Impossible...

[fajrdrako]

My Quote of the Day today made me think of the Doctor:

I have learned to use the word 'impossible' with the greatest caution. - Wernher von Braun, 1912 - 1977

Mind you, I love it whenever the Doctor says "That's impossible!" - he always says it with such conviction.

Comments

[cupati.livejournal.com]

Ah, but he knows that so much is possible, so he knows the boundaries of possibility well - or so he thinks.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I love the exchange in "Doomsday" when Rose says "The Doctor said that was impossible," and Mickey replies, "Yeah, well it's not the first time he's been wrong." And then it turns out that the Doctor is right.

He knows so much that when something is perpelxing or outside his previous experience he says "Impossible!" and that delights him so... I love it.

[iibnf.livejournal.com]

I have a song about Werner Von Braun - would you like an mp3?

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I'd love it!

[silverwhistle.livejournal.com]

I know it well... I have the Tom Lehrer boxed set!

"Gather round while I tell you of Wernher von Braun,
A man whose allegiance is ruled by expedience.
Call him a Nazi, he won't even frown:
"Nazi, schmazi," says Wernher von Braun..."

It's a nice satire on the US's use of Nazi scientists in its own rocket programme. There's a good twist at the end:

"In English and German I know how to count down,
- And I'm learning Chinese," says Wernher von Braun.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I know it well... I have the Tom Lehrer boxed set!

Oooh, lucky! I love his song. So clever.

"In English and German I know how to count down,
- And I'm learning Chinese," says Wernher von Braun.

As apropos as the day it as written! Though I suppose he could add 'Iranian' and 'Korean' these days....

[silverwhistle.livejournal.com]

I was introduced to his work as a student, by a girl called Amanda who ran the Early Music Society.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I like the notion of Lehrer as 'early music'. (Yes, I know you didn't say that, but I like the idea anyway!)

[silverwhistle.livejournal.com]

Snurk!
It was when we had society committee meetings in her room in Macintosh Hall. Then, a year or 2 later, some of my 'academic children' were very into Lehrer, too. We used to have singalongs at all our parties: Poisoning Pigeons, Masochism Tango, Vatican Rag, I Hold Your Hand in Mine, Dear... It was our "party tape". That, and The March of the Sinister Ducks, by the Sinister Ducks (who included Alan Moore).

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I love The March of the Sinister Ducks, which I acquired on a floppy plastic insert in a Tim Trumann comic. The obverse had some similarly perverted song about a teddy bear which I now forget. (It was rather film noir, I think, but I may be confused.) Time passed and that beloved flimsy plastic recording is long lost, probably inherited by my ex-husband when he left, and I mourned the loss of Sinister Ducks. Then eventually I found it online, in mp3 version. Do I still have that - ? I'm not sure, but I hope so!

[silverwhistle.livejournal.com]

This I cannot believe! You know The Sinister Ducks! (Are you sure we are not some strange kind of twins separated at birth and by several years?!)

I got the mp3 online, too. Also the B side, which is Old Gangsters Never Die, which is indeed a film noir tribute...

"And we'll talk about old murders,
And double-crosses,
And dead blond(e)s..."

How very true! ;-D

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

You know The Sinister Ducks!

Yes. By a fluke. I'm not sure there's anyone else in Canada who knows Sinister Ducks. I know it from an obscure American comic that came out in the mid-1980s that had a whole bunch of those weird/clever British guys associated with it. We're not talking mainstream here.

And certainly when I was looking for a copy of it, after mine disappeared, no one, and I mean no one, had ever heard of it.

Because I said so rashly that other Canadians don't know about it, maybe dozens of Canadians will step forward to tell me about their total familiarity with the song. I hope so. I really hope so. I'd love to meet more fans. Anyone?

(Now I'm sort of humming "Duck! Ducks!" under my breath. Budgie-fashion.)

(Are you sure we are not some strange kind of twins separated at birth and by several years?!)

I think we must be. What else would explain it?

Old Gangsters Never Die

Yes! I'd mostly forgotten it because I loved The March of the Sinister Ducks more and played it more often, but that was fun too.

[silverwhistle.livejournal.com]

'd love to meet more fans. Anyone?

Most of my academic family... ggreig, myceliumme, flybynightpress, scottymcleod, possibly sharikkamur...

(Now I'm sort of humming "Duck! Ducks!" under my breath. Budgie-fashion.)

A March of the Sinister Budgerigars would be truly terrifying...

I think we must be. What else would explain it?

It is odd... Everything from Torchwood and budgies to His Loveliness and the Sinister Ducks?! I know I've become very fond of you, anyway! And the small featheries, past and present!

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Really uncanny, isn't it?

Logan is chirping loudly, I think he wants me to pass on his budgie regards. He spent the morning on the curtain rods trying to terrorize the neighbourhood, so he's in a good mood.

[silverwhistle.livejournal.com]

Tweets to him! He is a very special boy!
I shall see about putting the Sinister Ducks on CD for you...

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

Off to make supper now... cheese souffle.

[iibnf.livejournal.com]

http://www.sendspace.com/file/duxxo4

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Love it!