GernBlansten

Supplex is wonderful. Especially for sailing or camping. You get wet, it wickes the moisture from you and dries very quickly. It doesn't chaffe. Its light. It doesn't get dirty so quick. It looks sharp and crisp no matter what stuff sack you just pulled it from. I stood in the scout shop after summer camp standing in front of the rack of traditional scout shorts and pants. I just couldn't do it. I never wear cotton in the field. Its just not practical. And I wasn't about to drop some serious coin on a "dress" uniform I couldn't use in the field. Now, if what you say that it will b

SUPPLEX NYLON!!!!!!! HOOOOOOORRRAAAAHHH! Welcome to the 21st century BSA! I've worn Supplex Nylon sailing shorts for the better part of 10 years. Wonderful material for outdoor conditions. At a price of $40, I'll buy two or three sets. Now I can finally be in "FULL FIELD" compliance. Oh darn, I'll probably have to pick up some of the dorky socks too won't I?

Acco, you are correct in your second statement. Round is the only shape that would prevent them from falling into the hole if misaligned.

4. Novelty is a plus. Hiding somebody's boots isn't funny. Yes, but swapping somebody's boots with very similar but two sizes smaller is a hoot.

Acco4, you got me on that quiz. Now here's mine: Why do they make manhole covers round?

I work for a mega corp defense contractor. Dress code varies dramatically from coast to coast. Our corp headquarters in Maryland, anything less than a gray suit and conservative tie and you are in violation of the code. In our office in Colorado, if you wear a tie, you are interviewing for another job with another company. If you wear a shirt with a collar, you probably have a funeral to go to later in the day. The fanciest restaurants in our town think blue jeans are just fine as long as there is some kind of hem. (no daisy dukes) Our scout troops kinda follow the same code. A "full u

Our summer camp didn't have any requirements but as a troop we required the boys to be in field uniforms for flags but not of meals. Since we cooked our own meals, that would soil the uniforms to an unbearable degree by the end of the week. Still, I was amazed at how dirty the uniforms got by mid week and unrecognizable by week end. I know a scout is "clean", but man, how do you keep them clean in a dust bowl of a camp? By Thursday, I stood there in my relatively clean uniform comparing the cleanliness of other scouts from other troops. Our scouts clearly were missing the mark. I guess I

Having been on Cape Caneveral Air Force base during a Titan IV launch, and standing 2 miles from the pad, its a very impressive sight to see. I'm sure many of dreams were launched with those scouts.

This year, our troop voted to go out of council to the neighboring council's scout ranch. Virtually the same program and terrain. This allowed us to compare apples to apples (good and bad). Most adults thought the staff was remote and unapproachable. The scouts didn't notice. Little things made the differnce. At our local camp, the camp director came by every morning with a thermos of coffee and pastries (cheap danishes) for the adults. Our staff guide stopped by regularily to make sure we had plenty of fuel, garbage bags and stuff. The camp commissioners would stop and grab a chair to

No, I think they should not advance, especially if you feel they don't live up to the scout oath. But I think they are acting as typical teenagers. In my mind, if being lazy and generally detached from responsibilities is a reason to hold a scout back, then 95% of scouts shouldn't advance beyond scout.

Cappella, Take heart. your 13-15 year olds were acting just like 13-15 year olds. I thought we (as adults) had it made in the shade when one of our 16 year old Eagles joined our summer camp as an JASM. I thought, great! Now we can really step back and let the boys be lead by experienced youth leadership. Boy was I wrong. He acted just like a typical 16 year old. Up late, wouldn't follow through with tasks, just all around lazy. He wasn't disobedient or discourteous, just lazy. Oh well. We spend our camp working with him and the SPL (a 15 year old Star scout) on leadership, always

Returned this afternoon. Aside from the bears, we faired well.

This to me sounds like a triumph to BSA and their program readying scouts to survive in the wilderness. Sure they got lost, anyone could. But they survived. Hooozahhh!

From Little Big Man: Little Horse: [a obviously homosexual Indian approaches Jack] Little Big Man! You have returned. Don't you remember me? That hurts me deep in my heart. Jack Crabb: [voiceover] It was Little Horse; the boy who wouldn't go on the raid against the Pawnee. He had become a "heemanee" for which there ain't no English word. And he was a good one, too. The Human Beings thought a lot of him.

Inhalers at our camp remained with the scout. My son is insulin dependant and they allowed him to keep his pump (DuH!). They also allowed him to keep his Glucogon emergency kit. They were very cooperative on keeping his insulin vials refrigerated and allowed him to retrieve refills as needed (no schedule). They also wanted adults to check in their meds (whats good for the goose is good for the gander). I have to admit that I kept my bottle of vitamin I (Ibuprophen) in my pack. Overall, I think the camp did it right. A wake up call to the scouts on self medicating.

Our council camp required scouts to check in their meds to the medical staff at check in. A schedule was set and if the scout missed one dispursment, he was verbally warned. Two misses and the scoutmaster was notified. Third strike and his parents were called to retrieve their son. The camp enforced this, not the scoutmaster. Us adult leaders knew the schedule and reminded the scouts to get their meds, but it was up to the scouts to get them. We never had a 3 striker, but a couple of two strikes.

SR540Beaver, So if 1 in 1000 (or whatever ratio you like) adults can't control their primal sexual drive, how should BSA protect the 14 to 21 yr old girls in venturing from heterosexual adult males? Either kick all the girls out, or all the adults. Or are you saying that heteros can control their desires better than homosexuals?

Ed, If the scoutmaster never engages in or promotes homosexual activity in the presence of scouts, how will the scouts know he is a homosexual? How can be be a poor role model for them? Reverse the arguement. If a scoutmaster engages in or promotes heterosexual activity in the presence of scouts, is he a good role model?

Hunt, I understand your concern that demonstrated immoral behaviour might make you uncomfortable. I got to thinking about our scoutmaster. He might be a smoker, but he has never smoked in front of us. He might be a heavy drinker, but he hasn't ever drank alcohol in front of us. He might be a drug user, but he hasn't taken drugs in front of us. He might be a child molester, but he hasn't molested anyone in front of us. I know he is married, because I've met his wife. I guess he could be a closeted homosexual but he has never demonstrated sexual behaviour in front of us. I guess I should ju

Letter from scout camp Dear Mom and Dad, Our Scoutmaster told us to write to our parents in case you saw the flood on TV and are worried. We are okay. Only one of our tents and 2 sleeping bags got washed away. Luckily, none of us got drowned because we were all up on the mountain looking for Adam when it happened. Oh yes, please call Adam's mother and tell her he is okay. He can't write because of the cast. I got to ride in one of the search and rescue jeeps. It was neat.. We never would have found Adam in the dark if it hadn't been for the lightning. Scoutmaster Keith got

Just finished Into Thin Air. Excellent. Spiked my interest in climbing again. I've set an informal goal to climb Denali in two years. I've also read his "Under the Banner of Heaven". Same style, lots of research and background work. I think I'll pick up his "Into the Wild" and take that to summer camp.

Yet again I must disagree with you Ed. You can't possibly be married to the best woman in the world. She's married to me and that would make her a polygamist.

The 1970s decade was a dark time for the Boy Scouts of America. The period from 1972-80 was a national disaster, when BSA membership declined nationwide by 34% (a loss of 2.2 million members)! Although many changes in our society had an adverse impact on all youth programs, much of the cause for the drastic BSA membership decline was due to the radically changed Scout program of the period. In 1972, the BSA made sudden and radical changes to the Scouting program, abandoning much of the traditional outdoor program, and applying inner-city programming to ALL of Scouting (what to do if lost?

Actually Ed, in Colorado, common law marriages have the same rights, privileges and responsibilities as religious or civil marriages. The only difference being one has a ceremony with a legal document and the other doesn't have either. But a common law wife has the same rights as a "conventional" wife. A case came up a few years back when a couple wanted to split up. The man claimed they were never married. The woman claimed they satisfied the common law marriage statues and required a divorce to split assets and assert her rights. I believe he even ended up paying her alimony too.

Didn't Kansas just fix their law? Raised it from 12 to 15 or 16? Personally, I don't think anyone should get married until they are at least 21. Let them date until then and mature. Probably would solve a lot of divorces and "starter marriages". Its a big commitment. BTW, I was married at 22 and just passed my 21st anniversary. And all of those years to the same woman!