scoutldr

Remember, remember the Fifth of November, The Gunpowder Treason and Plot, I know of no reason Why Gunpowder Treason Should ever be forgot. Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes, t'was his intent To blow up King and Parli'ment. Three-score barrels of powder below To prove old England's overthrow; By God's providence he was catch'd With a dark lantern and burning match. Holloa boys, holloa boys, let the bells ring. Holloa boys, holloa boys, God save the King!

I joined Cub Scouts as a 9 year old in 1963(joining age then was 8), so I skipped the Wolf rank and went straight to Bear, Lion and Webelos, Arrow of Light. Joined a troop at age 11 and spent 3 years to get to Life, then transferred to an Explorer Post. Made Eagle as an Explorer at age 16, graduated HS and off to college at age 17. #1 Son born in 1978, and becomes a Bobcat as soon as he's old enough to join (didn't do Tigers). I serve one year as DL, then CM for 5 years, then we formed a Troop with the graduating Webs. That was ~1989, and I've served as SM and CC since then with additional time on the District Committee and the OA chapter. Both sons aged out as Star and Life by 2000. Still plugging away...but I'm slowing down and may pull the plug in the next year or so. Time to move on toward retirement, a second career, and other interests. And time to give the younger parents an opportunity to provide "cheerful service".

OK, Pete...ya got me.

If you'll look closely, Ed, one end of the knot is rainbow colored...the other end is purple/silver, taken from the religious award knot colors. It is to signify religious tolerance, as well.

Well, ya never know... Too funny! Thanks for sharing.

For some reason, I have always assumed I would go first. Partly because of risk factors (not all my fault!), and partly because of genetics. SWMBO ("she"...not "her") will be several million dollars richer when I kick the bucket. Rather than give the money away, I am providing for her future, not knowing if she'll need it for her own care or not. I also have two sons...they'll get what's left when she joins me. No grandkids yet (or even thought about!) Give the money to charity? Perhaps some small amounts just to show appreciation, but not enough to name a Camp after me...like someone said...some SE will just sell it one day to fund his salary. It's already been threatened. Besides, if Hillary gets elected, the Government will provide everything for everybody, so my donations will not be needed.

I can hear my scouts now..."Mr. Scoutldr, what's FILM???"

As it stands in our area, the QA check is with the SM. He/She is responsible for assuring that the Scouts are working only with approved/registered MBC. Once the SM signs the card and submits the advancement report, it's a done deal and no further checks are made. A weakness in the program, IMHO.

I always wondered about the insurance fee. When I was Training Chair, our "Staff Advisor" said that training fees (around ten bucks per person) included an "insurance fee" and a "council administrative support fee". The remaining dough was to go into a fund to replace training materials (which I never saw). I always held training at a church or school, the students were all registered Scouters, and I paid for my own copying. Council did nothing for me, other than to collect the training forms and put them in the DE's mailbox, and cash the checks. So my conclusion was that these "junk fees" were just another way for council to profit from the volunteers.

Don't overcook the pasta!

"We were also told that if any parent or adviser is driving more than one scout and at least one scout is not their child, then those driving need to file the tour permit. If the parent is driving only their scout, then they do not need one." Sorry, I have to raise the BS flag on that one, too. Council has no jurisdiction over an unregistered parent giving someone else's kid a ride. They may be ASKED to file a permit, which MAY give them some insurance coverage (if not, then why bother?), but the Council can't require it.

I was going to say that too...in my council, tour permits are just for units. OA is an individual activity and not a unit activity.

1You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. Romans 2:1 Sounds clear to me...

OK, I'll start with perhaps one of the rarest square knots... the Air Scouting/Air Exploring ACE award. (Blue/Red knot on gray background with Blue border) http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/Falls/8826/airscouts.html

Too late...I visited the site...my Norton Internet Security didn't go off. What do I need to do now?

OGE, you look funny with your tongue in your cheek like that!

"The parents voted to forgive"??? Since when do parents get a "vote" on anything when it comes to running a unit? As stated before, it's the CO's call as to leaders serving or not serving. This whole issue was mishandled from the beginning.

Nobody's saying "it's ok". No competent health professional is going to dispense birth control without a little counselling to go with it. It's not like they have a basket full of B/C pills in the lobby free for the taking, like M&Ms...

If there's any sewing done in my house, I do it myself. A skill taught to me by my mother at around age 11 (Tenderfoot). Every badge on my uniform was put there by yours truly. We don't need no stinking Badge Magic! I would rather see it made a rank requirement...sew on your own badge. Not sure there would be enough interest to maintain it as a merit badge. Those that are not popular or fall out of favor don't last very long (to wit "Fruit and Nut Culture").

Nambla has nothing to do with this...we're not talking sick, twisted pedophiles here. The immorality is allowing children to have children. Stopping it is imperative. Yes, abstinence is the preferred choice. But they're not choosing that, so now what?

Pinch me...this IS the 21st century, right? And people still don't know the difference between homosexuality and pedophilia? There is NO relation. None, nada, zip, zilch. And no offense to anyone here, but I haven't met the female Scouter yet that I am the least bit sexually attracted to. And I'm sure they feel the same about me. When we're in the woods, it's simply not an issue. To imply that the mere presence of the opposite sex will cause me to lose my moral compass is an insult, just as I'm sure it is to most homosexuals. And since Merlyn brought it up, the BSA once did exclude blacks...or at least strictly segregated them into separate units. The "Lone Scout" magazine had a banner that read "The Real Boy's Magazine" and for a few years (1930s I think), it read "The White Boy's Magazine". You can still see them on eBay from time to time. But times change...as I'm sure they will over this issue as well.

Well said, Barry. Actually, the program hasn't changed all that much. That's the way MB and OA are STILL supposed to work. Boys are not all that different, either. That leaves the adults... I loved this Scouting stuff.

I have one on my personal sash from the late 60s...silver border. Prior to the Eagle MB getting silver borders, it had a green border. It was offered from 1966-1972 and was replaced by Environmental Science. http://www.boyscoutstore.com/store/Scripts/prodList.asp?idcategory=20&curPage=2&sortField=description

The more responsibility the Scoutmaster gives his patrol leaders, the more they will respond. When you want a thing done, 'Don't do it yourself' is a good motto for Scoutmasters. The object of the patrol method is not so much having the Scoutmaster trouble as to give responsibility to the boy. "An individual step in character training is to put responsibility on the individual." "After forming a cadet corps of boys for assisting as noncombatants during a military campaign in 1900: We then made the discovery that boys, when trusted and relied on, were just as capable and reliable as men."

Fred said, "In any event, the COR has notified the DE that he wants a new CM for the Pack, otherwise they are considering dropping the charter. " One thing bothers me about this. According to my training, the CM serves at the pleasure of the CO®. So why did the COR "notify the DE that he wants a new CM"? Now it's the CC's problem to fire the old one and find a new one? Why isn't the COR doing the dirty work? The way I think it should work: the COR notifies the CM that his services are no longer required. Then the CC may be contacted to help the CO find a suitable replacement (through a nomination procedure or search committee). OR...the CO can just appoint a new one. Done. And the DE has no authority or other role in firing or selecting unit leaders, absent violations of national policy. The District/Council should be represented by the Commissioner, as needed.