It's a tiny gripe, but one that I get this time each year. For the last three weeks, I have listened to broadcasters hop back and forth between calling it the Tour de Frantz (rhyming with Lance) or the Tour de Frahnce.
Now, to be honest, I prefer Frahnce. I think it sounds better. And yes, I took French in high school and that could easily be the reason why.
But ....
The broadcasters who insist on calling it France (rhymes with Lance) say that they're going to pronounce it the "American" way.
Oooookay.
Notice, though, that they are not calling it the "Tour OF France" (rhymes with Lance). No, they are using the French "de." So much for the American pronounciation.
Oh, and by the way, these are the same broadcasters who made such of big deal of calling the last Olympic host city "Torino." Remember that cloth that supposedly has the imprint of Jesus Christ on it? Yeah, that's right, the Shroud of Torino. Yeah, me too. Never heard it called that ... not even once.
*sigh*
The Washington Post made a big deal six months ago about calling Turin Turin. Almost everyone else (including, most notably, ESPN) made a big deal about calling it Torino. And yet, today, it is ESPN that insists on calling it France (rhymes with Lance). Some consistency would be nice.
Of course, I have not had the chance today to listen to Washington Post radio. (And no, don't get me started on the whole "the newspaper owns the radio station and are being incredibly shameless about cross plugging and pretty much reading the listenership the newspaper each day -- that's a rant for another day.) But I'm betting that The Washington Post, who insisted on the American nomenclature for Turin, is today pronouncing that country with the wine and the really long bicycle race "Frahnce."
Consistency, after all, appears to be highly overrated.
*double sigh*
Or, as Pepe le Pew might say ...
*le sigh*
Monday, July 24, 2006
Monday, July 17, 2006
Simply The Best?
Or just the best advertising?
Marketwatch has a fascinating article (and a brief one, oh thee of short attention span) on the ten brand names picked as "best" by over two thousand adults polled. Basically, the subjects in the poll were asked to name three brands they thought were the best ... without being given a list of brand names, or even markets (consumer electronics, automobiles, etc.)
But does this really denote "best" or simply "best known?" How many people out there who made Sony number one actually own any Sony products? The last Sony product I owned was a Walkman ... 20 years ago.
Yeah, the VAIO's popular, but more popular than Dell (number two)? Don't think so. Yes, I know Sony's is the number consumer electronics manufacturer worldwide ... but the study was done in the US -- and much of Sony's sales are overseas.
Coca-Cola was number three ... but Pepsi still has a slightly larger share of the market than Coke (and didn't finish in the top ten).
Fix Or Repair Daily (aka Ford) finished in fifth. My friend whose Ford has been recalled five times probably would take (major) issue with the "best" claim made by these people.
It would be fascinating to see this survey include another question. "Do you own any products by the companies you named?"
Something tells me the percentage who would say "yes" would be pretty low.
Marketwatch has a fascinating article (and a brief one, oh thee of short attention span) on the ten brand names picked as "best" by over two thousand adults polled. Basically, the subjects in the poll were asked to name three brands they thought were the best ... without being given a list of brand names, or even markets (consumer electronics, automobiles, etc.)
But does this really denote "best" or simply "best known?" How many people out there who made Sony number one actually own any Sony products? The last Sony product I owned was a Walkman ... 20 years ago.
Yeah, the VAIO's popular, but more popular than Dell (number two)? Don't think so. Yes, I know Sony's is the number consumer electronics manufacturer worldwide ... but the study was done in the US -- and much of Sony's sales are overseas.
Coca-Cola was number three ... but Pepsi still has a slightly larger share of the market than Coke (and didn't finish in the top ten).
Fix Or Repair Daily (aka Ford) finished in fifth. My friend whose Ford has been recalled five times probably would take (major) issue with the "best" claim made by these people.
It would be fascinating to see this survey include another question. "Do you own any products by the companies you named?"
Something tells me the percentage who would say "yes" would be pretty low.
Wilkommen, Bienvenue ... Welcome
Not sure that life is a cabaret or not ... maybe just a good dinner show with some really nice desserts ... but I've decided to be another voice in the wilderness, in hopes that a raccoon or two might find it interesting (or at least eat the Rice Krispie treats).
So what am I going to be writing about? Pretty much anything that strikes my fancy. I like sports (masters degree in sports administration that's gathering dust on a shelf -- and my new sporting love is ... curling!), theatre (about to head into the wilds of Canada for some of the best theatre in the world), and the general nuttiness that is the world and those who populate it.
If it sounds interesting, come on in and have a seat. The Rice Krispie treats are in the corner and the comfy chairs are hidden in the back.
So what am I going to be writing about? Pretty much anything that strikes my fancy. I like sports (masters degree in sports administration that's gathering dust on a shelf -- and my new sporting love is ... curling!), theatre (about to head into the wilds of Canada for some of the best theatre in the world), and the general nuttiness that is the world and those who populate it.
If it sounds interesting, come on in and have a seat. The Rice Krispie treats are in the corner and the comfy chairs are hidden in the back.
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