I always suspected that, underpants! Thanks.

I figured yours out long ago but thanks for the reply!

because I rarely watch movies.

on edit:

I overthink it. I recently contacted rubbersole to see if his user name was derived from "when the rubber meets the road."

Wouldn't that be clever? All those people who claim they are realists should love it.

I was wrong. I wont' say what it is in case he posts downthread.

And you're one of my favorite posters!

Please note my edited comment above. This is why I'm glad you did this thread. I get curious, too.

I Think We're all Bozos on this Bus is my fave of theirs! Heard for the first time while at an opium party and it was so outrageous and fun!

Everything they did was awesome - so funny!!

Thanks and welcome to DU posting!

Gracias, amigo!

From the beginning in the 60's to the present. Star Trek spoke to me in a way on the thoughts of a united future.....Star Trek impressed me ....taught me how it should be for all of us...

I was watching ST Next Generation when I came up with my screen name...Farpoint is the first episode.... " Encounter at Farpoint".

As proof, my favorite ST series is Enterprise, particularly Season 3.

I had your name pegged the first time I saw it! Thanks for your reply.

Live long and...

Enterprise with Captain Archer is my favor as well.... I listen to the podcasts of D-Con on YouTube...by Dominic Keating and Conner Trinneer..... Malcolm and Trip. Have you seen them?

Rumor is that Scott Bakula came up with a new Star Trek show of the Enterprise when he becomes an Admiral...bring back much of the cast from Enterprise. I guess he was at Star Trek Los Vegas recently...Apparently, he has not been there since 2016 they say....Bakula spoke of this possibility.

Here is a link.....
Scott Bakula Talks ‘Star Trek: United’; Producer Reveals More Details On Proposed Series

https://trekmovie.com/2025/08/12/scott-bakula-talks-star-trek-united-producer-reveals-more-details-on-proposed-series/?fbclid=IwY2xjawMJY4FleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFmS0tRNlhIRjkxVDlrWUZoAR7t-jjRqrr137jF2dCLfEAWKTvjqVjlPam7lsxBs1TIevguuz8fjWKHDA9j2A_aem_HAtLUWwPZwOdXN0e4lce3w

(See what I did there?)

A post-Enterprise show would be interesting especially if the arc focused on the establishment of the Federation and Archer's role in its creation. But since I'm familiar with the vagaries of Hollywood and TV production, I'm not holding my breath.

Although I loved the series, there were two things about Enterprise that disturbed me. First, that insipid song! It was bad enough in its original version used in Seasons 1 & 2 but when they tried to spruce it up by remixing with a backbeat drum track they took a mediocre song and turned it into shit. Just my opinion but I love that when streaming the reruns, I have the option of skipping the intro!

My second complaint has two related parts. From the beginning of the series, the writers glommed onto the maiden voyage storyline the idea of the Temporal Cold War. This was a 3-season sub-plot that never really made any sense and, in the end, they just ditched it so they could move on. Which brings me to Part 2 of my disappointment. After the Xindi story was completed, the writers never figured out where they were going with the show. The WWII story was stupid (gangsters vs. alien-led Nazis?) and the "love-child" between Trip and T'pol was ludicrous. Then the final episode seemed conceived in 10 minutes and then they killed off Trip, (or did they...?).

So, if Bakula-- one of my favorite starship captains-- is going to be in a new series, I'll watch it with enthusiasm while hoping the new writers conquer the problems the earlier show faced.

And please, instrumental themes only!

Various guest / casts from Enterprise etc...they discuss your points about characters and episodes....they give an insde view.

I have never watched Star Trek.

That is how far my ignorance of movie culture goes.

Oh, but let me add: I have never watched a sitcom on TV, either. Not even "Friends." But I have seen segments on youtube, recommended to me by Diamond Dog whenever I mention I'm having a "big salad" on the nightly What's for Dinner thread.

Thank you, Diamond Dog.

I really hope that the new series takes off. Mary L. Trump was also there on a very interesting panel about politics.

I was lucky enough to save enough up, and get to a Saturday (both times) when World Con was in Baltimore, and then Phillidelphia ?2 years later. Close enough for me to hop on Amtrack, and get there around Noon time, and then not leave till like 10PM.
Such great fun, between panels, the Venders room, and 🩷 The Art Show!!!
As an artist, often drawer, occasional painter of SF Art it was soooo exciting to see original SF Art. Especially a few that became some of my favorite illustrations for Book Covers!

Except the animated series. As an artist I really disliked the look! So didn't watch. Otoh, love LD. Still have to finish it's run.

Love ST:Enterprise! Dismayed so many people slag it.

I've always assumed your screen name meant Standard Operating Procedures!

Thanks for setting me straight.

Our cat, Babette, recently died. She was 25 years old! We got her when mice got into our building during the reconstruction of part of the structure. This was years ago but she was a champion mouser who would usually bring one of us half of her catch! Lovely.

That's why he's the smartest one in the house.

... written by a friend of mine, Rick Peters. He'd get a royalty check for $.14 every once and awhile. His cat's name was Rope.

I'm an aquarist among a dozen other things

Who's your friend?! Actually, could that feller make a lot of fried lunches?

I've been all over the (mostly) beautiful state and particularly love the U.P.

Thanks for your reply. I like the way you came up with it.

I got yours immediately! Thanks for your reply.

but mine started as a computer pun. lol

and the guests nearly doubled over laughing at the user name.

So was I. So is NNadir.
He's inorganic, and appears to be very expert in transition metal chemistry.
My PhD is in physical organic chemistry.

Old woman friend. Pretty sappy but oh well.

it's also significant around here because we talk about "chronies" a lot.

I kinda figured your handle was something like that! Thanks for your reply.

Thanks for the reply. I learned something fascinating!

what everybody called her... she was the best.... housemother all her life at VFW National Home (Michigan)... I try always to live up to her virtues

Thanks for your reply!

Last edited Wed Aug 13, 2025, 02:25 PM - Edit history (1)

then, and now

Hopefully you won't be in that state in the future.

So many screen names are rejected and “corrected” by DU’s spellchecker. I wonder if that gets tedious.

That only my brother called me. My first name is Mindy. But since we were teenagers he would always call me Big Min. He passed away in 1995 at 35. He was the best friend I ever had. I still miss him. 28 is for a special birthday.

There have been a lot of questions here lately that I find very personal. They look harmless, but for some reason, I am not liking their prominence here. It is my choice to stay out of those threads. I hope the others here who think they are fun are enjoying them. I guess I come here for other reasons. If I am overly sensitive, forgive me. Maybe the world situation is pushing my buttons too much these days.

Was originally Blaze to kinda sorta reflect my career in the HVAC industry, but then I discovered that was the name of a right wing rag.... changed when I could.

[Imgur]()

and I am a Wizzard .

I've always been a cat lady, but catbite seemed a little too aggressive, so I changed the spelling. It just stuck. Except my Blue Sky handle is Gas Station Sushi because why not?

But DU's spellchecker keeps trying to make it two words!

for this forum.

Do gas stations really have sushi?

Emile loves his gas station pizza, which we sometimes hear about on the dinner thread.

Meijers gas stations and Speedway both have it, and it's absurd to me, lol.

Dakota is my dog's name and it also means friend or ally. Blue because it's the symbolic color of our Democratic party, and also my favorite color.

Nice!

Thanks for your response.

It's part of my personal email. One of two email addresses I use as Executive Director of a county Arts Council in North Carolina.

And thanks for your work promoting the arts in these perilous times... in NC, no less!

My wife and I have worked on Ocracoke Island in the OBX several times contributing to the community's Arts Week each Spring. Even in such a modest town, there's a thirst for creativity.

Welcome to DU and keep posting!

I moved to my area of NC because of the 100 year old Campbell Folk School nearby. though I was a classically trained choral musician I adopted folk songs and did a lot of music for the Folk School until my fingers got too stiff and sore for my old Alvarez.

…as many as 5 and as few as 2. Currently have 4. Rather than change my screen name every time our cat population changed, I decided to keep the original to honor the 3 cats we had when I chose the name. Those 3 have all crossed the Rainbow Bridge.

And changing your screen name is a pain!

Thanks for your response.

When my Ukrainian grandparents settled here in Ohio over 100 years ago, they were struggling farmers. Grandma had been a servant girl back in Ukraine, living in a home with a dirt floor.
Whenever Grandma spotted something catching the sunlight on the road that passed the farmhouse, she would urge Grandpa to investigate, but he never found the treasure she hoped for. "Something shiny on road, you go see!"

I admire your grandmother's optimism!

Welcome to DU and keep posting!

for a forum like this because it could refer to republican strategy.

a visual representation of Buddhist teachings on the cycle of life, death, and rebirth, and the path to liberation. It depicts the interconnectedness of all beings and the forces that keep them trapped in this cycle of suffering.

Thank you for your reply!

And by your posts-- and post count!-- I know exactly where you stand!

Thans for your reply.

Not that I haven't loved the others. Cats, too.

And you probably won't see it elsewhere on the web! Thanks for your reply.

Thanks for your reply and keep up the posts!

In NY Metro area at the time I signed up for DU. Back in Vermont now for many years, so no longer displaced, but keeping screen name as is.

Thanks for your reply and I'm glad that you're re-placed in Vermont!

Like a South American dictator.

Oh, I'm terribly sorry! I thought that was funny until I typed it.

No one should be compared to the Idiot.

By the way, you have the greatest screen name.

Our building was an old warehousethat had a storage area, a maintenence bay and an office framed in at one end. The Major had a corner cubicle and the section NCOICs (Non Commisioned Officers In Charge) had desks along the wall.

Each workcenter NCOIC was a MSgt so a quick way to verbally ID us in the building was to add an obvious descriptor - So we had the Puerto Rican MSgt, the Black MSgt, the Short MSgt the Female MSgt, and me.

I've used it in various on line forums ever since.

I was, at that time, still playing in the Symphony. I think I made 35 years in it cranking out all those fun and fantastic second clarinet parts, such a lovely part. I wanted something else besides just music in my sig. I had gathered up all my tons of dollars....(you know the music business is SO very lucrative, lol ) and I had just bought 52 acres of land so I could ride my horses whenever I wanted to and I did so that is the rider part.

It’s quite dated now.

I’d like to change it.

Maybe when Trump is gone EarlG will give DU a chance to change their usernames. It's been done before.

I would chase her away but as soon as I went back to where I was, I'd hear her ripping it again. She had her favorite spots so it wasn't all over, although one was right at the hallway entrance, of course.

It had been and indoor/outdoor cat so she still had her claws. when she became an indoor cat, she used her claws relentlessly on my sofa, chairs and carpets. The furniture lost and the cat won. We waited until she passed before replacing the furniture.

By the way, that cat had nothing to do with our divorce!

. . . I wanted to use a name of a character from Don Marquis's "Archy and Mehitabel". All of the good characters were taken.

My frustrated angel was telling me "There aren't any good user names left. . ."

My better angel retorted, "Don't be ridiculous, there must be many left. . ." So I chose ManyLeft. But people told me they thought I must be religious and was saying there would be 'Many left behind'. I was raised by an evangelical and was horrified that someone would make that association.

Best to use a non-descript UniqueUserName.

Thanks for your response!

(wink)

Thanks for your reply.

I thought I'd have to enter my username and password every time I logged in. So I picked something real short out of sheer lazyness. Bif was the first thing that came to mind.

"BIF stands for Banded Iron Formation, which is a type of sedimentary rock characterized by alternating layers of iron oxides and iron-poor chert." (Wikipedia)

Just kidding! Thanks for your response. I admire the near randomness of your choice.

Last edited Wed Aug 13, 2025, 09:34 PM - Edit history (1)

It's just a takeoff on "Oedipus Rex," with the 't' to indicate I was a newspaper editor at the time I came up with it (for a forum called Testy Copy Editors).

My personal history with "Rex," though, goes back 50 years. It'd take an hour or so to type the whole story on my phone, and it's rather convoluted.

_{It all started in 1974 with three guys named "Dave" in my expanded gang, and my passion for Dr Pepper...}

Your skills as an editor are sorely missed these days in all manner of texted expression.

Thanks for your response to my OP.

Y'know why that is, though? A lot fewer people read, except for online junk. So, they learn spelling, grammar and punctuation from others who don't read.

They also learn to spell by listening to others talk, which is a horrible way to learn to spell. (Remember when teachers and parents told kids to "sound it out"? Yeah, try that with "pterodactyl" or something.)

...and the early days of the internet, I was moonlighting at a Chicago university teaching advanced organic chemistry & kinetic rate studies. (Twice a year for the former, once for the latter.)
Everybody on staff got an AOL account for email and the school named all of the "ProfessorXXX" @ AOL.
When I quit doing that and opened up a Hotmail account, I just kept the same moniker.
So, when I came to DU, I just carried it forward.

I got lost in organic chemistry and I had to look up kinetic rate studies. You must be quite smart!

Thanks for your reply, Professor.

The first 23 years or so I worked in, or ran, a department whose function was to figure out what it would take to convert a 2 liter flask reaction to an 18,000 gallon reactor. (Or a continuous process running 100g per minute to a system running 15,000# per hour.)
The effect of scale on ideal kinetics, the compromises caused by surface to volume ratio, the impact of laminar flow on heat transfer, ways to enhance turbulence, determining mass & heat transfer limitations, and so on.
The last 20 years I ran a group that monitored, analyzed data (process, quality & financial) from processes/products around the world. If something looked wrong or that entropy was setting in, we'd get on a plane & go fix it.
We saved the company and average of 12x what it cost to have us there, year after year. Because of that, they pretty much left us alone, so we were quite independent.

An 8 week summer school course covering 2 semesters of organic chem was one of the worst academic experiences of my life. I’ve often wondered if I would have done better taking it over a regular 2 semester schedule.

…and made the mistake of taking 2 semesters of organic chem in 8 weeks of summer school after finishing nursing school that June. Back then, organic was the make or break “filter-‘em-out” class. If you didn’t get an A, no med school would even look at you. The weekly tests were graded on a curve, and one week the cutoff for a C was 32%!

I passed the course with a C, so that was the end of the med school fantasy.

I didn’t realize until the last few days of the class that a number of students in the class, who were getting As were cheating by writing formulas on the legs of their jeans. That would not have occurred to me, and even if it had, I wouldn’t have done it. I squeaked out a 70% on the final, which was not graded on a curve. Only time in my life I was ever happy to get a C.

To this day, I don’t think getting an A in organic chem has anything to do with whether or not one would be a good doctor.

2 semesters of organic in 8 weeks is ridiculous. I'd venture that nobody in the class could have passed the ACS proficiency test.
8 weeks is not enough time to understand more than a superficial knowledge of thing like reaction mechanism names (condensation, Friedel-Crafts, Markonakov...), but not the how or why.
I saw cheating going on too, and I would say at least 2/3rds of them were pre-med.
I agree that knowing organic isn't fundamental to being a physician. However, since it is very hard, it seems the med schools are using it as a way to determine how hard someone is willing to work & their focus.
There are likely other disciplines that would show the same thing (calculus?) but they might not be any more relevant to being a good doctor.
The 10 week terms I taught were a single semester (so, 10 weeks, one term; not 8 weeks 2 terms) and these were all graduate students, so they already got through organic. And, they were unlikely to be taking a full load of classes, but only one or two.
My masters is in organic; my PhD is in physical organic.

My senior year of high school, I took a class called Math 12X. It was a little bit of this, a little bit of that. The last marking period of the class was calculus. The teacher handed us a small, slender black book about the same dimensions as a 5x7 card and said, "Here, this is all self-explanatory." Boy, was she wrong at least for me. Organic was the only C I ever got. The 6 weeks of calculus was the only F I ever got.

I managed a 45 year long career as a pediatric nurse practitioner, with a 4.0 in grad school, so lots of scientific knowledge, and parents of my pediatric patients were often surprised when they realized I was not a doctor.

Thanks for your reply.

They were babies less than a year old when I joined DU. This year, they'll be 25 in late October.

And I was 48 when I joined DU

I live in Michigan and I love butterflies, so voila! MIButterfly.

🦋

dividing my time between Illinois and Florida. However hubby called our traveling parrot Shit Head, and I thought Snowy shit head was vulgar and changed it to Birdie

Growing up in the 60s, my best friend's dad actually built a fallout shelter in his basement. He dug a hole in the floor and built a complete shelter underneath his house! Obviously, it was never used for its intended purpose but we used it as our party place throughout high school because my friend's parents couldn't hear us down there!

A remarkably creative musician who played lots of inspired music, none of which spoke to me! Yet I can recognize his talent and skills and, of course, his commercial success.

That duality has been the bane of my career in the music business. I am able to differentiate between what I personally like versus what I know will be successful in the marketplace. I think it's a left/right brain thing! I rarely like what is popular yet in my work, I can identify what will sell. It's a weird affliction!

Thanks for your reply to my OP!

She'd used it as a pseudonym on occasion when we were in high school, then never after. She's not on DU so I suspect she has no clue I appropriated it.