UKC

RSS Boaty Mcboatface

New Topic
This topic has been archived, and won't accept reply postings.
 Cú Chullain 06 May 2016
Outrage!

They've just named it "Attenborough"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-36225652

The UK's new polar research ship is to be named RRS Sir David Attenborough, after Boaty McBoatface previously topped a public vote.

RIP Boaty McBoatface

In a quiet corner of Elysium, Solon weeps bitter tears over the death of democracy
 pebbles 06 May 2016
In reply to Cú Chullain:

ah boo. Although I like Attenborough as a choice
2
 Pete Pozman 06 May 2016
In reply to Cú Chullain:

Solon McSolonface surely.
 ianstevens 06 May 2016
In reply to Cú Chullain:

Not a fan personally. Attenbrough has clearly done a lot to bring the natural world into the public attention over the last 50 years, but his links with Arctic and Antarctic science and exploration are negligible - I'd much rather have seen it named after someone with such a connection.

Still better than Boaty McBoatface though.
6
OP Cú Chullain 06 May 2016
In reply to ianstevens:

> Not a fan personally. Attenbrough has clearly done a lot to bring the natural world into the public attention over the last 50 years, but his links with Arctic and Antarctic science and exploration are negligible - I'd much rather have seen it named after someone with such a connection.

> Still better than Boaty McBoatface though.

Shackleton McShackletonface ?
1
 Ramblin dave 06 May 2016
In reply to ianstevens:

I had half a hope that they'd go with John Rae...
 Baron Weasel 06 May 2016
In reply to Cú Chullain:

I was always told it was bad luck to rename a boat.
 Welsh Kate 06 May 2016
In reply to Cú Chullain:

"one of the remotely operated sub-sea vehicles will be named Boaty in recognition of the vote."

 sbc_10 06 May 2016
In reply to Cú Chullain:

I'm sure the FIDs will shorten the name..... probably "Mc B"

RRS Attenborough is a bit of a gob full.
 Dave B 06 May 2016
In reply to sbc_10:

I'm sure they will all call it 'Dave' or 'Sir David' in polite company..

They could of course get confused about the siblings and call it 'Dickie Darling'.
In reply to Cú Chullain:

Calling a ship Boaty McBoatface is just silly but calling it Sir David Attenborough's RRS isn't funny at all.
 Rampikino 06 May 2016
In reply to Cú Chullain:

On the one hand this is anti-democratic. If you are going to invite "the people" to engage in a process then honouring their choice would appear to be the right thing to do.

On the other hand, the mass, social-media and sniggering/laddish depths that such public votes often sink into, utterly devalues the process in the first place. Boaty McBoatface may be popular but it is immature, unoriginal and lacking in any kind of imagination. Come on, "we" as a people can do better than that, surely!

Still, I understand Boaty will live on in one way
13
 nniff 06 May 2016
In reply to tom_in_edinburgh:

 GrahamD 06 May 2016
In reply to Rampikino:

Canvassing opinion or asking for suggestions is not the same as asking people to vote. Diference between a market survey and an election
 ianstevens 06 May 2016
In reply to Rampikino:

> On the one hand this is anti-democratic. If you are going to invite "the people" to engage in a process then honouring their choice would appear to be the right thing to do.

It was made clear from the start that NERC simply wanted suggestions and would make their own descision at the end regardless of the popular voting.
 Pete Pozman 06 May 2016
In reply to Welsh Kate:

> "one of the remotely operated sub-sea vehicles will be named Boaty in recognition of the vote."

>

Thank God there's some vestiges of Democracy left.
1
 mountainbagger 06 May 2016
In reply to ianstevens:

> It was made clear from the start that NERC simply wanted suggestions and would make their own descision at the end regardless of the popular voting.

Yes, it's almost like they knew this would happen.

What they should have done though is given people a very limited choice from a set of very bland/unappealing options, meaning most people would not have wanted to take part. Now that's democracy.
jac the lassie 06 May 2016
In reply to :

I feel sad about this. As silly as Boaty McBoatface was, it got the ship a lot of attention from people who otherwise wouldn't have know about this research ship and the things it will research.
The video about the ship actually got viewed a lot! Never mind the merchandise opportunities, they could have taken advantage of to help fund it's research and to secure its long term future.
Now it will melt back into obscurity. Opportunity wasted in my opinion.
 Rampikino 06 May 2016
In reply to ianstevens:

Fair point. No cause for complaint then!
In reply to Cú Chullain:

There'll be a discussion about this at the HoC Select Committee on Science and Technology next week to see whether involving the public in this was a good idea.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-36216392

Myself, I think it's got NERC and polar science the kind of raised public awareness that money couldn't buy.

T.
In reply to Pursued by a bear:

It is great that politicians are trying to learn from this. Politics in general doesn't appear to evolve very well, historically requiring a revolution or war to provide meaningful change. One of the problems is that politics seems very po-faced to a lot of people.

The behavior at PMQ's isn't the way to change things though.
1
In reply to L'Eeyore:

I don't think politicians are trying to learn from this themselves; in this case, they're perhaps trying to make sure that the reputation of a Research Council has been appropriately managed.

Which it has, I believe. Enhanced by several orders, I think.

T.
In reply to Pursued by a bear:

> I don't think politicians are trying to learn from this themselves; in this case, they're perhaps trying to make sure that the reputation of a Research Council has been appropriately managed.

I'd like to think you are wrong on this, but suspect you are correct.

> Which it has, I believe. Enhanced by several orders, I think.

Agreed
 Clarence 06 May 2016
In reply to Cú Chullain:

Maybe we can persuade David Attenborough to change his name to Boaty McBoatface instead?
 Big Ger 06 May 2016
In reply to Clarence:

Boaty McAttenboroughface.
 Pete Pozman 07 May 2016
In reply to Cú Chullain:

I wonder what the other research boats are called. Does nobody care?
 Swirly 07 May 2016
In reply to Pursued by a bear:


> Myself, I think it's got NERC and polar science the kind of raised public awareness that money couldn't buy.

An ex-colleague of mine did a significant chunk of his Ph.D. on a NERC funded research ship. He finds he no longer has to explain who NERC are and that they have research ships.

 sbc_10 07 May 2016
In reply to Pete Pozman:

https://www.facebook.com/NERC-Natural-Environment-Research-Council-90419285...

This turned up nicely to answer your question...
 Andy Long 07 May 2016
In reply to Cú Chullain:

Where did this name "Boaty McBoatface" spring from? Sorry to sound pompous but I pay little attention to popular culture these days.
3
 Andy Say 07 May 2016
In reply to Cú Chullain:

As a man who seems possessed of considerable integrity I am sure that the decent and honourable thing will be done. David Attenborough will change his name by deed poll to Sir Boaty McBoatface of Boatness.
 aln 07 May 2016
In reply to Pete Pozman:

> I wonder what the other research boats are called.

They're all called RSS Researchy McResearchface.
In reply to aln:

The new boat should be Shackleton II
Attenborough is inappropriate.
No one matches Shack.
DC
 aln 08 May 2016
In reply to Dave Cumberland:

>No one matches Shack.

Some people think Michael Head's solo stuff is just as good.
 sbc_10 08 May 2016
In reply to aln:

> >No one matches Shack.

Not forgetting Wally Herbert....... or should I say Sir Walter William "Wally" Herbert


 Andy Say 08 May 2016
In reply to Xavierpercy:

You forget 'Icy McIceface' WI 6
 tonanf 08 May 2016
In reply to Cú Chullain:

Whoever ask the 'public' to name this ship, should be ashamed of themself. The name was chosen, they should have used it. Don't take the pixxs of people by pretending to 'engage' them but only on your own, sensible terms.
Does it have to have a serious name, to do serious work? And would it sound silly in 20 years anyway?
No I didn't vote and I couldnt care less what it's called. Just a view on inclusion and democracy (ha ha).
3
 DaveHK 08 May 2016
In reply to Clarence:

> Maybe we can persuade David Attenborough to change his name to Boaty McBoatface instead?

https://www.change.org/p/jo-johnson-sir-david-attenborough-to-change-his-na...
 Clarence 08 May 2016
In reply to DaveHK:

Great minds and all that...
 Bulls Crack 09 May 2016
In reply to Cú Chullain:

Only thing to do is to rename David Attenborough Boaty Mc Boatface

New Topic
This topic has been archived, and won't accept reply postings.
Loading Notifications...