Columnists
Series Wraps Up on Best Boiler Gridders by Number
This week we wrap up the best Boilermaker football players by number series with a College Football Hall of Fame guard and a Touchdown Twin. 91 Blaine Smith While not recognized as a member of Purdue’s Den of Defensive Ends, Smith was a first-team All-Big Ten selection in 1975 and 1976. 92 Craig Terrill One…
Read MoreTHE MEDIUM IS THE MASSAGE
Ouch! Ow! Ooh, that really hurts… Please stop. Are you trying to kill me? We can all agree that having a lousy dentist can be an agonizing experience. But I don’t have a lousy dentist—I have a very good one. The only yelp ever heard during one of my appointments was the day I accidentally…
Read MoreBranna: Be-Hold the Pickles!
Love’em or hate ‘em, pickles have a pertinent place in America and beyond. The stats state that the average American packs away 8.5 pounds of pickles a year and Midwesterners are driving the trend. It’s time to realize the relevance of this requisite relish! The prevalence of the pickle dates back many decades, even centuries. Cleopatra…
Read MoreBubba Takes Timmons on Long Bus Ride
It had been a while since I had heard from Bubba Castiron, my “friend” who is about three plates, four forks, two spoons and a couple of glasses away from having a full set of dishes. No idea why he was on my mind – maybe I just didn’t have enough to do – but…
Read MoreHas It Really Been That Long?
This is an anniversary for me. Believe it or not, as of this week I’ve been writing this column for 15 years. Fifteen years! Even as I type those words, the reality of it is having trouble sinking in. I wasn’t sure I’d last six months, let alone 15 years. As I mentioned in one…
Read MoreWhat Benefits Am I Entitled To?
Dear Rusty: I plan to stop working very soon. My health is not good. I am 66 years old, born in June 1959, so my full retirement age is 66 years and 10 months. My wife passed away in March 2024, and she was collecting SS benefits when she died. I have no dependent children.…
Read MoreWORKING THE NEIGHBORHOOD
There are many people in our neighborhood with diverse professions. There are insurance agents, physicians, pharmacists, computer software experts, and salespeople, among others. All of these individuals not only excelled in their respective fields but are also accomplished in other areas. For many retirees, this is a way to make the most of their newfound…
Read MoreCradle of QB Papa Bob DeMoss on List; Cheating DOES Pay
Before there was such a thing as the “Den of Defensive Ends” at Purdue, one of their future members was a 6-foot-7 giant who was so fleet of foot that he also was a favorite target of quarterback Len Dawson in the mid-1950s. Two other Den of Defensive End members are included in this week’s…
Read MoreHeights Superintendent Shares Update
Last week, Hamilton Heights Middle School hosted EMS and First Responders Day, offering more than 350 students an up-close and personal look at careers in public service. From emergency medical teams to police officers and firefighters, students gained an insider’s view of the vital work these professionals do every day to keep our schools and…
Read MoreFunny Business!
There’s a great deal of pressure on me to be funny. I feel it at church, at pickleball, and when I run into people at the supermarket. This is what happens when you write a humor column for 25 years. At our book club, when I say something like, “I think the book has a…
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