Gold Winger

"It's really funny, most people believe we use our oil imports for gas, when in reality, oil (petroleum) is used mostly in production of plastics and polymers." I just read an article in "Business Week" that claims that only 8% of oil is used to make plastics. 8% isn't most. No matter what anyone says, pump prices are a joke. Crude goes up, pump price goes up immediately. Why? Because Crude goes down, pump price doesn't go down. Why? Because they're making gasoline from the oil bought months ago. We recenly had a momentary low in gas prices. I was driving home and saw a local chain had regular for $3.85. Cool! However, I had 3/4 of a tank it wouldn't make sense to stop for four gallons of gas. A few days later when the tank was nearing empty, the price was back up to $3.98. Now I've read that coal is going up in price because the Chinese are buying that too. A parable, if you will. You've bought a new car and need to get rid of the old one. Your brother desperately needs a car to get to work but doesn't have much money. However, he offers to pay you what he can for the car. While you mull this over, your neighbor comes over and offers you $50 more for the car. Whose offer do you take?

"Simply being a member of the CO does not give you permission to go on an overnight activity with other peoples children. Let's use a little common sense here. " Oh my God! They might meet and chat with a relative stranger. Horrors!

" If the Webelos are not prepared for the type of Troop they are going in, they will either be bored to death and leave or intimidated and leave." This discussion has got me to thinking. Back in the 60s, the Boy Scouts had it largest growth period as reflected by the membership numbers. How the heck did they manage to do that back then? Most Eagles that I know from back then were never Cub Scouts, not a large sample set but telling. The boys that did cross over from Cub Scouts did so individually, we little preparation. Boom! It's your birthday, now you can join the Boy Scouts. No new scout patrols. No anxious parents following behind them. Just a kid thrust into a new experience. How could we have been so cruel back then? How did the Boy Scouts survive?

"Most of our pains came in same age patrols because friends of the same age tend to not want to take orders from friends." Orders? Now you did it! No one is supposed to be giving or taking orders in Boy Scouts. It is all about Servant Leadership and if no one wants to do the dirty job, the Servant Leader gets to do it.

"Sorry, but I personally do not find your posts to be trustworthy enough to believe that scenario." Oh dear, I am smitten to the core. BeeDub, I won't say it here but I'm sure that you know what many on this board think of you.

You don't have your permission from BSA National? Oh, oh! You're in trouble now. I have mine right here. I'm sure that everyone else does too. You had better call Texas and get yours.

Here's a thought to really stir the pot. Have specific merit badges required for Star, another group for Life, and yet another group for Eagle. For example: Star could require Swimming, First Aid, and Citizenship in the Community.

" But a troop who traveled to an event not knowing in advance that the would be the need to have have waivers signed prbably does not plan well enough to even consider a plan B." We went to a summer camp that offered horseyback riding. A few Scouts signed up for it but once we were at camp, we discovered that the equestrian facility was a vendor and that there was supposed to be a special permission form for that vendor. No one, from any troop, had the form. I guess we all planned poorly because council staff never could do anything wrong.

"GW - yep, it's the other way around. South named battles for geographic locations (rivers), North named battles for nearby cities/towns." You're still backwards. The south fought the first and second Manassas and the north fought the battles of Bull Run. The south fought at Sharpsburg and north fought at Anteitam. http://www.civilwarhome.com/battlenames.htm

Since it looks like cooking is coming back on the list for Iggle, this is a good time to play what if. If you were in charge and could make up the list of Eagle required merit badges, which would you add to the list or take off of the list. I'd add Wilderness Survival but I'd change it to make you catch dinner and eat it.

"What risks or benefits do you see in having unregistered adults who are unrelated to anyone else in the unit attend an overnight campout with other peoples children?" Maybe they want to see how their youth program is being implemented. Maybe they are experts on foraging for food and want to pass their knowledge along. Maybe they want to see what goes on so they can decide if they want to get involved. What does it really matter? The question was "may they go without being registered?" Must be a secret address.

"Good hiking trails and as was said above... have your boys brush up on the battle (of Shapesburg if you're a Yank and Antietam if you're a southerner)" I think that you have that backwards.

" but realize the SPL is responsible for wearing the uniform properly, which I would assume means he can not wear the campaign hat, even for flag ceremonies." Why not? The campaign hat is still a valid BSA hat as is the red beret and the garrison cap. I don't know if I'd go with the idea that the old uniforms were more uncomfortable than the current. Two things are important for comfort when wearing clothes. Proper fit and what you wear under it. I've always held that a snug fitting cotton undershirt works wonders when wearing a shirt in hot weather. I wore my old heavy cotton long sleeved Cub Scout uniform in southern Arizona. If we survived that, you can survive anything.

Rather than have a mix and match uniform, why not get one of the old green uniforms on ebay and set it up right?

Welcome to the 21st century.

Are we talking about a boyfriend or are we talking about a betrothed here. One with whom she has probably shared breakfast many times and the kids know about it. Heck, the fiance might even be around more than the father.

From what I understand, camping on the actually battlefield is rare. We camped within walking distance and an interpreter told us battlefield ghost stories at night. The daytime presentation was great as well. An interpreter put us through a mini 1860s boot camp. And then walked us around the major points of the battlefield, telling the story of the bloody battle.

"GW, glad to see you still like to split hairs on a tangent..." Not a tangent, a secant.

I wonder what are grounds for dismissal. Hypertension? Diabetes? What about a bad knee? How about if you are blind? Need a wheelchair? What if you had a stroke and can't use your left hand?

Doesn't matter if they have, it only that matters that they may.

"Tenderfoot is the first rank you will earn as a Boy Scout. This reads that it may not be the first rank in scouting but just the first the boy has to earn, not just have the rank given to him." Let's turn to page 14 in the handbook, "The Ranks of Scouting." "The first three are Tenderfoot, Second Class, and First Class."

I see . . . Tout usually means "to talk about in an enthusiastic manner" as in "he was touting the advantages of Boy Scouts." Also, in horse racing, it refers to someone who gives you information about a horse and can mean spying on horses while they train. In your situation, I would use "watch" or "observe."

" he pointed out that Arrow of Light recipients were to be automatically awarded the Scout badge (it's in the handbook)." It's not automatic. It requires "approval of his Scoutmaster." We found that most of the WDLs weren't doing their jobs and that most of our new Scouts had no clue about the Scout Law, handclasp, square knots or anything else.

http://www.wtnh.com/Global/story.asp?S=8737838 I do wonder why they set up at a weigh station instead of a rest stop.(This message has been edited by Gold Winger)

Was bedeutet "tout"? Auf Englisch, bitte. If you can find a place with a 10 meter diving platform, have the Scouts just step off into the water from there. The first time that you do it is quite an experience. Of course, they should know how to swim.