I think this outlook sums up why news is so dangerous, no matter who the individuals are that make up the community or how they report it. . .There is some Alan Kay quote floating around out there of him paraphrasing something Douglas Engelbart noted about the difference between what is the news with computers? and what is new with computers?

I don't come to HN to read the news nor should HN be reporting the news to me, I come here because it's a community that is grounded in doing new things and showing me what these new things can do.

I think what needs to be avoided is not the lulls, but the lulz.