The Herald Bulletin, Anderson, Indiana

The 7th annual "We Can Care" county wide food drive kicked off February 25th with local businesses, churches, individuals, and organizations coming together at the Anderson library to share plans to meet the 155,000 pound goal. This food and fund drive coming after the holidays helps replenish Madison County food pantries that depend on Second Harvest Food Bank of East Central Indiana for food and supplies.

You hear it seemingly everywhere we go...there isn't anything American made anymore?

Of course we know there is but when we go shopping is seems everything we pick up has a tag indicating it is made somewhere else in the world. World Trade is in every shop we shop in... especially the big mart type shops.

Once in a while, a truly irreplaceable actor dies. "Irreplaceable" in the sense that there is no other actor like him. Never has been, never will be. He has carved out his own place in the world, and it will be forever empty.

And so it is with the death of James Whitmore, an 87-year-old powerhouse of an actor who softened his demeanor with a genial, effacing personality.

Whitmore died in Los Angeles Friday, according to his son.

Yeah, yeah, the economy, recession, blah blah blahh.

But now I'm worrying.

According to a story on the newsarama.com Web site, Mad Magazine is scaling back its publication from monthly to quarterly.

Mad Magazine was a key contributor of culture and refinement in my young life. In a very real sense, it made me what I am today. This is just terrible news.

Furshlugginer economy!

The last couple of days several State Police Officers have been harassing Anderson residents over seat belt use. With the high crime and murder rates in Indianapolis, two of the biggest drug highways running through our state, and the number of reckless drivers on I-69 you’d think they would have better things to do with their time. The City of Anderson has a very well trained and capable police department.

I'm doing a study of local area governments and their members' educational levels. Does anyone have backgrounds on the City of Anderson council members? Thanks.

I lost that first pound! One down, 19 to go! Join us here at the warehouse on Thursday at 6 PM for Vicki Escarra's presentation and a bowl of chili and you will see for yourself that I am one pound lighter. Just joking of course. About the pound. Not the program. Or the chili!

A lot of serious issues face the General Assembly this year, but the one that, in my heart, is most urgent is this:

State Sen. Allen Paul, R-Richmond, is the driving force behind an effort to make sugar cream pie the "Official State Pie."

Uh, I'm sorry ... I made a mistake ...

SUGAR CREAM PIE!!

Family and friends know that this particular East Central Indiana delicacy is one of my weaknesses. (The complete 457-page list of my weaknesses is available upon request.) It is a sweet, soothing yet elusive slice of divinity that calms the nerves and enriches the soul.

I am stunned by the insensitivity of the Herald Bulletin. A family is GRIEVING, and the "local" paper chooses to print an article about the "supposed" cause of a fatal crash.

THEN, to add insult to injury, the Editors choose to print an editorial on the perils of texting (which of course, the danger of texting while driving is not in dispute)-- BUT, the naming and blaming of the victim on the day of the family's showing is reprehensible. For the record, the family has very different information from their child's phone records.

I've been amiss in keeping this blog current, but that stops now.

AP reports today that Samuel J. Wurzelbacher, who is more popularly known as "Joe the Plumber," has joined a conservative Web site, pjtv.com, as a war correspondent.

Let me repeat that: Joe the Plumber has been hired to be a reporter. On war.

Oh, heck, why not? Let's let him do pieces on Thai ballet and ancient cave paintings, too!

What perspective could Joe the Plumber possibly bring to this job? How many wars has he covered? How many stories has he written? Can he even hold a pen or work a computer keyboard?