ThenNow

How many days out from the conclusion of the trial are we at this point? All I know is I have a Rip Van Winkle beard and a nasty crick in my neck.

Why didn’t someone do this proactively? Several Scouters were talking around this idea a year (or so) ago. While I honor and understand this man’s concern, if we took this direction most churches, schools, man youth programs/venues and millions of homes would be shuttered. Joe, a victim who did not want his last name used because his family is unaware of his experience, was abused by his scout master starting at the age of 8 in the 1970s at a Connecticut camp that was sold years ago to make way for housing on Candlewood Lake. He’s not sure he wants people camping on land where scouts were once abused. “I don’t have those warm feelings about those places,” he said. “It’s almost like ‘Poltergeist.’ Do you want your house on land where those things happened? So, I don’t know what to do with those places.”

Definitely not easy. There's one "benefit" to all of this that is seldom mentioned and then only by survivors. I guess that's as it should be. In addition to the prospect of (a potentially wee amount of money), large steps to improve YP including survivors on at the table, a measure of public accountability and acknowledgement, hopefully organizational shakeup and changes at the top, getting clarity on what LCs and COs are and their shared liability, and the prospect of healing and some closure, there is something profound. Namely, we now have the first sorta public band of Scouting child sexual abuse brothers and sisters. Without this horror of a process, that would not have occurred. Sad, but true. I will go forward with friendships I pray will last a lifetime. I also met some no so bad Scouters along the way who helped me understand more about were the heart of Scouting beats with some vision and purity.

As an art person who is also very sentimental and protective of monuments, this sickens me. My youngest son is with an auto insurer's Special Investigative Unit. Thefts of catalytic converters rose 325% during the pandemic and not because people needed money all of a sudden. Simply, cars were sitting everywhere begging to be stripped of precious metal. One company had $21M in these claims in a six month period of Covid lockdowns. Skilled thieves take less than a minute. One report was of a ring hitting retirement homes and ambulances. I do mean ring, btw. 30 people involved in one general location. Disgusting.

Cool. This is the first time I and/or one of my posts has been dubbed absurd. I think I’ll let someone who “knows” me, the case, my posting history, and this specific issue defend the point (and me).

I assume this is a serious question and you're not just messing with me. If the latter, yes, and COVID, gas prices and and global warming. Just levity, my friend. See, below. As follows: 1. Relevance - See Inquisitive's comments. 2. Relevance - Purdue got kicked back to Judge Drain after the District Court said it can't be approved due to the third party, non-debtor releases. 3. Relevance - This case, like Purdue and as stated in the excerpt, will end up being more about protecting those that follow us than providing closure, justice and recompense to survivors of past BSA child sexual abuse. Thus, my previous rantings about YPT and youth protection. An emphasis on prevention rather than the past Lahav says she sympathizes with individuals who call the settlement unfair. That maximum payment for a death, in the range of $40,000, is a fraction of what other drugmakers have paid to settle lawsuits, according to attorneys who review such cases. But this settlement is different because it was negotiated in bankruptcy court and there was a fixed pot of money.

For what it's worth and though it's dated, I find this article interesting and relevant. Some may, as well. Here's a snippet and the link: An emphasis on prevention rather than the past About 90% of the settlement, which could deliver between $6 billion and $10 billion over time, will go to states, local governments and tribes. They're supposed to use it to fight the opioid crisis. University of Connecticut law school professor Alexandra Lahav says that ratio prioritizes the greater good, going forward. "To me it shows an emphasis on how do we fix what is broken for the future," says Lahav, "versus people who were already hurt in the past." NATIONAL As Purdue Pharma Bankruptcy Nears Approval, Family Members Write About The Human Toll Lahav says she sympathizes with individuals who call the settlement unfair. That maximum payment for a death, in the range of $40,000, is a fraction of what other drugmakers have paid to settle lawsuits, according to attorneys who review such cases. But this settlement is different because it was negotiated in bankruptcy court and there was a fixed pot of money. Lawyers representing individuals and all the states disagreed about how to divide it. Some attorneys who followed the proceedings say states had the advantage and prevailed. https://www.npr.org/2021/09/28/1040447650/payouts-purdue-pharma-settlement-sackler

Yes, Likewise, enough with "guns are evil, only law enforcement and military should have guns (but let's defund the police, reduce our military and ignore the facts evidencing blanket restrictions don't work while we're at it) and I will 'stand with' the families (while I stand on the bodies of their children to signal my virtue)" while it happens again.

Is this a statement to the effect that, "S/he is a danger to herself and/or others"? Who gets the report and is it filed under penalty of perjury as to the facts stated? It has to be a verified statement of some kind. Is this the preemptory "red flag" process, the confiscation trigger or both? I don't know a ton about this but would like to read the bill. What is the restriction, how broad and does it have a sunset or expiration clause and/or conditions for retraction? It does, but drawing these lines is very complex in my opinion. I think there is a big assumption here around the fundamental requirement of observant, caring family and friends. Fortunately for me and others I've "run with" over the course of my struggles, most of us had people sequester weapons when they had a hint of trouble. In all of those cases it was about a "danger to self." One of my friends, my NA sponsor, was a vet and very good at projecting confidence and model recovery behavior. No one thought to remove his weapons from his home. As it happened, he used his shotgun to end his life while huddled in his sleeping bag in a concrete drainage pipe by the side of the road. One of my friends called me yesterday to say she had locked away the one gun in their home. Her new to recovery husband has suicidal ideation and others-focused rage on a cyclic basis. I offered to fetch it into one of my safes. I am not a disinterested or dispassionate debater on this topic. I am very interested, personally invested and vexed. I need to start printing and seriously reviewing the research, not that anyone is going to ask me for my suggestions. I appreciate yours.

1. Who is making this list of Dementia patients and psychologically disordered individuals, to whom is it reported, how does the pre-purchase "red flag" work, and who executes the search and seizure of those weapons already in their possession? Are all weapons included in the prohibition and seizure? Are family members mandated to "report" and, in the event they fail or mishandle the reporting, are they liable for any resulting injury? Mental health providers? Geriatricians? GP? Friends, employers, colleagues, children...? 2. How do we define "major psychological disorders"? 3. Does your research indicate that all/most/many of those found to commit gun violence are "off their meds"? 4. Beyond these laws, how do you see your suggestion being drafted and implemented? https://www.ncsl.org/research/civil-and-criminal-justice/possession-of-a-firearm-by-the-mentally-ill.aspx

Suicide is the second-leading cause of death among people age 15 to 24 in the U.S. Nearly 20% of high school students report serious thoughts of suicide and 9% have made an attempt to take their lives, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. #### “Teenagers and young adults have the highest rates of suicide compared to other ages,” Dr. Fleisher says. “The things that make them vulnerable are where they stand socially and where they stand developmentally.” Developmentally, their judgment and decision-making abilities are still coming online, he says. The prefrontal cortex — the brain’s executive control center — doesn’t fully develop until one’s mid-20s. That makes young people more impulsive, Dr. Fleisher says: "They're not going to weigh risks and consequences or values in quite the same way that older folks will.” Socially, teens and young adults don’t have the same connections older adults do. Someone who is married, has a long-term partner or has children or grandchildren is in a different place socially than someone who is just coming into their own, living with roommates or alone. The isolation of the pandemic exacerbated social disconnection even more. https://connect.uclahealth.org/2022/03/15/suicide-rate-highest-among-teens-and-young-adults/

I will leave it at this, but IMNSHO that is a terrible and egregious assumption from someone - I ASSUME - who has not been in the head, heart and circumstances of someone who is suicidal. I really wish you had not said this and, more so, that you didn't hold this opinion of young men you saw meet their end. This is the second time this opinion has been expressed on the forum and it deeply saddened me both times. Utterly.

I'm not a heavy up-voter, especially if a post has what I believe to be more than one point, any one of which I vehemently disagree with. I surely grieve. See my point about gun violence, CSA and sex trafficking. I put them in the same sentence. "Failure" to punch the wee emoji-producing icon neither negates it nor allows you to assume I or anyone else doesn't grieve. I hope that's not what you meant. It's a post that is upvoted. I see nothing where I can upvote line by line or point by point. For me, I couldn't do so because of your advocacy for a total ban and, presumably, confiscation. Trust me, I grieve. Not stating as much is no sin of omission, just my choice not to affirm your entire post.

Not directly responsive, but I thought I would post it. From my conversations, most people don't know this. I have not researched the background study or studies. Next to this chart it is must be noted that 4 of the 5 most deadly shootings involved a semi-auto rifle. https://www.statista.com/statistics/476409/mass-shootings-in-the-us-by-weapon-types-used/

Amen. Like child sexual abuse, as well as trafficking and mental health overall, where are the real champions of the cause(s) Who will humbly and earnestly convene a true coalition of thinkers, donors and doers? I see precious few. Our oldest some was a Criminal Justice major with a Homeland Security emphasis. His track was graduate, Police Academy, then FBI, Homeland or the like. After Ferguson, his now wife begged him to reconsider. He did and I'll spare you the subsequent details. In any case, I have put a great deal of time into thinking about and researching the topic. I am no expert, merely a troubled citizen and father, moderately passionate gun guy, lifelong hunter, lifetime NRA member and yada yada yada. I know a good bit about guns and a good bit about mental and behavioral health. I know a decent amount about the flux of society and have a better than average knowledge of politics, policy and party loyalty idiocy. A few thoughts. I am not trying to indict or incite, merely share my musings. 1. If guns were the only issue, my hometown, with guns hanging from a rack in the back of every pickup truck and bouncing around in the trunk of many cars, would've had a real problem with mass shootings in the 60's and 70's. Didn't happened and that's a good data point. (This is borne out as a clear trend in the US.) Did I or others typically own a tactical rifle then? No. Do I think it would've made a difference? I don't. I have 8 long guns and two pistols. None has wandered out of the safe or otherwise and committed so much as one crime. I've had the 20 gauge since I was 11 and the BB gun since I was 10. 2. Mental health is clearly a major factor or there would be many statistical data points highlighting the number of murderers and shooters with previously identified maladies. As it is, a great many have been identified pre-action, but often unreported or, if reported, not acted upon by friends, family, professionals and others. I am not blaming, just pointing it our. Also, all mental health issues are not in play as high level candidates for identification, study and analysis. If that were the case, more people suffering with clinical depression, eating disorders, anxiety disorders and childhood trauma would be on the list of offenders. They're not. Anger, a history of violence toward self, others and animals, exposure to violence (especially domestic and neighborhood), inner city gun violence, delusional behavior and public, extremist communications are the top line. There is a ton here to discuss, including retaliatory domestic and workplace rage. In most cases, there were signs there, too. 3. Taking back or restricting guns when we have 400M of them in the US is impossible, unenforceable, and would not be carried out by many sent door to door to do it. I've spoken with people who would have that task and they would be subtly non-compliant. Ditto forcing registration. Threaten heavy restrictions on guns and ammo? See the data from 2020-2021. My wife asked for a pistol for Christmas in 2020. True fact. "If they're going to take away my right I want one before they do." Will law abiding people register? Not many. Why? It is a clear infringement of their right. "Come and take it" and "Don't tread on me" are not just bumper stickers, flags and slogans. Again, not picking a fight here. 4. Virtual violence is definitely deteriorative and a contributing factor. Studies have shown it is not major, though. With those virtual worlds, violence is celebrated and rewarded, but where is it far worse? 5. Answer: Media complicity and sensationalism. The media loves selling views, clicks, "papers," likes and Tweets around mass shootings. IMHO, this is a chronic disease showing little decency, knowledge of human behavior, responsibility and basic civility. They go so far beyond what is healthy, necessary and societally beneficial as to be grotesque and prurient. They are "standing on the bodies of the slain" for reputational benefit and financial gain. Fact. 6. Lest I forget, which I already did, very few people want to research or acknowledge the data on defensive gun use vs offensive. The same goes for the instances of deterring crime by law abiding permit carries, often including off-duty law enforcement. All that to say, those interested in doing a small part will teach safety, societal and interpersonal decency and responsibility, pay close attention to their children and those for whom they caretake, and understand how they can build character through example, time with kids and being advocates for life and personal development in children and. adults.. BSA is a part of that (I think). I've been on the shelf for a long time, so I'm not expert. That's all for now. Gotta do some work.

I gave up. The (film) trailer wasn’t compelling anyway.

Anyone else having trouble getting on the Zoom hearing? It's never happened to me before this.

Univ. Of Calif.'s $375M Deal Brings Abuse Payments To $700M The University of California system unveiled an additional $374.4 million for more than 300 individuals who say they were abused by a former UCLA Health gynecologist, bringing the total amount in settlements with alleged victims to nearly $700 million. What's that per person? Oh yeah. $2.33M and change. Nice.

I know zip-a-dee-doo-dah about the STEM program. Please suffer me one question and one thought. Once the latter is out there I will be at my quota for the day. 1. Is there anything offered in the schools or elsewhere that's attached to an outdoor and character building organization like Scouts? 2. For an entire segment of the population STEM and bookish things are what they do, at least in part. I raised 2 boys and 2 girls. One of each would do traditional Scouting, though they didn't for obvious reasons. The other two can and did "light" outdoor adventures but an all OUTING scenario was daunting and pretty much undoable. My youngest son has since become and enthusiast, but was a bookish boy (excessively), loved Legos, solo sports like Fencing, Archery and Wrestling and did a lot of deep thinking. One of the twins has CMT Disorder, which stands for Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disorder. She was supposed to be in a wheelchair by the time she was a teenager. She has beaten all the odds and has and continues to travel the world. From my limited understanding, something like STEM could be the honey that draws them in, opens them to a world of the outdoors and slides in character building, traditions, camaraderie, tinfoil dinners, Dutch oven cobbler, knife skills, lashing, reflector oven biscuits and dodgeball. Oops. I said that which is verboten. Please don't ban me... I would like to know more about STEM, but do understand the point you're making. /s/ I.G. Nernt

I don't think anyone can lay the odds, but I would say better chance of approving than not. I believe the Notice of Agenda Matters landed today. I'll see if I can find a few to review. That rhymed. It is usually in English, but you need a special incandescent bulb to decipher the legal lemon juice.

That be me. I'm calling making this connection a "good get" on your part. He was all about him and how things looked and projected on "his Troop." How we presented and performed was a huge part of his identity. As to Mr. Pink Shirt Hater, I say the same. All about how he thinks this "looks" to others who see one of "his" kids wearing a PINK shirt. Pah-lease. "No Scout of mine is going to be caught dead wearing a PINK shirt...!"

I don't see anything in the terms. Someone should be made aware of this gap, though. Are there other documented instances among members here that would put together a pattern beyond isolated examples? Regardless, it shouldn't happen at all if anyone wants YP to really work as a core element of culture and practice.

Possibly only relevant to my musings on the state of play, but as fate would have it, NESA was born 50 years ago today and 50 since I joined Scouts. “What a long, strange trip it’s been.” And how.

Just landed on the docket, whatever this means. Minute Entry: The Court will not be ruling on confirmation at the omnibus hearing on May 25. The only matters going forward at the omnibus hearing are those listed on the agenda. - RE: [9714] Order on Omnibus Hearings scheduled for 5/25/2022 at 02:00 PM US Bankruptcy Court, 824 Market St., 6th Fl., Courtroom #2, Wilmington, Delaware (LJJ) (LJJ) https://cases.omniagentsolutions.com/documents?clientid=3552&tagid=1153&dateFrom=05/15/2022&dateTo=05/21/2022

His reading (and expounding on his ruling) was over six hours long. Pop some corn and grab a beverage...