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Ricochet is a community of like-minded people who enjoy writing about and discussing politics (usually of the center-right nature), culture, sports, history, and just about every other topic under the sun in a fully moderated environment. We’re so sure you’ll like Ricochet, we’ll let you join and get your first month for free. Kick the tires: read the always eclectic member feed, write some posts, join discussions, participate in a live chat or two, and listen to a few of our over 50 (free) podcasts on every conceivable topic, hosted by some of the biggest names on the right, for 30 days on us. We’re confident you’re gonna love it.
Don’t forget Sat Nite Science
(Simon, to interfere with your OODA loop I am going to be nice.)
I will be the first to say it is an honor to have gotten to know Simon. By accident, design, or luck I got connected with a thread that he regularly commented on. His humor and good nature showed through. He is an original in a world of carbon copies. He has a soft heart that can make the tough decisions. He is a Ricochet Treasure that I for one do not take for granted. Most of all he is missed when he is gone.
What I appreciate about Ricochet is the wisdom I get from this site. You have some really knowledgeable people here who have actually done things. They not only share the facts but something more. They share themselves. In their words are truth that one can follow. Every now and again someone shares a “gem”. It is hard to describe how this hits you. Sometimes it makes you laugh. Other times you cry. Still other times you have an “AHA!!!!” moment. The wonder is that any member can also give as well as receive wisdom like this.
If we’re going to visit exotic (erotic) foreign locals, I have my bags packed.
Only on Ricochet could one discover James Bond/Indiana Jones/Eddie Haskell rolled into one person!
I have to add dancing lessons to my list; only the dashing Simon knows why…
EThompson,
If you promise to keep my secret, I won’t tell about you being Mata Hari/ Lara Croft/ Miss Manners Not!!
You are a most unusual combination of Bing Crosby and Puck. :)
EThompson,
Puck?!!!!! I know. I know. I am always kept on ice and slapped around a lot.
Please stop now. Poor Mike LaRoche hates when you recognize anyone besides him on Ricochet.
Don’t short sell your own stories Simon! The insight and near-death experiences of your travels are well worth the price of admission here.
Right now I’m getting a schooling in naval warfare and ship construction from Seawriter both in my own posts and through his printed works (which are extensive).
I’ve had moral and emotional support from several members, hiring advice, family advice, and a forum for tinkering with my own writing too.
Getting to talk to John Walker (creator of Autocad!) has been very cool, and rarely a week goes by where I don’t learn things from other members about any number of topics.
@ST: But you are the great Simon Templar, the man that all women, men and socks swoon over. You are not just a saint but THE SAINT among men. You eat poisonous snakes raw with pepper while drinking beer with exotic people before sending them on their way. You are the guy that sucks the marrow out of life while it is hot, raw and bloody. Of course you get something out of Ricochet, you get something out of everything. But what of the normal folks? Those overlooked masses. The crying multitude that ask “Who is John Galt?” What do they get out Ricochet? What is your answer for them or a fake like me?
You have convinced me. Rex Dime hates you too. Before you go head here
http://ricochet.com/pit-5-0-the-wrath-of-sarcasm
I am not the only one who hates you. They will teach you the meaning of jackwagon.
1. I instinctively believe Simon is … umm … less than a saint which is precisely why we all like him.
2. He doesn’t eat poisonous snakes; he kills them, which is truly the reason for this herpetophobe’s admiration.
3. Last but not least, see the part of your comment I bolded; you answered your own question. :)
Of course you hate me dime. I am FJG. I am chaos, anarchy and laissea-faire all packaged in the unknown and unknowable. I am the splitter of sock pairs and the maker of orphaned hosiery. Fear me or be damned to the lost sock dryer of life.
I guess you have never met Joan of Ark LaTex. Why do you think Simon hides so much? He does not even have the courage to mention her name.
Well, John Walker, of Saturday Night Science created Autocad? how cool. That is worth the membership. I am listening to a podcast where Professor Rahe expounded on current and historical events in the Middle East. Again, worth it. Meeting Mr. Dime online, and the Philly Crew. Worth it. Life is Short, but Rob is Long. :)
I’d always wondered what it was that Nanda whispered when Ten Cents joined the call on an AMU; I could never quite make it out. Now I know. “Puck”.
and the jokes are funny. (most of the time.)
The people who actually pack their bags are in for a treat. Simon has an inexhaustible supply of stories which he’s even better at telling in person, he knows how to travel and fix problems that arise, and has a knack for making impressive destinations work.
FYI, John Walker is not the creator of Autocad. He was part of a team that created it. This takes nothing away from his long list of accomplishments.
#6 comes with a caveat, of course…
I’ve written a full-length book that consists of edited Ricochet essays, and without this site, that obviously wouldn’t have happened. Also, I cut out bad ones (most of which were toward the beginning) because another benefit is that your writing skills greatly improve.
BUT: Good luck getting the damned thing published! I’ve pretty much given up on mine.
I am sure she actually said phuck.
Have you tried self publishing on Amazon?
Fake John Galt,
Nanda was a hospital chaplain and is more Catholic than the Pope so I would edit your comment. You really don’t want this kind of trouble.
Dime, I am a life time Catholic and have partied with more Catholic clergy than I can count. The word will not come as a surprise to any of them. They are people too. :)
Rex Dime, the word suggested by FJG earlier was ‘pluck’…Which requires no editing, because it refers to boldness and persistence; qualities you possess in plenty.
FJG: I’d enjoy partying with you any time; drop by the Flagship AMU some Monday night!
I took five years of theology. There are Catholic clergy from whom essentially no language would be a surprise (although under the iron gauntlet that keeps us all friendly on the AMU, even they might utter the words sotto voce).
There are also Catholics (and non-Catholics) who maintain higher standards. Part of the joke was the fact that I literally cannot imagine Nanda responding like that. I can imagine someone doing so, and I can imagine Nanda, but the two concepts will not coalesce into a single image.
It’s not that Nanda’s Catholicism makes her holy (her holiness makes her more Catholic, if anything). I don’t have the same difficulty imagining a curse either from the current, or even from previous Popes. It’s that holiness comes in different forms, and Nanda’s manifests, in part, in a combination of unending empathy, generosity, and decency. It is useful to have a sense of the demographic, but the hypothetical fact that no Michigander you’ve ever known has combined excellent violin skills with a detailed knowledge of accounting, and many Michiganders lack either skill, should not cause you to reject the possibility of the next person you meet being the first.
Aside from the total “sense of humor” on Ricochet, which can be found nowhere else in modern society, I like the fact that wherever you travel, there will be Ricochet members to get to know. Once you join, you will never be lonely, wherever you are or you travel.
Even Japan!
Good morning Vietnaaaaaaaaaaaam! There are few things finer than the smell of napalm, the taste of Blue Mountain Jamaican, and the zany kids of Ricochet in the morning. Non-members need to get on the (double dutch) bus.