General Trek Questions and Observations

[Discofan]

It's a pretty common practice when writing lists of people organized alphabetically by last name. Probably because it helps immediately draw the reader's eye to the fact that it's organized alphabetically by last name. Makes it easier to search through the list, too, because you can just scan down the first letter of each line until you see the letter you're looking for.

Ok, but in that case the list must not be very long since "P" is already the 16th letter (so there's only ten letters left) and the list contains only FIVE names. That means that (statistically) the complete list must not be much longer than seven or eight names.

 

[Grendelsbayne]

Ok, but in that case the list must not be very long since "P" is already the 16th letter (so there's only ten letters left) and the list contains only FIVE names. That means that (statistically) the complete list must not be much longer than seven or eight names.

Right, but that's only one reason of several why you might use that format and this list was generated by inputting variables which means the format isn't designed for only short lists. If Saru put in different variables, the list could as easily have been 300 names or 1000, depending on what he asked for.

 

[Discofan]

Right, but that's only one reason of several why you might use that format and this list was generated by inputting variables which means the format isn't designed for only short lists. If Saru put in different variables, the list could as easily have been 300 names or 1000, depending on what he asked for.

Maybe one of the parameters was "people who at some point made a gazelle speech."

That would explain how a screw up like Archer managed to get there...

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

you can just scan down the first letter of each line until you see the letter you're looking for.

Chances are, you're more likely to recognize a famous captain by his/her last name, not first name, too.

 

[IMC Headquarters]

That list was a little farfetched. The most decorated Captains in Starfleet history, "living or deceased" (per Saru's order) are:
- April, Robert
- Archer, Jonathan
- Decker, Matthew
- Georgiou, Philippa
- Pike, Christopher

Now, this is in alphabetical order, so it's possible that the list extended past Pike, into the Q through Z range (so we might get A.G. Robinson or T'Pol or Shran), but the huge gap between G and P makes me think only a couple, at most, names will be on the list.

Based on Saru's exact order ("Computer list Starfleet's most decorated captains, living and deceased."), one would think the list should be by decoration, meaning Georgiou edged out Pike, and somehow April is a wunderkind who has more decorations than anyone in Starfleet history. The prevalence of "modern" Captains (4 out of 5) could be because of an increase in decorations compared to the earlier days of Starfleet.

But if we take the list at face value, that it is merely a top 5 list in no particular order, we face the fact that all of them are humans, and three of them were Captains of ships named Enterprise. They're all white guys too, except for Georgiou, but that's a byproduct of relying on reusing names from the classic series (and Archer).

Georgiou and Pike don't appear to be Starfleet's most decorated Captains, and Decker didn't appear to hold that distinction in TOS, but they could be humble about it. Garth is missing, but he might've been edged out by Pike, and he lacks a first name to easily insert into the list for consistency.

Maybe it's because all five never made it past Captain (disregarding Archer's future bio, and assuming April and Decker have yet to be promoted to Commodore), and most highly decorated Captains become Commodores and Admirals.

They should've tossed some new names and aliens on the list. It's a large organization and a big galaxy, we shouldn't be so familiar with every name that popped up.

Tracey, Ronald.

Glaring omission.

 

[Lord Garth]

They should have a Star Trek series that takes place in the 47th Century. Why? Because why not turn an entire series into one big 47? You could have it take place on the Enterprise-TT, the 47th starship (at least since the Federation was founded) to bear the name.

 

[somebuddyX]

Does anyone have exact dates or copies of any memos showing when any of the 1987-2005 Star Trek spinoffs were first thought up?
Does anyone have a copy of the TNG episode Conspiracy original script when it was called "The Assassins"?

 

[Tim Thomason]

They should have a Star Trek series that takes place in the 47th Century. Why? Because why not turn an entire series into one big 47? You could have it take place on the Enterprise-TT, the 47th starship (at least since the Federation was founded) to bear the name.

I am a huge supporter of the Enterprise-TT, for obvious reasons.

 

[Lord Garth]

When Morrow tells Scotty they need his experience on the new Excelsior, I just thought of something: "We need your wisdom on the new Excelsior." Bolding mine. That implies there was an old Excelsior.

 

[NCC-73515]

When the Golden Gate bridge was new, it was probably called the new bridge, even though it was the first

 

[Lord Garth]

When the Golden Gate bridge was new, it was probably called the new bridge, even though it was the first

Fair point.

 

[Tenacity]

When the Golden Gate bridge was new, it was probably called the new bridge, even though it was the first

It's doubtful it would have been called "the new golden gate bridge" though.

 

[The Old Mixer]

I see nothing wrong with Morrow's usage. Think of it as a short form of "that thar new-fangled Excelsior".

 

[NCC-73515]

Since there were Earth starships around for >100 years before, it could easily be that there was an earlier one.

 

[IMC Headquarters]

All the Starfleet men in The Search for Spock are dickweeds. Morrow, Esteban, Styles, Mr Excitement... Hard to label the biggest offender, but Morrow takes the cake with his lack of understanding of Vulcan mysticism. What the **** is he doing in Starfleet??? Admiral Forrest must be spinning in his grave...

 

[Grendelsbayne]

Are there any humans not related to or friends with Spock who do actually understand anything about Vulcan mysticism? I'd be way more surprised to see anyone at Starfleet take all that Katra talk seriously for even a second.

(But they are stupid for failing to recognize an easy solution to the conflict - just contact the Grissom and have them pick up Spock's body and ship it back to earth on a shuttle.)

 

[IMC Headquarters]

Captain Archer walked a mile in Surak's sandals. It would be horrendously shameful if his enlightenment didn't broaden Starfleet's cultural horizons all the way to Morrow's time.

 

[Tim Thomason]

When Morrow tells Scotty they need his experience on the new Excelsior, I just thought of something: "We need your wisdom on the new Excelsior." Bolding mine. That implies there was an old Excelsior.

The ship registered as NCC-1718 (registry seen in Court Martial) is listed as an earlier USS Excelsior in Franz Joseph's 1975 Star Fleet Technical Manual. Since the Manual was used for ship names and onscreen blueprints in Star Treks I, II, III, and VI, it is highly likely that the writer saw that there was an "old Excelsior", and specified the new ship as new to allay any confusion.

 

[WildManWizard]

is it just me, or does Jonathan Frakes's Jaw look really long?

yes, I know old age and all that. but that would excuse wrinkles and grey hair and droopy ear lobes and tips of noses, butI have never seen an older man get a jay leno jaw that didnt have one to begin with.

 

[The Old Mixer]

is it just me, or does Jonathan Frakes's Jaw look really long?

yes, I know old age and all that. but that would excuse wrinkles and grey hair and droopy ear lobes and tips of noses, butI have never seen an older man get a jay leno jaw that didnt have one to begin with.

Is it just me, or does this belong in General Trek Questions and Observations?