The new Concordance (again) and ST: Of Gods and Men

[Captain Robert April]

As much as I love the "Star Trek Concordance" (both pro editions), I must admit that I haven't opened either edition for years now, not even to flip through as a coffee table book. Memory Alpha, in inverted commas, as an additional term in any Google search for "Star Trek" data, brings up the required information in seconds.

One of the aspects I'm coming up against, now that I've pretty much finished getting the lexicon, more or less, back into shape (pending further editing), is the synopses, and how some of them are rather off on the details, usually in the sequence of events or characterization in characters' decisions. I've already had to tweak a few back into line, and fully expect to do a bunch more. (Interestingly, the synopses from the '68 edition aren't as far off as the '76 version, probably because memories, and studio access, was a lot better in '68 than '76.)

If it fails to even mention Leonard Nimoy's final canonical appearance in the "Star Trek" phenomenon then having this new edition becomes pointless.

I'm quite sure there'll be a mention in the introduction. What there won't be are entries in the lexicon.

 

[Captain Robert April]

TOS[/B] fans" and ignoring the new fans that the film has brought to the original series. But, it's their book, so it's their call. I fail to understand why they would willingly leave money on the table. *shrug*

As a nostalgia item for 40-somethings the Concordance might work.

Just putting out there again that it's not a generational thing, folks.

I'm a 40-something aging TOS fan, and this would NOT work as nostalgia for me. IMHO, as said elsewhere, it comes off sounding a little half-assed.

I would guess that most folk in this group have previous editions already. This fills no need, and snubs its nose at potential sales.

That the target audience for this work is miniscule is pretty evident. Hope there's no expectation of a return on investment, here.

The only investment to this point has been time, and nobody's expecting to make a bunch of money off of this thing. In fact, money hasn't even been mentioned.

This is being done simply for the love of the material and to rectify the mess that was the '96 edition. There's been a certain lack of closure on this issue since then, and it's time to settle it.

 

[Ryan Thomas Riddle]

Some folks need to be reminded of this last bit...

Bjo Trimble said:

I think the answer might be a new introduction or something like that, which acknowledges the movie, but points out the difficulties of adding a time-shift situation like this. How about that?

Once again, I ask if this is a direct, verbatim quote or from an email correspondence or a partial, remembered quote from a conversation that's been beefed up?

...the new canyon in Iowa...

Rock quarry.

 

[Captain Robert April]

Verbatim message exchange on facebook.

And regardless of the explanation for a given subject, it still has to be addressed.

Lemme put it this way. Back in the 80's and 90's, and maybe even to this day, the Russians were still running WWII era tanks in their tank corps. Didn't matter that they were woefully obsolete, in any conflict with the West, those tanks still need to be taken out, thus diverting resources that might otherwise be applied to more important targets.

It's not a question of good, bad, rational, amazingly brilliant, or mind numbingly stupid, it's still another entry that needs to be made on top of all the other additional entries that need to be made. At least with, say, Kor's appearances on DS9, we can just extend an already existing entry. Anything to do with the new movie, with the debatable exception of Nimoy's Spock, would mean an additional, and completely separate, entry.

 

[Captain Robert April]

In other news, the panel at Stafest Denver is ON!!

From starland.com:

The Return of the Star Trek Concordance

It's been fifteen years since the last update of Bjo Trimble's venerable Star Trek Concordance. Since then, we've seen plenty of stuff that should've made the book ("Trials and Tribble-ations" on DS9, "Flashback" on Voyager, about a half dozen episodes of Enterprise, and a big budget movie based on the original series). After more than a little wailing and gnashing of teeth, it was decided that it's about frelling time for another update (especially since the last one was kind of a turkey). Bob Littlepage has taken on the unenviable task of reassembling the jumbled text files and putting it all into a form much closer to the beloved 1976 version. Why Bob? Because he was the only one dumb enough to actually take on the job. And he'll be conducting a panel to answer any questions/concerns/grievances you might have about this project, as well as letting you know how you can be a part of this historic volume.

Anyone besides Dayton gonna be there?

That reminds me, I need to get cracking on the Powerpoint presentation...

 

[RookieBatman]

Anyone besides Dayton gonna be there?

I wish I could be there. Heck, I wish I could be at any Star Trek convention, ever. Ah, maybe someday...

 

[Captain Robert April]

A few updates and historical note:

First, there were a few entries that were supposed to make it in the last edition that, for unknown reasons, didn't. In other words, "Rightful Heir", and probably a few others, were supposed to be there, and this time, they will be. By my count, we'll be looking at another twenty assorted episodes, along with the movie "First Contact".

As for new artwork, yes, Virginia, Bjo is accepting submissions now. Just send a clean, clear photocopy of your masterpiece (NO ORIGINALS!!) to:

Bjo Trimble
174 W. Foothill Blvd #343
Monrovia, Ca 91016

Put something on the envelope to indicate that it's for the Concordance.

Again, NO ORIGINAL PIECES! Black and white photocopies, please. We don't need somebody's fan art masterpiece being lost or mangled by our intrepid postal service.

At the moment, we need generic pieces from all of the series and the first eight movies. You can probably make a good guess at which episodes are gonna make the cut, so go ahead and plow ahead with those too, if you so wish. When we've got a better idea of specific subjects we need, we'll put out a call for specific pieces.

And, as usual, we can't pay you for your art, aside from a free copy of the book when it comes out. Consider it a resume enhancer, as well as another notch in one's fan cred.

 

[F. King Daniel]

Although I'm not submitting anything, why can't artists email ultra-high-quality scans of their stuff?

And surely there's room for one piece of STXI art on the page where Bjo ruthlessly crushes fans' expectaions about the new Concordance.

 

[Captain Robert April]

There's the matter of not everyone has access to "ultra high quality" scanning capability, what you might consider "ultra high quality" might not be mine or Bjo's definition, our respective email boxes get overloaded as it is with the regular day-to-day crap, etc., etc.

Whereas anybody can run off a photocopy, either at home on your ultra high quality scanner/printer/espresso machine or at the local library or nearby Kinko's, stick the sucker in a manila envelope, and mail it in, and then WE can make sure everything is scanned in at a consistent level.

 

[kkozoriz1]

If it fails to even mention Leonard Nimoy's final canonical appearance in the "Star Trek" phenomenon then having this new edition becomes pointless.

Not to mention inconsistent. If you cover all screen appearances of the original cast in their TOS roles, then that should logically include the 2009 film in which Leonard Nimoy played the character of Spock for the last time. Regardless of one's feelings about the film, the simple fact of Nimoy's return to the role is surely worthy of acknowledgment.

Didn't William Shatner appear in a TV commercial a few years ago as Kirk? Maybe that should be included as it's his last appearance as Kirk. He's in uniform. He was on the bridge IIRC. Just because it's a last appearance doesn't mean that you have to accept it.


Seriously, it's Bjo's project. It's her call.

 

[Harvey]

^^
A Direct TV ad, IIRC, which incorporated footage from Star Trek VI.

 

[F. King Daniel]

Don't forget that old UK electricity ad with Scotty and the Kirk/female cadet transporter malfunction!

"Uh oh...start again!"

 

[Therin of Andor]

Didn't William Shatner appear in a TV commercial a few years ago as Kirk? Maybe that should be included as it's his last appearance as Kirk. He's in uniform. He was on the bridge IIRC. Just because it's a last appearance doesn't mean that you have to accept it.

TV commercials have never been "canon". Neither has live footage, shot on the sets, with original actors for games like "Starfleet Academy", or the Klingon video board game, or "Borg" or "Klingon". Nor the Universal Studios' short films. Nor Janeway, Borg Queen, EMH, Riker or LaForge footage shown at "Borg 4D" or the first Las Vegas Hilton TNG experience.

 

[Captain Robert April]

Here's a tentative list of stuff that wasn't in the last edition that should make the new edition, under the criteria that if TOS is mentioned, it's fair game:

Movies:

Star Trek: First Contact

TNG:

The Naked Now
Rightful Heir

DS9:

Crossover
Through the Looking Glass
The Sword of Kahless
Shattered Mirror
Trials & Tribble-ations
Doctor Bashir, I Presume
Once More Unto the Breach

Voyager:

Flashback
Q2

Enterprise:

Broken Bow
Borderland
Cold Station 12
The Augments
The Forge
Awakening
Kir'Shara
In a Mirror, Darkly, I & II

 

[Christopher]

Didn't William Shatner appear in a TV commercial a few years ago as Kirk? Maybe that should be included as it's his last appearance as Kirk. He's in uniform. He was on the bridge IIRC. Just because it's a last appearance doesn't mean that you have to accept it.

Oh, look, a straw man.

 

[Captain Robert April]

 

[kkozoriz1]

Didn't William Shatner appear in a TV commercial a few years ago as Kirk? Maybe that should be included as it's his last appearance as Kirk. He's in uniform. He was on the bridge IIRC. Just because it's a last appearance doesn't mean that you have to accept it.

Oh, look, a straw man.

Oh, look, someone who doesn't read the entire post.

Seriously, it's Bjo's project. It's her call.

Note the first word in the one sentence you left out of the quote. That means what came before it was a joke.


joke   [johk] Show IPA noun, verb,joked, jok·ing.
–noun
1. something said or done to provoke laughter or cause amusement, as a witticism, a short and amusing anecdote, or a prankish act: He tells very funny jokes. She played a joke on him.
2. something that is amusing or ridiculous, esp. because of being ludicrously inadequate or a sham; a thing, situation, or person laughed at rather than taken seriously; farce: Their pretense of generosity is a joke. An officer with no ability to command is a joke.
3. a matter that need not be taken very seriously; trifling matter: The loss was no joke.
4. something that does not present the expected challenge; something very easy: The test was a joke for the whole class.


If Bjo wants to leave out the reboot, that's her call. If she wanted to only do episodes that featured Klingons, that's her call. If she wants to cover only the animated series, that's her call. It's her book. If it doesn't cover what you think it should, DON'T BUY IT.

There, isn't that simple?

If you want a concordance that covers everything, something or just one thing, go for it.

 

[Harvey]

Crossover
Through the Looking Glass
Shattered Mirror

Why the first three mirror universe episodes from DS9, but not the last two? Or are there specific references to Star Trek in 'Through the Looking Glass' and 'Shattered Mirror' that I'm just not remembering?

 

[RookieBatman]

...or the Klingon video board game...

There was a Klingon video board game? Tell me more! I'm shocked to say I've never heard of this.

 

[DarkHorizon]

^http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Star_Trek:_The_Next_Generation_-_A_Klingon_Challenge