The current situation in NYC with everyone pulling together made me think
about boaters and the Good Samaritan Rule. Everyone from pleasure boaters
on a small lake to tankers in the middle of the ocean will go out of their
way to help others.

Whenever I see someone who appears stalled, I will go over to see if I can
help. I have towed people to the marina and have had to be towed before.
What is it that brings people together on the water or together in an
emergency, such as the transit strike in NYC?

On Wed, 21 Dec 2005 08:03:29 -0500, "Reggie Smithers" Reggie( is my first name)
Smithers wrote:

The current situation in NYC with everyone pulling together made me think
about boaters and the Good Samaritan Rule. Everyone from pleasure boaters
on a small lake to tankers in the middle of the ocean will go out of their
way to help others.

Whenever I see someone who appears stalled, I will go over to see if I can
help. I have towed people to the marina and have had to be towed before.
What is it that brings people together on the water or together in an
emergency, such as the transit strike in NYC?



The Golden Rule.

But, I think more and more it's going by the wayside.
--
John H

**** May your Christmas be Spectacular!****
*****...and your New Year even Better!*****

Reggie Smithers ( is my first name) wrote:
The current situation in NYC with everyone pulling together made me think
about boaters and the Good Samaritan Rule. Everyone from pleasure boaters
on a small lake to tankers in the middle of the ocean will go out of their
way to help others.

Whenever I see someone who appears stalled, I will go over to see if I can
help. I have towed people to the marina and have had to be towed before.
What is it that brings people together on the water or together in an
emergency, such as the transit strike in NYC?

The crisis creates a sense of community.

Same as when we boat- we know that the difference between an successful
and happy day on the water and blowing up an engine to require a tow or
even getting into a jam where a rescue is involved can be slight at
times and maybe even a question of luck.

When we encounter somebody whose luck has run out, we try to assist
that part of the community. I think we do so because we know its the
right thing to do and because we also sense that a strong community
will be better able to come to our aid if the tables are ever turned.

Chuck,
Why have we lost our sense of community in normal times? It sure would be
nice if NYC could continue this strong sense of community. Heck it is
possible that it could spread from city to city.

Before you knew it would could have a movement....


wrote in message
ups.com...

Reggie Smithers ( is my first name) wrote:
The current situation in NYC with everyone pulling together made me think
about boaters and the Good Samaritan Rule. Everyone from pleasure
boaters
on a small lake to tankers in the middle of the ocean will go out of
their
way to help others.

Whenever I see someone who appears stalled, I will go over to see if I
can
help. I have towed people to the marina and have had to be towed before.
What is it that brings people together on the water or together in an
emergency, such as the transit strike in NYC?

The crisis creates a sense of community.

Same as when we boat- we know that the difference between an successful
and happy day on the water and blowing up an engine to require a tow or
even getting into a jam where a rescue is involved can be slight at
times and maybe even a question of luck.

When we encounter somebody whose luck has run out, we try to assist
that part of the community. I think we do so because we know its the
right thing to do and because we also sense that a strong community
will be better able to come to our aid if the tables are ever turned.

"Reggie Smithers" Reggie( is my first name) Smithers wrote in message
. ..
The current situation in NYC with everyone pulling together made me think
about boaters and the Good Samaritan Rule. Everyone from pleasure boaters
on a small lake to tankers in the middle of the ocean will go out of their
way to help others.

Whenever I see someone who appears stalled, I will go over to see if I can
help. I have towed people to the marina and have had to be towed before.
What is it that brings people together on the water or together in an
emergency, such as the transit strike in NYC?




Most of us are good people when it counts.

I gotta tell you though, it's tough to want to come to another boater's
assistance right after watching Dead Calm. That was a great movie and
Nicole Kidman was icing on the cake!

"JohnH" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 21 Dec 2005 08:03:29 -0500, "Reggie Smithers" Reggie( is my first
name)
Smithers wrote:
What is it that brings people together on the water or together in an
emergency, such as the transit strike in NYC?



The Golden Rule.

But, I think more and more it's going by the wayside.
--

I know what you mean, but I think it's still alive and well.

I've raised my son on the values I was raised on: 10 commandments; golden
rule; scout oath, etc. As a teen he questions why I go the extra mile to
help others when there's no obvious and tangible reward, especially when the
media has him convinced that no one does anything good for anyone else
without expecting something in return (fallout from the 80's and 90's?).

I worry that he'll hold back on being helpful, but his teachers are always
sending praises our way and folks in the community always have something
good to say about him in terms of being helpful ....

His challenge to me about always being the one to take the extra step and
the community praise for his taking the extra step, make me think we're
doing alright. Words are loud, but we've got to keep our eyes open to
actions as well.

We're good at heart; I refuse to believe otherwise.

Bryan,
I don't think I would even think about it. When I am walking downtown I
never think about crime and muggings. I know they go on, but I have always
felt the muggers go after someone who looks vulnerable. Being hesitant
makes one look vulnerable.

Now, since I have said this, you will probably read about me being shot. I
can see the headlines now "Smithers is shot dead, but he did have a smug
look on his face".


"Bryan" wrote in message
. com...

"Reggie Smithers" Reggie( is my first name) Smithers wrote in message
. ..
The current situation in NYC with everyone pulling together made me think
about boaters and the Good Samaritan Rule. Everyone from pleasure
boaters on a small lake to tankers in the middle of the ocean will go out
of their way to help others.

Whenever I see someone who appears stalled, I will go over to see if I
can help. I have towed people to the marina and have had to be towed
before. What is it that brings people together on the water or together
in an emergency, such as the transit strike in NYC?




Most of us are good people when it counts.

I gotta tell you though, it's tough to want to come to another boater's
assistance right after watching Dead Calm. That was a great movie and
Nicole Kidman was icing on the cake!

On Wed, 21 Dec 2005 22:05:26 GMT, "Bryan" wrote:


The Golden Rule.

But, I think more and more it's going by the wayside.
--

I know what you mean, but I think it's still alive and well.

I've raised my son on the values I was raised on: 10 commandments; golden
rule; scout oath, etc. As a teen he questions why I go the extra mile to
help others when there's no obvious and tangible reward, especially when the
media has him convinced that no one does anything good for anyone else
without expecting something in return (fallout from the 80's and 90's?).

I worry that he'll hold back on being helpful, but his teachers are always
sending praises our way and folks in the community always have something
good to say about him in terms of being helpful ....

His challenge to me about always being the one to take the extra step and
the community praise for his taking the extra step, make me think we're
doing alright. Words are loud, but we've got to keep our eyes open to
actions as well.

We're good at heart; I refuse to believe otherwise.


Actually, most of us teachers do a lot of bitching about kids that make up less than
10% of the kid population. There are some spectacular kids out there. There was one
family who had three kids come through my 8th grade class. Wonderful kids! My advice
to them was always the same, "Make more kids!"

Sounds like your son is in the same ballpark. Good job!
--
John H

**** May your Christmas be Spectacular!****
*****...and your New Year even Better!*****

"JohnH" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 21 Dec 2005 22:05:26 GMT, "Bryan" wrote:


The Golden Rule.

But, I think more and more it's going by the wayside.
--

I know what you mean, but I think it's still alive and well.

I've raised my son on the values I was raised on: 10 commandments; golden
rule; scout oath, etc. As a teen he questions why I go the extra mile to
help others when there's no obvious and tangible reward, especially when
the
media has him convinced that no one does anything good for anyone else
without expecting something in return (fallout from the 80's and 90's?).

I worry that he'll hold back on being helpful, but his teachers are always
sending praises our way and folks in the community always have something
good to say about him in terms of being helpful ....

His challenge to me about always being the one to take the extra step and
the community praise for his taking the extra step, make me think we're
doing alright. Words are loud, but we've got to keep our eyes open to
actions as well.

We're good at heart; I refuse to believe otherwise.


Actually, most of us teachers do a lot of bitching about kids that make up
less than
10% of the kid population. There are some spectacular kids out there.
There was one
family who had three kids come through my 8th grade class. Wonderful kids!
My advice
to them was always the same, "Make more kids!"

Sounds like your son is in the same ballpark. Good job!
--
John H

**** May your Christmas be Spectacular!****
*****...and your New Year even Better!*****

My wife always found that the involvement of the parents in their children's
educations, including attending parent/teacher conferences, directly
correlated to the students success in the classroom. She taught elementary
education.

Reggie Smithers ( is my first name) wrote:
Chuck,
Why have we lost our sense of community in normal times? It sure would be
nice if NYC could continue this strong sense of community. Heck it is
possible that it could spread from city to city.

Before you knew it would could have a movement....


We have lost our sense of community in normal times because there is an
active industry endlessly dividing us against one another. Voices for
several sides consistently preach that all other sides are totally
without merit. The people who promote this at the very highest level
don't even really care which side we're individually on- the only
important thing to them is that the people are divided (and therefore
less of a threat).

Even those rare calls for "unity" are disingenuous. "Y'all need to
adopt my standards and values, ya hearh, so we can come together and be
united." In fact, we will truly be united when we stick up for one
another *in spite* of differences of opinion- and we will never be
united as long as we perceive people with different values or opinions
as defective in some sense or another.

It's difficult to maintain that perspective in the modern culture of
non-stop propaganda (of one persuasion or another) in almost every
medium.