Boaty McBoatface and the False Promise of Democracy • Hacker News Board

Re: Boaty McBoatface and the False Promise of Democracy

#151

Post by AdmiralAsshat » Fri, Apr 22, 2016, 1:37 PM UTC

gryphonshafer wrote: post #135

chollida1 wrote: post #111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The solution is simple. Continue calling the boat Boaty McBoatface. Ignore all references to the government's preferred name. This is good advice. In Toronto we have a baseball stadium called the Rogers Center ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rogers_Centre ). It was originally called the SkyDome but it was bought by a company called Rogers and renamed. Everyone still refers to it as the Skydome. Corporate branding b…

This happens with airports a lot. Some really wonderful and generous old pilot or aviation engineer dies, so the field gets renamed in honor of the person. But aviators still refer to the field by it's traditional name. It's not a slight against the honored dead; rather, it's just out of habit and the fact that it's tremendously easier to remember "$CITY_NAME Airport" than it is "$GUY_WHO_DIED Field".

Speaking of airports, I know of several people who outright refuse to refer to Washington National Airport by its current name, "Ronald Regan Washington National Airport". They will go so far as to correct someone who says "Regan National" and insist, "Washington National."

Re: Boaty McBoatface and the False Promise of Democracy

#152

Post by vidarh » Fri, Apr 22, 2016, 1:42 PM UTC

Overtonwindow wrote: post #105

Something else that may have not been considered is that the whole voting system was rigged. Much in a "marblecake the game" scenario. What should be done in a situation where the vote has been rigged by nefarious/trolling actors?

When the consequences of playing along are what they are in this case? Play along. They've been handed a fantastic PR opportunity, and they're turning it against themselves.

Re: Boaty McBoatface and the False Promise of Democracy

#153

Post by blubb-fish » Fri, Apr 22, 2016, 1:42 PM UTC

What's funny about this ridiculous name??? It's stupid - simply stupid and reminds me of Churchill's infamous remark:

» The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter. «

Re: Boaty McBoatface and the False Promise of Democracy

#154

Post by HoopleHead » Fri, Apr 22, 2016, 1:43 PM UTC

AdmiralAsshat wrote: post #151

gryphonshafer wrote: post #135

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This happens with airports a lot. Some really wonderful and generous old pilot or aviation engineer dies, so the field gets renamed in honor of the person. But aviators still refer to the field by it's traditional name. It's not a slight against the honored dead; rather, it's just out of habit and the fact that it's tremendously easier to remember "$CITY_NAME Airport" than it is "$GUY_WHO_DIED Field".

Speaking of airports, I know of several people who outright refuse to refer to Washington National Airport by its current name, "Ronald Regan Washington National Airport". They will go so far as to correct someone who says "Regan National" and insist, "Washington National."

Well, given the guy's name was "Reagan", it does warrant some kind of correction.

Re: Boaty McBoatface and the False Promise of Democracy

#155

Post by 6stringmerc » Fri, Apr 22, 2016, 1:49 PM UTC

chollida1 wrote: post #111

mrob wrote: post #2

The solution is simple. Continue calling the boat Boaty McBoatface. Ignore all references to the government's preferred name. They can choose what's painted on the side, but the name depends only on what people call it. If enough people call it Boaty McBoatface its name really is Boaty McBoatface. If your job depends on calling it the government's preferred name then subtly alter the timing of your speech to make it…

> The solution is simple. Continue calling the boat Boaty McBoatface. Ignore all references to the government's preferred name. This is good advice. In Toronto we have a baseball stadium called the Rogers Center ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rogers_Centre ). It was originally called the SkyDome but it was bought by a company called Rogers and renamed. Everyone still refers to it as the Skydome. Corporate branding b…

Same with a large ampitheather music venue just next to Dallas, where the State Fair is held:

Coca Cola Starplex (original) > Smirnoff Music Center > Superpages.com Center > Gexa Energy Pavilion

Not one of the brandings has resulted in any noteworthy facility improvements, interestingly enough /s

Re: Boaty McBoatface and the False Promise of Democracy

#156

Post by chris_wot » Fri, Apr 22, 2016, 1:51 PM UTC

My daughter is devastated. She's 8.

Re: Boaty McBoatface and the False Promise of Democracy

#157

Post by scurvy » Fri, Apr 22, 2016, 1:54 PM UTC

gryphonshafer wrote: post #135

chollida1 wrote: post #111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The solution is simple. Continue calling the boat Boaty McBoatface. Ignore all references to the government's preferred name. This is good advice. In Toronto we have a baseball stadium called the Rogers Center ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rogers_Centre ). It was originally called the SkyDome but it was bought by a company called Rogers and renamed. Everyone still refers to it as the Skydome. Corporate branding b…

This happens with airports a lot. Some really wonderful and generous old pilot or aviation engineer dies, so the field gets renamed in honor of the person. But aviators still refer to the field by it's traditional name. It's not a slight against the honored dead; rather, it's just out of habit and the fact that it's tremendously easier to remember "$CITY_NAME Airport" than it is "$GUY_WHO_DIED Field".

Definitely. Ever wonder why New Orleans' airport has the symbol MSY, but is named Louis Armstrong airport? MSY stands for Moisant Stock Yards, in honor of early aviator John Moisant.

Im recent years, the city renamed the airport to Louis Armstrong airport, but no one in the city refers to it as that. Everyone still calls it Moisant. Not that we don't like Louis Armstrong, it's always been called Moisant and New Orleans really doesn't like change.

Re: Boaty McBoatface and the False Promise of Democracy

#158

Post by scurvy » Fri, Apr 22, 2016, 1:54 PM UTC

AdmiralAsshat wrote: post #151

gryphonshafer wrote: post #135

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This happens with airports a lot. Some really wonderful and generous old pilot or aviation engineer dies, so the field gets renamed in honor of the person. But aviators still refer to the field by it's traditional name. It's not a slight against the honored dead; rather, it's just out of habit and the fact that it's tremendously easier to remember "$CITY_NAME Airport" than it is "$GUY_WHO_DIED Field".

Speaking of airports, I know of several people who outright refuse to refer to Washington National Airport by its current name, "Ronald Regan Washington National Airport". They will go so far as to correct someone who says "Regan National" and insist, "Washington National."

Would these people happen to be air traffic controllers?

Also, most people in DC just call it National. Probably because the other airport also has a one word name (Dulles).

Re: Boaty McBoatface and the False Promise of Democracy

#159

Post by pbhjpbhj » Fri, Apr 22, 2016, 1:54 PM UTC

hartpuff wrote: post #126

aninhumer wrote: post #98

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well yeah, but that's not the same. And exactly what problem does attaching the name to a real boat cause? I think the objection to the name is far more childish than the name itself. "Oh no no no, we can't call it that . This is a serious boat, for serious grown ups."

Is it just $300 million scientific research vessels that should be given deliberately stupid names (that even the originator disowns), or everything?

When you allow the public to chose a name for a research vessel, it's inoffensive, popular and creates more media coverage (arguably the goal of having the vote) then no matter how whimsical you think the name is you should stick with it. If you don't want whimsy, don't ask the British public to name your ship.

No one forced them in to the situation.

FWIW I don't find the name stupid, one person's humour is another's stupidity I guess.

Re: Boaty McBoatface and the False Promise of Democracy

#160

Post by pbhjpbhj » Fri, Apr 22, 2016, 1:56 PM UTC

red_admiral wrote: post #143

There's two things we British excel at, silliness and pedantry. So it's no suprise that the best objection I've heard to the name so far is that it's stupid because the vessel is clearly a SHIP, not a BOAT.

That's a double win: it gets talked about for the name and one gets to pedantically point out is a ship.