Fat Old Guy

I just find it ironic that BSA encourages sports in which death is not uncommon (skiing, white water, climbing) but yet discourages a safe game. As for laser tag deaths, I found an unsubstantiated comment no deaths are attributed to laser tag in America but there have been some in Mexico. I do recall that about 15 years ago, a kid was killed by a cop in classic screw up, he was playing laser tag and the police showed up so the kid pointed his gun at the cop.

" As a general rule, it seems that the members of the Board of Review show up in street clothes - by design or by accident, I don't know, that's just what I have observed." We expect the Scouts to show up in uniform so I expect the members of the BoR to show up in uniform as well. Common courtesy.(This message has been edited by Fat Old Guy)

OGE, your anti-Arnold vitriol might be more effective if you had your facts straight. Grace Jones was in "Conan the Destroyer." Mock the movie if you must but Arnold is laughing his Austrian laugh all the way to the bank. BTW, have you ever read anything by Robert E. Howard?

It is ironic that laser tag is prohibited but that many more have died from snow tubing and skiing accidents than from laser tag accidents.

I get the feeling the beads become the goal and the ticket is the road to the goal, perhaps the goal itself because, as I understand it, ticket completion means beads will soon follow. A B.S. has become a similar thing, the education has become meaningless to many, if not most, students and course with grades are simply a way to get to the BS. What is learned along the way becomes irrelevant.

" The courts have supported this position multiple times" The law hasn't been repealed and the Supremes can always change their minds.(This message has been edited by Fat Old Guy)

Out of curiosity I looked at TAC's web site and I was amazed at the size of the districts. It makes sense but I'm sure that the poor DEs spend most of their life travelling. What about things like District Committee meetings? I'm sure that it is difficult to get someone from Turkey to attend a monthly meeting in Norway (maybe not if our favorite Uncle is footing the bill). How about camporees? "Hey, you'd going to the Camporee in Morocco? It's only a three day trip to get there."

" I don't think that a scouter would deliberately tell you the wrong thing," Depends on what you mean by "deliberate." I'm sure that he was deliberately told stuff but that the teller was ignorant of the actual rules. I've lost count of the number of time that I've been told by supposedly knowledgeable Scouters that a temporary patch can only be worn for six month or that you have one year to complete a merit badge.

"(Used to be also choice of cap, but I don't think there are different official options any more.)" There's the Baseball cap, the campaign hat, the field hat, the beret, and that funky flat fronted cap from the 70s. Also, it has been my understanding that a troop may design their own distinctive headgear.

Must be getting ready for "Thinking Day." I did a quick search and found this at the WAAGS site www.wagggsworld.org/aroundtheworld/regions/countries/europe/israel.htm There's an email address to contact.

"We have to stop dumbing down America and stress math and science." The problem with this approach is that you wind up with the talentless creating mediocre products. Engineering and programming are like art in that you need to have the "knack" to make it work. Anyone can be taught to be a cookbook programmer or engineer but good ones are born, not made.

TwoCubDad, If a boy earns his religious emblem as a Tiger Cub, he may wear the knot and the medal on his Scout uniform forever. If you look around, you'll see many Scouters with the religious knot.

A while back, I had a conversation with a very grumpy Scouter at the Council offices. He had been in charge of the District dinner for many years and never had any problems until that year. He used to have everyone send him their reservations and payments and he'd pay the caterers, etc., etc.. Well, Council decided that they didn't like this so now they wanted all checks and reservations to go to the council office. Now this poor Scouter had to lay out his own cash to pay the caterer and wait for reimbursement. To make life more fun, he had to drive 30 miles to the council office to get the reservation forms. Did it run any smoother? Not in his mind.

Service stars carry over from level to level. It is concievable that a Scout or Scouter could wear a star with an orange back to show his time in Tiger Cubs, a star with a yellow back to show his time in Cub Scouts, a star with green back to show his time in Boy Scouts, and this is not even getting into the stars for Varsity Scouts or Exploring(old days)/Venturing. Of course, adults may also wear a star with a blue background to show their time as an adult volunteer. Another option for adults is to combine all of their youth years with their adult time and wear just stars with blue backgrounds. The Arrow of Light patch is worn. If he earned his religious medal as a Cub Scout, he may wear the white on purple square knot on his Boy Scout uniform AND he may wear the medal on formal occassions. Supposedly, there is a memo floating around somewhere that says that the world crest is required but the insignia guide doesn't support this.

Bob, Bob, Bob, Bob . . . I'm shocked. " his World Crest over the left pocket and a little below the shoulder seam." That is soooo wrong. The world crest is "centered horizontally over the left pocket and vertically between shoulder seam and top of pocket." That's a lot different than "a little below." What's this world coming to?

"Please Please Please, a little decorum please, they are not suspenders, they are braces..." Only in that funny little country calle England. Over there suspenders are what women wear to hold their stockings up.

There is a co-ed Vietnamese Venturing Crew near me that runs themselves pretty much like a Troop. They are broken into patrols, they go camping, wear neckerchiefs, tie knots and do service projects. They are like Boy Scouts with dark shirts.

I'd go with volunteers. If you expect paid staff to do it, Council will demand their kickback. Council might want a kick back anyway if you list it as a council or district event. Maybe you could "volunteer" for the facility and that way the facility could still be running it on paper and the council wouldn't be there with their hand out. Just my thoughts. BTW, the possesive of "who" is "whose".

"I would certainly be interested in learning more about why that was done, and why it remained a part of those programs through the years." I would guess that it was because the "Senior" programs were considered a part of the natural progression of Scouting and, remember, waaaaay back then girls weren't in any BSA program. In my late 40's Handbook it says when a boy reaches 14 that he becomes an Explorer. He may stay with his troop as an Explorer or join a Post. I can't quote it exactly because my wife "put away" my books which means that I may not see them for two or three years.

"This Horse is dead. " Who asked you?

"What had changed? The Scouts had begun to take responsibility. The trust in the Scouts to do their job worked." Not to rain on your parade.. . . okay, just a drizzle . . . but couldn't it have been the parents who said, "Okay, this last one was embarassing. Give me more notice next time."

"Does the military use of "US" designate national or governmental affiliation?" Don't you know nuttin'? "US" is us as in "US vs. THEM." There are squads of soldiers that run around battle fields at night marking the enemy's equipment with "THEM." If stuff wasn't marked, our guys wouldn't know who their guys were. Don't try to make sense of what the military and naval forces do. The British call their navy "The Royal Navy" How the heck are you supposed to know who they belong to? As for what the French call us . . . who cares?

Ban the Super Bowl, Stanley Cup and the NBA championship.

I haven't been through the course so I'm speaking as an observer, an observer from waaaaay outside. I know a few ASMs who have gone through Wood Badge recently and nearly everything that they say revolves around their "ticket" and what they need to do to complete it. Helping their Troops deliver a good program seems to have taken a back seat to completing their ticket. Maybe like many things, the prize has become more important than the process. Join Boy Scouts, not to learn but to make Eagle. Go to college, not to learn but to get a degree. Go to Wood Badge, not to learn but to complete your ticket and get your beads. Yeah, I'm a cynic but we all know that.

"Patrols (each should have an assigned Assistant Scoutmaster)" To borrow from Dana Carvey portraying George I, "Baaaaad, very baaad idea."