ianwilkins
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Posts posted by ianwilkins
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My GPS is "Martha". A friend of my son's was taking a long road trip with her husband and 3 year old son. For fun, they selected a different voice for the GPS. By the end of the trip, the son was speaking with a distinct British accent. (I know, you don't have an accent...we do!).LOL.
Cor blimey Guv'nor! 'ees a lucky fella ain't 'e?
We have lots of different accents, as do you. I know the French do to. I guess everywhere does. And possibly, everything...Moo!
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This is my biggest worry with going coed. I know several scouters that said they would quit if the BSA went coed - not because they are so against having girls in scouts, but because of fear.
That happened in the UK. Not every time, not everywhere, but leaders who were already fed up of HQ directives and rules, and permits, and restrictions, or were just thought that there should be a space just for boys on their own, or fear of being labelled a peado. It was a straw that broke a few backs. So the leaders resigned, and either the pack or troop shut, or new leaders were found. Statistically impossible to work out what percentage, as it happened over such a time frame before it was made mandatory.
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"mbs" to have pre-requisites" ... I'm slightly scared at that idea. But then again, I'm open to it slightly for several reasons. Some thoughts....
- First Aid .... maybe ... could be a pre-requisite for many badges. then the badges could just review from first aid what is appropriate for their badge. Minimize redundant content. ...
- Camping ?? ... for one or two ... I've seen too many scouts that take a few years to earn camping because of the number of nights involved. Maybe use it as a pre-req for Wilderness Survival. But I'd hate to see it as a pre-req for hiking or many other MBs that the scout might like to try.
- Communication or Personal Mgmt ... As a pre-req for troop leadership ?? no.
Just for interest...in the UK we have a bunch of staged activity badges that can be earnt by any section (except the 18+ Network)...
There's a 5 stage first aid badge, with stage 1 being "how to summon help or help someone who is unconscious or bleeding, to stage 5 which is a full 6-8 hour course. And many others on the same lines, with each stage getting progressively harder.
There's a nights away badge (and time on the water, and hikes) which are just a count of what you've done, which in theory are endless, but I believe the highest actually produced is 200.
Oh, and before I came here, I'd never heard of this Bill fella, sounds like one of the good sort.
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I almost forgot (easy to do given the cloud cover in these parts
): magnifying glass lens!Along those lines, has anybody ever try a parabolic mirror or frensel lens?
Even in Blighty we've managed it with a magnifying glass. During about 3 days in high summer, at midday.
I've taken the gas pipe off a camp double burner and with the other end still attached to the gas cylinder, turned the gas on and lit it, sticking it in the fire. That does the job, but if you're not careful the melted end of the pipe is a dead giveaway and Skip gets very very angry indeed. See also most any aerosol. All fun and games until someone loses a hand. I.e. DON'T try this kids! Ian was a silly boy and got away with it.
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With tumble drier fluff working so well I have always wondered whether, if you could collect enough, belly button fluff would do the same job ....
I've sometimes wondered if I should collect mine, as we don't tumble dry our clothes so I don't get lint that way. Decided it would be too weird, even for me. Plus the mixed in belly hair would stink when it burnt.
Short lengths of bicycle inner tube.
The bark of the sequoia, giant redwood. At least the one at our local campsite seems to slough off chunks of very fibrous bark.
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Is that a political rally?
UK HQ actually organise officially sanctioned participant groups at the UK pride events. All seems very jolly fun and colourful.
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But another said, "Co-ed does cut out the very heart of the program ... which is to help BOYS become better MEN."
Source:
Just to say, that quote was from page two of this very thread. How very circular.
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I like your style. Best lessons are those taught at a practical level. "Bummer, I bet you never do that again!"
It was sunny the next day, and as I walked up to them the sun shone right through the pendulous low hanging hood. "Look! Come here! Look at the sun shining through the water! That's cool, you can see how much has collected!" - they seemed slightly less enamoured.
@@ianwilkins, Do Brits still blush at that? Or have we desensitized you with our ignorance of your slang?
Totally desensitised. Blame Bill and Ted* and Wayne's World, at least for my desensitising. Well, I might not use "bummer" with cubs or younger, and I'd suspect it would sound old fashioned to young years, but no, I'm not blushing.
* I do use "Be Excellent to each other" sometimes when signing off.
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ian,
Your story reminds me of a conversation that began: "But if you pitch your tarp totally horizontal like that (so three of them could "fit"), what will happen if it rains hard?"
And it did. Interesting noises when the hundreds of gallons of collected rainwater provided enough leverage to pull out the pegs about 3 AM.
And then one time they took ponchos that doubled up as tarps, and they managed to pitch it so the head hole wasn't at a low point, to start with, but the rain ran into the hood and weighted it down as it filled up, right over the hammock, then overflowed. I tried to be sympathetic, honest I did.
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GPS won't work in back country.
If we're going with the "it's a tool" there are better options.
GPS, strictly speaking, should work anywhere, the satellites are not geostationary. Now, needing to download maps and so on, that's a different matter. But pure GPS should still work wherever.
And yes, a decent map that you've been paying attention to, and a compass, are more likely to be your friends than a smartphone that has a finite battery.
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If my boys don't listen, eventually they will figure it out,...after that first rain.
Setting up hammocks...
Me: I think you really ought to have the tarp a bit more over the end of the hammock
Explorer Scout: Naaa Ian, it'll be fine
M: Okay, if you say so.
[after a rainy night]
ES: Ian, my sleeping bag is wet
M: why's that then?
ES: because it rained
M: nothing to do with the position of your tarp then?
ES: erm, well, errr....
My lot love to hammock, and they quite often pack the hammocks as close to each other as possible, and double deck them, so there will be three or four hammocks coming off a tree in different directions, making tarping them a little more tricky, non standard. They love it generally, as it means they're close to each other and can chat and so on, but it does mean sometimes that water feeds off a couple of tarps and merges together and all runs off in one corner, and I get a "had a really bad night's sleep, I could just hear water running off the tarp inches away from my head". I try to look vaguely sympathetic, but they don't usually buy it.
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I got copied into an email yesterday, last we had two teams of five Explorers and Network (they were aged 16-21) go on a 4 day 3 night self sufficient lightweight walking expedition in Wales. We'd paid an external company to provide some kit, ensure training was ok, transport and remote supervision, as we don't have the time or specific mountain walking training required. It was organised by one of the Network (with help from dad). Back to the email...
Hi *******
Hope you have recovered from last week’s expedition, very impressed with everybody and the progression made through the expedition.
I have seen the practice expedition feedback from ***** and ****** and it is all very positive. This reflects highly on you in terms of organising and your leaders in regards to the experience you have all gained with Scouting, all of which contributed to an excellent practice expedition.
I'll take that.
They also sent a photo the organisers had taken on the third morning of four of them sat round with broad grins on their faces. They wanted to capture the moment because by the third morning it's apparently unusual for teams to be in such high spirits by then. It said a lot about them and their character. They've got that undefinable "scout stuff" that you know when you see it.
Ian
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Please tell me more about this Newcastle Gang Show
Newcastle...city in the north east of England, went on a stag weekend there once, was pleasantly surprised. I mean, the soccer stadium looks like it's landed at the top of the hill on the main street, but there's some lovely Georgian and Victorian architecture, and while the Tyne Bridge isn't exactly Sydney Harbour bridge, the whole riverside bit has been gentrified. There are undoubtedly some rough bits in the 'burbs, a friend lived there in the 80s and had bars on all the downstairs windows, but still had plenty of break ins, and at least two cars stolen. Generally I found the locals were friendly, the ladies dressed to kill and hunted in packs. It suffered a fair bit in the past as all the coal mines got shut down. In fact, Newcastle was so famous for coal that we have a phrase "like taking coals to Newcastle" for taking something so patently obvious you'd be better off buying there. Like taking sand to New Mexico or something. Newcastle Brown Ale is....not exactly to my taste, but not completely undrinkable.
Gang Show...a scout show usually in a theatre, songs and skits, a bit like a campfire but without a fire. Or a music hall variety show with a scout twist. Usually done in a school half term holiday with the cast coming together for the week and performing at the end. I'm sure youtube will furnish you with plenty of examples of varying quality. Ralph Reader was the main man, is "Riding Along on the Crest of a Wave" familiar in the US? In the UK I think there's some sort of quality check, and decent ones can award everyone in the cast a red necker.
Ian
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More likely is that it's an excuse.
This. 90% of the time. "I'd love to help but..."
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Curious, does the UK require two deep leadership?
I don't talk or otherwise interact with any youth without another adult I trust being present.
No.
We are to follow the "yellow card", a safeguarding card that all UK leaders should be given, and discussed at training. It says, amongst other things...
"Do plan activities that involve more than one other person being present, or at least within sight and hearing of others.
Do follow the recommended adult-to-young people ratios for meetings and activities."
From:
So it's ok for you to be talking to two scouts, on your own, and outwith hearing/sight of other scouts or adults. Personally it would depend on the kids, but I'd probably want more than two in most cases.
Actually, I guess, being pedantic, it only states planned activities. So if you went hiking with three scouts, and one fell and broke their leg, you'd take a view on whether to stay with the injured and send the other two for help, or go with one for help, not go with both the others, or all wait there, because you didn't want to be 1-2-1 with a young person. Obviously, you might think as part of your risk assessment that 1 leader might be riskier so take two. But anyway, staying back to the topic in hand...
No, two deep leadership doesn't exist in the UK if I understand what you mean by two deep leadership.
To give two examples, one summer camp I had to have a quiet word with one explorer, so me and another leader took him to one side away from others and had a word. I had to comfort an upset explorer, so me and another leader sat and chatted to them. A couple of days ago, daytime, I was driving and spotted an explorer walking home from town, I was going that way, but I didn't give stop and give them a lift home.
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How about: "No adult may share a tent with a person they are sexually/emotionally involved with unless they are that adult’s spouse."
Of course, that would mean anyone married more than 10 years can't tent with their spouse.
Bitterness and regret are emotions no?
[just saying, I'm still happy in my marriage, just to be *absolutely clear*]
Nope, I will continue tenting with Maj. Hollohan and focusing on my own unit, thanks.
Do you still call her "hot lips"? Or is it more "hot flush" these days?
In the debauched and degenerate UK scouting, adults can share tents with whomever they like. It's caused the odd divorce, as well as, *ahem* cemented a few relationships, I'm sure.
I shared a bunk room with a female leader and a heterosexual couple once. Worst bit was the bloke getting up for a night time wee and his girlfriend waking us all up with directions for the door. Apparently he had confused a wardrobe for a toilet a month previously.
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...until ISIS get a hold of them.
Well aren't you a ray of sunshine!
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Just seen this linked from the BBC...
http://www.macleans.ca/news/world/what-its-like-to-be-a-girl-scout-in-syria/
Scouting in Syria looks like fun, I mean, apart from lessons in how to shelter from missiles. Looks fairly familiar too. Good to see a little light in the dark.
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It wouldn't diminish anything other than the BOY Scout Eagle wouldn't be a BOY Scout rank. It would be a Co-ed Scout Eagle. If Ford Motor Company started making Chevrolet Silverados would the die-hard Chevy customer buy one? It's the same thing, right?
That's a yes then. And die hard chevy owners will sneer at the inferior ford chevvies. At least, that's what happened when BMW brought out the new "Mini" in Europe.
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And, not to try to steer this thread back to the subject of Scouting or anything, it is probably going to adversely affect attendance at the 2019 World Jamboree, ... It will be interesting to see whether there is any impact on the enthusiasm of the nations of Europe, etc. for this world jamboree.
I Will do my very best to encourage as many of mine to apply. Though we only have very limited spaces. They only get one shot at going to a Jamboree as a young person, so in a way it's irrelevant where it is.
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Why would someone get on a plane knowing they fell in to one of the categories a sovereign nation put on a travel ban?
If England were to say blond haired Swedes were not allowed to travel to London, regardless of the valid Visa I had I wouldn't be getting on a plane for Heathrow. That's just moronic.
They didn't. They were a British citizen. They had no reason to suspect they were in one of the categories in the travel ban, as I understand it. Okay, read on...
I'm a bit confused, but I did read the article 3 times to make sure. Nowhere in the article does it say this gentleman is a British citizen. If I were in Norway teaching "English as a Second Language" I would be a Norwegian school teacher, but a US citizen.
He had a "valid" visa is all it says, and the protectorate ban cancelled those visas so it was no longer valid.
I can surmise from the op-ed piece that this gentleman was a passport carrying citizen from one of the 7 nations mentioned in the ban, working in Great Britain that got caught up in the political mess caused by the terrorist movement. We need to view these issues from all sides using all the information rather than the information cherry picked to promote a political agenda.
If it says he's British, I'd have assumed he has a British passport, if he was an Iraqi, that's moved to Wales to teach, I'd have expected it to say he was an Iraqi citizen.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-39032062
"The council confirmed Mr Miah has a British passport and does not have dual nationality. His family's ethnic background is Bangladeshi."
I can't see any hiding of information or identity.
Of course, the left leaning press may well have made hay on this one, as it suits their agenda, but that doesn't take away that this happened.
Yes, I agree, it would always be nice to know a bit more info on the story.
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Gee, now we have a travel warning to America? Careful, when one gets to the border one may get turned away. On the other hand, Americans traveling to foreign countries are allowed in, but have major travel restrictions such as getting shot at or robbed. It's unfortunate that it has come to this, but getting turned back is not that big of a deal. Be prepared, are all the travel visas approved? Everyone has their passport? All medical issues cleared up? Any problems with non-Canadian travelers with the group? If not, check with customs before getting in the car....or even before planning an American visit.
British passport holder with valid visa refused entry to the USA
I mean, he is Welsh, but no need to hold that against him.
Mind you, that story is now a month old, and that seems an awful long time in politics currently.
It's really the last thing you want on an international trip, one of the leaders getting turned back. One of the kids getting turned back isn't great either. You just want everything to run smooth as silk.
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In the UK we have the Baden Powell Scout Association. They split from the main branch of scouting and went their own way in the late 60s, or they would say, they carried on traditional proper scouting that the main branch abandoned. They have some traction where there are enthusiastic leaders. I see pictures and it's all lemon squeezer hats and staffs and shorts and socks with garters. To me, from the outside, it looks like a re-enactment society, though they get quite vexed if you state this. They would maintain they are just following the true path of scouting. Not my cup of tea, but I wish them well with it.
Ian
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Life's too short. Do what you enjoy. If that's staying at cubs, why not?
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A letter from my SE
in Issues & Politics
Posted
Can I just check...you seem to be saying that where a country has gone co-ed they no longer provide "proper" scouting?