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ST obsessed fan spends 3yrs and $500k turning basement into Enterprise

J

junkdata

Lieutenant Commander
Video - YT

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyFP_sUEGr4

Fantastic story from the UKs Daily Mail.

I think its more of a memorabilia thing, than a exact replica thing, but his yard is basically full of touches to make it look like a ship, like the show.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...rise-His-wife-s-proud-sister-calls-freak.html

(His wife's proud. His sister calls him 'a freak')

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/07/10/1404987074052_wps_1_EXCLUSIVE_LONG_ISLAND_NY_.jpg

The basement even has its own windows to look out into deep space

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/07/10/1404987929624_wps_9_EXCLUSIVE_LONG_ISLAND_NY_.jpg

An obsessive Star Trek fan has spent $500,000 transforming the basement of his home into a replica of the Starship Enterprise.

Anthony Sforza, 48, from Long Island, New York, has been collecting memorabilia from the cult show since the 1980s.

Original report by DARREN BOYLE (Daily Mail)
 
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Re: ST obsessed fan spends 3yrs and $500k turning basement into Enterp

I'm so tempted to judge this guy but I've spent a lot of money on silly things too. Not $500k, more like a few thousand. But hey, this guy has a wife and a family who tolerate this, he must be doing something right.
 
Re: ST obsessed fan spends 3yrs and $500k turning basement into Enterp

JirinPanthosa said:
I'm so tempted to judge this guy but I've spent a lot of money on silly things too. Not $500k, more like a few thousand. But hey, this guy has a wife and a family who tolerate this, he must be doing something right.
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He must be earning too. Lets face it. It better than spending it on booze and cigarettes. Could probably get a good bit of resale on it too. He should hook up with the powers that be, and turn it into a museum.
 
Re: ST obsessed fan spends 3yrs and $500k turning basement into Enterp

I say this with all due respect, and as a lifelong Trek fan, but...

really?

$500k would have fed a lot of hungry people, or vaccinated a lot of kids, or done a lot more good in a thousand other ways.

The needs of the many..you know the rest.
 
Re: ST obsessed fan spends 3yrs and $500k turning basement into Enterp

1 - This guy modeled it off of the NX-01... EW!
2 - He lives near me!
 
Re: ST obsessed fan spends 3yrs and $500k turning basement into Enterp

from the photos, its hard to see exactly where the money went. Looks very modest to me.

But I don't judge. Its just another man-cave. No different than spending tons of cash on sports memorabilia or a home bar with pool table, air hockey, etc.
 
Re: ST obsessed fan spends 3yrs and $500k turning basement into Enterp

Push The Button said:
I say this with all due respect, and as a lifelong Trek fan, but...

really?

$500k would have fed a lot of hungry people, or vaccinated a lot of kids, or done a lot more good in a thousand other ways.

The needs of the many..you know the rest.
Click to expand...
For all we know, he does contribute to more "useful" social causes. And his taxes help fund social programs that do such "good deeds".

Either way, it's hard to put a price on passion, especially over time.
 
Re: ST obsessed fan spends 3yrs and $500k turning basement into Enterp

I thought the one fellow who turned his whole apartment into the TNG-era style was better. I can't seem to recall his name, but, it was very cool-looking.
 
Re: ST obsessed fan spends 3yrs and $500k turning basement into Enterp

For that kind of money, he could've gotten himself a competent Interior Decorator and had a really cool place to show off to the press. As it is, living in a STAR TREK diorama is ... tacky.
 
Re: ST obsessed fan spends 3yrs and $500k turning basement into Enterp

He's a collector. Seems fine to me. Sure I wouldn't do it exactly like that (I'd collect art) but its no different than having a bunch of antiques or a great library of rare books.
 
Re: ST obsessed fan spends 3yrs and $500k turning basement into Enterp

LOKAI of CHERON said:
Last Redshirt said:
I thought the one fellow who turned his whole apartment into the TNG-era style was better. I can't seem to recall his name, but, it was very cool-looking.
Click to expand...
That was chap from a small town in Leicestershire, England. His wife left him and he's since filed for bankruptcy.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-16772477
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Ah, that's a shame. I thought it was really cool.
 
Re: ST obsessed fan spends 3yrs and $500k turning basement into Enterp

Last Redshirt said:
LOKAI of CHERON said:
Last Redshirt said:
I thought the one fellow who turned his whole apartment into the TNG-era style was better. I can't seem to recall his name, but, it was very cool-looking.
Click to expand...
That was chap from a small town in Leicestershire, England. His wife left him and he's since filed for bankruptcy.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-16772477
Click to expand...
Ah, that's a shame. I thought it was really cool.
Click to expand...

Yeah, that guy literally was living on the ship.

Geek or no geek, who wouldnt want to spend some time chilling on the bridge...would be cool beyond uncool.
 
Re: ST obsessed fan spends 3yrs and $500k turning basement into Enterp

I like Star Trek, but I like the real world too.
 
Re: ST obsessed fan spends 3yrs and $500k turning basement into Enterp

BillJ said:
I like Star Trek, but I like the real world too.
Click to expand...
Exactly.

I've seen many comments from fans pondering how cool it would be live in that Hinckley flat. But it's just way, way too much.

I love escaping into the world of Star Trek - heck, I'd describe myself as an obsessed fanboy. But literally waking up and living in an authentic TNG style flat would only diminish the experience of Star Trek for me.

Honestly, it doesn't surprise me his marriage went south - I'm shocked she let him do it at all. My wife would politely tell me to f**k off if I even suggested anything like that!
 
Re: ST obsessed fan spends 3yrs and $500k turning basement into Enterp

I think this is pretty cool. If he has the money to do it, why not?
 
Re: ST obsessed fan spends 3yrs and $500k turning basement into Enterp

Is he the Captain of his ship? What is it called? Are his young officers Academy graduates, or are they still students?
 
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