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jbm
 Post subject: it's a mystery
PostPosted: Sun Apr 06, 2003 7:01 pm 
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Joined: Wed Nov 20, 2002 1:01 am
Posts: 83
Location: New York
Why is SARS still referred to as a "mystery illness"? It seems like at this point scientists have a pretty good idea of what this is, if not its exact cause/origin.
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Phillip Blanchard
 Post subject: Re: it's a mystery
PostPosted: Sun Apr 06, 2003 7:43 pm 
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Joined: Sun Apr 07, 2002 1:01 am
Posts: 8342
Location: Bethesda, Md.
And why was it called a "mystery illness" instead of a "mysterious illness"?
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Matthew Grieco
 Post subject: Re: it's a mystery
PostPosted: Mon Apr 07, 2003 12:53 am 
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Joined: Mon Mar 10, 2003 1:01 am
Posts: 2266
Location: New Jersey
Funny you should ask. Our desk contemplated this same question earlier today, and I came here thinking I'd post about it.<p>In any event, the only place I see it called Mystery Illness these days is in AP's slug lines. So I think it's pure laziness on their part.
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jbm
 Post subject: Re: it's a mystery
PostPosted: Mon Apr 07, 2003 1:31 am 
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Posts: 83
Location: New York
AP had it in the lede of a story about Hong Kong hospitals.
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Powderhorn
 Post subject: Re: it's a mystery
PostPosted: Mon Apr 07, 2003 2:03 am 
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Joined: Fri Jun 07, 2002 12:01 am
Posts: 840
Location: Ashland, Ore.
The AP hasn't given up the ghost in copy ... I suppose they're going for consistency in slug lines ("Let's see if they've got another mystery illness story moving this week") but to put it in copy now is as lazy as calling, say, the Seattle Mariners the "mystery baseball team."
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