So, why did so many news organizations report that Gabrielle Giffords had died? I heard somewhere that many of these reports were based on NPR? So, did NPR just jump to conclusions based on her being shot in the head?

ION, there was an alcohol-related accident on the freeway at 9 AM today. Who the hell is that drunk at 9 AM? Or maybe it's "still drunk"?

The hit-and-run drunk driving case I was on the jury for (What about the plaid?) regarded an incident at 10am.

NPR itself on Giffords' "death": [link] - they had 2 sources, 1 in the Sheriff's office.

I am SO OVER the inability of the South to deal with snow. People mocked me (online, not here) for suggesting we all shovel our sidewalks. Seriously? If anyone but me had tried, we totally could have cleared our street today. Snow day 3 tomorrow.

They'd be in deep trouble in Madison. I forget how many hours you have to clear your sidewalk before you get ticketed, starting at $100.

I'm tired of people not shoveling their sidewalks here in Chicago and Evanston. Often the unshoveled snow gets packed down into ice, which can stay for days or weeks.

I forget how many hours you have to clear your sidewalk before you get ticketed, starting at $100.

When I was growing up in Janesville, you had 24 hours after the snow stopped. My father acted as if it were 2.4.

I give the South somewhat of a pass on the inability to deal with snow as long as the North is unable to deal with heat.

There is no ticketing here for unshoveled walks (I'm pretty sure) but you will incur the wrath of your neighbors if you are able bodied and don't shovel your walk as soon as possible. Which means I have to get up early tomorrow to get it done. And I've gotten VERY spoiled because snow shoveling has been one of Bob's household tasks and he's in Chicago this week. I mean, I helped during the snowpocalypse but he is our primary shoveler.

NPR itself on Giffords' "death": [link] - they had 2 sources, 1 in the Sheriff's office.

Thanks. I wish the article had gone into more detail about these two sources.

So, if NPR had erred, what should they have done? Got more sources? Waited for a report from the doctor or hospital?

A floor lamp in the garage is really not what I need, no reading nook there.

Tom, nope, not even the top right pile o'stuff. Other places they are not: anywhere on my desk or table beside desk, the stationary drawer, or my purse.

So, if NPR had erred, what should they have done?

Pretty much what they did, IMO - reported what they had heard (given it was coming two plausible sources) with a ton of caveats around the general reliability of information in the midst of turmoil.