# Not dead...is not dead **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [October 3, 2017, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-dead-is-not-dead/797841 "2017-10-03T02:12:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2017, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-dead-is-not-dead/797841/1 "2017-10-03T02:12:37Z")
Post 79: > [@Tom Petty suffers cardiac arrest \[Update: RIP\]](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-petty-suffers-cardiac-arrest-update-rip/797821/79): > > I’m not going to play musical chairs with the thread title. If he has not passed away by tomorrow night or the next, I will change it then. Until then, however, things don’t look too good (God forbid, however…I hope he pulls through), so I’m going to leave it for now pending better news, because from everything I have heard and read, it doesn’t look good at all. Again, I hope I’m wrong. > > I’ll change it tomorrow night or the next…or on the update of good news. Or another CS mod can change it if they want, I don’t mind. [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=837824](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=837824) C’mon, the guy is not dead (or at least not confirmed to be). No need for musical chairs, just change the title back if he becomes confirmed dead. No need to wait to see if he doesn’t eventually pass away before it’s changed. Are there some going through hoops involved in changing a thread title? “It doesn’t look good” based on what you’ve heard is not reason to have the current thread title reporting him dead. Obviously what’s been reported hasn’t been verified as accurate, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2017, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-dead-is-not-dead/797841/2 "2017-10-03T02:15:16Z")
> [@Tom Petty suffers cardiac arrest \[Update: RIP\]](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-petty-suffers-cardiac-arrest-update-rip/797821/83): > > This is a really strange situation and since it’s so unclear at this moment, I’m going to alter the thread title until some definitive word is announced about Petty’s status. > > We’re all emotional today, so let’s step back a little and don’t worry about the little things. > > Peace, > Ellen Cherry Missed it by that much. ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2017, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-dead-is-not-dead/797841/3 "2017-10-03T02:29:31Z")
As far as anyone knew, the thread title was correct and he is/was brain dead. No matter, however, I was going to bed then and was going to change it when I got up, barring any news of his actual passing. But after five or six reports of “change the thread title to update his passing” (at the time, which I did) and then three of four saying “now change it back, please”…I didn’t see a particular urgency to change it right then since, as others have pointed out in that thread, it seems it’s (unfortunately) either that way already (brain dead, as most reports I’m seeing/reading say) or the most likely outcome. I haven’t changed from that opinion, but that’s why we have more than one mod per forum, so it all works out. ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2017, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-dead-is-not-dead/797841/4 "2017-10-03T02:45:00Z")
> [@Idle\_Thoughts](#): > > As far as anyone knew, the thread title was correct and he is/was brain dead. As far as anyone knew? That’s not the way reporting someone as dead goes. > [@](#): > > No matter, however, I was going to bed then and was going to change it when I got up, barring any news of his actual passing. Not cool. > [@](#): > > But after five or six reports of “change the thread title to update his passing” (at the time, which I did) Which was reasonable because it was reported that he was dead. > [@](#): > > and then three of four saying “now change it back, please”… Because it was reported that the reports of his passing were inaccurate. His Wikpedia, for example, no longer has a date of death and he went back to an “is” and no longer a “was.” It shouldn’t even have been a question that it should no longer be in the thread title that he’s dead. > [@](#): > > I didn’t see a particular urgency to change it right then since, as others have pointed out in that thread, it seems it’s (unfortunately) either that way already (brain dead, as most reports I’m seeing/reading say) or the most likely outcome. We have no idea what the most likely outcome will be, but it’s irrelevant. I’m not seeing any reports after the correction that he is brain dead. Where are these “most” reports? People should not be reported as being dead because you think it’s the most likely outcome. Again, what sort of hoops are involved in changing a thread title? assuming it’s pretty simple, what’s with not seeing “urgency”? ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2017, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-dead-is-not-dead/797841/5 "2017-10-03T02:47:39Z")
I’ll say it again, quite simply: Every report I have seen/read says he has no brain activity and has been taken off life support. To me, that means “dead”. Brain dead, to be more specific. Now if, come morning, he was still around…I would have changed it, however it’s for these exact circumstances there’s more than one than one mod per forum. Me, however–since I had already changed/updated it once–and it turned out it was wrong and misreported and that nobody really knew what the case is (and still doesn’t), I decided to err on the side of caution before updating it again with possible wrong information. No harm in waiting a bit for more info to come to light and I still don’t think that was wrong, per se…but it’s a moot point now. ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2017, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-dead-is-not-dead/797841/6 "2017-10-03T02:59:13Z")
> [@Idle\_Thoughts](#): > > I’ll say it again, quite simply: Every report I have seen/read says he has no brain activity and has been taken off life support. To me, that means “dead”. Brain dead, to be more specific. I’ll remind you of what you wrote: _If he has not passed away by tomorrow night or the next, I will change it then. Until then, however, things don’t look too good (God forbid, however…I hope he pulls through), so I’m going to leave it for now pending better news, because from everything I have heard and read, it doesn’t look good at all. Again, I hope I’m wrong._ Which is it? Every report means to you that he is dead or that he has not passed away, “it doesn’t look good”, you hope he “pulls through”? > [@](#): > > Me, however–since I had already changed/updated it once–and it turned out it was wrong and misreported and that nobody really knew what the case is (and still doesn’t), I decided to err on the side of caution before updating it again with possible wrong information. What do you mean “since I had already changed/updated it once.”? What does that have to do with erring on the side of caution? It is all over the news that reports of his passing were in error. You want to be cautious by leaving it in a thread title that he’s dead? That’s not caution! ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2017, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-dead-is-not-dead/797841/7 "2017-10-03T03:01:36Z")
I’m going to say it once more: All reports are saying he has no brain activity and life support is shut off. In my book, that means “brain dead”. So I was going to wait just a bit before changing/updating the topic title again. I don’t believe that’s necessarily the wrong way to handle it or go about things. You disagree, obviously, and that’s okay. I don’t have much more to say that hasn’t already been said. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2017, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-dead-is-not-dead/797841/8 "2017-10-03T03:03:06Z")
> [@Idle\_Thoughts](#): > > I’ll say it again, quite simply: Every report I have seen/read says he has no brain activity and has been taken off life support. To me, that means “dead”. Brain dead, to be more specific. Brain dead doesn’t mean dead. Maybe that’s the problem. > [@](#): > > Now if, come morning, he was still around…I would have changed it, however it’s for these exact circumstances there’s more than one than one mod per forum. No, we have more than one of for a few reasons, not because one of them is being stubborn for some unknown reason. > [@](#): > > Me, however–since I had already changed/updated it once–and it turned out it was wrong and misreported and that nobody really knew what the case is (and still doesn’t), I decided to err on the side of caution before updating it again with possible wrong information. No harm in waiting a bit for more info to come to light and I still don’t think that was wrong, per se…but it’s a moot point now. Erring on the side of caution would have been to change it back to not saying RIP until things are sorted out. As I stated in the thread, there is some ‘harm’ however small, in that it’s a bit insulting to his fans. Also, every time I’d see that it’s jarring even though I knew it was there and I’ve been refreshing TMZ all day long. Labeling him as dead was an honest mistake, I really don’t understand why a second mod had to get involved to fix it or why you were being so stubborn about it. If reports are correct, yes, he’ll probably pass shortly, is it that difficult to wait until then? ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2017, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-dead-is-not-dead/797841/9 "2017-10-03T03:04:26Z")
> [@Idle\_Thoughts](#): > > I’m going to say it once more: All reports are saying he has no brain activity and life support is shut off. Where are these reports? Second time asking. ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2017, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-dead-is-not-dead/797841/10 "2017-10-03T03:04:39Z")
I wasn’t being stubborn, I have said my reasons in this thread (three times now) as to why I was going to wait. I’m sorry you disagree. It doesn’t change my reasons or make them any less true. This is my last reply in this thread unless something comes up that would allow an answer that doesn’t make me repeat what I’ve already said. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2017, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-dead-is-not-dead/797841/11 "2017-10-03T03:05:07Z")
> [@Idle\_Thoughts](#): > > I’m going to say it once more: All reports are saying he has no brain activity and life support is shut off. In my book, that means “brain dead”. So I was going to wait just a bit before changing/updating the topic title again. > > I don’t believe that’s necessarily the wrong way to handle it or go about things. You disagree, obviously, and that’s okay. > > I don’t have much more to say that hasn’t already been said. You’re wrong. Like, all of this is just wrong. Please don’t change thread titles to include RIP anymore if you don’t understand the meaning of death. Not being sarcastic, but you don’t appear to. ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2017, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-dead-is-not-dead/797841/12 "2017-10-03T03:09:34Z")
> [@Idle\_Thoughts](#): > > I’m going to say it once more: All reports are saying he has no brain activity and life support is shut off. In my book, that means “brain dead”. I’ll say something once again also. That doesn’t jibe with this: _If he has not passed away by tomorrow night or the next, I will change it then. Until then, however, things don’t look too good (God forbid, however…I hope he pulls through), so I’m going to leave it for now pending better news, because from everything I have heard and read, it doesn’t look good at all. Again, I hope I’m wrong._ ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2017, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-dead-is-not-dead/797841/13 "2017-10-03T03:09:42Z")
> [@x-ray\_vision](#): > > Where are these reports? Second time asking. Pretty much any report if you look one up. [Here’s one selected at random](http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/music/tom-petty-pulled-life-support-cardiac-arrest-article-1.3536756). Some quotes from it: > [@](#): > > Doctors found no brain activity for Petty, according to multiple reports. > [@](#): > > The family had him taken off the machines and asked doctors to impose a do-not-resuscitate order, TMZ said. Again, sorry you disagree with my choice to wait for more info to find out he’s not actually brain dead, but I wouldn’t change it if I had to do it again. ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2017, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-dead-is-not-dead/797841/14 "2017-10-03T03:13:02Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > You’re wrong. > Like, all of this is just wrong. > Please don’t change thread titles to include RIP anymore if you don’t understand the meaning of death. Not being sarcastic, but you don’t appear to. If someone has been reported as dying, I’m going to update it with “RIP” if posters ask me to, just like I did in this case. I get and understand this is a very sensitive and emotional event for you and I apologize if it seems I’m being, as you say, stubborn…but again, I don’t think there was any harm in waiting for more info, especially since nobody seemed (or seems) to know what the case was…on top of it already (possibly) being misreported once. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2017, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-dead-is-not-dead/797841/15 "2017-10-03T03:17:13Z")
> [@Idle\_Thoughts](#): > > If someone has been reported as dying, I’m going to update it with “RIP” if posters ask me to, just like I did in this case. > > I get and understand this is a very sensitive and emotional event for you and I apologize if it seems I’m being, as you say, stubborn…but again, I don’t think there was any harm in _ **waiting for more info,** _ especially since nobody seemed (or seems) to know what the case was…on top of it already (possibly) being misreported once. Then more info came in and you were like, fuck that info, I’ll just leave it as dead. ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2017, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-dead-is-not-dead/797841/16 "2017-10-03T03:17:26Z")
> [@Idle\_Thoughts](#): > > Pretty much any report if you look one up. I’m looking at plenty that don’t say that. Bottom line- he’s not verified to be dead. > [@](#): > > If someone has been reported as dying, I’m going to update it with “RIP” if posters ask me to, just like I did in this case. No kidding. That’s not an issue for anyone. The issue is when it’s been found out that that report was found to be erroneous and the police department that made it apologizes for it and you won’t change it back. > [@](#): > > I get and understand this is a very sensitive and emotional event for you and I apologize if it seems I’m being, as you say, stubborn…but again, I don’t think there was any harm in waiting for more info, especially since nobody seemed (or seems) to know what the case was…on top of it already (possibly) being misreported once. But you know what the case is, right? He’s brain dead…but it doesn’t look good and you hope he pulls through, and if he doesn’t die, you’ll change it in a day or two. Serious unbelievable! ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2017, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-dead-is-not-dead/797841/17 "2017-10-03T03:22:15Z")
Again, I disagree. But the matter has been resolved. ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2017, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-dead-is-not-dead/797841/18 "2017-10-03T03:27:01Z")
> [@Idle\_Thoughts](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > The family had him taken off the machines and asked doctors to impose a do-not-resuscitate order, TMZ said. How is that quote relevant, btw? > [@](#): > > Again, I disagree. But the matter has been resolved. Again? You mean you said that already? I must have missed it the other ten times. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2017, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-dead-is-not-dead/797841/19 "2017-10-03T03:29:45Z")
> [@Idle\_Thoughts](#): > > Again, I disagree. But the matter has been resolved. And here you tell us you’re not stubborn. ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2017, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-dead-is-not-dead/797841/20 "2017-10-03T03:32:34Z")
> [@Idle\_Thoughts](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > The family had him taken off the machines and asked doctors to impose a do-not-resuscitate order, TMZ said. > [@x-ray\_vision](#): > > How is that quote relevant, btw? I said: > [@Idle\_Thoughts](#): > > I’m going to say it once more: All reports are saying he has no brain activity and life support is shut off. You asked: > [@x-ray\_vision](#): > > Where are these reports? Second time asking. So I answered your question with it. Seems pretty relevant to me when it’s the direct answer to a question you asked. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-dead-is-not-dead/797841.md?page=2)