Basementdweller

I cook my thanksgiving turkey to temp in the oven using a thermometer, but not for fear of bacteria, but I really hate dry turkey.

That's the kinda lad I want to earn eagle.

Yep I still think your paranoid.....

How to view success...... In a city of a million and a half there are three royal ranger units.....All in wealthy suburbs. I guess many of us are caught up in the BIG picture of national and councils and camp properties and high adventure bases.......... What about the small picture, the unit. Are they enjoying the program? how is the program??? If old TL is talking about how outdoorsy they are gonna be........why is that???? Terrible local programs............Too much overhead, Troops that are too large, too much gear and giant trailers.......... I am beginning to think that even a troop of 36 is too large.......Patrol campouts.....Two patrols at a time that would keep the number to less than 20.

Powder horn is to allow Venture crew advisors to learn how to conduct or plan a trip.... You are not taught any skills, but how to find people with skills to do your program. I did powder horn a couple of years ago.....It was scouting without the boys....It was fun, had a good time, met some great people.... Learn anything, not so much.....

Picked up this little gem from their website biologically male children under the age of 18.

Thinking corporate donations is what program support means or it could mean FOTL Friends of Trail Life campaign.

Hmmm, thinking guys who are a live and had statues made of themselves to put at the summit..... The donors I get.. The scouters not so much.

I wonder what the membership fee is going to be..... Let me see 18 paid staff members say 10k scouts to start with....main guy knocking down 100k, Thinking pay roll of a million bucks.... With out donations. That is 100 bucks a head, just to make payroll.

I think this boils down to adult egos.....

Ok so go the way of the royal rangers???? Heard of them, never seen one in person???? so whats the deal

In reading more articles......The admission of gay youth is not a deal breaker for the people joining..... So I wonder why???? Cross posted with waki Don't know if I buy it...

Well, that's the whole problem. "Flaunt" is a word without a single, clear definition. It's in the eye of the beholder. Like I've said (in 2 different threads now), my guess is that Trail Life USA will define "flaunting" as any statement by a young man that he is gay. Or does the young man have to explicitly discuss sexual behavior that he has engaged in, or wants to engage in (which is not the same thing as saying "I'm gay") in order to be "flaunting it"? My guess (there's that word again, and it's a word I always hate to use) is that Trail Life will go with the first definition - don't even say you're gay, or you're out (no pun intended.) On the other hand, I'm assuming (another thing I don't like to do, because you know what happens when you assume) that the BSA's new policy will probably be interpreted to mean that statements that are limited to sexuality (like "I'm gay") are ok but that statements about sex (what little Johnny did last night with Sarah, or Charlie) should prompt at least a "warning" and any repetition followed by expulsion. (Notice my gender-neutral policy here: You can tell us who you are, but we don't want to hear about what you did, regardless of gender.) As for holding hands at evening flags, BD, you may mean it as a joke, but how would we respond to a male youth Venturer and a female youth Venturer holding hands (or whatever else) at a Scouting activity? I have not been involved in Venturing, but I am sure things like this happen now and then. My guess (again) is that this would not be tolerated - if you're going out with each other, do it on your own time and keep the crew out of it. Right? If that's the case, the same should be true for two boys holding hands. The difference, again I'm assuming, is that in Trail Life the two 18-year-olds of opposite gender (that is the starting age for their coed program, apparently) will be told not to do it anymore, while the two of the same gender will be shown the door. In the BSA, on the other hand, under the new policy I would think there would be one warning, followed by expulsion, all around. Well our crew was good with hand holding.....but no arm in arm.....That was the crews choice. Been there done that with a venture crew.....They thought the camping trip was going to be Mr. B's romantic getaway weekend.....Well when it was clear the adults were going to stay up for the duration they went to bed and never camped as a crew again. I was the second male adult on a 5 night long trip with another crew this summer who had a more liberal PDA policy.....Never mind it was 80 degrees and we were hanging around a campfire....they were cuddling like it was 20 degrees.....No smooching....But I was a bit uncomfortable with it.....Not my crew not my rules. I wonder about the witch hunt......BSA gay adults and youth were OK until someone had an ax to grind......I bet that will be the case in TL,,,,

I wonder exactly what flaunt is???? Two guys holding hands at eventing flags???? I am completely lost as to why they would make a huge stink over gays in the BSA, run off then form their own new organization that was initially anti gay, to only back pedal and say closeted gays are ok.

Check out this link..... Now I am scratching my head thinking what the heck??????????? Did I miss something or didn't they leave over gay youth being allowed in the organization???? http://www.npr.org/2013/09/09/220499562/trail-life-usa-the-other-boy-scouts-of-america http://voices.yahoo.com/trail-life-u...-12314071.html According to NBC, over a thousand former Scouts and Scouters from 44 states are meeting in Tennessee to herald this new organization. Leaders claim it will be a "Christian" alternative to the BSA but, strangely, will still allow gay members so long as they do not "flaunt" their sexuality. Additionally, despite Trail Life USA's "Christian" roots, it will not "become religious and churchy," says John Stemberger, one of the founders. So Trail Life USA, formed by those angry about the Boy Scouts of America allowing gay youth members, will still allow gays itself and be "Christian" but not "religious or churchy"? Sounds like some marketing kinks still need to be ironed out. So I have got to ask how in the world can they partner with the American Heritage Girls... Why form a new organization if you are going to allow gay youth, the reason you left, be members????

The campout last weekend went from a orienteering competition to camp games..... They hung out around the campfire.....hung out in the patrol sites and went down to the creek and played beaver for 3 hours.... We never did do the orienteering..... But they had fun and want to do it again on the same weekend next year.

ya, some folks spend too much time slicing and dicing the words instead of just doing. Lawyering their way to Eagle.

Every second of every day is scheduled for these guys..... It is good for them to go hangout with their patrol.... Did I mention I really hate Cub Family camping....It sets the stage for Cub Scout troops, you know the ones, The parents plan family troop vacations. Big long expensive trips. To me it just blurs what scouting is supposed to be about...... Look at Follow me Boys, Do you think old Lem would load the troop up and haul them to Yosemite or the grand canyon????? Nope. Where did the core of the program go????? A group of fellows similar in age that like to hike, camp and hangout together, simply a Patrol.

I Agee that when done properly it is probably on Par with a PL for the amount of work....but is different....with an adult looking over your shoulder But again I have not met the scout who has put that much effort into it......

Typed that one sitting in a kybo while camping with the troop this weekend.......smart phones are great.....the small screen doesn't do that good with editing.

Nice. That all the better you can do..... Obviously your an expert on all things scouting and girl related.... My last crew failed because we wouldn't let the youth have sex on camp outs....the prior one failed because the girls didn't like to camp....as presented. Accept it or don't...the facts are ta

Since old piper never came back.... Let me speculate that the scout in his discussion was his son, how has probably been in the Troop 18 months or so and currently stuck in the log jam of boys looking for POR at first clase... So dad is going to intervene and force the scoutmaster to make his son a den chief so he can continue to advance. Sure it slows down advancement....But honestly most lads aren't ready for PL at 12 years old... A bad Den Chief can do more damage to recruiting than 5 great den chiefs do to improve it.

Brew, Rare is the Den Chief you describe...I am not alone in this belief. So how many scouts were at that council provided training compared to the number of den chiefs out there?????? I bet that one in 50 or 100 actually get trained. As a cub den leader, I was given the responsibility of a den chief.... The lad showed up, enjoyed himself, but could not complete the simplest of tasks....It was more of a burden than just doing the program myself....I had to figure out what he could do or not do.....He was 12 I believe.....The boys did not respect or look up to him.... He was a just like the older sibling to fight with gang up on and tease. So looking at my current troop, since you called me out, There are no extra boys with the maturity to be sent to the Pack as den chief.....the scouts who I would send are all tied up with duties with in the Troop. The rest are 11 or 12 year olds. My SPL went to Summer camp with the Webelos den.....He was 14 at the time....He did an excellent job.....No training required.......But he also has a couple of years as PL and SPL under his belt. So you have a strange little dude who is just 12 years old who needs a POR.....For the adults it is too easy to ship him off to den chief training and then check the box in a couple of month....He shows up to the den meetings and may or may not help...... But what is the cost to the Pack, Troop and the lad for this nonsense. He didn't learn a darn thing..... Maybe I expect too much from my boys, they need to actually hold the position and fulfill the responsibility before it gets checked. So I stand by my statement......For most who are Den Chief it is a POR with No or minimal responsibility and very little leadership.

Exactly! The YP guidelines keep those of us who aren't pervs out of being falsely accused. Nothing will stop the pervs but vigilance, by the leaders and the boys. We have a local lawyer (also a scout leader) who specializes in sexual abuse to talk to our scouts about once a year. He discusses one major aspect of protection a year. Like you, I keep my eyes and ears open, and thankfully, I haven't noticed anything predatory. If I do, I will have no problems reporting it. Your chalking up the Duh points NAE... Everyone is responsible for youth protection.....If it is any other way something will happen. The boys have to look out for one another....The adults have to watch out for each other...... Lets face it a lad who is mad at his SM could really screw him over by reporting that he abused him...... Protection from false accusations is another reason for two deep leadership.

This is becoming an annual discussion for us.. We have a group talking about venturing again....it is 5 or 6 young ladies.....with a couple of the older guys from the troop we could make it fly again.... I asked one of them to give me a meeting time and place and we can get started....our Charter is still good till January. I honestly don't care if it flys or not any more..... If they schedule a meeting da wife and I will show up and see how interested they really are.