HICO_Eagle

vol_scouter -- I've decided to quit mudwrestling with the pig but this article http://www.americanthinker.com/2009/12/a_climatology_conspiracy.html is a fascinating insight into how Santer, Jones et al manipulated the normal peer review processes. These kind of machinations as a part of "science" are new to me but then I've never had to bother with publication -- we just analyze and solve problems and move on. Stuff like this are why I moved from the cautiously skeptical camp to extremely skeptical. It would be astounding to me that they've been able to pull this off for so long if

Merlyn, if you don't understand that willfully - skewing data - picking minority data selectively because it fits with your predetermined hypothesis - altering historical data - gaming the peer review process to ensure friendly reviews for your hypothesis and negative reviews for opponents constitutes a hoax in scientific circles then there is nothing any of us can do to remove the blinders you've put on. It's your own ideological fault if you don't understand that intentionally pushing fraudulent data and fraudulent analyses is a hoax -- most of the rest of us with real scientif

I think you have to use your best judgment on the particular scenario. Was the requirement change significant? Does the Scout still know the material? Some people say a partial from summer camp is good forever. I do spot checks -- if they don't seem to know the material they have two choices: redo it all with me or find another counselor who will accept the partial. My boys (and the troop committee) know that my signature on a blue card means I think the boy has DONE the badge requirements and KNOWS the material. Having said that, I won't get worked up if the changed requirements are fu

Well, it appears some horses just won't drink no matter how many times you lead them to the well so it would be best to just ignore their whinnying which is what I'll do. For the rest of the True Believers who are willing to at least check the science, I'll suggest these lines of inquiry to start: - Effect of the geomagnetic field on cloud formation and aerosols in the upper atmosphere - Associated effect on the geomagnetic field (above) from solar flares and geomagnetic storms - Data sourcing to the GISS, GHCN and CRU - Briffa's Yamal tree ring studies - Selective mixture of dat

OGE, I spoke of him doing some research and reading since he claimed I hadn't presented any data on the hoax when in fact the very first paragraph of what I posted had tons. Mention of his posterior orifice was perhaps a bit of a reaction to his persistent and seemingly intentional obtuseness but you're right, it would not be acceptable in Debate class. Merlyn, you still haven't addressed the point that none of what we are laying out requires a conspiracy of thousands. I pointed out for you that many of the "thousands" don't even have any expertise in the causal physics, that the data b

I think the main thing that would change would be the rules and chaperoning for overnight activities. Actually, when I think about it, I would want at least one female leader with me on ANY troop activity to help with first aid incidents. America has a far more litigious society than Canada or other countries. We would probably have to redesign some of our training programs -- the fact of the matter is that teenage boys are easily distracted and we'd have to take that into account. I would be far more inclined to extend an olive branch to GSA toward planning combined activities but

Merlyn, instead of repeating myself, I'll direct your attention to rereading my first paragraph for my 02:05:09 post. Plenty in there about the hoax including Briffa's cherry-picked Yamal data, recent "homogenizing" of historical temperature records to create or increase a warming trend, etc. You want measurements? There's plenty of them in the raw satellite data, raw global monitoring station data, etc. There's also CO2 in the geologic record -- up to three times present day measurements albeit with entirely different global ecosystems. Try going through Dr. Roy Spencer's presentation at

Eagle92, that's why I prefer promoting and highly encouraging courses that will help fill the holes in the trainee's knowledge -- but not making things mandatory. One of our most active fathers is already a very experienced manager, he knows leadership, management, training, etc. What he needs are outdoor skills -- IOLS or the old SMF would be perfect for him. He could also use the TCC training so he knows what's expected of him or how to solve some of the problems that come his way. On the other hand, he works 12 hours days and many weekends -- I would rather deal with his incomplete know

More nonsense from National which I'm afraid will cost us volunteers when we need them the most. Instead of H/W rules, they should be using performance guidelines -- e.g., able to hike 5/10/20 miles unassisted in 2/4/8 hours or able to be carried by any four Scouts participating on trip, etc. As was pointed out, mass is mass -- that 12 year old Scout isn't going to be any happier about carrying 300 pounds of muscle than 280 pounds of fat. I love Scouting but I am really getting annoyed by this profusion of dictates from National.

"I'll see your good reason for not allowing gay males to be scout leaders with the recent story of a female Scouter in Illinois caught in a sexual relationship with a Scout, and raise with the statistic that 95% of all child molesters are straight men. I guess that leaves only lesbians as potential Scout leaders from now on." Assuming for the sake of argument that your statistic is correct, that's a good reason to not have male leaders for GSA units or male coaches for girls athletic teams. The child molesters BSA must worry about are predominantly homosexual or bisexual by definition wh

As others have stated, it's pretty clear the patches should be touching. I've never left space between the council shoulder patch and unit numerals -- generally don't bother with the veteran unit bar although we are going to put it on the special Centennial patches I'm having made (integrated council / troop numerals all in the classic white-on-red).

I won't go into too much detail because I'm a privacy nut but I have degrees and years of experience in "hard" science and engineering. My CV isn't germane here -- my points are either factual and cogent (they are) or you can offer a sound reasoned rebuttal (you haven't yet). Just don't try to argue science with the equivalent of trying to pit the NYC phone book on a balance scale against A Brief History of Time or Halliday & Resnick. Most real scientists and engineers know it's dangerous to step outside their domains of expertise. Schneider and Gore didn't care about that -- you d

I hate to say this but I really think they need to get rid of the professional educators afflicting National. Heck, at this point, I'd be willing to get rid of all of National and rebuild it from the ground up with a Back-to-Basics approach. Most of what they produce is pap; I got nothing useful at all from the TDC last spring, very little from SMF years ago -- and the funny thing is that I love learning. The more mandatory they make courses -- especially ones I consider a waste of my time like IOLS -- the more resistant I will be toward taking them.

It's really funny that they obscured the actual Boy Scout in order to show the female Venturer. I'm rather offended by the design -- doesn't surprise me it was chosen by Secretary Geithner. I'd say immediately that I want 3-4 for myself and my nephews but that front design really bugs me.

Global Warming, maybe. Anthropogenic? No. Biggest scientific hoax of all time -- exceeding Piltdown Man at this point. I say this looking at it as a pure matter of physics, the specious computer modeling done by the AGW proponents (I've never seen any other discipline so willing to make extreme projections based on computer models sensitive to 1 percent variations when the input data is only known to within 5 percent), rampant fraud in the way they have "homogeneized" and cherry picked data worldwide (look at Briffa's selective use of 12 data sets of Yamal tree rings while ignoring 200 mor

I don't think there are quite as many gays among us as Gern and Merlyn would have us believe so yes, the ratio WOULD go up if the ban were lifted. Unfortunately, you have to treat tenting, showering, etc. arrangements based on the POSSIBILITY of hanky-panky, not the probability. This isn't an anti-gay reaction, I have exactly the same reaction to the idea of inviting girls along on our camping trips (female adult volunteers are another matter). Oh and to address Gern's question about adults, 2 of the last 3 troops I've assisted in have had official policies addressing adults engaging in

Didn't wade through the 9 pages of discussion but I think there'd be a lot of fundamental changes -- most for the worse (I take issue with Gern's statement that it would be better for BSA in the long run but you wanted to discuss changes to the programs politely so I'll leave it at that). From a youth protection standpoint, you'd have to treat homosexual youth tenting together like a mixed heterosexual couple -- forbidden -- so how would you handle it? Allow girls in as well so you can have the homosexual boy tent with the heterosexual girl? I'll presume that for some reason the boys won't

This is an example of a course I'd like to take. I've never had need to use a chainsaw but I'd like to get the instruction so I have options. Again though, I see the dreaded "need to have" phrase. So is this yet another mandatory course even if said individual (unlike me) has 20+ years of experience using a chainsaw?

The first thing you need to do to create a "training culture" is make the training worthwhile for the attendee. Not mandatory, personally worthwhile, something they will feel they learned something from, not something they get done with and think, "okay, checked that block." Making it mandatory doesn't culturize it any more than making alcohol illegal got it out of the culture during Prohibition. If anything, more mandatory training will just drive more people out -- something Scouting DOESN'T need. Demonstrate a personal benefit from the training course and you'll have waiting lists f

This was in San Francisco? Well obviously the young lad should have told them he needed the knife to trim his medicinal marijuana or cut the duct tape for his S&M play with the adult teacher after school ... they probably would have not only let him go but made him a poster child for that ...

Dean, I'm going to disagree with you a little here. I have always felt that the reason BSA requires multiple signatures is PRECISELY as a check and balance so that one or two individuals couldn't ramrod an undeserving Scout through. The BOR provides a check and balance on the SM for all rank advancement (or should). In the case of the Eagle candidate, every signature required is a potential point to call out something wrong with the application. Having said that, I stand my my original response -- you should look at the total Scout because none of us is perfect and his "atheism" may no

I would bring it up with both the committee as a matter of conscience and the District Advancement Chair asking if there was an alternate way to submit the application without your signature. That should be a bit of a red flag to Council but this is a quandary. This situation seems to be one that is enforced on a local basis -- yes, a Scout is Reverent but different units or locales apply different standards to this point. Bear in mind no one is perfect -- how does this Scout apply the Scout Law to his life other than this point? Personally, I was at the "questioning" stage of life whe

but where is it made?

BSA uniforms made in the US were cheaper than the new Centennial uniform so of course it's possible for them to go back to having decent affordable uniforms made in the US. They might have to give up the new baggy unkempt stuff but I don't see that as any great loss. In fact, today's economic environment will probably make it even easier to line up US suppliers and workers to fill a steady-work contract at a lower piece-price. We've suffered losses in our manufacturing base but it's not completely gone and can in fact still be revived.

I'm sorry to hear about the staff cutbacks but glad the Goshen thing is dead. Goshen was a horrible idea for a jamboree site -- I didn't even like it as THE council campsite for NCAC as it was a horrendous drive for anyone east of the Beltway. To be honest, I never liked FOS. I understood the need to fund council staff but high pressure sales pitches and Scouting just don't mix. Beyond that, I think the way FOS was conducted created more animosity and ill will than it helped.