# Flogging the Dead to Sell a Load of Crap **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 16, 2003, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flogging-the-dead-to-sell-a-load-of-crap/155357 "2003-02-16T02:16:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Apos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@Apos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apos)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2003, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flogging-the-dead-to-sell-a-load-of-crap/155357/1 "2003-02-16T02:16:29Z")
Ok, I’m a loser. I’m ranting about the NYPost and I know how pointless that is. But this made me sick. (Link won’t be active forever) [http://www.nypost.com/seven/02102003/commentary/68775.htm](http://www.nypost.com/seven/02102003/commentary/68775.htm) I’m behind war on Iraq. I think Saddam is a scourge upon his own people and his rule and regional stability are simply incompatible. But this is simply sickening. STEVE DUNLEAVY goes to a WWII cemetary? Why? No reason. It’s all just in the service of a riduculous “We helped out the French in WWII therefore they should support everything we do” screed. Dunleavy reads some utterly random names off graves (no sign that he knows any of them, or they are related to anyone he mentions in his story), describes himself weeping passionately, and then says: “These names mean nothing to the French, 91 percent of whom, according to a poll, are against President Bush’s plans to make Saddam a dark mark in history.” And, of course, he finds time through his tears to mention: “But then again, the French are against everything, including that curious American habit of showering every day.” It’s one thing to disagree with a nation’s political stance. But this entire article is one detestable non-sequitur after another. People read this guy? People LIKE this guy? ---
**Author:** ![Apos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@Apos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apos)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2003, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flogging-the-dead-to-sell-a-load-of-crap/155357/2 "2003-02-16T02:25:56Z")
Ok, so I kind of submitted before I was done with the title there… crap. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2003, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flogging-the-dead-to-sell-a-load-of-crap/155357/3 "2003-02-16T02:29:17Z")
[pre-emptive obligatory justification of French-bashing] But the French are slimy frogs! It’s not just acceptable to make fun of them, it’s our patriotic duty as Anglophones! Isn’t it? [this post is closed-captioned for the sarcasm-impaired] _Bof. Qu’il aille chier._ ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2003, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flogging-the-dead-to-sell-a-load-of-crap/155357/4 "2003-02-16T03:52:35Z")
Y’know, I really, really, REALLY get annoyed at the style of journalistic writing that rarely puts more than two sentences per paragraph… often just a single sentence. It looks pretentious, and makes it seem as if the author assumes his audience is stupid. As for the content of the article… well… it doesn’t take much intelligence to be able to mock the French’s hygiene. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2003, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flogging-the-dead-to-sell-a-load-of-crap/155357/5 "2003-02-16T04:36:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SPOOFE \* > \*\* > As for the content of the article… well… it doesn’t take much intelligence to be able to mock the French’s hygiene. \*\* Out of curiosity, have you ever been to France? ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2003, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flogging-the-dead-to-sell-a-load-of-crap/155357/6 "2003-02-16T04:41:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Apos \* > \*\*Ok, so I kind of submitted before I was done with the title there… crap. \*\* What WAS the thread title going to be? [sub]It might even be worth some Mod’s time and energy to fix it for you, if you ask.[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Rysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@Rysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysdad)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2003, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flogging-the-dead-to-sell-a-load-of-crap/155357/7 "2003-02-16T04:42:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kyla \* > \*\*Out of curiosity, have you ever been to France? \*\* I have. Paris stunk. And I mean aroma-wise. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2003, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flogging-the-dead-to-sell-a-load-of-crap/155357/8 "2003-02-16T04:45:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Rysdad \* > \*\*I have. Paris stunk. And I mean aroma-wise. \*\* How odd. I certainly did not make that observation when I was there. I actually didn’t like Paris very much, but that was unrelated to any smells. And I spent a _lot_ of time on the Metro. ---
**Author:** ![Apos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@Apos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apos)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2003, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flogging-the-dead-to-sell-a-load-of-crap/155357/9 "2003-02-16T06:23:31Z")
—What WAS the thread title going to be?— Something like “Flogging the Dead to Sell a Load of Crap” I dunno. I hadn’t worked it out yet. Now I’m probably only gonna get necrophiliacs and Greatful Dead fans, instead of fellow Dunleavy bashers. I’d LOVE if a mod would change the title: do they really do that? ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2003, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flogging-the-dead-to-sell-a-load-of-crap/155357/10 "2003-02-16T06:40:54Z")
> [@](#): > > Out of curiosity, have you ever been to France? No. Since when does one have to travel abroad to recognize a schoolyard insult? ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2003, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flogging-the-dead-to-sell-a-load-of-crap/155357/11 "2003-02-16T16:08:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Apos \* > \*\*I’d LOVE if a mod would change the title: do they really do that? \*\* Oh, there’s simply no END to what mods do. You’ve got King Log now…be careful if you want it changed again; I might send you a big [Stork](http://www.pagebypagebooks.com/Aesop/Aesops_Fables/The_Frogs_Desiring_a_King_p1.html). ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2003, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flogging-the-dead-to-sell-a-load-of-crap/155357/12 "2003-02-16T16:18:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SPOOFE \* > \*\*Y’know, I really, really, REALLY get annoyed at the style of journalistic writing that rarely puts more than two sentences per paragraph… often just a single sentence. It looks pretentious, and makes it seem as if the author assumes his audience is stupid. \*\* I’d say that anyone who buys this paper certainly deserves the title “stupid”. So it looks like Dunleavy is estimating his crowd quite aptly. ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2003, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flogging-the-dead-to-sell-a-load-of-crap/155357/13 "2003-02-16T16:19:25Z")
[New York Post thread about this very topic](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=162397) ---
**Author:** ![Daniel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Daniel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daniel)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2003, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flogging-the-dead-to-sell-a-load-of-crap/155357/14 "2003-02-16T16:39:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SPOOFE \* > **Y’know, I really, really, REALLY get annoyed at the style of journalistic writing that rarely puts more than two sentences per paragraph… often just a single sentence. It looks pretentious, and makes it seem as if the author assumes his audience is stupid.** Are you serious? What other style of journalistic writing is there? It’s the standard for every class and textbook on journalism I know of; I don’t think any other type of newspaper writing is even taught. The layout of a newspaper page is different from that of a book; paragraphs look a lot longer in those little columns. In newspaper writing, one- and two- sentence paragraphs are the standard everywhere. Anything longer is begging for an express ticket to the recycle bin. It’s nothing against the attention span of the readers; it’s just the nature of the business. That said, the article _is_extremely pretentious, but I don’t think it’s the fault of the writing style. The style, which is designed to present facts more simply and clearly, in this case does a great job of simply and clearly spotlighting the shortcomings of the writer. ---
**Author:** ![MysteryFellow63427](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e4f/32.png) [@MysteryFellow63427](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysteryFellow63427)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2003, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flogging-the-dead-to-sell-a-load-of-crap/155357/15 "2003-02-16T18:35:17Z")
Gee, and I thought this was going to be a thread about [John Edward](http://www.johnedward.net/index2.htm). ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2003, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flogging-the-dead-to-sell-a-load-of-crap/155357/16 "2003-02-17T07:40:46Z")
I thought the thread would start off: “My name is Harvey Earl–and I’ve come back to build you a great car.” ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2003, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flogging-the-dead-to-sell-a-load-of-crap/155357/17 "2003-02-17T15:18:20Z")
GM automobiles: built by flesh eating zombies. Hard working American flesh eating zombies. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2003, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flogging-the-dead-to-sell-a-load-of-crap/155357/18 "2003-02-17T15:29:54Z")
I like French culture. If it weren’t for them, what would we have to eat with our hamburgers? ---
**Author:** ![xenophon41](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xenophon41/32/253_2.png) [@xenophon41](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xenophon41)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2003, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flogging-the-dead-to-sell-a-load-of-crap/155357/19 "2003-02-17T15:44:36Z")
[Slingblade]I like 'em French fried 'taters, _mmmnnnnnhhhmm_.[/Slingblade] ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2003, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flogging-the-dead-to-sell-a-load-of-crap/155357/20 "2003-02-17T16:10:31Z")
😃 One of my favorite movies of all time! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flogging-the-dead-to-sell-a-load-of-crap/155357.md?page=2)