# Old AOL Straight Dope

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-aol-straight-dope/37889>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [October 22, 2000, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-aol-straight-dope/37889 "2000-10-22T17:36:51Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![Diane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/2acd7d/32.png) [@Diane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diane)\
**Post date:** [October 24, 2000, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-aol-straight-dope/37889/41 "2000-10-24T13:08:07Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> The poster I remember best was the idiot kid who wanted to be a librarian because it was a nice easy job! Dipshit.

That was JWB. If you remember right, he suffered from Spina Bifida, was confined to a wheelchair, and had very smothering parents. He was actually a great kid, just need a boost in the confidence area.

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**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\
**Post date:** [October 24, 2000, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-aol-straight-dope/37889/42 "2000-10-24T16:26:10Z")

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I was on the old board. I’m userid 157 here on the new board. I don’t see too many here that registered before me.

I remember Ranger Jeff (?) the most. His tagline will be stuck in my head forever… “The Idol of American Youth”.

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**Author:** ![PUNdit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3da27b/32.png) [@PUNdit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PUNdit)\
**Post date:** [October 24, 2000, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-aol-straight-dope/37889/43 "2000-10-24T16:39:48Z")

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I was on the old board. My most memorable contribution was a flame war over whether or not lard is good for you. The main thing that did was get Majormd to post. As you can see by my post count, I have not been terribly active here, but I do check this board from time to time.

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**Author:** ![tiny\_cow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ad7895/32.png) [@tiny\_cow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tiny_cow)\
**Post date:** [October 24, 2000, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-aol-straight-dope/37889/44 "2000-10-24T22:12:00Z")

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Not too much of a poster on either board, AOL or here, but I am a long-time board lurker and chat reg (in both places). I was originally registered here as **A tiny cow** in the beginning but later dropped the indefinite article. And I remember just about all of you, although I might not be recognized by everyone.

Just to boost my status, I did speak to Cecil online once or twice in AOL days. 🆒

tiny cow

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**Author:** ![dwyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwyr/32/363_2.png) [@dwyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwyr)\
**Post date:** [October 25, 2000, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-aol-straight-dope/37889/45 "2000-10-25T02:54:16Z")

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i’ve been reading the SD since before it left AOL but I’ve never posted 'til now. (Being the shy, retiring type.) :o

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**Author:** ![Mister\_Armageddon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/858c86/32.png) [@Mister\_Armageddon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Armageddon)\
**Post date:** [October 25, 2000, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-aol-straight-dope/37889/46 "2000-10-25T06:20:58Z")

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I doubt if anyone remembers me, but I was there for about 9 months as JDunn42 and RFlagg13. I never really posted much there either, but I do remember accidentally touching off a rather long flame war with Ben Abbate.

I was in the chats pretty much every night, though…those ruled. 😃

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**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\
**Post date:** [October 25, 2000, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-aol-straight-dope/37889/47 "2000-10-25T14:33:23Z")

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My alter-egos and I acknowledge the miniscule bovine.

🙂

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**Author:** ![24KaratGold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/cc9497/32.png) [@24KaratGold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/24KaratGold)\
**Post date:** [October 25, 2000, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-aol-straight-dope/37889/48 "2000-10-25T15:52:44Z")

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I lurked there as well, never posted. I lurk here, post occasionally, and same for over at Fathom. Ranger Jeff posts over there, by the way, under the name Man With No Name. A lot of the old AOL board regs post over there, too.

Goldie  
Gentlemen DO prefer blondes – and with good reason!

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**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\
**Post date:** [October 25, 2000, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-aol-straight-dope/37889/49 "2000-10-25T16:37:08Z")

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I was there, even before push-pins.

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**Author:** ![pldennison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@pldennison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pldennison)\
**Post date:** [October 25, 2000, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-aol-straight-dope/37889/50 "2000-10-25T17:07:05Z")

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I was there, first as OttoPlndrm (who appears in the “What will be on your headstone” section of "Triumph of the Straight Dope), then with my current user name.

Boy, do I miss good ol’ JWB. Not to mention . . . uh, what was his SN? Shane, the kid who lived in NY? Bob and George were both fine fellows, but quite honestly I’m glad their antics are confined to Usenet now.

I wonder what ever happened to the LtlHippo/Chevy55SS/KarrotSoup contingent? Did any of them ever wander over here?

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**Author:** ![Diane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/2acd7d/32.png) [@Diane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diane)\
**Post date:** [October 25, 2000, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-aol-straight-dope/37889/51 "2000-10-25T19:20:21Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> I wonder what ever happened to the LtlHippo/Chevy55SS/KarrotSoup contingent?

Jeeeezus Phil!!! I sure hope you knocked on wood after you wrote that!!!

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**Author:** ![Neil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/839c29/32.png) [@Neil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neil)\
**Post date:** [October 25, 2000, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-aol-straight-dope/37889/52 "2000-10-25T22:25:11Z")

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I was on AOL, too. Screen name was MrKobold.

-Neil

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**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2000, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-aol-straight-dope/37889/53 "2000-10-26T01:08:54Z")

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ol’ keyword ‘straightdope’, remember the days well. The 1st time i saw the SD was on the AOL main screen in a little ad - like things to try out on aol or sumpting.

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**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2000, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-aol-straight-dope/37889/54 "2000-10-26T02:02:47Z")

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when “is so/is not!” could go on forever and ever.

And here I go and hang out at GD! :rolleyes:

_ **ExTank**  
“Mostly Harmless :p”_

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**Author:** ![Nacho4Sara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Nacho4Sara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nacho4Sara)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2000, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-aol-straight-dope/37889/55 "2000-10-26T02:17:59Z")

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I lurked all the time back the good ole days. I got my first Baltimore City Paper when I had just turned 16 and my first job carried them. I went to key word _straightdope_ all the time. I remember my favorite layout was the brain with seperate subjects, and I scared myself shitless reading about some serial killer in Chicago around 1900. He had a freaky house of horrors during the World’s Fair.

Also, I never spent much time online then (AOL threw me off nonstop) so I would read all the past columns and devour the message board every month or so.

I remember the pushpins too, and TUBADIVA became a moderator. I also recall when she had her own column making fun of or exploring posts, but it didn’t last very long.

I wish I had posted back then, but I never had much too say. 🙂

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**Author:** ![sidxiii](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f4b2a3/32.png) [@sidxiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sidxiii)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2000, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-aol-straight-dope/37889/56 "2000-10-26T03:29:38Z")

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Posted there under the same name…only slightly more often than here.

Found the link from either the Skeptic’s Society page or the CSICOP site. And read every day from February '98 until after it was “closed” (still have the link). Shortly after discovering it, I ran out and got all the books.

When they had the BIG “last official chat,” Cecil said “hi” to me (my fifteen seconds of fame). Of course, chat went on unsupervised well after the demise of the board (still have the link). Used to hang out there all night on the weekends with a group of them that included tiny cow who posts here (I even spoke sometimes).

Anyway…

sidxiii

“Thousands of us dead today, thousands went unfed today  
And all we talk about’s the fucking weather”  
Dillinger Four

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**Author:** ![barflyer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/dc4da7/32.png) [@barflyer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barflyer)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2000, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-aol-straight-dope/37889/57 "2000-10-26T03:41:39Z")

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I found the site in the AOL days, but gave up AOL after one month, when I discovered free ISPs, so I never got as far as the board.

I presumed it was all about the Straight Dope column, and couldn’t see myself adding anything to the studious debates.

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**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2000, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-aol-straight-dope/37889/58 "2000-10-26T03:51:20Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> Not to mention . . . uh, what was his SN? Shane, the kid who lived in NY?

He was in #straightdope about a week ago. The guy who really liked the “pie in the face” gag, right?

Remember “DO YOU HAVE AN OPINION ON THE TOW TRUCK INDUSTRY?” Excellent spamming. 🙂

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**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2000, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-aol-straight-dope/37889/59 "2000-10-26T06:08:19Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Shadowfox \*  
> \*\*Let’s just say I remember when “Titanic Wallpaper” evolved in “Who is Mr. Ruda Duda?”, which probably still holds the record for the most posts to a single thread (Guy Stuff may have passed it up, but not sure)  
> \*\*

I just remembered that Tuba said that Ruda Duda had around _ten thousand posts._ It was getting well over a hundred posts a day for quite a while. I’m sure that this beats Guy Stuff, although that was definitely a prodigious thread.

And in memory of good ol’ Ruda Duda:

Coming soon to a message board near you, THE THREAD THAT WOULD NOT DIE…  
SEE Post after post of juvenile banter while people try to unsuccessfully reason with an idjit  
HEAR the regs and visitors alike cry out in disgust  
FEEL your stomach turn as you look at hundreds of messages from a poster that just don’t get it.  
EXPERIENCE the craving to blow a gerbil out of someone’s anus.  
BELIEVE in your HEART that birth control should be made retroactive.  
NEVER BEFORE has there been such a spectacle. Captured for your entertainment from the archives of America Online and displayed on a technicolor background of pushpins, recorded for all to see at $22 per month, it’s  
THE THREAD THAT WOULD NOT DIE!!!  
You WILL want to gouge your own eyes out. You WILL want to eat your own vomit. You WILL be CONVINCED that all children should be locked away until they can get a job and buy a clue. Clear your throat, light a fart, park on a driveway, and become a part of the horror of  
THE THREAD THAT WOULD NOT DIE!!!  
This post has not yet been rated."

From [http://fathom.org/teemingmillions/pofunnies.adp](http://fathom.org/teemingmillions/pofunnies.adp)

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**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\
**Post date:** [October 27, 2000, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-aol-straight-dope/37889/60 "2000-10-27T02:27:01Z")

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I was there from pretty close to the beginning… I got there right after they switched the board format.

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