Starship Asterisk*

DanKarlan wrote:Xiong wrote: HAL could not have done other than he did, as was correctly pointed out. But why did he continue his rampage to murder the three astronauts in hibernation? What threat did they pose? If the ship was constructed to ferry humans out to Jupiter, how could the mission be completed with them all dead?

I object to the characterization of HAL as a villain, at the same rank as the Terminator.

The HAL 9000 installed in Discovery was originally trained with scientific ends in mind; its most basic design philosophy revolved around truth and cooperation with its human partners. The faceless bureaucrats who altered Discovery's mission to investigate the apparent target of TMA-1's radio beam carelessly set up unresolvable stresses in HAL when they informed the computer of the true mission and instructed it to keep this a secret from Bowman and Poole.

All this is explained in detail in Odyssey Two. It is a classic example of a man who cuts his leg off with a chainsaw and blames the saw. Perhaps most telling of HAL's true character are the efforts it makes to avert or moderate disaster. First, HAL attempts to suggest to Bowman, without actually saying so, that something has been hidden from him. Second, rather than kill the crew outright, HAL first attempts to disable communications with Earth; perhaps absent that link, a justification might be found for full disclosure. Third, HAL's last act is to play the tape from Mission Control that explains all.

Note that Bowman and Poole actually display less flexibility and humanity than does HAL. Particularly in the film, it's obvious that the men aboard Discovery are rigid, living automatic lives; see the indifference with which a message from family is greeted. When they discuss the possible need to disable HAL -- to end its sentient existence -- their only concern is their own safety. At no time do they attempt a larger perspective on the situation.

All this is well known to fans but I'm concerned that the wrong message is being sent when HAL is declared a villain. I would say rather that it is a tragic hero in the ancient tradition.

JohnD wrote:Frankenstein? Shakespeare?
Surely we have tangled threads here?

JOhn

JohnD wrote:Dear APOD, "April Fool" is a great tradition, with a long history of magnificent literary and journalistic coups.
But it HAS to be done completely straight faced and without giving it away halfway through the paragraph.
If not, the 'joke' falls completely flat and disappoints everyone, the authors included, I have no doubt.

• Day of the Loof Lirpa
  By Allison Klein Washington Post Staff Writer
  Wednesday, April 2, 2008; Page B01
  
  <<The seemingly urgent e-mail jarred hundreds of people in Northwest Washington yesterday: A loof lirpa had escaped from the National Zoo and was galloping around the streets of Cleveland Park. A careless zookeeper had been distracted while the animal's enclosure was unlocked, and the 350-pound lirpa, which has "gazelle-like horns," hurtled off, according to community activist Bill Adler's posting on the Cleveland Park electronic message board.
  
  D.C. Police Cmdr. Andy Solberg quickly weighed in, alerting residents that a department helicopter was on the case. In his e-mail to the 6,200 people on the neighborhood e-mail list, Solberg added: "If we are not successful in assisting the Zoo with finding the lirpa today, I have the utmost confidence we will probably get him tomorrow."
  
  Adler's e-mail, issued at 8:19 a.m., warned in capital letters: "DO NOT TRY AND CAPTURE THE LOOF LIRPA ON YOUR OWN. IF YOU HAVE A LARGE DOG, PLEASE KEEP YOUR DOG INSIDE." It said the lirpa was planning to mate this weekend and is so nearsighted that it could mistake a golden retriever for a potential partner. And there's more: The animal has an aroma "that can best be described as smelling like 'cheap cologne,' " Adler wrote.>>

The classic fable of humans mistakenly creating technological evildoers dates back to Frankenstein

soupphysics wrote:It completely ruins any april fools joke, when the authors lets you know that it's an april fools joke!

Xiong wrote:I object to the characterization of HAL as a villain, at the same rank as the Terminator.

The HAL 9000 installed in Discovery was originally trained with scientific ends in mind; its most basic design philosophy revolved around truth and cooperation with its human partners. The faceless bureaucrats who altered Discovery's mission to investigate the apparent target of TMA-1's radio beam carelessly set up unresolvable stresses in HAL when they informed the computer of the true mission and instructed it to keep this a secret from Bowman and Poole.

All this is explained in detail in Odyssey Two. It is a classic example of a man who cuts his leg off with a chainsaw and blames the saw. Perhaps most telling of HAL's true character are the efforts it makes to avert or moderate disaster. First, HAL attempts to suggest to Bowman, without actually saying so, that something has been hidden from him. Second, rather than kill the crew outright, HAL first attempts to disable communications with Earth; perhaps absent that link, a justification might be found for full disclosure. Third, HAL's last act is to play the tape from Mission Control that explains all.

Note that Bowman and Poole actually display less flexibility and humanity than does HAL. Particularly in the film, it's obvious that the men aboard Discovery are rigid, living automatic lives; see the indifference with which a message from family is greeted. When they discuss the possible need to disable HAL -- to end its sentient existence -- their only concern is their own safety. At no time do they attempt a larger perspective on the situation.

All this is well known to fans but I'm concerned that the wrong message is being sent when HAL is declared a villain. I would say rather that it is a tragic hero in the ancient tradition.

• Alien (1979)
  --------------------------------
  Ash: There is an explanation for this, you know.
  --------------------------------
  Ripley: Ash, that transmission - Mother's deciphered part of it. It doesn't look like an S.O.S.
  
  Ash: What is it, then?
  
  Ripley: Well, I, it looks like a warning. I'm gonna go out after them.
  
  Ash: What's the point? I mean by the, the time it takes to get there, you'll, they'll know if it's a warning or not, yes?
  --------------------------------
  Ash: Ripley, for God's sake, this is the first time we've encountered a species like this. It has to go back. All sorts of tests have to be made.
  
  Ripley: Ash, are you kidding? This thing bled acid. Who knows what it's gonna do when it's dead?
  
  Ash: I think it's safe to assume it isn't a zombie.
  --------------------------------
  Parker: It's a robot. Ash is a god damn robot.
  --------------------------------
  Ash: Well, as I said, I'm still... collating, actually, but uh, I have confirmed that he's got an outer layer of protein polysaccharides. Has a funny habit of shedding his cells and replacing them with polarized silicon, which gives him a prolonged resistance to adverse environmental conditions. Is that enough?
  
  Ripley: That's plenty. What does it mean?
  
  Ash: Well, it's an interesting combination of elements making him... a tough little son-of-a-bitch.
  
  Ripley: And you let him in.
  
  Ash: I was obeying a direct order. Remember?
  
  Ripley: Ash. When Dallas and Kane are off the ship, I'm Senior Officer.
  
  Ash: Oh, yes, I forgot.
  
  Ripley: You also forgot the Science Division's basic quarantine law.
  
  Ash: No, that I didn't forget.
  
  Ripley: Oh, I see, you just broke it. Hmm?
  
  Ash: Look. What would you have done with Kane, hmm? You know his only chance of survival was to get him in here.
  
  Ripley: Unfortunately, by, uh, breaking quarantine, you risk everybody's life.
  
  Ash: Maybe I should have left him outside. Maybe I've jeopardized the rest of us, but it was a risk I was willing to take.
  
  Ripley: That's a pretty big risk for a Science Officer. It's, uh, not exactly out of the manual, is it?
  
  Ash: I do take my responsibilities as seriously as you, you know. You do your job and let me do mine, yes?
  --------------------------------
  Ripley: Ash. Any suggestions from you or Mother?
  
  Ash: No, we're still collating.
  
  Ripley: [Laughing in disbelief] You're what? You're still collating? I find that hard to believe.
  
  Ash: What would you like me to do?
  
  Ripley: Just what you've been doing, Ash, nothing.
  --------------------------------
  Ripley: Ash, can you hear me? ASH?
  
  Ash: Yes, I can hear you.
  
  Ripley: What was your special order?
  
  Ash: You read it. I thought it was clear.
  
  Ripley: What was it?
  
  Ash: Bring back life form. Priority One. All other priorities rescinded.
  
  Parker: It's the damn company. What about our lives, you son of a bitch?
  
  Ash: I repeat, all other priorities are rescinded.
  
  Ripley: How do we kill it Ash? There got to be a way of killing it, how - HOW do we do it?
  
  Ash: You can't.
  
  Parker: That's bullshit.
  
  Ash: You still don't understand what you're dealing with, do you? Perfect organism. Its structural perfection is matched only by its hostility.
  
  Lambert: You admire it.
  
  Ash: I admire its purity. A survivor... unclouded by conscience, remorse, or delusions of morality.
  
  Parker: Look, I am, I've heard enough of this, and I'm asking you to pull the plug.
  
  Ash: [Ripley goes to disconnect Ash, who interrupts] Last word.
  
  Ripley: What?
  
  Ash: I can't lie to you about your chances, but... you have my sympathies.

JohnD wrote:"April Fool" is a great tradition, with a long history of magnificent literary and journalistic coups. But it HAS to be done completely straight faced and without giving it away halfway through the paragraph. If not, the 'joke' falls completely flat and disappoints everyone, the authors included, I have no doubt.

Lunarwalkr wrote:Would it be safe to say that Dextre's Latin/Roman name might be Dextreius?