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>To the smart alecks and cowards who like to post >anonymously on this forum, my advice is to grow up and >do your research. First off, gobsmacked -- meaning >astounded or flabbergasted -- appears to be entirely >appropriate. Secondly, as reporters we all make snap >judgments about people we interview, so I have no >problem with Dennis sharing his impressions with the >court even if they run contrary to a doctor's report. >He was asked a question, and he answered it. So what, >he's not allowed to say his experience did not comport >with that of a doctor? Dennis has to be wrong because >someone with an M.D. after his name has a different >opinion? Finally, before you start making assumptions >-- or intimations, because that's how it appears to me >-- about Dennis's note-retention habits, why don't you >find out what Post-Gazette policy is first? The >problem with so many posts on this forum for supposed >fact-checking, accuracy-minded journalists is that >things are often said with complete ignorance. I can't >tell you how many times I've seen people post theories >on how or why the PG did or didn't do something that >are so completely off base and absurd it's laughable. >For what it's worth, I'm looking at Dennis's desk >right now, and it is pretty clean. But what does that >tell you? Dennis could have all his notes hidden in an >underground bunker, right? Maybe that's fodder for >another "fact-based" thread here. And for the record, >I have had my differences with Dennis from time to >time, so I am not a blind apologist for him. But he is >smart, tenacious and one hell of a reporter -- the >kind of guy you definitely want on your team. This >post struck me as nasty, obnoxious and ignorant enough >that I thought he deserved having a colleague stick up >for him. > > > >>When in doubt, overreach for an inappropriate word: >> >>"Mr. Roddy testified that Ms. Jordan was "gob-smacked" >>when he told her she gave $10,000 to judicial >>candidate Cheryl Allen." >> >>Paging Dr. Roddy, Dr. Roddy ... >> >>"Mr. Roddy said that his experience ran contrary to a >>doctor's report that Ms. Jordan was psychotic and her >>memory was very impaired." >> >>2 + 2 = 5. Just take Dennis' word for it: >> >>"Under cross-examination from defense attorney Thomas >>J. Farrell, Mr. Roddy said he threw away the notes and >>deleted the tape recording of the interview." >> >>Of course, the note destruction issue is crucial to >>both the case and journalism in general. Here's a >>fairly brief story on different sides of the debate >> >><a rel=nofollow target=_blank >>href="http://www.ajr.org/Article.asp?id=1785">http://w >w >>w.ajr.org/Article.asp?id=1785</a> >> >>My practice and experience with other reporters is >>that we all keep stacks of full note books for a long >>time. What do you do? And what have you seen of >>Dennis' desk and drawers? Full of papers and >>notebooks, or neat as a pin?

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