[spycatcher]

JunkyardBlog is doing some great writing and follow-up research on this but FWIW it does look like Free Republic beat the bloggers by about 12 hours in noticing and posting the photo similarity.

Of course we all know bloggers and journalists don't scope out FR for story links and ideas ;) It would be nice if credit was given when they do -- just like when an individual blog is given credit for an original idea. In this case most likely it was just great minds thinking alike.

I think any general tendency to pull ideas from FR without mentioning the source is due to a FR post being seen by non-members as an anonymous source of information that won't notice if someone takes an idea without credit.

[Texasforever]

Well I told MMT to keep his thread in a safe place. LOL I don't know if there is anything to this but damn the resemblance is undeniable and that is coming from a very anti-tinfoil member.

[spycatcher]

It looks like MMT kicked off a Magical Mischief Tour around the web (and they're now reported to be scrambling to find old OKC leads in the halls of the FBI too -- Yeah right! As if!) FBI agents are too busy researching their next leak to smear the CIA, and trying to limit damage from their Reno-bred incompetence rather than coming clean. You have to admire how good they are at screwing up, covering up, and otherwise ignoring the obvious.

Nice to see F#@*edWorld is linking to FR now, Junkyard Blog is then linking to F#@*World, and everyone and his brother is linking to Junkyard Blog So all is well. We don't need to determine definitively who had it first as long as FR is mentioned in the mix and seen as a source worthy of being mentioned.

Wasn't it Peggy Noonan who referred to a FR post she read on "a conservative political bulletin board website" without mentioning Free Republic by name?

I think bloggers are usually more than fair in giving credit when the find out someone else may have been first, but competition for blogeyeballs is a sport and some may see pulling an idea from an "obscure anonymous post on FR" as no harm no foul in order to make a name for their themselves and their personal blog. Just as mainstream news wires will often rewrite WorldNetDaily exclusives without credit just because they figure no one will care.

Again, in this case I think Junkyard Blog deserves all the credit he's getting too, and am happy FR was tossed a bone! Thanks to all bloggers and journalists who give credit where it's due, no matter the source.