Gold Winger

"Family Involvement" When I was a Cub Scout, family involvement meant that your parents signed off on your book that you had done things and that your parents helped you with your projects so you didn't cut your fingers off. We met after school at the Den Mother's house and did stuff. There was no ADL, just a Den Chief. Now for some reason, you need parents around all the time. Parents to help assuage the hurt feeling because Jimmy's project isn't a nice looking as Bobby's. Parent feel the "need" to be there because they aren't around to kiss boo-boos or to teach Jimmy to ride a bike.

" Tracking your progress, checking in with loved ones, and non-emergency assistance are also available, all at the push of a button." Gee, that's what I want to do. Go into the back country and then check in with loved ones. I go hiking to get away from the world. I can see the utility of these things if you get hopelessly lost, stranded, or injured but otherwise, I want to be out there.

First stop, talk to your unit commissioner and the COR, tell them the situation. I only have your side of the story (every story has two, sometimes three sides) but it sounds like the current SM doesn't understand the SMs job which is to teach leadership to the SPL and PLC and is not to "run the troop." Sometimes you gotta do what is best for you and your son. Maybe it is time to vote with your feet. You son doesn't have to abandon his buddies, they can go with them.

OA used to have a "tap out" ceremony in which the candidates were selected by being "tapped" on the shoulder. The tap was more of a clap. Alas, some got carried away and over the years a few boys were injured. Rather than attempt to educate the boys in appropriate tapping force, BSA discouraged the use of the tap and now OA candidates are "called" from the crowd.

" The parents have told me time and time again how much they themselves enjoy being with their boys during their Sccout time." Of course they do . . .

Well, GWB's predecessor said a number of interesting things as well such as "If the personal freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution inhibit the government's ability to govern the people, we should look to limit those guarantees." and "You know the one thing that's wrong with this country? Everyone gets a chance to have their fair say." To borrow from Webster, "There are men in all ages who mean to govern well, but they mean to govern. They promise to be good masters, but they mean to be masters."

Heaven forbid that people today spend an hour without their mp3 players. That goes for kids and adults. Going to the gym used to be a social experience, "Hi, how's it going?" "Adding more weight today?" "How's that knee?" "How about da Bears?" Now, everyone is in their own world with earplugs stuffed in their ears. Last fall, I pulled into my gym's parking lot. It was raining and the car next to mine had its windows wide open. I'd have put them up but they were electric. I went into the gym, checked the locker rooms but they were empty (I called into the ladies). So I went into each of the workout rooms and bellowed, "Who has a blue Volvo? Your window are open and its raining!" No one even looked up because they had their ears plugged. Go hang out with your buds? Let's listen to different music together. Yes, I have an MP3 player but I have no idea where the earphones are.

That wouldn't be Constitutional, my idea would be. I'd still like to see more parties than the Reds and the Blues.

How would a button help with an MP3 player?

"For Cub Scout age boys and their parents I think this is a great idea . . ." Even Cub Scouts need to have the apron string cut. They have a Den Leader and assistant Den Leader as well as a Den Chief. Think back to olden times, the 50s, 60s and even the 70s when children had undirected and mostly unsupervised play. Other than feeding us, the neighborhood mothers were rarely involved in any of of our grand exploits. If memory serves, a friend's mother cut the view ports in the refrigerator box so we could use it as a tank.

I'm rather skeptical of the whole idea of promotign Scouting as a "family" program. To me that defeats one of the purposes of Scouting, to allow a boy to grow and learn on his own. Could be just a sign of prevailing ailment of our times. Mommy and daddy have to be involved to the nth degree or junior won't participate.

I think that we ought to scrap the entire popular vote process for President and let the legislatures of the several states choose the electors. Think about the peace and quiet. No campaigning on TV. No rallies. No stupid bumper stickers.

I'd like to see a troop adopt the WW II vintage Air Corps peaked cap with leather bill and 50 mission crush. Instead of the big eagle on the front, we could put a big universal emblem. Whaddya think? http://www.cockpitusa.com/store/list_image.php?productid=17386&size=big

Ah, I see. I had an image of them scooping the ice from the display cases. Couldn't imagine that would be worth saving $5 for ice. That's an interesting law. I've worked in a few restaurants and we never emptied the ice machines.

"They have to empty the entire bin every 48 hours and they fill in our ice chests and take it to the car for me." Doesn't it smell like fish or are piscatorial snow cones popular in Tejas? :-)

Compass pocket? I'd rather keep it in one of the front pockets. I think that sleeve pocket was added because people think that they look cool. While we're wishing, perhaps a better shirt would be something like a safari jacket or a BDU jacket/shirt. Wear it over T-shirt and it does double duty. You can wear a sweater or sweatshirt under it and stay warm. Big pockets. Durable fabric. Time tested design.

" You go ahead and let them know that this does not meet the "man" test. " I do. I ask if they have "toesie" or if they wear "panties."

"I believe Tandy Leather Factory gives a discount to Scouters--at least our local store does." That must be a local program. I've spent a few grand at the local Tandy store and never gotten a discount. The manager knows that I'm a Scouter and he's a Cub Scouter so you think that the subject would have come up.

"Our troop gave in several years back and ordered fleece hoodies . . ." People with a Y chromosome should not wear anything called a "hoodie" anymore than they'd wear "panties." Hooded sweatshirts are okay. Hoodies, nope.

Coleman Camping stores give 20% Gander Mountain gives 10%. That includes shotguns if you can convince them it is for Scouting. I've never heard the free coffee from McDonalds. We always stopped at McDs on our way to camp and I always paid for my coffee.

I'll be Mr. Negative here and say that the kids are capable of doing the jobs but how many would want to? When I was a youngster, I was in a church youth group. We had an advisor but for the most part we ran ourselves. The treasurer took care of the money, we had an annual budget of a few thousand. We also took care of fundraising. About the only thing that I know that adults did was chartering the bus for our annual excursion. In high school I was in the drama club. One year I was in charge of wardrobe. I had to call the costume houses to find out what we could rent. There's no reason that the QM can't research tents and decide what the troop needs without adult intervention. There's no reason that a Scout can't do the treasurer's job. Or the outing coordinator's job. It's all good training for life. Alas, too many parents today believe that kids can't do anything so they do everything with the result that those kids don't want to do anything.

"Again, I knew you guys would have the answer!" We always have answers. Sometimes we're even right. :-)

George Cuhaj says, "In the world of international scouting, the program as evolved in the United States as two distinct groups the BSA and the GSUSA. In most of the other 180 or so countries which have a scouting program, girls and boys participate under one national organization." For a Silver Beaver, he really doesn't know what's going on.

Let's see . . . Rangers wear them, Airborne wears them, Air Force Security guys wear them, the entire Army wears them. Nah, no cool there at all.

Actually it is a "Jew's harp." I had one as a kid but my father confiscated it because he was convinced that it would cause my teeth to disintegrate. I haven't seen it in 35 years but now I wish that I had one to play around campfires.