Hundreds of us Techies – students at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute – assembled each week at the Student Union to watch Star Trek. The original series, with Captain James Tiberius Kirk (William Shatner). In the intro, these iconic words:
“Space: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Its five-year mission: to explore strange new worlds. To seek out new life and new civilizations. To boldly go where no man has gone before!”
Star Trek returned to network television in the late eighties. Many devotees consider Star Trek: The Next Generation the best series. In the intro, Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) repeats those iconic words, though with two notable changes:
“Space: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Its continuing mission: to explore strange new worlds. To seek out new life and new civilizations. To boldly go where no one has gone before!”
Out with, its five-year mission. In with, its continuing mission. Out with, where no man has gone before. In with, where no one has gone before.
In one of the Next Generation episodes, medical officer Leonard ‘Bones’ McCoy (now an aged Admiral McCoy) says, “Well it's a new ship — but she’s got the right name [starship Enterprise]. Now you remember that, you hear?"
The android Data replies, "I will, Sir.” And then the beloved Bones adds, "You treat her like a lady, and she'll always bring you home.”
Why am I quoting Star Trek in my column on utility regulation and policy? Because today is the start of a new series for the starship Public Utilities Fortnightly.
After ninety years, my new company Lines Up has purchased PUF. Today is the first episode of PUF: The Next Generation. With the cast of Joe Paparello, Alexandra Revel, Mike Eacott, Patricia McMurray and Angela Hawkinson continuing the mission with me. Our intro:
“Utility regulation and policy: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Public Utilities Fortnightly. Its continuing mission: to explore strange new dockets. To seek out new rate structures and new business models. To boldly go where no one has gone before!”
For ninety years, since 1928, Public Utilities Fortnightly has served as the platform for thought-leaders to impact the debate in utility regulation and policy. Join the Next Generation’s debate. Have your organization join, as a member of the PUF community.
Steve Mitnick, Editor-in-Chief, Public Utilities Fortnightly, and President, Lines Up, Inc.
E-mail me: mitnick@fortnightly.com