Stosh

Wasn't supposed to be.

I have 3 natural children, 4 step children and a whole ton of scouting children. My 3 and my wife's 4 are doing very well off. However, many of the boys in my scouting family come from broken homes, abusive homes, smothering homes, indifferent parent homes, etc. etc. etc. Not much more I can do with my own kids, but there's a ton of them out there that I can help. Been doing it for 40+ years. Never regretted a moment of it. Maybe not rely so much on your son's goals, make some of your own and go after them. You're never too old to turn dreams into reality. I have a ton of adventures yet to get done before I wrap it up for good. I might not have my grandson along for the adventure, but I'm never alone. There's always some kid out there that would love the journey. Stosh

Okay, XX million people were without health insurance. but XXXX million had it. So lets screw everyone for the XX few. Instead, why didn't the government simply pay the premiums for the XX million people like we do for such things as housing, food stamps, and every other government program? That way the really poor would have been helped and the XXXX million rest of us would be left alone. Way to simple for a huge bureaucracy to consider. Now we have the IRS running health care. Show me where "common sense" plays any part of that process. Stosh

The way the system was heading, only the rich would be able to afford healthcare. With ACA, now every American regardless of income has access to healthcare. First of all, I don't know anyone who can really predict the future. Up until this year, my health benefits were increasing and the cost was indeed coming down. Our local healthcare system was working it out with companies in the community to make it happen. Unfortunately this year, my premiums went up and my benefits went down. Why? Because of the Cadillac clause meant my company had to provide less or be penalized by the government. Presently, I have been able to stay out of the government's clutches, receive $85/mo premium and a Health Savings Plan that the company prefills to cover the deductable. They beat the Cadillac penalty and kept the costs reasonable. And I repeat, this is a LOCAL option here in town and not everyone is wealthy in our town. Common labor union members working for us get the same benefits and under the government they would have been ripped just like everyone else. So, "The way the system was heading.." here was great. Now no one knows where it is really heading. There are a ton of people here that are ecstatic that our governor told Obama where to stick it. Stosh

My cat comes when called. Sits up and begs for treats and when it's on the kitchen counter and I tell it to "get down", he starts to dance. So what's the problem? Stosh

Self esteem is based on what other people say is valuable about you. Self respect is based on what you know is valuable about yourself. Adults have been PC lying to kids for years and even they will be the first to know how bogus that is. Hey, mom, look at this terrific trophy I got for just showing up! Yeah, right. Kids are a lot more savvy than what we give them credit for. Let me guess... most of those trophies don't even make it home, let alone on some shelf in the kid's bedroom. Stosh

How to take an excellent private industry and totally run it into the ground so that an ineffectual government boondoggle can replace it? Well, we now know. Insurance companies are dumping people right and left, others left with no insurance and can't sign up for the government system and even if they do, doctors are heading out the back door in droves. Yep, we're heading for a single payer system which literally translated means when all is said and done, only the richest guy in the country is going to be able to pay for health care, the rest are on their own. This is quite a legacy this administration is leaving for our children and their children.

Yeah Skeptic I'd bet this is true of the media with regards to most anything... they like to villianize anything they can to get readership or get you to turn in to the nightly news. Anything that purports itself to be "good", BSA, youth pastor, school teacher, cop, etc... is automatically a lightening rod if / when something bad happens anywhere close to the "good" thing. It makes the news that more sensational, eh? I noticed a long time ago, the media that has been attacking these "good" things has taken an even bigger hit in their credibility. Real journalism went down the toilet a loooong time ago. I used to avoid the opinion page because it really wasn't news. Now I avoid the whole thing because that's all it is, one big opinion page. Haven't read a newspaper for years. It's been over 20 years since I had one delivered to my house. I have been involved in a ton of events that "made the news". 100% of the time, the reporters got it wrong. There has to be some reason for it, but I can't for the world figure it out. Stosh

To me it kinda sounds like a "safety net" for everyone whether they need it or not. The charity of every American can be counted on regardless of governmental intervention. The American population rose to the occasion in the aftermath of Katrina and Sandy and yet the complaint is not against the people but the nanny state government that made grandiose promises to get elected and then bailed on them when they needed it the most. Sorry, I don't buy the political solution for social problems as an appropriate method of dealing with it. By the way, I took in an alcoholic veteran into my home for two years trying to help him out. When the police came and dragged him out. I figured I had done enough. Does that mean I am begrudging a disabled veteran who served our country? Sorry, that emotional tear jerk plea isn't going to cut it in my family. My wife and I will be ringing bells for the Salvation Army this year instead of driving a drunk to detox at the VA hospital. That is after we do a shift at the community Thanksgiving Dinner down at the civic center. I'm not a cynical person, but I do like to put my time, talent and resources to the most effective means possible and paying taxes to fund stupidity as my charitable contribution doesn't make me sleep better at night. By the way, my wife and I's trip to Colorado this fall was cancelled because after contacting people out there they said they had plenty of help. Nice to know that my wife and I are not the only ones that do this sort of thing. There's a whole country of people out there that can do it better than bureaucracies. Stosh

I kinda assumed that so I just left it as "an uneasy feeling." Stosh

When it comes to packs, most of the standard packs are way too big for the average kid starting out. What I do is get the boys to pack their school packs for the first year. First it is well within their physical capabilities to carry the small load and second, it begins the training on cutting the crap to a minimum. Couple of changes of clothes, flashlight, first aid kit, mess kit, canteen on a strap, toiletries, wear your outer clothing unless it's too hot, then lash on over the pack if necessary, garbage bag for rain poncho in the pocket, sleeping bag strapped to front straps to balance the load. I never have the newbies carry camp gear. It's difficult enough carrying their own necessities. For long term camping (summer camp), the boys are taught to multiple pack and portage the gear with multiple trips. If nothing else it gets the boys thinking about weight and they can consider a bigger pack when they have the strength to handle it. I still use the bedroll worn like a horse collar over one shoulder along with my Yucca pack. It can be done. One does not need to bring everything from home on an outing. There have been plenty of outings where my "mess kit" is nothing more than a Sierra cup and spoon. The cup on the belt and the spoon in my pocket. Inevitably as SM I have had to take on someone else's pack for short stints and it's best not be overloaded yourself. A small boy's pack on the front is easy enough to carry. I first learned this process, not while backpacking, but while canoeing. Nothing is as bad as a double portage when you get stuck with the canoe. It's always better to rest up while the boys go back for the second trip. The only time I ever needed help was on a 3 mile portage in the BWCA. Stosh

I've been a moderator on many forums over the years, it's a thankless job. You're damned if you do, and damned if you don't. I was being a bit sarcastic, but there's a cautious warning behind it. Be careful of one's posts, one can do a ton of harm to the members, especially the newbies. By far this is one of the best moderated forums I have been on. Some get way out of hand. Stosh

My wife doesn't need a 4 mile hike to be crabby and not cook dinner. She gets worn out walking from the sofa to the kitchen. If anyone forwards this link to her, I'm a dead man. Stosh

If you want to know how all this cost stuff works, you need 3 cups and a pea. You turn the cups upside down, put the pea under one of them and voila! You can very easily see it it works. Don't worry about the details, it'll all work out in the end, trust me, the check is in the mail. Stosh

No, they were 12 when they started. The two year trek must have been pretty hard on them. Stosh

When someone spams a site, it's always a ton of fun to mock it. Gotta be careful, some newbie might make his/her first post and the forum could tear them apart! Stosh

Kinda uneasy feeling with this thread. Utah Scouts? The boys weren't the one's tipping things over. Utah Scouters? Maybe. Park rangers have more problem with the youth or the adults? I'm thinking this is not limited to Utah either. Hopefully that isn't some code word for LDS. Just a feeling. RememberSchiff, I'm not assuming anything on your part, it's more of a feeling on my part. Stosh

The PC program that has been operating for the past several years has been to build self-esteem in our youth. To a certain degree this may be helpful, but we as a whole have gone way overboard with it. I find that bullies never lack self-esteem, but seldom do I seen them possessing even one ounce of self-respect. Stosh

I'm thinking new WB is designed more for replacing leader specific training and would be better served there. The team building concept is basically the Patrol-Method, which isn't being applied much, but could be resurrected without an expensive program. Brew, you're correct, the old program is looking back on wistfully because it has been relegated to all the charm of the era of dinosaurs. Even if they have had WB prior to 2000 they cannot serve on the new and improved program regardless of how many years of scouting they have under their belt. Can't be on Jambo contingents either without special consideration. They put me on the Centennial Jambo contingent, not because I was WB trained, but because of my emphasis on boy-led. The interesting thing about the whole process is it had been traditional that the former contingent members were assigned selecting the next contingent staff. They didn't invite me to be in on that for the upcoming Jambo. Musta been something I said. Stosh

I don't think they needed a tour permit. They didn't apply until you hit 11,000 miles.

Typo - should be #12

It's Bush's fault. Stosh

Digital, Not all the low-income use insurance and won't buy it even under ACA. They stay under the radar and work the system. It's possible, I've seen it done and from what I estimate the cost to the taxpayer for just one individual totaled up to a whopping - Boat load! $200/month food stamps $1500/month SS disability VA pays all medical - 5 rehab sessions, 6 trips to ER and huge amounts of prescription drugs, most of which are salable on the streets, in just the past 24 months. First time he went in, the doctor was surprised he wasn't dead. Stood there and carried on a conversation with the doctor and he had a blood/alcohol level of 5.2. He has it made! As taxpayer, we are paying him to be an alcoholic. Just last Friday, police, at the direction of welfare social workers, dragged him out of a hotel room and put him in ER detox. By Sunday he was back on the streets. Today's Monday. Guess what he's up to! Stosh

Scout Law #10 makes it a target. Tolerance is no longer PC. Stosh

Obviously times have changed. 4 scouts were also the first to walk the entire length of the Appalachian Trail, even before it was complete. I think it was back in that time period as well. I guess adventures of today aren't what they used to be. I wonder if either adventure had two-deep leadership? The article doesn't say. Stosh