The Times Dispatch Blogs

I had my worst week of the season last week, missing six games. Let’s see if I can redeem myself this week.
1. Hoxie at Glen Rose (Game of the Week). The Mustangs have come this far. I’m not going to pick against them now. Hoxie by 4.
2. Arkansas at LSU. LSU is just too talented for the Hogs. Hopefully Darren McFadden can have a big game and strengthen his Heisman chances.
3. Augusta at Earle. Bulldogs over the Red Devils.
4. Alabama at Auburn. Auburn will roll over the Tide.
5. Pine Bluff Dollarway at Pocahontas. The Redskins meet their match in Dollarway.
6. Arkansas State at Southern Mississippi. ASU can’t seem to win on the road. The Golden Eagles will soar over the Tribe.
7. Lavaca at Shiloh Christian. I don’t know and couldn’t possibly care less, so I’m taking the home team. Ditto for Games No. 9, 11, 13 and 15.
8. Tennessee at Kentucky. The Volunteers need a win to capture the SEC East title. I’m picking Kentucky to play the spoilers and send Georgia to the SEC Championship Game.
9. See No. 7 above.
10. Ole Miss at Mississippi State. State will win the game and capture the Golden Egg (however, some Ole Miss players will probably steal the trophy).
11. See No. 7 above.
12. Notre Dame at Stanford. Both teams are terrible. Stanford is slightly less terrible, plus they have a win over USC to their credit. The Cardinal squeak past the Irish.
13. See No. 7 above.
14. Clemson at South Carolina. The Gamecocks started the season strong, but have fallen apart in recent weeks. Clemson wins this heated rivalry.
15. See No. 7 above.

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I am a big fan of good news and of positive outlooks. I think that one of the nicest things about The Times Dispatch is that we don’t just focus on the gloom and doom of today’s society. There is always a positive bent to the paper overall.

Most of us suffer from news overload. Our ears and eyes are assaulted with sensationalized headlines from the time we wake up until we go to sleep. The news channels on television are in such a hurry to report the latest scoop that they don’t stop to get all the facts anymore, but rely mostly on shocking us with a barrage of images and staccato sentences to emphasize the enormity of the event no matter how trivial it might be.

Sensational journalism is not new. I suppose the forerunner of this type of journalism was gossip. Gossip takes some truths and some speculations and presents it as fact. This is not sound reporting, but for many it’s the only type they are exposed to.

If every news media tried to find something positive to report along with the bad, perhaps there would be more hope in the world. Something we all desperately need.

Good news is rapidly disappearing from our broadcasts and from our newspapers. Thankfully The TD still manages to find space for it.

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Every year I am somewhat baffled as to why Walnut Ridge and Hoxie have separate Christmas parades two nights in a row with basically the same lineup. It would seem to me that a joint Christmas parade would be the perfect way to kick off the holiday season with a spirit of togetherness.

I can envision an even bigger parade that starts in one community and ends in the other. On the same day have the kickoff of the Christmas in the Park lighting display in Walnut Ridge and a community celebration at the Hoxie Service Center. Why not do it up BIG?

I would also be an advocate of a Saturday or Sunday afternoon parade instead of a weeknight event. I think more people would be able to attend, and it would be safer for children along the route, not to mention a little warmer.

I know each town takes pride in their Christmas parade, but this is one area where I feel the holiday spirit should prevail.

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I always plan to make some of my Christmas gifts each year but each year time gets away from me and I never get around to making those things I have planned to give my family and friends.

I found a site on the web the other day that intrigued me enough to go back for more than one look. The name of the website is “Not Made of Money” and it can be found at www.notmadeofmoney.com.

The website is loaded with information, and while looking around, I found a blog about gift making. The best part is that there were links to many websites with easy to make gifts that are also attractive enough to give. A plus when it comes to homemade offerings.

If you have the time and inclination to make a few crafty items for your family and friends, then check out 50 Homemade Gift Ideas – From Around the Web. The website can be found at notmadeofmoney.com/blog/2006/11/50-homemade-gift-ideas-from-around-the-web.html

Happy gift making!
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