packsaddle

I'm thinking that skin tone was something like metallic silver or perhaps isinglass or micaceous clay. Anyway, once in a while I see a person, usually but not always female, with makeup that looks like that...and applied thickly too. I sometimes dare to observe the eyes...just in case. I'm guessing that makeup is an evolutionary attempt to maximize the probability of successful copulations and I guess it must work since it seems to continue as an element of primate social behavior. Same is those monster trucks I see on the road sometimes...must be compensation for something.....and it must work too. Edit: That's right, LeCastor, we're incorrigible.

Capitalists versus communists. It's an old story. Selfish people versus altruists. We tried it both ways. There were a few who excelled as 'Daddy Warbucks' but the little sisters dressed in rags standing at intersections in the rain were the best at begging for the collective. They outdid 'Daddy' every time. Of course, being part of the collective, 'Daddy' got his share too.

Well...there's also that 'complexion' thing. I mean if you're going to 'manufacture' someone, why not make them actually 'look' like someone?

SMMathhew, I thought about that. The boy had been left and I had waited with him and my son for about half an hour before I decided to drop him off at home. No response on the phone so off we went. Got there and the place was locked and dark. There's no way I'm going to drop that kid off under those circumstances. Either his single mom had to work late or she had car trouble somewhere or, or....didn't matter. The kid was 'mine' until I could hand him off to the responsible adult. So I took him and my son to a movie (Stargate, good movie by the way), they had a great time and when it was all over I had watched a decent SciFi flic, was out about $20 for everything and a few hours of my time. Mom was home when we got there. Didn't even say thanks. I really felt bad for the boy. What you suggest is a good idea if the responsible adults are actually responsible. Of course if that were the case...this thread wouldn't exist.

Welcome to the forums. It's good to read about different perspectives and experiences.

Horizon, ours was structured similarly for awards. But we had the speed race and then everyone engaged in open races, even the sisters and boy scouts, anyone with some old PWD car was welcome. The open races were the most fun. Everyone got full color certificates as well. Some of the boys went simply for design, they said they didn't care about the actual races. One of them is an architect today and a couple of others are engineers.

Horizon, that might end up gaining 'adopted' sons. 12 hours is excessive. I've been on the receiving end of something like this but maxed out at 6 hours. It was not common though. I don't have a good solution because this is a bad problem. As mentioned, your 'last resort' is child protective services. I don't know how long you wait until 'abandonment' kicks in. That may vary from state to state.

I'm saddened that someone thought it was worth their time to do all that research and post it on Wikipedia. Sad. But it was interesting to read. Back when I was still closely involved with PWD, we had the 'official' races for the boys and afterwards we had 'open' races for anyone who wanted to trot out their jalopy and give it a run. Those were almost as much fun because you could see the wheels turning in the heads of the boys who paid close attention to the fastest cars of all. Of course about an hour after the derby was over, most of those boys had their attention distracted toward some other diversion. Edited Part: You know, there is a pesky side of me that just realized that the Wikipedia article is a chance to have some fun. So the article is already there. But anyone can add to it. We should all flesh that thing out with our experiences about 'legality' and how we've addressed problems. I bet we could make that article into an extensive record for all to read and learn from. I'm going to give it a shot.

While I sympathize with the lament, ".... let's just either remove "Trustworthy" ...." we can also be realistic. Yes, we should expect a SM to meet the ideals of scouting and if he doesn't we should call him on it. But dads who are not registered scouters aren't necessarily bound by anything more than an ethical code that we hope everyone follows: "No Cheating", or something like that. In the back of our minds we know that the 'code' wouldn't be there in the first place if people DIDN'T cheat. So it's going to happen. It's inevitable. And yes, a SM, Scout Law or not, is still just as human as the rest of us and susceptible to the temptation. It is our duty to bring him back to where he should be. Short of that we fail him and ourselves alike. It's just sometimes more effective to have a third party make the call.

Get an objective third-party judge. Instruct them to go strictly by the rules and then back them up when they do their job. I've confronted this in the past, thankfully not with a Cubmaster.

I keep 'hearing' Dionne Warwick asking a question of someone named Alfie. Seriously, I think that really describes an ideal outcome and I'm glad to have read about it. Thanks for sharing.

Welcome to the forums. I grew up in NC and graduated from NC State. Now I'm in the 'third world' state just south of you.

...waking up....what? huh? I thought this WAS Issues and Politics. My bad. If the discussion continues in this direction I'll move it.

We don't currently have one. When I was a boy scout I was the bugler. I had a cornet and then later a trumpet. Couldn't see the need to spend money on something that I only used once a month or so. The trumpet got heavy use in marching band, pep band, concert band, etc. I was told that holding the first and third valves down would approximate the bugle key. I never saw the use for that though because the 'tune' would work with any valve combination.

I'm glad he is able to be honest about himself.

In a few minutes I'm going to display my reverence for a plate of spaghetti....I'm really hungry tonight.

I have a passionate hatred of phone calls. If I don't know that number, it's off to oblivion.

Because I grew up in NC, I think this one is the one that resonates most for me. I remember doing my best to choke down that first cigarette and my shame at failing to pass the test needed to join as a regular member of society. Terrie, on the other hand, succeeded. She died a couple of years later from the effects of tobacco. This one is heartbreaking: Today it angers me to see young people continuing to follow her path. It is both from the arrogance they display (or is it self-loathing?) and the continuing complacency by the people around them, condoning their slow suicide. Edit: I guess I just don't see the so-called 'controversy'. This is simply the clear right thing versus absolute stupidity.

Thanks for keeping us up-to-date on this.

What JoeBob said, especially that first one, but without the guilt. Around here I gave up on RT long ago as a complete waste of time.

Way, way over 50 here Oddball, when I was a boy we also didn't know those HA bases existed. Like your coworker's troop, our troop created our own HA experience every summer. From a boy's perspective, adventure can occur in a multitude of ways in a multitude of places. It doesn't have to be expensive or even all that far from home for most of us. What would happen to the triple crown? What does the answer really matter if boys are having adventures other ways in other places?

Agree with the SM on this. The CC is going too hard with his own interpretation of advancement requirements.

They could just use the anti-smoking video commercials. Those are about as gruesome as they get. Anyone who sees those things and starts anyway has some bigger problems than tobacco.

Hope all those boys got a good, graphic lesson about what having a baby REALLY involves, lol. Might make them think a little more seriously about things.

"False" gods? The way I learned it was: "I am the Lord thy God, which haue brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage: Thou shalt haue no other Gods before me. Thou shalt not make vnto thee any grauen Image, or any likenesse of any thing that is in heauen aboue, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water vnder the earth. Thou shalt not bow downe thy selfe to them, nor serue them: For I the Lord thy God am a iealous God, visiting the iniquitie of the fathers vpon the children, vnto the thirde and fourth generation of them that hate me: And shewing mercy vnto thousands of them that loue mee, and keepe my Commandements." 1611 KJV. This is from the copy of the family Bible that my grandmother gave me.