JoeBob

I threw my hands up when I read this article. http://www.fox5ny.com/news/25792758-story Those dang flags are dangerous! And then I thought of y'all...

Excuse me while I howl in glee at the contrivance! If some one gave you 2 flat tires, you must have been in a neighborhood where you should pay protection. A clever Redneck who is driven to the point of disabling TWO tires will always pick opposite corners so that the suspension settles evenly so as to not draw attention... To the OP: sorry I participated in derailing your thread. Good luck selling popcorn or finding a new meeting location.

Cyclops lack of a second eye is obviously hindering his depth perception. No fun? I'm not sure. I think he is getting his jollies whipping up a self-righteous froth. "The better response, in this case, would be for the 'snark', if he can't say something serious, to say nothing." Pot: kettle. Kettle: pot. Now we know him.

Rick: I can see how I was not clear. Sorry for being testy today. Your courtesy appreciated.

How do you get 'vandalize cars' from playing hide and seek? Judgmental much? Sense of humor lost at the dry-cleaners? When I lived near a local night spot and folks would park in my yard to avoid paying parking fees, I developed several more disruptive ways of discouraging someone from parking in a given location. Those methods will not be detailed on these pages for fear of inspiring the young and less responsible. Something to do with the air inside tires slowly and quietly finding its way outside.

Have you approached the Casino? They may not be aware of the problem. If there's not another location that you can use, you may need to get aggressive. 1- Have the boys play hide and seek (with a buddy!) among their cars. Be sure that the parking patrons know it. 2- A water balloon fight might dampen their enthusiasm for parking where the scouts play. You do have some scouts with really bad aim, right? Most effective during winter months, when the water freezes afterwards and makes the lot slippery. 3- Are they going to an Indian casino? Loud cowboys and Indian games would carry

If you want to get the attention of your district personnel, find out where the money goes. Go to the next District Roundtable (A monthly meeting of unit volunteers and local professionals,. Date, time and location should be on the District website.) Ask the person who acts like they're in charge "Who do I hand the check to?" Now they're interested in you. BSA expects an annual check in the amount of $25 per boy and registered adult in your unit. They also want to do a Friends of Scouting presentation to beg more money from your parents. Withholding those payments unless you get some

Mosquito hammock from REI: $40 (Not online - might be local.) Hammock tarp - $80 Ropes and biners to hang - straps for tree protection. Sleep with a CPAP at home. Don't need it in a hammock. Needs: A clever pack cover that keeps your gear dry in a storm but still provides some access when in the hammock. A free standing system similar to Handy Hammock, but cheaper! http://www.handyhammock.co.uk/ Weighs 1.5kg. Costs 105 pounds. (

Basement Dweller, We've often squabbled, but I've always respected you. I'm trailing behind you as to my forum participation. Lurking more and contributing less. I understand the emotional commitment. Should we meet on the AT, I'm not sure that we'll recognize each other. Happy trails, my friend, JoeBob

Gerbil nailed it. I had one mom who was awful. Her first son was a great self-motivated model Eagle. Second son was "Mom wants me to do this..." SM JoeBob: "What do do you want to do?" Finally moved him to another troop after I refused to be bullied. 1- What issues can't be addressed on the phone or via eMail? 2- If you want to pay for an hour of my time without your boy present, bring your credit card to the local pub.

Okay, I deserved that. My chagrin over an answer for 'inexperienced leaders' dropping into BSA Speak is what prompted my post. "The SM and ASPL are out back with the QM right now, so the SPL will go ahead and start the PLC. Oh, that's a meeting where all the PLs and other PORs plan things for the troop. Sometimes an ASM will sit in if he's leading a trip. We had to boot a Jazzm because he kept trying to take over. Or you could observe the committee; the CC and COR are using TMW to re-charter." We need a translator to go with an animated knot tying app for new guys. Why

You better be able to define 'Servant Leadership' in 3 sentences or less.

Let me refine the point. Going back-country is a lot about solitude and getting away from urban hubbub. Scouting is about bringing our youth into the woods to expose them to nature. Hopefully they can learn to enjoy the wonder of flora and fauna. But it's a catch 22: you can't be 'alone' in the woods with 30 troop mates! So real woodsmen don't try. (On top of which: today's youth are not interested in the woods.) Add in all the other BSA baggage, and you'll be lucky to get a year out of an experienced parent. I'm surprised that I lasted as long as I did.

The parents with woodsman skills are still out there; but they are choosing to stay away from BSA. Run off by the 'good ole boys' at district, required to sit through incompetent training, drowned in repetitive useless paperwork; experienced outdoors-men would much rather soak in nature on their own and be with their kids.

You do realize that this describes Obama as much as anyone else?

I was about to write a long hypothesis about BSA doing away with districts. Districts were local groupings back when the phone was your only communication tool. RT's could be online from the council, events can be set up online by the council, training is online from national. With modern communication, you don't need districts any more. I was going to write it out and rationalize it. But I don't really care any longer. JoeBob

Herd BW, herd. To 'lead' implies that you set a good example. To 'be led' impugns that you have a mind.

There goes Bear Grylls. Can someone fact check those temperatures? And how can this topic NOT be in I&P?

Bad Wolf & NJCS: If it's in I&P, then we can say what we REALLY think about BSA training!

We're going to ignore the new requirements, at least for the first year. In future years, we'll use whatever is in the version of the scout handbook that each boy happens to have. If someone wants to use the new requirements, they can buy a new handbook. Whatever happened to 'No adding to or changing the requirements.'? I see the needs for the changes, and like most of them; but could Irving have made the transition any more poorly? Where's @@fred johnson when we need him?

I'm with Bad Wolf on this one. 80 to 90 percent of District and Council effort is recruiting, fundraising, and paperwork. They do the things that line their pockets and strengthen their control. The pittance of training that goes towards the real program (knots, fires, cooking, camping, etc.) is the minimum contribution that must be made for BSA to validate their claim to an outdoor program. Go back and look at those salaries. BSA has become a pyramid scheme. On top: high six figure salaries that have no correlation to improving or maintaining the program. In the middle:

Purely for the District with no impact on the boys: 1. At least two trained commissioned leaders and a trained committee chairman in every unit. 2. Functioning UC's for every unit. 3. All units chartered on time. 5. Recognition of troops using the Patrol Method. 8. Back-ups for all key district leaders. 9. Scholarship fund to insure that no leader missed week-long JLT for lack of funds. A little bit of both: 6. Patrol Method training at two or more Roundtables. 10. Outstanding Roundtables largely focusing on unit program. Savage curtailment of announcement. Two that wil

PTAs, etc were the COs around here.