Here in Iowa, we're fighting back against the cyberspace-based anonymity culture by implementing a new real-life, or "IRL," anonymity culture. This recently-imposed rule at the University of Iowa prohibits professors from calling on students in class by their real names without their consent:

http://www.presscitizen.com/apps/pbcs.dll/.../709210334/1079

However, as the article indicates, "pseudonyms and aliases" are still perfectly acceptable, as they're not considered a "privacy violation." This has led to considerable discussion over at the Chronicle of Higher Education forums, since everyone is trying to figure out if the pseudonyms and aliases can be determined by the professor, or if they have to come from the student:

http://chronicle.com/forums/index.php/topic,41861.0.html

Generally speaking, if the professor determines the pseudonym, students will be known by such names as "Mouth-Breather Number Five," "Red Tee-Shirt," or "Three of Eight." Whereas if the students get to decide, the names will be more along the lines of "I.P. Freeley," "Supreme MC Jack Sparrow," and "Mike Ockhertz."

Ah, yes... This is how society crumbles.

Wow.. that's incredibly bizarre.

Yes it is quite strange.

That tears it. Screw Iowa. We need to move the home of the Wha Resistance. I have given this some though and I think North Dakota has much to offer. It is close to Minnesota so we can get Public Radio. Plus Grand Forks has nice ring to it, doesn't it?

Just to make my position clear, the University of Iowa is in what we call the "Eastern Half," whereas I live in the "Western Half." It's sort of like the difference between "Northern Virginia" and rest of Virginia, for example, though it's a completely different situation, of course...

Needless to say, we like our real names here in the Western Half. I even know the name of the guy who cuts my hair! (And yes, I still have nearly all of it, praise be to whatever higher power I happen to believe in this week.)

And Kato said he was kidding to me when he made up the idea of WP rules taking over higher education and real-world encyclopedias. Now I find that its happening somewhere.

Maybe its time for Western Iowa to declare its Right to Fork from Iowa and leave Eastern Iowa to its own devices? Maybe a Wall of Corn to divide them?

Having lived all over the Eastern Half of Iowa, and having visited the Western Half, I can attest that they are very different. It seems the Eastern Half has cracked. Can't call students by their names anymore?