Scoutfish

"The pack trainer must have been a previous scout who obtained his Eagle rank." While not a bad idea at all if you can get this guy...still urban legend.

Some people read between the lines. Your making up lines that don'texist! I never once said I knew his ex wife. I described a scenario ( from personal experince I witnesed) where a woman attacked a man because he did not do something. All he did was push her aside in self defende. THAT'S ALL! She told everybody that he beat her. Yep! Bona fide dram queen. As for the guy himself: If he is in a position that he wants to help my son, and he has a criminal record which is a public record for assault, then you bet your butt I have every right as a parent who's son is in that pack to know about it. The guy says it was just the ex wife and that was all, well how do you know for sure? If he down plays it that it was not a bigger tghing, then why be so concerned witha criminal check? If he laid everything on the table, the criminal check will have no surprises! Yet, he expects you to believe his word as is...but if you need to do the check..just forget it. Sorry, he's hiding something. That something might not be much, but apparently, it's enough that he doesn't want the pack, CO or other leaders to know. Yeah, there are several problems here: What you consider no big deal, and what I consider no big deal are different. Look at another scenario here: The catholic church didn't think it was abig deal when their priests were molesting all those boys. They also decided it was no problem. I guess you couls ask how that was hiding a secret too! Now, there is an ideal world we want to live in, and there is the real world where people downplay lots of really bad stuff. This guy may have ben in the situation I "decribed" and may be the victemm of a hostile / agressive woman. Might be all there is. But it might not be all there is either. So even if the CO, COR and CC decide it's okay, they OWE it to the pack's parents to let them know what and why they ok'd it! PERIOD! Now personally, I'd like to think that the guy probably is guilty of just being a human. I do not know one person who can claim they never did anything stupid or something they regretted later. I am willing to bet that the guy falls into this catagory. I know people can get arrested for assault based on calling somebody a name too. I bet the guy is probably a great guy. But I will not bet your childs health or safety on it.

Figures........As soon as I asked and posted it, I found it. http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/34048.scoutleader.final.pdf

Okay, I'm not sure where I saw it, but I saw a diagram showing a slightly different right sleeve patch placement on the centenial uniforms. I just got my trained patch and unlike the older shirts where you had the leader specific patch on the arm and the trained patch directly under it...With the centenial shirt, I know the leader specific postion patch now goes on the gadget pocket on the sleeve. But what about the trained patch? I saw where it specifically went a while back, but can't remember where I sw it. I'm thinking it was either on the pocket flap ot maybe the bottom hem of the sleeve( on a short shirt that is) . Anybody know? And can you show me a source? Thanks............Mark

I agree with nolesrule. Thing is, as long ago as it was that I was in school - way, way back when - for some reason, each teacher seemed to think they were the only teacher to assign homework. They just could not comprehend that another teacher might do the same thing. Now, education is important, bo so is having free time, fun time and time just to unwind and collect your thoughts. How you collect them is an unique as the individual: fishing, gardening, painting, hiking, rock climbing , or even scouting. Engineer, Trust me, i know the importance of school and planning your future, but there is also a mental side as well as an educational side to the brain. To maybe put some humor in it: All work and no play makes you a psychotic who stalks his family in a hotel! Point is, people need some stress reliefe. The teacher screwed up by waiting until the weekend to assign a workload that seems to excede the work period. Good thing all his other teachers didn't assign something too: Then some assignments would have ben dropped even if the campout was skipped. My personal take - whicj has no bearing in this case - school work should be done at school. Home stuff should be done at home. Ask that teacher if they want to sit in class all weekend, every weekend , all year with the students. Then why send students home with class work?

Well, it ain't that fancy, but our pack has a smaler one. Lot smaller. Not as fancy. Pretty bare actually: We have a 5X8 wells Cargo "type" trailer that carries our dining tents, two cooking shelters, 5 or 6 floding tables, chairs, 3 double gas cookers, 2 single burners, pots, pans , 3 eirst aid kits, tarps, etc.. We use it at the bigger campouts such as crossovers and pack family campouts. That trailer might have cost about $600.00.......rough estimate. Besides, everybody knows that before you buy such a frivilous thing as this...you should think seriously and logically and buy the double decker pontoon boat with the enclosed cabin and built in slide!

Time to fight fire with fire! Tell them that you are so impressed with them trying to smell good, that you yourself will follow that fine example: Then get out the Aqua Velva or Brut. Maybe the Old Spice that comes in the glass whistle or cannon or car shapes. My dad used to use that stuff and you could tell the instant he put it on - even if he was inside an airtight container and you were half a mile away in the pouring rain! LOL!

Oh, I don't blame him either! If the guy was totally innocent..and victim of the first woman I described..well, explaining is like explaining to the wind. No matter what you say, nobody will actually believe. Happens all the time. Not much different than the guy and girl who have been dating 4 years. The guy just turned 18 yesterday who gets caught in bed with the girl who turns 18 in 4 more days. Mom or dad gets mad, calls the cops, he gets arrested, charged and found guilty of statatory rape and spends the rest of his life registered as a sex offender. Because of a chronilogical incident with his 4 year girlfriend! The way I see it, the guy is guilty of nothing, but will have that record the rest of his life. People don't see past the title. They do not bother to listen to the reason why. They just see "SEX OFFENDER". The dad may very well be in that same kind of situation.He may have been defending himself from that wife. But that could still cause problems in the pack..inocent or not. I Don't blame him for not wanting to re-hash something that nobody else will bother to truely understand at all. The other case is that he doesn't want to have somebody find out that something is more serious than how he told it.

If the guy got approved for leadership..eventually, it would get out. Now, if you were a parent of a scout and this guy was aproved..wouldn't you want to know? Or would you rather find out later and think somebody was hiding a secret? I never said other wise! I disagree! If he gets approved,,you can bet your butt I want to know. The reasons behind his laundry can be explained ...and maybe explained to my satisfaction. But if this guy wil be around kids, and is approved, I have that right to know! PERIOD! Who say anything about beyond? I am only talking about parents of the kids who happen to be members of THIS aforementioned particular pack.

WOW! Touchy subject. Granted, the guy might be the best thing since the styrofoam cooler, but you really, really have to tread carefully in a situation like this. Okay, I have know women who will fly across the room at their boyfriends and husbands..swinging fists and when the Bf/ hubby blocks..the woman cries assault! Maybe they were mad hubby forgot to water flowers or something stupid like that. Yeah, she's full of it. She is violent and blames guy when he defends himself. It happens more than you think. But I have also know guys who for some reason, only go too far with that one woman. Maybe the chemistry is a little off. Maybe she just brings out the bad. Who knows.. But the guy usually says it's her fault. He gets along fine with every other friend, GF or whoever. Must be her issue and her fault then huh? For some reason, people don't understand that they can walk away. But here's one thing that doesn't change no matter if the guy is in the right or wrong: What everybody else in the pack/troop sees or thinks! Sure, you could have a meeting just to explain that the guy was falsely accused and falsely found guilty. Might be true as all get out too! But if the parenst don't "feel" it or believe it..then it's all for naught. Could be the guy blames the woman for his issues too. How would you know? Maybe douing a background check may reveal more than the guy is letting on? Maybe one day - that one scout somehow..makes the guy lose his cool. Never happened to any other scout before...so it must be just this one scout right? Yeah, tell that to THAT scout's parents! One of those cases where "for the overall good of the whole troop/pack." It sucks if this dad really is this good, but sucks worse when everybody drops out of the pack/troop that "condones wife beaters" . Again, couild be totally bogus , but it doesn't matter if everybody decides its true.

Well, it's a 50/50 thing: Parents have the right to set certain limits or requirements on their own kids. On one hand, I'd expect the kids in question to rush that badge and will prpbably retain any and all knowledge just long enough to get the badge. Next week: "Huh? What's an emergency brake?" But at the same time....somebody just might learn something ( while being at an event they like) that can actually come in handy. I took 3 years of automechanics in high school. We did everything but turn the cam and crank and we sent the blocks off to get rebored. You could count all the wires and vacuum lines on one hand. Start one car, take the batery out and start another car - both still running without battery hooked up/. Condensers, points and rotor buttons ruled the day! Now days...with all the computers and such...I'm lucky I can even change the oil anymore. Diagnosing a problem is a whole new game. Cars won't run without a computer now. Taking a MB class on aoutomechanic won't tech them to rebiuld a motore, but any knowledge is better thn none at all.

Reminds me of an old saying: "It is not MY fault that I never learned to accept responsibility!"

I went through this issue too! I was going to buy my son the cub scout knife, but had a few experienced leaders tell me to buy a lock blade. Why? Well, the boys are just learning how to hold it and work it. If they have a non-locking blade and pull backwards on it.......it could close on their fingers in a snap. Granted, the lock mechanism is a bit tricky too at that point, but at least they know it is about to close.

Yesterday, I wore headgear in my first "offical Cub Scout capacity". Turns out it was a bandana on my head with 3 feathers stuck into the back as part of the costume I wore for our crossover ceremony. Nope...not a hat of any type. Go figure! (This message has been edited by scoutfish)

There is a difference between being vain and just being proud of a job well done. It sounds like a job well done if you ask me...Nothing close to being vain at all.

Scoutnut, You don't have to tell me. I get it. Well, my son didn't particpate in any council stuff or activities last year, but I did give $50.00 more than recharter and insurance. This year I gave a $200.00 donation free and clear above the $18 that covers recharter and insurance. I also offered to pay the $12.00 for the scouting magazineget free as a leader, but Beth ( the go to person for anything about anything at Cape Fear Council Scout office) gave me a "don't be stupid" look! As of yet, my son still hasn't been to a coucil or district event yet, but may do so this summer. As far as my pack is concerned..I have mentioned it several times. For some reason, nobody seems interested. I honestly have no idea why! Matter of fact, when ever we need to pay for something such as leader classes, I pay mine and don't ask for reimbursement. If it's camping dues or dinners,or field trips.... I usually round up. If the cost is say......$16.00 - I'll give 20 and tell them to keep and add the $4 to the pack general fund. The following pack meeting, I'll be handed a receipt saying my son has had an additional $4 added to his passbook account! Man, I tell you...sometimes you just can't even give money away! Our yearly dues are $36.00 - half of which goes to BSA for insurance and charter, the other half goes to the pack. $18.00 vs $120.00 . Hmmmmm....It's not that hard to understand!

Oh, I love bad! The bad stuff is the best tasting stuff. I look at fat mainly as a seasoning and sometimes a side dish! Personally, I prefer to skip desert and just have second helping of good cooked food. Any roasted, baked, broiled or slow cooked meat..as well as pretty much any kind of beans and potatoes. Never met a stew I didn't like either! Thinking of maybe cooking either field peas with smoked sausage and onions or black-eyed peas with polish sausage and onions. Not sure how it will do thoughsince I have only cooked them in a slow cooker or on a stove top...never on a fire or coals in a DO.

Personally,I'd rather give the council $30.00 a month straight out and not sell anything. That would be $360.00 straight and clear profit without spending one minute on organizing, ordering, procesing or even touching popcorn on the council's part. Same for my pack. I'd rather give them $10.00 a month every month and end up paying $120.00 a year to the pack instead of the current $18.00 . Even if I pay the $10 a month, I'd still stand behind that cooker all day for our bi-annual chicken fundraiser. And I'd still pay for camping etc.. Just saying, maybe if a council or pack spread the amout throughout the year, they might even be able to increase the amount they want. The single biggest detriment ( In My Opinion) is that everything is all expected at once: coucil $$ , pack $$$ recharter $$$ insurance $$ magazine $$$, school $$ and school supply $$$. It's bad enough as an experiences scout parent. As a brand new scout parent..it can drive you away!

Yeah, I heard something.....They are "supposed" to be bigger than now. Something about being like they were way back in the golden ages of scouting.

During BALOO class. the guy acting as cooking instructor basically made out like it was an age appropriate thing. So I guess you use your own judgement as to wether you think your cubs can handle it without getting burned. In out pack, some of the Webelos can cook. They all mix up ingredients , pour thenm into the ovens and such, but it seems like only a few "More" mature acting Webelos actually handle placing coals under and on top of the DO's. It seems the biggets thing is when it's time to check how progress is doing: You don't use regular pliare that transfer heat to the handle really fast. No mitts or plain old leather gloves. The instructor said his pack/ troop uses welding gloves and the lid tool and you also don't have to worry about a scout dumping that nice prett ash dust into your food! The instructor at BALOO said use your honest judgement and do not EVER let one do it just because he really wants to - the must be mature enough. So, an official answer? Nope! Not hardly, but it does make sense!

This weekend, we will be having our spring Pack Family Campout. The ACM , another ADL,and I will be showing the boys some dutch oven recipes. The ACM will be making a dutch oven taco/tortila chip cheese thingy. Or maybe taco soup. Can't remember which. I am going to make a dump cake, The other ADL will be making a peach cobbler. We won't really be teaching the the specific recipes so much as showing them what they can do on a camp fire or using coals. The scouts won't be cooking, just observing. Kinda more of a static display if anything. After that, we'll turn them loose with the sticks and marshmellows. Anyways, I went out and bought a $8.00 book with 101 dutch oven recipes. WOW! After looking through it... I can't wait to start making some of these recipes. I am soooo gonna get fat this summer! Anyways..what are some of your favorite recipes? Not necessarily what is hard or easy, not necessarily wether they are easy to teach or not. I'm talking about mouth watering good here!

Again though...I wouldn't say watching Speed Racer qualifies you as a driving instructor or watching Flipper counts towards Marine Biology!

I may be wrong, but Bando's post sounded more like lack of confidence than admission of inability. And the qoute: "I don't know it at a deep enough level (read: avocation/profession) to feel like I'm going to be particularly effective." Emphasize " deep enough level (read: avocation/profession)" . So he's saying he's not a paid professional scientist? How many of your average packs and troops have them ? Yeah, automechanics, not gas engines. Basic theory of internal combustion ..rotory engines, steam engines, electric engines, diesels... Granted, pretty much most of what we worked on were old 350'2 and the Mopar slant 6's. You could almost count all the wires and vacuum lines on one hanfd, but still applies to auto manit classes. Can't do the computer stuff with out a diagnostic computer or handheld OBD device..which I suppose the average troop doesn't have. But if it does...I'm coming your way!

That's not a money hole, that's an indefinant vacuum!

Well, I see "elitist" as an attitude deficiency. After we finished taking BALOO , I was talking to some DL's from another pack. One had an elitist attitude already having only finished BALOO 10 minutes ago. He in no certain terms decided that everybody in his pack HAD to run everything by him concerning going outside. One of his felow pack members pointed out that he now was part of a group of 15 guys who had BALOO at his pack. But his was "The most recent and therefore superior" ! Just meant to point out, anybody can act elitist about anything!(This message has been edited by scoutfish)