The local media has made several attempts at breaking into the blogging business. And without exception they've been underwhelming efforts. The prime example is the Star Tribune's sad attempt at becoming Instandit, called 2 Cents. Not only don't I know anyone who reads it, I've never even heard a rumor of anyone reading it. Its tag line: "from kooky to conventional 2 Cents explores the universe of opinion." From it's links this week, the universe appears to be bounded by Atrios one on end and Joshua Michah Marshall on the other. Reminds me of that scene in The Blues Brothers where the waitress at the Bob's Country Bunk House is asked what kind of music they have and she explains "we have both kinds, country and western."
But perhaps the most pathetic of these big media blogs is Single in the Cities from the Pioneer Press. It's allegedly a chronicle of a single girl's dating exploits in the Twin Cities and it purports to give advice to the lovelorn. From its name and style, I think its trying to be a Sex and the City rip off. I don't get premium cable, so I've never seen that TV show and therefore it's tough to say how successful of a copy it is. But I do imagine the girls on Sex and the City actually have sex once in a while. Not to be cruel, but I'm not sure the girl that writes this (Ruby) has ever had a date before. It seems all of her social encounters end as follows:
Soon, my friends are ready to go, and we say goodbye. In the car, one of my friends who knows the guy tells me he's not really my type anyway. But mostly I'm perplexed that I couldn't get any real read on him. Hell, I'd done everything short of rubbing my leg against a wall or peeing on his bar stool.
No shame in being a shrinking violet, or a barstool peeing desperado (OK, there is shame in that), but when you're hired to comment on the social scene for a big time newspaper, I think it would help to actually have a social life.
The tag line for Single in the Cities is "Get Hooked". Which made me initially think it was written by a hooker. Which would be some uncharacteristically edgy and interesting reporting for the Pioneer Press. But, it turns out they mean "get hooked" as in, if you read it, it will become an addiction for you.
Unfortunately Ruby only sees fit to update the site once every two or three weeks. Meaning if some poor sap actually managed to get hooked on her stuff, they'd be perpetually suffering from withdrawal symptoms. (New slogan suggestion--Single in the Cities ... it sets your skin on fire!).
Given the lack of commitment shown by Ruby I find it hard to believe anyone could get hooked on her, even if they wanted to. She writes so infrequently that she might be a good addition to the City Pages Babelogue. They're also a big media blog. And they have over 20 regular contributors (most of them professional writers, of a sort). And they can still go days without a single update from anyone.
Getting hooked on Ruby is further hampered by the fact that her typical commentary on the dating scene consists of reporting like, "my friend said that his friend is coming with another friend and then we're meeting up with our other friends and maybe we'll watch Friends and then ...."
Or to quote Ruby directly:
A friend and I drive up north to help another friend celebrate her birthday. We get dressed up and have a nice dinner with about six other friends, then head to a well-known area bar. One of my friends has invited some of his co-workers to join us, and soon they arrive.
I like the fact that she did substitute the word "co-workers" for friends in that last sentence. Either she's learning to use a thesaurus or maybe that's the work of some sharp editor, noticing Ruby was about to exceed her average of 1.33 friends references per sentence.
She's a bad writer who doesn't know a lot about the subject she's hired to write about. Well at least the Pioneer Press is consistent, since that accurately describes their sports columnist (Bob Sansevere) and their political columnist (Laura Billings).
For real insights into the world of dating, look no further than Vox Day (a former Pioneer Press contributor himself, back when they used to hire real talent):
A few months ago, I was talking to two different single 30-something women. Both are well-educated and have good jobs, (one is an architect, the other is a mid-level manager at a glamorous company in NYC), both are flat-chested and have short hair but are otherwise attractive, and both have trouble getting dates. And both were astounded and distressed to hear me say that not five men in one hundred cared about either their education or their jobs.
Now, what is interesting to me is how women know that men love long hair and large breasts--you seldom see a stripper or a porn star without them--and yet few women will seriously consider the first option, still less the latter. Now, no woman should go in for elective surgery unless she really wants to upsize on the topside, but it amazes me how these dateless wonders will sneer at the "tacky stripper hair" of the girl that every man on the street is trying, and failing, to avoid noticing. As I told both women, if you want more attention from men, grow your hair and get a boob job.
Ruby, are you listening?
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