Papadaddy

I was good with it until I scrolled down and saw the back view. Looks ridiculous.

Concur with the others. Mom is an idiot and so are those in the unit who allowed him to participate without registering. No Eagle. Sorry. We're done.

From our Council:

Previously, Cub/Webelos Summer Camp has been open to Cub Scouting youth, their leaders, den chiefs, and parents. In order to more effectively embrace the role of family in Scouting in summer camp, we would also like to also welcome siblings to enjoy the camping experience.

...

Our SE was interviewed on the local news last night...said the phone calls he's receiving are overwhelmingly for the status quo. Not that it's his decision to make, of course...

Is anyone surprised by them not making a decision...business as usual. Why do we, the heart and soul of the BSA put up with this kind of stuff. Can we fire these bums?

This is really NOT intuitive...I liked the old "Last 24 hours" screen and I could see new stuff at a glance and just click on what interests me. Guess I'm getting too old for this...

Our SE will let anyone use our camps, if they have the cash. Then we volunteers have to go in and clean up after them and repair the damage.

It's happened before in history, Brew.

When I was unit scouting, the adults always slept alone anyway...because of snoring. Maybe I'm odd, but I wouldn't be averse to sharing a tent with a gay man. I have several gay friends, male and female...never felt any of them to be a "threat" to my hetero self. They never made advances to me, never tried to "recruit" me. They are just people...good people who happen to be wired differently than me. I have trusted my own kids with them, accepted them as "family", and I would not hesitate to do so again. In fact, when we are out socially with them my wife and I get introduced as "they're good people", which I have figured out is code for "they are not bigots and it's ok to be you". If they are violating some moral law, that's between them and their maker, and He has not asked for my opinion...only that I love them and live MY life as I think He wants me to. Politically, I am a staunch Conservative/Libertarian. But I don't believe that gay "marriage" is a threat to me or my family.

With apologies to Emma Lazarus...I have no problem with that. What I have a problem with is those whose first act of stepping foot on American soil is to break our laws.

One of my best friends is Filipino. He tried to join the US Navy but couldn't afford the bribe necessary to get an appointment with a recruiter in the Phillipines. So he immigrated the other way...took him years and about $15,000 in legal fees. I respect him as a citizen as much as any "natural born" American...maybe more, because he really WANTED to be an American and paid the price to do it legally.

1. Seal the borders.

2. Deport all those who have committed a crime since entering the country illegally.

3. Change the "anchor baby" rule.

4. No government entitlements until you become a naturalized citizen and pay taxes.

5. Those who are trying to immigrate legally have priority status and are expedited.

6. THEN we can discuss any possibility of "amnesty"...

As far as I know, only RichardB from Irving has had the cojones to come face us mano a mano. I admire him for that.

The links didn't work for me, but I was able to search on "Howerton" and get there. Thanks for all you do.

http://blogs.forbes.com/terryhowerton/

More examples of "low information" voters.

My point was that most of these shooters were not mental illness rookies. Just ask their grade school teachers. As for the Va Tech shooter, Cho (Wikipedia):

"Born in South Korea, Cho arrived in the United States at the age of eight with his family. He became a US permanent resident as a South Korean national. In middle school, he was diagnosed with a severe anxiety disorder known as selective mutism, as well as major depressive disorder. After this diagnosis he began receiving treatment and continued to receive therapy and special education support until his junior year of high school. During Cho's last two years at Virginia Tech, several instances of his abnormal behavior, as well as plays and other writings he submitted containing references to violence, caused concern among teachers and classmates."

And, because he was not in the "mental health system", he was still able to legally purchase firearms. There are thousands more like him out there walking among us.

My wife had a set of twins in school a few years ago with selective mutism. THey refused to talk, except to each other. The school was expected to just "deal with it".

As a compromise...if you have good records, just issue them a certificate of attendance (made up for free on the computer) with the inclusive dates listed. THen, if the parents want the doo-dads for the uniforms, they can go to the scout shop and buy them (bars for prior years). Since this was an award earned in Cubs, it won't be transferable to their BS uniform anyway.

I agree with what most of DeanRx proposed. The mental health problem needs to be addressed. As I have stated before SWMBO is an elementary school nurse at a public school that, as of this year, had severely emotionally disturbed kids included. I hear the tales first hand of the kids who are out of control, and when needed, the parents refuse to answer the phone because they know their day will be inconvenienced. One fifth grader cannot be left alone EVER because he will steal anything that's not bolted down...anything, whether it has value or not. Another boy was raped by an older brother and cannot use the bathroom with the other kids. Another must be supervised in the bathroom because he will smear feces all over the walls, so it becomes the nurse's "problem". Most of them spend more time in the office or clinic than they do in the classroom. Several times a month, she has to call Social Services because kids are abused at home. There is no "learning" or "treatment" taking place...it's just free respite care for the parents, meanwhile the whole school is disrupted making it an undesirable and sometimes dangerous working environment for both staff and the other students. She has a few that she has predicted will end up in jail...or worse...before they reach adulthood. "Mainstreaming" is not doing these families any favors...but it's the expedient solution. It has turned my opinion to be in favor of school vouchers. While my heart goes out to parents with mentally ill kids, the regular kids deserve an education in a pleasant environment, too.

"Didn't bother to ring da doorbell, figurin' we were asleep and wouldn't mind."

Well, I DO mind...all my friends and my kids know that's a sure-fire way to meet their maker. We've had several home invasions in my hood and I'm not going to ask questions first.

Not to pick nits, but the National Guard is a state force under control of the several Governors unless Federalized by the POTUS.

So, basement wants us restricted to single shot bolt action .22s, like 11 year old Boy Scouts. Let me know how that works against a home invasion. I'm keeping what I have until they haul me off to jail.

Feinstein wants it all banned...

http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/guns/2013/jan/22/miller-national-assault-weapon-ban-coming-thursday/#ixzz2IuVXffAw

In a previous life, I did Environmental Site Assessments for property transfers. If I were purchasing property previously used as a Scout camp, I would be sure to request one.

Speak for yourself, Basement.

Perhaps the difference was, back then (50s-60s for me), most of us had two parents home every night to teach us right from wrong. If we did wrong, we paid the price, usually twice...once at school and again when Dad got home from work.

Around these parts, Beav, if you're going to "peddle" bicycles, you'd need a "peddler's" liceense.

Basement, ever heard the phrases "presumption of innocence" and "innocent until proven guilty"?

I like my proposal better. Any felony committed while in possession of a firearm (legal or not): life without parole. Word will get around. The nutcases won't care any more than they do now, but at least it will get the predatory thugs off the streets.