I also learned this from Bricker’s thread about Huerta88 several years ago. Hadn’t thought about it before or after that.
To answer the OP, I’ve got a vague inkling that I’ve heard it before, probably on this board, but it isn’t something I remembered.
I skimmed through the linked thread, but missed the explanation of what 88 means, and couldn’t work it out.
I’d just assume that when you registered, the screen told you that your choice is already taken, and offered you some alternate suggestions:
- Mr. Kobayashi45
- Mr. Kobayashi21
- Mr. Kobayashi88
- Mr. Kobayashi76
Similar choices have been offered to me many times.
okay, I’ll bite. what are 18 and 14?
I knew about 88 but not about “14 words”. If I saw a username ending in 88, I probably wouldnt make the association unless something else in the username or in the user’s behavior was pointing in the same direction.
By that logic, where are all the Mr.Kobayashi87s and Mr.Kobayashi89s?
18 is the same code as 88. A=1, H=8, Adolf Hitler. 14 is mentioned earlier as an American white supremacist code, the “14 words”.
It’s a new one on me. I don’t usually pay much attention to numbers in usernames, figuring they are padding because the wanted name was taken.
Had never heard of 88 being related to Nazism.
Only 88’s outside of sports that I can think of are the Crazy 88 from Kill Bill. And I thought they chose that for their name because number of fighters andthe belief that the number 8 is lucky.
Wikipedia on the number 88, also explains the number 14
An unrelated numerical meme is the use of the number 420. I had never heard about this. I was forcibly introduced to it when asshole potheads (note: not all potheads are assholes - just these particular ones) kept stealing my parent’s rural road number - 420. They actually caught them red-handed at it once (the assholes drove away fast). We were wondering “why the hell are these people always stealing our road sign?” when someone clued us in to its meaning in pot culture.
My parent’s property actually spans several road numbers: he just changed it to “400” and the sign was never stolen again.
Who says there aren’t any?
I’m not saying neither exist, I just find the whole “secret code” of a number corresponding to a letter simplistic and silly.
Annie-Xmas
An “8” on either side of a swastika? I’m guessing there may be a negative connotation with those 8s. This is tantamount to gang symbols and graffiti, which I also find silly. Kids eat this shit, but we’re adults here right?
Even knowing the association with neo-Nazis, the only association I would make with Rocket88 is that old blues tune.
I wonder if Neo nazis are fond of Oldsmobiles.
And the Delta is Greek for the letter D that stands Deutschland.
I heard about it here. I think it had something to do about Target having t-shirts with the number 88, and having to stop selling them.
Indeed. 18 is used by one the biggest (maybe the biggest) neo nazi groups in the UK: Combat 18.
Yes, it is silly. But it is also real. No one is forcing neo-nazis to use “88” - they are using it themselves. They are publicly telling you of their beliefs. Use the knowledge, ignore it, whatever, just don’t pretend it isn’t there.
Yes, the “negative connotation” is that the wearer of the tattoo is a white supremacist.
Why are you dismissing this? Why are you reveling in your ignorance?
Try walking around the right neighborhood with the wrong gang symbols. Tell the gangbangers how silly you think it is. I’ll bet you and the gangs will have a good laugh over the whole thing.
Addendum: meant to add - it’s not a two-way symbol. Not every use of “88” means neo-nazi, but every use of “88” BY neo-nazis is a sign. So knock off the ignorance about not being able to drive Buick 88s, okay?
No, it’s not.
I suppose it could be, but it’s not commonly use that way at all. To me, and to those I know, it had no nazi significance at all.
My point is that the 88 is a tad unnecessary when it is already sandwiching a swastika. Just more crap they can tattoo on their body. And no, I wouldn’t think of telling a skinhead that I think the whole idea of 88 is stupid, that’s why I’m telling you here.
I live in New Orleans and there are plenty of neighborhoods I wouldn’t walk in day or night, no matter what I was wearing.
Believe me, because I find the concept of this 88 to be goofy, doesn’t mean I’m marginalizing their threat.
Yup; I’ve known about the “88” thing for a while. I can’t recall where I first learned it.
I used to see 88 or 14/88 a ton because I spent a lot of time on usenet back in the ancient past. Now that I never go on usenet, it’s much MUCH rarer for me to see it, which pleases me.
I’ve heard it before, but only on this board, and I see the earliest thread I can find on it dates back to 2000.
I heard about it long ago. The last time this came around here there were a number of people taking the “I’ve never heard of it so it must not be real” stance. It was very frustrating trying to explain it.
FYI the Hell’s Angels use 81 as code for their club. Other gangs have tons of number codes that they use in their tags and tattoos.