skeptic

How do we interpret this for going to the beach? Guess it would help with the challenges of rip currents and tides, but actually, swimming with a vest is awkward, or at least for me. Can we find a way to fix legalese stupidity? And I still remember getting a vest caught on the edge of a canoe that went over in one of the canoe contests for leaders, and the vest kept my face in the water briefly, making me struggle to get upright. Guess I need not worry for myself, as I am no longer involved at that level. Still?

https://www.scouting.org/health-and-safety/gss/gss02/#d "Life Jacket Use: Swimming in clear water over 12 feet deep, in turbid water over 8 feet deep, or in flowing water may be allowed if all participants wear properly fitted, Coast Guard–approved life jackets and the supervisor determines that swimming with life jackets is safe under the circumstances." This was quoted in the Scout Life magazine just received last week in an article. I do not remember a life jacket rule for open water swimming as discussed here. While it certainly may be reasonable at some levels, it seems problematic to some extent, especially when swimming in large pools, or specifically designed lake or ocean areas. Thoughts?

Ventura County Council now has NO camps; the last one is in escrow. So, the units now have to find other resources, often farther away, raising the expenses to get there. We technically still have some land above our lost Camp Three Falls, but it is remote and has no upkeep of the few access roads. Still, perhaps we can find a way to use it, perhaps with water trailers and so on. Will see. Found it a bit ironic that the camp now in escrow was sold to a cemetery corporation. At least they are not going to build houses.

It should be noted that the term "earned" with the noted young person is suspect, and the Eagle even more so. Suffice it to say, the "accomplishment" is seriously tarnished by numerous facts that were overlooked for "legal" reasons. The real fact is that the entire fiasco should not have been allowed, but a "legal cloud" hung threateningly until it played out and he, and the lawyer father disappeared from the local scene. It is not a local highlight for the majority, yet he is/was not the real problem, just the instrument, so to speak.

In this "modern" society, banning phones is nearly impossible. As noted, some parents defer to the phone as part of their parenting oversight, and if the kid does not respond promptly, issues arise. Our unit took a number of years to adjust to the issue, but over time, the scouts learned when and when not to be on the phone, for the most part. Ideally, there might be a phone designed that does not have all the apps and games available, but still has the tools that are useful, such as the GPS, camara, and distance finder, fro example. A no wind issue today I fear. Meanwhile, I am at a loss how to use my phone, so the wonderful stuff seldom is utilized, and I have not found the patience to get the crash course. .

The post was for info of any interested. The Villa is a historical building and the damage is to the story of the house. Yes, the elements are not picky about when or where they roar. I was at PTC years ago during one of the storms, at lightning struck a tree in the lawn area of the Villa, where we watched the deer graze and rabbits nose. The tree exploded, literally into a pile of firewood and splinters. Making repairs as close to the original as possible is the goal, while protecting the edifice with updated options. For me, it seems important to keep the original designs and if possible the original materials, or surviving similar ones in use, while adding protections as able.

See this link for detail. https://donations.scouting.org/#/council/NCFD/appeal/8757

Until we fix the legal system in the United States, as if that is even likely, much of what made Scouting so beneficial to youth growth into citizenship and focused lives has become basically impossible. The swarms of black birds continue to circle overhead, not just over Scouting, but over anything that could lead to public outrage and legal settlements that make the lawyers rich, and incrementally destroy the positive elements of society.

We are dealing with an obderate council that refused to allow our small unit to be part of the pilot locally, but we have two girls we will register anyway, though how we have not figured out for sure. Otherwise we lose them, and they are part of the family already with committed parents. Two others are a year back. I suggested to the leaders they just move them at charter like normal and then we deal with the nonsensical "stuff". Small units like ours really need ALL the youth we can get, period.

I no longer am sure where the tale I am sharing next is located in my "stuff". Never been well organized, and I have read so much over five+ decades that it gets mixed a bit., Anyway, I recollect reading about an early Chicago unit in the teens that would gather downtown near the train station, hop on a train to the outskirts of the city, and hop off with their gear. Then they just took off down a country road looking for a spot to set up. They tried to take note of farm houses nearby for possible meal resources. While they had very basic stuff, so would not starve, and they were not remote per se, back then it was still fairly remote compared to today. Anyway, the story told of them sending the most likely young scout, usually very young and skinny, and send him to the doors of farm house asking for some food for the group. It worked well enough that they seldom really had to eat the less than tasty stuff they did have, and sometimes they even ended up invited in like part of a family. Seems to me that they did offer to do some work for the help, but often were just fed. Try that today.

Sadly the council often sees those coming from independently viable units as somehow out of their "often set in stone" plans. Particularly true if the unit was doing their won thing much of the time due to a weak council that ignored new or established success stories. I have been suggesting that ours may find more success over time if they develop, or redevelop, Council-level options for more adventurous activities that tend to need more adult help and that would draw independent youth from a larger pool. And not just High Adventure Bases, but also things like the annual Desert Caravan we once had, or Ships opening a cruise to new places, or planning repetitive service events on local trails and community recreational areas. Too often, the resource help in people are simply waiting to be asked. The largest issue with our council seems to be umbrage by the Council Exec board and the executive when troops that have gone on their own most of the time due to poor council plans and support choose to continue that most of the time. Then when those units decide to step in and offer to participate and even help, they are given a cold shoulder.

Harold has a new historical tape on Green Bar Bill on the Museum site. Just in case someone may wish to go and take a look. If you have not watched and listened to any of his pieces, you should, in my view. Some interesting stuff, and he digs beyond the norm.

As often may be the case, the decision is up to the leadership, youth, and adults, as to what might encompass participation. We have always, as the youth agree, made the flag requirement inclusive of actually doing a ceremony, as one of the participants handling the ceremony. If not at a formal ceremony at the unit level at our meeting place, it mostly entailed(s) either summer camp, in our case until we lost our camp, the formal service for the entire camp opening or closing for the day. We have also done over the decades many formal ceremony particpatins for patriotic holidays, and also on occasion for local events, like opening Little League season, or a local historical celebration. That has been our tradition for a long while, but it is ours, and how another unit interprets it is up to them. Hopefully it is NOT just standing in line at a ceremony (mho).

Back to my view that leaders need to be leaders and make the choices. But they also need to make wise ones and be consistent. I see far too many looking for some type of very specific "rule" or "example", rather than making a personal choice and doing their job. Most of these things are fairly simple, but can be broadly subjective. Kind of like deciding if a scout cooked something, even if it was barely palatable. Even if it was not to liked by most; did they cook it and do the various steps in doing it?

No, I have had no response until you right now. I too discovered nothing online. The story was told to me I believe when the song was sung at a closing campfire at an event in the seventies I think, in the old Great Western Council. The words I recall were varied, though that could be my old mind. "America, America. How can we/I tell you how we/I feel? You have brought us so many treasures. We love you so. A second stanza, or just version, replaces treasures with pleasures. Simple and very meaningful, especially if it was sung on the tarmac as American scouts left a Japanese gathering of some sort. I do know that the BSA was involved in reestablishing Scouting in Japan, so it might relate to that, rather than a Jambo. Or it might simply be "lore".

I am reminded that "old dogs can learn new tricks", it just often takes longer or comeuppance. Anecdote I found amusing recently was about a granddaughter that had been doted on by a grandfather for years. Then one day he was brought up short by this barely teen girl when she, in no uncertain terms, made it clear to him that she could do almost anything a "boy" could do, and maybe better. And if he thought that made her somehow out of touch or NOT able to try some things, or continue to challenge boys, then he was not the GF she thought he was. Live and learn, and maybe even raise the shades on stuff that is new, and different.

If I had known and understood more than a dozen or so words of French, I might have had a Parisian adventure with some "attractive girls" that tried to speak to me one evening as I walked back to my hotel. Guess I was fortunate, looking back and hopefully being a bit brighter..

Three is a charm, even at 81, I think. Amherst.

I think the real factor is that she did not let up, and that she continues to push for changes. She absorbed a huge amount of negativity early on which in my view was totally un called for, especially from many Scouters. But, sadly, we continue to see that today. The tenets seem to lose their meaning too often when something annoys us, and it is harder to remember them. That is especially annoying to me every year when many pols come out praising Scouting America, or in the past, bragging about their connections and support, even as they ignore the whole meaning of Scout Spirit. And they are in a position to display the concept if they take it seriously.

Amhert; old eyes and carelessness.

We are now well into the follow up to the disaster of the attacks on Scouting that resulted in so many damaged people and groups, but hopefully on the new direction that will rebuild it. One of the issues that constantly seemed, to me anyway, was that somehow BSA was expected to be above society. And while the tenets might so suggest, the reality was and is that it is Part of society, and always has been. The mistakes and challenges faced were foisted on it by others in society, many who were ignored or looked past for various reasons, even as BSA was attacked. But now, the other youth serving groups are beginning to take the place on the whipping wall of outrage and over hyped expectations of too often out of perspective attacks. Today, in our local paper, a USA article by Kim Hjetmgaard (sp) brings up the idea that the public schools in So Cal are being negatively affected by the most recent vulture lawyer attacks, on them. The opinion ironically suggests that the current students are being negatively affected by "stuff" from the past. Sound familiar? Sadly, while it is true, as it was with BSA, the oun restrained legal attacks allowed in our system will continue to find new targets, many that will drag out old and emotional issues for people. Will this too lead to real change? Time will tell.

Sydney Ireland, now a graduate of Amyhurst, writes an interesting and challenging perspective of Scouting America going forward. This is surely likely to tweak some noses, and while it may be a little too soon, or maybe not, it seems to me important for this period in our evolution as leader in citizenship and world awareness. Take a look, and please remember we are all in theory still Scouters and live by the tenets. https://www.advocate.com/voices/scouting-america

Remaining optimistic is a real long shot from what seems to be happening with this administration. So, please do not hold your breath that he will actually agree to do it. JMHO of course, but his track record is not rosy.

The first time a coding change put me in that position I asked the registrar to help. Ours was able to simply adjust to new coding and I am again shown as trained, or over trained I suppose. Occasional review is likely good anyway, I suppose. My first training was way back in the mid seventies and has seen Woodbadge and Woodbadge staffing; at least five course at PTC, and numerous online reviews and sit ins on some just for fun.

It is and has been "sad", as the entire fiasco not only has made so many suffer, with long term emotional effects long past the itiital trauma, but it also has made it obvious to me how warped our entire society really is, and how much seems totally beyond control of logical responses, and a complete rehabilitation. We all carry our personal issues, much that few if any ever see, though may sense. So, know it is sadness about which I cringe, and sadness that the human species can be so warped and pathological, using other people's trauma for personal gain in the guise of real caring. As noted many times, I can only pray for you and others in the suvivor/victim pool find some closure, even knowing it will never be complete, at least not in our current lives.