Star Trek and The Impending Death of Enterprise

The Trek, I love the Trek, like a brother, a close familiar type of love. We have our differences sometimes but in the end, we are still family. The original show from the 60's: loved it when I was two and three. But watching it as an adolescent was different, I hated it, loved sci-fi probably because of my exposure to it as a toddler, but I could not stand to watch it. The story lines were, in my humble opinion at that time, simply put, trash. Kirk, couldn't stand the guy, too cocky and he acted like he had no one to answer to. Later I saw the movies, loved them but I was really into other stuff. Star Wars, Galactica, Dune there was some really good creative movies being made so I didn't pay the Trek much mind. Then in September 87, something new happened. A new Trek, at first I was positive I would hate it. I didn't. Starship Captain Jean-Luc Picard, I don't know if it was how the character was written or the portrayal by Patrick Stewart, but this is the guy I wanted to be. A gentleman always always weighing his and his crews actions and how the would affect the Federation and the new worlds they were discovering. I was hooked and hooked bad. It was actually making me better person! A tv show shouldn't have this kind of power. But I guess when there's no one around for you to identify with, the lofty ideals of tv heroes is better than nothing. Then later came DS9 I remember joking with a friend that show is going to be a lot better when Avery Brooks becomes Hawk. Two seasons later we got our wish and it was all good. I would like to personally thank all who worked on the two series they were profound influences in my life.

Now onto the bad, or what I considered the bad. Voyager, I thought it was bad, it wasn't until the 3rd season. I figured out I was not the demographic to which show was aimed. It was a show with many strong female characters. All of the guys were very likeable but I wouldn't follow a one into a fight. I'd allow them to accompany me but none had the strong decisive personalities I was used to seeing in Star Trek males. After I figured out the shows demo I actually began to enjoy it. My favorite character was the doctor with Seven being close second and it was cool to see a black vulcan for a change. It was entertaining, but no one I could identify with. for me in the bunch.

I remember being so excited about hearing about the 5th franchise. Enterprise cool name but I read something disturbing "Star Trek" would not be included in the title. Hmm...Ok, but why not? Seems strange Trek distancing itself from Trek. That doesn't make sense. I was in from the first moment record button ready. Then that music played, it was like fingernails on a chalk board. The storylines were a mess. I still hung in there. Even seeking others to find episodes I had missed. The Ensemble cast sat cool with me. A little stiff, but they all are at first. We have 7 seasons to get this stuff together,right? Wrong! The second and third season were a mess. It wouldn't be me if I didn't say this, "a fuc*ing mess." Cries went up from fans early "Wrong direction make a course correction." No one listened, in fact they hunkered down more sticking to their bad decision. The ratings fell like rocks in water. Fans gave direction in every venue possible. Violations of Star Trek history, which is cannon, where violated with impunity. When cries when up noses were thumbed. Star Trek producers became deaf to the ears of fans. Now what do we have? Cancellation, and a well deserved one I might add. If I'm watching Nightline and Ted Koppell(?) starts flying around the set, and I say "hey dudes, this is the news he shouldn't be flying," and my reply is "Fuc* you dude he's gonna fly and you're gonna like it," guess what, I'll turn to CNN. So now faced with ratings so low they are laughable for a show that has a budget in the top five. UPN and Paramount are saying to hell with Star Trek: Enterprise and you can't blame em. But who can you blame, Rick Berman and Brannon Braga two stiffs who refuse to deviate on any decision they make. Not a very Trek thing to do. Their stubbornness will leave us Trek-less for 2-5 years. Alas, there is a campaign to save Enterprise, which I believe is worth saving. This season in particular has been very good and I haven't missed any unlike the 2 previous seasons where I didn't even bother watching. Why, BECAUSE OF DUMB-AS* STORYLINES WHICH VIOLATED CANON!! Stop sniffing your own asses and listen to what people a asking for any you might get you ratings back, keep your jobs putz's and by accident make the fans happy.

Black History Month

It's Black History Month again, and although I should be saying something profound and moving about the struggle of Africans in America, the truth is I don't know what to say. I am truly grateful for the struggles and triumphs of all who have made progress toward equality, diversity and tolerance of another's culture. Hopefully we can all continue toward a brighter tomorrow.

Ok?

Now what lies beneath: this is the month Black people in America learn how whites treated their ancestors Great, great uncles, grandfathers and mothers like pure-d, stank Shi*, with no remorse or compulsion or basic human compassion. This went on for four hundred and forty plus years as slaves, then 80 years plus as second class citizens. Now they want us to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps and even have spokespersons who endorse this(whom I fuc*ing hate). This is fuc*ing madness its like a boxer being punched in the head for six rounds and then being asked to do his taxes in the seventh while still wearing gloves, dodging punches and being penalized for not being able to complete the task quickly. Then being threatened with being disqualified. Oh and don't forget being berated in the press as lazy and up to no good, and simultaneously being portrayed on television and in movies as a dangerous, but entertaining bunch. We are at an obvious disadvantage, why is it only we seem to be able to see it. I think "Conundrum" is what I called it in Initiation and this is probably more of the same.

I don't do much book reading, and I think I may have Adult ADD so don't get to use to this blog stuff. I do a lot of television viewing though and as usual, for this time of year, public broadcasting has brought me all the latest news on ways black people during slavery and jim crow were demoralized, tortured and killed. Now this is hard stuff to watch for us as Black people. Though, now that I think about it, I avoid it more often than not. But when I do catch one near the beginning, I feel an obligation to the people that went through these plights to watch. Not just to glaze over it, but intently watching, feeling what they felt. Much of those same situations still reverberate in our society today. Not as audacious or obvious, but can you watch one of these shows and say, "You know, I wouldn't mind going through that every day of my life, if it were a lot less intense." No you wouldn't want to go through it at all. That’s what fuels fire, hatred and resentment in many African-Americans. We are subject to being abused everyday. Not that it happens everyday but you know its coming so you're already cringing when you hit the door and go out into the world. This doesn't make for someone who wants to pull himself up by any fuc*ing bootstrap. It causes a person to be prone to strangle someone with a bootstrap. So what can society do to help the Negro, the Black, African-Americans or anyone else who is not in the privileged White majority?

Just give somebody black a break, that's all. If everyone who had a run in with us gave us just one break whenever it happened, avoiding a confrontation you would help greatly. Please remember we are a proud, strong people upon whose backs(literally) the country was built. We are still in a healing process, and the way we are treated hurts our feelings not to mention our pride and dignity. We want to be accepted and treated as equals but we are not as strong as you are yet. We had a fight. You won. We've agreed to be friends but we are still weak do not dishonor us by patronization, but respect us as great warriors just as you respect your own. We can become your equal on our own, but no matter what anyone says it benefits both parties if we have help. We are brothers now treat us that way and when we become stronger and our wounds heal our bond will only benefit the both of us. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Initiation

Hello everyone,
or just you the lone reader, don't know how many or how few will read this so I will speak to the individual. What the hell is a blog? I feel pretentious writing one because I have never read one. So I'll just use the space a a therapeutic rant space. My name is Riley, I know typical geek name. It appears to have been destined for me to be a geek. I go by the handle of Darkwoulfe. I'll explain that one later because right now, I can't think of any way of explaining it without sounding like I need meds. Darkwoulfe seems geeky also, but in a cool geeky way. It fits me, I think.

First let's get into the geek thing, I mean it is in the title I should address it. I'm a geek because I don't fit in, never have, apparently never will. Could be I just will have never have mass appeal. That's cool though, cause I pretty much hate people. Not everyone just the masses who are too lazy to even engage their 3 brain cells to accept or analyze anything out of the norm. Lets call them the "Normals." Here's a bit I've learned about the normals to pass on to geeks/nerds everywhere especially the undercover pretenders(those trying so desperately to fit in they have it tied to their self esteem and emotional well being): They are dangerous, THEY WILL NEVER ACCEPT YOU, F* THEM,if you try to pretend to be one of them and they find you out they will always sacrifice you to their gods of normalcy. They cannot fathom why your are different and the thinking about it hurts their heads, in some cases they will kill you for it.

Most likely, if you are like I was when I was a teen, they'll drive you to kill yourself. Luckily I'm still here, yay. The pressure was great but I came all hard, crisp and crusty, like a well cooked snoot. Now when I find normals trying to pressure a nerd in to being like them or giving them trouble about being themselves, I go ballistic, but not as bad as when I find nerd pretenders. More F* words and MotherF* words fly than fly's on sh* when I find them. Don't comply no matter what. Do what you gotta do and no more. It's more healthy to be yourself than trying to be someone else's ideal. Life is way too short for you not to enjoy yourself as God intended you to be, plus he won't be pleased if you squander the gift of geekiness.

The Black part, yeah it's in the title and it too defines who I am. A Black man in America, whew, it's toughest of the two and I ain't even got it that bad. The worse thing about being Black the more I try to get a handle on it the deeper and more complex it gets. It's probably because being black puts me in an artificial second-class citizen category, one that I am only familiar with in American culture. Though there are many writings and proof of it's existence no definitive evidence on how to overcome it sidestep it. There are many well known writings on how we as a people wish to rise above this, and more on how to keep yourself strong in the face of such overwhelming adversity, but I am a conqueror, a knight. I don't want to dodge, or pray for a better future, I want bash people over the head with the same club they're comin at me with. Everyone's safe right now though cause I have yet to figure it out.

What I think I have figured out: White people and others can be cooler than a fan individually. I don't even have problems with interracial coupling. White Society is vicious and ugly but has the greatest public relations campaign since Jesus no disrespect. Non-whites are treated badly obviously and consistently and it's repeatedly explained away as isolated incidents. Just how many isolated incidents equal a problem? Is it like tootsie roll center licks? Does anyone even really care? White society is tired of hearing about it but don't want to take any action. We are tired of being kicked in the head but don't know what to do to stop it. Conundrum let's call it that. I'll eventually crack the code.

Here's a small list of people whom I believe have cracked the code either by luck of the draw or through skill of their minds most are in some type of entertainment medium. If this is the key I'm doomed.

People today that have risen above:

Jay-Z(Have to admit didn't like this guy when he first came out but he has earned my respect.)
Dame Dash(didn't even know about him but I think that may be the way he likes it, also has earned respect)
Russel Simmons(Can't even fathom what goes on in ole boys mind definitely keeps sh* to himself didn't give him respect until Def Comedy Jam but he was makin moves way before then)
Tavis Smiley(T-Dog, this dude is my man, intelligent, dangerous and likeable this dude is the Black Intellectual James Bond)
Ice-Cube(Every-body knows what's up he handles his business, messin with is money is like playin with his emotions)
Snoop(This dude has transformed himself into an Icon without someone pimpin him like Dre is pimpin Eminem)
Oprah(I'm still on the fence on this one but she appears to be havin a good time)
Denzel Washington
David Steward(Hometown hero got one of the largest computer sales businesses in the U.S.
Old-Skool List:
Cosby(Don't know what the F* he's talkin bout these days but he has made his mark)
Ray Charles(Didn't know till Jamie Fox let me know)
Frederick Douglass
Jack Johnson(By God's grace)

Ok that's it for the "Initiation" shouts out to all who read it leave any comments you want.