Bruce Springsteen looks pretty good for 61, doesn't he? Not that it stops him from doing classic old-dude stuff, like writing letters to the editor of his local paper—which he did this week. The Boss' letter was not, however, about how the lady at Wal-Mart said "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas" (though give him 15 years)—it was a letter of commendation for the Asbury Park Press' front-page story on poverty and budget cuts:

Thank you for your March 27 front-page story by Michael Symons, "As poverty rises, cuts target aid." The article is one of the few that highlights the contradictions between a policy of large tax cuts, on the one hand, and cuts in services to those in the most dire conditions, on the other.

Springsteen's letter goes on to single out a few of the workers and activists covered by the Press, and concludes by saying he's "always glad to see my hometown newspaper covering these issues." Springsteen doesn't mention New Jersey Governor Chris Christie—a big fan—though, if it wasn't obvious, he's the guy pushing for cuts in services. Either way: What a nice bit of rock-star activism! Ball's in your court, Bono.

[Asbury Park Press;