Changes in blogging
December 4, 2008 - 10:52am.
UPDATE: After considerable conversation with readers who blog, I have decided to reverse this decision and allow the blogs to continue as they have. I asked for reader feedback and you gave me some good, valid reasons for not changing the current system. Thank you for the feedback.
Beginning Dec. 15, bloggers on Capitol Hill Blue will be required to use their real names and will also be required to provide background information for readers. In recent weeks, we have had too many problems with bloggers using this web site to promote products, conspiracy theories or agendas that have promoted racism, hate or anti-Semitism. I've had to delete more than 30 blog postings in the past two weeks and have suspended 11 users from blogging and commenting privileges.
The theme of the administration of the incoming President elect is "transparency." Our readers deserve nothing less. Those who wish to blog here must change their user names to their real name and also provide a brief background paragraph that provides readers with information about them. You can do this by clicking on "My Account" after logging in. I suggest you study these paragraphs about our columnists and use them as an example:
Hal Brown is a clinical social worker and former mental health center director who is mostly retired from his private psychotherapy practice. He writes on the psychopathology of public figures and other topics that pique his interest. He can be found online at www.stressline.com
Phil Hoskins is a Hollywood attorney and activist who founded Take Back West Hollywood.
Robert Kezelis is a lawyer, sculptor and writing curmudgeon based south of Chicago.
Because of an increase in spam comments, we are also considering changes in our commenting system. Most likely, we will either go to a moderation system (such as the one used by sites like The Huffington Post) or also require those who post comments to do so under their actual names.
We welcome any input you have on both of these issues.
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Sorry Chief, but this is it
Sorry Chief, but this is it for me. I am addicted to this group at CHB and came back under a new name. I have never been accused of spam or selling products or even political policies.
Merry Christmas to everyone at CHB.
Sandy Price
As a woman, there is NO WAY
As a woman, there is NO WAY in hell that I am broadcasting private information on this site or any other site. There is too much hate in the world and the haters, stalkers and sex offenders all know how to use search engines.
I have already suffered viscious attacks over the Iraq Memorial Quilt that I made, thinking it was a good thing. I just don't need that garbage in my life.
Too bad that good people have to suffer because of a few bad apples.
Hot damn, Sandy.... I
Hot damn, Sandy.... I wondered for so long if you were "Malcolm". lol Glad to know you're back, but where are you going now?
And a Merry Christmas to you, also. I'm not feeling very much Xmas spirit this year, more's the pity.
Teresa
I've got no problem using my
I've got no problem using my real name and will gladly tag it at the end of each post or use it up front if that's what's necessary.
I have two different blogsites under my own name, so it's no big deal to me.
Mike Rappaport
Glendale, California
Sounds fine to me. Would be
Sounds fine to me. Would be happy to help mod if needed. I can stick within the rules when they are known. I already mod for some other sites and I am a web hosting provider.
Is this not yet set up? I'd hate to lose my current blogs and have to sign up another username. All I have is the signature area available to put in the bio information.
Michael Wood
Columbus, Ohio
Yeah, you GUYS don't have a
Yeah, you GUYS don't have a problem because you are guys. The chances of some crazy whacko tracking you down via the internet and committing a violent act against you is extremely remote. And Perhaps you have not been the victim of a cyber attacker. I HAVE! I would rather have someone cuss me out than say some of the viscious hateful things that have been hurled my way.
Again, it's pretty pathetic when a few bad apples spoil it for other people who play by the rules.
Last I checked there were 10
Last I checked there were 10 Michael Wood(s) in Columbus, Ohio so I'm just not that concerned. Going for my concealed carry permit soon.
What's in a name. Should my
What's in a name.
Should my 'real' name be Mark Twain or Samuel Clemens. Word on the street has it that some find his works a tad offensive.
Is it not the perception of intent that ultimately determines whether one disturbs the sensibilities of another, or in this case... the party host.
To what extent are you willing to pursue truth in names? Will your efforts be any less than burdensome than purging out of bounds commentary?
It's your dime. If you wish not to 'hear' the ugly thoughts of provincial minds... terminate the connecting service altogether.
The use of monikers is not the problem internet blogs suffer...
- appreciative CHB READER since 1996
A look around the Internet
A look around the Internet finds a lot of blogs that are signed by the authors who are willing to use their names: Both male and female. Yes, there are many more anonymous bloggers but that, I believe, has damaged the credibility of the concept.
Standing up for what you believe in has its risks. I've been writing for public consumption for more than 40 years. I've been threatened, maligned, called just about every name in the book. Those who disagree with what I write have contacted my advertisers, called for boycotts, tried to get Capitol Hill Blue kicked off Google News and contacted my employers (back when I used to work for someone) and threatened my loved ones.
I've had my tires slashed, my cars spray painted and lost two lower teeth from a man who didn't like me taking his picture during a demonstration. My studio in Floyd was vandalized recently by someone who didn't like what I wrote here.
You can search the Internet and finds dozens of web sites that call me a drunk, a fabulist, a con-artist and worse. One thing that 99 percent of these sites have in common is that the claims are hurled from behind anonymous screen names or from sites where even the registration information is hidden.
I don't care how they do it on other web sites. My only concern is that we do it right here.
I've had my tires slashed,
I've had my tires slashed, my cars spray painted and lost two lower teeth from a man who didn't like me taking his picture during a demonstration. My studio in Floyd was vandalized recently by someone who didn't like what I wrote here.
Still not the same thing. Do I really need to spell it out for you?
The internet is full of sexual predators. You rarely see tv programs like Nightline tracking down people who are looking to have sex with old men! They do however rape 90 year old women and then kill them. Would you really want that on your conscious?
Do what you want. It's your sandbox! But I and many others will not participate.
Again it's too bad a few bad apples have to spoil it for everyone!
Why don't you visit the
Why don't you visit the sites of female bloggers who write under their names and ask them what they do to protect themselves. That seems more proactive to me.
why dont you stop punishing
why dont you stop punishing the ones that play by the rules because of a few bad apples that don't?
I'm not punishing anyone
I'm not punishing anyone here. I'm simply saying that if you want to write for this web site you will do so under your own name. There are thousands=s upon thousands of women who write on the Internet every day under their name. It's not punishment. It's called being open and honest with our readers.
Wow. I'll bet Doug didn't
Wow. I'll bet Doug didn't realize what a can of worms this was going to be.
I can understand the unwillingness to disclose too much information, but I don't believe Doug is asking for home address, phone number, SSAN, and DOB. I think he is merely saying that he wants posts under real names with some biographical information.
For example:
John Ritter is the author of a book about the perils of the internet; he live in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains where he raises small goats and large children.
If you can find out where John is from that description you are certainly doing better than all of the skip tracers who would LOVE to know where he is.
Not that I am John Ritter necessarily, I'm just saying. . . ..
Doug, you need to weigh in and tell us what exactly you want here. But judging from the three examples you set out in your post something like this ought to be acceptable. I'll note that "south of Chicago" goes all the way to New Orleans.
I can understand the
I can understand the unwillingness to disclose too much information, but I don't believe Doug is asking for home address, phone number, SSAN, and DOB. I think he is merely saying that he wants posts under real names with some biographical information.
You don't need all that information to find out about people on the internet.
All you need is exactly what Doug is asking for. Name, city and occupation.
As a business woman who already gets approx 1000 pieces of spam a day, I'm not putting more personal information out there. If it means I leave this site, so be it.
And I'm not going to have my business subjected to the visciousness of haters, stalkers or any other people because of my political beliefs. It's just not worth it to me and I'm quite certain that it's not worth it to other people as well.
Again, it's really too bad that a few bad apples have to spoil it for everyone. Blogs have been going for awhile now. This only became an issue because Doug was sick for a couple of weeks AFTER the election of the first African American man as our President.
He himself has confessed that this website has been a hub of controversy in the past years. Part of what makes this place great is the interaction between readers and authors of columns, editorials and blogs. Take away the blogs and the comments and it's just another politcal website with not much newsworthy content. I sure don't come here to read the news. There are much better places for that.
Here goes nothing, Please
Here goes nothing, Please critique Doug because I love it here at CHB.
I am an Apprentice Trades instructor living in Biden country.
I like beer and find politicians to be mostly distasteful and narcissistic people.
I have many hobbies but find teaching to be my true calling.
I at times find myself ringing my bell too loudly and truly try to suppress my latent Redneck upbringing.
My dear Wife is a Holy woman and for that I am truly grateful as I have been around whiskey drinking women.
I hate no one but am an admitted recovering cynic which is a daily exercise in emotional suppression.
You may insult me all you wish but please don't shut down all the Breweries because even a jerk like me deserves to self medicate now and then.
My domicile is well armed so if you want to kick my ass, best you catch me on the street.
And lastly, without spell check I'd be screwed.
Gratefully yours B McClellan.
I just googled my real name
I just googled my real name and you would not believe what turned up including my name on a number of porn sites. As a Christian woman, THIS UPSETS ME GREATLY! I do not have a common name although there is another woman in America with the same name who apparently has put a lot of personal information on the internet. This makes my point perfectly. I seriously doubt if I googled one of the guys on this site's real names they would end up on porn sites.
If you Google "Doug
If you Google "Doug Thompson" you will find that he is a:
--City counciman in Ottawa, Canada;
--Doctor in Los Angele;
--High school athlete in Tennessee
--Newspaper reporter in Arkansas
--State official who illegally investigated "Joe the Plumber" in Ohio
--Character in an Adam Sandler movie
--Race car driver in ARCA
--Convicted murderer in Pennsylvania
--Arizona resident who died in a Northwest Airlines plane crash in Detroit.
I'm sorry but I don't get your point. There are a lot of people with similar or identical names. I'm no asking people to put your address, phone number and email on this web site even though I put mine on our FAQs page. If you are afraid to put your name on what your write then that is a fear you must live with. I don't live in fear and I can't understand those who do. My wife sometimes blogs and she always uses her name. When you give in to fear, those who seek to control you through fear have already won.
YOu don't get the point?
YOu don't get the point?
Well maybe that's because you are a man whose name is not listed on some porn site who some hateful idiot might decide to track down because they saw some stripper on a porn site with your name. You don't have to worry about the same type of violence against you that a woman might and does have to worry about.
As I said, the information you want is enough for someone to steal my identity, commit violent acts against, or attempt to do other stuff that I will not go into because quite frankly it's quite apparent that it's useless to do so. But in my opinion, anyone who puts any type of personal information on the internet leaves themselves wide open to anything. You may not want to think about it but that's an assumption you choose to make. Well assumptions always get me in trouble so I do not choose to make it.
I don't live in fear because I don't use my real name. There are not a multitude of people with my name. Only one who is dumb enough to put a lot of personal information on the internet.
You've made your decision. Don't worry. I understand it's your sand box and will blog here until the 15th, then adios amigo. You asked for opinions so until then I am free to express mine here because so far I haven't broken any of your rules.
Well, pollchecker, I am a
Well, pollchecker, I am a woman and I don't understand either. Like my husband, I don't live in fear. I've stood alongside him for 29 years amid threats, vandalism, assaults and smear campaigns.
Before I married Doug, I was an actress who made her living on state and in commercials. I was the victim of a stalker who probed into every aspect of my life and tried to make it a living hell. Another actress who went through the same thing taught me to face the stalker down and take control of my life. I've never lived in fear since.
As a woman you can continue to use your gender as a crutch to let fear rule what you do or you can face your fears and control them. During this past election, I campaigned for Barack Obama in places like Franklin County, VA, a haven for the Ku Klux Klan. Canvassing groups composed entirely of women went door-to-door in that county. Many slammed the doors in our faces or issued racial epithets. But some listened, took our literature and voted for our candidate.
Franklin Roosevelt said "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself." I'm afraid that you and others who wish to hide behind anonymous screen names have proven him correct.
Birds of a feather flock
Birds of a feather flock together. So it doesn't surprise me that you agree with your husband.
Is your name on some porn site? In fact you have a fairly common name. I bet if I googled your name I could find a lot of people with similar names? Mine is not so common. There is only one other person in America with my name.
I don't live in fear because I don't use my real name. This is not uncommon in history. Many writers have used another name. So I am not the first.
And I don't believe in putting personal information on the internet so I don't join networks like Facebook or myspace. It exposes you to all sorts of bad stuff that I prefer not to deal with. In fact Oprah had a show yesterday about internet scams. Well, scammers have to get their information somewhere. How else did my name get on a video on a porn site? I sure as hell didn't make a XXX rated video. I am not going to open myself up to a stalker just to post on this site. Ain't going to happen and if you have had to deal with that, then you should understand why.
And I am not going to expose my business, employees, family to garbage that comes from haters on the internet because of politics. I have had my taste of their hate and it's something I don't need in my life. If this was not a problem then we would not be having this conversation in the first place because Doug would not have had to censor other people's comments.
This is my opinion which was solicited by Doug! He didn't have to ask or open it up for comments. Apparently there are some people who agree that it is too bad that some people who don't play by the rules have to spoil it for others who do.
Yes, dear, Doug did ask for
Yes, dear, Doug did ask for opinions. You have given yours. Others have given theirs. I have given mine. You suggested that he did not understand your fears because he is not a woman. Well, I am a woman and I don't understand your fears either so I joined the discussion. It's called a debate and I find that debates are more honest when people stand behind their opinions with their true identities. That's my opinion in this debate.
There are porn actresses with both my married and my maiden names. No big deal. I just shrug it off and move on. You might want to consider doing the same.
I find it offensive that you
I find it offensive that you and your husband suggest that there is something wrong with someone who chooses to write under a different name. I bet people like Samuel Clemons just to mention one famous person would have found it offensive as well.
I plan on moving on. As previously stated, I will blog here until Monday and then it will be see you later alligator. I will not be dicatated to by your husband any more than some hater. It's called Freedom! And it's what this country was based on even though it's really a concept that no longer applies in this country any longer.
I lock my doors not because I am afraid but because it is the prudent thing to do. I don't put personal information OF ANY KIND on the internet because it is the prudent thing to do. I don't criticize people who choose to do otherwise and I expect the same in return.
As I stated, Doug asked what we thought. I am making a valid point whether either of you or anyone else for that matter agrees with it or understands it or not!
Pollchecker, you have made
Pollchecker, you have made your point over and over and over again. I hear it but I don't find your reasoning valid. You aren't willing to be published under your own name. That is your right. But if that is your decision, you will not write for this web site after Dec. 15. That is my right. If you wish to continue to write under a screen name you might want to consider starting your own blog. WordPress, Blogspot, Blogger and others offer free ones.
You may think your points were valid. I'm sorry. I do not. I would never be presumptuous enough to compare myself to Samuel Clemens. Perhaps you think your right to post under a pseudonym that isn't even a proper name is, somehow, justified by the fact that one of America's great humorists and authors used the pen name of Mark Twain. Sorry, I don't see the connection.
I asked for comments and most of those who have commented or sent me emails are willing to write under their true name. I also asked for comments on whether or not I will change the commenting system to either require use of real names or impose a moderation system to keep the invectives under control. So far, no one has commented on that.
Anonymity has, in my opinion, turned the Internet into a cesspool where slurs, misinformation and outright libel are hurled by cowards from behind the safety of screen names. Others may find that acceptable. I do not. I was pondering requiring the use of real names before I had to start exerting more control over the blogs and was probably going to make the change at the beginning of the year anyway. Recent events just accelerated my decision.
So far, no one has given me what I consider to be a valid reason for not implementing that decision. To me, it boils down to a question of whether or not someone has the courage of their convictions to stand behind them by letting people know who they are and what, if anything, they represent.
Last time. It is your
Last time. It is your sandbox. You make the rules. You think I am wrong. I think you are wrong. I don't plan on blogging here any longer. It's gotten boring around here anyways.
Nice to see you here, Amy.
Nice to see you here, Amy.
I have to say, I refuse to live in fear. If you Google my name, Teresa Merau, you will find me all over the internet, frankly. If I'm not woman enough to stand by what I write, then I shouldn't be writing it.
I was a great fan of the late Molly Ivins. She was never afraid to voice her opinion either, and I never saw her use a moniker rather than her name.
I do use a moniker on some sites, because it's a leftover from the nineties when most people used them, and it's well known to be me when most people see it. I've used either Ladywolf55 or Ladywolf1955 for well over a decade. In my early internet years, I was Roamingfeline, but I changed it when I married my husband, Wolfgang.
My husband is a well-known gun dealer and software engineer, with his name and our address plastered all over the internet. I highly doubt anyone will come here and bother me, since my husband has security cameras all over the place, and I'm very well able to put buckshot in someone's arse should they threaten me or mine.
Of course, with Google having their head up the government's arse, the government already has dossiers on most Americans these days, anyway. Let 'em. It must be a pretty boring job following our boring daily lives. lol
Teresa Merau
Senior Claims Researcher/Adjuster living near KC, MO.
I respect you for having the
I respect you for having the guts to stick your neck out alongside your hubby. It can't be easy to do all the time.
This is the first time I have ever seen a post by you on this site but I know your husband thinks the world of you.
I'm still wrestling with the notion of exposing my own dear wife
(who I could never live without) and my family.
It's not the end of the world to me if I don't blog here at CHB, because I get so much out of just participating at The Reader Rant, and I love commenting on the rest of the articles and blog posts so much.
My wife and I owe both of you dinner at the five star restaurant of your choosing next time I make it back to the DC area.
I just still don't know if I have the same kind of guts that both of you obviously have with regard to real names on an open public board...not yet anyway.
Maybe I will think differently after I talk it over with
"the boss".
Cheers,
Jeff H in TX
(see? I already use PART of my real name anyway)
It is too bad that you have
It is too bad that you have to resort to this because there are those who either can not or will not abide by a few simple rules.
Ron Gore (a/k/a T. J. Flapsaddle)
Chemist and teacher on the Texas Gulf Coast
As a RR regular, I don't
As a RR regular, I don't spend much time blogging on CHB, but I've been around since 2002, and have some 2000 (mostly very long) posts. I really don't want my name placed in the public domain, and here's why:
One click of the mouse can bring anyone to a site where they can find out... free of charge:
1. Name
2. Other names used by that person, including mispellings
3. Current and all other previous addresses used by the person
4. Name of spouse or other members of the household and anyone using else using that address
5. A map of the address
6. A bird's eye view of the house
7. Telephone number
8. Dollar value of the house or a nearby house.
9. A listing by name and address of all neighbors in the general area of the house.
10. A listing of other persons who may have lived with or been associated by marriage or cohabitation, going back many years.
11. The actual age of all of the persons named above.
12. Direct links to the same personal information of all of those persons named.
All for free... and more available for a small sum, about education traffic and criminal records, credit reports, police reports etc, etc....
I will not make public my name or address, and trust that CHB would not release the information that they already have, including my email address.
I hate the thought of having to find another website where I feel comfortable with the people who post there... Kinda like leaving old friends. Just can't face exposing personal information about myself, my wife and my family... Too many "strangers" out there who take pleasure in hurting others.
this too, shall pass
It must be sad to live in
It must be sad to live in such fear.