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Detroit’s Fiscal Fate Happens Today

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Excerpts:

“The Detroit city council meets today to consider a state offer to save Motown from bankruptcy. The result will reveal whether even looming catastrophe can break the stranglehood that unions have on urban politics.”

“Retirement costs are Detroit’s biggest liability, and about half of all tax dollars go toward employee benefits.” editors note: It works out to roughly $10,000 per resident per year to fund the retirements already promised. That is not sustainable in a shrinking city of limited means.

“If the unions refuse to renegotiate, the Governor wants to give Mayor Bing the authority to impose new contracts. Mr. Snyder’s original proposal would have given this power to an oversight board. But city leaders complained that ceding control to unaccountable bureaucrats would compromise the city’s independence and undercut democratic governance.”

“If the city council rejects the Governor’s latest proposal today, Governor Snyder would be required by a new state law to appoint an emergency manager to run the city. This state-appointed receiver would usurp the city council and have the authority to nullify labor contracts and impose new ones. City leaders and the unions have been trying to avoid this outcome by stringing out negotiations with the state.”

” City council members don’t want independence. They want to be hooked up to the state IV.”

“Mr. Snyder is trying to help Detroit save itself. But if city leaders refuse to assert control over the unions, a declaration of bankruptcy may be the only way to save Motown.”

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303816504577312094014279010.html

Endeavor Symposium shows off student art and research

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The 11th annual USI Endeavor! Undergraduate Research and Creative Works Symposium will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Thursday, April 5, in the University Center.

The Endeavor! Symposium is a conference to encourage, support, and publicize undergraduate research, scholarship, and creativity. More than 90 researchers and artists will participate in this year’s symposium.

Students will give oral and poster presentations on subjects as diverse as spirituality in the El Cibao region of the Dominican Republic, fluorescent molecules, costuming research for USI Theatre’s production of RENT, using Google Earth modeling to explore large-scale shear fold geometry, health and obesity, and alternative energy systems in Jamaica.

All undergraduate students can participate in the symposium regardless of whether or not they have applied for or used Endeavor funds, but those who have received Endeavor! Project Awards or Presentation Awards are required to present.

Check-in for the symposium begins at 8:30 a.m. Oral presentations will be held in University Center meeting rooms and poster and artwork sessions will be held in Carter Hall.

Dr. Jane Johansen, professor of business communication, is director of the Endeavor! Awards Program. “The Endeavor! Research and Creativity Awards Program operates on the assumption that when you follow a passion, you will emerge with a better education and stronger ties to your learning than the education you develop by studying and taking tests,” she said. “The synergy between research and learning is the foundation for the best learning created.”

The Endeavor! Undergraduate Research and Creative Works Symposium is sponsored by Vectren Energy Delivery and the USI Office of Academic Affairs.

Source: USI.edu

All Time Low and Gentlemen Hall To Perform Friday, April 20th

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Rising pop-punk band All Time Low is set to bring their infectious party sounds to the Ford
Center for a concert on Friday, April 20 at 8:00 p.m. Joining All Time Low will be rising American Synth
Rock/Pop band Gentlemen Hall. The concert is being held in conjunction with the University of Evansville as
part of their annual spring activities.

Since forming in the Baltimore suburbs in 2003, All Time Low have become one of the biggest pop-punk bands
to emerge on the scene, building a grassroots following of die-hard fans with very little radio airplay and a
touring ethic that would rival road-weary vets like Green Day. All Time Low features singer-guitarist Alex
Gaskarth, drummer Rian Dawson, lead guitarist Jack Barakat, and bassist Zack Merrick.

Gentleman Hall consists of Gavin Merlot (lead vocals and guitar), Cobi Mike (lead vocals and guitar), Ro
Richard (bass guitar), Bradford Alderman (vintage synthesizers), Phil Boucher (drums, percussion,
glockenspiel), and Seth Hachen (flute, piccolo). Their music is reminiscent of Passion Pit, Phoenix and MGMT.
Their passion for dancing and a good time is reflected in their high-energy live shows, which tend to become
inclusive dance parties.

Tickets go on sale Wednesday, April 4, at 10:00 a.m. at the Ford Center Ticket Office, all Ticketmaster
locations, ticketmaster.com or by phone at 800-745-3000. All seats are general admission and only $20.00. For
more information on the Ford Center visit:

www.thefordcenter.com, www.facebook.com/fordcenterevansville or www.twitter.com/thefordcenter.

USI Distinguished Scholar Lecture is April 11

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USI
The University of Southern Indiana’s 2012 College of Liberal Arts Distinguished Scholar is Dr. W. Robert Connor, who will present “Why Literature? The Long Term Effects of Studying Languages and Literature,” at 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 11, in Kleymeyer Hall in the lower level of the Liberal Arts Center at USI. A reception will follow at 7 p.m. in the McCutchan Art Center/Pace Galleries.

Connor holds a Ph.D. in classics from Princeton University. He later returned to Princeton as a professor and administrator until 1989, when he became president and director of the National Humanities Center in North Carolina’s research triangle region. He joined the New York-based Teagle Foundation as its president in early 2003, reaffirming the foundation’s long-standing commitment to higher education, and refocusing it on improving student learning in the liberal arts and sciences.

The Teagle Foundation, established in 1944, is a private foundation which “aims to strengthen liberal education by providing the intellectual and financial resources necessary to ensure that today’s students have access to challenging, wide-ranging, and enriching college educations, and that they succeed at the highest possible level.” He retired in 2009, but continues to serve as the foundation’s senior advisor.

Connor lives in Hillsborough, North Carolina with his wife Carolyn. He holds honorary degrees from several colleges and is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the American Philosophical Society.

For more information about Connor and the Distinguished Scholar Lecture Series, go to http://www.usi.edu/libarts/scholars-dist.asp.

IS IT TRUE April 2, 2012

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Kangaroo Council

IS IT TRUE April 2, 2012

IS IT TRUE that one of our comment posters contributed the term “Kangaroo City Council” to describe the vote that was held last Monday night to approve a $4.8 Million loan to Earthcare Energy without the benefit of proper vetting, testing, or even publically available information about the management team?…that the term “Kangaroo City Council” seems to be a play on the term “Kangaroo Court” that means in literal terms “a mock court in which the principles of law and justice are disregarded or perverted”?…that we agree with our comment poster that the term “Kangaroo Council” would apply quite well to what was done last Monday as it was most certainly a vote that was held without the benefit of any rules or sanity?…that we declare the 2012 Evansville City Council to be the Evansville Kangaroo Council until which time they as a group earn the distinction of Evansville City Council?…that we realize that not all of the members of the Kangaroo Council behave as a Kangaroo Court?…that we also realize that in most cases there will be five votes to do what the Democrat leadership wants and that sanity and reason shall have no meaning as long as the Kangaroo majority hops together?

IS IT TRUE that we were ridiculed a little for publishing that Councilwoman Missy Mosby has been trying to put together the support needed for her to succeed Alberta Matlock as the Evansville City Clerk?…that Councilwoman Mosby according to many highly placed moles is for real in this pursuit?…that she will have to step down from her seat on the Kangaroo Council if she is appointed to be the City Clerk but it pays better with the same benefits so if this is something that Missy wants we wish her well in her pursuit?…that we anticipate growing traffic on the CCO site if the Hatfields and McCoys of Evansville (Mosbys and Lindseys) embark on another feud?…that at least one mole believes that Councilman Lindsey and a couple of others may support Missy for City Clerk so they can get someone else on the City Council?

IS IT TRUE that speaking of being able to hop, the University of Kentucky Wildcats will be taking on the Kansas Jayhawks tonight to compete to be the NCAA Division I basketball champion?…that if the hyper talented and intimidatingly large Wildcats win it will be the 8th NCAA championship for UK in basketball?…that the all blue final should be good entertainment?

IS IT TRUE that the General Electric Corporation (GE) has embarked on a opening a new division that will have the charter to create industrial software?…that GE’s intention is to hire 400 software,, hardware, and systems engineers pretty rapidly?…that the city that was chosen for this facility was San Ramon, CA in the East San Francisco Bay?…that this decision was not made on the basis of tax abatements, giveaways, cheap labor, or even on cheap rent?…that the decision for this location was made entirely because of the availability of the high level of educated technical professionals that are available in the Bay Area?…that no incentives at all were announced to make this happen, not even a $4.8 Million loan?

“How to Spot a Scam” by: Cliff D’Arcy

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As the economy worsens, more and more financial swindles will be exposed. We show you how to spot the tell-tale signs of a scam.

Having been a money writer for six years, each week I receive hundreds of emails from dozens of different financial websites and companies. Recently one arrived in my inbox which looked suspicious.

It was promoting a land investment scheme where you could buy parcels of land in the South East of England for £10,000+. The email explained that land has been one of the best investments over the last 20 years and argued that an acute shortage of residential land in the South East offers an historic opportunity to investors.
Trouble is, property prices are crashing across the UK, and look set to carry on falling for a while yet. What’s more, the email doesn’t say whether planning permission has been granted to build homes on this land. If planning permission is never granted, the value of this land will almost certainly never soar.
On top of all that, the company behind this email was incorporated less than eight weeks ago, yet the email talks about ‘our latest project.’ The company’s website was also created on the same day and registered to a holding company at a London address used by dozens of similar businesses. Alas, this has the hallmarks of what’s known as a ‘land-banking scam’.

Now, it’s possible that I could be wrong and the email came from a legitimate company. But even if that’s the case, I wouldn’t invest. Buying tiny plots of green-belt land in southern England is not the way to go about building a property empire.

Scam spotting

So how can you make sure you don’t put money in a scam? Well in my new book on money management, I list no fewer than 22 different scams which have some or all of the following features:

1. They usually arrive unsolicited.

2. They ask for money upfront in return for a bumper payout in the (unspecified) future.

3. They promise super-high returns, far greater than the 3% you could earn in a top savings account.

4. They fail to explain how these handsome returns will be produced.

5. They claim secret, specialized or inside knowledge.

6. They promote the lure of huge profits for little effort.

7. They rely on bringing in more and more punters in order to keep the game going.

8. They don’t explain why you personally have been singled out for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

As always, if something looks too good to be true, then it almost always is. If you have any doubts whatsoever about an investment opportunity, then keep your money firmly in your pocket. Even better, consult a reputable solicitor or fee-charging independent financial adviser before entering into any major financial commitment. Otherwise, you could end up feeling both very broke and very daft!

IS IT TRUE April 1, 2012

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The Mole #??

IS IT TRUE April 1, 2012

IS IT TRUE that the midnight hour last night signaled the first time in the history of the City of Evansville that a comprehensive smoking ban (Aztar gaming floor excepted) has ever been in place?…that we hear that some people had their last hurrah in bars and taverns by lighting up exactly at midnight in open defiance of the smoking ordinance?…that a last indulgence is something that caused no harm to the patrons of these establishments that had been smoking all evening already?…that we are glad to hear that no arrests were made over a technicality that probably should have just called for the first opening on or after midnight on April 1st instead of just April 1st?…that some of the clubs and taverns are talking about taking this all the way to the Supreme Court and should they really follow these emotions to that extent they will come back to a smoking ban in place with less money in their pockets?

IS IT TRUE that when a lease ends at the time where a business is for sale that the new terms of the lease can greatly affect the reasonable sale price of the business?…that the earnings of the last three years are typically used to establish a price for a going business?…that for private retail businesses the sales price based on earnings is typically 3 times the annual earnings?…that if the landlord increases the rent by say $1,000 per month during the “for sale” period or takes an unreasonable position with respect to renewal that the sale price could be negatively impacted by as much as $36,000?…that it would be a shame if such a thing were to take place in downtown Evansville where despite the uptick in foot traffic from the Ford Center, small businesses still struggle to survive with the traditional lease rates?…that aggressive end of lease negotiating tactics on the part of a greedy landlord could easily kill a small retail business?

IS IT TRUE that several members of the Mole Nation are telling the City County Observer that yet another person is coming forward to compete for the appointment coming to the Evansville City Clerk’s position that is being vacated by the retirement of long serving Alberta Matlock?…that Evansville City Councilwoman Missy Mosby is working the phones to drum up support for herself to ascend the government pay grades from Councilwoman to City Clerk?…that this will shape up to be last spring’s 6th Ward primary feud of Lindsey against Mosby played out again as Councilman Al Lindsey’s daughter is also seeking the appointment?…that we encourage all who seek this appointment to play fair and tell the truth but will be waiting to write about it if the claws come out and the hair on the self nominated candidates backs rise?…that we are certain that another grudge match in Evansville’s own Hatfields and McCoys brawl will drive the traffic of the CCO even higher

IS IT TRUE that today’s online version of the Courier and Press has exactly ZERO opinion pieces or letters to the editor that are dated April 1, 2012?…that we are beginning to miss our buddy Mizell Stewart III who always seemed to get some good opinions up on Sundays?…that we are most interested where the Courier and Press stands on the last minute way in which the vote to loan $4.8 Million to Earthcare Energy was passed with material information unequally distributed to the City Council and under the threat of terminating interest by the management of Earthcare?…that we really want to know if those who should exist to expose poor policy and sloppy work really approve of the haphazard way that this deal has been handled?

Styx: The Grand Illusion, a song to begin all Kangaroo Council Meetings

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Welcome to the Grand Delusion

EPD Activity Report: March 31, 2012

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EPD Activity Report March 31, 2012

Obama’s EPA tactics struck down by Federal Appeals Court in Texas

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Don't Mess with TEXAS

Excerpts from WSJ Article:

“Texas Governor Rick Perry may not have been able to recall if he wanted to shut down the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, but all Americans should remember the public service that he and his fellow Texans have done by challenging EPA’s overreaching regulation. This week the federal Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals obliterated a 2010 EPA ruling that disapproved Texas’s program to meet national air-quality standards.”

” EPA has the authority to reject such plans, but only with cause. Such cooperative federalism is rooted in the constitutional balance of state and federal power that was so much on display this week in the Supreme Court’s consideration of ObamaCare.”

“This week the appellate court found that the EPA “failed to identify a single provision of the Act that Texas’s program violated, let alone explain its reasons for reaching its conclusion….The feds wanted to use their approval power to dictate the details of clean-air plans, a job that has always fallen to the states.”

“The Fifth Circuit reports that “authorities” cited by the EPA in this case included “several internal memoranda and guidance documents.” Are emails among agency staff now authorization for the exercise of power in the Obama era? Instead the EPA resorted to claiming that the plan somehow violated Texas law. The Fifth Circuit drop-kicked this argument and called it “arbitrary and capricious” because even the EPA itself has recognized that the Clean Air Act gives the EPA zero authority to judge whether such plans comply with state laws.”

“The appeals court examined other EPA justifications and concluded in one instance that the agency’s argument had “no legal basis” and in another that the EPA was applying criteria “created out of whole cloth.” This is not a compliment.”

“Team Obama erred in messing with Texas. Americans still struggling with a weak economy should be grateful for the Lone Star State’s feisty defense of its authority.”

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303404704577311782025040926.html

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