FScouter

In the "Post Reply" screen there is a "Format this Post" button on the left that includes a spell checker.

"If you want to follow the Insignia guide ..." I've been accused of being a book thumper. And being good at it too! What looks best may or may not be what is described in the Guide. What looks best is really in the eye of the beholder. Knots even have a top and a bottom. Some knots I've struggled to see which color overlays the other color. I tend to think that whatever we do with knot placement ranks a little low on the scale of insignia correctness. Still, right is right. However, I must point out ... The text says "The order of wearing of medals and knots is at the discretion of the wearer." That would seem to eliminate any possiblity of being incorrect. There is no picture in the Guide that depicts 2 knots centered over 3. If one wants to do that, I'd say "fine"! But to place one left or right isn't incorrect. The reference to the picture refers to the 3 awards that are not square knots, and have no distinguishing color to show which the top and which is bottom.

"I'd ratehr do this than be an expert on BSA's ever increasing list of rules, many pointless and counter productive." Most of the "useless rules" posted here are not rules at all. But it's still fun to trash Scouting.

In addition to the BSA link OGE provided, you can also take a look at the Troop Committee Guidebook, the Scoutmaster Handbook, and the Advancement Committee book. None support any notion of tossing a rope and saying "Here kid, prove you can tie a knot." Should the board discover through their discussion with the boy that he has not met the requirements, it's more a reflection on the program the SM is administering than on the boy. Fix the SM and the program.

I'd put it on the side closest to the shirt buttons (wearer's right).

Uh, why is Grandpa making such a big deal about his supposed "right" to sleep with a grandkid??? I'm reminded of the grandfatherly man in "It Happened to Me". BSA has youth protection rules in place to protect youth. Given that 90% of sexual child abuse comes from family members and close family acquaintances, I really have to wonder why any pack or troop outing leader would go along with attempts to circumvent BSA youth protection rules. Is it REALLY so important that Grandpa sleep with the kid??

There's no reason to feel offended at being asked to contribute money. We'd be in sad shape indeed if we sat back and waited for contributions to voluntaraily come in! The whole FOS program revolves around asking for a contribution. I'm not so sure asking for a contribution constitutes an "attitude" in a negative sense. Sure it may be uncomfortable to respond to a determined contribution request. How about saying "No thanks, I've already made a contribution this year", or just say "sure, no problem" and write a check for $25. Surely one can have the strength to stick to one's giving level without quitting board membership? How does quitting help make things better?

My earlier comment (about 20 posts back) about who would make the "last post" was a feeble effort to get the participants to quit posting their retorts and let the other guy make the "last post", thereby ending the argument. Oh well.

Thanks for the link Ed. It confirms that a temporary guardian is not simply someone appointed by a parent prior to a campout. Following the guidance in Eds link, one would first seek the advice of an attorney, complete the necessary paperwork, then go to court to get approval by a judge. Only then do you have your temporary guardian. Neither the Guide to Safe Scouting nor any other BSA publication gives a parent permission to approve another adult to sleep in a tent with their boy. Rather, it specifically says other adults may NOT sleep with a boy.

Well, lets see where we are now. The top contenders in the battle are showing little sign of fatigue. For a while it looked like there might be a truce, but Hunt jumped back in with a flurry of punches. Bob was waiting for him and came back strong blow for blow. Attracted by the smell of Bobs blood, Ed jumps right back in the middle of the melee with his tried and true quote and punch style; glancing blows but mightily annoying. Who the ultimate victor will be is anyones guess. Right now the raw score is Bob on top with 22 posts, Ed not far behind with 16, Hunt trying to catch up with 7, with John-in-KC falling further back with 7. Plus a host of also-rans. Any bets on who will make the final post?

Why waste a phone call? You got your answer when no reference was cited. Of course I could be wrong. We have plenty of insurance experts here on the forums that know the correct answer. You could go with best 2 out of 3 answers. Then again you might want to ignore what other folks say and just go with the community standard in your area.

Given that there are any number of forum members that have claimed at one time or another to be BSA insurance experts, it's not likely anyone's opinion about insurance is going to be changed. Of course if any one of them could point to a BSA publication that says any activity is either "insured" or "not insured" there might be a chance.

The "fact" is that disparaging comments about other forum members is not Scoutlike and not permitted. We moderators are able to prune out the negative attack portion of a post, but in the case of habitual offenders it's a lot easier to delete the entire post.

I fear that encouraging each individual to figure out the "intent" and the "standards of the greater community" is just a nice way to give permission to ignore rules, policies, or guidelines if following them is inconvenient.

Also, see the back side of the tour permit. http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/34426.pdf

There is no such a thing as a "temporary guardian". A guardian is a permanent legal arrangement when the parents are dead or otherwise unable to function as parents. On a campout, each boy must be responsible to a specific adult. Ideally that will be the boys parent or legal guardian. If a boys parent or legal guardian cannot attend the campout with the boy, the boy may still attend - some other specific adult must attend to which that boy is responsible. Its up to the parent or guardian to select the responsible adult. It could be another parent, or Grandpa, or even the next door neighbor. Of course that person must agree to accept the responsibility, and the outing leader should agree too. The responsible adult should not be the den leader or Cubmaster or outing leader because that person already has enough to do managing the event without looking after somebody elses boy. Regarding sleeping arrangements, an adult may sleep in the tent with a boy ONLY if the adult is the parent or guardian. A responsible adult may NOT sleep in the tent with a boy not his own. A parent or legal guardian may NOT give permission to skip the BSA rules for sleeping arrangements. A boy may ONLY sleep with his parent or legal guardian, Or with another boy or boys, Or by himself. NO other adult may sleep in the same tent with a boy.

I think you can rest assured that if a new uniform is eventually available, the current uniform will still be used for many, many years. Not many folks are going to replace a perfectly servicable uniform. It's the new kids that will buy a new uniform.

Did you tell the boys beforehand that the next meeting would have snakes and pirates?

Where is the kid getting the idea that a board of reveiw is some ordeal to get nervous about? Does he think he going to get raked over coals? Are the Tenderfoots telling him horror stories?

Guide to Safe Scouting: "When staying in tents, no youth will stay in the tent of an adult other than his or her parent or guardian." Any other tent scenarios are OK.

A purpose of the BOR is to determine if the requirements were completed, not to just see if the book was signed. An improperly signed book does not equate to fulfilling the requirement. If the boy didn't do it, the board isn't taking anything away by asking him to go back and do the requirement.

This is a benefit concert with a portion of proceeds going to the *** chapter of **** Against Cancer. Id feel more comfortable helping out if they said 1/2 or 3/4 or 90% of the ticket price would go to the charity. I tend to look askance at projects with a charity label, but only an unspecified portion being donated. I remember one commercial product that had a big advertising blitz where they were going to make a donation to the Make-a-Wish Foundation for every item sold. How much benefit is there if the portion is 1/10 of 1 percent of net profit after taxes, with expenses set to minimize profit? If one was of a cynical nature, it could be said the promoter was looking for free labor.

"I will need to recruit a leader to step up to take the Den Leader role for the "new" den." You can help of course. It is the responsibility of the Cubmaster and the pack committee to select and recruit den leaders. Ask them what their plan is, and offer to help. But it's really not your problem. Your job is to lead a den of 6-8 boys. My guess is that unless you are adamant about a limit, they will be perfectly OK letting you flounder about with a group of 14.

Oh please Ed, spare us. Give it up already. Get a LIFE man! And Bob, if you respond to Ed's prattling, you're just as irrelevant. It's embarrassing to listen to you two pick and poke at each other. Have you no sense of shame, or embarrassment, or respect for the sensitivities of 10,000 other forum members you choose to make audience to your infernal bickering? You're both as bad as two immature fourth-graders. Please do us all a favor and take 10-day timeout from the forums. Or does the moderator team need to meet and work out a plan for you?

Gee thanks guys! Your explanations really help in understanding this! But I'm still a little fuzzy between the ears. I could be wrong, but it sounds like Bob is saying the uniform should not be worn for an Eagle project, and Ed is saying p'tooey it's not in writing. And Bob says it is in writing and quotes the book, and Ed again says a bunch of other stuff, and p'tooey again. Could y'all please start again at the top in simple language that we simpletons can understand? Please help me out here, it's a fascinating topic and the thirst for knowledge is overwhelming. Bob, you go first and that will guarantee a response from Ed.