Tag: Isaac Asimov

Stars End S3E05

“We Have Something Far Better than Religion We Have a Podcast”

Introducing this episode puts me in mind of Tom Lehrer’s Alma, which was inspired by, as he puts it, “the juiciest, spiciest, raciest obituary it has ever been my pleasure to read.”  The amount of prime humor that one mathematician can fit into a three-and-a-half-minute sound clip is impressive.

Hari Seldon, our protagonal mathematician, isn’t nearly so funny.  In fact, he seems to take himself quite seriously.  But he does get to participate in the juiciest, spiciest, raciest scene in the entire Asimov canon.  And that includes the non-fiction.

That scene is also startlingly strange.  We’ll talk about it.  Then we’ll move on to other grandiose notions like the nature of religion, governmental ethics, and Pascal’s Wager.  Also, there is a robot!

Join us as we follow Hari and Dors through the remainder of their sojourn in Mycogen.  You’ll be glad you did!

Stars End S3E04

“The Podcast as a Whole in its Full Complexity Cannot Be Represented By any Simulation Smaller Than Itself”

After our break, we’re back to reading Prelude to Foundation and things are starting to get weird. Dors and Hari finally journey to Mycogen as we embark on a Voyage to the Space Amish, with apologies to A. E. Van Vogt.

This one has it all! Dors and Chetter deconstructing Hari’s trip to Upperside ad nauseam! Bad bald caps (Boy, does Issac like the word “pate!”)! Rigidly defined gender roles! Lots of complaining! Dors and Hari don’t understand their room! More complaining! And Hari drags some poor guy out of bed in the middle of the night to make him a sandwich. Let’s just say he’s not the ideal guest. Also with some more apologies, this time to Rod Serling, there’s an iPad… and IT’S A COOKBOOK!

Also a new Apple TV+ Minute! Buckle up! This one will be fun!

Stars End S3E03

Image

I think I need to listen to “Flowers in the Dirt” again.  That’s the 1989 Paul McCartney album where Sir Paul collaborated with Elvis Costello.  I was hoping that Elvis might bring some of the sharper edges that John Lennon brought to the Lennon-McCartney songwriting duo.  No such luck as I recall but maybe 32 years farther on I’ll hear something new.

What brought that up?  Well with Hari on the mend from his excursion to Upperside we’ve decided to take a quick break from Prelude to Foundation before we begin our excursion to Mycogen.

We’re joined this time by Paul Levinson; Fordham University Professor, author, singer-songwriter, podcaster, and all-around renaissance human.  Lots of that springs from his philosophy, “If I enjoy something, I try to do it,” he says.  We chat about robots, the Foundation, robots, Asimov, robots, artificial intelligence, robots, and lots of other things.  Also robots.

Want to know more about Paul?  Check out his blog, Paul Levinson’s Infinite Regress, his podcast Light On Light Through, or his Twitter feed, @PaulLev. You can take it from there.

Oh, and that “Flowers in the Dirt” thing? That was mentioned in Paul’s new short story, “It’s Real Life,” an alternate history story involving the Beatles. You can read that for free here.

But first, our latest Episode: “Your Podcast is Obscure but I Think I Understand.” Let’s go!

Stars End S3E02

“The History of Podcasts is Full of Simple Questions That Had Only the Most Complicated of Answers or None At All”

https://starsendpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/b58de-prelude-to-foundation-asimov-cover-bantamedition.jpg

Our second conversation about Prelude to Foundation, in which we discuss “Library,” “Upperside,” and “Rescue.”

It was 1-degree Fahrenheit when we recorded this episode. That’s -17 Celcius to the rest of the world. I personally prepared for this episode by running around outside dressed as though I still lived in Florida or on Helicon, maybe. Then I rearranged all my bookshelves and wondered if I could create a model that would predict the future of the Marvel Universe.

In these chapters, Hari gets settled in at Streeling University and begins working on Psychohistory in earnest.  We also meet Dors Venabili who knows her way around a history library and is a quick study at Tennis. And Hari goes for a stroll to get some fresh air; that’s easier said than done on Trantor.

Also Trees! And our first M*A*S*H reference!  Don’t miss it!

Stars End S3E01

“The More Complex a Podcast the More Likely It is to Become Chaotic”

https://starsendpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/b58de-prelude-to-foundation-asimov-cover-bantamedition.jpg

In the criminal justice system, the podcast is represented by two separate, but equally important kinds of seasons.  The odd-numbered seasons, which directly discuss Asimov’s Foundation and the even-numbered seasons that talk about the Apple TV+ series.

So now we start the interregnum between seasons 1 and 2 of Apple TV’s Foundation.  That’s our cue to start Stars End season 3.  That’s as many seasons as Gilligan’s Island or the original Star Trek but far fewer than Law & Order.  We’re shooting for the latter.

We have a plan and if you follow our plan and listen to our podcast it will seem like far less than 30,000 years until we start to get new episodes of the teevee show.

In this episode, we start discussing Prelude to Foundation in which we meet Eto Demerzel and begin Hari Seldon’s long journey to create Psychohistory.  If you’re reading along this time we talk about the first three sections, “Mathematician,” “Flight,” and “University.” But whether you’re reading along or not, let’s go!  This will be fun!

Stars End S2E12

“We Don’t Expect to Podcast Forever but We Do Intend to Hang On As Long As Possible!”

It’s the final episode of Season 2 where we wrap up our discussion of Season 1 of Foundation with the First Annual Stars End Hari Awards!  Frankly, a lot of it is the three of us gushing about how good the episodes and the performances were. 

But more importantly, you get to find out who won! Best Performance! Favorite Episode!  Favorite Podcast Guest!  All the important stuff.  Not included: unimportant things like “Least Inspirational Quote,” which must be “All love is programming.”

We couldn’t have done it without you!  Our thanks go out to everyone who supported us by voting, commenting, and listening! So, please join us!

Plus a preview of season three!  What will we be doing in the long dark interregnum before season 2 of Foundation?

Stars End S2E11

“We Send Podcasts Out Into Space Hoping Someone Will Answer!”

Although we’re going to continue to refer back to Foundation Season 1 a lot this year, this is the penultimate episode of our official discussion!

And we’ve got quite a lot to say!  This is our first conversation about the season in its entirety!  We’re joined by special guest Luigi DiMeglio of the Foundation Era YouTube Channel!

And be on the lookout for questions and polls!  In our next episode, we’ll be hosting StarsEnd’s First Annual Hari Awards!  And WE want to hear from YOU on all the big awards!  Plus there will be some surprises!  Stay Tuned to our Twitter account @StarsEndPodcast and here at our website StarsEndPodcast.com for news, official announcements, and our usual load of whimsy.

But first: S2E11! Let’s go!

Stars End S2E10

“Under the Genetic Dynasty, There is Only Room for One Podcast”

Haven’t watched Episode 10, “The Leap” yet? We’ll be here when you’re done.

Astoundingly, here we are at the end of Foundation’s Season 1. We’re all about to experience the teevee equivalent of empty nest syndrome.

But not yet! There are two more episodes of Stars End for this season! There’s this one, where we talk about Episode 10 and then there will be one more in about two weeks where we give an overview of Foundation’s epic first season! Also a special guest! Also, also some surprises!

And we’re here for the duration! It might feel like it will be 30,000 years until there will be new content on Apple TV+ but we’ll be here through this new interregnum to make sure that it feels like far less than 1000 years!

You’ve come with us this far! Let’s keep moving forward together!

Stars End S2E09

Stars End S2E09 – Sometimes Podcasts Shout Louder Than Logic.

You know. Spoilers and all that.

In 1987 the Smiths released an excellent compilation album entitled “Louder than Bombs.” It’s the apotheosis of mope rock! In 2021 “Is it Really So Strange” that we would release a podcast episode called “Louder than Logic?” Even if none of us is named “Smith?” We’re nothing but a bunch of alliterates!

But here’s the thing: it fits.

Gaal can feel the future in a way that might undermine psychohistory! That’s Louder than Mathematics!

Lewis was able to wish the Invictus back to Terminus! That’s Louder than Science!

And Salvor always knows how that coin will land! That’s Louder than Random!

Have you ever tried to replace a colorblind, left-handed clone with a perfect replica of Cleon I? That’s Louder than Reason!

You should join us as we talk about “The First Crisis,” a barnburner of an episode directed by the great Roxann Dawson!

I mean it! “Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want!” Join us!

Stars End S2E08

Stars End S2E08 – “Your Lack of Understanding Does Not Obligate Us to Podcast”

If you’re a Lee Pace fan, or “stan” as the kids say, or even an “aficionado” like they said back in my day, “The Missing Piece” may be for you!  It’s like the last temptation of Brother Day meets Dune with 100% fewer sandworms.  That is to say, it’s a lot of loincloths and wandering around in the desert. Damn sand gets in everything!

Plus Hari’s still incorporeal, Gaal indulges in some casual vandalism, Salvor and Phara go on a trip, and Ethel the Aardvark goes quantity surveying.

As usual, we talk about it.

This week we’re joined by Rich Greenberg, a screenwriter and old friend of Jon’s.  Rich is known for Zoe (2018), starring Ewan McGregor, Léa Seydoux, and Rashida Jones, as well as the Emmy Award-Winning The Beauty Inside (2018).  Rich will tell us about the process of adapting an intellectual property, particularly a science fiction IP for television.

Join us!