Category: Indiana Writers Group

by Leo Morris As a curmudgeon of long standing, I come from the “get off my lawn” school of private property. It’s direct, it’s simple, it provides no chance of misunderstanding. And just in case I’m not on hand to shout people off the premises, there is a nifty little sign that gets the job…

“South Bend is one of the most dangerous cities in the United States. There were 1,012 violent crimes in South Bend for every 100,000 residents in 2016, more than double both the state and national violent crime rates of 405 incidents and 386 incidents per 100,000 people, respectively. As is often the case in high-crime…

“In the Carboniferous Epoch we were promised abundance for all, By robbing selected Peter to pay for collective Paul; But, though we had plenty of money, there was nothing to buy, And the Gods of the Copybook Headings said: ‘If you don’t work you die.’”  — Rudyard Kipling “The Gods of the Copybook Headings” IN…

by Leo Morris From news accounts, former state Sen. Luke Kenley sounds like a crazy old coot yelling at the kids to stay off his Internet. “I’m going to celebrate today,” Kenley is quoted as saying. “I’m probably the only one that is. I’m sure all the millennials who shop online are not going to…

by Fred McCarthy There are four separate stories in the current issue of the Indianapolis Business Journal (IBJ) with some relation to the city’s use of tax dollars. We’ll cover them by headline in the order they appeared: “IndyGo Rethinks Electric Bus Buy” — We’ve been told in years of media hype about the planning…

by Leo Morris With the candidates all set and the pieces all in place for the fall general election, it appears that gay marriage is the only issue people seem to think is worth talking about in Indiana. So, wanting to do my civic duty and be an informed voter, perhaps it is something I…

by Mark Franke The Wall Street Journal recently ran a front-page article about a dentist in Utah who was in debt over his graduate school student loans to the extent of $1,060,945. Yes, $1,060,945, and he is just one of 101 who owe more than a million dollars. This man had attended the school of dentistry…

by Eric Schansberg, Ph.D. For all of the discussion about race, it is rarely informed by novel ideas, knowledge about historical research or careful analysis. I recently read three books that have much to offer those who are trying to understand race in America — past, present and future. “Slavery by Another Name” — In…

by Leo Morris Several months ago, on the occasion of state legislators yet again mulling the rescue of casinos from the doldrums, I wrote of my mixed feelings about state-sanctioned gambling. Since occasionally I have enjoyed indulging in games of chance, I can’t claim any moral high ground. The challenge of beating the odds to…

by Leo Morris Don’t trust the Internet. The information you find there might not be entirely accurate. — Mark Twain Pity the poor folks of Monroe County. They’re right in the path of the menacing mile-a-minute vine, another dangerous invasive species from that awful Asia. It can grow up to six inches in a single day,…