peace candle

About ten years ago in Easton, Pa., the mayor decided it was time to do something to put the city back on the map. Like the entire Lehigh Valley, Easton had been in an economic downturn ever since the steel industry was hit by the recession in the early 1980s. (A situation popularized by Billy Joel's "Allentown.")

What better way to boost Easton's image than to enter the Guiness Book of World Records and bring in tourism? The city for each year had been erecting a large, hollow plastic peace candle in the middle of its traffic circle at the heart of town, over its war memorial. The mayor decided that by spending several thousands of dollars, he could get an even bigger candle, and beat the current record.

Getting into the Guiness book is no easy feat. It also requires money, and a lot of work, and as I said, the city had been low on cash for ages. He still managed to get it done.

The Guiness man came out, took one look at the candle, and said, "That's not real wax, is it? Doesn't count."

The mayor, amazingly enough, was replaced at the next election.