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RIP EHK


EHK for Darwin

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Tom explained the EHK at one point on the old forum (where he was EnlightenmentHK). It had to do with a handle on a gaming site of some sort and was just his legacy name. No connection to Hong Kong. Wish I remembered more.

Those seeking a trip down nostalgia lane should read the first post here.

Gods, I remember that. Thanks, Bronner.

Sarah, you can sign my name to that as well. "Alison aka Balefont" and you can throw in "the Wicked" if you have room. :P

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Think the board has really been at its most eloquent this entire thread. EHK was a larger than life boarder, such that nothing said feels hyperbolic. Have long felt he was one of the guardians of this place. He stood up for a lot of the things that needed to be stood up for. And he didn't let bullshit fly just because it was easier to let it.

It's been commented on many times in this thread, but the aspect I find most remarkable is the shift he made from right to left. There was seemingly no cognitive wed dissonance, no wallowing in selfish pride. He weighed the facts at hand and came to realize that which he once believed, he didn't believe anymore and going forward he'd have to embrace it. To me, that's immensely inspiring. Moreso it's unbelievably rare. Though reading each of these accounts of boarders highlighting various aspects of the man, what he stood for, how he expressed himself, you're forced to admit that much about him was unbelievably rare. But you only put all the pieces together after he's gone and while it helps you understand the man in a conscious way that mirrors what your unconscious always kinda knew, it makes the void seem like a black hole.

It had been a long time since my heart was so far down in my chest.

This exactly describes my initial read of this thread.

And sign me too, BTW.

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all day have i been focused on this dolorous news, the effect of which on me (insignificant in context as my personal hardship happens to be), who knew him solely as an electronic interlocutor from the opposite end of the political spectrum these past six or so years, has proven to be, unexpectedly and unforeseeably, profound beyond measure. i am thus compelled to contribute to following eulogy.

when i was a n00b on the ezboard, my first serious contribution to a political thread was in a discussion about the US secretary of state reporting on human rights abuses in china. of course i linked some blinkered leftwing article to make the point that the US had no clean hands on the matter of human rights.

I was answered, almost immediately, and thoroughly, and embarrassingly, by Mr. EHK, wherein he explained that my link was hoodwinked, and that the US record was hardly so bad as china's, and that the charges therein were regardless no defense to the US accusations. and so i learned the lesson: don't link crap links for no reason, or you'll look like an idiot.

he owned me again shortly thereafter when i misdeployed a pompous latinate legal phrase, indicating that i was both erroneous and an asshole. and so again i learned the lesson: don't use words that you don't know how to use, or you'll look like an idiot.

some time after that, i may have taken liberties with quoted material, or pulled a quotation out of context, or some other dishonest bullshit, simply to score a cheap point. first to file grievance was our friend Mr EHK. and thus i learned the lesson: don't cheat like a fuckwad, lest someone catch you, and you look like an idiot.

(i have, in fact, been exposed, without reciprocity, as idiotic so many times by EHK that i generally have come to regard his correspondence here as a reckoning, a running tab, of my accumulated idiocy.)

he and i routinely engaged in various poilitical threads as time went on, and though i may have got in a good, legitimate jab on occasion, each round fairly went to him. during the course of these intellectual beatings, i learned the lessons that my kindly and unintentional pedagogue, Mr. EHK, was willing to teach, both by implied example and by express instruction. it is consequently our dire loss that these lessons have come now to premature completion.

the above-exemplified process continued even until the winter of this year, when he and i sparred over the issue of the US usage of nuclear weapons in world war two--my defeat by EHK was so thorough and devastating that i retreated into a three-month internet hiatus. and i learned the lesson: do not fuck with the Big Dog unless you're willing to be bitten--for bitten i was, and deservedly so.

i therefore look forward to rereading EHK's contributions to this forum, both in mitigation of the horrible dearth that his absence creates, and will continue to create, but also with expectation that his words, which rewrite through force and charm the minds of thoe who read them, will continue to inspire, intrigue, and improve his numerous and devoted readership.

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I really wish I had read this post last night when I saw it first.

This is really saddening news. I expected, and would have been happy, to read EHK's posts and rants for years to come. He never showed one sign of diminished passion or slowing down, and I think we all would have read every last word. He had a real knack for conversation and always remembered me, greeted me as old buddy, even when I hadn't been posting for years. I know he would never shy away from a boast, but he earned every one.

RIP, EHK. And condolences to your family. I hope you can appreciate what he meant to people here.

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It's been commented on many times in this thread, but the aspect I find most remarkable is the shift he made from right to left.
I thought that I just imagined the shift. It is so hard for me to even think at the possibility that the EHK of the past few years is the one I first recall reading. He changed. We changed. We changed as people because of him, and we will now change in response to the loss of his presence.

And sign me too, BTW.
Me too.
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I would sign a memorial uh, /e-mail/letter/post/thing too. What to we have to do?

I DID get to chat once with him, back when I was first braving chat waters. The board was down and there were a few other chatters. EHK was one of them. At first I was very nervous and intimidated, cuz he was just so fuckin' smart and would call any one on any bullshit. But I immediately realized that he was really friendly, cool, funny and dare I say? Laid back.

It was a great chat and I wish I had chatted more with him since then.

I never knew he was that young, he came across as older, probably due to his knowledge and enlightenment. So tragic.

WOW... :stunned: I wanted to use the word 'wisdom' where I used enlightenment, but that seemed hokey so I used an online thesaurus (can't have lame words in an EHK thread) and ENLIGHTENMENT came up. Awesome. And sad. :(

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Please add my name to list of signatories, Mya. I already wrote something in the guest book, but I would like to contribute to a group effort as well.

On that note, how can we organize gathering the necessary $80 to have the guest book remain online permanently?

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Please add my name to list of signatories, Mya. I already wrote something in the guest book, but I would like to contribute to a group effort as well.

Same, please.

On that note, how can we organize gathering the necessary $80 to have the guest book remain online permanently?

Ran could set up another fundraiser thing like he did a couple months ago?

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I would sign a memorial uh, /e-mail/letter/post/thing too. What to we have to do?

I DID get to chat once with him, back when I was first braving chat waters. The board was down and there were a few other chatters. EHK was one of them. At first I was very nervous and intimidated, cuz he was just so fuckin' smart and would call any one on any bullshit. But I immediately realized that he was really friendly, cool, funny and dare I say? Laid back.

It was a great chat and I wish I had chatted more with him since then.

I never knew he was that young, he came across as older, probably due to his knowledge and enlightenment. So tragic.

WOW... :stunned: I wanted to use the word 'wisdom' where I used enlightenment, but that seemed hokey so I used an online thesaurus (can't have lame words in an EHK thread) and ENLIGHTENMENT came up. Awesome. And sad. :(

I was so hoping I'd get to finally meet the guy behind the posts this August. He seemed like such a nice guy, even when I could feel his digital spittle hitting me in the face while I (usually) nodded my head in agreement.

I don't think I've yet processed that I will never get to read his thoughts ever again. It just doesn't seem possible. There's a hole in the forum where a rant should be.

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Does anyone recall what EHK stands for?

Enlightenment...

I think HK stood for Hunter-Killer, as in HK-47, the assassin droid from the Knights of the Old Republic video games. When I first joined the board he was going by Enlightenment-HK, and his avatar was briefly a picture of HK-47, IIRC, along with the custom title "Internet Warmonger," unless I'm confusing things somehow.

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I think HK stood for Hunter-Killer, as in HK-47, the assassin droid from the Knights of the Old Republic video games. When I first joined the board he was going by Enlightenment-HK, and his avatar was briefly a picture of HK-47, IIRC, along with the custom title "Internet Warmonger," unless I'm confusing things somehow.

That sounds familiar, though I don't remember the avatar. Man, that was a long time ago.

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Ran could set up another fundraiser thing like he did a couple months ago?

Yeah, I was briefly considering trying to do something like this, but it would probably be best if it were someone like Ran or another person of similar gravitas. It seems pretty straightforward to set up a ChipIn type of thing, and I'm sure it would not be a problem to pull the funds together quickly.

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Guest thebadlady

Chris is aware of Mya's most excellent post and was moved. He also said the family loves the EHK quotes thread since they all have fond memories of debating Tom at holidays.

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I think HK stood for Hunter-Killer, as in HK-47, the assassin droid from the Knights of the Old Republic video games. When I first joined the board he was going by Enlightenment-HK, and his avatar was briefly a picture of HK-47, IIRC, along with the custom title "Internet Warmonger," unless I'm confusing things somehow.

Wasn't that LQ? Maybe not.

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Me too. And a little terrified, that such a strong and vibrant spirit can be so suddenly silenced.

I posted a rant about Death to the Memorial Rant thread.

Seems impossible, doesn't it.

Never will there be a boarder who waxes so eloquently and intelligently with one word: fuck.

He did love that word, didn't he? I smile just thinking about it.

i therefore look forward to rereading EHK's contributions to this forum, both in mitigation of the horrible dearth that his absence creates, and will continue to create, but also with expectation that his words, which rewrite through force and charm the minds of thoe who read them, will continue to inspire, intrigue, and improve his numerous and devoted readership.

So true.

While EHK came across sometimes as overbearing to the undiscerning, you could sense the thoughtful, open-minded guy behind the curtain. You couldn't help but feel affection for him.

He WILL be missed tremendously. I don't have the words. :cry:

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Yeah, I would definitely sign off on that. I've been thinking of him all day today. This is a helluva loss.

Please Mya, add my name as well. I was thinking about this all day yesterday and I was close to tears. Now it's another day and I'm still depressed and wondering how on earth this is possible.

This place will never be the same without EHK. He was one of the best and brightest here and I wish I had the eloquence to describe how his death is affecting me. RIP Tom. I'm sorry I never got to know you better.

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