On the home page of Summit County’s website, hovering right above the smiling face of county Executive Russ Pry, is this headline:
“Summit County: The High Point of Ohio.”
Well, not exactly.
We have some lofty places around here, the highest being 1,320 feet above sea level near Broadview and Brush roads in Richfield. But the highest point in Ohio is nowhere near here. It’s 125 miles to the southwest, in Logan County.
If you drive to the top of Campbell Hill in Bellefontaine, you will be 1,549 feet above sea level. That’s more than 75 yards higher than our highest point. In other words, not even close.
The website should be fixed before we’re sued for false advertising.
And while they’re at it, maybe they could remove some of the redundancy. Just above the headline it says: “Russell M. Pry, Executive.” Just below Pry’s photo it says: “Summit County Executive Russell M. Pry.”
OK, we get it.
Cute one
Best Lead of the Month, courtesy of Tracy Turner of the Columbus Dispatch, who was writing about two restaurants in Central Ohio that are closing their doors.
“A pair of Hooters has gone bust.”
More word peeves
Bob: “I chuckled at the ‘Wasted Words’ item, Nancy Lockwood’s pet peeve about the phrase ‘for free.’ Mine is ‘looking to.’
“That phrase is misused by TV newscasters and newspaper writers, people who should make correct grammar their business. Someone is always ‘looking to’ do this, ‘looking to’ do that. Every time I hear it, I wonder, ‘Where are they looking?’
“While we’re on the topic of grammar, maybe we should tackle ‘received back’ and ‘returned back.’ ”
Dory Smith
Medina
Dory: I’ll get back to you.
Price of fame
Talk about a mixed blessing.
Former Beacon Journal columnist Regina Brett, now with the Plain Dealer, wrote a column that so impressed one of her readers that the reader turned it into one of those mass emails that beg you to forward it instantly to every living creature on the planet.
Recently, thanks to a mass mailing from someone I don’t know, her list of “the 45 lessons life taught me” made it to my inbox. These things always do, sooner or later. And then they show up again a few months later.
And a few months after that.
And a few months after that.
The email begins like so many others: “This is something we should all read at least once a week!!!!!”
Yes, there were five exclamation points. Five.
“Make sure you read it to the end!!!!!!”
This time, six.
Now, how does an emailer decide whether a declaration merits a full six exclamation points or merely five? Both sentences seem to be of equal import. In any event, they both were obviously vital, so I figured I had better read on.
“Written by Regina Brett, 90 years old, of the Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio.”
Now, I worked with Regina for years, and I’m pretty sure that, in the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Eleven, she is right in the middle of her 50s. But apparently the creator of this inspirational message figured the value of Regina’s insights would be diluted if she hadn’t trod the Earth for a few decades more.
I forwarded it to Regina, noting that she looked great for her age. Her response: “I don’t feel a day over 89.”
As it turns out, she was being extremely patient with me. I learned later that this same missive had been making the rounds at least since 2009, and I was approximately the 10 millionth person to forward it to her.
The lesson: Just make up anything you want, put it online and it will last forever.
Bob Dyer can be reached at 330-996-3580 or bdyer@thebeaconjournal.com.