Daily Mail comment of the day [Archive]

Dave B

10th March 2009, 14:13

First of all let me make it clear that in no way do I find the story (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1160883/Toddler-crushed-death-falling-television-set.html) itself remotely amusing: a poor kid has been crushed to death by a falling TV. That's no laughing matter, even for a sick b'stard like me.

What did tickle me, however, is this comment from a Daily Mail reader (never usually a group prone to spouting mindless kneejerk drivel):

I have noticed that some flat large-screen TVs are designed to sit high atop central pedestals and are quite wobbly. Although flat-screen TVs don't weigh as much as older TVs, they are still quite heavy. It would seem that TVs need be contained in a cabinet or fixed to a wall and not resting on furniture. In the past, programmes such as Esther Rantzen's That's Life would have made the problem with TVs toppling off furniture a national issue. I may have missed it, but I haven't noticed any warnings being issued by the Health & Safety executive or any campaign to prevent poor positioning and anchoring of TVs.

Damn you, Esther! Get out of the jungle and think about the children!

Mark

10th March 2009, 14:19

lol. On first glace the TV's do look like they are prone to toppling over. that's until you try to topple one over, the bases are so heavy that it's practically impossible.

Hazell B

10th March 2009, 15:57

...... the bases are so heavy that it's practically impossible.

It would appear you're wrong - this is the third small child I've read about in the past few months who's lost a life under a falling TV.

Warnings will start to appear all over the place now.

As opposed to warnings that should appear ..... DON'T HAVE CHILDREN IF YOU'RE A MORON WHO CAN'T KEEP THEM SAFE :(

Dave B

10th March 2009, 16:11

As opposed to warnings that should appear ..... DON'T HAVE CHILDREN IF YOU'RE A MORON WHO CAN'T KEEP THEM SAFE :(
Quite. I think that a warning sign should be displayed just outside the vagina for newborn babies informing them that sometimes the world can be dangerous. That's all the disclaimer there should be.

Hazell B

10th March 2009, 16:19

Followed by a sign telling them that non-readers bring it upon themselves?

Honestly Dave, you're just a Mail reader at heart, eh? :p :

MrJan

10th March 2009, 16:27

Surely that comment has got to be from someone taking the p*** out of the Mail? No real person would say that.....would they?

MrJan

10th March 2009, 16:29

It would appear you're wrong

That's just asking for an infraction point :p :

Garry Walker

10th March 2009, 16:35

Surely that comment has got to be from someone taking the p*** out of the Mail? No real person would say that.....would they?

I am pretty sure it is a guardian reader demonstrating his intelligence.

Brown, Jon Brow

10th March 2009, 16:55

I am pretty sure it is a guardian reader demonstrating his intelligence.

Are you trying to suggest that those of the left have a lower intelligence/IQ?

A study by Edinburgh University researchers has found that childhood intelligence is linked to voting preferences and political involvement in adulthood. The study – which looked at voting patterns in the 2001 general election – found that those with higher IQ ratings were more likely to vote Lib-Dem or Green in an election.

Mean age 10 IQ scores for people voting in the 2001 general election for various parties were as follows: Green(LEFT) 108.3; Liberal Democrat 108.2; Conservative 103.7; Labour 103.0; Plaid Cymru 102.5; Scottish National 102.2, UK Independent 101.1, British National 98.4(RIGHT); Did not vote/None 99.7.

http://www.mrc.ac.uk/Newspublications/News/MRC005139

Garry Walker

10th March 2009, 17:08

Are you trying to suggest that those of the left have a lower intelligence/IQ? Almost. Added to that, they are far less nicer people and I am speaking this from experience.

A study by Edinburgh University researchers has found that childhood intelligence is linked to voting preferences and political involvement in adulthood. The study – which looked at voting patterns in the 2001 general election – found that those with higher IQ ratings were more likely to vote Lib-Dem or Green in an election.

Mean age 10 IQ scores for people voting in the 2001 general election for various parties were as follows: Green(LEFT) 108.3; Liberal Democrat 108.2; Conservative 103.7; Labour 103.0; Plaid Cymru 102.5; Scottish National 102.2, UK Independent 101.1, British National 98.4(RIGHT); Did not vote/None 99.7.

http://www.mrc.ac.uk/Newspublications/News/MRC005139
As for this "research", I would not wipe my ass with the paper it is written on.

Daniel

10th March 2009, 18:15

Quite. I think that a warning sign should be displayed just outside the vagina for newborn babies informing them that sometimes the world can be dangerous. That's all the disclaimer there should be.

:rotflmao:

Easy Drifter

10th March 2009, 20:13

Post # 10 is the perfect lead in for my next joke in the Joke thread.

Coming shortly

BDunnell

10th March 2009, 23:34

Almost. Added to that, they are far less nicer people and I am speaking this from experience.

'Far less nicer'? You been reading the Grauniad?

And I presume that my personal experience of people from all sides of the political divide having the ability to be complete idiots of the first order counts for nothing in comparison to yours...

As for this "research", I would not wipe my ass with the paper it is written on.

Which research do you take seriously, then? That which agrees with your own views?

BDunnell

10th March 2009, 23:35

It would appear you're wrong - this is the third small child I've read about in the past few months who's lost a life under a falling TV.

Warnings will start to appear all over the place now.

As opposed to warnings that should appear ..... DON'T HAVE CHILDREN IF YOU'RE A MORON WHO CAN'T KEEP THEM SAFE :(

Precisely!

Brown, Jon Brow

11th March 2009, 11:15

Almost. Added to that, they are far less nicer people and I am speaking this from experience.

One of the most intelligent people I know is very right wing. But he is a bit of a tit and I wouldn't describe him as nice at all. He is very intolerable of people with views different to his own.

From my experience, those from the right are also associated with Homophobic, sexist and racist views. How is this 'nice'?

As for this "research", I would not wipe my ass with the paper it is written on.

Niether would I. I would use toilet paper. :p

MrJan

11th March 2009, 12:08

One of the most intelligent people I know is very right wing. But he is a bit of a tit and I wouldn't describe him as nice at all. He is very intolerable of people with views different to his own.

From my experience, those from the right are also associated with Homophobic, sexist and racist views. How is this 'nice'?

Because Gary is right wing and thinks that those are nice qualities? :p :

Personally I think that both the right and the left is full of nasty pieces of work, the nice guys are the unaffiliated ones who don't bang on about politics all the time.

BeansBeansBeans

11th March 2009, 12:21

Precisely!

Accidents happen. I expect the parents feel awful. There is no need to crow about it.

Dave B

11th March 2009, 13:35

Accidents happen. I expect the parents feel awful. There is no need to crow about it.
Nobody's crowing, we're just mocking this culture that seems to think by putting warning signs on everything you somehow make the world a safer place - when in fact those signs are just exercises in arse-covering in an increasingly litigious society.

BeansBeansBeans

11th March 2009, 14:42

Nobody's crowing, we're just mocking this culture that seems to think by putting warning signs on everything you somehow make the world a safer place - when in fact those signs are just exercises in arse-covering in an increasingly litigious society.

No, Hazell B clearly suggested that the bereaved parents were morons who shouldn't have had kids if they were unable to keep them safe. BDunnell agreed with her. The lack of humanity in people never fails to surprise me.

It is easy to make a mistake or an oversight, and an accident of this nature could befall any parent.

Daniel

11th March 2009, 17:25

No, Hazell B clearly suggested that the bereaved parents were morons who shouldn't have had kids if they were unable to keep them safe. BDunnell agreed with her. The lack of humanity in people never fails to surprise me.

It is easy to make a mistake or an oversight, and an accident of this nature could befall any parent.
I'm going to come out and defend Hazell on this one :) (see Hazell we don't always leave you to hang out to dry ;) )

Hazell said "if you're a moron who can't keep them safe" and not "if you can't keep your children safe then you're a moron" which are two totally different things.

I get your point and not everyone who lets their guard down is a moron but a lot of people are morons and never have their guard up and they're just accidents waiting to happen to their children.

BDunnell

11th March 2009, 19:05

No, Hazell B clearly suggested that the bereaved parents were morons who shouldn't have had kids if they were unable to keep them safe. BDunnell agreed with her. The lack of humanity in people never fails to surprise me.

It is easy to make a mistake or an oversight, and an accident of this nature could befall any parent.

Dave and Daniel are absolutely right. I took Hazell's comment as not being directed at those parents, but instead at the way in which we are all increasingly treated as potentially litigious morons. It doesn't particularly bother me, nor affect my life unduly, but I do find it absurd and unnecessary. (By the way, in case anyone thinks the 'culture of litigation' is a modern thing, it's not — the Victorians were very much into litigation, rather surprisingly.)

BeansBeansBeans

11th March 2009, 21:45

I apologise if I misread the intention of said posts.

BDunnell

11th March 2009, 22:12

No problem!

Mark in Oshawa

12th March 2009, 05:39

Never thought a TV falling over would kill anyone.....but in the litigious US I can see the personal injury lawyers licking their chops.

As for the comment those of the right or left being dumb or not. Lets put it this way. There are doofuses on both ends of the political spectrum and some truly decent and intelligent human beings on both sides of the political divide. I being right of center and a libertarian admire some people with left wing views in spite of their politics while I can despise people on the right at times. I think anyone who buys into this idea that you are somehow "smarter" for voting one way or the other is a fool. Those stats claiming those on the left are smarter completely ignores the fact if being a bit left makes you smart, would that make a Mao Tse-Tung or Vladimir Lenin two of the smartest men that ever lived? I know most of you posters of the left wing variety wouldn't want THAT on your conscience would you?

I still like Winston Churchills take on it when he said a young man in his 20's having no heart if he didn't vote Libreal and having no brain if he was over 30 and didn't vote Conservative....

Daniel

13th March 2009, 18:34

No problem!

I've lost all respect for you Ben! A golden opportunity to score points and you just let him off with a "No problem" :crazy:

:p

Garry Walker

16th March 2009, 12:17

'Far less nicer'? You been reading the Grauniad?

I am talking about my personal experience, you know, talking to people and discussing various issues.

Which research do you take seriously, then? That which agrees with your own views?
The kind of research that can be taken seriously, I take seriously :)

Here is something that I found very amusing.

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=56494

"Based on strikingly irrational beliefs and emotions, modern liberals relentlessly undermine the most important principles on which our freedoms were founded," says Dr. Lyle Rossiter, author of the new book, "The Liberal Mind: The Psychological Causes of Political Madness." "Like spoiled, angry children, they rebel against the normal responsibilities of adulthood and demand that a parental government meet their needs from cradle to grave."

One of the most intelligent people I know is very right wing. But he is a bit of a tit and I wouldn't describe him as nice at all. He is very intolerable of people with views different to his own.

Funny, the lefties I have personal experience with are the most intolerant of all people. When you disagree on something and after a while you get bored and say, ok, let`s just agree to disagree and not waste our time, they will keep on going on about their crazy views and try to push their views on you.

From my experience, those from the right are also associated with Homophobic, sexist and racist views.

I associate the same "qualities" with many left wingers, only replace homophonic with "heterophobic"

MrJan

16th March 2009, 13:06

How is someone heterophobic? Because they don't hate gay people that means that they hate everyone else? Or are you saying that all left wing people are homosexual?

Garry Walker

16th March 2009, 13:15

How is someone heterophobic?

Because they think it is ok to discriminate against heterosexuals to favour homosexuals :)

Or are you saying that all left wing people are homosexual?

:rotflmao: Have you been drinking?

Very nice to see that you did not argue against my assessment that many liberals are racist and sexist :)

BeansBeansBeans

16th March 2009, 13:21

Because they think it is ok to discriminate against heterosexuals to favour homosexuals

I'm a heterosexual, white male and can honestly say I've never experienced discrimination because of my sexuality, race or gender.

As for who is nicest between right and left-wing people, the answer is neither. As in all walks of life, there are good and bad people in both camps. I'm a 'lefty' but my best friend votes Tory. Politics should be about issues, not personalities.

Brown, Jon Brow

16th March 2009, 14:29

Because they think it is ok to discriminate against heterosexuals to favour homosexuals :)

Do they? What have you based this comment on? I don't think that being heterosexual has caused me to be discriminted against at all.

Mark in Oshawa

16th March 2009, 14:46

Brown, Jon Brow

16th March 2009, 14:47

Funny, the lefties I have personal experience with are the most intolerant of all people. When you disagree on something and after a while you get bored and say, ok, let`s just agree to disagree and not waste our time, they will keep on going on about their crazy views and try to push their views on you.

"

You're talking about lefties being intolerant and then describe their views as 'crazy'!!!!! :crazy:

Do you not think that is a little intolerent?

BeansBeansBeans

16th March 2009, 15:03

I think what Garry is referring to is you can lambaste any white male hetero on a TV commercial. Make him the buffoon, the butt of the joke. If you did the same to a Gay male, the holy wrath of just about every TV commentator and journalist will come down upon your head. To an extent, I understand that 100% but there is a double standard in Western society.

If this is true (and I'm not wholly convinced that it is) I'd say it was due to media hypersensitivity around issues of gay sexuality than some anti-hetero agenda.

Mark in Oshawa

16th March 2009, 16:39

If this is true (and I'm not wholly convinced that it is) I'd say it was due to media hypersensitivity around issues of gay sexuality than some anti-hetero agenda.

OH I agree but it is grating to see some people spout off about the theory that no one should be picked on as a group, no one is better than another and all that noble stuff, yet if you want to see one part of society portrayed as buffoons and simpletons, it is the white hetero usually married male in your average tv commercial. I think some misinterpret that...

Daniel

16th March 2009, 19:14

If this is true (and I'm not wholly convinced that it is) I'd say it was due to media hypersensitivity around issues of gay sexuality than some anti-hetero agenda.
Very true. I for instance really dislike Graham Norton and Alan Carr but I really like Stephen Fry. I bet if someone was to slag Norton or Carr off then they'd be branded a homophobe by some sectors of the hypersensitive media.

BDunnell

17th March 2009, 11:13

I have never experienced positive discrimination as a result of my sexuality, and think there's some absolute rubbish being spouted here about this issue.

BeansBeansBeans

17th March 2009, 11:25

Very true. I for instance really dislike Graham Norton and Alan Carr but I really like Stephen Fry. I bet if someone was to slag Norton or Carr off then they'd be branded a homophobe by some sectors of the hypersensitive media.

Really? I feel that I can confidently slag off Graham Norton without being branded a homophobe. The man is a cretin.

BeansBeansBeans

17th March 2009, 11:25

I have never experienced positive discrimination as a result of my sexuality, and think there's some absolute rubbish being spouted here about this issue.

Nonsense.

I bet you're showered with benefits.

BDunnell

17th March 2009, 11:28

Nonsense.

I bet you're showered with benefits.

No, but as a result of telling the Council that I'm gay I do have a specially-adapted house and was able to get a job as the finance minister of Botswana, so it's not all bad.

BeansBeansBeans

17th March 2009, 11:33

I read with interest a letter in the Vent Your Spleen section of the Newcastle Evening Chronicle, where a woman with a bust roof was lamenting the slow progress of the council in getting it repaired. "If I was a lesbian they'd be round here like a shot!" she said. "Nonsense" I thought, "If you were a lesbian you'd get up there and fix it yourself".

:p

BDunnell

17th March 2009, 11:38