# A belated introduction from JRFRANCHI **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 18, 2005, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-belated-introduction-from-jrfranchi/326790 "2005-10-18T19:12:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-belated-introduction-from-jrfranchi/326790/1 "2005-10-18T19:12:50Z")
Dear SDMB community: I never did an introduction thread and I am doing one belatedly. I guess I hve been getting my moneys worth as I seem to be addicted. My Join Date was 06-08-2005. I post in all the forums and I especially like the IMHO, MPSIMS & Café. I post in the GQ, GD, ATMB & Pit often. … If you have run into me you’ll find I am passionate about Middle-Earth, Heinlein, Geek stuff, Computers, Wood Working, The Yankees, environmental issues, being a disenfranchise republican & politics. I am proud of my time in the Navy, pro-USA, but I hate the Bush administration. … I love Scotland and Britain. I want to go explore more of the US & Canada. I try to take a week long driving trip each year and discover small museums and attractions. … I can be Sarcastic and Snarky but I am trying to curb these tendencies. I am poor at grammar and spelling skills. I probably won’t stop posting at my high rate as I have way too many opinions and like to share them too much. I am a bit of a JOT & an eclectic. I have a weight problem as I am 230lbs and only 5’8”. … My wonderful wife who doesn’t post but lurks is also a computer programmer and loves knitting and pottery among other things. She is also a train Mechanical Engineer. She has put up with me for 13+ years now. I have a beautiful daughter Guenivere who loves animals and is 8. I have a funny son Kevin who is 5 and might grow up to be a comedian but currently loves trains more than anything. We have 2 cats and a hermit crab. The cats are Velcro age 13 and Beauty age 5. The hermit Crab is Kansas and we have had her for less than a month. My wife and I both come from close loving families and my best friends include my sisters and brother. … I was born in the Bronx but grew up in Tinton Falls. I have lived in Great Lakes (Navy Training center/boot camp), San Diego, Matawan, Howell & now Holmdel. I am a programmer analyst on the IBM AS400/Iseries mid Range computer. I also provide support on servers and PCs, including building PCs from scratch. (This is also one of my hobbies). I still occasionally Ref a D&D game and have played since 1976 with the original box set. I am definately a Geek. I crew on a wooden sail boat that belongs to the environmental group Monmouth County Friends of Clearwater. I have a good wood shop in my basement and I love building toys. I built 30 Brio compatible trains for my son and many long tracks. I built a wind up miniature Carousel with my daughter’s help. A just completed a 10’ long See-saw for the kids. It as 3 coats of Polyurethane on it and came through 8 straight days of rain in good shape. I built a pair of Barbie racks for that hold a dozen each. (Think giant spice rack). Etc. I have also built lots of shelves, small tables, spice racks, flatware organizers, my workbenches and a large sturdy train table that is easy to move. I have done a lot of repair work on the wooden sailboat the “Adam Hyler”. I recycle an reuse as much as possible, The see-saw was made with materials on hand. … My choice for next President or VP would be Rudy Giuliani, I would settle for McCain/Giuliani. Teddy Roosevelt was to me the perfect president, a hawk and a diplomat, a trustbuster and an early environmentalist. IMHO: Ben Franklin was the Greatest American and Patton our greatest field general. … I respect the opinions of many other Dopers I have met and conversed with here and learned much from many of them. I look forward to meeting some of you in the real world. I am amazed by \*\*Qadgop the Mercotan’s \*\* knowledge, \*\*Campion \*\* help me expelled some mental poison, \*\*Hal Briston \*\* for the best thread in my stay here and a fellow Giant Fan, \*\*anyrose \*\* for a lot of laughs already, **Johnny L.A.** for many great café threads. \*\*Bricker \*\* from whom I learned some excellent knowledge and who challenged me to pull together research from all over the web and by phone calls to prove a hypothetical point. The \*\*Mods and Admins \*\* showed some early patience and helped me along. I am here to learn and hopefully share some knowledge. … It is probably too late for the Goat Felching? I already know not to ask what happen once for 20 minutes in 1960, but otherwise I am still learning. … Just thought I would share Too Much Information. 😉 Nice to have met everyone. Jim Franchi ---
**Author:** ![Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_With_a_Cat)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-belated-introduction-from-jrfranchi/326790/2 "2005-10-18T19:25:15Z")
[What happened in the 1960’s, for 20 minutes](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=283407&highlight=marianas) I for one have enjoyed reading your posts. Nice to meet you! ---
**Author:** ![picker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/picker/32/13969_2.png) [@picker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picker)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-belated-introduction-from-jrfranchi/326790/3 "2005-10-18T19:34:55Z")
Welcome to the SDMB! Go ahead and hop in line, grab a squid from the bin on the left, and try to relax once the goat gets a hold of ya - it’ll go quicker. Don’t arouse the predator instinct. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-belated-introduction-from-jrfranchi/326790/4 "2005-10-18T19:35:23Z")
> [@mr bus guy](#): > > [What happened in the 1960’s, for 20 minutes](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=283407&highlight=marianas) > > I for one have enjoyed reading your posts. Nice to meet you! Thank you and thank you for the link. I will read it immediately. Did so and I printed it out so I will not forget. ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-belated-introduction-from-jrfranchi/326790/5 "2005-10-18T19:40:24Z")
Welcome back and all that jazz. Watch out for **Skip** and his iron jackboots of doom 😉 _snogs_ ---
**Author:** ![SkipMagic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skipmagic/32/20706_2.png) [@SkipMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkipMagic)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-belated-introduction-from-jrfranchi/326790/6 "2005-10-18T19:54:54Z")
> [@Kythereia](#): > > Welcome back and all that jazz. Watch out for **Skip** and his iron jackboots of doom 😉 _snogs_ I have a Wizard’s Jack_hat_ of Doom, thank you very much. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-belated-introduction-from-jrfranchi/326790/7 "2005-10-18T19:59:38Z")
> [@SkipMagic](#): > > I have a Wizard’s Jack_hat_ of Doom, thank you very much. Now that sounds interesting, can you describe its functions? Thanks again for the excellent compromise. ---
**Author:** ![Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_With_a_Cat)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-belated-introduction-from-jrfranchi/326790/8 "2005-10-18T20:01:39Z")
I’ve been called an Asshat before, is that the same thing? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-belated-introduction-from-jrfranchi/326790/9 "2005-10-18T20:03:36Z")
> [@SkipMagic](#): > > I have a Wizard’s Jack_hat_ of Doom, thank you very much. Ooooops. :o Am I going to be smited by the Hat now? ---
**Author:** ![Plynck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Plynck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plynck)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-belated-introduction-from-jrfranchi/326790/10 "2005-10-18T20:24:08Z")
> [@jrfranchi](#): > > My wonderful wife…is also a train Mechanical Engineer… I have a funny son Kevin who is 5 and might grow up to be a comedian but currently loves trains more than anything. Well, no wonder, if his mom is the Engineer… 🙂 Welcome **jrfranchi.** With you on Ben Franklin and environmental protection, not so much on the Giuliani thing. 🙂 (Lifelong Dem, but I \*do \* like McCain, so perhaps there is still room for discussion here.) Perhaps we should start a woodworking thread, if only to give the knitters a bit of competition. plynck ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-belated-introduction-from-jrfranchi/326790/11 "2005-10-18T21:20:17Z")
😕 OK…it may just be because I am sick with the flu and just imagined it, but wasn’t this thread originally titled \*2000th post \* or something like that? I could’ve sworn I read that about 9:30am and replied to it, but now I can’t find that thread anywhere. Or is it a fever dream? ---
**Author:** ![FaerieBeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e95f7d/32.png) [@FaerieBeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FaerieBeth)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-belated-introduction-from-jrfranchi/326790/12 "2005-10-18T21:31:16Z")
> [@SkipMagic](#): > > I have a Wizard’s Jack_hat_ of Doom, thank you very much. This just sounds so scary! I can stop wincing everytime I say it. Jackhat of Doom Jackhat of Doom Jackhat of Doom Okay, now it just sounds dirty. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/regallag_the_axe/32/445_2.png) [@Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Regallag_The_Axe)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-belated-introduction-from-jrfranchi/326790/13 "2005-10-18T21:47:05Z")
> [@FaerieBeth](#): > > This just sounds so scary! I can stop wincing everytime I say it. > > Jackhat of Doom > Jackhat of Doom > Jackhat of Doom > Okay, now it just sounds dirty. 😉 Is that anything like the Doomhat of Jack? 'cuz _that_ thing is damn scary. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-belated-introduction-from-jrfranchi/326790/14 "2005-10-18T22:41:16Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > 😕 OK…it may just be because I am sick with the flu and just imagined it, but wasn’t this thread originally titled . . . or something like that? I could’ve sworn I read that about 9:30am and replied to it, but now I can’t find that thread anywhere. Or is it a fever dream? I had posted a no no and the compromise was to repost with the offending mention of posts. I carefully struck them all and re-tagged the post and still left **train Mechanical Engineer** in instead of **trained Mechanical Engineer**. I did mention I am bad at this English language thingy. thanks **Plynck**. > [@](#): > > Jackhat of Doom > Jackhat of Doom > Jackhat of Doom Catchy lyrics or a darn fine Band Name. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-belated-introduction-from-jrfranchi/326790/15 "2005-10-18T22:46:17Z")
Ah. Much better. I didn’t think I was **that** sick. 😃 But Jackson was a much better field commander than Patton was. ---
**Author:** ![Scott\_Plaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Scott\_Plaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scott_Plaid)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-belated-introduction-from-jrfranchi/326790/16 "2005-10-18T22:49:53Z")
> [@jrfranchi](#): > > … It is probably too late for the Goat Felching? No, the goat felching is what people do in their free time. What the goat does to _you_, against your wishes is what happens in an initiation… 😛 ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2005, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-belated-introduction-from-jrfranchi/326790/17 "2005-10-18T23:10:01Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Ah. Much better. I didn’t think I was **that** sick. 😃 > > But Jackson was a much better field commander than Patton was. I just don’t know enough about Jackson to properly comment. What I do know: He was the only President to be a POW until McCain gets elected. 😉 I think he was the last President to be a Revolutionary war vet. …He won a great victory in the battle that shouldn’t have happened and massacred a lot of Native Americans as an act of terror to break their resistance in the Indian War. **Scott Plaid** : Strangely enough we are thinking about raising a pair of **goats**. My wife had many as a kid in 4H. ---
**Author:** ![saoirse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-belated-introduction-from-jrfranchi/326790/18 "2005-10-19T02:29:07Z")
> [@jrfranchi](#): > > I just don’t know enough about Jackson to properly comment. > What I do know: He was the only President to be a POW until McCain gets elected. 😉 I think he was the last President to be a Revolutionary war vet. > …He won a great victory in the battle that shouldn’t have happened and massacred a lot of Native Americans as an act of terror to break their resistance in the Indian War. > > **Scott Plaid** : Strangely enough we are thinking about raising a pair of **goats**. My wife had many as a kid in 4H. I think that’s Stonewall, not Andy. BTW, nice work on the Brio thing. I’d always had that in the back of my mind as something I ought to try. The Brio gauge is so large, it seems like it would be fairly easy, at least until you turn on the lights in the shop. ---
**Author:** ![Campion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@Campion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Campion)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-belated-introduction-from-jrfranchi/326790/19 "2005-10-19T03:05:02Z")
Okay, sure, we had a little brouhaha in our first encounter on the boards 😉 , but your perspective on issues always is appreciated. I enjoy your posts, and I’m glad you like being here if it means you’re planning to stay a while. Plus you love your wife and kids, and that’s maybe the best quality anyone could have. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-belated-introduction-from-jrfranchi/326790/20 "2005-10-19T03:34:39Z")
Welcome! Bienvenue! Bonvenon! 🙂 And thanks for the excellent and charming introduction. Don’t worry about the goats, squids, etc. Thay are all products of various fevered imaginations around here. You are Perfectly Safe. 🙂 And the kid in me is jealous of your Brio accomplishments. 😉 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-belated-introduction-from-jrfranchi/326790.md?page=2)