On 2/13/08, George Herbert george.herbert@gmail.com wrote:
Mantan and Sammi have both denied publically and privately that they are the same person(s) or that either of them is [somebody famous].
It is one thing for three people to each say "I'm certain that neither of the other two is me".
But for each of them to go a step further, and say (referring to the other two names) "...and I'm certain that *he* is not *him* either" -- this would suggest that all three of them are more than casually acquainted.
Otherwise, an observer would expect at least one of them, by this point, be skeptical as to the uniqueness of the other two individuals.
This might seem a little complicated, so you might draw a little triangle, label it with three random names, and study it for a while. Put yourself, momentarily, in each person's shoes and ask yourself how many things you would actually be sure about. That's what I did anyway, though I have no way of determining whether one, two, or three people are now laughing at me for admitting this.
(Or possibly none at all... *shrug*)
—C.W.