dsteele

Eamonn: I'm not sure anyone else gets our sense of humor. Funny stuff you posted. Keep your right cheek up. Your chin, too. Unc.

When talking about fixed blade knives, I don't think they're talking about cooking knives. I think it refers to sheathed knives hanging about the belt. If not, why would the official BSA chef's kits include long bladed knives? You aren't going to filet a fish or cut a chicken with a pocket knife. at least not very well. Unc.

I heard they didn't last long. You could only wear them over your right cheek Unc.

Answered my own question. It seems I was off by 77 years. I was thinking of the Spanish American War. I should have remembered the old 1970's tv commercial cry "You sank my battleship!" Unc.

Just did a little research on The War of 1812. I re-learned a lot I had forgotten. This thread, while I disagree with the original premise, has been educational. So what was I thinking of? I was thinking "Remember the Maine!" What's that from? I seem to recall the Spaniards sinking a ship and thought that was the War of 1812. As to America being the most-hated nation. My question is, by whom? The entire world? I doubt it. In fact, I think it's egocentric of us to believe that we're the most hated. Hated, perhaps. By some. By many, quite possibly. I don't think there's any one nation that is "most hated." There are lots of arguments between nations, etc. But is one larger than all? I doubt it. Unc.

I want to know how Eamonn's son plays soccer in boots! Hee hee! Unc.

Achilleze: I would like to see a more direct answer to Trailpounder's question. In the last paragraph of your above post, you accuse America of invading Canada. I don't think this was ever the case. If anything, we protected your land. Answer, please. Unc.

For information on starting a new troop, call your district executive. The requirements for starting a new troop are the same as the requirements for rechartering an old troop -- you need leadership and you need youth and a chartering organization. I wouldn't recommmend that you call a parent's meeting. That's not a Scoutmaster decision to make. What you decide to do is up to you, but a conversation with your district executive and/or unit commisisoner or district commissioner is definately in order. Unc.

You should still list the total number on the tour permit. Because it's not your normal meeting place, a tour permit is required. EagleinKY is correct about the insurance. Unc.

Packsaddle: If it is true, then sign me up! I want to sue all those atheists in government foxholes. Oh, wait, you won't find them there. There are no atheists in foxholes. Must be Boy Scout alumni in there. Unc.

Adrian: I don't know about the above. I've found some pretty well hidden golf greens atop many a hill that couldn't be seen from the tees What my analogy has to do with the topic is for the English Majors in the crowd to decipher. Unc.

Meanpc: I was thinking about looking up the video. I'll skip it now, thanks to your advice. It was an awful thing that was done. Unc.

I seem to remember vaguely a survey our DE showed us in the late 80's or early 90's. It was one of those number two pencil fill in the dot things. I doubt you'll find one on-line. It was a good idea that never seemed to get off the ground. Something written could probably be prepared. Unc.

I've never played laser tag. Lasers were a thing of the future when I was a Scout. What I don't understand is why the rule is such a controversial one? I accept it and move on. It's easy enough to think of other activities for Scouts to do -- like going camping. Do individuals have to sign waivers before they can play? That's an honest question. I'd like to know. If they do, this thing may be tied to insurance after all. Unc.

Venture: You haven't heard about it? I found out when my wife and I had to go downtown to renew our marriage liscence. Unc.

In Michigan and Illinois, you can register to vote when and where you register your car. I had no problem with it in Michigan, but did have problems when I did it in Illinois. The point is that everyone eligible needs to register and vote. Unc.

I don't know that anything is inevitable. But I do believe that some bad things that happen are neccessary. The Civil War comes to mind in the second vein. In fact, there's a scene in the movie 1776, which I've read is actually grounded in the truth. Jefferson tried to wipe out slavery in his draft of the Declaration. It was met with a lot of reistance from the Southern delegates and was crossed out. Adams, siding with Jefferson, said, "A hundred years from now there will be Hell to pay!" His alleged words were prophetic. Unc.

I apologize for my earlier post where I compared the abused Iraqi prisoners nudity to Scouts at the showerhouse. I just saw the pictures. I'm moritified, horrified and angry. I'm still proud to be an American, however, because I know that the soldiers involved in those acts will be punished. I have never been involved in a war. I'm sure that most conventional mores (social rules) go out the window when people are trying to kill you on a regular basis. When it becomes vital to preserve the lives of your friends and comrades to get information from the enemy in a war, I'm sure that just about any means that works sounds good and may well be attempted. I can even accept that, in times of war, often the ends do justify the means. But that doesn't mean you grin about those means behind a pile of nude males forced to lie on one another. The picture of the two US soldiers with their wide smiles and their thumbs (gloved) in the air is particularly disturbing to me. That ain't Rumsfeld. That's people in the field getting carried away and we have to put a stop to it. thanks for letting me vent. Unc.

You're off to a great start. Sharp graphics, easy to navigate. Looks like the kind of stuff that will please parents and youth. One of the better unit websites I've seen. Unc.

Fog: I'm not sure it's a cultural thing. Perhaps it's a lack of vision on the Scout's part. Take the kid with the photography class as an example. He probably thinks he's doing higher level stuff than the merit badge and hasn't even looked at the requirements. Take a look at the requirements, then ask him some specifics about his class. When he realizes he's well on his way to completing the badge, he may take the bait and do it. Unc.

It's hard to say. It seemed to be a troop mentality. I heard it from both the youth and adults. The district changed the practice from "win and you have to put on the next camporee" to "Win and you're the honor troop." The honor troop got the first choice of campsites and the opportunity (their choice) to put on the flag ceremony and coordinate the event. Some opted to do the whole hog, others opted to just take the honor. The play to lose mentality went away. Unc.

I have to respectfully disagree with you, Zippie. Oh, and apologize for the split infinitive in the previous sentance. From the Guide to Safe Scouting, which is published on www.scouting.org -- the national BSA website: "Two-deep leadership. Two registered adult leaders or one registered leader and a parent of a participant, one of whom must be 21 years of age or older, are required on all trips and outings. The chartered organization is responsible for ensuring that sufficient leadership is provided for all activities." So if the wife of the Den Leader is a parent and the den leader is over 21 and registered with the BSA, she can be the second adult. Don't worry. This topic has been argued before and probably will be again. Unc.

Adrianvs: Thank you for your quote from the National Standards. Actually, I think a medic/corpsman would have to be registered with the BSA. Isn't there a standard that all members of the staff are registered with the BSA? There used to be. If so, they can register as "camp staff" and the camp should pick up the fee. Unc.

The Den Leader's wife would qualify if she's a parent of one of the boys attending. Unc.

Every time I see a Cub Scout leaving a pinewood derby with his car in his hands and tears in his eyes, I feel bad for the little rascal. Then my brain kicks in and realize that we just taught him a good life lesson and that after he eats his ice cream, the sting will be gone and he'll march ahead in life knowing that the world doesn't end if you're not the first one down the track. Competition, when done in a healthy way, is not only fun but a good learning experience. I also agree with Bob White that competition as a tool can be used in a damaging way. For example, I was wandering around a camporee with the other commissioners. The camporee was a competitive one. The winning troop got the honor of chairing the next camporee. About 1/3rd of the troops were told to "play to lose" so they didn't have to accept the honor. I consider that negative. However, the problem was the prize, not the competition. Unc.