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ASM915

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Posts posted by ASM915

  1. Who is going to pay to support the Cali 14? I'll place a bet she thinks it will be one of the networks. Let's see which one jumps at the opportunity to show up the network that airs "Jon and Kate Plus 8".

     

    Scout, If there was a way to do reversible sterilization, what say you? If the mother is on welfare, and has two children, what if there was a way to temperarily sterilize her, then reverse it once she was off the welfare rolls and capable of providing for herself and her family. If she does not become become fianancially responsible and capable of providing for her family, and stays on the system, the procedure is not reversed. Would this be a plausable form of birth control? Possible side affect, it would dwindle the children that the system would have to support, therefore lowering the cost on the tax payers, and just might put a dent in the budget.

  2. Beavah and Pack,

    I made the comment about the pointy little hat. Being Catholic, I don't mind making fun of me and my religion on occasion. We also call him the Vatican's Rottweiler, all in fun and jest.

     

    Beavah, the assisted suicide was in jest also. The one thing I love to throw out to the ICU and CCU staff, is that when a ventilator dependent patient keeps trying to pull out their breathing tube or trach tube, are they considered to be attempting suicide, knowing well that this may cause them to die, and do they need a Psych consult. That question definitely gets some funny looks.

     

    Pack, twas I who tossed out the doner issue. Rumor has it that China has a great organ doner program in place. They don't execute their death rowers, they supposedly just take them to the OR, and retreive suitable organs for transplant. What a novel consept. At least we know that our organs aren't drugged or infected.

  3. J-dawg,

    Thank you. That was very well put, and by someone so young with wisdom beyond his years. I wish more teens, and their parents could see it this way. Unfortunately, like you have stated, they are blinded by the dream of trying to achieve that which is usually the unachievable.

     

    Bear12, I agree. As I have stated in one of my earlier posts, if they are counseled correctly, and have the desire, yes they can learn to manage their time appropriately to pursue both their sport and scouting interests, and be successful at both. But these scouts are rare. They definitely have to be go-getters.(This message has been edited by ASM915)

  4. Pack,

    Your right about the techno genie. The next big issue to be raised for the guy with the pointy hat will be the Post Cardiac Death Donation issue. This is not the same as donations post brain death.

     

    In this scenario, if a patient has a devastating irreversible circumstance. Let's say you have a massive heart attack. The only reason that you are alive is due to life support, ventilator, blood pressure meds, heart assist devices. Once removed from these medications and devices, you will die. It is now becoming practice to talk with the family, and patient if they are conscious and able to make a decision, about what is called Post Cardiac Death Donation.

     

    If agreed to, the family and patient say their farewells. The patient is then taken to the OR. There, all medications are terminated, and devices removed. Once the patient expires and is pronounced (has to be within two hours), organ retrieval starts. If the patient survives past two hours, usually a rarity but has happened, they are sent to the Hospice floor, and the family is contacted that the donation was unsuccessful, and if they wish, they are welcome to be with their loved one.

     

    The patient is not brain dead. The brain is still functional. This is a choice being given, instead of living a couple of days, or a couple of weeks on the life support, dragging out the pain and suffering. it gives the patient or family, the option to help others in their time of crisis.

     

    Where does this fall, PRO-CHOICE, or PRO-LIFE, or ASSISTED SUICIDE?

     

    My employer, a Catholic hospital has been mulling over this controversy over the last year, and is proceeding with this type of retrieval program, once all the moral ethics can be worked out.

  5. Just came across an article about PETA having a Super Bowl advertisement banned. At least PETA has a sense of humor. The ad is called "Vegetarians Have Better Sex". I guess we don't have to worry about them pro-creating. I can just hear the veggies screaming in terror.

  6. Talk about playing the state $$$$$ game, bring in Ms California. 8 babies, WOW. Then we find out that she has 6 more at home. What doctor in their right mind would approve giving this woman fertility drugs when she already has six at home???

  7. Just read an interesting article that my brother sent. It is from WorldNetDaily dated 1/29/2009, called "Media Malpractice at Right For Life March". The person writing the article was at the march to do a documentary on Right for Life. One of their objectives was to talk with the Pro-Choice protesters at the march. When the day was done, they were hard pressed to find any Pro Choicers to talk with.

    But the national networks and papers seem to portray the Pro-Choicers as coming out of the woodwork and being everywhere.

     

    Interesting!!!

  8. NOT A HIJACK!!!

    NOT A HIJACK!!!

    NOT A HIJACK!!!

     

    Just had a warped thought.

     

    PETA = Don't kill the animals.

     

    PRO-LIFE = Don't kill the (unborn) animals.

     

    Therfore, all PETA members are PRO-LIFE.

     

    OOOOOH, now that is scary, realizing that I may be running around with the PETA's.

     

    If someone wants to pull this into a Pro-Choice vs Pro-Life debate, please take it to the other thread already running under Politic.

  9. Scoutldr and Merlyn,

    I have to go along with Scout on this one. Sldr, if they made the mistake of going spread eagle in the first place, then allowing a government sanction murder to take place, where is the responsibility? Sounds like the easy way out.

     

    Now the unborn, next the malformed, then the old decrepit and aged. I don't think so.

     

    There is a choice and a responsible outcome. Responsibility would be to not commit a sactioned murder. Who knows, maybe God was sending that particular aborted unborn to be the cure for cancer, or had some other great plan for them, but now their in the incinerator and we'll never know. The choices? TO KEEP THE BABY AND TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF BECOMING A PARENT, OR PUT IT UP FOR ADOPTION!!!

     

    WOW!!! NOW THAT IS PRO-CHOICE!!!

     

    I wonder where PETA positions themselves on this issue? Probably should be Pro-Life. SAVE THE ANIMALS!!!! Oh, I thought that us humans were part of the animal kingdom. We are animals aren't we?

     

    Sldr, I totally agree with you that money needs to be spent on the education to prevent pragnancy, but not to kill the unborn. My wife use to see 11 and 12 y/o's coming in pregnant. I've been in on deliveries of 14 and 15 y/o. Maybe Falwell had the right idea.

  10. Crew Advisors, here's a good one for your Ethical Controversies part of your program.

     

    It is strange how some people consider abortion of an unborn not murdering the unborn. But if the unborn dies from the result of an auto accident or other external trauma the expectant mother suffers at the hand of another party, the same people are out there attempting to try and convict the other party for killing the unborn. If God allowed the fetus to be conceived, it was God's will. If the unborn dies before conception, it is God's will. Government and man, keep your nose and hands out of it.

     

    Now God (or who ever you believe in) gave us a brain to use. If we have become smart enough to figure out ways to handle birth control, fine. Let's spend the money where it is needed. Educate the public on how not to get pregnant while having sex. Oops, did I say that? Put the money into helping the poor mothers get educated, get a decent job and get off the welfare rolls. Help provide day care at the training site and funds for education, without telling the mother she will lose her welfare and food stamps because of this new funding, making her choose between getting educated or staying on the rolls to feeding her family.

     

    Is this the government getting involved in the reproduction scene, or the education scene to help reduce the single mother welfare recipients, thus reducing government spending to support those mothers and offspring? Is it not better, spending money this way, then paying for costly abortions, because it is the easy way out, by killing the unwanted unborn?

     

    My wife is Catholic, and I'm a convert. Both of us deviate from Church doctrine, in that we believe in birth control and preventing unwanted births. God gave us the brain to figure out how to prevent conception. But abortion is stilling killing a beating heart, no matter how little, or where it's living quarters are for the first nine months. The only time I would ever condone abortion is if for some reason, the fetus for what ever reason is causing an immediate life threat to the expectant mother. But then again, are we playing with God's plan, or using the tools he let us discover?(This message has been edited by ASM915)

  11. gern,

    Don't forget that the hole was already six feet deep back in 2000. Bush just dug it a few feet deeper. The digging started back under Billy boy. Deregulations, pushing the lending institutions to start offering up loans to people with questionable fianances and income.

    I didn't vote for him, but I'm willing to give Obama a chance. Now we are looking at what will end up being a trillion dollar bailout package before it is all said and done. So much for controlling spending, and the national debt. What a nice syaty to the new administration.

     

    Let's see if the administraion brings around some real reform. Start with the Welfare system. If you using/playing the system, reuse to work,stay home and have babies to get more govermemt money, etc, your out. If you loose your job that you truely worked hard at and paid into the system, then you are entitled to unemployment and or welfare.

    Let's do as Israel does. Everyone exiting high school has to offer up two years service to the government, no exceptions if your an Israeli citizen. Your getting trained, paid, and doing something worthwhile.

     

    A friend sent me an email last week about taxes. In the last 100 years, the government has instituted 50 taxes against us. Before that, we had one of the largest middle class in the world, and were the most prosperous nation on earth, had no national debt, and mom could stay home with the kids. What happened to us? POLITICIANS!!!

     

    Obama, let's see what you can do, but don't help bankrupt the country while doing it.

  12. rr,

    Check with a local tack shop. See if the have any larges pieces of leftover leather that they are willing to donate to the troop. I've seen some nice old patrol flags (check out the Senior Patrol Leader and Patrol Leader handbooks) made out of thick branches and or woody vines (watch out for poison ivy, LOL). Some have been formed in circles, squares or rectangles, with a leather flag (or other materials) tied in place with strips of leather thongs.

     

    At summer camp, have the patrols come together to build/lash an entryway to the troops campsite, with the troop and patrol flags and awards being displayed. These can be quite stunning, and make quite an impression.

  13. Dave,

    I hear you loud and clear. They probably thought that you would bring to mch to the mB, and the kids would have to work a little harder to get it, instead of being able to skate through it easily.

     

    My son is now 18 and registered as a Scout For Life. He is sensitive to the fact that he is tolerated, but frequently left out by the younger scouts. Other then him and two 17y/o's, the age drops to 13. He likes the troop, but asked asked about the possibilty of joining a neighboring troop that has three or four SNS, and whose leadership works with them.

     

    As for our troop, he is the OA Rep. He is active at the chapter level, and the younger members are willing to accept him. He is also the Chapters Vice-Chief of Activities. We discuss ideas for activities, and figure what needs to be done. I then write down what we discussed on how to proceed. He then makes calls, and asks questions that we have written down, gathers information, takes it to the chapter meeting for everyone to discuss, and then he sets it up , or asks someone else to handle the details. I then help him put a letter together to email out to the members. At OA, he gets more of a chamce to act as a leading, more then he gets in the troop. He asked the Lodge chief if there was a position he could fill at the Logde level. The chief,, knowing that Dan liked history and photography, asked him to be the Lodge historian, and take pictures at all the events that he attends, and sumbit the photos to the newsletter.

     

    The tropp maynot provide the leadership opportunities for your son to shine, but OA may give him the opportunity.

  14. Dave,

    I hear you loud and clear. They probably thought that you would bring to mch to the mB, and the kids would have to work a little harder to get it, instead of being able to skate through it easily.

     

    My son is now 18 and registered as a Scout For Life. He is sensitive to the fact that he is tolerated, but frequently left out by the younger scouts. Other then him and two 17y/o's, the age drops to 13. He likes the troop, but asked asked about the possibilty of joining a neighboring troop that has three or four SNS, and whose leadership works with them.

     

    As for our troop, he is the OA Rep. He is active at the chapter level, and the younger members are willing to accept him. He is also the Chapters Vice-Chief of Activities. We discuss ideas for activities, and figure what needs to be done. I then write down what we discussed on how to proceed. He then makes calls, and asks questions that we have written down, gathers information, takes it to the chapter meeting for everyone to discuss, and then he sets it up , or asks someone else to handle the details. I then help him put a letter together to email out to the members. At OA, he gets more of a chamce to act as a leading, more then he gets in the troop. He asked the Lodge chief if there was a position he could fill at the Logde level. The chief,, knowing that Dan liked history and photography, asked him to be the Lodge historian, and take pictures at all the events that he attends, and sumbit the photos to the newsletter.

     

    The tropp maynot provide the leadership opportunities for your son to shine, but OA may give him the opportunity.

  15. If your chartered to a VFW Post, they have an Eagle Scout of the Year Award on the state and national level.

     

    Also, some of your religions have additonal awards specific to a religion or a regional area, other then the Emblems Awards. The National Catnolic Committee on Scouting has several different patch and awards programs they offer, as well as the more local CCS's.

     

    WOSM has several awards for scouts on an international level. These awards range from conservation and enviromental related issues to social related issues. Check out the site at www.scout.org.

  16. Kraut,

    Or have them register as Crews. I know a local high school cross country team that registered as a Crew, thus gaining access to the Council's 900+ acre camp and 7+ miles of trails. Actual our Lodge is planning a 5K event for the Ox Roast this coming August as a fund raiser.

     

    Actually, our summer-camp does MB groupings with special programs, Earthworks (Forestry, W&S, F&WM), Native Amer. Culture (Indian Lore, Archeology, Amer. Culture), Lights Action Camera (Cinematography, Theater, Art), etc.

     

    Same could go for band as mentioned in one of the earlier posts. the only way this would work is if the ACLU could keep their meddling nose out of it. Hey, this could save the school systems major dollars when their teams and bands travel to invitationals and other out of town overnight events and competitions. Instead of putting up at costly hotels, they could put up at Council camps for a fraction of the cost. UHM!!!

     

    MichaelOA,

    I understand. Academic teams and bands are great. Been there and did that with band. At one point, I thought about music as a career. One year, my class schedule was English, Spanish, French, science, algebra, band, orchestra alternating with chior (they were at the same time), art, along with marching band, jazz band and mens ensemble. I played three different instruments.

     

    But look at it this way. If you were an admissions officer or a company recruiter, would you look at the person (4.0 GPA) with all the music and or sports experience, or the scout (4.0 GPA), who may have started out as a CIT at 14, work three years on staff, then promoted as a area director at 18 with 5-8 people working under them, then at 21 as camp director handling a $300K plus budget with 60-80 employees? Or an 18/22 year old that has worked on local camp staff, then possibly international camp staff overseas or as a regional or National officer for OA? No brainer. It would be the 4.0 GPA with the leadership and world experiences.

     

    I wish there had been a lot more information about some of the above scouting stuff when I was your age back in the 70's. I would have been applying to camp staff, High Adventure staff, International camp staff, Jambo staff, etc.

     

    Michael, maybe think about using your musical talents on staff at the 2009 NOAC or the 2010 Jambo. How many of your fellow band members or your band director would ever dream of having the possibility of playing for the President at Jambo?

     

  17. Yeah, I remember marching band members missing games, and there being holes in the line. I was one of Pavlov's dogs, I'm mean Burn's band kids. No leadership there. The drill is drilled into your head so you don't forget.

     

    But let's see,

    Football - coach gives you the plays. The only time you get to make a decision is when the play gets screwed up, and you have to improvise.

    Don't mess the play up, hold onto the ball, and run like heck.

    Defense, you may have a little more opportunity to make some decisions and show some leadership.

     

    Other sports have less opportunity to show real leadership, making real decisions that really effect how things are, except for some collegic sports.

     

    Here is my problem with high school programs. When our troop does take the time in August or September to contact the coaches and directors , and get sports and band schedules, the schedules never hold true. The items on them go down as scheduled. Then they add things to the schedule, sometimes with only a two or three week leadtime, and expect everyone to bend over backwards for these added items, with the grade threat. Band is horrible when it comes to this.

     

    I have two that I want to send to NYLT the second week of June. Sounds like it should be an Ok week, school just out and all. NOPE!!!

    Unofficial football clinic. You want to be on the HS team, be there. Not there, no team. They expect 8th graders to attend. It's a clinic, not practic. That way they can draw in the younger ones without violating any rules, but still using the threat. ISN'T BLCKMAIL WONDERFUL.

     

    Don't get me wrong. I had one that letter 4 years in swimming. But the coach knew the value of Scouting, and other activies. The coach had the Coach's Award for the kid's that never missed a practice, except for illness or family death. Those that were tied to other activies received their letter, just not the Coach's Award. If you didn't qualify for an invitational, you had practice. If there was another activity that weekend, Scouts, church, Debate Team, etc, you were excused with no threats, no sidelining at the next meet. My son never received the Coach's Award becuase of Scouting. He swam every meet except when ill. To bad other coaches can't comprehend this concept.

     

    I think next school year, I'll ask the coaches (individually) and the band and choir directors out for a cup of coffee. I'll hand them the copy of their schedule that I receive, then one of the Troop schedule. I'll showing them that we coordinated our events around theirs, and that I expect our scouts to be at our events since there are no schedule conflict. I'll then give them one of our schedules, along with their boys that are in our troop. If events are added on to their schedule, I appreciate their understanding as to why a few members may be missing the added event, without the threat of loosing a letter grade, since we have planned our events out a year in advance around their events, and our scouts and or parents may have paid some serious money for some of these events, possibly with limited refunds for withdrawing.

     

     

  18. Come on Scout, you can get the name out. Just think of a grain that we eat. Just kidding. But really, it is OK to say the name. Now I might have a hard time spelling the first name though.

     

    All come on, no takers to my question? She would have also been the first naturalized First Lady, and the second foriegn born.

     

    Who was the first foriegn born?

  19. And some people never get it. Our present SM played minor league ball. He actually was called up and played some pro games. Long story short, he blew his ankle. Checkmate, game over. He's SM. Never involved in scouting until his son joined. But where do you think his priorities lie? Sports. You would think he would have enough sense to push scouting instead.

     

    How many HS athletes really pull scholarships? And what happens if they get injured and are out for the rest of college?

     

    Do any of you ever think of promoting scholarships for scouts? How many of you know what Scholarships are out there, or which universities or colleges offer them?

     

    Maybe if we emphasized what leadership programs (local, regional and national in DC), travel opportunities (national and international), job experiences (national and international), scholarships, financial gain (2 E levels in the military for Eagles) are available to our scouts and parents, then maybe they might take a look at our SCOUTING program and what it has to offer over sports and band.

     

    Hey, the scout could go to Jambo as a band member for half the cost. Some of our athletes can travel to Europe and participate in the Scouting Winter Olymics. YES THIS IS A REAL THING!!! Maybe they have to be skiers or play hockey.

     

    THE PROGRAMING IS THERE. WE NEED TO PROMOTE IT. Otherwise no one knows it is there.

  20. Albert,

    Good advice. It might also work with asking coaches and directors if the scouts can leave from a location with their parent, so they can be brought out to camp, instead of riding the bus back to the school. This definitely cuts off a lot of time. Plus they aren't arriving at midnight. The problem is getting the parents to bring their scouts out to camp after Friday night events. Today's parents don't want the bother. We never had this problem back when I was a scout. I guess the closer you live to your Council's camp, the better.

     

    I've known SM's that have sat new scouts and parents down and explained that if the boy wants to be in the troop, that the SM expects the boy to put forth the effort. Also ask what would happen if the youth showed up for practice, a game, or concert out of uniform, what would happen, and that they, the SM expects the same at meetings and outings.

     

    My oldst joind right before his 16th birthday. He managed to swim varsity, belong to a Crew for a while, illustrate and write for the school's literary publication, belong to the German, Spanish and International Clubs, make 90% of the troop activities, work 20 hours per week, volunteer with the county parks, sat on the village park board, and achieve Eagle in 27 months. And he didn't drive until 18.

     

    The boys can do it if they put their minds to it, and the parents leave them alone and let them manage their time. Help when asked, and don't be pushy.

     

  21. The whole Hawaiian COLB controversy centers around the fact that at one time, Hawaii would issue a parent a COLB for a child that they gave birth to while they were overseas. That is why they are demanding that a copy of the original be presented.

     

    As for the oath being administer late, Biden must not have realized what time it was. He didn't jump up yelling "I'M PRESIDENT!!! I'M PRESIDENT!!!" Quayle, watch out.

     

    And Pelosi being one step away. Now that's scary.

     

    Oh well. Let's all start planning next years Day of Service now. It could make for some nice Eagle projects.

     

    Trivia question: Other then Michelle Obama, what other African- American woman came closest to becoming first lady? a little clue, we're talking in our lifetime. And some of us on this forum have not been around that long.

  22. IM,

    Both my boys and I are Arrowmen. I was inducted in back in the 70's when you may have been nominated 2 or 3 years in a roll before being elected in.

     

    Both boys love it. The older one, now 22, became a member late, at 17, but hadn't joined scouting until almost 16. The younger one can't get enough of OA.

     

    Our Chapter Chief is only 14, a big responsibility for a young man.

     

    Our Lodge has three fellowship weekends a year, two Ordeal weekends, plus tapouts at summercamp every week. There are leadership training weekends a couple of times a year at the sectional and national level that are open to all. The National OA Conference is this coming August, 4000-6000 scouts together for a week of learning, games arena shows, etc.

     

    As for High Adventure, he can attend Philmont, Sea Base, or Northern Tier for two weeks, one in service, one having fun, for less then $300 plus transportation. He can apply to National Jamboree staff, and work with other Arrowmen promoting OA, and possibly to international events. This last summer 5000 Arrowmen went to five different national parks and forests to provide a couple of weeks service the the NPS.

     

    The possibilities are endless. It all depends on how active he wants to be, and how far he wants to take it.

     

    Most scouts will do their Ordeal, get their sash and pocket patch, show up at summercamp for the OA ice cream social, and that is the end of their involvement. The ones that stay in become close friends for life.

     

    Good luck to your son. tell him not to be intimidated by the older members. They will welcome him with open arms.

     

     

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