qwazse

Well, regardless of religion, most folks in our country really worship self more than God. Since the scripture is only something we go to when death is imminent, "burying" self becomes the greater sin. You can tell this by CCb's mockery of the harsh rules in Dueteronomy. We would never consider an engaged person's promiscuity to be an act of treason. Why shouldn't she be free to cater to herself? In fact, it is the American objective to make sure the entire world lives as selfishly as possible. (This was a subplot of Outsource.) Granted, I'm in no position to throw stones, so I don't and I try to keep others from gathering rocks, but I am obligated to understand that the stones were put there for a reason. So yeah, divorce hurts kids. So does lust in general. So does greed. So does cursing. So does doing anything to get your own way without regard to the folks in your community. In fact the list is so long it's a wonder that our kids have a selfless bone in their body. So when you see a youth who is willing to do even one selfless act, remember that you're looking at a miracle.(This message has been edited by qwazse)

This weekend, I did something a little different. I used the telescope to project an image of the sun onto paper (NEVER LOOK AT The Sun DIRECTLY THROUGH A TELESCOPE OR BINOCULARS.) I introduced the boys to counting sun spots.

1. Yes 2. We provide den chiefs and invite webelo's from our pack and feeder pack to meetings/activities we think they may enjoy. Success ranges from 100% to 0% depending on the year. 3. We used to just focus on the Pack our CO supports. 4. Even with have a feeder pack, sooner or later that transition will fail. (E.g., this year they all went to a new troop starting nearby.) We try to do a presentation to 6th graders at the local public school. We encourage scouts to think about their friends who may like this stuff, and invite them to a meeting. (BTW, the boys do this with no thought for meeting some requirement or earning another patch. If they won't do this it is probably because your program stinks.) We also try to make sure eagle projects get the public attention they deserve.

Looking to load the scope for tonight's campout. I don't bother counseling the MB. Like Frank17 says, there are far more qualified folks in our community who can teach it. And I'd rather the boys make an effort to see these good people and get a solid set of lessons. I just tell the kids to line up east to west in chairs or on the ground with their heads pointed north. The older scouts help the younger ones find Polaris. Then we point out what can be seen. (And what could be seen if our eyes could see infra-red and ultraviolet, or if the atmosphere weren't in the way.) We talk about distances. About the sizes of stuff. About the speed of things. About what the ancient's thought. About how this is a unique time in our solar system's history where it is drifting between arms of our galaxy giving us maybe an 11 million year window with the least obstructed view of the rest of the universe. And on and on ... Whoever wants to go back to the fire (some distance away to avoid light pollution) may do so. The boys who stay wind up actually seeing the sky rotate above them the one's who don't will be the ones saying "where? where?" after they hear a boy shout "oooh a shooting star!". The only thing I make everyone do is keep their flashlights off or pointed to the ground away from people's faces. A simple star chart is handy. The 18th cent. drawings are useless. But the stories behind the characters (if you've learned them) are definitely worth retelling. I tend not to set up the scope until the boys are off playing capture the flag (or whatever). That way, whoever drifts by can take a peak once I sight stuff in. Waiting in line while a guy fiddles with knobs and gears is the worst "put-off." A piece of equipment that's so expensive you won't let boys touch it and learn to use is also a "put-off." Anyway, I gotta go find that box of lenses ...

As only 5 nights of resident camping are allowed, I would count either 5 nights as counselor, or CIT, at summer camp, or 5 nights as a camper with the Troop at summer camp, not both, and not for the entire summer. That's for the first 25 nights. Would you count them for the additional 25 toward their gold device(s)? I'd be inclined to say yes.

One topic that leaders from all units found interesting was Tax Deductions for Volunteers. Our commish brought in an accountant from a reputable firm and walked through expense that we could deduct and how to report them. This may not amount to much for cub leaders, but I think many of them found it nice to know that as things become a little more expensive, some of it may be honored as charity.

I think the triple crown award should still be given -- just award it for any three of the four. Sure, it may make it a little easier to earn it, but that's only because the chances of one of the bases being close to home are higher. Regardless, I'll bet there'll be a patch redesign. I'd be proud to see them add either a red-tail hawk or turkey vulture.(This message has been edited by qwazse)

Spj, tech jargon entering common paralance is an A-Okay evolution of the English language. No need to consider it a snafu! I read a NY Times article saying that FB statuses actually have a positive effect on coherent writing. I've observed this effect in some of my youth. They make a statement, their friends point out flaws in logic. They correct it. A counter-arguement is posted. They revise the thesis. And so on ... All of this without the aid of a teacher. On the other hand, unless the kid makes errors that lead to misinterpretation, writing FB statuses does nothing to improve his grammar.

NJ whoever referred to JASM's as being in a patrol... I don't think they are supposed to be in a patrol. Find me chapter and verse and I'll run screaming to our SM to boot those JASMs out of their respective patrols ASAP. Until then I'll quote you under my "Don't ask someone for a rule, they'll make one up for you." theory.

It's a boy scout award IMHO, it's not mentioned as an award available for cubs YHO doesn't matter. Either the official regs state the award is exclusive to troops or it does not. If you have a cub who's racked up 100 nights camping, give him the award for crying out loud! That said, I wouldn't go out of my way to punch cub camp in the troopmaster.

Apparently your son has never gone camping with me. Rain clouds save the dates months in advance of any trip I'm on! Notebooks, two zip-lock bags, some grease pencils/crayons. There, you waterproofed it. Fact is, water resitant paper is pretty cool, and Geocachers can find themselves in some serious messes. I've tried all kinds of water resistant gear. So far those zip-locks have been my best friend. I think the same applies to most geologists.

Nope, the more I think on it, with both time needed to do something and the fact you have no patrol groups to do it with, TLT just doesn't lend itself to this type of training.. [insert Kudu's management training rant here.] I'm sorry, I did not realize we were thinking TLT as an evening course. If that is the case, I would suggest the following: Assign boys to patrols as they enter the room. Direct them to their patrol table where there are the fixings (markers cloth, whatever) for making a flag. Signs up. Pledge oath law. SPL announces: you have 5 minutes to come up with a troop number for our troop. I will leave the room. When I return, I would like that number on our board. Whistle. Thank you, troop ___. You have 5 minutes to decide yell for our TLT. It must meet SM approval with no grey areas. Whistle. [practice new yell]. You now have 5 minutes to design our troop neckerchief. Whistle. SPL announces: your table has 5 minutes to choose a patrol name. I will sound a wistle, then you have 5 minutes to make a patrol flag, next wistle 5 minutes to come up with a yell. Whistle. Patrols sound off. Everyone does troop yell. SPL turns over to SM. SM steps up to speak. He points out ... In the first 15 minutes, you all came up with one troop number, one troop yell, and one troop neckerchief.In the next 15 minutes, you all came up with __ patrol names, __ patrol yells, and __ patrol yells.How were you able to multiply your productivity by __ times? You get the drift from there. Personally, if I were a student, I'd rather have spent the hour hiking. Also, I would always encourage patrol leaders to plan independent overnight outings that meet their scoutmaster's approval. Introduce them to the BSA tour planning worksheet. (Leave it to the SM to assign appropriate adult coverage.)

I support Cub scouting being coed. Not dumbing down the program or changing it for girls, then it would be Girls Scouts and that is not what most girls want. The GS in my crew rarely quit their troop. So I wouldn't expect any real bump in numbers in the general population. A good GS/brownie troop has as much draw as a good CS pack. On the other hand, when there are some CO's that only have resources for one unit, they'll pick one that can draw both sexes and have parents combine efforts. And in some cultures within our country, families insists on that sort of thing (e.g., the "sibling patrol".) That said, I don't see us mixing Jr. High girls and boys in an outdoor program anytime soon. We'd need a lot more direct-contact moms with an SM ilk for that sort of thing.

Most hikes work better in patrols. If you have a number of trails at your facility, have a morning hike that involves the whole troop. Have afternoon hikes where each patrol is assigned to a different trail. Have the boys evaluate which went faster/covered more distance.

I have known many muslims who have been blessed (their words, not mine) by Christian endeavors. One of them was a couple whose son was in cub scouts. This particular couple, having a high regard for Christians, would expect you to act, well, Christian toward their children. They understood the differences in religion, but in no way thought Allah and God were two different beings. So, don't bother changing one word in an English oath to make it "politically correct." If the boy wound up at a church service (scout Sunday, for instance), you'd make it clear that he didn't have to sing/say anything his family didn't believe was true. You might also have to explain that communion was only for believers because it was a way of saying their belief. Beyond that, no worries. [in fact I find it grating when Christian teachers refer to the "God of the Old Testament" vs. "God of the New Testament". The distinction is rather contrived.] There are other muslims who wouldn't dare darken the door of a church. Families like that probably would need a little more special attention -- letting them know up front that you would not intentionally do something to offend their sensibilities. But, I don't think that's the issue here.

"Advisor" is an incorrect generic term! Committee members and consultants are not advisors! If you used it, some MC's will feel left out. We have two choices: "Adult leaders" - okay, but could apply to folks outside BSA. "Scouters" - fits people in about where I want 'em. My point (and I think BP's) is that Venturing adult leaders do not want to be seen as distinct from Pack or Troop leaders. They may pack a little lighter, but that's about it. P.S. - "Venturians" might get confused with the folks who need 20oz of coffee-laden fluid in one sitting!

Six years ago, I would have thought BP was splitting hairs. But I've experienced committee members trying to advise, and it doesn't go well. If they took VLST, they would know that they are "consultants" (sort of like DDHII described in that 6-year-old post). MC's who act as consultants do give advise in their specialty (be it treasuring, committee chairing, etc ...) when asked. But although it makes the advisor's job easier, it doesn't make them the Advisor.(This message has been edited by qwazse)

Ditto what BP said. I have a hard enough time convincing the youth that they are Venturers in a Venturing program. They aren't going to buy that I'm anything other than a Scouter.(This message has been edited by qwazse)

Also, a wolf patch is not an end in itself. It's better to tell a boy he did not earn it, but he'll have a chance to earn bear in his next den. Who knows? For some boys the memory of not completing Wolf would be just what they need to nail down those Arrow of Light requirements.

m2c - The answer is "it depends". If a troop is planning a series of consecutively more challenging trips, then no, the scout will not be welcome on the 30 mile backpacking weekend without having conditioned himself and his gear in the previous 3 trips and made himself mentally awake in the 9 training sessions held during meetings. Doing "all the cool canoeing/kayaking/mountain climbing" comes with a price. On the other hand, if we haven't seen a boy for a while and he shows up the month before summer camp asking to go, we can probably find room for one more. Sports are like that too. If you want to be on an A team, you can't slack. The recreational leagues on the other hand won't mind if you miss a few games. The difference is most troops have both "A team" and "recreational league" scouts. With the right mix, that works pretty well. The "gung ho" boys get the opportunities they want while providing "easy camping" trips for the less trained/mature boys. So, absentee Johnny might only be going for the "recreational league" stuff. Unfortunately, some parents see it as "if Johnny's never gonna make Eagle/ go to Jambo / hike at Philmont/ shoot some rapids, what's the point?" There are some leaders like that too. IMHO, it's not a very healthy attitude.

Well, as we know, some venturers have this attitude about uniforms ... But I'm inclined to think this is a group registered as a pack and promoting itself as such. They either don't officially register the girls, or make it happen through lots of hoop jumping.

scouts does not equal school Our school bans pen knives. Our troop does not. We gave up on our cell phone ban. There are more important things to enforce. (Such as fireworks, swords, sidearms, pipe bombs, etc ...) If you want Jr. to have a cell phone, fine. But in my family, the youngns' pay for their plan. I strongly encourage our other scout families to do likewise.

Well obviously the point here is to help folks rethink what we've been doing and let us realize there's a lot of lattitude. A lot of our troop policies have to do with the way our SMs want to operate. Sometimes what the SM does is just what the previous SM did. So ideas from outside the troop are a breath of fresh air. Our JASMs do just fine as patrol members. In fact by age sixteen they're in about three "patrols" (e.g. their O/A lodge, their crew, and their troop's patrol). The point is that because of their other associations, they have an opportunity to bring unique talents to troop life. (E.g., the backpacker, EMT, life guard, scholar.) That's what makes the position privelaged. There's no counting service hours, you just see a need and tackle it. There's no board of reviews to look forward to, you just talk to a committee member about setting something up. If you think there's something cool your patrol could do, you help your PL get a solid plan to the SM. And, if you think you could do the SPL thing really well (even if you've done it before, even if you don't need it for rank advancement), you throw your hat in the ring. Now, I expect a little of that from every 16+ year old. There is no such thing as "just being a scout" at that age without showing some kind of leadership. Most of the time that results in a patch on your sleave. But if you don't want one (maybe work/school schedule get's in the way), that's fine. I'll still expect you to take charge in some way when you show up.

[sorry, double post](This message has been edited by qwazse)

Good points, Beav and BP, but more broad than what this topic can handle. We're moving from what it takes to for someone to label you "Christian," to what it takes to be accepted by God. We'd like those two to be synonymous, but I think they are two different things with a whole lot of overlap. (Of course the presupposition is that there is a God who accepts, and His acceptance actually means something tangible to human flesh -- big leaps of faith there.) There are a lot of folks who are getting by in this life with just one or the other (or neither). In the same way "head" knowlege and "muscle" belief aren't really separable even though we treat them as two different things. And, yes, if there weren't saints who put their muscle behind what they knew in their heads, the lot of us would still be waiting for that wikipedia entry on the "good news."