Well, we've had the Story Behind Your Screen Name thread. Thought I'd add another about your choice of avatar, since there are so many and so many of them are cool, or funny, or just plain weird.

Here's what I wrote about my screen name:

"My brother used to get in terrible trouble years ago for answering the phone “Pigsty - Duty Pig speaking”. I’ve no idea where that came from but I always promised myself that if I ever started a business (as if!) I’d call it that, just so that the staff would have to answer the phone with “Pigsty - Duty Pig speaking”. The nearest I’ve got is my birthday card production line, which isn’t a business but does take up an amazing amount of time. Possible something wrong there? Anyway, I go by the name Pigsty Productions for that, and it’s spread into my on-line activities too.

"If anyone wants pea-based birthday cards …"

My avatar is one of the peas who lives on the birthday cards. When I was touting them unsuccessfully around card companies, I had little Penelopea made up as a sample of what extra merchandising might be possible. No-one took any notice so she still lives on my sofa, and as I'm Pigsty, I thought she ought to make an appearance here too.

So that explains that peculiar green thing. Now, how about you?

Standard site avatar....
Just looks like me.

hehe after trying and trying jim couldnt get his to work

Mine's actually from a band called Leningrad '44 who I saw play in Berlin when I lived there a few years ago. The concert t-shirt (the avatar) became one of my favorite shirts. And I'm sort of fond of soviet armor...

Mine's Xerxes from the PC game System Shock 2, a clearly HAL 9000-inspired articifial intelligence aboard the starship Von Braun in charge of running and maintaining the ship systems, gone insane after the events that kick off the game.

With his calm, cold voice reminiscent of that of HAL, occasionally giving announcements (from ship sectors depressurized to upcoming poetry readings), alerts, and even advertisements reminding the now-deceased crew to do their Christmas shopping in time. A great contribution to the overall atmosphere of the game.

Have a listen here.

Here's my avatar in all its glory.

I work for the company that will supply the new generation of ejection seats for the joint strike fighter.
neil............

I picked mine from the standard site avatar's, as it looks exactly how I feel most of the time, clueless .
Andy

My avatar shows a vicious animal that prowls my country.

It is renowned for constantly ambushing road users, especially truckies and 'grey-nomads' who defy danger to travel the long and lonely roads that traverse Australia.

However, they can be be tamed. It is quite common to see people riding them to work or school. We even have dedicated kangaroo parking bays and 'kangaroo washes'.

To stimulate Australia's economy, PM Kevin Rudd is considering a tax cut and reduced stamp duty on all kangaroos. He is also considering an international kangaroo trade program. So Yanks and Poms, don't be jealous! Soon, you too will be able to have your own Chevroo or Aston Roo!

Chas

One of my favorite artists, Frank Frazetta, made this cover for the 4th Warren Comics issue “Blazing Combat” back in July 1966.

Bob


For anyone else a Frazetta fan here are the other 3;

Mine is a M60A1. That is the tank I trained and used on active duty 1978-79 at Fort Knox and Bad Kissingen, Germany (2/11 ACR). Then I was re-assigned to V Corps HQ in early 1980.

The only other tank I pulled the trigger and commanded was the M60A3 for Reserve Office Armor Advance Course in 1986.

My avatar is the DUI for the 2nd Bn (PATRIOT) 43rd Air Defense Artillery Regiment. This is the unit that I served with on active duty at Ft. Polk, LA, from 1992-1995.

Hi
I like Star Wars( huge collection) & the Avatar looks Star Warish. simple.

Mine is our dog Dixie, a rescue from Arkansas. I got this picture while we were on vacation on Cape Cod and she looked like she was wearing a big goofy smile.

I found this on the net somewhere and liked it. Big Bad Wolf.
No underlying or hidden meaning

C.

Mine is Mannerheim cross, highest military award given to ordinary soldier for combat bravery or something like that, if you know what I´m meaning...... Sorry, little bit bad english here. I had a far relative from my mother´s side, who was submachine gunner in infantry and he was honored with second class Mannerheim cross.

Bob, Frazetta ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My avatar is one of our cats. She was pretty young...couple of months...when she layed down and I took a picture....as the camera was "snapping," she yawned.



Mike

i was bored sometime in the spring of 2008 and needed an Avatar.

in real life i'm actually a bit taller

;)

My story is REAL SIMPLE, no bells, no whistles, no "BS"...

Year I graduated US Army Airborne Jump School (Ft. Benning, GA) : 1980

Year I became "A DAD" for the VERY FIRST TIME: 2001

Reason: Two of the MOST PROUDEST ACHIEVEMENTS of my life.

End of story.

ABD

Mine avatar relates to some family history.
It's the cap badge worn by the Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary’s), from Victoria, British Columbia.
The original battalion (and later regiment) was formed from soldiers drawn from four Canadian Highland regiments in 1916:
50th Regiment (Gordon Highlanders of Canada) from Victoria,
72nd Seaforth Highlanders of Canada from Vancouver,
79th Regiment (Cameron Highlanders of Canada) from Winnipeg
91st Canadian Highlanders (Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders) from Hamilton.
The new battalion was called the 16th (Canadian Scottish) Battalion.
My Dad's father served with the 79th Cameron Highlanders of Canada in WWI and my Dad served with the Canadian Scottish in WWII.
Cheers

jjumbo

Mine is just one of the standard site avatars.

I like it because it reminds me of the countless hours I spent playing with my plastic army men as a youth.

HARV

Hi Guys,

Bit of a newbie to this site, my avatar and screen name come from the same source, served in the Parabats, SADF during the late 70's early 80's.

Well mine is Admiral Rockwell Torrey from "In Harms Way." I just love that movie, it started me down the road to joining the Navy.

very cool stuff, Bob.

I remember Frazetta from old Heavy Metal magazine art. As well as old graffiti writer influences.

my avatar is of Major General (Bogyoke) Aung San, from Burma

Excellent thread. My avatar is a pic of one of the few Tuna I got to the boat that day without being bitten in half by the sharks under the boat. Or perhaps they were the feral sabre-toothed Kangaroos that Chas described earlier, on marine ops??



Just for some added flavour I found a shot of one of the unluckier Tuna that day . . . . Ouch !!