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Stosh

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Everything posted by Stosh

  1. It's a capitalistic market. If a troop thinks their dollars are better spent on something other than a camporee, then in order to be thrifty, they need to pursue the alternatives. It's always good to remember that the cost of admission to an event does not include a breakdown on how that money is going to be spent. The $10 spent is the cost of getting into the event. If one thinks that's too much, don't go. If I spend $10 on a movie ticket and I don't like the movie, too bad, I don't get a refund. That's the price one pays to find out. If the sequel comes out and it is going to cost me $10 to find out if they have improved since the first movie, I have a choice to make. Camporees are put on by volunteers for the boys. If the market won't support the $10 entrance fee, people are going to find alternative activities out there and that's fine. $10 fee for a camporee should get the boys on-site. If food is provided, great, but don't expect free lunch. If a patch is given, fine, but if not, that's okay too. Too often we rely on previous traditions to create assumptions that really aren't there. Patches are nice, but not mandatory for all scout events. A meal would be nice, but not necessary. When one pays $10 to go. That's as far as one can assume. The $10 is an entrance fee that allows me to participate. For me to judge how that money is to be spent is no different than me buying $10 worth of groceries at the food-mart and then assuming I have the right to dictate to the owner how he is to appropriate his expenses. Or for those with the non-profit persuasion, making a $10 contribution to the plate on Sunday morning and then assuming they have the right to say how that money is to be spent. I don't know anywhere other than scouting where such assumptions are tolerated. Stosh
  2. If all they are doing is hanging around to get signed off on POR, they are obviously only worried about themselves. I would hand them their current records and wish them well with the new troop. Obviously the consensus here is a parent-led program. I would get them out of there asap and get back to the boy-led program that is promoted by BSA. Stosh
  3. Dang, the only ads I get are the google ones, as if I have to go looking for something to complain about. On this page right now I have a Chevy hunting adventure, (The only Chevy I own is a '74 Nova) and Nike Golf Gear, (I don't play golf). I gotta get a life..... Stosh
  4. I had the district Eagle project approvers reject one of my boy's Eagle project because it didn't have the right sense about it. The boy took the troop out and they surveyed a number of cemeteries in the area to see if the military stones were readable, damaged, absent, etc. and submit a report to the Veteran's Administration. They didn't think the organizing of records, laying out the cemeteries, teaching the boys what to look for and then getting them out there to do the work and submitting applications for new stones were necessary was sufficient demonstration of leadership. The boy did it anyway and turned it in on the approval of the VA and SM. They backed off on their rejection and when all was said and done, the boy's picture showed up on the front page of the second section of the state-wide newspaper with a nice article on his project. When all was said and done over 2 dozen veterans got new stones. Lasting value? Well for a couple of dozen veterans their old marble stones that lasted only about 100 years have now been replaced with granite stones that should last at least twice as long if they don't get damaged by mowers, vandals, etc. I do believe, if I'm correct, this was the first time I ever heard one of my boys address a group of adults, i.e. the review board, "With all due respect, I would like to do the project anyway." I don't know if at that age I would have had the courage to take a stand like that. He was only 15 at the time. This is not the same Eagle I referenced in the other thread that took on his EBOR and ran it on his own. Stosh
  5. I'm figuring the American public got what it asked for. Now after four years, everyone hopes it changes. Stosh
  6. Along with teaching my boys that anyone over the age of 18 is addressed as Mr. or Ms., I also taught them that when they have the need to contradict an adult, they preface the comment with, "With all due respect...." And with all due respect and for the record, unless one is building an Egyptian pyramid, I don't think it's going to last very long. The purpose of an Eagle project is to show leadership, not build monuments. Stosh
  7. shortridge: I was just trying to placate the urban scout movement that National is targeting for the future of scouting in America. I didn't want to put in gunshot wounds in the sucking chest wound category so as to not sound totally politically incorrect, but maybe I should have. To add to resqman's comments, when I was with the ambulance service we had air splits onboard the unit, but the only time we used them was to apply direct pressure on open wounds if they were sever enough. For breaks, we used other splints in that they were easier and more reliable than air splints. Stosh(This message has been edited by jblake47)
  8. Major trauma like neck/back injury? External frame comes with the activity, just put a brace behind the neck, wrap towel around neck and tape him to the frame. Put the whole thing on a stretcher and away you go. Major cut/laceration? Collect up all the neckers you have and start with clean pad/hankie...only need enough to keep sanitation over the wound, the rest doesn't need sanitation, and never release pressure. Amputation? Go with the tourniquet. They tell you not to use tourniquets because it cuts off circulation and you "could lose the limb". Well, you already lost it, deal with the bleeding. Major punctures, i.e. knife fights, pack the item to control bleeding and then tape the object in place with duct tape. Sucking chest wound? Who doesn't have their gear sealed in ziplocks? Cover the wound with plastic and tape down. Sprained ankle? Duct tape! Sport trainers do it all the time. If given enough thought, every backpacker should be a walking hospital. Any other major trauma is pretty much not treatable in the field. This is why safety before the situation occurs is everyone's #1 priority. Don't forget your duct tape. Stosh
  9. Rolled clothing/towels and duct tape/neckers work just fine for splints. If one keeps their head in the game, there are a lot of resources already available that one doesn't always think of. Another nice frac-strap is the BSA belt. It can be cinched down to any size needed. Collar bone break? Necker and belt. Broken leg? Pad between and use the other leg as a splint, the boy isn't going to walk anywhere anyway. Too often we think only in ways we are told, rather than thinking outside the box. I've never carried anything more than a personal first aid kit while backpacking. All other materials I either wear, carry as something else, or find in the area. Stretcher? 2-3 coats and 2 walking sticks/small trees. Stosh
  10. Sounds like a lot of judgmentalism going on with this Board of Review. Understandably, they weren't there and might want to get some feedback, but it can be done in such a way as to not question the boy's ethics and morals. He did the work, what's the problem. Did he have a good time doing so? Was the effort worth it? With 4 more years of scouting, how are you going use what you've learned? etc. This scout was in a no-win situation. If he sat on everything for 2 years to avoid the accusations of being too young, they would have grilled him on what he did to goof off for two years. If 14 is too young, change the requirement, don't hassle the boys. Stosh
  11. Having been out of scouts for 6 months now, as I reflect back, maybe it isn't such a bad thing. Having been one of the old-time dinosaurs for the past 20 years, it is becoming more and more difficult to do what scouts used to do on a regular basis. Never having grown up, it's nice to be able to get out and do the things I haven't done for many years in the out-of-doors. Once one gets involved in adult groups of outdoors people, one begins to realize all the hassles one has with parental and programmatic restrictions. One has all these hoops to jump through, be certified, fill out the appropriate forms, etc. etc. that by the time everyone gets in the car, the scouters are totally exhausted. Just to see what would happen, I called a flash mob at a canoe landing 5 hours away and decided it might be a quiet weekend for my girl friend and myself. Instead, the parking lot was filled with all kinds of people that "just showed up" for the "event". Kayaked/canoed all day long, went back to restaurant, had a campfire and totally enjoyed the day with everyone. No tour permits, no certifications, no medical forms, no permission slips, no fundraisers, no YPT, and everyone had a blast. When having fun becomes too much work, it isn't fun anymore. 50 years ago I wonder if all the hassle was the same to get us kids out into the woods. I don't remember it being all that difficult. While I wouldn't/didn't mind a certain amount of prep planning because kids were involved, I think it's way over done. Just my humble opinion. Stosh
  12. Yeah, I was kinda stunned by the incident. Everything I coached him on, he incorporated and improved on. What was even more interesting was the EBOR coordinator said afterwards to the boy (word got around amongst the scouters rather quickly) was that it was not appropriate to use the Scout Salute except for the flag. The boy responded, "With all due respect, that's not what the Scout Handbook states." When the coordinator tried to continue the discussion, the boy took out his Handbook, opened it up and showed the passage to the coordinator. The coordinator did not thank the boy for pointing this out to him, instead he just said, "Oh." and walked away. After the boy graduated high school and aged out, I told him to call me by my first name, that he doesn't have to call me Mr. B____ now that he's an adult. He smiled and said, "That'll never happen." Sometimes the lessons on character building and leadership take hold in the boys. I had always hoped that this boy would become the rule rather than just an exception. Stosh
  13. One must also be aware of the prevalent attitude that the Board is judging the Candidate, not the other way around. Due respect is expected, but not returned. I see this all the time from the scouters. Somehow scouters giving respect to scouts tends to be minimally and an individual issue. I had one over-achieving Eagle Candidate ask me to coach him for his EBOR. I asked him what he wanted to get out of it (patch and pin never came up on the list). He came in, stood in front of his chair at attention and gave a salute to the members of the EBOR. 3 EBOR members, with no uniforms, all did the deer-in-the-headlight look until one of them finally said "Okay." The boy then went to each of the members, extended his hand and introduced himself. None of the members stood to return the handshake. He returned to his chair, gave scout sign, Oath and Law. Then stood waiting for the invite to sit. Finally it came. The Board then started into their prepared script of questions. They asked him first how he liked his scouting experience. The Candidate then took control of the process and outlined his scouting career ending with how much he had learned doing his Eagle Project. At the end he opened it up to the Board for any further questions. When he was done he rose, and went to each member of the Board, addressed them by name, shook their hands and thanked them for their participation in the EBOR. Again, none of them stood to receive the handshake. During their deliberation, they spent the first minute looking at each other rather stunned. Finally they asked me about the boy. I told them they all just saw exactly what the boy was. They nodded and called for the boy to return. He came back in and addressed them all by name and stood in front of the chair until invited to sit. He sat quiet through the Board's comments about their affirmative decision. When they dismissed him, he again rose, addressed them by name, shook their hands and thanked them. Once again, none of them rose to congratulate the boy. This boy was selected to speak at the Golden Eagle Dinner that year. The lack of respect received was far pale than that given. I used to think it was the younger generation that had issues with respect, but I thinking it is trans-generational. Lead by example. Stosh
  14. For those who have had the opportunity to own a pet goldfish, if one uses chlorine treated water, you need to leave it sit 24 hours prior to use so that the chlorine has a chance to evaporate. If one doesn't want to wait, run it through a carbon filter, it takes out the chemicals including insecticides, pesticides, along with the chlorine. One does not rely on a micro filter to remove bacteria/viruses. 1) Filter water through coffee filter to remove debris, etc. 2) Chlorinate with household bleach (5.5% solution) Industrial bleach can run up to 18% solution so beware that all bleach is not the same. 3) Filter through carbon to remove all bad chemicals, i.e. herbicides, insecticides and of course the bleach. Also remember that chlorine is 6X's more effective than iodine in removing bacteria and viruses. Stosh
  15. Only in America you can get sued for trying to help someone, and if caught on the right video camera or eye witness, can get sued for not trying to help someone. Stosh
  16. There are a lot of hospital procedures that are tremendously over priced. A 55 year-old friend of mine needed carpal tunnel surgery and part of her pre-surgery physical was a pregnancy test. It cost $86. A lot of over priced medications are out there on the market, too. Surgery itself is a joke as well as any hospital stay. WAAAAAY over priced in my book. Emergency/trauma costs? Worth every penny! The last thing one wants anyone to do is second-guess themselves in an emergency situation. It may mean the difference between life and death. Stosh
  17. After 15 years of running with a volunteer ambulance service, whenever we got a call we went. If the run was cancelled, we followed through anyway just to make sure. When in doubt call 911, those responding don't mind, that's why they are there! By the way, we were always happy to find out it really wasn't an emergency after all. Some of those really made our day! Chest pains that were really stomach trouble... Power-take-off accidents that resulted in only bruises... Car accidents were everyone walked away... etc. We responded to all fires because someone might get hurt, too. Fire department went out on all rescue calls, car accidents in case of a gas leak, help carrying gurneys, etc. Too much help is never a problem. CALL! Stosh
  18. When in doubt, call 911. Let them decide if it's a true emergency. I'd rather get my ears chewed on by the police than have them buried by the funeral director. Stosh
  19. Thanks for the kind words sst3rd, but I'm still in Scouting. It's just hard to imagine all the opportunities the boys are missing as I sit on the sidelines. I didn't mind doing what I could and struggled for 30 years at it. I'm not done yet, so if something opens up, I'm still available. I have been mulling around the idea of a well-run Venture program of doing just what I like doing the best. My comments were not a reflection backwards, but a reflection of what I see now and how much the boys are missing out on because of the program, not the logistics. Logistics is a piece of cake, going through program hoops is like pulling teeth. And once one gets through the program hoops, one has to fight the parent, too. I left a number of jobs because of all the politics that revolve around work, social networks and even scouting. Once that become too much of a burden, it's time to move on to greener pastures. Even with that philosophy, one has to remember that those greener pastures need mowing too, just maybe someday there won't be anyone watching over your shoulder criticizing your every push of the mower. After being in the scouting program for over 50 years, it is unfortunate that the program has evolved in the direction it has. "Back in the olden days" one did not have to be told to have fun, we did it anyway. Stosh
  20. Unfortunately a true story... Since leaving the ranks of scouting as a SM, I now get out more often, do more camping and enjoy myself more than I have in the past 30 years. 1 week at Yellowstone/Black Hills. Saw more, camped more, covered more territory than prior trips with the scouts. Spent more time photographing wildlife and identifying alpine flowers than ever before. Saw every tourist point offered except for the area closed off because of a grizzly attack just 5 minutes prior to my arrival. 1 week at Virginia. Saw twice as many historical sites that could have been arranged by the scouts. Participated in a reenactment that most scouts would have difficulty enduring - temps up to 110 degrees for most of the week. I have gotten in kayak/canoe treks just about ever weekend I'm not camping or reenacting. Hiked about as many miles as when I was preparing for the Philmont trek back in 2000. Next year is Alaska for 2 weeks. I have found that despite 30 years with scouting as ASM, SM, and Advisor, I am now no longer held back by the program. It'll be a shame to think that as UC I get more outing than the boys. Stosh
  21. I don't know when the idea of a troop trailer came in, but car trunks and pickup beds were all we ever mustered. And yes, we rode with the equipment in the back of the pickup. Tents? Each patrol had their own wall tent. NSP had explorer tents. We all carried mess kits we actually cooked in. Capture the flag was the #2 camporee activity. Camp raids were #1. Latrines were all open trenches because there weren't any women around. Quiet time at night didn't stop any conversations in that flashlights had signal buttons on them and we all knew Morse Code. Bug screens and tent floors weren't invented yet. It was a treat to get army surplus cots at summer camp. Everyone wore full scout uniforms... in school on the days of the troop/pack meeting. Even if the meeting didn't start until 7:00 pm. It isn't an issue of how did they EVER survive, the more interesting question could any scout today survive under those circumstances? Stosh
  22. I remember my dad blowing a piston in the car and going down to the blacksmith shop and having them make him a new one. Try that today... not fixing the piston, but finding a blacksmith shop. Stosh
  23. I learned computer programming on Radio Shack's Color Computer (Coco) It had a C compiler and was great! Way before it's time! Sadly, I still have it and it works just fine. Stosh
  24. Some of the early novels written about scouting seemed to indicate that summer camp lasted for months, not weeks, and the boys hiked to the rail head, jumped the train, got to the wilderness and then hopped off and hiked into the wilderness to set up camp. Eventually areas were donated and established as camps where the boys during the summer set out to build patrol cabins, etc. I'm not so old as to not remember how nice it was when the scout campsite actually got a wooden outhouse. Showers? Heck no! That's what the lake was for, you know, that body of water everyone used before pools were invented? Do I miss those days? Nope, just this past weekend I camped out under real canvas (pup tent with no ends or floor, cooked on an open fire and sat on a log for most of the weekend, hiked in the beautiful fall colors and totally enjoyed the real outdoors. I was not within 50 miles of any BSA camp. I'm going to have to spend the next two weeks picking burrs and burdock out of my clothes and while reminiscing about all the fun I had. Stosh
  25. The Tea Party might be the scum of the earth, but they are effective. They've caught the attention of Washington (both parties) and Washington has the option to embrace them or fight them. They were effective enough to get representation in there that disrupts the "balance" of the Rep/Dem establishment. It's almost like an organized Independent party. The Occupy group is giving it a try from the other side of the spectrum hoping to garner some sort of position the Tea Party has accomplished. However, being a Rebel without a cause, really isn't a serious attempt at anything other than getting media attention. Without some sort of stated goal, the media will eventually tire of them, especially once the media's $$ horse moves on down the road to the next big world crisis. Stosh
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