BrentAllen

I used to be in favor of term limits, but have since realized that isn't the answer. The real answer is easy - normal, competitive redistricting. Get rid of the ridiculous gerrymandered districts drawn to insure a certain winner. The Republicans are going to be in charge of redistricting in many states, and I sincerely wish they would draw up square-shaped districts with normal-looking boundaries. No more ink-blot districts weaving all over the map, cut out with a laser. Look at the districts drawn in Illinois, Mass., NC and SC, and compare them to Michigan. Michigan isn't perfect, but at least there are a lot of straight lines. When districts are redrawn based on geography and population, instead of voter demographics, then we might have a chance at restoring this country. Otherwise, we are headed for further real trouble, no matter which party is in charge. We need statesmen willing to put country before party to do this. Therefore, I see no chance of it happening.

Gern wrote: "That statement right there should send chills down your spine. The courts are now bought and controlled by the big spenders and special interests. So much for blind justice." I disagree. If we learned anything last night, it is that you can't buy an election. Just go ask Whitman, Fiorina, McMahon and Angle. Beavah, I'm surprised because here in Georgia, those positions get very little attention in elections. I'm surprised that one issue doomed all three. That is about as clear of a message that could be sent by the voters in a single election. I did hear a radio ad for a Supreme Court Justice here in Georgia a few days ago (only heard it once). The ad mentioned he was an Eagle Scout, which is probably why it grabbed my attention. I voted for him, but he ended up third in a 3-way race; the incumbent won. I never saw any yard signs for the Eagle Scout, but I did see a lot for the incumbent.

Wow! Even I am surprised by this. Iowa Judges Sacked Over Gay Marriage Ruling DES MOINES, Iowa Iowa voters have voted to remove three state Supreme Court justices, siding with conservatives angered by a ruling that allowed gay marriage. The vote Tuesday was the first time Iowa voters have removed a Supreme Court justice since the current system began in 1962. The three who weren't retained were Chief Justice Marsha Ternus and justices David Baker and Michael Streit. They were the only justices up for retention this year. They were on the court of seven justices who unanimously decided last year that an Iowa law restricting marriage to one man and one woman violated the state's constitution. Gay marriage opponents spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on the campaign. A group of former governors, lawyers and judges said the justices' removal would threaten Iowa's independent judiciary.

Disappointed to see Harry Reid, Barney Frank and Barbara Boxer survive. Extremely pleased to see Pelosi FIRED!! Also glad to see Alan Grayson FIRED!! We may not have taken the Senate (looks like we could get very close, with 47, maybe 48), but all those governor pick-ups will make up for it. As of now, it looks like 65+ seats picked up in the House for the Republicans. Only a third of the country voted for their Senator; the whole country voted for their Representative - the country has clearly spoken. I heard Democrat Eliot Spitzer say that, though it pains him to do so, the last two Democrat presidents (Clinton and Obama) have seen their progressive agendas roundly rejected by the American voters just two years into their terms. Looks like Prop. 19 will get defeated - no legal weed in California. That will be painful for them, with Jerry Brown as governor. Favorite line of the day: "The early returns and overwhelming number of Democrats who are coming out we're on pace to maintain a majority in the House of Representatives," Nancy Pelosi. Fail! This is a center-right country.

NJ, I think you are going to see tonight that ObamaCare is one of the big reasons Democrats take it on the nose tonight. Obama made a couple of promises on his health care law: 1. If you like your plan, you won't have to change, your plan won't change. Well, I really like my plan, and it is changing on Jan. 1. I won't be able to use my HSA to pay for over the counter medications, without a prescription. I will need to get a prescription for Tylenol, allergy and cold medicine. I'll probably have to schedule an appointment with my dr. to get those prescriptions. This is ridiculous. 2. Costs will come down. My costs are going up close to 25%. You can't add more people to a program without the costs going up. When families will leave their kids on thier plan until they turn 26, costs are going to have to go up, to pay for that extra coverage. When we add insurance for all those people who are either on welfare or unemployed, costs and taxes are going to go way up. I think the Dems are going down in flames tonight.

Horizon, You may correct. Then again, I may be correct. Only time will tell. You argue the midpoint of the pendulum has shifted. I argue the pendulum is just swinging. This piece, in the NYTimes, dives into the issue. The author argues that 20 years of liberal advancement has been erased in 20 months. I would agree, and I think today's election results will validate that point. Op-Ed Columnist How We Got HereBy ROSS DOUTHAT Published: October 31, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/01/opinion/01douthat.html?ref=opinion From the early 1990s through the 2008 election, Americans grew steadily more liberal. Voters became more supportive of government spending and more sympathetic toward the poor. They were increasingly secular and increasingly likely to favor gay marriage. They were more worried about climate change and more inclined to support universal health care. And not surprisingly, they were more and more likely to identify as Democrats. This trend wasnt just a blip created by the Bush administrations unpopularity, as some conservatives hopefully suggested. It was a significant, long-running shift, pushed along by deeper demographic forces. Reliable conservative constituencies (white Christians, married couples) were shrinking. Liberal-leaning ones (Hispanics, single parents, the unchurched) were expanding. And the next generation seemed to be in the bag for liberalism. Younger voters werent just more liberal than their parents (as young people usually are); they were more liberal than the previous generation had been at the same age, suggesting a more enduring shift. But since Barack Obama took the oath of office, the countrys leftward momentum has reversed itself. In some cases, nearly 20 years of liberal gains have been erased in 20 months. Americans are more likely to self-identify as conservative than at any point since Bill Clintons first term. Theyve become more skeptical of government and more anxious about deficits and taxes. Theyre more inclined to identify as pro-life and anti-gun control, more doubtful about global warming, more hostile to regulation. And, not surprisingly, theyre more likely to consider voting Republican on Tuesday. ********************************************************************************************************* I still argue we are a center-right country. I'm pretty sure we will be after today. I also think the marijuana issue is going to fail in California. What does that tell you?

Our Council (Atlanta Area) is currently running 3 courses per year - spring, summer, fall. Most are two-weekend formats.

I can't imagine our Troop camping in anything other than 2-man tents. Like others have said, we teach no backpacks (including smellables) or shoes/boots in the tent. If the Scouts are packed correctly, all they need out of their pack is their sleeping bag & pad, maybe a pillow, and a zip-lock bag with dry underwear/clothes to sleep in. What else do they need in their tent to sleep? The only time our Scouts are in their tents (other than at Summer Camp) is when they are sleeping. The "bonding" areas for the boys are around the campfire or under their patrol dining fly/tarp. 2-man tents are suitable for any type of camping - car camping, canoeing, backpacking. Plus, drying them out after a rainy trip is much easier than a bigger tent. Our Troop doesn't own any tents - the boys use their own. Most are either the REI Half-Dome or the Alps Taurus 2 AL. We have both here at the house. My son usually grabs the Half-Dome and I take the Alps (when I'm not using my hammock). Both tents have two doors and two vestibules for shoes. For rainproofing backpacks, a trash compactor bag inside the pack is just about a perfect fit. They are a heavier mil than regular trash bags, so they hold up better and longer. A trash bag or pack cover over the outside will also help in heavy rain.

sherminator, The right to free association is now considered un-American? Wow. I didn't get the memo. Horizon, If you went back and looked at polls on gay issues from back in the 1980's, you'd see the same thing. Those young liberals are now the old conservatives. As people get older, they tend to get more conservative.

"your right, some units/scouts/scouters will leave and new ones will take their places" That's certainly NOT what happened in Canada. My guess - 8 years from now, some of you will still be advocating...because the BSA won't change.

"My position is that the school cannot allow the use of their facilities to an organization that discriminates." Yeah, good luck with that. Your "position" doesn't trump the Constitution. Blanc, No state has voted to allow same-sex marriage. Whenever it has come up for a vote of the people, it has been voted down - even in California. As far as the winds blowing, that hurricane-force wind you feel is liberalism about to get blown out to sea. Forecast is for it to make landfall on Nov. 2nd.

Gotta disagree, Beavah. EDGE is great for teaching young Scouts how to teach (and how to lead, through skills). Tell 5 Scouts to go teach their patrols how to build a fire, and most will go do it themselves as their patrol stands around and watches. The Scouts will come back and tell you they did as you requested, they taught how to build a fire. The Scouts in the patrol may have gotten a little out of the excercise, but not much. Tell 5 Scouts who understand EDGE to teach their patrols how to build a fire, and watch what happens. The process will take longer, but the Scouts in the patrols will have a hands-on excercise where they have success building a fire. This method is taught in NYLT as well as WB, so it is becoming very familiar language to Scouts and Scouters, from different directions. Scouts are seeing continuity and repetition in the program. The bottom line is, for a group that doesn't have much teaching experience (11 - 17 year old boys), the method is simple and it works. EDGE covers all the steps, which many Scouts will leave out, since they may have a very different understanding of what you mean when you say "teach."

Also, EDGE is the method the American Red Cross uses to teach CRP/AED. There is first an Explanation of the skill, the skill is then demonstrated on the DVD, participants are Guided by the instructors to correct any mistakes as they practice the skill, and finally the participants are enabled to do it on their own, and pass the test. I think the AMR has been pretty successful using this method to teach.

As I posted in the other thread, EDGE goes all the way back to Green Bar Bill, in the 3rd Edition SM HB. It is a very good way to train PLs to teach skills to their patrols. You can teach a boy how to tie a timber hitch all day long, but if he doesn't know what it is used for (EXPLAIN), that skill won't do him any good. EXPLAIN as part of teaching the square knot would include when and where the knot is to be used (first aid), and when it shouldn't be used (supporting a load). Same thing with other knots - if you teach them how to tie a bowline and a taut line hitch but don't explain when to use them, they may end up using the taut line hitch as a rescue knot, and painfully learn why they should have used a knot that wouldn't slip when being lifted by rope. You can teach a Scout pretty easily how to wrap and tie a tourniquet, but if you don't EXPLAIN when and where it is to be used, that skill could be dangerous. Green Bar Bill, 3rd Ed. SM HB Patrol Leader Training Two Angles of Patrol Leader Training There are two angles to the training of Patrol Leaders which should both be thoroughly covered by the SM in his efforts to help his leaders develop themselves. 1. Patrol Leadership. The SM must make clear to his boy leaders the extent of their responsibilities and explain the principles of Patrol Leadership . He must teach them "how" to do what is expected of them, treating every subject in complete detail, not leaving out anything because he thinks it is obvious . What is simple to him may not be simple to his boy leaders. He should encourage them to read and study available literature (Handbook for PLs, Scouting Magazine, Boy's Life) that will help them with their Patrols, and should discuss with them the handling of specific Patrol problems as they arise . In this connection, he may urge and arrange for his leaders to visit other Troops for the purpose of observing how other Patrols are run. 2. The SM should help his leaders to advance, not so much by teaching them the actual technique as by stimulating their desire to learn for themselves .

EDGE goes all the way back to Green Bar Bill, in the 3rd Edition SM HB. I'm surprised at all the angst at teaching EDGE. It is a very good way to train PLs to teach skills to their patrols. You can teach a boy how to tie a timber hitch all day long, but if he doesn't know what it is used for (EXPLAIN), that skill won't do him any good. As for the SM requiring the Scout to demonstrate he can use EDGE to teach a square knot: "A Scout wanting to complete an advancement requirement must demonstrate to his leader that he has fully mastered a skill at the level expected." SM HB, pg. 124, Advancement, Step 2 - A Scout Is Tested I'd say the SM is following his training.(This message has been edited by BrentAllen)

E, Do you know what the term Deathbed Eagle means? If so, why does that term push your buttons?

pack, An Eagle Mill is kind of like pornography - hard to describe, but you know it when you see it. Some traits: Parents and leaders dragging deathbed Eagle candidates across the finish line, by the scruff of their necks. Scouts who never show up at meetings or outings (while working on Eagle), except to ask for help on their Eagle Service project. They usually have trouble getting help, since none of the younger Scouts even know who these boys are. Troops helping boys get Eagle, no matter how bad their conduct. Drugs, vandalism, theft - it doesn't matter, just get them to Eagle.

After getting shut out of Philmont again, we are headed to the Montana High Adventure Base next summer. The boys have been to NT and Sea Base, and since we didn't get Philmont, they narrowed the choices down to MOHAB or Sea Kayaking down the coast of Georgia. Final decision was made this week to head west. Anyone been to MOHAB? I understand the Sam Houston Council has had a lot of involvement with the program. The Bob Marshall Wilderness, where the treks take place, is over 7 times larger than Philmont. The program is 8 days in length, with 5 days on the trail. Looks like they have fly fishing as an option, and the program is pretty flexible. Cost is very reasonable, at $550. With airfare, it will be right around $1,000 per crew member. Looks fun to me!

I, for one, am not spending all my time in Scouting to help boys earn Eagle so they can just turn out to be average, ordinary high schoolers. They can do that on their own, without Scouting or my help. If we aren't here to make a difference, why even bother? Yep, I've seen Eagle Mills, and the Eagles they produce. I'd be embarrassed with some of the results.

There is a big difference between Scouting and any sport - Scouting isn't an activity, it is a way of life. If a unit isn't treating their Scouting program as a way of life, they are missing the boat. Scouting is adventure, not a sports season. I'm 47 and I'm still not bored with adventure. Are the 15 - 17 year olds that are dropping out bored with Scouting, or are they bored with their unit's program? Yes, boys develop other interests, but do they lose their sense of adventure? I find it hard to believe so many would.

Kudu, Would it make you happy if WB correctly attributed the "game with a purpose" quote to Green Bar Bill instead of B-P? Are your shorts really in that much of a knot?

I agree that most older boys don't want to hang out with the 11 year olds. That is ok, they don't have to. The leaership structure of a Troop can be set up so that boys are really only dealing with Scouts a few years their junior. For instance, a patrol of 8 members might be made up of boys from 11 to 14 (imagine 2 boys at each age of 11, 12, 13 and 14). The older boys in the Troop hold the Troop leadership position - SPL, ASPL, Troop Guide, Instructor, etc. These Troop leaders mainly deal with the Patrol Leaders, who are probably the 14 year olds. In our Troop, we are working towards two groups for the older boys - the Green Bar Patrol and the Venture Patrol. The Green Bar Patrol is for boys who have served at least one year (2 terms) as Patrol Leader and have been to NYLT. The Venture Patrol will be for boys 15 and older who haven't met the requirements for Green Bar Patrol. Green Bar will hopefully end up being like a hands-on Board of Directors - it is their Troop to oversee. They will train and mentor the Patrol Leaders, teach them how to plan and organize in the PLC meetings. The Venture Patrol will be able to plan more challenging trips for themselves, or come up with more challenging versions of the monthly outing. They will get to hang out with boys their age and work on things that are appealing to them - ultra-light backpacking, SCUBA, orienteering races, etc. Green Bar would participate in these, as well. We are still a work in progress, so I can't speak of our successes yet, only our plans. I still believe high adventure plays a part in filling that "challenge and adventure" need. It is a time for the older boys to get out on their own for a real challenge. Regardless of Scouting or any youth program, trying to come up with single activities that will be challenging and age-appropriate for a group of boys from age 11 to 17 is nearly impossible. Boy Scout outings can be split up for the different ages, for instance, taking younger boys on a short hike and older boys on a longer, more difficult hike. With proper planning and imagination, Scouting can certainly hold the interest of boys up to age 18.

Thomsd54, My son marches in the high school marching band, but it is not for a grade. He takes band as a class, but his participation in marching band is totally voluntary. There are students in band class that do not march. Jazz band is also voluntary, so yes, those programs do stand on their own. Edited to add, my son does not have band for next semester as a class. H will participate in band, in "zero" period, before school starts. School starts at 8:00 AM, so band practice (for no grade) will be from 7:00 AM to 8:00 AM.(This message has been edited by BrentAllen)

Stosh, My son's high school marching band is very much student-lead. The section leaders do most of the teaching, both in marching instruction and muscical. It was that way when I was in high school marching band, as well. Boy Scouting should be all about Patrol Method. As B-P said, if you don't have Patrol Method, you don't have Boy Scouts. It is hard for a boy to be a part of Patrol Method if he isn't there. We don't have an attendance requirement, but we do have the following requirement to be part of our Troop: The real price of membership in this Troop will be unfailing regular attendance at its meetings and outings, and steady progress in all the things that make a Scout "Prepared." If we put our own time into the activities of this Troop, we shall certainly expect you to do your part with equal faithfulness. At Troop 494, Scouting is a way of life, not just an activity. That being said, we have several boys out for a few months due to a conflict with football. I have no problem with that - they let me and the SPL know about it. They don't hold a POR during their absence. I do expect the PLs and other leaders to be there for meetings and outings. If a Scout is going to have a major conflict, he knows he shouldn't run for office. The boys also know they are leaving their patrol a man short every time they miss an event. Our goal is to develop patrol spirit to the point that the Scout feels a strong obligation to his patrol mates to be there.

Do you not use Craigslist? I just searched for canoe in Wilmington, and this was the first hit: Alumcraft canoe, 2 seater with paddles for $225. Call Joe at 910-270-4070 http://wilmington.craigslist.org/boa/1978521515.html It looks like what you are looking for. It was just posted today.