When doing evaluations, above all else, keep it real. KEEP IT REAL?! What is this, 1975? No kidding!! The guys in suits actually told us to "keep it real." I laughed so hard that my Montezuma's Revenge made a surprise attack and I missed the next 30 minutes of the corporate insanity while becoming well acquainted with Bootie's men's room.

Now, back to the best sports movies. A couple of nights ago, I tried to come up with the five best sports movies. I started with "Remember the Titans," "Brian's Song," and "Bang the Drum Slowly." The latter two are old school. Many of our readers don't remember Brian Piccolo or even Gale Sayers. As for "Bang the Drum Slowly," this was a baseball movie with Robert De Niro as the catcher who was dying of cancer. De Niro always reminded me of our high school centerfielder, Clarence Brabson. The same look. The same mannerisms. The same toughness.

The nation's Republican leaders could do worse than bringing Gov. McDonnell to the forefront. And they probably have.

The Ohio Legislature and Ohio citizens have been satisfied with these legal sections and have not amended them for nearly half a century and more than half a century, respectively. Simply put, the statutes are specific and logical.

There's a photo of the depot for the old Detroit, Toledo and Ironton Railroad, which traveled through Greenfield. According to local stories, Henry Ford (yes, the Henry Ford of Michigan) cut off the shipment of steel for automobiles by way of the DT&I to the Patterson Company, fearing the Greenfield competition. The Greenfield Grain and Hay Company is in there with the Iseman family photos. On Page 26, you'll find actress June Knight wearing a pair of Wilknit Hosiery pantyhose (nylons?).

There's a photo of the depot for the old Detroit, Toledo and Ironton Railroad, which traveled through Greenfield. According to local stories, Henry Ford (yes, the Henry Ford of Michigan) cut off the shipment of steel for automobiles by way of the DT&I to the Patterson Company, fearing the Greenfield competition. The Greenfield Grain and Hay Company is in there with the Iseman family photos. On Page 26, you'll find actress June Knight wearing a pair of Wilknit Hosiery pantyhose (nylons?).

Have any of our cherished HCP parental readers had three teenagers in their respective homes at the same time? Not that anyone really cares, but I have been there. I've done that. I've climbed the mountain.

We do not require advertising contracts. In fact, the only time we provide an advertising contract is at the request of the advertiser. Simply put, your word is good enough for us. We do not conduct business on a commission-driven basis. Nor do we scramble to sell “end-of-the-month” gimmicks in order to satisfy a corporate budget.

Do you really believe an Ohio Supreme Court justice will administer the oath of office to Hillsboro's next mayor? And, when was the last time a Hillsboro mayor was sworn in by a Supreme Court justice?

We've come to the end of another year which, for all intents and purposes, is really no big deal. Except for newspaper columnists who are obligated – under the nefarious Gutenberg Clause of Journalism 99 1/2 – to write {Note to editor: Change to our new sarcasm font henceforth} a year-end microtome of the previous 12 months, while making rarely accurate predictions of the ensuing 366 days. (It's a leap year, don't you know.)

He shared that love of Christmas with his family. He made certain that Christmas was always a special time. Christmas and Thanksgiving. Once, he told his young son that the saddest face at Christmas is not the child’s who didn’t get what he wanted; it is the face of the father who could not afford to buy the present.

All I know is this: If there's anyone in the country who does a poorer job of selecting Christmas presents than I do, I'll shake his hand. And give him one of my DVDs of "Rio Bravo."

A very Merry Christmas wish goes out to Amy Pasqualini of Lynchburg. Amy offers a timely reminder of what Christmas is really about. And, of equal importance, what it's not about.

The latest installment of certain television offerings makes some of us wish for the days of "Gunsmoke," "My Three Sons" or "Leave it to Beaver?" (And it proves virtually anyone can sell a TV show with limited talent, minimal effort, no writers, no actors and no redeeming social value.) There's even a show called something like "Lizard Lick Towing." Honest.

Given the one-sided "leadership" in Columbus, coupled with the ongoing "schism" in the Grand Old Party between Gov. Kasich and Speaker Batchelder and party leaders Kevin DeWine and Kay Ayres – it sure would be interesting to know what our local elected officials thought about it all. That may be another issue for another day!