Death Of A Physicist

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Stephen Hawking

Stephen Hawking, the Theoretical physicist who made revolutionary contributions to our understanding of the nature of the universe, has died.

Any thoughts, Newstalk?

Oh.

Mind over matter’: Stephen Hawking – obituary by Roger Penrose (Guardian)

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68 thoughts on “Death Of A Physicist

  1. Clampers Outside!

    Stephen Hawking had a brilliant sense of humour, and could put fools in their place with it.
    He’d have handled Williams without any bother :)

    My favourite…. his interview with “comedian” John Oliver…

    John Oliver: Who is talking to me right now, is it you, or is it the sentient computer pretending to talk on your behalf?

    Stephen Hawking: It’s me.

    JO: Yeah, but how do I know that professor? If computers had become sentient, what better way to convince people they hadn’t then by co-opting the voice of the most intelligent man on the planet?

    SH: You’re an idiot.

    JO: You’ve stated that there could be an infinite number of parallel universes. Does that mean there is a universe out there where I am smarter than you?

    SH: Yes. And also a universe where you’re funny.

    https://www.indy100.com/article/stephen-hawking-shutting-down-john-oliver-shows-how-hilarious-he-was-video-8254951

    1. The Ghost of Starina

      He was a charmer alright, apparently he was a hit with the ladies. The Newstalk fella is just a pleb.

    2. Andyourpointiswhatexactly?

      John Oliver was well aware of what would happen when he went in with questions like that. I really like him.

      RIP Stephen Hawkings. I have no understanding of theoretical physics, sadly, so don’t understand the impact he had.

    3. Neilo

      Oliver’s a dope, barely qualified to occupy the boo boo seat on an E4 panel show. Delighted that the Prof did such a comprehensive number on him.

        1. Neilo

          Mine is only one opinion among millions, Shrimpy. I get that JO has his admirers but a bespectacled English comic ranting on public affairs off autocue was a hackneyed boopy boo by the time Ben Elton emerged in the mid-80s.

          1. Andyourpointiswhatexactly?

            Uh, oh. I’m a fan of Ben Elton’s: though of his writing, not his stand-up (as I type that I realise he writes his stand-up but hey-ho). I’ve enjoyed his books and I really like Upstart Crow.

          2. Neilo

            @Andy etc – I’m also a fan of Ben’s; I think he developed a fantastic career outside the limits of the aforementioned format.

  2. ReproBertie

    Never forget that Stephen Hawking arranged a party for time travellers which he only advertised after the event.

    Only he turned up, proving time travel is not possible.

      1. Janet, I ate my Avatar

        I sent this from another universe we clashed with a long time ago where the ratios for life differ slightly

  3. Murtles

    RIP. The man was a force of nature. Despite being told he would be dead by 25, he went on to be a Professor at Cambridge, wrote several books and numerous scientific papers, gave interviews and lectures and lest not forget he starred in Star Trek TNG, The Simpsons, Futurama and The Big Bang Theory, all with no speech and confined to a wheelchair. I drank Carlsberg out of a milk jug last night as I was too lazy to wash a glass. :(

    1. Janet, I ate my Avatar

      I love the lyrics of that song

      she rolled down her tights on the rug
      she drank her wine from a mug
      an afternoons debauchery

      disclaimer I cant remember exact order bit that’s the gist

    2. Cian

      I drank Carlsberg out of a milk jug last night as I was too lazy to wash a glass. :(

      would you not have drunk it directly from the can/bottle?

        1. Cian

          “He’s not an animal”

          Exhibit A. He was drinking Carlsberg
          Exhibit B. He was drinking Carlsberg from a jug

    1. Neilo

      It isn’t the Rainbow Connection Paul Williams – that guy has talent and bears an odd resemblance to Bud Cort.

  4. Digs

    Paul Williams is a boo boo. There is however a little truth in what he said. Hawking was a very bright man. You obviously don’t overcome the kind of adversity he did and also become a professor without a reasonable degree of intelligence. He was however considered a bit of a novelty and a bit of a lightweight in the broader scientific community. Perhaps a better communicator than a scientist. Charismatic to boot.

    1. Lilly

      Academics are even bitchier than actors. Lightweight/Populist = Makes them feel inadequate. RIP.

  5. Andrew

    R.I.P. Mr.Hawking, he did the world some service.
    I’ve no idea what kind of person he was.

    It is truly bizarre that Paul Williams is paid for what he does.
    If you listen to that programme in the morning, you will be gobsmacked at his utter stupidity.
    I tune in from time to time, as I’m a glutton for things that make me cringe.
    I don’t know why that is.

  6. Neilo

    @Andrew: I’m smack bang in the demographic wheelhouse for that show but Williams irks me something fierce – he drags Coleman down with his attempts at ‘bantz’ and insider-y stuff that’s purely of interest to middle-aged, male journalists plying their trade in the Puzzle Palace and the Dáil lobby. It’s so bad, I’ve returned to Morning Ireland.

      1. Neilo

        Indeed, Radio 4 is imperious and I usually switch over there from ‘Athlone’ after It Says In The Papers.

        1. Lilly

          I like John S Doyle doing It Says in the Papers. Nice voice. Can’t listen to Deirdre ‘So, what else?’ Purcell.

          1. Andrew

            You’d have to wonder why Deirdre Purcell is doing that slot? Is she still a permanent employee and therefore pulling a wedge from RTE? I shudder to think what that might be.
            Of course Deirdre
            She’s reads it out like she’s a secondary school student.
            Deirdre for some reason was appointed to the board of the Central Bank of Ireland in 2003 and was serving in 2008 when the Irish banking system collapsed.
            Bizarre country we live in.

          2. Lilly

            AFAIK she’s freelance but I’m not sure about that. I heard recently that she’s Adrian Weckler’s (Indo tech reporter) mother, another one I absolutely can’t listen to so weird to discover the connection.

  7. david

    What a human being hawking was.
    Imagine as we all look at our lives moan and groan,
    We often go on about how unfair our lives are what we have missed
    Our little lot.
    Then we look at him, a man who was paralysed ,confined to a state of being imprisoned in a useless body ,unable to communicate without a machine and look what he achieved ,
    My brother had a saying
    The man with no shoes complained until he saw a man with no feet
    And how apt a saying
    This man will be sadly missed and he was a giant a genius and an example of what humanity can achieve against all odds

    1. Cian

      Did the man with no feet have any shoes? He could give them to the fella with no shoes. That would be nice.

  8. Janet, I ate my Avatar

    there’s some really odd moderating going on today. Maybe it’s not nice to make mean or ignorant comments about a recently deceased person. Go figure.

    1. Janet, I ate my Avatar

      That’s not actually the moderating I was referring to, that was ment for the dog thread so my bad
      but hey put words in my mouth

      1. Brother Barnabas

        are you arguing with yoiurself now, janet?

        what the fupp with this gnat again!? do we not get new ones each time we log on?

        1. Janet, I ate my Avatar

          Ever get a comment under your avatar that was not just moderated but answered for you by you
          well I have
          not sure I appreciate it so much
          Just answer me under your moderator name

          1. Andyourpointiswhatexactly?

            I haven’t had enough coffee to make sense out of any of this.

            ps no, the avatar remains the same. My stiffy has been throbbing for 2 weeks now.
            *proud*

          2. Brother Barnabas

            i should have got the stiffy one, really

            so, janet, did someone in BS add “Maybe it’s not nice to make mean or ignorant comments about a recently deceased person. Go figure.” to the end of your comment?

          3. Janet, I ate my Avatar

            Yep
            in fairness that much is pretty obvious and my comment was ment for the dog boy thread so like I said my bad but I dunno moderate for sure but add on to comments is an odd invasive weird move,
            I always feel like there are two moderators one on less often, I guess that was she/he yesterday

          4. Janet, I ate my Avatar

            sorry I ment that the sentiment was obvious not that that much was added on was obvious :)
            jeez more coffee, Andy is right

          5. Brother Barnabas

            no, that’s not alright at all – i’d guess that was a mistake

            someone was posting comments under my name a while ago – that was annoying

          6. Andyourpointiswhatexactly?

            My flat white is on the way. I’ll read back over this when done and make an incisively hilarious comment.

          7. Nigel

            This is terrible. How will I know if what I’ve written in a comment is what I wrote or what somebody else wrote pretending to be me?

          8. Janet, I ate my Avatar

            you’d have to ask yourself
            especially if one had indulged
            it could be the last sign of insanity to tip you over the edge

          9. Andyourpointiswhatexactly?

            I love Brother Barnabas and can’t wait to hook up IRL to make the sweet love.

          10. Brother Barnabas

            will be there in 10 minutes
            coming through velux, as arranged
            put the yellow stiffy to the side, please

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