# 1. ABC 2. DEF 3. Hi Opal? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [January 22, 2001, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-abc-2-def-3-hi-opal/51252 "2001-01-22T14:06:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Schoir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ac91a4/32.png) [@Schoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schoir)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2001, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-abc-2-def-3-hi-opal/51252/1 "2001-01-22T14:06:36Z")
Just a curiousity. I’ve noticed that, when people make a numbered list, they often use one of the items on the list to say hi to Opal. I presume they mean OpalCat, but why? ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2001, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-abc-2-def-3-hi-opal/51252/2 "2001-01-22T14:15:41Z")
[http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=51051](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=51051) ---
**Author:** ![Schoir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ac91a4/32.png) [@Schoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schoir)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2001, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-abc-2-def-3-hi-opal/51252/3 "2001-01-22T14:25:41Z")
Thanks DDG. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2001, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-abc-2-def-3-hi-opal/51252/4 "2001-01-27T06:20:16Z")
I asked this same question at the FFFMB (Fabulous Forums of Fathom Message board at [http://fff.fathom.org](http://fff.fathom.org) … if you know OpalCat, it’s the board she manages). I thought I might open old wounds, dredge up the ‘family secrets’ this board seems to accumulate, and in short cause the end of heaven and earth if I posted it here. I hedged it with a lot of statements to the effect that all I wanted was the facts, not sordid history. Here I see someone just posting the question in the proper forum (on the SDMB itself, no less) and getting an answer with nary an angry or spiteful remark. Sometimes, I’m just too careful. 🙂 Yes, this was a shameless post count pad. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2001, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-abc-2-def-3-hi-opal/51252/5 "2001-01-27T06:36:37Z")
**DDG** : I don’t know how you do it. I have seen many posts from you about searching the archives of the SDMB, the Staff Reports, and Cecil’s Columns as well as doing an Internet search before posting questions to the board (to avoid repetition). And I’ve even seen a curt remark from you admonishing the poster, too. And sometimes I’ve thought, “Man, she seems to be a little tough on the youngsters. Why is that? They mean no harm… Plus they’re so cute and cuddly…” So sometimes I’ve thought you were a little too terse in your responses. But now I feel your pain, **DDG** , I really do. I’ve only been here one scant month, and I have seen the question that was posted in this very thread asked at least three times. In one month! (By the way, I would have preferred to e-mail this to you, but alas and alack, you’ve hidden your e-mail… Probably a smart move! :D) People, people, people… Lord knows I’m not the sharpest tool in the shed. I’ve been told that many times, albeit not on this board (at least not yet). But even I know to do at least a cursory search of the ol’ archives! (Or at least attempt to!) Sigh… Sorry, this is certainly no place for a whine, and the above was a whine. Mea maxima culpa, as they say. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2001, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-abc-2-def-3-hi-opal/51252/6 "2001-01-27T16:04:02Z")
Well since we’re no longer in those Golden Days O’ Yesteryear, how about just choosing some other Doper to use as Item 3 in Any List One Comes Up With? Why not: 1. Hi **Anthracite**! Ah…but I don’t really give a shit if anyone makes lists with 1, 2, or 1e+28 items in them. So why not choose an appropriate list enurmeration for me then: 2.71828182845904523536) Hi **Anthracite**! This can of course be shortened to: 2.7) Hi **Anthracite**! if you want to be informal. But normally, I will insist on the first 21 digits of **e**. And **no** , don’t use any freaking **pi** digits either - that’s what you use when you say: 3.14159265358979323846) Woo! Look at **Rasa**! And of course, when addressing a moderator, well, one has to be careful. Personally, I think the following numbers should be used: 1.44269504088896340736) Hi **Tuba**! 1. Hi **Ed**! (well, he **is** evil in my story “Horror at Cecil Cove” anyhow… 😉 ) 2. Hi Eutychus! (He is "Saint Eutychus, H.M.S.H., after all…) 3. Hi Coldfire! (Rush Ruuulz!) And so forth. See? Isn’t this fun? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2001, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-abc-2-def-3-hi-opal/51252/7 "2001-01-28T00:08:01Z")
Careful, **Anthracite** … You don’t want to call Tuba irrational, do you? And while we’re on the subject, I’ve got dibs on 0.00729735308 . ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2001, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-abc-2-def-3-hi-opal/51252/8 "2001-01-28T05:41:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Chronos \* > **Careful, Anthracite… You don’t want to call Tuba irrational, do you?** I thought she was transcendental, not irrational. Did I mess up? > [@](#): > > \*\*And while we’re on the subject, I’ve got dibs on 0.00729735308 . \*\* OK, I give. What is it? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2001, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-abc-2-def-3-hi-opal/51252/9 "2001-01-28T17:58:29Z")
> [@](#): > > OK, I give. What is it? I guess we’re even, then… I’m not sure what 1.44269504088896340736 is, either. Here’s a hint for mine: Take the reciprocal of it; it might be more familiar that way. ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2001, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-abc-2-def-3-hi-opal/51252/10 "2001-01-28T19:45:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Chronos \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > OK, I give. What is it? > > I guess we’re even, then… I’m not sure what 1.44269504088896340736 is, either. > > Here’s a hint for mine: Take the reciprocal of it; it might be more familiar that way. \*\* log, base 2, of e. Ah…so yours is the Fine Structure Constant. Heh. ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2001, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-abc-2-def-3-hi-opal/51252/11 "2001-01-28T20:09:05Z")
[sup]grumble… grumble… smart people… grumble… grumble… [/sup] 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Quark\_W.Griswold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Quark\_W.Griswold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quark_W.Griswold)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2001, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-abc-2-def-3-hi-opal/51252/12 "2001-01-29T08:48:44Z")
It’s all these inside jokes that make all the newbies cry about there being a clique here, you know. ---
**Author:** ![sford](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/edb3f5/32.png) [@sford](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sford)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2001, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-abc-2-def-3-hi-opal/51252/13 "2001-05-14T14:55:46Z")
Can I be e\*\*(pi\*i)? Huh? Can I? PLEEEEEEEZE? ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2001, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-abc-2-def-3-hi-opal/51252/14 "2001-05-15T00:45:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Anthracite \* > **2112) Hi Coldfire! (Rush Ruuulz!)** If someone has the goll durn nerve to post a 2112-item-list, I’m kicking them off the boards. Even if it _is_ a Rush reference. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2001, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-abc-2-def-3-hi-opal/51252/15 "2001-05-15T04:51:16Z")
sford wrote: > [@](#): > > Can I be e\*\*(pi\*i)? Huh? Can I? PLEEEEEEEZE? You want to be -1?