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Lonely Hearts Valentine’s Day

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Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and this year I don’t have a Valentine. I’m not sad, and I’m not planning on feeling sorry for myself for being alone alone. Heck, I’ve decided that sometimes being alone is a good thing! You don’t have to please anyone and you can just be who you are! It doesn’t matter that I don’t have someone to shower with chocolate and conversation hearts. I’ll be spending this Valentine’s Day in a special way with a few special friends.

For some single people, February 14th can sometimes make you feel excluded, like the kid who didn’t get picked for the team. I know that sounds pretty bad, but I’ve spent my share of V-day’s alone, eating a tub or two of Prarie Farms ice cream, watching sappy romance movies. I’ve also had my share of wonderful and downright amazing Valentine’s Days with my beloved Piotr. My dear Piotr made sure that everyday was Valentine’s Day, so he went all out on the actual holiday. This year, I’ll be spending this one alone, and while I’d love nothing better than to wallow in the misery of single life, I’m choosing to spend this day visiting a few lonely hearts at the Vanderburgh Humane Society.

Those of us who are single might want to ignore the holiday, hole up in the house and wait for February 15th to arrive. Instead of feeling sorry for yourself or ignoring the day altogether, make this Valetine’s Day special for someone else. Having a Valentine doesn’t mean you have to be in love, or in a relationship. Little kids give everyone Valentine’s Day cards, so why not send one to your grandma or a long lost friend from the old days. Better yet, invite an old friend out for coffee, or visit a local nursing home to spend time with those who may truly be alone this Valentine’s Day.

If you can’t seem to find someone to spend the day with, and don’t want to spend it alone, consider visiting the dogs and cats at the Vanderburgh Humane Society. The facility is visitor friendly, accommodating those who just want to browse and those who would want a little more hands on experience. There are three kennel rooms of dogs who need a special visitor, a room of furry rodents and rabbits, several cat areas and a free-range room where cats can roam to hearts content. I try to visit the VHS as often as I can. It used to make me really sad to visit the old facility on Buchanan Rd. With the new building and spay/neuter clinic, the VHS has become one of my favorite places to visit in Evansville. The staff is dedicated to making these animals have at least a little comfort during such a stressful and lonely time. Being around these broken hearted animals makes a solo Valentine’s Day seem not so much to handle.

If you go to the Vanderburgh Humane Society this Valentine’s Day, remember to check their website for details on needed donations and bring in your soda caps and aluminum cans for recycling. Spend the day visiting with every shelter resident, giving them a little love and companionship. You can even give the dogs treats and help them practice their sit command. You never know, you might end up finding someone who melts your heart and makes this Valentine’s Day the last one you will spend alone!

Love and kisses,
Lil 

VHS Pet of the Week: “Boomer”

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Greetings from Boomer, a 2-year-old neutered Shepherd Mix. Boomer is an exceptional dog, very well behaved. He is looking for an owner to spend lots of one on one time with him. He would do best in a home with older children as he does tend to get a bit nervous when things get too crazy. Boomer would prefer a home where he is an only pet. He is working on fine tuning his housebreaking skills and in a home with a regular routine, he’ll have that down in no time. He loves belly rubs and to play fetch. For more information on Boomer and how to make him a member of your family, visit www.vhslifesaver.org or call (812) 426-2563.

Former diplomat to discuss social justice, education at USI

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Dr. Michael Omolewa, a pioneer of adult education and leading education historian in his native Africa, will discuss social justice and education initiatives at 5 p.m. Thursday, February 9, at the University of Southern Indiana.

Omolewa is former Ambassador of Nigeria to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Paris, France; served as president of the 32nd session of the General Conference, UNESCO; and was deputy chair of the Governing Board of the Commonwealth of Learning in Vancouver, Canada.

As a distinguished scholar, civil servant, and diplomat, his contributions impact local and national educational activities in Africa and throughout the world. He has dedicated his life to adult education and the promotion of literacy for underserved populations.

Omolewa is professor of history of education at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, and served as its first director of external studies, opening the opportunity to pursue a degree to more than one thousand adult learners.

He has authored numerous books, including Adult Education Practice in Nigeria, and many articles in leading adult education journals. The History of Education Society of Nigeria named him a Life Patron of the Society.

He is a member of the Babcock University (Nigeria) board of trustees; deputy chairman of Christ Redeemer’s Bible College in London, United Kingdom; and an ordained pastor in the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Nigeria.

Omolewa’s visit to USI is sponsored by the Center for Social Justice Education, housed within the College of Liberal Arts, Department of Social Work. His lecture will be held in Room 1101 in the Education Center.

Source: USI.edu

February 8th is Wild Wednesday at cMoe

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cMoe will be open until 6 p.m. on the second Wednesday of every month. February is National Children’s Dental Health Month and the Alliance of the First District Dental Society will be at the Children’s Museum of Evansville (cMoe) from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday with activities and demonstrations to educate and encourage kids to practice proper dental care. Children will match the sugar content to certain foods, practicing flossing on the “Giant Flossing Demonstrator”, and learn why teeth are important to overall health.

Get WILD with evening hours at cMoe.

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Caterpillar Announced Plant Relocation from Canada to Muncie

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Excerpts from and link to WSJ article.

“Caterpillar’s decision, ending a standoff with locked-out workers huddled around barrels of burning scrap wood outside the London factory gates, may benefit another downtrodden manufacturing city: Muncie, Ind., where Caterpillar last year opened a locomotive plant and where it is trying to fill jobs at about half the pay workers in Ontario received. At a job fair in Muncie Saturday, Caterpillar will be offering jobs at that plant at wages ranging from $12 to $18.50 per hour.”

“The gulf between the company and the union was too wide to resolve.”

“The Canadian Auto Workers union, which represents the workers, called the move “truly rotten behavior. They are immoral, they are unethical and they are greedy,” said union president Ken Lewenza in an interview.”

“Mr. Julian, the county economic-development official, said site-selection experts for manufacturing plants have told him that about 30% of such projects specify that the factories go to states with right-to-work laws. “We obviously want to compete for those,” he said. Indiana this week became the 23rd state with such a law and the first to enact one since Oklahoma did a decade ago.”

“Muncie lost thousands of jobs over the past decade as the U.S. auto industry shuttered plants making vehicle parts. In 2009, BorgWarner Inc. closed a local auto-transmission plant after the United Auto Workers local refused to renegotiate a contract two years ahead of its expiration. That plant remains idle.”

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203889904577200953014575964.html?KEYWORDS=caterpillar+muncie

http://video.foxbusiness.com/v/1436899604001/

>Mayor Winnecke Seeks Supporting Documentation on Convention Hotel

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Lloyd Winnecke

OFFICE OF THE MAYOR
LLOYD WINNECKE

February 7, 2012 Contact: Ella Johnson-Watson
For Immediate Release 812-436-4965

Mayor Winnecke Seeks Supporting Documentation on Convention Hotel

EVANSVILLE, IN – Citing the need for more data to make sound investments for the City of Evansville, Mayor Lloyd Winnecke will ask the Evansville Redevelopment Commission to conduct a market analysis to determine how large of a hotel needs to be built Downtown to support the Convention Center and Ford Center and the fiscal impact. The mayor will make the request at Evansville Redevelopment Commission’s board meeting Tuesday, February 7th, at 8:30 a.m. in Room 307 at the Civic Center.
Mayor Winnecke said discussions began almost three years ago about the prospect of building a new convention hotel. The previous city administration negotiated an agreement with the Kunkel Group to construct a 220 room hotel. Negotiating a specific agreement with the city was left to the Winnecke administration.
“I do not believe we have all of the necessary data to begin discussion on a development agreement,” Winnecke said. “For instance, there is no supporting documentation that we have discovered in our first five weeks in office that suggests 220 rooms are sufficient to support the 280,000-plus square foot Centre and the Ford Center. Conversations with the Convention and Visitors Bureau have led us to believe a larger hotel would be a better match for the size of our convention center.”
More specifically, the mayor wants:
• A market analysis to determine how large of a hotel is needed
• A financial impact analysis to determine the level of public investment
• A planning recommendation to provide prospective developers with criteria for an overall plan on how to integrate major public and private projects in the immediate area of the hotel site.

“I believe once we have this information we’ll have all of the data we need to move forward,” Winnecke added. “The project has seen delay after delay. Slowing it down two or three more months to ensure we have all of the necessary information to act will only benefit the city.”

IS IT TRUE? February 7, 2012

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The Mole #??

IS IT TRUE? February 7, 2012

IS IT TRUE that the Vanderburgh County Council didn’t directly include funds in their 2012 Budget so they can join the City of Evansville to pay for a much needed Information Technology Assessment Audit? …we are pleased that the City of Evansville directly put funds for this Audit in their 2012 Budget? ….we join 5th Ward City Councilmen and Budget Chairmen, John Friend-CPA call for this City of Evansville and Vanderburgh County funded department begin to do a long overdue and detailed financial assessment of this little known but important publically funded department? …we now are awaiting to see if the past Budget Chairmen and newly elected President of the Vanderburgh County Council, James Raben shall put the money on the table so this extremely important Assessment Audit can begin?

IS IT TRUE that the new President of the Evansville Water and Sewer Board is moving this extremely important public entity in a positive direction?…that President Jeff Hatfield directing this board to make good business decision based on “good public policy”? …that it was well known that Mr. Hatfield had major disagreement with some of the policy decisions made by the prior board President and members when he was a board member during last 4 years?

IS IT TRUE that State Representative Wendy McNamara made remarks at the recent “Meet Your Legislators” gathering that shall cause her major political problems when she seeks re-election this year?…McNamara stated that the survey she conducted on the “RIGHT TO WORK” issue that some of her respondents approved of her vote?…that she also added that she didn’t base her decision on what the majority of her constituents wanted but on how she felt personally and really upset many voters in her District?…that her stance on “creationism” being taught in a “historical perspective” in public schools might be OK but will cause her major political problems with the Constitutional voters in her District?…that we hear that the State Democratic Party will make an all out effort to put Wendy McNamara seat back in the Democratic column this coming election?

IS IT TRUE that State Representative Ron Bacon’s push to make pseudoephedrine, an ingredient used in making methamphetamine to be taken the off drugstore shelves and requiring purchasers to have an prescription failed to receive a proper committee hearing?…he also claimed that his original bill died due to strong opposition from “big pharmaceuticals”?…we respectfully suggest that Mr. Beacon contact a locally owned family pharmacy that is located in Chandler, Ind. (the District he represents) and ask John Guthrie how he is dealing with the sale of over the counter cold medicines that have pseudoephedrine in them?…that the City County Observer strongly feels if Mr. Bacon would start a well organized petition drive asking that the State elected officials make drugs that contains pseudoephedrine be sold by prescription only it would get their attention?…we also expect to see this petition drive to be sponsored by State Senators Jim Tomes and Vaneta Becker and State Representatives Gail Riecken, Wendy McNamara, Suzanne Crouch, Greg Battle and Sue Ellspermann?

Former Mayor on Global Speaking Circuit

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Former Mayor Jonathon Weinzapfel

Former Mayor of Evansville Jonathan Weinzapfel is wasting no time getting busy as he has been in Vancouver, Canada this week as a speaker at the Cities Summit. It is interesting to note that the title associated with him as a speaker is MAYOR OF EVANSVILLE. The former mayor’s bio for the conference is as follows and a link to the announcement is at the end.

Bio:

At the age of 46, Jonathan Weinzapfel has earned a reputation as a hard-working leader who values innovation, collaboration and citizen engagement.

A native of Southwestern Indiana and graduate of Evansville’s Reitz Memorial High School, Jonathan earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Indiana University in 1988. He worked as a sales representative for Eli Lilly and Company before moving to Washington, DC, in1990 to work as an aide to Congressman Frank McCloskey. While in Washington, Jonathan earned a master’s degree from Georgetown University in 1993. He returned to Evansville in that same year and joined Old National Bank.

In 2003, Jonathan soundly beat an incumbent to become the 33rd Mayor of the City of Evansville. He was re-elected in 2007 with an historic 85% of the vote. Among Jonathan’s top priorities as Mayor were to streamline government; deliver more services while holding the line on City budgets; give the people of Evansville more input in their government and greater access to City officials; revitalize Downtown Evansville and neighborhoods throughout the City; and create jobs and stimulate economic development. Mayor Weinzapful completed his second and final term as Mayor on December 31, 2011.

Key accomplishments during Jonathan’s two terms as Mayor include the following:

Delivering balanced budgets each year of his administration;

Attracting and expanding several diverse entertainment and quality of life opportunities;

Constructing the Ford Center, Evansville’s new $127.5 million arena, to replace the City’s more than 50-year-old stadium without raising taxes;

Investing unprecedented amounts of money to address Evansville’s aging, oft-failing combined sewer system and address flooding issues;

Launching the Smart City Initiative to enhance Water and Sewer Utility operations, establish a City-wide fiber optic ring, enable free City-wide public Wi-Fi, conserve resources, and increase revenue;

Incepting the Downtown Loft Housing Program;

Creating the Front Door Pride neighborhood revitalization program;

Establishing the Evansville Arts District at Haynie’s Corner;

Working with local, regional and state partners to attract significant new investments at Berry Plastics, Mead Johnson Nutrition, Springleaf Financial, SS&C, Global Blade Technology, AT&T and others.

Link:

http://www.vancouvercitiessummit.org/speakers/jonathan-weinzapfel-mayor-of-evansville-indiana

The History of the Chinese New Year

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The most important holiday for Chinese around the world is undoubtedly Chinese New Year — and it all started out of fear.
The centuries-old legend on the origins of the New Year celebration varies from teller to teller, but they all include a story of a terrible mythical monster who preyed on villagers. The lion-like monster’s name was Nian (å¹´) which is also the Chinese word for “year.”

The stories also all include a wise old man who counsels the villagers to ward off the evil Nian by making loud noises with drums and firecrackers and hanging red paper cutouts and scrolls on their doors because for some reason, the Nian is scared of the color red.

The villagers took the old man’s advice and the Nian was conquered. On the anniversary of the date, the Chinese recognize the “passing of the Nian” known in Chinese as guo nian (过年), which is also synonymous with celebrating the new year.

Based on the Lunar Calendar

The date of Chinese New Year changes each year as it is based on the lunar calendar. While the western Gregorian calendar is based on the earth’s orbit around the sun, China and most Asian countries use the lunar calendar that is based on the moon’s orbit around the earth. Chinese New Year always falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice. Other Asian countries such as Korea, Japan and Vietnam also celebrate new year using the lunar calendar.

While both Buddhism and Daoism has unique customs during the New Year, Chinese New Year is far older than both religions. Like many agrarian societies, Chinese New Year is rooted in much a celebration of spring just like Easter or Passover.

Depending on where rice is grown in China, the rice season lasts from roughly May to September (north China), April to October (Yangtze River Valley), or March to November (Southeast China). The New Year was likely the start of preparations for a new growing season.

Spring cleaning is a common theme during this time, as many Chinese will clean out their homes during the holiday. The New Year celebration could even have been a way to break up the boredom of the long winter months.

Traditional Customs

On this day, families travel long distances to meet and make merry. Known as the “Spring movement” or Chunyun (春运), a great migration takes place in China during this period where many travelers brave the crowds to get to their hometowns.

Though the holiday is only about a week-long, traditionally it is a 15-day holiday during which firecrackers are lit, drums can be heard on the streets, red lanterns glow at night, and red paper cutouts and calligraphy hangings are hung on doors. Celebrations conclude on the 15th day with the Lantern Festival.

Children are also given red envelopes with money inside. Many cities around the world also hold New Year parades complete with a dragon and lion dance.

Food is an important component to New Year. Traditional foods include nian gao or sweet sticky rice cake and savory dumplings – which are round and symbolize never-ending wealth. For more about Chinese New Year foods visit About.com’s Chinese Food site.

Chinese New Year vs. Spring Festival

In China, New Year celebrations are synonymous with “Spring Festival” (春节 or chūn jié) and it is typically a week-long celebration.

The origins of this renaming from “Chinese New Year” to “Spring Festival” is fascinating and not widely known.

In 1912, the newly-formed Chinese Republic, governed by the Nationalist party, renamed the traditional holiday to Spring Festival in order to get the Chinese people to transition to celebrating the Western New Year instead.

During this period, many Chinese intellectuals felt that modernization meant doing all the things as the West did.

When the Communists took over power in 1949, the celebration of New Year was viewed as feudalistic and seeped in religion — not proper for an atheist China. Under the Chinese Communist Party, there were some years where New Year was not celebrated at all.

By the late 1980s, however, as China began liberalizing its economy, Spring Festival celebrations became big business.

China Central Television has held an annual New Year’s Gala since 1982, which was and is still televised across the country and now via satellite to the world.

A few years ago, the government announced that it would shorten its holiday system. The May Day holiday would be shortened from a week to one day and the National Day holiday would be made two days instead of a week. In their place, more traditional holidays such as the Mid-Autumn Festival and Tomb-Sweeping Day might be implemented.

The only week-long holiday that was maintained is Spring Festival. Perhaps even today, several millennia after the first New Year, the fear of the Nian is alive and well.

IS IT TRUE? February 6, 2012

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The Mole #??

IS IT TRUE? February 6, 2012

IS IT TRUE that the State of Indiana and the City of Indianapolis deserves to stand up and take bow for the world class way that the Super Bowl was hosted?…that our bet is that the first northern city to host the Super Bowl will be getting a regular visit much like cities like Phoenix, Miami, and San Diego always do?…that from the friendly hosts and hostesses to the zip lines this was a class act?…that this was also a result of years of planning and execution that cost billions of dollars?…that one of the feature hotels that was built in downtown Indianapolis that was packed to the rafters for the Super Bowl was the 2,000 room J. W. Marriott that was the work of a professional hospitality company called White Lodging?…that while Fort Wayne and Indianapolis were able to make deals with White Lodging to get the hotels they needed Evansville and the previous Mayor were mired up in the old south good old boy politics of crony capitalism and have exactly 2 failed deals, a hope and a prayer, and a big empty lot?…that we would like to introduce a new phrase of “what’s it gonna be Evansville, world class or fish for bass”?…that by the start of the 2012 Evansville City Council’s antics that world class is not going to happen soon and the bass may be safe too because these folks don’t know how to bait a hook?

IS IT TRUE that Evansville’s long term hate affair with Madonna who disrespected the River City back in the early 1990’s when she was in jail here for 3 months while filming “A League of Their Own” seems to have ended?…that most people are no longer holding Madonna in low esteem for comparing Evansville to the eastern European city of Prague that at the time was under communist rule and was dealing with third world challenges like crumbling infrastructure?…that something in Madonna’s comparison must have rallied the leaders of Prague to task because today Prague is a humming international destination that got rid of its old boss communist system?…that somewhere in Prague someone stood up and said “Damn that Madonna, we are not like Evansville. We need to change and we need to change now”?…that over the last 20 years Prague has changed dramatically for the better and that Evansville is still pretty much the same with a new building or two?…that today it would be a big compliment for Madonna or anyone else to say that Evansville is like being in Prague?…if we could get her to say that, our tourism numbers would soar?…that there would be no place to stay in downtown Evansville, but there was a decent place called the Executive Inn when the filming was going on?

IS IT TRUE that Madonna’s movie, “A League of Their Own” has become a source of pride for Evansville and SW Indiana with reminders all over the place from the entry to the airport to the Racine Bells logos at Bosse Field?…that Madonna gave us something to latch onto that has given us all a bit of pride?…that speaking of filming there will be a documentary film crew in town for about a month to do a film on the life of a Castle High graduate who made it big in the entertainment industry?…that film crew has their office in the same building as this writer does here in Palm Springs and that I am coaching them on restaurants to frequent and things to do doing their stay in Evansville?…that the local celebrity is none other than Michael Rosenbaum best known for Smallville who is a proud Castle Knight?…I will warn my friends on the film crew privately soon so they can meet them and maybe have some fun as extras?

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