Thanks to JavaRanch - A recollection of the past year

[Paul McKenna]

This is basically something I thought about as I clicked through the threads of MD... and I decided to write about. Most of it is likely to be troll.. so please, dont add another post saying "Troll Alert". Though I am sure Thomas Paul or John Dunn is likely to do just that
Its been over three years now since I found JavaRanch and over 1 year since I discovered Meaningless Drivel (Henceforth referred to as MD). For the first two years, I dismissed MD as a place where losers hang out and its content to be just as its title proclaimed.. Meaningless. For some strange reason last year I decided to step into MD. I think it was because I wanted to sell my SCWCD book and I didnt know where else to post. Once in, the topics seemed pretty interesting.. varying from anger and frustration at H1Bs to anger at 9/11 to the ever growing WA Word Association.
I think my first post on MD was on some Iraq war related thread that can be found here
Javaranch is addictive enough, but MD.. was like a shot of heroin right in between the nuts Sure enough I visited MD everyday and posted something somewhere everyday. I think the first thread initiated by me was an anti-Rupert Murdoch one .. ahh here it is
MD is nothing but a collection of opinions (and some assorted weird things that go by largely unnoticed) Dont believe me? How about this..
There was a crazy guy who declared some Javaranchers to be infidels and claimed that he would eat them up very soon. And guess what.. people started posting asking their name to be included as infidels also..
Some of the Jolly Ranchers:
Herb Slocomb
------------
One of my favourites. You can find the hallmark of his work here and here
My nickname for this guy, "The Ranting Libertarian". Post more often Herb, maybe we need to revive that "What are Leftists thread"

Jason Menard
------------
I mistook this guy to be a democrat Boy! was I wrong.. Neverthless one of the most eloquent posters on JavaRanch. Always backs up his statements with cold hard facts and oh! dont let him catch you with a fake name.. you're bound to get a notice.
A lot of his work can be found in recent posts. Make sure you have enough evidence and conviction to argue against him.. if you risk doing so
Jim Yingst
----------
A favourite Infidel of mine I see him play the role of mediator more than anyone else on this board. I love reading his posts on philosophy, science and in general just about anything. But watch out! You might get Yingsted!!
Richard Hawkes
--------------
The best Brit on this board (or should I say the only Brit I know on this board). Cracks me up 9 times out of 10. Will come up with the most corny one liner on almost any topic.. reminds me of "Black Adder"
Mapraputa Is
------------
Map's on top.. no, no.. I mean Map is really on top. Map's the #1 undisputed leader of the pack. Rarely watches TV and has an appetite for knowledge that would put Rush Limbaugh to shame. Can google better than anyone I have ever seen.
Eugene Knonov
-------------
Another of my favourite Libertarian ranchers. His hallmark posts can be found here. Refuses to believe in God (or atleast I get that impression) yet attends Bible study.. has to have scientific evidence for every event or it wont garner any respect in his eyes. One of the most brilliant programmer I have seen, I cant find the link to that post on analyzing ranchers english but if anyone else does.. please post it here.
Michael "Granpa" Morris
-----------------------
Its been so long, I have almost forgotten his style. But he still remains #1 on my dinner menu. Wish you a Happy Thanksgiving Gramps..
Anyway, thats enough MD from me for one night.. Thanks to everyone on Javaranch. Thats one more thing I'll be thankful for this Thanksgiving day
[ December 01, 2003: Message edited by: Thomas Paul ]

[Mapraputa Is]

Jason Menard
------------
I mistook this guy to be a democrat
That's the funniest thing I've ever read!
Serves you right, Jason.

[Mark Fletcher]

Is Michael Morris still on Javaranch? I miss his posts on MD, it makes a change from all the political nonsense going on nowadays.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Mark
[ December 01, 2003: Message edited by: Thomas Paul ]

[Paul McKenna]

Some of my favourite threads:
What an American Is
What are Leftists?
The Great Debate LLC
Walking with Cavemen

[HS Thomas]

Good list tho' haven't come muzzle to muzzle with some of them. And I agree with the addiction bit , but I associate MD with early coffee mornings that can go on and on. Addiction enough to wake up people to let me in !
I would add Thomas Paul pretty high on the list. Without Thomas to put a damp squib by some pretty sharpish down-to-earth come-backs, inflated egos may be right up there in the stratosphere.
Oh yeah ! Jim and Map, too .
regards

[John Smith]

[b]i also remember that guy, an ibm141 certified as far as i know.[b]
Don Liu used this signature:

DON LIU
oca,ibm-uml,xml,mcsd,mcse-w2k,mcdba,scjp,scjd,scwcd,scea
Creator of 100% correct answer to IBM 486 sample test
Co-creator of 100% correct answer to IBM 141 sample test
Creator of JavaRanch's first post of 2003 (January 01, 2003 12:16 AM)

To be fair, I must also say that he had enough sense to replace it all with just "John Lee". The only thing that is left of him here is his member #18257. Don't know if this is good or bad, -- his madness transcended beyond the "word association", "basketball", and "top 10 topics" threads. In my mind, he was always a perfect JavaRanch greenhorn, nice and friendly, and never grew up.

[Sameer Jamal]

2 years back somebody moved this thread to MD and from that day I am stucked here

[R K Singh]

Where is grand pa BTW ??

[Nanhesru Ningyake]

So, Sriraj Rajaram, did you change your name to "Paul McKenna" simply because your pro-US stance in some of the US vs. India discussions caused genuine Indians to label you a traitor? Or was there more to it

[Paul McKenna]

Originally posted by Nanhesru Ningyake:
your pro-US stance in some of the US vs. India discussions caused genuine Indians to label you a traitor? Or was there more to it

Well, lets define a traitor. I could be called one if I betrayed India. To betray I must have the confidence of that nation and then let it down. I dont think India ever relied on me nor have I ever let India down. I have simply acted based on some very strong beliefs that I hold. Is it possible that you just chose the wrong word to use.
I believe the Iraq war is right, I believe US is a super-power and I believe India should be more pro-west. After we rely on the west for business, for aid, for military backing.. almost everything. More importantly, Indians in the US have to realize that US is a white, christian soceity. It was founded as one and it is one. We are a minority and minority should not tell the majority what to do. "The tail should not wag the dog". At the same time, majority should not trample upon minority rights and for that there are lots of constitutional protections. Yes! The same rule applies in india, pakistan etc. If there is less tension between the minority and majority then life will be better.

[Nanhesru Ningyake]

Originally posted by Paul McKenna:
Well, lets define a traitor. I could be called one if I betrayed India. To betray I must have the confidence of that nation and then let it down. I dont think India ever relied on me nor have I ever let India down. I have simply acted based on some very strong beliefs that I hold. Is it possible that you just chose the wrong word to use.

Umm, actually what I meant was that your stance appeared to betray some of your fellow Indians - who implicitly expected you to agree with them, because you had an Indian name. So my original question, just out of curiosity, was, did you change to a Western sounding name merely to avoid being heckled by Indians in future discussions?
Btw, not wanting to be labeled a threadjacker, I will make a meaningful contribution to the thread:
We should add Michael Ernest to the list of MD greats - he is after all, Javaranch's own {rimshot} William Safire
[ November 28, 2003: Message edited by: Nanhesru Ningyake ]

[Paul McKenna]

Originally posted by Nanhesru Ningyake:
So my original question, just out of curiosity, was, did you change to a Western sounding name merely to avoid being heckled by Indians in future discussions?

No. I changed my name for two reasons. Primarily for the purpose of making highly "politically incorrect" statements without fear of persecution and secondly because I have always used Paul McKenna as my nickname since childhood. He is a famous British hypnotist who's shows used to be aired on Star TV in India.

[Thomas Paul]

Originally posted by HS Thomas:
Oh yeah ! Jim and Map, too

Jim and Map are my two favorites. Especially Map because she is so much like me! How's that for an insult, Map?

[Mapraputa Is]

I am not like you! I am not like you!
On the other hand, I am not like Jim even more.
How is *this* for an insult, Jim?

[Rufus BugleWeed]

Johnson Chong had some posts I found to be captivating.
[ December 01, 2003: Message edited by: Rufus BugleWeed ]

[Paul Stevens]

Originally posted by Rufus BugleWeed:
Johnson Chong had some posts I found to be captivating.
[ December 01, 2003: Message edited by: Rufus BugleWeed ]

That is one way of describing them.

[Rufus BugleWeed]

I'd love to re-read the one about anti-depressants.

[Joel McNary]

Man, oh man, how did I miss that "Walking with Caveman" thread?

[Sameer Jamal]

Originally posted by Thomas Paul:
Jim and Map are my two favorites. Especially Map because she is so much like me! How's that for an insult, Map?

If this is the then case you are also my favorite

[Paul McKenna]

Hey! How did I forget about the Local Philosopher of Javaranch - Joel McNary.
Got a question about religion / philosophy? He's "Da Man"! Definetly one of the more silent jolly ranchers , I'd like to read more of his thoughts. Hallmark posts - Meaning of Justice and Bible Study
[ December 02, 2003: Message edited by: Paul McKenna ]
[ December 02, 2003: Message edited by: Paul McKenna ]