Star Trek Original Series on Blu-ray Review

I have recently purchased the Star Trek Original Series on Blu-ray. For those curious - it is this one here:

http://www.amazon.com/Star-Trek-Original-Seasons-Blu-ray/dp/B002PQ7JQK/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1271926114&sr=8-5

First of all let me just say that I love this set. It is so wonderful to see these old episodes again! I love how overacted everything is. I had not seen this show for probably about 20 years and re-watching it again is completely awesome!

Some notes about this set. First - the nice thing about it is that it includes both the original version of each episode and the remastered version. You can choose before each episode how you want to view it - so you can easily swap back and forth if you want to. If you watch it in the original format, there are not issues - but there are some issues with the remastered format.

One of the problems with the remastered format is the sound. I have gone online and checked and this has happened to several people - so I know its not just me. The sound appears to be very inconsistent throughout the remastered version - most of it is very low - which causes you to turn it way up in which case on some scenes it ends up being VERY loud.

The remastered effects themselves are nice - I saw many die-hard ST fans complaining about the effects but I honestly don't think that they take anything away from the show. They have mainly redone some of the ship scenes in space, and some of the background scenes when the crew beams down in a planet. The sound has also been changed in the remastered version which is why I think there are problems. I was really afraid that they would have changed the original ship and instrument sounds but thankfully they did not. The sound changes are small but noticeable - mainly when the captain broadcasts to the ship, when they receive transmissions from other ships etc. None of the original sound effects were changed in the remastered version.

One of the disappointing things is that season one does not include the original Pilot "The Cage" - with Capitan Pike - which was actually not aired until 1988 - but it would have been nice to have it as part of this package. There are some extras in this set but nothing really all that impressive.

I own a lot of older shows on DVD and Blu-ray and one of the problems I generally have with them is that normally they do not include subtitles. Yes I am turning into an old person having to watch TV with subtitles - so bite me =p! I was expecting the same with this set and it was a very nice surprise to find subtitles throughout the entire thing.

I am still watching season 1 - and I am very excited to watch the entire thing. I find myself going back and forth between the two versions to watch the original and then the remastered one to see the differences between the two. If you are a die hard Star Trek fan, this is DEFINITELY a series worth forking out the cash for! From everything I read - this is better than the 2007 release which only included the remastered version and the 2004 release which only included the original version.

Reviews

Well so since I am a lunatic DVD watcher - I decided to maybe review Blu-ray releases once a month - maybe pick the best or worst and put my own spin on it.

Since I myself love the behind-the-scenes stuff much more than the actual movie - the actual DVD content outside of just the main film will probably weight pretty heavily on my reviews. Whether you end up agreeing with me or not it doesn't matter. Either way I think it may make for some fairly good discussion!

Anyway - I will only post one a month and pick the best or the worst of what I have bought for that particular month. I hope many of you will post your thoughts and feelings about it as well - I would love to get a good discussion going!

Tolerance

Ok - so I was on my way to go to bed this morning and once again I get a PM on Facebook from someone I know complaining about something I posted this week. This makes for 4 total messages this week. So now I am in full pissed-off mode and can't sleep. So here is my rant!!

We all speak of tolerance - how we need to be nice and good to each other. Yes we do. But in reality - are we? As much as we try - we are often judgmental and at times, hypocritical. Why is that? I can tell you why - because none of us are perfect! Guess what - if you were indeed as perfect as you think you wouldn't be living in this world - and wouldn't be human. So as long as you are stuck with this whole humanity gig, take a big whiff of imperfection - because its part of who you are.

I am extremely judgmental. I will be the first to admit. There are things that annoy the ever-living-shit out of me. Yes - ever-living-shit is my word - it may not be accurate in the dictionary but I am using - I'm human - I can do that. So what are some of these annoying things? Hate for one - I think it ridiculously stupid. Anyone with half a brain would realize that hating someone is a complete waste of time and energy. Hating someone for life choices or for something they were born into - like skin color, sexuality, religion, political views - etc - well if you manage to hate someone because of that you get the extra super special moron star in my book. Now if you hate someone because they did something horrible to you - then go ahead and hate away. But hating someone for something has absolutely nothing to do with you is just plain stupid.

What else do I judge? People with kids who live on my street. Ok you have kids and live on my street - good for you. You chose to have kids - wonderful - I respect that choice. I too live here and I did not chose to have any kids - that's right - I don't have them so I don't need to have your brats running about in my front yard screaming at the top of their little lungs. And if you are my neighbor and reading this - great! Have your kids play in YOUR yard - not mine. Its a simple request - I honestly don't think it would take a lot of effort on your part to make that little change for me. I sleep in the daytime - if your kids are playing in your yard and wake me up - that's problem - sucks to be me. If they are playing in MY yard and wake me up - I reserve the right to break their little legs or to shoot them in the face with my paintball gun. So yes -you with the red van - I know you are reading this - get your kids off my dammed yard during the day! And just a side note - why the hell are your kids playing in my yard before 2PM when its the middle of the week and they should be in SCHOOL, eh? Answer me that there genius!!

I also dislike a whole other range of things. Couples that love to do the whole "kissy-kissy-I-love-you" to each other in baby talk in public - please get a room - most of you are 30-some years old and you look absolutely ridiculously stupid doing that - yes I get to call you a moron for that too. What else? Oh - people who drive past injured animals on the street - I would run your ass off the road if I hadn't stopped to help the poor animal you just drove over. People who dump their pets when they move because they are too lazy to find pet-friendly housing - there is not a word in the English language to describe the pile of scum you must have crawled out from. And those of you who abuse animals or profit from animal suffering in any way just need to have a blunt rusty spoon driven slowly through your eyeballs and your fingernails pulled out several times a day.

So you see - I am no better or no worse than anyone else. I am human - I judge - I have things I like and dislike. They don't make me better or worse than anyone else - they make me human. So all of this is building up to one big thing. In the previous few weeks, I have suffered through many and many posts of many people I know and am friends with on Facebook who are very right wing conservatives about how wrong and bad healthcare reform is. I made NOT ONE comment - either on their posts or to them. Why is that? Because they are *entitled* to their opinions - they are each entitled to their views - whether I agree with them or not. That is the beauty of free speech and this great little place I like to call America. An opinion by its very nature is not right or wrong - its an opinion and every living person in this country is entitled to have one and I don't have to agree with it or even like it - all I have to do is respect it and I do. Completely.

So, on this very same principle, last week I made a post on my facebook making fun of republicans because of this whole health care debate - it was a hilarious video a friend sent to me from Bill Maher - well I thought it was funny - that was my OPINION. Since then - I have gotten hate mail after hate mail from right wing people I know about how inappropriate it is for me to post said link! Whatever happened to free speech? Whatever happened to tolerance of opinion? Yes - I support the healthcare reform. Why? Because I am self-employed, and I am sick and tired of getting royally screwed by healthcare in general (without even getting dinner first, mind you). I am not lazy - I work - but I don't work for a large company. I have some existing medical problems so my options are almost non-existent. So yes - I support healthcare reform - I am entitled to my opinion just as you are entitled to yours. I respect your opinion and the least I ask for is for you to respect mine.

We are all entitled to our own opinions on all issues - why? Because we live in AMERICA - yes - the good old US of A. So we can be neighbors, friends, colleagues, acquaintances or complete strangers and each completely disagree or agree and have both sides be right. Because when it comes to opinions - there are no facts - its all valid and all right. Science has facts. The sky is blue - unless you are colorblind - it is a fact that the sky is blue. The earth is round - that is a fact and it cannot be disputed - if you still think its flat then you need to get your dumb ass back to school. The healthcare reform is good - that is an opinion. The healthcare reform is bad - that is another opinion. Neither are fact - therefore both are valid points of views and each of us entitled to pick one as our own.

So - respect each other's opinions if you expect yours to be respected. We are entitled to them. Well, except for you who messaged me last night - you who are still on your daddy's insurance plan and don't have to pay for healthcare - you don't get an opinion until you start wearing your big boy pants and paying your own way in the world - YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE!! So yes - almost all of us should have a right to our own opinions and those opinions should be respected by all.

Ok - end of rant!

Happiness

I figured I would create an emo post about happiness today. I am so tired of hearing from people about how unahappy they are and how horrible their life is. How some of them hate their lives and the best one so far - today - someone told me "I don't know how to be happy!" - How the hell can you not know? It's not brain surgery people!

I think the problem arises when people start to think that happiness comes in this big chunk - where music plays and the sky turns purple with little pink butterflies and dancers spring out from shops - twirling about with their dry cleaning like in some old 1950's musical. Yeah - if you are in hollywood maybe - but here - in this little place I like to call REALITY - it don't work like that!

Life is life - its not good and its not bad - it is what it is. But mostly - its full of happy, angry, explosive, sad, frustrating, giddy, catatonic, tired, adequate, capable, incompetent, hopeful, annoying, joyful, disgusted, relieved, confused, lonely, delighted, scared, playful, humorous, good, bad, jealous, indifferent, lustful, inspired, relaxed, stressed, energetic, shameful, playful, disappointed, surprised, guilty, uneasy, grateful and hated moments. Actually the list goes on - but you get the picture. So - to assume that you can be happy - all of the time - well that's pretty arrogant and presumptuous, don't you think? After all - you're only human like the rest of us poor slobs!

And it boggles my mind, how people think that they can actually be happy all the time. That there is this mythical place of happiness that you can reach where life is just good and you love everyone, and everyone loves you and flower petals fall before you feet as you walk down a gold inlaid road with swans waving at you. Sorry to break it to ya - but if you are one of those people - I gotta tell ya - it don't work that way.

So how does it work? Happiness - like sadness or any other human emotion - comes in small spurts. There are a thousand things that happen to you everyday that make you happy - just as there are a thousand others that can piss you off. In my case - two thousand - but you get the idea. So - here is the big revelation - its really up to you - to find those moments. Some people say to me "but I don't have those moments" - and I say - you are full of crap! You are either a) just being emo to get attention to yourself or b) wallowing too much in your own self pity to see anything but what you want.

So - where does this elusive happiness await? Can you wait for it and pounce on it when it least expects it so that you can be sure you have it? Well - that would also be too easy - wouldn't it?

Happiness comes in small things - that you learn to appreciate in your life - small things that bring you joy. Some would say "well nothing brings me joy" - and to that I say stop the emo crap! I dare anyone to make a list of 10 things - only 10 out of the thousand that I mentioned - that bring you happiness - or make you feel better or bring a smile to your face. Ten things that happen to you everyday. You ready for the list? I will start with mine - keep in mind this is a short list of just a few things that happened to me today:

1) Willow kisses in the morning - dog breath and all

2) Drinking a latte full of Caffeine when making a new friend

3) A hot shower - where I get to stand under the water just because I can.

4) Red candles burning down perfectly

5) Putting in fresh contacts

6) Choosing paint for my next project

7) A new story idea that popped into my head

8) The smell of Lavender

9) The Cure video End of the World - Because Robert Smith is just so yummy

10) Ron Perlman on TV as Vincent - he really rocks

I could go on - there are a thousand other things that I could add to this list. There are also a thousand other things that pissed me off, angered me, made me giggly and several that made me sad. So was this a happy day or a sad day? Honestly - its up to you - I chose to catch the happy moments in the day. Sure I could chose to focus on the same and pissed off moments - but honestly, today - overall - I chose the happy.

Will all my days be happy? Hell no - but happiness is there - everyday - whether I choose to see it or not. The question is - can you see it for yourself? And if I hear one more person tell me about how they cannot find happiness I will slap you silly until you find something!

Useless Info of the Day: Iron Supplements

So - I have been doing some research on this since it affects me. This post is really more for my reference than anything else - but if anyone can use this info - then more power to ya!

I have severe anemia for which I have been prescribed Iron Supplements. I have had to take Iron supplements before and have had a bad reaction to them - so the new one my doctor prescribed is Ferrous Fumarate. This has not upset my stomach at all - but its expensive - and being that I am broke most of the time I am trying to find something else that I can take that costs less and has the same effect.

Sooo... what I have found is that there are many Iron Supplements out there. Each formulation has a certain amount of Elemental Iron in it - which is the actual Iron in the formula. Here is what I found:

Chart from the Poison Control Center:

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* Ferrous sulfate - 20% elemental iron

* Ferrous gluconate- 12% elemental iron

* Ferrous fumarate - 33% elemental iron

* Ferrous lactate - 19% elemental iron

* Ferrous chloride - 28% elemental iron

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Another chart - from WebMD that I found:

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* A 325-mg tablet of ferrous sulfate has 65 mg (20%) of elemental iron

* A 325-mg tablet of ferrous gluconate has 39 mg (12%) of elemental iron

* A 325-mg tablet of ferrous fumarate has 107.25 mg (33%) of elemental iron

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Currently I take one 325mg tablet of the Fumarate version. This costs me $16 for a 30-day supply (30-325mg pills). I found a bottle of the Sulfate version that costs me $2 for a 30-day supply (60-325mg pills)

According to the research I did - the one I am on - the Fumarate - apparently has the highest risk of someone having a reaction to it - which is weird because I have had no reaction to it at all.

I am allergic to Sulfa drugs so naturally I was scared to take the Sulfate. So I went looking to see if the Sulfate is a Sulfa drug. I found a LARGE number of boards and posts from stupid people who obviously have no clue what they are saying - giving advice to others saying that if you are allergic to Sulfa drugs you ABSOLUTELY cannot take the Sulfate pill. So I got scared and went looking for posts from actual doctors and pharmacists and found a few. Here is what I found out:

Taken from a medical board post I found:

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"Sulfa drugs are a class of antibiotics such as Septrum-DS and Bactrim. Ferrous sulfate is a form of iron as opposed to ferrous gluconate. Both forms of iron are used to treat anemia. Of the two, ferrous gluconate is less constipating than ferrous sulfate. "

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Taken from WebMD:
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"Becoming allergic to sulfonamide antibiotics is rather common, often causing an itchy rash which can cover the entire body. The next time a sulfa drug is given (usually by accident), a more severe anaphylactic reaction can occur. You can download for free a recent review of the topic from a family practice journal:http://www.cfp.ca/cgi/reprint/52/11/1434

On the other hand, sulfates are very common chemical compounds, also found naturally in the human body. For example, magnesium sulfate is sometimes given intravenously to treat asthma attacks. Some people are allergic to a sulfate compound, such as nickel sulfate causing a rash where the metal touches the skin. However, I could find no mention in the medical literature regarding an increased likelihood of a person allergic to sulfonamide antibiotics to also be allergic to any type of sulfate compounds.

Sulfites (yet another type of sulfur-containing chemical) are sometimes used to preserve fruits and vegetables. Sulfites can be found in beer and wine. A few people with asthma have become sensitized to sulfites, but they are not also allergic to sulfonamide antibiotics. "
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Taken from UoI Medical School RX Peer Review:
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Confusion sometimes arises when a patient is labeled as having a "sulfa" allergy. "Sulfa" usually refers to agents in the class of drugs known as sulfonamides. Almost all sulfonamides are anti-infectives: however sulfasalazine which is used to treat ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, is also included.

Some patients who have experienced a hypersensitivity reaction to a sulfonamide drug may also experience the reactions with carbonic anhydrous inhibitors (acetazolamide), thiazide diuretics, furosemide, and the sulfonylurea antidiabetic agents. Therapy with these agents should be initiated with caution, if at all, in patients with a documented history of sulfanomide hypersensitivity.
Sulfones (Dapsone[R]) do not appear to exhibit cross-sensitivity with sulfonamides.
Sulfur (S) is a chemical element that is ubiquitous. It has fungicidal activity and is used in some topical preparations. There is no cross-sensitivity with sulfonamides.
Sulfites (SO3) are used as antioxidants and stabilizers. Derivatives of sulfites include bisulfites, metabisulfites, and sulfur dioxide. They are found in injectable drugs, wine, and food (e.g., restaurants use sulfites to keep lettuce from turning brown). Sulfite allergies are common, but these compounds do not appear to exhibit cross-sensitivity to sulfonamides.
Sulfates (SO4) are used as salts to solubilize drugs (e.g., gentamicin sulfate, morphine sulfate, ferrous sulfate). Sulfate allergies are extremely rare and do not exhibit cross-sensitivity with sulfonamides.
When discussing allergies with patients and documenting them on the patient's chart, care must be taken to identify the actual cause of the allergy, as well as the type of adverse reaction experienced by the patient.
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So, short answer - if you have a Sulfa allergy like I do - you can still take supplements that are Sulfides because they are not the same thing. Taking my Iron in the Sulfide form - one extra pill a day which is not bad, saves me about $14 a month and is worth the savings!
So tip of the day - if you have no medical background or knowledge - please refrain from giving people advice online!

The Horrors

Well on my way home tonight, as usual I was listening to the BBC - just about the only thing worth listening to in the wee hours of the morning. I came across a documentary on their show "One Planet" called "Animals & Us". This was a show about the living conditions are animal farms - complete with sound effects - that made me not cry - but completely lose it in the car and bawl my eyes out the entire way home.

In the past, I have steered away from programs like that - telling myself that I just "can't see things like that" and yet continuing on doing the same things I do - because I fall into that out-of-sight, out-of-mind trap. Well, I was caught in a trap with this program - as I didn't want to listen to it, but at the same time, I couldn't bring myself to change the dial. I will not go into the details of what was said and reported on, but I can say that after listening to that, I have decided to to stay away from animal products which are produced in this inhumane manner completely. The excuse I have been able to use in the past, just doesn't seem to fly anymore - the whole story of "I am just one person, what kind of impact can I have?" now feels completely hollow and fills me with remorse.

Sure - I am just one person - I am sure that my daily choices will not affect the bottom line of what goes on for these animals - but at least I know I am not contributing to the problem. I got home and did some research and there are plenty of animal byproducts - such as milk and eggs - that are created in a humane way - such as Pastured Eggs (which are actually better for you) and Milk raised by cows who are treated in a certified Humane manner. Of course most of these are probably only going to be found in specialty stores - but I am willing to drive a little to get them.

So starting today, I am giving up meat and only buying animal by-products from Humane Growers. This article made such an impact on me that I felt I needed to do something. Will I still be doing this in a year? I have no idea - I am like most people - the further away from an issue, the easier it is to rationalize it. But hopefully, if I get to that point, I will be able to come back here and read this and remember all of the reasons why I made this decision.

I wanted to post the link to the BBC program - but since it aired just now it wasn't up yet. I will look for it tomorrow and see if I can add it to this blog entry as well.

Edit: Here is the link to the program I heard on the BBC - you can listen to the program online if you want:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p005k2zy

Labels

People love labels - specially in the South where I live. You are not your own person - you are always someone's friend, sister, brother, husband, daughter, enemy, neighbor, etc. When I first moved to Charlotte, I got asked 3 questions over and over again:

1) Are you married?
2) How many kids do you have?
3) Which church do you go to?

From those 3 questions many labels were formed - none of them particularly nice. Over the last 10 years that I have lived here, they have not gotten any better. So today I ponder why do we make labels? Why do people have to fit into little pretty boxes in our mind?

This is a human thing I suppose. It seems that as we get older, those boxes become more and more important to us and more and more rigid. I wonder what would happen to us if all labels were removed. Sometimes I worry that the labels define us too much - to the point of where if someone is labeled a "bitch" so to speak, are they really a bitch or do they become a bitch because everyone else expects them to be like that? I don't know the answer to that question. I would like to think that I am my own person and my actions are independent of all labels, but I think it would be naive to believe that.

Wouldn't it be nice if we all woke up one day and somehow misplaced all of our labels? If we weren't able to remember who fits in which box and just treated everyone the same? I know it won't ever happen - but it would be a nice thought =)