Does The Washington Post realize they've hired a plagiarist? Daily Kos diarist Oregon guy does, and he wrote about it this afternoon. It's a stunningly obvious example of blatant plagiarism, with Ben appropriating large chunks of the P.J. O'Rourke essay "Real Parties" for his own November 1999 op-ed piece, "Party guidelines for real bashes."

For example, Ben writes...

A real party differs from other social events in two major ways: firstly, as much as anyone can remember, it was more fun. Secondly, no one can remember very much.

Real parties are given for pleasure only, never to mark an occasion. There can no more be a reason for a real party than there can be an excuse for what goes on after it starts.

And what did P.J. write, way back when?

A real party differs from other social events in two ways:

1. As much as anyone can remember, it was more fun.
   
2. No one can remember very much.

Real parties are given for pleasure only and never to mark an occasion. There can no more be a reason for a real party than there can be an excuse for what goes on after it starts.

Nice hire, Washington Post. Nice hire.