Eagledad

>>Personal attack is the unsinkable rubber ducky of Leadership Development.

Our SPL was responsible for loading the cars and making sure nobody got left behind. I didn't care how he did it because we never had problems, although I'm pretty sure it was delegated to the PLs. It did take new drivers a little time to get use to meeting with the SPL and not the SM. The only time our troop ever left a scout behind was when the adults took responsibility for loading the cars. The new SM learned his lesson and gave it back to the SPL, and all has been well since. Barry

>>I haven't staffed NYLT

>>Anyone else experiencing a similar situation?

Do you really think that average American understands it Beav? It is really a very complex issue to comprehend. Like most things that happen with our government, the people watch the machine in ignorance. Until we can get a media that wants to educate instead of manipulate, it won't change. Barry

>>There has been a rumbling that some members of the Nominating Committee were going to ask if I would return as Chair. The chair we have now also serves as the Council Camping Chair. And that really is his first love. I have made it clear that I don't want the job. I don't want to fall back into having meetings 3 and 4 nights a week. I do think that there must be a way of rebuilding the District and bringing back at least some of the District Spirit and fellowship that was once there. I'm just not sure how.

>>Now, I'm not usually a cynic, but this sounds pretty hokey to me.

Well for the Cub Scouts, building and racing Cubmobiles is a blast. Boy Scouts can do it as well, but I've not seen that much. BArry

>>As to my council, no adultless patrol camping at camporees or summer camp. At least two adults must be present.

>>As for the lipstick comment, I couldn't count how many times I've used the same comment about politics, Scouting, ad naseum.

>>Most of what you're complaining about sounds like those internet warning e-mails, a grain of truth (maybe), 99 44/100 percent hooey. No, you cannot beat the kids into submission. "Cannot touch"?

>>I have spied on one such Patrol who did a three day paddle down a local river.

>>It'd be nice if positions on issues actually matter, but I'm well and truly cynical anymore.

Yes, you are right that Palin is changing the rules, which is precisely my point. Obama and the media started attacking her experience and all that really did was force more discussion toward the Presidental nominees experience. They dont want to go there. If Obama and the media push the Bridge to Nowhere, the discussion will boomerang back at Obamas earmarks. Even though McCain has earmarks as well, he also has the reputation of reducing porkbarrow. Palin appears to be bullet proof, so Obama and the media have to shift the focus away from her if they want a chance. They have to make it an election for president, not vice president. Right now they are loosing that vote. Lets look at this for a moment. There are a lot of folks who are digging hard for a Palin scandal. Palin is popular because she basically is one of us who has made it to the top. How many of our families have that level of a scandal. True, we have divorces, kids who get in trouble and even pregnant teenagers, but how many of us have a scandal in our families that the media is trying to find that would take Palin down? Media and Obaman need to turn the focus back to Obama vs McCain, or they will loose. Barry

>> Where does National draw the line? Right now, I think where it is isn't too bad.

>>I don't have a problem with Alaska dropping the bridge project and keeping the money for other infrastructure needs - except that earmarks are earmarks.

>>The question your COR should be asking your District Chair and Council President is how convenient are you going to make training for volunteers?

>> That's aside from her actual views and policy preferences on those issues. Given her obscure background and limited experience, first she just needs to show she understands the issues, then we can talk about what she wants to do in regard to the issues.

>>What I want to know is, what does she actually know, how does she think on her feet, and what are her true beliefs (as opposed to what some speech writer scripted for her).

Im a little embarrassed that I will sound like Im preaching the same point over and over, but I will just throw out one more suggestion. The boys arent really going to except the program as boy run as long as the adults keep preventing the boys from feeling independence. There are a lot of good suggestions that I think you can follow, but it is human instinct to go the path of least resistance. In this case, changing into a different direction is a lot of resistance because the adults just dont know that different is better. So at the risk of sound repetitive and preachy, give every active scout and adult the SPL Handbook and PL Handbook. Required everyone to read them then have a meeting to discuss how your troop is different? Guide the discussions toward a small list of program changes from both the scouts and scouters. The books are really easy to read and pretty clear on running the troop. Every time a situation like this comes up, have both the SM and SPL sit and find the answer in the books. Troops Ive seen use this technique like it because everyone starts on even footing and the program becomes surprisingly simple for both the scouts and adults. It is in our human nature adults tend to complicate processes where as boys work toward simplifying them. Working off the same set of guidelines and instructions braces everything down to simple easy program with a path everyone can vision. Once you get on that path, then you can push for additional training so the program can grow. Just another suggestion. I love this scouting stuff. Barry

>>Eagledad, you're totally mischaracterizing packsaddle's argument with TheScout.

>>It is a cowardly approach and, I might add, transparent to everyone who has ever engaged in discussions of ideas.

>>My guess is that sooner or later he drops out.

>>"As for myself, I could never understand those who proclaim to be "pro-life & pro-capital punishment" or "pro-choice and against capital punsihment." Making such blanket statements seems mutually exclusive to me. "

>>shaming someone for getting pregnant out of wedlock is crying over spilled milk.