BrentAllen

And he is also telling Chrysler they have to merge with Fiat? Somehow, this just strikes me as going way beyond the executive powers of the presidency. It opens the door for too much politics. The POTUS gets to decide who is too big to fail, and who isn't, and then decides who gets to stay on as management, and who doesn't. I'm sure a nice fat check to a re-election campaign wouldn't have any influence whatsoever in these decisions.

I never thought I would see the day that the POTUS forced the CEO of a private corporation out of office. If that doesn't scare you, I don't know what will. Even Michael Moore is sounding off on the issue. My only hope is this action will scare any other companies that might be interested in taking public money. Now, we, the people, are in the auto business? We are also in the auto repair and warranty business? President Obama is now Mr. Goodwrench. How dignified is that?

scoutldr, Why is that? Our Pack is chartered by the school PTA.

TheScout, Rules of decorum have nothing to do with depriving liberty. That poster can go post his trash on his own web site for all the world to see. Nobody is stopping him. How would you feel if an athiest stood up in the middle of your church's service and started loudly proclaiming that there is no God? Are you going to deny him liberty and remove him? Or are you going to let him stand there for an hour and ruin the service for the members? I like Rousseau - well, at least his Discourse on Inequality. Haven't read his Social Contract.

Our Crew took our Council's NT Prep Trip program this past weekend. We were able to use nearly all the same equipment - packs, food boxes, tents, canoes - that we will be using at the NT. This was a real eye-opener for us, as none of the crew has been before. On Saturday, we made 4 portages - 1 beaver dam, 2 a little longer and one around a 1/4 mile. Saturday night we set up camp and cooked just like we will on the trip. This weekend really moved us up the learning curve, and we all found gear we could leave at home. 4 months from today we will be waking up from our first night in the BW! http://www.campallatoona.org/pa_tier.html

Those who didn't see the messages didn't miss much. It was a brand new poster who logged on just to post some childish graffiti. This wasn't someone who posts regularly - just a troll popping in to post some trash. I won't repost what he wrote, but it was basically one-liners, think Beavis & Butthead humor, with some double entendres. It was vulgar and had no place on this board. As was mentioned, if a moderator doesn't put an end to that nonsense, it will kill a board. Imagine security catching the streaker at a ballgame and removing him from the scene. Should he be allowed to streak around ruining the game, or should he be removed? I vote for removal.

These boys were playing with rubbing alcohol, not Coleman liquid fuel. I don't know of anyone who uses rubbing alcohol as a fuel. I've heard of Scouts lighting hand sanitizer in a similar manner. Are we going to ban that? I think not. High expectations in the program would be my answer. This type accident is a SM's worst nightmare. Totally avoidable, not related to any type of risky activity. In a split second, the lives of many are changed forever. Very sad. Edited to ask eagle77 - do you use rubbing alcohol in those stoves? I have alcohol stoves but I don't use that - too sooty.(This message has been edited by BrentAllen)

cardinal, We started a Troop in the fall of 2007 with 6 boys who had crossed over into another Troop in March of that year. We had one patrol and no SPL. In March, 2008 we had 6 more boys cross over and we formed 2 patrols of 6, each with 3 2nd year Scouts and 3 cross overs, and no SPL. Last week we had 14 boys cross over, so we now have 3 patrols of 8 and an SPL. Our focus was letting the boys really learn how to work as a patrol. We didn't need an SPL, and I didn't want to have one boy pulled out of a patrol just to fill the position. The boy's time spent in a patrol at that age is much more valuable than being an SPL with very few PLs to work with. They will have plenty of time to be an SPL down the road. In my short-term experience, I would suggest that having an SPL under the age of 13 in a young Troop is a waste of time. The downside to this is the SM has to act as SPL. In the end, it worked out for us as we slowly handed off more planning duties to the boys as they could take them on. I think we now have a very good foundation to build the Troop on. Green Bar Bill said there is on fundamental principle for organizing a new Troop: START SMALL (emphasis not added). His other piece of advice we have tried to follow is: "You will find that the most successful Troop is the one which achieves success with a small group first, and develops in size as success continues." Good luck!

This one seems pretty straightfoward for me, as well. The requirement says "volunteer at least eight hours of your time for THE organization" It doesn't say "an" organization, it says "the" organization. "The" organization is cleary the one described in 7a and 7b.

mmhardy, I agree with your definition - if it is planned by the PLC, put on a Scout calendar, approved by the SM, then it is a Troop function. Otherwise, it isn't. SR540Beaver, The point I was trying to make is for every clear rule to someone, many others will see it differently. See the thread about the service hours for Cit. in Community req. True story for you. Back before I got involved in leadership with the Pack, one of the rising Web II dens decided to go whitewater rafting on the Nantahala as a den campout. Den Leader didn't know that wasn't allowed. They had already made the reservations when he learned Webelos couldn't be on moving water. His solution - ok, this is not a Scouting trip, the dads are going to take the boys rafting. A dad went with every son. I would think that based on your earlier post, you as CM wouldn't allow the trip. If that is true (trip was originally planned as a Den overnighter), then how do you stop them from going? They are cleary making it an "unofficial" trip to get around the rules. Are you going to call the DL and tell him he can't go? What do you think his answer is going to be?

SR540Beaver, Understand that I have a little Neal Boortz in me and I like playing devil's advocate, sometimes. Tell what you would do in this hypothetical scenario. Billy starts talking about playing paint ball with his patrol (Wolf patrol) at a Scout meeting. They all decide they want to play that Saturday. Billy then challenges the boys in the Cobras to play them on Saturday. Those boys accept. It isn't mentioned since it is obvious to the boys, but they won't wear Scout uniforms since they will be wearing their paint ball camo. No leaders involved in any of the discussion, which takes place at a Troop meeting. As SM, you overhear the plans, but they aren't mentioned to you. What do you do? Ignore it or stop it? Explain your answer. One more twist - eventually all the boys in the other patrols are challenged and accept. Every boy in the Troop is going to be there, but again, no adult leader was ever involved. Does this change your answer from above?

The Alps tents feature factory sealed seams, which have worked perfectly on our tents. They don't need any additional sealing. I have used them in some real frog-stranglers, and they haven't leaked a drop. Get that rain fly nice and snug, make sure the foot print stays under the tent so it doesn't catch any run off, and you will stay dry. We have had our tents for at least 3 years and haven't done anything to do them except use them. Compare that to my high-dollar North Face tent that I had to keep sealing the seams to keep it from dripping in whenever it rained.

Narraticong and asm 411, So, by your interpretation, the boys in a patrol can never arrange to go on a camping trip on their own. And they can never just call each other up and go play laser tag. Amazing. My son and several of his friends (who are in or were in his patrol at the time) would go play laser tag for a birthday party. By your ruling, they couldn't do this because it could be construed as a Scouting event. So, Scouts can't just be friends, they must be under the BSA umbrella and let the G2SS rule their lives at all times. I find that type of thinking fascinating. How far do you want to take this type of thinking? Can your son never go play laser tag with any Scout who happens to be in his patrol? Where do you draw this imaginary line? Does 3 boys from a patrol make it a Scout event? How many is the magic number?

emb, By your definition, you are saying the National BSA can prevent a group of boys from going camping on their own. Think about that for a minute. How exactly are they going to do that? How would they even know about it? What authority would they even have? BSA has more authority than the boys' parents? I don't think you thought this one through.

Even if National changes the policy, there isn't anything that prevents a group of neighborhood kids from going camping on their own, as long as their parents give permission. Just leave the uniforms at home. What do you lose by doing that? Secondary insurance?

Buffalo, We own the Taurus 2, Taurus 4 and REI Half Dome, and have used them all many times. In terms of quality, I can't tell any difference between them. As you mentioned, the Half Dome is a little smaller and a little lighter. The Half Dome is a little tricker to set up, in that the poles can be put on upside down, and the rain fly can be put on in a manner where the doors on the fly doesn't match up with the doors on the tent. This isn't a big deal, but just pointing out the differences. The Alps goes up very simply. The tent is well vented and stays dry, even in severe down pours. The company is about as pro-Scouting as they can be - more so than any other company I can think of. Between the two, you really can't go wrong. If I had to pick just one, I would go with the Alps. That little extra space helps in a smallish tent, especially as the boys get older and bigger. Again, the company is a huge supporter of Scouting, and I tend to want to support those companies in return.

I came across a devotional on leadership in my Daily Walk Bible, between the books of Joshua and Judges. Joshua had to fill the big shoes left by Moses. I took the devotional and worked it into a Scouting lesson, as best I could. I delivered it as a SM Minute this evening, and it was pretty well received. Tonight was our first meeting with our first-ever SPL and new Patrol. They did a great job, and I didn't have to hardly lift a finger. Anyway, the message: LEADERSHIP Regardless of your present role of leadership or followership in the Troop, it is a worthy ambition to aspire to become a leader. But leadership is not for everyone. In fact, the qualifications may surprise you. They have nothing to do with your family wealth, your grades or the number of clubs you belong to. Leadership isnt something to be earned. It is a recognition of your spiritual maturity, proven character and the reputation you have developed both inside and outside the Troop. If you aspire to help manage the Troop then ask yourself, How well have I managed the other responsibilities I have been entrusted with? Have I managed well my physical body?... my mind?... my money?... my family? my tongue?... my reputation? Am I worthy of respect? Am I self-controlled?... friendly? teachable? above reproach? mature? honest in all my dealings? If the answer to these questions is yes, then an expanded leadership role may be appropriate for you. Regardless of whether an enlarged leadership responsibility may be in your future, the attitude of a servant-leader ought to be your ambition. Listen to this exhortation from the apostle Peter: Be shepherds of Gods flock that is under your care, serving as overseers not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock Taking the lesson to Scouting: Be shepherds of the Scouts under your care, serving as overseers not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for praise, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the Troop. Leaders like that are always in short supply perhaps because they are too humble to admit they have what it takes.

Maybe instead of giving them a list limitation, give them a space limitation and let them come up with the equipment. I know of one Troop that does a a similar trip and the Scout can take anything that will fit into a #10 can. The can is their cooking pot, so it needs to be clean. Add a piece of bailing wire for a handle. Other than that, let them work the idea. If they struggle, suggest a few of the following ideas: Super large trash bag for sleeping bag/ground cloth. Cheap shower curtain or space blanket also works. Instant Rice, a small can or pouch of chicken and a quart freezer bag can make a great meal. Add in a packet of soup mix and you are really eating! Don't count the water bottle as part of the #10 can limitation - make sure they have plenty of water. One of the Troop's goals was to show the Scouts they didn't need a ton of stuff to overnight in the woods. They did add an interesting twist - if the boys put out snares, they were rewarded with extra food, found at the snare site. The boys didn't know that ahead of time, so most didn't put them out.

Just something to think about... We are currently using the big blue poly tarps, sold at Home Depot or Wal-Mart. They are durable and big, but a little on the heavy side. The Scouts run a ridge line between two trees and pull out the corners. In an effort to go smaller and lighter, I would like to experiment with one of these tarps: http://www.mosquitohammock.com/rainfly3x4.html It is 13' x 9'9" (4 x 3 meters) and weighs 2.2 lbs. made of waterproof, ripstop nylon. Cost is $60, delivered. These could even be used on backpacking trips, at that size and weight. The Scouts would have to be a little more careful with them, probably. I have one of their hammocks, and I'm impressed with the quality. They ship from overseas, so delivery takes about a week or so.

We currently take cash, checks and payments from Scout accounts. When we sell popcorn, of the 35% we get back, the Scouts get 25% and the Troop gets 10%. The funds from Scout accounts are in the one checking account we have, and our Treasurer maintains ledger balances. We prefer using Scout accounts for payments, since it cuts down on transactions, making the Treasurer's job much easier. Our new web package offers online payments as an option, using PayPal. We are looking at taking advantage of this, in a couple of ways. Parents could use it to add funds to their son's accounts. We could also use it to pay for Troop t-shirts, etc. The only drawback is Paypal charges 2 - 3% for the privilege.

Trev, Do you know who Dave Ramsey is? There are thousands and thousands of Dave Ramsey followers who use his cash in envelopes method of budgeting (and many are debt free). We use his plan, and it works great for us. On the first and fifteenth of the month, I take out cash and fill the envelopes (groceries, Scouts, entertainment, clothing, books, etc.). A great system our grandparents used to use. This is only one small piece of his Financial Peace University program. If you stumble on any greenbacks that you don't need, especially in large bundles, send them my way and I will dispose of them properly for you - at no charge!

Lashing competition. Each patrol has to lash together a ladder (6' tall, 4 rungs). Scouts in a patrol run up to station in pairs and each Scout has to lash one side of a rung. When they finish, run back to patrol and tag next pair, who run to station and lash. All Scouts must lash at least once. Once completed, a member of the patrol has to climb it to reach something taped to a wall or tree (bandana, pop a balloon, etc.) First patrol to do so wins.

Scouts also need to be approved by their SM - not just have the rank and number of nights. I think it would be pretty unlikely for me, as SM, to approve a Scout for OA their first year, as an 11 or 12 year old. They still have much to learn about being a Scout before learning about being an OA member. Just my 2 cents.

Scouter760, Notice the G2SS says "supervise." Some Scouts need to be supervised from a couple hundred feet away. Others can be supervised from a couple of miles away. You will also find in the Scoutmaster Handbook that properly trained and prepared patrols are allowed to go on outings without adult supervision, with SM approval. (pg. 22)

"1) How do the instructors know the scout has the Scoutmaster's approval to work on a badge?" At our camp, registration for the MBs begins months in advance (first week of April) and only one person per unit can register Scouts. So, the SM should be involved in the process. As for partials, the SM could easily pass the information on to an appropriate MB counselor. The counselor and the Scout could get a Blue Card up to date. Beavah, I don't think our camp maintains the records much beyond Summer Camp, but I could be wrong. Our Scouts usually work to complete a badge over the rest of the year, so they don't take them again. I don't know if the counselors would even consider work completed the previous year - they pretty much have their program for the week, or the course, and stick to it. Not saying that's right, but just the way it is.