Armed Polite Society

Main Forums => The Roundtable => Topic started by: Hawkmoon on December 28, 2007, 10:24:32 AM

Title: Which is the problem?
Post by: Hawkmoon on December 28, 2007, 10:24:32 AM
I don't know whether to be more upset at the media, or at "sources" who routinely leak information they aren't supposed to leak. The story I just saw about the two young men killed by the tiger brought it all home:

Quote
Two men who survived a Christmas Day tiger mauling at the San Francisco Zoo -- an attack that left their 17-year-old friend dead -- were identified Friday as brothers Paul and Kulbir Dhaliwal, according to hospital and law enforcement officials.

The sources spoke on condition of anonymity because the family had not given permission to release their names.

So if the family hasn't given permission or (as in other cases) the officials "are not authorized to release information," how does giving out the information anonymously make it magically okay?

GRRRRRRRR!
Title: Re: Which is the problem?
Post by: Perd Hapley on December 28, 2007, 10:58:51 AM
Quote
So if the family hasn't given permission or (as in other cases) the officials "are not authorized to release information," how does giving out the information anonymously make it magically okay?


I'm guessing it was deemed OK once the price was good enough.
Title: Re: Which is the problem?
Post by: AmbulanceDriver on December 28, 2007, 02:44:07 PM
Quote from: fistful on December 28, 2007, 09:58:51 AM
Quote
So if the family hasn't given permission or (as in other cases) the officials "are not authorized to release information," how does giving out the information anonymously make it magically okay?


I'm guessing it was deemed OK once the price was good enough.

Of course, if they're anonymous, they can't easily be prosecuted under those silly privacy laws like HIPAA
Title: Re: Which is the problem?
Post by: SomeKid on December 28, 2007, 02:45:52 PM
No, but if the papers actually paid for private patient information, they can be sued, and the fines are pretty high. Also, the people involved face personal fines, and years in prison. Too bad they won't be caught.
Title: Re: Which is the problem?
Post by: Gewehr98 on December 28, 2007, 03:27:42 PM
Last word I had was that the surviving victims were also taunting the tiger prior to the mauling.  Go figure.  undecided
Title: Re: Which is the problem?
Post by: Bigjake on December 28, 2007, 03:37:26 PM
definatly Darwin material there...
Title: Re: Which is the problem?
Post by: Paddy on December 28, 2007, 03:42:44 PM
Quote
I'm guessing it was deemed OK once the price was good enough.

Exactly right.  That's the free market at work.
Title: Re: Which is the problem?
Post by: Perd Hapley on December 28, 2007, 07:25:12 PM
Quote from: RileyMc on December 28, 2007, 02:42:44 PM
Quote
I'm guessing it was deemed OK once the price was good enough.

Exactly right.  That's the free market at work.


Um, no, "free market" has nothing to do with breaking the law.  Perhaps you were thinking of "black market."