scoutldr

My MIL is on Medicare, because she is FORCED to be. She had Blue Cross/Blue Shield through her husband's job at the power company. Once they became Medicare age, the company forced them to apply and BC/BS becomes the secondary payer, although the premiums remained the same. A vision of things to come for ALL Americans. My wife spends about 5 hours a WEEK trying to straighten out the paperwork and calling 800 numbers to talk to bureaucratic morons. And trying to find doctors who accept new Medicare patients is becoming harder and harder. Be careful what you vote for. The only thing I agree with is BHO's plan to cut $500 million (or is it Billion?) from Medicare funding....I really don't need four walkers in my shed, courtesy of the taxpayer. I tried to give them back...they don't want them back. But every time she goes into the hospital, they order her a new one.

Hello, Ethan! Welcome! Are you a Cub Scout? If so, how old are you?

Just as I thought...I'm a Libertarian. Not like those Constitutionalists who think "promote the general welfare" means you're entitled to a monthly check for not working.

Thanks, ahofer. I am usually a pretty reasonable, if conservative, kinda guy. Hang around the campfire awhile and help us solve all the world's ills! And if Edge is still reading, OK, you're not a troll and my apologies for doubting you. Jump back in the water and let us know how your quest is coming.

Our posts are crossing in the ether...sorry about that. ahofer, I don't think we are that far apart. I'm just saying that if he goes before the EBOR and blurts out "I am an atheist", he's gonna have a problem. That issue needs to be resolved BEFORE he gets to that point, either with his parents, SM or other respected adult. I sit on EBOR as the District rep, and I know whereof I speak. Go over the "Declaration of Religious Principles" with him and the explanation in the Handbook of "A Scout is Reverent". But, ultimately, he needs to come down off the fence before he goes into the EBOR. Everyone should stand by their beliefs, or lack thereof. But there are consequences to that. Another valuable life lesson, eh? People of faith all have doubts from time to time. I do, too. We wouldn't be normal, imperfect humans if we didn't. But I can read the DRP and agree to it, therefore, I am a member. And to correct your other mis-conception, we all don't "own" the BSA. The BSA is a corporation that markets and licenses a product (the program and materials) to Chartering Organizations. (And the biggest and most powerful COs are churches). We (Scouts and Scouters and parents) are customers of that product. Like going to McDonalds...if we don't like the Big Mac, we can choose not to buy it...we can offer suggestions for improvement, we can even picket and protest against it. But we can't "demand" they change it. We don't have that power. The only power you have is to NOT stroke that check every year. That's the reality.

I never said he didn't "belong". I stated that, as an atheist/agnostic he doesn't meet the membership criteria. He needs to figure out what he believes before he goes before the Board. They will surely ask him about how he fulfills his "duty to God" (a pretty standard question at all EBOR), and he should answer honestly. Ya wanna know my opinion? I think that ALL youth should be offered Scouting. I have gay and atheist friends and I don't think they are all "bad people", or necessarily immoral. All gay men are not pedophiles or "bad role models". Some of my sons' best teachers were gay/lesbian. I'm sure many of them are atheist, too, but it's none of my business. I do think smokers are bad role models, but the BSA lets them in...go figure. Bottom line is, I don't run the organization nor do they ask me what I think.

ahofer: Edge is the one who said "you must think I am a troll". I merely agreed that I do think that. Those are my beliefs. Why are you ridiculing them? I stand in judgement of no man or boy. I am merely stating facts. Edge stated, "I am an atheist". Therefore, he is NOT eligible to be a Boy Scout, much less an Eagle Scout. And if he goes before the Eagle Board and lies about his core beliefs just to get a tin badge, then he is a dishonorable human being as well. Again, just stating fact. Those are NOT my rules and I'm not saying I agree with them. But they are, nonetheless, rules in fact. If you have a beef with the rules of the BSA, which have been upheld by the Supreme Court of the US, then write a letter to Irving and tell them what you think. It does no good to complain to us...we don't make the rules. We're just customers of the organization, like you and our opinions are worth the same as yours...zero. The BSA offers a product and they think they have enough satisfied customers that they don't need to change. Get it? Or start your own private youth organization, then YOU can make up the rules, eh?

Ask the council registrar TODAY for a printout of your Pack's charter roster. That will tell you who is registered officially. If that list doesn't match what you have, ask why. If you have submitted all paperwork and registration money, there's no reason they shouldn't be registered. I was going to suggest to quit waiting and start having den meetings, but if the folks aren't officially registered yet, I would wait because of the liability.

"We had several boys walk away from hundreds of dollars for our last trip to Philmont" Probably because they had no "skin" in the game, as was noted before...Mom or Dad probably paid it. Easy come, easy go. Doesn't affect their life because there are no consequences. Discourteous to others? So what? Who cares? We are seeing the rising epidemic of narcissism. Just read an article about that on a Psych website.

Love For Neighbor. --- In promoting the second commandment, love for one's neighbor, we urge our Scouts and Guides to express this in active form by doing, even in an elementary way, good service for others. The daily good turn, without desire for reward, which grows by progressive stages till it becomes a habit of conduct, goes on till it involves sacrifices in time or money or pleasures, even to the extent of involving danger to the life of the performer. Baden-Powell, 1924 (thanks to Kudu)

I agree. The "goal" in Afghanistan, whatever that is, is not worth one more American life. It's clear that democracy is not valued nor desired by all people and we should quit trying to force our values down their throats. But let us be clear...if there is ONE hostile action against Americans or any other sovereign nation minding their own business, our retaliation will be swift, sure and overwhelming force against them and those supplying them.

Buffalo...I like it! Win-Win!

"We have met the Troop and they is us" You don't get credit for providing service to yourself.

First of all, the DE can't "order" a unit to do anything. (this makes my blood boil). The decision of which unit to join is up to the parents and the CO/Leaders of the unit. I agree with the above...if they are 11, sign them up. If they are not, then ScoutNet won't accept their registration anyway (except as Cubs). Tell them you'll see them on their 11th birthday.

At my level, I didn't even know I had a Regional Director. Won't change my life one iota.

I would prefer not to see the President so much ANYWHERE. I think there's enough on his plate right now that he needs to be in a conference room 20 hours a day listening to briefings and the advice of the experts (ooops, I mean "Czars"), which he certainly isn't on every topic, regardless of how omniscient the masses think He is. I think his time could be better spent than flitting around on AF1 making speeches and TV appearances. Quit telling us what you're going to DO and start telling us what the results are. Like I tell my employees...don't report what your doing...tell me what your impact is. People are still losing jobs...just ask my brother in law (as of 5 pm yesterday).

Well in a perfect world: Your chartering organization owns both units and all the money and equipment. It's up to them to approve who gets to use what. But, both units are separate and distinct units and should be operated as such, otherwise one of the units doesn't need to exist. The fact that youth and adults are dual-registered is irrelevant. If you're going to operate as a troop most of the time with the exception of the "Crew" doing something special once a quarter, I don't see the point. Venturing is Venturing...with it's own methods, ideals, and advancement system. The only advantage is that the youth can stay until they're 21 and you can have girls join (are you prepared for that?).

I think it's a symptom of the larger condition...the decline of propriety, courtesy and civility in general. We are a less formal people than we once were. When once, profanity was reserved for the locker room or loading docks, now it's common on the street and in the classroom and heard from males and females alike. As a kid, I remember the admonishment from my mom, "what would the neighbors think"...now it's "who cares what anyone else thinks." The DeLay thing didn't bother me...at first I thought it was sad that we are reduced to this, but then I thought, "what the hey...he has a life, too and who am I to care if he makes a fool of himself." After all, he is a "FORMER" congressman. We all shall be "former" someday... But I do wish that The President would realize that once you win, you can quit campaigning. Or maybe he's just already stumping for 2011. Like a local talk show host observed this morning..."we have sons and daughters dying in Afghanistan...is this the most important thing you can be doing right now?"

"You have a retirement home for professional Scouters?" Dang...that was MY idea...but for ALL scouters. Seriously. Anyone want to get on the waiting list?

"I hear we can now wear the Canadian flag" Question: Why would you want to? Do they (Scouts Canada) wear the US flag?

On this issue, I happen to agreew with Merlyn, given the facts presented here. But I wish the ACLU would go after those who throw cigarrette butts out their car windows...an issue I DO care deeply about and could provoke me to violence one day.

I guess I don't see what the committee's objection is. If they don't want to meet on those nights, stay home. That doesn't mean the boys can't meet. Why dampen their enthusiasm.

Totally agree. As a former "associate chapter adviser", I once had to recommend that all the "adult" arrowmen move to a different room. All they wanted to do is sit in the back with coffee cups and run their mouths to each other and occasionally speak up to "add something" or "correct something". IMHO, the only reason adults (who are not youth advisors) should be attending OA meetings is to provide transportation. If they want to go to another room or stay in the parking lot to socialize, great! UNfortunately, we frequently have more adults than youth in attendance. Guess us old geezers just need another excuse to get out of the house!

"Mr. Obama said legalizing illegal immigrants is a way to take the sting out of the entire issue." Don't tell me anyone is surprised at this. I postulated the same thing here a couple of weeks ago. His tactic is to feed the public a little bit at a time without letting us see the whole agenda. Then one thing leads to another. Why do you think they keep rushing through the Bills, like stimulus...so no one has time to sit and think about it and analyze the loopholes. He decried Hillary's health plan because hers was "mandatory" and penalized people who didn't sign up. His was only going to be mandatory for children, remember??? Now here we are...sign up or pay a $3800 penalty to the IRS.

"Now what do I do about the guy in my unit that is 17 3/4 years old and has his eagle project done, but needs 8 more merit badges?" You tell yourself, "this isn't my problem." The SM should have a SM conference with him and lay it all out...could be it's not even possible at this point. This was his choice, not yours.