A SWIPE IN REVERSE

A few weeks ago I welcomed Brian Beutler to the blogosphere by quoting him in a less than complimentary manner. A few days later, he weighed in on my HaloScan comment board. Having found his contribution, I will share it with you now:

Oh come on now! Where's your imagination? I think that the little laughs I muster when I read the incompetent submissions we get (some of which get published) do indeed qualify as schadenfreude. You see, I don't laugh just because the content is weak. I laugh because someone somewhere thought the piece was golden. Is that sort of self-delusion not their own misfortune?

Anyhow... this is, as I wrote, all too crass. And you'll be happy to note that I have removed the post from my blog.

P.S. I would hope you swiped at me because you imagined I'd taken one at you (and not, say, because we share the same, glorious surname).

Rest assured; there's FAR worse than your piece about Sonny (which I notice also appeared in a similar form on DCist) that makes it through.

Well, at least there were worse articles in that issue than mine. If "the content is weak," maybe the Monthly should find new editors and pay them a living wage. Does Charlie Peters know what these people are up to? All in all, it sure sounds like a pretty crummy magazine.

Second, although he claims to have removed the post, it's still there all right. And it should stay where it is. It's one of those unwritten rules of the blogosphere: don't delete posts.* Some disagree, but they tend to get e-mails about it.

But I harbor no ill will toward you, Brian Beutler. After all, if we Beutlers can't stick together, what chance will we stand against the Smiths, the Joneses, and the Robertses? Or the Nguyens? The Hartleys?

If ever we cross paths, Mr. Beutler, the first beer is on me.

_____
Unless, say, your job depends on it.

---

posted by WWB at 12:38 PM |