Notes from the Newsroom NewsOK.com Blogging Community

Sometimes it’s easy to miss an event, so here’s a look back at the past week or so to help bring you up to date:

It’s time to see how much attention you’ve been paying to the news in the past week or so. From The Oklahoman’s news copy editors and designers, here’s a quiz.

1. Hugo residents are looking forward to the day they can sell this to Texas:
a) Water from the brimming Hugo Lake.
b) Scratch-off lottery tickets at sites just across the state line.
c) Abandoned circus equipment because there’s a sucker born ever minute.

2. How will 13 states allow overseas troops to vote in the presidential election this year?
a) By e-mail.
b) By telegraph.
c) Using an affidavit brought to the election board by a family member.

3. Researchers recently announced plans for a 1.5-square-mile plot of switchgrass in the Oklahoma Panhandle and smaller plots elsewhere. One acre of non-irrigated switchgrass could yield:
a) 60 bushels of cattle feed.
b) 600,000 gallons of biofuel.
c) 6 million feet of rope.

4. Why are experts saying social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace can pose a privacy risk?
a) Their options to make your profiles “private” don’t really work.
b) Hackers are multiplying with more generations growing up in the virtual world.
c) Downloaded applications built by third parties can see your contact information.

5. After coming under mortar fire during a USO tour stop in Afghanistan, Toby Keith did what?
a) Retired to a shelter to sign autographs and later picked up the concert where it was interrupted.
b) Wrote a song about the “Biggest, Baddest Combat Zone.”
c) Whipped out a handgun and fired back.

6. Dr. Kevin Moore, a scientist at Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, has done research that may lead to something unexpected:
a) A patch to release cardiac medicine.
b) An enzyme-based birth control for men.
c) An electronic weight loss capsule you swallow and it vacuums up the calories.

7. With a postal increase rapidly nearing, Americans are buying:
a) 30 million “forever stamps” a day.
b) Less gasoline and putting things in the mail instead.
c) More pre-paid FedEx pouches.

8. The Wrigley family is cashing out of the chewing gum business, selling out to:
a) Philip Morris, which is looking for the next big nervous habit.
b) Mars Inc., maker of M&Ms and Snickers.
c) Pfizer Inc., one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies, which is looking for a new delivery system for its anti-cholesterol medicines.

9. Oklahoma State running back Thurman Thomas and one-time University of Oklahoma quarterback Troy Aikman will be among three people with Oklahoma ties inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in December. Who is the third?
a) Former OU coach Gary Gibbs.
b) Former OSU coach Pat Jones.
c) Former Tulsa coach John Cooper.

10. The federal government has launched a blog at www.fastlane.dot.gov for:
a) Helping taxpayers get refunds more quickly.
b) Listing traffic congestion and alternative routes in the nation’s 100 largest urban areas.
c) Breaking news from the U.S. Department of Transportation.

11. The University of Oklahoma is warning students of:
a) A looming increase in tuition of almost 10 percent.
b) How global warming will affect degree programs – less work in petroleum engineering, more in green careers.
c) A shortage of football tickets for the 2008-09 season.

12. Oklahoma City police are looking to hire a downtown ambassador, whose $9-an-hour duties would include:
a) Meeting with conventioneers and others to explain the city’s curfew rules.
b) Passing out pamphlets in Bricktown listing nearby restaurants and sights.
c) Traffic control and crime reporting.

13. Country singer Trisha Yearwood has just published a:
a) Songbook with hits sung by husband Garth Brooks.
b) Cookbook with her mother and sister.
c) Children’s book about a dreamer who becomes a star.

14. The average cost of Oklahoma families’ health insurance increased 50 percent from 2001 to 2005. In the same period, the median income rose:
a) 5 percent.
b) 50 percent.
c) 500 percent.

15. The U.S. House honored Ponca Chief Standing Bear as:
a) A vigilant supporter of democracy.
b) An early businessman with a vision of prosperity for his tribe.
c) One of America’s original civil rights heroes.

16. Swiss chemist Albert Hoffmann died in Geneva at age 102. He was known for:
a) Formulating the first Swiss high-cocoa concentration dark chocolate.
b) Collecting masterworks, including the largest collection of paintings by Edvard Munch.
c) Inventing LSD while studying medicinal uses for a grain fungus.

17. It’s a leavener in baked goods, but what else can you do with baking soda?
a) Mix it with water to make play dough.
b) Plant it in moist soil to grow a garden of colaberry bushes.
c) Scrub your toilets, soften fabrics and prevent clogged drains.

18. College football Bowl Championship officials rejected a proposal to hold a one-plus game to decide the national champion because:
a) The current system is working so well.
b) No one could agree on where to hold it.
c) The television contracts have already been signed for the next 12 seasons.

19. In the seven years since the 2000 census, Oklahoma’s Hispanic population has increased about:
a) 4 percent.
b) 44 percent
c) 444 percent.

20. Maj. Andy Jordan, a Green Beret who has deployed twice to Iraq spoke at a convention in Oklahoma City. He credits his experience in this organization with helping him succeed in the military:
a) His church.
b) FFA
c) Public schools in Oklahoma.

How did you do on the quiz? Here are the correct answers:
1-A; 2-A; 3-B; 4-C; 5-A; 6-B; 7-A; 8-B; 9-C; 10-C; 11-A; 12-C; 13-B; 14-A; 15-C; 16-C; 17-C; 18-A; 19-B; 20-B.

Sometimes it’s easy to miss an event, so here’s a look back at the past week or so to help bring you up to date:

1. Two Boston sporting events annually mark Patriots’ Day, a remembrance of the skirmishes at Lexington and Concord that began the American Revolution. One is the Boston Marathon. The other is:
a) The World Championship Hot Dog Eating Contestbilled as the most disgusting 10 minutes in sports.
b) A morning baseball game in Fenway Park. This year, the Red Sox beat the Texas Rangers 8-3.
c) The Lexington Derby, a mile and a quarter race for 3-year-old thoroughbreds.

2. About 400 people from Oklahoma Christian University have been training for what event?
a) The Beijing 2008 Summer Olympic Games.
b) The Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon.
c) The all-you-can-eat buffet at the church picnic this spring.

3. Where did Pope Benedict XVI conduct Mass on the last day of his U.S. visit in New York?
a) St. Patrick Cathedral.
b) Yankee Stadium.
c) Central Park, near the statue of Alice in Wonderland.

4. Danica Patrick won a race recently in Japan. Patrick is:
a) A triathlete with Oklahoma ties.
b) The first woman to win an Indy-car event.
c) An Olympic swimmer with her eyes on the Beijing games.

5. Former District Court Judge Donald Thompson will soon complete his sentence for indecent exposure. What county did he serve?
a) Creek County.
b) Oklahoma County.
c) Tulsa County.

6. Max Ary, a former executive director of the Kirkpatrick Science and Air Space Museum at the Omniplex (now named the Science Museum of Oklahoma), was headed for what will be to him a new frontier. He was going:
a) Into orbit with the international space station program.
b) To Moscow to become a NASA lobbyist.
c) To prison for interstate transportation of stolen property in connection with sales of some artifacts from the Kansas museum where he was previously employed.

7. Presidential candidate Barack Obama asked, “Do you smell what Barack is cooking?” in a message taped for what television show?
a) NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
b) Food Network’s “30 Minute Meals.”
c) World Wrestling Entertainment’s “Monday Night Raw.”

8. Bobbi Parker is charged with hiding Randolph Dial in her car and driving the inmate out of the Oklahoma State Reformatory. When was the escape?
a) 1994.
b) 2004.
c) 1999.

9. OU researchers have found the gene RBM3 produces a protein that helps cells:
a) Become fat-storers, leading to a thickening around the mitochondria.
b) Rejuvenate themselves and slow aging.
c) Turn into quick-dividing cancer cells.

10. Under pressure to meet combat needs, the Army and Marine Corps have accepted significantly more recruits with what ordinary disqualifiers?
a) Ability to eat cauliflower without ketchup.
b) Flat feet and other physical limitations.
c) Felony convictions.

11. According to a new government report, in what state did 26.4 percent of drivers admit driving drunk during the past year:
a) Oklahoma.
b) Wisconsin.
c) Florida.

12. Oklahoma City officials are recruiting neighborhood association volunteers to help eliminate:
a) Mosquitoes and the ponds where they breed.
b) Pet waste in public areas using city-issued baggies.
c) Illegal signs, which some call litter on a stick.

13. New Yorker Danny Almonte, who caused a buzz as a Little Leaguer seven years ago when it was discovered he was 14, not 12, and ineligible, is now:
a) Working as a New York firefighter.
b) Making a mint as a motivational speaker, claiming you’re as young as you feel.
c) Playing college baseball in Altus.

14. “Hamburger America” author George Motz says he’s impressed with Oklahoma’s hamburger pride and:
a) The number of good burger joints that call Oklahoma home.
b) The special mustard, Oklahoma yellow.
c) Our appetite for burgers and fries.

15. Braves starter John Smoltz may have lost the game, but he became the 16th member of this exclusive club:
a) 1,000 walks.
b) 2,000 batters hit.
c) 3,000 strikeouts.

Answers: 1-B; 2-B; 3-B; 4-B; 5-A; 6-C; 7-C; 8-A; 9-C; 10-C; 11-B; 12-C; 13-C; 14-A; 15-C

Sometimes it’s easy to miss an event, so here’s a look back at the past week or so to help bring you up to date:

It’s time to see how much attention you’ve been paying to the news in the past week or so. From The Oklahoman’s news copy editors and designers, here’s a quiz.

1. Oklahoma City is having some trouble finishing the huge sculpture that includes 45 bronze statues commemorating the Land Run of 1889 because:
a) The bronze statues are too heroic-sized to fit on the site.
b) Rising materials costs have eaten into the budget for the remaining pieces.
c) The front wheels keep falling off the super-sized wagons, so they can’t be rolled into place.

2. Rep. Joe Dorman, D-Rush Springs, is championing legislation that would celebrate Oklahoma Rock musicians by:
a) Giving Oklahoma a signature rock song.
b) Creating an Oklahoma Rock Hall of Fame in Noble.
c) Designating a rock version of “Oklahoma!” as the new state song.

3. South African Trevor Immelman shot a three-over par 75 in the final round to:
a) Come in second behind Tiger Woods who shot a three-under 69.
b) Win the Masters in Augusta, Ga.
c) Learn his lesson and take more practice time with his putter.

4. According to a national survey, 67 percent of Oklahomans rated what health care experience a 9 or 10?
a) Their overall experience with a hospital.
b) The joy of visiting a dentist twice a year.
c) Dealing with a doctor’s billing office.

5. A class-action lawsuit alleges that poor cleanup of a zinc smelter has left some residents of an Oklahoma town with high levels of lead in their blood. What is the town?
a) Wellston.
b) Goodwell.
c) Blackwell.

6. Wal-Mart has set up a subsidiary called Wal-Mart Emerging Markets East, intended to scope out what major-market country for Wal-Mart expansion?
a) Russia.
b) China.
c) Iraq.

7. Cubans lined up for blocks to pay $120 – about half a year’s salary – for:
a) 2008 World Series Baseball tickets.
b) Photos with ex-President Fidel Castro.
c) Activation of a cell phone. Calls are extra.

8. Some in the airline industry believe the Delta-Northwest merger will mean:
a) Better meals on trans-Atlantic flights.
b) Piles of lost Delta luggage will miraculously be discovered in a Northwest storeroom.
c) A United-Continental link could come quickly.

9. Steve Trimble, 50, of Oklahoma City, won $3.8 million in the March 26 Hot Lotto game, but he only took home $1.7 million. With whom did he share the money?
a) A group of friends who invested in the ticket.
b) His business partner.
c) The IRS.

10. A high-tech conference call allowed Army Capt. Andy Riise to be virtually present for a significant event, even though he was in Iraq and his wife was in Lawton. They used videoconferencing so Riise could:
a) Get married.
b) See the birth of his second son.
c) Play in the preliminary rounds of the World Series of Poker.

11. Beachcombers in 76 countries from Bahrain to Bangladesh picked up 6 million pounds of debris during a day of trash collecting. The most common item was:
a) Empty water bottles.
b) Buried treasure.
c) Cigarette butts.

12. Pope Benedict XVI was serenaded at the White House during his first U.S. visit as pontiff with:
a) “Happy Birthday.”
b) “Kumba Ya.”
c) “Onward Christian Soldiers.”

13. Oklahoma State University has chosen Travis Ford from the University of Massachusetts to coach its men’s basketball team. Which of these is not part of his resume:
a) He has written a book, “Big Blue Dreams,” about playing basketball at Kentucky.
b) As a freshman, Ford played at Gallagher-Iba Arena, but never scored there.
c) He has taken his team to the NCAA Sweet 16 for the last two years.

14. Barbecue expert Rick Browne recommends avoiding the use of liquid charcoal starters when you’re firing up the grill. If you use charcoal briquettes, make sure they’re organic and start them with:
a) Cotton dryer lint.
b) Day-old bread, preferably from an artisanal loaf.
c) Moss scraped from the north side of a tree.

15. What kind of television show, produced by University of Oklahoma students, is now airing on Oklahoma City and Tulsa cable networks?
a) A fashion show.
b) A series on campus history.
c) A news show.

16. President Bush unveiled a plan that calls for a halt in the growth of this by 2025?
a) Terrorism.
b) Greenhouse gas emissions.
c) Reality television programs.

17. Advice offered to teenagers in search of summer employment includes:
a) Practice your singing, because you’re more likely to get on “American Idol” than find work.
b) Start looking early, network with friends and family and make sure your resume has no spelling errors.
c) Hold out for exactly what you want, because you’ll be giving up a lot of fun.

18. Aviation officials say the three New York-area airports had the lowest on-time arrival rates in the nation for 2007. They blamed these delays for:
a) 75 percent of all flight delays cascading through the system.
b) Soaring alcoholism rates among frequent fliers.
c) The disappearance of D.B. Cooper.

19. The 42nd annual Festival of the Arts will open Tuesday in downtown Oklahoma City. This means:
a) An estimated 100,000 to 125,000 people will converge for a chance see the work of 144 artists.
b) Leave the kids at home because it won’t be any fun for them.
c) It’ll rain all week.

20. The Legislature overrode a veto by Gov. Brad Henry for the first time since he took office in 2003. Senate Bill 1878 requires:
a) Elected officials to pay their taxes on time.
b) Oklahomans to participate in recycling programs when they are offered.
c) That a woman be shown an ultrasound image before an abortion.

How did you do on the quiz? Here are the correct answers:
1-B; 2-A; 3-B; 4-A; 5-C; 6-A; 7-C; 8-C; 9-C; 10-B; 11-C; 12-A; 13-C; 14-A; 15-C; 16-B; 17-B; 18-A; 19-A; 20-C.

Sometimes it’s easy to miss an event, so here’s a look back at the past week or so to help bring you up to date.

I’m a romantic at heart and Scott Williams of Crofton, Md.,  recently made my day.

According to a Capital News Story distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services, Williams is frantically searching for someone who will give him two tickets to Thursday’s papal Mass at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C.

Williams said his girlfriend, who is completing her theology degree at Mt. St. Mary’s University, wants to attend the Mass and see Pope Benedict XVI.

Williams wants to propose to her,  either at the Mass, or present them to her during his proposal beforehand — the wire story wasn’t clear about that.

One thing is clear – those papal Mass tickets are hot items.

Here’s the thing: It’s wrong to sell such tickets, according to the Archdiocese of Washington.

A spokesman for the archdiocese is quoted as saying a Roman Catholic Church Mass is considered a sacrament, and scalping the tickets (which were free, but in limited supply)  is equivalent to selling a sacrament, which is forbidden according to church law.

This has not stopped some folks from trying to sell the tickets, though.

As of April 11, there were 28 “tickets wanted” posts in the Washington section of classified ad Web site Craigslist, with one post offering to sell, according to the Capital News Service story. The story went on to say that the Archdiocese of Washington had the site remove about 20 posts selling the tickets or passes.  

Anyway, I’ll be curious about Williams and his proposal plans. Interestingly enough, Williams doesn’t want to buy the tickets since that’s wrong. He is proposing an in-kind exchange. He has information technology skills and is offering to fix a computer for someone who might want to give him two tickets to the Mass. Or he’ll even clean someone’s house.

People who want to help him are probably going to proceed with caution, according to the wire story.  You see the tickets are the nontransferable property of the archdiocese and there is a designated process for assigning “unneeded” tickets.

The archdiocese spokeswoman said each ticket is seat-specific and bar coded so officials should be able to track who is supposed to be sitting in any given section. If archdiocese official see a seat or section number on sale, they can cancel that ticket or flag a row for monitering, the wire story said.

Imagine being pinpointed as an illegal ticket holder at the papal Mass –– beyond embarrassing! 

The spokeswoman said 200,000 people applied for 46,000 passes and there are 10,000 people on the waiting list.

Romantic though he may be, Williams may wait in vain for these golden tickets.      

Carla Hinton

Religion Editor

It’s time to see how much attention you’ve been paying to the news in the past week or so. From The Oklahoman’s news copy editors and designers, here’s a quiz.

1. Oklahoma native Tracy Letts won a Pulitzer for what play?
a) “June: Tulsa County.”
b) “July: Bryan County.”
c) “August: Osage County.”

2. Healdton has owned its cable service since 2001. What has been the result?
a) The service is losing money and town officials are looking for a buyer.
b) All 1,200 households in the area subscribed to the successful service.
c) About half the households are subscribing, and the service has broken even.

3. Former Oklahoma basketball player Stacey Dales has retired from the WNBA to focus on sportscasting duties at ESPN. What team did she retire from?
a) Houston Comets.
b) Seattle Storm.
c) Chicago Sky.

4. What will former Oklahoma State basketball coach Sean Sutton receive as part of a settlement with the university?
a) A bill for remaining years on his contract.
b) $2.7 million.
c) A letter of recommendation and free orange T-shirts for life.

5. State Rep. Paul Wesselhoft recommended what name if the NBA’s Seattle SuperSonics move to Oklahoma City?
a) The Plains Flyers.
b) Oklahoma SuperDuperSonics.
c) Oklahoma City Aviators.

6. What cell phone company, which is adding service to the Oklahoma City metro area, claims that 60 percent of its customers make less than $30,000 per year?
a) Millipede Mobile.
b) Cricket Communications.
c) Spider Services.

7. U.S. Rep. Mary Fallin hosted a dinner for seniors from the fire-damaged Jones High School. Where was it held?
a) The school’s new cafeteria, which was completed in only four months.
b) Superintendent Mike Steele’s back yard.
c) Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar and Grill in Bricktown.

8. Why is Martin Vosseler of Switzerland walking across the United States?
a) To encourage climate protection.
b) To endorse a new sneaker.
c) To pay off a soccer bet.

9. Oklahoma City is considering spending $5.2 million in upgrades to attract what professional sport?
a) Rodeo.
b) Tennis.
c) Alligator wrestling.

10. Under Senate Bill 1878, health care providers would have the right to do what?
a) Refuse to participate in abortions.
b) Sell customer accounts to other providers.
c) Seek government subsidies for covering pre-existing conditions.

11. Where was the closing ceremony of the Olympics relay in San Francisco held?
a) Chinatown.
b) The Golden Gate Bridge.
c) San Francisco International Airport.

12. Why did residents in western Oklahoma welcome heavy rainfall?
a) The area has spent weeks fighting wildfires.
b) Wind-blown dirt needed to be washed off the roads.
c) A manufacturer locating there wanted to test a new type of raincoat.

13. What did Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett say he advocates for the city as part of MAPS 3?
a) A North Pole exhibit at the zoo featuring polar bears and penguins.
b) A light rail system serving downtown and tourists.
c) A subway linking downtown with the state Capitol, Edmond and Norman.

14. Sooner Blake Griffin is not the first OU basketball player to consider jumping to the NBA and decide instead to stay in college. Who did so in 1984?
a) Tommy Tubbs.
b) Mookie Blaylock.
c) Wayman Tisdale.

15. Pilots for what airline were granted permits to picket crew bases of Northwest Airlines in a dispute over seniority if the two companies merge?
a) TWA.
b) Delta.
c) Braniff.

16. A doctor used what unexpected treatment successfully on hepatitis C patients?
a) Formulated time-release capsules containing an ancient Chinese herb.
b) A prescription drug commonly used to treat cholesterol.
c) Cross-infected them with hepatitis A and B.

17. Why is high school senior Tomas “Duffy” Duffek, who is Rock Creek’s pitcher of the year, ineligible to play baseball this season?
a) Parents demanded that he be benched because he was just too good.
b) Despite playing for Rock Creek last year, he is considered a transfer student, and is therefore ineligible.
c) Once you’re named pitcher of the year, you have to sit out one season.

18. The Rev. Anthony B. Taylor, a local Catholic priest, soon will leave for Arkansas. What will his new job be?
a) Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Little Rock.
b) Proprietor of a bed and breakfast in Eureka Springs.
c) A top executive for Wal-Mart in Bentonville.

19. China reversed a decision to reopen Tibet to foreign tourists. Why?
a) The torch relay needs a safe passage up Mount Everest.
b) The region was hit by flooding and it’s no longer safe.
c) Tibetans don’t speak any other language and the only translators are in Beijing.

20. The former Lucent Technologies plant is being considered for what use?
a) Making telephone switching equipment.
b) Data processing.
c) Production of railway freight cars.

How did you do on the quiz? Here are the correct answers:
1-C; 2-A; 3-C; 4-B; 5-C; 6-B; 7-C; 8-A; 9-B; 10-A; 11-C; 12-A; 13-B; 14-C; 15-B; 16-B; 17-B; 18-A; 19-A; 20-B.

Sometimes it’s easy to miss an event, so here’s a look back at the past week or so to help bring you up to date.