Thurber's Thoughts

• Lucas County to 'governmentize' private sector jobs

  Lucas County Sheriff James Telb has decided to move in house the job of appraising foreclosed properties, effectively having government take over private sector jobs.I'm not a fan of how Telb has doled out this task, making sure that politically connected individuals get the lucrative contracts. But that concern is' [...]
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  Posted: November 30, 2009, 8:44am EST
  

• Quotes of the Day

  Two quotes while we all recouperate from the Thanksgiving festivities and I fight off a cold..."We have a system that increasingly taxes work and subsidizes nonwork." ~ Milton Friedman"Censorship is telling a man he can't have a steak just because a baby can't chew it." ~ Mark Twain [...]
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  Posted: November 29, 2009, 7:55am EST
  

• Abraham Lincoln's 1863 Thanksgiving Day Proclamation

  From Abraham Lincoln Online - his 1863 presidential proclamation, which established the Thanksgiving holiday:Proclamation of ThanksgivingWashington, D.C.October 3, 1863This is the proclamation which set the precedent for America's national day of Thanksgiving. During his administration, President Lincoln issued many orders like this. For example, on November 28, 1861, he ordered [...]
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  Posted: November 26, 2009, 10:42am EST
  

• Emotion rules the day with 'texting-while-driving' law

  Earlier this month, I wrote an email to all members of Toledo City Council asking them to address the issues raised in this Cato Institute article about texting-while-driving laws.From 12 members of council, only three bothered to respond. One was District 2 Councilman D. Michael Collins, the sponsor of the [...]
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  Posted: November 25, 2009, 7:35am EST
  

• Quote of the Day

  "The state tends to expand in proportion to its means of existence and to live beyond its means, and these are, in the last analysis, nothing but the substance of the people. Woe to the people that cannot limit the sphere of action of the state! Freedom, private enterprise, wealth," [...]
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  Posted: November 25, 2009, 7:34am EST
  

• Commissioners delay vote on project labor agreements

  Yesterday, I wrote about the proposed resolution to require project labor agreements (PLA) for all Lucas County work.Today, the commissioners decided to defer the resolution until Dec. 1.That means there's still time for you to weigh in on the negative impacts of this proposal.Pete Gerken: pgerken@co.lucas.oh.usTina Skeldon Wozniak: twozniak@co.lucas.oh.usBen Konop: [...]
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  Posted: November 24, 2009, 3:03pm EST
  

• The definition of stupidity....

  I often mention Tom Blumer, who writes at BizzyBlog, for his writing on economics and accounting issues. One of his recent posts is a must-read for this area.Kelo, GM, and the Stimulus: Three Big Government-Induced Failures details three examples that, as Tom puts it, "clearly demonstrate that government should be" [...]
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  Posted: November 24, 2009, 9:15am EST
  

• 'Not business friendly' Post #17 -You're going to have a union contract whether you want one or not!

  Well, that's if Lucas County Commissioner Ben Konop and the Northwest Ohio Building and Constructions Trades Council have their way.Tomorrow the Commissioners have a resolution on their agenda titled: Incorporating Project Labor Agreements into Bidding Specifications for all County-Supported Projects.Here's the summary:Whereas this Board of County Commissioners is responsible for [...]
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  Posted: November 23, 2009, 12:13pm EST
  

• Quote of the Day

  "When you become entitled to exercise the right of voting for public officers, let it be impressed on your mind that God commands you to choose for rulers, 'just men who will rule in the fear of God.' The preservation of [our] government depends on the faithful discharge of this" [...]
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  Posted: November 23, 2009, 7:54am EST
  

• Another 'I told you so' on Toledo's budget

  In 2008, I questioned the revenue assumptions of Mayor Carty Finkbeiner - especially the projected revenue from red-light cameras. Item #3 from the list I sent to Finance Director John Sherburne (who never replied) was this:3. You've doubled the number of speed cameras but the projected revenue from all those' [...]
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  Posted: November 21, 2009, 10:53pm EST
  

• Of dogs, political agendas and the rule of law

  I've written briefly about the latest issue regarding the Lucas County Dog Warden. Now, Tom Skeldon has announced his retirement and that should end the discussion.But it hasn't.People are very emotional over the issue of euthanasia of animals - and they should be. It's not a pleasant subject, but a [...]
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  Posted: November 21, 2009, 8:53am EST
  

• Promises of tax cuts and the state's $851 million budget deficit

  The state of Ohio is facing an $851 million budget deficit following a decision from the Ohio Supreme Court that a source of funding, income from slot machines at racetracks, is subject to a ballot challenge and cannot be implemented as planned.Just like most politicians who don't want to make' [...]
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  Posted: November 20, 2009, 7:51am EST
  

• Quotes of the Day

  "Our job is to give people not what they want, but what we decide they ought to have." ~ Richard Salant, former President of CBS News"Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand by the President or any other public official save exactly to the" [...]
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  Posted: November 18, 2009, 9:12am EST
  

• Bogus jobs numbers in the stimulus

  The Washington Examiner has been compiling various news reports about the bogus numbers of jobs 'created or retained' by the stimulus funds.In their spreadsheet, they even list a Toledo example:Koring Group reported hiring 52 people, but it turns out that they double-counted jobs that “only lasted about two months.” The [...]
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  Posted: November 17, 2009, 8:27am EST
  

• Random thoughts of deference, dogs, destruction and deficits

  It's raining where I am and there's a lot going on - so some random thoughts on various issues.* My uncle is Chinese. He's a U.S. citizen and has been for decades. But being Chinese gives him unique perspective on the Asian cultures and the practice of bowing. President Barack [...]
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  Posted: November 16, 2009, 8:57am EST
  

• A new amendment to the Constitution

  I received this in an email - and I like it!!!!Proposed 28th Amendment to the United States Constitution:"Congress shall make no law that applies to the citizens of the United States that does not apply equally to the Senators and/or Representatives, and Congress shall make no law that applies to" [...]
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  Posted: November 15, 2009, 8:58am EST
  

• The Chicago Way and the shooting at Ft. Hood

  I'm a big fan of Chuck Muth and his latest column gives us a lot to think about. But there are two messages from his column we ought to heed.What Hollywood Can Teach Us About the Fort Hood MassacreMost Americans have this whole Fort Hood massacre all wrong. Maj. Nidal' [...]
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  Posted: November 13, 2009, 8:49am EST
  

• Quotes of the Day

  "True liberty cannot exist apart from the full rights of property, for property is the only crystallized form of free faculties... The whole meaning of socialism is a systematic glorification of force... No literary phrases about social organisms are potent enough to evaporate the individual, who is the prime, indispensable," [...]
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  Posted: November 13, 2009, 8:46am EST
  

• Quotes of the Day

  Postings this week may be a bit light as I'm on the road...so please enjoy what these Chief Justices of the United States had to say about the limited powers of the federal government:"We start with first principles. The Constitution creates a Federal Government of enumerated powers." ~ William H.' [...]
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  Posted: November 12, 2009, 10:18am EST
  

• If you enjoy your freedom, thank a Vet!

  "Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom, must, like men, undergo the fatigues of supporting it." ~ Thomas Paine Last night, I slept very soundly. I had no fear of being pulled out of my bed in the middle of the night and carted off to some detention [...]
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  Posted: November 11, 2009, 8:54am EST
  

• Two must-read petitions

  I urge you to read these two petitions:The Candlemaker's Petition - Petition of the Manufacturers of Candles, Waxlights, Lamps, Candlelights, Street Lamps, Snuffers, Extinguishers, and the Producers of Oil, Tallow, Resin, Alcohol, and, Generally, of Everything Connected with LightingThe Healthcare Producers Petition - A Petition from the Producers of Health [...]
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  Posted: November 10, 2009, 12:42pm EST
  

• Happy Birthday U.S. Marine Corps!

  From Marines.com:Founding of the Marine CorpsA legacy is bornDuring the American Revolution, many important political discussions took place in the inns and taverns of Philadelphia, including the founding of the Marine Corps. A committee of the Continental Congress met at Tun Tavern to draft a resolution calling for two battalions [...]
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  Posted: November 10, 2009, 4:49am EST
  

• If health care bill just like Social Security and Medicare, how long until bankruptcy?

  In looking at the news coverage of Saturday's vote on the Pelosi health care bill, nearly all reports include this statement:"A triumphant Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, likened the legislation to the passage of Social Security in 1935 and Medicare 30 years later."And I just have to shake my head [...]
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  Posted: November 09, 2009, 6:33am EST
  

• Thanks, Marcy Kaptur, for destroying liberty

  "The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government are few and defined. Those which are to remain in the State governments are numerous and indefinite. The former will be exercised principally on external objects, as war, peace, negotiation and foreign commerce." ~ James MadisonSome may say that [...]
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  Posted: November 08, 2009, 9:15am EST
  

• Quote of the Day

  While we work today on the set-up of the live auction of fine wines for the Mobile Meals Wine Gala, and then attend the event to help raise money for a terrific organization and cause, here is a quote we all should remember:"To suppress minority thinking and minority expression would" [...]
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  Posted: November 07, 2009, 7:19am EST
  

• Cash for votes in Athens County

  Jesse Hathaway who blogs at Athens Runaway has good coverage of the goings on, so I hope you'll read his blog for all the details of the cash for votes in Athens County.It starts with an email from the Ohio University College Democrats offering $5 for bringing in people from' [...]
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  Posted: November 06, 2009, 7:36am EST
  

• Texting while driving

  UDATED with responses from council members at the bottom of the post.Toledo is considering a 'texting while driving' law - to prevent it, not encourage it, though in Toledo you can never quite be sure...I've sent an email to all members of city council asking them to address the issues' [...]
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  Posted: November 05, 2009, 7:46am EST
  

• Quotes of the Day

  On democracy and majority rule:"And what sort of philosophical doctrine is this -- that numbers confer unlimited rights, that they take from some persons all rights over themselves, and vest these rights in others. ... How, then, can the rights of three men exceed the rights of two men? In" [...]
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  Posted: November 04, 2009, 7:40am EST
  

• Election Day!

  Here are some quotes to think about as you go to the polls:"If pigs could vote, the man with the slop bucket would be elected swineherd every time, no matter how much slaughtering he did on the side." ~ Orson Scott Card"Vote: The instrument and symbol of a free man's'" [...]
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  Posted: November 03, 2009, 5:47am EST
  

• Bubbles allowed in flu shot lines

  You can list this one under the 'for goodness sake' category - or maybe it qualifies for 'stuck on stupid' status.The Ohio Department of Health today issued a press release about what to bring with you to entertain your children while waiting in line for a flu shot. Bubbles are [...]
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  Posted: November 02, 2009, 5:54pm EST
  

• The Blade's non-endorsement for Toledo mayor

  Yesterday, the local daily paper, The Toledo Blade, decided to 'sit out' the race for Toledo mayor by not endorsing either candidate.First, let me say that this is one of the single best things that could happen in Toledo politics. For too long, politicians have asked 'how high' when the [...]
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  Posted: November 02, 2009, 5:45am EST