Mistakes we’ve made a few
Most people hate the media, whether it’s for bias they think they see (It’s amazing how many times the same story can get complaints from all sides of the political spectrum) or other factors. We strive for accuracy, but we often fail (myself included). No one likes to be told they’ve made a mistake and it’s understandable to feel embarrassed. Too often though, whether in media or government or anywhere else, the first response is to get defensive. No matter whether you report a mistake gently or with sarcasm, people often view it as an attack instead of a teachable moment.
I happen to be an entertainment junkie with an insane amount of statistical information lodged in my brain, so I happen to spot errors of those kind more often that most. Others have that ability with sports statistics. In fact, I’ve said for years that if I could get a nickel for every Oscar mistake I’ve spotted in national publications or on the wires, I’d be very rich. (For further reference: Al Gore is not an Oscar winner. People write it and TV talking heads say it all the time, but though his documentary “An Inconvenient Truth” did win the Oscar, the prize went to the film’s director, Davis Guggenheim, not Gore.) What worries me and probably all readers are the alarming number of factual errors I catch just by virtue of my knowledge. Imagine all the errors that could be floating out there in subject matters in which I don’t have such familiarity.
Entertainment errors may seem minor in the long run, but it seems to me that in this great Internet age, it’s easier to check these facts than ever. Awards such as the Oscars, the Tonys and the Emmys all have official Web sites with easy searches for quick fact checking. The Grammys on the other hand, much like the award itself, leaves a lot to be desired in terms of its awards search capabilities.
This post has two points. For the readers: If you spot something you think is wrong and find that it is wrong, tell the news source in question. For my fellow journalists: Don’t be so defensive. Accuracy is your friend and should be your goal. Everybody makes mistakes — I’ve made plenty myself — but don’t view the reporting of them as personal attacks. One of my errors that still haunts me is when I reviewed the movie “Hard-Boiled” years ago. I said the crooks in the film were drug smugglers when they were gun smugglers. A simple lapse between my brain and my fingers, but it still makes me cringe to think about it.
By Scott Schuldt, Staff Writer
Harry Potter and the Thieving Buffoons
And so it comes to this.
Mere days before the book is to be released, buffoons with Internet connections and apparently authentic copies of the seventh and last Harry Potter novel have posted it online.
Some people try to spoil everything.
Ignore, for the moment, the copyright issues involved in this. Focus instead on how blackhearted and petty these leakers are.
For months, fans of the Potter series have waited, not so patiently, for author J.K. Rowling to publish the final volume in the series, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.” The trepidation and anticipation have built and grown, swollen not just by the massive marketing campaign but also by the genuine thrill of wanting to know what happens next, who lives and who dies, and how all of the loose ends will be tied together.
Adults and children alike plan to attend release night parties at book stores Friday. Many will dress up as their favorite characters, wielding wands they wish were real and waiting waiting waiting for the witching hour, when the calendar will turn to July 21 and the book will go on sale.
For most, I think, obtaining the novel is only part of the experience. These agonizing days leading up to the book’s release are in many ways similar to the build-up to Christmas. There’s a treat at the end of the road, but the waiting is part of what makes it so sweet.
So some people out there have decided not to wait for Christmas. They’ve snuck into our homes and torn the wrapping paper off our gifts and now want to spoil the surprises for everyone.
Make no mistake. Their actions are not about making information free. They didn’t do this to strike a blow against corporate publishing and the book’s $35 cover price. There is no noble reason to cheat.
They’re just mean.
If there’s a bright side, it’s this: Most fans won’t go anywhere near the leaked Internet copies of the book.
And if those responsible for the leaks are ever identified, you can bet Rowling will sue them. And win.
Too bad we can’t send ‘em to Azkaban.
– By Ken Raymond, Staff Writer
New look for 100-year-old organization
Oklahoma City-based Sunbeam Family Services 100th birthday this year coincides with Oklahoma’s centennial. One way the non-profit organization is celebrating this milestone is with a redesigned logo and Web site.
“With Sunbeam’s centennial, we close a chapter in our history and open the next. This is the time to update and rejuvenate the organization’s identity,” Ray Bitsche, Sunbeam executive director, said. “In order to remain relevant in today’s societal climate and continue serving people, we too must embrace change.”
Bitsche said the new logo better illustrates the services that Sunbeam provides.
“We needed a logo that would show we are more than a home,” Bitsche said.
Bitsche said the redesigned Web site includes a comprehensive listing of the organization’s news and events and detailed instructions for those wanting to donate money and in-kind donations. The Web site’s functionality will incorporate more Sunbeam’s business cycle.
“Our reputation of serving Oklahoma City and the metro area citizens is very important to us, and our new logo and Web site are part of this reputation,” Bitsche said.
Sunbeam is Oklahoma City’s oldest volunteer-led and supported, non-profit social service agency. It helps people of all ages at all stages of life through counseling, senior care, foster care and early childhood services.
For more information about Sunbeam, e-mail webmaster@sunbeamfamilyservices.org or call 528-7721.
Brian Sargent
Staff Writer
2007 warmer, drier than average for much of the United States
Warmer- and drier-than-average conditions dominated much of the United States during the first half of 2007, according to scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C.
The lack of precipitation led to widespread drought, which triggered an early start to the wildfire season, mounting crop losses and local drought emergencies. Droughts in the Southern and Central Plains were replaced by heavy and persistent rains, leading last month to deadly flooding in Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas.
Highlights released by NOAA:
— The mean temperature for the first half of 2007 for the contiguous United States was 49.7 degrees Fahrenheit, which was 1.3 degrees Fahrenheit above average for the 20th century and was 18th warmest from January to June.
— The average temperature in June for the contiguous United States was 70.7 degrees Fahrenheit, which was 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit above average for the 20th century and was 23rd warmest on record.
— The combined global land- and ocean-surface temperature across the world from January to June was second warmest on record. During the same period, the land-surface temperature was warmest on record and the ocean-surface temperature was six warmest on record.
— The combined global land- and ocean-surface temperature across the world for June was fourth warmest on record.
*note: record-keeping began 128 years ago
Click to view “Climate of 2007 — June in Historical Perspective.”
NOAA, a scientific agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce, focuses on the conditions of the oceans and the atmosphere. NOAA warns of dangerous weather, charts seas and skies, guides the use and protection of ocean and coastal resources, and conducts research to improve understanding and stewardship of the environment.
Brian Sargent
Staff Writer
All things Harry Potter
Friday night I will be at Barnes & Noble wearing glasses and a scar, and I couldn’t be happier about it. Indeed, July 20, 2007 is a night that has been on my calendar for the past two years.
Sure, it wasn’t until February that anyone knew the actual release date of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows. Yet, two years ago, while in line waiting for the sixth book, some friends and I decided that the date was irrelevant. We agreed to return to Barnes & Noble on the night of the release of the seventh book, regardless of the actual date.
It’s true. I am completely addicted to Harry Potter.
The addiction began many years ago when I made it through all four existing books within a month. Lately, I can’t even make it through a conversation without having an extensive Harry Potter discussion. I am counting down the days until I will discover the details of the final showdown between Harry and You-Know-Who.
Yet I am terrified that someone who wants to spoil it for the rest of us will spread the news as soon as the book is released. I am therefore fully prepared to stay away from newspapers, magazines, TV and radio until I finish the book. Perhaps this is what one must do to savor the final Harry Potter book.
This leads me to a request: when you discover the ending of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows, PLEASE don’t spoil it for the rest of us. We deserve to read our Harry Potter in peace, without fear of its contents being revealed. If that means, we must stay away from both the media and other people until we finish reading the book, so be it.
I will be pondering exactly how to do this when I don my glasses and scar Friday night.
Happy reading, Muggles!
Alyssa Loy
Staff Writer
Wii scored!
My family had been seeking a Nintendo Wii for several months in a sort of passive manner. That is, we wanted one but not so much that we were willing to camp out or really make any kind of special effort to obtain one. It’s not like we don’t have adequate amounts of electronic entertainment hardware what with a Playstation 2, a Nintendo Gamecube and various Gameboys scattered about the house as well as a couple of computers.
But a recent Wal-Mart visit turned out to be fortuitous as we spotted an employee stocking Wiis. My 11-year-old asked the worker if he could have one, and she gave what I thought was a sensible answer: “You better ask your mom.” We bought it, plugged it in and started having fun. You haven’t lived until you’ve seen a 3-year-old bobbing, weaving and punching his way through a boxing program. It’s a good workout to boot.
During a visit to the Apple Store last weekend, an employee chatted me up for several minutes about where I found my Wii and where I thought he could find one quickly. The conversation came even as customers swarmed around the store’s display of iPhones.
If you’re still looking, Wiis are getting easier to find and Nintendo is expected to ramp up production of the machines before the Christmas shopping season. If you’re not intrigued by the immersive gameplay of the Wii, perhaps Nintendo’s next version — Wii Fit – will grab your attention.
Don Mecoy
Business Writer
So much is happening in Jenks!
Drip. Drip. As annoying as a rapidly melting ice cream cone can be, it just wouldn’t be summer in Oklahoma without the ice cream becoming a part of your hands faster than it becomes a part of your digestive track. Holding a chocolate-dipped ice cream cone overflowing with strawberry ice cream, I walked along the Arkansas River, surrounded by music, hundreds of people, sunshine and shops. It had been about a year since I last visited the RiverWalk Crossing in Jenks, but this weekend, I was amazed to see what a social gathering it’s become.
Several nights each week, the RiverWalk hosts some sort of free musical event. Upcoming artists include 4Play, Megatron and Todd Agnew. This weekend, I chilled with my Rastafarian brothers during the Green Country Eco-Expo and Reggae Fest 2007. Sure, they thought about kicking me out since I had ice cream all over my hands, but since we were at a public outdoor amphitheater, they decided I could stay as long as I pledged my lifelong allegiance to Bob Marley.
After enjoying the tunes at the Amphitheater, my pals and I headed to the movie theater right along the river. Turns out, the luck of 070707 hit me a week late. I didn’t even have to pay for my movie ticket! The University of Oklahoma was conducting a survey for young people about smoking and paid me $10 cash to take their survey. That got me a movie ticket and a few dollars leftover to have my pick at the dozens of restaurants that are located along the RiverWalk.
Jenks has created a phenomenon of weekend-worthy experiences. It was the perfect weekend trip on a tankful.
-Lindsay Goodier
NewsOK.com Editor
The news quiz
It’s time to see how well you’ve kept up with the news the past week. From The Oklahoman’s news copy editors and designers, here’s a quiz:
1. As part of his occasional “Going Home” series, columnist Bryan Painter profiled what local television personality from Seiling?
a) Kelly Ogle
b) Dean Blevins
c) Gary England
d) Ronin Marsh
2. What does Osage Nation Principal Chief Jim Gray claim as a reason state consumer protection inspectors have no authority to enter a tribe-owned grocery store in Fairfax?
a) It’s on Indian land
b) Osage County is a reservation
c) His brother-in-law owns it
d) It’s scheduled for closing anyway
3. What action gave a significant boost to flood recovery efforts in Ottawa and Washington counties?
a) The National Guard was called in
b) President Bush signed a major disaster declaration
c) Volunteer help came from Kansas
d) Boats were brought to evacuate residents
4. A federal report ranked which Oklahoma city No. 1 among the nation’s 50 largest cities in terms of the number of volunteer hours worked:
a) Dallas
b) Gotebo
c) Oklahoma City
d) Tulsa
5. The 22 country Arab League planned a historic visit to what country:
a) China
b) Iraq
c) Israel
d) United States
6. Roger Federer won his fifth straight Wimbledon men’s tennis championship tying the streak set by:
a) Bjorn Borg
b) Billie Jean King
c) John McEnroe
d) Bobby Riggs
7. Nine people in Montreal, Quebec, filed suit against Andrew Speaker, an Atlanta attorney. Why?
a) They say he had asked all nine of them to marry him, then had fled the country.
b) They say he had been involved in a scam that took them all for hundreds of thousands of dollars.
c) They said they feared they had caught drug-resistant tuberculosis from him.
d) They said he snored too loudly on a trans-Atlantic flight.
8. New York opened 300 sites for residents to escape:
a) Crime. More older New Yorkers are becoming victims as gangs of bicycling robbers sweep the city.
b) Rain. It’s a record wet month for the Big Apple, with flooded basements and water in the subways.
c) Heat. Temperatures passed 90 degrees and Mayor Michael Bloomberg urged New Yorkers not to exert themselves.
d) Pizza. Delivery workers are going house to house during the usual summer slowdown in orders.
9. What did the mayor of Paris hope to achieve with Paris Tourist Day?
a) It’s a day to charge higher prices to the city’s foreign guests.
b) He said all Parisians, including nuns at Notre Dame Cathedral, should be rude to tourists on that day.
c) It’s a day to smile and show appreciation for tourists.
d) Plans call for French children to wear masks and ask tourists for candy or croissants.
10. Tiger Truck LLC is moving its operations to Poteau, but what is a Tiger truck?
a) It’s a vehicle designed for animals to operate in a circus act.
b) It’s a hybrid truck that uses coal and solar energy.
c) It’s an off-road industrial utility truck.
d) The truck is designed to offer a high level of comfort and attract the would-be Hummer H3 buyer.
11. The Lawton City Council unanimously approved an ordinance banning people from doing what in the city?
a) Playing cricket while eating fish ’n’ chips in the city parks.
b) Banning people from feeding prairie dogs in Elmer Thomas Park.
c) Prohibit the sale of tickets for GrandLuxe* Rail Journeys by travel agents.
d) Banning the 2008 sale and use of firecrackers that are made in China.
12. Stumbling in popularity polls and lagging in fundraising, which major presidential candidate accepted the resignation of two top aides?
a) John McCain
b) Barack Obama
c) Hillary Clinton
d) Rudy Guiliani
13. Who raided a mosque in Islamabad, Pakistan, killing an extremist cleric and more than 50 of his followers?
a) U.S. Marines
b) Pakistani commandos
c) Taliban troops
d) Al-Qaida sleeper cell
14. What did state schools Superintendent Sandy Garrett suggest would help educate students?
a) Better candy in snack machines
b) Easier tests for better scores
c) Longer school days
d) Longer detention periods
15. A former law enforcement officer helped nab a suspect in a fatal hit and run accident. What is the ex-lawman’s current job?
a) Television reporter
b) Maintenance man
c) Bounty hunter
d) Firefighter
16. For the 10th straight season, the American League won the Major League Baseball All-Star game. Who was the MVP?
a) Alex Rodriguez
b) Matt Holliday
c) Ichiro Suzuki
d) Barry Bonds
17. Gov. Brad Henry named which Pulitzer Prize-winning writer the state’s new poet laureate?
a) Robert Frost
b) N. Scott Momaday
c) F. Scott Fitzgerald
d) Maya Angelou
18. The University of Oklahoma is in line for a five-year contract to train FAA air controllers. Why do they think this is important for OU?
a) It opens a new field of education for OU.
b) It will be the richest contract in OU history if it does last for five years.
c) It will have a major affect on what the air controllers’ union does.
d) It will stop the “brain drain” of air traffic controllers overseas.
19. A report compiled from statistics and studies at 22 federal agencies says fewer teenagers are:
a) Involved in auto accidents
b) Failing math
c) Having sex
d) Fighting with parents
20. A Del City man hopes his battle with cancer can help save lives of others. What type of cancer does he have?
a) Colon cancer
b) Breast cancer
c) Lung cancer
d) Bone cancer
How did you do on the quiz? Here are the correct answers:
1-C, 2-B, 3-B, 4-D, 5-C, 6-A, 7-C, 8-C, 9-C, 10-C, 11-B, 12-A, 13-B, 14-C, 15-C, 16-C, 17-B, 18-B, 19-C, 20-B
Oklahoma City weather radio transmitter upgraded
A major overhaul was completed Thursday, July 12, of a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) weather radio transmitter in Oklahoma City.
The transmitter broadcasts weather information 24 hours a day from the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Norman. It serves 10 counties in central and north-central Oklahoma: Canadian, Cleveland, Grady, Kingfisher, Lincoln, Logan, McClain, Oklahoma, Payne and Pottawatomie.
According to weather service officials:
— The transmitter was replaced with a state-of-the-art dual 1,000 watt transmitter system.
— The antenna was replaced and its height was increased 75 feet to expand coverage area.
— The feed line that connects the antenna to the transmitter was replaced.
Oklahoma City’s transmitter has continuously broadcast since Sept. 18, 1978.
Click for more information about NOAA weather radios. Click to read about weather radios in the Norman forecast office’s area.
NOAA, a scientific agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce, focuses on the conditions of the oceans and the atmosphere. NOAA warns of dangerous weather, charts seas and skies, guides the use and protection of ocean and coastal resources, and conducts research to improve understanding and stewardship of the environment.
Brian Sargent
Staff Writer
How about IQ tests to get a driver’s license?
By Scott Schuldt
Staff Writer
For many years, I’ve said that two things cause most vehicle accidents: Arrogance and a lack of understanding of the basic concepts of physics.
This week especially, I’ve been reminded of that watching the idiocy of motorists out on the road. One-way signs? That’s just a suggestion. Why shouldn’t you be able to drive the opposite direction? Know that a road is going to shrink to one lane after a stoplight? Why not get in the lane that’s going to end and rev up when the green light comes on and try to force your way into the other lane ahead of people who actually know the rules.
Talking on cell phones of course always takes precedence over anything else, so if you are merging onto road from a highway exit ramp, why bother looking to see if you might be about to run into another vehicle? In a rush to get out of a parking garage? Why not tailgate the vehicle in front of you, despite the fact that speed bumps and just plain safety requires slower speeds?
Inclement weather such as heavy rains or snow or ice? No need for cautious driving: Go faster than normal so you aren’t on the roads as long. Watching driver after driver do these sorts of things and worse, it’s a wonder they can even feed themselves. IQ tests before giving anyone a driver’s license from now on. While you are it, see if you can develop an arrogance test for them as well. Too many arrogance points and your license is suspended.
