The City of Peoria is really digging these online surveys. They’ve got one coming out about every week now. The latest one is designed to gauge public sentiment toward “convenience cash businesses,” like payday loan and title loan stores. As you may recall, the City has put a moratorium on any new ones popping up until they can write some sort of ordinance restricting their proliferation.
So, if you want to provide some input, click here.
The hosts on a couple different NPR shows have been making fun of NBC commentators for mispronouncing China’s capital city and the host city of the 2008 Olympics, Beijing. You see, on NBC, they’re constantly pronouncing the “j” in Beijing as a “zh” sound, as in “Jacque” or “Zhivago.” It’s actually supposed to be pronounced like a “j” (go figure), as in “jump” or “Jo Jo Dancer.” Anyway, it’s funny to hear one network criticize another. You can hear it at the end of this story from NPR’s “All Things Considered” program today.
Also, if you want to see a funny little video on how to pronounce Beijing, look no further:
My wife’s letter to the editor was published today in the Journal Star. I agree with her 100%. 🙂
Since I’ve been getting some trash talking from Cubs fans (Anon E. Mouse and Billy Dennis), I’d just like to remind them that we’re only in August. There’s still plenty of time for the Cubs to implode.
Case in point, here were the standings on August 15, 1969:
| NL East | W | L | GB |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cubs | 74 | 44 | – |
| Cardinals | 65 | 53 | 9.0 |
| Mets | 62 | 51 | 9.5 |
| Pirates | 60 | 55 | 12.5 |
| Phillies | 47 | 69 | 26.0 |
| Expos | 38 | 81 | 36.5 |
That year, by the end of the season, the Mets were in first place and the Cubs were eight games behind. (Yes, the Cardinals ended up in fourth place that year, just a couple of years after winning the World Series for the eighth time since 1908.)
Well, here are the standings today, August 15, 2008:
| NL Central | W | L | GB |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cubs | 74 | 47 | – |
| Brewers | 70 | 52 | 4.5 |
| Cardinals | 68 | 56 | 7.5 |
| Astros | 62 | 59 | 12.0 |
| Pirates | 55 | 66 | 19.0 |
| Reds | 54 | 68 | 20.5 |
As you can see, both the Cardinals and Brewers are well within striking distance. Who will win the division this year?