JoeBob

Reminded me of a 10 mile hike my troop did from Young Harris GA to Brasstown Bald (Highest point in GA). It was a balmy 65 when we started, and the SM INSISTED that we take jackets. Huh? We had 8 inches of snow on the ground when we topped out. We were in cotton sweatshirts and tennis shoes. As sweep, I had to pick up two scouts who laid down in the snow and claimed it was warm. The weather front had iced over the macadam road to the summit; so when we reached the end, we had to glisade down the iced road to get to the truck. Sit, slide down until you hit the snow bank on the opposite curve. Crab walk over road, do it again. I still remember the piercing pain in my toes as we warmed up next to the pot-bellied stove. Worse than anything that winter warfare training (Jack Frost 77) threw at me later.

Is it a safe assumption on my part to guess that you've never taken NRA Instructor training? That can re-define 'boring' for you if you get a poor instructor. Ever handle a .50 BMG round? Know how heavy one round is? Want to carry 50 of them on a day hike? We pass inert cartridges of many calibers down the line. I've never seen a boy fall asleep when one of his peers chambers an 870. (Dummy practice rounds). How stupid are movie heroes who walk up to a confrontation with an empty chambered shotgun, anyway? And to the Hollywood intellects who cycle the action a second time a few moments later without having fired a round? Hey, are you going to leave that shotgun shell just lying on the ground? Aren't you going to need all your bullets for the next scene? That's litter. Pick it up! Give 6 or 8 boys practice/toy weapons and have them move about the room without sweeping anyone while the rest of the crowd keeps an eye on their muzzles. Musical chairs will never be the same. The purpose of firearms safety training is not to punish, but to prepare. Dazed bored boys are not getting the import of the training, so we make extraordinary efforts to keep them engaged and entertained. As for adult hot air? I promise you that I will never have to explain to the mother of a wounded scout that her son, Billy, was accidentally shot because Little Johnny did an inadequate job with EDGE while teaching Billy gun safety. Retraining Little Johnny and offering to refund her son's dues doesn't seem to be enough. Firearms are like nothing else we do in Scouting. One needs to recognize a higher responsibility; that there are even adults that should not be allowed to participate in gun safety training.

Our troop requires two 3 hour long sessions that take the place of the regular meetings prior to going on the Shooting Sports weekend. If a scout doesn't pay attention and/or fails the written test, we don't let them near a loaded firearm. The basics of gun safety are best taught in a tightly controlled environment where a boy's attention isn't distracted by "Enough about safety; when are we gonna shoot!?" So far, none of our instructors have ever been swept with a loaded firearm.

Funny. The witch hunt for a 'Secret Society' has created a secret society. Inito

I'm a big fan of candle lanterns. Especially in the winter. A single candle can add an amazing amount of warmth to a small tent. You can dry out gear, sit around comfortably, read (remember books?) and just be cozy in your tent while the weather storms outside. If you suspend a candle lantern inside, you need to use a carabiner or metal clip to isolate the hot candle lantern hanger from your cord. Don't want to melt through your suspending line and have the candle drop. Unfortunately, every Scouter that I've ever run into says that candle lanterns are an 'open flame' and barred from scouting as such. Hope I'm wrong.

You must send the letter in order to have any chance of closure. That way you will know that you have done everything that you possibly could do to help right the course of Troop XX. Not sending your explanation will bolster the Webelos 3 mentality, "I asked him for an explanation, and he never got back to me. So he must have had personal reasons." Retaliation? These folks have driven you from your home troop. What could they possibly do more?

Merry Christmas, y'all! I put this in the 'Issues and Politics' forum in case some of you wanted to suggest that we say 'Happy Holidays' instead of 'Merry Christmas'. Masticate my hiney!! 1- I wish that every girl scout troop finds enough female members and adult leaders to successfully launch their own scouting adventure. 2- I hope that all Scouters find satisfaction in their efforts, and that their visions of Scouting's gifts are fully realized. I appreciate that you are giving of your time. 3 - I freely share with all Scouters who are carrying forward with the new vision of Scouting, that I am jealous of your zeal; and no matter how misguided that I think that you are, I do wish you success. I just could not do it any more. 4 - If you should find your stocking full of switches on Christmas morning, remember; it makes good kindling. 5 - Nevermind... My 19 year old daughter is home from school tonight and cajoled me into watching what she remembers as a her favorite Christmas movie with daddy : 'Die Hard'. It was great! Beethoven wrote some great sinister rifts. In the spirit of 'Die Hard', "Yippe Kye Yea, Mother Pluckers! And to all a good night!" Legal Caveat: In case any of you should ever quote anything that I have said in this post and use it against me in a future thread, I shall deny that I wrote it and claim that my account was hacked.

Really, @FireStone ? Moderate voices on the forum have been drowned out by the cacophony of "Times change. BSA must change, too." We politely disagreed. Once it became obvious that closed minds were not listening, we retired to a less vocal status with the caveat "We'll see." Now we are seeing. Part one. In 1,542 posts, I've never whined about being treated unfairly; or chastised the moderators for allowing viewpoints differing from my own. My beliefs are strong enough to withstand scrutiny, disagreement and criticism. I truly hope that National's abdication of its strong leadership position leads to a more localized version of Scouting. But I fear that councils where abuse occurred will not escape being payees to settlements within their bailiwick. Funds will diminish. There is no way to spin this as good news for recruitment numbers. I lurk on this forum not with morbidity as drawn to a train wreck; but with hope that somehow Scouting will pull it off, and survive to teach and inspire youth as Scouting inspired me. I don't think that any of the changes recently imposed can be reversed; BSA as I knew it is dead. Please prove me wrong. Firestone, several impolite responses come to mind that the Scout Law prohibits me from saying. So I'll leave you with one piece of advice: grow a sense of humor; you're going to need it.

Yep. I find myself bemused that Irving is blaming their Chapter 11 considerations on the one thing that is NOT their direct responsibility. Diminish nature and the outdoors in the core program - No harm - No foul. Gay Members - No harm - No foul. Gay Leaders - No harm - No foul. Diminish God - No harm - No foul. (Did we really need Mormons? Guess not...) Bechtel (Did we really need Bechtel?) - No harm - No foul. Undercut the value of Eagle - No harm - No foul. Add girls and eliminate boys' safe space - No harm - No foul. Sexual abuse lawsuits... Oh the cost! (We didn't do it! We've put YPT on steroids! We're blameless!) The foul cost! Money pouring down the drain! Dastardly foul lawyers! Punitive damages most foul. And fowl droppings.

See Liberals! There is a Santa Claus! Can't you just hear the wine-coolers clinking together?

I can't do 'Susans', but I can do SUSA. Especially if we make Mr. Potato Head our national spokesman: Then he can be the savior of Irving's membership numbers, the Re-SUSA-tater. I can sink no lower...

My father drove a Higgins boat during D-Day. He said it was just like 'Saving Private Ryan.'

What Eagle Dad said. But make it a couple of years. Every time I visited, looked in on my son, or showed up to speak at an EBOR; the boys or fathers would sidle up to me and say "We miss you." Okay. Too soon to be back here,

To know which trees are best to hunt under. Persimmons and locust bean pods early in the season. Red oak acorns next. White oak acorns once they start falling, the whitetail's favorite mast.