SeattlePioneer

Bess Truman: "It took me YEARS to get Harry to say "manure." <<We also have a kid that simply will not listen to anyone but their parents, and this is a major problem because the scout is always causing trouble.> Leave him home on outings until he gets the picture. Send him home from troop meetings if he misbehaves. In general, one Scout who misbehaves will cause four other Scouts to drop out of the program. Shape up or ship out.

<< At party-supply stores, but I don't think dollar stores cut their prices even after holidays.>> I'm always amused by people who want to know how much something is at the dollar store...

When Erich Severeid was a youth he and a friend did a 2250 mile canoe trip from Minneapolis to Hudson's Bay. Still a fine book to read: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canoeing_with_the_Cree

<< It seems that many people in key leadership positions in the BSA, from district to National, don't like the outdoors.>> Reviewing the new Cub Scout program, it seems that pretty much every liberal social and political fad has been written into the new program. "Enduring values"? Hard to find.

<<In 2001, the Land of the Oneidas Council and General Herkimer Council merged forming the current council.>> According to Wikipedia, this isn't the first recent merger.

Wood Badge is overrated, in my opinion.

<<My mom agrees with me and encourages me to try to make a change if possible.>> \ Sounds like she doesn't participate in the adult leadership of the troop. Too bad ---she is really the one who ought to be dealing with this issue, not you. Based on the facts as you relate them, I'd shop around for another troop.

<< How are y'all handling the swords, as far as the scouts go? We had small ones made of wood that our program director made and had them paint. Problem was, if anyone was even remotely seen as pointing it at someone or poking someone with it, they had it taken. I admit I apparently spaced out during training when that was covered but I don't even know why we had them there if that was a huge no no. Yes I realize you can't go around stabbing one another but...well, I'll hush, lol. Just curious how others are doing it. That's why we jousted with noodles >> Swords are made fr

I've bought my iron on Ebay.

I once made a topographic map as part of a surveying class. Pretty neat. We took the vertical angle and azimuth (X,Y and Z) and distance of various points we wanted to map. From that information, we could identify the X and Y coordinates and the elevation of those points. From that you could make a straight line estimate of the elevation of any intermediate point, and plot the topographic lines. It's amazing how much information you could infer from a limited number of points, and by and large they were reasonably accurate for a lot of purposes.

<< Actually they do. According to the Guide to Advancement, no one can add, subject, or otherwise change the requirements. You might be able to physically get badges and give them to the kids, but I'd be royally pissed if I was a parent of one of those kids.>> Outside of Eagle awards, I don't think anyone pays much attention to that. Were I to do it (I'm not) I'd certainly let parents complete all the badge requirements on their own and be glad to award them their badge when they are done. Unfortunately, VERY FEW parents seem to work with their boys on Cub

Great ideas and pictures! I especially liked the castle and the archery targets. We have a volunteer who is going to be making a castle out of a 4x8 piece of plywood + some add on towers. We'll be using that and swords and lances I made as props for skits. The lances will also be used in our jousting competition --- we have two "quintains" for jousting which can be used in a variety of ways which should be fun.

<<I think the new basis of the American dream is social engineering and income re-distribution. The old American dream where one is left free to do what they want as long as they don't infringe on the rights of others has been dismantled by both parties over the last 20+ years.>> I agree. If you don't have a lobby to defend your interests (the National Rifle Association being a prime example) You will be run flat. Poo cigarette smokers! The liberals around here toy with them like a cat does a mouse.

I've been a Tiger Cub Den Leader the past eight years. I have no plans to be a Den Leader again, because I find the new program to be obnoxious. WZAY too much detail, and way too preachy. Very light on fun activities for boys to do, as far as I'm concerned. This morning I spent time trying to find the First Aid requirements in the new Wolf handbook. I paged through the whole thing twice and found nothing. I suppose there are First Aid requirements there, but I couldn't find them. My bias as a den leader would be to ignore the new program, and decide on my own program. F

Personally I find that the ability to understand geographic features from a topographic map is one of the most valuable map reading skills. Takes some practice though. The key to staying oriented on a hike is to be constantly checking every map feature against the features you observe in the world. I almost always know within a hundred feet or so of my location on a map. It's fairly rare that I need to pull out a compass, since a topo map usually has so many visual features that can be used to identify your location. It's trickier when I'm out boating, especially in fog. That'

<<Andy's mom hit on this awhile back and everyone sorta blew past her. But I think it goes to the heart of the issue: Why the hell are you doing a day hike in avalanche country?>> Heck, around here a spring hike in the mountains IS a hike into avalanche country. <<But that's still not enough. The backpackers in the troop complain we don't hike far or fast enough. The climbers insist we climb Table Rock -- hell, I don't want to DRIVE up table rock! I know what Stosh is going to say, but these guys typically don't have the support in their patrols for this le

For many years. the Chief Seattle Council has had a series of effective Scout Executives who have provided effective leadership and kept the Council financially able to do the things that needed to be done. My district has had a series of reasonably capable to excellent District Executives. District volunteer leadership deteriorated over several years, but has been rejuvenated with new leaders over the past year. My only criticism is that the turnover of SE and DE has been more rapid than is really desirable. But by and large, the paid leadership has earned it's money.

Unfortunately, "high adventure" is about stuff where there is a serious risk of death or serious injury if people don't make good decisions. And you need to be able to make good decision on the fly, when the ---- is hitting the fan. If you are doing a canoe trip on a white water river, what will you DO if a a canoe gets caught in a sweeper and is overturned, dumping boys in the water? What do you DO if you are out on a spring hike and you notice that avalanches are starting up in your area? What do you DO if you are on a winter snowshoe hike in windy, 20 degree weath

<< SeattlePioneer, on 11 Jun 2015 - 12:42 PM, said: And no chairs allowed. Everyone has to stay standing. Meeting's over when the first person leaves the room.>> Heh, heh! You are TOUGH!

<<Posted 11 June 2015 - 03:19 PM SeattlePioneer, on 11 Jun 2015 - 12:42 PM, said: We have our length down pat. A lot of fun people show up so we usually go over an hour (not by much) but it's because we get off topic or whatever. There has not been 1 complaint about the length of the meeting, only how the content is getting old, which is why we're trying to revitalize the topics and bring some new ones in. Oh, it's rare that people complain about boring, overly long meetings. They just don't come back for another helping of being abused. But if you have fun exciting

<< Before approving someone to lead a trip, I would want an EXPERIENCED leader to assess the training and experience of the person proposing to lead the trip. That person is FAR better prepared to assess whether someone is ready to lead the trip than any number of required training courses. This is what parents are saying before they send their sons on a trip and are hoping the SM and CC are "honest" in thier choice. You are mainly a cub person, when one gets to Boy Scouts its not scout and parent, its scouts and leaders. if I'm sending my son on a trip no matter what type I am

Our Cub Scout Day Camp is July 21-24. Still have one activity that needs to be developed --- our obstacle course, which we want to include a Scouting style rope Monkey Bridge. I have a Cub Pack with the materials needed for that, but I need one or more experienced people to assemble it. Today I e-mailed the five people on the District Pioneering Merit Badge list to see if I get any nibbles. Just locked up a volunteer to put together our health/First Aid activity, which will include practice with first aid kits the Red Cross is providing for each boy for no cost.

Heh, heh! Subjecting the budding businessman in question to the tender mercies of the Internal Revenue Service ought to be a refreshing wake up call!

Training is fine. I've taken a lot of it. Some is good, some is worthless. EXPERIENCE is priceless! Training without experience isn't worth much. You are just a beginner. Someone who has done a lot of an outdoor activity is likely an Xpert, even if he has taken no formal training. Everyone should have some kind of First Aid course, but I wouldn't require a specific course. Before approving someone to lead a trip, I would want an EXPERIENCED leader to assess the training and experience of the person proposing to lead the trip. That person is FAR better prepa

<<I over the years have come to agree with you that burnout is the leading problem with struggling units, especially Cub packs. Cub Scouts is too long and too complicated for the average volunteer to manage. I say it again with capitals for emphasis: CUB SCOUTS IS WAY TOO COMPLICATED AND WAY TOO LONG FOR THE AVEAGE VOLUNTEER TO MANAGE.>> I agree. <<. But the main objective is for the scouts to have fun. For that to happen, the adults have to enjoy what they are doing. So we build around making the program as fun for the adults as it is for the scouts. >>