brianbuf

My tickets are finished, beads on their way, and I am starting a new project for 2007 that will take many many hours. Although I still have much time for scouting, I don't have any more extra time for the scouting boards. So to the delight of a few, I am "closing" my accounts here and others (essentially not checking or posting) and will be not renewing the hosting on www.savescouting.org For me, it is time for me to spend my extra "non-troop" scouting time in a different arena. Some here agreed and were very nice. Many here disagreed, but were cordial, scoutlike, and polite.

I Like the idea of a small ceremony.. (back on topic)... my concern was taking the spotlight off the boys. Maybe my TG and other leaders... Brian This has run its course, how do we get it locked?

Boy are we way off topic on this one. With all the tools of the internet it is pretty easy to find out who someone is.. heck this website logs IP addresses! On top of it, you have to register to get a name here. But there should never be any worries here, we are all good scouters, right? To satisfy all those who questioned me being at woodbadge, my course number was WE7-1XX-03-06. This has little to do with any topic I have ever posted. Thanks to all who have give me constructive ideas and share my singular concern about the year after year decline in scouting. Agree or dis

Ed, great point, most of the focus needs to be local. But it makes you wonder what really has happened since 1998. I can understand the 3 g theory for some, but a bounce back should happen, right? How about this from above "There are so many other activities for boys today - swim teams, soccer, chess clubs, martial arts, band, music lessons, more summer camps (YMCA, Space Camp, etc...), more traveling teams in sports - playing year-round. Don't tell me the boys have more free time today, either. My 5th grade son has more homework now than I had in high school! In my youth, we play

ndlscout- that is so unfair. Yep, I just magically know about "remeber the titans" and "october sky" or the beads or the tickets or gilwell or the turk heads waggle or all the other things I reference. Back to Gilwell just came to me in a dream! And all the patrol names.. I just thought up Buffalo! Yes sirry bob... just a troll. never been to anything scouts. I just thought up the name woodbadge! come on, get real. Let me explain it this way... I live in a realitively tight knit community. I live and work and play and shop and run into people all day long and some are in

Again, some very good comments, and some not so good. Lisabob... your post had nothing to do with my question. But if you must know, it is not what you speculate! I am friends with many in leadership here, and I am well known in the community. I don't want to offend or hurt the feelings of those I know and live around. But that is for another thread. Please stop mixing threads. Now, I would like to explore this comment: Our secret? We follow the program, have trained and committed adults, are boy led and provide a great program. We have boys flocking to us. Our experience can

Some of the previous threads have been all over multiple topics. To help have specific discussions, I wanted to ask all the veterans and other experts to basically explain this idea. It has been posted that BSA's last year of membership increase was around 1998 and has constantly been declining since. Whether it as 1998 or another year, that is not the question and is not the point. The point or question is this... what are we doing different or wrong NOW compared to what were the BSA leaders were doing 10 years ago (during the years of increase)? I had suggested that society

I appreciate most of the above input. A troll, no, I assure you I really did go to WB. Sorry I won't post details of my trip. Because I am not as good a writer as I would like to be, that ticket would be critized endlessly here... and my TG would be critized as well. Sorry. I have appreciated the positive and insightful comments, and have grown and modified my website and perceptions. However, there are some that have been very hostile. If I published my course number, it would be pretty darn easy to find out my name, my TG, my district commissioner, my council leaders, etc.

thanks to all the posts... my tg did not tell me about the 6 month min.. perhaps if that applies he will wait a month or two to send them... it is almost 6 months already... he has not sent them yet. I was beat up abit for suggesting I may not wear the beads but put them in a drawer or with other awards. I simply was making a point I can't wear everything. Some of you would weigh an extra 300 lbs or more if you wore every single award ever received. Is $5000 spent and/or 300 hours invested above or below average to complete the tickets? I would rather not explain my trip ab

Boy, have people forgot this is a scouting forum that should examplify the best in people? Think about your comment about Publish my number so you know if I am for real? What type of comment is that? (The wb-XXX-XX or whatever they had on the log when they put the ax in it and said WB is now in session or whatever, that number? Nahh, I am making my participation up. I just guess that they do that.) And quite putting words in my mouth. Where did I say I was going to WEAR those beads? I completed my tickets, earned them, and want them to go with all the trinkets in my

After 300 hours and $5000 spent, I just completed my last ticket. (One of my tickets for those that question was to go study another culture for a few days out of the country. Just got back last night, hence the extra cost as I took my family with me). I wrote a post card from abroad to my leader to validate I was doing what my ticket had on it, and I was studying abroad. Instead of some ceremony, another WB, or even in front of my boys at my troops next court of honor, I just wrote on the last line "And now, since my tickets are completed, why don't you just stick my beads in the mail

After 300 hours and $5000 spent, I just completed my last ticket. (One of my tickets for those that question was to go study another culture for a few days out of the country. Just got back last night, hence the extra cost as I took my family with me). I wrote a post card from abroad to my leader to validate I was doing what my ticket had on it, and I was studying abroad. Instead of some ceremony, another WB, or even in front of my boys at my troops next court of honor, I just wrote on the last line "And now, since my tickets are completed, why don't you just stick my beads in the mail

MarkS- Where have you been all this time? We needed you on these forums informing us of this 2010 study! Instead of arguing about if the numbers are dropping, and if any change needs to happen, and essentially a few folks who are in scouting for themselves wanting to keep things the way they personally like things, you come up with the one answer I have been searching for. The BSA is getting it! If you are correct, they are looking at the reasons for decline, and making a plan to bring scouting to more kids. If that is correct, then I will go to bed tonight a very happy scouter.

Eagle dad you wrote "The Girls Scouts have been changing their program for over 25 years trying to stop the bleeding. Values are one of those things that took a hit" Yet their website and news story says this is the first change for them in 30 years! How do you figure?

(This message has been edited by a staff member.)