NJCubScouter

My recollection is the Arrow of Light requires that at least six months have passed since you finished the fourth grade. Did they change that? If that is still the case, that 4th grade girl will still be in the 4th grade until May or June, so let's say May, 6 months is November. Around here most don't actually earn the Arrow of Light that quickly anyway because they really aren't working on advancement over the summer (unless they go to Cub day camp.) And around here most packs don't cross over until Feb. or March. I don't see what the big rush is to cross over much before that. But let's

Scoutmistress? Just kidding, just kidding.

Did that come from a web site? I would like to try to find a higher-resolution version that I can actually read. But I do see the phrase "Linked Troops" and yes, it does appear to be something new. It looks like two troops would share one committee. It isn't specific about leadership (SM/ASM.)

Yes, that is one of the things that has NOT changed since those ancient days when I was a Cub Scout.

Congratulations! Is she a Tiger?

I agree with that, but you are mixing your Russian historical figure metaphors.

Ahem. Sometimes. Or, “Senator.”

I didn't know that. I thought under-the-collar was just a personal style preference on my part. I think most of the rest of my troop is in violation though. (Actually up until a few years ago it was never an issue for me. For most of my youth as a Boy Scout, my shirt had no collar, and when I became an adult leader (with a collared shirt) I always opted for a bolo tie, since I absolutely hate wearing a neckerchief. However, a few years ago my troop adopted a new custom neckerchief designed by the boys, and I got one and started wearing it in the interests of, um, uniformity. So to spe

That's possible. My Scout shirt from the early 70s has "Scout BSA" over the pocket, not "Boy Scouts of America" as it was before and after that (including now.) I guess the analogy to Federal Express/FedEx would be BoSco. (No, not the chocolate drink, do they still make that?) And I didn't make that up. Some may be familiar with Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco in New Jersey (where much of the original "Friday the 13th" was filmed.) The name stands for North Bergen Boy Scouts. So there is some precedent for Bo-Sco... not that I think there is any chance of that happening.

I think the organization is still going to be the "Boy Scouts of America," as it has been even though there have been girls/young women as youth members in one of its programs for the past 45 years. I also think that the program, "Boy Scouts," is still going to have that name even if National pulls a switcheroo and allows girls in Boy Scout troops. I'm willing to bet one person $1 on this. (My standard betting limit.)

Wait a second. Isn't a liter a unit of volume, rather than weight? Shouldn't that be Kg if we are being metric here? I know a liter is about a quart, and I know we didn't measure what we were carrying at Philmont in quarts.

Oh! Liters. Liters? Are we in America here or what?

"The two whaaaat? What did you say?" "Sorry yer honor, the two Defendants." This may be a sign that I have seen that movie too many times. Nahh...

75 pound packs? Our "target" at Philmont was 40 (not including shared cooking gear I think, although my memories of 1974 have faded a bit.) I understand the more typical weight these days is 50, which sounds like enough to me. (When I went I weighed about 145 pounds, so the idea of a 75 pound pack seems a little ridiculous.)

Apparently not. For example, I can't understand for the life of me why anyone would oppose closing the background-check loopholes such as gun shows and Internet sales. I would think that any rational person would want to make sure that everyone gets checked out before they can buy a gun.

Thanks for the updates Eagle1993! It’s kind of fascinating watching this play out in real time.

I can't thumbs-up your entire post because I think this thread went a little off the rails on the subject of the OP's motivation for starting the thread (which should virtually never be a subject for discussion, in my opinion, and it always leads to trouble.) But I think the quote above captures the essence of the issue, and I agree with it. I think we can, and should, keep the advancement program itself separate from the issue of "local variations" on the program that sometimes make it too "easy," and less often make it more difficult. Quite often the discussions of advancement in this for

I would think it was a fine idea even if the mayor was not an “alumnus” of the pack and an active supporter. With those factors added, it’s a great idea. What a good way to solidify community support for the pack. Plus, the Scouter who would otherwise be presenting the award can be standing next to the mayor for the presentation. Maybe he/she can introduce the mayor. It could be made into a positive thing for everybody.

Haven't council camp properties been going up for sale (and sold) for at least the past 10 years?

I think the first question is, did the council/district reviewer actually approve the proposal before work started on the project? Could there be a version of the workbook somewhere that has the council/district signature on it? Or an email indicating approval? Or a verbal approval and the reviewer will sign the workbook now? If any of that is true, I think this situation may be salvageable, and the reviewer and/or the district advancement chair should be consulted to find out how to go about doing that. If, on the other hand, nobody on the council/district advancement committee has e

You, and you? Or some other Bozo?

In late 2016 or early 2017, my council announced they would be phasing in a new structure for district professionals. Instead of one DE (or SDE or DD) per district, the council's six districts would be divided into two regions. For each region, there would be four professionals, assigned to a single subject area (Unit Service, Program, Membership and Development), who would report to a Field Director. (The volunteer structures in each district would remain separate and each district would still have its own activities.) At the time, someone in this forum had recently discovered and announc

"Are you coming down into the Pit? Westley's got his strength back. I am starting him on The Blockchain* tonight." "Tyrone, you know how much I love watching you work. But I've got my country's five hundredth anniversary to plan, my wedding to arrange, my wife to murder, and Guilder to frame for it. I'm swamped." "Get some rest - if you haven't got your health, you haven't got anything." *Ok, that word isn't in the original.

Blockchain sounds like it could be a medieval torture device.

I didn't realize there was a difference. I thought LFL consisted of in-school Scouting and Exploring. No?