fgoodwin

What's Wrong With This Outfit, Mom? http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/18/AR2005111801778.html http://tinyurl.com/ex83c By Patricia Dalton Sunday, November 20, 2005; B01 I heard about it in my kitchen before I read about it in the newspaper: After visiting the expanded Tysons Corner Center this fall, my 23-year-old daughter said, "You won't believe how weird Victoria's Secret's gotten: It's all red and black with a bunch of mannequins that look like porn stars." Some shoppers were so outraged at the raunchy lingerie display that they threatened to boycott the store; others just yawned. I've been hearing a variation on this theme with increasing frequency in my office. Mothers voice distress over the suggestive clothing their teen and preteen daughters are wearing, inside and outside the house. In fact, conflict over clothing is what prompts them to come in for family therapy. The daughters themselves may be imperious or sullen, but almost all employ the everyone-is-doing-it excuse. And an awful lot of girls are doing it. Women once complained about being reduced to sex objects. Now, their daughters are volunteering to be sex objects. And while parents register disapproval, they often fail to take action. In that failure, they unwittingly place their daughters at risk by allowing them to bypass girlhood. When a daughter moves straight from little girl to woman, she's playing a role rather than gradually learning to live her own life. These girls may seem whole, but they aren't. There is often a lost girl inside. Many who endorse provocative styles of dress have picked up on the liberal message of the '60s and taken it a step further. They see those who express distaste over the sexually explicit as hung up, old-fashioned. One young woman pointed out to me, "It's almost politically incorrect to say that something is inappropriate." One of the most unsettling sights today is that of little girls dressed in teeny bikinis at the pool, or walking around in low-rise pants with midriff tops, or in heels and skimpy dresses, sometimes complete with makeup and jewelry. And this doesn't occur only at dance recitals. It can be everyday attire. Have we come a long way, baby? The Lennon Sisters and Gidget of girlhoods gone by are light-years from today's Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan. The bridge between these two generations of stars was Madonna -- before she had children and cleaned up her act. Sometime over the past couple of decades, while we adults weren't looking, class went out and trash came in. Think back a few decades (if you're old enough) to the arrival of the pill, the first reliable method of birth control. What we're witnessing now is the fallout from the subsequent sexual revolution. Gone was the fear of unwanted pregnancy. Along came the assumption that sexual problems were the result of hang-ups, and that relaxing the strictures and structure would free everyone to live in a kind of sexual utopia. Well, the so-called utopia is here, and older women have reason to be alarmed at the dangers young women are bringing upon themselves. These girls are treated as objects just as surely as in any earlier generation. It's pre-liberation treatment in post-liberation disguise. "Turn back before it's too late!" we want to warn them -- because what awaits them is not Prince Charming. It is more likely to be loneliness and regret. For some reason, though, many adult women are failing to follow the instincts they've relied on for eons to protect themselves and their daughters. No longer are there common standards of dress and behavior -- which parents, schools and society used to work together to enforce. In my high school, we wore uniforms; your skirt had to touch the floor when you knelt -- and the teachers checked! Parents are left to fight it out, from neckline to hemline, with their teenage daughters. Mothers who come into my office frequently express doubt about their own judgment, not knowing where to draw the line when their daughters dress provocatively. Girls, meanwhile, freely admit that they are only aping what they see in the media. One young woman told me, "I love 'Sex and the City,' but I know it's contributed" to the problem. "Desperate Housewives" does, too. It's hardly surprising: Jessica Simpson and her husband agreed to have an MTV camera record virtually their every move as newlyweds. Paris Hilton unwittingly personifies the harm that women do to themselves and their capacity for intimacy when she says: "My boyfriends always tell me I'm sexy. Sexy, but not sexual." The lights are on, but there's nobody home. When I see little kids dressed like vamps, I'm reminded of the words of author Marie Winn in her 1981 book "Children Without Childhood": "The age of protection has ended." She described the research of the Austrian animal behaviorist Konrad Lorenz regarding what he called neotenic characteristics in the young of various species and the purpose they serve. In children, these characteristics include outsized heads and eyes, and short, rounded bodily proportions. Lorenz hypothesized that these traits function as built-in "releasing mechanisms," eliciting nurturing, protective responses from adults. Parents -- sometimes without even realizing it -- put their daughters at risk when they camouflage these features by allowing them to dress in adult ways. Such dress prompts the child to imitate adult female behavior that she doesn't understand. This can short-circuit normal development. It can also encourage older children and adults to relate to these young girls as sexual beings, sometimes with tragic consequences. My younger sister told me a story about visiting the home of friends when the teenage daughter's date arrived. The daughter came downstairs in a T-shirt that read, "Strippers do it with poles." The parents seemed nonplussed; it was the boy who said to them, "You're letting her go out of the house in that ?" Some parents are just misguided when it comes to monitoring their daughters' dress. I will be the first to admit that mental health experts have contributed to the problem. A good example is the school of thought once prevalent among psychologists that even young kids need to have a voice in all decisions that affect them -- with the corollary that, if they marshal a particularly good argument, they can often get what they want. Another approach is to give children two choices, rather than telling them what they have to do. But my personal favorite is the zany idea that parents should never say "No," because it would be too negative! It isn't surprising that they also have a tough time telling their daughters, "You're not going out of this house in that outfit. End of subject." Another even bigger problem I see is indecision: Parents lack confidence in their instincts and in their judgment. Previous generations had no trouble making hard and fast rules. Parents in those days looked like and conducted themselves as adults and role models; kids and teenagers wanted to grow up and get the perks of adult life as soon as possible. Therapists see the inverse today. There are lots of parents who are uncomfortable with their grownup role and want to be young again; their kids don't want to grow up, or wish to postpone it as long as possible. There are definitely cases I see in which girls imitate their mothers' sexy style of dress, with their mothers' blessing. (Although there was one high school girl who confided that she was glad she didn't have a mother who looked like Goldie Hawn -- too tough an act to follow!) But the majority of mothers want their daughters to dress more conservatively but are afraid to take their daughters on. Fathers, too. They make the mistake of thinking that a good relationship is largely conflict-free. One mother said to me, "I hate to rock the boat when she's a teenager; we got along so well when she was little." They don't want a child who complains about them to her friends and the rest of the world on her blog. I've polled a number of therapist colleagues, and virtually everyone agreed: We almost never see autocratic, dictatorial parents today; it is far more common to see parents who have relinquished power, and kids who have assumed it. Which makes for very unhappy young people. They are petulant and angry; they lack respect for their parents because their parents haven't inspired respect through real leadership. Without that leadership, kids have trouble recognizing lines of propriety. Boys don't know where the line is and where to stop; and girls -- or gurrrrrrrrls, as the new terminology puts it -- who have become accustomed to their deliberately outr styles of dress, are displaying increasingly aggressive sexual behavior. One example of this aggression recently played out at a local private school, where it was charmingly dubbed "robbing the cradle." Two senior girls each solicited a freshman boy for sexual purposes by wearing a T-shirt to school with "I want (boy's name)" on it. It created quite a stir and bestowed some status on the younger boys in question. It also puts parents on alert that in our sexually predatory culture, parents also need to worry about safeguarding their boys from the girls, not just vice versa. The girls who dress the most outrageously are often those most starved for adult male attention, first and foremost from their fathers. This happens most commonly with girls whose fathers have disappeared from their lives, perhaps following a divorce, or because their workaholic schedules leave them little time for their children. Children who are raised with attention and affection tend to identify with and admire their parents. This identification is the basis for both discipline and the transmission of values. Without it, parents can't do their job. I often recommend that fathers be the parent to take the lead in setting limits on their daughters' dress, because opposite sex offspring typically cut that parent more slack. Fathers can say, "Honey, you can't wear that. I know teenage boys -- I was one!" A dad like this is looking out for his daughter and treating her as someone special. While talk and reality shows and tell-all memoirs thrive and a majority of teenagers today say that they would like to be famous, there are still girls and women who value privacy and modesty. They reveal a quiet confidence, a different kind of glamour. Even famous people can be modest. They don't have to be Britney Spears. Take Audrey Hepburn, who has no counterpart today. Part of her allure lay in the way she embodied humility and modesty. Yet she also conveyed spirit and originality and a strong sense of self. Even though she worked in an industry that often promotes commonness, she was an uncommon woman. Even though our daughters live in a culture that clearly promotes coarseness, they can be uncommon, too. Author's e-mail: daltonpa@aol.com Patricia Dalton is a clinical psychologist in private practice in Washington.

ronvo, you say people today are rude, mean, thoughtless, ill-mannered, disrespectful, greedy and self-centered. Suppose there was a group that trained boys to be trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent. Do you think such a group would be welcomed in public schools?

Eagle69: have you been through Introduction to Outdoor Leader Skills (IOLS)? If so, did your campsite selection trainer mention compliance with local regulations regarding group size? If not, they should have. The IOLS syllabus specifically states that campsite planning should consider group size. In addition, the LNT session of IOLS states that advance planning makes it easier to comply with local regulations, clearly implying that someone should determine what those local regulations are (e.g., limitations on group size) in advance of the outing. I know these are just two points among hundreds covered during IOLS, but it seems to me if these were covered in the training of the two leaders mentioned in the article, then they should have checked ahead for things like group size limitations. Assuming they weren't trained, or the points weren't covered, they probably ignored the warning because (as you say) by the time they were on the trail, it was too late to split up, again, assuming they had only two leaders and hence could not maintain two-deep leadership for the two groups: This may have been hinted at in the article:other groups, like the Boy Scouts, found it difficult to provide more adults to supervise smaller groups.Had they known in advance what the size requirements were, the Troop could have planned to have had more adults come along (the article mentions only two leaders, but it doesn't say there weren't more). If they had only two adults, and could not comply with the local regulation on group size while maintaining two deep leadership, the only thing to do was to cancel the outing.

The PT used to be responsible for position specific training, per the 2001 edition of the Cub Scout Leader Book. That is no longer the case as of 2004. One can speculate as to why the change was made: was it because Council & district trainers wouldn't give up the responsibility? Or was it because unit volunteers didn't feel qualified to deliver such training? Who knows -- but the fact is, now the PT "encourages" unit volunteers to attend position specific training. One other major responsibility that no one has mentioned: keeping track of adult training records in the unit so those adults can be awarded their training "knot". Also, in the past, it wasn't clear whether the PT was actually a member of the Committee -- the new description make that much more clear ("is a voting member of the pack committee").

Can't See the Forest for the Hikers? Big Groups Face Limits http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/20/nyregion/20hikers.html November 20, 2005 By MICHELLE YORK LAKE PLACID, N.Y. - Over the Columbus Day weekend last month, a 16-member group of Boy Scouts and chaperons from Rochester began an overnight hiking trip in the Adirondack High Peaks wilderness area. But for their efforts, the group earned something less illustrious than a merit badge. Forest rangers evicted them from the park for violating rules that restrict the size of hiking groups after spotting their tents clustered together and the group hiking en masse. Then, state environmental officers gave tickets to the two Scout leaders, who had been warned of the rules beforehand. Only 15 people are allowed to hike together for day trips, and overnight camping groups like the Scouts are limited to eight. "I feel bad for the kids when that happens," said Peter L. Price, an assistant forest ranger, adding, "I must have spoken to them four times, warning them to split up." Concerned that large groups were destroying the woods - and the peace - New York State's Department of Environmental Conservation began enforcing stricter limits on group sizes in the wilderness area. As a result, though a few try to flout the law, many have stopped coming. Since the rules took effect, the number of hikers has dropped steadily, reversing the surge in the 1980's and 90's. Last year, roughly 94,000 hikers visited the High Peaks - down from the highs in the late 1990's when nearly 140,000 hikers visited, according to department statistics. The state is now reviewing its master plan to see if the drop has been enough to protect the area, or if further restrictions are needed, said a spokesman, David Winchell. The review might take several months. Some environmental groups, like the Adirondack Council, would like to see even fewer people visit the High Peaks. "I think 85,000 people a year is a good starting point," the executive director, Brian Houseal, said. Big groups widen the trails. They tend to leave behind more garbage, creating a potential for encounters with bears, and they trample flora on the mountaintops. They also have a harder time keeping track of their members, state officials said. But restricting them is a problematic policy in a region that depends on tourism. When the rules were enacted, many organizations that used tour buses stopped coming, and other groups, like the Boy Scouts, found it difficult to provide more adults to supervise smaller groups. "It's a double-edged sword," said Carl Gronlund, the director of operations for Mirror Lake Inn in Lake Placid. Though his business has not been affected so far, he fears further restrictions. According to a survey in April released by the Lake Placid/Essex County Visitors Bureau, hiking is the main draw for 37 percent of visitors - more than the Olympic sites that provide a showcase for Lake Placid's sporting history. Each visitor is estimated to spend about $243 a day. Some business owners fear continued decreases in annual hiking could cause a significant loss of revenue. "Without tourism, there wouldn't be much here," Mr. Gronlund said. In spite of that, most retailers say they are happier, so far, that the High Peaks seem to be on fewer people's itineraries. "There's definitely a decrease in bus groups, but it was getting bad," said Vinny McClelland, the manager of the Mountaineer, a hiker's supply store in Keene Valley. "A bus would pull up and 60 people would get off, with the bus staying there, idling all day." He added that half the people would go into the woods to urinate. An assistant manager of Eastern Mountain Sports in Lake Placid, Bill Schneider, said he has heard complaints from business owners unhappy about the decrease and from large groups that arrive unaware. "But I moved here to be in the country, and I enjoy it," he said. "It doesn't hurt my feelings that huge groups aren't tramping through the woods." Ludger Lebel, the manager of DTour Nature, a tour business in Montreal that used to visit the High Peaks, scoffed at the suggestion that large groups were disproportionately destructive. "We're well organized and well disciplined," he said. Because of the regulations, he has scheduled more tours in Vermont and New Hampshire instead of the Adirondacks. "Especially on long weekends, we don't go anymore," he said. "But if I don't go with my bus, people are taking their cars. I don't know which is better for the environment, one bus or 25 cars." Josh Baker, a director of the outdoor education program at Colgate University, said he has rearranged the college's excursions, taking more frequent bus trips with smaller groups of students, which has increased expenses. "What it's doing now is squeezing us," he said. "We are going to other places as well, but we can't stop going to the High Peaks because it's beautiful." Rangers often stop groups at the trailheads and break them into smaller parties, hiking at least a mile apart. "Most are understanding and willing to accommodate, and some get irritated and frustrated," Mr. Price said. "We tell them they are definitely more destructive whether they intend to be or not." The Boy Scout group from Rochester, which received 2 of the 10 tickets issued so far this year, took it in stride and was apologetic, Mr. Price said, adding that once they understood the reason behind the rules, they "actually thanked us."

"Why wear the uniform at all? Because you want to. Because you are proud to be a Scout or Scouter." OK. The boy doesn't want to wear his uniform -- does that mean he isn't proud to be a Scout? So, how can he be ashamed to be a Scout and still live the Scout Oath and Law?

"Scout Spirit is defined as living the Oath & Law in your everyday life. How does not wanting to wear the uniform contradict that?" Very true -- so why bother to wear a uniform at all?

Interesting discussion. I agree that uniforming is a method, and should not directly affect advancement as an added requirement. But I've heard our SM say if a boy were not in full uniform for his BOR with all the parts properly displayed, he (the SM) would send the boy home. Now, denying a BOR to an otherwise qualified boy because he either didn't wear, or didn't wear properly, his uniform sounds like adding to the requirements to me. My son always wears his uniform and he wears it properly (as best as his mom and I can assure!), so this "requirement" doesn't affect my son, but I can see how such a requirement might affect the boy who was the subject of the first post in this thread.

Hunt, I appreciate your comments. Actually, the reason I posted the article had nothing to do with the headline. But I did find these two quotes especially interesting:The children who participate in the program are much more courteous, cooperative, and respectful. Anything we can do to reduce discipline problems and develop character we are willing to do at this school. From my perspective, we have a lot more respect and positive discipline. Not to say that kids who don't go to these clubs can't also be more courteous, cooperative, respectful and disciplined. But the fact that two principals noticed this enough to comment positively on it leads me to wonder if the same couldn't be said of kids who participate in Scouting (whether after school or otherwise)?

When classes are out, religious clubs increasingly are in http://www.boston.com/news/education/k_12/articles/2005/11/15/when_classes_are_out_religious_clubs_increasingly_are_in/ http://tinyurl.com/dodmh By James Vaznis, Globe Staff | November 15, 2005 NEWTON -- The rabbi walks through the halls of Newton South High School, wearing a yarmulke and carrying stacks of pizza and donuts. Along the way, the 38-year-old rabbi with the reddish beard and an infectious smile asks students to join him at an afterschool meeting of the Jewish Student Union. If a student hedges, Rabbi Shmuel Miller mentions the free food. Miller is among a growing number of religious leaders around the nation who are taking advantage of a four-year-old US Supreme Court ruling that allows religious groups to meet in public schools when classes are not in session. In Massachusetts, the first Jewish Student Union club opened last year at Newton South; this year, chapters of the national nonprofit began in Brookline, Lexington, and Framingham. Evangelical Christians have been running clubs in the last few years in some Boston elementary schools and in some rural towns. As some principals are banning Christmas trees, menorahs, or Halloween costumes, others are warming to the presence of religious clubs in their schools. They say the clubs' regular dose of religion is improving discipline among younger students and giving older students of minority religions a sense of camaraderie. ''I certainly welcome it," said Deborah Dancy, principal of William Ellery Channing Elementary School in Hyde Park, where Child Evangelism Fellowship opened a Good News Bible Club this year. ''The children who participate in the program are much more courteous, cooperative, and respectful. Anything we can do to reduce discipline problems and develop character we are willing to do at this school." In some cases, groups that monitor separation of church and state worry that the clubs are becoming too much a part of a school's fabric, because teachers are leading them or students are registering them as official high school clubs. The Supreme Court ruling didn't set restrictions on how the religious clubs should operate in public schools, leaving the ruling open to interpretation. Schools and legal groups have been struggling to figure out how the ruling fits in with an existing federal law that governs equal access to school buildings by outside groups. ''The lines are getting blurrier, and that's most unfortunate," said Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State. ''One of the great strengths of American schools has been neutrality in religions." To help school districts wade through the murky waters, the Anti-Defamation League has developed guidelines for public schools. Religious groups can advertise meetings, but need parental permission for students to participate, according to the guidelines. In high schools, students must initiate and run official student clubs, while school leaders must avoid being seen as endorsing or disapproving of a faith, the guidelines say. At meetings of the Jewish Student Union in the Boston area, students play games, watch videos, and discuss a variety of topics, including whether eating kosher is an outdated Jewish ritual and why so many well-known comedians are Jewish. The rabbi and his 26-year-old assistant, Yisrael Schwartz, guide the discussion. The Jewish Student Union is a nonprofit organization that says it is not affiliated with any branch of Judaism and is open to students of all faiths. An Orthodox rabbi started it three years ago in Los Angeles, as a response to what he saw as proselytizing by evangelical Christians. The group now has 150 chapters in the United States and Canada. Miller said the clubs in New England are invaluable in connecting him with teens who don't attend programs at synagogues. ''We're fighting the battle of assimilation where Jews are opting out [of their faith] out of ignorance," said Miller, an Orthodox rabbi and the New England director for the Jewish Student Union. ''With the increasing pressure of school work, we need to go to students on their ground and speak to them on their level." Sometimes, as they work with the students, the rabbi and his assistant sound like MTV hosts trying to galvanize youth into political action. His voice increasingly rising, Schwartz recently spoke to roughly 30 students at a meeting of the newly established Jewish Student Union at Lexington High School. ''Invite and bring a friend to the next meeting. Let's really pump this club," Schwartz said, gesturing with his fist. ''You are part of something big. . . . We're going to rock this school." On average, the weekly Jewish Student Union meetings at Massachusetts schools draw about 30 students, some of whom are Christians, the rabbi said. Students have applied to their principals to get a union chapter approved as an official school club. The clubs elect officers and appear in the yearbook a student activity. Linnea Sage, 17, joined Newton South's club last year and has become the club's president. ''If you're just with friends, you'll discuss clothes, boys, and movies, but here, you can listen to people's ideas" about Judaism and Jewish culture, said Sage, who is Jewish. Michael Welch, who was principal at Newton South when the club started, said he had been concerned the rabbi might proselytize and questioned whether having the word Jewish in the group's name might seem exclusionary. ''For the most part, it's an open, engaging group for kids to study Jewish culture," said Welch, now principal of Framingham High School. ''I didn't see it as proselytizing at all." But the rabbi and his assistant might be pushing the envelope in what's allowed under federal law by being so involved in the regular running of a high school club meeting, said Lynn. Miller said he and Schwartz are facilitators, while the students are the ones who call the shots and choose discussion topics from a menu of 30 or 40. Marjorie Woods, the 16-year-old president of Lexington's club, said it would have been difficult starting the club without the rabbi and his assistant. ''I think we would run out of stuff to talk about, and people would stop coming," Woods said. Groups that favor separation of church and state say interpretation of the ruling will be tested by religious leaders, especially evangelical Christians who see public schools as fertile ground to deliver messages. The Child Evangelism Fellowship's Good News Clubs were the plaintiffs in the 2001 Supreme Court case filed against a public school in New York state. Since winning the case, the group has quintupled its presence in public schools, to 2,330 clubs. Child Evangelism Fellowship officials say that biblical stories, memorization of Scripture, and singing religious songs are good character-building exercises for students and are applicable to children of all faiths. They deny they are proselytizing. ''The main thrust of the Good News Club is to help children understand that God loves them and cares about them," said Myron Tschetter, vice president of USA ministries for Child Evangelism Fellowship. At Pauline A. Shaw Elementary School in Dorchester, nearly 60 students, about one-fifth of the student body, gather each Tuesday after school for Good News Club. Principal Maudlin Wright said she believes that the group's popularity reflects a demographic shift in the school's neighborhood with more Haitian and West Indian immigrants moving in. They want to make sure their children develop strong values and stay out of trouble, she said. ''From my perspective, we have a lot more respect and positive discipline," Wright said.

I just saw a short bit of "It Happened to Jane" today before I left for an errand. It had a scene where Doris Day plays a den mother and Jack Lemmon looked to be a Scout Master, to a group of Cub Scouts, including Jane's son. I didn't get to see the whole movie, but apparently Doris' character Jane is involved in a lobster business and Jack's character is sweet on her. Not sure how the Cubs fit into the picture, but from what I could tell, the uniforms looked official and the vintage (1959) was very much as I remembered them when I was a Cub (1963-65). The movie is available on DVD -- I plan to order a copy and will report back when I get to see the whole thing.

National forests to restrict off-road vehicles http://news.yahoo.com/s/usatoday/20051103/ts_usatoday/nationalforeststorestrictoffroadvehicles By Traci Watson, USA TODAY Americans who ride all-terrain vehicles, dirt bikes and four-wheel-drive trucks will face new limits on where they can travel in some of the nation's biggest and wildest natural areas. Off-road vehicles no longer will be able to travel freely through national forests, the U.S. Forest Service said Wednesday. Instead, motorists will be limited to trails selected by forest officials. The restrictions do not apply to snowmobiles, which don't do as much damage as other off-road vehicles. The nation's 193 million acres of national forest are some of the most popular playgrounds for the growing number of Americans who ride off-road vehicles. These types of vehicles can erode the land and disturb wildlife, and their engines and exhaust draw complaints from others visiting the forest for recreation. Half of the 175 national forests now permit motorized vehicles to roam without any restriction across wide swaths of land. These forests will see the biggest change, because motorized use will be cut back to specific roads and trails. Other national forests already confine riders to well-defined routes, said Dale Bosworth, the Forest Service chief. The agency said the restriction would curb damage from motorized vehicles - one of the biggest problems for the forests - while allowing the nation's 51 million off-road drivers to enjoy their sport. "This is going to help us do a better job of caring for the land and serving people," said the service's Jack Troyer, who helped write the new rule. Clark Collins of the BlueRibbon Coalition, which represents riders of motorized vehicles, said the regulation will "give us some leverage" in forests that have resisted giving access to vehicles. "We feel this is going to be a very positive thing for our users." Jim Furnish, a consultant to the Natural Trails and Waters Coalition, an environmental group, said the rule will do little to curb illegal use of motorized vehicles in the forests. And "renegade routes" already carved out by unsanctioned vehicle use could be designated as trails. "I fear the worst, that the forest supervisors will drag their feet on implementing this regulation," he said. "Then illegal use ... just gets worse and worse." The Forest Service said the rule does not stiffen penalties for illegal use, nor will the agency beef up patrols to enforce the restrictions. Bosworth said the agency should map out the usable routes within four years, but no deadline is set. The limits won't apply until routes are set and published.

Yesterday, I saw a minvan ahead of me that had a big Scout decal on its rear window. The decal had the child's name below it. Does anyone know where I can get this kind of decal? I've seen others that had a soccer ball, a cheerleader's megaphone, a band instrument, etc. I assumed the child's school sold the other decals, but I doubt if they sell the Scout decal. I think this would be a great way to show my support both for my son and for Scouting. Our Scout shop has no idea where this decal came from -- any ideas?

Men of character, boys of fortune http://www.townhall.com/opinion/columns/rebeccahagelin/2005/11/01/173704.html http://tinyurl.com/9smf7 By Rebecca Hagelin Nov 1, 2005 Picture the scene: Boys and their parents gathered to discuss a youthful indiscretion and its consequences. I was once at such a meeting, and I was struck by the thought that what America needs perhaps more than anything else is fathers who will father. Im the mother of two teenage boys, and believe me, I am well acquainted with the behaviors that have led to the popular phrase boys will be boys. But I am also blessed to know what it means to my sons development and character for them to have a father who holds them accountable, is engaged in their lives, and is intimately familiar with their strengths, weaknesses, personalities and individual needs. On that particular evening, several parents had heavy hearts. Their sons, with no ill intent, had landed in trouble by making some pretty sophomoric decisions (specifically, entering a nearby abandoned house). Sounds pretty innocuous -- except that there were No trespassing signs posted in clear view. But that incident (thank goodness, now but a memory) ended up being a lesson in life for the boys -- a lesson that will undoubtedly help them avoid making bigger mistakes later in life. Why? Because their fathers stepped in to make certain that the lessons were learned. Thats the kind of father my sons have. This month, my husband and I celebrate 21 years of marriage, and I consider myself one of the luckiest wives on earth. My husband is my hero (for many reasons which shall remain private!) but one I am willing to discuss is the fact that hes an amazing father to our three children. I recently had the privilege of watching my eldest son become an Eagle Scout. I peeked my head around the corner just in time to hear the District Council representative of the Boy Scouts say to my son, Congratulations. Your rank of Eagle Scout begins tonight. About 30 minutes earlier, Drew had emerged from his hour-long Eagle Scout Board of Review both relieved and nervous. Although the official ceremony will take place in the coming months, for Drew the night was the final requirement of nearly a decade of achieving goals, working hard, earning merit badges, volunteering and developing leadership skills. For me, it was a night to reflect both on the man that Drew has become, and on the man that helped him accomplish one of the greatest achievements possible for young men. I am proud of my son, but I am absolutely enamored with my amazing husband. Plainly put, Drew would never have made the rank without the support, encouragement, guidance and love of his father. Yes, Drew worked hard over many years, but it was his father that coached him, went on countless camping trips, studied with him, taught him about discipline, and most of all, showed him how to be a committed leader and a man of strong character. Social science research, statistics and real life unequivocally tell us that the safest, healthiest, most nurturing place for children is in a home with a mother and father who are married to each other. Yet, according to the National Fatherhood Initiative, some 24 million children live in homes where fathers are absent, meaning one in three children go to sleep in a home in which their father doesnt live. Fatherlessness is the great American tragedy of modern times. Given that so many children lack the fathers they need and crave, why is it that the popular culture constantly devalues the role of fathers instead of building it up? Flip on the television and watch for just one evening. Youll find that virtually every commercial and sitcom portrays fathers as either wimpy or ignorant. The message to our kids is pretty clear: Dads are losers. What does that say to our children about the value of their own fathers? To young boys about their own possible futures as fathers? To young girls about what to look for in a future husband? To the men who are already dads? The media must be crazy. But I aint crazy -- either as a columnist or a wife. So as just one small voice in todays mass media, Im going to do my part to say to all the great dads out there, Thank you. We need you. And to the wonderful fathers of the families we are so thankful to have as close friends and allies in the effort to raise boys of character, I say, Thank you. It is a true blessing to have you in our lives. And to my wonderful husband -- the man of my dreams -- Thank you. I love you. Happy Anniversary to the best dad in the world.(This message has been edited by fgoodwin)

I don't see a Reference for it in the Insignia Guide, but I've seen them worn on the back of the merit badge sash. Frankly, I think it cheapens the look of the sash and makes it look like crap. But that's just my opinion.

Down and Derby Movie http://www.scoutingdigest.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=446&Itemid=79 http://tinyurl.com/d7atm John Stone: Executive Producer of Down and Derby Profile of an Eagle Scout by Tim Kachinske A Scouting Family John Stone, the Executive Producer of Down and Derby, grew up in a family of eight children in northern California. John and his three brothers were active in Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts, and all four boys achieved Eagle. His dad was an Eagle Scout who eventually received the Distinguished Eagle Award from Yosemite Council. "Obviously my dad was an important influence," said John, when asked to recall how he got so involved in scouting. "But my Mom was an important influence on me as a scout even before I was old enough to join." "Mom was a pack leader," said John. "I vividly remember seeing my mom lead pack activities in our home. I watched her run meetings and organize interesting activities when I was only four or five years old. I couldnt wait to join my older brother and his Cub Scout friends. I looked forward to doing all the things Cub Scouts do." John considers Cub Scouts an important part of his development. "Cub Scouts opened the world to me in many ways," said John. "I remember being fascinated with activities. Once we used a candle to boil an egg in a tin can of water. For a young child, thats an incredible, hands-on learning experience." Achieving Eagle "As a scout, I was fortunate to participate in so many things," said John. "I did the Pinewood Derby, and our scout troop went camping often. I even went to Jamboree at Fort A.P. Hill. My own boys are too young for scouting right now, but Ive served as scoutmaster and consider my sons future Cub Scouts." Though modest when asked about his Eagle Scout project, John Stones work as a youth embodies the very best of the Eagle Scout ideal. His project focused on handicapped access in his communitys public buildings, and involved both assessing the need for improvement, and actually doing the work to make public buildings more accessible to people with physical disabilities. "We took a good look at all the public buildings in our town. Some buildings had no access, and were totally out-of-bounds for someone in a wheel chair. Other buildings had access that could be improved. And, of course, some had pretty good access. When we finished our study, we focused on five buildings that had no access, or needed improved access." But this Eagle project did more than study the situation. "We worked with the municipal authorities, both during our study, and when we decided on the five buildings that need the work most," said John. "We learned a lot about putting a plan to work. When it came time to actually work on the five buildings, we pitched in, helping to create forms and lay cement, and all the things you need to do." Getting into Business John Stones entry into filmmaking has its roots in education and technology. He formed an educational technology company called PowerSchool, which was eventually bought by Apple Computers. He spent several years working at Apple Computers. "Working at Apple really opened my eyes to the world of filmmaking," said John. "Apple has always had a community conscience as a corporation. And Apple has led the way in creating affordable and accessible high technology for media and filmmaking. Because of Apple, you no longer need to have the huge technology budget of a major studio to make a quality film." Making Quality Family Films John Stone left Apple to venture into the world of feature film producing, and with a partner, he formed Stonehaven Media. His motivation to produce family films is steeped in the fast-paced world of technology, but is rooted in the values of a man with three young children. His aim is to produce features that entertain young children, teens and adults equally. "Consider this analogy," said Stone. "I look at a good family film like a swimming pool. If you look around, you can see four-year-olds, teenagers and people in their forties all having a great time in the same pool. Of course, each age group will be enjoying themselves in different ways, but the pool appeals to all of them. For me, the ultimate successful family film appeals to these age groups in different ways, but pulls them all together to enjoy the same movie." Family films these days can be good business. Major studios such as Disney and DreamWorks put out highly successful features. Most of these blockbuster successes are animated feature films. Live-action family films are mostly made by independent filmmakers. Today, many of these smaller-budget filmmakers rely on Apples technology. Television, DVD sales, and foreign theatre and television sales all comprise a significant market for the independent family filmmaker. Making Down and Derby Happen Down and Derby grew from idea to completed film very quickly. Greg Porter, Johns business partner, is a friend of Eric Hendershot, who over the past decade has written and directed a number of successful independent family films. Greg described Eric Hendershots latest film-writing project, and John invited Eric to come to his home in California to discuss the script of Down and Derby. "When I heard about a movie about the Pinewood Derby, I thought the subject would resonate with a lot of people beyond just the boys who work on the project," John recalled. "When Eric Hendershot arrived, I was eager to get straight to the script," he added. John asked Eric and Greg to join him, and they went into a room and shut the door. Eric Hendershot read his script aloud from beginning to end without a break. "I liked Down and Derby," said John. "I knew that this was a film I wanted to see. And I felt sure that it would be a success. Im the sort of person who doesnt ruminate a lot. If I decide to do something, I decide pretty quickly, and then I do it," he added. This script reading took place in June and over the next month John secured investors for the films production. Down and Derby was cast in July and by September the cast and crew met up in St. George, Utah to begin 21 days of filming, using the directors hometown as a film set. Making Family Entertainment John Stones philosophy about venturing into the film industry is both personal and professional. "I wouldnt want to make R-rated films," he said. "Im interested in making films that I can see with my own young children. Of course, they wont always be so young. For me, the ultimate film appeals to young children, teens and adults. I believe we have that with Down and Derby." ASD Interview: Adam Hicks By Tim Kachinske Adam Hicks plays Cub Scout Brady Davis in Down and Derby. His stage mother and father in the movie are played by Lauren Holly and Greg Germann. ASD talked to Adam Hicks to learn more about this young boy who has been called a "brilliant child actor." ASD: Youre the child star of Down and Derby. How old are you and when did you decide to become an actor? Adam Hicks: Well, Im twelve, and it all started when I saw Home Alone 3. I guess that was about six years ago. I saw that movie and I thought it was great. I told my mom I wanted to do what that kid was doing. I wanted to act. Mom said, "When youre 18 you can decide what you want to do. Maybe in high school you can take some acting classes to try it out." Well, I kept telling her I wanted to act. ASD: So how did you get your break? Adam Hicks: I listen to the radio a lot. We live in Las Vegas, and one day I heard that MGM was doing auditions here. I talked my mom and dad into taking me. It was a pretty big crowd. There were about 20 casting directors and 500 other people doing auditions. I was really lucky because 15 casting people liked me. ASD: It sounds like you have more than luck on your side. Since Down and Derby was filmed, youve acted in another feature film (The 12 Dogs of Christmas). How did you develop your acting talent? Adam Hicks: I like to watch people. Whether Im in-character on a movie set, or just in my normal life, I like to watch what people do. When I get a script, I read it, and try things out. Ill go over and over a scene, trying different things out. Its all based on what Ive watched. ASD: Who are your favorite actors and what are your favorite films? Adam Hicks: Thats a hard question. One movie I liked was A Beautiful Mind. Russell Crowe is awesome. And the movie had a really good story line with a big surprise at the end. You go through the movie thinking the people are real until the end when you realize theyre all in his mind. ASD: What was it like to work with adult actors like Gregg Germann and Lauren Holly? Adam Hicks: They were awesome. I was really worried. I kept asking myself, "How can I keep up with them?" I knew they were really good. I was pretty nervous about the movie before we started. But then I got to know them quickly. Really, on the first day of shooting we got to be friends. And they were helpful to me. I think I learned a lot just by watching them work up close. ASD: What do you like to do when youre not in school or acting? Adam Hicks: Well, I like all the things that go with scouting. I like to fish. I like to go camping. I love the outdoors. I play basketball in a league. On Saturdays, I go to dance practice. And on Sundays, I go to church. ASD: Ballroom dancing, or ballet? Adam Hicks: No, hip-hop. Its really cool. ADS Interview: Perry Anzilotti By Tim Kachinske Actor Perry Anzilotti plays Big Jimmy, one of the Cub Scouts fathers, in Down and Derby. Over the past decade Anzilotti has appeared in many television series. The list is long, but heres a sample of Anzilottis appearances: ER, Providence, Grace Under Fire, Mad About You, Home Improvement, Seinfeld, Wings, Cheers, Coach, and CSI. American Scouting Digest talked to Anzilotti to learn more about the man who plays one of the funniest fathers to hit the screen in a long time. ASD: How would you describe your role in Down and Derby? Perry Anzilotti: I play Big Jimmy. Playing Big Jimmy was a riot. Hes the most physical dad in the movie. I dont want to step on the screenwriters toes here, but Big Jimmy is the boldest stroke on the canvas. I saw this as a wonderful role. Big Jimmy is a supersizer of life. Hes not just one of those people who thinks bigger is better. Big Jimmy thinks biggest is always best. Biggest home, biggest SUV, biggest everything. He drives a monster truck, he drinks from a Big Gulp, he has a wife six feet tall, and his dog is a Great Dane. But Big Jimmys problem is that he never grew after he became five feet tall. The reality is that size doesnt matter, because its whats inside that counts. And the Big Jimmy role is an interesting way to get to that truth. ASD: How did you get this role? Perry Anzilotti: I got a call from my agent, and I said Id read the script. When I got to page two, I started laughing out loud. By page three, I was hooked and had to read to the end. Reading a script is just like watching a good film or reading any good book. You really have to get hooked early on, and Down and Derby did that to me. I told my agent I wanted the role, and I was lucky, and got it. I didnt have to audition. ASD: What was it like filming in St. George, Utah? Perry Anzilotti: I enjoyed it. The location and set of Down and Derby points to one of the truly interesting things about independent films. Eric Hendershot, the director who lives in St. George, Utah, secured a cul-de-sac with several homes to shoot the home scenes. Our location was a slice of American life, and our set was comprised of real peoples homes. For an actor, thats a real interesting set. It was like being in a prototype for hometown America, but it was real. Its remarkable how these four or five homes were perfect for the film. Some houses were modest and some were large, and of course my home was biggest. As soon as I arrived on set, everything seemed natural. I sat down in a makeup chair, and this tall, beautiful woman walked up to me and said, "I believe Im your wife." I said to myself, "Its getting better every minute here in St. George." It was the beautiful and talented actress Debra Ashton speaking to me. Really, with Debra and Danny Shepard, who plays my son, everything seemed organic and natural. Like me, theyre both very gregarious. We play the Scaldoni family. Were ethnic; were the spicy Italian family. ASD: How did you prepare for this family role? Perry Anzilotti: Well, Im from Chicago. I grew up in an Italian-Catholic family. We were eight children. Enough said? ASD: How did you get into acting? Perry Anzilotti: I went to college in my hometown. During my first semester at the University of Illinois-Chicago, I was in a play. I decided to major in theatre, and Ive been acting ever since. When I moved to Los Angeles, I felt I could use more training, and I got an M.F.A. in Theatre at the California Institute of Arts. ASD: Whats your favorite movie? Perry Anzilotti: I like a lot of movies, but if I were to pick one above all of them, I think it would be Frank Capras Its a Wonderful Life. This film has a universal theme about one mans struggle to find himself and seek a purpose to his life. People usually see this movie around the holidays, at the end of the year. This is such a spiritual time for people. Its a time to think about your life, and do some assessment. At least, thats how I feel about seeing this movie. Capra creates such a real and gentle world that every time I see the film I go to that place in my heart and think heavily about myself. ASD: As a child, did you participate in Pinewood Derby? Perry Anzilotti: No, but I have two eight-year-old godsons. Theyre twins, and theyre pretty spunky guys. Just last month I went to their Pinewood Derby. Their mom and dad are pack leaders. When we got there, it was just like walking on the racing set of Down and Derby. Its so funny to have real life mirror a movie youve just acted in. The boys had a great time for a while, but eventually they wanted me to take them outside to play on the monkey bars. Their mom and dad stayed back with all the other parents at the race to the end. Just like in Down and Derby. When it was all over, we took them home. The boys asked me to make a track for racing in their backyard. I built a makeshift ramp with some boards and cardboard. It wasnt anything fancy, but the boys had a blast racing all over again. I think that a lot of parents who see this film are going to see their own parents in it with a lot of good and gentle humor.

Lisabob, Welcome to the Forums.

"I do not think that one should go to church with the expectation that attendance will fatten one's wallet." Agreed -- I suspect that copy was written by some hack at Reuters. I doubt seriously that you find such such a claim in the study itself.

Correlation causation Unfortunately, the actual text of the study is not freely available; here is the press release from NBER, which provides a few more details, but does not completely answer your question: ===================== Is Religion Good for You? http://www.nber.com/digest/oct05/w11377.html "Doubling the rate of religious attendance raises household income by 9.1 percent, decreases welfare participation by 16 percent from baseline rates, decreases the odds of being divorced by 4 percent , and increases the odds of being married by 4.4 percent." -------------------------------------------------------------------- A number of researchers have found striking correlations between religion and various measures of well being. For example, religious participation is correlated with lower levels of deviant behavior and better health. And, attending religious services weekly, rather than not at all, has the same effect on individuals' reported happiness as moving from the bottom to the top quartile of the income distribution. However, the same factors that determine religious attendance may also determine these outcomes; for example, it may be that happier people go to church, not that going to church makes you happier. In Religious Market Structure, Religious Participation, and Outcomes: Is Religion Good for You? (NBER Working Paper No. 11377), NBER Research Associate Jonathan Gruber seeks to solve the problem of estimating the effects of religious participation on earnings and other economic measures. His solution draws on the fact that individuals are more likely to attend religious services if they live near others of their religion (that is, where there is a "higher density of co-religionists" in Gruber's terms). Catholics who live in more heavily Catholic areas attend church more than those who live in less Catholic areas. Further, living near others of one's religion can be predicted by living near others in certain ethnic groups that share the religious preferences of your ethnic group. For Italian Catholics, for example, living near persons of Polish extraction will mean being more likely to be near other Catholics than, say, living near persons of Swedish extraction. Yet living near persons of Polish rather than Swedish extraction should not affect any other aspect of the Italians' life, so that any effects of living near such "complementary" ethnic groups should reflect religious attendance only. Gruber first uses data on religious preferences, ethnic heritage, and religious participation from the General Social Survey to show that the people living in an area with a higher density of co-religionists are more likely to participate in religious activities. This is true even after controlling for general differences in religiosity across areas and across ethnic groups. Moreover, they are no more likely to participate in other civic or social enterprises, suggesting that this co-religionist density measure is having effects only through religious participation. He then turns to the 1990 U.S. Census to measure the effects of co-religionist density on economic outcomes such as education, income, employment, welfare participation, disability, marital status, and number of children. Gruber's results suggest a "very strong positive correlation" between religious market density, religious participation, and positive economic outcomes." People living in an area with a higher density of co-religionists have higher incomes, they are less likely to be high school dropouts, and more likely to have a college degree." Living in such an area also reduces the odds of receiving welfare, decreases the odds of being divorced, and increases the odds of being married. The effects can be substantial. Doubling the rate of religious attendance raises household income by 9.1 percent, decreases welfare participation by 16 percent from baseline rates, decreases the odds of being divorced by 4 percent, and increases the odds of being married by 4.4 percent. Gruber concludes that being in an area with more co-religionists leads to better economic outcomes through the channel of increased religious participation. Although this paper does not investigate the mechanism through which religiosity creates these results, Gruber suggests four possibilities: that religious attendance increases the number of social interactions in a way peculiar to religious settings; that religious institutions provide financial and emotional "insurance" that help people mitigate their losses when setbacks occur; that attendance at religious schools may be an advantage; and, finally, that religious faith may simply improve well-being directly by enabling the faithful to be "less stressed out" by the problems of every day life -- Linda Gorman Cite this page as: "Is Religion Good for You?." NBER Website. Thursday, October 27, 2005. .

When I was at NCAC (MD and No. VA), the Scout Shop there sold two BSA-issue mock-turtlenecks: a red one and a blue one. Both had a gold FDL embroidered into the collar. These long-sleeve shirts were to be worn under the short sleeve field shirt in cooler weather in lieu of a long-sleeve field shirt. At the time, I had both types of field shirt, but I only wore the long-sleeve for things like winter Pack Meetings, etc. I wore the mock-turtle under the short sleeve field shirt for winter outdoor activities (layering, right?). I still have the two mocks, but I rarely get to wear them in the more moderate Texas winters. I also notice that they aren't available from National Supply anymore. The idea makes so much sense, I can understand why they were discontinued . . .

While planning an LNT overview for IOLS, I came across this quote on the BSA national website:Campers should not burn trash as a disposal option. Plan to pack it out.http://www.scouting.org/boyscouts/resources/21-117/053a_dispose.html

Church-going boosts economic well-being: study http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20051025/ts_nm/religion_economy_dc Tue Oct 25, 3:20 PM ET Attending religious services may enrich the soul, but it also fattens the wallet, according to research released on Tuesday. "Doubling the frequency of attendance leads to a 9.1 percent increase in household income, or a rise of 5.5 percent as a fraction of the poverty scale," Jonathan Gruber of the economics department at Massachusetts Institute of Technology wrote in his study. "Those with more faith may be less 'stressed out' about daily problems that impede success in the labor market and the marriage market, and therefore are more successful," Gruber wrote in the study, which was released by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Living in a community with complementary ethnic groups that share the same religion increases the frequency of going to a house of worship, he said in the paper titled "Religious Market Structure, Religious Participation, and Outcomes: Is Religion Good for You?" Such visits correlate to higher levels of education and income, lower levels of welfare receipt and disability, higher levels of marriage and lower levels of divorce, the study said. Gruber says he focused on non-Hispanic whites aged 25 or older because "there is very strong evidence of racial segregation in church-going, so that the density of Hispanics or non-whites in a religion in some area is not likely to be relevant for the religious participation of whites in that area." Gruber divided the individuals into seven groups: Catholics, Jews, Liberal Protestants, Moderate Protestants, Conservative Protestants, other and none.

Here are the parts that got my attention:Kids don't run outside and play like they used toThis varies by location -- in general, kids don't go outside as much as they did when I was a kid back in the late 50s and early 60s. But when my son (11-yo Tenderfoot) and I talked about this last nite after his Troop Meeting, he complained that the kids here (Texas) don't play outside nearly as much as his friends did back in Maryland, where he was a Tiger-Wolf-Bear. Still, as a rule, he agreed that kids today don't go out on their bikes all day like I did as a kid; they don't roam the woods, catch minnows or craw-dads, build treehouses, etc. I remember in the summer, I'd do my chores after waking up, then get on my bike and stay all day at the neighborhood pool, manytimes not getting home until it was dark. Can you imagine parents letting kids do that today?"One of the strongest correlates of how overall active a child is, is how much time they spend outdoors. Nature takes over from there."And all through the article, not a word about Scouting? Either we've done a poor job of getting the word out, or parents know about Scouting but don't make the connection to outdoor activities, or else they know about our outdoor activities and reject Scouting for other reasons (let's not get into those here -- if you feel the need, please spin off a thread into the "Issues" folder). One wonders what would be the effect on membership if doctors, on seeing all these obese kids, recommended to the parents that the kids get involved in Scouting, as opposed to say, soccer?

Parents Blame Kids' Inactivity for Obesity http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051025/ap_on_he_me/obesity_ap_aol_poll By LAURAN NEERGAARD, AP Medical Writer Tue Oct 25, 4:12 AM ET Kids don't run outside and play like they used to, and parents say being a couch potato is a major culprit in the growing problem of childhood obesity. Lack of exercise edged out easy access to junk food as the main concern of the 21 percent of parents who conceded in an AP-KOL poll that their children are overweight. KOL is the kids' service of America Online. Parents' big frustration is how to change sedentary habits. "What do kids like to do other than hang out with their friends?" asks Kim Nethery of Crestwood, Ky., who has tried fruitlessly to find a physical activity her 15-year-old daughter will do. Even a walk is difficult, because the family lives on a high-traffic country road risky for pedestrians. Parents also fret over improving children's eating habits. More than half cited the cost of healthy food and television commercials and food packaging as at least a minor problem, according to the poll conducted by Ipsos for The Associated Press and KOL. Another issue: food served in school cafeterias. Her son's middle school lets him order lunch a la carte, complained Margaret Gunderson of Loveland, Colo. "They're ordering pizza, ice cream. They blow through their lunch money by Tuesday," she said. The government counts 9 million children ages 6 to 16 who are overweight, at increased risk for diabetes and other health problems, not to mention being teased by peers or left out of fun activities. Overweight children usually grow into overweight adults. In the survey, children whose parents earned less than $50,000 a year were a little more likely to be overweight than those from more affluent families. Children are supposed to get at least an hour of vigorous activity a day. But research shows far too few get anywhere close. More than half the parents surveyed said their children had expressed a desire to exercise more, and 30 percent said their child wanted to lose weight. Jeff Chabot, an engineer from Rutland, Vt., said he encourages his children to participate in outdoor activities like snowmobiling and skiing. Chabot said his older son is a little heavy. "Junk food is a big temptation," he said. "There's a temptation to park himself on the couch and eat after school." Between heavy traffic that hinders bike-riding and easy access to video games, "children's forms of entertainment are much less active than the entertainment we had growing up," said teacher Dierde Karcher of Montclair, N.J. Reducing time spent in front of television and computers has been proven to slow children's weight gain. "We as parents need to do more," said Elena Penson, a sales clerk from Lufkin, Texas, whose family makes a point of going to a park twice a week to play catch. "But when we get home, we're tired, too. We've gotten lazy." Inactive parents teach their children by example to be sedentary, warned American Heart Association president Dr. Robert H. Eckel, who researches obesity at the University of Colorado. Getting active doesn't have to mean joining a ball team. "One of the strongest correlates of how overall active a child is, is how much time they spend outdoors," said Dr. Nancy Krebs, who co-chairs an American Academy of Pediatrics' obesity panel. "Nature takes over from there." Parents who earned less than $25,000 a year were more likely than those with higher incomes to cite the cost of healthy food as a problem in improving their children's eating habits. Almost four in 10 parents in rural areas noted that problem, too, more than suburban parents. Moms were nearly twice as likely as dads to cite as factors healthy food prices, TV commercials and junk-food packaging aimed at children, and unhealthy school food. And 49 percent of parents said the lack of time for home-cooked meals was a problem. Restaurant meals tend to have more calories and fewer fruits and vegetables. "By the time we get off from work, it's more convenient to stop at a restaurant than get a home-cooked meal," said nurse Susan Henderson of Yucaipa, Calif. Almost a quarter of parents who thought their children were overweight blamed easy access to junk food. "I try to keep my daughter on her recommended diet, make sure she gets an appropriate amount of vegetables and very little meat," said Darrell Scott of Oklahoma City. "But it's a battle." The AP-KOL poll of 961 parents of children between ages 6-17 was conducted from Oct. 5-23 and has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points. ___ On the Net: Ipsos: http://www.ap-ipsosresults.com

Recreation.gov http://www.recreation.gov/ This site is a work in progress, but it's on its way to being a convenient source for campers and others who like to get outside. Right now the site offers a bunch of information about the nation's parks and park services. The goal is to provide a single location for reserving space at any national park, such as Yellowstone. The site can already take reservations for several parks, and more will come online in the future. The comments above come from a review of gov't websites: http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ttpcworld/20051021/tc_techtues_pcworld/123106&cid=1740&ncid=1729 http://tinyurl.com/bt46f