There are two types of southern bounce-rap production: the kind that's varied and intricate, and the kind that you can knock off in about 45 minutes. While Plies' Da Realist swings between the two and brings several hot tunes, too often it sounds like Bounce-By-Numbers.

Even though HGA has presented 92 “Care Awards” during the past nearly 16 years, this is our first Honoree of the Year presentation.  We should also note this not a first “Annual Award.” Gerald Hitchens talent and devotion to community is not that common.

Having a future son-in-law serving among our armed forces in Iraq has afforded me with the chance to gain an even clearer perspective on the value of family.  From my own experience, I am very aware of how lonely it can be for our troops who are serving overseas during this holiday season, as well as for those family members who remain back home.

It humbles me to ask of you such a simple but necessary gift this Holiday Season especially during these unprecedented and difficult financial times. As I write this letter more than 350 men, women, children and families await word on permanent housing assistance from the Delaware HIV Consortium.  It is well documented that stable, permanent and affordable housing, only second to medical care is the primary reason that individuals with HIV disease improve their overall health, are more medically adherent and are less likely to transmit the virus.

Christmas Day is almost here, and we still have over 90 families that still need help with Christmas gifts. I know in hard economic times it’s hard to spend extra money, but without you, many of these area children will go without Christmas. This year, struggling families need your help more then ever to help provide a good Christmas for their little ones.

It’s pretty hard to comprehend the news that broke last week of the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) allowing two employees convicted of child molestation to essentially keep their jobs while serving their sentences. But public relations nightmare aside, it's just bad business.

I have been dismayed by management plans from GM, Chrysler and Ford and have expressed my frustration for over a decade with them in effort to urge further innovation and fuel efficiency in order to compete with the global auto market. However, people are struggling.  It would be irresponsible to look away from the individual workers or families that have done nothing wrong and would face job loss, health care cost insurance challenges, and frankly-- more foreclosures.

What do you do when you just turned 18, and you're fresh off blowing up into a world-famous rapper off the strength of your dumb-catchy Internet single, "Crank Dat"? Well, you keep on crankin' dat, churning out iSouljaBoyTellem, which basically rehashes Soulja Boy's first record while adding very little in the way of artistic growth or interesting beats.

Bifocals! I have finally surrendered to the fact that I’m not able to see near or far without the assistance of bifocal eyeglasses. Oh it took a while, but it came down to either purchasing a dog and a cane, or new eyewear, so I took the easy route. Or so I thought!

In California “Prop 8” passed in November by 52 to 48 percent, thereby invalidating same-gender marriage.  It is not clear what will happen to the once-legal marriages of some 36,000 Californians, who had legal weddings and then created legal documents together such as wills, mortgages, insurance policies, etc.  Some had children together.

Last week’s opinion section of the Countian contained a letter that criticized the paper for not showing information on the election of Obama.  The writer went back to a 1950s political stance of the Countian to suggest that the current  Countian [staff] is racist. I tend to find that people who have to go back 50 years to be really grasping at straws to prove racism anywhere.

While we can’t depend on the lame-duck Bush administration to accomplish much at the world climate negotiations underway in Poland this week, Obama’s early commitments to tackle the crisis and demonstrations of public support we saw in Delaware go a long way in telling our neighbors abroad: America is back and ready to lead.

The West Side New Beginnings Coalition, under the tutelage of Dr. Robert E. Roberts, Chairman; Ada Loper, Co-Chair and with the help of some 175 volunteers from all walks of life came together very early in the morning on a beautiful sunny day, Nov. 8 to work collaboratively to launch one of the most successful community clean-ups in West Rehoboth.

Last week, we published an article about the final book by local author and Oak Orchard resident Aubrey Murray, who passed away in late 2006. The collection of stories and photos, assembled by Murray's family, is a fascinating window into the history of south-central Sussex County, and a wonderful chronicle of one man’s perspective on life and times in and around the Indian River.

I looked around [in the Nov. 5 and 12 editions of the Countian] for an African-American face with reference to President-elect Barack Obama. But no… the only such colorful and highlighted faces surrounding Vice-President elect Biden on that front page were four accused and arrested perpetrators. Was this county newspaper trying to say something without making an actual statement? [See editor's note]