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From: mam@charm.UUCP (Matthew Marcus)
Newsgroups: net.startrek
Subject: Those Little Casettes to Order Food By
Message-ID: <433@charm.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 14-Aug-84 21:09:32 EDT
Article-I.D.: charm.433
Posted: Tue Aug 14 21:09:32 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 16-Aug-84 00:32:26 EDT
Organization: Physics Research - AT&T Bell Labs MH
Lines: 43



	To add even more silliness to the discussion, I recall an episode
in which a Yeoperson lays a plate of stuff in front of the Captain and this
exchange ensues (as nearly as I can remember)..

JTK:	Green leaves!?!
Yeo:	Yes, didn't the Doctor tell you? Your diet card was changed.
McC:	You were putting on a little weight.

The implication is that at least some meals are determined by a computer
with reference to a database of personal nutritional requirements.  The fistfull
of cards Whatshername pulled out in "And a Child Shall Lead" may have been spares
intended for visitors or those whose records are damaged.  Why a fistfull?
Well, imagine what the computer would think if one person ordered 20 scoops
of vari-flavored icecream all at once ("Medical Alert:  Crewman 087382,
Biff Macho, shows behavioral evidence of pregnancy...").
The existence of blank or spare cards explains how the 20'th century airman
could have gotten his chicken soup.  The mystery in that incident is how the
computer knew that's what was wanted without being told.  Maybe somebody whispered
something in its pickup.

	My favorite evasion for minor consistency problems is to assume that
the TV show is not a direct-view window into the ST universe, but rather an
abstracted view in which certain details are left out and others altered.
This "filtering" notion allows continuing suspension of disbelief while
maintaining the possibility for loopholes.  Let us apply this theory to the
above question of the chicken soup.  We may assume that the exchange in the
transporter room went something like:

"I'd like some chicken soup"
"OK, just put this card in that slot, and when the machine asks for your
 choice, tell it 'chicken soup, bowl'."

"Bleep, bloop" 

Now how exciting is that sequence?  Blah.  Tepid dishwater in which the suds
have gone flat.  Therefore, the creative staff made sure that this scene
went as we saw it,  mysterious computer-ESP included.

	{BTL}!charm!mam

		"Yes, that's it!! We're all a bunch of useless loonies!!!"