The Observation Deck

We have heard much lately of 'outsiders' that have come to our city and have caused an issue of one sort or another.

The latest outsider was a resident - albeit not a long term resident - but a resident nonetheless.

Others have been friends and/or relatives of residents. Virtually all of them with some connection to Lakewood.

What I have to wonder is what constitutes an insider vs. an outsider. We all know people that moved off, but still frequent the board, people that have bounced back and forth, people that have relatives here. We accept them as part of our family - but because we don't personally know these 'troubled' people - they are not a part of Lakewood's family, no matter their connection? Even thought we have similar connection that we welcome warmly?

Is there a minimum amount of time one must live here first? Must one act or do something in particular to be accepted into the social groups that is Lakewood? Does is build the brand to indicate that even though one lives here - if they have come recently they are still an outsider? That doesn't sound very inviting and I certainly wouldn't want to move somewhere where I knew that there would be no open arms for me when I arrived.

It is not the brand I want to build - that's for sure.

It's sorta like the parent whose child has gotten in trouble speaking to his/her spouse/partner saying "Do you know what YOUR child did today?"

Just some random thoughts over my lunch-hour.

Always,
Charyn

If you live here, you are a Lakewoodite.


JMO

Charyn,

More than how long one has been part of the Lakewood community, a better question is how one integrates themselves into “the Lakewood Community.â€Â

Charyn

I find it more than mildly amusing that you would even mention building a brand. I guess it is easier for you to stomach when it come from you and not Ken or I.

The fact is, there are groups using Lakewood as a dumping ground for the heavily medicated. A brand I am not interested in building. See the story we ran on the Vet, and the program he is part of.

As you decide to pick and choose, events, are you sure Lakewood was listed as his home? Were the utilities in his name? Has he voted here? Do you know if it is temporary?

Things to consider as you build YOUR brand for Lakewood.

(sigh)


.

Jim,

I have NEVER had an issue with the concept of building the brand, Infact, I have started several threads qith questions about how we might go about that as well as posting about several books that would be incredibly helpful in that regard.

There are several steps in that process and I think that theyare not being reviewed and analysized appropriately to efficeiently do what it is you are attempting to do.

That doesnt mean that I dont find it to be a worthwhile goal. It means that my company is expert in this field (as is the company I am currently doing part time accounting work for) and that I dont see the process evolving in way that is likely to produce any tangible identity or useful 'product'.

I would request again (and again) that if you are going to attempt to paint my thoughts a certain color that you provide some sort of substantiation for your charaterizations. You might find that if you were to make that effort that I am not who or what you think I am.

Regards.

as you build YOUR brand for Lakewood.

I would add one thing...

What is wrong with my brand versus yours? Do you know what my brand concepts are?

If Lakewood is to build ITS brand it will include both yours..

...and mine and many, many others.


Thats something for YOU to consider, Jim.

Charyn Compeau wrote:

as you build YOUR brand for Lakewood.

I would add one thing...

What is wrong with my brand versus yours? Do you know what my brand concepts are?

If Lakewood is to build ITS brand it will include both yours..

...and mine and many, many others.


Thats something for YOU to consider, Jim.

Seems just like something I posted to you. So of course you are right


.

The us and them mentality runs rampant around here (uncertain if it's better or worse relative to others). Whether it's the headline of non-Lakewoodite causing disturbances or how the old boys network is running the city (as in they got us into the sad state we're in now so why should they be able to fix it). I don't see the requirement to being a Lakewoodite to include being involved, voting, having utilities in your name that sounds like a lot of smoke and mirrors to create distance between those some try to smear.
As for the brand issue. I've read some of the suggestions that Charyn has posted. What is the goal of brand building as it's been proposed so far here? The logic behind Charyn's description seemed to make a heck of alot more sense than simply saying that Lakewood is going to be a place where people are engaged in civic discourse without prejudice (or whatever the tagline was), then proceed to call anyone who doesn't live here, work here, have a lineage here, pick up their mail by 3pm and be involved in 3 Lakewood based organizations an Outsider or Washashore.

Shawn

You are killing me. What you are now suggesting is what both you and Charyn accused the Observer of. My sides are hurting I am laughing so hard.

The Lakewood Observer is defining the brand, as you both said it is wrong to build the brand. The city must... We amplify good deeds, history and problems within the city on an international level.

The brand we are defining, not building, is one of a city that is not afraid to discuss problems openly. Through that discussion good things may happen. By putting it out internationally maybe, just maybe we can attract open minded engaged people to come and take part. I believe I am much farther ahead on the bet than you. I know of 17 people to move in, 6 that moved back, and two that moved within.

See the problem was never building a brand.

.

-----
What the Lakewood Observer is doing to build the brand is put the paper out on an international level.
-----

Are paper copies distributed in Albania yet? (Yes I know the internet is worldwide.) I am told many of these types of immigrants are good citizens and are helping keep Lakewood from turning into East Cleveland, although "immigrants" from Avon Lake are not helping.

Doug

In these cases I don't think it matters whether anyone is an outsider, and insider, or a farsider.

For those who don't live in Lakewood, don't know people that live in Lakewood, and have no experience with Lakewood, they just know these things happened here. It doesn't matter where the person came from, just where it happened.

I've been asked by 10 different people "why would you move to Lakewood, they've got crazy things going on there". Of course I correct them and am able to easily defend my choice to move back.

When news like this hits, I don't think it matters to the general populace who is and is not a "Lakewoodite" but rather, where did it happen.

DougHuntingdon wrote:-----
What the Lakewood Observer is doing to build the brand is put the paper out on an international level.
-----

Are paper copies distributed in Albania yet? (Yes I know the internet is worldwide.) I am told many of these types of immigrants are good citizens and are helping keep Lakewood from turning into East Cleveland, although "immigrants" from Avon Lake are not helping.

Doug

These are the numbers and countries from October 2006.

Albania, how odd that you ask.


# Hits Files KBytes Country
1 1249698 63.13% 595287 54.73% 17360171 52.74% Network
2 441863 22.32% 340929 31.35% 9198544 27.95% US Commercial
3 205175 10.36% 118343 10.88% 4132790 12.56% Unresolved/Unknown
4 28701 1.45% 13460 1.24% 782038 2.38% Non-Profit Organization
5 19693 0.99% 15936 1.47% 277977 0.84% United States
6 17262 0.87% 11179 1.03% 497447 1.51% US Educational
7 4751 0.24% 3278 0.30% 101632 0.31% US Government
8 3098 0.16% 2439 0.22% 60829 0.18% US Military
9 1677 0.08% 1535 0.14% 59659 0.18% Canada
10 1012 0.05% 865 0.08% 21553 0.07% Netherlands
11 886 0.04% 815 0.07% 67134 0.20% United Kingdom
12 717 0.04% 531 0.05% 39004 0.12% Australia
13 536 0.03% 493 0.05% 23767 0.07% Germany
14 488 0.02% 488 0.04% 14292 0.04% France
15 299 0.02% 291 0.03% 9524 0.03% Albania
16 246 0.01% 243 0.02% 5124 0.02% Taiwan
17 216 0.01% 202 0.02% 11049 0.03% Italy
18 204 0.01% 196 0.02% 27958 0.08% Old style Arpanet (arpa)
19 184 0.01% 179 0.02% 13948 0.04% Mexico
20 170 0.01% 131 0.01% 1340 0.00% Hungary
21 168 0.01% 166 0.02% 10603 0.03% New Zealand (Aotearoa)
22 159 0.01% 118 0.01% 1486 0.00% Morocco
23 158 0.01% 156 0.01% 1846 0.01% Finland
24 147 0.01% 125 0.01% 4318 0.01% Japan
25 145 0.01% 99 0.01% 1420 0.00% India
26 144 0.01% 108 0.01% 9301 0.03% Poland
27 134 0.01% 120 0.01% 81845 0.25% Turkey
28 122 0.01% 73 0.01% 1199 0.00% Norway
29 120 0.01% 110 0.01% 1130 0.00% Switzerland
30 120 0.01% 107 0.01% 5240 0.02% Czech Republic


What we say here goes to the world.


.

Oh for Heavens sake would you stop???

What you are now suggesting is what both you and Charyn accused the Observer of.

What did I accuse the Observer of, Jim? Rarely (if ever) do I accuse you, or the observer of anything! I do post my thoughts and my opinions about how to make things better. And if I have a concern, I state what my perception is and ask clarifying questions. Is it my perceptions you refer to? Because that is all that they are and I only post them to help someone understand what I am seeing so that if I have perceived things wrong it can been seen and re-explained and better understood.

I will also that I do defend myself when I am so often personally attacked and my words twisted and my opinions stated as facts incorrectly. And rarely do you present these things as quotes! At least if you did that much I would understand where or why a misunderstanding would occur and I could clarify my position!! If your perceive that I misunderstand why dont you try asking me? If you perceive that I had done some horrible injustice to you or the Observer why dont you try to explaining where/how that is so I can clarify if it were a misunderstanding? Who exactly accuses who here, Jim?

The Lakewood Observer is defining the brand, as you both said it is wrong to build the brand.

(1) Building a brand and defining a brand are virtually the same thing the ONLY difference in that one is done when there is no product and the other is done when there is an existing product.

(2) I asked before and I'll ask again - when did I say it was wrong to build the Lakewood brand? (which at the time I was using the phrases used commonly - we can use define if we want to change to that now....) I DID say that it sounds a lot like we are trying to position ourselves at these beginning stages of the process. And I stand by that.

But take note - POSITIONING is a part of the defining of the brand. As a matter of fact it is a CRITICAL step. Read any of those books yet???

So no - I never said not to - I said we should really look at what we are trying to do, and define the methods by which it can be done, and then act appropriately to actually get this done.

I have done nothing but try to HELP the branding process and yet you continually misrepresent me.

Jim,

Please stop misquoting me.
Please stop misrepresenting my opinions.
Please stop speaking for me.

I am perfectly capable of speaking for myself.

__________________________________________________

I just reread this and realized it is time for me to take a break. Good luck Shawn, he's all yours for a while. It has ceased to be worth my effort to try and be of any help here when I am so deeply involved with my church's communication's efforts. I do think my time is better spent there for now.

Charyn

Charyn

I believe the debate the goes back to an early Observer thread where Roberts and Campeau, take on the Observer for "building" a brand, when I misrepresented and misspoke of one of the many things the Observer is working on.

What you had pointed out to me was that it was wrong for one person to build a brand for a city, or more to the point make the city as they see without outside input. Which I totally agree with.

It had always been the opinion of the advisory board, that if we can define, then amplify the "Lakewood brand" we would be able to attract more like minded people to Lakewood. The Lakewood Brand we had identified early on, was open minded caring people living in traditional neighborhoods. They cut across economic, religious and educational values and issues. A walkable city filled with intelligentsia of many different forms and levels. Artists, designers, entrepreneurs, writers, professional and semi professional business people.

Our quest was to find out how right we were, and how to get the work out. Especially to countries like Eastern Europe, and both coasts of America. East Europe because the people are on the move and looking for places in the west. The coasts, where moving to Lakewood reduces costs and hassles. Looking for people looking for a little slower lifestyle.

Now if I am wrong about you thinking the brand building by one was wrong, or a misrepresentation. I apologize.

.

Charyn,
What have I ever done to you that you're going to give Jim to me? I feel like I just found coal in my stocking.