How do you deal with expensive gas?
Gas prices aren’t record-breaking yet.
But they are continuing to edge higher this week as they follow the soaring price of a barrel of oil, which is in record-breaking territory right now.
Today, the average price for a gallon of gas in Oklahoma is at about $3 a gallon. That’s up more than a dime compared to a week ago, and up almost 20 cents compared to this time a month ago.
In case you don’t remember, our state set a record-high for gas prices on May 22, when the average price for a gallon of gas hit about $3.29 a gallon.
I know these high gas prices are affecting me. And I’d like to hear from you about how you are dealing with them, too.
Let me know by E-mailing me at jmoney@oklahoman.com.
Jack Money, Business Writer
The (almost) $6 million man
Nothing will bring you down faster than figuring out it will take you multiple lifetimes to earn what OU coach Bob Stoops will earn this year. His total package amounts to $5.75 million in 2008, although he could earn more if he hits certain bonuses during the 2008 season.
So, if you’ve got some anti-depressants handy, why not check out our Bob Stoops Salary Calculator here at NewsOK.com.
Just enter your annual salary–to the nearest thousand–and see what Stoops earns for each year, month, week, day and hour compared to you. The calculator will also let you know how many years you’ll have to work to earn what Stoops will make this year.
For some added comparison, why not enter OU President David Boren’s salary (about $373,000 this year) or Gov. Brad Henry’s ($140,000) and see how they stack up next to Stoops?
Just don’t contact me for any follow-up counseling.
–Paul Monies, Database Editor
Going to the dogs…
It was apparent from the look on Don Bobzien’s face that he had no idea why he was coerced into coming to a meeting of the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Commission on Wednesday morning. It turns out his good friend former Gov. George Nigh had a trick up his sleeve. The commission honored Bobzien’s contribution to the state’s two new visitors centers — dog parks.
A visitor center on Interstate 40 near Erick has a dog park for travelers with pets. A new visitors center in Kay County on Interstate 35 will also have a fenced-in area for furry friends when it opens Friday morning. Nigh, who often travels with his cocker spaniel, credited Bobzie for giving the state the idea to put dog parks at rest stops. After all, dogs need to stretch their legs as much as their owners.
The commission presented Bobzien, president of Partners for Animal Welfare of Oklahoma, with a resolution. Oklahoma Tourism Department Executive Director Hardy Watkins says the state plans to add more dog parks at visitors center across the state. The recognition nearly brought Bobzien to tears.
“You get older, you cry a lot easier,” he said.
Bobzien also gets credit for making Oklahoma City’s dog park a reality. He’s been working with officials in Tulsa on ways to create a dog park there. But dog parks in rural areas might come first if the state keeps up its promise to add dog parks to existing visitors centers.
“If you build them, people will come out of the woodwork to volunteer,” he said. “You’ll find that people from the surrounding communities will use those parks as much as travelers.”
Julie Bisbee
State Reporter
jbisbee@oklahoman.com
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. Changes in culture recently prompted school officials at Bishop Kelly in Tulsa to do what?
a) Test for drugs.
b) Assign homework through MySpace.
c) Add hip-hop music to the curriculum.
2. According to Paul Amato of the Oklahoma Marriage Initiative, why are marriage applications in Oklahoma County decreasing?
a) Young adults think marriage is old-fashioned.
b) Young adults are waiting longer to get married.
c) Most young adults don’t think they should have to settle for one partner.
3. Which NASCAR driver won the 2008 Daytona 500?
a) Ryan Newman.
b) Dale Earnhardt Jr.
c) Ricky Bobby.
4. The University of Oklahoma-Tulsa has received the largest one-time donation in OU’s history. How much was it?
a) $15 million.
b) $50 million.
c) $35 million.
5. The U.S. Justice Department announced four people were arrested and accused of selling military secrets to what country?
a) Russia.
b) Iran.
c) China.
6. Former NFL player George Martin is doing what to raise awareness for 9/11 rescue and recover workers suffering from illnesses caused by the attacks?
a) Walking across the United States.
b) Training so he can rejoin the NFL.
c) Camping outside of ground zero in New York.
7. Acknowledging the U.S. is suffering through a period of economic uncertainty, President Bush called on Congress to do what?
a) Do more to help people and businesses hurt by the housing slump and credit crunch.
b) Pass a national sales tax to boost unemployment benefits.
c) End the income tax and abolish the IRS.
8. How much will OSU coach Mike Gundy make in the final year of his contract?
a) $900,000.
b) $1.55 million.
c) $700,000.
9. Oklahoma City physician Dr. Michael Dillingham once served as team doctor for what NFL team?
a) Dallas Cowboys
b) Miami Dolphins.
c) San Francisco 49ers.
10. Uno the dog is the first of what breed to win best in show at the Westminster Kennel Club?
a) Weimaraner.
b) Australian shepherd.
c) Beagle.
11. Oklahoma’s attorney general and congressional delegation have joined arguments before the Supreme Court against what jurisdiction’s handgun ownership ban?
a) State of Texas.
b) District of Columbia.
c) Cook County, Ill.
12. What family-owned tire company in Goldsby caught on fire last week?
a) Porter’s.
b) LWM Enterprises.
c) Hibdon Tires.
13. The Oklahoma Sooners women’s basketball team defeated Texas A&M 68-56 on Pack the Place Pink Night.” How many people attended the game?
a) 6,729.
b) 10, 225.
c) 12,186.
14. The Bush administration is trying to crack down on cases of fraud in companies working on government contracts. The proposed rules will cover all instances of government contract work except:
a) Work done by minority- or women-owned businesses.
b) Work done overseas.
c) Work done in connection with natural disasters.
15. An Altus couple celebrated Valentine’s Day and their 71st anniversary with:
a) A trip to Walt Disney World.
b) A box of chocolates and two cards.
c) Board games that are part of family date night.
16. State Rep. Paul Wesselhoft, R-Moore, is a member of what other body in addition to the state Legislature?
a) Citizen Potawatomi Legislature.
b) Moore City Council.
c) Oklahoma Supreme Court.
17. Baseball player Roger Clemens denied before a congressional panel that he used steroids and brushed back the incriminating testimony of what friend and teammate?
a) Andy Pettitte.
b) Craig Biggio.
c) Bill Buckner.
18. Because of an expected state budget shortfall, legislative leaders say what could be in danger?
a) State agency jobs.
b) Education spending.
c) Tax cuts.
19. A Swiss company has created an underwater car named the “sQuba” that costs $1.5 million dollars and is similar to one that actor Roger Moore drove in a James Bond spy movie. What was the name of the movie?
a) “A View to a Kill.”
b) “Live and Let Die.”
c) “The Spy Who Loved Me.”
20. Samantha Woodward is looking ahead to participating in the U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials this summer. The Edmond Memorial senior was to compete in her final state meet before going to Stanford in the fall. How many state titles does she already hold?
a) 3.
b) 4.
c) 5.
How did you do on the quiz? Here are the correct answers:
1-A; 2-B; 3-A; 4-B; 5-C; 6-A; 7-A; 8-B; 9-C; 10-C; 11-B; 12-B; 13-C; 14-B; 15-B; 16-A; 17-A; 18-C; 19-C; 20-C.
Week in review
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.
Stepping into a new family
I sat in on a stepfamily support group meeting at Carri and Gordon Taylor’s home in Edmond. The Taylor’s hold meetings for couples who are trying to cope as a blended family. Each couple talked about the difficulties they struggle with when trying to make their stepfamily relationships successful. They talked about feeling guilty because they didn’t love their stepchildren the same way they loved their biological children and feeling guilty because they haven’t formed a real bond with their stepchildren.
As each person spoke, I began nodding my head in agreement because I could relate to everything they were saying because I grew up in a stepfamily as well. My experience was rough at first because not only did I have to deal with my four biological siblings, I also had to all of sudden try to accept my three new stepsiblings and a stepfather who were all basically strangers.
Eventually, I accepted them and we formed a bond, but it didn’t happen overnight. It took several years, and it was a collaborative effort. One of the themes from the support group meeting was that members of stepfamilies should not expect to form a bond with one another immediately. It’s normal for it to take several years before a deep bond is formed.
The Taylor’s have also been through the stepfamily process, and they gave tips and advice to the other couples who were struggling with it.
After attending the support group meetings, many couples told me that they’re stepfamily life improved drastically. For more information about the stepfamily support group meeting, call 340-7145 or go to www.cgtaylor.com
Tim Henley, staff reporter
Smell you later
Do you wear perfume, cologne or scented lotions?
More women are opting to go fragrance free these days, according to a story this week in the New York Times.
The story says that while more perfumes are on the market — 1,160 different types in department stores — spending is down and a survey shows 15 percent of women don’t wear any fragrance whatsoever.
One reason given for the decline was consideration of others’ sensitivities to strong scents. We’ve all been stuck in an elevator with someone who’s over-doused. I know I can get dizzy when I walk through department store perfume counters.
But that’s not the reason I don’t wear perfume much. My nose has a short attention span. A fragrance I like today will bore me within a week. And I don’t have the budget to buy a multitude of choices. I envy those people with signature scents — as long as they apply it sparingly.
What about you? Do you wear perfume much, or do you prefer a natural — and hopefully soapy clean– scent?
E-mail me at ssimpson@oklahoman.com
Susan Simpson, Staff Writer
Send me your rollover minutes or the cell phone gets it.
The first thing I did after discovering a broken and smashed cell phone in a plain white envelope that came in the mail this week was to check my pocket.
Yes, my cell phone was still there.
Then I looked at the note included in the baggie of broke plastic. On first glance it appeared to be letters cut and pasted sort of like you might expect a ransom note to be written. It read: “Criminal evidence or techno-junk.”
Hmmm. I put on my Sherlock Holmes hat for a moment. Who? What? Why?
Then I turned the package over and I saw it for what it was. It was a pitch to attend a news conference on Friday at UCO about cyber security. The note on that side of the paper said: “Find out how AT&T is helping UCO become a national leader in cyber security and digital evidence. 11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 15, 2008. Evans Hall Great Room. University of Central Oklahoma campus.”
OK, I’ll bite. Now I have to show up just to see what it’s all about.
Meanwhile, how do I dispose of all this techno junk?
Business News Reporter
A tiny bit of knowledge
The Project for Emerging Nanotechnologies has a question for you: Do you know a buckyball from a soccer ball?
If you can distinguish the two you just might win one of five free iPod Nanos the organization is giving away to visitors to its Web site. The organization has posted a five-question “Nano IQ” test and will randomly award the iPod Nanos to people who take the IQ challenge.
I took it, and, well, I did manage to get three of five questions correct. But I still qualify for the iPod Nano!
The Nano IQ test is part of a marketing ploy to publicize the Project’s redesigned Web site. The site offers nanotechnology education, industry news and coverage of nano business.
There is even a “Nano 101″ section that provides a definition of nanotechnology to help boost that all-important Nano IQ.
In case you are interested, here is how the Project for Emerging Nanotechnolgies defines the nanotech:
“Nanotechnology is the art and science of manipulating matter at the nanoscale (down to 1/100,000 the width of a human hair) to create new and unique materials and products.”
Sometimes it is referred to as an “enabling” technology that helps make products lighter, stronger and longer lasting.
Before you test your Nano IQ, here’s a little head start on the test. A buckyball is a new form of elemental carbon, similar in structure to a geodesic dome. You are on your own for the other four questions.
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. How many receiving yards did Oklahoma native Wes Welker have for the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII?
a) 13.
b) 53.
c) 103.
2. According to state Ethics Commission records, how much did lobbyists spend on meals, gifts and tickets for legislators in 2007?
a) Less than $150,000.
b) More than $200,000.
c) About $175,000.
3. President Bush’s proposal indicates what milestone amount will be reached by the federal budget?
a) $1 trillion.
b) $2 trillion.
c) $3 trillion.
4. Lawmakers of which country are calling for a law requiring all liquor venues to reinstate a smaller glass?
a) Britain.
b) China.
c) France.
5. Which of the following did not make this year’s list of most endangered locations in Oklahoma ?
a) Archeological sites.
b) Places of worship.
c) State parks.
6. State Sen. Randy Bass, D-Lawton, hit 54 home runs one season while playing baseball for the Hanshin Tigers in what country?
a) China.
b) South Korea.
c) Japan.
7. State House of Representatives members made what potentially pivotal move?
a) Elected a new speaker of the House.
b) Eliminated term limits for members.
c) Vowed to consolidate school districts.
8. A $42 billion offer from Microsoft to purchase Yahoo has drawn opposition. Who says the buyout would give Microsoft too much control over the Internet?
a) Steve Jobs of Apple.
b) Michael Drummond of Google.
c) Former Vice President Al Gore.
9. Bob Knight resigned as head basketball coach at Texas Tech. Where did he coach before going to Tech?
a) University of Iowa.
b) Indiana University.
c) University of Missouri.
10. A recent poll of adult office workers found political chatter is gaining acceptance in the workplace. Of that poll, how many said partisan gab is to some degree acceptable?
a) 76 percent.
b) 58 percent.
c) 81 percent.
11. The Oklahoma Supreme Court recently ruled that a woman has the right to sue a tribal casino after she was hit by a drunken driver who had been served alcohol at the facility. What was NOT a basis for the court’s decision?
a) Congress has enacted laws that require tribes to comply with state laws regarding the sale of alcohol.
b) The tribe waived any immunity by applying for a state alcohol license.
c) The tribe does not have sovereign status when it comes to serving alcohol.
12. A recent study shows gas prices are prompting consumers to take a second look at their budgets. How many in the survey said they had bought a new car in the last year because of fuel concerns?
A) One in five.
B) One in 10.
C) One in 15.
13. Two Komodo dragons have hatched at a zoo in which state?
a) Oklahoma.
b) Kansas.
c) Texas.
14. France has offered to help what country’s government repel a deadly coup attempt by rebels?
a) Chad.
b) Sudan.
c) Nigeria.
15. A student at what university has been diagnosed with bacterial meningitis?
a) Oklahoma State University.
b) University of Oklahoma.
c) University of Central Oklahoma.
16. What part did Ronnie Johnson play in Oklahoma history in 1968?
a) He was the first black man to run for governor.
b) He integrated the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.
c) He was the first black Oklahoma City police officer.
17. Experts are saying what about Oklahoma’s homeless population?
a) It is almost nonexistent.
b) It is becoming more difficult to track.
c) It is increasing.
18. The No. 17-ranked Oklahoma State Cowgirls basketball team defeated the No. 5-ranked Baylor Lady Bears by what score?
a) 34-19.
b) 77-67.
c) 77-34.
19. Which retailer announced that it planned to install 400 in-store clinics by 2010?
a) Wal-Mart.
b) Walgreens.
c) CVS.
20. Oklahoma Christian University was to debut what sport for the first time since 2001 this weekend?
a) Football.
b) Baseball.
c) Soccer.
Answers: 1-C; 2-B; 3-C; 4-A; 5-C; 6-C; 7-A; 8-B; 9-B; 10-C; 11-C; 12-A; 13-B; 14-A; 15-B; 16-B; 17-C; 18-B; 19-A; 20-B.
