48 HOURS BINGE

[amshih]

Other interesting tidbits about how news stories get skewed:

1. The internet version of a Detroit newspaper, when they first reported the falling death of a U-M student (I assume that's the death that was covered in 48 Hours -- I don't watch the show), reported her BAC as 0.059. One week later, another story in the same paper reported it as 0.59!!

2. A radio report on the story did get her BAC correct and also mentioned trace amounts of the drug GHB in her body. In the next sentence, the report mentioned that the body manufactures small amounts of GHB naturally (I have no clue whether this is true). The implication: alcohol was the cause of the accident, not the drugs.

My opinion: I think it was a very tragic, freak accident that really can't be blamed on anyone or anything, except maybe the folks who built the dorm windows to open so wide. But I think alcohol provides the most convenient scapegoat for a hysterical community that wants quick answers and a quick fix.