Is It About the Artifacts...or Something Else?

As Gary R. Welsh writes, "Seriously, The FBI Devoted Massive Resources To Seize A 91-Year Old Man's Private Collection Of Artifacts?"

Rush County's Don Miller is, indeed, a collector of long-standing -- and his collection of pots, arrowheads, bones etc. is enormous.

But it hardly seems to warrant FBI overkill (when we can't even find all of Tim Durham's more contemporary assets).

Although this Indianapolis Observer is not a fan of Welsh's conspiracy theories, he does raise valid questions here: is there something else the Feds are looking for while using the artifacts as a smokescreen? Such as (he suggests) information on the space program of the former USSR -- a project in which Dr. Miller evidently was involved.

Stay tuned....

Poet Richard Blanco Reads at IUPUI

Poet Richard Blanco (pictured) will read some of his poems beginning at 7:30 p.m. 10 April in the Basile Auditorium of the Herron School of Art and Design at Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis, 735 West New York Street.

The event is part of the Rufus & Louise Reiberg Reading Series and is co-sponsored by the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research as part of IUPUI’s Research Day 2014.

In 2013, Blanco was chosen to serve as the fifth inaugural poet of the United States.

The poet was born in Madrid in 1968, immigrating as an infant with his Cuban-exile family
to the United States. He was raised and educated in Miami, earning a B.S. in civil engineering and a M.F.A. in creative writing from Florida International University.

He has been a practicing engineer, writer and poet since 1991. He has taught at Georgetown University, American University, Writer’s Center and Central Connecticut State University. Blanco currently lives in Bethel, Maine.

His books include City of a Hundred Fires (1998), Directions to the Beach of the Dead (2005), Looking for the Gulf Motel (2012), One Today (2013), Boston Strong (2013), and For All of Us, One Today: An Inaugural Poet’s Journey (2013).

Hoosiers Fail Math 'n' Reading

According to the Associated Press, Indiana is the first state to withdraw from the Common Core reading and math standards that were adopted by most states around the country.

This Indianapolis Observer is betting that's because the Indiana State legislators took a look at the level of competence the standards required, and couldn't pass muster.

Hoosiers don't want their kids to be less illiterate or innumerate than they are, don't you know? Book learning drives a wedge between parents and children.

Ignorance starts with adults who should know better.

When You're Here, You're Home

Yes: "Parks and Recreation" soars where the Indiana Department of Tourism crashed.

The fictional Pawnee decided on "When You're Here, Then You're Home", which (edited to remove the "then") would indeed be a perfect tourism slogan for Indiana.

The show's second palce slogan, "Storied Past, Bright Future", is better, too, considering Indiana's Bicentennial is in 2016. (Hat-tip to Paul K. Ogden for the information.)

This Indianapolis Observer thinks that "Honest to Goodness" is indefensible, and definitely not worth the $100,000 wasted on its development. The Hoosier State could have spent that money on tourism ads during "Parks and Recreation" had had a better return on its investment.

Sinkholes in City Streets vs. Luxury Condos

This Indianapolis Observer doesn't have much to add to Gary R. Welsh's commentary on Advance Indiana: A Thought About Priorities.

On the same day a firetruck falls into a hole in the street ON THE WAY TO A FIRE, the City-County Council votes to give millions to a developer for an apartment (not coincidentally on the very land that SHOULD be used for expanding the justice center).

If only.... If only Indy had government watchdog journalists to shed light on the decisions to shovel tax dollars into private hands instead of projects that benefit the public....

Indiana vs. Pi

Your Indianapolis Observer finds it oddly comforting that Indiana's state legislators have been clueless dolts like, forever.

Today's example? "In 1897, the state of Indiana passed House Bill 246 dictating that the mathematical constant pi would officially have the value 3.2."

Read more about it here, in honor of Pi Day.

Yes, March 14 (for obvious reasons) is Pi Day.

Going Green: Curbside Recycling

Curbside Recycling will take place between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. Saturday (15 March) during the Going Green Festival, a two-day event at the Indiana State Museum, 650 West Washington Street, Indianapolis.

The festival takes place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday (14 March) and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday (15 March). It will showcase eco-friendly products and services, local environmental leaders and lifestyle activities. The festival is included with museum admission.

RecycleForce will be on hand Saturday at the museum's Washington Street entrance to collect electronic waste and other recyclables and deconstruct the materials and disposes of them safely and cleanly. There's no charge to drop off recyclables.

Scrap metals and other reusable material collected will be sold to help pay for job training programs and employment opportunities through RecycleForce targeting formerly incarcerated men and women reentering society and the workforce.

Residents who recycle will receive $2 off general admission for up to four guests. A list of items that will be accepted include:

• Telephone systems • Cellular phones • Air Conditioners • PCs (personal computers) • Laptops/Notebooks • Dehumidifiers • Desktop Computers/CPUs • CRT Monitors (no bare CRT tubes) • Mainframe computers • Scanners • Printers • Fax machines • Back-up power supplies systems • Photocopiers • Toner cartridges • Microwaves • CDs/DVDs/Blue Rays • Floppy disks/Thumb Drives • Electronic motors • Televisions • Integrated Circuits (IC) • Computer mice • Microphones • Computer Keyboards • VCR/DVD/CD Players • Games Systems (Xbox, Nintendo, Playstation, etc.) • Power Supplies • Surge Protectors • Computer boards • Copiers • Cash Registers • Satellite Components • Aluminum • Copper • Brass • Nickel • Cardboard • Phonebooks • Copy paper (No carbon paper) • Styrofoam (No dirty containers) • Plastics 1-7 • Amber Glass • Green Glass • Clear Glass • Batteries