C’mon, tell us your story

Anyone who has spent any time sending and receiving the stuff has a personal “My Most Embarrassing E-mail Story.” You do, right? . . . Now go ahead and ask the closest co-worker. . . . See what I mean?

Anyone who has spent any time sending and receiving the stuff has a personal “My Most Embarrassing E-mail Story.”

You do, right? . . . Now go ahead and ask the closest co-worker. . . . See what I mean?

Today, we are looking for those of you who don’t mind sharing your stories.

The idea springs from a conversation with a few colleagues who were more than happy to recount the silly things they have done – and had done to them – thanks to the wonder we call e-mail.

One such episode involves a public relations company charged with getting ink for a vendor Network World writes about.

The messages were flying back and forth at a furious clip between employees of the PR firm. The topic was how to ensure that an upcoming meeting between the firm’s client and a reporter would happen as scheduled and produce a positive story. Concerns were expressed that the reporter might not be anxious to take the meeting. Someone compared the reporter with others at competing publications, and not in a flattering way. Theories were espoused as to which spin would prove effective.

“Hey, I’m on this e-mail, you know,” our reporter finally replied to the group, which had been oblivious to that fact.

Same reporter: This time she is the one pounding out the unflattering e-mail. It’s about a co-worker who sits close enough to hear the clacking of her keyboard. Her intent is to share the poisoned missive with a sympathetic friend.

Instead she absent-mindedly addresses the e-mail to the target of her invective.

It’s awfully tough to smooth over that kind of thing.

My story also involves a PR professional. This fellow sent a press release with the greeting: “Dear VIP.” Rather than be flattered by the bum-smooching, I found the ploy so over-the-top that it called for a dose of my oh-so-clever commentary, which I intended to share with a co-worker who also enjoys picking on defenseless flacks.

Only problem is that I hit “reply” instead of “forward.”

The horror of realizing the mistake three seconds later was exceeded only by the unpleasantness of having to write an apology to the poor fellow.

Now it’s your turn. Send me your worst e-mail faux pas. Presuming I get enough good ones, I’ll share the best in a January column (and withhold the names of those who insist on anonymity). . . . Don’t be shy. The address is below.

The end of online publishing?

This story did not get enough attention last week: Australia’s highest court has ruled that an Australian businessman, mining magnate Joseph Gutnick, can file a libel suit against Barron’s magazine on Gutnick’s home turf in Victoria rather than on Barron’s in New Jersey.

Now the closest Buzz ever got to law school was watching “The Paper Chase,” but it doesn’t take a legal expert to see how this ruling might cast a chill over the online publishing world.

There are 190 nations that let individuals sue publishers for dragging people through the mud without cause. I am familiar enough with the laws of only one – this one – to be comfortable that I can express my opinions here without costing my employer a fat settlement.

But put aside the financial and logistical burden of a publisher having to defend lawsuits worldwide.

Here’s the killer: If freedom of the press online is going to mean only as much freedom as the least tolerant of those 190 nations allows, don’t get too attached to your favorite news sites.

Now send your e-mail story. The address is buzz@nww.com.