SWScouter

Hey Its Me, the Zodiak killer spelled Christmas with two esses at the end too.

OGE, don't forget the Harry Potter movie that didn't fair so well it's second weekend because so many we're reading the newest and final Harry Potter book.

Not to hijack this discussion, but I find it interesting to hear about Project SOAR. My 1971 Fall camporee patch has SOAR on it.

SWScouter

Crossramwedge,

Are OA elections a popularity contest? Absolutely, as they should be! If a scout isn't popular, why should he be elected to the OA? The popular scout is the scout that is known and liked by his peers. The popular scout is a scout that is helpful and friendly to his fellow scouts. A popular scout is a scout that is sincere and caring to his fellow scouts. Are these qualities of an unpopular scout?

SWScouter

Trevorum,

Interesting. So you're saying that there are no countries in the middle East or Africa with capital punishment? Perhaps we should substitute tribes for countries too. I don't know the validity of your assertion, but I find it suprising.

SWScouter

Yea, Jr56, building that relationship with the unit can be difficult can't it. This is more difficult if the unit has not had a good relationship with a UC before and even worse if a bad relationship has existed. I wouldn't expect to get on any email lists until that relationship is well established and that can take many months. Until then, keep calling and notifying before your visits. I suggest always making your unit visits worthwhile for the unit leaders. Bring copies of the flyers from roundtable and other news of what's happening in the district. Always see if there is something you can find out about for the unit, then follow up with the answer.

It takes awhile, but you need to get the unit to think that good things occur when you show up, not that your just one more annoyance. You need to work your way into becoming that units' go to person for questions. It doesn't matter whether you know the answers or not, but whether you can get the answer in a timely manner.

How are the units doing with the Centennial Quality Unit award? It's time for them to assess where they're at. How's their recruiting coming. Are they having trouble retaining boys. Any luck getting more parental involvement? UCs should be posing these questions to the units now so that any necessary adjustments can be made. Coming with resources on how the unit may accomplish these goals is helpful.

A lot of units will be doing their annual planning soon. Perhaps the units you're assigned to serve have had problems with that in the past. Perhaps bringing some resources in for that would be helpful.

If you're not, get yourself trained. If you don't have the Commissioner's fieldbook, get it. Get some of the other commissioner resources too. Check out the commissioners web site at http://www.scouting.org/commissioners/

Good luck,

SWScouter

Do you guys realize that it's just a couple days shy of two years since this thread was last replied too?

Judy,

The Cub Scout Sports and Academics program is not related to the discontinued Boy Scout Skill Awards. The Boy Scout Skill Awards were basically an immediate recognition form for some of the Tenderfoot through First Class rank requirements. There are a few similarities in the names of some of the awards and even perhaps in some of the requirements. However, the latter can be said for some of the Cub Scout rank requirements and Boy Scout rank requirements too.

Gern, my understanding is that the Catholic church recognizes marriages performed outside the church and if your marriage is truly God given, then no, you are not living in sin, and your children are not bastards.

That may sound judgemental but it is not meant to. Again that is my simple understanding of what marriage means as a Catholic.

BadenP, I don't claim to be an expert, or even very familiar with canon law. I have read much of the Catechism of the Catholic faith and I have read much on the sacraments of the Catholic faith, marriage as you know, being one of them. Please point out what is incorrect in what I stated. Per the Catholic church, is not God infallible and is not marriage a permanent union given by God and hence divorce is a contradiction?

SWScouter

Skill Awards were introduced shortly after I joined Boy Scouts. I also have the eight I earned. They're still on the my scout belt (It's a bit small now). I earned the five required as Local1400 describes plus Communications, Physical Fitness, and Swimming. Hey Ed, my First Aid has the red cross too.

SWScouter.

A lot of people don't seem to understand what marriage is in the Catholic church. If they did, then the reason why there can be no divorce of a Catholic marriage is really quite simple and obvious. In the Catholic faith, marriage is divine, a sacrament bestowed by God uniting a man and a woman. Now God is infallible and would only bestow the sacrament of marriage on a man and a woman meant to be together. And so, if a man and woman were really married in the Catholic church, i.e., God united them, then they would never need to be divorced. On the other hand if a man and women went through the wedding ceremony in a church but God never actually married them, then there is no marriage to divorce, only a human error to correct by anulling the marriage.

So you see, divorce cannot occur in the Catholic faith because the marriage never really occurred to begin with. The anullment is just paper work clearing up human error.

It may be helpful to separate the civil legalities of marriage and divorce from those of the Catholic church. Being married in the eyes of the Catholic church (God) and the eyes of our government are really two different things.

SWScouter

For the 18-20 crowd, the possible adult positions are:

Cub Scouts Packs:

- Assistant Cubmaster

- Assistant Den Leader

- Assistant Webelos Leader

Boy Scouts Troops:

- Assistant Scoutmaster

Varsity Teams:

- Assistant Varsity Coach

Venturing Crews & Sea Scout Ships:

- None, still considered a youth

District or Council Positions:

- Merit Badge Counselor

(This message has been edited by SWScouter)

Lee,

Welcome to the forum. I commend you on your desire to serve as a District Committee member. Unfortunately, you do not meet the age requirements, just like in your troop, you cannot yet be on the troop committee. You'll need to wait until you are 21.

I think the best way that you can help at a district level right now is to continue your cheerful service as an active member of the OA. Perhaps even get more involved in the lodge level. You can certainly help organize and man district events such as camporees too.

Best of luck to you,

SWScouter

Ooh, I can't wait to be an enhanced member of the BSA!

See this thread: http://www.scouter.com/forums/viewThread.asp?threadID=155327

In the other thread, the CO declined a request to help pay a leader's wood badge fees because of a lack of commitment. A lot of posts suggested it was because the leader would probably be moving to Boy Scouts from Cub Scouts in a short time. I just meant to suggest that perhaps it was a lack of commitment to the CO, not necessarily the unit. Joining the CO is definitely a way to begin to show commitment to it.

If the CO is a civic organization, I feel it is important that at least some of the unit membership are also members of the CO. Lisabob, in your situation I feel it would be very valuable for at least one adult troop leader to be a member of the CO. I don't see how it could do anything except help the relationship, especially since the CO has suggested that.

That said, the troop I'm registered to is a Catholic Parish. I'm a Catholic but I'm not registered to that parish. I'm registered to another parish where my children go to school. When my children graduate from the school, we'll probably transfer to the parish that charters the troop. It's a lot closer to where we live. There are however, several members of the troop (adults and scouts) that are members of the parish and so there is some continuity between the CO and the unit besides the COR.

I think a lot of relationship (or lack of) issues between a unit and its CO are because of an "us vs. them" attitude with the unit leaders especially, and to a lesser extent of the CO's leadership. When the unit members are members of the CO and involved with the CO, then this "us vs. them" attitude tends to diminish.

SWScouter(This message has been edited by SWScouter)

Perhaps, a commitment would be shown if those leaders became members of the CO instead of just being members of the unit.

Might the double post problem correlate to the double click setting of your mouse? I would think that a faster double click setting would cause double posts to be more prevalent for a user.

I encourage all units to start using internet advancement. It pretty much solves this problem.

SWScouter

I pledge allegience to a patch that looks like the flag of the United States of America...

Personally, I find reciting the pledge to a patch something that should be avoided. I would much rather recite the pledge without it. That's my feelings anyway.

SWScouter

FScouter brings up a very good point. A lot of leaders forget (or don't know) that they are serving at the pleasure of the CO not the unit. You have to keep in mind that you are a volunteer of the CO, not just the BSA.

SWScouter

I should had a bit more.

I should only report this to people that are supposed to hear it, i.e., the SE and the government agency. I'm not supposed to tell anyone else, not even other adults in the unit! The proper agency will then (hopefully) take the apropriate actions, such as notify other people (e.g., the school) or get help for both the abuser and the victim, etc. This can be very important. What if the abuse ends up being unfounded, we don't want to ruin anyone but we do want action to occur.

SWScouter

I wouldn't just say that the SE messed up. It really depends on the laws where Eamonn lives. I know that in Arizona, where I live, it is my responsibility to report to the proper agency any reasonable suspicion of abuse. So if the situation that Eamonn describes happened in the unit I'm involved with, I would, per AZ state law, need to report it to Child Protective Services. Also, per BSA policy, I would have to report it to the SE. Now, I imagine, the SE would also be obligated to report it to CPS under AZ law.

I think it's important to use the BSA online YPT when these situations arise so that we ensure that we take all the appropriate action we're legally responsible to do.

In the article, "A judge ruled, however, that no one conducted a cold-out test, in which someone can safely run a hand through the coals and ashes that ensures a fire is fully extinguished."

Any guesses why the scouts didn't perform a "cold-out" test?

I imagine that, "Scouts said they extinguished the fire with ... urine" may have something to do with it. Just a thought.

SWScouter

I believe I've read everything Grisham's published, including, "The Innocent Man." I enjoyed it. Well, as much as you can enjoy a book on that subject. It is good though, give it a shot.

I've read a lot of Patterson (or whoever writes his books these days) too. I like the short chapters; it's easy to stop at a moments notice - or not. The Women's Murder Club series is good entertainment. You mentioned, "4th of July" and "6th Target" so I can't tell where you are at in it. The series is: "1st to Die," "2nd Chance," "3rd Degree," "4th of July," "The 5th Horseman," and "The 6th Target." I suggest reading them in order, same as with his Alex Cross series. My wife received "The 6th Target" for Mother's Day. I plan to read it when she finishes. "Step on a Crack" is okay. Besides, "The 6th Target," I have a few other Patterson books ready to read such as "Season of the Machete," "See How They Run," and "Cradle and All."

I'm into John Sanford's Prey series too and "Invisible Prey" is about to be (or just) released. I'll definitely get my dirty paws on it. I may just suggest it as a Father's day gift.

I've gotten on a history kick lately too and have read David McCullough's "1776" and "John Adams." Both are very good. I received his Pulitzer prize winning "Truman" for my birthday and am looking forward to reading it. I would also like to read, "Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln" by Doris Kearns Goodwin. I hear it is very good. Hot_foot_eagle mentions another great read about the Lewis and Clark expedition, "Undaunted Courage."

As far as an education in American literature goes, try Tom Robbins' "Even Cowgirls Get the Blues" (1976). It's main character, Sissy Hankshaw is a young woman with extraordinarily long thumbs that hitch hikes around the country. Uma Thurman played her in the movie made in 93.

Boy that's a lot of reading! I don't know how long it will take to get through it all, and more keeps being published. Perhaps I should not volunteer as much. Nah.

SWScouter