Attention Researchers and commentors are welcome too!

I'm always interested in why people pick certain screen names and that
goes for GA too.  Please share the story behing your screen name and
why you chose it.  I know some are for personal reasons so if your not
comfortable sharing that's OK.  The most interesting or funny story
wins the game and can claim the prize.  Of course if it is a commentor
then they win nothing as usual.  So let's hear it!

Bowler-ga

---

Clarification of Question by bowler-ga on 18 May 2004 13:35 PDT

Well,

I must say I really enjoyed the responses.  I think some of the
commentors had the funniest stories (dancethecon-ga and sluggy-ga) in
particular.

I could get off easy and say one of the commentors won the prize but
I'm going to give out two prizes.  The winning commentor is sluggy-ga
for a truly gross but entertaining orgin.  The winning Researcher is
Willie-ga for his honesty and ability to laugh at himself.  So Willie
(Wullie) if you are listening please post your answer and claim the
prize, thank you all once again.

Bowler-ga

Better late than never .... not something you hear a man saying very often.

I'm willie-ga and it's not a nickname....it's my christian name :)

It's caused me trouble in the past with folks who think that willie is
just a snynonym for a part of the male anatomy, and who can't say my
name without giggling, but that's their problem...they should get out
more.

Actually, I'm Scottish, and over here it's pronounced "wullie" ,but
Scottish pronounciation is a topic for a whole set of google answers
of its own.

There's yet another derivation that gets used in that some people
address me as Willy , but that's getting into a whole other sub-set of
answers that links from German chancellors to Coyotes , then on to
Junior Walker, year old babies and finally back to willie again, so I
wont go into that if you don't mind. :)

Wullie

Good Job Wi(u)llie (chuckle, snicker!)

Hi, Bowler! You'll find lots of interesting nickname origins here:

http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=80023

I'm looking forward to seeing lots of responses to this! And please
tell us the history of the nickname "Bowler." Some folks may think of
bowling balls, some may think of bowler hats; I think of a vivid and
wonderful character named Lord Bowler who appeared in one of my
all-time favorite TV shows, "The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr."

In my case, the story is not too exciting. I am an author of Science
Fiction, and I am interested in ancient history. So I chose the Latin
word for "writer" - Scriptor. That's all. Boring, isn't it...?

Have a nice day,
Scriptor

I like the film :)

Bowler = Cricket (Of course?)

I am literally, little "Tutu's" dad (and still quite thrilled about it)

Regards;
tutuzdad-ga

I think one of the funniest Researcher nicknames belongs to
deadlychiapet-ga. Every time I see a TV ad for Chia Pets, I think of
this nickname and imagine being attacked by tiny pottery critters
covered with greenery. This has the makings of a good horror movie.

Thanks Pink for the Link (hey I'm a poet).  I'm glad you reponded
because you were one of the researchers whose name I was interested
in.  I admire your work because it actually helps me with my day job,
Librarian.  I've learned a lot about searching the Internet and a lot
about dealing with the questioner (asking the correct clarifications,
etc.) from the GA researchers.  I apply it almost every day.  I'm
disappointed that older question got past me but it's priceless (well
worth at least $2.84).  I always wondered about your name.  I always
expected it to be a derivative of Pink Floyd but now I'm sure.

As for my name, nothing exotic.  I don't wear hats, and I've never
watched "Adventures of Brisco County, Jr." so you guessed it, I like
to bowl.  I often refer to bowling as my second occupation, even
listing my occupation on my tax return one year as "Part-Time
pro-bowler."

Thanks.

There's nothing very exciting about my handle. The first part is a
shortened version of my name, and the "write" refers to the fact that
I'm an author and freelance writer.

Kriswrite

Had I known people were choosing unique names at the time I signed up
I probably would have picked something more interesting.  Alas, my
nick is just my name.

Because I could.

My name is so boring, just my real name, but !!  --I have a DOG named
"Kitty," with a funny story, does that count?

Here it is, just for grins.

I had purchased a Chihuahua way in advance, to be able to get the
first pick from 2 upcoming litters.  Then, my landlord said I couldn't
have a dog.  I'm a bartender right now, and my customers thought I
should name the dog Kitty and just take her home.  So I did. 
Everything went well for 6 months, then the landlord came over one day
and she was barking at his knock on the door.  I opened it and he said
..."THAT LOOKS LIKE A DOG..."  --to which I replied:  "Don't let her
fool you, here Kitty Kitty"

The landlord's jaw dropped to the floor, and he never mentioned the
dog ever again.

~~Cynthia

I wanted to call myself robertskelton-ga, but it was already taken.

Thanks for the laugh, Cynthia!

Kriswrite

Incidentally -- in case the editors are reading this --  I think the
name bowler-ga would look just super if it were highlighted and
clickable. ;-)

Tough I'm no great shakes as a dancer, I end up at one party per year
where someone starts dancing a conga. The line grows, and I'm happy to
jump right in. I wanted a Google nick that took advantage of the "-ga"
at the end, and the one I came up with was dancethecon-ga.

It's funny that there's no way of telling what party will have the
dance of the year. One year it was a Christmas party in a large hall
that friends and I had rented. Another year it was at someone's house
after a barbecue. One year it happened during a party at my house.
These spontaneous dances have been going on close to ten years, yet it
never happens more than once per year. There must be a law...

dtc

My username is what I've had on the internet for a very long time -
nothing new and exciting. Initials of my first name - yes initials,
plural.  My first name consists of 2 names. My parents were too poor
to give me a middle name, and my surname.

Best regards,
tlspiegel

It's funny how you can make a snap judgement on something like that,
and then it sticks with you.  As far as mathtalk, it was made up
quickly; nothing I'd used before.  Turns out there's a product called
mathtalk for voice recognition of formulas in word processing, but I
didn't know about it then.  I think I might have been trying to take
the edge off the analytical aspects of "math" by throwing in the
folksy "talk" tag, but I can't rightly say I remember "why".

-- mathtalk

I thought I'd told this story here before, but I couldn't find it.

Some years ago, I took a course in human potential called Avatar®.
You can learn more about it here:
http://www.avatarepc.com/

Avatar® is actually the source of my nickname. During an ineffable
experience which occurred when I took the course, only one word
came to my mind - sublime. I later looked it up and realized that
the chemical definition refers to a transition from a solid to a
gas without the intervening liquid state. This turned out to be a
perfect metaphor for what I had experienced - a transition between
physical and spiritual without the intervening states of emotional
and mental.

I've wanted to keep the word in the forefront of my awareness ever
since.

sublime1-ga

I also made mine up rather quickly.

It just means that I'm a nut for Google!  I know, it's silly :-).

Nucifraga - synonym for "nutcrackers".  Because "cowabun-ga" was already taken :(

Here's some ideas:

Durga / Doorga - The black, destroying goddess
Frigga - The Norse goddess of the heavens and wife of Odin
Uragoga - A genus of tropical plants (family Rubiaceae). Uragoga
ipecacuanha (Cephaelis ipecacuanha) is the source of Rio or Brazilian
ipecac (ipecac = A syrup that is used to induce vomiting)
sastruga - A long wavelike ridge of snow, formed by the wind and found
on the polar plains
zastruga - same as above

If you're  really keen, here's a list of several words/places ending in "ga":

entomophaga - One of a group of hymenopterous insects whose larv[ae]
feed parasitically upon living insects

sanga - The Abyssinian ox (Bos or Bibos, Africanus), noted for the
great length of its horns. It has a hump on its back.

More words:
Aguanga
Ajuga
Alactaga
Alba Longa
Alburga
Alpha and Omega
Amalberga
Amalburga
Andres Galarraga
Angami-naga
Anhanga
Antoine Gizenga
Arenga
Ashikaga
Auriga
Baba Yaga
Badaga
Balanga
Balenciaga
Baluga
Baraga
Baronga
Basoga
Batonga
Bega
Begga
Berga
Bhaga
Black cayuga
Blastophaga
Bodega
Braga
Bucaramanga
Bunga
Buphaga
Cali yuga
Calistoga
Cananga
Canaseraga
Canoga
Caranga
Caratinga
Cardiga
Careaga
Carpophaga
Cassadaga
Caughnawaga
Cayuga
Chaga
Chagga
Chattanooga
Cheektowaga
Chickamauga
Chorotega
Chuadanga
Cimicifuga
Coalinga
Conasauga
Conestoga
Conopophaga
Cotinga
Crotophaga
Cytophaga
Dahlonega
Daschagga
Deringa
Diplopteryga
Domeniga
Dominga
Durga
Elga
Eliga
Ellga
Entomophaga
Eurypyga
Fatagaga
Feriga
Forsyte Saga
Francesco Cossiga
Frigga
Galega
Galga
Galinsoga
Ganga
Gannonga
Geadephaga
Glossophaga
Gorga
Grega
Hedwiga
Helga
Heterophaga
Hochelaga
Hydradephaga
I-bunga
Inga
Inyanga
Itapetininga
Jadwiga
Jaga
Jaime Yzaga
Jijiga
Jovito Salonga
Juga
Kabonga
Kadaga
Kali Yuga
Kalinga
Kaliyuga
Kaluga
Kananga
Kanchenjunga
Kangchenjunga
Katanga
Kentiga
Kinchinjunga
Kioga
Koniaga
Koniga
Krita Yuga
Krita yuga
Kyoga
Ladoga
Lope de Vega
Macaranga
Madariaga
Madiga
Maga
Maiga
Majagga
Majunga
Malaga
Mallophaga
Manuel Noriega
Maoritanga
Marga
Menahga
Mirounga
Missisauga
Mississauga
Mlaga
Moraga
Moringa
Mulga
Musophaga
Myrmecophaga
Naga
Necrophaga
Neoga
Norumbega
Notasulga
Olga
Onaga
Onarga
Onega
Onondaga
Oringa
Ortega
Ouaquaga
Pampanga
Pechenga
Pega
Pelaga
Phyllophaga
Phytophaga
Piranga
Poephaga
Polymastiga
Polyphaga
Protostega
Pseudotsuga
Rarotonga
Regga
Riga
Ronga
Saratoga
Sarcophaga
Satya Yuga
Saxifraga
Scharaga
Selenga
Setophaga
Sinsiga
Smiga
Soga
Solpuga
Stonega
Strega
Striga
Sylacauga
Talladega
Tallega
Taloga
Tanga
Tauranga
Tega
Telinga
Tennga
Thonga
Ticonderoga
Tiga
Tioga
Tocobaga
Tomonaga
Tonga
Topanga
Tortuga
Trans-volga
Treta Yuga
Tringa
Tsonga
Tsuga
Tuinenga
Tujunga
Tunga
Uragoga
Urga
Vedanga
Vega
Volga
Volsunga Saga
Volsungasaga
Wabunga
Wachaga
Wagga Wagga
Walburga
Wallinga
Walpurga
Waregga
Warga
Wasoga
Wataga
Watauga
Watonga
Wega
Weyauwega
Xylophaga
Yerga
Yoga
Yuga
Yustaga
Zamboanga
Zarga
Zenaga
Zoophaga
Zuloaga
abanga
adaga
adephaga
adjiga
aga
aguinaga
ajuga
akazga
alactaga
alalonga
alalunga
alcheringa
alega
alfarga
alga
almaciga
alpha and omega
alvarenga
amaga
amalga
amiga
anaberoga
analoga
andringa
anga
anhanga
anhinga
antaranga
aracanga
aranga
araponga
arapunga
araracanga
aratinga
arciniega
arechiga
arenga
arriaga
arteaga
astorga
atinga
atlanta ga
aumaga
auriga
azcarraga
azcuenaga
babajaga
badaga
badiaga
baga
baldyga
baloga
baluga
banga
barasinga
barga
baronga
barriga
basoga
batonga
beccabunga
bega
belga
beluga
bencivenga
berlanga
bettonga
bhaga
bhaktimarga
biga
binga
bisnaga
biznaga
blanket alga
blastophaga
blue-green alga
bodega
boga
bontequagga
boorga
bottega
braga
brodyaga
brolga
brown alga
brownalga
bubinga
bucaramanga
bunga
buphaga
burciaga
burga
caatinga
caliga
calistoga
callitroga
cananga
canoga
cantiga
caranga
cardiomega
carga
carpophaga
cascara amarga
caughnawaga
cayuga
cga
chaga
chagga
changa
chattanooga
cheiromega
chelinga
chickamauga
chigga
chimichanga
chiromega
choga
chorotega
chunga
churinga
cienaga
cienega
ciga
cimicifuga
colunga
conestoga
conga
conopophaga
cossiga
cotinga
crotophaga
cumming ga
cuyahoga
cytophaga
dagga
dalaga
dalton ga
darga
daroga
daschagga
dayabhaga
delavega
deringa
diplopteryga
donga
doorga
dunga-runga
durga
ega
elga
elzinga
embryotega
entomophaga
equipaga
escarcega
eurypyga
falanga
fanega
fanga
fatagaga
fisnoga
fission alga
fpga
fraga
frigga
fuga
fukunaga
ga-ga
gaga
galanga
galega
galga
galinsoga
ganga
garcilasodelavega
garden syringa
garriga
geadephaga
gebanga
geropiga
giga
glaga
glossophaga
goga
gogga
goldenbrownalga
gongga
gonzaga
green alga
greenalga
grega
guga
haga
hatha yoga
hatha-yoga
hathayoga
hayenga
hedwiga
helga
hepatomega
hepatosplenomega
heretoga
heterophaga
hidalga
higa
hochelaga
hoga
huallaga
huizenga
huizinga
hutia conga
hydradephaga
inanga
inga
iniga
iomega
jacutinga
jaga
janiga
jeropiga
jirga
jnana-marga
jnanamarga
jnanayoga
juga
kabonga
kadaga
kainga
kalinga
kaliyuga
kaluga
kananga
kanchenjunga
kanga
karma-marga
kashga
katanga
kganakga
khanga
khatanga
kioga
kislar aga
know from alpha to omega
koga
koleroga
koniaga
koniga
kulaga
kyoga
ladoga
lallyga
lavanga
lechuga
lettiga
linaga
linga
lizarraga
lollyga
longa
lpga
ludwiga
luhinga
macaranga
machuga
madiga
madruga
maga
mahajanga
majagga
majunga
malaga
malanga
mallophaga
mamaliga
manga
maoritanga
marga
massasauga
matranga
matsunaga
mayorga
mbaqanga
mega
mennenga
meshuga
meshugga
miazga
mirounga
missisauga
mississauga
mlaga
moga
moraga
morga
moringa
mridanga
muga
mulga
munga
muranaga
murga
musophaga
myringa
myrmecophaga
naga
nanga
nanninga
narsinga
necrophaga
neoga
niyoga
nobrega
nobriga
noga
noreiga
noriega
norumbega
oblonga
ojinaga
olga
omega
onaga
onega
onga-onga
onondaga
ortega
ortiga
ossifraga
ouanga
ozga
pa'anga
paanga
pachanga
paga
pampanga
panga
parerga
parga
pechenga
pega
perga
pga
phyllophaga
phytophaga
piranga
pitanga
plaga
poephaga
polymastiga
polyphaga
ponga
poonga
poorga
protostega
pseudotsuga
puga
punga
purga
quadriga
quagga
quiroga
raga
ragga
raja yoga
ramganga
rangatiratanga
rarotonga
red alga
redalga
rega
regga
renga
reynaga
riga
rome ga
ronga
ruga
ruta-baga
rutabaga
saga
saiga
salonga
sandunga
sanga
sanga-sanga
saratoga
sarcophaga
sastruga
saxifraga
scirenga
seaga
sega
selenga
seliga
senega
seringa
setophaga
sevruga
shakunaga
shiga
shimoga
siaga
silanga
sinsiga
siphon alga
sitatunga
situtunga
sluga
snoga
soga
solchaga
solpuga
souagga
splanchnomega
splenohepatomega
splenomega
stanga
steatopyga
stegenga
stilyaga
stoga
striga
summerville ga
suniga
suriga
svarga
svga
swarga
swerga
syringa
szeliga
taiga
talaga
talladega
tamminga
tanega
tanga
targa
tauranga
tega
telega
telinga
terga
thonga
tic-polonga
ticonderoga
tioga
tjurunga
tocobaga
toga
tohopekaliga
tohunga
tokunaga
tomonaga
tonga
tortuga
trans-Volga
triga
tringa
trivirga
tsuga
tuinga
tunga
typhlomega
uragoga
uranga
urga
vakkaliga
valborga
varga
vedanga
vega
veiga
venga lo que venga
verga
verruga
vetluga
vga
vichuga
viga
virga
virunga
visarga
visceromega
voa vanga
volga
wabunga
wachaga
wagga
wanga
waregga
warga
wasoga
watauga
wega
whare-wananga
wierenga
wilga
wonga
wonga-wonga
wongawonga
xga
xylophaga
yellow-green alga
yellowgreenalga
yerga
yoga
yuga
yustaga
zadruga
zamboanga
zastruga
zenaga
ziega
zinyamunga
zoophaga
zubillaga
zuloaga
zuluaga
zuniga
zyga

I'm willie-ga and it's not a nickname....it's my christian name :)

It's caused me trouble in the past with folks who think that willie is
just a snynonym for a part of the male anatomy, and who can't say my
name without giggling, but that's their problem...they should get out
more.

Actually, I'm Scottish, and over here it's pronounced "wullie" ,but
Scottish pronounciation is a topic for a whole set of google answers
of its own.

Wullie

I should get a prize for being the most boring and obvious. It's also
my business name outside of GA.
answerfinder-ga

Every time I am required to have a username, I later think : "What a
mundane and boring handle did I choose! I wish I thought of a name
such as ..." (but this is like when someone says something nasty to
you, and on your way home you think "I should have told them
so-and-so!").

I have a problem: my first name is really popular (not where I live,
but almost everywhere elsewhere in the world, including - so I found
out - as men's name in Turkey!), my surname - before I got married -
is also a quiet common surname here. That means, that whenever I have
to choose email handle, username at eBay, etc. - I have to think of
something. Back to the condition mentioned in the first paragraph,
you'd see that I always thought of a better handle post-nicktum.

I really chose a mundane name. I was on an online universities game
(now deceased) where everyone should have chosen names that end up
with "guru" but start with their faculty at the time (that was mine
back then. Oh, online communities are so old...). It was either
"political guru" or "politicalguru" (it doesn't really matter, does
it?) and I used it every once in a while inother places when I had
nothing better to think of (as metnioned earlier, later I always think
of good names. Personally, I really like Skermit. Maybe I should have
been Miss_Piggy-ga or even better, Swedish_Chef-ga). So, when I
applied for Google Answers, and before I realised that I am now going
to use this nick (almost) every day, I chose this nick.

Nothing to do with the tower! Eiffel is a niche programming language
that I work with.

I must say, this is really quite interesting.  Certainly woth the
money.  Cynthia, your story is really funny but it doesn't apply to
your nickname so I can't allow it.  Dancethecon-ga, I must say I never
read your name with the ga, but that is very funny and certainly puts
you in the running.  Nucifra, it's hard to overlook your comment as it
is awesome in it's length and comprehensiveness.  Pinkfreud, once
again you've put yourself in jeopardy by flattering the questioner,
but you continue to make me laugh with your comments.  I'm happy some
of our other highly esteemed researchers have responded, always very
interesting.  I was hoping our friend Bryan would have chimed in,
always wondered about his nickname, oh well he's probably concocting
some response question as he always enjoys finding out tidbits about
the researchers.

Anyway, keep them comming, I'll keep the question open a while longer
in hopes of breaking the record for most comments.  We don't want,
you-know-who, to have all the fun!

Bowler-ga

I'm a bird, not a car.

My vote goes to willie-ga. I'll never think of him in the same way again!

Cheers,
hummer

I wish I had the wit of some of my colleagues to think up something
really clever! Aren't some of the names great?!?  Anyway, my own is
one I've used forever-and-a-day and is the first that comes to mind
whenver I have to sign up somewhere new.  Google was no exception. 
"Byrd" is an old family name.  Add to that the fact that I'm a pilot,
and a biker (chick), both of which sort of go along with the winged
fowl imagery and voila! there you have it.  :-)

Hi, Rob

Over the past 10 years or so, I've done A LOT of legal/accounting-type
work for various folk who haven't been able to afford ANYTHING and, in
the process, I have learned so much and have got so much satisfaction
from these things that, now, I do as much as I can.

Surprisingly, it's also paid off in other ways: books, journals, radio
& tv, conferences, expert witness stuff, and with meeting many other
professionals in other fields. It keeps me up to speed.

So, when I had to conjure up a name for GA, up it popped.

Bryan

My first startup company job required all of us to use our initials
and I've stuck with it for many years. I didn't realize when I signed
up for GA that I couldn't change the name after I'd gotten approved as
a Researcher. I would have liked to use the name sierra-ga or
DessertQueen-ga. Too bad.

~ czh ~

I'll bet a lot of Researchers would have chosen different names if
they'd realized that they would be saddled with the name permanently.
There are times when I wish I had chosen something more dignified.
Sometimes I worry that my username makes me sound like a flippant,
silly young airhead.

And I am far from young. ;-)

One of the coolest nicknames I've come across on GA is the name used
by one of my favorite customers, grammatoncleric-ga.

For those who don't recognize the term, "Grammaton Cleric" is a
reference to a little-known science fiction movie called
"Equilibrium." Imagine a cross between "1984," "Les Misérables," and
"The Matrix."

Thanks for the question.  The comments are quite interesting.  I
picked my name because when I am feeling snobbish I get to add a lot
of letters after my name.  I have a Bachelor of Science degree in
Mathematics, and a Juris Doctorate. However, the title I am most proud
of is "MOM."  So after a career as a mathematician and a lawyer, I am
Now Known As Mom (NKAMOM)

Digsalot is fairly straight forward for a semi-retired archaeologist
with gardening as a hobby.

Now I'm off to celebrate.  May 14 is National Dance Like a Chicken
Day.  Need I say more?

Digs

>> Need I say more?

Well, you could say "buk-buk-buk BAKAWWWWWW."

Stuart's my first name, and my friends often call me "Mr Woozle" ...
but my last name is actually something completely different. When I,
and my friends at university, all started registering for various
internet sites, we decided to all pick names according to a shared
theme. Given that the manuscripts for Winnie-the-Pooh are kept in our
old college library, we decided to pick names from that. One friend
became Tigger, another Wol, another still Piglet (though she's not so
happy about that, for some reason), etc... I decided to plump for
Woozle -- I thought it gave me an air of mystery and intrigue, given
that the Woozle didn't really exist :-P

The best story behind an online nickname that I heard was from a good
friend of mine, who tends to call himself Quik. Apparently he was
registering for an internet site at school when he was meant to be
working, and couldn't work out what to call himself. His friend said,
"There's a teacher coming -- be quick!" ... and so he was :-)

I get a perverse joy out of Microsoft's failures, especially those
that were very bad ideas to begin with.

http://www.vnunet.com/News/1130855

I'm another who's had second thoughts.  The name I really wanted was
taken (although, oddly, it seems to be free now).  I just assumed it
would be possible to change the name later and was disappointed that
that wasn't so.  I guess it makes sense that if it's your only
identifier, it has to remain constant.

Still, you can always start a second account with another address.  I
could call myself something else and append FKA_Apteryx to it (=
"formerly known as") and then eventually drop the transitional form
and use the new name by itself.

Meanwhile I have the honor to have been given a nickname by two fellow
GA-ers, and that is probably better than having a new name.

Tryxie

Very good stuff, so far.

Scriptor, I think your name fits you perfectly.  Willie, at least you
can laugh at your innuendo that your name brings about.  I have a last
name that resembles a numer of interesting off color words. 
Politicalguru, I always remember your name as it makes me think of
some CNN analyst during an election year in the U.S.  Stuartwoozle is
a funny sounding and memorable name and I enjoyed it's origin.

It's interesting when a researcher divulges their gender and I'm
surprised because I've already pictured them as the opposite gender. 
I have to admit Byrd and Czh I stand corrected, no offense of course. 
Bryan, thanks for the origin, I know you are very generous so the
story doesn't surprise me.  It just goes to show you that good deeds
don't go unoticed.  That being said, I have this little
legal/accounting problem...

Once again thanks to all, I think I'll leave this open a while longer
since the response is so good.

Bowler-ga

I'm not a researcher, just a professional commenter. 

I live in a part of the country where huge slugs are the norm (yes,
ick!), Several years ago a particularly insane slug took up residence
in my kitchen. It was about 5 inches long, as thick as my finger and
brown mottled color. Every time I spotted the beast, I would scoop it
up with a shovel (dust pan doesn't have a long enough handle. Neither
does the shovel for that matter, but I had to be resourceful) and toss
it into the bushes in the back yard. Days later the slug would
reappear. I Googled 'slugs' (this was in the days before Google
Answers and one had to Google their own answers) and found that slugs
are able to find their way back to their 'homes' due to their slime
trail acting as a bread crumb trail. This answered my question as to
how the beast kept finding it's way back, but did nothing to answer my
question as to how I could rid my home of it.

I did discover that a crack in the foundation was allowing it to enter
under the kitchen sink. Why didn't I just squish the critter? Can you
imagine the mess of 5 inches of squashed slug meat? Ummm. No thank
you. I'm a lover, not a slug squisher.

So, the slug persists. I throw him over the fence into the neighbors
yard. He's back within days, crawling on my sink and counters (I just
got the heebee jeebees thinking of it). My in-laws come to visit. At
6:00 in the morning I'm awakened by a shriek and the sound of the
garbage disposal. Seems our intredpid friend made it's presence known
to my mother in law as she was filling the coffee pot, and my
father-in-law, war hero that he is, immediately went into battle mode
and had the presence of mind to flush the critter down the drain and
then flip the garbage disposal switch. After I skeeved out for an hour
or two at the mental image, I thanked him profusely and went on to
dream of my slug-less future.

Three weeks later, I pad into the kitchen, sans shoes for the first
time in months, and lo and behold, what do I find in my sink, but a
much battle scarred 5" brown mottled slug. IT'S BAAAAAA-AAAACK!!!

In the proceeding three weeks, I had obviously toughen up. Must have
been my new found confidence in knowing I was slug free. I grabbed a
glass, half filled with orange juice and poured it on the slug. To my
delight, and horror, the orange juice rendered the creature into a
foaming, oozing twisted up lump of slug meat. I immediately turned on
the hot water and the garbage disposal for a full five minutes. I then
boiled water and poured that down the drain along with half a cup of
dishwashing crystals.

I have not seen hide nor hair of the slug since.

When I needed a screen name for message boards I post on, I decided
that my personality and my habit of visiting boards long after I had
outstayed my welcome, were the perfect combination for the moniker
'sluggy'.

I used to go by the screen name, Fuzzy Butter Pants. Funny name, but
no good story behind it.

Wow, Sluggy, You ought to be a War Correspondent with your ability to
conjure up an enduring struggle against overwhelming odds.

But, please, don't write off the Enemy so quickly ...

I've seen too many horror movies to know that such creatures are SUPERNATURAL.

He (or she) will be back ...

Be sure of it!

I was also intrigued by your Comment, 'I'm not a researcher, just a
professional commenter'.

A 'PROFESSIONAL commenter' ... This means that you are getting paid.
Right? ... So do tell, 'How much?' and 'How can I join you on the
Gravy Train?'

Bryan
Just an Amateur and a Poor Student but one with Ambitions and Pretensions.

OK, here's my story (folks, you may want to hold off on reading this
until you need a sleep aid):

Back in Nov. 2002, I tried to setup my account as scout-ga (from Scout
in To Kill A Mockingbird), but for some reason, it wouldn't work.
(Perhaps the name was already taken at that time.)

So, I then tried to register as nancy-ga, but someone else was already
registered under that name. So, I just stuck on my middle name -- and
GA accepted it.

I figured it didn't matter. My guess was GA would last, oh, about
another month, then fizzle out, so why sweat choosing a name? (This is
the kind of prescience that has kept me from becoming wildly rich,
famous, etc.)

Btw, In real life, no one ever calls me "Nancy Lynn," just Nancy or
Nance. (Although I do like my middle name much better than my first
name, and am now sorry I didn't start using my middle name as a first
name when I was a kid, but too late now.)

Actually, my dad wanted to name me "Elizabeth," which is *the* family
name for females in his family. My mother, who is half Swedish, wanted
to name me "Brita."

My parents argued about this throughout Mom's pregnancy and were still
arguing over it, even as Dad drove my mother to the hospital after her
water broke.

My grandfather was so fed up with the constant quarreling that, as my
mother was being wheeled into delivery, he announced that if the baby
was a girl, her name would be "Nancy Lynn."

Thus, I was christened.

Some days later, my grandfather -- an executive at A&P headquarters in
NYC, and a staunch company man -- was dismayed and chagrined to
realize how he'd conjured up the name "Nancy Lynn": Grand Union --
A&P's main competitor -- had just introduced a new line of baked goods
called "Nancy Lynn," as their version of A&P's legendary "Ann Page"
line.

Yes, A&P's National Personnel Director had named his grandkid after
his employer's arch rival.

Btw, my brother was known as "Calvin" for the first several days of
his life, in honor of my father's father's father, despite the
strenuous objections of my mother. My father was finally persuaded to
change the name from Calvin to John, thanks to a maternity ward nurse
who insisted that naming a kid "Calvin" was nothing short of child
abuse.

Thankfully, my parents didn't have any more children.

The going rate for 'professional commentators' is nothing. That's in
both Canadian and American currencies, lol.

It's been a couple of years since the slug last made an appearance.
Looks like OJ claimed another victim in the end.

That was a bad bad joke :(


What do you expect from someone who doesn't get paid?

Like most of you, it was the first anonymous thing I came up with.

Bath was my favourite place at the time (the place in UK - not the tub!)

So I thought bath rocks.  "rocks" meaning "is cool" - or something
along those lines.

Rocky, ak (more boringly) a Mike

Well,

I must say I really enjoyed the responses.  I think some of the
commentors had the funniest stories (dancethecon-ga and sluggy-ga) in
particular.

I could get off easy and say one of the commentors won the prize but
I'm going to give out two prizes.  The winning commentor is sluggy-ga
for a truly gross but entertaining orgin.  The winning Researcher is
Willie-ga for his honesty and ability to laugh at himself.  So Willie
(Wullie) if you are listening please post your answer and claim the
prize, thank you all once again.

Bowler-ga

I like sluggy-ga's story, too, especially this part: "... what do I
find in my sink, but a much battle scarred 5" brown mottled slug. IT'S
BAAAAAA-AAAACK!!!" Too funny! A little bit gross, but funny!  :-)

Good choice, Bowler!

dtc

I'm just an Eddie Izzard fan - so I stole his name and I've always
used it as my online nickname :)

My nickname came from a column I write for an online publication but
it was also my handle when I used to write about computer games back
before there were PCs.

Siliconsamurai also has a specific meaning among hackers and I am a
computer security specialist who speaks regularly at SummerCon.

In addition, a samurai or, perhaps ronin, depending on how you read
such things, is a soldier for hire, as a freelance writer, that seemed
especially appropriate since a Free Lance was originally a Swiss
mercenary.
  
Finally, I also happen to hold a black belt in sword fighting.

I have other oline names for various columns and publications but
those were all given me by editors or publishers, siliconsamurai is
the only one I got to choose.

Mine is not that interesting... I was signing up for a bus journey in
Cusco, Peru after a VERY heavy night and my shakes were so bad that
the name they put on my ticket was Rai. I can tell you my name is
certainly not that and considerably longer. 130 is just my house
number...

Hi Bowler! 

Just now seeing this . . . 

I think I've posted this someplace, but what the heck. My nickname
here is my Portuguese nickname (I am 100% Portuguese, raised in the
United States). It means "little mouth" and that is meant in the
literal, not figurative, sense. Really, I can be quite chatty, but I
am a petite 5'2 girl (I feel too young to use the term "woman") with
tiny features, including a (physically) small mouth. I like my
nickname. :)

Sincerely,
Boquinha-ga

Boquinha,

Thanks for the story.  You may not want to call yourself a woman
because of your age but you are certainly "the woman" on GA.  I notice
you have a perfect 5-star rating average which I have not seen before.
 Does any other researcher have such a rating? (minimum 50 questions
answered).  Please keep up the good work.

Bowler-ga

Bowler,

As far as I know, my good friend Boquinha stands alone as the only
5-star Researcher who has answered more than fifty questions.

This achievement is remarkable. Even one four-star answer will knock a
GAR down to four-and-a-half stars: since the stars do not round
upward, a 4.99 rating is, as far as stars are concerned, the same as a
4.5 rating. Boquinha has never had a rating of less than five stars,
and for that she should be applauded long and loud.

YAYYYYYYY!!! GO BO! 

:-D

Best from
Bo's envious colleague,
Pink

*Blush!*

Gosh, thanks, Bowler and Pink! Shucks, I don't know what to say . . .
so I'll simply say thank you!

Sincerely,
Boquinha-ga

Congratualtions, Bo, Keep up the Great Work!

Thought I'd bump this question up on the researcher's list.  I
stumbled across this interesting article.  Hmm, I wonder who the
researcher is who answered 960 questions?

http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/people/edelman/pubs/GoogleAnswers-011404.pdf

Hi, Rob

I can't imagine who the Researcher is who answered 960 questions:

http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/people/edelman/pubs/GoogleAnswers-011404.pdf

But who are the Questioners who were able to 'Rate' the Answers with
Half Point precision?

And how did they do it?

I'd like do the 4.5 3.5 2.5 and 1.5 stuff as well. 

(Figure 7 on Page 21 refers)

Curious
Bryan