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Show AA2 The Salt Lake Tribune OPINIONSunday, August 30, 1998 Fair Warning to Headline Writers: If They Are Too Clever by Half, They Can Be Twice as Confusing When the St. Louis Post-Dispatch re- READER ADVOCATE Ported about an overabundanceof deer at a Civil Warbattlefield in Gettysburg, Pa., the headline said, “Four Score and sewn Deer Ago: New Battle Rages in PRC ark.” When President Clinton told the nation about the U.S. retaliatory strikes against terrorist facilities in Afghanistan and Sudan, three days after admitting to an “inappropriate relationship” with Monica Lewinsky, the news media drew a comparison betweenthepresident’s action and a 1997 Hollywood movie. As the comparison became the new topstory, The Salt Lake Tribune put the story inside and gaveit this headlin *Wag the Dog II’? With Clinton On Attack, Life Is Imitating Arf.” “Arf?” asked a handful of readers, who were certain the headline writer meant to say “art” — as in the well- knownplatitude, “life imitatesart.” It was not a typo. The headline is a pun, a play on words between “dog” and ‘arf.’ But the seven readers whocalled The Tribunehad not seen the movie, nor did they see the correlation. These folks simplysaw a faux pas. That's the problem with inventive, catchyand entertaining headlines: There is a greater tendency for many readers not to recognize the wordplay. A non-scientific survey of Tribune staffers revealed that most copyeditors thought the headline was clever, But a majority of reporters found it a bit of a stretch. One reporter called it “sophomoric”’ and said just because the national media were going in that direction, SHINIKA SYKES whichcopy editors opt to put a scintillating headline on a serious story. This could increase the oddsofa headline being inappropriate, if not just plain wrong. Anexcellent example ofthis occurred last year at The Tribune. A storytold howranchers wanted bison that wandered outside Yellowstone Park killed becauseof their fear that these animals might spread brucellosis to cattle. Even though the story said there has never Biting the Dust as Brucellosis Spreads.” That headline was wrong Letters from The Tribune’s readers But there are exceptions to the serious rule. One that comes to mind is the story about Mike Tyson biting off a chunk of Evander Holyfield’s ear during their heavyweight championship boxing match. This was a major sports story that The Tribune ought not follow along. lentitself well to a hostof headline offerings: “Ear-Responsible” — Fort Worth Star-Telegram One of the most challengingjobsin the newspaper business is headline writing. (N.C.) Herald Sun Good headlines, often written undersevere time constraint, should sum up the story, attract the reader to the story, fit the space allowed and be accurate. Until recently, headline-writing was not given the same level of journalistic recognition as the best beat reporters, feature writers and editorial writers While the criteria for headline-writing contests do not say the headlines must be cute or clever,it is those kinds of headlines that win the awards. The American Journalism Review, one of the premier publications for professional journalists, has a regular feature called “Take 2” that recognizes clever headlines culled from newspapers across the country. AJReven offers $25 cash rewardsora free subscription to anyone who submits “Lobe Champ to Chomp” — Durham *“Earmark of Cowardice” — Houston Chronicle And my favorite, from the Philadel- phia Daily News: “Pay Per Chew.” eam these RV owners would haveto spend at least $10,000 each “Do reporters just accept these num- bers without asking what they are based on?” heasked. “Wesee the same kind of numbers used to justify expanding the Salt Palace and the amount projected the Olympics will bring to Utah. There ma afraid to asked the tough questions. Readers expect nothing less from their newspaper. fense lawyers,” to which AJR editors But the real concern about the in- lines is that it may create a climate in often moronic commentary with his “What ajerk!” comment. But in the annals of presidentiallies, even in the last 30 years, Clinton's lies appear to be comparatively harmless. Hereis alist of presidential lies in modern history in order of their resulting devastation 1, Johnson and Nixon lying about the necessity of perpetuating the Vietnam lives, including more than 50,000 Americans; countless injuries, both physical took The Tribune to task when a recent Point taken. Journalists ought not be creased acceptance of inventive head- own Sen. Orrin Hatchwasreduced to his news report about a motor-home convention in Ogden said the 3,000 RV aficionados would “pump $30 million into the local businesses. ," He questioned the numbersbecause to get the $30 million, seems to be a pattern of generalization that serves to benefit a few and not the added, “in case you happened to be on Pluto at that time.” President Clinton lied. By now, everybody knows this. And everybody seems to be losing their heads and their perspective overthe Clinton lies. Even our War, later validated by Robert McNamara. Cost: hundreds of thousands of But the magazine's “Take 2” featureis not just for clever heads. An honorable (or dishonorable) mention was awarded Clinton Lies Minor On another topic, Frank Goodbold a headline that ends up in the “Take 2° feature. The deer headline was one of the winners in AJR’s July/August issue to USA Today whenit identified Johnnie Cochran as ‘one of O.J. Simpson’s de- THE PUBLIC FORUM been a caseof bison transmitting brucellosis to livestock in natural conditions, the headline said, “Yello ne Bison The Reader Advocate’s phone number ts 237-2015, Write to the Reader Advocate, The Salt Lake Tribune, P.O. Box 867, Salt Lake City, Utah 84110. mail: reader.advocate@sltrib.com Despite Undercounting in Census, Court Refuses to Allow Sampling EDWARD McDONOUGH fo supplement the head-count enumera- supplied weapons; further loss of trust and confidence in the federal government. 3. Reagan and Bush delaying the release of hostages in Iran in order to assure an election victory. Cost: several Americans subjected even longer than necessary to bleak conditions and inhu- manetreatmentin Iraniancells; still further loss of trust and confidence in the federal government. 4. Nixon and Watergate. Cost; erosion oftrust in the American political process and in the presidency. 5. Clinton lying about an affair with Monica Lewinsky. Cost: see No. 4. Clinton's are, while egregious, fairly harmless in the rich history of presiden- tial lying EVAN RICHARDS Salt Lake City oO lam normally content to read theletthat I must respondto theletter titled “Founding Churches” (Forum, Aug.13). First, I have no idea which sources Rena Representatives against the Commerce uneshouldbearthe culpability for printing the type of rubbish Martin submit- which directs that in certain limitedsituations, including challenges to the cen- Onthe other hand, The Salt Lake Trib- used in determining the legality or con. stitutionality of the Clinton administra- tion's plans for the 2000 census. Having given itself the power to challenge the plans for the 2000 census, Congress did so in the ease decided this week The reason why the Census Bureau wants to usestatistical sampling the next time around is because the traditional methods of taking the census, using mailed questionnaires, have resulted in big inaccuracies, especially in big cities. The 1990 censusdid not count morethan 8 million people, we found out later. Four million people were counted twice or counted in the wrong place. Hispanics and blacks wereleft off the census much more often than whites In thebig cities, the census misses the young, the poor, minorities, and immigrants. In trying to get a more accurate census, Congress first authorized, then mandated, that the Census Bureau use the statistical sampling method recommended by the National Academy of Sci- ences statistical sampling, as explained by the court's opinion, is the use of “information derived from a portion of a population to infer information on the popujation as a whole.” It’s like the exit polls yf ted. Had the subject of sucha letter been the Jewish religion or Islam or Catholi- POINT OF LAW cismorthe “gay lifestyle,” The Tribune that news networks use to call an election beforethe ballots are counted. The would have had the good taste not to print such tripe. But because thesubject. was the LDS Church, TheTribunefeels a methodis highly developed and highly special license to print thelibelous drivel accurate. What the Census Bureau planned to do a biased attack on Je: percent actual head count in a particular tack on Mormonsis in poor taste, Harmony, equality and acceptance pling to determine the composition of the last 10 percent. The object would be haye merely become cliches, but if we want to seethese virtues in our society, was make sure that it had at least a 90 censusarea, and then usestatistical samto eliminate the “differential undercount” of racial and ethnic minorities. In amending the census statute in 1957, Congresssaid that the Census Bu- . .usethestatistical method sampling.” In 1976, Congress that oozes from uneduc: would bein poortaste, be no double standard. That would be inherently unequal. Aren’t Mormonsentitled to the same “acceptance” as Jews, blacks, gays, Catholics andall the other categories into which we have segregat- ed ourselves? Perhapsweall should take astepback and examinethe doublestan- the apportionment of the U.S. House of Representatives,” the census may use sampling, and apportionment is the con- o “Except in stitutional reason for the decennial census in thefirst place, With this kind of direction, what's a poor census statisti- cian to do? The reason why Newt Gingrich and the House of Representatives are so concerned is, of course, that the Republican majorityin the house is very thin. And all those missing blacks and Hispanics. they fear, are likely to vote as Demo- erats. If the census gives an accurate count, inner cities are likely to get more representatives in Congress, and the Republican majority would be in jeopardy. Edward J. McDonoughpractices law in Salt LakeCity. America Wrongs Islam I love America, her Constitution, and our freedoms.Butall of these have been compromised by this government’s foreign policy of institutionalized terrorism. President Clinton has gone too far with his latest crime of passion, in Sudan and Afghanistan, recklessly abusing the most powerful and important legal loop- dards we have imposed on our society. JOHN C, HARWOOD Salt Lake City The Other Legacy If, God forbid, the Legacy Highwayis built, mayit be a reminder to thecitizens of Utah of an even moreinsidious legacy; polygamy. I am the granddaughter and great granddaughter of good women who paid a very high price for the comfort I enjoy in the new improved LDS Church, Actually, I should thank the U.S government for a life free of abject servitude, If outlawing polygamy hadn't been the price of statehood, we Mormon women would still be sharing our husbands. Is this a great country or what? ANNEWHITE Salt Lake City Salt Lake City has not scored very good marks with the Outdoor Retailers. In the past, complaints have loomed about lack of hotel accommodations and cab service. This year, without a doubt we will end up with complaints about all the road construction and road closures. As if that will not be bad enough, what will the incident of Aug. 15 doto thecredibility to a state, city, and a mayorthat want to pride themselves for being a host to conventions and the upcoming 2002 Olympics? Conventioneers occupied the parking lot of the Utah Fairpark with campers the kids as “The Boot,” which operates on the property owned by the state of Utah(the fairgrounds). A fight broke out at “The Boot” that involveda large number of people, and manySalt Lake City police officers had to becalledin to deal with the problem. Youtell me how this looks to out-of-town retailers and customers to think that city andstate officials would allow this type of thing to happen. hole in history by, in essence, declaring It would seem to methat the Salt Lake war singlehandedly. In addition, he has amplified worldwide outrage againstthe City mayor should look into the appropriateness of allowing a business such as “The Boot’ to operate on state-owned property. Maybe the stateofficials need United States. We have wronged the Islamic world with violence too many times to expect forgiveness without real atonement and change: We aid and abet Prime Minister Netanyahu inhis defiance of the IsraeliPalestinian Oslo peace accord, which translates into his stealing of Muslim land; we initiated the slaughter of over half a million Muslims (knee-jerk patri- otic extremists no doubt, but almost identical to those here in America)in the attempted thefutile task of obliterating the Muslims’ right (given by American precedent) to nuclear and biological weapons, and now we have gone and bombed two sovereign nations. This is what mankind has seen from the selfproclaimed “‘leader of the free world.” Only a free, unbiased network of television and newspapers, which makes real efforts to respect the people and cultures of the “global community” and their rights to sovereignty, will help outraged citizens to harness and correct their government's abuses of power and a foreign policy of arrogance, belligerence and brutality. I passionately request that The Salt Lake Tribune not cowardly whitewash its reports with the mountain of political spin which is on the horizon. Now more than ever, weshould realize the truth to Thomas Jefferson's words, “Given a choice between a democratic government anda free press, I would choosethe BRENTR. GASCHLER they must be evenly applied. There can Clean Up City Image Once again it appears that Salt Lake City may have hadits reputation tarnished. Within the last couple of years, and R.V. units. The incident referred to oceurred at C.W. Bre’ known to latter.” said that the Census Bureau “‘shall” authorize the use of sampling. The problem is that the statute also says, @ Ourfax number is (B01) 237-2316. name of liberating Kuwait; we violently Wrongful Bigotry Department of the Clinton administra- sus, cases are to be heard by courts composed of a combination of appellate and district court judges. Any appeal bypasses the federal appeals courts and goes directly to the U.S. Supreme Court In last year’s appropriations act for the census, Congress specifically decreed that this extraordinary court be Utah 84110. 2. Reagan lying about Iran-Contra. Cost: thousands of Central Americans (including civilians) killed by American- her ignorance. The special court was established under an explicit congressional statute ceived, not all submissions are published. Mail to Public Forum,The Salt Lake Tribune, P.O. Box 867, Salt Lake City, trust and confidence in the federal gov- but herfacts are at best erroneousandat worst scurrilous. However, Martin and her letter deserve no commentand rebuttal. She needs no help in revealing tion andits Census Bureau @ Keep it short. Concise letters develop- ing a single theme are more likelyto be published Please type and double space Letters are condensed and edited @ Because of the volume of mail re- ernment. Martin consulted in writing her letter, tion used to apportion representatives to Congress. The case was brought by Speaker Newt Gingrich on behalf of the House of Forum, please include your full name, sig- nature, address and daytime telephone numbers. Information other than your name and thecity in which you live are keptconfidential and mental; billions of dollars; loss of ters submitted to The Tribune, butI feel is week a special three-judge panel in Washington ruled that statistical sampling cannot be used in the 2000 census Where to Write Whensubmitting letters to the Public Salt Lake City a Lost Trust Lost in the exchange of political mor- tar shells over Clinton's sex life is the revelation that we're losing the war of ideas, No longer do we banter about alternative views on good ideas that gave to see what type of business and practices go on at the establishment. Is it in the bestinterest of the state and the reputation of the city to allowthe lease on the building occupied by ‘lhe Boot” to continue? Comeon,Salt Lake, wereally do need to cleanupour act if we really want to be acity that puts forth a good image. MARY ANN WERNER West Jordan Oo Resources Available With the recent confession of an affair by President Clinton, there seems to bea lot of concern by parents and educators on howtotalk to kids about this issue, sex in particular. As Dr. Doug (ioldsmith said in the Tribune article “Clinton News Puts Parents on the Spot” (Aug. 20), it is important to talk about these matters in a way that is age-appropriate. The Tribunehas done an excellent job of reporting publicly on an issue that is ob- viously verydifficult to discuss even in private. We always encourage teens to speak with their parents about sexualityissues. In fact, Planned Parenthoodoffers class- es on howto talk with your child about sex, an award-winning book and video set called “Talking About Sex,” and a three-part series for parents and 10-12year-olds called “Growing Up Comes First” that covers maturation andabstinence. Theseare excellent resources for parentsof children of any age and, especially at this time, can he extremely helpful. To get more information about these and other resource: Il Planned Par- enthood at 801-532. 9558. 6 or 1-800-627- LYNDA ION Director of Community Services Planned Parenthood of Utah us prosperity. Instead, we consider oO things that are anathema to ourculture’s Public Integrity continued success. Why? Becausethecost of turning good ideas into better ideas is too much for mostof us. Thatcost is best embodied in the wordtrust. With the death of trust, we've redefined ourselves. Now we chooseto beself-centered,the antithesis oftrust. When we were people-centered, suc- We are moying in the wrong direction. The question of honesty andintegrity now encompasses the highest office in the land. Is this the kind of behavior we want for the future? What's life going to belike if we can't trust one another? cess was defined by trust and by how The problem is acute now and rapidly getting worse. Our v existence as a democracy and the sustainment of our be depended upon and love with good intent. Clinton is simply the embodiment of the direction the war of ideasis taking us, People are content with their nation because they can feed their self-centeredness, in spite of Clinton's violation of the trust. Historically, a nation usually its people. Now is the time to confront this problem by making some changes in the highestoffice in the land. We need to reclaim some respect for our country and our people, For those whowishto justify the faults of our current president with the mis- much wecould help,care,lend, support, suffered a radical correction when trust wasallowedto die. PAUL SKOUSEN South Jordan freedoms is subject to the character of deeds of past presidents, I can only say that “two wrongs don’t makearight.” NEWELL D. MOY Salt Lake City |