Josh writes: There is a delightful story in the UK news this week:
After Internet users overwhelmingly voted to christen Britain’s new $300 million research ship “Boaty McBoatface” in an online naming poll, a government official suggested the name wouldn’t be used.
“There is a process now for us to review all of the public’s choices,” Science Minister Jo Johnson told the BBC Monday, per Newsweek. “Many of them were imaginative, some were more suitable than others.”
BBC host Nicky Campbell exclaimed that the government would “ride roughshod over democracy” if it did not go through with naming the ship “Boaty McBoatface,” which garnered 120,000 votes — four times that of the next closest choice.
More at the BBC, Graun, Mirror and, well, everywhere.
Boaty McBoatface…why do I keep picturing in my head something that could be a companion of Thomas the Tank Engine from the island of Sodor?
Keeping with Josh’s theme… Eggy McEggonmyface
Fraudy McFraudface Mann ~In the voice of Mark Steyn
Actual democracy in the internet age could be considered a form of insanity, especially when the internet is used as the voting machine.
I read in the article’s comment section: “Pole Dancer.” I like that one.
Next time ask them if they would pay a direct income tax to Brussels.
This has nothing to do with democracy, it was an online POLL furcrisake. Like opinion polls are supposed to find out what people think, they do not determine the next government.
What this internet pole established is that no one gives shite about the name of the boat.
Jo-Jo said: fine, we just though we’d ask. Since no one gives a shite, I suppose we’ll have to think of one ourselves.
Here is an opportunity for the press to enforce the will of the people over the will of Science “Reich Marshal”l Jo Johnson. Use the peoples choice of name whenever reporting on this boondoggle and ignore any other name given.
That’s “Reich Marshall”
Actually it’s Reichsmarschall.
Kinda reminds me of the popular vote for Trump.
Too late to vote? How about “The Science Junk”
I’m afraid that cartoon shows Boris Johnson, the mayor of London.
Jo Johnson is someone else altogether: https://www.gov.uk/government/people/jo-johnson.
Personally I wouldn’t want to work on a boat named by the weakest link in the UK population. Call me superstituous.
Yep, that’s the guy, he does look very much like his brother, Boris, but Jo is definitely the guy in the cartoon 😉
The National Hockey League learned its lesson about online voting when it allowed “fans” to vote for its All Star team this year. John Scott, who charitably could be called a fringe player (i.e., a goon whose sole skill is fighting other players) was voted as a starter.
What year is it now?
It shows how humourless, fold and lacking in imagination the idiots running the country are. Just give it a sensible official name (the master is not going to want to use that as a callsign) but flood the nation with Boatie McBoatface merchandise, open a website to track its research, give the crew jackets and T-shirts with the name and a cute logo. No-one cares what the name on the register is. They care how it is presented.
I agree with the merchandising aspect. But now the ship will always be known as ” Boaty McBoatface”. The elites will try and impose their ideology, and whilst I initially regarded this as a silly story, it is an affront to democracy. “They” know better hence the EU president and Council of Ministers are appointed.
It is inconceivable that the people should have a voice in the matter of naming a ship. They may vote for the wrong sort of government and we cannot have that. “We” know best.
Democracy is government of the people, for the people, by the people. Tyranny and dictatorship are the alternatives.
So now I have concluded the ship should be RRS Boaty McBoatface. It is a memorable name and people, especially, children will follow its important research activity.
On a lighter side, woebetide any Chancellor of the Exchequer talking of scrapping or selling the RSS Boaty McBoatface due to austerity measures. There will be riots in the nurseries and primary schools up and down the country and putting a wailing child to bed will upset a lot of mothers and fathers. And they have votes.
Most scientific organisations would pay big money for such name recognition.
Here it’s being given to them free and they don’t want it. Sheesh.
They are looking for the original source. Best guess to date a zoo owl, named by by his sponsor, Hooty MacOwlface
I don’t know what the research vessel is going to be researching. Maybe it’s a good thing. I don’t know.
But from the name and the cartoon, is the captain going to be Donald McDonalds? 😎
More likely to be Major Major Major.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_Major_Major_Major
I believe Boaty McBoatface is here to stay, like it or not. I don’t know what would annoy Gang Green more, the name or the sense of humor shown by the “common” people. That they are not taking the science ship’s missions seriously is, of course, a boon. I do like the merchandising idea and I hope somebody runs with that.
Rising up in fun to mock this foolishness is wonderful (better and less deadly than rising up in anger). More power to it, I say.
The ancient British tradition of taking the pi**, it’s how we won the war, singing rude songs about AH’s testicle.
Itler, he only had one ball
goering had two but very small
himler was very similar
and poor old goebals had no balls at all
Time for another verse or two featuring sex poodles and hokey shticks. There’s another war to be won.
this explains why the site was down for repair & remodeling and I wasn’t allowed to contribute my suggestion for the boat name.
When did you try to vote? At one point the site crashed due to the number of people trying to vote for Boaty McBoatface
might have been about a month ago. The website said something about enjoy watching the cute penguin while you wait….
I didn’t know anything about Boaty then, or I would have been on board with that name too.
Never underestimate your audience.
Looks to me like an object lesson about how intelligent “the consensus” sounds to everyone else.
On the other hand, it’s also a reminder of what the current generation finds humorous… which is pretty horrible on its own.
I have concluded the ship should be Boaty McBoatface RRS. It is an easy name to remember and people, especially children continue their important research activity.
On a lighter, poor Minister of Economy talking about scrapping or sale of the RSS Boaty McBoatface due to austerity measures side.
If voting made any difference, they wouldn’t let us do it.
Mark Twain
And in related news, apparently the Royal Navy’s new aircraft carrier is to be named Warshippy McWarface. Vladimir Putin is already shaking in his shoes.