GernBlansten

GWB on the Constitution: 'It's just a !@#$@$%#$@ piece of paper' http://www.prisonplanet.com/articles/december2005/091205pieceofpaper.htm

How about a national random drawing. Can't be worse than what we've had recently.

Our council provides tents, the old canvas type that sit on a platform. One summer they experimented with some donated Coleman dome tents. Our troop was "lucky" to get those. We were the third group to use them. They didn't last the summer as the zippers were failing when we had them. And the floors weren't standing up to the heavy use. They abandoned the idea and went back to the old canvas type. It would be very strange that the equipment list doesn't specify a tent if they aren't providing one. I'd call the council and get the skinny.

classic - 6 pack abs relaxed - 12 pack abs I'm sure its the ratio of belly size to inseam that determines which fit is right for you.

I personally would like to see Florida get a two election time out for giving us the past 8 years. Sit back, observe, learn, correct, and maybe in 2016 we'll let you play again.

ASM59, perhaps its better to say that these scouts have gotten eagle despite their parents lack of involvement in the troop. Demonstrates the scout's true commitment to the program.

Two words. Monica Lewinski

Good to see that the numismatic lobby hasn't lost any of its currency.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infinite_monkey_theorem

Ditto FScouter. Including the nickle and penny. What a phenomenal waste of legislative energy when our men and women are dying in Iraq and Afghanistan. At least Bush gave up golf for the war, you'd think Congress could give up stupid, meaningless legislation.

I have no doubt that given enough time, the parlor scouters who like to festoon their shirts with doodads and dangles will come to love the shrines they create and can wear with pride. For me, I'll keep it subdued, only decorating it with the bare minimum of ornamentation required. Just a plain old guy I guess. I don't like Christmas trees either. Still can't figure out what I might use that arm pocket for. If I smoked, it might work well.

Keeps your OA sash from sliding off your shoulder when performing service projects. Gives you some place to hang your den chief rope. Other than that, the button kinda digs into my backpack straps.

The current knee high socks worn with BSA regulation shorts could best be described as BCS (Birth Control Socks). I agree, this new uniform ain't gonna make scouting cooler, just more field practical. Now personal geek moment, there's a Columbia outlet store in my town. I went and bought 5 of their outdoor supplex shirts to wear to work everyday. Just because I like the fit and and still wear them on the weekend.

I gotta say, I kinda like it. The muted colors of the patches and numbers almost looks retro to me. I still don't like epaulets but these are acceptable if you gotta have them. The bellow pockets are pretty standard on REI and Columbia shirts now. Same with the arm pocket, whatever that is for. Hat, oh yeah, I'll buy one of those. Really! Much better than the old one. Oh the socks, huge improvement. Get rid of those dorky red banded knee highs. Big question though. Are the new switchbacks the same color as the old ones? Can I just buy the shirt or am I in for the whole ensemble?

Consistency is important when dealing with issues that have a strong impact on your organization. Being wishy washy on how you implement a policy doesn't make much sense when that policy is what is causing such strife in the ability to reach youth. The whole Buddhist/atheist issue is just such a consistency problem. To be consistent, they must either drop the DRP, allow for local options on implementing the DRP, or kick out the atheist Buddhists.

The issue here between TAHAWK and Merlyn is what I find very perplexing in the BSA stance on athiests. BSA acknowledges and celebrates Buddhists (as they should). BSA says athiests can't be the best citizens and not allowed to join (see DRP). Most Buddhists are athiests. Seems to me that BSA didn't do much research on Buddhism when they came up with the DRP which controls the atheism issue. Atheism is the primary issue on BSA being banned from government resources and when it, the BSA, pushed the issue by banning athiests, lost the ability to charter thousands of units through public schools. So the net result is BSA has sanctioned atheists in their ranks through Buddhism, yet have ousted unaffiliated athiests causing problems in chartering and use of public resources. Talk about who has a problem! Its BSA. Either toss the Buddhists out, or come to grips with the atheist issue.

So the standards for LFL are just fine, but applied to BSA they are woefully insufficient. Even though those standards have no applicability in the BSA program.

Gonzo, I'm not being clear. Let's say the BSA was a religious organization as it claims. It has religious requirements not only for joining, but strong religious elements in its programing. It requires religious activities to verify compliance and competency in a members religiosity. Non religious folk will quickly be weeded out. Likewise, it claimed it was a heterosexual organization that required strong heterosexual elements in its programming. It required heterosexual activities to verify compliance and competency in a members heterosexuality. If that were the case, then I would agree that BSA has right and obligation to restrict membership to those who are not eligible to partake in their programming. Non-heterosexual folk will quickly be identified and weeded out. However, BSA does not have those elements in its program, so enforcing a requirement for membership that has no relevance to the program is not only silly, but self defeating. Likewise, in your analogy of the Tall Dancers Club, if they had a requirement that all members like pistachio ice cream, it would be silly and self defeating because it has no bearing on the program they offer.

Gonzo, your Tall Dancers Club analogy would be appropriate if the BSA program focused on delivering a program that promoted heterosexuality and theism. There are no requirements beyond the DRP that requires a scout to worship or have any faith. No merit badges, nothing but a vaguely worded oath about duty to God and country. Same goes for heterosexuality. Now if the Tall Dancers Club had a rule to exclude gays or athiests, yes the analogy would work because the TDC doesn't have any program elements based on theism and sexuality. Like BSA. And in that case, the TDC and the BSA could not use government resources.

Gonzo, if allowing gays and athiests into LFL doesn't spoil the program, why do you think it would spoil the traditional BSA programs?

Perhaps it would be helpful if GW could give us an example of the disagreement scientists have with flight physics.

Gravity

Don't forget the reserve heli pilot just in the event the rescue heli pilot has exceeded his total air time for the day.

I never considered those who use strict interpretations of laws and constitutions as the "left". I learn something new every day.

John KC: "I would hope BSA's attorneys closely scrub the products for copyright infringement. That goes ditto for Camp Fire, Boy's Clubs, Big Brothers, and GSUSA." That's interesting. I hear a call from many that those who disagree with BSA policies should just go start their own program, but they better not steal any of BSA's ideas.