MSR REPORT : USS Zavala
REGION : 3
REPORT FOR : Oct, 2012
DATE SUBMITTED : 11/01/2012
SUBMITTED BY : CAPT Penelope McFadin

ACADEMY :

  Max Triola  : 

    Aerospace
      AE-10    10/30/2012    DISTINCTION

ACTIVITIES :

Meeting minutes October 21, 2012

1) Call to order/Roll call
Capt. Penelope McFadin 
Angela Hardy
Max Triola
Mark Hayes
James Muench
Rufus Barr (skype)
John Gilfillan

2) Introductions of any new members, visitors, and/or VIPs
Michael Grider visiting.  

3) Vote of acceptance/rejection of previous meeting minutes
All voted to accept minutes
4) Presentation of promotions and/or awards
print up awards lists for next meeting
5) Reports of Senior Officers
OIC Marine report from Max Toys for tots, food bank, Book reading stuff
RP is being run by James Kent
XO Rufus Barr watched the Orianids Meteor Shower.
John still working on TRF tickets
James Muench showed off his work on the newsletter, the Legendary Times.  Deadline is set at December 15th.  All officers are required to get their reports up for this.  We need three months of future events for the calendar.   
6) Reports of Junior Officers
John Gilfillan’s mason lodge is holding a dinner with the Chairman of the  Battleship Texas will be guest. Nov 16, 2012.  We are invited.  

7) STARFLEET International business, news, or votes

The CQ is online now at cq.sfi.org

8) Region 3 business, news, or votes

The 3rd Brigade RP is up and running.  See James Kent for getting in on the fun.  I’ll be posting the story stuff on the website.

9) USS Zavala business, news, or votes

We are participating in the 3rd Brigade’s RP game and any personal who wish to particpate need to write up their character and send them to the captain or James Kent.

Results of the extra.life marathon
James and Bridget Kent entered and collected $148.  Bridget passed out around 5am, James made it to the end. 

10) Old business

Going to Austin Comic Con this next weekend
Legendary Times
Dickens on the Strand
Winter Party in December 15, 2012 Mark Hayes Pot luck dinner.  Gift exchange white ferengi rules. No more than $5.  
Movie night stuff
Owlcon in February 

11) New business

Toys for Tots? Food bank?  
Who’s going to IC 2013 in Dallas?

12) Announcement of next meeting
Next meeting is scheduled for Nov 25th, 2012.  Yes it’s the Sunday after Thanksgiving.  (we can change that if we need to) This will be an important meeting in that it’s the Yearly Business meeting.  Please make plans to attend this meeting if you are an officer.

Meeting at Mark Hayes house Nov 25, 2012.

13) Adjournment
going for pizza across the street.

Oct 26-28
Went to Austin Comic Con.  
Handed out a lot of fliers and had a great table.  Got to see a lot of Austin friends and took a lot of pictures of costumes and people and booths.  Much fun was had by all, but I would say we may not have gone if not for the fact they gave us a free table and free tickets.  However, it was fun to hang out with the other local ships and meet new people.

COMMENTS :

LTCR Alan Steinberg volunteering report for Oct 2012:
>From Thursday, September 27 through Sunday, October 7, Alan Steinberg logged approximately 100 hours of volunteer work with the Fort Bend County Fair.  Over the 11 days of volunteering, Alan put in an average of 9 hours a day, making this effort more time consuming than a full time job.  Alan serves as a committee chairman, and is responsible for helping maintain fair archives, photo-documenting fair activities, and providing general administrative assistance in the fair offices.  The Fort Bend County Fair which takes place in Rosenberg, TX, has awarded hundreds of scholarships to deserving students over the years while promoting youth education.

Per standing orders, the following is an excerpt from the 2012 Aug/Sept Report by the 302nd to Starfleet Marine Corps CO 3rd Brigade:

Unit Activities for 2012 September:

7.  On 1 September attended Aloha TexFest at Cap Landholt Pavillion in Clear Lake City in order to advocate it as a "Fleet Week" event for the Zavala crew to kick off next year's run-up to our commissioning anniversary.  Thoroughly enjoyed a traditional Hawaiian lau lau plate and performances by various schools of Polynesian dance from across Texas accompanied by polished Polynesian musical groups.  A very low admission price, reasonably priced foods in great variety, excellent entertainment, and very interesting people watching.  Missed this year's fire dance performance but am strongly considering suggesting that Region 3 Klingons add it to their competitions along with the haka, the traditional Maori war dance.

8.  On 7 September attended midnight showing of "Iron Sky", a sci-fi dramedy which I predict will become a cult classic.  Basically, a corps of Nazis escape to the Moon at the end of WWII and create a society bent on conquering the entire Earth.  When two astronauts from Earth land on the Moon near the Nazi colony, they become the catalyst for the Nazi's plans to unfold, including an incredible invasion of Earth by Nazi space zeppelins.  Humor so black it's ultraviolet and CGI effects so good and graphic designs that put Lucas and Abrams to shame.  A Finnish production with a "European sensibility", ie. it takes cheap shots at American culture and politics including a Sarah Palin clone as the US President.  Still two thumbs up, and highly recommended if only for the invasion scene.  Scenes of brief but intense violence and adult themes.

9.  On 11 September attended showing of the children's supernatural comedy "ParaNorman", a stop-motion animated film.  The main character, Norman, sees and talks to the various ghosts of the dead residents of his small town and struggles against bullies and his family who pick on him because of it.  An excellent film that speaks to the issue of bullying and the value of being different, but it is definitely not suitable for children under reading age due to scenes of fantasy horror and children in jeopardy, and some adult themes.  A superb movie for Halloween, I give it two thumbs up.

10.  On 15 September attended USS Zavala's 1st Anniversary of Commissioning activities at the Battleship Texas state park.  Took a self-guided tour of the entirety of the battleship from bow to stern and from wheelhouse to engine room including "Marine Territory" and the forward Officers' Quarters.  Had the opportunity to sit in and crank to aim still-working gun emplacements on the Texas' deck.  Attended the all-hands dinner later that night at the Monument Inn down the road from the park in full Starfleet uniform. The dining area included a full-length view of the Houston Ship Channel and a continous stream of merchant vessels passing by.  Presented the crew with the new Starfleet Marine flag to be flown at future appearances by the Zavala.

11.  On 23 September attended monthly crew muster brought a large sample of Tribble nuggets for taste-testing by fellow crew members, but was the only taker.  Announced overall plans and schedule for 2012 Toys for Tots campaign and campaign for the Houston Food Bank.  Afterward attended viewing of "Dredd" with crewmates.  "Dredd" is the story of a "judge", a law enforcer who is also judge, jury, and executioner as well in a far future where the survivors a worldwide war are crammed into urban arcologies in a single metroplex called "MegaCity One" occupying northeaster seaboard of the USA.  The story follows Dredd's first day with a new female partner with psychic abilities that begins with a drug-related triple homicide and turns into a fight for survival when they are trapped inside an arcology run by a large and vicious drug gang.  "Dredd" contains extended scenes of brutal and gruesome violence, torture, drug use, brief nudity, and very adult themes and situations.  Excell
 ent plot and characterization with superb special effects.  One thumbs up and definitely for adults only, not for teenagers due to the sustained amount of violence.  The film is a joint UK / South African production and is not a remake of "Judge Dredd" starring Sylvester Stallone.  I would recommend viewing only on a large digital screen.

12.  On 26 September attended a viewing of the Space Shuttle Endeavour at Houston's Ellington Field along with CAPT McFadin.  STS Endeavour was being ferried from Florida to Los Angeles, California atop a specially-modified jumbo jet.

13.  On 28 September attended Steampunk Gathering in support of crewmate Angela Hardy and CAPT McFadin plus respected panelist Drew Heyser.  Attempted to recruit attendees with costuming talents for local source of Trek-related uniform items and Highland formal wear for local Celtic and RenFaire events.  Networked with attendees with interests in Star Trek and the local sci-fi conventions as well as Steampunk.

14.  During September assisted CAPT McFadin with SFMC information to enable her to successfully take part in the current 3Bde role-playing exercise.

15.  During September completed reading the memoir "Icebound" by the late Dr Jerri Nielsen recounting her time as sole physician during a "winterover" at the South Pole including her fight against breast cancer which she discovered and attempted to treat herself and the efforts by others to evacuate her in time to save her life.  Dr Nielsen paints a compelling picture of life in an isolated science station not situated in an incredibly hostile environment.  I highly recommend it as an in-depth description of life in the self-contained equivalent of a space station.

LCOL Barr:

1.  Attended the tour of the Battleship Texas and the Anniversary of Commissioning Dinner with his wife and two girls, making the journey from his satellite location in Rockdale, TX.

MAJ Triola has the following goals for the upcoming reporting period:

1. Obtain artwork for the heraldry of the 302 MSG.  Take advantage of the webpage allocated to the 302nd MSG on the Zavala's website.
2. Continue reading multiple novels in order to have data to report for the SFMC Reading Challenge.
3. Continue to add new science and sci-fi events to the Zavala's Facebook page including "Loopers" and "Hotel Transylvania" plus a Halloween movie meet-up.
4. Begin preparations for Toys For Tots toy drive and the 237th birthday of the USMC.
5. Continue taking SFMC tests in the Aerospace Branch in order to earn SFMC Aerospace wings and personal callsign.  Complete the AE-10 exam.
6.  Assist ship's captain in participating in SFMC role-playing game by advising her on SFMC matters and developing characters and plot devices consistent with SFMC themes.
7.  Begin planning for upcoming away missions to Dickens on the Strand on Galveston Island, TX with its Steampunk Plaza and Highland Fling weekend at the Texas Renaissance Festival at Plantersville, TX ala' Big Bang Theory.

LCOL Barr has the following goals:
1. Continue progress on Senior Chaplain MOS.

- End of Transmission - 

Ensign Gilifillan has gotten 8 tickets to the Texas Renfest.  He's also reporting he's working on the OCC and it's driving him crazy. He will get through it eventually. 

FLEET MEMBERS :

  53308  01/24/2013  FCAPT	  James Muench Jr
  56359  12/19/2012  CAPT	  Penelope McFadin 
  56746  01/19/2013  CAPT	  Angela Phillips 
  66905  04/19/2013  LCDR	  Alan Steinberg 
  66907  04/19/2013  CRMN	  Brandon Boucher 
  67587  12/21/2012  LT	  Mark Hayes 
  67845  03/07/2013  MAJ	  Max Triola 
  67849  03/08/2013  CMDR	  RUFUS BARR 
  67933  06/03/2013  LCDR	  James Kent 
  67934  06/03/2013  CDT 2C	  Bridgit Kent 
  67935  06/03/2013  LTJG	  Deborah Kent 
  68638  03/08/2013  PO3	  Jackie Kennon-Barr 
  68639  03/08/2013  CDT 1C	  Kaitlynn Barr 
  68640  03/08/2013  CDT 3C	  Amanda Barr 
  68733  11/21/2012  LT	  Patrick Hankamer 
  68786  12/19/2012  CDT 3C	  Cameron Kramr 
  68787  12/19/2012  CDT 3C	  Victoria Kramr 
  68788  12/19/2012  CDT 1C	  Nicholas  Kramr 
  68789  12/19/2012  CDT 3C	  Brandon Kramr 
  68892  01/24/2013  CRMN	  Sandra Koenig 
  69227  04/25/2013  ENS	  John Gilfillan 
  69228  04/25/2013  CRMN	  Laura Gilfillan 
  69229  04/25/2013  CDT 2C	  Heaher Gilfillan 
  69251  05/02/2013  CRMN	  Alicea Bush 
  69252  05/02/2013  CRMN	  Johnathan Valentino 
  69295  05/12/2013  CRMN	  Jennifer Kaitell 
  69351  05/29/2013  ENS	  Rebecca Palmer 
  69425  06/13/2013  CRMN	  Travis Southard