Stardate 20020624.0507

(Captain's log): I have a pretty consistent policy on mail which gets sent to me. If it's entirely personal, I keep it confidential. If it's about the site or something I've posted and if I think it would be interesting to my readers, I'll quote the parts that are relevant. I try not to quote out-of-context to give a mistaken impression of what my correspondent said, so I'll usually quote a fairly large section. As to attribution, if my correspondent has no web site then I'll refer to them only by first name. If they do have a web site and I know where it is, I'll use their full name and link to them, as a courtesy.

I would surely not want to take any chance of being accused of quoting-out-of-context on the following letter (for reasons which I think will become apparent) so I'm going to quote it at length. Eric Olsen writes as follows:

Just found this grossly exaggerated, self-righteous and inaccurate horseshit from 6/8 because someone sent it to me.

Regaling the customers with tall tales again, Captain? Who, exactly, the fuck do you think you are? You are even more pathetic and twisted than I thought . Don't speculate on what you know nothing about. The 9/11 book idea was Layne, Welch and Jarvis's idea - I am simply an administrative editor. If you had bothered to read the Sullivan posts you would know that I sent him exactly FOUR emails in the course of a month, which I gave evidence of from my email log, simply asking permission to republish something, anything of his. He didn't bother to respond at all. And, he has always had permanent links, they just didn't work for several months. But you wouldn't know any of that because you didn't read any of it: too busy dreaming about Britney Spears.

I absolutely don't give a shit about how you live your life, never have. You've always seemed like some sad little man pecking away instead of having an actual life. I will comment on what you publish whenever I feel like it - your tolerance is not an issue.

Regarding what you publish, I have never read you very often: far too pedantic. If you'll recall, you had to tell me you had written something up about starting a blog, I hadn't seen it. Your writing is gracesless, all you have ever been good for is a barrage of facts, usually on subjects of which I have no interest.

Unlike you, I am happy to help new bloggers, and if they have anything interesting to say, I am happy to link them. I get at least a dozen notices of posts from bloggers everyday, and rather than resent it, I am pleased they want my help because I am not a selfish asshole. I have plenty of room on my site to write whatever the hell I want, AND to mention other people who are looking to get past the phase where no one knows about them.

Given the fact that you have been around a lot longer than I have, that your traffic is still about 3 times mine on a given day, AND the inherent unpopularlity of telling someone they are a twisted wanker for ogling teenage girls, weren't you a little surprised how much support I got for my position? I think you were given the plaintive little whines you left on people's sites, including my wife's.

Your whole persona, Captain, is built on a house of cards. People are starting to figure out what a creepy fuck you are. I don't read you unless someone else points to you, but I would suggest being careful to write the truth. Write whatever you want about me, but next time make sure it isn't a gross mischaracterization, blatant falsehood, or an exaggeration that makes you look far more important than you really are. Your little ego must be very delicate indeed.

Thanks for writing, Eric.

By the way, just to set the record straight, here is an exchange of emails from early in April. Eric had sent me copies of his latest posts four times (on 3/29, twice on 4/1 and again on 4/2) and the last one began:

Steven, I keep on a-trying. (followed by the post)

I wrote: I don't understand what you mean by this.

Eric wrote: just sending you things I think may be of interest - it was supposed to be a small joke.

I wrote: I don't mind that, but I feel as if I'm on the receiving end of a full-scale lobbying effort, as if you want something from me.

Eric wrote: That gives me pause. I hadn't thought of it that way, but I suppose I am looking for something. I guess your respect, since I greatly admire your work - though you are a tad literal-minded - and you actually got me started thinking seriously about blogging when you wrote up your response to my "how best to blog" question. There are about 10 bloggers who I really think are great and basically all have responded in some favorable way other than you. I really didn't realize I was coming across that way though. Sorry about that.

The next day, Eric wrote to me again:

I'm sure I am somewhere in there clamoring for your attention. I find I am already (after 2 months) heading in the direction of the "lone blogger" myself; as you say, there are only so many hours in the day and the writing is most important to me as well. That's probably why I wanted some recognition from you because you are so serious about your writing, while others are primarily linksters. I am in the dev