scoutldr

Ron Paul's only flaw is he believes we should do what the Constitution says. UNfortunately he's unelectable because he won't provide handouts to the teeming masses, like Hillary promises to do. Obama has promised "change"...if that's what we want? I like McCain, but just can't get past his arrogant, rude demeanor. I saw it first hand after one of the debates when he said to the commentators, "Well I have to sit here and talk to you jerks, how do you think I'm doing." Not Presidential at all.

All I can say is...bizarre.

That's what scares me about the future of this country...most voters will cast their vote to whomever promises to grease their palms with the most cash in the form of handouts or entitlements (so far, that's Hillary). They don't give a flip what it does to the country or the economy ... or to our grandchildren's quality of life. Those who made bad decisions taking out (or giving) subprime loans that they can't afford, or who are stupid enough to run up thousands of dollars in credit card debt at double digit interest rates should have to deal with it without the government interfering. It's not MY responsibility to protect you from your own stupidity. Handing me a check for $300 is not going to change a thing in my life.

For a state by state listing of reporting requirements, see: http://www.rainn.org/node/348 I didn't think scout leaders were mandatory reporters in Va, but it says, "any person associated or employed by a private organization responsible for the care, custody or conrol of children". That's pretty clear to me.

I agree...a threat of physical violence, e.g., "I will break every bone in your body", should be taken seriously and immediately reported to the SE as a YP incident. It could have been an innocent "figure of speech", but we don't have the luxury of talking that way any more. Let the SE sort it out. I would immediately withdraw my son from that troop, and inform the COR and SE as to my reasons why.

There's a "long form" of the DRP??? So when we sign the adult app, which one are we agreeing to, the "long" or "short" form??? Pet peeve...asking me to agree to things that I can't see or don't have access to. Didn't we learn never to sign contracts that contained blank spaces or ambiguities?

"But Jack makes a good point, we do have to have rules and we should do our best to obey them. When we knowingly break the rules we are not setting a good example for the youth we serve." OK, I'll bite. I want to do my best to obey the "rules". Just as soon as someone tells me what they are and where to find them. "Rules and Regulations of the BSA"??? Good luck. "Guide to Safe Scouting"? It says "Guide"...not "Rules for Safe Scouting". There is no publication titled, "Rules for Delivering the SCouting Program". So, absent that, maybe Pappy is right....as long as they renew our charter every year, we must be doing OK.

Perhaps your COR should write a letter to the SE explaining it to him. Return receipt requested.

Training WAS delegated to the unit level, with the "Pack Trainer" concept. The original concept has since been watered down to the point that the position is useless. Largely due, I think to the reluctance of Council training committees to "let go" control of "their" training. Sad. We can pontificate all we want as to the value of training, and castigate those who, for whatever reason, do not place a high enough priority on getting themselves trained. Bottom line is, scouters are not getting trained, and Council training committees need to find out what the obstacles and perceptions are. Most of the comments I heard after a training course was that the course did not meet their expectations...that's the syllabus' fault, not mine. Another barrier is cost. All training should be free to the volunteer...period. If they give up their valuable time to go to training, we should meet them halfway and not charge them for the privilege.

Is a potato gun considered a "cannon" or "artillery"?

Before everyone spends it, I assume it will be "taxable income" so you will only see about 60% of that amount. I also would not be surprised to see it phased out above a certain income level, so us "rich" people will never see it. The poor people will have shiny new rims on their Navigators and Escalades. Poor kids still won't have health insurance or decent meals. I am not in favor of it, but if foisted upon me, I will put it into my Roth IRA....or use it to pay for services that will have to be cut in order to fund this fiasco.

My district averaged 28% while I was training chair. Due to a high-turnover military population, I couldn't get above that. I'd train them and 6 months later they were gone. Maybe if there was a better way of documenting training in other councils, they could come in "trained"...but I couldn't even get accurate records from my own council. If they were trained before the new training program, forget it.

I think it's the Scout Law. "On my Honor"...one's good name, reputation, the confidence that people have that you will do the right thing without having to be reminded, regardless of what others may do or peer pressure. Someone once said, "Character (honor) is what you do when no one's looking."

Elementary age. Yes, I know about Reyes' syndrome. I think you know what I meant.

That begs the question...if your CO is not willing to fulfill the terms of the Charter Agreement, why did they sign it???

The camp medic is an EMT...if we're lucky. Sometimes it's an E-2 medic from a local military base. The one we had 2 years ago had never seen an ear thermometer before and tried to point it down my throat. I don't believe it requires any special medical license to take Johnny Scout's pill bottle off the shelf and hand it to him. That's neither prescribing nor "distributing". That's just "storing" and "documenting" that he got his dose. Of course, laws vary by state. My wife, a school nurse, cannot even give a child an aspirin unless there's a written Dr's order on file...doesn't matter what the parents say.

"strongly recommends that no volunteer accept this responsibility and that either the scout be responsible for his own medication or a parent or guardian must be present to manage it." Apparently the camp staffs never got the word. As a 53 year old adult, I am still "required" to turn over all prescription meds to the camp staff on check in and report to the health lodge for ever dose. We're not even "allowed" to have Tylenol in our possession in the campsite. Needless to say, most of us ignore it, since we're capable of taking our own medications without killing ourselves. And as of last year, the parent had to fill out a "authorization form" for EVERY dose that the scout was to take. Three times a day for 6 days = 18 separate forms.

Camo does not equal military. Maybe they were imitating hunting attire. My eyebrows were raised when I got my winter BSA catalog...see page 38. Sure looks like imitation military gear to me.

Sorry I didn't answer earlier, but one way to deliver training would be to solicit community partnerships with businesses that have satellite capability...around here we have "Cinema Cafe" theaters who regularly have Bowl parties with closed circuit broadcasts. VTC capability is not that expensive now and most major businesses, high schools, colleges and military bases have capability. To chime in on the more recent posts, I think there's plenty of "blame" to go around. Today's kids and parents are not interested in following the anachronistic model of "boy led"...it's too hard, and they're not used to achieving things like merit badges unless spoonfed as a group. They are willing to give "an hour a week"...but that's all they have to give. Too many other things to get done in the same week. You can train leaders all you want, but if they are experts at delivering a product that the public no longer values or wants, we're wasting our time. We make the best buggy-whips in the world.

That's watt ewe get wan stupid peeps depend on there spill czech two mush.

Nobody ever said it wasn't safe...just prohibited.

I can't say without seeing their drug test results.

Synchronous distance learning via satellite...like colleges do. Allows interaction with instructor for Q&A.

Each camp could hire an airbrush artist...just like Fantasy Fest in Key West!

"three tier program level"? Please refresh our memories, Bob.