Harper's Magazine is a wordy, smart magazine for self-satisfied liberals. Harper's Bazaar is a glossy fashion magazine. But according to the publisher of Harper's, it's a constant battle to make sure people don't confuse the two.

Today the New York Times ran an op-ed about the wild world of internet microcelebrity by Bill Wasik, a senior editor at Harper's. But which one?! The mag's publisher sent this email to his staff about the threat they face today, and every day:

From: John R. MacArthur
Date: 2009/7/30
Subject: Harper's/Harper's Magazine
To: [Harper's staff]

I hope everyone has read Bill Wasik's excellent op-ed in today's Times. But I also hope you noticed that the paper of record, in its infinite arrogance, identified Harper's Magazine as "Harper's" in his ID line. Believe me, everyone on the staff has to insist — even fight — to get us identified correctly as Harper's Magazine. Title confusion with Harper's Bazaar is a terrible problem; if you don't believe me, ask Frank, who will tell you a story in confidence about the latest egregious example. Nowadays, these seemingly small details are crucially important to our health. Even in routine correspondence you must identify the magazine as Harper's Magazine, at least in the first reference.

Rick

He writes well for a fashion guy, don't you think?

[Frank, what is this egregious example to which Rick refers? Please tell us in confidence! (Not really in confidence).]