Navy Codger Called "Nerd" In Online Spat, So He Drives 1300 Miles To Burn Down Accuser's Home

Another reason for anonymity, and, of course, always being polite and civil when online.

As I do.

Called him a "nerd." A nerd, mind you.

A Navy man who got mad when someone mocked him as a "nerd" over the Internet climbed into his car and drove 1,300 miles from Virginia to Texas to teach the other guy a lesson.

As he made his way toward Texas, Fire Controlman 2nd Class Petty Officer Russell Tavares posted photos online showing the welcome signs at several states' borders, as if to prove to his Internet friends that he meant business.

When he finally arrived, Tavares burned the guy's trailer down.

This week, Tavares, 27, was sentenced to seven years in prison after pleading no contest to arson and admitting he set the blaze.

"I didn't think anybody was stupid enough to try to kill anybody over an Internet fight," said John G. Anderson....

I didn't think anybody was stupid enough to doubt someone might kill somebody over an Internet fight.

Andrew Sullivan... you know we're buds, right? Just joshin' around like old college chums, right? Oh, how we laugh. Good times. The stories we have together.

Incidentally, when did the word "guy" become acceptable in a legitimate news article? I think blogs are having some bad influence. Not to be all prim and stuffy, but if you're writing for something printed on paper, don't write that someone "burned the guy's trailer down."

"Guy" is the fateful half-step to the nightmare of "dude."

Thanks to DRI.

posted by Ace at 02:57 AM

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