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On the 20th July 1969 man finally touched down on another terrestrial body, namely the moon. It is one of those  ‘where were you when’ moments in a persons life that you will always remember. At the time I was at primary school and we were all glued to the public address system listening to the preparation of Neil doing his one giant leap for all mankind. I have to admit that most of my fellow students were more interested in getting some free time away from their schoolwork but me and my nerdy mates were captivated. It was actually going to happen. We were going to set foot onto another world – even though it was just our moon.
There have been all sorts of conspirators theories about did it actually happen. Did they really go to the moon or was it just a hoax movie. But you always get that from a minority that love to look for something that might be missing. I think the biggest conspiracy of the time was actually the early cancellation of the original series of Star Trek on the 3rd June 1969. That was just 47 days before the moon landing. If you add 4+7 you get 11 (Apollo 11). What did I tell you? Just to prove anyone can have a theory. You could now link Paramount to the hoax moon-landing movie. ‘Yeah Right’
Any how just for a bit of fun, I had a look around to see what else was happening in the world that, the moon landing over shadowed. I found some very interesting tit bits. In June, July and August of 1969 a lot of memorable stuff was going down.
Jun 3. The last episode of Star Trek aired on NBC which was Turnabout Intruder. This was a tragedy.
Jul 7. The first U.S. troops withdrew from South Vietnam left Saigon. Remember the Vietnam War?
Jul 11. David Bowie released his single “Space Oddity,”. It was supposed to be in conjunction with the July 20 Apollo 11 moon landing. Fact or fiction
Jul 18. A car driven by Senator Edward M. Kennedy plunged off a bridge on Chappaquiddick Island. His passenger, 28-year-old Mary Jo Kopechne died in the accident. There was a scandal about why he ran from the scene.
Aug 5. The space probe Mariner 7 flew by Mars, sending back 127 photographs and scientific data.
Aug 8. In England Iain MacMillan took pictures of the Beatles as they crossed Abbey Road for the cover of their “Abbey Road” album.
Aug 9. Actress Sharon Tate and four other people were found brutally murdered in her Los Angeles home by the cult leader Charles Manson and some of his disciples.
Aug 15 to 18. The Woodstock Music and Art Fair was held at Max Yasgur’s dairy farm in the Bethel hamlet of White Lake, New York. 400,000 young people attended it.
So you can see 1969 was a very hot year. Where were you on the 20th July 1969?
Date of Birth: 14th February 1970
Star Sign: Aquarius
Nick Name: The Peggster
Born: Gloucester, Gloucestershire, England, UK
Height: 5′ 10″ (1.78 m)
Best known roles:
- Shaun, the unhappy appliance man, in 2004′s zombie comedy “Shaun of the Dead”
- Insecure ex-boyfriend Dennis Doyle in 2007′s “Run Fatboy Run”
- Disillusioned writer Sydney Young in 2008′s “How to Lose Friends & Alienate People.”
Known for British comedies such as”Spaced”, ”Shaun of the Dead” and “Hot Fuzz,” Pegg was the main contender for the role of Scotty.
Simon Pegg didn’t jump at the chance to play the “can do” engineer first time around. But he revealed that didn’t want to do an impression of “James Doohan”, because he considers him as a legend. Instead Pegg wanted to make it a tribute to James.
Pegg was so overwhelmed by Abrams’ offer that he emailed the director saying, ‘I don’t know if I can do it. It’s too big.’” He emailed a second time saying, “Hang on, let me think about it.”
His road to “Star Trek” indecision began in 1993, when the sharp wit moved to London to become a stand-up comic.
In 1995 Pegg’s acclaimed one-man show attracted the interest of TV producers. That break lead to appearances on hit Brit shows like “Asylum” and “Six Pairs of Pants.”
Pegg’s sitcom “Spaced” (1998 to 2004), which he co-created and co-wrote with Jessica Stevenson, earned him a nomination for a British Comedy Award.
TV fame lead to Pegg’s film debut in the 1999 comedy, “Guest House Paradiso.” He later appeared in 2005′s “Mission Impossible III” and 2007′s “Run Fatboy Run.”
Peg’s youthful Scotty is galaxies far away from the great engineer he’ll become. But his portrayal should have Trekkies toasting him with their best Saurian Brandy!
So In the words of the Peggster – “Okey dokey then. Hope you guys boldly go this weekend and if you do, I hope you enjoy it. I’m very proud of this movie and of everybody involved with it. It’s a hell of a ride, so in the words of one James Tiberius Kirk … buckle up.”
Source for this article is CTV
Date of Birth: 26th August 1980
Star Sign: Virgo
Nick Names: Peenè, Pinewood or Piney
Born: Los Angeles, California, United States
Height: 6′ 1″ (1.85 m)
Best known roles:
- Hunky Nicholas Devereaux in “The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement” (2004)
- Neo-Nazi skinhead Darwin Tremor in “Smokin’ Aces” (2006)
- Music manager Jake Hardin in the Lindsay Lohan flick, “Just My Luck” (2006)
Who ever thought that playing a sappy love interest for Anne Hathaway in “The Princess Diaries 2″ would lead Chris Pine to James T. Kirk, the smart-ass star cruiser of all time.
Dubbed by Variety magazine as one of 2008′s “Top Ten Actors” to watch, Pine defeated “Cloverfield’s” Mike Vogel to land this coveted role.
Early “Star Trek” clips show Pine to be an indomitable, rough-and-tumble Starfleet hero even Captain Kirk would envy.
It’s a career-altering break for the University of California English graduate who landed his first acting gig in a 2003′s episode of “ER.”
But acting is in Pine’s blood. His father, mother and late maternal grandmother were all actors. Pine’s granny, Anne Gwynne, co-starred in 1940′s sci-fi hit “Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe.” His dad, Robert Pine, counts a 1996 episode of “Star Trek Voyager” in his credits.
From his Romulan smackdowns to the icy determination in Pine’s blue eyes, this actor’s intergalactic fame is a no brainer after “Star Trek” blasts off.
He’s smart. He’s funny. He’s Brad Pitt but better. Warp speed ahead Mr. Pine. Live long and prosper!
Source for this article is CTV
Date of Birth: 2nd June 1977
Star Sign: Gemini
Nick Name: Zach
Born: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Height: 6′ 2″ (1.88 m)
Best known TV roles:
- Computer expert Adam Kaufman on “24″ (Season 3, 2003)
- Sasan, Tori Spelling’s haughty Persian-American pal, on “So noTORIous” (2006)
- Serial killer Sylar on “Heroes” (2006 – present)
Zachary who? Moviegoers won’t ponder that one after the credits wrap on “Star Trek.”
Making his feature film debut, Quinto plays Mr. Spock – one of the most iconic sci-fi characters of the last 60 years.
That’s a jump of several light years for this 1999 drama school graduate from Carnegie Mellon University. But it’s no surprise to Quinto.
In 2006, the half-Irish, half-Italian actor told an American interviewer that he felt he bore a strong resemblance to Leonard Nimoy, the original Mr. Spock. Lucky for Quinto, J.J. Abrams felt the same way.
In 2000, long shot Quinto made his TV debut in the short-lived series “The Others.” Subsequent, short-lived roles followed on “CSI,” “Six Feet Under” and “Lizzie McGuire.”
But in a cast bravely stacked with little-known actors, Quinto’s thoughtful exterior and rumbling inner emotions fit the bill for director Abrams and Nimoy.
In a recent SPACE interview Quinto credited Nimoy, his new best friend, for mentoring him on the many nuances in Spock’s character. The end result? A spot-on performance poised to make Quinto a huge star – with or without the pointy Vulcan ears.
Source for this article is CTV
Date of Birth: 19th June 1978
Star Sign: Gemini
Nick Name: None
Born: New Jersey, USA
Height: 5′ 7″ (1.70 m)
Best known roles:
- The feisty pirate Anamaria in 2003′s “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.”
We always knew Uhura was a total babe on the 1960s’ “Star Trek” series. But even her brainy beauty is ramped up by American actress Zoe Saldana.
As “Star Trek’s” leggy, fresh-faced communications officer, Saldana will have ensigns swooning faster than she can decode Romulan spy messages.
In fact, Saldana wanted to play Uhura because in a cabin full of men she was the only woman with a high rank.
Born in New Jersey and raised in Queens, New York, Saldana moved to the Dominican Republic at age 10 after her father’s death. There she studied at the ECOS Espacio de Danza Dance Academy, one of country’s most prestigious dance schools.
Returning to the U.S. at 17, Saldana made her film debut in the 2000 dance drama “Centre Stage.” That lead to roles in Britney Spears’ 2000 flick “Crossroads,” 2002′s “Drumline” and Tom Hanks’ 2004 drama “The Terminal.”
Yet it was slapping Johnny Depp in 2003′s “Pirates of the Caribbean” sequel that scored Saldana serious Hollywood attention – particularly from J.J. Abrams.
Smart, ballsy and unimpressed by smooth-talking flyboys like James T. Kirk, the steely-nerved Saldana should help make “Star Trek” a stunning ride.
Source for this article is CTV
Date of Birth: 7th June 1972
Star Sign: Gemini
Nick Name: None
Born: Wellington, New Zealand
Height: 6′ 1″ (1.85 m)
Best known roles:
- Shortland Street in the 1992 season
- Eomer, King of Rohan in the second and third instalments of “The Lord of the Rings”
- Russian assassin Kirill in 2004′s “The Bourne Supremacy”
- Necromonger Commander Vaako in 2004′s “The Chronicles of Riddick”
An acclaimed television actor in New Zealand, Urban landed his first serious acting role in 1993 in the TV series “Shortland Street.” He played a paramedic. Call it a fateful foreshadowing of a future medical role: “Star Trek’s” Dr. McCoy.
It’s a gamble by Hollywood’s standards. Yet in Urban J.J. Abrams found his youthful incarnation of the curmudgeonly Starfleet doctor who loathes space travel but can’t live without it.
Seen on the internationally syndicated American TV series “Hercules: The Legendary Journeys” and “Xena: Warrior Princess,” Urban got his big Hollywood break in 2002 in the horror film “Ghost Ship.”
Good reviews scored Urban parts in “The Lord of the Rings,” “The Bourne Supremacy” and “The Chronicles of Riddick.”
Reportedly considered to play James Bond in the 2006 remake of “Casino Royale,” the little-known actor lost out to Daniel Craig.
No worries Karl. After “Star Trek” blasts off, your days of losing to Daniel Craig are over.
Source for this article is CTV
Date of Birth: 16th June 1972
Star Sign: Gemini
Nick Name: None Yet
Born: Seoul, South Korea
Height: 5′ 10″ (1.78 m)
Best known roles:
- John, the guy who coined the expression “MILF” (Mother I’d Like F**k) in 1999′s “American Pie”
- Investment banker Harold Lee in 2004′s “Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle”
In a recent interview on SPACE John Cho described working with George Takei, “Star Trek’s” original Mr. Sulu. Takei encouraged the nervous actor with these words: “Don’t worry about…soon they’ll be calling me the old John Cho.”
Playing the famed “Star Trek” helmsman was a dream come true for Cho, particularly since Asian-Americans considered Takei a hero for representing their ethnic group so positively on TV.
Fencing, top-notch piloting skills, advanced physics…Cho does it all as Sulu, the biggest role of his career.
It’s a far cry from Cho’s early days as a teen model for Korean magazines – something he did after he and his family moved to Los Angeles in 1978.
Launching his acting career in local theatre, this 1996 English graduate from the University of Berkeley scored his first big-screen success with 1999′s “American Pie.”
Cho followed that comic hit with 2004′s “Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle.”
Named one of People magazine’s sexiest men alive in 2006, Cho’s sleek presence and deadly way with a fencing blade should help “Star Trek” kill at the summer box office.
Source for this article is CTV
Date of Birth: 11th March 1989
Star Sign: Pisces
Nick Name: None
Born: Leningrad, USSR [now St. Petersburg, Russia]
Height: 5′ 10″ (1.78 m)
Best known roles:
- Lonely boy Bobby Garfield in 2001′s “Hearts in Atlantis”
- Murder victim Zack Mazursky in 2006′s “Alpha Dog”
- The wealthy teen hero in 2007′s “Charlie Bartlett”
The son of star Russian figure skaters Irina Korina and Viktor Yelchin, Anton Yelchin is used to celebrity. Good thing. It’ll come in handy when “Star Trek” mega-fame comes calling this summer.
From Chekov’s thick Eastern European accent to his frustrated mumbles at the helm of U.S.S. Enterprise, Yelchin plays it smart in fast in “Star Trek’s” early previews.
No big surprise to Moviefone.com. In 2008 Yelchin ranked 12th on their list of “The 25 Hottest Actors Under 25.”
Living in America since 1989, Yelchin launched his film career at nine in the indie feature “A Man is Mostly Water.” Small roles followed in 2000′s “A Time for Dancing” and 2001′s “Delivering Milo.”
In 2001 the 11-year-old actor got his first taste of fame co-starring with Anthony Hopkins in the drama, “Hearts in Atlantis.” That movie, plus the 2004 comedy “House of D,” lead Yelchin to TV roles on “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “Huff” and the mini-series “Taken.”
The precocious actor bagged the role of Chekov without ever seeing the “Star Trek” series. After watching it, Yelchin described the youngest officer in Starfleet like “a Cold War stereotype meets Davey Jones.”
Look for Yelchin later this summer in “Terminator Salvation.”
Source for this article is CTV
We had the movie and now everyone is jumping onto the band wagon with the Sydney Symphony getting in on the act. This is great for us trekkers – we hav’nt had it so good. I am definetily buying tickets. Getting cultured and getting trekked at the same time – WOW. I am just so lucky that I am in Sydney at the moment. There seems to be only two shows so tickets have got to sell fast.
Heres the blurb from the Sydney Opera House
 It’s Star Trek, Jim, but not as we know it…
This September, experience highlights from all 11 Star Trek films as never before – on a giant movie screen played with a full orchestra at the Sydney Opera House! Sydney Symphony takes you on a journey back to 1979 where it all began with Star Trek The Motion Picture. They’ll help you discover more with The Voyage Home and First Contact – amongst others – and then end with scenes and music from the smash hit movie of 2009, Star Trek. As a tempting entrée, the first half will contain the music and imagery from Space Odyssey 2001 and Transformers.
A concert for the dedicated and new fans alike, this world premiere concert is not to be missed – resistance is futile!
Visit the Sydney Opera House for Bookings Here for the 4th and 5th Sept 2009
This is quite amazing. the York Maze in the UK, covers 32 acres – the equivalent of 15 football pitches. It was designed using satellite technology which meant the paths could be cut to an accuracy of half a metre.Farmer Tom Pearcy said it is the first time this technology has been used in maze design.
He added: “I’m a big fan of Star Trek and wanted to do my bit to help mark the 40th anniversary.
 It gave me the opportunity to use some instantly recognisable images in the design.
“By using the GPS satellite technology I have been able to be much more creative.”
And Mr Pearcy continued the theme by inviting Captain Jean-Luc Picard look-alike Giles Aston top perform the grand opening today.
Mr Aston said: “There are many events taking place around the world this year to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Star Trek.
“Creating he biggest maize maze in the world to mark the occasion is a fantastic tribute to the series.
“I know that Star Trek fans everywhere like myself will be thrilled to see this.”
The maze, which opens to the public on Saturday, is cut from a vast field of maize which is planted in May. The design is cut in June and the crop is then harvested in September to feed the local Jersey cows.
It contains 1.5 million individual plants.
In previous years Mr Pearcy has produced ever expanding mazes in the design of a Viking Longship, a Spiders Web, the Flying Scotsman and Big Ben
This guy is a Trekker Legend. See the Maze Here
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Whats Going On? Attention all Kiwi and Aussie Star Trekkers. If there is an event or
something happening in the world of Scifi (hopefully Star Trek), drop me a line
so I can tell everyone.
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