HP Sprout

startrek.com/database A little info for the uninitiated among us

Devices derived from transporter technology to dematerialize matter and then reconstitute it in another form.Replicators, in use since the early 24th century, are most commonly used as food dispensers aboard Federation starships. The menu is only limited by the programming, as opposed to the days of carrying natural or reconstituted foodstuffs with delivery by special turbolifts or transporters.Generally replicated food and "natural" food taste the same, though some people claim to be able to detect a difference. For instance, Captain Picard kept real caviar stored for special occasions since he felt replicated caviar was inferior to the real thing.

Needs a strong drink.

Banj wrote:

Picard tugging on his waistband was about the most interesting thing that ever happened in the bland beige dullness of The Next Generation.

Heresy!

I'll have to get out my punishments again!
I hereby sentence you to be Wesley Crusher's friend as he goes through puberty. You will tolerate his excruciating naivety and smug cleverness while at the same time answering his curious questions about the adult world. Moreover I declare that you must act as chaperone as he goes on dates to find … Love; first with an odd shapeshifting alien female then later with a very young Ashley Judd in that awful episode about the brainwashing game. Also you must fulfil all these duties without once punching him in his chubby fat face.
A harsh sentence indeed but these heretics must be taught a lesson!

(Interestingly -or not- that brainwashing game thing now conjures up possible images of that mysterious MagicLeap device in much the same way as this HP Sprout makes all geeks think of replicators.)

Sadly I must endure whatever sentence Whovians give me because I never did "get" the good timelord. The olde ones seemed shambolic to me (although I concede that Tom Baker was the best) and the reboot has been tediously flippant to my eyes. And don't get me started on Tennant!

And the Jurassic World movie? It looks like a decent spectacular blockbuster and yet it's a million miles away from everything that made the original good (one of the most underrated movies of recent times despite Jeff Goldblum's flimsy grasp of chaos theory.) And like all those whingeing paleontologists I think it's a bit sad that they're ignoring all recent discoveries about pigmentation and the prevalence of feathers in favour of another scaly angry lizard on the loose with extra bashing of evil scientists and their meddling ways.

I'll be content if they keep that epic score by John Williams (better than his Star Wars tunes in my opinion.)
And none of the of the silliness of the second movie (remember that horrible gymnastics scene with the girl?) The three quid I wasted on that film still hurts, although it was nice to see the Stegosaurus that was previously lacking.

The third film was better (mainly due to getting Sam Neill back) so if that kind of progression continues it'll be all right.