On Thu, 20 Jan 2005 08:59:36 -0500, Peter T. Daniels
<grammatim@...> wrote:

> My initials are PTD.

Sorry; I lost my middle initial at age 10. Some people don't mind if their
middle initials are omitted. Others do. People younger than 55 or so
sometimes are insulted if one assumes that a common nickname (such as
"Pete" for Peter) is OK; that's comparatively new in our society. It
complicates matters if one needs to first determine whether someone else
wishes to be known only by a full and formal first name; nevertheless,
I've found that to be a necessary courtesy.

--
Nicholas Bodley /*|*\ Waltham, Mass.
born Nicholas Bodley Bessaraboff
Advent of the Cold War, and American epidemic sub-literacy were prime
factors.