Hoosier lore

We regularly run columns by Indiana Policy Review adjunct scholar Andrea Neal, and I usually find her conservative Hoosier common sense compelling. But she wrote something in her most recent column about wind power that bothered me. She is properly skeptical of wind power's potential, citing the Heritage Foundation's concerns that it is very costly and doesn't reduce our reliance on fossil fuels.

Too bad:

 When the Brown County Playhouse season closed Aug. 22 with "The Last Night of Ballyhoo," it might truly have been the last.

Indiana University has said it will announce on Friday the closing of the playhouse

Time magazine wanders into the Hoosier state in search of an answer to it's headlined question, "How Barack Obama Became Mr. Unpopular":

A sense of disappointment, bordering on betrayal, has been growing across the country, especially in moderate states like Indiana, where people now openly say they didn't quite understand the President they voted for in 2008. The fear most often expressed is that Obama is taking the country somewhere they don't want to go.

Indiscriminate use of the "homeless" term has finally gone too far:

After the recent Casey County dog hording bust, I was inspired to write this column in order to help people understand how they can help homeless animals in our community.

Didn't we use to call them "strays"? Should we really be making exuses for their own poor decisions and life skills by calling them "homeless"?

Today's "close but no cigar" award:

The Indiana Supreme Court is partnering with public broadcasters to teach viewers about the legal process.

The first show is called "Family Matters: Choosing to Represent Yourself in Court." It will begin airing Thursday on Indiana public television stations.

I was hoping Mitch Daniels might be the first governor to just say no to the federal government, but it looks like that honor goes to Time Pawlenty:

Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty Tuesday ordered all state agencies to not to submit applications to any health care funding from the federal government related to the health care overhaul.

Any applications must be either required by law or approved by the governor's office.

What in the world was this "businessman" thinking of?

TERRE HAUTE — The Ballyhoo Tavern today becomes the first smoke-free bar in Terre Haute, a move the business's manager says is a result of the desires of its customers.

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Here's a good, debatable issue that doesn't involve terrorists, illegal immigrants, the federal government or religion, so let's go for it as a change of pace. Illinois and 31 other states have a "mercy rule" for high school football.

Karen Francisco, The Journal Gazette's editorial writer who specializes in education issues, notes with approval Gov. Daniels' daylong academy for the trustees of Indiana's public colleges and universities. One thing bothers her, though:

But I'm troubled by the single quote the governor's office chose to highlight in a news release: "We want to see an Indiana where there is a place for every student, but not every student can go every place."

Livin' the dream:

A Niles man will get one more chance to turn his life around after violating his probation just a day after he was sentenced earlier this month in Berrien County Trial Court.

Ivan Senter Fordyce, 40, of Superior Street in Niles, was sentenced for attempted assault with a dangerous weapon, a knife, on Aug. 16 and violated his probation a day later when he didn't report to his probation officer.

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