# In praise of David Simmons **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 29, 2004, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-david-simmons/247711 "2004-05-29T21:59:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2004, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-david-simmons/247711/1 "2004-05-29T21:59:53Z")
I just read another post by **David Simmons** , as happens frequently on these boards. I’ve often noticed his insight and wit. I’ve met Mr. Simmons on a couple of occasions (La Brea Tar Pits and Ye Old King’s Head Dopefests), and he’s good to have around. As a pilot and history buff, I appreciate his insight gained from actually “being there and doing that” as aircrew in a bomber in WWII. Here’s to you, **David Simmons**! (Now where’s that :beer smiley like they have on G’Dope?) ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2004, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-david-simmons/247711/2 "2004-05-29T22:08:28Z")
Agreed. His posts are always enjoyable and informative. Haj ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2004, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-david-simmons/247711/3 "2004-05-29T22:28:36Z")
YAY for Dave! Not only was he a classmate of sorts to Jack Webb, he is a credit to Doperdom! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Scrivener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@The\_Scrivener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Scrivener)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2004, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-david-simmons/247711/4 "2004-05-29T22:57:52Z")
Hear, hear! I wonder what he thought of today’s WWII Memorial commemoration ceremony (and of the memorial itself). ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2004, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-david-simmons/247711/5 "2004-05-30T03:16:09Z")
Aw shucks. Now where’s that “digs toe in the ground” smiley? ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2004, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-david-simmons/247711/6 "2004-05-30T06:19:22Z")
Yep. One of the nicest guys I’ve ever met. But we can’t forget his lovely wife [Wilma](http://www.wayman.us/ladope/simmonspit.htm) either. They spent their 59th anniversary with us back in March 2003 - which means now they’ve been married 60 years! Is that right, **David**? And is it true that Wilma keeps you in line? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2004, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-david-simmons/247711/7 "2004-05-30T07:09:03Z")
**David Simmons** eh? I can respect him for his life and his part in history, sure. Then again, there are plenty of blokes his age for whom I can do likewise. Naah, not that I don’t respect those things, but in Dave’s case, I’m happy to respect him for what he represents - and that is the spirit of the SDMB as it was a few years ago. **David Simmons** keeps that alive. No Pit threads, no angst, no showing off. Just rock solid knowhow and accessible expertise on a range of subjects. Cecil would be proud. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2004, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-david-simmons/247711/8 "2004-05-30T07:32:56Z")
I was thinking about him while watching the memorial inauguration today and trying to imagine the thoughts that must have been going throug his head. Then I realized he out-thinks me on gum. Why should I portend to surmise that what’s streaming through his head on what’s likely the most defining event of his generation would be any different? I’m a fan, **David**. You mean more to more than a few of us that you’ll ever know. Godspeed, my friend. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2004, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-david-simmons/247711/9 "2004-05-30T07:52:53Z")
Wow, I’m sorry that I’ve never taken particular notice of David Simmons before but from the looks of this thread I really should be, and I plan on doing just that. What do you guys mean about his part in history? I’m guessing he was in WWII? I have to say, as a completely hetero young guy I (non-sexually) love old men. I think it is because I loved my mom’s dad so much and he looked old as far back as I can remember. I apologize if that came out sounding **really really** weird or offensive but it’s hard to put something like that into words. Judging from your pic and what’s been said in this thread, you look like someone I would really enjoy sitting down and talking to David. I love WWII history and I am in absolute awe and humbled with total respect for the men that fought in that war. ::crossing my fingers hoping this whole post doesn’t sound weird:: ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2004, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-david-simmons/247711/10 "2004-05-30T14:27:22Z")
**David Simmons** : I know you’ve told me before, but I can’t seem to remember: Were you a B-25 pilot? ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2004, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-david-simmons/247711/11 "2004-05-30T15:57:00Z")
> [@The Scrivener](#): > > Hear, hear! > > I wonder what he thought of today’s WWII Memorial commemoration ceremony (and of the memorial itself). I liked the Mall as it was after they finally got rid of the Navy, Munitions and W buildings. Just a long green lawn from the Lincoln Memorial to the Capital with the Washington Monument in the center. Yean I know, there is the Vietnam Memorial but it is quite unobtrusive. [crabby hat on] I would rather that special days and ostentatious memorials be omitted and the money spent on things like the Memorial be used to help troubled vets day in and day out. A recent _Los Angeles Times_ story said that 20% of the homeless there are veterans of one sort or another.[/crabby hat off] > [@Rico](#): > > But we can’t forget his lovely wife Wilma either. > > They spent their 59th anniversary with us back in March 2003 - which means now they’ve been married 60 years! Is that right, David? Yup. Wilma’s brother and sister-in-law were out from Wisconsin for a visit late in Aprile and we had dinner at a steak house for their 48th and our 60th. [recent photo](http://f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/dwsimm2000/detail?.dir=/St+Dp&.dnm=151a.jpg) The lineup is Gary, Connie, Wilma, Me. > [@TheLoadedDog](#): > > … Just rock solid knowhow and accessible expertise on a range of subjects. You must have missed the time I confused the center of buoyancy with the metacenter in the matter of ship stability. And the time I elegantly derived the wrong anwer when I forgot to put in the square of the radius in the moment of inertia. Fortunately all of those posts disappead in the board crash. That’s called “plausable deniability.” > [@Johnny L.A.](#): > > Were you a B-25 pilot? Martin B-26. Then Douglas A-26 after ETO war ended. We were due to go to the Pacific using them but escaped that by you-know-how. ---
**Author:** ![misstee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/958977/32.png) [@misstee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/misstee)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2004, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-david-simmons/247711/12 "2004-05-30T16:04:37Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > Wow, I’m sorry that I’ve never taken particular notice of David Simmons before but from the looks of this thread I really should be, and I plan on doing just that. Ditto that thought. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2004, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-praise-of-david-simmons/247711/13 "2004-05-30T16:12:02Z")
> [@](#): > > You must have missed the time I confused the center of buoyancy with the metacenter in the matter of ship stability. And the time I elegantly derived the wrong anwer when I forgot to put in the square of the radius in the moment of inertia. Fortunately all of those posts disappead in the board crash. That’s called “plausable deniability.” Y’see, **David** , this is why I enjoy reading your posts so much! Keep 'em coming! You flew a B-26, eh? From what I’ve heard, _that_ was quite a feat! I remember a Bob Stevens cartoon that depicted a B-26 with ironing boards for wings. And a belated “Happy Anniversary!” to you and Wilma!