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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Huckleberries Online

Sausser: Why Do HBOers Hide Behind Pseudonyms?

Don Sausser: Ya, DFO, quite an animal you have developed here. But I still don’t understand the need for kiddie club games of using cutesy alias’s rather than what one should be proud of - a real name. Anyway, the club has grown tremendously but with little advertising, how does the SR make a buck on this (versus newsprint) in order to pay your over-the-top salary?

JBelle: I would remind you of the very strong precedent set in American journalism by none other than Benjamin Franklin, who wrote under a series of aliases. In literature, women have taken to the comfort of pen names to ensure their family life is not rearranged negatively at the hand of their literary success. The author of Mary Poppins come to mind immediately. The graffiti on the wall so Pompei still stands today in anonymous political comment, comment that wouldn't have otherwise been made if a slave, plebian or a women was making the comment. Finally, don't forget one of journalism's most shining hours was at the hand of an anonymous person, using an alias. Deep Throat bring up any memories for you? The conversation is richer, more substantive and edgier and takes away preconceptions that come with a certain name of notoriey. The conversation becomes the Main Event, rather than the people who are making the conversation.

Cis: Don, I use my real name ... but if I were to comment on some of the things that happen up here in Bonner County, I have to watch what I say as it could make it rough for my husband in his job. This came to fact and luckily it wasn't something I said close to his job ... which someone asked me ... aren't you the Cis in the Huckleberry Online. Even on my blog I am held accountable for what could reflex on my husband. If I was still working, a lot of what I have said here ... could have been made it very uncomfortable at my job. And I am not even close to any government type job. So if one is on the side lines of an important job, they can't be as free with their opinion.



Huckleberries Online

D.F. Oliveria started Huckleberries Online on Feb. 16, 2004. Oliveria's Sunday print Huckleberries is a past winner of the national Herb Caen Memorial Column contest.