[colliric]

Between the French Girl and this, us Aussies sure know how to make idiots of ourselves on a worldwide scale right now!

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-12-08/n ... ad/4416348

[ThirdTerm]

The two DJs obviously crossed the line of decency by messing with the British Royal Family and Murdock's Sunday tabloid was forced to be put out of business in a similar circumstance after the phone hacking scandal which compromised the Palace's security and the Aussie media generally lacks respect towards the British Royal Family and this sad episode cast a pall over the Duchess of Cambridge's pregnancy that we should be celebrating.



A spokesperson for St. James Palace released the following statement: "The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are deeply saddened to learn of the death of Jacintha Saldanha. Their Royal Highnesses were looked after so wonderfully well at all times by everybody at King Edward VII Hospital, and their thoughts and prayers are with Jacintha Saldanha's family, friends and colleagues at this very sad time."

[Igor Antunov]

I don't think one prank can cause somebody to kill themselves, unless they were already going to kill themselves, thus she killed herself and nobody else is to blame.

You can argue 'but they tipped her over the edge'. That's bullshit, that edge is mighty hard to get to initially and anything can tip you over it at that point.

[Kman]

Anyone killing themselves over a harmless prank is weak and all I have to say such a person killing himself or herself is ''good riddance''.

Edit: That is not what happened though from what I have read on other sites, the news articles reporting this as being the outcome of the prank are using highly deceptive ways of reporting.

[Igor Antunov]

It's called sensationalism. Journalism needs to be strictly curtailed/controlled by the state. The media has become a cesspit.

[GandalfTheGrey]

radio prank calls are as old as the hills. And they happen all the time. From what I've heard, this particular call was positively mild on the scale of things.

All in all, these two DJs cannot be blamed - they presumably got the ok from their producers, and they were just doing what just about every other DJ out there does on a daily basis. They were just unlucky they happened to get a person who apparently was suicidal anyway.

[JRS1]

media types have no right to mislead and humiliate the public so that they can sell a few more crumby adverts.

it is not far fetched to say global humiliation can send one over the edge

[Kman]

It's called sensationalism. Journalism needs to be strictly curtailed/controlled by the state. The media has become a cesspit.

Like it is strictly controlled by the state in North Korea? Their recent reporting of having found a unicorn really proves that nationalization is the way to go if you want the truth and nothing but the truth in media.

[colliric]

media types have no right to mislead and humiliate the public so that they can sell a few more crumby adverts.

it is not far fetched to say global humiliation can send one over the edge

Not to mention she also probably believed she was going to be sacked. She was probably told off about giving away sensitive details over the phone to anyone. Those idiots caused this no matter how you look at it. Doesn't matter if they didn't know she might have had depression, they put her in a situation that was grossly inappropriate, and as mentioned by the manager of the hospital, was potentially a crime in our country anyway.

The two DJs obviously crossed the line of decency by messing with the British Royal Family and Murdock's Sunday tabloid was forced to be put out of business in a similar circumstance after the phone hacking scandal which compromised the Palace's security and the Aussie media generally lacks respect towards the British Royal Family and this sad episode cast a pall over the Duchess of Cambridge's pregnancy that we should be celebrating.

Except when they decide to visit us, at which point the Media suddenly seems to remember they're still "Our Royal Family". As soon as Charles steps on shore he's "our future king"....

[Capitalist]

Anyone killing themselves over a harmless prank is weak and all I have to say such a person killing himself or herself is ''good riddance''.

I think that's a very ignorant and heartless comment or your part Kman. Mental health and suicide are issues that should not be treated lightly.

[Kman]

Not to mention she also probably believed she was going to be sacked. She was probably told off about giving away sensitive details over the phone to anyone. Those idiots caused this no matter how you look at it. Doesn't matter if they didn't know she might have had depression, they put her in a situation that was grossly inappropriate

No the she is just a weak and pathetic woman who is probably batshit crazy anyway and I dont really care about batshit crazy people offing themselves. Who the fuck commits suicide because the boss reprimands you?

I think that's a very ignorant and heartless comment or your part Kman. Mental health and suicide are issues that should not be treated lightly.

Well you shouldnt punish or get angry at normal people because of the bizarre reaction of a crazy lady, it has nothing to do with being heartless, it is about not setting the intolerance bar in society ridicilously high because ''omg what if some mental patient might be pushed over the edge if we do stuff slightly out of the ordinary'', fuck them, society should not get into these kinds of weird contortions just to adjust to the needs of crazy people.

[colliric]

o the she is just a weak and pathetic woman who is probably batshit crazy anyway and I dont really care about batshit crazy people offing themselves. Who the fuck commits suicide because the boss reprimands you?

Well you shouldnt punish or get angry at normal people because of the bizarre reaction of a crazy lady, it has nothing to do with being heartless, it is about not setting the intolerance bar in society ridicilously high because ''omg what if some mental patient might be pushed over the edge if we do stuff slightly out of the ordinary'', fuck them, society should not get into these kinds of weird contortions just to adjust to the needs of crazy people.

Imagine if Kman went to work for lifeline... He'd probably rival Rambo in terms of death count.

[Capitalist]

Well you shouldnt punish or get angry at normal people because of the bizarre reaction of a crazy lady, it has nothing to do with being heartless, it is about not setting the intolerance bar in society ridicilously high because ''omg what if some mental patient might be pushed over the edge if we do stuff slightly out of the ordinary'', fuck them, society should not get into these kinds of weird contortions just to adjust to the needs of crazy people.

We have yet to know the full circumstances that lead to the woman killing herself. We don't know if she was batshit crazy and incompetent at her job or if her former colleagues were all dicks and the years of emotional abuse caused her to snap. I thought your comment was ignorant and heartless because you're merely making assumptions based upon what has been told so far and we have yet to get the full picture. Nor did I make any suggestion that we should all be "Kumbaya, My Lord" to one another.

[Rei Murasame]

This is an extremely sad story, it actually hurts my heart to see what has happened. This is what happens when people don't understand that some 'pranks' are not really pranks at all, and that they should not be messing with people like this.

[GandalfTheGrey]

here's the transcript:

(PHONE RINGS)

Receptionist: Hello, good morning, King Edward VII Hospital.

Greig (Queen voice): Oh hello there, could I please speak to Kate please, my granddaughter.

Receptionist: Oh yes, just hold on ma'am.

Greig: Thank you.

Christian: Are they putting us through?

Greig: Yes.

(Laughter)

Christian: If this has worked, it's the easiest prank call we have ever made. Your accent sucked, by the way, I just want you to know.

(Laughter)

Greig: I'm not used to playing 80-year-olds. (Phone connects) Kate, my darling, are you there?

Nurse: Good morning, ma'am, this is the nurses station, how may I help you?

Greig: Hello, I'm just after my granddaughter Kate. I wanted to see how her little tummy bug is going.

Nurse: She's sleeping at the moment and has had an uneventful night, and sleep is good for her, as we speak. She's been given some fluids to re-hydrate her because she was quite dehydrated when she came in. But she's stable at the moment.

Greig: OK. Well, I'll just feed my little corgis then (barking in the background). So when is a good time to come and visit her? Because I'm the Queen so I'll need a lift down there. Charles! When can you take me to the hospital, Charles?

Christian (pretending to be Prince Charles): When will it be all right to come down and see her? Maybe in the morning or something? If that's OK?

Nurse: I would suggest that any time after nine o'clock would be suitable, because the doctor will be in in the morning and we'll just be getting her freshened up in the morning. I would think any time after nine.

Christian: Wonderful. Is Wills still there or has he gone home? I haven't spoken to him yet.

Nurse: He went home at about half past nine last night. Actually, probably about nine o' clock last night.

Christian: OK, Lovely. But they're all OK, everything's all right?

Nurse: Yes, she's quite stable at the moment. She hasn't had any retching with me since I've been on duty. And she has been sleeping on and off.

Christian: Wonderful.

Nurse: I think it's difficult sleeping in a strange bed as well.

Christian: Yes, of course, it's hardly the palace, is it!

Greig: It's nothing like the palace is it, Charles? Oh, when are you going to walk those bloody corgis?

Christian: Mumsy, I'll go and take the dogs outside.

Greig: I need to go and visit Kate in the morning. My dear, thank you so much.

Nurse: You're very welcome.

Greig: Thank you, bye.

Christian: Goodbye.

(Hangs up)

(Laughter)

Greig: She was giving us real information!

Christian (as Prince Charles): Mumsy, I think that they believed everything we said.

Greig: I am the Queen: bow for me, bow for me.

Christian: Bow for you and your terrible accent.

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/12 ... 57651.html

[Far-Right Sage]

Interesting, Gandalf.

Just entirely shameful stuff. I understand republicanism has gained more acceptance over the years in Australian politics and the younger generation feels less and less connection with the Windsors, but surely this type of stuff must be receiving widespread condemnation across the country? The Australians must have some respect for their own sovereign.

[HoniSoit]

the younger generation feels less and less connection with the Windsors, but surely this type of stuff must be receiving widespread condemnation across the country?

I don't think the prank is particularly offensive to the Queen. There are of course limits to which the Australian media won't cross in making fun of the Queen, but it is not so much reverence for the Queen as usual cultural respect for a elderly lady.

[Far-Right Sage]

Yet she is your sovereign. I suppose what I'm inquiring about is whether these types of upstart attitudes about the monarchy are pervasive in Australia and whether they are accepted as normality or challenged by patriotic Australians who still feel a sense of connection to Britain and the monarchy? And is this the same as things are in New Zealand? Without causing unnecessary offense, I will say that Australians have always come across to me as rowdy types from a cultural standpoint, which is perhaps why a prank such as this was allowed to get out of hand? If it was simply an insult to the Windsors it would be off-putting enough, but as it was that coupled with an offense which resulted in a dutiful employee's death, albeit across the ocean, I believe the punks in question should be charged formerly.

[colliric]

Not really, the majority of Australians actually like the Royal Family(even Republicans). Royal Visits are still very popular here.

The breaching of Royal Security, the second time Australians have done this(Woman's Day stupid revelation of what Harry was doing in Afganistan was the first time) is more serious.

[HoniSoit]

Not really, the majority of Australians actually like the Royal Family(even Republicans).

I don't disagree, but sooner or later Australia will become a republic.