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Bob Dyer: Yule lights not a city's top priority

By Bob Dyer
Beacon Journal columnist

POSTED: 03:04 p.m. EST, Dec 01, 2008

When we're in the midst of the biggest financial crisis since the Great Depression, it can't be ''business as usual.''

So kudos to the city of Brunswick, which swallowed hard and announced it would leave most of its holiday decorations in storage this year to save about $20,000.

Sure, it sounds Grinch-like at first. But would you rather have Christmas lights alongside state Route 303 or have state Route 303 plowed?

The city's finances are teetering, and something has to give.

This is an age of sacrifice. And, as sacrifices go, skipping holiday decorations and a parade ranks near the bottom of the list.

But then along comes Medical Mutual. The insurance company announces it will contribute $10,000 to get some of the decorations up.

A good PR move? Actually, it's having the opposite effect in some circles.

''I am appalled,'' says Marie Parker of Bath, whose family is covered by Medical Mutual.

''Excuse me — maybe donate the money to Akron Children's Hospital, which deals with insurance issues constantly, especially with children. What about the hospice in Copley? Another round of insurance issues. What about nursing homes?

''[Instead], my money is lighting Brunswick's town center. Does anyone else have a problem with this?''

Yes, Marie. I do. If the insurance giant is going to spend $10,000 on a PR stunt, any of the causes you cite would be more appropriate.

Say what?

I'm not a big fan of big government, but I think we need to create a new agency with the power to veto ridiculous names.

I never thought we could get a worse name than ''Metro Parks, Serving Summit County.'' As opposed to not serving Summit County? As opposed to serving some other county?

But the Akron public school system has done Metro Parks, Serving Summit County one better — er, worse.

Starting next year year, we will be subjected to ''The National Inventors Hall of Fame School — Center for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Learning.''

Imagine the letter jackets. They'll all have to come in size XL just to carry the school's initials, TNIHOFSCFSTEAML.

Pity the poor cheerleaders.

''Gimme a T . . . Gimme an N . . .'' Gimme laryngitis.

Freudian slip?

An interesting news release showed up the other day in the inbox of Beacon Journal food guru Lisa Abraham.

It was an e-mail sent by a publicist for the company that makes Wish-Bone salad dressing. The release centered around Wish-Bone donating part of its profits to the national women's group Dress for Success.

As publicists are wont to do, the writer followed every reference to Wish-Bone by typing the symbol for a registered trademark — the letter ''R'' with a circle around it.

But in the subject line of the e-mail, the trademark symbol apparently didn't work. The symbol came out looking exactly like a regular ''R.''

Now, picture the following subject line with a regular ''R'' at the end of the name of the product:

''Wish-Bone puts its salad dressings to work for women in need.''

Bob Dyer can be reached at 330-996-3580 or bdyer@thebeaconjournal.com.

When we're in the midst of the biggest financial crisis since the Great Depression, it can't be ''business as usual.''

So kudos to the city of Brunswick, which swallowed hard and announced it would leave most of its holiday decorations in storage this year to save about $20,000.

Sure, it sounds Grinch-like at first. But would you rather have Christmas lights alongside state Route 303 or have state Route 303 plowed?

The city's finances are teetering, and something has to give.

This is an age of sacrifice. And, as sacrifices go, skipping holiday decorations and a parade ranks near the bottom of the list.

But then along comes Medical Mutual. The insurance company announces it will contribute $10,000 to get some of the decorations up.

A good PR move? Actually, it's having the opposite effect in some circles.

''I am appalled,'' says Marie Parker of Bath, whose family is covered by Medical Mutual.

''Excuse me — maybe donate the money to Akron Children's Hospital, which deals with insurance issues constantly, especially with children. What about the hospice in Copley? Another round of insurance issues. What about nursing homes?

''[Instead], my money is lighting Brunswick's town center. Does anyone else have a problem with this?''

Yes, Marie. I do. If the insurance giant is going to spend $10,000 on a PR stunt, any of the causes you cite would be more appropriate.

Say what?

I'm not a big fan of big government, but I think we need to create a new agency with the power to veto ridiculous names.

I never thought we could get a worse name than ''Metro Parks, Serving Summit County.'' As opposed to not serving Summit County? As opposed to serving some other county?

But the Akron public school system has done Metro Parks, Serving Summit County one better — er, worse.

Starting next year year, we will be subjected to ''The National Inventors Hall of Fame School — Center for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Learning.''

Imagine the letter jackets. They'll all have to come in size XL just to carry the school's initials, TNIHOFSCFSTEAML.

Pity the poor cheerleaders.

''Gimme a T . . . Gimme an N . . .'' Gimme laryngitis.

Freudian slip?

An interesting news release showed up the other day in the inbox of Beacon Journal food guru Lisa Abraham.

It was an e-mail sent by a publicist for the company that makes Wish-Bone salad dressing. The release centered around Wish-Bone donating part of its profits to the national women's group Dress for Success.

As publicists are wont to do, the writer followed every reference to Wish-Bone by typing the symbol for a registered trademark — the letter ''R'' with a circle around it.

But in the subject line of the e-mail, the trademark symbol apparently didn't work. The symbol came out looking exactly like a regular ''R.''

Now, picture the following subject line with a regular ''R'' at the end of the name of the product:

''Wish-Bone puts its salad dressings to work for women in need.''

Bob Dyer can be reached at 330-996-3580 or bdyer@thebeaconjournal.com.




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word
akron, oh

Posted 03:37 PM, 12/01/2008

Get a life Dyer. And start looking for a new job - the Beacon has maybe a few years left thanks to the insanely stupid writing like yours.


Chad

Posted 07:19 PM, 12/01/2008

Perhaps I'm insanely stupid for saying so, but I've always enjoyed Mr. Dyer's writings. He lends a generalized local touch to a newspaper that too often only focuses on attempted high-brow approaches to Akron's politics and crime.
Mr. Dyer's columns are not aimed at reporting hard news nor are they presented as such. It amazes me that there is such a large number of insanely stupid, (I'm looking at you Ron.) unfounded, critical comments on this web site.


PacMan
My Heart Is In K-Town, .

Posted 08:50 PM, 12/01/2008

Yes Ron, Chad is right, so get a life and go comment with some of the other low life's that appear mostly on the Editorial page. They aren't hard to recognize and you'll fit right in.


Betamax
Akron, OH

Posted 07:42 AM, 12/02/2008

Good job Bob. While investigatin' the snow plowin' in Brunswick, y'all ran across some insanely expendatures by Medical Mutual. Y'all are the best award winnin' taffic reporter ever.

Why Dyer, I beleive y'all have gathered together a couple of cheerleaders. Congratulations. All award winnin' traffic reporters should have sum-buddy in a skirt bashin' their pompoms together for them.

To the cheerleaders: Dyer is nuthin' more than an award winnin' traffic reporter. Iff'n that makes y'all all warm and gooey inside, fine. But make sure y'all wash y'alls hands afterwards.


Emmi

Posted 07:52 AM, 12/02/2008

But then along comes Medical Mutual. The insurance company announces it will contribute $10,000 to get some of the decorations up.

I guess in a few years, Medical Mutual will be asking for bailout money.


JustMeinB
Barberton, OH

Posted 08:13 AM, 12/02/2008

I do too Chad. I enjoy reading about these local things. I don't understand why if these people hate the guys so much, why they bother to keep reading his column and feel the need to constantly post insulting comments.


TruthPatrol
Akron, OH

Posted 08:27 AM, 12/02/2008

Mebbe Bobble has Wishbone* envy.


word
akron, oh

Posted 03:03 PM, 12/02/2008

Dyer should be investigating why the ABJ is still paying him while cutting corners everywhere. At any rate, his sophmoric "reporting" belongs in maybe a local rag like the WSL where cutsy, irrelevant stories have a home.


OhioNewsHound

Posted 10:34 PM, 12/02/2008

Detractors read the column for the same reason that supporters read: To find out what Mr. Dyer says next.

Good job, Bob. Always a pleasure reading what you have to say.














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