Well, IÂ’ve violated the prime directive.

[rattrap23]

I was in my backyard when I noticed on the grass was a baby bird that had fallen out of it’s nest. Putting on gardening gloves, I picked it up and put it on an eye level branch. I saved it from my dog, but I have interfered with the natural development of an other species.
Dose this qualify as breaking the prime directive? Am I Kirk or Piccard?

[Clogs]

Kirk would have rushed in and attempted cross-species understanding in an extremely tactile manner erm-erm, breaking the Prime Directive a dozen ways.

Picard would have analysed the situation logically, agonised over protocol, then swooped in to do the moral thing which he could later justify.

As you wore gardening gloves, you are not Kirk. You are, therefore, Picard.

The RSPB says to leave fledglings alone, but monitor in case no parent bird appears to provide food and/or a hungry predator spots a quick snack http://www.rspb.org.uk/advice/helpingbi ... ybirds.asp

[inflatable dalek]

The Prime Directive was about not interfering with other cultures rather than species, or else they'd have never been able to visit any planet with any life of any sort on it.

[Halfshell]

I thought The Prime Directive was the retroactive title given to that godawful first mini that Dreamwave put out?

Am I Kirk or Piccard?

No.

[Cliffjumper]

Hey, ease off guys. It's a big step up for him, compared to violating the English language, or violating the minds of other users with his inexpert blend of pretention and ardent incompetence.

[Savannahtron]

Abusing language or abusive language? That is the real question. I love bile disguised as wit and witticism

[Cliffjumper]

It's something new I'm trying out.


Who's to say the bird didn't die of fatal injuries anyway?

[Neuronutter]

It's something new I'm trying out.


Who's to say the bird didn't die of fatal injuries anyway?

Something new? You've been doing it for years!

[inflatable dalek]

He never used to bother disguising the bile.

[Cliffjumper]

Something new? You've been doing it for years!

Thank you, Ted, that was the joke.

[Neuronutter]

He never used to bother disguising the bile.

You mean he does now? Needs work.

Thank you, Ted, that was the joke.

Ted?

[rattrap23]

Well, the bird was gone when I came back later. So it either must of flown away or been eaten.

pretention and ardent incompetence.

I don’t understand how incompetence describes me on this web site. That would imply that I’m
1. Not qualified in legal terms: a defendant who was incompetent to stand trial.
2. Inadequate for or unsuited to a particular purpose or application.
3. Devoid of those qualities requisite for effective conduct or action.

You’re always so hungry for the conflict.

[Cliffjumper]

Ted?

Nevermind, eh?

2. Inadequate for or unsuited to a particular purpose or application.
3. Devoid of those qualities requisite for effective conduct or action.

Both of those apply to some degree. I mean, you got the damn Prime Directive wrong. I had to look it up, but then I didn't flag this up.

This directive can be found in the Articles of the Federation, which states:

“Nothing within these articles of Federation shall authorize the United Federation of Planets to intervene in matters which are essentially the domestic jurisdiction of any planetary social system, or shall require the members to submit such matters to settlement under these Articles of Federation; But this principle shall not prejudice the application of enforcement measures under Chapter VII.[1]”

and has been further defined as:
“As the right of each sentient species to live in accordance with its normal cultural evolution is considered sacred, no Starfleet personnel may interfere with the normal and healthy development of alien life and culture. Such interference includes introducing superior knowledge, strength, or technology to a world whose society is incapable of handling such advantages wisely. Starfleet personnel may not violate this Prime Directive, even to save their lives and/or their ship, unless they are acting to right an earlier violation or an accidental contamination of said culture. This directive takes precedence over any and all other considerations, and carries with it the highest moral obligation.[2]

I've bolded the more salient parts.

You’re always so hungry for the conflict.

I dislike idiots, and you have a habit of posting with stuff that basically says "Look at me, I'm a self-styled intellectual, but my actual brain would slip easily inside a gnat's anus, without lube". It's not really a conflict, is it?

[Denyer]

you have a habit of posting with stuff that basically says "Look at me, I'm a self-styled intellectual

Yes, especially the stuff in reference to Alan Moore, but there are ways of criticising that don't involve personal abuse.

I don’t understand [...] Devoid of those qualities requisite for effective conduct or action.

"Effective" being a subjectively rendered judgement. Going into more detail here would likely involve flaming.

[Neuronutter]

Nevermind, eh?

Right. Hadn't heard that quote before.

"Explaining a joke is like dissecting a frog: you understand it better, but the frog dies in the process."
—Mark Twain

[RID Scourge]

It comes from Family Guy. Someone said something, and Peter was like "He said . . .", and everyone laughed. Ted Turner chuckles to himself while saying out loud what Peter had meant as if he was the only one who would get it, and Peter's father-in-law said "Thank you, Ted. That was the joke."

[Savannahtron]

I have always loved reading Cliffy's posts, and especially the rants I used to love the stark raving mad lunatic like qualities of yesteryear and the nostalgia.