IS IT TRUE? March 5, 2011

IS IT TRUE that the Lamasco Bar & Grill at 1331 West Franklin Street did an ad hoc experiment last night that resulted in a resounding success?…that Chicagoland’s Marrakesh Express, a Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young tribute band performed at Lamasco as a special date on the way to their Saturday night gig in the big city of Atlanta, GA?…that the BAND specifically said that the venue had to be NON-SMOKING for the evening so the vocalists would not damage their voices for the Atlanta performance?…that the NON-SMOKING experiment for the normally smoky Lamasco Bar was a sellout and a resounding success?…that every table was filled with people eating, drinking, and having a great time?…that there was a standing room crowd in front of the stage that was reminiscent of a musical experience right out of the late 60’s without the smoke?…that for one night Lamasco Bar provided a world class tribute band from Chicago in a NON-SMOKING atmosphere and IT WORKED?…that we encourage Lamasco to make this a regular thing and others to follow suit?…that Friday night March 4, 2011 the Lamasco Bar put on a lifestyle experience that drew professionals and that Evansville needs many more times like this?

IS IT TRUE that in a discussion held yesterday on a journey to do business in another city, some Evansville based entrepreneurs held a discussion on what Evansville needs to do to move forward and thrive?…that the question asked was “if your had both the money and the power to do something to make Evansville’s economy better, what would you do”?…that the first action agreed upon would be to establish and promote a VENTURE CAPITAL fund with the intention to invest in the equity if local ideas and emerging businesses?…that Evansville has no Angel Networks or Venture Capital firms and that this dearth drives many of our talented and ambitious people both young and old to other places to achieve their dreams?…that just in the car the travelers personally knew of roughly $1 Billion of local and somewhat recent wealth that has been generated from entrepreneurial activities?…that we need much more of that?

IS IT TRUE that the second action needed was agreed to be for at least one of the local universities to establish research facilities and offer advanced degrees in targeted industry knowledge generation?…that Evansville likes to call itself “Plastics Valley” and actually has around 200 businesses that derive their income from the plastics industry?…that neither of our local universities offers even a bachelor’s degree in Polymer Chemistry or Plastics Engineering?…that they should have been doing that for years?…that money and a research university are two of the vital ingredients to become a cluster for highly profitable businesses to form and prosper?…that these two steps would have a significant and sustainable positive impact on the local economy?…that as much as it is okay to be a center that makes things for businesses that are owned by outsiders, it would be fantastic to own the technology and the manufacturing expertise so the profits and the jobs will benefit Evansville?

IS IT TRUE that the realization that ownership of intellectual property, a thriving investment community, and advanced research facilities are the keys to bringing Evansville back to a relevance that it has not enjoyed since the 50’s has eluded our elected officials for way to long?…that the temptation to value a minimum wage JOB or batch of them over knowledge based JOBS and to squawk about it as though it will save our city has been the mode of operation of our elected officials for way to long?…that to have a thriving business base that can afford to pay living wages that these businesses first have to thrive?…that the best way to do that is to invent the world’s products and solve the world’s problems?…from that base the support functions will follow?

IS IT TRUE that the third thing discussed was to get very rapidly on with the business of repairing or replacing the disaster known locally as the combined sewer system?…that this is a looming yet unresolved financial obligation and repugnant condition that acts as repellent to businesses looking for a place to grow?…that there were many other things discussed that need to change but that these are the top three?…that more will be discussed in later columns?