Donald Trump Mispronounces "Nevada" Braggadociously

How to make an ass of yourself in Nevada, by Donald Trump.
Image from source, Washington Post.

Many states have multiple pronunciations, even within their borders. Nobody, for instance, cares how you pronounce "Ohio." Most would agree--even those with heavy accents--that the proper pronunciation is ōˈhīō. You might put the emphasis on the HI, you might put it on both Os. But you can also say "uh-HI-uh," and you'll be fine. You can say Oh-HIGH-yo, and nobody will blink. But in other states, a wrong pronunciation means "outsider" and/or "rube." Don't say "orry-GONE" in Oregon. Don't say "i-oh-WAY" in Iowa. Don't say "arr-Kansas" in Arkansas. And whatever you do, don't say "Nuv-ODD-uh" in Nevada.

It's "Nev-ADD-uh." ADD not ODD. It may sound like a small thing, and frankly it is. But if you're looking to score points with the locals, you don't say it wrong. And nobody has said it so ostentatiously wrong. So spectacularly, braggadociously wrong. Nobody but Donald Trump.

[Excerpt]



Trump’s pronunciation of ‘Nevada’ draws scrutiny

RENO, Nev. – “Ne-VAHHHH-duh.”

That was Donald Trump at a rally here Wednesday, confidently demonstrating he understood the local pronunciation of this swing state by drawing out the second syllable for effect.

Except that locals don't say it that way. They say “Nev-AD-uh. . ."


Read more at: Washington Post

What's the Matter With Reno?

Every once in a while, my friend Stupid Monkey Planet sends me a series of links, and it's my job to turn them into an epic post. So, here we go.

Far away from Las Vegas is our second biggest biggest city--in fact, the biggest little city in the world--Reno, Nevada. Reno has taken it in the shorts during the recession, so they're already in a bad mood. But lately? Things have been going very, very badly. To wit. . .




Late in June, Reno was the scene of a terrible Amtrak accident.


[Excerpt]

Driver Tried To Brake Before Hitting Amtrak Car


Authorities say a truck driver tried to stop his big rig before it slammed into the side of an Amtrak passenger car in the Nevada desert, killing himself and at least one person on the train and injuring about 20 others in the fiery crash. . .

Read more at: KTVN


Then, in early September a Reno IHop was the scene of a mass murder.

[Excerpt]


People killed in Carson City IHOP shooting identified; emergency calls described




Crying and panicked, one of the people who called 911 to report the shooting in Carson City said he was “shooting people in the parking lot” as gunfire could be heard in the background.
Frantic, people told the 911 dispatcher that people were dead on the ground. . .

Read more at: Reno Gazette Journal


Most famously, a recent World War II airplane race in Reno ended in a shocking disaster.

[Excerpt]

Nine dead [More since then-Ed.] in Reno air race crash

 

The death toll rose to nine Saturday in an air race crash in Reno as investigators determined that several spectators were killed on impact as the 1940s-model plane appeared to lose a piece of its tail before slamming like a missile into a crowded tarmac. . .

Read more at: USAToday


And now, Reno's latest big story is a shooting in a casino. Maybe CSI should've been based in Reno rather than Vegas?

As Stupid Monkey Planet said in his email:
"Looks like Reno picked the wrong time to quit sniffing glue."

[Excerpt]

One Dead; Two Injured in Shooting in Reno Casino

Authorities are investigating a shooting at the John Ascuaga's Nugget in Sparks Friday night.Police say a large group of people got into a fight inside near the Trader Dick's bar around 11:30 p.m. Several shots were reportedly fired. . .

Read more at: 8NewsNow

Nevada Gov. Gibbons Busted Texting Girlfriend

Photo from source, TPM Muckraker

I had to post something about this, being a Nevada resident and all. It's not like we haven't had a bumper crop of corrupt politicians over the years. But this is the freakin' Governor. A governor who had a sexual harassment charge levelled at him in the waning days of the campaign where he somehow got elected anyway. A governor in the middle of a very sticky divorce. Irresistible, right? But text messaging? What, is he twelve?

[Excerpt]

OMG! Gov. Gibbons Sends 867 Texts to His Female BFF

Just when we thought the Gibbons' saga was over, it all starts again.

Throughout his very messy and public divorce with his wife of 22 years, Nevada Gov. Jim Gibbons has repeatedly denied having an affair -- despite being seen cavorting around town with two married women half his age and a suspicious friendship he had struck up with Kathy Karrasch, a neighbor of the Gibbonses and the estranged wife of a Reno podiatrist. . .

Read more at: TPM Muckraker

Reno Gets More Quakes, With More to Come?

Photo from source, AP

Reno is a very long, boring drive from Las Vegas. Or so I'm told. I've only been to the "Biggest Little City in the World" once, and it was on a drive from California. I've simply never had a reason to make the trip from southern Nevada. Fortunately, the Las Vegas valley is a long, long way from there, so the earthquake activity there hasn't even caused Bellagio's lake to ripple.

I'm told that there are many fault lines here in the valley, and that my house is in one of the safer areas of town, being on rocky soil. North Las Vegans might not be so lucky, as their land is nice and soft. Still, the whole valley would probably be in trouble. I don't know if the big hotels were built to be earthquake proof, but our houses are basically built like parade floats--with big, heavy ceramic roof tiles on top! A recipe for flatness!

[Excerpt]

Reno urged to prepare for worse as earthquakes continue

Scientists urged residents of northern Nevada's largest city to prepare for a bigger event as the area continued rumbling Saturday after the largest earthquake in a two-month-long series of temblors.

More than 100 aftershocks were recorded on the western edge of the city after a magnitude 4.7 quake hit Friday night, the strongest quake around Reno since one measuring 5.2 in 1953, said researchers at the seismological laboratory at the University of Nevada, Reno. . .

Read more at: AP

God Hates Reno, Spares Las Vegas

Photo from Reno Sparks Convention Center

Reverend Phred strikes again. Apparently, God hates the biggest little city in the world. You think he'd send his wrath here to Las Vegas first, what with all the bright lights making such an obvious target. Or Pahrump, which is filled with Ron Paul supporters. But Reno? Hasn't that poor little city been ridiculed enough on Reno, 911!?

[Excerpt]

Anti-gay church says God hates Reno

. . .The Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka issued a news release this week that says Reno is a dangerous place to be because God has put a curse on the city. It says, quote, "God hates Reno, Nevada.". . .

Read more at: MSNBC