<Power From The DepthsThe Oil DrumWhat A Difference Two Years Makes>

32 comments on President Bush Questions Saudi Ability to Raise Oil Supply: The ISEOF/TOD Press Release

Comments can no longer be added to this story.

mdsolar on January 18, 2008 - 3:15pm Permalink | Subthread | Comments top

I like the use of quotes, but I don't think "According to theoildrum.com..." works all that well. Better to say "According to oildrum contributer xx..." or According to The Oil Drum's pseudonymous editor Prof. Goose..." so that it is a person saying it. You could designate a spokesperson/press person and attribute quotes to that person.

Chris

0
Comments can no longer be added to this story.
Gail the Actuary on January 18, 2008 - 3:54pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

We are kind of stuck putting in some type of "According to " statements, because of the rules of PRWeb.

On the press release related to Heading Out's $100 Barrel post, we used the phrase "According to TheOilDrum.com", because it was pretty clear that "Heading Out" wasn't a real name. I suppose we could also have said, "According to The Oil Drum's pseudonymous editor Heading Out". I don't think we could have said that more than once in the artcle though.

In this press release, we have one place where it says "According to Gail Tverberg, writing as Gail the Actuary of TheOilDrum.com,". This phrase gets kind of long so we used "According to TheOilDrum.com". We could also have switched to "According to Ms. Tverberg", but that starts sounding a little like TheOilDrum.com is only a publisher, and may or may not agree with what Ms. Tverberg says.

PRWeb likes those using its service to put important sentences in quote marks. These sentences are then put in what I think of as a "Call Out" box at the top. The Call Out box switches between the various quoted sentences over time, to keep the press release looking new to search engines.

0
Comments can no longer be added to this story.
urbanize on January 18, 2008 - 9:08pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

Humbly suggest you consider using "according to analysts at TheOilDrum.com" in the future.

0
Comments can no longer be added to this story.
Aniya on January 18, 2008 - 9:31pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

Hi Gail,

Thanks for your steady work - thank you all.

I second urbanize's humble suggestion.

It solves two gaps: the need for a specific individual, and the confusion (unintended) that appears with attribution to just plain "TOD", which is a *site* for "discussions about...".

Also, even smaller, more humble point - your current usage does come across (to me) as a monolithic unanimity. It seems to me this is not exactly 100% accurate (is it)? I don't know...urban's suggestion just "feels" like it fits better.

To compare, urbanize's version would be like saying: "...according to the editors of..."

Anyway, it's a fine point but it seems important (IMVHO).

0
Comments can no longer be added to this story.
Gail the Actuary on January 18, 2008 - 10:07pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

Good suggestion. I think "According to analysts at TOD" gets the idea across better.

Sometimes it is hard to think of these things, when on the spot to make a "fix" that the editors at PRWeb will accept.

0
Comments can no longer be added to this story.
mdsolar on January 18, 2008 - 11:30pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

I think that works. We used to use something like "Laboratory scientists say..." at work. Appointing a press spokesperson would also be a help because editors' positions can be expressed through the spokesperson. Since you are a contributer, using your name is a good idea giving the most dramatic quote.

Chris

0
Comments can no longer be added to this story.
BobCousins on January 19, 2008 - 7:37am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

Personally, I only trust quotes that have a real name attached. A general term like "analysts" or "sources" could mean anything from the real deal to some rumors the reporter heard in the local bar. Anonymized web handle means nothing.

If you can't issue press releases without using web handles I wouldn't bother.

I know Heading Out's reputation, but to the end-user reading the repackaged press release "some guy on the internet says..." is a joke.

0
Comments can no longer be added to this story.
westexas on January 19, 2008 - 9:07am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

http://www.theoildrum.com/node/3514#comment-292026

You have twice launched drive by ad hominem attacks on Khebab and me, in both cases leveling serious accusations. The latest one is in the original Bush/Saudi thread. Unlike Khebab and me, you don't provide an e-mail link. I would appreciate it if you would address the questions in the captioned post.

BTW, regarding the initial Saudi decline, the 2006 decline rate was -4.3%/year (EIA, C+C). The 2007 decline rate will probably be between -4.5%/year and -5%/year. The long term Texas decline rate was -4%/year.

0
Comments can no longer be added to this story.