Akuchimoya

Dukat. I don't like him a person, but he's a great character. No other Trek character has ever been written as richly or layeredly as he.

At first you assume he's your basic racist bent on hatred and power. Then you realize his obsession with Kira isn't just about destroying an enemy, but his secret love-hate for Bajoran women. We meet Ziyal whom he mostly loves, but is ashamed of. He goes mad, starts a cult, makes himself appear Bajoran and starts a relationship with Kai Winn (ostensibly with other motives, but I think he reveled in it), and ultimately dies for and in his mad faith.

DS9 is lower on my list when I rank the various series, but some of the characters, and defininitely Dukat, top the list of characters.

As a non-Christian, I never made that Xmas connection.

Well, as a Christian, I wouldn't feel bad about it because the poster is not correct. The X in Xmas does not stand for a cross, it comes from the Greek spelling of Christ which is Χριστός. The chi-rho symbol (☧) is an imposition of the first two letters (Χ and ρ) and is still commonly used to refer to Christ in some denominations.

As a bonus: if you've ever wondered (or not wondered) why some Christian symbolism uses a fish, ἸΧΘΥΣ (or ICTHYS) is an acronym for Ἰησοῦς Χρῑστός Θεοῦ Υἱός Σωτήρ, "which translates into English as 'Jesus Christ, God's Son, Savior'." (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ichthys) This has been used since the first century.

I've been shipping them since Rutherford told Badgey, "I was just trying to impress Tendi. I mean, look at her, she's so cute!" Earlier that same ep they're in the holodeck in the EV suits and they accidentally embrace (due to mag boots) which mirrors the B'Elanna and Tom scene where B'Elanna told Tom she loved him.

But if you really think about it, they've been hinting at the crush since the beginning. He was willing to change his career to make the time to watch a pulsar with her (which was episode 2). When Tendi thought T'ana was transferring her off the ship, they tell each other how much they love the ship and hug. Later that ep he tells Billups he's been triple backing up memories with her because he doesn't want to forget her again. (Notably he doesn't mention backing up memories with Mariner or Boimler.) They've always just a little closer than best friends, and damned if it isn't adorable!

Also, did I hear right that the Ferengi Lower Decker was in communication with the mysterious vessel?

That's what I got too. He was both expecting them, and also said they told him they'd make a lot of profit.

Also... Parliament :) Canadians see the word often 😄

Well, I mean, the obsessively and angrily chasing Aang party definitely shouldn't be emulated, but he's got a very good character growth arc.

• He learns his worth as a person (and as a prince) doesn't come from his abusive father, but intrinsically from his own self.
• He gains the insight and humility to admit he was wrong and seek forgiveness from the people he wronged
• He learns to empathize with other people, and that he is his strongest when he releases (and is no longer clouded by) his anger and fights for good.
• He learns to appreciate the people who love him (Iroh) instead of chasing after someone who doesn't (his father).

The world would be a better place of everyone could learn the lessons that Zuko learned.

I used to provide some user support at a previous job. (It wasn't exactly my job, but people would ask for help.) And it'd be easy to get frustrated, thinking people were stupid or incompetent, but I'd remind myself that being good at computers isn't part of their job, it's part of my job. These people were hired for other areas of expertise. If I had to do take on parts of their jobs, I'd look stupid and incompetent too.

That said... sometimes the level of incomprehension people have really is incomprehensible to me. There's a level where you're reaching wilful ignorance. When I point at something on the screen and tell the person to click on that... and they can't or won't move the mouse there and click on it...

A lot of things that happen in season one set up or are referenced in season two. While you probably could get away with skipping season one, you'll miss out on context.

Rewatching S1 after S2 is pretty amazing, though.

But you can definitely just not watch the last season. It's basically disjointed from everything.

It's nice that "new" Trek wants to portray things like equality for LGBT people as a given; hopefully we can reach that one day. And I think it's good that LGBT people can "see themselves" on the screen without having their queerness be the focus of the drama. People just want to live their lives, and they want to see other queer people just living their lives.

On the other hand, showing the struggle and making it the focus of the drama, as Orville does, is the thing that helps people understand and confront the issues themselves. The whole story around Topa is very strong. Societal misogyny. Klyden's entire journey (his own sex reassignment, hiding it from Bortus, their separation, his rejection of Topa when she transitioned back, the family's eventual reunion). Bortus' struggle to make the right choice as a loving husband and father. Bortus having the choice taken away from him. Topa lacking female role models.

These kinds of things are still very real issues that a lot of people don't think about unless presented to them on this way. These kinds of stories help people imagine how they might need to support their own children, families, and friends.

It's not really possible to compare Star Trek vs Orville because Trek is an entire franchise (even now there are 4.5 shows) and Orville is just one. But if I had to say of the current shows, which one does society need the most for social progress, I'd actually say Orville.

I've actually come to appreciate commercials after cutting Netflix. It's a set time for me to take a little break, and it's out of my hands. (I mute it too, of course.) Otherwise I could just keep watching on and on without a break, and that's not really very good for you.

I have no will power.

They'll simply ask for it and people will give it in order to keep using the platform.

Google Ads asked me (a private individual) to provide my drivers license or passport in order to verify an organization's Google Ads account, or else the account will be suspended. I understand verifying the organization via governed registration records, that makes sense. But requiring an emoloyee or volunteer's passport?

The account is just going to get suspended.

It could also be that you (OP) could be wrong (at least sometimes) but continue to insist that you are correct. But consider that needing to be right is just another way of saying needing to prove other people wrong. That is exhausting and infuriating from the other side to have someone constantly tear you down. It's not being factually correct that's infuriating, it's the attitude that goes along with needing to be correctz because (if it's being pointed out to you in such a manner) it's not done in a friendly way, but an adversarial way.

People usually just want to have fun, friendly, conversations. When someone, sometimes not even the person you're talking to, butts in and keeps insisting your wrong and that you must acknowledge them, it's extremely rude. It derails the conversation to centre around how smart you (think you) are, instead of the topic, in an adversarial way.

I know someone who "had to have the last word". I'm still trying to figure out if he's maybe neurodivergent and honestly doesn't understand, or if he's just an arrogant asshole. But the end result is the same: you come off as a arrogant asshole, and no one will like you for it. Not only does he always "have to be right", he inserts himself when people aren't even talking to him, and won't let other people move on with the conversation until they acknowledge that he's right. It's rude, selfish, and self centred behaviour.

And then he cries himself the victim when people don't like him, which makes everyone dislike him even more.

The fact that you're even asking this question in this way ("how do I be right?" and not "why do people say this?") shows your need to be correct and make someone else wrong, and your victim complex about it. If I knew you in real life, I wouldn't be your friend.

Tai chi, my people. It's often thought of as an old person's activity, but it's great to start young to keep yourself feeling young.