The LLama Butchers: Comment Etiquette

May 09, 2006

Comment Etiquette

A little while back, I posted a rather rambling entry that started out with the Da Vinci Code copyright suit and wound up with thoughts on Erskine Childers' The Riddle of the Sands and the reform of the Royal Navy at the turn of the 20th century in the face of the rising threat from the Kaiser.

A day or two ago, I got a comment on the piece from somebody named Paul Revere:

Obiter dictum: "The Riddle of the Sands" plays in the North Sea off the East Frisian and Dutch coast, not in the Baltic.

So far, so good. As a matter of fact, Mr. Revere is right. I was in a hurry when I posted the entry, it's been a year or two since I read Riddle, I had also recently finished re-reading Patrick O'Brian's The Surgeon's Mate which does take place in the Baltic, and the result was that I transposed the two bodies of water.

Now, if it had stopped at this, that would have been the end of it. In all likelihood, I would have posted a correction much like the one I just typed here. I also would have thanked Mr. Revere for flagging my mistake. But alas, it didn't stop there. For whatever reason, Mr. Revere (and here I suspect a pseudonym, by the way) felt compelled to add another sentence:

You would know this if you had read the book.

Ding! Congratulations, Mr. Revere! With this little shot, you managed to cross the line from helpful commenter pointing out a slip of the keyboard for the benefit of both me and any other interested readers to simple jackass. Your prize? Well, instead of getting a helping of grateful Llama Yips! in this post, you are being subject to open mockery (as per our warning in the right-hand column). Have a nice day.

Honestly, Ladies and Gentlemen, is blogging courtesy such a difficult concept? It's one thing for a long time commenter, somebody we know and with whom we've developed a relationship, to make snarky remarks like this, but for a stranger to come sailing in with the same comment is just plain rude. And note that I am not harshing on Mr. Revere because he caught my geographical slip, but instead because he couldn't resist an unfounded jab at whether I'd actually read the book to which I was referring. Would you speak like that to a stranger at a cocktail party, Mr. Revere? Oh, you would? Well, I'm not inviting you to one of mine then.

Hmmph.

Posted by Robert at May 9, 2006 07:49 AM | TrackBack

Comments

Sheesh Robert... Guess I better watch the snarky meter when commenting in the future.
Meanwhile, where's the garden pix?

Posted by: Babs at May 9, 2006 01:58 PM

Looks like somebody needs a hug or perhaps a spanking from the Scottish Dwarf.

Posted by: phin at May 9, 2006 02:11 PM

Yes, but you've been around a while. And while you harsh on me sometimes, you don't accuse me of making things up.

As for the photos, well I haven't finished the roll yet. I'm not using digital - just gonna try a disk made from regular film. Hopefully, there will be enough new openings in the garden this weekend to shoot the rest of the pics.

Posted by: Robbo the LB at May 9, 2006 02:12 PM

That's why we love you llamas. You take out the paddle and whack people that deserve it.

I can't stand trolls. I had somebody get all snarky on me last week and call me an Ann Coulter wannabe, as a comment on a non-political post. It was, in point of fact, on the post where I showed what my life would be like if I lived in 1905. To me, that's like ragging on somebody for posting quiz results that make them Lydia from Pride & Prejudice instead of Elizabeth.

None of which is the least interesting, but goes a long way toward saying: you tell 'em, Robbo!

Posted by: Phoenix at May 9, 2006 03:34 PM

May I suggest using your night stick, officer?

Posted by: Basil Seal at May 9, 2006 04:18 PM

By "new openings" do you mean places in your border where you have killed stuff? I really don't think that would make for a particularly interesting photo essay...
Maybe put a couple of the "ettes" in the pic, that should do it, we will hardly notice the dead spot!
In all seriousness, my Viburnum Carlesie is on the critical list because some type of rodent, probably a vole, set up shop for the winter underneath it. Damn things! It did bloom but is having a hard time leafing out. I paid $60 for this plant two seasons ago and I am pissed!

Posted by: Babs at May 9, 2006 04:26 PM

"Harshing on" is not proper English. You would know this had you finished the 4th grade.

(Sorry, couldn't resist.)

Posted by: bobgirrl at May 9, 2006 04:39 PM

Naw, I meant buds opening. I've got, lessee, seven peonies, all of them loaded with buds. One has started to open and some of the rest are just about ready to let fly. Also, some of the roses behind them are getting ready to open up.

I haven't managed to kill anything yet. (If you have a good recipe for doing away with gladiola, btw, send it along.) Mr. Sluggo has started nibbling on things, however, so steps must be taken.

Sorry about the vole problem. Can you use one of those spring-loaded spike things to stop them? (Gardening is red in tooth and claw.)

Posted by: Robbo the LB at May 9, 2006 04:42 PM

That's why we love you llamas. You take out the paddle and whack people that deserve it.

Umm, I haven't seen the paddle lately, and I've been a naughty, naughty boy.

Now where are those Cheetos.

Posted by: phin at May 9, 2006 04:54 PM

Oh, duh... that's what you mean by "new openings"! Re: the slugs, two things you can use; first, dietrious earth (sp). Ring your plants with it and it is like razor blades cutting into their bellies. You can buy it at a pool supply place as it is used in pool filters. The other alternative, and my personal favorite, is pot pie pans filled with beer. Slugs love beer! We used to set out pans of beer when I worked in the greenhouses as a teenager. The slugs crawl into the beer and drown in a state of blissful inebriation! What's not to love about this approach! So long as the "ettes" don't catch on... Also, while setting out the traps (pans), you can take a "slug" every now and again.
Re: my vole problem; my husband is in charge of all trapping and, the product of said trapping goes to my friend, the wildlife warden, up the street that feeds her rehab owls and foxes with donated rodents. Talk about full circle... Early one Easter morning we put a dead vole on her newspaper and tied it with Easter ribbon! I guess we are sick, so sorry.

Posted by: Babs at May 9, 2006 04:58 PM

This whole post is made up.

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