Hal_Crawford

Why would they do that Ed?

Joe Bob:

I would love to see a link for that as I can't find it on Pew's site or anywhere on the web.

Seems that it would be a difficult thing to quantify since whether content is liberal, conservative or neutral. I would hope that most is neutral as most news is not political. Hard to say that a mine cave-in is liberal or a bridge collapse is conservative (though some will find away).

Hal

The ELCA has approximately 4.7 million members making them the fifth largest religious body in the US. They have almost 10,500 congregations. I can't find a figure for how many BSA units are chartered by ELCA churches but I suspect that it is a significant number.

I agree with NW about local option. As Bob Dylan said, the times they are a'changing.

I like GPS but I would never depend on it as my primary means of finding my way in the woods. I have mapping software at home that I use to mark way points at major trail intersections and the like. Our scouts use map and compass as their primary means of navigation checking the GPS if they think they have missed something.

I keep my GPS switched on and tracking while we are on the trail. Afterwards I download the track to my computer and the scouts can see their actual route compared to the planned route. It is a good learning tool.

Hal

Good point Lisabob. Perhaps it might be an eye opener if everyone who gets group health through their work were to call their benefits department and ask how much their payments would be under COBRA. With COBRA you can keep your group health for up to a year after leaving your job but you pay the full freight. How many of the unemployed can afford to drop a grand a month? How long could any of you afford it if you got a pink slip tomorrow?

Hal

Show tunes? Now it's gone too far.

Since the amount probably isn't worth fighting over I would drop it sort of. Next time they need you to purchase something say "Sorry, the last time the council didn't reimburse me for the full amount. You will have to send someone else". Oh yeah, and deduct the amount from your FOS contribution.

Hal

"Certainly insurance companies are involved today in these decisions in their denial of coverage for some tests and procedures, but at least their decisions are rooted in a private contractual relationship, not government coercion."

And we have as little control of the outcome as we would with the government as contract is generally between your insurance company and the hospital. You truly have very little say.

I am fortunate enough to have a choice between two health care plans offered by my employer. Some have more, most have only one, many have none at all.

As an Army dependent in the 1950s and 60s I grew up with socialized medicine. As far as I can tell it was far more the socialized model than anything proposed by Obama or what exists in the UK, France or Canada today. Frankly, the care was better than what I see from HMOs today.

A lot of what we are hearing now is just the insurance industry blowing smoke up our.... well you know where. They do not care about us as anything more than numbers on a spreadsheet.

At least if you are getting screwed by the government you can call you congressman and hope for the best. Who do you call if you are getting screwed by Kaiser or Cigna?

Nothing is perfect but what we have now is not cutting it. It was reported today that the life expectancy in the US just rose to 78. Compare 78 to other developed countries. We come in number 50 behind a country I have never even heard of (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2102rank.htm). Hooray for us and our quality of care! Our new motto could be "Still better than Albania".

Hal

Interesting that in both Texas and Virginia, conservative state legislatures passed these laws seemingly to benefit/protect the bottom line of the existing profit based health care system. I guess death panels are not a "socialist" phenomenon.

Also an interesting coincidence that Texas and Virginia lead the nation in executions. Coincidence?

Hal

Has anyone seen a patch for the LNT trainer? Perhaps an empty circle would be appropriate.

Hal

These things are great. How many people out there say "I would go camping but I don't know anything about it and I wouldn't know where to start"? You can bet that the folks at SNP are going to teach good LNT practices as well. Sounds like it will give people a good start.

People are going back to the woods, Boy Scouts should be leading the way! An interesting project for scout troops/districts/councils would be to organize family learn to camp weekends. These could be held at council camps off season. Each family could have a pair uniformed scouts to help them get set up. Scouts could teach sessions on cooking and other camp skills.

Bet a lot of the families are going to have younger children who will be scout age in a few years. This could be a powerful recruiting tool and great PR as well as a good turn for the community.

"If the gay person in question is not wearing makeup, girls clothes, or using a pronounced lithp, I wouldn't take any shots. But if they combine any of the above I have no choice."

You always have a choice. You can choose to live the Scout Law by being Friendly and Courteous or you can choose to take your shot. Your choice.

Hal

I just read the whole article and I've got to say that it doesn't bother me nearly as much as it did at first blush. The set up camp isn't over the top. What I see in the photo gallery is a family with young kids having a good time camping. The campsite and gear are not significantly different from what Scouts do front country camping. I don't see any electronics.

We can turn up our noses but I am guessing the parents in this family have little or no camping experience and own little or no equipment. But they decided that camping with their children would be a good thing. Clearly the kids loved it. I see scout uniforms in their future. What starts at a family camp out might lead to a life long love of the outdoors for the kids. To these parents I say Bravo!

Some of the stuff in the article is over the top but is that really such a surprise? They don't even mention Coleman's drip coffee maker.

Most of the article is about getting people into the outdoors. And that is a good thing.

Hal

"...but some environmentalists and outdoors advocates applaud the efforts. That's because they worry that a population more familiar with Google than the Grand Canyon ultimately could hurt conservation efforts."

Scouting is a better path to the same goal.

Do you suppose that those plugged in, googlefied campers are going to know about putting their food in a bear bag? Or does the concierge take care of that?

Hal

Now of course the uniformed Brownie could bring cookies. I vote for the Trefoils but Thin Mints are good too.

Hal

I think I see a Scoutmaster's minute hear.

Hal

Looking at the Health and Safety Committee page on NCAC's website I see that they are now offering a 16-20 hour course in addition to the 25-30 hour course.

http://www.boyscouts-ncac.org/openrosters/ViewOrgPageLink.asp?LinkKey=17083&orgkey=1988

There are no dates or cost information just a link to Craig's e-mail. It looks like it is offered on request.

The shorter course fulfills the Philmont crew requirement. The longer one fulfills the "needs of the Venturing Ranger Program including optional first aid requirements".

I cannot believe that this will become a Star requirement in March of next year; not with other requirements changing just 3 months earlier. Let us know what Craig says.

I took the longer course and I highly recommend it for scouters or older scouts. You can't be over-trained when it comes to first aid though I hear what you are saying with regard to cost. I am curious what the cost of the shorter course will be. As a point of reference, ARC teaches a 16 hour course for $110.

Hal

Last spring our troop went canoeing as part of a campout. We had one scout classified as a non-swimmer because he had not taken the swim test within the last year (G2SS says it should be retaken annually). The G2SS also says that a non-swimmer can only be in a canoe with a Life Guard (BSA or other recognized agency). We did not have a Life Guard so the scout could not be in a canoe. As a result, the scout stayed home.

The point of this story is that BSA Lifeguard is a difficult certification to earn (as it should be). It seemed a bit much to require this level of training to be with a non-swimmer in a canoe in flat water where everyone is wearing PFDs. Quite frankly we were in shallow water and had the scout fallen in he could have waded to shore. Even in deeper water we had the expertise to fish the scout out of the water.

It sounds like this course may fill that gap providing an adequate level of safety for troop outings while not requiring the level of skill and commitment needed for BSA Lifeguard. I hope that is the goal.

Hal

OK. I am going to add to the silliness. From the Youth application form:

BOY SCOUT -

Your son can be a Scout if he has completed the fifth grade AND is at least 10 years old

OR is age 11

OR has earned the Arrow of Light Award AND is at least 10 years old

but has not reached age 18.

So does this mean that a 12 year old who has not completed the 5th grade or earned AOL is not eligible? I can hear the outrage of fifth grade dropouts across the nation.

Hal

I saw the subject line and thought brownies are delicious. I see that I misunderstood. It is getting close to lunch.

I agree with the others, any flavor of scout uniform is appropriate at an ECOH. Will you and your son wear your BSA uniforms when she gets her Gold Award? I hope so.

Hal

All this comparison of knots and military ribbons got me thinking. My dad was a veteran of WW2 and Korea. He had a couple of significant decorations Legion of Merit with Oak leaf cluster from Korea, Bronze Star from WW2 and a couple of foreign decorations as well. He told me that he had turned down two Purple Hearts because the wounds were mere scratches. The bulk of his ribbons on the other hand were "been there, done that" medals. Of those a couple denoted being in a combat zone but some were pretty meaningless. One if I recall was the National Defense Service medal for being in the Army in the United States during WW2. This way even if a guy spent the whole war passing out socks at Ft. Dix, he got a medal. The point is that some of the ribbons meant a lot but some where just bling. All were worn because they were part of his uniform.

Scouters' knots on the other hand are generally for things that were earned or presented in honor of service. They are not for being someplace at a given time. Scouting does not hand out the Eagle or the Silver Beaver for just showing up. It may be ego to wear them but each was earned and the wearer has a right to be proud.

Hal

According to both the Handbook and the BSA website the requirement to join Venturing is 14 years old AND completed 8th grade. I know less than squat about Varsity.

Hal

I don't wear a lot of patches but I don't look down on those who wear more. For the most part they have accomplished more than I have so who am I to criticize.

I wear the CSP, Troop number with veteran bar, my POR (ASM) and trained patch. I wear the world scouting patch. I could wear an AOL knot but I don't. If I had earned Eagle I would wear that knot but I didn't. I encourage all our young scouters who earned Eagle to get the knot and wear it proudly. Our SM is probably entitled to more knots but just wears the Eagle.

I wear a temporary patch from Wilderness First Aid because I am proud of it and because I think that trained first aid-ers should be identified. When wearing my other shirt I sometimes will wear a dangler but usually not. I wear an interpreter strip because it identifies a useful skill and on occasion it has served to introduce me to other Portuguese speakers.

I have worn the quality unit patch but I think that it was cheapened with the addition of the 100% Boys Life. Now it looks like an award for magazine subscriptions (nothing against the magazine, its wonderful but magazine subscriptions do not a quality unit make).

Hal

"Clear as mud" Not really.

A boy needs to be eleven or has to have completed 5th grade or he has to have earned the Arrow of Light. Under no circumstances can he be less than ten nor 18 or older.

So, to be clear

11 year old is OK

10 year old who has completed fifth grade is OK

10 year old who has earned Arrow of Light is OK even if he is still in 5th grade.

A ten year old who has not completed 5th grade or earned Arrow of Light will have to wait.

A nine year old who has completed 5th grade will have to wait.

As has been pointed out a 9 year old cannot earn AOL but even if he somehow did he would have to wait.

18 years or older can't join Boy Scouts.

More detailed information about Venturing and Varsity is on page 427.

All is revealed.

Hal

This is not the entire Handbook but is a site designed to complement it. That said both the site and new edition are very cool.

Hal