The only knowable Truth.

In the classic thought experiment of Rene Descartes it is argued, through the use of a Grand Deceiver, that the only thing that we can truly know is that we think. I think, therefore I am. Everything else can be denied as being the work of the Grand Deceiver. The only thing that we cannot deny is that we think.

This is indeed very true. As individuals, all we can know is ourselves and nothing else. Our experiences with the world around us is through our senses, on which we rely to function in the world. We have five in total and through the information we gather from these senses we interpret the world that we inhabit.

But how much can we rely upon these senses? We might have a condition like colour blindness which means that we will doubt certain information that our sight presents us with. We might be deaf, at which point we gain no information from our hearing at all. In these cases, we discount the information (or lack of it) and compensate accordingly.

But what if we do not have such a deficiency in our senses? What if we feel we are able to rely upon them? What happens if we are told that what our senses are telling us is wrong?

This is a difficult position to be in. If we are told that one of our senses is giving wrong information then we can fall back onto medical science to have it checked. Could it not be that there is a deficiency in that sense that we do not know about? This will lead us into a situation where we can correct the information from this sense in future situations.

The situation is more complicated when we are told that in a situation two of our senses have failed us. Our senses are, in essence, independent of each other. Each one gives us different information, from which we build our picture of the world. If one of these senses fails us in a given situation then we have the other four to rely upon. But if two of the five fails us then what then?

How is it possible to function in the world when we cannot rely upon these two senses that, up to that point, we have always been able to rely upon? We have never had cause to doubt them before. They have always provided us with reliable information up to that point. Or have they?

And this is the problem. Doubt. Doubting of the information that we have received. If we cannot rely upon this information then where are we? We are back where we started. All we can know is that we think and that is it. We cannot rely upon anything else since our senses may well be deceiving us.

We know that we think, and that is all. We can only know our own thoughts and nothing else. Everything else can be denied. Nothing else can be trusted to be true.

The only truth in the world is that we think. Everything else is just interpretation. An opinion. A viewpoint. Nothing more.

No matter what happens in our lives, we must always be truly alone. It is the only thing that can be known. The only thing that can be held to be true.

I think, therefore I am, and nothing more.

Everything old is new again

There seems to be a trend these days in the world of TV to reinvent/reboot/re-imagine the classic shows of old for a modern audience. This usually means a more glossy portrayal with better production values and effects. This also usually meets with cries that our childhoods are being raped and that the premise of the original series is being betrayed.

A good example of where this as been done well would be the recent Battlestar Galactica series. Visually, this series outstripped the original series. But in addition to this was the way it approached the story. Instead of the standalone/double-parters of the the original narrative there was an over-arching story arc. The new BSG was very much an ongoing saga, a journey following the rag tag fugitive fleet's quest to find Earth. I personally found it to be a very rewarding series.

A good example of where old and new collides would be the new Doctor Who. It is very much more stylish. The original format as been ditched in favour of stand alone episodes that form an overarching narrative which pays of with the finale. However, opinion is very much split. There are those who hate the Nu Who because it is not the old. There are those who are just fans of Nu Who and cannot stand the "slowness" of the four-part episode format of old.

For me, my heart will always belong to old Who because it was the programme of my childhood. I grew up with it. However, I can still enjoy Nu Who for what it is - which is very much entertainment. I find the episodes a joy to watch, including those that are traditionally panned by "fandom" (then again, I also enjoy Time and the Rani so what do I know).

When I look at the debate that rages within Whodom over the new series I sometimes think that some people are missing the point. For me, Nu Who is not written for me. I am not the target audience. Nu Who is targeted to the 10 years old of today, just as classic Who was targeted to the 10 year olds of my generation. I feel lucky that I am able to enjoy it for what it is. I find it entertaining. But I also remember that it is the modern generation, the 10 year olds of today, who it belongs to.

It is just the same with the other revivals. Knight Rider, 90210, Melrose Place, the new V. These are all shows for a new audience, and they are not for the audience of old. I think this is why I like the term re-imagining to describe them. They are taking the original premise and giving it a new spin, a modern spin, for hopefully a new audience to enjoy.

Now, I am concerned with this at the moment for a reason. I firmly believe in what I have said. These re-imaginings are not written with me in mind. Yes, I enjoyed the originals but these new shows are for the present generation, and I hope that they will enjoy their version of the shows as much as I enjoyed the originals.

However, there is something that I have waiting for me to watch. It is a series that as been re-imagined. It is a TV show that the words iconic, cult, and classic were made for. I am talking about Prisoner. The original was just a thing of beauty, and if you have not seen it then I heartedly recommend it. It is thought provoking. Actually, it is very thought provoking. I also consider it to be perfection in itself. I cannot understand why there was a need for it to be re-imagined.

So, I very much expect that when I watch it at some point this week I am going to be screaming at the screen that my childhood as been raped. I do not have high hopes for the "televisual event". I cannot see how it can live up to the original in any way, shape, or form. But, I am going to give it a go. I might be surprised. It might actually capture the essence of the original. It might capture the spirit and soul. I really hope that it does and that I am proved wrong. But if not I must remember that it is a new show, for a new audience,just using a premise from a TV show that I enjoyed in my youth.

Mid-week Catch Up

Well, this should be fun. I am conscious that I have not written anything in a while but I also do not know what to write. I do not have anything specific to say or an agenda to layout. But I also feel that I should really be writing something.

Shall we see where this goes?


So, last weekend saw me in Newcastle attending a DW Convention. It was a good weekend, spent in fine company, and involving some rather nice alcohol as well. I have only done one convention this year because of everything that was happening with work and I was glad that I did it. It was slightly weird in that not many of the usual crowd were present. But this was good also since it meant that I had to socialise outside of my comfort zone, so to speak. It is always nice to meet new people.

I also bought some stuff whilst I was there as well. I have finally righted a long standing social wrong and purchased both of Anneke Wills's books - Self Portrait and Naked. I am looking forward to reading these for two reasons. Firstly, Anneke is a wonderful lady and I am interested in her story. Secondly, I do not normally do autobiographies, or even biographies for that matter, preferring fiction instead. So, I am hoping that these books will make a wonderful introduction into the world of non-academic non-fiction.

I also purchased "Love songs for the shy and cynical" by Robert Shearman. From what I have read so far I am very impressed by it but I will save a review of it until I have finished the entire book.

I also purchased two of the three Big Finish Short Trips that contain stories by a friend of mine. It as definitely taken me ages to get round to picking them up and I look forward to letting him know that I have finally done it.


After such a lovely weekend, this week as been a bit of a downer. Over the last two weeks I have been up for three different jobs. Yesterday I found out that I am not getting a second interview for a job that I should have been a guaranteed second interview for. We have been given a reason, which both me and my agent agree is a bit of a sham excuse, but it as knocked me for six really. Of all the three jobs I have been for this one should have been a guaranteed offer. Not really know why it as not happened and I am sure that someday I will find out why it was the case. Life is like that. So, of the three I have only one more outstanding. Interview was on Tuesday and I am rather positive about both the interview and the role itself. The role sounds very exciting and so I am keeping my fingers crossed.


Nothing else really to report. Had a nice shopping trip to Manchesterford yesterday which resulted in some DVDs being purchased (including but not limited to the complete Thunderbirds box-set reduced from £125 to £20. Bargain city). I'm also presently reading a book called "Teach Yourself Nietzsche". I realised the other week that my academic career kind of skipped his work so this is my way of trying to get, as a minimum, and overview of his work and philosophy. I am thinking of reading at least one of his works as well, and I am presently leaning toward Beyond Good and Evil but I will make up my final mind when I have got the overview.

So, for now, I shall sign off and will hopefully have something less mundane to blog about next time.

V (2009)

Last week saw the launch of the re-imagining and updating of V, the classic early 80's mini series, on American TV.

The premise of the original series was very simple. Aliens arrive offering peace and hope but with sinister motives. It is a story of resistance, as a rag-tag team of humans fight against the alien "invasion".

The original mini series, whilst very good, was definitely a product of its time and based firmly in the tradition of fear. There is the fear of the things that are not like us, of ways of doing things that are different to our own. Different philosophies, different cultures. Or to put it in the traditional way, fear of Communism.

For me, this is what the original V was about. The hidden menace of Communism. Communists can look like us but believe in things alien to us, and to work toward their own ends which are fundamentally opposed to our own. This is very much a 50's view but it does seem to resonate in the original series.

But that was then. We are now in 2009 and Communism was defeated by Capitalism. The Soviet Union collapsed and the Berlin Wall came crumbling down.

The new V is very stylish in design, but the basis of the original series is still there. We have the Visitors coming in peace and offering technological advancement in return for some natural resources which we have in abundance. The Visitors look like us, albeit very attractive, but we also know as an audience that beneath that attractive exterior lies something truly alien in nature.

The new series also works on the paranoia that was present in the original series, but just updated for a modern generation. In the first episode there are a lot of reveals. One of the chief ones is that The Visitors have not just arrived but they have been here for a while, working in the background and positioning themselves into position within Society.

It is this that leads to the paranoia. If this Visitors can look like us then who can you trust? If you do not know who you trust then all you can do is trust no one.

One of the main players on the human team is Erica, an FBI agent and therefore very much part of the establishment. However, from what she learns in the first episode she goes very much from being part of the establishment to being a loner within the machine, unable to trust anyone in case that person should turn out to be a Visitor in disguise.

Like BSG before it, the new V is not just a redoing of the original series. It takes the toolbox of the original series but it then puts a spin on it so that it fits into the modern world. Just like the original mini series was a product of its time, so the new series is a product of our times.

It will be interesting to see where it goes from here but I do think that we will be in for an enjoyable ride with it.

Who am I?

Another night time approaches when I should be preparing for bed but yet again I am feeling too wired to drift off to sleep. Sadly, this time I know the reason why.

I came to a realisation today about myself, and it is a realisation that I am not really happy with.

I used to be a very forgiving person. It was once commented by someone that was, at one point, rather close to be (or so I thought at the time) that I was like the Mother in the American QAF. There was a time when I would forgive anyone virtually anything. Forever forgiving of whatever trespass was made against me. I would just forgive and forget, and then move on as if nothing had happened.

Sadly, I do not think that I am that sort of person anymore. Maybe it is because I have been portrayed too many times in my life by people who I considered friends. People who held a special place in my life, people who I would do anything within my power for.

I was never really a man of means, but if I could I would try and help people out. Unfortunately, time and time again I was slapped in the face. I suppose, when you have been hurt too many time, when you have had your friendship thrown back in your face, you do become less forgiving.

And this is the depressing part for me. I never wanted to be this sort of person. I was happy being the forgiving sort, the sort of person who would forgive thoughtless actions and the self-centred nature of others.

Maybe it is just because the trust that I would freely place in people, a trust that they would treat me with the same level of respect that I treat them with, as been misplaced too many times in the past.

I have known for a while now that I find it hard to trust people, and that I try to keep myself safe by guarding myself from others. This is also something that I never wanted to be but this is where I find myself at this time in my life.

If I was being honest with myself I know that this is the reason why I have chosen to remain single for so long. Yeah, there have been opportunities in the past when I could have attempted to build a relationship. But I have held back, mainly because I do not want to be hurt by someone who is close to me, someone that I have grown to love and care for.

I am reminded of Mary Sunshine from Chicago the Musical. She would see "a little bit of good in everyone" and this is definitely something that I would do. However, in doing this I would allow myself to become blinded to that persons self-centred agendas. Maybe it is because I used to be so self-less that I never saw that others were just looking after themselves and their own self-interests.

It is probably wrong that when I meet someone who shows an interest in me and my life that my thought is about what their agenda is - what it is that they want from me. I am not sure when I stopped thinking that people would just want to know me for who I am - no edge, no hidden agenda.

Maybe I never did think that in the first place, after all that would mean accepting that I was someone special rather than someone that just had something that someone else wanted. It is not without reason that I usually refer to myself as being "just this guy, you know". I am nothing special, and if people say that I am I just do not see it.

There are so many people who are better than me. If I was to go through aspects that are me I would no doubt point to an handful of people who are better than me. I do not excel at what I do. I am just me, just this guy.

Something happened today, something which I am not going to go into details about, and this event as sparked a chain of thought which leads me to where I am now - the realisation that I am no longer the person what I was, no longer the person that I liked myself being, no longer the person who could easily forgive transgressions again me.

This is not a place that I like to be and I know that I need to turn this situation around. I just hope that it is possible to do so. I hope that it is possible to trust again. I hope that it is possible to get back my faith in the kindness of others. I hope it is possible to learn to forgive the slights from others who only seem interested in their own desires, their own agendas. I hope it is possible to learn to love again, even if this means that I leave myself open to hurt.

It is that time again, that Desperate Hour that I mentioned yesterday. I just hope that sleep will not be a strangers for much longer because I need to start processing the day rather than just allowing myself to dwell on those events.

That Dangerous Hour

Well, it is coming up to 01:45 in the morning and my brain is wired, so wired that I cannot not sleep. This is never a good thing.

I used to refer to this as "The Dangerous Hour", and with very good reason. It is that hour where the majority of your peers are asleep, where silence descends all around you, and you are left with your thoughts. And that is the dangerous part.

Have you ever let your mind just wander? To just drift from one thing to another? Have you ever dared to see where such thought experiments can lead you? It is something that I have always been wary of now for a while, just laying in bed in silence and allowing my mind to wonder aimlessly like the proverbial cloud.

I do not mind it doing it via dreams since that is just the processing of the daily events, the endless sorting and arranging and the putting together of patterns unseen. Dreaming can be a wonderful process mechanism.

I have, for a while now, always avoided "The Dangerous Hour". In fact, my sleep pattern is usually very good, with sweet oblivion embracing me very quickly once my head hits the pillow. If I need a little encouragement then I will read, or listen to some music. It usually works.

But not tonight. Tonight I know that whilst the body may well be willing, my mind remains wired.

And it would be tonight. Tomorrow (well I say tomorrow as a matter of habit since I clearly mean today) is going to be a busy day. I allowed myself a day of rest today, a day of doing nothing, to help recharge the batteries, and moved some of the stuff that I could have done today onto tomorrow.

Tomorrow I need to purchase some luggage for Friday. I need to do washing so that I can pack on Thursday in preparation for Newcastle this weekend. I am then meeting friends for possibly a light shop (I am thinking maybe some jumpers), coffee, and fine conversation and company. I know it does not seem like much but I was hoping for an early start so that I could spread it out over the day.

But it is now nearly two o'clock and still no sign of sleep coming to me. Still my mind wants to race away. Maybe I should let it. See where it leads me, what dangerous ground it wants to cover during this early hour.

I should apologise for rambling so. I know that this is probably not an entertaining read. Have you even got to this part of the post? I personally would not blame you if you have already given up by now.

Well, I am going to return to my bed and hope for oblivion to arrive quickly. Maybe it will and I will awake refreshed in six hours time, ready to face the day and get done what needs to be done.

Who knows.

Like the saying goes, only time will tell.

The Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre

I have just got back from the Lass O'Gowrie where they were holding their monthly comedy night.

It was a fairly enjoyable night. The first comedian was rather good, with a blend of observational humour with a rather intellectual bent to it. The second act was a rather standard "over weight bloke takes piss out of himself" comedian, which seemed to me to be an almost male Jo Brand. Third up was Charlie Ross, who I have seen several times at conventions up and down the country. It was nice to see the linking material that is usually not included in his convention turn, and so it was nice to see a more rounded routine this time.

Last up, and the subject of this entry, was The Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre. Now, how to describe this act. It is basically a classic double act, that happens to be sock puppets. And it was hilarious. I cannot remember the last time that I have laughed so much and for such a sustained period of time.

The sock puppets bitch at each other, and also perform songs (with hilarious effect). The humour had topical content which is always good to see since it means that the act is being kept fresh and up to date. We were also treated to a tribute to musicals, including hilarious results from the audience suggestions of musicals to do.

The comic genius behind The Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre is Kev Sutherland. Looking back on the experience I can only marvel at the way that he performed a very well written routine. It takes a special talent to not only get two sock puppets to act like a double act, but to also deliver the split second banter on top of that was nothing short of amazing.

If you ever get the chance to experience them live then I heartedly recommend it. I doubt that you will be disappointed.

If you are not able to see them, then check out the Tube of You which as some very funny takes on certain genre tv shows.