Day: October 9, 2010

Star Trek: TOS Women 8

- Roshan

As I watch the episodes of Star Trek: TOS for the first time since I was a very young kid, I realize that they had some really repetitive and for this Sci-fi & Star Trek fan atleast, very weak premise. You know, the Enterprise rendezvous with either another star ship or Star Fleet members who haven’t been heard of in a while or have been out of communication after their last mission to a planet whose inhabitants haven’t yet reached warp drive capabilities. As soon as the crew beam over or beam down, we see a very Earth like setting, usually early to mid 20th century or much older. The missing Starfleet people are either dead or held captive by the inhabitants of that planet. And there is a corrupt former captain! And the inhabitants are very human like! And they have been influenced by some aspect of Earth culture, which we have long abandoned by the 23rd century, and the Enterprise crew has to intervene as they are caught in the thick of things.

It’s Roman or Nazi or American culture and it gets very repetitive. I prefer the other episodes. Anyway, the episode I saw this afternoon features a culture on a planet which is much like old Earth, but with some roles reversed. Chinese or Native American looking Kohms (or communists) and outwardly savage Yangs (Yankees) who look like European origin North Americans but with Native American similarities in culture. Amongst the Yangs are two who are caputured – Cloud William, a leader and Sirah, played by Irene Kelly.

Sirah was an inhabitant of the planet Omega IV and part of a cultural faction on that world called the Yangs. In 2268, she was captured, along with Cloud William, by the Kohms. The Yangs were at war with the Kohms, who were being helped by Captain Ronald Tracey in violation of the Prime Directive. While Captain Tracey was trying to trick Cloud William into executing Captain Kirk as a heretic and blasphemer, Spock used his telepathic abilities to cause Sirah to acquire a captured communicator and activate it. As a result, Lieutenant Sulu transported down with a security team and arrested Tracey, thus fulfilling the Yang superstition that “good must always overcome evil”.

One look at Irene as Sirah is enough to bring out the primal urges in me. Red hair, busty, curvaceous, long legs….need I explain? Red hair and big bust is enough for me to go gaga but that whole cave girl, tribal chick look gets me hot & bothered. Granted all she seems to do in the episode is scream and then is forced to bring the communicator over to Spock by his mental powers. Still, she fits the bill.

My Neighbours

- Roshan

So let me tell you a bit about my neighbours. I live on the top floor of a 7 story apartment building and there are a total of 14 apartments in all, 2 to each floor. It’s a small building and although each is a 3 bedroom apartment, the 3 bedroom is kinda like a really small 2 bedroom apartment instead. Which means that space is a premium. So you get a picture of how narrow the building must be? OK.

There’s a lawyer & his family on the 1st floor. This guy rarely sleeps atleast due to the fact that he always seems to be working at all times of the night. Back in 2007 I used to do a lot of late evening shifts and whenever I come back around 2pm, this guy is still working. There’s a guy who works in some business or the other, who I talk to once in a while. I’ve met his wife and small kid but don’t know much about them. Mostly chats while riding the elevator or passing each other on the stairs. The young kid, about 3 years old, used to be afraid of me at first but now he seems to have warmed up to me and even gave me a couple of hi-5s last month! But he was fast friends with my dad.

There’s 3 brothers who have taken up 3 apartments in this building and live with their families. The son of the eldest also has an apartment of his own in which he lives with his wife & little daughter. The second eldest brother also owns the apartment opposite ours, which is given on rent. They are Muslims from the Northern parts of India (not sure where) and have been here for many, many years. However none of the women seem to work or speak Malayalam. They always lots of guests over and many families visiting from other parts of India. Some of these relatives of theirs are noisy and a bit obnoxious. But these guys are very hospitable, especially during Ramazan. They always send snacks like samoosas, cutlets, pudding and payasam to their neighbours.

There are other families in this building and some have left over the 4 years that my parents & I have made this apartment our home. I’m not close to anyone but keep a reserved politeness and chat for a bit when they talk to me. I’m a gentleman to the women folk, hold the elevator door open, ask them which floor and stuff like that. However I might not even notice if people move away and new people come as I don’t keep a personal touch with anyone.