John-in-KC

So the Community Organizer in Chief wasted carbon profligately spent political capital on a fool's errand. IMO, Rio won because they stuffed the IOC members pockets the most.

Since the CC is responsible for the Support of the Pack, there's little reason for him/her to be there, period. The CM, as the principal program officer, might want to check in on the DLs, but in my experience, boy and adult, DLs are pretty much on their own. Certainly it was that way with my sainted Den Mother.

Mister Roberts (1956) The Caine Mutiny Paint Your Wagon In Harm's Way 1776 From Here to Eternity Tora! Tora! Tora! Midway The Longest Day Forrest Gump To Kill a Mockingbird And for JerseyScout: I prefer Bambi vs Godzilla (This message has been edited by John-in-KC)

B, Should I put that knot next to my Dutch Oven knot, or should it go above my "Jay Hawker and Red Leg" Translator strip????

The BSA National Registration Fee for 2010 will be $15. The Boy's Life subscription will be $12. Direct contact leaders should get BL, as a program support tool. So, that is the first $27. Now, as to fees: I think this is a worthy topic for you to bring up to your PLC. If a Scout is Thrifty, and even one of you is earning his own way to his fees, he has the right to know how the Committee decided to resource the program. You're going to need a couple allies within the leadership to help you push the noodle uphill, so the PLC votes to request an explanation. Then, it depends on how your Troop operates its Committee. If, as it properly should, it gives time for the SM to present his report, he's one person who can carry your water. BUT!!!, if your Troop sends you as SPL, under SM supervision and mentorship, then you can ask the Committee directly for a budget and fee breakdown. It's a reasonable request. I will say the youth membership has one expense adults do not: PATCHES. I just called my Scout Shop (a BSA Supply one): A rank patch is $1.50. A Merit Badge is $ 2.29. I cannot represent your committee from afar (for all I know, they've pulled the fee numbers out of thin air, or they have analytic rigor behind them), but youth members do get more patches from the system. Let us know how this turns out

Welcome to the campfire, Ian All have made good points here. The concurrent camp for Tigers, Wolves, and Bears is family camping. You'll need to plan activities not only for youth members, but also for sibs. They're authorized and encouraged to come. Mom and Dad, of course, are an essential. Cub family camping is a highly supervised (parents participating) activity. Now, as to program: - Ask your District Activity Chair who the previous day camp program director is. He/she should have some history files, including activities which have been done in years past. A simple compass route, some plaster cast stuff, camp cooking, heck, maybe even a bike rodeo all will work. - Google out for "cub scout day camp" leaders guide, or achievement list, or... There's a lot of resources out there.

I've not heard of it, but ... Packs, Troops, Teams, and Crews, with relatively few exceptions, are chartered (licensed) by a local Council of the Boy Scouts of America to a local church or civic group. These places often have non-profit status in their own right. Some units are chartered by businesses, who do things for profit. One example in my area is a SCUBA based Venturing Crew, chartered by a dive shop. A few units go the self-chartering (friends of) route. There is one thing a unit does not want to do, especially if it's chartered to a non-profit: The unit does not want to hazard the NP tax status of the Chartered Partner. Unit committee chairs and treasurers really should have friendly cups of coffee visits with their Chartered Organization Representative and Institutional Head. Then, when (if) the Chartered Partner issues guidance, it's time to follow it. The Chartered Partner is the licensee of the program. I've seen an area unit goof the non-profit status of its Partner. Ugly isn't enough of a word for the consequences.

In re: Mr Polanski, I am of two minds. He cut an exceedingly generous plea deal (< 3 months? Hugely generous), and he skipped town ahead of the sentencing. He needs to be brought to justice. OTOH, California is spending money it doesn't have. I keep coming back to the generous plea deal. Bring the man to justice. In re Father Benedict: Anyone who wants to charge the Head of State of Vatican City is welcome to travel there and give it a try. Anyone who wants to try and do a "snatch and grab" extradition is welcome to try going against the Swiss Guards. Long, long ago, a career course classmate of mine was a Swiss artilleryman. Let me assure you: I never, ever want to conduct operations against the Swiss Army or police.(This message has been edited by John-in-KC)

SMT224, You're Federals...

Rick, I was given a quiet cup of coffee by my District Director at last RT: Our Council is now charging MBCs registering Code 42 only for membership. Whether that's right or not is for the Council Professional Staff, Membership Committee and Exec Board. If they take my training (I give it every month at RT), no fees. I am giving it at UOS in November. There, they will be part of a program and there is a fee on the day. As I said, the worst case for our horsewoman is $15 registration fee per Council (registrations do not seem to migrate council-council). Lord willing, it's as you said, a freebie.(This message has been edited by John-in-KC)

George, Welcome to the campfire. Eagle is BSA's signature mark. There are things National devotes resources to, there are other things that are "grab and go." Uniforms are, to me, a bit of "grab and go." Yes, there is stuff published on the uniform, but it's minimal. There are not Professionals charged with QC'ing the uniform. There are very few volunteers doing things to help manage the uniform. They're called Commissioners. National, otoh, invests time, money, and people into advancement. Much of that is because many of the Aims are supported by the Advancement Method. Eagle, right now, is the signature rank of Scouting. Ask a non-Scout what Ranger, Silver, Quartermaster, and Eagle are... you'll probably get deer in the headlights looks for all except Eagle. From where I sit, National says "successfully" complete an EBOR because it's protecting the brand name. Crass? You betcha. Real? Ditto.

A friend ran a palm board one evening on the trail at Philmont. I ran a palm board at Scout Camp. It was a hot day, we actually did it in the pool during adult swim ... got dispensation for him. Another board was at camp, watching sunset on the lake. Much, much less formal. To me, a Palm board is about the future, not so much about the recent past. I have three stock questions... How are you taking what you've learned in Scouting and applying it to your schooling and your preparation for the future? If someone walked up to you and accused you of being an Eagle Scout, would your life reflect it? What obstacles do you see on the trail ahead? Which ones will require more than your own labor to tackle?

Sorry. Call out. It's so wimpy. I remember my TAP-OUT,, even to this day, and it'll be 40 years next spring. We were at campfire. All of a sudden, KA-WHUMPF!!! on my shoulder. I get picked up, seemingly bodily, by my belt and down we go to Allowat Sakima. This time, not one but three KA-WHUMPFS!!!, and off I get taken to the holding pen, told I'm on Silence, and we wait. Trev, your was a couple years ahead of mine. Was that a pretty similar experience for you? No, today's callouts are shadows. Political correctness has superceced lifetime memories. ICS

OK, I can work with that added info I would recommend her registering in all four councils. The worst case is she's out $60 a year. If she talks to her accountant, she might be able to write that off. I'll let the CPAs debate that. The advantage of registering is that she is on the Council lists of all 4. That gives her name visibility in each council. While I have no doubt she wants to work with kids, I also have no doubt she probably wants to grow her business. Exposure, exposure, exposure. Moms and Dads, as well as Scoutmasters, will see her. I wish her well

I am going to take this offline to PM. Expect your email to have a message info@scouter.com shortly.

withdrawn(This message has been edited by John-in-KC)

Part of the problem is "A Scout is Thrifty." There's some tough times going on right now. I know of a kid ... he just moved out of my neighborhood. He and his Mom are moving someplace where the costs are less. She worked it out with the bank, and walked away from her home ahead of foreclosure proceedings. The boy wants to be in Boy Scouting. I introduced him to the Troop down the street. One problem: The odd job money he's earning? It's going to help buy the groceries for him and Mom (Dad is out of the picture economically). This young man is being thrifty, but there is not an angel to help him the rest of the way. There used to be folks who would help youth out so they could be kids ... a few are still out there, but many are gone. I like the new uniform far better than the DLR. It does what a uniform needs to do... be capable of being in the outdoors month after month. I remember my own youth uniforms ... I started Boy Scouting with a cotton twill shirt; when I sized up around 14, it became the in thing ... "permanent press." It didn't take abuse of camping nearly as well. If we were in camp, uniforms were ok, when we took to the field, they were left behind. I'm hopeful for the complete new uniform I want youth to like it, but we need to be asking youth constantly for input. We have tools to do that, including OA and the National Venturing Cabinet. Why not use them?

Depends on the skill in question, and depends on the learner/learner group in question. I can't remember the rule, but there's some research on the number times a concept needs to be practiced or repeated before it truly sinks in. I think it's around 10 times. That's my current objection to the advancement plan of T-2-1. It's not robust. I know I had 3 5 mile hikes to 2C as a kid, and more nights of camping. Further, advancement in the day was sequential, not parallel. That helped with repitition and reinforcement. Some people say the program doesn't support repetition anymore. I disagree. Beavah offers a list, but the point is just beyond the list: Look around you. There are people, places, and activities just waiting to be leveraged for Scouting advancement. Taking advantage of them helps our youth, by extending chances to use and keep using newly acquired skills.

Lisa, I have to remember this one: No wonder the kids are drooling idiots when September rolls around. I'm on track with you and pack and Brent and Beavah. Getting the bang out of the buck of teaching days. I was amazed as EagleSon went through 7-12 how many "teacher work days" (NO SCHOOL FOR KIDS DAYS) there were...

On the money matter: STOP. RIGHT NOW. PLEASE. Before you do another thing, call your Chartered Organization Representative and the Institutional Head/Executive Officer of your Chartered Partner. Please, insist on a business meeting with them, your Unit Commissioner or DE and the old CC. If you and your Treasurer were not given a clean set of books, then life can get very unfortunate for you downstream. There's a reason many of us keep saying the Chartered Partner owns the unit. It is the licensee of record of Scouting from the Council. Its own good name should be at stake. Financial headgames help no one. While I thank you for stepping up to the plate, I hope within the year someone else can step up to Chairmanship. Many of us have observed over time that a H/W CM/CC combination is not the best option, for many reasons, not the least of which is personal burnout.

You need to apply to each Council. This is one of my problems with Merit Badge Programs, such as the Strategic Air Museum (don't do it), or the USS Intrepid, or .... the folks are (hopefully) Counselors in their home Councils, but too many Scoutmasters surrender their authority as the quality guardian to these places. The result is merit badge factories, churning out hundreds of issues of a single MB every weekend. There are quality programs. The SM has to learn which are good and which are junk.

Ed, The reason I say the other 167 is because I expect the SM and the youth leadership to be training the young man during his hour a week at the Troop meeting (and at the campouts, eagle projects, and other events). I also make that point because I still hear people talking about wearing the uniform, attending a certain percentage, and so on. Those are matters of esprit ... and do not fall within the definition of Spirit as the National Council has set it. I think we're in the 98% agreement range. I absolutely agree with Beavah on the matter of adults. Certainly goes to the conversation we had with ONMYHONOR. I've noticed over the years that really good Scoutmasters have ways to listen and observe their youth outside the Scouting environment. BTW, yes, the apple pie is warm and the ice cream is ready. No uniform required.(This message has been edited by John-in-KC)

Oh, well. That particular SE (note E didn't say DE, he said SE!) probably wasn't doing much other than grasping at straws for the next FOS campaign anyway...

The verbiage is: Appropriate personal protective equipment is required for all activities. This includes the recommended use of helmets for all participants engaged in winter sports such as sledding and other sliding devices. The use of helmets is required for the following activities: downhill skiing, snowboarding and operation of snowmobiles (full face helmets). In BSA online writings, boldface denotes policy. The use of helmets is not boldface, thus it's what it says, a recommendation. May I suggest to the next odd mod encountering this, that it be moved somewhere outside Advancementland?

Gotta agree with axeman, as well as Gern.