Lizzie Borden - Jezebel

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Lizzie Borden Took A Trademark...
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ihateyourescalade
08/26/09

In reply to Lizzie Borden Took A Trademark...
So not funny.

I have never forgotten an article I read in 1997 in the Atlantic Monthly, about how Americans view murder as entertainment. The article profiled the group Parents of Murdered Children and pointed out that murder is not cool, it is not fun, it is not funny. It is murder. I have not been able to watch a graphic movie or even play "Clue" since. Here's the link:

[www.theatlantic.com]
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girl.of.your.dreams
08/26/09

@ihateyourescalade: I think our nation's fascination with murder is somewhat more complicated, having more to do with our fears and insecurities, attempting to gain power over powerlessness. That being said, thank you for this link. It's a fascinating and important article.
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bluelafrance
08/26/09

In reply to Lizzie Borden Took A Trademark...
I studied this case for my criminal justice classes. Due to delicacies in the era she lived in her claim of blood on her dress was due to, as she put it, "flea bite" which at the time was a polite euphemism for menstrual cycle. Police didn't do too much exploring of that defense. That was a key piece of evidence, however, that could have been explored further.
Also, her claims that someone must have come into the house were bogus because it would have been almost impossible not to have been noticed by someone due to the weird layout of the house. There were no hallways as every room led into another.
Due to the nature of her realtionship with her parents she harbored a lot of anger. It is possible for someone to do that sort of thing and never commit another act like that again because their anger and violence is localized and not directed at people in general. Since she was the most likely suspect for having done that crime, she "solved" the problem herself and lived the rest of her life in peace by all accounts.
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awhellsnaw
08/26/09

In reply to Lizzie Borden Took A Trademark...
I remember reading an essay about Lizzie that made some convincing arguments that she had done it. Basically that if you look at her behavior from a WASP standpoint there was plenty of evidence that she was guilty. Found it!

[www.nationalreview.com]
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bluebears
08/26/09

@awhellsnaw: god, Florence King. Back when NR wasn't just the written extension of Fox news and actually had some intellectual credibility.
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gaudette
08/26/09

In reply to Lizzie Borden Took A Trademark...
My grandma Rita grew up in Fall River in the early teens and twenties when Lizzie was still alive. I was always told this story about how someone who worked for the family (nanny/governess/maid or something, they were a big Jewish family and her father was a lawyer) had gone to school with Lizzie and when the children were bad she would say "If you don't behave, I'm going to call Lizzie."
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Kivrin
08/26/09

In reply to Lizzie Borden Took A Trademark...
I just Googled Lizzie Borden, and until today I had no idea that she was an adult when she allegedly committed the murders. All this time, I had assumed she was a kid -- probably because of her name (Lizzie versus Liz or Elizabeth) and the fact that she was famous for supposedly kiling her parents. So I always imagined the infamous Lizzie Borden as a Victorian Michael Myers figure.
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BabyJane
08/26/09

@Kivrin: As I recall, they made a point out of referring to her as a New England spinster.
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tacotico
08/26/09

@BabyJane: No wonder she got all stabby!
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Kivrin
08/26/09

@BabyJane: Yeah, saw that on Wikipedia, but I'd never heard that moniker 'til today. I always just knew her as "Lizzie Borden, the girl who killed her parents."
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BabyJane
08/26/09

@Kivrin: I probably know more about her than I should, but she was talked about a lot growing up in New England.

On another note, I always find it jarring, when I visualize something in my head for years and then find out it's not quite what I had pictured. It's a little bit like finding out the song lyrics you have been singing, were totally wrong.

This actually happens to me a lot.
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Edited by BabyJane at 08/26/09 1:28 PM BabyJane was starred BabyJane was unstarred

andBegorrah
08/26/09

In reply to Lizzie Borden Took A Trademark...
Oh please oh please oh please figure out a way to apply this to Axe Body Wash.
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Rare Affinity
08/26/09

In reply to Lizzie Borden Took A Trademark...
I find the notion that the name of a historical character in the public domain can be trademarked annoying and believe it should be illegal. But I have trademarked the name of Caligula and Nero for my new range of pastas and bath oils.
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bluebears
08/26/09

In reply to Lizzie Borden Took A Trademark...
What do you guys think? Guilty? Innocent? I read a book once that posited the theory that her sister did it, Lizzie knew and covered for her. It was somewhat persuasive, but I don't know. Common sense says she did it.
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LuvEwan
08/26/09

@bluebears: Guilty. But I'm curious--what was the book you read on the case?
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sportz.star
08/26/09

@bluebears: I grew up next door to Fall River. My whole family is from there. Most people believe she did it but the 150 year old woman, or so it seemed, at the Fall River Historical Society never did. "Lizzie was never convicted."
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bluebears
08/26/09

@LuvEwan: I wish I could remember the name! It was really interesting. I'll try to see if I can find it online.
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MissPeacock
08/26/09

@bluebears: There was also an episode of Alfred Hitchock Presents that posited that her sister did it. I read a book that said her father had an illegitmate son who had mental problems and killed the parents. Me? I think she was most likely guilty.
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LuvEwan
08/26/09

@MissPeacock: The burned dress, the poison she purchased (and the subsequent sickness that gripped the household), and the horrible demeanor of the father point to Lizzie. A robber wouldn't have gone into that wealthy man's house and stolen nothing. This person HATED Borden and his wife. Lizzie had just learned that the wife was getting a big chunk of the inheritance. Too many coincidences, I wager.
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bluebears
08/26/09

@LuvEwan: The book argues that both sisters hated him (and the step mother) and wanted to kill them. Emma was immediately cleared in the minds of law enforcement because she was out of town, but the book argued that the actual distance back was not insurmountable and I think there was also evidence that Emma was unaccounted for that day, the people she was supposedly staying with said that they "couldn't find her" or something and then she returned to the house.
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LuvEwan
08/26/09

@bluebears: Oooh that sounds creepy. So perhaps Lizzie burned the dress to protect her sister? Interesting.
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bluebears
08/26/09

@LuvEwan: the book was crazy creepy. sorry I couldn't find it online. If I find it at home I'll PM you.
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Zombies make the heart grow fonder
08/26/09

@bluebears: I am on the guilty train for her. Though, I do not believe that she committed the murders in the nude as some theorist posit. I believe the brown stained "paint" dress she burned was her blood stained murder attire.
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TheFormerJuneBronson
08/26/09

In reply to Lizzie Borden Took A Trademark...
We also have a shovel museum here in lovely Massachusetts. Proud heritage!
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Spaceman Bill Leah
08/26/09

@TheFormerJuneBronson: Also the Volleyball Hall of Fame!

Yes, such a thing exists.
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BabyJane
08/26/09

@Spaceman Bill Leah: And MOBA!

[www.museumofbadart.org]
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cassis LOL
08/26/09

@BabyJane: My favorite!
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formergr
08/26/09

@BabyJane: I love MOBA, I actually bought a book of their stuff.
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TubOfTaft
08/26/09

In reply to Lizzie Borden Took A Trademark...
I remember adding the name Lizzie to the Borden milk gallons my parents would bring home from the grocery store. They were not amused.
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lilbobbytables
08/26/09

In reply to Lizzie Borden Took A Trademark...
As someone who works in Intellectual Property, let me say: Sometimes it leaves me confused, but it is pretty entertaining nonetheless.
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MargaretMoony
08/20/09

In reply to "Which Is More Important: Travel, Or My Girlfriend?"
Once again I love Jack Kerouac! And Hemingway, because it's so true.
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purefog
08/20/09

In reply to "Which Is More Important: Travel, Or My Girlfriend?"
Uh -- the link is to some other Hax column.
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Sadie
08/20/09

@purefog: Don't worry, it's just the second letter in.
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formergr
08/20/09

In reply to "Which Is More Important: Travel, Or My Girlfriend?"
I love that Isak Denisen is quoted, though it's disconcerting that Marie Antoinette is suddenly speaking German!
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commieginge
08/20/09

@formergr: Ah, this is because she was an Austrian princess before marrying French royalty.
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vitajex
08/20/09

In reply to "Which Is More Important: Travel, Or My Girlfriend?"
Henry VIII: Behead her, then be heading out of the country!
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Snowbunny
08/21/09

@vitajex: Heading OUT? NAY! Heading! The greatest heads of state have been known for amassing the heads of others.
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