley 7 roll of 5-6 roll for damage

volley 8 roll of 4-6 roll for damage

volley 9 roll of 3-6 roll for damage

volley 10 roll of 2-6 roll for damage

volley 11 roll for damage



Nebula

temp 20% damage to simulate loss of shields

need 3-6 to hit



Black Hole Accretion Disc

need 3-6 to hit

--accident rate

volley 4 roll of 6 roll for damage

volley 5 roll of 5-6 roll for damage

volley 6 roll of 4-6 roll for damage

volley 7 roll of 3-6 roll for damage

volley 8 roll of 2-6 roll for damage

volley 9 roll for damage

volley 10 roll 1-3 to escape black hole.



Follow Fantasy Trek at Fantasy Trek Twitter

Chatter With Kate A COUPLE OF BOUQUETS TO HAND OUT AND A REMINDER TO BE CIVIL

Hello folks – I hope you are having the best of weeks. Here in the desert south west the heat of summer is upon us with a vengeance. Today is the summer solstice and as I am getting too old to deal with the heat, I compensate by thinking that as of tomorrow, the days start getting shorter and we start to head back to longer nights and cooler days but before then we have to go through some crazy summer days. I shouldn’t be groaning because my one aunt, an elderly farmer from northern Indiana is going through heck and fire and brimstone. There have been some terrible storms, tornadoes just lately in the Midwest and the northern plains. We spoke to her this morning and at 85 years of age and having weathered a couple of strokes and a heart op. she said she was just fine. She was sitting in her dining room listening to the heavy raindrops outside. I said ‘how are your cows and she said they were fine to’. She has been farming for about 61 years now and though she is by herself these days with uncle having passed away, she toughs it out. Her generation doesn’t give up easily. So this little piece of writing is a bouquet to my aunt and her generation who fought and died for us in the last global conflict so that we can live a free life and it is up to us not to mess it up.
Another bouquet to, for those terrific folk at the Weather Channel and also those of the National Weather Service who are all so on-the-ball with their up to the minute information on what is happening with the weather especially when things are bad. I have been with my aunt when the alarms have come on the television telling us where the storms are, how close they are and what to do. I truly admire what they do and I am very grateful. To Jim Cantore, Dr Greg Forbes (severe weather expert) and all their colleagues, long may you continue and once again, you have the grateful thanks of a niece whose aunt is a special lady.

Finally on a completely different subject – civility seems to have gone out the window these days. I hear so much bad language from all ages. I just don’t know what has happened. I know things are stressful. The economic climate is really difficult for many folk; Lord knows our family has struggled along with the rest of the good folk out there. We have been through the dramas surrounding the loss of jobs and trying to balance the budget and pay bills. Despite all the dramas, loss of civility is sad, really sad. I look at folk lined up at the various government agencies who are trying to help folk in all of this and there are tempers, foul language and kids in the middle of it all. What examples are they being set? – the kids that is. None! Take a deep breath folks, count to 10 backwards and nut it out. Keep a favorite book with you if you have to go out into one of these long lines in which you might be standing. You can have a little read while waiting. Think to, of the folk behind the counter who are trying to help you – it’s not easy for them either. Beaurocracy is nuts – the beaurocratic godfathers make rules and regulations that these poor folk behind the counters have to dish out. However, it’s what we have and until the system is changed and we get even more computer-styled machines and we end up doing everything from home, we just have to put our best foot forward and remember civility. Be nice!

Cheers, Kate

ANIMAL PIC OF THE WEEK June 24th 2010

Hello there, how’s your week going? When you write up a column such as this one, you have at your fingertips what are seemingly a trillion photos to go through. They are wonderful to look through. Today we have selected one for all the young folk around the globe who love kittens. This photo came through from Russia and we all thought it was truly lovely. A little kitten around a house can be a wonderful stress release. The more you handle a little kitten, give it pats and cuddles, the better (older) cat you will have. They have a lot of love and friendship to give and who needs a valium when you can go to a shelter and pick up a grateful animal who would love a loving home. They are so faithful and wait for you to come home when you go out and on a stormy night you will nearly always find them tucked up in your bed getting comfort from you and giving comfort to you. A plea here to support any animal shelter in your area. If your budget allows, drop of a can or two of cat foods to those good folk who are helping rescue animals. A nice little story here - we know of a lady on a farm who has barn cats that have appeared from somewhere and she puts out some food for them and they live amongst the hay in her barn. They are speyed and neutered and they sure do keep her barn and farm buildings free of mice. They follow her around the farm and they all seem to have worked out a wonderful living arrangement.

So here is our cutie for the week.

Go carefully out there folks. Bless you from the Staff Desk.

Poetry -Haiku- "Spark of God"

feel the spark of God
compelled to push up to light
breath of the divine

Star Trek Enterprise Retro-Spective "Breaking the Ice"

Breaking the Ice is a fun episode, one that I enjoyed when it first aired and again the second time around.
It is another fairly simple episode. The crew are looking at some drawings from Trip's nephew's fourth-grade class when Enterprise comes upon a comet that isn't on the Vulcan starcharts. Archer is intrigued while T'Pol is, as usual, unimpressed. There is a brief interlude in the mess hall. T'Pol is tired, not sleeping, and Trip talks to her essentially about the virtues of comfort food. He explains that he's had a long day and missed dinner. Then someone told him that Chef made pecan pie, which has been his favorite since he was a kid. That brightened his life and made him feel better. She looks down on it as being mostly sugar. She goes to bed.

In the next scene, they discover that the comet contains large amounts Eisilium, a rare mineral. That means that T'Pol is now interested. They need to get a drilling rig down to the surface, so Reed and Mayweather suit up and off they go in a shuttlepod. Soon afterward, a Vulcan starship shows up, gives Archer a hard time, and seems to just want to watch them. Archer bristles under the surveillance while T'Pol appears to make excuses for them. While this goes on, Travis and Reed head down to the comet.

In the meantime, Hoshi picks up an encrypted transmission sent from the Vulcan ship to T'Pol's quarters. Concerned that they're being spied on, Archer orders Hoshi to decrypt it.

While this goes on, the crew uses a new comm relay system to answer questions from the fourth-grade class. There are a few interesting questions, then we get to the funny bit where Trip has to explain how they recycle waste products to help make their food. Very funny.

On the comet, Reed and Mayweather have taken time out to make a snowman before they set the charges to excavate the comet. More to come on that...

Hoshi decrypts the message and gives it to Trip, who has to put it through a translator. Turns out that it was a very personal letter. He admits it to T'Pol, who is not amused. Fortunately, she lets it go.

In the meantime, Archer decides to invite the snooping Vulcan captain, Vanik, to dinner, with the goal of getting him to leave.

Meanwhile, the snowman has gained a huge set of Vulcan ears. Very funny. Worth remembering unquestionably. Not necessarily nice, but definitely funny. Then they blow the charges.

After that, it really gets funny. Archer has Vanik over for dinner. Archer does his best to annoy Vanik while Vanik sits as still as a statue. He doesn't eat, he doesn't drink. He just sits there being rude. Among great lines in the conversation is Archer saying that "it's nice to know that no matter how big the universe is, there'ws always a Vulcan ship nearby." Again, very funny. The conversation struggles on for a while longer, until Vanik caps it off by saying "Humans have never held much interest for me." Archer then accuses him of spying, Vanik says something snooty, and the love-fest is over.

Shortly thereafter, they discover that they set off the charges on the comet, they shifted the its rotational axis, and in two hours, the spot where the shuttlepod landed will be directly facing a nearby star, and the ice will melt.

T'Pol has decided that she needs to talk to someone about the letter, and since Trip already knows, she talks to him. Seems that she has a prearranged marriage to a guy named Koss. She has been postponing the wedding while she's on Enterprise, but Koss's parents are insulted that she's put it off to serve on a human vessel. She doesn't want to go, and seems to be looking for a way out. Tucker insists that arranged marriages went out with slavery, she defends this custom that she doesn't like, and it isn't resolved.

On the comet, they are prepping to leave when Mayweather gets hurt. They grab a core sample and make it back to the shuttlepod as the comet starts to crack apart under them. As they start to lift off, the shuttlepod falls through the weakened ice. They try the grappler, which doesn't help. Vanik offers to help, using their tractor beam, but Archer doesn't want to accept the help. Finally, T'Pol reminds Archer that Vanik expects Archer to refuse due to human pride and arrogance. He agrees, and moments later, the shuttlepod is being tractored up to safety. Archer offers to share some of the data. Vanik of course refuses. At that point, T'Pol asks permission to contact the Vulcan ship. Archer agrees. The episode ends with T'Pol meditating after having finally tried the pecan pie.

There is really nothing to dislike about this episode. The only fault I can see is the continued rudeness between humans and Vulcans. There is a reason, and this is really still early in the series, and I have to admit that it does make for some funny moments. I just don't always care for it. Aside from that, the comm relay ends up making realtime communication with Earth possible, which they couldn't do a hundred years later in TOS. The Vulcan snowman is hilarious, as is the dinner with Archer and Vanik. The chemistry between Trip and T'Pol is starting to show itself, which is welcome. And of course, we see that the Vulcans had a tractor beam before humans.

And there you have it. "Breaking the Ice" is a good, solid episode, better than most Trek first season episodes. This is an episode to rewatch. It rates an enthusiastic thumbs up.

Next Up: "Civilization"

Miss Ginny's Diary June 22nd 2010

Meow to you from me, Miss Ginny. Well it has been a silly week and I really don’t know why. We were scrapping a lot and I fought with my sister ShooShoo, my cat mum Lapper bopped me on the head because I went too close to her when she was sleeping and great aunt Daisy did the same thing because I surprised her by jumping up on the chair she was on – well I didn’t see her. HM doesn’t like the hissin’ and spittin’ as she calls it, so she got mad. Well today it is a little better. HM says that if we can’t behave ourselves during the week, on Sunday we just have to behave, especially on a Sunday afternoon. In our home Sunday afternoons belong to you, in other words, you can do as you wish, providing you behave and you cant tell anyone else what to do.

From time to time, I have put some pictures in of some of us. Lately, HM & HD have been renewing their passports. HM says that in Europe and England you can get passports for your pets if you are traveling with them. I had the idea to do ‘cat’ passport photos. HM said ‘oh God help us trying to get you all photographed for passports’ but when we all looked at our family pictures, we found some pretty cool photos. So here then are the passport photos for the four-legged members of the family. All of these pictures have been taken this year:

From eldest to youngest:

Carrie (aka Grandma or GC)

(born 1992)

Daisy-Mae (aka Miss Daisy, GAD=Great Aunt Daisy)

(born 2002)

Lapper (aka Cap-A-Lap – my cat mum)

(born 2004)

ShooShoo (my sister)

(born October 18, 2005)

Miss Ginny (aka Virginia-Lee)

(born October 18, 2005)

So here we all are. Naughty, loud sometimes but we are a happy family. HM & HD love us despite all our quirks (what is a quirk?) – HM says it is an idiosyncrasy belonging to a particular person. Oh heck, I don’t know these words.

Meow to you until next time, from me, Miss Ginny.

GOD-ly Talk: ABOUT PRAYER & PRAYING

As a short introduction to this new column, we would like to say that it came about because of a lady we came across recently who let out some of what we felt, was a string of unpalatable words about Allah. My husband and I had gone to our residence’s swimming pool and we were chattering away as we swam around and she must have picked up on what we were saying, although our words were not loud. She passed by us and said ‘do you realize that Allah is not a God and he is the devil’ etc etc and carried on in an unpleasant tone. I turned to her and said, ‘Madam, you are entitled to your opinion but please excuse me’ and we swam away. The lady was, of course, entitled to her opinion. So in our chat about this incident later, we thought that a column based on all aspects of all religions and the history of religion and religious places could be an interesting write and read.


ABOUT PRAYER AND PRAYING

Do you ever talk to the big-G, in other words, the man upstairs as I’ve heard Christian folk call him? I find it infinitely comforting. Sometimes I fall asleep before saying my prayers and a long time ago my late mum was walking past my room one evening and she came in and said ‘who are you talking to’? I replied ‘God’ and she in turn said ‘you were a bit short on the job’. I said ‘yes, I know but I am so tired I can hardly keep my eyes open.’ What I had said was – thank you for this day, goodnight – she never forgot this and neither have I. I had just wanted to say something before dreamland overtook me and I was preserving my conscience at the time. My husband, bless him, often says his prayers on his way to work and has lengthy conversations with God about various subjects. He found the big-G a while ago and has a very comfortable relationship with the ‘man upstairs’. God is like this dude, this great friend who has been around in my life for (beyond) ever. If I say a bad word (not nasty ones but strong enough for me to feel guilty about) I apologise to the big-G by usually saying sorry God or Lord. When I hear that someone I know of be it a personality or acquaintance has left this earth and gone to infinity, then I ask God to bless them and send them on their way in a calm manner to their next life. It has always been a habit of mine that if, in the course of conversation, the name of a person who has passed on is mentioned, then after the mention of this person’s name I say God rest their soul and carry on with the conversation. There are a myriad of religions around the world that each has their own way of saying prayers and chants and have rituals surrounding those prayers. These are wonderful to learn about and observe. To pray, in your own style, is so comfortable, it’s a real boost to the inner mind and calming to. It’s positive and gives you energy to carry on with your next task. I have closed this column with a prayer I learnt many years ago when I was living in Australia and in the course of reading a magazine, came across it. For whatever reason at the time it appealed to me (it still does). Take care out there and God bless you.

In a very special way
I shall need thee Lord always
I know how full thy days will be
But everything depends on thee
But keep an eye on me I pray
Though far from thee my thoughts may stray
Whatever happens be thou there
Keep me in thy loving care
Lord I know that there is room
For everything and everyone

Pardon all that I have done

That was grievous in thy sight

Trusting in thy charity

Always Dear Lord, remember (my family,

my friends, my pets and) me.

Here is a wonderful picture of the inner roof of the Hagia Sophia mosque in Istanbul. These wonderfully decorative ceilings were built so long ago and remain in splendid condition to this day. They are a tribute to the crafts people who built them.

Poetry -Haiku- "Distant Lands"

frost like that of home

hot steel slides across leather
the first of many

ANIMAL PIC OF THE WEEK June 17th 2010

Greetings everyone. This weeks ‘pic’ is one that we all thought is truly blessed. Dogs can and do make the best of friends. They accept their lot in life and by and large work through it the best they can. The raising of a dog in one’s household, is no different than raising a child. The more you handle them kindly but firmly the better pet you will have and of course you will have a wonderful BFF (to put it in modern vernacular). Before you read the story below, we would like to make a plug here for all the animal shelters like the SPCA et al, who do such wonderful (and sometimes difficult) work to help those animals less fortunate than those in good homes. If you have space in your home, can you think about giving a shelter pet a home? For example, I know that the SPCA (a no kill sanctuary) in Las Vegas has around 300 Chihuahuas they would like to find homes for. Below is a story we came across about a dog looking for some peace and quiet. We don’t know who wrote it but it is just great. So we acknowledge the folk who wrote it and say to them ‘thank you for sharing it’. We are, so to speak, passing it on for everyone to enjoy – a ‘retweet’!

An older, tired-looking dog wandered into my yard. I could tell from his collar and well-fed belly that he had a home and was well taken care of. He calmly came over to me. I gave him a few pats on his head. He then followed me into my house, slowly walked down the hall, curled up in the corner and fell asleep. An hour later, he went to the door, and I let him out. The next day he was back, greeted me in my yard, walked inside and resumed his spot in the hall and again slept for about an hour. This continued off and on for several weeks. Curious I pinned a note to his collar: 'I would like to find out who the owner of this wonderful sweet dog is and ask if you are aware that almost every afternoon your dog comes to my house for a nap. The next day he arrived for his nap, with a different note pinned to his collar. 'He lives in a home with 6 children, 2 under the age of 3 - he's trying to catch up on his sleep. Can I come with him tomorrow?'

Bless you all – Staff Desk, House Abukoff

Kate’s Cooking: SIMPLE SCRAMBLED EGGS & FUN WITH TUNA

SIMPLE SCRAMBLED EGGS & FUN WITH TUNA

Hello folks. Well it is a hot windy afternoon here in the desert and unfortunately, you need to close the windows against the sand and all the little bugs that tend to fly around in the summer. I came across a lady recently who said she just couldn’t stand cooking and for one who loves cooking, I found this hard to hear, though one has to respect her thoughts. I have come across several people lately who profess to not being able to cook. One said she can make a ‘sort of scrambled egg’. Well this is a place to start.

*A simple way to cook* scrambled eggs is in the microwave. In a small bowl, break 2 eggs and beat them with a fork; add some black pepper, a little milk as desired and a little butter or margarine. I like to finely chop some parsley if I have it and add that to. Cook until the egg is puffed up and not too runny in the centre. Serve with a couple of pieces of toast cut on the diagonal and placed to one side of the egg. Make yourself a mug of coffee or a cup of tea and as an extra, serve some fresh sliced fruit with it. This makes a nice meal and can be eaten at any time of the day. Eggs are a wonderful gift of nature. I think you need to be careful of how many you eat but a healthy person can generally manage to eat one a day. If you are lucky enough to get hold of fresh farm eggs or better yet, have your own hens, then you are in for a real treat.

Each week, I will give out a simple recipe for a meal with eggs and after a month, we will move on to something other food that can produce simple meals for those among you who wish to learn and get away from packet meals.

**For the next recipe we are back to tuna. It is so cheap right now in our local supermarket that it is good to have fun with it. This is what I call ‘double odds’- namely two somewhat unusual recipes both using canned tuna.

The first is potato wedges with tuna sauce.

For the potato wedges: bake 2 to 3 scrubbed potatoes (medium-small) per person. Cut into wedges ½ and then ½ again. Coat lightly with butter or margarine and put aside for reheating.

For the tuna sauce: Into a microwave bowl put the following – 1 finely chopped green onion (per person), 1 finely chopped and diced red pepper and 2 teaspoons fajita seasoning. Add to this about 2 heaped tablespoons margarine. Cook for about 5 minutes in the microwave, remove and add 2 heaped tablespoons flour and approximately 2 cups milk. Mix well and microwave for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce is as thick as you would like. Add a can of flaked tuna. You might like to reheat the sauce for a minute or two before you pour it over the reheated wedges.

The second ‘odd’ recipe is for fritters/tortilla wraps.

Referring to the above (wedges) recipe, when you get to the point where the flour has been added, add 1 cup of milk, a teaspoon of baking powder or baking soda, 1 beaten egg. Mix to a consistency of pancakes. This is entirely to your own taste. Fry in a non-stick pan or skillet. I make the ‘batter’ thick for fritters and quite thin (using extra milk) for a tortilla-like wrap for a roll-up filled with soft cheese or a filling of your own choice.

SOMETHING TO NOTE:

I would like to remind those of you who have computers, to get on the mailing list of http://www.rickbayless.com/ The Create Channel’s Master Chef has a wonderful website and he is also on Twitter. He is the most cheerful fellow and is full of wonderful ideas and has a great newsletter and is excellent with the questions he gets asked on Twitter. His program on the Create Channel, Mexico: One Plate At A Time is truly joyful.

Well, that’s it for this week. Take care of yourselves. Bless you.

Kate

Chatter With Kate: ATTACK ADS – I CAN'T STAND THEM

Greetings folks. This column has been in hiatus for a while and after thinking about what form it should take for the future, we have decided to keep it as it is and perhaps take a wider look at a broader range of subjects. So, apart from my ‘pesky politicians’ I will take a look at current news and trends, travel (I was a travel writer for a number of years) and personal thoughts and stuff in general. Bless the person who invented the word stuff – it’s a god send. My late mum would not approve as she was very particular with her words. She was a playwright and wrote beautiful thoughts and prayers and poetry.


The subject of this column is as the heading says – the attack ad season is upon us and it’s already driving me mad. I simply can’t see the necessity for the bad language, nasty words and I would like to talk to the people who actually write them. The general subject (content) of these political ads that we are putting up with until November is getting peskier than the last time. I do want to know what a candidate is all about, what they have done in the past and what they think – in their own words – makes them the best person to represent me in Washington DC. However, I don’t want to hear ads on their behalf that quite frankly are rude, aggressive and disrespectful. I know, I am probably barking up the proverbial tree, but as I have said before, these ads show no respect, no dignity and I think they show no class. The other thing that really gets up my nose, (no apologies for this phrase), is the candidate who is always GOING TO CHANGE WASHINGTON. Give me a break please, Washington DC has been like it is (progressively getting worse as the years have gone by) since our founding fathers. They were no different than the current day politicians – in fact they could be even peskier if you read our history. Sure, the place needs some change but it isn’t going to happen quickly. 2008 is a prime example of all the promises of change not really coming to fruition. The tricks and backroom deals are still there and the pesky strategies are still going on. So, when a candidate says they are going to go to Washington DC to change things –I would say to them, please don’t be disrespectful to yourself. They are not going to take any notice of you. If you get elected then don’t expect to change things the day you get there. Quietly work out your own little strategies and study The Art of War and you just might have a chance. Finally, I would like to say this. In our area here in the desert south west, there was a candidate in a local primary for the senate, who came out with some nasty ads and you can’t expect to come out with ads as nasty as they were without people on the other side having a go at you. This candidate did not win the primary although at the start of the crazy season for this, this person was leading. People, from my research, are heartily sick of the ---p! Respect the views of the voting public, we are not stupid and we don’t forget past voting. We are looking for good capable leaders not the pesky kind!

Cheers and go safely out there, Kate

P.S. If you’ve got something to say, and would like to put it up on our blog, let us know. Please keep language civil and remember the libel stuff. Our editor reserves the right to have the final say on column content. K.

Star Trek Enterprise Retro-Spective "The Andorian Incident"

I liked this episode when I first saw it, so I really wasn't in the position of anticipation of changing my mind much. The story is pretty simple. Archer finds an interesting planet in their flight path, one that appears on the Vulcan starcharts called P'Jem. It is home to an ancient monastery where Vulcans go to undergo the Kohlinahr, or purging of emotions. Archer wants to visit, but T'Pol isn't in love with the idea, because, as we discover during a chat between her and Phlox, she would be embarrassed to be seen with her human crew. Phlox steals a bit of celery from her plate and lectures her about Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations, she quietly fumes, and the episode moves on.


When they arrive on the planet, we see that the monastery has been ransacked. They meet of one the residents, who tries to get them to leave. Archer figures that something is wrong and finally spots a blue-skinned alien (he learns it's an Andorian) hiding behind something, waiting in ambush. Archer and Trip start a fight with them and end up getting locked up with the Vulcans.

It seems the Andorians don't like the Vulcans, and suspect them of using the planet as a surveillance outpost (and of course, that is exacerbated by Archer showing up with a Vulcan). They're rooting around, ransacking, and beating people up, looking for answers. Eventually, Malcolm beams down a security team, and a firefight ensues. Then we're shocked, shocked to find out that there's spying going on here. Yes, there is a massive spy outpost built underneath the ancient catacombs. Archer runs scans of the whole place hands the info over to Shran. Shran now owes Archer a favor (that we'll see repayed soon) and the Vulcans find a way to blame Archer.

This was very refreshing, following the drab "Terra Nova". I'd looked forward to seeing what was done with what were, at that point, the rather mysterious Andorians. Phlox was as interesting and fun as always, dispensing a bit of wisdom and deliberately annoying T'Pol. And of course, Jeffery Coombs. He has always been a treat since he appeared on DS9 as Weyoun, and as Shran he didn't disappoint. The dynamic that would be the relationship between Archer and Shran is obvious in this episode. Of course, many fans out in Trekdom objected to the negative portrayal of Vulcans, and it cannot be denied that the Vulcans' image suffered throughout most of this series. That's a fair gripe, but they redeem (and explain to an extent) themselves in the fourth season. "The Andorian Incident" gets a very enthusiastic thumbs up.

Next Up: "Breaking the Ice"

Miss Ginny's Diary June 13th 2010

Meow to you out there from me, Miss Ginny. Well things are a little crazy here and HM says that at the moment, I am the No.1 crazy!! I don’t think so but I do like to go on a run or two. HM asked me earlier today why I do the following:

Go nuts when I finish using my toilet (dirt) box and run around the room like a whirling wind, knocking things over.

Like to creep up on my sister and bite her ears.

Leap on to HM’s shoulders from the floor when she is not expecting me to.

Get in the bathtub and howl like a coyote.

Follow her to the bathroom when she goes there to use it and if she doesn’t let me in, do I have to scratch the outside of the door!

Ask HD for a pick up and a cuddle just as he sits down to do his writing and research - well the answer to this is that he is nice and warm and has a nice big chest to rest on.

Wack my cat mother, Lapper, on the head nearly every time I pass her – well the answer to this is that she pecks at me every time she passes me. HM says that two wrongs don’t make a right – as if I understand this!!

Anyhow right now I am dictating to HM as she types for me and things are quiet and we are all waiting for HD to come home from his day job. Grandma Carrie has just come on the bed. She is getting quite frail and HM is worried about her. She eats well though and goes to the bathroom just fine. Her coat is still very shiny and she keeps herself clean. Did I tell you that she is the equivalent of 162 human years? She has kept her beautiful dark grey fur and her beautiful green eyes. She doesn’t bother me and I don’t really bother her. We both cuddle up with HM at night and share food, especially the tuna bits which we both like very much. HM doesn’t give us too much tuna – she shares it with us when she opens a can for a salad for her and HD. She and all of us are so looking forward to the day when HM can go out and fish and bring us home some nice white fish to eat. Our departure from where we are, had to be delayed. Never mind, HM says that we will go just as soon as we can. HM just looked at the clock and she says that HD will be home in about 20 minutes. I hope he brings home cat treats – he probably will. HD has a day off tomorrow so that is just cool.

HM here – Miss Ginny has fallen asleep – she is a funny little cat. I do so love having her around and she is the best of company except when she knocks everything over on one of those wild chasing runs of hers but I forgive her that too. We just pick everything up and tell her she is crazy. You know, she answers you back and is very talkative – I often think it would be great to be able to understand “cat” but perhaps it might be better if we didn’t!! What she says, we might not like to hear. She is a true BFF.

Take care out there in this big wide world of ours. Meow to you from Miss Ginny and have a nice day from me, HM.

ANIMAL PIC OF THE WEEK June 12nd 2010

Hello there folks. Our animal pic of the week is a little late for which we must apologise. Our only excuse is that life in the recent high heat of the desert south west has been difficult and the air conditioning went out and it was 110 degrees and it was just nuts. An indoor pool would be lovely but we can’t do that and we are not near a river or the ocean. A swim in a river or the ocean on a hot day is wonderful and our pic of the week is an animal who just loves to swim in a lake or a river. Many years ago, I was out walking quite early in the morning and I went past the local zoo and they let me in to see the early feeding and cleaning as the folk at the zoo knew me well from my visits there. I was walking along the path that leads to the African section and I came across the keeper wheeling a large pile of cabbages which were the early morning treats for the hippopotamus. He said “here, have one and when the big male opens his mouth just throw it in”. I said “you are kidding me” and he said “absolutely not”. The two large hippos were standing there waiting. They knew what the time was and what to expect. Almost on cue, the hippos opened their mouths and away went the cabbage, over the fence and into a giant mouth, the likes of which I’d never seen. The hippos stood there until all the cabbages were gone and again, on cue, they turned around and went back into “their swimming hollow”. This somewhat unusual task on a Sunday morning will remain with me as a lifelong memory and I will always treasure it - Kate.

Star Trek Enterprise Retro-Spective "Terra Nova"

This was probably the simplest story so far. Enterprise approaches the location of the lost Terra Nova colony, mankind's first attempt to colonize a planet outside of Earth's solar system. After five years, the colony was a definite success, so Earth wanted to send more. Terra Nova said no. They argued back and forth until Terra Nova cut all communications.

Seventy years later, Enterprise arrives. They find the planet bathed in low-level radiation and hostiles living underground. The hostiles injure Reed, who ends up their captive. Archer discovers that the hostiles are in fact humans. Most of them are descendents of the colonists, but one old woman was a young girl from the colony. It turns out that radiation from an asteroid impact at the same time that the colonists landed poisoned the rain and drove the colonists underground. They were convinced that Earth was responsible, trying to drive the 'Novans' off the planet. Young kids survived underground, believing that humans had wiped them out.

Archer eventually convinces them that they're dying from radiation in the ground water, and they allow Enterprise crew to move them to another continent that is unaffected by the radiation.

Everybody lives happily ever after.

So what is there to say about "Terra Nova"? Not much, in fact. It is a simple story. I liked the ship, a Discovery Class. It is a good, clean design, and I was interested that the colonists used the ship itself to build the colony. It is also interesting to think that this ship was the pinnacle of technology twenty years after Zephrame Cochrane. Aside from that, the story was good enough if unoriginal. Nothing to get excited about, just an average 'not bad' story. Little to talk about, and quite honestly not much to recommend. Not a waste of time, but I don't see myself going back to it. I'll still give it a thumbs up, but with little enthusiasm.

Next Up: "The Andorian Incident"

Headlines From the Edge: Obama Outlines Bold Space New Initiative: "Let Them Come To Us!"

Following luke-warm reaction to his initiative to depend on private citizens and corporate America to push the manned space program to Mars and beyond, the president 're-clarified' his bold vision for the future, stating that since extra-terrestrials have the greater ability to travel easily through space, they should carry the greater burden of putting humans on their planets. "Hey, you know," the president explained, "you've seen their ships. You've read the books. Now let the experts in the Federal government do what it does best. We have the right plan to redistribute their technology and save or create dozens of jobs in the process."

Poetry "Memory"

how I envy the rain

that you run to escape

and how I wish I knew its memory
as it kisses your face
and brushes your cheek
before falling to the ground

would that I might be a cloud,
awaiting the next storm

Kapact's Rant: Helen the Anti-Semite, B.O. Oil and Avatar Review

There is so much to talk about, from the anti-semitism that Helen Thomas demonstrated (underplayed as much as possible by her liberal cohorts) as she finally left the pool, to the continued inaction by Mr Obama in the gulf.


Not much needs to be said about Helen Thomas. She is now enough of an embarrassment that finally she is gone. 0f course, there has been little mention of it in the typical liberal media. It must be hard for them to sit on their hands. If Glenn Beck or Rush Limbaugh had said what she did, they would find precious little else to talk about. But when Helen fouls the pool, suddenly they know nothing.

Fortunately for them, there is the oil gusher in the gulf. And just what is Mister Obama doing to stop the flow of oil and prevent it from reaching land? Well, he's pointing fingers really well. He's outraged. He's interrupted vacations to walk on beaches that were cleaned up for his visit. No, in fact he didn't, did he? No. There is evidence to suggest that he was aware of the extent of the disaster and the potential for catastrophe, a month ago but went on vacation while thousands of barrels of oil pumped into the gulf every day. So we have to wonder if he was simply incompetent, or if he let it go so as to allow the crisis to worsen and give the socialist government running this country more ammunition to demonize and maybe even nationalize the nation's oil industry. The classic question arises. What did the president know and when did he know it? And why, in the midst of the largest ecological tragedy we've ever faced, are you going back to trying to sell Obamacare? Is it intended to distract us, or is it simply because you don't know how to do anything but campaign? If you think I'm wrong, look at the recent poll that gives Bush better marks for his handling of Katrina than they give you for this.

I've just subjected myself to reading the screenplay of Avatar so that I could discuss it without putting any money in James Cameron's hands, (note to the president and the Attorney General, and pretty much the whole excuse for a government that we're stuck with: try reading something before talking about or voting for it. Leads to far fewer embarrassing moments later ) and aside from the fact that it is nowhere close to an original story, it is a poorly written piece of leftist propaganda. Unobtanium? Please. The last time I heard that was I think "The Core", and I thought it was silly then. And Mr Cameron, you took your idea from, of all places, Rocky and Bullwinkle? Upsidasium. Remember that? I do. So right off I was unimpressed. Jake Sully. Did you get that from your "Big Book of Stereotypes" in the chapter on grizzled, burnt out anti-hero names? Please, sir, invest some of your billions in writing lessons. Or a used copy of the Constitution. Now I'm sure you've got a 'support the troops' bumper sticker on your hybrid limo, but that actually doesn't negate the shabby way you treat them in this liberal fantasy. Every military member (but Jake Sully) is a racist monster. Oh, but wait. They're Ex-Marines. Well, sir, any Marine will tell you that there is no such thing as an Ex-Marine. Once a Marine, always a Marine. So give back that bumper sticker. You don't deserve it. And of course, there is the obvious parallel between the destruction of the Home Tree with the 9/11 attacks. How dare you compare the heroic men and women who bravely and proudly wear the uniform of our country with the cowardly thugs who sneak onto a plane (or car, or bus) in civilian clothes to slaughter innocents? How dare you? Everyone is entitled to their opinions, but how dare you demonize the heroic men and women who volunteer to step into harm's way to protect you? I'll just add this. Avatar is not the Number One film of all time. "Gone With the Wind" still holds that title in the only sense that means anything. Number of tickets sold. So you are still a loser.