# Is this the wrongest thing ever? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 13, 2007, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-wrongest-thing-ever/419090 "2007-09-13T17:10:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2007, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-wrongest-thing-ever/419090/41 "2007-09-15T15:12:59Z")
> [@](#): > > Why whoosh? The remaing survivors passed away quite recently. But I suppose you knew that. According to Wikipedia, we’re both wrong: > [@](#): > > There are two survivors of the Titanic still living although neither has actual memories of the sinking. They are: > > ``` > * Barbara West Dainton; 96 years old and lives in Truro, England. > * Millvina Dean; 95 years old and lives in Southampton, England. > > ``` For some reason I imagined too much time had passed since 1912 for anyone to possibly be alive. It is not the first time I have over/underestimated entire decades of time due to poor mental math, and I don’t imagine it will be the last. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2007, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-wrongest-thing-ever/419090/42 "2007-09-15T22:07:13Z")
It’s hard for me to get upset about poor taste when I think of the immediate aftermath of the sinking, and the contortions the Social Register went into to remain in good taste. The survivors were picked up and brought to New York by the Carpathia, a Cunard line. Atlantic crossings had to be noted by the Social Register, and much hand-wringing ensued: the surviors set sail on the White Star Titanic, _tres chic_, but the ship did not make the crossing. So how to list the crossings, without overemphasis on the fact that they had arrived on a _tres gauche_ Cunard liner? The crossings were listed as “Titan-Carpath.” Must avoid impropriety, even at the expense of **acknowledging that their flipping lives were saved by Cunard.** NOKD, you know. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2007, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-wrongest-thing-ever/419090/43 "2007-09-15T22:21:24Z")
Minor nitpick - there were many high end Cunard liners - Lusitania and her sister Mauretania (both one-time holders of the Blue Riband) were both Cunarders, it’s just that Carpathia wasn’t one of them. The objection wasn’t to the line, it was to the ship - which is still stupid, but not quite the same thing. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2007, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-wrongest-thing-ever/419090/44 "2007-09-15T22:25:39Z")
Ah, I didn’t know that. Still, the fact that people cared so much is one of the many reasons I don’t lament missing the age of gentility. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2007, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-wrongest-thing-ever/419090/45 "2007-09-16T01:04:43Z")
[QUOTE=Kythereia] Next up: the Hindenburg skydiving party! All the fun of bursting into flames in mid-air and plummeting from dizzying heights, without the inconvenience of sudden death! [/QUOTE] Oh, the humanity! Surprised that no one has made this obvious statement. ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2007, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-wrongest-thing-ever/419090/46 "2007-09-16T01:41:38Z")
I don’t know. When I was a little girl my mom used to sing this song about the Titanic, I’m not sure of the title (probably “The Titanic”). It was this quirky upbeat melody with a funny little chorus line and I didn’t realize until I was much much older in what poor taste the song really was (just due to the cheerful little tune). Looking back, when it comes to the Titanic that song strikes me as pretty much “the wrongest Titanic thing ever”. Here are the lyrics [Ultimate Camp Resource - Camp Games, Camp Songs, Camp Skits, and more!](http://www.ultimatecampresource.com/site/camp-activity/titanic-different-version-.html) (though a little bit different than the ones my mom sang), I tried to find the melody, but couldn’t find it (of course anything to do with “melody” and “titanic” all that popped up was Celine Dion). ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2007, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-wrongest-thing-ever/419090/47 "2007-09-16T01:49:04Z")
Ps, found a site with at least an instrumental. Pretty incongruous tune for sure. [http://www.musiclegacy.com/Pages/titanic.htm](http://www.musiclegacy.com/Pages/titanic.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Carl\_Corey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Carl\_Corey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carl_Corey)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2007, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-wrongest-thing-ever/419090/48 "2007-09-16T15:18:14Z")
I must say this is not the wrongest thing ever. For I have seen goatse. Now I’m getting a mental image of a goatse slide. Oh ick. Where did I put the brain bleach? And let’s not even think of the Tubgirl Interactive Experience[sup]TM[/sup]. . . ---
**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:** [September 16, 2007, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-wrongest-thing-ever/419090/49 "2007-09-16T19:01:14Z")
[QUOTE=Carl Corey] I must say this is not the wrongest thing ever. For I have seen goatse. Now I’m getting a mental image of a goatse slide. Oh ick. Where did I put the brain bleach? And let’s not even think of the Tubgirl Interactive Experience[sup]TM[/sup]. . . [/QUOTE] You are an evil, evil person. ---
**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2007, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-wrongest-thing-ever/419090/50 "2007-09-16T20:58:13Z")
For any historically themed park started, I got dibs on the _Jeffrey Dahmer Carve & Roast Your Own Sweetmeats Concession[sup]TM[/sup]_ in the Food Court. ---
**Author:** ![Bookkeeper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bookkeeper/32/281_2.png) [@Bookkeeper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bookkeeper)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2007, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-wrongest-thing-ever/419090/51 "2007-09-17T13:51:29Z")
[QUOTE=CanvasShoes] I don’t know. When I was a little girl my mom used to sing this song about the Titanic, I’m not sure of the title (probably “The Titanic”). It was this quirky upbeat melody with a funny little chorus line and I didn’t realize until I was much much older in what poor taste the song really was (just due to the cheerful little tune). Looking back, when it comes to the Titanic that song strikes me as pretty much “the wrongest Titanic thing ever”. Here are the lyrics [Ultimate Camp Resource - Camp Games, Camp Songs, Camp Skits, and more!](http://www.ultimatecampresource.com/site/camp-activity/titanic-different-version-.html) (though a little bit different than the ones my mom sang), I tried to find the melody, but couldn’t find it (of course anything to do with “melody” and “titanic” all that popped up was Celine Dion). [/QUOTE] We used to sing that when I was a kid. We always ended up with the added lines: Kerplunk It sunk What junk It stunk ---
**Author:** ![SiXSwordS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@SiXSwordS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SiXSwordS)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2007, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-wrongest-thing-ever/419090/52 "2007-09-17T14:27:47Z")
I don’t suppose anyone noticed that the .pic in the link from the OP was taken in Minneapolis… Maybe something with bumper cars or one of those Flume rides… No, I suppose it’s too soon. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2007, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-wrongest-thing-ever/419090/53 "2007-09-17T14:56:34Z")
[QUOTE=SiXSwordS] I don’t suppose anyone noticed that the .pic in the link from the OP was taken in Minneapolis… Maybe something with bumper cars or one of those Flume rides… No, I suppose it’s too soon. [/QUOTE] A combination of a bumper car and flume ride. I’ll admit when Titanic came out I thought it would make a great water park slide, but only if done actual size. ---
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2007, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-wrongest-thing-ever/419090/54 "2007-09-17T15:35:06Z")
[QUOTE=Elendil’s Heir] Incredibly bad taste, even though the disaster was almost a century ago. In a few years will we have the Donner Party Snack Bar ride? The 9-11 Twin Towers o’ Doom slide? The Murrah Federal Building Blow-Up bouncy dome? Ugh. [/QUOTE] It’d probably be the Twin Towers Bungee Jump. I like the seat right next to the fiery lake! It’s warm there! ---
**Author:** ![Spiff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiff/32/9852_2.png) [@Spiff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiff)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2007, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-wrongest-thing-ever/419090/55 "2007-09-17T17:38:50Z")
[QUOTE=CanvasShoes] (of course anything to do with “melody” and “titanic” all that popped up was Celine Dion). [/QUOTE] Oh, the humanity! ---
**Author:** ![Ghanima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Ghanima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ghanima)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2007, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-wrongest-thing-ever/419090/56 "2007-09-17T18:17:26Z")
For the record, I must anal-retentively point out that the name is **Alferd** Packer. A-l-f-e-r-d. Not Alfred. The South Park guys made a musical movie about Alferd Packer that is…er, interesting. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2007, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-wrongest-thing-ever/419090/57 "2007-09-17T18:34:38Z")
How about an Andrea Doria jumping castle? Sure, it hasn’t been as long, but 1,660 people were rescued. Only 46 were killed–that’s pretty much the same amount of people that die on a regular crusie! ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2007, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-wrongest-thing-ever/419090/58 "2007-09-17T18:40:12Z")
[QUOTE=Ghanima] For the record, I must anal-retentively point out that the name is **Alferd** Packer. A-l-f-e-r-d. Not Alfred. The South Park guys made a musical movie about Alferd Packer that is…er, interesting. [/QUOTE] Wiki has him born as Alfred Packer, but then says that the judge at his trial addressed him at “Alferd.” When did they make the switch? And was Alferd just something of a nickname? ---
**Author:** ![Runestar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/74df32/32.png) [@Runestar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Runestar)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2007, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-wrongest-thing-ever/419090/59 "2007-09-17T19:42:43Z")
Gosh, neither of those two sets of lyrics match the ones I remember from camp. For us the third verse was: Oh, the captain stood on deck with a tear in his eye. As the last lifeboat left, he waved them all goodbye. He thought he’d made a slip, so he went down with his ship It was s-a-d when the great ship went down. And the final verse was: Oh they built another ship called the S.S. Mary Lou and they said that this was one ship the water would never get through So they christened it with beer, and it sank right off the pier It was s-a-d when the great ship when down. I suspect that it’s one of those cases where every camp in every state has a slightly different version. The tune (at least the one from the second link) is definitely the same though. ---
**Author:** ![Ghanima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Ghanima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ghanima)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2007, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-wrongest-thing-ever/419090/60 "2007-09-17T21:28:30Z")
[QUOTE=Zoggie] Wiki has him born as Alfred Packer, but then says that the judge at his trial addressed him at “Alferd.” When did they make the switch? And was Alferd just something of a nickname? [/QUOTE] I’m no expert. I was only familiar with the Alferd spelling. But according to [this website](http://www.crimelibrary.com/serial_killers/history/alfred_packer/4.html): > [@](#): > > Alfred or Alferd? > > There’s long been confusion over the correct spelling of Packer’s name. Official documents from the military, court proceedings, and even his tombstone list it as Alfred G. Packer. Yet during his first stint in the military, he had written it as Alferd, and had that spelling tattooed on his arm. (Or the tattoo artist made the error, which amused him, and he subsequently adopted it—depending on which account is to be believed.) He was known to spell it this way on other occasions as well. The invitations to his hanging followed suit. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-wrongest-thing-ever/419090.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-wrongest-thing-ever/419090.md?page=4)