Opinion

Maybe it’s the perspective a long life brings, but I find myself eyeing with some skepticism the glut of “personal brands” that assault us every day on television, in print, and through social media. Entertainers, celebrities, politicians striving for acclaim, artists and writers who’ve mastered the public-relations game, journalists and media stars who are building their national profiles—all are “important” in terms of the attention they garner. But are they actually important?

Nearly twenty years ago, I discovered the Spanish flamenco guitarist Paco de Lucia. That led to my buying two of his LPs, which I enjoyed until my turntable stopped turning. Then I simply forgot him.

Here is a fun fact for your amusement, which I just invented: The Grand Canyon is seven miles longer than Indiana.

One of the saddest things about this era has been the slow, steady demolition of the U.S. Supreme Court and the judicial branch.

Did you know the Johnson County Public Library (JCPL) hosts bestselling and award-winning authors as part of our Authors at JCPL series? Thanks to donations to the JCPL Foundation and those who virtually attended the third annual Snuggle Up with a Book Ball, we bring notable authors like Jan Brett, J.A. Jance, Brad Thor and Tomi Adeyemi to Johnson County.

We were heading down the hill from the ridge that leads north out of Nashville when we spotted a deer crossing the road. It was evening but Becky and I have learned to keep an eye out for such encounters. The small, scrawny creature seemed to be moving slower than normal. It made it to the other side and disappeared into the dark trees. We drove on speculating it was hungry or ill. Haven’t we read about something called “chronic wasting disease?”

Over the past 30 years, companies in the United States have added 40 million jobs. This is a remarkable achievement that enriches Americans and dramatically improves our standard of living. As we think about this growth, it is helpful to consider what type of jobs have been created, what types of workers are hired and what these facts tell us about the types of economic policies we pursue at the state and local level.

It is easy, almost too easy, to laugh at Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita.

Mary Ellen and I were in the middle of spring cleaning (we do it every three or four years) when I found a book in the back of the storage closet that I thought Mary Ellen could benefit from.

We stood underneath the passing clouds and twinkling stars, gaping in wonder.