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To: m1-lightning
I'm not going to tell you what you should read,

That’s exactly what you were attempting to do when you told the person who posted this, “You should wait until it hits Reuters or the AP first next time.”

If you don’t want to read things that haven’t been verified by Reuters or AP, don’t. But don’t tell other people not to post articles from outside that sphere. Many of us are interested.

I have a variety of techniques I use in determining whether or not a statement I read is likely to be true or false.

Please enlighten me.

Good Lord, you really are at a “Reading News 101” level!

Well, for starters, try to use knowledge previously gained and evaluated as reliable to begin to gauge the reliability of new information.

Also, consider the source of the information. They could be a dubious source that has previously shown themselves to be unreliable or biased (like Reuters or the AP) or they could be a new source that you are not familiar with (like IDAO).

If the source is not one you trust for one of these reasons, try to find other sources that confirm the new information. If you are able to find a variety of sources that confirm the information, it is likely (but not assured) that the information is correct.

There are more subtle techniques that you can employ later (like clues in the terminology used that point towards an unstated agenda, for example), but try the simple ones first to get started.

Good luck to you!

110 posted on 01/03/2005 12:14:04 PM PST by dead (I've got my eye out for Mullah Omar.)
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To: dead
That’s exactly what you were attempting to do when you told the person who posted this, “You should wait until it hits Reuters or the AP first next time.”

I never told the poster what sources to read. I suggested waiting to post the story when a more reliable news source prints the a similar story. Read whatever source you want.

My point in this entire thread is that posting unreliable news stories as news is not a good idea unless you comment that it is only a rumor. You neglect the forethought of gullible people believing everything they read. Would you post satire news without first noting it as such?

I'm sorry I did not know you and so many others are so interested in false news.

Post it in the false news category next time.

Noting from your "technique", (If you are able to find a variety of sources that confirm the information, it is likely (but not assured) that the information is correct.), this was my point from the beginning.

I think admin has enough to do with their time without having to filter out false news from the breaking news category.

121 posted on 01/03/2005 12:31:12 PM PST by m1-lightning (God, Guns, and Country!)
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