Forum names

[Steve Stephens]

Why do so many of us use "handles" on forums instead of real first and last names? I have hard enough time remembering names and the handles make it hard to put a name with the person posting. Might be fine if I have met some of these people but most I have not. And including a location in profiles lets us all know where you are from. How do you others feel about this?

Steve

[slomove]

Names

Not sure, but there is probably a hesitation to use full names for reasons of privacy. I don't mind nicknames because I have anyway a horrible memory for names. A distinctive "handle" may stick better than a regular name.

I use "slomove" because it is part of my e-mail address for Sevens related stuff. At least I normally "sign" postings with my first name.

But I agree, it would be nice to know the city location of the members of this group.

Gert

[moosetestbestanden]

Alright, here goes...

During the late 90s, around 97 or 98, I'd picked up an E36 M3 (a GREAT CAR!) and took European Delivery on it. Some time before my stay there the Swedish press had done a test on the Mercedes A class. That's the funny little urban car that doesn't make it across the water into our marketplace. One of this particular magazines standard proceedures is the 'moose avoidance test' whereby the basically run some cones as if to swerve around a moose (if you think that's not important when you're driving a sub-compact you've never seen a moose - they're HUGE. Ain't that right Magnus?).

Anyway, the little Mercedes tipped over during the test, belly flopping if you will right out of the test. Naturally, in Germany this became a BIG DEAL (almost as big as the incredible flying Mercedes brothers that happened at Le Mans shortly thereafter) in the press. You see, the Germans simply don't expect any such behavior from a Mercedes, because Mercedes Simply Don't Do Such Things, regardless of size. It Isn't Right.

Well, sometime later here I was, toodling down the A'bahn at about a buck 25 or so when the orange 'ya better get some gas' light came on. I pulled off at the first station - it's illegal to run out of gas on the Autobahn - filled 'er up and then wandered inside to marvel at the variety of junk for sale inside (just like here although they don't call them sieben-elfs).

And suddenly, there it was... the sticker. Oval shaped, just like the 'D' or 'A' or 'I' or 'F' or, worse, the dreaded 'NL' stickers that indicate what country a person is from, with a blue background. But this one had a picture of a moose and the words 'Test Bestanden' inscribed. The literal interpretation of which means 'test insisted' but in this context it really means 'proofed'. Vell, fur deutschers es war immer so ausgelassen (hilarious) as it implied that your car was cool, and fast, and not a Mercedes...

So I bought it, and stuck it on the back of the M3, where it remains. Then I started using the name on message boards. I've yet to find any virtual place where the name 'moosetestbestanden' has been taken already... can you imagine?

But you can call me Chris, or just about anything else you'd like to call me. Just don't call me late for dinner, as the old gag goes.

[Anonymous]

I'm wanted in 3 states under my given name.

[Sean-og]

My name, Sean, is an Irish name that translates to "John" in English. In the Irish, the suffix "-og" is a term of endearment usually attached to children's names. I'm no longer a child (in my 40s now), but I have fond memories of my father calling me "Sean-og".