Volunteer Hoosier offers retrospective as New Albany blogosphere prepares for reshuffling.

As always, wise words from Randy Smith at Volunteer Hoosier as he guides his pacesetting blog through a week-long coda: A VH Retrospective.

The conclusion we have drawn is this: the problems facing our community are not states of nature. They stem from an environment poisoned by actual individuals, individuals who devalue education, deride progressivism, and seek only to elevate their egos by jealously guarding the levers of power from any who might actually want to use them.

Our critics seem to shudder at what they call unfounded personal attacks. They miss the point. They are personal because Volunteer Hoosier believes it is the persons who are responsible for the mess we are in. So long as the citizenry averts their eyes from what is a fairly repugnant form of political knife-fighting, they will never know who those looters and destroyers are. Then, when election time comes and the voters see New Albany sitting by the side of the road with a flat tire, they'll assume the driver is at fault. We're here to show who is wielding the knives, who is spreading the tire-puncturing tacks, who is pouring sugar in the gas tanks.

Recall that last week, Randy returned from a brief absence and reported the first inkling of changes approaching within the local blogosphere:

I have before me a letter of intent that outlines the terms and conditions of Volunteer Hoosier's merger with an online site that offers up political commentary, humor & satire, travel & leisure, literature, poetry, art, and a plethora of subjects. We are flattered to have been asked to shut down VH and become an editor with this admirable organization.

NA Confidential looks forward to this new strategic reincarnation of Volunteer Hoosier, which is said to represent a merger of shared interests, and that sources indicate might come to fruition by April 5.

In fact, we like it so much ...