Modern Vespa

This is a nickname from when I was a kid. My last name is Rice and I was a fast runner.

Double M is for Marbles Mahoney. Marbles Mahoney has been my stage name since the 80's. I was in a Punk rock band back then with a Gangster theme, called The Chiselers, so we all adopted Dick Tracy like names. I probably have a couple of other profiles but I cant access them, so I just started over when I bought my new Vespa. I have been involved in Scootering since 1995 and am founder and president of The Hornets Scooter Club of Long Island NY.

Nowadays I play Drums and sometimes Guitar in A Surf Rock band called Strange But Surf.
This is from last Saturdays show...
https://youtu.be/wQXALtuiqkU?t=190

Great sound, reminded me of Rush

Hi Jess. Yes it is an amazing guitar. I bought it in Springfield, Ohio in 1971 and have no idea about the pick guard. I am a regular lurker on The Gretsch Pages (also as Blackguard). I should really put it in the database and try to get some answers. Thanks for all your work on this site. Jon

Oh, wow. I grew up in Yellow Springs, just down the road from Springfield.

Mine is relatively simple.

William Leuthold shortened.

The name was chosen at a time where internet forums were very new to me and I couldn't come up with anything clever.

If I was starting over, I would probably choose Bleu. Very short for Bill Leuthold.

I thought about Bleu Bayou, (a version of Blew By You) as I pass people often, but it also sounded a bit pompous.

I liked the name of a closed convenience store that i pass frequently when I ride west of town, called Cash Cow. I use that name it on another forum as CashCow.

It fits as that is my roll in my family, and has been for many years.

Bill

My first name is John, my middle name is Anthony. I was sort of a brat as a child and my mother started calling me John Agony instead of John Anthony.
When choosing user names most variations of John were taken, even John Anthony, so I took Jagony on most of them.

When I got my first non-work-related e-mail account nearly 26 years ago I wanted to use my full name initials for my login - that was taken so I added my first name after my initials; rajron.

I'm Dan, and if it has 2 wheels I want to ride it. I have bicycles, mini bikes, a dual sport, sport-touring motorcycle, and yes a Vespa.

A lot of people call themselves "captain"... especially recreational boaters. Let's not forget Captain Obvious on the Hotels.com commercials. Captain Crunch. Captain American, although he did (does) hold the rank of Captain (0-3). I am a retired commercial boat captain. Licensed. I was Captain Jim long before using it on internet forums. Oh, yeah - my name is Jim.

BTW, when you hear someone say, "I am the captain of this boat" (usually followed by "and the captain is always right"), if they don't have the license, they are the skipper of their boat, not the captain, although the act of driving the boat is sometimes considered "captaining." And I can guarantee you that the captain isn't "always right"... but the captain is always responsible. For every soul on board, cargo, equipment, and environment. I never did charter work with my own boats, so there was always an owner (individual or company) who hired me. And, for full disclosure, the owner isn't always right, either... I quit one job because the company wanted me to do something unsafe, with passengers on board. Only time I ever quit on the spot (well, after the boat was secure at the dock).

When you push away from the dock, you are the final authority. I've been Master in Charge when training other licensed Captains on board. If the excrement hits the rotating blades, and you aren't the one at the helm, you are still responsible (at some percentage).

Since retiring, the only thing I am responsible for is what goes wrong around our house. Not a licensed or rank position, also known as: husband. Or, as my wife might say: trophy husband. And, scooterist.

I think I'd like your mom.

I've owned a lot of two wheelers. The name was accurate when I coined it, on another forum, several years ago, and I've never run into a problem rolling it into new user groups.

I like to rebuild/refurbish older bikes, ride them for a while, and pass them to new owners.

Good luck with that effort! Do you propose that Captains Hook, Cook, and Bligh be retronamed Skippers Hook, Cook, and Bligh because they didn't have licenses?

The word "captain" has developed far too many well-established meanings in too many languages for hundreds of years before captain's licenses came into being. "Captain" means "leader" in many instances, including of a sports team or aboard a boat or ship. There is a difference of course between a "licensed Captain," which has specific meaning and qualification, and the generic "captain," which is synonymous with skipper. One can absolutely be correctly termed a "captain" or "skipper" without being a "licensed Captain." (I would put "engineer" and "professional engineer" (P.E.) in a similar category.)

By way of further example, the commanding officer of a submarine or smaller combatant like a frigate or minesweeper is likely to be a rank below O-6, perhaps several ranks below, but will still be properly referred to as the captain of the craft even without a commercial license. And many languages do not include the word "skipper," which is of Dutch origin - they use varieties of "captain."

After 15 years, I finally know the backstory. I had always wondered, but never asked.

Mine, as is the case in a zillion other usernames from the '90s is first initial last name. I was a draftsman for many years, and always used SMORRIS on drawings, and that's what people started calling me.

I don't know why I didn't just use "Steve" here, since only a handful of user names were taken at the time. Hey Jess, Steve never used his, how about reassigning it?

I would do that for you. Let's chat via PM about the logistics.

Smorris is now just Steve. Welcome, Steve!

.....Will all people wanting a forum name change please form an orderly queue

As long as you've got a user ID under 100.

Thank you. It's nice to be here. Or under 10...

I was feeling generous.

Maybe the marker should be "Do you have a square patch?"

[sorry I didn't see your question until now]

Yes, I did visit Lake Baikal. Went on a research vessel to the big Limnological station up the West coast of the lake. Saw Baikal seals, freshwater sponges, transparent fish, what-have-you. Ate smoked omul washed down with vodka. The lake is awesome. Must be something to see it in the winter when it is frozen across. (a number of people have ridden motorcycles across it in winter - see below)