Picard’s Tea Order Makes No Sense

Discussion in 'Star Trek: The Next Generation' started by HugeLobes, Jun 20, 2021.

  1. Orphalesion

    Orphalesion Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    But again, if we need temperature as a parameter, why not the amount?
     
  2. Nerys Myk

    Nerys Myk A Spock and a smile Premium Member

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    Standard Federation cuppa, unless otherwise stated. ;)
     
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  3. Orphalesion

    Orphalesion Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Then why not have it hot as a standard, unless otherwise stated, since most people (at least in our time) drink Earl Grey hot? ;)
     
  4. shivkala

    shivkala Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    The "Hot" could be literally hot (steaming). I think we're forgetting that there's a middle ground, which is warm. Now to prepare a cup the proper way, which according to the Douglas Adams' description of how to prepare proper British tea, is by pouring boiling hot water over the tea leaves. The ideal is to have the water still boiling as you pour. Then you let it steep.

    There should be no logical reason why a cup couldn't be ordered at "warm," as it should be replicated without the need to steep in hot water for several minutes. I, like many tea drinkers, make a cup of tea, wait for it to cool off so I don't burn my tongue, forget about it, then debate whether I should toss it or throw it in the microwave to warm it. If I misjudge the timing and it come out too hot, then I repeat the whole process over again.

    If, say, he were in a rush, he might choose "warm" with the understanding that's the preset for "hot enough to be tea and not iced tea, cool enough to drink immediately without burning oneself." Hot indicates to me that he intends to let it settle/steep (again, something that replicator should remove the need for) before drinking it. Of course, as I type this, I'm trying to remember all the times he ordered it and drank it immediately, therefore negating everything I've been trying to say.
     
  5. Hawku

    Hawku Transwarp Specialist Premium Member

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    Computers aren't smart enough to know that Earl Grey is tea, or that it should be hot. That kind of programming needs two, maybe three, If statements.
     
  6. yotsuya

    yotsuya Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    Some people drink their tea or coffee hot, very hot. I prefer to think he has a standard order that works for nearly every replicator. He's served on a few ships in his day and probably a few stations, and the Academy.
     
  7. Swedish Borg

    Swedish Borg Commodore Captain

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    "One pan-fried Catfish."
     
  8. Oddish

    Oddish Admiral Admiral

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    And it was served up with cornbread, greens, what looked like a hush puppy, and even a wedge of lemon.
     
  9. Swedish Borg

    Swedish Borg Commodore Captain

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    Yup! That's one smart computer.
     
  10. Orphalesion

    Orphalesion Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Do we really need to defer to Douglas Adams for the basic method on how pretty much everybody makes pretty much any kind of hot tea?
    I mean it's not like he's revealing a national secret there...

    But there isn't anything seeping in Picard's tea glass, and if I'm not mistaken he often takes a sip from it as soon as he sits down, or even on the way form the replicator to his desk...
    So it's already drinking temperature...
     
  11. CorporalCaptain

    CorporalCaptain Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    A little known fact of Picard's younger days, he took the Mother Horta to the Academy Mixer.

    :shifty:
     
  12. Orphalesion

    Orphalesion Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Does anybody actually know what they used in those glasses when filming? From the colour and the fact that there isn't any steam escaping form the glass I'd say it's ice tea?
     
  13. Oddish

    Oddish Admiral Admiral

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    Well, it did use a bunch of stolen and repurposed human brains...
     
  14. JirinPanthosa

    JirinPanthosa Admiral Admiral

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    The premise of this complaint stems from an assumption that people’s default beverage orders have not changed in 350 years. How do you know in 2370, there isn’t a trend of cool earl grey? Or there isn’t some Andorian dish called ‘Earl Gray’?

    Sure the ship may have preference files and Picard could shorten his order, but do you not get in habits where you do something the same way because it’s what you’re used to even if it could be shortened?
     
    Last edited: Jun 22, 2021
  15. Oddish

    Oddish Admiral Admiral

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    The premise is that Picard saying four words to a hole in the wall constitutes too much effort.
     
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  16. JirinPanthosa

    JirinPanthosa Admiral Admiral

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    Or that 60 year olds are willing to break their long standing habits for slightly more convenience.
     
  17. Takeru

    Takeru Space Police Commodore

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    Hot tea and alcohol is often replaced by cold tea in the appropriate color, coffee is often stale coke. Water and juices are the real deal.
     
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  18. Swedish Borg

    Swedish Borg Commodore Captain

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    I think that's called OCD...

    J/k;)
     
  19. Swedish Borg

    Swedish Borg Commodore Captain

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    I am 60 and I break my habits all the time.
     
  20. Oddish

    Oddish Admiral Admiral

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    I'm not even 50 yet, and I'm very set in my ways.
     
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