Monday, August 22, 2005
Anonymity in Blogging and Other Pointless Subjects
I attended a little info session on blogging at the RC Public Library last week, hosted by Bill Harlan of RC Journal and Mt. Blogmore fame. I learned quite a bit about the nuts and bolts of Blogmore and got some free pizza to boot. What a deal!
One of the topics that came up was anonymity of the posters at Blogmore, and a discussion thread was started on the blog. I sat there, wrestling with my own anonymity and whether I should chime in. In the end I decided not to, but I did introduce myself to Harlan by my given name. Harlan knows my name (and address and even phone number) because I'm not able to actually post my "blogtoons" at Blogmore, I have to email them to Harlan who then decides whether to use them or not. He recognized my name and we talked about things (primarily photo manipulation) for a little bit before he had to get back to work. Even though he knew who I was before I introduced myself, I had, in effect, "outed" myself. Anyone at the library that day will have a pretty good idea who "Blind Orange" Julius is as well.
Which is absolutely fine with me. Another blogger did some digging amongst the links on the Globex Corporation Newsletter and discovered by true identity. He posted that he had "figured out" who I was and jokingly threatened to "out" me. While I'm happy he didn't print my name, I wouldn't have had any huge problem if he had. For me, anonymity is more fun than necessary. I understand why other bloggers are anonymous, I understand why some bloggers have a problem with anonymity. I have a problem with most of the bloggers who despise anonymity not allowing comments on their blogs. So goes the blogospere.
If I wanted anonymity, I could probably do a better job of acheiving it on this blog, I could take down a couple of the links that make it pretty obvious who I am. Then again, I got some hits onBOJ News Service from an unexpected source, a "hole" in my "anonymity security" that I hadn't thought of. I'm certain other "holes" exist.
A few bloggers in the SD blogosphere have been outed in recent months. Two of them had what they considered to be legitimate reasons for keeping their identities secret. One was outed accidentally the other was outed by bloggers who don't allow comments on their blogs, it's easy to let people know who you are while you look down on them from a tower, you preach to them and don't allow them to respond. One of those bloggers just let the outing roll off his back, the other quit blogging, which was probably the aim of those outed him anyway.
I'm in my own little anonymity thing right now with That 1 Gal who has been commenting here a bit lately. I thought I had figured out who she was, thought better of it as she revealed some things about a time we had met. I assumed I hadn't met the person I first suspected but now am beginning to realize that I could have met her, in fact, the circumstances of the meeting we've had (if I'm remembering the same meeting) make that pretty plausible. I wonder if she might possibly have a t-shirt that I once signed....
In truth, this is a fun exercise, but that's all it is, fun. If That 1 Gal didn't want me to know who she was, she wouldn't have supplied me with clues, so I think she's looking at it as a fun exercise as well. I'm not going to beat myself up if I'm terribly off base with my suspiscions, but it is good mental exercise, unfortunately I'm exerciesing what was most likely an alochol effected brain at the time of the meeting. I suppose that makes it something like running while wearing ankle weights.
Speaking of Cheers (and I'm pretty sure - not 100% sure that I was), it was a pretty slow open mic last night. When I walked in it was SMB, GF1, TSA and the wait staff. OK, there were a couple of folks around, but no other musicians or even "musician" (which is how I tend to refer to myself, but I have to use "quotie fingers" when I say it). Jodie (sp?) and Brian showed up a little later as well as the Ghost of John Lennon (it's a nickname, not an appartition) and Terry. TSA and I played pretty early which was fine. We hadn't played together in about two weeks so a lot of last night was just knocking the rust off. Started off with The Brian Wilson which we hadn't played in a month or so, no particular reason we haven't, just kind of worked out that way. Followed that up with Vibrator Dependent andTwo Condoms both of which I played solo last week, both of which sounded remarkably better with a real guitar player. Did the most controversial song from our Heritage Festival performance after that. That TSA is as proud as me that playing Are You Drinkig With Me Jesus at the Heritage Festival garnered an email complaint tells me that I'm playing music, or in my case "music," with the right guy. Finished up with Mojo and even tried the new thing. We probably shouldn't try new stuff when we haven't played together in about two weeks, it didn't work, I could tell because TSA turned to me and said "It won't work." We recovered and put Who Do You Love and Magic Bus in there. That was better but still not up to SIJ (or whatever we're calling ourselves these days) standards. Good thing nobody there to see us....
BOJ
One of the topics that came up was anonymity of the posters at Blogmore, and a discussion thread was started on the blog. I sat there, wrestling with my own anonymity and whether I should chime in. In the end I decided not to, but I did introduce myself to Harlan by my given name. Harlan knows my name (and address and even phone number) because I'm not able to actually post my "blogtoons" at Blogmore, I have to email them to Harlan who then decides whether to use them or not. He recognized my name and we talked about things (primarily photo manipulation) for a little bit before he had to get back to work. Even though he knew who I was before I introduced myself, I had, in effect, "outed" myself. Anyone at the library that day will have a pretty good idea who "Blind Orange" Julius is as well.
Which is absolutely fine with me. Another blogger did some digging amongst the links on the Globex Corporation Newsletter and discovered by true identity. He posted that he had "figured out" who I was and jokingly threatened to "out" me. While I'm happy he didn't print my name, I wouldn't have had any huge problem if he had. For me, anonymity is more fun than necessary. I understand why other bloggers are anonymous, I understand why some bloggers have a problem with anonymity. I have a problem with most of the bloggers who despise anonymity not allowing comments on their blogs. So goes the blogospere.
If I wanted anonymity, I could probably do a better job of acheiving it on this blog, I could take down a couple of the links that make it pretty obvious who I am. Then again, I got some hits onBOJ News Service from an unexpected source, a "hole" in my "anonymity security" that I hadn't thought of. I'm certain other "holes" exist.
A few bloggers in the SD blogosphere have been outed in recent months. Two of them had what they considered to be legitimate reasons for keeping their identities secret. One was outed accidentally the other was outed by bloggers who don't allow comments on their blogs, it's easy to let people know who you are while you look down on them from a tower, you preach to them and don't allow them to respond. One of those bloggers just let the outing roll off his back, the other quit blogging, which was probably the aim of those outed him anyway.
I'm in my own little anonymity thing right now with That 1 Gal who has been commenting here a bit lately. I thought I had figured out who she was, thought better of it as she revealed some things about a time we had met. I assumed I hadn't met the person I first suspected but now am beginning to realize that I could have met her, in fact, the circumstances of the meeting we've had (if I'm remembering the same meeting) make that pretty plausible. I wonder if she might possibly have a t-shirt that I once signed....
In truth, this is a fun exercise, but that's all it is, fun. If That 1 Gal didn't want me to know who she was, she wouldn't have supplied me with clues, so I think she's looking at it as a fun exercise as well. I'm not going to beat myself up if I'm terribly off base with my suspiscions, but it is good mental exercise, unfortunately I'm exerciesing what was most likely an alochol effected brain at the time of the meeting. I suppose that makes it something like running while wearing ankle weights.
Speaking of Cheers (and I'm pretty sure - not 100% sure that I was), it was a pretty slow open mic last night. When I walked in it was SMB, GF1, TSA and the wait staff. OK, there were a couple of folks around, but no other musicians or even "musician" (which is how I tend to refer to myself, but I have to use "quotie fingers" when I say it). Jodie (sp?) and Brian showed up a little later as well as the Ghost of John Lennon (it's a nickname, not an appartition) and Terry. TSA and I played pretty early which was fine. We hadn't played together in about two weeks so a lot of last night was just knocking the rust off. Started off with The Brian Wilson which we hadn't played in a month or so, no particular reason we haven't, just kind of worked out that way. Followed that up with Vibrator Dependent andTwo Condoms both of which I played solo last week, both of which sounded remarkably better with a real guitar player. Did the most controversial song from our Heritage Festival performance after that. That TSA is as proud as me that playing Are You Drinkig With Me Jesus at the Heritage Festival garnered an email complaint tells me that I'm playing music, or in my case "music," with the right guy. Finished up with Mojo and even tried the new thing. We probably shouldn't try new stuff when we haven't played together in about two weeks, it didn't work, I could tell because TSA turned to me and said "It won't work." We recovered and put Who Do You Love and Magic Bus in there. That was better but still not up to SIJ (or whatever we're calling ourselves these days) standards. Good thing nobody there to see us....
BOJ
# posted by Blind Orange Julius @ 1:10 PM 
Comments:
<< Home
You're right, this is fun because if it wasn't what would be the point? I couldn't help but chime in when you mentioned the HUP, I love weird math and physics expressions. Btw, I don't have my t-shirt yet. Slap up Ken Jones for me and tell him to get it in the mail already!
# posted by 
: 2:38 PM
: 2:38 PM
It seems my original suspicion was correct. Then again, the t-shirt was posted about quite a bit so anyone who's read those posts could be representing themselves as C of B.....
So this has turned into a two parter for me. Original suspicion was correct, but you threw me a curve when you said you'd met me. I think I know why you were in RC (spending time at the Dahl, perhaps?) which would narrow things down a lot.
Hey! This is fun!
So this has turned into a two parter for me. Original suspicion was correct, but you threw me a curve when you said you'd met me. I think I know why you were in RC (spending time at the Dahl, perhaps?) which would narrow things down a lot.
Hey! This is fun!
I'm very impressed, BOJ. You have a remarkable memory for a guy, and you get bonus points for remembering me despite your alcohol-soaked brain. I was in RC doing the costumes for Willy Grigg's alien cow musical, You Mooove me. That would be the Dahl connection. We were at Cheers that night to promote it. We had cute cow-festooned hand-outs and Willy did a few songs. Why did you suspect that I was C of B before I gave you any clues? For all intents and purposes here, I shall remain that 1 gal. If you want to chat in a less public forum you could email me through Willy's yahoo newsgroups website. Or not. This is fun!
# posted by : 4:21 PM
: 4:21 PM
I thought there was a way to send me email from my profile, but I guess not. I've changed a couple of things here recently so I may have lost it that way.
About the only thing I have going for me is my memory, it seems to work pretty well except for my inability to distinguish between the years 1985 and 1986. I have exercised my memory some in the state in which you refer to it. You tend to remember things better if you're in the same state of mind you were in when you learned them. So I got liquored up and started posting..... OK, not really, it all came back pretty clearly actually.
I'll have to get on Willy's boards and figure out how to get ahold of you (in a completely non-threatening way). I'll let you know how I figured out who you were. I didn't really cheat, but I had a sort of unfair advantage.
Post a Comment
About the only thing I have going for me is my memory, it seems to work pretty well except for my inability to distinguish between the years 1985 and 1986. I have exercised my memory some in the state in which you refer to it. You tend to remember things better if you're in the same state of mind you were in when you learned them. So I got liquored up and started posting..... OK, not really, it all came back pretty clearly actually.
I'll have to get on Willy's boards and figure out how to get ahold of you (in a completely non-threatening way). I'll let you know how I figured out who you were. I didn't really cheat, but I had a sort of unfair advantage.
<< Home
