"(name withheld), assuming we have a discrepancy between 12- and 24-hour clocks, then one would expect to find a consistent 12-hour discrepancy in the listing... so, if we BACK UP to the 'consistent 12 hour discrepancy' and adjust accordingly (2 hours BACK from 5:15 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. EST), then FORGIVE "12 hours" as the consistent clock discrepancy - that still gives us a thread creation time which Google timestamp notes as being well ahead of the announced "ID" event (at time of this writing, "5 hours" - or as having been created at or about 2:30 p.m., which is still well ahead of the timestamp in the article itself, listed as "2:49").
Now I waited, checked, and refreshed this identical search regularly - and at 7:30 p.m. EST, all the Google search timestamps which had previously read "16 hours" switched over to "17 hours" simultaneously, while the story above now mysteriously listed as "5 hours".
This noted:
NOT adding "democratic Underground" to the Google search shows the OLDEST non-DU STORIES on the web currently time to "4 hours" (at approx 7:30 pm EST US), while Democratic Underground's columns are CONSISTENTLY timing at 17+ hours of web life - even subtracting 12 hours for stated "error" as you claim, this still means DU is fully ONE HOUR AHEAD of major media, perhaps even ahead of the very announcement itself.
That's still quite a discrepancy. And it only affects Democratic Underground. And it only affects DU stories with the "Navy Yard/Aaron Alexis" designations. No other media outlet stories were or have been affected in any similar way, throughout. Here's are some examples of DU's story timestamp anomalies:
This story is listed internally as originally published at 2:49 p.m., edited 4 times since, PREVIOUSLY showed 16 hours and is NOW showing a proper Google timestamp of approximately 5 hours (at 7:30 p.m. EST):
Aaron Alexis 34 identified as shooter at Navy Yard - Democratic Underground
However, NUMEROUS other stories posted at DU were posted at the same time or earlier/later, all found by search terms "democratic underground navy yard"
marked in story as 11:43 a.m. (currently Google stamps at 17 hours +):
There were 2 shooters at the Navy Yard. 1 is down - Democratic Underground
And all of the following DU stories Google stamp as 17 hours + -
marked in post at 5:06 p.m.:
Big Ed is discussing the Navy Yard shooter now on MSNBC. - Democratic Underground
marked in post at 11:20 a.m.:
This message was self-deleted by its author - Democratic Underground
marked in post at 10:00 a.m.
Shooting at the Naval Yard*edited@10:09am* - Democratic Underground
marked in post at 1:43 p.m.:
Per MSNBC 7 now dead in Navy Yard shooting - Democratic Underground
marked in post at 2:15 p.m.:
Multiple deaths in Navy Yard shooting rampage; suspects may be on loose - Democratic Underground
AND this one, as marked in post 5:01 p.m. (with no edit history), posted several hours LATER than the earlier anomalies, yet showing identical Google timestamps of 17 hours +:
Washington Navy Yard gunman identified as Aaron Alexis-From Queens NY - Democratic Underground
It is perhaps most interesting to note that this "anomaly" as you describe it seems ONLY to affect Democratic Underground stories, ONLY affect these Navy Yard/Aaron Alexis stories, and no other major news outlets that can be determined at this time.
These latest findings are accurate as of 7:30 p.m. EST US, as being synchronized with Google and World Time clocks.