I have been asked the questions a couple of times recently and I though I knew the anthers, however I was mistaken, once clarified I believed that the explanation made sense.

However, I do feel we may need some clear and simple guide lines concerning this issue and maybe simple would be the emphasis here so we can minimize confusion and doubts as well as unnecessary tensions or frustration.

In the spirit of NP and team work being encouraged, I would suggest that all post to a particular news such as the Death of a celebrity be merged into one posting and that with each additional posting added to it the merged post gets another two or four hours on the main page.

The Credits could be shared and the authors all mentioned for their input and their part of the merged post. The post could be rearranged or edited by Staff to make it appealing.

This could be done with any post unless the Authors of the First post would not concede to it and then we could create a second posting of merged Post running either with cross links or simply on its own. 

The problem with that would be that it would require additional tools and that may take a wile, so it may be an idea for some time down the road.

In the mean time we may need some simple a clear rules or guide lines, that can easily be understood, followed and implemented.

The other problem relating to this double posting is our not so well functioning search engine and related Post not showing up, I am aware that this is been looked after and in the works, until it does work though we should have some intermediary Policies. Finding out by some one else is some what frustrating since the Author has in some cases spend substantial time to make a good post.

Just my two cents worth of Opinion.