I'm suffering a random bout of curiosity. I want to know the etymology of the phrase "on line" but I haven't been able to find a good site for the etymology of phrases.

The earliest usage I can think of is on steam-powered ships, where boilers can be on line (i.e. producing steam). Or maybe it comes from steam power plants in general.

Also, I am in middle school where the lingua franca is sarcasm. So I tend to use sarcasm with certain kids. Other kids, NSM. If I know the kid has a thick skin, I'll go there when pushed. But for most kids, I don't because I know them well enough to know that they can't handle it.

And as a kid, I hated being teased. Apparently my defense mechanism was to be verbally sharp. It's true that as an adult, most of my meatspace folks don't tease me at all because my response tends to come fast and off the cuff. That's a result of being picked on by my brother and cousin through my childhood.

I also don't think the lack of namecalling produces meaner or more violent kids.

edited for clarity.

I heard at least some of the recording. Baldwin didn't just call her a "selfish pig," he went on and on. So I'd say he lost his temper. I also got the impression that the situation had been escalating because his daughter chronically missed appointments that she'd made to call him. Which to me says he overreacted to provocation.

I'm betwixt and between on verbal abuse. I have no doubt that there's such a thing, but I'm not sure where the line is between a wrong step and abuse.

bon bon

I saw on the news this morning that Baldwin is now trying to get out of his 30 Rock contract b/c of this.

how come? I mean, I wonder why he'd try to get out of it, though I can see why the show might want him out.

I'm suffering a random bout of curiosity. I want to know the etymology of the phrase "on line" but I haven't been able to find a good site for the etymology of phrases.

I always assumed that it came from "on the line" as in on the telephone line. Just a tiny step from a physical line running between poles. That was before the internet was built of tubes, of course.

I also don't think the lack of namecalling produces meaner or more violent kids.

There's at least some evidence that a high percentage of school shooters experienced a lot of verbal bullying from their peers. Yes, peer to peer bullying isn't the same as a teacher's one-time response to a student's behavior (whether word or deed). But the existence of namecalling does appear to have an effect.

Right, Fred Pete. Therefore, I don't think that the lack of namecalling produces meaner or more violent kids. That is to say, I don't think kids need to be toughened up by being called names.

What gets me, Cashmere, is that she uses a totally unparalleled example. If a kid is acting like an asshat in class and is rude to other students, I actually have no qualms about lobbing a well-aimed zinger at the kid.

Oh, yeah, totally. I don't think is an adequate comparison. I could imagine, hypothetically, him losing his temper with her in person if she was being a little shit (which kids can be). But for him to ramble on and on and insult her (while making up reasons he's upset--he had to "bust his ass to get to a phone?" WTF? Like he doesn't carry a cell phone and couldn't make or take such an important call whenever or wherever he was?")

I'm more disturbed that he is so disconnected, he doesn't know how old she is.

I've been known to make mistakes on how old my kids are. Parent Brain Syndrome makes me stupid sometimes.

how come? I mean, I wonder why he'd try to get out of it, though I can see why the show might want him out.

He's put his PR machine on full-steam, I'm sure. This is part of the plan. It could be preemptive--if they're going to let me go because of this, I should look like I volunteered to leave first. Or, he could just be putting on the appearance of trying to get his act together--willing to walk away from a tv show in order to make more time to become an actual parent.

I'm currently watching a friend here fight for shared custody of her five year old son and I hate seeing a child caught in the middle of this shit, when parents are so hateful of each other that they lose sight of the person they both should be thinking of first, rather than seeking opportunities to wound each other.

[link]

Ill treatment may be as traumatic as torture

Prisoners who endure poor or degrading treatment suffer much of the same long-term psychological distress as do captives who are tortured, suggests a study published Monday.

The "pig" thing is what left me feeling the worst about Baldwin's tirade (well that, and that he didn't know his child's age).

He sounded absolutely furious to me, and when people are angry, they're not always coherent. I don't know that he doesn't know his kid's age, as he was just too mad to concentrate. How many times has a mom called the kid by a sibling's name, and no one says "she doesn't know her children!" To me, the startling part was the actual word "pig". How much of a big deal would this be if he had used "brat" instead