perdidochas

Horizon, Under current rules, a COR can reject those of different faiths or women as Boy Scout leaders.

Huh? I have no problem with 90 minutes meetings, especially if you're trying to do troop business, and also have an outdoor game at the end of the meeting. I think the problem is what is going on in the meetings, not the length of the meetings.

I think it would be reasonable to change it so the CO's can choose whether or not to have gay Scout leaders. That said, other than a few limited geographic areas, I think it would be disastrous. Not many parents would send their boys out on a weekend camping expedition with openly gay males as leaders.

Fehler, Of course you can legislate that for public colleges. Simply eliminate major programs in those areas.

I'm not against a liberal arts education--meaning a well rounded education. In fact, I am a firm supporter of it. However, I'm against an education in the liberal arts, meaning the purpose of education simply being to get a degree in the humanities, etc. Yes, we need some people in those fields, but we need to be encouraging all the students who are intellectually able to go into the sciences and engineering. The ex-wife of a friend of mine has a degree in Italian studies. As he used to joke, the only possible career that could lead to is mobster's wife :-) He couldn't talk much, as he

Badenp, Didn't you mean left wing?

I think on this issue, Governor Scott makes sense (he doesn't always). We don't need nearly as many liberal arts majors as we have. We need more scientists and engineers. The only thing we need liberal arts majors for is to teach electives for science and engineering majors.

Scouts seem to make First Class in about 18 months in our troop (First Class in First year is our goal, but hasn't happened with a boy yet, although a new boy is getting close. He did through Second Class in 6 months (quickest of the previous year's Scouts took a year to do Second Class)). First Class in 18 months seems reasonable to me. My oldest did that, and will probably do Star in 4 months. He just has one merit badge left, and time in rank in a POR for Star. He just got elected patrol leader about a week after getting First Class.

The reasons for the uniform is similar to those of gang colors: 1) makes the boys recognizable as Scouts; 2) turns them into a team As a Cub Scout parent and leader, I was kind of skeptical about the importance of uniforms. I thought they were a big pain in the butt, and I didn't see value added. As a Boy Scout parent, I've amended that view. I do think the boys have more pride and teamwork wearing the uniforms-even if it's just the Class B uniform (i.e. a Scout T-shirt).

I've never seen the need for a fuzz stick, nor have I ever used one. That said, I do have the technique in my head should I ever be in a situation where I might need it.

If boys of the 70s hated the collarless (and I did), I can't imagine the boys of the 2010s going for it. I think they are ridiculous and impractical.

Tampa, If I had your boy in a BOR, I would have given him a standing ovation for that one. I'd also have him talk at the next PLC.

I do help with a "tucked-in shirt" troop, but, honestly, the new uniforms have the cuts in the side so that IMHO, they are appropriate for untucked wear. Also, where in Scout guidelines (not troop guidelines) does it say the shirt has to be tucked?

Horizon, Good idea, but would the Scout office people look that up for scouts? I'm not sure they would at our council (not sure about it). We are finally on online advancement for the scouts, so the SM actually enters the advancement, which makes it more foolproof, IMHO.

Reverent means showing deep and solemn respect for. I can see an atheist being reverent to other's beliefs, in terms of being tolerant and respectful to other's beliefs. (I think atheism is incompatible with scouting is "Duty to God." Atheists can be(and often are) reverent. )

Moose, My point is that the scout oath is a promise to do a duty to God. In order to do a duty to God, you have to recognize that there is a God (or some higher authority). An atheist (or agnostic) cannot promise to do a duty to God. A person (say a deist) who has vague recognition of some higher being can promise to do a duty to God. It's simply that language means something. Promises mean something. If they don't, then why use them at all? I think the priest was too easy on you. Words matter. If you had no intention at all of raising your kids Catholic, you were straight out

Moose, To answer the question you posed: "Now take an athiest.. If they know right from wrong, and follow an inner voice that leads them down the right path, they could call it all concious, and no God.. But, they are listening to that same internal voice I am.. Why am I allowed into BSA because I believe that the inner voice (at times) is God, and they can follow their own inner voice, but not believe it is God.. But they can't be part of BSA?? " Do words not matter to you? Do promises not matter? The Boy Scout Oath (Promise): On my honor, I will do my best To do

A 32oz bottle of hand sanitizer is about $5. Don't know where you can get 200 proof for that price. Hand sanitizer is great for a survival kit for several reasons, one being firestarting. Don't know what I would do with a boy who was that obsessed with fire. I think the Fire Safety merit badge (taught by a firefighter) would be a good start.

Just had a campout. In this heat in the Florida Panhandle, we don't really want a fire or use a charcoal grill (don't have a burn ban, it's just blazing hot). We had one patrol make jambalaya, using Zatarain's mix and smoked sausage for dinner. The other patrol made tacos, with beans and yellow rice. All on the stove. We have ovens that go on top of our camp stoves, and on other campouts, the boys have made pizza on it.

The case I heard was a scout who did First Aid and Swimming merit badges during his first summer camp, which occurred before he could officially join. 30 days wouldn't make a difference. However, according to Tampa Turtle, they had new scouts who weren't even 10 or finished with the 4th grade yet. That is a big deal, IMHO. From what I read, those boys crossed over close to a year early.

The thing is, if an observant Eagle board realizes this, they may make the boys re-earn everything that was earned before 10 1/2 (6 months after end of fourth grade). Probably not if they are last minute Eagles, but I have no doubt they would with a younger Eagle. We had a case in our council of a boy who crossed over with his Webelos den before he earned AOL. The Eagle board caught it, and he had to redo the merit badges he earned between that date and his legitimate joining date (when he was 11 or completed the 5th grade).

Tampa, Those boys didn't legitimately have AOL. The requirements say either 6 months past 10th birthday or 6 months past end of 4th grade. In fact, they cannot join boy scouts yet. The first joining requirement for Boy Scouts: 1. Meet the age requirements. Be a boy who is 11 years old, or one who has completed the fifth grade or earned the Arrow of Light Award and is at least 10 years old, but is not yet 18 years old.

Eamonn, Nothing prevents you or Mr. Buffett from donating to the government in the amount you feel is appropriate beyond current taxes. In fact, the IRS has an address to take just such donations. I would rather donate to charity than government, because of the excess waste of government in managing money.

Renax127 My observation is that most troops want to be active outdoors and camp. They don't always achieve as much outdoors as they wish, but I have never met a serious scouter that doesn't see scouting to be outing. I've met a few parents that are scouters to help their kids achieve with less work that didn't value the outdoors, but they are fairly rare. If you want a troop that goes outdoors. Be in their committee, and push the idea. Doesn't usually take much pushing.

AOL requirements: 1. Be active in your Webelos den for at least six months since completing the fourth grade (or for at least six months since becoming 10 years old), and earn the Webelos badge. Six months past the end of fourth grade or after turning 10, not 6 months of fifth grade.