BrentAllen

foto, Drop some tar and feathers off at my house as well - I agree completely with Beaver. I wouldn't chide her for having a baby. I would chide her for having a baby out of wedlock. The child doesn't have any say in being brought into this world in the disadvantaged situation of not having both a father and a mother to raise him/her. She could rectify the situation by marrying the father, but the odds are that marriage won't last. Beaver, thanks for stating that so well. The day we start (or started?) celebrating and glorifying bad decisions is the day we begin our demise as a society.

Those SM's and other leaders who tell boys they don't need to wear the complete correct uniform need to read the first few pages of the Insignia Guide. Official Policy Personal commitment The uniform is a constant reminder to all Tiger Cubs, Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Varsity Scouts, Venturers, and adults of their commitment to the ideals and purpose of the Boy Scouts of America. The uniform encourages them to take Scouting seriously because of the investment in uniforms by parents of youths and by adults. The uniform is a way of making visible members' commitment to a belief in God, loyalty to country, and helping others at all times. The leaders of Scouting - both volunteer and professional - promote the wearing of the correct complete uniform on all suitable occasions. I've butted heads with our SM over the uniform - he says the Troop has a policy that allows brown, khaki or green pants, shorts or cargo pants. I explained to him that Troops do not have the authority to set their own policy, except for the neckerchief and hat. Nothing has changed, and the sad part is the boys are told "no jeans" and nothing happens when they show up in jeans. They aren't reminded jeans aren't part of the bogus "troop policy" or anything. Same thing goes with electronics on campouts - they aren't allowed, but nothing happens when they pull out their cell phones (for social calls) or ipods. Truly sad to see a total lack of enforcement. As for cost, check ebay. Scout shorts can be purchased for $15 most of the year.

The "Group Scouters" and "Troop Scouters" we met in Cape Town, South Africa were in their early 20's. They explained that was the norm for them - boys would age out at 18, become Assistant Troop Scouters (ASM's), get trained, get a few years experience and then take over the Troop or Ship. I was impressed with their program - very active, lots of history and tradition, lots of challenging events and camps. This is one of the groups we visited - 1st Bergvliet Sea Scouts http://www.bergvliet.entry.co.za/ I traded Scout hats with the Group Scouter, Robert Callanan - it is one like he is wearing in his picture, customized with my name across the back. The Pack Scouter, Gavin Withers and his wife Heather, became our personal tour guides while we were there. We also traded neckerchiefs - their's are very nice - large, high quality materials - they put our's to shame. Man, I want to go back!

Camp Woodruff (Atlanta Area Council) has 22 campsites and 5 bath houses, with hot water. Each campsite has its own latrine as well. The bath houses feature a large bathroom with individual showers on the boy's side. The shower stalls each have a small changing area as well. One end of the building has 6 private bathrooms, with sink, toilet and shower, for the adults to use. They have combination locks on the doors, and a deadbolt from the inside. They are used by men and women Scouters.

I just got back from our first Course Development weekend for the August course here in Atlanta - what a great weekend! I'll join Eamonn and Matt. ... and a Good Ol' Staffer too,... I used to be a Fox, as well...

Beavah, you really kill me on this topic. Because we disagree on this subject, everything I read is a PR piece, but everything you read is scientific fact. Any scientist or professor I listen to is an energy company hack or retired or out of his field. Everyone you listen to is the top expert on the subject. Do you realize how insulting that is? And you are the one telling everyone how to communicate with each other properly?? Here is an excerpt from the chief GW advocate, Jim Hansen, from 2003: Summary of opinion regarding scenarios Emphasis on extreme scenarios may have been appropriate at one time, when the public and decision-makers were relatively unaware of the global warming issue, and energy sources such as "synfuels," shale oil and tar sands were receiving strong consideration. Now, however, the need is for demonstrably objective climate forcing scenarios consistent with what is realistic under current conditions. Scenarios that accurately fit recent and near-future observations have the best chance of bringing all of the important players into the discussion, and they also are what is needed for the purpose of providing policy-makers the most effective and efficient options to stop global warming. "Emphasis on extreme scenarios.." So, scare them into believing is the best policy?? In the same report, he writes: My opinion: Practical uncertainties Science and politics don't mix. I believe that active researchers should offer objective assessment of the science problem and leave it to others to extract policy implications. Looks to me like he has been trying to influence policy for a long time, through fear.

Climate Momentum Shifting: Prominent Scientists Reverse Belief in Man-made Global Warming - Now Skeptics Once Believers, Now Skeptics: Geophysicist Dr. Claude Allegre Geologist Bruno Wiskel of the University of Alberta Astrophysicist Dr. Nir Shaviv, one of Israel's top young award winning scientists Mathematician & engineer Dr. David Evans, who did carbon accounting for the Australian Government Climate researcher Dr. Tad Murty, former Senior Research Scientist for Fisheries and Oceans in Canada Botanist Dr. David Bellamy, a famed UK environmental campaigner, former lecturer at Durham University Climate scientist Dr. Chris de Freitas of The University of Auckland, N.Z. Meteorologist Dr. Reid Bryson, the founding chairman of the Department of Meteorology at University of Wisconsin (now the Department of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences) Global warming author and economist Hans H.J. Labohm Physicist Dr. Zbigniew Jaworowski, chairman of the Central Laboratory for the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Radiological Protection in Warsaw Paleoclimatologist Dr. Ian D. Clark, professor of the Department of Earth Sciences at University of Ottawa Environmental geochemist Dr. Jan Veizer, professor emeritus of University of Ottawa How much are each of these scientists and professors wrong?

Beavah, I can't begin to tell you how much I appreciate you telling me who to believe, and who not, who is real and who is fake. That takes a tremendous load off my shoulders. You mentioned that Tim Ball is 85% wrong, while Al Gore is 80% right. Can you please tell me what % each of the following scientists and professors are wrong? That would be very helpful in convincing me that I am wrong. Dr. William Gray, Professor of Atmospheric Science, Colorado State University Richard Lindzen, MIT meteorology professor and member of the National Academy of Sciences Reid Bryson, emeritus professor of Meterorology Willie Soon, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics John Christy, professor of atmospheric science and director of the Earth System Science Center at the University of Alabama in Huntsville Hendrik Tennekes, retired Director of Research, Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute Sallie Baliunas, astronomer, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics Frederick Seitz, former president of the National Academy of Sciences Fred Singer, Professor emeritus of Environmental Sciences at the University of Virginia

Wow - hard to believe this is a bunch of Scout Leaders responding to this thread. Teaching the boys to make ethical and moral decisions. I guess I missed the part where it said "except about sexual issues." Here is a situation for the "keep your nose out of his bedroom" crowd. Scout Johnny gets one of the high school cheerleaders pregnant. The whole school is talking about it. All the boys in the Troop are talking about it. Johnny is a Life Scout, working toward Eagle. The Troop is chartered by a 1. Methodist Church 2. Baptist Church 3. Catholic Church. Take your pick. What would all you "keep your nose out of it" Scouters do? Again, the entire school knows about it, all the boys in the troop know about it. For this situation, assume it is a fact that Johnny is the one who performed the act. How would you handle the situation? It would appear to me that for some, Scouting is just something you do one night a week. I guess I'm lucky I grew up a troop that was more than that.

"Yah, this is what is called a "Political Advocacy" or "Lobbying Piece" that has nothin' to do with science, eh?" Funny, that is exactly what I think of Al Gore's movie. What credentials does he have, other than inventing the internet? Why is everyone so quick to believe Al Gore, but no one else? Before you turn that question back on me, I will again point to the fact that Al Gore has not reduced his energy usage from 10 times the average family. If he honestly believed our lifestyles were so dangerous to the planet, he would change. I can't wait for the Live Earth concerts, which are going to save the planet! Is anyone else mystified by this event? Is this just more brainwashing from Al Gore? More "jump on the bandwagon" hype? More self promotion? What exactly are these concerts supposed to do? Educate? Is there anyone out there who hasn't heard about GW? The proceeds are going to some foundation, which isn't even formed yet? We hope the energy created by Live Earth will jump start a massive public education effort, Live Earth Co-Chair Vice President Al Gore said. Live Earth will help us reach a tipping point thats needed to move corporations and governments to take decisive action to solve the climate crisis. Hmmmmm - I wonder how that is going to happen. Through scientific fact, or just more "consensus science?"

Oak Tree, Does your CO also charter a Pack? If it does, then the boys needing the 1st Class requirement could invite those Webelos II's to visit. Also, as far as limiting growth, maybe your leaders decide to accept all boys until you reach a certain number, after which you only take boys from your CO Pack. I've never seen that in actual practice, so I can't give any feedback on it. Just a thought. The Troop of my youth did not have a CO Pack. We started small and grew pretty quickly. They limited membership for awhile, at 40, and had a waiting list. I think the troop cycled through membership numbers over the years, so I don't know how many boys they actually turned away or had on waiting lists. That is something I have seen at most troops - their membership numbers will fluctuate up and down, sometimes wildly, over the years. Have plans for both extremes, if possible.

Sorry, Trev - wrong guy. I've never posted anything about that.

pack, I have seen all the evidence I need to believe this is just a natural cycle for the planet. Beavah sees less snow in the winter, and automatically assumes it must be man that is causing the change. People hear the glaciers are retreating, and they wring their hands, feeling guilty because they think we have caused it. Glaciers have been growing and shrinking since this planet was created! North America used to be covered by glaciers. Greenland used to be inhabited, instead of just a sheet of ice. The planet has been warmer in the past than it is now. Are we to assume it would never warm up again, unless humans caused it to? I just saw another scary report - temperatures in Atlanta are going to be between 100 - 110F. Wow! That is really hot! So I read the report, and found out that is going to be in the year 2080. Funny how all these dire predictions are beyond most of our lifetimes. I guess they don't want to look like those hurricane predicters after what happened last year. Every time they fail miserably, they claim some new enlightenment. When it comes to understanding the atmosphere and climate, we have a long way to go, with much enlightenment ahead. As the father of the science of modern climatology said about CO2, "You can go outside and spit and have the same effect as doubling carbon dioxide."

Beavah, You said "I think that it's interesting that the guys who wrote those ice core studies are proponents of the Global Warming theory. That means a lot more to me than what a commentator says about their data." Michael Bellisiles is in the gun control crowd. He wrote a fraudulent book supporting this bias. He didn't want anyone to look at the data he used, because it actually contradicted his points. So be careful of those who write or study with an agenda. Check their data, and pay special attention to those who disagree with the conclusions. He fooled a lot of very intelligent people. I think it is very appropriate to talk about how much the conditions on Greenland have changed. It shows how much the climate can change, without any influence from man. This is a natural cycle. GW promoters seemt to ignore this fact. "To me, bein' responsible means payin' attention to the data and the good people workin' hard on such things, and sacrificin' to make things better when that's called for." So, what do you think of the point man for GW? Gore predicts very bad things for man and the earth if we don't make immediate changes in our way of life, yet his power bill is over 10 times that of the average household. Does that sound like someone concerned about the planet and GW? Sacrificing? Leading by example? Taking responsibility? To me, it sounds like a snake oil salesman.

packsaddle, the first link can't be opened without a subscription. The second - well, there is that word again - "deniers". There are so many "should's" and "expected's" in there, it is hard to believe anyone would call this scientific fact. When the ice on Mars is retreating the same as it is on Earth, and there aren't any humans on Mars, is seems very plausible to me that the sun is the likely culprit. When ice retreats in the Swiss Alps and we find silver mines and tools, it tells me we have been here before. I see no evidence that this warming is anything other than a natural cycle for the planet or increased sun activity. Beavah - marketing strategy for Greenland? Is that where the GW crowd has to fight their case now? Greenland was farmland for the Norse. "Little Ice Age? Thats what chased the Vikings out of Greenland after theyd farmed there for a few hundred years during the Mediaeval Warm Period, an earlier run of a few centuries when the planet was very likely warmer than it is now, without any help from industrial activity in making it that way." WECN Interview with Reid Bryson "During the so-called Medieval Warm Period between about 900 and 1300 A.D., for example, the Vikings raised livestock on Greenland and sailed to North America. New cities were built all across Europe, and the continent's population grew from 30 million to 80 million." Not the End of the World as We Know It http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,481684,00.html Beavah - who was paying for those scientist to be taking ice core samples? Were they there to investigate GW? If so, they better show the evidence is supporting their claims, and needs further investigation, or the money faucet gets turned off. Be very careful of supporting author's conclusions that aren't supported by the evidence. I suggest you look up Michael Bellesiles. While not a scientist, many supported the conclusions in his award winning book until the data (or lack of) proved him a liar. Those awards were later stripped.

A WB CD from the old course told me just the other day about a scenario they used in the old course, very similar to this situation. Several days into the course, the SM (CD) and SPL of the WB course staged an argument in front of the participants (they didn't know it was an act). The SM was arguing the course wasn't going well, there were problems with some of the patrols and their members. The SPL counter argued. The SM finally takes over and tells everyone he is reorganizing the patrols. They are to line up and count off, with all the "1's" in a new patrol, the same with the "2's, 3's", etc. This CD said he served on staff for 6 courses, and in 3 of them, one or more of the participants had enough gumption to step up and say if you do this, I quit! The point of the exercise was to let the adults see how the boys would feel if the adults in the troop took over and forced those kinds of decisions on them. They didn't like it, and it was a great way to teach the lesson that the boys wouldn't like it, either. As for your particular situation, the SPL can still make the decisions, based on the new information he has. He and SM should discuss the possibilities, and with guidance from the SM, the SPL makes the final call.

Gern, I was thinking the same thing about the other side, as well. But at the end of the day, I still look at the evidence. And the evidence is that CO2 levels rose AFTER warming in the past, not before it. That kills their theory, plain and simple. There are so many variables to deal with, I just think it laughable that scientist claim with any certainty they know what is causing climate change. After making wild predictions, they had to adjust their models for urban warming. After claiming GW was shrinking the glaciers on Kilimanjoaro, scientists found it was the deforrestation nearby that caused temperature change and melting, not CO2 levels in the atmosphere. Some scientists think there may be volcanic vents below the glaciers, melting them from below. We can't figure out what is happening in this one location, yet we claim to know what has happened for the last thousands of years all over the planet, and what is going to happen in the next several hundred. Hurricane predictions for last year were so far off the mark, it was embarrassing! Their excuse? They didn't know El Nino was going to kick up. What?!?! You can't predict El Nino for the next 12 months, but you know exactly what the temperature is going to be in 100 years??? And now it has turned into a political movement, which means objectivity gets thrown out the window. Good theory should stand up to criticism, but anyone who argues against GW is labeled a "denier" and tarred as being a puppet for the energy companies. What a mess. We teach our boys to lead by example. How are Al Gore and Sheryl Crow leading by example, in their conservation of energy use? They aren't, so how can anyone take them seriously?

All this argument is the temperature going up or not, its absurd, Bryson continues. Of course its going up. It has gone up since the early 1800s, before the Industrial Revolution, because were coming out of the Little Ice Age, not because were putting more carbon dioxide into the air. Reid Bryson http://www.wecnmagazine.com/2007issues/may/may07.html As he says, why is Greenland named that? "Bryson says he looks in the opposite direction, at past climate conditions, for clues to future climate behavior. Trying that approach in the weeks following our interview, Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News soon found six separate papers about Antarctic ice core studies, published in peer-reviewed scientific journals between 1999 and 2006. The ice core data allowed researchers to examine multiple climate changes reaching back over the past 650,000 years. All six studies found atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations tracking closely with temperatures, but with CO2 lagging behind changes in temperature, rather than leading them. The time lag between temperatures moving upor downand carbon dioxide following ranged from a few hundred to a few thousand years." Yah, the evidence is pretty strong, eh? This is pure politics and money. Got to have a crisis so you can request money to study it. If AlGore thinks it is going to destroy mankind and the world, then why doesn't he cut his big fat energy bill? Answer - because it isn't, and he knows it!

The women's have a little more room in the hips and seat. They button, zip and look the same as the boy's and men's. My son is tall and on the slender side, and the boy's were tight across the seat for him. The women's fit him much better.

Most companies like Silva guarantee their compasses for life. If they leak, the company should replace them, as long as you didn't cause the damage. SILVA LIMITED WARANTY What is Covered? Johnson Outdoors Inc. warrants your Silva compass to be free from defects in materials or workmanship, and to perform accurately, for the life of the compass (that is, for so long as it has not been damaged by the causes described in the next paragraph). All non-compass products have a 1 year warranty (not including batteries). What is Not Covered? Normal wear, and damage due to abrasion, melting, misuse, alteration, and abuse (including any disassembly) is not covered by this warranty. How to Obtain Warranty Service or Repair of Your Silva Product: Should a defect covered by this warranty appear in your Silva product, call our Consumer Service Department toll-free at (800) 572-8822 for return authorization and instructions. (You must pay the cost of returning the Silva product to us.) If the product is found to be defective in material or workmanship, we shall, at our option, either repair or replace it without charge, and will pay the cost of return shipment to you. If repairs are required to correct any problem not covered by this warranty, we will contact you for approval to proceed and to charge you for the components repaired or replaced, plus a nominal charge for labor. http://www.silvacompass.com/warranty.html

I worked my ticket as Cubmaster, and had my beading ceremony at the end of a Pack meeting. My dad and my Scoutmaster from my youth, both Antelopes from a 1975 WB course, attended and helped with the beading. One of our Pack dads told me afterwards that his son, a Wolf, told him after the ceremony that he is going to get his WB beads when he grows up. You never know who might be inspired by a nice ceremony!

I shortened my son's switchbacks, at the leg zipper (as opposed to the hem, or boot/ankle zipper). Have your son try them on and pull the lower leg material up until the legs are the correct length. Safety pin the material so the top edge of the fold of the extra material is just below the zipper. I used two safety pins, 180 degrees around from each other. Using a loop stitch, start at one of the vertical seams and work about 1/4 of the way around. As the leg diameters of the two parts you are sewing won't be the same, you have to "give & take" with the material to make it match up. Go to the other vertical seam and work around to the other vertical seam - you are now 3/4 of the way around. Then finish up the last quarter. If you keep the loop stitch close to the zipper, the flap covering the zipper will also cover your stitching. To lower the legs, just remove the stitches. It takes a little while to do it, but it's not impossible. My only sewing experience is sewing on badges. One last suggestion - have your son try on the women's version as well - just don't tell him what you are doing. The women's fit some boys much better than the boy's. Once you cut the tags off, you can't tell which are womens and which are mens.

I'm a big believer in tough love. I don't think you do a boy any favors by bending the rules for them - what lesson have they learned? OTOH, I also believe in asking questions to know the true story - does the situation call for a different decision? As a volunteer, I don't want to get burned out and not be of service to the Scouts. If I bend every time someone misses a deadline, the extra work to accomodate them will burn me out, and interfere with work and family time. So, unless there is a very compelling reason, I stick to deadlines and teach the boys they need to follow directions or suffer the consequences.

This gets old, but I guess we are just lucky, again. Yesterday I put flyers in every teacher's mailbox, from K-3rd grade, to go home this Thursday, announcing our Open House & Recruiting next Monday evening. This Friday, I will make a 20 minute presentation in the school to all of the boys in Kindergarten. We show pictures and film from Day Camp and Summer Camp to get them excited about Scouting, and tell them they need to get their parents to bring them to the Open House on Monday. We ask them several times "When is the Scout meeting?" "Where is the Scout meeting?" "What time...?" We recruit all those grades, but the real focus is on Tigers. We hold a one hour Open House meeting from 6:30 - 7:30 pm, where we show our Pack "Year in Review" music video, explain the program, introduce the leaders, hand out our summer schedule, answer questions, and sign them up. We allow Tigers to request 2 buddies they want to be in a Den with. Over the summer, we work on forming dens and identifying leaders. By August, we have the foundations for our dens, with several scenarios worked out in case we need 3 or 4 dens, based on fall registration. The boys from spring recruitement will already be in their uniforms for the first Pack meeting in August. Your district doesn't have to do spring recruiting in order for your unit to do it. Our district doesn't - it was just something I wanted to try, and it has worked for us. Lisa - can you use the school building for your recruiting meeting? If so, make some signs to put outside for 2 - 3 days before the meeting. Hopefully, the school will allow that. Nothing fancy - just "Cub Scout Recruiting, Monday at 7:00 PM, Cafeteria" The families that are interested will find you, and spread the word.

Stosh, Were you ever a Cubmaster? Cubs is the complete opposite of Boy Scouts - nothing is boy run. The CM has to put together a monthly Pack meeting that will engage and excite boys from 1st grade through 5th grade. He has to recruit new Tigers each year, and even harder - recruit parents to be the DL, and convince them that they need to attend training. Around January, the CM has to make sure the Pinewood Derby runs smoothly, using micro-switches and a laptop in a room full of elementary school boys running around wildly. Then follow that up with a Blue & Gold Banquet, with lots of awards and prizes. In my case, we have 120 boys in the Pack. We had 98 cars entered in the Pinewood Derby. Attendance at the Blue & Gold was over 300 people. 12 dens full of boys for awards at the Blue & Gold. I haven't kept up with the number of hours that went into planning and running each of those events, but I can tell you it was a lot. And that was with a lot of help from the other leaders.