Who Gets What?

Sam Carpenter, Executive Director of The Hoosier Environmental Council, starts by describing obvious, direct, intentional withdrawal of environmental protections both nationwide and in our state.    Indiana is listed in one magazine as the state with the least environmental protections.  That is right.  Number 50.  

This conversation starts with fictional candidate Willy Stark, a favorite subject of our guest, Steve Ealy. Steve has written on how to read the Qur'an, the Federalist Papers and constitutional interpretation, the philosophers Jurgen Habermas, Michael Oakeshott, and Eric Voegelin, and the writers C. S. Lewis, Ralph Ellison, Fyodor Deostoevsky, James Fenimore Cooper, John Steinbeck, and Robert Penn Warren. He is currently working on a book-length study of Robert Penn Warren.  In other words, he is qualified to dicsuss Donald Trump in the perspective of history.  

From responding to new legislative requirements, some contained in bills over 800 pages long, to visiting homes and handling aggressive property owners, Judy Sharp has been doing it all for almost four decades.  

Michael Claytor has served as an auditor of public activities since 1974, including being a candidate for the position of Indiana State Auditor in 2014.  

The Trimedx Foundation sends volunteers around the world to install and maintain sophisticated medical equipment.  It is affiliated with Trimedx, an Indianapolis company with more than 3000 associates, which has relationships with most hospitals in Indiana.  The foundation will conduct about 40 medical missions this year.  Our guest, Audra Plopper, is director of the foundation.  

Government is changing philanthropic activities by suspending federal economic support and taking direct charge of administering programs especially of arts organizations.  Our guest Gene Tempel is Founding Dean Emeritus of the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy and a Professor of Philanthropic Studies.  

Indiana University Teaching Professor, and founding member of The Society, tells us all about the many genres suitable for guitar, and about this society, which has a special event the night of April 16.     For readers and listeners.  Please email us to tell us what you think about our efforts.  MMJGPodcast@gmail.com

are just three of the many subjects in this wide-ranging discussion of performing arts, with D. Paul Thomas, an actor, producer, director and more.   For two years, Mr. Thomas taught acting at the historic Lamb's Theatre in New York City, serving as its first Artistic Director while premiering Noel Paul Stookey's, Puff the Magic Dragon. This was followed by seven years as President of Victory Films, directing over twenty productions including the video series, Celebration of Discipline; One Is A Whole Number (Religion in Media Award); the docudramas They Cry in the Night, filmed in Swaziland, Africa, and The Calling, filmed in the Amazon jungles of Peru; the dramatic musicals, The Fanny Crosby Story, Man of the Morning and Love Divine. Feature films include Kiki, starring Emmy Award winner, Michael Moriarty, and Years of the Beast. He has written, directed or performed in seven “one-person” shows, including A Heart Strangely Warmed and Who Stands Fast?

How do we know what we need to know?  In the mythical "old days" local newspaper editors selected stories for us to read, and, in Indianapolis, people read only three sources, The Indianapolis Star, The Indianapolis News, and The Indianapolis Times.  Therefore, everyone shared common information.  Not so today.  No one tells us what is important.  We must seek it out ourselves, usually without a foundation from which to seek.  Meanwhile,  the magnitude, the quantity of news sources, the diversity, has increased exponentially which means that a person seeking information must work hard, must check multiple sources, to find and evaluate.  

Larry Deboer,  Professor and Extension Specialist in Agricultural Economics at Purdue University, who has consulted about taxation of property for decades, describes Indiana's property tax and various issues about it.  

Rob Walch describes the podcasting business nation wide.  We also learn how to start a podcast, the different types of programs, the three basic formats, plus a number of specifically recommended listening experiences.  Rob is Vice President of Podcaster Relations for LIBSYN (Liberated Syndication), which provides the technical services for podcast publication.  (Libsyn.com)

Larry Wallman, a manufacturers' representative and leader in The International Micro Electronics Assembly and Packaging Society, tells us about Indiana's declining position in his industry.  Morton calls attention to recent announcements that electronics companies are coming to Indiana. 

Audrey Johnson not only sings.  She teaches.  John encountered Audrey in this context.  She provided both a wonderful musical experience and a history of Jewish American composers, this with the collaboration of pianist Clare Longendyke.  More information about Audrey's programs can be found at OFTHEEISING.COM.  (Yes:  two letter e).  In the next year and a half, she will help celebrate the Semiquincentennial of The United States with public and private performances.  

A discussion of systems and procedures that make air travel safe.  

"Hoosier Gardener" Jo Ellen Meyers Sharp describes how to deal with plants during periods of heavy snow and cold.  Plants and trees should be selected and placed to avoid/reduce contact with salt-based deicing compounds.  Walking on ice-bound lawns is discouraged.  Also, the time is right to try new plants.  Cconsidering local ordinances and home owner assiciation rules is important.  

A wide-ranging discuission of costs, wages, economic development, the nature of jobs, and much more, about Indianapolis.

Spoiler Alert:  You spend too much on entertainment!  (A conversation between podcast hosts John Guy and Morton Marcus.)

The best way to appreciate this conversation is to review this web site:  https://blog.lostartpress.com/2021/02/09/meet-the-author-marc-adams/ And, if more interested, request a course catalog at marc@marcadams.com.  The descriptions, instructor biographies, and photographs, tell the story.  

Protection of forests, differences between hard and soft wood, new wood-based construction materials such as used recently in the new Elanco building Indianapolis, Issues involving expansion of The Deam Wilderness Area, all are considered in this lively, diverse conversation with Ray Moistner, executive director of The Indiana Hardwood Lumbermens Association.  

The ACLU sues government agencies for approving policies that deny constitutional rights to various individuals and groups, most having minority status in our nation.      

Having arrived in his new position in February, Paul describes many activities of Kiwanis International which is headquartered in Indianapolis.

"Dawson's Home For Wayward Chickens, explained at the end of this podcast, is an element in the life of former journalist and broadcaster Shannon Dawson who produces televised debates between gubernatorial and senatorial candidates in Indiana, advocates for suicide prevention, and promotes documentaries regarding food insecurity.  

Having served on the Indianapolis Public Schools Board between 2012 to 2016, subsequently serving as teacher and consultant, and now running for the IPS Board of Commissioners, Dr. Gayle Cosby has a unique and broad perspective with changes involving geography of board districts, the rise of charter schools, the application of vouchers, the costs of running for school boards, and the influence of specific organizations, many knowns as PACs, to influence who wins and what policies are approved.  

Dr. McCray is a clinical psychologist with extensive experience in counseling individuals and considering elements of public policy.  She believes she can bring these experiences to positive public policy when she becomes a United States Senator.  

In his successive second interview with us, Mike Hannigan describes the functions of The Federal Home Loan Bank system.  (Mike was a board member of The Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis.  He also served in many trade association leadership positions.)

Mike Hannigan understands both the needs and processes to originate and conclude major development projects, all taking many months and years from start to finish, some more than a decade.  This is the task of converting land to its highest and best use.  Some residential. Some commercial or industrial.  In any case, look at any project, any at all, and "you will see an effort that was opposed by some, perhaps by many, at the start."  (Specific local projects are mentioned.)

Courtney Johnson, with spouse and two children, still finds time to direct a powerful youth center ( "Y & E," which stands for "Young and Established"), to serve as a professional life coach, manage a food bank, maintain a marketing company, work as director of community and resources for The Evansville Housing Authority, and he is at-large member of The Evansville City Council.  Whew!!

Inappropriate use of statistics, a prominent element in politics, is considered, criticized, and evaluated, in this conversation between the moderators of Who Gets What.

Public schools serve all residents.  Vouchers do not.  They do not serve populations in small towns having only one school, itself barely supported.  Vouchers tend to subsize wealthy persons who can afford private school tuitions.  Perhaps as much as 90 % of voucher subsidizes go to schools having support from a single religion.  These are just a few of the powerful points in this discussion.

Since 1992, Senior Home Companions has provided personal caregivers for the memory challenged and infirm.  More recently, it has built Story Cottages, fully-staffed facilities for as few as 8 resident guests.  Its leader is David Morgan who tells us about planning for the later years and, of course:  Aging In Place.  

Drum Major Larry Lafferty compellingly describes his experiences starting with the 1968 Indiana Marching Hundred, The Rose Bowl Year.  Now a retired school administrator from Bedford, IN., Larry reflects on Indiana sports history and movies in which his band made appearances.  Meanwhile, podcast host Morton reveals that his son was a high school drum major. 

The Big Car Collaborative, a nonprofit art and design organization, utilizes tools of culture and creativity to build community and social cohesion — helping connect people as a way to boost quality of life.  Its co-founder* and Executive Director, Jim Walker, covers many topics, such as use of color in housing, reducing the housing burden on artists, the park-like project on The Circle, and its primary facility, Tube Factory Artspace. *With his wife, Shauta Marsh, Director of Programs and Exhibitions.  

Dedicated, energetic, non partisan Julia Vaughn has been working to improve Indiana's democratic systems, to foster transparency and to extend voting rights to all eligible Indiana citizens, talks about recent actual and proposed restrictions on voter eligibility.   In her view, Indiana does not have an election security problem.  Instead, it has a voter participation problem.  In 2022, Indiana was 50th in vother turnout.

John Ketzenberger, Director of Government Relations, The Nature Conservancy (Indiana Chapter), reminds us of its many projects, as well as the opportunities to share and to understand nature in Indiana.  John thanks Morton for "cranking me up on a Friday morning," after Morton wonders why so many different environmental organizations exist.    

Local mass transportation, a new soccer stadium and the new judicial center are just a few of the topics in this exchange with Greg Ballard, 48th Mayor of Indianapolis. 

This rambling dicussion between two economists, our host Morton Marcus, and our guest Bruce Jaffee, covers money in athletics, history disappearing, news as entertainment, regulating business, and the compelling need to teach critical thinking--the ability to ask questions, to see the difference between fact and fiction.  For over four decades, Bruce was a teacher, an observer, an author of impact studies, and a faculty representative to the NCAA.  

Habitat for Humanity's State Director, Gina Leckron, talks about both the need for housing, especially starter homes, as well as means for Habitat's many chapters to attract donors.  One method is to utilize The Attainable Home Ownership Indiana Income Tax Credit, created this year by The Indiana General Assembly.  

Tuck Langland has produced major works of art throughout the world.  Here we consider/debate ideas about creativity in general, creating art on computers, the proper and improper application of artificial intelligence to copy or to enhance new works of art, and production by 3-d printing.  Tuck asks "can artificial intelligence create new ideas?"  Then he states:  "I do not think a machine can create a world."

Jim Brainard may be the most expererienced urban planner in Indiana, possibly the nation, having served as Mayor of Carmel since 1996.  In this conversation, he challenges assumptions about "weak mayors" by comparing Indiana's institutional system to those of other states.  The long-term costs of urban sprawl are considered, as well as the absurd system of government jurisdictions competing with each other by offering economic incentives to large companies.  

Jill's House serves up to 33 guests in Bloomington.  Angela Hays has many tasks under the title Community Development Consultant.  She talks about the nature of dementia, finanicial considersations and the broad national need for additional services.  

This walk through a six-decade legal and civic career starts with the racial issues of 1968, moves to work on veterans affairs in Washington, a legal career representing utilities and other corporations, and his recent project, a photo-essay exhibition about the lives of soldiers who returned from Vietnam.  The exhibition opens at the end of May at the Railroad Depot in Union City.  

Jennifer Pearl is President of The Bloomington Economic Development Corporation which serves Monroe County,  She states that "economic development is providing conditions for prosperity."

Twice-chapter-president Roy Hedeen describes the nature, history and functions of service clubs, in this case, Kiwanis.  Roy also served as a professional representative of Kiwanis International.  Societal changes are considered.  

Here we are fortunate to learn about emergence of a new non profit.  Mental health care professional Antoniett Nelson opens Seasoned Transitional Living on June 1, planning to help dozens of young people this year and in to the future.  

Joy's House is a central Indiana leader fostering both professional and volunteer caregiving, and in understanding this element of our aging population.  Tina McIntosh started down this road 25 years ago when she created Joy's House, an adult day care facility in Broad Ripple.  As a result of this commitment, she was selected as USAToday's Woman of The Year, Indiana.  [https://www.usatoday.com/storytelling/grid/women-of-the-year-2023/] Tina supports caregiving in many ways, including a weekly radio show (WIBC 93.1 FM, Sundays, 10 a.m., and 1310 AM Saturdays, 8 a.m.),, and she is a board member of a national caregiving organization.  VisitCaregiverWay.com is one of her favored sources.  General information is available at Joyshouse.org. *Over 200 stations nation wide, including WTTV and WXIN in Indianapolis.  

Brian Sullivan teaches radio and television at New Albany High School, the owner of WNAS, the student-run, 24-hour station.  (88.1 in the New Albany/Louisville area; also WNAS.org)      

In possibly the clearest explanation we have heard, endocrinologist Hunter Heath explains diabetes.  He also states that diabetes was understood by The Greeks.  They measured the amnount of sugar in urine.  Advances in both monitoring and treatment have improved treatment dramatically.  

For almost 20 years, Julia Vaughn has led Common Cause, Indiana, by advocating for legislative ethics, monitoring lobbying, and more fair legislative and congressional districting.  Common Cause was founded by John Gardner in 1970, a Republican who held a cabinet position in the Democratic administration of Lyndon Johnson.  Since then, bi partisanship has been powerful in the organization.  

Having seved as both an Indiana legislator and, later, as a lobbyist for private companies, Marc Carmichael talks about educating legislators who cannot have knowledge about every issue.  Three categories:  lobbyists for one firm or industry; contract lobbyists who work for dozens of different organizations and issues; public interest lobbyists who advocate social reforms such as redistricting legislative districts, voting rights, and public health.

Will Higgins, humorist, author, journalist, talks about last suppers, catered food for journalists at executions, the delayed burial of Indiana poet James Whitcomb Riley, and Indiana's last hanging after which a journalist ate the deceased's final meal.  With apologies, may we say:  you will be dying to hear this podcast.