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Council bans brainstorming (Word is deemed offensive to epileptics; hundreds of staff retrained)
The Telegraph (U.K.) ^ | June 20, 2008 | Nick Allen

Posted on 06/20/2008 7:01:36 AM PDT by Stoat

Council bans brainstorming

By Nick Allen
Last Updated: 2:06PM BST 20/06/2008
 

A council has banned the term "brainstorming" and replaced it with "thought showers".

Tunbridge Wells Borough Council in Kent was accused of taking political correctness to extremes after instructing staff to make the change.

The move came as council chiefs feared the word brainstorming might offend mentally ill people and those with epilepsy.

The buzz term is often used by executives to generate ideas among their staff.

But memos have been sent to staff asking them not to use it and some have been given training which encouraged them to use the alternative of thought showers.

Even charities representing epileptics said the ban was taking political correctness too far.

Margaret Thomas, of the National Society for Epilepsy, said: "Brainstorming is a clear and descriptive phrase.

"Alternatives such as thought shower or blue-sky thinking are ambiguous to say the least.

"Any implication that the word brainstorming is offensive to epileptics takes political correctness too far."

Richard Colwill, of mental health charity SANE, said: "This ban goes too far. Few would be genuinely offended by the word brainstorming in the context of council meetings."

A spokesman for Tunbridge Wells Borough Council in Kent said: "We take diversity awareness very seriously.


(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: brainstorm; brainstorming; diversity; diversityawareness; epilepsy; hypersensitivity; language; mentalillness; pc; politicalcorrectness; tard; thoughtshowers; workplace
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To: Danae
Better to beat the crap out of fools like this, since apparently a physical beating is less offensive to the masses of the “Potentially” offended... this way at least it’s specific to that particular idiot.

Now you know why our ancestors invented tar, feathers, rails, pitchforks, torches, blankets, and ax handles.

61 posted on 06/20/2008 1:13:58 PM PDT by ApplegateRanch (The Great Obamanation of Desolation, attempting to sit in the Oval Office, where he ought not..)
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To: Arthur McGowan
I didn't say they were. I said some folks.
62 posted on 06/20/2008 1:18:14 PM PDT by isrul (Help make every day, "Disrespect a muzzie day.")
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To: Stoat

Is saying “This PC BS is getting my Irish up” considered offensive?


63 posted on 06/20/2008 1:18:14 PM PDT by AU72
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To: Stoat
Psychoses. That’s a word all too appropriate for our times and those who presume to run the asylum.
64 posted on 06/20/2008 1:20:53 PM PDT by isrul (Help make every day, "Disrespect a muzzie day.")
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To: isrul

Actually, I thought you were making an anti-PC joke. Don’t you know we’re not supposed to use the word “fit”?


65 posted on 06/20/2008 2:23:49 PM PDT by Arthur McGowan
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To: Deaf Smith; B4Ranch; Pete-R-Bilt
If they come up with what they think is a good idea during a Thought Shower, they can call it a Golden Shower.

Though not for any reason that I can imagine, at work, we call a brainstorming session a 'brain dump' and combined with your idea, it seems to fit perfectly.

66 posted on 06/20/2008 8:40:30 PM PDT by glock rocks ( Woof.)
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To: glock rocks

Do you flush and wash your hands afterward?


67 posted on 06/20/2008 9:33:40 PM PDT by B4Ranch (Having custody of a loaded weapon does not arm you. The skill to use the weapon is what arms a man.)
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To: B4Ranch; tubebender

No, flushing would just be a waste of water here in the desert, and I always practice safe-meetings protocol... latex and alcohol for everyone!

Oh, and while we’re discussing this important issue, you need to know that Saturday at 10pm on Natl Geographic channel is The Secret History of the Bra. Don’t miss it.


68 posted on 06/20/2008 10:06:58 PM PDT by glock rocks ( Woof.)
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To: B4Ranch; tubebender

No, that’s 10pm EDT. Y’all have to calculate it yourself to left coast time.


69 posted on 06/20/2008 10:09:47 PM PDT by glock rocks ( Woof.)
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To: B4Ranch; tubebender; Eaker; humblegunner; Pete-R-Bilt

Oh, one more thing... this ain’t yer standard, overt kinda of history of the bra... This here’s the Secret version!


70 posted on 06/20/2008 10:11:53 PM PDT by glock rocks ( Woof.)
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To: glock rocks

We understand your affection for the contents of a bra. It happens to lots of young boys who were weaned too early.


71 posted on 06/20/2008 10:35:44 PM PDT by B4Ranch (Having custody of a loaded weapon does not arm you. The skill to use the weapon is what arms a man.)
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To: B4Ranch
Contents? Naw, just trying to keep abreast of the engineering aspects of this titillating subject.
72 posted on 06/20/2008 11:05:54 PM PDT by glock rocks ( Woof.)
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To: glock rocks
you need to know that Saturday at 10pm on Natl Geographic channel is The Secret History of the Bra. Don’t miss it.

 

#200806211900 Secret History of the Bra

I don't know if these particular actresses / bra experts will be featured in the program, but if the stoat had made the show they would be prominently featured:

 Raquel Bikini

 Photobucket

 

 shaker

img482/6457/claudia20cardinaleqs1.png

 

73 posted on 06/20/2008 11:30:48 PM PDT by Stoat (Rice / Coulter 2012: Smart Ladies for a Strong America)
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To: Stoat

You’re a man of your word Stoat. Those there are some outstanding prominent features. Getting back to the subject of the thread, it looks like a perfect brainstorm!


74 posted on 06/20/2008 11:40:46 PM PDT by glock rocks ( Woof.)
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To: ApplegateRanch
I hate when pressure groups, 'activists', and others steal our language.

Hijacking the language has long been a favored ploy of the Left, unfortunately.

They don't have a coherent, logical and defensible position that stands up under scrutiny, so they are forced to corrupt the language and force their ideas into acceptance in order to bypass the scientific process.

75 posted on 06/20/2008 11:40:58 PM PDT by Stoat (Rice / Coulter 2012: Smart Ladies for a Strong America)
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To: glock rocks
You’re a man of your word Stoat.

awww...why thanks!  I try  :-)

Those there are some outstanding prominent features.

I'm delighted that you concur :-)

 Getting back to the subject of the thread, it looks like a perfect brainstorm! Under normal circumstances I would agree, although since the program is a National Geographic presentation my expectation is that there will lots of semi-bare dark-skinned natives carrying sticks with which they chase their dinner and not a whole lot of the prime, Western variety, who surely propelled brassiere development far beyond anything even dreamed of by other cultures.

img95/6805/bikerbabe2pw3.jpg
 

Sadly, I don't get the National Geographic Channel at the stoat cave and so I (and likely many others) will be relying upon astute viewers such as yourself to report back after the broadcast with a detailed account of any essential scientific data presented in the program as well as an accounting of the expected Leftist spin ("Bras were invented mainly as an instrument of oppression by white men in order to subjugate and dominate women into a slavish, subservient role " etc etc  blah blah blah)


76 posted on 06/21/2008 12:01:17 AM PDT by Stoat (Rice / Coulter 2012: Smart Ladies for a Strong America)
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To: AU72
Is saying “This PC BS is getting my Irish up” considered offensive?

Although I'm certainly no expert on the subject of 'being offended', as that's typically the purview of Leftist busybody hysterics, I'm guessing that the vast majority of Irish people would not be offended, because most all Irish folks that I've had the pleasure to meet have been quite wonderful, sane and down-to-earth people.

No, I'm thinking that the only ones who would be offended by that statement would be the perpetually-offended liberals who presume to tell everyone else how to act, what to say and what to think....and they would become offended 'on behalf of all Irish people'.

 

77 posted on 06/21/2008 12:30:15 AM PDT by Stoat (Rice / Coulter 2012: Smart Ladies for a Strong America)
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To: Slings and Arrows
Thank you very much for pinging your list  :-)

img90/7096/thankyoush6.gif

78 posted on 06/21/2008 12:41:04 AM PDT by Stoat (Rice / Coulter 2012: Smart Ladies for a Strong America)
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To: glock rocks

Any woman who reads this will never want to burn her bra again.

A hiker who fell off a ledge in the Austrian Alps had almost been abandoned for dead when she managed to fling her bra onto a cable car, alerting rescuers to her location.

American Jessica Brown, 24, had been stranded injured for nearly 70 hours in freezing temperatures when rescuers finally got to her.

http://www.nypost.com/news/weirdbuttrue/weirdbuttrue.htm


79 posted on 06/21/2008 5:47:46 AM PDT by B4Ranch (Having custody of a loaded weapon does not arm you. The skill to use the weapon is what arms a man.)
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To: glock rocks
You really need to get more sleep.

I had composed that line as "You really need to get more sleep boy" but I thought boy might be offensive to you...

80 posted on 06/21/2008 6:34:25 AM PDT by tubebender
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