Ron - "(and your writing style makes it pretty obvious who you are)" - that's fine; I'm not particularly trying to hide who I am; if I were, I would make it a point to change my writing style. However, if you are implying that we've met or have had some prior communication, as far as I know you're mistaken. Then again, if you recognize me from having posted elsewhere under a different name, you may well be correct, and I'm cool with that. But if you recognize me from one of my two or three obscure little publications, I'm truly flattered.

To the matter at hand. Using the established and popular convention of posting under a pseudonym is not necessarily the same as creating an alter ego in order to play psychological games with other people. Your previous post suggests that that is "EXACTLY" what I am doing; on the contrary, I feel that I am engaging in a conversation that is honest and straightforward both on my part and yours.

People post under pseudonyms for any number of valid or frivolous reasons. Some may be avoiding creditors or estranged partners. Others may be trying out the names they always wished their parents had given them. I have several reasons, the most compelling of which is what I think is a healthy wariness of lunatics. If we were talking face to face, I would probably be aware of who was listening in, and I would be able to guage their (and your) reactions, and if I sensed a threat of violence, temper my words accordingly, or split. And whatever I said would not be hanging in the air for all eternity for passersby to read. On the net it's a whole different story. I don't know who's reading this and what their mental state is. I don't want someone showing up at a gig and putting a bullet through my head because of some off-hand remark I might have made here five years before on the subject of George Bush or Morris dancing. I don't want your great-great-grandchildren suing my great-great-grandchildren for multi-generational trauma caused by our difference of opinion. Are such things likely to happen? No. My house isn't likely to get robbed either, but I make a habit of locking the door when I go out. I'm like that.

I do take your point that anonymity on the net can embolden people to say things they would not say otherwise, but on the other hand, I think there are things some people would say in private, face to face, that they would not say on the net, even anonymously. Works both ways. And undoubtedly there are more than enough instances of "road rage" here and elsewhere, but on the whole, it seems to me that most of these dubious characters cowering behind monikers are here simply to communicate their thoughts and feelings, and to learn from others, not to create alter egos and mess with people's heads.

By the way, is your name really Ron Olesko? How do I know that? I don't, but it's not important to me - I'm willing to take you at face value as a sincere person who apparently thinks I'm a hypocrite. Ah well; ya win some, ya lose some.