arbilad wrote:

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No kidding. One hundred years ago, most parents didn't even see kids in the summer between dawn and dusk because they were out playing (or doing chores). When my mom was a child, she got sent to the corner store by herself to pick up items, and no one thought it was weird. Kids today really do grow up in an environment of fear and regulation. A lot of the fear is unfortunately necessary. But the regulation, such as not making chalk drawings, just makes me sick.
I was just reading one of the Great Brain books last night. The main character at one point goes to the river, cuts down some trees, and makes a raft, all without asking anyone's permission. Granted, this was 1898. But what a difference from modern days.  The UN would begin debating whether the raft violated the UN Climate Treaty and castigate the U.S. as ignoring the global warming problem.  European leaders would condemn the U.S. for unilaterally building a raft without exploring other options.  Terrorist in Iraqistan would declare Jihad on the raft.  After retiring from a career as a lobbyist trying to get his raft built the final approval would come through to build the raft but unfortunately the trees were on land taken by imminent domain that was then sold to redevelopers who put in a Starbucks.

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Yea you would have to get a permit to cut down the tree, fight a dozen lawsuits, get an environmental impact report on the effect of not only cutting down the trees but placing the boat in the water, do some mitigation such as buying carbon credits, making payments to some environmental group, and planting an entire forest for those few trees.  Then the OSHA folks would require you to put in a safety railing, life boats, and other safety equipement.  Then the ADA folks would want you to make the whole thing handicapped accessible.  Then Jesse Jackson would begin protesting because you didn't have enough minorities crewing your raft and Al Sharpton would start a hunger strike.  The UN would debate whether the