packsaddle

I agree. But I also salute YOU, OldGreatTriviamaster!

Yeah, I was thinking this was the wrong date for the Challenger disaster. Wonder how Eagle732 came up with this?

Scoutfish, you might want to review Beavah's nice little guide to who to complain to and when to do it.

I'll go along with Scoutnut on this. If they did the minimum, they DID the minimum and met the requirements. They're moving on and so should you.

Actually, I'd even count that gnat! It doesn't have to be done on an official outing. But it would be nice if it is done by actually going outside. To me the cartoon implied that the scout found all his wildlife on the internet and completed the requirements online. I could be wrong.

Plant patents: yes, I'm unfamiliar with the law on this but unless someone has engineered an actual NEW and UNIQUE type of plant which as far as we can determine CAN'T occur without specific human intervention (like Monsanto does with GM crops) I can't support gaining patent (or copyright) protection for things that nature can do for free. Likewise, I thought getting a patent on, for example, enzyme cofactors, was a bit squiggly. That's like getting a patent on using silicon for semiconductors (and who knows, there may BE a patent on that) or perhaps on the use of the semicolon. Really, we bring this stuff on ourselves. Do I need to quote Gordon again?

Acco40, just wait. I can tell you for sure that age has not made me better. Wife will agree. Rooster7, believe it or not I have written fondly of you. Welcome back. Stick around. Have some fun.

LeCastor opened this thread with a very upbeat, optimistic opening. It deteriorated, putting it mildly. ScoutBox improved the tone and I thank him for that.(This message has been edited by packsaddle)

Saw it. I wonder if the artist is connected in some way? He sure knew how to make a point!

Trev, When I look back on what could have been back in 2000 and compare that to what actually happened, what can I say? If you think I'm a 'dry heave' when it comes to the future, I guess I deserve that tag. If Texas wanted to secede with Ron Paul as the new president of the Republic of Texas, I'd be OK with that. Unfortunately it would greatly increase the amount of border the rest of us would have to guard in order to prevent uneducated 'illegals' from crossing the southern border to steal our jobs.(This message has been edited by packsaddle)

Son is three years out of college, working on gas turbine design, and already has more than a dozen patents. I'll ask him about those rounded edges, lol. As if the derivatives market wasn't already bewildering enough, take a look at the patent trading markets.

Studies like his work REALLY well if you have a pre-conceived idea you want to support. H'mmm, he left off a few: Sumerian Empire - the Uruk period alone lasted over 1000 years. Egyptian Empire - around 3000 years until the Romans conquered them. Mayan Empire - about 2000 years China - also about 2000 years ...but who's counting? Look, there is a lot of latitude about when one decides is the beginning and the end of an 'empire', even just what an 'empire' IS in the first place. By Glubb's own admission, the Arabs (Moors) ruled over Spain for 780 years...no need to let a technicality like that get in the way of an obvious 'truth'. And about that British Empire...shhhhhhh....they're still in denial.

"Can anyone really think that the jumble of radical policies proposed would not result in swift catastrophe? His ideas are such a hodgepodge, that it is hard to take him seriously. Completely eliminate income tax? Return to the gold standard? Really???" Trevorum, "catastrophe"? Really? Did you slip into bed with Rip Van Winkle back in 2000? I'll give Ron Paul this much. He's honest. Yes, he's quirky and so rock-solid consistent in his thinking so as to wonder if he actually does. And yes, the KKK really likes the guy. But look where we are. Look where we went after 2000. What the heck, they WON!!! Don't you get it? It's already over. It's as if you're in the bus that just went over the cliff and now you're arguing with someone about who gets to drive or something. Wow. It doesn't matter anymore! Stop worrying! Sit back and enjoy the ride, for a little while, while you still can.

Since Beavah has already dismissed, as silly nonsense, all those predictions which were based on deeply-held religious beliefs, I'll just inform you, Scoutfish, that the Rapture already happened - back in 1996. Sorry, fella, it's too late. You're 'left behind' with the rest of us slimes.(This message has been edited by packsaddle)

Eagle92, for purposes of map reading exercises I have close to 1000 old topos available. I'll send some to you for the cost of postage if you want. Or if anyone else wants some, just let me know. They're all stored flat, unfolded. Random maps from different places around the country.

While most federal government documents are public domain, I have been involved with projects in which contractors retained IP rights, even in the products they produced for the public. If someone wanted to go 'under the hood' so-to-speak, they have to pay the contractor whatever fee he charges for that access. So while those USGS maps are OK, it isn't a 'blanket' rule. In addition, documents produced by state or local governments are OFTEN copyright-protected.

Papadaddy, if that photo processor claimed its refusal to copy that old photo was based on its corporate deeply-held religious beliefs, there is a person in this thread who would be bound to defend that corporate policy. In fact, you ARE free to copy it. YOU might have to do it though. The probability that the photographer will ever sue over it is infinitesimal. As Harry Calahan would say, "Do you feel lucky?" On the other hand that shop might have simply refused and used copyright as an excuse. Who knows, the REAL reason just might BE a deeply-held corporate religious belief. As for the reasons for the law to be what it is and to be interpreted the way it is interpreted, I quote good ol' Gordon, "Greed....is good". Talk about deeply-held beliefs...there it IS! That's the American economic system: love it or leave it.

I think of them more as 'Paulistas' mostly because of the obvious Marxist sympathies.

I think Ron Paul is correct about some things. His approach to Iran is one example. I doubt that he hates America...I know I don't.

I haven't received this solicitation...yet. In the past I have received something like that from the NESA. "Gimme your dough" plays pretty much the same in any language for any reason. It doesn't have to make sense.

RememberSchiff, I was hoping that Beavah or NJCubscouter would respond to your question. If you will read the details of 'Fair Use' you will see that there are many factors taken into account. The non-profit thing is one of them but just because YOU didn't profit from making a copy doesn't mean that the copyright holder was not harmed. As a matter of fact ANY action you take with respect to copying that material that prevents the copyright holder from profiting from their intellectual property constitutes harm to them, however slight. For example, if you made a photocopy of a chapter in order to take it with you on a backpack, that would not necessarily harm anyone unless you otherwise would have purchased a second copy of the book...unlikely. However, if you photocopy a chapter and distribute it to all the boys in a troop, THAT might prevent them from going out and purchasing copies of the book and the copyright holder would incur the loss of sales that would have - but didn't - occur. Moreover, the way this kind of thing works, if there is enough such 'piracy' it tends to remove the incentive to create the intellectual property in the first place. In other words, if you want to make free copies of intellectual property, create it yourself and distribute it freely - that's what things like Wikimedia Commons is for. As to the identity of the copyright holder for BSA, that is something that someone else would have to expand on but suffice to say that being accepted as an unpaid volunteer member in an organization does not thereby give you the right to 'pirate' the intellectual property of the organization. Chances are that if you did photocopy a chapter, even the entire book, and give it to the boys, if they found out about it BSA might send you a stiff note demanding you to stop. I could be wrong. But if you started making copies and distributing them for free to all other troops, say, through the mail, I think you might learn a lot about copyright that you never wanted to know.(This message has been edited by packsaddle)

Another view of Iran is just that they might like to pursue for themselves, whatever path and technology they choose, without meddling from everyone else. After all, they exist in an environment in which their neighbor bordering immediately to the west was invaded and occupied by a superpower, hostile to them. And their neighbor bordering immediately to the east was also invaded and is still occupied by that same hostile superpower. Could it be that they have reason to feel just a bit defensive?

Continuing with the copyright thing, if you Google the words 'Fair Use' you will find a abundance of resources that can help guide you along the legal use of copyright and copyrighted materials. I use this every day in classroom instruction. Depending on the way it's applied in specific situations, it might also apply to the Field Book. I particularly liked a comic-book-format guide that Duke University Law School put out on this topic. It was a humorous approach to making documentary films so it might not be easily applied here. It was fun to read though. http://www.law.duke.edu/cspd/comics/

I agree with Jeffrey H on that, although that approach might work if the job is with a relative. I would add that if a prospective graduate student darkens the door with a parent in tow, their chance of acceptance is very slim and their chance of success in their field is infinitesimal.

I've been trying to close the thread since Lisa's last post. Those controls are not working for me for some reason.