IS IT TRUE? December 17, 2011

IS IT TRUE that Evansville was named as national champion in a category yesterday that nearly no one is even aware the there is a contest held it?…that Evansville is the home of what has been dubbed as the “MUGSHOT OF THE YEAR” for the picture of the drug crazed fool that ran down the hall of the projects high rise last winter with a sword after using a sharpie to paint his face up?…that the high rise project that this happened in will someday (we hope) become the next door neighbor to the downtown Convention Hotel that was in the news yesterday serving as one last (we hope) photo-op for soon to be Private Citizen Weinzapfel?

IS IT TRUE that we wonder why the outgoing Mayor of Evansville announced his Memorandum of Understanding (MOA) with the Kunkel Group to area media late Friday afternoon?…that we suspect that the reason was because the masses would miss reading this article because upcoming weekend activities? …that this is a great example how the outgoing Mayor of Evansville has managed the main stream media over the last several years and that most media outlets have willingly or unknowingly served to further his propaganda?

IS IT TRUE that the Mole Nation has now learned that the MOU will be scheduled for discussion before the Evansville City Council on Monday December 19, 2011?…that the Congress of the United States is voting on its last spending bill today but that the all important lame duck Evansville City Council that has been a collection of puppets for the Weinzapfel Administration during his reign is going to jam some more spending through before Mayor Elect Winnecke is sworn in?…that scheduling this vote is an affront and an insult to every taxpayer in the City of Evansville?…that this last month of committing to spending by the Weinzapfel Administration show just how much contempt he has for the future of the City of Evansville?…that the skid mark of malignant narcissism will take several decades to be washed from the underpants of Evansville?

IS IT TRUE that when it comes to governance by appeasement, collaboration, and consensus that former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher who was better known as the Iron Lady, summed it up very perfectly in the following quote?

“To me, consensus seems to be the process of abandoning all beliefs, principles, values, and policies in search of something in which no one believes, but to which no one objects.”

IS IT TRUE that Mayor Elect Lloyd Winnecke would be very well served to commit Thatchers words to memory and to heart as collaborating with those who care nothing for furthering goodness or collaborating for the sake of collaborating is the biggest threat to his future successes?

IS IT TRUE that it will come as a surprise to many to learn some of the statistics on earning that were released by the government this week?…that the top 1% of earners in the USA have been the target of much disgust and even hatred by people from the most lowly protester in the Occupy movement right up to the President of the United States Barack Obama?…that during the period from 2007 to 2009 that the Top 1% of earners saw their incomes fall by an average of 34%?…that during the same period of time the Bottom 90% only saw their income fall by just under 3%?…that contrary to the old saying, the rich did not get richer during this recession?…that as has been widely publicized the Top 1% pay roughly 50% of all taxes?…that if the Top 1% make less that they pay less taxes?…that using these statistics that if the Top 1% sees their earnings fall by 34% at a time when they are paying 50% of all taxes that the governments of the United States will see a revenue reduction of 17% because the earnings on which the Top 1% have fallen?…that we know that the Top 1% still has it pretty good but when you really examine how much the rest of us are impacted by the drop in tax revenue maybe the most impactful thing to help the economy would be for the Top 1% to start to prosper again so they are comfortable spending money in places that the rest of us work, or used to work?

IS IT TRUE that there is a neglected way to BUY AMERICAN this Christmas?…that regardless of origin if you BUYS SOMETHING USED FROM AN AMERICAN THAT YOU WILL BE PUTTING CASH IN THE HAND OF ANOTHER AMERICAN?…that whether at a yard sale, craigslist, Ebay, or just a private transaction that BUYING AMERICAN will create a secondary and immediate series of retail transactions?…that the last time this writer had a yard sale the collections were about $300 and that all of that money was spent doing things we would not have done within a week?…that was “found money”?

IS IT TRUE? December 16, 2011

IS IT TRUE that today Evansville Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel who only has 15 more days to serve as mayor has announced that he has entered into a memorandum of understanding with the Kunkel Group to build and operate a downtown Convention Hotel where the rock pile was a short 5 months ago?…that Klenck Construction, the locally owned business that did the demolition and removed the rock pile have still not been paid the $315,000 that they earned?…that the people who own Klenck Construction must be some very accommodating people if they have not taken an form of legal action to secure their payment including getting a stop order of public funding of a project on the City of Evansville owned lot that they did the improvements on?

IS IT TRUE that a memorandum of understanding was not even a necessary step in this process and that for some reason the Weinzapfel Administration had a need to add a ceremonial step to the process and make an announcement on a Friday afternoon?…that a memorandum of understanding is not binding and has about as much significance as a couple of teenagers promising to marry someday when they grow up?…that the real fireworks on this project will be coming when it is brought before the Evansville City Council to vote for the incentive package to be funded?…that it will be very interesting if this comes to a vote in 2011 in its last official meeting?…that the only reason to even attempt such a last minute deal is if Mayor Weinzapfel thinks that the new City Council will not vote like a block of puppets the way this City Council has done for four years now?

IS IT TRUE that the key leader and key vote in this funding process will be the vote of City Councilman and Chairman of the Finance Committee John Friend, CPA?…that it will be up to Councilman Friend to VET THE VETTERS and determine if his recommendation as the most financially competent member of the City Council is going to be with ONB Commercial Loan Officer Sara Miller who cast the lone NO VOTE by the Evansville Redevelopment Commission and has been reported to have stated that she had not seen any reason to believe that either Kunkel’s or Prime’s proposal will result in a profitable hotel?

IS IT TRUE that it will also be interesting to see if even one member of the Evansville City Council will stand up for the interests of Klenck Construction?…that by voting to fund an incentive package for the hotel project without demanding that Klenck be paid for the honest improvements that they made to the City of Evansville’s property is callous and irresponsible?

IS IT TRUE that poor Mayor Elect Winnecke who already has been shackled with four balls and chains by the last minute cram throughs of the Weinzapfel Administration just got an albatross around his neck to go with the balls and chains?…that the returning blindly block voting members of the Evansville City Council would be well advised to push this vote to next year as an indication that they understand that 15 days from now that Mayor Elect Lloyd Winnecke and not then Citizen Elect Jonathan Weinzapfel will be the person that they have to work with?…that memorandums of understanding are easily set aside should Mayor Winnecke and the 2012 City Council choose to do so?

WHAT IS THE RUSH PEOPLE? IF THIS IS THE RIGHT COURSE OF ACTION IT WILL STAND THE SCRUTINY OF THE NEXT CITY COUNCIL AND THE NEXT MAYOR OF EVANSVILLE

IS IT TRUE? December 16, 2011

IS IT TRUE that a very gifted and fearless writer and speaker who paid no lip service to title without brains, power without judgment, or political correctness period passed away yesterday?…that the writer was described by Ed Luce of the Financial Times as a person whose “cerebral pyrotechnics are unmatched and who writes with the punch of an intellectual character assassin”?…that the writings and fearlessness of this writer has had much influence on the style and willingness to push the envelope of the City County Observer?…that we shall miss the impossible to ignore and always poignant writings of Mr. Christopher Hitchens who was never afraid to apply literary tar and feathers where tar and feathers have been well deserved?

IS IT TRUE that it was reported today by USA Today that roughly half of all Americans have slipped into poverty during the recent recession?…that unemployment was not the biggest contributor to this alarming statistic?…that rising costs of energy and food were the culprits blamed for the financial decline that has left America with half or our people in poverty?

IS IT TRUE that Mole #11 tells us that a local semi-celebrity who is known for ignoring citations has reformed himself and shown up on time and well groomed for a court date?…that all is well?…that the Winnecke Administration is moving forward with the daily announcement of appointees today with the expected news that Mr. Steven Schaefer, former Vice President at the Chamber of Commerce of SW Indiana will become his Chief of Staff?…that the CCO congratulates Mr. Schaefer, Mayor Elect Winnecke, and the Transition Team for another excellent appointment?

IS IT TRUE that another dilapidated old apartment building is going to be refurbished by Mike Martin?…that this time it will be The Euclid that is on the receiving end of Mr. Martin’s refurbishment magic?…that The Euclid is a three story building on 3rd Street across from Welborn that contains 6 unique living units?…that it has really been a mess for many years and last had residents in it in the late 1990’s and then it was mainly a flophouse and drug dealing hangout?…that The Euclid was available in the early 2000’s for only $2,500?…that Mr. Martin is planning to spend $800,000 on the project and that the City of Evansville has committed to kick in an additional $100,000 making each unit slated for a $150,000 investment?…that this kind of investment will require each unit to rent for about $1,500 to cash flow?…that this is a tough assignment but that if anyone can pull this off successfully that Mike Martin is the man for the job?…that we wonder if this could have been or would have been done anyway without the $100,000 of taxpayer dollars thrown in to sweeten the deal?

IS IT TRUE that while we are speaking of the activity of refurbishment that the article by Joe Wallace that made a case for turning the McCurdy Hotel back into a hotel has gathered some responses?…that this has been seen as an idea with a vision behind it and that many movers and shakers have expressed support for it?…that one developer called Mr. Wallace and asked many questions and is clearly interested in such a project?…that another contact came from an investor with a love for historic buildings?…that maybe they will be introduced to each other soon and maybe, just maybe something positive will come from this vision?