Thursday, December 24, 2015

Gannett's Predictable Top 10 Stories Of 2015

You knew before I told you that RFRA, the synthetic news story manufactured by Gannett-owned Indianapolis Star, would be the top news story of 2015. The others rounding out the top 10 stories of 2015 are similarly predictable for the Langley-run newspaper:

1. RFRA
2. Jared Fogle and child pornography
3. Soaring violence as symbolized by the Amanda Blackburn fatal home invasion
4. Education rift between Supt. Glenda Ritz and the Pence-dominated State Board of Ed
5. BMV scandals
6. Indianapolis housing blight
7. The HIV outbreak in Southern Indiana blamed on abuse of opioid painkillers
8. The election of Joe Hogsett as Indianapolis mayor
9. The downtown apartment boom driven by millennials
10. The retirement of David Letterman

The undeniable realization that Mayor Greg Ballard's entire final year in office was devoted to schemes to defraud Indianapolis taxpayers out of hundreds of millions of dollars, all of which were endorsed by the Indianapolis Star, failed to earn even an honorable mention.

24 comments:

Anonymous said...

The real joke is that you still believe the rfra story is "synthetic" when everybody else calls it huge, particularly the national media, so where is the disinformation coming from but from you; apparently you have some motivation to downplay the obvious significance of the entire matter with your double-talk. All you do is make us doubt your sincerity and credibility when you imply that the biggest story we all watched this year was just something synthetic made up by the local paper. How stupid do you think everybody else is? And how come so few appreciate your brilliant dismissal of its importance with a sniff and wave of your hand.

Gary R. Welsh said...

Only the fact that more than 30 states and the federal government had long ago enacted the same law originally drafted by the ACLU. RFRA only became a dirty word in Indiana after it had made it half way through the legislative session. The fact that lies are written as fact by mainstream news media in this country is nothing new.

Anonymous said...

RFRA language had changed substantially from its Federal wording by the time it finally hit the fan in Indiana, with critics calling it the most partisan yet of all RFRA statutes, and this time it was signed with our loving, hate group leaders all on stage with Pence, celebrating what would surely be their revenge for Supreme Court mandated gay marriage. Please. Saying this is the old 70's RFRA is absolutely disinformation and nobody buys your skewed, head in the sand interpretation of what was a hateful piece of legislation.

Gary R. Welsh said...

So it's different than the federal law the ACLU of Indiana relied upon to force federal prison officials in Terre Haute to permit persons who practice a certain faith to gather daily as a group to pray, while all other religions are confined to one weekly group meeting per week? The federal RFRA law was enacted in the 1990s under President Bill Clinton, not the 1970s. Indiana's law incorporated federal court decisions interpreting the federal law the ACLU wrote. The ACLU never sought to change that federal law after those court decisions were rendered. The major change to the law happened after the so-called "fix" was passed.

Anonymous said...

Instead of beating your drum to the evangelical beat why not acknowledge that the first amendment makes unnecessary RFRA laws, which vary by State, and which really only exist to empower bigoted Christians to deny service to gay people that they could not deny to blacks or any other minority.

Anonymous said...

Gov. Pence fell all over himself to order up and sign the "fix" and assure everyone that the RFRA he wants is not intended to discriminate against the gay community, but of course, that simply infuriated the evangelical community, and the reason should be obvious; that freedom was what they wanted. They wanted freedom from prosecution for telling gays that they wouldn't serve them in their small businesses. So cloud it up all you want. Now we are seeing the same kind of Republican shenanigans with the nondiscrimination bill, which is really the worst nondiscrimination bill ever, because its loaded with exemptions, and it basically cancels all the hard earned and hard fought discrimination protections we've put in place in South Bend, Indianapolis, Bloomington and Lafayette. So whine all you want that there was no intent to use the RFRA to discriminate. That's a lie. And everybody knows it. And these fights are not over. And if we have to push on to the U.S. Supreme Court in order to be free of this systemic belief in the Christian community that they don't have to do business with gay people, then we will, and if Mike Pence signs a grotesque bill, then his reputation will take the hit it deserves and we'll put the election in play.

Anonymous said...


How many of you have little girls? The state of Indiana is about to make it LEGAL for men to come into the bathroom with your little girls. Sure, they want to cover their cowardly behinds by saying the man has to “prove” he has felt like a woman for at least a year....but they are about to open the floodgates on your daughters and wives. Why aren't you mad????
Now I would suggest you get mad as flaming hot hell and say you have had enough of these jokers at the statehouse and DO SOMETHING before it's too late. Shed the coward's cloak and do something! Come on folks....it's here and it's being .
Share this message multiple times via social media, and forward it to everyone you can think of.
Resources:

Copy of SB100 (the compromise)
Facts are available to those interested in facts. One fact not generally noticed is that the Socrates of Plato and the Socrates of Xenophon agreed with Dr. Ruth about condemning male homosexual intercourse. I don't think anyone ever engaged in an argument with Socrates and came out whole. Dr. Ruth's conclusion came from a different set of premises but wound up the same as the Philosopher sans Bible. Did anyone wish a copy, by the way, of the study, "Homosexuality predicts child molestation?" I didn't think so....Those who celebrate Sodomy and those who (Tiny Tim) are selling it, really don't want readers to know much about the subject.

Anonymous said...


I am not the only out and proud LGBT capable of critical thinking and blessed with the ability to detect BS groupthink in my community and who also completely agrees with Gary Welsh's totally accurate statement that the RFRA clamor is synthetic. To allege otherwise is to the intentional suspension of the truth.

But when it comes to the sheep following the unelected Pied Pipers in my community.....many couldn't think for themselves if they tried.

Anonymous said...

; and no special privileges or immunities shall be granted to any class of citizens which are not granted on the same terms to all citizens. Advance Indiana, LLC. Copyright 2005-15. All rights reserved.

Anonymous said...

RFRA is a made-up story that only "offended" a few deviants who live south of 38th Street and really hate morality, liberty and decency.

Outside of Indianapolis, everyone just wondered what Marion County liberals were crying about now.

99% of the State thinks RFRA is a great idea.

Anonymous said...

I agree. Mayor Greg Ballard's entire final year in office was devoted to schemes to defraud Indianapolis taxpayers out of hundreds of millions of dollars, schemes which were NOT reported by the Indianapolis Star. Mayor Ballard's schemes were perpetrated and perpetuated by unethical Corporation Counsel who replaced ethical Corporate Counsel who refused to do the Mayor's bidding. Also, ethical executive department directors were replaced by those willing to do the Mayor's bidding. With the exception of Christine Scales, the City-County Councillors dropped their heads and stared at the floor to avoid witnessing the corruption.
You are correct. The schemes to defraud taxpayers under the corrupt Ballard administration deserved to be the Number 1 story of 2015.

Anonymous said...

And first up for 2016:

Indiana state senator Jim tomes has proposed a bill making it a crime for trans people to use public bathrooms and locker rooms that do not conform with their genders at birth.
The measure would make it a misdemeanor crime, carrying a punishment of up to a year in jail and a $5,000 fine.
Tomes says he doesn’t want to single out transgender people, but worries the privacy of women and children in bathrooms is at risk as society becomes more accepting.
Advocates for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights say Tomes’ explanation is absurd because the bill specifically singles out transgender people for ridicule.
Tomes disputed the characterization but said people are “entitled” to their opinions.


Senator Jim Tomes. Here he goes again, like a recurring hemmhoroid, he's going to irritate us over and over. Tomes. Who would just not let go of the idea that Indiana should enshrine in our Indiana Constitution the now quaint notion that marriage would forever remain only between a man and a woman. . . "Yeah, it's a moral issue ? it is for me. Am I so wrong to let that guide me on what I decide on? I think not. I'm going to answer to the Supreme Legislator, we all are one of these days," Tomes said. Tomes, a man so pure himself that the very idea of a gay makes him reach for the hand sanitizer. He's now frightened and perplexed at the notion of a "tranny" in the ladies' room. So frightened that he proposes legislation to criminalize it. Because, of course, he is without sin, and feels he should throw the first stone.

Anonymous said...

INDIANAPOLIS — December 17, 2015. The NCAA has thrown its considerable heft behind efforts to get Indiana lawmakers to add LGBT civil-rights protections into state law, announcing Wednesday that it joined a coalition of businesses that is pushing for the change.

“The NCAA national office in Indianapolis supports making Indiana a welcoming and inclusive place for people to work, live and enjoy,” Bernard Franklin, NCAA chief inclusion officer, said in a statement. He added that the NCAA was “proud” to join the group Indiana Competes to help “establish fair and equitable policies for all.”

LamLawIndy said...

Anon9:05, the REAL joke is your ignorance of when the federal RFRA was enacted (90s, NOT 70s) all the while attempting to debate Gary on the subject.

Anonymous said...

the HIV outbreak in southern Indiana blamed on opioid pain killer use. Austin has been known for many many years as a hotbed for drugs. Scott County authorities are and have been aware of this for years. Scottsburg Indiana detective Robert Amick who used to be "coordinator" for the Southern Indiana Drug Task Force has for I don't know how long been working with the FBI Safe Streets program. He has been around for a very long time, going back to the 90s in the drug policing business and there is absolutely no way that this man did not know about Austin. Amicks are politically active Democrats in Scottsburg. I wonder how long Amick has known Hogsett and how well. If I am not mistaken, Doug Campbell, Mayor of Austin is also a Democrat who has been around about as long as Amick if not longer. There is really no valid excuse for the rampant drug use/dealing in Austin to have not been dealt with long before this HIV outbreak ever happened. If this happens right under the nose of the oldest narcotics officer in Southern Indiana.... Kind of makes one wonder about a Scott County career criminal recruiting for the Saxon Knights slipping over to Washington County and getting involved in a drug and gun deal and the local boys got state charges and the Scott County guy's state charges were dropped and picked up by the feds... One of the young guys who was wanting to get clean and get away from the drugs ended up dead from a hot shot. Ruled "accidental", of course. Wonder how that Scott County guy got out of his old murder charge back in the 90s.

downtown doc said...

Wow. More Indiana hate in the pipeline. An Indiana lawmaker has proposed a bill that would make it a crime for transgender people to use public bathrooms and locker rooms that do not conform to their gender at birth, threatening to draw Indiana further into a national debate over transgender rights.

“We’ve walked through a doorway we’ll never go back through. And we’re going to have to address some concerns that are now facing us,” bill sponsor, Republican state Sen. Jim Tomes said Thursday. “If you were born a man, then you are obliged to use the males’ restroom.”

Tomes’ bill would send someone to jail for up to a year and fine them as much as $5,000 if they were convicted of entering a bathroom that does not match up with their birth gender. Exceptions are made for janitors, first aid providers and parents accompanying children under the age of 8. The measure would also require public schools, including charters, to ensure students do the same, though students would not face criminal penalties.

Anonymous said...

RFRA would protect the printer from printing a flyer for a Nazi or KKK rally, a church or funeral home from holding a satanic service and that famous baker from making a cake for someone they do not want to serve.

Like it or not private businesses SHOULD have the right to refuse service to WHOMEVER they choose.

Straight, homosexual, whatever you call yourself. Get over it and move on down the road to another vendor.

Anonymous said...

Anon 3:45 Is this the same NCAA that lives rent free at White River State Park and is only here because the city is picking up 100% of the tab? This NCAA is not the kind of organization that brings anything of value to town. That's why most real cities could care less that they're here and not in their towns.

Anonymous said...

As to point #3 http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2015/12/the-myth-of-over-incarceration.php in which one can predict that little Joe will look the other way and address none of the crime in Indianapolis.

Anonymous said...

http://www.wsj.com/articles/trying-to-hide-the-rise-of-violent-crime-1451066997 Serious folks with interest in the community need to think about how to address local, state, and federal policies and lies about crime and criminals. Thinking on such is not hard for thinkers as they long ago dismissed liberals, progressives and duh media. How these actors lie to us is mostly disclosed in the link but leaves open, then, as what can and should be done (the should brings in morality). For some reason Indianapolis was not included in the Brennan Center's study but their methodology could easily be duplicated here.

Anonymous said...

http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2015/12/the-myth-of-over-incarceration.php Of course, Indianapolis will have to honestly look at their crime problems with no sugar coating or white washing the racial composition of Indianapolis crimes. Doing such, of course, would leave out any liberal suggestions, the progressives will nowhere be found, and duh media, as usual, will be no help at all(instead they will continue with their lies and distortions). Still, there are things which can be done at the local level. There are things that can be done at the State level.

Anonymous said...

Backers of a proposed ballot initiative that sought to require transgender people to use the public restrooms that correspond with their biological sex say they have failed to qualify the measure for the California ballot.

Dec. 21 was the deadline for the initiative’s sponsors to submit voter signatures to county election offices for verification.

Karen England of the Privacy for All campaign said in a statement that the volunteer-led effort fell short of the 365,880 signatures needed to get the initiative on the November 2016 ballot.

Anonymous said...

http://thehill.com/policy/defense/264232-bergdahl-details-failed-attempts-to-escape-taliban

Media have not looked as closely into this matter as the Taliban have?

Anonymous said...


Ballard's final year was definitely capped with uber-illegalities against the little man and woman of Marion County and Gannett and most of the Council just could not care less. Oh, Councilors moaned, Councilors complained but these wusses did NOTHING to stop this Republican madman we called mayor. But WOW Democrats Maggie Lewis, Zach Adamson, and fake "R" Jeff Miller sure as hell knew how to vote to raise their salaries!!!

Not only should the overtly corrupt, criminal and civil law breaking Greg Ballard be in jail, but also charged should be his enablers: Kyle Walker, his wife who refuses to take his last name- Jennifer Hallowell Walker AND who was Boss Hog Ballard's political advisor, attorney Bob Grand, attorneys Tom John and David Brooks, sort-of attorney Samantha DeWester and every other person who kept Ballard in power.