Ron..NE ILL..10/48 - 6/12/2014 05:06

I don't believe that everyone knows everyone anyway here as 1586 suggests. There are anons that have posted here for many years & may be known by one or 2 people, but that's it. Those guys (?) go out of their way to cherish & protect their anonymity. I don't live in a cloaked world & I've slept just fine @ night for the 20 yrs or so that I've put my name on the www. But, I also realize some folks just are more comfortable talking when no one knows who they are. Imagine how non-productive  a local FB meeting, or a NCGA meeting, or shool board meeting would be if every one in there had a hood & full gown to protect their identity.....wait...I think that may be already done in some particular group.

I suggest there has been far more good done with names & contact info than not, or at least in my personal case it's that way. Obviously when you post with info, you say things that you would say if standing face to face. Even in speaking, one can learn how not implicate themselves or family members, or anyone in particular so as not to allow them to be targeted or chastised. For instance, when one trusted company mechanic confides in you that the XX company Model XXXX tractor has a huge mechanical flaw that you shouldn't have to pay for to repair, & you call the service mgr, you don't tell the service mgr that your personal friend mechanic named XXXXXX told you that there's a serious problem with the tractor. That would probably end up in your mechanic friend looking for a new job, or at least a closed-door session w/the boss. You find another way to tell the service manager you've learned of a problem. Or at least, that's how I'd do it.