JoeBob

Our health care system really went over the cliff when government required the hospitals to render care to anyone who showed up in the emergency room door. It's a great humanitarian principle to be your brother's keeper, but once all the other brothers learned that they didn't need insurance, the cost of all that humanitarian care fell extra heavy onto the shoulders of responsible people who didn't like taking charity they didn't need. If insurance companies can't refuse coverage because of pre-existing conditions - one of the requirements in the current bill - what moron is going to act

Gold Winger: Don't you love the 'PING!' every eight rounds? (Garand) Atheists in Scouting are only a problem if they want to be. If they want to be a problem, they don't want to be in Scouting. You won't catch me waxing theological very often. But I do have a real concern about the Islamic growth trend the world is experiencing right now. What does my God (Catholic) want me to do about Muslim expansionism? If we keep turning the other cheek for another few decades, Christianity won't be here any more... JoeBob

Eagle Dad said: "Actually NJ, the legal right does make it "right". Now you may not emotionally agree with it, but legally it is factually right." Strongly disagree! Morally right does not change at the whim of the legislature, legally right does. Some laws change when you step across the state line. Do your morals? Current events example: You're driving your jacked-up 4x4 in a blinding snowstorm in the wilderness of upstate New York. There are no other drivers out in this hellacious storm. You see Nancy Pelosi walking on the side of the road. You have no legal obligation to

BadenP: I agree totally with "putting all the PC crap aside (female scoutmasters) just goes contrary to what boy scouts is supposed to be about." That also sums up my attitude towards homosexual leaders: putting all the PC crap aside homosexual scoutmasters just goes contrary to what boy scouts is supposed to be about. Why complicate it?

NJC: I have a simple question for you. If BSA allows openly homosexual leaders, will Cub Scout membership go up or go down? How many children of homosexuals are not in Scouting because BSA is branded as prejudiced? I'd say that 2 deep leadership forestalls more lawsuits than molestations. As a published policy it may serve as a deterent to predators volunteering in leadship roles with Cubs. But a true predator isn't going to worry about following BSA policy, nor have much difficulty circumventing 2 deep. BSA is one of the last bastions of political incorectness for me. With

Chug: "I suggest a brass monkey on the badge." Were you thinking of a monkey made of brass, or a three-sided cannon ball holder? ;^) JoeBob

Our CO is a Catholic Parish. Our kids have lots of parental involvement in their lives. No way, no how, are they/we going to want to send our children into the woods with a leader of indeterminate sexuality. Scout leaders and their lifestyles are supposed to set good examples that we want our children to emulate. The phrase 'two deep leadership' shouldn't mean having a look-out or a watchog. Heck, we have our hands full keeping an eye on the priests!

I have a couple of physically aggressive kids in my Bear Den of 14. At what age is a Go-See-It to the county lock-up appropriate?

Dang LisaBob, That's pretty scary. The most frightening thing about your situation is that it happened to you! Many of we forum lurkers have come to know you through your posts. And if a competent informed individual such as yourself can't steer a troop back onto the right trail, then we mere mortals would certainly be lost as well. I'm tiptoeing along a similar path with our Cub Pack; I hate having my time wasted by leadership that likes the echo of their own voice. But my son is still having fun, so I'll take a patience pill (12 ounces of malted beverage after meetings)

College radio stations always have lonely DJs on the weekend. The guy we visited was glad to see another human being, or 14.

I filled out the bio info online. That stopped the solicitations. (For now...)

OGE: The 'mentally challenged' comment was my attempt at politeness. I try not to call people stupid. For all I know that woman may have been a genius in another area. After she repeatedly muzzle swept and scattered the other participants, the instructor assigned a helper to stand right next to her, for our safety. She was breathing hard after walking to the firing line. To my knowledge, she was certified; and since the legal requirements were met, set loose to set-up and supervise her own Cub Scout shooting gallery. Beavah: I tried tying my alligator to the mailbox, but he pulled it

Scoutfish, First, I'll concede your point. Watching some of the physically unfit, uncoordinated, and mentally challenged moms trying to learn to shoot BB guns in my certification class; I was glad that my range was at least two-counties away from where they would be firing BBs. But second, we need to give Darwin room to work! Have you seen some of the rejectmenta in the gene pool?

Almost on topic: Circa 1976, I took my two brothers to Carlsbad caverns. We camped above some waterfall in the area. There was this beautiful waterfall fed by a creek in the middle of the desert. The creek provided some green flats that made a beautiful campsite. We just spread out our bags and camped under the stars. In the middle of the night I awoke to a rustling noise behind me and figured that I had a little brother playing games. I rolled over to smack him, and almost swatted the biggest porcupine I've ever seen. Moral of the story? Don't camp right on top of the only water so

Advance appologies to all the barristers out there. I think Scouting has lost a lot of it's appeal because of the lawyers. I've only been back for 3 years, and am now only a Bear DL; but the effort put into risk aversion seems to have sucked the fun out Scouting. Common sense safety precautions have grown into mandantory training, certificate renewal training, and absolute elimination of the possibilty that anyone could get hurt and BSA get sued. All of the adventure sports that Beavah mentions, "bike clubs, paddling clubs, ski groups, lots of young adults in climbing and snowboardin'

"He should be given credit only when he has done a better job on the new project than on the previous project." This is the standard we apply, and we mean a BETTER job. There's one elective (I forget which) that you can fulfill by drawing a picture of the planets. For the second credit, your drawing needs to be detailed in color. The third time you use this elective, it should be in 3D. If you want to use this elective for a fourth credit, the planets better be free floating and rotating correctly around a sun...

Wingnut: "there's not much that's more fun than watching southerns drive on an inch of snow. (grin)" That's almost as much fun as watching Northerners who think they're invincible drive on ice in the South. (Southerners put NO salt and little grit on the roads.) A gentleman acquaintance from Minnesota once assured me that he'd have 'No Problem!' making it down my driveway after a touch of freezing rain. The drive is a sweeping downhill turn... The bark on the dogwood tree grew back all by itself. David had to pay good money to get the bumper to grow back on his car. ;^) Calico

Why would national pull the Historic MBs? Half of the members of this forum could research the old requirements, post 'em online, and get bids for producing the physical badges in half a day. Isn't it more work to retract the Historic MB offering than to finish it? I don't understand...

We're expecting one to three inches of snow tomorrow in northern Georgia. For us, that's panic time. Why buy a snowplow that you'll only use once every 5 years? Everyone's leaving work early to buy milk, bread, and diapers...

Here's a dandy site that has them all in good form: http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-super-bowl-commercials?icampign=SBTVComm_vg#page:2

I enjoyed the shuriken Dorito in the neck - "Tim loves his Doritos!" Ack!

As a part-time carrion eater, the eagle ought to enjoy war for the dining opportunities...

The Scout Commemorative is too pretty to shoot: http://www.henryrepeating.com/h004bsa_scouts100.cfm These two Henrys offer more funtionality: .17HMR http://www.chuckhawks.com/henry_goldenboy_rifles.htm .45LC http://www.henryrepeating.com/h006_bigboy.cfm Are you gonna shoot it or hang it on the wall?

"However, that program has been placed on HOLD." From the merit badge link: http://www.usscouts.org/usscouts/meritbadges.asp

Anybody surprised to find Barney Weiner -uh,, Barney Hotdog... Drat! Barney FRANK's name among the 26?