The weekly news quiz
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. Queen Elizabeth II took a leap into the 21st century by doing what?
a) Announcing her intention to be launched into space.
b) Establishing her own Royal Channel on YouTube.
c) Releasing a hip-hop album.
2. Which Major League Baseball player planned, in an interview on “60 Minutes,” to refute allegations he used steroids?
a) Barry Bonds.
b) Jose Canseco.
c) Roger Clemens.
3. Who scored for the Pittsburgh Steelers 35 years ago on a play that became known as the “Immaculate Reception”?
a) Frenchy Fuqua.
b) Lynn Swann.
c) Franco Harris.
4. At least 15 people were killed and more than 100 were missing after a steel footbridge collapsed in what country?
a) Thailand.
b) China.
c) Nepal.
5. Under federal law, any child without a fixed, regular and adequate place to stay is considered:
a) An orphan.
b) Homeless.
c) A juvenile delinquent.
6. Investigators recovered nearly $5 million worth of stolen cattle, horses and equipment last year in Texas and Oklahoma. What main factor drives cattle rustling?
a) Increasing beef prices spur demand.
b) Strict breeding laws limit cattle ownership.
c) Rivalries result in ranch-hand high jinks.
7. Greenburg, N.Y., is offering its seniors a way to pay off their property taxes. What is it?
a) Let seniors work part-time for $7 an hour.
b) Give seniors a 7 percent discount on their taxes.
c) Have seniors participate in a tax-waiver lottery.
8. Retailers were counting on what to boost their revenues during after-Christmas sales?
a) Gift cards.
b) Earlier shopping hours.
c) Three days of extra shopping.
9. The Sooner football team’s defense took another hit when which player was ruled ineligible for the Fiesta Bowl?
a) Reggie Smith.
b) Brian Jackson.
c) Lendy Holmes.
10. Chicago will impose a 5-cent tax on what grocery item in response to environmental concerns?
a) Diapers.
b) Bottled water.
c) Trash bags.
11. Former Oklahoma State University basketball coach Eddie Sutton accepted the head coaching position at the University of San Francisco. Which of the following was not a reason Sutton, who resigned from OSU in 2006, said he took the opportunity to coach the Dons?
a) A chance to reach 800 wins.
b) A chance to join the “green” movement in San Francisco.
c) A chance to make up for how he ended his career at OSU.
12. How many cases of influenza have been confirmed in Oklahoma since Dec. 19?
a) 18.
b) 5.
c) 2.
13. Oklahomans found out during the week they won’t be receiving what in 2009?
a) Income tax cuts.
b) More cable channels.
c) Lower milk prices.
14. Well-known attorney Mike Gassaway is facing a decision by a state court that will determine whether he is allowed to continue practicing law in Oklahoma. What court will decide?
a) High Court.
b) Supreme Court.
c) Royal Court.
15. Boeing Co. finalized a deal with what major airline for 790 orders of its long-awaited 787 Dreamliner plane?
a) Qantas.
b) American Airlines.
c) British Airways.
16. Jennifer Gooch’s Web site to help people find lost gloves — www.onecoldhand.com — got how many hits in 10 days after stories about her project ran?
a) 55,000.
b) 120,000.
c) 1.6 million.
17. Researchers in Egypt hope DNA tests on a mummy can confirm that it is the last remains of:
a) Alexander the Great.
b) Queen Hatshepsut.
c) Billy the Kid.
18. Biodegradable coffins are a part of a larger trend toward “natural” burials, which require no formaldehyde embalming, cement vaults, chemical lawn treatments or laminated caskets. Which is not an example of eco-friendly burial products?
a) The Ecopod, a kayak-shaped coffin made of recycled newspapers.
b) Fair-trade bamboo caskets lined with unbleached cotton.
c) A 1954 Studebaker with mink trim and a full tank of premium gasoline.
19. Beverly’s Pancake Corner, after 50-plus years at Pennsylvania Avenue and Northwest Expressway, is moving. Where will you be able to get the Big Bevburger and Chicken in the Rough in the near future?
a) Across the street and indoors at Penn Square Mall.
b) Up the road to Midland Center at 3315 Northwest Expressway.
c) Trick question; they aren’t moving at all.
20. The IRS says more than 3 million people will have to wait until February to get their tax refunds. Why?
a) It will take that long for the treasury secretary to win the money back in Las Vegas.
b) Congress didn’t fix the alternative minimum tax until mid-December.
c) The IRS is switching from PCs to Macs and has to learn a new operating system.
How did you do on the quiz? Here are the correct answers:
1-B; 2-C; 3-C; 4-C; 5-B; 6-A; 7-A; 8-A; 9-C; 10-B; 11-B; 12-B; 13-A; 14-B; 15-C; 16-A; 17-B; 18-C; 19-B; 20-B.
Week in review
Another week has passed, and here is a chance for you to catch up on some of the events that you may have missed.
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Roy Williams, president of the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce, said approval of a temporary penny sales tax to raise funds for improving the Ford Center would build on the investments already made through MAPS.
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Sen. Jim Inhofe, a 22-year veteran of Washington, said he has no intention of retiring when his term ends in early 2009; his seniority would give Oklahoma influence that it wouldn’t have with a new senator.
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Months after Egypt announced that archaeologists had identified a mummy as female pharoah Queen Hatshepsut, scientists are still analyzing DNA in hopes of conclusively proving her identity.
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A 2002 Justice Department grant is continuing to assist Oklahoma City authorities attempting to find DNA links to 120 unsolved murder and rape cases.
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In a 50-page report to state lawmakers, higher education officials said that while in-state college tuition costs have increased, a college education in Oklahoma is still a bargain.
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Turkey continued its bombing campaign against Kurdish rebels inside Iraq.
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Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert ruled out any truce talks with Hamas and vowed to continue military operations against the militant Islamic organization.
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On Christmas Eve, President Bush made telephone calls to thank 10 U.S. troops serving in Iraq, Afghanistan and other spots in the world for their service and sacrifices to the country. Bush phoned from his retreat at Camp David in the Maryland mountains, where he and his family spent the holidays.
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Criminologists, doctors and other officials say the differences between crack and powdered cocaine are largely exaggerated and do not justify the way sentencing law comes down 100 times harder on crack offenders.
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A study found that many Americans who have obese children do not see them that way. It is a worrisome trend because child obesity can lead to such health issues as diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol problems and other ailments more commonly found in adults.
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A McClain County jury awarded $2.8 million in damages to country singer Toby Keith’s mother, Carolyn Covel, and her children in the March 2001 traffic death of Keith’s father. H.K. Covel was driving on Interstate 35 near Goldsby when his truck was bumped by another vehicle, knocking it across the median where it collided with a southbound charter-type bus owned by Elias and Pedro Rodriguez of Tulsa. Jurors unanimously found against the Rodriguezes, agreeing the air brakes on their bus were not working properly and the accident could have been avoided.
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A Tulsa doctor may have developed a technique to help lung cancer patients who have trouble breathing because tumors block the bronchioles, which are the passages through which they receive air.
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Friends and family of Chet Fitch of Ashland, Ore., got surprise Christmas cards in the mail, written in his hand with a return address of “Heaven.” The 88-year-old, who died in October, had arranged with his barber to send the cards after his death.
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An investigation into the shooting death of a 14-year-old in Altus bridged the Christmas holiday, but it was soon clear the teen’s death was a tragic accident, Altus Police Chief Michael Patterson said.
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After a tiger killed a visitor at the San Francisco Zoo, officials assured the public the exhibits at the Oklahoma City Zoo are safe.
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U.S. officials expect a decrease in violence in Iraq for 2008, despite a planned reduction of American troops; about 30,000 are to be withdrawn by July.
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Curtis Edward McCarty, a former Oklahoma death row inmate, filed a federal lawsuit against disgraced former Oklahoma City police chemist Joyce Gilchrist, alleging that she fabricated evidence leading to his conviction.
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Former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto was assassinated in a suicide attack that also killed at least 20 others at a campaign rally in Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
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A proposed reduction in individual income taxes set to take effect Jan. 1, 2009, won’t occur because not enough growth is projected in state earnings for the upcoming fiscal year.
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The Library of Congress announced that the film “Oklahoma!” will be added, along with 24 others, to the national registry. The 25 additional titles bring the registry total to 475. Hundreds are nominated each year.
Some Christmas cheer from grateful Oklahomans
A hand-written warm fuzzy left over from the recent ice storm that hit the state:
As were their counterparts from other telecom and utility companies, U.S. Cellular employees worked round the clock to ensure that cell towers were up and running and that wireless calls could be placed on their network during the long electrical outage.
Bobby Van Horn, a network field engineer based in Roanoke, Va., was one of the many U.S. Cellular employees who traveled to Tulsa to help. He and other U.S. Cellular technicians stayed several days in a hotel in Tulsa.
One morning, as they went out to the parking lot to get in their trucks, they each found a note. Someone had hand-written a note and put one on the windshield of every US Cellular truck in the parking lot.
The note read, “Merry Christmas. Thank you for helping.” The picture above is a sample of their handiwork.
Jim Stafford
Business News Reporter
The weekly news quiz
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. The owners of the wine-selling business “Girls Gone Wine” will go to court for what reason?
a) For a federal judge to decide whether they can keep their business name.
b) To challenge Oklahoma’s alcohol laws.
c) To acquire a rival business in southern Oklahoma.
2. Stanford’s Candace Wiggins achieved what women’s college basketball feat in a win over Baylor?
a) 2,000 career points.
b) Fouling out of 100 career games.
c) Two slam dunks in one game.
3. Central America’s gangs are switching things up by doing what?
a) Encouraging younger members to do community service.
b) Stealing from the rich to give to the poor.
c) Trading in their tattoos and baggy pants for a more sophisticated look.
4. The Pew Internet and American Life Project said that 47 percent of U.S. adult Internet users have used Google or another search engine to do what?
a) Find love.
b) Look for information about themselves.
c) Spy on their children.
5. The Oklahoma Blood Institute is prohibiting what group from donating plasma because it could cause a rare transfusion complication in plasma recipients?
a) Men older than 50.
b) Women.
c) People who have been overseas.
6. Which Republican presidential candidate was endorsed by Sen. Joseph Lieberman, the former vice presidential nominee of the Democratic Party?
a) John McCain.
b) Rudy Giuliani.
c) Mike Huckabee.
7. What was done with a tree damaged in an ice storm in front of Will Rogers Elementary School in McAlester?
a) The high school baseball team will use the wood for bats.
b) An artist sculpted it to look like Will Rogers.
c) It was burned to warm the school during power outages.
8. The four biggest makers of microwave popcorn said they have removed a flavoring chemical from the recipe. Why?
a) To make the popcorn taste better.
b) They have found a cheaper substitute.
c) The chemicals linked to sickness in popcorn plant workers.
9. What does an 8-0 state Supreme Court ruling mean to counties?
a) Counties must pay for inmates’ medical care even for pre-existing health conditions.
b) Counties must provide a secure place for inmates’ cars.
c) Counties must give three daily meals and newspapers to inmates.
10. Congress approved the first increase in 32 years for what in automobiles?
a) Thicker tire treads.
b) Brighter headlights.
c) Fuel economy.
11. In a recent national report, Oklahoma was given a score of 8 out of 10 for being prepared for what?
a) Christmas.
b) Health disasters.
c) Court appearances.
12. A father and his three children were rescued from the snowy mountains of California after they were missing for three days. What was the family doing when they got lost?
a) Hunting deer.
b) Searching for a Christmas tree.
c) Playing hide and seek.
13. According to a new study, what form of communication has, like, lost favor among teens?
a) E-mail — 
b) Text messaging — lol.
c) Instant messaging — w00t!
14. Italian judges forbade a couple from naming their child what?
a) Fettuccini.
b) Friday.
c) Fabio.
15. Jessica Simpson is said to be unwelcome in Texas Stadium after her appearance in the stands there recently. She is blamed for quarterback Tony Romo’s lack of focus in Dallas’ loss to the Eagles. Part of the reason for this blame is that Romo’s statistics were his worst since an earlier girlfriend attended another losing game. Who was she?
a) Carrie Underwood.
b) Paris Hilton.
c) Britney Spears.
16. The Oklahoma City Zoo’s executive director Bert Castro has resigned to take another job. Where is he going to work next?
a) Phoenix Zoo.
b) Lincoln Park Zoo.
c) Arbuckle Wilderness.
17. What is the name of two Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes casinos that federal regulators are investigating?
a) Southern Star casinos.
b) Lucky Star casinos.
c) Under the Stars casinos.
18. The Virginia Tech classroom wing where a student gunman killed 30 people and himself and wounded two dozen others last spring will be turned into:
a) A place to study peace.
b) A park with a stone memorial.
c) A campus medical clinic.
19. Oklahoma City officials on March 4 will ask voters to approve a penny sales tax to pay for what?
a) NBA-favored improvements at the Ford Center.
b) A new children’s exhibit at the Oklahoma City Zoo.
c) Landscaping along the Oklahoma River.
20. A man in Greeley, Colo., asked for a jury of his peers to hear a case in which he is accused of jogging naked. What is his occupation?
a) Professional football player.
b) Priest.
c) Executive chef.
How did you do on the quiz? Here are the correct answers:
1-A; 2-A; 3-C; 4-B; 5-B; 6-A; 7-B; 8-C; 9-A; 10-C; 11-B; 12-B; 13-A; 14-B; 15-A; 16-A; 17-B; 18-A; 19-A; 20-B.
Week in review
Another week has passed, and here is your chance to catch up on some of what you might have missed.
Power switch
The Rev. Wayne Childers always expects a larger than usual crowd at South Lindsay Baptist Church on the Sunday before Christmas.
This year he’s expecting the holiday service to draw more people, but for the last few days he had been afraid folks would flock to the church at 3300 S Lindsay — only to find noone there.
The reason behind his anxiety?: Church leaders decided this afternoon to hold Sunday’s services at Wheeler Elementary School, 501 SE 25, instead of the South Lindsay church building.
The building had been without electricity since Dec. 10 because of the ice storm. He said electric company representatives had told him the power would be restored Dec. 19 or 20, but he began to fret when that didn’t happen.
Electric company crews restored power to the building at about 3 p.m. today (Dec. 21) , a few hours after Childers said he and other church leaders made the decision to move services to the school.
But another few hours after the change had been made, there was another switch (pun intended).
Childers said the decision was made to switch the services back to the church late this evening.
So it looks like the South Lindsay Baptist sanctuary will likely be filled with people come Sunday just as the pastor had envisioned.
“It’s Christmas Sunday — one of the biggest Sundays of the year,” he said.
Carla Hinton
Religion Editor
What’s Your Ringtone? Party On
Do you party like a rockstar? If so, then there is a pretty fair chance that the ringtone on your cell phone might tell the world.
According to AT&T, “Party Like a Rockstar” by Shop Boyz was this year’s No. 1 downloaded ringtone among its 60 million-plus subscribers.
AT&T sells ringtones for $2.49 each or through a monthly subscription that begins at $5.99.
If “Party Like a Rockstar” is not your style, then maybe one of the other nine songs on AT&T’s top 10 most downloaded ringtones of the year is on your phone.
Here is the complete list:
- Shop Boyz — “Party Like a Rockstar”
- Mims — “This Is Why I’m Hot”
- Soulja Boy — “Crank That (Soulja Boy)”
- Nickelback — “Rockstar”
- Akon — “Don’t Matter”
- T-Pain — “Buy You A Drank (Shawty Snappin)”
- Hurricane Chris — “A Bay Bay”
- Sean Kingston — “Beautiful Girls”
- Huey — “Pop, Lock & Drop It”
- Fergie — “Big Girls Don’t Cry”
Business News Reporter
An executive by any other name would be preferred
From a recent news release from Yum! Brands Inc., parent company of familiar fast food restaurants such as Taco Bell, Long John Silvers and KFC:
Chief Operation Officer Peter Hearl will step down. His successor will be Roger Eaton. No joke.
At this rate, Eaton will be succeeded by someone named Cook, to be followed by an executive named Farmer.
Business Writer
The weekly news quiz
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. What reason did NASA give for delaying the launch of space shuttle Atlantis?
a) Fuel-gauge problems.
b) Computer concerns.
c) Tang shortage.
2. Logan County planned to have an open house this week to show off which of the following:
a) $10.2 million county courthouse.
b $7.1 million county jail.
c) $8.9 million hospital.
3. Dr. Charlie Pasque, a team doctor for University of Oklahoma athletic teams, returned in November from 13 months doing what?
a) Treating rivals in Austin, Texas.
b) Backpacking across Europe.
c) Treating war wounded in Germany.
4. State Finance Director Tony Hutchison made what prediction for the state’s fiscal year 2009?
a) Oklahoma will see only modest growth.
b) It will be a record-breaking year for growth.
c) Oklahoma will be forced to borrow money from Texas.
5. Store owners in what Oklahoma City area have said they are concerned about how House Bill 1804 is affecting their businesses?
a) Bricktown.
b) MidTown.
c) Capitol Hill.
6. Because of the ice storm, Gov. Brad Henry cut short his vacation in what state?
a) Hawaii.
b) California.
c) Florida.
7. New Jersey is taking steps to ban:
a) Unionizing.
b) The death penalty.
c) Cockfighting.
8. What organization has requested permission to file a legal brief opposing the state’s pollution lawsuit against the poultry industry?
a) Oklahoma Farm Bureau.
b) State Farm Insurance.
c) National Farmers Organization.
9. Oklahoma State offensive coordinator Larry Fedora has been named head coach for what team?
a) Arkansas Razorbacks.
b) Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles.
c) West Virginia Mountaineers.
10. Oklahoma City officials hired The Benham Cos. on Tuesday to study improvements to the Ford Center. Why?
a) The ice storm caused roof damage.
b) A full-time NBA team would require certain amenities.
c) Fans complained about obstructed views at the centennial concert.
11. What happened to the four lion cubs born at the Oklahoma City Zoo in early November?
a) They were moved from their Lion Overlook pen to the zoo hospital.
b) They were transferred to a warmer zoo in Arizona.
c) They were left alone because they are old enough to face the icy weather.
12. The Senate rejected a proposal Tuesday to replace a farm subsidies system with an expanded crop insurance program. Who proposed the failed amendment to the $286 billion farm bill?
a) Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Muskogee.
b) Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Tulsa.
c) Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind.
13. Nissan North America Inc. is planning a new pickup at its Smyrna, Tenn., plant beginning in 2008. What is unusual about this pickup?
a) It will be the largest pickup built by a Japanese manufacturer.
b) It will be sold by Suzuki, a company unrelated by ownership to Nissan.
c) It will be specifically designed to run on ethanol.
14. What is the Ardmore School District offering the Jones district after fire destroyed Jones High School?
a) More than 500 textbooks.
b) Surplus buses and portable classrooms.
c) Band instruments and kitchen sinks.
15. Only two teams in NFL history have finished the season without winning a game, a feat this season’s Miami Dolphins avoided Sunday. One of the two teams, the 1960 Dallas Cowboys, did tie one of its games. What team lost all 14 games in 1976?
a) Seattle Seahawks.
b) Buffalo Bills.
c) Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
16. Employees hired by the University of Oklahoma after Jan. 1 will see what changes in OU’s benefits package:
a) They will no longer receive free tickets to Sooner sporting events.
b) They must park at Lloyd Noble Center and walk to campus.
c) They will be required to pay for their own insurance after retirement.
17. The federal budget deficit for November was sharply higher this year compared to 2006. Why?
a) There were only 30 days in November.
b) Dec. 1 fell on a Saturday.
c) Thanksgiving was a week earlier than usual.
18. Which country battled a large oil spill off its coast?
a) Australia.
b) South Korea.
c) United States.
19. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown pledged a long-term troop presence and aid commitments to Afghanistan and told the Taliban that:
a) They should move to Kazakhstan.
b) They should surrender or be killed.
c) They should renounce violence.
20. After years of talk about a possible MAPS 3 in Oklahoma City, officials are preparing to submit a proposal to voters next year. Do you remember what MAPS stands for?
a) Metropolitan Area Projects
b) Metropolitan Arena Project
c) Metropolitan Area Progress
How did you do on the quiz? Here are the correct answers:
1-A; 2-B; 3-C; 4-A; 5-C; 6-A; 7-B; 8-A; 9-B; 10-B; 11-A; 12-C; 13-B; 14-A; 15-C; 16-C; 17-B; 18-B; 19-C; 20-A.
Week in review
Another week has passed and here is your chance to catch up on some of what you might have missed.
