I got my dad's old penknife when he got a new one. I was about seven. I knicked myself a few times. And if I had gashed myself pretty good, so what? That's what Bactine and Bandaids were for.

I agree that the chance of a lighter exploding is fairly astronomical. I see the little toads smoking all the time --- which are the most dangerous, the cigarettes or the lighters?

I think some people really need to get a grip. If a kid hits their finger with a hammer, they'll probably be more careful next time. The answer is NOT to eliminate hammers.

You give the kid equipment while you're home, and you teach him how to use it, how not to use it, and make sure he knows all the safety issues. And not just once, either. Education is a lifelong project. The number of parents who will let their 10-year-old rip over a hilly field in a 4-wheeler at top speed, but not teach them how to use a knife make me grind my teeth in frustration.

Obviously one thing the Scouts don't teach is what to do if they do get lost. Maybe a lot of parents put their kids in the Scouts so they'll disappear and never be found? It seems to work in some cases, esp in UT. Some of them have been missing for years.

The bottom line is that you can give a kid all the gear in the world, tell him "NO" and "Don't" only a million times or so, and he's still going to act like a twit when lost in the wilderness. Why not teach him at home how to make a fire, how to use a lighter, how to use a knife, how to collect water, how to protect himself from the elements?

The gear in his pockets isn't going to be worth much if he doesn't have some gear in his head.

Cynical Sue