Sort of back to the OP… It creeps me out when someone uses my real first name in a post to me–unless they’ve met me in person or are being particularly friendly. I’ve had someone do that to me in an argument on the board after we exchanged cordial but by no means bonding emails about the topic being debated. Now, I don’t have a deep need to keep my name secret (if I did, I’d set up a different email address, and I’d not go to Dopefests, and I wouldn’t do these gift/elephant exchanges). But when someone just throws it out there during an argument, I feel like it’s a vague threat. Like they’re showing that they can out me completely should they take deeper offense at my position on the issue at hand.
God, that sounds paranoid, doesn’t it?
At any rate, I do believe it ought to be up to the Doper to reveal their name on the boards, regardless of how easy it would be to get the information from links and emails. Others should refrain from providing personal information about other Dopers, even casually. I mean, Jesus, imagine if you guys found out my husband owns the biggest chain of high-end titty bars in the United States! You’d all want to be my friend and start begging me for free passes!
As the OP for the offending thread I have to admit I was initally somewhat surprised that Manhattan would see the thread as an incipient violation of member privacy since I was referencing a nationally cited news story which openly cited the Bad Astronomy web site.
I thought it was him (but wasn’t 100% sure) and anticipated hearty congrats for TBA if it indeed proved to be him. But what if I was wrong and the referenced author was not TBA? It would then be simple nosiness on my part and the pestering of an innocent SDMB member, as opposed to the addressing of more meaningful questions, like how much stress it takes to rip a man’s arm off.
In any case, on reflection, it’s better to be safe than sorry in protecting member privacy. Though his reply was a bit curt it’s understandable as mods don’t have time for the jibber jabber and like some species of sharks must keep keep moving or die. He did the right thing.
But now I’m pissed. Lieutenant Colonel??? Coldfire, I’ll have you know that almost everyone on this message board would not hesitate for a second to give me the full bird!
Astro, yeah. Sorry if I seemed curt. I moved, closed, moderated or otherwise had to deal with, like, a billion threads yesterday. The goal was just to get it done.
I can’t be the only one that read this and immediately wished they were wherever Coldie was so they could do very risque, naughty, pleasant things to him.
Can I?
Coldie, hands down you are a sexy, sexy human being.
