Hey, people are two faced, lie, cheat and are downright mean in real life, why should we all expect this place to be any different?

Trouble is, people get disappointed, upset and downright wounded on here as well as real life. Just as I would try not to join in a conversation with real people who were bitching about one other, I try not to post inflammatory stuff here. Sometimes you just can't help it if other people from different backgrounds don't understand your brand of humour or lifestyle.

Anonymity is something that we are all losing, slowly but surely. We have an unlisted telephone number at home, but we still get at least 10 unsolicited calls a week wanting to sell us double glazing or lend us money or revamp our mortgage.

To be able to become someone else, to be the real 'me' instead of who people expect me to be, is a much needed escape route that we all need. To be able to post anonymously is a great help in requesting advice for a difficult personal situation. Not everyone wants their dirty washing aired in public, but sometimes it needs that external view.

LTS