IS IT TRUE February 26, 2015

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IS IT TRUE my name is Joe Wallace and I am a truthaholic?…most of my career prior to attempting to make Evansville a home was spent as an entrepreneur and controls system engineer in Silicon Valley based businesses?…the foundation of controls systems is known as a negative feedback loop designed to detect how far one is from a goal and correct for that error as fast as possible?…the only way to accurately improve electronic devices, youth sports teams, the economy, or even local government is through honest and accurate assessment of where a situation is with respect to a goal and applying corrective measures in a stable way to correct for the errors keeping one’s goal from being attained?…any system without the benefit of negative feedback is inherently unstable so the City County Observer became a natural outlet for me to apply those skills in hopes of seeing Evansville, Indiana improve its performance in the world economy?

IS IT TRUE my name is Joe Wallace and I love Ron Cosby like a brother?…as many of you know but some of you do not fully understand, I also love greater Evansville and have spent much time crafting words in this column for the purpose of seeing Evansville become a better place through pointing out areas that need improvement?…I am especially fond of the University of Evansville, where I gained the educational platform that enabled me to be accepted into the graduate school of engineering at Stanford University, which was and is the #1 mechanical engineering program in the world?…settling for mediocrity has never been in this writer’s vocabulary and it never will be?…to see choices that compromise a chance for long-term excellence to coddle cronies and pursue short-term pleasures by local governance has been something that just drives me crazy?

IS IT TRUE my name is Joe Wallace and I was the founder of GAGE which was founded to create an atmosphere of excellence in which entrepreneurs could have a little piece of Silicon Valley in downtown Evansville?…at the time of the founding this was the dream job of my life with the opportunity to give back to a place and people who I love through the same economic transformation that I had experienced in my own life in my first stint in California?…within months of taking on that challenge, I learned that the words of some local government officials were not worth spit?…in spite of carefully getting commitments written into the minutes of meetings so there was an audit trail of commitment for things like a business loan fund, the Crane technology transfer agreement, and an angel network, those words of commitment were broken in a most deceitful way?…the short term “feel good” needs of the day in the form of the Freedom Festival destroyed the GAGE that was designed for entrepreneurship?…that is what lead to my departure from what I once thought was a dream job?…it is also what drove me to the opportunity to continue to try to do some good through writing for the CCO?

IS IT TRUE my name is Joe Wallace and I am now forever a Californian?…the dreams that I had for Evansville are being realized and recognized in Palm Springs, California?…with full financial support for the Innovation Hub our programs have created created 30 companies with a combined value of over $100 Million in just three years?…the direct job creation numbers are now at 123 (real jobs with names and not projections from a nonsense algorithm) and a world renowned economist has projected our 20 year economic impact to be over $12 Billion?…we have been honored with the Spirit of Entrepreneurship Award, the Clean Air Award, and are now a finalist for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award for 2015?…there is not a day that goes by that I do not wonder what could have been in Evansville, if the cabal called local government had the courage to think long term and stay the course?

IS IT TRUE my name is Joe Wallace and one of the things that I fought for as a private citizen in Evansville was a comprehensive smoking ban just like the one passed in California in 1988?…your elected officials have failed to do so and even prioritized what is in the big picture a paltry sum of money over public health with that failure?…I have always supported the freedom of people to marry who they choose and more than half the country now has yet your state legislature has not taken the initiative to grant what should be a fundamental right to the LGBT community?…I have furthermore always supported a woman’s right to choose what to do with her own body?…despite these long term beliefs, some people still call me a right winger because I do not believe in forcing one person to pay for the wants of another?…I have found my place in California, which believe it or not after years of letting emotions dictate policy is now coming to grips with financial reality and becoming more practical with money?…I think Indiana can get it right the first time if you can elect both local and state officials who have the good sense to grant fundamental rights as they should be granted and the financial acumen to stay away from robbing one citizen to pay for the wants of another?…I shall be watching but seriously doubt that there is much fight left in River City to pursue things that require taking much personal risk?

IS IT TRUE my name is Joe Wallace and this is my last CCO IS IT TRUE column…it has been a privilege to have played a role in   the CCO’s founder’s dream and I shall miss awakening at 5 am to put together a series of words to send a message to the people of Evansville?…I am proud to have assisted with the analysis and the words that have saved the taxpayers of Evansville so much money?…in spite of that I am feeling melancholy about seeing this column  possibly going dark…the end of IS IT TRUE will create a vacuum and I hope it is filled by someone with a pure objective and not with political malfeasance?…I wish all of those who have supported or even honestly criticized my words well and encourage you to keep up the fight for positive growth and rational thinking?…I look forward to your comments?…my private email is jjw0729@aol.com if any of you should wish to send a private message?…if you happen to see me in town this weekend feel free to come up and say hello?

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78 COMMENTS

  1. Way to go Joe. I hope you make millions and provide thousands of people with jobs. That’s what we’re talking about!

  3. I thank you for your previous insight, wish you the best, and hope for a decent person to take your place. We all know the feeling of beating a dead horse, seems thankless. Till the entrenched leaches are voted out this city, county, & state are on a downward spiral looking for the center of the bowl.

  5. Sad, this blog will fade into obscurity and I refuse to pay for C & P.

  7. Good job Joe.

    What was displayed in this IIT today are the words of a TRUE conservative. Joe’s display of an ideal to pursue your own freedom to be healthy, wealthy and free from government intrusion into your private life. This TRUE conservatism includes, as Joe points out, the right of a woman to choose what to do with her own body without government involvement, and a person’s right to marry free from government involvement.

    There are many here who PRETEND they are conservatives***, and disparage others who don’t meet their false standard of a conservative — the extreme Christians who hold bigoted views on (a) same-sex marriage and (b) women’s right to choose. Those people are NOT true conservatives, rather they WANT GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT on this (a) and (b), proving they are not a TRUE conservative. So much for authenticity.

    Good luck Joe. Have enjoyed your enlightened, tenacious insight on display here.

    • The asterisk from above….

      **** some of the pretend conservatives that come to mind are the so-called Dagny Taggart (a Christian Ayn Rand disciple, a fake, oxymoron person the likes of which are wholly laughable – Ayn was an atheist) and Pressanykey, who appears to have the ideal that being a conservative means his Bible is the law of the land, not the US Constitution.

    • It is most likely that the one dimensional way in which you view the world precludes your seeing others as multi-dimensional, multi-faceted people. Fiscally I am conservative. I do believe in the divinity of Jesus Christ. I occasionally enjoy a joint. Sometimes I utter four- letter words. Ayn Rand had a belly of an intrusive government and so have I and that is my connection to Dagny Taggart.

      I say what I believe. You say what and whom you hate.

  8. His name is Joe Wallace. I am sad to see the end of his daily dose of truth, insights and wisdom, but so glad for the words and insights that have helped shape my world view. Even in his parting words I am left with a new understanding of the importance of negative feed back and am left reflecting on that before we can know we are off course we must have plotted a course. IIT that without a vision those on the path of personal gain are unrestrained and that any destination is called success no matter the cost?

    IIT that this poster’s measure of success is to have left what ever he touches better than he found it?

    His name is Joe Wallace, and I am better for knowing him. No matter your age, go west young man.

    • I-E, you say:

      “without a vision those on the path of personal gain are unrestrained and that any destination is called success no matter the cost?”

      …and I don’t think Joe would agree that. He might say “pursue their personal gain without violating the rights of other’s to pursue their own personal gain.”

      I like the “go west young man” reference in your comment. Good writing.

      DID YOU KNOW when Horace Greeley said “Go west young man!” …..all the young men in Oregon drowned?

      • –So you portend to KNOW Joe’s thoughts about what he might agree with?—What a ridiculous egotistical Blowhard statement.–all the more obvious–your a legend in your own mind Shem.

        • ….the key word was “think Joe would agree” Crash. It’s a discussion board for God’s sake.

          • –“he might say”–? your conjecture on what he might say, is rooted in your trying to tie his (unknown) thoughts to yours–it’s nothing more than convoluted crap looking to give your self creditability that you DON’T have,– and never will,– “little” man.

  9. THIS MEANS THE “IS IT TRUE” ends?

    (Joe seems not to say that specifically, but rather chooses to imply that.)

    Job opening….!

  10. Mr. Wallace: thank you very much for your many years of editing the CCO, and getting ‘the truth’ out there for the public. We would be in the dark ages if not for you. Imagine if the public were forced to have to believe that the Courier & Press was giving them the truth !

    I hope that the CCO does one of two things:

    1) Recruit multiple Editors, maybe 3 who can cover 5 days, and keep the IIT going with less time commitment from any one person; or

    2) Join forces with Evansville Transparency, and give them a blog presence to compliment their Facebook site.

    • If you thought the CCO was too agenda-driven, handing a set of keys to E-T…a facebook page, not a blog like the CCO…is foolish. E-Transparency is a wildly misleading name, like say the Patriot Act was an infamous misleading name.

      E-T has a political agenda…which is totally fine, God bless them, this is America after all. But it pretends it’s objective is “Transparency.” It is NOT. E-T’s objective is no different than any other political lobbying outfit – to get the people IT wants elected. Transparency has nothing to do with it.

  13. IS IT TRUE – That the good work that Joe has done for so long … now falls to those he has left behind. Are we to only take … and not give? Can we not … as numerous individuals … with thousands of eyes ears hearts and minds … not do something … rather than nothing for our City and fellow residents?
    I suggest that until Ron makes a definitive move … the IIT should continue in the “Open Forum” mode. With every comment in good taste … and in the best interest of the Community at large.
    Who’s with me? …

    • I am a Pontiac aficionado and have owned two GTOs, a 67 convertible, and a 69 judge. One thing that has always irked me was when they took the GTO badge and put it on steel that did not represent the spirit and heritage of the GTO. They should have retired the badge while it was on top rather than embarrassing themselves.

      John Lennon said “when you get to the top, stop.” Kill the IIT while it is on top. It doesn’t mean something better can’t come along, but it should not be sequels like the infinite to the ad nauseum Rocky movies.

      Joe ended the IIT on top, and we should leave it where it is.

      • I tell ya the 04 GTO is nothing to sneeze about , I have one with 12,600 miles original , and it will run ,handles good , maybe not as nice as the older ones but I love my goat

        • Hopefully your’s is a 389 Tri-Power. A bunch of tin-indian engineers hopped one up in ’64-’65 and campaigned it in the first Trans-Am series. Bunky Knudsen was not happy. But you are correct, the later Goats were nothing more than a badge and some paint stuck on some cheap sheet metal, just like the screaming eagle Trans-Am’s.

          • Nope in 04 it had the ls1 vett motor ,,it’s a 5.7 , gm 350
            05,06 had the 6 litre

  14. Joe. Quality Control according to Crosby or is it Cosby used by major manufactures only works when the top owners buy into it. Other wise the squeaky wheels are just either ignored or oiled but never replace as they should be. The City leaders are not advanced enough to realize this concept. Plus one has to have money to make it work. If they don’t make enough money to replace the wheel but only enough to buy oil then you know the results. Don’t expect some X TV weathermen to understand total QC.

  15. I already miss you and IIT, Joe. It always managed to make my daily dose of caffeine more stimulating. In turn, I did what I could to stimulate others on the site!
    I wish you the best of luck in all you do. Enjoy your lovely Coachella Valley and keep doing what you are doing there!

  16. Joe, you’ve done a hell of a job with the IIT. Hopefully, you will gave time for an occasional IIT as “CCO Editor Emeritus” Stay well and best regards.

  17. THE NEW EDITOR OF THE CITY COUNTY OBSERVER

    I’m sure Ron Cosby and Joe Wallace have already set a plan in place to “temporarily fill” an IIT writer’s position until Stephanie B-R leaves office.

    Then, SBR will take over the Editor’s position here at the CCO and leave E-T behind.

    • Having that young lady head up CCO sounds like a good idea to me. She knows what she’s talking about. I don’t think she is the person behind ET but she makes some good comments there and here.

    • Shem, I was going to predict that the ITT would slip over to a hair on fire screaming liberal. What you are saying would make that come true.

      • Maybe you’re right Cowboy. She fits the prescription for the CCO too. Outspoken. Takes chances. Fearless at times (although she’s been burned a bit by that, and has matured…some), understands fear and greed as tools of strategy, of course government/city contacts galore, and don’t forget the skills of a divorce attorney – a great tactical fighter. Those are skills and capabilities Ron Cosby wants. Is in her best interest? Not sure. But it’s in R.C’s best interest….

  18. I should have read the entire IIT before making the above post. I didn’t realize that Joe was leaving us until I read the rest of the IIT paragraphs. I’m sorry to see you go. Evansville needs more people like Joe not less.

    Hopefully the CCO will find someone of Joe’s character and with Joe’s friend’s list (contacts =Moles) to continue informing the people about what’s happening at the Civic Center and with our other State Elected Representatives.

    So long Joe and best wishes.

    • If that funding bill passes and Evansville gets the Medical School in even a smaller size than originally requested, Rieken’s political opponents will rub her nose in it and I can’t imagine it not having an impact on her mayoral candidacy.

      If the bill does not pass, there may be no medical school at all. There may be real limitations to the support that the medical school has in the state legislature, particularly when momentum is lost when supporters start asking for more money.

      For that matter, some legislators may only want to appear supportive to avoid a political faux pas, but not actually support it when vote time comes.

      Does Rieken not know this, or is the medical school less a reality and more of something to make it look like politicians are doing something ?

    • She gave a good reason for voting the way she did. Not getting all of the money that was asked for isn’t going to stop the project from happening, but it might wind up making it better for the taxpayers.

    • Well, she was for it before she was against it. Typical liberal Democrat, channeling the values of Monsieur John “Lurch” Kerry, Secretary of Appeasement, another well-known fan of the yachting crowd. Word on the street is that Lurch will be fronting a caviar-and-champagne fundraiser for our local Giddycrat candidate in their stronghold of Champaign, Illinois.

      • …Oh howler, you’re nothing but a boat-rocker!! You be stirring up trouble all the time!

  20. Thanks for the time invested in trying to elevate Evansville Indiana.
    I’d like to think you’ve helped more than a few along the way.
    Your knowledge & insight will be sorely missed, as will IIT articles.
    Live long & prosper!

  21. Sorry to see you go from the IiT dailies Joe . Everybody knows its a needed function in the Evansville area. The other forums the mainstream offers are content censored for sure.
    One could call’em local “cabal news” and mean it in every sense of the word. Keep up the successful hub work that’s outstanding for sure.

  22. Shocking and sad news! Thank you for all the work and effort you’ve put into this blog, Joe. Thank you for sharing your wisdom and insight and shining your light on the shady and shabby state of local political affairs. You will be missed.

  25. JOE, I will miss you daily, Your IIT was my morning coffee> YOU have left many of us sooooo much better off with your attitude, May you live long and happy !! BEST WISHES MY FRIEND Dallas

  26. Q1: Why is Joe Wallace leaving ?
    Q2: Did it have anything to do with his style of editing ?
    Q: Can we expect more censorship in the future editor ?

    • CCO is#1/Winnecke flunky

      Q1–None of your concern/or business,–it’s his life and choice.
      Q2– your thinly veiled suggestion it might not be his decision,– is a ludicrous attempt at character assassination.
      Q3–How high is up?–you don’t know Squat about the Future,–your insinuation of censorship is just another lame jab at the CCO from a moron/ ass-kissing Winnecke flunky.

      • You’re delusional.

        I ask those questions objectively.

        To assume I support Winnecke because I wonder why Joe is leaving is the act of a moron.

        Good Luck Joe ! I wish you well. I think you did a find job editing, and as you said in your post above, hope your position “is filled by someone with a pure objective and not with political malfeasance”.

        Kiss my ass, Crash LaRue, you stupid ass. !!!

    • Only Joe can speak for Joe, but he impresses me as someone who will not waste his time herding cats or trying to push a freight train when there are better uses of his talents and efforts. It say salot when this city is so stacked against change makers that even when they have the time and position to affect positive change, the system beats them down and drives them out. How will we keep and attract YPs when can’t keep a Joe Wallace?

      I saw what is in the tea leaves for Evansville when I read an article, “Forgotten Cities.” Which BTW, came to my attention through Joe. If my customer base was transferable and my equipment didn’t weigh tens of thousands of pounds, I would be gone also. All Evansville has to offer me is a grave, and if it wasn’t for Jourdan it wouldn’t even be a nice grave.

      • IE: In the real spirit of innovation around the world outside of Evansville. Anybody that owned a goat 69 GTO Judge ought to try one of these, just once! Damn close to canyon flight. and yes I’ve driven a tri powered Judge back in the day. Wow, load O’ fun.

        http://www.polaris.com/en-us/slingshot

        • A close friend of mine brought home is brother’s brand new Z06 corvette the other night. And I’ve ridden in the 69 GTO back in the day. But the most fun I ever had riding in a hot rod was when I rod in my frat brother’s Dodge Charger. Now that car had some get up and go. My first car’s speedometer went up to 160 mph if that tells you how much I value a fast car! LOL But that car needed wings because it wanted to take off the ground when it got up to over 120 mph. I made a four hour drive home from college in three hours one time in my Friend’s Charger.

          • Those had real Hemi’s Had one a damned 426 sold the thing to a sucker when fuel hit $1,25 a galloon in 72. That thing was fun but four miles to gallon down hill with a thirty knot tail wind was crap for a young USAF fellow with a new family . When I wanted to go real fast, you could say I had a pathway…………………………. 🙂

        • Well, if you drove a tri-powered judge it was mine. They dropped the tri-power in 66, but I found one for my Judge. Unreal power. It ran on gasoline and I ran on alcohol. It’s amazing either of us survived.

          • Big country, IE that was available technology back in the day. Damned thing was a boat though floating down the road on a soft suspension by todays standards. My bud called the thing “Wandering Rose.” It had a three stack. SOB was blast fast as hell ……as well. It was factory kind of puke green color and had the little fin across its tail. Straight road probably 134 -140 in a quarter maybe faster if you had the Nad’s to hold it . It isn’t yours though the cat that owned it resides on Anna Maria Island in Florida now. And he never was an Evansville area resident.

  29. Say it ain’t so.. Joe!….(with apologies to Shoeless Joe…I will follow your efforts in the Inland Empire….

  30. BREAKING NEWS……

    TODD AKIN and RICHARD MOURDOCK – both re-considering runs for United States Senate
    Politico, February 26, 2015

    Todd Akin — yes, that Todd Akin — is hinting at making a comeback by running again for Senate.
    “I have not ruled anything out,” the former Missouri representative told The Hill in an interview. He added that there is a “high level of dissatisfaction among conservatives” who feel like they’re being edged out of the Republican Party.

    “The sentiment is there,” Akin said. “The Tea Party is skeptical and wants some fresh blood, not just the same establishment guys.”

    “If it is a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down,” Akin said in 2012 when asked about his stance on abortions for victims of sexual assault. His remarks proved fatal to his candidacy and along with Indiana’s RICHARD MOURDOCK, lost the Republican Party two important Senate seats that were clearly in the hands of the GOP.

    Instead, the Tea Party and the two (big time Tea-Party-crazy-loser) candidates were both responsible for handing two practically guaranteed Republican Senate seats to the Democratic Party.

  31. When one door closes another opens. Negative feedback is certainly essential. So is action. Action by the people who know what is really going on in this community is the thing that is most lacking.

    If those people refuse to step forward and do what needs to be done, regardless of immediate personal costs, we are lost.

    The truth will always come out, and people will always respect someone who does the right thing, even when no one is watching.

    I hate to lose you Joe Wallace, you have fought the good fight, and I know your efforts will bear fruit.

    • Perhaps some of us are taking time to respond to Joe personally. Some others need time to digest the news. Like others have said here, it is up to all of us now to move forward in the correct direction to make Evansville a better place even if it is kicking and screaming all the way. I choose to believe that it is possible to turn this city in an upward direction but it will take quite a bit of time and commitment on the part of a lot of people. Maybe it is time to shut up and just do it.

      • That was mainly just my strange attempt at humor. It’s just a blog, but between health problems on one end and the other having bigger fish to fry I could see this thing fading away. My strategy is still to try to get the hell out of this town but plunging property values make that more difficult but not impossible.

    • GHOST:

      Well, one principle reason is Laura Blackburn a/k/a ELKAYBEE is not commenting today. She is busy. Campaigning to become the CCO Editor/IIT author.

      I think the best choice is SBR, and If that is what happens, the comments here will triple what Joe brought to the table. That is not one bit critical of Joe Wallace….and not my advocating SBR either.

  33. The shadow that Joe Wallace casts is very long. Hopefully he will be very involved in the transition. It is very hard to follow the guys that broke the mold.

  34. Joe has been an agent of change for Evansville, even after moving to sunny California. The CCO will not be the same, but will continue to thrive.
    Best wishes, Joe!

  35. I believe that Joe Wallace should be granted Editor Emeritus status at the City-County Observer.

    • Maybe he does not wish that tight a tether. He deserves his own life now. He will jump in as a commenter as he sees fit.

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