According to new research from a University of Warwick historian, "the foul language and public name-calling hurled around on the streets of Elizabethan England from 1500 to 1700 was far worse than anything we hear today."

Of journalists, scholars and trolls

Note to Bob Grumman re: The Sarasota Herald-Tribune article about Roberta Ballantine: This is what the writer, MICHAEL POLLICK actually wrote:

"Another prominent Marlovian familiar with Ballantine's work is David More of Carbondale, Ill. He is publisher of the online newsletter 'The Marlovian.' More points out that Ballantine's very first cipher analysis -- of the words carved on Shakespeare's tomb -- was published by the 'Shakespeare Bulletin.'

'They were impressed enough there, and that is an orthodox publication,' More says.

More considers Ballantine a valuable resource -- a walking encyclopedia of events dating from the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558-1603). 'She knows the Elizabethan underworld like the back of her hand'."

Grumman said the article referred to me and John Baker as "scholars," which it doesn't. Neither John nor I are professional literary scholars, and Pollick is a responsible, accurate journalist, who strives to get the facts straight, which he did ... and Bob Grumman didn't. Bob doesn't have to, since he's a volunteer at HLAS?

Oh yeah ... gotta get the last word in with "Spam Scone," aka Neil Brennen....and Trot Nixon just homered off of Roger Clemens in the second inning of game 7 of the ALCS.

*** from a reader in a chess newsgroup***
Google Search:: "i may say that i enjoyed visiting your marlovian site and reading some of the contributions there. we have something in common, we both find ourselves here as the result of an accident, a shipwreck, if you will. my being here resulted from the fact that a friend and i were trolled by one of the most prominent members of this group. your being here evidently resulted from mr. brennen's having written about you, here."

Downsized

The man who posts under the screen name "Spam Scone" Neil Brennen posted another message today on HLAS about his photo in this blog. I think i've found a way that you can see what he looks like while respecting the webmaster's copyright of the photo. See below.

In the Sarasota Herald Tribune: Roberta Ballantine claims ciphers decode literary puzzle