Words and phrases oftentimes are misleading. One can ask whether "local politics"---or politics of any kind, can be discussed rationally. One could qualify the topic by particular place---Marion County, Indiana---and time---the  second decade of the Twenty-First, what historians in all likelihood will call the Chinese Century or the Indian Century but in no event Another American Century. As economic policies begun under the nominal presidency of the man who almost was cast as Rick Blaine in "Casablanca" continue to take their toll on the United States, people's nerves have become frayed. National turmoil has embraced the Crossroads of America.

   Paul Ogden and I shall post the programs to come so people have an idea of what is on the schedule. We learn as we go. And believe me when I say---why would I need to qualify anything with "and believe me when I say"? Does that imply everythng else I say is untrue?---we are working on the echo.

   The invitation is sincere. We film or shoot or whatever one calls it on the internet at 1:00 p.m. on the second floor of Big Hat Books in Broad Ripple. The exception to that schedule will be November 12 at 11:30 a.m. when I debate a Wabash alum, with Paul Ogden as moderator, on the value of single-gender, post-secondary education.