IS IT TRUE that the City County Observer is pleased to announce that we had a record week for internet traffic in every category measured?…that in the often watched category of pageviews that we exceeded our previous record by a full 18% and added a similar number of first time visitors?…that we would like to thank the Vanderburgh County Democratic Party for the ridiculous antics now known as “FLOATGATE” that helped accelerate the growth of the City County Observer’s readership?…that we also had the highest weekend readership ever and that thanks are in order for our “Moles on the Ground” at the Four Freedoms Monument whose dedication to making the United States better kept the phone calls and text messages coming in all through the night?…that we assure you that our “Moles on the Ground” and the people who participated in Occupy Evansville do not as a majority support the 13 goals published by the Courier and Press and authored by Neil Barnett last week?

IS IT TRUE that Alexa.com a third party internet traffic monitoring service reports that the City County Observer has expanded its reach by 40% in three months and time on site by 24% to an all time high of 97 minutes and 25 seconds per visitor?…that Steve Jobs predicted in an interview with the Wall Street Journal in 2005 that print media would not exist by 2012?…that while we agree that at some point in the future that print media will disappear that once again Mr. Jobs is ahead of the curve?

IS IT TRUE that Evansville’s de-facto home team in Major League Baseball, the St. Louis Cardinals are heading to the World Series after pulling themselves from the jaws of not even making the playoffs a couple of weeks ago?…that the series starts in St. Louis on Wednesday night and that the Tri-State area will be tuned in and watching?…that we hope that WOW actually takes the time to pay attention to the details of their guide so that we do not miss the first inning because of their mistakes again like many people did yesterday?

IS IT TRUE that a small company from Indianapolis that was just an idea and a dream three years ago had a very big week last week?…that if Angel Capital or Venture Capital would have been available in Evansville three years ago that this business would very likely be thinking of a new headquarters and engineering center right here in Evansville?…that alas the money did not come but some Evansville people may just be in for a big pop in equity for having seen the potential and made the investments of both time and money in this fledgling technology company?…that the City County Observer shall be the first to make the formal announcement of the fruits of last week when all permissions are granted?

IS IT TRUE that there is a meeting of the Evansville Redevelopment Commission tomorrow and that the published agenda seems uninteresting from a downtown Convention Hotel or McCurdy start date point of view?…that is any shenanigans are on the agenda they must be in the category called “other business”?…that the Vanderburgh County Assessor’s Website finally really does show that the taxes are up to date?…that it also shows that on November 10, 2011 that the fall installment of $10,268.66 will be due?…that by that time the financing should be in order, permits should be pulled, and construction will have begun if City Centre Properties LLC is correct in its last presentation to the ERC?…that we wonder for all of this to really proceed according to statement that there must be a plan somewhere with renderings and a timeline?…that we would love to see the layouts and renderings and to be able to confirm that permits have been pulled to get this party started?

IS IT TRUE that speaking of shenanigans and SNEGAL activity we have a mole alert coming regarding some of the behind the scene manipulations within local government to grease the skids for the Wesselman Park Indoor Tennis Court Proposal?…that there will be much more on this published this week?

IS IT TRUE that this morning the City County Observer would like to ask each of our readers to say a prayer or think positive thoughts for its owner Mr. Ron Cosby as he undergoes surgery to remove his gall bladder starting at 9 am?…that we thank you in advance for your good wishes?

IS IT TRUE that we are as surprised as any to learn that the recently dedicated Martin Luther King that cost American taxpayers $120 Million was made in China?…that the master sculpter of the King Memorial is also famous for two gigantic likenesses of Chairman Mao Tse-tung?…that some sourcing decisions just make ones head spin?…that we wonder with the cost to transport the 1,600 tons of granite from China to Washington DC would have made this more cost efficient to do in America with American granite?…that the love of task that would have been enjoyed and passed down for generations by American artisans is lost forever?…that the personalization of the next generation of Americans several of whom could have said “my grandpa or grandma worked on the King Memorial” is now lost forever?…that the statue looks good and meets all of the specifications but there is no specification that will ever capture that unification and pride that could have come from the shared labor of this national monument to have been “Made in America”?

IS IT TRUE that the new San Francisco to Oakland Bridge is also being made in China?…that the bridge will be made in Shanghai and shipped to the Bay Area in sections to be assembled from ship to pylon?…that this is another one of those lost pride of workmanship opportunities?…that living in the Bay Area for a while it is impossible not to run across someone even today that proudly states that “my grandparent worked on the Golden Gate Bridge”?…that we learned both of these facts when a reader sent us the article below from a British news outlet?…that US media has not really trumpeted these facts?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/8602786/New-San-Francisco-bridge-built-in-China-to-be-shipped-to-US.html

IS IT TRUE that tonight is another Evansville City Council meeting and in particular the meeting when the 2012 budget is up for approval?…that there are some people on council that are opposed to voting yes based on the fact that there is no contract in place for the firefighters?…that some others should be upset because of the supposedly “non-budgetable” status of the legal costs?…that Councilman Dan McGinn has been asking for this breakdown for what seems like a couple of years to no avail?…that Councilman John Friend, CPA has been stating recently that the electric bills for the City of Evansville have increased by 20% in the last year and as high as 47% in certain categories?…that last week the Evansville City Council punted the discussion over rates with Vectren until after the election?…that some members of the Mole Nation are telling us that Councilman Friend may be bringing up the October 24th date for the Vectren meeting again tonight in view of the fact that every member of the City Council was unaware that Vectren would be publishing a hearing on that increase for October 25th right after the Evansville City Council kicked the can down the road?…that we shall know tonight if the Evansville City Council knows or appreciates the fact that they got the wool pulled over their collective eyes on that one?…that we shall also know if the Evansville City Council cares enough about getting bamboozled to reverse last week’s decision on the invitation to Vectren to speak before council on the 24th?

IS IT TRUE that the disclosure statements for all of the candidates for office must be filed by Friday?…that we will secure these reports at our first opportunity to do so and will make them available online?…that seeing where each candidates money is coming from may just illuminate where their future allegiances will lie?

IS IT TRUE that in the contract that Hunt Construction has to complete the construction of Ford Center there is an interesting line item in Exhibit F, Item 1?…that the line item of which we speak has to do with a reduction in bonus and reads exactly as “if Owner still is able to hold its first event on or before November 1, 2011, earn a reduced incentive of $125,000”?…that the allowing of non-profits to hold events for free in the Ford Center during the month of October may be the best example of brilliant planning to secure that $125,000 bonus ever concocted?…that local non-profits get the use of a nice venue (though not yet finished) AND we the taxpayers get to give Hunt Construction $ 125,000 incentive money whether a the Ford Center is finished well enough to host a revenue producing event on time?…that now that the public announcement has documented that the first event has already been held that Hunt will most certainly qualify for the $125,000 bonus?…that this seems like more SNEGAL tricks to us and that we would like to suggest that this bones should be distributed equally among the Evansville based charities like the Dream Center who unknowingly helped so secure this bonus for Hunt Construction?

IS IT TRUE the new $128 million arena has already become a pigeon roost? That over 100 pigeons can be seen in late afternoon at the top of the arena on the 6th street side of the building? That this does not bode well for the appearance of the Ford Center as the new gem of downtown Evansville?…that we wonder if the hawks that have done such a good job of controlling pigeons by eating them have gone on strike?…that we wonder if some of these Ford Center Pigeons may have relocated from the McCurdy which is so close to having construction crews busy on the building if Centre City Properties can really close their loan this time around?…that the bats can’t be far behind?…that pigeons and bats give new meaning to the words “downtown loft”?

IS IT TRUE that the Evansville Water and Sewer Utility Department showed up on yesterdays EPD Activity Report as a victim?…that someone went into the Civic Center and paid their water bill with two counterfeit $20 bills?…that this may be a crime but that it may just be a consumers way of protesting the counterfeit water and the counterfeit sewer that happens from time to time here in Evansville?

IS IT TRUE that the folks at Vectren have another legal notice published today under the signature of Brad Ellsworth that we really need a translator for?…that legal notice excluding the introductions reads as follows?

“Vectren Energy filed with the Indiana Utilities Regulatory Commission in Cause No. 44093 their Verified Emergency Joint Petition requesting approval of necessary and temporary alterations to the alternative regulatory plan under which Vectren Energy operates the Universal Service Program pursuant to Indiana Code 8-1-2-113 and extension of said alternative regulatory plan beyond its current termination date pursuant to Indiana Code 8-1-2-72 and 8-1-2.5-6(e)”

IS IT TRUE this is some fancy words coming from the former Vanderburgh County Sheriff who was known for a good down to earth demeanor and language that most Evansvillians can understand?…that seems to just be a request to request for a small change and an extension?… that a simple explanation would be appreciated?…that this reminds us of the scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz when he proved that he finally had a brain?