# I have an extremely important Star Trek: TNG question **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 20, 2012, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-an-extremely-important-star-trek-tng-question/632109 "2012-08-20T22:55:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Encinitas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@Encinitas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Encinitas)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-an-extremely-important-star-trek-tng-question/632109/21 "2012-08-21T05:33:13Z")
I seem to recall a scene of Data being emotional and saying “…when pricked, do I not leak?” ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-an-extremely-important-star-trek-tng-question/632109/22 "2012-08-21T05:42:25Z")
He was riffing on Shylock’s big speech from Merchant of Venice. It was in The Naked Now. ‘If you prick me, do I not… … Leak?’ ---
**Author:** ![Kenm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bc79bd/32.png) [@Kenm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kenm)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-an-extremely-important-star-trek-tng-question/632109/23 "2012-08-21T05:56:37Z")
> [@grude](#): > > And it was revealed near the end the entire thing was fueled by the Sora/Ba’ku split. . . . For what it’s worth, the Son’a, without the apostrophe, is a > [@](#): > > [**wordlang**](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sona_language), created by Kenneth Searight and described in a book he published in 1935. The word Sona in the language itself means “auxiliary neutral thing”, but the name was also chosen to echo “sonority” or “sound”. If the intent was to evoke that meaning somehow, it makes less sense than Ferengi. At the risk of teaching grandma how to suck eggs, > [@](#): > > [**“Ferengi”**](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferengi) and similar terms are Arabic names for European traders, or for Westerners in general. The name is likely derived from the Arabic word faranj or ifranj, or Persian farangi, meaning “Franks”. In Ethiopia, ferenj or ferenji has the same meaning, as does farang in Thai. And since I’m on that Wiki page anyway. . . > [@](#): > > “Grand Nagus” is the appellation of the Ferengi head of state. The similarly pronounced “Negus”, a loanword from Ethiopic languages, was up until a few decades ago the appellation of the Ethiopian head of state for several centuries / millennia. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-an-extremely-important-star-trek-tng-question/632109/24 "2012-08-21T15:44:32Z")
Personally, I thought that _Insurrection_ would have made a fine episode; it just lacked the scope for a proper movie. In a movie, I expect them to be saving the Galaxy, or the Federation. Or, if they’re only going to save a single planet, it’d better be Earth. Just saving some random planet we’d never heard of before? Episode. Even if it does have the Fountain of Youth. ---
**Author:** ![Barking\_Dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Barking\_Dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barking_Dog)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-an-extremely-important-star-trek-tng-question/632109/25 "2012-08-21T16:15:19Z")
> [@SeaDragonTattoo](#): > > I think the secret died with Tasha. Not just Tasha. Don’t forget he had a proper girlfriend at one point too. ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-an-extremely-important-star-trek-tng-question/632109/26 "2012-08-21T16:25:10Z")
> [@Barking\_Dog](#): > > Not just Tasha. Don’t forget he had a proper girlfriend at one point too. Yeah, that’s right. It didn’t last too long, but I assume that wasn’t a platonic relationship. What was up with that? ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-an-extremely-important-star-trek-tng-question/632109/27 "2012-08-21T16:30:02Z")
> [@teela\_brown](#): > > Yeah, that’s right. It didn’t last too long, but I assume that wasn’t a platonic relationship. What was up with that? She decided she’d rather marry an alien named Sam Francisco. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-an-extremely-important-star-trek-tng-question/632109/28 "2012-08-21T17:02:48Z")
Oh, and this thread isn’t complete without a link to the [Sexy Data Tango](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlbmi1hhV_0). ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-an-extremely-important-star-trek-tng-question/632109/29 "2012-08-21T17:30:42Z")
> [@Barking\_Dog](#): > > Not just Tasha. Don’t forget he had a proper girlfriend at one point too. I’m not convinced they ever sealed the deal. She got upset about the many things he was processing during a kiss. They hung out and made out, but I don’t think it got much farther than that before her infatuation wore off. ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-an-extremely-important-star-trek-tng-question/632109/30 "2012-08-21T17:43:07Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > Isn’t that the whole point? > Star Fleet _itself_ was violating the Prime Directive by relocating the Ba’ku. This conflicts with Data’s programming, which starts the entire insurrection. No they weren’t, the Ba’ku did have warp knowledge, and they were the same species as the Son’a anyway. The Ba’ku are kind of like the Amish - they know about technology but they choose not to use it. That’s fundamentally different from not having access to the knowledge or technology at all. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-an-extremely-important-star-trek-tng-question/632109/31 "2012-08-21T17:45:13Z")
> [@SeaDragonTattoo](#): > > She got upset about the many things he was processing during a kiss. “At that particular moment, I was updating the engineering security software, preparing a checklist for an operational diagnostic, calculating optimal thrust range and amplitude, assimilating the most recent astrometric database…” ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-an-extremely-important-star-trek-tng-question/632109/32 "2012-08-21T17:54:41Z")
> [@robert\_columbia](#): > > No they weren’t, the Ba’ku did have warp knowledge, and they were the same species as the Son’a anyway. The Ba’ku are kind of like the Amish - they know about technology but they choose not to use it. That’s fundamentally different from not having access to the knowledge or technology at all. Well, I don’t want to get into a pissing contest about this (wars have been fought over less), but First Contact is not the same as the Prime Directive. Note that over 40+ years of ST, the implementation of TPD is been inconsistent at best. ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-an-extremely-important-star-trek-tng-question/632109/33 "2012-08-21T18:00:32Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > Well, I don’t want to get into a pissing contest about this (wars have been fought over less), but First Contact is not the same as the Prime Directive. > > Note that over 40+ years of ST, the implementation of TPD is been inconsistent at best. I bring this up all the time but Janeway invoked the prime directive to destroy a space station about to be overun by aliens. As both parties were warp capable and SF had no hand in the conflict it appears the PD even covers stopping mean aliens from acquiring tech it would be better they not have. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-an-extremely-important-star-trek-tng-question/632109/34 "2012-08-21T18:35:18Z")
> [@newsbunny](#): > > I know Lt. Commander Data is fully functional in every way. > > However… is he WATERPROOF? Just how excited do you think Tasha was? ---
**Author:** ![RalfCoder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@RalfCoder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RalfCoder)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-an-extremely-important-star-trek-tng-question/632109/35 "2012-08-21T18:36:15Z")
> [@teela\_brown](#): > > Yeah, that’s right. It didn’t last too long, but I assume that wasn’t a platonic relationship. What was up with that? Aside: Did anyone else giggle when they saw someone named Teela Brown commenting on Data as if he was a real person? ---
**Author:** ![RalfCoder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@RalfCoder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RalfCoder)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-an-extremely-important-star-trek-tng-question/632109/36 "2012-08-21T18:37:45Z")
> [@a35362](#): > > Ahem: mineral oil? 😕 I was going to say 10W30. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2012, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-an-extremely-important-star-trek-tng-question/632109/37 "2012-08-23T15:57:15Z")
> [@robert\_columbia](#): > > No they weren’t, the Ba’ku did have warp knowledge, and they were the same species as the Son’a anyway. The Ba’ku are kind of like the Amish - they know about technology but they choose not to use it. That’s fundamentally different from not having access to the knowledge or technology at all. The Prime Directive is odd in that it apparently has two different parts, one for warp-capable civilizations, and one for others. The latter is merely more familiar. The former is that the Federation does not meddle in purely internal affairs and must obey local laws–it’s why they couldn’t help out in the Klingon civil war. and why they couldn’t just beam Wesley up when he was scheduled for death on that pleasure planet. The main problem is that it’s anti-Trek, which is about how technology makes the world better, not how life is better in an idealic time. Though why they wanted to destroy the planet is simple: you can’t fly everyone out to the planet to stay long enough for the effects to work. The idea was that, if this worked, Federation citizens would effectively be immortal. It’s like telling people to eat willow bark instead of taking aspirin. And it shows how selfish the Baku are: they could just move, let Starfleet do what they want, and then they and everyone else could use the stuff to stay eternally young. It’s just a temporary disruption to their lifestyle. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2012, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-an-extremely-important-star-trek-tng-question/632109/38 "2012-08-23T17:39:01Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Though why they wanted to destroy the planet is simple: you can’t fly everyone out to the planet to stay long enough for the effects to work. The idea was that, if this worked, Federation citizens would effectively be immortal. It’s like telling people to eat willow bark instead of taking aspirin. That’s a _simple_ reason? I was under the impression that being on the planet for a week or so would have obvious rejuvenating boob-lifting effects, but if you wanted effective immortality, you had to stay there. Blowing up the planet in a particular way would release a wave of technobabble radiation that would undo the aging process in one big shot, though why one would prefer this over just settling permanently on the planet (and it’s not there isn’t room) escapes me. ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2012, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-an-extremely-important-star-trek-tng-question/632109/39 "2012-08-23T22:06:38Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > The Prime Directive is odd in that it apparently has two different parts, one for warp-capable civilizations, and one for others. The latter is merely more familiar. The former is that the Federation does not meddle in purely internal affairs and must obey local laws–it’s why they couldn’t help out in the Klingon civil war. and why they couldn’t just beam Wesley up when he was scheduled for death on that pleasure planet I always understood it as one rule for all. If the planet is stagnating, you may meddle, if it’s growing, let it do so under its own steam. The Klingon Civil War was not exactly stagnation but change, hence the limited involvement. As for Wesley being abandoned, well, it was Wesley 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2012, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-an-extremely-important-star-trek-tng-question/632109/40 "2012-08-23T23:29:52Z")
> [@Pushkin](#): > > As for Wesley being abandoned, well, it was Wesley 🙂 If there hadn’t been a law requiring the abandoning of Wesley, I’d’ve written one on the spot. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-an-extremely-important-star-trek-tng-question/632109.md?page=1)