What's in a Name

By: JULIE SABATIER | Tuesday: August 24th 2010

On our very first show, online host Dave Miller encouraged commenters on our site to sign in with their real names. Very few people took this suggestion, but Dave soldiered on, reading thoughtful comments posted under sometimes ridiculous pseudonyms. As Dave leaves the show, we thought it would be fun to take a listen (mp3) back to some of the nominal highlights from the past three years.

Some day I might provide my real name. But I'm under the assumption that commentary stays on the Internet for a long time (forever). I apologize if my pseudonyms made your life more difficult, Dave, that wasn't my primary intent: shrouding my identity was.

TOL is about ideas and conversation. I wasn't able to convince myself that my real name adds any more insight than my pseudonym.

I will miss you herding us cats. I've enjoyed your excellent contribution to Think Out Loud, and I think it's fantastic that you're growing in a different direction. I wish you all the best. I'll be watching your show if I ever plug in my television again.

Live strong and prosper,
Vice Colonel Lance Spock

trurl9 —

Well, my first response is; are you leaving becuse you were "pissed off" or because you were you "pissed on"?

Just standard corporate speak.

I think you did a good job, better than Emily, in fact.

I think you are a more calm interviewer and not so prone to the gulping and gasping that Emily brings in that entrains interviewees into the same gulping and gasping. You have a more relaxing and relating style with people while Emily has a more, what, excited, driven, and sounding scared, style?

Hmm, and that brings me to another point, I wonder if you talk show folks would benefit from lessons from opera singer coaches about how to breathe in such a way that is not distracting from your "music", and I mean that in the best way, because I think that the human voice is the best of all of the musical instruments.

And having said that, I like the sound of your voice, for what that matters, maybe you have some potential in ads or voice-overs. Heck, I don't know.

We've had some disagreements and I still wish you the best in whatever you do.

Thanks, David Miller, for what I consider Real Service, Waging Peace by trying to bring out the truth in what The People are talking about.

Oh, and I post under my real name because it keeps me honest. I cannot stand the idea that I would lie to myself, because I learned to do that as I was growing up, as a religious person.

Tom D Ford —

I appreciate what Tom D. Ford has said above.  That is, how voices on radio sound is very important, and they can be very distracting if not focused and calm.  I have often wondered if Emily and the producers of TOL ever listen to how the show sounds.

Good luck Dave!

Riposte —

Tom and Riposte - Thank you for posting and listening. I just want to say I'll miss Dave a ton, perhaps more than anyone. I hope we will in fact be able to keep doing what he has done so well – and what scottmil, as usual, so eloquently describes.

As far as the sound of my voice and the sound of the show overall – of course we listen and care. I have learned over time that some people love my voice and style, some people hate it, and I'm a lot more proud of some shows than others. My hope each hour is to get the most insight possible from our many different guests, callers, and online contributors. You all do so much to help make the show and site what it is.

Thank you.

Emily

Emily Harris —

Comments are now closed.

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