First, in June 2009, Barack Obama flashed the Vulcan salute on C-SPAN while talking to John "I'm a PC" Hodgman. Then, in November 2009, the Mythbusters came to the White House. Now, on Monday, December 28, 2009, the Mythbusters team puts the Gorn cannon "myth" to the test. "Arena" was an episode of Star Trek: The Original Series, from the first season (episode, #18, production #19, first broadcast January 19, 1967 and repeated on July 6, 1967). Captain Kirk must fight the Gorn for the survival of all humanity! He discovers that there are plenty of natural resources lying about to craft a weapon. He finds elements needed to make some gunpowder. Then he finds a bamboolike plant and cuts a portion of the wood to form a makeshift gun barrel. He also finds diamondlike shards of crystal to use for the projectile.
"Arena" was based on a short story of the same name by Fredric Brown that was first published in the June 1944 issue of Astounding magazine. It was voted one of the best of its genre by the Science Fiction Writers of America and included in The Science Fiction Hall of Fame Volume One, 1929-1964 (see below).
Lastly, let's wrap up this Nerd Pride post with a little XKCD, may I?
UPDATE CAPTAIN'S LOG 2009-12-28
Oh my god!
You killed Buster! You Bastards!
