Bimbo Baggins

Challenge: create the perfect intro to an Age Online story

"ALASKAN bimbo Sarah Palin once snorted cocaine off the back of her newly born illegitimate baby, before tying the child to a moose and chasing it with an AK-47, unnamed sources said yesterday."

Okay, okay, so maybe that one's a bit far. Even the Age would probably check the facts on that one. This is how they would actually report that story:

"CONTROVERSIAL Republican politician Sarah Palin is under fire again, this time for allegedly "snorting cocaine off the back of her new-born baby".
"Several respected news sites quoted unnamed sources close to the family as saying Mrs Palin had also "tied to the child to a moose" and chased it with an AK-47 assault rifle.
"This is the latest in a long string of scandals involving Mrs Palin, including allegations her son was on meth, her latest child was actually her daughter's, and that she was having an affair.
"Editor's note: After receiving a number of complaints, we are obliged to point out these allegations have all been disproved, however we will leave this story online for technical reasons."

That's how respected news sites get away with publishing scurrilous gossip. Ninemsn does it all the time, so does the Herald Sun. However in my experience the Age is the least discerning when it comes to checking facts in stories off the news wire. All you have to do is report on someone else's report and say "hey, it's not my fault! I'm just reporting on what someone else said!" It's no defence in court sorry guys! Defamation is still defamation, even if you didn't say it orginally.