Fat Old Guy

Quite a bit can go on at troop meetings without doing knots or ankle wrapping. The number of games that can be played is nearly infinite and doesn't include basketball, volleyball, or capture the flag. Speakers can introduce merit badge topics to allow the boys to decide if they want to pursue it on their own.

I don't like merit badge work at Troop meetings because I don't see that as the purpose of merit badges. I view merit badges as a way to recognize and reward scouts for exploring new subjects outside of Scouting activities. If Mr. Brown comes in and yaps about Electricity for an hour or so, has everyone connect a buzzer to a batter, and then signs a stack of blue cards, that is outside the spirit of merit badges. It is bad enough that they do merit badges like this at Summer Camp, but troop meetings don't need to wasted in this way.

"I see no reason for anyone who is working behind the scenes to wear a uniform." On the flip side, there is no reason to not wear a uniform. As for women in Scouting . . . I've been told that one of the reasons that GSUSA requires troops to be led by women is that girls need positive female role models. Is it not then true that boys need positive male role models? If you have a troop with a woman as SM and ASM, where's the male role models? What boys are being told is that men just don't have the time to be bothered to work with Scouts. My troop is fortunate to have a good balance of men and women in key positions. However, the husbands of the women involved almost all have a negative attitude toward Scouting because it takes their wife away and it interferes with sports. The sad truth is that without women in Scouting, Scouting would be in serious trouble.

I would put the delays back into the system and say that you couldn't work on all TF, 2c and 1c simultanesously. Then I'd change all Position of Responsibility requirements to at least one year.

"Speaking of youth stuff another question. REligiousawards as a youth i know you can wear your youth Knoit but can you wear your medals still when you turn 18 to like Blue and Gold, Dinners, COHs, and etc? " Yes.

Okay Bob, how about a definitive answer to the question of the day. "May a Venturer wear the AOL on his uniform?" I did find numerous web sites that claim that Venturers may wear the Eagle knot and AOL knot but that in counter-indicated by the Insignia Guide.

"Members of a Venturing Crew are still Boy Scouts. They are members of a crew, not a troop, but they are still Boy Scouts." Sorry but they aren't Boy Scouts, they are Venturers. Venturing has its own methods and advancement program. TrailPounder, by-laws are all well and good but unit policy cannot contradict BSA policy.

Arrrrrrmy Training, Sir! If the kid is 11, let him go into Boy Scouts. The only problem that I could see is that he would have that grade disparity with other boys.

If you look at the sports side of life, you'll hear (is that a mixed metaphor?) many people saying, "If he doesn't start Sport X by the third grade he'll never be any good." There are enough examples to put the lie to this belief but many still believe it. I think that the natural extension of that is that parents don't believe that their kid can join Scouting at anytime other than the first year or if he does join late, he won't "do as well." FWIW, most 5th graders couldn't join Boy Scouts in the fall because they haven't turned 11 yet.

"And while I wouldnt mind eating in the troop to which Cheffy serves, do you think cooking with "spirits" is againts the BSA Alchohol policy?" As I've said before, no.

". . . I can make a Pate and not call it meatloaf." So? I can make a meatloaf and call it pt :-) BTW, I always liked the meals at my college dorm.

Good question. At one time the Cub Scout shirts said, "Cub Scouts, BSA" but that went away.

However (comma) the Arrow of Light is not a Boy Scout advancement insignia, it is a Cub Scout insignia that is allowed to be worn on the Boy Scout uniform.

As others have pointed out, if you are over 18 and wearing a khaki shirt, wear the knots. However, I don't believe that Venturers may wear the Arrow of Light award on their Venturing shirt.

Man O' Steel, did you point out to this woman that wearing a Scout uniform for halloween was inappropriate? :-)

We have a similar problem. The committee wants to micromanage the program. I spend much of my time at committee meetings saying, "that's the SM's call."

" think that the current handbook sucks. It does. Many agree with me. "I even think that many BSA policies suck" I also think that many laws suck, some rules in baseball suck, NBA basketball sucks, and $1.75/gal. for gas sucks. So? Do you like everything in the known universe? "As for antagonizing people, I only intentionally do that to close minded, pompous book thumpers or those who can't communicate in standard English and blame me for not understanding them." So? "However, when a 15 year old boy has bigger boobs than a Playboy Playmate and can't walk a mile without collapsing, he is dangerously out of shape." Do you contest this? Do you think that the described youth is in shape?

"But how did the dad get to call the shots? It sounds as though he just took over as leader in this case--maybe not officially, but certainly in calling the shots with his son. Poor kid--sounds like a tug of war. " When it comes to Scouting, his kids do exactly what he wants. They take the merit badges that he tells them to. They take the positions that he tells them to. His whole reason for being involved in Scouting is to see to it that his sons become Eagles.

To dan, "Brrrrrrrruuuuuuuuupp!"

"Two, for boy scouts, I do not believe there is a female blouse" You better believe there is or you might accidentally buy one. It looks pretty much like the men's shirt but is cut differently and buttons backwards.

"Is this the only sticking point in this Scout's advancement to his next rank? Sounds like there might be more! Fat Old Guy, could you answer this for us?" He was a PL which sufficed for Star but his daddy encouraged him to step down and seek a new position for Life. Well, daddy became insensed over the idea that junior might have to wait until a position vacated. He insisted that the SM vacate a POR for his son so that he could get the advancement that he'd already earned (in daddy's mind). Daddy views advancement as a right and Eagle as the goal of Boy Scouting.

"Not to suggest overindulgence I should add, but that would be wine, not grapejuice." I think that it is due to the alcohol which is absent from the non-alocholic wine. I wonder if they have non-alcoholic Scotch. . . Gotta love those specialty foods. Primanti Brothers. Skyline Chilli. I had a really good Steak and Cheese in Philly. A slice-a-pie. Gotta include a big mess o' jambalaya. One of the best things about travelling is sampling the local food specialities. Oddly, they never include just four green beans.

I don't think that having three committees comprised of the same people would lend itself to good programs. I do know that there is usually some intersection of the committees.

"Those fancy sauces taste great" Taste great and less filling.

As I read the Old Testament, the God of the Jews does not say that there is no other god, just that you can put no other god before him which would make him the Supreme God. Leaves lots of room for the existence of Thor, Apollo, and Shiva.