# Keith Olbermann should kill himself **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 17, 2009, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keith-olbermann-should-kill-himself/496756 "2009-05-17T16:36:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 15
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2009, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keith-olbermann-should-kill-himself/496756/281 "2009-05-23T20:46:01Z")
> [@SteveG1](#): > > Well, you better get the real ones, the “franchise” ones are crap. Some day I will expound on the family owned “hole in the wall” a block away from my place. Heaven. Yeah, they’re pretty sweet. Made by a guy (his employees, actually) who owns several Mexican restaurants around town that cater to a Mexican clientele. They’re served on soft little double-stacked tortillas with chunks of marinated steak and cilantro and accompanied by a yellow(ish) hot sauce that would instantly open the most stubbornly clogged of sinuses. I need a bottle of beer just to get through two of them (and since I’m probably gonna have five or six, holding it to only two beers is gonna be tough. :D). Anyway, cheers. I’m out. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2009, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keith-olbermann-should-kill-himself/496756/282 "2009-05-23T21:22:39Z")
> [@Carol\_Stream](#): > > Let me up. So, now we’ve moved from making up juvenile, stupid, internet terms, to making up pronunciations for said juvenile, stupid, internet terms? 1997 called. It wants its rant back. > [@Carol Stream](#): > > The Crisis Continues. Oh noes, English is dying! Just like it was in 1970, 1940, 1910, 1885, 1785, and 1625. This change is a sign of vibrancy in the language, not decay. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Jeffrey\_Lebowski](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_jeffrey_lebowski/32/215_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Jeffrey\_Lebowski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Jeffrey_Lebowski)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2009, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keith-olbermann-should-kill-himself/496756/283 "2009-05-23T21:44:27Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > The main point is that **everyone** in this country has the opportunity to “get ahead”, to be “successful”, to earn or acheive wealth. It has only been 3 days since I pointed out that this is an absolute statement that is, imho, an impossibility. I am not concerned with your list of exceptions to this particular statement - they do not apply. According to The Free Dictionary, the definition of the word ‘everyone’ is every person, everybody. This definition was taken from The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition. [Cite here](http://www.thefreedictionary.com/everyone). Every person. Every. Single. Person. So if I can provide an example of just _one person_ who does NOT have the same opportunity to “get ahead”, to be “successful”, or to earn or achieve wealth, then your statement would seem to be false, or incorrect. I think that I’ll select those born with Autism as an example of people (more than one person) who don’t have an opportunity to “get ahead” here in the good old US of A. You can read all about Autism [here](http://www.hhs.gov/autism/). There are other avenues that I could explore to further my point, but I’m hoping that the one example is enough for now. ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_Stream](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c2a13f/32.png) [@Carol\_Stream](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_Stream)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2009, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keith-olbermann-should-kill-himself/496756/284 "2009-05-23T21:55:41Z")
> [@Captain\_Carrot](#): > > This change is a sign of vibrancy in the language, not decay. “pwned” is not, and never will be, a sign of “vibrancy” in the language. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2009, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keith-olbermann-should-kill-himself/496756/285 "2009-05-23T22:08:46Z")
> [@Carol\_Stream](#): > > “pwned” is not, and never will be, a sign of “vibrancy” in the language. And you know this how? Edit: And I mean an actual reason, not “it’s evident”. ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_Stream](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c2a13f/32.png) [@Carol\_Stream](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_Stream)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2009, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keith-olbermann-should-kill-himself/496756/286 "2009-05-23T22:10:25Z")
> [@Captain\_Carrot](#): > > And you know this how? You made the claim. Back it up. Tha’ts how it works. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2009, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keith-olbermann-should-kill-himself/496756/287 "2009-05-23T22:17:55Z")
> [@Carol\_Stream](#): > > You made the claim. Back it up. Tha’ts how it works. ‘pwned’ is an example of change in language. Languages that don’t change die. ‘pwned’ specifically is the result of an error in typing, but plenty of words, like ‘pea’ and ‘OK’, are the result of accidental or intentional errors in spelling or typography. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2009, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keith-olbermann-should-kill-himself/496756/288 "2009-05-23T22:19:19Z")
Doesn’t “vibrancy” just imply the ability to change? It doesn’t have to be a _good_ change, though language issues are 99.9% arbitrary anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2009, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keith-olbermann-should-kill-himself/496756/289 "2009-05-23T22:19:36Z")
> [@Carol\_Stream](#): > > The equation does not change if it’s my salary or other income. It is mine. If my neighbor were to take any of it for his use, it would be conversion, aka theft. If the government does it, under penalty of law, and at gunpoint, it’s called taxes. It’s still theft, IMO. Civics lesson for today: governments are allowed to do things that individual people are not. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2009, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keith-olbermann-should-kill-himself/496756/290 "2009-05-23T22:20:57Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Doesn’t “vibrancy” just imply the ability to change? It doesn’t have to be a _good_ change, though language issues are 99.9% arbitrary anyway. What would be a bad linguistic change? Languages shift to serve the needs of their populations, by and large. ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_Stream](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c2a13f/32.png) [@Carol\_Stream](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_Stream)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2009, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keith-olbermann-should-kill-himself/496756/291 "2009-05-23T22:27:53Z")
> [@Captain\_Carrot](#): > > ‘pwned’ is an example of change in language. Languages that don’t change die. ‘pwned’ specifically is the result of an error in typing, but plenty of words, like ‘pea’ and ‘OK’, are the result of accidental or intentional errors in spelling or typography. That’s your opinion, nothing more. I disagree with your opinion. “pwned” (which hurts to type, so I won’t anymore 🙂 ) is deliberately stupid and childish. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2009, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keith-olbermann-should-kill-himself/496756/292 "2009-05-23T22:28:49Z")
> [@Captain\_Carrot](#): > > What would be a bad linguistic change? Languages shift to serve the needs of their populations, by and large. Well, pwned at the very least is a neutral shift. It means the same thing as owned, just with a gamer connotation. Personally, given that it arose from a _typo_, I have a hard time accepting its use in actual speech. There I’d prefer to use owned and reserve pwned (or pwnt) for when I want to be goofy online. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Jeffrey\_Lebowski](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_jeffrey_lebowski/32/215_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Jeffrey\_Lebowski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Jeffrey_Lebowski)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2009, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keith-olbermann-should-kill-himself/496756/293 "2009-05-23T22:30:37Z")
Upon review of what I just wrote, I’d like to say that I was wrong when I said that those born with Autism don’t have an opportunity to “get ahead”. That is an absolute statement, insinuating that every person born with Autism has no opportunity. I was talking out of my ass and I apologize for doing so. It is the people that have severe cases of the affliction to whom I referred. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2009, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keith-olbermann-should-kill-himself/496756/294 "2009-05-23T22:36:44Z")
> [@Carol\_Stream](#): > > That’s your opinion, nothing more. I disagree with your opinion. “pwned” (which hurts to type, so I won’t anymore 🙂 ) is deliberately stupid and childish. ‘Stupid and childish’ is pretty negative. How about ‘silly’? ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_Stream](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c2a13f/32.png) [@Carol\_Stream](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_Stream)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2009, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keith-olbermann-should-kill-himself/496756/295 "2009-05-23T22:47:42Z")
> [@Captain\_Carrot](#): > > Civics lesson for today: governments are allowed to do things that individual people are not. Civics lesson for today: We are the government. Are we allowed to do things that we’re not allowed to do? I am not taking civics lessons, or any other lessons, from a college sophomore, quite probably the stupidest creatures on the planet. Run along now, I hear your Mom calling you for dinner. ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_Stream](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c2a13f/32.png) [@Carol\_Stream](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_Stream)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2009, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keith-olbermann-should-kill-himself/496756/296 "2009-05-23T22:51:05Z")
> [@Captain\_Carrot](#): > > ‘Stupid and childish’ is pretty negative. How about ‘silly’? Sorry, no, I’ll stick with stupid and childish. YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2009, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keith-olbermann-should-kill-himself/496756/297 "2009-05-23T22:55:29Z")
> [@Carol\_Stream](#): > > Civics lesson for today: We are the government. Are we allowed to do things that we’re not allowed to do? The People!=a person. > [@Carol Stream](#): > > I am not taking civics lessons, or any other lessons, from a college sophomore, quite probably the stupidest creatures on the planet. Wait, I’m stupid because I’m obtaining education? How does that work, precisely? > [@Carol Stream](#): > > Run along now, I hear your Mom calling you for dinner. Take that ageism and shove it right up your ass. That is, if there’s room, what with that enormous stick in there. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2009, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keith-olbermann-should-kill-himself/496756/298 "2009-05-23T22:56:14Z")
> [@Captain\_Carrot](#): > > What would be a bad linguistic change? Languages shift to serve the needs of their populations, by and large. “The word ‘dog’ is henceforth forbidden. The animal will now be referred to exclusively as a hingandonnajinkalabeast.” I’d consider this a “bad” change in the sense that it adds more complexity without adding more meaning. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2009, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keith-olbermann-should-kill-himself/496756/299 "2009-05-23T22:59:07Z")
> [@Carol\_Stream](#): > > That’s your opinion, nothing more. I disagree with your opinion. “pwned” (which hurts to type, so I won’t anymore 🙂 ) is deliberately stupid and childish. I don’t have a side in this fight, but the post you just described as “opinion” was 100% factual. Every single word was fact. Exactly which part of it would you consider “opinion”? Here, I’ll post it again for easy reference: > [@](#): > > ‘pwned’ is an example of change in language. Languages that don’t change die. ‘pwned’ specifically is the result of an error in typing, but plenty of words, like ‘pea’ and ‘OK’, are the result of accidental or intentional errors in spelling or typography. Whether you like the word or not, I just don’t see anything in there that counts as opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2009, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keith-olbermann-should-kill-himself/496756/300 "2009-05-23T23:02:40Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > “The word ‘dog’ is henceforth forbidden. The animal will now be referred to exclusively as a hingandonnajinkalabeast.” > > I’d consider this a “bad” change in the sense that it adds more complexity without adding more meaning. How about a realistic change, though? Things like “hingandonnajinkalabeast” don’t happen. Moreover, when official institutes of language purity _cough_France_cough_ try, people by and large just ignore their pronouncements and keep saying things like le Walkman and le weekend. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keith-olbermann-should-kill-himself/496756.md?page=14) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keith-olbermann-should-kill-himself/496756.md?page=16)