The Outstater: Paddling Toward Ferguson
For the use of the membership only. “I’m drowning, and you’re describing the water,” says the troubled Melvin Udall (Jack Nicholson) in exasperation at some well-meant but useless advice. — “As Good as It Gets,” directed by James L. Brooks. AS MEMBERS OF A GREAT SOCIETY led by the smartest people, we have been humbled Read the full article…
Bohanon: Voting Is a Right but Being Informed Is a Duty
by Cecil Bohanon, Ph.D. The other day, my wife and I received postcards from the local election board informing us of a change in the location of our polling place. We also received a card informing a previous resident of our house of the change — a resident who is no longer in the state. Read the full article…
Backgrounder: Social Security, a Christian Objection
By Tyler Watts, Ph.D. I recently heard a politician promise that he would protect Social Security, arguing that this vaunted program is an inviolable “contract” between the government and seniors. Hah. Now, this politician was just doing what comes naturally; that is, saying anything to appease a particular voting bloc, in this case the powerful Read the full article…
Indiana at 200 (36): Indiana Family Helped Slaves Escape
by Andrea Neal Once runaway slaves made it to the home of Levi and Catharine Coffin in eastern Indiana, they were safe. Truly safe. To the best of Levi Coffin’s knowledge, every slave who passed through his Underground Railroad station made his/her way to freedom. The Coffins lived in a mostly Quaker community called Newport, Read the full article…
Half Past the Month: A Hyphenated-American Appeal
by Craig Ladwig “It’s anybody’s guess how Republicans are thinking about this (open immigration),” Barack Obama said in Los Angeles last week. “If they were thinking long-term politically, it is suicide for them not to do this.” I hate to drag my great-grandmother into this, but she would have a point to make: Being “American” Read the full article…
Doc Ippel: Medicare and Deciding About Decisions
by Bruce Ippel, M.D. This is about decisions. It starts with your decision to read it. What about the other decisions in your life? If you’re an adult with, say, a high-school education and not currently in the Army or prison, then you should be making about all of them yourself. Or not. You probably Read the full article…
