SSScout

As to the "mission" and "policy" of the BSA, why is it not "officially" (I have yet to see this) based on the Scout Promise and Scout Law? "Transperancy" = Trustworthy "Local Option" = Loyal (to ones faith) and so forth.... The bureaucratese that is often inherent in a large org such as BSA often comes from folks wanting to "make their mark", not so much clarify or define things. What is a simpler guide than these long established and tested guidelines? What better way to judge one's behavior or business? I know from my own experience and hearing the stories of others, both here and elsewhere, that the biggest problem with some of our professional Scouters is a lack of adherence to those four promises and 12 "suggestions". I wanted to hear Mr. Gates make more mention of Irving's ultimate "customer', the boy, but he did mention the Dens and Packs and Troops and their volunteer leaders.

" He went to WOULD Badge, not WON'T Badge. He named his twin daughters BADEN and POWELL.... The Big Dipper points to HIM, He is.... The Most Interesting Scouter.... "I do not always go camping, but when I do, I bring along some Scouts....." "Stay Scouty, my friend...."

Oh, there's always time for Scouting. Here's the mathematical proof: https://www.dropbox.com/s/47yw1m1mk985a8t/scoutsnotimefor.docx?dl=0

"On behalf of the Qunfjhtimffk Construction Company, I would like to thank the Mmmvvery State Construction Board for the awarding of our contract for the construction of the Omygod reservoir river dam. I am happy to address this meeting of the Board. I would like to ask, what is the least we can do to complete the dam? "

They can get as specific as they can, experience and knowledge allowing. A sparrow can be a chipping, swamp, white crown , or just a "sparrow". Around here, a squirrel can be a black or grey or flying (much smaller and really hard to see, they are mostly nocturnal), or a "squirrel". But sometimes the ID can be the learning experience. A "black bird" can be a crow or redwing blackbird or raven (really big). When I do CSDC Nature pavilion, (yeah, not BScouts but still...) I have the Cubs just sit and LISTEN. Even in the mid afternoon, they can often hear a half dozen different birds, a chipmunk squeak, a dog, other boys (?), and other things. The background "noise" can be "stuff" to ID.... And they are often surprised that , yes, they can ID a bird by it's call. Yes, a worm is a "wild animal".

Document, document, document. Get others to listen to your story, find out if they saw the same conversation you saw. Do you really know who your friends are? Seek the SE's meeting, say you mistook his initial invitation for something else. He may well not know what is going on around him and would benefit from a truth teller. What do you really have to lose? To whom is your reputation important? As has been said, you are a volunteer, (t)he(y) can't fire you, but they can get other Scout professionals to make it harder for you to volunteer. "A Scout is loyal" but to whom? To the fellow that signs THEIR paycheck. If the SE in question has provided the Council with reason to believe the Council would be better off without him, it will take a groundswell of CORs voting on it to happen. Possible? yes, the corporate legalese makes it possible. Probable? Ummmmmmmmm , mebbe not. Good Scouting to you, none the less. If this is just a slip of the tongue in public of that which would better have been said in private, the deed is done, and as has been said, might be best to move on.

I seem to remember my "Bomb Hole" question was answered, but where are the other responses?

Howzabout a new motto for Scout Leaders, Tiger thru Eagle:: (Dang, how did I get this font? Didn't click on anything, I don't think) "Get'em Out, Get'em Dirty, Get'em interested".

Bad wolf: Herebouts, we call that the "soccer syndrome", as in drop the kid off, let the coach do his thing to make him/her a strong, skillful, fairplaying (at all cost) youngster; then come back in 2 hours. Convincing them of the idea that if they don't have a connection with their boy/girl by the time they are 13, they won't have a connection when they turn 18 is hard. Convincing them that even the couch potatoe dad can have a role in Scouting is equally hard. It gets easier if the Troop/crew is "Boy Led" and has an adventurous program. The boy/girl will convince the dad. Or become aware of the problem and YOU will become aware of those family dynamics, unfortunately.

"The work is done by whoever shows up".. Thank you, Eamonn, for showing up. See you on the trail...

click.

A new program, inviting young folks from around the world to come meet together. "This global initiative aims to develop a network of young people who will deliver grassroot activities and become agents of change for a better environment of co-existence and harmony among people of different religions and cultures." You do not need to be a Scout to apply and attend. Scholarship is available. Pass it on... http://scout.org/node/70261

""Look at the photos that Cambridgeskip posted. You see that the neckerchiefs are worn loosely, and they are secured by either a woggle, what looks like a band tie of some kind, or just a knot. Much more practical. "" Friendship Knot , very widely used in Europe: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friendship_knot https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lpSWxSTuVY

When our District was denied our usual Camporee site, our DChair got creative and contacted the local Piscataway Museum, and arranged for our Camporee to be held on their grounds. It was 3 times the usual travel time, but proved to be a memorable time. http://www.piscatawayindians.com/ As it happens, their museum is presently in dire financial straits, and would welcome any support.

Thruout the world, Scout world that is, the NECKER is the defining piece of Scout clothing. Altho I have never been to a World Jamboree (coming here in 2019!), all the info I have and the pictures I have seen indicate that even if a Scout Troop can't afford a uniform shirt (much less pants or shorts), they will wear the necker. It will have pins and patches on it. It means "Scout" to the rest of the community, in their service and hikes and comings and goings. The bigger point here, especially in this thread, should be why don't American Scouts like the neckerchief? It is , uniformly, the one item I hear about that a boy doesn't want to wear , EVER. National has even made it "optional" to the Troop to decide! Now, this is not the same everywhere. I see some Troops that love their special, custom to them, necker. Take pride in them, even. But if the uni is one of the "methods", what is it, outside of the "dork" factor, that makes it hard for a boy to want to be SEEN as a SCOUT?

Cedarlands sounds like what a Scout camp should be. I wonder what the alternative for this Council could be?

25 pages....Scout requirements..... Evolution,,, faith,,,,, satire,,,, mechanical design and failure.... Tacoma Narrows? .....

"Aye ,And thirdly, the code is more what you'd call "guidelines" than actual rules. ...." Since the young Scout is "allowed" to use a shovel. I see no problem with using a vertical shovel , with adult supervision. Certainly not a powered posthole digger. And as for "wheeled carts" , if we allow them to pull each other in "Cub Carts", where is the problem with pulling a 2 wheeled garden cart? Or a 4 wheeled one? Cubs need to learn teamwork, and there is nothing like watching 2 or 3 or 4 Cubs working together to move a wagon of dirt.

And, come to think of it, we have not even started to consider the difference between the "clock work God" and the "interactive/interfering God". Gee, it's good we have this "Faith and Chaplaincy" forum....

Once again, mes ami, it is not the HOW we are concerned with here, but the WHY. If there is no concern for the WHY, then there is no need or concern for the ultimate origin, hence no "creator". But if one is concerned with the WHY, then even the possibility of a creator who sees a need to send his son to educate the self aware beings that are the result of the long experiment must be considered , n'est ce pas?

http://.scout.org/scoutaid Notice the uniforms and neckers. Folks knew who was helping. Makes me wonder how our Scouts would do in similar (God forbid) circumstances. Girl Guides are there too. http://asia.wagggs.org/en/news/23601

As with many activities, the purpose of bullying is important to consider in it's defining. Why does the "bullier" act the way he/she does to the "bulliee"? Why does the bully demand certain behavior from the recipient? Often, it is about making the bully feel better about their own situation. Often it is about class position, the "pecking order" in the social group. Often, it is about a sick pleasure in seeing others suffer. It is rarely about "education", as in teaching a boy not to lose his pocket knife. The behavior can be "used" (poor choice of words, that) in seeking to make the recipient feel part of the group, as in fraternity hazing. Is the recipient "worthy" of belonging? See "Cognitive Dissonance". I once had to decide if I really wanted to belong to an organization/club that wanted me to do what they asked me to do. When I questioned this, the club ultimately changed their requirements. They had "educated" me, but I realized later that I had educated them. The club became a better one (this was in high school), and the teacher/sponsor talked to me later about it. He said he was glad that he had not had to "tell" them what to do, that they had been led to decide to end the "requirement". As Scouters, can we recognize when it is time to counsel our Scouts about their (or our?) behavior? Can we judge our behavior against the Scout Promise and Law, really?

Budgeting can be another stumbling block. Turned out for some years, the Council Program Director wanted "profit". When our camp was successful (lots of free stuff and activities ... Say "CUB SCOUTS" and watch the magic happen) and showed an overage, the Director would buy staff lunch. Fried chicken, pizza, etc. all at a discount because Safeway/pizza Hut etc. discounted to the Cub Scouts! Council man said "How dare you. This is an unwarranted expense! A bad example to the other camps! Make staff bring their own lunch!" Director said.... nothing and went ahead buying lunch. So did the other camps (Directors talk to each other, trade supplies, ideas, even staff! ). Council man grind teeth...

Evolution:: Get ye to the county fair and walk ye thru the rabbit barn, shouldst there be. There in ye willst see many a type of rabbit, each of a type unto itself, each of a type unknown in nature, each selectively bred out of the genetic diversity of the natural rabbit (or hare?). The "natural rabbit" contains within it's genetics, not only "brown" (called "agouti") fur , but the source and possibility of black, white, lilac, purplish, chestnut, grey, cinnamon, and others(!). Rabbits of 35 pounds(!) or 1. Long ears, or short. Ears held up or down. Short Fur or so long you might not be able to tell head from tail. Bodies long and lithe or short and squat. Perhaps some of these "types" are good for survival (in the wild), perhaps not. The forty or so "show breeds" do not exist in the natural world, but (like many other types of domestic animal) have been bred into existence by human endeavor. But it remains that the POSSIBILITY has always been there, in the natural rabbit. As has been said above, we can't really argue about the "supernatural event" being scientifically explained. It ain't about the How so much as about the Why. If there is no Why, then there is no reason for religion. But so long as some of us wonder Why, there will be a need for an ultimate Because.... http://rabbitbreeders.us/rabbit-breeds

Llama, Llama, Lama....