From time to time, a reader of this blog will write to me to complain or criticize. A very recent example was regarding my "What Goes Around Comes Around" post, and the complaint, or criticism, was to tell me I was wrong about what I said. I said an FPL representative said FPL would not give us a cherry picker, because FPL were mad at us about something. The reader said that was not believable, and that he imagined FPL would not give us a cherry picker under any circumstances, because a cherry picker is not something even FPL could simply give away. The fact is, I agree with the reader. I don't think FPL would give away a cherry picker either, for exactly the reasons the reader suspected. I think the FPL representative who said no was communicating both a position from FPL about cherry pickers, and a component of anger at us, and disguised the former under the latter, saying it was our fault, not their fault, that they wouldn't give us a cherry picker. They're not stingy. We're rude. Yup, that's my guess, too.
Toward the end of 2011, I wrote a post called "Heads Up." I communicated a rumor I heard. I clearly identified it, repeatedly, as a rumor. I got a good deal of flak for that post (I took it down under the weight of several readers telling me it was offensive), and one reader wrote to tell me the rumor was wrong. That is, the reader said what I heard was not true and did not happen. That was certainly one of the possibilities, and I asked, also repeatedly, that anyone with any information better than mine let me know whether the rumor was true or it wasn't. Unfortunately for the process, the one reader who did tell me the rumor was not true was in no way directly involved in the matter and could not have known whether the rumor was true, except on the basis of someone who really did know telling him. Frankly, I would much have preferred that someone directly involved tell me I was wrong. And interestingly, several people said my report was offensive, but only one, who was not directly involved, said it was not true. Hmmm.
In any event, the disclaimer is this: this blog is not fanciful. It is not my outlet for any designs I may have to be a fiction writer. It's certainly true that it includes my opinion, or the opinion of anyone who contributes to it. It's also true that I don't at all mind trying to be funny. Or a wiseguy. But anything I write is based on fact, at least as I know it, and the facts are clearly articulated in the post. I don't intend to write anything that is not factually true. If I ever guess about something, I endeavor always to make clear that I am guessing about whatever it is. If I'm wrong about anything, I want very much to be so informed, and I will always stand corrected when I'm persuaded that I made a mistake.
My report about FPL was a report of something that was said. I did not make it up. I don't guarantee that the reason given was the true reason. I do guarantee it was the reason given. The rumor was one I heard. I don't guarantee it was true. I do guarantee it was said. I invite all readers to have the greatest confidence in my honesty. I would make quite a fool of myself if I asserted as true things that were not only false, but that it could be shown I invented. I have no reason to do that. There's more than enough material for this blog without my making things up. And I will say again, as I have said so many times before, if you don't believe me, go check it out. If you think my descriptions of things like meetings are unimaginable (I agree, it would be hard to make this stuff up), come to meetings, and see for yourself. And if you ever find me to be wrong about something, or even if you have a different, but equally valid, opinion, PLEASE correct me. Correct the record. You can send me an e-mail, or better yet, just enter a Comment. You will publish your own material, right there in the blog. I don't touch comments. I think there's a way I can delete them, but I can't edit them. And I don't delete them. I wouldn't.
Send anything you want to vbpblogger@gmail.com (those e-mails will go directly to me), or use the Comment opportunity at the end of every post. If you can't get it to post, which some people tell me happens to them, send your comment to me as e-mail, and I'll post it for you. If you want me to fix the grammar or spelling for you, tell me so. Otherwise, I will simply cut and paste whatever you send. I will sign it with your name. If you want to say I was wrong about something, please feel free. If you want to say I'm a criminal and a horrible individual, go for it. It was my idea, but it's all of our blog.
No comments:
Post a Comment