Our lighthearted conjectures notwithstanding, it seems the Grey Lady is not, in fact, running for cover after Post editor Col Allan threw down the gauntlet yesterday by announcing that the New York Times is in Page Six Magazine's "gun sights."

Apparently, this all has to do with a sort-of boring fight about luxury advertising sales. And since boring is what the NYT does best, they were not about to be outdone. Quoth NYT Magazine's associate managing editor, Gerry Marzorati:

Publishing magazines that people — women in particular — want to read is not an easy thing when you've never done it before…So if, you know, I am in Mr. Allan's sights, I am not exactly running for cover.

Which is pretty much the Times' prim way of saying "Note to Col: Just because you happen to frequent the seedy underbelly of New York strip clubs doesn't mean you know anything about what women readers actually want."