BrentAllen

Where did you attend college? If Mars is warming, what is causing it? Increased sun activity? If so, wouldn't that also cause the earth to warm? Don't lecture me about the scientific method. I doubt you would know it if it bit you in the backside. You apparently don't even know about the models. Here is a clue. Google Jim Hansen and IPCC. One of the elements of the scientific method is the ability to predict future results, repeatedly. I have yet to see this regarding GW. In fact, the IPCC constantly reduces their long-term predictions every time they meet. Where did you attend college?

"But in order to detect that, I ask you, what evidence would you require to cause you to change your view on global climate change?" In addition to evidence, I would like to see the following: Al Gore and Jim Hansen willing to debate the subject, with those they label "deniers." Heide Cullen posting opposing articles on the weather.com blogs, instead of just trying to brainwash her viewers. What is she afraid of? Al Gore significantly changing his lifestyle to show he practices what he preaches. These same models used in long-term doom & gloom predictions be used to predict climate changes in 5 to 10 years, instead of in intervals beyond my lifetime. Prove to me you know what you are talking about. Explanations about why Mars is also heating up, without humans around to cause it, and why those same causes are not responsible for heating on earth. Finally, prove to me that this is not just a natural cycle! Y'all think man is so powerful, that he can change the climate on this huge planet. Think about the changes this planet has seen - Little Ice Age, Medieval Warm Period. Could man possibly cause anything like that to happen? Did man cause those events? No! To think we can is foolish! We are just too small of a part of the picture to make that kind of a difference. Lay all the evidence out and let it be reviewed. Stop treating "scientific consensus" as scientific fact! Merlyn - I attended 3rd and 4th Grade at Norton Park Elementary School in Smyrna, GA. So, where did you go to school?

tjhammer, Interesting numbers. Have you also heard that a lot of people tend to be more liberal when they are young, and grow more conservative as they get older? This transformation seems to take place about the time they get their first real job and start paying taxes. Leaving the liberal college campus for the work place probably has some affect, as well. Add marriage and kids to the mix, and many of those 20 year-old liberals are suddenly 30 year-old conservatives. I guess I missed the training where Scouts and Scouters are taught to hate gays. Is the BSA intolerant for not allowing gays in? One could make that argument. Are we also intolerant for not allowing others (girls) in? That same argument could be made, again. Does that make us bigots? I don't think so, but if you go, heh - that's your right. If you honestly think so, how can you associate with us?

I guess my school system wasn't too bad, since I attended and graduated from Georgia Tech. Where did you attend? How many hurricanes were there last year? What was the prediction? Since the number was so low, and since we aren't seeing any this year, couldn't that mean GW is over? Are we going back into a cooling period, as we were warned about back in the 1970's? Bottom line is there are too many variables for us to understand and measure. You are free to believe all the "kookery" Al Gore is selling (what are his credentials, again?), but just don't expect me to. "The debate is over why (global warming, ordinary climate variation, differences in methodology in counting hurricanes, etc)." So, what is the "scientific consensus"? That is all that matters, right?

Merlyn, Those 3rd and 4th grade teachers didn't go out and make those movies - they were supplied by the school system. I've talked to other adults, not from my county, who saw the same films. Point is, plenty of people were fooled into thinking what they saw was the truth. I have all the evidence I need that humans aren't causing global warming. It is called documented past history of climate change. Tell me - when did the earth's climate stop changing on its own? Just at the time that humans started changing it? BTW, where are all the severe hurricanes that are supposedly created by AGW?

packsaddle, You obviously haven't been following the 911truth.org folks. You wanted an example - check them out. They claim to have all kinds of scientific evidence that the jets did not bring down the towers, with plenty of peer review (from those with similar conspiracy beliefs). You know, I remember sitting in "science" class in the 3rd and 4th grade, watching movies about "healers" removing tumors from bodies using nothing but their hands, without creating any wound. That was taught as "science." Of course, it turned out to be slight of hand, instead of science. When reading all the global warming stories, I have a strange feeling of deja vu, all over again.

Hunt, Are MBCs told they must register, or that they must be approved? MBCs must submit the proper paperwork and be approved by the district or council advancement committee. "Counselors People who are knowledgeable about the various merit badge subjects are selected, approved, and trained by council and district advancement committees to serve as merit badge counselors. For example, a dentist might be asked to serve as a counselor for the Dentistry merit badge. A counselor must not only possess the necessary technical knowledge but also have a solid understanding of the needs, interests, and abilities of Scouts. A counselor must also be a registered adult with the BSA." http://www.scouting.org/factsheets/02-500.html

I voted for Bush twice, and I'd do it again, if I could. Last time I voted for a Democrat was for Zell Miller for Governor - he was a conservative. Not too many of them left (if any) so I don't think I will be doing that again.

How did we ever get so far off course? Aren't we supposed to be teaching the boys to be responsible citizens? What happens if you miss work without calling in? What happens to Johnny if he misses a Varsity football practice without an explanation? Is Scouting more important to our sons than football? It should be! Why not teach them to be responsible about Scouting? Why not expect/require Scouts to notify their PL if they are going to miss a meeting or activity? They should understand they have an obligation to their Patrol and Troop. Every time they miss a meeting, campout or activity, they leave their Patrol mates short a man. If they have a sports team or band commitment that conflicts with Scouts for a few months, that is fine - explain it to the Troop leadership and do your thing, but don't expect to be advancing in rank during that time. And don't expect to hold any POR. If a Scout misses a meeting or activity with no notification, his PL should call him and find out why he wasn't there, or why he didn't notify the PL. If a Scout misses a month of meetings with no explanation, the ASM over his Patrol or the SM should give him a call and find out what is going on. That is "engaging" him. If the Scout doesn't understand his commitment to his Patrol and Troop, explain it to him and see if he wants to continue. If this continues to happen, explain to the Scout that he will have his registration fee refunded on a pro-rated basis and will be dropped from the rolls if he doesn't show up and want to be part of the program. The boys cannot learn leadership if they aren't present and working together as a Patrol. I want as many boys as possible in Scouts, but only if they are going to be a Scout. That means showing up and being part of the team. I welcome your thoughts.

Sequoia, Not only can I name our Superintendent (and board members - I actually call them sometimes), I am happy to report that he sought out, and became a member of the Executive Board of our Council. He is a big supporter of Scouting (I guess that is obvious). We have a great elementary school, where the PTA charters our Pack. The big difference between our school (one of the top in the state) and others in the county is the parent involvment, as has been mentioned. Unfortunately, some parents move into our district and expect their kids to suddenly turn in to star students. They don't realize it also takes the parents working with their kids at night and on weekends to make a real difference. That takes work, and requires turning the television off - so maybe we are doomed.

Actually, he DID have an aide hold his spot in line when he left. "PHILADELPHIA - Mayor John F. Street waited in line for an iPhone on Friday, but left after eight hours and told an aide to hold his spot when a passer-by asked him about the city's murder rate." http://www.philly.com/philly/wires/ap/news/state/pennsylvania/20070629_ap_mayorawaitsiphoneleaveslineafterbeingaskedaboutmurders.html Do you think the mayor would have the same attitude if every one of his department heads showed up in line, as well? They could all have the same argument - they need the latest technology to do their job. I wouldn't have any problem if the mayor said he was taking a day of his annual leave to wait in line, but he didn't - he said he was on the clock, doing his job. Would he allow other city employees to do the same?

Trev, "Field" uniform is not official BSA language. If pointing out emblems, patches or numbers have been put on improperly makes one a member of the Uniform Police, then send me my UP hat. The few times I have done this, it is only with a member of my unit or someone I know pretty well, and is done in a very polite manner. I usually will ask if they know the patch is in the wrong position. I certainly don't tell them they must remove or correct the patch. This summer, I have seen a handful of Wood Badge'rs wearing their beads over t-shirts, which is specifically addressed in the Insignia Guide. Most have been 4-beaders. Some were working at camp, and going to eventually put their uniform shirt on for dinner. Others were just over at the Council offices. Same thing here with the example being set at the top - if 4-beaders are wearing them with t-shirts, everyone else is going to think it is ok and follow their lead. I've always wanted to put a set of beads on the front of my Expedition hat - maybe I will do so and wear it in front of these folks and see what they say.

Time to throw another log on the GW fire. http://www.suntimes.com/news/otherviews/450392,CST-EDT-REF30b.article Alarmist global warming claims melt under scientific scrutiny June 30, 2007 BY JAMES M. TAYLOR In his new book, The Assault on Reason, Al Gore pleads, "We must stop tolerating the rejection and distortion of science. We must insist on an end to the cynical use of pseudo-studies known to be false for the purpose of intentionally clouding the public's ability to discern the truth." Gore repeatedly asks that science and reason displace cynical political posturing as the central focus of public discourse. If Gore really means what he writes, he has an opportunity to make a difference by leading by example on the issue of global warming. A cooperative and productive discussion of global warming must be open and honest regarding the science. Global warming threats ought to be studied and mitigated, and they should not be deliberately exaggerated as a means of building support for a desired political position. Many of the assertions Gore makes in his movie, ''An Inconvenient Truth,'' have been refuted by science, both before and after he made them. Gore can show sincerity in his plea for scientific honesty by publicly acknowledging where science has rebutted his claims. For example, Gore claims that Himalayan glaciers are shrinking and global warming is to blame. Yet the September 2006 issue of the American Meteorological Society's Journal of Climate reported, "Glaciers are growing in the Himalayan Mountains, confounding global warming alarmists who recently claimed the glaciers were shrinking and that global warming was to blame." Gore claims the snowcap atop Africa's Mt. Kilimanjaro is shrinking and that global warming is to blame. Yet according to the November 23, 2003, issue of Nature magazine, "Although it's tempting to blame the ice loss on global warming, researchers think that deforestation of the mountain's foothills is the more likely culprit. Without the forests' humidity, previously moisture-laden winds blew dry. No longer replenished with water, the ice is evaporating in the strong equatorial sunshine." Gore claims global warming is causing more tornadoes. Yet the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change stated in February that there has been no scientific link established between global warming and tornadoes. Gore claims global warming is causing more frequent and severe hurricanes. However, hurricane expert Chris Landsea published a study on May 1 documenting that hurricane activity is no higher now than in decades past. Hurricane expert William Gray reported just a few days earlier, on April 27, that the number of major hurricanes making landfall on the U.S. Atlantic coast has declined in the past 40 years. Hurricane scientists reported in the April 18 Geophysical Research Letters that global warming enhances wind shear, which will prevent a significant increase in future hurricane activity. Gore claims global warming is causing an expansion of African deserts. However, the Sept. 16, 2002, issue of New Scientist reports, "Africa's deserts are in 'spectacular' retreat . . . making farming viable again in what were some of the most arid parts of Africa." Gore argues Greenland is in rapid meltdown, and that this threatens to raise sea levels by 20 feet. But according to a 2005 study in the Journal of Glaciology, "the Greenland ice sheet is thinning at the margins and growing inland, with a small overall mass gain." In late 2006, researchers at the Danish Meteorological Institute reported that the past two decades were the coldest for Greenland since the 1910s. Gore claims the Antarctic ice sheet is melting because of global warming. Yet the Jan. 14, 2002, issue of Nature magazine reported Antarctica as a whole has been dramatically cooling for decades. More recently, scientists reported in the September 2006 issue of the British journal Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society Series A: Mathematical, Physical, and Engineering Sciences, that satellite measurements of the Antarctic ice sheet showed significant growth between 1992 and 2003. And the U.N. Climate Change panel reported in February 2007 that Antarctica is unlikely to lose any ice mass during the remainder of the century. Each of these cases provides an opportunity for Gore to lead by example in his call for an end to the distortion of science. Will he rise to the occasion? Only time will tell.

This is just too funny. Too bad it wasn't a Boy Scout in uniform who called him out. Mayor Waits for IPhone, Then Leaves Line Jun 29 02:23 PM US/Eastern By RUBINA MADAN Associated Press Writer PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Mayor John F. Street abruptly ended his wait in line for an iPhone Friday after a passer-by asked him about the city's murder rate. Street, who showed up outside an AT&T store at 3:30 a.m., left shortly after a 22-year-old sporting a mohawk asked him, "How can you sit here with 200 murders in the city already?" The Philadelphia Inquirer reported on its Web site. Street told the man: "I'm doing my job," the newspaper said. Street had planned to stay in line for most of the day, waiting for Apple Inc.'s iPhone to go on sale at 6 p.m. When he left at 11:30 a.m., Street said he planned to return to his spot. The mayor said he wants the new device because he loves trying out the latest technology. Apple's new handheld would allow him to work some of the day outside the office, he said. "We don't have to be sitting in City Hall to be conducting city business," he said. Philadelphia recently had its 200th slaying of the year. Its murder rate is up from last year, the deadliest in nearly a decade.

We chartered two buses to take our Pack from Atlanta to Charleston for a weekend aboard the Yorktown. This is a 6 hour trip. Units are supposed to all check in together, so the buses helped us get everyone arrive at the same time. Our experience was very positive. The boys got to hang out with their friends on the trip, the adults got to sit back and relax, and we played a few movies over their multi-screen system. I took ropes and worked with some of the boys on knots. You don't get a lot of sleep aboard the Yorktown, so there were a lot of dads taking naps on the way back. I felt it was a lot safer traveling by bus, with most of us being sleep-deprived. If everyone wants to go by bus except for the SM, let him take his own car and the rest take the bus.

Camp Woodruff, Atlanta Area Council. Scouting Magazine agreed, naming it one of the "Super Summer Camps" earlier this year. This week, there are Troops from 10 different Confederate states attending. I think that says more than I ever could. Our Troop is heading up the second week of July, and I can't wait! Large private lake, white water rafting, great facilities, great staff!

The "Official" terms for the Scout uniform are: Official Uniform Activity Uniform The Official uniform is defined on page 12 of the Boy Scout Handbook. There are 4 parts to it - Scout shirt, Scout pants (long or short), Scout socks, Scout belt. The neckerchief and hat are optional. The Activity uniform is a Troop or camp t-shirt with Scout pants (long or short), or other appropriate attire. (BSA Handbook, page 13). This was addressed in a question (below) in the May-June 2006 issue of Scouting Magazine: Question: Saluting in uniform In addition to the official Class A Scout uniform, the BSA also has a Class B uniformofficial Scout pants or shorts with a troop or camp T-shirt. My question regards protocol during flag ceremonies: Should a Scout use the Scout salute while in a Class B uniform or place his right hand over his heart? Christopher Dillon Assistant Scoutmaster, Troop 24 Bloomsburg, Pa. Answer: First, when referring to uniforms, Class A and Class B are military terms that are not used in the BSA. The correct Scouting terms for the two versions of the uniform are "official uniform" and "activity uniform." Although less formal, the activity uniform is still considered an official uniform, and therefore it is appropriate for boys to use the Scout salute while wearing it during a flag ceremony. http://www.scoutingmagazine.org/

Lisa, Small world - I have that same tent. Due to the design, there are several areas where fabric comes together at odd angles and the seams are very bad about leaking - especially right above my head when sleeping. If the seams aren't sealed regularly, they will start leaking - first hand experience speaking. I now own a couple of Alps Mountaineering tents, and the Peregrine stays in the garage. Back in October, I was camping in the Peregrine while my son and 2 other boys were in an Alps Taurus 4-man. It rained very hard that night. I didn't get real wet, but I had more water in my tent than the boys had in their's. In fact, their's was very dry, and I was very impressed! I think most of the water in the Peregrine came from the rain splashing up against the lower part of the tent, under the rainfly. At certain areas, the rainfly is very close to the walls of the tent. This water was pooling on the floor, not coming through the top. With the Alps, the fly sets out farther from the walls. Plus, the Alps sets up quicker and easier, and cost a lot less. The Peregrine is a very popular tent, so I may put it up on ebay. I like the room in the tent, but it is very hard to get in and out of in the rain without letting in a lot of water. The vestibules are on the small side, and I'm kind of partial to larger ones.

We had WB Course Development down at Bert Adams this past weekend. We normaly have a quick breakfast of danishes or oatmeal or grits to get us going. Sunday morning, the women on staff decorated the picnic tables, cooked up a big breakfast of bacon and eggs, and had a special attire for all of us dads. They had made very large carboard ties, with the WB emblem and "Happy Father's Day!" on them, along with a Burger King crown. They had printed out a very nice Father's Day poem on paper and laminated it, for our place mats. It was a very nice gesture, recognizing that we were away from our families that morning, and it set the mood for a great day! Most of us were home by early afternoon, to celebrate again, with our wives, sons and daughters. A very nice day.

Anyone familiar with The Risk Zone in Scouting? The Risk Zone is a state of mental and physical fatigue that is a major cause of highway crash fatalities. Part of The Risk Zone checklist is "Avoid night driving." The training states "Don't drive long distances at night." The training and literature mainly deal with avoiding the fatigue - getting several good nights of sleep before the trip and avoiding last minute preparations that can reduce sleep and rest. To me, the bottom line is that while driving in the day is generally safer than driving at night, driving at night well-rested is safer than driving during the day fatigued. Avoiding long trips at night, which would push past midnight and into the early morning hours, should be the main focus. What the training doesn't cover is the return trip home. Many of us don't get a lot of sleep on camping trips and we are fatigued on the way home. The boys sometimes fall asleep and we are left driving with no one else awake in the vehicle, to help keep us awake. The return trips are usually during daylight hours, but are probably more dangerous due to fatigue. http://www.workplaceanswers.com/news/Risk-Zone-Targets-Common,-Major-Risks;-Programs-Ai187.aspx Stay safe out there! Risk Zone flyer http://www.doubleknot.com/openrosters/DocDownload.asp?id=15922 Risk Zone PowerPoint Training http://www.tac-bsa.org/training/selfstudy.shtml Training #7.

Woodland chapel row By Jo Bowring May 26, 2007 http://www.echo-news.co.uk/mostpopular.var.1427260.mostviewed.woodland_chapel_row.php CELEBRATIONS to mark the centenery of the Scouting movement were marred by the demolition of a cherished woodland chapel. Hundreds of Scouts from the Southend Estuary district arrived at the Belchamps centre in Hockley last weekend to mark the 100 year anniversary of the movement. But to some of the Scout leaders' dismay, they discovered for the first time that an open air chapel had been demolished. The chapel has been moved to the new improved campfire circle, so religious ceremonies of all faiths can be held there. But many are feeling the loss of somewhere people could go for quiet reflection- and where the ashes of people's loved ones have been scattered. Scout leader Keith Crowhurst said: "There are so many people writing to the centre to object, including people who were involved with the site over many years. "It was a perimeter fence and ornamental gateway made out of rough timber, with rough timber seats and a timber alter." The dismantling of the chapel has also upset people who had scattered the ashes of loved ones there, in particular the widow of one Scout leader whose ashes were buried under the altar. Mr Crowhurst said: "It would appear that because there was so little consultation, they didn't know the ashes were there. "But if they had consulted, they would have been told." Centre manager Nigel Ruse said the idea to move the chapel came from trustees of the site. The decision to dismantle the chapel was made in October. Mr Ruse said: "The updating of the chapel was done to turn it into a place of worship for all faiths, and not to exclude any one from Scouting. "I feel Mr Crowhurst has been unfortunate in that he hasn't been to the site for a while and hasn't noticed the news about the new chapel." "While this may have put a damper on his weekend I can assure you that it did not dampen the spirits of any of the young people who attended." He added: "We deliberately didn't start work for six months to allow for any issues to be raised. Neither I nor the trustees where aware that anyone's ashes had been placed in the chapel. "We are in discussion with the lady concerned and this will be a private discussion to achieve a suitable and compassionate outcome." Sounds like they did more than just take down the cross. This place was pretty special, if weddings and baptisms were performed there, and even ashes of a former Scouter buried under the altar.

gwd, Just my opinion, but I think your boys are missing out on a big part of the Patrol Method if they aren't learning to cook as a Patrol. Sure, it is going to take some time at first, because they don't know how to really do it, to learn the tricks to make it easier and quicker. They gain that with experience - kind of like how they are learning to plan their year. Each year, they get a little better, right? Ask the parents to get the boys cooking at home, so they will know the basics when they go camping. Start them on simple menus and let them move up as they learn. Learning to cook is a skill that pays off for a lifetime.

Beavah, Do you have a better link on that article? I'm only getting a comment submission page.

Again I must ask An IMMORAL act can be made MORAL by performing some post infraction ritual? I think only God can answer that one. An individual can seek to atone for mistakes, to make the best of a bad situation. Hence, marrying the father would allow the child to grow up with both a father and a mother.

I'm working hard on improving the uniforming in our Troop, but unfortunately, I'm having to convince the SM and most of the leaders as well as the boys. I agree with gwd's post - start at the top. Aren't the leaders supposed to lead by example? Does anyone use the Position Description cards when new leaders are elected? On each and every card, from SPL to Den Chief, one of the job assignments or descriptions is "Wear the Scout uniform correctly". This is right above "Live by the Scout Oath and Law". Start with the elected leaders, point out it is part of the responsibility of that elected position, and let them push the idea down the ranks.