December 07, 2012

Nurse Commits Suicide Because Evil, Murderous Radio DJs Pulled a Deadly Prank
— Ace

I don't believe the headline I just wrote. I just wrote that to make a point.

I heard Hannity talking about this story. The facts are these: A couple of Australian DJs called an English nurse, on a pretext call, attempting to weasel out some information about Kate Middleton's pregnancy. Two days later she died. It's being investigated as a possible suicide (or maybe, at this point, it definitely is a suicide).

Hannity listened to the call and didn't think the woman revealed anything that would cause her later consternation. He thinks the call either didn't provoke the suicide (if it was a suicide), or else there's something else going on, something we don't know about.

However, People on the Internet are calling for the DJs' heads.

And all of this reminds me of the furore* over the murder/suicide of that football player whose name I already forgot.

I think Costas' remarks -- Let's end "gun culture" and pass laws to keep guns out of the hands of criminals (or... potential criminals, aka "currently law abiding citizens") -- and the Loud Internet Noises over the DJs' crank call both exhibit the same stupid thoughtless arrogance.

Let's say you typically drive five miles over the speed limit on your way to work. One day, you are forced to brake quickly, but you can't brake fully in time, and you rear-end another car, and suffer $2000 in total damages to you car and the one you hit.

Later on your tell someone about this. You mention, as you think of it, that you were driving 5 mph over the speed limit, and wonder, gee, maybe that contributed to my failure to brake in time.

What's the most automatic, thoughtless thing the guy you're talking to can say? And he's almost guaranteed to say it, too.

"Well, I guess you shouldn't have gone over 5 mph today."

Now the person saying this doesn't want to be a dick. This is a Mom sort of thing to say, and I'm not knocking Moms. I love Moms, especially my own. I'm just noting this a common example of what I'm driving at.

The most reflexive --and I mean that in a bad way, as in "involuntary" and "without rational thought," the verbal equivalent of a sneeze -- thing to say after any setback is to set one's mind back to the hours immediately before the setback, pick out one thing that might have contributed to the setback, and announce, "Well, you shouldn't have done that."

People have this natural, automatic, reflexive thought. Name the setback -- whatever setback you like, from inconvenience to calamity -- and people will automatically, immediately search back for an event somewhere in the chain of causation and then wisely announce, "You shouldn't have taken Action X."

In a way it's kind of true -- if Action X is indeed part of the chain of causation, it is possible that deviating from the chain of causation at an step would avoid Setback Y. Often we never really know which Actions were necessary for the Result, but we can guess maybe Action X, maybe Action B, Maybe Action Delta. If you just hadn't done X, B, or Delta, maybe result Y wouldn't have followed.

When I call this "thoughtless" I don't mean rude, or inconsiderate. I mean more in the basic, original sense of "thoughtless" -- without any thought. Just, as I say, a verbal sneeze, or perhaps more accurately a semi-logical geshundheit.

There's nothing wrong when Mom does it to you after your fender-bender, though you probably will give her a glare and say, "Mom? Seriously? I need this right now?"

The problem comes when this sort of automatic, thoughtless "Well you shouldn't have done X" reflex is ported over to the world of politics, and people begin thinking this is some Serious Thought.

You know how you can actually avoid all road collisions? You can just not go anywhere at all. You can just stay in your house all day.

The fallacy of this type of thinking is that it resolutely fails to consider the other side of the coin -- what is lost by simply not doing something. Usually this sort of thing is said after a major setback, and the thing You Shouldn't Have Done is pretty small, so you don't really argue with it.

But consider that fender-bender. A lot of things probably contributed to it, including the fact you only got 4 hours of sleep last night and so your reflexes weren't at top form, but then, your obligations to your employer and your spouse and children require you to get sleep than you'd like. And you probably could have gotten your tires changed a few months ago, but you needed that money for rent. And fresh brake pads, gee, we haven't even considered brake pads. You could have taken your car to the shop instead of taking your daughter to her soccer game.

You also could have taken other roads -- even if they are slower and not as direct.

You really could have done a hundred other things differently.

And the thing is, you made all of these decisions -- some of which may have impacted your fender-bender -- for the sake of convenience. Some decisions may have been suspect -- if your tires were almost bald, well, that was a bad gamble for the sake of convenience -- and other ones were relatively rational choices. You probably don't replace your brake pads every month, for example.

Could you? Sure. Would that increase your braking power? Probably. Should you replace your brake pads every month, then? No. It's crazy.

People -- not just liberals, but all people -- tend to think like this. Whenever something bad happens, we want to trace in our mind a chain of actions that would not have led to the negative outcome, and then extract a lesson from it. Whenever one experiences a negative outcome, one does try to salvage something from it, and and often that takes the form of a lesson for future behavior.

And that's a human thing. And, in fact, we survived as a species precisely because we did that for 100,000 years. When Yahno the Spear-Thrower was gored by the white-bearded mammoth, and died a horrible, slow, gut-wound death, our ancestors made a note: Do not engage the mammoth from the front, like Yahno did.

However, this type of thinking is best first guess type stuff, and often irrational. For example, another lesson our ancestors might have learned was Never engage a mammoth while wearing a Green Feather in one's hair like Yahno did; green feathers are unlucky, and hated by the Gods of the Hunt. Yahno did wear a green feather; but it's unlikely that had anything to do with his demise. More likely it was that Attack From the Front thing. It was also probably more about him missing with his spear, for that matter.

The problem with all of this is that it indulges the human tendency towards epistemological arrogance, assuming we know all there is to know about a chain of events when we usually don't know jack f'n' shit about it. And it gets far worse when we start talking about politics, because now we're not talking about a personal rule about not wearing a Green Feather in one's hair on hunt day.

Now we're talking about a federal f'n' law, the Safe and Prudent Mammoth Hunting Act of 2012 (aka "Yahno's Law"), which now puts the government in charge of inspecting the coloration of your warrior-feathers.

The human mind runs to two things, which seem contradictory, but aren't contradictory at all: Superstition and science. Superstition is just the first early draft of science. Alchemy became chemistry and astrology became astronomy and searching the Koran for secret messages from God encoded in its text became crytpography.

But we should always remember our first guesses generally tend to superstitions, and not science. Science comes much later, after a lot of thought and a bunch of experiments. The first efforts will tend to be "Don't wear the green feathers, they are taboo" and "Maybe we should just make it a law that you can't use guns to murder people" (um, I think that's already on the books) and "DJs should never, ever call nurses!" and "You should have psychically realized that today, and just today, you should not exceed the speed limit by 5mph but should actually drive 3mph under it. Again, just for today."

This is all, what's the word, total crap. This is all baffled, confused primitives using superstitious thinking to make sense of a big, chaotic world filled with what we call "Random chance" (which is really just shorthand for "casualities too complicated and convoluted for us to trace") by the process of babbling up short, simple statements about How You Could Have Avoided That.

We're the same primitives -- our brains haven't changed all that much -- and while our superstitions take a different form, they're still as stupid as they ever were.

"We need to discuss our gun culture" = "We need to stop offending the gods with all these feathers of unclean colors." Even the language we use for this crap -- "discuss" our gun culture -- is about talking out loud to express our collective tribal concerns over the matter.

You know -- like a prayer chanted at a rain dance.

Anyway, I fear that what I've written here is incoherent. Well, I know what I meant to say, anyway. In my mind it all hangs together beautifully.

But this is a first draft. At some point I'll clean this up and turn my first superstitions into something more cogent and rational.


* British spelling of furor. I'm going for a Klassy kind of blog, you know. Since I'm talking about culture, I think I should start spelling furor as "furore."


Posted by: Ace at 02:12 PM | Comments (389)
Post contains 1681 words, total size 10 kb.

1 I don't find this kind of "humor" funny in any way, but they damned sure didn't target that nurse and they did not cause her death. She, a wife and mother of two, took her own life. Of course, it's the U.K., so they may see it differently.

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at December 07, 2012 02:14 PM (piMMO)

2 Ace has a mom?

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero) at December 07, 2012 02:14 PM (QKKT0)

3 Death panels.

Posted by: NCKate at December 07, 2012 02:15 PM (V1oS8)

4 Now we're talking about a federal f'n' law, the Safe and Prudent Mammoth Hunting Act of 2012 (aka "Yahno's Law"), which now puts the government in charge of inspecting the coloration of your warrior-feathers. *** giggle

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at December 07, 2012 02:16 PM (piMMO)

5 or else there's something else going on, something we don't know about. __________________ I had the same thought on that.

Posted by: tasker at December 07, 2012 02:18 PM (r2PLg)

6 They did what shock jocks do and not even an extreme version of it.  I feel bad for the woman but if this is what it took for her to end it, it probably would've been something else at a slightly different time.

Posted by: Captain Hate (more dagny and less curious) at December 07, 2012 02:18 PM (1Vfs1)

7

It's mostly coherent, Ace.

I liked it.

 

I think it's two things which seem to go hand-in-hand...

 

The search for simplistic answers to complex problems...coupled with the desire to exploit an event to further an agenda.

 

Posted by: wheatie at December 07, 2012 02:18 PM (CM59X)

8 I think I just sprained my scrolling finger.

Posted by: Flounder at December 07, 2012 02:19 PM (Kkt/i)

9 Damn, Ace. You really put some thought into this. Tribes? Mammoths? Feathers?

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at December 07, 2012 02:19 PM (piMMO)

10 You don't go straight from normal to dead in two days. Chick probably had issues. Heck, if I were English, I wouldn't have lasted this long.

Posted by: JDTAY at December 07, 2012 02:19 PM (a0nis)

11 neidermeyer, glad you liked the Yahno's Law joke.

Posted by: ace at December 07, 2012 02:19 PM (LCRYB)

12 What day does that Mayan meteor hit? Call me when it gets here. Ask for Doc.  I'll be in the bar at Boonie's.

Posted by: Palm Beach Pooter Hounda2 at December 07, 2012 02:20 PM (ufLRj)

13 WHAT movie are you reviewing here?

Posted by: tcn at December 07, 2012 02:20 PM (VLG62)

14 There are no details of the prank.  It is hard to make a judgement as to how that could have caused her to commit suicide.


We often say TMI, her we have NEI

Posted by: Vic at December 07, 2012 02:20 PM (YdQQY)

15 Jovan Belcher turned out to be a shit, btw. I mean, an even bigger shit than a murdering jackhole.

Posted by: Y-not at December 07, 2012 02:21 PM (5H6zj)

16 The nurse who committed suicide, allegedly, transferred the call to a second nurse that did talk to the DJs about the duchess. The hospital was not disciplining her in any way. This is just bullshit. I do wonder why nurses answer switchboards in the UK. Then again, by switchboard they may mean that she just picked up the telephone at the desk in the unit.

Posted by: Walkers! at December 07, 2012 02:21 PM (e/Cti)

17 They didn't cause her death - and it was another nurse which revealed information about Kate - but did they think maybe an ordinary person would get in trouble at work if their prank worked? Did they care? I'm guessing not.

Posted by: Stephen Potter at December 07, 2012 02:21 PM (pv5J7)

18 s using the word coloration slightly chunky?

what about using hue?

Posted by: apathetic ette at December 07, 2012 02:21 PM (nqBYe)

19 I'm going to hazard two guesses: 1. The call had nothing to do with her suicide. 2. The people screaming A PRANK CALL MURDERED HER feel a small amount of psychic pleasure in telling other people What They Did Wrong, and will forget it about it ten minutes, because they got what they wanted out of it, a sense of moral orderliness and a sense of moral hygiene, and they really don't give a rat's ass about it beyond that.

Posted by: ace at December 07, 2012 02:22 PM (LCRYB)

20 She killer herself over this? Something MIGHT have been wrong with her brain. Also, nice post Ace.

Posted by: Witchfinder at December 07, 2012 02:22 PM (pLTLS)

21 Shorter version: A "but for" cause is not morally equivalent to a proximate cause.

Posted by: wooga at December 07, 2012 02:22 PM (Ep4mv)

22 LOL. and i meant to write clunky not chunky

Posted by: apathetic ette at December 07, 2012 02:22 PM (nqBYe)

23 I love Moms, especially my own. Does your mom read your blog?

Posted by: beach at December 07, 2012 02:22 PM (LpQbZ)

24 Alchemy became chemistry and astrology became astronomy and searching the Koran for secret messages from God encoded in its text became crytpography the official school curriculum in certain neighborhoods in Minneapolis.

Fixed


Posted by: Cicero (@cicero) at December 07, 2012 02:23 PM (QKKT0)

25 16) I do wonder why nurses answer switchboards in the UK. Then again, by switchboard they may mean that she just picked up the telephone at the desk in the unit. It was the early hours of the morning and no receptionist was on.

Posted by: Stephen Potter at December 07, 2012 02:23 PM (pv5J7)

26 I just finished FB ranting about this. I don't think the DJs are solely to blame for this. They are just part of a bigger problem - a morally bankrupt society that thinks doing something like this is really cool and funny. This is the result of a culture that glorifies pranks, gags, gotchas, celebrity gossip obsession, shocking public behavior and general idiocy. An entertainment industry that continues to cater to the lowest common denominator. That people don't see why this woman could possibly be so upset by what she did as a result of their stupidity tells me that society really has forgotten what life was like when people had pride and dignity. Just completely disgusted by the whole thing.

Posted by: TheRinaO at December 07, 2012 02:23 PM (w2aGf)

27 Wonder if she committed suicide because she had to be with --The Royals for two days straight...

Posted by: tasker at December 07, 2012 02:23 PM (r2PLg)

28 people commit suicide and the main cause is the snakes in their head.  It isn't guns, or girlfriends, or prank calls.  Its them

Posted by: thunderb at December 07, 2012 02:23 PM (Dnbau)

29 They didn't cause her death - and it was another nurse which revealed information about Kate - but did they think maybe an ordinary person would get in trouble at work if their prank worked? Did they care? I'm guessing not. IÂ’m not picking on you, except in the sense that IÂ’m picking on you, but this goes along with that sort of magical thinking; verdict first, then evidence. (a) DJs caused death (b) DJs didn't cause death (c) Yeah, but they could have caused a lot of trouble. Maybe true, butÂ… thereÂ’s a rug moving underneath us.

Posted by: Stephen Price Blair at December 07, 2012 02:23 PM (QF8uk)

30 This kind of "humor"., as with Borat, does literally intrude into a person's life. Standing on stage and poking fun of anyone is pretty much open season, but pranks such as these literally carry the act into the lives of those who have not invited it in, much like an intruder into one's home. As I said above, her suicide is certainly not their fault, but when you play games such as these, you never know just whom it is you are touching and how they will react. Kind of like those kids who broke into that home and found the occupant more deranged than themselves.

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at December 07, 2012 02:23 PM (piMMO)

31 From a dead thread, but worth repeating 245 Little known fact: Hitler was quite a reasonable man and had Chamberlain stayed on, he could have negotiated a lasting peace. Churchill (the warmonger) obstructed that opportunity and FDR was left to clean up the mess with Japan. All the real heroes of history come up left of center folks. The end.

Posted by: Nicholas Kristof at December 07, 2012 02:24 PM (4eNxd)

32 Being a nurse in the English health care system.... that could do it.

Posted by: tasker at December 07, 2012 02:24 PM (r2PLg)

33 the DJs are assholes. No legal action against them, but show their asses off the air.

Posted by: Nevergiveup at December 07, 2012 02:25 PM (jE38p)

34 I hate to say it (no I don't) but this kind of thinking goes hand in hand with a litigious society.  We live in a world of "that shouldn'ta oughta happened".

People literally think they can stop hurricanes as long as they stop burning those fossil fuels that the Earth Goddess hates so much.

Posted by: AmishDude at December 07, 2012 02:26 PM (T0NGe)

35 Posted by: Nicholas Kristof at December 07, 2012 06:24 PM (4eNxd)

Himmler only wanted to help the Jews establish a homeland.

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero) at December 07, 2012 02:26 PM (QKKT0)

36 Someone earlier said that their 10 year old son is fearful that the earth is going to end and that he doesn't want to die. It's pathetic that children have to be scared out of their wits to satisfy new age BS.

Posted by: Walkers! at December 07, 2012 02:26 PM (e/Cti)

37 To expound on it - you have to understand the British culture and their loyalty to the crown. This woman's mortification can not be overstated. Obviously suicide is an overreaction. Obviously she probably had issues. But that doesn't make the DJs or society at large completely blameless. This woman is collateral damage of keeping the Idiocracy entertained.

Posted by: TheRinaO at December 07, 2012 02:26 PM (w2aGf)

38 I'm not sure it was incoherent, but I'm pretty sure it was racist.

Posted by: wte9 at December 07, 2012 02:26 PM (6Tcdo)

39 Although, first impressions...

Posted by: beach at December 07, 2012 02:26 PM (LpQbZ)

40 wut?

Posted by: apathetic ette at December 07, 2012 02:26 PM (nqBYe)

41 but did they think maybe an ordinary person would get in trouble at work if their prank worked? Did they care? I'm guessing not.

Of course they didn't care. 

Posted by: HeatherRadish™, Crankypants Extraordinaire at December 07, 2012 02:26 PM (hO8IJ)

42 Me not know, me only pawn in game of life

Posted by: Mongo at December 07, 2012 02:26 PM (KCCgc)

43 What the fuck are the Brits going to do, invade Australia and re-establish a penal colony there? The DJ's are guilty of being douchebags and nothing more. The grown-assed woman made the decision to off herself, that's on her.

Posted by: Samuel Adams at December 07, 2012 02:26 PM (ZOf1l)

44

Well, what was the Nurse's cause of death?

 

The article in the link didn't say.

 

Posted by: wheatie at December 07, 2012 02:27 PM (CM59X)

45 29) IÂ’m not picking on you, except in the sense that IÂ’m picking on you, I like being picked on! Point I was making is, if you fall for this prank and reveal patient info you are going to get in trouble at work, maybe disciplined. Seems like a twat's trick to me...

Posted by: Stephen Potter at December 07, 2012 02:27 PM (pv5J7)

46 If only we didn't have wacky morning DJs, we wouldn't have suicides. Green Feathers.

Posted by: ace at December 07, 2012 02:27 PM (LCRYB)

47 I still laugh when I hear the prank call. Am I complicit in her death as well?

Posted by: CraigPoe at December 07, 2012 02:28 PM (BVkEs)

48 Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at December 07, 2012 06:23 PM (piMMO)

agree

Posted by: apathetic ette at December 07, 2012 02:28 PM (nqBYe)

49 No connection has been established. She worked at the hospital and answered the phone call. That's it. She may have killed herself b/c her bf/husband dumped her. Her children may be adults.

Posted by: Walkers! at December 07, 2012 02:28 PM (e/Cti)

50 @36 Yeah, the Mayan myth is a bunch of hokum. Obama is saving the world-ending stuff for January.

Posted by: JDTAY at December 07, 2012 02:28 PM (a0nis)

51 No no it's been proven that people who kill themselves always do it because of the last bad thing that happened to them. It's social science!!

Posted by: Mætenloch at December 07, 2012 02:28 PM (pAlYe)

52 Who's the new Star Trek villain?

Posted by: Dr Spank at December 07, 2012 02:28 PM (b+jI9)

53 or else there's something else going on, something we don't know about. I'm sorry, unless she was drugged, then brainwashed to take her life by the DJ's, this cannot be blamed on a phone call. Someone destined to take their life, probably tried it before, and finally succeeded. This is not a spur of the moment act.

Posted by: beach at December 07, 2012 02:28 PM (LpQbZ)

54 Maybe you shouldn't have read that story Ace.

Posted by: Jack Wagon at December 07, 2012 02:28 PM (KUPae)

55 >>>This woman is collateral damage of keeping the Idiocracy entertained. If only we didn't have entertainment, or laughter, or poking fun at people, we could avoid suicide, death, and depression.

Posted by: ace at December 07, 2012 02:28 PM (LCRYB)

56

WHAT movie are you reviewing here?

10,000 B.C.

Posted by: fluffy at December 07, 2012 02:29 PM (K800K)

57 33 the DJs are assholes. No legal action against them, but show their asses off the air. Posted by: Nevergiveup at December 07, 2012 06:25 PM (jE38p) Uh, why? I bet you prank called someone at some point. People do this because they can be hilarious. What if that person committed suicide a few days later? You'd probably think it was wildly unfair to blame you for that person's fragile psyche.

Posted by: wte9 at December 07, 2012 02:29 PM (6Tcdo)

58 Leftists have brought about a culture of not only death, but also shame. And when that culture of shame (and death) might, or might not, cause someone to kill themselves, their first instinct is to engage in the culture of shame, and death, and hatred, and mob violence, and statism. Because they're better than everyone else.

Posted by: Mirror-Universe Mitt Romney at December 07, 2012 02:29 PM (aLLUm)

59

 

Boeing's engineer union says strike is likely, prepares workers for work stoppage - @Reuters

 

 

 

Ah the smell of bad coffee,  marks-a-lots  and   pit  odor  in  the  morning.

 

 

Posted by: Meremortal, time to slutdrop the GOPe at December 07, 2012 02:29 PM (1Y+hH)

60 I fear what I just read was incoherent...    eleventy!

Posted by: Yip at December 07, 2012 02:29 PM (/jHWN)

61 THE NURSE THAT KILLED HERSELF ANSWERED THE PHONE AND TRANSFERRED THE CALL. SHE DID NOT REVEAL ANY PATIENT INFORMATION.

Posted by: Walkers! at December 07, 2012 02:30 PM (e/Cti)

62 WHAT movie are you reviewing here?

10,000 B.C.

Does Ray Romano play the elephant again?

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero) at December 07, 2012 02:30 PM (QKKT0)

63 Imagine how disappointed TFG would be if the world did end before his second immaculation.

Posted by: Ian S. at December 07, 2012 02:30 PM (OevbG)

64 >>>I'm not sure it was incoherent, but I'm pretty sure it was racist. That goes without saying. The only thing this post was missing was a noose and spear, and it actually had the spear.

Posted by: ace at December 07, 2012 02:30 PM (LCRYB)

65 Anybody heard from "mad as hell" lately?

Ace, you could be in real trouble, here.

Posted by: eastvalleyphx at December 07, 2012 02:30 PM (GRvW4)

66 Anyway, I fear that what I've written here is incoherent. It's the incoherence that makes it coherent.

Posted by: beach at December 07, 2012 02:30 PM (LpQbZ)

67 This kind of "humor"., as with Borat, does literally intrude into a person's life.

Standing on stage and poking fun of anyone is pretty much open season, but pranks such as these literally carry the act into the lives of those who have not invited it in, much like an intruder into one's home.

This is why libel and slander laws in the US don't apply to public figures. We figure that if you're in the spotlight, you are already dealing with this crap, but if you're a private citizen, you shouldn't be forced into the spotlight.

But reality shows are making it even more common for "ordinary people" to turn up as celebrities.

Posted by: AmishDude at December 07, 2012 02:30 PM (T0NGe)

68 Engineering union.

FFS.

Posted by: HeatherRadish™, Crankypants Extraordinaire at December 07, 2012 02:30 PM (hO8IJ)

69 And yes, epistemology has certainly gone to cock lately.

Posted by: Mirror-Universe Mitt Romney at December 07, 2012 02:31 PM (aLLUm)

70 you know, she must have had all kinds of other problems for this to push her over the edge.....it's not the dj's fault... the shouldn't be fired over the suicide but maybe for the lack of humour in their skit......

Posted by: phoenixgirl at December 07, 2012 02:31 PM (GVxQo)

71 The best way to detract from the coloring of the feathers is to beat a hollow log and whoop it up naked.

Posted by: Fritz at December 07, 2012 02:31 PM (ZA675)

72 it's like the Brazil video in the elevator.
sure it's fun scring the shit out of people that weren't in on the game.
yet how many people thought they were glad it wasn't them and somebody might have ended up badly hurt?"


Posted by: apathetic ette at December 07, 2012 02:31 PM (nqBYe)

73 Ace, why are you posting about British nurses when it is your duty to write righteous anti-Obama posts while I sit around and eat potato chips?

(Actually, I don't care.  I was just hoping that since you called someone out for doing that yesterday and Michigan- MICHIGAN!!!- passed a right-to-work law afterward, maybe Tom Corbett would start getting ideas if it happened again.)

Posted by: The Lost Dutchman at December 07, 2012 02:31 PM (9F2c1)

74 @59 I don't need any airplanes, let them have at it. I might get worried in a few years...

Posted by: JDTAY at December 07, 2012 02:31 PM (a0nis)

75 >>>10,000 B.C. One Million Years B.C. was better, for a couple fur covered reasons.

Posted by: wooga at December 07, 2012 02:31 PM (Ep4mv)

76 Does Ray Romano play the elephant again?

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero) at December 07, 2012 06:30 PM (QKKT0)


Brian Dennehy did a great job as the cave.

Posted by: eastvalleyphx at December 07, 2012 02:31 PM (GRvW4)

77 Boeing has an engineer's union?

God, that must be teh suck.

Posted by: AmishDude at December 07, 2012 02:32 PM (T0NGe)

78 >> * British spelling of furor. I'm going for a Klassy kind of blog, you know. Since I'm talking about culture, I think I should start spelling furor as "furore." *edits AoSHQ Style Guide accordingly* You want that we should also go with the British spellings of colour, honour, etc. boss?

Posted by: Andy at December 07, 2012 02:32 PM (OZPoa)

79

O/T - Levin is giving a history lesson on the first Constitutional Convention.  Says he has some ideas.  Commercial break ends in a couple minutes.

 

http://bit.ly/rxDvRL

Posted by: RushBabe at December 07, 2012 02:32 PM (tQHzJ)

80 >>>THE NURSE THAT KILLED HERSELF ANSWERED THE PHONE AND TRANSFERRED THE CALL. SHE DID NOT REVEAL ANY PATIENT INFORMATION. I know, or rather, Hannity said this and I believe his narration. I think this illustrates my point about people having a certain epistemological arrogance, thinking they knew the chain of causation, while in fact knowing very, very little about it. Certainly too little to begin advancing hard-cast opinions and judgments. "I don't fucking know" is a SERIOUSLY underrated statement in our society.

Posted by: ace at December 07, 2012 02:32 PM (LCRYB)

81 anyway  i doubt two djs caused this.
i would say it might have been her job
which we are not allowe to comment about nationally because NHC is a loving expression of the state for its citizens

Posted by: apathetic ette at December 07, 2012 02:32 PM (nqBYe)

82

Does Ray Romano play the elephant again?

This is the other one, where Brian Dennehy plays the glacier.

Posted by: fluffy at December 07, 2012 02:33 PM (K800K)

83 British spelling of fetus the worst. It may be a parasitic clump of cells, but it doesn't have an 'o', damnit!

Posted by: JDTAY at December 07, 2012 02:33 PM (a0nis)

84 >>>You want that we should also go with the British spellings of colour, honour, etc. boss? nah, the "ou" is for fags.

Posted by: ace at December 07, 2012 02:33 PM (LCRYB)

85 Sher probably felt (and rightly so) deeply guilty for answering for an imperial English monarchy that wantonly subjugated, exploited and slaughtered millions for centuries to perpetuate their colonial greed.

Posted by: Hector at December 07, 2012 02:33 PM (tOkJB)

86 I'm sick as a dog this morning from the langostino last night, Ace.  But it's a price I'll gladly pay for freedom.

Posted by: Mad As Heckfire at December 07, 2012 02:34 PM (QKKT0)

87 cuz i canmake something out of nothing too.

Posted by: apathetic ette at December 07, 2012 02:34 PM (nqBYe)

88 72 apathetic ette the brazilian thing is so different....and had i been in the elevator...i probably would have attacked the ghost......i'm surprised at how all the people did was stand their and scream....

Posted by: phoenixgirl at December 07, 2012 02:34 PM (GVxQo)

89 If only we didn't have entertainment, or laughter, or poking fun at people, we could avoid suicide, death, and depression.


Oh great, so now Don Rickles is a murderer? I always thought he was a funny Jewish guy.

Posted by: Samuel Adams at December 07, 2012 02:34 PM (ZOf1l)

90 That elevator ghost prank vid you posted a while back .... that could have gotten that little girl seriously fucked up , or worse .

Posted by: Bill D. Cat at December 07, 2012 02:35 PM (M2+F0)

91 Oh-oh!

Obama pranked the whole country.  When people wise up will we have mass suicides?

Posted by: Hepcat at December 07, 2012 02:35 PM (OxnnS)

92 Let it burn! 

Oops. Wrong thread.

Posted by: Flounder at December 07, 2012 02:35 PM (Kkt/i)

93 the ou's stamp of approval  is sometimes a necessity.

Posted by: apathetic ette at December 07, 2012 02:35 PM (nqBYe)

94 @91 All good things in time...

Posted by: JDTAY at December 07, 2012 02:36 PM (a0nis)

95 and had i been in the elevator...i probably would have attacked the ghost

Yes.  The whole time I was watching that I was waiting for someone to attack or (less likely, but it's Brazil) try to make out with the "ghost girl".

Posted by: Ian S. at December 07, 2012 02:36 PM (OevbG)

96 "I don't fucking know" is a SERIOUSLY underrated statement in our society.


That may be true but try getting a client to pay $425 an hour for "I don't fucking know."

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero) at December 07, 2012 02:36 PM (QKKT0)

97

Oh great, so now Don Rickles is a murderer? I always thought he was a funny Jewish guy.

He is both. Don Rickles is the inspiration for "Dexter". True story.

Posted by: fluffy at December 07, 2012 02:36 PM (K800K)

98

In Britain, nurses are receptionists?

Posted by: Meremortal, time to slutdrop the GOPe at December 07, 2012 02:36 PM (1Y+hH)

99
I would have said, if you had been going 10 mph over, you would have been in front of that idiot who braked.

Its a rule of the universe, and a low numbered one too, like #42, Always Go Faster in 20/20 Hindsight.

Posted by: Guy Mohawk at December 07, 2012 02:36 PM (n/ubI)

100 "80 >>>THE NURSE THAT KILLED HERSELF ANSWERED THE PHONE AND TRANSFERRED THE CALL. SHE DID NOT REVEAL ANY PATIENT INFORMATION. I know, or rather, Hannity said this and I believe his narration. I think this illustrates my point about people having a certain epistemological arrogance, thinking they knew the chain of causation, while in fact knowing very, very little about it. Certainly too little to begin advancing hard-cast opinions and judgments. "I don't fucking know" is a SERIOUSLY underrated statement in our society. Posted by: ace at December 07, 2012 06:32 PM (LCRYB) " The abolition of organized religion certainly seems to have brought about the end of epistemological humility and ushered in an age of obscene hypergnosticism and selfesteem-based fusspottery. (Usually involving at least one of: state/mob power/wisdom.)

Posted by: Mirror-Universe Mitt Romney at December 07, 2012 02:36 PM (aLLUm)

101 Anyway, I fear that what I've written here is incoherent. Well, I know what I meant to say, anyway. In my mind it all hangs together beautifully. Hardly, very well done.

Posted by: Oldsailors Poet, Wonders what Dagny thinks at December 07, 2012 02:37 PM (3Y7RV)

102 On a somewhat related note, I'd like to know why Kate Middleton's pregnancy is a big fucking deal, even if she is a royal.

First time I heard it, I was like, awww that's sweet, especially since my feeling about Katie is that she weren't already taken I'd ride that like Seabiscuit at the Kentucky Derby.

After the 45,978th article about her pregnancy, I'm now like what the fuck all hell is up with this fucking nonstop goddamned bullshit for the love of Christ stop this shit already.  Seriously.

Posted by: Christina Hendricks's Mighty Jugs Are Now Decorated For Christmas at December 07, 2012 02:37 PM (+AV7H)

103 phoenix, i honestly think i would have fainted. (I've done that before)
and should have been wearing depends that day.

Posted by: apathetic ette at December 07, 2012 02:37 PM (nqBYe)

104

Nate Silver has more cheery research on the advancing liberal horde.

 

http://bit.ly/UKUyz0

Posted by: RushBabe at December 07, 2012 02:37 PM (tQHzJ)

105 35 Posted by: Nicholas Kristof at December 07, 2012 06:24 PM (4eNxd) Himmler only wanted to help the Jews establish a homeland. Posted by: Cicero (@cicero) at December 07, 2012 06:26 PM (QKKT0) Yes, I neglected to mention that. Thank you.

Posted by: Nicholas Kristof at December 07, 2012 02:37 PM (4eNxd)

106

Heh. Now I've reminded myself of that great Brit show, Are You Being Served. 

 

 

Remember the blonde airhead receptionist?  Whoa....

Posted by: Meremortal, time to slutdrop the GOPe at December 07, 2012 02:37 PM (1Y+hH)

107 "Don't Do Anything!" is generally a safe play. But as our society becomes more and more risk-averse, and our government more and more determined to criminalize any decisions which might, possibly, indirectly, result in a negative outcome, I think it's important to occasionally note that Doing Something has value too, despite all the risks.

Posted by: ace at December 07, 2012 02:37 PM (LCRYB)

108

"I don't fucking know" is a SERIOUSLY underrated statement in our society.

 

Posted by: ace at December 07, 2012 06:32 PM (LCRYB)

 

-------

 

Yes...but you can't further an agenda by saying "I don't know".

 

Posted by: wheatie at December 07, 2012 02:38 PM (CM59X)

109 Hell I feel like tripping The Light Incoherent. It probably has something to do with external vs. internal locus of control--which is why Liberals want to correct the environment--society and refuse to take responsibility--but that's another argument for later. take Penner in Survivor for example--he decided to give up control and let the game shake out--iow let the game control him because it would simplify things. Guess what--it got simpler all right "the game" --eliminated him. Segue-- in French grammar you "have' the hunger--you "have' the age--it doesn't have or own you--which might explain for the difference in attitudes about food and/or age. I'm not sure if in French you have the --horny--or you are the horny--so that could get interesting. This might be why you never see protesters for porn they are the watchers--not the doers. Le Fin.

Posted by: tasker at December 07, 2012 02:38 PM (r2PLg)

110 Please feel free to correct my ignorance, but Christie's tweets are annoying me. Here they are, strung together. During the past days & weeks, we've been working very closely w/ Pres., Admin. officials & our respective congressional delegations to craft a supplemental appropriations request that meets the critical needs facing our states in the wake of Sandy. TodayÂ’s agreement on the AdministrationÂ’s request to Congress would authorize more than $60B in funding that will enable our states to recover, repair, & rebuild better and stronger than before. "Recover, repair, & rebuild" I get. It's the "stronger than before" part with which I take issue. Is it a turn of phrase, or are we, the taxpayer, picking up the tab for some fancy new improvements? After all, we are already subsidizing flood insurance.

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at December 07, 2012 02:38 PM (piMMO)

111 All we need now is for someone to hack one of those traffic message signs with "Beware of Charging Mammoths"

Posted by: fluffy at December 07, 2012 02:38 PM (K800K)

112 "84 >>>You want that we should also go with the British spellings of colour, honour, etc. boss? nah, the "ou" is for fags. Posted by: ace at December 07, 2012 06:33 PM (LCRYB) " The ou (/eu) is in/from French.

Posted by: Mirror-Universe Mitt Romney at December 07, 2012 02:38 PM (aLLUm)

113 Interesting analysis, Ace. I have often mused about the prevalence --- or maybe it's the resurgence --- of magical thinking in modern culture.

Posted by: Margarita DeVille at December 07, 2012 02:38 PM (C8mVl)

114 Did we have a gun-dick thread this week?

I have a question. Mebbe a cob-logger can squash this post with a gun thread...

Posted by: weft cut-loop [/i] [/b] at December 07, 2012 02:38 PM (08zV/)

115 After the 45,978th article about her pregnancy, I'm now like what the fuck all hell is up with this fucking nonstop goddamned bullshit for the love of Christ stop this shit already. Seriously. Posted by: Christina Hendricks's Mighty Jugs Are Now Decorated For Christmas at December 07, 2012 06:37 PM (+AV7H) Her baby is the future monarch of England. If that's no big deal to you ignore it. I find the royals facinating

Posted by: Oldsailors Poet, Wonders what Dagny thinks at December 07, 2012 02:39 PM (3Y7RV)

116 are you being served is one of the greatest shows ever.....

Posted by: phoenixgirl at December 07, 2012 02:39 PM (GVxQo)

117 Wait...ACE has a mom?

Posted by: Jumbo Shrimp at December 07, 2012 02:39 PM (DGIjM)

118 @102 I'd like to see her get an abortion. It's within her right, after all. The media reaction would be lovely.

Posted by: JDTAY at December 07, 2012 02:39 PM (a0nis)

119 "102 On a somewhat related note, I'd like to know why Kate Middleton's pregnancy is a big fucking deal, even if she is a royal. First time I heard it, I was like, awww that's sweet, especially since my feeling about Katie is that she weren't already taken I'd ride that like Seabiscuit at the Kentucky Derby. After the 45,978th article about her pregnancy, I'm now like what the fuck all hell is up with this fucking nonstop goddamned bullshit for the love of Christ stop this shit already. Seriously. Posted by: Christina Hendricks's Mighty Jugs Are Now Decorated For Christmas at December 07, 2012 06:37 PM (+AV7H) " The culture of trivial gossip.

Posted by: Mirror-Universe Mitt Romney at December 07, 2012 02:39 PM (aLLUm)

120 The Fox story has more info

http://is.gd/ZNE8tm


The DJ's pretended to be QE and Prince Charles.  Hospitals here have the patients pick a code for call in updates to prevent that kind of shit.

However, I tend to think this woman had other issues and this may have just set it off. 

Posted by: Vic at December 07, 2012 02:40 PM (YdQQY)

121 Some people make a living attached any social phenomena to a small amount of 'causes' - video games, global warming, abortion, political parties, whatever. No one ever built a following saying 'This event is terrible, and due to the complex chain of causes, we might not ever have a satisfying explanation for the event.'

Posted by: Paper at December 07, 2012 02:40 PM (8Zptr)

122 Jumbo , i know right? we should clean up our comments!

Posted by: apathetic ette at December 07, 2012 02:40 PM (nqBYe)

123 But as our society becomes more and more risk-averse, and our government more and more determined to criminalize any decisions which might, possibly, indirectly, result in a negative outcome, I think it's important to occasionally note that Doing Something has value too, despite all the risks.


Yeah, that's what I was saying in Risky Business.

Posted by: Tom Cruise at December 07, 2012 02:40 PM (ZOf1l)

124 That elevator ghost prank vid you posted a while back .... that could have gotten that little girl seriously fucked up , or worse . **** Precisely what I thought. They are very lucky that she wasn't injured or that someone on that elevator didn't have a heart-attack.

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at December 07, 2012 02:40 PM (piMMO)

125 And with all that goof--I am off--parce que je suis le chicken.

Posted by: tasker at December 07, 2012 02:40 PM (r2PLg)

126 What's next, warning labels for jokes?

(this joke may cause suicidal thoughts)

Posted by: CraigPoe at December 07, 2012 02:40 PM (BVkEs)

127

Boeing has an engineer's union?


 

I used to think engineers were teh smart.

Posted by: RushBabe at December 07, 2012 02:40 PM (tQHzJ)

128 Awesome stuff, I narrated almost 1/2 of this to my Christmas tree.You may need a break, but Lordy, you're on a f'n roll lately! 

Posted by: RulesLawyer at December 07, 2012 02:41 PM (2HIEp)

129 The President commemorated the anniversary of Yahno's Law by tweeting a picture of himself marching in the White Bearded Mammoth Pride Parade two years ago.

Posted by: ArrMatey at December 07, 2012 02:41 PM (Vf2XE)

130 Sorry but your actions have consequences, I don't believe the hospital when they said that the nurse would not face any action, they can say that and transfer her to a different job or more crappy on. I am glad I grew up with out the Internet, and all the stupid things I did are were not broadcast across the world

Posted by: Patrick at December 07, 2012 02:41 PM (6WpNC)

131 84 >>>You want that we should also go with the British spellings of colour, honour, etc. boss? nah, the "ou" is for fags* Posted by: ace at December 07, 2012 06:33 PM (LCRYB) " *poofs

Posted by: Stephen Potter at December 07, 2012 02:41 PM (pv5J7)

132 "113 Interesting analysis, Ace. I have often mused about the prevalence --- or maybe it's the resurgence --- of magical thinking in modern culture. Posted by: Margarita DeVille at December 07, 2012 06:38 PM (C8mVl) " Teh New Age? Never heard of it.

Posted by: Mirror-Universe Mitt Romney at December 07, 2012 02:42 PM (aLLUm)

133 What's next, warning labels for jokes?

(this joke may cause suicidal thoughts)

Posted by: CraigPoe at December 07, 2012 06:40 PM (BVkEs)


Interesting...

Posted by: The California Legislature at December 07, 2012 02:42 PM (QKKT0)

134 There's no trick to being a humorist when you have the whole government working for you. Will Rogers

Posted by: Invictus at December 07, 2012 02:42 PM (OQpzc)

135 122 Jumbo , i know right? we should clean up our comments! Posted by: apathetic ette at December 07, 2012 06:40 PM (nqBYe) Holy crap... what if mom reads our comments!!!?? Does she get mad at ACE because of us? Does she call him up and is all like... "what is wrong with your readers?!" or.. "I thought I raised you better than to hang with those types"

Posted by: Jumbo Shrimp at December 07, 2012 02:42 PM (DGIjM)

136 I used to thinkengineers were teh smart. Posted by: RushBabe at December 07, 2012 06:40 PM (tQHzJ) They come from the same cesspools as Lesbian women in bondage studies majors. It was a matter of time.

Posted by: Oldsailors Poet, Wonders what Dagny thinks at December 07, 2012 02:42 PM (3Y7RV)

137 "I'm going to buy insurance."
"Why? Just don't get in an accident!"
I laugh every time! It are funny.

Posted by: fb at December 07, 2012 02:42 PM (NXd0Q)

138 Ace, there is entertainment and then there is damaging behavior. Should we bring back gladiator fighting? That was entertainment too. This kind of "entertainment" can ruin people's lives. This woman wanted no part of this. It was a complete invasion of her life. She was not a willing participant in the show. Do I think there should be legal action against the DJs? No. Do I think we need some laws protecting us from this kind of idiocy? Obviously not. I generally agree with your parallel. I'm not a prude. I enjoy my share of offensive material. I have no problem with violence and extreme amounts of graphic sex (you will have to trust me on this). But I am a willing participant and there is a time and a place. There are lines and standards of decency that society has crossed regarding invasion of privacy and voyeuristic behavior.

Posted by: TheRinaO at December 07, 2012 02:42 PM (w2aGf)

139 There's  difference with a comedian show where you get dressed stand in line, pay for a ticket and have an expectation You will be chosen to be ridiculed for a laugh.


and a brazil elevator situation.

Posted by: apathetic ette at December 07, 2012 02:43 PM (nqBYe)

140 Sorry but your actions have consequences, I don't believe the hospital when they said that the nurse would not face any action, they can say that and transfer her to a different job or more crappy on.


Evidently the hospital had no procedure or system for validating calls.  If they didn't then it is their fault info was improperly conveyed..

Posted by: Vic at December 07, 2012 02:43 PM (YdQQY)

141 Her baby is the future monarch of England. If that's no big deal to you ignore it. I find the royals facinating
*************************

It doesn't matter if the baby will be the queen of England, they are rehashing the same shit over and over and over again and magnifying every fart from Katie into front page news. 


Posted by: Christina Hendricks's Mighty Jugs Are Now Decorated For Christmas at December 07, 2012 02:43 PM (+AV7H)

142 I do not understand why they didn't blame the 0.0000000001% in this case.

Posted by: beach at December 07, 2012 02:43 PM (LpQbZ)

143 >>>I have often mused about the prevalence --- or maybe it's the resurgence --- of magical thinking in modern culture. I don't think it ever went away. I suppose it might be worse in some ages and better in others, but it's always, always there. And like I say, these first guesses are important. The difference between superstition and science is just an experiment that proves a positive correlation. I just would not have the loud-mouthed confidence in first superstitious guesses that many have!

Posted by: ace at December 07, 2012 02:43 PM (LCRYB)

144 First and foremost, what these brain-dead DJ's did is a criminal offense, namely "personation". Look it up. You could also view it as fraud, obtaining goods or services by false pretense.


By personating members of the Royal Family, these immature assholes obtained something of value, namely private information on the state of Kate's health.


Now, I agree that it would have been completely impossible for those two to have predicted that their little criminal enterprise would have led to the suicide of the nurse who was victimized. That certainly was an extreme and unpredictable reaction. But it certainly was within the realm of possibility that she might have been censured, dismissed, or even jailed for having divulged privileged information. Carrying out such a "prank" with willful disregard for it's possible consequences to the victim is certainly evidence of a lack of morality on the part of the perpetrators. As far as I am concerned, those two DJ's should each get a good, thorough beating to tune them in. Good thing I'm not in Oz.


Secondly, your fender-bender analogy is poorly-chosen. When you, or I, or anyone else is in a rear-end collision, the driver of the vehicle which rear-ends the other vehicle is automatically deemed to be at fault. BTDT. The doctrine of the "last clear chance" applies. Namely, the following driver had the last clear chance to avoid the collision. And of the causes you mentioned, driving 5 mph over the limit is likely the least significant cause. Because if you are a careful driver, and observe the "two-second rule" for maintaining a safe following distance, the actual speed at which you travel in largely irrelevant.


Anyway, the two DJ's aren't "evil"or "murderous", just thoughtless, immature, and narcissistic. If the were American, they'd undoubtedly be Democrats.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at December 07, 2012 02:43 PM (29+x5)

145 This country has come to feel the same when Congress is in session as when the baby gets hold of a hammer. --Will Rogers

Posted by: Invictus at December 07, 2012 02:44 PM (OQpzc)

146 Well said, Ace. And the more the issue is death-related, the crazier humans get. Because ... we're terrified of dying. We aren't that complicated.

Posted by: Flatbush Joe at December 07, 2012 02:44 PM (R+6Q+)

147 Fact: 73% Of New Jobs Created In Last 5 Months Are In GovernmentÂ… Booming economy?

Posted by: Nevergiveup at December 07, 2012 02:44 PM (jE38p)

148

I remember when Princess Di got pregnant...there was an SNL skit about:

"Royal Breeding Must Be Stopped!!"

 

It was pretty funny, actually.

But that was before political correctness.

 

Posted by: wheatie at December 07, 2012 02:44 PM (CM59X)

149 I thought Ace was on vacation. If she did kill herself because she might lose her nursing license, think about that as I segue into this. Why did both Obama's give up their law licenses? People work hard for licenses and they becomes part of their identities and the Obamas both just gave it up.

Posted by: madamex at December 07, 2012 02:44 PM (Ztp7S)

150 "I don't fucking know" is a SERIOUSLY underrated statement in our society.

Posted by: ace at December 07, 2012 06:32 PM (LCRYB)

It's not in the vocabulary of our youth. And that is perfectly understandable: if you spent your life being told how your every effort was magnificent (what a perfect little poopy in the toilet you made!) and your every utterance was brilliant, you wouldn't be bothered to examine the limits of your intelligence or skills.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at December 07, 2012 02:45 PM (GsoHv)

151 ok well... I am going to cook dinner now. ***waives to ACE's mom***

Posted by: Jumbo Shrimp at December 07, 2012 02:45 PM (DGIjM)

152 nah, the "ou" is for fags.

No.  The "ou" is for clousers.

Posted by: AmishDude at December 07, 2012 02:45 PM (T0NGe)

153 First and foremost, what these brain-dead DJ's did is a criminal offense, namely "personation". Look it up. You could also view it as fraud, obtaining goods or services by false pretense. **** I asked yesterday if impersonation of a royal is a crime. I suppose it is.

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at December 07, 2012 02:45 PM (piMMO)

154 @147 Needed to boost those number for the election. Look for government hiring to drop off a bit now.

Posted by: JDTAY at December 07, 2012 02:46 PM (a0nis)

155 * British spelling of furor. I'm going for a Klassy kind of blog, you know. Since I'm talking about culture, I think I should start spelling furor as "furore." Shit, I'm just glad you didn't go with French spelling.

Posted by: IllTemperedCur at December 07, 2012 02:46 PM (Rhie+)

156

I used to thinkengineers were teh smart.
Posted by: RushBabe at December 07, 2012 06:40 PM (tQHzJ)

 

 

There is nothing as stupid as an educated man if you get him off the thing he was educated in. --Will Rogers

Posted by: Invictus at December 07, 2012 02:46 PM (OQpzc)

157 "115 After the 45,978th article about her pregnancy, I'm now like what the fuck all hell is up with this fucking nonstop goddamned bullshit for the love of Christ stop this shit already. Seriously. Posted by: Christina Hendricks's Mighty Jugs Are Now Decorated For Christmas at December 07, 2012 06:37 PM (+AV7H) Her baby is the future monarch of England. If that's no big deal to you ignore it. I find the royals facinating Posted by: Oldsailors Poet, Wonders what Dagny thinks at December 07, 2012 06:39 PM (3Y7RV) " It isn't a big deal. The monarchy is supposed to infuse the culture with decency and other antonyms of boorishness. Instead, it and the culture of incessant, trivial gossip that go with it seem to be a major factor in the proletarianization of British culture and society.

Posted by: Mirror-Universe Mitt Romney at December 07, 2012 02:46 PM (aLLUm)

158 If you hadn't written this post, you wouldn't look like a retard for having typed this sentence:

"Later on your tell someone about this."


Posted by: Bitter Clinger and All That at December 07, 2012 02:46 PM (3E2th)

159 What the hell does this post have to do with you assholes paying for MY birth control pills????   Come on.... get your checkbooks out cause I'm feelin' frisky this weekend!!!   aaahhhhhhhh!!!!

Posted by: Sandra Fluke at December 07, 2012 02:46 PM (/jHWN)

160 It doesn't matter if the baby will be the queen of England, they are rehashing the same shit over and over and over again and magnifying every fart from Katie into front page news. Posted by: Christina Hendricks's Mighty Jugs Are Now Decorated For Christmas at December 07, 2012 06:43 PM (+AV7H) Then ignore it. It's the Grandchild of lady Di. To many it's a BFD. If it's not a BFD to you, that's cool. I hope it's a girl and they name her Di just to break it of in that stogy Charles' ass.

Posted by: Oldsailors Poet, Wonders what Dagny thinks at December 07, 2012 02:46 PM (3Y7RV)

161 Would have been better with a paragraph entirely in french.
That having been said, I liked it.

Posted by: Cashin at December 07, 2012 02:46 PM (TYEu4)

162 BAN AUSTRALIA!

THEY MURDER NURSES!

IN LONDON!

Posted by: Internet genius at December 07, 2012 02:47 PM (GsoHv)

163 If that's no big deal to you ignore it.

*GASP!*
HERESY!


I've seen like one news article about her since Monday. I wish SCOAMF, Kardashians, Real Sluts, etc were that easy to avoid.

Posted by: HeatherRadish™, Crankypants Extraordinaire at December 07, 2012 02:48 PM (hO8IJ)

164 The ou (/eu) is in/from French.

The "eu" is also for closeurs.

But not the E.U. That just sucks.

Posted by: AmishDude at December 07, 2012 02:48 PM (T0NGe)

165 So, what's the deal now? Does first born inherit no mater what? Or, only a boy and if no boys then a girl?

Posted by: Walkers! at December 07, 2012 02:48 PM (e/Cti)

166 @162 Australia's actually one of the saner countries out there. Wouldn't live there, but I say that about everywhere.

Posted by: JDTAY at December 07, 2012 02:48 PM (a0nis)

167 It isn't a big deal. The monarchy is supposed to infuse the culture with decency and other antonyms of boorishness. Instead, it and the culture of incessant, trivial gossip that go with it seem to be a major factor in the proletarianization of British culture and society. Posted by: Mirror-Universe Mitt Romney at December 07, 2012 06:46 PM (aLLUm) Lady Di wasn't like that, ever.

Posted by: Oldsailors Poet, Wonders what Dagny thinks at December 07, 2012 02:48 PM (3Y7RV)

168 There is the case of those DJs that held a water drinking contest, in Chicago I think, that did in fact lead to a gal's death.
 
Also the dead cockroach eating guy was the result of a 'contest', but I can't recall if any DJs were involved.
 
Anyhow, I liked the post. My dad sometimes drives me crazy when he goes to play poker. He tells me how he changes seats (that seat was cold) or asks for deck changes 'to change his luck'.
 
I don't think he has tried tossing salt over his shoulder yet, but I bet I could get him to do it. Yet he's a real rational guy in general.

Posted by: GnuBreed at December 07, 2012 02:48 PM (ccXZP)

169 "Now the person saying this doesn't want to be a dick."

Now there, I think you're wrong. They do. They DO want to be a smug, self righteous, smartass dick.

Hey your friends have to get their digs in when they can.

Posted by: Bitter Clinger and All That at December 07, 2012 02:48 PM (3E2th)

170 Costas wants to end "the gun culture" well I want to end "sports commentary."

Posted by: Walkers! at December 07, 2012 02:49 PM (e/Cti)

171 lemme give you an example of a superstitious feeling that is kind of science -- When a stranger wigs you out and gives you bad feeling of danger? Yeah, that's probably correct. Among the things we don't realize is how much information -- good information -- we're collecting on on an unconscious, pre-rational level. Stuff that we can't put into words (and words and numbers are how we conduct rational thought). Stuff like "he doesn't blink enough and he's licking his lips too much." We might not even be able to put it into words, but *something* is wigging us out. More and more, I think, actual science is telling us that this sort of subconscious radar is actually providing us fair-to-good information. But it's information we're not consciously aware of enough to evaluate properly on a logical level. Human beings who are NOT trained metereologists can't really explain what the air feels like before it's going to rain, but people do know that feeling of a coming rain. We just can't put it into words, like "I feel the air is supersaturated" or "I feel a drop of 30 mlliibars in air pressure." We just know it's a Rain's Coming feeling.

Posted by: ace at December 07, 2012 02:49 PM (LCRYB)

172 Australian radio shenanigans??   ... wait... checking....   uh....  ummmm.....  yeah....  just as I thought...   never heard of them..     what?

Posted by: Charlie Gibson at December 07, 2012 02:49 PM (/jHWN)

173 All I can say is Kate Middleton is cute and is infusing the Royal genes with some much needed good looking DNA

Posted by: Nevergiveup at December 07, 2012 02:50 PM (jE38p)

174 Stream of consciousness is a good way to write a first draft of anything.

Posted by: toby928© for TB at December 07, 2012 02:50 PM (QupBk)

175 So, what's the deal now? Does first born inherit no mater what? Or, only a boy and if no boys then a girl? *** the first born will be King or Queen depending upon gender, but will be the ruling monarch.

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at December 07, 2012 02:50 PM (piMMO)

176 I asked yesterday if impersonation of a royal is a crime.

I suppose it is.

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at December 07, 2012 06:45 PM (piMMO)

But that speaks to a culture that has been foreign to us for 236 years.

The Royals are a large, dysfunctional family that survives by leveraging their ancestral lands and property and convincing the English people to pick up the bill for much of their meanderings.

They are no more important than the dishwasher on the graveyard shift in the basement cafeteria of that hospital.


 

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at December 07, 2012 02:51 PM (GsoHv)

177 "143 >>>I have often mused about the prevalence --- or maybe it's the resurgence --- of magical thinking in modern culture. I don't think it ever went away. I suppose it might be worse in some ages and better in others, but it's always, always there. And like I say, these first guesses are important. The difference between superstition and science is just an experiment that proves a positive correlation. I just would not have the loud-mouthed confidence in first superstitious guesses that many have! Posted by: ace at December 07, 2012 06:43 PM (LCRYB) " True superstition is grounded in fear. To the extent that something is not grounded in fear, it isn't superstition. (Which doesn't mean that it's necessarily true, but the same could be said about other things as well...)

Posted by: Mirror-Universe Mitt Romney at December 07, 2012 02:51 PM (aLLUm)

178 All I can say is Kate Middleton is cute and is infusing the Royal genes with some much needed good looking DNA *** Harry is freaking hot!

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at December 07, 2012 02:51 PM (piMMO)

179 Australia's actually one of the saner countries out there. Wouldn't live there, but I say that about everywhere.


Yeah, those big-assed spiders are kind of scary.

Posted by: Samuel Adams at December 07, 2012 02:52 PM (ZOf1l)

180

I asked yesterday if impersonation of a royal is a crime.

I suppose it is.

Obama's impersonation of Prince Chuck is causing a big flap.

Posted by: fluffy at December 07, 2012 02:52 PM (K800K)

181 You know what would cut down on traffic accidents? Banning left turns.

Posted by: toby928© for TB at December 07, 2012 02:52 PM (QupBk)

182 Posted by: Nevergiveup at December 07, 2012 06:50 PM (jE38p)

Better looking than her sister Pippa too. And if she put on a few pounds I'll bet that her behind would look just as good, if not better.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at December 07, 2012 02:52 PM (GsoHv)

183 Robin Hanson writes a fair bit (at overcomingbias.com) about near/far thinking. Humans are very practical at "near" thinking, but very magical when it comes to "far" thinking. The theory is that we have these two fairly distinct modes of thinking. One is for everyday, practical thinking. How to eat and survive. The other is for talking and politicking and motivating. The group dynamics of human society. LessWrong also talks about the near/far distinction a fair bit.

Posted by: Flatbush Joe at December 07, 2012 02:52 PM (R+6Q+)

184 British spelling of fetus the worst.

It may be a parasitic clump of cells, but it doesn't have an 'o', damnit!

Posted by: JDTAY at December 07, 2012 06:33 PM (a0nis)


That's the Latin spelling actually, and the Romans invented the word.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at December 07, 2012 02:53 PM (29+x5)

185 AOP!!!!!!

Posted by: phoenixgirl at December 07, 2012 02:53 PM (GVxQo)

186 are you coming out to az this month?

Posted by: phoenixgirl at December 07, 2012 02:54 PM (GVxQo)

187 109 --- "Segue-- in French grammar you "have' the hunger--you "have' the age--it doesn't have or own you--which might explain for the difference in attitudes about food and/or age. I'm not sure if in French you have the --horny--or you are the horny--so that could get interesting. " Posted by: tasker at December 07, 2012 06:38 PM (r2PLg) Heh. Same thing as in Spanish, BTW, which is interesting. But as far as horniness goes, Spanish is like English. You can either HAVE the hots, BE in heat, or you can use an active verb like LUST, ITCH, ACHE.

Posted by: Margarita DeVille at December 07, 2012 02:54 PM (C8mVl)

188 All I can say is Kate Middleton is cute and is infusing the Royal genes with some much needed good looking DNA *** Harry is freaking hot! Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at December 07, 2012 06:51 PM (piMMO) Thanks to Dianah, not the Royal Family. Charles looks like a horse I bet on in the fifth at Belmont that is still running

Posted by: Nevergiveup at December 07, 2012 02:54 PM (jE38p)

189 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhw_zbvxvb4

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at December 07, 2012 02:55 PM (piMMO)

190 Oldsailors Poet, Wonders what Dagny thinks at December 07, 2012 06:46 PM (3Y7RV)

I think if your MUM had been cock blocking you all your f'n life and looked to be heading for the record all time oldest monarch of all history, you'd be a little stodgy too.

Elizabeth's mom had the sense to retire and let someone younger have a go but Betty II seems to be hell bent on making it to the 22nd century.

Tell me their aren't some deep and abiding resentments in THAT family.

Posted by: Bitter Clinger and All That at December 07, 2012 02:55 PM (3E2th)

191

There is this funny commercial, where a blonde girl is telling her friend about some guy on the Internet who has told her that he's a 'French model'.

She believes it.

"Because you can't put something that's not true on the internet"...she says.

 

Heh.

A big hairy guy shows up to meet her and says..."Bone-joor".

 

I couldn't help but flash on this, with all the talk about learning French.

 

Posted by: wheatie at December 07, 2012 02:55 PM (CM59X)

192

Australia's actually one of the saner countries out there. Wouldn't live there, but I say that about everywhere.

 

 

A country where venomous reptiles outnumber harmless ones? Keep Australia for fair dinkum Aussies, mate!

Posted by: Cicero Kid at December 07, 2012 02:55 PM (+v9b3)

193 "178 All I can say is Kate Middleton is cute and is infusing the Royal genes with some much needed good looking DNA *** Harry is freaking hot! Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at December 07, 2012 06:51 PM (piMMO) " The barbarian looking one?

Posted by: Mirror-Universe Mitt Romney at December 07, 2012 02:55 PM (aLLUm)

194 the first born will be King or Queen depending upon gender, but will be the ruling monarch.

If they're twins and it's a C-section, do they get to pick?

Posted by: HeatherRadish™, Crankypants Extraordinaire at December 07, 2012 02:55 PM (hO8IJ)

195 You know what would cut down on traffic accidents? Banning left turns. *** Are you from Jersey?

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at December 07, 2012 02:56 PM (piMMO)

196 The Royals are a large, dysfunctional family that survives by leveraging their ancestral lands and property and convincing the English people to pick up the bill for much of their meanderings.


Yeah, and they really fucked themselves when they let Zach Greinke leave.

Posted by: Some clueless fuck at December 07, 2012 02:56 PM (ZOf1l)

197 102 Posted by: Christina Hendricks's Mighty Jugs Are Now Decorated For Christmas at December 07, 2012 06:37 PM (+AV7H)

This. It's as if the world does not have more serious problems to deal with than some prim twat who has a bad case of morning sickness.  I care more about the dandelions in my lawn.

OT but in line with this:  Anyone catch the CBS anchor, last night, selling the US war in Syria ahead of any declaration of war or military intervention by this administration?  The line that transferred all responsibility for a decision on military intervention went something like this: "Whether or not we go to war in Syria depends on the regime's use of chemical weapons."  Really?  We don't have a say in this?

Posted by: Flounder at December 07, 2012 02:56 PM (Kkt/i)

198 More and more, I think, actual science is telling us that this sort of subconscious radar is actually providing us fair-to-good information. But it's information we're not consciously aware of enough to evaluate properly on a logical level. Posted by: ace at December 07, 2012 06:49 PM (LCRYB) Aye, that is what I meant by first impressions... above. But, I should have narrowed it down to one word: gestalt. Time to uncork another bottle of wine, dinner and -- to stay within the British theme, we're going to watch Attack the Block A teen gang in South London defend their block from an alien invasion. Cheers!

Posted by: beach at December 07, 2012 02:56 PM (LpQbZ)

199 bitter elizabeth's mom was married to the king...she was not in line for the throne...

Posted by: phoenixgirl at December 07, 2012 02:56 PM (GVxQo)

200 "The Royals Obamas are a large, dysfunctional family that survives by leveraging their ancestral lands and property and convincing the English American people to pick up the bill for much of their meanderings."

Fixed it for you.

Posted by: AmishDude at December 07, 2012 02:57 PM (T0NGe)

201 All I can say is Kate Middleton is cute and is infusing the Royal genes with some much needed good looking DNA *** Harry is freaking hot! Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at December 07, 2012 06:51 PM (piMMO) Speaking of infusing some DNA........

Posted by: James Hewett at December 07, 2012 02:57 PM (Rhie+)

202 heather first out is the heir...second..the spare

Posted by: phoenixgirl at December 07, 2012 02:57 PM (GVxQo)

203 The Queen's mother had no claim to the thrown. Queen Elizabeth II, became queen when her father, King George, died.

Posted by: Walkers! at December 07, 2012 02:57 PM (e/Cti)

204 Is Charles circumcised? Anyone know?

Posted by: Walkers! at December 07, 2012 02:58 PM (e/Cti)

205 It's as if the world does not have more serious problems to deal with

mad as hell, is that you?

Posted by: HeatherRadish™, Crankypants Extraordinaire at December 07, 2012 02:58 PM (hO8IJ)

206 >>>LessWrong also talks about the near/far distinction a fair bit. Speaking of near/far, in a story, if there's a magical item that makes its way into town, where's it from? Is it from China, or a monastery in the Himmalays, or Ancient Atlantis, or perhaps fell to earth inside an iron comet? Or is it from the next town over? Answer: It's not from the next town over. People seem to live in a bubble of more or less logical and orderly functioning of a mundane universe, but name a place they don't know much about, and Sure, Maybe Magic Can Happen There. All this New Age stuff. it's always from somewhere ELSE. Somewhere Far. Somewhere were maybe magic exists and fakirs have psychic powers. No one boasts of a New Age philosophy based on the ancient texts discovered in Paramus, New Jersey.

Posted by: ace at December 07, 2012 02:58 PM (LCRYB)

207 They pulled a stupid harmless prank and unfortunately came across a person who didn't have it all together.

Posted by: Hand Solo at December 07, 2012 02:58 PM (vu3g7)

208 first out is the heir...second..the spare

Yeah, but in a surgical birth will they get to pick whose first?

someone's gonna need some therapy.  Heh.

Posted by: HeatherRadish™, Crankypants Extraordinaire at December 07, 2012 02:59 PM (hO8IJ)

209 The barbarian looking one? *** HUH?! Barbarian? http://bit.ly/Vtm14q Yeaaaahhh! Barbarian! http://bit.ly/QO3wLB

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at December 07, 2012 02:59 PM (piMMO)

210 Ace, agree with you that this has been blown out of all proportion but I still have very little sympathy for the DJs.  A few months ago the entire Australian media establishment went after a conservative talk show host because he made a mild joke about the prime minister's  recently deceased father, at a private function, which a la the Romney 47% remark, was recorded by an insider.  I just like to see the other side live up to their standards.

Posted by: Decaf at December 07, 2012 02:59 PM (TnBUi)

211 Tell me their aren't some deep and abiding resentments in THAT family. Posted by: Bitter Clinger and All That at December 07, 2012 06:55 PM (3E2th) No more than there are in mine my friend. Do a family tree check, there may be some in yours too.

Posted by: Oldsailors Poet, Wonders what Dagny thinks at December 07, 2012 02:59 PM (3Y7RV)

212 Really? We don't have a say in this? Hillary drew a red line. A.Red.Line.

Posted by: toby928© for TB at December 07, 2012 02:59 PM (QupBk)

213 Boobs are for closeurs:

http://tinyurl.com/bgj43hn

NSFW

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at December 07, 2012 03:00 PM (GsoHv)

214 In a C-section they work fast and the first one they pull out is the first born I guess.

Posted by: Walkers! at December 07, 2012 03:00 PM (e/Cti)

215 Way OT- BC? just wanted to apologize to ya from a day or two after the election when I gave ya grief for the boob job thing. I had just learned my wife had "a problem" with the mammogram and was nervous/pissed. Doesn't seem to be too good, but I want to say I'm sorry for shooting my mouth off oh and congrats on the alma mater football dealio.

Posted by: TheThinMan at December 07, 2012 03:00 PM (+kLUq)

216 19 Time to uncork another bottle of wine, dinner and -- to stay within the British theme, we're going to watch Attack the Block A teen gang in South London defend their block from an alien invasion. ............ I wouldn't get too excited...

Posted by: Stephen Potter at December 07, 2012 03:00 PM (pv5J7)

217 Harry is freaking hot!

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at December 07, 2012 06:51 PM (piMMO)


Hmmm.

Posted by: Prince Charles at December 07, 2012 03:00 PM (QKKT0)

218 Let me see if I got this straight.....a nurse answered a prank phone call on Tuesday, transferred it to someone else.....was found dead in her apt. on Friday....and they're blaming the DJ's who made the prank call?




Yeah, makes perfect sense.......

Posted by: Tami at December 07, 2012 03:00 PM (X6akg)

219 What's next, warning labels for jokes? (this joke may cause suicidal thoughts) Posted by: CraigPoe at December 07, 2012 06:40 PM (BVkEs) Might not be a bad idea...... http://scoamf.us/48

Posted by: IllTemperedCur at December 07, 2012 03:00 PM (Rhie+)

220 British Hospitals don't have caller ID? They suck tax money like a two dollar whore.

Posted by: Oldsailors Poet, Wonders what Dagny thinks at December 07, 2012 03:01 PM (3Y7RV)

221

198...Time to uncork another bottle of wine, dinner and -- to stay within the British theme, we're going to watch

Attack the Block

 

That is a craptastically bad movie.

You may need more than one bottle of wine.

 

Posted by: wheatie at December 07, 2012 03:01 PM (CM59X)

222 If they're twins and it's a C-section, do they get to pick? Posted by: HeatherRadish™, Crankypants Extraordinaire at December 07, 2012 06:55 PM (hO8IJ) Nope. Whom ever the DR picks for what ever reason is the first in line

Posted by: Nevergiveup at December 07, 2012 03:01 PM (jE38p)

223 Is Charles circumcised? Anyone know?


Doubtful, Euros have more caps than a Chinese hat factory.

Posted by: Samuel Adams at December 07, 2012 03:01 PM (ZOf1l)

224 "206 >>>LessWrong also talks about the near/far distinction a fair bit. Speaking of near/far, in a story, if there's a magical item that makes its way into town, where's it from? Is it from China, or a monastery in the Himmalays, or Ancient Atlantis, or perhaps fell to earth inside an iron comet? Or is it from the next town over? Answer: It's not from the next town over. People seem to live in a bubble of more or less logical and orderly functioning of a mundane universe, but name a place they don't know much about, and Sure, Maybe Magic Can Happen There. All this New Age stuff. it's always from somewhere ELSE. Somewhere Far. Somewhere were maybe magic exists and fakirs have psychic powers. No one boasts of a New Age philosophy based on the ancient texts discovered in Paramus, New Jersey. Posted by: ace at December 07, 2012 06:58 PM (LCRYB) " It's usually from India and is quite often tied together with Aryanism/Aryan-worship/Nordicism and "Jesus was a Jew!!!1."

Posted by: Mirror-Universe Mitt Romney at December 07, 2012 03:02 PM (aLLUm)

225 Unless parliament intervenes or one of them abdicates, the succession is:

Charles
William (?)
Harry
Andrew

After that it gets real strange.

wiki on the succession: http://tinyurl.com/378mby

Posted by: Bitter Clinger and All That at December 07, 2012 03:02 PM (3E2th)

226 206 ace,
 
The golden plates, the basis of the Mormon religion, were found near Manchester NY.

Posted by: GnuBreed at December 07, 2012 03:02 PM (ccXZP)

227 I asked yesterday if impersonation of a royal is a crime.

I suppose it is.

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at December 07, 2012 06:45 PM (piMMO)


As far as I know, it's not a crime if it's done on stage, or in a movie. I have seen numerous portrayals of the Royals on TV over the years. Where the criminal part enters in is that these yahoos pretended to be Lizzy and Chuck in order to trick the duty nurse into divulging personal medical information. This is fraud, period.



Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at December 07, 2012 03:03 PM (29+x5)

228 What does Ashley Judd think about this?

Posted by: NCKate at December 07, 2012 03:03 PM (V1oS8)

229 220 British Hospitals don't have caller ID? They suck tax money like a two dollar whore. ...... Safe to assume it's not an NHS hospital...

Posted by: Stephen Potter at December 07, 2012 03:03 PM (pv5J7)

230 Gnosticism always has it's attraction. To know what others don't.

Posted by: toby928© for TB at December 07, 2012 03:03 PM (QupBk)

231 Nope. Whom ever the DR picks for what ever reason is the first in line *** First born? Yay! You're the future king! Bad news, you will ever have as much fun as your little brother.

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at December 07, 2012 03:03 PM (piMMO)

232 Doubtful, Euros have more caps than a Chinese hat factory. Posted by: Samuel Adams at December 07, 2012 07:01 PM (ZOf1l) LOL, thank you, I'll be stealin that.

Posted by: Oldsailors Poet, Wonders what Dagny thinks at December 07, 2012 03:03 PM (3Y7RV)

233 "209 The barbarian looking one? *** HUH?! Barbarian? http://bit.ly/Vtm14q Yeaaaahhh! Barbarian! http://bit.ly/QO3wLB Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at December 07, 2012 06:59 PM (piMMO) " The more normal looking one comes across as more erudite.

Posted by: Mirror-Universe Mitt Romney at December 07, 2012 03:03 PM (aLLUm)

234 Speaking of an Heir and Spare... there's another bit of rhyming like that, used by fimmakers. You know in rom-coms when the leads get together, yay, and the film ends? But then maybe they hint the Good Looking Female Friend and the Good Looking Male Friend -- the secondary leads -- are ALSO now dating? Sometimes they do this in the credits, like a *bonus* romance. Anyway, this is such a common cliche they have a name for the trope: "Pair the Spares."

Posted by: ace at December 07, 2012 03:03 PM (LCRYB)

235

It sounds like this woman may have been very depressed to begin with, and this was just the straw that broke the camel's back.  I've heard DJ pranks that are much worse.  One radio station told a woman they would give her two tickets to a Kanye West "concert" if she called her husband and told him that his son wasn't really his.  The woman happily obliged.  As you can imagine, the husband was a bit upset, and told his wife that he'd been sleeping with her sister.

 

I don't know what's worse, than a scrunt like that would say that to her husband...or that she wanted to see Kanye West.

 

Posted by: Reggie1971 at December 07, 2012 03:04 PM (8cOY0)

236 I watched a documentary on Isaac Newton. A great scientist who was also a moonbat. He spent more time working on ridiculous crap than real science. He was a committed alchemist and believed ancient manuscripts and temples held secret messages and that God had chosen him and a few others to be the only ones who could decipher it. This of course reminded me of our esteemed AGW scientists. Just because you're smart doesn't mean you're not a nut.

Posted by: Walkers! at December 07, 2012 03:04 PM (e/Cti)

237 a week without the London Boys?

Posted by: soothsayer at December 07, 2012 03:04 PM (+oin+)

238 "No one boasts of a New Age philosophy based on the ancient texts discovered in Paramus, New Jersey. "

Posted by: ace at December 07, 2012 06:58 PM (LCRYB)

Have you been to the big mall in Paramus?

30 seconds there and you would be convinced of the truth of that statement; mostly because everyone around you will look like Snookie and give the unmistakable impression that they cannot read or write.

And I live in the area!


Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at December 07, 2012 03:04 PM (GsoHv)

239 Unless parliament intervenes or one of them abdicates, the succession is: Charles William (?) Harry Andrew After that it gets real strange. wiki on the succession: http://tinyurl.com/378mby Posted by: Bitter Clinger and All That at December 07, 2012 07:02 PM (3E2th) Right now, However, once Kate gives birth that changes and the new baby is right in there after William

Posted by: Nevergiveup at December 07, 2012 03:04 PM (jE38p)

240 As far as I know, it's not a crime if it's done on stage, or in a movie. I have seen numerous portrayals of the Royals on TV over the years. Where the criminal part enters in is that these yahoos pretended to be Lizzy and Chuck in order to trick the duty nurse into divulging personal medical information. This is fraud, period. **** There's impersonation and then there's impersonation. I was speaking of impersonation.

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at December 07, 2012 03:04 PM (piMMO)

241 I think there are a lot of Brits who would like to see the Royal succession skip Charles and go straight to William.

Posted by: wheatie at December 07, 2012 03:05 PM (CM59X)

242 I can't be the only person thinking that he moral of this story is, "Never Try."

Posted by: Truman North at December 07, 2012 03:05 PM (I2LwF)

243 "223 Is Charles circumcised? Anyone know? Doubtful, Euros have more caps than a Chinese hat factory. Posted by: Samuel Adams at December 07, 2012 07:01 PM (ZOf1l) " Perhaps they've heard of Saint Paul and something he might have written...

Posted by: Mirror-Universe Mitt Romney at December 07, 2012 03:05 PM (aLLUm)

244 >>>The golden plates, the basis of the Mormon religion, were found near Manchester NY. I was going to mention that. But that's precisely what makes it sound so crazy -- the Golden Plates were found in New York State, and the Garden of Eden is in Missouri! Now, if the Golden Plates were found 3000 years ago in the Himmalays, and the Garden of Eden were said to be in what is now the Gobi Desert (But which, in ages past, was a lush tropical forest), I swear it would not sound so crazy.

Posted by: ace at December 07, 2012 03:06 PM (LCRYB)

245 The more normal looking one comes across as more erudite. *** I love them both equally, the erudite and the barbarian versions.

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at December 07, 2012 03:06 PM (piMMO)

246 Anyway, this is such a common cliche they have a name for the trope: "Pair the Spares." So, Bluto and Babs Jansen.

Posted by: toby928© for TB at December 07, 2012 03:06 PM (QupBk)

247

As far as I know, it's not a crime if it's done on stage, or in a movie.

You may very well think that. I couldn't possibly comment.

Posted by: Francis Urquhart at December 07, 2012 03:06 PM (K800K)

248 "230 Gnosticism always has it's attraction. To know what others don't. Posted by: toby928© for TB at December 07, 2012 07:03 PM (QupBk) " And to leverage that into power.

Posted by: Mirror-Universe Mitt Romney at December 07, 2012 03:07 PM (aLLUm)

249 I think there are a lot of Brits who would like to see the Royal succession skip Charles and go straight to William. **** I read an article abut a week ago about how Charles is now worried his time is running out, and said so. His mother may outlive him.

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at December 07, 2012 03:07 PM (piMMO)

250 He spent more time working on ridiculous crap than real science.

Posted by: Walkers! at December 07, 2012 07:04 PM (e/Cti)

Dude....he invented calculus. Why does this surprise you?

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at December 07, 2012 03:08 PM (GsoHv)

251 171--- ".... a superstitious feeling that is kind of science...." Posted by: ace at December 07, 2012 06:49 PM (LCRYB) "Women's intuition" is another good example. There have been studies suggesting it is actually based on very fine (material) perceptions to which the female brain is better suited. Who knows?

Posted by: Margarita DeVille at December 07, 2012 03:08 PM (C8mVl)

252 are you coming out to az this month?

Posted by: phoenixgirl at December 07, 2012 06:54 PM (GVxQo)


I wish I could, but I am going to fly to Nicaragua on the 12th, and remain there until the 31st. so that doesn't leave time for a trip to AZ this month. Maybe if there is a lull at work in the next couple of months, I can sneak in a trip. Merry Crhistmas and a Happy New Year to you and yours.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at December 07, 2012 03:08 PM (29+x5)

253 This is how I feel about all the omfg if you eat/breathe/imbibe whatever you will get cancer and diiiiiiiiie.   It's magical thinking.   If I don't do X, then bad thing Y will never ever happen.  If I just exercise and eat right and don't eat trans fats and never ever smoke and don't drink and eat wheat germ then.  Then what?  You're immortal?   Because it doesn't work like that. 


That's not to say you shouldn't take care of yourself, but there's a very definite undercurrent of we must ban salt because then we'll all be perfectly healthy here nutrition gods have this virgin to the whole thing. 

Posted by: alexthechick - SMOD. Our only hope. Literally. at December 07, 2012 03:08 PM (Gk3SS)

254 Whoa!
That one meandered a bit ace.

First impressions on causality being rough and possibly inaccurate is a little bit off from all out superstition. The fact that people use shortcuts and as a result end up with poor analysis is not akin to superstition per se.

For instance ace. You favor using both Occam's Razor and Hanlon's Razor. Neither one is "good analysis" they are shortcuts to a conclusion that is often times accurate because the Razor has a very high probability of being true in any given situation. Most folks use mental shortcuts when analyzing that makes their analysis less reliable because a thoughtful and thorough analysis takes too much work and time.

To say that all of these mental shortcuts amount to superstition because they are carved out of no special logic is unfair to the substantial role they have played in human life, successful human life, to this point.

As it relates to Costa. Costa has poor logical assumptions at the outset. That it is the final implement and outside influences that determine the act, not the agency and habits of the individual. So he uses poor implements to come to a poor conclusion guns and culture killed two people, instead of a violent nature and the deranged decision of one man that killed two people.

It is all part of a broad discussion on determinism that we disagree on. That the left believes your life is blank at the outset and who you are and what you do is almost entirely defined by your environment, whereas we believe that the majority of the decisions in your life are a component of who you are, and cannot be layed at the feet of any external influences. For in a rational society you have the capability to rationally examine all paths and choose whom you want to be.

So in the end I guess I kind of accept your overarching premise once you cut out the "thought tools" section of it, as it gets back into a much more involved philosophical question about free will. Something Costa apparently does not believe in. And I guess any deeply held belief about what amounts to an unanswered question (Do we have free will? Is there a God?) amounts to superstition in the end, no matter which direction you answer the question. The Agnostic being equally as superstitious as the Mormon for both cannot prove their position yet firmly believe they have the answer.  Your superstition in this case becomes a framing for a lot of analysis you do.



Posted by: MikeTheMoose is Shrugging at December 07, 2012 03:09 PM (0q2P7)

255 "Women's intuition" is another good example. There have been studies suggesting it is actually based on very fine (material) perceptions to which the female brain is better suited. Who knows? Posted by: Margarita DeVille at December 07, 2012 07:08 PM (C8mVl) I think that's called common sense.

Posted by: Oldsailors Poet, Wonders what Dagny thinks at December 07, 2012 03:09 PM (3Y7RV)

256 No one boasts of a New Age philosophy based on the ancient texts discovered in Paramus, New Jersey.

When I read the New Testament, I can't help reading "Jesus of Nazareth" in the same tone as "Jesus of Cleveland".

Posted by: AmishDude at December 07, 2012 03:09 PM (T0NGe)

257 I think there are a lot of Brits who would like to see the Royal succession skip Charles and go straight to William.


Not that I really care, but I think it will. William looks just like his mom and Charles is a pathetic Walter Mitty type.

Posted by: Samuel Adams at December 07, 2012 03:09 PM (ZOf1l)

258 "Women's intuition" is another good example. There have been studies suggesting it is actually based on very fine (material) perceptions to which the female brain is better suited. Who knows? *** My ex-boyfriend used to lovingly refer to me as a with and remark that it was a good thing I used my powers for good instead of evil.

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at December 07, 2012 03:09 PM (piMMO)

259 These two useless tools didn't cause this woman's death. But that doesn't mean they should have their idiot media asses kicked just on the general principle that 1) they're media scum; and 2) they're media scum.

Posted by: Call me Ishmael at December 07, 2012 03:09 PM (p4U6S)

260 I think there are a lot of Brits who would like to see the Royal succession skip Charles and go straight to William. Posted by: wheatie at December 07, 2012 07:05 PM (CM59X) If I were Charles, I'd pass on grouse hunting with Mom. I'm just sayin'.

Posted by: IllTemperedCur at December 07, 2012 03:09 PM (Rhie+)

261 I resent this when people trot it out with respect to the Zimmerman incident.  They jump in head first with "well he should have stayed in his truck".  why is he supposed to not do something which he is perfectly free to do?  What if the punk attacks him in his truck? Should he then have stayed home? The idiots spouting this can walk it back infinitely until we are all supposed to act like the British and cower in a hideyhole and hope they are satisfied with the loot they find.

 

Posted by: Kyle Kiernan at December 07, 2012 03:10 PM (80Gv7)

262 If I were Charles, I'd pass on grouse hunting with Mom. I'm just sayin'. Posted by: IllTemperedCur at December 07, 2012 07:09 PM (Rhie+) Yep, I could see her doin a Cheney.

Posted by: Oldsailors Poet, Wonders what Dagny thinks at December 07, 2012 03:11 PM (3Y7RV)

263 uh, witch damn keyboard

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at December 07, 2012 03:11 PM (piMMO)

264 I'm generally a very reality based individual, and not likely to believe in things like psychic abilities but Mrs928 has strange powers, or I do. Often one or the other of us will think of something during the day, something out of the ordinary. Later, the other will mention the very same thing. Either the one is transmitting, or the other is peaking into the others head. It's probably Mrs928, since she is also a weather mage.

Posted by: toby928© for TB at December 07, 2012 03:12 PM (QupBk)

265 >>>He was a committed alchemist and believed ancient manuscripts and temples held secret messages and that God had chosen him and a few others to be the only ones who could decipher it.

Maybe it does, maybe he could, maybe that's why almost all of his work on that topic was destroyed in a freak accident, because it was too soon. Depends on what your superstitions are.

Posted by: MikeTheMoose is Shrugging at December 07, 2012 03:12 PM (0q2P7)

266

249...I read an article abut a week ago about how Charles is now worried his time is running out, and said so.

His mother may outlive him.

 

----------

 

The Queen probably would've already stepped aside, if Charles weren't such a twit.

 

Even his own mom seems to realize what a moonbat he is.

 

Posted by: wheatie at December 07, 2012 03:12 PM (CM59X)

267 There's a brit series called The ARistocrats. Unfortunately, there were only two episodes. One was on the Duke of Malbrough. Man, he looks just like his cousin Churchill. He owns Blenhem Palace of course. His son was a raging drug addict but has been clean for 5 years. In the early 90s, his father went to court to get him disherited. It's not easy. They have now put control of the palace in the hands of a board and he will get more control if they grant it to him. Though I wonder if the right of inheritances will revert to his son without anyone looking over his shoulder. The second episode is with the Duke of Richmond. He's into race cars and has a track and races on his estate. He also has all these neat toy race cars. Anyway, they have these galas where rich people pay a lot to party and dress up. They had Courtney Love as entertainment. I could not believe it. She acted terrible and then walked off after 3 crappy songs. What were they thinking??

Posted by: Walkers! at December 07, 2012 03:12 PM (e/Cti)

268 Not that I really care, but I think it will. William looks just like his mom and Charles is a pathetic Walter Mitty type. **** I will never forget his romancing of Camilla with a remark about becoming her tampon.

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at December 07, 2012 03:12 PM (piMMO)

269 Joke Warning

The following words may or may not induce certain reactions both physical and/or emotional.
Some of the side effects may be:

involuntary expellation of ; urination, flatulence, faeces, gastric juices, swallowed liquids, mucus, blood, air, tears, saliva and any other bodily fluid normally or not from any bodily orifice.

Loud eruptions of sound sometimes uncontrollable, gasping for breath.

One may also experience a overwhelming need to persuade others to read or hear those words so as to experience vicariously ones original reaction.

Some may also experience the need to repeat the words but in a mixed up order which will not result in the same initial reaction but will instead induce the listener to laugh at YOU.

Do not read these words while bathing, showering, ingesting liquid or solids, working at a computer, driving, talking on a phone, walking or running.

Find a comfortable place to sit after waiting at least 30 minutes since eating and after evacuating ones bladder and bowels.

Extreme caution should be exerted at all times during the period of time after reading due to delayed reactions.

Posted by: Bitter Clinger and All That at December 07, 2012 03:12 PM (3E2th)

270 wow! nicaragua! fun! you have a great Christmas too! just let kirls know if and when you plan your trip out ...love to see you again!

Posted by: phoenixgirl at December 07, 2012 03:12 PM (GVxQo)

271 Com'on 12/21 SMOD.

Posted by: dogfish at December 07, 2012 03:12 PM (N2yhW)

272 The Queen probably would've already stepped aside, if Charles weren't such a twit. Even his own mom seems to realize what a moonbat he is. **** MAJOR AGW pusher.

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at December 07, 2012 03:13 PM (piMMO)

273 I will never forget his romancing of Camilla with a remark about becoming her tampon. Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at December 07, 2012 07:12 PM (piMMO) Ya know I had completely forgotten about that and did NOT need to be reminded of that> Ugh

Posted by: Nevergiveup at December 07, 2012 03:13 PM (jE38p)

274 205 It's as if the world does not have more serious problems to deal with

mad as hell, is that you?

Posted by: HeatherRadish™, Crankypants Extraordinaire at December 07, 2012 06:58 PM (hO8IJ)

No, but I did eat at a Red Lobster last night.

Posted by: Flounder at December 07, 2012 03:13 PM (Kkt/i)

275

The word you looking for is "Knee jerk" as in a knee jerk reaction.

I hate knee jerk reactions they are usually wrong.

Posted by: david at December 07, 2012 03:13 PM (TIWan)

276 A great scientist who was also a moonbat.

Isaac Newton was probably the most intelligent high-functioning person who ever lived.

This is the ultimate failure of the Left.  "Smart people" are never smart enough.  They are often very flawed to boot.  You're lucky if they're just moonbats.

Posted by: AmishDude at December 07, 2012 03:14 PM (T0NGe)

277 There's a brit series called The ARistocrats. *** I don't think we're thinking of the same thing.

Posted by: Bob Saget Wins! at December 07, 2012 03:14 PM (piMMO)

278 "256 No one boasts of a New Age philosophy based on the ancient texts discovered in Paramus, New Jersey. When I read the New Testament, I can't help reading "Jesus of Nazareth" in the same tone as "Jesus of Cleveland". Posted by: AmishDude at December 07, 2012 07:09 PM (T0NGe) " Sure, but what does that prove, either way? Perhaps you should listen to what he's saying instead of obsessing about appellatives.

Posted by: Mirror-Universe Mitt Romney at December 07, 2012 03:14 PM (aLLUm)

279 Why would or should the queen step aside for anyone? These people take their throne very seriously. She's more than capable of doing her duty. Charlie can go find something else to do.

Posted by: Walkers! at December 07, 2012 03:14 PM (e/Cti)

280 I hate knee jerk reactions they are usually wrong. Posted by: david at December 07, 2012 07:13 PM (TIWan) And yet first impressions are often correct. Hmmm.

Posted by: Oldsailors Poet, Wonders what Dagny thinks at December 07, 2012 03:15 PM (3Y7RV)

281 I have always wondered about child protege's one that can play the violin at 2 or read at 11 months.

Posted by: tired ette at December 07, 2012 03:15 PM (nqBYe)

282 Why would or should the queen step aside for anyone? These people take their throne very seriously. She's more than capable of doing her duty. Charlie can go find something else to do. *** She is also deadly serious about her duty to Britain

Posted by: Bob Saget Wins! at December 07, 2012 03:15 PM (piMMO)

283 280 I hate knee jerk reactions they are usually wrong.
Posted by: david at December 07, 2012 07:13 PM (TIWan)

And yet first impressions are often correct. Hmmm.
Posted by: Oldsailors Poet, Wonders what Dagny thinks at December 07, 2012 07:15 PM (3Y7RV)

Impressions are not the same thing as reactions.

Posted by: Mætenloch at December 07, 2012 03:16 PM (pAlYe)

284 off sick sock

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at December 07, 2012 03:16 PM (piMMO)

285 "261 I resent this when people trot it out with respect to the Zimmerman incident. They jump in head first with "well he should have stayed in his truck". why is he supposed to not do something which he is perfectly free to do? What if the punk attacks him in his truck? Should he then have stayed home? The idiots spouting this can walk it back infinitely until we are all supposed to act like the British and cower in a hideyhole and hope they are satisfied with the loot they find. Posted by: Kyle Kiernan at December 07, 2012 07:10 PM (80Gv7) " Utopia!

Posted by: Mirror-Universe Mitt Romney at December 07, 2012 03:16 PM (aLLUm)

286 Part of the near/far idea is that we likely have (at least) two very distinct modes of thinking. The near is very practical. Hunting, eating, screwing. It's cautious and logical. The far is for dealing with the messy, complicated status games of human social hierarchies. It's over-confident and sweeping.

Posted by: Flatbush Joe at December 07, 2012 03:16 PM (R+6Q+)

287 MiketheMoose, I'm using the word "superstitious" here because some cats I've read recently have used it in this context. Both Carl Jung and Claude-Levy Strauss thought this way about what they term "primitive man," and found his thoughts not really all that different from our own. Primitive Man just uses a different sort of vocabulary to express his irrationalities. Like, in the cases I mention, Costas and the Radio DJ Affair, people are speaking in irrationalities but these irrationalities are accepted by our current culture as having some logic and good sense behind them. Primitive Man speaks of sorcery because his culture accepts that as having good sense. I don't really see hte difference. I think I agree with Jung and Strauss about modern man not being as different from Primitive Man as he'd like to think.

Posted by: ace at December 07, 2012 03:17 PM (LCRYB)

288 Impressions are not the same thing as reactions. Posted by: Mætenloch at December 07, 2012 07:16 PM (pAlYe) Do you not react to an impression?

Posted by: Oldsailors Poet, Wonders what Dagny thinks at December 07, 2012 03:17 PM (3Y7RV)

289 open thread up

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at December 07, 2012 03:17 PM (piMMO)

290 Perhaps you should listen to what he's saying instead of obsessing about appellatives.

Posted by: Mirror-Universe Mitt Romney at December 07, 2012 07:14 PM (aLLUm)

Perhaps you should chuckle at the amusing comment. I did.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at December 07, 2012 03:17 PM (GsoHv)

291 >>>why is he supposed to not do something which he is perfectly free to do? What if the punk attacks him in his truck? Should he then have stayed home? The idiots spouting this can walk it back infinitely until we are all supposed to act like the British and cower in a hideyhole and hope they are satisfied with the loot they find.

Well no. But when he started on foot following someone at night, a rational innocent person could perceive that as a physical threat. Additionally he failed to immediately justify his threatening actions when approached. These are strong arguments for Man 2.

Posted by: MikeTheMoose is Shrugging at December 07, 2012 03:17 PM (0q2P7)

292 That goes without saying. The only thing this post was missing was a noose and spear, and it actually had the spear. Posted by: ace at December 07, 2012 06:30 PM (LCRYB)


Post would be better with Raquel Welch in that cave girl bikini.   You know, for illustrative purposes. 

Posted by: alexthechick - SMOD. Our only hope. Literally. at December 07, 2012 03:18 PM (Gk3SS)

293 Perhaps you should listen to what he's saying instead of obsessing about appellatives.

What I meant was that I read that as Jesus is treated as if he were some loser hick from nowheresville. "Nazarene" reads almost like an insult by those who didn't think much of him.

Posted by: AmishDude at December 07, 2012 03:18 PM (T0NGe)

294 183- Flatbush Joe 206- Ace This near/far thinking distinction. Think about how different politics is when it's all done far away in Washington, or worse yet, the UN. Most people (outside of a few insane asylums like Berkeley) do not think magically about LOCAL politics. The locals may be jerks or crooks but they are real. Their arena is not through the looking glass.

Posted by: Margarita DeVille at December 07, 2012 03:18 PM (C8mVl)

295 Do you not react to an impression?
Posted by: Oldsailors Poet, Wonders what Dagny thinks at December 07, 2012 07:17 PM (3Y7RV)

Not always. Which shows that they're not the same.

Posted by: Mætenloch at December 07, 2012 03:18 PM (pAlYe)

296 Well no. But when he started on foot following someone at night, a rational innocent person could perceive that as a physical threat. Additionally he failed to immediately justify his threatening actions when approached. These are strong arguments for Man 2. Posted by: MikeTheMoose is Shrugging at December 07, 2012 07:17 PM (0q2P7) Disagree, he shot a thug with a history of crime.

Posted by: Oldsailors Poet, Wonders what Dagny thinks at December 07, 2012 03:18 PM (3Y7RV)

297 Well I don't know jack shit.. but imma gonna hit you with my wisdom.  Remember this is the English culture and they idolize their monarchy.  They LOVE the queen and LOVE Kate and William even more because they idolized his mother.  The English, by and large are still very stoic and very tradional when it comes to the queen.   I think this woman (who I also think had other issues) was so distraught over what happened because it was KATE for crissakes!!  It was a big giant no no and I think she was so humiliated she saw her final act as the only way out.  Sort of saving face in a way or an act of contrition.

Posted by: jewells45 at December 07, 2012 03:19 PM (u25eL)

298
Scold: maybe you shouldn't have done that..
You: well, it seemed like a good idea at the time..
The guillotine:  Meh.

Posted by: Madame Guillotine at December 07, 2012 03:19 PM (xaPEC)

299 Not always. Which shows that they're not the same. Posted by: Mætenloch at December 07, 2012 07:18 PM (pAlYe) Bullshit, every impression elicits a reation even if the reaction is to have no reaction.

Posted by: Oldsailors Poet, Wonders what Dagny thinks at December 07, 2012 03:19 PM (3Y7RV)

300 "Nazarene" reads almost like an insult by those who didn't think much of him. They even have the joke in the NT: What good ever came out of Nazareth?

Posted by: toby928© for TB at December 07, 2012 03:20 PM (QupBk)

301 Posted by: ace at December 07, 2012 07:17 PM (LCRYB)

Then I would argue that irrational thought is based merely on incomplete or incorrect information.

But that is not the whole story. There is also a flaw in the algorithm used to arrive at an irrational conclusion.

That is why the scientific method is distinct from impressions and feelings and anecdotal evidence.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at December 07, 2012 03:21 PM (GsoHv)

302 I think if your MUM had been cock blocking you all your f'n life and looked to be heading for the record all time oldest monarch of all history, you'd be a little stodgy too.

Elizabeth's mom had the sense to retire and let someone younger have a go but Betty II seems to be hell bent on making it to the 22nd century.

Tell me their aren't some deep and abiding resentments in THAT family.

Posted by: Bitter Clinger and All That at December 07, 2012 06:55 PM (3E2th)


A crap-load of wrongness there. Elizabeth II can't retire, any more than the Pope can, once chosen. It's a lifetime gig, like it or not. And given that Charles is such a silly git, it's a damn good thing that she bids fair to outlive him.


And Elizabeth's mum, the much-beloved Queen Mother, was a queen consort, not a reigning monarch. She was the spouse of King George VI, who was the reigning monarch. And he acceded to the throne because his elder brother, King Edward VIII abdicated because he wanted to marry a previously-divorced woman, Wallis Warfield Simpson, contrary to the british Law of Succession.


When Elizabeth passes, the Crown will pass to the eldest male in the direct line succession. Should there be no males in the direct line, then the eldest female becomes Queen. That's how Elizabeth became Queen. Her mother never "retired" because she never was the monarch. Her father, the King, died.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at December 07, 2012 03:21 PM (29+x5)

303 I read and article on luck. The gist of it is that people who think of themselves as lucky really make their own luck by the way they interact with others they create their own opportunities that they see as luck.

Posted by: Walkers! at December 07, 2012 03:22 PM (e/Cti)

304 This is a nominee for post of the year, in my opinion. There are several interesting ideas here. I'm going to have to re-read it just to pull everything out of it. Do they have a Blog Post of the Year Award? They should.

Posted by: Pastafarian at December 07, 2012 03:23 PM (KC3A2)

305 Elizabeth II can't retire, any more than the Pope can, once chosen. It's a lifetime gig, like it or not. How did her dad become King?

Posted by: toby928© for TB at December 07, 2012 03:23 PM (QupBk)

306 I read and article on luck. The gist of it is that people who think of themselves as lucky really make their own luck by the way they interact with others they create their own opportunities that they see as luck. Posted by: Walkers! at December 07, 2012 07:22 PM (e/Cti) Or they could fall out of the right crotch and be the prince of wales.

Posted by: Oldsailors Poet, Wonders what Dagny thinks at December 07, 2012 03:23 PM (3Y7RV)

307 "Nazarene" reads almost like an insult by those who didn't think much of him."

Posted by: AmishDude at December 07, 2012 07:18 PM (T0NGe)

I have always wondered about that. I do not know the New Testament: is Jesus ever referred to as "the Nazarene," or just Jesus of Nazareth?

 

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at December 07, 2012 03:24 PM (GsoHv)

308 "286 Part of the near/far idea is that we likely have (at least) two very distinct modes of thinking. The near is very practical. Hunting, eating, screwing. It's cautious and logical. The far is for dealing with the messy, complicated status games of human social hierarchies. It's over-confident and sweeping. Posted by: Flatbush Joe at December 07, 2012 07:16 PM (R+6Q+) " No. One would be mammalian. The other would be transmammalian. Social order ("hierarchy," which literally means rule by priests, and has little to do with that) and man as a social animal are mammalian.

Posted by: Mirror-Universe Mitt Romney at December 07, 2012 03:24 PM (aLLUm)

309 How did her dad become King? Oh, I see you noted that. How is abdication not retirement?

Posted by: toby928© for TB at December 07, 2012 03:24 PM (QupBk)

310 >>>I don't really see hte difference. I think I agree with Jung and Strauss about modern man not being as different from Primitive Man as he'd like to think.

Yeah I kind of get that.

Posted by: MikeTheMoose is Shrugging at December 07, 2012 03:24 PM (0q2P7)

311 I think it's probable that the nurse offed herself over the crank call. The Brits have become totally insane and their worship of the royal family is beyond bizarre. Add those two together and what turned out to be a not really funny raidio hoax ends up in death, death by dj. No doubt about it.

Posted by: robtr at December 07, 2012 03:25 PM (rTgOf)

312 >>>That is why the scientific method is distinct from impressions and feelings and anecdotal evidence. Yes, sure, but people do use a non-rigorous form of the scientific method in their daily lives. For example, if the next ten guys wore Green Feathers and survived the mammoth hunt, the initial superstition about green feathers would be debunked. People are not rigorous in their thinking but they do understand, eventually, correlation and also lack of correlation, if they see enough passes. Which, alas, they usually do not. But if they did see enough trials, they'd get it. I mean, the scientific method is basically Common Fucking Sense with rigor added to it, when you think about it. When I first learned what the scientific method was, I was underwhelmed, because I thought, "No shit, DUH!!!"

Posted by: ace at December 07, 2012 03:25 PM (LCRYB)

313 That's like saying if a person has HIV then they shouldn't have had gay sex.

Posted by: ray at December 07, 2012 03:25 PM (wl2vr)

314 but Betty II seems to be hell bent on making it to the 22nd century.

Only because the guy in the on deck circle has a .095 batting average.


Posted by: Madame Guillotine at December 07, 2012 03:26 PM (xaPEC)

315 >>>83- Flatbush Joe 206- Ace This near/far thinking distinction. Think about how different politics is when it's all done far away in Washington, or worse yet, the UN. ... consider that people understand that they could not spend 50% more than they make year in, year out, without suffering financial catastrophe in 2-4 years, but seem to think that DC -- a magical place where all your dreams can come true -- operates but a different sort of higher-level arcane mathematics.

Posted by: ace at December 07, 2012 03:28 PM (LCRYB)

316 "287 MiketheMoose, I'm using the word "superstitious" here because some cats I've read recently have used it in this context. Both Carl Jung and Claude-Levy Strauss thought this way about what they term "primitive man," and found his thoughts not really all that different from our own. Primitive Man just uses a different sort of vocabulary to express his irrationalities. Like, in the cases I mention, Costas and the Radio DJ Affair, people are speaking in irrationalities but these irrationalities are accepted by our current culture as having some logic and good sense behind them. Primitive Man speaks of sorcery because his culture accepts that as having good sense. I don't really see hte difference. I think I agree with Jung and Strauss about modern man not being as different from Primitive Man as he'd like to think. Posted by: ace at December 07, 2012 07:17 PM (LCRYB) " For them to be different (in the way people like to think -- for primitive reasons) would require selective pressures which most likely weren't really there (in the positive direction).

Posted by: Mirror-Universe Mitt Romney at December 07, 2012 03:28 PM (aLLUm)

317 Abdication is never taking the throne to begin with, therefore it's not "retiring".  King George became king because his brother refused the throne.

Posted by: jewells45 at December 07, 2012 03:28 PM (u25eL)

318 That's like saying if a person has HIV then they shouldn't have had gay sex.


Since the end of the 80's, they shouldn't have.

Posted by: Samuel Adams at December 07, 2012 03:28 PM (ZOf1l)

319

311 I think it's probable that the nurse offed herself over the crank call.

 

But the nurse who died...is only the one who transfered the call.

She wasn't the one who gave out details over the phone.

 

Posted by: wheatie at December 07, 2012 03:29 PM (CM59X)

320 315 --- THIS.

Posted by: Margarita DeVille at December 07, 2012 03:30 PM (C8mVl)

321 The rabble demand heads on a stick! Also, another Krispy Kreme...

Posted by: The Rabble at December 07, 2012 03:30 PM (XvHmy)

322 "290 Perhaps you should listen to what he's saying instead of obsessing about appellatives. Posted by: Mirror-Universe Mitt Romney at December 07, 2012 07:14 PM (aLLUm)Perhaps you should chuckle at the amusing comment. I did. Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at December 07, 2012 07:17 PM (GsoHv) " Humor is subjective. (And the freedom to not laugh is as paramount as the freedom to laugh.)

Posted by: Mirror-Universe Mitt Romney at December 07, 2012 03:30 PM (aLLUm)

323 I thought since they called her the Queen Mum, she was the monarch at one time. Not exactly a subject that I'm fascinated with so no research.

As to Betty II, yes she can abdicate. That's what abdication IS.

She won't though, I understand that but she could. It is not a compulsory position. And actually, neither is the Pope. The Pope also can quit and I think it's called abdication also.

Just because no one has or a certain person probably won't doesn't mean they can't.

Posted by: Bitter Clinger and All That at December 07, 2012 03:30 PM (3E2th)

324 That's like saying if a person has HIV then they shouldn't have had gay sex.

There are risks you have to take in life, and risks you don't have to take. 

Unprotected gay sex is a risk you don't have to take.

Trusting that food from the grocery store isn't laced with cyanide is a risk you have to take.

Posted by: @PurpAv at December 07, 2012 03:30 PM (xaPEC)

325 Well I guess that in the end between primitive man and today, our superstitions are better (not that they are more correct, only that they grapple with more important fundamental questions) and that makes people feel better about them. But they are always just guesses and simplifications of what we do not know and can often times lead our thinking astray.

Posted by: MikeTheMoose is Shrugging at December 07, 2012 03:31 PM (0q2P7)

326 robtr.. they haven't become insane over the monarchy.  They always were.  Believe me I know.  I am half brit.. born there and my mom is british and we have relatives there.  So I know quite a bit about how they think.

Posted by: jewells45 at December 07, 2012 03:32 PM (u25eL)

327 King George became king because his brother refused the throne. Wiki, fwiw, says Edward was king for 11 months.

Posted by: toby928© for TB at December 07, 2012 03:32 PM (QupBk)

328 "293 Perhaps you should listen to what he's saying instead of obsessing about appellatives. What I meant was that I read that as Jesus is treated as if he were some loser hick from nowheresville. "Nazarene" reads almost like an insult by those who didn't think much of him. Posted by: AmishDude at December 07, 2012 07:18 PM (T0NGe) " Yes. All sorts of people (tried to) stigmatize(d) and stigmatize Jesus for all sorts of reasons.

Posted by: Mirror-Universe Mitt Romney at December 07, 2012 03:33 PM (aLLUm)

329 302 I think if your MUM had been cock blocking you all your f'n life and looked to be heading for the record all time oldest monarch of all history, you'd be a little stodgy too. The idiot Charles was caught on audio, wishing he was Camilla's "tampon." I'd cockblock him too.

Posted by: madamex at December 07, 2012 03:34 PM (Ztp7S)

330 The Queen probably would've already stepped aside, if Charles weren't such a twit.

Even his own mom seems to realize what a moonbat he is.

Posted by: wheatie at December 07, 2012 07:12 PM (CM59X)



As to him being a moonbat, I am sure that she is painfully aware of that. No flies on that lady. But even had Charles been a serious, sober, and dignified man, she would never abdicate merely to give him a chance at the throne. It simply isn't done. The Royal Family is very much bound by tradition, and they cannot flout tradition at will.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at December 07, 2012 03:34 PM (29+x5)

331 "295 Do you not react to an impression? Posted by: Oldsailors Poet, Wonders what Dagny thinks at December 07, 2012 07:17 PM (3Y7RV) Not always. Which shows that they're not the same. Posted by: Mætenloch at December 07, 2012 07:18 PM (pAlYe) " They wouldn't be the same either way.

Posted by: Mirror-Universe Mitt Romney at December 07, 2012 03:34 PM (aLLUm)

332

jewells45,

 

 

I agree that they always have about the royals but in the last decade or two they have started severe restrictions on free speech, don't hurt my feeling laws and other nonsense. That what I was referring two about them recently going nuts.

Posted by: robtr at December 07, 2012 03:34 PM (rTgOf)

333 If his brother hadn't abdicated, there would have been a real crisis. Also, the Archbishop of Canterbury was plotting and amassing information to force him out. I forgot the particulars, but I imagine if they never recognized his wife, it would have been a major embarrassment.

Posted by: Walkers! at December 07, 2012 03:36 PM (e/Cti)

334 Ah...gotcha robtr.. and I agree.

Posted by: jewells45 at December 07, 2012 03:37 PM (u25eL)

335 "297 Well I don't know jack shit.. but imma gonna hit you with my wisdom. Remember this is the English culture and they idolize their monarchy. They LOVE the queen and LOVE Kate and William even more because they idolized his mother. The English, by and large are still very stoic and very tradional when it comes to the queen. I think this woman (who I also think had other issues) was so distraught over what happened because it was KATE for crissakes!! It was a big giant no no and I think she was so humiliated she saw her final act as the only way out. Sort of saving face in a way or an act of contrition. Posted by: jewells45 at December 07, 2012 07:19 PM (u25eL) " It doesn't have as much to do with traditional British culture as it does with the gutter/tabloid press and the neocockneism it induces.

Posted by: Mirror-Universe Mitt Romney at December 07, 2012 03:37 PM (aLLUm)

336 Most DJs, whether it be on the radio or at the club, are douchebags.

Posted by: ElKomandante at December 07, 2012 03:38 PM (Z85Rh)

337 What got me was the hospital czar giving her eulogy in the press conference. "She cared for hundreds of patients". (12 seconds each, and bring your own sheets.)

Posted by: Whatev at December 07, 2012 03:39 PM (2t6Gz)

338 toby.. I don't know what wiki says but the history I have read was he abdicated, was never king.  I will have to ask my mom.. she remembers it well even though she was very young.  She adored King George.

Posted by: jewells45 at December 07, 2012 03:40 PM (u25eL)

339

330...As to him being a moonbat, I am sure that she is painfully aware of that. No flies on that lady. But even had Charles been a serious, sober, and dignified man, she would never abdicate merely to give him a chance at the throne. It simply isn't done. The Royal Family is very much bound by tradition, and they cannot flout tradition at will.

 

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at December 07, 2012 07:34 PM (29+x5)

 

 ---------

 

So I guess that there will be a succession to Charles at some point, when the Queen passes.

Unless...he is disqualified for being married to a divorced woman, like his uncle was.

 

Posted by: wheatie at December 07, 2012 03:40 PM (CM59X)

340 312 >> People are not rigorous in their thinking but they do understand, eventually, correlation and also lack of correlation, if they see enough passes.
 
This is one of the cornerstones of conservative thought -- that the mores and traditions of Western society form a set of hard earned observations about human behavior. They shouldn't just casually be thrown away for the latest feel good movement of the day.
 
315 I was just thinking this too ace. We borrow, right now, 46 cents out of every dollar we are spending. It's magic, baby. There's no other explanation.

Posted by: GnuBreed at December 07, 2012 03:41 PM (ccXZP)

341 "299 Not always. Which shows that they're not the same. Posted by: Mætenloch at December 07, 2012 07:18 PM (pAlYe) Bullshit, every impression elicits a reation even if the reaction is to have no reaction. Posted by: Oldsailors Poet, Wonders what Dagny thinks at December 07, 2012 07:19 PM (3Y7RV) " An impression is, in itself, a reaction to stimuli. But it is, to the extent that things can be separate(d), separate from any ensuing reactions, including the mythical null reaction.

Posted by: Mirror-Universe Mitt Romney at December 07, 2012 03:41 PM (aLLUm)

342 I hope Charles steps aside. I would love to see William crowned. And I hope William and Kate have a boy and name him Henry IX. Make us forget what a Fuck up HVIII was.

Posted by: jmel at December 07, 2012 03:41 PM (Wfecu)

343 "301 Posted by: ace at December 07, 2012 07:17 PM (LCRYB) Then I would argue that irrational thought is based merely on incomplete or incorrect information. But that is not the whole story. There is also a flaw in the algorithm used to arrive at an irrational conclusion. That is why the scientific method is distinct from impressions and feelings and anecdotal evidence. Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at December 07, 2012 07:21 PM (GsoHv) " The term "irrational" is used to beg the question. Socrates (and others) would not approve.

Posted by: Mirror-Universe Mitt Romney at December 07, 2012 03:43 PM (aLLUm)

344 Mirror.. I don't think so.  Hell.. there weren't any tabloids around during Queen Victoria or Elizabeth I.  The "subjects" would die in a heartbeat for their queen.  The idolization goes back hundreds of years.  Now  of course there were kings they detested (Henry VIII) but they still held fast to their worship of him.  Strange?  yes.

Posted by: jewells45 at December 07, 2012 03:44 PM (u25eL)

345 Wiki, fwiw, says Edward was king for 11 months.

Posted by: toby928© for TB at December 07, 2012 07:32 PM (QupBk)


Yes, Edward was King. He wanted to marry Mrs. Simpson, and was as hot for it as Charles was hot for that slag Camilla. But the law of the day simply would not permit a reigning monarch to marry a divorcee. It was either give up the throne, or give up his honey. This situation caused a great Constitutional Crisis in Britain at the time. Having a divorcee become Queen Consort would be almost as bad as having a Kenyan muslim become President of the U.S.A.   Oh, wait.....

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at December 07, 2012 03:45 PM (29+x5)

346 Later, all. God bless.

Posted by: Mirror-Universe Mitt Romney at December 07, 2012 03:47 PM (aLLUm)

347 Alberta.. I will take your word on it, you seem to know.  That is a little nugget I never knew about Edward.  That he actually was king for a short time.

Posted by: jewells45 at December 07, 2012 03:48 PM (u25eL)

348 There is also a flaw in the algorithm used to arrive at an irrational conclusion.

Not just that.  The algorithm may be flawed, AND the CPU running it may be full of hardware errata.

Some people's heads are just full of bad wiring and would run an algorithm (that was mathematically proven correct) wrong.

Posted by: @PurpAv at December 07, 2012 03:50 PM (xaPEC)

349 The FCC effectively banned prank calls from our radio jocks, by making it illegal to air a phone call without prior permission (or it may be worded that you must inform the person that the call is being recorded and/or aired). Thus, the antics you hear nowadays are scripted and done by actors.  If they break the rules, they can get fined big time.

Posted by: publius(NotBreitbartPublius) at December 07, 2012 03:51 PM (VVB18)

350 Alberta.. Edward would have had to take the throne because his father died.. right?  So, that's why he did rule for a short time, because his father had passed.  I haven't read about any of this in years, although the movie The Kings Speech touched on it, but I don't remember the exact timeline.

Posted by: jewells45 at December 07, 2012 03:52 PM (u25eL)

351 If they baby is not even born yet and just think what will happen when (s)he is born. The security will be tighter than during the Olympics. And several dozen web servers around the world will crash all at once. Twitter and Facebook will be down all day. They have to invest in a server farm now to be ready in 7-8 months.

Posted by: Trevor (@tjexcite) at December 07, 2012 03:59 PM (Ea64Y)

352 Get it from the horse's mouth, as it were: http://www.royal.gov.uk/historyofthemona



Edward VIII was never crowned King, but did reign for 11 months upon the death of his father, George V. Coronations often take many months to plan, so that was not unusual in any way.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at December 07, 2012 04:02 PM (29+x5)

353

Queen Mum = Queen Mother = Dowager Queen. There are two kinds of queens, queen consort and queen regnant. The former is merely the wife of the king, and the latter is an actual monarch, ruling in her own right because the rules of succession passed the throne to her. There is no such thing as a king consort. Prince Philip is nothing other than Lizzy makes him. He's only a prince because she gave him the title.

    When the king dies, his wife if she's still alive, becomes a dowager queen. The throne goes to the heir next in line. If the dowager queen happens to be the mother of the heir, which she will likely be, then she is a "queen mother". If the mother of the new monarch was not a queen beforehand, she is not a queen mother or anything other than she was before.

    The rules of succession used to be male preference primogeniture, but they recently changed that to just primogeniture, meaning a first born girl will be heir, and all the girls fall in line according to order of birth. This only affects new births, and doesn't shake up the previous line of succession.

    Thus if Kate has a girl, she will automatically be the heir to the throne, and not be dependent on if any boys are born later.

 

Posted by: publius(NotBreitbartPublius) at December 07, 2012 04:05 PM (VVB18)

354 Ya know, there is probably some basic reading any conservative moron should do...I would definitely include Manchester's The Last Lion.   It includes all that Edward shit referenced above.

Edward VIII was a dork.

Posted by: Jeanne the Obscure at December 07, 2012 04:06 PM (FNYVg)

355 << British spelling of furor. I'm going for a Klassy kind of blog, you know. Since I'm talking about culture, I think I should start spelling furor as "furore.">>

Well that would certainly make this a blog of a different colour.

Posted by: Sgt. York at December 07, 2012 04:07 PM (WHcjL)

356 Is the furore what cause this whole fracas (pronounced "FRACK-ah" in British parlance [pronounced par-LAHNS])?

Posted by: Bang Out Of Order at December 07, 2012 04:16 PM (1H47k)

357

I think those DJs should be fired because I absolutely hate pranks and prank shows like "Punked" or "Prank My Mom" and the ultimate shit show, "What Would You Do?"  where you get humiliated, judged and then  preached at for not exhibiting the appropriate p.c. behavior.

Do they need your permission to put you on TV when they do this to you?  I've always wondered.

 

Posted by: Gem at December 07, 2012 04:19 PM (zw+pb)

358 I work in the media.  In America, we have laws against deception like this.  It would also be against the law for the Nurse to share any information about the patient.  That being said, what they did was stupid.  Very, very stupid and mean-spirited.  Neither DJ, obviously, thought there was anything wrong with invading the privacy of a sick person and doing it so publicly.  Yes, they should be fired for stupid.  In America, they would be fired and the station owner would be freaking out about losing their license right about now due to FCC regulations against this sort of thing. Did they cause the Nurse's suicide?  Once again, without all the facts, everyone is running judgement and it's now worldwide.  They aren't even sure it was suicide.  Sort of like George Zimmerman's case and the erroreous rush to judgement.  I'll wait for the facts before I decide they were a factor in her decision.  In the meantime, what a shame these idiots had to put such a damper on a wonderful moment for Britian.

Posted by: Daily Dish at December 07, 2012 05:04 PM (+b3dK)

359 Christopher Hitchens had an article at the time that the "kings Speech" was playing.   He said there was more to the Edward abdication then the fact that he married a commoner. He Wrote that Edward was "a firm admirer of the Third Reich who took his honeymoon there with Mrs. Simpson and was photographed both receiving and giving the Hitler salute"

Posted by: david at December 07, 2012 05:32 PM (TIWan)

360 Way past end of thread but I would like to mention my 30 Day Rule. No political decisions should even begin being discussed until at least 30 days have passed after an incident (e.g. - movie theater shooting, nurse suicide).

Posted by: The Mega Independent at December 07, 2012 05:41 PM (6JMZR)

361 Here's where I part ways:   these are dreadful, personality disordered people who need to be off the air.  It's not their first Rodeo of misery.

http://tinyurl.com/lnjkv3

Pushing a raped teen to describe other sexual experiences is not just distasteful, its abuse.

They humiliated the nurse, no question.   She naturally would face shame, embarrassment, and possibly even jeopardy of her livelihood.

They didn't kill her,  they just helped tip her over into self-recrimination and made her a laughingstock,  and crowed about it.

So they are ugly goons who don't belong on the public airwaves.  The end.


Posted by: SarahW at December 07, 2012 05:43 PM (LYwCh)

362 It's not in my power to fire them, or change what they do.   But it is in my power to despise them thoroughly and look down on what they do.

Posted by: SarahW at December 07, 2012 05:47 PM (LYwCh)

363 360 Way past end of thread but I would like to mention my 30 Day Rule. No political decisions should even begin being discussed until at least 30 days have passed after an incident (e.g. - movie theater shooting, nurse suicide). ********* Now, 30 days after by non-election, we can begin discussing lessons learned.

Posted by: mitt romney at December 07, 2012 05:57 PM (1MePm)

364 You are brilliant. 

Posted by: DomesticGoddess at December 07, 2012 06:17 PM (WnU/w)

365 Anyway, I fear that what I've written here is incoherent. Well, I know what I meant to say, anyway. In my mind it all hangs together beautifully. I thought it was spot on and quite accurate. +1 internets. Will read actual post instead of comments again sometime and probably be disappointed.

Posted by: entropy at December 07, 2012 06:25 PM (YUttk)

366 Although, even when I was reading this, I was thinking "I fear poor superstitious Yahno just cannot understand thinking of Yahno as a construct without thinking you're trying to kill him with a trained mammoth". Then he chucks spears at you and never wears anything but green ever again.

Posted by: entropy at December 07, 2012 06:28 PM (YUttk)

367 Bob Costas called and said your blog was (sic)"raysis".

Posted by: entropy at December 07, 2012 06:30 PM (YUttk)

368

Wow.. Read the whole thing.

To bad a lot of people who voted for obama wouldn't spend two minutes reading anything.

Posted by: gman at December 07, 2012 06:44 PM (S5VcV)

369 SarahW, did you even read the fucking link you linked? You are awfully judgmental. You go around calling people ugly goons - are you prepared to go to jail if one of these DJ's reads your comments in the wake of this incident and kills himself of guilt? The very article you linked says those DJ's had no idea the girl was raped, she was dragged in by her mother to take a lie detector about sex, and once they found out, they called it off. How is that even their fault and not the mothers?

Posted by: entropy at December 07, 2012 06:51 PM (YUttk)

370 Entropy - maybe you missed the part where the lovely man asks her, post reveal. To enumerate her other sexual contacts/experiences. A grown man, asking a very young teen girl about her sexual experiences and habits, as public entertainment, is on its face out of bounds. He's a ghoul, and if the poor nurse was a dupe, he is after the humiliation of others deliberately.

Posted by: SarahW at December 07, 2012 07:30 PM (LYwCh)

371 To enumerate her other sexual contacts/experiences. Read the damn story. Damn. Is it a reading comprehension thing or just righteous outrage? Your own source doesn't support the claim you're basing on it. After a pause she then raised her voice and said: "Oh OK Â… I got raped when I was 12 years old." Sandilands hesitated before asking "Right ... is that the only experience youÂ’ve had?" The girlÂ’s mother interrupted, saying she found out about the rape only "a couple of months ago". Jackie O then said they would drop the lie detector test as they had been unaware of the rape incident. You just seem very righteously sure of yourself. The poor girl drops this bomb on them on live radio, and one guy stammers through a 1 second follow up question and then the whole thing gets promptly shut down? Does that square with how you portray it? Like he's grilling her under a lamp with no concern for her? He's scum and he shouldn't be on the air because his immediate knee-jerk 1 second response wasn't what you think it should be? A grown man, asking a very young teen girl about her sexual experiences and habits, as public entertainment, is on its face out of bounds Did you miss the part where her fucking mother and parental guardian was the one putting her on the show specifically to discuss that under lie detector???? The radio guys probably thought they were helping a mom get the truth from a defiant and deviant teen. WTF. Do you even try to imagine the situation from other people's perspective or just start righteously condemning people right off the bat? The mom is the one with the authority.

Posted by: entropy at December 07, 2012 08:01 PM (YUttk)

372 Hey Sarah, THE NURSE THAT KILLED HERSELF ANSWERED THE PHONE AND TRANSFERRED THE CALL. SHE DID NOT REVEAL ANY PATIENT INFORMATION. Is that true? Saw it in comment 61. Can you tell me for certain whether or not that is true? I don't know. Do you think it has any relevance before people get condemned as worthless subhuman scum and ostracized? What if the worthless subhuman scum kill themselves because someone got hasty with the facts and started condemning before they had all the details? Should such a person be condemned as subhuman scum and ostracized? Do you think we should check that thing out? I mean I'm sure it's different for you because you felt righteous and well-intentioned about it. Does it matter at all if it's actually even the right nurse who killed herself???

Posted by: entropy at December 07, 2012 08:21 PM (YUttk)

373 The hospital nurse who put through a prank call to Kate Middleton's private nurse earlier this week has been found dead in a suspected suicide, the Daily Mail reports. Really? The DJ's fault??? The receptionist who transferred the call to the nurse who got pranked? Ahh, but they have a history. Several months ago some looney mom hijacked them by having them put a lie detector on their daughter and ask her if she's sexually active, without telling them the girl had been raped. That's totally their fault too.

Posted by: entropy at December 07, 2012 08:23 PM (YUttk)

374 skyfall

Posted by: go away at December 07, 2012 08:27 PM (D7lJF)

375 Maybe it was toxoplasmosis that caused the nurse's suicide? Does she have cats?

Posted by: Prothonotary Warbler (@ProthonotaryW) at December 07, 2012 09:10 PM (RLZvP)

376 >>>The radio guys probably thought they were helping a mom get the truth from a defiant and deviant teen. Was that in their job description?

Posted by: Walkers! at December 07, 2012 11:05 PM (e/Cti)

377 >>>Ahh, but they have a history. Several months ago some looney mom hijacked them by having them put a lie detector on their daughter and ask her if she's sexually active, without telling them the girl had been raped. That's totally their fault too. It was. Who the fuck are they to trick anyone, including a minor, into talking about a private matter, i.e., sex, on the fucking radio? And these assholes kept doing it. What if the second nurse revealed what was truly an embarrassing personal health fact b/c these guys tricked her? Their stunts are as funny as prince albert in a can jokes. They and their audience need to grow the fuck up.

Posted by: Walkers! at December 07, 2012 11:19 PM (e/Cti)

378 >>>Did you miss the part where her fucking mother and parental guardian was the one putting her on the show specifically to discuss that under lie detector???? Who gives a shit? They are the ones who facilitated it and broadcast it over the air. They are scum.

Posted by: Walkers! at December 07, 2012 11:26 PM (e/Cti)

379 She must have had a pre-existing condition of depression to kill herself over something like this.

Posted by: Victoria at December 08, 2012 02:36 AM (tV5ow)

380 >>>379 She must have had a pre-existing condition of depression to kill herself over something like this. Posted by: Victoria Of course. And has already been commented on they still aren't' sure it was suicide/

Posted by: Walkers! at December 08, 2012 03:06 AM (e/Cti)

381 The prank call was probably the only thing that happened in the life of that nurse.  Nothing else.  Ever.  Probably.

Posted by: Dang at December 08, 2012 05:14 AM (R18D0)

382 She immigrated from the India to the UK. Finished school and achieved a degree in nursing. Gave birth to two children. Got a job in a posh hospital where she worked for 9 years. Was well liked by her co workers. Seems like quite a lot happened in her life.

Posted by: Redd at December 08, 2012 06:07 AM (e/Cti)

383

The jocks pulled an innocent prank. I am sure they never expected to be put through on the phone. They dont deserve the backlash they are receiving. I am so sorry for them and for the children left behind. I am sorry for the woman who chose to kill herself. I cant imagine her thinking this was a proprotionate response. She clearly had issues. Its all tragic but the jocks are not to blame.

Posted by: Lisa at December 08, 2012 06:08 AM (5kADr)

384 What's innocent about misrepresenting yourself in an attempt to obtain private medical information so you can make it public for laughs? Would it be so innocent if someone had done it to you?

Posted by: Redd at December 08, 2012 06:43 AM (e/Cti)

385 Use an alternative spelling for "furor" if you wish but please review the rest of the article for typos and omitted words. I found several...

Posted by: WarEagle82 at December 08, 2012 06:51 AM (HDZvH)

386 Ace, for future reference, the word "tittle" is kinda cool.  Synonym for dot, small mark or iota.  Biblical origin.  Example follows:

The JEF doesn't give a fucking tittle about this country or anyone else.

Posted by: eureka! LiFBer at December 08, 2012 09:38 AM (HPRku)

387 It was. Who the fuck are they to trick anyone, including a minor, into talking about a private matter, i.e., sex, on the fucking radio? You're a fucking shmuck ass shmuck. You must go emotionally gonzo because you can't even keep your facts straight. You're mixing up the fucking story and not even getting it right. Nobody tricked a minor into talking about sex. Nobody. The important point is that other people apparently must pay and lose their jobs because you're angry and have bad reading comprehension. Not because of anything they actually did. They must be punished for things you think they did because you can't even keep details straight. Get off your horse.

Posted by: entropy at December 08, 2012 04:55 PM (YUttk)

388

Redd: I meant by innocent that they were clowning around and doing dumb things shock jocks do. Not that they were right. I meant they had no malice or evil intent. I am sure they never dreamed the call would be put through. That was my point. Had it happened to me I doubt I would have killed myself. I think there was a much deeper problem to react this way when no real harm was done by the release of the information.  It was what everyone knew. The suicide was the extreme behavior here. Not the silly prank call. Get out of the group think, gang mentality and have some compassion. Those people's lives are ruined too.

Posted by: Lisa at December 10, 2012 04:35 AM (hQ9De)

389    Are you under the influence of drugs, mabe some type of stimulant?  Or are you experiencing a manic episode.  You seem to have the whole "flight of ideas" thing going on.  Re-read your little story in a week or so.  Then mabe things will be a little clearer.

Posted by: Kelly at December 13, 2012 02:19 AM (2E0Vd)

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