packsaddle

Is this related to the Penn State scandal?

Hellllloooooo.....I don't think they heard you......

Ahhhhhhh....the sweet sound of blessed local option.

Hey there fella, let's stop throwing around names now....just WHO is it you're calling APPALLED?

We did. I'm not proud of it either.

JoeBob, this will help: Hard to imagine that back in 1961 'Pony Time' was a top hit: "Now you turn to the left when I say gee, You turn to the right when I say haw, Now gee, ya ya little baby, Now haw, ya oh baby, oh baby, pretty baby, Do it baby, oh baby, oh baby, Boogety, boogety, boogety, boogety shoo." You'll have no problem remembering now, I wager. Plus for the rest of your life, you'll never be able to 'unwatch' that video.

In case anyone's forgotten, lol,...in a critical first aid situation, the first action is NOT to go looking for some damn form.

Never chopped cotton but I have plowed with a mule and I know the pleasant warm feeling on a crisp fall morning when fresh chicken shit squirts through the toes of my bare feet in the yard. I don't claim to be a redneck but most of my yankee friends make that assumption. It's not a big deal. Anyway, there's no way anyone is going to convince me that JoeBob has no sense of humor.

Aww, you guys are incorrigible. Edit: DC, I knew that guy...lived not too far from me...he also enjoyed kicking back on the porch with a few beers...."Yeah, God created ME in his image, har, har, har..." He loved that line and laughed so hard he'd spill beer. He never could get over the fact that I was a better shot with a rifle. I'll add that he was a pretty good chess player...even when drunk.

Wow, that's the first time I've ever seen two simultaneous posts...down to the same minute.

DC, There's another version that dates to the first half of the 17th century in Scotland and a bunch of rebellious Presbyterians. There's probably some version in China for that matter, lol. Ever hear of a 'hootiecat'? It's applied to a person who goes down to the levee to bankfish, carrying two 5-gal buckets, one to sit on and the other full of stink bait. Ok, we've probably all of us done that before.. .but the thing that really makes a hootiecat is when there's a pang of hunger, he eats some of his own bait. Mmmmmmm, yum! Hootiecat.

"Redneck"...h'mmm. My in-laws continue to refer to me as 'Jed Clampett', does that count? I've been told that the term applied at one time to the strikers who wore red bandannas around their neck as a sign to other strikers not to shoot them as scabs. There are other stories as well. Interesting term, though. The term 'scab' has always been a derogatory one, I think. Guess that's off the list. The way I handle that in class is that I show a documentary in which the strikers and strike-breakers use all manner of terms. Great documentary. BTW, I can sing the ballad of Jed Clampett all the way through. Now THAT really makes them uncomfortable....lol. Edit: at some point I introduce Joel Chandler Harris's 'Wonderful Tarbaby Story' to the class. I have a copy of his book that's over 100 years old and I show them the original text and illustrations. It's a nice perspective to have, now that the term has taken on a decidedly negative tone for persons ignorant of its origin.

DuctTape, If I enter my classroom tomorrow and note that there exist persons who wrongly believe that the seasons are related to how close the Earth is to the sun as it continues its orbit, I will cause at least five students (who answered a preliminary survey) to experience discomfort, possibly embarrassment, because until that time they 'knew' an explanation for the cause of the seasons that was actually wrong. I would not have to point them out, but if I ask for those in the class who previously held that incorrect view to raise their hands, some of them will. And other students may snicker at them, causing even greater discomfort. It is my duty to correct such misconceptions and I frequently do, perhaps multiple times in every such lecture. Almost every one of those occasions could be considered politically incorrect and what I'm understanding from you is that I should refrain from this. I should never mention or explain evolution, certain genetic ideas, certain diseases, reproductive behaviors, religious views of any of those previously-mentioned things...because I know before I discuss them that there will be some fraction of my students who will experience personal discomfort, perhaps shame, or embarrassment as a result. By discussing these things I am intentionally causing those discomforts. As I understand what you're saying, because I know in advance that I may cause these students to feel bad about what they previously thought they knew, it would be better for me to...as Father Reginald Foster advised, to live and die "with their stupid ideas". If this is what you advocate, I do not accept it because it runs contrary to the scientific process and education itself. I would argue that it is good for someone who has a strongly-held, deep-seated incorrect belief...to learn of its incorrectness. Am I wrong?

OK DuckTape, I think I get what you're saying. So....what words, terms, or ideas DON'T offend someone, anyone? Are you sure about that? Are those what we're limited to? Really?

Understood and10-4 on that dessert!

OK, just so I understand this conversation: There's this concept called 'politically correct' which at one time would have translated literally to 'politically successful' or something like that. I'm guessing that 'incorrect' doesn't win votes. Anyway, the term 'politically correct' changed to apply to ideas or statements which do NOT offend enough voters that the election is lost, or something like that. And NOW according to the article, the concept is back, "frothing at the mouth and at hurricane force". As if it ever left in the first place...not to mention the rather liberal use of metaphorical images (can a word really 'froth at the mouth'?) Actually all of that has the clarity of a top quality diamond compared to the latest conversation. What I'm getting is that Stosh (who's been called a lot of things but I think mostly Stosh and jblake47 around these parts) seems to have some kind of concerns about PC but it's not all that clear to me what they are and then DuckTape has just attempted to be uplifting in his response. And I'm trying to get the uplifting part (not to mention what did Stosh mean in the first place?) clear in my mind. That response seems to imply that while DuckTape chooses to use words which uplift rather than denigrate, it leaves open to the imagination who it is that doesn't try to do that? Is it someone here in this thread? Or the author of the article? As for that uplifting statement, "you are entitled to your opinion", it is almost as if there is a disagreement of some kind. Is there? Really? What is it? Are you sure? Help me out. This is confusing.

I agree, the CDL seems to be unnecessary....unless you're thinking about another line of employment or something. As mentioned before, you should do whatever you think is best for your boys. The other troop looks like a good option. Don't entertain any second thoughts or regrets in your move.

Cubmaster721, I'm responding to your reply from last June. A recent local event brought it all back to me again, as it has so many times: a drunk driver with a record that goes back to the early 1970s killed three persons and himself in a multi-car collision. The 'system' had many opportunities to end his ability to kill and the system failed miserably. So to your reply about my anger last June, I can only say that it isn't anger that a drunk will see in my eye when we meet. It will be something much colder than that. A drunk is like a hand grenade with the pin pulled. If given the opportunity, a drunk driver will go off someday at an unpredictable time and the only hope that I have is that the drunk will be alone in an excruciatingly painful death. My anger, in the meantime, is directed at persons and the system who would give 'second chances', or thirds or fourths - to these undeserving persons. A single DUI conviction should be a permanent disqualification for BSA.

When I saw the title, I was thinking about a dessert made in Colorado....go figure.

Just tried to move this to Program but it didn't work...in case anyone cares.

My sympathies to you and the family. I've had to do this a few times over the years. It doesn't get easier.

In a previous lifetime, I used to ask the class what time of year has the seasonal greatest rainfall. Invariably they'd mention spring or late winter. Then I'd ask them to analyze the 100 years or so of daily rainfall data that I had, using the ARIMA model of time series analysis. I challenged them to find the pattern. They couldn't. There was no significant difference between the data and random noise. But many of them insisted that there must be a pattern. There had to be. So I gave them a dataset generated by a random number generator and instructed them to apply a moving average alone. That did the trick. There it was, a very recognizable regular pattern of variation. Why, they asked, didn't they think of this before? And then I told them about the random numbers. (I just love dope-slapping their minds) We have a tendency to 'see' patterns...even if none exists. This finely-developed sense might be advantageous as long as we apply some discipline to it. But otherwise it leads us to 'see' things like 'race', or it leads us to stereotype certain groups and form prejudices. And once formed, we cling to these deceptions as if they are our children, which in a sense they are.

When I was a boy we had a related incident. Just after the church got rid of the old minister (because he supported Civil Rights) and got a new minister (who could 'see' demons among us, not figurative ones either, the real deal with scales and all), on the very first Scout Sunday with the new minister, the troop had lined up as usual with the color guard ready to enter the church as a unit. The minister stopped the whole thing, saying he would not allow the American Flag to enter the church. This precipitated an extended fuss among the 'faithful' regarding the decision to get rid of the previous guy. All of a sudden no one wanted to admit they wanted this new one. I suppose some of the 'faithful' may suddenly have sprouted scales, maybe even horns, lol.

Reminds me of what the Soviet negotiator told my uncle during negotiations after WWII when my uncle suggested that the only thing they could agree on was to disagree. The Soviet fired back, "We DO NOT disagree!" My uncle used to just laugh and laugh about that one. So just for you Twocubdad, "Not True!!!"

Yes, I wish you'd mentioned that sudden change in the OP. I agree with T2. Something's going on and needs attention, perhaps intervention. I've seen this too and had to deal with it personally. It's potentially very bad and very difficult to address.