[BAND WAGON ALERT!!!]...
...Congratulations to the Indiana Pacers for clinching a spot in the NBA Playoffs! It is the first time they have made it past the regular season since 2006!! I am excited though because, as I've mentioned before, I used to play basketball and enjoyed it very much. I also used to be a major Pacers fan even before we moved back to Indiana in '99. But in recent seasons they have been unimpressive and with embarrassing antics, both on and off the court. I am definitely a bandwagon/fair-weather fan nowadays but I'm not the only one, see here. It seems like the group of players we have now, although young, have a good head on their shoulders and have the motivation to get work done.
INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS
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| Victory Field via |
Tonight is the season opener for the
Indianapolis Indians. This is a sure fire indication that Spring is in full swing and Summer is just around the corner. I've been to a handful of Indians games and always enjoy myself. I especially love their $1 nights where selected concessions are deeply discounted. This is a great opportunity for families with kids to have a fun and entertaining night out as well as individuals on a budget (like me!). They kick off their season in a 4-game series against the Columbus Clippers complete with Fireworks, a complimentary schedule magnet (first 2500 people), and a $15 Value Pack (entry, hot dog, unlimited soda refills, and a free souvenir).
Smoking Ban Proposal in Indiana: Denied
Yesterday, state legislators squashed the smoking ban bill that was recently put on their plate. This was the fifth time a smoking ban has been proposed in Indiana (see
full story) . It doesn't eliminate smoking from all public places including casinos, bars and many private businesses. Sounds like a pretty weak attempt anyways. The biggest argument, I think, would be allowing smoking in bars. I am a former smoker (with occasional slip ups) and I would completely support a ban of smoking in bars/restaurants. I've been to other cities here in Indiana, like Bloomington, that have banned smoking in their bars (as well as bigger cities like Chicago and LA) and never felt like having to go outside was an inconvenience, even in the dead of winter. Not only did I smoke less, I also didn't smell as much like a rotten ashtray when the night was over. Now that I've quit, I notice how awful smokers smell and it is downright repulsive. I definitely think Indiana needs to reform the laws on smoking but it needs to be tighter and more restrictive.
DIRTY, ROTTEN SCOUNDREL
On Wednesday, Tim Durham (Indiana's own Bernie Madoff), was ordered by a judge to spend the next 7 days at a halfway house (Volunteers of America) in downtown Indianapolis. This is the former money manager that is accused of bilking investors, even friends, out of 200 mil dollars in an elaborate ponzi scheme masterminded through his company, now defunct, Fair Finance. This is becoming a rags-to-riches-to-rags story and I'm sure those who he duped would love to get their hands on him. The halfway house will be a far cry from what he is accustomed to. Durham is a guy of which the word "modest" doesn't fit into his vocabulary or lifestyle. His life, for many years, has been extravagant, opulent, boisterous: He owns massive estates in Geist and Los Angeles and many top-of-the-line luxury cars. He hosted "Playboy" parties that were highly publicized. He appeared in a multi-page spread in Indianapolis Monthly where he tried to play up his humble beginnings. He lived a Hollywood dream lifestyle while jetting back and forth on private planes between Indiana and the West Coast. But now, in his dust, people/friends/whole families are devastated by his greed and corruption. I babysat for a family who lost thousands to his company. How he can sleep at night (resting on 5000-thread count Egyptian cotton sheets, no doubt) is beyond me. I just hope that those left in the Fair Finance aftermath can see a light at the end of the tunnel and pick up the pieces.
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