I owe Megan McArdle an apology.
Actually, I’ve already offered it on the offending post, but as that snippet is now buried behind the front page, that seems insufficient.
So here it is:
In yesterday’s snark on McArdle’s item about the Washington Post’s arithmetical errors, I said “she actually writes…” about a Post mistake that converted millions into hundreds.
She did not write what followed. Rather, she was quoting without comment (other than her headline) from a piece by the Post’s ombudsman, Andrew Alexander.
As readers of my own place know, I’ve taken second place to no one in the ferocity with which I’ve argued against what seem to me to be consequential failures of argument and reporting by Megan McArdle. This post wasn’t one of those. It was an attempt to have a quick bit of fun, and I made the kind of mistake I’ve teed off on in others.
Which leads me to something I find hard to write, but must.
To Megan McArdle: I’m sorry for the error that you — very mildly, considering the provocation — noted on the offending post.
And, of course, to the BJers who read this, my apologies as well. I try to provide high grade stuff, and this wasn’t.
Ah well. Live by the snark, and sometimes, die by it too, I guess.
Image: Henri Decaisne “Failure of a Military Operation,” 1826.