Tampa Turtle

Only boys are allowed to bull's-eye womp-rats in their T-16's around here. Sir, the possibility of successfully navigating this thread is approximately 3,720 to 1. Anger, fear, aggression; the dark side of the Force are they. Easily they flow, quick to join you in a fight. If once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny, consume you it will, as it did Obi-Wan's apprentice.

I think one fear traditionalists have is National will treat lasses differently than the lads. Take heart! This is proof that National Supply can provide ugly and poorly functional items for ALL scouts. But after spending a lot of time around the same school-age girls around here at least they are not spandex bike shorts with a pink "Scouts" across the backside. Skorts seem to have some modesty to them. I pray that National will have the fortitude in 2019 to forsake scout yoga pants with "You Go Girl" on the posterior. GSUSA would fume about that!

Can boys wear them as a Cub-Kilt?

But a movie that is both good and please the fans has the best 'legs' and will over time bring in a lot of money. While there are folks in the entertainment industry to who are trying to promote their art as much as their livelihoods the people who back them are in the business to make money. So that is a potential self correcting feature. Of course the Star Wars franchise is its own pocket universe now with multiple income streams from merchandise, secondary media spin-offs (books, background films, cartoons), and theme parks so that as long as a new film supports that it may matter less if it is good. And am I crazy...Last Jedi has a 90% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, Eberts (legacy) review site has it at 5 stars. Hardly 'hated by a majority of fans' I would argue. I get if one is a purist...son#2 has had us do Jackson's Hobbit trilogy for the last 3 family movie nights and while it was well made the departure from JRR Tolkiens cannon by Jackson drove me nuts...but then I am geeky enough to have read all of that stuff in my youth. As for the (well worn) issue of BS4G (I like that tag BTW) the more I talk with parents and other scouters locally the tide seems to be shifting toward acceptance and even support. So I have NO idea what people IN scouting really think of it...the few outside polls capture folks with little knowledge of scouting and the cooked inside BSA polls are suspect. But Kudos to @SSF for getting 6 pages on this thread! Clearly the force is with you.

My boys argued who was the better movie composer John Williams (Star Wars, Jurassic, etc) vs Howard Shore (LOTR, etc). Much shouting, little blood, smart phones whipped out. Williams was grudgingly acknowledged by Oscar count. (I will be so glad when school starts gain).

I think these points are your opinions and not backed up by some data: "the reality is that the vast majority of scouts and scouters do not believe that girls should be able to join the Boy Scouts" - vast majority? "vast" that is a pretty tall order. Other than the carping of myself and others where is your proof? " the vast majority of Star Wars fans and movie goers did not at all like the Last Jedi and strongly objected to the overt feminism and social justice themes." Again, given the massive size of the box office and the repeat viewers this would be a controversy well covered in the media. As for Ms Marvel/Captain Marvel they are different characters (there has always been a whole annoying family of Marvels) Ms. Marvel (Kamala Khan) is the islamic one and Captain Marvel is some one named Carol something or other....I could be wrong but both titles and characters appear to be current. I am still waiting for the Matzo Woman-Ms Marvel semitic team up issue. Maybe they can share a nice Falafel. I love Falafels. SSF I think you and I may agree on more issues than you think BUT the difference is I realize that while what I believe was once a majority opinion it is now a minority one. But my all means vote with your feet and wallet...corporations seem the most sensitive institutions to the will of the public these days.

The SS Eagle Integrity is a leaky boat already. Keep bailing.

For the sake of a good discussion could be more specific.

Ah yes...never been there. Been to Stirling ("the mini Edinburgh") and Pitlochry (had a good wander over there) once. Pretty country.

@qwazse 'veiled heroines'? Like the new Ms. Marvel....I rather like her... To be honest I am more Star Trek than Star Wars but broad minded enough to enjoy both universes*. I have an old acquaintance in the comics industry and you should read the threads that THOSE folks rage about...eclectic and opinionated group about culture in media. With pictures. *The Turtle teenage household DOES have a bitter dispute between the DC vs. Marvel universes that may need a latter-day 'Peace of Westphalia' to restore the domestic tranquility. And our dinner table (because we are one of those 'everyone sits down and eats dinner together no matter what" families) do express a full range of religious angst. Oy Vey!

I have told Mrs Turtle that is how I want to go.

Brrrrr....looks like they were having fun....so hard for me to relate....it was almost freezing here today and I had no idea how long it takes to get dressed when it is cold and you have to go to work! I must have saved hours of time not having to shuck and unshuck layers growing up in Florida. (Indeed when I was a lad near Miami I mostly wore some gym shorts, T-shirt, and no shoes except for school and church) Where in bonny Scotland was that?

I mean't stop fighting the tide and just go rogue...

I am struggling to understand the angst. Perhaps I am overly sentimental about the franchise since my family too were once moisture farmers...

As someone who saw the first one the first week wearing a homemade Starwars T-shirt because no merchandise was available yet it has all been downhill since The Empire Strikes Back.

This why there are rules and procedures to minimize misunderstandings. Still clearly there are missing messy pieces of this story...

I am sure she is a fine person but stories like this drive me nuts. My boys, who loved scouts, have aged out but would like to continue adventures with their younger friends but not as adult leaders. I say 'no, you are no longer scouts' because scouts ends at 18 unless you do Venturing or take on an adult role because that is what BSA says. Stories like this make me want to go "Oh do whatever you want, tent with whomever you want, no one cares".

Well we always do the matinee sans refreshments. The Turtle household entertainment hierarchy is a tightfisted public library videos with the occasional Redbox and a rare matinee treat.

SSF I guess we are just going to ignore Yoda as an obvious Christ figure and Luke is Saul/Paul. Or is is Obi-Wan the Christ figure. Or is the Sith/Jedi issue more of a pre-Gnostic view of Dualism. Personally I saw the Casino scene at Canto Bight reminiscent of a Lutheran's Woman's Basement Coffee except you have to substitute Coffee Cake for graft and debauchery. Admiral Ackbar is OBVIOUSLY a nod to St. Thomas Becket and frankly both deserved better. I'd direct your outrage there. I was a bit bored with the Rey charactor (I liked the Rose one much more) in this movie. My son did not see her as male or female just the young Jedi propagandist. At the risk of seeming a wee bit sexist when I want my dose of liberal "You Go Girl" I prefer Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman for two reasons: (1) Wonder Woman's legs vs Rey's weird leggings/wrappings and (2) *sigh* Gal Gadot.

I'd say it wasn't Kosher. Yeah, I used to be a 'car screener' and we bounced 1 or 2 that were not made from the kit. I know we had Outlaw races and Dad's races. I can see 3-D printed car races but not as an "Official Pinewood Derby" race. Seems like someone could win at a local unit and be bounced as they competed at District. But who knows these days?

I enjoyed it ..I liked it had a land war scene (which should not be a spoiler) but I could care less over the good/evil path angst of all the different characters. Just make a decision and get on with the story! I saw it with some teens and there main comments were about the new aliens, critters, and gear (all the chrome). One son of mine already knew about all the 'religion angst' thread and laughed it was only an issue for those people who follow a Star Wars based religious philosophy (which sadly includes more than one of his teachers in H.S.). People have been complaining about religion for generations...if you are a person of faith you gotta grow a thicker skin for all media these days. Besides Jar-Jar clearly was an abomination and proof of a malevolent force in the world. The fact that the franchise is wrenched away from the ever questionable judgement of George Lucas is a sign of God's grace and mercy. It was an enjoyable enough installment, I was sad at the demise of a character or two but it keeps you on your toes. I think Luke was really sad that like many of us aging guys he was unable to slim down more for a major motion picture because it just gets so dang hard. From what we saw he seemed to have a pretty healthy diet!

In case I am too busy this holiday in the pond with the Turtle Family...Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.

At my job every year a couple of employees dressed as elves and a scroll dole out pronouncements of naughty or nice. I ALWAYS get naughty and a lump of coal. If you are good the comely good elf, she of the fairer persuasion and a propper bit of frock, will sit on your lap while you get a holiday picture for posterity.

"Scouters down, scouters down! Must fall back, cannot hold position...helicopters everywhere..full Airmobile Envelopment in progress! . The place is crawling with Parlor Scouts! (*zing!*) Arrghh they got me coffee mug...I thought shooting wasn't a core skill anymore...reassemble at position 'Green Bar Bill' on your map. What? Map --it's like a paper Google Map. It's been over-run too? The Woodbadge Battalion got rolled on the left and folded like an old card table. Nice uniforms though. National's New Army Amazonian Battalions may be our only hope."

I had a beanie (may still be around somewhere) that was probably 1970-71?