fgoodwin

Hiking Around in Circles? Probably, Study Says

By HENRY FOUNTAIN

Published: August 20, 2009

With countless thousands of Americans hitting the hiking trails this month for one last summer adventure, it is a sure bet that some of them will get lost along the way. Those fortunate enough to make it back may be convinced that they spent hours walking in circles.

Scientists in Germany reported Thursday that this often-described sense of lost-hiker dj vu, of having inadvertently backtracked while wandering in the woods, is real. People really do walk in circles, said Jan L. Souman of the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics in Tbingen.

The findings, published in the journal Current Biology, do not surprise many back-country guides, rescuers and other hiking experts, who say that to avoid walking in circles or otherwise getting lost, hikers should rely on a simple compass, or a more complicated device like a GPS unit, rather than themselves.

Just about everybody who has spent considerable time in the woods has probably experienced being lost and feeling as if they have become turned around, said Carroll M. Ware, a licensed guide in Maine. If theyll admit it, he added.

Mr. Ware and others said there was a sure way to avoid such an outcome by heeding the one critical piece of advice for hikers who are hopelessly disoriented.

Your job as the lost person is to sit down, he said. By moving you make everybodys job more difficult.

[excerpted]

Hal, I agree with your comments.

In the past, I would've posted the entire article, but a few years ago, the author of one of the articles I posted asked me to stop doing that, so I did. I posted the excerpt and link hoping others would read the full article -- but at some point in the time the article will be taken down, and all we'll have left is the excerpt I posted and comments like yours.

In any event, I hope these efforts succeed in getting more people outdoors, and maybe even into Scouting.

Plugged In to Nature, Wired to World

Pre-Pitched Tents, High-Tech Gear Aim to Entice Internet Generation

By Lori Aratani

Washington Post Staff Writer

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

The idea of "roughing it" has taken on a new meaning.

The Coleman outdoors company sells air mattresses with built-in alarm clocks and night lights and tents outfitted with "integrated lighting systems" and auto-roll windows. For those who can't bear to be unplugged for any length of time, DirecTV has a portable satellite, and Kampgrounds of America offers wireless Internet at most of its campsites.

And for a small fee, employees at Montgomery County's Little Bennett Regional Park will set up a fully furnished campsite, complete with tent that sleeps four, chairs, propane stove and lantern. Marshmallows are optional.

With fewer people participating in outdoor activities, retailers and park officials are doing everything they can to coax them into the great outdoors. Hard-core campers may sniff at the level of hand-holding -- air mattresses equipped with built-in speakers for MP3 players -- but some environmentalists and outdoors advocates applaud the efforts. That's because they worry that a population more familiar with Google than the Grand Canyon ultimately could hurt conservation efforts.

[excerpted]

Ken Burns visits the national parks

'The National Parks: America's Best Idea,' a six-part documentary, premieres Sept. 27 on PBS.

By Martin Miller, Maria Elena Fernandez and Kate Aurthur

August 3, 2009

Better make those park reservations now.

Ken Burns' "The National Parks: America's Best Idea," a six-part, 12-hour documentary celebrating the virtues of the country's nearly 400 federally protected spaces, sets up camp on PBS on Sept. 27 and stays through Oct. 2.

The country's most famous documentarian, who spoke Saturday during the semiannual Television Critics Assn. press tour in Pasadena, is hoping to do for the national parks what he did for its battlefields after the airing of his landmark PBS series "The Civil War" when visits to sites like Gettysburg skyrocketed by as much as 300%.

"We want the superintendents angry at us because of all the Popsicle wrappers they'll have to clean up," Burns said. "It's a good problem to have."

Collateral nuisances like trash and traffic jams notwithstanding, large swells of visitors will help ensure the park system's vitality and transcendent importance to the country, Burns said -- although, with about 275 million annual visitors and the green movement on the rise, it seems unlikely the parks will go unnoticed any time soon.

Without the shield of the national park system, Burns argued, places like Yosemite would be a gated community and Yellowstone would be an amusement park.

The American-born idea, which Burns characterized as the Declaration of Independence applied to the landscape, spurred other nations to preserve some of their lands for the public as well. Today, more than 200 countries have set aside more than 4,000 sites.

Asked if the lengthy series was a tough sell, especially in comparison with many of his earlier works about sports, music and war, Burns said no. "The drama is as dramatic as anything else," he said.

martin.miller@latimes.com

maria.elena.fernandez@latimes.com

kate.aurthur@latimes.com

The last time I checked, the summertime activity pin was not rank-based, so it doesn't matter what rank the boys are (or were) when they earned it.

Give it to them and don't sweat the details!

Thanx Gern -- they should put you in charge of rewriting the G2SS!

If bear canisters don't work and bear bags are obsolete, what to do?

According to this article in the Smithsonian Magazine, Charles Atlas was an "active promoter" of Scouting:

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history-archaeology/50727752.html

But that's all it says -- does anyone know anything more about Charles Atlas and his relationship to Scouting? It would be nice if BSA could find a spokesperson today that has the appeal that Atlas had in his day . . .

Tex-Mex Dad said exactly what I was gonna say: what in the world were those folks thinking?

Whoever on the Council Board approved that project, before the merger was even finalized, s/b dismissed and barred from ever serving on another GS Board, period. All of the Council officers s/b dismissed and barred from ever serving GSUSA again.

I know those actions won't save this council, but should serve as a lesson to other councils.

Bear-Proof Can Is Pop-Top Picnic for a Crafty Thief

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/25/nyregion/25bear.html

By LISA W. FODERARO

Published: July 24, 2009

NORTH ELBA, N.Y. It was built to be impenetrable, from its super rugged transparent polycarbonate housing to its intricate double-tabbed lid that would keep campers food in and bears paws out.

But in one corner of the Adirondacks, campers started to notice that the BearVault, a popular canister designed to keep food and other necessities safe, was being compromised. First through circumstantial evidence, then from witness reports, it became clear that in most cases, the conqueror was a relatively tiny, extremely shy middle-aged black bear named Yellow-Yellow.

Before they used canisters, campers often stored food in bags, typically hung from cables slung between trees, which inadvertently made for one-stop shopping for bears.

They had learned that when they saw a bag in the air, there had to be a rope someplace and they learned to bite or slice the line, said Neil Woodworth, executive director of the Adirondack Mountain Club, a conservation and recreation group.

[excerpted]

Maybe you could get a nearby troop to setup a monkey bridge? We always had one at the Montgomery County Fair and it was very popular, especially with younger kids.

Gern, BSA has memoranda of understanding with several religious groups, including Islamic, Jewish & Buddhist Scouting Associations -- how does that make BSA a Christian organization?

OK, I know it isn't cool to reply to your own post, but I didn't get a chance to post a reply to the comments on the article about the atheist summer camp in the UK, and I agree with OGE's decision to close that thread.

But this article and that one are related, so I will comment now: I highlighted the key statement in this article: AHG was founded as an alternative to GSUSA. Rather than complain about GSUSA policies, they took a more constructive approach and built a new organization.

I wish those who curse BSA and want to sue it into submission would take a lesson from AHG and Richard Dawkins: rather than trying to bend BSA to your will, how about doing something constructive instead like creating an alternative? To those who claim BSA has a monopoly, I say BSA has no more a monopoly than GSUSA, and that didn't stop the founders of AHG from creating an alternative organization, and it didn't stop Dawkins from creating camps that cater to non-believers.

American Heritage Girls gain momentum

http://www.journal-news.com/news/hamilton-news/american-heritage-girls-gain-momentum-184027.html

9:14 AM Tuesday, June 30, 2009

By Lindsey Hilty, Staff Writer

Hamilton Journal-News

With a newly announced partnership with the Boy Scouts of America and a rapidly growing popularity in the group, the American Heritage Girls are looking to become a household name.

American Heritage Girls is dedicated to its Christ-centered mission of building women of integrity through service to God, family and commitment, according to organizers. The emphasis is meeting the spiritual, mental, physical and social needs for young women in a non-denominational group that partners with local Christian churches, para-churches and private schools.

The group is now officially recognized in a Memorandum of Mutual Support with the Boy Scouts of America, because both groups share the same values. It was the first partnership of its kind formed in the 100 year history of boy scouts, said American Heritage Girls founder and National Executive Director, Patti Garibay of West Chester Twp.

Garibay started the group in 2005 as a faith-based alternative to Girl Scouts, where she volunteered for 13 years prior to a shift in Girl Scout oaths that no longer acknowledge God.

Rather than cursing the darkness, we decided to light a candle and start something new, she said. God had a much bigger plan for it, and it grew beyond our thoughts and dreams.

What started as 100 girls locally has grown to 210 troops nationwide with 8,000 total participants of girls ages 5-18.

To find out more about American Heritage Girls, call Heart of America at (513) 772-4462 or visit http://www.ahgonline.org

[excerpted]

[emphasis added]

ghermanno, you say Cubs are "supposed" to do family camping.

I would agree that Cubs are certainly encouraged to camp as a family on Pack overnighters, organized and led by a BALOO-trained adult. But if you're implying that Cubs are LIMITED to family camping, I'd have to disagree somewhat.

Its been a couple of years since I saw one, but I thought the Cub Scout Outdoor Program Guidelines were pretty clear that Wolves, Bears and Webelos may attend Council-organized resident camps.

Eagle732: in my son's former troop, most advancement requirements were signed-off on a campout.

At the troop meeting following a campout, any Scout that had advancement requirements signed-off presented his HB to the SM. The SM and advancement chair then updated Troop Master to record the completed advancements. So the individual advancement record was as current as we could make it.

I don't know if a Scout ever lost his HB between sign-off and turn-in, but if he did, he would need to "restore" only an "incremental back-up" (his recollection), as it were.

Therell be no tent for God at Camp Dawkins (UK)

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article6591231.ece

Britains most prominent non-believer is backing its first atheist summer camp for children.

June 28, 2009

Lois Rogers

WHEN schoolchildren break up for their summer holidays at the end of next month, India Jago, aged 12, and her brother Peter, 11, will be taking a vacation with a twist.

While their friends jet off to Spain or the Greek islands, the siblings will be hunting for imaginary unicorns in Somerset, while learning about moral philosophy. The Jagos, from Basingstoke, Hampshire, are among 24 children who will be taking part in Britains first summer camp for atheists.

The five-day retreat is being subsidised by Richard Dawkins, the evolutionary biologist and author of The God Delusion, and is intended to provide an alternative to faith-based summer camps normally run by the Scouts and Christian groups.

Crispian Jago, an IT consultant, is hoping the experience will enrich his two children.

Im very keen on not indoctrinating them with religion or creeds, he said this weekend. I would rather equip them with the tools to learn how to think, not what to think.

While afternoons at the camp will involve familiar activities such as canoeing and swimming, the youngsters mornings will be spent debunking supernatural phenomena such as the formation of crop circles and telepathy. Even Uri Gellers apparent ability to bend spoons with his mind will come under scrutiny.

The emphasis on critical thinking is epitomised by a test called the Invisible Unicorn Challenge. Children will be told by camp leaders that the area around their tents is inhabited by two unicorns. The activities of these creatures, of which there will be no physical evidence, will be regularly discussed by organisers, yet the children will be asked to prove that the unicorns do not exist. Anyone who manages to prove this will win a 10 note - which features an image of Charles Darwin, the father of evolutionary theory - signed by Dawkins, a former professor of the public understanding of science at Oxford University.

The unicorns are not necessarily a metaphor for God, they are to show kids that you cant prove a negative, said Saman-tha Stein, who is leading next months camp at the Mill on the Brue outdoor activity centre close to Bruton, Somerset.

We are not trying to bash religion, but it encourages people to believe in a lot of things for which there is no evidence.

Stein, 23, a postgraduate psychology student from London, was inspired to work at an atheist summer camp in America after reading The God Delusion, the bestselling book that sealed Dawkinss reputation as Britains most prominent non-believer. Stein is now helping to bring the US concept, called Camp Quest, to Britain as an alternative to faith-based childrens retreats.

The Scout Association, which has 500,000 members who collectively spend 2m nights camping out each year, is Britains biggest organiser of childrens camps. All new Scouts - whether Christian, Jewish, Muslim or from another religious background - are required to pledge to do their duty to their god or faith. Atheism, however, is not accounted for in this induction oath.

Christian organisations that run summer camps include the Church Pastoral Aid Society, an evangelical group, which operates 100 schemes attended by about 9,000 children.

Camp Quest was founded in America, where Bible classes and Christian retreats are widespread, by Edwin Kagin, an atheist lawyer from Kentucky.

Since launching in 1996, Camp Quest operates at six different US sites, with a new camp due to open in Florida at Christmas.

Amanda Metskas is currently supervising 71 children at a Camp Quest project in Clarkesville, Ohio. Her classes include a session called Socrates Cafe, which debates issues such as definitions of knowledge, art and justice. We teach them that even people like Sir David Attenborough are religious sceptics, said Metskas.

Kagin, 68, the son of a church minister, will be visiting the camp in Somerset next month.Richard Dawkins has made a contribution towards the setting up of the camp in England, but I think now the idea has a momentum of its own, he said.

A week-long stay at the Mill on the Brue Activity Centre normally costs more than 500, but parents who have booked their children on the Camp Quest package are paying 275. Next year Stein hopes to run atheist camps at Easter and during school half-term breaks.

Additional reporting: Philip Connolly

BSA moved the FAQ that defined these terms:

Rank Advancement

Question: Rank advancement requires a Scout to demonstrate Scout spirit. How is Scout spirit defined and determined?

Answer: Scout spirit applies to how a Scout lives and conducts his daily life. He shows Scout spirit by being a role model to his peers, living by the Scout Oath and Law. The concept of Scout spirit is not based on how many Scouting events or outings a Scout attends, but rather by how he helps bring out the best in others as a reflection of his own character and attitude in his daily life.

Question: For the Star, Life, and Eagle Scout ranks, how is "Be active in your troop and patrol" defined?

Answer: A Scout is considered to be active in his unit if:

1. He is registered in his unit (registration fees are current).

2. He has not been dismissed from his unit for disciplinary reasons.

3. He is engaged by his unit leadership on a regular basis (Scoutmaster conference, informs the Scout of upcoming unit activities, through personal contact, and so on).

The unit leaders are responsible for maintaining contact with the Scout on a regular basis. The Scout is not required to attend any certain percentage of activities or outings. However, unit leaders must ensure that he is fulfilling the obligations of his assigned leadership position. If he is not, then they should remove the Scout from that position.

Pack212Scouter, attendance is mentioned twice on the National BSA webpage re: Boy Scout advancement, but I would think it applies equally to Cub Scouts:

Rank Advancement

Question: Rank advancement requires a Scout to demonstrate Scout spirit. How is Scout spirit defined and determined?

Answer: Scout spirit applies to how a Scout lives and conducts his daily life. He shows Scout spirit by being a role model to his peers, living by the Scout Oath and Law. The concept of Scout spirit is not based on how many Scouting events or outings a Scout attends, but rather by how he helps bring out the best in others as a reflection of his own character and attitude in his daily life.

Question: For the Star, Life, and Eagle Scout ranks, how is "Be active in your troop and patrol" defined?

Answer: A Scout is considered to be active in his unit if:

1. He is registered in his unit (registration fees are current).

2. He has not been dismissed from his unit for disciplinary reasons.

3. He is engaged by his unit leadership on a regular basis (Scoutmaster conference, informs the Scout of upcoming unit activities, through personal contact, and so on).

The unit leaders are responsible for maintaining contact with the Scout on a regular basis. The Scout is not required to attend any certain percentage of activities or outings. However, unit leaders must ensure that he is fulfilling the obligations of his assigned leadership position. If he is not, then they should remove the Scout from that position.

Lisabob writes:How can you expect people to exercise their rights or safeguard their liberties from excessive gov't intrusions, or make good electoral choices, when they don't have the slightest idea of what those rights are, why we have them, or what government is actually supposed to do and how it is supposed to work! To maintain a functional and vibrant democracy actually requires quite a lot of a country's citizens.So what do you propose?

Gern, if the request is p*ssing you off so much, why don't ask your DE why its necessary?

We can't read his or her mind, so why on earth are you asking us?

The advancement report states that MBCs must be registered as MBCs.

However, the form does not require the name of the MBC, so there is actually no way the Council will know who was the MBC and thus no way to verify the MBC's registration, unless the Council asks the Scout or the unit for that info.

As for MBCs not counseling out-of-council Scouts, I wasn't aware of that limitation. It certainly makes sense but it must also be true that an exception is made for summer camp MBCs.

According to a recent study of civics literacy by the Intercollegiate Studies Institute:

* Fewer than half of all Americans can name all three branches of government, a minimal requirement for understanding Americas constitutional system.

* Only 24% of college graduates know the First Amendment prohibits establishing an official religion for the United States.

* Nearly a third of the respondents failed to name two of America's enemies in World War Two; 22% of college graduates did not answer that question successfully.

* 54% of respondents (and only 44% of 18- to 34-year-olds) knew that Congress shares foreign policy power with the President; nearly a quarter (and almost a third of elected officials!) believed Congress shares such power with the United Nations.

* Thirty percent of elected officials do not know that life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are the inalienable rights referred to in the Declaration of Independence.

* Only 21% of those surveyed know that the phrase government of the people, by the people, for the people comes from Lincolns Gettysburg Address.

* Although Congress has voted twice in the last eight years to approve foreign wars, only 53% of those surveyed know that the power to declare war belongs to Congress. Almost 40% incorrectly believe it belongs to the President.

* Less than one in five of those surveyed know that the phrase a wall of separation between church and state comes from a letter by Thomas Jefferson. Almost half incorrectly believe it can be found in the Constitution.

http://www.isi.org/

As BSRT Commissioner, a former district training chair and former UC, I've never considered district jobs of a "higher order" or somehow superior to unit level positions.

Quite the contrary, I've always viewed every district position I've held as being of service to units and unit Scouters. And it certainly is not the case that CMs and SMs somehow "report to" a district commissioner. A DC and UCs are counselors to a unit, but have no say in how a unit is actually run or how the unit selects its leaders.

Just because BSA has an organizational hierarchy doesn't mean there are corresponding chains of command.

June 13, 2009: National Get Outdoors Day

http://www.nationalgetoutdoorsday.org/

National Get Outdoors Day is a new annual event to encourage healthy, active outdoor fun. Participating partners will offer opportunities for American families to experience traditional and non-traditional types of outdoor activities. Prime goals of the day are reaching first-time visitors to public lands and reconnecting our youth to the great outdoors.

Steering Committee:

http://www.getoutdoorsusa.org/

Boy Scouts of America

The Coleman Company

Discover Boating

Good Sam Club

Go RVing

International Mountain Bicycling Association

National Association of State Park Directors

National Forest Foundation

National Park Hospitality Association

National Park Service

National Ski Areas Association

National Wildlife Federation

and many more