The Rushville Truth

Veterans Day 2009

It is Veteran’s Day, and I could use this blog to promote another topic that I think deserves to be brought to light, but as long as I carry on this effort I will always devote this day to those who have served our country in the armed forces. This goes out to all the soldiers, those who returned and those who paid the ultimate price throughout our history. The honor is more significant now due to the fact we have troops in harm’s way in two active arenas. Following are a few pieces that pay tribute to those who have served. 

It is the soldier, not the reporter, who has given us freedom of the press.
It is the soldier, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech.
It is the soldier, not the campus organizer, who has given us freedom to demonstrate.
It’s the soldier, not the lawyer, who has given us the right to a fair trial. 
It is the soldier who salutes the flag, serves under the flag and whose coffin is draped by the flag, who gives the protester the right to burn the flag.

PRAYER TO OUR DEPARTED COMRADES
Author: Unknown

Don't grieve for me, for now I am free,
I'm following the path God laid for me.
I took his hand when I heard Him call,
I turned my back and left it all.

I could not stay another day,
to laugh, to love, to work or play.
Tasks left undone must stay that way.
I found that peace at the close of day.

If my parting has left a void,
then fill it with remembered joys.
A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss,
ah yes, these things I too will miss.

Be not burdened with times of sorrow,
I wish you the sunshine of tomorrow.
My life's been full, I savored much.
Good friends, good times, a loved one's touch.

Perhaps my time seemed all too brief.
Don't lengthen it now with undue grief.
Lift up your hearts and share with me.
God wanted me now; He set me free.

Chevy hit the market with new police cruiser

For all those who got comfortable thinking the Carbon Motors would walk in and dominate the police car market, Chevy has given a reason to think again.

At the International Association of Chiefs of Police convention in Denver on Monday, Chevrolet introduced the Caprice Police Patrol Vehicle (PPV), which it hopes to begin delivering to law enforcement agencies in 2011.  This would have it entering the market prior to the E7 being proposed by Carbon Motors.

The police Caprice is to be based on a car sold by General Motors' Australian division known as the Holden Statesman, and it will be built along side that vehicle in the Down Under city of Elizabeth. This is the same facility that in the past has supplied the Pontiac G8.

Although the current Chevrolet Impala police package starts at $25,000, even if inflated by 50%, it would enter the market at a lower price point then the E7.  The pricing and full specifications of the PPV have not yet been released, and there are no plans to offer the vehicle to the general public.

The Caprice PPV will be available with either a V6 or V8 engine, both flex-fuel capable. The V8 is expected to pump out 355 horsepower, but with cylinder deactivation should be able to return reasonable fuel economy. The rear-wheel-drive PPV is fully 10 inches longer than the outgoing Pontiac G8 sedan, and has a four-wheel independent suspension tuned for high-performance driving.

The interior of the PPV features front seats that are sculpted to make room for the large equipment belts worn by police officers.  The PPV has 5" more legroom than the popular Ford Crown Victoria police car.  The vehicle is fully compatible with in-car computer systems, and has an extra battery in the trunk for powering auxiliary equipment.

Questions:

1. Will the emergence of the PPV affect the carbon Motor plans?

2. Will the difference in price play a factor in the popularity of the PPV?

3. Should we root for the E7 since it will be built next door or for the PPV since we own a major portion of GM?

4. Could you fit a dog carcass in the trunk?

5. Is there enough room in the backseat?

David Letterman caught with his Worldwide Pants down

On Thursday night and Friday morning, the country was introduced to yet another embarrassing controversy. Hoosier born, late night comedian, David Letterman was forced to reveal that he wasn't above a little sex in the workplace.

This has some sarcastically making light of the late night comedian who has made a reputation of his Top Ten List, that the heading the Top 10 List of Questions Dave Must Be Asking Himself now is: "Why didn't I listen to the old man when he told me, 'Never stick your pen in the company inkwell’ ?"

The impetus of these revelations was a result of an accused extortion attempt on Mr. Letterman. The person being charged in the extortion scheme is 48 Hours Producer, Robert "Joe" Halderman. Mr. Halderman pleaded "not guilty" at his arraignment in

Manhattan Supreme Court on Friday. He is being represented by defense lawyer, Gerald Shargel.

In the courtroom, Gerald Shargel said ominously there are a lot more skeletons in this closet.

"This story is far more complicated than what you heard this afternoon," said Shargel, who also represented the late mob boss John Gotti.

Letterman was forced to be a standup guy Thursday when he faced the camera and told the truth: "I have had sex with women who work for me on this show."

It was a refreshing for Americans to hear his confession as we are used to being lied to by Bill Clinton, Sen. Larry (Wide Stance) Craig, South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford and John Edwards. 

A spokesman at the talk-show host's company said no sexual harassment complaints have been made against Letterman, who is the owner, the boss, and the CEO.

Many companies allow consensual relationships among employees, and there's no law against it. It may be reckless, but reckless isn't necessarily a crime.

The extortion material appears to have come from Halderman, when he left Letterman a copy of the female co-workers diary, and threatened to use its contents as the basis of a book and screenplay unless Letterman paid him, prosecutors say. Some have questioned the validity of a one page 'screenplay'. The price of the screenplay was $2 million dollars"

Since the news has gone public, additional co-workers have come forward to admit to relations with Mr. Letterman. What the final number will be is yet to be determined. It is felt by some that since the identity of some individuals has been revealed, others will continue to feel more comfortable. So, it may be a while before the extent of the transgression. Who knows how many more will pop up in the coming days? Letterman has had no further comment since his confession Thursday night.

How Letterman's wife, Regina Lasko, will deal with this new revelation is yet to be determined.

Crisis management experts gave high marks to David Letterman’s frank on-air revelation Thursday of a $2 million extortion attempt that threatened to reveal the late-night talk show host’s sexual liaisons with female staff.

Letterman took control of the story by releasing the information on his own terms and portraying himself as a victim - key elements to a successful crisis communications strategy, experts said.

"He controlled the delivery of the message, and he got the information out at the time and in the way that he wanted to do it," said Justine Griffin, senior vice president of crisis communications for Rasky Baerlein Strategic Communications. "He did it very much in his own brand of humor, and it was very true to his personality."

Letterman’s statement that he didn’t plan to address the issue publicly much more also scored points with Griffin.

"The crises that really start to kill someone’s reputation are the ones that drip, drip, drip - a piece of information comes out, and three days later there’s another story with another angle," she said.

"His management is really significant not only for him as a performer, but for him as a human being - meaning that the way he that he managed it could impact people’s lives," Sterling said.

Letterman’s public airing of the matter on one of late-night’s top-rated shows resulted in the best possible outcome for him, said Ann Murphy, a vice president at O’Neill and Associates.

Helene Solomon, CEO of Solomon McCown & Co., gave Letterman plaudits for "marching through the story in a very transparent and personal way" that she believed was both bold and quite powerful. But she drew the line at his humor. At one point, Letterman joked, "I know what you’re saying: ‘Oh, Dave had sex!’ "

"Unless details start coming out that make this more complex ... the age of the women, or the number, or the circumstances ...this won't have any lasting impact," said Syracuse University Prof. Robert Thompson, a pop-culture expert.

Letterman's willingness to go public with the extortion plot and his sexual dalliances with several employees before the story got out was a smart move and may have softened the blow.

Public relations veteran, Cindi Berger of PMK/HBH said it was, "very smart to get ahead of the story, particularly because they arrested the guy that day ... He was able to control the message."

The decision to go public - and do so on his Late Show - came from Letterman's camp, a CBS spokesman said.

"We think it was appropriate for Mr. Letterman to disclose the matter publicly as he has, and we are continuing to cooperate with the authorities," the spokesman said.

Many don't expect any long-term damage to Letterman. Some have commented that the likely response will be, "I'm sure there are people who are disappointed," and "wish you didn't do that, we love you any way."

David Letterman has many good things through his charitable contributions over the years. It is unfortunate that he has had to prove that he is human and thus fallible.

One author, more creative then I, has developed the following Top Ten List. It will be left in place of the questions for today’s story.

10. This is the best-ever Stupid Human Trick

As an investigative producer for CBS News, Mr. Letterman's alleged extortionist, Robert (Joe) Halderman, is intimately familiar with crime and punishment, yet when it came to the blackmail payout, he asked for a $2-million personal check, prosecutors say, one of the most traceable forms of currency in the world.

9. He's no Eliot Spitzer

When the one-time New York governor admitted his serial infidelity last year, he did so on a Monday, allowing the story to build through the weekly news cycle. But in discussing his own sins with viewers on a Thursday night, Mr. Letterman got his side of the story out just before the weekend, drastically reducing the number of reporters who will be chasing the story for the next two days.

8. He's the Tylenol of Late-Night Hosts

Experts say Mr. Letterman's mea culpa was textbook crisis management, allowing him to save both his own brand and that of CBS. "He was open, honest, forthright and transparent," said Harlan Loeb, head of the U.S. crisis management branch of public relations company Edelman. "From a reputational perspective, he had a fiduciary duty to CBS, and he made a clear effort to align his remarks with the enterprise risk he created for the company."

7. If the scandal continues, the world economy won't survive

Office workers across North America hit Twitter, Facebook and other social-networking sites yesterday to discuss the scandal, crippling productivity just as the United States announced another 263,000 lost jobs last month. Sure the scandal is good for tabloids, but you can't sell 'em if nobody's got the money to buy 'em.

6. He has friends in high places

If coverage of the affair turns ugly, his pals will rally to his side. Among his closest showbiz buddies: Don Rickles, Billy Crystal, Madonna and, yes, Oprah. The lead guest on Monday's Late Show is Steve Martin, who will undoubtedly help him defuse the situation. And if all else fails, he has the undying support of possibly the most influential man in TV today: Regis Philbin.

5. X ratings make the best ratings

Since the launch of the new TV season in mid-September, Mr. Letterman has steadily bested his late-night competitor, The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien, in Nielsen audience ratings, averaging five million viewers during the first week. Mr. O'Brien, meanwhile, is averaging 2½ million. If anything, Monday night's show will likely push Mr. Letterman's numbers past the seven million mark he reached for his mid-September broadcast with U.S. President Barack Obama.

4. Ketchup

Because it goes with everything.

3. Folksy humor makes scandals seem innocent

In making his Thursday-night confession, even Mr. Late Night seemed surprised by the audience response. "Why are you laughing?" he asked his studio audience after revealing details of his "creepy" affairs. He also got big laughs when he said: "If you know anything about me, I am just a towering mass of Lutheran Midwestern guilt."

2. Late-night viewers are more forgiving, or at least sleepier

Remember Hugh Grant? In July, 1995, the British actor chose The Tonight Show with Jay Leno as his first public appearance after his arrest for soliciting a street prostitute in Los Angeles. "What were you thinking?" asked Mr. Leno. Tonight Show ratings soared and Mr. Grant's career resumed (more or less).

1. Come to think of it,

what exactly did he do wrong?

Mr. Letterman's admitted to having an affair with co-workers, and apparently before his marriage to long-time girlfriend Regina Lasko last March. "If it was a consensual relationship, he's not in trouble for sexual harassment," said lawyer Deborah Katz on CNN yesterday. "Poor judgment, undoubtedly, but not legal trouble."

Horsing around?

Sorry…the title might be deceiving…and I’m not going to talk about them again. And the policy is not one of fraternization but of legalized gambling. We are really going to talk the equine. Yes, horses.

The horse track in Shelbyville, Hoosier Downs, has been open since 2002. The addition of adding slot machines at the horse tracks was passed in 2007 evolving the tracks into Racino’s (the addition of LIVE in Shelbyville). The addition of the racing coupled with the slot machines was touted by the lobbyist to have an economic benefit in the range of $130 million dollars. Some say that if the study were done today, the impact would be even higher.

No one can make mush of an argument that most of the benefit of the Racino’s establishment goes directly to the county in which they are seated. The question I would ponder is, “has the Racino had a noticeable impact on Rush County’s economy?” I mean, besides supplementing the states budget.

Some of the areas that economists predicted would see the most benefit were: horse breeders, veterinarians, feed sales persons, equine suppliers, restaurants, hotels, tourism based industries, related employment and land owners. I just wonder if this was an idea that was portrayed to have more wide-spread benefit, but in reality it appears that benefits were localized.

If there are those out there that have better insight, please feel free to enlighten me.

So here are the questions:

1. How will the Indiana legislature respond to the casino woes?

2. When they say 3% of the adjusted gross revenue goes to the local economy, does that mean it goes to the county they are sited in?

3. Were slot machines ever a part of the equation when the original horse racing legislation was introduced to the legislature?

4. Why have I heard the phrase “many of the houses along Main Street (Rushville) were won and lost in horse racing?”

5. What is a “Blue Bull?”

Ooh, that smell…can't you smell that smell?

No, I am not talking of the smell from any certain governmental body, but the smell from a furry little creature lurking in the dark. Our little friends scientific name is mephitis mephitis which fittingly means "noxious gas, noxious gas.” So by now, I assume you have gathered that the creatures to which I am referring are commonly know as skunks.

They seem to be invading Rushville in large numbers this year. What is normally associated with road kill as you drove through the countryside is now becoming an issue within the City limits. It is not unusual to turn on a back light and see Pepe Lepu and his cousin romancing the neighborhood cat or his cousin scampering through the backyard. If you wander what might be a clue that they visiting your property, you will see their tell-tale diggings in the grass as they look for grubs and worms. But more obvious is the smell that many people notice…the pungent odor wafting into their open windows, or more regrettably is that they smell it as their trusted pet comes running in after attempting to defend their property from the nocturnal invaders. (By the way, does anyone have a good remedy from ridding pets of the smell?).

It makes me wonder if this is just a Rushville thing or if other towns are experiencing the same issue. 

Now for some questions:

1. Is there some concoction one can put in their yard to ward off these uninvited guests?

2. Can we train them to attack so that we can be assured our police force will shoot the skunks and leave family pets alone?

3. Since they are animals, does this fall under the expertise of Animal Control?

4. If it looks like a _______ and smells like a ________then maybe it is a ___________.

Go Colts!

The press release below was distributed by Inside Indiana and I thought that it was very news worthy. - RT

“Rushville, Ind. -- Officials with the Moscow Covered Bridge Reconstruction Committee announced today that the Indianapolis Colts have contributed $10,000 toward the rebuilding of the historic bridge in Rush County. To date, over $400,000 has been raised to fund the design and construction of the new bridge, which was destroyed by a tornado in June 2008. Colts owner Jim Irsay lauded local efforts to restore the bridge and thanked Governor Mitch Daniels for making the project a priority.

"We are proud of the Governor's leadership in this regard, and are pleased to be a small part of what is clearly a monumental effort to restore this historic facility in Rush County. This is what the Hoosier community is all about," said Irsay.

The State of Indiana, through the Department of Natural Resources, has donated time and materials including timbers for the new bridge. In addition to the outstanding assistance the Committee received from the Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana, many corporate sponsors have answered the call and, in difficult times, found resources available to help change lives in Moscow, Indiana.

According to Wayne Goodman of Historic Landmarks Foundation, co-chairman of the Moscow Covered Bridge Reconstruction Committee, "This project would simply not be possible without important contributions like this from the Indianapolis Colts and generous grant support from the Lilly Endowment.

Bridge reconstruction is currently underway, and is expected to conclude in time for next year's Moscow Covered Bridge Festival.

Contributions can be made to: Moscow Covered Bridge Restoration Fund, c/o MainSource Bank, P.O. Box 249, Rushville, IN 46173.

Source: Moscow Covered Bridge Restoration Fund”

Questions:

1. Will this tick off the Bears fans to the point they won’t want to use the bridge?

2. What was the mascot name of Moscow schools?

3. Have you ever seen a colt in the Moscow area?

Dem rates are rising!

Without much pomp and circumstance, the Rushville City Council dug a little deeper into the pockets of the average citizen. The impact will be $8.50 per month for the average water and sewer user. 

The purpose of the report: “was to estimate the Rushville Municipal Water Utility’s cash flow and financial capacity to meet its ongoing revenue requirements for operation and maintenance expenses, present and proposed debt service and lease payments, and to make capital improvements to the utility’s system.” I am not sure I can tell you what that means, but it sounds mighty official.

As reported in the local paper, the new Rushville rate would be lower than communities like Knightstown, Carthage, and Greenfield but just above Greensburg, Shelbyville and New Castle.

Many of the improvements to Rushville’s water and sewer systems are required by the state (Although there are no real details as to what those improvements might be). I would bet they will have a update on the website, you think?

1. So did the city put in place a schedule that would have the rates reviewed more often the every seven years?

2. If the rate increase is 20% every 7 years, would it be possible to make that more gradual?

3. What was the impetus for the rate study?

4. Is the water and sewer utility operating in the red?

5. Is a rate increase considered a tax increase?

 

Not Gossip - The Cooker's Closed

One of my very favorite quotes is very prophetic in being in tune with this story, and I'd like to share it with you.

"Gossip is just news running ahead of itself in a red satin dress. -Liz Smith"

On April 18, a prelude to "RR&RT" in our local newspaper condoned gossip as an evil. To a certain degree, I have to agree with the editor. I also do not understand why so many people feel compelled to spread information when they have no idea whether or not it's true. But on the other hand ... the truth usually starts somewhere.

As much as I hate rags like “The National Enquirer” or “The Star” tabloids, sometimes a kernel of truth happens to shine through. It's not done so in a very classy or reputable manner, but it's the truth.

In the April 18 edition of Rants & Raves, our local editor was lamenting the fact that he was given "the business" about not doing a story on the closing of the Country Cooker. After research and calling their manager, it was revealed that Clancy's headquarters, who actually owns the Country Cooker, assured him that there were no plans to close the restaurant.

One month later, in May, the rumors swirled yet again that the Cooker would be closing its doors, and still it prevailed…until yesterday.

According to a news release that came rather hurriedly from Clancy's Inc., the restaurant ceased operation Monday at 2 p.m. The general manager claimed that the decision to close was done without his knowledge or input. The story also stated that no future plans or uses for the site were known, but we have a pretty good idea of what may happen under its inevitable new ownership ... can anyone say temporary parking lot?

It's sad that yet another Rushville eatery has fallen, but it's also sad that so much is done to dispel rumors regarding the closing of these eateries (remember the Flatrock Grill gossip firestorm?), yet in the end, closure is exactly what happens anyway. No wonder people form their own opinions and regard them as the "Gospel truth."

I also find it sad that in the face of the closure of some of these restaurants, and the opening of a few new ones, and the prolonged survival of those that have been around for awhile, OUR Chamber has an advertisement on their sign for a Shelbyville eatery. Sad, but true. I understand that these businesses pay for that usage, but when YOUR town that YOU'RE supposed to be promoting is struggling, I think I'd be doing whatever I could to get the word out about my own community. That's just me though, and the Chamber is a business.

In the end, gossip will prevail. Show me someone who never gossips and I'll show you someone who isn't interested in people. A rumor without a leg to stand on will get around some other way, and trying to squash one is like trying to un-ring a bell.

“There are a lot of terrible lies going on in the world, and the worst of it is that half of them are true.” - Winston Churchill

Show me some investigative reporting, and I will show you where the rumors may start to cease.
 
And the questions continue:
 
1. Has an offer been made?
2. Will this be a parking lot for future construction projects?
3. Did the clinic just score points with a new world recognized hand doctor?
4. Can you use stimulus money to acquire land?
5. Is it an irony that this was announced on the same day those responsible to publish a planning editorial?

Happy Father's Day!

Any man can be a Father,
but it takes a special person
to be called Dad.

With so many interesting developments coming in the near future, I thought it would be acceptable to take a short break to reflect on one of lives bigger issues. The body of this article was contributed by the talent from www.morning-glow.com.  

___________________________

The idea for creating a day for children to honor their fathers began in Spokane, Washington. A woman by the name of Sonora Smart Dodd thought of the idea for Father's Day while listening to a Mother's Day sermon in 1909.

Having been raised by her father, William Jackson Smart, after her mother died, Sonora wanted her father to know how special he was to her. It was her father that made all the parental sacrifices and was, in the eyes of his daughter, a courageous, selfless, and loving man. Sonora's father was born in June, so she chose to hold the first Father's Day celebration in Spokane, Washington on the 19th of June, 1910.

In 1926, a National Father's Day Committee was formed in New York City. Father's Day was recognized by a Joint Resolution of Congress in 1956. In 1972, President Richard Nixon established a permanent national observance of Father's Day to be held on the third Sunday of June. So Father's Day was born in memory and gratitude by a daughter who thought that her father and all good fathers should be honored with a special day just like we honor our mothers on Mother's Day.

The excerpt below is from the Silver Anniversary Book on Father's day published in 1935. I would like to thank William Jackson Smart's great granddaughter, Bonnie, for sharing this with me.

"This year, 1935, the Silver Anniversary of Fathers' Day is being observed. Thirty-seven years ago, in the Big Bend hills of Washington, the day had its nativity in a lonely farm dwelling. There Sorrow ministered amid the moaning of the March winds.
A father sat with bowed head in his aloneness. About him clung his weeping children. The winds outside threw great scarves of powdered snow against the window panes, when suddenly the last born tore himself from the group and rushed out into the storm calling for his mother. Yet even his baby voice could not penetrate the great silence that held this mother.

Hurriedly, the father gathered him back to his protection and for more than two decades, William Jackson Smart, alone, kept paternal vigilance over his motherless children.

This poignant experience in the life of Mrs. John Bruce Dodd of Spokane, Washington, who was then Sonora Louise Smart, was the inspiration for Fathers' Day which materialized through the devotion of this father and the father of her own son, John Bruce Jr., born in 1909. Through the observance of the love and the sacrifice of fathers about her everywhere, her idea of Fathers' Day crystallized in 1910, through a formal Fathers' Day petition asking recognition of fatherhood."

What Makes a Dad

God took the strength of a mountain,
The majesty of a tree,
The warmth of a summer sun,
The calm of a quiet sea,
The generous soul of nature,
The comforting arm of night,
The wisdom of the ages,
The power of the eagle's flight,
The joy of a morning in spring,
The faith of a mustard seed,
The patience of eternity,
The depth of a family need,
Then God combined these qualities,
When there was nothing more to add,
He knew His masterpiece was complete,
And so, He called it ... Dad
Author is unknown

Here are those fun little questions:

1. Did you honor you father this fathers day?
2. If you are a father, did your children honor you?
3. Was anyone offended by the writing of this article?
4. Is parenting the most important job we have in life with the least formal training?
5. Did you have a happy father’s day? (I hope so!)

Up in Smoke

When you pick up the paper and the headlines reads, “There is not problem.”, that usually means there is a problem. I have recently have opened the local newspaper to find printed infomercials in varying sizes from a full page to one third of a page. The ad was titled, “The Reality about Newspapers” written by John F. Sturm, President and CEO of the Newspaper Association of America. Mr. Sturm is attempting to dispel any and all concerns pertaining to the newspaper print industry. The specific topics that the author titles as myths are discussed are as follows:

1. No one reads newspapers anymore
2. Young people no longer read newspapers
3. Newspaper leadership is tanking
4. Many newspapers are going out of business
5. Newspaper advertising doesn’t work
6. There are no creative options in newspapers
7. If newspapers close, you will still be able to get the news from other sources

At each item he makes claim to the strength of the industry using statistics, demographic breakdowns, economic comparisons and flourishing terms such as “exploded” and “healthy.”

The discussion of print media’s struggle has been discussed previously on this site, so I won’t go into great conversation. I address topic because this infomercial is the first evidence of a marketing effort targeted to dispel the concerns that this site vocalized when discussing the contraction of the local paper has experienced.

He closes with the following reassurance of, “This is not a portrait of a dying industry. It’s illustrative of transformation. Newspapers are reinventing themselves to focus on serving distinct audiences with a variety of products, and delivering those audiences effectively to advertisers across media channels.”

1. Do you believe in what is stated in this article?

2. In this article, he claims that “newspapers make a larger investment in journalism.” Is that true?

3. What is your definition of journalism?

4. As he states, “No amount of effort from local bloggers, non-profit news entities or TV new sources could match the depth and breadth of the local-produced content.” Is that true?

5. Is the nation’s newspaper industrial correlative to the local newspaper?

Did he say, “racket science”?

I want to take this opportunity to applaud Mr. Barada on his recent editorial on the topic of community pride. I, too, have heard the comments, “why would anyone want to live here,” and “why would a business want to relocate here”. I, like Mr. Barada, find this disheartening and frustrating. I know that the hate/fear mongers are going to accuse this site as being the reason for the lack of community pride and being the negative nanny that wards off anyone moving or relocating here, so before you start, let me say “stow it.”

Mr. Barada hit the nail on the head. This community has a pronounced lack of leadership with long-term vision for this city. We need leaders who will move us forward and who are not hell-bent on maintaining the status quo. I hear it all the time...”why can’t we have an Applebee’s”...etc. etc... It takes more than wishing to make things happen.

A classic example of this lack of vision is the announcement that the 16th Street extension will need donated land to make it happen. Where was the forethought that land would be needed? We need to expect and demand more, period. We are paying taxes to our local government which goes to salaries to effect progress and betterment of our community. You can’t just show up to a meeting, vote “yea” or “nay” and pick up your check. It requires more than that. I understand time constraints, job commitments and other obligations, but these are factors that need to be weighed when accepting a party call to run for office.

As a community, we need to come to an understanding of where we are and where we want to be in 5, 10 and 20 years. Can someone tell me the last time the county leaders, city leaders, ECDC, educational leaders and business owners all got together and worked out a long range plan? A real plan that could be presented to the community for comments and buy-in? One person or one institution cannot build or formulate the future of a city. It has to come from the heart of the citizenry. If you don’t have the backings of those who must do the push-ups and who are going to have to carry the water, the vision, no matter how good, will fail.

The one exception I take with the column, Mr. Barada, is that you have been critical of blog sites with anonymous authors. I find the comment about institutions that are “supposed to provide visionary leadership. They know who they are” dripping with irony. You have a blog site that names these institutions and individuals and you abhor the thought that the author doesn’t put a name to it. You put your name on your article, but then you refuse to enlighten the public as to who the people and institutions are. Which does more for the citizens, Mr. Barada? If people don’t know who the offenders are, how can they hold these individuals or institutions accountable? Just something to ponder. I want to close with a “thank you” to Mr. Barada for going as far as he did. Let’s hope this gets the ball rolling for the sake of the community.

1. What institutions are considered visionary leaders?

2. Do you believe our leaders have the “care-taker” mentality that Mr. Barada suggested?

3. Are some in leadership positions waiting for a reason to leave town while others are playing it safe with their only vision on only the next election?

4. After an article like this, does Mr. Barada know what it is like to have a conversation with himself?

5. Will the ECDC make Mr. Barada retract this column, too?

6. Could our present leaders be our own worst enemy?

7. If people where honest and forthright in their intentions, would there be a need for a blog site?

Give me a little stimulus

I was reading local paper article that covered the city council meeting, and I stumbled upon a mystifying request. Apparently the Economic Development Direct was giving his update on the progress of the North industrial Park when at the close, the following apparently transpired:

“Buening also asked the Council to award an additional $10,000 toward the ECDC’s budget and match Rush County’s $75,000 funding level. The Council will consider the matter but several members indicated they want to wait until the first tax settlements arrive. The Council told Buening they were not saying no, just asking for more time.”

So, during what most are considering the second worst economic period in the countries history and with budget shortfalls at every level of government, we are asking for more money? It seems to me like this would be a good time to batten down the hatches and wait it out, but what do I know?
Not to mention the fact that excluding the nation’s economic situation, and the states shortfalls, the local budget cutbacks, we have also had to deal with the closing of Futjitsu 10, the suspension of the Copeland expansion, and the moving of the tool and die portion of INTAT – can you show me the money?

I thought I read in an article for the local paper by Brad Buening on May 4th, 2009 titled, “ECDC has active and diverse membership” and that the ECDC was “very fortunate to have an outstanding membership that is both active and diverse. This year we are fortunate to have new members”. Couldn’t that bridge the budget gap until times loosen up?

Maybe we should just take the advice of a county sage, Bill Ward, who has in the past contributed his thoughts to this site when he wrote on Friday May 01, 2009,”Good things come to those who wait.”

Another peculiarity I ask myself is, “Didn’t the time when the city and county both gave $75,000 support a two person payroll at ECDC?” and “wasn’t that decrease of $10,000 by the city used as the reason they let go of the second employee?”

1. Is it me or are the numbers always moving?

2. Oh, and if they move, how do you verify them?

3. So, are we hiring a second person in the ECDC office?

4. What does “severance for silence” package mean?

5. Anyone want to bet where the additional taxpayer money goes?

6. Did anyone else see what the $10,000 was to be used for? Puzzling since the city and county have directly funded any needed economic development improvements (ex. NIP).

7. Why is justifying a request seen as a threat to some?

8. Is accountability insulting?

9. By the way, what does it mean when the Director stated in his article that “the ECDC make-up has been unregulated?”

10. Haven’t we seen this PR tactic used elsewhere?

A Tribute

Today is Memorial Day; a day when we are to remember those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for their county. I thought that it would be disrespectful to write anything but a piece on the purpose of the day. Then I was forwarded this email that had obviously been received around county, state and county by those who have patriot sympathies. 
 
This article said what I wanted to say, but much more pointed and eloquently. It is as follows:
 
“‘A Reflection on Memorial Day’
by Bob Kerrey

I stand on a bluff in Normandy, France, overlooking the English Channel. The beach below was called Omaha. 9,387 white crosses mark the remains of young Americans killed here or in other places in France following the June 6, 1944, invasion. They're all dead. Another 1,557 names are on a wall here but their bodies could not be found. They're all dead, too. They did not come home to kiss their girlfriends or wives. Their children grew up without them. They did not enjoy the GI Bill. They did not build a new house. They did not see their commanding officer elected President twice. They never heard rock and roll. They didn't grow old.
Try to remember them today. Try to hear their youthful laughs. Try to know their fear. Try to feel their promise realized in your life, through your actions, your humility, your respect.
Contributor's Note: Former Nebraska governor and US senator Bob Kerrey was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor and the Bronze Star for his service during the Vietnam War. He is currently president of The New School University in New York City.”
 

As I was surfing the net...

…I saw a story that I thought was very interesting and touched on a series of topic that was relevant today and will have more relevance as the worlds speed continues to increase. The article included below was posted on Yahoo-Tuesday May 12, 2009 8:57AM EDT:

Irish student hoaxes world's media with fake quote

By SHAWN POGATCHNIK

DUBLIN - When Dublin university student Shane Fitzgerald posted a poetic but phony quote on Wikipedia; he said he was testing how our globalized, increasingly Internet-dependent media was upholding accuracy and accountability in an age of instant news.

His report card: Wikipedia passed. Journalism flunked.

The sociology major's made-up quote — which he added to the Wikipedia page of Maurice Jarre hours after the French composer's death March 28 — flew straight on to dozens of U.S. blogs and newspaper Web sites in Britain, Australia and India.

They used the fabricated material, Fitzgerald said, even though administrators at the free online encyclopedia quickly caught the quote's lack of attribution and removed it, but not quickly enough to keep some journalists from cutting and pasting it first.

A full month went by and nobody noticed the editorial fraud. So Fitzgerald told several media outlets in an e-mail and the corrections began.

"I was really shocked at the results from the experiment," Fitzgerald, 22, said Monday in an interview a week after one newspaper at fault, The Guardian of Britain, became the first to admit its obituarist lifted material straight from Wikipedia.

"I am 100 percent convinced that if I hadn't come forward, that quote would have gone down in history as something Maurice Jarre said, instead of something I made up," he said. "It would have become another example where, once anything is printed enough times in the media without challenge, it becomes fact."
So far, The Guardian is the only publication to make a public mea culpa, while others have eliminated or amended their online obituaries without any reference to the original version — or in a few cases, still are citing Fitzgerald's florid prose weeks after he pointed out its true origin.

"One could say my life itself has been one long soundtrack," Fitzgerald's fake Jarre quote read. "Music was my life, music brought me to life, and music is how I will be remembered long after I leave this life. When I die there will be a final waltz playing in my head that only I can hear."
Fitzgerald said one of his University College Dublin classes was exploring how quickly information was transmitted around the globe. His private concern was that, under pressure to produce news instantly, media outlets were increasingly relying on Internet sources — none more ubiquitous than the publicly edited Wikipedia.

When he saw British 24-hour news channels reporting the death of the triple Oscar-winning composer, Fitzgerald sensed what he called "a golden opportunity" for an experiment on media use of Wikipedia.
He said it took him less than 15 minutes to fabricate and place a quote calculated to appeal to obituary writers without distorting Jarre's actual life experiences.

If anything, Fitzgerald said, he expected newspapers to avoid his quote because it had no link to a source — and even might trigger alarms as "too good to be true." But many blogs and several newspapers used the quotes at the start or finish of their obituaries.

Wikipedia spokesman Jay Walsh said he appreciated the Dublin student's point, and said he agreed it was "distressing so see how quickly journalists would descend on that information without double-checking it."

"We always tell people: If you see that quote on Wikipedia, find it somewhere else too. He's identified a flaw," Walsh said in a telephone interview from Wikipedia's San Francisco base.

But Walsh said there were more responsible ways to measure journalists' use of Wikipedia than through well-timed sabotage of one of the site's 12 million listings. "Our network of volunteer editors do thankless work trying to provide the highest-quality information. They will be rightly perturbed and irritated about this," he said.

Fitzgerald stressed that Wikipedia's system requiring about 1,500 volunteer "administrators" and the wider public to spot bogus additions did its job, removing the quote three times within minutes or hours. It was journalists eager for a quick, pithy quote that was the problem.

He said the Guardian was the only publication to respond to him in detail and with remorse at its own editorial failing. Others, he said, treated him as a vandal.

"The moral of this story is not that journalists should avoid Wikipedia, but that they shouldn't use information they find there if it can't be traced back to a reliable primary source," said the readers' editor at the Guardian, Siobhain Butterworth, in the May 4 column that revealed Fitzgerald as the quote author.

Walsh said this was the first time to his knowledge that an academic researcher had placed false information on a Wikipedia listing specifically to test how the media would handle it.

The cunning of he story was admirable, but the magnification of the vulnerability of the all access instantaneous nature of the Internet.

Questions:

1. Is the manipulation of history a concern?

2. If you read it on the Internet, is it true?

3. Who will be the watchdog for the verifying facts in media stories?

4. Is the move from a print media to an Internet based media perceived as less credible?

5. Does the saying hold true “Once anything is printed enough times in the media without challenge, it becomes fact”?

We're on the Road to Nowhere...?

This article will be pleasing to some and disconcerting to others. I have had several people ask me if I know when the construction on the SR 3 widening through Rushville will take place. Well, that is a good question. Earlier schedules from INDOT showed that the project should be beginning soon. So I went back to their site and saw that the project had been kicked back from April of this year to January of next year. Well that should please the “Don’t Maul Main Street” crowd; they get to enjoy the trees and their front yards a little longer, but for others, this change is cause for concern. It would seem with the Major Moves money and the stimulus money from the Feds, this project should have been well under construction by now, not pushed back at least a year.

For those not familiar with the project, the State has approved and obtained right of way to widen SR 3 from roughly the Marsh Grocery Parking Lot south to about the Railroad tracks to include a dedicated turn lane, more commonly called a suicide lane. While many are rightfully concerned about the loss of beautiful trees and chunks of their front yard, others feel that this addition of a suicide lane will help ease the traffic that can back up two or three blocks as cars try to turn across traffic. The original plans show the State placing new trees and decorative elements to replace mature trees removed as part of this project.  I hope our City leadership holds the state’s feet to the fire to make sure that the scalp job done east of town on SR 44 as part of the bridge widening does not happen here.

Now for some questions:

1. Has Rush County lost clout with the State with the retirement of our own Senator Bob Jackman?

2. Is Senator Jean Leising not as concerned about projects in our fair City and County?

3. Is this a sign that our County’s connection at the state is not as strong as it used to be?

4. If we are having trouble keeping this project on track how could we hope to attract a new road project from the State?

5. Should the local Democratic leadership have the pull to obtain Federal dollars from a democratically controlled Washington, D.C.?

6. Does this mean that Rushville is falling further down the list in population and importance?

7. Didn’t anyone pay attention to our planning and zoning director when he gave his vision to the Commissioners?

8. Does this mean we are truly on the road to nowhere?

I Love a Parade

I was driving down Main Street when I saw one of Rushville’s finest coming the other way with lights and sirens. So as a good, law-abiding citizen I pulled over to let him pass. As I waited for what seemed like an interminable amount of time, I noticed he was being closely followed by a RMH Ambulance. It is as they passed that I noticed they were not on the way to an emergency to save someone’s life, but they were heralding spring as sure as the first robin. They were leading the first of what will be many poker runs through Rushville.

For those unfamiliar with the term, a poker run is a charity event put on by motorcycle groups. They are quite a fixture on rural State Roads all over Indiana. Well I was not surprised to see RPD leading the poker run through town, but I was surprised to see it accompanied by an ambulance. I have always figured as with a funeral procession, the police car escort improves safety for the bikers and the traveling public. Add to the fact that there are usually several local police cars on duty at any given time, so it probably does not adversely affect public safety. But for the life of me, I cannot figure out what good the ambulance was doing. Since there are only two ambulances on duty at any given time and they now not only cover central Rush County, but also appear to be covering the southern stretches as well, it does not seem like a County (taxpayer) funded ambulance should be used as an escort for a poker run. I am hoping that there was more to it than using our fuel and ambulance crews for a P.R. opportunity.

Some questions that bear asking:

1. So is it the Hospital Board, County Commissioners or the Hospital that give approvals for loaning out the ambulance for escort duty?

2. If we qualify this as a parade, we could at least say it went down Main?

3. If the ambulance has to leave due to an emergency call will the motorcycles know which one to follow?

4. Could the police and ambulance practice some synchronized divergening like the synchronized moves of the Indianapolis motorcycle unit?

5. Could a medic be the hood ornament?

Newspapers are dying...but does it matter?

For die-hards in the print media industry, these are not the best of times, and they are certainly the worst of times. Arthur Miller mused that "a GOOD newspaper, I suppose, is a nation talking to itself." When they're on their game, newspapers hold governments and companies and individuals to account. But they're slowly becoming like the polar bear, the coelacanth ... one day our children's children, or perhaps even our children -- fine, at this rate, even we we may see it in a museum as an example of relics past. Right next to the stuffed mammoth and the rotary phone. The Society of Professional Journalists may start airing commercials with sad little newspapers blowing around on the street with the likes of Hunter S. Thompson and Ernie Pyle pleading with the general public to donate money to save the print media industry ... "it's up to us, America, donate to the SPJ Save the Polar Bear ... ahem, newspaper fund today (as said sad little newspapers float away on a chunk of melting iceberg)."

So, who to prosecute for this heinous crime, this murder of newspapers? Folks on the left are blaming greedy newspaper owners for running their businesses into the ground. And folks on the right are blaming biased journalists. Both are scarlet letters, no doubt. The clunky limitations of its production are the biggest problem. No one can ignore that young America is throwing away the "old" medium of print and reading their news online. According to a recent article in "The Economist," advertising is also following readers out the door. Mostly, it is due to the fact that the internet can match buyers with sellers and is a proven source of money well-spent. So, not only is the business of selling words to readers dying, but the art of selling readers to advertisers is also falling apart.

According to the Newspaper Association of America, the people employed in the industry fell by 18% between 1990 and 2004. Shares are also dropping like flies prompting outcry from investors, mostly from your big dogs in the industry like Knight Ridder and the New York Times Co.

The death throes are prompting action, much like cancer patients would go to chemotherapy and brave their disease, the news industry is also putting on their battle gear and loading the cannons. In order to cut costs, less is being spent on journalism. Newspapers are also trying to lure in that gen-X crowd that's essentially killing them by doing less "hard" news (your gloom and doom rollover, children are starving in Africa stories for those of you not familiar with the "industry") and more "fluff" (entertainment, lifestyle, etc.).

But as the newspaper crumples and fades, who will hold the corrupt in the world accountable? As sad as it will be to one day never hold a daily paper in-hand, it's not going to be as harmful to society as one may fear. According to the same article by "The Economist," who put it better than I could ever try: "That is partly because a few titles that invest in the kind of investigative stories which often benefit society the most are in a good position to survive, as long as their owners do a competent job of adjusting to changing circumstances. Publications like the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal should be able to put up the price of their journalism to compensate for advertising revenues lost to the internet—especially as they cater to a more global readership. As with many industries, it is those in the middle—neither highbrow, nor entertainingly populist—that are likeliest to fall by the wayside."

But that doesn't mean that those mediums aren't struggling ... it's not just the little daily papers like our own that are experiencing cutbacks of every capacity. The Rocky Mountain News, Arizona Citizen are already on the rest in peace list; the Seattle Post-Intelligencer and Christian Science Monitor online only. L.A. Times and Chicago Tribune are in bankruptcy. McClatchy which bought Knight Ridder on its deathbed is going to close the Sacramento and Fresno Bees along with the Miami Herald if they can't find new owners. And Gannet is also sinking faster than the Titanic. The Washington Post is "restructuring" and the New York Times has persuaded a Mexican billionaire to rescue them.

Essentially, my friends, that means that little local papers like our own most likely have just received a terminal diagnosis. Of course, only time will tell, but it's a foreboding nonetheless.

There is a solution. Those savvy enough to be able to predict the future of the industry are saying that "a new force of citizen journalists and bloggers" are going to be the ones to hold politicians to account (see, THE TRUTH is ahead of its time, is all). Bloggers as a whole are capable of being biased or having their own agenda, of course, just name a reporter lately who isn't, but as a group, "bloggers offer the searcher after truth boundless material to chew over." So chew on that.

Personally, I think that local news is the local watchdog. But it's also the state's watchdog. With the government preparing to reach its sticky fingers into waaaaaaay too many cookie jars -- our banks, our healthcare, our homes -- we need thoughtful, skeptical and courageous people on the forefront, preparing to hold them accountable and let the rest of those not on the battle lines know what is going on.

My Curbside questions:

1. Could a purely internet based news source survive in Rush County?

2. Was the combining of the newspaper (a source of trusted news) with a comment and blogging forum (less accountable) the cancer that has done in some small town papers?

3. Can you sign your name to a story that exudes the truth in a small town?

4. What will fill the media void in the local market?

5. Have you picked up the papers from the surrounding communities? –you might notice some familiar names scurrying to adopt a regional base.

Extra! Extra! Read all about it!

In May, Rush County's news coverage will change with cutbacks at the local paper. Late last week, Managing Editor Kevin Green published what was most likely a hard pill to swallow ... that the paper was going to be published only three days a week.

Many communities who are Rushville's size have a small newspaper, most of which do only run three days a week. Some of communities don't even have a local paper, so even though there are setbacks, we should consider ourselves lucky in that aspect.

The paper's publisher echoed that the decision was based on the size of the community, and that the change would be a more effective way to produce the paper. The days that were picked for publishing were chosen to provide "the best sports coverage and local news that were the best fit for the community." But in a "read between the lines" quote, Publisher Laura Welborn said, "Rushville is a marvelous community and deserves the best possible community newspaper that it will support."

Does that mean that Rushville doesn't support its newspaper, hence the cutbacks? Or that if Rushville doesn't support its newspaper, more cutbacks are coming?

There is no doubt that the newspaper industry as a whole has been dealt a serious blow with the economic downturn. Advertising revenue for newspapers fell 9.4 percent to $42 billion in 2007—the worst drop in more than 50 years—according to the figures released by the Newspaper Association of America. According to

Editor & Publisher, there are signs that even online revenue is beginning to slow. In 2007, Internet ad revenue increased 18.8 percent. In 2006, its online revenue grew 31.4 percent—the same increase Web advertising saw in 2005.

But is the decline of the local newspaper solely based on the economy? Or is there more to the story?

According to the paper's press release on its new format, the managing editor and his staff will still produce just as many stories, which will also be posted on the website, which will also be more frequently updated.

The packaging and delivery of the newspaper will also change, which is sounds another alarm. How many people at the Republican, delivery staff and writers, secretaries, etc. will experience cutbacks on hours, pay, etc.? It's a sad forecast, especially with industry and employment as a whole in the area already taking a serious blow.

Stay tuned later in the week for an in-depth look at the decline of the newspaper industry.

Now, your favorite part ... QUESTIONS!

1. Will your paper subscription stay the same or decrease?

2. How will those who rely on the paper to get their word out survive?

3. Do you think that the papers perceived decline in integrity add to their decline?

4. If they said the cutback from 6 days print to 5 days was not a warning sign, then what is the cutback from 5 days to 3 days seen as?

5. What percentage of you audience do you lose when going from print to internet based news?

6. Will the paper be printed weekly within 12 months?

7. If things don’t get better will they charge you to access even the online version?

Upcoming Story

After looking at the commissioner’s meeting the other day, it has become apparent that the ambulance service is a topic that has the potential to loom large in Rush County’s future. The direction the community takes on this topic seems to be pregnant with consequences and thus, should be researched to a greater degree than the average topic. 

I hope to unearth some history related to this topic. I see that from the comments at the end of the story that ran in the paper and from the emails to the site that others folks in the community have valuable insight into this topic. Thus, I plan on taking a week or so to dissect this issue. I hope that there will be some light shed on the finances of the topic as well as the underlying political necessities that have driven it.

So, if you have additional or useful information, please feel free to email it to the site so that all sides are represented.

So ladies and gents, please stay posted until more on the topic is researched further!

Seeking public input

If you have not bought the printed version of the Tuesday 24th, 2009 issue of the local paper, I would encourage you to buy a copy.  It is well worth the 50 cents if for no other reason than to experience the puzzling seriousness or, if you choose, comedic value.  In what one reader termed as a cross between Don Corleone meets Green Acres, our Mayor Merv Bostic has started his own version of the restaurant-based town hall meeting.

The fitting inaugural location was his unofficial campaign headquarters and business-owned home to his future newest employee.   

I am not sure if this was an impromptu photo op or if this was really planned.  I can only assume it was set to convey an illustration of meaningful contact with the masses. I am pretty sure the investigating journalist will follow-up with his photo with a story that lays out the schedule for the times and restaurants that will play host to the new future town hall meetings, and expect that these times will be made public so that all in the community can fully witness the wisdom and insight of this community sage.

So as I leave this topic with a still perplexed look on my face, I ask the following questions:

1. Do you have to hire the proprietor of the restaurant before the restaurant qualifies as a site for the meeting?

2. I see Chief Ron Cameron, but did I miss Assistant Chief Fish?

3. Do you think that photo ops help Kevin convince his “Rants and Raves” readers that the paper has the only thing that is of value to a newspaper – integrity?

4. Wouldn’t looking a future for your voters be a more use of time?

5. Will the other half of the Mayor’s office host a forum of his own?

6. On a different topic: why would the chase vehicle for the ambulance service be parked in front of the Bluebird in Morristown?  I would think that would hinder a quick response?