The Word April 2015 (P4-Mother Goose)

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The Word Gets New Owners As Ted Retires (And Takes His British Spellings With Him)
By TED FLEISCHAKER
(For One Final Time)
Word Publisher
INDIANAPOLISAh what to say? The headline I am sure says it pretty much all anyway: its my
goodbye as this is the final edition of The Word I will be publishing. To some its good luck to me
for surviving the community (and the community surviving me) for 24 years. And for others its
good riddance...please do not let the door hit you on your way out!
In any case, its been quite a ride...since the June/Pride Word hit a very few streets in 1991 (before a
good batch of you current readers were even born) thru this final Ted Edition The Word has been
read, trashed, trusted, mis-trusted, hated, loved and sworn by and about in seven states.
As the paper has been sold and the May edition (and all going forward) will be published by a
new duo of D.J. Doran (shown with me in the photo) and Joe Morales (the publishers and owners
of the very popular and glossy gay travel magazine Gaycation) this is my last time to rant, rave
and inform along the way. Its also the final Word with British spellings and styles and I am 100%
sure will be the last with a lot of what some call my quirks and others comment on in far less
printable ways.
Regardless of your feelings, I want to thank the community for the ride. Its been a wild, crazy
and, above all, fun 24 years for me. And while he doesnt own the paper its been an interesting
time for my partner of 22 of those years, Ivan Howard. Hes had to live and breathe Word with
me, often whether or not he wanted to. Hes taught me about karma and kept a lot of the things I
might have said in the paper off the pages. And hes cheered me on, held my hands and dried my
tears during some interesting times.
I also want to thank the readers for supporting us, including those all across the seven Midwest
Please Continue On Page Three
The Word April 2015 On The Web At: www.thegayword.com Page 1
Page 2
The Word March 2015 On The Web At: www.thegayword.com
Word...
Continued From The Front Page
states we call our circulation area. We get big
welcomes when we show up at prides and other events
and we also constantly find folks who didnt know
there ever was a gay newspaper and still others who
have been longtime readers.
planning and was searching for a name she looked at me and said Call it The Word...because as a kid and still today
you always have to have the last word on everything! She was shocked I took the suggestion and it seems after almost
a quarter century to have stuck. I do still like the last word, so its approprite that I thank her in this, MY last Word.
And my dad, Arthur, who when Heartland, a gay paper Id been with just a few months folded and left me stranded
jobless and with nine months left on a years Riley Towers lease in Indy, said What made them fail? I gave him my
Please Continue On Page 14
I also want to thank my advertisters, without whom

we really, truly never could have made it happen. A
special shout out to Aaron Hunt over at whats now
called Club Indianapolis. The Club (or if you recall the
name when we started in 1991, Club Body Centre) is
the ONLY advertiser which has never missed a single
issue. Not one. They have believed in us since 1991
and I am thrilled they still do.
They have several close competitors for the only
title. The now-defunct Unicorn Club owned by Paul
Eckert and Johnny Martin was in almost every issue
from day one till they closed (save for three when they
had a fire and while rebuilding nothing to advertise!)
and Jim Brown over at Metro has hardly missed an
issue since he bought the place from Marc Griffin who
did ads and started it with his boyfriend at the time.
There are so many other strong supporters I am sure
someone will feel left out, but Michael Wright at
Edward Jones, Chuck, John, Steve & Brock and crew
at English Ivys, Tim & Dean at Ollys and the guys
down at Louisvilles Connection have all been or are
strong Word supporters as are the folks at Hoosier
Park and Indiana Grand, Play Louisville, the Damien
Centre, Saugatucks Dunes and Lexingtons Bar.
But many supporters are not sponsors, but writers
and readers. All of the current crop of columnists
with a special shout out to Sheila Kennedy who is
retiring with me after this issue deserve a pat on
the back for putting up with my constant whining
about deadlines and schedules, some for years. Sheila
has been here in every issue snce the first 16-pager, by
the way.
And almost as long-term is Standard Reviewer Bill
Elliott in Bloomington. And Denny Solso who (Or is
that whom? I never remember!) has been proofing The
Word for at least the past half-dozen years.
There are also the people you never see but without
whom we could not reach you. Not only partner Ivan
who keeps the website up and purring (and feeds the
gossip cats) but Nick, Lee, Thomas and Christian who
deliver the papers to a news stand or a shipping point
so they can reach you, our readers.
They are the ones carrying papers in snow and sleet
and rain and filling boxes or dropping them in stores
and bars and doing the real heavy lifting for us
so they all deserve a huge thank you and gift cards
for new trusses. These papers can get really heavy,
specially at pride time and special occasions.
I am 100% certain I am leaving out a lot of folks from
this final Ted edition but there are two who are not
reading as they have passed on I want to thank before
I say my final farewell. Those would be my parents.
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My mom, Rosa Lee, who died in 1993, is responsible

for giving this newspaper its name. When I began the
The Goose
Is Loose!
By Michael Chanak Cincinnati Pundit & Commentator
Your poor gaseous Goose has managed to touch the third rail of gay and lesbian
sensibilities in Cincinnati!
After all, I am called here a community commentator and pundit. Alternatively
others say I am old journalist, whose social life revolves around free buffets, snooping
and going to business meetings as a source of local tidbits.
Maybe the truth is all these things and neither. Ill admit I have a morbid fascination
with the communitys internal politic. This is an offering of the recent tale of your
peripatetic Goose.
I knew I had hit pay dirt when in one my usual rants and screeds I dared to comment
on FB some members dined on their $175 gay-LA repast, posting pictures of their
prom dresses as other community members died, (notably the transgender teen
Leelah Alcorn).
I didnt call names because there was no need to: things speak for themselves. Goosie
lamented that while the transgender community talks about lack of resources, another
organisation was sending $500K elsewhere. I fully expected some backdraft.
Some accused me of being bitter because this gay-LA group dissed me by not giving
me any recognition for my years of work at P&G for inclusion. That was, of course,
the work which led to the company adding sexual orientation to their EEO policy in
1992.
(An aside: It is a rather common pan to call someone bitter when you dont agree with
them.)
Imagine my delight when a member of the gay and lesbian community became very
personal on FB and stated (about this Goose): you are a tired rehash of Larry Kramer,
and I am tired of your contrarian point of few, with your nose pressed to the glass
complaining. It is tiresome.
My only response to this individual was I rather like Larry. I reported the incident
to the followers of Goose, who found the comment fascinating and offered what a
compliment, even a pale, rehash of Larry Kramer is better than eating rubber food.
Now, folks, I am no Larry Kramer. But I was reminded by my critic how much
groupthink does go on and how isolated some segments of our community can and do
become to other parts of it. I do, however, have a large bill and yes, it has been pressed
up against the glass (note that flat spot on end of it).
Id like to believe not all criticism is personal and that sometimes people just become
tone deaf and apathetic. Some dont like us. We forget our history and believe that the
world of activism is long dead or replaced by paid lobbyists at the D.C. level.
I am not so convinced. If anything, all of us, including Goose, can too easily become
victims of our own silo of belief, reinforced by FB interests and the abundance of the
like, like, like, awe, awe, awe generations comments. Maybe this is the very reason
as a writer and observer I attend many events. Its so that I can be a witness to history.
I went to most of the vigils near Cincinnati for Leelah Alcorn, including a planning
meeting. I saw and listened to the concerns of these communities. I do not consider
myself a spokesman for the transgender community. Like many, I continue to learn.
Ironically, with no influence from the Goose, Lindsey Deaton of the Transgender
Community of Cincinnati announced a die-in on Fountain Square on the 28th
of February. Whats a die-in? Oops! I remember those at the height of the HIV/lack
of medication protests. Oh no! Is the corpse of local activism rising from the grave
of long forgotten and tired activism? Well, all I can say is I have waited for that
resurrection for a very long time. Isnt it time we stop believing that only our betters
can save us - if we only we send our dollars to the national church?
I recall an old saying charity begins at home. I also recall learning all politics are
local. Please read me right. I am not against organisations which want to lobby for us
nationally. But I am saying isnt it time we expect from these groups some interest and
help returned to local communities from where the dollars were derived?
Dare I further suggest it isnt all about marriage equality and never was? Be an
informed consumer! I am not against a celebration - as we have always celebrated
in our communities during the darkest moments. But those celebrations always came
with an acknowledgement of those who passed, those who continue to work with
arms outstretched to others and those who used said events and raised a lot of money
for local causes all at the same time. I am not speaking about too many of todays
celebrations which are held behind closed doors that only the 1% can afford to open
and which send money raised out of town.
In the olden days, when Goose was formed, there were community picnics. They were
free or low cost and I continue to advocate for their return. I find it odd that with our
general success the advent of high priced soirees and gay-LAs have taken the place
of old fashioned get-to-know-others picnics. It is almost as though we came out so
we could go in and emulate the very behaviour of our former oppressors. And often I
suspect the same oppressors are still in our midst, just cloaked in modernisms.
So, to Lindsey Deaton I ask: are you another tired embodiment of Larry Kramer?
Tired or not, I think we need a lot more of us! Thanks for reminding all of us of our
shared history!
Page 4
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Ryan White Anniversary To Be Marked At Indiana History Centre

INDIANAPOLISAs the 25th anniversary of Ryan Whites death approaches, the
Indiana Historical Society (IHS) will honour his legacy with the release of a new IHS
Press book, The Quiet Hero: A Life of Ryan White, and a book launch event featuring
his mother, Jeanne White-Ginder, and good friend and champion Olympic diver Greg
Louganis, shown with him at right.
The event will take place Wednesday 1st April at the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana
History Centre, located at 450 W. Ohio St. in downtown Indianapolis.
In 1985, the eyes of the world turned to Indiana as the 13-year-old Kokomo student
attempted to join his fellow classmates at Western Middle School in Russiaville.
However, his wish to return to school was met with near hysteria by many school
officials and parents as White had been diagnosed with AIDS after receiving
contaminated blood-based products used to treat his hemophilia.
The Quiet Hero: A Life of Ryan White, written by Nelson Price with readers of all ages
in mind, explores the courage White and his mother, Jeanne, displayed in their battle
to have him join his classmates. Price, who covered Whites controversy as a reporter
and columnist for The Indianapolis News, goes behind the scenes and brings to light
stories and individuals who might have been lost in the media spotlight that followed
Ryan until he passed away on 8th April 1990.
The 1 April book launch event, which is free and open to the public, will begin at
6 p.m. with a reception and book signing with author Price. The evening will also
include a panel discussion which will feature Price, White-Ginder, Louganis and IHS
President and CEO John A. Herbst and be followed by a question-and-answer session
with the audience.
Admission to the book launch event is free, but space is limited for the programme
portion of the evening. To reserve a seat, contact Kimberly Rohl at membership@
indianahistory.org or 317/233.5658. For more information on IHS books and
programmes, call 317/232.1882 or visit www.indianahistory.org
Page 10
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Page 12
Word...
Continued From Page Three
views on it and he said Well, Ill loan you some cash. You start your own paper and
dont make the same mistakes!
Dad owned a chain of furntiure stores in Louisville, had a business degree from
Indiana University and taught me business from age 14 as a furniture salesman on
weekends. He got his loan back in 90 days and also stayed with The Word after he
retired. Dad did my books, sent out my dun letters to no payers and kept us on track.
Its thanks to that we have never had a single issue that has not been in the black and
its why I have a newspaper to sell to Joe & D.J. today. Dads are very special people and
I am glad mine stuck around until 2008 to see us grow and to hold my hand and spank
my butt when needed. Its somewhat ironic his last act on earth was to vote in the
November 2008 presidential election for Obama. He died the very next day.
I am proud of what we have done, given and had. And weve had some fun times, done
a lot of work and given and received our fair share of shit. I will have a 2nd story about
a few of the best and funniest times weve enjoyed (Not!) elsewhere in this issue, but
for now I am going to use my last word to say thank you. Thanks to the community
and region. Thanks to all the people near and far. And, above all, thanks to D.J. and
Joe who will, I am 100% certain, do a great job following after me to continue our
traditions, make new ones of their own and expand and expound upon what we have
started.
In closing, to those fearful of changes and growth, I am reminded of an editorial by
the publisher of The Philadelphia Evening Bulletin in that newspapers final issue in
the 1980s. In it, he talked about the choice he had to make to sell or close and he
chose the latter but in that editorial to justify the afternoon papers end he said,
remember that once dinosaurs roamed the earth, but dinosaurs dont live here
anymore.
In our case, the choice has been made to change, to continue, to grow and for new
(and younger) minds to take over while this dinosaur retires.So thats my story till now.
Happy reading for many, many years to come!
Page 14
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Special Thanks to Our
Community Partner Sponsor:
Outside
The Box
By Dr. Fred Schloemer, LCSW / Louisville
Dear Dr. Fred:
We go back a long way together. You and I were classmates in the 1960s at Atherton
High School in Louisville and we had the distinct displeasure to be bullied by the
same guy . . . a guy who today would be expelled for his acts and homophobia, but
whom, back in the day, administrators did nothing about. Despite our high school
friendship, we more or less lost track for a while, but for the past many years, you
have been writing this advice column for me as owner of The Word. And this
brings me to a question I want to ask both an authority and an old friend:
I have sold the newspaper and as of the day this one goes to press, my job here is
done. A new owner, D.J. Doran, will take over with the May edition and I wish him
all the luck in expanding what I started 24+ years ago, but my question is not about
The Word, but about Ted.
My partner of 22+ years, Ivan, is taking a transfer with Apple and we will soon be
relocating to Portland in Maine. When we were there house shopping, everyone I
spoke with, upon hearing that I do newspapers, and especially a straight one called
Up Downtown here in Indianapolis, asked me to try doing a downtown newspaper
in Portland. We did buy a condo, will be living downtown there and I will have a
fair amount of time on my hands with Ivan working every day.
So my question is this: My dad always taught that it was better to wear out and not
rust out, but I am unsure if I want to really retire or indeed start a new paper in
a new community and see where it goes. Dad also taught that one should save for
retirement and between having done so since he got me started saving back when
we attended Atherton together and my continuing to do so, plus having a husband
20 years my junior work (and providing me with excellent health insurance) I have
no pressing financial need to work, but in many ways I want to.
I have nothing to prove as I have been a business success now for many years,
but part of me wants to start a newspaper there or do some work in broadcasting
(which I did at WUOL and WHAS in Louisville as well as at several Indy stations).
Can you offer any suggestions or ideas? Do I retire and put my feet up or look for
a new challenge or find something part time or maybe do volunteer work or some
bits of all of the above? I have always valued your advice and will remain your
reader, but for this final time under my leadership Id appreciate some of your usual
excellent help in a personal nature. Its been a pleasure having you as a friend for
half a century as well as working with you the past many years as well.
Ted Fleischaker
Indianapolis.
Dear Ted:
What an honour to have someone Ive always admired so much seek my advice
on a major, life-changing personal decision, (and stroke my ego so warmly along
the way). Hard to believe its been a half century though. Can we really be that
old?
Both as a therapist and as the author of this column, I always strive to attune my
advice to the character of the client or reader posing a question. Knowing your
character as well as I do, plus through zeroing in one some key language you use
in your letter, I think I can offer several ideas that I hope will be helpful.
I often wish I had known your dad, and sometimes feel almost like I did, because
you frequently cite such excellent guidance from him. I love his phrase better
to wear out than to rust out, and I think that idea is probably already firmly
implanted in your mind or you wouldnt be feeling the dividedness you express.
That dividedness, by the way, is totally natural and appropriate to your
circumstances. Having worked so hard and been such a success, its
understandable that you would both to want to rest and want to continue doing
something equally challenging, productive and successful.
Page 16
Ive also told clients, and said here in this monthly feature, that many times
people expressing uncertainty about their options actually answer their own
question simply in the posing of it. I think youve done that here, my friend.
Youve always been a seeker, an achiever, an intellectual, and a lover of diverse
cultures, as well as different aspects of all cultures (their art, music, food,
literature, etc.). So given all of the above, I have a hard time imagining you
putting your feet up, except perhaps for a brief respite to let yourself catch
your breath after moving.
I also have a hard time imagining you moving to a new city and state and not
soon getting into your usual avid exploration of their cultural scene, restaurants,
art, architecture, music, etc. Its just your nature to get out and go, exploring
all thats out there, and then sharing it with others, thus starting a new paper
certainly sounds like a good idea to me. I also like your thoughts about doing a
bit of all of the above. Id probably start with the part time or volunteer work
option, take it slow, get grounded in your new community, and go from there.
As a last note, Id like to share my personal resonance with your situation. You
and my readers are already aware that I have been battling prostate cancer for
most of the last year, and that I had closed my practice at the outset of that
battle.
What you may not know is that a couple of months ago, I found myself dealing
with what was a new and unknown feeling for me . . . boredom.
So I have resumed seeing a few clients a week, and begun a new novel, i.e. a bit
of all of the above; and I have found it very satisfying.
I hope this gives you plenty to mull over and that it will prove useful in the
long run. Meanwhile, best wishes to you and Ivan for many other successes in
Portland. I feel quite sure youll make them happen.
Your friend,
Fred
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Page 18
Ah, The Memories We Made...

I wanted to get just a bit personal in
my final issue of The Word, and after
thanking husband Ivan for sleeping with
and putting up not only with me, but
the newspaper for our entire 22+ years
together, I wanted to share just a few
funnies from my years here.
And theres none as good as one from the
very early days about 1993 or so. I had
to paste up the paper back then as there
were no computer desktop programmes,
and I often relied on a lady at my old
printer I nicknamed Momma because
she looked vaguely like Anne Ramsey,
the actress who played that role in Throw
Momma From The Train, one of my alltime fave films.
Momma used to set the type, fix the headline, wax it all, paste it up and Id give it
the thumbs up or down. Well on this one
particular issue, I was in a rush as I was
going to see my sister in Florida, so I gave
the paper a cursory look-over, checked
the OK box and boarded a plane.
A few days later I got a panicked call
from someone at Indys Metro swearing
that the paper had a major error because
on the front page Id missed Mommas
spelling of Lesbian, which came out
(in 42 point type no less) as Lesbisan.

The dude was asking me what Id planned
to do as it was a very obvious error, had
been pointed out by more than a few
customers, etc. etc. But before I could
fumble for an answer he
gave me one.
Of course, nobody here
until you came along ever
spelled anything British. Is Lesbisan a British
spelling? he asked.
I responded that Yes, it
sure is! to which he said
Oh, good. Ill let folks
know! and I never heard
another word about it.
Of course its NOT a British spelling at all and it
WAS a major mistake in
huge type, but to this day
I dont think anyone ever
found out!
There have been other not-so glamorous
days here, too. Back in the day we used to
print separate editions for Illinois, Ohio,
Indiana and Kentucky. We were the very
first zoned edition gay newspaper anywhere in the country, and for that matter
perhaps the world a practice which
obviously did not succeed as no one else
has been stupid enough to try it, and we
quit splitting the
papers after a few
years. Of course
zoned state editions can make for
some terrible errors and often did,
especially when
all these editions
were printed at the
same time as our
straight Up Downtown newpspaper
we do for Indy.
Probably the most
memorable screw
up was one month
when the thenprinter, who was
supposed to ship
the Illinois papers in boxes to our delivery
points there sent them Indianas, brought
Indianapolis the Illinois papers and when
the error was discovered had to send a
truck back to collect the Indiana Words.
But the driver, not being the sharpest
pencil in the box swapped them out for

Up Downtowns instead of Illinois papers!
That meant the next day we did it all over
again, along with trying to figure out
what folks in Illinois who grabbed up the
downtown papers thought was going on!
Speaking of late, we have, proudly, in our
24 years only been late one other time.
That was when a huge snowstorm closed
the Ohio River bridges, so the thenprinter at Jeffersonville was unable to get
to the Louisville airport and pick up the
rental truck they used to deliver. The governor of Kentucky reopened the bridges
the next day and The Word was out, just
24 hours late!
And finally, Id be remiss were I not to
recount at least one Gossip Cats tale.
We try and not give any real specifics so
the folks were dishing know (or think
they do) and others have fun guessing
and no lawyers need get involved. One
recent item brought us calls from three
states, with all three callers threatening
to sue after claiming it was they we were
writing about. In truth it was NONE of
them, but we did suggest they each have
their respective lawyer call the other twos
lawyers and let that prove nobody could
tell anything for sure, so thus nobody had
a case!
Ted Fleischaker, Publisher
Page 20
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Page 22
In late March 2013, the United States Supreme Court convened for oral arguments
in two cases now known as Hollingsworth and Windsor. Whats happened since has
shaken the civil rights world. A rapid-fire domino effect meant that by last December,
so many circuits and district federal courts had weighed in, that the Supremes had no
choice but to take another limited look at marriage equality. Theyre doing it while you
read this.
Only one of the circuits had ruled agaiunst marriage equality the 6th, which includes
Kentucky, Ohio, Michigan and Tennessee. Now, that circuits 2-1 decision against
marriage equality is being debated by the highest court in the land.
Its a different case than either Hollingsworth or Windsor. In the largest sense, the
6th Circuit decision stands alone. Only the 6th Circuit contradicted the avalanche of
district and appeals court decisions in our favour in the last 18 months. It was a narrow
decision, largely on a technicality, so the Supreme Court felt obliged to weigh in.
Once and for all. Nine justices. The same Gang of Nine that ruled 5-4 on Windsor and
Hollingsworth two years ago.
As of presstime, the 27th & 28th of March were the days the Supreme Court was
set to hold oral arguments in the historic marriage equality cases. For the first time
ever, dozens of lesbian, gay, bi & trans groups conferenced months in advance. They
presented a united front for two days of meetings on Capitol Hill, an interfaith church
vigil and huge outdoor public rallies. The cooperative attitude among the groups
was difficult: typically, lesbian, gay, bi & trans advocacy groups have fought for turf,
members, money and prestige.
But not on those two glorious March days. Activists and their group leaders from
around the country came together like never before. As Ive noted here prior, it was a
privilege to sit inside the Supreme Court to listen to those arguments. Ill never forget
it.
Its likely the Sixth Circuit decision which was granted certiorari, meaning review of
the lower courts ruling will be finished by late June. Perhaps sooner. The Supreme
Court should come to a decision within two months. Speculation is rampant, but it
would be unprecedented for the Supreme Court to undo so many district and appeals
court decisions in favour of marriage equality. The toothpaste is out of the tube.
When the Republicans retook control of the U.S. Senate in January, Justice Ginsbergs
health became a key flashpoint. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky
is holding up a sure-fire nominee for Attorney General to appease his right-wing
caucus members. A Supreme Court vacancy would be the icing on the cake for that
obstructionist crowd.
But good ole Ruth aint having it. Shortly after the holidays she launched a blitzkrieg
of interviews. All were intended to demonstrate her health and vitality. Every interview
she granted eventually came around to the same question: Whats an 83-year-old cancer
survivor and Jewish grandma doing on the court? Or something to that effect.
She handled it well. Her basic answer: Im not going anywhere. And judging by what I
saw during those oral arguments two years ago, shes got more vitality in an hour than
Justices Antonin Scalia or Clarence Thomas have in a whole day.
When you vote for U.S. Senator or President, the federal judiciary nominations are
almost never a part of the campaign rhetoric. Except for that stormy period over 40
years ago when President Nixons nominations of Haynsworth and Carswell were
Page 24
A Ginsburg vacancy on this court or ANY vacancy would be a lightning rod for the
myriad of Senate presidential wannabes. A nightmare. So lets light a candle for Justice
Ginsburgs health. And the next time you have an opportunity to vote for a U.S. Senate
candidate make it a point to ask them how theyd vote on presidential nominations.
Because your vote does count.
A MAYOR FOR OUR CAUSES
The 2015 Indianapolis municipal election will choose a new mayor. Thats because
two-term Mayor Gregory Ballard decided not to seek a third term. The retired
Marine lieutenant colonel deserves a hearty thanks from the lesbian, gay, bi & trans
community. His steadfast support for full inclusion always includes a line about
making Indianapolis a welcoming city. He views it as an economic development
necessity. Ive often told friends that whenever weve asked the mayor to carry a gallon
of water on our issues, he carries three. Its no surprise I dont agree with any
ANY of his business decisions. But give credit where its due. He has been a strong
advocate for our community. He helped behind the scenes on HJR-3. He brought along
recalcitrant fellow Republicans. His eight years in office will be graded by voters.
Despite my outgoing publishers adoration of Mayor Ballard, this voter gives him a
Gentlemans C, with an A for civil rights advocacy. I hope he enjoys his retirement.
Hes earned it.
Serving OUR Community With Legal Services

For YOUR Unique Needs
BON VOYAGE, TED!

GOOD LUCK!
317.637.2345
IN YOUR
CORNER
Its important also to note how these decisions are reached in federal courts: by judges
appointed by the President for life terms, and confirmed by the Senate. Its why your
vote counts for Senate and President. The next one to three years could be crucial for
the balance on the Supreme Court. Most progressive issues have come to 5-4 votes. If
only one justice moves his or her vote the balance shifts. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg
is aging and has beaten cancer twice. Its likely one of the justices will retire in that
timeframe.
We should approve a Presidents nominees unless we have grave reservations about

their past performance or potential conflicts, Bayh once said. But that doesnt mean
we roll over if its bad for the country. The political climate is much more volatile in
2015 than it was during the Carswell fight. In that time, there were three TV networks
covering Capitol Hill. Todays 24-hour news cycle is a beast that demands to be fed.
BAIRD
By Rick Sutton / Political Columnist

TWO YEARS LATER: WHY YOUR VOTE COUNTS
Those nomination fights were led by the young chairman of the Judiciary Committees
Subcommittee on Constitutional Amendments, Birch Bayh of Indiana. It was risky
a liberal young senator from a conservative state taking on that kind of high-profile
fight. But he did, and he got very little home-state campaign blow-back. All of which
confirms what he once said regarding the Senates most-overlooked but important job:
confirmation of presidential nominees.
BARBARA J
Your Vote
Counts
rejected by the Senate, individual nominations and confirmation votes are rarely part of
the campaign fabric.
www.bjbairdlaw.com
bjbaird@bjbairdlaw.com
445 NORTH PENNSYLVANIA STREET, SUITE 401 INDIANAPOLIS, IN 46204
Standard
Reviewer
By Bill Elliott / Word Critic
South African-Canadian director Neill Blomkamp burst onto the American movie
scene with the sci-fi apartheid allegory District 9 in 2009. He followed that up with
a tale of the consequences of global economic inequality, Elysium, four years later.
Both films are hard-hitting pieces of social analysis, employing elements of satire.
Blomkamps third feature-length film, Chappie, has little of the geopolitical and social
insight of his first two films, relying more on digital pyrotechnics and humour.
The film treads familiar ground: mankinds desire to use technology to replicate
humans artificially. From Dr. Frankensteins experiments stitching together secondhand body parts to a slew of contemporary novels and films dealing with artificial
intelligence, it appears humans are not content to share the planet with billions of our
own kind. We want to create new forms of life and new forms of consciousness.
In Chappie, a South African technology company develops a tactical unit of police
robots to cope with spiralling crime rates in Johannesburg. While the robots result in a
reduction of crime on the streets of the city, a minor battle is going on within Tetravaal
for supremacy: weapons guys versus artificial intelligence engineers. Nerdy Deon
Wilson (Dev Patel) is the AI geek while pumped-up Vincent Moore (Hugh Jackman) is
the weapons nut.
Wilson asks Tetravaal CEO, Michelle Bradley (Sigourney Weaver), to support his
efforts to create robots that can think and learn like humans. Moore just wants to
create the biggest, baddest killing machine he can.
However, as long as cheaply-made-and-operated police robots are keeping the streets
of Johannesburg clean, Bradley is not inclined to spend huge amounts of research
money on new hardware or software.
Wilson decides to take matters into his own hands by salvaging a damaged robot
destined for the crusher. Moore goes off to seek his revenge with MOOSE, his monster
robot.
Watching Chappie transform into a criminal is the most engaging and entertaining
part of the movie. Using the voice and movements of Blomkamps long-time
collaborator, actor Sharlto Copley, Chappie becomes an endearing but slightly creepy
character. While subjecting the innocent and impressionable to a life of crime and
violence is disturbing to see on film, it has become a reality in many parts of the world
today.
Unfortunately, instead of focusing on the playful character of Chappie, the film veers
from allegory into cartoonishness. The film builds to a conclusion of gang violence,
gore, and special effects that takes the sting out of an enlightening tale of the dangers
of technology in the wrong hands.
What made District 9 so appealing is the transformation of Sharlto Copleys sneering,
nerdy bureaucrat into an empathetic and compassionate alien hybrid. Reduced to
just Copleys voice and action, the character of Chappie lacks the screen presence
that Copley offers as an actor. In a film of thoroughly unpleasant characters, Chappie
cannot salvage the film alone.
South African rappers Ninja and Yolandi Visser (essentially playing themselves)
manage to create reasonably believable characters that are torn between lawlessness
and family values. Giving such large roles to novice actors might account for part of
the films lack of cohesion. But to be honest, the two musicians are far more interesting
than Jackmans and Weavers characters. Both Hollywood A-listers are under-utilised
with Jackmans performance feeling a little wooden and Weavers just a little over the
top.
Blomkamps films are interesting visually and ideologically but Chappie really needed a
much stronger script and more subtly defined characters. The dialog switches between
the comic and the ridiculous. And the action, towards the end of the film, jumps from
unpleasantly gory to fairytale sweet.
Thats a shame because Chappie could have been a welcome addition to Blomkamps
fine work hitherto. As it stands, it can be seen as a slight blip in his development as a
filmmaker.
_________
Before signing off this on this months review, I want to take a moment to say that I
have enjoyed working with Ted and The Word for close to 23 years. During that time
we have become close friends, and I wish Ted and Ivan all the best as they start a new
chapter of their lives on the east coast. Thanks, Ted!
As he does in his earlier films, Blomkamp takes the audience on a trip deep into the
heart of darkness in this case into Johannesburgs seamier underbelly.
Ninja (played by the eponymous South African rapper) and his sidekicks, Yolandi
(South African singer Yolandi Visser) and Amerika (Jose Pablo Cantillo), are drug
runners who have fallen foul on a deal with local gangster Hippo (Brandon Auret).
Hippo is an aptly named piece of visual unpleasantness who requires subtitles to
interpret his mangled version of English (which is as grotesque as his appearance).
Hippo demands that Ninjas gang of three come up with 20 million rand in a week or
he will kill them. With no way to raise the money, the group of misfits has to think of
an alternative way to placate Hippo.
They hit on the idea of kidnapping the brains behind the police robots and forcing him
to retrofit a unit to serve their criminal needs. Since the opening of Chappie goes to
great lengths to discuss how Tetravaals security is impenetrable, it is quite astounding
how easily the three are able to hijack Wilsons vehicle.
Despite the threat to his personal safety, Wilson finds himself in a position where he is
able test out his artificial intelligence experiment on the piece of actual hardware in his
trunk.
Wilsons experiment works and before you can say, downloading artificial
consciousness, Chappie is born. Unfortunately, the robot is very much a babe-inarms. While he is capable of learning quickly, he needs to be nurtured. Wilson and
Yolandi are happy to spend time playing with Chappie, introducing the robot to rubber
chickens and childrens stories. But Ninja needs a piece of bank-heisting, policedodging machinery right now.
Wilson wants to teach Chappie about art and poetry; Ninja and Amerika want to teach
him how to steal cars. They have to do so using a little subterfuge, telling Chappie that
they are reclaiming cars that have been stolen from daddy. Then they progress to
robbing armoured vehicles, claiming they need the money to pay for a new body for
Chappie (his battery only has five more days of life left).
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May / Derby
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Papers On Street:
Friday 24th April
The Word was published the last week of every month at 110 E. Washington St., Suite
1402, Indianapolis, 46204. While every effort was made to ensure accuracy and fairness, the publisher assumes no responsibility for errors. Liability is limited to the cost
of said ad. Ads not cancelled by published deadlines will be billed at agreed-upon
price. Ads may be edited or rejected for content at the discretion of the publisher. All
items appearing in The Word, as well as the name, logos and design are copyright 2015
by BBS, A division of High Speed Delivery Fork Ltd. & Ted Fleischaker and may not
be reproduced in any form without prior written approval. Stay tuned for your new
owners info next issue!
Local Phones: Indy: 317/632.8840 * Louisville: 502/454.4877
National Advertising Representative: Rivendell Media, 212/242.6863
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Finances
In Focus
By Michael Wright / Edward D Jones
You might not think that 70 represents any particular milestone and to you twinks
who think 30 is old and 50 is dead the whole idea may seem outlandish, but when
you do reach this age, you will have to make some decisions that affect an important
aspect of your life your retirement income.
Heres the background: Once you turn 70 , you will need to start taking withdrawals
from your 401(k) or similar employer-sponsored retirement plan and from your traditional IRA (but not your Roth IRA). Actually, you will need to begin these withdrawals
known as required minimum distributions (RMDs) by 1st April of the following
year and continue taking them by 31st December each year after that. These RMDs are
calculated by dividing your account balance at the end of the previous year by your life
expectancy, as determined by IRS mortality tables. If your spouse is your sole beneficiary and is more than 10 years younger than you, youd use a separate table. Dont
worry too much about the number crunching, though your financial advisor generally can do the calculations for you.
What you should concern yourself with, however, are the first two words of RMD: required and minimum. These words mean what they say. If you don't take withdrawals or if you withdraw less than you should, you could face a 50 percent penalty tax on
the difference between what you withdrew and what you should have withdrawn
and then you'll still have to take out the required amount and pay taxes on the taxable
portions of those withdrawals. So its a very good idea to take your withdrawals on
time and without shortchanging yourself.
Of course, you can certainly take more than the required minimum amount but
should you? The answer depends on whether you need the money. But even if you have
to take larger-than-minimum withdrawals, you'll want to be careful not to take out
more than you need because if you over-withdraw year after year, you run the risk
of outliving your resources. That's why it's so important, during the early years of your
retirement, to establish a sustainable withdrawal rate for your retirement accounts.
Your withdrawal rate will depend on a variety of factors, such as your other sources
of income Social Security, earnings from employment, savings, etc. your lifestyle
choices, your estimated longevity, and so on. In any case, once you have arrived at an
appropriate withdrawal rate, youll need to stick to that rate unless your circumstances
change.
If you have multiple IRAs, you'll also face another decision, because, once you've
calculated your total RMDs for the year, from all your IRAs, you can take that amount
from one or more of them. Depending on the investment mix of these individual IRAs,
you may find it beneficial to take the money from one account and leave the others
intact to potentially grow further. (If you have multiple 401(k)s, though, you will likely
need to calculate and withdraw the separate RMDs for each plan.)
Reuse One way of being environmentally conscious is to repair, rather than replace,
durable goods such as bicycles, washers, dryers, etc. After all, new is not always
better. Many investors are also prone to tossing out the old and bringing in the new
and not always with the best results.
For example, some investors switch their overall strategy every so often in attempts to
capitalise on some trend they have heard about. But youre almost certainly better off
by sticking with a long-term strategy thats appropriate for your goals, risk tolerance
and time horizon.
Of course, within your strategy you can make adjustments as your circumstances
change over time, but theres probably no need to toss your entire approach overboard.
As you invest, though, always be aware that the value of your investments will fluctuate and there are no guarantees that you wont lose value.
Recycle Aluminum cans become airplane parts, old phone books are transformed
into textbooks and plastic beverage containers may end up as the carpeting on your
floors.
Its truly amazing how recycling can give new life to old, unwanted products. In a way,
you can also recycle investments that no longer meet your needs, either because your
circumstances have changed or because the investments themselves have become fundamentally altered as is the case when a company in which you invested has shifted
its focus or taken its business in a new direction.
Instead of just liquidating the investment and using the cash to buy, say, an ultrahigh-definition television with all the bells and whistles, you could find a new use for
the proceeds in your investment portfolio. To name one possibility, you could use the
money to help save for that 2nd home you always wanted in P-Town or Key West. Or
you might use it to help fill other gaps in your portfolio. Or maybe to pay off the last of
your or your husbands student loans.
By following the reduce, reuse and recycle philosophy, you can help make the world
a greener place to live. And by applying the same principles to the way you invest,
you can create a healthier environment in which to pursue your important financial
goals.
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Right Here, Of Course!
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Other issues are also involved with RMDs, so, when the time approaches (And to my
under 30 readers, trust me, it will!), consult with your tax and financial advisors. By
studying all your options before you begin taking these withdrawals, you should be
able to maximise their benefits.
On another topic (and Im sure one of more interest to the whole community), in April
we observe the 45th anniversary of Earth Day. Since its inception in 1970, Earth Day
has inspired millions of people to take action to improve the environment. But the lessons of environmentalism can also be applied to other areas of life such as investing. Specifically, as an investor, you may well want to follow the three Rs: reduce,
reuse and recycle.
Lets see how these environmental themes can be applied to your investment habits:
Reduce Many of us probably own more things than we really need. In fact, if all the
other people on Earth used as much stuff as we do in the United States, the planet
would need to have three to five times more space just to hold and sustain everybody,
according to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. So from an environmental standpoint, it might be smart for all of us to streamline our possessions.
And the same could be true for our investments its not always a case of the more,
the merrier. Its particularly important not to own too many of the same type of
investments, because you could suffer a setback in a market downturn that primarily
affects those assets.
WARNING
HOT GUYS!
Pink In
The Sheets
By Mz. Pink / Word Columnist
Dear Mz. Pink,
I have been with my partner for a while, but before her I was in a long-term relationship
with another woman and we had kids together. The issue is, the kids have always been in
the picture and arent going anywhere, but my girlfriend does not like my kids.
I work fulltime and she does not. She does pull her own weight, however, so thats not
the issue. I also never ask her for assistance with my children. Her mother and I have a
routine that works. Its just when Im off work she doesnt want to spend time with all of
us and she never takes it upon herself to help with the kids like handing stuff to them or
playing. She isnt hateful she just isnt interested.
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I think the more serious we get the more she pulls away. There is no contest that my
decision will always be my children, but is there any way that I can get her more on board
with the family life? Or is this a lost cause?
Lesbian with Children, Indy
Dear Lesbian,
Columbus
Having a family is important to some, but can be an obstacle to others. Its not her
fault if she feels on the fence about your kids. What is her fault is that she is still in a
relationship with you knowing that you have kids. She shouldve never taken it this far
if family life wasnt for her.
Cincinnati
I do applaud you as a mother working and taking care of business as well as it appears
you do. Lets try to understand why your girlfriend is pulling away from you and then
maybe we can come up with a start to a solution.
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Maybe she didnt think that she would feel so strongly for you and therefore was okay
in the beginning with your family. She could have been in it for a good time and never
relating the fact that you are a mother as well as a single woman. Once she realised
this was the real deal with her dating a mother, then maybe she started feeling that she
couldnt tell you how she felt.
Your girlfriend may also feel threatened by your relationship with your ex. Maybe
she thought you two would be more hostile to each other instead of working for the
kids as a team. That may make her jealous. Maybe she feels inadequate to your kids
because they have two loving parents and she feels she doesnt have a role in their lives
therefore making family time awkward for her even if it is with just you and your kids.
Try to talk to her and ask her if she wants to do more with you and the kids. Tell her
the kids really like her and want her to be more involved with what they are doing.
Talk to her by herself first and try to find out where she is with wanting to be a part of
their lives.
If she wants to be more involved or if that is why she has been acting strangely lately,
then tell her she can be more involved. Start by talking with her and the kids and let
them work something out together. Let your kids help in the decision-making as well
as her. If she wants to help with school projects, pick them up from playdates, etc. let
them decide.
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Make sure you tell her that youre not pushing your kids on her but that this was
something you decided together, so she cant change her mind when things get rough.
Again, she could say that she wants the family life but then run scared when things
dont go the way she planned. She could also tell you that because she doesnt want to
lose you. Try things out and see how they go. If this doesnt work, you cant change the
situation. In that case it might be time to think about a change.
Dont feel too bad if breaking up is something you eventually have to do because you
cant change anybody. You and your kids deserve somebody who wants to be with all
of you.
Good luck,
Mz. Pink
Page 36
Hackin
The Net
By Ted Fleischaker / Word Publisher
We got a problem. The problem is not all the devices we have, but using them in such
a way that they enhance our lives, not detract from them. This was brought to mind
a few times lately, but none quite so dramatically as when walking on a downtown
street on a 65 degree Spring Saturday four people approached. They were walking
two-by-two and were obviously together. Sadly, not a single one of them was speaking
nor even enjoying the sunshine or each others company: instead they were all peering
oblivious into their phones, apparently texting or messaging.
It got me to thinking of the old expression about the medium and the message. Or
to quote Wikipedia: The medium is the message is a phrase coined by Marshall
McLuhan meaning that the form of a medium embeds itself in the message, creating a
symbiotic relationship by which the medium influences how the message is perceived.
The phrase was introduced in his most widely known book, Understanding Media: The
Extensions of Man, published in 1964. McLuhan proposes that a medium itself, not
the content it carries, should be the focus of study. He said that a medium affects the
society in which it plays a role not only by the content delivered over the medium, but
also by the characteristics of the medium itself...
Complicated, but in the years since 1964 we have so changed the meaning that these
days the message is often lost on the medium especially as we expect delivery of the
first Apple Watches by months end and most folks are sadly so busy texting, messaging
and (to use the kids latest expression) blowing up someones phone for attention that
they forget whats surrounding them.
Before I get too far I will admit that I am guilty. I never fail to check my stocks over
lunch and I text friends. If I dont get a reply in what I feel is a correct amount of
time I text again until one recently accused me of blowin up his phone. Then there are
the 100+ e-mails a day which land in my box as a newspaper publisher... and I could
go on.
But what to do about it? First, we recently had the National Day of Unplugging. I was
pleasantly shocked that a few of my fiercest critics tried unplugging some a few
hours and some for the full 24 and without exception they said it was easier than
they thought, and one even said he enjoyed the experience as hed forgotten what a
few hours was like with no phone, tweets or instant messengers interfering with real
life.
I found my 24 hours easy and really enjoyable. I caught up with a reader whod
called and whose message Id set aside. We had a nice hours chat and she was most
complimentary about these pages. And I went to Chinese lunch with Steven and his
sister and made a grocery run. I also actually got in my chair and took an hours nap
and woke up feeling good. But my point here is not that I did this or that, but that I
was unplugged 24 hours and the world did not stop revolving nor did anyone panic
about not getting an immediate text or IM back.
So what to do when Apples latest investion puts the world and more on our wrists?
Well, I wanna go try one out so look for me at the Apple store, but Im not planning
to buy the latest creation from the House of Jobs because I cant see any real reason
for me to do so. I have a drawer full of watches which I rarely if ever wear. I have an
iPhone, iPad and two Macs so anything I need or want online can be at my fingertips
or at least in my jeans pocket in short order.
But more than that, a comment by a friend who is counting the minutes until he can
buy his watch caught my attention. As readers know, the health functions are one
of the watchs biggest selling points and this wag was overheard telling a friend who
said he did not need or want one but how will you reply when I send you a record
of heartbeat at 2.30 a.m.? His answer (and mine) would be identical: If you bother
me at 2.30 a.m. with such nonsense I wont be your friend when I wake up in the
morning!
So will you be buying one of the magical watches? I do not plan to, even though they
can and will (with some help from an app) let you own your own (for those old enough
to remember) Dick Tracy two-way wrist radio. I am reminded of my late mother who,
when as a kid I discovered the joy of owning a watch and some days wore two at once
because I could not decide which of mine to wear, would pull her sleeve up and like a
back alley salesman would say in a loud stage whisper Psst! Wanna buy a watch?
But back to my initial comment:

Have we any peace and will
we ever learn to boss our
electronics instead of the other
way round? My reply is only
if we WANT that to happen. I
will admit that I use the net as
an assist in many things. For
example, a friend posted on
Facebook about the sad demise
of newsstands. I used to spend
countless hours at Indy News
or Louisvilles Readmore and
Liberty News or Downtown
Daytons Wilkies. All had row
upon row of newspapers from
all across the region and world.
All are now part of history.
These days you cant even get a
Chicago Tribune in Indianapolis
because the Trib quit circulating
here a half-dozen or more years
ago. The Sydney Morning Herald
is nowhere to be found and the
Louisville Courier-Journal has
half their old circulation area.
If I want an out-of-town paper I
have to either wait until the mail shows up with one I paid a lot of postage for or get an
assist from the net and www.pressreader.com
With that I can subscribe ($29.95 a month) and read any or all of thousands of world
and U.S. newspapers. Literally from The Washington Post and my lamented Chicago
Tribune to the UKs Western Mail and that Sydney Morning Herald. Best of all, thanks to
the immediacy of the net they all show up when they are published in their local time
zone so (like The Glasgow Evening Times promises) you will get todays news in todays
paper. The net did not change what I read; just the media sending my message.
Same with radio. Indianapolis, for one, has no 24/7 classical FM. There are some
ways with HD radio to get a classical music show all the time, but not by just tuning
in. Thanks to the net and a TuneIn Radio app on my pad and phone (online, too, at
www.tunein.com) I can choose from hundreds of classical stations ranging from Swiss
Radio 2 to Torontos Stereo 96 and the UKs wonderful Classic FM. If I want a morning
upbeat show in the afternoon there are choices from Australia and if I want relaxing
music with lunch, there are British stations where the time difference means they are
well into the evening. Again, the same radio I used to get static-filled on a tuner or by
having a friend record it and mail it on cassette from London or Melbourne is live right
now thanks to the net.
There are a million other examples. I still use an encyclopaedia but now its a few
clicks not a painstaking trip to the library. Cookbooks are all but off my list as websites
from Food Network to www.uktv.co.uk/goodfood keep us very well fed. TV has gone
on demand and it would be hard to imagine husband Ivan without his daily Netflix
or Hulu fix, which means fewer visits to the theatre and has anyone even seen a video
store lately?
So how did we get here from the Apple Watch and the Day of Unplugging? Simply
because like everything there is a good side and a bad side to the net and all that
technology. That means we need to manage it and not let it manage us. Theres nothing
wrong with leaving the phone at home (not on vibrate or silent but home) when you
go out for a date or dinner with friends. And unplugging from some tech for a day
every now and then will not cause the world to stop. You can read that book you have
been wanting to read (yes, on your Kindle, iPad or as a talking book downloaded from
iTunes) while not answering 1000 texts. And you can relax and listen to a radio show
or watch a movie without tweeting incessently or sending 35 IMs or texts to all your
friends at the same time.
So my conclusion is just what I stated: Manage your electronics and do not let them
manage you. Get an Apple Watch if you want one, but keep in mind your messages and
all the other disturbing temptations of the net will be even closer than now when they
might just remain in a purse or pocket.
And remember to respect friends who might not want their phone (or watch) blown up
or their evening constantly interrupted. What was that old expression about a place for
everything and everything in its place? I need to Google that!
Page 38
Dine Out For

Life Indy!
Are you ready to make one meal matter? During Dining Out for Life 2015, dozens of
area restaurants will donate 25%, 50%, or 100% of your bill to support The Damien
Centre and hundreds of people living with HIV/AIDS right here in our community.
Supporting the fight against AIDS is as easy as grabbing a bite to eat.
According to Centers for Disease Control (CDC), roughly 1.2 million people in the
United States are living with HIVand 14% dont know they have it. Right here in
Indiana, 10,000 people are infected with HIV.
So which restaurants will be participating in this years event? Check out the growing
list online at www.diningoutforlife.com or www.damien.org, where you can search by
cuisine, location, cost, and more to find the perfect Dining Out for Life restaurant.
New to the event this year, Partner Restaurants Bluebeard, Nine Irish Brothers, The
District Tap and Tavern on South will each give 25% of sales to The Damien Centre on
30th April, along with returning favourites Late Harvest Kitchen, English Ivys, and La
Margarita Fountain Square. Long-time supporters Metro Nightclub and Restaurant,
The Greek Islands Restaurant, Santorini Greek Kitchen and Arnis Restaurants in
Greenwood and Indianapolis will give 50% of sales as Premier Restaurants.
The Damien Centres spokesman noted, The generosity of participating restaurants
and sponsors coupled with additional donations from diners will make a very real
difference in the lives of thousands of men, women, and children throughout the
region living with HIV and AIDS.
The Damien Centre is proud to have numerous local sponsors for this years event,
including Gold Sponsors Hoosier Park Racing and Casino, Indiana Grand Racing and
Casino, and Indy Pride; Bronze Sponsor Old National Bank; Spirits Sponsor Ketel
One; and Afterparty Sponsor Talbott Street. Media Partners include The Word, 99.5
WZPL, 107.9 The Mix, CBS Sports Radio, 93.9 The Beat, 104.5 WJJK, NUVO and
UNITE Magazine.
Created in 1991 in Philadelphia, Dining Out For Life is an international event now
produced in 60 cities throughout the United States and Canada. More than 3,000
restaurants donate a portion of their proceeds from this one special day of dining to
the licensed AIDS service agency in their city. More than $4 million dollars a year is
raised to support the missions of 60 HIV/AIDS service organisations throughout North
America.
For the latest up-to-date information, check out the tweets (@DamienCenter) and
Facebook (/thedamiencenter). Follow/like during and after the event for the latest
scoop on The Damien Centre.
By the way, if youre not a restaurant owner, but youd still like to help make Dining
Out For Life a success... No problem! Individuals can also serve as restaurant
ambassadors, volunteers who represent The Damien Centre at participating
restaurants the day of the event. Visit diningoutforlife.com/indianapolis for ongoing
updates, ambassador info, participating restaurants and more or like The Damien
Centre on Facebook for updates and info.
The Damien Centre leads the fight to prevent the spread of HIV and assists persons
in Central Indiana affected by HIV/AIDS to move forward each day with dignity. The
Centre offers vital supportive, preventive, and medical services to those infected and
affected by HIV/AIDS so they may live abundant and productive lives.
Attorney Clayton Morgan

317.536.2886
morganlawindy.com
Page 40
A spokesman noted, We believe passionately in the dignity and worth of every person
who seeks our services. We strive to be a safe and welcoming place so that no barriers
separate people from the services they need to prolong and enhance their lives.
Sheila's
Column
By Sheila Suess Kennedy
Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow. Exactly one year ago, in April of 2014, my column
focused upon the immense change in social attitudes toward lesbian, gay, bi & trans
Americans, and included the following observation:
There are plenty of non-business examples of social change, and readers of
The Word are undoubtedly familiar with the stories of gay athletes coming
out, gay celebrities getting married, schools recognising Gay-Straight Alliance
clubs and much more. But I have focused on stories involving businesses
because for the past several years, the business community has been in the
forefront of the fight for gay equality.
When It Comes To
Downtown Living
We Got All The Bases
Covered!
Thats partly because, as one consultant recently wrote, There are few more
treacherous actions a CEO can take than to make derogatory comments about
gay men and lesbians or to be publicly exposed for funding anti-gay causes.
The business sectors involvement in the struggle for gay civil rights is
undoubtedly motivated by the perception that being welcoming and inclusive
is good business. Theyre in the market, and the market has spoken, loud
and clear. But along the way, as theyve listened to that market and tended to
business, a lot of corporate executives, HR professionals and mom-and-pop
enterprises have become true believers and awesome allies.
This game is in its ninth inning. Indeed.
I have been writing a monthly column for The Word for nearly 20 years long before
celebrities felt safe coming out or businesses were willing to call themselves allies.
I began keeping copies of my columns in 1999 and the earliest ones now sound
positively quaint. There were analyses of the Supreme Court case allowing the
Boy Scouts to exclude gays. There were responses to crazy Doctor Laura. There
was bemused consideration of the sexual orientations of Sponge-Bob and TinkyWinky. There were disquisitions about special rights, and wedge issue politics.
And beginning around 2005, there was a steady, if uneven, drumbeat of good news:
Vermont civil unions, the Massachusetts marriage decision, President Obamas
evolution on marriage, the Windsor case.
During all those years, The Word has served to facilitate a sort of family conversation
within the community. At a time when mainstream media sources ignored gay issues
or served as a platform for actively opposing equality, this publication and others like
it around the country allowed for robust discussion of issues that mattered to gay
folks, many of whom were still closeted.
As readers of The Word are aware, Ted has sold the paper; he will enjoy a well-deserved
retirement (or, knowing him, semi-retirement) while Ivan transfers in his job with
Apple. The new ownership will undoubtedly put its own stamp on the paper and make
other changes meant to keep The Word relevant to the community it serves and the
new environment within which that community now exists.
This seems like a good time for me to put away my computer, and terminate my
monthly diatribe. The issues facing lesbian, gay, bi & trans Hoosiers in 2015 are
dramatically different from the barriers gay folks faced 20 years ago. There are still
issues, of course there always will be. But these days, we can address them in a
wide variety of forums that simply didnt exist when The Word first filled the need for a
source of community news and views.
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Downtown Indianapolis!
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Rents From Just

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These days, the community has lots of allies, and full legal equality while not yet
here looks inevitable.
Ive been honoured to appear in these pages for all these years. Many thanks to Ted
for carrying my monthly rants, and to those who faithfully read them. Good luck to
the new owners and the new generation of out and proud people who will be their
audience.
Its been quite a ride!
Call
800.849.4853
Panthers
Perspective
By Panther Daddy / Word Columnist
Recently, Ive found myself taking a step back from the Leather/Kink community. Like
a much needed vacation, it was time for me to step away and let my mind decompress.
I felt the need to recalibrate my bearings in navigating my journey.
The reasons for doing this are many. I didnt feel nourished from the activities and
contacts I was making in the community. It was almost as if I tasted the fare that was
being offered but it had become more and more bland with each bite.
I found myself walking away from encounters feeling more agitated than soothed,
more empty than full and overall, not quite sure why. I wasnt getting the return on my
investment, whether that was time, energy, money or spirit.
If I had to sum it all up, I was feeling lost, not heading in a direction that was going to
be useful. I guess if I am going to be truly transparent, it felt like I was stuck in a rut,
spinning my tires and not getting the traction necessary to be able to move forward.
I began reflecting on my history with our community. My first encounter with a leather
man was at a bar in Cincinnati called Spurs. His Marlboro man looks and detached,
bad boy swagger were enough to prick my gay boy hormones. I enjoyed the sensations
that coursed through my body as I imagined him having his way with me. Of course,
he didnt give me the time of day but his pit-stained, tight white t-shirt, dirty jeans and
scuffed boots provided me with scenario after scenario of unbridled imaginary man
passion. I felt dirty, it felt good and I wanted more.
Eventually, I moved beyond the idea of the man with the pit-stained t-shirt and
actually engaged in physical encounters with others who were similar. One can only go
so long thinking about eating before one has to eat. Like the blue icon on the Pac-man
machines, I ravaged the physical, emotional and sexual encounters as I explored the
underground, lurid world of leather and kink. I enjoyed the sounds, smells and tastes
that each new encounter added to my search. I couldnt get enough.
Physical sex wasnt always a part of the equation. It was about
being around and being in touch with sexual energy, my own
and that of other men. It was the times, the tail end of the sexual
revolution and we were getting a lot of tail. As we all know, change
is an inevitable process of life. Without it, life becomes stagnant
and eventually dies.
Our community quite naturally evolved. Some blame it on the
AIDS crisis of the 80s; still others blame it on leather and kink
becoming more visible. We have veered from being a community
that celebrates our sexual nature as outlaws and renegades to a
community of regulators, arbitrators, contests, events, vendors,
drag shows and talking heads.
We have developed sexual Icons to promote our ideals and our
beliefs of what sex is supposed to be like for us. We have flesh jacks,
Grindr, Jacked Up, Skype and Fetlife that are designed to satisfy the
desires we seem to have kept at bay in our quest for acceptance and
a place at societys table. We have pushed for legitimisation and in
the process, appear to have forgone the essence of what started us
on this road in the first place. To me it seems to be a high price to
pay.
In some ways, Im a little envious of the younger members of our
community. They remind me of the hormone-driven young man
who stood in Spurs, looking at the man in the t-shirt with the dirty
jeans and scuffed boots. I enjoy hearing the stories of their sexual
exploits and how while they appreciate the community and all it
has to offer, all they really want to do is hook up. It would appear
we have done our job. Somewhere in my bag of goodies, Im sure I
have a pit-stained t-shirt. Maybe now its time to enjoy the fruits of
our labour.
April Events:
3rd, 4th annual Erotic Art Shop, The Artists Collective,
Zanesville, Ohio 5-8 p.m. https://www.facebook.com/
theartistcollective.net
4th, Leather/Pup Night, On Broadway Bar, Cincinnati, 10 p.m.
https://www.facebook.com/OnBroadwayCincinnati
11th, Leather/Fetish Mixer, 501 Eagle, Indianapolis, 10 p.m.
https://www.facebook.com/events/1410439749258578/ & Guerilla
Leather Invasion, Below Zero Lounge, Cincinnati, 10 p.m. https://
www.facebook.com/events/788673361186310/ & GLSEN Prom,
Cincinnati Club, Cincinnati, 7 p.m. http://glsen.org/chapters/
cincinnati/prom
19th CARACOLE 5k for AIDS, Spring Grove Cemetery,
Cincinnati, 9 a.m. www.caracole.org/5k-for-aids
23rd thru 26th, CLAW 15, Cleveland
www.clawinfo.org/
Page 42
Page 44
pecs
and
the
by Matt Ponder
We all have talents. Some of us are good at sports or can sing the entire vocal range of
A-Has Take On Me. Some of us are brilliant chemists or cooks while others can build
furniture or motorcycle engines. Me? Im a pretty good writer, a damn good kisser
(according to popular opinion), and can relay fitness knowledge, movie trivia and offthe-cuff sarcasm at the drop of a hat.
The one thing that Ive learned is that no matter how talented anyone is, no one is an
expert at relationships. Not me, not you, not so-called relationship experts, not even
Carrie Bradshaw or should I say the writers who gave her a voice.
Every person has their own blueprint, their own experience and their own wounds
and wants. No one is exactly the same. You cant take a relationship exam or win
the relationship lottery. Its a crapshoot every time. Every relationship has to start
somewhere, so lets analyse the topic that inspires debate as to whether or not its an
urban legend: love at first sight.
How many times have you met someones eyes across a dancefloor or at a party or
even behind the counter of a Starbucks? How many times have you felt your pulse
speed up and land in your suddenly dry throat?
You know what Im talking about, right? Its that moment when you see your
entire relationship in seconds: First words, first date, first kiss, tangled together in
bed, laughter frozen in photographs, cohabitation, meeting the parents, holidays,
anniversaries, road trips, fights, makeup sex, waking up together all of it in a
flashbulb instant as your mind asks the tiny whispered questions: Is this the one? Is
this the person I was destined to meet?
Then, in the blink of an eye or the flash of a smile, they are gone and youll never
know. Its happened to every single one of us. But is it love?
I tend to take the Agent Scully approach: I dont believe it until I have proof, and even
then Im skeptical.
When a friend of mine first saw his ex-boyfriend he said, hes the one. But did you
notice I said ex-boyfriend?
Another friend told me that she knew as soon as she met her husband that it was true
love. Now theyre divorced. Isnt true love, the kind of love that fills novels and aching
ballads, supposed to last forever?
So maybe what you feel when you first lay your eyes on someone amazing isnt love at
all. Because when it comes down to it, youve got three things working for you: your
head, your heart and whatever youre packing down below.
When I see the brooding Kellan Lutz doppelgnger at the gym who gives me the
shaky, nervous feeling every time we lock eyes in the mirror I know thats just animal
attraction entwined with the anticipation of what may or may not happen between us.
But thats lust, not love right?
So will it be love at 5th sight or 10th sight or 20th sight? Situations like this show that
whats become a romantic comedy staple (love at first sight) can get a little muddy.
Its like that old pickup line: Do you believe in love at first sight or should I walk by
again?
Believe it or not, they have done actual studies which have determined it only takes
ten minutes to know where a relationship is going. Ten minutes. I can only imagine
the hilarious experiments that this study based its results on. So if you can pay
attention to someone for ten minutes youve got a good chance of spending the rest
of your life with them? Yes, that makes perfect sense. Ten minutes cant possibly be
Page 46
enough time to know if you are in love, and by saying it is diminishes the effect of
what love truly means. Like I mentioned earlier, everyone is different. The ten minutes
of amusing flirtation that sends the sensation of love to your head and heart may not
reveal that there is something darker hiding behind those big brown eyes or that rockhard body. Then youll discover the hard way that love was never in the cards.
There is also a study which states that it all has to do with sex and ego. People are
attracted to people who are attracted to them. Basically, a narcissistic reaction to
someone who is giving you the come-hither look from across the room led by your
response to social signals that indicate the attraction stems from how attracted
someone is to you and not just their physical beauty.
Whew, thats a lot of scientific explanation for the basic desire of human
companionship. In all honesty, it seems like the science of human desirability is not an
exact science at all. And why should it be? Love and emotion are not quantifiable, so
how can the outcome of an experiment be held as fact?
So, what do we think? Is love at first sight fact or fiction?

When I ask people this question it provokes many different responses. Some swear
its true even though theyve never experienced it. Some say its happened to them
more than once. Some believe its pure fiction reinforced by whatever god-awful book
Nicholas Sparks has cranked out this month.
Me? Im on the fence. Right now, I believe in love at first sight about as much as I
believe Ill get struck by lightning, doused with chemicals and awaken with the ability
to run faster than the speed of light. Ill keep an open mind, however. No one can
predict what they may or may not feel in the future.
So whether or not love at first sight is a real thing, what I can say for sure is the
feeling we get when we see that someone we are instantly attracted to is an instinctual
reaction to the window of opportunity.
Maybe we should ask the question that people have been asking since human beings
attached four letters to their feelings: what is love?
So the next time you feel that spark as it lights the fuse, say something because in the
beat of your heart, the moment will be gone, and youll never know what path you
couldve taken. It could lead to one night or three months or 20 years.
Or in the words of an 80s pop song: What is love anyway? Does anybody love anybody
anyway?
In the long run, love at first sight may be amazing but when two people have been
looking at each other for a lifetime, thats when it becomes a miracle.
That is the ultimate question. I mean, what is love really? Chemicals in our body? The
function of our heart? A Hallmark creation? Is it sex or sacrifice or even the desire to
have someone next to you at night?
Love is a word for any emotions that connect to strong affection. For example, I love
my dogs, I love Chris Hemsworth, I love sushi, I love my family and friends and Ill
be honest Im still in love with my ex-boyfriend.
These are all valid examples of love but they are all wildly different. The diversity of
these meanings combined with the intricate workings of the emotions involved makes
love nearly impossible to define. We use the word love so loosely when speaking that
its focus and power becomes diluted, especially when we speak of romantic love.
Love has its defenders and its detractors, and peoples attitude toward it usually comes
from their own experience. Someone suffering from a broken heart will tell you that
love is a monster with fangs and claws that, as Def Leppard so succinctly put it, bites.
Someone who is in the throes of new love will tell a different story; how the sky is
bluer, the grass is greener, the birds are singing and the whole world seems to be
perfectly in sync.
Some believe its merely a chemical reaction in the body so that the human race will
procreate. That doesnt explain why two men or two women fall in love then does it?
Some believe its merely a plot device, used by writers to connect you to Jake Ryan as
the Thompson Twins If You Were Here plays in the background. I believe all of these
things are true, because just like the definition of love, its effect is amorphous.
I believe that love has stages; steps that you have to go through before you truly are in
love.
In the beginning, there is lust. Now lust is something we all can identify with. And
like love, its different for everyone. We lust after different things regardless of who we
are: a broad chest, blue eyes, muscular legs, full lips, whatever it is, it kick starts the
process. Lust, unlike love, can encompass a wide array of people, depending on your
desire at the moment.
Then comes attraction, where the lust you have for one person simmers into a slow
burn, and you focus totally on that individual and how they make you feel and
not just sexually either. The way they make you laugh, the heat of their body while
you sleep, the sound of their voice on the other end of the phone, the way your heart
beats when they are walking toward you: all the minutiae that add up and make this
individual stand out from the rest.
These things layer upon the lust and form the basis for the third stage: attachment.
Attachment is the foundation for a deeper love that supports a long relationship; the
kind of love that makes you ache when they are not around, makes you love someone
more than yourself, and allows sacrifice without resentment. The purity of this feeling
is something that will change your life forever. That being said, the depth of this
feeling cannot be achieved in the time it takes to drink a cocktail or spot someone on a
park bench.
Save the Dates!
Evansville Pride Prom

Saturday, April 11, 2015
7pmmidnight Central Time

Holiday Inn on US Highway 41
Vincennes Pride Prom

7pmmidnight Eastern Time
Beless Gym, Vincennes University Campus
www.TSAGL.org
www.Facebook.com/TriStateAlliance
Page 48
Page 50
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Tri-State Alliance invites you to its 14th annual
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PROM
7 p.m.12 a.m. Saturday, April 11

Evansville Airport Holiday Inn, 7101 U.S. Highway 41 North
Appetizers at 8 p.m. Drag Show begins at 9 p.m. Everyone is welcome!

This Event Is Proudly Sponsored By
Page 52
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Cincinnati Trans Community Holds

Downtown Die-In To Highlight Crisis
CINCINNATIDespite lessthan-favourable weather,

members of the Southwest
Ohio community took to
Fountain Square to highlight the tragic deaths and
lack of assistance for members of the trans community
recently. Local news and
other coverage of the event
helped spread the protestors
message that trans lives do
matter.
Page 54
Word Photos By Michael Chanak
Music
Corner
By DJDandy / MJ's Cafe / Dayton
Top 10 for April 2015
01. Dave Aude Feat. Jessica Sutta Im Gonna Get You
02. Madonna Living For Love
03. Maroon 5 Sugar
04. Zedd Feat. Selena Gomez I want You To Know
05. Eric Prydz vs CHVRCHES Tether
06. Taylor Swift Style
07. Pitbull Feat. Ne Yo Time Of Our Lives
08. Giorgio Moroder Feat. Kylie Minogue Right Here Right Now
09. Kelly Clarkson Heartbeat Song
10. Clean Bandit Feat. Jesse Glynne Real Love
Hello and thanks for checking out the Music Corner review this month. The weather
has finally improved here in the Midwest and that gets me thinking about planning
some road trips. I always like to check out what the gay bars in other cities are doing,
but it sure doesnt keep me out of trouble. I enjoy a good pitcher of beer and to dance
off those calories while Im at it. If you are in the mood to travel to Dayton, be sure to
check out my club: MJs on Jefferson. Our 30 beers on tap, great entertainment and
excellent service are sure to please! Well, enough of the shameless promos. Lets check
out some music news for April!!!
I was expecting that there would be a lot of dance music releases during the month,
however, there seem to be some changes in the formula that determines what gets released and when. It appears a lot of big name producers and deejays are pushing to get
their work released to radio, as opposed to just the dance market. This may limit the
annual push of new music during events like the Winter Music Conference held each
year in Miami. Since my submission date for this article is right before that event this
year, I will hopefully have more dance specific material to write about next month. It
just doesnt seem, however, like record companies are gearing up for big releases prior
to this conference like they have done in past years.
Another change that is occurring is the shift from digital downloads to streaming
music. The teenage crowd does not have an interest in owning a particular song or
album like previous generations did. So there is a major transition ahead for the music
industry to keep up with this new phenomenon. In case it isnt apparent, whatever is
trending at the moment in fashion and music, or what is being promoted, is whats
hot. Once it gets that 15 minutes of fame, it is on to the next thing.
I describe it like a sports game. Once the game is over, very few people want to own a
copy of the game or watch it again. Its a memory. Even though the same two teams
will undoubtedly play again, the outcome and experience will always be different. So
the same is true in music today. One of the questions for the industry is how can a
record company or artist profit off of a streaming service, knowing that the end result
may not be calculated in record sales. Digital sales fell 15 to 20 percent last year, and
the trend will only accelerate through 2015. How this affects the release of music and
who is in control of the trends remains to be seen.
So, in all that, I forgot to mention that Rupaul released her 7th studio album last
month titled Realness. It includes production from Eric Kupper, who produced her
debut album including the song Supermodel in the early 90s. One of Kuppers contributions, and the first single The Realness, is a swanky house track that really pulls from
the sound of the songs on Rupauls first album. I also love the track Step It Up featuring
production from Dave Aude. Both have a retro 90s feel that is the focus of this record.
Zedd has released a new song featuring Selena Gomez called I Want You to Know.
What we want to know is if there is any more to the chemistry, other than music production, between these two. Rumours have been going around for months about them
dating and holding hands. Fans have even dubbed the couple Zeddlena and supposedly
Justin Bieber, Selenas ex, is not happy. Is this just a working relationship like Calvin
Harris and Ellie Goulding, who looked so hot and heavy in the video for I Need Your
Love (even though they were both seeing other people during that time)? We want to
know! The official release for this song is 10th May, but it has now been pushed to
Page 56
radio and to the clubs. A video has already been done as well. It is the first single to be
released from Zedds second album, tentatively titled Tru Colours. The song is similar
to Zedds other hits with Ariana Grande and Hayley Williams and should do well on
the radio.
Deadmau5 is involved in a lush production for an artist named Colleen DAgostino
who is a member of the punk rock band The Material out of San Diego. The song
called Stay is part of a 6 song ep of electronic music she is releasing entitled Collide.
DAgostino has worked with Deadmau5 on two previous tracks, Drop The Poptart and
Seeya, the latter reaching the top 25 on the U.S. dance charts.
Well as soon as I get rolling on this article, I run out of space to keep going. Look for
more exciting music to spring forth in the coming months as we get ready for pride
events in June. This is my favourite time of the year as a deejay because so much is going on. I hope to see you dancing on those dancefloors soon.
Pride Your Ride!
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Page 58
In this, the final edition of the

old Word before we turn over
to new owners, we dug into our
stacks & stacks of photos to find
a few gems dating back to the
very first edition in June 1991.
There are a lot of familiar faces
here, a lot of faces of folk who
have left us and a whole lot of
memories for those of us who
have been here literally since
day one. We hope you see
some memories in this photo
layout, for if you do, we will
have accomplished our goal.

Doors Open at 6:30 p.m.* Show at 7:00 p.m.
Hoogland Center for the Arts
420 S. Sixth St. * Springfield IL
TICKETS
VIP Tables for 4 people or 8 people* $25 per person
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For more information, to be a vendor or sponsor,
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Page 60
Gossip
Cats
By Gossipcats Britain & Sydney
Normally in this space youd be reading about how a Midwest club has turned their whole place into a huge Throwback Thursday as a lot of the former staff has returned
to their old jobs, including one dude who apears to have
sampled way, way too much of the menu since he departed,
but instead of tales like that and stories of a certain former
Indy, now Vegas, boy who seems to have developed a strong
taste for Mexican eats, we cats want to spend our final time
with you readers saying goodbye. Oh, and never fear, the
column is not going anywhere, its just that we two pussies
belonging to Ted & Ivan will be retiring with Ted, so this is
our final column. You might say we are being put out to pasture, but we never much cared for grass (at least
that kind) so we are gonna look for a cozy corner
of our soon-to-be new home in Maine and spend
more time relaxing. We did want to pay tribute to
the cats who started and have written this column
so well for years. The photo above left is Miss Lila.
She was rescued from Tonys house and took to
the keyboard from day one. If you want to see her
doing tricks (not that kind) she could high five and
shake and there is video on You Tube (Miss Lila
Shakes). Sadly her reign as the first gossip cat was
short, but her assistant, a Florida transplant the
guys got from Teds sister, Miss Madison (thats
her at right) was able to step in and continue our
work. Before too long the guys adopted us from
the Alliance for Responsible Pet Ownership and we
went right to work. Thats a Throwback Thursday
photo below of Sydney as a kitten. Shes named for
Sydney, Nova Scotia, one of the guys favourite cities and a place theyd just returned from the week
before we were added to the family. And thats me
below in the
left corner.
Im Britain
(named, of
course for the country whose spelling we use
in this column) and the poor puss who usually
ends up doing all the typing while Syd basks
in a sunny corner. But wait...who is that in the
bottom right corner? Thats Pyewacket (we were
told the name, we did not come up with it, but
we hear tell it runs in his family) and he belongs
to D.J. and Joe who bought The Word from Ted.
Yep, hes gonna be our replacement as of the
May issue. While he lives in Upstate New York, we have introduced him to all of our
usual mouthpieces (including the guy behind
one of the local bars, another at the laundry and
some others who we shall just leave unidentified)
so you may count on all the usual dish and
probably a whole lot more. He does look pretty
well fed and has really big ears so we suspect he
will be doing a grand
job. All of that just
leaves us to say you
can e-mail him at
cats@midwestword.
com and space for us
to say thank you to
our readers for making the catty column
The Words most read
space for over 20
years. Meow!
Page 62
Food For
Thought
By Ted Fleischaker / Word Publisher
Ah, food. For those who have known me for awhile they know I at one time weighed 316
pounds, wore size 64 (yeah, really) pants and joked with friends that Louisville Tent &
Awning made them custom for me. Times have changed. These days I wear a size 38 jean,
weigh under 220 (still big enough to bug my MD but not grossly fat as I hate the word
obese) but I am working on it. I guess thats my way to say I love to eat so sadly this is
my final restaurant column as readers know I have sold the newspaper and a new staff
takes up the forks and spoons (Yes, spoons the now sadly missing utensil in too many
restaurants, but one I still eat with despite being all grown up!).
So what to do for this final column? I plan to answer a question I have been asked all too
often through the years: What are or were the very best or favourite spots you ever eat/
ate at in our area open or closed. If you wanna know, do read on. Here are a few that
come quickly to mind in a variety of cities and towns, both open and historic...
Normans at Union Station. Normans was in Indianapolis downtown when I had
the first meal I ever ate as a resident at the time I moved here almost 25 years back.
Developer Bob Borns had turned a vacant station into a (sadly) short-lived festival
marketplace and Normans was in the Grande Hall right by the Louisiana Street entrance.
Normans had a lot of good eats, but I especially adored their Sunday brunches. You
could find the fatter Ted there most Sundays, including one on which a sterno keeping
some crepes (Theirs were delish!) warm got knocked over, setting the tablecloth below
on fire and causing us to have to evacuate midway through. I dont recall if we paid or
the half brunch we consumed was a freebie, but I do recall we were back the next week.
I was sad to lose this one for while the current banquet hall in the space is fine, I miss
Normans despite it being gone well over 15 (or maybe 20) years!
Louisvilles Lynns Paradise Cafe. I keep hearing rumours that this bastion of poor
decorating taste and great food taste is gonna reopen, be sold and on and on though
so far its not happened, much to my chagrin. Lynns always had THE best of the best
Hot Browns, which were invented in Louisville (If you dont know what one is Google it
LOL.) at the Brown Hotel. Even the Browns is 3rd or 4th place to Lynns. Their Kentucky
Bourbon Ball milkshake (Yes it really did have liquor in it so more than one and youd
need a designated driver.) was to die for. And they did some great egg dishes at Lynns,
too. They had a great tacky giftshop, always were out the door busy and it was all because
of the food, as well as the fun, quirky and wonderful owner/hostess. Lynns is spoken of
still in reverent tones at our house.
Lafayette, Indiana had a wonderful place for many, many years called Morris Bryant. It
was not only one of the first smorgasboards anywhere (Jello Salad was a staple.) but they
had an awesome seafood buffet on Fridays. It was originally the dining room of a motel
on the old U.S. 52 route to Chicago and dad would take us kids on every trip during the
60s and 70s at least once. When I moved to Indy in 1990 I was thrilled to find it still alive
and well, but a few years later it was sadly killed by a double whammy: First they had
a fire which destroyed parts of the still-standing (but by then mostly vacant) motel and
damaged the restaurant. But before they could rebuild a tornado swept through and
levelled what was still standing. The owners, who do have another restaurant in Lafayette
decided with that many natural disaster cards stacked against them (and declining U.S.
52 traffic) it was not worth reopening, so Morris Bryant faded into culinary memory.
And there are many many others I could and should mention...Some of those include
Indys Santorini (best Greek anywhere and do not miss Takis potatoes); Louisvilles
Kingfish for the rolled oysters and the Towboat Sandwiches; Columbus, Indianas
Zaharakos Ice Cream Parlour (They have food too. And a lot of folks swear by the GOM
Sandwich which is their version of a Sloppy Joe.); Shapiros Deli (Since 1905 and the
best corned beef, bagels and pastrami in the Midwest though we find it a bit pricy of
late.); Fogo de Chao (The Brazilian steakhouse with the towns best rare lamb chops and
while part of a chain unique and delicious); Jeffersonville, Indianas Anns By The River
(Plate Lunches! Remember Plate Lunches? They got em and more all for great prices.).
Plus theres Ralphs Great Divide (Quirky decor and hilarious I Love Lucy names for
sandwiches but the towns best pea salad and pickled beets, not to mention a mini candy
bar in every basket.); Marcos on the north side of Indy (Do not miss Tuesday cheap meat
night for great steak and more.); English Ivys (Fun service, cute staff and good food. Do
not miss the Weekender breakfast with one of the only offerings of steak & eggs in town!)
and Metro (Where Chet bakes his own fabulous breads and they have mini burgers of
all types and styles to go with the great drinks at their antique bar!) And on that note, Ill
fold my napkin, say its been a real blast to get paid to eat and that 24 years have flown by.
Thanks for reading and be sure you always tip your server!
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Page 64

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