Comments

• I checked up on one of the complaints about this episode, in which it was stated that this short was just a rerun of a previous long episode. What I found was that the first 4 minutes and 5 second introduction of the episode on "fate" was used as an introduction in this short. The rest of that season 8 episode 5 is entirely different from this short. So here's a question for you: If 4 minutes and 5 seconds is the same, between an hour-long episode and a 16-minute short....What percentage rerun is that? Hey wait a minute! Maybe it was destined that Paul Auster's segment would be repeated, or...rhymed! Since he is the specialist in repeated or rhymed events. Which means the re-use of the Auster material about rhymed events makes this short self-referencing. Whoa! I wonder if Robert and Jad knew that?! If they did, then not only were then not being stingy in reusing material, they were actually being very clever! By the way, J.S. Bach reused material all the time, and so did other composers and as Igor Stravinski said, "Vivaldi didn't write 500 concertos, he wrote the same concerto 500 times!" Personally, a little re-use of material doesn't bother me. Especially when it's good. J & R are in good company. Now....if Jad and Robert wanted to get really fate-minded they could have an episode called "The Well-Tempered Paul Auster's Fugue for Klavier with missing F key." Whoa! Maybe this is another thing about "fate:" It only takes 3 sentences to make an unfounded criticism, but a lot more to refute it.
  in The Universe Knows My Name
  Tuesday January 18, 2011, 01:01 AM
• There's a LOT I could say about how humans develop their beliefs in "fate" etc., but the bottom line for me on this short is that it prompted a lot of thought, and if they couldn't come up with definitive answers....well this is a short. How much can you do in a short? But it was lots of fun the thoughts it provoked I think make it worthwhile. For me. Begging your forgiveness for surpassing the word limit, here's something I think is relevant and needs to be said (just this once, and then I'll shut up): I'm new to this comment page thing (this one specifically and in general--call me a "late adopter") so I don't know the traditions and the etiquette (if any). But I have to wonder: Am I the only one who gets irritated when somebody thinks everyone else here absolutely has to be informed about it when they're disappointed in a program? Is there some consensus on what the social contract is here?..... What's the best way (for the community) for you to "show up?" My own take on it: If I have something (e.g. enlightening or somehow additive) to share, or some heartfelt reaction that I can't hold back....go for it. If I have something relevant that I think people want to discuss.... bring it up. If I want to register my displeasure and try to influence RL or help it improve...there IS a "contact" button at the bottom of the page. Not everybody has to hear about my disappointment. For me, general guidelines for myself (about showing up) are hard to develop or follow (being socially awkward I've had to work on this), and of course in the end, "to write or not" will always be a judgment call, and I'm sure it will always come down to being a judgment call for any individual here. What personal guidelines (or whatever) do others use? Anyone? By the way, I suspect the RL team will never want to express much of a preference about what they want to hear about and what they don't, because the last thing they want to do is say anything that discourages feedback. That means it's left to each of us in the listening community, to moderate our personal "showing up" behavior. What do others here think? (besides that this was too long and pedantic). Message to the RL folks: keep up the great work and don't worry if you can't please everybody.
  in The Universe Knows My Name
  Monday January 17, 2011, 03:01 AM
• I thought this was fun. Never seen “Wile E. Coyote” spelled before—so I did learn something! Oh my childhood discomforts! I'd watch Roadrunner between my fingers. Oh no! Ouch! I wanted to catch that pesky bird too—but I admired how fast he could run. Just like my faster friends. And Dad's reactions while HE watched it: “Oh gosh”. I can hear his chagrined chuckle. Re: the “woo-woo” content in this short--"Was this just coincidence?” When gazillions of events are always happening, some pairs among them will look amazingly like a plan. See how we humans interpret coincidence? A 16-minute short conjured/said all that! Pretty good.
  in The Universe Knows My Name
  Saturday January 15, 2011, 03:01 AM