You get the name: Boaty McBoatface.
The name was suggested — putting the "jest" in suggestion — by a communications manager with a nice name of his own: James Hand. After that, the nefarious procedure known as voting worked its evil magic.
Actually, the Natural Environment Research Council was scientific enough to predict the ways of the internet and reserved the right to make the final decision...
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So this is like when you ask people if they'd like a President, named "Donald J. Trump."
HMS Redundant sounds move dignified.
It could be worse the North West Territory in the Canadian Arctic was recently divided to create an new aboriginal majority Territory called Nunavut. A survey was conducted to rename the rump territory and the leading candidate (after retaining the original name) was "Bob" http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/northwest-territories-looking-for-new-name-bob-need-not-apply-1.319749
So this is like when you ask people if they'd like a President, named "Donald J. Trump."
No, this is how you find out that Donald J. Trump was caused by climate change, because clearly 2016 is the Donald J. Trumpest year ever recorded.
"Name of Vessel" has a nice ring to it.
The "R.M.S. Tyrannic", from old NatLampoon.
Should something terrible happen, good luck trying to write a song called "The Wreck of the Boaty McBoatface."
It's a ship, not a boat. You can't trust the internet.
I wanted to vote for more than one answer.
This poll was very limiting.
Matt said...
It's a ship, not a boat. You can't trust the internet.
"Shippy McShipface" might be misunderstood.
It's a silly name, but I guarantee it would get more attention and be better for science education in the long run than a serious name honoring someone serious.
Lighten up, NERC.
There is a reason our founders decided not to create a straight-up democracy.
A Scots ship. The McBoat Clan approves.
Sure, they reserved the right not to use the winning name. But my question is, if you are aware that naming contests like this always result in tomfoolery, why even bother? You just end up annoying people and causing arguments by acting like the winning name will matter, when the overwhelming likelihood is that name will be something silly that you won't want to use.
Community had a plot along similar lines that was pretty funny, in which the school's new flag was to be designed and voted on by students. The winner ended up being the main characters' joke entry which resembled a circle around an asterisk and the motto "E Pluribus Anus" which from then on was a permanent fixture in the show.
Name your own goddamn boat and you don't have to deal with this.
They did the online poll for publicity.
The public threw the poll like a cream pie.
Live with it, dudes. It would show a smidgen of integrity.
The Scottsdale Community College Artichokes provide an example of a popularity poll gone amiss, but embraced thereafter.
the name sounds like it was chosen by the writers for NCIS
If there was a "Fucky McFuckyou" running...
Bob Ellison--Ditto for the UC Santa Cruz Banana Slugs.
"serious name honoring someone serious."
Wouldn't mind that a bit Paddy McOFace, except that nowadays it's named after someone who bought the naming rights.
When you have a culture that honors money instead of accomplishments, you have a culture that's fueled only by money. Peschel's First Law.
I thought I remembered a story about a woman who let the internet vote on what to name her baby. A search turned up: "Baby-Naming Website Admits It Made Up Story About Woman Who Agreed to Let the Internet Name Her Baby."
The £200 million polar research vessel, which will be operational in 2019, is set to sail the waters of Antarctica and the Arctic carrying a team of 90 scientists and support staff.
How about naming it the: "RSS You Better Subscribe to Catastrophic Global Warming Theory or You Won't Step Foot on Board or Receive a Grant in Your Lifetime"?
Bob Ellison said...
Live with it, dudes. It would show a smidgen of integrity.
You do realize that this is a climate science research vessel, right?
Still recall how the state of Wisconsin, back in 1985, solicited suggestions for a license plate motto. Responses included "Eat Cheese or Die," "We Butter You Up" and "State of Udder Beauty." My personal favorite was: "Come and Freeze in the Land of Cheese."
I'd have called it either "Sinky" or the "Lawrence Oates".
("I am just going outside and may be some time.")
(Or, for pop references, the "R. J. MacReady" or "William Dyer".)
Bill, that's BP Paddy McOFace Brought to You by AT&T to you.
Everyone is a cynic.
I like it.
But the captain might not.
"Boaty McBoatface, arriving."
The dignity of science be damned - the option missing here is that its a SHIP, whatever its function, which deserves some dignity. The crew, actually, as the body and spirit of the ship. These aren't scientists.
They should pick McBoatface and make "Boaty" be the nickname.
"This is the RRS McBoatface..." I like it.
Original Mike, wouldn't the captain be known as "Boaty McBoatface Actual"
Brilliant! It will instantly become the most popular ship on the ocean; the captain and crew will be feted as heroes. Charge tourists fifty bucks a head to tour the ship (includes a free "I Sailed on the RSS Boaty McBoatface!" T-shirt!) and put all of their missions live on the internet (call it "Boaty Brother")...
RSS Data Destroyer
Mountain Dew tried this. They had a new flavor, and solicited a vote from the internet. 4chan found out. When it was shut down, the top selection was "Hitler did nothing wrong". And there were worse options after that.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/13/4chan-mountain-dew_n_1773076.html
NEW RESEARCH FROM BOATY McBOATFACE
New research by Boaty McBoatface proves that global warming is due to human use of fossil fuels.
Yes I think the story would be read. But it would not be believed. It would be remembered as a Saturday morning cartoon - even if an NYT headline.
NEW RESEARCH FROM NYT's TIMMY McTIME SHOWS TRUMP IS HITLER RE-INCARNATED BY ALIENS.
HAS ONLY BEEN ON EARTH TWO YEARS.
IMAGINARY MEMORIES IMPLANTED BY SOCIAL MEDIA.
Hooray for Mr. Buwaya.
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