“Contest: Part Two”

c. 2013 Rod Ice

All rights reserved

(3-13)

Note to Readers: The U. S. Postal Service has been a part of our national culture for many years. Yet its struggles have become well-known as social trends toward electronic communication and outside competitors have taken hold. Only YOU can save the Post Office. Do your part, and feel good about America!

In recent months, I organized a mail-in contest for Thoughts At Large, to help bolster local mail volume for our U. S. Postal service. It proved the genuine value of old-school communication, while demonstrating that readers of this newspaper are a diverse and intelligent group.

With that successful endeavor in mind, a new venture has come to mind.

Recent months have found this writer struggling with unanswered questions. Such open ended-projects are an unhappy burden. I want to clear them out of my office queue. But, how?

Once again, a most logical path to enlightenment seems to be – YOU.

So let me open a new contest for readers of this column:

ANSWERS AT LARGE

Are you an innovator? A quick thinker? Good with your gray matter?

Help solve one or more of the following riddles, and win an autographed copy of the ‘Thoughts At Large’ book!

1.) Contacting the President – of Argentina. Her name is Christina Fernandez de Kirchner. Over the past few years, I have realized that she is quite possibly the most attractive head of state in the world. To be blunt, I think she is undeniably ‘sexy.’ I have occasionally thought that contacting her in some way would make a fantastic newspaper story. (I would certainly ask about Pope Francis, but would avoid any mention of the Malvinas/Falkland Islands.) How could I accomplish such a feat, despite my lack of Spanish-language ability?

2.) WondeRoast Chicken – A previous installment of TAL mentioned my personal search for this elusive, roasted bird. My closest recent encounter was through an Internet ad for Reider’s Fresh Market. Yet I continue to wonder - can a genuine sighting of this fowl can be confirmed? The company is based in Hopkins, Minnesota, and maintains a website with lots of information about their line of commercial ovens. Perhaps you have packaging or an ad for the product? Or a photo of it in the natural environment of a convenience store?

Extra credit for anyone who has an old photograph or materials relating to the WondeRoast birds that were sold right here in Geauga. Did you snap a picture at the Convenient Food Mart on Cherry Street, in Chardon, during the 1980’s? Perhaps you worked at the store and prepared those birds? Or had a party where they were served? Send in your entry, today!

3.) Genesee Bock – Everyone knows this blue-collar brand of beer. It has enjoyed a resurgence of popularity thanks to the reintroduction of classic logos, stubby bottle designs and flavors like “Twelve Horse Ale.” This seasonal product has recently been hyped all over Facebook and the Internet. Yet I haven’t found it locally since 2008. Have YOU seen the green-and-white can on the shelf at your favorite retailer? Prove it!

4.) Is there a Geauga County app for the iPhone? If not, why not? Geeks and software developers, this might be your chance to shine in the marketplace. This might be the untapped market you have been seeking. Send your ideas and I will write about them in this column.

5.) I have written on several occasions about the newspaper history of our county. The journalistic traditions born here have been powerful and prolific. Yet after years of searching, I have only a partial copy of one Geauga Republican issue in my personal collection. Somewhere out there among our readers, other such relics must exist. Have you seen any such artifacts for sale, here or abroad? Perhaps in a family collection or estate? Or, do you have photographs or reproductions of any kind in your personal archives? Send your information.

Submit your answers today!

Send your answers to: P.O. Box 365, Chardon, OH 44024.

The winner will be selected in a completely arbitrary fashion, by this writer. Results will be final, and published in this newspaper.

The winner will receive a hand-signed, first-edition copy of the “Thoughts At Large” book.

Comments about Thoughts At Large may be sent to: icewritesforyou@gmail.com

Visit us at: www.thoughtsatlarge.com