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May 11, 2024, Mississippi Valley Council : ADAMS COUNTY, Ill.  - An ammunition shed at Saukenauk Scout Reservation’s shotgun range caught fire Thursday, destroying $8,000 of ammo. Mississippi Valley Council Scout Executive Ricci Dula said the shed, constructed as a Wood Badge project, was gutted leaving debris on the range. Only leaders and the reservation’s ranger were onsite at the time. “We’re still determining the cause of the fire,” Dula said. “Nobody was harmed or at any risk of being harmed. The Mendon Fire Department did an exemplary job; the fire could have been considerably worse. It was about 25 feet away from a propane tank and another structure.”  (One report said the cause was burning trash. ) The fire also wiped out Camp Saukenauk’s supply of guns, some of which were used during the Sporting Clays for Scouts event on Wednesday... More at sources including video and photos: https://www.whig.com/news/fire-destroys-scout-reservation-s-ammo-shed/article_66b960ba-0f1f-11ef-a825-0f9c306f606e.html https://www.wgem.com/2024/05/11/camp-saukenauk-ammunition-building-destroyed-fire/

Stage 1 .... We are well past this now, but were there in the 80s and 90s.... Another characteristic of stage one decline is the loss of the adventurous, open-minded, searching orientation for continuous learning. Answers are believed to be found in the years of experience, which might be useful, yet often can be blinding in new situations. Typically, generational and positional gaps present themselves with one-up-man-ship dynamics by those with positional power or organizational tenure. The past filters the present so that a true future cannot be created without showing “due” and “respect” for those that lived the past. Clearly, an issue of pride.

2 gold devices. Or here's a wacky thought... ask the Scout to read the requirements and tell you what he thinks he has earned! 

A panda walks into a bar and eats shoots and leaves   OR  A panda walks into a bar and eats, shoots, and leaves. Let's eat, Grandma!  OR Let's eat Grandma! Commas kill!  Or, at least, the lack of one can cost you money!  https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/think-commas-don-t-matter-omitting-one-cost-maine-dairy-n847151 Without the comma, the clause causes confusion, but grammatically belongs to its immediate predecessor only.  With a comma, it would be an independent clause, and therefore an additional requirement for all.  The preceding "or" makes this more potentially more confusing if punctuation rules are not understood or applied. At this point, the writer has not adequately communicated the actual requirement.  This is a FAIL.  When confusion exists, the only correct thing to do is to make the requirement as indulgent as possible for the Scout. When they write: "Cycling merit badge or Ranger Cycling/Mountain Biking elective and 100 miles of cycling", I parse this as such: Cycling merit badge (150 miles is sufficient for Scouts) or Ranger Cycling/Mountain Biking elective and 100 miles of cycling (210 miles is sufficient for Venturers) Look at these comma cases... Cycling merit badge, or Ranger Cycling/Mountain Biking elective and 100 miles of cycling (same meaning as previous; first comma is important, and clearly separates the two conditions) Cycling merit badge or Ranger Cycling/Mountain Biking elective, and 100 miles of cycling (now both previous sufficient conditions have an added condition... an extra 100 miles, so 250 miles for Scouts, and 260 miles for Venturers) Cycling merit badge, or Ranger Cycling/Mountain Biking elective, and 100 miles of cycling (same meaning as above, first comma is superfluous) Why not write it like this:  "Cycling merit badge or Ranger Cycling/Mountain Biking elective, with 100 additional miles of cycling beyond the requirements for either."  ??? BSA has never been known for clear and concise communication.  The Guide to Safe Scouting is the biggest case in point. Why?  I have no problem with Venturers having additional requirements.  If interpreted in the strictest sense, they already have to do extra miles.        

To earn the Cycling Merit Badge a Scout rides a minimum of 150 miles if taking the road cycling option, or 52 miles if taking the mountain bike option. (NB if they do Motorboating they have gone a minimum of a mile, if Horsemanship 60 feet). I do not interpret 2a to be 100. miles in addition to the merit badge, I interpret it to be including the badge. So, if taking the road cycling route the Scout needs an additional 50 miles above and beyond the Cycling Merit Badge.   This does illustrate some of the inequity in the award, it is easier to achieve road cycling than mountain biking, which is itself easier than horseback riding or skating. But to earn the award via any of the tracks you have to show a commitment to the sport beyond just getting the Merit Badge.