packsaddle

"In your heart, you know he's right" is actually a campaign slogan from the Goldwater campaign against Johnson. Evidently, it didn't resonate. Fred, I voted for Nixon. I do recognize that he did a lot of good things and if not for the delusional paranoia in an ethical netherworld, he would might have been one of the greatest. Sigh.

"Republicans should jump on a national healthcare bandwagon..." Fred, at one time they DID advocate for such a plan. The following is from Richard Nixon - 1974: "Without adequate health care, no one can make full use of his or her talents and opportunities. It is thus just as important that economic, racial and social barriers not stand in the way of good health care as it is to eliminate those barriers to a good education and a good job. Even though more Americans carry health insurance than ever before, the 25 million Americans who remain uninsured often need it the most and are most unlikely to obtain it. They include many who work in seasonal or transient occupations, high-risk cases, and those who are ineligible for Medicaid despite low incomes. The comprehensive health insurance plan would offer to every American the same broad and balanced health protection. The benefits offered by the three plans would be identical for all Americans, regardless of age or income. There would be no exclusions of coverage based on the nature of the illness. In addition, the plan would cover treatment for mental illness, alcoholism and drug addiction, whether that treatment were provided in hospitals and physicians' offices or in community based settings. Certain nursing home services and other convalescent services would also be covered. For example, home health services would be covered so that long and costly stays in nursing homes could be averted where possible. The health needs of children would come in for special attention, since many conditions, if detected in childhood, can be prevented from causing lifelong disability and learning handicaps. Included in these services for children would be: --preventive care up to age six; --eye examinations; --hearing examinations; and, --regular dental care up to age 13. Under the plan, a doctor's decisions could be based on the health care needs of his patients, not on health insurance coverage. This difference is essential for quality care. Every American participating in the program would be insured for catastrophic illnesses that can eat away savings and plunge individuals and families into hopeless debt for years. No family would ever have annual out-of-pocket expenses for covered health services in excess of $1,500, and low-income families would face substantially smaller expenses. As part of this program, every American who participates in the program would receive a Health-card when the plan goes into effect in his State. This card, similar to a credit card, would be honored by hospitals, nursing homes, emergency rooms, doctors, and clinics across the country. Every employer would be required to offer all full-time employees the insurance plan. Additional benefits could then be added by mutual agreement. Comprehensive health insurance is an idea whose time has come in America. There has long been a need to assure every American financial access to high quality health care. As medical costs go up, that need grows more pressing. The plan proposed today is, I believe, the very best way." So Fred, this is one more example for you to put into your collection of flip flops the parties have done over the years. And, as I'm fond of repeating (thanks, Jon Stewart), it is also evidence that Richard Nixon...was a Communist. (perhaps in comparison to the core Republican values of today)

As someone who views Facebook with great suspicion, I nevertheless think that whatever the stuff that is posted there, the underlying feelings are going to be there regardless. And while you may be able to cut off access to a forum, you can't control those feelings. So would you rather they go 'underground' where you have no control at all, and little or no idea what's being said? If so, pull the plug. At this point, also keep in mind that the action of terminating the page or deleting posts is also a statement and sends a message to the whole group. If you take that action, you should 'be prepared' to explain why to everyone.

Just to bring this old thread back to life, this year I'll be doing the classroom remembrance tomorrow. A few years back I happened to give an evening lecture to members of a gated community on this day, just a coincidence. I began the presentation with a single slide thanking veterans for their service. There was almost no response at all from the audience. I was stunned. Give me the students any day....

Good words that all of us could reflect on, on this Armistice Day. Thanks, Beavah.

Moosetracker, Roscoe Bartlett might have been a troglodyte with regard to reproductive rights, but at least he understood energy policy. I guess there's only a tiny minority who'll match ALL of our policy interests. Moreover, if I scratched around a little I think I could come up with a few Democrats who have idiotic views on certain topics. For example,.... Alvin Greene - touche. Yes, that guy was embarrassing even to Democrats who largely abandoned him to oblivion. (anyone really think Alvin Greene action figures is a way to create jobs?) On the other hand he was never ever elected to anything. As for me, Alvin Greene is the nail in the coffin for any thought I had about Southern Democrats' ability to field a serious candidate. That said, Democrats in this area are, on the surface at least, friendlier to science than Republicans, who seem downright anti-intellectual. It is burned into my memory, that a state legislator on a committee in charge of OVERSIGHT of quality of education proclaimed that "all the textbook we need is The Bible". Beavah, "Mostly shallow, but they're da center of a dinner party and will remember your name and your interests. Not what yeh want makin' laws or policy decisions. Sometimes, I think we should select legislators da way we select juries. Pull 'em randomly from da population, with a limited ability for any side to reject nutters." Agree with that first part for sure, and except for rejecting the nutters, that process seems similar to what we have now. It might not be picking at random but the result seems to be close to the same. The problem is that 'nutters' emerge EVERYWHERE. Even the Libertarians (whom I've lately embraced, tentatively) have a good number of tax-protest nutters (to be fair, those guys also show up as other party affiliates). vol_scouter and I find a lot of common ground on topics like this. But I caution you, vol_scouter, that if I briefly survey some of my colleagues for their views on various topics OUTSIDE science, even (maybe especially) in physics and engineering, these are smart people in their field but wow...make room for some more nutters.

Brewmeister, did I see you at the Eagle Scout forum in Madison this weekend?

Sometimes the South exceeds even my own doubtful expectations. So it was in the U.S. Congressional race for unopposed Paul Broun who faced an unexpected write-in opponent, Charles Darwin. Broun had, during the campaign, noted that evolution, the Big Bang theory, and embryology (go figure) are "lies straight from the pit of hell." Of course it was left to Darwin who rose from the grave to mount a write-in campaign which resulted in more than 4000 votes in his favor. Alas, dead people don't stand much of a chance it seems, if they haven't been crucified, and the state anyway doesn't recognize write-in candidates if they didn't declare properly. Here's Broun making the great State of Georgia proud: Is this really how the Republicans want to be portrayed to the people? Broun serves on the House Science Committee. While I thank Georgia for providing more comic relief (and I'm truly thankful that Broun won by a landslide against a skeleton) the thought still nags my mind...if this is 'representative' of what the Republicans think our approach to science and technology should be....wow. Now...about those other Republicans on that same committee: Todd Akin and Dan Quayle....

I think the greater acceptance of gay marriage will require more states and a greater majority before it affects BSA policy. I could be wrong. As far as marijuana goes, however, I remind everyone that it doesn't have to be smoked. I seem to remember the terms 'magic cookies' and 'magic brownies'. THAT train has now left the station, big time. I predict that the feds are going to 'fold' on this fairly quickly. (on the other hand I also predicted a Romney presidency so take this for what it's worth, probably nothing) Cheers!

...donning my cape for my crusade to save the reputation of a great beverage....and Ronald Reagan would be saying, "...there you go again, Packsaddle" if he wasn't dead. Flavor Aid! It was Flavor Aid that the people of Jonestown drank to commit suicide for Jim Jones, NOT Kool-Aid. When are you guys going to get this right? Do I have to jump through the screen and rap your knuckles like a school marm? Flavor Aid!

"Neither will change for a while without kicking and screaming." Yes, but just think about all the fun you're going to have responding to the I&P forum in the meantime. I just hope none of us pop a vein over any of this.

I agree with the sentiment to do away with Gerrymandering and the fact that the Democrats have also done this in the past. This is a bipartisan failure. I don't see why, in this day of fairly robust GIS databases, politicians have to be involved in deciding district boundaries at all. This should be a fairly simple optimization problem that could addressed quickly and arbitrarily (read: fairly) using modest computational power available to any state. This approach would eliminate the need to seek compliance under the Voting Rights legislation and free our representatives to do useful things instead. It could cut the cost of elections and probably make them more efficient. It could be a much improved way to promote democracy throughout the nation, regardless of creed, ethnicity, or economic status..............NAAAHHHH!

Here's one useful response: "Sorry, I have no idea why that scout is not registered. But if you will please fill out an application at your earliest convenience, we'll make sure he is registered right away." or something along those lines. Repeat as often as needed.(This message has been edited by packsaddle)

Sentinel947, "flavor aid". Thank you, thank you, thank you...for getting it right. See, everybody, it IS possible to learn this. Also, "The Republican party is becoming a party of xenophobic,old, wealthy, Protestant white men." I add ...who think they're still in control.

"I suppose I just don't understand why a unit gets off scot-free and I have to fix what they neglected to do." The answer is: in a market like this you tend to get what you pay for, sometimes less. The great thing about being a volunteer (aside from getting to have fun with the unit) is the knowledge that you have the freedom to ignore stuff without worrying about pay cuts. Edit: I almost missed this one, "When does it become my job (I'm not a professional) to make sure the units to do theirs?" If you're paid to do the work, you're a professional. I suppose it's just too bad that unpaid volunteers don't make your work easy for you. I have to tell you...you're not exactly covering yourself with glory with comments like that to the volunteer force.(This message has been edited by packsaddle)

Trump/Palin....the stuff that dreams are made of.

"Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent." Salvor Hardin

There was this other kid in school with me. He was a smart ass and got into lots of trouble. I did my share as well. But for some reason, if we both did exactly the same thing, for some reason I'd get a talking too. The other kid on the other hand would get bent over the principal's desk and then the principal would beat him with a 'board of education'. It was clear - the principal didn't like this kid. On one occasion, the kid snickered after the first whack. That was a bad mistake. He left in pain and tears. I vicariously learned that life is...mean. The other kid learned it empirically. Those beatings had little or no positive effect on him as far as I could tell. Years later I saw him in the distance during one of my visits home. From the look of him life really HAD been mean.

I was at the Monona Terrace last night. The Democratic Party was practically doing a dance. But today all the serious problems remain to be solved. It's kind of depressing. So to lift my spirits, I try to imagine...the social circles which include people like Rove, et al. And I try to envision the Olympic-level finger pointing that must be going on now. Simple pleasures.

Well, as numerous women have responded when I or some other male family member did something really stupid, Moosetracker, "I hope you're satisfied!" And I have to admit that I was wrong to express with such confidence in another thread way back at the beginning of the campaign, that Romney would be the next President. In the end, I voted for Johnson but fully expected Romney to win it. My state DID go for Romney so my vote was more of a token for reason. But wow, I never expected Obama to pull it out.

Let's face it, Chicken Little didn't become famous because of a 'good news' message. It's just the way we are that bad news and fears of all sorts tend to get more attention. Me, I can feel just fine about things and all I have to do is focus on the boys in this unit, or on the incredibly bright and optimistic young people in my classes. If my spirit falters even a little bit, or if it plunges into the abyss, a quick survey of the young people around me quickly lifts my spirit in a way that none of the 'bad' things can outweigh. The future might be hard, and it almost always is, but it is still bright.

mouse traps. Go figure.

Let those Smithsonians get too close to me and they can smooch this...

SR540Beaver, isn't there something in scripture about God visiting the iniquities of the father on multiple generations thereafter, or something like that?

Eamonn, you are a good person. Of that I have complete confidence.