Entertainment
From Paris, With Glug: The Alcoholic Star Trek Episode That Gave Us Hope
By Chris Snellgrove
| Published
As a franchise, Star Trek is full of episodes that are hard to understand. Sometimes, this is because of all the weird technobabble. You can only hear someone mention tachyons and deflector dishes so many times before you zone out. More often, though, it’s hard to understand an episode because you don’t understand why a character made a surprising decision. This can make Star Trek feel like a horror movie because you find yourself screaming at the screen, wondering why supposedly smart people are making nothing but dumb decisions from beginning to end.
A prime example of this is “Non-Sequitur,” a Voyager episode where Harry Kim wakes up back on Earth. Instead of being stranded in the Delta Quadrant, he’s engaged to the girl of his dreams and generally living his best life. However, he risks it all to restore the timeline so that his best buddy, Tom Paris, can have meaning in his life again. Kim’s decision to ruin his own life for his friend was baffling to everyone, including the actors. But Kim’s shocking choice perfectly defines what Voyager is all about: standing fast to your ideals, no matter the cost.
The Man Who Had It All
“Non-Sequitur” is an episode where Harry Kim seemingly has it all. After his shuttlecraft starts shaking, he suddenly wakes up in a different timeline where he never joined Voyager’s crew. Instead of enjoying a happily ever after with his old flame (and now fiancée) Libby, however, he becomes obsessed with finding out what happened to him. That obsession reaches a fever pitch when he finds out that Tom Paris never made it to Voyager and has become a drunk, bitter has-been. After getting Paris’ reluctant help, the two restore the timeline and rejoin Voyager on its 70-year mission to get home.
It’s a standout episode of Star Trek: Voyager and arguably the first really great Harry Kim episode. However, it can be hard to suspend your disbelief when watching “Non-Sequitur,” especially if you put yourself in Kim’s shoes. For most people, being separated from all their friends and family for the better part of a century is one of the worst things that could ever happen to them. This is an episode where Harry seemingly got a second chance at living an infinitely happier life, but he ultimately threw it away to return to the bleak status quo of his existence in the Delta Quadrant.
From Paris, With Glug
Interestingly, both Ensign Kim actor Garret Wang and Libby actor Jennifer Gatti had the same questions about why the heck Kim would ever want to return to Voyager. Eventually, producer Jeri Taylor revealed the answer in an old interview with Cinefantastique: “The big thing is finding his friend Tom Paris is dissolute, because of this whole change,” she said. “Kim may be living a lovely life with his girlfriend, but it is at the cost of his friend’s happiness, and it just isn’t right. He is too much a young man of principle and integrity to indulge himself when it is at the expense of others.”
Arguably, this perfectly encapsulates the values of Star Trek: Voyager. As an idealistic and principled Starfleet officer, Harry Kim couldn’t screw over his best friend just to make his own life better. Just like Janeway couldn’t use the Caretaker to take her ship back home because she knew it would doom the Ocampa. Kim’s moral dilemma isn’t all that unique. In the finest Trek tradition, he must choose between happiness and duty, and he doesn’t hesitate to choose duty.
Is that message more than a bit cheesy and impractical? Of course. But let’s face it: we watch Star Trek because these characters are aspirational. They give us hope that, hundreds of years from now, humanity will have evolved beyond petty selfishness in the collective pursuit of bettering ourselves.
Harry Kim did something that none of us would have done in his place, and that’s the point. He’s modeling how to be a better man. In this way, “Non-Sequitur” is more than a solid Voyager episode: it’s also the embodiment of this franchise’s greatest ideals, perfectly defining everything that fans love about Star Trek.
Entertainment
400K MagSafe power banks recalled after fatal fire, the 10th power bank recall in a year
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Casely reannounced a power bank recall this April after a fire linked to the device fatally injured a user. This is the tenth power bank recall in the United States in the last 12 months, and Anker recalled 1.5 million power banks in 2025.
The recall affects an estimated 429,200 Casely 5,000-mAh MagSafe Power Pods (Model E33A), which were originally recalled in 2025. The MagSafe power banks need to be completely replaced.
Back of Casely power banks.
Credit: CPSC
Affected customers should stop using the portable power banks immediately. They can also contact Casely to receive a free replacement.
“The recalled lithium-ion battery in the power banks can overheat and ignite, posing risk of serious injury or death from fire and burn hazards to consumers,” the CPSC stated on its recall website.
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The Brooklyn-based company is reannouncing the recall after receiving 51 reports of the lithium-ion battery overheating, expanding, and/or catching fire while charging smartphones, “resulting in six minor burn injuries.”
However, in the past year, the CPSC says 28 more reports have been made, including explosions that caused a serious accident on an airplane and one death.
In August 2024, a 75-year-old woman from New Jersey, was charging her cell phone with the power bank on her lap when it caught on fire and exploded. The victim suffered second and third degree burns and later passed away from complications from her injuries. In February 2026, a 47-year-old woman was charging her cell phone with the power bank on an airplane when it caught on fire and exploded, resulting in the victim suffering first degree burns.
How to check your Casely Power Pod
Worried you may own one of the 429,000 recalled power banks? It’s easy to check if your device is included in the recall.
On the back of the device, look for the device’s model number, as show in a picture provided by the CPSC. If the model number reads “E33A,” then stop using the device immediately.
Look for the model number.
Credit: CPSC
More information on requesting a replacement power bank is available on the CPSC and Casely recall websites.
Entertainment
The new Dyson Supersonic Travel is the cheapest Supersonic yet
Table of Contents
Nearly three years ago, I asked if the (then) $429 Dyson Supersonic was still worth the price of entry.
These days, with the Supersonic line having expanded, the standard model having increased in price to $449.99, and the most expensive version of the hair dryer topping out at $549.99, it’s a question that feels even more apt.
The good news? If you’re not super into the idea of spending about $500 for a hair dryer, Dyson just announced the Dyson Supersonic Travel, a $299.99 model of its famous hair tool. In addition to its lower price point, it comes with more travel-friendly proportions and features.
As someone who’s personally tested Supersonics (and their many dupes), I took a closer look at the latest Dyson beauty launch to gather everything you need to know.
The design differences of the Dyson Supersonic Travel
In short, the Supersonic Travel is the standard Supersonic but smaller. According to Dyson, that comes out to exactly 32 percent smaller and 25 percent lighter than the OG Supersonic. In other words, it’s 0.7 pounds to the standard Supersonic’s 1.8 pounds, and 8.7 inches tall to the larger model’s 10 inches.
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This model also comes with one attachment, the styling concentrator, a la the now-discontinued Dyson Supersonic Origin (which ran for $399.99). For comparison, the $449.99 Supersonic comes with three attachments: a styling concentrator, diffuser, and wide-tooth comb. For all five attachments, you’ll have to shell out $549.99.
The Supersonic Travel is compatible with all original and Supersonic Nural attachments.
Credit: Dyson
The same attachments can be used between the Travel, original, and Supersonic Nural dryers. This means opting for the Travel could technically save you some money — individual attachments range from $19.99 to $44.99. If you only use a styling concentrator and diffuser, for instance, the total cost of a Travel dryer with the extra attachment purchase would come out to $344.98, making it still over $100 cheaper than the three-attachment original Supersonic.
The Supersonic Travel is more versatile in some ways, and less so in others
Functionality-wise, the Supersonic Travel is a slightly different product from the other Supersonics in the line. It has anywhere from 1,000 to 1,220 watts of power and an airflow speed of 11.6 liters per second, compared to the 1,600 watts and 13.3 liters per second of the standard Supersonic. In other words, the bigger dryer is slightly more powerful, so it wouldn’t be unreasonable to expect longer dry times.
The standard Supersonic and Supersonic Nural also feature four heats and three air speeds, where the Supersonic Travel features three heats and two air speeds.
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That said, the Supersonic Travel has universal voltage compatibility, so it can be used from 100 to 240 volts, whereas the other Supersonics are locked into 120 volt compatibility.
In terms of its portability, it’s also worth noting the Supersonic Travel weighs the same as the Supersonic r, a professional grade hair dryer (priced as such at $549.99) that’s become more popular due in part to being lightweight and easy to maneuver.
Where to buy the Dyson Supersonic Travel
The Dyson Supersonic Travel is available for $299.99 at Dyson’s website, Amazon, and Best Buy. If you buy at the former, you will receive a complimentary $59.99 travel bag along with the hair dryer.
Entertainment
The gorgeous yet budget-friendly Samsung QN70F Neo QLED TV is the cheapest its ever been
SAVE $300: As of April 21, you can get the Samsung 55-inch QN70F Neo QLED 4K TV for only $597.99 instead of $897.99 at Amazon. That’s 33% in savings and the lowest price on record.
$597.99
at Amazon
$897.99
Save $300
We’re in peak sports season, y’all. Besides the action of the Stanley Cup playoffs and NBA playoffs, there’s a fresh MLB season taking shape. If your TV is looking dull or lagging, it’s a prime time to upgrade — especially since you can find some epic deals on 2025 models.
As of April 21, the Samsung 55-inch QN70F Neo QLED 4K TV is on sale at Amazon for only $597.99. That’s 33% or $300 off its current list price, as well as its lowest price to date.
As Mashable’s TV expert Leah Stodart explains, “Neo QLED is really just Samsung’s proprietary term for QLED paired with Mini LED.” So, the QN70F features a panel of quantum dots over a bunch of tiny LED bulbs instead of a basic LED panel. The result? A stunning display with impressive color accuracy, deep blacks, and spectacular contrast. All the little details will look good no matter the lighting conditions in your room.
This TV uses an NQ4 AI Gen2 processor to upscale content and enhance the quality of anything you’re watching. So even those old episodes of Friends will look more impressive on the QN70F. And thanks to a 144Hz variable refresh rate, gaming and sports will look noticeably smoother and less laggy than your old set.
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If an upgrade is in order, but you don’t want to spend a ton of money, the Samsung QN70F Neo QLED 4K TV is an excellent value at full price. At $300 off, it’s a steal.
400K MagSafe power banks recalled after fatal fire, the 10th power bank recall in a year
The new Dyson Supersonic Travel is the cheapest Supersonic yet
