• Media Geek Network has an audio tribute to the late Michael Piller in which the executive producer discusses the importance of the writer's role in film and television.

• The New Mexico Symphony Orchestra will perform Star Trek: A 40th Anniversary Celebration, a one-night-only concert at the Albuquerque Convention Center on November 4th, featuring appearances by Walter Koenig (Chekov) and George Takei (Sulu). Fans are encouraged to attend in costume.

• Koenig also appears in the film Mad Cowgirl, described by Variety as an "outre tale of a nymphomaniac meat inspector who eventually goes on a murderous delusional rampage." The movie "ticks off a checklist of offenses [that includes] casting Star Trek's erstwhile 'Mr. Chekov' Walter Koenig as a dirty old man." The film opened at the Pioneer Theater in New York last Wednesday.

• After several delays, reports Reuters, the ashes of James Doohan (Scotty) will be blasted into space in October. Houston's Space Services originally planned to launch the remains into space last year but the flight was delayed to allow more tests on the rocket.

• TrekWeb has an interview with Orion actress Crystal Allen (D'nesh) about the upcoming fan film Star Trek: Of Gods and Men, directed by Tim Russ (Tuvok). "It's much darker and and edgy than any of the Trek series," she revealed, noting that she plays a human for a change.

• Former Commander of Starfleet and "Yesterday's Enterprise" writer Eric Stillwell plays the King of the Moon Men in the acclaimed new children's television series Nanna's Cottage, which premiered on satellite and cable in July. Stillwell is also the head writer and an associate producer of the show. More information is available at his web site.

• A report at the Star Trek Gaming Universe forums states that it was learned at the San Diego Comic-Con that original series writer D.C. Fontana had written the storyline for Star Trek: Legacy.

• Tucker Smallwood (Xindi Primate, Admiral Bullock) has written an anthology of 33 darkly funny personal essays about his 1969 tour of duty in Vietnam and his views on politics. Details are here.

• The New York Times published an illustrated feature on the upcoming Christie's auction of Star Trek memorabilia, scheduled for October 5-7th. The feature includes a slide show presenting some of the objects for auction.

• Mobile Gadget News reports that HTC's Star Trek phone may be coming to the US for Cingular customers by the end of August.

• Diamond Comics' preview page has information about Star Trek: The Original Series 40th Anniversary trading cards, a 110-card base set with each card featuring an epic moment from the first season of the show, plus case-specific card signed by Grace Lee Whitney (Rand) and Leonard Nimoy (Spock). There are also autograph cards in each box including Robert Walker Jr. (Charlie X), France Nuyen (Elaan of Troyius), Joan Collins (Edith Keeler), David Soul (Makora), and others.

• The sci-fi spoof Paradox: Set Phasers to Pun! at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival pokes fun at Star Trek, Doctor Who and more. Information about the production company is here.

• And Scott Bakula (Archer) will attend Creation's 40th Anniversary Star Trek convention in Las Vegas where for a mere $149, fans can get an autographed photo of him.

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