should testing be required before....... .

“hey, lets turn this into feugo :)

But is that really by the grace of god or just chance?”

“I'd say that depends on which way you were so inclined. Do I feel blessed by God? Absolutely. Were my situation to take a drastic turn I wouldn't consider it a curse by God, ala, 911 was a punishment, yada, yada, yada. Yeah, I'm probably being inconsistant but it's how I feel.”

“To me it's just a figure of speech.
I was taught that man has free will.
It is up to man to determine what his outcome will be by his actions.

Good can become bad and bad can become good if one has to will to do so.

To wallow in failure/success and blame/attribute it on an unknown outside force is the same thing. It is a refusal to accept that you created your own successes or failures through the application of your own free will.

It's only half a glass of water. Empty or full are simply indicators of your outlook and hold no bearing on the state of the water.”

“lol

so you don't think god is smiting the person behind you when he blesses you by allowing you to just miss out on the 3 car crack-up that happened a second after you exited the intersection?”

“hyway - you know the engineers philosophy on the half full glass don't you? If the glass is half full, then the glass is too damn big.”

“Nope, that's a matter of timing. lol.”

“I told you I'm not consistant, but no, I'd wouldn't say he was punished. Yes, I realize the next question it raises on this slippery slope is why was I allowed to make it through. Does prayer work in the context that it changes what happens or does it allow your outlook on the things that do happen to change?”

“HPM - agreed, stuff happens.”

“ugh.... The concept of "hero" as used in past has not been dependant upon individual actions, but on whether or not some one should aspire to emulate that individual. Yes... heros still exist. But I think the word has lost it's archetypal meaning so we end up talking about heroism instead of heros. (sorry heroes looks wrong to me. Deal with it.)”

“Each of you is "My Hero!"”

“each of you can kiss my ....”

“

“hey, lets turn this into feugo :)
hyway

“each of you can kiss my ....”
hyway

At least you're trying.”

“I figured hyway for more of a "kiss the cook" apron kind of guy.”

“that and a "kiss my puff the magic dragon tattoo" kind of guy”

“OH THE HORROR OF IT!”

“Test THIS!”

“Nah no testing, just go and have fun, what could be done is more people just become more proactive and pick up the trash, that others leave. And keep it simple,”

“It's walking in the woods. Someone who's too dumb to do that can't be helped by a test or class.

"You can't fix stupid."”

“I have been backpacking for years. My first trip was led by two park rangers, one a naturalist and the other a wilderness firefighter/emt. They taught me the very basics. All the necessaries.

However, I wouldn't be too surprised if I did something stupid in the backcountry just like someone who never has been out there and has taken a test. May not be the same stupid thing....but I could die anyway. It is the risk I am willing to take.

We all take a class and test to drive a car. We still go out there and do stupid things and bring harm to others in far greater numbers than in the backcountry. So...do testing and classes really work?”

“If they start requiring permits to backpack, will they start requiring inspection stickers on our backpack to make sure they are safe? Then they'll start ticketing us for failure to burn our headlamps when hiking in the rain.”

“

Then they'll start ticketing us for failure to burn our headlamps when hiking in the rain.”
hyway

I use my headlamp in the rain. It's too difficult to keep a candle burning!”

“WOW. I thought you old guys waited for lightning to strike your head and ran through the forest by the light of your burning hair (LOL).....

Or I could say,"YOU HAD CANDLES???? You lucky lucky Basterds"”