SeattlePioneer

Some people are quite able to fill multiple posts quite ably. I believe that has included Basement at least in the past.

Hello Merlyn, > Sorry to disabuse you, but I am not a religious person. But YOU are not a cool user of science in these discussions, nor are others arguing for science. The frankly religious have a clear conception of what is sacred for them, but those arguing for science prefer to deny that they have often adopted science as a god, as something that is sacred. Therefore when science is attacked, they respond in a heated and angry way just as the frankly religious do when their conception of the sacred is violated. It's the same impulse --- a firm conception of what a person regards as being sacred. It's easy to see that those worshiping a religious deity and those worshiping science argue in much the same emotional ways, because they are doing much the same thing, and for the same reasons. My experience in talking with real scientists is that they usually do not react in these emotional ways. Of course, they are the ones actually DOING science. They don't need to reduce science to a sacred concept.

Does anyone imagine that they are going to convince someone on the other side of the creation/evolution divide of the merits of their argument? The amusing part of this is that those advocates of science are mostly not scientists, but those repeating the dogma of science, just as those who are religious are repeating the dogma of religion they have absorbed. The catechism of science is on display here!(This message has been edited by seattlepioneer)

In our council, units deposit cash and checks from sales in a special council checking account. Any bad checks the council collects on or accepts any losses.

> Just like Scouting, then.

Yes.

I see that BadenP has failed to acknowledge that BSA units can be just as restrictive as the AHG unit he describes. The initial miss statement could have been a simple error. But failing to correct such an error suggests that it was a deliberate misstatement meant to smear AHG units with an excessively broad brush. I hope Baden P will correct that misstatement.

Nothing prevents Scout units from conducting frequent prayers and that non Christians are all going to Hell. I don't doubt there are those doing so. If you have a poor program and parents are choosing to take children out of it, what's the issue?

As I understand it, you need to have two adults on a camping trip, at least one of whom is twenty one years of age. And one needs to be a registered Scout adult leader. I think that could include an 18 year old Assistant Scoutmaster and a 21 year old adult. To my knowledge, IOLS training is not a requirement.

Frankly, I disagree with the idea that more elaborate training for Scoutmasters is required. It's not that tough a job in terms of basic concepts. The Scoutmaster Handbook does an excellent job of laying out the program. Making the program work --- that is often difficult. But the difficulties spring from an enormous variety of directions and places. It takes experience, good judgment and perhaps the kind of coaching often found on these threads to help decide how to handle various issues that come along. But usually those issues are resolved by applying the basic principles of Scouting to those difficult situations. If Wood Badge has gotten away from the idea of putting Scout leaders in the position of being Boy Scouts in a Patrol who have to work out the issues of problem solving and working together, the program is missing out on one of the main things it should be doing.

I'm no fan of Obama, but I credit him for being a decent guy. This was something I'll remember Obama for fondly. > Heh, heh! in a spirit of partisanship, I think this is an amusing comment for Obama to have made. "MONEY!" and money APPEARS! If the Tiger Cub had said "Twenty million dollars please!" I wonder if he could have made the all time biggest popcorn sale!

> Something like that sounds like a good idea. Give the Scouts some choices and then work with them on cooking the things they'd like to eat.

I'm glad to be able to provide a definitive answer even with the very limited information you provide: It depends.

Hello Amangi, I think you underestimate the importance of what you do. I'm now in my fifth year of rebuilding a pack in a low income area from having a single Cub to about thirty. Especially in those early years, having district and council programs available was a very helpful tool that made it possible to rebuild the unit when I had very little help doing so. I suggest that quality council program help with the council JTE and with all the district and unit JTE scores as well. Personally, I wouldn't try to stretch your volunteers into entirely new areas of responsibility. I'd be more inclined to work with your father in recruiting and training additional Unit Commissioners. If you have Committee Members interested in doing more, they should be welcome to become UCs themselves, would be my bias.

Hello Amangi, I think you underestimate the importance of what you do. I'm now in my fifth year of rebuilding a pack in a low income area from having a single Cub to about thirty. Especially in those early years, having district and council programs available was a very helpful tool that made it possible to rebuild the unit when I had very little help doing so. I suggest that quality council program help with the council JTE and with all the district and unit JTE scores as well. Personally, I wouldn't try to stretch your volunteers into entirely new areas of responsibility. I'd be more inclined to work with your father in recruiting and training additional Unit Commissioners. If you have Committee Members interested in doing more, they should be welcome to become UCs themselves, would be my bias.

> That pretty much describes BSA too.

> Personally I thank any adult leader for their contributions to the program. If they feel welcome, valued and useful the odds are good they will do more in the future. Someone who takes Wood Badge is really telling you they want to do more, in my opinion.

> How 'bout calling this course "Wood Badge"?

> Why not give all those interested in trying the opportunity to do so? Presumably those who need to improve their conditioning, skills or what they carry might learn from the experience. That seems like the best Scouting method to me. Having adults decide what to take and who is able to go doesn't sound like a good Scouting method to me.

> As I noted in my post, Basement --- this is when I was backpacking alone, which I did for 3000 miles or so of backpacking over about ten years time. And it wasn't to show off, since I had no one along. It was simply the cheap and efficient thing to do --- the distillation of experience. jblake 47s post makes a lot of useful points I think.

Are you interested or planning to do the 50 miler yourself?

When I used to go backpacking alone three decades or so ago, I woke up and hiked five miles before stopping to make some hot chocolate. I made up a bag of ham 'n cheese sandwiches before leaving which I ate twice a day for several days, cooking mac 'n cheese or something similar for dinner. All intensely calorie dense foods. I could easily get along without a stove at all.

When I used to go backpacking alone three decades or so ago, I woke up and hiked five miles before stopping to make some hot chocolate. I made up a bag of ham 'n cheese sandwiches before leaving which I ate twice a day for several days, cooking mac 'n cheese or something similar for dinner. All intensely calorie dense foods. I could easily get along without a stove at all.

How about setting up a debate before the elections?

A 100 pound boy carrying a forty pound pack because he wants to be out on adventure is LIKELY to have an adventure, and very likely fun along the way, too. Perhaps it will be a struggle sometimes. That's probably a good experience.