Fat Old Guy

Heck, $15,000 isn't even money to the government, numbers need to end in "illions" for Uncle Sugar to notice.

"FOG, assuming that you aren't Jewish, what if I started a no-Whatever-Religion-FOG-is Club, and applied for a federal grant, then would you care?" Nope.

1) Can the boys work on achievements over the summer? Yep. 2) Can the boys work on electives before earning their Wolf badges? If so, can these also be completed over the summer? Yep. They just can't be awarded any arrow points until they have their Wolf badge. 3) Is it preferable that all the boys earn their Wolf badges at the same time I don't see any benefit in that and it can actually hold some boys back. If you have a boy who is excited about Scouting, he can complete most of Wolf over the summer.

Bob White says that each Scout's circumstances should be taken into account and ask that Scout to write his commitment in his handbook. Why? If a Scout has other commitments and misses 30 out of 35 meetings and never goes on an outing, is that active? Is there any commitment there? The Scout will say, "My basketball/soccer/wrestling coach won't let me miss practices," you can say, "That's fine be realize that inactivity may impact your advancement." Scouting is a game and, in any game, the rules must be applied fairly and equally to all players. Is it fair to the Scouts who manage to find time to participate to give someone else who doesn't participate the same recognition and rewards? I support your troop's idea but I do see problems. The way that it is worded, a new Scout couldn't earn Tenderfoot for a year and he has shown that he is active. Maybe the troop policy should be changed to state that during the period of activity being used for advancement to Star, Life or Eagle, the Scout must attend 50% . . .

I'd be happy if the Scouts in my troop would just pursue merit badges without being led by the hand. I've ranted about this before but I'll go again. There are so many merit badges that can be earned just for what they are doing anyway. Nearly everyone plays sports but very few have the sports merit badge. Scholarship? With half the high school on the honor roll, you'd think that was a shoe in. Music? Our bugler plays trumpet, trombone, french horn and a few others. Does he have the music badge? I hear so many feeble excuses like, "they already have to do so much for school, they don't have time for merit badges" What time? They're already doing the work. Argh!

"to my understanding scouts can not have sheath knivesz" An understanding not supported by any BSA publication. "if i where (sic) you i would just take them away" Why? Will they jump up in the middle of the night and go on a rampage?

"Men are not being discriminated against; if anything, its the women that are." Again Dee-low shows how little he know of the real world. Quite often the women's rest room has sofas and comfy chairs and carpeting. Men's room's have ceramic fixtures. "And didnt you CHOOSE not to learn French?" Don't atheists choose to not believe in a supreme being?(This message has been edited by Fat Old Guy)

Stapler guy, where was I trying to be funny? I will state for the record that although I may be an ass, I am rarely pompous however pompatus is another matter. You might even want to call me Maurice because I speak of the pompatus of love.

I'm sure that if the Muslim Girl Scouts had wanted to march in Arab pride day parades, they'd have been encouraged to do so.

I really wouldn't care if you started a no Jews club and applied for a federal grant.

Check the Scout's copy of the blue card, if it is signed, go no further.

Moi-lin, discriminating against atheists is no more wrong than failing a math student who thinks that 2 x 2 = 17, you're both wrong. Think of how much rewarding your life would be if you'd simply accept what you know deep down to be true, there is a supreme being.

Moi-lin isn't really anonymous. He's Brian Westley www.westley.org

What I'd like to know is how Glenn Goodwin suffered through all of this and how much the ACLU has promised him.

I do know that Treasure Island is where the Order of the Arrow was started.

" The sheath knife has a history of defense or attack." Huh? That might be true of switchblades but not sheath knives. Sheath knives are tools and until not really too long ago were part of a Scout's gear.

From me too.

If SMs aren't supposed to control the merit badge flow, what is the purpose of the signature?

Considering that requirement 1 of Lifesaving is to pass the 2nd class and 1st class swim test and it must be completed before doing 2 through 15, would it make sense to give a non-swimmer a blue card for Life Saving?

I don't recall if I've asked these questions before but I'll ask again. When did the Girl Scouts stop being Girl Scouts of America and why? When and why did the Girl Scouts eliminate the ranks of Tenderfoot, Second Class and First Class? When did the Girl Scouts start the idea of the tiny independent troops instead of a large troop with patrols?

How about a Scout who can't swim wants a blue cards for Swimming and Lifesaving?

William H. Masey, the actor, was a Scouter. Don't know if he still is.

Ah Laurie, the problem is that you're neither an atheist nor a homosexual. If you belonged to one of the aforementioned groups, you would spend your time scrutinizing every piece of paper looking for offense.

Gee Moi-lin, your CV doesn't say anything about you being a lawyer. Are you?

I like "The Jamacian Moose," at least that's what we call it. "Die Musikanter aus Swabanland"