Oh well.
I cant say that I've been missing SG, because I've been checking the site regularly. I'm just really, really unimpressed of late.
Theres not a hell of a lot of fresh turnover in CE, or many other boards I look at, one SG set now largely blends into another, but my main gripe is with the apparently reborn newswire/SG article blog in the Lifestyle board.
(I should put a disclaimer here that I didnt know the newswire when it was originally here, and much of what I say could well be absolute horseshit, as well as being frighteningly biased, angry, contemptuous and dismissive.
But what the hell, its an opinion.)
My gripe is this: What the hell makes these articles worthy of being posted?
As far as I can tell, the submissions fall into about 3 categories.
1) Self indulgent/promoting/straightupattentionwhoring / Genuinely, who gives a shit?
Candidate 1:NEWS: Call of the Sirens
Words failed me.
Not really.
I dont think this author actually understands current feminism. For that matter, I'm certain that neither do I, but I'm pretty sure that "ironically" stripping in front of a bunch of men isnt the earth-shattering blow for the cause that this article makes it out to be. Also, loses points for being a kiss-ass (OH SG, OH SG CAN I HAZ YOUR BABEEEEEZ).
Also, I admit I'm confused as to the context of this paragraph related to the whole:
Shouldnt we as feminists, be supporting women to perform in male dominated scenes? Are they not the ones who are going break the cookie-cutter ideal mould? Are they not the women, who are going to rip apart this outdated mythology from the inside out? If they take men on, in male dominated scenes such as motor sport and metal music and command respect from those men objectifying them, are they not doing the rest of us a huge favour? Making it known that their beauty, and legend, is also testament to the personalities that drive this lust for success that drive the ambition to succeed!
Getting their own back then, on the men who sexualize them, are the girls bigger fans of tattooed men, or virgin blood?
Emphasis mine, with relevance to my large paragraph above. Please decipher for me, because as far as I can tell this paragraph is shooting the article in the foot.
2) This shitty teen angst belongs on a fucking livejournal with flashing pink gifs.
Candidate 1: News: Just Like Heaven and Other Dating Dealbreakers
I hesitate slightly here, wary of treading on the mine of an intentionally ironic article, but for the life of me, I cant tell. Reasons for this being in this category should be pretty self evident.
Candidate 2: NEWS: Dear Bunny
Maybe I'm being overly harsh, but to be quite frank, I dont see an agony aunt column as a worthwhile enterprise on a site like SG. It seems to be only tangentially relevant, and then only if the comments on blogs fail.
Candidate 3: NEWS: Weird Science
I really dont have anything to add here. Just read the comments.
3) This shit is old, OLD, OLD "News" / Has been done to fucking death, here or elsewhere.
Prime candidate is this:
NEWS: Bare or Bushy: Two Women Take Sides
How in the fuck is this newsworthy? Not only does the article read like two (blatantly) fictional women having a conversation (And if they talk like that in real life.....words actually fail me.), its a topic that repeatedly crops up in any number of the sex group, and even has its own group dedicated to the topic.
I genuinely dont understand how in the hell this got dedicated space for a topic that is basically the personal grooming equivalent of Kirk versus Picard, or whether Ringo actually was a good drummer: Its entirely a question of personal choice and taste (or lack of it, especially where Ringo is concerned).
In short: IT IS NOT NEWS.
To compare and contrast these, I'll put some articles that are actually interesting:
NEWS: How To Get Your Band Signed To A Record Label
Pretty good if youre mildly interested in the process of how a band makes it.
NEWS: Bands Paying Fans: A New Low for Music?
This is a good article, but it could be better. The author makes astute points, but doesnt explain much of the history of this issue like Radiohead's "pay what you like for this music" release a few years ago, and (somewhat related) the Humble Indie Bundle release earlier this year. Plus, its basically an advert for the band.
A great missed opportunity here.
NEWS: Urban Exploration: The Art of Trespass
Great piece, good explanation. The only suggestion I would have is that it would be good to have a link to a site such as Subterranea Brittanica that gives a bit more in-depth info.
NEWS: Doing It With Tara: Fun With Cream
NEWS: Doing it with Tara: Space Invader Magnets
THIS SHIT IS RAW FUCKING GOLD.
Seriously, get this girl banging out an article every three days or less (or however often she can!). This is fucking fantastic stuff. Simple, practical, informative, fun, the exact qualities an article should have.
Please,please, please, SG, take a note from Tara and Leighsus, and go for QUALITY over QUANTITY.
