Will have to use our real names with our pictures. Even go so far as using a webcam to show us live. Not soon, but maybe a decade.

On most social media, I'm who I actually am. On discussion forums where the norm is screen names, I use a screen name.

Sorry to hear this is being done to you. It's an attempt to intimidate and that is not acceptable.

I like it. It looks like me, and I got it for free when a company I write for occasionally paid an artist to make it for their contributor profile page. I reduced its size to avatar size and find that it works great as a tiny image.

I'm not easily intimidated, though. A number of people have tried to do that, but have failed to succeed. I'm a crusty old fart who takes little seriously that is directed at me, frankly. It's amazing how often it happens though, and where, too...

Not even going to get into attire requirements.

I guess it fits the profile of the type of person who devotes large amounts of time worrying about the comings and goings (pun intended) of other people's reproductive organs and whether or not everybody has enough Jesus.

But still. Some people seriously need another hobby.

I once had a rather nasty and deranged woman here pull similar bullshit on me. Like you, I don't really give two shits who has my IRL name, so, no big deal.

who thinks it's clever to have found me and a way to contact me. I always invite them over for coffee when it's convenient for them to drop by. So far, nobody has ever shown up. For a couple who sent me threats of some sort, a letter from my attorney sent to their home or business address appears to have convinced them to stop.

And see your minerals.

That was a business of selling mineral specimens that I sold in 2007. I never even used that name in the business. There is, however, a person selling minerals under the name MineralMan, but it's not me. That business started some time after I closed mine.

I always like to learn something new.

I highly recommend it.

Wait, it's not nescafe is it?

It's just Folger's Classic Blend. I'm far from being a coffee snob. I drink it black, strong and bitter. However, I can offer a bit of whole milk, if a person wants it a little less harsh. I use coffee as a mild, legal drug, really. Still, as I grow older, I've been forced to use less of it.

I don't think that particular brand has made it as far as Southampton. Unless I'm going out I only have one cup of coffee a day, first thing in the morning. It has to be real coffee though, not instant, but more often than not it's a supermarket own brand.

For the rest of the day I drink tea.

Well, I can offer you Earl Grey or Lapsang Souchong, if you prefer. We have dozens of coffee brands here. With prior notice, I recommend Ethiopian Harrar coffee, but I'll have to nip out and buy some from the local roaster.

Just let me know.

As are most brand teas over here. Named blends are a bit posh, and I don't tend to go for them. Earl Grey is OK but I never much liked Lapsang Souchong. It reminds me of kippers and I don't really like them either.

PG Tips tea. I'll get some, on the off chance you might show up at my door one afternoon...

Not while the kids are still living at home anyway, but thanks for the offer. If you happen to come over here you're welcome to pop over, Southampton isn't too far from London.

trip to GB. More's the pity.

They're not allowed them to push their shit here. They feel they the god given right to spew their crap anywhere, any time and to anyone they want. The fact the admins won't let them is like telling a piggy little kid, "No you can't eat all the cookies."

in such a personal way.

Here's hoping for some sense of decorum overcomes this individual so that they may see their actions for what are.

Best wishes MM...

It's not all that clever to use easily available information that way. Kind of sad, really. Few people on the internet are actually anonymous, even those who think they are. That's the funny part, really.

Agree that very few are truly anonymous online. IP addresses are what they are...

relatively mild, really, in my case. That's not always true, however, and has gone way too far in some cases.

But some DUers have had them interfere with their real lives.

No, that's putting it much too nicely. They've seriously fucked with some DUers. During DU's down time, they were on the DU facebook page making more threats.

For you to act like it's no big deal, and laugh about it, must be a real comfort to those DUers.

For transparency, you should list the sites where you've used that user name.

....peabrained trolls who want to frighten everyone they can. MM is telling them they got the wrong guy this time. I support that -- don't you?

Meanwhile, they continue to collect personal information on other DUers.

You've been here long enough to know what they're capable of. I don't wish that on anyone.

"Son, you should always be ready to laugh at yourself. If you're not, people will do it for you sometimes."

So, laughing at me is just fine. I might turn it around from time to time. As for the other actions taken by some at that place, they are abhorrent. Perhaps they are not as anonymous as they think they are, either. Who can say, you know?

I do find it interesting that you referred to my use of the same screen name at other sites in a "hinting" way. What was the point of that, really? As you know, I make no secret of that either. I never have. As I said, I disclosed it when I joined this forum. Did you think I wouldn't explain it again? I'm a little surprised that you did that, actually. Amused, too...

I dealt with that in a different way, and successfully. However, in my current situation, I don't pretend anonymity. So it's kind of funny, really, as far as I'm concerned.

As far as where I've used the name MineralMan is concerned, that's easy enough to determine. Google works just fine. If that concerned me, I would have changed my screen name from site to site, don't you think?

I used the same screen name on Free Republic until I was banned from that site in 2006 for what they called "anti-freeping." When I came, two years later, to DU, I disclosed that information on arrival here. I consider that adequate transparency, don't you?

But, thanks for your reply. Really.

So, a meatspace name is one's given name.

I'd love to pinpoint an underlying psychosis that explains them, but in the absence of such Ill just say they are simply sad and pathetic.

Oh, and hi guys. (Because we all know you're reading this)

It's a small, small world, it seems.

i've never been anonymous except years ago when i was looking for a date.
since 2001 i've been anything but because i tell my daughter's story and how it's affected our lives and i don't hold back much.
i'm still a relative nobody anyway and have never been stalked or harassed at least not yet.

"Hi, I'm George." That throws everyone off and has worked pretty well for years and years.

i meant on line.
it's been so long since it's even been a consideration. i'm 61 and pretty set in my ways at this point.

It's a "thing". Over and over and over..
.