dsteele

Okay, Laurie, I have to admit my first reaction to reading the title of this thread, "Need help identifying a spider please" was to reply with the following smart-alec comment: A spider has eight legs . . . Just having a little fun on a Friday evening.

I don't know how long streamers have been around, but I can shove it a few years before 1983. I joined a pack in the early '70's and they had ribbons on the flag. Some of the ribbons dated back, but I can't remmember how far. Streamers decay over time and were quite possible tossed out. I think the oldest one I've seen dated back to the '50's, but I think they've been around longer than that. I mean silk screening is pretty inexpensive and been around since ancient days . . . so it's possible that unit streamers in the BSA go back to it's origin.

Married a Gold Award gal. That's the extent of my involvement, but I sure appreciate her morals and skills.

"If the COR is a member of the committee, would he need to be an invited guest?" If he never attends, an invitation might not only be in order, it might not be enough!

It's snowing down here!

I took left-hander off my resume. It wasn't getting me very far.

I remember it, but didn't think it was very funny.

Excellent. As is my family's motto in Ireland -- "In pugno pro patriam." I'm glad the kid fended off the bear and went on with life. We all have our bears to cross.

Dang, LeVoyageur -- Ya beat me to it. I kept forgetting to post that Bill Cosby, although well respected (and he's earned it) is an EdD, not a PhD.

Welcome to the forums! Actually, stick around and try to help make things happen better. Never be afraid in Scouting to stick your hand up and say, "I think it would be better if we (substitute your desire here.) as long as you're prepared to lead the charge. Don't wait for change. It rarely happens by itself.

Just read the thread from start to finish for the first time. It sounds like a wild ride. Given the thread on "when did you stop listing Eagle on your resume" it makes me wonder if Eagle Palms really make a difference in the long haul. Of course, I once ran into a mother who was very difficult and pushed hard for her son to earn more palms to make his eagle "better." Ridiculous argument. So I looked her in the eye and said, "Mom. Leave me alone. Bronze is enough for me." Truth be told, I didn't even want to earn the bronze.

Prevent a re-occurence of the problem. Don't go and yank the award away from the Scout. He had no control over who comprised his board of review.

newscoutdad: Welcome to Scouting. I'll try to answer your questions. I'm a unit commissioner, which is a district volunteer, with some Scouting experience. About 30 years worth. You called your pack "declining," but with 50-60 members, even in a town of 50,000 it's probably not declining. It is well above average size, and I'd wager it's not the only pack in town. 8 Tiger cubs is also not below average, but not stunningly above either. You state that the pack is disorganized, and it may be, but I doubt it. The truly disorganized packs have an average size of less than 10 kids total. The poor communication you site, events thrown together, etc. could be simptoms of simply not having enough volunteers or a closely knit group tied to a single organization, such as the church you mention. As to the pinewood derby and the raingutter regatta, there are rules in the box. I think you pinned it when you said that the pack may have forgotten to inform you of some of the rule modifications they made. I think that was probably an honest mistake. However, just to let you know, the "rules" in Scouting are usually found with a minimum of looking. Check the box on the kits, check the handbook for the badges and the leader's manuals for the leader stuff. As to permanent damage to your son for the raingutter regatta, I wouldn't worry about it too much. I'm the last guy to advocate kid's tears, but at that age they bounce back pretty good if the parent helps them. I think the pack was wrong to allow the boat and award the trophy to someone else. But I wasn't there, either. Now to your specific questions: "Am I overreacting to even discuss this?" No. You're not sure of the answers and you're asking the questions. Fair enough. "Did the leadership handle this as well as they could have?" If they had, you wouldn't be upset. "How would other leaders here have handled the situation?" Differently.

I didn't have a headache when I start reading this thread. I do now.

It's been my experience that the kids who make fun of the Boy Scouts as being un-cool, nerds, etc. is that they're a bit jealous and are usually showing off in front of their peers. Sure there's some of the "goody two-shoes" and "helping the little old lady" across the street mentality, but I think the public does know that there's more to the Boy Scouts than all of that. As an example I cite, to anyone who's been in an urban setting recently, that the wearing of vintage 1970's uniform shirts, replete with patches is now "cool."

The phrase, once an Eagle always an Eagle is more than an expression. Isn't it guys?

It's still on mine. It always will be on mine. When I look to hire someone, it's one of the few accomplishments prior to the 18th birthday that still speaks volumes about a person, regardless of their age. The other side of the sword is that listing it carries expectations on the part of the employer (and rightfully so) that the lister needs to meet.

Actually, the Red Cross is not a public organization. They're private, too. I don't know if they have any membership policies, but they're not a public organization any more than the Salvation Army or Girl Scouts of the USA.

I think the donor's wishes rule. If I wanted to give scholarships to only left-handers with money from my pocket, I would want it honored. I don't consider it racism. It's helping our one's own.

Rooster7: You probably weren't the only one who wanted to stand an applaud. Usually the crowd waits for someone to start the standing ovation, and then they rise. I suspect you'll be the first to rise next time. God Bless the United States of America and those who keep it free!

Dang! She said what I was going to say!

Mom shouldn't be a deciding factor on which patrol her son is in. That's the boy's business. I'm inferring that Mom wants High School age boys looking out for her young son. What young son wants may be very different. As to the PLC deciding which patrol which kid should be in, I don't think that's such a good idea. I agree with Bob White that the Scout should be the primary chooser of his patrol. Especially if you want him to stay in Scouting. When I was a patrol leader, (a long time ago) it was in a troop with about 40-45 boys. We had 6 patrols or so. My patrol had 14 members, another patrol had 4. Each Scout was allowed to choose his patrol. I don't think that we had issues with Scouts we didn't want in our patrol, but memory fades over time. I wouldn't concern myself too much over that if I were you . . . it's a hard lesson that we're not all always liked everywhere, but it's one that has to be learned sooner or later. It's probably better dealt with sooner rather than later.

Don't blame your Scout Shop guy. You were asking for a book that doesn't exist.

If a hug will help, a hug I'm willing to give. Sorry for the Yoda-speak, but I'm that kind of guy. Just because I object to verbal spankings doesn't mean I hold a grudge. From what I have seen of Fat Old Guy, I don't have a grudge. He's got a bit of a gruff exterior, but I've also seen him post some thoughtful stuff. I've yet to see him cuss, lose his temper completley, etc. As to you, Mrs. Smith, if it's a cup of coffee you desire, and I happen to have one, you're welcome to it. I'm feisty in my own way, but don't see myself as a negative person. I've been in Scouting a while (30 years) and am what you called an "old timer." But I'm not bitter about the movement. Far from it. There are all kinds in Scouting, but the common thread is the Scout Oath and Law. We follow it in our own way, but the law and oath are the same for all. Welcome to the forums. Let's all stay positive. As to numerically aligned responses, they are unnecessary here. I liked the smiles all in a row much better than I liked the 1., 2, 3, 4. Now let's hug and have that cup of coffee.

Asking the forum to ignore a user and expecting all to agree is unreasonable. Chewing them out as a group and calling them indecent decends the conversation all on its own. I haven't been around long, but I have read a lot of what's here and I haven't chosen to ignore anyone whether I agree with them or not. I, for one don't think that makes me a bad Scout. You're free to think otherwise if you wish, but kindly don't be as rude as you were in the above passage you wrote and in the others where you chewed out the "old timers."