Fat Old Guy

It's not my problem per se but it does aggrevate me: Scouts who take a position of responsibility because they need it to advance but then don't do the job. My biggest problem is moronic parents. Example 1: Mom who thinks that we're "punishing" her son by not letting him advance with the Scouts his age "just because" he hadn't completed the requirements. The fact that the other Scouts his age range in rank from 2nd class to Star is irrelevant. Example 2: The mom that goes on the campouts and then follows the son around, "helping" him with whatever he is supposed to be doing. Example 3: The father who doesn't understand why the adults don't MAKE other Scouts help his son, who overpacks for every outing, carry his gear. Every couple months we have the same discussion, if his son needs or wants help, he can ask the other Scouts and if they are willing to help, they may. Dad doesn't like this because no one wants to help Junior anymore because he continues to overpack. We've explained this to Dad but he says that Junior insists that he needs EVERYTHING. He brings a folding cot! Example 4: The mom that told her said that he could have a propane heater in his tent because SHE said that it was okay.

" My CC will be at the first PLC to observe. (I will tape his mouth shut if he interupts)." If I remember my books, the SM works for the CC so be careful. :-) Since these are all new guys, I like the idea of rotating the PL position every month but don't do it by appointment. Give the Scouts the opportunity to elect their PL each month. They might find someone that they like early on and re-elect him time after time and there might be some that don't want the job. I do like Bob White's idea (Satan is calling North Face to order a new parka) about how to fill out the patrols. I think that someone else mentioned this but I can't find the reference. Before the SPL elections, maybe two weeks before, talk with the Scouts and their parents about the duties, responsibilities and commitment of the SPL. Possibly even give them a handout. Encourage any Scout who is thinking of running for SPL to discuss it with their parents. We have and information sheet about SPL that requires a parental signature to run for SPL. That started after we had an absentee SPL whose parents said, "We didn't think that he'd actually have to be at the meetings." After the initial shakedown, don't swap SPLs or PLsjust because "someone else needs a turn." All leadership positions need time in office to learn the job and experience everything that it has to offer. My troop had a "traditon" of switching PLs whenever someone "Needed it to advance." The result was continual chaos. We've now made PL a year long position and now the PLs have a chance to hit their stride before getting run out.

"Why on Earth do you feel compelled to remove him from your unit?" Because rules are rules.

" Better yet, give our troops a standing "no prisioners" order and eliminate the problem entirely." That's not only a violation of the Geneva Convention but it also is what seperates us from them.

"I've heard of Dickies, but don't know much about 'em. I guess my first question is what's their durability as compared with the Scout pants?" That's like asking how a Mack Truck compares to a Yugo. Dickies are industrial strength work clothes made for serious working conditions. They last forever or nearly so.

" I think somebody told me that they did change the eagle badge rules recently, allowing adults to wear the actual badge IIRC." I'm sure Bob White can speak authorotatively but I'm pretty sure that they haven't blessed adults wearing the Eagle Badge. As an aside, I was watching "LEave it to Beaver" last night, it was the episode in which Wally joins the Boy Scouts. It appeared that the Scoutmaster was wearing a First Class badge. Also, when Beaver wanted to join, he was told that he was too young and would have to wait. I started yelling at the TV, "Why don't you tell him about Cub Scouts!" I might need a reality check

"Dickies are not made in the usa." Some are and some aren't. I have some that say "Hecho en Mexico," some that say "Made in Honduras" and others that say "Made in USA."

" If it was passed by the District Committee I would have no choice" Are districts organized differently than troops. I know that no votes are required in a Troop Committee and that the CC has final say. Does the District Committee need to vote on things?

Eagle Foot opined, "Too bad the troop is above supporting this, Merit badge day is another way to continue earning Merit Badges that the unit may not have covered." The unit doesn't have to have merit badges "covered." What's the matter with the Scout going out on his own, finding a counselor, doing the work and earning the badge? NeilUp said, " Technically, they can't refuse a signed application but it could be ugly." However, the SM has to sign the card before the Scout goes to the MB Mill and he may just refuse to give the blue card to the Scout.

Has the Scout delivered the popcorn to the customers yet? If he doesn't have the money in hand, his parents might not be willing to front him the money to pay off his bill. I know of a Scout who needed to turn his money in but still hadn't delivered it all so he needed about $50 to square his account. Our popcorn chair was talking to him on the phone about the problem and he asked his mom for the money. Mom's reply, "I don't have $50, ask your dad." Dad said, "I don't have $50 for you, that's your problem." Before you start talking hardship, both parents have good jobs. Mom spends a fortune on Longaberger and Pampered Chef junk. Dad buys new golf clubs on a regular basis and always has greens fees. They just aren't willing to help him out.

We have a number of home schooled children in my troop and my daughter's girl scout troop has two home schooled children. The parents say that belonging to a group like Scouts is important to give the social interaction that they would have at school. OneHour, thanks. I've never read much about Lone Scouting. I find it interesting that they'd say that being home schooled qualifies a boy for Lone Scouting. It doesn't make sense to allow someone to be a lone scout just because he doesn't go to the local junior high but is taught by his parents when the boys who live on either side of him MUST join a troop because they do go to school. However, there is much about BSA that makes little sense.

I've learned that many troops are like mine (and that many are not) in that our "committee" meetings are adult leader meetings mixed in with a committee meeting as there is a blurring of the line between the two groups. I've brought up on a number of ocassions that the SPL should attend, if for no other reason than to give his input in some matters and to know what we old people are up to in other matters. I've been shot down by the SM who says that it is his job to represent the Scouts to the committee. I disagree with the SM but I'm just one voice.

Lone Scouting is for Scouts who are far, far away from the nearest troop or for Scout who are unable to interact with a troop for medical reasons.

" that there is less regulation in the arms industry than for the manufacture of a beany baby." You really don't know much about the gun industry do you? Firearms manufacturers and dealers are closely regulated by the governement and are under frequent if not constant scrutiny. Every gun that is manufactured (other than some special guns for the military) is assigned a serial number and that gun has a paper trail from the manufacturer until the time that it is sold at retail. It is unlawful for a dealer to sell handguns to a resident of another state. It is unlawful for a non-deale to sell any gun to a resident of another state. It is unlawful to alter or eliminate or attempt to eliminate the serial number from a firearm. It is unlawful for a dealer or non-dealer to sell a firearm to someone that he has reason to believe is prohibited from owning guns. You are prohibited from owning guns if you have ever been convicted of a crime that could carry a sententence of more than one year (Teddy Kennedy can't own a gun), if you are a drug user, a habitual drunkard, or insane. It is a felony to attempt to buy a gun if you are prohibited from owning a gun. This last point is interesting. The anti-gun folks talk about the tens of thousands of people that were turned away by background checks but less than a dozen were prosecuted. When asked, Chuck Schumer said that the law was intended to be used to prosecute people. ATFE says that less than 3% of the guns used in crimes are bought at gun shows. Less than 2% of the guns used in crimes fit into the category of "semi-automatic assault weapon". The laws are there, they just need to be enforced. Richmond, Va is doing that and their crime rate has dropped dramatically.

Velvet has a nap, corduroy has a nap as does shag carpeting. This thread is getting frayed.

I'm not a big fan of the "go to camp and earn a bunch of merit badges" model. My ideas go along the lines of the ideas put forth by Adrianvs. Let the first year scouts do "Fun stuff" for most of the day. Each day, let them go and have a couple hour introduction to different activities or even a couple activities each day. A couple hours canoeing, a couple spent in archery, a couple hours at the rifle range, a couple hours swimming, a couple hours rock climbing, a couple more hours swimming, etc.. In this model, the boys would go home and when mom and dad ask, "What did you at camp?" Instead of saying, "I made mocassins" or "I made a basket too small to be useful", he can say "I went canoeing and shooting and swimming and . . . and . . ." A big chunk of the rest of the time could be spent on first class requirement but they should be done well and properly. An hour spent on first aid for a few days. Fire building for a couple hours. Knots and lashings for an hour each for a few days. Maybe ONE merit badge like wood carving which would be tied into the Tot'n Chip material.

Let me put this another way, when there is a disagreement between a parent and another person on how to address the other person, the person who wants the most formality wins.

Sorry, but when it comes down to what you want from my children and what I want from my children, you lose.

According to my level it is but what does that have to do with words that have no meaning.

"Sounds like my SE and council members......" As I've said before, I've never even seen the SE or any of the Pooh-bahs of the Council but it does sound like most every professional that I've dealt with. Phone call after phone call goes unanswered. Email after email goes unanswered. Then they have the audacity to come and ask for more money. I've gotten more information from Man O'Steele than I have from any professional in my Council. Sad to think that he's being cut loose.

Sounds like something that an old "herbal" practitioner would say.

"I hope you're not referring to me in this statement, because if you are, you're dead wrong and totally misrepresenting my position." Your intent is to allow the godless and perverts into Scouting. Am I wrong?

The problem is that your word makes no sense.

Sounds like you're a pacifist. BTW democide isn't in my OED or found in at dictionary.com.

I expect to be addressed by anyone who is not a peer and by most of those who don't socialize with me. I don't like bank tellers calling me by my first name and I don't call them by their first name. Maybe it is my upbringing or maybe it is my naval background. Perhaps, if I had been in the Air Force, I'd be on a first name basis with everyone.