IS IT TRUE? April 7, 2011

IS IT TRUE that at roughly 3 PM on Wednesday April 6, 2011 the top five stories on the Evansville Courier and Press website under the most popular heading were all about theft?…that the full complement from embezzlement, to armed robbery, to robbing an elderly person in a motorized wheelchair in broad daylight in downtown Evansville dominated the news (at least the popular part) yesterday?…that a major retail outlet tests its security enhancements in Evansville today the way that fast food franchises tried out new offerings in the past and still do on occasion?…that one of the reasons for this is that this particular store has one of the highest theft to inventory ratios of any of its stores in the nation?…that this particular retailer has over 1,000 stores in operation across the country and even in other countries?…that this penchant for taking things from others is disturbing?…that at least the rascals seem to be getting caught due to the efforts of the Evansville Police Department?

IS IT TRUE that the census numbers for Louisville look pretty much like Evansville multiplied by 4?…that despite voting in unified government the flight from the old city limits to the county continued at roughly the same rate?…that the 5 census tracts with the biggest loss of population are all in the older areas of Louisville that have been plagued with crime, declining values, and poor performance in neighborhood schools?…that the 5 fastest growing tracts in the newly consolidated Louisville-Jefferson Metro are all out in the county to the east or a Louisvillians call it “outside of the Watterson”?…that based on the 2010 census that it is a logical conclusion that consolidation had no significant effect on the migration of people to places that they prefer to live?…that some of the counties surrounding Jefferson like Oldham County have experienced growth at the expense of Jefferson County?

IS IT TRUE that the legislation that was referred to as a statewide smoking ban for Indiana has died in committee?…that the so called ban had more exceptions to the rule than there was rule?…that exceptions were lobbied for and included for casinos, private clubs, bars, tobacco stores, and even nursing homes?…that the only real changes that this bill included would have been to eliminate the smoking sections in restaurants?…that the Indiana legislators were hoping to pass this watered down bill that bore a decisive name so they could pat themselves on the back as advocates for public health for doing next to nothing?…that the bill was shot full of holes to the point that even the American Cancer Society called it out for having an unacceptable level of exemptions?…that it will be up to the city governments of the State of Indiana to take steps to promote public health because at the state level we obviously are unwilling to slay even one sacred cow?…that maybe the private club exemption makes sense but NURSING HOMES?…that forgetfulness, oxygen tanks, and a cigarette are a formula for an explosion?…that this is one of those things that people in other states or even Hoosiers who have lived in progressive states just shake their heads in disbelief at the squabbling that goes on in our legislative body?

IS IT TRUE that Rodney Witherspoon contributed an excellent article to the Courier and Press today that deals with one of the issues to be considered in the consolidation saga?…that we encourage you to visit the following link to read the article?

http://www.courierpress.com/news/2011/apr/07/city-county-residents-not-same/

IS IT TRUE that the federal government is threatening to shut down over funding?…that were it not for the soldiers and others not being paid this may be a great step forward?…that if not for the media circus surrounding the potential shut down of the government most of us would never notice?

IS IT TRUE that there is one step that would install financial accountability to government?…that abolishing payroll withholding of taxes and requiring people to actually write checks for their taxes like businesses are required to would give people a very different perspective on government spending?…that getting all of your paycheck and having to go to the tax collection office on Friday afternoon to write a check to Uncle Sam for hundreds of dollars would get peoples attention?…that government officials do not want anything to do with that much accountability?