Movie Review--Star Trek

Wow. That's all I really have to say. But for the sake of actually writing, you know, a review, I'll say a little more.

I'm a Star Trek fan from way back. If I say how far back it'll totally date me, but let's just say my memories go all the way back to original series. I was excited about the first movie, even more excited when Wrath of Khan came out, followed Next Generation religiously for several years, loved Deep Space Nine, and then lost interest in Voyager. I wanted Enterprise to re-spark my interest in this long-time fannish love, but it failed in spite of the presence of Scott Bakula. When I stopped paying enough attention to even notice when Captain Archer had his shirt off, I knew it was time to let it go.

And then came this weekend's reboot.

Having gotten mired in the increasingly convoluted world of Lost, I had understandable trepidations when JJ Abrams stepped up to take over the Star Trek franchise. When the previews starting coming out, I started nourishing a cautious optimism.

My optimism was rewarded when I saw the movie this weekend.

This re-visioning of Star Trek balances respect for the original series and its characters with a need to move forward into a tone that fits better with today's cinematic expectations. The movie tears along at a crisp clip, introducing characters in such a way that an old-time Trekker like me is quickly snared by nostalgia, while those new to the series, like my son, aren't lost. The characterizations of the original crew are just new enough to work in the new milieux, and just enough like their previous incarnations that you recognize them as soon as they arrive on-screen. The plot is a bit convoluted and would probably collapse under close scrutiny, but the combination of time travel and alien involvement is classic Trek (actually, more accurately, it's classic Next Generation). One sequence struck me as a bit over the top, falling a bit too far into slapstick, but overall this was a fine, fine ride. So fine, in fact, I'll probably be going to see it again.

Starbucks Via

A few months ago, Starbucks ventured into the world of instant coffee. This would seem to fly in the face of everything Starbucks stands for. After all, the quintessential coffeehouse experience involves slow, loving coffee production, ensuring just the right amount of foam on your latte, and a relaxed drinking experience. Instant coffee? That's for people who don't really appreciate the complexity of the coffee experience.

At least it might seem that way for those of us for whom instant coffee means Sanka or Nescafe. Let's face it--that stuff really isn't worth of the name "coffee."

Starbucks Via totally is.

Via is packaged in single-serving portions, 12 to a box. For $9.95 a box, this might seem steep, but that's less than a dollar per cup for coffee that's frankly pretty damn good. The coffee inside isn't the weird, styrofoam-like pellets of many instant coffees, but is "soluble, microground" coffee. It looks like actual coffee grounds, but much finer even than espresso. It dissolves easily in hot water, not leaving lumps like flavored instant coffees (think General Foods International Coffees). Just heat up your water, pour in your coffee and stir, and you've got a cup of java just about as good as the regular drip at Starbucks.

Best G1 Android Phone Games (So Far)

As with many of the new smart phones, several game apps are available for the Google G-1. Some of my favorites so far:

WordPops: Make words as letters "fall" up from the bottom of the screen. A cross between Tetris and Boggle. Comes in a free version (WordPops Lite), but worth the $.99 purchase price for the wider array of usable letters.

Tic Tac Toe: Some of the Tic Tac Toe versions were ponderous and difficult to use, but the free app I found on a quick search of the Android store is fun and fast-moving. It's a great game to play with the kids at restaurants when you're waiting for your food and you've run out of Tic Tac Toe grids on the kids' menu.

AlphaMixr: Also available in a free version, but again worth the $.99 purchase price. Form as many words as you can out of a set of supplied letters while racing the clock.

Healthy Choice Cafe Steamers

I saw these on sale when I was out shopping for some easy lunches and dinners and decided to give a couple a try. Cafe Steamers are packaged in a special steamer basket configuration, so you can have a dinner with veggies crisper than the usual frozen dinner fare, and cooked in a healthier way than some other dinners.

I tried the Sweet Sesame Chicken and the Five-Spice Beef & Vegetables and found both quite tasty and easy to prepare. My biggest beef (no pun intended) is the amount of packaging. Yes, frozen dinners aren't environmentally friendly at the best of times, but Cafe Steamers feature two separate plastic containers, one of which doesn't have a recycling symbol on it that I could find. This seems like a waste, especially when "green" packaging options are so prevalent these days.

G1 Apps--Calorie Counter

The free Calorie Counter app is a useful tool for anyone wanting to keep track of their calorie consumption. With lists of major items from fast food chains, as well as a barcode scanner, it supplies enough data to get most people through a typical day. You can also save favorites that you eat often, and at the end of the day it gives you a grand total of your calorie consumption.

The barcode scanner is a bit tricky to use, but once you get the hang of it, it gives you a full nutritional profile for the item in question that you can then plug right into your day's menu. Whether you're watching your weight or just trying to eat healthier, the Calorie Counter can be a big help.

G1 Apps--aBook Reader

The aBook reader for the Android phone provides a surprisingly easy-to-read format for reading. In spite of the small screen, the books are quite legible. Page-turning is accomplished with a simple finger-swipe (or thumb-swipe), accompanied by page-turney noises if you so desire (the sounds can be turned off if you want your reading experience to be quieter or sneakier).

The layout is pretty, too, with a parchment-like background for the text. The only real complaint about this reader is that there aren't many books available that I was able to find.

Read: Hound of the Baskervilles, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and Short Stories of Edgar Allen Poe

Not Just a Coffee Grinder

Coffee grinders are great to have around if you're a coffee lover, but what if you upgrade to a coffee maker that grinds the beans for you? Is there any point keeping the old grinder?

Actually, there is. There are several useful things you can do with a coffee grinder that have nothing to do with coffee. Many people use them to grind spices, like whole nutmeg or allspice.

They're also great to spin up some finely ground bread crumbs. Keep your leftover bread (we use the ends of the loaves since nobody wants to eat them), tear the pieces into chunks and store them in the freezer. When you need bread crumbs, bring out the coffee grinder, toss in some frozen bread chunks and buzz away. Add Italian seasoning or Parmesan cheese or any other spice that will complement your recipe. Pre-ground and pre-seasoned bread crumbs can be pricey, so this is also a great way to save money.