The Yawning Abyss of Time - Leave Muncie Women Alone

 Closing out for the night, intending to read a bit of Roberto Bolano, trying to figure out the distance between the time available today and what was accomplished.

I left work a little before 12:30. I caught the #2 and went to Payless for groceries in preparation of Advent. I got here around 2 pm.

I ate dinner. There was some reworking of "Dead and Dying" and a little assault on my email, and a post for later in the week under pretrial detention.

It is 8:45 and little feels accomplished. The cat lays at my feet, wondering why I am not petting him.

 Some of my latest reading:

Court docs: Delaware County woman kicked state trooper in the groin

Police reported that, while they were attempting to break up the fight they had observed, Engle ran into the bar and began to attack another patron. Cops then ran toward Engle to try to place her in handcuffs.

Court documents indicate Engle resisted arrest by trying to pull officers’ arms away from her. Eventually, police reported that Engle was handcuffed.

After she was placed in handcuffs, Engle kicked one officer in the right knee. According to court documents, she then kicked the state trooper involved in the incident in the groin.

Like an island, Indiana is surrounded, and it’s gonna cost us 

O’Neill’s iconic statement still rings true more often than not. Maybe. Sometimes. However, there is no question that our neighboring states have turned Indiana into a political island. And when I think of another island to which Indiana might compare, I conclude we are less like Maui or Mackinac, and more like Gilligan’s. Island politics are absolutely local. 

Ohio really made a statement last week on two issues that are the polar opposite of where Indiana is, because, you know, Hoosiers’ and Ohioans’ sharply diverge on lots of basics. Actually, I contend that if people of each state traded their sports teams’ gear with those of the other, no one outside of the region would even notice. 

***

How did Hoosiers become so different from everyone around us? Is it the excessive consumption of breaded pork tenderloin sandwiches? Or maybe it’s that we spent too many late nights playing Euchre and pretending the game is complicated enough for us to argue about who is good or bad at it.

The truth is, we aren’t different than everyone around us. The people of this state disagree with Indiana government on both issues. Hoosiers oppose the abortion ban the Indiana General Assembly passed last year. Hoosiers also oppose the ban on marijuana. If the question were asked here like it was in Ohio, the result would have gone straight-up Buckeye. 

More importantly, it matters. 

The American Association for the Advancement of Science reported in July, “Abortion laws are driving academics out of state—and keeping others from coming.” HR Dive reported in August that employers announcing reproductive healthcare benefits received more interest in job openings compared to those who didn’t. Again, no surprise. 

Clinging to unpopular policies is more than just an inconsequential pain in the neck for the majority. It leads to all kinds of erosion in our communities. 

Indiana cities are dishing out thousands of dollars to get out-of-state workers to relocate

To be eligible for recruitment offers on MakeMyMove, most programs require potential movers to earn salaries of $50,000 or more, be willing to relocate and remain in their new community for at least a year.

The incentives vary by community. All involve some form of cash as part of the package, but many include other unique, local offerings.

That includes southern Indiana’s Daviess County, which will give residents $5,000 to move within the rural community. Also included is an annual state parks pass, a checking account with a $250 bonus, and access to a behind the scenes tour of the Patoka Lake Winery, a free visit to the Wilstem Ranch Drive-Through Safari and tickets to attend dinner and a musical show at local Abbeydell Hall.

In the honor of my yellow feline friend:

sch