Eamonn

" I will of course hope that the Republicans put their foot in their mouth, but these things are so well planned and scripted that I really don't see that happening. This years race is so very close that I bet the entertainment value will be better than ever. I of course didn't know that Clint Eastwood was going to attend and have a chat with an empty chair. Am I the only person who thinks that he just might might have spent a little bit too long in the VIP area?Maybe he has an allergy to peanuts? Ea.

" so we turn off people who would have been happy to do something, but who don't want to get suckered" -How very true! "Hi Mrs Jones, thanks for volunteering to be a Den Leader. Here is the directions to the Council Service Center you'll need to go there and buy a uniform and once a month pick up the pins, beads and badges that you will need. Then there's the directions to where we have the monthly Leaders meeting, we also have the Pack Committee meetings there, you don't really have to attend but it's the only chance that you'll get to see the treasurer and get reimbursed for any money y

NJCubScouter Maybe this link might help? http://www.abcofcricket.com/cfb1/cfb2/cfb3/cct/cct.htm As I sit here I see an ad for the Mitt Romney official site, asking me to donate $5.00. There is an ad on the TV not telling me to support anyone, just saying what a loser some poor chump really is. The amount of money that is spent on these elections is just daffy. Needless to say Mitt is not going to get my five bucks. Ea.

There are a number of reasons why after all these years I'm still around Scouts and Scouting. Lord knows I have more than my fair share of knots, beads and all that type of stuff. Part of the reason is that some part of me wants in some way to pay back the guys who back when I was a little Lad invested so much of their time, energy and treasure in little me. I had a wonderful time as a Scout and later on as a Venture Scout. Of all the recognitions, beads, knots and badges I've ever received the one I hold most dear is my Queen's Scout Award. It's strange when I think back, I don't dw

A question I get asked a lot is how long have you been here? This is often followed by -But you still have your accent! Sometime in the past year or two I passed the line. That line being that I have now lived in the USA longer than I lived in the UK. I can put my hand on my heart and say without hesitation that I love America and really like Americans. This country has been more than kind to me and my family. After all the years of being here I kinda sorta have an understanding for American Football. At one time I didn't understand why they kept stopping to have a little chat.

SeattlePioneer While I have friends who are professional Scouter's, coming from the UK I know and have been part of a Scouting organization which works well without professionals. A couple of years back part of the strategic plan of the BSA stated that we would recruit a million more volunteers. As we all know these plans are little more than a wish list. When I looked at the two threads that dealt with the District Commish and the Cub Master, the replies seemed to assume that the District where this was all happening operated as the BSA thinks a District should work. I think that

Of course I don't know the Lad or the Troop which he belongs to. I don't hold with "Road Blocks" or any sort of minimum age for ranks. The Lad has met the requirements and as such is worthy of all of our congratulations. But... I have to wonder what I might do if I seen that the program I was responsible for offering was this sort of thing? While at one time or another we all have had Lads who set the world on fire and seem to just breeze through requirements. Still I have never had a case where someone so young has reached Eagle Rank at this young age. Why? I'm not exactly sur

I know that there are times when I'm not the brightest light on the Christmas Tree. I read the two threads about the District Commish and the Cub Master and I found myself being kinda confused and my head was spinning. To be honest I didn't get a lot out of them and didn't post anything due to this confusion. As I read some of the replies I couldn't help but think that the answers were based on Scouting and the BSA should or might work in a world where everything was in place. If everything and everyone done and was doing things the way the good books say that they should be done. I

It's kind of a silly situation. All volunteers serve from year to year. Our Executive Board are nominated by the nominating committee and can serve form year to year. Council Presidents and District Chairs in our Council serve a 3 year term. Council and District Commissioners do not have any term limits. District Commissioners are selected by the Council Commissioner and voted in by the Executive Board. Of course if it becomes clear that someone isn't working out the easy way of having them step down is not to place their name on the charter when the time comes. Eamonn

Some years back I called the loops epaulets and a good friend in the forum put me right! (Hi Bob.) I personally think these loops are a big waste of time and do nothing but cause problems. Sorry BSA24 But your wrong! When I joined the Area Committee, I was asked to wear a uniform with the yellow (Gold.) Loops. These silly things are listed as a "Restricted item". Talk about a "Red rag to a bull" - Yellow loops seemed to make me a target for any and everyone who had or ever had a beef with the BSA. I'd be happy if we all wore the same uniform with no silly loops or extra bead

Of course all of us are saddened when we see and hear about this sort of thing. While this is upsetting, I wonder what good it does posting it here? The BSA has many thousands of adult volunteers and over the years has taken steps to try and keep the kids we serve as safe as is possible. But, like it or not there is and always will be a few rotten apples. I feel sure that the good people in Colorado have everything that they need to deal with this situation. While I might ask where the Lads Mother or parents were when he was doing what ever it was he was doing in front of his compute

If there is such a forum? I missed it. Values are strange things. Many of us share very similar values, but may not them in the same order. When it comes to the points of the Scout Law, I might struggle with being obedient, but have little problem with being kind. My own thinking is that living the values found in the Oath and Law is a life long quest. Just when you think that you've got it the bar is raised even higher. I also think that a lot of people want to bash others especially young people over the head with their own interpretation of the Oath and Law. We are not in the

Rules are great when I'm the person who knows what they are and can use them for my benefit. Rules stink when someone else uses them and proves me wrong and then wants to rub my nose in my wrong doing. I'm not always sure what I want or expect from the rule, but know that things tend to work out better when the person charged with carrying out the rule or enforcing the rule is fair, firm and consistent. Many of us, or maybe I should say me? Often look for loop holes in rules. While finding one is often seen as getting one over on the system, I can't help feeling that this sort of thing

How someone opts to follow or not follow rules, regulations, call them what you will, is I think a personal choice. Very often here in the forum when someone posts a question about the rules that have to do with committees, elections and responsibilities. They want or seem to want this information in order to bash the heck out of someone that they are not getting along with or someone has bashed them and they want to find out if the bashing was sanctioned by the rules. My own view of rules and how they should be enforced has over the years softened. I was at one time very much a book thump

Hi Tim, Maybe, just maybe? I should take some of the blame for your disappointment. As a moderator, maybe I'm not doing such a grand job of moderating? But... (Yes you knew it was coming!) While it might be wrong of me to speak for the other moderators, I like to think that for the most part we try and keep out of the way and try not to interfere. Of course just because everyone doesn't see what we are up to, doesn't always mean that nothing is being done. For my part, if I think someone is behaving badly, I do send them a message asking them to cool it. A good pal of mine is a m

Can't help but think that if we try hard enough we can find reasons to ban just about any and everyone. Even the unkind people who want to go on about banning people. Surely they are guilty of not being kind? Ea.

I'm unsure what age group your working with? Everyday stuff that kids face are: Saying that you are going to do something or be somewhere, then at the last minute you get a better offer. I'm thinking about weekend camp outs where an older Scout who has others depending on him decides at the last minute that he is not going because his non-scout friends are doing something else. Bullying. The group thinks that it's funny to pick on someone who is in someway different. Do you join in? Or do the right thing? Saying no. Saying no to alcohol, drugs. Even though your friends are try

"BSA created this policy in response to its members. When they review the policy, they poll the members. At least they claim to be polling they members." I suppose this might all come down to how you interpret the word "Members"? I know for a fact that no one has ever asked me and I have never spoken to anyone who has been polled or asked. So my guess is that the rank and file members do not have any input. The "Members" Asked are the reps of the CO's that sit on the National Council. From where I sit, I see that the BSA has spent a great deal of money defending itself and the

I love the summer. No matter how hot it gets or how many storms it brings. I still love it. Summertime is the best time to be a boy. Along with the great benefit of there not being school, summertime is a great time to hang out with your pals, try new things and have boyhood adventures. The long days offer lots of time to do the things that boys enjoy doing and for having fun. In my book each and every Lad somewhere between the ages of 12 and 16 should have a summer that will be a time he will fondly remember for the rest of his life, spent with friends who may not always be around,

Back home in England, my old GSL (Group Scout Leader) Charlie Reed, who had served as a Cub Master and District Secretary for a very long time (I'm not sure how long, but know he served during the years of WWII and was still serving in the 1980's!) Received the Silver Acorn and later the Silver Wolf. Charlie and myself crossed swords a lot when I became Scout Leader. I was full of myself and very much like a bull in a china shop. Charlie had lots of time in had been there and was always telling me "Slowly, slowly catchee monkey!" At the time I seen him as an old stick in the mud and of c

To be honest, I really have no idea. I'm thinking that maybe I'm the only person on the planet who thought that change was near and might happen this year. The BSA is between a rock and a hard place. With so many members belonging to groups chartered by religious organizations who disapprove of homosexuality and these groups having strong representation on the National Council any sort of change that upsets these groups is a very big risk. Even allowing the local option, might not be acceptable to them. I don't know hardly anything about the teachings of the LDS Church, but have been l

News like this always saddens me. I will of course keep these young men in my prayers. I will also, every time I'm transporting Scouts remember the precious load I have with me and the huge responsibility I have. Ea.

Tampa Turtle Thank You.- I kinda lurking, but got stuck making and preparing a lot of Training stuff for work. I'm now almost an expert on Office 2010! (Note the word almost.) I do think when it comes to "Sticking ones nose in" A lot has to do with how it's done. All to often when someone sees something that they think is not right they climb on their high horse and let the other guy have it with both barrels. - Then wonder why the guy isn't over the moon to receive a helping bit of advice. Most times when I do opt to stick my fair sized hooter in I do so in almost an apologetic kinda

Many years back a very good friend who happened to be a policeman and myself were driving to a Scouting event in Scout uniform. As we were riding along we came across two guys fighting. One guy was beating the heck out of the other with an iron bar. We stopped, my friend who is not small, in fact he is a very big fellow, broke up the fight and then went about attending to the guy who had been beaten, telling me to watch the other guy. I was 147 pounds and the guy I was watching was a good deal bigger, at least 220 pounds. While I did my best not to seem scared, the truth was I was shaking in

Who said and where is it written that there will be peace at meal times? Surely summer camp offers a lot of times when there is time for peace, time for quite reflection? I tend to enjoy the noise in the dinning hall and think it makes the Scouts think that they belong to a group that is bigger than just their own unit. I agree that there is a time and place for just about every thing, but happen to think that the time for a lot of good natured noise is when everyone is all in one place. I'm sorry if it upsets you, but maybe your just going to have to accept it or look for ways to avoi