Population statistics are among my favorites. According to this article, what was formerly known as the San Francisco/San Jose/Oakland metropolitan statistical area, is now known as the San Jose/San Francisco/Oakland metropolitan statistical area. Catch that? San Jose is now listed first, reflecting it's larger population.

Fair enough. The bay area is clearly a single urban entity, even if it is stratified in many ways. The naming conventions for such entities in the
United States dictate that the largest incorporated city in the area gets listed first. For example, DC's area is referred to as the "Baltimore-Washington" area.

Although this is probably really boring to most people, you can't help but recognize the psychological significance of this. While flying into SFO, if the pilot welcomes you to the "San Jose" area, it will certainly change people's perceptions of the place, to San Francisco's loss.

Given that San Jose is still little more than a bunch of parking lots with some office parks here and there, this is quite disheartening to those of us who have more refined urban interests at heart, and it's unfair to San Francisco (which is clearly a vastly more important city in almost every area). But so it goes with statistics. They key is to be able to see through them.

Before I bore you to death, allow my hometown pride to tell you that Milwaukee is almost twice as big as Boston, Atlanta, Miami, St. Louis and a host of other more famous cities, but what counts in that case is the metropolitan population, which Milwaukee lacks. Point is, San Francisco dosn't really have that much to worry about.

Anyway, none of this really matters when you think about it. I just can't help obsessing over this stuff.

"I just looked over and saw our wieners in a wad." - Milwaukee Brewers Manager, Ned Yost referring to the aftermath of a bizarre attack by bat-weilding Pittsburgh first baseman Randall Simon on an innocent, 8 foot tall Italian Sausage. And the press goes nuts.

Witness the video and equally hilarious [TV news report here]

Cool news for people in Milwaukee... free wi-fi is going to be set up in two downtown parks within a month. [article here]

It's really a perfect civic intestment, since it costs next to nothing to set up, and everyone loves it. I think that makes Milwaukee only the second city in the us to do this, after Long Beach.

I wish someone would do this in London, but alas, the only wireless networks you can find are pay-per-use ones which cost a fortune.

I'm convinced the Milwaukee Journal Sentinal is the secret inspiration for The Onion.

My favorite quote from this article:

"Truth be told, Sadegh doesn't want anyone to simply shoot the Iraqi president. He'd prefer to see him tortured. 'I only want peace and happiness in this country,' Sadegh said."

Milwaukee: I am really embarrassed for my home town. So much so that I'm almost afraid to post this. It seems that according to a recent survey "The Olive Garden" was voted 3rd best Italian Restaurant in Milwaukee.

The Olive Garden is a cheesy national chain, located primarily in suburban parking lots. In and of itself, this is a neutral fact, but how is it possible for such an establishment to even make it on a survey like this? Much less be voted into the top 10? If this survey has any basis in reality, culture in Milwaukee is in serious trouble. Furthurmore, The Olive Garden stinks. It's the epitome of watered down American slop served in a pathetically phony atmosphere on par with Applebees.

Oh well, if it's any consolation, "buca di beppo" is on San Francisco's top ten list as well. Let's all make ourselves feel better and just assume Citysearch surveys are deeply flawed. Hmm... not surprisingly, LA has the same problem. At least New York and Chicago still seem to have some respect for themselves.