PART 2:  The conversation which began focused on minimum wage issues continued, with the discussion becoming much broader in scope including is the public thoughtfully engaged in important issues, is the public library serving to promote well read and well informed citizens, what is the role of the Internet in research and information, and much […]

Podcast – A Memphis Conversation

Part 2: A $15/hour Minimum Wage?

PART 1:  Whether to raise the minimum wage required by law in the USA has, once again, become a topic of controversy with a number of employees of fast food restaurants staging protests demanding a $15 an hour minimum wage. One such worker wrote to The Commercial Appeal to outline her reasons she thought the […]

A $15/hour Minimum Wage?

Will there be a very large property tax increase in Memphis in 2016? That’s the question that kicked off this edition of A Memphis Conversation.  Some city council members have predicted that possibility for the year after city elections primarily because of the contributions the city will be required to make toward pensions for retired […]

Revolting Civic Culture? Major Tax Hike in 2016?

A new cold war? Who decides? A Memphis Conversation ventures to national and world issues in this discussion of U.S. foreign policy. With tensions between nations seemingly growing with conflicts in various locations, we talk about the Constitutional provision for the declaration of war, the War Powers Act of 1973, whether our institutions designated to […]

Shouldn’t a Cold War be a Hot Topic?

The Culture A few months ago a magazine asked the question if, outside of the sciences and technology, have our achievements improved over those of our grandparents’ era? Inspired by that question, the conversationalists discuss the state of the American (U.S.A.) culture and if it is one we would want to inculcate in our children […]

To pass the culture along, or not?

What attributes should those seeking local public office have? That is the primary question being discussed in  this Memphis conversation. While there may be many, this conversation focused on a couple of overriding qualities. The decision for the City of Memphis to further involve itself in the AAA minor league baseball franchise and its Redbirds […]

Desirable Qualities for Local Leadership

Is U.S. American football a game that has gone too far? Are recent revelations of the risk of permanent brain injury due to concussions sufficient to curtail the game? Has the huge sum of money involved, particularly in college and professional football programs, adversely affected the coaches, players and spectators? If so, have we abandoned […]

Concussions, Cash, and Conduct in American Football

A Memphis Conversation began exploring the proper role and function of local government. Beginning with a few examples of what the conversationalists though was proper and what was not, the discussion evolved into a broader exchange about the local and federal role and the people’s role. There were divided opinions among the participants. While their […]

Are we sheep or is our government ours to shape?

What is it like in the schools and how is that different in the unified school district compared to the separate Memphis city and Shelby County districts? We took the wonderful opportunity December 14, 2013, to get first hand answers to that question when White Station High School senior Grace Hugueley joined us to explore […]

Behind the School Walls After Unification: An Insight

Listen to a story of a girl called Grace and her fascinating and brave journey. One in 26 Americans will be diagnosed with epilepsy sometime during their life. Epilepsy is defined by a person having recurrent seizures, meaning at least two or more. Seizures can take many different forms. Our regular conversationalists were privileged to […]