packsaddle

This is purely personal perspective but when I was a boy scout back in the 50s and 60s, one of my strongest memories as well as strongest interests at that time...was in constructing my 'survival kit'. I really took that 'Be Prepared' idea to heart and poured over the details of what I really needed to survive. I really enjoyed thinking about all the situations I might have to overcome (most of them wistful fantasies), and I always, ALWAYS, made sure my survival kit was well-stocked with my favorite snacks. I have a fond memory of my mother attempting to stifle her laugh when as she went through my list. But that didn't deter me from my quest. I paid a little less attention to the fire kit (which was really just part of the survival kit) and even less to the first aid kit (which should have been part of the survival kit but wasn't) because, I suppose, fire-making and first aid were more utilitarian and offered less potential for those wonderfully wistful fantasies I could think about in my mind. Let's see, some string...how many survival stories could I spin in order to use that...??? My point is...in the mind of a boy who really loves this scouting stuff, I think the kits are a great way to cultivate the passion as well as the skills.(This message has been edited by packsaddle)

"It is telling that the best candidate they had, in my opinion, was Huntsman; but he was too centrist for the current campaign apparently." And I tend to agree, he seemed very thoughtful...and not at all the sort of person we'd want as a Republican candidate. More importantly, I've never seen his 'long form' either. Let's just see, h'mmm.....Huntsman - Yoda? or maybe urSu the Master? Back to the comic opera of this topic: Long Live Arpaio and his Posse! Republicans, please keep it coming!(This message has been edited by packsaddle)

...and at moments like this my dear grandmother used to observe, "The more you stir a turd, the more it stinks." I really miss her.

Yeah, when I heard Santorum say that I had to stifle my middle-school self from blurting out, "Save me the big pieces!". I half expected "gag a maggot" to come out somewhere else in that speech. BS-87, I was hoping for space alien types, not real-life organisms but if that's what floats your boat, go for it with the Dems too! It's just that this year, at least, they're not providing us with so much low humor as the Republicans. So to the Republicans I say, Bravo! Encore!

I agree with JoeBob and TT. It's not really a big deal. We did it all the time and I never heard anyone grumble about it.

Well...as long as the nattering nutters are echoing in their chamber, we might as well have some fun with it. So...President Obama aside, which of the aspiring Republicans most resemble space aliens, and specifically which aliens? My votes: Ron Paul - My Favorite Martian New Gingrich - Jabba the Hutt Rick Santorum - Gaius Helen Mohiam Mitt Romney - Beldar Conehead Rick Perry - Jar Jar Binks Michele Bachman - why, Michele Bachman herself, of course - doesn't get much more space-alien than that. Edit to add: Shortridge, are you still trying to confuse those people with FACTS?(This message has been edited by packsaddle)

I can hardly wait to make this available to all of my students. As Beavah notes, I won't need to speak a single word...it speaks for itself. Related observation: we recently noticed that we don't have 'long form' birth certificates for our children, only that 'short form' that no one seems to think is legitimate. So I applied for the long form for my daughter. We have to do this through a state agency and it is sent from the capital offices. It arrived. Nowhere on this document does it claim to be a "Birth Certificate". It is titled, "Certification of Vital Record". I guess her prospects for ever running for President are pretty much over now. Besides, according to that state agency, there ISN'T any longer a paper original of the document that they printed off from the computer, you know...one with doctor's signatures, etc. It doesn't even list who the doctors were or the hospital! I guess this thing could also be considered a forgery by Arpaio. Can't prove a negative! That pretty much excludes from candidacy EVERYONE born in this state. H'mmmm...that's probably a good thing. Heck for that matter, my wife's 'long form' (from the state of NY) doesn't even list her first name. She's listed as "baby - last name". I had a good laugh about that one because I suspect that old practice disqualified many thousands of other babies born around that same time. Edit to add: I'd make a really lousy 'first husband' anyway.(This message has been edited by packsaddle)

I'd support ending ALL deductions and government subsidies, welfare, and handouts, charitable or otherwise, regardless of whether to churches or industry or anything, ALL of them...and make them ALL pay taxes same as everyone else. Income, sales, property, whatever. Then take the extra revenue and either balance the budget or lower MY taxes. Either way is good.(This message has been edited by packsaddle)

Take a bucket of water with you when you do. Then dip the replacement out in the parking lot and if the colors run (go catch them...sorry, couldn't resist) take that one back for a new replacement. Then dip that one...repeat as necessary. Sooner or later they'll get the message.

SMT224, I get what you're saying regarding Iraq and Afghanistan. I'll make one comment that IMHO while Johnson might have been a master politician, he engaged in terribly tragic blunders during Vietnam, not to mention outright deceptions, to great cost in both blood and treasure. We sure DIDN'T learn much from that did we? RememberSchiff, I also note that Kennedy's death was an arranged one...and he didn't produce HIS long form birth certificate either.

You are diabolical...........I like that.

OGE, I hope you understand that it's been a few hours now and I still have that earworm you planted....those were the days, oh yes those were the days... And a nice one at that. One of my favorites of all time.

I'm with OGE on this. It's a market for volunteers out there. And every single one of us has our own unique reasons for making the decisions we make as to whether to continue or not. I can set aside my feelings about 'policy' in order to assist with the youth for as long as they want me to...or not. My choice and theirs...as it should be.

When I was a scout, during a game of capture the flag another scout picked up a big rock and told the others, "watch me hit ol' packsaddle" and then he threw it. It broke my kneecap. Needless to say it was rather painful. I screamed and cried so badly that other boys were crying. What did the leaders do? Took me to the hospital, got an x-ray, some stitches, and a cast, and then back to the campout. I guess that was a different time. The other boy was really sorry about what he did but he dropped out about a year later. That scar is still there.

Sorry Beavah, I was struck by the importance that you seem to attach to this particular topic. I would have posed a similar inquiry if SeattlePioneer, for example, had spun a new thread on penis amputations. To respond to your question, I have no good resolution to this problem other than to employ a 'legal passive aggressiveness': meaning that if we DID deluge the courts with a few million of these cases, including offspring of legislators, I suspect that would "break that dog from sucking eggs". It probably wouldn't do the youth much good though. I'm glad you understand the problem in the terms that you stated. Technology has given us access to many behaviors that 'the law' seems unprepared to address. So help me out with it. Tell me what an officer of the court thinks is the solution to this. Working with a scenario similar to the one you proposed in the other thread: a juvenile female has 'sexted' to a juvenile male. You detected this behavior. What should be your response as an officer of the court? Should this be a model for those of us who are not in that position? I'd be interested in the opinions of nldscout and NJCubscouter as well if they're 'listening'.

Beavah, answer this question: Who was the person in the parent thread who first raised the 'sexting' topic? As far as I can find, that post occurred on Thursday, 2/23/2012 at 8:51:17 AM. Am I wrong?

K1986, You do know that 'the pledge' wasn't adopted until 1942 and "under God" was inserted even later in 1954, right?

Beavah, I note that you didn't respond with even a single case in which a non-violent 14 year old was sentenced to 10 years. I'm still hoping to see your data on that. I base my view on more than one case. That is more 'data' than you have given. I was clear about my statement applying to "my area". Evidently you misunderstood what that meant. What I don't understand is your unwillingness to allow that PTI just might work well someplace. But I know "my area" better than you do, so I will continue to reject your uninformed opinion of it. Your prejudice against PTI may be based on your personal experience someplace. If so you haven't been clear about that. And you may be correct about PTI in Arizona. But you haven't offered any data to support that opinion. Engineer61's opinion therefore carries as much weight as yours. Have a nice day.

I know because I've been involved with PTI before with youth not my own. I was very impressed by the sensitivity and good sense all parties applied. As far as 'invoking' it, at the age YOU stated in your scenario, unless there are 'priors', the automatic first option is determined by Family Court which has more than one 'level' of PTI. I would not have to invoke anything other than my report of an illegal act. I know this, again, because I've been involved in the process in the past. Moreover, the PTI process allows input from persons who are involved with the youth. Again, I know this because I've participated. Finally, and this one is something you often do...I mentioned 'ignoring' the law and you somehow spun that into something having to do with 'not enforcing' the law. I suspect that you know the difference. I could be wrong. Edit: I checked...at ages less than 16 in this state, first-offender, non-violent youth will be diverted by Family Court to one of several options, I guess all of them would be considered PTI of some sort. At any rate, a 10-year sentence for such a 14 year old first offender is very unlikely. So I'm curious, each year how many 14 year olds receive 10-year sentences for non-violent crimes?(This message has been edited by packsaddle)

I can't speak for Engineer61 but in that scenario I can say with great certainty that his son's 'friend' is absolutely no friend at all and if I was the father I would deal with it rather severely. And yes, in my area I do know, also with great certainty, that PTI works really well and that I'm ready to invoke it. I seriously doubt that it would escalate to the extreme that you portray. Moreover, I would be dismayed if an attorney advised me to ignore the law.

Heh, heh, based on my informal observations THAT would be the LAST thing I would expect to be amputated. But....you seem to be preoccupied with this particular option. You're not thinking of setting a trend are you?

SeattlePioneer, I hate to tell you (no I don't actually;)) that you're lagging a bit regarding branding. Check out the Omega Psi Phi fraternity branding rituals. And they're not alone. I discovered this when I noticed some nasty burns on a few students. I asked how they acquired their injuries and they laughed and replied that they had done it intentionally as part of their fraternity ritual. Have a great day! (This message has been edited by packsaddle)

You're free to choose between two options: Go....Don't Go. Personally, I'll "go west". To me "50,000" is a spectre, not something attractive. But how my decision might affect your decision is in your 'fuddy duddy' hands.

My wife just tells me I'm not invited. Works for me!

This unit has about 18 active boys right now. The council lists 85. >>>not really, just a little dark BSA humor there...