In recent years, my two brothers have been fond of referring to the Super Bowl as The Stupid Bowl. Disgusted by the
crass commercialism that has overtaken professional sports, they view The Stupid Bowl as the zenith of hype.
Last November, Katz Sapper and Miller went back to schooll—Broad Ripple High School.
Each January, I reflect on a few of the prior year’s columns. I’m always curious about the topics and
people I have written about over the course of the year. I hope you are, too.
Multiple challenges remain,
no doubt. But I feel a whole lot better about our prospects than I did a year ago at this time.
As is the custom of the last few holiday seasons, I am pleased to present a puzzle. This year’s challenge, 3-D Word
Hunt, is derived from a format conceived by Will Shortz, puzzle editor of The New York Times.
I saw where Barbara Walters did her 10 Most Fascinating People of 2009 shtick on television recently. So with a nod
to the venerable newswoman, here’s my list of locals who got my attention
this year.
Remember Cousin Eddie? He is the obstetrician/gynecologist in Houston I wrote about who tried to cut the mustard
in the hot dog business (“There ain’t no hog in the Yoso Dog”). He dreamed of having his own restaurant
and, against the advice of friends, he went to the dogs.
en years ago, Dodson Group CEO Jim Dodson came to IBJ with an idea to launch a program that would recognize
best practices in the not-for-profit community and reward organizations that practiced them. And not just with
a pat on the back—with hard cash.
Mayor Greg Ballard published his book “The Ballard Rules” in 2005. Apparently, the rules do not apply
to Ballard.
The unsustainable
system of health care that we now find ourselves participating in has been decades in the making. What makes us think we can
fix it—really fix it—overnight?
As a participant in the Spirit and Place Festival that took place in Indianapolis Nov. 6-15, I was invited to share
a personal story of how an ordinary space was infused with special meaning for me. This is my story.
With apologies to the rock group King Crimson, who recorded a song in the late ’60s called “21st Century
Schizoid Man,” I’d like to draw attention to our city’s split personality. Good Indianapolis.
Bad Indianapolis.
Failure does
not have to mean you’re through. Mistakes are inevitable in all businesses. A better test of the character of someone
in business is how he or she reacts to failure.
You know, there’s an election on Nov. 3, right? We’re not voting for president, governor,
mayor, or even dog catcher. We’re voting for a critical piece of the health care delivery system in central Indiana: whether to allow Marion County
Health & Hospital Corp. to sell bonds to build a new Wishard Hospital.
Quentin Smith served as a first lieutenant in the U.S. Army Air Force from 1942 to 1945. He is one of at least seven surviving Tuskegee Airmen who live in Indiana.
The Hoosier State Press Association, a trade group representing 175 paid-circulation Hoosier newspapers, including
IBJ, has launched a campaign designed to remind the public of the important role newspapers play in our democracy.
So this week, I’m ceding my space to David Stamps, executive director of the HSPA
The recent slump in the domestic auto industry reminds us of the importance of innovation and creating something that will
be attractive to the consumer tomorrow. Companies that don’t foresee and adapt to the changing needs of their consumers
ultimately fail.
God hates fags. That’s the declaration we heard Sept. 24 from the Westboro Baptist Church road show that appeared
at North Central High School and other Indianapolis venues throughout the day.
It turns out the purchase of men’s underwear is an esoteric economic indicator for economists all over the world.
Alan Greenspan himself apparently considers it important. That was news to me.
As an old-timer, I am honored when asked for business advice. Because so much of the labor force has been idled,
recent inquiries have come from Hoosiers with resumes in hand. I am afraid my usual advice isn’t working, so I have
some new ideas—new opportunities to investigate in the face of this job crisis.
