Small Print

RUN THE Microsoft Office spellcheck over a chunk of text that includes the name “Obama” and the dictionary will suggest you use the name “Osama” instead. Microsoft has been inundated with complaints, and there’s even a Facebook petition page calling on the company to “catch up”.

The reason is simple: Obama is a very rare name but Osama isn’t. Also Osama bin Laden was mentioned hundreds of thousands of times in news reports years before most of the world had heard of anyone called Barack Obama. Microsoft says it updated its database in 2007 so that “Obama” would be recognised but that there are still problems on some servers.

It seems we’re going to be forever lumbered with the Obama/Osama confusion. Outside computing, the news media are the worst offenders. On the night bin Laden was killed, MSNBC correspondent Norah O’Donnell reported via Twitter that Obama had been shot and killed. CNN carried a prominent picture caption which read “Inside Obama’s Compound: First pictures of the chaos surrounding his death” while a Washington news anchor solemnly announced on air that “President Obama is, in fact, dead” (you’ll get this on YouTube). And there were just too many “Obama bin Laden dead” breaking news headlines to count.

The Columbia Journalism Reviewasked linguist Michael Erard to explain the confusion. It's to do with how the brain stores and accesses information, he says. "What is happening in this specific case is that the speaker has anticipated the "b" of bin Laden and moved it up to replace the "s" in Osama. It's an anticipation error – where there is a string of sounds and the person basically jumps ahead in the string and selects one sound too soon and inserts it."

We make the error, says Erard, because we store the name “Osama bin Laden” in our brains as one chunk of information rather than three separate items. This makes it too easy for us to skip ahead to the “b” in bin Laden without given due attention to the first word – Osama.

Not true, argues News One – an African-American news site – which insists the confusion has a racial subtext. “Yes, Obama and Osama sound a lot alike. But the reason for the consistent confusion of these names by award-winning journalists, seasoned copyeditors, and political thought leaders is not that simple. The overwhelmingly white news creators who confuse ‘Obama’ with ‘Osama’ are a sad reminder of the fact many still subconsciously believe ‘all brown people look alike’.” We can’t see this argument ending here.

Where to catch some Eurofever

MAYBE IRELAND needs a distraction more than ever or maybe irony has come full circle and we are taking the Eurovision to heart again, but whatever the reasons, Eurovision parties are packing events listings this Saturday. Here are the some of the best:

1. PantiBar

Capel Street, Dublin 1.

With a dress code of “Eurotrash chic and offensive national stereotypes”, PantiBar also wins points for its kitsch line-up of special guests on the PantiBar jury, headed by RTÉ meteorologist and surprise fashion icon Jean Byrne.

2. Douze Points Party

The Sugar Club, Dublin 2.

Gay Community News (GCN) hosts its bash hosted by Julian Mandrews and featuring The Nualas with added Euro-karaoke and a late-night/ early-morning Eurotrash disco.

3. Kremlin

Donegall Street, Belfast

Belfast’s biggest gay club injects its EuroParty with the added incentive of free Bucks Fizz (see what they did there?)

4. Cork Midsummer Festival Eurovision Party at The Bailey

Expect plenty of Jedwards turning up to this party that encourages attendees to dress as their favourite contestant.

5. Twitter

Can’t be bothered going out? Like most televised events these days, the real party happens on Twitter. Take part in the national commentary and relentless slagging from the comfort of your couch. There probably won’t be anywhere better to be than online.