And... I have to count myself in with the guilty ones.
though I try not to jump into screeds against those who write under a pseudonym.

I agree mine's a poor reason, but in this day and age, my livelihood would be jeopardized if my clients knew I am a liberal blogger.

by Cho on Fri Jun 09, 2006 at 08:43:31 PM EST
[ Parent ]

That's all I'm going to say. Dead fucking on!

I've stayed out of the fray on the anoymity question because I, too, think the incident question was a heaping pile of manure.

You've yet again captured an issue with a clarion voice.

by wmtriallawyer on Fri Jun 09, 2006 at 09:20:55 PM EST
[ Parent ]

... since I have struggled with this issue for over a year (when I was just one of the hoards of commenters over on Kos, I didn't worry much about being just a UserID).

When it became necessary for me to be a little more active (and therefore visible), all of your issues, Welshman, were foremost for me -- about which I have endlessly bored and sought advice from the good folks at ePluribus Media.

Aaron Barlow, the very first time we "met," now over a year ago, stressed the importance of writers and transparency.  I still believe that he is correct.

I also believe that there is a place for pseudonyms, but the user has to acknowledge the risks and the potential for being "outed." Consider Mark Twain, or Atrios, for that matter.

Now, to the bigger problem: There is some hypocrisy in the blogging ranks.   A few (??) of the blogging celebrities seem to be the first to jump on cases when "they" (the neo-con bad guys) use pseudonyms, "suck" up to msm or the politicians in power, are self-aggrandizing, plagiarize, lack intellectual rigor, or use non-profit "research groups" for partisan purposes, including Starr-like witch hunts to dig up dirt on their political opponents.  

Yet, when enough power or opportunity is before them, they commit exactly those same acts themselves.

This post may be one that I "suppress" as being inappropriate.  Basically, just wanted to say: "hear, hear" to the words of wmtriallawyer and welshman.

by Cho on Sat Jun 10, 2006 at 12:57:14 PM EST
[ Parent ]

I put up a couple of posts with links and a couple of suggested questions over at Investigates... gotta drop off the face of the blogosphere for RL work for about 18 hours, though. If anyone can add to what little I posted, please do.
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by wanderindiana on Fri Jun 09, 2006 at 08:09:15 PM EST
[ Parent ]

I'll come back to the podcast after I check the Investigates site.

But that booth looks REALLY sharp.  Great job, guys!

by kfred on Sat Jun 10, 2006 at 09:05:34 AM EST
[ Parent ]