Dead Badger: I’m going to argue that you’re wrong and that the Internet, regardless of misspelling, was invented by Vinton Cerf and Robert Kahn. Even the BBC agrees with me.
Warning! Dour hijack ahead!
Bah. Insult Forteans all you like, but leave OUR LEADER CHARLES FORT out of it. He was very far from gullible. He was fascinated in all things strange and anonomolous, but took nothing at face value – not even scientific explanations, which is why some people think he takes the side of the paranormal believers.
As the man says himself:
/dour hijack averted, well done everybody
OK then - you can go. But be careful! We’ve had reports of furriners 'round these parts, and the hit squads are awfully jumpy today.
“To doubt everything or to believe everything are two equally convenient solutions; both dispense with the necessity of reflection.”
– H. Poincaré
I’m not saying that this necessarily applies to Charles Fort, but it is worth keeping in mind nonetheless.
Alright, but can we please acknowledge that I was in fact joking? I put the smilie there like a good boy, which I never do. I even compared Stephen Fry’s internet credentials with Jesus’. I do know who Vincent Turf is, y’know, although what Star Trek has to do with this is beyond me.
It was still Stephen Fry. Maybe Jesus helped some.
Oddly enough, a Google search on “Charles Fort gullible” turns up 45,000 hits.
I would reveal more, but a steady rain of frogs has just begun here, and I could be teleported at any mome
Dead Badger: I knew you were joking, which is why I cited the BBC in preference to all of the other cites Google drug out of the vasty deep. My humor is perhaps too subtle.
Brain Glutton represents all Americans? This is the stupidest pitting I’ve ever seen. Plus, if you were not stupider than he was, you’d realize he’s from Florida… Things are different in Florida.
From Tim’s FAQ.
Enjoy,
Steven
Seriously, though, although the SD is full of US-ers, I wish SOME OF you could be a little more circumspect when we’re talking about Brit stuff, or indeed anything that’s not Murrican.
It is the work of a moment to google someone’s name, especially if it is an odd one like Blunkett. And googling will get you to wikipedia or somewhere equally illuminating where you can have a good read about who the man is and why he’s a big philandering barstid, and come back shiny-faced and bushy-tailed, all ready for a pleasant jolly discussion about UK politics with us Brits.
Too many times have I seen people ask the most obvious question, receive some several v. polite answers, then contribute nothing to the discussion (as BrainGlutton did in that thread). Now, if you’d googled, you might feel more up to it.
We need your lovely and delightful comments from a lovely and delightful Seppoist perspective! All to many Brit threads never reach double figures. Google for Britain!
I’m English, Fortean and frankly you’re a fucking embarrassment. This has to be one of the silliest pittings ever. And if you can’t tell the difference between the internet, an American development, and the Web, which does owe something to an Englishman, then you’re the one that needs Google.
You’re a twerp.
Okay, for some reason I found this very funny, and my lapotp just barely escaped getting spewed with hot coffee. Hee.
And Fortean, I’ll have you know that some of us 'Mericans not only use Google, but also gasp make an effort to read international news. Some of us even, occasionally, take advantage of the international community here and ask questions when we can’t find the answer with Google.
I recommend a slightly narrower brush for your painting needs.
How the hell did Canadians get dragged into all of this? drags her country right back out again
Or, you could just not be a gigantic fucking dick and explain it yourself.
WTF is this thread all about? This is a serious inquiry, by the way.
Have you tried google?
I thought Al Gore invented the internet.
I don’t think so. The Arpanet clearly predated TCP/IP. It’s pretty clear that Kahn and Cerf were just members of a cast of hundreds working on that idea at the time.
That was Al Goure, and he was British. I wish you Americans would learn to spell.
Dammit, I’m wracking my brain trying to remember what this is from! Please remind me!
And sorry for the hijack.