More breaking news
Another breaking story from BBC News, which follows the mass killing of children and adults by an ex-police officer in a Thai daycare centre. There is no indication that this page will be updated, as opposed to a new one being created and linked. We shall see.
Word count: 100.
This one's developing fast. The death toll has increased by at least three already. Still no indication that this is a story to be updated though.
Word count: 149.
The story has been updated with a map in place of the breaking news banner; a tweet; further details, including the name of the gunman; and links to other articles on this tragedy.
You'd be forgiven for thinking that this is a developing story that's being updated. But you'd be wrong, because it's not flagged as such.
Word count: 152, excluding tweet text.
The death toll is now at least 34. The manhunt ended when the assailant killed himself.
The story continues to be unmarked for updates. But that doesn't mean that it won't be. (wink)
Word count: 304.
Window dressing: a new lead photo of people presumably gathered at the site of the atrocity. But there's no caption, so that's just a wild guess on my part.
Word count: 304.
The droid is unmasked, as Simon Fraser steps out of the shadows.
The details of what followed are still emerging
Simon Fraser, BBC News
So, more stealth updates are to be expected, then.
Word count: 400.
The lead photo is now captioned, and it is indeed of the daycare centre in the aftermath of the attack.
Word count: 442.
The story was updated 7 minutes ago. But the word count hasn't changed. The stealth edit is particularly stealthy…the death toll has been revised upwards, from at least 34 people
to at least 38 people
. Just one digit changed, but quite a difference to the story.
You need to keep your wits about you when reading the world's most trusted international news broadcaster
™, an' no mistake! (pipe)
Word count: 442.
The lead photo's been replaced with video, and other changes have been made to include witness statements. While this and previous versions have reported that the assailant was sacked last year for drug use, but maintained that a motive for the attack remains unclear, this is the first to tie things together more cohesively:
Police named the attacker as Panya Kamrab, a local man who had been a police lieutenant colonel before he was dismissed last year for drug use. He is understood to have appeared in court on Thursday on charges related to the use and possible sale of methamphetamine. The verdict was scheduled to be delivered on Friday.
Simon Fraser, BBC News
Word count: 532.
It's getting pretty tiring now, playing spot the difference. The word count hasn't altered from before, so what has? When did the title change from pre-school
to nursery
, and why?
Bloody hell. I just wish that the world's most trusted international news broadcaster
™ wasn't so trustworthy. (rolleyes)
Word count: 532.
Oh 4fuxsayk, Simon, make up your fucking mind! Now the death toll has been revised down to at least 37 people
.
Word count: 532.
Simon Fraser's been joined by Elsa Maishman, as co-reporter on this story. And words have been added; 125 of them, to be exact.
Word count: 657.
The word count was reduced three hours ago, when the assailant's rank in the police force was revised. Now he was a sergeant, not a lieutenant colonel.
Since none of the revisions to this article have been acknowledged or explained by the authors, it's unclear as to whether or not he was simply demoted post-mortem.
Word count: 656.
Funnily enough, he's still a lieutenant colonel according to another BBC article, updated 8 hours ago, but a sergeant according to yet another, last updated 12 hours ago. Both articles being the work of the droid. And this is why you can have faith in the world's most trusted international news broadcaster
™. (rolleyes)