Tampa Turtle

Maybe to make it harder for code enforcement to make them tear it down?

Sigh...I hate to even talk about Scott...sigh. I agree that it should not be up to him. A good education is important. I think it all depends. I have degrees in "the Arts" (Fine Art and Architecture) but married a mathematician and computer scientist who subsidized it. That said I worked at a university with many scientists (I made a better manager than they did --go figure it out). My wife is very good technically but really managed to go through school (and she was an academic star) with almost no background in civics or american history.

I could live with the Mom's going untucked if they didn't tell the boys it was OK. Just cut the legs out from under me... One of the mom's did always tuck and she ROCKED that uniform. I felt like a pale grub standing next to her...

I always tucked in my shirt even when it did accentuate my enormous stomach; so I did (unhappily) practiced what I preached.

This was a hot topic in our Pack Leadership! Some of the mom leaders refused to tuck since it made their tummy more pronounced...so they in turn undermined us "tuck-in" leaders with the boys. We ended with a tuck-in/tuck-out schism that divided almost down gender lines in the cubbies. The tie breaker was the CM who liked the neat look of the properly uniformed boys. Eventually we got some Marine Moms (wifes of active Marines)as leaders and they wouldn't tolerate any of it: "Its a uniform-wear it! If you look fat how is that OUR problem!" I went from bad cop to good cop.

In little old Tampa we had an "Occupy Tampa" protest across from where I work. It reminded me VERY much of the early Tax Party protest we had there not so long ago. Many disparate groups and individuals with signs that often clashed with each other. Very early movement looking. IMHO and observation the Occupy Tampa folks were better behaved (but then TPD was more in force) and less confrontational to passers-by than the Tea Party rally. The Tea Party folks had more moms with kids.

My old CM used a giant foam "signs up" hand she got somewhere in lieu of yelling. I am a afraid I yell. I realize it is a character flaw.

My first computer was a Sinclair ZX-80 you had to build. Cassette player storage, membrane keyboard, TV monitor. Learned Basic on it. "Upgraded" to the 16K memory expansion pack...That was before the big fancy Vic 20. I remember no VCR's and only 4 channels + UHF. And this was a big city (Miami). I remember the family watching a lousy show sandwiched before too good ones because no one wanted to get up to change the rotary channel knob. Was nice when there was a big show or event because next day at school most kids had watched the same thing or knew they missed it --the shared cultural experience. I recall we got out first color TV in 72 --big Magnavox console with the phonograph in it --thought we were rich! I am an old airline brat (National, Pan Am). The new show Pan Am makes me a little nostalgic--even if it is very fictionalized. I am just old enough to remember when flying was glamorous and you wore a suit and tie to get on the plane.

I use a and old lemonade container with a foam cozy. Cheap and even has built in measurement lines. Very, very light and an easy scout project. Good for backpacking--I also can store stove in it. I also have a vietnam era Army mess kit. It is pretty big and tough (and heavy). Like Blake said it has the advantage of being able to be dunked into boiling water with a wire. Simple Lexan bowl is pretty good. I still have those old cheap walmart special mess-kits. Pretty junky. I would not start Webelos out on them as they will not likely use them in Boy Scouts.

Good advice infoscouter. I have to remind the other boys not to bait or tease my boy --he takes everything so literally that he is easy to get his to fall for stuff. We have another asberger boy --quite severe. I have to continually remind new ASM's that for those boys (and a few straight up Autistic ones as well) that the challenge of dealing with the change of routine of a camp-out us a pretty big challenge all by itself. To say nothing of a last minute change of plan.

Hey skip so does my 13 year old. (and Tourette in the equation!)We should form a club!

My older son has expressed an interest in Sea Scouts but frankly I wouldn't know where to look...

My boy walks around with a SAS survival manual more than his Scout book.

My boy nearly didn't pass his 1st class BOR when asked what he would do different if he ran Boy Scouts: -More dangerous outdoor activities. -Camping without equipment; survival style. -Games (aka paintball-like) where they get to shoot at each other. The CC almost choked over the "shooting at each other in the woods" comment but a mom who knew my boy interpreted it as "more adventure at camp-outs".

Many a cub/boy scout leader with one shirt switches tabs between meetings. They even slide under each other. That's what the button is for.

Realistically he has to wait and work on MB's; preferably Eagle related ones and he should not be "slowed down" much if keeping an advancement schedule is his concern. Theoretically a hand cranked recumbent bicycle could be used for a 10 mile bike ride requirement. I have an amputee friend who uses one; He burns more calories that way--it is hard work. YMMV

I was wondering if your Troop or Pack is doing anything special for the 10th anniversary of 9/11? I think our Troop will provide multiple flag color guards at our affiliated churches on 9/11. Also out Troop is involved with a new memorial that has part of the WTC beams in it that will be dedicated on 9/9. I will probably go to that since it will be a big deal locally; gotta use some vacation time from work to do so. Just curious what folks are doing, if any.

FScouter we will have to agree to disagree. I will ask my wife the great arbiter of moral wisdom for her opinion. And I will ask the other Scouters and SPL as well.

Fair enough. In our Troop the singing thing seems a vestige of the older smaller Troop and the older guys do it sometimes. I guess it would be the SPL's call with the SM approval and would abide by that. OGE is right that it is wrong to just spring it on them and inconsistently apply them. As to "pranks" I find them a pain and notice a few boys (usually the bullies, even if cheerful bullies) tend to do most of them and tend to target the same boys so I view it as bullying.

To be fair sometimes it does work. Sometimes it makes things worse.

Ah that works! Great slideshow. I wanna go!

Yet Pascal was a devout Catholic.

I think a Faith and Chaplin section is a great idea. I know I always lobbied for the Scouts Own and Chaplin's Aide actually doing something at our Troop. When you get a good boy at this it is very inspirational.

Well gee isn't it humiliating to charge money than making them do something silly to deter a behavior. I know some rich kids in our Troops that get $40 a week allowance--they would just pay it while my kids get $3 a month and are very forgetful. Seems a little discriminatory. Just saying.

OGE, I was tormented as well and the one time I did pop the bully in the mouth he got 3 friends (all 2 years older and had 30 pounds more me) and beat me up. Dean of boys dragged us all in and I was lectured for not getting along and they got away with it. All I learned was to acquire friends who were big and hoodlums. Traded helping with school work for protection I guess. So yeah I hate bullies to this day and have stood up at work and got fired for it. So I have no tolerance for physical bullying; however by no means I do not have other blind-spots. I am aghast that they left you for more than 10 or 15 minutes much less all night. That was a pretty bad story.