Many of you know Norman Spinrad as an award winning science fiction novelist as well as the writer of the TOS classic "Doomsday Machine". Up until recently, Norman's second, unproduced and ill-fated, Star Trek episode "He Walked Among Us" was thought to be lost to the ages.

Norman explains: "I thought the text of my original version--written on a typewriter!--was lost forever until recently a fan asked me to autograph a faded copy he had bought somewhere. I did, and in return he sent me a pdf off a scan"

Another gadget that was inspired by Star Trek seems to be making its way into reality. This time it’s Geordi’s visor. After gathering data, the device uses an algorithm to translate it into sound. However, unlike hearing, this fascinating device activates the visual cortex of the user’s brain by delivering the purely auditory data. It allows the user to “see” their surroundings with quite a bit of detail, including recognizing written words.

Hey Trek & Reading Rainbow fans, it's the time of year to celebrate the one thing both of those show have in common. It's LeVar Burton's Birthday. Yay! (cue the confetti). If you haven't noticed, we like to celebrate the birthdays of Trek stars and LeVar is no exception. Heck, we knew him from Reading Rainbow way before he donned the visor and took the helm. We'd like to celebrate this special day with something just as special. That's right kids it's another installment of our Youtube video Round-up: The LeVar Burton Edition.

Over the weekend, we made the drive up to Dallas again for another fantastic show; Scifi Expo.  Sure, it's not necessarily a Trek con, per se, but the convention is featuring another scifi series that's near and dear to our hearts.  The ill-fated Joss Whedon spectacular known as  Firefly.  I gotta say, if we weren't Trek fans, we would definitely be Browncoats, but I digress. 

A little less than half of the crew of Serenity made the "trek" to Big-D . The role call includes; Ron Glass, Adam Baldwin, Jewel Staite, and Sean Maher.  There is one Trek connection here however, Ron was in the Voyager episode "Nightingale".   You know the one… Harry Kim finally gets the chance to be in command of a ship.  It's one of our favorites from Voyager.  Anyway,   We got the chance to hang out during the Serenity / Firefly panel and here are a few highlights….

While you enjoy your Star Trek Online and wait patiently for Infinite Space, Paramount has just announced a partnership with Bandai Namco that will produce a brand new Star Trek game based on the upcoming J.J. Verse film and will pit Kirk & Spock against an alien race set on overtaking the galaxy.

"With our Namco Bandai partners leading the distribution effort, we are confident that we will meet an overwhelming demand to get this exciting console experience into the hands of gamers and Star Trek fans worldwide," said LeeAnne Stables, Paramount Pictures Executive Vice President of Worldwide Marketing Partnerships and head of the studio’s video game unit.

Set for a release in 2013, sometime before the new film, the new game will be written by Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, & God of War writer Marianne Krawczyk.

I've said it before and will again; The Shat is a force of nature. Not only is he increasing his convention schedule this year, but he's also steering his one-man-show around this beautiful country of ours. Starting on Broadway. . LA Weekly recently sat down with Sir Billiam (thought we forgot about it, huh?) and got the chance to experience The Shat's essence while he rehearsed for the launch of Shatner's World: We Just Live in It. Where Bill revealed that he's essentially happy with the way his life has turned out.

"I'm a happy man. I'm a somewhat anxiety-ridden man right now, with opening night and all that. But in its right perspective, there should be a sense of joy about it. I'm going to open on Broadway in a one-man show. It's extraordinary. What a gift — to me!"

Yeah, I would be happy too. I mean think about, all of his conquests throughout the galaxy (great and small) and having an alien as the best man for your wedding. What's not to be happy about?

Here's something that we think all of you will dig. It's a brand new web series called "The Paunk! Show" that features a parody of our favorite scifi series. You know which one, right? For those of you who said Ark II, please slowly step away from your computer... Anyway, the premise of the series is that all of Earth's television broadcasts have been traveling into space where an alien audience has been receiving them. There's one problem, the signals are so scattered and weak that they are almost unwatchable. So this one alien, Paunk!, uses his giant computer, the Pear OD-9000, to fill in the gaps and recreate the shows, which he then shares with his audience.

In honor of the new “The 2800” Feature Episodes, Star Trek Online has released a new trailer.   For those who don’t know,“The 2800” will consist of five featured episodes being released on consecutive Saturdays, until the big conclusion of the story on Saturday, March 10th. The episodes include the following: Episode 1: "Second Wave" (February 11) , Episode 2: "Of Bajor" (February 18) , Episode 3: "Operation Gamma" (February 25) , Episode 4: "Facility 4028" (March 3) , & Episode 5: "Boldly They Rode" (March 10) .

The Shat seems to be everywhere lately. I mean, really…everywhere. I don’t think he ever stops working. Personally, I’m totally impressed (and a little jealous) of his never ending energy. How he juggles the dozens of projects he currently has going, I’ll never know.

The latest announcement on the Shatner front is that he’s joined Wizard World’s Comic Con Tour. He just finished the New Orleans convention last weekend, and has three more on his schedule already.  One special note, he’s listed as “Saturday Only” for each of the following locations. Be sure to check the schedules so you don’t miss your favorite guest at any of them.

Philadelphia Comic Con Fri-Sat-Sun/June 1, 2, 3, 2012
Also at attending; Jeri Ryan (Voyager), Kate Mulgrew (Voyager), Avery Brooks (DS9), Paul McGillion (Stargate: Atlantis), and Bruce Campbell (…you name it)…and more

Chicago Comic Con Thur-Fri-Sat-Sun/August 9, 10, 11, 12, 2012
Also attending; Everybody from the above list, plus; James Marsters (Buffy The Vampire Slayer), Luke Perry (90210), Jason Priestly (90210) …and more