The New York Times first ombudsman has finished his term -- and started up a nasty fight with the Times' most notorious hack. You can check out the latest salvo here on the new public editor's "Web Journal" (it's called a "blog" guys!).

I'd like to highlight one comment from Dan Okrent that reveals that there apparently isn't enough money in the world to get someone to confront Paul Krugman's lies.

This was the first he heard from me on these specific issues partly because I learned early on in this job that Prof. Krugman would likely be more willing to contribute to the Frist for President campaign than to acknowledge the possibility of error. When he says he agreed “reluctantly” to one correction, he gives new meaning to the word “reluctantly”; I can’t come up with an adverb sufficient to encompass his general attitude toward substantive criticism. But I laid off for so long because I also believe that columnists are entitled by their mandate to engage in the unfair use of statistics, the misleading representation of opposing positions, and the conscious withholding of contrary data. But because they’re entitled doesn’t mean I or you have to like it, or think it’s good for the newspaper.

For those interested in more Krugmania, may I suggest this post over at JustOneMinute and most everything Don Luskin has to say -- just keep scrolling.