question about the news module.

[lexxrobotech]

What defines the ‘news’?

For instance, I read an article earlier today that ~might~ be of interest. I thought of submiting it but then thought that it’s probably not directly sci-fi related.

Here’s the article http://entertainment.iafrica.com/news/330718.htm

It’s about Jeri Lynn Ryan’s (seven of nine to those that aren’t Trekkies) husband being a sex pest.

Now this isn’t of any real interest to me, but I thought it might interest one or two of the readers here. It’s not going to effect the sci-fi world at all though… so does this sort of thing merit a posting?

[Anonymous]

There isn’t an easy answer to that one. As a rule of thumb I’m happy to go with the posters feelings. All news items are vetted by the mods anyway so members shouldn’t be too worried about posting unworthy articles.

It’s almost never that a news item is refused. If it’s considered not worthy enough to go on the main page, It’d usually be put in one of the forums. Some news posts would be better placed in the forums since that would encourage discussion. Publicising an event (not advertising) would also be considered newsworthy, whereas advertising a convention website wouldn’t (better in the forums).

In your case I think the article you refer to IS worthy of being a news item!

[pet]

Geez! What possesses someone like that to run for office? 😯

Anyhoo, I have a related submission question, should profanity be starred out of a quote in news or reviews, or do you have a setting to replace censored words, or dontcha care?

(I once avoided adding a news item because I didn’t have time to post the question, then I forgot all about it….)

:83:

[Anonymous]

I was forced to edit my latest news article (bad form), and this post for that matter. 😀 I was distracted when writing it — I’m always distracted — and as it stood it wasn’t a terribly sci-fi news worthy (must be careful to fully think it through before posting). I wanted to quote the AP source, but they have a policy on one not being able to redistribute their materials without permission. So I muddled through my own version instead. Incidentally, good form should dictate that I edit down (rather than edit up) this overly long-formed post, but I like to think aloud.

Most days I look up sci-fi news from various sites, but rarely do I find an article that piques my interest (usually I’m looking for an angle that I think has some potential for humour, but that’s my style — I like irreverence). More than half the time I start preparing one I don’t submit it. Yesterday I was preparing a news article based on THIS (click) story about Mark Hamill attacking George Lucas for ruining his career by not casting him in more movies. However, before posting an article, or writing my own based on others stories I try to verify it from more than one source and cross-reference if possible and appropriate (personally, I do think it’s generally better to use your own words if possible, rather than just reprinting another’s words — can be copyright problems, and it makes it personal, as well as more of a sadgeezer “exclusive” article even if we’re having to base it on other’s articles — d*mn I’d love to get a true first-hand exclusive). In this case I wasn’t able to properly verify it from other sources, and I was skeptical as to the veracity of the story as their article gave no details of who Hamill was discussing it with, or the context. Note that it doesn’t say “Mark Hamill told us”, so was the “source” a reporter with Ireland On-Line?. If not, one should try to refer to one’s source. If I’d researched more I might have been able to verify it as sufficiently credible. It seemed a touch odd that Hamill blasted Lucas and his later Star Wars films, particularly when you consider THIS (click) old news item where Hamill criticised McGregor for criticising Lucas over the title Attack of the Clones. Hamill reportedly said, “… how do you know if it’s a bad title if there are actual replicates of some kind aggressively battling each other … only with GEORGE’s (LUCAS) movie would the title create. Let’s face it, if they call it The Dog’s Breakfast we’re all going to go.” The Hamill on Lucas article would be better suited to Sci Fi Angst anyway. Really, I wanted to be careful about reprinting that story in SadNEWS because if it’s not accurate, then it would be pretty unfair to Hamill to share it as it would cast aspersions on his character — irreverent is one thing, but… (here aint so bad with disclaimers).

Anyway, so what’s worthy? Well it’s gotta be at least sci-fi related like your story since it concerns an actress from a sci-fi show even though it’s not exactly a sci-fi story per se (usually the more sci-fi specific the better I would think). It should be something that interests you, and/or is something that you think others will be interested in, or enjoy. As for putting it in the forums to generate discussion… I like using “comments” as much for discussion as the forums. There are some articles I’ve prepared that I would have liked to put in both the News Section and the forum (e.g. the Logan’s Run story — I might do that since there’s more news on that front, but it’s definitely not worthy of an article devoted to it).

I’ve often wanted to start a thread on rejected SadNEWS articles (passed over by the members as unworthy) called “All the news that’s unfit to print.”

pet wrote:

…should profanity be starred out of a quote in news or reviews, or do you have a setting to replace censored words, or dontcha care?

The s-word certainly isn’t replaced automatically in SadNEWS — guess that must be the same for f***. I think profanity should be starred out, especially if there is sh**loads of it. It’s not like people won’t know what the f*ck is being said, will skew the f’ing context, or totally ruin the fu**ing artistic integrity of the article. 😆 If in doubt, I think it’s generally best to err on the cautious side. BELGIUM! (Hitchhiker’s reference)

[lexxrobotech]

thanks guys.

I’ve submitted it.

I confirmed it by running through a couple of search engines. It is correct as far as I can tell. eg : http://www.suntimes.co.za/zones/sundaytimes/entertainmentst/entertainmentst1088144149.asp

Any major search engine will bring up similar information.

[pet]

Thanks, Logan, I wasn’t sure if the modules stripped the f*cking swears anymore, since I’ve seen a** and p*ss show up on the boards, and I didn’t recall seeing either at the old site. Not that I have a problem with that.

I prefer to use the stars when actually published as news or a review and not a board conversation, but if it stripped them automatically I wouldn’t have to think about it and a tired old admin wouldn’t have to find and fix for me– especially in longer things like reviews. I’ve been editing some reviews for a show which has badly-behaved angels in it. Without the swearing (or simulated swearing) it wouldn’t be nearly as funny, but I worry I may miss some because it doesn’t offend me personally.

:83:

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