# Idiocy is alive and well: conviction for Twitter joke stands

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiocy-is-alive-and-well-conviction-for-twitter-joke-stands/560339>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [November 11, 2010, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiocy-is-alive-and-well-conviction-for-twitter-joke-stands/560339 "2010-11-11T18:29:09Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\
**Post date:** [November 12, 2010, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiocy-is-alive-and-well-conviction-for-twitter-joke-stands/560339/21 "2010-11-12T13:42:02Z")

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> [@nicole1912](#):
>
> Giving the guy a criminal record, which will likely have knock-on career consequences, for something as ridiculous as this is just madness.

He could have avoided prosecution by hitting a bicyclist and then driving off.

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**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2010, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiocy-is-alive-and-well-conviction-for-twitter-joke-stands/560339/22 "2010-11-13T22:12:47Z")

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Paul Chambers can not now work at his chosen profession because of his tweet. If he’s willing to go further to a higher court, there are some pretty heavy legal people working pro-bono on his case. I suspect the High Court, or higher, will take a more sensible view. Also, Stephen Fry is picking up his fines. It’s a weird combination of aggressive lawyers and comedians supporting the case.

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**Author:** ![postcards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e8cbc/32.png) [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2010, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiocy-is-alive-and-well-conviction-for-twitter-joke-stands/560339/23 "2010-11-13T23:10:05Z")

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> [@AClockworkMelon](#):
>
> Speaking of incompetence; if you think his message’s meaning was ambiguous your reading comprehension could use some improvement.

So could **your** grammar.

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**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\
**Post date:** [November 14, 2010, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiocy-is-alive-and-well-conviction-for-twitter-joke-stands/560339/24 "2010-11-14T00:11:27Z")

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> [@postcards](#):
>
> So could **your** grammar.

**AClockworkMelon** ’s grammar is fine. The usage of the semicolon might be called into question, but it’s separating two independent clauses.

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**Author:** ![postcards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e8cbc/32.png) [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)\
**Post date:** [November 14, 2010, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiocy-is-alive-and-well-conviction-for-twitter-joke-stands/560339/25 "2010-11-14T00:19:48Z")

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I stand corrected.

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