While I'm on the subject of the holiday season, I thought I would also mention the Annual Joan Doyle Holiday Basket Drive.  Of course, Joan Doyle is the wife of Pawtucket Mayor James Doyle.  Joan, and former colleague Stan Lachut, began the project over 20 years ago and have watched the project expand from 25 holiday dinner baskets to 175.  Nothing contributes to making the holiday season happy more than giving.  If you're going to give, why not give to the people in your own community?  If you are interested in making a donation, make your check payable to:     

 

Is it just me, or does the Christmas season start earlier every year.  It just seems to me that we should get Thanksgiving in the books before we start singing Christmas carols.  Speaking of which, here's a story in today's ProJo that speaks to that very topic.  Two local radio stations began playing Christmas songs in the beginning of November.  That doesn't bother me so much.  If I don't want to hear Christmas music, I don't have to tune to those stations.  The thing I can't stand is the Christmas commercials and advertisements on television.  Dude, you can't get away from them.  By the time Christmas actually rolls around, your completely sick of Christmas.  All I'm saying is to hold off till at least the day after Thanksgiving.  That would be the unofficial beginning of the Christmas shopping season.  If all we had to handle was four weeks of Christmas, I think we would appreciate the Christmas season much more.

You may have been tempted to call me a fair weather fan when it comes to The Shea High Football Raiders.  Let's face it, when they were winning, you could read about it every week right here at DFRESH.net.  Now, when is the last time you heard Shea football on this site.  It's not that I didn't expect that they wouldn't be as good this year.  I knew Dino Campopiano would need this year to reload.  Next year they'll be competitive again.

How about the local mayoral and city council races this year?  I supported Jimmy Doyle against Don Grebien.  I had the lawn sign and everything!  I did start to get a little concerned when I heard people, who I knew to be Doyle supporters in the past, jumping ship.  Doyle won handily, by what, 2000 votes or so?  Grebien said he'll be back in two years.  My question is, will Doyle be running for re-election?  My guess is that Jimmy Doyle will retire and the endorsed Democrat will be Henry Kinch.  It will be interesting to see how much support Grebien gets from the Democratic party since he jumped independent and ran against the endorsed candidate.

If that didn't grab your attention, how about Jean Phillipe Barros defeating City Council President Mary Bray.  No big deal as far as the Council is concerned.  For all intents and purposes, John Barry was pulling the strings.  He was the actual person making the decisions.  Barry and Hodge were the shot callers on the council.  Look, I was born and raised on the west side of the city.  I went to Slater Junior High and Pawtucket West (now Shea High).  I barely recognize that side of the city now.  It's changed so much.  Hooray for the people in that neighborhood for organizing and pushing out the old, while electing a person who truly represents the constituency.

Talk about a sad story.  This story in today's ProJo about the kid and his father canoeing down the Blackstone River in Cumberland when the canoe capsized and they both ended up in the drink.  Maybe it's me but, isn't something as dangerous as "shooting the tubes" an action a parent should be trying to discourage?  It's just like the guy who brings his kid to the rifle range to teach his kid how to use a gun and the kid ends up shooting himself.  A few years ago, another guy in Cumberland took his kid hunting and shot his own son.  Everybody thinks it's OK for their kids to do dangerous things as long as they're with them.  You know, the old "I'd rather buy my kid the booze and have him/her drink at home" logic.  I'm afraid it doesn't work.

No kidding!  John McCain receives a major endorsement from the mother of all terrorist organizations, Al Qaeda.  Here's an op-ed piece from the New York Times.  Let's face it, the reason Al Qaeda endorses McCain is because they must feel that if they like McCain, than the American voters would choose Obama.  Right?  According to the Times, Al Qaeda would rather have McCain because it would help their recruitment of suicide bombers.  Islamic zealots hate the United States in large part because of the Bush policies.  They feel McCain would continue these policies and help their recruitment.