Two of the most enjoyable weblogs around are the “famous” Anonymous Lawyer and
the new Anonymous Law Professor. What I can’t understand, though, is why such
creative people can’t use more interesting synonyms for the overused “anonymous.”
Wouldn’t names like Professor Incognito or the Unsub Lawyer be more fun and helpful?
If necessary, try the Merriam-Webster online thesaurus for starters, if you’re contemplating
starting a weblog with identity undisclosed.
Wikipedia’s notes on anonymity are interesting, including: “Disguising one’s identity
may also be by choice, for legitimate reasons such as privacy and, in some
occasions, personal safety. Criminals usually prefer to stay anonymous,
such as when writing a letter with a threat or demand.”
On the other hand, I wish my friends the At-Least-a-Third bar association would
stop thumbing through thesauri trying to figure out euphemisms for what they do.
No matter what the Notable Lawyer Schaeffer might think, “consumer lawyers” was
not apt, and Mickey Kaus and Walter Olson are correct: “public protection lawyers”
won’t pass the giggle test. Why not plain-old “plaintiff’s tort lawyers“?
Dec. 10: Common Scold, citing an ABA Journal article on anonymous weblogs by associates,
asks what her readers think about the subject. Let her know. (via Legal Blog Watch). As
I told da Scold, law students and associates (and all weblogging lawyers) would be better
off assuming that they will eventually be identified, and they should therefore write only
what they are willing to have attributed to themselves (including saying only things that
an identified attorney can say ethically about their clients, partners, etc.).
We’re having an anonymously drizzly December day here in Schenectady, but
Billie Wilson’s haiku is always nonymous and recognized:
winter rain–
the clock chimes three-quarters
past some dark hour
mountain silhouettes
against a darkening sky
cabin lights beckon
“winter rain” from New Resonance 3: Emerging Voices; South by Southeast 9:3
What’s another word for “thesaurus”?
snow turns to rain —
commuters
become anonymous
Comment by Paul David Mena — December 7, 2004 @ 3:09 pm
What’s another word for “thesaurus”?
snow turns to rain —
commuters
become anonymous
Comment by Paul David Mena — December 7, 2004 @ 3:09 pm
Excellent posts on naming anonymous blogs. While I agree with you completely, the popularity of “Anonymous Lawyer” made naming my new blog “Anonymous Law Professor” the sensible option–even though it was not particularly inspiring.
Comment by Anonymous Law Professor — December 7, 2004 @ 5:45 pm
Excellent posts on naming anonymous blogs. While I agree with you completely, the popularity of “Anonymous Lawyer” made naming my new blog “Anonymous Law Professor” the sensible option–even though it was not particularly inspiring.
Comment by Anonymous Law Professor — December 7, 2004 @ 5:45 pm