Comments on: Comments on 16773

Post number 16773

littleyellowdifferent — Tue, 30 Apr 2002 15:47:44 -0800

Aaah, the joys of PetitionOnline.com. As of right now, 840 people have petitioned Peter Jackson and New Line Cinema to change the name of "The Two Towers," the sequel to The Lord of the Rings, saying that Jackson purposely made the title in reference to the September 11th attacks. Nevermind the fact that the book of the same name was published by Tolkien in 1954. Naturally, there is a petition against the petition. Hooray, democratic process!

By: Yelling At Nothing

Yelling At Nothing — Tue, 30 Apr 2002 15:50:16 -0800

You're ignoring the fact that The Two Towers is a terrible name.

By: Darke

Darke — Tue, 30 Apr 2002 15:51:56 -0800

Reading the names of the first few signers of this petition, it seems like it was obviously a fake parody petition to begin with.

By: Argyle

Argyle — Tue, 30 Apr 2002 15:53:12 -0800

"Never underestimate the power of human stupidity." -- Robert Heinlein

By: donkeyschlong

donkeyschlong — Tue, 30 Apr 2002 15:54:45 -0800

I hope it's a parody. 840 idiots ... grimace.

By: Darke

Darke — Tue, 30 Apr 2002 15:56:12 -0800

When the first signing is someone called "I Fuck Pandas", I think it may not be legit.....

By: billder

billder — Tue, 30 Apr 2002 15:58:28 -0800

along the same lines, here's the best headline ever.

By: Shadowkeeper

Shadowkeeper — Tue, 30 Apr 2002 15:59:28 -0800

Someone at MeFi predicted this would happen last October.

By: kliuless

kliuless — Tue, 30 Apr 2002 16:08:08 -0800

i signed the petition :) attack of the towers!

By: DevilsAdvocate

DevilsAdvocate — Tue, 30 Apr 2002 16:09:38 -0800

No discussion of online petitions would be complete without a link to the snopes article on the subject explaining why internet petitions are almost always worthless.

By: kliuless

kliuless — Tue, 30 Apr 2002 16:17:56 -0800

nevertheless, spirited away is coming to the US :) hooray!

By: elpapacito

elpapacito — Tue, 30 Apr 2002 16:21:26 -0800

It's not that the petitioners are stupid, it's that they don't know when and how to express grief for the twin towers disaster , so they think asking somebody NOT to use "twin tower" is a sign of respect for victims ; rather, a sign of respect would be investigating: a) if the family of the victims, all of them, received each and every dime of the donations that were sent to them b) if there is a mandatory life/accident insurance for firemen and if it's good enough or just another dime throwed at them and that are just two ideas ! I'll start a petition for mandatory "get a clue" classes.

By: crunchburger

crunchburger — Tue, 30 Apr 2002 16:22:22 -0800

I was the predictor in October. At the time all kinds of stuff was being cut out of movies, a Schwarzenhager vehicle was delayed, and inane media nonsense (example: How should 'Friends' handle the attacks?) was riding high in the saddle. But no one believed me. So I am at least technically vindicated, although I don't think anyone will take this online petition seriously. But I expect it won't be the last we hear of this lunacy.

By: Ty Webb

Ty Webb — Tue, 30 Apr 2002 16:38:02 -0800

31. Rename it "The Two Towering Breasticles"

By: RJ Reynolds

RJ Reynolds — Tue, 30 Apr 2002 16:59:39 -0800

Is my sense of humor so frat-oriented that this petition signer: "643. I'll Smother you with my BALLS you ninny." made my spit up Diet Coke? Eh, probably. Anyway, score one for our own local Nostradamus crunchburger. Good call!

By: mattpfeff

mattpfeff — Tue, 30 Apr 2002 17:29:59 -0800

You're ignoring the fact that The Two Towers is a terrible name. I understand that Tolkien never intended for the Lord of the Rings to be published as a trilogy. (But I don't know if that means he meant it to be 6 books (it is divided that way), or one. ... )

By: jjg

jjg — Tue, 30 Apr 2002 17:53:11 -0800

One big book. The publisher got fed up with waiting for him to finish it, and pressured him into releasing it in installments.

By: banished

banished — Tue, 30 Apr 2002 17:55:40 -0800

I also mentioned it here. Guess I wasn't the first to think of that :) Good job crunchburger.

By: Optamystic

Optamystic — Tue, 30 Apr 2002 18:01:52 -0800

865. no talent ass clown

By: crunchburger

crunchburger — Tue, 30 Apr 2002 18:28:37 -0800

<takes bow> And Matt replied to my comment in another thread. Everything's comin' up crunchburger!

By: benh57

benh57 — Tue, 30 Apr 2002 18:42:40 -0800

Most 'net users apparently don't know how to spot a troll. They'll learn.

By: Danelope

Danelope — Tue, 30 Apr 2002 18:45:27 -0800

And every time I hear about the second LoTR film, I think about how hard I laughed at Doug's comment in the same thread. Huzzah, irreverence!

By: jcterminal

jcterminal — Tue, 30 Apr 2002 19:44:03 -0800

i know the guy who started this petition. anyone have any questions they'd like sent his way?

By: Yelling At Nothing

Yelling At Nothing — Tue, 30 Apr 2002 20:33:49 -0800

I have one. Do you think any actual 9/11 victims care?

By: KirkJobSluder

KirkJobSluder — Tue, 30 Apr 2002 22:21:08 -0800

anyone have any questions they'd like sent his way? I am still trying to decide if this is a joke, but every now and then I am disappointed without clueless people really are. I think it is also good to point out that if "The Two Towers" refers to the terrorist attacks, then Peter Jackson is one up on Nostradamus, because the title of all three movies was announced during preproduction. You're ignoring the fact that The Two Towers is a terrible name. I'm still trying to figure this out. Granted, Tolkein wasn't all that creative with his titles simply pulling out the most significant nouns from the inside and slapping them on the cover. The Two Towers doesn't seem like a terrible name because the action involves two different towers (Minas Morgul and Isengard) while "A Saturday Afternoon in the Park with Gandalf" would be a terrible title because it doesn't have anything to do with the book. Granted, Tolkein could have specified a title that better indicates the rising action of the entire saga but "Two Towers" isn't bad and it certainly isn't terrible. But I'm honestly mystified by the association and a quick web search reveals that no other media seems to take this seriously.

By: Danelope

Danelope — Tue, 30 Apr 2002 23:03:08 -0800

Why didn't Tolkein pick something clever, like "M" is for Mordor? </intentionally naive>

By: Grangousier

Grangousier — Wed, 01 May 2002 00:15:13 -0800

I personally favour Attack of the Trees

By: rory

rory — Wed, 01 May 2002 02:14:16 -0800

How about That's Ent-ertainment?

By: cowboy

cowboy — Wed, 01 May 2002 05:57:43 -0800

KirkJobSluder - I thought the two towers referenced in the second book were Minas Tirith and Minas Morgul, and not Isengard. Tolkien seemed to be tower-happy. Maybe "The Three Towers" is more appropriate.

By: DevilsAdvocate

DevilsAdvocate — Wed, 01 May 2002 07:29:39 -0800

a) if the family of the victims, all of them, received each and every dime of the donations that were sent to them Because the charities that collected the funds are entirely staffed by volunteers, and also have no administrative costs whatsoever?

By: StOne

StOne — Wed, 01 May 2002 07:41:27 -0800

(trying to confine my comments to the truly meaningful issues...) Here ends the first part of the history of the War of the Ring. The second part is called The Two Towers, since the events recounted in it are dominated by Orthanc, the citadel of Saruman, and the fortress of Minas Morgul that guards the secret entrance to Mordor... I was only half-right: I thought it referred to Orthanc and Barad-Dur.

By: Foosnark

Foosnark — Wed, 01 May 2002 08:01:13 -0800

I was only half-right: I thought it referred to Orthanc and Barad-Dur. And I wondered if it might be Minas Tirith and Minas Morgul, or Minas Tirith and Barad-Dur, or (when i was younger) the colossi flanking the river at the place where they pulled off. There are just too damn many towers in the story at that point.

By: yhbc

yhbc — Wed, 01 May 2002 08:12:28 -0800

"Too Damn Many Towers" Perhaps the title he settled on, then, is just a truncation.

By: rodii

rodii — Wed, 01 May 2002 08:19:51 -0800

The Ent Ire Strikes Back

By: Kafkaesque

Kafkaesque — Wed, 01 May 2002 08:32:56 -0800

Entemy Mine?

By: Shadowkeeper

Shadowkeeper — Wed, 01 May 2002 11:44:58 -0800

Lord of the Rings II: "You Better Give Me A Best Director Oscar For This One, You Bastards"

By: iceberg273

iceberg273 — Wed, 01 May 2002 12:15:51 -0800

The Ent Ire Strikes Back I was going to say something clever, but I guess it's moot now.

By: jcterminal

jcterminal — Wed, 01 May 2002 15:10:47 -0800

ok. asked. "Do you think any actual 9/11 victims care?" answer: they're dead, duh. how could they care?

By: crunchburger

crunchburger — Fri, 21 Jun 2002 23:09:12 -0800

'Springtime for Sauron', out of the first thread, is still the best name.

By: mattpfeff

mattpfeff — Sat, 22 Jun 2002 20:49:12 -0800

Frodo Baggins and the Towers of Doom would be even worse, huh. How about, Baggins Forever? Probably not. I guess no one will ever come up with anything quite as bad as The Ent Ire Strikes Back.... (Of course, I only mention it now because rodii is on forced hiatus, heh heh heh. </shadenfreude>)