scoutldr

And THAT's a good reason not to live in Ireland or Pakistan. At least here, we USED to have First Amendment rights and we could criticize and blaspheme to our heart's content.

Your son's SM should have a list of registered MB counselors for your District. Your son (not you) needs to ask the SM for the names. Then your son should call the MBC and ask for an appointment. BTW, I just spent a week in SF to attend a friend's wedding. Went to Alcatraz, Muir Woods and Sonoma. Stayed at a historic hotel on Nob Hill. Would love to live there...can't afford it. Beautiful city. Friendliest cab drivers in the country!

Not to hijack the thread...I think the question has been answered. But here's an idea ... if you have a "merit badge" factory in your council, such as those John mentioned, I think it would behoove the Council in which the factory resides to audit their program and post a list of "Council approved" merit badge sources on their website, which would assure leaders that the program delivers what it should and that the MBC are properly trained (YP, etc) and registered. Disclaimer: I have not been to any of those mentioned here, so I don't mean to impugn them. They may be good...maybe not.

We had a year-round school pilot program here, and it's being discontinued because of the cost and parental disapproval. It was known as the 45-15 program, which I think meant 45 days (9 weeks) in school and 15 days (3 weeks) off. And not all schools were on the same schedule, so your kids could be "off" at different times. Being in a coastal resort area, we have a state law that says schools can't begin until the day after Labor Day...because of the resort lobby that claimed they needed cheap high-schooler labor during the tourist season. That's a law that I think should be changed. Here schools started Sept 8th and don't get out until the middle of June...not counting any snow days or swine flu disruptions. The current school schedule was based on our past agrarian society when the kids were needed to work on the farms in the summer. Do kids need the summer off just to "be kids"...I don't think so. Especially seeing the academic skills that they are graduating without. Perhaps treat them like employees...get your work done and meet academic goals, and you can have time off. Otherwise, keep at it.

I've found that the best way to keep a skill fresh is to have to teach it...over and over. Once a Scout reaches First Class, they should be regularly passing on their knowledge and skills to the younger scouts. Also, skill-centered games, demonstration campouts/camporees, etc.

As a safety professional, I can tell you that wearing the wrong PPE is just as bad as wearing none. The defense that "well, the BSA recommended it, but it wasn't in bold print" won't hold much water, I don't think. I don't mean to be harsh, but is that what a child's life is worth? 75 bucks? Would you let them play football or baseball without helmets? What's the diff? http://www.reuters.com/article/peopleNews/idUSTRE52I0FZ20090319

Your council can "ask" for anything they want. I would point out that paragraph and tell them that you will get it done before the National deadline, because your insurance won't approve it before February.

Between troop, OA, District Committee and training staff, and Church Council, there was a time I was gone 3 nights a week and most Saturdays. Even I didn't enjoy that much. Mostly though, SWMBO was glad to get rid of me and the boys one weekend a month. (yeah, yeah, I hear it..."we can understand that!!!") She was never involved in our Scouting, with the exception of doing a handwashing demonstration with her UV light box (she's a school nurse) for Cooking MB, or cooking brownies for our illegal Pack bake sale raffles. She always said, "that's a male thing."

"The LDS Church has stated that it would withdraw from the Scouting program if it was ever compelled to accept homosexual Scout leaders." And that, folks, is the whole issue in a nutshell. I would think that "local option" would fit here. LDS units can accept whoever they want. And so can other units. Or, do they want everyone else to adhere to their beliefs, too? Being a Lutheran whose governing body recently voted to accept homosexual clergy, I'm sorta glad my Scouting career is nearing an end. One less thing to be conflicted about in the twilight of my life. (I turn 55 tomorrow and find myself thinking a LOT about mortality and how best to spend whatever remaining days I have left).

Interesting that this was on the Wikipedia home page two days ago...coincidence? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boy_Scouts_of_America_membership_controversies

I thought name-calling was un-Scoutlike. Or was that last week? I can't keep up any more. Just went back and read the article ... no where does it say anything about Scouts or Explorers. I would just assume that the kid bought the shirt (or someone gave it to him) at a thrift store or on eBay. Uniform parts on eBay are frequently identified with the search terms "punk or Indie", a fashion trend. Just because a kid is wearing a scout/Explorer T-shirt doesn't mean he's a member. IMHO...much ado about nothing.(This message has been edited by scoutldr)

In my neck of the woods, EBOR are conducted by the units, with a District Rep present. So, having the SM and troop committee tell the scout, "wear the Scout uniform correctly", while they are wearing blue jeans, doesn't mean much. As the District Rep, if I walk in the room, and I see what the troop custom is, I don't berate the scout for following the custom, however wrong it may be. More frequently, I see minor infractions, such as wearing the OA sash AND the MB sash, or wearing the MB sash on the belt. I, of course, will always be in full and proper uniform.

I think the new politically correct term is "undocumented pharmacist".

How about we quit selling junk food as fundraisers? Time to walk the talk?

Well, as I said in another thread, Gern, I wish political parties would go away. I don't base my vote on campaign slogans or party affiliations. I have never voted a straight party ticket...to me that's a cop out for those who don't want to take the time to analyze the issues. In fact, I wish they would de-couple the VP election and allow us to vote separately for VP. I look at the individuals, their experience, character and detailed plans. A vote for McCain was not a vote for Bush and his policies. McCain is a different man. And was a better man for the job than Obama. I looked at Obama and saw a lack of character and forthrightness. I saw lies, such as the Rev Wright thing. I saw a lack of real experience. And now I see that he promised things that he's not doing and doesn't plan to do. I want a President. Not a care-giver.

OK..."Baiden-Pole"

"National Youth Corps"??? Isn't that us?

Of course, I'm not insinuating that the Democrats are the new Nazi party or that we will be facing the ovens again. Most Democrats I know are hard working American patriots that want the same things for their posterity that I do. What does disturb me is the seemingly mindless, blind mesmerization that some are demonstrating and that I believe swept BHO into office. When I walk up and down the aisle in the cube farm at work and see pictures of BHO that say "I am the Dream" displayed next to pictures of family, and see videos of young children chanting "We love Barack" (or words to that effect), or hear people say "I voted for him because he looks like me", and see him give speeches while people behind him look at him adoringly with their eyes glazed over...it gives me pause. Never have I seen this in my 55 years on earth, unless it was Elvis or the Beatles, or MLKJr. I realize this doesn't apply to all, least of all you, a professor of political science...and I welcome your well-thought out analysis of the issues and platforms. It just makes me sad that the (mostly) equally well-thought out votes of the Conservatives were canceled out by the ignorant who don't have the desire and, in some cases, the capability of forming a reasonable analysis. (And, yes, there are ignorant, mindless Conservatives as well, and I feel the same way about mindless Conservativism on the extreme Right), If I go to every person at work who has BHO's picture on their desk and ask, "what's up with that cap and trade stuff", or "what're your thoughts on the meeting in Pittsburgh", or even, "why is Barack breaking his campaign promise that health insurance will be mandatory only for children and no one will be fined if they don't get it", I will get blank stares. Yes, the man on the street stuff scares me. And my analogy to Germany is that if Hannity did the man on the street interview in Germany in 1936, the results would have been much the same..."don't know, don't care", but he sure could whip up a crowd with his cheerleader chants. The masses are impressed with oratory, ceremony and pageantry, not with the policies of the G-20 or the nuclear threat of Iran. The issues they could care less about unless it affects their wallets. I didn't vote for McCain because he looks like me, or because I hated Bush, or because I thought he would give me tax credits even though I don't pay any taxes. I voted for him because I listened to his ideas and weighed his experience and demonstrated character against that of his opponent. I voted for him because I believe in personal initiative and responsibility, not govt handouts. I voted for him in spite of Palin, just like people voted for BHO in spite of Biden. My vote was based on what I thought was best for the country and world as a whole...not based on what they promised to give me or what they looked like. I would expect no less of my fellow citizens.

Ok, I'm confused...is it "Nole" as in "Noel Coward" or "No-ell" as in 'the first Noel"?

I don't disagree, Lisa. It is amazing how sometimes political platforms, when viewed with 20/20 hindsight, turn out to be a lot different than what the people were led to believe (or they refused to believe) at the time.

Sounds like THREE dens to me! Way to go!

Thanks, Eric for explaining it better than I did. Was the lady rude and boorish? Of course. But a "townhall" meeting is open to the public and is conducted at the taxpayers' expense, including Mr. Frank's salary and benefits while he conducts them. Therefore, Mr. Frank has an obligation to listen to all opinions...not just the ones which agree with his. And I don't remember her actually using the word "Nazi"...she was just holding that Hitler poster which I also find distasteful. I may be wrong about that, though. And a little about the term "Nazi". As one who was almost fluent in German at one time, the term comes from the "National Socialist Democratic Workers Party" or "National Socialistisch Demokratisch Arbeits Partei", or NSDAP. The first two syllables of the word "National" pronounced in German comes out "Nazi". Of course, Adolph Hitler turned out to be an evil person and gave the word "Nazi" a bad reputation, when originally it was just another political party. Just like he did to the Swastika, a native American good luck symbol used by Baden-Powell. But there are a lot of Americans who believe that the term "National Socialist" describes perfectly what's happening to the United States right now, and that's why you hear BHO described in those terms...not that we believe he will try to commit genocide. It's about his policies and the attitude of "I know what's best for you, therefore this is the way it's going to be, like it or not".

I think the initiative being shown by the patrol is great! Not to hijack the thread, however does anyone else remember something about youth protection and "no more than 3 year age difference" (I think in the context of sharing tents). Or did I (or the instructor) make that up?

Just curious...what about the Afro-American flag. Or the gay rainbow flag? Or the Gadsden Flag...or the Mexican flag...or the POW flag....or the...just where DO you draw the line? When you start whittling away at people's constitutional rights, it gets complicated real fast. Which, I believe, is the reason for her protest in the first place. And Frank confirmed her worst fears..."unless you agree with me, you're a lunatic (or racist) and have no right to speak." Hmmmmm...sounds REAL familiar to those who bothered to pay attention in History class. "you don't get to scream Nazi in a townhall"..umm, I think the SCOTUS would disagree on that one. We all have the right to be offensive. If Frank can't stand the heat, then don't have a public meeting. That's what MY representatives did.(This message has been edited by scoutldr)

Even "idiots" have first amendment rights. Thank God. Otherwise, a lot of politicians would be unemployed.