The Friday Salute: A user appreciation thread (THIS WEEK: StirredNotShaken aka SNS)

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  • edited November 2013 Posts: 3,494
    And now the guest entertainer and emcee for @DarthDimi's party! He means trolls in particular.

    2937353-pennywise.jpg

    Indeed, indeed, my good friend Dimitri is an eater of worlds just like our guest entertainer, the legendary Pennywise. And trolls and spambots too if he has room left over after such a large meal. He is ever vigilant, defending the integrity of the MI6 Forums, and those miscreants who interfere with his mission find themselves in his subterranean lair, hacked to pieces with his trusty light saber, so that his giant pet spider can more easily feast on their still squirming flesh. Dracula is currently taking lessons from him on how to emulate his charming manner with the ladies. The Invisible Man stays on after his science classes in hopes of a cure. The High Priests Of Karnak stole the secret formula for immortality from him. Jason Voorhies is still recruiting him for his street hockey team, and Leatherface does his landscaping gratis. And the list goes on and on...

    In all honesty, the Dimster is one of the most awesome human beings I've ever encountered. He helps anyone who asks if he can, without obligation. Like my sister @4EverBonded, he is a teacher of children, and that's something that commands the same respect he has expressed towards me regarding raising my children on my own. He doesn't give up on "his kids" anymore than I have or ever would. Not only does he teach, but he takes a personal interest in their well being. Some teachers who see a kid getting bullied would not want to get involved and just direct them to the principal- Dimi not only stands up for a kid being bullied, he tries to be a mediator just like he is here, and seeks peace and harmony for all. It takes an awful lot to knock him off his steady and easygoing nature, which makes him both an efficient teacher and Forum moderator, no doubt as popular with his students as he is here. And in a Forum full of many excellent mods, both official and unofficial, that as well is no small feat. Him being a fellow Daltonite, and making me laugh a lot at how in an alternate universe he would deal with some of these jokers if he could, is just icing and gravy.

    I cannot express how much I appreciate his offer (and that of other mods to be fair) to keep an eye out for my son now that he is here with us. I never asked and it shows the goodness in his heart. We know this can sometimes be an ugly place with some of the trolls that invade our happy Bondian home, and it is a relief to know at night when he is on here that the good guys like Dimi are around.

    Belgium has a first class citizen and human being in Dimi. He alone would be reason enough for me to visit his country. Over the many years we have been friends going back to the old KTBEU Forum that I joined in 2008, he has become for me, the rare person I truly consider "my brother from another mother". I cannot overstate how much I value his friendship and how much it means to me to have that. Hail, and may you live a thousand years- or better yet, as long as Kharis!




  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    Posts: 12,480
    Belgium, eh? And here I thought DarthDimi lived in the Arctic or perhaps Antarctica.
    Those being the coolest place on earth, of course! For a very cool guy ... ;)
  • Posts: 5,745
    To me @DarthDimi is the face of MI6 on these forums. Everyday he's present in multiple threads; everyday he's mopping up trolls; everyday he's opening infinite idea discussions and keeping us all involved; and most importantly- everyday he keeps us coming back.

    Thank you Dimi, your service does not go without notice. I want you to know you serve as an inspiration for devotion and hard work to me and I'm sure many others on board. Thank you for all that you do, and I look forward to many more years with you.

    You've earned your star on the 'wall' at MI6.
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,801
    Adjusting for severe gravitational influence, Dimi is unparalleled.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    edited November 2013 Posts: 24,183
    @SirHenryLeeChaChing, wow my friend, yours is a post I will reread often! Both funny and truly beautiful. I'm, again, at a loss for words. Pennywise, however, just popped out of my computer screen and took a bite. Fortunately though, I had my silver ready... ;-)

    @4EverBonded, I'm so cool I make global warming blush. ;-)

    @JWESTBROOK, thank you! Please remember, I'm not in it alone. Many mods fight the good fight and most members assist us in more ways than they might think. :-)

    @chrisisall, great line, that. ;-)

    Now, moving on, I would like to nominate the next member to be saluted. Frankly, I would like to salute about 100 people, and then some more. The admins, my fellow mods and most of all a great many members. Knowing for sure that all whom deserve it will eventually be saluted, I would like to vote for @M_Balje next week. He's been with us since 2002 (!) and he's quite a regular poster; despite weeks of absence sometimes, Balje stacks up a pretty impressive post count. :-)
  • Posts: 2,402
    My vote again goes to @Kerim. I know there are issues with the principle of him not being here to read the tributes, but what if he doesn't return? Does that mean we'll never honor his contributions to MI6?
  • DiscoVolanteDiscoVolante Stockholm, Sweden
    Posts: 1,347
    I'm all for @M_Balje :D
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,351
    I'll vote for M_Balje too. :)

    1-3
  • SandySandy Somewhere in Europe
    Posts: 4,012
    Voting is open already? This week my vote goes to @thelivingroyale, one of my favourite members of this forum.
  • Posts: 6,396
    My vote also goes to @M_Balje
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,183
    VOTES SO FAR

    Balje: 4
    Kerim: 1
    thelivingroyale: 1
  • edited November 2013 Posts: 3,494
    I'll go with @thelivingroyale. It's sad to say, but I can hardly follow what Balje is trying to say most of the time :(
  • Posts: 6,396
    I'll go with @thelivingroyale. It's sad to say, but I can hardly follow what Balje is trying to say most of the time :(

    But that's the genius of it ;-)
  • Posts: 2,402
    I'll go with @thelivingroyale. It's sad to say, but I can hardly follow what Balje is trying to say most of the time :(

    He really has an occasional stroke of genius, though. It's occasionally been hard to decipher but he's really made me think sometimes. Hes certainly a true Bond fan. Though I voted for Kerim, I have no problem if Balje takes the crown this time.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,183
    VOTES SO FAR[/u]

    Balje: 4
    Kerim: 1
    thelivingroyale: 2

  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    edited November 2013 Posts: 13,355
    @thelivingroyale would be my choice as well. That makes three.
  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    edited November 2013 Posts: 12,480
    Many deserve a tribute (and I'd be happy if M_Balje wins later, and folks know I adore Kerim) - however, I am voting this week for @thelivingroyale! He is a great member here, with thoughtful, interesting, and funny posts. He so deserves this tribute.
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,801
  • Didn't know I was this popular, thought I pissed people off more often than not ;) Seriously though, thank you.
  • Posts: 1,817
    I also vote for @thelivingroyale.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 18,281
    I'll give my vote to @thelivingroyale too.
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,976
    I say @thelivingroyale should be up next, as well.
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,801
    Didn't know I was this popular, thought I pissed people off more often than not ;)
    It's clear that we appreciate you much more than you were aware of, dude.
    B-)
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    edited November 2013 Posts: 28,694
    When I was just a wee lad playing with legos and toy cars, I was told legends about him. My father would sit me down upon his knee and enchant me with the various escapades of the man whom they only called "The Chosen One." He is said to have saved the world from the brink of destruction over a dozen times, slain twenty dragons who blew the fiercest of fires in all the land, and made sweet love to so many women that his offspring account for almost four tenths of his country's census. I would see firemen and police save people on television every day, but he was the one I idolized and hoped for even as the world turned more and more into a dystopian nightmare. The world I once knew, the world my father had often recalled with fond memories had slipped farther and farther away as the land was held in a death grip by a splinter group full of corrupt officials, ragged enforcers, and bought off lawmakers who broke away from the rest of society, seeking to rule over the land with fingers on triggers and hands in the bank. They threatened anyone who got in their way, shot you if you spoke out and took from every class level they wished to increase their wealth. The good people of our society were left to shrivel and die with the rest of us as the lawful system we once knew became demolished and freedom was outlawed. It wasn't long until even the military broke away from us, and were bought over by the promise of wealth and power.

    Months crept by and the world was crumbling to bits before my eyes. It was as if we were all surrounded by a scorching fire that filled our lungs with a smoke that ravished us until suffocation, and the people I once knew to be civil members of society began to steal and kill to survive. My father, mother and I stayed inside from that point on because we were worried about being swept away in the crowds of the downtrodden or murdered by the splinter group that was tearing the city apart through fear, making us yet another casualty of our broken system. All hope had seemed to be lost once again...

    And then he came. As if in answer to all my prayers, my father shouted as loudly as his lungs would allow, wishing me to look out the window that gave a view of the torn up streets. As I crept up on my tip toes to gaze outside, I had finally after so many years matched a face to the legend of the greatest man I had ever heard of. Flying into our destitute city was he, clad in armor of the finest gold and riding upon a graceful bird of the most beautiful red that you would think it to be on fire if you gave it only a quick study. Behind him flew his loyal and brave followers upon the same birds, and stared the corruption of my city dead in its eyes, not flinching for a second. The military called in their men to bomb the area and wipe out him and his forces, but no matter how hard they hit them, they never stopped. He rode high into the sky, swinging a blade that shined with the most dazzling shimmer, and cut the army's jets right out of the sky, while his men took care of the military cavalry that had charged them on the ground. It wasn't long before the military knew an air strike wasn't going to take him and his men down, so they searched for other methods of attack.

    Meanwhile, our hero had flown back down to the ground, giving his support any way he could, swinging his sword with such matched grace and speed that you would think it was a dance. Barely any of the splinter group's men remained after just minutes, leaving the military to send out its last force of heavily armed soldiers. Even when gunfire from the raging battle outside pierced our home and the explosions shook the foundations, I couldn't tear my eyes away even as the building was collapsing upon itself. As a jet's missile lost control of its flight path mid-air and hit the top level of our home, I was knocked back with great ferocity. My father tried to reach me, but he was too late, and the ceiling came down upon me, our kitchen table the only thing saving me from becoming completely crushed under the weight of the wooden debris. Smoke began to fill the house, and the weight of what was once our home was crushing the life out of me, inch by inch. I thought to cry, but was coughing too much to think of doing anything else. As my mind drifted towards thoughts of my own demise and the fate of my parents, there out of all the darkness and sounds of gunfire, screams and quakes, was a shining light. In that grave moment, I raised my eyes and met the gaze of he who was hope exemplified in the human form.

    As if out of one of the tales my father had passed down to me as a boy, there HE was, giving me support when nobody else could, being the protector I needed when all other means had been expunged. He moved the crashed debris from off of me as if he were brushing a crumb off his favorite shirt, and gave me a reassuring smile of the sincerest form. Taking me over his shoulder, he told my parents and I not to worry any longer as he carried us out of our burning house all by his own strength and indomitable will. I can still picture him in my head, an image of power and determination; a hero who came to my rescue and told me everything was going to be alright. He had wiped out the corrupt forces that had strangled our city, and helped to pick up the pieces of our system, rebuilding it anew from the ruins that remained, making sure it returned to the way it was during the times my father often recalled with joy. He stayed with us as our greatest commander until we were back on our feet, helping any and all who needed him, and appointed only the most loyal and lawful of people to government and military level positions. Even after he went back to his own land after saving ours, he was never forgotten. To me he was everything: brilliant tactician, heroic warrior of the finest guard, a soldier of both love and peace, an orator of the finest speech, and most of all, the savior we had so long prayed for. While many still call him only by his esteemed title of "The Chosen One", I know him by but one name: @DarthDimi.

    @DarthDimi is simply a class act all around, ladies and gentlemen. On our wonderful forum he is a dedicated, open, and strong moderator and passionately knowledgeable poster on all things Bond. Off the forum he is that same great man, a teacher of the finest calibre who cares about the academics of his pupils and a romancer who gives his hand to just one lucky woman; his Bond girl. Since I joined this forum a couple of years ago, I have always seen him as a shining example to follow like a lighthouse in the harbor. He keeps this place running behind the scenes, but matches his earnest fight against internet trolldom with endless wit and care for this forum and its many dedicated members. He is a troll fighter, Kubrick-lover, Bond obsessor, dedicated teacher, brilliant brain, and a one-act comedy tour de force. But more than all that, I am happy to call him a dear friend. Here is to @DarthDimi, a hero for the ages! ^:)^
  • BennyBenny Shaken not stirredAdministrator, Moderator
    Posts: 15,138
    I'll go with the majority on this one and vote for @thelivingroyale
  • Posts: 12,526
    DarthDimi! A creator of some pretty fun threads, and a fair mod! Always has interesting things to say or post for others!
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,183
    @0BradyM0Bondfanatic7 and @RogueAgent, thanks for the comments, gents. ;-) Brady, I enjoyed reading your post very much.
  • CommanderRossCommanderRoss The bottom of a pitch lake in Eastern Trinidad, place called La Brea
    Posts: 8,266
    There are many I think deserve recognition. Both Balje and TheLiving obviously beeing great contenders. But my vote goes to @DiscoVolante this time. If only to get another fantastic member's name on the board ;-)
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    DarthDimi wrote:
    @0BradyM0Bondfanatic7 and @RogueAgent, thanks for the comments, gents. ;-) Brady, I enjoyed reading your post very much.

    My sincere pleasure, good sir. I meant every word. :)


    This week I'll cast my vote for @Sandy.
  • edited November 2013 Posts: 3,566
    Here's how cool @DarthDimi is: I know he'll forgive me for arriving at this party so late! Many warm regards, @Darth! It is heartening to know that you're out there keeping our forum free of trolls, and at the same time participating fully in the many wonderful conversations going on here. We salute you, sir!

    As far as my vote for the week: you know, I was really leaning towards @M_Balje, just to keep the count close...but as it is, I'll be watching Casino Royale tonight in preparation for my review over in the Originals topic thread. With that point in mind, how could I vote in any fashion other than for @thelivingroyale!

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