November 20th 07, 04:27 PM
posted to rec.games.chess.politics, rec.games.chess.misc
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Ratpackers
On Nov 19, 9:47 pm, "J.D. Walker" wrote:
Chess friends,
I've seen the term ratpacker used frequently. I wondered what was meant
but left the matter aside while trying to understand other things. Now,
returning to it, I'd like to find out what you all mean when you refer
to someone as a ratpacker.
I wanted to approach the subject with a bit of preparatory work. I
investigated the Google archives. From the records available, it
appears that the term was used earliest by Mr. Parr referring to Mr.
Winters and his ratpackers. As time went on it apparently was co-opted
by his adversaries to refer to Mr. Evans and his ratpackers.
That is as far as I got with the archives. Mr. Parr, can you tell me if
I am on the right track as far as your usage goes?
Not content to leave the matter there -- I looked about the Internet to
find more clues. I uncovered this website:
http://screed.blackraptor.net/ratpac...ack/speak.html
What I learned there is that ratpackers were followers of a vampire
creature that lived off the blood of rats. The followers appear to have
been charged with locating rats for their leader at times. Could this
be the prototypical inspiration for our usage in r.g.c.p?
I picked up a bit of vocabulary from this site that may prove useful to
spice up your diatribe.
Question
What is a Ratpacker?
Answer
Ratpackers are the fans wot follow tha' Forever Knight rat-slurpin'
vampire Screed. 'Tis true tha' the droog supposedly croaked roight
proper-loik h'in the episode "Fever" when a white lab rat gave 'im a
part-tick-uarly bad case o' indi-gest-tion. This may be, but h'us
Ratpackers know 'e got better.
DROOG or DROOGSIE: We use this as both an affectionate name for each
other, and an insult (depending on the context of the sentence).
FORP: Friend of the Ratpack. These are folks who like hanging out with
the Ratpack, or merely think we're a hoot, but can't bring themselves to
admit to full Ratpackdom.
LIL' RATSIES: On-line legend has it that we, in make-believe virtual
terms, reside with and can (to some extent) control rats. Lots of rats
(hey, we have to feed Screed, don't we?) The "Lil' Ratsies" will often
stand up and cheer for certain things, for example, a particularly funny
post ("All the lil' ratsies stand up and go 'yah!'") and were even
bribed into singing Happy B'day to Libby last August.
THROMP: Hit. The Ratpackers are constantly being hit with rolled up
newspapers and the like. Always pickin' on the Ratpack, the other
factions are! :::boo-hoo:::
Cheers,
Rev. J.D. Walker, MsD, U.C.
--
"... what our scientist does not realize is that every time he makes a
measurement, the Flying Spaghetti Monster is there changing the results
with His Noodly Appendage."
-- Bobby Henderson opposing Evolution & Intelligent Design
I think there were other Pastafarians here before me:
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.g...rch+this+group
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