In the One With Ashley Judd, they disable Data because he can't be addicted to the game. However, they don't seem to have a problem addicting Geordi. Why would that be? The man's blind and his processing of visual information has to be vastly different than the rest of the crew.
I missed the beginning of the episode, so there was perhaps an explanation that I missed, but, hell, what else are we going to talk about?
Posted by Hobbes (Member # 138) on :
I haven't seen the episode in a long time, I can't even remember if La Forge was even on the ship at the time.
Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :
Why should it be all that different? I mean, he may not use his optic nerves, but he is still using his visual cortex.
Having said that, I don't remember what Geordi was up to in this episode either.
Posted by Topher (Member # 71) on :
I do remember near the end he and someone else were supposed to go to a starbase and spread the game there.
Posted by Mark Nguyen (Member # 469) on :
Yup. We never actually SEE him use the game, but he got zapped along with everyone else. I'm guessing that the alien redhead thought this up in advance, and allowed the game to zap him perhaps through his VISOR.
Counting this episode, that's THREE times bad guys have used his VISOR to do bad things to our heroes - the others being Brainwashed Assassin Geordi, and Clueless Webcam Geordi (both available as deluxe figures from convenientplotdevices.com). Luckily though, his losing streak with the thing fizzles out after he gets captured, heartbroken and loses the damn ship.
Anyone ever wonder why we never saw anyone else with a VISOR in all of modern Trek?
Mark
Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :
Perhaps Geordi's was substantially of his own design? I mean, he is an engineer, and while all the other blind kids were probably choosing the flattering and nigh-invisible models, he was down in the basement, wondering if there was a way he could wire his to pick up shortwave radio. He would not be the only engineer to prize a certain kind of utility over aesthetics (or, indeed, over his own comfort).
And while it isn't modern, there's that lady from TOS who looks suspiciously like Dr. Pulaski who had the sensors of her VISOR-like device woven into the fabric of her clothes. (Which is probably a better sf prognostication.) So I would guess that people who weren't really into leet hardware in the 24th century chose similar options.
Posted by Topher (Member # 71) on :
Or there's the whole cloning of eyes thing.
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
Well, we also know that other options were available to him early in the series (wasn't it Pulaski who said so?), but he preferred to stick with the VISOR.
Posted by Vice-Admiral Michael T. Colorge (Member # 144) on :
Yeah, Pulaski offered him Optical Implants... something he decided to do after Troi drove the Enterprise-D into a planet thanks to him.
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
Were they the same thing Pulaski offered him though?
I doubt it- Geordi's new eyes work just like his old VISOR did- he found Cochrane in the woods easily enough with them.
I always thought the "optical implants" this was more like Nog's synthetic leg than a tricorder.
Speaking of which, I always thought it stupid when Geordi relied on a tricorder at all- you'd think a small attachment to his visor would be better than anything handheld, then displayed on a small screen, translated via his visor into visual information and processed by his brain....though Geordi is by far the least inventive engineer in all of Trekdom.
Except for Torres- she also sucks pretty badly compared with Scotty or O'Brien- or even Rom!
Posted by tricky (Member # 1402) on :
Yeah, but Torres was the fastest worker, fixing the ship no matter the damage by the next week without a starbase. Although she also got the various warp improvements working... She just didn't make a big thing about it
Posted by Topher (Member # 71) on :
Yeah, but she couldn't get transwarp or quantum slipstream working. Scotty and O'Brien could've done that no sweat.
Posted by Johnny (Member # 878) on :
While Geordi would've accomplished it unwittingly, through some sort of VISOR/evil alien related accident?
Posted by WizArtist II (Member # 1425) on :
quote:Originally posted by Jason Abbadon: Except for Torres- she also sucks pretty badly compared with Scotty or O'Brien- or even Rom!
Wow.... I never knew Rom the Spaceknight was ever on Trek.
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
That's Rom:Space Toaster to you, pallie.
Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :
(Come to think of it, it should be "One of the Two With Ashley Judd," no?)
Posted by Topher (Member # 71) on :
But Darmok is so forgettable...
Posted by AndrewR (Member # 44) on :
Um... Darmok is one of TNG's best episodes. Sorry if you were posting a sarcastic post.
Posted by HerbShrump (Member # 1230) on :
Darmok: "Regan, when he had Alzheimers, at California."
Posted by WizArtist II (Member # 1425) on :
Posted by WizArtist II (Member # 1425) on :
quote:Originally posted by Jason Abbadon: That's Rom:Space Toaster to you, pallie.
I use my Neutralizer (or in your case Neuterizer) to banish you to Limbo!
Posted by Griffworks (Member # 1014) on :
Just so long as Jason can't father any children, it doesn't really matter. That way, the future is safe. Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
I'll adopt a gaggle of orphans (it's the trendy celebrity thing this year) and raise them as my own personal clan of sci-fi loving, scale modeling, sarcastic miscreants.
quote:Originally posted by WizArtist II:
quote:Originally posted by Jason Abbadon: That's Rom:Space Toaster to you, pallie.
I use my Neutralizer (or in your case Neuterizer) to banish you to Limbo!
You know, that whole premise would make for a great space-based series- they'd have to go with a darker attitude, and update the Spaceknight's look some (less boxy) but it works better than stuff like Green Lantern (where they all just do good for good's sake and all that jazz).
Posted by AndrewR (Member # 44) on :
quote:Originally posted by WizArtist II:
quote:Originally posted by Jason Abbadon: That's Rom:Space Toaster to you, pallie.
I use my Neutralizer (or in your case Neuterizer) to banish you to Limbo!
What about a Neutraliser?
Posted by The Mighty Monkey of Mim (Member # 646) on :
S is for stupid.
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
Damnit, I was hoping this was a thread where LaForge decided to silence his critics who claim he is the worst chief engineer in Star Trek by fighting Triple H. In a 20 foot high steel cage!
I would watch that. Especially if Colin Powell was the ref.
Posted by B.J. (Member # 858) on :
quote:Originally posted by Jason Abbadon: I'll adopt a gaggle of orphans (it's the trendy celebrity thing this year) and raise them as my own personal clan of sci-fi loving, scale modeling, sarcastic miscreants.
That'll backfire on you before you can say "teen angst", since anything *you* like will suddenly become completely lame.
B.J.
Posted by B.J. (Member # 858) on :
quote:Originally posted by Jason Abbadon: I'll adopt a gaggle of orphans (it's the trendy celebrity thing this year) and raise them as my own personal clan of sci-fi loving, scale modeling, sarcastic miscreants.
That'll backfire on you before you can say "teen angst", since anything *you* like will suddenly become completely lame.
B.J.
Posted by B.J. (Member # 858) on :
There seems to be an echo in here.
Posted by WizArtist II (Member # 1425) on :
Actually...I here the Menendez boys are looking for new parents....
Posted by Toadkiller (Member # 425) on :
Here hear.
What? I thought it was funny.
But I've been drinking.
Posted by OnToMars (Member # 621) on :
Right well, as for why Geordi still has the VISOR when seems likely that he had other options, I would imagine it's because being an engineer/scientist type person, he enjoyed the extra functionality the VISOR gave him over cloned eyes, what with the infrared and ultraviolet and particle-of-the-week seeing and all. I'm sure artificial eyes were available in his time, but perhaps not without the functionality that the VISOR gave him, at least until sometime before First Contact.
Then again, you would think that that sort of reasoning would come up at some point where he goes emo over being blind, either in Insurrection or whatever the other episode was where he bitched about being blind.
Also, while certainly not canon, I remember reading one of those Starfleet Academy books from way back in the day that featured Geordi at the Academy. They were sent to this low-grav planet for field excercises and a cadet on another team complained about Geordi having an unfair advantage over everyone else because of his extended eye sight. Geordi let the kid put on his VISOR and feel the "ice picks in the temple" feeling that Geordi apparently felt all the time, but dealt with. I don't know, I like it.
Posted by OnToMars (Member # 621) on :
Right well, as for why Geordi still has the VISOR when seems likely that he had other options, I would imagine it's because being an engineer/scientist type person, he enjoyed the extra functionality the VISOR gave him over cloned eyes, what with the infrared and ultraviolet and particle-of-the-week seeing and all. I'm sure artificial eyes were available in his time, but perhaps not without the functionality that the VISOR gave him, at least until sometime before First Contact.
Then again, you would think that that sort of reasoning would come up at some point where he goes emo over being blind, either in Insurrection or whatever the other episode was where he bitched about being blind.
Also, while certainly not canon, I remember reading one of those Starfleet Academy books from way back in the day that featured Geordi at the Academy. They were sent to this low-grav planet for field excercises and a cadet on another team complained about Geordi having an unfair advantage over everyone else because of his extended eye sight. Geordi let the kid put on his VISOR and feel the "ice picks in the temple" feeling that Geordi apparently felt all the time, but dealt with. I don't know, I like it.
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
"Geordi let the kid put on his VISOR and feel the 'ice picks in the temple' feeling that Geordi apparently felt all the time, but dealt with."
Not that makes any sense. The kid wouldn't have had the blinky little implants in his head that connect the VISOR to his brain. Without that, he's just sticking a glorified hairband over his eyes.
Posted by AndrewR (Member # 44) on :
They should have kicked that Cadet's arse outta Starfleet then and there!
Was it a Cardassian that said to Geordi that he wouldn't have survived birth with his condition? Or was it a Romulan?-
Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
Romulan. Centurian Mushy Legs on Galorndan Core (SP)
Posted by Timo (Member # 245) on :
Romulan, in "The Enemy"...
Generally, it seemed that the Romulans were the "We're superior because we ARE" guys, whereas the Cardassians had fewer hang-ups about biology and instead said "We're superior because we do everything better and with more discipline and devotion than the others". Granted, we never quite saw a disabled, prosthetics-reliant Cardassian, but I wouldn't put it past that species to accept birth deformity or the like if the person still served the state admirably.
Timo Saloniemi
Posted by AndrewR (Member # 44) on :
The Cardassians probably had (past tense after watching the last episodes of season 7 again on TV) a 'Spartan' type thing going on - where they put newborns out in the elements and the ones that survived were 'worthy' to keep on living.
Posted by OnToMars (Member # 621) on :
quote:Not that makes any sense. The kid wouldn't have had the blinky little implants in his head that connect the VISOR to his brain. Without that, he's just sticking a glorified hairband over his eyes.
Well, I don't remember the details of the situation, perhaps those things helped mitigate the pain and sort the information into his brain, but still receiving the signals was possible without them. All I really remember is the kid got his come uppance and the VISOR wasn't a generally pleasant experience for Geordi.
And somebody broke their leg.
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
quote:Originally posted by WizArtist II: Actually...I here the Menendez boys are looking for new parents....
They're too old. besides, they'd never fit into the tiny cages I have picked out
quote:Originally posted by Timo: Romulan, in "The Enemy"...
Generally, it seemed that the Romulans were the "We're superior because we ARE" guys, whereas the Cardassians had fewer hang-ups about biology and instead said "We're superior because we do everything better and with more discipline and devotion than the others". Granted, we never quite saw a disabled, prosthetics-reliant Cardassian, but I wouldn't put it past that species to accept birth deformity or the like if the person still served the state admirably.
Timo Saloniemi
I doubt any birth defects are allowed- it would be both inefficent and embarassing to a family (and family is everything to a Cardassian). I can certainly see a lot of war vetrans with advanced prosthetics though- it would be a mark of distinguished service.
Posted by Shakaar (Member # 1782) on :
*ponders who the best and worst engineer was* Geordi did have the most: "Oh crap! This ain't good!" *Cool shot of him rolling under the isolation door as Engineering fills with toxic coolant gas* momemts. Torres like lost the warp core once- but I think Seven wanted to rig some Borg technology to the ship that she just knew she could make work... So I can't fault Torres too much... Scotty... he always lied about how long things would take to get done so he'd look better than he was when he got things done faster. Rom- he fixed things, but he was such a bumbler too... O'Brien... now that was a fix-it guy! He had the engineering gene I think! Even his Mirror Universe counterpart... heck... he went from Terran slave fellow who fixed trinkets... to "I done figured out interdimensional transporters, stole the plans for the Defiant, and built myself one outta spare parts I had laying about! And he probably built the thing quicker than Utopia Planetia did! Give the man a round of applause! Tripp was also a good engineer- but the technology in that era was much more primative, as it was in Scotty's day, that it's difficult to judge.
I did read an article where a VISOR had been created. It'd only been used on one test patient- they had complete loss of vision due to optic nerve damage, and doctors and scientists were able to build a webcam like device, that could send signals directly into his visual cortext.... via a cable he plugged into his skull on the side of his head. The more he used it the more his brain adapted to the signal and the better it worked...
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