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CAPE FEAR MEMORIAL BRIDGE CLOSURE: UPDATES, RESOURCES, AND CONTEXT
My Top Five is a series of WHQR staff blogs that lists some of our favorite (or least favorite) odds and ends. Topics vary from music, to local life, to history, and to whatever else might catch our attention. Keep your eye out for some interesting stuff from our staff!

Friday Feedback for September 4, 2015

I am happy to see the camaraderie continues, both within WHQR and with listeners, members and other collaborators. -- Paul

It’s hurricane season, and that means coastal residents are alert to weather patterns developing in other parts of the world, including some Portuguese-speaking islands. But how do you pronounce V-E-R-D-E? Photographer, WHQR supporter and volunteer Paul Reinman set us straight:

[AUDIO CLIP]
A correction would be offered for how the news is pronouncing the Cape Verde islands. They call it the Cape VEHR-day Islands or the Cape VUR-dee Islands (rhymes with “birdie”)… It’s actually Cape VURD Islands, on my best acknowledgment. Even NPR is getting this wrong. So, when the hurricanes are forming off the coast of Africa, the west coast, that’s actually the Cape VURD islands. So you can set the standard, if I’m correct, and double-check on me, but it’s the Cape VURD Islands, and you’ll be a winner for getting it right for NPR. Thanks.

I have to admit, some of us, including yours truly, thought Paul was wrong. But most dictionaries, including the Oxford English Dictionary, agree with him, so score one for Paul. It’s a bit humbling to realize I’ve been doing it wrong for a long time. Here’s how the online Cambridge Dictionary does it:

AUDIO CLIP
Cape Verde

And, since it’s from Cambridge, here’s the Brit version:

AUDIO CLIP
Cape Verde

Paul also wrote to us this week on another matter, the death in Arizona of longtime volunteer and Board member Frank Funk, as noted on our website. Paul wrote:

[I’m] so sorry to hear of Mr. Funk’s passing. Rebecca and I still remember the day, many years ago we took over from Frank and Ruth as volunteers at a fund drive at HQR headquarters. This was the old phone and scratch pad era. After the requisite turnover instructions Frank and Ruth left the room with Frank signing off to us saying: “The room is now “de-Funked”. And with a big smile. Probably not the first time he used that zinger but regardless, it is still there in my head and is one of many fond WHQR memories reflecting strong dedication to a valuable organization. I am happy to see the camaraderie continues, both within WHQR and with listeners, members and other collaborators.

Frank and Ruth Funk were among the most dedicated and loyal volunteers WHQR has ever seen. As Mary Bradley wrote to Paul,

I feel lucky to have known both Frank and Ruth who were very inspirational for me. I love that the room was "de-Funked.”

Barbara Bush’s recent blog post on the Top Five Hotdogs in Wilmington drew a favorable comment from Kelly Batson, who named her favorite. And Annemarie Petroff liked Isabelle Shepherd’s Top Five Music Beds in news shows. She wrote:

Yay! Thanks for keeping it cool!

Pam Poretti wrote:

Are transcripts available for your weekly program, "Coastline"? The program is very informative and many individuals in our region who have hearing loss would appreciate access via transcripts. Thank you!

Pam, it’s an excellent idea. Currently we do not have the staff to do this kind of transcription. There is automatic speech-to-text software available, but such efforts often produce unsatisfactory results. We’ll continue to investigate.

We’d love to hear from you on Friday Feedback. You can always leave a message via email to feedback@WHQR.org. Our Feedback Phone is 910-292-9477. And thanks for your feedback.