It's nice to see that the folks at Star Trek: The Experience have a sense of humor.

Having received notice from their management that the attraction would be closing by the end of this year, I could certainly understand how their spirits might be sagging a bit.

(Though it must be some comfort to get several months advance warning, contrary to the treatment we on the StarTrek.com team received... but I digress...)

Even before word got out to the public, I noticed a change to the information on their Web site (StarTrekExp.com).

The site features a rotating gallery of characters from the attraction: Klingons, Borg, Andorians, and a couple of Ferengi. The first character in the rotation is a Ferengi named "Quan", and his profile reads:

• Ferengi Commerce Authority (FCA) Liquidator; authorized to close retail and restaurant facilities with a single command.
• Credibility is questionable due to bad business decisions. Held in low regard by employees and fellow Ferengi.
• Eighty years old, still paying off student loans.

I want to send my best wishes to all the folks at the Experience. They've done an amazing job delivering a quality experience to thousands (millions?) of Star Trek fans, and their hard work was greatly appreciated. The Experience will be missed.

This weekend's Remastered episode is from very late in the original series: "The Cloud Minders" was production number 74, first airing February 28, 1969. After this, just three more new episodes would be seen.

The story by David Gerrold and Oliver Crawford was turned into a teleplay by Margaret Armen. In the director's chair was Jud Taylor.

Our friends at CBS Digital have provided a stunning revisualization of the cloud city Stratos.

The image of the planetscape is based on the same photograph used by Cinema Research Corp in creating the episode's original visual effects in 1969. That photograph was taken by astronauts on the Gemini IV orbital mission in 1965 and shows the Hadramawt Plateau dry river basin in southern Saudi Arabia. For the remastered effect, Dwayne A. Day of the National Research Council and John Hargenreder of the NASA History Office combed through NASA archives at NASA Headquarters in Washington D.C. to find the original photograph for the remastered visual effects team. (The distant mountains on the horizon are based on a different photo, taken by astronauts on the International Space Station.)

Click here to see a full-size image.

Too bad they can't do anything about those silly costumes of the Ardanian ruling class.

Last Tuesday's bonus question asked which other Time Tunnel regular cast member had a significant Star Trek appearance. The answer was Whit Bissell, the esteemed character actor who played "General Heywood Kirk" (!) on Time Tunnel. He appeared as "Lurry" in the fan-favorite original-series episode "The Trouble with Tribbles". I was not surprised that Barbara Hamper was first to send in the correct answer. Thanks, Barbara!

For this week's episode, we look to the major guest star: Jeff Corey played the leader Plasus. Corey had a very successful acting career with film roles going back to 1940. However, he took an involuntary dozen-year hiatus from acting in the 1950's. Can you tell me why?

Send your answer to me at mwade@roddenberry.com.

Warm birthday wishes go out this week to none other than the man who portrays Captain Jean-Luc Picard: Patrick Stewart celebrates his birthday on July 13.