Scoutfish

I'll say this: I have heard so mant racist and flat outt plain stupid comments from many when it comes to Obama. Lets start witha fella I work with. He knew without a doubt that Obama wasn't American because ( my friend) did not see his birth certificate. Aside from the fact that not one other single person in government has ever shown the coworker a birth certificate...I have not seen my friends either. Maybe my coworker is an illegal? Gm, also known as Government Motors. Yep, GM screwed itself. Paying people a slary of $60,000 to not work? And as I recall, GM was in a mess and ASKED for bailouts before Obama was elected. Bush was planning on giving them before Obama was elected. Obama just told zGM that the government was gonna hold some markers to be sure they get paid back. Funny, I remember the letter to the editor section of my local paper. Firts day of December - people were already saying Obama wasn't doing anything about the economy, job losses and people losing their homes. So it means there was already a problem before Obama was in position ( Jan 20th) to do anything. Back to the original question: Is the Tea Party inspired by racism at it's core? Nah, I don't think so, but alot, and I mean ALOT of racists jumped on the bandwagon because they saw an oppertunity made up of a sheer number of people who wanted change in Government. They may not even know who is saying or doing what, but if it means a black president is run out of Washington , DC...it's got to be a good group to join! The tea party may not have anything in common with the political or economical views of racists, but the end justifies the means right? The enemy of my enemy is my friend.

JFL, In that same link under Item #6 "Judgment Note: Can be great fun. Area that most probably fits into the "not what is done, but how it's done" category." So. it's not like I am trying to convince boys to start wearing, likeing the wearing of or asking them to wear tutus and tights. It's a bet: If 70% of all dens meet rank and stick around til crossover, I lose the bet and have to pay up by dressing as a ballerina. If they lose the bet: WEll, not sticking around or getting rank is punishment enough , don't ya think?

Was planning on wearing some short boxer shorts with smiley faces or something like that on them. At some point, I'd bend over and when the boys saw the smiley faces, figured they would laugh over that too.

You should also ask them if they care if the adult leaders even wear a uniform. Bet you get the same answer. Bet you don't suddenly drop wearing the unifrom!

So we had a great pack meeting last night. Did the ole "Boom Chicka Boom" song, but added some new and different twits to it : mime style, older sister style, teacher style. Tyhe Cubs really liked the mime style : Try to show an explosion with your hands for "Boom", and flap your arms like a chicken for "Chicka" Really, they got to stand up and burn off that extra energy. Then after all den and pack awards , and advancement were given out, and just before my Cub Master minute and Scout's Reverance.... I made a dare/bet: If 70% of ALL dens and Scouts stay active, keep showing up , and meet their rank by crossover time.... I will conduct.lead the last pack meeting of the season wearing a complete ballerina outfit , complete with tutu.. They boys laughed, they clapped and they smiled big time. They really went for that. I had a DL ask me if I was sure and wouldn't I be embarassed? Nah, I want the boys to laugh, see the humor, realize that stuff is embarassing only if you let it be and of course, it's a challenge they are really up to meeting. How can You go wrong with that! In unrealted news, my council is re-running my background check....

Okay, I saw a bunch at Boy Scout Trail that can be adapted for Cubs. By announcements, usually stuff asking parents to not forget popcorn money, camping money, etc... small stuff. Usually only takes 5 minutes to do that and it's during a time we have everybody's attention. I try to make sure my Cubmaster minutes are no more than 2 minutes. Usually they barely last 1 whole minute.. Yeah, short and simple or the boys eyes start glazing over!

Jamist, getting back to the Teddy Bear idea...It's a good one - don't drop it. As a former firefighter, EMS, water rescue person, I cannot tell you strongly enough that a teddy bear can make a world of difference to a chile who's house caught on fire, who was involved in a car accident or when something happens on the beach or in a boat. Sometimes, it;s just the fear of seeing the EMS standing over mom or dad . Sometimes, when youyr riding along asleep, then shaken awake by the car slamming to a stop and the LOUD NOISE plus even the slightest cut on mom or dad's finger. We had a 5 year old once who had a couple small cuts on her head, Simple cuts, nothing thata dab of alcohol and a plain ole small band aid couldn't fix. But to see the little girl, you'd thought her head was hanging on by a thread. We habded her a fluffy white teaddy bear with a little red heart in his hands. let me tell you something: We could have cut that girls toes off and she wouldn't have been aware. That teddy bear did something that mom, dad, and all the ems, firefighters and police couldn't do: Caml the girl down. Thing is, there are alot of wrecks, alot of fires and alot of accidents every single day. Once we hand a kid a stuffed animal, we DO NOT ask for it back. So, supply is a constant issue!

Scoutnut has it absolutely right! beltlops are not scouting activities persay, but an attempt to get boys to try all kinds of different things - by recognition of beltloops - that they may not normally have tried. Think about it too: The boys basically try to see how many beltloops they can get. It's almost a competition in it's own right. But in the proces of getting the most "Beltloop Bling", they also participated in, and possibly might become interested in an activity that they would normally not have had an interaction with under normal circumstances. As for Vidoe Game BL. it does not encourage, promote or even suggest that kids play video games! But it does teach kids THAT ALREADY PLAY VIDEO GAMES ( emphasis) to set time limits, learn to accept reasonable age and rating standards, and realize that other activities have importance too. Matter of fact, I used to tell my son to no end it was time to stop playing games so much. He's blow meoff, or get upset,or thougfht I was just being mean. Since he earned his Video Game belt loop , he actually plays video games only a 1./4th as much as he used to. And then...mostly if the weather doesn't allow other things like BB gun, football, bike riding. Funny: The BL pretty much says the same thing I always said, but got imnstand credibility whereas I was "full of it". I think adults should be able to earn the "Irony" belt loop!

And it is. It is the boys basically saying:" We are going to put on a show and entertain you!"

Okay, I found it online. You'd think anything concerning firearms( simulated or otherwise) would be in the section pertaining to firearms and shooting. My printed version still does not say anything about simulated. It is a 2007 printing though.

I am NOT calling anybody out, not am I saying that anybody is lieing, misleading or telling less than the truth. But what I want to know is this: I looked at the online version of G2SS and I looked at my printed copy of G2SS and under the general topic of shooting, ANd under the sub catagories of Cubs, Scouts and Venturers.....and also under updates. I did not see any wording whatsoever about pretend, simulated or other wise. Matter of fact, I did not see mention of wether targets could not be lifelike, animals, living things, etc.... So, is this really a national policy, or possibly a council policy. What I am really asking is this: Can you post a link to the actual qouted and written part of G2SS that says this or at the very least - implies or could lead somebody to believe the aforementioned to be true.

I have "THE" solution to your problem. It's very simple and very cheap! Aqua Velva and Old Spice aftershave. I'm talking about your conrner drug store vareity. My dad used to slather that stuff on every night. You'd smell him before he came out of the bathroom. Those old bottles that were blue and shaped like a boat, a cannon,a whistle, a car, etc.. Never had a bug in the house,. No ants,no roaches, no waterbugs, fleas, spiders, etc... I know that you may think roaches and water bugs are the same., but they aren't. I'll tell you the difference: If I have them, they are waterbugs. If you have them, they are roaches! We do thre safe thing when we go camping and there are cabins with matresses in them: We tell everybody that rat's nests were found inside the matresses and everybody needs to bring thier own or just sleep on the ground in sleeping bags and pads!

Well, since you clarified that it is pretend guns...maybe it's restricted to distric or council events ...specifically at the "pretend gun firing range" under the supervision and instruction of a NRA "Pretend Instructor' ? LOL! Couldn't help myself. Edited because I keep typing pretend words! Just pretend you didn't see that! Yeah, common sense is the key! This is where somebody is being too corporate annd lacking in the common sense area!(This message has been edited by scoutfish)

Yep! It is inapropriate...just like kindergarteners pointing their fingers like guns and saying "pow,pow" while playing cops and robbers! Maybe the Camp Director shoukld have expelled them from camp, called social sevices and possibly the state juvinile authorities? Funny thing is, we saw that skit at CUB SCOUT Council Camp a month ago...it was one of the higher laugh getting skits!

Funny thing about parents getting offended: I know some who get offended by boys who do not wear shirts while participating in swimming activities! Some parents could care less if all the kids were naked because they do not see any sexual overtones in the human body...just a body. My mom....NOTHING, and I mean NOTHING is tabboo with her.In her eyes, it's all scientific or clinical. Might want to mention..if you don't want somebody to know...DO NOT tell her anything! So a secondary issue here is what standards do you use for : "When in doubt, toss it out!" Suppose I have NO doubt at all? Then you have the mom( or dad) who thinks it's disgracefull for women to wear pants.

OGE: Yeah, when I was a kid, we wore those butt ugly bell bottom courderoy pants with the hughmongous buttons, green, brown, rust colored polyester reversable slacks that had the slide tab instead of snaps or buttons. Blue Jeans? Oh man o man...tyose were wore by the cool guys who wore buckle boots and drove those cool Firebirds and Cuda's! When you finally were wearing a pair of blue jeans...it was like finally getting your "Man-Card" !

Nugent brings up a great point: Perception and age. You ever see any of the Shrek movies? Market5ed to kids, tons of age innapropriate inuendos too. But they were over the kids heads. The king ( I forget his name) had a big castle to over come size issues. I jnew exactly what they were talking about. My son just heard talking at the time. Pinnocio wearing a pink thong? Kids thought it was funny because it was girls underwear...and that's allthey thought! Of course, you and I see something entirely different. So, it really does depend on where your mind is, and what conclusions YOU jump to, that I jump to, and that the scouts are probably not even aware of.

Officially? It's not their responcibility. From the BSA Annual Health Form http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/34605_Letter.pdf "The taking of prescription medication is the responsibility of the individual taking the medication and/or that individuals parent or guardian. A leader, after obtaining all the necessary information, can agree to accept the responsibility of making sure a youth takes the necessary medication at the appropriate time, but BSA does not mandate or necessarily encourage the leader to do so. Also, if state laws are more limiting, they must be followed." Now, If a leader wants to take the chance and burden that responcibility on his own, I suppose that's his choice. But the unit itself has no responcibilitry to do so.

Well, stupid, goofy, immature, not too funny. That's either the opinion of thee skit or a testament to me just being older and getting more out of touch with a youthful mentality. Remember back in the day when just the mere mention of poop or farting would cause you to laugh until you got into trouble? So as far as the skit goes, It's not funny in my old codgerish opinion, but I see nothing inapropriate. Now if it starts becomming in my pants, on my butt, on my privates...then it needs to be stopped pronto and just not allowed again. Right now, I think it's just a matter of personal humor or taste.

Reminds me of a comic I saw once: A decorated general was at a party/ ball and showing his ribbons to a woman. It shoed he was pointing to one particular medal, and the caption was: " And this one is for having the most medals." So, I feel if you earned it and it's not a double listing ( such as a CM patch replaces an ACM patch as opposed to having both - or a 1st class replaces a 2nd class instead of both), then wear it. I was never a scoutmyselgf, but if I was, I would not wear any patch or knot ( other than religious/Eagle/or AOL on my uniform. But you know, the thinkg is this: as long as it is correct....that is all that matters. PERIOD! Now, wether I only wear the latest knot, or up to six is my personal preference. You have your opinions, I have mine. Chances are great that not all of us will have the same opinion, ideas or tastes. Maybe I don't like the kind oif car you drive, the color of your house or the day job you have. If I really have an issue witrh that, then I have the problem. I have issues. I am the one sticking my nose way, way beyond any acceptable boundries. Maybe my troopp doesn't like the style of necker your troop wears? Do you even remotely care. Will you lose sleep at night? Should you? Nah. That's the geat beauti of it! So many different styles of cars, trucks, house designs, tv shows, genres of music, shapes, styles and designs in clothes. Do what suits you. Wear what you like. As long as iyt is correct and falls under uniform guidelines and meets uniform inspection...then who cares what anybody else says or thinks. They don't like it, well...that speaks about them, not you.

MomToEli. When Boomerscout asked: "And if the rules, themselves, are just plain wrong?" ...it was more specifically directed at rules that say a scout cannot ask for, solicit or beg for donations because it is just sooooo wrong UNLESS it is for council, national or your district. In that case, it's perfectly okay and expected! Our SE makes $100,000 a uyear in salary. He neeeds us to beg for money, because he likes having that money and the stuff it can buy. He doesn't wear a scout uniform, just a shirt and tie. He drives to his heated and A/C office each day, same time, same place. Doesn't have to buy a tent, sleeping bag, uniform parts or pieces. Doesn't need a backpack, camping gear, utensils, or anything else to support his well being in the woods. Yet, a group of boys who are SUPPOSED to have all the stuff are frowned upon if they want to raise menoy for a good cause - which is scouting, all it's ideals, and moral associations. The only reason scouts are not supposed to solicit for themselves is because the donors may not be inclined to give a second time when the SE needs his money. And the SE will not stand for that! Now, in honesty, our SE and council does not care one bit when we have our spring time BBQ chicken fundraier dinner. We make most of our money that way. But it's in the spring, not the fall. We even talked about holding a fall BBQ dinner instead of selling popcorn ANd giving councuil a clear percentage of that money, which would be higher than whet they get during popcorn. They said no because other units might try to do the same ting, but not give the "right amount" of monet to council. They can track the popcorn $$$, but not our chicken $$$.

NOPE! No excuse at all. But that's how it works, no? A wink-wink here, a "But we are buddies" there and soon everybody forgets the bad and only remember that we are friens. Afterall, if he was such a bad guy, why would we like himn so much? It's a " But not me " world : It's wrong if they do it, but not if it's me! Oh, by the way...was it a pop-up book?

It's a two way idea for sure. I completely agree with everything that Calico just said: Most of those dictators pile up useless and and unearned medals on their military uniforms in order to show they have more power. Really? Does having 6 stripes on your sleeve - as a 60 year old guy who doesn't even blow his own nose - mean you are more powerfull, stronger,or even wise than the 25 year old special forces guy you command? Now as far as the president wearing a military uniform..that would be proper only during times he acts as commander in chief WHILE directing war movements or such. At other times, he would wear clothing that represents his civilian elected position. But suppose you had Obama show up in military uniform. How many veterans and active militry would be offended by that? Matter of fact, in general society ( or at least in American society) maybe half of the people who drive status cars and wear "better" clothes - got that money and clothes by less that honest means. Banks, Morgage co, Ponzi schemes, congressmen , politics in general. Are they better than me? WEll, only if being dishonest without a care is better. Now, I also see your point too, Beavah: Tradition isn't just simply wearing the uniform itself, but also the pride behind wearing it for what it is supposed to mean. It means that I am proud to be a scouter, and I am proud to show you, the next guy , and everybody else that this uniform shows what I do, what I stand for ( upholding, teaching, and representing the scout morals) and that I work with todays youth who are going to be our future leaders. Yeah, I am proud to wear my scout uniform with my latest temp training patch, my "TRAINED" patch and that CubMaster patch on my left sleeve. But only because of WHAT I DO when I am wearing that uniform. Better? Depends. I do not think of my self as being better than anybody else because of where I live, where I was born, what my last name is, my race, my religion, or what my financial status is. That is just arrogance. I do not think of myself as being better because I am in scouting. But when compared to those who openly and willfully make a conscious decision to steal, kill,committ murder, cheat on spouses, willfully and intentionally commit spousal abuse, child abuse..decide to torture based on race, religion,or even societial differences..or simply are bigoted against other just because trhey are different from me.......well, YES! I am better than that! But I do not think the uniform makes me better. My decision to be a part of a youth oriented group that just happens to wear that uniform ..does make me better than a parent who really just doesn't care about his kids. But I would be that same person regardles of the uniform or not. The uniform is just a statement of what I do and what I belive in. So, I do want to point out something though: Remember all the wigs the "betters" wore during colonial times? Funny that people thought that taking an odd colored, artificial, non-body object and putting it on your head made you better! I almost think it was just a matter of random luck that they didn't decide to bolt planks of wood to their hreads in order to do the same thing! But also look at the Chinese years ago: lead face paint meant you were higher staus..right down to all it's glorious deadlyness. And tiny feet were a sure sign of being "better" never mind the pain,m agony and the fact that the "better" people were deforming, and crippling themselves in the name of being "better". So, the way I see it, some people are definantly better than others, but only by their concious decisions they make, the choices they follow, and the way they live their lives.

Ever notice that the people who have the ego to run for such positions are also the people who's ego cannot possibly fathom that a person other than themselves were chossen by the public. I mean, can you ever believe such a crazy thing could possibly happen? These same egotistical people usually start their training watching NASCAR! Not picking on NASCAR fans as a blanket statement - love it myself. But too many are just wound too tight. The only way their favorite driver could possibly not win is due to a joint mass conspiracy by the (former) big three in Detroit, the FCC and television media, gasoline and oil manufacturers, all associated product sponsors, the other 41 teams besides the winner and the conspired against loser, and all the fans of all other drivers who obviously sold out the integrity of the sport. Come to think ot, maybe NASCAR should drop racing and become candidatorial public Image consultants!

"We do not hold them, and wait" Neither do we. We have a ceremony scheduled around trhe time we know that they will get the AOL. As they work as a den, they usually earn them in numbers instead of one scout here, another there. But when we do the AOL ceremony, it is its own get together. Not a pack wide awards night. As for Arrow of Light...It is "The Arrow of Light Award, which is Cub Scoutings HIGHEST AWARD." So, it's not a rank. Not all Cub Scouts earn the AOL. We do not treat it the same as earning rank. We pass out ranks earned at pack meeting for all the cub scouts. But AOL is not a rank, it is an award. Now, if only AOL Scouts were invited, well,that sounds kinda elitist to me. Pretty much snubs other scouts and tells them they are not good enough. In our pack, we encourage all scouts to attend AOL and Crossover ceremonies as this shows them what they can look forward to one day themselves. Plus, the scouts who do earn AOL and who crosover - aren't just congratulating themselves (which is cliqueish), They recieve recognition and respect from the rest of the pack.