BS: Cosmos

Subject: RE: BS: Cosmos
From: GUEST,Shimrod
Date: 13 Mar 14 - 01:18 PM

To be quite honest, I could never get past Sagan's pronunciation of the word "Cosmos". He pronounced it, something like, 'Koze-mose' whereas any normal person pronounces it 'Koz-moss'. He should have taken lessons from a normal, British person like me!

Subject: RE: BS: Cosmos
From: Lighter
Date: 13 Mar 14 - 01:00 PM

And if you're into psychology, don't miss "Brain Games."

Subject: RE: BS: Cosmos
From: GUEST,Donuel Webster
Date: 13 Mar 14 - 10:54 AM

I still have and watch Sagan's Cosmos and play it for elementary school kids. The soundtrack uses many of J.S. Bach's finest works. As you know Bach was capable of teaching, writing and performing music that held 2,3,4 and even more similar and contrary musical ideas in the mind simultaneously which is helpful in understanding theoretical Astro-physic concepts.

The new Cosmos will likely prove to be more glitzy but intellectually inferior compared to the great work done in Beyond the Wormhole. Based on advance scripts, the new Cosmos by Rupert Murdoch National Geographic Channels may inspire a younger audience but from an authoritative stance that will not challenge the conventional wisdom nearly as much as they could or should. Still its good for the kids to be reminded what the questions for them to solve in their lifetime might be about.

If you have not seen one of the 33 Beyond the Wormhole episodes, you have not seen the greatest theoretical physics expose's of today that go right to the source of each person and each person's discovery, questions and ideas whether they are alive or dead.

Subject: RE: BS: Cosmos
From: Jack Blandiver
Date: 13 Mar 14 - 10:52 AM

Why was Cosmos great?
The ideas they tried to deflate?
Why was Cosmos fun?
The beliefs they tried to piss-on?

The singular universal wonder of reality concerns us all, bar none. Cosmos is about the spiritual wonder of our diverse uniqueness that transcends religion and 'belief'. No one pisses on beliefs - it's the beliefs that do the pissing, pissing on truth in a propagating lies & superstition in lieu of learning and the quest for an understanding that will, given time, unite us all.

I'm still waiting for the aliens to show up. They are humanity's last best hope for peace and unity. If they are wise, they will enlighten us. If they are a bunch of colonising bastards, we will stand shoulder to shoulder in our fight against them. If they are WISE colonising bastards however, they're already here and we'll never know it.

TV Perfection!

Subject: RE: BS: Cosmos
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 13 Mar 14 - 09:11 AM

"if they pushed their new freedom too far we would all turn off our sets and go back to reading Proust"

Not going to happen. There are no commercials for Proust.


Why was Cosmos great?
The ideas they tried to deflate?
Why was Cosmos fun?
The beliefs they tried to piss-on?

No Nay No na na na nay no.

Cosmos was great
because Sagan was a mate
Whose love for science was so spot on
We shared it while the show was on

We loved it while the show was on.
We loved it while the show was on.
We loved it while the show was on.
Now its up to Neil to carry on
Now its up to Neil to carry on
Now its up to Neil to carry on

I happen to think it is a awesome thing that they have rebooted the show and are tying to kindle youth interest is basic science is a positive way.

Mike in Brunswick The Show is also on all of the National Geographic Networks. If you have Cable or Satellite TV. There is a good chance you can see what you missed.

Its also on HULU.COM
http://www.hulu.com/watch/604551

Subject: RE: BS: Cosmos
From: Jack Blandiver
Date: 13 Mar 14 - 04:38 AM

Watched episode three of the original series last night - a dignified demolition of astrology, a lament on religious oppression and a celebration of eventual triumphs of Kepler with some amazing ancient solar alignments thrown in along the way. Mesmerising! I doubt TV will ever be that good again.

Maybe some Folky should write a song about it?

Subject: RE: BS: Cosmos
From: Mike in Brunswick
Date: 13 Mar 14 - 12:19 AM

Even though I had seen the ads for the show, I assumed it would be on PBS. By the time I realized my mistake, Tyson was whizzing past Uranus on his way to the asteroid belt and beyond. The content was fine, at least to me with my liberal arts education, if a little too whiz bangy. (Nova on PBS has succumbed to that too.) The tribute to Sagan at the end was nicely done.

But those commercials! I only watch Fox at World Series time, so my delicate sensibilities weren't prepared for all those dopey sitcom promos. One of Ronald Reagan's lesser sins was allowing the networks to cram as many commercials as they wanted into each half hour. I guess the idea was that if they pushed their new freedom too far we would all turn off our sets and go back to reading Proust. That hasn't happened yet. I counted six commercial breaks during the first hour of Cosmos, each one four minutes long. If Tyson's going to do justice to all those billions of galaxies, each with its billions of stars, he's going to need more than 36 minutes per episode.

Mike

Subject: RE: BS: Cosmos
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 13 Mar 14 - 12:14 AM

Mike Tyson does not have Morgan Freeman's voice.

Subject: RE: BS: Cosmos
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 12 Mar 14 - 10:57 PM

I imagine we'll get it here in time. But lifting the name and applying it to a new series seems wrong to me. And it won't have Carl Sagan talking about us 'yumans', so I might not get to watch it.

I got a bit of a shock when the opening post seemed to suggest Mike Tyson was presenting it. Now that I definitely think I'd have tuned in for, at least briefly.

Subject: RE: BS: Cosmos
From: Lighter
Date: 12 Mar 14 - 08:56 PM

Speaking of Morgan Freeman, take a look at Freeman's excellent similar series, "Through the Wormhole," on the Discovery Science Channel.

Subject: RE: BS: Cosmos
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Mar 14 - 08:23 PM

Am loving it but wishing he had Morgan Freeman's voice... or Ed McCurdy's. When he sang.

Subject: RE: BS: Cosmos
From: Stu
Date: 12 Mar 14 - 02:15 PM

"I've seen trailers of it on cable, stu."

I don't know if it will be on over here, but I'll keep my eye out.

Carl Sagan has been a massive influence on me over the years, even more so since I started doing actual research. That ability to communicate complex matters in a way dolts like me can understand is so valuable in an age where reason is beset by a return to superstition and the dominance of unregulated capitalism.

Subject: RE: BS: Cosmos
From: Jack Blandiver
Date: 12 Mar 14 - 02:06 PM

Tyson even flies around the universe in a specially designed saucer-thing.

So did Carl! I'm moved to down tools early & watch an episode of it now...

Subject: RE: BS: Cosmos
From: Jack Blandiver
Date: 12 Mar 14 - 01:58 PM

Sorry, JtS - just wondering what line of literary research you're up to this time that's all...

Subject: RE: BS: Cosmos
From: GUEST,pete from seven stars link
Date: 12 Mar 14 - 01:51 PM

I've seen trailers of it on cable, stu.

Subject: RE: BS: Cosmos
From: Lighter
Date: 12 Mar 14 - 12:58 PM

Sagan's "Cosmos" was splendid, but his passion for the subject, plus the worshipful camera work, often made him seem like a somewhat complacent ham in a one-man show.

The style of Tyson's show is entirely different: special effects, cartoons, the works. Tyson even flies around the universe in a specially designed saucer-thing.

Episode I kept me glued to the set, as they used to say.

Subject: RE: BS: Cosmos
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 12 Mar 14 - 10:23 AM

Who is flaming now Jack B.? Maybe you want to be Jack Flamediver?

Dr. Tyson is doing a wonderful job promoting the series both on TV and social media. He's been on Colbert and some other shows. I see that he is making lots of semi-controversial comments to keep the "buzz" going. I get quotes from him several times a day on my Facebook feed. He is also getting lots of chances to talk about the importance of science.

In the first episode he talks about the influence Sagan had on him when Tyson was 17. Tyson seems to be paying that forward very well.

Subject: RE: BS: Cosmos
From: Stu
Date: 12 Mar 14 - 08:23 AM

It's not on here in the UK, but I look forward to seeing it. Neil Degrasse Tyson is a superb communicator of science.

Also, it's pissed the creationists off so it must be good.

Subject: RE: BS: Cosmos
From: Jack Blandiver
Date: 12 Mar 14 - 05:41 AM

No nothing of the new one (other than remakes ALWAYS disappoint) but I got the old one on DVD box set a few months back although it shames me to say that for whatever reason I haven't made it very far as yet. Sagan is truly amazing, but the special FX are well creaky & rather quite delightful as a result. His wisdom is a timeless inspiration.

Here it is in the context of my other viewing (I think Auf Wiedersehen won out rather...)

Dalek Derek's Xmas viewing selection 2013

*

So, all reports of Jack the Flamer's untimely demise have been greatly exaggerated, huh? Nice that this present thread concerns one of the great atheist / humanist landmarks of our time though but - an inspiration to militant cause indeed, and a timely call for prevailing common sense that has sadly gone unheeded.

What sayest thou, JtS? Or do you fear Stilly the Slasher has her beady eye on this as well?

Subject: RE: BS: Cosmos
From: Musket
Date: 12 Mar 14 - 05:40 AM

I've always been interested in the reasonable logical approach Sagan gave to complex issues. I used to read a lot of Arthur C Clarke and I reckon I first found him through that, as a teenager.

Incidentally, I use a quote from him occasionally. I have a presentation I use when teaching, giving an introduction in how to improve healthcare. Many students want to rush in and redesign the wheel, so after my into talk, I forward to the next slide whilst we debate how to improve services.

The slide says;

"If you want to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first create the universe."
Carl Sagan

Subject: RE: BS: Cosmos
From: Don Firth
Date: 12 Mar 14 - 01:29 AM

I was glued to the TV during the original Cosmos, watched re-runs whenever they were offered, and bought the book. Then read other books by Carl Sagan, including his fiction--and saw the movie, "Contact," based on his novel starring Jody Foster.

Tough shoes to fill, but I've watch Neil Degrasse Tyson whenever he's on, like him a lot, and I think he seems a worthy heir to Sagan.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: BS: Cosmos
From: EBarnacle
Date: 12 Mar 14 - 12:35 AM

I felt the first half of the show was overproduced but the second half grabbed me at a gut level. I was actually choking up during the close.

Subject: RE: BS: Cosmos
From: J-boy
Date: 12 Mar 14 - 12:09 AM

I was only nine years old when Sagan's Cosmos first aired but even so it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that show fundamentally changed the way I view the world. I am enjoying the "new" Cosmos but nothing will ever replace the original in my heart.

Subject: RE: BS: Cosmos
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 11 Mar 14 - 03:40 PM

http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/433645/march-10-2014/neil-degrasse-tyson-pt--2?xrs=synd_facebook_031114_cn_52

Subject: BS: Cosmos
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 11 Mar 14 - 02:25 PM

The first episode of the reboot of Cosmos. Aired on Fox Sunday night.

Anyone remember the first. Did it influence you? Any Sagan fans out there? Any Tyson fans? Is it being shown in the UK?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/11/neil-degrasse-tyson-bible_n_4940980.html?ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000013&ir=Politics

I agree with this, though I am not sure that is what the show is doing.

Rather than painting science and religion as diametrically opposed to each other, Tyson said that there are plenty of scientists who believe in God. "The issue there is not religion versus non-religion or religion versus science, the issue there is ideas that are different versus dogma," he observed.