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RememberSchiff

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Everything posted by RememberSchiff

  1. What I've learned 1. Whatever forms of communication that you decide to use, the majority will use something else. Facebook? Twitter? Yeah right, most of my scouts use X-box Live and text messaging. 2. No common electronic communication mode will emerge. If it's digital, it will be proprietary. Remember when you read the written word on any paper or listen to any AM station on just about any radio - free. 3. Whatever you post online or transmit, it will not be read. (Yeah okay, this is a holdover from handouts) 4. The common communication mode of the majority ...drum roll
  2. Yeah, I got the source wrong, it seemed similar to a Calvin Coolidge speech that I read. Here's a link to a speech that President Coolidge gave to the National Council of the BSA back in May 1, 1926. For a President nicknamed "Silent Cal", this speech seemed rather long. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=395#axzz1Ln7Q4zqY I forgot "jobs" in my list of contributing influences. Another $0.02,
  3. Sound words, I think from President Coolidge. Those Scouters looking for commitments and mandatory participation, should realize that Scouting, along with church, school, sports, service, hobbies, is a "contributing" influence and not a "controlling" influence. Parents are the controlling influence. That said ,I hope all scouts and scouters have the opportunity to celebrate Mother's Day today with their Moms, without conflict with some scheduled, mandatory unit outing. My $0.02
  4. Going to "color" dramatically improved the functional quality of the mb books, particularly for diagrams and illustrations and then there are the photos. Content quality, i.e. whether it is a good subject read regardless of merit badge, tends to be a reflection of the merit badge requirements. I think the new Robotics mb pamphlet has good content quality whereas Environmental Science well, needs more work. Of all who actually read a merit badge pamphlet, I would guess the ratio is 70% MBC's, 25% parents, 5% scouts. When counseling a MB, my first questions are 1. Do you have this mb book?
  5. Sounds like easy money for a council camp. http://www.nssfblog.com/100000-in-nssf-grants-for-local-boy-scouts-councils/ ...NSSF is taking its long-standing partnership with Boy Scouts of America to a new level with this challenge grant, said Chris Dolnack, NSSFs senior vice president and chief marketing officer. With the shooting sports among the most popular Scouting activities, NSSF is proud to assist local councils in developing new and expanded opportunities for Scouts to gain knowledge of the shooting sports. BSA Councils applying for a grant must specifically earmark funds
  6. Great information. Medivac/SAR insurance coverage seems to be the next gotta-have, after WFA, for high adventure treks. I wonder if Garmin will soon offer a GPS product with an integrated satellite message uplink? Delorme did market their Earthmate PN-60 with a separate SPOT device. Bundling two separate, existing products together is often a hint of new product direction. My $0.02 (This message has been edited by RememberSchiff)
  7. Hoping for better weather down there and happy news this morning. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42866691/ns/us_news/
  8. Sorry to sidetrack the discussion, just wanted to followup. "Could someone explain to me why the Dept of Ed. continues to partially fund Howard University as a budget line item to the tune of over $250mil annually?" Because it's one of the very few colleges that were chartered by Congress,... That's my point, those other federally chartered colleges - Gallaudet, George Washington, American,... are not annual line items, let alone BIG ticket line items, in the Dept of Education budget, so it seemed odd to me. As I understand, Congress is not required to fund entities chartered by
  9. Could someone explain to me why the Dept of Ed. continues to partially fund Howard University as a budget line item to the tune of over $250mil annually? I would put that money to pre-K or SPED programs in a heartbeat. My $0.02
  10. You also need to sell it to the parents who see 1. membership in yet-another-scout-unit along with the time commitment (me driving) and cost (another fundraiser yippy). Unknown leaders (to me) and in joining my permission was not sought (fix that). 2. secret squirrel stuff. Alarms go off when told or suggested that parents not attend. Have answers to their common questions 1. What does OA do for my son that his Boy Scout troop does not? 1a. Okay, why doesn't his Scout troop do that, it earned a quality unit award? Parents are usually under the impression that summer camps are set
  11. Who gets to decide what are stupid rules? A leader, someone you and others are willing to follow. Another $0.02
  12. Their call. You informed them of the rules and consequences, let them decide. Back in the day, my patrol designed a rectangular patch as it fit our roadrunner drawing. We too were informed after a dozen patches were made. "There will be rain on your parade Roadrunner patrol." "We have ponchos." I would rather have Brave scouts over Obedient scouts when it comes to stupid rules. Best patrol ever. My $0.02,
  13. Exercise scenario: the simulated lost scout suffered from Asperger Syndrome and was last seen arguing with two other boys near the camp chapel. The scout had wandered off in an undetermined direction. More than 20 SAR units from 6 states participated. Does anyone know if any scout units participated or observed, particularly given that the Summit is in West Virginia SAR area. http://www.pocahontastimes.com/news/story/search-and-rescue-exercise-at-dilleys-mill/204004 Yes, the lost scout was found and evac.
  14. I ask but mostly indirect, focused questions and sometimes I get a more than a one word answer and maybe some head gears turn. "Did you have a situation today where you were not sure what do?" "Anything happen today that you knew right away what to do when others stumble? Were others looking to you for answers(leadership)?" "Did you disagree with someone today? What was it about?" "Were you alone in any decisions today?" "Anyone accuse you of acting like a Boy Scout? What was that like?" More so today, there is a misunderstanding that a scout is only expected to b
  15. I think other religious organizations and even states will adopt a requirement to photograph, fingerprint, and background check all employees and volunteers who have children in their care. So today it is the Catholic Church, tomorrow it may be the Methodist Church, next week the State of Maine,... I can see the church offering financial help to the Sunday school teacher but less to an organization that is already asking their volunteers to pay for their training, uniforms, and other expenses. Remember when the cost of volunteering was just your time? My $0.02
  16. Possible spoiler??? The "unofficial" requirements as posted on meritbadge.org before being removed for whatever reason. http://tinyurl.com/43zldzl So far, no lite requirements to watch a movie with a robot in it or name five robots real or fictional. I think keeping an engineering notebook might be the biggest challenge. Looks encouraging. For official news and requirements http://boyslife.org/section/about-scouts/merit-badge-resources/robotics/ http://tinyurl.com/5tnj2z2 My $0.02(This message has been edited by RememberSchiff)
  17. Here's a general indication of requirements http://science.nasa.gov/media/medialibrary/2011/04/08/PR-Robotics-Merit-Badge-FINAL.pdf
  18. It is the Eagle's choice and that choice should be respected. He and his family may plan a unique ceremony or they may follow a troop tradition or they may have no ceremony at all. The latter is not uncommon with "late" Eagles busy with planning college, graduation, entry into armed services,... Long ago, my Eagle ceremony was much like Twocubdad except that was my preference and it went against the troop tradition of a separate ECOH. My $0.02,
  19. getting outdoors broadened their horizons Well hard to argue with you there
  20. 4-H predates the STEM acronym with their own Science, Engineering, and Technology (SET) programs in association with their respective state university. Not uncommon to see a 4-H club in a FIRST or NASA robotics competition at all levels. Other former scout nerds: Bill Nye (the Science Guy), Steven Spielberg, Bill Gates. This announcement seems like vaporware. Another $0.02
  21. Yeh, reading the links posted and the stated long lead times to unroll these awards (two years?), I cannot get excited. But let me say National #$%@$!^ better FINALLY release the requirements for Robotics merit badge next week (National Robotics Week) as promised and long overdue! It would be great if there were MBC's registered and informed in preparation of this announcement but that is another story. Reminds me of what happened last year with those four historic merit badges... My $0.02
  22. Stay home? Isn't the concept of a fixed structure building contrary to Leave No Trace? Back in the day, Scouting was less uniform, yet more like minded about being respectful of others. We could have camporees and summer camps where we all more or less got along without some individual or group making a big issue about someone doing something different. We still do campfires with local firewood (???? very odd to do otherwise???), LNTer's can join us in the light or they can stay in the darkness. If the activity is safe, start thinking about saying NO to those that say No To Everyth
  23. Thanks for your follow-up and involvement. Should be an interesting Eagle Board of Review, hope the successful turnaround continues.
  24. Tried and failed to recruit two more MBC last night. One look at that over-the-top background check on the Adult volunteer application killed all hope. Anyway, I had this idea for the Council level Quality Whatever-it-is-called-this-year Award. "Council must have at least two qualified MBC's, not otherwise serving as adult leaders, for each elective merit badges offered by the BSA." Maybe have area exceptions for certain badges, but something like that. While Council is making the rounds for business donations, I would like them to recruit some outside talent for MBC's. My $0.02
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