In the old days of the newspaper – How many of you remember the rolled-up periodical that was dropped at your doorstep every day? – the editors used to boast with the promise of, “All the news that’s fit to print."

Well, the definition of what constitutes “news’’ is a little different in these days of the 24/7 news cycle and blogging. So this former newspaperman and current magazine editor will warn you that my new editor’s blog will probably be a little more casual than the daily paper. I’d like to welcome you to this new era of dynamic communication at the Pumper Web site and fill you in on a few things you can expect to see in future blog posts.

I will use this space to keep you informed on the type of breaking news that can’t wait for the next issue of your Pumper magazine. I may use it to give you a heads-up on an upcoming story in Pumper that provides timely business advice. On occasion, I will use the blog to ask you a question, then share your responses later on.

One of the measures I’ll use to judge the success of this editor’s blog is the level of discussion it stimulates among contractors in the liquid waste industry. After all, this Web site and the Pumper magazine delivered every month are produced for you and benefit greatly from your participation. Shoot me an e-mail anytime at editor@pumper.com. Have a great New Year!