Random thoughts for the New Year A lot of random thoughts have been going through my mind this week. Have you ever noticed how many television sitcoms and commercials of late team up an over-weight slob with a good looking woman and want us to believe that they are husband and wife? If ever someone wanted proof that men run the television industry, this is it. You would never see a good-looking guy playing a loving husband to an heavy-set slovenly woman. Of course some people would argue having most male sitcom characters as knuckle-dragging idiots offsets this beauty bias. I don't buy that for a moment. I haven't heard from the Holland pastor who was staging his "Mr. Heterosexual Contest" since the Sturbridge hotel that was going to host the event booted him out. Perhaps someone did interpret the event as gay-bashing. Just when I thought manufacturers had run out of plastic trophy animals in which to install audio playback systems do I spy the most grotesque example of this sub-genre of gifts: a talking and singing deer head. When I saw it I wondered how many people actually would put that up on their wall and display it proudly. Can you imagine the confusion among the workers who made this thing in whatever Asian country lucky enough to win the contract? What the hell do they think of us? They're making 98 cents an hour to try to feed themselves and we're buying plastic talking deer heads. I've started a blog, not that I really wanted to. Up until recently I was content to go to other people's blogs and read them most notably Tom Devine's long-running commentary on pop culture and Springfield politics (www.tomdevine.net). A blog is merely a website with personal commentary. My friend Steve Bissette started a blog and in order to post comments on it, I had to sign up with the same website for a blog. One night I decided to take the plunge and began blogging It's been fun and has allowed me to gain an additional readership for some of the pieces I write for this paper and for others specifically intended for a web. If you're a struggling writer who is having difficulty getting published, blogging is a great way to keep your writing muscles toned while hoping to actually attract some readers to your work. Who were good boys and girls this year? Well, we're lucky to have some outstanding mayors in the area and all of them should get a nice candy cane in their stocking this year. Except for one he doesn't warrant a lump of coal. I think Santa, as well as the FBI, has been watching him. And speaking of good boys and girls, I would be remiss if I didn't thank my publishers, the Fearless Flying Buendo Brothers, for once again supporting the news efforts of these newspapers. I appreciate another year of gainful employment. I also want to thank our readers who continue to view these papers as their own. I appreciate receiving onions and orchids from you, and I'm happy to say most of the time we get compliments. And despite the fact that I chase them from my office upon occasion when they ask me for an outrageous favor, I want to thank our account managers. I appreciate the job they do and I also am heartened by the advertising support we receive from the business community. Most of all I want to thank my staff. They manage to do a great job and to put up with me at the same time. May God (or the divinity of your choice) bless them all. This column actually represents the opinions of its author. Send your comments to mdobbs@reminderpublications.com or to 280 N. Main St., East Longmeadow, MA, 01028.