Hello world! It's a girl
Welcome the world's newest libertarian.
Sophia Isabella Lucente was born at 2:44 p.m. May 26, 2008. She weighed 7 pounds 13 ounces and was 20 inches long.
tags: lucente,, new, baby
[COLUMN] Congress: More handouts for rich farmers
While President Bush has done very little worth praising during his presidency, kudos is in order for his veto of the farm bill knowing the veto would be overturned.
Of course, he only gets half credit because it was not so much that he opposed the farm bill, only its scope and other particulars.
The farm bill is the quintessential government welfare program for people who don't need it.
The $300 billion farm bill doles out some $5.2 billion in direct payments to people regardless of their needs.
Under this ludicrous handout, a married couple with an adjusted gross income of $1.5 million will still receive subsidies.
That is crazy! Where is the outrage at the government giving our hard-earned tax dollars to millionaires? So many people in this country are living hand-to-mouth and the government is taking our hard-earned money and giving it away to rich farmers, some of whom no longer even farm.
Read more!
Common sense ruling in polygamist raid case
Two members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints hug outside the Tom Green County Courthouse Thursday, May 22, 2008, in San Angelo, Texas. An Austin, Texas, appeals court ruled that the state had no cause to take their children. (AP Photo/San Angelo Standard-Times, Brian Connelly)
Read The New York Times article here.
Finally common sense is beginning to prevail in the raid on the 1,691-acre Yearning for Zion ranch of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Eldorado, Texas. I feel vindicated. After my column on the subject ran, I received a lot of flack here, in the paper and on The Lima News forums for my position that the state was wrong in seizing those children. Some of that opposition even came from lawyers who should have known better.
Now, a Texas appeals court said the state was wrong. This is significant because the appeals court would not generally get involved in such a case unless the state's case was extremely weak.
Also, as I have said all along, officials are finally admitting that the alleged call from a 16-year-old "victim" may have been a hoax. It would not surprise me to ultimately learn that there was no such call at all or that someone from the State Department of Family and Protective Services made the call as a pretense to getting a warrant.
I am also glad that the three-judge panel criticized District Judge Barbara Walther, for approving the children's removal based on such flimsy evidence of abuse.
Read more!
Radio appearance
I will appear on "Talk with Ron Williams" at 3:30 p.m. EDT Friday. Be sure to tune in.
The show is on WZOQ-AM (ESPN Radio), which is 940 on your AM dial. If you aren't within the broadcast range of the station, you can listen live by clicking here.
Lima Police Department behaved irresponsibly
Unbelievable!
The Lima Police Department received a threat that Wednesday would be a good day to stay out of Lima. Police officials then told its employees, officers and civilians alike, that they might want to stay out of downtown. However, they did not deem it important enough to tell the people of Lima that a threat had been made.
When asked about the threat, a police representative was more concerned with how we found out about it than in divulging any information. All he would say was that the threat was "vague."
Well, apparently police officials thought it was specific and credible enough to warn their employees about it. So why not the people of Lima?
We live in a dangerous world. Even more so these days in Lima. There is no disputing the volatile environment that exists in this community.
So the people deserve to be told of such threats and whether officials believe the threat is credible. Only through information can people make informed decisions about how they live their lives. It is not up to government and police officials to make such decisions.
Read more!
Still no apology from Glenn
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| Derry Glenn |
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| Vickie Shurelds |
Derry Glenn once again proved how dishonorable and hypocritically self-serving he really is. One of the many people he offended with his racist comments and "clueless xenophobia" concerning foreigners and Arabs owning stores in his district politely asked for an apology from Glenn at the City Council meeting Monday evening.
Glenn, of course, rudely refused. In fact, he was so rude that City Council President John Nixon had to gavel him quiet and told him, "Have another press conference. You can respond that way." That is a spine I didn't think Nixon actually had.
Then Glenn showed his ignorance on Sunday. I am told that on "Soul of the City," the WIMA-AM radio show to which I no longer listen because hearing Vickie Shurelds' inane and intellectually vapid chitchat is painful, Glenn and Shurelds accused me of doing nothing but sitting on the sidelines and casting stones.
I could list all the community boards and organizations to which I belong, or perhaps the year I spent in the Iraq war or my 23 years of military service to this country, state and community in the Army National Guard, but that is not important. Rather, because Glenn and Shurelds clearly have no idea what it means to live in a free country, let me explain something they obviously didn't learn in whatever government school they attended.
Read more!
Lima school board decision a victory for residents
The Lima school board, at its meeting Tuesday evening, wisely decided against seeking a levy in August. Read the story here.
Of course, this victory will be short-lived as the board will go ahead with a renewal levy in November and then attempt to pass a new levy again next spring.
Funny, how passing a levy in an immediate imperative but once the levy fails, the district continues to find fat that it can cut from its budget.
More taxation is not the answer. The school district, like the rest of the district's residents, must learn to live with a leaner budget in these tight times. It is the height of irresponsibility for the district to suggest we should be paying more when we already pay more per pupil than many districts in the state and certainly more than any private school.
America: Freedom to Fascism
This documentary is a must see. It is almost two hours long. If you wish, you can go to YouTube and find the video broken down into 12 parts for incremental viewing.
You can also order the DVD here.
Hat tip to Eleanor.
Papers, please!
The Ohio State Highway Patrol said it would be conducting two OVI checkpoints this week.
These checkpoints are an affront to a free people and come right out of the Nazi playbook. Randomly checking people to see if they are breaking the law is a clear violation of the Fourth Amendment (even the Supreme Court, when it OK'd sobriety checkpoints in 1992, said they probably violated the Fourth Amendment). The Framers wanted to protect the right of the people to be free from unreasonable searches and this flies in the face of that desire. People should not be harassed by police officials without probable cause. Moreover, driving after dark is not probable cause.
To add to the Nazi feel, the patrol refuses to reveal even in which county the checkpoints will take place, let alone the exact location.
Read more!
Stimulus payment
Got my stimulus payment on Friday. It's already gone. I am not sure the economy is any more stimulated. Maybe we should get another 
. (Sarcasm.)
[COLUMN] Faith and reason not exclusive concepts
I have to admit that when Cardinal Joseph A. Ratzinger was chosen as the Successor of Peter, I was a little skeptical.
Even though he was an academic, his previous position as prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which in earlier times was called the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Universal Inquisition, gave me pause. Additionally, in 1990, Ratzinger defended the 17th century trial and conviction of Galileo Galilei.
So I was naturally skeptical.
However, I have quickly become an admirer of the Pontifex Maximus (Supreme Pontiff). As Pope Benedict XVI, he has demonstrated time and again that reason and faith are not exclusive. In fact, Pope Benedict has made exploring the relationship between faith and reason a key aspect of his papacy.
The latest example appeared last week in the Vatican newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano. In an article titled, "The extraterrestrial is my brother," the Rev. Jose Gabriel Funes, the Jesuit director of the Vatican Observatory, was quoted as saying the vastness of the universe means it is possible there could be other forms of life outside Earth, even intelligent ones.
"How can we rule out that life may have developed elsewhere?" Funes said. "Just as we consider earthly creatures as ‘a brother,' and ‘sister,' why should we not talk about an ‘extraterrestrial brother'? It would still be part of creation."
As reasonable as Funes' observation may be, many refuse to accept the idea that there could be extraterrestrial intelligence because it would violate their misguided visions of God and the universe.
Read more!
Thank a hero today
Today is Armed Forces Day, a day set aside to thank those who serve our country.
So: Thank You!
Where do you stand?
Apparently some people do not understand where they stand politically.
To find out if you are liberal, conservative, libertarian or something else, take this 10-question quiz at: http://www.theadvocates.org/quiz.html.
Report back your results, if you like. You can even post a copy of your results. Even if you aren't surprised, you will still have some fun.
The image above shows the results of my test. The red dot is where I stand politically. As libertarian as you can get.
Unique grave marker
I love cemeteries and grave markers. Last autumn spotted this one at St. Matthew Cemetery on Hume Road in Shawnee Township. I don't know the history or significance of the log cabin but it is certainly one of the most unique grave markers I have seen.
If you know the story of this marker, please share.
DoD identifies Army casualty
Sgt. John K. Daggett, 21, of Phoenix, Ariz., died May 15 in Halifax, Canada, of wounds suffered May 1 in Baghdad, Iraq, when a rocket-propelled grenade struck his vehicle. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.
Dann best kind of Democrat
Former Attorney General Marc Dann is the best kind of Democrat ...
... out of office.
County officials betray taxpayers, again
The incompetence displayed by the Veterans Memorial Civic and Convention Center board at its meeting Wednesday evening surprised even me.
The only bright spot was Commissioner Greg Sneary's comments calling for fiscal restraint. Of course, he's just spinning his wheels when the rest of the county government machine wants to spend, spend, spend.
Board members voted 4 to 3 to lease the third floor of the former Schnorf Hardware Store building from the Lima Allen County Chamber of Commerce Foundation, provided the Chamber purchases the building. The Civic Center will pay $42,500 a year for the next 10 years for what will eventually (maybe) be a formal banquet facility, which they hope to rent out as they do other Civic Center rooms.
This was a bad idea for the Civic Center. It does not need any more room to rent. It can't even make a profit with the space it has.
However, putting that aside, members agreed to this abuse of taxpayers KNOWING that more research was needed. Board members and Civic Center Director Brian Keegan admitted they would have liked to have more time to study the marketability of the new space, but deadlines made that impossible. However, it's our money and not theirs so caution be damned. Would Keegan, et al., have made such haste if it were their own money they were investing?
Read more!
Vatican: It is OK to believe in aliens
Whew! I was getting worried for my eternal soul until I read this story from The Associated Press!
Seriously, though, I am always surprised by how many Christians I meet who think that belief in extraterrestrial life is a rejection of religion or somehow anti-Christian. I am sure that extends to many non-Christians as well.
Clearly, if the god in which you believe is the creator of the universe, don't you think it is presumptuous to claim that he/she/it is only capable of maintaining one planet with sentient life? Seriously, I find it more difficult to believe that in the whole universe, this little rock is the only one with intelligent life.
Regardless of your religious bent, it simply makes no sense to deny that life might very well exist elsewhere.
Here is the AP story:
Vatican: It's OK to believe in aliens
By ARIEL DAVID
Associated Press Writer
VATICAN CITY (AP) -- Believing that the universe may contain alien life does not contradict a faith in God, the Vatican's chief astronomer said in an interview published Tuesday.
The Rev. Jose Gabriel Funes, the Jesuit director of the Vatican Observatory, was quoted as saying the vastness of the universe means it is possible there could be other forms of life outside Earth, even intelligent ones.
Read more!
Derry Glenn: Lima's Archie Bunker
Dear Derry Glenn,
Where is your apology?
On Thursday, you badmouthed local Arabs and other foreigners during one of your silly news conferences and idiotic crusades that only serve to get your name in the newspaper and your face on television. That's OK, because I know you are simply a media hound (and a not so mediagenic one at that) and you love to see yourself on TV and in the newspaper.
Still, where is the apology for your racist comments? Or, perhaps, you think it is OK for a City Councilman, an elected representative of the people, to badmouth Arabs and foreigners. I am guessing because you have yet to apologize for your remarks you think it is appropriate for an elected representative of the people to talk like Archie Bunker from television's All in the Family.
Seriously, Derry, the people of Lima deserve better. If you can't bring yourself to apologize for your racist remarks, then perhaps you should do the honorable thing and resign your seat. Unfortunately, unlike the fictional Mr. Bunker, I don't think you have a shred of honor or you would have never uttered such despicable bigoted remarks against hardworking Arabs and other foreigners. It was even more disgusting coming from someone who claims to want to bring the people of Lima together regardless of race or heritage.
In many episodes of All in the Family, Archie ended up doing the right thing and even sometimes learned a thing or two. I am not going to hold my breath that you are going to learn anything, but the people of Lima do deserve a public apology from you.
How about it, Derry? Where is that apology for your bigoted remarks?
I am betting it never comes.
Why is Derry Glenn such a racist?
Sixth Ward Councilman Derry "Curley" Glenn on Thursday blamed "foreign people" for selling drug paraphernalia in stores in Lima. Before he said that, he specifically blamed "Arabs."
This kind of talk from an elected official is despicable. Glenn owes an apology to all Americans. We all come from immigrant stock. He specifically owes an apology to all our Arab friends who have chosen to make Lima their home and have opened businesses, created jobs and contributed to our economy, which is more than Derry Glenn has ever done, even as a member of City Council for some nine years.
Let the foreigners stay and leave them alone. Glenn, on the other hand, should just go. He is an embarrassment to Lima.
[COLUMN] No authority to aid Burma
People motor down the river at the cyclone hit town of Bogale, in the delta region, of Myanmar Saturday, May 10, 2008. Getting supplies to survivors of a brutal cyclone in Myanmar is now a "race against time" to prevent a disease disaster, as many impoverished victims continue to await help a week after the storm, experts warned Saturday. (AP Photo)
It's bad enough that American government officials like to fall over each other in the rush to unconstitutionally hand out money when a disaster strikes, now they are considering doing so even though the nation they want to help is rejecting the offer.
While I cannot find a single clause in the U.S. Constitution that permits such governmental largesse, it becomes even more outrageous when the nation needing the help doesn't even want the aid.
I am, of course, talking about Burma and Tropical Cyclone Nargis, which hit that Southeast Asian nation May 3. Some are estimating the death toll could surpass 100,000. Nargis is, without a doubt, a human tragedy of biblical proportions.
Still, that is no reason to violate our charter.
Americans are a generous people and that is a commendable trait. However, generosity should be voluntary, not taken at the point of a gun. Every dollar the U.S. government gives away is a dollar it forcibly took from its citizens.
Let's look at this another way.
Imagine your neighbor's home burns down. Your other neighbor, wishing to help, comes to your house and pulls a gun on you and demands money to help the burned out neighbor. Does that seem right to you?
That is exactly what foreign aid is. The government takes money from you and decides which cause is worthy of receiving the cash.
Perhaps U.S. Rep. David Crockett, an Anti-Jacksonian from Tennessee, said it best. In a speech that has not been authenticated, he spoke out against a bill to appropriate money for the benefit of a widow of a distinguished naval officer.
Read more!
My apologies, bugs fixed, new features added
Well, the login area was fixed but apparently the comment form was not working. I was unaware of the problem until a few hours ago, but everything should now be fixed. Additionally, my RSS feed was down without my knowledge and if you tried to click the link from LimaOhio.com, you could not get through. Those problems have been fixed as well. I believe everything with my newly designed blog is now working properly. If you find something not working, please let me know. I only find these things out when someone tells me.
I've added a few features as well. In the sidebar, you will notice the most recent posts so if you are not on the front page, you can still find recent items without going back to the main page. Also, you will see the most viewed items.
I've also added a rating system so be sure to rate my items. I recommend a 10 for everything, but the scale goes from 1 to 10. There is also a karma button, but that might be taken away as it is not necessary with the rating system and I am getting a lot of karma spam. I will have to see if that spam can be stopped or I will simply remove the karma feature.
I also added the ability to e-mail blog items to your friends. So feel free to spread the word of liberty.
Finally, I added smileys for the comments. If you find smileys you like, I think I can add them to the list.
Enjoy
Glenn is clueless
Local News: Glenn wants pipes out of view: LimaOhio.com
There he goes again.
Councilman Derry Glenn, aka Curley, is clearly clueless. He has no idea what it means to live in a free society. He has no idea on the proper limits of government. He has no idea how to solve problems or to even recognize what the problems are. Having people like Glenn on City Council is the reason Lima is the butt of so many jokes.
First, the idea that government should dictate that businesses hide perfecly legal items from view should be abhorent to freedom-loving Americans. These items are perfectly legal to sell and Glenn should just leave them alone.
Second, and probably more important, is what does he hope to accomplish? Glenn's problem is he is all symbol and no substance. When faced with a drug problem, he wants businesses to hide pipes and rolling papers from the view of children. This accomplishes nothing but to punish merchants.
Some might make that argument that at least Glenn is trying to do something. However, in a free society, when politicians "try to do something" without actually thinking it through, the people suffer.
What the city needs are serious politicians who are willing to make hard choices to address the problems of the community, not simpletons who think holding news conferences and restricting freedoms through gimmicks posing as law are the way to make things better.
Not Yours to Give
I have always loved this story. I hope you enjoy it as well:
By Colonel David Crockett;
Compiled by Edward S. Ellis
One day in the House of Representatives, a bill was taken up appropriating money for the benefit of a widow of a distinguished naval officer. Several beautiful speeches had been made in its support. The Speaker was just about to put the question when Crockett arose:
"Mr. Speaker -- I have as much respect for the memory of the deceased, and as much sympathy for the sufferings of the living, if suffering there be, as any man in this House, but we must not permit our respect for the dead or our sympathy for a part of the living to lead us into an act of injustice to the balance of the living. I will not go into an argument to prove that Congress has no power to appropriate this money as an act of charity. Every member upon this floor knows it. We have the right, as individuals, to give away as much of our own money as we please in charity; but as members of Congress we have no right so to appropriate a dollar of the public money. Some eloquent appeals have been made to us upon the ground that it is a debt due the deceased. Mr. Speaker, the deceased lived long after the close of the war; he was in office to the day of his death, and I have never heard that the government was in arrears to him.
Every man in this House knows it is not a debt. We cannot, without the grossest corruption, appropriate this money as the payment of a debt. We have not the semblance of authority to appropriate it as a charity. Mr. Speaker, I have said we have the right to give as much money of our own as we please. I am the poorest man on this floor. I cannot vote for this bill, but I will give one week's pay to the object, and if every member of Congress will do the same, it will amount to more than the bill asks."
He took his seat. Nobody replied. The bill was put upon its passage, and, instead of passing unanimously, as was generally supposed, and as, no doubt, it would, but for that speech, it received but few votes, and, of course, was lost.
Later, when asked by a friend why he had opposed the appropriation, Crockett gave this explanation:
Read more!
Login troubles
I am having trouble with the login script on this page. If you can't login on this page, head to http://www.lucente.org/blog/nucleus and login there. Once you login there, you can click the "Your site" link to return here.
Thank you for your patience while I work this out.