I realize that every blogger and his or her grandmother has been posting this lately, but I only just got around to watching it last night. It’s surprisingly pleasant and tuneful:
Really cool.
Categories
A glorious dawn?
- Post author By Orac
- Post date September 29, 2009
- 11 Comments on A glorious dawn?
By Orac
Orac is the nom de blog of a humble surgeon/scientist who has an ego just big enough to delude himself that someone, somewhere might actually give a rodent's posterior about his copious verbal meanderings, but just barely small enough to admit to himself that few probably will. That surgeon is otherwise known as David Gorski.
That this particular surgeon has chosen his nom de blog based on a rather cranky and arrogant computer shaped like a clear box of blinking lights that he originally encountered when he became a fan of a 35 year old British SF television show whose special effects were renowned for their BBC/Doctor Who-style low budget look, but whose stories nonetheless resulted in some of the best, most innovative science fiction ever televised, should tell you nearly all that you need to know about Orac. (That, and the length of the preceding sentence.)
DISCLAIMER:: The various written meanderings here are the opinions of Orac and Orac alone, written on his own time. They should never be construed as representing the opinions of any other person or entity, especially Orac's cancer center, department of surgery, medical school, or university. Also note that Orac is nonpartisan; he is more than willing to criticize the statements of anyone, regardless of of political leanings, if that anyone advocates pseudoscience or quackery. Finally, medical commentary is not to be construed in any way as medical advice.
To contact Orac: [email protected]
View Archive →
11 replies on “A glorious dawn?”
I don’t think its possible for too many people to post that. I’ve listened to it dozens of times in the past few days. Such a very beautiful and inspiring video. I listened to that then turned on the news to hear everyone rattling sabers over this that and the other thing, what a downer. I’m not usually a big fan of brainwashing, but I think the planet would be a better place if we put all world leaders in a room with a big screen TV and their eyes pried open and make them listen watch than on infinite loop for about a year or so 🙂
Sagan’s words, spoken in his own voice, are beautiful, poetic. Cosmos is available on DVD — put it in your NetFlix queue, borrow it from your library, or purchase it from Amazon or elsewhere. His vision of the universe and humanity’s place in it is indeed inspiring.
On the other hand, this particular application of Auto-Tune™ is criminal. Sorry.
Why is it I feel I should be smoking genetically modified cloned pot out of a bong shaped like the Hubble telescope??
I’ve been one of the mob posting that – it’s very very cool. In contrast to modus potus, I think it’s about the only use of auto-tune I’ve liked 😉 I hate the hip-hop robot voice thing, and I really really really hate the practice of “fixing” slightly off notes.
However, I really must get my posterior into gear and get hold of Cosmos …
I’ve got it on my ipod, and whenever the time comes to restart my playlist, I’m starting there…
It was done with Vocoder, not Auto Tune. Apparently there’s a big difference to people who work with the softwares.
I’ve had the song stuck in my head for days now.
Actually, AutoTune is essentially a software sequencer wrapped around a phase vocoder.
Orac, I don’t agree with most of what you post, but I must say that I am very thankful that you posted this. I’ve always been a Sagan and Hawking fan, and this is the 1st time I’ve seen this. I love it. Very cool!
Thank you.
I also love this video and posted it on Facebook. I was watching it a few days ago and my 4 year old came over and kicked me off my chair and proceeded to watch it about 6 times in a row. The first couple times he watched I said: Oh, there’s Stephen Hawking, in the wheelchair. Then someone else sent me a different video and Stephen Hawking happened to be in it and my 4 year old said: There’s Stephen Hawking. Now that is the kind of brainwashing that I don’t mind. I’d rather he have famous scientists names in his head than “Jesus Loves Me” in his head.
I *heart* Sagan.
Have you ever heard the MC Hawking tracks? They’re very old news, now, and might be a little juvenile for this bunch, but many of them are funny.
My oldest daughter, who was 3 at the time, used to keep a copy of “A Brief History of Time” on her nightstand and would pitch a fit if I tried to put it back on the bookshelf. I guess she liked the diagrams or something…
Comments: Love this. I even downloaded it from the guy’s site, which is well worth it.
Yep, it’s a Vocoder, not auto-tune.
Finally, First season of Cosmos is available for free on Hulu (.com) right now. Enjoy!