"The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter." —Mark Twain
I have a long history with a hasher named Larry “Stray Dog” McDowell. I’d just as soon bury it and move on, but this old Dr. Down-Down column captures the spirit of our relationship, and remains one of my favorites. — Flying Booger, 22 Feb 2020 Dear Hashers, I don’t know what these messages are about, […]
Dear Doctor Down-Down, I am 8 years old. Some of my little Hashing friends say there is no Gispert. My Grand Master says, “If you see it in the Half-Mind Catalog, it’s so.” Please tell me the truth, is there a Gispert? On On, Virginia O’Hanlon Dear Virginia, Your little Hashing friends are wrong. They […]
Dear Doctor Down-Down, I first joined hash in Townsville, Queensland, Australia in 1981 and have been hashing all over the world at hash runs (Interhash, Aussie Nash Hash and special runs) as well as pre- and post-hash holidays in great exotic places. I cannot find any history on where or when the hash naming practice […]
Dear Doctor Down-Down, I started hashing years ago in Southern California. In those days San Diego had just one hash, and it was a great one. Unfortunately, my company transferred me overseas, and I’ve only recently returned to San Diego, and to hashing. Something must have happened while I was away, because today there are […]
Dr. Down-Down’s Personal Rules of Hashing: Rules for haring: Trails should be obvious Checks should be hard Hares go looking for missing hashers Rules for leading circles: Never sing the same down-down song twice Never make the same person drink more than twice Keep it moving Rules for hashing in general: At a check, think […]
From an email sent to the hash list today: We had a newly named hasher who sent an e-mail to the hash list in Charlotte today, demanding a renaming as she felt her current name was “offensive and degrading.” I’m not saying it isn’t, but her name, “Don’t C#m On My Face, Thank You”, was suggested by […]
Long-time readers of the hash discussion list (hash-l@usc.edu) will vividly recall the bizarre behavior of Access Denied (hereinafter known as “AD”), a hasher apparently afflicted with Munchausen’s Syndrome. Or Tourette’s. Or possibly both. AD’s outbursts inspired the Time Channel Rant. Please enjoy. (segue to Time Channel) Jack: Well, Bob, it’s two thirty-three, and unless I miss […]
“A drinking club with a motorcycle problem”: motto of the Boozefighters Motorcycle Club, est. 1946, the original “wild ones” immortalized in the Marlon Brando movie. Someone will probably accuse me of saying hashers can’t use the “drinking club with a running problem” motto because someone else came up with the idea first. No, that’s not what I’m saying. What […]