'Boaty McBoatface' polar ship named after Attenborough
Source: BBC
The UK's new polar research ship is to be named RRS Sir David Attenborough, after Boaty McBoatface previously topped a public vote.
The £200m research ship will be named after the world-renowned naturalist and broadcaster, Science Minister Jo Johnson confirmed.
The decision, which comes days before Sir David turns 90, is in recognition of his "legacy in British broadcasting", the government said.
Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-36225652
cowards
spiderpig
(10,419 posts)I so wanted BMcBF.
headonshoulder
(17 posts)She exists after last week.
nitpicker
(7,153 posts)While the ship will not be named Boaty McBoatface, one of the remotely operated sub-sea vehicles will be named Boaty in recognition of the vote.
James Hand, who first suggested the name Boaty McBoatace, said he was pleased the name would "live on".
MowCowWhoHow III
(2,103 posts)#BoatyOrBust
Bernardo de La Paz
(49,069 posts)MowCowWhoHow III
(2,103 posts)It's entirely in keeping with the British outlook.
T_i_B
(14,749 posts)It shows how out of touch our politicians are that nobody stood in yesterday's elections as "Votey McVoteface".
Nye Bevan
(25,406 posts)Shows that they do have a sense of humor.
JustABozoOnThisBus
(23,379 posts)They missed an opportunity to have a popular ship generating interest in polar research.
What kids will "follow" a boat named "Attenborough"?
longship
(40,416 posts)Boaty McBoatface was an infantile idea.
MowCowWhoHow III
(2,103 posts)They have now legitimately generated negative public feelings with this public vote bullshit.
cannabis_flower
(3,769 posts)When I was in high school, they asked for nominations for class song. The most nominated song was "Up Against The Wall Redneck Mother". When we got the choice to vote that wasn't on it. We were given the choice between "Making Friends" by Elton John, "Old Days" by Chicago and another song that I don't remember. I voted for "Making Friends" but "Old Days" won. I can understand why we weren't given the choice to vote for "Up Against The Wall Redneck Mother" and I'm glad that wasn't our class song.
callous taoboy
(4,595 posts)We were a class of stoners, though.
jberryhill
(62,444 posts)I wanted "Walk This Way", but instead as part of the choral ensemble, I had to fucking perform "I Sing the Body Electric" from Fame, and wear our stupid costume for that number under my robe for the rest of the ceremony.
"Walk This Way" would have been so much better than that dreck.
muriel_volestrangler
(101,411 posts)When you have a competition on the internet to suggest and register support for a ship name, and say on the page "this vote is not definitive - we will make the final decision", only people who mistake internet popularity votes with 'democracy' could think there's something 'legitimate' about their resultant negative feelings, or that it's 'bullshit' to get the public to give an idea of name popularity.
MowCowWhoHow III
(2,103 posts)But this whole exercise has left a bad taste in the mouth.
It could be a generational thing, i don't know.
muriel_volestrangler
(101,411 posts)Had you actually heard of the vote before the 'Boaty McBoatFace' entry got into the news? If not, I'd suggest that it's something not to get too worried about. It's a ship name, and for most of us, we scarcely ever hear the research ship's name. for those who work on it, though, a serious name is probably far better than something people will laugh at.
MowCowWhoHow III
(2,103 posts)Yes, I found out on Twitter. No, I didn't pile on and vote. Yes, I think the NERC does good work and am happy to contribute my meagre amount to it. No, I don't think it would have been the end of the world if they had gone with Boaty McBoatface. Yes, they let this play out way too long before squashing it. No, I don't think they should ever waste people's time and tax money with a similar public vote. Yes, the PR genius behind it should be fired.
BlueStater
(7,596 posts)There's lots of injustices in the world worth being upset over. A 200 million dollar ship not being called a really stupid fucking name isn't one of them.
MowCowWhoHow III
(2,103 posts)Last edited Fri May 6, 2016, 08:14 AM - Edit history (1)
I think it's actually because the subject is so objectively trivial, that I can really focus on what rankles me about the public vote process.
Bernardo de La Paz
(49,069 posts)Go build your own boat.
MowCowWhoHow III
(2,103 posts)That felt good.
jberryhill
(62,444 posts)Who paid for this one?
Bernardo de La Paz
(49,069 posts)You elect a government to make decisions in the public interest.
If you don't want a government ... there are other parties dedicated to the drastic reduction or elimination of government that would welcome you.
If you want to put every government decision and every naming up for online vote it would get ugly. Worse even than selling naming rights to publicly funded buildings like a "Rexall Arena". Be ready to retch all up when the next Cape May ferry gets named the "Honorable Mitch McConnell" by popular vote.
If the public ruled by direct mob vote, we would have had concentration camps for muslims in most parts of the country on Sept. 12, 2001. The founders wisely warned against the Tyranny of the Majority.
Frankly, I think the people who created the naming vote were stupid not to offer a selection instead of making it wide open. But in the end I think a good decision was made.
malthaussen
(17,235 posts)... want to be crew on the Ronald Reagan?
But then, I have almost as hard a time with my native state's name being applied to a terror weapon (SSBN-735).
-- Mal
jberryhill
(62,444 posts)Did Attenborough pay for this boat?
Here in Philadelphia, we have the Mann Center for the Arts. A German tourist once asked, "Is it named after Thomas Mann, the German author?"
"No, it was named after Frederic R. Mann, the Philadelphia businessman."
"What did he write?"
"A check."
malthaussen
(17,235 posts),,, things should get real interesting here in a couple of months.
-- Mal
jberryhill
(62,444 posts)Protestors kept blocking the routes around Love Park between the Four Seasons and the arenas, so you'd run into the weirdest people walking around City Hall to pick up rides on the other side.
I was making a call at a payphone (good God, I'm old), and Senator Phil Gramm walked by. I said on the call, "Hey, Senator Phil Gramm is here!" He lit up and smiled the way politicians do when they are recognized and I said, louder, "No really. That rat bastard corrupt son of a bitch is right here on the sidewalk next to me!"
Watching his expression drop was one of those moments I will eternally cherish.
malthaussen
(17,235 posts)Another person at DU -- I misremember who -- was in DC a few months ago, and was waiting to cross the street with an elderly gentleman with white brillo-pad hair. He said to the gent "I guess people tell you you look like Bernie Sanders all the time," and of course the reply was, "Yeah, probably because I am Bernie Sanders." That must have been priceless, too.
-- Mal
jberryhill
(62,444 posts)Clearly, this "election" was just for show.
Bernardo de La Paz
(49,069 posts)Bernardo de La Paz
(49,069 posts)The name was 'voted' for by a kind of flash mob, not by the taxpayers as a whole, and certainly never by a majority of taxpayers.
jberryhill
(62,444 posts)In which a majority of taxpayers vote on anything.
Hey, I was taxed when I was working at 16 years old, and couldn't even vote!
But I hardly think naming this thing Boaty McBoatface is the first step toward concentration camps.
Bernardo de La Paz
(49,069 posts)jberryhill
(62,444 posts)I'm sure this is more your style of an election, comrade
Bernardo de La Paz
(49,069 posts)jberryhill
(62,444 posts)You had advocates of "Boaty McBoatface" marching people off to concentration camps, so I did not assume this was a serious conversation.
Bernardo de La Paz
(49,069 posts)That does not logically follow from anything I wrote.
The light above your head is the hole you are digging.
jberryhill
(62,444 posts)If the public ruled by direct mob vote, we would have had concentration camps for muslims in most parts of the country on Sept. 12, 2001. The founders wisely warned against the Tyranny of the Majority.
I think we can distinguish between concentration camps and naming a boat.
Bernardo de La Paz
(49,069 posts)I wrote:
Then you illogically wrote:
Mob rule by direct vote on issues like concentration camps is NOT the same mob that wants to name a boat Boaty McBoatFace.
Obvious to most people but you needed this explained to you.
You wrote a straw man argument:
Nobody suggested anything remotely like this.
jberryhill
(62,444 posts)Do you know that one of the first things Hitler did was promise to name a destroyer Boot von Bootgesicht?
True fact.
Bernardo de La Paz
(49,069 posts)jberryhill
(62,444 posts)He would not stand for a proud vessel of the Austrian navy to be given an insulting name.
They cut that scene from the movie:
muriel_volestrangler
(101,411 posts)They are not, as far as I know, a British taxpayer. I am, though, and I'd much rather have 'RRS David Attenborough'.
MowCowWhoHow III
(2,103 posts)muriel_volestrangler
(101,411 posts)tabasco
(22,974 posts)[font size=6]CALL CONGRESS RIGHT FUCVKING NOW11!!![/font]
That's gooood!
callous taoboy
(4,595 posts)I takes me science seriously, and I love that they are naming a scientific research ship after a prominent U.K. naturalist.
Lizzie Poppet
(10,164 posts)And yes, I love the real naming, too.
Tommy_Carcetti
(43,227 posts)Boaty McBoatface forever!
Calista241
(5,586 posts)FLPanhandle
(7,107 posts)Nice 90th birthday present for him. Good show Brits.
Lucky Luciano
(11,267 posts)oldandhappy
(6,719 posts)Both the RRS Sir David Attenborough and acknowledging the vote with a little Boaty. Nice solution.
OnyxCollie
(9,958 posts)Blue_Tires
(55,445 posts)Yeah, it's a cute little social media joke now, but how funny would it still have been 10, 20, 30 years later?
MowCowWhoHow III
(2,103 posts)Skittles
(153,298 posts)he is fine with the decision, and since the rules always state the final decision would be with the board there really is no issue here
L. Coyote
(51,129 posts)longship
(40,416 posts)Sorry. This eclipses the monumentally childish "Boaty McFuckingBoatface" every day, and twice on Sunday.
David Attenborough it is. (His brother Richard wasn't too bad either, albeit in another genre.)
LanternWaste
(37,748 posts)If you are indeed, a fan of the popular vote, it must be ironic to know that as per this thread, overwhelming consensus is that you're irrational.
MowCowWhoHow III
(2,103 posts)Well that appears to be the verdict of the overly earnest
(did I do it right?
did I do it right?)
kentauros
(29,414 posts)Does anyone honestly believe they will just stop using that name because it now has an "official" name? Boaty McBoatface is unique. The chosen official name, while it is that of a famous naturalist, is not nearly as unique or memorable for that ship.
Because of this very public request for names, it will now be forever known in the public mind as Boaty McBoatface