ScouterPaul

I also don't count my chickens - but we should have 8. This will double our start up Troop.

Ed

You responded with the following to FOG's question with the following "Without probably cause yes I would object." Isn't that the problem with the Patriot Act - which (my understaning) gives the government the right to search without probable cause?

TwoCubDad - I agree with you 100%.

Would this Choicepoint be the same company that was in the middle of the Florida Election fiasco? Hopefully they handle the BSA criminal check in a more professional manner.

Bob,

Not to beat a dead horse but...Second Class Requiremnt #9 Demonstrate Scout spirit by living the Scout Oath (Promise) and Scout Law in your everyday life. How can someone demonstrate something if they don't know what it is? If the Scout is visibly nervous and fails to repeat the Oath correctly I would question him to determine level of knowledge. However, if he is going for his LIfe BOR and can't recite the Oath there would be a good chance that I wouldn't pass him. Is this adding a requirement - not in my opinion. He can't demonstrate to my satisfaction the Scout Spirit requirement.

SR540Beaver

One of our leaders has a 1 man Zeus EXO and has been quite satisfied with it. It's not quite the same as the one you're contemplating but it's from the same line.

As far as mesh goes, in Kentucky during the summer the heat and humidity requires ventilation, and bugs make a tent desirable. I've set my tent up in heavy rain and you are correct in that is can get quite wet. I carry a small backpacking towel which I use to dry the inside.

There are many but here are a few. My Tiki Headlamp - took me a while to go with the headlamp but there is no turning back now. I have a 1 liter MSR stanless steel pot which is perfect for making coffee, soup or hot water. My mulitpurpose tool (not exactly ultralight but I wouldn't go out without it). I have a Tarptent that weighs 13 ounces great for backpacking (only problem is that it has not bottom and I do have bugs). For car camping I wouldn't go without at least one dutch oven.

Here is a question. How are GPS units.. are they worth the money?

If my feeble memory serves me correct Oliver North is a convicted felon. This, regardless of his polictal stance, is not someone I want as a role model for my sons.

Paul

It would be approx. 5 miles.

Saudi Arabia = Terroist

In an artical written by Tom Gross in 02/02 the following information was given:

15 of the 19 hijackers (911) were from Saudi Arabia.

1 of the 19 entered the U.S. on a Saudi Arabia diplomatic passport.

Over 100 of the detainees at Guantanimo are Saudi Arabian's

240 of the 250 al Queda prisoners being held by Pakastan are Saudi Arabians.

Humna rights violations is another issue for a seperate post.

How many 911 terrorists were from Iraq?

Achilleez,

I believe that the answer is obvious. Mr. Bush sees the gathering storm over the Iraq debacle. By starting his own investigation Mr. Bush can delay the truth from coming out until after the election. This is a classic Cheney/Rowe tactic. No matter what the cost, no matter who gets hurt we will do whatever it takes to win the election. On a side note, I understand that he wants to include 911 in this investigation. That somehow seems ironic since there is one going on now and he has stonewalled it.

When did it become okay for the ends to justify the means? The primary reason stated by the Bush administration for going to war was that Iraq posed an imminent threat. When this threat proved to be nonexistent we did it topple a brutal dictator of a rogue state. As long as the result is good then the lies and deceptions used to get there are okay. Not something I want my sons to emulate.

With all due respect OGE if Mr. Bush had wanted to save lives by regime change he would go after the worlds largest terrosit state Saudi Arabia. Here is something to ponder. Would 911 have happened if the Bush family wasnt so tight with the royal family of Saudi Arabia.

Paul

fotoscout - Thanks for asking. Our Troop is a start up unit in it's second year. We currently have 1 Patrol of 8 boys. The campout was a Council joint Troop/Pack outing. Our pack is growing and we have close to 75 boys with the majority consisting of Tigers and Wolf Cubs.

The Boy Scouts cooked dinner for the pack (they determined the menu and did the shopping - we provided 5 meals and two cracker barrels for 100 plus campers for just over $400.00) and did so with only minimal supervision from the leaders.

Menu - Beef Stew (2 dutch ovens), Chili (2 DO), Chicken & Stuffing Casserole (1 DO), Cheesy Potatoes (2 pans), Brocolli & Cheese Casserole (1 pan), Corn Pudding (1 pan) and spaghetti for the chili. "Bug Juice", water and coffee. Peach Cobbler and homemade ice cream (hand cranked - the Cub Scouts all took turns cranking and had a ball) was served at our cracker barrel.

Equipment - 5 dutch ovens (2 12 quart, 2 8 qt and 1 6 qt) 2 box ovens, 6 stanless steel fire pits (approx. 2 1/2 by 2 1/2), 1 2-burner high btu stove.

The Scouts roped off their cooking area with yellow caution tape to keep the young scout away.

The Boy Scouts each prepared in advance part of the menu. They used aluminum pans to combine (not precooked) the cheesy potoes, brocoli casserole and corn pudding. They precut the vegtables for the stew, browned the stew meat and ground beef. Everything was cooked on site. The Troop Chaplain lead everyone in grace the Scouts served everyone in an assembly line fashion. In addition to preparing, cooking and serving the scouts also cleaned up.

Needless to say I am quite proud of their performance that night and they made quite an impression on the parents of the young cub scouts.

Many parents told me they couldn't believe that a group of 12 and 13 year old boys could do so much.

Thanks

Paul

Its Me

What equipment do currently have. I assume that when you say propane griddle you are talking about a propane stove with a burner on one side and a griddle on the other. If you don't have a propane stove I would recommend that you buy a stove with two burners. You can invest in a cheap teflon pan.

Depending on you planned menu I would think that you could feed 20 people with one dutch oven and a stove.

Our Pack prefers Pack cooking on our pack campouts. This past fall I fed 120 people with 5 dutch ovens and two box ovens (with food left over).

Good luck I like to here about Cub Scouts going camping.

YIS

Paul

FScouter,

The Guide to Safe Scouting states the following:

"One-on-one contact between adults and youth members is not permitted. In situations that require personal conferences, such as a Scoutmaster's conference, the meeting is to be conducted in view of other adults and youths." It doesn't state in view of other youths. If I am truly wrong in my understanding I would like to know. I came up as Scouter throught the Cub Scout ranks and every training course that I took emphasised the need for two adults at all times.

YIS

Paul

KoreaScouter

Has the two deep leadership requirements changed? It is my understanding that the only registered adult volunteer that can be in a room with 2 Scouts and no other adult is a registered Merit Badge Counselor who does not serve in another leadership role (Scoutmaster, Committee Member ect.)

I'm not knowledgeable about GSUSA. Can a GSUSA leader (female) be alone with the youth? If so, it would appear that all PC aside the Boy Scouts have a stronger policy.

To quote someone much smarter than myself - you reap what you sow. I you want to be treated with respect you must treat others with respect.

YIS

Paul

FOG

Another question. Do you treat the youth in your unit with the same amount of disrespect that you have shown Firstaider?

YIS

Paul

FOG

Do 2 wrongs make a right? You stated - "I find it interesting that GSUSA makes a big deal about having women as leaders to present a positive role model but BSA is PC and only wants "adults" as role models." Can only men be role models? I'm quite happy with having women involved in Scouting, at all levels. My Wood Badge Troop Guide is a women and I am proud to be under her quidance

YIS

Paul

Bob White

The information in our packet stated that the COR and CC are the only two people that can hold more than one position. Has this changed?

Paul

Bob White

Are you saying that the DL must plan, organize, conduct every den meeting? What if he/she is out of town or sick. What if one of the parents is a doctor or nurse and they wanted to do a meeting on first aid? Parents are resources and I attempt to use every resource that I can.

This is exactly how or DE recruits leaders out our annual Fall Roundup. He asks for parent helpers....

Congrats!

I used to be an Owl...

Ed

Why would a SM give a Scout the name of an approved MB counselor? Because that is the procedure.

And why wouldn't the Scout use the approved MB counselor he was given by his SM? There could be numerous reasons. What about the hypothetical expample that OGE gave? What if his buddy from school, belongs to a different troop, says hey I'll do it with you and let's use Mr. MBC from my Troop?

My point is that we can't make them use who we want - which is the same as approving the MBC for that Scout. Hopefully the Scout respects and trusts us and will use the person we gave them.

Ed

Here are a couple of quotes concerning the SM approving the MBC.

FOG - "The SM has to approve of the choice of counselor and sign the blue card before the Scout can begin work."

evmori - "He meant the SM has the authority to assign an approved MB counselor of his choice. Right Mr. Fat Old Guy?"

FOG - "If I know that Mr. X just rubber stamps the Citizenship in America blue cards, I'll not allow any of my Scouts (yep, my Scouts) to use him for a counselor."

My Boy Scout Requirements book (which is one year out of date) states the following:

...your Scoutmaster will give you the name of a person from a list of counselors....

It doesn't state that the Scout must use that Counselor. "No additional requirements my be added."

If we have good relationships with the boys and have earned their respect they will most likely use the MBC that we provided them. But that is a different issue.

Paul

You might try somethink like Knot Jepardy. It would be played just like the TV game the categories could be Lashings, Hitches, Loops, ect. each knot would be assigned a point value, the harder the knot the higher value. The Scout would have to tie the knot correctly in order to get the points.

Amen

le Voyageur

With all due respect. George Bush comes a lot closer to the definition of Fascism in my Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary than any Democrat.

Bob White

Thanks. That's the type of information I hope to see on this forum.