Home Blog Page 6969

IS IT TRUE October 17, 2012

16


IS IT TRUE October 17, 2012

IS IT TRUE that the second Presidential debate staged last night at Hoftstra University has teed up the final debate where the topic will be foreign policy in what will be the discussion for the next week and in all likelihood the determining factor in who will win the presidency?…that President Obama made an assertion last night that seems to create a classic prisoner’s dilemma?…that assertion that the President made that seemed to catch Governor Romney off guard that was verified by moderator Candy Crowley is the assertion that on September 12, 2012 he made a speech in the White House rose garden where he referred to the murders in Benghazi as “acts of terror”?…upon review of the transcript it seems more like his referral to “acts of terror” was in the general sense as opposed to associating that term with the Benghazi murders?…the specific quote from the transcript is open to both interpretations and read as follows?

“No acts of terror will ever shake the resolve of this great nation, alter that character, or eclipse the light of the values that we stand for. Today we mourn four more Americans who represent the very best of the United States of America. We will not waver in our commitment to see that justice is done for this terrible act. And make no mistake, justice will be done.” President Obama 9/12/2012

IS IT TRUE that President Obama by injecting a transcript from his own speech and asserting that he acknowledged the Benghazi murders as the work of terrorists has set himself and his team up in a classic prisoner’s dilemma?…if this were a game of chess President Obama would be in a state of checkmate?…if last night’s assertions are true and the President knew and accepted on September 12th that the Benghazi murders were the work of terrorists then the White House Press Secretary, the Ambassador to the United Nations, President Obama himself, Vice President Biden in last week’s debate, and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have all been engaged in a campaign of deception for over a month?…in this case the purpose for the deception was political spin that the President explicitly stated to Mr. Romney last night was offensive?

IS IT TRUE that if the words of the President from last night regarding his intentions and beliefs that he stated in the White House rose garden are false whether by design or lack of knowledge then the White House was oblivious to the now established fact that the Benghazi murders were the work of terrorists until last night’s debate?…in this particular situation the President has created a can of worms that leads to the conclusion of intentional deception in one interpretation and a conclusion of not being in the loop in the other interpretation?…the mitigation of this prisoner’s dilemma that he President has painted himself into a corner with will in all likelihood determine this election?

IS IT TRUE that both candidates were assertive to the point of borderline rudeness last night?…that both made assertions that were not true?…that in the case of the pissing contest over the Obama record on energy production and leases that fact checkers sided with Mitt Romney’s numbers before the candidates left the stage last night?…the assertions by Governor Romney about job creation that will occur as a result of his “5 point plan” are not possible to verify but have been both supported and refuted by outside sources?…it was indeed frustrating to have answers not available about what deductions will be limited to offset Mr. Romney’s proposed tax rate reductions?…it is desirable to see those details?…on the other hand the only details that President Obama has out there regarding taxation is the roll back of the so called “Bush tax cuts” that are called the “fiscal cliff” in many circles?

IS IT TRUE that we should all be reminded no matter what the candidates say about General Motors that in the summer of 2009 they did indeed enter into a prepackaged bankruptcy arranged by the Obama Administration?…the rules of American bankruptcy were turned upside down in favor of groups that voted for the President in that bankruptcy?…the American people through the federal government became both shareholders and bankers for GM when the company emerged from bankruptcy?…if Mitt Romney would have had his way in the GM bankruptcy proceeding the only possible differences in outcome would have been that the traditional bankruptcy laws would have been used and some outside money would have come into the picture?…that may have been government money and it may have been Toyota but the assets of GM would have continued to be put to good use anyway?

IS IT TRUE that most opinions were that last night’s debate was close with Obama fans giving the nod to Obama and Romney fans giving the nod to Romney?…the number of true undecided people is down to low to mid single digits?…most of them were probably not helped much last night?…it will be the way that President Obama’s Prisoner’s Dilemma plays out in the next week and the last debate that will determine who will be the next President of the United States?

Link to Rose Garden transcript:

http://www.buzzfeed.com/chrisgeidner/in-heated-libya-exchange-obama-challenges-romney

Standard & Poor’s Reaffirms Evansville “AA-“Bond Rating

5

CITY OF EVANSVILLE
ONE N.W. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. BLVD.
EVANSVILLE, INDIANA 47708
OFFICE OF THE MAYOR
LLOYD WINNECKE

October 16, 2012

Standard & Poor’s Reaffirms Evansville “AA-“Bond Rating
Administration Addresses Concerns of Audit Findings

EVANSVILLE, IN – The City of Evansville’s Standard & Poor’s “AA-” bond rating will remain unchanged despite a disclaimer opinion issued by the State Board of Accounts (SBOA) last month on the city’s 2011 audit findings.

Some members of the City Council expressed concern that the disclaimer – caused primarily by problems during the conversion to a new financial software system – would result in a lower bond rating, making it more expensive for the city to borrow money for future capital projects.

Mayor Lloyd Winnecke directed City Controller Russ Lloyd, Jr. to contact officials at Standard & Poor’s to inform them of the 2011 audit findings and to explain the City’s corrective plan of action. Today John Sauter, a U.S. Public Finance Ratings Specialist at Standard & Poor’s Ratings Service, informed our administration that there will be no change in the City of Evansville bond rating.

“I am pleased with the decision made by Standard & Poor’s. After considering the City’s 2011 audit findings, the ratings service understands that the City’s financial position remains strong,” said Mayor Winnecke. “S&P is also comfortable that the City’s computer software issues are being fully addressed and the accounts are now reconciled.”

City Controller Lloyd said the review by Standard & Poor’s was a courtesy to the city. Following a conference call, Lloyd said, “S&P appreciated the city’s proactive management of the issue and that city officials reached out to them to explain the State Board of Accounts audit findings and satisfactorily answered all of their questions.”

As a result, Lloyd said when the city goes to market issuing bonds for new debt or to refinance debt the city will go through the regular rating review process.

Reward Offered for Information about Arson

0


The Evansville Fire Department is seeking information about a recent arson at the 407 Richardt Ave.

The Indiana Chapter of the International Association of Arson Investigators is offering a reward of up to $5,000.00 for information leading to the arrest of the person(s) responsible for this fire.

Anyone with information is urged to call (800) 382-4628.

REXING FOUND GUILTY ON ALL COUNTS

1


Evansville, IN – Tuesday, October 16, 2012 Terry W. Rexing, age 40, was convicted in Vanderburgh County Superior Court of Dealing in Methamphetamine – Class A Felony, Possession of a Precursor with Intent to Manufacture Methamphetamine – Class D Felony, Maintaining a Common Nuisance – Class D Felony, False Informing – Class B Misdemeanor and Criminal Recklessness – Class B Misdemeanor. After the jury found Rexing guilty on all counts, the defendant admitted to being a Habitual Offender.

Rexing faces 20-50 years for the Class A Felony, ½-3 years for each of the Class D Felonies and 0-180 days for each of the Class B Misdemeanors; all to be served in the Indiana Department of Corrections. The Habitual Offender Enhancement will add 30 years on top of what he is sentenced to by Judge Robert Pigman on November 16, 2012 at 1:00 p.m.

Rexing was arrested on August 2, 2012 after a second floor apartment that he rented caught fire. The apartment was less than 100 feet from Vogel Elementary School, where children were present at the time of the fire. Once the fire was out and a search warrant was obtained, many methamphetamine making materials were located inside the apartment. The materials used to manufacture methamphetamine were found to be the cause of the fire. For more arrest information, please see the attached probable cause affidavit.

Dr. Glassman featured speaker at Public Library

0

Forensic anthropology topic at Friends annual meeting
October 16, 2012 – Evansville, IN – On Sunday, October 21st, the Public Library Friends will host Dr. David Glassman at Central Library. Dr. Glassman – an anthropologist, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Bradley University, and former dean of the College of Liberal Arts at USI – will speak about forensic anthropology and talk about some of the most unusual cases he has been involved with.

Dr. Glassman’s presentation will begin at 2:00 pm in the Browning Events Room and is free and open to all.

This program is co-sponsored by One Book One Community. This year’s reading selection, Flash and Bones by Dr. Kathy Reichs, greatly focuses on forensic anthropology and crime scene investigation.

The annual meeting of the Public Library Friends will follow Dr. Glassman’s presentation. The meeting is open to the public, and anyone interested in becoming involved with the Friends is encouraged to stay and learn more about how this group supports the EVPL.

VANDERBURGH COUNTY FELONY CHARGES

0

VANDERBURGH COUNTY FELONY CHARGES

This feature is sponsored by Chris Walsh For Vanderburgh County Clerk. Chris Walsh is a veteran county administrator that strongly supports our local law enforcement professionals . Chris Walsh is a candidate that possess a non-partisan attitude with a consumer friendly demeanor. Chris also stands against unification of city and county governments.
This ad paid for by the committiee to elect Walsh Clerk.

VANDERBURGH COUNTY FELONY CHARGES
Evansville, IN – Below is a list of felony cases that were filed by the Vanderburgh County Prosecutor’s Office on Monday, October 15, 2012.

Emily Caine Theft – Class D Felony
Conversion – Class A Misdemeanor

John Haynes Theft – Class D Felony

Jonathan Hoehn Operating a Motor Vehicle as an Habitual Traffic Violator – Class D Felony

Kristen Holley Theft –Class D Felony

Zachary Marshall Theft – Class D Felony

Kimberly Toliver Theft – Class D Felony
Conversion – Class A Misdemeanor

For further information on the cases listed above, or any pending case, please contact Carly Settles at 812.435.5688 or via e-mail at csettles@vanderburghgov.org.

Under Indiana law, all criminal defendants are considered to be innocent until proven guilty by a court of law.
SENTENCE CHART

Class Range
Murder 45-65 Years
Class A Felony 20-50 Years
Class B Felony 6-20 Years
Class C Felony 2-8 Years
Class D Felony ½ – 3 Years
Class A Misdemeanor 0-1 Year
Class B Misdemeanor 0-180 Days

Another Stimulus Company files Bankruptcy: A123 Systems got $250 Million and now in Chapter 11

1

Electric car battery manufacturer A123 Systems Inc., the recipient of nearly
$250 million in government grants, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection
Tuesday.

The Massachusetts-based company and two affiliates filed for bankruptcy a day
after it said it would be unable to make a $2.8 million interest payment to
bondholders due Monday.

Auto-parts manufacturer Johnson Controls Inc. is providing the company with
$72.5 million in so-called debtor-in-possession financing to fund the bankruptcy
case.

Read the Wall Street Journal article: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390443854204578060433271656440.html?mod=djemalertNEWS

Ross Perot Endorses Mitt Romney for President

5


By: H. Ross Perot

Our country faces a momentous choice. The fact is the United States is on an unsustainable course. At stake is nothing less than our position in the world, our standard of living at home and our constitutional freedoms.

That is why I am endorsing Mitt Romney for president. We can’t afford four more years in which debt mushrooms out of control, our government grows and our military is weakened.

For the past four years, we have squandered one opportunity after the next to turn things around. The longer we delay acting, the steeper the price we will have to pay.

Let’s look at the country as it is now.

The American economy is stagnant. Economic growth is insufficient to create enough jobs for a country whose population is growing. The result is unemployment stuck over 8 percent for every single month of Barack Obama’s presidency. We have 23 million Americans who are looking for work and either can’t find a full-time job, can’t find a job at all, or who have given up looking. That is wrong. It’s not the way America ought to be.

At the same time, and not unrelated, is the extraordinary explosion of federal deficits and federal debt. In the last four years during Obama’s presidency, he’s added around $5 trillion to our national debt, more than any previous president. This was accomplished by successive federal budgets that each ran deficits exceeding $1 trillion a year. It is this massive deficit spending that threatens to undermine our future standard of living. To pay for our government’s massive debts, Washington’s profligacy, our children and grandchildren will be paying interest and principal on the nation’s debt for untold years into the future. That is wrong. It’s not the way America ought to be.

Even as we have engaged in runaway domestic spending, the country has been put on the path to massive cuts in the defense budget. President Obama’s own Secretary of Defense has called the proposed cuts “devastating” to our nation’s security. History teaches that the price of military weakness always exceeds the price of preparedness. And yet at a moment when turbulence is sweeping critical regions of the world, we are increasingly unprepared. That is wrong. It’s not the way America ought to be.

It is for these reasons that I am endorsing Mitt Romney. He has spent most of his career in the private sector. He understands how jobs are created. He understands how government can get in the way of that process. As a president, he would do what this administration has been unable to do, which is reform our federal government, pare it back, and — most critically — keep it from acting as a brake on economic growth.

Equally important, as a governor, Mitt Romney balanced the budget of his state for four straight years without raising taxes. Writing in all caps is called shouting, and that fact is something that deserves to be shouted from the rooftops. I should add that Gov. Romney accomplished this feat while working with a legislature that was overwhelmingly under the control of the Democratic Party in one of the most liberal states in the country. In short, although he is a rock-solid conservative, he knows how to reach across the aisle and make common cause with those with whom he disagrees.

These are leadership qualities that are sorely needed in Washington today. President Obama promised a great deal. He has had his chance. The results are visible for all to see. It is time for a new beginning. It is time for Mitt Romney.

Quips and Comments from City Council Meeting: October 15, 2012

0

Quips and Comments from City Council Meeting: October 15, 2012

“This is government at its worst,” said Councilman Al Lindsey, D-6th

“JH Rudolph and Co., an Evansville contractor, agreed to take up the parking lot asphalt surrounding the Roberts building at no cost.” Denise Johnson

“the City Council was backed into a corner” Councilwoman Stephanie Riley

“they are still not committed to using the Roberts land as a park because of concerns about the cost to develop and maintain the site.” Councilman Dan Adams

“they held the auction knowing they were making Roberts less valuable” Councilman Al Lindsey

“these guys are marketing a doomsday scenario” Councilman Al Lindsey

“Alan Brill had a proposal to use Roberts that was only $1.2 Million” Councilman Dan Adams

“we had no plan to remove the asphalt parking lot because it costs too much” Denise Johnson

“the 3-I Engineering study cost us $60,000” Denise Johnson

“we need to take the time to vet the next use of this site” Councilman Conor O’Daniel

“Evansville’s softball fields are so badly maintained that they are dangerous to play on. They are a pathetic embarrassment.” Councilman Al Lindsey

“the City hired the same architects that ruined Roberts Stadium to head the committee to decide what should be done with it” former Indiana Senator Paul Bitz

“it is the neighborhood parks that we need to make nice” Senator Paul Bitz

“Weinzapfel worked with SMG to limit the success of Roberts so he could tear it down” Senator Paul Bitz

“the cost of steel is coming down 20% in the next couple of months because of project cancellations in China. This makes the demolition more expensive.” Corey Mills

“only 40 acres of land sell a year in Evansville, we now have a 19.1 year supply on the market” Corey Mills

“any use of Roberts that is not public use is negative.” Corey Mills

“Developers like to make a profit and that ain’t gonna happen in today’s market” Corey Mills

“there are 1,000 residential lots currently available, that is a 4 or 5 year supply too” Corey Mills

“the park idea is a piecemill solution and is not thought out well” Professor Perry Burnette (USI Economics Professor)

“does the Canapy software work” Councilman Dan McGinn

“there are problems with it, we recommended against it, Harry Lawson did that on his own” Mark Rolley in response to Dan McGinn

“the City IT budget is increasing 9% per year, it is out of control” Councilman John Friend
“we have saved the City millions of dollars on IT hardward costs” Mark Rolley

“the Public Works board authorized spending money on consultants to help fix the MIPS software” former Controller Jenny Collins

“my bosses knew the books were not balanced and the software did not work” former Controller Jenny Collins

The Fort Wayne Journal Gazette Endorsement of Glenda Ritz‏

1

Fort Wayne Journal Gazette – Published: October 14, 2012

Editorial

Indiana public schools are struggling under the leadership of Tony Bennett, superintendent of public instruction. His unproven experiment in school choice and privatization has strained local districts at the very time they’ve needed the support and resources of a strong Indiana Department of Education.
Fortunately, his challenger, Glenda Ritz, demonstrates the skill and passion to help all students and recognizes the state’s civic health and economy depend on strong public schools. Her experience in communicating a classroom perspective to legislators is sorely needed as educators grapple with a host of new laws and regulations.
Indiana enjoyed almost 24 years of steady, collaborative effort to improve public education under Republicans H. Dean Evans and Suellen Reed, but Bennett’s election four years ago marked an end to the partnership among policymakers, educators, parents and the business community. The noteworthy improvement Indiana schools have made in recent years, including higher graduation rates, is the result of the foundation Evans and Reed set.
Rather than follow their example, Bennett cleaned house, replacing experienced educators with a DOE staff whose frequent turnover has left school districts struggling to interpret rules and requirements. He took advantage of GOP majorities to push an expansive legislative agenda, including the nation’s most expansive voucher program. Before its effects are even known, he is looking to extend it, eliminating the restriction that vouchers go only to students who first attend public school.
While enthusiastically promoting vouchers and charter schools, Bennett has expanded state control of local schools and exercised authority to hand them over to for-profit operators. Through the rule-making process, he has weakened the licensing requirements for teachers and administrators and now champions the national Common Core academic standards – less rigorous than Indiana’s highly acclaimed standards – and a new test to replace ISTEP+.

Also troubling are his ties with out-of-state donors and corporate interests. He spent much of 2011 traveling the country, often at the expense of groups looking to privatize schools. His campaign donors include wealthy school-choice proponents. Wal-Mart heir Alice Walton gave him $200,000, and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg contributed $40,000. Some of the largest have come from groups backed by hedge-fund managers. Bennett’s campaign chest is nearing $1.5 million. Compare that to the $39,000 Reed had raised at the end of her 2004 re-election contest. Ritz has raised about $100,000 to compete against Bennett.
What she lacks in fundraising prowess, Ritz makes up for in experience. A library media specialist for Washington Township schools in Marion County, she is one of just 155 Indiana educators certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, considered the gold standard in teacher certification.

Ritz proposes more local input in policy promulgated by the state. She said she would begin with a comprehensive assessment of school needs, including curriculum and technology.
“DOE is going to be bottom up instead of top down,” Ritz said.
She also pledges to support early learning and to stop increased reliance on standardized testing, now misappropriated to paint public schools, districts, students and teachers as failures. The inaccurate depiction doesn’t serve the state in attracting jobs or retaining young families.
Voters should compare the leadership styles and results of a politically ambitious superintendent versus his two widely respected predecessors. Ritz promises to serve more in the mold of Evans and Reed; she’s the easy choice for Indiana’s top education post.

1...6,9686,9696,970...7,349Page 6,969 of 7,349