packsaddle

While I was reading through the other thread on Hillcourt, I remembered this one. Is he still excluded? Anyone know?

It's working for me.

See, the great thing about this issue is that it gives all of us some common ground to rally around rather than just arguing among ourselves. So while we should politely ignore them (OK, maybe not politely) we can also be thankful for the times like this that they hand us a 'gift' like this.

It's 'genus and species' and that's not what anyone is asking for. A boy ought to be able to tell the difference between a bumblebee and a honeybee. Or a bullfrog and a tree frog or a buzzard and a hummingbird.

No. Common names such as 'robin' or 'killdeer' would be needed for birds. 'Scarlet king snake' for snakes. I would let them go with something more generic for invertebrates like: 'crayfish', depending on what it is. However if they know what something as distinctive as a zebra mussel is they should distinguish it from, say, a heel splitter or an Asiatic clam. The reasoning is that while the distinction between some decapods, for example, may be difficult, the distinction between things that are obviously different should be noticed and named accordingly. I also allow them to take it to a ver

qwazse, it was the entire PHYLUM of Arthropoda. Not to mention Echinodermata, Platyhelminthes, Porifera, Bryozoa, Cnidaria, etc, etc. I interpret the requirement as those listed things being EXAMPLES of organisms to look for and not exclusive of all others. In that sense, Mollusca exemplifies all of the invertebrates. I just happens that the thoughtless person making the list - listed vertebrates for all the rest of the examples. From this I infer that all Chordates and invertebrates are good for the list. As for the visual sighting of the bird, I require them to show me or hand me their

I'm with desertrat77. Like I said before, ignore this nonsense and just do what you think is right. If anyone needed confirmation of how out-of-touch with reality Irving is, this is IT. So stop complaining and just ignore them.

yeah, this is the place where the requirements are totally stupid. What that means is that frogs and salamanders don't count, nor do starfish, jellyfish, bryozoans, or sponges...some of the most interesting creatures on the planet. And...what about the one class of animal for which there are more species than all the others put together? Nope, can't count them. Stupid. I ignore it as a thoughtless and unintentional exclusion of most of the animal kingdom. Whoever wrote that probably failed basic biology.

Morning or afternoon. I also maintain a collection of plaster casts of various tracks and skulls as voucher specimens, just in case there's any question.

Insects and other invertebrates count. Should be easy.

OK, we've had our fit of indignance. NOW, just ignore it and do what we think is right. The best way to really get the message across is to politely ignore them. Wait a minute! This could be the beginning of a movement to take back the spirit from the bean counters. We could start with nonsense like water guns and move on to things like actually camping out and stuff. We could restore the spirit AND the trademark. Scouting could flourish with renewal of all that is good.................................NAAAHHHHH!

Mea culpa, I will now fall onto my scabbard and get a nasty bruise.

Sarsaparilla has always been fascinating...coming from the Smilax genus. The common name in North America is woody greenbriar but the one that yields the flavorful drink is tropical. You might want to check on the pharmacological aspects too, they're interesting. I used to make it from the natural extract but I understand the flavor is synthetic these days, I could be wrong. Bad Wolf, I condemn the substance and its use. I'm sorry for anyone for whom alcohol has achieved such importance in their life. I hope they can eventually see that good things don't have to come from a bottle or a tap

When I'm in a conflict with someone like this, it is part of my personal code of conduct to make sure I listen to everything they have to say. That means meeting with them. If the room is friendly, resolve the conflict then and there. If the room is filled with intimidation, just sit back and listen. Don't say a word and take careful notes of what is said. If they ask for a response give them as littlle information as possible. Everything they say is information. You can use it at will. Everything you say is a gift of information they don't necessarily deserve to get. Be stingy with it. Be Pr

Bad Wolf, I have formed my opinion based mostly on a personal experience from years back when a drunk behind the wheel nearly killed my entire family and society (and I see this as reflecting the lenience I see in your comments) basically let him off with a $200 fine while we suffered tens of thousands of $$ in medical expenses and years of pain and incomplete recovery. As long as society 'winks' at so-called 'responsible drinking' there will be lapses such as he had and more people like my family will suffer needless harm. And I haven't even touched on the harm that occurs in homes and the da

Ahhhhh,..............so you're intrigued...aren't you?

LOL, I have my suspicions. Maybe they should set it up as an online merit badge so the boys can find a 'virtual' counselor who actually can 'counsel' this one, lol.

Under certain circumstances guns are useful tools and sex is essential and can be good for society. While it can be used as fuel or perhaps something like disinfectant or lab preservative, there is nothing about drinking alcohol that is useful or essential or good for society. Even for so-called 'responsible' drinkers, the risk of making mistakes, sometimes tragic ones, increases. As far as I'm concerned, people who think they're 'responsible' drinkers are people who 'got away with it' without hurting themselves or someone else...this time. It's a personal thing with me. At one time

Drinking is bad. Alcohol consumption contributes to much damage to families, children, and society. There is NOTHING redemptive or good about alcoholic beverages.

Fella, that train has already left the station. You just didn't know it.

I agree completely with NJ on this, regardless of my status as either insect or omnipotent entity from the 'Q' continuum. The first step of any problem solving process is "PROBLEM DEFINITION". And that is something that is woefully lacking in many of these discussions. But I DO get what is going on most of the time...[deleted for obvious reasons] In other news, I'm fairly certain that the things I'm hearing spoken on one radio station here would not be allowed on the air in the USA. Even the students were disgusted.

Yeah, that makes sense.

I couldn't care less about the history of adult awards but I think that idea of boys deciding the awards is an OUTSTANDING idea! Yes, 'boy-led' should mean in all aspects of the program. Great Idea!

An engineer would say that the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.

Yes, one can always point to that silver lining. Sounds like 'win, win' to me.