Local News & Commentary Since 1890.

Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Former Dayton television journalist Asa George dead at 34

In Dayton Ohio News, Local News, Media, National News, News Media, State News, Uncategorized, World News on September 12, 2013 at 9:34 pm
Asa George

Asa George, on the set of Fox 45 / ABC 22 News, May 2008. Photo by Gery L. Deer

By Gery L. Deer

Editor, The Jamestown Comet

Former Dayton broadcast journalist Asa George was found dead in her suburban Milwaukee home on September 6 after family members expressed concerns to police regarding her safety. According to a report by the Milwaukee Journal, George’s father, who lives in California, had been unable to reach the 34-year-old for four days and called the local police to check on her.

CBS television affiliate WDJT-TV cited a Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office report stating that firefighters entered the home through a window where they found a badly decomposed female body in a tub full of water. A malnourished boxer dog, two empty vodka bottles and numerous prescription medications were reportedly discovered as well. The body was positively identified as that of Asa George on September 12 after dental records were received from Dayton.

The Journal reported that relatives informed investigators that George had battled alcoholism for several years. Family members reportedly told police that her career had suffered greatly because of her drinking problem, and she had received treatment for it several times.

A press release provided by the West Allis Police Department stated, “Officers, detectives and members of the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office are investigating to determine the circumstances surrounding this incident to include positive identification and cause/manner of death.”  Although identification has been confirmed, the medical examiner’s office has yet to release a cause of death pending toxicology results.

Asa George was the cover story for the May 29, 2008 edition of the Times Community Newspapers' "Your Home" magazine, written by Gery L. Deer

Asa George was the cover story for the May 29, 2008 edition of the Times Community Newspapers’ “Your Home” magazine, written by Gery L. Deer

Early risers became acquainted with George in 2004, when she became co-anchor on the WKEF-ABC22/WRGT-Fox45 morning news programs. In 2008, Xenia Daily Gazette columnist Gery L. Deer interviewed George for a special spotlight cover story in the Times Community’s Your Home magazine where she opened up about her life and career.

“I was born in Madison, Wisconsin, but only lived there about a year before moving to Houston, Texas,” she said. “I graduated from the University of Texas with a degree in journalism and then on to the University of Salamanca in Spain where I studied Art History and Spanish.” Prior to coming to the Miami Valley, George worked as a reporter in Lincoln, Nebraska, and Austin, Texas.

At the time of the Your Home interview, George seemed content to call Dayton home. “Dayton has been a great place for me,” George said. “I have grown professionally, and people here have been so nice and welcoming. I love the fact that I get to meet so many people, whether through reporting or at charity events.”

George was an avid animal lover and regularly volunteered for the Humane Society of Greater Dayton, doing everything from acting as master of ceremonies at local events to fostering a puppy.  For three consecutive years, she hosted the Furry Scurry and Hair Ball fundraiser events. “Anything the Humane Society needs me to do, I am there for them,” she told Your Home. George was also a great supporter of the local Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

Television journalism can be an overwhelmingly busy job, but while in Dayton, George always seemed to find time for friends and family. “I love to spend time with friends and eating out; sushi is my favorite, and I also enjoy cooking,” she once said.

Other relaxing time, she explained, was devoted to more active personal endeavors such as riding her motorcycle, painting and lifting weights.  “I also enjoy boxing and riding my motorcycle,” she said. “I also love to travel.” George left Dayton in 2009 and returned to Wisconsin where she held her anchor position at channel 58, WDJT-TV in Milwaukee, before she became a freelancer in 2011.

During her short broadcast career, George was recognized several times for outstanding work. In 2004, she received the Nebraska Associated Press Award for General News and in 2006 was honored by the Ohio Associated Press.

IMG_6310Editorial Note: I had the privilege of knowing Asa George, but only for a very short time. She was always pleasant, fun and thoughtful, a credit to our profession. In light of this terrible tragedy, I hope she finally has peace and wish for everyone to keep her memory bright and honor her life. She will be missed.

– Gery L. Deer

, , , , , , , , , , ,

Crafters Lodge to open in Sugarcreek Plaza, September 20

In Business, Children and Family, Economy, Education, Local News, Senior Lifestyle, Uncategorized on September 10, 2013 at 9:50 am

Bellbrook / CLLOGOSugarcreek Twp., OH – On Friday, September 20th, Sugarcreek Township residents JoBeth and Scott Bryant invite the public to join them at the grand opening of their new craft store, Crafters Lodge, 6056 Wilmington Pike, just behind Fazoli’s. Festivities begin at 4PM with the official ribbon cutting presented by the Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Chamber of Commerce.

“Our store is intended to provide high-end supplies and expertise to the serious crafter of a kind you won’t find at the big-box stores,” says co-owner JoBeth Bryant. She and her husband, Scott, who currently serves as a Sugarcreek Township Trustee, established their business in their home area to better serve their community.

“My mom was an incredibly talented crafter; she could do anything,” says Bryant. She says her store was born from a desire to honor the gift of crafting passed to her by her mother, who can no longer participate because of Alzheimer’s disease. “As I was growing up she would take me with her to craft classes and I was usually given a project of my own to work on. We want to provide a similar experience to other families.”

In particular, Bryant believes many of the old needle arts are dying simply because they are no longer being taught to the younger generation, so the skills are lost.  “We hope to help revive many of these arts,” she says, “such as bobbin lace making, tatting, embroidery, spinning and weaving to name a few.

Another unique offering of the Crafters Lodge will be hosting American Girl Birthday Parties. For a flat fee the store will provide American Girl party supplies, a Happy Birthday banner, and an authentic American Girl craft with instruction.  Seating is limited to twelve, including the birthday girl and girls are encouraged to bring their American Girl dolls along.

In addition to stock items, Crafters Lodge will be able to order specialty supplies. “If there is a product you want and you don’t see it on the shelf, please ask,” Bryant says. “Chances are good that we can have it for you within a day or two.” After the grand opening, Crafters Lodge will keep regular store hours Tuesday through Saturday 11:00 am to 8:00pm, Sunday noon to 6:00 pm and closed on Monday. For more information and a schedule of classes, visit the store’s website, www.crafterslodge.com or call (937) 470-2649.

Check out the video clip on WDTN-TV2’s “Living Dayton” 

Crafters_Lodge_LD_Jo_Beth

, , , , , ,

Be considerate of those around you

In Food, Health, Opinion, psychology, Senior Lifestyle, sociology, Uncategorized on September 10, 2013 at 9:20 am

DIH LOGODid you ever see someone behaving a certain way at work or in the grocery store and it made you just want to walk up and say to them, “What is wrong with you?” I have; more times than I can remember. On the whole, people annoy me. Maybe it’s because as I get older, I have less patience for “stupid.” It could also be that people are becoming less thoughtful and far more self-centered than ever.

Here’s an example. One afternoon, I had stopped in at on of the big-box, discount megastores to get some orange juice and aspirin. As I stood patiently in the “20 Items or Less” lane, a middle-aged woman in a leopard-print blouse and hair curlers motored past me on one of those electric shopping cart scooters. She was steering the scooter with one hand and with the other she dragged another full sized cart behind her like a trailer.

STORELINEBoth carts were filled to capacity with loads of healthy foods like barrels of cheese balls, cases of beer and soda and, of course, spray cheese. Although there were other check-out lanes open for larger purchases, the woman obliviously whizzed by everyone in the line and parked her rig right in front of me. All of the adjacent lanes were equally full and what was going to be a 5 minute wait was now bordering on a half hour because either she couldn’t read or didn’t understand the meaning of the words, “express lane.”

For a few minutes, I just stood there; a bit stunned at the woman’s total ignorance that she’d completely jumped over at least four others in line ahead of her. I debated whether to say anything but kept quiet. After all, no matter how rude she had been, I would just end up being the mean guy who scolded an apparently disabled older woman on a scooter. It’s a no win. So, I bit my tongue, opened my aspirin bottle, downed two tablets with some of the juice, and waited.

We all have moments when we’re in a hurry, totally consumed by our own interests and feeling like whatever we’re doing should be just as urgent to those around us. But, short of a natural disaster, that’s almost never the case. In fact, most people have absolutely no concern for your interests because they, themselves, are too wrapped up in their own issues. That doesn’t excuse a complete lack of common courtesy, however.

Lately, I’ve noticed it more often in younger people, walking along, even in a store or down the street, with their noses buried in their cell phones, unconscious to the world around them. No one looks up anymore. No one smiles. No one says, “Hello.” People act as if they are traveling in a bubble, where it’s unnecessary or at least undesirable to interact with anyone else in the real world.

I’d like to be able to blame social media and technology for all of this, and it definitely has altered how we behave towards one another. But, ultimately, it’s our own fault. We choose how to act and interact. If all of your interpersonal relations come through Facebook or by text, you might want to consider taking a class or getting a hobby that requires you to intermingle with other people outside of cyberspace.

As for those like my scooter-riding line jumper, I doubt anything will alter their way of thinking. Society will always have its share of self-centered people who have little regard for common sense or good manners. How the rest of us react to their behavior is really what will make the difference.

Maybe if I had complained to the woman in some polite, diplomatic manner, I could have quietly helped her to another line. But, given that she didn’t seem to notice there were other people around her, it’s unlikely she would have responded to reason.

In the end, it was best to keep the peace and let each of my fellow shoppers decide on their own alternate course of action. But to those of you with no regard for others, keep in mind that I may not be so polite next time. Be nice to people. When all is said and done, all we have is each other.

 

, , , , ,

Motorcycle Poker Run to sponsor local runner in Susan G. Komen 3-Day walk

In Charities, Education, Health, Local News, Uncategorized on September 9, 2013 at 10:39 am
Karen Clary (center) at last year's Komen 3-Day in San Francisco.

Karen Clary (center) at last year’s Komen 3-Day in San Francisco.
Click on the photo to watch the WDTN-TV2 Living Dayton interview …

DAYTON, OH – In 2010, Dayton area resident Karen Clary became one of America’s 2.9 million breast cancer survivors. This year, she hopes to be one of the thousands across the country to participate in the 2013 Susan G. Komen 3-Day® walk in Washington, DC, October 11-13. To support her participation, the Miami Valley Victory Riders motorcycle club and Motor Sports of Dayton are sponsoring the 1st Annual “Think Pink” Poker Run, Saturday, September 28. The event will help raise awareness and generate the $2,300 Clary needs to attend the 3-day, 60 mile the race.

The Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure series of 5K runs and fitness walks attracts people of all ages and fitness levels, from walkers to elite runners. Celebrating breast cancer survivors and honoring those who have lost their battle with the disease, the series began in 1983 with a single race with 800 participants in Dallas. Today, it has grown into a global series of more than 140 Races with 1.5 million runners.

Susan G. Komen is the world’s largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists working to save lives, empower people, ensure quality care for all and energize science to find the cures. Thanks to events like the Komen Race for the Cure® and the Komen 3-Day, the organization has invested more than $2.2 billion, making it the largest worldwide source of nonprofit funds dedicated to the fight against breast cancer.

KOMEN3daySeventy-five percent of the net proceeds raised by the Susan G. Komen 3-Day® help support Komen’s global research program, the largest nonprofit source of breast cancer research funding outside of the U.S. government. Money raised also supports large public health programs that address critical issues in breast cancer treatment and care. The remaining 25 percent stays in the local community, funding financial, social and medical needs.

Last year, Clary and her daughter, Jen, attended the San Francisco 3-day race together. “My daughter asked me to do the 3-day walk with her in 2012,” Clary says. “At first I thought she was crazy; 60 miles in three days? I eventually decided to go because it looked like so much fun and because of how much this means to others who shared my experience, and their families.”

Beginning at 10AM from Motor Sports of Dayton, 2135 St. Rt. 235 S., in New Carlisle, riders will collect a card from each stop, trying for the highest hand at the end of the ride. From Motor Sports of Dayton, riders will make stops at TJ Chumps in Fairborn, Buckmins Harley Davidson in Xenia, Little River Café in Oregonia, Ron’s Pizza in Miamisburg and finally ending up at Jack Ass Flats in Huber Heights. The rider with the best poker hand at the end of the run will win the grand prize. Single riders can participate for $15, doubles for $20, or buy an extra hand at $5 each. Other activities during the event include a 50/50 drawing, raffle prizes, silent auction, door prizes and entertainment.

“Last year’s walk was the hardest thing I have ever done in my life and also the most awesome,” Clary says. “Jen wanted to do the walk for me and, because I have given her a greater chance of getting cancer, I wanted to do it for her. Hopefully we can all help to wipe it out.” For more information, call Karen Clary at (937) 620-8597 or email her at teampol@aol.com.

Video Interview: http://www.wdtn.com/living-dayton/think-pink-poker-run

, , , , , , , , , ,

Shocking! Power companies mislead consumers.

In Business, Children and Family, Economy, Opinion, Senior Lifestyle, Technology, Uncategorized on September 4, 2013 at 9:39 am

DIH LOGO

Today, everyone is trying to save money. From groceries to utilities, we are all looking for a way to hold on to every dollar, particularly our seniors and others on fixed or limited incomes. Unfortunately, some companies are taking advantage of tough times by promising extensive savings on electric bills by switching to third party power suppliers.

Three years ago, my father’s electric bill was increasingly high. I had seen information on a company called “DPL Energy,” being advertised as a partner to Dayton Power and Light (DP&L), offering as much as a 25 percent savings. So, we signed up for the program and DPL Energy became our official service provider.

Confusingly, the electricity bill still comes from DP&L. As time went on, the savings was negligible and outweighed by a definite increase in additional fees for using the outside provider.

IMG_6295Essentially, these companies are “resellers” who broker DP&L’s electric power at a lower rate. Your electricity still originates with the main provider and you continue to call them for outages, emergencies and so on. Plus, once you’re signed up, they make it extremely hard to go back.

Much like cellular phone contracts, if you leave one of these third party plans, there is a termination fee or you must wait until the contract expires – and even then there may be a charge. Having saved nothing, we waited, and finally cancelled the plan. About a year after we left DPL Energy’s plan, my father was apparently signed up with another one of these companies called IGS Energy, although, we have no clear idea how.

According to IGS, someone came to his house and “signed him up by phone.” You read that right. We were told he was signed up in person, but the salesman called in the request for service. First, I don’t believe that anyone went all the way out to where he lives in the middle of nowhere on a cold call without getting any sort of signature verifying his enrollment. I am still investigating this part of the story.

In the end, dad made a couple of late payments and IGS dropped him anyway, but here’s where things get really expensive. According to the DP&L representative I spoke to, since we were signed up with a third party provider, the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) requires DP&L to charge a deposit equal to 130 percent of your average monthly usage. Dad’s deposit fee was over $600. You are essentially being punished for having left the behemoth power company.

Most dangerous of all is the fact that the only requirements to sign up for these misleading programs is your power company account number and the word “yes” anywhere in your conversation with them. Imagine a telemarketer speaking to an elderly person or someone hard of hearing and saying, “I am calling about your DP&L bill.” That’s all they’re going to hear. Panic, concern and fear take over and they listen to whatever the caller has to say because they are afraid of losing power for some reason. It’s really despicable.

Additionally, my investigation turned up the fact that these third party companies are unregulated by the PUCO. There was no explanation as to why there is no oversight, but nothing about their operation is managed by a government agency.

Since DPL Energy is misleadingly branded alongside DP&L while simultaneously claiming not to be the same company, it seems more to me like a way for the mammoth power provider to collect unregulated revenue with plausible deniability. Perhaps Ohio Attorney General DeWine could tear himself away from snooping in the personal records of honest citizens and focus his resources on investigating unscrupulous power companies?

The moral here is to be careful. In my experience, there is no savings with these third-party power companies. Exorbitant fees, inconsistent billing practices and misleading advertising all outweigh any potential benefit.

 

Watch the news story on this topic with Gery L. Deer and WKEF-TV, ABC 22 Dayton … 

http://abc22now.com/shared/news/top-stories/stories/wkef_vid_15751.shtml

 

, , , , , , , , , ,

Jamestown business celebrates 15 years with televised ribbon cutting

In Business, Economy, Entertainment, Jobs, Local News, television, Uncategorized on September 3, 2013 at 6:39 pm
Deer In Headlines author and Living Dayton business contributor, Gery L. Deer in the "Stafford Jewelers Diamond Room" at WDTN.

Deer In Headlines author and Living Dayton business contributor, Gery L. Deer in the “Stafford Jewelers Diamond Room” at WDTN.

DAYTON, OH – On Thursday, September 5th, GLD Enterprises Commercial Writing in Jamestown will celebrate 15 years in business with a televised ribbon cutting event on the set of the WDTN-TV2 daytime talk show, Living Dayton. Viewers can see the program live on Dayton channel 2 or streaming online at http://www.livingdaytontv.com.

In March of 1998, Gery L. Deer, of Jamestown, started the business from the spare bedroom of a London, Ohio apartment. Originally called GLD Enterprises & Productions, the company had two areas of focus: on-site computer support and entertainment development. It later expanded into variety talent placement and commercial public relations services.

The name and focus have changed slightly over time and today GLD Enterprises Commercial Writing specializes in communications services for all types and sizes of business including commercial copywriting, public relations and marketing consulting. The company also has two separate divisions for IT support and entertainment development, each serving a limited and exclusive clientele.

In addition to the anniversary celebration, the firm is also launching a totally re-designed website at www.gldenterprises.net and recognizing the addition of its first outside sales and business development specialist. Karen Schroeder joined up in August to help develop house account projects and provide a liaison to the growing community of women-owned companies in the area.

An award-nominated freelance writer and entrepreneur for more than two decades, Deer has also served as the on-air business expert to the Living Dayton program since it started in February of 2012. His educational background is in engineering and writing, but he learned his business sense from his family’s entrepreneurial history.

GLD_Enterprises_ol“We’ve had to make a great many adjustments to the business over the years to keep going, sometimes even altering it into a part-time status,” Deer says. “But this is an important milestone for us and the local economy, particularly since we hire so many other freelance professionals, from graphics artists to research analysts.”

Deer says his company is one of the most streamlined independent businesses in the area. “We do everything we can to save money, get the most from our efforts and act as a partner to our customers in their long-term success,” he says. “We are grateful that we have such a loyal clientele and we hope the next 15 years give us the opportunity to help more Miami Valley businesses succeed and grow.”

More information about GLD Enterprises Commercial Writing and the televised event is available online at www.gldenterprises.net or by calling (937) 902-4857.

, , , , , , , ,

We see the 1950s with rose-colored glasses

In Entertainment, Opinion, psychology, sociology, Uncategorized on August 20, 2013 at 6:31 pm

DIH LOGOI recently read a CBS News poll asking people to choose a decade back to which they’d like to time travel. Overwhelmingly, the leading answer was the 1950s. What I can’t wrap my head around is, why?

Some people see those times as simpler, easier to manage, with fewer concerns and more security. Gas was 23-cents per gallon and you could get a really nice home for $22,000. A good price when you consider the average annual salary – hold onto your hats – just over $4,100.

So, yes, things were cheaper but only when compared to today’s prices. Actually, I think we have a fairly tainted view of the 1950s, America’s so-called, “Golden Age.” The “Leave it to Beaver” family unit and less-complicated lifestyles of those days simply wouldn’t work in modern society, for a number of reasons.

First, we had all the same problems back then that we have today, but we perceived and dealt with them differently. The country probably wasn’t as politically fractured as it is today, only because we were all riding a bit of a patriotic “high” after the end of World War II.

Technology or the lack thereof made a difference to our perceptions in those days too. There was the radio, a morning newspaper, an evening newspaper, sometimes an “extra” mid-day edition, and an evening television newscast. We didn’t get all the bad news of the world every moment it was happening. If we were going to tell people how our vacation was going, we had to mail out post cards.

According to the 1955 United States Census, America’s population was 166 million and the average unemployment rate was 4.9 percent, or about 81 million people. Today it’s about 314 million with a 7.4 percent unemployment factor, around 23 million.

So, barring some kind of economic cataclysm, as the population doubled, the unemployment rate followed suit. From a ratio standpoint, there were actually more people out of work 60 years ago than there are now. That’s good news, right? Sort of, yes.

What makes this a steeper hill to climb today is, once again, technology related. Labor-intensive, blue collar jobs like those at GM, NCR and other big manufacturers just don’t exist anymore. Many have been eliminated or sent overseas to take advantage of cheaper labor costs.

Additionally, many people – myself included – believe Americans to be lazier than ever and a good number of us simply don’t want to work. People are especially hard to motivate when employee benefits and pensions are a thing of the past and there is no longer any sort of job security.

Speaking of security, remember the “duck and cover” drills of the 50s and 60s? How much of a pointless endeavor was that? “Here, little Johnny, get under this desk so the Russian atomic bomb won’t hurt you.” Really, I mean, how dumb were we?

I suppose at least it gave us all something to do in the face of the unthinkable. In reality, there was nothing secure about the 50s, especially considering we were always on the brink of war with Russia and it only got worse as 1960 approached.

Personally, I think we spend far too much time looking back and not nearly enough looking forward. The past is done and you can plan for the future to some degree, but, reasonably, all we have is the here and now. Focus on making your present more fruitful and your future will follow along.

 

, , , , , ,

Doc Barth’s Medicine Show, still captivating crowds

In Entertainment, National News, Opinion, Travel, Uncategorized on August 6, 2013 at 3:16 pm

DIH LOGOOver the last couple of decades, I have worked all over the country as a writer and performer. From small hometown stages to Hollywood television projects, I think I’ve seen just about everything. Recently, however, I had the privilege of working at a festival in northern Indiana alongside a gentleman who, in my mind, is the quintessential entertainment professional. His name is Dan Barth and for the last 40-plus years, he’s been in the medicine show business.

From the 1850s through the 1930s the traveling medicine show was one of the most effective advertising endeavors in history. Moving from town to town by horse and wagon, these performing salesmen practiced what has become the foundation of the most successful modern advertising.

With a few magic tricks, some ventriloquism and a plethora of bad jokes, the medicine show brought to town a live, often interactive stage performance long before there was radio or television. At the end of the show, the performer would give a lecture about the health properties of some kind of tonic, the tastiness of a box of candy, or any other positive attributes about whatever product he was selling.

The salesman’s performance was the way he got people to sit there long enough to listen to his advertisement. Now, if you think you’re too modern to fall for such things, you should know that this method still works today – every eight minutes or so during your favorite TV show. Think about it.

Dan Barth's traveling historical medicine show.

Dan Barth’s traveling historical medicine show.

With his 19th Century medicine show wagon in tow, Dan and his charming wife, Ulli, have traveled all around the country educating and entertaining crowds with the same kinds of routines used in the original presentations. From ventriloquism to magic, Dan told the story behind his artifacts and the history of the shows. I watched nearly every show he did over our four days together and marveled at how his audience was so taken with his work.

In today’s high-paced world of Wi-Fi, cell phone apps and squirrel-like attention spans, I was fascinated to watch people of all ages sit in the hot, Indiana sun and hang on Dan’s every motion and word. It was gratifying to see that people still have an interest in this kind of entertainment; a type that now seems relegated to the odd variety act or child’s birthday party and even then, thoroughly under-appreciated.

Not this weekend however. People loved watching Dan’s performance, me included. Ironically, I felt good about the fact that we are using some of the same routines in my family’s variety show. Now I think I finally understand why those simple routines are always so well-received.

But from my own standpoint, Dan’s presentation and his audience’s reaction to it allowed me to see more about my work – both in print and on stage – than I have ever noticed before. As a writer or stage performer, if our mind is in the right place, our ultimate goal is to entertain our audience.

I have always believed that most skilled writers and performers spend far too much time showing off their respective talents and not enough actually entertaining anyone but themselves; but not Dan Barth. His mind is always on the audience. He may be in it to make a living, but he really wants his audience to have experienced something unique for their time and he genuinely appreciates their attention.

Gery L. Deer (left) with Dan Barth

Gery L. Deer (left) with Dan Barth

Personally, I’ve seen just about every possible incarnation of sideshow, Wild West performance, medicine show and variety act. But there was something unique about this performance. It was unassuming, generous and genuine. It had my attention every time, even though, by the end of the first day, I could practically recite his script verbatim.

With a 25 minute show, he captivated the audience with no more than four or five routines. But, in the end, it’s not what you do or say on stage or in print, but how you present it. No matter how great your technical skill, there is always room to be more engaging to an audience. From stage shows, to newspaper articles to television advertisements, it’s the consuming audience that matters. After all, they’re the ones paying for the ticket.

, , , , ,

Definitely not the Weiner the world awaited

In Media, National News, Opinion, Politics, sociology, Uncategorized, World News on July 31, 2013 at 5:47 pm

DIH LOGO

Whoever holds the position as Mayor of New York City carries a level of political power that may be second only to that of the White House. It’s a daunting task requiring political savvy, brains and, eh-hem, character. If Anthony Weiner is the “best” option for that job, we have a sad political landscape in America today.

Regardless of his political accomplishments, this man has made himself into little more than a late night punch line. Perfectly named for receiving a repeated black eye from pundits, Weiner’s online “sextcapades” seem to have no end in sight.

When asked if any more of this material would be uncovered the guy actually said, and this is a quote, “I don’t know.” You don’t know? How can you not know? In the immortal words of Bill Cosby, “Has your head been with you all day?”

weinerismWeiner has become a complete laughing stock and there is absolutely no way he can win an election now. Yet, puzzlingly enough, Bill Clinton was re-elected for a second presidential term following his real-life trysts. In Clinton’s case, there was little more evidence than an accusation from a disgruntled intern – and a stained dress.

In Weiner’s situation you have to wonder how much more his wife is going to take before she walks. Her name is Huma Mahmood Abedin, and she happens to be a high-ranking aide to Hillary Clinton so I’m not sure that’s the best example to follow when it comes to dealing with infidelity. She could ignore Hillary’s playbook though. I’m hearing Tammy Wynette singing, “Stand By Your Man,” when suddenly the record scratches off and Abedin storms off the stage.

Whatever happens, if the democrats re-elect this guy to, well, any office at all, they really are crazy. Either that or they’re incredibly short-sighted and intend to definitively prove that liberals care nothing about character in their candidates.

It’s important to note, however, that there is nothing new about this kind of behavior from powerful executives on either side of the aisle. Expecting otherwise is probably about as unrealistic as thinking a cat is suddenly going to enjoy a bath.

The real issue, with regard to integrity, is that these men (and a few women) flat deny anything ever happened; at least until evidence surfaces to make liars out of them. Subsequently, they’re forced to come clean with a tearful apology and a carefully written statement from the safety of a podium, often with the humiliated wife standing nearby appearing to be supportive.

But as long as the American public keeps giving politicians a pass on this kind of behavior it will continue. Voters seem outraged one minute and re-elect them in the next. It makes no sense.

No one is perfect, least of all those who have chosen a life in the public eye, but when you are charged with representing the best interests of a constituency, you should at least behave like an adult, not an adolescent. Grow up, already.

Beyond that, voters need to have more integrity themselves. It’s time to stop choosing the lesser of, “Who cares?” Our local representatives have much more of an effect on our day-to-day lives than those in Washington and should live up to a much higher standard for that very reason.

But in order for them to be held accountable and to let them know that irresponsible behavior does have an effect on job performance, it takes a message sent from the polling place. There are many more “Weiners” out there, and smartphones and social media will be the professional death of them.

All we can do here on Main Street is try to convince people of higher sense of integrity and civic duty to run for office and help improve things one step at a time. As you visit the fairs and festivals going on throughout the end of summer and into fall, talk to those campaigning there and ask them the hard questions. We deserve better from our representatives but it will only happen if we demand it.

Gery L. Deer is an independent columnist and business writer from Jamestown, Ohio. Deer In Headlines is syndicated by GLD Enterprises Commercial Writing. (c) 2013, GLD Enterprises / Gery L. Deer. All Rights Reserved.

, , , , ,

Navigating the Ohio Bureaucracy of Motor Vehicles

In Business, Economy, Education, Local News, Opinion, sociology, State News, Uncategorized on July 24, 2013 at 9:14 am

Deer In Headlines

By Gery L. Deer

???????????????????????Before I launch into the meat of this week’s column, it is important to point out that the majority of people I’ve encountered at the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles have been kind, courteous and helpful, and often apologizing profusely for the inconsistency of their employer’s policies. Most spend whatever time is necessary to help you sort out problems and do their best to make your visit more pleasant. But, as they say, one bad apple can spoil the whole barrel.

With the possible exception of going to the dentist or some invasive medical procedure, nothing is more agonizing than the thought of standing in line at the BMV. Trapped like cattle to slaughter in a snaking rope line, people wait anxiously; subdued by a system that takes in an unbelievable amount of money and possesses a level of control surpassed only by the Internal Revenue Service.

According to the Ohio BMV website, in 2012 the agency collected nearly $40 million from driver license reinstatement fees alone. At the same time, it processed more than 14 million vehicle registrations. No revenue figure was available on those services but at roughly $50 a shot, that number has to be dizzying. One would think with that much money coming in someone could spring for a customer service lesson.

Recently I went to the BMV to renew the registration for one of my father’s vehicles. Having repeated this procedure for several years in a row, I had all of the previously accepted documentation and waited patiently for over an hour. Once at the counter, I was told my power of attorney form, issued by the BMV authorizing me to make the transaction in my dad’s absence, was unacceptable.

“That one’s for the title office,” they spouted with fervent authority, like proud kings of their particular hill. The document in question has no markings specifying such information but instead contains wording that suggests it can be used for any and all BMV transactions as a legal POA. In addition, that same document had been accepted by that same branch for the previous two years for the same transaction, on the same vehicle.

When I attempted to explain these facts, I was quickly interrupted by one clerk who felt it necessary to demonstrate his dime store knowledge of the law as he described how a durable power of attorney should be configured. Really? Perhaps Mr. Matlock is in the wrong line of work.

As it turned out, the “acceptable” document is not even a POA and requires no notarization. With no official confirmation of the proper owner’s signature, I could simply have gone out into the hallway, signed my father’s name and brought it back in. Good to know that the BMV is on top of helping keep your identity secure. (Yes, that was sarcasm.)

Since I teach people how to handle business situations and deal with customers in a more fruitful manner, even when the customer is wrong (which seems an inevitable constant at the BMV) I offer this advice to clerks in similar situations. Since the document I possessed was a legal power of attorney for the vehicle in question, accept it as such.

Instead of showing me how powerful and rigid you are, ask that I fill out the new form in your presence and sign for the vehicle owner based on the permission granted by the notarized POA. Then say something like, “We can do this now, but here’s the new form you need for next time.” That’s all it would have taken to solve the problem.

To those of you about to make the painful trek to the BMV, knowledge is power so do your homework! The Ohio BMV website – www.bmv.ohio.gov – contains all the documents and information you need to be better prepared. Being a little pro-active can make your day easier when dealing with an unknowledgeable, control-freak teller, and demonstrates your understanding for those clerks who are doing their best to help you navigate an imperfect system.