All of this plays back into something that many of us have mentioned in relation to a number of topics on the board. The current environment in which kids are growing up is way overregulated - safety restrictions intended to protect the dumbest, parents looked at askance by the general population if they encourage or allow children to do anything perceived as dangerous, and low-level altercations between kids treated as a major threat to life and security. Sure, extreme sports are popular - but only an extreme minority are actually involved - the majority watch them sitting on their behinds or get involved vicariously through computer gaming.

This is what ends up being our recruiting pool - young'uns who are risk averse, are unused to any sort of physical hardship, let alone having ever been involved in a fight or even a really heated argument. I live in what used to be a rural heartland, and is still huntin' and fishin' heaven for many. But the number of kids that are involved is steadily shrinking. And don't even get me started on the way school sports are run these days at Middle/Junior/High School levels.

Sure, there are plenty of exceptions to the Nancy-boy stereotype I just painted - but from where I sit, that's exactly what they are - exceptions.

Along these general lines, and for your entertainment: Fun Toy Banned Because Of Three Stupid Dead Kids