[ryanbrunner]

For pretty much anything anyone could describe as a "web application" if you have the HTML for your sidebar copied around 20+ pages instead of stored in a common template somewhere, you have bigger problems than whether your HTML is semantic.

[hugofirth]

The example was contrived to prove the point. I agree that the specifics of the Scenario would be indicative of poor practice in other areas, but that doesn't change the fact that the markup should be semantic.