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The Ohio Valley (and the rest of West Virginia and Ohio) is predicted to experience record low temperatures today, and the National Weather Service in Pittsburgh has issued a Wind Chill Warning for our area to remain in effect until 10:00 am Wednesday morning. The attorneys and staff at Bordas & Bordas have braved the weather to come into the office today, and would like to share the following cold weather tips for you and your family. We hope you all stay warm and safe as this "polar vortex" holds us all in its grips! For Your Home: Take care when using supplemental heating devices such as space heaters, ovens, stoves, electric blankets, or propane heaters. The U.S. Fire Administration reports that more than 50,000 residential fires annually are caused by heating. Most of these fires occur in January, as families try to beat the cold. Improper heating device use also is a common cause of carbon monoxide poisoning. Make sure all the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in your home have fresh batteries and are functioning. If possible, try to keep your home heated to a minimum of 65 degrees. The temperature inside your walls is much lower than the temperature in the rooms of your house. Keeping your home at 65 helps ensure that the pipes inside your walls won't freeze. In case you do experience frozen pipes, learn how to use the main water shutoff valve in your home before disaster strikes. For Your Car: Make sure to check your antifreeze levels to prevent your engine block from freezing. If the locks on your door have frozen shut, try warming your key to heat up the lock from the inside. Never pour warm water on your car, as in extreme temperatures such as the ones facing the Ohio Valley this week, the water can re-freeze and create an even worse situation. Keep your gas tank at a minimum of half full, and avoid driving if you suspect the roads are icy. If you must drive, make sure to go slower than usual, and increase the distance you usually keep between your vehicle and the car in front of you. If it's been a while since you checked your car battery, consider taking a look at it. Older batteries sometimes cannot be jump-started once exposed to sub-zero temperatures. Make sure your tires are fully inflated, and also check your car's oil levels if possible. For Your Family: The Ohio Valley will be experiencing lower temperatures than it has in the past 20 years. Although you might feel that you know how to handle the cold, the weather today is different than your normal cold snap. Limit your time outdoors, and dress in warm layers to insulate your body. When walking around outdoors, walk carefully on areas you suspect might be icy. Keep dry, and change any wet clothing frequently. Learn the early warning signs of frostbite, and make sure to seek medical attention if you suspect you or a loved one is experiencing symptoms. Check in on any loved ones who you think might be at particular risk during inclement weather (such as the elderly and the disabled). If you know of anyone who needs a warm place to go, the following warming centers will be set up in Ohio, Belmont and Marshall counties. For Your Pets: Barley and Guinness recently shared some of their helpful hints to keep your furry friends warm and safe during the winter. They would like to remind you again to please keep all of your pets inside during this weather, and remember to wipe off their paws when they come inside. Dogs and cats can ingest salt or antifreeze when licking themselves clean after a romp in the snow, and a minute spent cleaning them off can prevent them from becoming ill. Never leave your pet alone outside in this sort of weather, even if you only plan to have it be for just a minute. Bang loudly on the hood of your car before you start it, as cats sometimes sleep beneath cars to escape inclement weather.

The death of a loved one is devastating for the families left behind, often bringing a seemingly overwhelming flood of grief and emptiness that makes it very difficult to concentrate on anything else. When a loved one dies in a hospital or nursing home setting, hardly anyone thinks about the possibility that their death was preventable in the immediate aftermath of their passing. It is typically only after a loved one has been laid to rest that a family's thinking turns towards the medical treatment that preceded the death. Unfortunately, medical errors have been determined to be the third leading cause of death in the United States, responsible for up to 440,000 deaths in this country every year, and oftentimes an autopsy is the only way to know whether a medical error was involved. At Bordas & Bordas, we receive many calls from family members of deceased loved ones who have strong suspicions that medical errors were involved, but far often it is too late to determine the nature of one's passing with any precision or provide any meaningful help to the families left behind. Although it is somewhat unnatural to consider in the wake of a loved one's passing, an autopsy is most often the only way to determine the root cause of death, which is a necessary prerequisite to determining whether a medical error was involved. Even in cases where there is a strong suspicion that a medical error has cost a family member their life, do not assume an autopsy is unnecessary. Autopsy results are among the most important and persuasive forms of evidence in wrongful death litigation, and it is hard to imagine a wrongful death case in which an attorney would prefer not to have autopsy findings available to present to a jury. In many instances, the hospital will not discuss an autopsy with the family of the deceased, and requests for such discussions can often be met with resistance. Therefore, it is important to be persistent when you have a reasonable suspicion that a loved one may have died from a medical error. Also consider going outside the hospital in which a loved one has passed to retain an independent, third-party forensic pathologist to perform the autopsy. Oftentimes an autopsy by a third-party costs significantly less than the amount the hospital charges and can circumvent any potential conflicts of interest. If you suspect that your loved one's death may be the result of a medical error, you should contact an experienced law firm right away to help guide you through that very difficult time.

Pope John Paul II called Christmas that - "our peace and our joy" - in his Christmas message twenty years ago. John Paul II, to be declared a saint this coming April, delivered a message of peace at Christmas in every year of his papacy and the message never grew tired, as every year it was preached in a world at war. One of his predecessors, John XXIII, had spoken, decades earlier, of the causes of war - what he called an "international sickness": These causes are: "the violation of the rights and dignity of the human person and the overruling of the rights of the family and of labor; the overthrow of the juridical order and of the healthy idea of the state in keeping with the Christian spirit; impairment of the liberty, integrity and security of other nations to whatever extent; the systematic oppression of the cultural and language characteristics of national minorities; the egotistical calculations of all who strive to seize control of the economic sources of the materials of common use to the detriment of other peoples; and in particular, the persecution of religion and of the Church." It is a good list - and to reverse it to the positive side of matters, his list of the causes of war calls on us to do the following in the service of peace: 1) Uphold the value of human beings and; 2) their families; and 3) especially those who are workers; in 4) a world governed by just law and order 5) upholding individual freedom; and 6) national integrity and autonomy; while 7) fighting discrimination based on nationality; 8) opposing the greedy amassing of wealth and power; and 9) opposing religious discrimination. 2013 was both an ordinary and an extraordinary year in these areas in our country. It was the twelfth year of continuous war since 2001. It was the fifth year of unemployment and poverty spurred by the crash of 2008. It was an unprecedented year in ending some forms of discrimination - including one that had been Holy Writ. But others, including religious discrimination and outright religious warfare, have continued unabated. Having briefly served in our armed forces, I'm well-acquainted with the idea that our use of force around the globe is in the service of human dignity and freedom. But at Christmas, if not all year long, it is worthwhile to consider the words of St. Augustine: "It is more glorious to slay war with words than men with steel; and it is true glory to secure peace by peaceful means" (St. Augustine, Epistle 129, II). It is also worth considering some unpleasant facts. It has recently been reported that a US drone struck a series of buses carrying wedding guests in Afghanistan. More than a dozen innocent people were killed and many more were wounded, some critically. It received some coverage, but passed largely unnoticed in our media which was giving us wall-to-wall coverage of "the selfie." Of course, if the attack had been on an American wedding, everyone would know about it and it would never be off the TV for weeks. We've all been to weddings. Imagine being at one bombed from a drone. The fact that we don't makes it clear that we've placed ourselves above the victims of that attack. As a nation, we've decided that our weddings matter and our people matter, and "their" weddings and "their" people, perhaps not at all. The tens and hundreds of thousands of innocent people who have died in the wars since 2001 have been assigned a "dignity" that is less that the dignity we grant ourselves, and we act accordingly. And so what John XXIII was saying in 1959 - that "the violation of the rights and dignity of the human person and the overruling of the rights of the family" is the first cause of war, has been re-written in blood in the desert this year. Another kind of disrespect and indignity was on display in New York City, this time to one of our very own. When asked about the plight of a homeless woman in the City he leads, the pope of New York had a different idea than the Pope in Rome. Billionaire Mayor Michael Bloomberg said: " that's just how God works." And that may be exactly how some of the most fortunate and wealthy in America have come to see it: they are rich and wealthy by some kind of decree from on High, as though God himself has ordained that they circle the globe in private jets while the poor sleep on the streets in winter. Bloomberg held himself up as the perfect example of: "the egotistical calculations of all who strive to seize control of the economic sources of the materials of common use to the detriment of other peoples." That may be the story of Michael Bloomberg's life, but don't ask him to reflect on it - he says "that's just how God works." I wonder how he knows. 2014 starts a new year and a new chance to show respect and concern for one another. It's a new year to see the world through the eyes of others instead of through our own personal, parochial, or national concerns and ideas. Those of us who make it into 2014 receive another chance to care for the weaker, the poorer and the sicker among us, instead of imagining that it's our own personal merit that makes their problems none of ours. John Paul's Christmas prayer said this also, twenty years ago: Wipe away, Baby Jesus, the tears of children! Embrace the sick and the elderly! Move men to lay down their arms and to draw close in a universal embrace of peace! Invite the peoples, O merciful Jesus, to tear down the walls created by poverty and unemployment, by ignorance and indifference, by discrimination and intolerance. 2014 won't be too soon.

"Cause if you liked it, then you should have put a ring on it."  Beyonce's hit song Single Ladies was all over the radio and television in 2008.  While the hook got caught in most everyone's head at some point, it actually was pretty good advice.  It seems like a significant number of people out there don't take their significant others seriously enough and either run from idea of marriage or do it for the wrong reasons.   Getting engaged and getting married is serious business.  It takes commitment, hard work, and dedication to one another.  Carrie Scanlon touched on these issues in her recent blog about advice she would give her younger self. Unfortunately for one Georgia couple who has recently been in the news, a canceled engagement turned into litigation and a $50,000.00 award against the man who called it off.  ABC News and Good Morning America recently reported a story out of Georgia where an appeals court has upheld the decision of a trial court to award a jilted fiancé $43,500.00 in damages and $6,500.00 in attorney's fees after she filed a lawsuit alleging a breach of contract to marry and fraud.  It was reported that the couple had been together for nearly four years before the man presented his girlfriend with a $10,000.00 ring which she eagerly accepted. The two already lived together and had a child.  Over the course of a seven year engagement (seven years probably  should have been a tip off that something wasn't right) the marriage never occurred and the man asked his fiancée and child to move out after he was confronted in April of 2011 with relationship he had with another woman.  Of course, testimony revealed that the dumped woman "possibly" had another relationship at some point during the engagement too. Part of the man's defense to the case was that he says he never actually asked the jilted ex to marry him.  Georgia, much like many other states, no longer recognizes common law marriage.  Common law marriage was a doctrine that provided marriage like property and asset protections when two individuals lived together and essentially acted as though they were married even though they were not.  Because there was no common law marriage, the woman in the Georgia case apparently had little recourse even though she had quit her job, sold her home, and stayed home for years to raise the couple's child.  She was surely headed for some difficult circumstances and filed the breach of contract to marry case.  Many states still recognize a cause of action for these types of heart balm actions.  Of course, this type of situation can go both ways.  In May of 2012 the Today Show reported on a similar case in New York filed by a man after his fiancée called off their upcoming wedding.  The man there sought to recover wedding costs and substantial unpaid living expenses. Twenty-five states and the District of Columbia have abolished the traditional breach of promise to marry law suit. West Virginia abolished stand-alone breach of promise to marry and alienation of affection cases by statute in 1969.  Ohio did so in 1978 and Pennsylvania in 1990.  With that, you can't just sue someone because they promised to marry you and then called it off.  No matter how embarrassed or upset you might be, you can't sue for that alone.  The West Virginia Supreme Court, like other states, has made clear that a called off engagement could result in valid law suits if specific money or property or circumstances demonstrate actual damages. Bryan v. Lincoln, 168 W.Va. 556 (1981).  In the Bryan case a man actually gave his fiancé $5,000.00 to help her buy a property interest from her ex-husband.  In the end, the lady called off the engagement and actually remarried her ex.  The lady's lawyers argued that the 1969 law made clear that the man had no case.  Our Supreme Court recognized, however, "that the predominate view go no further than to bar actions for damages suffered from loss of marriage, humiliation, and other direct consequences of the breach, and do not affect the rights of the parties relative to gifts passing between them."  It was also suggested that causes of action for fraud and unjust enrichment were also valid. In a time when many people live together before marriage, houses are sold, jobs change and people begin to change their lives before they actually get married.  When those changes are made specifically because of an engagement or a promise to marry many states would likely permit a law suit to obtain specific monetary damages when the engagement is called off. Perhaps the underlying problem to all of this is the fact that some people just don't take getting married seriously enough.  There are plenty of people who get married for the right reasons and have many happy years, but just can't seem to make it work for some reason or another. But in the world of the Kim Kardashians and 72-day marriages, it seems that just as many people don't marry for the right reasons.  There is a lot of discussion and criticism these days about who should be able to marry whom when it appears that most people's attention should be better focused on who they should specifically marry. Family is one of the bedrocks of our society and of the Bordas & Bordas, PLLC firm.  When we have strong families, more people do the right thing.  When we have strong families we have a strong society.  Strong families can come in many different forms, but when a marriage starts strong, and for the right reasons, it is much easier keep our lives on track. - Article about the Georgia case referenced above - Today Show: Man Sues Ex-Fiance After she Breaks off Engagement - Today Show video and separate article about the NY case referenced above. - Article about short celebrity marriages - Article from Today Show - 7 Secrets to a Long and Happy Marriage

For the past three years, Christmas has held a very distinct significance for me: the end of the semester and a break from school. Sure there were decorations, and Christmas carols on the radio, and presents and parties, but more importantly, there were no exams to stress over, no research papers to stay up late to finish, and no heavy law books to haul to and from the library each day. By the time I had completed my final exams, I didn't care whether it was Christmas, or a random Tuesday in April, so long as it meant I got to sleep in and watch hours of bad reality television again. This year, I began to realize that I was having a very different reaction to Christmas than I had experienced in recent years. I noticed which Christmas carols were played most often on the radio. I took time to drive through my neighborhood, and Oglebay Park, and admire the wonderful light displays. I spent a few evenings writing Christmas cards to all of my friends and relatives. Christmas really became a season for me, rather than just a day of the year. And, in addition to my increased enjoyment of Christmas all around me, I felt compelled to celebrate the season in another way I had not done in years, by volunteering my time to share the holidays with others. Having only lived in Wheeling for a few months, I wasn't entirely sure where to go to share my Christmas spirit. I thought maybe I would just have to wait until I returned home to Michigan for Christmas, where I could accompany my mom to volunteer with some of the organizations in my hometown. Even though that is still something I am looking forward to doing over the holidays, I was also fortunate to find a fantastic opportunity to participate in Christmas giving right here in Wheeling. Linda Bordas invited me to join her, Linda Scaggs, and Jeanne Dedo on an annual Christmas shopping trip with children from a local school. We met the students, and some of their teachers and guidance counselors, at the school in the morning. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I could tell that all of the kids were excited as we boarded the school bus to head out. A bus driver, who was generously volunteering her time during the day, drove us to the St. Clairsville mall. Once we arrived, we were each paired with a student or two, and then given free reign to shop. I think I looked at almost every item in the store while shopping with these great kids, but I can safely say that the aisles housing electronics, videogames, candy and Steelers gear got the most attention. The students were each given a set amount that they could spend, and I was very impressed at how carefully they kept track of their purchases, adding and subtracting the cost of each item as they went. It was also touching to see the students search for special items for family members, or to substitute out an item they had selected for themselves after finding something that they knew their mother or a sibling would really love. It would have been very easy for these children to spend the entire amount on things they wanted, but each of them used careful consideration for their selections, and thought of others during the process. Is there anything that embodies the Christmas spirit more than that? Linda Bordas told the kids, both at the start and end of our day together, that this is her favorite day of the year, and I have to agree with her! I am truly appreciative of this opportunity, and hope to be able to participate in this annual event again in the future. I am blessed to have found a new meaning and appreciation for the Christmas season.

Plaid, stripes, sequins, lights, ornaments. Put them together and what do you get? The infamous and celebrated Ugly Christmas Sweater. How do we celebrate the travesties? By partaking in the annual Ugly Christmas Sweater party, of course! What was once considered an obscene taste in fashion has now become an acclaimed hit in workplaces and social gatherings around the world. Where did it all begin? Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada claims to be the birthplace of the first Ugly Christmas Sweater party in 2002. For more information, check out www.christmassweaterparty.com. Here are some more fun facts about the Ugly Christmas Sweater according to www.uglychristmassweater.com: Bill Cosby is considered the Father of the Ugly Christmas Sweater. Christmas sweaters were first mass manufactured under the name "Jingle Bell Sweaters". Celebrities known for wearing Ugly Christmas Sweaters include Colin Firth in Bridget Jones' Diary, Chevy Chase in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation and, of course, Bill Cosby in The Cosby Show. National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day is celebrated December 20 th. Although it may be too late this year to flaunt all the ugly you can muster, you can prepare for next year's festivities by visiting sites such as www.myuglychristmassweater.com, www.uglysweaterstore.com, and www.thesweaterstore.com to purchase your unsightly sweater. As you've seen by now, Bordas & Bordas has already put on a wonderful display of sweaters of holiday horror. Thanks to all who voted for their favorite ugly sweater, all to the benefit of three worthy local charities: the Marshall County Animal Shelter, Tri-County Help Center and National Youth Advocate Program!

Christmas is quickly approaching, and between all the shopping, decorating, parties and baking, it recently hit me that this will be the first year I won't be in Wheeling with my family on Christmas day. Even though I'm excited to be spending the holiday with someone special to me and his family, knowing that I won't be "Home for the Holidays" this year has made me reflect on Christmases from my past. Of course, there are all the wonderful childhood memories I have, such as waking up to find that Santa brought me the most amazing Barbie Dream House or that  he delivered a teddy bear to Grandma and Grandpa's house for me, but it's the more recent Christmases that stand out to me now. In between the family traditions of Christmas Eve mass at St. Vincent's followed by the annual showing of National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation and even my brother always making breakfast Christmas morning, there are the Christmases that have marked my journey back home to Wheeling. I moved away more than eleven years ago, thinking that I'd never live in Wheeling again. Coming home for Christmas during my college years was always about having fun, catching up with my friends from high school and retelling stories about our days at Central that we've told a thousand times. It was Christmas of 006 when I realized those carefree days were coming to an end when I accepted a job in Charlotte, NC and moved four days after Christmas to start my post collegiate life. A year later, when I came home for Christmas for the first time after truly being away, I realized how much I missed and loved my hometown. It took another two years and a move to another state, but before I knew it, it was a few weeks before Christmas in 2009 and I was moving back up north. I spent the next three years living and working in Pittsburgh, PA, but still found myself longing for home, my little town in the heart of the Ohio Valley. So I decided to officially put my roots down in Wheeling and in what has seemingly become a pattern, I moved again just a few weeks before Christmas last year, but this time, into my first home in my hometown. Looking back, I love that such a wonderful time of year seems to have had a minor role in my journey back home. There have been a lot changes over the years and I have so many great memories of Christmas in Wheeling with my family and friends. I'm really looking forward to the new memories and traditions that I'll be making this Christmas.

This Christmas season, like every Christmas season, we are getting the chance to revisit the age-old conflict between those who say "Merry Christmas" and those who say "Happy Holidays." One's choice of holiday greeting can quickly become the subject of discussion, dispute, debate and finally fist fights and assaults. A few days ago, a Salvation Army Bell Ringer found herself physically assaulted for telling the wrong person "Happy Holidays." It should go without saying (but apparently it doesn't) that the hostility and attitude on display when it comes to "Merry Christmas"/"Happy Holidays" these days is not exactly in the Christmas spirit. Some people who say "Happy Holidays" are accused of trying to "take Christ out of Christmas," and some may well be, but many others might just be hoping to meet someone who celebrates Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Festivus, or even more controversial and/or fictitious holidays. Of course, the joke is always on the people who say happy holidays in an effort to take religion out of the equation. As our famous national physicist and astronomer, Neil deGrasse Tyson, recently pointed out via Twitter, the word "holidays" is derived from "holy days," and so, the supposedly secular "happy holiday" wishers are actually making a specific reference to the "reason for the season." Christmas warrior Bill O'Reilly would be calling the happy holidays crowd out for suckers if he could have gotten into Bronx Science alongside Tyson, but he was stuck at Chaminade. At the same time, some "Merry Christmas" wishers find themselves uttering the words "Merry Christmas" in an increasingly defiant and confrontational tone until it almost sounds like "Merry Christmas, d*** you!" That's getting a little further away yet from "peace on earth and goodwill to men." The Christian theologian, C.S. Lewis, reminded us in his masterful book, The Screwtape Letters, that one of the devil's favorite tricks was to stir up dispute, anger and even hatred between human beings over matters with as little significance as possible. He used the example of stirring up fights between Christians who prefer to say "Mass" and those who say "Holy Communion." The less there is at stake, the more pointlessly hostile and uncharitable the fights will be. The perpetual argument over Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays is very much in the spirit of what Lewis was talking about. Anyway, the whole thing is a distraction from the important things in life, such as who says "let's go Mountaineers," who says "let's go Pitt," and who says "let's go Irish." Now that's something worth getting into a solid fistfight about. Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, Kwanzaa!, and Celebrate Festivus (with the rest of us), this Yule Season, America.

At Bordas & Bordas, giving back to the community where we both work and live is of the utmost importance. Listed and explained below are just a few of the many recent philanthropic sponsorships we are honored to be involved with. Since its inception, the American Red Cross has provided care to those in need through disaster relief, blood donations, health and safety services, and more. The Red Cross' local branch is hosting its 28 th annual Ohio Valley Media Day Blood Drive on Monday, January 27, 2014 at the Wesbanco Arena. It is a chance to encourage increased blood donations for various uses as the month of January is infamous for very little public participation. Bordas & Bordas was pleased to contribute to the cause. The Mt. Olivet Lion's Club is gearing up for its 31 st annual Variety Show to be held on February 28 th and March 1 st, 2014. The Club has lined up several entertaining and fun acts that could make this year's program the best yet. Funds raised by the purchase of a Variety Show program ad go towards projects like food baskets for needy families, eye screenings for school children, and Leader and Pilot dogs for the blind. The Club is a very generous organization that Bordas & Bordas is happy to support. Bordas & Bordas is passionate about continuously contributing to and helping the youth involved with the OVAC. As of late, the firm sponsored the 2013 West Virginia High School Football State Playoffs and the Super Six Championships. The firm happily supported the successful event earlier this month. YMCA - simply the Y for short - is a worthy organization that serves more than 10,000 neighborhoods across the United States. Focusing on the three key areas of youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility, the organization strives to help every child realize and utilize his or her outstanding potential. The local installment, the J.B. Chambers YMCA, is housed right here in Wheeling and boasts health and fitness programs, aquatics, camping, and sports facilities for all to enjoy. Oglebay and Wheeling Park are beautiful staples within our community. From fishing at Schenk Lake to flying down the stories-tall water slide at the pool, Oglebay and Wheeling Park offer attractions for everyone. The Oglebay Foundation is aligned with the Access to the Parks program that allows the youth of our community to enjoy the amenities of Oglebay and Wheeling Park without charging fees for their admission. Access to the Parks provides kids with a photo ID that not only gets them into the parks for free, but enables free equipment rentals (ice skates, golf clubs, etc.), as well. As a longtime supporter, we were again happy to contribute to this worthy cause this year. Bordas & Bordas is honored to be involved with such noteworthy organizations and events. We will continue to reach out to community partners who are passionate about making a difference. As always, we encourage everyone to support these very worthy causes in any way possible.

People often ask me what my favorite Christmas gift was when I was a kid. It's an easy call. There's not even a close second. My dog Pepper was the best. I don't exactly remember how old I was but I think I had to have been about six or seven. I ran down the steps to see what Santa had brought me. In my haste to get to the area by the tree in the far part of the family room, I sprinted past the couch to see what I got. When I was about four feet past the couch, I came to a sudden stop. I paused, turned around, and looked at the couch. There was the cutest English Springer Spaniel puppy you could ever imagine just sitting quietly on the couch. I looked at my mom and dad and asked, "Is he real?" They asked me what I thought. I quickly went over to pet him for the first time and realized that he was very real indeed as he wagged his tail at me. Pepper was the first of several Springer Spaniels that I had as a child. Some of the memories of things we did together have been lost with time. But, I will never forget that Christmas morning when I experienced the pure joy of getting to play with him for the first time. He was definitely the best.

Jamie Bordas, Chris Regan and Geoff Brown return this year with a full, hour-long college bowl season preview on the Bordas & Bordas Legal Review. Watch Wheeling Central Defensive Coordinator Jamie Bordas, former State Champion quarterback Geoff Brown and noted College Football Analyst Chris Regan break down the Bowl Championship Series matchups, the four non-BCS games you don't want to miss and make picks in every single bowl game this season. The BBLR Bowl Preview Show was filmed live before a packed TJ's Sports Garden and will air on WLUTV 14 throughout the holiday season. Click here to view the program on vimeo, or watch the embedded version if your browser supports it. Click this link: http://westliberty.edu/wltv/2011/08/03/wltvschedule/ to see the WLUTV schedule so you can view a live-stream of WLUTV and check this page for a schedule of when the program airs. Most important, see below for the key picks these experts have made, and check back often to see how they are stacking up with those picks as the games are played! GILDAN NEW MEXICO BOWL Game, Date and Time: Washington State v. Colorado State 12/21/13 at 1:00 p.m. on ESPN Picks: Jamie: Washington State Geoff: Washington State Chris: Washington State ROYAL PURPLE LAS VEGAS BOWL Game, Date and Time: Fresno State v. USC 12/21/13 at 3:00 p.m. on ABC Picks: Jamie: Fresno State Geoff: Fresno State Chris: USC FAMOUS IDAHO POTATO BOWL Game, Date and Time: Buffalo v. San San Diego State 12/21/13 at 5:30 p.m. on ESPN Picks: Jamie: San Diego Geoff: San Diego Chris: San Diego R&L CARRIERS NEW ORLEANS BOWL Game, Date and Time: Tulane v. Louisiana-Lafayette 12/21/13 at 9:00 p.m. on ESPN Picks: Jamie: LA-Lafayette Geoff: LA-Lafayette Chris: Tulane BEEF 'O' BRADY'S BOWL ST. PETERSBURG Game, Date and Time: Ohio v. East Carolina 12/23/13 at 2:00 p.m. on ESPN Picks: Jamie: East Carolina Geoff: East Carolina Chris: East Carolina SHERATON HAWAII BOWL Game, Date and Time: Boise State v. Oregon State 12/24/13 at 8:00 p.m. on ESPN Picks: Jamie: Oregon State Geoff: Boise State Chris: Oregon State LITTLE CAESAR'S BOWL Game, Date and Time: Pittsburgh v. Bowling Green 12/26/13 at 6:00 p.m. on ESPN Picks: Jamie: Bowling Green Geoff: Bowling Green Chris: Bowling Green SAN DIEGO COUNTY CREDIT UNION POINSETTIA BOWL Game, Date and Time: Utah State v. Northern Illinois 12/26/13 at 9:30 p.m. on ESPN Picks: Jamie: Northern Illinois Geoff: Northern Illinois Chris: Northern Illinois MILITARY BOWL - PRES. BY NORTHROP GRUMMAN Game, Date and Time: Marshall v. Maryland 12/27/13 at 2:30 p.m. on ESPN Picks: Jamie: Maryland Geoff: Maryland Chris: Maryland TEXAS BOWL Game, Date and Time: Syracuse v. Minnesota 12/27/13 at 6:00 p.m. on ESPN Picks: Jamie: Minnesota Geoff: Minnesota Chris: Minnesota FIGHT HUNGER BOWL Game, Date and Time: Brigham Young v. Washington 12/27/13 at 9:30 p.m. on ESPN Picks: Jamie: BYU Geoff: BYU Chris: BYU NEW ERA PINSTRIPE BOWL Game, Date and Time: Rutgers v. Notre Dame 12/28/13 at 12:00 p.m. on ESPN Picks: Jamie: Notre Dame Geoff: Notre Dame Chris: Notre Dame BELK BOWL Game, Date and Time: Cincinnati v. North Carolina 12/28/13 at 3:20 p.m. on ESPN Picks: Jamie: North Carolina Geoff: North Carolina Chris: North Carolina RUSSELL ATHLETIC BOWL Game, Date and Time: Miami (FL) v. Louisville 12/28/13 at 6:45 p.m. on ESPN Picks: Jamie: Louisville Geoff: Louisville Chris: Louisville BUFFALO WILD WINGS BOWL Game, Date and Time: Michigan v. Kansas State 12/28/13 at 10:15 p.m. on ESPN Picks: Jamie: Michigan Geoff: Kansas State Chris: Kansas State BELL HELICOPTER ARMED FORCES BOWL Game, Date and Time: Middle Tennessee v. Navy 12/30/13 at 11:45 a.m. on ESPN Picks: Jamie: Navy Geoff: Navy Chris: Navy FRANKLIN AMERICAN MORTGAGE MUSIC CITY BOWL Game, Date and Time: Ole Miss v. Georgia Tech 12/30/13 at 3:15 p.m. on ESPN Picks: Jamie: Ole Miss Geoff: Georgia Tech Chris: Georgia Tech VALERO ALAMO BOWL Game, Date and Time: Oregon v. Texas 12/30/13 at 6:45 p.m. on ESPN Picks: Jamie: Oregon Geoff: Oregon Chris: Oregon NATIONAL UNIVERSITY HOLIDAY BOWL Game, Date and Time: Arizona State v. Texas Tech 12/30/13 at 10:15 p.m. on ESPN Picks: Jamie: Arizona State Geoff: Arizona State Chris: Arizona State ADVOCARE V100 BOWL Game, Date and Time: Arizona v. Boston College 12/31/13 at 12:30 p.m. on ESPN Picks: Jamie: Arizona Geoff: Arizona Chris: Arizona HYUNDAI SUN BOWL Game, Date and Time: Virginia Tech v. UCLA 12/31/13 at 2:00 p.m. on CBS Picks: Jamie: UCLA Geoff: UCLA Chris: UCLA AUTOZONE LIBERTY BOWL Game, Date and Time: Rice v. Mississippi State 12/31/13 at 4:00 p.m. on ESPN Picks: Jamie: Mississippi State Geoff: Mississippi State Chris: Mississippi State CHICK-FIL-A BOWL Game, Date and Time: Duke v. Texas A&M 12/31/13 at 8:00 p.m. on ESPN Picks: Jamie: Texas A&M Geoff: Texas A&M Chris: Texas A&M TAXSLAYER.COM GATOR BOWL Game, Date and Time: Nebraska v. Georgia 01/01/14 at 12:00 p.m. on ESPN2 Picks: Jamie: Georgia Geoff: Georgia Chris: Georgia HEART OF DALLAS BOWL - PRES. BY PLAINSCAPITAL BANK Game, Date and Time: UNLV v. North Texas 01/01/14 at 12:00 p.m. on ESPNU Picks: Jamie: Texas Geoff: Texas Chris: Texas CAPITAL ONE BOWL Game, Date and Time: Wisconsin v. South Carolina 01/01/14 at 1:00 p.m. on ABC Picks: Jamie: South Carolina Geoff: Wisconsin Chris: South Carolina OUTBACK BOWL Game, Date and Time: Iowa v. LSU 01/01/14 at 1:00 p.m. on ESPN Picks: Jamie: LSU Geoff: LSU Chris: LSU ROSE BOWL Game, Date and Time: Stanford v. Michigan State 01/01/14 at 5:00 p.m. on ESPN Picks: Jamie: Stanford Geoff: Stanford Chris: Michigan State TOSTITOS FIESTA BOWL Game, Date and Time: UCF v. Baylor 01/01/14 at 8:30 p.m. on ESPN Picks: Jamie: Baylor Geoff: Baylor Chris: Baylor ALLSTATE SUGAR BOWL Game, Date and Time: Oklahoma v. Alabama 01/02/14 at 8:30 p.m. on ESPN Picks: Jamie: Alabama Geoff: Alabama Chris: Alabama AT&T COTTON BOWL Game, Date and Time: Oklahoma State v. Missouri 01/03/14 at 7:30 p.m. on FOX Picks: Jamie: Missouri Geoff: Missouri Chris: Oklahoma State DISCOVER ORANGE BOWL Game, Date and Time: Clemson v. Ohio State 01/03/14 at 8:30 p.m. on ESPN Picks: Jamie: Ohio State Geoff: Clemson Chris: Ohio State BBVA COMPASS BOWL Game, Date and Time: Vanderbilt v. Houston 01/04/14 at 1:00 p.m. on ESPN Picks: Jamie: Vanderbilt Geoff: Vanderbilt Chris: Vanderbilt GODADDY BOWL Game, Date and Time: Arkansas State v. Ball State 01/05/14 at 9:00 p.m. on ESPN Picks: Jamie: Ball State Geoff: Ball State Chris: Ball State BCS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP Game, Date and Time: Florida State v. Auburn 01/06/14 at 8:30 p.m. on ESPN Picks: Jamie: Auburn Geoff: Florida State Chris: Auburn

From Barley and Guinness (with some help from our dog mom, Jeanne) As we prepare for the Christmas time events, we who have pets must try to remember that this can be a dangerous time for our pets. Trees, lights and decorations can be a temptation to our four-legged friends. While putting up a tree over the years, I've learned not to put too many decorations on the bottom of the tree as tails and claws can easily knock them off. If ornaments are broken and eaten, they can cause great harm to pets! Poinsettias and chocolate are very poisonous to our pets as well! If they eat a leaf or get into the candy bowl, dogs and cats can become very ill (sometimes even resulting in death) if proper treatment is not given immediately. I know from our dogs Barley and Guinness that they will try to get their paws on anything and everything they can! Our dogs' adventurous appetites can cause great problems this time of year. Our dog mom tries (the key word being "tries") not to feed us any table foods, but when she has a house full of company and we (Barley & Guinness) are so dog-darn cute, some people can't help but give us something off their plates. Mom tries to watch this all year, but at this time of year it's hard! She does, however, set dog treats out for us so if someone just has to give us something they can give us what we get on a daily basis so it doesn't upset our stomachs. Yes, she limits the treats we get. She is strict with us but she is a caring and loving dog mom. Cleaning up a mess from us can be avoided if our guests don't feed us their rich foods from their plates! Also, as the weather turns colder outside please make sure to bring your pets inside if you can. If you can't, please make sure they have a proper shelter where they can get away from the elements of the outdoor winter weather. Fresh water and food are very important this time of year. Water freezes very fast in the cold, so please check on the water situation often. Also, please remember if it is too cold for you to stay outside it is too cold for our pets too! Although they may have a fur coat, that can only help so much! So please, if you can, get your pets inside for the night or make sure they have extra blankets, straw or hay and that they can get inside a doghouse or someplace out of the harsh weather. Keeping our four-legged friends warm, dry and safe this time of year is just as important as it is when they are left out in the heat of summer. So from all of us at Bordas & Bordas we wish you and your pets a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! As always, "Adopt Don't Shop." Bark on Bordas Dog Nation, Bark on. Barley & Guinness