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Mark McG: They were originally just a casual mention whenever a member responded to the first post by a newbie - I don't know who it was who started that. Eventually, as so many new members kept popping up, the practice began to die off. But I thought it was a neat idea, so at the beginning of each month I took it upon myself to look up the usernames of all the previous month's new members. Then I'd invite them all into the Clubhouse for the monthly Dremel Salute. But the salutes were done with no ordinary Dremel rotary tool, but their most powerful "Magnagouger" line. These often had Science Fictional names, such as the Dremel model 2001 Hyper Atomic Laser-guided 9000-watt Magnagouger. Of course, when handling devices like these could have, um, unforeseen results. The newbies seemed to enjoy the Dremel Salutes. Yamahog never did.

Beanies

Yamahog: Beanies were what the newbies were assigned to wear for what (they were told) was of a finite duration. However, if I recall correctly it was always a vague, indiscriminate number of days/weeks/months that the newbie had to “wear” one.

Phrankenstign: I seem to remember the magic number being 30. Newbies wore these for posts 1-29.

Fezzes

Yamahog: After a while, the newbie was honored with a fez, in which he could now parade about the clubhouse as a full-fledged member. Beanie’s and fez’s were issued to any newbie upon their arrival by any full-fledged member (as I recall?)

Phrankenstign: These were automatically bestowed by HobbyTalk to anyone with more than 30 posts. Hankster was probably the one who came up with the Beanies and Fezzes. Now we're given certain epithets according to our post counts.

Buc's Brew

The less said the better about this potent brew. Available only in the clubhouse – never at Starbucks.

Bucwheat: "Buc's Brew" brought back some great memories and had to go downstairs to the dungeon and take some photo's of the gift Lisa sent me shortly after WF 99'. This 'brew' made Navy Grog taste good!!!

Pardon The Hamster

Phrankenstign: Mark Dean told a story once.....I think he said he got his hamster and stuck his head in the Guillotine to play. When his mom saw what he was doing, he said he had to "pardon the hamster" and stop doing that to his little pet. I guess people still remembered the gay community's fondness for hamsters, so that particular choice of words in that phrase made everyone laugh

Prince of Styrene II: It was a story of days of yore of one of our members who, once his Guillotine had been built, "walked" his little sister's hamster over to it & tried to lay it on the plank &... well... you know. His father opted a strong suggestion to "Pardon the hamster" from his execution.

Arronax: The phrase was embroidered on the PL cap given to board members at Wonderfest 2000.

Flinging Monkeys

The Batman: If I remember correctly, it was during a discussion we were having about old movies that made a 'disturbing' impact on us in our childhoods.... Someone brought up the FLYING MONKEYS in the Wizard of Oz and said that they had given him nightmares. But he had mistyped the word 'flying' and it came out more like FLINGING. Well, that tickled my funny bone because it conjured up a whole different image in my head - but, one that was equally nightmarish! Yeah, you gotta really beware of those 'Flinging Monkeys'!!! I used that phrase alot but, it never caught on like 'Pardon the Hamster' did. I beat that dead horse ( monkey? ) for a couple of years, at least.

Da Queen: Actually, Batman..."Flinging Monkeys" did make it into the PL BB Lexicon!

The Golden Frankies

Crazy Mike: An item which may be of interest- Remember the Golden Frankie Awards? A small number of kits crafted by several board members for presentation at a well known event? Around '99 I think. In 98-99? there was a PL contest for repop wolfmen. Right around that time frame the suggestion was put up for PL to sponsor some awards at a major (I think) convention (Chiller? Wonderfest?). 7(?) repop Frankensteins were delivered to volunteers who did them up like Oscar awards. No names for the volunteers, sorry. They'll have to fess up by Barry Yoner Day or turn in their fez.

Dave Metzner: I've slept too often since I last set foot in the Polar Lights office and my memory isn't as sharp as it once was. BUT it seems to me that there was still a gold painted Frankie stashed in the closet when I packed my stuff and moved out. I had forgotten all the details of the Golden Frankie awards although I did remember that the actual awards were built by BB members and that Lisa came up with the idea and arranged to get the kits built.

Da Queen: I remember because that was initiated under the Queen's reign. The first one went to Lee Staton for all his work in developing Wonderfest into the Modeling Mecca it is today. The second did go to the Sarah Karloff. I believe the award died off after that when I was de-throned and no one at PL picked up the cause.

The kits were Frankies that were assembled by BB members and then painted gold and were to be awarded each year at WF to an individual who made a significant contribution to our hobby. The awards were given at the Grand Finale dinner at WF.

Lee Staton: (pictured recently with his Golden Frankie) Yes, I did receive a Golden Frankie. It was presented to me on June 11, 2000. The day before my birthday! I think I was the only recipient of one of these! It's still proudly displayed.