Scoutfish

I'm not saying that anybody should teach at medical school just because they used to watch Quincy MD. But as far as having the requisite being a professional in the filed ...you'dlose out on at least, if not more, on teaching any MB. Bando did say : "I'm not a scientist, and while I do know a lot of the subject matter here from coursework in high school and college, I don't know it at a deep enough level (read: avocation/profession) to feel like I'm going to be particularly effective." Specifically, I want to point out: "...while I do know a lot of the subject matter here from coursework in high school and college...." On a realistic level, short of getting a paid professional to teach these MB, where do you turn? Or do you just convince the scouts to avoid those MB's? Again, I'm not saying to get somebody who never saw a tree to teach environmental science or forestry,, but unless you have a forest ranger on hand....who will teach it? Likewise, I am not a dealership retained- factory trained auto mechanic, but I did take 3 years of automechanics in high school. I did everything to an engine except bore the block, turn the crank and turn the cams. I am noy employed in the auto repair industry, but You bet I could teach automotive maintanance. I wouldn't teach them how to take their dad's eingine out of his car and tear it completely down, but cover basic oil changes and routine maintainance and trouble shooting. Bando sounds like he has more than an inkling of environmental science. And just by listening to his concerns, doesn't sound like the type to just make stuff up. Not one of your "I put a bandaid on a dog once so I'll teach veternary medicine!" types.

Congratulations! You know more than about 85% of anybody you know! You don't have to be a professional in that subject to teach it. It's not like the scout's ability to get into college rests on your teaching of the subject matter. It's just a basic overview/ intro to it. Think about all the stuff we teach kids without being masters/ professionals at it. I'm not a banker, but tell my kid why saving his money is a good thing. I'm not a chef, but cook/bake/grill out all the time. I'm not a a forest ranger/ tree hugger, but use and explain LNT every chance I get. See where I am going with this?

That's cool ! I'm not trying to argue a point or side, but my second post was just to make sure my question was understood. I asked a question, and I got great answers.

Having owned several boats over the years.....It is true! Owning a boat is owning a moneyhole! The two greatest days of a boat owners life are the day you buy the boat and the day you sell it!

Okay, let me rephrase it: Woudn't it be better to have the option of 1 "inclusive" forum for Wood Badge? If you go to the OA form, you see some are public and some are not. For speaking specifically on a certain subject, maybe Wood Badger would like an area where - while talking about specific things such as the post this thread was spun from, could do so without giving away the specifics of the course. For instance, I "believe" I understand the point of the particular activity. But I could be wrong too. What if I or others had a blemished view of Wood Badge based on misunderstandings or false impressions? I still plan on taking Wood Badge next year. But what if I had previous reservations about Wood Badge, and after reading some of the negative comments on the spun thread...decided that Wood Badge was not benificila at all? In that particular case, wouldn't a private discussion amongst those who already have taken Wood Badge been more appropriate? Again, not saying the entire thing should be secret, but having the option of one "Wood Badgers Only" thread available.

Personal Fitness + Entrepreneurship + Theatre + Graphic Arts = Your own weight loss/ fitness video at every Wal-Mart in America!

I am not the great experienced scout leader that some of you may be, but I do have a short amount of time in as an adult leader. A few things I have seen that can cause a decline are this: 1) Parents! Mom and dad can not bear to see littlle Jimmy have even 3 seconds of idle time on his hands. Best to fill his day up from breakfast to bed time with activities lest he have some great mental issues in his adult years. Well, even at 8, 10, 15 ...kids can decide they are just doing too much , tearing themselves in different directions and just need some time to catch their breath. I tell my wife all the time that there is noting wrong with our son just being bored sometimes. It's a happening, not an infliction. 2) Our culture and the times as they have changed. Used to be , way, way back when.. I had an ATARI 2600. Oh man! It was the coolest thing ever! i played Pac Man, Tank, Frogger and other games...when it was raining or way to cold or if I was home sick from school, or all my friends were busy etc.. Know what I mean? Video games ( if we can even call them that back then!) were something you did when you had absolutely nothing else to do! They were always the last choice after football, baseball, swimming, playing "war' in the woods with your friends and just hanging out. I used to cut grass in trhe summer and lay sod to make money during sumer vacation and maybe go to an arcade ( remember those?) and hang out with friends. Scouting , which wasn't available in my area at the time would have been great! 100 boys wanting to do something fun? Shoot! That's not even debatable on wether it would have been great! Now days though... everybody wants to go home, get on their computers and "socialize, make videos, "talk" to friends and then work their virtual reality farms, take care of their virtual reality pets and live in their virtual reality worlds. If they aren't hanging out at dance clubs, raves or whatever else is hot these days. So scouting has alot of competition it didn't used to have!

There is a forum fo OA that is safeguarded. There is a password to get in. I guess that password is part of some ceremony when you join or are accepted into Order of the Arrow? Anyways, reading about part of a Wood Badge course activity has me wondering about wether some things in Wood Badge should have this same set up: a private Wood Badger Safe area. Now, I know by reading the original posters comments that there was no intention to "display" a course activity in the public eye, but it was also unavoidable in order to get some info or opinions from others who TOOK Wood Badge. Now, I guess I could say I know I should not have read the posts, but it's also like saying you shouldn't stare at a train wreck in front of you either........You know you shouldn't..but you can't pull your eyes away either. Now, I have informed my own opinion over something in a class I plan to take next year. Originally, I was going to take Wood Badge this year, but talked myself into waiting, and had that decision confirmed by many of you as well - telling me that you too felt my waiting was wise. Again, I think I figured out the point of the exercise, but I also hope that I am wrong about that as to not ruin the point of participating in the exercise in person! Then again, I can talk about eating food all day long and it's not quite the same as actually sitting down at the table and eating real food! Know what I mean? I can tell you about a movie, but it's not the same was watching it yourself. Anyways, shouldn't....couldn't Wood Badge have the same "private and secure" forum available as OA does?

I guess I ned to add one more thing: We have dues of $36.00 per scout. That covers $18.00 for recharter and insurance and $18.00 for nominal expenses such as rank badges awards , etc. We hand out beltloops and pins on this basis: the first two earned at a time are paid for by the pack. After that, each additional pin or lop is covered by the parent. Books , uniforms, etc.. are covered by parents. We do have a scholorship program for those who cannot afford it. We will not have a scout un uniformd or not going to camp for economic reasons! Campout fees are covered by those who attend and are broken down to parent and scout cost. We do it this way so that we don't have the animostity that sometimes develops by scouts (actually the parents) who feel like "that other scout" IS GOING CAMPING ON LITTLE JIMMY'S DIME! I guess in a way, we are an "Ala Carte" pack. But it seems to be working so far.

I get you! The way I see it, even the best, well intentioned good rules CANNOT foresee every single circumstance ahead of time. Rules , no matter how well intentioned are for the most part, a blanket thing. 99 % of the time, a rule may be for a good reason. But 10% of the time, that rule may indeed create more "harm" (for lack of a better word) than good. Take the youngin puking up pizza for example: Yeah, technically, you might have been violating YP, but in the bigger picture, you chose a more imdediate and higher need of mentoring. I can only imagine how that scout would have felt all alone, in a "not at home" environment feeling physically and mentaly horrible. I bet that would have a made a lasting impression on all of his scouting days and activities. So yeah, I get you. As leaders, we really, really ought to follow the YPG to the letter...but sometimes, following the letter may actually be falling off the path that scouting is supposed to take. I just hope we can all be wise enough to make the right decision when the time comes!

NJ, NO NO NO! That would be Deuterium Oxide, D2O or H2O, or Deuterium Protium Oxide! HEAVY WATER!

Yes, it would be inappropriate as an honorary Boy Scout. No, Definantly not inappropriate as leader of a country in a diplomatic way.

Yes and no! Technically, BSA says you cannot change uniforms and cannot mix them up: "a.No alteration of, or additions to, the official uniforms, as described in the official publications, or the rules and regulations covering the wearing of the uniform and the proper combinations thereof on official occasions, may be authorized by any Scouting official or local council or any local executive board or committee, except the Executive Board of the Boy Scouts of America after consideration by the Program Group Committee. " No technically...NO! But then you have : Realistically. In the real world, I cannot see where anybody should be offended or so upset over the hat you describe. Wear the hat. It will not make the program fail nor ruin their experience in scouting!

KIS-MIF, In our pack, we do not mandate that anybody has to sell. Be we encourage it to no end! LOL! Our opt-out is a voluntary thing in leu of selling ...period. Wether it's because of other obligations, work, time constrains, or just lazyness. The opt out is better than nothing. As far as incentives...there are prizes for scouts who sell over a certain amount ..such as $200.00. We do not make a big deal out of those who are below the minimum, rather we just give an extra nod to those who surpass it. Know what I mean? There isn't any atmosphere of "Oh, you didn't do good enough", but rather......" hey! Little Jimmy did an extra good outstanding job of selling "X" amount of popcorn. Matter of fact, we recognize that no scout ( usually) sells anything without his parents, so , no matter how much the scout wanted to, could have, or needed to sell, it's still dependant on wether mom or dad had time to go out and sell. Add in when mom or dad sells over $500.00 at work without the scout even participating...well explain that to a scout who sells only $10.00 worth. Point being, we don't make a big point of one doing better than anybody else so much as "Let's see what we can do for BSA and the council!" Either you are helping or not. Selling or opting out is still helping BSA and council. Also, opt out doesn't kick in due to low sales. Opt out is just that: when you opt out from selling due to....... whatever reason. But that's just our pack.

>>"That's true, but when an ASM thinks that it is, and doesn't say anything about it, it makes you wonder what else he's not coming forward with."

I only have DIHYDROGEN MONOXIDE with a Tom Collins. I prefer my DiHydrogen MonOxide in liquid form and usually at room temperature..but not hot! I prefer most of my liquids that way. Except my Coffea canephora impregnated DiHydrogen MonOxide. I prefer it just below "lip blistering" hot. Not a fan of it in solid form either!

Speaking of fundraisers.... We just had our spring chicken dinner fundraiser yesterday. It was supposed to be from 11am til 1:30 pm( garranteed) and later - as long as "supplies" last. Based on pre-sale tickets and last years sales..we ordered enough food for 300 more diiners at our CO location and 400 more for our beach location. We barely were able to maintain food for the garranteed time at the CO location and the beach location had a line 30 minutes long. What we did for the scouts was this: During individual ticket sales, scouts get 10% of that amount added to their passbooks. They can use this for anything at the scout store, camping, field trips, etc.. During mass ticket or group ticket sales, we divide the time into shifts and then divide the 10% from amount sold amongst the participating scouts. This is also recorded into passbook accounts. Same for popcorn. I'm just saying( earlier) why my son and myself don't sell popcorn. The pack still does and some scouts bring in big bucks doing it too. Our pack created the opt out option for cases like mine OR people who never physically participate in any fundraisers or functions.

eagle90, So you prefer yours in a solid form right?

eagle90, So tou prefer yours in a solid form right?

eagle90, So ytou prefer yours in a solid form right?

We have an opt out amount. I double it and give that to the pack and I opt out. Why? Well, let me tell you: I live in a area that greatly benefits from tourism. In my particular neighborhood, about 80 percent of the "residents" are summer only. I live about 100 yards from the mainland side of the intracoastal waterway in NC. Pretty much, alot of my area is like this. Now, I'm not sure if your pack can set it's own sell date or if if your council does. I'm not even sure when yours is, but ours is right after kids start going back to school . Ahhhh, yes. School! I just broke a paycheck buying my son all new clothes for school. I just blew my wife's paycheck on school supplies. Then we take more money out of thin air and pay for some other school supplies as well as school pictures, put money on our son's lunch account, and pay for pack dues and recharter. Then the schools want our kids to buy the school shirt, then the various sports teams that my son joined needs money for uniforms. With all that going on, I, as well as my son - do not have time to sell popcorn. And if we did, we'd have to go to other neighborhoods that already have "their" scout residents selling popcorn. Then there is reality: Some folks buy popcorn from BSA only to help out. But people who really and truely love popcorn ( like my wife) can go to Wal-Mart and buy a 2 gallon can of mixed popcorn for $2.00 instead of the $10.00 for a tiny box. That's if she doesn't just buy a 10 pack of microwave popcorn that she can pop and eat HOT whenever it suits her. The last time we tried to sell popcorn...a months worth of work resulted in a ten dollar sale and 3 "Oh, I forgot...do I still have to pay?"! But I might want to point out...My pack has a spring and fall B-B-Q Chicken dinner fundraiser that covers/makes up about 80 percent of our budget.

Dihydrogen monoxide is colorless, odorless, tasteless, and kills uncounted thousands of people every year. Most of these deaths are caused by accidental inhalation of DHMO, but the dangers of dihydrogen monoxide do not end there. Prolonged exposure to its solid form causes severe tissue damage. Symptoms of DHMO ingestion can include excessive sweating and urination, and possibly a bloated feeling, nausea, vomiting and body electrolyte imbalance. For those who have become dependent, DHMO withdrawal means certain death. Dihydrogen monoxide: is also known as hydroxl acid, and is the major component of acid rain. contributes to the "greenhouse effect." may cause severe burns. contributes to the erosion of our natural landscape. accelerates corrosion and rusting of many metals. may cause electrical failures and decreased effectiveness of automobile brakes. has been found in excised tumors of terminal cancer patients. Contamination is reaching epidemic proportions! Quantities of dihydrogen monoxide have been found in almost every stream, lake, and reservoir in America today. But the pollution is global, and the contaminant has even been found in Antarctic ice. DHMO has caused millions of dollars of property damage in the midwest, and recently California. Despite the danger, dihydrogen monoxide is often used: as an industrial solvent and coolant. in nuclear power plants. in the production of styrofoam. as a fire retardant. in many forms of cruel animal research. in the distribution of pesticides. as an additive in certain "junk-foods" and other food products. Even after washing, produce remains contaminated by this chemical. Companies dump waste DHMO into rivers and the ocean, and nothing can be done to stop them because this practice is still legal. The impact on wildlife is extreme, and we cannot afford to ignore it any longer! The American government has refused to ban the production, distribution, or use of this damaging chemical due to its "importance to the economic health of this nation." In fact, the navy and other military organizations are conducting experiments with DHMO, and designing multi-billion dollar devices to control and utilize it during warfare situations. Hundreds of military research facilities receive tons of it through a highly sophisticated underground distribution network. Many store large quantities for later use.

Gern, Now,I'm not saying the jobs are a joke. But I think we do have a common thought here: That money could be used differently. Engery research is a GREAT idea! Maybe cancer research. Maybe improving medicine, green technology, or anything that might actually physically benefit humans. Now, I do not have an issue wity the space shuttle or that area of NASA's work. Imagine what would happen if all the weather, communication and defense satillites suddenly disapperaed. But the Mars thing? If it can be calculated how far the moon is moving away during the next century.. not week, month or year - mind you, but the next century... why not get the guys ( you maybe?) who do those calculations.. and maybe work on environmentally green stuff and energy resources? No, I'm not a tree hugger either. In my personal opinion, studying to go to mars is a senseless as studying flatulence in cows and the effect on the environment. What was the practicality in that? Did we convince cows to stop or change their diet? Did we design, build and instal bovanal filters?LOL! Yeah Gern, I see myself think along the same lines as you!

LEO ? Not talking astrological signs are you?

LEO? I'm not saying NASA is a joke. It's not. Space technology and misions are not a joke. But trying to go to Mars is not practical. Neither is xploring Mars...at least not now. Thing is, what will anything we learn about Mars be benificial in a practical way? What can we do about anything that pertains to Mars? NOTHING! Matter of fact, I just read an interesting fact about the moon: It is slowly moving away at us at a rate of 1/2 inch a century! OMG! We are doomed! Thing is, what are we gonna do about it? Tie an anchor to it? Design, build and plant rocket stabilizers on the moon? NOPE! Never will happen. Now how about Mars? Well, there is probably 100 times a greater chance we will build rockets to control the obit of the moon before we even set foot on Mars! Again, I am not busting on NASA. Lots of great technology and practical stuff has come from NASA including stuff that has nothing to do with space...at least not in the way we use it. But Mars? Seriously, there is a point where we have to say: well wishes and good intentions do not warrant billions a year in tax money when the economy is the way it is right now.