fgoodwin

Ed, I should have said it was a question that I would not ask -- I'm not trying to tell you or anyone else how to run their own BOR. My apologies.

I agree that askign which church one attends is not appropriate and in any case, an SM / ASM shouldn't be at the BOR anyway. I would also add that I am a Fundamentalist and a Born-Again believer, but I too feel that it is not appropriate to ask "do you believe in God?" A Hindu or Buddhist Scout might very well answer "no"! I think it better to ask what the Twelfth Point of the Scout Law means to the candidate, or to ask him how does one do one's "duty to God".

mjengles, we've kinda gotten away from your original question. As GN (and others have) said, the requirements vary by faith, so its not clear that someone handing you a used workbook will really do you any good. If all you want is to peruse the requirements to give you an idea before you start, go down to your local Scout Shop. Most carry the general Protestant manuals published by PRAY. Most carry the Catholic workbooks also, and some probably have the Jewish workbooks (I'm told those are free, but you may have to ask for them if they're kept under the counter). There's no charge to look at them! One of the reasons these aren't available online (as is the case with MB requirements, belt loop requirements, and others) is that, at least for the PRAY workbooks, there is no single page that acts as a checklist or summary of the requirements. The manuals truly are "workbooks" and some work must be done on virtually every page. Good luck! Fred Goodwin National Episcopal Scouters Association Protestant Committee on Scouting (Alamo Area Council)

[updated link and added info: regarding new unit organizer awards] Want to start a new Pack or Troop? Everything you need to know about starting a new unit is outlined in the "New Unit Organization Process" (#34196A) and in the "New Unit Organization Kit" (13-563). You should be able to get copies of these materials from your Council Service Center. Given the importance National and local councils place on starting new units, it is odd that finding these materials online is so difficult. Here is one reference I found to the 12-step process for organizing new units: http://web.archive.org/web/20040628083613/http://www.baltimorebsa.org/council/committees/images/NewUnitProcess.pdf http://tinyurl.com/br9le This is a link to a PDF file of the "New Unit Organization Process" (item #34196A), a complete guide to the 12 step process of organizing new units. (Please note that this is not a bin item -- which might explain why the original link on the Baltimore Council website no longer works) Many of the 12 steps can be completed by a motivated volunteer who wants to see the new unit established (for example, I started a new Cub Scout Pack in my son's school a year ago, and I accomplished almost every step without the aid of a DE or UC, although they of course supported my efforts). For those interested in starting a new Cub Scout Pack, there is the "Cub Scout Pack Organization Kit" (#13-055), also available from your Council Service Center (unfortunately, I can find no reference to this valuable resource anywhere online). Also, don't overlook your District Membership Committee; they should be able to provide resources and assistance as you go about organizing your new Troop. In fact, pages 14-17 of the "Membership Committee Guide" (33080C) discuss the process of organizing new units (again, not available online as far as I can tell). Here is a link to a PowerPoint presentation I found that appears to be intended as a training overview of the 12-step new unit organization process: http://www.hightowertrail.com/Vanguard/12-StepTrain.pps Finally, please note there are two awards for organizers of new units: the new unit organizer pin: http://www.mninter.net/~blkeagle/organize.htm And a new unit organizer knot from the BSA Relationships Committee: http://usscouts.org/usscouts/awards/boyce.html http://www.crossroadsbsa.org/activities/info/04-515.pdf Good luck organizing your new unit! Fred Goodwin, Organizer: Pack 2003 Alamo Area Council (Rev: 10 Jul 2005)

Courts, ACLU beating up on the Boy Scouts http://www.ddtonline.com/articles/2005/08/09/news/editorials/edit1.txt The presence of such an organization as the Boys Scouts of America should be praised and encouraged rather than scorned and ridiculed. Many of this nation's leaders, great and small, have been a part of the Boy Scouts organization as Scouts, leaders or volunteers. Most have earned and prospered from that experience. At no time in the organization's nearly 75 years of existence has the organization preached any organized religion or promoted any religion above another. However a tie that binds in the organization, and through the decades, is the belief in God - and saying so publicly. The last we checked, it still wasn't against the law to say one believes in God and saying so in public. Although at the rate the courts are going now, it may soon be illegal to profess such faith on public streets or sidewalks or in public places. The national Boy Scout organization has been dealing with a number of other negative issues such as declining enrollment, inflated membership rolls from some state and local organizations, sex scandals involving pedophile Scout leaders, and, most recently, the deaths of nine Scouts and Scout leaders in five states from accidents and lightning. Now comes the American Civil Liberties Union, which wants to have the Scouts expelled from using a military base, which they've used for decades, because of their use of the word God in their oaths. The ACLU contends that its use is exclusionary. And since taxpayers' money is used to support the jamboree on public property, then that is a violation of church and state relations. Where does it all end? Never mind the fact that taxpayers who support the Boy Scouts and their ideals are being told by the ACLU and the courts: "You are wrong, and we are right, so your money can't be used that way." David Crary, an Associated Press national writer, reported on Aug. 6, that "some critics acknowledge that the Scouts, for now, have weathered the storm that followed a 2000 Supreme Court ruling upholding their right to exclude gays." And now this. Is it any wonder that kids are confused? The Boy Scouts have a long history of teaching values, morals and responsibility. It's too bad that the courts and the ACLU haven't learned some of these lessons. It might be helpful to send judges and ACLU lawyers out on a jamboree or weekend camp out to learn some of the realities of living in today's society. Thank goodness, the U.S. Congress - both houses and both parties - along with President George W. Bush know the value of the Boy Scouts and what they mean to the leadership of this country.

I agree. I allow my son to take along his Gameboy on camping trips and we have a portable DVD player and a TV-VCR in the Suburban so he can watch movies along the way. But I draw the line at taking any electronics into the campsite -- everything must stay in the car / truck. We do this not so much to focus activity away from technology, but because its so easy to lose stuff in the woods!

Wilderness? No escape from technology world http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/journalgazette/living/12338307.htm By Kate Shatzkin Baltimore Sun Posted on Tue, Aug. 09, 2005 THURMONT, Md. At a campground in the quiet of the Catoctin Mountains, 11-year-old Michaela Downing rode bikes with her friends and sat with her grandmother under a canopy of tall trees, with a 78-foot waterfall and glistening lake just a short walk away. But after dinner, instead of telling ghost stories around the campfire or working on crafts as she did when she was younger, Michaela was hoping for screen time with Shrek, Polly Pocket and SpongeBob SquarePants. I might play here more than I play at home, said the girl, clad in a SpongeBob T-shirt and pajama pants, of the Game Boy she didnt want to leave home without. The wilderness might seem like the last place youd find video games, computers and DVDs, but todays young people are used to having electronic media virtually everywhere they go. And campground operators, eager to stop their pool of visitors from shrinking, are struggling with how and whether to accommodate them. To attract visitors, state parks in California, Texas and Michigan are offering wireless Internet access, and Col. Rick Barton, superintendent of Marylands 49 state parks, says hes exploring the idea. My first reaction was: Never, Barton said. These places are meant to be a getaway. But then its, Come on, Rick, people have cell phones. People have gadgets, he said. People have motor homes. They have TV. Car camping outings pitching a tent or pop-up with a vehicle nearby fell nearly 28 percent between 1998 and 2004, from 338 million to 245 million, according to a recent study by the Outdoor Industry Foundation, which represents retailers and non-profit groups. Backpacking declined 33 percent, from 98 million outings to 66 million. The National Park Service recently reported drops in visitation as well. Kids arent the only ones who want the comforts of home on camping trips. Theyre often traveling with Internet-savvy parents and grandparents baby boomers who often prefer to camp in recreational vehicles loaded with amenities. If people can easily reach the Web while roughing it, Barton says, maybe theyll be more willing to camp and to stay an extra day or two. Maybe theyll telecommute from their campsite, he said. Yogi Bears Jellystone Camp Resort, a private campground in Williamsport that has already gone wireless, is looking for ways to use that access to let kids use more game systems in cabins, resort owner Ron Vitkun said. Michael Lee, a spokesman for the Outdoor Industry Foundation, said his group is exploring ways to use technology to hook kids on camping. One example is geocaching, a high-tech treasure hunt that uses hand-held Global Positioning System devices. Kids who are used to interfacing with a screen can be doing that in the woods, he said. At Cunningham Falls Houck Area campground, where the conditions are still rustic, Geoff and Valerie Price brought a television with built-in VCR. They didnt think daughter Haylee, 2 1/2 , could survive in the woods without Barney. I was in Boy Scouts for many years, and we didnt have the TVs, her father said. But the little ones, they like it. A few campsites away, Alex Ashton, 12, had brought a portable PlayStation and several movies on his camping trip with family friends. The Rosedale boy promised the game player was for just in case it rains, and Im stuck in a tent or that sort of thing. Michaela Downing said she rarely gets to play her video games during the school year. So during the summer high camping season she wants to take advantage of the relaxed rules. And sometimes, after all that outdoor activity, Michaela needs a break. Bicycling, for example, is really tiring, she said. Some parents find it easier to tell the kids to leave their gadgets at home. For two days, they can live without it, said Rene Lyons of Linthicum, as her husband started dinner at their campsite in the Catoctins. Her daughter, Alex, 8, had brought paper dolls to amuse herself. With her 5-year-old brother, Josh, she played board games. Even without electronic entertainment, the kids were having enough fun on their first camping trip to stay up until midnight, Lyons said.

Bush spectacle at Scout jamboree had little to do with reality http://fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2005/082005/08052005/mercier Bush at the jamboree: Please tell me it was all just a bad dream August 5, 2005 12:00 am By RICK MERCIER The Free Lance-Star Editor's note: The following column is an Opinion column published in the Editorial pages of The Free Lance-Star. SOMEBODY PLEASE tell me Im not the only one who saw the coverage of the Boy Scout Jamboree arena show Sunday night and thought: Yikes, thats a bit too much like some of the scary weirdness that torments me in my sleep. I mean, isnt there something nightmarish about our misleader swooping down on a steaming pit of sweat and testosterone and whipping a throng of brown-shirted youths into a nationalistic frenzy? And whats not surreal about the author of an unnecessary, costly, and wholly counterproductive war claiming that his policies are laying the foundations of peace for decades to come? But President Bushs appearance at the jamboree was more than just a bad dream. It was one of those grandiose expressions of state power that, at least briefly, transforms a bumbling and dishonest politician into protector of all that is good and true in the fatherland. Despite the patriotic fervor, theres actually little about these kinds of events that marks them as distinctly American. Swap out the little American flags for little Cuban flags, and Bushs visit with the Scouts would have seemed a lot like one of those government-orchestrated rallies in Havana over which Fidel Castro presides (although if el jefe had been speaking Sunday, hed have gone on for hours and hours, precipitating another rash of heat-related illnesses at the jamboree). The extravaganza featuring our commander in chief felt especially creepy coming on the heels of a weeklong effort by the military to turn the jamboree into one big recruitment fair. But I guess its fitting that this president would be flown in to wrap up the recruiting blitz. Its thanks to him that the military is in such desperate need of warm bodies. And theres always more democracy-spreading to be done. Its no secret that some of the ideologues who whisper in the presidents ear subscribe to the notion that everyone wants to go to Baghdadreal men want to go to Tehran. Not that any of these chickenhawks would be leading the charge into Persia. That task would be left to some hapless schmucksincluding those who once upon a time attended a Boy Scout jamboree and decided then and there (after getting the hard sell) that they would serve their country by signing up for the Army. But these hard facts of life were to be ignored Sunday night. Like all good spectacles glorifying state power, Bushs performance worked only insofar as reality could be suppressed. So when the president boasted of laying the foundations of peace, no one was supposed to contemplate the horrors of Iraqa real-life nightmare for sure. No one was supposed to be aware of new Saudi and Israeli research concluding that the overwhelming majority of foreign fighters in Iraq werent terrorists before the war but became radicalized by the war itself. And no one was supposed to hear the voice of terrorism experts like Peter Bergen telling them: To say we must fight them in Baghdad so we dont have to fight them in Boston implies there is a finite number of people, and if you pen them up in Iraq you can kill them all. The truth is we increased the pool by what we did in Iraq. Nor would it have been at all patriotic to recall the CIAs conclusion that Iraq could provide recruitment, training grounds, technical skills, and language proficiency for a new class of terrorists who are professionalized and for whom political violence becomes an end in itself. Likewise, when Bush said Americans could count on the Eagle Scout who runs the Pentagon to be prepared, everyone was obliged to overlook the fact that U.S. forces were anything but prepared as they headed into combat in Iraq. Thanks to the Eagle Scout, there werent enough troops, or enough armored vehicles, or enough dependable flak jackets. Thousands of dead and maimed Americans are the result of his preparations. These truths were too much for some Scouts to suppress. Amid the flag-waving and the USA! USA! chants Sunday evening was one young Scout leader who disagreed with Bushs Iraq policies and had taken off his uniform shirt to protest the presidents appearance. I dont want to show respect by wearing the Scout uniform, the 19-year-old from Jupiter, Fla., explained to a Free LanceStar reporter. But the teen did show respect for the values espoused by the president. Bush told the Scouts he hoped theyd always strive to be men of conviction and character. The kid from Jupiter appears to take such rhetoric seriously, and the thought that there could be others like him might just help me sleep a little better. RICK MERCIER is a writer and news editor for The Free LanceStar.

This has nothing to do with answering your question, but you might want to hook-up with the guy who started these threads: http://www.scouter.com/forums/viewThread.asp?threadID=43884 http://www.scouter.com/forums/viewThread.asp?threadID=43835 Although his focus is PWD software, he also mentions advancement tracking.

I like the Cub Scout antenna ball; its yellowish-orange and really stands out when I'm trying to find my car in a crowded parking lot! I also have a BSA license plate (available in some states) and a BSA license frame that says "Duty to God" at the top and "A Scout is Reverent" on the bottom. This was a custom order at my Scout Shop. My license plate # is SR-552, for my Wood Badge class!

[despite the title, this article is really about training] How safe are Utah Scouts on outings? http://www2.standard.net/standard/news/58711/ Monday, August 8, 2005 By Lynze Wardle Standard-Examiner staff Leaders trained to teach boys skills properly In 42 years with the Boy Scouts, Brent Cragun, 62, estimates he supervised nearly 100 Scouts on as many trips. The Mountain Green resident said he has led Scouts on outdoor adventures ranging from kayaking the Green River to snow camping in the High Uintas, and he never had a participant seriously injured or lost. "If you do it right and follow the rules, you're going to have a relatively small number of problems," Cragun said. Like Cragun, most Boy Scouts leaders are well-prepared to take youth into the wilderness, said Kim Hardcastle, district director for Northern Utah's Trapper Trails Council of the Boy Scouts. Hardcastle said recent Scouting accidents, the latest of which occurred when a Salt Lake City Scout was killed by lightning last week, are not the result of inadequate leader training. "We have a remarkable safety record, considering that we send 1 million Scouts into the field every summer," Hardcastle said. Washington Terrace resident Quinn Seal, 15, seems to agree. He said his Scout leaders held several preparation meetings before taking Seal and two other Scouts on a nine-mile hike into Zion's Subway canyon in June. Together, boys and leaders discussed what to expect and what to pack for the trail, which would take them through narrow passageways and chest-high water. Seal said besides being a little sore from the hike, all members of Troop 587 returned home without incident. "Our leaders took all the necessary steps to make sure that we were safe," he said. "I felt quite confident in their judgment." All new Scouting leaders are encouraged to complete a series of three training exercises, Hardcastle said. The first is an hourlong "Fast Start" video, shown at training meetings or given to leaders to take home. The video teaches basic Boy Scouts philosophy, how to run a troop meeting, and how to plan events like the monthly outdoor activity, Hardcastle said. Leaders must also complete Youth Protection Training, Hardcastle said, which teaches Scouting policies to help leaders and Scouts avoid verbal, emotional, physical and sexual abuse. The third is basic training, which Hardcastle said averages eight hours and is usually split between two or three meetings. Two hours of the program is dedicated to outdoor-skill instruction, including planning and conducting activities, knot-tying and plant and animal identification. Safety is emphasized throughout all three training exercises, Hardcastle said. "Safety is a constant thread in Scouting," he said. "For example, when they learn about packing for a trip, they learn that the first principal is to plan for everything, to be prepared." Additional training is required before leaders can take troops rock climbing, rappelling or on any water-oriented activity, he said. Leaders must complete all three trainings needed before they can apply for permits, required to take troops out of the troop's immediate neighborhood or to any official Boy Scouts of America activity. Hardcastle said most accidents occur when leaders bypass training and permits and take the boys on unauthorized trips. "The issue is not the type or the amount of training available to the leaders, it is whether or not the leaders choose to comply with the rules," Hardcastle said. The majority of leaders do complete the training exercises, Hardcastle said. Many recreation areas also are beginning to require that Scouting leaders show proof of training before troops can enter the area. The Bridger-Teton National Forest won't let troops backpack through the area unless their leader has obtained a BSA permit, he said. Becky Richter, training chairwoman for the Mount Ogden Scouting District, said her district offers training exercises six times per year, all of which are well-attended. Richter said she does not hesitate to send her 13-year-old son, Corwin, on Scouting trips. She said that she does, however, review safety issues with Corwin beforehand, so that he is prepared, even if his Scout leaders aren't. "Before they go out on a camp out, it's important to get the boys thinking," Richter said. "I sit Corwin down and grill him a little, and I would advise all parents to do the same."

RE: the BALOO Target Audience:Ideally, your target participant is a parent who is not already part of the pack leadership team. This position should be similar to the person in charge of the pinewood derby, blue and gold dinner, or other special pack activity. He or she may not have already attended Cub Scout Leader Basic Training or Youth Protection Training, but should be encouraged to do so as part of this training. He or she will be responsible for the success of this important activity and should be given adequate time to prepare. That is not to say that pack leaders are not welcome, but it will be important for you to convey this message as part of your promotion and planning.This quote comes directly from the BALOO syllabus (page 10 of my 2002 version). I can't speak for every Pack, but for the three I've been personally involved in, the PWD and B&G were NOT planned by DLs or CMs. Those activities were planned by other parent volunteers, and they were not always registered leaders (hence my use of the phrase "non-leaders"). The CM's focus should be planning and executing the monthly Pack Meeting; the DL's role should be planning and executing the weekly den meetings. The plain fact is, just as DLs and CMs are too busy and involved to handle the B&G and PWD, the same applies to planning the Pack overnighter. Since planning a non-recurring activity like a pack overnighter should be handled by someone other than a DL or CM, the BALOO training should be taken by such a person, not the CM or DL (although they may take the training if they want). Again -- read the syllabus; its very clear.

A non-leader is an adult who is not a DL, ADL, CM or ACM. The BALOO syllabus is very clear that non-leaders are the intended audience. The point is, why add this to the requirements for a leader knot? They aren't the intended BALOO audience anyway.

WLOT already is a requirement for the WDL knot (but not for the "trained" strip). I would oppose adding BALOO as a requirement for a CM, DL or Cub Scouter knot. BALOO is intended for non-leaders. Let's keep it that way.

P-S: thanx for the red-herring. I never said it was arrogant to question long held Biblical belief. The arrogance is when modernists believe they have all the answers and that long-held beliefs were all wrong, simply because they were held by those who unfortunate enough to live prior to these oh-so-enlightened times.

For the Scouts, recent months have been a rollercoaster http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/local/states/california/northern_california/12320944.htm http://tinyurl.com/c4c3j DAVID CRARY Associated Press With a rousing presidential visit just days after a deadly accident, the just-completed National Scout Jamboree epitomized the recent tumult roiling the Boy Scouts of America - tragedy, high-profile scandals, lawsuits and dwindling ranks on one hand, but also a new wave of support extending to the highest levels in Washington. To some of their critics, the Scouts are now a polarizing organization - determined to stick by policies that exclude atheists and gays. To supporters, the Scouts remain an American treasure, teaching boys from diverse backgrounds such timeless values as duty, citizenship, and teamwork. "The controversies don't flow down to the scouting level," said John Eastman, a law professor who doubles as assistant scoutmaster in Long Beach, Calif. "They make not one whit of difference in how we conduct the program." The problems, however, have drawn the close attention of the Scouts' national leadership, which is seeking to reverse membership declines, end a spate of scandals involving false enrollment data and tighten procedures aiming at keeping pedophiles out of Scout jobs. Among the recent challenges: _The deaths of four adult Scout leaders in an electrical accident at the Jamboree in Virginia, and five other deaths this summer from drowning and lightning during Scout outings in Wyoming, New Mexico, Utah and California. _Investigations in Atlanta, northern Alabama and Tampa, Fla., of allegations that membership rolls of some Scouting programs were inflated to boost contributions. A Scout official resigned in Atlanta and the local United Way held back $250,000 after auditors found that nearly 5,000 boys, mostly black, were falsely registered in an inner-city program. _Lawsuits by the American Civil Liberties Union seeking to limit government support for the Scouts because they exclude gays and require participants to declare belief in God. _Several sex-abuse cases involving former troop leaders, and a child-pornography case in Texas against a senior Scout official who ran a task force combatting sexual abuse. Douglas Sovereign Smith Jr., who had worked for the Scouts for 39 years, pleaded guilty to possessing and distributing child pornography; he faces at least five years in prison. The Scouts' spokesman, Gregg Shields, said the Irving, Texas-based organization is constantly seeking better ways to protect its boys from abuse, focusing on background screening and education programs teaching volunteers and parents how to spot suspicious behavior. "Criminal background checks are not perfect and occasionally there's a problem," Shields said. "One child abused is one too many." Shields depicted the falsified membership cases as "a few isolated incidents" and outlined steps being taken to tighten verification of enrollment data. "Some people paid for their bad actions with their jobs," he said. Yet Atlanta civil rights leader Joe Beasley said he was unimpressed by the Scouts' handling of the membership controversy. "They're trying to do as little as they can to get by," said Beasley, who also contends that the Scouts' national office lagged behind other organizations in giving blacks an appropriate share of top positions. Shields disagreed, but said the Scouts don't have a racial breakdown of Scouts or officials. He acknowledged that the Scouts need more adult volunteers in the inner cities - and elsewhere. While the number of youths in Scouting dropped 6 percent from 2000 to 2004, to nearly 3.15 million, the number of adult volunteers plunged 16 percent - from 1.4 million to 1,173,064. Shields said the Scouts want to boost recruiting in minority neighborhoods, immigrant communities and Indian reservations; Scout manuals now appear in multiple languages. "But our biggest challenge is competition for a boy's time, for a family's time," he said. "The issue isn't homosexuality and atheism. When we ask parents why they don't get involved, they tell us they don't have time." Some critics acknowledge that the Scouts, for now, have weathered the storm that followed a 2000 Supreme Court ruling upholding their right to exclude gays. But Matt Coles of the ACLU's Lesbian and Gay Rights Project said the policy will gradually exact a toll. "The Scouts took a stand in the culture war, and in the long run this will hurt them because they're on the wrong side," Coles said. "More and more Americans are accepting the notion that gay people are just folks." Scott Cozza of Petaluma, Calif., president of Scouting for All, expressed skepticism at the strong support for the Scouts shown by President Bush at the Jamboree, and by virtually every member of Congress in recent votes. "Bush has the audacity to say no child shall be left behind," Cozza said. "Those words mean absolutely nothing when gay kids and atheist kids are being left behind." Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., an openly gay congressmen, cast one of the "No" votes on a pro-Scouts resolution approved by the House 391-3 in November. The Scouts, he said, were "a very good organization" clinging to hurtful policies that would bar him from being a volunteer. "I object to allowing them to use funds paid for by all taxpayers when they say taxpayers who don't agree with their religious views can't join them," Frank said. Eastman, the Long Beach scoutmaster who heads the conservative Claremont Institute's Center for Constitutional Jurisprudence, contends that most Americans embrace the Scouts' principles. "Every year, I lead the boys in a local tree-lighting parade," he said. "The fire truck, the police get applause - but the group that really gets the crowd to their feet is the Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts." ON THE NET Boy Scouts of America: http://www.scouting.org Scouting for All: http://www.scoutingforall.org

Relive the Jamboree with "Scouts Rock!" CD http://tdjamboree.mgblogs.com/index.php/tdjamboree/relive_the_jamboree_with_scouts_rock_cd/ http://tinyurl.com/7asba Readers told us they couldnt get enough of our coverage of the 2005 National Scout Jamboree. Now you can hold on to the stories, photos, graphics and video forever with our commemorative Scouts Rock! CD. Scouts Rock! is a special, limited-edition CD - Mac and PC compatible - loaded with the stories and images reported before, during and after the event. Everything is here - the planning, the arrival, the joys and the tragedies of more than 30,000 Scouts and leaders assembled at Fort A.P. Hill. This CD is available only from The Times-Dispatch and TimesDispatch.com. It costs only $10, including postage and handling, and $1 from each CD will be donated to a fund established for the families of the victims of the electrocution accident during the Jamboree. Scouts Rock! can be ordered beginning Monday, with delivery in six to eight weeks. An online form will soon be available to facilitate orders. Until then, you can phone your order in by calling (804) 649-6273 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Just tell the operator your name, complete mailing address, and the number of CDs you want. We accept Visa, Mastercard, Discover and American Express. For mail-in orders, send your name and complete address, the number of CDs you want, and your check, made payable to the Richmond Times-Dispatch, to: Scouts Rock! CD Richmond Times-Dispatch 300 E. Franklin St. Richmond, VA 23219 Orders placed by Aug. 31, 2005, will be part of our first shipment.

SP: my point wasn't what the rest of the patrol or troop does when a boy is missing -- my point is, what does the missing boy do? Do you know what to do if lost? Does your son or the other boys in your troop know?

Fitness a lesson best taught early Event shows exercise, doctors are a good thing http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050804/LIFE/508040313/1005/life http://tinyurl.com/d3wg2 BY KEILANI BEST FLORIDA TODAY August 4, 2005 Melbourne Square mall was a hive of activity last weekend, with children of assorted ages were jumping, dancing, wiggling and faithfully taking their beloved Cabbage Patch Kids in for "checkups." This "Feelin' Groovy" event with Radio Disney got parents talking about the importance of exercise for their children. "It's very important," said Felicia McKenzie of Palm Bay, a mother of three sons, who were happily pouncing on an "In the Groove" interactive video game where kids had to stomp on mats to play. "Every child needs to be active. It needs to start when they're really, really early, whether indoor or outdoor play." According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination, 16 percent of children ages 6 to 19 were overweight in its 1999 to 2002 survey. That's a 45 percent increase from estimates during the same entity's 1988-94 survey. With today's generation being cited as the most inactive generation of our time, many people are recognizing the importance of physical activity among youth. And many corporations are taking an active role in making sure kids stay active. Kimberly Munoz, promotions manager for Radio Disney, said one thing corporations are doing is using their products to teach children that exercise can be fun. Disney sponsors the nationwide mall tour that promotes fitness and wellness among children. Melbourne Square mall was one of the first stops for the tour in the nation. "We're teaching them how to be comfortable with doctor's visits," Munoz said. "We're saying, 'Let's have fun,' and we're sneaking in some exercise as well." Another company that's recognizing the need for 'tweens to stay active is RTF Productions. RTF is responsible for Savvy, a pop group made up of youngsters ages 6 to 12 whose music can be heard on the likes of Radio Disney. Savvy has put out a hip-hop dance instruction video to encourage children to not only enjoy listening to their favorite age-appropriate tunes, but to also become active. "We're hoping they're wanting to get up off the couch and practice it everyday," said Judy Baker, business development director of RTF Productions. The video contains instruction by choreographer Glenn Douglas Packer, and dance moves such as crumping and the Harlem shake. "We made the DVD easy so that kids who have never exercised before can learn," Baker said. 4Kids Entertainment, the entertainment and merchandise-licensing conglomerate behind such sensations as Pokemon, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Nintendo, has recognized the importance of fitness and exercise among today's kids. The company decided to join Radio Disney for its mall tour by adding the Cabbage Patch Kids to the tour's roster. "We wanted to make exercise and health fun," said Colleen Nuskey, vice president of sales and marketing for 4Kids Entertainment. "Since Cabbage Patch Kids are all about nurturing and taking care of something that belongs to you, it kind of resonates you teaching your kid to do something and you learning at the same time." Children were encouraged to bring their Cabbage Patch Kids for health and wellness checkups by "doctors" who were on location. Based on how well the children answered information, they were given "prescriptions" for things such as TLC. Terisa Hassall said she makes sure her children, ages 7 and 10, get a healthy dose of activity, and said that exercise rates as "very important" on her scale. "We get out in the morning, afternoon and night," the Melbourne resident said. "We go swimming and biking." She also said her children, a boy and a girl, are active in Cub Scouts and Girl Scouts, respectively. One reason why corporations may have taken a keen interest in children and fitness is that the adults who run those corporations notice a vast difference from their active childhoods and the sedentary lifestyles of today's youth. "I'm 50 this year," Baker said. "I was always outside playing, jumping, running. That's what we did, and we were healthier. I see kids now, and they're not strong, they're not healthy, they're not active, and it worries me." Contact Best at 242-3784 or kbest@flatoday.net

The ACLU, the Courts and the Boy Scouts http://www.americandaily.com/article/8563 By Paul M. Weyrich (08/03/05) While growing up I was a proud member of an organization that emphasized the importance of honesty and being clean in thought, word and deed. We vowed to serve God and our country. If you think that this organizations philosophy is non-controversial you are sadly mistaken. We live in an era of Political Correctness. The beliefs and values that our society broadly embraced when I was a member of Boy Scout Troop 77, chartered by Holy Trinity Catholic Church of Racine, Wisconsin, are now endangered. Unfortunately, our federal courts often make decisions that assault our countrys most cherished beliefs and values. Many of the nations 3.2 million Boy Scouts and 1.2 million adult members must be hanging their heads low right now. A recent ruling by U.S. District Judge Blanche Manning in Chicago indicates how much our society has declined in understanding the difference between paying homage to God and the intermingling of church and state. Winkler v. Chicago was brought by the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois on behalf of Methodist Minister Eugene Winkler, Rabbi Gary Gerson and others. Thanks to their misunderstanding of the separation of church and state, as well as that of Judge Manning, the Pentagon cannot use federal funds to support future National Boy Scout Jamborees such as that held last month. The argument in this case is not that the Pentagon transfers money allocated for weapons systems to the Boy Scout Jamboree. It is that the Pentagon uses federal funds to support the event of an organization that develops our youth and acknowledges God. According to the plaintiffs and the ACLU, the Pentagon violates a fundamental stricture requiring the government to be neutral in religious activities although the Pentagon is authorized by Congress to support the Boy Scouts of America. The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) is a non-denominational youth organization that seeks to make young men good citizens. It does require Boy Scouts to affirm a belief in God, or any God for that matter. Methodist Minister Eugene Winkler insisted, Government must be neutral because we are a nation of many religious views as well as those who do not practice a religion. The expenditure of $7.3 million by the Pentagon or an organization that requires young people to affirm a belief in God and the simultaneous exclusion of secular organizations from this benefit undermines that principle of neutrality. The ACLU argued that the money expended by the Pentagon is alarming because BSA distributes to Jamboree attendants a guidebook that lists a prayer book as required personal camping equipment. BSA also distributes Duty to God, a booklet suggesting daily prayers that could be said during the Jamboree. What the ACLU so aggressively protests is indoctrination but this is much ado about nothing. Devout Boy Scouts will use the prayer books and be sincere in the thoughts they express to God. Most will be sincere in what they say and do. Some Boy Scouts will not be so sincere, perhaps not even say the prayers at all. That is for God to judge. Judge Manning in the earthly court the U.S. District Court incorrectly interpreted the Constitution. The First Amendment does not call for separation of church and state; it says Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. BSA does not favor any religious denomination; the organization truly is non-denominational. This was clarified in the motion for summary judgment filed on behalf of the Department of Housing & Urban Development. In the motion, HUD sought to have the judge issue a ruling without a trial because the arguments of the plaintiffs, Reverend Winkler and Rabbi Gerson, were baseless. The motion said: While a Boy Scout accepts an obligation to do ones duty to God and to be reverent, BSA leaves the implementation of the Scouts religious beliefs up to the Scout and his family. BSA encourages members to practice their religious beliefs as directed by their parents and spiritual advisorsBoy Scouts leaves sectarian religious instruction to the members religious leaders and families, does not require its members to attend or participate in any sectarian religious ceremony, welcomes young people of all religious backgrounds, and in fact includes members of every religious denomination as well as those who affiliate with no organized religion whatsoever. While many religious organizations charter Scouting units, BSA prohibits them from requiring boys who belong to other denominations or faiths to take part in or observe their religious ceremonies. The Department of Justice has not decided whether to appeal this case. Millions of Americans who care about an organization that promotes wholesome values in our countrys young boys have a vested interest. They should hope the Department would not let this egregious ruling go unchallenged. Congress has a role to play, too. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, M.D. (R-TN introduced the Support Our Scouts Act (S. 642) to guarantee that Scouts shall have fair and equal access to all public facilities and forums. Senator Frists bill would amend the Housing and Community Development Act to prohibit any state or local government from discriminating against any youth organization such as the Boy Scouts or its affiliates. A bipartisan group of Senators co-sponsored the bill, which the Senate recently approved as an amendment to the Department of Defense Authorization bill (S. 1042). Senator Frist emphasized how proud he was that his amendment received bipartisan support. The battle will continue within the House/Senate conference committee on the DOD authorization bill. The ruling in this case reaffirms the need to place judges on the federal bench who are committed to interpreting the law, not actively re-writing it. The Pentagons support of the Boy Scout Jamboree does not establish a religion and surely does not violate the First Amendment. Many similar decisions, based upon the personal prejudices or gross misinterpretations of a judge, recently have been handed down. At risk, due to such activist-driven rulings, are beliefs and values that have united us as a country. When the BSA finds itself in legal hot water because it wants its members to honor God this is not the America that I knew growing up. In my youth acknowledgement of our faith and our countrys Judeo-Christian heritage was common and accepted practice. Our country has lost its moorings and too many Americans of Christian and Jewish heritage willingly have abandoned the faith that held their forbearers in good stead. Our nations youth are too complacent, taking for granted what has been given them. They mistake Hollywood and sports celebrities as accomplished, not only in their performances on stage and on screen and on the playing field but in their lifestyles. Glitz outshines living a life that truly honors God. The Boy Scouts challenge our young men to set higher goals and higher standards for themselves, including belief in God. A Federal Judge has told the Boy Scouts that belief is unacceptable because the government must be neutral. Millions of Americans do understand the importance of faith. They are not neutral when recognizing God and do not put a denominational stamp on faith. A Boy Scout may believe in his country but his belief in God instills real mettle in that conviction. Ed: Views are those of individual authors and not necessarily those of American Daily.

Hunt, what galls me is the post-modern arrogance that says the commonly accepted interpretation of the Bible for the last 2,000-3,000 years is all wrong and only we "moderns" really know what it means. As you say, we may not like what it says, but I won't stand for these word games that re-interpret it to mean what we want it to mean.

I'm quite familiar with the spin that revisionists put on the typical Bible passages quoted to condemn homosexuality -- that's why I'm still waiting to see a Bible passage quoted that approves of same-sex relations. I'm not aware of any, but if you are, I'd like to read it.

I read what you posted -- as I said, if you can cite even one place where the Bible approves same-sex relations, I'd like to read it.

Text of Bush speech Richmond Times-Dispatch Monday, August 1, 2005 http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD/MGArticle/RTD_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1031784175996 http://tinyurl.com/75geo The following is a transcript of remarks by President Bush to the 2005 National Scout Jamboree at Fort A.P. Hill: THE PRESIDENT: Daniel, thank you for your introduction. It's such an honor to be here. Laura and I join Americans across our country in extending our sympathy and prayers to the families of the Scout leaders who lost their lives so tragically earlier this week. The men you lost were models of good citizenship, leaders who stepped forward to serve a good and selfless cause. As Scout leaders they devoted themselves to helping young men develop the character and skills they need to realize their dreams. These men will always be remembered for their leadership and kindness. And you Scouts honor them by living up to the ideals of the scouting they served. Daniel, I want to thank you for your introduction. I appreciate the Scouts picking a fellow Texan to introduce me. (Applause.) I want to thank Congresswoman Jo Ann Davis for her leadership. I don't know if you realize this, but she sponsored legislation in the House of Representatives to ensure that the Boy Scouts are granted equal access to public lands. (Applause.) I want to thank the President of the Boy Scouts, John Cushman; Roy Williams, the Chief Scout Executive; Fran Olmstead, the Chairman of this fantastic jamboree. I also want to thank Major General Jay Yingling, who is the Commander of the Fort A.P. Hill. General, thank you and all your troops for making sure this jamboree was a great success. (Applause.) Here at the 16th National Scout Jamboree, you're carrying on a tradition that dates back almost seven decades. President Franklin Roosevelt came to the first jamboree in 1937. I don't think he rode in the same kind of helicopter I did, though. (Laughter.) You know, I was looking forward to coming last week, but the thunderstorms got in the way. So I appreciate the rain check. (Laughter and applause.) It's a fantastic sight to look out on more than 30,000 young men wearing the uniform of the Boy Scouts. (Applause.) At this base there are Scouts from all 50 states, plus Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands, and countries from all around the world. (Applause.) As a former Cub Scout from Midland, Texas, I'm especially glad to be here with the Texas Scouts. (Applause.) Sounds like you brought a big delegation this year. (Applause.) Coming to this jamboree gives me great confidence in the future of our nation. For nearly a hundred years, Boy Scouts have set a high standard of service and duty to God and country. Millions of Americans have pledged the Scout oath: On my honor, I'll do my best. And through the generations, Scouts have made America a stronger and better nation. (Applause.) Scouts have excelled in fields from science to business to education to the arts. Scouts have earned Olympic Gold Medals, Nobel Prizes and Academy Awards. Thousands of Scouts have shown the highest form of patriotism, by going on to wear the uniform of the United States military. (Applause.) The first Scout Jamboree was held in Washington, D.C. The Scouts have felt at home in the Nation's Capital ever since. More than half of the current members of the United States Congress participated in the Scouts. One of the capital's most famous Scouts is President Gerald Ford. (Applause.) He first saw Washington just a few years after he earned his Eagle badge, and eventually became the first Eagle Scout to call the White House his home. (Applause.) As President, I have the privilege to work with Scouts every day. When I come to the Oval Office in the morning, the first person I see is a Scout -- my Chief of Staff, Andy Card, from the state of Massachusetts. (Applause.) Down the hall is Vice President Dick Cheney, a Boy Scout from Casper, Wyoming. (Applause.) And across the river at the Pentagon sits an Eagle Scout from Illinois who Americans count on to "be prepared" -- Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. (Applause.) These Scouts have a lot of things in common, and one of the most important is that they all benefited from the influence of a caring adult early in their lives. Across America, Scoutmasters and volunteers devote long hours to building the knowledge and integrity of our Scouts. It's not always an easy job. When I was a Cub Scout, my mother was our den mother. It's about the time her hair turned white. (Laughter.) I want to thank the Scoutmasters of America and the volunteer Scouters for taking the time to care. I want to thank you for your leadership, and thank you for setting such a good example for a new generation of Scouts. (Applause.) When you join a Scout troop and put on the Boy Scout uniform you make a statement. Your uniform is a sign that you're a certain kind of citizen -- trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent. (Applause.) These are the values of scouting, and they're important values for America. By working to live up to them, you're bringing great credit to yourselves and to our nation. Coming to this jamboree is a great way to practice the values of Scout law. And when you get back home there are a few lessons you might keep in mind. The first one is one you've probably heard before, and it's one of the most valuable lessons I've learned -- listen to your mother. (Applause.) I didn't have much choice -- Mom always has a way of speaking her mind. When I paid attention, I benefited. And that's how it still works. Listen, you may not always agree with your mother, but think of it this way: The first voice you heard is always worth listening to. Second, always remember where you come from and what you believe. At times, you may come across people who say that moral truth is relative, or call a religious faith a comforting allusion. They may question the values you learn in scouting. But remember, lives of purpose are constructed on the conviction there is right and there is wrong, and we can know the difference. (Applause.) In the years ahead you will find that indifferent or cynical people accomplish little that makes them proud. You'll find that confronting injustice and evil requires a vision of goodness and truth. You'll find that many in your community, especially those younger than you, look to you as an example of conduct and leadership. For your sake, and for the sake of our country, I hope you'll always strive to be men of conviction and character. (Applause.) Finally, your life will grow in meaning when you serve a cause greater than yourself. There's a wise saying: We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give. (Applause.) That truth is expressed well in the Scout slogan: Do a good turn daily. (Applause.) When you help someone in need, you're making America more hopeful, one heart and one soul at a time. And you're answering the call to love a neighbor just like you'd like to be loved yourself. (Applause.) Every day, every day Scouts are showing that the greatest strength of America lies in the hearts and souls of our citizens. Through your Good Turn for America initiative, Scouts have given more than 1.4 million hours of volunteer service this year alone. (Applause.) In Nebraska, Scouts have made more than 11,000 pocket-size flags to send to troops serving overseas. (Applause.) In California, Boy Scouts donated money they raised for summer camps to help victims of the tsunami in Asia. (Applause.) In Louisiana, Scouts collected five tons of food to donate to a food bank. (Applause.) In Florida, Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts worked together to clean up the roads before the Super Bowl. (Applause.) And right here at the National Jamboree, Scouts are working with Habitat for Humanity to build a home for a Virginia family in need. (Applause.) On behalf of a grateful nation, I thank the Boy Scouts for serving on the front line of America's armies of compassion. (Applause.) Another organization devoted to service is USA Freedom Corps. I created the USA Freedom Corps in 2002 to match willing volunteers with opportunities in their communities. If you're interested in serving America, if you're listening to my speech today to the Boy Scouts, call up USAFreedomCorps.gov to find out ways that you can join other kind-hearted Americans across our nation to mentor children, to assist the elderly, to clean up the neighborhoods and perform countless acts of generosity. (Applause.) This year, Laura is going to work with organizations like the Boy Scouts to lead an initiative called Helping America's Youth. The Boy Scouts are recognizing our call to service with a special honor. I was pleased to accept the Good Turn for America award on behalf of the millions of volunteers all across our country who are helping this country be a hopeful place. (Applause.) By making a commitment to service, to integrity, and to good citizenship, all of you are showing your gratitude for the blessings of freedom. You also understand that freedom must be defended, and I appreciate the Scouts' long tradition of supporting the men and women of the United States military. (Applause.) Your generation is growing up in an historic time, a time when freedom is on the march, and America is proud to lead the armies of liberation. (Applause.) I believe we're laying the foundations of peace for decades to come. And that's not the only reason I'm optimistic about the decades ahead, because I'm standing in front of America's future leaders. When you follow your conscience, and the ideals you have sworn as a Scout, there is no limit to what you can achieve for our country. (Applause.) Continue to make right choices in life; continue to set high standards; continue to be a leader. Thanks for hosting me tonight. May God bless you all, and may God continue to bless the United States of America. (Applause.) SOURCE: White House Press Office

At the jamboree, lots of adult supervision BY CHARLIE BAN TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER Wednesday, August 3, 2005 http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD/MGArticle/RTD_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1031784215579 http://tinyurl.com/8bnae BOWLING GREEN -- Pale shins and calves betrayed the truths of summers spent behind desks for many Scoutmasters when they put on shorts for the first time in a while at the National Scout Jamboree. With all respect to Scouts' reputation for responsibility and skill, the nearly 32,000 of them needed some supervision and direction from the 3,532 adults who accompanied the boys. In some cases, the Scoutmasters did more than supervise at the jamboree, to which the boys and adults will say so long this morning after 10 days at Fort A.P. Hill. "You shouldn't take 36 boys to the jamboree unless you're ready to take care of every one like he was your only son," said First Assistant Scoutmaster George Boothby of Montvale, N.J. Boothby saved up a week of vacation from last year so he could come to the jamboree and still have time for his family holiday. Each of these adults paid about $600, plus varied travel expenses, to work and live in tents during some of the summer's hottest days. They also took about two weeks off from work. Emerson, N.J., Scoutmaster Linda Sue Andrese's job does not include any vacation time, so she got a coworker to substitute for her. There will be no family vacation for the Andreses this year. The role of adult leaders took on added emphasis at this year's jamboree, when four leaders from Alaska were killed on the event's opening day after the center pole of a large tent they were helping put up touched an electrical wire. And as Scouts rushed toward the tent with water after they saw flames, Scoutmasters blocked them from the accident scene, possibly saving the youths from being electrocuted. At the jamboree, each 36-Scout troop has three adult leaders and a third assistant Scoutmaster between the ages of 18 and 21. Andrese's third assistant was James Beattie, 18, of Bergenfield, N.J. The position can be confusing, Beattie said, because he feels torn between two sets of peers. "I still relate to the boys, but I have to be an adult," he said. "I keep kids from doing dangerous things that seem like fun to them, like going down a hill in a food wagon." Andrese is one of a handful of female Scoutmasters at the jamboree, but she said she did not consider herself different from other leaders. Beattie said he noticed the boys were less confrontational with her than they were with men. These 18-hour days are not all work, and the Scoutmasters have had some fun, too. Boothby has been participating in activities such as rappelling and hatchet throwing, not just to feel young, but to convince Scouts in his troop to be active. "We can't really expect them to go out and do things they might be nervous about unless we try some things ourselves," he said. Andrese takes a different perspective on expecting Scouts to do things. "I won't ask any Scout to do anything I wouldn't do myself," she said. When temperatures soared last Wednesday, she gave the Scouts the option of staying at camp, rather than going to the arena show that was later cancelled because of heat and storm concerns. About 16 stayed in camp with Andrese, while the other 20 went to the show with a neighboring troop. Scoutmasters were in a position to set the tone for the jamboree, which for 16-year-old Andrew Bolton of Franklin Lakes, N.J., made the difference between a lackluster 10 days and the unforgettable experience he said it was for him. He credited jamboree Scoutmaster Ernie Kastner with running the troop in a way that allows the Scouts to have fun and respect him as the leader. "He treats everyone the same, even his sons, and he gives us options and freedom that allowed us to govern ourselves," he said. Although they did not live in the camps, thousands of other volunteers converged on Fort A.P Hill to add support at various parts, including merit badge instruction and security. Steve Bosak of Medford, Mass., helped direct thousands of Scouts and visitors into the arena Sunday night. "I do it for the same reason as any parent does anything -- they want their kid to have the best," he said. Waving his arm over the crowd of Scouts assembled for the closing arena show, he added, "I'm hoping these guys will have what I had at my first jamboree." Elsie Metz of Bethlehem, Pa., began volunteering when her son joined Cub Scouts -- 33 years ago. Even after his participation waned, she continued to work as a liaison between Scout troops and councils in eastern Pennsylvania and the Washington region. This is her third jamboree. "I believe in what the Scouts teach the boys, and the experiences they make possible," she said. "Plus, it's fun." Contact Charlie Ban at (804) 649-6152 or cban@timesdispatch.com