pohsuwed

eagle1977, I just continue to love hearing arguments against this concept based on "this scout" or "that scout". Please take the time to think through this idea: Spend an hour or two and go to my website www.meritbadgeknot.com. Click on the names of the scouts listed to read a little more about each of them. For some of them I have very little information, but for many I have been able to find good information about them. As you read through them, count those who are "undeserving of continued recognition" and those who went significantly above and beyond. Then compare that ratio

This is a real interesting group. Most complain about "Eagle Mills" and then there is the post like this regarding a "last minute Eagle" where it appears as though the general tone is to let the scout fail because he waited too long. If anyone were to state the best practices of a scout troop and Eagle advancement timeline, my guess is that you would all state something like a 15-16 year old Eagle is "optimal" with leaders along the way helping with sufficient motivation to avoid this last minute scenario. (There was actually a silly thread recently about holding scouts back until they are

American Business Emergency Preparedness Fly Fishing Entrepreneurship Personal Management Public Speaking Scholarship What a great thread! Not a single accusation from anyone that another's list is too long, too short, or other random bickering that is generally present in these forums. Talk about a breath of fresh air! (And looking at the lists, it appears that BW and I actually have a couple things in common!)(This message has been edited by pohsuwed)

scoutldr - Thanks for checking out the website. For those scouts where I couldn't verify if they were over 18 I only listed their first name. This was from a great suggestion from one of the members of the forum (I'm sorry, but I forgot who it was!). The majority of scouts listed have been from general online searches. Probably six or seven have been people passing names to me that I was able to verify through more focused online searches. I currently have two names from e-mails that I have been trying to contact to verify their status. So far, everything has been verified through som

Thanks for the comment, NeilLup. A couple items that may help you understand the concept better can be found on my website. It is the reference to the use of the knot as a device to represent a rack of palms earned by earning additional merit badges. I'm not advocating that scouts should be encouraged to earn all the merit badges. I'm just advocating that if a scout does it, don't allow the difficulties of wearing a bunch of palms force them to remove the recognition from their uniform, which recognition has been a part of scouting for many years. And there will always be the argument

We have received our shipment of knots. We have also updated our website and have 37 scouts in our registry with more being followed up on. Please feel free to peruse the site at www.meritbadgeknot.com.

Thanks for the question. I am more than happy to update everyone on this. I have been able to locate several more scouts for the list with one dating back to 1958. The list is now up to 36 scouts. I have one person who is looking for information on another five or six that he has known over the years. I have also received some fantastic feedback from one scouter regarding their personal experience with National attempting similar efforts. It has been good to understand better what I am up against. Otherwise, I am working on developing my presentation. I have had several ide

Hops - Consider this idea when it comes to quality, constructive time spent by teenagers today. I bet that there are more scouts in the average troop that know better how to get past the first few levels on the shoot-em-up video game Halo than know how to tie and funcationally use eight basic knots. From experience I know that half of them could kill my Halo character before I could even figure out how to use the controls. And that half of the boys probably couldn't tie three basic knots--and if they were lucky enough to tie an actual knot, they woudn't be able to identify it! And sure, Nu

OGE-You bring up a good point that I will clarify for you. I did call National yesterday to discuss this point. I got to an assistant of one of the people in the Advancement group. She would not pass me through to him as he was not available. I did, however, ask her several questions about the process. She informed me that the Advancement group will be meeting in October and that I can submit a letter. I told her what I was wanting to accomplish. She told me that she has heard of the idea before. I asked her about the deliberations that they make as she informed me that she has sat in

What really is the case here? I personally see a good case of "groupthink." This is when a group of individuals sheds their individual thoughts and replaces it with the concensus of the group, even though they may not individually follow the group. This causes the group to act and react in different ways than the individuals in the group themselves would act individually. Don't take this as an insult that the members of this forum have become the "borg" from Star Trek. If you think about it, groupthink is rampant everywhere. You can see examples of it all over. Consider the previous

Blade - Reviewing your other posts in other threads today I know you are both familiar with the Insignia Guide and at least some motivational theory involving knots. Because of this I'm not quite understanding your statement in this thread that nobody cares if someone earns more than 21 merit badges. The Insignia Guide specifically states that for scouters Palms are to be worn on the Eagle Scout Knot, thus highlighting additional merit badge achievements. If nobody cared, Palms wouldn't be issued in the first place, and there surely wouldn't be a place for them on an adult uniform.

Yes, I hear what you are saying. Please realize that I understand the concept of producing "unofficial" emblems, knots, etc and do not consider opinions contrary to be attacks. Any reference to an attack has been in the manner of delivery. I can handle people opposing my opinion. It happens all the time. And in cases where I agree to change, most people have enough respect to recognize the change without continuing to harass me for my initial position (as in the case of the word "elite" that Bob just loves to highlight). Regarding the correctness of a knot? Please be sure to read my

Yes, Bob's e-mail to me was as I expected. I was and continue to be wrong and full of pride. I can live with that. As comments are dwindling on this thread I'll give a last thank you to everyone who has offered their thoughts, both on and off the forum. My website has changed dramatically since I created the initial site last Saturday. The content has improved dramatically because of input from you, and I have had the time to complete almost all of my initial content plans, including a memorial note regarding my brother, Ryan, who passed away in 2001. He was a great scout and an in

And then a final note that I should make clearer on the forum: I am not necessarily wanting to create a "new" award for myself or others. As everyone knows, a knot is a representation of another award presented. Call it a convenience to the wearer of a knot to avoid wearing multiple medals, patches, pins, or whatever the award was. At some point in time the whole idea of the square knot was developed by some individual(s) who did not want to wear all of their awards on their uniform yet still wanted to be recognized as having earned them. Im sure nobody would criticize these forefathers o

Bob, this is my otherwise private message diluted just a little to hopefully pass muster for the forum. After all, I think what I have to say here is a good for the forum message. (By the way, it may be your e-mail settings causing your problems as I have had other private message exchanges on the forum with no problems.) >>>>>START OF PRIVATE MESSAGE>>>>> The reason you have received comments from others against your position (thus frustrating you) may be because you came out attacking me so quickly. I took your feedback appropriately and modified my we

I guess a fundamental question that has probably been discussed plenty in this forum goes down to the balance between personal/group achievement and program participation. I personally believe that both go hand in hand as in any group of scouts you will have those who are motivated by achievement and you will have others who are motivated simply by being with the group and doing fun things. Most boys probably have some of both in them. I would hate to see the idea of achievement taken out of the scouting program as it would turn the program into what we see in youth sports today - desiring

Bob White - I sent you another private message. Please check your inbox carefully, and if you don't receive it I'll send it again.

I truly appreciate everyones input on this issue. Many of your comments have helped quite a bit. Others, obviously, havent helped that much, but thats okay. I have modified my website several times as posts came in to make the content more appropriate. I will continue to update and work on this website, so please feel free to continue to provide input. I must say that I am somewhat surprised by some of the responses I got from all of this. After a couple posts it seemed like I would soon be approached by a mob with pitchforks and rope. After Bob Whites posts I wondered if he would laun

Bob White - Thank you for your comments (not your diplomacy). I have taken note and modified my website accordingly. Aquila Calva - Thank you for your support and note that this may be a difficult effort. It is understandable that this achievement is not rewarded as so few people would ever earn it. Expending the resources required (just going forward with new achievers) to do this just would not make sense. So if I do get a letter stating this I will understand already. Thanks!

Back when I was a scout I was the youngest of four boys in my family to become an Eagle Scout. But that was not all, three of us earned all the merit badges possible, and the oldest (the one who gave the rest of us the idea) earned over half of them. We have long thought that there should be an official award square knot for this achievement. But the BSA doesn't even keep track of this feat, so we have felt that there would be little attraction for them. So we have designed a private issue knot that should be available mid-June. We are very excited about this knot and are happy with the q