IS IT TRUE: Part 2 August 26, 2011
IS IT TRUE: Part 2 August 26, 2011
IS IT TRUE that the downtown street direction changing project is nearing completion and that on September 14th the big switch will take place?…that City of Evansville engineer Pat Keepes is on record as saying that “for those people who didn’t see it on TV or read it in the newspaper, we’ll still have signs up,”?…that Mr. Keepes should be aware that as an up and coming tourist destination and an attractor of major entertainment events that downtown Evansville will soon be filled with people who do not watch Evansville TV stations or read the Evansville news?…that the fact that Evansville will STILL HAVE SIGNS UP to indicate the direction that traffic is expected to flow is quite comforting?…that we have to wonder if there was ever a serious conversation held that gave thought to NOT PUTTING UP SIGNS?…that the obliviousness to the outside world and the deer in the headlights looks are certainly not confined to the City Council with this kind of logic?…that after over 10 years with the current set up downtown that even locals that drive downtown weekly have to rely on signs to navigate the randomness of direction that has been the rule here for as long as most of us remember?…that we predict some fender benders from left turns on new two way streets that have been one way streets?
IS IT TRUE that a thief or two have taken it on themselves to drive up the price of textbooks for local college students?…that the thief in the night busted in the back door of TXT BookRentals on the West Lloyd Expressway and stole the safe and all of its contents?…that these thieves were not interested in knowledge as no books were taken?…that the safe and some cash in it were the only things of interest to this thief?…that TXT BookRentals was started in Evansville by a graduate of the University of Evansville?…that this business hires students, pays them more for textbooks and rents them out for less as a matter of policy?…that this business exists for the sole purpose of reducing the cost of college textbooks?…that we hope this thief and any accomplices are apprehended quickly and that TXT BookRentals can get back to the business of driving down the cost of a college education?
IS IT TRUE that in 1776 a man by the name of Thomas Paine started publishing a small paper called “Common Senseâ€?…that Common Sense challenged the authority of the British government and the royal monarchy?…that the language that Paine used spoke to the common people of America and was the first work to openly ask for independence from Great Britain?…that the City County Observer is pleased to make an attempt to replicate the spirit of Thomas Paine in the articles that we write and publish?…that some select quotes from Thomas Paine that we particularly identify with are as follows:
“Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state, an intolerable one.”
“Attempting to debate with a person who has abandoned reason is like giving medicine to the dead.”
“The duty of a patriot is to protect his country from its government.”
“Moderation in temper is always a virtue; but moderation in principle is always a vice.”
“Reason obeys itself; and ignorance submits to whatever is dictated to it. ”
“Society is produced by our wants and government by our wickedness.”
“A body of men holding themselves accountable to nobody ought not to be trusted by anybody.”
Obamanonics vs. Reaganomics: Steven Moore’s Comparison
Excerpts:
“Both inherited an American economy in collapse. And both applied daring, expensive remedies. Mr. Reagan passed the biggest tax cut ever, combined with an agenda of deregulation, monetary restraint and spending controls. Mr. Obama, of course, has given us a $1 trillion spending stimulus.”
“By the end of Reagan’s first term, it was Morning in America. Today there is gloomy talk of America in its twilight.”
“My purpose here is not more Reagan idolatry, but to point out an incontrovertible truth: One program for recovery worked, and the other hasn’t.”
“In any case, what Reagan inherited was arguably a more severe financial crisis than what was dropped in Mr. Obama’s lap. You don’t believe it? From 1967 to 1982 stocks lost two-thirds of their value relative to inflation”
“There is something that is genuinely different this time. It isn’t the nature of the crisis Mr. Obama inherited, but the nature of his policy prescriptions. Reagan applied tax cuts and other policies that, yes, took the deficit to unchartered peacetime highs. But that borrowing financed a remarkable and prolonged economic expansion and a victory against the Evil Empire in the Cold War. What exactly have Mr. Obama’s deficits gotten us?”
Link to Full Article:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111904875404576530412322260784.html?KEYWORDS=reagan
“Entrepreneur’s Credo: Thomas Paine
“Entrepreneur’s Credo
I do not choose to be a common man,
It is my right to be uncommon … if I can,
I seek opportunity … not security.
I do not wish to be a kept citizen.
Humbled and dulled by having the
State look after me.
I want to take the calculated risk;
To dream and to build.
To fail and to succeed.
I refuse to barter incentive for a dole;
I prefer the challenges of life
To the guaranteed existence;
The thrill of fulfillment
To the stale calm of Utopia.
I will not trade freedom for beneficence
Nor my dignity for a handout
I will never cower before any master
Nor bend to any threat.
It is my heritage to stand erect.
Proud and unafraid;
To think and act for myself,
To enjoy the benefit of my creations
And to face the world boldly and say:
This, with God’s help, I have done
All this is what it means
To be an Entrepreneur.”
— Thomas Paine (Common Sense)
Board Appoints in City of Evansville Public Boards
Mole #22 has provided the City County Observer with a list of all of the Public Boards with their appointed members. This list is current as of December 31, 2010 so some names may have changed since then but the source of the appointments has not.
There are 26 board seats that depend upon continued employment of the board member by the City of Evansville. The Mayor of Evansville is listed as the man who has appointed 191 of these board members leaving the other 58 for all other appointing government entities including the Evansville City Council combined.
Please peruse the list on the link below at your own pleasure.
Former USI standout called up to major leagues
Former University of Southern Indiana All-American baseball player Darin Mastroianni was called up to the major leagues this week by the Toronto Blue Jays and started in centerfield Wednesday night against the Kansas City Royals in Toronto. The rookie outfielder was hitting .266 in the minor leagues this season with 35 RBIs, 28 stolen bases, and three home runs while splitting time between Toronto’s New Hampshire Double-A team and Las Vegas Triple-A squad.
Mastroianni was drafted in the 16th round by Toronto in 2007 after leading the Eagles to their first NCAA Division II regional championship and a third-place finish in the Division II World Series. The former All-American second baseman batted .409 for the Eagles in 2007 with a school-record 97 hits and 64 stolen bases.
USI fans can see the Blue Jays battle the Royal at 6:05 p.m. (CDT) tonight on MLB.tv or on Fox Sports Kansas City and Toronto.
Mastroianni is the third Screaming Eagle to play in the majors and the first USI player to get the call up since Kevin Brown joined the Texas Rangers in 1996. Brown also played for the Blue Jays in 1998 and 1999.
The first Eagle to play in the majors was Jeff Schulz in the 1980s as a member of the Royals and the Pittsburgh Pirates.
UE Welcomes 14 New Faculty Members
Fourteen new faculty members with expertise ranging from public health to astrophysics have begun teaching at the University of Evansville for the 2011-12 academic year.
“Our new faculty members bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to our campus community,†said John Mosbo, UE senior vice president for academic affairs. “These outstanding individuals will strengthen the University of Evansville’s already rich tradition of academic excellence, and we’re delighted they chose UE as the place to begin or continue their academic careers.â€
The new University of Evansville faculty members are:
Patricia L. Andueza, assistant professor of Spanish. She comes to UE from The Ohio State University, where she earned her PhD and was a graduate teaching assistant in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese.
Jamie K. Burkhart, assistant professor of nursing. She previously was an adjunct faculty member in UE’s Dunigan Family Department of Nursing and Health Sciences and a women’s health nurse practitioner at Basinski, LLC, in Newburgh, Indiana. She holds a Master of Science in nursing from Vanderbilt University.
David Jeffery, visiting assistant professor of physics. He previously was an instructor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Northern Arizona University, and he holds a PhD from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario.
Laura M. Miller, assistant professor of exercise and sport science. She previously was an athletic trainer with Christiana Care Health System in Wilmington, Delaware, and she earned her PhD from the University of Delaware.
Marc D. Mitchell, assistant professor of electrical engineering. He previously was a research assistant professor at the Idaho Accelerator Center at Idaho State University, and he holds a PhD from Cornell University.
Payal H. Patel-Dovlatabadi, assistant professor of public health. She previously was a research assistant at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and she holds a Doctor of Public Health degree from the same institution.
Diana R. Quevedo, assistant professor of Spanish. She previously was a visiting assistant professor at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, and she holds a PhD from the University of Toronto.
Brian St. John, assistant professor of music (orchestra). He previously was an assistant professor of music at Minnesota State University Moorhead, and he holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Arizona State University.
Todsapon Thananatthanachon, assistant professor of chemistry. He comes to UE from Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, where he was an assistant professor of chemistry. He earned his PhD from Washington University in St. Louis.
Joseph Trendowski, assistant professor of management. He previously worked in investor services for the Bank of New York, and he holds a PhD from Old Dominion University.
Terri Turigliatto-Fahrney, visiting assistant professor of history. She comes to UE from St. Louis University, where she was an adjunct assistant professor of history and assistant dean for student affairs and also earned her PhD.
Stacey Uthe, assistant professor of music (voice). She previously was an adjunct voice faculty member at the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s Conservatory of Music and Dance, and she earned her Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the same institution.
Nicholas Werner, visiting assistant professor of mathematics. He previously was a lecturer at The Ohio State University and earned his PhD at the same institution.
Zhu Xiaoyu, visiting instructor of Chinese. He previously was a lecturer at the Institute of Translation Studies in the School of International Studies at Zhejiang University, and he completed the Graduate Program on TCASL (Teaching Chinese as a Second Language).
IS IT TRUE: August 26, 2011
IS IT TRUE: August 26, 2011
IS IT TRUE that the townhall debate at Harrison High School yesterday was quite valuable to tell us what our young people are interested in seeing from government?…that their questions were probably not too different from what their parents and grandparents are concerned about?…that the topics of concern among young people are JOBS, PUBLIC SAFETY, METH, PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT, and of course CONSOLIDATION and ROBERTS STADIUM?…that the audience was respectful of the debate and the candidates were too?…that this is a bunch of kids that could make a difference in Evansville’s future if they have a reason to make a life here?
IS IT TRUE that during discussions about the economy that the unemployment rate was brought up by Democratic candidate for Mayor of Evansville Rick Davis?…that he quoted the unemployment rate at 7.3% which as official government statistics go may really be the “official†number right now?…that the “official†number does not count people who are underemployed?…that an underemployed person may be a banker with an MBA who was laid off from a job that paid about $100,000 per year but is now selling hot dogs at Ellis Park and earning roughly the minimum wage?…that such a person is simply considered to be “employedâ€?…that the “official†unemployment rate does not include people working part time who really want a full time job?
IS IT TRUE that the Gallup organization that tracks these statistics nationwide reported in July 2011 that the underemployment rate is still at a staggering 18.0%?…that neither of these numbers includes people who have used all of their unemployment benefits and are not eligible for an extension?…that neither of these reporting mechanisms includes people who have basically given up the search for a job?…that these figures do not include people who by their own choice do odd jobs for cash?…that in times like these that the “official†unemployment number has little meaning?…that when all of the officially unemployed people use all of their benefits that the “official†rate will drop to zero and thousands of smiling politicians will take credit for solving this problem while 20% of the population still has no job?…that some statistics are designed to lie while telling the truth?…that SNEGAL is alive and well in governments all over America?
IS IT TRUE that Rick Davis also threw out a number for people who are unemployed of 13,700 people in the Evansville metro area?…that the Courier and Press jumped on Davis and called him out for being inaccurate because this assertion does not conform to the official Indiana Department of Workforce Development numbers?…that we wonder if the Courier and Press reporter is fully aware that the “official†Metropolitan Statistical Area of Evansville, Indiana includes several counties in Kentucky?…that we are quite sure that the Indiana Workforce Development office does not tabulate any of its data from Kentucky?…that it is highly probable that candidate Davis had his numbers correct and that the Courier and Press needs a lesson in exactly what the Evansville MSA is?…that it is every reporters dream to catch a politician in a mistake but that this mistake was not made by Mr. Davis it was made by the Courier and Press?
IS IT TRUE that Mr. Davis and Mr. Winnecke will probably make some mistakes and will be justifiably called out for them?…that there may have even been a mistake or two yesterday?…that what was painted as a mistake yesterday really was not one?…that we in the media need to keep it real when we choose to delve into statistics and geography?