# The Curious Case of the Cougar and the Commissioner **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [February 25, 2012, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-curious-case-of-the-cougar-and-the-commissioner/613975 "2012-02-25T17:40:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2012, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-curious-case-of-the-cougar-and-the-commissioner/613975/21 "2012-02-25T22:14:45Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Maybe you were thinking of cougars and pumas? Smothers Brothers. Man, are you ever\* old!\* ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2012, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-curious-case-of-the-cougar-and-the-commissioner/613975/22 "2012-02-25T22:14:48Z")
It’s political dumb-assery. For whatever reason, CA has made hunting mountain lions/cougars/pumas/catamounts/panthers illegal to hunt. This guy is in charge of enforcing that law, but is proudly displaying his enjoyment of the same activity in another state. In the world of politics that calls into question his sincerity in performing his job. It’s politics, it doesn’t have to make sense. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2012, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-curious-case-of-the-cougar-and-the-commissioner/613975/23 "2012-02-25T22:15:53Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Smothers Brothers. Man, are you ever\* old!\* 😃 ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2012, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-curious-case-of-the-cougar-and-the-commissioner/613975/24 "2012-02-25T22:37:18Z")
> [@thelabdude](#): > > Ah, the SD will never close up shop for lack of ignorance to fight. What was that in reference to? **elucidtator** : I’m old enough to remember the SBs, but I don’t get the joke. Hint? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2012, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-curious-case-of-the-cougar-and-the-commissioner/613975/25 "2012-02-25T22:39:10Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > What was that in reference to? > > **elucidtator** : I’m old enough to remember the SBs, but I don’t get the joke. Hint? Take it, **elucidtator**! ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2012, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-curious-case-of-the-cougar-and-the-commissioner/613975/26 "2012-02-25T22:50:04Z")
No. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2012, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-curious-case-of-the-cougar-and-the-commissioner/613975/27 "2012-02-25T22:51:49Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > No. No. Hmmm, that doesn’t help. Give me another hint! ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2012, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-curious-case-of-the-cougar-and-the-commissioner/613975/28 "2012-02-25T22:53:20Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > What was that in reference to? > > **elucidtator** : I’m old enough to remember the SBs, but I don’t get the joke. Hint? It was a routine that Dumb Brother would be talking about frontier life, indians, deserts, and pumas. Smart Brother interrupts “False! No pumas in North America!” Dumb Brother sulks and insists they were cougars. Which are pumas. No penis ensued. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2012, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-curious-case-of-the-cougar-and-the-commissioner/613975/29 "2012-02-25T23:05:44Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > It was a routine that Dumb Brother would be talking about frontier life, indians, deserts, and pumas. Smart Brother interrupts “False! No pumas in North America!” Dumb Brother sulks and insists they were cougars. Which are pumas. No penis ensued. We ain’t got nonna those neither! We got some panthers . . . ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2012, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-curious-case-of-the-cougar-and-the-commissioner/613975/30 "2012-02-25T23:25:44Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > It was a routine that Dumb Brother would be talking about frontier life, indians, deserts, and pumas. Smart Brother interrupts “False! No pumas in North America!” Dumb Brother sulks and insists they were cougars. Which are pumas. No penis ensued. You old geezers are sad. Don’t you know it’s easier to link to YouTube? [Pumas in the crevasses](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIfl2o44zb0), [lions ruling the barrancas](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1psCACHj4as), take your pick. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2012, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-curious-case-of-the-cougar-and-the-commissioner/613975/31 "2012-02-26T00:19:15Z")
The thing is, these animals have too many names, and thus need to be exterminated. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2012, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-curious-case-of-the-cougar-and-the-commissioner/613975/32 "2012-02-26T00:27:48Z")
Ha, I was just reading a novel that referred to them as “catamounts”, and had to look up what that meant. Especially since it was a fantasy novel, I thought “catamount” sounded like something mythological like a manticore. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2012, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-curious-case-of-the-cougar-and-the-commissioner/613975/33 "2012-02-26T01:31:52Z")
Sort of comes across like the head of the DEA posting a Facebook photo of himself toking up in Amsterdam. Legal but dumb. ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2012, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-curious-case-of-the-cougar-and-the-commissioner/613975/34 "2012-02-26T01:36:40Z")
I can’t see the word “catamount” without thinking of Penn State. Or is that “catamite?” Apparently even the football coaches are confused… ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2012, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-curious-case-of-the-cougar-and-the-commissioner/613975/35 "2012-02-26T01:42:23Z")
The “catamite” is the rock formation that hangs down from the “ceiling” of a cavern, the “catatite” is the one that thrusts up from the “floor”. ---
**Author:** ![thelabdude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dc4da7/32.png) [@thelabdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelabdude)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2012, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-curious-case-of-the-cougar-and-the-commissioner/613975/36 "2012-02-26T02:18:10Z")
> [@thelabdude](#): > > Ah, the SD will never close up shop for lack of ignorance to fight. > [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > To monstro’s credit, he acknowledged his error after it was pointed out. That’s refreshingly rare on the internet, where the usual response is to call the person pointing out the error a fag. That was meant as a slap at the commissioner and the Democrats, not anybody here. Sorry for being confusing. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2012, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-curious-case-of-the-cougar-and-the-commissioner/613975/37 "2012-02-26T02:23:39Z")
> [@thelabdude](#): > > Sorry for being confusing. It’s a little late in the game for that, dude. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2012, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-curious-case-of-the-cougar-and-the-commissioner/613975/38 "2012-02-26T03:38:07Z")
What if the head of the school board travelled to Thailand to have legal sex with a 15 year old? Everybody cool with that? ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2012, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-curious-case-of-the-cougar-and-the-commissioner/613975/39 "2012-02-26T03:45:43Z")
> [@Bill\_Door](#): > > What if the head of the school board travelled to Thailand to have legal sex with a 15 year old? Everybody cool with that? I believe that adults having sex with 15 years olds is always wrong. Do you believe that a sportsman killing an animal that is not endangered is always wrong? If not, you’ve chosen a poor analogy. If so, there’s very little room to debate such an extreme position. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2012, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-curious-case-of-the-cougar-and-the-commissioner/613975/40 "2012-02-26T04:01:14Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > I believe that adults having sex with 15 years olds is always wrong. > > Do you believe that a sportsman killing an animal that is not endangered is always wrong? If not, you’ve chosen a poor analogy. If so, there’s very little room to debate such an extreme position. Hell, I’m not convinced that it’s always wrong to kill an animal that is endangered. I’m mostly amused by the fact that stepping over an imaginary boundary can alter the morality of an action. It’s kind of like eating pork through a hole in a sheet. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-curious-case-of-the-cougar-and-the-commissioner/613975.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-curious-case-of-the-cougar-and-the-commissioner/613975.md?page=3)