Actually, the tunnel was perpendicular to either the floor (most likely) or the roof of the ship, and as such I would have expected them to enter the control room from the top or the floor (if that makes sense). However, it doesn't really matter for the story.

Not the best Pratchett story to start with to be honest - a far better introduction would be 'Mort'.

I agree. He didn't really seem to get into his stride until the fourth book. The first two really feel quite disconnected from the rest of the series and are a bit lightweight by comparison.

He did write the first as a series of connected short stories or pastiches of the standard fantasy themes. As you say, his work really took off from Mort.

I don't believe anyone has claimed a consensus of impropriety, and your eloquently written defense only shows that you're fully aware you stepped over the line with your crass comment, which is not subjective whatsoever.

Your original comment was not made 'in a vacuum' (what a ridculous thing to say), it was made on a public forum and was in entirely bad taste, offending other posters and myself in the process.

I suspect you have never been affected by Alzheimer's, and if you have, you should be ashamed of yourself.

Having seen numerous interviews with Pratchett I have the understanding that he would find the original comment funny, and not in the slightest off colour. I agree that alzeimers is a most terible afliction. However, lets remember that TP is in the early onset of this illness, and as such still has most of his mind intact. So whilst the OP was been a prick, he wasn't a total W Anchor. Are jokes only able to be understood by able bodied folks? I think not. Now shake hands and make up

.....

Back on topic...
what a lovely article! And I agree with him....but thats what makes DW so brilliant, its pure escapism(sp) for 45 minutes (or more if we are being spoilt), in DW anything is possible and thats why i love it. warts an' all.

Never understood Terry and his ramblings.

I am WELL AWARE he is is ill but, let us not Forget DR Who WAS FIRST PRODUCED for a Children's TV slot.

I wish Tes well and hope he (in his present campaign) succeeds where others have failed.

The only vacuum here is inside your skull.

Please don't come down like a ton of bricks whenever you see an Alzheimer's-related joke.

I'm looking after a great friend with Alzheimer's who is likely to live about 5 more years, but her short term memory is totally shot and we guess she has 2 - 3 more years of lucidity left before things go downhill.

There are two sorts of cruelty linked to Alzheimer's - or other kind of dementia : the first is suffered by the patient in early stages who knows what is to come and knows it cannot be avoided. The second is suffered by the carers (it will come to me) when their loved one's mental condition degrades.

Humour is the greatest medicine for those who are waiting for the inevitable, - and many Alzheimer's patients themselves tell the jokes that are closest to the bone.

My friend is nearly 80, while I'm the same age as Terry - must have been devastating for him to get such an early diagnosis. But he's nowhere near "half-past three" yet - won't get there for years, if he keeps taking Aricept.

And my guess is that Terry would have guffawed at that joke.

I just wonder why it's not OK to make a pretty gentle joke about Alzheimer's, but it is OK to be insulting towards a complete stranger on an internet forum. Ah well - I guess that's PC for you.

I agree with you totally. People don't lose their sense of humour nor their sense of the ridiculous whatever terrible circumstances they face and as you say, humour is a great medicine.

If you can dish it out you can take it.

Not everyone is the same though. My Granddad never found his condition a laughing matter-when he was lucid, he was generally either despairing or angry and would not have laughed at a comment like that. Neither would the family. It was inappropriate.

yeah. people with alzheimers are funny after all.

Totally agree with Pterry's remarks (you can tell from that that I'm a Pratchett fan, and of the same generation).
Dr Who is not science fiction - it has been science fantasy from the very first episode, which I remember.

Torchwood is more science fiction. What's wrong with liking it? It was always Dr Who for grownups, and I miss it.

The story lines in this generation of Who's Who tend to be really extreme and whacky (remember the End of the World with Zoe Wanamaker as the last human and those evil 4-legged spiderbots?) You don't? Ah. It was way back in 2005, almost Roman History.

Who is entertainment from start to finish. If you don't like the plotlines, talk to Moffat.

Meanwhile, for those who don't like Pratchett books - they are an acquired taste, like asparagus or artichokes.
I wasn't particulary taken with Maskerade, the first one I read, but once I read the first few, starting with the Colour of Magic, which was a deliberate spoof of the fantasy writing genre (had everything in it but the kitchen sink), I got into the satire, and have enjoyed reading all the other titles ever since.

PS re artichokes, no you really don't eat the middle part, ever.

They have their moments. My sisters mother in law at my mums funeral for example couldn't remember me though she's known me since I was a teen. When I told her who I was she replied "Is there anyone else here that I know, that I don't know that I know?" Shoot me - I found it amusing. Not in a mocking way, but in a isn't life a bitch but it can be funny sort of way. It's not cruel, it's just life.

Nurses have the blackest sense of humour I can tell you - they need it in their job.

... i guess you had to be there.

What I learnt from the events of the last week is that if you call a bigot a bigot, she won't be pleased and other bigots in the press will get very agitated and hysterical on her behalf. But then I probably realised already that that was likely to be the case.

We have had times that we haven't agreed....but here, a matter of the real world, rather than an interpretation of a tv show, 100% with you!!!

TPs comment about the "axe in act one" set me thinking. We're all so used to that style of writing that it's now become a cliche and spotting "the axe" has become too easy, which spoils the denoument when it gets used in act three. I think a better example of how to do it is season two of "Breaking Bad", where the opening sequence of each episode showed the consequences of the "axe" but what the "axe" was, wasn't explained in the plot until the last episode - and it was beautifully done. (If you haven't watched S2 of Breaking Bad, none of that will make any sense!!!)

K

In your opinion.


As for this...


Sick, offensive and just unfunny, no matter how much you try to justify it.

My grandmother wasn't one of them. If I found the comment offensive I'll damn well say so thanks. It offended me. And in all honesty your attempts to decide that all people with the disease will have the same reaction to it is fairly offensive also.

Well put. My feelings too.