Originally Posted by HemiEd (Post 8635873)

Wow, those both surprise me. Maybe it is a regional thing. Up here, the police would have been involved on both of those cases.

Did you not wear a helmet and knee pads when riding your bicycle either?
Did you play soccer or baseball?

Originally Posted by DaFace (Post 8635901)

My guess is that a lot of it is urban vs. rural. My hometown has about 12k people or so. I believe I wore a helmet (no knee pads) when learning to ride a bike, but after I learned I stopped wearing a helmet entirely. And I played soccer, though I'm not quite sure how that fits in.

Originally Posted by HemiEd (Post 8635908)

I was just curious, trying to fit things into my perceived time line.

Those things, including soccer, came along with a lot of the other changes referenced.

I blame a lot of it on the mini van.

Emporia?

Originally Posted by DaFace (Post 8635917)

Ha...we did indeed own a mini van. :)

Ark City.

Originally Posted by frazod (Post 8635612)

My dad never laid a hand on me. HE DIDN'T HAVE TO. He had a bad temper and didn't really like me anyway - I knew he'd beat the shit out of me if I crossed the line. I really only approached it once. Back then, my dad was the size I am now, and I weighed about 130. He got that look in his eye and said, "So, you think you're a man now?" My reply - "No." :D

Originally Posted by HemiEd (Post 8635530)

This, and this. I know it has been around a while, but it is the truth.

HIGH SCHOOL -- 1957 vs. 2011
Scenario 1:
Jack goes quail hunting before school and then pulls into the school parking lot with his shotgun in his truck's gun rack..
1957 - Vice Principal comes over, looks at Jack's shotgun, goes to his car and gets his shotgun to show Jack.
2011 - School goes into lock down, FBI called, Jack hauled off to jail and never sees his truck or gun again. Counselors called in for traumatized students and teachers.

Scenario 2:
Johnny and Mark get into a fist fight after school.
1957 - Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end up buddies.
2011 - Police called and SWAT team arrives -- they arrest both Johnny and Mark. They are both charged with assault and both expelled even though Johnny started it.

Scenario 3:
Jeffrey will not be still in class, he disrupts other students.
1957 - Jeffrey sent to the Principal's office and given a good paddling by the Principal. He then returns to class, sits still and does not disrupt class again.
2011 - Jeffrey is given huge doses of Ritalin. He becomes a zombie. He is then tested for ADD. The family gets extra money (SSI) from the government because Jeffrey has a disability.

Scenario 4:
Billy breaks a window in his neighbor's car and his Dad gives him a whipping with his belt.
1957 - Billy is more careful next time, grows up normal, goes to college and becomes a successful businessman..
2011 - Billy's dad is arrested for child abuse, Billy is removed to foster care and joins a gang. The state psychologist is told by Billy's sister that she remembers being abused herself and their dad goes to prison. Billy's mom has an affair with the psychologist.

Scenario 5:
Mark gets a headache and takes some aspirin to school.
1957 - Mark shares his aspirin with the Principal out on the smoking dock..
2011 - The police are called and Mark is expelled from school for drug violations. His car is then searched for drugs and weapons.

Scenario 6:
Pedro fails high school English.
1957 - Pedro goes to summer school, passes English and goes to college.
2011 - Pedro's cause is taken up by state. Newspaper articles appear nationally explaining that teaching English as a requirement for graduation is racist. ACLU files class action lawsuit against the state school system and Pedro's English teacher. English is then banned from core curriculum.. Pedro is given his diploma anyway but ends up mowing lawns for a living because he cannot speak English.

Scenario 7:
Johnny takes apart leftover firecrackers from the Fourth of July, puts them in a model airplane paint bottle and blows up a red ant bed.
1957 - Ants die.
2011 - ATF, Homeland Security and the FBI are all called. Johnny is charged with domestic terrorism. The FBI investigates his parents - and all siblings are removed from their home and all computers are confiscated. Johnny's dad is placed on a terror watch list and is never allowed to fly again.


Scenario 8:
Johnny falls while running during recess and scrapes his knee. He is found crying by his teacher, . Mary hugs him to comfort him.
1957 In a short time, Johnny feels better and goes on playing.
2011 - Mary is accused of being a sexual predator and loses her job. She faces 3 years in State Prison. Johnny undergoes 5 years of therapy.


This shows how ridiculous we have become!

Originally Posted by HemiEd (Post 8635926)

Wow, I spent a lot of time down there. Did you ever go out to the drag strip? Go over to Drury?

Buy any auto parts from Jeff Musson?

Originally Posted by DaFace (Post 8633836)

Again, unlikely, but it's not unheard of for a boy to have started puberty by age 10.

I'm not saying that it's likely, but that it's POSSIBLE that the dude was genuinely mistaken.