#and is bucking the vulcan establishment

[giffingthingsss]

[lightshiningforth]

I watched Season 3 of Star Trek: Discovery, after putting it off for a while bc I didn’t love the first two seasons. My god. Season 3 is when the show finally, finally finds itself.

I had a litany of issues with the first two seasons, which have certainly been hashed out by fans before but which I will divide into two relevant categories for the sake of discussion:

Being a prequel, the show leaned on, altered, and got bogged down with preexisting Star Trek lore. They changed the Klingons’ iconic looks and made them the villains again. They brought in Section 31 in a role that was far too front facing for what that organization is supposed to be. They burdened Michael’s character with the baggage of being part of Spock’s family, and made the family even more dysfunctional and traumatic than it was in TOS to drive the plot forward. Now, there are plenty of things they did well. The integration of the mirror universe was clever. The uniforms, IMO, were a better pre-TOS imagining than those in Enterprise or AOS. Original content, like the Kelpiens, was beautifully done. Overall, however, the show felt stuck. They couldn’t cover new ground without altering pre-established ground, and those alterations were frustrating.

The show didn’t allow us to get to know and care for the crew. This was especially a problem in the first season, when we spent all of a few minutes with the Shenzhou crew before everything went to hell, and then the rest of the season on Discovery was war and trauma. How were the characters before the trauma? What changed, what was lost? We sure don’t know! And who are these characters now? Yes, we know Michael, Saru, Tilly, Stamets, Culber - they get individual moments, or moments with each other. But everyone else? The rest of the bridge crew? What are their names, what are they like, how do they interact with and feel about each other? We don’t know. It’s all a swirl of faces and bad situations. We don’t know these characters, but we’re expected to feel their pain as they’re pushed into the most extreme, traumatic situations possible. I didn’t even understand that Airiam was human until the episode in which she dies. Suddenly, then, we get a handful of sweet, everyday interactions between her and the rest of the crew. And boom! She’s gone.

But Season 3… what a breath of fresh air. Finally, the show is in the future and free to cover new ground. The Burn, a differently configured Federation, the couriers, the Emerald Chain, new planets, new peoples… finally, finally, finally. Yes, there is still the familiar here. We see the Trill, the Vulcans, the Romulans, the Orions, the Andorians. But the show can do new and interesting things with them in the far future, WITHOUT bucking the familiar lore of Star Trek’s past.

And now that Discovery made a journey alone and together, as just their crew? We KNOW them. There are still characters who get more focus, certainly. Michael, Saru, Tilly, Stamets, and Culber, still. But now I would count Owo and Detmer among them - we see more of their personalities, their relationship with each other and with others, and they become crucial support to the character dynamics and plot. Now Bryce, Rhys, and Nilsson are more to me than just faces in the background - they are finally familiar as fixtures on the bridge.

Characters who are more occasional, like Jett Reno, Lt. Linus, or Dr. Pollard, fall into a different category for me - they were always distinct presences, and I did know who they were. Even so, I feel that they get to stand out more now that the main cast feels solidified, as opposed to before, when we had a blur of the Enterprise crew and other rotating characters cycling in and out.

(Don’t think I’ve forgotten Nhan or Emperor Georgiou, who are both impactful, distinct characters. It’s just that Nhan always felt like Enterprise crew to me, even after her transfer to Discovery, and leaves early in Season 3. Georgiou, meanwhile, is both a not-quite-crew character and plentifully developed from her initial appearance. She was never a mystery to me.)

Also! Book? I ADORE him. I adore his relationship with Michael (FUCK Ash Tyler, this is the romance she deserves). I adore Grudge (she’s a queen!!) (just stop taking her on deadly missions ok it stresses me out).

Oh, and Adira? A treasure! A delight! Ready to join the Star Trek category of “local teen collectively parented by starship or space station crew.”

Anyway. After two whole seasons didn’t resonate with me, I’m so glad to finally be able to say that I like the show. It feels like Star Trek now.

[tsgbaltimoreandannapolismaryland]

3 Historic East Coast Wedding Venues to Consider for Your Big Day

BY SARAH DAWSON February 20, 2020

The Duke Mansion. Photography by Lauren Roseneau Photography.

Many factors come into play when choosing a wedding day, from location to size to style to sentimentality. And while some couples gravitate toward sleek, modern venues, others may be more drawn to a locale with a bit of history. For those who are considering making their wedding location their “something old,” we’ve rounded up three historic wedding venues on the East Coast that will serve as the ideal backdrop for the special occasion.

THE DUKE MANSION // CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA

The Duke Mansion. Photography by Kristin Byrum Photography.

The background: The Duke Mansion is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and is operated as a nonprofit with all proceeds being used to preserve and protect this community treasure. Built in 1915, North Carolina entrepreneur James B. “Buck” Duke purchased the home in 1919, later founding Duke Energy and Duke University. Upon his death in 1926, the home passed from family member to family member and eventually landed in the hands of some of the Charlotte community’s most prominent philanthropic families. The Mansion currently operates as a four diamond inn, meeting, and event space.

Fun historical facts: The Cannons, a wealthy textile family, lived in the house in the 1950s. Their daughter, a true southern belle, fell in love with a Yankee Catholic, and the strong Baptist family just couldn’t stand for the partnership, so they sent her away on a cruise hoping she’d fall in love with someone else. Indeed, she did fall in love with John Hershey, and when she later married him at her family home, she invited that ex-boyfriend to attend. To this day, her ex, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, is one of the most famous guests to have attended a wedding there.

What makes it an ideal wedding locale: The Duke Mansion is a sought-after venue not only for its history, but for the lovely indoor/outdoor aspect of the property. With four and a half acres of stunning gardens, and 27 garden rooms, it’s truly an urban oasis. When couples rent the property for the wedding, they gain possession of all 20 guest rooms on Friday and Saturday nights, and it truly feels as if you are hosting the wedding at your personal home. An on-site executive chef and culinary team that includes a horticulturist customize the hyper-local southern menu for guests, with an organic garden full of heirloom tomatoes, beans, kale, and cabbages adding to the offerings.

GLEN GORDON MANOR // HUNTLY, VIRGINIA

Glen Gordon Manor. Photography by Jumping Rocks.

The background: Glen Gordon Manor traces its hospitality roots back to the 1860s when it was a Wells Fargo stagecoach stop. The main house brims with nostalgic spaces, including a fire-lit entrance hall, baronial oak hunt room, stone wine cellar, and a charming country kitchen. Located just one hour from Washington, D.C., and major airports, the Manor feels a world away in its gorgeous hunt country setting.

Fun historical facts: Fans of The Crown will appreciate that the Manor has housed British Royalty. King Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson, infamously known for their scandalous romance, once visited when the historic estate served as a hunting retreat for the royal family. Their stay allowed their romance to blossom, and they became the namesake for the Manor’s luxurious suites. Earlier in its history, during the Civil War, Union troops marched right in front of the Manor, and guests can tour many historic Civil War sights in the area during their stay.

What makes it an ideal wedding locale: With breathtaking views of the Shenandoah mountains and surrounding valleys, this intimate yet spacious manor home is the perfect spot for a hunt country wedding. Prior to the big event, the wedding party can enjoy the on-site spa, and wedding couples have the run of the entire property for their wedding, with the ability to host guests for an intimate gathering fireside in the Hunt Room or outdoors for a larger, tented reception. The meal is sure to be memorable as well, as award-winning chef/owner Dayn Smith customizes the reception menu to the bride and groom’s specifications.

FOXFIRE // MONKTON, MARYLAND

Foxfire. Photograph courtesy of Foxfire.

The background: A luxurious private estate, Foxfire is situated in a historic area of Monkton, Maryland, known as My Lady’s Manor, which was established more than 300 years ago when Lord Baltimore gave the land to his wife as a gift. Foxfire itself was built in 1932, and has since been regarded as a renowned horse racing and breeding farm. With its close proximity to Washington D.C., and New York City, it’s also served as a retreat for tastemakers and high society over the years.

Fun historical facts: The original 1930 Vulcan stove was built to last—it still has pride of place in the kitchen, and works like a dream. In addition, the estate is home to a long line of renowned racehorses that were bred and raised on the grounds. 

What makes it an ideal wedding locale: Foxfire limits large events to four times a year, so if you’re seeking an exclusive venue, it fits the bill. Every detail on the grounds, as well as indoors, had been thoughtfully designed to enhance the guest’s experience and surround them in a luxurious yet approachable setting. The property impresses from get-go—ancient maples line the quarter-mile driveway, along which visitors will pass a duck pond, a quarry, barns, paddocks, and pastures with grazing horses as they make their way to the main house. During the winter, the quarries on the property can freeze and have long provided opportunities for outdoor ice skating. The pristine countryside and crisp exterior of the Manor House offers the perfect backdrop to endless design palettes, whether you wish to highlight the historic estate or focus your event concept on a different source of inspiration. Couples can also opt to rent the property for the entire weekend and host up to 21 guests onsite (events can accommodate up to 300 people), along with a full range of events beyond their wedding, including a welcome reception, rehearsal dinner, or a Sunday brunch.

[sleepymarmot]

DS9 season 3 liveblog & notes

[Season index: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 PS]

The Search 1

Um... so what about that treaty about no cloaking on Federation starships, that was such a big deal in The Pegasus?

What's going on with Jadzia's hair...

"We're going to take our only warship into the territory of people who think of us as intruders to convince them we represent no threat" Logic???? What kind of plan is this?

Loaned? Ah, ok.

"When did I start thinking of this Cardassian monstrosity as home?"

If this is "one of the finest collections of ancient African art you'll ever see", what is it doing in their luggage instead of a museum? This is almost as bad as Picard and that priceless artifact in The Chase...

"Maybe it is. Maybe I'm your friend, and maybe I want you to see that you are still needed here no matter what some idiot Starfleet admiral might think." ;_;

Why dim the lights when you cloak? Just to give a visual shorthand to the viewers?

Wow Odo... I don't understand why everyone is so hard on Quark in this episode -- Sisko bullies him, Bashir insults him for no reason, now Odo is yelling at him with more aggression than he's ever shown in two seasons...

Seriously?! Cloaked ships leave a trace, and nobody in all decades of conflict ever noticed that?! I mean, even if somehow only the Romulans know, that means they can detect cloaked Klingon ships, which would mean they could as well have been uncloaked -- that'd be a massive retcon that doesn't work with anything we've seen before.

I still don't understand how replicators can produce foul tasting food... They make exact copies on a molecular level...

Poor Bashir -- it's as if Sisko picked his best friends to leave behind on purpose...

another literal redshirt dead

Class M planet with no star? What? 

Why do these changelings all look like Odo -- imperfect imitations of humanoids? I thought Odo's appearance was the result of trying to fit in Bajoran society + lack of skill to make face more detailed. These changelings live by themselves so they can pick any shape they like, and I'd expect them to have more control over details, so just repeating Odo's design looks like a lazy shorthand to indicate they're the same species -- as if their liquid state weren't enough. They even have the same hairstyle -- which he copied from a Bajoran! If the writers are trying to say "they're just copying Odo" then they should all be played by the same actor.

The Search 2

Oh come on, Kira, there's absolutely nothing wrong with having a lot of questions in this situation!!!

Me: well this story is pretty bad so far, I don't have any expectations for it anymore Screen: Andrew Robinson as Garak Me: interest instantly restored

(I'm certain every person liveblogging this show made or reblogged a post in this vein...)

Alright, Sisko's plotline is definitely some kind of hallucination

Or is it? I thought it was all too good to be true, but maybe the Dominion is just tricking them

Wait, that subcommander is alive and on DS9?

Okay, I didn't like that "Starfleet security officer" and now he's more suspicious. Maybe he's a part of the Dominion. Maybe the changelings are a part of the Dominion. Maybe all these people acting strangely are changelings in disguise. Maybe everything is a conspiracy. I dunno, this entire episode feels incredibly fake. 

"It seems our leaders have simply gone insane" Garak stop reinforcing my impression that you and Sisko are somehow the only real people in this story... Well Dax and Bashir also seem to be alright, but they're a bit too passive.

Oh, Garak didn't look behind himself and got shot, guess he's not real either

FUCKING FINALLY

This is so unsurprising that I can't tell if the writing is to obvious or if I've seen this spoiler before and half-forgot. Probably both.

And they just let them all go. Sure. I wonder how they managed to gain so much power, if they're prone to dumb decisions like this..

What a shitty story. Jfc. The only amusing part was that according to the main characters, the Starfleet admirals are stupid and untrustworthy (what a surprise...), and Garak is smart enough to not only take action when needed, but seem to almost realize the world around him is wrong (but he still somehow fails a spot check in a firefight...). Bashir clearly wants him to join the team and run around having adventures (not a surprise either...). It's funny that the character who comes closest to becoming self-aware is actually one of the simulated ones.

The fakeness of the plot is obvious enough to make me unable to take it seriously, but not clear or fun enough to just relax and enjoy the ride. I don't hate simulations on principle, but I need them to be good simulations. The Federation is too stupid -- it might have worked with some new admiral, since they're often assholes, but we know Nechayev and she was obviously OOC. The editing is pretty telling: there are weird timeskips (worst offender: Sisko gets into a fight and then without a change of pace others come to break him out from the brig), plus I don't think there were establishing outside shots of DS9. And anyway, the very first scene with Sisko where he's in a shuttle even though at the end of the previous episode he was about to be captured, and then Dax and O'Brien show up and we've never seen them escape is a dead giveaway that everything about this group of characters from here on is somehow wrong. And that's 8 minutes into the episode. I thought "Well, maybe it's an editing experiment, and it'll be a how-we-got-here flashback episode" but nope. What a waste of time.

Lmao I just read this in a comment to a review of this episode: "When I first saw the The Search, Pt II I found it unusual that Bashir is in a shuttlecraft with someone and for the first time manages not to annoy his travelling companion. And then the ending reveals why – it was all a dream!" That's right! I actually thought that too! :D

I can say one good thing about this episode: Odo's love of order has always had dark undertones, and I like that it's explored and discussed here as a racial trait which made his brethren into a galactic evil force.

But otherwise I'm not very impressed with his storyline? In the first part his anger and compulsive homing instinct look offputting instead of sympathetic. At one point he makes an expression that is probably supposed to be soft and makes the viewers go "aww", but ends up just looking forced and creepy. And the tender moment with Kira at the end just didn't work for me.

The House of Quark

OUCH

I was pretty scared for Quark, since he's not a big fan of violence, nice to see he's taking this so well

A new pretty outfit for Quark! A beautiful Klingon woman!

Another beautiful Klingon with a great grey mane. Yes, my commentary is very deep today.

I just continue to be amazed by Quark's luck with the ladies. Cultural exchange with a Vulcan in the previous season, now with a Klingon.

Aw, O'Brien actually wants Bashir's opinion now. And Bashir gives good relationship advice to a married man -- compare to their conversation in Armageddon Game!

Doesn't this solve their problem? If Kozak died dishonorably, that means D'Ghor gets nothing. Which is what should have happened in the first place. So now that D'Ghor challenged Quark, Quark's inability to fight will be shown to everybody (as if it weren't obvious enough...), so D'Ghor's lie will be exposed. And then he'd not only have no right of ineritance, but presumably also become a criminal for lying to the coucil.

Quark is awesome

What a good episode. Quark acts cool and noble! Klingon vs Ferengi value clash & working together! A-story and B-story work together well because despite no direct connection, they're both uplifting and thematically linked!

Equilibrium

Oh, of course when Jadzia gets screentime, it's for her to act OOC

Aw, a J&J friendship scene

Time for the annual comment on how much Bashir grew up! I've already talked about his scene in the previous episode, and now there's this lovely, purely platonic scene with Jadzia

How can these Federation weirdos sleep without blankets?

This was okay. But can we have a Jadzia episode not about her almost dying? So far this season is disappointing -- only one good episode out of four.

Second Skin

O k a y. You got me, I really didn't expect this

This is the kind of episode I watch this show for

How do you disguise someone as a member of species for years? I can understand cosmetic surgery like in Face of the Enemy, but to change their entire body so it would show as target species during any medical examination... This concerns the episode Tribunal, too. How are agents so deep undercover supposed to work? She spent all these years helping the Resistance. How does that benefit Cardassia? 10 years ago they wouldn't have known the Federation would become involved and their sleeper agent would work with them

Niiiiice

"Just something I overheard while I was hemming someone's trousers" lmao his excuses are getting more and more ridiculous

Cardassian!Kira *is* more attractive than the real Kira

the real Garak demonstrates how much his reflexes are quicker than his simulation's :D

Honestly, by this point I'm just curious for how many seasons can the writers stretch the mystery surrounding Garak. :D They're having too much fun giving out pieces of the puzzle one by one.

The Abandoned

This beautiful woman with a really impressive chest is Jake's gf? Wow!

Why are they just taking away the wreckage instead of buying it from Quark?

Sisko holding the baby and Jadzia and Julian watching him with smiles on their faces :'))

oh my god Odo used his old bucked as a cache-pot for Kira's plant... :O

wait, weren't the Jem'Hadar much more reptilian?

"It's amazing how some people would judge you based on nothing more than your job" haha

If this boy has so much aggression, why is it only expressed as need for physical combat, and not angry verbal outbursts etc? Another genetically engineered quality -- he needs to be a brutal soldier that doesn't talk back?

I find it curious that this episode answers the question "Is it okay for a 20 year old to date a 16 year old?" with such a definite yes. That's pretty questionable territory, and it's unclear why exactly Sisko changed his mind: his opinion about the girl's job or Jake's interests doesn't negate the age difference.

I like that the show takes Odo's backstory as a lab specimen so seriously. I used to expect exploration of this theme with Data, since he must have spent a lot of time in some Federation research centers before entering the Academy.

Civil Defense

Garak AND Dukat? I like this episode already.

Why are they not asking Garak for help? I know they'd prefer other options, but is kind of an emergency! I know they'll have to, eventually, since he's in the opening titles.

"I never knew how much this man's voice annoyed me" :D I'd actually be curious to hear the announcement in full, personally!

This is such a good excuse for a Disaster-like episode?? Perfect synergy between the setting and the needs of the plot

haha of course Odo and Quark are trapped together

"The only place in the galaxy that still recognizes my access code is a Bajoran space station" So what about that code in Second Skin?

bwahaha it just gets worse and worse

I think this is a good episode to show new viewers who want a taste of the show before starting to watch it properly from the beginning: it gives a good idea of the setting and involves all major characters to some degree, but so far it has very few continuity references

"What? That you'd spend your final hours in jail?"

"Tell me, Doctor, what is it exactly about this situation that's making you smile?" "You, Garak." oh my god...

holy shit this station is something else...

Dukat shows up in person! It's strange they didn't even discuss the possibility of calling him earlier. Of course, he immediately turned this into a hostage situation, so...

Oh my god he's making himself tea in the middle of this... amazing

"If you had been on the station when I designed this programme, I would have made an exception in your case."

HAHAHAHAHA

When Odo and Quark walk out, why are so many people just chilling on the Promenade?! They were about to die seconds ago!

What a beautiful episode :D Probably not as suited for beginners as I initially thought, thanks to Garak&Dukat. But I really appreciate the dark comedy side of it

Meridian

I think I've seen this episode in TNG... maybe multiple times... Jadzia is even worse suited for this role than Deanna. 

welp this was really bad on literally every possible level. i could complain for a long time but i'd rather save my breath

the only good thing about this episode: it's so irrelevant you can easily skip it.

Defiant

I think she needs sleep, not a night out in the bar

THAT VOICE 

I think I'm spoiled about this one...

Second Chances did such a good job not villainizing Tom and then this episode comes and ruins it

ah yes tell all your military secrets to the Cardassians, including cloaked ship detection...

why the random kiss

aaand Riker spends possibly the rest of his life in a Cardassian camp? great. just great. why did someone hate him so much they deemed this necessary? they managed to make me so salty about this I didn't even care about the Cardassian stuff, that's an achievement. Will gets to continue his career and marry his imzadi while Tom, who already spent 8 years marooned alone and didn't even get a promotion afterwards, now rots in prison forever. "You always had the better hand," indeed.

it's hilarious how quickly Dukat can make Sisko sympathise with him just by mentioning fatherhood. worked even better than the last time. if he got half a brain he's doing it on purpose.

I hope Riker at least got to spend some time with Ro while they were both in the Maquis. now that's something I'd like to see

Fascination

"I'm a poor substitute for your wife" "I could have told you that 60 games ago"

do we really need the Odo/Kira/Bareil love triangle?

"I usually make it a point to drop by Quark's three or four times a day at random intervals, just to let him know that I'm thinking about him"

"Jadzia, of course. I've never understood how the two of you could be such good friends. [...] It's just that she gets to spend so much more time with you than I do." "Jadzia and I have been doing this for the past two years."  ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

oh O'Briens, pls don't fight over nothing :(

so where is Bashir during all this? because I'm pretty sure he and Garak are not immune to this romance confusion nonsense, and that sounds like a much more intriguing story than what I'm watching

ah, he's with Kira, well at least this one's mutual and not sexual harassment

I understand Odo, but why is Sisko unaffected too?

A question that concerns not only to this episode: why is Kira always the object of everyone's attraction? She's dating Bareil (which I completely forgot about; when she mentioned having a boyfriend in the previous episode I was very confused), Odo has a crush on her, in this episode Jake and Bashir do too, an episode before Riker kisses her, an episode before some creep wants a blow-up doll of her, an episode before Dukat leers at her...

Well... I guess this was less gross than The Naked Now.

Past Tense

I like how Dax adjusts to this time period instantly. was she already born by then?

"Some of these people are mentally ill." *braces myself for some horrible comment* "...They need proper medical treatment." oh thank god

Jadzia looks absolutely gorgeous

surely it's not a coincidence that the only white character among the time-travellers ends up with a millionaire, while the others are locked up in the sanctuary

Sisko and Bashir's discussions are very heavy handed, it's like watching some old moralizing play

I like how Jadzia retrieved her combadge by telling the truth

there was nothing particularly wrong with this story, and it was well-made, but for some reason it didn’t really impress me

Life Support

so. Winn was behind the sabotage, right?

this is like "Ethics" in reverse

haha they want Terok Nor back

"She talks a lot for a female" Nog you used to be better than that...

"Listen to me. I don't care about your negotiations, and I don't care about your treaty. All I care about is my patient, and at the moment he needs more medical care and less politics. Now, you can either leave here willingly or I'll call security and have you thrown out."

now it's more like "The Host". (I can't stop comparing everything to TNG haha)

don't try to make this into a "grey morality" situation. Nog is objectively in the wrong here, the human culture is objectively better than the Ferengi culture in this respect. TNG intentionally wrote Ferengi values to be abhorrent, and DS9 didn't change them but somehow tries to justify them and it just. doesn't. work. Just admit you wrote yourself into a corner, and either retcon the Ferengi to be more tolerable, or set aside your "all cultures are valid" agenda for a minute and admit some things are just bad. this glorification of moral relativism is DS9's version of TNG's worst misapplications of the Prime Directive

wow, are they actually going to kill him off?

"Positronic implants"?! Um. UM. They have working positronic brain now? Since when? Last time I heard, nobody managed to make stable ones since Dr. Soong... Or are implants easier to make than a full brain? Anyway, the possibility of a mixed organic-positronic brain has never even been discussed before, this is kind of a big deal. Dammit, just putting some human skin on Data was something only the Borg managed to do! This sounds 1000 times more complex!

"Major" ah, so that's how they break up, he’s incapable of romance now

ahh, his voice, head movemens and facial expressions are just like Data's

uggh the Jake-Nog storyline went as I expected

wow I didn't expect the treaty to actually get signed!

"I won't remove the last shred of humanity Bareil has left" rude... and that's from the man who befriended Data... I'm disappointed

oh btw if he just casually talks about the possibility of fully replacing Bareil's brain, that means it is possible to create stable positronic brains at will now! this is enormous! Data doesn’t have to be the only one of his kind anymore! Lal can be rebuilt! oh wait, let me guess, this will never be addressed again ever.

Welp. You know, right before I started this episode, I was mentally complaining about Bareil, like "kill him off already". Whoops! I feel bad now. This episode didn't go as I expected, and was more important than I expected too, which is good.

Jake and Nog's storyline and the positronic stuff -- less good. Honestly, the more I think about these two points, the angrier I become and the less I like this episode.

I thought that A and B plots were annoyingly unrelated, but actually... I think they share the theme of "peace above all", on a very different scale. Because the Bajoran-Cardassian treaty doesn't sound very fair to me either. "There's even the possibility that the Cardassians will issue a formal apology"?! Is that really enough? "Even the possibility"? Meanwhile, people like Dukat not only walk free but remain at their high posts. Cardassia|Nog was the offending side, Bajor|Jake did nothing wrong, and yet rather than declare that and demand justice and apologies, the latter can only hope to achive mutual tolerance -- even that is hard enough. Well, let's just hope the show isn't going to try and justify the occupation, like it did with Nog's misogyny...

btw, since we're talking about international politics and status quo: what about the Dominion threat? everyone was really scared for a couple of episodes, and then things went back to normal. we went to the Gamma Quadrant once for no reason (nothing about the plot required that!). the Defiant, a unique warship sent here for defend DS9 and the wormhole against Dominion attacks, is regularly used as a shuttle/runabout for random trips. way to disperse all sense of danger, change and excitement.

I certainly like Bashir in this episode more than I liked Crusher in Ethics (or in The Host, lol). He can get pretty intense when it comes to saving his patient's life. Not "fly to Cardassia to face a former head of secret service" intense, but still.

It's nice to see Winn humanized a bit. The writers have spent a lot of time making Dukat likeable, she deserves the same treatment. I'm so used to mistrusting her, I spent the entire episode being confused whether she actually wants the treaty to succeed or is plotting to make it fail for some reason, whether she wants Bareil alive or dead. But I guess I was supposed to take everything she was saying at face value for once? 

I don't know what the hell is this season doing with these Ferengi B-plots that, I guess, are supposed to be humorous (???) but are wildly offensive instead. Are we supposed to just calmly accept Quark and Nog's extreme misogyny? It was played for drama pretty well in Rules of Acquisition; this is a noticeable step back.

Heart of Stone

I love Sisko and Bashir's casual conversation about a male ensign's pregnancy! Sure, he's an alien, but it's still progress for this show.

Odo and Kira's storyline is so cliched... I don't even make an effort to listen to their technobabble

As viewers we all know Kira will be saved somehow at the last minute, but in her and Odo's place I'd already start discussing a mercy kill. Phaser blast from a friend >>> asphyxiation

"I'm in love with you too" ???????????????????? YOUR BOYFRIEND LITERALLY DIED IN THE PREVIOUS EPISODE

Sisko, he's just a kid. I know you're testing him, but there's no need to go that far.

Okay, I'm going to sound like a broken record, but: what about misogyny? The previous episode made a point of showing that Nog upholds Ferengi values regarding women. And that's completely incompatible with Starfleet. Isn't anyone going to mention that?

heh... there was a thought at the back of my mind that a changeling might be involved

aww, good, stand up to Quark, you two! :)

Well, most of this episode is very boring, contrived and derivative, but it does give Odo some character development (even if it includes the dreaded romance, ugh) and has a good excuse for this plot device at the end.

Destiny

"I also had Chief O'Brien reprogram the replicators to provide Cardassian food" Um, why wouldn't it already be on the menu? I assumed the replicators weren't replaced by Federation ones, and in season 2 Keiko gave a Cardassian dish to  Rugal. I went back to check, and she literally said "I found some Cardassian recipes in the memory bank of our food replicator"!

It makes sense that the Bajorans don't want the Cardassians in their Temple

let me guess, there'll be an unexpected third Cardassian and suddenly the prophecy will sound much more believable

"Now those are about the two friendliest vipers I've ever met" Hey, maybe don't make jokes like this immediately after someone walks out of the door...

Told you so

Damn, the third "viper" seems to actually deserve that name! Will she be the "bad" one, or, in subversion, the only trustworthy one?

"Men just don't seem to have a head for this sort of thing. That's why women dominate the sciences." ah yes hello reverse sexism trope

Cardassians flirt by bickering? Never heard that before... I thought this was more like Klingons.

Okay, they played it straight with Dejar

That's lovely! But "vipers will return to their nest in the sky" doesn't make sense -- how did the comet fragments return to their nest?

The Prophets don't "want" anything! They just can tell you the future because they don't exist in linear time!

Well, this was a lovely episode, if not the most engaging. But the subplot with O'Brien and the scientist was completely unnecessary.

Prophet Motive

Was! This! Necessary?! I don't need to see sex on screen! And yes that includes oo-mox!

Aw Bashir

I can't believe we're getting a story where Bashir is the one who suffers because his friends won't shut up. Karma is real...

nice job breaking it, Quark

The story is pretty shallow by itself, but makes me ask some interesting questions. Would it be ok to nonconsensually transform a bad person into a good one? Especially a person in a position of power? I know I'd be tempted to do this to some politicians... But even if we assume the ends justify the means, who would define good or bad? Sadly, this episode doesn't take these issues seriously.

After 2.5 season of Bajoran religion, it's actually nice to meet the "Prophets" in person again in all their creepy, clueless glory.

Visionary

Time to torture poor Miles with more unreality!

why are both sides being so dumb? just say "Odo was separated from the rest of his people as a baby, grew up with no knowledge of them, and only met them 1.5 times"?

"I'm always diplomatic" *cut* "THAT WAS THE MOST RIDICULOUS THING I'VE EVER HEARD AND I RESENT THE IMPLICATION!"

my first thought: the transporter genuis who beamed in the device was O'Brien

this one doesn't make sense... the sleeping Miles should know about the disaster and the radiation device too...

As usual with time travel episodes, it's very fun to watch, but the mechanics break down at the end and spoil the impression. I like that, as in Civil Defense, every time you solve a problem it gets worse.

It's only season 3, and "O'Brien suffers" as a type of episode is already getting old.

Distant Voices

There's a Cardassian writer named Shoggoth? :D

"Still the man of mystery?" "Oh, you wouldn't have me any other way"

Melting Odo is a genuinely disturbing sight...

"There's hope for you yet, Doctor"

Very predictable story, but it has some character development and lovely scenes with Garak.

Through the Looking Glass

when Mirror!Garak looks in indignation at Sisko kissing Kira: honestly same

Mirror universe Terok Nor is less riot-proof than our universe's was...

Episode: boring and pointless as I feared

Mirror Kira: somehow even worse than the last time, at least watching her hit on herself was mildly entertaining

Mirror Garak: still a giant waste of Andrew Robinson -- seriously, he appears rarely enough, and for the third time in this season he's not playing his real character

Sleeping with alternate versions of friends/subordinates: incredibly gross

Well at least Bashir and Dax looked really hot with these haircuts lol

Improbable Cause / The Die is Cast

Ahh, so many of my favourite things. Odo investigates! Garak confronts his past and justifies his reputation for once! International conflict! Dominion is dangerous again!

The cliffhanger where Garak joins Tain is the most thrilling thing that happened on the show recently! But I'd be severely disappointed if he didn't do that. 

The torture scene is very impressive, but there are some things I don't understand about it:

What, "They're still my people and I want to go home" is the big secret that's worth all that torture? Seriously? Anyone could have told you that. How is this information new or relevant?!

Nevertheless, "he never broke" is a lie, right? Odo did break and confess, even if I think his revelation was completely useless. Don't the intelligence agencies of the two biggest police states in the galaxy have security cameras in their interrogation chambers?!

I could understand if Odo forgave Garak eventually, but not so soon and easily! He tortures you horribly, then you never even mention it and invite him to hang out only several hours after! Sorry, what?!

It's becoming a trend to start Garak-centric episodes with something bad happening to him. :D Oh shit, Garak's hand got bitten! Oh shit, Garak has a migraine! Oh shit, Garak's shop blew up!

Explorers

Come on, O'Brien, is this really more ridiculous than building ships in bottles? :D You of all people should understand!

"For a moment there I thought that you had been put in charge of the Cardassian Ministry for the Refutation of Bajoran Fairy Tales"

Miles, just say the word! :D 

Fireworks in space! :D I don't know what I love more -- the beautiful and uplifting moment itself, or Cardassians going "Shit :))) We gotta be really nice today :))))) Congratulations :)))))))"

After the epic intense two-parter -- 45 minutes of pure fluff :D It has so many things that are specific to DS9: Sisko and Jake's family bond, Bajoran culture and Cardassians being jerks about it, Sisko and Dukat's passive-aggressive skyping, Bashir and O'Brien's slowly developing friendship -- all leading to the celebration of the “boldly go where no one has gone before” spirit, and everything, for once, ends well.

Family Business

"If I were Curzon, I'd have stolen her from you by now" *facepalm* let's just pretend this stupid heteronormative line doesn't exist

this house looks like a Hobbit hole

Quark and Rom's mom is awesome. get rekt you misogynists!

omg Miles & Julian, how old are you? :D

Rom is so nice in this episode

I like Kasidy

Ishka is 10 times more awesome than it seemed

Rom really rocks in this episode

aaaand the ship sails :D

I wish Ishka could make a public statement, and Quark would 

Good episode: interesting family dynamics, amazing Ferengi feminist, cute new ship

Quark and women is a fascinating topic. He's a traditionalist when it comes to Ferengi women, but in daily life among other species usually manages to come off no worse than any 20th century misogynist, and finds strong and outspoken women attractive rather than repulsive. Apparently it boils can be traced back to mommy issues: Quark isn't just a "good Ferengi", he's being reactionary towards Ishka, but at the same time she clearly is a positive influence on him, even if he won’t admit it. Too bad in this episode he refused to take even one step forward as he did in "Rules of Acquisition"...

Shakaar

Shit, things are really going downhill on Bajor... separation of church and state, what's that?

"We spent so many years fighting the Cardassians. We spent so much time hoping and praying for a Bajor that was free. Now that we won, how can people just hand their freedom over to someone like Winn?" "It has been my observation that one of the prices of giving people freedom of choice is that sometimes they make the wrong choice."

Why can't those reclamators be replicated?

"I wasn't aware that our relationship needed solidifying" 

Great episode! (If I set aside the question of replication... Seriously, what's the law here? The Bajorans on DS9 can use the replimat, but Bajor can't ask the Federation to replicate some farm equipment? I don't think it would be physically impossible, surely it's not made of something like dilithium or latinum.) Winn hasn't reminded me of our sad reality so much since her first appearance. The B-plot was completely irrelevant, but I always enjoy seeing this sort of thing.

Facets

Quark... are you trying to convince the station commander's 16 year old son to write porn for you? seriously?

Ah yes, people closest to Jadzia, aka all of the main characters... and a dabo girl who appeared once for 45 seconds

don't do this... especially in front of all of ur friends...

Dax has a multi-Doctor episode! :D

CurzOdo and Quark's reaction to him are beautiful :D But how can he drink?

Poor Jadzia :(

Go Rom! Quark is too much of an asshole this season...

This is messed up... 

Typical man: he's attracted to a woman, so he takes out his frustration and her and nearly ruins her life

How do Trill memories work? Why is this ritual needed when all memories are already in Dax's head? Are some of them in a .zip and need to be decompressed to be appreciated fully? How did Jadzia not know of Curzon's crush? Is it possible to hide some of your memories from the next host(s) on purpose? You know what, nevermind. Rene Auberjonois (whose name I had to copy-paste, I must admit...) clearly had fun with this episode, and so did I.

The Adversary

yes finally! :)

When they introduced the word "changeling" I was like "that's dumb, that's not what the word means" but now I understand. tbh I love them as enemy -- this story is so beautifully paranoid

why are they all assuming there's only one changeling on board

Well, they certainly know how to end the season on a dramatic line...

This season, my honeymoon phase of "oh my god, serialized Trek" finally ended, and I started thinking about whether or not I like these serialized stories. So I felt compelled to write longer notes after each episode, and don’t have any general remarks this time.

[robertkstone]

Brabham BT62 First Look: For Serious Track-Rats Only

Big-money track-day cars are a big deal. From Ferrari’s FXX models to Aston Martin’s Vulcan to Pagani’s Zonda R, these stripped-down, amped-up, slick-tired hypercars are doing land office business despite their seven-figure price tags. The $1.4 million McLaren Senna GTR is already sold out, as is the track-only version of the $3 million-plus Adrian Newey–designed Aston Martin Valkyrie, and both cars have yet to even turn a wheel. No wonder David Brabham has spotted an opportunity.

Brabham. If you’re a motorsport enthusiast of a certain age, you’ll recognize the name. David’s father, Sir Jack Brabham, was a three-time Formula 1 World Champion, winning back-to-back titles in 1959 and ’60 and his third title in 1966, at the grand old age of 40. David’s older brother, Geoff, finished fourth in the 1983 Indy 500 and won the 1993 24 Hours of Le Mans. David himself started 24 F1 grands prix in 1990 and 1994 and also won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2007.

Jack Brabham’s third world championship was remarkable not just because it came at an age that today is considered well past retirement for an F1 driver but also because it is the only time a driver has won racing’s ultimate title in a car of his own construction, carrying his own name. That history is the inspiration for the Brabham BT62, a track-day hypercar designed and engineered under the direction of David Brabham.

The BT62 is a mid-engine sports car, powered by a 5.4-liter naturally aspirated V-8. It’s based on an engine from a mainstream automaker—Brabham won’t say which—but has been extensively modified to develop 700 hp and 492 lb-ft of torque. The engine drives the rear wheels through a six-speed Hollinger sequential-shift racing transmission. Brakes are carbon-to-carbon items, with carbon pads actuated by six pistons acting on carbon rotors, a technology first introduced to F1 by Brabham in 1976. Tires are Michelin slicks.

Wrapped in carbon-fiber panels, the BT62 weighs 2,142 pounds, according to Brabham, giving it a power-to-weight ratio of 653 hp per ton. A full-race aero package that includes an aggressive front splitter, a rear diffuser, and a giant rear wing is capable of delivering a monstrous 2,654 pounds of downforce at track speed.

Just 70 cars will be built, to celebrate the 70th anniversary of Jack Brabham’s racing debut (in a dirt-track midget; he won at his third event). Each will be priced at about $1.4 million, plus local taxes. The first 35 cars will be finished in paint schemes recalling the Brabham racers that won 35 grand prix between 1966 and 1985.

Where the Brabham BT62 differs from the other mega-buck track rats is the price will include personalized driver coaching sessions to help owners make the most of their cars on the track. With a chassis setup personally developed by David Brabham, the BT62 has no driver aids other than traction control. “The BT62 is a car that demands total engagement and commitment from its driver,” says Brabham Automotive’s director of technology and engineering, Paul Birch.

The BT62 will be built in a new 162,000-square-foot factory in Adelaide, South Australia, with the first customer deliveries expected later this year.

The BT62 is the first step in an ambitious plan to bring the Brabham name back to racing. Sir Jack Brabham retired from F1 in 1970, and the Brabham team was acquired in 1971 by former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone. Nelson Piquet then won world championships in 1981 and 1983 with Brabham racers designed by Gordon Murray before Ecclestone sold the team at the end of 1988. After a succession of owners, the team collapsed in a bankruptcy scandal in 1992.

In 2013, the Brabham family won a three-year court battle over the right to use their name. “I set out 12 years ago to re-establish the iconic Brabham name,” David Brabham says, “determined to see it return to global competition.” Brabham won’t be coming back to Formula 1, however, as the costs are simply prohibitive. Instead, the target is Le Mans, where if all goes to plan, a Brabham car could be on the grid within the next five years.

The post Brabham BT62 First Look: For Serious Track-Rats Only appeared first on Motor Trend.

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