Post a picture of someone other than you, who has the same name as you.

[begin_within]

Thank (God is dead) that this is NOT a picture of me...

[Ptah]

1. A much older Ptah

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ptah

[Deja Q]

2. And you thought there could only be one...

[begin_within]

4. I meant "real life name"

[Deja Q]

6. Oh.

My name is so common, there are plenty out there who'd match it. Which is embarrassing, really...

[begin_within]

7. Well, let's see one

[Dangerously Amused]

20. Okay seriously, why do you want to know my real life name?

And here, my first name?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=105&topic_id=6711573

And here, the letters in my real name?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=105&topic_id=6614319

And the town I live in?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=105&topic_id=5419209

And here, the name of the major street closest to my house?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=105&topic_id=5855224

And here, a satellite photo of my actual residence?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=105&topic_id=6597724

And (indirectly) my place of birth/current location?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=105&topic_id=6731988

And here, odd names of people with whom I went to high school?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=105&topic_id=6627984

I've noticed that you've also started a number of threads which while not outright asking for a DOB, would still place one in a particuar age group.

And weren't you just prompting us to spill our "family secrets" not long ago?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=105&topic_id=6800093



Dude, I really enjoy most of your posts, but I need to get this off my chest. I do notice when people ask, over time, a series of questions which if answered honestly would divulge not only a DUer's true identity (especially given the relatively scant information one may use to discover another's identity through the very powerful ID search engines of, say, Lexis), but also, as in this case, potentially embarrassing information about that person and/or their family.

I'm not making any accusations; I presume you are not even aware that you are doing it. But it makes me uncomfortable. I mean honestly, if you came right out in a single thread and asked people to post all of their personal information noted above, I'm certain it would cause some measure of alarm.

And yes, I know people are free to post whatever they want here and to divulge as much or as little of their personal information as they please. It's just that I think some people don't realize exactly how much of their identifying information they give away when it's just a question here and a question there, weeks or even months apart, and especially in conjunction with other information they might reveal, for example, in their profile. Or in their responses to other's threads. And I think they also don't realize how surprisingly little of their personal information it takes to figure out (with the right search engines) exactly who they are and where they live.

For the record, you are not the only one I've observed doing this, although fortunately the other guy doesn't post here anymore.

Anyway, like I said... not making accusations, just offering some perspective.

[begin_within]

21. What's creepy is you keeping track of my threads.

[Dangerously Amused]

24. I monitor your threads because I have nothing better to do with my time.

Okay that was a lie. Actually, DU keeps track of them for me in this super secret spyware program code-named the "Search" function. Here's a link to it:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=search&select_forum=105


But perhaps I've said too much.

[gmoney]

22. Good call...

I notice on MySpace there are "surveys" that people post asking all kinds of personal stuff (real names, middle names, names of parents and relatives, date of birth, city of birth) and people willingly play the game and post all that shit for the world to see. Most of the people re-posting the surveys are probably oblivious to the potential for identity theft, then they ask all their friends to respond as well. Maybe the originator was just harmlessly curious, but I'm guessing at least some of them are not.

Dangerously Amused has a point... there is virtually NO purpose to asking people to post this kind of information for any sort of "entertainment" value. ("Hey, you live near 3rd street? Wow, that's fascinating!") If I wanted the world to know all that stuff, I'd put it in my profile here, or link to a personal website, or something like that.

So, what valid, non-invasive reasons could a person have for asking such information on a liberal/left-wing forum?

And DA doesn't need to be monitoring your posts... that's what the search function is for.

Like DA, I'm not accusing you of anything, and maybe you don't realize you're doing it, but now that it's been pointed out, maybe find a different line of questioning...

[LibraLiz1973]

29. I came into the thread thinking it was first names only

But once I realized he meant first and last name, I was like HELL NO!

It's funny because one or two of those threads you posted have also given me pause.

[billyskank]

3. This is sad

This is my namesake, a journalist, but he was shot dead in Iraq. (First I'd heard of him, as well). :(

[begin_within]

5. Another victim of BushCo

Tragic.

[skygazer]

8. The only people I know with the same name are relatives

I just googled my name and got photos of gravestones (?). I was named for my grandfather's sister who died as a child and for my dad's sister. But I don't have a photo of either handy.

[Spacemom]

9. A beautiful woman

I'm proud to share a first name with.

[RevolutionaryActs]

10. My favorite....

Now if only I looked like her.... :P

[BrotherBuzz]

11. Here he is with his squeeze Busy Bee

[johnnie]

12. This guy has my first and last name

He invented the first computer

[EstimatedProphet]

32. Charles Babbage?

[alarimer]

13. I can't find a photo

But there is someone with my name who is now the Chairperson of the Montana GOP.

The sad thing is, we are probably related. My paternal grandfather was born in Montana.

[many a good man]

14. Just this big ugly mug

[Richard Steele]

15. An oldie, but a goodie:

[LibraLiz1973]

30. ROFLMAO

[blockhead]

16. .

[Omphaloskepsis]

17. First image on a Google image search..

We have similar glasses.

[Rambis]

34. Google pic too

[ghostsofgiants]

18. This is close enough...

[Dangerously Amused]

19. Why do you want to know my real name?

[sakabatou]

23. First and last

[DarkTirade]

25. I already mentioned one of my namesakes in

this post
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=105x6818181
:)
I suppose I could also post something about Hugh Heffner or Hugh Grant... but I think I'd rather be associated with a soft-spoken great actor than a porn mogul and a guy who was famous for getting caught cheating on Elizabeth Hurley with a prostitute... :)

[Ava]

26. me and the Ava I was named after

[Tikki]

27. All these:

Fighting cancer...I'm sending good vibes her way.
One time pitcher for the Phillys
Lead singer of the legendary NorthWest rock group...The Wailers.
Looks like a smart young guy....belongs to Cambridge Student Liberal Democrats.


Tikki

[Wetzelbill]

28. Here are two Bill Wetzels that are not me

[MissMillie]

31. ok... here we are together

that's me and my twin sister... and yes, we have the same first and last names (our middle names are different)

[Maine-ah]

37. omg.

not to sound rude, but what were your parents thinking?

[MissMillie]

38. I think they were glad there were not 4 of us

something I hear they were told was a distinct possibility

"We can tell there are 2 babies, but we can't tell if it's 2 big babies or if there are more than 2..."


yikes

[EstimatedProphet]

33. Here's one

[TheProphetess]

35. My mother named me after her

This sweaty picture of us was taken yesterday while we were having a BBQ in 95 degree weather. Smart!

[EstimatedProphet]

39. Was that before or after we moved?

[TheProphetess]

40. That was taken after we moved to the other shelter

The one without the rudeass people. :)

[guitar man]

36. not a bad guy

to share a first name with ;)