jmcquillan

Yep, that's quite an old concern, but still a valid one. But rules are rules, and the BSA says that leaders can not use "maturity" as a benchmark for Eagle...only the requirements as laid out in the book. Some leaders try to use the "scout spirit" issue to "hold back" the young ones. But on appeal, they'll lose every time.

It's the trick of a good troop and SM if the young ones can be focused enough on the tasks at hand, being instilled with enough enthusiasm and interest to spend a little time here and there on stuff that is of, or can be made to be of, interest to them, rather than attempting to be the youngest Eagle in town. They know they'll get there eventually, if they want it. But they're taught how to have fun and enjoy the journey, rather being the first one to the finish line.

There ya go again, eisely, throwing that ol' "common sense" thing around again. :-)

Isn't it interesting how the notion of common sense escapes so many these days? Of course they're meant to be separate hikes. Otherwise, why not revise the requirements to eliminate 10 miles of unnecessary hiking?

DUH........

It's exhilarating, at the least, to realize how many folks out there still look for, and preach, finding the easy way out, doing as little as possible to get by, getting others to do the work for you, etc,. etc. It's also a little more than sad to realize that Scouting values have been invaded by those with that kind of mentality.

Good grief...it looks like I escaped without the obligatory "dope-slap"....

It's almost 6:30 AM, and I've ben here at the office for an hour already, but my eyes just now opened. Imagine my surprise when I reread "eisely's" post only to find that he said pretty much the same thing I did....

I get a great big dope-slap for that one. Anyone care to administer the punishment?

OK, here's the opposite point of view, and the reasons why.

You're doing the troop, and this scout, no favors by letting the election stand. What message are you providing to the scouts? While I will agree with "eisely" that it is always refreshing to see a scout really value something about his participation, this is not the time or place to let that thinking lead the way.

The election should be nullified, and you, as the Scoutmaster, should do it publicly before the troop, and explain why to the boys. You should explain to them that the buying of voted violates many of the tenents of Scouting expressed in both the Scout Oath and Law, even using examples if you can. Trustworthy? How can this action be considered thus? On my honor? Do my best? There are many ways you can take those two precious items (Oath and Law) and use them to explain to the boys why the election can not stand. You don't want them to take this election as an example of how to get what they want in life, do you? They remember things like this, even if we, as adults, try to rationalize them and see them as relatively harmless actions by boys. There's a lesson to be learned here, and that's what we're (Scouters) in business for.

I would suggest that you nullify the election before the troop, and perhaps have interested parents there. I would suggest that you have the troop hold another election, but disqualify this boy from running for the position for this term, and this term only. I would suggest that the lesson learned here by all, not just the guilty party, is one that will be long lasting, and far more positive in the long run than allowing this situation to stand.

It is wise to inform the troop committee beforehand, and explain your reasoning. But I think the call is yours, not that of the committee. If they value the program at all, they will understand why this must be done.

Although, in my tenure as SM, I never had to overturn an election, I did find cases where I had to disqualify a boy for this reason or that. And sometimes I found cause to overturn decisions of the PLC and/or troop that were going in a direction that was all wrong. We're example setters ourselves, and our example and explanations should be valid and firm.

Good Luck.

yarrow wrote: "Boards need not only be held at rank advancement. Boards can check on a boy's progress at intermediate points as well."

I not so sure that's entirely accurate. The Board of Review is a "rank advancement" review only. Any other "review" of scout progress between ranks should be handled in the Scoutmaster Conference format. That's exactly what the SM Conference is for...reviewing, with the Scout, his progress in the troop, in his patrol, towards rank, or towards better behavior, if that's an issue. Sometimes conferences of these sort, especially in larger troops, can be handled by ASMs, but only with the full confidence and knowledge of the SM, just for continuity of the message being delivered. But I've never heard of BoR being involved in "mid-term" review of any sort.

Well, first of all, I've always used the "6 month" notion as a guideline. For many years, our troop has operated with a policy of having the SPL serve for one year. ASPL's are changed by the SPL every 6 months, as they're appointed. Patrol Leaders are elected every 6 months, and the new APL's a picked by the new PL, as they are also appointed. THe 6 month idea works for many, but we settled on the 12 month term for the SPL for continuity throughout the year.

Remember that the SPL is elected by the "entire" troop. The SPL "appoints" his ASPL(s). Patrol leaders are elected by the boys within the patrol. The patrol leader appoints his APL.

By constantly rearranging patrol makeup, the troop loses an opportunity for continuity and bond building within the patrol. We have rearranged our patrol make up only three times during the 20 or so years I've been with the troop. Each one of those changes was due to a good size decrease or increase in troop size. We've found it much better to leave the patrols with their names and patches alone. When new scouts enter the troop, they're assigned to a new scout patrol, with an older scout as their temporary patrol leader, another as their troop guide, and an assistant scoutmaster to watch over all the new boy patrols. They remain in those patrols until the beginning of the new school year, when troop activities and meetings start again on a weekly basis. By that time, the new boys have had ample opportunity to see the troop in action and meet the other scouts, and decide which patrol they would like to join. The patrols are kept at numbers that always allow for new scouts as older ones graduate out. The new boy patrols cease to exist until the nest incoming of graduate Webelos. It works for us.

But we always, always keep the patrols together from year to year, so they have the opportunity to gain the "bond" we hope they will.

From time to time, scouts might desire a change from one patrol to another. But that is an issue in the realm of the PLC, with SM approval.

When the SPL's term is up, he move back into the patrol from which he came. Same with the APSLs. They never really cease being patrol members, the focus of their responsibilities just changes.

While there are no "official" guidelines to answer your question, there is plenty of information and suggestions out there on the web. One of my all time favorites, which our troop has taken and edited as we've seen fit, is at the USSCOUTS.org website. The link to the actual document is here:

http://usscouts.org/clipart/ScoutDoc/Troops/TroopPositions.doc

It's a document written by a fellow by the name of George Hutcheson, and is one of the best base guidelines I've seen to answer questions like yours. Do a "save-as" to your own computer, print it our, and edit as you see fit...or just use it as is. It takes a lot of the guess work out of the issue.

As an aside here, I would offer the following advice, which I've found to work very well over the past 20 years or so. Your Scoumaster should be using the Scoumaster Conference more often than he might be doing, in person, or by phone when dealing with a non-attending Scout. That conference is not meant to be used at pre-board of review times only. It should be used all the time for the SM to sit and talk about issues like this with the boys, especially those who are guilty of non-participation. In those forums, the SM can, and should, be telling the Scouts about their responsibilities to the troop, and reminding them of the fact the merely wearing the patch of position does not mean they're getting credit for it towards rank. They can, and should be, removed from the position if they fail to do the job and don't have a very good excuse for absences. The SM and SPL should be made aware of absences prior to meetings and events, and the reasons should be discussed with the subject Scout. He should know that the SM and troop is aware of unexcused absences, and that they are not acceptable. He should know that he stands to lose his position, and thus not gain his rank.

Allowing a Scout to maintain a position, and yet not show up for it and never do the job, and only tell him he's got a problem just before the Board of Review is doing the Scout, and the troop, no favors. As guides and mentors, the SM and his ASM's should be doing all that they can to make the Scout understand the responsibilities commensurate with the position and the patch. If, after trying that route, the Scout still has no clue, or interest, and doesn't perform...remove him from the position. That would be better for the troop as it sets the example of consequences, in the troop and in life, when the job is not done as and when expected.

In the spirit of "taking things for granted", I offer the following, which was emailed to me, as another example of that which we take for granted, but may lose all too soon if we are not vigilant...especially when we think about how much the flag and patriotism means to us in Scouting.

"Broken Arrow, Oklahoma School officials remove God

Bless America signs from schools in fear that someone

might be offended.

Channel 12 News in Long Island, New York, orders flags

removed from the newsroom and red, white, and blue ribbons

removed from the lapels of reporters. Why? Management did

not want to appear biased and felt that our nations flag

might give the appearance that they lean one way or another.

Berkeley, California bans U.S. Flags from being displayed on

city fire trucks because they didnt want to offend anyone

in the community.

In an act of tolerance the head of the public library at

Florida Gulf Coast University ordered all Proud to be an

American signs removed so as to not offend international

students.

I, for one, am quite disturbed by these actions of so-called

American citizens; and I am tired of this nation worrying

about whether or not we are offending some individual or

their culture. Since the terrorist attacks on September 11,

we have experienced a surge in patriotism by the majority of

Americans. However, the dust from the attacks had barely

settled in New York and Washington D.C. when the politically

correct crowd began complaining about the possibility that

our patriotism was offending others.

I am not against immigration, nor do I hold a grudge against

anyone who is seeking a better life by coming to America. In

fact, our countrys population is almost entirely comprised of

descendants of immigrants; however, there are a few things that

those who have recently come to our country, and apparently

some native Americans, need to understand.

First of all, it is not our responsibility to continually try

not to offend you in any way. This idea of America being a

multi-cultural community has served only to dilute our

sovereignty and our national identity. As Americans, we have

our own culture, our own society, our own language, and our

own lifestyle. This culture, called the American Way has been

developed over centuries of struggles, trials, and victories by

millions of men and women who have sought freedom. Our

forefathers fought, bled, and died at places such as Bunker

Hill, Antietam, San Juan, Iwo Jima, Normandy, Korea, Vietnam,

and the Persian Gulf, for our way of life.

We speak English, not Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese,

Russian, or any other language. Therefore, if you wish to

become part of our society - learn our language!

In God We Trust is our national motto. This is not some

off-the-wall, Christian, Right Wing, political slogan - it

is our national motto. It is engraved in stone in the House

of Representatives in our Capitol and it is printed on our

currency. We adopted this motto because Christian men and

women, on Christian principles, founded this nation; and

this is clearly documented throughout our history. If it is

appropriate for our motto to be inscribed in the halls of our

highest level of Government, then it is certainly appropriate

to display it on the walls of our schools.

God is in our pledge, our National Anthem, nearly every

patriotic song, and in our founding documents. We honor His

birth, death, and resurrection as holidays, and we turn to

Him in prayer in times of crisis. If God offends you, then

I suggest you consider another part of the world as your new

home, because God is part of our culture and we are proud

to have Him.

We are proud of our heritage and those who have so honorably

defended our freedoms. We celebrate Independence Day,

Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and Flag Day. We have parades,

picnics, and barbecues where we proudly wave our flag. As

an American, I have the right to wave my flag, sing my national

anthem, quote my national motto, and cite my pledge whenever

and wherever I choose. If the Stars and Stripes offend you, or

you dont like Uncle Sam, then you should seriously consider a

move to another part of this planet.

The American culture is our way of life, our heritage, and we

are proud of it. We are happy with our culture and have no

desire to change, and we really dont care how you did things

where you came from. We are Americans, like it or not, this

is our country, our land, and our lifestyle.

Our First Amendment gives every citizen the right to express

his opinion about our government, culture, or society, and we

will allow you every opportunity to do so. But once you are

done complaining, whining, and griping about our flag, our

pledge, our national motto, or our way of life, I highly

encourage you take advantage of one other great American

freedom, the right to leave.

Barry Loudermilk"

Tiny1pj

I came to terms with my "disabilities" long ago, long before I ever joined the ranks of volunteer scout leaders. The loss of most of my right hand took nearly three years to accept, yet I overcame the stigma and the loss of use. Since that time, I haven't, for one day, looked upon myself as "disabled", and can do anything that a "normal" person can do. All the years I've spent in Scouting has only reinforced the idea for me that having such a "condition" is not something that will slow me down, and I've always been able to approach boys with "diabilities" with the same thought. No "disability", however severe, can stop you, if you truly want to do something. The boys and adults in my troop learned pretty quick that they didn't need to "jump in" to do something for me, for they understood that I could do anything myself, if I put my mind to it. And I've apent years teaching boys, and adults, the same thing.

All of this does not, however, change the notion for me, that the merit badge requirements are poorly written, and the one regarding recruiting a "disabled" boy to join is contrived. I have had more than one adult, and more than one boy, ask me if it seems fair to recruit a "disabled" person, and get him to join, simply to fullfil a merit badge requirement. My answer to them has always been the same...such a recruitment is not done to achieve rank or for personal gain. Not only is the requirement contrived, but the reasons therefore are selfish. Situations in which a "disabled" person is "invited", "recruited", "asked", or what ever term you want to use, to join an organization, should be for the benefit of that person, where an interest is shown by that person, with all due respect for that persons situation, and not for personal gain. While I understand the fine line that the requirement seems to try to walk, I do not feel it is successfully done. Boys can see through that kind of thing, they're smarter than that. At least the boys I've always been associated with have been.

As I said above, we've never worked on the badge in our troop. We have simply accepted all who come our way for whoever and whatever they are, with no "extra" attention given for their "disability". When we've interfaced with someone having a special condition, they've been treated just like any other person...as a person...not as a "disabled" person. Kids with ADD or ADHD have been treated as fellow Scouts, not special Scouts. Kids with mental or emotional disabilities have been treated as fellow Scouts, not special Scouts. And there's never been a recruiting effort to get them into the troop. They migrate our way because of how they are treated here...with respect, with friendship, and with care...as fellow Scouts, not requirement fullfilment.

If you read into my post any "knee-jerk" reaction to the notion that leaders are "ignorant" to what a disability is, you do not know the Scouter I am, nor the Scouters I know. In my area, I know not one Scouter who has any lack of understanding of what a disability is. Indeed, they understand all too well what they are, and what they aren't. And I give the volunteer Scouters far more credit than to assume they're "ignorant" to the facts.

Well, I'm not sure what you mean by a syllabus, for most camps I'm aware of operate with a menu of sorts that Scouts can pick and choose from for their activities. Same with troop activities. There's usually a menu.

But if you're looking for something that the first year Scouts can do other than merit badges, the camp we go to has something that might interest you. It's a program called Flight to Eagle. Basically, it's program of one hour time slots. There are two hours in the morning, and two hours in the afternoon when first year Scouts can participate in a program that is targetted precisely at the Tenderfoot, Second, and First Class rank requirements. It's a good way for Scouts who have just joined a troop only a couple of months before to get a good amount of work done towards any of these ranks, or all three at once.

I did not want to get into "comparing disabilities" in order to provide any proof of knowledge, but in that you've opened that door, I'll tell you that I'm quite epileptic, and since Vietnam have had only one hand. I do think that makes me a little more of an expert on disabilities than many. For you to suggest that many of us have no idea what disabilities are is insulting, at best. While true that we can not be in your shoes, some of us do, in fact, know exactly what we're taking about.

That's as much reconsideration as I will give to my post, and as much "change" as you will see.

Well now, if it all has to do with "senior moments", then no one can touch me...I'm light years ahead of all of you. The "senior moment" phenomenom is something I invented! I've been having those for many. many years. In fact...

So, what was it we were talking about?

OK, I'm dying to ask this...

Hey, eisely, have you noticed that you're now tagged as a "senior" member? I think you're the first I've seen identified so.

So, now the quesiton arises...if the "senior" a measurement of age?...number of posts?...or...is it a measurement of seniority of intellect and knowledge? I'm afraid I have this picture in my mind of you sitting atop a mountain, in a flowing white robe, long beard, waiting for Scouts and Scouters to clamber up and pose questions of impossible importance to you. :-)

So....how feels it so high on the mountain? Or...are you really a lot older than the rest of us? Or...have your fingers grown tired and arthritic from the sheer enormity of the posts you provide for us?

Either way, you seem to have become the "old" man among us. I feel congratulations are in order. Here's to you, "senior" member. May your fingers always be limber....and your mind as sharp as ever.

TexasEagle,

"sst3rd" is correct on the "by the book" interpretation for voting in Troop Committee meetings. The SM and ASM's are not technically members of the committee. But, as a practical matter, in many troops, like ours, the SM and ASM's are treated as members, and their input and positions on issues are treated the same. They vote. We're fortunate enough to have 15-17 active committee members, so the votes of the SM and AMS's are not critical to the process, but our tradition has been to include them. This all pretty much grew out of the earlier times when the committee was 2 or 3 people, and having more input and participation was desireable, thus the SM and ASM's were included.

As I said, "by the book" the SM and ASM's have no vote, although they sould have input to help the committee make their decisions on an informed basis. Don't feel left out if you're not allowed to vote, it's the way the rules are written. If the committee ever comes to a "tie" vote on an issue, they might be well served to ask the SM and ASM's to participate, but they're not obliged to.

Paul said;

"This shows an ignorance amongst leaders as to what really is a "disability".

My friend, I've had boys with every condition you listed, in my troop, and then some. About the only condition that has not presented itself to us, is a boy in a wheelchair. I probably am far more aware of these things than you, and I take considerable exception to your notion that we out here are "ignorant" to the realities of disabilities.

I suggest you re-write your post.

I stand by my previous post.

For those who might view the military as being a bad influence on boys, those in Scouting in particular, just a thought or two.

In the military, the wearing of the uniform is part of what brings the members together, forming a team, and a bond. It plays a part in forming the bond.

It's quite the same thing is Scouting. The uniform displays membership in a common organization. It helps to form a bond. Thus, the military is a good example in that regard, and should not be ignored.

Beyond the uniform, and continuing on the notion of a common bond, the military strives to eliminate the notion of the "individual", and instills the concept of "team".

We do that also in Scouting. For sure, we do not attempt to eliminate the concept of being an individual, for that is far beyond the scope or need of our function. But we do, in fact, attempt to instill the concept of "team" in practically everything we do. Thus we practice the concepts of "troop" and "patrol", very similar to, and based upon, those very same concepts in the military. They are good concepts, the military practices them, and the military should not be ignored.

What we should not be doing, is pushing those concepts beyond that which is needed to make the BSA program work. We do not "need" close order drill. We do not "need" morning PT. We do not "need" to approach the use of firearms in Scouting in the same fashion that the military does, but we do attend to their use and safety for purposes far different. They're firearms nonetheless. There's a whole realm of military practices that we do not "need". The salute is most likely based upon the notion that people in uniform salute in a fashion different, hand to brow, and likely comes from BP's military experience, although I have no links or books to prove that point. The military salute is not something we "need", but it has become accepted tradition, and the simple fact that it bears resemblance to that which the armed forces do, does not, in my mind, present a good reason to do away with it.

The military is, indeed, a good example. But only if kept within the context of Scouting and the BSA program and needs. When we begin to see troops that dress in full camo, and practice close order drill and PT, (and I've seen a couple), we begin to take the apparent similarities too far. That is where we might want to redirect the similarities, but not cut the cord entirely.

I've never had any scout work on this merit badge, but the troop has done quite a few Disability Awareness programs over the past few years, inside the troop and out. The requirements of the badge seem pretty daunting when; 1) There is no such troop nearby, and the nearest troop with a disabled scout is nearly an hour away, and 2) As "yarrow" thought, the second requirement does seem contrived to us. Some feel that it amounts to nothing more than a "hunt" for the handicapped for recruiting. Quite frankly, the scouts in the troop have more interest in learning from those who happen to live nearby, even if they don't qualify for membership in a troop. We did investigate the requirements for our awareness programs, but were not happy with them. So...we pretty much ignore the merit badge, for we feel that it's poorly written and focused.

The answer to your question is both involved and simple. The simple answer is that the Troop Committee does all the behind the scenes work to support the Scoutmaster, the Troop, and the program. Basically that means that the committee does all the work necessary, behind the scenes, and not working directly with the boys, to maintain the troop and its program.

The involved answer can be found in a publication called "The Troop Committee Guidebook", which can be purchased at your local Scout Shop or Service Center.

The best place to get the answer, of course, is Troop Committee training provided by your Council.

EagleWB's suggestions are great. Exppsing the Webelos to a little responsibility at a time, and not overwhelming them, all the while letting them get a taste of how it is with others who might not listen real well, is a positive thing.

When they get to the troop setting, then they've got at least a little understanding of the system, how and when it works, and how and when it doesn't.

As a Scoutmaster, I only lost my temper at the lack of respect issue once. After that, I made it my business treat the issue differently. I would teach my SPL's to do likewise.

More often than not, the issue came into play at opening and closing ceremony, any time where the sign went up and silence was the order of the moment. I would instruct the SPL to just stand in his place, with the sign raised. All the ASPL's were to do the same, as were the Patrol Leaders. Just stand there. Signs up. I figured that the time being wasted was the Scouts time, not mine, so they could waste it if they so desired. And the longer it took, the less time would be available for the games, and preparation necessary to do what "they" wanted. Little by little, the SPL and I would begin to see where the trouble makers were. (Our troop was 74 boys.) Gradually, more and more scouts would get the hint. More and more would hustle each other into place and "whisper" to each other something along the lines of......"shut up, OK?" Silence and attention came quicker and quicker. In the beginning, I would set the example by just standing there, sign up. I would always address the Scouts as "Gentlemen"...calmly and softly, but sternly enough that they got the hint. My SPL's did the same. And they got the respect they needed, in time. And, in time, the older boys learned how to get the younger and newer scouts to do the same. No yelling. No screaming. No marching orders or close order drill. And the Scouts came to realize that it was their own time that was being wasted...because we would tell them that. And it would be done calmly and respectfully, setting the example.

I did the same when out and out disrespect was the issue...especially towards adults. It got to the point where discipline for these infractions was handled in a very calm, respectful, orderly, and non-threatening environment, with the SPL doing most of the talking, but the entire PLC and many of the adult leaders in the background. It really made a point to the problem child. The very fact the so many who held office were in attendance made an impact. And if the infraction was truly bad, the parents would be required to come, but they would not be part of the process. It was their being there that made the point.

Amazingly, almost all the parents who had to participate in these little "sessions" entered with apprehension, knowing they couldn't say anything, and left with admiration for the system and the cool collected minds of the Scouts in charge. Only one or two Scouts never changed, but their tenure was very short lived.

eisely,

Well, said. I do not fear for the future loss of anything we have. I do not fear the changes imminent for America. In many repsects, I welcome them. For they may truly open the eyes of the self-indulgent you so eloquently spoke of. My only wish, is that the initial cost to open those eyes was not that which we beheld. But, what's done, is done, and can not be withdrawn.

Change is in the air for our culture and country. Whether or not you sided with our President on election day, I personally respect his committment to this country, and to his God, especially today. I believe I was witness to much of his God-fearing, patriotic being last night in his speech to Congress. He spoke to our fears and concerns, and I believe, your topic here, even if indirectly. We have indeed taken much for granted, Now we must realize that the oceans that were once so wide, have become but a river. We are not so secluded and safe. We are not on the other side of the world, anymore. The world now has no sides.

I do not fear losing what we have. I cherish all the more today. And I hope that we, as a people, are willing to sacrifice a little of our self-indulgence, in order that we might be vigilant against further attack. That is not a loss to me, it's a price to pay for all that we have. And a small, very small price at that.

If I could make a suggestion to our President, for his next speech, it would be to attend just a little more to the subject you so appropriately stated. We should not be taking our frustrations and hurt out on our neighbors, simply because they hail from a different culture, in this case Islam. They are, I trust, no less American than you, or me. BUt I think he's given us his tilt on the subject already. I just don't think it can be said too many times.

Be well, and God, (whichever God you see), Bless America.

I would ask that all Scouts and Scouters throughout the country take at least a moment, to sit and pray, and offer whatever assistance can be offered from our little part of the world, for those who have suffered mightly on this day of horror.

It may be that in some areas of the country, our organization might lend a hand and a prayer where needed.

God Bless America.

My understanding is that there is a new course coming, I've already seen the syllabus, called Outdoor Skills for Leaders (or something like that, I can't remember). It's a course where the outdoor skills that have previously been part of Fundamentals and Woodbadge will be presented and taught. Beyond that, I too am disappointed that they seem to have been removed from previous venues, but am hopeful that this new course will come soon, and will be well thought out.

After inquiring around, I received the following:

Heres the note from the owner of the meritbadge.* sites:

Dear Friends In Scouting,

It is with great sadness that I write this message but it is important that you are warned. Please excuse the massive cross posting to get the word out.

As you know, for years now I have been running MeritBadge.com. During most of this time you could also go to meritbadge.ORG and meritbadge.NET and you would be getting the same information.

Unfortunately, through some error, meritbadge.ORG was not

renewed this year. Worse yet, it is now being cybersquatted

by a porn site.

IMPORTANT: If you are a webmaster and you link to my site, please make sure all links on your site point to my MAIN web site name, meritbadge.COM. My main web site is not affected by this problem.

I want to assure everyone that I am working dilligently to get meritbadge.org back. I cannot fathom why a porn site would want the name anyway considering it would be leading mainly youth to their site. I have contacted them but they have not returned my messeges.

I have talked with my lawyer and he is finding me a lawyer who specializes in intellectual property. Im willing to pay for this out of my pocket as I always have for eveything related to my web site but if there are any lawyers who would be willing to assist me Pro Bono, I may need the help. I apologize to all of you, especially anyone who has been forwarded to the porn site.

YIS,

Dr Michael Kauffmann, DCS mailto:optimist@meritbadge.com Merit Badge Research Center http://www.meritbadge.com/ I used to be a Bobwhite... And a good ol Staffer, too...

I just checked meritbadge.COM...and it seems to be working just fine. But...then I checked meritbadge.ORG, and you're right...there's a porn site there.

I'm not the computer wizard here, but does anyone know a way to contact the folks who host the meritbadge site and let them know?