# Dio, at it again and raising the bar **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 20, 2010, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dio-at-it-again-and-raising-the-bar/543888 "2010-06-20T18:19:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 12
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dio-at-it-again-and-raising-the-bar/543888/221 "2010-06-21T17:46:45Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Note the past tense. Before their one mistake that killed a kid, they would have said the same thing you said. So how are we to determine whether you are one of them, pre-kid-killing-mistake, or one of the other folks who never **will** have a kid-killing mistake? That’s the question. Actually, the kid is always in mixed state of half dead / half alive back there until someone checks on it and collapses the wave function. So, technically ALL parents are child killers for some fraction of the time the child exists. ---
**Author:** ![enigmatic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@enigmatic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enigmatic)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dio-at-it-again-and-raising-the-bar/543888/222 "2010-06-21T17:49:23Z")
A hypothetical, Nik You are looking for babysitters for your toddler, both of them have swimming pools in their back yard. One of them has considered the possibility that an unsupervised child could fall in the pool and has securely fenced the pool off, the other insists that they could never be irresponsible enough to leave your child in the back yard unsupervised. Ignoring all other factors which babysitter would you choose?, which do you consider to have the most responsible attitude?, would you consider the fencing to suggest an unwitting admission that the first babysitter might be less reliable at supervising your child? ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dio-at-it-again-and-raising-the-bar/543888/223 "2010-06-21T17:51:08Z")
> [@MsWhatsit](#): > > **Bearflag** , you’re a mensch for going to all that trouble. Honestly. I had to look up “mensch” to be sure it was a good thing. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dio-at-it-again-and-raising-the-bar/543888/224 "2010-06-21T17:57:44Z")
This is a tiresome discussion with obtuse blowhards. I see nothing to win and no way to win it. ---
**Author:** ![born\_too\_late](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ba9def/32.png) [@born\_too\_late](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/born_too_late)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dio-at-it-again-and-raising-the-bar/543888/225 "2010-06-21T17:58:15Z")
> [@Notorious\_Nik](#): > > It’s amazing that I’m being attacked for having the audacity to know that I’m a good father. Nik and DtC have never heard of the word ‘hubris’. And if you were to suggest it exists, they would deny it to their dying breath. ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dio-at-it-again-and-raising-the-bar/543888/226 "2010-06-21T18:00:13Z")
> [@Bearflag70](#): > > You argued that it was murder and criminal negligence _per se_. > [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > No, I argued that it was illegal, _per se_ to leave a baby in a car. Exhibit 1: [QUOTE=Diogenes the Cynic] Parents who do that crap should be jailed for life. They are murderers. [/QUOTE] Exhibit 2: [QUOTE=Diogenes the Cynic] Leaving a baby in a car is automatically criminally negligent by statute. [/QUOTE] ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dio-at-it-again-and-raising-the-bar/543888/227 "2010-06-21T18:06:46Z")
OK, I read the article. It’s exactly what I thought it would be – a bleeding heart apology for catastrophic negligence. I felt sympathy for one or two of the people (the catatonic guy), but thoroughly detested the woman (Balfour?) whoi said “I don’t feel I have to forgive myself,” showed no remorse, denied that she’d done anything wrong, etc. The author acted like this bitch’s “impassivity” was something to be admired, when it’s really just callous, self-absorbed denial. It’s not admirable that she “got angry” about being prosecuted, or that she gets pissy and cunty with her husband (the father of the baby she killed) every time she thinks he’s questioning her parenting. Of COURSE he’s questioning her parenting. SHE KILLED HIS BABY. The worst thing about this woman is that she was getting artifical insemination so she could have more babies to roast in the car. She’s also a retard who thinks that God killed her baby because she had an abortion when she was young. The others I can feel for, but that woman makes me sick. The neuro-science stuff does not impress me. I get the auto pilot thing. It’s happened to me. It happens to me more than most. I’m a space cadet. I’m often oblivious to my surroundings and up in my head. It’s _because_ I know that about myself that I regularly pull myself out of it and take inventory. I take particular care to do this when getting in and out of the car. I irritate my wife because I’ll check two or three times to make sure we locked the door and turned everything off inside. Before I get out of the vehicle (at home or anywhere else), I inventory the back and front to make sure I’m not forgetting anything. I make myself dpo these checks and double-checks BECAUSE I know I’m forgetful. If there was a common thread among the cases in that article, I think it was self-absorbtion. People getting more caught up in their jobs or whatever than their kids. Also cell phones. They get distarcted because they’re yapping on a cell phone while driving their kids around. Talking on a cell phone while driving is irresponsible all by itself, especially when there are kids in the car. ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dio-at-it-again-and-raising-the-bar/543888/228 "2010-06-21T18:09:34Z")
You have called me while driving. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dio-at-it-again-and-raising-the-bar/543888/229 "2010-06-21T18:13:27Z")
> [@enigmatic](#): > > A hypothetical, Nik > > You are looking for babysitters for your toddler, both of them have swimming pools in their back yard. One of them has considered the possibility that an unsupervised child could fall in the pool and has securely fenced the pool off, the other insists that they could never be irresponsible enough to leave your child in the back yard unsupervised. > > Ignoring all other factors which babysitter would you choose?, which do you consider to have the most responsible attitude?, would you consider the fencing to suggest an unwitting admission that the first babysitter might be less reliable at supervising your child? Going along with this metaphor, I have a fence. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dio-at-it-again-and-raising-the-bar/543888/230 "2010-06-21T18:14:06Z")
> [@cricetus](#): > > You have called me while driving. Please tell me this is true… Oh, that is a world class fucking burn right there. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dio-at-it-again-and-raising-the-bar/543888/231 "2010-06-21T18:15:34Z")
> [@cricetus](#): > > You have called me while driving. I don’t think so. From the car, maybe, but not while driving. I won’t say I’ve never talked on a cell while driving, but it’s virtually always to take a call, not make one, and it’s always as brief as I can make it. It’s also totally irresponsible. ---
**Author:** ![Notorious\_Nik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/858c86/32.png) [@Notorious\_Nik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Notorious_Nik)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dio-at-it-again-and-raising-the-bar/543888/232 "2010-06-21T18:15:49Z")
> [@enigmatic](#): > > A hypothetical, Nik > > You are looking for babysitters for your toddler, both of them have swimming pools in their back yard. One of them has considered the possibility that an unsupervised child could fall in the pool and has securely fenced the pool off, the other insists that they could never be irresponsible enough to leave your child in the back yard unsupervised. > > Ignoring all other factors which babysitter would you choose?, which do you consider to have the most responsible attitude?, would you consider the fencing to suggest an unwitting admission that the first babysitter might be less reliable at supervising your child? I’ve considered the possibility that leaving my kid in the car all day will kill her, so I don’t do it. That sounds pretty responsible to me. ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dio-at-it-again-and-raising-the-bar/543888/233 "2010-06-21T18:16:24Z")
No, you have. I remember because it pissed me off that you did. I told you to hang up and call me when you got home. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dio-at-it-again-and-raising-the-bar/543888/234 "2010-06-21T18:18:00Z")
Why was I calling you? I have no memory of what you’re talking about, and it’s not something I would normally do. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dio-at-it-again-and-raising-the-bar/543888/235 "2010-06-21T18:20:12Z")
> [@Notorious\_Nik](#): > > I’ve considered the possibility that leaving my kid in the car all day will kill her, so I don’t do it. That sounds pretty responsible to me. Cue drill sergeant voice. “Gump, you are fucking genius. A fucking genius Gump!” If only all those other terminally stupid child killing parents had known! ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dio-at-it-again-and-raising-the-bar/543888/236 "2010-06-21T18:21:08Z")
There was a Vikings game on. You were getting off work and wanted to get caught up on what had happened. At the time you defended driving while talking, you said it was fine. I’m glad you’ve changed your mind about it. There was one other time when you were going to the store and had some question about what to buy. ---
**Author:** ![Notorious\_Nik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/858c86/32.png) [@Notorious\_Nik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Notorious_Nik)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dio-at-it-again-and-raising-the-bar/543888/237 "2010-06-21T18:23:04Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > Cue drill sergeant voice. > > “Gump, you are fucking genius. A fucking genius Gump!” > If only all those other terminally stupid child killing parents had known! You scoff, but those kids would still be alive if they didn’t have jackasses for parents. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dio-at-it-again-and-raising-the-bar/543888/238 "2010-06-21T18:26:32Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > Why was I calling you? I have \*\*no memory \*\*of what you’re talking about, and it’s not **something I would normally do**. Oh how fucking ironic. You can’t **remember** doing something bad in the first place AND its not something you’d\*\* normally \*\*do. Not only THAT, you recognize it as being very dangerous to do. For some reason those points somehow vaguely remind me of some important points regarding boiled babies but I just can’t put my finger on it :rolleyes: Congratulations Dio. In this single post you have finally won it for the other side, showing how a good parent can kill a child, how your just as much a fuck up as they are, and what a fucking tool you’ve been in these threads. And who is this dropping a dime on you? your wife? ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dio-at-it-again-and-raising-the-bar/543888/239 "2010-06-21T18:28:37Z")
I feel a little bit guilty for pulling out personal information to embarrass Dio, but I’m a little weary of all the self-righteous blathering. As far as I know, Nik is perfect in every way… except for thinking empathy is a character flaw. I can guess how he votes. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dio-at-it-again-and-raising-the-bar/543888/240 "2010-06-21T18:28:44Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > Who knew you could concentrate Dio’s bullshit down THAT much and still end up with a SHITLOAD of bullshit? 🙂 > > Bearflag needs an award or sumptin. I think bearflag needs some links to some games, YouTube videos\*, lolcats or some other more fun/less frustrating online timewasters. [sub]\*Not the chimp and the frog one though.[/sub] [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dio-at-it-again-and-raising-the-bar/543888.md?page=11) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dio-at-it-again-and-raising-the-bar/543888.md?page=13)