Fat Old Guy

I've always heard of bank holding funds until the check clears but I've never dealt with one that actually did it to me. Maybe a conversation with a bank officer, someone higher than your branch manager is in order. You might want to remind the banker that all US checks clear in two days (did you know that the Federal Reserve flies checks across the country in charter jets?). You might also point out that you might need to take your business elsewhere.

One of the OA member Scouts in my troop doesn't want to wear his OA flap. The problem is that one of our Adults who has been in OA since before the bow was invented, keeps telling him that he has to wear it. What is the official stance on OA flaps?

New Jersey Dude asked, thinking that he knew the answer, " So if the knots are worth "slightly less than nothing" then YOU wear "a couple" of them... why, exactly?" Maybe because they mean something to the person who submitted the paperwork and they thought that they were doing something nice for me. BTW, I evidently had a senior moment, I meant to say, "slightly more than nothing."

"If you're bent on arguing that point, perhaps FOG will oblige" Excuse me?

I was at Target (pronounced tar-zhay) today and found wool/coolmax blend socks for $4.18 a pair. Semms like a better deal than the $12 a pair a Galyans.

"Well, when you say they don't mean "that much," that is what makes me wonder why you are even bothering to make this point. How much is "that much"?" In this instance it is slightly less than nothing.

" You can belittle the award as "ticket punching," but what it means for me is that I did a bunch of different things for the boys in the pack, and I got trained so I would do the best job I could. " Why should there be an award for doing what you are supposed to do in the first place? I have a couple awards and I wear the knots but they really don't mean that much because all I did was my job.

Oh Bob White, you're at it again. Deliberately misconstruing what I say.

A while back, I came to the conclusion that there are really TWO Silver Beavers. This happened when I was reading the resumes of a number of Silver Beaver awardees. There was a group of newsworthy awardees who, according to their resumes, had nothing to do with Scouting since they were boys except sit on a committee or donate money. None of them mentioned Scoutmaster, Den Leader, District Chair, etc.. The other group were dedicated Scouters and for the past 20 years had worked hard to provide good programs for kids. So one type of Silver Beaver is given out like candy to the well heeled and the other needs to be earned by dedicated Scouters.

"2) As far a why an idea for a square knot might not be approved. I believe there is a perception that there are too many square knots now." My problem is that there are knots and medals for "ticket punching" like the "Cub Scouter Training Award" but no knot if you receive a local award that is based on a nomination from your peers. Which award is more significant?

"My concern johnsned is your willingness to assume that anyone who uses the uniform as a method to achieve an aim of scouting is some nitpicking, child harrassing, rule spouter." This may be one of the few things that Bob White and I agree on. I am anything but a rule spouting book-thumper but I do think that if you are going to wear a uniform, it should be worn correctly or at least as correctly as possible.

" I guess the BSA started using the Campaign hat because army surplus ones were so easy for boys to get at the time," BSA used the campaign hat for the same reason that most Scout Associations around the world did, B-P wore one and The Boy Scouts (the originals in the UK) wore them. B-P selected the "cowboy hat," as he called it, for his troops in Africa because it is a practical hat. The wide brim provides shade, a horse can be watered from it, etc.. When B-P created the Scouting uniform, the hat was a natural.

" He has passed even if he never had shown up for any PLC or troop meeting!" How can that possibly be construed as "actively served"?

"The pack needs to have as many family members as can be had on the committee" Why?

I don't get all of this. First, I don't see why it is so difficult for parents or Scouts to look in the handbook and see where patches go. Also, I grew up in an era when looking sharp was the norm so I don't understand how having a bunch of properly dressed scouts sucks the fun out of anything? Does having to wear your cap properly make a baseball game any less fun?

Troll! No real member of the Uniform Police would ever use the term, "Class A" to describe a BSA uniform.

" I know Cub Scouters who have stayed with the pack after their son has moved on to the troop only to work on the knot." Since those are simply ticket punching awards, why knot (pun!)? That's like saying, "Well, I want to retire and I have 29 1/2 years in but if I stick around until 30, the company will give me a car." Stick around.

It seems that wearing a sash over the belt has become a "local custom" and many do it because they think that it is a proper thing to do. After all, so many others do it, it must be okay. :-) Its not the right thing to do. You can mention it to the offender but I don't think that it is worth getting bent out of shape over.

If you need uniforms, check out ebay. I got a shirt not long ago for my son for $15, including shipping. Brand new pants for $12 including shipping. I also came across a woman who was selling new shirts for a song. Her name is Lisa Sebela atl_lettergirl@msn.com. I don't know if she still has any but it might be worth an email.

"And thankfully some rules fall by the wayside when people realize that they were silly to begin with." However, they were rules until they were rescinded and were to be obeyed. Until BSA changes its collective mind, it is a rule to be obeyed. If you chose to disobey it, there is a price to be paid just as when you were civilly disobedient and drove 65 in a 55 zone.

"a scout activity can not include playing football." Huh! They had football games at summer camp.

" EVERY true sport involves contact (yes, i'm being biased here)" True sports are track and field and wrestling. Football really isn't a sport. :-)

I called National Supply. The lady on the phone dug around, asked around, and reported back that there were no more.

"As all paid up members of the Uniform special enforcement branch (USEB-BSA) Are aware you are not allowed to wear awards from other countries on the uniform" Not quite right, sorry. I'm a Special Agent of the USEB-BSA and here's the chapter and verse from the Insignia Guide. "Scouters occasionally recieve awards from Scouting association of other nations, and it is important that they know how these awards should be worn. . . . "1. They are awways worn when visiting the country whose Scouting association presented the award or when attending a meeting or functio attended by Scouters from that Country. "2. Medals awarded by other associations are wron above the left breast pocket." Although these rules specifically mention Scouters, I would apply the same rules to Scouts.

" I wouldn't recommend you flash your Eagle knot as a symbol of anything other than being an Eagle Scout." I'll go along here as well (wow! twice in one day). The youth in any program, or maybe the participants in any program, often have little or no idea of the goals, motivations, reasons, etc.. behind the program, decisions, and policies. However, you experiences as Scout should make you a valuable resource because you might remember things that were tried but you, as a Scout, found them to be "lame." Just remember, that if you look closely at the chest of many of these old Scouters, you'll see the the Red, White, and BLue knot of an Eagle Scout.