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 By Patrick Hurley May 20, 2006 Let's get real here. Useless Knowledge is a wonderful site for several types of writers: 1. People who like to write about their own problems and worries regardless of whether it is intriguing or interesting to other people reading their life experiences. (Most cases it is not) 2. People who love to espouse their personal opinions, philosophies and theologies on and on and on and ON! 3. People who like to viciously attack other writers in here using lies and threats and hiding behind a false handle. 4. People who plagarize other writers freely. (This is RAMPANT in here!) 5. People who are learning to write. (UK Writing class 101) 6. People who are very good writers and have an interesting story and tell it well. Because of the first five categories, it is apparent that UK is NOT the Washington Post or Vanity Fair. Because our Editor is fair and open-minded, he allows anyone to write for his website. This is great for the first five categories of writers listed above. But, it is not what Google or Yahoo or any other news service will ever find acceptable. There is far too much back stabbing, meanness, misrepresentation, lack of factual reporting, egotism, inside carping and flat poor writing for anyone in a literate position of journalism to take us seriously as a website. There is also too much anonymity. This kills our potential for acceptance even more. Can you imagine MSNBC or the NY Times with fake names for their reporters? We are a cartoon here. If the Editor truly wants to have a shot at credibility he needs to change his philosophy and overhaul the entire system of acceptance in UK. This would include the following moves: 1. Hand pick several writers he believes are his main columnists. 2. Edit carefully their submissions for syntax, grammar, spelling, etc. 3. Allow outside writers from time to time IF they have a newsworthy article that would fit the high standards of journalistic excellence. 4. Stop allowing "inside" criticism between writers ruin the credibility of a valid news website. 5. Change the name of the website to something that has class and respect as a valid magazine concept. Useless Knowledge does not endear itself to distributors who take news and writing seriously. 6. List the REAL names of the writers and their credentials. Obviously, these changes would destroy the Editor's concept as he originally set it up but if a website is to be acceptable then several writers and most of the articles will have to be let go so that the character and the classiness of a website will prevail. To quote Shakespeare, "The problem my dear Brutus is not in our stars, but in OURSELVES." We are the reason Google and Yahoo dropped us, not them. When the writing improves and focuses on the newsworthy events and people of the day instead of the petty machinations of our own attacks on each other and the shallowness of our own lives put down on paper, THEN we can be trusted by the journals out there. I am not saying this is the way to go. I am suggesting strongly that in its current mode, UK is not going to ever be trusted as a source for credible writing and reporting. It needs to make up its mind what its ultimate goals are and be structured to fit them. ------------ About the author: Pat Hurley has won three Emmy awards for writing, hosting and producing television shows. He resides in Southern California. Email: coolhumor@sbcglobal.net Comment on this article here! ------------ All articles are EXCLUSIVE to Useless-Knowledge.com. Please link to this article rather than copying and pasting it onto your site (which would be unauthorized and illegal). |
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