According to the Blogger archives, it was only 20 months ago in September 2006 when a group of opinionated, big-mouthed, prolific commenters were "invited" to leave the ritzy establishment of a certain "Harvard club." One commenter made it known that he had a little bar around the corner and everyone was welcome to continue the chaos there. This was 2164th's inaugural, grand-opening post:
There has been some consternation over at the Belmont Club. The host wretchard wishes to discourage running commentary. It is my intention to invite members of the BC to sit back relax and comment away. Gentleman, start your engines. As this is experimental and designed for chatting, there is no need to archive chats. When I feel the thread is stale, we will clean the bar.
It's been a blast ever since and it all began on or about September 7, 2006 with the proprietors first post, "Where the Hell is Doug?" . Apparently, 2164th, (dubbed Deuce by Desert Rat) had some sort of "technical glitch" and blew away the very first comments but the archives show the first commenter was none other than Doug, our favorite Hawaiian. That thread ran for 186 comments from the likes of Doug, Buddy Larsen, 2164th, Desert Rat, Habu 3, Rem870, whit, rufus, bobalharb, and a couple or real characters commenting as Sausage Sommelier and Asperger's Gentleman (remember them?)
and of course Rufus chimed in with what has become the classic, essential Rufus:
Jamie Irons even joined us for a while but I suspect the EB was a little too rough for the good doctor from California or maybe like most of us, he took some heat from his better half for all the time he was "wasting with that nonsense."
Does anybody here remember ba mui ba (33) beer?
Man, three hot ba mui ba's would knock your dick off. Shit must have been fifty proof.
Ash chided in on the second post:
And was promptly treated to a little EB hospitality by rufus. BTW - Ash has been a faithful chider to this day. It was on this second thread that Teresita, cloaked in the habit of Woman Catholic debuted with the famous last words that the EB wasn't her "kind of place." Speaking of famous last words remember the "That's all Folks" post? My boss and your "dear host" announced his retirement and two days later he was back! He just couldn't stay away and neither could many of us!
whit said...
"I cannot tell a lie.
I lifted the entire piece on Cleland from the Patriot Post website"
You really should post it in such a way that one doesn't think you are engaging in wholesale plagerism.
In addition, might I suggest that the esteemed members here indicate which one of the towering intellects actually made the post. i.e. Omar or Mohammed puts their name at the bottom of each post to identify the author. You guys should do the same.
We also heard from an Aussie named Quig. Sam, do you know a fellow named Quig? Remember Bob Smith, a regular at the Belmont Club? Bob Smith revealed at the EB that he was actually a 52-year old woman.
Buddy Larsen, Allen, Habu, Rem870 are seldom if ever seen in the bar anymore but the original gang is still largely intact and here 2000 posts later, the party continues and looking back on the posts, we're still solving and resolving the same old problems of the world. From our humble beginnings, we have added a Board of Directors and gone global with international visitors, posts and comments coming from France, Poland, Germany, Singapore, Costa Rica and Colombia (Thanks, Harrison, Fellow Peacekeeper and Trish.) A special thanks goes to contributors and occasional barkeeps; Our man in uniform, Bob W. and the lastest part-timer and a man whose intellect may be wasted on the EB wasted, Victor Silo.
At the EB, we don't have enough time, money or staff to do a proper retrospective on the wild ride of the first 2,000 posts so let this brief acknowledgment suffice. We've had some good posts at the EB and some not so good posts, but what sets the EB apart from most blogs are our comment threads. We've got a crazy bunch of regulars and we like it that way and hope you do too. Also, a special thanks to the indefatigable host, 2164th aka Deuce. Without his tireless day-in and day-out efforts the EB would have closed its doors long ago. So today, all day long, drinks are on the house.
2,000 down and here's to the next 2,000. Thanks everyone!
whit (and on his behalf) Deuce.
Hey 2164th - where'd the title (Elephant bar) of your blog come from? Is there a story there?
A long time ago in another life-time, in Kassel Germany was an art-deco bar frequented late at night by an international crowd. The mahogany bar had red up-lighting but was always in a blue haze of cigarette smoke. The woman, Nordic beauties and the music Marlene Dietrich style from the forties and fifties. The Elephant Bar, always fascinating, and only disappointing enough to keep it interesting.