Okay, If Odd Rules Usually Reflect Prior Behavior

[Jenny A]

As a parent, my job sometimes seems to consist entirely of signing things. Sometimes I actually read them, and then I am sorry.

I just signed the code of conduct for The National Science Bowl, a quiz-style science competition sort of like Jeopardy in which the kids compete is teams. The code of conduct includes the following (I'm paraphrasing here):

1. Competitors must keep their shoes and shirts on at all times.

2. Competitors must not drink, smoke or ingest illegal substances during the competition.

3. Competitors shall not vandalize the property on which the competition is held.

Now I'm trying to imagine previous matches in which the students were topless, shoeless, smoking pot, drinking Southern Comfort, and writing on the walls while answering timed questions about biology, geology, chemistry and physics. It's not a pretty picture.

I'm feel fairly safe in guaranteeing that my daughter won't take her shirt off in the middle of a round though. Who thinks this stuff up?

[Minimalist]

Lawyers.

[vorlon13]

I'd posit most every single odd or weird rule or warning you come across these days is the result of a lawsuit and a big payout somewhere.

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

Min nailed it - once lawyers are involved, things get ugly in a hurry.

But I don't think these particular rules are necessarily a reflection of past behaviour. More likely, some blue-hair wet herself over the thought of kids showing up to a science quiz naked and methed out.

Boru

[Heywood]

As a parent, my job sometimes seems to consist entirely of signing things. Sometimes I actually read them, and then I am sorry.

I just signed the code of conduct for The National Science Bowl, a quiz-style science competition sort of like Jeopardy in which the kids compete is teams. The code of conduct includes the following (I'm paraphrasing here):

1. Competitors must keep their shoes and shirts on at all times.

2. Competitors must not drink, smoke or ingest illegal substances during the competition.

3. Competitors shall not vandalize the property on which the competition is held.

Now I'm trying to imagine previous matches in which the students were topless, shoeless, smoking pot, drinking Southern Comfort, and writing on the walls while answering timed questions about biology, geology, chemistry and physics. It's not a pretty picture.

I'm feel fairly safe in guaranteeing that my daughter won't take her shirt off in the middle of a round though. Who thinks this stuff up?

I don't think kids drink Southern Comfort anymore. That was kinda a 1982 thing. Your kids are probably drinking Fireball.

[Jenny A]

Lawyers.

You're probably right, at least indirectly. But I was amused. Not cheating, was way down the list at six or or seven. Properly shod feet are obviously most important.

---

I don't think kids drink Southern Comfort anymore. That was kinda a 1982 thing. Your kids are probably drinking Fireball.

And how do you know?

[Cato]

I don't think kids drink Southern Comfort anymore. That was kinda a 1982 thing. Your kids are probably drinking Fireball.

SoCo would have been nice, but I couldn't afford it. Mad Dog did the trick on a budget (MD 20/20 for the uninitiated).

[robvalue]

I think the exact same thing when I see odd signs telling me what not to do.

On one particular bus, there was a sign up that simply said, "Do not spit while in this bus." What the jumping Jehovah's?

[abaris]

1. Competitors must keep their shoes and shirts on at all times.

2. Competitors must not drink, smoke or ingest illegal substances during the competition.

3. Competitors shall not vandalize the property on which the competition is held.

1) But they are allowed to take off their pants obviously.

2) In other words, all bets are off as long as the competition hasn't started or once it's come to a close.

3) But everything outside the premisses is fair game. Vandalize away.

What amuses me most about these rules is that they're probably set up because of prior incidents. So all of the above really happened at some point.