# A Ripping Hello to the Smartest People on the Planet **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-ripping-hello-to-the-smartest-people-on-the-planet/287297 **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share **Created:** [January 29, 2005, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-ripping-hello-to-the-smartest-people-on-the-planet/287297 "2005-01-29T17:50:08Z") **Posts on this page:** 20 **Page:** 1
### Author: ![ancientofdays](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3ab097/32.png) [@ancientofdays](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ancientofdays) #### Post date: [January 29, 2005, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-ripping-hello-to-the-smartest-people-on-the-planet/287297/1 "2005-01-29T17:50:08Z")
Greetings, I just wanted to share the joy of finding The Straight Dope and this message board. I look forward to many fruitful and challenging discussions. ---
### Author: ![badbadrubberpiggy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/57b2e6/32.png) [@badbadrubberpiggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badbadrubberpiggy) #### Post date: [January 29, 2005, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-ripping-hello-to-the-smartest-people-on-the-planet/287297/2 "2005-01-29T17:54:44Z")
Welcome! And yes, we are brilliant, thank you šŸ™‚ ---
### Author: ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang) #### Post date: [January 29, 2005, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-ripping-hello-to-the-smartest-people-on-the-planet/287297/3 "2005-01-29T18:01:48Z")
Howdy. Your Other post is in the right place. But welcome threads tend to get moved to MPSIMS (of not already tthere) Wilkommen. ---
### Author: ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan) #### Post date: [January 29, 2005, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-ripping-hello-to-the-smartest-people-on-the-planet/287297/4 "2005-01-29T18:10:31Z")
Where are these people? I would like to greet them too! šŸ˜ƒ ---
### Author: ![Scruloose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@Scruloose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scruloose) #### Post date: [January 29, 2005, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-ripping-hello-to-the-smartest-people-on-the-planet/287297/5 "2005-01-29T18:14:03Z")
Welcome. Flattery, while appropriate and appreciated, does not get one out of the initiation process. Get in the stocks and be quiet. [sub]Whereā€™d that damned goat get off to?[/sub] ---
### Author: ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang) #### Post date: [January 29, 2005, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-ripping-hello-to-the-smartest-people-on-the-planet/287297/6 "2005-01-29T18:17:36Z")
I miss when we didnā€™t mention the goat in welcome threads. People had to find out the hard way. ---
### Author: ![ancientofdays](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3ab097/32.png) [@ancientofdays](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ancientofdays) #### Post date: [January 29, 2005, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-ripping-hello-to-the-smartest-people-on-the-planet/287297/7 "2005-01-29T18:24:58Z")
Out of curiosity, are you familiar with the German language? I have never heard the word before, but your name seems to mean ā€œsong of praiseā€ or something along those lines. I am interested where you got this word from. ---
### Author: ![Tenar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@Tenar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tenar) #### Post date: [January 29, 2005, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-ripping-hello-to-the-smartest-people-on-the-planet/287297/8 "2005-01-29T18:42:08Z")
Let the hircine festivities begin! **Ancientofdays**? Born in (pregnant pause) **1979**? Well, I guess everythingā€™s relative. ---
### Author: ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang) #### Post date: [January 29, 2005, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-ripping-hello-to-the-smartest-people-on-the-planet/287297/9 "2005-01-29T18:46:03Z")
> [@ancientofdays](#): > > Out of curiosity, are you familiar with the German language? > > I have never heard the word before, but your name seems to mean ā€œsong of praiseā€ or something along those lines. I am interested where you got this word from. I am as familiar with the German language as the average twentysomething Brit. (I can speak a few key phrases, alebeit with terrible spelling) But my username is a character in a Discworld book (Theif of Time) and also a common Tibbetan (or simply far-eastern) name. Sprechen sie Deutsch. Ich Komme aus England. Ich Whonne in Douglas Isle of Man. Ich bin funfundzwanzig jarre alt. (or something like that) ---
### Author: ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang) #### Post date: [January 29, 2005, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-ripping-hello-to-the-smartest-people-on-the-planet/287297/10 "2005-01-29T18:48:14Z")
And embarrasingly I just realised you are German :smack: which I suppose explains the question. (I just asked a German person if he speaks German :smack: ) ---
### Author: ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang) #### Post date: [January 29, 2005, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-ripping-hello-to-the-smartest-people-on-the-planet/287297/11 "2005-01-29T18:52:45Z")
Andā€¦ I said ā€˜welcomeā€™ in German without even knowing you are German!! :eek: :smack: :eek: :dubious: šŸ˜• :wally ---
### Author: ![ancientofdays](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3ab097/32.png) [@ancientofdays](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ancientofdays) #### Post date: [January 29, 2005, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-ripping-hello-to-the-smartest-people-on-the-planet/287297/12 "2005-01-29T19:13:59Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > I am as familiar with the German language as the average twentysomething Brit. (I can speak a few key phrases, alebeit with terrible spelling) > > But my username is a character in a Discworld book (Theif of Time) and also a common Tibbetan (or simply far-eastern) name. > > Sprechen sie Deutsch. > > Ich Komme aus England. Ich Whonne in Douglas Isle of Man. Ich bin funfundzwanzig jarre alt. > > (or something like that) I read your other posts as well, and your German is pretty good. There are a couple of umlauts missing, but I got the gist of it. At least itā€™s nothing like the Chaucer Iā€™m reading. How is the Isle of Man? Also, I would be interested to know about your source for the name. What is ā€œDiscworldā€ about? ---
### Author: ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang) #### Post date: [January 29, 2005, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-ripping-hello-to-the-smartest-people-on-the-planet/287297/13 "2005-01-29T19:27:13Z")
> [@ancientofdays](#): > > I read your other posts as well, and your German is pretty good. There are a couple of umlauts missing, but I got the gist of it. At least itā€™s nothing like the Chaucer Iā€™m reading. How is the Isle of Man? > > Also, I would be interested to know about your source for the name. What is ā€œDiscworldā€ about? [url=http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/search-handle-form/026-9272042-3797229]Discworld\*\* is basically a fictional world and subject of a series of comedy science fiction books written by Terry Pratchett. The Isle of Man is beautiful. Street-motorbike racing ā€˜capitalā€™ of the world. ---
### Author: ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang) #### Post date: [January 29, 2005, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-ripping-hello-to-the-smartest-people-on-the-planet/287297/14 "2005-01-29T19:29:18Z")
:smack: [Fixed link](http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/search-handle-form/026-9272042-3797229) The SDMB has many discworld fans amongst itā€™s members. ---
### Author: ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy) #### Post date: [January 29, 2005, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-ripping-hello-to-the-smartest-people-on-the-planet/287297/15 "2005-01-29T19:35:34Z")
You know, **Lobsang** , youā€™ve been :smack: :smack: :smack: yourself a lot lately. Maybe you should, you know, go lie down in a dark quiet corner for a while, till you feel better? šŸ˜‰šŸ˜›šŸ˜ƒ And welcome, **ancientofdays**! ---
### Author: ![ancientofdays](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3ab097/32.png) [@ancientofdays](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ancientofdays) #### Post date: [January 29, 2005, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-ripping-hello-to-the-smartest-people-on-the-planet/287297/16 "2005-01-29T19:45:15Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > [url=http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/search-handle-form/026-9272042-3797229]Discworld\*\* is basically a fictional world and subject of a series of comedy science fiction books written by Terry Pratchett. > > The Isle of Man is beautiful. Street-motorbike racing ā€˜capitalā€™ of the world. Sorry to prod, but in this series of books what (or who) is your namesake? ---
### Author: ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji) #### Post date: [January 29, 2005, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-ripping-hello-to-the-smartest-people-on-the-planet/287297/17 "2005-01-29T19:54:21Z")
**Ancientofdays** be welcome. Enjoy your stay. ---
### Author: ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang) #### Post date: [January 29, 2005, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-ripping-hello-to-the-smartest-people-on-the-planet/287297/18 "2005-01-29T19:57:21Z")
> [@ancientofdays](#): > > Sorry to prod, but in this series of books what (or who) is your namesake? No problem. Lobsang Ludd was in only one book (as far as I know) unlike other Discworld Characters who appear in many books (in some cases _most_ books). Iā€™ve only read the book (Thief of Time) once (a while ago now), so I can only describe the character loosely - He was a student monk who could manipulate time. The books have a lot of anthropomorphisation of abstract concepts. Time being one of them. Lobsang is the son of Time, which is only found out near the end. I chose my username right after reading the book because I wanted something other than my real last name (Lobley) and Lobsang sounds a bit like lobley. Here is the synopsis of Theif of Time > [@](#): > > Time is a resource. Everyone knows it has to be managed. And on the Discworld that is the job of the Monks of History, who store it and pump it from the places where itā€™s wasted (like the underwater - how much time does a codfish need?) to places like cities, where thereā€™s never enough time. But the construction of the worldā€™s first truly accurate clock starts a race against, well, time for Lu Tze and his apprentice Lobsang Ludd. Because it will stop time. And that will only be the start of everyoneā€™s problems. THIEF OF TIME comes complete with a full supporting cast of heroes, villains, yetis, martial artists and Ronnie, the fifth Horseman of the Apocalypse (who left before they became famous). ---
### Author: ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf) #### Post date: [January 29, 2005, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-ripping-hello-to-the-smartest-people-on-the-planet/287297/19 "2005-01-29T20:00:51Z")
Gā€™day, **ancientofdays**! _waggles paw in welcome_ šŸ™‚ ---
### Author: ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor) #### Post date: [January 29, 2005, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-ripping-hello-to-the-smartest-people-on-the-planet/287297/20 "2005-01-29T21:00:28Z")
Welcome, **ancientofdays**! How do you feel aboutā€¦_goats?_ [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-ripping-hello-to-the-smartest-people-on-the-planet/287297.md?page=2)