insanescouter

I have some updates to share ... I have been working hard on creating the new site ... it is not even to alpha release yet but there is enough to give you an idea of where I am heading and allow for some feed back ... http://insaneweb.net/insanescouter/ The basic design is roughly the same, bit is considerably different at the coding level. All the content is now dynamic now to, making it much easier to add, update, and remove as needed. I do have two problems that maybe someone will have an idea on how I can over come... 1) I would like to add Metar weather but I can not find source of ICAO (4 digit airport codes) that relate back to zip code for example. Anyone know where I can get ICAO linked to postal codes? 2) The categories list I want in two columns or maybe more but they are produced from a recursive function and printed out one at a time. Thus I have not been able to array it or otherwise get all of them in one variable so that I would have a way to split it into columns. Anyone have thoughts that may help me? Oh and one more thing I am looking for ... sources for good stories about Scouts in action, doing positive things anyone know where I can find this data without watching 100 newspapers? Looking forward to your thoughts and help .. thanks all... Scott Robertson http://insanescouter.org

Im just a weird wacky Bobwhite... Scott Robertson http://insanescouter.org

Welcome back .. and thanks for returning ... I am sure you will have much to share with as we will have to share with you.... Scott Robertson http://insanescouter.org

Welcome to the virtual campfire ... I know you will find many great resources hear ... Scott Robertson http://insanescouter.org Helping leaders one resource at a time...

If you would like to try something that is simple to use, is integrated with advancement tracking and comes with a nice website for your unit - check out http://scoutdata.com for an example website check out http://pack20.scoutdata.com ... Scott Robertson http://insanescouter.org

interesting - thanks for sharing ... Scott Robertson http://insanescouter.org Helping leaders one resource at a time....

I am by no means a great expert but I would suggest things like building shelters, cooking on open fire, hug a tree if you get lost concept, finding way without compass or map, signling help with no radio or phone, etc ... but mostly make it FUN also for some good resources look at http://insanescouter.org/t276/files/outdoor.html'>http://insanescouter.org/t276/files/outdoor.html (ok I admit its a selfish plug...) Hope my wacky 2 cents was helpful Scott Robertson http://insanescouter.org Helping leaders one resource at a time....

Welcome aboard the e-scouting express Scott Robertson http://insanescouter.org Helping leaders one resource at a time....

The way my Troop does is a 50% split. The Scout only gets it based on how much he participates in the fundraiser (although this is hard to determine and usually its just split equally between all unless there is an obvious issue). The Scout may also add money from other sources say parents, sponsor, etc to their account. The money in their account may only be used for Scouting purposes, paying for camp, a new uniform, a sleeping bag, summer camp, etc. Our treasurer and a ASM manage the tracking of these accounts and Scouts and patents may ask to see the accounts records at any meeting. Scout Accounts work good for us, and we have yet to have any big problems. Hope my wacky 2 cents was helpful. Scott Robertson http://insanescouter.org Helping leaders one resource at a time....

The wacky Bobwhite salutes you Scott Robertson http://insanescouter.org Helping leaders one resource at a time....

As a Scout I would attend church in full uniform and often the priest would call all the Scouts in uniform up front in middle of the mass... of course this was on a air force base so and was many years ago ... I also know of cases where the church would purposley have only alter boy Scouts (in uniform) do mass that day, etc ... Scott Robertson http://insanescouter.org Helping leaders one resource at a time....

Personally I do not know how comfortable I would be letting a patrol do something over night on their own ... however a day event I would be fine with ... in the right situations I guess I would personally be ok with a patrol doing even overnight activity ... but I am also thankful I do not have to put in more thought then this as I will never have to make that call in my current position (troop paper pusher ). Scott Robertson http://insanescouter.org Helping leaders one resource at a time....

The Scout, his parents, fellow Scouts & Scouters, friends, teachers, etc are in my prayers. What sad news. Please pass on my sympathies too. Scott Robertson http://insanescouter.org Helping leaders one resource at a time....

Welcome to our e-campfire. I look forward to sharing a digital log with you and having a nice discussion Scott Robertson http://insanescouter.org Helping leaders one resource at a time....

Welcome aboard the Scouting Express... sounds like you will have a lot to offer those of using the form, and will also be able to take advantage of the vast knowledge here to ... Scott Robertson http://insanescouter.org Helping Leaders One Resource At A Time....

The national website still seems the same ... For those asking I found out about it via an email to the council webmaster list (something you have to stumble across and signup for) but there may be other ways they announced it to... Scott Robertson http://insanescouter.org Helping leaders one resource at a time.... ------- email from national --------- On January 14th, the web site http://www.scouting.org'>http://www.scouting.org will move into a new publishing platform. You will see the benefits in enhanced navigation and search, e-mail and subscription services for every page, and a consistent look and feel throughout the site. The biggest change to Scouting.org will appear in the way that URLs are handled. For example, the URL for the Boy Scouts program on Scouting.org has previously looked something like http://www.scouting.org/nav/enter.jsp?s=by whereas the new URL for the Boy Scouts program will be http://www.scouting.org/boyscouts.aspx. This new URL handling system will provide more intuitive URLs and make it easier for councils and others to provide links back to Scouting.org. Issues to consider Links to Scouting.org may not work One issue that will arise from this new URL system is some URLs will not match the URLs found on Scouting.org in the past which will cause problems for any website that has links to pages deep within scouting.org. Many council, district, unit, and other Web sites link to resources within the scouting.org site, and we have promoted and encouraged this practice in the past, so this will affect a significant number of sites. The top level URL will remain the same (e.g., http://www.scouting.org) but direct links to pages will change. To address this issue and to allow for any links that currently exist to continue to work, we have setup an archived version of scouting.org that will remain active for 90 days. This archived version can be found at http://old.scouting.org. Webmasters can change all links from http://www.scouting.org/. to http://old.scouting.org/... so that their links will not break. It should be feasible for council Webmasters to do a find and replace in all their Web pages, as a batch, to effect this change. Once the site has been migrated, we should be able to provide an Excel spreadsheet that provides the new address of any document that has been moved to a different URL (two columns: old address, new address) so that they may update the links in their site. Since we expect most council Webmasters will have to make these updates one by one, it could require significant time for the majority of councils to accomplish this task (hence the 90-day transition period). We will continue to monitor traffic on the old server to determine when it is relatively safe to remove the old content, as well as to track which third-party sites are still linking to the scouting.org site.

i think we are saying the same thing john ... Scott Robertson http://insanescouter.org Helping leaders one resource at a time....

Salutes for taking on the long, hard, challenging but ultimatly rewarding path of starting a new unit. I can tell you from experience, I have helped start two Troops (with my dad who is the SM - I am an adult too) and from district level help provided long term several months help to start up packs... The second Troop is the one I am still with and is like 6 years old now - yet it is no where near what we are after. However it does finally have youth leaders running it, routine PLC meetings, and the program is slowly turning around again. Now only if we could actually get the youth leaders motivated some really neat things would happen and progress would go at light speed ... Just be ready for a long hard haul - lots of complaints and lots of rewards... but no matter what dont give up. Hope my wacky 2 cents is helpful... Scott Robertson http://insanescouter.org Helping leaders one resource at a time....

I agree with others and add in ... work with the parents, other leaders in the pack (so they know whats up and don't think your pulling a fast one), the district as well as council ... Hope my wacky 2 cents is helpful... Scott Robertson http://insanescouter.org Helping leaders one resource at a time....

Mandatory training may have another impact ... decrease in the only slim group willing to be leaders ... I am one of those that can wear the "over trained" patch however sometimes getting even leaders who have been around a year or so to commit to being trained is a nightmare. Maybe it would be a good thread to start... Scott Robertson http://insanescouter.org Helping leaders one resource at a time....

We are a community troop and we have the Scouts earn there way through fundraisers, for example. Any funds we do not raise the parents chip in to cover. Our CO provides us with no funds, not even for the charter renewal fee - however they help us in other ways. Hope my wacky 2 cents is helpful... Scott Robertson http://insanescouter.org Helping leaders one resource at a time....

I justed wanted to chirp in by saying I agree with the others ... In my council MBC has to fill out the council (not BSA) MBC app, and fill out the adult volunteer app. The MBC does not have to hold any official position in any unit, or even at the district level. Often MBC are a teacher, a parent, or maybe just a friendly resource like once we found out a Olympic bicyclist was living in our area - we contacted him and he agreed to come to the meetings for a month to work with the Scouts. and as others seem to have found the official references I wont go looking... Hope my wacky 2 cents is helpful... Scott Robertson http://insanescouter.org Helping leaders one resource at a time....

Some of the things I did as a Scout (mostly as a cub) along these lines include: - Triathlon - Softball - obstacle course - summer sault rolling for distances & time - bike course - Orienteering - Push ups Do as many as possible in 1 minute - Sit ups Do as many as possible can in 2 minutes. - Running Long Jump Each scout is given two leaps. Only the best one counts. - Standing Long Jump Each scout is given two leaps. Only the best one counts. - Leaf ID Scouts are shown several leaves. Name as many as you can in 3mins - Track ID Same process & scoring as Leaf ID - Relay Race One lap each around a marked path, passing the baton each time. If the baton is dropped, a 30-second penalty is added. - Poison Tree - Tie a clove hitch around a tree without going in side the circle. - Knot-tying Scouts are given clues to a knot, and must tie the right knot correctly (Clove Hitch, Timber Hitch, Sheep Bend and Tautline Hitch.) Score 2 points for each correct knot. - Firemans CarryThe fireman must run to the victim, pick them up in the firemans cary and carry the victim back to safety. Scoring is on correctness of form and - Scout Trivia Scouts are asked question. Right answers gain 5 pts. Wrong answers lose 5 points. - Chubby Bunny Scouts must stuff crackers (or marshmallows) in their mouths, and be able to say "chubby bunny" without swallowing or spitting. Most marshmallows in the mouth wins. if at a Scout camp for example... - 22 shooting - Archery - Mt man events like tomahawk and knife throwing (assuming right leader with right gear) Hope my wacky 2 cents is helpful... Scott Robertson http://insanescouter.org Helping leaders one resource at a time....

I am sure you will have a fun and challenging adventure... *snaps to attention and salutes the new den leader* Scott Robertson http://insanescouter.org Helping leaders one resource at a time....

Correct, Cubs are only allowed to handle and use knives. However, in my humble option it does them (at least Webelos as that is all I worked with) no harm to be introduced to the safety of other woods tools. Its kind of like what I once heard about owning a gun. If you get a gun and say to Johnny here is the gun dont touch - well of course they will touch - they are curious. On the flip side lets say you take Johnny to the range and let him hold and fire the gun and tell him he can do so again if he wants, all he has to do is ask. The curiosity is no longer so strong. Now as I do not own a gun, nor do I have a kid I do not know if this is true - and like anything I am sure it works with some and not others. The point is if you don't introduce them to the "cool" tools they are curious about then problems may result. Also as a side note if anyone whats more advanced knowledge about wood tools, just ask. I am trained by Americorps*NCCC as a team quatermaster, by California Conservation Corps to use the tools, and by the National Forest Service for trail crew work. I have also written a guide on teaching about wood tools http://insanescouter.org/t276/files/wood_tools.html'>http://insanescouter.org/t276/files/wood_tools.html and well as fire safety http://insanescouter.org/t276/files/firemnchit/ Scott Robertson http://insanescouter.org Helping leaders one resource at a time....