Star Trek: "Plato's Stepchildren"

Above, the famous kiss.

While viewing some of the Star Trek movies starring the original series cast, I found that some sets Paramount Pictures used looked cheap and obviously sets. Some sets of the Genesis Planet in Star Trek III: The Search For Spock looked very cheap. I still enjoyed the movies anyway.

But those cannot compare to the cheapness of the Star Trek original series sets. Last night, I watched the 3rd season episode, "Plato's Stepchildren". It reminded me that I didn't watch the original series as, even as a kid, I felt the show looked cheap. 

In case nobody remembers this particular episode, here's a synopsis:

The telekinetically powerful Platonians hold Capt Kirk and Mr Spock prisoner when Dr McCoy refuses to remain behind as Parmen's personal physician.

Even the acting in this episode left much to be desired. It was interesting seeing a young Barbara Babcock (Dallas, Space Cowboys). And, the famous first television interracial kiss between Captain Kirk and Lt. Uhura. I didn't think it was such a big deal. 

One blogger wrote of the episode:

While much of this episode is horrible, the series managed to slip by the censors some great moments that make it worth viewing.

Well, I'll give it that.

At least the sets in Star Trek: The Next Generation looked better to me.

2 Years Since Texas Trip

Above, dinner at Cattlemen's Steakhouse at the Fort Worth Stockyards.

It is sometimes incredible at how time flies.

It was two years ago today that Mitch Geriminsky and I flew back to Albuquerque from Dallas Love Field following out little vacation jaunt to Dallas-Fort Worth. Once we got back to Albuquerque, I bought a new set of tires for the motorhome.

Above, at the John Wayne: An American Experience exhibit. Photo by Mitch Geriminsky.

We had a good time wandering around both cities and visited the John Wayne: An American Experience museum, the 6th Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza, Southfork Ranch, Billy Bob's Texas and the Fort Worth Stockyards. We also enjoyed some Texas cuisine at Cattlemen's Steakhouse at the Fort Worth Stockyards. I hadn't been to Billy Bob's Texas since I was in Dallas for the 1984 Republican National Convention. We also stopped at the Best Maid Pickles store in Fort Worth.

Above, at Southfork Ranch.

Flying to Dallas Love Field was a lot easier as it is a smaller airport than the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, which is like a city on its own. 

Above, having a brew at Billy Bob's Texas. Photo by Mitch Geriminsky.

One does not immediately think of Dallas or Fort Forth, Texas as vacation spots, but the trip was interesting. I recommend it for those who need a place to travel to. 

"Dallas" Southfork Ranch Sold To Developer

Above, yours truly at Southfork Ranch last year. Photo by Mitch Geriminsky.

The famed Southfork Ranch that was featured in the prime time soap Dallas has been sold to a developer. But they pledge to keep it open.

The ranch will remain pretty much the same and tours will continue. A friend and I visited the ranch last year.

It is said that actor Larry Hagman's (J. R. Ewing) ashes were scattered on the ranch in 2012. 

According to the Fort Worth Business Press:

The famed Southfork Ranch has a new owner. But the purchaser, Centurion American Development Group, promises nothing will change about the history of the site, which was the setting for the fictional Ewing family’s home in the classic TV series Dallas.

“Our intent is to keep the operation of it as it being the house J.R. lived in,” said Centurion American Vice President Sean Terry. “Maybe upgrade some things a bit, like modernize the events center. But the house itself, you won’t be able to tell a difference.”

And yes, Terry said tours will still be held for the public, even as the work is being done.

“We think the repairs we need to make we can do while keeping it open,” he said.

The purchase of the property previously managed by Forever Resorts includes 241 acres spanning both sides of Murphy Road south of Parker Road in the Collin County city of Parker.  Of that, 40 acres is the area made famous in Dallas, including the Southfork Mansion conference and event center. The  rest is open green space.

Above, yours truly and Mitch Geriminsky on the Southfork ranch house balcony.

To read more, go here. 

Bond's Return: Borrow More From "You Only Live Twice"

Now that No Time To Die has been out for several months in theaters and home video along with word-of-mouth about James Bond's death at the end of the movie is common knowledge now, I can discuss it without fear of including spoilers.

People are questioning, rightfully so, on how the Bond movie series will continue. Will it be rebooted again? Or will it pick up where No Time To Die left off? I prefer the latter as it would be more in keeping with Ian Fleming.

Much of the elements of No Time To Die were lifted from Fleming's You Only Live Twice. The Sean Connery film version of 1967 did not follow the book, so it would be useless to even discuss it. So, from here on, references to YOLT will be book-based.

Eon Productions can introduce the new James Bond by lifting more from YOLT. 

There is an article at The James Bond Social Media Project that gives one some ideas for the next movie in bringing Bond back. I am not sure when it was written. 

The following quotes from the article includes passages highlighted by me in bold that can be templates for the next move.

Here's goes:

The Ian Fleming book from which the movie is “based” is a dark, plotless revenge story that takes place in the aftermath of the death of Bond’s new wife in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. M is planning to dismiss Bond from the service because he’s been incapable of performing his duties. Rather than sack him outright, M gives Bond the opportunity to redeem himself as part of the diplomatic branch of the service.

Devoid of action-packed thrills, the novel proves impossible content for escapist entertainment. At best 20% of the novel concerns actual “espionage.” The Bond character in You Only Live Twice finds himself caught between the love of country and the loss of his wife. This is Bond on the fringe, a shell of his former self. Drinking to excess, mired in notions of mortality and morality. Once he discovers Shatterhand’s true identity, the narrative becomes driven by grim revenge but Bond is again given a reason to live.

And perhaps this is why I found Fleming’s You Only Live Twice to be such a fascinating novel. As an outlier it challenges the Bond image, which by the time of this novel’s 1964 release had been firmly established through 11 prior books and 3 movies. In the end, Bond succeeds in killing Blofeld, destroying the castle but the physical trauma of the mission renders him an amnesiac. His superiors believe him to be dead, and Bond goes back to living (albeit this time sincerely) as a fisherman, fake-married to Kissy Suzuki. After a few months, Bond leaves for Russia, drawn there because he thinks he can uncover his true identity. Kissy knows he will not return and she does not tell him that she is pregnant with his child.

Here's how the above can use those elements. 

Bond, following the missile attack on the "Garden of Death" island, is wounded and amnesiac. He is found alive, after being thought dead, and is sent off for months of healing and rehabilitation. This is where the "opportunity to redeem himself" by M comes in. After rehab, he is sent to Japan or Russia. Since the loss of Madeline Swann and their daughter were due to the Heracles nanobots he was poisoned with, he is out for revenge against Blofeld. But Blofeld was killed in No Time To Die, right? Well, maybe he faked his death or an imposter was involved. Or, someone even bigger in the Spectre organization than Blofeld was involved. The possibilities are endless. 

It is fun to speculate. Still, my bottom line is that the Bond series should not be rebooted again. The ending of No Time To Die offers many future "cliffhanger" resolution possibilities. Rebooting would be a cheat after fans have invested so much in the Daniel Craig movies. In a previous blog post, I joked that Bond's death was another dream of Pam Ewing of Dallas. That one is definitely not going to happen, it's safe to say.

Producer Barbara Broccoli recently said that she doesn't know how Bond will be brought back. They're still thinking about it. I believe her. 

T + L: Biggest Travel Mistakes of Retirees

Above, a couple of geezers on the balcony of the main house at Southfork Ranch in Texas.

Since 2015, I have been joyfully retired. Except for a "slight bump in the road" when I had a heart attack (or something) that required two stents in an artery in 2018, it has been an enjoyable time.

Besides the usual camping trips such as the Great American Eclipse trip, the near cross-country trip to Metropolis, Illinois and others, I have also been to Key West, Florida, Havana, Cuba, Wells (Nevada) Fun Run, Idaho Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas and several clampouts, just to name a few.

Retirees have the benefit of plenty of time to travel (just watch the money) and some can be prone to making mistakes. 

Travel + Leisure posted an article on mistakes retirees have made so that others can avoid them.

They begin it with:

Travel is high on the list of plans for many retirees. With time available for longer trips, retirees want to explore new places, visit family, and spend time with friends. Even experienced travelers encounter problems along the way, many of which are unavoidable. For those new to taking extended trips, cruises, or international journeys, there can be a lot to learn.

Travel + Leisure heard from retirees across the U.S. who shared stories about difficulties they encountered on trips, with the hopes of saving someone else from making the same mistakes. Here are a few of the lessons they learned the hard way.

The first one mentioned was a hard lesson, after having to deal with the vast airports of Phoenix Sky Harbor, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and Las Vegas McCarran International Airport (now the Harry Reid International Airport). 

To read more, go here.

James Bond: One Morning At Southfork Ranch...

Above, the main house at Southfork Ranch. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Now that No Time To Die has been out and many have seen it resulting in lots of online chatter. There's speculation on what will happen in the series since "James Bond Will Return" was shown after the end credits.

Some speculate that the series will pick up from NTTD or be totally rebooted again (sorry, but I am tired of reboots of movie series, as Batman, Superman and Spider Man movies being good examples). 

On a more humorous vein, here's how Bond 26 could start:

Bond 26's beginning:

Pam Ewing (Victoria Principal) will wake up and tells Bobby (Patrick Duffy) that she had the most incredible dream. Bobby tells her she had too many dry martinis at dinner.

This is about as plausible as anything else I've read over the past 24 hours since I saw the movie yesterday. 

Southfork's Real Interiors

Above, the Southfork Ranch house. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The interiors of the Southfork Ranch main house is far different than what we saw on the Dallas television show.

The interiors on the show were in soundstages in Hollywood and designed by Lorimar's set designers.

We toured the inside of the house while at the ranch and here's some of what the rooms actually looked like. Some where named after the main characters of the show.

 

Above, according to the tour guide, this room was actually used as
 the murder scene of J. R. Ewing in Mexico in the reboot show. 

Return To The Stockyards?

Since we saw everything in Dallas and Fort Worth we came to see, today will be a "kick-back" day in Texas. Last night, we drove around Fort Worth with no particular place to see. 

There's plenty of brochures in the hotel lobby of attractions in the area, we'll check to see what, if anything, sounds interesting.

We came to see the 6th Floor Museum/Dealey Plaza in Dallas, Southfork Ranch, Billy Bob's and the Stockyards in Fort Worth. We may end up going to the Stockyards Station, which is a shopping mall,  for a few hours. We haven't seen it yet.

We'll be heading back to Albuquerque tomorrow, where, upon arrival, I have to get some new tires on The Beast before going back to Jamestown. 

Probably the best time to visit the Stockyards is in the spring or summer months, when it is warmer and the attractions are in full operation. Even now, it is a fun place to visit.

A Visit To Southfork Ranch

Above, yours truly in front of the Southfork ranch house. Photo by Mitch Geriminsky.

Today was spent visiting Southfork Ranch, the setting of the Ewing Oil family from television's Dallas series on CBS. It is about 30 miles north of the city of Dallas.

We arrived there right when it opened and were the first to be given a tour of the inside of the house and a self-guided tour of the grounds, including Jock Ewing's (Jim Davis) Lincoln town car.

The inside of the house wasn't used in the series, except for a few rooms during the revival series (including the room where J. R. Ewing (Larry Hagman) was killed (as part of his "masterpiece").

There is also a "museum" of Dallas artifacts to walk through before the tour.

Our tour guide told us a little tidbit of trivia. She said John Wayne was approached to play the role of Jock Ewing, but he turned it down due to his cancer and suggested instead Jim Davis. She said Davis was "down on his luck" at the time and Wayne helped him out by suggesting him for the role.

Also, Larry Hagman's ashes are said to have been scattered on the ranch.

The house is much smaller than what is depicted on the show. Tricks were used during filming to make the house look much larger.

Still, it was an interesting place to visit and I recommend it to fans of Dallas.

Of course, I took some photographs:

Above, the actual dining set used in the show. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, a replica portrait of Jim Davis as Jock Ewing on the mantel. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, eagle sculpture once owned by Larry Hagman. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the Southfork pool from the rear balcony. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, Mitch and I on the rear balcony that overlooks the pool. 

Above, Mitch Geriminsky in front of the main house. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, yours truly in front of the main house. Photo by Mitch Geriminsky.

Above, a view of the pool and the area behind the house. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, Jock Ewing's (Jim Davis) Lincoln. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, a familiar view of the Southfork ranch house. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Today's Agenda: Southfork Ranch

Since the 6th Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza isn't open until tomorrow, we'll be heading over to Southfork Ranch, where Dallas was filmed, today.

Dawn Wells, R.I.P.

Above, Dawn Wells.

This is another tough one.

The personalities of our youth are leaving us at a rapid pace.

Actress Dawn Wells, who played Mary Ann on television's Gilligan's Island in the 1960s has passed away at age 82 from complications of COVID-19. 

It never occurred to me that she was born five years after my mom. I used to watch Gilligan's Island back when it was first run. 

The only remaining star of Gilligan's Island now is Tina Louise, who played movie star Ginger (and, later, Julie Gray on Dallas).

R.I.P.

Wanna Buy A Cattle Ranch?

Above, the ranch house and outbuildings. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Today, I took a "Sunday drive" up to McGaffey Lake in the Cibola National Forest in New Mexico. While there, I decided to do some exploring in places I hadn't been to before.

I drove north of McGaffey Recreational Area on McGaffey road. Along the way, I passed cattle out grazing in grassy meadows.

Above, approaching the ranch. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

About a mile or so out of the recreational area, I left the Cibola National Forest. A little ways ahead, I spotted a ranch house with outbuildings and grazing cattle in the distance.

At the ranch's gate, there was a "for sale" sign. There was no indication on the asking price, but it did have a phone number.

Above, another view of the ranch. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It wasn't exactly Southfork Ranch of Dallas, but it seemed to be a nice enough place with lots of potential. It was in a beautiful area with pine-covered hills and grassy fields.

Above, the "for sale" sign with the house and outbuildings in the background. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

So I snapped a few photos of the ranch and headed back to McGaffey.

After getting home, I checked Zillow and one other real estate website but found no listings for this ranch. Maybe it is up for sale by the owner.

Above, the "for sale" sign and more of the ranch field. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

If you're interested, you have the phone number.

Whatever Became of...Susan Howard?

Above, Susan Howard in Dallas.

Yesterday, I was reading the latest issue of the NRA's magazine, American Rifleman, and was going through an article about the latest election results for the NRA's board of directors. One name caught my attention.

Susan Howard.

The only Susan Howard that I knew of was the actress who played Donna Culver Krebbs on television's Dallas series.

So I did some checking and found the following (from Wikipedia):

Jeri Lynn Mooney (born January 28, 1944), better known as Susan Howard, is an American actress, writer, and political activist. She is perhaps best known for portraying the character Donna Culver Krebbs on the primetime serial Dallas (1979–87), and as a co-star of the series Petrocelli (1974–76). She is also a screenwriter and member of the Writers Guild of America. 

Since leaving television, Howard has become an increasingly active supporter of conservative causes, especially for gun rights. In 1989, she was co-host of "The 700 Club". Howard has been active in the leadership of both the National Rifle Association and the Texas Republican Party. Howard has served as a commissioner of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and is currently a commissioner of the Texas Commission on the Arts. She became involved in the NRA after meeting Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre at the 1988 Republican National Convention in New Orleans.

There is a photo with the American Rifleman article and Susan Howard in the photo is the same Susan Howard from Dallas.

Now I know why there was something about her I liked.

By the way, Susan Howard won her election to the NRA Board of Directors.

July Better Than June

Above, The Beast at the Manzanar visitor center parking lot. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Where the heck is this year going? It seems almost recently that we were in January. Now we're in August.

While the first half of the year was rather crappy (with some exceptions), at least the second half started out better. At least July was a better month than June was.

July began with my cousin's annual 4th of July (held on July 2) bash down in Wildomar, California. It was great to see family members in a festive mood.

Above, a meadow in Devil's Postpile National Monument. Photo by Armnd Vaquer.

Following that, Jes and I went to the Ventura Beach RV Resort for a few days of relaxation. She had never camped in an RV before and she enjoyed it.

After this, I headed up the Owens Valley in the Eastern Sierra with my cat Sierra and visited places that I hadn't been to before such as Manzanar Relocation Camp, Devil's Postpile National Monument, Mammoth Lakes and Tioga Pass in Yosemite National Park. I am happy that I'm getting plenty of use out of The Beast.

Above, at Japantown in West Los Angeles. Photo by Anastasia Lipovetskaya.

I commissioned a portrait in July and it was only completed a few days ago. I am working on holding an "unveiling party" to be held in the not-too-distant-future.

I bought DVD sets of Dallas and finished watching Seasons One through Three. Yesterday, I picked up Season Four (the "Who shot J.R.?" storyline) and now in the middle of side one of disc one. It is fun watching my onetime favorite television show after all these years, especially the insults J.R. Ewing (Larry Hagman) threw at people ("Sue Ellen, you're a drunk, a tramp, and an unfit mother.") Classic!

That reminds me. There's still some legal matters to attend to this month, but I feel confident that I will prevail in them. Most, if not all, were forced by the actions of a couple of female jackasses. There's not much to do except to deal with them and move on.

July ended with an enjoyable dinner at Maria's Italian Kitchen in Encino with Dawn. We'll see how August shapes up.

"Dallas"

One of my television "guilty pleasures" over the decades was watching the prime-time soap Dallas on Friday nights on CBS-TV. I am speaking of the original series that aired from 1978 to 1991. I haven't seen the revival series on TNT. The original series was my favorite television show for most of its run.

About a month or so ago, I picked up the first two seasons of Dallas on DVD at the CD Trader near my house. The first season was actually a 5-part mini-series. Things didn't really kick into high gear until CBS made it a regular series, starting with Season Two.

While I was familiar with the characters and general plot(s) of the show, I hadn't watched it since the episodes aired 38 years ago. So, in essence, it almost seems like watching them for the first time.

Back then, the original characters were Ellie Southworth Ewing (Barbara Bel Geddes), Jock Ewing (Jim Davis), Bobby Ewing (Patrick Duffy), Cliff Barnes (Ken Kercheval), J.R. Ewing (Larry Hagman), Pam Ewing (Victoria Principal), Sue Ellen Ewing (Linda Gray), Ray Krebbs (Steve Kanaly) and Lucy Ewing (Charlene Tilton).

The plots centered around the wealthy and feuding Ewing Family, and oil and ranching family based in Dallas, Texas, especially with the dastardly schemes of J. R. Ewing. Larry Hagman made the character "the villain you loved to watch".

I finished watching seasons one and two. I picked up Season Three (1979-80) a week ago at CD Trader and currently watching the season's 25 episodes, which will have the season end with the famous shooting of J. R. Ewing. For the summer hiatus, people wondered, "Who shot J.R.?" That season-ending cliffhanger was so popular that there were buttons sold at the 1980 Republican National Convention in Detroit that read, "A Democrat Shot J.R." Four years later, the GOP held their next convention in Dallas, Texas. One of the activities offered to delegates and their families were tours of Southfork Ranch, that was used in the show.

It looks like I'll have to buy Season Four once I finish with Season Three. It has been fun watching it again after all these years.