scoutldr

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.

Ebay has it listed as "Conservation of Natural Resources", if the seller has it listed correctly. It is available in either green or silver border. See ebay item 190166806559. Wildlife management had geese/ducks flying over a marsh.

Thanks, Joni. I didn't intend it to be "whining". Just an observation on the narcissistic society that we find ourselves in. Not sure what I did to evoke the nasty, uncharacteristic response from Mr. BadenP. Taking Beavah's advice, I will just assume that he's a well-intentioned fellow Scouter, who has good reasons for responding in such a rude, childish manner. I would buy him a cup of coffee...if I could. I'm even more amazed that the moderators let it stand. I respectfully request that the thread be closed, so as not to inconvenience Mr. BadenP any further with my "whining". Good day to you all.

Having been taken to the woodshed in a PM, let me apologize for my unfortunate choice of words. I agree, my comment was un-scoutlike. Not having actually seen the Leaders' Stanford-Binet IQ scores, I have no idea if they are "morons" or not, which is a specific medical diagnosis. Let me just state that we have no such "rules" in our Troop, nor would I be associated with any troop that does. If the scout follows the prescribed process and produces a signed blue card, that's all I need to present the "worthless piece of cloth". A Scout is Trustworthy and if he says he completed the requirements, and the registered MBC agreed, then it's done. That's the BSA program, as I learned it. One of the unstated "ground rules" of this forum is that we respond to the "facts" we are presented with, realizing that there is always a "backstory" that we are not aware of. The original poster chose the name of FoxPatrol, from which I perhaps incorrectly inferred that he was a beaded Wood Badger and knew from whence he spake, rather than being a new, naive over-protective "helicopter parent" as Beavah assumes. Could be that both of us are wrong. OGE and eisely have eloquently echoed what I was thinking, in my own not-so-PC way. He stated, "Turns out he was not awarded them because the Troop does not recognize any completions from any counselors outside the Troop because they DO NOT trust anyone other than their own counselors. This goes for all BSA Summer camps, Merit badge universities or any other counselor outside the troop. Whatever merit badge the scout works on at either camp or merit badge university they are required to prove to the troops own counselors that they completed the requirements." So this was apparently not an isolated case of a particular camp staff's proven lack of competence. This is a blanket troop policy which assumes that ALL MBC not registered and controlled by the Troop are not worthy of working with their scouts, who must be retested to the troop's satisfaction. Following Beavah's logic, why would they not assume that a counselor is a well-intentioned, competent, all-round good guy/gal who does it all right until proven otherwise? After all, they are all fellow registered Scouters, worthy of our trust, are they not? I was hoping we were not returning to the days of BobWhite where there was only one correct answer and the rest of us were just background noise. Perhaps I was wrong and I need to just take a breather from the forums. Perhaps from Scouting as well. It's all getting too bizarre for me.

I'm no big fan of Dr. Laura, however, she ends each radio show with "Now go do the right thing." I'm mourning the realization that "doing the right thing" is no longer the default decision for most people. The mantra now seems to be "I'm going to do whatever is convenient, profitable, easiest, funnest, etc. at this moment in time, and I don't care about anyone else." Some recent examples from my life: I am the victim of yet another uninsured driver. I was sideswiped, and had to chase the driver three blocks, flashing my lights before he would stop. Getting out of the car, he immediately blamed me for the accident. I called 911 and a cop was there in 10 minutes. The other driver lied about insurance coverage, and the cop never asked to see proof. He also never ran our licenses through the computer. Turns out the guy has no insurance, and has a rap sheet a mile long, including DUI, concealed weapons, discharging a firearm, susepended license, larceny, etc. The cop handed me a form with the other driver's info and said, "since you moved your car, I can't tell what happened, so y'all work it out. Good luck" No one, except me, did the right thing, and I'm screwed. Trying to refinance my 2nd mortgage, we discovered that the first mortgage company had paid my real estate taxes to the wrong account. It took me 4 months to get it straight...phone calls and certified letters went unanswered. The city said, "it's your problem". Come to find out the "wrong account" was my MIL's house. She tried to pay her taxes, and the city promptly sent her check back saying it was already paid. So, knowing full well something was not right, she just keeps the money, hoping no one will notice, while my wife and I are pulling our hair out over this. The city never notified me that my taxes were delinquent, instead just slapping a tax lien on the property. No one "did the right thing." I could write two more hours of examples. Am I the only one feeling this way??? I am really afraid for the society that my children will inherit.

How can I put this kindly? Oh, never mind...what a bunch of arrogant morons! If this is the troop policy, then WHY did the SM allow the boys to waste a whole week at camp, with his implicit approval? I would call your District Advancement Chair and file a formal appeal, in writing.

From the Greek Chi-Rho (XR)...Christ. Not to be confused with Chi-Mu (XM) which is that satellite radio thing.