Say this for New York Times columnist Paul Krugman: the man isn't afraid to be pugnacious. In case they forgot, he gave readers a reminder this weekend by unceremoniously disinviting "whiners" and trolls from his New York Times-supported blog? Non-believers in the Cult of Krugman, consider yourselves on notice.

[F]or the big whiners out there: this is my blog, which I do for free. I welcome a lively discussion, and don’t edit out hostile comments if they’re brief and free of obscenities. But if you want a soapbox for interminable rants, I have no obligation to provide it; go start your own blog, and find your own readers.

It's a line-in-the-sand moment that recalls Michael Kinsley's observation last month regarding the combative Times columnist. "I certainly would not volunteer to go mano-a-mano with Krugman in an intertemporal optimizing tournament. Nevertheless, it’s a bit disappointing to learn that Krugman can dish it out, but can’t take it."

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Ray Gustini