# When are people going to stop ragging Hal Briston? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [January 29, 2007, 9:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-are-people-going-to-stop-ragging-hal-briston/389946 "2007-01-29T09:01:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2007, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-are-people-going-to-stop-ragging-hal-briston/389946/21 "2007-01-30T03:47:26Z")
[QUOTE=Northern Piper] i obviously missed a memo. what are you all talking about?? šŸ˜• [/QUOTE] [Sex with sheep is fun.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=333640) ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2007, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-are-people-going-to-stop-ragging-hal-briston/389946/22 "2007-01-30T04:15:10Z")
[QUOTE=Cervaise] Actually, there is some small value in keeping this item alive, apart from whatever meager humor can still be wrung from the incident. Thereā€™s a lesson here: _Control your account._ Donā€™t leave your work computer unlocked when youā€™re logged on to the SDMB (or any secured system, really). Log yourself out if you use a machine that isnā€™t yours. Take responsibility for your own security, because nobody else will, and nefarious people may take advantage of you otherwise. Really, **Hal** should consider himself lucky that becoming the butt of a briefly hilarious joke was the only consequence of his woolgathering (heh), and he lives on as an object lesson to the rest of us. For that reason, I think this little piece of board history should live in active memory, so to speak. Every time some newbie asks about it, a potential teaching moment arises. Reference to it could drop somewhat in frequency, sure, but it shouldnā€™t vanish entirely, I think. [/QUOTE] Okay, fair enough. And on reviewing the relevant thread, I see that the second reply is someone correctly guessing what happened, and the fourth is Hal corroborating that. IOW, it didnā€™t turn into a pileon when it happened. ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2007, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-are-people-going-to-stop-ragging-hal-briston/389946/23 "2007-01-30T06:37:21Z")
[sub]I kinda like overdone in-jokesā€¦[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2007, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-are-people-going-to-stop-ragging-hal-briston/389946/24 "2007-01-30T16:09:08Z")
What does Hal have to say about this? ---
**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:** [January 30, 2007, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-are-people-going-to-stop-ragging-hal-briston/389946/25 "2007-01-30T17:00:00Z")
I donā€™t think it baaathers him overly much. ---
**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:** [January 30, 2007, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-are-people-going-to-stop-ragging-hal-briston/389946/26 "2007-01-30T17:18:20Z")
I donā€™t think he gets it. Woolā€™s pulled completely over his eyes. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2007, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-are-people-going-to-stop-ragging-hal-briston/389946/27 "2007-01-30T18:44:41Z")
Of course, merely bringing it up has resulted in more attention to it. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2007, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-are-people-going-to-stop-ragging-hal-briston/389946/28 "2007-01-30T18:49:18Z")
[QUOTE=SkipMagic] I donā€™t think he gets it. Woolā€™s pulled completely over his eyes. [/QUOTE] Are you saying he doesnā€™t watch or look during?? šŸ˜› ---
**Author:** ![Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heffalump_and_roo/32/7691_2.png) [@Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heffalump_and_Roo)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2007, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-are-people-going-to-stop-ragging-hal-briston/389946/29 "2007-01-30T19:06:09Z")
[QUOTE=rowrrbazzle] Of course, merely bringing it up has resulted in more attention to it. [/QUOTE] Yeah, before this thread, I had no idea what the joke was about. Now that I know, I can start to take part also. šŸ˜› (in the jokes about **Hal** , I mean) (whew!, I caught that before it posted) ---
**Author:** ![RiverRunner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/977dab/32.png) [@RiverRunner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RiverRunner)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2007, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-are-people-going-to-stop-ragging-hal-briston/389946/30 "2007-01-30T20:29:14Z")
[QUOTE=Heffalump and Roo] Yeah, before this thread, I had no idea what the joke was about. [/QUOTE] Me, either. Iā€™m glad that **Q.E.D.** filled me in. I particularly liked Halā€™s intended payback. RR ---
**Author:** ![Ponder\_Stibbons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponder_stibbons/32/343_2.png) [@Ponder\_Stibbons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponder_Stibbons)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2007, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-are-people-going-to-stop-ragging-hal-briston/389946/31 "2007-01-30T21:35:25Z")
Hal, Hal, Hal of the Meadow, Friend to Ewe and Me! ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2007, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-are-people-going-to-stop-ragging-hal-briston/389946/32 "2007-01-30T23:53:03Z")
My official feelings on the whole matter: I have no problem whatsoever if someone comes up with a good joke about the whole thing ā€“ ā€œgoodā€ being the operative word here. Thereā€™ve been plenty of posts on the subject thatā€™ve made me laugh as loud as anyone else here. Posting ā€œPaging **Hal**!ā€ when someone mentions sheep, not so much. Mock all you want, just please be original about it. šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2007, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-are-people-going-to-stop-ragging-hal-briston/389946/33 "2007-01-31T00:20:41Z")
And there you have it, straight from the sheepā€™s mouth. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2007, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-are-people-going-to-stop-ragging-hal-briston/389946/34 "2007-01-31T00:30:04Z")
I think [**twickster**](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=6550405&postcount=11) had it right. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2007, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-are-people-going-to-stop-ragging-hal-briston/389946/35 "2007-01-31T00:46:03Z")
[QUOTE=Hal Briston] I have no problem whatsoever if someone comes up with a good joke about the whole thing ā€“ ā€œgoodā€ being the operative word here. Thereā€™ve been plenty of posts on the subject thatā€™ve made me laugh as loud as anyone else here. Posting ā€œPaging **Hal**!ā€ when someone mentions sheep, not so much. Mock all you want, just please be original about it. šŸ™‚ [/QUOTE] I think thatā€™s a good approach to take with all of the Boardā€™s running gags: bring them up if, and only if, you can do it in a way thatā€™s funny or clever and hasnā€™t already been done to death. ---
**Author:** ![According\_to\_Pliny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@According\_to\_Pliny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/According_to_Pliny)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2007, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-are-people-going-to-stop-ragging-hal-briston/389946/36 "2007-01-31T01:45:27Z")
Or, the references could just be deleted. That would be my recommendation, should someone ask me. ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2007, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-are-people-going-to-stop-ragging-hal-briston/389946/37 "2007-01-31T06:59:39Z")
I donā€™t mind the running jokes on the SDMB. _Especially_ because Iā€™ve been a participant in the originating threads of several - (1920ā€™s style death rays, Marianis Trench, etc). However, unlike the alleged ovine activities of a certain ā€œDoperā€, these running jokes do not make fun of anyone in particular. (Yes, thereā€™s the **Hi Opal** running joke but sheā€™s no longer here and even if she were, the reference is not pejorative). So, Iā€™m all in favor of running jokes. Heck, I just posted to a ā€œMore Cowbellā€ thread in Cafe Society, a running joke that is more than just an obsession with SDMB - it went national almost the next day after the SNL sketch - and that sketch first aired almost 7 years ago!!! I donā€™t think the cowbell running joke is derogatory of Blue Oyster Cult, Bruce Dickinson, ā€œDonā€™t Fear The Reaperā€, etc. However, I think we should avoid uncomplimentary references to any ā€œDoperā€. (provided of course that the aforementioned ā€œDoperā€ is not a complete asshat in which case we should do our best to rip the shit out of them!!!) So, anyway thatā€™s my ā€œtakeā€ on this subject. ā€¦ and you can take that to the bank!!! ā€¦ and datā€™s da name of that tune !!! ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2007, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-are-people-going-to-stop-ragging-hal-briston/389946/38 "2007-01-31T11:18:27Z")
[QUOTE=wolf\_meister] (Yes, thereā€™s the **Hi Opal** running joke but sheā€™s no longer here and even if she were, the reference is not pejorative). [/QUOTE] Considering she posted as recently as 5 days ago, what are you talking about? [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=8190668&postcount=45](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=8190668&postcount=45) ---
**Author:** ![rayh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@rayh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rayh)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2007, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-are-people-going-to-stop-ragging-hal-briston/389946/39 "2007-01-31T12:12:22Z")
[QUOTE=RiverRunner] Me, either. Iā€™m glad that **Q.E.D.** filled me in. [/QUOTE] Is there something you should be telling us? Has he split your infinitive? ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2007, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-are-people-going-to-stop-ragging-hal-briston/389946/40 "2007-01-31T15:18:25Z")
**Una Persson** I did not know _precisely_ to which Opal that referred. Because the origin of the ā€œHi Opalā€ in joke has been discussed here _many_ times, I may have been misinformed in one of those threads. Even so, it is nowhere near as nasty as the running joke I referenced in my last posting. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-are-people-going-to-stop-ragging-hal-briston/389946.md?page=1)