GernBlansten

I'm feeling the same way about Woodbadge. I really wouldn't mind taking the two weekends and go through it, but I have no desire to be badgered about completing my ticket. I feel that other woodbadgers might feel less of me if I didn't follow through. Kinda like the Life scout who doesn't want the hassles of the project.

Churches often occupy prime, high traffic real estate. The tax revenue lost by not having a Piggly Wiggly there is significant. I ain't saying we should bulldoze them, but they do get a free ride.

Churches get a free ride. They don't pay for their fire department, police, and other government services provided by tax payer money? So in effect, we pay their way through our tax dollars.

Exactly. Depending on who from District handles a project (our DAC doesn't review the projects, he assigns someone to do it) the expectations on what is required to get from Life to Eagle vary. I've coached 9 eagles in my unit. I've had 6 differnet district guys assigned to the scouts. Each one did things differently and had special "requirements". The DAC does a great job trying to dispell myths, but some of the district guys still have their own agendas. And of course, they are always right aren't they?(This message has been edited by gernblansten)

Ed, see DanKroh's post on why abortions are sometimes unavoidable. Beavah, you are correct that the proper role of Churches is to guide their flock to what they consider a moral high ground. However, they cross the line when they lobby to have their morality legislated on the greater public.

My wife's and my work is steady and looks like it will survive. She has been asked to take as much personal and vacation time as she can. I work as an independent contractor, but the projects I'm assigned still need to get done and the funding is solid. Retirements? I've lost nearly 50%. The kids college funds are well below our initial investments in them. Our house is paid off and we have no car loans. So when college time rolls around, we will probably just take out a mortgage on the home to pay for it. The value of the home as depreciated about 25% from the high but we have been here for 20 years and plan on being buried in the back yard with the dogs.

Tax cheats? Get real. What these guys did was clearly a tax mistake, not a cheat. They have far too much to lose to try to actively deceive the IRS for this amount of money. They made mistakes, they paid their dues. I sold a truck for $24,000 through a consignment broker once. After the sale, he sent me a 1099 for the sale price. I ignored it, didn't know what it was. I did my own taxes. 2 years later I get a notice from the IRS on unclaimed income of $24,000. They wanted back taxes and penalties for $7,000. Was I a tax cheat? I didn't think so, it was a tax mistake. I had to file ammended returns to show the sale price was less than my purchase price, and still had to pay the penalties. This is exactly what Daschle did, just on a smaller scale. He failed to show income that he thought he didn't receive. As for the vetting process, if they didn't know they had a tax problem, how would Obama's team know about it? Not until the media started sifting through their stuff did this even surface. I looked at the application that Obama required each candidate to fill out, looked pretty comprehensive. None of these problems would have been uncovered on it, unless the candidate knowing hid it from Obama. I now know with my previous tax issue, I'm not qualified to meet the standards.

To me, abortion is always wrong, but sometimes unavoidable. I feel so strongly about this that I would never get one myself. Even if I could. I just don't think is workable to criminalize it. So many unintended consequences. And with new drugs, nearly unenforceable. Think RU486. Ain't it bizarre that the most fervent pro-lifers (save the Catholics) support killing the abortionists and mothers? And ain't it bizarre that those same people, Catholics included, only support the least effective method to avoid abortions, abstinence only education? Think Bristol Palin. I don't like government deciding what people do with what the government considers an unviable tissue mass. Once the government decides it has rights, I might reconsider. I'm with OGE. Put your efforts into making it rare and unnecessary.

The 15 yr old girl is the example for how sticky criminalizing abortions can get. If abortion = murder, then anyone who gets one must be treated as any other premediated murderer. Death penalty in most states. Are we ready to execute teenagers and mothers with small children? And what about those sperm donors? Accomplices? Does every miscarriage become a crime scene?

Our unit has 40 boys. 8 are life scouts. None of the PLs are Eagle scouts and I would not expect them to know the process enough to coach a patrol member through it. Most of our Eagles get it within weeks of aging out, so there are few to help out. Actually, my son is the only active Eagle in the troop and he's JASM. He's been tasked by the SM to lead the troop guides in training the new scouts this spring. My job as L2EC takes up little of my time, most of the time. However, the SM is always busy. When a scout has a question, usually the SM is busy and not always available. Plus, the SM has so many balls to juggle, keeping up with ever changing district expectations can be daunting. I keep in contact with the DAC and keep current. It just relieves the SM of yet one more thing to worry about. He still signs off on the project and does the SMC. I just don't see this as taking anything from the SM.

In order for waterboarding to be effective, the subject must have the sensation and realization that their life will soon end. Otherwise, its just a cold shower. What hardened terrorist would give up information if they knew they would survive the procedure with no lasting injuries? The unpleasant aspect is the sensation that you are drowning and will soon die. Similar to loading a revolver with one round and holding it to the subjects head and pulling the trigger. Of course, you only loaded a blank, but he doesn't know that. Or better yet, get one of the family members of the subject and put the gun to their head. Then ask the subject a question, pull the trigger. If you think you are gonna die, its torture.

Ed, Would Jesus execute a 15 year old who had an abortion?

So Ed, would you say the same thing, right before you executed the 15 year old girl?

I don't view the Life to Eagle coach as subverting the scoutmaster. Its purely administrative and relieves the SM from dealing with the minutia of questions and paperwork. I'm an ASM and the L2EC in our unit, I work as a delegate of the SM. I don't evaluate the scouts strengths and weaknesses, I just have the answers they need when approaching Eagle. Typical questions: Mr. Blansten, do you think this would be a good Eagle project? Mr. Blansten, where do I get the workbook? Mr. Blansten, my family doesn't attend any church, who should I get to write my religious recommendation? Mr. Blansten, who do I submit my project proposal to at District? The SM is still in the loop. They still work with the scout. Just not on the administrative stuff.

Interesting. To think that the boys would get wage is kinda a stretch if they were fundraising. If they did pay them a wage, they would be employees and subject to all sorts of labor laws, including child labor laws. Our Philmont contigent did a fund raiser at Bass Pro a couple of years ago. We gift wrapped, boxed stuff and carried stuff for customers. Tips only. I think the boys netted about $10 a piece for a days work. Needless to say, we haven't done that again.

Its just situational ethics. After WW2, we prosecuted and executed those who waterboarded our soldiers. Now its OK to do it. What changed?

I always thought the conservatives viewed themselves as better Americans, putting country before politics. I guess they are just as shallow as they think the liberals are.

Ed, WWJD?

there is no lower limit only upper limits, as long as he's healthy enough to do the trek. Keep in mind though, he will be carrying close to 40 lbs and upwards of 50 on dry camp days with water. Recommended backpack weight is about 25% of body weight for youth. At Philmont, you typically are carrying 35% of body weight. My pack with water was 65 lbs. I weighed 180 so my pack was about 36%. My son was also under the recommended ranges for his height. Came in dripping wet at about 110. But he could pack 45lbs all day. I too was a bit worried, but don't be. They didn't even put him on the scale. The only ones who got the scale were the ones who were suspected of being overweight. I was right in the middle of my range and the doctor didn't weigh me. I went ahead and weighed myself just to see how much weight I'd lose on the trek. Turns out, I gained about 5 lbs on the trek. But I lost about an inch off my waist.

What should be the punishment for having an abortion? If its murder, shouldn't it be the death penalty? Who shall be the first to throw the switch on a 15 year old girl?

Perhaps Daschle and Geithner felt a tax cut would help stimulate the economy and were just leading by example?

What percentage of FOS goes to national? I think it will effect my contribution this year.

I read today that the embryos she was implanted with were from a previous batch. She could not bear the thought of destroying them and had no choice but to have them implanted. For those who prescribe to the life begins at conception, would she have been a murder or simple child abandonment had she chosen not to implant the remaining embryos? Are there adoption agencies to place abandoned embryos?

Those children will starve if they are waiting for the Pro-life groups to sweep in and offer to take care of them.

Is this a greater accomplishment for these nine scouts than the scout from a troop who was the only eagle that year? I'm not seeing the connection. For me, whether you earned your Eagle with eight friends, or did it alone, the award and its significance should be equal to the scout. Now I can see the troop and its leaders getting some accolades for producing 9 Eagles at a time. That's pretty impressive.