Liberal journalism strikes again
What a disappointing [July 6 column by Chris Katterjohn]. You, like your other liberal, left-wing journalist pals, just
cannot stand it when anyone disagrees with your point of view.
Opinion
Articles
HETRICK: It’s hip to be simple, so let’s take advantage
A gentleman from Fort Wayne died last month. The cancer caught up to him just a few days before his 80th birthday. Like many
of us native Hoosiers, this fellow was born of working folks. His dad was a traveling hardware salesman,
his mom a homemaker.
Health reform stories should include private-practice docs
I read with interest IBJ’s [June 29 story] focusing on health care reform. I was not surprised by the exclusion
of opinions from “real” private-practice physicians.
WILLIAMS: IPS needs leadership overhaul
The challenges facing Indianapolis Public Schools are daunting. The socioeconomic level of its students and their families,
fiscal constraints, and a necessary heightened focus on security issues are just a few, but all contribute to high dropout
rates, low academic achievement, achievement gaps between middle-class and low-income children and declining enrollment.
MARCUS: If not taxes, how about user fees?
“Most people hate to pay taxes,” Gregory Goad said. “They don’t appreciate the services taxes support,
they don’t understand why taxes are necessary, or they don’t like to help people in need.”
SURF THIS: Let’s just back up … with a Drobo
Hard drives fail—almost all of them, at one point or another. Back-ups are a little clunky to set up
and keep up with, so most people I know ignore it. I finally decided I couldn’t avoid it any longer.
LOU’S VIEWS: Breaking with the past at Tut show
I entered "Tutankhamun: The Golden King and the Great Pharoahs" (at the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis through Oct. 25) with a limited knowledge of Egyptian history—and by limited, I mean loose threads picked up from a handful of Mummy movies, the Bible, and a few too many productions of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat."
HICKS: The gift of John Fisher went beyond business
It would be artless this week to write an article on economics and business in Indiana without remarking upon the passing of John Fisher. Much has been written about his legacy over this past week, so I will make do with an anecdote and a lesson I have learned from him.
KATTERJOHN: Tut-tut, looks like parochialism
When prominent Egyptologist Zahi Hawass shared stories at a recent event about his personal meeting with President Obama,
my pride was momentarily dashed by the behavior of the people sitting at the next table.
When Hawass noted how impressed he was with our new president, these people became incredulous. They started snickering like
schoolchildren.
VIEWPOINT: Discuss CEO pay in the open
While transparency is a stated goal of many corporations, deliberations regarding distribution of shareholder property
to executives are not subject to light of day or to review. Instead, decision-making is camouflaged by
thousands of words that appear substantial but disclose little.
INVESTING: Microsoft a good bet to outperform market
In the not-too-distant past, Microsoft was the most dominant company on the planet. In 25 years, it had spawned the world’s
richest man along with products that became as ubiquitous as water.
WellPoint salaries are ill-gotten
I own and manage a small business. WellPoint is our health insurance carrier. I have an employee, makes good money. He is in excellent health but he is diabetic. WellPoint won’t insure him!
FEIGENBAUM: Education money helped land key Democratic votes
As both House Speaker Pat Bauer, D-South Bend, and House Republican Leader Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, see it, this is definitely a "Republican-flavored" budget. Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels laid the framework, and legislators from both sides of the aisle largely abided by his bottom lines of spending, state agency cuts and surplus.
Global citizenship is our reality
[In his June 22 column, Bruce Hetrick asked,] "Is global citizenship ‘intellectual nonsense and stunningly dangerous?’" This question, reflective of Newt Gingrich’s recent statement declaring himself not "a citizen of the world" elicited personal incredulousness.
EDITORIAL: Leadership void stymied special legislative session
The legislative session that concluded June 30 with passage of a two-year budget left a bad taste in our mouths. For starters,
legislators lacked the courage to tackle local government reform—even though cash-strapped units of government
desperately need the millions of dollars in savings they would generate. In short, they put political cronyism ahead of the
interests of the state.
DINING: Backward-named eatery, forward-thinking fusion
Search the Web for Naisa and you may come up with the North American International Auto Show or the Native American and Indigenous Studies Association. Neither has anything to do with the new Naisa Pan-Asian Cafe (1025 Virginia Ave., 602-3708), where the name comes from simply reversing the letters in the word Asian.
MARCUS: Budget made by rudderless Legislature
If we are lucky, by the time you read these words the Indiana General Assembly will have passed a new budget. Democrats use
tarot cards and Republicans chicken innards to determine how much to spend. There are alternatives.
DINING: Upscale eatery makes its mark on Shelbyville casino
One of just three Maker’s Mark restaurants in the country—the others are in Louisville, Ky., and Kansas City,
Mo.—the upscale eatery would have been a good fit in downtown Indianapolis or in one of the suburban dining-and-shopping
meccas.
SKARBECK: More reforms sought for target-date funds
Target-date mutual funds, a popular investment vehicle in 401(k) plans and college savings plans, have recently come under
scrutiny by Congress and regulators. Investors are in an uproar over the recent poor performance of funds nearing their target
date.
GUY: What price company leadership?
The folks who control executive compensation are often executives themselves. Boards must realize that their self-dealing,
self-benefiting ways are grossly out of line with the true value of one’s contribution to a business and society.