For those who are interested, the state action discussion that began at Xrlq’s blog is continuing here.

(Let’s see how long it takes Richard Bennett to try to throw the discussion off.)

For me, Google Alerts typically don’t work very well. They generally point me to some old blog entry mentioning me, usually one I read ages ago. But today, they did their job, pointing me to something I hadn’t previously seen — this amusing “press release” on Blogshares:

Patterico’s Pontifications suffered a huge setback with several analysts urging their clients to ditch the stock as it suffered a public relations disaster. The exact nature of customer dissatisfaction was not known but bub Stevens was rumoured to have had a hand in it. Industry insiders suspect a Correspondent (artefact) was involved. Patterico’s Pontifications share price dropped from B$2,945.71 to B$1,325.57

bub Stevens declined to comment on the recent speculation.

bub Stevens: http://blogshares.com/user.php?id=22015

I have no idea what the alleged “public relations disaster” was, but I’m nevertheless strangely pleased, as I think everyone should have a public relations disaster now and then. As Calvin’s dad used to say: Builds character.

Something tells me “bub Stevens” is artificially pushing down Patterico shares to corner the market. What gives, “bub”?

UPDATE: Mystery mostly solved. There is a device in the game called an “artefact” that allows players to artificially manipulate stock prices. One of these is called a “public relations disaster”:

Public Relations Disaster (aka PRD): This move enables the player to destroy the share price of a blog (stock) in the artefact’s industry. The market price will drop by 20-50%. Repeated usage on the same blog within 24 hours will have less effect.

So my joke was actually right; someone is probably trying to artificially drive down the price of the stock as part of a restructuring that will allow them to purchase more shares.

I think.

And here I thought I had suffered a real public relations disaster and didn’t even know it.

Oh well. I’m vaguely disappointed. But at least I understand it better. Sort of.

From the local Dog Trainer comes this entertaining correction:

Ian Somerhalder — An article in Saturday’s Calendar section on actor Ian Somerhalder said he was 31. He is 26. The article also said he has blond hair; he has dark brown hair.

Also, his name isn’t really Ian Somerhalder; it’s Victor Petrovsky. And he isn’t an actor; he’s a lathe operator at a curtain rod factory outside Scranton, Pennsylvania.

The Times regrets the errors.