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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.
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!
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.
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.
Do you think the education provided by the MPAA will be even handed?
Right. You just turn all your kids over to us and we'll explain to them EXACTLY how copyright laws work. Of course, we'll also just tell you the parts that make our 'cause' look good, but that's how it should be right?
There is no -1 Disagree mod. Slashdot.org/faq defines mod options. USE IT.
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
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?
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.
Its not stealing, since you are not depriving anyone of the thing.
The editors should be more careful with their phraseology.
It's straight from the article.
And more to the point, it's the exact doublespeak that the RIAA wants to drill into these kid's heads, using them to spread their propaganda, astroturf style.
You can't take the sky from me...
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.
"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
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.
Sure you are depriving someone of something. You are depriving a number of people of having their expectation of being paid for offering their work being satisfied. Exactly like if you went to a store and stole a CD, it's not the CD they are feeling deprived of, it's the sale of that CD. Just like if you go to a barber and don't pay him, it's not his time you've stolen, it's the expectation that he'll be paid for his time that isn't being met. Just like when someone takes out a line of credit in your name, it's not your identity being stolen, it's the expectation that you are held accountable to what you do and not what someone else does that is violated.
Businesses and people who offer services or products are not concerned with being deprived of things, it's being deprived of the sale of the thing.
Get over the language games and talk about the actual issue.
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.
I don't have any statistics one way or the other on that. Certainly, I often hear that these people are married and have children. Who is gay or not is up to them. If some people have an agenda whereby they want to define as many people as possible (or as few) as gay, that's their problem.
My point is, this is not something which is representative of the community any more than the actions of a few priests are representative or Catholics, or the actions of Foley are representative of congress, or that blacks are more likely to commit crimes, or that Hispanics are probably illegal immigrants who are in gangs, or that all Muslims are terrorists, or that all Americans are gun toting fundamentalist rednecks. None of the preceding are fair generalizations to any of those communities.
You can't go about painting an entire group of people with the same brush. But, this is slashdot, where it's more expedient to do so.
Cheers
Lost at C:>. Found at C.
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.
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."
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.
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,
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!
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
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!
Perhaps you missed my argument- my criticism was that, in his desire to combat the stereotype taht all gays are potential child molesters, the activist made an equally outrageous claim that homosexuals are almost NEVER child molesters. He seemed to be implying that a man who is sexually attracted to other men is somehow immune to being attracted to boys.
You can't fight stereotypes with equally outrageous claims to the contrary - it just makes the arguer look stupid and diminishes his real, legitimate point.
"As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly." A. Carlson
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
Needless to say, I don't agree with this reasoning. When I copy a music file, I gain music but the music company doesn't lose anything physical at all, despite their claims to being deprived of a potential sale. This is a purely hypothetical loss on their part, based on the assumption that if I couldn't get the music via mininova, that I'd have no choice but to buy it at full price, in which case they've lost the sticker price of the CD. I think this reasoning is flawed for several reasons:
(1): Some music I would buy for $5 or listen to if it's free, but I wouldn't pay $20 for the CD. In some instances, music that I would pirate I would not buy, even if I was unable to obtain the music through P2P networks. This means that in a situation like this, the music company is only "losing" the amount of money that I would actually pay for the music. The problem is that the RIAA is treating their product as though it's a commodity, like it's water... and we have no choice but to either buy it from them, steal it, or die of thirst.
(2): I could just as easily buy the CD from a friend or from a store that sells used CDs, in which case the RIAA has lost nothing.
In short, I believe that you are correct that being deprived of a sale constitutes stealing, especially in the cases you mentioned. What I'm disputing is that copyright infringement necessarily deprives anyone of a sale.
No.
.25 cent fee to any hair cut of that style for the rest of their lives and for 50 years after they die which would be paid to a big "hair cut production company" that had rights to that style of hair cut.
Jesus. This is such a broken record.
to use YOUR article for the example.
It's like watching the barber cut someone's hair, and cutting your own hair and he sues you because he's a magical barber like magicians and expects to get paid for the REST OF HIS LIFE and 50 YEARS after HE DIES for cutting hair in a PARTICULAR pattern and way with particular tools.
Not to mention that 99% of the stuff downloaded would never have been purchased at the desired price.
Not to mention that 80% of the stuff will probably never be listened too or only listened to once.
Not to mention that the 20% that is listened to will probably expand the market.
Not to mention that lots of people are as moral as they afford to be and when they make more money, they'll buy the products if they like them since they want the "real" thing.
Not to mention the products that you *can't BUY period* and can only get these ways.
Seriously- if barbers were like musicians, the fact that they wet the right side of your head, combed it back, then combed a row and clipped it with no.6 scissors would be equivalent to a "chord" and they could sue other barbers for cutting hair using the same sequence of "chords" and ever barber who invented a new haircut (like "the bob cut" or the "monica cut" or the "shag cut" could copyright it.
Then they could sue the hell out of anyone who cut hair that way (including people who cut their own hair) and they would add a
Why are musicians SO MUCH better than a barber who invites a new style of hair cut?
She was like chocolate when she drank... semi-sweet at first and then increasingly bitter.
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
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
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
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.
Q: When does a Cub Scout become a Boy Scout?
A: After he eats his first Brownie
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.
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( );
Sorry, but the legal law of the land (17 USC in this case) doesn't mention the word "steal" or "theft" or any other similar word in the context of copyright infringement. Thanks for playing the Legalese v. Colloquialisms Game; you lost.
'Yes, firefox is indeed greater than women. Can women block pops up for you? No. Can Firefox show you naked women? Yes.'
In this case, you would have stolen a service, not a ware, and it is still stealing because the barber had to do work for that instance of the service. However, if you could somehow download a good shave and haircut every morning, and a barber sued you because of that, then you would have a similarity to IP infringement. And I can imagine the world laughing at a barber trying to prevent people from shaving themselves and requiring them to come to his shop.
This is even simpler than the previous example, this is outright theft out of my pocket because I receive a direct damage. Violating IP is not directly damaging anyone, though one may argue about the indirect effects.
IP is different from material property in that it can be endlessly multiplied. It's like bakers and fishermen suing Jesus Christ for stealing their bread and fish.
Victims of 9/11: <3000. Traffic in the US: >30,000/y
Boy Scouts are in troops. Cub Scouts are the one's that have packs.
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
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
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!
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]
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.
Well you had me agreeing with you right up until the point you wrote this bullshit. You're a pretty sorry excuse for a human being if you really believe that. Did you ever think that those innocents you are wishing harm upon might not have agreed with the idea of the war either? Or do you just consider them "collateral damage" making you no better than the man you condemn?
You can only drink 30 or 40 glasses of beer a day, no matter how rich you are.
-- Colonel Adolphus Busch
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.
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.
> 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?
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
How exactly is copying akin to stealing? I ask this every time and all I get are these flawed analogies that don't make sense. Copying != Stealing.
The problem with your suggestion is that the media cartels are so powerful that its hard to bypass them. As an artist, you can choose to go with some minor publishing house, but fuck if you're ever going to get your music in the big stores or played on any of the media conglomerates's brodcasting (TV/FM).
Music and any other form of non-tangible easily reproduces media is something that no longer can be monopolized by media houses (be it the opera house, theatre, book publishers, etc). The average person can obtain the media with almost no effort. The interests the RIAA and MPAA represent are dated and quickly becoming obsolete. They are trying to sue their way out of oblivion. Rightly, as you say, they are being ripped off by a changing paradigm. It is their last gasp of free air. Media is something that can be massed consumed and the concept of having to pay for it seems illogical now.
Artists are slowly starting to find new and better ways to reach their fans and make a living off of grateful audiences who, while not willing to be gouged by the RIAA for $15+ CDs, are willing to go the extra mile to see support their favorite artists.
Lord High Crapflooder The Right Honourable Vlad Craig Esther McDavenpherson III
Destroyer of Mercatur.Net
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
"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.
Of course it has value. But that value should belong to society after it's creator has profited from it. Artists are supposed to work and contribute to society. Copyright is to encourage that. It's not a gravy train.
And Orff already profited from his work. Now Apotheosis did something very interesting, new and exciting with it, thus increasing the value of Orff's work and their own, something that never would have happened before without Orff's work.
And do you know WHERE public domain sources come from? They come from people who create things, and then they stop having dominion over whether or not you can copy that work (their copyright runs out). Disney is leveraging the PREVIOUS creative works of people for their own creative works, but they want to DENY that ability to other people. Doesn't seem fair, does it?
But then again, you're a fucking moron. I get it fine. I'm not rationalizing anything, I'm putting things into perspective, which you are too myopic to percieve.
My blog. Good stuff (when I remember to update it). Read it.