IS IT TRUE February 26, 2014

1. It is a failure of leadership by the City Administration to keep going ‘full speed ahead’ with the Convention Hotel when the City’s ability to attract Convention business has been significantly impaired by the IN Supreme Court’s ruling on the smoking ban.

   How does the City know they can compete in this new environment?
   Did the City EVER have the ability to compete with Indy, Nashville, Cincy, etc. ??????

   • Any city that can’t pass a simple comprehensive smoking ban will never compete with other cities much less the ones you mentioned.

     • I don’t care what it takes to keep that boat turning a profit, just do it. This city has become dependent on gambling money and the loss of that money would sink this city. There’s a lot of debt incurred based on the boat paying part of the profits to the city. Let the boat have a crime easement district with open air drug markets and ladies for fun and profit, just keep the money flowing. Smoking is nothing, of course I won’t go around, just part of my pro choice conservative stance.

       • Why can’t we just face up to the real costs of all the government services we demand??? And we demand A LOT.

         How can the people or the politicians make the tough choices needed to keep the balance of services with the costs if it is buried in gobs of sin taxes?

         Franklin invented the real estate tax to pay for fire protection, reasoning that the more property you have and the more valuable it is the more you should have to pay for fire protection.

         The sales tax is very bad also, because people don’t get a bill for the total amount.

         I don’t get this kind of logic.

2. “No Show Jones” and “No Show Swaim”. Maybe Mr. “know it all” Wayne Parke will stand in for Pete?

   • For Petes Sake show up to the forum Swaim.

3. The quote from the Courier reads:

   “HCW has obtained agreeable financial commitments that pave the way for its financing of the project, according to the news release.”

   I’m wondering if that really translates to having “secured” the financing. I know I’m skeptical about this deal, but this indicates to me that the deal isn’t “signed, sealed, and delivered.”
   Paving the way doesn’t always get the car to the destination.

   • (Rabbit) says–>”Chuck hole season”,sewers season.
     (Duck) says–> I say!Its paved way season.
     (Rabbit)->sewers,chuck holes.. (Duck)–> PAVED WAY! (Rabbit) No! Paved ways!..Duck says, no chuck hole,sewers season…whumph! (Duck) “you’re despicable!”

     Bugs,gotta love’em. 🙂

   • Kunkel had a letter that showed “agreeable financial commitments” and that fell to pieces when the rubber met the road. These are carefully chosen words to make a the gold shovel day sound good. What they have is probably not binding and has all sorts of disclaimers with regard to credit rating, appraisal, down payment, etc. etc. etc. What HCW really has is an interested mortgage broker who is in this dance for a commission. Any half wit can get a conditional approval and that is the most they have.

     • What it sounds like to us is that the VETTING is about to start.

   • elkay,

     The lack of transparency by the City Administration is really showing itself on this transaction:

     1) No Business Plan (remember HCW:” we are the business plan !”);

     2) No clear cut financing from ONB. “Show me the money”. Is it Hotel money, naming rights, what ?; and

     3) Financing which “paves the way”. Show us the Loan Agreement with your lender (since the public is kicking in $ 20 Million, we have a right to know). Also, prove that your Bank made a $ 37 Million loan with no Business Plan, HCW !

     A number of Councilmen are bragging about having “saved” $ 18 Million in public subsidy. Without anyone proving that the City can still compete in the Convention Business, it may turn out it is a COST of $ 20 Million ?

     • Exactly! The lack of transparency of this Administration is pretty disconcerting to me, and it should be for every taxpayer in town.

       • The lack of transparency in an administration that has had several public meetings on almost every major project and several public visioning sessions where anyone could give their opinion on Evansville’s future. Let’s not forget the monthly travelling Town Halls with all of the department heads. It’s very disconcerting. If I were a concerned citizen, the administration only makes themselves available to the general public several times a week.

         • Phyllip,

           You are a fool and a toady for the Administration.

           We’ve all seen these carefully orchestrated “love in” public meetings, where the Administration brings in a long line of dignitaries who talk about what a GREAT project x is (x= just fill in the name of the project). A ‘great’ project is one which puts money in the speaker’s pocket.

           If a meeting attendee dares challenge the party line, they are given a stern rebuke and about 2 minutes to make their case. When Weinzapfel was “selling us” the Fraud Center, there were even Vectren employees in the audience lobbing softball questions !

           The transparency we are seeking is of a business nature (read the post: Business Plan; escrow of ONB investment; Bank Letter of Intent for the Developer).

           If attending these dog-and-pony sessions makes you feel good, go for it, but bring a saddle, that pony will kick.

         • There’s nothing like getting talked down to by a person that is so cowardly and fears rebuke so much that they hide behind a pseudonym. Call me what you want heckler in hiding.

         • Phyllip I have been to these meetings before and they do not work when decisions have already been made.
           in order for a meeting to actually work there must be a certain degree of honesty, winicke and most but not all of of our cities Politicans are lying by omission ( maybe not breaking the law,but sure bending the hell out of it ,making it very questionable about it) I mean SBOA still won’t report on a clean 2012 records

         • @ Dr. Wu and Evilltaxpayer,

           +1. You guys hit the nail on the head. How can sycophant Phyllip keep saying over and over Winnecke is listening to people, having open forums, yada, yada, yada and then when I ask him to prove the general conclusions page of the Roberts Stadium Task Force, he can’t and ALWAYS runs off on some other tangent to try to avoid it? How can he have it both ways?

           And has anyone EVER seen the competing bids for this hotel project?

           Visioning sessions? Ha, you mean the crayola coloring in between the lines sessions after a healthy dose of the Flower Man book that drew 17 people when the C&P visited?

           Truth is, no matter what Winnecke has tried to implement, the people of Evansville have sent him a message time after time that they are not on board.

         • Phyllip,

           How dare you accuse me of using a pseudonym !
           I am of Asian descent, and worked very hard to earn my PhD at the University of Copenhagen in 1978!

           A racist remark, please retract !

           • As long as Frau Wu is not just a pseudonymph life should be good for Dr. Wu.

         • Dr. Wu (if that truly is your name). I, sir, am no racist. I was not questioning the authenticity of your surname. I was questioning the validity in your title. I am a closet doctorophobe.

       • @ Phyllip: Those “travelling Town Hall” meetings are a bad joke. The Mayor makes some remarks and then turns things over to the various officials present. If I wanted to talk to them all I need to do is pick up the phone.
         As for all of the meetings you attend, that’s up to you, but I have a life that precludes my attendance at the shams. You would do well to attend to family more and public less, is my guess.

         • I know how to balance both. I do my community work and I work with my kids on their extra-curricular activities. I was an assitant coach for my son’s football team and I help coach the STEM programs for my kids’ elementary school. My kids attend many of the meetings with me. They loved participating in the Voice sessions and they are big fans of Mayor Winnecke.

         • Phyllip,

           Yes, Wu is my last name. I don’t know what a ‘closet doctorphobe’ is, but you might want to see if you have counseling on your health insurance.

           Yoda: there is no Frau Wu (I don’t date/much less marry German chicks). But she goes by the nickname ‘Honey’, and let me tell you, it’s great to have a wife named Honey Wu !

   • Editor;EKB, sorry for the cartoon comparison. I did have that on my mind after watching a PBS airing last night from your local provider.
     We watched the NPR reports stuff,then this thing about evansville’s millennials plan,that was pretty entertaining.

     They had a older news anchorwoman from the past,and some people from the evansville city administration talking about the voice session impressions.
     Wow,you’ll want to stand back from arm reach when the leadership evansville spokesperson is speaking,geez she’s got reach,swinging her arms all over the place,she could take’ya out if you were in range.

     Mostly old stuff,and the people actually in the mix where generation x at best call.
     If one really listened to the presentation each almost contradicted the other,with the blend of the takes provided.

     Confused? Who knows. One guy was maybe actually young enough to be classed as a millennial,That was that Hooper fellow from the mayors office,he mentioned the Infrastructure CSO issue vaguely and said some things that a millennial in the room with us immediately found as a “fatal error” “so to speak” as a “millennial”. When, he was talking about the sewers project,moving forward.

     My suggestion is in the future maybe the ESWU ought to have Mr.Mounts or one of his engineers communicate the project expectations and those plans forward. Those Guys do seem to communicate well and “are” very qualified on the subject at hand.
     The overall presentation was a pitch for downtown as usual,which is not all bad,however,the major needs of the many should come into play,as well.
     @Rails&Roberts,woulda gotten a large kick out of the presentations hypocrisy in its statements concerning urban sprawl,dwindling farmland and such.
     That in concerns,to the Ball field location has suggested.

     No points of the presentation actively,discussed what evansville is doing to adjust for Climate Change conditions,other than some really small incrementals such as bus use,or walkability.
     They seem to have lost the notion of true vision,they are seeing things that “are now”,not things that “will be.”

     @Editor,the POTUS and California,the ACA,I don’t like the ACA,its obviously flawed,that needs work,however your Infrastructure out there does as well,and, its worse than evansville’s right now.
     Drought,lack of clean water,”every, income touch point” in a persons life is “affected”. Including “health problems” from drought conditions.
     Solutions are in the works,however “when”, was too late?
     At least NASAs on board now,science observes the facts,politics can only react to them.

     What is in error,in evansville? That Hooper guy,saying the evansville area is water infrastructure rich,why? The present sources,the rivers,the wells? The aquifers?. As is,affected? As it is?…”not so much.”

     What is sad,is if California had installed and began operations with my system in 2011,the problem as an “affected water infrastructure” would not even exist. (“Land O’PLenty Clean Waters”)
     No rationing water,or cutting it to agriculture,or anything else. Exactly why,we must get this through testing and approval.

     Right now vendor UL.250 standards must be exceeded.
     YES we meant,exceeded,not met,the Planet isn’t waiting on our EPA regulatory,or the upcoming DOE standards,its moved forward already with “The Changed Climate” conditions,as well as the clean water availability in the southwest.

     http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/california-drought/parched-california-reservoir-drops-17-capacity-n38806

     arida,millennials

     dry, millennials

     $$$$$$$$$$$$$$–> billions –> trillions —> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~.

4. Editor, thank you for the report on the president’s lies about ACA enrollments. Not only did the liberal Washington Post give him four Pinocchios, but it also expressed frustration that the administration keeps repeating the lies even though the enrollment claims have been exposed as wildly inaccurate.

   • Liberal Washington Post? Hahahaha

     • Are you seriously saying the Washington Post is not a liberal newspaper?

     • http://www.rasmussenreports.com/content/pdf/4541‎Cached
       SimilarRasmussen ReportsLoading…

   • Don’t even get me started on the ACA.

   • Lies about the ACA ? That is almost laughable !

     BHO is a committed pathological liar !

     If his mouth is moving it is broadcasting lies !

     I honestly think he and his band of Flying Monkeys gravitate to any policy, position, regulation or law that by its very nature will demand dishonesty in its implementation.

     A pitiful state of affairs the ignorant spoon fed voters have lauded upon us !

5. What was the attendance debacle with regards to Kansas? I seem to remember looking at the interactive seat map for the temptations and it was abysmal but I don’t recall seeing anything about the kansas show. Could someone enlighten me.

   • We published a picture of the empty stadium. There did not appear to be more than 500 attendees and all were on the floor. It looked more like a middle school dance than a former arena rock band.

     • Thanks. Didn’t see it, but surely believe it.

     • I’m younger than most on here, but I have never heard of Kansas. That may be a reason no one was there…

       • Carry on My Wayward Son

         • Dust in the wind!

6. You say Medicare expansion in your Is It True above editor.

   Did you mean Medicaid?

   • Yes, thank you.

7. I receive mail, faxes, and emails telling me that I am qualified for up to a $500,000 business loan or more. So with a few of those and that I might already be a Publisher’s Clearing House winner, I to have the financing.

   • Don’t count on the Publisher’s Clearing House enoch.

     The checks are too big to fit through your door so they must be returned to the Jolly Green Giants pad.

     I know, I was almost rich once.

8. IIT that 1M-2.8M on expanded Medicaid it better than zero which would be the number if the GOP had their way.

   However, is not also true that ther is no denying this piece of resume/ACA puffery that President Obama has engaged in is just stupid? Does he not realize that everything he says is scrutinized to the nth degress and it is bad enough that his polticial enemies tell lies themselves about the president and the ACA, create strawmen, twist everything around, and shamelessyly edit everything he says and does. But this time he has just handed his poltical enemies a political club to beat him with.

   The enrollment numbers are on track to be fairly decent they will probably hit 6-6.5M which is not great but pretty respectable.

   God Obama just stick to the facts. 1-3M is still way better than the GOP alternative Geez.

   The truth always comes out, sooner or later. SIGH!

   • It’s called “rounding up.”

     Mitch Daniels rounded up the cost of the Iraq war to $60 billion tops.

     The Keystone’s 10,000 jobs have been rounded up to 100,000 etc. etc.

     It’s called rounding up and f—–g up at the same time.

   • This piece is really misleading. What I have read is that WaPo gave the statement that there are 6 million ACA enrollees 4 Pinocchios, but the most recent figure I can find credited to the President is 4 million, not 6 million.
     I can’t find any claims from POTUS that say there are 6 million enrolled. Steny Hoyer also used the 4 million number in his statement yesterday. If CCO has a link to the higher number coming from the President I would appreciate it.
     I do know that it was projected that these figures could be on track for an enrollment of the 7 million target figure, as last-minute enrollments accounted for a high percentage of the “MassCare” enrollments.
     Please tell me where WaPo got its numbers.

     • Here is our source.

       http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2014/feb/25/barack-obama/barack-obama-says-medicaid-expansion-has-brought-h/

       • Thank you. The spin here is in making a cursory reader believe that the President claims 7 million new ACA enrollees. His statement was that there are now 4 million enrollees. That was a clear, uncluttered statement.
         The “access to” numbers are more nebulous and will remain so, because I don’t think statistics are kept that will indicate how many of those with access would not have had insurance anyway. It was not a good choice to even say that figure, but the 4 million enrollment statement apparently seems valid at this point.

         • You are welcome and you are correct. The President intentionally blurred the lines between plan selection, kids still on the parents plan, and Medicaid to crow about over 10 Million people getting health insurance that never had it before. That was irresponsible and the critics pounced quickly and accurately. Allan Greenspan would have probably resurrected the term “irrational exuberance” over that speech. The reality is the plan selection is at 4 Million and the actual paid premiums are likely to be between 2.8 and 3.2 Million which is consistent with what we have been hearing all along.

     • Here is the exact quote attributed to the President.

       “Right now, we’ve already got close to 4 million Americans who have signed up for exchanges. We’ve got 3 million Americans who were able to stay on their parents’ plan because of the law. We’ve got close to 7 million Americans who have access to health care for the first time because of Medicaid expansion. So we’ve already got well over 10 million Americans just in the first few months, despite problems with healthcare.gov in the first month and a half, who suddenly have the financial security that in some cases they’ve never known before.”

       By the way, I have a 23 year old child that is still on my plan. She had insurance before ACA and she has it now. Net change = ZERO

       • Looks to me like Obama is actually trying to take credit for 14 Million new sign-ups from that quote. Our President is a delusional liar. The worst part of it is he doesn’t even know he is lying.

         • The Donald: You are contradicting yourself. To be a liar, you must purposely present false/inaccurate information. He knows is spreading false information, he just thinks if you tell the same lie enough times that someone will start to believe it. He is a serial liar because there are few actual journalists out there that will say so and most of his voting base doesn’t read, so they would not come across the truth for themselves anyway.

           • Duly noted. The end result is the same. I would think even less of him if I thought he was lying on purpose. By the way do not be surprised to see the President become a respondent in a bunch of wrongful death lawsuits as people who “lost their doctor or their insurance” die in the transition from not having care available due to government ineptness.

   • Obama’s blatant lying reminds me of sitting in front of a TV when I was in a child in the late 60’s watching the daily body counts from Vietnam like it was the Super Bowl. The numbers were routinely shown as though over 1,000 North Vietnamese died but that the USA only lost single digits. Lyndon Johnson was a goddamn liar and controlled the media with an iron fist. Obama does it with a silver tongue but the results are the same. The American people get lied to about important events by a forked tongued devil in the White House. The government was more honest with the Indians than Johnson, Obama, and Nixon were with modern day Americans.

     • The Great Obama is never wrong. He is the world’s smartest man:

       http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwMQ0u7IPpA

       • Our President is a permanent resident of the state of confusion.

         I will celebrate when he finally returns to his former “civilian” state. At that point in time the state of the country will improve immensely, and I will be in a better state of mind.

         ___

         • Ditto.

   • B Benton: How do you know that the ACA is producing better results than the GOP alternative? Fact is you do not know a thing because all other options from the right, the left and the center have been ignored and dismissed.

     I see you are starting to realize that the mighty Oba-Mao is not the shining figure you once thought he was. He is liar, a cheat and a lawless politician. But then you meander back to your delusional state and try to focus the blame on the right again by saying they make stuff up and their ideas don’t work. Again you try projecting your techniques and faults onto others, to deflect the blame.

     I hope this leads you to read something other than the liberal manifesto and liberal blogs. you might learn that the other side just might have valid ideas or plans, if you can get past your hate and indoctrination.

   • You’re right about the President’s use of “access to” numbers instead of “enrolled” numbers. That was a dumb choice and I hope he just sticks to the concrete and verifiable numbers from now on.

     • I bet you a lunch he won’t. It is not his nature to be concrete and verifiable but I hope like you that we can begin to see something concrete and verifiable coming from the White House on this subject and others. Don’t hold your breath.

     • He said what he meant, he meant what he said. He’s a red diaper baby, that’s a fact and he’s doing what he was raised to do.

9. I would not pee on the fire yet with respect to financing. Show me the money (commitment letter), Jerry!!! This has to be provided to the city before its contribution is puckered up. That commitment letter should not read like a 50 page breach list.

   Until this is made a public document, which given how much of this project is being financed by the city this should not be an issue, that tingling sensation on your leg isn’t water. Anyone remember the downtown baseball stadium debacle? Ready, fire, aim!!

   • The downtown ballpark was not a debacle based on financing, it was a debacle based on political bullying of the mayor who handled it very poorly when things started to unravel. Back in 2012 I talked to an official with the South Georgia Waves directly. He said the mayor had the financing AND the votes. In fact, he had 23 of the 24 parcels secured. The only one holding out was the adult bookstore and the mayor didn’t want to have his name in an eminent domain suit.

     Where the mayor made a really bad decision was when he pulled the plug without telling anyone involved with the project. The South Georgia Waves were willing to see if they could have chipped in more, reconfigured the ballpark, and/or made some of the design cheaper.

     It’s really sad because Russ Lloyd was a great mayor. He gave us a master plan for both downtown and our parks. And since both were conducted by independent professional firms, and not a handful of people wasting time drawing stick figures with crayons at a VOICE session. we ended up getting two plans that if completed would have solved both the problems with downtown and our parks. Russ Lloyd also constructed a nice 9-11 Freedom Tree at Garvin Park as well.

     But now, Russ has just stood behind Winnecke and nooded yes on everything including Roberts and the health of the city finances. He is a perfect example as to why I keep telling people to stand for something not someone. If you don’t stand for something in this business, someone will come along and choose something for you to stand for, and it’ll always be something you shouldn’t be supporting.

     • Sir,

       Russ Lloyd may have been a great Mayor . . . I wasn’t around then . . . but he is not performing as a Finance guy.

       I have occasion to go to the Civic Centre about 3X per week; and it always smells like something is cooking. It’s not the microwave on the 1st floor break room . . . it’s THE BOOKS !

       • Oh I agree completely. Russ Lloyd the Controller is 180 degrees from Russ Lloyd the Mayor. Now instead of leading things the way he had them done, he just nods his head yes to Winnecke. Like I said above, it’s really sad because Russ gets it, Winnecke doesn’t.

         I hear he “lives in his suit.” I must say I do like people that are dedicated to something like that but at the same time, he needs to quit fighting John Friend and the council on audits.

         • Completely agree, RRS, re: ” needs to quit fighting on audits”. This is public money, it should be subjected to the highest standards of review. This administration is good at two things: 1) secrecy; and 2) persecuting Muslims.

           May both of these end now.

10. The most recent data indicate that nearly 4 million people have now signed up for a private health insurance plan through the federal and state-based marketplaces since Oct 1. Still short of the goal but the right would never be happy even if 14 million signed up. More gloom
    and doom.

    Old news……..

    New news?

    – Republican lawmakers say they intend to use their legislative powers to try to block Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel’s plan to significantly shrink the size and power of the military. (idiots)

    – Congress to approve $302 billion-worth of infrastructure projects over the next four years, while outlining a new $600 million grant program to create jobs repairing roads, bridges and transit systems.

    – Gov. Chris Christie proposed the largest budget in New Jersey history, a $34.4 billion plan.

11. The far-reaching effects of the ACA are just starting to become known. For example, I know a woman who survived cancer and continues to take an expensive medication that keeps her hair from falling out because of the treatment she received. Her doctor recently told her he can no longer afford to participate in Medicare because of the ACA. She doesn’t want to change doctors, even if she can find a new one who accepts Medicare, but she can’t afford to pay for the medication herself. That’s why she paid into the Medicare fund during her working years. At this point she doesn’t know what to do. All thanks to the ACA.

    • Sounds like there is more to that story.

      • Ghost:

        Really? What do you suspect is going on? Is the lady lying? Probably just making up the story because she is a GOP/conservative/Tea Party type person.Because clearly we all know that the ACA would never cause something like that to happen. How do we know this? Because your mighty dictator has said it is the greatest thing on earth and that it would only bring positive and good things to the people. And you being the drone that you are shook your head and said “yup….yup” and believed every word he uttered. So now anytime any negative instances come up, you automatically believe the worst about the situation.

        • The ACA adds 8 more years of life to Medicare that it wouldn’t have had.

          It also over time closes the doughnut hole In Part D making sure people like the lady above will get their medicine regardless.

          If she has a doctor who cares more about summer homes than his patients, she’s probably better off finding a new one.

          The ACA strengthened Medicare in several ways but it takes Congress to fix the “Doc” fix.

          I’ll criticize Obama when he deserves it but not on this particular story.

          • “The lady above” has to have a doctor who participates in Medicare to provide a prescription even if Part D is improved. That was the point. Why insult her doctor by raising the issue of a choice between a summer home and serving his patients? Even if he had one, I wouldn’t begrudge it because of the number of years he spent in training, with little or no income, in order to care for people. Doctors I know are struggling with what to do about their future and the ACA. Ask yours.

          • What doctors go through to get to where they are, (and what they do when they get there,) is extremely admirable.

            The ACA has been accused of everything from Elvis’s disappearance to Pee Wee Herman shooting someone in the back of the head in a theater.

            I’m like Ghost, I believe there’s more to this story but the stories definitely abound:

            http://kos.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=1u9rClRfzXcZG7wovCrQMiSxhRRrYOgQ

          • LOL! Wrong link:

            http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/fact-checker/wp/2014/02/20/a-hard-hitting-anti-obamacare-ad-makes-a-claim-that-doesnt-add-up/

            • Two Pinochios for this woman on the same day the President got 4 Pinochios for his lies about ObamaCare. Jimmy Buffet needs a new parody on Fins. Lies to the left, lies to the right, but its the only game in town.

          • Lies and the liars that spread them I honestly believe Yoda is one of the greatest threats this country faces today.

            And when someone says, “If you own a business, you didn’t build that,” doesn’t help out either.

            But someone had to start the health care debate before it consumed our country and history will end up deciphering the ACA outcome, not hate nor hopefully not lies.

            • We were once a country in the middle with 10% extremist on each fringe. Today it seems as though we are 35% – 40% on each fringe and only 20% – 30% in the middle. When all we get are damn liars on both sides dominating the news and pitting people against each other we don’t have a chance to compromise and work toward positive goals. I don’t really know when this started. Clinton was great at working together with Gingrich to make things happen. Times were good. It seemed to me as though the art of working together ended sometime in the middle of GWB’s time and has gotten worse ever since. It’s a damn shame and I agree with you that polarizing the people of the country is our biggest threat.

          • Nothing will ever get any better until gerrymandered districts at least have to follow county lines.

            The 1996 Telecommunications Act started the downfall and then the Citizens United vs FEC put the icing on the cake.

            Why a representative would want to go through the glory of being elected to such a honorable position to manning the phones trying to raise money like a hard working prostitute the very next day is beyond me.

            I hope Visitor puts a comment on here soon, I need some solace.

12. Editor, are you really reaching out to Pete Swaim to attend your dog & pony show after you and your readers spent several days attacking him?

    • The Public Policy Forum is being run by Woods and Woods. The CCO is just the publisher of the content. It will be up to Woods and Woods to select and secure people to be interviewed.

      • Can I send in a question?

    • You keep saying all the CCO homers are just being yes people which you would NEVER do. I’m one of the truest CCO homers. In fact after the cemetery presentation you told me I was “hanging out with the wrong crowd” but now I’ve asked you many times over to show me where I became some yes man on the Swaim no show. You can’t and you haven’t, yet here you are trying to milk this Swaim thing that doesn’t even exist.

      Dog and Pony show? Are you still ready to prove that general conclusions page yet? Didn’t think so. Don’t point the finger at anyone about a dog and pony show without first recognizing that three fingers are pointing back at you.

      And one other thing, I asked Parke last night three simple questions about what Pete’s position is on three issues. He never replied. How can that be so hard?

13. Speaking of attendance woes, the Aces just now turned in the newest all-time lowest attended season. Last year was 4,463, this year (by my count) is 4,456. These two seasons are the lowest in UE history.

    By contrast, the two lowest attended seasons prior to the first season played downtown (2011-2012) were the 2010-2011 season (4,910) and the 2009-2010 season (4,832) which BOTH occurred after Roberts was announced as a lame duck.

    Prior to that, the Aces pulled in 5,863 the year before and their lowest was the 2007-08 season when they pulled in 5,486 fans. In contrast to that, the Icemen, who have been a roaring success both in the business community and in service to the community in general, are currently pulling in a little under 5,400 fans a game.

    As for the concerts, there was no doubt that the Kansas concert was a debacle but I think there was enough evidence to show the Kansas promoters themselves, not the FC, were the reason to blame. As for concerts in general, the FC seems to have stablized across the board. I don’t have any figures with me because concerts don’t release them like sports teams but if I were a betting man I’d say attendance is up.

    • Chicago current world tour link. Notice they are playing at the Horseshoe Casino in Elizabeth, IN and in the smaller than Henderson city of Paducah just before the Ford Center date with destiny. They just played in an Indian Casino out here in Cali last year.

      http://www.chicagotheband.com/chicagoinconcert.html

      • Wow, the FC is the only premier facility on that schedule.

        • Indeed. The crowds and venues that Chicago plays to now are more like the Centre than Ford Center. The same for lots of the acts they have there.

    • Mr. Rails,

      Yikes, the Aces are stinking it up at the gate. I could not believe that last night, final home game of the year, they only drew around 3,400 fans !!

      Those boys at Evansville Sports Corp. need to get moving, this is not getting prettier !

      • I’ve given up completely on the sports corp until further notice.

    • You surely are not stating UE’s basketball low attendance is do to moving the games to the Ford Center?
      Tell me it ain’t so Joe.

    • Once again, no one cares about the Aces. Sorry, but they are just some tiny private school that can’t win a game.

      • In 2008, the team went 9-21 yet 5,486 fans still showed up each game. Likewise, in 2001, the team went 14-16 yet pulled in 7,148 fans a game. On the flip side, the team actually had a winning record last year (21-15 overall, 10-8 in the conference) and managed to beat Wichita State twice yet only 4,463 fans showed up per a game.

        There is no statistical evidence whatsoever that winning games is the direct cause of low attendance. Now would a Final Four miracle run increase attendance? Obviously, yes. But year in and year out it does not affect it barring a drastic change. After all, look at the Icemen record this year and previous years. When have they won? Yet, they are sell out games and averaging over 5,400 fans a game.

        As for the tiny private school, yes they have the smallest enrollment of the 10 MVC schools but that’s only because they want it to be that way, not because they don’t have the money or support…

        – Of the ten MVC schools, UE ranks 5th in endowments. Ironically, the biggest school Missouri St. has over 21,000 students but ranks 9th in endowments.

        – Of the ten MVC schools, UE ranks 8th in US World News ranking but first place Loyola just so happens to be in dead last in basketball.

        – Of the ten MVC schools, UE is the oldest college/university making it the more established university.

        – Here’s what sticks out the most from last year’s attendance. Of the ten MVC schools from last year, UE ranked 8th in attendance but DEAD LAST as a percentage of venue capacity.

        It should be very easy to connect the dots here.

14. I remember years ago when we had several concerts a year out at meskers amp.
    Gee those were some good concert times
    but since I’m not using my real name then no one can really believe me

    • How dare you suggest there were concerts at Mesker Ampitheater ! That was me and my girlfriend cranking up the 8-Track Player for the Doobie Bros., Styx, Mott the Hoople and Black Oaks Arkansas. Great parking lot, I must say. Yes, you should really use your real name, as I do.

15. One other thing I want to add. I’m glad to see the ECVB postponing ground breaking on the ball fields. I doubt it will happen but now is the time for Mr. Monastrelle and the ECVB to genuinely step back and look at which site is the best site and which site can be built for a fraction of the other site.

16. ECVB is taking time to consider construction “bids”; nothing mentioned about changing sites. The site will not be changed. And for those that refuse to give it up, Roberts Stadium is no longer. It’s gone. Such resentment is not healthy for a person.

    • Resentment is his middle name. His current theme is gunning after me because he must still be sore about my remarks a few weeks ago, even though I was man enough to seek him out and personally apologize for making a personal attack. You can also call him broken records. Every thing that he harps on has been settled and he can’t move on. He’s a clingy as an old high school girlfriend. “You didn’t answer my question.” “Wayne didn’t answer my question.” That should make it apparent that you don’t warrant an answer.

      • Good one!

      • Please tell me you aren’t talking to yourself here Phyllip? You two are wasting bandwidth trying to convince each other you’ve actually made some kind of point here.. whatever that may be. Personally, I’ve seen you do nothing but come on here and remind us you’re on board with the Administration and then get defensive when somebody asks you about it. Rather pathetic if you think about it.

        • You guys really hate it when I bust up the self-inflating circle j**k on these comment boards. I’m on board with community improvement. I’m not just a keyboard commando like you and your cohorts.

      • or either Wayne has something to hide or Wayne has something to hide
        ,or there could be a different kind of warrant

        • Or maybe he feels that he doesn’t have to answer the questions of a mad person. Jordan’s like a robot on the fritz. “Ballfields, Roberts, High Speed Rail, bee boop bee boop, does not register, can not compute, sycophant, yes man, bee boop…”

          • You’re leaving off the downtown master plan, the LST, and the dental clinic as well. If I make a robot noise this is the noise you make when someone asks you a simple yes or no…

            Bok,Bok,Bok,Bok, Boooooook

            I think it’s kind of funny you come on here claiming everyone on the cco are just a bunch of yes man followers, I ask you when I did such a thing, and now it’s “well we don’t feel like we should have to answer that.”

            Translation- You can’t defend your position on any of these issues.

          • One other thing. Why aren’t you and Parke on here busting Come on man for “hiding behind an assumed name”? Surely you’re not a hypocrite as well. Now that I think about it, come on man sounds like he sure knows a lot about Wayne Parke.

          • “Beep, boop boop, simple yes or no question.” You’re getting to the point where I don’t even have to read your comment to know what you’re going to say. I’m not a hypocrite. I talk about the internet commandos that only have cajones when they’re on a keyboard. These are the same ones that smile in public and run home to troll the message boards with negative comments. I’ve never hidden from one of my statements. I say what I mean and it’s the same thing that I say face-to-face. You’ve never seen me type something about someone that I have not or will not say to them directly. Come on man does not come on here talking crap about local politicians while hiding behind a fake name. You know that as well. Everything that I’ve said on here about you, I’ve said to you in person.

          • On comes the sycophant, running into the night from questions that carry too much might.

            Still waiting Phyllip, yes or no.

            So Come on man is allowed to heckle people on here with incomplete ramblings because they aren’t elected officials? Is that the new fine print you’re putting on your fresh coat of hypocrisy. Since when has Parke or you been elected by city residents?

            Sycophant, yes man, hypocrite. Tic Tac Toe. Three in a row for this man that’s nothing but a dog and pony show.

            So Phyllip, what projects can we discuss that fits your criteria?

          • Here’s why I think you’re a robot. I’ve said this to you several times, but it “does not compute”. I don’t have a position on any of those non-issues. That’s your sick obsession. You want me to defend someone else’s decision. What in the heck does the Mayor’s decision have to do with me? Why do I have to keep being harassed on something that I do not care about. I could give a crap less about Roberts Stadium. If I had to choose between the two, I’d choose Ford Center for no other reason than it’s newer. You’re like the guy that’s stuck driving his old ’85 Camaro cause it has memories and it still gets him around. I say again, STOP LIVING IN THE PAST. Also, please stop following me on these boards to harass me. If I didn’t know better, I’d think that you have some type of man-crush.

          • “What in the heck does the Mayor’s decision have to do with me?”

            So you support the mayor but none of his decisions? Gee, I wonder why.

            “I could give a crap less about Roberts Stadium.”

            Right, which explains why every time I ask you a question on anything, you and Parke both bring it up.

            And isn’t it funny how Phyllip Davis runs to the Hotel Yes Group to post about how great the mayor was for hosting public sessions about it yet now that that has been debunked, well now magically Phyllip stopped caring. Gotcha!

            “You’re like the guy that’s stuck driving his old ’85 Camaro cause it has memories and it still gets him around.”

            Again, you don’t even know how old the venue even was. You think most of it was from the original in 1956. Secondly I’ve told you a thousand times I support the new arena, I even told it to your face so don’t try that line either. Lastly, what does any of this have to do with attendance being at an all time low. This is why UE athletics as a whole has been going down hill.

            “Also, please stop following me on these boards to harass me. If I didn’t know better, I’d think that you have some type of man-crush.”

            You’re the one who started posting replies to me including that pointless bridge to nowhere you want. I ask you some very tough questions (and by tough I mean you saying yes or no) and now you’re saying it’s harassment?

            Here’s the problem, don’t ever come on here and try to claim this site is a yes man site, this site is negative, this site is holding back the city, blah,blah, you know the same ole same ole that your group tries to pull and then hide from every single decision your glory boy mayor and right hand man have made. All you’re doing is making a fool out of yourself.

          • Jordan, IIT today @ 1:13 & 1:21 pm.; IIT 2/20 @ 6:25pm; John M. profile 2/25 @ 6:12 pm. These are three of the most recent incidents of you stalking me. I come on here to discuss local issues, not follow and harass people. I challenge you to find one time where I attacked you without provocation. You can’t find it.

          • You’re claiming 4 posts over 1 week is harassment? Especially when the two today and one yesterday where me asking YOU to defend YOUR OWN accusation that readers here on the CCO where being yes man and attacking Pete Swaim?

            Let me get this straight, you want to come on here and make accusations without anyone disputing them? You then claim you’re discussing issues while avoiding every single one of them? You discuss nothing, attack cco posters on everything.

            Try this on for size. On the Feb 04 at 4:57 pm you drug me into the Chris Cooke fb mess by saying that I told you I felt used by the cemetery budget night (NOT TRUE).

            Then on Feb 04 at 6:32 pm you incorrectly called me a liar.

            Then on Feb 04 at 6:40 pm you attack my job, my house, and claim I was giddy about some stupid facebook post you sent to Hooper (puhlease).

            You then mention me over two more times IN THE SAME DAY!

            Your only purpose when you come on this site is put down this site, put down the posters, and then expect to type up some pro Winnecke fluff only to throw a little child temper tantrum when it gets debunked in mere seconds.

            And when you don’t get your way you pull the “hiding behind a screen name” line that’s been old now for MONTHS (robot?). And now you Dr. Wu just called you out and suddenly you’re a “Drphobe”? Now that’s pathetic!

          • The doctorophobe thing was a joke because I was ridiculously called racist. I always stay on topic. I have no desire to follow you on a tangent into your rabbit hole of Jordan’s intellectual absolutes. Why don’t we just get together and hash this out? You seem to have so much to say to me. It would be easier to get everything out in person. Would you be interested in meeting again to discuss things? I have no more interest in arguing like children on the internet.

          • Everything that you mentioned was one conversation. Whether you admit it or not, we know what you said at Priceless. You’re just doing a little CYA to stay in the good graces of your “friends”.

          • Phyllip. I did not say that but that’s ok. I agree with the rest of your post.

      • Everything has been settled? I don’t see a shovel in the ground on the ball fields project. I do see you, Parke, and the rest of the GOP running from it like the plague.

        Here’s a fair question for you: Should we be spending $15.5 million on a ball fields complex when we can get private financing to knock that down to a thimble on a much superior lot WHILE the LST is sitting in limbo? Surely you can answer that one right?

        • You are as crazy as a craphouse rat. It’s a non-issue to everyone else except for you. I DO NOT CARE ABOUT BALL FIELDS. I DO NOT CARE ABOUT ROBERTS STADIUM. I’m going to start calling you Sam I Am. It’s the same questions over and over. I will not, am not answer you. Not in a house, not with a mouse, not in a box, not with a fox… I DO NOT CARE ABOUT SOME STUPID BALLFIELDS.

          • So you don’t care about them, but you’re not saying NO to spending $15.5 mil on LITERALLY while we have a big decision to make on the LST? Is that what I’m hearing?

          • Why are you talking like Dr. Seuss? Did you forget this is not one of your VOICE sessions where we color in our visions with crayons and read from the flower man book?

17. Gay marriage ban struck down in Texas by a conservative leaning Federal court citing the due process and equal protection clauses of the constitution.

    DUUUUUUUUUUUUUUH!!!

    The 14th Amendment protecting Americans from bigotry, racism and and injustice since 1868.

    Yesterday Attorney General Holder called the equal protection clause, timeless and the bedrock of our values, laws, and our constitution.

    Thank you Attorney General Holder.

    The four words carved in stone in front of the SCOTUS building are EQUAL PROTECTION UNDER LAW, not
    let’s vote on it.

    Are you listening Tomes, Washburne et al??

    • I doubt that Tomes and Washburne know there is anyplace but Indiana. Now, if Jan Brewer has the good sense to veto the anti-gay bill in AZ, it will have been a good week.

      • The bigots there are in full retreat like Lee fleeing Petersburg!

        The NFL, American Airlines, Intel, Apple and of course the big enchilada, the Chamber of Horrors er I mean Commerce are all up their backsides.

        Hey look! Gays and liberals have money too!

        Even Fox got the memo, FALL IN LINE, NOW.

        • The NFL is threatening to pull the super bowl, a move that would be a huge operational nightmare, if their idiot governor doesn’t veto that pos law.

          • She vetoed it a little while ago. She knew better than to let that stand. I really think AZ would have lost the Super Bowl.

    • Your analysis is full of it. A single federal district Court judge that is not a conservative justice ruled the law was unconstitutional; this now goes on appeal to a more conservative appeals court based in New Orleans. The ban did not strike down the law approved by 70% of Texans and until it is ruled on by the appelate court the ban on gay marriage stands. Apparently this more liberal judge has not read the the 10th amendment. Holder’ comment about the 14th, bugging of the AP office and Fast and Furious only confirms he isn’t qualified to be AG.

    • Good, now they can start coerce all the bakers and candlestick to knell at the alter of same sex marriage.

      http://www.albertmohler.com/2014/02/24/caesar-coercion-and-the-christian-conscience-a-dangerous-confusion/

18. The first time Fast & Furious Holder got it right.

    • Why would you think he got it right this time? AGs writing our laws by deciding what part of the constitution they will defend is not a good thing. We are watching the rule of law evaporate. Holder didn’t get it right, you got it wrong.

19. To all the bigots, misogynists, anti’s, religious zealots, knuckledraggers, evolution deniers, global warming deniers, and to the Arizone state legislator.

    “This town/state is an embarressment to the world”

    “Fanaticism and ignorance are forever busy and need feeding”

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_DQUAuNUvw

    • Agreed, rust never sleeps.

    • And that from “Good Guy live by my morals Benton.” Deal with your own hate first, and you will find far less of it in others.

      I said along time ago that outcome of same sex marriage would be that states would either have to legalize discrimination or churches and other organizations will be sued for discrimination. That day has arrived.

      It’s not about refusing service to homosexuals. Everyone who has bees sued has stated that they would offer any service to homosexual, but drew a line at celebrating what they do not see as a marriage.

      The perceived right to same sex marriage has mow trumped the constitutional right of religious freedom. But for the Christ-haters, neutering the religious expression clause of the first amendment is a cause for celebration.

    • Thanks for the clip and the very appropriate remarks preceding it, BB! I had forgotten what a great actor Spencer Tracy was and just how good the movie is. I think I’ll be showing it to grandkids this weekend.

20. TO JORDAN & PHYLLIP;

    I appreciate the passion you both show for your causes, and commend you both for involving yourselves in efforts to improve the community. Both of you need to grow a much thicker skin, though. If you can’t handle that, at least attempt to ignore eachother more. When you engage in back-and-forth dialogues that unravel into petty personal exchanges it denigrates you and your views.

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