%$@#! Robocalls Must Be Stopped

Damn, damn, damn. Damn these telemarketers and robocallers straight to hell. I'm sick and tired of getting incessant calls from these predators. I am retired, so I am home during the day. All day … yes, I mean all day my phone rings with calls from these pesky firms seeking to sell me things like back braces, insurance, and auto warranties. I'm also bombarded by “friendly reminders” about how I need to save interest on my high-interest credit cards or how I must pay a non-existent bill.

Oh, yes … and people with voices and accents I can't even understand are telling me they are from software companies that have detected my computer has been compromised, or they tell me they represent the IRS or Social Security, and they need my money or my identify to repair an issue.

Sales calls, scams, spoofs, downright frauds – all of these calls are aggravations. Too much is too much. These people are trampling all over my right to privacy with their actions. Enough is enough! I love my landline. I pay dearly for it. Like Mick Jagger sings, “Hey, you, get off of my cloud!”

You better believe they are tricky with their craft. Robocall technology allows these marketers to target hundreds or even thousands of victims at one time. Now, “neighbor spoofing” even makes it look as if someone local or even someone you know is calling you instead of an out-of-town or toll-free area code showing up, which would make you less likely to answer the call. Shouldn't this be illegal? These clowns are trampling all over my right to privacy. The calls are beyond nuisances – they have made us victims of our own expensive services. In a recent article in Consumer Reports, one aggravated person complained ...

“Probably around 80 percent of the calls to my cell phone and landline are from bothersome idiots,” says Craig Steimling of Belleville, Illinois. “It’s gotten so that my 5-year-old grandson yells, ‘Junk call!’ every time the phone rings.”

Craig, I feel your pain. Transaction Network Services has estimated that one-third of all calls placed in the first half of 2018 were robocalls. Also, the FTC says it gets about 400,000 complaints about robocalls every single day. Autodialed spam and scam calls besiege our nation, interrupting our otherwise pleasant days and increasing our frustration.

Let me tell you some sad news – it's getting worse instead of getting better. In 2018, a record 48 billion robocalls were placed to phones in the U.S., according to YouMail, a company that blocks and tracks robocalls. That works out to 1,500 robocalls per second—which is 56.8 percent more robocalls than there were in 2017. Ring, ring, RING, RING – for God's sake, these calls make me cuss more than rapper Eminem in concert.

Robocallers stay a few steps ahead of telephone companies and government regulators working to thwart them. For example, the National Do Not Call Registry, established almost 16 years ago to stop legal telemarketers from calling people who didn’t want to be contacted, has failed to stop the many fraudsters who pay no attention to the list.

A bipartisan bill co-sponsored by John Thune, R-S.D., and Ed Markey, D-Mass., called the Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence (TRACED) Act was introduced in Congress in January 2019. It would strengthen the existing Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) of 1991 by making fines for intentional robocalling violations bigger and easier for the FCC to obtain.

Thune's bill was unanimously approved by the Senate Commerce Committee last April. That legislation, backed by a bipartisan group of lawmakers, would push the major telecom companies such as AT&T and Verizon to better authenticate calls so consumers know who they are coming from.

For now, legal calls include calls from political parties and candidates, calls from charities, autodialed telemarketing calls from legitimate people, and payment reminder calls.

Illegal calls include almost all autodialed or prerecorded calls to your cell phone – even those from charities and political parties – are illegal unless you have given express permission beforehand to be contacted this way or the call is for an emergency. Did you check a terms-of-service box or provide a phone number during a sign-up process? Doing either can constitute consent to be called, per FCC regulations.

(Octavio Blanco. “Mad About Robocalls?” Consumer Reports. April 02, 2019.)

Many illegal robocalls originate from overseas criminal rings and target the elderly and recent immigrants because both are deemed more receptive to come-ons. To help sort out the good calls from the bad ones, the FTC publishes a daily roster of blacklisted numbers – numbers that have received a significant volume of consumer complaints that apps may use to help update their list of numbers to block.

I long for simpler times when a landline was a benefit to communication, not an ever-ringing annoyance. I remember when businesses and corporations would employ the voice technology to call with a truer, more noble purpose in mind. I remember when there was actually another person on the line who seemed to care about the receiver and the call.

When did the control and the preferred employment of the business telephone change? Why did it change? I fear the answers are related to the same old evil that seeks to gain great advantage by constantly disrupting the lives of simple, contented people . Greed and the love of money keep our phones ringing with unwanted intrusions. Excuse my language once more, but it's time to put these sons-of-bitches back in their place and out of our lives.

Mike Brumfield, Brumfield's Station, and UFO Finders

Mike Blumfield at AlienCon sharing ideas on aliens' influence on 

Western beauty culture (New York Times)

You're driving north or Rt. 23 just south of Piketon, Ohio, and you spy a large wooden carving of a bear and a large metal figure of a rooster. Beside the figures an unpaved road leads to a rural residence and some kind of offbeat, rural business known as Brumfield Station. Just past the figures there are primitive, hand-painted signs with mysterious messages about aliens and UFOs. You scratch your head and wonder “what the heck?”

If you are like me, although filled with curiosity, you have never taken the time to explore the station. At 60 miles an hour, what you can see off the road looks pretty rustic, homespun, and more than a little spooky – the kind of place that your imagination tells you would be the perfect setting for a Chainsaw Massacre film. So, you file the anomaly in your memory as one of those seldom seen, weird tourist attractions, and you drive on (with the theme from the Twilight Zone lingering in the background). You say to yourself, "Maybe some day I'll stop and see just what's going on." Of course, that never happens.

Brumfield Station is the haunt of Mike Brumfield, author and celebrated UFO hunter. Mike was born in Portsmouth, Ohio, on September 29, 1961. He graduated from Shawnee State/Ohio State University with an Associate of Applied Sciences and History. After college, Mike took work as social worker and a general manager of an assisted living center. All that sounds ordinary, but Brumfield can be described as anything but customary.

You see, Mike changed his focus to art and moved to Nashville in 1989. Whether the art led to discovery or discovery led to art, Brumfield began to pursue persistently his lifelong interest in UFOs and scientific explanation. Since that time, Mike has written as many as eight books (to date) with titles like The Discovery, Infinite Astronauts, Aliens Gold Tenth Planet, and Reality: Escape From Planet Earth!"

Brumfield claims he is on a relentless search for the truth about UFOs. He teamed up with Jeff Willes of Phoenix – known as the most celebrated UFO hunter in the world – to began filming flying saucers. Since 2006, Mike and Jeff have been finding and filming flying saucers and UFOs, and their teachings have helped others to film documented proof of these visitations.

Their footage has been purchased by Walt Disney World and used as the trailer on Return to Witch Mountain. Mike and Jeff have also made two films of their footage to be entered into the International UFO Congress. The pair continues to film to this day with avid interest in the unknown.

 For years, Brumfield and Willes have been traveling the world and filming in order to help the public solve the mystery of extraterrestrial visitations in the form of UFOs. The two have launched a DVD campaign to fund a “Jeff and Mike” reality television show. The show focuses on existing footage of UFOs as well as showing interested individuals how to find, film, and document the existence of these mysterious visitations. It's a kind of a "how to" for those with inquisitive minds.

The show also features the sale of books, videos and other items to fund production. All proceeds raised from the are being contributed to efforts to fund global meteor prevention and evacuation plans to help protect those on earth who may be impacted by a large-scale meteor strike.

That's exactly what Brumfield's work Reality: Escape From Planet Earth is all about. In the book, he tackles the ever present threat of a rogue meteor hitting Earth and snuffing out the human race. Brumfield posits that very real possibility of an extinction level event should bring humanity together to seek refuge among the stars from whence humanity sprang.

Taking examples from his own personal experiences, ancient manuscripts, and other clues embedded within our collective history, Brumfield believes that the key to the continued existence of a species is directly linked to our extraterrestrial origins.

In his powerful personal narrative, Brumfield asks, and answers, mind-bending questions like the following: Where is heaven? Are the deities of ancient lore truly alien beings that genetically engineered the human race? Can we use the clues left behind by our progenitors to escape both the bonds of this planet and the inevitability of death itself? Pretty heavy and heady stuff.

Just to stir some local interest, I recently visited the “Brumfield Station Wood Carvings” Facebook site. There, I found a post about some local sightings:

“Talked to the director of SETI today (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) … just saw some more saucers over the A Plant which I live beside ... he is the head guy over the search for extraterrestrials. I asked him if he thought they existed. He said “yes” and I asked him where they are and he said “he thinks they haven't reached us yet.” I asked him if the universe is infinite then why wouldn't they be everywhere because of the infinite nature of it. It's always existed. He didn't like my question because it made his answer primitive in his thinking and narrow-minded.”

Brumfield and his wife Tammy have two sons, Matthew and Josh. He invites everyone to visit Facebook and check out his new movie video “UFO Finder.” He remains an amazing chain saw artist and a dedicated researcher. Click here for Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BrumfieldStation/

(“Mike Brumfield Alien Finder.” ufofinderslive.net.)

Major General John Porter Lucas -- The Lucasville Connection

Major General John Porter Lucas (January 14, 1890 – December 24, 1949), affectionately remembered as "Old Luke," was a senior officer of the United States Army who saw service in World War I and World War II. He is most notable for being the commander of the U.S. VI Corps during the Battle of Anzio (Operation Shingle) in the Italian Campaign of World War II.

Major General Porter's parents were Charles Lucas (1861-1923) and Mary Porter (1830-?). Charles was the son of John W. Lucas (1824-1881) and Mary Lucas (1793-1826). And John W. was the son of John Lucas (1787-1825) and Mary (Lucas) Lucas (1793-1826). So, Major General John Porter was the great-grandson of the founder of Lucasville and yet another Lucas in the family to become a notable military figure in U.S. history.

Major General Lucas was born on January 14, 1890, in Kearneysville, West Virginia. He was a graduate of West Point in the class of 1911. Commissioned as a cavalry officer, he transferred to the Field Artillery in 1920 and spent the first few years of his service in the Philippines before returning to the US in August 1914.

In January 1915, Lucas became commander of the 13th Cavalry Regiment Machine Gun Troop. On March 9, 1916, he distinguished himself in action against Pancho Villa's raiders during the Battle of Columbus, “fighting his way alone and bare-footed through attacking Villistas from his quarters to the camp's guard tent.” There he organized resistance with a single machine gun until the remainder of his unit and a supporting troop arrived, then maneuvered his men to repel the attackers.

Lucas joined the 33rd Infantry Division in August 1917 at Camp Logan, Texas, where he continued to serve MG George Bell, Jr., commander of the 33rd, as Aide de Camp. CPT Lucas then led the division's Infantry School of Arms while the division trained for World War I.

Promoted to Major on January 15, 1918, Lucas was given command of the 108th Field Signal Battalion (the Signal Battalion for the 33rd Infantry Division) and sailed to France with this unit. He simultaneously served as the Division Signal Officer. While serving as commander of the 108th, he was seriously wounded in action near Amiens, France on June 23, 1918.

Major Lucas was the battalion's first casualty, being struck by a fragment from a German high-explosive shell. Evacuated to a hospital in England, he was later sent back to the United States on convalescent leave, where he recovered from his wounds. His wounds were severe enough to prevent him from rejoining the 33rd Infantry Division. He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel on October 31, 1918. Following the war, he would revert to his permanent rank of Captain.

After World War I, Captain Lucas was assigned as a military science instructor for the University of Michigan R.O.T.C. program in Ann Arbor, Michigan. In 1920, he rejoined the Field Artillery. He was promoted to Major in 1920, and in that year also entered the Field Artillery School at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Recognized for his leadership and abilities, he served on the War Department General Staff from 1932-36. Lucas served various other positions until July 1941 when he was notified that he would be given command of the 3rd Infantry Division.

In the spring of 1943 Lucas was sent overseas to the Mediterranean Theater of Operations. He entered the North African campaign as an observer for the War Department and later became a deputy to General Dwight David Eisenhower, the Supreme Allied Commander in the theater. There, in the aftermath of the disastrous airborne drops in Operation Husky, he recommended to General Eisenhower that "the organization of Airborne Troops into [units as large as] divisions is unsound". He briefly took command of II Corps in September, taking over from Lieutenant General Omar Nelson Bradley.

On September 20, 1943, Major General Lucas was given command of the Sixth Corps, taking over from Major General Ernest J. Dawley. He led the corps in the early stages of the Italian Campaign, coming under command of the U.S. Fifth Army, commanded by Lieutenant General Mark Clark. VI Corps crossed the Volturno Line in October and was involved in severe mountain warfare fighting until December when the corps HQ was pulled out of the line in preparation for an amphibious assault, codenamed Operation Shingle.

During the Sicily Campaign, Lucas succeeded General Omar S. Bradley as Commander of the U.S. Second Corps, and since he later served as Commander of the Sixth Corps, he became one of the few Army officers ever to be awarded the Navy Distinguished Service Medal.

On February 22, 1944, Lucas was relieved of VI Corps command after Shingle, the amphibious landing at Anzio. Lucas was highly critical of the plans for the Anzio battle, believing his force was not strong enough to accomplish its mission. His confidence was not reinforced when the mission was scaled back by last-minute orders and advice from his commander, Lieutenant General Mark W. Clark, who told him not to "stick his neck out.” Lucas's forces held the beachhead until May 23, when the staged withdrawal of the German 14th Army permitted the Allies' long-awaited breakout.

“A commander can make a decision simply by ruling out what appears to him to be impractical or unfeasible. This was how Maj. Gen. John P. Lucas, commander of the VI Corps in Italy, viewed and resolved his command problem immediately after the Anzio landing in January 1944. He rejected a course of action that to him appeared unwise or imprudent.

“Yet two alternatives were in fact valid and open to him, though neither satisfied him completely. One seemed to him to verge on recklessness, the other could perhaps be criticized as overcautious. With orders from the next higher echelon of command deliberately left vague, General Lucas was free to choose. Thus he alone would shape the pattern of events that was to develop at Anzio.”

Martin Blumenson. Chapter 13, “General Lucas at Anzio.”

Command Decisions. 1960.

Major General John P. Lucas, has been frequently maligned for failing to use greater initiative in quickly seizing the Alban Hills as soon as the Allies landed at Anzio. The assault on his military skills is not justified. Had General Lucas seized the Alban Hills, as the plan intended, he would likely have lost his entire Corps to German counterattack.

Thus, any criticism of Lucas's actions in Anzio must be analyzed. Some historians feel the Allied strategic leaders dealt the operational commander, Major General John Lucas, a poor hand and he eventually made the best of it …

“The failure of Operation Shingle was not Lucas' alone. It was a failure of strategic decision-making by Churchill and the Combined Chiefs of Staff (CCS) that absorbed Allied resources far out of proportion with its military or political benefit.”

Commander Roger W. Sassman. “Operation SHINGLE and Major General John P. Lucas.” USAWC STRATEGY RESEARCH PROJECT. 1999.

After nine days of preparation to reinforce his position and four weeks of extremely tough fighting, Lucas was relieved by Clark and replaced with Major General Lucian K. Truscott as the commander of VI Corps at Anzio. Lucas spent three weeks as Clark's deputy at Fifth Army headquarters before returning to the United States.

In March 1944, Lucas was assigned as deputy commander and later as commander of the U.S. Fourth Army, headquartered at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. After the war, he was made Chief of the US Military Advisory Group to the Nationalist Chinese government, led by Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek.

In 1948, Lucas was assigned as Deputy Commander of the reactivated Fifth Army in Chicago, Illinois. While still on active duty in that post, he died suddenly at Naval Station Great Lakes Naval Hospital, near Chicago on December 24, 1949. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery with his wife Sydney Virginia Lucas (1892–1959). An obituary written by long-time associate and friend Major General Laurence B. Keiser appeared in the October, 1950 issue of The Assembly, the magazine of the Association of West Point graduates.

A camp in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, was named after Major General Lucas in honor of his service. And, the polo field at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, was renamed Lucas Field in his honor. Lucas was widely known as a polo player in his youth. Lucas Street at Fort Sill is also named in his honor. On June 28, 1962, Lucas Place at Fort Eustis was named in his honor.

Taylor Sparks ... Music Producer Featured in NBC's Songland

Taylor Sparks is an award winning producer of American popular music. He is the son of Kenny and Lisa Sparks of Tucson, Arizona, and the grandson of the late Butch and Linda Sparks of Tucson and Lucasville, Ohio. Taylor's song – “Better Luck Next Time,” a collaboration with Darius Coleman – recently won NBC's Songland competition and thus became the new single release of country music's Kelsea Ballerini. Kelsea, a Nashville star, has been recognized as the first female country artist to send her first three singles to the top of that chart since Wynonna Judd.

Speaking about “Better Luck Next Time,” Coleman, a once-aspiring dancer-turned-singer after a push from friend Jazmine Sullivan, says he overheard a love story gone wrong while hanging with Taylor Sparks, who played guitar. He says the lyrics to the song just flooded his head.

"I think a lot of us creatives in general, but specifically songwriters or singers, I think we're in tune to like energies," Coleman said of the creative process.

Taylor Sparks has been a producer/engineer/songwriter with the United Music Group since 2014 and a songwriter/producer for ten years. He currently has his own studio in Los Angeles, California. With a wide variety in musical background, he plays just about any instrument “he can get his hands on” and specializes in pop/urban music.

Taylor is a graduate of Sahuaro high school in Tucson. He says his musical education has mostly been “extensive trial and error from the school of hard knocks.” Being on the road and touring in a band at a young age, he found himself falling in love with the studio. After leaving the band, he then started producing records for local bands and artists in his hometown of Tucson.

In a September 2012 interview with Audio Media International, Sparks says ...

“Lucky for me, I didn't go to audio school; I saw past it. You can't be taught to be creative. So instead of going the traditional route, I took out a large loan, and put it all into my recording studio. I then moved to Nashville and interned at Blackbird Recordings and got the hands on experience with professionals that I needed.”

Sparks describes his style as “big, aggressive yet polished” and often “dark and moody.”

He believes in starting with a basic track and “creating around the vocal/song” or creating a track and letting the track guide the vocal melody.” He describes his work ...

“My every day is getting to know my client and start to create a track within the vibe of the conversation. That’s when I feel the energy never fails and it just becomes tunnel vision.”

That formula certainly has paid great dividends to date. Taylor has worked with and been in the studio with Blink 182, Ashley Tisdale, Keith Urban, Azelia Banks, Neon Hitch, Sirah, Maxine (Pharrell Williams), Journey, Joe Bonamassa, Casey Abrams (American Idol), Roxxy Montana (X-Factor), Bella Thorne, and many more.

Taylor Sparks is continuously working out of his studio creating, learning and developing his craft. Contact: https://www.taylorsparks.org/

I Have the Right ... Do I Have a Higher Obligation?

“The right to do something does not mean that doing it is right.”

– William Safire, American author, columnist, journalist

I often see Americans – people who admittedly have a strong investment in preserving their precious rights – do things that are legal, but that offend others. These people have a strong belief in their individual rights and use this conviction to ignore any obligation to a code of ethics. They love to cite the Constitution and the laws that protect their questionable behaviors and they take pride in living within the law and without respectful moral principles. In other words, they do these things simply because “they can.”

For example, I have seen parents smoke among other adults (and even their younger kids) while standing in the school parking lot waiting to pick up their children after school. They carelessly blow their smoke among the crowd and bristle when someone objects. Then, they usually drop their cigarette butts on school property and leave the trash for someone else to dispose of. I marvel that these folks cannot refrain from smoking for such a short period of time … or do they, as I suspect, do what they do just because they feel “they have the right to do so.”

And, I have seen people proudly display the Confederate flag on their homes and on their vehicles. Many of these people claim to be preserving history and honoring a great American past. While ignoring the direct association with the unspeakable horrors of the system of slavery, they glorify the Lost Cause and incessantly argue that a “battle flag,” although a recognized symbol of the Confederacy, does not ignite continued philosophical, political, cultural, and racial controversy in the United States. Most seem to relish the “rebel” symbol as emblematic of their 21^st century persona – a banner certainly legal to display, but highly offensive in its presence to many who view it.

Perhaps the most prominent battlegrounds of legal and ethical issues are social networks. The development of these websites raises a series of questions regarding the users’ ethical behavior and also the moral responsibility of the social network sites administrators. Cyber bullying, hacking, privacy infringements, and personal defamation all pose significant risks. And, of course, many angry Internet users are quick to jump to name calling and other forms of denigration when someone posts something that they don’t like. Many refuse to apply so much as a simple test of proper behavior online – “Would I say this to someone standing right in front of me?”

Many of us have “blind spots” where ethics is concerned. These blind spots are the gaps between who we want to be and the person we are. In other words, most of us want to do the right thing but internal and external pressures get in the way. Laws, as essential to good conduct as they are, never define all tenets of morality. By being moral, we enrich our lives and the lives of those around us.

Ethics is concerned with what is good for individuals and society and is also described as moral philosophy. The term “ethics” is derived from the Greek word ethos which can mean “custom, habit, character or disposition.” Our concepts of ethics are derived from religions, cultures, and philosophies. They cover the dilemmas of how to live a good life, our rights and responsibilities, and moral decisions.

Ethics are based on our values. Values are standards or ideals with which we evaluate actions, people, things, or situations. Beauty, honesty, justice, peace, generosity are all examples of values that many people endorse. In thinking about values it is useful to distinguish them into three kinds: personal values, moral values, and aesthetic values.

Our values help determine our principles of standard behavior. They guide or motivate our attitudes and actions. Generally, we are predisposed to adopt the values with which we are raised. So, we tend to believe that those values are “right” because they are the values of our particular culture.

Ethical decision-making often involves weighing values against each other and choosing which values to elevate. Conflicts can result when people have different values, leading to a clash of preferences and priorities.

Therefore, being ethical requires making a moral judgment, and that’s not always easy. Ethical behavior takes courage and has to be practiced. The ethical choices we make often occur in the public arena. There, we display our personal values.

So, in our daily lives, we face decisions that requires us to ask “What should I do?” If there is a law to guide us, it may seem easy – we probably just follow it. But, what if that decision requires a moral judgment and a choice involving ethics? What happens when our personal, religious and/or moral principles seem to be in conflict with the rights and values of others, or even with larger concepts of compassion and justice?

It is here – in the face of others with their own values – that the right to do something may conflict with the ethics of doing that very thing. Oh yes, liberty and legality may be deeply rooted in our values; however, shouldn't our obligation to others be just as fixed in our principles?

I believe respecting the values of others, promoting the public interest, and strengthening social equality are increasingly important. Too often today people delight in engaging in behaviors that divide society. Many of these folks use controversial means to strengthen their ego or to further their narrow, selfish desires. Their sense of “me” makes them oblivious to the diverse values of “them.” Lost in this equation is the Golden Rule – “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Also sorely lacking is the golden corollary, the Silver Rule, which focuses on restraint and non-harm: “Do nothing to others you would not have done to you.”

In conclusion, many people make the mistake of thinking that following the law equates with being an ethical person. This is known as “ethical legalism.” The belief is flawed. The law does not prohibit many acts that would be widely condemned as unethical such as lying, cheating on one's spouse, or betraying the confidence of a friend. The laws set minimum standards of ethical behavior, and ethical people go beyond the laws in their respect for others.

When the rules are unclear, an ethical person looks beyond his/her own self-interest and evaluates the interests of the stakeholders potentially affected by the action or decision. Two innocent truisms about the law lie behind much of the difficulty we have in understanding the relations between law and morality: The law can be valuable, but it can also be the source of much evil. Using the law for personal advantage at the cost of ignoring the common good is certainly dishonorable and potentially malicious.

“The existence of law is one thing; its merit or demerit another.”

 -- John Austin

Postscript

If you are caught in an ethical dilemma, you may use these tests to determine a course of action …

The Legal Test

Is there a law being broken? If yes, the issue is of disobedience with enforceable laws, as opposed to the unenforceable principles of a moral code. If it is legal, there are three more tests to decide whether it is right or wrong.

The Stench Test

Does the course of action have the stench of corruption? This is a test of your instincts and determines the level of morality on a psychological level.

The Front Page Test

How would you feel if your action showed up on the front page of the newspaper the next day? Most people would never do certain things if there was a chance that other people would find out about it. This is a test of your social morals.

The Mom Test

This test involves asking oneself, ‘What would mom think if she knew about this?’ When you put yourself in the shoes of another person (who cares deeply about you), you get a better idea of what you’re doing.

(Sushmitha Hegde. “What Is An Ethical Dilemma?”

www.scienceabc.com/social-science. February, 2019.)

Honoring the Founding Members of the Lucasville Area Historical Society

“No person was ever honored for what he received.

Honor has been the reward for what he gave.”

– Calvin Coolidge

We must use the word “honor” in description with great care, for this abstract concept includes both measures of personal values (ethos) and norms of social interaction (code of behavior). We naturally bestow honor on those who unselfishly sacrifice, even their lives, for the sake of the goals of an institution.

Just consider the military code of conduct. Honor is a sacred military value. It provides the “moral compass” for character and personal conduct in the service. Honor is bestowed upon those who carry out, act, and live the values of respect, duty, loyalty, selfless service, integrity and personal courage in everything they do.

Samuel Johnson, the renowned lexicographer, in his A Dictionary of the English Language (1755), defined “honor” as having several senses, the first of which was "nobility of soul, magnanimity, and a scorn of meanness.” This infers that honor is reserved for very special people who willingly apply themselves to serving others while combating contempt through their unflagging generosity.

On this observance of the 200^th Birthday of Lucasville, Ohio, it is imperative we honor the organization of the Lucasville Area Historical Society. A relatively small group of residents founded the historical society March 11, 1985, at the home of Mrs. Guy (Nell) Bumgarner. The club elected the following as pro tem officers: Gladys Pfleger, President; Pauline Herald, Vice-President; Irene Preston, Treasurer; Martha Sisler, Secretary; Alice Barker, Librarian; the hostess Nell Bumgarner, Historian.

Other members attending were Ruth Wolfe, Betty Dillow, Jean Nelson, Mary Childers, Octavia N. McKinley, Irene Zaler, Rosemary Crabtree, Ruby Kelly, Jeanne Sheets, Mary M. Wolfe, Jesse Comer, and Mary T. Purdy.

The LAHS stated their primary objective was “to aid in the collection, recording, and preservation of documents, publications, pictures, artifacts and other articles of historical information and interest.” The accomplishments of the historical society over the last 34 years have immeasurably enriched the community, the state, and the nation. The organization is so much more that print and photos. It is a critical outreach in the community.

We truly do honor these incredible original members – all ladies – whose vision led to the establishment of one of the best small-town historical associations in existence. We honor them because they exemplify the soul of the community. The work they did to form an incredible repository of historical information and to serve their community through sharing the heritage and traditions of the past is monumental.

Present-day members marvel at the extensive library compiled by these dedicated, volunteer public servants. Thanks to these few charter members, all residents can now explore the colorful human affairs of the area's past through the society's large body of papers and other artifacts. It is difficult to conceive the extent of the work accomplished by the founding members. We owe them a great debt of gratitude. And, thanks to their efforts, the LAHS continues to grow and to serve – a positive illumination made possible by the dream of those strong women.

The Ohio State University's Center For Folklore Studies, currently working with the Lucasville Area Historical Society and Valley High School students, describes the Lucasville Area Historical Society …

“The Lucasville Historical Society has been a critical fixture in the town of Lucasville, Ohio, serving to bridge the gap between local history and personal and familial significance. It aims to be a central hub for historical records from the area, and its large collections, mostly gleaned from personal donations, demonstrate the penchant for the preservation and exhibition of history within the community.”

I can only imagine how the historical society began its incredible journey. However, I do not have to imagine the results of their efforts – so many of their outcomes are readily available for public consumption and will be on display during the Lucasville Bicentennial Celebration of 2019. Thank you, Nell and Gladys and all you other charter members for your monumental accomplishment. We, who follow, honor you.

“In the end, our society will be defined not only by what we create,but by what we refuse to destroy.”

– John Sawhill, President and CEO of The Nature Conservancy and President of New York University

Where Is Your Home? Are You There Now?

Lake Margaret -- Lucasville, Ohio

Home

By Foo Fighters

Wish I were with you, but I couldn't stay
Every direction leads me away
Pray for tomorrow, but for today
All I want, is to be home

Stand in the mirror, you look the same
Just looking for shelter, from the cold and the pain
Someone to cover, safe from the rain
And all I want, is to be home

The echoes and silence, patience and grace
And all of these moments I'll never replace
Fear of my heart absence of faith
All I want, is to be home

All I want, is to be home

People I've loved, have no regrets
Some might remember, some might forget
Some of them livin', some of them dead
All I want, is to be home

“Home” was written by Dave Grohl and appeared on the album Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace in 2007. At the 50th Grammy Awards, the album won the Grammy Award for Best Rock Album. If you are not familiar with Foo Fighters and you are wondering about the tag for the band, the name comes from the UFOs and various aerial phenomena that were reported by Allied aircraft pilots in World War II, which were known collectively as "foo fighters,”

On January 14, 1969, Dave Grohl was born in Warren, Ohio, the son of a teacher, Virginia Jean, and newswriter, James Grohl. When he was a child, Grohl's family moved to Springfield, Virginia. When Grohl was seven, his parents divorced, and he subsequently grew up with his mother. At 13, Grohl and his sister spent the summer in Evanston, Illinois, at their cousin Tracy's house. Tracy introduced them to punk rock by taking the pair to shows by a variety of punk bands.

Grohl notably served as the drummer for Nirvana before he became the founder, lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist and primary songwriter of the Foo Fighters. In 2010, Grohl was described by Ken Micallef, co-author of the book Classic Rock Drummers, as one of the most influential rock musicians of the previous 20 years. Of course, extensive touring and working on musical projects have filled his illustrious career.

The song “Home” relates a person's poignant desire to return home while being absent due to other commitments – “every direction leads me away.” The speaker craves the shelter of familiar surroundings while reminiscing about his irreplaceable past comprised of people, both living and dead, he truly loves. Like a homesick child, all he wants is to be home.

There appears to be an allusion in the work to the Beatles “In My Life,” an autobiographical song penned by John Lennon. “In My Life” was voted the best song of all time by a panel of songwriters in a 2000 Mojo magazine poll. The panelists included such famous songwriters as McCartney, Brian Wilson, Lamont Dozier, and Carole King.

“There are places I'll remember
All my life, though some have changed
Some forever, not for better
Some have gone, and some remain
All these places had their moments
With lovers and friends, I still can recall
Some are dead, and some are living
In my life, I've loved them all”

Why does our sense of “home” mean so much? Home is familiarity embedded in human consciousness. One writer explained: “Home is home, and everything else is not-home. That’s the way the world is constructed.” In fact, home is a place so familiar we don’t even have to notice it … that is, until we are away and experience a deep longing.

The magnetic property of home draws from both our heart and our mind. The comfort afforded by home is natural; it is the intimate nesting place indelibly stamped in our memory, so much more than its cold definition as “a living space used as a permanent or semi-permanent residence.” Our home is the soft place we land at the end of the day; however, the concept transcends comfortability.

In fact, for so many, home is an extension of a present physical boundary – it can be a place inaccessible to everyday reality but, instead, an easily accessible evocation of our being.

We can even muse about this consoling sense of being through statistics. In 2008, The Pew Research Center conducted a survey of 2,260 American adults. Among other things, they asked participants to identify “the place in your heart you consider to be home.” Thirty-eight percent of the respondents did not identify the place that they were currently living to be “home.” Twenty-six percent reported that “home” was where they were born or raised; only 22% said that it was where they lived now.

Perhaps most easily understood as a place of order that contrasts with the chaos elsewhere, home is the place we consider the anchorage where we can renew our honest connections with the social fabric of the world. To cite Maslow, humans need security and safety. And, higher up on the Hierarchy of Needs are psychological needs – the need for love and belongingness, where we establish intimacy among friends and forge meaningful connections with one another. We acquire most of these important needs at our home.

Where is your home? I'm sure people have asked you this question. And, you likely answered the inquiry with your present address or with your favored place of past residence. But, for many of us who have moved away or who are now unavoidably absent from the place we consider “home,” our “home” is the wonderful place tucked neatly away in our subconscious. It can be immediately beckoned by a simple cue, and the result is a release of emotions and images that can be truly overwhelming. Just ask Dave Grohl or John Lennon, or better yet, listen to their songs.

Click to play “Home”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jA4Mmk1nfPg

Click to play “In My Life”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBcdt6DsLQA

"Home is the place that, when you have to go there, they have to take you in."

– Robert Frost

The John Lucas Grave Marking Ceremony

The Lucas family holds great distinction in the annals of United States military service. T. K. Cartmell, historian and author of Shenandoah Valley Pioneers and Their Descendents, says, “The Lucas name is prominently mentioned in every war period from the Indian massacres to and through the Civil War.”

The records of the 55th Regiment of Virginia Militia, Berkeley County, after the Revolution through the War of 1812 – years 1795-1815 – are replete with changes of officer assignments. They include the names of William Lucas, Edward Lucas, Robert Lucas, Joseph Lucas, William Lucas Jr., and Edward Lucas Jr. The older men were veterans of the Indian wars and the Revolution. And, this year special respect will be bestowed in the memory of John Lucas, War of 1812 veteran and founder of Lucasville.

Honoring the Bicentennial of Lucasville, Ohio, the Scioto Valley Volunteers Chapter of The Daughters of the War of 1812 will commemorate the service of Captain John Lucas with a Grave Marking Ceremony on June 22 at the historic Lucasville Cemetery. Captain Lucas rests there in the earliest section of the grounds with many other original residents of the town. The free, public ceremony will be a formal recognition of John Lucas and his dedication to his country.

The United States Daughters of 1812 is a non-profit, women's organization based in Washington, D.C., dedicated to serving the fraternal interests of women whose lineal ancestors served in the civil government, the army or the navy of the United States" between 1784 and 1815. The members are committed to promoting patriotism, preserving and increasing knowledge of the history of the American people by the preservation of documents and relics, the marking of historic spots, the recording of family histories and traditions, and the celebration of patriotic anniversaries.

Recognized as one of the oldest cemeteries in southern Ohio, the Lucasville Cemetery has interred veterans of the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the Civil War, the Spanish-American War, World Wars I and II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.

Captain John Lucas (1787-1825) platted the town of Lucasville in 1819, and he named the village in honor of his father and his mother, William Lucas and Susannah Barnes. His American family roots go far back to his Great-Great-Grandparents – Robert Lucas (1630-1704) and Elizabeth Cowgill (1630-1712) of Longbridge, Deverill, England – Quakers who immigrated to Falls Township, Pennsylvania, in 1679.

John's father, William Lucas (1742-1814), served in the French and Indian War under William Darke (later General) and became a first lieutenant in Captain William Morgan's company of volunteers that reinforced General George Washington in New Jersey in 1776.

John Lucas volunteered for service and commanded a regiment during the War of 1812. Upon the death of his father in 1814, John inherited much of his family's property in Scioto County, and it was on a portion of this land that he established the town of Lucasville on August 7, 1819. He and his wife, Mary Lucas, ran a tavern in Lucasville until his death in 1825.

It is little wonder that the name of John's brother, Robert Lucas, is indelibly impressed upon the pages of Ohio history. A strong, self-reliant personality made Robert Lucas one of the most esteemed pubic servants of his day. Also a veteran of the War of 1812, Robert became a Brigadier General in the Ohio Militia and later a two-term Governor of the State of Ohio.

But, it is John Lucas who exemplifies the Ohio roots of the storied family. John should be remembered as the man who platted and built the town that bears the Lucas name. In 1819, John Lucas fathered a community that continues to prosper and inspire area residents. 200 years have passed since he initiated his dream of settlement in the Scioto Valley, and during this long history Lucasville remains a thriving “Valley of Opportunity.”

Beautiful Empowerment -- Young Ladies of Lucasville

Interview

By Dorothy Parker, Copyright 1926 and renewed 1954

The ladies men admire, I’ve heard,

Would shudder at a wicked word.

Their candle gives a single light;

They’d rather stay at home at night.

They do not keep awake till three,

Nor read erotic poetry.

They never sanction the impure,

Nor recognize an overture.

They shrink from powders and from paints ...

So far, I’ve had no complaints.

Record numbers of women are making their voices heard in Congress. 75 million women are now in the U.S. workforce. Women are better educated than ever before; they are earning more than ever; and they are starting business and philanthropic empires that are changing the world.

You've come a long, long way, baby … but women have more work to do to change perceptions and ensure gender equality for future generations. The young ladies of America are fighting for change. Their combined voices are one of the most powerful forces of the 20^th century, capable of uplifting every American community.

And, these ladies are doing their empowerment work right here in Lucasville.

Through efforts such as the Miss Bicentennial Pageant and the Lucasville Oral History Project, the Lucasville Area Historical Society is working to empower young women in our community. Part of our mission is to help young girls and women have a stronger voice and achieve their full potential. The ladies involved in these activities represent many of the most strong, reliable assets of the population.

Although women are still stereotyped even in Western countries, they excel in all work and social domains. We must strive to offer young women endless opportunities to succeed, and we must put them in positions to showcase their various talents. There is no substitute for their vigor and their stamina. We must help shatter detrimental gender stereotypes. Our group remains committed to working hand-in-hand with all our youth.

How Can We Help Empower Young Women?

* We can help build their communication skills.

The voice of young women must be heard. Girls must be taught to express themselves articulately to build their presence so that they can claim a more active role. We want to help these ladies achieve by giving them opportunities to express their good writing and speaking skills.

* We can help build their decision-making roles.

Young women have important views on all issues such as governance, allocation of resources, equality, and the environment. An educated girl knows her rights and recognizes her responsibilities. We want to make young ladies participants in the decision-making processes that affect their present and future lives.

* We can help provide leadership space.

Of all the activities for women’s empowerment, this may be the most important. Allowing for this space to allow young leadership not only instills confidence but also raises young women to a level where they can better empower others. We hope to assist these youth as they become young, active leaders in our modern society.

* We can provide the best protection available.

Approximately one-third of U.S. women have suffered physical or sexual violence. Nearly half of all women in the United States have experienced psychological aggression by an intimate partner in their lifetime. This means we must better prevent violence before it happens by engaging men and boys and also by harnessing new technologies.

The Charge For Our Young Ladies

Is is imperative that a progressive community invests in empowering young women. This requires a community to educate, mentor, and provide strong youth engagement programs. And, of course, this charge means that the adults, and yes, even the seniors, step up to the plate and positively impact the young. That means significant investments of money, time, and sweat. The costs may be high. However, these investments will pay endless dividends and build a stronger, more-unified community.

Valley Local Schools feature such a talented administration, staff, and student body. The tradition of excellence in education is deeply ingrained there, and it continues to inspire and serve local youth. Still, let us not forget that a community is more than just its schools. It also incorporates all the other residents, businesses, service clubs, and government entities of the area. The proper attitude presented to the youth is instilled at every place they frequent. Every positive word and attitude can contribute to success.

The Lucasville Area Historical Society is overwhelmingly comprised of confident, intelligent, dedicated women who work tirelessly to better a community in which they take so much pride. I hope the young women of the community feel more empowered by the efforts of this group. I know the rewards of working together can be very great. I have been so impressed with both groups – the young women of Valley High and the ladies of the Lucasville Area Historical Society. May they continue to foster positive growth in Lville. 

"I love to see a young girl go out and grab the world by the lapels. Life's a bitch. You've got to go out and kick ass."

– Maya Angelou