BrentAllen

Hawkrod, In your initial post, you said the boys were staying home playing video games. That didn't sound like they were being kept from Scouting events due to their parents other obligations. I have never seen the type of behavior you are describing from adults. I've seen the opposite, where parents push their kids to advance when the boy wants to take things slower and have more fun. I've never seen Scouters who kept their sons out of activities. Sounds to me like there are more issues going on than described, but what do I know.

I am having a hard time seeing how adults joining an organization where they agree to live by the Scout Oath and Law can be a bad thing. Yes, there are a few bad apples, as there are in any organization. Key word - few. Hawkrod - a Scout should set his own goal for advancement, the goal shouldn't be set by his parents. I fail to see how a Scoutmaster going to training and serving loyally for three years (earning him the Scoutmaster Key) would have anything to do with the rank of his son. If the SM's son decided Scouting just wasn't his thing, are you saying the SM should resign?

I'll respond, after thinking about this for a long time. First, I see lots of posters forbidding anyone to judge the 16 year old, but are quick to judge the concerned parents, and harshly. I find that interesting. "What you do speaks so loud, I cannot hear what you say." GBB, Handbook For Patrol Leaders I'm trying to imagine how I would feel if my daughter was 14 years old, and had just joined this Crew. This 16 year old is going to be teaching and mentoring her? As a parent, I should just accept this? I shouldn't have any concerns about any discussions held late at night a

Back when I first got back into Scouting, our district was offering Cub Leader training sessions adjacent to Roundtable. We had good attendance at both the training and RT. Most of those attending training had never been to RT and didn't even know what it was. Usually someone would ask "what's going on the other rooms?" and the trainer would explain, "that is RT, a monthly gathering of leaders to share ideas - you should start attending when your training is completed, and bring your other leaders with you." Attendance at RT was very strong for several years after that, but has since falle

Beaver, That was much better than my eclipse story. I saw it begin around 1:30 AM, in holes thru the clouds. I went back out at 3:30 AM to see nothing but thick clouds - no moon in site. I did catch the ornamental reindeer on the front lawn in a very compromising position. Get a room!

Basement, Even with all your success, I'm sure you have one or two members of the Pack complaining that you are doing things wrong, that their kid is being treated wrong, that they are left out the "clique" making all the decisions. No difference between your Pack, and all the success that Wood Badge has. Even though thousands go thru the course every year and love it, there will always be one or two who are going to complain. There's one in every bushell...

Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy. Proverbs 31:9 I think we have lost site of who the real poor and needy are. Years ago, we were running a housing rehab program in a rural south Georgia town, providing the materials while Habitat for Humanity provided the labor. Everything was going fine until the volunteers got to this one particular house. The house was in bad shape, with a bad roof and the ceiling falling in. In fact, the residents had a 2x4 set up on the back of a sofa, holding the ceiling up. Two unemployed healthy young men in th

http://www.macon.com/2010/12/16/1379464/funding-cuts-leave-many-without.html?disqus_thread%3Fstorylink=addthis The picture says it all - the woman wants tax payer dollars to pay here utility bills, while she watches her monster tv. In my line of work, I see this all the time. Usually the tv and furniture are on a rental plan, paying weekly (at an astronomical cost). Neal Boortz took her to task, as well he should. Sell the tv, cable and game system and use that money to pay your bills before you start living off my taxpayer dollars!! http://boortz.com/nealz_nuze/2010/12/2010-the-

OGE, Please stay on subject, or start your own thread. ;^)

"NEW YORK, Dec 15 (Reuters) - The premium of Brent crude over U.S. benchmark West Texas Intermediate rose to the highest level in seven months on Wednesday, pushed up by a big increase in crude oil stocks stored at the key delivery hub in Cushing, Oklahoma." Just in case anyone missed that news. I've always been fascinated with the fluctuation of the premium of Brent over WTI.

Moderation in the forums is like government - the less, the better. Zero tolerance usually equals zero brains - people can't think for themselves, so they need policy to do it for them. Now, should I tell you how I REALLY feel?

Our Troop has a Facebook page, started by our SPL on his own. I don't think you can use it to replace a Troop web site, as some people refuse to use FB. Ours doesn't get a lot of traffic, probably due to us using SOAR for our Troop web page - it offers the photo albums and very good email capability. That being said, it's not a bad thing to have, to add to your communication tools. I have found that many of our Scouts don't check email regularly, but they do check FB.

Glad to see you are getting up to speed on current events. Go back and read page 2. Nearly all the economic predictions about this bill count on the 23% cut in Medicare to physicians. The "Doc fix" is going to be a major problem for this program, and for seniors. "But there are problems with that projection since spending slow-down hinges on a planned 23 percent pay cut for physicians who treat Medicare patients going into effect. In June, Congress passed a law to update physician Medicare rates by 2.2 percent, but that temporary fix runs out on Dec. 1. Come January 1, 2011, phys

Try this, Gern - unless you don't consider ABC News as "news." 'Obamacare' Costs More, But Covers More http://abcnews.go.com/Health/HealthCare/obama-health-care-plan-spends-bit-covers-lot/story?id=11591835 I know enough about this plan to know it stinks. Evidently most Dems agreed, as they couldn't get far enough away from it during the election. I wonder why so many unions and companies are getting waivers from this supposedly fantastic plan? Beavah, That link is pretty general. It doesn't even mention the changes to the HSA plans starting Jan. 1.

Here you go, Gern. You must have just missed these on your favorite news source: The Obamacare Problem Is Not the Individual Mandate http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ken-blackwell/the-obamacare-problem-is-_b_794305.html Virginia Panel Acknowledges Utility Of Individual Mandate, Urges State To Build Off Of Obamacare http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/15/virginia-panel-acknowledg_1_n_797146.html It is really hard to have a productive conversation with you, if you don't keep up on current events.

Which truth would that be, Gern? The "truth" when Obama said if you like your plan, you can keep it and it won't change? All of us with HSA's know that is a lie, as our plans change in just a few weeks. Or how about the "truth" that our premiums will decrease or stay the same? Our insurance costs are increasing significantly next year. The really funny thing to come out of all of this is, I have several young, liberal college-educated business associates. They love Obama and believe he can do no wrong. They thought Obamacare was going to provide "free" health care to everyone.

Beavah, Not sure where you are getting your council insurance info, but it appears to be out of date. I quickly found this insurance info on the St. Louis Council page: "Accident medical benefits are limited to $15,000; sickness to $7,500; ambulance to $6,000." http://www.stlbsa.org/volunteers/Pages/Insurance-Information-for-Volunteers.aspx Our Council has similar coverage. http://www.atlantabsa.org/openrosters/DocDownload.asp?orgkey=1437&id=79371 Sure, it isn't going to cover the entire cost, but it isn't too bad of coverage, especially considering the cost.

Congratulations to your son on a job well done!! Congrats too, to you and your wife for your support of his Scouting efforts!

Beavah, For the record, the only people I said the hospitals should go after (all the way to bankruptcy) are those who have health insurance offered through their employer, but chose not to participate. You know, those who choose to drive a brand new SUV or high end car instead of paying for health insurance. Those with the new ski boat but no insurance. Those running off to Disney World or some other big vacation every year instead of setting their priorities and paying insurance premiums. Gern, Under ObamaCare, there are going to be lots of freeloaders. All those who have the re

"I'll worry about making sure every American has access to basic health care without worrying about being financially ruined." Already done - just visit your local county Health Department.

Amen, pack. What a bunch of haters. I thought liberals were supposed to be tolerant and accepting, not a bunch of mean-spirited haters.

scoutingagain, I think you are confusing employer-offered plans with something else. Just because an employer offers a plan doesn't mean the employer is paying all the costs. Employees often pay most of the cost, through payroll deduction. The full cost doesn't hit the bottom line of the business, so I don't see how that makes us uncompetitive in the world market place. Your argument is one for doing away with unions, which drive up the cost of business here in the US. Good luck fighting that battle, if you are even for it. Beavah, I thought the BSA (or at least the Councils) pro

Or, you have hospitals go after those who had the option to purchase insurance through their employer but chose not to, for the full amount of their care. Run them through bankruptcy, if you have to. Offer more tax incentives to businesses to provide health insurance for their employees. Expand Medicare to cover low income and unemployed. The US Gov't can't afford social security or the prescription drug program - how in the world are we going to be able to pay insurance premiums for the millions who don't currently have insurance? What will be the premium cost for the average family

No, Gern, just simply calling something a tax does not make it so, nor does it make it constitutional. Congress would still need to have constitutional power to institute the tax, and I don't see how this has anything to do with interstate commerce. Taxes usually cover government services. I fail to see how being forced to purchase private health insurance is somehow a government service.

Sure, call it a tax. Except Obama was adamant that it wasn't a tax. From CNN: In a testy exchange on ABC's "This Week," broadcast Sunday, Obama rejected the assertion that forcing people to obtain coverage would violate his campaign pledge against raising taxes on middle-class Americans. "For us to say you have to take responsibility to get health insurance is absolutely not a tax increase," Obama said in response to persistent questioning, later adding: "Nobody considers that a tax increase." The exchange, from ABC: STEPHANOPOULOS: I -- I don't think I'm making it up. Mer