Michael W. Ridenhour is a practicing Audiologist and frequent poster to "alt.support.hearing-loss" where he has built the reputation of a "Jekyll & Hyde" Serial Bully. He has a history of posting to different groups under many different pseudonyms, including but not limited to:
Gandolf the wise mich...@ridenhour.com gand...@infi.net "Thos. Jefferson" <TJeff@ monticello.org>
He also has a website at: http://www.ridenhour.com, where you may view his picture and where his name appears nine different times on a single page, some instances go so far as to include the questionable prefix of "Dr."
He seems not to be satisfied with normal discourse of dispensing information and guidance in a support group such as "alt.support.hearing-loss" without being rude and provocative to others, both new comers and regulars, alike.
He is very knowledgeable and informative when he chooses to be, however his propensity for confrontation, overshadows these contributions and many choose to just "click on By" or "Plonk" his offerings due to his track record.
Michael can best be characterized for his pervasive pattern of grandiosity and self-importance, need for admiration, and lack of empathy. He consistently dwells on his abilities and inflated accomplishments, often appears boastful and pretentious, while underestimating and devaluing the achievements and accomplishments of others.
He has an expectation of superior entitlement, expecting others to defer to them, and a lack of sensitivity especially when others do not react in the expected manner. He seems to delight in harassing new newsgroup posters which feed his need for personal confrontation. His provocative behavior has been conveniently archived at http://www.google.com/groups, where numerous occurrences may be found for substantiation.
A few prime examples as follows:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Example No. 1
One of the more conclusive posts to evidence Ridenhour's propensity to be provocative is the following post by George Lawrence, posting as "drumguru (drumg...@home.comLINT)"
Archived at Google groups and accessible by clicking on the following shortened link: http://tinyurl.com/2w8vn ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Example No. 2
From: Allen & Charlene Adams (c...@jps.ns.net) Subject: Michael Ridenhour and the garbage he flaunts Newsgroups: bit.listserv.christia Date: 1995/11/20
Archived at Google groups and accessible by clicking on the following shortened link: http://tinyurl.com/2cz8o ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Example No. 3
From: Douglas Sirman (Doug_Sir...@msn.com) Subject: Re: why do you think we're here? Newsgroups: bit.listserv.christia Date: 1995/11/19
Archived at Google groups and accessible by clicking on the following shortened link: http://tinyurl.com/2dfbn ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Example No. 4
From: Michael Gorga (GO...@BoysTown.ORG) *see note #1 below Subject: OAE systems Newsgroups: bionet.audiology Date: 1997/03/12
Archived at Google groups and accessible by clicking on the following shortened link:http://tinyurl.com/24qgg ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Example No. 5
From: mikey (gand...@infi.net) Subject: Re: The words we use matter Newsgroups: bionet.audiology Date: 1996/11/21
Archived at Google groups and accessible by clicking on the following shortened link:http://tinyurl.com/3ckxt ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Michael was subsequently drummed out of the "bionet.audiology" group by his Audiologist and Hearing Aid Dispensing peers after being berated by the group moderator for his rude behavior.
(Note No.1 - Michael P. Gorga, Ph.D. Director, Human Sensory Physiology at Boys Town National Research Hospital, is a well respected authority in the field of Audiology and the target of one of Michael's provocative rude attacks.)
Compiled, edited and published periodically by Sordo ™ as a service to those so victimized.
In article <h2reuvgjnarla349mmfulgit49fqss0...@4ax.com>, Geo. Washington wrote: > Michael W. Ridenhour FAQ - Second Edition
>Michael W. Ridenhour is a practicing Audiologist and frequent >poster to "alt.support.hearing-loss" where he has built the >reputation of a "Jekyll & Hyde" Serial Bully. He has a history
George,
I want to send you an email, but need a valid address. Please emial me one if you wish. I don't really want to post a personal message here.
Thank you.
-John Fuller, HOH -- "We are the things dreams are made of." --Wm. Shakespeare
Geo. Washington <gw...@mountvernon.org> wrote: >Michael W. Ridenhour is a practicing Audiologist and frequent >poster to "alt.support.hearing-loss" where he has built the >reputation of a "Jekyll & Hyde" Serial Bully.
> >Michael W. Ridenhour is a practicing Audiologist and frequent > >poster to "alt.support.hearing-loss" where he has built the > >reputation of a "Jekyll & Hyde" Serial Bully.
> You have too much free time. Get a hobby !
> Dennis
What is funny about this is that I'm called a bully. This fellow posts my name, address, etc. for everyone to see. This is true bullying, hoping that fear will cause me to stop posting here. Disagreeing with someone, even if the person doesn't like it, is not bullying.
I know who he is, who Henry is and who the others are. It is not seemly to have such wanton disregard for the safety of another person, no matter how much you may despise him, so I would never reveal their names and addresses.
I had hoped that others in this group would recognize pathological excess such as found in his passive-aggressive threat, and I have let this go on to show just how far this fellow will go, but have not seen recognition of this from hardly anyone yet
But that's ok. As Henry says, I have a remarkably thick skin. Henry adds to the fires and then backs away, expressing his regret that things have reached such a state, holier than thou, as usual.
> Michael was subsequently drummed out of the "bionet.audiology" > group by his Audiologist and Hearing Aid Dispensing peers after > being berated by the group moderator for his rude behavior.
This is an outright lie, but it is what I expect from this venomous individual. I have never been "drummed out" of any newsgroup. It is not a crime to express an opinion, even if many others do not agree with you. Disagreement is not rude. Rude is calling people by scatological terminology, a tactic for which Sordo/JohnFuller is well known throughout the 'net. I was never berated by a moderator of any newsgroup, for that matter.
I would suggest anger management for Sordo/JohnFuller, but he has to see himself as others do before that would be effective.
> He also has a website at: http://www.ridenhour.com, where you > may view his picture and where his name appears nine different > times on a single page, some instances go so far as to include > the questionable prefix of "Dr."
Regardless of his behavior or opinions, he earned a doctorate degree. He earned the title "Dr." and it is not questionable. He has a right to the title "Dr." just like a psychologist, optometrist, chemist, or college professor. It is not misrepresenting himself as a physician. Using the title is valid.
Doctor, in common usage, means medical practitioner. For any other profession, even if a phd has been earnt, to use the title is an affectation. In Australia, for instance, dentists and vets attach this tag to themselves. In the case of dentists it is particularly odd because that profession is generally rated rather higher than doctors. For instance any research results showing that a particular treatment is bad or unwise will always see some medical specialist speak out to muddy the waters to protect his livlihood. In contrast, at the height of the flouride controversy not one of this country's dentists did this. Rather they and their organisations and faculties all strongly supported flouridation. The medical profession seems to have more than its share of cynical parasites. But if you are not a member of that profession you are not a doctor - not in the eyes of your neighbours. As I say, it is not an issue of status. Simply one of language.
> Doctor, in common usage, means medical practitioner. For any other > profession, even if a phd has been earnt, to use the title is an > affectation.
Common usage changes with time. The oldest use of the term "doctor" derives from the French "to teach", I think, and was awarded to those particularly learned and respected in their field, and qualified to instruct others. I think that anyone who earns a doctorate today, in any field, from an accredited institution should be permitted to use that title - even/especially if the field is medicine...
For the record, attaining a PhD or DSc (doctor of science) degree often represents more work and more years than does a medical degree (MD) or law degree (sometimes Juris Doctor, or JD). When considering that claim, remember that in medicine the degree is awarded immediately upon graduation from medical school - which is followed by internship, residency, etc.
Bottom line (as I see it!): A PhD, DSc, JD, DDS, MD, Au.D, etc., is entitled to the use of the honorific when he introduces himself or signs a document, but it should be considered by others as a sign of respect. That applies to Mr. Ridenhour. 8^)
>He also has a website at: http://www.ridenhour.com, where you >may view his picture and where his name appears nine different >times on a single page, some instances go so far as to include >the questionable prefix of "Dr."
I don't know this guy from the next, but are you accusing him of obtaining his AUD degree by fraud ?
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> I don't know this guy from the next, but are you accusing him of > obtaining his AUD degree by fraud ?
I'm in the interesting position of defending Ridenhour, but let me make it clear that it's his credentials I'm defending, not the fool himself. One of our interns reported that whoever is in the photo on his website indeed DID get an Au.D. from Still, a fourth-tier (but accredited) institution in Mesa, Arizona. That's not "downtown", but it's a doctorate.
On Wed, 24 Dec 2003 23:31:55 GMT, Geo. Washington <gw...@mountvernon.org> took a very strange color crayon and scribbled:
>On Wed, 24 Dec 2003 14:08:18 -0800, "OOHR...@USMC.net" ><OOOR...@USMC.net> wrote:
>>A PhD, DSc, JD, DDS, MD, Au.D, etc., is entitled to the use of the honorific >>when he introduces himself or signs a document, but it should be considered >>by others as a sign of respect. That applies to Mr. Ridenhour. 8^)
>Respect is an entity which is earned from peers not something mandated >by a piece of worthless paper bestowed on anyone with the price from a >diploma mill.
That has nothing to do with using the word "doctor" in a legitimate fashion. I don't see where any laws were broken.
-- Therese Shellabarger / The Roving Reporter - Civis Mundi tlsh...@concentric.net / http://tlshell.cnc.net/
I am talking about common usage of the term and the way departure from common usage comes across as affectation. For a PhD to use his title in academic exchanges is appropriate. But on a ski trip it may lead to his being asked to help someone who has broken their leg. But it occurs to me that usage changes constantly and is affected by other languages. Gemanic influences on usage are very limited in Australia but more evident in the US. I have the impression that honorifics feature much more in German than in English 'Herr Doctor postmaster'. Some of those who have participated in this exchange may reflect such values but US literature and other media content suggest that usage of 'doctor' there is pretty much the same as here. Anyone want a debate on the word 'proactive'? Or the use of 'grow' as an active verb ('grow your money')?
> I am talking about common usage of the term and the way departure from > common usage comes across as affectation.
Concidentally, today I received a holiday greeting from an old friend in the UK. He's a military surgeon, and during our chat I recalled that in England, surgeons go by the title "Mister". He confirmed that it's still so.
> "ken kerrison" <kkerri...@ozemail.com.au> wrote in message > news:9d801830.0312251610.6d399913@posting.google.com... > > I am talking about common usage of the term and the way departure from > > common usage comes across as affectation.
> Concidentally, today I received a holiday greeting from an old friend in the > UK. He's a military surgeon, and during our chat I recalled that in England, > surgeons go by the title "Mister". He confirmed that it's still so.
Same here in NZ, call a surgeon doctor and you're insulting him, we're far close to the english meanings of words and word useages than the american.
On Thu, 25 Dec 2003 16:06:45 GMT, Geo. Washington <gw...@mountvernon.org> wrote
>>I don't know this guy from the next, but are you accusing him of >>obtaining his AUD degree by fraud ?
>Just where did you see the accusation of fraud?
What does this look like to you ?
>>times on a single page, some instances go so far as to include >>>the questionable prefix of "Dr."
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>> I don't know this guy from the next, but are you accusing him of >> obtaining his AUD degree by fraud ?
>I'm in the interesting position of defending Ridenhour, but let me make it >clear that it's his credentials I'm defending, not the fool himself. One of >our interns reported that whoever is in the photo on his website indeed DID >get an Au.D. from Still, a fourth-tier (but accredited) institution in Mesa, >Arizona. That's not "downtown", but it's a doctorate.
4th tier ? Granted it's not Vanderbilt, but who decides tiers ? And who are you're "interns" I'm not part of this feud this NG seems to be involved in, but would like to know why some of the accusations are made. The guy may be an a******, but he seems to have the proper credentials.
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> >> I don't know this guy from the next, but are you accusing him of > >> obtaining his AUD degree by fraud ?
> >I'm in the interesting position of defending Ridenhour, but let me make it > >clear that it's his credentials I'm defending, not the fool himself. One of > >our interns reported that whoever is in the photo on his website indeed DID > >get an Au.D. from Still, a fourth-tier (but accredited) institution in Mesa, > >Arizona. That's not "downtown", but it's a doctorate.
> A correspondence school in Mesa, AZ which graduates mail > order Doctorate degrees ?
> Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.) Transitional Degree Program > (distance education)
> (distance education) = correspondence school
> My suspicions are confirmed and I rest my case.......
Then you need to do a little more research because this is not a "mail order Doctorate degree." I am not affiliated with the school (opting to work on a PhD instead of an AuD) but know several people who have completed their degrees through AZ or through distance education courses at Univ of FL and Vanderbilt. These distance education programs are mechanisms by which current audiologists can earn an AuD without having to forego work. I have heard a lot of descriptions of the teachers, courses, and work involved from both those who have attended and prominent people in the field and none of these have included the terms "easy" or "mail order degree."
> Then you need to do a little more research because this is not a "mail order > Doctorate degree."
I agree - Still is on the lowest rung of the accreditation ladder, but it's "mail order" only in the sense that no residency is required. Still charges only $5,000 total for the Au.D. -- that's amazingly cheap, but it's an accredited doctorate.
What's going on here is honorifics. What and where are everything in the correct usage of honorifics.
I've seen engineers bristle at who is being called an engineer. Do software engineers deserve to be called "engineeers?" The title evolved from those who operate engines and boilers, who continue to use the term as their own. The educated guys who are offended by software engineers tolerate coal shovelers using the title. The guys who run engines and boilers don't care who calls himself an engineer.
Now that I've learned about surgeons being addressed as "Mr." I'm happy with the usages. This is so cool! Somehow this brought full circle closure.
I used the word 'medical practitioner' - which usually means GP - as a weasel way of going around the specialist/mister thing. I have heard that surgeons are called Mr. rather than Doctor but all the specialists used by this family - about a dozen of them - are called doctor by their patients and their staff. Maybe here the surgeons have decided to climb aboard the Dr. wagon with the vets and dentists.
On Fri, 26 Dec 2003 18:10:11 GMT, Geo. Washington <gw...@mountvernon.org> took a very strange color crayon and scribbled:
>(distance education) = correspondence school
>My suspicions are confirmed and I rest my case.......
Yours maybe, but in fact, distance education is the wave of the future for people who need to work and keep their education current while still maintaining a home life with all the responsibilities these activities entail.
-- Therese Shellabarger / The Roving Reporter - Civis Mundi tlsh...@concentric.net / http://tlshell.cnc.net/
I suggest that we've had enough Ridenhour-bashing. Remember, the original intent was to keep Mr. Hyde under control so he wouldn't abuse passers-by, scaring away potentially useful contributions, tidbits of good information.
Now it's the obverse of the coin. In the face of this critique Dr. Jekyll has become silent, yet he DOES have an Au.D., he DOES have serious professional skills, and DOES generate meaningful insights.
Just my $2 (inflation, you know).
********************************* Michael - Come out, come out, wherever you are!
Wisest advice I ever heard: 'If you can't say something nice say nothing'. I have been active in this group for longer than most and have found that the correct response to rude or abusive posts is to ignore them.
