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Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down
Snow could be worse
THUMBS UP: When you get a big snowfall in April, it's very helpful to look on the bright side. We'll give it a try:
First, it could have been a lot worse. With some weather forecasters predicting New Ulm was going to be among the hardest hit areas, with up to 12 inches accumulation, the six inches or so that we got is a lot easier to take.
Second, it's not going to stay long. By the time you read this, a lot of the snow will alreadyhave melted. Temps were in the upper 30s Friday afternoon, and are expected to be in the 40s and 50s this weekend.
Third, we can always use the moisture.
That's about all the good things we can come up with. Maybe you can think of more.
Down to one?
THUMBS UP: The First District Republican Endorsing Convention is meeting today in Albert Lea's Southwest Middle School. Delegates will be selecting a candidate to run against incumbent Democratic congressman Rep.?Tim Walz of Mankato.
Three candidates are seeking the nomination and all have said they will abide by the endorsement decision. The three are Aaron Miller of Byron, Jim Hagedorn of Blue Earth, and State Rep. Mike Benson of Rochester.
Unless there is a repeat of the 2012 endorsement deadlock between Allen Quist and Mike Parry, one of the three will emerge as the party's candidate. That would be beneficial to the candidate's chances.
Last eleciton, Parry and Quist battled through a 14-hour, 23-ballot convention where delegates, under a time constraint from the convention site's owner, ultimately decided to endorse no one. Parry and Quist went through a bruising primary campaign. Quist won the primary but had a lot to overcome before campaigning against Walz.
If one candidate emerges without a primary challenge, it should make for a more competitive congressional race.
State spending bill
THUMBS UP: The Democrats in the Minnesota House passed a $322 million bill that Republicans say spent too much of the state's budget surplus. But it is hard to argue with some of the things that the bill would provide.
The bill would spend $91 million to give a five-percent raise to caregivers for the elderly and disabled.?These caregivers, whose pay is set by the state, haven't had a pay increase in a long time and their raise is long overdue. Another $75 million will go to public schools to help pay for teacher evaluation costs, and to ensure that all students who want a hot lunch get one. The bill also adds another $58 per pupil unit to the state school funding formula.
Minnesota cities and counties will get $15 million to help fix the bumper crop of potholes that developed over this tough winter. It's not a lot for the need, but it will help.


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New 20 ounce tumblers available now! Forum donation credit with purchase. https://www.wildguzzi.com/Products/products.htm#Tumbler
More Rollie Free...
Burt Munro. ( first pic )
One of my personal faves, took this shot during the eclipse last summer from a civil war battlefield in SE Missouri
Could also be a 50 cal. musket ball, blotting out the sun microseconds before impact.
Great vintage photo! Thanks for sharing!! :1:
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subset: commoncrawl


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It's sad when just about the only place to get the truth about what happened to precipitate the current mortgage-lending mess is the Colbert Report.
Jim Cramer of CNBC's "Mad Money" appeared on the Comedy Central show on Monday.
The takeaway soundbites:
- Cramer said "I'd love to, but I can't" pin the blame for the debacles at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac on President Bush.
- He noted that "the Democrats got a lot of campaign contributions from Fannie and Freddie and vice-versa. It was a big circle," and that this is what enabled the two government-sponsored enterprises to continue "to lend to anybody."
Though Colbert was in attempting-comedy mode, Cramer eventually got to the point where he clearly wasn't kidding (video is at the National Review Media Blog link).
Here's the relevant verbiage, which begins at the 2:20 mark (bolds are mine):
Colbert: Let's count the different ways this is Bill Clinton's fault. Um, too much regulation, right? Too much regulation. Fannie, Freddie, bad, bad.
Cramer and Colbert: Bad. Bad-bad-bad-bad.
Colbert: Because he expanded that, right?
Cramer: Well, they were allowed to lend to anybody who walked in. Anybody who walked in got up to 400 thousand dollars.
Colbert: What are we doing giving loans to people who need money?
Cramer: It's outrageous, outrageous, but it's also, what, they were set up to do that. They were set up to give people loans who couldn't get 'em otherwise.
Colbert: So that's, so that's it. It was the government that did it.
Cramer: Oh, everybody participated but the government did have a lot to do with it.
Colbert: Okay, so we can safely not blame this on, on, on, the Bush Administration.
Cramer: No, you can't. Honestly, you can't blame it on the Bush Administration.
Colbert: You cannot.
Cramer: No you can't.
Colbert: A-ha-ha-ha!
Cramer: You actually can't.
Colbert: Thank you.
Cramer: I'd love to but I can't. It doesn't work.
Colbert: All right.
It's historically inaccurate.
Colbert: All right, but whose fault is it?
Cramer: Well I mean the Democrats wanted them to be able to lend to anybody.
Colbert: I love you. Go ahead.
Cramer: It's true. It is true. Because the Democrats got a lot of campaign contributions from Fannie and Freddie and vice-versa. It was a big circle. Uh, the Republicans did believe that everybody, we had this "everyone should own a house" thing, including, uh, people who were undocumented, and ....
Colbert: Or one person should own every house. That's John McCain's idea.
Cramer: Yeah, yeah, he's got a lot of houses. He's got like all the greens and yellows like on Monopoly.
Colbert was too anxious to deliver his McCain "every house" line, and as a result was clearly not listening to Cramer at the end of the excerpt. Thus, we'll never know, unless he is asked elsewhere, whether Cramer's "undocumented" reference was to so-called "low doc" loans that required very little paperwork and little or no proof of income, or to non-citizens (the "undocumented," in politically correct parlance) who were able to obtain mortgages because of lax documentation requirements. Warner Todd Huston reported at NewsBusters yesterday that the US Department of Housing and Urban Development estimates that "Some five million fraudulent home mortgages are in the hands of illegal aliens."
As noted in the intro, Colbert's show is about the only place where the fundamental origins of the Fan and Fred debacles, which I have taken to calling Fredron and Fanron, have been brought out -- and that may have been an accident.
Cross-posted at BizzyBlog.com.


text: Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Growth Kit (ATCC® PCS-100-042™) General Information Characteristics Culture Conditions Specifications Documentation Print Email Share Share this product Facebook Twitter Google+ Biosafety Level 1 Biosafety classification is based on U.S. Public Health Service Guidelines, it is the responsibility of the customer to ensure that their facilities comply with biosafety regulations for their own country. Product Format frozen 1 kit Storage Conditions -20°C (or -70°C for long-term storage) Comments The Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Growth Kit contains components that when added to Vascular Cell Basal Medium (ATCC PCS-100-030) create a complete cell culture environment for smooth muscle cells isolated from large vessels. The final concentration for each component in complete vascular smooth muscle cell growth medium is as follows: rh FGF-basic: 5 ng/ml rh Insulin: 5 µg/ml rh EGF: 5 ng/ml L-glutamine: 10 mM Ascorbic acid: 50 µg/ml Fetal bovine serum: 5% Complete Growth Medium Obtain one growth kit from the freezer; make sure that the caps of all components are tight. Thaw the components of the growth kit just prior to adding them to the basal medium. It is necessary to warm the L-glutamine component in a 37°C water bath and shake to dissolve any precipitates, prior to adding to the basal medium. Obtain one bottle of Vascular Cell Basal Medium (475 mL) from cold storage. Decontaminate the external surfaces of all growth kit component vials and the basal medium bottle by spraying them with 70% ethanol. Using aseptic technique, and working in a laminar flow hood or biosafety cabinet transfer the volume of each growth kit component, as indicated in Table 1 or 2, to the bottle of basal medium using a separate sterile pipette for each transfer. Table 1. Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Growth Kit Components Component Volume Final Concentration rh FGF-basic 0.5 mL 5 ng/mL rh Insulin 0.5 mL 5 µg/mL Ascorbic acid 0.5 mL 50 µg/mL L-glutamine 25.0 mL 10 mM rh EGF 0.5 mL 5 ng/mL Fetal Bovine Serum 25.0 mL 5% Antimicrobials and phenol red are not required for proliferation but may be added if desired. The recommended volume of each optional component to be added to the complete growth media is summarized in Table 2. Table 2. Addition of Antimicrobials/Antimycotics and Phenol Red (Optional) Component Volume Final Concentration Gentamicin-Amphotericin B Solution 0.5 mL Gentamicin: 10 µg/mL Amphotericin B: 0.25 µg/mL Penicillin-Streptomycin-Amphotericin B Solution 0.5 mL Penicillin: 10 Units/mL Streptomycin: 10 µg/mL Amphotericin B: 25 ng/mL Phenol Red 0.5 mL 33 µM Tightly cap the bottle of complete growth medium and swirl the contents gently to assure a homogeneous solution. Do not shake forcefully to avoid foaming. Label and date the bottle. Complete media should be stored in the dark at 2°C to 8°C (do not freeze). When stored under these conditions, complete media is stable for 30 days. Volume 1 kit Sterility Tests Negative for bacteria, fungi, and yeast. Functional Tests Rate of proliferation and morphology.A Certificate of Analysis (COA) is available upon request for each lot of Keratinocyte Growth Kit. C of A Certificate of Analysis Basic Documentation Product Sheet Certificate of Analysis SDS


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QUESTION OF THE WEEK- Where were you when you heard about the attacks in Mumbai?
Barbara Brothers: "I heard about it on the radio driving in the Staunton area."
Tim Brown: "I heard it on the news when I got home."
John Osborne: "I saw it on the CBS Evening News at home that night."


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Rapper/producer Timbaland said reports that he was planning to kill himself was the result of a misunderstanding.
Los Angeles police issued a "possible suicide attempt" against the musician after his family warned he may have harmed himself following a theft from the artist's Malibu home on Wednesday.
Sheriff's Deputy Lt. Rich Erickson said a $2 million Jacob & Co. watch may have been taken from the home, however, Timbaland later claimed it was "something else" that was stolen.
About 4:50 p.m. Tuesday, "deputies responded to a call initiated by distraught family members of Timothy Mosley, better known as "Timbaland," according to Erickson.
U.S. & World
TMZ.com reported that Timbaland's family "believed that he was so distraught over the theft ... that he might harm himself."
"The caller indicated they 'had an emergency,' that Mosley was upset, under a lot of stress, and had left the Malibu residence on Encinal Canyon (Road) in his Cadillac Escalade," Erickson said.
Mosley's wife, mother-in-law and friends tried to find him without success, so they called sheriff's deputies for help, he said. A helicopter crew spotted Mosely in Point Dume at Heathercliff Road and, though someone told authorities that Mosley took an unspecified medication that would make finding him urgent, Erickson said that was "unfounded."
Timbaland claims its all an overreaction and that he went for a drive to decide how to handle the theft.
"I don't know what happened to be honest with you, I don't know what people are talking about," he said in an radio interview with Ryan Seacrest on KIIS-FM. "People steal from me all the time. Stuff did happen, it wasn't a watch it was something else."
E! Online reported Timbaland called from a recording studio where he was putting the finishing touches on Keri Hilson's new album.
"I'm in the studio," he said. "I don't know if a person committing suicide would be in the studio."
The theft was under investigation.


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The Fundraising Page of Ashley Gauthier
In support of Greater Green Bay Habitat for Humanity.
A Message From Ashley Gauthier
Thank you for supporting me in my fundraising for the 2019 Habitat for Humanity Women Build.
raised of $50 goal
Location / Venue
- Add to Calendar
- Address:
- 1035 Neville Avenue
- Green Bay, WI 54303
- Time:
- May 01, 2019 12:00 am to
- Jun 24, 2019 12:30 am
Greater Green Bay Habitat for Humanity
- 1967 Allouez Avenue
- Green Bay, Wisconsin
- greenbayhabitat.org
- Registration #39-1589910
About This Campaign
Any woman who wants to learn how to build a home and fund raise for the Greater Green Bay Habitat for Humanity is invited to join us each year in May. No experience is necessary. Volunteers work in a collaborative atmosphere under the guidance of construction professionals and alongside other volunteers and future Habitat homeowners.
Once you have reached the minimum fundraising goal of $50, you will be sent a link to reserve you shift at the build site. We are on the build site for Women Build every Wed and Thurs in May, as well as May 4 and 11.
We have exciting and new fundraising incentives this year (the incentives are cumulative):
$50 raised 2019 Women Build t shirt
$100 raised 2019 Women Build tumbler with straw
$250 raised six piece screw driver set from The Original Pink Box
$500 raised 14-in-1 multi tool from The Original Pink Box
$1000 raised The Original Pink Box 30 piece tool set with bag


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Milwaukee celebrates Bike to Work Week
Milwaukee celebrates Bike to Work Week, bur riders said the rough city roads make the idea a tough sell.
"As bad as our streets are, our bike lanes on the streets are just as bad if not worse," said Harold Schmidt.
He joined Milwaukee mayor Tom Barret and about two dozen other riders Monday morning to bike to work.
"Did not hit any potholes," Barrett said of his ride. "But I was watching for them, though."
Barrett and other city officials are encouraging residents to get on a bike and ride around town. 24 miles of bike lanes have been added all across the city in the last year.
"I love the exercise," said rider Andrew Cieslewicz. "It helps the environment. And an opportunity like this to bike with the mayor? I can't pass that up."
Milwaukee was recently awarded a $1.6 million federal grant to start a public bike-sharing program.
Several events are planned across the city for Bike to Work Week. To see some of them listed on the Milwaukee Bicycle Community's website, click here.


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A 12-year-old Florida girl's science fair project on invasive lionfish has surprised even seasoned ecologists, and led to the first published paper on lionfish freshwater tolerance.
Lauren Arrington's relatively simple experiment (put captured lionfish in water of varying saltiness, see if they live) revealed that lionfish can survive much fresher water than anyone expected . . . meaning the rapidly-spreading invasive marine species may also pose a threat to vulnerable life in brackish estuaries.
(Her dad, an ecologist, rejected her first proposed experiment, which required that he touch dead lionfish to see if their stings still hurt. Lionfish stings are excruciatingly painful, with victims reporting that they "wished they were dead," so her father's scientific obstructionism is understandable.)


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There is a service for just about anything in and around Boca. The following 13 business will take care of customers in ways you may have never imagined.
Personal eBay Auctioning
The business: Just Sell It
Owner: Lisa Feldman
The lowdown: We've all heard stories of people making big bucks from selling their old stuff on eBay, but doing so requires people to be their own copywriter, salesman and shipping department. For those who don't have the time or aren't familiar with the rules of eBay (yes, there are rules), hiring someone to do the job makes a lot of sense.
"Once I was trying to sell these 1950s cap guns, which are toys, and eBay removed the listing" because they weren't pictured with the red caps to show they were safe, says Feldman, who has been selling items on eBay for others for nearly 10 years. Her Weston-based business takes the hassle out of eBay sales by picking up items (from your home), photographing them, listing them, shipping them to the winning bidder—and sending clients a check for their portion of the sale (sans her commission).
"I specialize in selling previously owned and new high-end designer fashion, shoes and handbags such as Chanel and Christian Louboutin," she says. However, Feldman has had the opportunity to sell other interesting pieces, such as a personal letter from President Harry Truman and a collection of University of Miami NCAA championship football rings, which sold for $10,000. "A lot of stuff is just wasted," Feldman says. "This makes people happy by simplifying their lives and giving them extra money, and it gives someone else an opportunity to enjoy something that another person is finished with."
Contact: 954/295-5418, justsellit.com.


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If your iPod Nano has been getting hot, really hot, you might be in for a free replacement. Apple recently acknowledged that in rare cases, the iPod Nano battery (first gen) can overheat -- so much so that it poses a safety risk to its users. The defective models were sold between September 2005 to December 2006.
Here's the warning message from Apple:
This issue has been traced to a single battery supplier that produced batteries with a manufacturing defect. While the possibility of an incident is rare, the likelihood increases as the battery ages.
Apple recommends that you stop using your iPod nano (1st gen) and follow the process noted below to order a replacement unit, free of charge.
Note: This battery issue is specific to the iPod nano (1st gen) and does not affect any other iPod.
If you think you are eligible, start on this page and fill out your info. Apple says you should get a brand spankin' new replacement within six weeks. The replacements will not be personalized and you should be sure to back up all your data before sending in the overheating Nano.


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After Trek: "xx"
- "...Of my friend, I can only say this... of all the souls I have encountered in my travels, his was the most... Human."
- - James T. Kirk, 2285
Spock – full name generally considered unpronounceable to Humans – was a Human/Vulcan hybrid who became one of the most distinguished and respected figures in the United Federation of Planets in his lifetime. (TOS: "This Side of Paradise", "Journey to Babel")
As a Starfleet officer in the latter half of the 23rd century, he served aboard the starship USS Enterprise as science officer under Captain Christopher Pike, as first officer and science officer under Captain James T. Kirk, and as the Enterprise's commanding officer during her tenure as a training vessel. In the 24th century, Spock became a celebrated ambassador and adviser to the Federation's leadership. He disappeared in 2387 after saving the Federation from the supernova that destroyed Romulus, causing the alternate reality.
Spock was born in 2230 in the city of Shi'Kahr on the planet Vulcan. His mother was Amanda Grayson, a Human school teacher, and his father, Sarek, was a Vulcan scientist and diplomat. (TOS: "This Side of Paradise"; TAS: "Yesteryear")
For a time, Spock grew up alongside his half-brother, Sybok (the son of Sarek from a previous mate), until Sybok's ostracism for rejecting Vulcan principles of logic. (Star Trek V: The Final Frontier)
Spock's mixed parentage caused difficulties throughout his early life. His own father, who married a Human woman, was somewhat ambivalent about his son's Human nature at his birth. For her part, Amanda watched Spock's stiff-lipped anguish caused by torment at the hands of other Vulcan children, who would attack and tease him to provoke emotional responses, knowing that his "Human half" was suffering. (Star Trek V: The Final Frontier; TOS: "Journey to Babel")
As a child, Spock was betrothed to T'Pring, in accordance with the traditional Vulcan marriage process. (TOS: "Amok Time")
In 2237, at the age of seven, Spock decided (prematurely, and without parental knowledge or approval) to undertake the kahs-wan maturity trial in the Vulcan wilderness in an attempt to prove himself. His pet sehlat, I-Chaya, tagged along against his master's wishes, and defended Spock from the attack of a carnivorous, venomous le-matya. The intervention of an older cousin saved Spock from the le-matya, but I-Chaya was left badly wounded. Faced with the stark choice of a painfully extended life or a peaceful release for I-Chaya, Spock logically opted for the latter. That decision marked his choice of following in the philosophies of Surak: logic and emotional control. Many years later, in 2269, the accidental creation of an alternate timeline created a universe where Spock was killed in his childhood. Using the Guardian of Forever, Spock returned to the Vulcan of his youth and assumed the role of Selek, the nearly forgotten-cousin that saved his life during the kahs-wan ordeal. (TAS: "Yesteryear")
Sarek gave Spock his first lessons in computers, setting him on the path of a scientific career. Against his father's wish that he complete his instruction at the Vulcan Science Academy in the family tradition, Spock expressed his desire to join Starfleet. The argument came to a head in 2249 with Spock's final decision, causing a rift that kept them from speaking to each other for eighteen years. (TOS: "Journey to Babel")
Starfleet career
Spock was commissioned as a Starfleet officer in the early 2250s with the serial number S 179-276 SP, and held an A7 computer expert classification. By 2254, he was assigned to the USS Enterprise. The starship and her namesake were his home for nearly forty years, until 2293. (TOS: "Court Martial", "The Ultimate Computer", "The Cage"; Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country)
As a science officer under the command of Captain Christopher Pike, Spock was wounded in the leg when Pike's landing party was attacked on Rigel VII in 2254. As the ship proceeded to the Vega colony for medical care, a radio wave distress call forced Pike to divert the ship to Talos IV. Still limping, Spock joined a landing party that transported to the barren surface of the planet, where Pike was captured by Talosians; he was the first of the ship's crew to realize that the Talosians had powerful illusory abilities. Spock's final report, along with Pike's, recommended a ban on visitation to the planet. The judgment was endorsed by Starfleet's General Order 7. (TOS: "The Cage", "The Menagerie, Part I", "The Menagerie, Part II")
On Earth briefly in 2261, Spock met Leila Kalomi. Although she declared a love for Spock, his Vulcan control prevented him from showing any emotion in return. (TOS: "This Side of Paradise")
Spock's service under Pike (eleven years, four months, and five days) inspired considerable respect and loyalty from the young officer. In 2267, Spock risked his life and career for the sake of his former captain. (TOS: "The Cage", "The Menagerie, Part I", "The Menagerie, Part II")
The five-year mission
After Pike's promotion to fleet captain, James T. Kirk assumed command of the Enterprise in 2265. An early mission, attempting an extra-galactic probe, was disastrous. Lieutenant Commander Gary Mitchell, a close friend of the new captain, developed enhanced psionic abilities when the Enterprise encountered an energy barrier at the edge of the Milky Way Galaxy.
Spock examined the tapes of an earlier ship, the SS Valiant, that had encountered the same barrier and was destroyed. As Mitchell's powers increased geometrically, Spock believed he had become extremely dangerous and feared that he would destroy the ship, and advised Kirk to either strand Mitchell on the uninhabited, desolate world of Delta Vega in order to isolate him from galactic civilization, or kill Mitchell before it was too late. Kirk hesitated, and initially attempted the former, but the scope of Spock's concerns were eventually borne out, and Kirk was forced to kill Mitchell. (TOS: "Where No Man Has Gone Before")
Following Mitchell's death, Kirk acknowledged Spock as his first officer. (TOS: "The Corbomite Maneuver")
The Enterprise repelled the first Romulan incursion of Federation space in over a century on stardate 1709.2. Spock and the bridge crew became the first Starfleet officers to make visual contact with Romulans, who finally revealed their Vulcan-like appearance to Starfleet. Lieutenant Stiles briefly suspected Spock of being a Romulan agent until Spock saved his life in the course of battle. (TOS: "Balance of Terror")
Spock kidnapped Fleet Captain Christopher Pike, his former commander, and hijacked the Enterprise. Pike had been crippled when a baffle plate ruptured during an inspection of an old Class J starship and was confined to a wheelchair, unable to speak. Spock wanted to return him to Talos IV, where they had visited years earlier; he wished to return Pike to the Talosians there so he could enjoy the rest of his life in an illusory reality and would not have to continue enduring his disability. After a lengthy inquiry into the matter, with images provided by the Talosians, Kirk allowed Pike to beam down and all charges against Spock were dropped by Commodore Jose I. Mendez. (TOS: "The Menagerie, Part I", "The Menagerie, Part II")
While commanding an away mission aboard the Galileo on stardate 2821.5, the shuttlecraft crashed on the surface of Taurus II, a planet inhabited by giant hostile creatures. Two crewmembers were killed while the shuttle was stranded but, with the aid of Lieutenant Commander Montgomery Scott, Spock was eventually able to launch the shuttle. Knowing that it could not break free of the orbit of the planet, he ignited the shuttlecraft's remaining fuel which acted as a flare; the Enterprise was alerted by this and rescued the team. (TOS: "The Galileo Seven")
After being thrown back in time to Earth of 1969 and interacting with that planet's US Air Force, Spock was able to recreate a time warp with a slingshot maneuver around the sun. (TOS: "Tomorrow is Yesterday")
Later, when Kirk was court-martialed for causing the death of Lieutenant Commander Ben Finney, Spock proved that the Enterprise's computer tapes had been altered by Finney to frame Kirk. (TOS: "Court Martial")
Spock, along with Kirk, helped disable a computer that controlled the lives of a civilization on Beta III and allowed no free thought or creative thinking. (TOS: "The Return of the Archons")
Spock helped Kirk to retake the Enterprise after Khan Noonien Singh, a 20th century Augment dictator whom the Enterprise's crew had found in stasis, commandeered the starship. Spock flooded the ship with gas, disabling Khan and his followers. (TOS: "Space Seed")
On stardate 3192.1, Spock and Kirk were taken prisoners on Eminiar VII, which had been at war for over five hundred years with the planet Vendikar. The war was, at this time, being fought by computers so that the two worlds were not destroyed by the atrocities of warfare, thus preserving their civilizations. Whenever a hit was scored by the computer, the affected citizens would be sent into a disintegration chamber and vaporized. When the Enterprise entered orbit around Eminiar VII, it became a legitimate target for Vendikar. The Enterprise was deemed destroyed by a tricobalt satellite explosion; as a result, the crew was expected to report to the disintegration stations. Kirk and Spock were held prisoner to ensure compliance, but they eventually escaped and destroyed the computers on Eminiar VII. With the threat of a real war looming over the inhabitants of both planets, Spock and Kirk sought to negotiate a peace between Eminiar VII and Vendikar. (TOS: "A Taste of Armageddon")
Later, on the mining planet Janus VI, an unknown creature was killing miners there. After locating the creature, Spock mind-melded with it; he discovered that the creature was called a Horta and determined it had only been attempting to protect its young by killing the miners, who were unintentionally killing the Horta's offspring by destroying silicon nodules which were really the creature's eggs. Spock negotiated a pact between the Horta and the miners: The miners would leave the eggs alone and the Horta, in turn, would help the miners locate valuable minerals. (TOS: "The Devil in the Dark")
Spock and Kirk later became trapped on Organia, a planet of medieval culture. Organia was being threatened by the Klingon Empire, who wanted to use it as a base in attacking the Federation. The Organian council refused the Federation's help, and after the Klingons invaded and took control of Organia, Kirk and Spock had civilian identities imposed on them, with Spock being given the identity of a merchant. They then became involved in sabotage. After they were captured by the Klingons, Spock and Kirk were freed by the Organians. Just as war was about to break out, the Organians revealed themselves to be powerful energy beings, once humanoid but now evolved. They neutralized the weapons of both sides and stopped the war. (TOS: "Errand of Mercy")
On stardate 3134.0, Spock and Kirk traveled back in time using the Guardian of Forever to retrieve Dr. Leonard McCoy, who had somehow changed history by entering the time portal. Spock discovered that history was changed because McCoy had saved the life of Edith Keeler, a social worker who, in the altered timeline, was destined to lead a pacifist movement that delayed the United States of America's entry into World War II, thus allowing Adolf Hitler to win the war. The only way to restore the timeline was to let Keeler die in an auto accident from which she had been saved by intervention from McCoy. Spock persuaded Kirk to stop McCoy from saving Keeler, whose death restored the timeline. (TOS: "The City on the Edge of Forever")
Near the end of the year, Spock was attacked by a neural parasite that had destroyed a colony on the planet Deneva. He submitted to an experiment that destroyed the creature inside him but also left him blind. However, the blindness was only temporary, as it was revealed that Vulcans have two sets of eyelids. (TOS: "Operation -- Annihilate!")
In late 2267, the Enterprise encountered a probe called Nomad that had destroyed multiple star systems and their inhabitants. Spock mind-melded with the probe and discovered that it was an old Earth probe that had been tasked with seeking out new life. It had somehow been damaged in space, and had merged with an alien probe whose mission had been to sterilize soil. Nomad was now under the false impression that its mission was to sterilize anything that was not "perfect." Kirk was able to destroy the probe by using its own logic against it. (TOS: "The Changeling")
On stardate 3219.8, a shuttlecraft carrying Spock, Kirk, and Federation diplomat Nancy Hedford was captured by an alien cloud creature and taken to a deserted planet. On the planet's surface, they found Zefram Cochrane, the inventor of Earth's warp drive, who was believed to have died decades ago. The cloud creature, called the "Companion" by Cochrane, had discovered him and managed to keep him alive and young. The creature had brought the three Starfleet officers to be companions for Cochrane. When Spock tried to repair the shuttlecraft, the Companion stopped him. The situation was resolved when Hedford, dying from an incurable disease, was joined with the Companion, which cured her and remained in her body. Hedford remained on the planet as a companion for Cochrane, with whom she fell in love. (TOS: "Metamorphosis")
In 2268, Spock and other crewmembers of the Enterprise encountered Harry Mudd, who was stranded on a planet inhabited by androids that wanted the Enterprise to escape the planet and serve Humans so that they would not have to explore space. Kirk, Spock, and the rest of the crew eventually managed to overload the androids' central control, causing the chief android, Norman, to have a nervous breakdown. (TOS: "I, Mudd")
While traveling to a peace conference on Babel, Spock was reunited with his parents. There was still much friction between Spock and his father, Sarek. When Sarek was accused of the murder of another delegate, it was revealed that he was ill with a cardiac defect, which made it unlikely that he could have committed the crime. Dr. McCoy was then tasked with performing surgery on Sarek for this defect. It was then discovered that Orions were responsible for the murder, and Spock made himself available for a blood transfusion for his father's surgery because they shared the same rare blood type, T-negative. Recovering in sickbay, Sarek and Spock made peace with each other, even playfully teasing Spock's mother, Amanda. (TOS: "Journey to Babel")
On stardate 4523.3, Spock helped foil a Klingon plot to poison quadrotriticale earmarked for a Federation planet, while at the same time trying to clear the Enterprise of a fast-breeding alien species called tribbles. (TOS: "The Trouble with Tribbles")
Spock later visited Sigma Iotia II, whose inhabitants had modeled their society on the gangster era of Earth's 1930s. An earlier starship had left behind a book about gangsters from Earth's 20th century that the imitative Iotians had used as a blueprint for their society. Spock played the part of one of the bosses of the main syndicate, "The Federation," and helped Kirk unite the two warring bosses into a form of government. (TOS: "A Piece of the Action")
Spock, along with the Enterprise, encountered a space amoeba that destroyed entire star systems. The USS Intrepid, sent to investigate the phenomenon, was destroyed, and Spock felt the Vulcans on the ship dying. In order to gain information on the creature, Spock piloted a shuttle into the amoeba and found that it was about to reproduce by fission. The creature was subsequently destroyed by an antimatter bomb. (TOS: "The Immunity Syndrome")
Spock's body was later taken over by Henoch, one of three survivors of an ancient civilization that had destroyed itself. The three had become energy beings to survive, and wished to build androids in order to house their minds. Henoch, who was the rival of fellow survivor Sargon, refused to relinquish Spock's body and attempted to kill Sargon. He himself was killed with the help of Spock's consciousness and Thalassa, Sargon's wife. (TOS: "Return to Tomorrow")
Spock came in contact with various other worlds in the early part of 2268. He was captured by Ekosians, who had based their society on that of Nazi Germany and tortured him to obtain information about the Enterprise. John Gill, a Federation historian, had visited Ekos and attempted to use the efficiency of Nazi Germany to bring stability to the planet. (TOS: "Patterns of Force")
Spock battled Kelvans who tried to take over the Enterprise in order to return to their homeworld in the Andromeda Galaxy, and helped Kirk stop a Federation captain, Ronald Tracey, from interfering in a planet's societies by arming one against the other. He also battled the government of a planet where a Rome-like civilization had never fallen and gladiatorial games still took place in the planet's modern era. (TOS: "By Any Other Name", "The Omega Glory", "Bread and Circuses")
Later the same year, Spock's brain was stolen by an alien race to help power a computer that controlled its society and provided for all its needs. McCoy was able to reconnect Spock's brain to his body with the same technology used to remove it. (TOS: "Spock's Brain")
Spock, along with Kirk, later stole a cloaking device from the Romulans. As part of the plan to retrieve the device, he pretended to kill Kirk and romanced the craft's commander in order to gain her trust, initially intending only to carry out his mission, but finding out he experienced actual feelings for the beautiful, brilliant commander. After Kirk returned to the craft disguised as a Romulan and stole the device, Spock stalled the Romulans long enough for the device to be installed in the Enterprise. The ship escaped with the cloaking device and the Romulan commander on board, who made a pact with Spock to keep their mutual feelings for the other a secret. (TOS: "The Enterprise Incident")
Spock later saved Kirk and a tribe of transplanted Native Americans by helping save their planet from an asteroid by activating a deflector beam on the planet. (TOS: "The Paradise Syndrome") He allowed his body to be taken over by the Medeusan Kollos so that the alien could guide the Enterprise back into the galaxy after a mad Larry Marvick had driven it out into an uncharted region. The Medeusans were a highly intelligent species, but their bodies were grotesque in form – so much so that gazing upon a Medeusan would cause insanity in humanoids. However, it is said that, when telepathically viewing a Medeusan's mind, as Spock did, it is found to be quite beautiful. (TOS: "Is There in Truth No Beauty?")
Spock helped save an away team from the Melkotians who had, as punishment for trespassing, forced them to relive the infamous gunfight at the OK Corral. (TOS: "Spectre of the Gun") He also helped redirect an artificial asteroid, Yonada, from colliding with a Federation planet. (TOS: "For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky")
Spock took command of the Enterprise when Kirk was caught in a spatial interphase. The ship was attacked by Tholians, but Spock was able to retrieve Kirk and escape from a restrictive energy web created by the Tholians. (TOS: "The Tholian Web")
Spock and Kirk were later captured by a race of psychokinetics who forced them to take part in dangerous games and unwanted love affairs. (TOS: "Plato's Stepchildren")
After hyper-accelerated aliens took over the Enterprise, they hyper-accelerated Kirk to take as a hostage. Spock managed to receive a warning from Kirk and became hyper-accelerated himself, but carried an antidote with him. He and Kirk stopped the aliens, and retook the ship. (TOS: "Wink of an Eye")
Spock was part of an away team that was used by aliens to test the worthiness of an empathic race. Their planet was going to be destroyed, and the aliens who could save them wanted to see if they should be saved from their dying sun. After the aliens tortured Kirk, Spock and McCoy, the empath, Gem, healed them. The aliens saved her planet. (TOS: "The Empath")
In early 2269, Spock and Kirk took a new medicine that could cure mental illness to a Federation mental facility. However, the facility had been taken over by the inmates under the leadership of former Starfleet captain Garth of Izar. Garth captured Spock and Kirk, whose lives were put in danger. Spock escaped and found Kirk but Garth, who had developed shapeshifting powers, had assumed Kirk's identity. Spock was able to determine the real Kirk from the impostor and subdued Garth, giving him medication that helped his mental illness. (TOS: "Whom Gods Destroy")
In the same year, Spock was part of a landing party that found a Human named Flint. He found masterpiece paintings and original classical music. Flint admitted that he had been Brahms and Leonardo da Vinci on Earth, and that he was an immortal being. (TOS: "Requiem for Methuselah")
Spock helped Kirk negotiate a peace treaty between two societies on the planet Ardana. He also became attracted to Droxine, the daughter of Plasus, the ruler of Ardana; he referred to her as a work of art and even discussed pon farr with her. However, nothing ever came out of the relationship. (TOS: "The Cloud Minders")
Spock and Kirk were forced into a battle between good and evil set up by the Excalbians to study Human concepts. The aliens created images of people who possessed "good" qualities, such as Abraham Lincoln and Surak, against "bad" people such as Colonel Green and Kahless. (TOS: "The Savage Curtain")
Spock, Kirk and McCoy entered a time portal, and were stuck in different past eras of the planet Sarpeidon, which was about to be destroyed by an exploding sun. Spock and McCoy traveled into the planet's ice age, where they met Zarabeth, who had been sent there as punishment. Even though McCoy was dying from the cold, Spock wished to remain with the woman with whom he had fallen in love, since, in this time period, he had emotions. Eventually, he discovered the portal door and saved McCoy. (TOS: "All Our Yesterdays")
After Janice Lester secretly transferred her consciousness into Kirk's body and his consciousness into her body, she attempted to kill Kirk and assume his captaincy. However, Spock managed to expose her and helped to re-transfer Kirk's consciousness into his body. (TOS: "Turnabout Intruder")
Later the same year, the Federation, aware of Spock's familiarity with mind-links, offered him an assignment to work with Medeusan Ambassador Kollos. Spock, however, turned down the assignment with the ambassador due to his life on the Enterprise. (TOS: "Is There in Truth No Beauty?")
Spock joined a landing party that beamed down to inspect the planet Taurus II. There, he became affected by the glandular secretion of the Taurean females, known for controlling the male mind. This caused Spock to be drained of his "life force," causing him to age at a rate of ten years per day. Spock was able to escape the females of the planet and contact the Enterprise. He and the landing party were eventually recovered by an all-female security detachment led by Lieutenant Uhura. Spock and the others were returned to their previous ages by use of their molecular pattern stored in the transporter system. (TAS: "The Lorelei Signal")
On a mission to the planet Phylos, Spock was captured by Stavos Keniclius, an Earth scientist who planned to clone Spock and make an army of Spock clones to enforce an era of peace throughout the galaxy. His first clone, Spock 2, possessed all of the original's memories, abilities, and sense of logic. However, the cloning process left the original Spock near death. Since Spock 2 possessed his progenitor's sense of logic, he mind melded with him and restored his mind. The original Spock proposed that Spock 2 remain on Phylos with Keniclius to help rebuild Phylosian society. (TAS: "The Infinite Vulcan")
V'Ger crisis
After the Enterprise's five-year mission of exploration was completed, Spock chose to return to his home planet of Vulcan. As a result of his occasional displays of emotion during his Enterprise missions, he decided to undergo the kolinahr ritual to purge himself of the last vestiges of emotion. However, Spock aborted this training and resumed his Starfleet career both for personal reasons and to help Admiral James T. Kirk during the V'Ger incident. (Star Trek: The Motion Picture)
Death and resurrection
Sometime after the V'Ger incident, Spock was promoted to captain and assigned to Starfleet Academy, where he trained cadets on the Enterprise, which had been retired from active service.
In early 2285, Spock ceded command of the Enterprise to Admiral Kirk during a mission that involved keeping the Genesis Device out of the hands of Khan Noonien Singh. When Khan armed the device after having been defeated by Kirk and the Enterprise, Spock sacrificed his own life by repairing the Enterprise's plasma conduits – in a severely irradiated portion of engineering – in order to save the crew. Following his funeral service, Spock's body was "buried" by being fired into space inside a torpedo casing. (Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan)
When Spock's coffin landed on the surface of the Genesis Planet, the radiation emanating from the planet caused his cells to regenerate. Meanwhile, Kirk and the rest of the Enterprise's senior staff disobeyed Starfleet orders so that they could retrieve Spock's body, and discovered that he had been reborn as a child (and was quickly aging to adulthood), but whose mind was a complete blank. On Vulcan, Spock's living body (now at the age it had been when he died) was reunited with his katra (the Vulcan soul), which Spock himself had placed in Dr. Leonard McCoy prior to his death. (Star Trek III: The Search for Spock)
After his katra and body were re-integrated, Spock went on to serve as a Starfleet officer for many more years. He was involved in saving Earth from destruction by an alien probe in 2286. (Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home)
The Enterprise-A
Prior to the launch of the new Enterprise, Spock was recruited to test the new brig as he was the most intelligent and resourceful person the designers could find. However, despite his ingenuity, he failed to escape. (Star Trek V: The Final Frontier)
In 2293, Spock was chosen to be the Federation's special envoy to the "Gorkon Initiative" as it was he who opened secret talks with Chancellor Gorkon following the Praxis disaster. Spock later committed Captain Kirk to the negotiations with the Klingon Empire. During Kirk and McCoy's subsequent trial and imprisonment for the assassination of Gorkon, Spock took command of the Enterprise and the murder investigation. Later, he led the rescue mission of Kirk and McCoy from Rura Penthe and helped stop an assassination attempt on the Federation President. Though this mission was successful, Spock blamed himself for endangering Kirk and the consequences that followed, a guilt that lasted 76 years. (Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country; TNG: "Unification II")
Diplomatic career
In 2293, Spock recommended an alliance between the Klingon Empire and the Federation at the Khitomer Conference. His recommendation produced a major dispute because the Klingons were viewed by the Federation as outlaws who employed violence and brutality in order to build their empire. Despite seemingly insurmountable odds, an alliance was nevertheless forged, bringing peace and stability to the Alpha Quadrant that had not been there for two hundred years. USS Voyager security officer Tuvok, who initially opposed the alliance as well, later noted that "Spock's suggestion, so controversial at first, proved to be the cornerstone of peace." (Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country; VOY: "Alliances")
Also during the Khitomer Conference, Spock opened up negotiations with Ambassador Pardek of Romulus in an attempt to unify Vulcan and the Romulan Star Empire. (TNG: "Unification I", "Unification II")
Spock and Sarek publicly disagreed over issues involving the Cardassians, leading to a rift in their relationship. (TNG: "Sarek")
In his later years, Spock went into semi-retirement, choosing to act as a Federation ambassador (much as his father had done). In 2368, Spock undertook a secret personal mission to Romulus, that was in no way authorized by the Federation Council or Starfleet, where he acted to facilitate Romulan-Vulcan reunification, avoiding contact with the rest of the Federation as he was reluctant to risk anyone's life but his own on such a mission after the near-fatal consequences to Kirk and McCoy in their involvement in the Khitomer conference. Captain Picard met Spock on Romulus and informed him of his father's death. Before Picard's departure, the two mind-melded, allowing Spock to realize the depth of his father's feelings for him. (TNG: "Unification I", "Unification II")
In 2369, Spock was involved in an incident of "cowboy diplomacy" in which Deanna Troi was temporarily kidnapped to help with the defection of three Romulans, including Vice-Proconsul M'ret, to the Federation. (TNG: "Face of the Enemy")
When an unknown person was beamed on board the USS Enterprise-D in 2370, Ben told a few junior officers that he heard that this was Ambassador Spock. (TNG: "Lower Decks")
The alternate reality
In 2387, when a star threatened to go into a massive supernova, Romulus faced destruction. Ambassador Spock promised to save Romulus and formed a plan which involved injecting red matter into the star, thus creating an artificial black hole which would consume the star. Piloting the Jellyfish, an advanced spacecraft equipped with red matter, Spock proceeded to the star to carry out his mission but, before he could, the star went supernova and destroyed Romulus. With other worlds threatened with destruction, Spock continued his mission and successfully created a black hole which consumed the supernova. Before he could escape, however, he was intercepted by the Romulan mining vessel Narada, commanded by Nero. Nero blamed Spock for Romulus' destruction and was bent on revenge, but both the Narada and the Jellyfish were pulled into the black hole.
Spock emerged from the black hole in the year 2258 of an alternate reality created by the actions of Nero, who had emerged twenty-five years earlier. Nero was waiting for Spock when he arrived, and he and the Jellyfish were captured. Rather than kill Spock, Nero marooned him on Delta Vega, where he could witness the destruction of Vulcan from the planet's surface. Nero then used some of the red matter from the Jellyfish to create a black hole in Vulcan's planetary core; Spock watched helplessly from Delta Vega as his homeworld was destroyed.
Shortly thereafter, Spock rescued a Starfleet lieutenant from an Hengrauggi, only to discover that the young officer was James T. Kirk himself, who had been marooned on the planet by that era's Spock for mutiny. The elder Spock was surprised that Kirk was not captain of the Enterprise. Through a mind meld, Spock explained to Kirk (who hadn't believed a word of the old man's tale until Spock had mentioned Nero) his presence in this time period and the reasons behind Nero's actions. He then walked with Kirk to the Starfleet Delta Vega outpost, where they met Montgomery Scott. Using Scotty's equation for transwarp beaming (which Scott had not actually figured out yet), Spock was able to transport Kirk back to the Enterprise, along with Scott. When asked why he would not come with them, Spock stated that his other self must not know of his existence, implying that it could cause some kind of temporal paradox.
After the Enterprise had defeated the Narada and Nero, the elder Spock returned to Earth. There, he met his younger self, who was not entirely surprised that he existed (while Kirk had kept his word, upon being recognized by the Jellyfish, a future spaceship from stardate 2387 and more advanced than any that he had ever seen, as its pilot, the younger Spock, putting this together with other irregularities - Nero's remark that they were not yet acquainted; Kirk's seemingly impossible return to the Enterprise, the method of which he had successfully used himself; that the person who provoked him into the action which removed him from command, someone he had met a few days before, had known exactly how to push his buttons - figured out who Kirk's mysterious benefactor must be, and as such was certain that he could fly the craft, believing that he already had) and convinced him to remain in Starfleet. He also explained that the reason he had not returned to the Enterprise with Kirk to explain things was because he had not wished to deprive Kirk and Spock of the chance of working together and developing the friendship they were destined to have. He then wished his younger self good luck, after which he witnessed the promotion of Jim Kirk to captain of the USS Enterprise.
He left with an intention to establish a Vulcan colony. (Star Trek)
Personal interests
Spock carried a life-long interest in art, literature, poetry, music (especially the Vulcan lute and the piano), and three dimensional chess. (TOS: "Requiem for Methuselah", "Where No Man Has Gone Before", "Charlie X", "The Cloud Minders", "Court Martial"; TAS: "The Jihad", "The Magicks of Megas-Tu") He disliked Italian food, possibly because like most Vulcans, he was a vegetarian. (TOS: "All Our Yesterdays"; TAS: "The Slaver Weapon"; Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home).
James T. Kirk
For a detailed account of Spock's friendship with James T. Kirk, see Spock and Kirk.
Leonard McCoy
The relationship between Spock and Dr. Leonard McCoy seemed a little strained at times on McCoy's part because of his taunts about Spock's green blood and lack of emotion. However, there was an obvious respect and friendship among James T. Kirk, Spock and McCoy. McCoy, in fact, was one of the two friends Spock requested to join him in his marriage ceremony. (TOS: "Amok Time")
While he would rarely do so without provocation, Spock was also quite capable of turning the tables on the doctor. During Kirk's court-martial, after an astonished McCoy discovered him in the briefing room playing chess against the ship's computer, Spock casually allowed him to assume the worst (to the point of thanking him after the furious doctor had said he was "The most cold-blooded man I've ever known"), waiting until he reached the door to reveal that he had been victorious in four consecutive games - since the computer, whose account of the incident was the main evidence against Kirk, was programmed to be unbeatable, this proved that it had been tampered with (something only Kirk, Spock, and the "dead" Commander Finney were authorized to do), and cast doubt on the credibility of its account, keeping the trial going long enough to discover that Finney was, in fact, alive. Later that year, after the Enterprise crew had defeated the androids on planet Mudd (beings almost Vulcan-like in their lack of emotion and their "logical, pragmatic" think), McCoy told Spock that he must be quite unhappy to see that "poor, illogical" Humans were able to fairly defeat them, Spock responded that this was quite satisfactory, as nobody needed him and his logical ways as much as a ship full of humans. (TOS: "Court Martial", "I, Mudd")
Sybok, Spock's elder half-brother, encountered Spock on Nimbus III in 2287, shortly before Sybok hijacked the USS Enterprise-A for his quest to find the Great Barrier. Spock had remained silent on the subject of his brother for decades, not even telling Kirk until Sybok had already taken control of the Enterprise. At first, Spock was extremely distant from him, but following Sybok's death, he realized what he had lost. (Star Trek V: The Final Frontier)
At age seven, Spock was bonded to T'Pring in a family-arranged Vulcan ceremony described in Human terms as "less than a marriage, but more than a betrothal."
When Spock experienced his pon farr of 2267, he succumbed to the madness of the plak tow mating instinct. The Enterprise diverted to Vulcan in time to consummate the marriage. Accompanied by Kirk and McCoy, Spock arrived at his family's ancient koon-ut-kal-if-fee site for the wedding ceremony officiated by the matriarch T'Pau. Unexpectedly – but within the bounds of Vulcan tradition – T'Pring demanded the challenge of kal-if-fee, forcing Spock to earn the right to marry his bride through victory in personal combat. Rather than her prospective consort Stonn, T'Pring chose Kirk as her champion.
Unwilling to appear weak or disrespectful in front of the legendary T'Pau, Kirk agreed to fight his first officer. Between rounds using the lirpa and ahn-woon weapons, T'Pau belatedly revealed the combat was "to the death," and it became clear that Kirk had little chance against Spock in the throes of his blood fever. McCoy intervened, deceptively dosing Kirk with a drug that simulated his death.
Spock's plak tow subsided after his apparent victory. Appalled at the turn of events, Spock calmly questioned T'Pring's decisions. T'Pring admitted her distaste for Spock's growing fame among Vulcans, and her mutual attraction to Stonn. By her logic, choosing Kirk meant neither victor would claim her in the end, and she would have her life with Stonn. Spock acknowledged her logic and advised Stonn that he would find that "having... is not so pleasing a thing after all... as wanting."
After returning to the Enterprise, McCoy revealed Kirk's clandestine survival. A rare show of extreme emotion came from Spock when he exclaimed "JIM!" with a beaming smile. (TOS: "Amok Time")
Christine Chapel
When the Psi 2000 intoxication infected the crew of the Enterprise in 2266, Nurse Christine Chapel admitted her love for Spock, who was thereupon emotionally shocked. Her love for him was an ongoing issue, but never interfered with her professional duties. (TOS: "The Naked Time")
Chapel once housed Spock's consciousness to keep him from being destroyed by Henoch. They were later forced by powerful telepaths to kiss each other, but neither enjoyed the forced situation. (TOS: "Return to Tomorrow", "Plato's Stepchildren")
While under the spell of Harry Mudd's love potion, Spock became infatuated with Chapel, and was willing to fight for her love. However, the potion eventually wore off and then Chapel, as a side effect of the drug, seemed to hate Spock for a brief time. Spock commented to Mudd that a few brief moments of love being paid for with several hours of hatred is scarcely a bargain. (TAS: "Mudd's Passion")
Leila Kalomi
On stardate 3417, Spock was infected by Omicron spores while on Omicron Ceti III by Leila Kalomi, who was serving as the Omicron colony's botanist. The spores broke down Spock's emotional control, and he confessed his love for Kalomi. Their time together was short-lived, however, as Kirk deduced a method of destroying the spores with intense emotion and induced anger in Spock.
Once free from the spores, Spock freed Kalomi and the rest of the planet from their influence. He later reflected that his time with Kalomi was the first time in his life at which he had felt happy. (TOS: "This Side of Paradise")
Memorable Quotes
"Live long and prosper."
"I happen to have a Human thing called an adrenaline gland."
"That does sound most inconvenient, however. Have you considered having it removed?"
"Very funny."
"Try to cross brains with Spock, he'll cut you to pieces every time."
- - Bailey, Spock, and Sulu
"I am endeavoring, ma'am, to construct a mnemonic circuit using stone knives and bearskins."
"I have never understood the female capacity to avoid a direct answer to any question."
"A curious creature. Its trilling seems to have a tranquilizing effect on the Human nervous system. Fortunately, of course, I am ... immune ... to ... its ... effect..."
- - Spock, while petting a Tribble
"I love you. However, I hate you."
"But I am identical in every way with Alice 27!"
"Exactly. That is exactly why I hate you: because you are identical."
[The androids violently malfunction.]
- - Spock and Alice 210
"Logic is a little, tweeting bird, chirping in meadow. Logic is a wreath of pretty flowers that smell bad."
"Nowhere am I so desperately needed as among a shipload of illogical Humans."
"On my planet, 'to rest' is to rest, to cease using energy. To me it is quite illogical to run up and down on green grass, using energy instead of saving it."
"Enterprise to signaler on planet's surface. Identify self." (Reads answer) "'Hip, hip, hurrah...' and I believe it's pronounced 'Tally ho'."
"Fascinating is a word I use for the unexpected. In this case, I should think interesting would suffice."
- - Spock, regarding the puckish alien Trelane
"I have been, and always shall be, your friend."
- - Spock, stated to Kirk at least three times–as his dying words, his first fully conscious words (recalling the previous conversation) after rebirth, and, in the alternate reality, after recognizing the young Human he just saved from a hengrauggi as that universe's James T. Kirk
"Jim. Your name is Jim."
"If I were Human, I believe, my response would be 'Go to Hell.' If I were Human."
- - Spock, giving his opinion on Starfleet's decision to retire the USS Enterprise and her crew.
"Billions of lives lost, because of me, Jim, ... because ... I failed."
- -Spock blames himself for the destruction of Romulus and Vulcan in a mind meld with James T. Kirk (alternate reality).
Kirk and Spock
"Have I ever mentioned you play a very irritating game of chess, Mr. Spock?"
"Irritating? Ah, yes: one of your Earth emotions."
- - Kirk and Spock
"Your illogical approach to chess does have its advantages on occasion, Captain."
"I prefer to call it 'inspired'."
"As you wish."
- - Spock and Kirk
"You'd make a splendid computer, Mr. Spock."
"That is very kind of you, Captain!"
- - Kirk and Spock
"So, we're stranded here, in the middle of a Klingon occupation army."
"So it would seem. Not a very pleasant prospect."
"You have a gift for understatement, Mister Spock. It's not a very pleasant prospect at all."
- - Kirk and Spock
"You didn't really think I was going to beat his head in, did you?"
"I thought you might."
"You're right."
- - Kirk and Spock
"Well, Mr. Spock, if we can't disguise you, we'll find some way of explaining you."
"That should prove interesting."
- - Kirk and Spock
"My friend is obviously Chinese. I see you've noticed the ears. They're actually easy to explain."
[Long pause.]
"Perhaps the unfortunate accident I had as a child."
"The 'unfortunate' accident he had as a child. He caught his head in a mechanical ... rice picker."
- - Kirk and Spock, attempting to explain Spock's appearance to a 20th century police officer
"Don't grieve, Admiral. It's logical. The needs of the many ... outweigh ..."
"The needs of the few."
"Or the one. I never took the Kobayashi Maru test, until now. What do you think of my solution?"
- -Spock and Kirk, as Spock is dying
"The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few."
Awards and achievements
- Twice decorated with awards of valor by Starfleet Command (TOS: "Court Martial")
- Vulcanian Scientific Legion of Honor (TOS: "Court Martial")
- The Vulcan IDIC (TOS: "Is There in Truth No Beauty?")
- An A-7 computer expert classification (TOS: "The Ultimate Computer")
- Innovator of time travel methodologies: the warp drive cold start and the "slingshot" maneuver (TOS: "The Naked Time", "Tomorrow is Yesterday")
Spock wears a total of nine medals in 2269, not counting the IDIC medal he wore in "Is There in Truth No Beauty?" It is likely he accumulated a great many more decorations by the time of his eventual retirement in the late 2290s. Template:EnterpriseFirstOfficers Template:EnterpriseCommandingOfficers Template:EnterpriseScienceOfficers
- TOS: (every episode) (First appearance)
- TAS: (every episode)
- Star Trek films:
- TNG: "Unification I"
- TNG: "Unification II"
- DS9: "Trials and Tribble-ations" (archive footage)
Spock was played by Leonard Nimoy in nearly all of the character's television and cinematic appearances. The Genesis-regenerated versions of Spock at nine, thirteen, seventeen, and twenty-five years of age in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock were portrayed by Carl Steven, Vadia Potenza, Stephen Manley and Joe W. Davis, respectively. Spock's screams in that film were provided by Frank Welker. The young Spock from TAS: "Yesteryear" was voiced by Billy Simpson. Carey Scott recorded some dialog for a younger Spock in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, but his scenes were cut. And while Nimoy portrayed the elder Spock in Star Trek, his younger version was played by Zachary Quinto and briefly by Jacob Kogan. Nimoy has since retired (again) from acting and has publicly stated that he does not intend to return to the role of Spock again, as he feels that to do so would be unfair to Quinto.
Jane Wyatt, who played Spock's mother Amanda Grayson, was once asked by fans at a convention what Spock's first name was. She replied, perhaps jokingly: "Harold." [2]
In the episode "This Side of Paradise", Leila Kalomi says to Spock "You never told me if you had another name", to which he replies "You couldn't pronounce it".
Spock's heritage was explored in a book about Star Trek science; it was determined that a Vulcan/Human hybrid is biologically impossible, as Vulcan blood is copper-based, while Human blood is iron-based – copper and iron are chemically incompatible.
Actor Martin Landau (Commander Koenig of Space: 1999) was an early casting consideration for the character of Spock in TOS. In spite of studio request to get rid of the "guy with the ears," Gene Roddenberry insisted on keeping the character through both pilot episodes of the series, and Spock became one of the most enduring symbols of Star Trek.
The following character biography appears in The Making of Star Trek, during a time in production when Robert April was still being considered as the name of the Enterprise's captain:
- "The First Lieutenant. The Captain's right-hand man, the working-level commander of all the ship's functions – ranging from manning the bridge to supervising the lowliest scrub detail. His name is Mr. Spock. And the first view of him can be almost frightening – a face so heavy-lidded and satanic you might almost expect him to have a forked tail. Probably half Martian, he has a slightly reddish complexion and semi-pointed ears. But strangely – Mr. Spock's quiet temperament is in dramatic contrast to his satanic look. Of all the crew aboard, he is the nearest to Captain April's equal, physically, emotionally, and as a commander of men. His primary weakness is an almost catlike curiosity over anything the slightest 'alien.'"
The notion of Spock suffering racial prejudice, hinted in Star Trek was shared by the unmade prequel Star Trek: The First Adventure, in which Spock first meets Kirk when he is defended by him from bullies at Starfleet Academy.
The events of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country show Spock having full command of the Enterprise. The latter having Spock outrank Kirk as he was in command of the entire mission. However, the events of "The Cage" and Star Trek: The Motion Picture show Spock having a lower rank than First Officer. It could also be speculated that Gary Mitchell was the First Officer of the Enterprise prior to his death as he was specially requested for by James T. Kirk himself to serve aboard his first command.
Spock was mistakenly referred to as a lieutenant commander in the TOS episode "Tomorrow is Yesterday" despite having apparently been promoted to a full commander following "Court Martial". He was also referred to as a lieutenant commander in "The Menagerie, Part I". He is first referred to as a commander in "Amok Time". Oddly enough, even when he was a lieutenant commander prior to "Court Martial," he still wore a full commander's stripes. However, this may have been to signify his position as the ship's first officer. It is possible that he was a brevet commander at the time, with an official rank of lieutenant commander.
Spock briefly reactivated his Starfleet commission, with the rank of admiral, during the Dominion War, according to Spectre, a novel by William Shatner (with Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens).
In the novel Crossover, Spock and several unificationists are captured by the Romulan Empire. He is ultimately rescued by Scotty, Commander Riker, Data, and Geordi La Forge aboard the USS Yorktown that Scotty stole from a Starfleet museum using the shuttle he was given by Picard to control the Yorktown's computer. After believing Scotty dead for 75 years, Spock was momentarily startled to see him behind the transporter controls, but quickly regained his control. Scotty promises to explain how he reached the 24th century later to Spock.
In the novel The Fire and the Rose, Spock begins to lose his emotional control after hearing of the death of Captain Kirk, and eventually returns to Gol to take Kolinahr training again. Spock ultimately succeeds and becomes truly emotionless, a situation that neither Sarek nor Amanda agree he should have tried to do. Amanda in particular, feels Spock has rejected his humanity and therefore in some measure, her by extension. Spock's lack of emotion also ultimately alienates McCoy when he comes to ask Spock to stand with him at his wedding to Tonia Barrows and Spock refuses. Ultimately, after Amanda's death in a shuttle accident and Spock seeing Sarek grieve for Amanda (which surprises Spock as he mistakenly believed Sarek to have also been a student of Kolinahr), and when Spock realizes that he can't grieve for Amanda and that he doesn't even miss her, he seeks McCoy out on Earth to help him engage in an ancient Vulcan ritual to reverse the Kolinahr, allowing Spock to feel emotions again. This accomplished, Spock rebuilds his relationship with McCoy, is able to grieve for his mother and Captain Kirk, and once again finds the balance and peace between his Vulcan and human halves, allowing him to have emotional control again without rejecting his emotions.
In the novel Provenance of Shadows, Spock, having been contacted by McCoy's wife Tonia Barrows, and told that McCoy is taking a turn for the worse, goes to see McCoy because he has regretted that he didn't get to see either Kirk or his mother once more before their deaths, and he is not going to make that mistake this time. Spock does spend the day with McCoy and plans to return the next day, but as he leaves McCoy's house, Spock is left with the impression he will never see McCoy alive again. Spock's feelings are proved correct as McCoy does die peacefully in his chair on the porch that same evening before Spock can return, with Tonia by his side, reflecting on his life and the good work he's done and his family and friends.
In the novel Vulcan's Forge, Spock commands the science ship Intrepid II in 2294, a year after Kirk is lost in the Nexus. Within the story, Uhura is Spock's first officer and McCoy his chief medical officer.
Other novels set after Star Trek VI establish that the wedding Picard met Sarek at was Spock and Saavik's.
In the game Star Trek: Armada, Ambassador Spock was sent aboard a Galaxy-class starship to mediate a treaty between the Klingon and Romulan empires on Romulus. The Borg intercept this ship and assimilate him. The Enterprise travels 2 days back to make sure he reaches the peace conference. The plan succeeds, resulting in Romulan and Klingon ships being dispatched to assist the Federation in defending Earth.
In the comic series Star Trek: Countdown, leading up to Star Trek, Spock was aided in his attempts to help convince the Vulcans to provide the Romulans with the red matter necessary to stop the impending supernova explosion by Jean-Luc Picard, who was now Federation Ambassador to Vulcan, as well as by a restored Data, who was now captain of the Enterprise. Also, the comic establishes that Geordi La Forge had designed the Jellyfish, which Spock uses to drop the red matter into the supernova. Just after the Jellyfish and the Narada are pulled through the black hole and into the alternate reality, the black hole finishes collapsing and the Enterprise arrives in the area finding no indication anywhere that Spock managed to escape. Presuming Spock to be dead, Picard says that he hopes his friend's soul does indeed live long and prosper.
In the novelization of Star Trek, after being told by Kirk that Dr. McCoy, Sulu, Chekov, and Uhura - all but one of the group of officers who had once been willing to throw away their careers to save him - were all serving on the USS Enterprise[!] (taking McCoy's presence for granted when following the confirmation of the other three), Spock suggests to Kirk that their meeting, and the way the crew was already coming together, was the work of the timeline attempting to "fix" itself. As for the one person not yet aboard the ship, he had been well aware that Scotty was stationed at the outpost, which he had visited on occasion for supplies - though it isn't clear whether they had actually met - but he had a made a point of keeping his distance. This self-imposed isolation was the only reason that he happened to be right place with a torch as the hengrauggi wrapped its tongue around Kirk's leg, which stuck him as yet more evidence to support his theory - Kirk's arrival made it clear that the three had converged there for a reason, since he could give Scott the basics of his own invention, and therefore return Kirk to the Enterprise, with a way to take his rightful place in command (seeing that the young officer is obviously unaware of Regulation 619, he admits to having forgotten how insignificant such things had been to the Kirk he knew so well), and hopefully be able to minimize the damage to the timeline.
In the comic series Spock: Reflections, the events leading up to Countdown are detailed.
Leonard Nimoy and Zachary Quinto also lent their voices to Star Trek Online; Nimoy reprises his role as Spock and narrates key events to players, while Quinto voices an EMH who helps the player though the tutorial level.
External links
- Spock at StarTrek.com, the official Star Trek website
- Template:NCwiki
- Spock at Wikipedia


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STRANGEBUTTRUE- Snap, Crackle: But why all the Crispies' noise?
Q. What's the story behind the "snap, crackle and pop" slogan long used by one popular breakfast cereal? –G. Mills
A. The cereal consists of toasted, puffed rice grains that, when placed in milk, make the signature sound, says Jearl Walker in The Flying Circus of Physics. Each grain is brittle and under stress, with the various parts pulling on one another.
When the grain becomes wet, it loses rigidity and the stresses rip it apart, causing momentary oscillations and producing a faint pulse of sound that is more crackle than a snap or pop.
"If you eat this type of breakfast cereal, keep in mind that the sounds you hear are the dying shrieks of puffed rice grains," Walker writes.
Q. "I'm looking over a four-leaf clover that I overlooked before." Lucky you! But how lucky exactly, and why might this good luck be coming to an end soon? –C. Lindberg
A. The natural frequency of a four-leaf clover, as reported in the journal Crop Science, is a mere 1 percent in 10,000 plants. That's about your chance of flipping 13 heads in a row.
Yet the genetic variable for producing four leaves has been identified sufficiently that breeders might soon be able to grow more of this variety– meaning the bottom could be about to fall out of the four-leaf clover business– from being "in the clover" to being over-clovered and lucky no more, according to New Scientist magazine.
Q. At the amusement park, too much round-and-round riding is starting to make you feel queasy. You need to lie down– fast!– but the only place to do this is along a radius to the car. Should you lie with your feet or your head toward the center of the circle? –K. Dominion
A. Physicists answer that if you lie with your feet towards the hub of rotation, there is nothing to give your gutful of food an inward acceleration and so it will tend to move up your gullet, says Keith Lockett in Physics in the Real World.
Biologists say that being sick has nothing to do with the forces on your stomach, but rather is due to your perception of speed and acceleration. With your legs toward the center, your head will experience a bigger acceleration than your feet– making you feel sick.
"So perhaps the physicists' answer is right but for the wrong reason," writes Lockett.
Q. Don't let anyone tell "you you" can't fix the eyesore in this sentence. So, can you? –R. Hingeley
A. Just separate the two you's with the word "that," says Mark Davidson in Right, Wrong, and Risky: A Dictionary of Today's American English Usage. He's here to tell you that you can easily fix this eyesore anytime it occurs, so it'll be sore no more.
Send Strange questions to brothers Bill and Rich at email@example.com


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Earlier this month Edward Munch's "The Scream" sold for $119.9 million, the highest amount ever for a painting sold at auction and only the most recent reminder of the dynamic market in art. The previous record was set only two years ago when Picasso's "Nude, Green Leaves and Bust" sold for $106.5 million.
While few people possess paintings of such renown, high-net-worth families often amass significant art collections. Fully 64% of families with $5 million or more in investable assets consider themselves to be serious or enthusiastic collectors of fine art, and 43% of them report having collections valued at $1 million or greater, according to recent research by ACE Private Risk Services.
Managing such collections can pose significant challenges. Collectors often happily devote themselves to acquiring the next prized piece, but they may not be as passionate about properly tracking and protecting the entire collection. As the collection grows in size and value, maintaining up-to-date documentation and values becomes increasingly complex. If left unmanaged for long, the insured value of the items can fall far behind the cost of replacing them, exposing the collector to significant financial loss if damage or theft occurs.
Here are three steps to maintaining proper coverage levels on an ongoing basis.
Step 1: Drop the spreadsheet and use a database tool specifically designed for tracking collections.
In ACE's research, 82% of respondents said they had formalized documentation of all the items in their collection, but experts in the field say the methods that collectors perceive as sufficient often are not. "A number of collectors use programs such as simple spreadsheets to document collections, but this choice often falls far short of task," says Gerald Escobar, president of Asset Archives, Inc., an Atlanta-based global collections management firm that has a relationship with ACE. By contrast, the online database tool offered by Asset Archives allows collectors to store and manage in real time all pertinent information, including pictures of the items, appraisals, invoices, receipts, artist resumes, and documents pertaining to provenance.
Step 2: Get the right appraisers to determine accurate replacement cost.
To properly insure fine art, you need to know how much it would cost to replace it with a similar piece. We usually recommend getting an expert appraisal for any items potentially worth more than $10,000. Many collectors will already be familiar with qualified appraisers for their art collection. If they aren't, their insurance agent or insurance carrier should be able to suggest a few.
Another option would be to check with one of the major governing bodies such as the International Society of Appraisers or Appraisers Association of America. Specialized residential inventory firms such as Asset Archives can also provide one-stop shopping by coordinating the proper team of independent appraisers on the collector's behalf.
When hiring an appraiser, make the purpose of the appraisal clear—that it is for insurance purposes and not for tax, loan collateral or other reasons. Agree on the fee in advance. Pricing should be based upon the time involved in the project and never as a fixed percentage of the appraised value given to the items.
Step 3: Update valuations on a regular basis in both the inventory database and the insurance policy.
At least once a year, collectors should review the valuations in their inventory and decide if they need updating. For fine art of significant value, we usually recommend getting an expert appraisal every three to five years. If the collector knows that the appeal of a certain type of art or artist has risen rapidly due to a sudden event, such as the death of an artist, getting an appraisal even sooner would be wise. Companies such as Asset Archives can also help collectors stay on top of price trends in the art market and alert them when jumps in value occur. Additionally, for the years in between appraisals, the collector may want to apply an inflation (or deflation) factor based on his or her knowledge of the market.
In concert with the annual inventory review, the collector should work with his or her insurance agent to match the replacement values in the inventory with the items scheduled on the insurance policy. Perhaps items purchased during the year were never added to the policy; they should be now. Also, if the values in the policy aren't synchronized with those in the inventory, the collection could become under-insured over time. Policies that are geared specifically for high-net-worth collectors do offer some degree of protection against sudden price appreciation by offering to pay market value up to 50% more than the scheduled amount after a covered loss. But even that buffer can be exceeded in a few short years in a strong market.


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You can now embed part of PolitiFact California into your website. Our widget will put the latest Truth-O-Meter rulings on your page. They flex to fit just about any width hole you want them in. Best of all, they update dynamically, so they always contain the latest rulings.
Embed the California Truth-O-Meter widget:
To get the Truth-O-Meter widget, copy and paste the code below into your site. We'll do the rest:
The one-ruling version:
The three-ruling version:
If you're using one, we'd love to hear about it. E-mail us at [email protected] .


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When the housing market is in a full swing recovery like it is today with interest rates still historically low and inventory changing daily, it is a good time to see how you, the 'happy in your current home and not looking to move,' can tap into the market through investing.
Usual Methods of Real Estate Investment: These include: financing a new purchase with a mortgage or selling some stocks and bonds, taking money out of your IRA or from your 401(k). These are hit and miss and sometimes turn out to be not-so-smart moves but they seem to be the methods by which most investors fund their second (or third, or fourth…) purchases.
An Unusual Proposal: Some investors have begun to start using the equity they have built up in their own home as the launch point for an investment property! Home equity, the difference between what a person owes on their mortgage versus their home's market value, rises with the strengthening real estate market. The increasing value of your home's equity can be monetized through a home equity loan (a call-out refinance) allows home owners to use their current home's value to pay for a second home. This, like the methods above, does has pros and cons to it.
- Pros: Lenders are more willing to lend on more favorable terms because the home owner has more skin in the game. The costs on borrowing will be lower as well since this form of loan does not involve paying for title searches or the transactional cost of a new mortgage.
- Cons: Your monthly payments will increase and if you cannot pay, you may lose your primary home to foreclosure. In addition, this is an eggs all in one basket approach—you will be investing in one type of asset.
Hart Real Estate Solutions


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CORRECTIONS- Wrong photographer, chef, Python, kitchen, and owner
In last week's news section, the action photo of the firefighters preparing to douse the burning car was taken by Charlottesville Fire Marshal W.A. Hogsten.
In last week's Restaurant week insert, the responses to the questions by the Aberdeen Barn came not from chef Robert Johnson but from assistant chef Matt Nottingham.
Last week's cover story, ""Reversal of Fortune: Albemarle House goes on the block," contained the following errors:
- Thomas Sullivan is not the owner Albemarle's most expensive spec house. Sullivan sold the land to developer Alex Toomy, and it's now owned by a bank (and for sale for $3.95 million).
- Albemarle House's kitchen is not on the ground floor. Its two kitchens are on the main floor, and realtor Ross Stevens did not comment on the location of the kitchens.
- The Black Knight did not appear in Life of Brian Any Python fan know he's in Monty Python and the Holy Grail.


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I asked all of you if you wanted me to make sweet pumpkin tamales or savory pumpkin tamales. The results were pretty evenly split, so after I made the sweet tamales, I began to figure out what I wanted in my savory tamales.
I began to brainstorm – Pumpkin reminds me of autumn and autumn reminds me of Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving reminds me of turkey and turkey reminds me of Salvadoran panes con pavo – and that is when I knew exactly what I wanted to make.
I didn't have any turkey on hand, but I had chicken, (and honestly that's what we often use because it's more affordable.) So I prepared the chicken for filling the tamales the way I do Salvadoran Pavo, complete with the savory Salvadoran salsa spiced with relajo (see the notes about relajo in the recipe below.)
What this means is that these tamales are perfect for your Salvadoran pavo leftovers this holiday season! Even if you have only regular roast turkey leftover from Thanksgiving you could just add a little mustard, Worcestershire sauce, the salsa with relajo, and you'll be ready to start assembling these tamales.
As for the pumpkin, I incorporated that into the masa and the flavor ends up not being very noticeable as the delicious chicken and salsa steal the show. I do think that the pumpkin lends a very pretty color and moisture to the masa though, plus it's full of vitamins – so I will absolutely include it again next time I make these tamales.
Warning: These are pretty amazing and the recipe below only makes about 10 regular-sized tamales. You may want to double or even triple the ingredients!
Savory Pumpkin Tamales de Calabaza y Pollo (o Pavo!)
For masa:
1 cup Maseca
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
4 tbs. unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 cup pumpkin puree
1. In a medium-sized bowl combine the Maseca, salt and oregano, then add the pumpkin and butter. Mix to combine. Add the chicken stock and mix until completely combined. Set aside.
For filling:
3 large chicken thighs (or the equivalent dark meat turkey)
1/2 tsp. yellow mustard
a few shakes Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper
1/2 small onion
1 tbs. minced garlic
1 – 2 cups water
1. In a medium pot, coat the chicken or turkey pieces in mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Add water, garlic and onion. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, cover and lower to a simmer. Cook until the meat is cooked through and juices run clear. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Once cool, remove meat from bones and shred. Discard skin, bone, onion and any liquid left in the pot – you just want the meat which you will be mixing into the salsa later.
For salsa:
1 cup diced tomato
½ tsp. fresh minced garlic
1/4 small onion, diced
1/4 small green pepper, diced
1/3 cup chicken stock
1-2 large tablespoons Salvadoran relajo spice mixture (see note below)
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon achiote
salt and pepper to taste
Note – If you can't find Salvadoran relajo spice mixture, the following can be substituted: 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, a few shakes dry oregano, 4 dry roasted peanuts, 6 dry roasted pumpkin seeds, 2 large bay leaves – crushed, 6 whole cloves and/or allspice.
1. In a blender combine all ingredients except salt and pepper. Blend until mostly smooth, about one minute. (The sesame seeds and other spices will give this salsa texture – that's how it's supposed to be.)
2. Pour the salsa into a small pot and simmer over medium-high heat for a few minutes, stirring. Add salt and pepper to taste. (You can remove the allspice and/or whole cloves if you like at this point.) Mix the shredded chicken into the salsa. Set aside to cool.
Assemble the tamales:
Take 10 to 12 dried corn husks and soak them in a large bowl of hot water to soften. Once softened, remove one by one and gently shake dry before using.
In the middle of each corn husk, spoon a few tablespoons of the masa and spread out with the back of a spoon, but stay towards the middle of the husk – don't go to the edges.
In the middle of the masa, put a large spoonful of the chicken and salsa mixture.
Fold corn husk closed as described in this post. Optional: Wrap the tamales inside aluminum foil.
Stack tamales in a tamalera and steam about 2 to 3 hours. Makes about 10 regular-sized tamales.
(Carlos eating his fourth tamal for breakfast this morning!)


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Unless you've been under a rock, we all know that Japan was seriously debilitated by a 9.0 magnitude coastal earthquake on March 11th that was followed by a tsunami that devastated many regions in the country. While we all have kept Japan and the victims and families in our prayers, they will need a lot more assistance.
The American Red Cross is accepting donations via text message. Text "RedCross" to 90999 for a $10 donation that will appear on your next cellular bill. You can also visit www.redcross.org to make smaller or larger donations.
If you'd like to do more than monetary donations, you can check with your local Red Cross to learn about volunteer options.
Amazon is also accepting donations through their AmazonPayments feature.
God bless Japan and the victiums of this natral disaster and may God bless us all because these types of catastrophes can happen anywhere in the world.


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All about Ron Paul.
Ron Paul (Republican) Birth: Aug. 20, 1935; Pittsburgh Home city: Lake Jackson, Texas Family: Wife Carol Wells; five children Religion: Protestant Education: Gettysburg College, B.A., 1957; Duke University, M.D., 1961 Campaign Web site: www.ronpaul2008.com Read all about him: "Gold, Peace, and Prosperity: The Birth of a New Currency" (1981); "Freedom Under Siege: The U.S. Constitution After 200 Years" (1987); "A Foreign Policy of Freedom: Peace, Commerce, and Honest Friendship" (2007) Career: 1963-1968: Flight surgeon with the U.S. Air Force, 1963-68. 1968-1996: Practicing physician of obstetrics and gynecology. 1976: Elected to fill a vacant U.S. House of Representatives seat from Texas, but defeated for re-election after less than one term. 1979-1985: Returned to U.S. House of Representatives for three terms. 1984: Ran for the U.S. Senate but lost the Republican primary to Phil Gramm. 1988: Ran as the Libertarian Party's candidate for president. 1996: Ran again for a House seat and was elected as a Republican to a fourth full term. 2006: Re-elected to ninth full term in the 14th Congressional District Sources: CNN.com, Wikipedia.org, VoteSmart.org


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How powerful are the Mexican drug cartels? Powerful enough, evidently, that in one Mexican city they've been able to shut off the sale of tortillas. Really.
The BBC's News from Elsewhere blog reports that such dictates from cartel commanders come on top of the continuing violence, which includes the murder of five priests in a neighboring area.
(Editor's note: The Global Scan can be delivered straight to your inbox every day. Just register and sign up today.)
We need your opinion
We've been publishing the daily Global Scan for about a month, and now we need your feedback. Please tell us what you think and how we can improve it through this brief, five question survey.
Son of a Nazi art dealer hoards food and $1.3 billion trove of stolen art
In a classic hoarder's apartment in Munich, choked with tins containing old food and noodles, police found art by Matisse, Picasso, Chagall, and Renoir.
The Telegraph reports that police suspect many of the 1500 pieces were among the "degenerate art" confiscated from Jews in Nazi Germany.
The apartment owner was caught in a German sting targeting people with undeclared Swiss bank accounts. His father was art dealer Hildebrandt Gurlitt, who claimed the confiscated artwork had been destroyed in the firebombing of Dresden in 1945.
How do you explain widespread US spying? Here's the NSA's top 10 reasons
It's not easy to justify eavesdropping on leaders of friendly nations and their citizens. So the NSA prepared a handy list of responses for White House officials, for Congress and even for leaking to the media.
Al Jazeera America reporter Jason Leopold used a Freedom of Information Act request to obtain the NSA "talking points." He told PRI's The World that two themes — 9/11 and the need to "connect the dots" — ran through the top 10 reasons.
Today is Russia's Day of Unity - but not for everyone
The anti-gay climate in Russia continues with a weekend attack at an LGBT center as the latest example.
One person was hospitalized after men armed with compressed air pistols attacked the center in St. Petersburg — just a day after an anti-hate rally organized by Russian LGBT activists. The Telegraph reports that the violence occurred on the eve of Russia's Day of National Unity, which has been taken over by far-right groups.
Here's how Einstein screwed up General Relativity, and other tales of brilliant blunders
Even scientific geniuses make mistakes. For example, Einstein threw in an extra "cosmological constant" into his General Relativity equations to explain why gravity wouldn't cause the university to collapse on itself.
Later, he removed it — and it turns out that was the real mistake. Studio 360 looks at a new book, written by a NASA astrophysicist, that examines the scientific blunders of some of the world's greatest scientists.
What we're seeing on social
Theater or reality? >10,000 burn US flags outside former embassy 34 years after #Iran hostage crisis began pic.twitter.com/C4edXdwU9H— Jon Williams (@WilliamsJon) November 4, 2013
Weather around the world
Tropical Storm Sonia has turned into a tropical depression as it moves across the central Mexico Pacific coast. Six to 10 inches of rain are forecast for the area in Sinaloa state, with sustained winds of 35 mph and stronger gusts, according to the US National Weather Service.


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Iran will probably not have the technical ability to produce enough fuel to make a nuclear bomb before 2013, US Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair told a senate intelligence committee earlier this year.
He also said that he's seen no evidence Iran is seeking to make fuel for a bomb, and that international scrutiny appears to be deterring such efforts.
The American intelligence community's views on Iran's nuclear program, progress in Afghanistan, and the extent of Al Qaeda's operational abilities were all addressed in a 40- page series of answers that Mr. Blair delivered to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence on February 12.
But only now has it become public.
The document was released to Steven Aftergood, who runs the Project on Government Secrecy for the Federation of American Scientists following a Freedom of Information Act request. (A PDF to the full document can be found at this link.)
On Iran's nuclear program, Blair relied on the assessment of the State Department's Bureau of Intelligence and Research (INR) to say that Iran does not yet have the technical ability to produce the highly enriched uranium (HEU) it would need for a bomb.
"INR continues to assess it is unlikely that Iran will have the technical capability to produce HEU before 2013,'' the memo reads.
Blair said that if Iran decides to make highly enriched uranium that it would probably use "military-run covert facilities, rather than declared nuclear sites" and that "outfitting a covert enrichment infrastructure could take years. The (intelligence community) has no evidence that Iran has yet made the decision to produce highly enriched uranium, and INR assesses that Iran is unlikely to make such a decision for at least as long as international scrutiny and pressure persist."
Why Iran backs the Taliban
Blair says in the report that Iran's "policy calculation in Afghanistan currently emphasizes lethal support to the Taliban, even though revelation of this activity could threaten its future relationship with the Afghan government and its historic allies within Afghanistan."
Iran is a Shiite theocracy and the Taliban is militant Sunni movement which views Shiites as apostates that should be executed. Blair says Iran has made uneasy common cause with them because "Iran is primarily concerned with preserving its national security and undermining Western influence in Afghanistan."
Similarly, Blair says that Iran has been a provider of "training, weapons, and money to Hamas since the 2006 Palestinian elections." Hamas is the Islamist (Sunni) Palestinian movement that now controls the Gaza strip.
Here's a summary from other bits the memo that caught my eye.
Al Qaeda's 20-year plan
Blair said, not surprisingly, that Al Qaeda "remains intent on attacking the US." He said the FBI was investigating people presumably in the US who have "ties to militants in Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas, a region that Al Qa'ida, the Taliban and other militant groups have been able to exploit as a safe haven and use as a training ground."
He said that Al Qaeda will seek to attack US interests for the next 20 years, though he adds that "sustained pressure against al-Qa'ida central in (Pakistan's tribal areas), however, will diminish the group's safe haven and thereby its ability to plan external operations."
He said that while Al Qaeda would like to acquire a chemical, biological, or nuclear weapon, that a "conventional explosive is the most probably al-Qa'ida attack scenario."
Afghanistan's growing insurgency
Blair's memo says of Afghanistan that "the insurgency has steadily grown since the Taliban's ouster in late-2001." He hints that a draw-down of US forces is far off, pointing out that Afghan's army and police "remain heavily dependent on Coalition support and international funding. Recruitment, retention, and equipment shortages negatively affect efforts to sustain growth."
He reports "widespread corruption" in the national police and "the limited ability of the Afghan government to provide good governance contributes to the insurgency goals of discrediting the legitimacy of the government."
The 11 percent solution?
The memo highlights the reliance of the Afghan government on foreign aid. In an annual budget of $7.6 billion only $870 million, or 11 percent, is generated by Afghanistan. The remainder is foreign aid. But that aid burden could grow if the insurgency is to be defeated, he implies. At the time of his report, Afghanistan had 83,000 soldiers in its Army. The military's counterinsurgency strategy needs 325,000 to win the war, he notes, which would require a quadrupling of Afghanistan's defense expenditure.
Not much help from Pakistan
As for help from Pakistan, he indicates that it's been difficult getting the country's leaders on the same page with the US and its NATO allies.
"Al-Qaida and associated groups continue to thrive in the (tribal areas) in spite of government counterinsurgency efforts in 2008. Pakistan's leaders seem intent on maintaining support for counterterrorism and counterinsurgency goals, but within the confines of Pakistan's national interests. Pakistan's actions indicate Islamabad conitnues to prioritize defending against perceived threats from India over the increasing threat emanating from the tribal areas."
His memo expresses some frustration with Pakistan operations against militants in its tribal areas. "Military operations in 2008 were on a larger scale than in previous years, but have had the same mixed results – short-term disruptions to militant activities ultimately ending in peace agreements which seem to benefit militants more than government interests."
Blair seems to indicate that while the US intelligence community is worried about Pakistani stability, that it does not think a collapse is imminent. "The military, primarily the Army, serves as the instrument of last resort in managing unrest and would intervene to help restore order in the event that social upheaval threatened to exceed the ability of local police and security forces to control."