Re: our boy John -- the NYTimes

[Mark Seiden <mis@seiden.com>]

> 
> >why do i find this "our boy john" motif slightly offensive?
> >


> Sorry what I meant is John is an INTERESTING PERSON


(so why is it important to the people on the list that markoff is on
the list also?)


the problem with referring to a reporter as "our boy" is it conveys
the impression that
- as "our" they might not be independent
- as a "boy" they might not be mature 


um... i'm really not trying to convert you into a politically correct
person, but consider what would happen if you used this on a female
reporter (INTERESTING or UN-) as "our girl jane" you would be properly
slammed up against the wall by the feminists among us.


markoff and i are certainly good friends (we're sharing a room at the
hacker's conference this weekend; i was technical editor for katie's
and his last book; had his 40th birthday party at my house, etc.)  but
i would *never* refer to him (or any professional journalist) in a
public medium as "our boy".


sorry to sound tedious...  you don't have to reply.  there, i feel better
already.



-- 
mark seiden, mis@seiden.com, 1-(415) 592 8559 (voice)