Mitch Moxley: My Troll And Me

Mitch Moxley

(Ed’s note: You guys sure had a lot to say about Mitch last week. We thought it’d only be fair to give him a chance to rebut.)

Over the last week a number of people have asked me about Internet trolls leaving defamatory comments on this website and others. Even though common sense tells me to ignore them, here are responses in the form of an FAQ:

Do you know who’s leaving these comments? Yes. The comments are the inspired work of primarily one guy and a few of his friends. He’s the person who organized the fake businessman trip that I wrote about for the Atlantic in 2010 and he still holds the article against me.

Why does he hold it against you? That’s a great question. Since he knowingly invited a journalist on the trip, and later okayed the article if I omitted certain information – which I agreed to – I am also baffled by his behavior. Although there was no personal information in the 800-word Atlantic article I wrote, and nothing defamatory about him or anyone else, he still believes himself to be heinously wronged, and I for one am willing to pitch in a few dollars to build him the cross he longs to bear.

How do you know it’s him? For one, he has left some comments using his real name, and secondly, for the last three years he has bragged all over Beijing about how he intends to ruin/end my life. I’m sure he’s enlisted a few friends, and I’ve likely stepped on other toes over the years, but the comments are suspiciously similar and share many things in common: poor punctuation, rambling sentences, accusations of my alleged sexual improprieties (apparently I had a harem of married women hidden in my apartment) and threats of violence (“skull cracking pipes,” etc.). These types of comments have appeared below several articles I’ve written over the last few years. My troll is nothing if not loyal.

Does this person have nothing better to do with his time? Even though my troll is well into his thirties (as are his buddies), with a wife and child and company he runs with friends, it appears that, no, he does not have anything better to do with his time than leave libelous comments about someone he hasn’t seen in more than three years. He is apparently willing to risk his own reputation, and the reputation of his business, in his quest to embarrass me.

Is he crazy? I’m not a doctor, but if I were his mother I would be worried about my son’s mental health.

Should I believe what’s being said about you? If these comments are to be believed I was Satan incarnate who unleashed a six-year reign of terror on expat Beijing, preying on the helpless wives of migrant workers and boring people to excruciating death with my “clichéd” writing. Believe whatever you want.

What can you do about these comments? Even though many of the comments are clearly libelous, threatening legal action might only aggravate my troll. However, his threats of violence might have to be taken more seriously once he’s actually employed the skull cracking pipes and/or knocked out my teeth. Luckily for me though, all this nonsense is just creating more attention for my upcoming book, so maybe I should be thanking my troll(s). They’re also highly entertaining and great fodder for an article I’m working on about living with your own Internet troll, which I’ll be pitching to a major U.S. publication, where I have great connections because of my rampant self-promotion and shit-eating grin.

    119 Responses to “Mitch Moxley: My Troll And Me”

    1. bag-o-dicks

      I’d assumed most of those comments were from one guy.

      However, that doesn’t excuse Mitch Moxely from the time he got drunk and handed a loaded firearm to a five-year-old child.

      Five years old, man.

      Reply
    2. Chinese Netizen

      Where do I sign up to be one of your trolls?? Seems like a fun, glamorous existence! (caveat: I have yet to read any of your articles, but will now Google you to catch up on what I need to be trolling about)

      Reply
    3. King Baeksu

      What is this? More self-promotion for your new book? Boring.

      A real journalist would name this so-called troll and present enough evidence to back it up, full stop.

      A real journalist, in other words, would not waste readers’ time with half-assed, mealy-mouthed speculation and more stealth advertising, but simply deliver the goods.

      Sleazy! Then again, you did used to work for China Daily.

      “Apologies To Beijing Cream Readers” are well in order, my friend.

      Reply
      • bag-o-dicks

        “A real journalist, in other words, would not waste readers’ time with half-assed, mealy-mouthed speculation and more stealth advertising”

        You’ve clearly never worked in journalism.

        Reply
        • King Baeksu

          I have, actually. Quite a lot. Real journalism does still exist, although I concede that it seems to be dying a quick death these days.

          Anyway, part of the craft of journalism is properly managing relationships with one’s sources. If Mr. Moxley has pissed off one of his old sources, that’s on him, in my opinion, and he should just suck it up instead of whingeing on the Interwebs like a pouty man-child.

          Reply
          • Johnson

            I am a real journalist… not a state media copy editor and I’m not posting under my real name, and no “real” journalist would do what you’re suggesting. In fact, usually totally ignoring turds like you is the normal route.

            You’re full of shit, Baeksu. If I recall you’re the twerp who blogged for some expat newspaper in Korea and self published some garbage books. That’s not “Working in real journalism”

            Reply
            • Johnson

              BTW, Mr. “Real Journalist” is Scott Burgeson. Check out his “real” journalism experience.

            • King Baeksu

              “I am a real journalist…”

              Lol, if you’re a real journalist why don’t you know how to use Google? I was a critic for The San Francisco Bay Guardian for several years, as well as many other Bay Area publications, and was a regular columnist for major South Korean publications like The Chosun Ilbo — the country’s largest daily newspaper — and Maxim Korea.

              And the garbage books you mention were put out by mainstream commercial publishers in South Korea. Four of them were even bestsellers and one sold 40,000 copies. I doubt “Apologies to My Censor” will even sell in the five figures.

              Anyway, there’s no problem exposing fraud, but compromising one’s sources isn’t very cool at all. And since Mr. Moxley was part of the fraud himself, I don’t think that was even his intention in the first place.

              You can man up and start posting under your real name from here on out, if you want the big boys to take you seriously al all.

            • Johnson

              Yeah, King, we went through this last time. You were a columnist and critic, not a journalist. We have loads of twats at my paper we pay to write columns, usually because they have a biased opinion and insight, but we’d never call them journalists. Again, a pro such as yourself would know that.

              But you’re just a dilettante douchebag with no practical experience in dealing with sources or anything else you are pontificating. Your few years writing reviews for an alt weekly ad up to jack shit.

            • Johnson

              And no King, I won’t post under my real name, cause it’s not a matter of “manning up” it’s a matter of common sense and I don’t care if you don’t know my real name in a pissing match online.

              To a small time hack like yourself I guess it matters. To those of us with real careers it doesn’t.

            • King Baeksu

              “And no King, I won’t post under my real name, cause it’s not a matter of “manning up” it’s a matter of common sense and I don’t care if you don’t know my real name in a pissing match online.”

              Translation: “I’m a pussy.”

              And if you think critics and book authors can’t practice journalism you’re more clueless than I thought. I’ve interviewed literally hundreds of people over the years, often at great length. I know perfectly well how to deal with sources, which is why not one of them has ever gone online and started badmouthing me.

              Do I know you? Have we ever met? Doubt it. You’re just another bitter expat who’s been damaged by too many years in Asia. A dime a dozen, in other words. Must really suck to realize that one’s life is a total cliche, eh?

            • Johnson

              I didn’t say critics and book authors. I said YOU can’t practice journalism and your resume shows you never have. Please, do link us to a story the nature of the one Mitch wrote that you wrote so you can prove me wrong.

              Oh I’m a “pussy” am I? Like I care what you think. And no, I’m not a bitter expat. I have a real job in the west left China three years ago, so there goes that theory.

            • King Baeksu

              “I have a real job in the west left China three years ago, so there goes that theory.”

              You can take the damaged, bitter expat out of Asia, but you can’t always take the damage and bitterness out of the former expat.

              Couldn’t hack it here, eh?

            • Johnson

              HAHAHAHAH

              You think staying in China is a challenge? Losers like you stay there for years cause you get destroyed in western nations. That’s got to be one of the funniest comments yet!

              Poor King, guys like you so much want to be accepted and love to call yourselves “journalists” and it’s just so sad and contrived. Please, Scott, for your own mental health, stop this cycle of overcompensating for a lackluster career and life.

              Don’t make me call your mom to go to China and get you.

            • King Baeksu

              “Poor King, guys like you so much want to be accepted and love to call yourselves “journalists” and it’s just so sad and contrived. Please, Scott, for your own mental health, stop this cycle of overcompensating for a lackluster career and life.”

              Look, you’re the one who keeps calling me a “blogger,” which I am not, and accuses me of wanting to be a “journalist” when I have no desire to be so. I have been representing myself as a critic in public for over twenty years. That’s what I do, OK? If you’re a real journalist yourself, why do you keep making up facts?

              I think any disinterested observer can see who’s really unhinged in this thread. If you will excuse me now, I have a paid writing assignment to attend to. Have a nice day, Dick!

          • Johnson

            The issue isn’t about “unhinged” it’s about journalism. Clearly you have not really done it. BTWm, writing food reviews for the Beijinger is not a “paid assignment”

            Reply
          • Senorglory

            Hey there, tough guy, how about you lgive us your real name and a list of the publications you’ve written for, “full stop.”

            Reply
        • Johnson

          No no! He was a critic at an alt weekly for a whopping $50 an article once a week. We should all pay close attention to him.

          Reply
    4. Reviewer

      I downloaded your book, paid good money!

      It’s poorly written rubbish I’m afraid. It’s in the same vein as that Robert Black guy. There are probably other books like this and I imagine there will be a steady flow of others in the future.

      The style seems to be to include references to alcohol abuse/drug abuse/crazy laowais I have known/Chinese girls I have shagged. There is nothing wrong with this as such, as long as it is done with style and with good writing skills, neither of which you possess.

      Sorry man, but your book is crap. But respect to you for getting a book publisher to hand out an advance to you.

      Reply
    5. King Baeksu

      “Why does he hold it against you? That’s a great question.”

      I’ve reread the article in question. You mention three different foreigners by first name and ethnicity, and in the case of two of them, including the guy who recruited you, their nationality as well. (Possibly the third one’s nationality was also revealed in the story, but the writing is not clear enough to draw a definitive conclusion.) Since you do not state in the story that these are pseudonyms, I’m going to assume that these are real names, which was your first big mistake.

      Moreover, you identify the city and province in which you perpetrated your “rent a white guy” scam, which was your second big mistake. If I had to guess, I’d say the story got back to Chinese individuals doing business with the laowai company owner who is now pissed off at you. It either bit the Chinese in the ass, or bit the laowai in the ass. Either way, there must have been fallout of some kind as a result of what you wrote for The Atlantic in 2010, which would explain the lingering hostility towards you.

      Why did you identify these individuals by name? Why did you have to use the real name of the city where you perpetrated your fraud? You say you ran your story by the individual in question prior to publication, but I have to wonder how up front you were with him. Was he aware that it would be posted online, for instance, or did you merely tell him, “Don’t worry, it will only appear in the print edition and no one in China will ever see it?”

      In any case, it is the responsibility of a journalist to protect his sources. Perhaps the individual in question okayed everything in the text you showed him, not realizing what sort of fallout might eventually come of it. The story has nearly 300 comments on The Atlantic’s Web site and I remember it was widely linked to at the time. It attracted a lot of attention, in other words, including here in China. Ordinary people who are not media professionals cannot always be expected to understand the full repercussions of what they tell journalists, and sometimes need to be protected from themselves.

      Did you have the best interests of your sources at heart, Mr. Moxley, or was it all about you from beginning to end?

      Reply
      • Johnson

        Wow. You really don’t know shit about journalism. Your suggestion is that Mitch should just allow fraud to go on unfettered? That’s not journalism, you literary mendicant.

        “Why did you identify these individuals by name? Why did you have to use the real name of the city where you perpetrated your fraud? You say you ran your story by the individual in question prior to publication, but I have to wonder how up front you were with him. Was he aware that it would be posted online, for instance, or did you merely tell him, “Don’t worry, it will only appear in the print edition and no one in China will ever see it?””

        Everything you’re suggesting here is something that is usually avoided by proper journalism outfits as this would give the subjects a chance to control the story and the message. That isn’t journalism either. Being such an amazing journalist, Scott, I’d assume you would know some of the basic tenants of the profession. But I guess that doesn’t get taught at blogs in South Korea or China Daily or whatever other craphole you worked in and think equates to actual experience.

        Reply
        • King Baeksu

          “Your suggestion is that Mitch should just allow fraud to go on unfettered?”

          I may not know shit about journalism but you know jack shit about how to read pixels on a screen. Mr. Moxley could have changed the names in his story, especially the location of his charade, and that would have been enough.

          That is all, “Johnson.” Can I just call you “Dick” for short?

          Reply
          • Johnson

            First of all, you don’t even know if he did or not.
            Secondly, you wouldn’t change all these names and locations in a story. I can promise you, if you pitched a story to the Atlantic and said “But I can’t tell the real place where this happened or use any real names” alarm bells would go off for them and they would start by urging you to tell the real information, cause you know how some journalists get all touchy about facts and accuracy.
            If Mitch still refused they would strongly consider NOT running the story for a load of reasons.
            Anyone who knows a thing about this business, especially pitching freelance work knows that’s exactly how it would pan out.

            Again, you’re clueless, stick to blogging.

            Reply
            • King Baeksu

              Lol, it must have been my imagination when MAJOR FUCKING PUBLICATIONS like The New York Times, The New Yorker and The Guardian have put names in quotes to indicate that they are not real, or added in parentheses that pseudonyms have been used to protect an individual’s identity. Like, literally every day, Dick.

              And I am not a blogger. Just because you said it doesn’t make it so, Dick. Unlike most bloggers, I generally get paid to write. That’s the difference, Dick.

            • Johnson

              If you want to protect a source in the manner you are talking about there is a HUGE deal to do it. It’s not as simple as saying “okay, we’ll just take the freelancer’s word for it and allow this story to run, even though it could be pure bullshit.”
              One agency I worked at needed permission from the head of editorial for the WHOLE agency to keep sources secret.
              Of course I guess they don’t teach this kind of thing in blog/critic school. It’s the kind of thing you learn on the job. Maybe get one and see what happens.

              Enjoy your $50 an article… you’re really going places.

    6. King Baeksu

      BTW, I would strongly advise you against any further writing on this subject, be it for “a major U.S. publication” or anywhere else for the matter. Even if you come out ahead against your adversary, do you think any future potential sources will trust you again? Which is more important to you, your ego or your legitimacy and future career as a journalist and writer? If it’s your ego, then you’re just another “rent-a-journalist” and should probably consider another profession.

      Move on. Admit your error and apologize, even if there were no mistakes made in the first place. Because a journalist with whom no one will speak is no journalist at all. Seriously, do you want to be known forever afterwards as “Mitch Moxely, the creep who calls his sources ‘trolls’”?

      You can thank me for this priceless advice by having your publisher send me a review copy of your book, even though I probably won’t review it anywhere myself. Hey, at least I’m honest!

      Reply
      • Johnson

        When you get a book published somewhere other than a country in which you’re a novelty then you can start spouting your experience. But anyone who works in this business knows every thing you’re saying is incorrect. So fly away.

        Reply
      • RhZ

        Are you trying to out Jake the Canadian!?!

        You have noticed, I assume, that in one thread you have (1) accused Moxley of improperly exposing his sources and (2) told him is is a putz for failing to expose his sources and encouraging him to expose his sources now. :-)

        I think there are also some free-agent trolls around here ready to pile on at a moment’s notice as well. Ah trolls, you really got to wonder what animates them.

        Reply
        • King Baeksu

          “You have noticed, I assume, that in one thread you have (1) accused Moxley of improperly exposing his sources and (2) told him is is a putz for failing to expose his sources and encouraging him to expose his sources now.”

          Still hungover? You’re not making any sense at all.

          Reply
    7. King Tubby

      Anthony orchestrated small-time ratings-raising pissing competition.

      That Atlantic article. Yawn. Now if anybody mentions MM and Hunter S in the same sentence, I’ll see that they’re slowly strangled with piano wire.

      And JSB. Footprints everywhere.

      I have a perfectly good reason. It’s pissing down rain outside.

      Reply
      • Johnson

        So far their intelligence has recovered loads of information that leads them to believe baeksu is retarded.

        Reply
    8. King Baeksu

      So who would benefit most from having the above points I made about respecting sources muddied by a barrage of personal attacks against me?

      I note that in the earlier thread, “Three Shots With… Mitch Moxley, Author Of ‘Apologies To My Censor,’” not a single comment of the 37 that appear so far was made by “Johnson.” Yet here he is all over this thread like white on rice, and every single one of his comments here is aimed directly against me, an individual he has never met in person yet seems to care about so much, and fails to address any of the actual content made by the actual author of this post.

      My vote is for “Johnson” being Mitch Moxley. Only Anthony Tao has the IP addresses for both. If he does not want the rather dodgy reputation of Mr. Moxley to infect Beijing Cream as well, I respectfully request he clarify the matter. Otherwise, the impression I am left with, right or wrong, is that he has allowed someone to hijack Beijing Cream for their own personal aggrandizement. Are the extra “hits” really worth it?

      Reply
      • Johnson

        OOOO poor baby.. so you can go ahead and insult the author personally, but can’t take it when someone does it to you? What a hypocritical delta bravo.

        And no, I’m not Mitch. You can see my comments on other threads. I just found out about all this nonsense today and saw you spewing your utter BS and pretending to be legit, so I thought I’d step in.

        Reply
      • Johnson

        BTW, nothing has been muddied. I explained in rude but, because I am talking to you, totally acceptable language WHY your points are wrong.

        Reply
        • Johnson

          What “facts” are you referring too?
          And your “real journalist friends” I wager have a lot more time than you think and sitting down for oh 1.5 hours on a Sunday night to fuck about on the internet and argue with a jackass expat is no an impossible feat, thanks for proving again you don’t know what you’re talking about.

          See, Scott, my issue isn’t some deep resentment towards you. I just know people like you, I was surrounded by them in China and it drove me nuts to listen to a bunch of falsely propped up hacks fool themselves into thinking they are god’s gift to journalism when none of them had actually ever done it. You’re one of those people, so to have you bullshitting on here like you’re some authority is just irritating and insulting, especially when you’re constantly incorrect about the industry.

          You’ve never exposed a scandal, covered an election, covered a murder, talked to the mother of a child run over by a hit and run driver. You’ve never done anything like that, so stop pretending you know what you’re talking about.

          You accusing me of being Mitch is as solid as me accusing you of being Jake the Canadian. Anthony is more than welcome to check the IPs.

          Either way, dingus, your little self-indulgent soap box performance can’t be allowed to go unchecked if only because you are so horrible incorrect.

          Reply
    9. King Baeksu

      “OOOO poor baby.. so you can go ahead and insult the author personally, but can’t take it when someone does it to you?”

      I think I can “take it” fairly well, since I’ve managed to rebut pretty much all of your claims, and despite your weak-assed attempts to move the goal posts on every down.

      “And no, I’m not Mitch.”

      A meaningless statement since you are posting anonymously. Why do you care so much about me? You are either Mr. Moxley, a close friend of his, or a paid PR flack.

      Which is it, “Dick”? By your own account, you are a media professional who once lived in China but now resides abroad. Gee, sounds familiar, doesn’t it?

      More to the point, would a “real journalist” have so much time to post on blogs like this anyway? I have plenty of friends who are actual journalists writing for major publications in the West, and they are simply too busy hustling to fritter away their time on blogs. Finally, I have to say that your tone of voice and freedom with the facts does not make you sound like a real journalist at all, Dick.

      Reply
      • Johnson

        What “facts” are you referring too?
        And your “real journalist friends” I wager have a lot more time than you think and sitting down for oh 1.5 hours on a Sunday night to fuck about on the internet and argue with a jackass expat is no an impossible feat, thanks for proving again you don’t know what you’re talking about.

        See, Scott, my issue isn’t some deep resentment towards you. I just know people like you, I was surrounded by them in China and it drove me nuts to listen to a bunch of falsely propped up hacks fool themselves into thinking they are god’s gift to journalism when none of them had actually ever done it. You’re one of those people, so to have you bullshitting on here like you’re some authority is just irritating and insulting, especially when you’re constantly incorrect about the industry.

        You’ve never exposed a scandal, covered an election, covered a murder, talked to the mother of a child run over by a hit and run driver. You’ve never done anything like that, so stop pretending you know what you’re talking about.

        You accusing me of being Mitch is as solid as me accusing you of being Jake the Canadian. Anthony is more than welcome to check the IPs.

        Either way, dingus, your little self-indulgent soap box performance can’t be allowed to go unchecked if only because you are so horrible incorrect.

        Reply
    10. King Baeksu

      Lol, there are so many typos, grammar errors and awkward constructions in your comments here that you simply have no credibility on the issue of journalistic or writerly professionalism.

      “Freedom with the facts?,” he asked in faux shock. When I have ever called myself a blogger? Show us all where my fucking blog is. You can’t, because I don’t have one. Yet you insist on referring to me as a blogger, because you’re simply obtuse.

      Show me where I have ever claimed that I am a journalist or reporter. I don’t cover the news, which I find boring. I write about culture, which is why I have always called myself a critic, and along the way, I have interviewed hundreds of individuals and know how to handle sources. So stop claiming that I am poser who goes about claiming to be a “real journalist,” or wants to be one. Why do I have to keep repeating the same simple things over and over again? Oh, sorry, I forgot: because you’re a psychopathic moron.

      Judging by your online persona and general vibe, if I every came across you in person and you tried to interview me, I’d simply laugh in your face and tell you to fuck off, Dick.

      Reply
      • Johnson

        OOO the grammar errors. When you start reverting to grammar errors or spelling mistakes in a flamewar, it’s a good sign you’re losing the argument. You claimed you were a journalist up top when you said ‘I’ve worked in journalism quite a bit.’

        This whole time you’ve been claiming professional experience as a reference for your incorrect advice. You’re slowly backing down on that. maybe you’ll smarten up even more and stop trying to absolve the idiot going after Moxley in such a way.

        Now, go finish your food review.

        Reply
        • King Baeksu

          1. journalism |ˈjərnlˌizəm|
          noun
          the activity or profession of writing for newspapers or magazines or of broadcasting news on radio or television.
          • the product of such activity : an art critic whose essays and journalism are never dull.

          2. journalist |ˈjərnl-ist|
          noun
          a person who writes for newspapers or magazines or prepares news to be broadcast on radio or television.

          See the difference, moron? A critic can work in the field of journalism, but a journalist is not a critic because critics don’t generally cover the news.

          Real media professionals understand that words have clear meanings, but all you do is treat them like bits of poo to fling at your computer screen.

          Congratulations, Tao, you’ve allowed Beijing Cream to become infested with trolls. Guess that means you’ve finally arrived!

          Reply
          • Johnson

            No, cause there’s a difference between what a critic does and what a journalist does. As a critic, you are not qualified to lecture anyone on how to deal with sources leaking sensitive information or how to write about situations, like this one, where the reporter was reporting on questionable activity.

            I like how you had to bring out a dictionary though, cause you don’t actually know what journalism is yourself, so you cannot explain it without aid.

            Reply
    11. wafflestomp

      Didn’t you just produce a 3 shots episode with your “troll”? Why would you bother doing that if he’s such a thorn in your side?

      Reply
    12. King Baeksu

      I note that neither Anthony Tao nor the author of this post has answered my above questions specifically addressed to them, while at the same time the former has allowed a certain “troll” with nothing useful to say to run amok in this thread. No answer is a pretty clear answer in my book.

      Beijing Cream has certainly gone downhill very fast. I’m outta here.

      Reply
      • Johnson

        Um, actually. I went through why you are wrong quite a bit. You’re just upset that someone called you on your bullshit. That doesn’t mean a place is “going downhill” it’s just means the users will actually counter your opinions, which are steeped in ignorance and ego.

        So go cry about it.

        Reply
        • King Baeksu

          “I went through why you are wrong quite a bit.”

          Um. no you haven’t, moron.

          From the first two pages of Google results searching for “not her real name” and http://www.nytimes.com:

          “The servant’s examination is still going on, but develops only circumstantial evidence against her. ELLA GRANT is not her real name, and that she will not give.”

          “But Christina is not her real name, and her parents do not allow her face to be photographed. Such is the power of prejudice against AIDS …”

          “Alissa (not her real name) escaped and testified against her pimps, sending six of …”

          “…a cybersecurity bombshell when the New York Times reported that the …. Ms. Smith (not her real name) is a freelance writer and programmer …”

          “The Comfort of a Diagnosis – NYTimes.com … that Sarah (not her real name) presented with excruciating abdominal pain.”

          Literally nothing you have said in this thread is “right.”

          Have a nice day, troll. Or should I say Mitch?

          Reply
          • Johnson

            I haven’t explained why you’re wrong eh? I will show you this again as it also addresses your quoting the NYT…etc. I already explained it once, but here we go again!

            “If you want to protect a source in the manner you are talking about there is a HUGE deal to do it. It’s not as simple as saying “okay, we’ll just take the freelancer’s word for it and allow this story to run, even though it could be pure bullshit.”
            One agency I worked at needed permission from the head of editorial for the WHOLE agency to keep sources secret.”

            Second instance:

            “First of all, you don’t even know if he did or not.
            Secondly, you wouldn’t change all these names and locations in a story. I can promise you, if you pitched a story to the Atlantic and said “But I can’t tell the real place where this happened or use any real names” alarm bells would go off for them and they would start by urging you to tell the real information, cause you know how some journalists get all touchy about facts and accuracy.”

            There’s more as well. But I’m not going to post everything over and over for you to read and ignore again, dumbass.

            You don’t know what you’re talking about. You’re a hypocrite and a hack. Also, confused first you say you don’t want to be a journalist, then you’re posting dictionary entries to prove you are one. Do you always argue using plagiarism? How many of your books are done this way?

            Reply
            • King Baeksu

              Your first mistake is in thinking that “Rent a White Guy” was even a “news” story, so the gibberish you have written above is irrelevant.

              It was a fluffy lifestyle piece, not much longer that this here bog post. Fluffy as in whatever is going on between those two unwashed ears of yours.

              The point of the article was not to expose “fraud,” but rather to show how gullible and stupid many Chinese are. Got it?

              Stupid and gullible: Have a look in the mirror if you want to know what these two words really mean, Dick.

            • Johnson

              Really? So you’re suggesting the author wrote it and the Atlantic published it to make Chinese people look gullible and stupid? Oh, yeah sure, that makes sense. After all The Atlantic is famed for its race-baiting.

              Also, if it’s a light fluff story then why would the sources need such protection?

              There’s no excuse for someone threatening to beat a reporter or “ruin their life” because of a story they did. Though you seem to think trying to intimidate the press is okay, most wouldn’t agree.

              Not only are you defending someone threatening the press you’re

              - Making assumptions about why the story was published
              - Making assumptions about what agreements the author and retard threatening him may have had in place beforehand.
              - Assuming you know the Atlantic’s policy on source disclosure
              - Assuming Moxley is somehow at fault for an idiot flying off the handle and threatening him
              - Twisting the conversation at every chance to go back and forth, ANYTHING to distract from the fact you are clearly wrong.

              Just admit you’re wrong and go away. You shouldn’t have opened your mouth and become all self-righteous because it’s pretty easy to make you look stupid.

            • King Baeksu

              BTW, here’s a story I wrote for the Chosun Ilbo, South Korea’s largest daily, a while back:

              http://www.kingbaeksu.com/bbs/view.php?id=bug&page=30&sn1=&divpage=1&sn=off&ss=on&sc=on&select_arrange=headnum&desc=asc&no=340

              One major South Korean bank threatened to sue me after the story came out in English, but in the end nothing came of it because I had used solid sources. The piece also prompted South Korean banks to regularized their discriminatory policies against foreigners there, to the great relief of many expats in South Korea.

              You will note that my sources were from the Ministry of Finance and Economy and the Financial Supervisory Service, and that I did not use their names in print because they asked me not to. In fact, that is standard practice in South Korea, where most government officials and spokespersons prefer not to be quoted by name when speaking to journalists, reporters or writers.

              So regardless of what you may say or think, Dick, it is in fact possible to quote sources without using their real names.

              Since you are such a battle-scarred media veteran yourself, let’s see an example of your superior reportage, Dick.

              If you’re man enough, that is. Which I doubt you are.

            • Johnson

              Yeah, and if you had a job ever with a proper news outlet then you would know if someone doesn’t want their name printed editors crap their pants because the credibility of the story is compromised if someone will not stand behind their words. It is not something taken lightly when a reporter’s source asks for confidentiality. And applying South Korean Standards to a US publication is flawed from beginning to end.

              I read your story. So, you used a government spokesman as background. That is a world of difference from going on a fake-businessman trip in China. That story is hardly journalism, just you talking about a problem you had coupled with a call to a government employee asking about it. Blogger-type stuff.

              Also, in your lede you should not say “in over two years” but rather “more than two years,” there pro.

              And, again, no I will not post my stuff because I have an actual career I don’t wish to be dragging my good name into an online scrap with some delusional douchebag. What I choose to do on my free time is my business.

    13. King Baeksu

      “Also, in your lede you should not say “in over two years” but rather “more than two years,” there pro.”

      OK, let’s see: “Last year I worked my butt off at Hongik University and writing my latest book, and hadn’t had a real vacation more than two years.” Yeah, that sounds much better (rolls eyes).

      “And, again, no I will not post my stuff because I have an actual career I don’t wish to be dragging my good name into an online scrap with some delusional douchebag.”

      Just as I expected. Denial is not just a river in Egypt.

      “Good name.” Thanks for the lulz!

      Reply
      • johnson

        I wouldn’t expect you to know this, but using “over” is something I pointed out cause those who actually work in this industry know it’s a major faux pas. If you don’t know why, I won’t tell you. I bet you use “however” a lot and say things like “When asked,” “for his part,” and “the fact that” often as well.

        You’re an amateur, that’s all. And that’s why I pointed that out.

        Reply
        • King Baeksu

          over |ˈōvər|
          preposition

          2 expressing duration : inventories have been refined over many years

          If you knew anything about the print media, you would know that one word is always better than two to express the same concept, since space is always at a premium.

          Please do let us all know whom you supposedly write for, so we don’t have to bother wasting our time on it in the future!

          Reply
        • johnson

          Yes, yes it does trump the dictionary when it comes to journalistic writing. If you ever worked in the industry you’d know this. So…uh yeah.
          Keep fooling yourself though.

          Reply
          • King Baeksu

            I have an honors degree in English Literature and Rhetoric from UC Berkeley, and if you think I take my stylistic cues from the AP, which is frankly pretty bland and generic on average, you’re even dimmer than I thought. As I have said ad nauseam, I have no desire to be a hard-news journalist, and have much higher ambitions than that. And I also object to your insistence that the US media are some sort of gold standard that we must all follow, when clearly they more resemble copper or tin these days thanks to their corporate overlords, which care nothing of the truth or even style for that matter.

            The reason I am even bothering to reply to you here is because you are slandering my real name in public. I can only speculate as to why you care to invest so much of your own time here when you are posting anonymously and have no real skin in the game, but I suspect that it’s because you realize you are nothing but a lowly wage slave toiling away at some fucked-up corporatized news agency, and are probably fairly unhappy with where you are in your life these days. Your bitterness and anger scream through everything you have posted here. Sucks to be you, doesn’t it?

            Reply
            • Johnson

              Again, if you worked in this business legitimately you’d know the purpose of style guides is for consistency, it has nothing to do with creativity or anything. If you think your decisions on where to put a hyphen are what makes you a better writer, I can see why your writing is so bland and meandering.

              I don’t hate anything about my life, thanks. I make a great wage, work in a great industry and live in a wicked city at a job I’ve never stopped loving, except for the couple years I did it in China. But I don’t really care to defend myself to a twat like you.

              You on the other hand are a delusional little hack who never made it in the west, moved to Korea, got a bit of attention and let it go to your head. Then you lashed out at Mitch Moxley under an online name and act self righteous. Then you get so mad when someone calls you on your BS. THAT’S why I outed your real name. I did it because you’re a wanker, in the purest form.

              Also, seriously, your writing is shit. It’s boring, unimaginative and goes on too long with no focus.

              And I think you need to look up the definition of slander, yet another writing-related expression you fail to grasp.

            • King Baeksu

              “Then you get so mad when someone calls you on your BS. THAT’S why I outed your real name.”

              Woo hoo, my name is literally all over my site, which I have conveniently linked to here for all to see with every comment. You are such an amazing journalist — scoop of the century! Hope you have a nice suit for the Pulitzer ceremony!

              Oh, and if you are so happy where you are now, why are so spending so much time obsessing over a China-based site, especially when by your own admission you weren’t very happy here in the first place?

              “You on the other hand are a delusional little hack who never made it in the west, moved to Korea, got a bit of attention and let it go to your head.”

              I had a solid professional writing career in the San Francisco Bay Area and literally had more work and writing offers from prominent editors than I could handle. I chose adventure and moved to Japan in 1994, and am still having a great time nearly two decades later. And my idea of adventure certainly does not include attacking people anonymously online for no good reason except that I’m a deranged jackass.

              As for my writing, I don’t care what you think about it. Plenty of people think it’s good enough to pay for, and plenty more have said it’s had a meaningful impact on their lives. That’s good enough for me, and there’s yet more to come!

            • Johnson

              You did piss all. The last time I saw you on this site it was the same thing, you were going about someone else’s journalism. I got into it with you then too.

              You’re a poser, plain and simple. Now blow.

            • Johnson

              I love how desperate you get to qualify yourself. It’s very telling, but it’s not as funny as going back to 1998 to point out a successful author who used your blurb.

              Yaaaawwwnnnnn…….

            • King Baeksu

              Dude, you sure do talk a lot of smack hiding behind a computer screen. I live in Shenyang — you’re welcome to come here any time and try that shit in front of my face. See what happens then, punk.

              Tao, I wonder why you let this guy shit all over your blog and abuse your other commenters for no reason save for spite? Don’t you have any house rules? Most bloggers I know do.

              Anyway, you’ve just another regular commenter, the second one in as many weeks.It was fun while it lasted. Sort of.

              Over and out.

          • Johnson

            HAHAHAH
            Threatening violence now? Are mentally ill? I thought I was the “unhinged” one.
            I can’t believe you’re a grown man.

            Reply
    14. Johnson

      “but I guess the feeble-minded need to be to told what to do and how to do it since they can’t be trusted to think for themselves.”

      Says the guy who relies on the dictionary to make arguments for him

      Reply
    15. King Tubby

      Seriously, King Baeksu.

      Never hear of those other two you mentioned, but Terry Eagleton!!!!

      I ‘m calling you out on this one. And very fucking seriously, okay.

      Eagleton, the Anderson bros and their confreres most certainly don’t associate with anybody remotely connected with anyone in the Sino bloggersphere.

      Parading one’s single rabbit ears **degree** rabbit ears and from an American university……

      Reply
    16. Chinese Netizen

      The only Canadian I have EVER heard of associated with China is the beloved large mountain. And Lai Changxing, perhaps.

      Reply
    17. King Baeksu

      Quoth Johnson: “I wouldn’t expect you to know this, but using “over” is something I pointed out cause those who actually work in this industry know it’s a major faux pas.”

      Gee, I guess Reuters didn’t get the memo: http://in.reuters.com/article/2013/06/09/two-koreas-in-first-talks-in-over-two-ye-idINDEE95802320130609

      Now I see why Johnson is such an angry cunt: Literally everything he says in public appears to be embarrassingly wrong, yet he still can’t keep his trap shut.

      How’d you sleep under your bridge last night, troll?

      Reply
      • King Baeksu

        Oh, and here’s one more, straight from the horse’s mouth: http://sports.yahoo.com/news/blue-jays-white-sox-preview-070227983–mlb.html

        “In addition to Dunn’s fifth career four-hit game and first in over two years Monday, Alexei Ramirez also provided three hits and Alejandro De Aza drove in a pair of runs.”

        See the byline, jackass?

        You need to stop wasting so much time on Beijing Cream and put your own AP house in order first, and then come back and talk to us.

        Reply
      • Johnson

        It’s pretty funny that you would go through a bunch of news stories regarding this. Now for more shock, Reuters is British, who use “over” in journalistic writing more often and sports journalists can get away with it because they can write more pejoratively.

        Two more things I’m not shocked you didn’t know.

        Okay. Hulkster threaten to kick my ass again!

        Reply
        • Johnson

          Honestly, it’s just more and more laughable you would A: Choose Webster over Oxford and B: Suggest the dictionary is a style guide.

          Again, style guides are used for consistency so that your publication has everything written the same way. But, being an amateur, and a lousy one at that, you would know that.

          Reply
          • King Baeksu

            Bleat, bleat, bleat. Yap, yap, yap.

            “Now for more shock, Reuters is British, who use “over” in journalistic writing more often…”

            “Honestly, it’s just more and more laughable you would A: Choose Webster over Oxford…”

            I’m sorry, dear old chap, but what were you trying to say about consistency?

            In any case: http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/over

            “3.higher or more than (a specified number or quantity):
            over 40 degrees C
            they’ve been married for over a year”

            Don’t you ever get tired of making yourself look so foolish?

            I’m over you, Johnson. Over and out!

            Reply
            • johnson

              How many times have I heard that?

              You can’t take being told you’re wrong and act like a child when someone calls you on your ignorance. You went through all the shit I expected from a poserlike yourself.

              First you tried to deflect, then you tried to spin, then you tried to ignore, then you started name calling, then you used alternate IDs, then you threatened violence and then you said you were leaving…. BUT KEPT COMING BACK.

              You’re a child, and a shit writer with no clue about how the industry works. Pathetic, no wonder no western publisher will have you,.

    18. Chinese Netizen

      Come on guys… just a few more long winded, unread replies to each other and we’ll crack 100 on this!!

      Reply
        • King Baeksu

          Well done? Only if Tao thinks that allowing trolls to shit all over his blog and driving away commenters and readers is a good thing, I suppose.

          I’ve seen the same thing happen plenty of times in the Korean blogosphere. Nothing new or terribly exiting here. It’s only the Internet, after all.

          Off to the sauna now!

          Reply
    19. SadShite

      Unbelievable, what a load of butthurt. Clearly Mitch is a talentless clown who thinks highly of himself and his ‘journalism’ but good grief, 94 comments. Also, Mitch, if you want to post comments here just do it as Mitch or Moxley, not as Johnson. You’re the one going for the limelight so take that beating like a man.

      Reply
    20. King Baeksu

      One last gift for you, Johnson: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324069104578531032522537070.html?mod=WSJAsia_hpp_LEFTTopStories

      “The blogger, who writes under the name of Tesuta, and declined to give his real name, says he netted ¥133 million in May, around 10 times his monthly gains over the past year.”

      King Baeksu: “Looks like Wall Street Journal also quotes sources without real-name attribution, doesn’t it?”

      Johnson: “Look, if you knew anything about consistency, you would know that Rupert Murdoch, who bought the Wall Street Journal in 2007, is an Australian by birth who lived in the United Kingdom for many years, so what you are saying is complete bullocks and proves how little you know about The Industry!”

      King Baeksu: “But Murdoch became a naturalized American citizen in 1985, didn’t he? And what does that have to do with the price of jiaozi in the Heavenly Kingdom, anyway?”

      Johnson: “Look, you moron, Murdoch’s wife Wendi Deng was born in China, and I dare say she knows a lot more about the price of jiaozi in China than a poser like you!”

      King Baeksu: “But I actually live in China while she lives in Manhattan, so I probably do know more about the price of jiaozi in China than she does.”

      Johnson’s Mom: “Mitch, dear, dinner’s ready! Get your butt into the dining room now! Game of Thrones is on, so hurry! This is the only chance you’ll have to see a bit of trim all week!”

      Reply
      • Johnson

        Fo the last time, you dolt the issue isn’t hiding sources, the issue is how much work it takes to do so and the fact it can’t just be easily done. I’ve repeated this many times.

        You’re seriously daft.

        I love how much you couldn’t take my calling you on your BS. Really got under your skin, guess cause of the truth and all that……..

        Reply
        • King Baeksu

          “Fo the last time, you dolt the issue isn’t hiding sources, the issue is how much work it takes to do so and the fact it can’t just be easily done.”

          Bob —> Fred.

          Yep, you’re right. Too difficult to manage. My bad.

          BTW, I don’t post under alternate IDs. I’m not a cowardly wimp with a little-used mangina like you are. I actually stand by what I say, and am man enough to do it in public. Been doing so for over twenty years, in fact.

          Reply
    21. King Baeksu

      Oh, and while we’re on the subject of quality writing, I’d like to introduce everyone to Anna Hartford of Cape Town, South Africa:

      http://nplusonemag.com/ponte-city

      “Rent a White Guy,” a mere trifle in comparison to the above piece, caught on mostly because Mitch Moxley got lucky and was in the right place at the right time (doubt he even came up with the ultraclickable title himself). But luck doesn’t make one a great writer, which Hartford clearly is. I expect we’ll be hearing much more from her in the future.

      Reply
      • Johnson

        See, it’s this kind of stupid targeting of other writers that makes you a target for abuse. You’re a shit writer and you shit on people who are far better writers than you are. Then you make up your own rules and try to pretend they are valid.

        That’s why we mock you so, Scott.

        Reply
    22. King Baeksu

      “See, it’s this kind of stupid targeting of other writers that makes you a target for abuse.”

      But that’s what critics do: They pass aesthetic judgement and back it up with argument and evidence. They don’t just name-call, which is your sole m.o. as far as I can tell.

      Now run along and enjoy your bland, flavorless AP stories. Your CPU can’t seem to handle much more than that.

      Reply
      • Johnson

        Ha ha
        Fuck, what a hypocrite. You started the name calling by calling me “dick” non stop. you really are a pathetic person. As for your “critics backing up opinions” nonsense, you’ve failed miserably at it, so find a new vocation to which you’re more suited…. like welfare.

        Reply
    23. Vladimir Nabokov

      One evening at a remote provincial college through which I happened to be jogging on a protracted lecture tour, I suggested a little quiz—ten definitions of a reader, and from these ten the students had to choose four definitions that would combine to make a good reader. I have mislaid the list, but as far as I remember the definitions went something like this. Select four answers to the question what should a reader be to be a good reader:

      1. The reader should belong to a book club.
      2. The reader should identify himself or herself with the hero or heroine.
      3. The reader should concentrate on the social-economic angle.
      4. The reader should prefer a story with action and dialogue to one with none.
      5. The reader should have seen the book in a movie.
      6. The reader should be a budding author.
      7. The reader should have imagination.
      8. The reader should have memory.
      9. The reader should have a dictionary.
      10. The reader should have some artistic sense.

      The students leaned heavily on emotional identification, action, and the social-economic or historical angle. Of course, as you have guessed, the good reader is one who has imagination, memory, a dictionary, and some artistic sense–which sense I propose to develop in myself and in others whenever I have the chance.

      Reply
    24. Jonathan Whittingham

      Ultimately, at least we all agree that Poxley looks like a smarmy smug bastard wankstain

      Reply
      • RhZ

        Wow that’s the first non-misogynistic comment I have seen from you so far on this site, Jake. Infantile of course, but at least not openly douche this time, that’s an improvement.

        I would really avoid using my real name when posting these kinds of crap comments.

        Reply
    25. Jake the Muss!

      Just watched the three shots video with this guy. Oh my. What a sanctimonious little prick he is!

      Reply
    26. Teresa's teesa

      Oh it all makes sense now! Must be that scumbag Jake Cooke of Web Presence in China!

      Ha ha! Now it becomes clear. Is he still pulling his scams?

      Reply

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