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MNSpeak: Talk
Zimmern Weighs in on Barrio, The Rake, MNSpeak and Secrets of the City
In his latest blog update, Zimmern longs for his days as a food critic and lauds Barrio (for the record, I agree) and rips Secrets of the City while longing for Rake & MNSpeak as they were (haven't made my mind up yet).
49 Reader Comments
I don't know if there's something technically amiss with SOTC, but I've been noticing some pretty atrocious load times.
Zimmern "Yes, I know I am biased, but mspmag.com is so far ahead of the competition in terms of useability and informative local content, there is no longer any comparison to any other local web presence"
I give the same types of compliments to my corporate overlords.
Can somebody please explain to me why anyone would give a shit about the opinion of someone who eats bugs for a living?
How did Secrets of the City suddenly become less interesting than MNSpeak and The Rake when we have the exact same content? The exact same content.
It is the careless way you plate the dish, matt, with last year's garnish and a so-so sauce.
It's more difficult to pair wine with SOC than MNSpeak and The Rake.
C'mon, if msp isn't all about form over substance, they're in trouble.
MnSpeak was better, hands down. Tying it to the sinking ship that was the Rake and making this crazy bastardization has been a huge disappointment.
I agree with Zimmy. MNSpeak was better, hands down. Cleaner, more organized. It was like a clean, quiet attic where you went to escape, but now we moved back to the messy living room.
I presume Andrew simply objects to my arts reviews and is too polite to say it directly.
my take on the merger:
i type in the url for mnspeak and I get basically the same posting/comments website as before.
Britt Robson was really all I was reading on The Rake, and links to his pieces are always right there posted on the front of SOTC.
all in all, I don't see what the big deal is.
I agree with G_Rote on this. The log in is more stable. It is easier to use (for the most part.) It is not as buggy. Apart from Max's art reviews, I have no complaints.
I'm thinking of just changing my name to tl;dr.
I hate the tropical sunset beach logo against the ugly gray striped background.
looks like my grandma's bathroom.
bad design all together.
I just like to talk and read smart(-ass) remarks.
Try to imagine MNspeak looked like this when you first discovered it. Say this format was all you knew. See? It's fine!
And MSP... what do I care about a pub for which the hard copy content is about 47% teeth whitening and other dental services. Or is that Minnesota Monthly? I can't tell them apart.
Would you have complained about the logo and whatnot, and yearned for the small patterened blue background that looked like the curtains I made for my first apartment?
Oops, I should have re-ordered my paragraphs.
"And MSP... what do I care about a pub for which the hard copy content is about 47% teeth whitening and other dental services. Or is that Minnesota Monthly? I can't tell them apart."
Exactly.
On the subject of the "grandma's bathroom" logo, that's actually a placeholder from one of the third-party ad networks we use. They'll be changing it out for something "secretive" soon.
Maybe Minnesotans have badly stained teeth. Whatever the case, there are always anonymous folks bitching about change but like any website redesign, this one will grow on people too. Plus I stay logged in longer which is a bonus.
I'm still sort of figuring out this new world order. Generally, I miss MNspeak. It felt like a comfortable pair of shoes. Maybe that's why it got the axe in this season of change.
I'll like SOC significantly more when a few things start to happen:
1. I learn some secrets of the city. Things like randy bathrooms full of glory holes or the public baths open only to city council members. Stuff like that. As it is, the title and content set up continual disappointment.
2. There are SOC happy hours and "first evers."
I miss Berfus...
3. Complimentary cock
I miss Berfus too. :(
Berfus! Yes, one of the best commenters ever!
Are there going to be first-evar SOC happy hours, or last-evar MNspeak happy hours. I'm fine with either.
1. I call for a combined last evar MNspeak / first evar SOC happy hour.
2. why does nateek want to know about glory holes??
3. jane, don't forget about bathroom renovations that cost more than my condo in MSP
Load times can be a bit longish..might need some tweaking.
I think many mnspeakers felt like they were part of a private club, a member of in the know insiders. This change threw them under the bus, turns out their not really insiders at all...just unique pageviews.
Let's get done to venues, times and dates for the First Evah.
Suggestions?
done = down
tomorrow night, 4pm-8pm at Barrio.
tequila, tacos de lengua and John Wayne movies FTW.
Tengo clase los martes.
But I'd be up for Bario tomorrow, too.
*Barrio
I do miss the pictures.
ryanl said: "I think many mnspeakers felt like they were part of a private club, a member of in the know insiders."
Let's face it, this place jumped the shark the minute I started commenting here.
How did Secrets of the City suddenly become less interesting than MNSpeak and The Rake when we have the exact same content? The exact same content.
Probably the same reason the HP branded iPod never took off.
private club? i felt more like an animal @ the zoo with all the lurkers.
I think we'll all consider this pretty normal in about three months and wonder what all the fuss was about. It's ironic when progressives (yes, I know we all don't consider ourselves so) resist change, isn't it?
Mnspeak was better. Just admit it.
Can't tell us apart? Mspmag has me and a shitload of Emmys. Brand X doesn't. Duh.
Well, that puts you and Sheletta in the same room.
Uptown Marsh was better than Warehouse Marsh. White Bear Marsh was better than both.
At least there is the consolation of knowing that every time Marsh complains about Secrets of the City, a few more people decide it must be all right.
If Marsh can win an Emmy, next year I'm totally gonna sweep the Magazinees, or whatever you people who have to write 10 articles a year give yourself awards for.
I don't see how mspmag.com is so much easier to use.
I have not experienced that either.
That's what she said
Jason D, so salty after getting crushed by the 'Hero in our Yahoo league!
I <3 trophies. But I'm totally sending an Indian up to accept my mnspeak fantasy football title.
And WBL Marsh is still very much alive.
S.Marsh just went 3rd person 3 time in a row. @the_real_shaq is having too much of an influence.
see you in the playoffs.
looks like i may be out for barrio. high level cocktail meeting here on premise.
Wait -- Marsh is funny from time to time?
Who knew?
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