Boy Scouts Add a New Digital Badge

NY Times ^ | 4/16/2010 | Nick Bilton

[Domandred]

I’m slow...I didn’t get it till your post.

[mrmeyer]

lol

[Rufii]

I wasn’t a very good Boy Scout when I signed-up at 6 year

That sounds a bit young. At six, I joined the YMCA Indian Guides--a wonderful program which has since fallen victim to political correctness. At eight, I joined the Cub Scouts, but I had to wait until I turned 11--the minimum age--to join the Boy Scouts.

[Myrddin]

I earned Radio, Electronics and Electricity merit badges on the way to Eagle. My project for the Electronics merit badge was a light activated switch for 110 AC with a time delay. It activated with light from car headlights entering the garage. The timeout was 10 minutes. I used it in my garage until the feature was added to the electric garage door opener.

I miss the days when Radio Shack had enough stock to build a decent project from scratch.

[kbennkc]

I remember when people didn’t falsify their credentials for prestigious posts . Pretty sure the age was 8 and I was 7 had to wait outside while the big kids worked on Pinewood derby cars . I made up for it with a car almost every year there after .

[kbennkc]

I you mess up your chance to earn your Eagle , like I did you can always get degrees , awards , medals , trophies , but there is no going back , I will never be an Eagle Scout . You and your parents have my respect , I am informed the Eagle is not often earned alone .
When I learn an acquaintance earned Eagle , I always tease them by acting I am surprised , but I never fail to earnestly congratulate them .

[Myrddin]

My dad was an Eagle Scout as well. He earned 42 merit badges...for no other reason than the minimum was 21. The skills I learned in scouts serve me daily. The skills I learned in college serve me as necessary. While you can't go back, you can participate in helping a few more young men succeed down that path. As you noted, it doesn't get done alone. Parents provide much support. Transportation to merit badge councilors. Frequent trips to scout camp to earn a lifesaving merit badge. Patience through creation of plaster of paris molds of animal tracks. That's not to say that the scouts don't do much on their own. I rode my 3-speed bicycle to merit badge councilors at distances up to 15 miles from my home.