The Rathskeller's Number One

Thrillist compiled the 21 best beer gardens in the United States, and our very own Rathskeller is first on the list.

Way to go, Indy!

Johnson County Buys a 55,000-pound MRAP Tank

"Rural counties across Indiana have been purchasing Afghanistan-surplus tanks with gunner turrets and heavy armor; most recently, it was Johnson County, whose Sheriff, Doug Cox, justified the purchase by saying, 'The United States of America has become a war zone'."

Read it all here: "Small town sheriff buys tank"

And, watch out for those land mines evidently littering that Hoosier county south of Indy.

UPDATE:

It's even worse than this Indianapolis Observer thought:
"In the Indianapolis suburbs, officers said they needed a mine-resistant vehicle to protect against a possible attack by veterans returning from war."

From:"War Gear Flows to Police Departments"

Calling All Prospective Beekeepers

The Indiana Beekeeping School takes place Friday and Saturday (June 13 and 14, 2014) in the Normandy Barn at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis.

Hours are 4 to 9 p.m. Friday and 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

The registration fee of $120 includes textbooks, notes and meals on Saturday. Attendees can bring additional family members for $95 each.

Yet Another Reason to be Glad Mourdock Didn't Win

Indiana state treasurer Richard Mourdock, who mounted an unsuccessful bid for U.S. Senate in 2012, says America is going the way of Hitler's Nazi Germany, according to a report in the Huffington Post.

"Mourdock broke down the comparison in detail on Saturday [7 June], the day after the 70th anniversary of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy," writes Igor Bobic.

""The people of Germany in a free election selected the Nazi party because they made great promises that appealed to them because they were desperate and destitute. And why is that? Because Germany was bankrupt," [Mourdock] told a supportive crowd at the Indiana Republican Convention in Fort Wayne...."

This Indianapolis Observer is grateful this clown was not elected to represent us, as (given statements such as that) he certainly does not. Gov. Pence needs to distance himself from such inane comments pronto.

UPDATE:
IBJ.com reports today (9 June): "Indiana Republican Chairman Tim Berry said he did not hear Mourdock's remarks, but said comparisons to Nazis are generally inappropriate."

Trash Pickup Delayed by Memorial Day

The Indianapolis Department of Public Works (DPW) would like to remind residents that curbside recycling, residential and heavy trash pick up, will operate on a slide schedule next week in observance of Memorial Day, Monday, 26 May.

There will be NO residential trash, heavy trash or curbside recycling service on Monday, 26 May.

All routes will operate on a slide schedule. Services for the week will be delayed by one day through Saturday, 31 May.

All services will return to normal schedules Monday, 2 June.

Xi'an's Terra Cotta Warriors Visit the Children's Museum

If a picture says 1000 words, this should convince you to buy a ticket for the Xi'an Terra Cotta Warriors on view at the Indianapolis Children's Museum. Open through 2 November 2014.

Pence as Pontius Pilate: An Easter Meditation

"Pilate politics is when a governor, in the face of thousands of lives that could be saved, still chooses to deny Medicaid to people in his or her state, due to some gauzy longitudinal theory or misplaced fiscal principle."

(Yes, Governor Pence: he's talking about you.)

This is from "The Politics of Pontius Pilate: How Not to Lead" by Joshua DuBois, posted on the Daily Beast.

He writes, "But in seemingly benign ways every day, our leaders still practice a lesser form of Pontius Pilate politics — with dangerous, deadly consequences..."

"It's a difficult thing to go against the will of the crowd, to buck the norms of a given party, system or age—but in doing so, you never know who you might save."