Rambling Artist

Every day for the next few weeks, I'll post a poll featuring two of Julian Bashir's outfits from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. We'll widdle down the outfits until we pick the best thing Dr. Julian Bashir ever wore! Which will it be? The Risa outfit, the racquetball suit? The tuxedo? One of his uniforms? I have randomly paired the outfits, pulling names out of a bag, and set up a bracket.

In 1960, SAG and WGA struck to force management to adapt to the new technology of television. Without that strike and the agreement it birthed, residual use payments would not exist.

My parents stole nearly all of my salary from my entire childhood. My Star Trek residuals were all I had, and they kept me afloat for two decades while I rebuilt my life. I have healthcare and a pension because of my union. The AMPTP billionaires want to take all that security away so they can give CEOs even more grotesque wealth at the expense of the people who make our industry run.

To give some sense of what is at stake: There are actors who star in massively successful, profitable, critically acclaimed shows that are all on streaming services. You see them all the time. They are famous, A-list celebrities. Nearly all of those actors don't earn enough to qualify for health insurance, because the studios forced them to accept a buyout for all their residuals (decade of reuse, at the least) that is less than I earned for one week on TNG. And I was the lowest paid cast member in 1988. They want to do this while studio profits and CEO compensation are at historic highs.

I mean, if not now, when? And I haven't even touched on AI and working conditions.

We must fight for the future of our industry in the face of changing technology, the same way our elders did in 1960. So today, my Spacemom and I went to the place where it started for us, way back when, to do just that.

sisko: ok first of all, his work is impeccable. second of all, we give him a little intrigue as a treat.

picard: ... don't you think that's a little irresponsible....

miles: my dog is a computer, i was imprisoned and murdered a man, and a bajoran is both the mother and not the mother of my baby

picard: ........how's mr. worf?