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Boy Scouts Introduce Merit Badge For Not Pirating
The_Slaughter writes "The MPAA has recruited the boy scouts of America to do their dirty work. Scouts will now be able to learn a merit badge for anti-piracy related activities, including creating public service announcements urging others not to steal movies or music. No word yet on if that includes helping the MPAA file lawsuits against 80-year-old grandmothers."
"Scouts also must choose one activity from a list that includes visiting a movie studio to see how many people can be harmed by film piracy. They also can create public service announcements urging others not to steal movies or music." And complete a lobotomy.
Do they also have merit badges for not thinking independently? Or one for having your IQ reduced to a single digit and being converted to a near-mindless automaton?
"We are all geniuses when we dream"
- E.M. Cioran
There's another badge I wouldn't have gotten.
Just like the "Don't Stab Hoboes" badge.
allegiance to the flag of the communist MPAA.
... than the deal they got from the gay community.
Any sufficiently well-organized community is indistinguishable from Government.
It makes sense since the Boy Scouts of America shares its initials with the Business Software Alliance
Anthropic principle: We see the universe the way it is because if it were different we would not be here to see it.
Seriously, how big a threat are Boy Scouts to the content cartels? If they get the boy scouts on their side, who next? 80-year old fundamentalist grandmothers?
They need to start something that'll get the cool kids. Like an anti-piracy gang. Complete with drugrunning and cap-bustin.
Man, you really need that seminar!
Its not stealing, since you are not depriving anyone of the thing. Unless this merit badge is for going into record stores and lifting cds. Somehow I doubt it.
The editors should be more careful with their phraseology.
I'll just use my special getting high powers one more time...
I'm guessing that fair use won't be part of the learning experience.
This reminds me of the children in 1984 who were trained to turn anyone who may have comitted a thought-crime.
I realize the Boy Scouts like to try to teach morals and the like, but it doesn't sit well that the *AA's would be able to create a new merit badge and start indoctrinating them.
Errie.
Lost at C:>. Found at C.
Is this some odd dialect of English with which I am unfamiliar?
Perhaps similar to saying "I learned 'em real good!" to indicate having taught someone well?
How dare boys learn about copyright laws. Come'on slashdot, get a grip. You can't change the system if you don't understand it first.
Merit badges are typically awarded for the completion of a task (hiking, camping, good works, &c), not for passively NOT doing something. Is there a merit badge for not smoking? How about for not cheating on exams?
These qualities are important, sure, but to dangle a badge as a carrot for not doing something wrong seems a like it's missing the point. Boy Scouts have a code and moral values (including those that would keep you from pirating software, smoking, and cheating) are implicit therein; further bribery, especially in the form of badges, seems unwarranted.
I left my wallet in El Sigundo!
Traditionally, haven't merit badges been tied to specific, measurable actions? Knots? Prove it by tying 'em. Fire? Prove it by burnination.
A merit badge for _not pirating_ is like not-tea in the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.
Can I get a merit badge for not being a boy scout?
-Grey
Silver Clipboard: Time Management Tips
I think this is very inane.
God spoke to me.
The article is a little short on details. In Boy Scouts, the official things you work towards are Merit Badges, which are determined by the National Boy Scouts of America organization. The L.A. council/district/whatever doesn't, as far as I know, have the authority to create a new Merit Badge.
What this article makes it sound like is that it's just a patch. Anybody and their uncle can make up a patch and make up their own requirements for it. We had patches made for activities only our troop would do. It sounds like this is just one of those, which if so, is no reason for anyone to get worked up about it. Sure, they're trying to brainwash Scouts, but there's nothing official or magical about it.
Corporate fascism über alles.
What's the name of the merit badge?! It doesn't even say, so far as I can tell... Is it really a merit badge or a merit "patch?"
Putting the fair use argument aside for a moment, who thinks it's a good idea to reward people for what they should be doing anyway. Should I expect to be rewarded because I didn't shoplift today or commit murder?
-Grey
Silver Clipboard: Time Management Tips
is Genuine Windows Advantage badge. The scounts should keep a log of updating all patches M$ issues over a period of three months (at the rate of 50/week this is no small task). Should indulge in door-to-door anti-OSS campaign, so forth.
Seriously, will someone come up with public interest litigation against the Boy Scouts morons.
No word yet on if that includes helping the MPAA file lawsuits against 80 year old grandmothers.
...or merely helping 80-year-old defendants cross the street, en route to the courthouse.
We need to get a Pirate Badge ASAP. Given the choice is some kid going to want to "perform a market study of the impact of copyright infringement on the entertainment industry", or learn how to keelhaul properly?
Avast!
Perhaps they should also have a badge for not IM'ing your congressman.
Anybody want a peanut?
I KNEW I shouldn't have started slam dancing in the server room!
...can you say brainwash?
How about they create a "Hollywood Accounting" Merit Badge? The scouts can pursue activities like Screwing People Out of Money and Establishing a Distribution Monopoly? Or the "Hollywood Agent" Merit Badge; they can learn about Being A Money-Grubbing, Bloodsucking Parasite?
Insisting on "correct" English is like saying that there is only one, definitive recipe for chili.
Done before, just a different place
/ 03/1819203
http://politics.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=05/05
I get the idea more and more that the boy scouts is right wing propaganda. You recite the plege of allegance, THE BOY SCOUTS DOESN'T ALLOW GAY "TROOP LEADERS" (OR WHATEVER THEYRE CALLED) and now this bull! Piracy doesn't hurt everyone making a movie, every argument against piracy is bull. Before medias like CD's, casettes, A-tracks and records, artists did fine, there income came mostly from performing. In fact, I imagine many artists were against the idea of recording music becuase they thought people wouldn't need to pay to see them play. Also, the film industry came whining to the government when the VCR was invented saying it would ruin them, the same way they are whining about piracy. I'm happy America's youth is being INFECTED with this FILTH!
But a little questioning when they are helped into the middle of a busy intersection should crak quite a few of those wiley old folk into revealing all.
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
The patch shows a film reel, a music CD and the international copyright symbol, a "C" enclosed in a circle. The movie industry has developed the curriculum.
Shouldn't the boy scouts decide what their badges are? This is like McD's making the health curriculum for a school.
-Grey
Silver Clipboard: Time Management Tips
I want to get one of those merit badges for my son, but they cost too much. Does anybody know somewhere I can download one from?
Proud neuron in the Slashdot hivemind since 2002.
The article isn't clear if this is a regular BSA badge or just something cooked up by the local council, but if it's official, I'm going to sign up to be a merit badge counselor (I'm already a counselor for a dozen other merit badges).
My version will focus on understanding all of copyright law, including (especially) Fair Use, the Doctrine of First Sale and the historical and constitutional basis of copyright law.. I think I'll substitute the "Make a Public Service Announcement" for a 200-word essay on Why the Digital Consumer's Bill of Rights is a good idea".
Note to ACs: I usually delete AC replies without reading them. If you want to talk to me, log in.
--Chag
...with th de facto homophobia badge they're forced to wear.
I thought Piracy was when you took over a ship on the open seas, should we be talking about copyright infringement?
"Are THOSE the people hurt by piracy?"
"Oh, no, Billy, the carpenters are paid whether the film sells or not. They aren't the ones hurt by piracy".
Later they see some writers, smoking cigarettes and muttering under their breath. "Are those the people hurt by piracy"
"Oh, no, Billy. It's kind of complicated, but we actually don't pay them no matter how well the movie does. It's called 'accounting'"
Then they pass a group of actors. "How about them, are THEY hurt by piracy?"
"Oh, no, Billy, they get paid even if the movie flops, no matter how many people pirate it. They're supposed to get extra if it does well, but, well, there's that 'accounting' again"
Billy then points to a director, sitting in a chair. "Is HE the one hurt by piracy"
"Well, you're getting a little closer. He's a little better at 'accounting'. But piracy really doesn't hurt him all that much either"
"Then who IS seriously hurt by piracy?"
"Well, Billy, it's not normally a part of the tour, but just for you, we'll make a special trip."
So Billy and the tour guide go to the studio offices. Up, up they go to the very top floor. The guide takes Billy to a large office with a door. "Billy, if you stand right here and look through the door, do you see the man there"
"Yes"
"That's one of the vice presidents of the studio. Thanks to piracy, he could only buy 3 Porsches last year instead of 5, and had to cut his cocaine habit in half. He can now only maintain one mistress, and she's in her LATE 20s. This studio alone has 30 executives, and they're all similarly suffering. And THAT'S who is hurt by piracy. NOW do you understand why you mustn't pirate movies?"
"Loud and clear," said Billy, "Loud and clear". Billy then went home, told his parents he was quitting the Scouts, and asked if they could get a faster Internet connection
This is f'ing BS. They're making a merit badge for doing PR work for an industry that is completely incompetant at doing thier own PR work.
It's bad enough that MS hijacked the acronym "BSA".
If you think education is expensive, you should try ignorance -- Derek Bok, president of Harvard
Is this a badge that everyone that is granted to everyone and a few scouts have revoked? I'd like a badge for not committing arson today!
What about the Girl Guides!? All the cool kids at school are going to be getting this mean looking badge and the girl guides are just left in the dust. Shame on the MPAA. Anyone have a link with an actual picture of the badge...would make a good shirt ;).
roflmao I swear that was my reaction when i read TFA
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First there's your basic shoplifting.
Second there's the classic breaking and entering.
The third way is a little tricky. You have to forcibly board a boat and seize their copyrighted materials at swordpoint.
Bonus points for recognising which one involves piracy.
Remember when an LP was 5.99
"Scouts will be instructed in the basics of copyright law and learn how to identify five types of copyrighted works and three ways copyrighted materials may be stolen." -TA
Stolen...? they mean infringed... does that make me an enemy combatant?
This is pretty absurd. No doubt I have a new reason to write to the BSA.
Luckily, the people that make these decisions are not the people that are leading individual troops. My Assistant Scoutmaster was a liberal radio columnist, far from the socialist "join the army" stereotype portrayed by some, and my actual Scoutmaster was often heard saying "I don't care what the requirements say". He'd rather the kids learn the material than blindly worship the step-by-step process if it meant skipping the crap so as to learn the meaty stuff. Of the three weekends spent doing the Computers merit badge, we might of discussed the "Is it permissible to accept a free copy of a computer game or program from a friend? Why or why not?" requirement for a total of three minutes.
I'm strongly going to urge any sons I have in the future to join scouting, not only because it's where I met some of my best friends and was my first chance at taking a leadership position, but because it was just plain fun. However, I will also be the parent that attends the meeting, make sure that I agree with the way it's being run, and if not check out another troop. There are plenty around that one will "do it right", by my standards, and not by the book.
CowsAnonymous: We're here to help moo.
I have one of those badges.
I downloaded it.
Que? Slashdot. News for nerds. Stuff that matters. This story does not match on both counts and neither do most of the responses to it. C'mon guys. NEWS for nerds. STUFF that matters.
They're calling it a "merit patch", not a "merit badge", and they say it's only available to Scouts in the LA area. Nothing about it from the national BSA (www.scouting.org).
Not enough stuff to actually *do* for this to be a real merit badge, according to the traditional definition. Seems like something that would be discussed under some other merit badge (in fact, copyright is already discussed to some extent in one requirement of the Computers merit badge.)
on how many boy scouts use pirated versions of photoshop or illustrator to make posters to earn their merit badge?
My mother used to say (and I suspect many did) that if I put half the effort of getting out of doing something into getting it done, I'd be done with it. I think the MPAA needs to listen to moms everywhere and put some energy into creating a business model that actually works with the changing times, not against it.
is Genuine Windows Advantage badge. The scounts should keep a log of updating all patches M$ issues over a period of three months (at the rate of 50/week this is no small task). Should indulge in door-to-door anti-OSS campaign, so forth.
You can earn a new patch the 2nd Tuesday of every month!
Also for the comment about a merit badge for 'learning how to think'. That is really the whole point of scouting - to give young men the skills they need for adulthood, including thinking.
This message was brought to you by "Lack of Sleep."
Only in a county like the US can we have...a foreing president jealous of a rapist
Er...wait, how is it the US's fault that Putin said that? Isn't that taking US-bashing just a weeee bit too far?
I think this is awesome, because the only thing better than getting a badge for doing something is getting a badge for not doing something.
Here's hoping for an anti-axe-wielding badge, an anti-tripping-old-ladies badge, and perhaps an anti-cynicism badge -- oops, I guess I don't qualify for that last one.
This article is inaccurate. A Council (local office) of the BSA cannot create their own Merit Badge. This is some local program to educate the Scouts, but whatever award they earn is not "official", and would not help them earn a rank advancement or anything like that.
Here is a list of the current Merit Badges, along with the requirements to earn each one.
If you are so inclined, consider volunteering at your local Council as a "Merit Badge Counselor". If you have expertise in a particular area covered by a Merit Badge, you may be a counselor. A scout may not earn a badge unless a counselor verifies that the scout has completed all of the requirements. So if a scout cannot find a counselor for a particular badge, they have no way of earning it.
For more information, see this training page, this guide and the application form.
This reminds me, in a sick twisted way, of the Illuminati card game by Steve Jackson Games.
The MPAA attacks to control the Boy Spouts of America and succeeds...
Love sees no species.
Olde Joke
Q: Why was Michael Jackson kicked out of the Boy Scouts?
A: He was going through a pack a day.
Trolling is a art,
Maybe they sue the old lady they just helped across the street?
Even ten years ago, only a few kids in my school were in Boy Scouts, and the rest of us just made fun of them. I'd be more worried about their crazy right-wing views if there were actually any Boy Scouts around anymore.
Umm....just how long you been in school?
Please! As soon as I can find credible information about this, I'm going to start complaining to my council, BL, National Council, etc. They might be able to get away with making this a minor award, but making it a MB is just plain wrong. For starters, not many scout even know how to pirate music. I live in one of the geekiest areas of the nation, and only one other scout in my troop knows anything about computers beyond simple email and IMing. Traditionally, the merit badges fell into two categories: outdoor skills, such as backpacking and climbing, and career oriented badges that introduce boys to a new field. The only exceptions were the Eagle-required badges such as First Aid and the Citizenship badges. This new thing is way out of line.
Scouting in America is way too Republican. Most of BSA's moral policies are fine, but this is way over the line. At risk of agreeing with a bunch of old farts and former Scoutmasters, I'll say that political correctness and excessive patriotism have really wrecked Scouting in recent years. It is now much harder to teach the things that really matter: leadership and citizenship. The new standards for suburban life prevent most kids from ever being put into situations where they are the decision-makers. Even the Eagle Scout award is rapidly becoming meaningless.
Is there a separate badge for reporting someone to the RIAA?
I'm an Eagle Scout, got it 99, and still carry the card around.
I'm sorry but WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG HERE?
My computer merit badge my old scouts taught me about usenet and irc!
j^2
Can't wait to steal me some Anti-Piracy Popcorn :)
The Property of One's : "The Oneitude is directly proportional to the Colditude of the one." - S.B.
Read the article before going crazy. This isn't a new merit badge. Merit badges take a long time to make, and are not made by random groups. This is a dumb patch the RIAA is offering to local scouts in there area. This does not mean BSA is the devil. it means the RIAA is trying to get at kids while they are young.
I for one am glad that the Hilter Youth ^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H Boy Scouts are fighting Americans excersing their rights ^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H illegally downloading files. Michael
Beware of Sales Reps bearing gifts.
The Scout oath states (emphasis added)...
On my honor I will do my best
To do my duty to God and my country
and to obey the Scout Law;
To help other people at all times;
To keep myself physically strong,
mentally awake, and morally straight
So does this not imply a scout's obedience to governing laws, including copyright laws? Isn't providing this kind of merit badge redundant by simply reinforcing what the scout already promises? As I recall, the merit badges I earned for my Eagle Scout rank were meant to be skill-related...
My mom always said, "Jim, you're 1 in a million." Given the current population, there are 7000 of me. God help us all!
...in misleading summary shocker! Keep watching for the latest developments! Seriously, you almost had me with that Battlefield 2142 "spyware" thing the other day, but this time I was more vigilant. Muahahahah!
Huh ?
I get pretty annoyed if some kid wearing a uniform with a 100 year old design wanders around me.
Read radical news here
Yeah, there's no agenda here. Why, this is only being done to make each of them better, happier, and more productive citizens. As an Anonymous Coward said, this is a reiteration of Hitler Youth, much like the D.A.R.E. program.
... aren't those "implied powers" great?) -- if it were such an absurd thing to consider, then it could at least be mentioned and demonstrated as such. No, instead, D.A.R.E. is "taught" by armed, uniformed police officers instead of former drug addicts who have overcome an addiction and don't want someone else to go through the same ordeal, because former drug addicts would not be so interested in encouraging the children to help them police the parents and extended family. The basic idea here is that if your law requires police-state tactics to enforce, then your law is broken.
The D.A.R.E. program will never encourage children to consider whether it is just for a government of a "free country" to tell its citizens what they may or may not put into their own bodies (on the basis of regulating interstate trade, no less
Likewise, you can bet your ass that this program will never encourage children to evaluate for themselves whether the RIAA/MPAA are using the law to prop up an obsolete business model and whether or not these future voters should consider eliminating such corruption, which is what being a good citizen is all about. Rather, you can expect that this civil matter concerning arbitrary copyright and its infringement will be falsely elevated to the status of a moral question and will be taught in terms of right and wrong.
In both situations the parents are reaping the rewards of ignoring their responsibility and depending on large organizations like the government education monopolists or the Boy Scouts to take care of the upbringing of their children. Not that it matters, really, since vast numbers of them love their children so much that they decided to allow themselves to become single parents and/or to allow their children to be born into poverty. I guess "free" education starts looking pretty good when you put no forethought into one of the most important decisions you can make.
We badly need for a country that values independent thought, critical thinking, and minimal government to economically kick the asses of the rest of the world and demonstrate that these things are more than luxuries. Unfortunately I don't know of such a domain; a long time ago this was the USA, but oh how far we have fallen. Most of the rest of the world seems heavily invested in the groupthink bandwagon as well.
It is a miracle that curiosity survives formal education. - Einstein
I thought /. was only concerned about the RIAA/MPAA trying to destroy fair use and legal use of file sharing software. The comments I am seeing seem to be advocating piracy.
and this one should be pretty easy to earn on a camping trip!
..."if and when I become a movie studio mogul I will not jump automatically to making a turgid plasticized sequel to, or remake of, previously successful movies."
Gentoo Linux - another day, another USE flag.
When corporate interests trump social, democratic and government interests, fascism is established.
to have been kicked out of the Scouts.
I am a believer of momentum and curves.
what next? Scout Badge for securing the border with Mexico? Send them to Arizona and ask to look for any signs of movement? Use your brain - think - it doesn't hurt!
Next thing you know, other special interests groups are going to start paying off the boy scouts to add more merit badges. Before long there's going to be the Christian Values merit badge and the NRA merit badge (yeah, I know they already have some shooting related ones).. Hell, and when they get really hard up for cash, there'll be the Porn Star merit badge and the Smoking merit badge.
The boy scouts really is a shadow of its former self. I would never send my kids to the scouts these days. 25+ years ago, they were a decent organization, but they've really just gone to hell.
One thing to pay attention to is that this is NOT the Boy Scout of America, rather "Boy Scouts of Los Angeles" and that it is a "merit patch" instead of a merit badge. The Boy scouts have an official list of merit badges that have to go through a long process to become official, so this is nothing more than a Los Angeles based program to teach kids about piracy.
The computers merit badge (which I earned while still in scouting) does have a discussion point that states "Is it permissible to accept a free copy of a computer game or program from a friend? Why or why not?" but that is it. The computers merit badge is highly outdated though, with something that looks akin to an Apple 2 on the badge
C'mon people. Scouting still holds to the basic principle of honesty. This fits the Boy Scout law. This makes sense from a values point of view.
It also makes sense from a financial point of view. Do YOU contribute to Scouting? Businesses do. Or at least they used to. This illustrates to businesses the law abiding business honesty that Scouting teaches.
It makes sense from a legal standpoint. Nobody likes lawsuits. Teaching the Scouts to respect others intellectual property helps avoid potential lawsuits as well.
I'm a card-carrying scouter. I'm not sure a Merit Badge is needed. But I agree with the principle.
when I get my eagle, I'm returning it, if they actually do make this as an official badge. it sounds like an award right now though.
Is this news? I mean it takes place in California the land of the nut jobs. New badges cannot be made by anyone the national BSA organization. Anyone can make a patch and say its for the boy scouts that doesn't mean it has anything to do with the boy scouts. I am saddened that /. would have this as news and even more saddened by the massive ammount of people taken in by something so stupid as this.
Next on the agenda, Boy Scouts will be offering merit badges for *NOT* farting in someone's face and *NOT* peeing on the toilet seat.
The "CITIZENSHIP IN THE NATION" merit badge by its nature suggests that the constitution is important.
The new badge, by its nature, encourages blind support of the publishing monopolies without regard to the social purpose and limits places on publishing monopolies by the US constitution.
It's sad to see a fine right-wing christians-only gay-discriminating organization such as this turn to the dark side.
I am a scout leader, and I want to be able to teach my boys that just because you can do a thing does not mean that you should do a thing. Do I think the RIAA and MPAA are Nazi-like and Stalinist in their tactics? Yes. Do I think they are on the right side of the issue? Yes. Should the BSA use the resources of the RIAA and/or MPAA to promote its mission? Maybe not - that's a debate scouts and scout leaders can have in their packs and dens (I'm a cub scout leader, so I'm not into troops yet). One of the basic tenets of scouting is honesty. How does promoting piracy, or at the very least not condemning piracy, jibe with this tenet? It cannot. If a scout is going to live up to the scout code, then pirating music and video is not something they should do, pure and simple. I would love to see a legal alternative to all of this. I would encourage scouts to borrow music and video from friends to try things out, download approved files, and pay for what they intend to keep. In fact, I would encourage anyone to do the same, scout or not.
flying spaghetti monster
As an eagle scout, I laugh at this. 99% of the scouts that I knew listened to burned cds on whatever campout we went on and watched divx format movies when they got home. Their xboxes were cracked, just like the other percent of the population that never wore the BSA uniform.
.22, live off of roots and berries in a leanto (ours was a 4 story log/tree mansion with a sauna, roof, and 30 ft fire. I'm telling the truth!)- all while being significantly un-cooler than our peers.
The only difference is that we could weave baskets, hit a bullseye 50 ft away with a
Well who's laughing now? LOL
Help me get a new laptop - http://nocreditcard.yourgiftsfree.com/?id=3012
What “moral dry-rot”? You people just cannot stop dreaming up one crisis after another, can you? It is nonsense to say that American society is becoming less moral. Crime is going down, racial and gender equality is and has been increasing, workers rights are protected, and on and on.
Oh wait, do you mean we are descending into a moral abyss because people at large no longer feel guilty about engaging in perfectly natural sexual activities outside the definition and confines of marriage as endorsed by Christianity?
Join Tor today!
I'm all in favor of the Boy Scouts. Too bad they can be purchased by corporate interests.
that's how I see it anyway . . .
Isn't that an oxymoron? Because we know that LA is a bastion of traditional values. OK, I have youthful friends who are in boy scouts, and they have nothing of the kind. Then again, they don't live in LA, the razor edge of culture. In fact, I'd say the Boy Scouts are pushing away from the movies/video games/TV addiction that consume and fatten our young people today. There are activities that build kids' social abilities, get them out more in the great outdoors, and show them responsibility and discipline. But I guess it's the thing to do to stereotype and denigrate the Boy Scouts, especially when you don't really know anyone who's a part of that right now.
It's local to LA, about 52,000 scouts, according to the MPAA press release
My next sig will be ready soon, but subscribers can beat the rush
Then tere should be a badge for NOT BUILDING WMD. (Ywa, I am aware of Mr David Hahn. Atmoic energy != WMD.)
the BSA is not an arm of the Mormon church. Scouting is very much a part of a mormon boy's life, but that doesn't work the other way around.
In our district, the numbers come out to 1 in 4 scouting age boys is a scout.
"We are not tolerant people. We prefer drastically effective solutions"
(If that's a little too obscure... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brownshirt.)
Instead of trying to get kids psyched up by promising to take them to a real-live movie studio in order to teach them about piracy, the Boy Scouts could have a Merit Badge where you actually made a short movie on DV and released for free on a page with Google Ad-words (or similar) on it.
Issue a press release, draw some site traffic and teach kids that the copyright business model isn't the only one that can make money. Each scout could actually keep a percetage of the advertising revenue.
My other
Indeed, the MPAA-developed "curriculum" begins :
Intellectual dishonesty is no different than child abuse
My next sig will be ready soon, but subscribers can beat the rush
Thanks for posting this. It really helps me narrow down my protests to the guilty council.
Now you can get a merit badge for NOT doing something?!? I can't wait 'till the merit badge for not engaging in homosexual sex acts comes out! I wouldn' t have had any problem at all in getting that one! I'm sure this will be quickly followed by merit badges for abstinance, not smoking dope, not downloading free porn, not taking the lord's name in vain, not coveting thy neighbor's wife, nor his ass, nor his manservant, not posting to slashdot...
"I opened up the merit-badge book, and lo-and-behold, one of the requirements to obtain the merit badge was for scouts to be able to understand and give examples of piracy, whether it was burning CDs or P2P"
;p :)
So i can't help scouts with their computers if i don't know about P2P?
I had better get to practicing
Honest your Honor, I was only educating myself so i could help scouts
It seems to me that this might conflict with the Environmental Science merit badge. After all, we all know that a lack of pirates is the main reason for global warming. Boy Scouts should be punished for not being pirates, and being a pirate should be a prerequisite to earning the Environmental Science merit badge.
Yes, I realize the article is not about a merit badge, and that environmental science is different than environmentalism
What?
...a good boy scout is a dead boy scout.
merit badges for NOT killing someone and NOT doing drugs and NOT illegally taking campaign contributions and NOT speeding and NOT masturbating and NOT coveting (ad nauseum)
Scout 1: Praise Jeezus! I got my merit badge for NOT yet killing anyone!
Scout 2: Praise God! Me too!
Scout 3: Let's go masturbate in that tent over there!
Scout 4: I can't join you guys, I got my "Don't masturbate" badge last week.
-- I am. Therefore, I think!
Ever since I was in Boy Scouts, about 20 years ago, there have been situations with local groups within the organization doing radical things. All the anti-gay and you-must-believe-in-god stuff was instigated by a few local hot shots. It was when the national organization refused to overturn local anti-gay policy that a lot of the more moderate members of the organization and donors left. I think that has created somewhat of a snowball effect. The BSA has become smaller and smaller and more and more conservative. At one point, the national organization did tell the local people to cool it (especially on the religious issues) but it was too little too late.
I notice that a lot of Slashdotters posting to this discussion have mentioned that they are Eagle Scouts and I should point out that I am as well. The BSA was a great organization at one time. I wonder if the solution is to create a new Boy Scout organization (separate from the BSA) that is a member of the International Boy Scouts. Many countries have more than one national organization which is a member of the international organization.
I'd like to see boyscouts or anyone else make it, but I doubt they will get an MPAA merit badge for it. Script posted previously.
It's stupid to create restrictions for ideas and that stupidity shines through if you apply the same logic to anything besides ideas. Publishing is about sharing, not hoarding. Those "publishers" who don't get it need to fade away.
Friends don't help friends install M$ junk.
You're welcome. Title is a g000glbmb for future searches on the name "Victor Zuniga" the BSA LA Area Council PR Director who sold 52,000 scouts to the MPAA
My next sig will be ready soon, but subscribers can beat the rush
...as well as other ethnic minorities Saddam didn't like. Too bad they didn't find any WMDs that hadn't degraded to uselessness.
Don't forget the threat of 'yellow cake from Africa'! The Germans told us the informant was un-reliable but Bush took it to the State of the Union and told the country it was true.
Or the Al-Quieda ties...
I can only hope that every Bush voter has a friend or loved one maimed, murdered, or mutilated by the violence Bush stirred up in the Middle East with this unneeded war.
Blar.
Get over the language games and talk about the actual issue.
It is a language game because that is how it is handled in our courts of law!!
If you steal a CD from a store it is a criminal offense and this is tried in a criminal court.
If you copyright infringe a Mp3 you download it is a civil offense and this is tried in a criminal court.
If you go into a civil court an tell the judge "That man stole my song!" the judge will laugh and your lawyer will weep. Why is this so hard to understand?
Laws are 100% about words and interpretation of language.
What the RIAA and others are trying to do is win a war of the words by making society see copyright infringement as akin to eating babies. Its more on the lines of evading taxes... Which by some accounts people see as not evil or evil as going into someone's house and stealing money.
"I am the king of the Romans, and am superior to rules of grammar!"
-Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor (1368-1437)
I'm not an Eagle Scout; more by choice than anything. Years ago, I took a honest interest in scouting, but was very disappointed in the whole scheme. While some might assert that scouting isn't supposed to be a focus on survival skills, why else for all the survivalist training such as cooking without stove, camping with minimal supplies, hunting etc.? OK, so there are much better clubs to join that can better teach you how to eat dirt, weeds and to build a sheltor out of leaves and bark... but I was still rather annoyed at how little the Boy Scouts prepared a young adult for if they did get lost in the woods and had to get by a few days.
Looking back on those days, I realize that the Boy Scouts is heavily capitalist, despite any hopes a young scout might have for actually learning something for outdoor life. I remember the joy of seeing the Boy Scout emblem on my new portable stove, knife, compas etc. It never really dawned on me till after the fact, the Boy Scouts were actually far more mainstream than what people might expect. For a real life comparison, they are like the Air Force with air conditioned, reinforced tents in "war" rather than the Marines left to cover up with whatever they might, their jackets, a rock... anything but no air conditioner. I also came to realize everything in the Scouts was geared towards making me think like a malible consumer. A consumer which even if he isn't "sold" by advertisement, will still buy whatever is in the advertisement. A consumer who thinks that name brand is everything (does it have the Boy Scout Emblem!?). The dangers in this, is also an intiment involvment with the authorities behind the hype, and I assert no organization, no company should be above either the People or the Government. It is often in Capitalist Nations that people tend to bag on the government and forgive the Company without considering the fact that all their horrors were becuase of the Company rather than the Government; America doesn't go to war becuase of public support, but becuase of entire industry wide consensus (A lot of private/public companies making money off of our campaign in the Gulf and that money is not going to expand Middle Class. This is fact.).
Yeah, I learned how to pitch a tent, tie a few knots, and clean a wound. But, honestly, I could have figured that out along the way anyways... the depth of how much they teach in the Boy Scouts I believe is a hidden agenda as well. "You're too stupid to do much else, and trust Big Business and it's ability to make sure you won't ever have to decide which flower or weed you can eat. If you do end up in the woods, your car broke down and left you stranded becuase of Government regulations. In the meantime buy this handy Boy Scout Portable Stove, Boy Scout Portable Water Purification Kit and Boy Scout Compas to help tide you over till Big Business will rescue you."
The Boy Scouts is really a political/economic condition course for a particular ideology. The fact is, most capitalists embracing nations have Youth Programs all, in some way, dubbed as "scouts". Communists, tend to go for "pioneers". They all expose simple survival aspects which more give an impression of the phenomenal attraction to "Tips'n'Tricks", while underneath the stage tricks and simple wood carving classes... there's a political, philosophical, economic lesson vehemently pushed and ingrained in the childs mind.
Sure you get a letter from the President for making Eagle Scout. Those that are trying to push their message are often proud of their efforts; yes, it's worth something to put on your resume, there are benefits adding to real life incentive to encourage parents to toss their children into these programs.
Bottom line. I didn't learn all that much while in the Boy Scouts. If you went against the grain you were punished for it. For example, most of the kids in my district ran around with State Fair, Stainless Steal, Rambo "Survival Knives"... it seemed the ONLY non-Boy Scout peace of gear authorized for use du
My first reaction was like that. It seems like Scouting, which I admire, is being misused for propaganda (other than the obsolete proto-militarism that it was created for).
But after thinking about it, this IS an interesting merit-badge subject because it involves both something relevant to today's kids (MP3s) AND an issue of ethics, which is a strong point of Scouting.
Ethics come most into play when the temptation is high and the risk seems low. Piracy is a great example. So it's a teachable moment for ethics, which aren't taught explicitly in many places these days.
Of course, if the whole thing comes packaged by the ??AA then it will suck, because it won't question the ethics of the laws themselves.
...is a Critical Thinking patch. It would feature a hand clenched into a fist, with the middle finger extended, and the words "QUESTION AUTHORITY" emblazoned across the top.
Soylent Green is peoplicious!
Q: When does a Cub Scout become a Boy Scout?
A: After he eats his first Brownie
However, I feel that the scout organization has fallen so far from its original intended roots that it's nothing but a special interest shadow of its former self. It's very sad, because what once was an organization that helped kids learn about skills and camping and other simple yet vital tasks for a well rounded person have been hammered away into anti-gay, christian centric whored out to any group that wants type of thing.
The scouts have always been that way. Morality has always been a large part of the beliefs.
"No word yet on if that includes helping the MPAA file lawsuits against 80 year old grandmothers."
They get a merit badge for helping them across the street to their trial.
This sig is false.
While I don't condone piracy/theft (yes stealing, not what you /.er's call 'copyright infringment)in any form, I also don't codone brainwashing our youth via a corporate sponsor.
This is a matter best left to parents. Please teach your children to be moral adults and not to steal music and movie content. Also teach them to stick up for their fair use rights and participate in our democracy via either voting and/or serving the public themselfs.
As far as the movie industry crying wolf in regards to jobs lost. That is a joke in and of its self. Does anyone remember the term "spagetti western"? These are 50's-70's cowboy movies shot in Italy to save cost. This put Americans in the film industry out of work WAY before digital theft reared its ugly head.
So this whole angle of the MPAA is basically lies.
The original copyright laws were socialist in nature as the constitutional purpose was the promote science and art, by allowing limited publishing monopolies.
But, as the limits kept being extended/extinguished, the publishing monopolies became something that was treated more like property,
and something of a an artificial "capitalist" market did appear to form.
But note that after the point when the monopoly no longer serves any innovative purpose, this is a complete artificial government monopoly, with no more purpose/value than allowing someone to "own" the color red or allowing someone to patent the layout of the solor system.
The MPAA Jugend. "Vas is dat? You have been shtealing muzik? Off to zee kamp with you!" Sons will be ratting out their parents to the File Gestapo...
the mods may say you posted flamebait, but to me it's a flame that warms my heart. rock on, brother! --chebucto
Not Mormon, but definitely conservative protestant Christian. One quick fact - in my council, the last digit of the troop number denotes what type of church the troop is chartered to. 1 for LDS, 4 for Presbyterians, 0 for Methodist, etc.
You are right that BSA has become more outspoken about which religious morals you have to believe in. I am amazed that there are Jews and Catholics in scouts still.
I don't think they recognize how easy it is to download the pattern online and sew your own anti-piracy merit badge.
http://www.usscouts.org/mb/mb036.html
Being a member of the scouts and an activist for the piracy movement all at once I don't welcome the decision of the BSA to join forces with the MPAA/RIAA/whatever. Scouting is ment to communicate, exchange and explore culture on an international level. The reason why the scouts could become such a huge movement was - and ever will be - cooperation and communication with other people in other regions/countries. Killing down ways to freely (and anonymously) share our culture is in no way compatible with even the most basic ideas of scouting, as I see them. Everyone can rest assured that we scouts are free human being who were taught to think for themselves. We believe in critical thinking, at least most of us do.
Just how, exactly, does an inquiry into a land deal end up with questions about sexual tendencies?
So you have a problem with him lying about something that the trial in question had absolutely nothing to do with? Even though you would have done EXACTLY THE SAME FUCKING THING AND SO WOULD EVERY OTHER MAN ON EARTH?
I've fucking had it with you hypocritical, uneducated Republican shitheels hamming it up on Slashdot, as if you had one fucking ounce of moral fiber in your being.
Ex nihilo nihil fit.
Actually, as was pointed out already, the article clearly says merit patch, not badge. According to a person active in the Boy Scouts in the next cubical to me, there is a big difference. This also seems to be general to LA, and not the entire US, too.
Transporter_ii
Doctors destroy health, lawyers destroy justice, universities destroy knowledge, religion destroys spirituality
Person A buys a laptop:
- Dell gets $$$
- Person A gets a laptop
Person B wants a laptop. He steals it from Person A:
- Dell does not get any more money
- Person A loses the laptop they paid for
- Person B gets a laptop
Person A buys a CD:
- Artist gets $$$
- Person A gets music
Person A rips the CD and uploads the contents to a file-sharing service. Person B downloads it:
- Artist gets no money
- Person A still has the music
- Person B also has music
As you can see, the creator getting no money in both examples, but in the first example Person A loses his item, while in the second scenario it's Person A that's actually allowing Person B to download a copy. Person A is the pirate, not person B.
~CGameProgrammer( );
Just how big a felony would Clinton have to commit before you'd fail to support him?
Because his sexual activities were subject to being questioned because he was being sued for sexual harrassment.
Whether you like it or not, it's the liberals and "progressives" in the US that has made "patterns of conduct" admissable in sexual harrassment cases, and that has also by definition made sexual relations with an underling by a supervisor or other superior "quid pro quo" sexual harassment.
Don't fucking like it? Take it out on NOW.
But Clinton lied under oath about his sexual harassment of underlings. By the very definition Democrats voted into law.
The last time I heard about the boy scouts in the news was when the troop leaders were sodomizing the boys, or something like that.
So why did I get an even bigger shudder when I read the headline for this story?
It's one thing to say "that's bad" when talking about child molestation, because it is. It's virtually a universally-accepted tenet of society: don't fuck the children.
It's a completely different thing when we're talking about a "moral" value that most people give two shits about, i.e. piracy. Even worse to support when the key figures behind the curtain include the MPAA. I don't doubt for a second that the RIAA is in on it too.
They're cheating! Hiding behind a cute little bunny rabbit or teddy bear, if you will. "Boy Scouts are honest, and they're on our side" HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE ARGUMENT.
Fucking campers.
This is not about not doing something, and this is not a reflection of the BSA as a whole. This is about the movie industry encroaching where they shouldn't and about the BSA leadership in L.A. that do not have a clue. This is not a reward for not pirating. It is an educational program that the movie industry hopes will prevent piracy in the future. It obviously will not work, and is a waste of time for everyone. What is even more of a waste is reading all of your comments on this subject. 98% of you just don't have a clue.
have them learn about the GPL and other such licences that allow you to distribute content without being a pirate
It's a very interesting battle in ethics. Society decides what is right and wrong and then laws are set in place by that society to make sure everyone follows the consensus. Can you run around naked in public? In some societies, no problem. In others, that would be a terrible thing to do. Most kids today are growing up thinking that music, movies, games, etc should be free to all. The RIAA has to fight back against this idea because it breaks the model used to create these things. I think reversing the trend of change in kids' ethical values is the smartest thing the RIAA has ever done in this battle. However, it makes me feel very uncomfortable that a large commercial organization is trying to change the ethics of the nation in order to protect profits. I think it would be much wiser for them to work on changing the model that music and movies are created under to adapt to changing ethics of society. After all, is the free exchange of art in the form of music and movies really a bad thing for society? The freer the art, the freer the society imho.
Boy Scouts are in troops. Cub Scouts are the one's that have packs.
More proof that Boy Scouts arre tools.
http://www.geocities.com/~Pack215/wolf.html#GOD
For me, Boy Scouts went south right here, at the cub scouts level.
I'm not trying to bash God loving people here or anything, but this sort of screws atheists. It's a required piece for advancement too.
You can get 15 minutes of fame, but you can go down in history for infamy.
I worked in a boyscout group for ten years, and this just makes me puke.
What is this, the MPAA's version of hitler jugend ?
(godwin-mod me down if you wish, but i'm very pissed off about this)
If anything, I would encourage kids nowadays to go out on the net and find whatever music/info/media caters to their taste and expand their cultural horizon. Why should cultural education cost $$$++ money ? (And tangential, why would only $-- go to the artist ?)
Free dispersal of information and media is one of the most wonderful benefits of the internet phenomenon.
And scouting as a movement is about critical thought, taking initiative, looking after the benefits of the group, and doing what needs to be done; and *not* about scaring the community into buying mainstream crap and ensure the pockets of these *AA assholes stay lined with royalty fees.
(Sorry for ranting.)
It just breaks my heart to think you can earn a Space Exploration badge without a minute exposed to hard vaccuum and direct radiaton from the sun.
I had an Eagle Scout friend growing up and some of the badges he went for actually seemed rather hard to get...
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
I think on the latter you're thinking of the jewscouts.
aren't all the scoutmasters gay(not that i have anything against that, my sister is gay), and not to mention....who needs that when your on slashdot this is news for nerds, were not the guys who try and earn badges were the guys who what the boyscouts say "HackZ0red teh Ma1nframe!!!!"
-Noc
Pirates wear patches, not boyscouts. What is this world coming to?
ôó
It's very sad, because what once was an organization that helped kids learn about skills and camping and other simple yet vital tasks for a well rounded person have been hammered away into anti-gay, christian centric whored out to any group that wants type of thing.
Right. I'm sure that around the bible belt some troops have become like this, just as many organizations have. I am, on the other hand, an Eagle Scout from Massachusetts. We went camping, learned our knots, learned how to survive in the wilderness, learned how the goverment worked, helped the community, got involved with other organizations that helped the state, etc.
* The faith of those in my troop consisted of the following: Nine agnostics, three deists, four atheists (there is a specific requirement for Eagle scout that requires a testimant of faith. Not a religiouse faith. All we needed to say is we has faith in the existance of atoms.), six people of the Jewish faith, two Buddists, one Hindu, and I think two prodestants. Of those that have since become Eagle scouts: One Atheist, One agnostic, One Buddist, and One Christian.
* For the anti-gay thing, three members of my troop were gay and admitted it to the troop. Its not even a "Don't ask, don't tell" policy in scouting. Its a "Don't ask, Don't tell; if you tell, don't have sex with a guy in your tent during the camping trip". And I felt that it was a very equal position; as that only three times while I was active in scouting had anyone I have ever met, from another troop, been kicked out of scouting. Two were guys that was gay and got caught screwing during a trip. The other was a guy that got caught with his girlfriend while at a Scout camp. Basically I interprested the rule as don't have sex around the other scouts during a trip.
If anything, Scouting showed me the diversity in my community, taught me to help my fellow man, taught me how to take a stand against things I disagree with, and helped me get ready for life. I also learned a little bit of many fields thanks to the Merit badges which helped broaden my intrests into many fields, some of which I took classes in college based on how I felt about the subject while in scouting. And as I left scouting at age 18, three years ago, I doubt that much as changed.
3 degrees of separation from Vladimir Putin
Excellent Points. I would like to elaborate on the religious aspect of scouts. I was in boyscouts from cub scouts until 18. I would say that my leaders in my particular troop were ignorant and prejudiced in many ways, but I know for a fact that many leaders were and are not. I made some great friends in boy scouts and also had some really great learning experiences. First time I got drunk was in boy scouts, the first time I shot a rifle was in boy scouts, the first time I learned that adults are not always right and leaders are sometimes stupider than their followers was in boy scouts.
Now I was raised Jewish but currently I do not accept the literal translation of the old testament (or the new) and do not follow the traditions. In boy scouts I was required to go to jewish ceremonies sometimes (very rarely) and only when the other kids were required to goto church. Most of it was just for show. There are some underlying tones of religion, but I never felt that uncomfortable. Religion (and homosexuality) rarely came up in conversation.
Remember, boy scouts is really just pre-military training. Don't ask, Don't tell.
Some people die at 25 and aren't buried until 75. -Benjamin Franklin
Ya know, like making public service annoncments saying how all the cool kids don't murder and stuff. Golly, I'm gonna change the world!
(If at first you don't succeed, do it different next time!)
I'm sorry, but has the
I'm waiting for a different scent to waft from the post itself... ain't happenin'.
Back when Napster was still an interesting thing, my mom (a lifelong scouter) asked me where I'd gotten a bunch of oldies music. Here's how I remember the conversation:
"It's called Napster. It's a place where you can download free music off the Internet."
"Is it legal?"
"Not really. They'll probably have it shut down in a month or two."
"Well, hurry and get what you can."
My mom is as honest a person as I know. I just don't see this merit badge winning a whole lot of hearts and minds.
You want the truthiness? You can't handle the truthiness!
Here's an idea. How bout a fookin' "price fixing, greedy ass, CDs should be no more than $5 by now!" badge?
The less confident you are, the more serious you have to act.
Little known fact, thanks to the overzealous media and the Republican Congress, but Clinton did not lie under oath, and did not commit perjury.
Perjury means (a) knowingly (b) making a false statement (c) about material facts (d) while under oath. It's not perjury if you honestly believe what you're saying is true, or if your lie is irrelevant to the issue you're under oath about. Moreover, the Supreme Court has ruled that it's OK for "a wily witness [to] succeed in derailing the questioner--so long as the witness speaks the literal truth."
The judge who found Clinton in contempt of court said she did so because he made misleading statements and did not fully participate in the discovery phase of the trial. But she did say specifically that it wasn't perjury. The most often cited example for "lying under oath" is the "did you have sexual relations with Ms. Lewinsky" question. Clinton asked the judge to define 'sexual relations', which she did - as intercourse. He didn't have intercourse, so he truthfully (while misleadingly) said "no". That's not a lie, and it's not perjury. However, it is interfering with discovery, and why he was found in contempt.
The more you know! [star]
Previously he had been kicked out of the Cub Scouts for eating a Brownie.
Where is this free beer everyone on Slashdot keeps talking about?
I'm not trying to be flamebait or a troll but the first thing that came to mind when I read the summry was the Nazi Youth (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazi_Youth),scroll down the linked page and look at the photo.
I'm not trying to insult the Boy Scouts, its just what I thought. And for the record I was once a member of the cub scouts, droped out because I didn't fit in very well, too many narrow minds and narrow world views, at least with my troup.
Now if you will excuse me I'm going to go put on my flame resistant armour.
Merit badges are optional; there's a big range of choices to suit the individual. This would be one for a boy that's clenched a little tighter than most. Some boyscouts are bound to up being fragged by their own men.
Scouting was cool when it was about getting outdoors and having fun with friends. But the programming was always lurking in the background. Something that "Lone Scouts" didn't have to put up with.
"You must try to forget all you have learned. You must begin to dream." -- Sherwood Anderson
Look, the MPAA represents the companies and musicians that produce and labored to make their music and movies. If you don't like how they enforce their intellectual property rights then don't watch their movies or listen to their music. Don't sit there like a bunch of whiney kids complaining about how unfair they are for prosecuting people for ripping them off.
As for the Boy Scouts issuing a badge for teaching their kids not to steal music and videos, well good for them. Stealing is stealing whether you want to think you have a God Given Right to have it for free or not. Get over it.
As an Eagle Scout, I can certainly confirm that. Outside of the 'fluff' badges, many are quite involved. In particular, I remember Environmental Science, Backpacking and Emergency Preparedness as being fairly difficult.
if they found out he'd gone in the locker room while they were changing.
The conditions a Scout leader inevitably has to be in with his charges are quite different from what coaches have to do with theirs.
because one of the badges of being a pirate is to not act like a boy scout
so there is balance in all things. ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
intellectual property law is philosophically incoherent. it is your moral duty to ignore it or sabotage it
I think you left out a part.
Person A buys a CD:
- Record company gets 99.999% of $$$
- Artist gets 0.001% of $$$
- Person A gets music
As an Eagle scout, I can guarantee that the only reason anyone would get this badge is to make a joke about it. They wont be able to sell the book and it will drop into history.
Additionally...
Should say EARN merit badges.All I can say about this is that I'm disgusted. I can't say that idiocy of this kind didn't take place when I was active as a boy, but "I" certainly don't remember being confronted with it. The same thing with the whole homosexuality thing. It just wasn't an issue.
At least it's not a "required" merit badge (necessary for rank advancement of achieving Eagle Scout. There are a host of badges that only VERY small number of boys ever see. Like the guys in my first Eagle Letter who had gotten EVERY available merit badge.
Chas - The one, the only.
THANK GOD!!!
It's a shame what the Boy Scouts have become. When my father was a boy, doing well in the scouts was something to aspire to. There was a time when that Eagle Scout patch was a badge of honor. I enjoyed scouting quite a bit when I was younger (I'm 27 now) but by the time I had made it from Weblos to Boy Scouts, the right-wing crazies had already started taking control and as it got weirder I got out.
Over the 1990s the Boy Scouts turned into an organization intolerant of those who do not subscribe to organized religion and promotes homophobia. Now they've added corporate shilling to their list of achievements. It's a great shame to see an organization that once churned out young men ready to lead a progressive society turned into a recruiting ground for religion, intolerance, and corporate shills.
Now, before helping an old lady across the street, the scout will question her. If she is in fact "pirating", he just pushes her out in front of a bus. In the RIAA's eyes, he was helping her across the street.
Slashdot: Failed Car Analogies. Amateur Lawyering. Anecdote Battles.
If you watch the full video of his deposition you can see what a total fucking genius the man is. I take a lot of issue with him, I didn't vote for him and I won't vote for his wife even if she is the only choice against more of what we've got now - but godamn if it doesn't really depend on what the meaning of the words 'is' is! Go watch the full deposition and you will understand. The funniest thing about it is that once it is over remind yourself that he is being investigated for a decade old land deal in which HE LOST MONEY. As much as I hate Clinton, he earned my sympathy and respect, and I love how he is still responsible for everything bad according to the crypto-fascists running the GOP today.
Has just become a holllow money grabbing shell of what it used to be, and has turned into a pansy ass politically correct molding pot.
What is next, a badge for 'being considerate of a trees feelings' ?
---- Booth was a patriot ----
Hmm... April is long gone.. It must be true..Melting facts.. So basically you get this badge because you pay them money? Oh, and by the way, anyone interested in the superman absolutely bulletproof sexy badge? You just pay me this small amount of money and then you get further descriptions. (Be sure to keep som paper, glue, a pen at home) Of course I'm being unfair now! They actually sell something else too. It's like when you buy windows. You get IE and WMP but you want neither. And my favourite way to pass time is to not watch movies.
+1 Agree -1 Disagree
Not really. What you call "torture" has was done in many past conflicts without anyone raising a peep.
First of all, Amnesty International makes it their business to constantly "raise a peep" about these things.
Secondly, putting "torture" in quotes to imply it isn't is sickening. Believe me, if someone kidnapped you, tied you up, beat you, deprived you of sleep, and pretended to drown you, you'd mentally remove those quote marks from the word "torture"... if you could do anything but think "god when will this stop".
And finally, George W. Bush is not christian. He says he is, he pays lip service to a church, but every single action he takes, everything he says, goes against what Christ taught.
Turn the other cheek? Bush says "preemtive war"
Rich man getting in heaven? The priviledged are his base.
Without sin, throw the first stone? Texas death-penalty record.
You can't take the sky from me...
A badge for telling the *AA to goto hell and copying everything in sight instead?
.. perhaps with a "C" with a line thru it.
A black badge, with a pirate flag in the background and a hand, showing the thumbs up in the foreground
---- Booth was a patriot ----
Your comparison with taxes is an interesting one. If you are my neighbour and your not paying taxes, then by definiton, I am the one paying for your roads, your police, your clean air, and your military protection. In the UK, Id be paying for your educationa nd health care too. Given the size of the market for these products (population of country) and the fixed costs, you not paying means I pay more.
Many people would thus regard you (the tax dodger) as a leech (or worse). Often, the people dodging the tax like to spread stories about how the govt is evil, and its all wasted and the decent people dont see any of the money etc, as fud to defend not paying their taxes. Very similar to how people moan about the 0.1% of musicians who drive ferraris, or namecheck artists they dont like, or havent written good songs for ages. Normally the people who *do* pay the taxes, are happy with the deal they get. If they werent they would vote in a different party with different tax policies. This is like buying different products.
Quite how you think this makes illegal filesharing seem anything but socially unacceptable leeching is not clear.
DRM-free indie games for the PC and Mac: Positech Games
Copyrights
...because "hacker" sounds way sexier than "code drone."
The only problem with getting that one is that you have to turn it back in afterwards for going against it :-)
They let me out of the scouts before all the other kids.
By reading this you acknowledge that you have read it.
...the point wasn't the blow job, it was it puts the president-a rather powerful figure on the planet earth, in a position of being *blackmailed*. And we don't know to this day whether that happend or not, and if it did, before it all came out, what happened against the interests of the US that we don't know about yet? How many other political/military/big economic figures are right now being blackmailed due to similar events? The "honeypot" trap is a remarkably successful intelligence tool, it has been used for centuries.
Google for the remarkable tie between lewinsky and "the condit affair" and see if you don't see a honeypot trap "cell" working.
He should have made the Departed with this backdrop
> As an Eagle Scout, I can say first-hand that the Boy Scouts DOES teach scouts how to obey the law.
Just out of curiosity, do they also teach the scouts that there are cases where you should disobey the law?
Im gonna say this first, please forgive my bad spelling (im Swedish).
Im sorry for being a possible ignorant (being european and all). But isn't this a bit WAY overboard? Pardon me for saying this, but recruiting young people for something like this just rings H-jugend in my mind. It frickin discusts me how some companies, or an alliance of them, can do things in this world (worse thing has happened all over the glode). Of course it's great that young people are taught too obey the laws and rules of said country. But PLEASE, isn't up to the goverment (or something democritical) to do theese things?!
(once again, please don't get picky about spelling or something trivial like that)
It's like the MPAA/RIAA are competing against NAMBLA to see who can be the most disgusting influence on Scouting. What happened to learing to tie knots?
Sometimes at night I imagine the darkness is filled with horrible things with too many teeth, like Julia Roberts.
Really, there's worse things that you can earn a badge for.
I came here for a good argument
Now that the scouts are pwned by the lobbiests I bet the special interests are lining up to get thier interests added to the Boy Scout youth movement agenda:
- the Microsoft WGA enforcement merit badge
- the SCO source code violation spotter
- the Chevron Oil Advantage badge
Anyone have any others to add?
"Enjoy what you're doing! If it becomes drudgery, you're doing it wrong!" - Jim Butterfield
I'm not surprised. BSA has long been morally hypocritical. Non-Christians are made to be uncomfortable in Scouts, and out homosexuals are not welcome, though if you hide your colors, BSA does have a kind of "don't ask, don't tell" policy. Thier new relationship w/ the MPAA is right in line with their fucked up moral philosophy.
I hope my kids don't want to be Boy Scouts.
Steve O.
I am really, really exhausted.
...shut as Akela plays with your pee pee? Or is it open? I get confused.
Doesn't it make you feel good to know that our freedoms are protected by politicans, lawyers and journalists.
If I recall correctly, the kids were being convinced to visit pirate sites and send it to some government sponsored group that would "Follow up" on the tips... and then your next door neighbor and his family would disapear.
:(
Or something like that...
--- Relax, that mass muderer is just trying to reduce our carbon footprint, one fetus at a time...
I've written an email to their executives, I suggest that all current and former Scouts do the same. From: http://www.boyscoutsla.org/website/contact_us.htm Barnes, Steve Scout Executive 217 Steve. Barnes@boyscoutsla.org Bonsky, Paul Special Projects Executive 227 Paul.Bonsky@boyscoutsla.org Borunda, Lala Finance Secretary 235 Lala.Borunda@boyscoutsla.org Burgueno, Rita Urban Emphasis Executive 272 Rita.Burgueno@boyscoutsla.org Brown, James IT Specialist 283 James@compphys.com Burton, Kevin Webmaster 283 Kevin.Burton@boyscoutsla.org Chan, Ana Receptionist 0 Ana.Chan@boyscoutsla.org Chaffers, Tanya Accounts Payable 245 Tanya.Chaffers@boyscoutsla.org Chicas, Estela Registrar 207 Estela.Chicas@boyscoutsla.org Curtis, Brian Director of Field Services 262 Brian.Curtis@boyscoutsla.org De Jarnett, Cindy Pacifica District Executive 256 Cindy.DeJarnett@boyscoutsla.org Dumani, Maria Administration Secretary 216 Maria.Dumani@boyscoutsla.org Hatch, Wade Director of Camping Services 243 Wade.Hatch@boyscoutsla.org Felcyn, Anna Rio Hondo Senior Executive 285 Anna.Felcyn@boyscoutsla.org Forbes, Larry Chief Financial Officer 280 larry.forbes@boyscoutsla.org Gonzalez, Leo San Antonio District Executive 220 Leo.Gonzalez@boyscoutsla.org Hatch, Wade Director of Camping Services 243 Wade.Hatch@boyscoutsla.org Matsuzaki, Lynn Urban Emphasis Executive 269 Lynn.Matsuzaki@boyscoutsla.org Maxfield, John Director of Support Services 251 John.Maxfield@boyscoutsla.org McCarthy, Jim Frontier District Director 282 Jim.McCarthy@boyscoutsla.org Monge, Marcos Rio Hondo District Executive 238 Marcos.Monge@boyscoutsla.org Peña, Andrea Finance Director 261 Andrea.Pena@boyscoutsla.org Peralta, Gracie Office Manager 252 Gracie.Peralta@boyscoutsla.org Peterson, Trinita Payroll & Benefits Specialist 277 Trinita.Peterson@boyscoutsla.org Reck, Roger Executive Finance Director 215 Roger.Reck@boyscoutsla.org Roberson, Jennifer Field Services Secretary 233 Jennifer.Roberson@boyscoutsla.org Rojas, Mariela Cashier 254 Mariela.Rojas@boyscoutsla.org Rosenberg, Laura Event Secretary 250 Laura.Rosenberg@boyscoutsla.org Ruiz, Robert Facilities Maintenance 205 Robert.Ruiz@boyscoutsla.org Shipp, Gwangi Thunderbird District Executive 226 Gwangi.Shipp@boyscoutsla.org Spagnoli, Tony Rio Hondo District Executive 273 Tony.Spagnoli@boyscoutsla.org Sullivan, Hannibol Asst. Director of Field Services 319 Hannibol.Sullivan@boyscoutsla.org Turner, Flynn Pacifica District Executive 223 Flynn.Turner@boyscoutsla.org Verdugo, Danette Camping Services Secretary 257 Danette.Verdugo@boyscoutsla.org Villalobos, George Finance Director 240 George.Villalobos@boyscoutsla.org Zuniga, Victor Pacifica District Director 274 Victor.Zuniga@boyscoutsla.org
Victor Zuniga (mentioned in the article)
Pacifica District Director
Victor.Zuniga@boyscoutsla.org
Steve Barnes
Scout Executive
Steve. Barnes@boyscoutsla.org
--Rob
Towards the Singularity.
By that logic if I create a product that sells better than my competitors I am guilty of stealing. How dare I deprive someone of the expectation for being compensated for their product, by producing something people would rather buy.
If I don't pay the barber who cuts my hair, then I have directly taken his time. But if someone creates a song for the general public and I don't buy it (whether I infringe his copyright, just listen to the radio instead of buying albums or don't listen to it at all), I am not directly taking their time.
I buy most of my copyrighted works, but every time I see an idiotic anti-"piracy" campaign (which really is the equivalent of calling not tipping, "rape"), I get closer to the point where I will stop paying for such material. Using inflamatory language does undermine the message of your campaign.
========
CINC, 4th Penguin Legion
The MPAA control the Boy Scouts, who are allied with Al Gore, who is controlled by Barney, who is owned by the Gnomes of Zurich, who are aligned with Bill Gates. It's all clear now!
What kinda icon can they put on a no-piracy merit badge? It would look so pansy-ish that no one would wear it. I propose that we start selling badges with the pirate bay logo on them. Show your support for the Bay and get a badge while doing it. No, I'm not trying to bash scouts, believe me, I just dropped out because of others in the troop. I just don't see why people like the scouts are being recruited for this, when everyone knows that people like me in that age group will download music/movies before we'll pay for them. We don't have jobs, cars or money, so piracy for us is the same as in China, the only solution.
It is also only in the LA council and NOT approved anywhere else. In fact the BSA is standing up for you by NOT LETTING IT BE A MERIT BADGE!
I would be that the badge is still born in any other ocuncil in the nation.
After giving the MPAA pamphlet and badge design a look, it's obvious this is an "extra-curricular" badge, so I wouldn't worry about it.
That the LA Council would have this doesn't surprise me, since these badges tend to reflect the local culture. Out in the Aloha and Maui County Councils, we've got the Hawaiiana badge. It's requirements are to learn and perform various skills of traditional Hawaiian culture, including some dance, song, theater, games, materials, agriculture, etc. It's actually quite a bit of work for someone not already a member of a hula halau, and is a 4 hour a day, 7 day class when offered at the two summer camps in the state. The class ends the week with a public performance in front of the rest of the camp. I've found the results relatively impressive, particularly from mainland Scouts whose previous exposure to Hawaiian "culture" stopped at coconut bras.
The Hawaiiana badge is moderately attractive, but the only reason to do the badge besides that is the desire to learn the material, because it doesn't count towards rank advancement. Neither does the MPAA badge, and unless the material proves interesting in its own right, only a handful of rabid patch collector Scouts are going to bother with it.
Luke, help me take this mask off
It's incredible what lengths the MPAA will go through to spread their propaganda. As a scout leader on the opposite end of the country, I actually find it more disturbing that the Los Angeles Area Council would go along with it. (As an aside though, this is not a merit badge. See meritbadge.com for a list of current badges).
But, then again, so are the Boy Scouts...
It's an activity patch or some-such, not an actual merit badge. The difference? It doesn't mean anything in terms of advancement, it's just a patch. Sure, some people will do it anyway, since it's easy. Some troops might run programs in it, either because it's a boy scout program that's relatively easy to put together and fun to do (A movie studio, remember?), or because they actually believe what it's teaching. But it's not a merit badge. It doesn't go on the merit badge sash (not that scouts wear those much,) and it doesn't count towards Eagle, or any other rank.
The distinction may sound trivial on slashdot, but it's nontrivial within the organization. Even among merit badges, some are easy and some are hard. Some are more respected than others. An activity patch for knowing what copyright infringement is? It's not even going to register on the status board. Maybe some kids will get to see a movie studio, but that's okay.
As to all the comments about Boy Scouts not being what it used to be--that's true, in some ways. A lot of things have changed, in Boy Scouts and in American culture. That's not all bad. Some is, and some isn't. The thing that influences the program most is the quality, not only of the youths who become leaders in the program, but of the adult volunteers that make it happen and show them how to lead. Two troops in the same town, with members of the same socioeconomic background, can be as different as night and day because they have different leaders. Don't sit on your rear and say what a bad program it is--fix it. A good troop can change the lives of a lot of boys, in a good way.
Of course there are politics, and there have been major disagreements about what values the Boy Scouts should be instilling. They argue that there is a God--whatever name you may call him by--and that it is immoral to embrace a gay lifestyle. Every scout takes an oath to do his duty "to God and his country," and promises to keep himself "morally straight." Maybe you agree with the policies and maybe you don't, but as an organization, the Boy Scouts of America has the right to say "this is what we want to teach." They're not preaching hate--but they are saying that they believe some things are wrong. They don't ask you if you're gay, ever--but if you come out as gay, in some councils at least, you're out of the organization. They have their beliefs, and they stick to them. I don't like some of those beliefs, but I believe they have the right to stick to them.
There are other organizations that are smaller, that are more inclusive, as an alternative. It's an imperfect world. Not everyone is tolerant. The Boy Scouts aren't tolerant of open gays, and a lot of others are intolerant towards the Boy Scouts because of that intolerance. Intolerance breeds intolerance. But we still each should have the right the choose what we believe is right, and what we believe is wrong. That the BSA does a lot of good doesn't absolve them of responsibility for their intolerance, but it does seem to increase the relative depth of the hypocracy of the BSA's critics.
I remember talking with a friend of mine. We were part of a much larger group of college friends who had "camped" out in a cabin in the woods one night, singing late into the night whatever random songs we all knew and telling ghost stories (Sam McGee) and the like. And my friend was glad because of how much he enjoyed the experience and yet sad because he didn't expect he'd ever have one like it again. In part, I think, because he wasn't an overly woodsy type, but also because he was gay. Now most boy scouts can't sing half so well as that group (one or three of us excluded,) but still, much of the night was beautiful. It is a terrible crime that they should deny him that experience. There's no two ways about that. (One could move the agency if one wished; but at best it is shared.)
But if we were intolerant of their intolerance... where does it end? It is possible for men of good conscience to disagree, ev
merit badges have long been replaced by achievements on the xbox 360.
I remember hearing once about a prominant scout leader who was a homosexual. What was his name... oh, that's it! Lord Baden Powell, founder of the Scout and Boy Scout movements. (He was also a British spy, which would imply a certain disregard for the opinions of those whose information he stole.)
It's a small world and it smells funny; I'd buy another if it wasn't for the money; Take back what I paid (SoM)
It makes sense. I've known for years that the BSA is the scouts. Now there's some BS (not Boy Scouts) group stealing their intellectual property abbreviation. I have actually heard a radio ad for the BSA trying to get people to only use purchased software in their business, and I seriously had to think about the BSA abbreviation. I remember thinking why would the Scouts be pushing for legal software use. If we live in a world where the World Wrestling Federation loses to the World Wildlife Fund because people might confuse the two, then we live in a world where the Scouts need to sue a company who is "championing" copyright law and actually saying "BSA" in their promotions.
Heroscape, it's like legos combined with anachronistic wargames.
"I won't get concerned until the "Respect for Intellectual Property" badge becomes Eagle-required. At which point I'll personally go down to headquarters and find out what the hell's going on, and tell them to get back to their proper (ie, founding) values. Scout's Honor."
The article and the summary are from completely different worlds. The thing is a patch that can be earned in the Los Angeles area. There's a museum centered on biology here that offers a patch for visiting. It's not a merit badge. The last paragraph of the article specifically spells that out. The "insightful" submitter put together an amazing summary that makes it seem like this is a nationwide BSA merit badge while it is not a merit badge at all. You've got to love slashdot.
Congrats on the Eagle. I'm a fellow 1%er.
Heroscape, it's like legos combined with anachronistic wargames.
this just makes me wonder if you get taught cynicism or to forget humanity in "training".
what training do you talking about anyway? us army? and you americans really wonder what the world is thinking about you? detaining foreigners without trail (yes, that's a pun), without even knowing why and how long they will be detained comparing with educating children is so brainwashed that i think you should get back to the front lines really soon. PAT
SEO Test: TIGI und SEBASTIAN - Online Shop - V
... not being gay ... not being an atheist
now we have one for:
Not thinking for yourself.
Can I claim the same defense when I shoot someone? "Honest, your honor, I had no idea that shooting someone in the head was going to kill them!" There is something like basic common sense when talking about things. Bush veered long ago into sheer phantasy.
Those who can, do. Those who can't, sue.
"Boy Scout Merit Badge Requirements"
Give four different uses of computers.
Well thats easy: Games, porn, mp3s, and an occasional paper.
Partial Credit: The Engineer's Best friend
"Well, the bridge didn't fall all the way down!"
"They are professionals at getting people to bend over..."
Did you mean RIAA or the gays?
FRA: STFU GTFO
Methinks they should give them a merit badge for finally realizing how utterly broken and obsolete the scouts system is and leaving to tackle the world, sans-organization, with their buddies the same way everyone else does nowadays. Pre-teens are better at Google and Wikipedia research than most adults because they have the time, drive and creativity to pursue their desires. They can't afford the music they want, or their well-meaning half-bred suburban parents refuse to buy the (C)rap albums, so the kids go online and get it for free.
If modern kids really cared about their education (which they don't), and really wanted to know about the world around them (which, except for hip-hop culture, shitty drugs and fast-food sex, they don't), they could easily tap into the wealth of resources at their fingertips and become exemplary specimens of humanity (when hell freezes over). Boy/girl scouts is an old-world holdover that just can't provide the rapid-fire learning that's required in today's ever-increasingly hectic life. Evolve or die, I say.
Thank god I don't have kids!
-Billco, Fnarg.com
Has anyone seen this horrendous monstrosity of a merit patch?
f 249e09c02fa52fd23ca7f;_ylt=AklJWOIUKoALP8zRQt9NixJ H2ocA;_ylu=X3oDMTA3bGk2OHYzBHNlYwN0bXA
http://news.yahoo.com/photo/061020/482/ab8ead627f
And I wonder if the supreme irony behind this "Respect Copyrights" merit patch is that it uses the Boy Scout Logo with an eagle and Trifoil, which is trademarked by the Boy Scouts of America! Check out http://www.scouting.org/identity/contents/11.html and http://www.scouting.org/identity/contents/1.html . The Boy Scouts should sue the MPAA for trademark violations! O the irony!
In addition, this isnt even a patch for all of BSA, it is for the LA area only. The patch is for a small, limited number of boys(52,000), many of whose families work in the movie industry in some way. This does not reflect on the BSA at all. Its not a nationally recognized award, just a local council thing.
Here's the headline again: "Boy Scouts Introduce Merit Badge For Not Pirating".
;-)
You know...if Podunk, America issued a citation of appreciation for being gay Slashdot would announce it with a title similar to "America Introduces Legislation For Being Gay".
Folks:
A) It was not the Boy Scouts. It was a Los Angeles faction there-of. Movies=LA. Wow. what a shock.
B) It was not a Merit Badge. A patch is quite different. Not approved on the national level.
Let's get back to better smut what say you.
"and you americans really wonder what the world is thinking about you?" I'm not American, but I know exactly what the world thinks of them. Doesn't make a difference. Most of the world hates Jews too, doesn't mean it's right. "detaining foreigners without trail (yes, that's a pun), without even knowing why and how long they will be detained comparing with educating children is so brainwashed that i think you should get back to the front lines really soon." Well, we can just execute them instead, since International Law doesn't forbid that. Would you like that better? You just let me know, "perler", and I'll see what I can do. It'd probably work better anyway since Europe is right now refusing to take back the Gitmo prisoners who were captured in the EU. Since you guys don't want them back, and you don't want the US holding them, guess we'll just finish 'em off. That alright with you, Perler? As far as the Education system goes, I've seen what Europe churns out, and I'm not impressed. When a large segment of your population can buy into the "9/11 was an inside job myth", I think all that money spent on schooling is probably wasted.
Boy Scouting?
This shows Foley as a Scoutmaster. This isn't available on the current "Fact Sheet" because unaccountably, it was purged of Foley's name right after Foley became notorious for his interest in children. Surely a coincidence.
I'm not sure that a youth organization that on a single campout, loses 4 dead to adult carelessness and 300 heat-related injuries in the course of having kids wait for President Bush to make a political appearance really is a place where any responsible adult would want to put a kid. The carelessness was setting up a giant tent with a metal pole right under high-tension power lines. You want to trust people like that with kids?
Throw in the RIAA Merit Badge and. . . we have an organization that deserves no public support of any sort. They served a useful purpose in the past, too bad they seem as an organization to have forgotten what it was.
Tech Public Policy stuff
I don't steal movies or music, i only copy them without authorization. When no money is exchanged, why should this be illegal? Corporations have too much power in the USA; it is the government of corporations, by corporations, for corporations where everyone is a possible criminal and they want to force this thinking to the entire world which will not tolerate it anymore.
Remember this: You can't steal what you can't touch. Their monopoly over knowledge and culture is over, the genie is already out of the bottle and can't go back no matter how hard they try to convince us otherwise. It doesn't matter how they label us, the majority of the people in the world agree and will keep making copies regardless. If their business models can't adapt to the new reality (which i doubt) then they deserve to disappear. Massification of technology has made past things obsolete and we should not allow laws trying to protect what is not needed anymore; specially when it benefits a minority over the majority.
Sharing is a virtue, not a crime. They brainwashed people with their media of this unethic way of thinking and that is wrong, not us.
Heh, you thought the Computers merit badge was bad when it used late-90's pamphlet. I am a Computer Engineer, and knew I wanted to be one since I was in the 4th grade and I never bothered to earn the Computers merit badge when I was a scout ('88-'95) because the badge was so stupid.
The requirements at the time included such things as: "Visit a business that uses a computer". Even at the time, that was pretty dumb.
I remember one of the illustrations was trying to explain how a hard drive worked. I remember it making absolutely no sense. I found out, through reading a book on the history of early IBM computers (I work for Big Blue... big surprise), that the illustration came from a '60's-era IBM brochure on magnetic core memory. That crap hasn't been used since the '70's, but there it was in my 1990's merit badge pamphlet, inaccurately trying to talk about hard drives.
SirWired
The fat tubs of shit who voted for a war-mongering drunkard started the ball rolling. Many intelligent people were warning about Bush, his ties to industry, and his political ties to freaks who want to re-make the USA as an Imperial power of sorts.
Bush voters were swayed by fears of gays marrying and of terrorists blowing up some red-necks dirt-farm in ass-rape Nebraska. They failed to use their intelligence, and used their emotions. They should pay for these poor decisions.
Blar.
How long before .pdf's of the merit badge booklet show up on P2P?
New punctuation update "~" (no quotes) at the end of a line to indicate sarcasm. ~
...when you can just make an illegal copy of your friend's badge!
I'm a proud member of BSA and a proud pirate!i rateawardcs6.jpg
http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/1606/emeraldbayp
On a more serious note, I could care less about that merit badge.