Scoutfish

Okay boys and girls..... Extremely stupid question time: There are dutch ovens and then you have portable grills. But does anybody make a camping version of a crock pot? I love my crock pot. I'll get up at 6 am and peel some potatoes carrots and an onion. Then I dump a can of either cream of celery, cream of mushroom ( or both) into the crock pot, add my potatoes and carrots and onion - then drop in a pork roast or pot roast. Most people either cook half a day(4 hrs) on high or all day(8 hrs) on low,. I cook all day ( 7 hrs) on high. The last pot roast barely made ot out of the pot because it kept falling apart due to being soooo tender. Anyways, I love a crock pot. The biggest draw back I could see is sending out an aroma all day...you might have all kinds of wildlife sitting around with plates and napkins waiting to eat! LOL! So, is there such a thing as a camping crock pot or dutch crock pot?(This message has been edited by scoutfish)

Have you ever used them? Portable weather stations, that is? Now,I honestly don't know if our troop has or uses one, but I thought about buying and donating two - one to the troop and one to our pack. The particular one I was looking at doesn't seem very costly: http://scoutstuff.org/BSASupply/ItemDetail.aspx?cat=01RTL&ctgy=PRODUCTS&c2=CAMPING&C3=TECHNOLOGY&C4=&LV=3&item=601098&prodid=601098^8^01RTL& So are they actually usefull? I know on the pack level, we are not going for actual high adventure. WE just camp as a pack and usually within 2 hours of home , so it's not like we can't pre plan based on what the local weather man said. But it would still be col to have. As far as our troop, well, we meet on different nights then our pack, so not much contact between us. Matter of fact, I don't know the SM name. So, do you use them? Are they really usefull?

Well, I'm about ready to start working with my son on his whittling chip card. Gonna practice with soap first,maybe then peel some potatoes, then work to balsa wood then maybe carving out some staffs or arrows maybe. So here's my question: From your experience, what would be a good first knife? See, when I was his age , my fist knife was a single blade pocket knife. It seems like there are soooooooo many new types and styles since I had my first one. Back when I was 9, you either got a single blade, a double blade, or a olive green Swiss Army knife that had so many attatchments that it weighed about 15 pounds! Pretty much,you didn't have alot of options. I have seen the cub scout knives, but my bigest thought is this: If I get him a 5 blade knife ( for starting out) he'll find 5 ways to cut himself! LOL! What worked for you/ your son/ the Cubs?

"It just seems strange that your Troop is going on a backpack snowshoe/ski hike and they/you don't seem to know the first thing about winter safety. Perhaps you should be talking to your SPL about these issues. " Np offense Scoutnut, but he didn't say his troop. He just said HE was hiking to a hunting hut. Might be something he's doing on his own outside of BSA and just asking for some friendly pointers. Know what I mean?

dew, I wish that was the case, I talked with my B-I-L since that night. He was mad that his son did not get called up and get an award at the pack meeting. I asked him what award. He didn't know, but thought his son should have gotten "some or any" award by now. So I asked :"What is he and his den working on?" BIL: "I don't know what they are doing...It's not my concern!" So I ask why he thought his son should get an award? BIL: "Because he's there!" So Then I asked him if his son even earned his Bobcat yet. BIL: " His what? What's that? Look, I take him to meeting and take him back home and (wife's name here) is lucky I do that $#@%$% for her!" Basically, it's not scoutimng he has a problem with, it just happens that scouting is what is going on right now. If it wasn't scouting,it would be something else that was the problem.

A mill is a place that churns out at high volume- where the intent is to collect, ot gather as much stuff as you can - in a short amount of time. In my Bear Den, the Den leader and te Cub Master discussed which twelve achievements they would work on, before the year started. they tried to find a balance between what would be the most fun, the most understod and the most suited to the idea of scouting( yes, I know that they all are, but some are better than others!) Then we work on them. We work on them, discuss them, talk about them and practice them. We might do one or two parts of an achievement at a den meeting, and leave the rest of the parts to be done at home - meaning it takes some time. Merit badge, patch, and belt loop/pin Mills are where a troop/pack/den may just be where a leader just sits and talks and talks and talks about one thing after another. He talks about all the different requirements and then sombody just goes down the list and checks off one completed requirement after another. The main thing is: They are after quantity, not quality. TRhink puppy mills. Thosr people are just breeding dog after dog after dog in pursuit of the almighty dollar. They do notcare about bloodline, genetic healthyness or wether they are tearing of the latest "mom" up inside or not! The more puppies you have, the more you can sell and make $$$ on!

WAIT! Forget that 1st one...it's stupid! You ever read Aesop? I always liked this fable: The Man, Boy, and Donkey A Man and his son were once going with their Donkey to market. As they were walking along by its side a countryman passed them and said: "You fools, what is a Donkey for but to ride upon?" So the Man put the Boy on the Donkey and they went on their way. But soon they passed a group of men, one of whom said: "See that lazy youngster, he lets his father walk while he rides." So the Man ordered his Boy to get off, and got on himself. But they hadn't gone far when they passed two women, one of whom said to the other: "Shame on that lazy lout to let his poor little son trudge along." Well, the Man didn't know what to do, but at last he took his Boy up before him on the Donkey. By this time they had come to the town, and the passers-by began to jeer and point at them. The Man stopped and asked what they were scoffing at. The men said: "Aren't you ashamed of yourself for overloading that poor donkey of yours and your hulking son?" The Man and Boy got off and tried to think what to do. They thought and they thought, till at last they cut down a pole, tied the donkey's feet to it, and raised the pole and the donkey to their shoulders. They went along amid the laughter of all who met them till they came to Market Bridge, when the Donkey, getting one of his feet loose, kicked out and caused the Boy to drop his end of the pole. In the struggle the Donkey fell over the bridge, and his fore-feet being tied together he was drowned. "That will teach you," said an old man who had followed them: Please all, and you will please none So again, what does this have to do with scouting? Well, maybe scouting is a journey, but a journey that each scout must choose. He can try to please his mom or dad, he can try to please his Scout Master. He can try to please one or all of his friends - but it doesn't matter if he doesn't try to please and do what is best for himself.

Fashion! Talk about how fashions come back time and time again. Lether bomber jackets of WWII became popular again in the 80's Right now, stuff like spandex from the 80's is popular again. A few years ago, stylres from the 60'sand 70's were hot again. Then you have t's and jeans: They never went out of style, They may have been modified here or there, but still were always instyle. They were teseted and were tried and true. So what does this have to do with scouting? Well. some stuff just stands the test of time. No matter how old, it's just always in style just like the jeans. Scouting has stayed instyle. Sure, tere might have been some mdodificatons here or there, but scouting is tried and true. Or something along those lines! Good luck!

GK, I know nothing about BOY Scouts. I am only a second year CUB scout parent. But I will say this: I think you will do great! Why? Well, your first camping experience with this particular new patrol will probably not go off without a hitch, but the great thing is...it's an all new patrol. You won't have to worry about any of those "But this is how we usually do it",or " I always do it this way! " comments or feelings. Everybody will learn together and learn as a unit and team. At the very least, they should (you as well) have a tighter knit group because of it. Again, we both know it won't be a walk in the park, but in another year, you just might have a fine tuned- well oiled machine there!

"Scoutfish......belt loops are a Cub thing. Activity belt loops were a 70's boy scout things." See! I told you I didn't know anything about Boy Scouts! LOL!

I'll be the first to admit, that my first year, I was just accomadating my son. My wife asked me to take my son to school that night for the Cub Scout Roundup. I listened to a DE talk about how great scouting was. To be honest, the guy was a bit over the top and too eager for my taste. He kinda scared me! LOL! So I signed up my son and filled out the paper work and handed over some cash. A week later, I went to our first Pack night. The kids were taken outside by the existing den leaders and we got the whole "We ARE NOT babysitters!" speach. I was explained about how scouting and the scouting program was about all the values and morals and such, but also explained what was supposed to happen on the FAMILY level! I filled out more paper work and handed over even more cash! So I went home and asked my wife what nights should she take him and what nights I should. She looked at me and said :"Oh! No no! This is your thing that the two of you will do together!" WHAT? So, for the first month or two, I grudgenly took my son. Too many times I wouldget off work, rush home, drive past the pack CO and pick up my son just to back track 12 miles. I wouldn't get to shower or eat supper until almost 8 pm each meeting night. Now,I always helped out though , even if I wasn't thrilled about being there. That's just courtesy. Somewhere along the way during that first year- I don't know exactly when..., I sorta had fun. Then I helped out during a pack campout. My eyes were opened and I saw things differently. I plan on being a den leader next year and told both my wife and son, that I'll probably continue being a del leader even after my son goes onto Boy Scouts. I'll continue being a DL even if he decides not to go to Boy Scouts. So maybe I'm biased a bit, but I can't figure out why a dad won't at least do the basic minimum with his son without blowing his top!

Well,I don't know about the rules, but yes! It sure would have be a courtious thing to do! Just common courtesy indeed!(This message has been edited by scoutfish)

Snowwhite, First, let me ask: Is this a Cun or Boy scout? I have no idea about Boy Scouts, but if it's a CUB Scout, then Yes! It matters! Last spring? Meaning last year? Wouldn't that Cub scout( assuming it's a Cub) have been of a different rank? I'm just saying, this fiscal year's spring isn't here yet, last spring would have been from last years fiscal calendar.. So can a scout use a requirment/elective from last year on a badge that didn't exist until now, in this year? My answer would be no because : 1) That was done last year, not this one. 2) If the badge did not exist, then at the time the requireemnt/ elective was completed, it wasn't specific to the badge in question!

I have to vent! I'm mad, upset ,and also irked ! I was just sitting here and reading various posts, when I got a phone call from my brother-in-law. He had a question about the axle spacing on a PWD car. I told him what he wanted to know, and also gave him a few other pointers as I am working with the PWD committee. He then says to me: " Nobody should know that %$#$ kind of information!" Then he procedes to tell me about how %&*$# stupid this is, why he's $%^^%$# po'ed at the PWD chair, and that boyscouting in general is just "$%$^%%#$# STUPID!" Apparently, he's pretty upset that HE has to cut out the car. He tells me that there is no way he will let his 8 year old son use a skill saw, chop saw, drill press,belt sander ,table saw , or scroll saw.( not sure what kind of car they were planning on!) He then says he's about ready to tell the Cub Scouts he wants his money back! Okay..what could you possibly say to anybody with this mindset? What could you say to a person who has that kind of thinking? Basucally, this guy...my brother-in-law...thought he'd just carry his son to and from scouting and that would be all of his generously gracious involvement with his son. Now, I'd like to think that, this is not only the exception, but the very rare exception! The rare "Oh great, I have to disturb the dust on my body, get up and actually interact with my child!" I mean, when my B-I-L signed up my nephew at the roundup, it was very well explained that scouting is a family oriented activity. It was not only said many times, but also implied MORE times that at least one, if not both parents plus the family should be involved.This was also explained, told,said and mentioned repeatedly at the first pack meeting for new scouts and their parents. You know the ones...you have to fill out all kinds of info about you and your child, You also hand over some cash too. But then again, if you have that mindset, how could anybody explain that to you? Okay, I'm done venting now. But I just wanted to point out, this is another reason we lose a few ( hopefully, very few) scouts: Parents who only get involved at Christmas and birthdays and think all child raising duties are over!

Beavah, while I'm no spring chicken ( 38) I'm gonna guess I'm younger than you. Anyway, here's my answer since I'm practically a teenager! LOL! No two units are alike,and I agree anything said for one troop. may not be said of another. This can be due to district, Council, state or even geographic area of the US. I bet you can see differences between coastal NC and any troop in say...Montanna. Now as for scouts not being so active: I would say that between 1 and 3 is normal. Too many things going on in teenage years, the most competative one to Scouting being GIRLS and DATING! Between 4 and 6 not being active can still go either way: Girls, school, just the local way of doing things ( Old enough to work the farm instead of scouting or even religious duties) Might possibly be the program just doesn't grab everybody. More than 7: I'd start looking at and planning on reworking something with my program wether it be activities, camping,or even the way the scouts are treated and approched! Now excuse me , I gotta go hang chill my phat posse peeps! Peace-out-dog! LMAO!

Our pack has dues of $36.00 a year per scout, due before recharter each year. $18.00 is for recharter and insurance : $15.00 & $3.00 The other $18.00 is pack dues. That covers stuff like gear, equipment, the new PWD track we just bought, badges/patches ribbons, pins, and belt loops (only the first set per event -- parent pays for second of each event) The $18.00 pack dues also pays for stuff like supplies and cleaning materials, leader training fees, etc. It really sucks to not include a scout in activities, but at the same time, tell those parents to name off any other organazation that will do stuff on a weekely basis, not counting all the other feild trips, campouts etc and supply a leader/teacher for free. If they name one..tell them they might be more interested in that Org or group!

Just the other day, I met a fellow from another pack in my district about 7 miles up the road. We introduced ourselves and started talking. We just talked whatever : this and that, and at some point, he mentioned how he was glad that Webelos was now a one year program instead of a two year program. NOw, I have no idea if this is true or not. I'm a fist time ADL for a bear den. But this is something to consider: THose boys may be elsewhere due to this being correct,or elsewhere because they THINK they are supposed to be. Maybe another DL had this same "knowledge " of Webelos being a 1 year deal instead of two. If the boys are 10, they can join the BOY Scouts. Could also be somebody trying to boost their troop numbers or create a new unit withing the troop. What would that be called? A new patrol? That sound right?

WAL-MART! Now, I might get my tent and sleeping bag from a more advanced camping source...able to handle the extreme weather needs, but everything else you get : lantern, camp silverware/plates/ etc, air matresses, pads, chairs and stuff can be bought for cheap!

shortridge...I'll take your word for it. My biggest point is this: This is why these discussion need to continue - newbies like me,and opther people who don't know..can find out. Why? Because both you and I know that in any group - including BSA...there are more than 1,000 experts, and they all have different answers! LOL!

I'll be honest, I am home right now just waiting to end my last two weeks of "disability" before I can go back to work. I am soooo bored too. So I have lots of time to think. Anyway, I have a thought here. I keep reading about Winter Camping,Polar Camping and just cold stuff in general. At first, I thought: That's just crazy to go into the cold and camp out. That's what summer is for! But then,I realize, I actually do like colder weather better, I can layer up and adjust to the temperature as needed. Basically put,I can dress warmer if I need to. But...I can only take off so much. The week before my son and I went camping last year, we had a "practice run" in the back yard. That was the first time he ever camped out. The temps dropped to around 35 degrees. I had a 20 degree sleeping bag,and he had a 30 degree sleeping bag. IT WAS PERFECT! So one week later, we have our tent all set up in the woods. Bedtime soon arrives. We climb into our bags and roast. It was 69 to 73 degrees depending on who's thermometer you used. It was awful. I ended up sleeping on top of my bag and still a bit stuffy in the tent even with rain flap open for ventilation.I wasn't the only adult who woke up in a film of sweat. Aaaaagghh! So .. I guess I prefer cool/cold weather over warm/hot weather. How about you?

Opps! "But I bet there is a rule saying that while you cannot lessen/weaken rquirements that BSA set, in some instances you can." That was supposed to end with "...in some instances you can add to or strenghten requirements." To late to eddit it now. Scoutfish

Thanks! I have no idea what happened there!

Yeah,I prefer face to face training when I can get it. I learned long ago: What somebody is thinking, what they say/write, what I take in, and what I understand are 4 different things! I know I could easily read something and take the meaning the wrong way. I'd rather actually be able to hear that person and be able to ask them questions too. I bet everybody here understands completely, when I say you cannot hear the tone of a person's voice in these forums. Sometimes you can't distinguish between sarcastic joking , sacasm, and outright spite!

Yeah, I started to look into other council dates, but seemed like most all of them were scheduled every time I had a Dr appointment. Figures , right? LOL! My council even had a "back up" date, but had to miss that one too. But I'm in the clear now, so it won't/ shouldn't be an issue again.

Did you just tell me to kiss your MIF ? LOL!