Oh ghods, I'm on TV

Nothing is more excruciating to me than to see myself and hear myself. It's even worse when I'm up against someone who presents so much better than I do. So watch Paul Myers (I think that's how they spell his name) and me talk about Stuff at Bloggingheads.TV. The video is terrible (that's my fault; we should have recorded our own video and sent it to the editors, instead we recorded each other by way of an Australia-USA link that was routed, I fear, via Mongolia and Finland, using packets carried by mules). I'm out of sync. But it doesn't matter - it's voice with some moving pictures, that's all.

Kudos to the tech guys at bloggingheads, who made a nylon purse out of a mouldy sow's ear, technically.

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When your voice was heard, but your lips did not move, obviously you were projecting with ESP. It was equally clear that when your lips moved, but your voice was not heard, you were singing to yourself.

Prove me wrong.

By Susan Silberstein (not verified) on 24 May 2008 #permalink

I was expecting to see a giant squid talking to a handsome silverback gorilla. Even so, it was still fascinating to hear two great minds exchanging ideas - well, one great mind and an atheist really. On the technical side, I get a much better connection between the US and UK over Skype although, to be fair, that's - what - only half the distance?

By Ian H Spedding FCD (not verified) on 24 May 2008 #permalink

I really enjoyed the diavlog, especially your thoughts on how we're failing at teaching science. I hope you'll come back to BH.tv soon, with PZ or with someone else.

That Mxyzptlk fellow needs to work on his demonic delivery if he is to be a proper minion of Cthulhu.

But since you admit to being a moral vacuum I am empowered to confer on you the title of honorary lawyer.

It's not quite the same thing.

That's true. Some moral vacuums are not lawyers (like the occasional agnostic philosopher). A small subset.

By John S. Wilkins (not verified) on 24 May 2008 #permalink

via Mongolia and Finland, using packets carried by mules

I must object - we're much more high-tech in Finland. I think you'll fine that the stream was being text-messaged across Finland.

Aren't the genuine moral vacuums actually civil servants?

Sorry, Bob. Didn't mean to nokia.

That is one of my favourite training videos of all time.

By John S. Wilkins (not verified) on 24 May 2008 #permalink

PZ is Paul Myers?! No wonder I've been getting confused. I thought PZ's surname was Murgle.

By John S. Wilkins (not verified) on 25 May 2008 #permalink

Speaking of training videos, one of my favourite epsodes was where Sir Humphrey explains that, for the Church of England, the role of a theologian is partly to explain how an agnostic or atheist can become a leader of the church.

By Ian H Spedding FCD (not verified) on 25 May 2008 #permalink

Now that was interesting, almost like listening to the 1st Atlantic link via Telestar (I've seen recordings of it :o)). Seems hi-tech can be low.

Myrrh did seem affable, who would have guessed.
Though who knows what's hidden behind the obviously false moustache and beard.

I was expecting your hair to be silver, did you dye it specially for this?

By Chris' Wills (not verified) on 25 May 2008 #permalink

You're too hard on yourself, John. In spite of the tech glitches, it was a pleasure to watch you both. I've been seeing that old simian up in the left hand corner of the blog for too long. You're not nearly that grumpy looking.

I was expecting your hair to be silver, did you dye it specially for this?

John has hair? I thought that was video noise.

(Just trying to be the second person to get banned ;-)