But Slashdot today is also a mere shadow of what it was in 2001. At least some of the decline in readership over there has been due to a gradual increase in pol

But Slashdot today is also a mere shadow of what it was in 2001. At least some of the decline in readership over there has been due to a gradual increase in politics-oriented submissions being shown on the front page, rather than technology/science-oriented submissions. While events like this do have significance, without a doubt, there is already ample coverage in a very wide variety of general news outlets. Many of the ones that are online allow for discussion, as well. So there's little need or reason for news sites focusing on rather specific topics like technology, science, mathematics and entrepreneurship to devote page space to rather unrelated political topics. The focus and the depth of coverage is what makes such sites appealing in the first place. Diluting them with news that can be found elsewhere is counterproductive.