Eamonn

acco40 Sea-Horses? Eamonn (What else would Sea Scouts ride?)

How old are these Lad's? Eamonn.

Hi Jon, He might want to give the Northeast Region a call !! I know that sounds odd, but the Transatlantic Council comes under them. They should be able to let him know if there is a BSA unit in the area. If not he may want to join the Scout Association (Scouting UK). It's very good -But maybe I'm biased? Details can be found at http://www.scoutbase.org.uk/index.htm If he waits till he arrives he can give Gilwell Park a call and I feel sure that my friends there will be able to help. Eamonn.

No it's not a requirement. More like a dry run. It does offer both the camp and the Lad an opportunity to see what they are letting themselves in for!! We have had one CIT go home this summer as he just got very homesick. This might hurt his chances of being hired next summer. Eamonn.

While the date of the BOR is used on the certificate. After the BOR the application has to be signed by the SE. He or She normally is never around when you need him or her!! The Eagle Rank is awarded by the National Council of the BSA so it has to be approved by them. So yes the Lad and his parents were a little out of order, but I for one would be willing to take plenty of no notice. In fact I'd want to give the Lad a pat on the back. Eamonn.

Hi Welcome to the forum. If you scroll to near the bottom of this page. You ought to come to the : NetCompass Categories Click on the where to go. I found a couple of camps that offer horseback activities for older scouts. But I was looking for Super activities. Many years back we did a pony trekking / Youth Hosteling trip in Wales, but that's a little far away!! Hope this helps. Eamonn.

It seems from what you have posted that the problems in the unit are a lot bigger than just BOR's and advancement issues. A well run Troop is made up of different groups who while they have different responsibilities and perform different duties are in fact one big team. When we start seeing it as a "Us and Them" is when things start going off course. I'm 100% for the training's offered by the BSA. We encourage everyone to get trained, we don't use the fact that they are not trained or it has been a long time since they were trained to score points or "Rub their nose in it!" I see this as not only being childish, but not being kind which goes against the Scout Law. The adults in a Troop should all have assigned roles and perform the duties that are needed. This of course means that they need to have a good grasp and understanding of what their role is and what is expected of them. I'm a very firm believer in holding people accountable for doing what they are supposed to be doing and have done. If for example the Troop equipment is scattered to the four winds, because the Troop Quartermaster has been to busy working on fund raising. It would seem clear that something isn't working and this needs to be looked at and corrected. One sad thing about us (All of us -Me included!) in Scouting is that we at times take on more and more duties, which result in us not doing the role we were assigned as well as we maybe could. When things don't go as they should. We need to go about fixing or correcting them as quickly and as amicable as possible. Leaving conflicts hanging means that they will fester and grow. The place for the fixing is at the monthly Troop Committee meeting. Before the meeting everyone needs to understand that we are moving toward a positive future and that dwelling in a negative past will do no good what-so ever and will in fact only act to make things worse. Sure we all learn from things that don't or didn't go well, but we move toward doing things better or right. It would seem from what you posted that the people who serve on the BOR are in need of some help and enlightenment. Depending on how strong the District Committee is in your District? You might want to suggest to the CC or maybe the COR that extending an invitation to either the District Training team or the District Advancement committee to attend a committee meeting might be a good idea? If the District team isn't that strong you might want to find the right time and place to talk with the Troop Advancement Chair or the CC about going over: http://www.scouting.org/boyscouts/supplemental/18-625/index.html Maybe if you are not to close to the problem at hand you might want to volunteer to present the training? My take on the 3 points you listed really is of little use. I don't know the Scout and I wasn't there. However: 1) Work on Merit Badges individually: I disagree with scottteng. Sure we never want to end up with a one one situation for YP. But the entire MB program is about individual Scouts pursuing and following areas that interest them. While some MB's can be worked on as a group many are by design individual interests. I don't see a group of Scouts working on dentistry!! The discuss requirement is with the MBC in order to demonstrate that the Scout has an understanding of the subject. 2) Work on leadership and communication: I wasn't at the BOR. I don't know the Lad or what positions he has held in the Troop or how well he carried out his duties. Did the SM try his best to prepare the Lad for the BOR? I've sat on Eagle Rank BOR's where Scouts have come in looking like they just returned from a punk rock concert, slumped in a chair and spent the entire time talking to heir shoes. 3) Not enough initiative No additional information given to Scout: This one gets me!! How can a Lad correct something when he doesn't know where the fault is? You all ask: As an SM, how would you feel the denial of Rank Advancement to a Scout, who, in your opinion, is a GO all the way? OK, I'd be mad as wet hen. But they are doing their job. I would expect an explanation and would hope that we might be able to discuss it in great detail at the next committee meeting. Maybe I'd try and sneak in the training that I listed above. Eamonn.

I don't think a youth member can be voted out!! But that's not the issue. We are here to serve the youth. Not the Committee Chair. You might want to ask the Venturers in the Crew you serve what rules they want to have in place to ensure that this sort of thing doesn't happen. Eamonn.

I like to think that nearly everyone who posts in this forum would like to see the BSA do well. I have never worked professionally for the BSA. I've seen DE'S and SE's come and go. Some were really outstanding and some were just not so great. I can live with that. My big concern is it seems to me that we the volunteers are for some reason losing the trust I think we once had in our professional staff. I don't see this as a person thing. I think it has more to do with the goals set by "The Man" Maybe the problem lies with me not knowing and not sharing the goals as the powers that be may have? Membership to me isn't about numbers on reports, it's about kids having fun and hopefully learning something along the way. Reaching financial goals isn't about beating up on the people who donate their time, energy and are already sticking their hand in their pocket. It should be about having the local community seeing and knowing that we provide a good and worth while program that each community wants to support and is willing to support. Eamonn.

Judy I think the term used for the oyster thing?? Sounded like scale or Skell. I always thought oysters were happy little fellows who lay on the bottom in a bed. But these shells were sticking up along the sides of the islands. I wish we had more time in Georgia, especially the low lands. But next time I want something that isn't powered by me!!

The Sea Scouts traveling to Georgia choose to wear their working uniform for the trip. I admit that I thought that they looked good in their chambray shirt embroidered with the Sea Scout BSA logo, with patches sewn on and blue shorts. It seemed that every time we stopped people would come up to us and ask questions about Sea Scouting. They seemed a little surprised that we had female Sea Scouts!! I gave three people the address of the Sea Scout web site. An older Lad working in a store said that he'd been at the Jambo, but he had reached Eagle Scout and was finished with Scouting. I gave him my "Quartermaster Speech" The people working in the Welcome Centers, seemed really happy to see the Sea Scouts and when they heard that Zane always gets us lost when he navigates, took the time to go over maps with him. Maybe it's time we put the Uniform Police to rest and started thinking more about the MP's (Marketing Persons) Eamonn.

We all arrived home safe and sound last night. If you are looking for a great adventure for older Scouts you have to try the Sea Kayaking Adventure ahttp://bsasavannah.org/PDF%20Forms/2006%20Sea%20Kayaking%20Summer%20Brochure.pdft . We were teamed up with a Troop from Atlanta. A real nice group of Lad's and leaders. The Staff were just outstanding and couldn't do enough for us. We paddled over 50 miles. The Sea Scouts think this is a great accomplishment!! I think maybe I'm a little old for adventures, but I'll work on not hurting as much!! Our Sea Scouts didn't seem to have a hard time calling everyone Miss this and Mr. That. I did. - Maybe I'm not used to calling adults Miss. The food on the water was a cross between trail food and high carb food needed for the trip. We didn't really get much opportunity to sample the local fare. Of course there seemed to be no shortage of grits. The last night after we had returned home we were treated to a "Low Country Boil" or maybe it was broil?? Kind of like a clam bake, with redskin potatoes, corn on the cob, some kind of sausage and shrimp. It was very good. We got to spend the night at the R.J.Reynolds hunting camp, just off Sapelo Island. The Scouts got to try their hand at catching crabs. We ended up with about 30 and had a late night Crab feast. I got to sample Moon Pies. The chocolate wasn't that bad, but the banana was just not nice. I really enjoyed the wild life, we were out on the water for 4 days and never seen anyone other than each other. We did get hit by a couple of nasty storms. These really scared the beejeebers out of me. All I could think of was the recent thread about lightning. One Lad from the Atlanta Troop got stuck on a mud bank, the wind was blowing really hard, I'm guessing over 50 MPH and the rain was coming down in sheets. Allen, one of our Sea Scouts tried to toss him a rescue bag but it wasn't long enough and didn't have enough weight. (Because of the high wind) Allen got on top of his kayak and tried again, but there still wasn't enough weight in the bag, so he added an orange (left over from lunch)He managed to toss the line to the Lad who was stuck, who tied it to his kayak. Allen then somehow managed to un-stick the Lad and tow him to safety. That blue sticking mud isn't very nice. While the storm was raging I found myself being pushed into an oyster reef (They used a different name ??)The oyster shells stick up like broken glass. It's a good job that I have white hair!! Everyone made it through the storms OK, the Lad who had been stuck was a little shaken up but was unharmed. I don't remember ever hearing thunder as loud as that in my life!! Maybe I was just scared? Interstate 95 is almost like a race track!! I don't speed when I have other peoples children in the car, I swear that there was me and two little old ladies keeping to the set speed limit. Each of the Sea Scouts have taken something home from this trip.They were all amazed how quickly they made friends with the other Scouts, Zane tells me that he really got a better understanding of team work. TJ, tells me that he now understands what all this "Time and Tide.." stuff is all about!! Jessica has fallen in love with charts. Sarah has fallen in love with Georgia. One night after a very hard paddle against the tide and the wind, I gave a Skippers minute about how in life things are not going to always be easy and reaching your goal is going to take hard work, effort and perseverance. Allen tells me that he now has a better understanding of that, he also feels that somehow by just being out there he is a little closer to God. I'm not going to argue with him! I'm still working on why there was only white powder for my coffee!! The Scouts spent a week without I-pods, cell phones, computers. They never got to spent any money. (Happy parents?) At the end of the trek they each received a t-shirt, a fifty miler patch,a BSA high-adventure patch and a blue heron camp patch. I can't help thinking that they took home a great deal more. I made a few new friends and found everyone to be very helpful,very cheerful and very professional. Is it any wonder in an environment like that that Scouting works? Eamonn.

We take off in about 360 minutes. About 180 minutes ago I found out that the van we were to use was being towed back home!! About 120 minutes ago my printer took a spell. Normally when things like this happen I take Rory out for a walk, he seems to do better after a breath of fresh air. But he is on vacation at the Pampered Pet Palace! I'll have to have a word with him for deserting me in my hour of need. I'm glad that the van broke down when it did! I got the printer working. I'm packed. We are taking some of my cars, which I much prefer to drive. The budget just went up in smoke. The committee will have conniptions!! Coastal Empire Council, here we come!! Eamonn.

Prescriptions The taking of prescription medication is the responsibility of the individual taking the medication and/or that individual's parent or guardian. A Scout leader, after obtaining all the necessary information, can agree to accept the responsibility of making sure a Scout takes the necessary medication at the appropriate time, but BSA policy does not mandate nor necessarily encourage the Scout leader to do so. Also, if your state laws are more limiting, they must be followed. OK !! Here's my take on all of this. When dealing with little Lad's I agreed to take on the responsibility. If they wanted me to. I agreed that I would take care of the meds and set up times when I would be available to hand them out. It was up to the Lad to come and get them. (OK, so I did remind and did chase after them) My idea was that I didn't want to leave myself open for anything that might happen if a Lad didn't take them. At times I take some really heavy duty pain medication. Some of it looks like a sucker or a lollipop and tastes just like one. I'm sure the main reason why camps take charge of meds is for security. While some camps do have staff who can dispense medication, many do not. I work with old people and the only people we allow to dispense meds are LPN's and above. I'm unsure if that is a PA State law? I normally carry a few pills with me at all times in case of a flair up. I don't know when it's coming so I do my best to be prepared. I think most camp staff first aiders would be willing to work with you and comply to your wishes. If not you need to check out what the laws are in your state. You need to check out who is doing what in the Camp First Aid Station and what qualifications they have to be doing it. And if need be you can quote the G2SS. In your Troop you need to talk with the SM. At a long term camp start with the person in charge of the First Aid area, then the Camp Director and then the SE. Just because your Lad is at a Boy Scout Camp or event, you never give up your rights as a parent. They might ask you to ensure that you take steps to make sure that any meds are securely locked up and don't pose a danger to the other campers. But he is still your kid. Eamonn.

So far: The tea thing is fine -I gave up drinking it when I crossed the pond and never did drink COLD Tea -Yuck!! I don't drink very much soda/pop and never heard of dope. I do have the odd tonic water with very little ice and a lime if there is one to be had. I still have my accent after 22 years in this fair land. I have never used the Pittsburgheez.(Yins, Red the table) So I don't think it's possible for me to develop a drawl from now till Saturday. I'm OK with the Ma-am and Sir, in fact I tend to use it at work and use it with the Sea Scouts. (They are gradually coming round to calling me Skip!!) Grits are OK with dippy eggs!! If you have grits at Dinner and Breakfast why not Lunch? As to the "War of Northern Aggression." I keep thinking of the episode of Fawlty Towers, when the Germans come to stay at the hotel and Basil keeps telling everyone not to mention the war. I'm well armed with Gold Bond, Sun block, Deet, a big floppy hat. I have no idea how you go about catching a shrimp? Most of the Squid I've seen have been a fair size, if you use that for bait you must be catching some really big fish? It's a shame this is a Scouting trip, I really like to find a little off the beaten path local and talk with the locals, my accent normally acts as an ice breaker. I suppose me thanking everyone for naming their State after one of our Kings wouldn't go over that well. Eamonn

Hi Mom, Summer camp is fun. Could you please send more money, last nights poker game wiped me out. Tell Dad that he was wrong, our Scoutmaster says you can have a four in a royal flush.Boy is he lucky he won every hand last night Dad was right about pitching tents on top of ant hills. When you send the money, send some tomato juice. I don't seem able to get the skunk smell out of my hair. It's a good thing that there aren't any alligators down here. Terry fell in the river, it wasn't his fault he was reading the map.Our Scoutmaster says that we need to work on that. Every morning they have a polar bear swim, we don't go, we just feed the bears that are in the woods. We have a big day tomorrow. We are going on a hike and burying a cat in a hole. I'm not sure who brought a dead cat? It's really strange our SM keeps talking about making flowers out of toilet paper. I watched Tim take his swim test and found out why they call it red, white and blue. When you jump in the water is so cold that you turn white, Tim got real red and when they fished him out his lips were blue.He gets to do again tomorrow. Must go now we have a campfire, the SM says that he is cremating someone called Sam McGee, maybe Sam was his cat? Your Loving Son Eamonn.

We depart for Georgia early Saturday. I never really gave much thought to Georgia not being Pennsylvania?? I phoned one of the Guides and she started talking about a "Real Frog Strangler" Of course I had no idea what she was talking about! I thought maybe just as OJ used to catch lightning Bugs when he was a little fellow, that young kids in Georgia did much the same thing with frogs. I was wrong. What she was saying was that they'd had some hard rain! Later I e-mailed something about breakfast and she said that she had some squid!! I've had caviar for breakfast in Norway and Sweden and eaten squid in Greece. It's OK, made better with some Metaxa, but do they really eat squid for breakfast? I'm OK with being called a Limey. Should I avoid the word "Reb"? One Lady keeps referring to herself as a "Flat land Georgia Girl" (She is over 45!) I thought all the females were Georgia Peaches? Would anyone be offended if I asked for a peach in place of the squid for breakfast? While we are away we will be fishing for Shrimp and crab. I'm not very keen on hot sauce. Do they use a lot and how hot is it? (I learned the hard way with chili in New Mexico!!) Any tips you have that would prevent me from seeming like a real twit would be much appreciated. I'm not eating squid for breakfast maybe dinner, but not breakfast!! Eamonn Are the bugs in Georgia as big as the monsters they have in Florida?

"I turned the corner. I saw a person talking and gesticulating, and assumed he was talking on a cell phone--but in fact, he was talking to himself." That more than lightly was me preparing for the next quarterdeck meeting!! Eamonn.

I'm still trying to make sense of the Venturing program. OGE did a good job in something he posted the other day. I don't by any means think that an older Lad in a well balanced, well ran Troop has any need to join Venturing or even Sea Scouts!! Next week we are joining a Troop from Georgia on our Sea Kayaking Adventure. I have been in contact with the SM via E-mail. He seems like a very nice fellow. He listed all the great trips that the Scouts had done. It was a great list, Philmont, Northern Tier you name it. I was impressed. But sadly reading between the lines I see that the Troop is slowly but surely dieing. We got to talking about individual Scouts and it's the same Scouts who attend all these great trips, only there are less of them. I have watched the Troop that OJ is in. (I offered to help with anything they needed, but they never asked.) They do well with little Lad's crossing over. They do well with parents who sign on. But they do the same old stuff every year with the exception of the summer trip, which is a bus trip to a big city. The little guys do well until they reach about 13 or 14 and then they are gone. Leaving only a handful of older Scouts. Part of the problem as I see it is that we get too many new Scouts at one time. I think I must be becoming more grumpy in my old age. These new "Leaders" who cross over with their son don't seem to add much to the leadership, they are there to keep an eye on their kid and help push him into reaching Eagle Scout. They don't seem to get it! And get in the way of allowing the Scouts to do the leading.In fact they prevent their son from reaching his full potential. I don't know how true it is? And I can't find any numbers to back it up, but a lot of Sea Scouter's are stating that "The average age of an Eagle Scout is now 14 years old." While I know that there are some Scouts who are real go getters, who can earn the rank by 14. I'm not so sure about 14 being the average age. If it is true? What keeps a Scout active until he is 18 or even 16? Eagledad, you brought up "Ages and Stages" I know you didn't mean the video used in training. But I can't help thinking of the little Lad who wants the old Lad to go and play baseball. The older Lad is surrounded by his pals of the same age. He isn't sure what he really wants to do. Of course in the end he plays with the little fellow. I really don't see "Losing Older Scouts to Venturing" as the big problem. The big problem is retaining the younger 13 and 14 year olds so that they become older Scouts and can lead the Troop, while still having fun with Scouts of their own age. Eamonn.

Hey Eagledad, Much as I enjoy our little chats, I do hope that others will join in and this just doesn't become a Barry and Eamonn chat. We could discuss the age groups that we now have. But being as we have them and I don't see them changing anytime soon. That would be a waste of time. I think we would both agree that more than anything Troops are built on relationships. I tend to think of each and every Lad who came through the Troop I served as being one of my kids. One thing I found very hard when I was a young new leader (SM) was allowing new Scouts in. I somehow, more by luck than judgment found that I had a great bunch of Scouts, who were very dedicated to participating in just about everything we as a Troop were doing. They enjoyed doing the same sort of stuff that I enjoyed and we seemed to be good at it!! Sadly like Little Jackie Paper in Puff the Magic dragon these Lads grew up and grew old!! It's all to easy to say that there ought to be a balance. But we here in the USA don't have much control about how many little fellows will cross over into the Troop. Most SM's I know, seem to take receiving an entire gaggle of little Lads as a pat on the back. As you know I'm not a great fan of the NSP. I happen to think that mixed age patrols work better and to my mind are more in line with what Scouting should be. If my memory serves me well I seem to remember that you are not a great fan of Venturing Patrols.(Which can't work if you have mixed age Patrols) I agree that in mixed age Patrols the older Scouts for different reasons can and do care about the younger Scouts or maybe they just care about the Patrol? Still there is a need to ensure that the older guys are getting their fair share of adventure, fun and challenges. This might be easy in a unit with enough adult help, but it's really hard in units where there isn't a lot of adults or the adults don't have the skills. Sure we can pack the little Lad's off to the local Council Summer camp and take the older guys to a High Adventure Base. But who takes them when there isn't the adult help? I was up at our camp tonight. Talking to the Camp Commissioner, he said that he can't remember names or Troop numbers but he remembers what site each Troop uses. They are there at the same week, the same site and the same camp year after year after year. It's hard to knock a volunteer who is devoting a weeks vacation to take other peoples kids away for a week. But after 3 or 4 years the Scouts feel that they have "Done That, Been There.." I have to admit that I changed what I was doing and started seeing the new recruits as the most important members of the Troop. In part because I felt I had the older guys and felt they weren't going any where!! I went out of my way to ensure that all the members of the PLC (Mainly the older Scouts) were made to feel special. The Scouts used to tease me about saying "Have you asked your Patrol Leader?" Repeatedly. I really think that you are looking very long term. Sadly I'm not sure if a Troop with only a couple of older Scouts, will hold on to these older Scouts. Maybe the answer is making long term goals with the younger Scouts? The 12 or 13 year old Scouts. We found that our summer expeditions really did help to hold the Scouts in the Troop, every second year we went some place that the Scouts seen as different or exciting. While Venturing might not be right for every Lad, we do have to remember that Boy Scouting might not be right and some Scouts will get more out of Venturing and of course everyone would get more out of Sea Scouting (He says with a grin!! Eamonn.

I'm both pleased and proud to say that he passed the BOR. The application was signed by the SE (Who was up at camp). So now once it's been approved by the National guys. He will be an Eagle Scout. Her Who Must Be Obeyed will get to use all the Eagle Scout napkins, cups and other junk that he has been storing. Which will make her happy. I'm going to write to Buck House see if the Queen will send anything? Going to try his Holiness The Pope as well. Oz, took a gander at your site-You know your Queens Scout patch is exactly the same as mine. Eamonn Very Proud Father, I just wish that Her Who Must Be Obeyed had been well enough to drive up with me.

Thanks Oz, Do you still have Queen Scouts? What is your Scout Promise? Just wondering. My little Sister is now working for Minter Ellison, which I hear is big in your part of the world. She is in Hong Kong, buts gets to visit Australia every now and then. She tells me that it's great over there. I'm thinking of sending OJ over to Hong Kong as a graduation gift next year. (He can free load off my Sister!!) Eamonn.

Maybe I'm being a little shall we say "Defensive"? But the phrase "Losing Older Scouts to Venturing" just doesn't sit well, with me. Some thoughts I have: I watched OJ (My son) lose interest in the Troop he was in. It is by no means an example of how a by the book (Whatever that might mean??) Troop should be run, but he was active and happy until he reached about 15. He served his time as SPL and then there wasn't much going on that really interested him, so over time he became more of a visitor than active participant. Sure he attended some of the camp outs, but they were held at the same old places and the program seemed to be all about helping the "Little Scouts". Even their hero worship for him got old after a while!! I think if it hadn't been for his involvement with the OA and then Sea Scouts he would be gone. Talking with Scouts who are joining the Ship the big thing I keep hearing is that they don't want to work with the little Scouts. I know we would like things to be like the Rockwell painting with older Scouts spending countless hours helping younger Scouts, but that's just not what is happening. Part of the problem I seen with OJ was a catch 22 problem, he wasn't showing up enough to be counted on and when he did turn up there was nothing for him to do because they didn't know he was coming, so he ended up doing nothing. A lot of the requirements in Venturing require that the Venturers teach /share what they have learned to others. So while it might seem they are "Lost" they are in fact doing something more worth while than just visiting. I really think it has to be better that a Lad moves into Venturing than just quits and becomes an Ex-Scout, then we really have lost him. We promise Scouts a lot of things in the Boy Scout Handbook. It never hurts to go back and re-read what we promise. Then ask if you are really providing this to ALL the Scouts in the Troop? 15 and 16 year old Lad's really long for fun, adventure and challenges. If all you are offering (And I'm sure your not!!) is the opportunity to act as nurse maid to the little fellows then is it any wonder they want to move? At times the older Scouts feel out numbered by the younger Scouts. In our District it seems that we lose a lot of Scouts before they reach 15 or 16. Looking at the Den that crossed over with OJ. Of the nine Webelos Scouts in that Den he is the only one still in Scouting. In fact most of them were gone soon after they were 14. Could it be that maybe you are a little to close to the Crew? We as a Ship are not connected to any other unit. Some of our Sea Scouts are still active in Troops. However when we plan things we do so for the Ship. If there is a clash with a Troop activity it's up to the Lad to choose which or what activity he wants to participate in. I in fact have gone out of my way to try and make sure that we don't participate in Boy Scout activities like Camporees and competitions. This isn't going over very well with some members of the District, but my thinking is that we don't invite Boy Scouts to participate in Pine Wood Derbies, we need to have clear lines of what is a Boy Scout activity and what is a Venturing or Sea Scout activity. Sure we will send our Scouts in to help go over skills that they can pass on, but when they are done they come home to the Ship. I think maybe meeting with the guys from the Crew and working out a plan of what you can do for each other might help. I really don't think we lose kids to the next program, after all we all are working toward the same end. Eamonn.

I think that maybe part of the problem is that there really are no rules of etiquette.. We were in a big hospital the other week. They have done away with paging and replaced it with giving everyone cell phones. The Doc who was seeing Her Who Must Be Obeyed, took 3 calls while he was with her. I don't see my six year old phone as being cool. It lives in the car. I don't as a rule carry it. If anything, while I accept that it is or can be useful, I see it as a pain. I don't have any need to download stuff to it, or watch the World Cup on it. But kids are different. OJ keeps all his appointments on his and uses all sorts of the extras. Some years back the school he attends banned cell phones and pagers. The reason given by the school board had something to do with dealing drugs. The rule still stands, but is not enforced, in fact there was a big article about which phones are the coolest in the school newspaper. Kind of a don't get caught rule? I had strongly suggested that the Scouts who went to the 2005 Jambo not take phones, in keeping with what was in the guide book. The ever so friendly guys working in maintenance were kind enough to allow me to recharge my phone and camera batteries. So I left my phone in the cook box that we had in the fly we used for PLC meetings. The deal was it was there if anyone wanted to use it, but don't get silly!! The Scouts were really good about it, some choose not to use it others just made quick calls and the parents didn't call with silly things. Eamonn.

Have to admit that I find some of the Venturing requirements a little strange. Seems that one day we are going on about leave no trace and the next we are building shelters using stuff we shouldn't be using if we follow leave no trace. Backwoods cooking is or can be a lot of fun, but looking at the web sites it seems that only Boy Scouts practice this and it's becoming a lost art. Maybe it's just me bit it does seem odd? Eamonn.