The Highest Form of Flattery

First it was Katherine Jean Lopez ripping off the Elder in the Corner, now Laura Billings is ripping me off in the pages of the Pioneer Press.  When are these girls going to get together, start Sorority Libertas, and drop all of this journalistic pretense once and for all!?
 
Today, Laura Billings continues her exploration of underwear as social commentary.  Here's an excerpt from her Q & A column with anonymous readers.  (I suspect Billings made them anonymous because she's making them up entirely, or because she has evidence the readers composed them in the underpants.): 
  
Q.  You mentioned that there are lots of patterns for knitting or crocheting thong panties.  Could you share what you know?  The charity knitting group at my church is always collecting interesting patterns.

A.  There are dozens of such patterns on the Internet, but I think you could create your own just as easily. Try this: CO 3 stitches, and knit in SS for approximately 10 minutes. Finish by attaching piece to chain-stitched hip girdle. That's it. Imagine how many darling stocking stuffers you could make for friends and clergy this holiday season.
 
That last line looks suspiciously like this commentary featured on Fraters Libertas, way back on July 2nd.  In a Q & A column of my own, I responded to the Golden Girl's inquiry about whether we actually write inside of our underwear: 
 
So, as his confidence increased and his skills improved, the Elder moved from withering social commentary in his underwear to blistering satirical comments in his dress shirts, then to topical limericks in his hat bands, and then finally to the Web site you know and love.

For dedicated fans of the site, I'm proud to announce that the Elder will soon be offering commemorative editions of the first issues of Fraters Libertas, in their original format. It's the perfect gift for the blog reader in your life and they make great stocking stuffers.
 
Underwear = stocking stuffers?  You're telling me Billings just happened to come up with that brilliant concept independently?  Come on, this is Laura Billings we're talking about.  And according to inside media sources, we know Billings (and her husband Nick Coleman) are obsessive Fraters Libertas readers.  As such, I accuse her of plagiarism and call for her immediate resignation.  And if editor Anders "Andy" Gyllenhaal is finally ready to hire the real underwear deal, I'm prepared to hear his offer. 
 
Incidentally, Laura had another segment devoted to underwear in today's column.  A college girl wrote in defending the wearing of thong underwear against Billings previous scolding.  Laura's response:
 
A. You make a strong case for evolutionary fashion theory, but I'm still with the creationists at Fruit of the Loom.  Good job using your college education to weigh in on an important issue of the day. Your mother would be proud - even if she were horrified by what you're wearing.
 
That's a little harsh I think.  Especially given the fact that Laura Billings has now written about underwear in FIVE columns in the past two weeks.  I wonder how proud her mother is that she's using her college education to weigh in on this subject over and over and over.  Or how proud her surrogate father figure (Nick Coleman) is?  Or how proud her editor is?  (Andy, how much more of this can you take?  Seriously, call me, I'm standing by.)