Dan Carpenter has retired from "The Indianapolis Star" after a couple of decades as a reporter and then columnist. From what I understand from recent polls, I should believe reports of his retirement are damn lies, because a significant number of the American people hold the view that the media are untrustworthy. (Actually, the polling questions usually are something like, "Do you think the media is..." The word "media" is a plural. There is a bit of evidence that I took Latin in the 1969-70 school year.) Plus, from his photographs, he looks too young to retire. Finally, if the Republican Party has its way, everyone is too young to retire.

   "Indiana Out Loud" is a collection of Dan's columns from the early 1990s. I strongly recommend the book. His descriptions of the people and events in our little corner of the cosmos are straightforward, but carry nuances that make whatever the topic of a particular column real. Relative to Hoosier writers, I would compare his style to Ernie Pyle and Irving Leibovitz.

   Dan will be our guest on "Civil Discourse Now" tomorrow, Saturday, December 21, from 11 am to 1 pm. Also on The Show will be Mike and Kimann Schultz, from whose home we shall be streaming "live" on Indiana Talks.

   I would recommend people buy Dan's book. First, because it's a good read. Second, I received mine as a review copy (i.e., free) and he needs to make up the bottom line for sponges such as me.