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Here we go again

Thursday, 23rd August 2007

Sorry for the lack of posts - computer problems in my hotel rooms. But I'm back now, and I'm back posting.

I wish this wasn’t my first post since returning to the blog, but I do think it needs airing. Yesterday I received this email from - him again - Neil Clark (I have deleted Clark’s email address):

From: Neil Clark
Sent: 22 August 2007 21:05
To: stephen.pollard@cne.org
Subject: anonymous malicious comments

Dear Mr Pollard,

Please desist from sending any more anonymous malicious comments to my blog.

I have the ISP numbers recorded on my blog's Site Finder and they match the

same one you regularly visit the site from.

I don't wish to go public with the details, which would cause you great

embarrassment, but will do so if the practice continues.

Yours sincerely,

Neil Clark

The allegation is, of course, complete nonsense. His claim that he has ‘details’ of my posting such comments is either a deliberate lie or an example – as if more were needed – of his stupidity. No such details can exist since I have not left, nor would I ever leave, an anonymous comment, let alone a malicious one, on his or anyone else's site.

(In any case, there is no such thing as an "ISP [Internet Service Provider] number". He presumably means an "IP [Internet Protocol] address".)

So I sent this email to him:

From: "Stephen Pollard"
Date: Wed, 22 Aug 2007 20:14:16
To:"Neil Clark" Subject: Re: anonymous malicious comments
Mr Clark.
Nice try, but I know that you know you are lying.
I have left one comment on your site, in my name, which you did not publish.
I have never, nor would ever, leave an anonymous comment of any sort.
I visit your site from two computers - my home pc, and my lapotp which I use when travelling.
Please feel free to publish whatever 'evidence' you have. Indeed if you do not I wll consider it evidence of your admission that you have fabricated this linbellous allegation. I am returning to the uk overnight and will publish this correspondence tomorrow.
Stephen Pollard

(Sorry about the typos - I typed it on my Blackberry.)

I am now doing just that. I await a full apology from Clark. I’m not holding my breath.

The words pot, kettle and black come to mind.

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Hilary Wade

August 23rd, 2007 3:37pm

Don’t let’s be beastly to the blogger When he wants to leave our allies in Iraq Their compatriots may torture them to death, for all we care But I don’t suppose it matters much, because we won’t be there! Let’s defer to him And say “Good thinking, Sir!” to him On hearing every asinine remark Let’s treat the dolt with charity, Not ill-concealed hilarity, No, don’t let’s be beastly to Neil Clark. H'm. I really ought to be doing some work.