We're coming up on two weeks since Microsoft deleted CIO Stuart Scott, and while there have been online whispers about an office affair having precipitated his demise, the earnest reporters and pundits of the business and technology trade press have yet to nail down anything resembling a verified account of any hanky-panky. (At least not that my Googling can find.)
There are two possible reasons: First and most obvious is that there was no affair; that whatever led to Scott's professional downfall had nothing to do with what a former editor of mine used to call "zipper trouble." Could be. Like you, I only know what I read, which in this case means I know next to nothing for certain.
The second reason? Business and technology reporters don't do sex, at least not when we're talking about reporting and writing on the style of salacious sex scandal that is pure oxygen to their journalistic brethren on the news, politics and entertainment beats.
Want the latest iPhone rumor? Geek press, baby.
Want to know who's zuning whom in the technology world? Try your nearest water cooler.
Heck, even sportswriters are better at dishing about what's going on between the sheets than the geek press.
Yes, there's Valleywag, original source of the affair rumor and a site that's not shy about pushing s-e-x. But I'm talking about the larger business/technology press here … and there's not much to talk about.
Honestly, a high-profile exec at the world's most famous software company gets canned, rumors of zipper trouble arise, and instead of the real inside scoop we get two weeks worth of pabulum blaming Scott's dismissal on an unspecified "violation of company policies," which could mean anything from embezzlement (that's merely a hypothetical) to making a chair-tossing joke about Ballmer (presumably a no-no etched in Redmond stone).
I don't mean to be critical -- perhaps this even speaks well of our collective judgment and restraint -- but it strikes me that had Stuart Scott been CIO at a movie studio instead of a software company we'd have a YouTube gotcha making the rounds and a quickie tell-all book coming out on Monday. (Provided there was anything to the rumors, of course.)
OK, maybe even if there wasn't.
Welcome regulars and passersby. Here are a few more recent Buzzblog items. And, if you'd like to receive Buzzblog via e-mail newsletter, here's where to sign up.
Google refuses "Impeach Cheney" ad.
Don't worry about holiday airport delays: The government has a plan.
This year's "25 Geekiest 25th Anniversaries."
When the patient is a Googler and the doctor is a pompous jerk.
10 reasons you shouldn't believe in UFOs.
Does NSA have a secret backdoor to cryptographic random-number generator?
FiOS stands for Fire is Our Speciality: latest in the continuing saga.
Cell phone jamming on the rise.
NY denies "E-Z Pass speed trap" coming.
Researchers turn to xkcd for direction.
|
|
Or maybe...
Or maybe we just really don't care. Just like we don't care who the President is banging, or what bathroom stall is popular with Congress this year. How's the stock doing? Where's my Version X.0 software? What are they voting for? THAT is the stuff that we care about. If I wanted to get the 'scoop' on the latest sex scandal, I'd tune in to Fox news. If I wanted geek news about technology and business, I'd turn to a site like this. -Rick
Stuart Scott
One too many "Boo-yah" comments in front of the Board of Directors.
Watch Sportscenter if you don't get it.
Sportscenter is on ESPN.
That's a sports network on cable. Oh, never mind...
Business and technology
Business and technology reporters don't do this, at least not when we're talking about reporting and writing on the style of salacious scandal that is pure oxygen to their journalistic brethren on the news, politics and entertainment beats.