[Air-l] mea non culpa

[Barry Wellman]

Hey, I didn't do nothing wrong.

I gave out the fact that the guy has just discovered that he was Born (not
now using) with the same name as me. He's not identifiable as such on the
web or any directory. Is Google-using now a crime? If so I commited
again, by searching on Lachlin's name.

I didn't give out his current name nor his address.

And since when is finding out where someone lives on Mapquest an ethical
or a moral crime? I wanted to find out if there was anyone with that name
in that city. All I said was "suburban crescents," which limits ID to
about 3/4 of the residential parts of that growing city , I'd guess.

And actually I think I do know about 1/3 of the people on
this list.

I will take folks' advice and call the guy, from a non-primary phone and
with *67 call-display blocked disabled.

As there seems to be some interest:
If it's kosher, I will ask my namesake's permission to report back here.
If it ain't kosher, I willprovide some summary info. But it may not be for
a while, as everyone once in a while I gotta do some work, take a trip
(guest lecturing at CMU Wed & Thurs for all those P'burghers online), and
even relax for a while.

I have neither time nor interest to get into a flame war, & won't respond
any mor. But that's my .02. YMMV.

 Barry
 ___________________________________________________________________

  Barry Wellman        Professor of Sociology       NetLab Director
  wellman at chass.utoronto.ca   http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/~wellman

  Centre for Urban & Community Studies        University of Toronto
  455 Spadina Avenue   Toronto Canada M5S 2G8   fax:+1-416-978-7162
 ___________________________________________________________________