@cathannabel  Gravitas comes with that male voice.  Even those of us most passionately enthusiastic about the gender switch have some adjusting to do

Indeed.

@bluesqueakpip  . . . convention of calling women by their first names – but that’s because of the historic subordination of women in our society. Women are called by their first names –…[Read more]

Someone suggested that we are seeing a deliberate de-emphasis of character-drawing. I don’t agree. I’m not concerned about the slower flowering of the Companion characters. We have a whole series in which to do that, and all that matters to start out is that they all seem likeable and competent, and have some good potential ba…[Read more]

@pedant  @cathannabel

At last something I know something about!

Aircraft….

I often say I have difficulty talking to people who don’t understand planes. Issues of attitude determining altitude etc. 🙂

But I digress. Different vocal styles are produced by men and women. Pitch and timbre are quite different. Different notes can have the same…[Read more]

@cathannabel @thane16

Somewhere in the deepest recesses of my memory, I have the thought that the Royal Air Force did some research into the impact of different vocal styles had on the authority of air controllers. It found that female voices had a timbre to them that pilots (sometimes coming from quite stressful situations) responded to better…[Read more]

@miapatrick

Personally would rather refer to them as Christopher, David, Matt, Peter, Jody simply because I find these easier to spell, but it’s true, she does seem to be ‘Jody’

*circles bait*

*thinks better of it*

@cathannabel

In the Usenet days the convention (and I don’t think it was any more than that, plus a bit of micro-bandwidth manag…[Read more]

@juniperfish  re #64600

I think “connotations of greater informality” =  pejorative.

@Cathannabel yes, that sounds really good to me. I think mum meant something like this. I do know Russell’s tea-pot and from a brief discussion before she nodded off on Sofa we delved into how low pitch is modelled in experiments across species and she m…[Read more]

@bluesqueakpip – I thought the comment about people putting stuff in him was a reference to the bomb thing last week. But then it was Graham who said it… I like the theory. I’m inclining to Ryan’s dad being her actual son.

@juniperfish – that was the impression I got, but as @cathannabel suggests, the truth could be more interesting,…[Read more]

@cathannabel

Oh, I never doubted that – but the idea that a blue doesn’t make sense (and for a young cop to say it, at that) made me chortle.

@mudlark @cathannabel @craig @jimthefish

Thanks all – much appreciated.

No agony, but a lot to absorb (in a non-sugary way).

@CathAnnabel

Ha!
I admit my first thought when people commented on the incredibly long train journey was that there’s really nothing unusual about it … 🙂

@cathannabel

Guess that’s why they moved to programme to Sundays, too. Seeing a Northern train on a Saturday at all would just be too confusing.

After second viewing, I have a few more thoughts. I liked the soundtrack just fine. The pulsating, percussive, old-school music throughout the opening scenes did a great job of keeping the suspense up, without intruding too much. I loved those few beats of DW upon the appearance of the Doctor, before she was distracted by the problem behind her! I…[Read more]

@TempusFugit

It is understandable that you feel upset. Some of us here are old enough to have experienced the deaths of several of those we love – parents, other relatives, close friends – whether from cancer or other causes and sometimes in very distressing circumstances.

Like @Cathannabel, though, I saw Graham’s situation differently. He has…[Read more]

@CathAnnabel

The train was located quite precisely – it was between Hathersage and Grindleford, en route to Sheffield, when the Gathering Coil attacked.

I missed the train stations! I think I’m so used to ‘fake place names’ that I missed the point that they were real names.

Sorry to hear about your kid brother – it can be tough when f…[Read more]

@tempusfugit

I’m not sure about the fact that Graham has cancer.

OK. Sorry, why?

I look a million dollars and I’m half dead. No kidding. I have a paramedic watching this as I type and he’s performing a truly hideous job/procedure (these doods get paid far too little).  Yesterday I was in the garden for 4 hours. Last night I had some peeps over fo…[Read more]

Have fingers crossed for you @cathannabel

Sad news regarding the death of Jacqueline Pierce, AKA Servalon. She was instrumental to the success of Blake’s 7 and excellent in the few other roles I saw her in. She was a very disturbing Rosa Dartle in David Copperfield.

There was an article about Jenna Coleman in the Guardian the other day. Nice to…[Read more]

@pedant must also check out the light weight nature of cars -when they’re not!  Didn’t realise that. Also, traversing the narrow path that is nuance.

Puro-goodness-it’s-late.

PS:   @Cathannabel I shall find more Aretha choons (the latest from @whisht I think) but no J. Strauss 🙂

@cathannabel This lovely rendition is for you! Colourful and heart warming.

@whisht

I had NO idea I missed that comment about The Buggles and The Art of Noise! Thank you for that.  I had Dudley right but somehow it was ‘Margaret’ not Anne, weirdly.

Puro

@cathannabel —

Sorry a bit late to this party. The 24-hour inspire looks great. Best of luck with it, and with your lecture.

@cathannabel

I am so sorry. Welcome back and good luck in all your endeavours.

Missy