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I have no problem with stories about sex. I do, however, have a problem with stories that hype the importance of the subject in question (i.e., this tiresome patent-infringement case is of "critical importance" in the fight against AIDS, and concerns the potential for "serious profits") only to acknowledge in its concluding paragraphs that, in fact, the subject isn't very important at all (i.e., all studies of condom use indicate that men significantly prefer old-school, non-souped-up concoms, and besides, the new-fangled rubbers are less effective at preventing STDs). Oh, and none of the major players in the case could be reached for comment.
This strikes me less as a failure of reporting than of editing. Somebody at Salon should have been in a position to say "Uhhh, we don't really have a story here. And it's irresponsible to our readers to have them slog through four pages about a tedious, entirely routine lawsuit by promising that it is somehow 'twisted,' 'bizarre' and altogether momentous. It ain't. And no gaggle of adjectives will make it so."
