John-in-KC

That's a greater challenge. SFAIK, the cardstock size BSA uses for all manner of cards is different from anything Avery and the other paper companies use for business cards etc. There's also the small problem that most cards, vice cardstock, don't go through the printer very well. I've had problems with stuff being eaten. Sorry... I had never thought but to buy MB award cards.

Barry, I'm going to put on my old soldier hat for a moment: The "surge" is +/- 2% the number of troops General Eric Shinseki, then Chief of Staff of the Army, recommended as the full force in being for the "day after the war." Of course, we know that General Shinseki was told to pound sand by Secretary Rumsfeld. We also know that he was snubbed by the Secretary at his retirement review... by the Secretary staying inside the Building. The surge proved General Shinseki right. I cannot say more.

Oh, let's make this simple. Here's the 1996 printing of the card, as an Adobe Acrobat Reader PDF file: http://hoac-bsa.org/ae_links/TH_meritbadgecard.pdf It is the 1996 printing of the card. The difference, then to now? BAR CODING. So what, who cares. BTW, someone in the advancement field was kind to me a couple years ago in finding me a word template for the Advancement Report. This is simply returning that favor Now all you need is light blue cardstock! YIS(This message has been edited by John-in-KC)

Mapper, Welcome to the Forums. Secret DE and emb021 have given you the short version: In your youth, you were allowed a year to actually undertake the Ordeal from your election to Candidacy. As a YOUTH MEMBER, entering the Order is an honor. As an adult, entry into the Order is based on what you can contribute to the Order. It's not designed to be an honor, it's designed to support the youth members. I hope you get selected by your Troop as the adult nominee at some point in the near future. YIS/ICS

Bert and Ernie look better every passing day. Would Big Bird and Cookie Monster be acceptable candidates? What about Bob the Tomato and Larry the Cucumber? The bad part is silly season has been in full swing since November 06.

Like all have said, talk with your Scoutmaster. 1) You've said nothing about designing, planning for, and implementing an Eagle Leadership Service Project. This requires approval of your SM, the Committee, and the District Advancement Committee. If you're done, great. If not, this is one of two long poles in your tent. 2) The second of the long poles are those missing merit badges. Since I don't know what you have, I can't help you with decisions. If you don't have Computers or Scholarship, they are not difficult to earn, even seeing you as a HS senior. 3) I wish you well, and keep us informed, but "behind the power curve" is a good name for where you stand just now. If you ask questions, be prepared for us to ask a couple back... advice can be too generic otherwise. YIS

1) Sit down, adult to adult, and ask the "Eagle Advisor" to show you policies from Advancement Committee Policies and Procedures, BSA #33088. 2) Start talking with other Troops. 3) While I agree in principle with Ed, I think a lot of Districts have an idea in their mind of a workload that will support a "reasonable level of effort." In my neck of the woods, if your project estimate is below 100MH, folks start asking questions.

Yeah, the Tammy Wynette cookie moment... Of course, they keep handing me reasons on a platter. NPR Morning Edition today said that neither Hillary nor Obama came back for the vote on the Iraq supplemental. The Dems have a majority (I can't say Reds yet, it still has a different connotation) in the Congress, and they cannot even muster the ability to block a little $70B supplemental. They want us out, but they're not willing to stand on their political convictions come what may. Makes me wonder if Democrats have political convictions. The role of a majority is to get legislation through. I'll stop now, before I go into full fledged RANT mode.

OK, Romney is off my list. Gotta wonder how he reconciles the LDS Church stance on GLBT in general with his public views???

Al Gore is responsible for the Flyover Country Freeze. His mouth is worth 2 degrees F to the global temperature reading all by itself. PS: Global warming exists, but we need to be holistic about which greenshouse gases, and in what proportion, are contributors.

B, It's nice to know I'm not alone in feeling exactly that way.

funscout, I have to agree with Beavah and Lisa here; the rhetoric from the incumbents at times approaches "stupidly strident." That said, a pox on both houses candidates. The leading Democrat didn't have the good sense to know she was being cuckolded by the numbers by her husband. The leading Republican can't walk a political straight line if you paid him to. ... and folks want me to entrust the future of our Nation to folks such as these? I'll write in Condoleeza Rice as a protest vote first.

Bottom line to me is we got the Ringling Brothers, Barnum and Bailey clown line running for President. No, wait: The RBB&B clown line would be an improvement over what we have. The problem is, you almost have to be a #### fool to want the job anymore, for the micro-parsing of your life that goes along with it. With Bill, it got to the point of mapping individual sexual indiscreations. At this point, I'm not sure Jesus of Nazareth could successfully run the gambit of the US electoral cycle.

Can we start a Draft Condoleeza Rice/Colin Powell movement?

Yes 8 for curriculum 10 for the people and the relationships Specific reason for curriculum 8: I'll gladly concede if you are in the Armed Forces, have taken an MBA, or do any level of teaching, you've had the leadership psych provided by the current curriculum. Even so, I've found new nuggets in well-plowed ground. Well worth the investment in time and energy John I used to be an Owl C-40-05

Just anatomically correct cows thank you (and that pertains to the udders, which are important to the song...) I like what Ed said in his last paragraph (This message has been edited by John-in-KC)

There were actually 3 staffers from Lone Star who would take this as a "staff road show" to the other two camps of HRB. It tended to be sung on their schedule, not necessarily on the food schedule. They went and bought anatomically correct cow costumes.

For advancement BORs, pPretty much what FScouter said. Scout asks, we check and confirm. Sometimes we have to drop to 2 weeks lead time, normally we can do a week's lead.

I am Cow, I pass Gas... Methane Gas pours out my MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!! And out my muzzle when I belch Oh the Ozone Layer's thinner from the product of my dinner I am Cow, I am Cow, I've got Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaassssssssssssssssssss!! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Going to church doesn't save me. No earthly work saves me. Only the miracle of faith worked by Christ in his death and resurrection saves me. I still go to church, though. Humans are social animals. Good people reinforce the good corners of my life. Listening to the Pastor preach, I learn something. It's the same thing with any well-prepared and presented training. When I am the trainer, if I do my prep right, I learn something new before I hit the training site. I can't tell you how many insights I've learned from my students! When I'm a student in training, the content may or may not matter, the expansion of my personal network always matters. I'm going to stop there. Anything else I'd say will be an overt ad hominem attack.

FScouter, Sounds to me like a great reason for a non-advancement Scoutmaster Conference ... to talk about Courtesy. Also sounds like justification for several Scoutmaster Minutes.

scoutldr, I disagree. The Scoutmaster is the Program Officer of the unit. It's his/her job to ask questions constantly. It's his/her job to have a side word with the Committee, particularly if District thinks the project will fly, and help the young man win. That's why the Scouting System provides resources at District and Council levels... how much effort is it for a CC to ask a simple question over the phone? Is the CC applying the Scout Law (helpful, friendly) if he/she simply rejects out-of-hand?

FScouter, EagleSon saw us divorce in his Web 1 year. She did not want him in Boy Scouting. I did. He earned his Eagle in spite of her. Even so, divorce decrees and parenting plans are, sadly, contractual in nature. A divorced parent has the right to fall on his/her sword and demand a child not go on a trip. I didn't say it was right. I didn't say it can't be fought using the "best interests of the child" argument. I say it happens. Kids from broken homes want, desperately, the love of both their parents. They'll go very very far to keep that love flowing, even bailing out on a camp. Unhealthy? Certainly. Blame the kid for the failings of the parent?? NWIH. What can we as Scouters do? Show them unconditional love, and help them get access to the full toolbox of Scouting... in part by helping them get the discouraging parent to understand. I hope all can understand I feel quite strongly on this issue. YIS

Scout can show leadership by training folk to conduct the study per State DOT requirements, managing time slots so critical times are covered, developing a compliant reporting format, and ensuring compliance. Of course, the Scouts should be in school for most of the business/school day, so his labor pool goes South from the git-go.** ** A comment edited in: I've seen nothing in Advancement Committee Policies and Procedures #33088 which requires a Scout to only have a labor pool of Scouts. If adults are willing to acept the training and perform the task to the candidates' standard, or if they possess a skillset which is essential to the project, run with the situation given. One thing I've learned in watching Eagle candidates propose leadership service projects: If the SM is not talking with the District Advancement Chair, the SM DOES NOT KNOW what will/will not be accepted as a proejct. It seems to me this proposed project has not been floated before in your Troop. Ms Lope, talk with your DAC. He may have a way to make this a win/win.(This message has been edited by John-in-KC)

B, Out of the mouths of babes.... EagleSon (who went Mac years ago) will truly love First Class #1 (This message has been edited by John-in-KC)

Ken, We just had this conversation: http://www.scouter.com/forums/viewThread.asp?threadID=174698 Eamonn linked a Scouts UK book to the thread. There is also the "youth protection for youth" detachable booklet that's embedded in the Wolf, Bear Webelos, and Boy Scout Handbooks. That's the apparent resource unless/until National publishes a new edition of the Handbook. Does that help?