nolesrule

I think it's fair to say that a large number of member families would not be able to afford scouting if everything was done ala carte without the fundraising, because then Council administrative costs would have to be built into the cost of every activity. The whole point of fundraising is to get little bites from outside sources rather than taking large bites from those who are already members. The general idea is that getting 10 people to donate $20 is less painful to all involved than getting one person to pay $200. Sure, it requires a bit of leg work, but the financial burden gets spread out not just among those in the scouting community but to people who are acquaintances of theirs. I have no kids in the program, so I don't sell the popcorn. I make my annual FOS donation, and I buy one can of popcorn annually as token support. You can get a whole lot of "token support" with a little effort which will then add up. It'll help support council operations and it won't be coming out of your pocket directly.

"John, yes I have pointed out many times that a SM Conference is not a pass/fail requirement. In this case the SM refused to give the Scout a SM Conference. Big difference." I think that's John's point, though. Why, oh why, would a scoutmaster ever refuse to have a Scoutmaster Conference with a scout when a scout has requested one? It serves no real purpose to actually refuse the request (even if you plan to withhold signature on the rank application), and, as John said, becomes an appealable action.(This message has been edited by nolesrule)

There is no option to abstain for some and vote for others in the OA election rules. You either participate in the vote by turning in a ballot or you abstain by not turning in a ballot. The written rule is an affirmative vote on at least 50% of ballots turned in. Besides, creating a third category like you suggest would make the affirmative threshold inconsistent. 50% would (could) be different for each scout on the ballot, setting a different standard for each scout. I'm comfortable with the idea that if you are new to a unit do not feel like you can make an informed vote on ALL names on the ballot, then you shouldn't vote at all, and it's part of the OA election rules, all of which are on a publicly available document distributed on the OA website...no password needed.

Gary, you are correct, of course, and I should have been more careful in my wording. Depending on the merit badge, however, there can be instruction involved (especially for skill-based requirements), but the scout still needs to complete the requirement as written to get signed off on it, whether it be written, oral or demonstration. Watching the counselor do it once or sitting through a class certainly doesn't count. For example, the class I talked about in a previous post with my auto mechanic is something she does monthly for teens and women drivers locally to become more familiar with their cars. It imparts some basic knowledge on what to look for and regular maintenance needs, but has nothing to do with the merit badge itself; it's something she's been doing for years as a service to the community. It would serve as a great introduction to see who is interested in earning the MB, but that's about it. I find nothing wrong with teaser "classes" like that, which might generate some interest in a merit badge, but that shouldn't be the how a MB is earned.

Again, my point is if in your own head you feel you know enough on a subject to know that you don't know enough to be effectively teach to the requirements, then you shouldn't do it. It doesn't matter if you are a paid professional or not. On a more general note it's a good idea to try to recruit MBCs from outside the unit. It creates a more diverse resource for the Adult Association method. The MBC lists have become much too insular these days. And I don't know diddly about how cars work. That's why I'm recruiting my mechanic to be a MBC for that merit badge, and set up an introductory course with some of the troops in the area. Merit badge instruction would be done at a later time, if a scout chooses to work on the merit badge. The mechanic is a female, so it'll double as toward my diversity ticket item for WB (well one of my 2 diversity ticket items).(This message has been edited by nolesrule)

Scoutfish, you even quoted this: "I don't know it at a deep enough level (read: avocation/profession) to feel like I'm going to be particularly effective." Anyone who doesn't feel they can do it effectively should politely decline from instructing. Being a merit badge counselor isn't about knowing enough that you can carry on a conversation. It's about knowing enough to successfully ensure that the scouts have completed the requirements satisfactorily. 3 years of automechanics in high school MIGHT be enough to be a satisfactory instructor for Automotive Maintenance MB, IF you learned about everything having to do with what makes a car go. If all you did was focus on gasoline engines using carburetors with automatic transmission, you may know nothing about manual transmissions, diesel engines, electronic fuel injection, hybrid engines, etc. which are things that are covered by merit badge requirements. My point is, it depends on your actual knowledge of the requirements, not just that you know more on the subject than the scout you are counseling.

Scoutfish, the BSA merit badge program is a bit different from Cub Scouts and has an approximate standard for registered merit badge counselors, which is an expertise in the subject based on profession, hobby or life skill. That said, sometimes counselors get signed up because they can breathe. If you know enough to know you don't know enough, or if you look at all the requirements and don't know the answer without researching it yourself, you probably shouldn't be teaching it. A good example is Automotive Maintenance. An automechanic or someone into cars that does their own maintenance would make a good counselor. But someone who takes their car into a service shop because a) the manual tells them to based on mileage or b) something isn't working right should not be teaching the subject. Or just because you own and use a computer doesn't make you an effective Computers MB instructor. To Bando. If you don't feel that you have the knowledge to teach the merit badge, you should decline.(This message has been edited by nolesrule)

That's the problem with moving toward relying on commercial ventures. It's better to have a vision and then contract out to meet your requirements than have to rely on existing capabilities of commercial enterprises. There have been 2 or 3 commercial-based manned spaceflights, both a few years back, and they were shorter than Alan Sheppard's flight back in 1961.

Trading patches you haven't earned isn't a problem. Afterall, patch trading is about acquiring patches you want but don't have. People generally already possess patches they earned so why would they trade for them? And if you can acquire a patch you haven't earned via a trade, you can just as easily trade it away. Adults trade with youth all the time. Just be fair, and don't take advantage of their patch trading inexperience.

When I went in 1989, our activity uniform shirt options were either the red official Jamboree t-shirt or a blue council jamboree t-shirt. I don't recall being given an option to wear other scout-related shirts. There are troops out there that choose to only permit the troop t-shirt as an activity uniform at their troop functions. I don't really see how this is any different.

Actually, that's an urban legend. The pressured ink cartridge pen (space pen) was invented independently and did not receive government funding. The pen was offered to NASA who thoroughly tested it, and both they and the Soviet space program eventually adopted it as their space-rated writing instrument. While a pencil may seem like a simple and elegant solution, the reality is that broken pencil tips can pose danger in zero gravity. Prior to the space pen being adopted, grease pencils were used by both NASA and the Soviets for safety reasons. One problem. They are prone to smudging easily. http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=fact-or-fiction-nasa-spen

"I'm up for non-manned stuff. Hubble's been great!" Thanks for the unintended lesson in irony. Without manned spaceflight, the Hubble Space telescope would have been the biggest embarrassment in space exploration history. Besides the fact that the problems of the mirror's spherical aberration would never have been corrected without manned spaceflight, there were a total of 5 space shuttle missions devoted to replacing failing components and upgrading sensors and instrumentation. The telescope was not designed to be maintained by robots, and in fact, many of the upgrades done were to systems that were never designed to be replaced at all. And if you saw some of the solutions to that, you'd see how it would be easier to train and send a human than to build a robot. So, in car terms, the Hubble went from being a lemon to a standard model to a high performance vehicle (while still changing the oil and replacing the tires as needed) thanks to manned spaceflight.

ebay prices from the last 8 years put it in a range of $3 to $12. The last 2 sales were in 2007, going at $10.59 and $3. No information on condition, but to most collectors, if it's worn it's not considered valuable unless it's a rarity.(This message has been edited by nolesrule)

While necessity is the mother of invention, usually the more exotic needs lead to more efficient solutions that can be implemented into everyday use. In some cases, you don't even realize that the everyday use exists until someone sees the potential to apply already-existing technology in an entirely different way.

LEO = Low Earth Orbit "The same tech advances we get from the manned space program could be achieved through an aggressive drive to energy independence." I don't know if that's necessarily the case. The technology spinoffs from manned spaceflight are likely much more diverse. A friend of mine works on Orion for Lockheed out in Denver. I'm sure he's happy to have a job for a couple more years.

Vision, Mission, Goals. In addition the technological spinoffs, the vision will inspire people to get educated in related high tech fields or start up related support businesses. There's millions of people that went into their fields because they were inspired by a footprint on the moon 41 years ago. Or because of the launch of Columbia 29 years ago. Continuing with plain old LEO is a lack of vision, which will put a throttle on both technological and economic returns as well as put a damper on that little thing called inspiration. And there's nothing more amazing (except for my kids) than watching a manned space launch from my driveway. Especially at night.

Methinks someone needs to do a little research into the benefits of manned spaceflight, past, present and future. Eagle92 has it right, and he only mentions 2 of the trickle down benefits we see in our outdoor adventures. I'm not an engineer, but I do have a subscription to NASA Tech Briefs. You'd be surprised at the technology that NASA develops that then becomes available for use in non-space related fields. A quick google search found this page for me, which has a decent list of advances based on NASA technology... http://www.thespaceplace.com/nasa/spinoffs.html I have no idea the source, but I have seen it claimed in multiple places that for every $1 spent on the space program, we see $7-8 in U.S. economic benefit. If true, that's not a bad ROI. Most government programs are money down the drain.

Commissioners are in no position to demand anything from units. We (yes, I'm one of 'em) can make requests, offer guidance, quote from policy manuals (assuming it's not a fictional policy), etc. But demand things? Not a chance. There's really no such thing as "feeder packs" and "associated troops". They are just units that share the same chartering organization. They can have as little or as much of a relationship as they want, but it's up to the units and the chartering organization to make it happen. If the troop wants the outgoing Webelos to crossover to their unit, they need to be actively recruiting and having their presence felt (positively) within the pack.(This message has been edited by nolesrule)

Hehe. Eagle92, my WB patrol did our presentation on Shooting Sports in our council. I got stuck with the section on "Adult Opportunities" aka what training is required/personnel needed to open a range or run an event. Your description is essentially correct.

BadenP, I'm not sure what WB21C course you took, but the one I took would be beneficial to all Scouters regardless of the position. It's not about program (or even which program). It's about leadership, team building, communication, vision, goal-setting, project management.

Scoutfish, this might help you out... http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/BoyScouts/TrainingModules/BoardofReviewTraining.aspx There are many purposes to a Board of a Review. Checking for dotted I's and crossed T's is just one of the purposes.

I've never had an issue with square knots for myself; I even picked up the NESA Lifetime Eagle knot when putting together a second shirt for myself without a problem. I also pick up an Eagle rank patch for my collection when there is a change in the patch (like this year for the Centennial). Again, no problems. Knots are kept behind the counter. Rank patches are on the shelves. As far as I know, the people who sold them to me had know idea who I was. I certainly didn't know them. I also don't recall there being an issue with additional rank patches when I needed extra shirts for the Jamboree when I was a youth, but I may not have been paying attention. My guess is that how restrictive they will be depends on the shop policy or the individual behind the counter.(This message has been edited by nolesrule)

"And are the adults offering the program that the Committee and by extension the Chartered Partner is interested in?" Asking a Scout what he did to complete requirements is one of the ways to do this.

At our WB course, we were strongly encouraged to decorate the Program and Service Patrol totems in a non-permanent manner such that the totems themselves were always returned pristine. The decorations were added by each patrol daily, and apparently are not removed until the start of the next WB course.

I earned Metalwork, Swimming and Canoeing at my first summer camp. Can't remember which one I actually earned first. Space Exploration was probably my favorite.