Why did the multitude of good people on OLO who choose to contribute under a pseudonym [or feel that they have no choice as I do] choose their particular pseudonym or nom de plume?

I chose mine because I’m a passionate botanical and geological explorer and collector, having discovered a host of new species of plants.

Like that great explorer Ludwig Leichhardt, I have wandered widely into places that no one else has ventured….well, no botanist at least.

Pity though that the likable old drongo was such a terribly poor bushman that he repeatedly became lost and didn’t have a clue about bush tucker. Actually, he wasn’t old at all…only 35 when he carked it.

In that regard I am entirely different. Much older to start with… and totally tuned into the bush tucker in my part of the world.

http://www.davidreilly.com/australian_explorers/leichhardt/ludwig.htm
http://www.actfr.jcu.edu.au/idc/groups/public/documents/journal_article/jcudev_015624.pdf

So um, yair...why did you choose your particular spewdonym?

I chose Banjo for two reasons.

1. I am a lover of Australian poetry and ballards, Paterson in particular. I can even now recall at school. my imagination painting a vivid picture of the stories the ballards told. I also think that 'The Loaded Dog' by Lawson, is the funniest story ever writen. Even though much of his writings I found painted a depressing picture.
It saddens me to hear that little Australianana is taught to kids today. I loved it and Aus geography and exploration.

2. I also love Aus colonial music and Bluegrass music. I greatly admire the skills of good musicians (fiddlers and Banjo players)
Never had the opportunity to learn an instrument as parents financially poor and too busy working when older.

All in all Banjo seemed a lodical choice

For I am Sancho P. Anchovy, guerilla opinionista and freelance rationalist.

Simply, the pseudonym is in honour of the humble pelican.

Pelicans are exotic and bizarre looking birds with a grace and beauty all of their own. I like to use them as subjects in art both oils and charcoal.

I watched a documentary a few years ago about pelicans being victim to pollution in our waterways from plastic bags, fishing items like hooks, nets and nylon rope. It was very sad but a movement was formed by some dedicated people to rescue and save pelicans from these plights.

I chose mine out of my admiration for the writing of Winston Groom.

Having an interest in history, and within that area particularly military history, as it has impacted Australia, the first work of Groom's that I read was 'A Storm in Flanders'. Its an extremely readable and balanced account of the British experience on the Western Front from the beginning to the end of hostilities in the First World War. It is written by an American author for an American audience, with no presuppositions as to the existence of any prior knowledge of British military history or politics to that time.

If there is one thing that 'A Storm in Flanders' achieves, it is the conveying of the all-pervading sense that the whole war could have been lost on that front within an hour on any day during that entire conflict. It thus provides a much needed reality check for the many posing as experts who all too frequently dismiss overall British direction of that war as having been unimaginative or incompetent. Given the 87% casualty rate experienced by Australian forces in that war, its effect upon this nation has probably in many different ways been vastly underestimated. It offers a good base upon which to build a proper estimation.

Winston Groom also wrote 'Forrest Gump'.

I also greatly admire Tom Hanks as an actor. Tom Hanks BECOMES his character, and of course Tom Hanks played Forrest Gump in the film based on Groom's work. Tom completely disappears, and all you can see is Forrest Gump.

I loved the scene in the film where Forrest was happily telling his story to two people at the bus-stop about the shrimp business he had built with his old OC, double amputee 'Lootenunt Dayyun', and one stranger walked off disbelievingly. Turning to the other, Forrest says, disarmingly, "would y'all like to see hiyyus pictsha?", and opens a copy of Fortune 500. Priceless!

Sometimes it can be deeply satisfying to see people express disbelief iyyun what y'all teyyul theyyum.

Winston is an interesting name, too.

Regards,

Fo-rrest

Ludwig.
I chose my pseudonym for two reasons
• To remain anonymous in that I have a Local relatively high profile and don’t want ramifications for my uncommon perspectives. To right biased intellectual troglodytes (which I live amongst) I am unAustralian, a bleeding heart, a Greenie, anti-business, lefty liberal. None of which is strictly true.
• Secondly, ”Examinator” as an indication of my style i.e. I attempt to critically and objectively examine issues. The “ator” my tendency to defend against bias, bluster, self serving agendas or arrogance particularly when directed at others.

I believe that everyone is entitle to their views without personal attacks and being miss lead. Hence I tend to offer a wider Perspective or Context which tends to put issues into more reasoned frame. i.e. Discussion V Didactics.

But then again I’m human and I dislike those who don’t read what I write and distort it for their own agendas.

Sadly you can lead a person to truth but you can't make them accept it.