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  • #65688
    syzygy @replies

    @mudlark

    sorry to hear about the mole-turning traitor. A few of my 16/17 year old mates have had them removed which is young I reckon. But it’s close by, your hospital or clinic and I think they will numb the area with lidocaine or something?

    Thane16 and Puro

    #65678
    syzygy @replies

    @margaret-blaine

    Things petered out (the ‘countdown’ in series 5), loose ends were left dangling,or written off in a single sentence way down the line (the Silence, Madame Kovarian..

    There were some dangly ends weren’t there?  But I think maybe Moffat writes sparely for us to keep observing? That’s the way I’ve seen it. So that ultimately when we knew how to “kick the Silence out” and they ended up on a different planet Mat’s Doctor could say, “Clara you’ll forget you’ve seen them (from the days of Rory and Amy) but they’re confessors or…there’s a word for that I can’t remember!…and that idea of being able to forget them helps them in their job.”  I’m pretty sure Mat’s Doctor said these things. With Kovarian we eventually worked out that she found River, as a baby, and gave her whatever she wanted to do -which was be an archaeologist – and thus track the Doctor as a personal assassin.

    Kovarian didn’t think River would fall in love with the Doctor in whatever face he had. I think her eye patch helped  ensure you didn’t forget The Silence which also came down to Trenzalore to capture or kill the Doctor and that’s where the crack appeared after all that time from when the Doctor first ‘arrived’ on Earth in Amelia’s garden.

    @blenkinsopthebrave

    I have long stood up for the historicals on Who on this site. Well, let me say that both “Rosa” and especially “Demons of the Punjab” have approached the brilliance of “The Aztecs”. And from where I am coming from the praise doesn’t get much higher

    Great to hear you can see some Who finally! And that you’ve liked those historical episodes. I liked them too and feel there isn’t a burden of theorising about what a little clue is, or what it isn’t? At the same time I think there is some interesting bonkers to be done because of the colour t-shirts, the fact the Doctor was sicker on the ship in the earlier episode but in this particular one it was a stand-alone episode focussing on the Humans as Monsters, wrecking their own creation, using power to ensure superiority with blood dropped as a powerful incentive to do what Power says. I think those are monstrous things and sometimes in society, like what’s happening in parts of Africa and across America now it’s a good time to speak about those things?

    Thank you , Thane.

     

    #65676
    syzygy @replies

    @swordwhale   @missrori

    Wondering how much of the uncertainly some have with the character of the Doctor is because a woman is bringing a slightly different kind of energy to it? Is it different from what all the male actors brought to it?

    Yeah, I think the Doctor has been developed nicely. The episode before this where the Doctor says, “I love this, conceptually and actually [talking about anti-matter and its use]” really made an impact on me. That she paused to explain how she felt and what mattered.

    As always the character development can be nuanced in this show.  She has given us SO many hints as to what makes her tick ? Her attendance at Grace’s funeral; at the mourning of the Pilot; her listing of achievements including, “a Doctor of hope” shows she never gives up. She doesn’t like monsters who take over the planet like the Demons might have, saying “it will stop” but equally when told who they really are she adapts quickly. She also explains to her Adventurers that she can’t always protect them. She’s gabby (like my mum!) and tells everyone what she’s doing without being Time Lord-mysterious  which was part of AG Who with Davies and Moffat.

    Thank you, Thane

     

    #65648
    syzygy @replies

    @ichabod

    I think that would’ve been my relatives hanging out their sheets to dry    🙂

    The amount of times we put sheets out -only to bring them in standing up from ice or frost -I don’t like to count. Prague is a truly beautiful city to me. People cite Paris as the most romantic and yet the buildings are all large and white (still beautiful) whilst Prague’s are capped with coloured, elegant crown mouldings. Many have painted emblems across the top with apartments and official buildings in duck-egg blue, earth, pale-pink and rust colours. I found Salzburg more homely, somehow -though definitely ‘home’ to the richest of cultural groups with modern acoustic concert halls and permanent galleries.  As to plague I must defer to @mudlark our historian of this time-period and @janetteb.

    Puro

    #65643
    syzygy @replies

    @geoffers Thank you for that!! I wasn’t exactly ‘myself’…..In my gut, hind-brain (or maybe I’m thinking from the proverbial rear-end) Snarks reminds me of Bela Fleck and The Flecktones  -the mode & the Charlie ‘Bird’ Parker-isms. It’s a beautifully tight performance at 4:00 onwards till just after 5.00 where the vocal accompaniment didn’t illuminate (to use @whisht‘s excellent word)  -to me- the performance any more. It just muddied the nicely dampened percussive touches?

    But that’s just me (I’m having an attack of ‘blabber mouth’!).  Have you heard any Weedie Braimah and The Hands of Time? There’s a lovely similarity for me with the Snarks and Charles Bird.

    Puro

    #65642
    syzygy @replies

    @whisht  Love those songs you’ve added for ‘Rosa’ and others. I believe a class were listening to these odes nearing exam block & having completed the Rock’n’Roll as History unit   😉

    You express yourself very well whisht.

    T<i>hen there were a few parps of brass around half way… they’re coming into the home straight(!) as you say the crescendo builds and then… the choir…t</i><i>heir introduction is a crystal-bright emotionally-charged illumination – a gorgeous difference to the album version, which is mainly washes of cymbal and synths …though great in its own way.</i>

    Beautifully written. Crystal-bright is a great way of describing it & as you say, illumination of the original sounds in the first two parts, added to with choir & increased percussion, while still maintaining a ‘drone’ in the violins & violas, helps begin that “illumination” which is easy to lose control of too quickly, thus, as you picked up, ruining the surprise.

    Martele is a term used (also ‘martellato‘) for detaching the bow from the strings or an accented bow striking the strings in a ‘hammering’ method & the opposite of what the strings are being instructed to do here in the score/orchestration notes. Also the Ionian Mode is “happy making.”

    Definitely what you like about this is that it’s a combo of a slow pace or adagio increasing slightly but adding more volume to the tutti (meaning everyone joins in) creating a climax & a wall of sound.

    The amount of 4th-6th yr students who couldn’t use normal words to describe a listening experience was frightful.(in other words you have that ability but students deeply mired in music often don’t which is bad!) It takes intelligence and a certain amount of written and spoken knowledge to say/write exactly how a piece of music works for you & so, for others Music students tend to use only musical terminology and when asked by me to describe it without some ‘in’ expressions and terms, they looked utterly blank, but worse, sneery (that might sum up college/uni/TAFE/Advanced College of Education students all over!).

    Thing is, they don’t ‘get’ that the population enjoys listening & singing to the music they also like & many want to find out why it has that emotional or intellectual pull; unless someone is prepared to speak ‘human’ that same population group will shrug & walk away finding some else who might break it down for them.

    Often people say “music is our only common language” except, deep down, under the ‘rubbings’ of that statement, it’s a bit contradictory as different sounds don’t mean the same thing to different cultures. So a Japanese person doesn’t always hear “buzzzz” when listening to a bee & yet I, and probably you, do!  There’s a wonderful book out there, no longer published, called The Illusion of Musical Sounds or The Music Illusion…It would be a lovely preface to the recent The Knowledge Illusion.

    Puro  (hugs)

     

     

    #65620
    syzygy @replies

    Stan Lee of Marvel died  🙁  I might be new to this news.

    @whisht 6/8 time can do it. Reminds me of a few great Beatles songs.

    sweeping up-lift in the choral ‘backing’ as well the music modulating upwards with each set; overtones are also used;  a lovely crescendo leading to —–>  ff (fortissimo) and symmetry within the percussion, strings and choral voices.  Helps when the strings bow carefully. And actually listen to the sound they produce.

    Solo voice unbalanced a bit -but a small problem easily addressed.

    Puro

    #65618
    syzygy @replies

    @cathannabel

    Great to see you  back and ‘not lost’ though #LostinSalzburg should be a thing. I always loved Prague but Salzburg is colourful,  a tad smaller, its river not quite as ….threatening.  Indeed it is a life of luxury. Not uncommon amongst Aussies to spend  $20 000 on a 4 or 2 month holiday in Europe incl fares/accom/cabs/train passes and just…..living, wandering and eatin’

    So much so, one happily chugs  bake beans and devon-‘meat’  for the next 12 months    🙂

    Puro

    #65616
    syzygy @replies

    ratings! awesome!

    @swordwhale

    YOl! Dr Hu…..loved the number plate. Didn’t even though they were …..a thing. Apparently people have ‘life size’  Tardis’ in their garden: I have a Tardis mug which, when you heat things, allows for a disappearing Tardis (it really was awesome in its day).

    Puro

    #65600
    syzygy @replies

    @pedant Don’t “tell her what?”

    I’m sitting in m’bed, begging for my laptop, out of the ICU and wanting to do something in between obs, cleaning out the naso-gastric tube (a real hoot-n-nanny), watching CNN & someone’s had a CAR ACCIDENT??  🙁  Holy mother of them all.

    I’ve seen some of your dash cam vids before -because I like driving & enjoy Christmas lights (any lights, pretty much, to which Thane will attest: garage, rear lights, lights from tall buildings ….) but not a CAR ACCIDENT. Certainly not dash lights that all flash. Diabetes, car accident…..??

    I plan to stay gloomy for the superstitious. A bowl of milk at the door to keep the random ghosts happy; all mirrors checked for cracks; ladders folded and hung;  no salt anywhere unless carefully laid along the perimeter

    @whisht has put up some toons. Outstanding. Not caught up with the latest Who and 1/2 way thru the one Thane calls “the satire with a live troll” which is very interesting….

    Stay safe people. The world is clearly going nuts.

    Puro x0

    #65509
    syzygy @replies

    @blenkinsopthebrave

    It was amazing!! The drive was problematic. But we had several lectures by Indigenous peoples and visited the open -air museum and met one Indigenous actor! It was actually very cold. We had a campfire for the Dreaming which was terrific.

    We now have lots of records and information -primary evidence will does include the supreme court information about how the first trial meant they were all “not guilty” and then this lead to another trial.

    I haven’t slept at all since Wednesday so I need to do this first, see mum and then do some more reading and also watch The Secret River which is our combined History/English assessment. I like that there are two subjects looking at the same concept differently: historically, and English.

    It was very sad hearing about what happened. Two ‘fellas’ jumped into the creek to escape. If they hadn’t they would have been murdered too. They were 14. Children of 12 and 13 (girls) didn’t escape.

    T16

     

    #65507
    syzygy @replies

    Ladies and Gentleman, welcome to Doctor Who’s first species of modern troll, the Pting: eating through wires and metal, never full, always hungry, never actually eating flesh but surviving on constituent computer parts and 0000s and 1000s. Looks like a toy but be aware of what it does…..

    When the Doctor looked at the antimatter machine and said, “I love this conceptually and ….actually,” that’s the way  Dad looks at Mum.

    Love 🙂    T16.

    #65506
    syzygy @replies

    @pedant

    Man, I get back from frought bus trip to Myall Creek (no seat belts and tired drivers) grateful to be in a piece and you are not!! 🙁   Bad for Mr P.

    BMWs: you should hear my dad talk about some of the Beemer Sunday drivers.

    Glad you’re not too injured. But it sounds scary. I don’t have my learner’s yet even. I think no matter how careful you can be, how well you watch the road it is always the “other drivers” my dad says.

    T16

    #65469
    syzygy @replies

    @idiotsavon @blenkinsopthebrave

    Home again, to pack.  Thank you for the link and the mention Mr Blenkinsop. It was an awful time. It is still a depressed community in many areas and this isn’t something, in ‘middle’ Brisbane we are aware of. The gentleman driving the bus may come from that area and I enjoy conversing with adults where I can and I hope that if he is a shy person, that I can be quiet and listen.

    I spelled both destinations wrong which is terrible of me: it would be like spelling ‘Brisbane’ or “Capaldi’ wrong insofar as it is disrespectful and I do apologise for that.

    Unfortunately we will be spending 14 hours on the bus -or more, as the afternoon trip may take longer.  Because of this the learning we do at Myall Creek may be  less than hoped? Mum has not been there in many years but when I was 5 and 6 we would drive nearby when going to Sydney. Without a doubt, now that the 3 other tasks are over, I am looking forward to experiencing this & it’s humbling, as you say.

    I shall report back, Thank you for all your help and I will re-read the link as it will also help in my understanding. T16.

    #65463
    syzygy @replies

    @idiotsavon  ! She does it again!  🙂  Thank you….!!!

    I’ve nipped home to get some stuff for mum and then I’m back to school for a 2 day excursion where we are driving 7 hours there, 7 hours back. We have to bring a packed lunch and afternoon tea AND bring $50 for dinner, breakfast and lunch the next day. It’s NUTS! My school : what a wacked place.

    Anyway, I see you have found the actual QLD National Curriculum. If you stumble into History you’ll see Mum’s involved (or maybe there are no names) -but this was early grades, 7 -10 only. My teacher in answer t o”you haven’t taught us anything” emailed us the pages associated with this topic on Monday. It’s due Friday but for me, today, because of this history excursion to Bergara -or near Miall Creek which is our history topic. It will be 43 degrees @blenkinsopthebrave  in the shade and I think we’ll be sleeping on the bus. So, Monday afternoon I spent the day at home (Oh I was very ill) doing things, seeing mum, and typing out the assignment.

    And darn, I didn’t use Plantinga. Terrific. Except he sneered -I think. Or laughed. Dunno. He’s shy. I read it over. Now, I have Maths and left all my workings-out at home and I’m headed for a c- for that!

    I am thrilled with the philo. Sweet, thank you for the link. It will be SO helpful. I still think I’ll be lucky to get a B-. I’ll be stoked, actually. I should send it to you to read! Bear in mind it’s Semester 2 of 4. I’m 16 (still) and not word perfect (as you can tell). Still, not sure what one can do to get an A when the teacher…is…. well, I’ve said all that. You can tell I’ve had no sleep!

    T16

    #65413
    syzygy @replies

    @idiotsavon

    (I really dislike calling you idiot!). Seriously, that has been very helpful. I clocked 9 hours today and 1000 words.  I think the article was actually referencing “Does God exist in argument or ratiocination?” well. We need to counter the counter-argument, if that makes sense. As of right now, I could achieve a basic pass or a distinction which is odd. I generally have a good idea….

    Thank you.

    T16

    #65404
    syzygy @replies

    @bluesqueakpip

    the latter mentioned Alvin Plantinga who my teacher was not happy about: (sorry ‘Pip) “as a theist he’s morally invested in the God Problem.”

    I don’t agree with what my teacher said, Pip. He is a very young guy who made it clear to us he’s atheist. Because of my Christian background I’m usually getting a lot of ‘wax’ about how dumb I therefore am. It doesn’t help when I add that Kant, Descartes and Hume were believers.

    @pedant (thank you for your response as well as Pip’s) My response & my mates was, “they are ALL morally invested in the God problem.”

    A philosopher asks questions & uses argument to explain positions. They don’t ‘debunk’ an idea but explain their concepts using argument without sneering. Those who sneer don’t succeed.

    ***In my mind and also mum’s mind, this is how you could do it: If you have a question: ” you can/not use rational argument to prove that God exists” you would explain WHAT arguments can be used to prove god exists. You should explain how Kant provided us with answers or suggestions to further our understanding of god such as “the gap between ratiocination and God is faith and hope.” You would also explain the 3 arguments which help us understand the philosopher’s logic:

    cosmological; ontological; teleological. Then explain how each of these can be countered using logical argument according to the expected manner in which philosophers work using a variety from Plato, Hume, Kant, Plantinga

    In our school we write, “no, you can’t prove God exists using argument”  using one of the above methods (I’ve chosen teleological) & two philosophers, mainly. The premise can be argued, too. Each link in the chain does not need support (weird).

    It’s not good enough. And yet it is 1200 words not 500. So, there’s a problem with this too. The way I would do it at *** above would give you an approximate 1200 words whereas the method the teacher used would be more suited to 500 words.

    I understand your frustration. 🙁

    T16

    #65382
    syzygy @replies

    @mudlark

    So, given that many of these concepts were formed long before there was any knowledge or understanding of the vastness and complexity of the universe, is the God of your argument the creator and prescriptive ruler of the Israelites, an omniscient,omnipotent and ultimately benevolent overseer of the universe and our human destiny, the Ground of Being integral to the existence of all living beings, the Atman or universal soul, or what? And how do you construct a rational, logical argument on that basis?

    ‘He/She’ is a “god” but the question did also state 2 other descriptors -nirvana or The Great Emptiness.

    Thank you for your wonderful response -Puro did philosophy years ago at college but it was more an introduction even though it was in 4th year. We are going waaay too fast. Therefore, in arguing whether God exists we need to determine more the word “exists” rather than whether it’s a god/not- god/other not -god thing.

    Exists is essentially the problem according to Kant who talks about predicates some which I found from my teacher when he finally woke up and realised he had to do something and also @bluesqueakpip who recommended the 1st Order Predicates and 2nd Order Predicates. Honestly ‘Pip you were SO helpful. Thankyou. Be our teacher!!

    The latter mentioned Alvin Plantinga who my teacher was not happy about: (sorry ‘Pip) “as a theist he’s morally invested in the God Problem.”

    So, in cosmology we can use Aquinas who argues for God’s existence but we then provide counter-arguments.  Teleological arguments explain the universe is ordered so well there is no other option but to believe in a hidden Designer.  According to Kant (I think, and Hume) Order is only there because our minds are pre-determined to ‘see’ such Order. That argument I get. I also understand  (sort of) how to argue this.

    Most kids thought it was about finding evidence to prove God is or isn’t there. But we had  5 lessons during which the teacher (a stand in) did nothing at all. There’s a limit to how many times mum could complain to the school regarding how pathetic they all are . I now don’t have a single teacher who knows anything. I think I’d know (cue the 17 year old “oh he think he knows it all” 😀  ). LOL

    Dad reckons complain about things next year when grades matter. No grades are used this year determining next year’s overall position or OP. In Brisbane it’s a combination of essays/ exams which give you an Overall Position. An OP of 1 to 2 means Medicine is doable. OPs of the same and a 3-4 means some universities will accept you for Law. So a 4 -6 means higher level courses like engineering/architecture/planning/economics courses are open. If you want to do Physical Education or Human Movements with its emphasis on science you actually need a 2 (most HM students become teachers)

    I had a predicted 5 earlier this year but I’ll be lucky to get a 12 now*. (22 is the lowest) except I have no interest in going to university. I need to be organised which is a sore to Puro:  “organisation is the key to undergraduate existence.” 🙂

    T16

    PS: it’s also about what subjects you take and where, on the Overall Position line you fit. You can be an A- next to a few other A-s in History but if you are a B+ surrounded by no others you could get a higher score than the A-. Also a subject like Chemistry or Physics has a high OP area and the former is equivalent to taking Ancient History, Ancient Greek or Music with composition and performance.

    #65373
    syzygy @replies

    @winston ! It’s good to see your picture and handle again.

    @cathannabel We (i’m typing for Mum and adding in myself) echo those sentiments. Have a great time. And enjoy this time with your Dad: it should be a terrific experience and one your dad should treasure and so will you. Mum also said she spent 3 days on the Danube when she was 25 with grandpa. On one day it was hot & against the judgement of ‘le capitaine’ people jumped in the water.

    @whisht terrific bonkerising: essential element of this site. I don’t have any theories except for the Stenza coming back and being a group whose culture was lost in the Time War, caused by the High Council. I also wonder whether there are other TLs still out there.

    Not the Master/Missy or any mentioned in Mat Smith’s era but a completely different one(s)? Mum is out for a couple of weeks too. I may be checking in or out -depending on assessment which is going to be spectacularly bad. From last semester of 4 As, one B and one C I reckon on losing all but one A.

    None of this year ‘counts’ towards final marks at the end of Year 12. The philosophy assignment has done me in (and mum too) but the English essay on Kate Grenville is torturous because of time restrictions, @janetteb you may know The Secret River because of your extensive research ?

    Also @juniperfish you might have an idea about how to describe “God exists” [or not] using Kant’s theory of ‘predicates?’ It’s not good when our taxes are providing such poor education in some state schools that the teacher actually says, “I have no real idea how to teach this philosophy task because I don’t like Immanuel Kant” and I said: I know you didn’t set the task but everyone knows something relevant. David Hume? And he said, Nup not him either. He’s contracted and doesn’t know us well. Shy but writes thoughtfully.

    @blenkinsopthebrave I hope you can get a Doctor Who soon? Perhaps (mum says) you can work in your celler while you wait for it to show up on DVD? 😀  But that’s a year away!

    T16 and Puro signing off,

    #65352
    syzygy @replies

    @janetteb no worries: I really wasn’t thinking of you as being that type of person -so apologies! It was actually sometimes a newbie: “did anyone notice ..?” it kinda annoys.

    I read that good article @pedant

    I think there are few personal attacks here. But a few rude comments which is different. I know mum handled the one about “phd who gives a shit?” which is pretty personal. She just shook her head. Then did bullet points. It’s the nature of those people. They simply want something to hate, find a discussion and then crap on. Not sweet. With Social commentary I type “OK” and then they get real mad.

    T16.

     

    • This reply was modified 7 years, 8 months ago by  syzygy. Reason: being nicer
    #65345
    syzygy @replies

    @lionheart564

    I understand what you are saying about communism -and I agree. What I wrote next embodied what I believe to be important elements of society which if delivered by profit-focussed competitive markets, won’t happen. This might assist you in your thinking:

    …our taxes pay for the very issues we use to determine the signs and signals of our best selves, the very things that move our civilisation.

    Society should embody our best selves, not our middle-ground selves. We should never anyone behind. Taxes don’t strip us of wealth or potential. Well used, they provide what we need but also store money for the things we don’t yet know we need.

    I think we probably agree about all that, actually! On the ‘God thing’ the 2 paragraphs I gave to teacher 2 days ago weren’t good. We give one draft. But no-one else had done that because shortly we have another one due in 6 days. They could have had a different assessment . A viva voce, or a Socratic circle discussion. We’re all tired of writing! An essay is this semester’s assessment for every subject (maths; science too). Bad planning 🙂

    #65313
    syzygy @replies

    just look at this place @craig! I’m getting a bit weepy. See how people here are explaining things, answering questions, helping others and with absolutely no remuneration to each personally but because talking helps society they talk, and explain, and if one says, “hang on?” another pops in to offer an opinion -a really well-educated thought out opinion.

    So @idiotsavon you absolutely need to write a book about issues with the EU and Brexit. You have a particular way with words that helps me (someone who doesn’t cope with economics)  understand .

    @miapatrick. Exactly, that’s the Social Conscience Question. How far do we go to keep people going? When we look at an individual as a person we can say “we go all the way. We don’t ever stop.” Or: We never give in and never give up.

    Earlier this year, Mum said this and I wrote it and kept it (phew) @bluesqueakpip “Kant was undeniably one of the most intellectually gifted philosophers operating at a time where a intellectual crisis of deep perplexity was occurring. On one hand he had the claim of science to a genuine knowledge of the world and on the other the claim philosophy had on how experience in no way could give rise to knowledge.”

    Then, & I recall this bit from what she said: Kant, like Hume said that if the mind only derived things from the senses and if complex ideas like god came from sensory impressions then anything at all concerning the universe or its nature (definition needed of ‘nature’) that went beyond experience and became speculation was unfounded.  Experience did not produce knowledge. Or, as @pedant might say “anecdote isn’t in itself a truth” -and I might have that totally wrong.  🙂

    T16

    #65307
    syzygy @replies

    @miapatrick

    how would publicly owned and regulated education and health service companies be in competition with each other, though? If they’re not profit driven, their main order of business is to do as much as they can do with the available budget.

    I believe that’s quite sensible @lionheart564  ?

    I really think that you can NEVER expect profit driven companies to produce a service to people. If it’s about profit we know it can never serve FIRST. And service should be first. See, I don’t believe in a society bowing to the Great God Market? People do it all the time.

    I believe in society, first, second and third. I’m also a virtual- socialist -and so is Puro so it’s hard to say that somehow our taxes shouldn’t pay for the very issues we use to determine the signs and signals of our best selves, the very things that move our civilisation.

    Our society should respect the elements which build the space in which we all live, all equally. Profit driven schooling causes nothing but inequality and regression. Our own societies are worthless if we do not care -or help those -who, by design or accident, are hurt, suffering, lonely, illiterate or perhaps unskilled in some way.

    Education is one way to help people to care for those who feel they cannot, anymore, care for themselves. That is why we have -or should have -excellent welfare for everyone who needs it. It’s not impossible. Everybody, by and large, wants to work. They want to produce for their group or family or loved ones or simply to produce for those they’ve never seen but still need the things the former can produce. Certainly they should be remunerated properly. And obviously there are some people (although I’ve never met any) who want to get something out of the system without putting anything in.

    And that is something that be halted through education: of the BEST kind. I’m not speaking of Communist Re-education. No way. That’s something that my grandpa fought against all his life and  before that against fascism. God knows what he’d say about the horrible alt-right rubbish in the States made by people so low, so stupid, so historically underqualified to tell anyone anything, that it “beggars belief.” I have to admit to not knowing that phrase but my dad uses it a lot! I wanted to go and live in America but I don’t now. Not for another 7 years at least. Mum lived there for awhile, but on the East Coast and up North which she said was “rarified” which is like ‘high air’ and I actually don’t know what that means.

    Also, I am avoiding the assignment…..

    T16

    #65306
    syzygy @replies

    Also, if we use Plato at all: and why the teacher gave us a handout on Plato and Aristotle I do not know because, as @bluesqueakpip has said it’s Russell and Aquinas, Plantinga and Frege which are most useful. Plato’s forms and the perfection of the ultimate ‘thing’ are all well and good -these are ways that point to some perfect idea that started the more perfect Form of the pizza, horse, bunny rabbit, time lord. But none of those ‘methods’ or ideas about Perfect Form are in any way “rational.” Neither do they rely on Argument as Hume, Locke and Kant would have us understand.

    The teacher is most displeasing to me: unfortunately we’ve moved on from Plato and into Kant etc…and yet this was his only form of assistance.

    🙁

    I have learned more here, and from Gym Guy! Thank you. Sometimes talking aloud helps. Reading all this aloud helps too. So again, thank you!

    #65305
    syzygy @replies

    @craig

    I didn’t even SEE your post! I’m sorry, thank you, that was awesome! Love Dr Neil.

    @idiotsavon

    Good question! It is: Can God’s existence be established by rational argument?

    We chose. I chose this: God’s existence cannot be established using, or by, rational argument.  You have a toddler. Say no more!

    It’s very very tricky. We cannot use a paradox fallacy. But there’s no reason as @lionheart564 says that we can’t argue that if God is the first beginning, and there is no ‘other’ beginning’ then the very reason we use to establish cause and effect and something being ‘moved’ by another can’t continue to be used because the ‘mover’ has to be the ‘move -ee’ at some point which only suggests that ‘yes, there’s a beginning’ but also ‘that particular beginning was also an end of the thing (or universe, or God) that came before it.’

    So it is paradoxical, in a way, but as @pedant said: there must be 2 things:

    • sound argument across every ‘link’ in the chain of the argument, but also
    • the question must emerge from a sound premise in the 1st place.

    Therefore, you could say: Logical analysis can’t be used to prove His existence. Because we use sound analysis for everything else (and we do…some might say, “oh no, we don’t. Look at love. It’s illogical or babies -look how mothers coo at their infants” when all of those things can be proven nowadays to the extent that ‘love’ isn’t what people necessarily think it is) we must use reason to find for God’s existence and because we can’t, we therefore can’t. I’m at that point: Reason can’t be used to find for God’s existence. We might use other things but then again, you see, that is not the way the question is phrased.

    I believe the problem is IN the question, more than anything else and I suspect when I meet one of the mates in class at the gym, I’m pretty sure he’s going to suggest the teacher re-phrase it. This guy’s pretty amazing. The teacher seems to listen to him.

    A very odd state of affairs mum said. She’s right.

    T16

    #65304
    syzygy @replies

    @lionheart564

    I appreciate your suggestions! Thank you. I’m not sure you can use paradox fallacies in philosophy. Premises and predicates as well as ontological, teleological or Aquinas’ cosmological arguments counter the argument. And are used as expressions of the arguments. Annoyingly, philosophy essays have a very specific method of argument also using Logic (capital L)  -and the other proponents mentioned above.  BUt thank you so very much. BIG thanks.

    @bluesqueakpip So, just getting back to dragons. And thank you -most helpful. Absolutely did I not wish for people to write my entire script. I would never do this or expect this. After all, what would I learn? Very little…

    So:

    If we say that dragons don’t exist, we aren’t saying that there are non-existent dragons in some other dimensions – we are saying that there’s no such things as dragons.

    If we say god doesn’t exist we aren’t saying that there are non-existent gods in some other dimensions. We are saying there are no gods, no nirvana, no such things as a god…

    But the question states: “we cannot say, establish or know that God, or nirvana, the Great Emptiness or all god(s) exists using rational argument.

    We are not saying: “God exists if we use other methods of decision-making (love, babies, sunsets, personal preference, cherry picking from scriptures) ….are we?

    We can use those arguments for god’s existence in the counter argument but yes, the principals you’ve listed as first argument -or strongest arguments – make sense to me. Sort of. I have about 1200 words which is actually a lot. And the counter arguments will take up most of the presentation.

    So much appreciated

    T16

     

    #65287
    syzygy @replies

    I have to apologise for being Teenager From Lazy-land. It sounded like (whining) “please do my whole assignment” but no, not at all. If anyone has a sentence or two I would be very grateful. And if you do not wish to do that then no worries . I enjoy paying attention at school 🙂

    @cathannabel  on Brexit.

    Mum was saying “its a fraught issue”  – I totally get your weariness. A member of my fam in London said she’s worried about her grandkids future too. It’s as if no-one planned it happening when if there are people wanting it to happen and change people’s minds then it seems like having several plans would help in order to change futures. It’s basic thinking.

    Thane

    #65284
    syzygy @replies

    @lionheart564

    You should never put schooling and healthcare into competitive market places (taxes provide those essentials) because it simply cannot work. Look outside China and into the U.S. Then, look at Australia. Really look.

    T16

    #65283
    syzygy @replies

    So, I’m at the pub wanting a very large drink!

    I have a poor philosophy teacher this term -in my remotely not humble opinion. He can write very well but teaching the concepts? Not exactly. He’s so chilled one of the kids sleeps on the floor and he ignores him. If the entire class are on phones, he ignores them and gets on with things. Except, not.

    Philosophy, huh? 🙂

    Anyone who could spend 5 mins (or even 2) on this question will be most favoured with butter beer:

    Can the existence of God be established using rational argument?

    We choose a ‘can’ or a ‘cannot’ and I’ve chosen: “we cannot establish the existence of God using rational argument.”

    It sounds almost simple but I don’t find it so. The fact I have 6 days makes it more difficult due to sweat and panic.

    The 2nd part involves counter-arguments such as the ontological, the teleological (Intelligent Design -clever prime mover) and cosmological (Aquinas =everything has a beginning and everything has a cause [because there’s an effect]  ). The counter arguments I’m absolutely fine with (but not the first part about ‘establishing.’

    Headache, chocolate, running away fast, sweat…

    T16

    #65276
    syzygy @replies

    @kevinwho

    Politics has been a focus in Doctor Who since inception.

    Thane said it nicely when with “politics always matters always all of the time.” So, it’s not about wallowing in politics it’s about acknowledging what politics does for us all. The 2nd set of Hartnell episodes explored this. During the Capaldi era we had the Zygons. Some episodes with Mat Smith were written against the back-drop of U.S. politics. I don’t think Who’s shied away from that but it’s allowed children to enjoy the stories they are seeing whilst adults (or learned children, aged 13+) recognise a different layer (but it doesn’t require nuance, necessarily).

    Puro.

    #65275
    syzygy @replies

    @jimthefish

    I liked that link on the web site page. I think nekrosys would’ve benefitted too.

    Certainly there’s a difference between sarcasm -the jumpy-man’s wit- and good irony, real wit, burlesque, lampooning and sharpness. I love words!

    And also, music.  @blenkinsopthebrave  Absolutely, Where Eagles Dare is spectacular. We watch it every Christmas (that’s Mr Puro’s choice along with any Frank Capra and for me, The Christmas episodes of Die Hard 🙂 Thank you for writing about the Dyer book. I will most definitely find that as a leedle gift for the Puro Head of The House (because, as you know, I believe in the HOH most sincerely, when I’m trying to be satirical, or lampooning something or even just being very silly indeed!)

    And we all need a good Christmas holiday. It is going to be very hot here with humidity between 75 and 99% in the past 4 weeks. Puro x

    @idiotsavon At last mum and I are in the same time zone. Normally, she’s either here, at home, or in That Other Place. Sometimes, like yesterday, I respond from school (oops).

    I have learned from experts that the  EU is a really good tool for keeping things equal. I’ve also learned that the EU is really annoying and not always successful. But then I hear these same people say: “two things you don’t want to see being made: sausages and laws” as well as “democracy: it’s awful sometimes, but it’s the best of everything there is.”

    I also believe, personally, like a lot of DEMS and Liberals – that is, Liberals to Americans (but here Liberal is right wing. So voters a little bit on the Left are called ‘Labour’) that Big Government is VERY important.

    Small government does not favour the middle income earners, those in marginalised groups in society or the low-income earners. Big Government and discussions around Federalism are best able to provide the best schools, health-care-systems, roads and highways, policing by actual police and Members of Parliament voted in by people who actually care about the politicians they vote in and vice versa.

    Aus people often moan about politicians and some of those don’t know much about how politics works. And they should. I also think politics underscores everything we do. People know that I actually favour politics……over….here it comes…..family. Because family is often run by ‘one’ person or two people. Also, people might say, “my family is SO important. It’s more important than other families” which is problematic.

    I know my grandparents fought for safety and against right-wing governments. I think we said elsewhere that they both won the equivalent of a DSM when they were only 16, during war time and then had to escape. I think that’s another reason why I think knowing things is important, why listening is necessary and that information found on web-sites has to be assessed for its: veracity, independence, context, motive, bias, confirmation bias, usefulness and whether it’s reliable or backed up by evidence. That is why some books (not all) are often better than random links to sites which can be harmful and used by others as a method of supporting their ‘argument’ even though their argument may be specious (?).

    Big Post! T16

     

     

    #65256
    syzygy @replies

    @nekrosys

    Say no more: “politically correct;” “sjw;” “nonsense.”   We’ve had some interesting discussions about “SJWs” as well as the craziness of the term “PC” which generally means being courteous. Feel free, perhaps, to read those particular comments across The Pub, in the episode discussions on ‘Rosa,’ and so on.

    Also, punctuation is your best friend.  As is knowledge and facts. Probably, though, you’re about to mention: “fake facts.”

    So, I’ll just skip your posts and move on….

    Puro.

     

    #65254
    syzygy @replies

    @nekrosys

    “The far left” Ah, see that’s the type of youtube comment I’m used to reading. Generally, political statements of that kind could be best left to the Pub: The Kebab and Calculator.

    I am, however, deeply concerned, you think it’s the “far left” who somehow messed up Star Wars. It makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.

    Clearly, by your statement, you are, in fact, a member of ‘The Right” and from in the US.

    Puro.

    #65186
    syzygy @replies

    @pedant

    ROFFL  !  Yeah, I get that. Reminds of people on web forums talking about something that someone else just wrote but the first person wanted to be the one to notice it or else hadn’t read the comments at all.

    T16

     

    #65184
    syzygy @replies

    @idiotsavon @lisa @pedant

    I have learned so much about Brexit and Leave (and Remain) since coming to this Forum for myself. I never was much into politics but I am glad I am becoming more interested by the day. As @bluesqueakpip suggested Politics and Brexit is very difficult -as an argument -to take and there is angst because of it (thank you ‘Pip I had to find the meaning of angst = a lot of my class mates!)

    @arbutus I don’t think I know much about Steve Pearce?

    @lisa The thing with smaller countries and accountability in politics (whether Member Nations or autonomous governments) is that some still have corruption -and a lot of it. I’m thinking of Greece, Slovakia and Hungary. Yes, they’re Eastern Europe but they still have their own individual ‘premiers’  (another word for P.M.)

    T16.

    #65171
    syzygy @replies

    @tardigrade

    you can see why the Doctor might come across as lesbian- relatively short hair, androgynous clothing

    Big tick there.   Mum now has short hair;  wears dad’s T-shirts and his 3/4 long trackie-dacks.  In America or the UK you might not know those. In Australia it’s tracksuits in stretch fabric.

    I apologise for such a long post. I was trying to tag people as I enjoy the dialogue between us all. So most of this is for anyone who has time!

    “Where did all the spiders go?” This is what Moffat was accused of:  How did we get from A to C with A being spiders eating everyone and C being ‘they are all dead.’

    I think they went through B = a point where 1) spiders in apartments ran fast to Ground Zero 2) curled up and died 3) reverted to normal behaviour such as skulking in dark, dusty areas without human habitation. This was foreshadowed by Graham finding a spider’s ‘suit’ -like that of a divested snake. So, something happened to the spiders but we didn’t need to witness them disappear.

    @mrswho I think it was a metaphor for greed. It showed how we work together not on our own; ensuring that scientific experiments are carried out safely using all the methods of proper containment of hazards. The hazard in this case was Trump – Chris Noth’s character.

    @ekky80 The show has always left loose threads dangling. It’s also expected people to pay attention. We know what happened to Rosa Parks, we also deduce what happened to the spiders. We know why Grace died, both because of the story-telling and what the writers know to be clever: you must make the loss of a person felt deeply.  @miapatrick this is excellent imo:

    It’s interesting that you’ll reference the wife of one of the other characters…for a point, I don’t know, about how unfair television is these days towards heterosexual people, but you don’t feel her presence and attitudes undermines your argument about men being targeted. And just skip over the woman in the bar who threw them out.

    @hobbyco

    Am I the only one who is noticing that in every episode so far, the “baddy” is white and male

    You’re not alone in what you’ve noticed.  It’s called ‘creep’ when white men and good, honest women are effectively screwed out of a job because white blokes are under-valued. I’m weeping for us all 😉

    @mrswho @hobbyco The show’s history has baddies of different genders. Also, some female aliens stand for good: like Madame Vastra.   A “proper baddie” looks normal, with his suits and his yelling but underneath is completely toxic which is why I suggest he was a metaphor….When @lionheart564 the Doctor doesn’t use a gun on the spiders it’s because she has never  liked them but significantly it’s the process of guns and how quick people are to reach for them. The “moral compass” of the Doctor isn’t “off” it’s set to “normal Doctor”

    @troygorsline (thank you for saying nice things about Mum: that was really kind) Agreed. Arguments and political debates are hard as nobody’s mind is changed. I’ve had my mind changed a lot but I’m 16 so our minds are still  ‘cooking’ a bit like the Doctor. @lisa I don’t mind that the Doctor’s saying “I’m still working things out” because that’s how all the Doctors since NuWho have done things. Also, the Doctor is showing strength of purpose:  “Don’t threaten me”  and “tea at Yaz!” as well as her particular attitude towards the spiders.

    She didn’t need a Donna from The Wedding Christmas Special to say “don’t! Stop! You’ll drown the spider’s kids!”

    This Doctor has aged so she’s entitled to self-appraisal: “I’m not sure what my personality is” because her actions, emerging from her beliefs speak for her. Thank you for reading,

    Thane

    #65126
    syzygy @replies

    @nerys

    And, as for “who gives a shit”? I do

    Indeed. Whether a degree, undergraduate or post-graduate, post-doc, doctorate or PhD these are all necessary to expertise. Also, just for what I call “knowledge for knowledge sake.”

    That leads to great dialogue, conversation, inspiring thought processes and personal goals

    Puro.

     

    #65125
    syzygy @replies

    @geoffers

    Ah! Yes, I mean the band: Yes. 🙂 Wakeman played the mellotron along with scores (pun not intended) of other instruments and thus David Bowie approached him for Space Oddity.

    Aaaand the mellotron (I know a lot of people despise this as much as peanut and jelly sandwiches) was utilised by King Crimson. It really is a very ‘close’ thing -6 degrees and all that.

    But please, chime in (after all, the word ‘chime’ begs you to!

    Puro x

    #65106
    syzygy @replies

    @msrbahar

    honestly, I don’t know what I did to upset you so virulently. I pointed out areas where I felt you had unfairly claimed Akinola had “no talent: and was “horrible!”

    He had not completed all the orchestration, himself -others had assisted. I also found comments regarding “Jodi’s lack of talent” to be a trifle unnecessary and was upsetting – but that’s also perfectly fine for you to write. As I said, this isn’t a place where everyone says “yes, sir, no ma’am” without critique.  To me, and on Forum you’ve stated “PhD, who gives a shit” which is also fine. I can cope! 🙂

    I never stated my qualifications as ‘showing off’  is unnecessary. I wanted to suggest  what instruments were used and who the orchestrator actually was during 3 episodes. I was never cold. I also never said I was “talented” or possessed “taste.” You’re claiming I’m “a good music ‘historian’ ” when I’ve never stated I am: though certainly, it’s a necessity in the work I’ve done with respect to orchestration and other related fields.

    If you believe the comments I have made point out that I’m merely a “good ‘historian’ ” (although you use qualifying apostrophes to imply I’m deficient in this area) then that is your prerogative. I just don’t understand what I’ve said to you that has caused you to be so angry at me? Because it looks like anger. I suggested your direct your fury at Alec Roberts; I also asked that you explain why you’re of the belief that those episodes are so poor. I explained the orchestration and the use of real-live instrumentation, rather than synths as well as mentioning some composers or scores that I found agreeable -including Spielberg’s work with Williams, which you yourself brought into the original conversation and so I was hoping to create a dialogue in that respect.

    And that didn’t happen.  But that’s OK, too 🙂

    Kindest,

    Puro (Thane typing for Puro).

    #65062
    syzygy @replies

    @bluesqueakpip

    And the great Zubin Mehta said, “I don’t think women should be in orchestras.”

    🙁

    The Big 5 in the States hire carefully as you say.

    @msrbahar

    often political correctness is a term in the pejorative used to denigrate courtesy.

    Puro

    #65050
    syzygy @replies

    “when you break an egg and scramble it you are doing cosmology.”

    @juniperfish @pedant @anduril (Halloo! if you are a new member: welcome -yes, indeed it was around the red and blue tie/ balloon that I found this site with its super-clever bonkerising)

    Red Shift:  and the Doctor’s, “let’s get a shift on!”

    Is it all related?

    @geoffers. I thought I saw you! It was that lovely time-piece that made me think “geoffers is back.”  Interesting re: The Final Cut.  Niiice. Roger explains how he felt his father was treated:  how Waters Snr died serving in the Second World War….I sense a musical/historical connection more and more with these episodes…. 🙂

    @janetteb

    In the 1930s there was a very vocal anti war and fascism organisation in Australia. Left wing of course …They protested about the annexations of Czechoslovakia 

    Indeed. I wasn’t sure whether to mention this but it’s something to share as my mother died on October 28, ’74 and was posthumously awarded The Meritorious Cross (or correctly, The Cross of Merit), on the same date in the 1990s (I don’t have access to the correct year but I think it was 1997).  My father was also awarded The Linden Decoration after his death. Strikingly, I knew almost nothing about this for many years but both awards were bestowed for valiant duty in war-time. Both were military awards from World War Two and significantly, both people carried out their duties at the age of sixteen.  Some years later, in order to prevent capture by Soviets, both fled with absolutely nothing.

    “With the clothes on their backs, they came through a storm. And those that didn’t die want a better life. And they want it here (The West Wing, Pilot).”

    It’s significant that all of us, in some small way, have contributed to a better life for others or have been recipients of a struggle won by others:  small acts of courage; a word of compassion; a letter to a Member of Parliament; sitting on a bus and not standing; by entering a university from which others were initially banned; by turning to someone, and not away. I think this episode helped some people realise that history hasn’t forgotten them, and that new stories can be told differently over the backdrop of historical events.

    Puro

    #65003
    syzygy @replies

    @lisa

    nice try but arrogance and no facts….stop bugging me with your nonsense….stronger coping skills with disagreements. That’s quite a bit of rough,  Lisa….So:

    I know this be Pub, but are you drunk already?   🙂

    I think you’re right, maybe Brexit is not the best discussion point with people who are invested in it & have children or nieces & nephews affected. They live there, after all. But I know you’re a good egg: as I said b4 you work for the Dems & that aint easy.

    Puro and Thane. I’m sort of typing for Mum: she’s on a pass-out. LOL.

     

    • This reply was modified 7 years, 9 months ago by  syzygy. Reason: loads of random code appears
    #65001
    syzygy @replies

    @whisht @cathannabel That sounds terrific -Steel Pulse. And perfect for ‘Rosa.’

    Bela Fleck loved that New Grass Revival. In fact Steel Pulse reminds me a bit of Victor Wooten.

    And Prokofiev…The Love of Three Oranges  discussed by a new member on ‘Rosa’ Thread. We’ve got the oranges in Graham, Yaz and the Doctor…There was a reference in Willie Lynch’s book (says T16) to whites supporting African American equality as being “oranges.”

    So we come full circle.

    @cathannabel Thing is, & this is more T16’s area, but songs by devoted Lil’ Pump fans will post on his video with 2 million hits in a matter of days. Everyone talks about it. Everyone dies their hair to look like gummy worms. Others like Machine Gun Kelly will respond and….then it goes nuclear. But please don’t Google Lil’ Pump -he’s a mumble-rapper and it’s really not worth it. Although, I have to say, the comments which arrive a few weeks after the crazies have vanished, are very funny indeed proving that some youboob-posters have a brain. 🙂

    #65000
    syzygy @replies

     

     

    #64997
    syzygy @replies

    @pedant @kevinwho @lisa @missrori and @mudlark

    Yes, I felt that as Krasko had admitted, with great amusement to killing 2000 people, and referred to African Americans as “mongrels,” I felt there was no real need to ‘explore’ this particular gentleman’s character further.

    Within the dialogue we had all we needed. He lacked remorse; he wanted only what he could attain without one sorry concern for those around him and saying, “next time I see you, I will kill you” topped up his cowardice and lies: the kind who’s thrilled to admit the amount of innocents he’s killed but whose empty threats are readily discovered.

    It reminded me of a spectacular Forum discussion over a year ago about Capaldi’s final episode with Clara, ‘Hell Bent’. Here, the regular Gallifreyans gave the Doctor soup and time to rest after escaping the Confession Dial. We knew, immediately, the type of people they were and yet few words were exchanged.

    This gives me great confidence in CC: less is best. It’s a fine, necessary balance considering we have Chatty Doctor and so every alien from here to the year 50 000 may need to talk less. 🙂

    Also, I’ve been very interested in people’s awareness of ‘Rosa’ compared with NuWho’s ‘Rose’ and @bluesqueakpip‘s mention in the Daily Mash regarding how a mighty whitey alien swoops in to save the day when a) Rosa herself had to complete the coda and b) Graham, remembering the Spirit of Grace, had to sit so Rosa could stand on her principles. @cathannabel -I think b) was you?!

    It wasn’t just a standalone ep. Interesting how an arc can be created by research, careful dialogue -and yet not be an actual ‘arc.’ 🙂  Again: hats off to CC and MB for that nuance and absolutely, @juniperfish it was a different kind of nuance just as there are arcs….and.. arcs.

    @lisa halloo there. Rough on pedant: “your the low information one here for me!!”  Bit of word sense disambiguation! Glad you’re still fighting the good fight.

    Looking forward to next week’s episode.

    Puro (if not T then P).

    #64994
    syzygy @replies

    @pedant

    No I haven’t & I desperately want to. Right now, I can see a movie theatre across the way. It’s one huge thing with 13 cinemas and probably smells of popcorn but I would brave even that. Except it was released in May, I think.

    Is it directed by Favreau of Marvel Inc? Because Alan Silvestri works with ‘Marvel Doods’ a lot of the time. I’m most likely wrong about that and can’t properly check as internet pretty spotty at the mo.’

    Someone mentioned it had the song ‘Jump’ in it. So, for that alone, how could I stay away?

    Silvestri wrote the music for Contact and another fav, Polar Express. I’ve seen, thanks to Spawn, Polar Express about 60 times. One Christmas he watched it at least 3 times a day and then every other day. It was important that we ALL sat and watched it too. ((*\*))

    I’m a Mark Rylance fan so I’m pretty sure he’s in Ready Player.

    Puro

    #64992
    syzygy @replies

    aw cheers you kind people! It was all thanks to @mudlark and @pedant. I didn’t actually mention the Copland the 1st time around. A major lack of detail there….Big nod to “mudders.”

    @msrbahar  “who gives a shit” Yes! But that’s no way to be, really, because to be misinformed is to be held at someone else’s mercy.

    I’m very sorry for your loss, these are awful times so good people should step up.  Agreed. Along with @craig I like North by Northwest. And my posts vanish too but I don’t think good mods delete things unless there’s an ad hominin attack.

    I didn’t always ‘go’ for the 5 note diatonic sequence in Close Encounters but it’s hours long with rich, steeped in 1950s tonality so the last Act’s essentially different to the lush music of say, ‘Barry’s Escape’. I agree: Williams and Spielberg worked together a lot.

    @troygorsline  I was 18 when I saw The Mona Lisa. I was impressed. 7 years later I saw it again, surrounded by loads of people and felt….disappointed. No real idea why. It could have been tiredness, press of the tourists, poor positioning of the god-head painting or just “it looks so small compared with last time.” Perspective! 🙂

    @cathannabel Yes, I think there’s a connection to The Sound of Drums in tWWFtE. I  enjoyed that particular episode. There’s 3 contiguous eps but the last ep where the Doctor is in the cage is a tad….weird?

    So, over to the Music Thread.

    Puro.

    #64933
    syzygy @replies

    @mudlark

    Yes indeed. Copland’s work of 1942 was adapted in many ways by….Emerson, Lake and Palmer who were introduced to Stray Dogs (W.G Snuffy Walden) and for which Greg Lake of ELP contributed songs (it’s all very close).  This was also what our friend @msrbahar  noticed when referencing Williams who’s famous for Harry Potter,  Jaws, Close Encounters (personal fav), Star Wars The Space Opera and E.T.

    Williams referenced Copland’s style.   In the ’40s Eugene Goossens repeated his urge for a fanfare used before the beginning of a concert during the First World War. The idea was to celebrate America’s freedom, the enormity and solemnity of the task ahead and paying taxes….  🙂  So successful was it, it became essential to repertoire and is one of the most recorded, re-used compositions performed at one of the Obama inauguration ceremonies and as @jimthefish and others know, at the opening of the new Scottish Parliament House.

    Music has that incredible ability to flex our hind brain as we say: “huh? That’s….familiar!”  As the following characters’ dialogue supports, music is in every way a conversation, conventional or unconventional and whilst viewers might prefer Gold/Foster’s beautiful melodies, most know that many themes were re-used across several years. These days a ‘dirty’ score is preferred by some show-runners -not unlike John Cage and his ‘meditations’ on sound- and I think Roberts/Akinola followed CC’s conceptual idea. A score heavy with motifs and crunching instruments, distracts viewers from the story which requires considerable work to ‘seep’ into the bones.

    This episode and those following have shown a remarkable tendency to ‘gab.’ 🙂 And I like that in this Doctor and her companions. She seems to be an open book (though dramatic tension/history tells us otherwise); self aware, planning and chattin’.

    To me, the “four adventurers” work fast to keep ahead of the baddies or ensure history’s intact so adding mesmerising themes could cause the entire meat of the episode to crash with confusion and a hint of a Copeland ‘motif’ or ELP’s style is noticeable possibly due to the absence of a “haunting, rising and falling” score. Less is best.

    It seems I have become The Lecturer and I apologise for that! It “seeps into the bones.” I can imagine a friend of mine at work reading this and rolling his eyes    😈

    Puro

    #64905
    syzygy @replies

    @msrbahar @pedant

    the “lame John Williams horn rip off” was  interesting wasn’t it?

    It was W.G Snuffy Walden, not Williams. Snuff worked with band ELP under the Manticore label. Their album (and name) was Stray Dog with 3 songs by Greg Lake. Snuffy’s horn is sometimes a trumpet, with a Harmon mute and straight mute. Composers DO ferret out important motifs.

    The trumpet motif was used carefully by Snuffy thematically where episodes (of various shows like Sports Night) highlight race and where the plot focusses on a character struggling with an immense decision. So, music foreshadows those character beats. A score needs a competent awareness of when to ‘let rip’ which worked exceptionally well in these episodes.

    He got where he is too fast or maybe the producers are over doing it with “inclusiveness”. I have heard nothing original always a constant synthesizer background that gets annoying with and occasional drum beat, horrible!! No talent! As far as not understanding Jodi I’m American and I need the subtitles on anyway to understand British accents. So far the writing is not great either. If they can’t come up with great villains

    You seem repetitive yourself 🙂    What with “not great” being used a tad overmuch. So, in summary:

    1. The Rosa episode used a trumpet motif familiar to us via Snuffy,  Stray Dogs; Greg Lake and Keith Emerson.

    2. Not everything is synthesised.

    3. In the title sequence, Akinola brought back the original side drum using a rute -that’s your “occasional drum beat.” Also: cross sticks.

    4. What makes you think it was Akinola during these 3 episodes? Your “horrible!! no talent!” is thus confusing.

    5. But Akinola has game: consider Expedition Volcano; Black and British; The Human Body; The VIP Paedophile Ring and the Jerry Goldsmith Award etc with a Masters in composition. “He got where he is” due to a discography achievement level.

    6. You’re a bit misinformed because Alec Roberts is contributor, orchestrator and conductor for each score so perhaps direct your fury at him?  🙂

    7. On a different note: you refer to James Horner, Segun Akinola, John Williams, Moffat and Williams and yet you use Whittaker’s first name only: Jodie?

    8. on “the writing aint great” explain why, perhaps. It would help.

    9. But as you write: “they’re over-doing it with inclusiveness” I wonder whether explaining the why would assist? You seem to suggest if people of a different culture are chosen it’s because they’re Black and ‘some’ might need a bone thrown their way despite their “zero” talent.

    10.  Most composers and orchestrators prefer some ‘dry sound’ rather than lots of competing motifs or character choons. Also, if you’ve seen three eps only it might be wise avoiding judgement.  You can dislike the orchestrator but claiming he’s talentless is unfair, imho.

    Puro.

    #64903
    syzygy @replies

    @swordwhale

    the trumpocalypse….

    I love that term: I hope you don’t mind if I use that term to my mates? I will assuredly give you credit because they are Doctor Who-ers AND pretty interested in the American situation at the moment. If I stole your term, they’d know it and I’d get clocked!

    I really like the spoon you had in the bowl? That’s very cool. That amount of oreos would probably kill me but it’s good someone can eat that -with milk! I thought it was melted icecream, at 1st. When I was  a little kid (I really still am) I used to wait till icecream melted a bit & then stir it up real fast.

    @arbutus @mudlark Mum used to buy the brandy snaps and fill them with whip cream or a combination of mushed strawberries, mixed with fine sugar (?) & then added to the whipped cream which is then, shoved into the snap.

    I don’t think that sounds very “restaurant-y” does it? 🙂

    I can imagine a restaurant called The Ghost Monument. In Germany there were loads of pop up restaurants that were part of ghost tours. In Australia  we have them too. In the past we had a place called Death By Chocolate which was decked like the inside of a coffin with ghouls and ghostly apparitions floating about. Mum would say it lacked “elan.” She says that a lot & I think I need our wordsmiths to define this for me. Seems it can be used in different ways.

    Comparing this episode and ‘Rosa’ I was very interested in both. To me, they worked as companion pieces  because we saw insensitive and indifferent characters in the Moxturan, Mr Hologram as well as in mid ’50s Alabama but also with both episodes I felt the characters develop in a natural fashion? Whilst there’s lots of talking by the Doctor: planning and strategizing; apologies; caring;  a sense of ‘place’ and a “just get on with it” attitude, this talking and thinking aloud means we see subtle reactions by companions as they adapt, quickly, to new things.

    Also, with 3 companions I’ve found myself, along with the Doctor Who Nerd Herd referring to all of them as explorers more than ‘companions’ or assistants. The Doctor’s an explorer so I see four people (one TL) fixing things, chasing away the Toilet Paper monsters (who became wet through the night and try to strangle the Moxturan), alerting each other when danger starts to smell. It’s a ‘real’ team and I like that.

    Thank you, Thane

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