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Geez, GWB -- My Favorite Headache isn't exactly a newbie poster. He's been around as long as you have, and lots of us give him credibility.

Let's assume that MFH is completely sincere. This report still relies upon a hearsay report. MFH, an anonymous poster here, is not reporting this himself. He's reporting hearsay.

Real scoops have identifiable sources or a confirming trail of independent verification. The classic example here at FR was the space shuttle thread where you could see minute by minute comments by FReepers as the tragedy unfolded. It was by far one of the best 'sccop' threads FR ever had and actually was mentioned in national news media because it was so compelling to read.

Yep, and also the Great White nightclub fire a couple of years ago -- that one was first reported by a FReeper down the street from the club!

FR is an amazing news source. But, yes, caution must alwas be applied.

Still, nothing in MFH's post seems far-fetched to me at all. An informed public will add his paramedic friend's report in with other reports and create a full picture.

I simply see no good in impugning MFH's credibility. He -- a longtime, responsible FReeper -- relayed the report, we shall see if it is true.

Myself, I'd believe My Favorite Headache over, say, Ann Compton.

Exactly! If memory serves that just started out as a normal Live thread for people that wanted to watch the shuttle land...and morphed into the Live thread about the Columbia burning up.

But the fact remains...the scoop was reported from what people were seeing and hearing through verifiable sources.

MFH, an anonymous poster here, is not reporting this himself. He's reporting hearsay.

All the more reason NOT to parse the exact wording as though this was a written news article or something. MFH is restating the things he picked up from the call, in his own words. Clarity or lack thereof in the wording does not reflect on whether the thrust of the post is accurate. If it IS inaccurate, then MFH will have discredited himself when the death toll doesn't materialize. I see no reason to doubt the report until then.

Real scoops have identifiable sources or a confirming trail of independent verification. The classic example here at FR was the space shuttle thread where you could see minute by minute comments by FReepers as the tragedy unfolded.

Has it occurred to you that Columbia incident involved a vastly smaller number of people, was thoroughly documented as it happened, involved no breakdown in communications infrastructure, etc.? This hurricane has many, many more variables in play than one 7-person vehicle burning up.

Let's assume that MFH is completely sincere. This report still relies upon a hearsay report. MFH, an anonymous poster here, is not reporting this himself. He's reporting hearsay.

Do you think we don't know that?

The problem is people like you trying to kill the story before ANYBODY can confirm it.