What is Digg?122 Comments
- felchdonkey, on 10/12/2007, -2/+74There are pictures of the existing merit badges up, like this one for music: http://www.usscouts.org/usscouts/mb/mb077.html
I notice that the requirements for the Music merit badge include "Teach three songs to a group of people. Lead them in singing the songs" - they don't mention making sure that you obtain a performance license from the RIAA, BMI and/or ASCAP beforehand. Sounds like someone's encouraging copyright infringement... - NoAccounting4me, on 10/12/2007, -2/+63Remember when you had to DO something to earn a merit badge? You know, learn something and take action?
What's next? A merit badge for not smoking? A merit badge for not swearing?
"Hey, guess what I DIDN'T do today? Now give me a prize!" - majordannyboy, on 10/12/2007, -2/+61"I ain't never been to jail!"... What do you want, a cookie? You're not supposed to go to jail you low expectation-having *****."
-Chris Rock - VorpalK, on 10/12/2007, -2/+54Wow. Merit Badges used to be for actively doing something positive. They're handing them out for NOT doing things now?
What's next? A badge for NOT knocking up Mary Sue from the girl scout troop in the next town? - felchdonkey, on 10/12/2007, -3/+47Fight back! Propose your own merit badge for the Boy Scouts here:
http://www.usscouts.org/usscouts/mb/proposals.html
How about coming up with a proposal for an "Understanding Fair Use" badge?
Or perhaps an "Exposing Corruption in the Entertainment Industry" badge? - lunarworks, on 10/12/2007, -4/+32Oh great. Now you've done it. Here come 10,000 proposals for a badge with a fat little penguin or ugly gnu on it.
- tomfinn, on 10/12/2007, -0/+26The badge for not knocking up girlscouts is called family life.
- borninda818, on 10/12/2007, -1/+27How will they prove it?
- Hastin, on 10/12/2007, -2/+28I wonder, does this apply to porn as well?
- wingnut21, on 10/12/2007, -2/+25What would THAT badge look like?
- subscribtion, on 10/12/2007, -2/+24Boy Scouts just got that much lamer. Didn't think that was possible.
- ers35, on 10/12/2007, -2/+21Great, the MPAA is corrupting our youth now too.
- leomyhero, on 10/12/2007, -3/+19Yet another reason I will never let my son be a scout.
need more? Gay bashers, pedophile leaders, sponsored by closed-minded christian fundamentalist groups, need I continue?
For the record, I earned my Eagle Award back in 1994.
It's time to start a youth organization of the future that is accepting of all kids, boys AND girls, that teaches life skills and leaves politics at the door...Scouts 2.0? - coldphoenix, on 10/12/2007, -0/+15Really...b/c I can download the HIGHEST quality of music for FREE, just gotta know the right places to search...how 'bout them apples.
- jonathantneal, on 10/12/2007, -1/+14A pre-existing merit badge for "Music": "from any two of the following musical styles: blues, jazz, classical, country, bluegrass, ethnic, gospel, musical theater, opera."
WHAT no rap? WAIT WHAT no rock? And this was revised January 1, 2004.
RIAA's upcoming badge for "Copyright": "visiting a movie studio to see how many people can be harmed by film piracy."
Is it just me, but does it seem like maybe some of their badges are a little ... misinformed. - doskir, on 10/12/2007, -1/+13i suggest a playboy bunny logo crossed with a red line
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+11I'm sorry, but I'd seriously feel like going up and punching anyone that wore this badge.
:) - sputza, on 10/12/2007, -1/+12The RIAA and MPAA are now taking notes from the Nazis... use propaganda and Indoctrination to get children to do what you want. Sad....
- antron, on 10/12/2007, -1/+12Well then, I should get a merit badge for NOT being a despotic ruler of an African country.
- Smwbigboss, on 10/12/2007, -0/+9I found this in another article. Dont know if it's the real one or not.
http://media.arstechnica.com/journals/thumbs.media/boyscouts.gif - youngcable, on 10/12/2007, -2/+11some people don't download because they want higher quality music, just as one would choose not to have sex with a prostitute in search for a higher quality woman...
- lunarworks, on 10/12/2007, -1/+9Scary. This is one step closer to a "rat out your unpatriotic neighbour to the authorities" badge.
- argoff, on 10/12/2007, -1/+9The fact that we call illegal copying the same thing as boarding a ship and murdering people - just goes to show how badly they have manipulated us. Copying is not piracy, theft, stealing, and copyrights are not property. Just because people say these things doesn't magically make it so.
- dickeytk, on 10/12/2007, -1/+9i wonder if they will come out with for for NOT jaywalking! we gotta keep these kids in line!
- EmileVictor, on 10/12/2007, -0/+8@hackwrench
I'd agree. I'm pretty lucky - my leader is a programmer, who reads digg, & is an expert at almost anything we do, like rockclimbing/hiking/etc. He's pretty anti-RIAA and MPAA, mostly because of digg and the Register (or Inquirer?). Because most of the leaders I encounter here are pretty similar people, I cannot see any of this ***** appearing in Australia.
This and what is happening in Hong Kong (using scouts to snitch on copyright infringing sites) is the worst thing that can happen to Scouts in quite a while. My leader agrees, most of the people who are members agree. I don't see how it helps society, and it degrades the reputation of scouting to anyone except the RIAA/MPAA. And who gives a flying ***** what they think about us? - starmanjones, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7>need more? Gay bashers, pedophile leaders,
>sponsored by closed-minded christian
>fundamentalist groups, need I continue?
heres the sad but true truth. i'm not a gay basher in any way or shape. but scouts took a hard turn to the right... when activist gay groups targeted it. i don't know that i've ever seen gays discriminated against in the scouts and there were a number of gays around. there was never a issue. the policy was always don't ask don't tell. like many things were back then.
the scouts are a private organization. i'm not sure their membership shouldn't be under their control. when the legal stuff started they had no choice to fight... even when really didn't want a fight. the issue for the scouts wasn't as much about gay as it was about who controls the organization. not fighting it was simply not an option. almost any organization would have done the same. i can guess there are religious organizations that want to stay in charge of their stuff.
so in the end, this fight that scouting never really wanted, caused funding sources to be take away. the funding deficit was made up by conservative groups. scouting revenues went up- after the fight-not down. conservatives gained control by way of purse strings.
so in the end, gays lost because they picked the wrong fight. scouts gained support from conservatives... scouting is much more conservative than it would have been.
the crux of the problem for scouting is simply this. they live on donations... most scouts and parents are not gay. right or wrong gay leaders and gay scouts to a lessor extent make parents nervous. that reduces revenues because those parents pull their kid out or go to a different troop. it doesn't take much imagination to see that happening. then you have a gay scout leader needing scouts. the obvious thing would be to find and form gay troops. and to the people donating money that sounds a lot like a camping trip/bath house.
so the root of it all was that gays forced scouting to make a decision about sex things when scouting isn't about sex. it would have gone on and not addressed sexual matters as it had for a long long time. which is too bad. because gay doesn't equal pedophile. and most of the pedophiles are conservative, religious...
i'd also note that i was denied my eagle because i told the truth and said i don't believe in god. which meant it wasn't possible for me to get a god and country... so i've got my beef with scouting.
and just a note of irony the guy that denied me turned out to be a convicted pedophile. he didn't abuse anyone. although he did ask the odd question or two. but i had no knowledge of that until years later. - Gazpacho, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7I had almost forgotten about how the kids in "1984" were encouraged to tattle on anyone committing the crime of doublethink, well any crime.
- Foxphoto, on 10/12/2007, -3/+10do you get a merit badge if you don't tell the police about your scout leader touching your pee pee?
- Democritus2, on 10/12/2007, -4/+10Topher you realize how stupid that statement is?
I was going to stop him from joining a murder-cult, but after reading what you had to say- I will let him decide for himself.
It is called parenting. - bobbybobington, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6As an Eagle Scout I find this absolutely rediculous. The riaa and mpaa should not even be messing in this. The boy scouts offer lots of valueable life lessons, and gets young men interested in various subjects that could lead to posssible careers. But internet piracy? I dont think that meets any of the criteria for a merit badge. They are trying to adapt the scout ideals to the 21st century, but the piracy issue is just too complex for it to work.
As far as gay bashing goes, I think that has to do more with the troop leader. I knew a fellow scout who is openly bi, and is an excellent scout, and very involved in the troop. He also was very responsible and respected others sexual orientation, and trust. My leader handled it very well, and he earned his eagle rank. Sexual anything, straight, gay, whatever simply has no business in scouts. Don't ask dont tell (straight or gay) as far as im concerned. - Madh2orat, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6Knocking up Mary Sue is also known as a boy scout overnighter, usually there are more girl scouts than just Mary Sue though.
- robert94087, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6WHAT'S NEXT?
A merit badge for not being a SERIAL MURDERER, like Eagle Scouts Dennis L. Rader (the "BTK Killer") or Charles Manson? - praxcelis, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5Correct. A local council (like LA) cannot make a "merit badge". They can make a temporary patch for any activity the council approves, but it's up to the local units to decide to honor it or not.
- JimXugle, on 10/12/2007, -2/+7Can I have one for not being a stoner or a mindless follower of pop culture?
Short of flying ~3k miles to get the CD, Bittorrent is the only way I can get some of my favorite music!! - doskir, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5maybe youre going to get a badge for not using a serial generator (aka keygen) to install windows *rolleyes*
- JimXugle, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5Forget that... force-feed them Pirated CDs and DVDs. ^_^
- sokz, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6Yes, let's just talk about the good and leave the bad out. Brilliant, everything should be presented this way.
***** wow. - Hoovooloo, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6I'm agnostic, and got my eagle ~2 days ago. I avoided political/ religious merit badges, and scouts was pretty good overall. It does teach some interesting and useful stuff, like surviving in the woods for days with just a garbage bag and a knife. As long as you ignore the political and religious propaganda, scouts is great.
- biffsputnik, on 10/12/2007, -2/+7Other stories from the same AP source are describing this as an "activity patch" , not a merit badge, or 'merit patch'.. IANABS, but I believe that is a distinction worth noting, for the purposes of this story.
"Unlike a merit badge, an activity patch is not required to advance in the Scouts. Instead, they are awarded for various recreational and educational activities, such as conservation or volunteering at a food bank." - duzytata, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5I've been in scouting since first grade, I made eagle at fifteen, and now I'm an adult leader and plan on serving as an adult leader for as long as I can. I love the organization but some times I have some serious doubts about 'what' we should be teaching the scouts. Propaganda from the MPAA is not something I want shoved in front of my scouts. Seriously, what ever happened to camping and community service?
- stevetures, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5I feel the same way (agnostic-whos-fed-up-with-high-and-mighty-religious-type, was in boy scouts and had the time of my life when not doing advancement and merit badges).. Maybe if I have a son, I'll let 'em join, but find a troop that isn't quite evil and I'll balance the equation in conversation every car ride home.
- warbird, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5I think the blurb for this digg entry is a copyright violation! Now the Associated Press is gonna get you!
- omnithought, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4It makes sense that an organization which basically exists to brainwash the youth would do this.
- Democritus2, on 10/12/2007, -6/+10I was in scouting, fond memories.
However, as an atheist who strongly supports equality for homesexuals, I will not let my son join. Which sucks.
Also, kinda funny the Boy Scouts have a Fasces as a symbol.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fasces - clackerd, on 10/12/2007, -2/+6i want them to make a merit badge for "escaping a predatory boy scout troop leader's sex den."
- nubnub, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4can't you just lie?
- vagarach, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4Yikes, how insightful of you! I read your comment and immediately recalled a film I watched in high school about the youth programs they had.
Thankfully though membership in the mpaa/riaa boyscouts is completely voluntary. ;). - tech42er, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3"Every time you steal music, God kills a sailor."
Think of the sailors...how many more must die? - nofxjunkee, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3It's not stealing! ARGH!!!
"evils of downloading pirated movies and music." STFU ... man, I hate these *****.
It's like the war on drugs. It's a failure because they just say "this is bad" (mmmkay) and then fill you with misinformation. They need to tell the truth to kids.
If you show kids stoners and let them know that smoking weed every day will most likely make you lazy and apathetic that's going to affect them more than if you just say "oh it's a gateway drug! as soon as you do pot you'll suddenly start giving head in the alley so you can shoot up and do rails of cocaine until you OD and die. that is, unless the pot makes you insane first." - hackwrench, on 10/12/2007, -2/+5Being in the Boy Scouts is seriously pot luck. There isn't much of a standard for being a Scout Leader, and the resources are equally dodgy. Each group has to fend for itself. If you've got a hang up like a bad experience in the water like jumping off a diving platform into shallow water, do not expect them to help you get over it, though with the above fact of it being pot luck your chances may vary.
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