I was astonished about the misquotes and errors in the article, even better attributed to me. Credibility and fact checking are totally optional. We just swapped emails on the subject:
"I wasn't aware that you had tried to get in touch with me via email or phone. I have no record of any attempted contact on your part, unlike that of another journalist in the Bay area.
Hung Vu* compiled that dated information several years ago from KSI data that you referenced as your information source in your email. This is an INTERNATIONAL database and is not limited to the USA alone. It doesn't claim to list ALL accidents in any country or worldwide for that matter, only those that I heard about and chose to write up. Hung's table lists the total number of accidents for the FOUR years, worldwide as it happens as 105 (2000 - 2003). There were only 21 accidents listed in 2003 as opposed to 59 in 2002.
There were NO kiteboarding fatalities in the USA that I know of in EITHER 2003 or 2000. The total number of fatalities Hung lists WORLDWIDE in 2003 was ONE and NOT 14 as you erroneously reported (cited for the USA, which again had NO fatalities).
The obvious trend suggested by Hung's information, if properly interpreted is that kiting accidents ARE DECEASING worldwide in direct opposition to the title of your article. There is NO USA specific data in Hung's presentation.
I've been quoted in publications worldwide, NY Times, WSJ, Financial Times, Time Mag., etc.. Fact checking with the source was almost always a priority. Were I in your profession, I would attempt to do this to the best of my abilities as time allows. Failing that, I would be reluctant to cite that source. This practice would hopefully minimize critical interpretative errors and misquotes that will damage credibility.
Good luck,
Rick Iossi (spelling corrected)
*
http://www.kitesurfingschool.org/saf...t%20Statistics
_________________________> Subject: Rick, just got your message this morning.> Date: Wed, 3 Oct 2007 07:23:22 -0400> From:
KMorelli@tampatrib.com> To:
flkitesurfer@hotmail.com>> Hey, sorry I didn’t reach you yesterday. I Googled your name and got the Web site of
www.kitesurfingschool.org and they presented the chart of accidents from 2000 and 2003. The site said the data was compiled by you. Sorry for the mix up, if there was one.> Keith Morelli> The Tampa Tribune> 200 S. Parker St.> Tampa, Fla. 33606> Office: (813) 259-7760> Cell: (813) 731-8144"