Prairie_Scouter

Wyomingi, No prob, no offense taken. Ah, so you must be clear across the state from Teton County. You know, when I first starting going out there, the Jackson airport (only accessible by prop planes then), had no terminal and a wooden table where they'd toss the luggage. We'd hitchhike wherever we wanted to go. Now the airport is dominated by private jets. I picked up a real estate guide last time I was there (2003), and there weren't any houses that I'd be able to buy unless I made about 10x the money I make now. I read in the Jackson newspaper that most of the people working i

This is a very interesting question that could have a number of possible answers. If the country continues down the current conservative path, then I'd think that BSA would be encouraged to continue down its current path and "stay the course". If the country changes to a more liberal path, the BSA will most likely try to continue down its current path. This could lead to legal changes to force them to change policies, a "breakaway group" forming as another poster suggested, or a marginalization of BSA. Or, nothing could change at all. I really don't know which way it will go. I

Fuzzy, My wife does volunteer work at a local nature center and just told me that a whole school district cancelled their fall tours because they were afraid of Lime Disease. I wonder if they lock the kids up inside for the whole fall and cover them with plastic when they go to the school buses? Eeek, bugs!

Hi Schleining, Better than cable TV, isn't it? "Meet us next week for our next episode"....... I think it's pretty cool that I can write about 5 lines and Bob will turn it into a full page of responses. Kind of like the multiplying of the loaves and the fishes or something..... It's interesting to know that some folks are hanging on my every word, (literally, I think) I guess, but sheesh...... For the rest of you I've had more pleasant conversations with, you should know that (1), I've been a leader for 8 years, (2) I've had all the training, and them some, (3), I've act

Bob, What the heck are you talking about? I said 4 things in my post based on the earlier posters comments. One, that by segregating their Scouts by age, they miss some of the continuity and community that a mixed program provides. Two, I said that if LDS leaders have a low percentage of trained leaders, that would seem to be contrary to the level of importance placed on training by many posters on this forum. Three, that "drafting" leaders didn't seem like the best way to do things, and four, that taken together, the comments by the earlier poster seemed to indicate that the LDS units were

As a former CC and DL, I guess I can take a shot at this, but remember, your mileage may vary. 6-8 boys is usually the ideal size. 4 is getting too small for the boys to really have much interaction. Anything beyond 8 usually gets unmanageable. So much for the numbers. As the CC, it's up to you to determine den assignments. That's part of "the job definition", but anyone who tried to do that without the input of the CM and the DL is asking for trouble. So, in this case..... Everybody seems happy, but on the other hand, it doesn't sound like the den is getting much done. Now

Merlyn, To clarify what I said... Up until a couple of years ago (I've since move on to the Boy Scouts side of things), I used to stop by our local public elementary school, during lunch period, to spend 5 minutes of their play time to talk to the kids about our Pack (that's about as long as I could hold them inside ). I'd show them 2 or 3 projects we've done, and then give them a handout inviting them to our open house, where we could talk to them and their parents in more detail about Scouting. So, the talk was more like 5 minutes of "you can do neat projects like this, too!" rath

Tort, Thanks for your explanation; what you describe is what I would like to see happening, but is somewhat different than the impression I got reading the earlier posters comments. I think that the age-to-age interaction is a very important part of Scouting, and from the earlier poster's comments (or how I read them, anyway), it sounded like this wasn't happening. I'm glad to hear that it is.

Thanks, Tort, that case summary was interesting. Merlyn, Can you answer a question for me? I'm trying to understand this better, because I think I'm missing something. I've gone into schools as a Den Leader (now an SM) and met with the kids to tell them about Scouting. I bring in things we've built, like catapults and radios, etc, to show them the fun stuff we do. Now, if I'm understanding this right, you probably don't have a problem with that presentation, per se, but more with the bigger picture of advertising Scouting in a public school, because you would see it as a religious orga

Thanks, Tort, that case summary was interesting. Merlyn, Can you answer a question for me? I'm trying to understand this better, because I think I'm missing something. I've gone into schools as a Den Leader (now an SM) and met with the kids to tell them about Scouting. I bring in things we've built, like catapults and radios, etc, to show them the fun stuff we do. Now, if I'm understanding this right, you probably don't have a problem with that presentation, per se, but more with the bigger picture of advertising Scouting in a public school, because you would see it as a religious orga

Bob, I don't expect that you'll ever agree with me on anything, but in response to your post... >>Nothing written in this thread or in the the BSA program supports what you have written Prairie Scouter. Well, let's see. >>Many units have leadership problems because they recruit leaders by standing in front of a gathering or parents and saying "we need somebody to do this job". The LDS Bishop after carefull consideration says "we need YOU to do this job". A method that is far more in line with the BSA recommended selection process. How can you say this? I know

My 1 cents worth... I'm sure the LDS Scouters are all very well intentioned, but as things have been described here, it sounds an awful lot like Bob's comment of "we think we know better and we're going to do it our way". Now, somehow, they've managed to figure out a way to remain within "the program", at least according to the letter of the law. But, Scouting is also about continuity and community, and the older Scouts teaching the younger, etc. Seems like these age-based groups within LDS units specifically disallow that. Several comments also that the LDS Scouters have what seems to

We don't have any requirements for cooking, but all of our Scouts are trained from the beginning on how we prepare our menus and cook. It's been built in to such an extent now that everyone pretty much knows what they should be doing, and pass that on to "the next generation". Typically.... Friday night we'll eat on the way up and have a cracker barrel. Saturday breakfast is usually a DO meal, something like a mountain man breakfast. Saturday lunch is something easy, like PB&J. Saturday dinner is usually more involved and could be something in the DO again, or a grilled din

I think that this situation is going to be different for each person entering it. I'm 54. I've had a bad back since I was 20, but I've managed to run marathons, rock climb, play tennis, keep camping. It definitely gets more difficult each year. I'm done with tennis. Not running much anymore, BUT, my younger son is getting into rock climbing, so I've gotten back into it with him. My back barely survives 2 nights out on a campout; I've gone to 2 sleeping pads I guess the answer to the question is that you keep doing it until you lose the enjoyment of it. That can be loss of desire or p

Hi amouse, The thing that might be a challenge for you is that some ranks require a certain amount of time in rank before you can move on to the next rank. You should look at your Scout Handbook and do the math to see if you've got enough time to finish before your 18th birthday. And some ranks have some leadership requirements where you have to hold a leadership position for some length of time. Talk with your Scoutmaster; he;ll be able to help you figure it out. If you really want to become Eagle and there is time permitting this, then go for it. But remember also that Scouting

Tort, Thanks for the reply on the "line" question. I wasn't sure exactly how that works. Interesting. Regards legal costs, I see your point, and in the bigger picture, think that a lot of frivolous lawsuits could be eliminated by forcing the loser to pay the legal fees of the winner. But, I wonder, wouldn't that effectively eliminate the "little guy" going after a much bigger player? Even if you believe fervently in your cause, you never know what a jury is going to do, and a small player could be wiped out. Even now, large corporations will defend against smaller players by over

Main thing, the website owner is the person who has the power to allow Scouts to have their own forum. If he/she/they chooses to do so, they can, or not. But, gosh, why the harsh words? Seattle's post just sounded to me like a rhetorical question as well as a request to the owners to consider the creation of a Scout forum, as is stated in the forum guidelines. Didn't sound to me at all like there was some sort of "deliberate slight" being implied. If we're going to interpret a post based on the phrasing, maybe we could try to see the "positive" in the post, or at least ask questions o

I think that forcing Scouts to make the decision we believe is right may satisfy the need for immediate gratification that's so popular today, but that may or may not lead to the long term results we're also looking for. I'm trying to figure out the best way to word my thoughts, but let me try an example. If I say to my troop, "you must wear your uniform or you will be sent home", 3 things may happen. One, they'll show up in uniform, two, they'll show up out of uniform to see if I'd really send them home, or three, they just won't show up. One is good, two leads to confrontation, and t

Just seems hard to believe that the ACLU would construct a strategy against the government's support of BSA just to gain income. There would seem to be plenty of easier ways for a group of lawyers to make money. Here's a question for you legal eagles that maybe should be spun off as a separate thread if there's enough interest. The BSA is allowed to discriminate against gays and atheists because the Supreme Court agreed with the argument that they are a private club and therefore have the right to establish their own membership requirements. How far does that go? Could the BSA s

So Ed, >>So we let the special interest groups determine what is OK because they scream the loudest? Does that mean, then, that, since conservative Christians are a special interest group like any other, you'd be against their push to pass laws in regards to gay marriage and abortion? George Carlin has been and continues to be just hilarious.

A perfect example of why zero tolerance doesn't work. Regards the nails being hard to miss, for an 11-year-old, carrying a bunch of nails in his pocket might be the SMALLEST thing in his pocket Nails are a weapon? And what, "Pop Rocks" fizzy candy is an explosive??? This ranks right up there with the asthmatic girl who lent her inhaler to a friend who had forgotten hers and had an attack. The girl was declared a hero for saving the other girl's life and then was suspended for drug dealing. Duh.

jd, I can only say, "I Trusty in Dusty" Not without limits, but for now, yeah. Ask me again in August. Back on topic... This is, like many, a very grey area. Like jd said, "Morally Straight" comes back to bite us, again. Who gets to decide what meets that highly subjective phrase? In this case, some folks in Irving, Texas, who I don't know, and don't know whether they're speaking in the best interests of Scouting or on behalf of some special interest. Although I don't agree with their views, I at least hope it's the former. Legally obscene material has no place in Scout

Eamonn, D&D is a game called Dungeons and Dragons. It's a fantasy role playing game where characters can take on traits of good or evil in the context of the game. Individuals gain power and experience through successfully negotiating adventures created by a "dungeon master". It can be used to teach teamwork or the power of the individual, although it is primarily just a game. It's been popular since at least when I was in college in the late 60s, early 70s. D&D is like many things that are viewed negatively by those who I think don't understand the nature of the thing bei

Wow, I go away for a couple of hours and pages and pages of posts appear. Must be a popular topic! Tort, Your responses have carried a thought, very well constructed by the way, that seems to indicate that think, I believe, that issues like this need to be handled within the U.S. consitution. Yet, many local governments, be they state, city, etc., have passed laws that prohibit discrimination based on sexual preference. With your references to the Constitution, I get the impression that you may think that these local laws don't "count". I'll grant you that a national law could be done

Hi Tort, Didn't think you were trying to bait me; just making a sort of self-depricating remark about my chances of getting a logical argument correct, ie, slim >>So why don't you accord the People of the United States (or the People of Texas) the right to pass laws that coincide with their beliefs of right and wrong? Why would you want ANY law that did not attempt to keep society on a good path? I guess because I'm not so sure that there are one set of beliefs here. And if that's true, just using the beliefs of the majority would, I think, seem to the minority to be an inf