GernBlansten

I often liked the geographically correct version, "One Nation, Under Canada" but was promptly corrected by a fellow from Detroit.

Ah, but what would the patch look like? How about a tangled knot?

Never said it was ok under Clinton. I don't like it no matter who is in office.

There should be a patch for this though.

"One nation under Yshua" just doesn't bring up that overwhelmning feeling of patriotism. I'd say we just stick with the "G" word.

The difference OGE is that Cheney was CEO of Halliburton and is still finacially connected, albiet in a blind trust. The appearance of favoritism is hard to avoid. As for a competitor to them, government contracts are written to narrow down the list of potential bidders to the few who are well connected to the government. Its not like you can hang your shingle out "Joe's Nation Re-builders" and expect to get through the gauntlet.

Sure makes sense to me. Religion is deeply personal and is what we base our entire view of the world from. And of course if you don't believe like I do, you are wrong, wrong, wrong and everything you say is wrong, wrong, wrong.

Ed, I will fight to the death to defend your right to be offended.

Jehovah!

Ouch!

The thought of teaming with the other troop has crossed my mind. However, my "one hour a week" I allocate to our troop already strains my energy and free time. I didn't sign up to become a crusader for failing troops! A couple of years ago, our SM did make contact with the other SM and received a less than warm welcome on the idea. Personnel have changed since then. I think we will wait for them to ask for assistance if they feel they need it.

Reminds me of the scene from Monty Python's Life Of Brian where they want to stone fellow because he utter the word Jehovah. When they challenge him for saying it, they end up uttering it and get stoned. Pretty funny.

I sympathise GWD,

I understand the issues having to deal with a small troop. That is the primary reason why my son didn't want to cross over to this particular starter troop. It was in its first year, he would have been one of the oldest scouts. The size and history of our troop has allowed us to participate in every district event and do an annual high adventure trip along with monthly camp-outs and other various outings.

I'm afraid that the success of our troop is hindering the success of this smaller troop. I guess I need to just get over it and continue to deliver the best program possible with our boys. If the other troop can't compete, I guess that is the American way.

Our troop has found itself in an uncomfortable position. We are an old troop, 50+ years with the same CO. We have 45 registered scouts with probably 25 active. A new troop started a couple of years ago with about 8 new scouts. We were contacted by one of the scouts last week if he could come with our troop for Klondoree since his troop wasn't going (Seems they think they are too young to do winter camping). Well we welcomed him and he had a great time. He now wants to transfer to our troop. We didn't recruit him, just integrated him in one of the patrols for the campout. Now he has told other scouts in his home troop and another one wants to come into our troop.

We have no intention of raiding membership from the other troop, but they just don't seem to be running a good program and do all the activities we do. I'm afraid since they are so small, losing a couple of scouts could spell disaster for them. I personally believe more small troops are better than a few large troops. Should we discourage these scouts from transfering?

My impression is the VAT minimizes the possibility of tax evasion through black market transactions. With the national sales tax, if the tax is not collected at the final sale, it is lost forever. With the VAT, tax is collected at each transaction and only a small portion can be lost. However, the VAT requires a larger tax service to manage and collect the taxes than a sales tax.

The other benenfit of VAT or Sales tax, is it promotes recycling and better use of existing resources. You wouldn't pay a VAT or Sales tax on a used item. The tax was already collected on that.

OGE,

I already do that. I'm self employed and do quarterly tax payments. Pretty painful to cut those checks every three months. Takes disipline not to spend everything you earn. Most americans don't understand this when its automatically taken from their paychecks every week.

The goal is not to have any taxable income at the end of the year. Come up with every possible deduction to reduce that amount.

I also have hired a tax accountant to squeeze every single possible deduction, well worth it in my opinion.

Some things are pretty complicated like hiring my wife as general manager and paying her $1 salary plus all family medical expenses. Then I deduct the medical expenses directly from income in the company. Its legal, but convoluted.

I even have changed my lifestyle to squeeze that little bit more. Like driving a short distance to the post office every morning to buy stamps for the business before the long haul to the office. Now most of the commute is business related. Same thing on the way home.

Oh to have a national sales tax or VAT and get rid of the IRS.

OGE,

Your trivia question: What is the name Ford the answer too?

Who is the only president of the US never elected to either the office of president or vice president?

Or

Who is the only president never elected in a nation election?

OGE is correct. Calls for resignation over this matter, even if the lawyer's condition worsens, is over the top. There are plenty of high crimes and misdemeanors that could be investigated besides this one.

The only thing this incident does for me is confirm my impression that Cheney is a very secretive man who really is cold of heart.

I was the walrus. Kookookychoo.

One of our patrols got 1st in the sled race and the other patrol got first in the biatholon. I was in my 3 season tent as my son commandeered our 4 season tent for him and his friends. From the ventalation my tent provided, I could have just as well slept under the stars! Biggest challenge was trying to keep everything from freezing solid, we failed at that. Coolers provided little insulation at that temp. Learned to fill every pot and kettle with water before bedtime, then thaw it on the stove in the morning to fill water bottles. Did you know you can't crack an egg when its frozen solid?

This scout needs to learn there are consequences for his actions. I think expulsion from the troop is warranted. Let him find another troop or youth activity. No reason to sour the whole bushel from one bad apple.

Well I'm sure you all were sitting on the edge of your keyboards wondering if Ol'Gern got his polar bear patch. First night of Klondoree it got down to -8F. All the scouts and few of the dads made it through with flying colors. How's the Olympics going?

FScouter,

Ever read Lord of the Flys?

I for one would be uncomfortable sending only one adult on the hike, unless the trail was filled with other adult hikers. The problem is adult protection, and I don't mean that sarcastically. Youth protection is really mislabeled. Its adult protection. Protection from unwarrented claims of impropriety. Plausable deniability. Think of one of those scouts claiming the adult did some misdeed. Without another adult present, it becomes a he said/he said. The fact that there are other scouts won't matter much. I certainly would not want to face that. With another adult present, you have a much better case to defend yourself.

I have found myself in the same situation at summer camp. I'm napping in my chair only to wake up to find myself alone with two or three scouts. I quietly get up and find another adult to shoot the breeze with or head to the commissary for an ice cream.

I will be celebrating the opening cerimonies try to stay warm. Our District Klondoree is this weekend and its supposed to get down below 0. I hope so, I desperately want that Polar Bear patch!

Is alcohol a performance enhancing drug?