The Big Story or Why We Love Doug69

The big story during our absence was the expose done on escort princess Benjamin Nicholas by uber poster Doug69. No one comes close to our admiration of this man and his dogged pursuit of the truth. Through careful and painstaking research, Doug discovered Ben's plagiarism:

At the top of Benjamin Nicholas' blog, it says "15 Minutes...by Benjamin Nicholas." But a more accurate title would be: "15 Minutes...by Benjamin Nicholas, Dave Barry, Andy Borowitz, and assorted other victims of his serial plagiarism."

Allow me to explain. And before you conclude that this is just a Benjamin-bashing thread, read through to the end because all assertions are factually based and backed up with links to the source materials.

A few days ago, I was reading the February issue of GQ magazine and the Talk Back column struck me as being strangely familiar. Had I read this issue already and forgotten about it? I was puzzled. The more I thought about it, the more it bugged me, but then I remembered. I went to my computer and opened Benjamin's blog, of which I am an avid and loyal reader. In his latest entry dated Feb. 27, 2007, that entire column from GQ was copied verbatim (with just a few subtle word changes in the opening) without any reference or credit to its source. Benjamin states, "I've come up with a nifty 8 point-plan" to help the Democrats, presented as if it were his own original writing, but it is completely ripped off from Gentleman's Quarterly. Here is the link to the online version: http://men.style.com/gq/talkback/openletter/archive/0702

This made me wonder how much of what Benjamin writes comes from other sources, so I started googling sentences from his most recent blog posts, and then further back through the archives. What I found was shocking. Entire portions of our beloved Benjamin Nicholas' blog, for the past 2 years, have been lifted directly, in their entirety, from other peoples' COPYRIGHTED material.

Naturally, Ben's sychophants came out in force:

skrubber (BN's #1 sub): Dougy, Dougy. Just when I thought we were rid of you, you raise your ugly head.

TNT Ted(who seems to bizarrely see BN as the victim rather than the criminal):This thread has turned into an example of why I quit posting on this message board. You guys are like vultures that swoop in after someone's been attacked, injured, and dying. It doesn't matter that Ben may have brought this predicament on himself. It doesn't matter that the allegations are very serious. (And before anyone suggests that I've got my tongue up his ass, let me say that I've never met him and never intend to). I'm just I'm amazed at and disgusted with how gleefully you have embraced his misfortune. "Woo-hoo, let's kick him while he's down."

It's often stated -- "this message board is just sport" -- "lighten up" -- "don't take it seriously" ......... Yeah, right!

You get the idea. No shame, no condemnation, just Poor poor BN.

But of course, we'll let the incredibly imbecilic Rockhard have the last word, as he tries so desperately to cast Doug as the villain:

"My question to you is, did you consider (or did you) send your note to BN in private with all your findings and give him an opportunity to react prior to posting?"

Thank you, PWIT, for being the only member on this board to ask a very important question. I have no idea what the answer is but I will say:

The act of assassinating someone's character in public without warning or presenting an opportunity for the accused to respond to or challenge the accusations in private is no less ignoble than the actions of a thief and deceiver. I would also argue that someone who takes pleasure in destroying another human being and his livelihood, in a public arena and without notice, is a "filthy, depraved, morally bankrupt lowlife."

(Edit) I see the answer has come in.

Cory say three words: Stuck on Stupid