Jorn Barger
Wired 13.07: POSTS — Here’s an interesting piece about the fabled Jorn Barger, quasi-homeless blogger and raconteur. He’s the blogger behind Robot Wisdom.
What’s interesting to me is the fact that the author of the Wired article, Paul Boutin, keeps referring to a writer “Andrew” who is described simply as “dapper.” He never once mentions that it’s Andrew Orlowski of the Reigister. If Boutin referred to Orlowski as an angry cynic it would make more sense than calling him dapper. This is like calling Saddam Hussein”svelte.”
Apparently Boutin or the Wired editors could not bring themselves to ever mentioning Andrew’s last name and the dapper comment is to throw us off the scent. This constitutes journalism today.
As a side note Orlowski told me that Barger “never slept on his floor.” I suspect this was written to imply that Orlowski doesn’t even have a couch or he is into torture.
clip:
But he’s walking with someone I recognize – Andrew, a dapper writer I’ve known for years. We stop on the sidewalk, and Andrew introduces me to the guy in the Google cap: “This is Jorn Barger,” he begins. “Another homeless blogger,” his companion finishes.
I’m not really sure this is bad journalism as much as the rigors of age taking their toll on a once fine reporter. I’ve known Paul Boutin for many years now and have noticed that he has been forgetting the meaning of quite a few words of late. Just the other day he saw a bicycle on the street and yelled out, “Pounding Cuba!” That made us all nervous.
Yah?
So I coined the word “mangina” and I never made a dime either.
There’s just no justice.