packsaddle

Yes, the council is bloated and some of them way overpaid. As for popcorn, we don't. I hate popcorn. It takes time away from the program, costs too much, and causes too much interaction with the DE. It smells like urine and doesn't even make good cat litter. We do alternative fund-raising. Other units still sell the stuff and when they arrive at my door I will buy some from them...but we all know that what they're doing is parasitizing my good will toward a neighbor so they can take my money and give it to worthless executives. Have a nice day!

More and more people take the blue pill, I guess, and choose to stay plugged into the matrix.

Of course, these restrictions are symptomatic of a large organization which exercises strong central command and large potential liability. If the freedom AND responsibility were transferred to... (need I write it?)...local option....that might actually allow some more, you know, freedom.

While I can't say much about FFA because I don't know much about them, I can vouch for dcsimmons's statements about 4-H. As for management's "work harder" response, I suspect the volunteers in BSA who already do most of the work...probably already work hard enough. The earlier observation that locally units are doing OK is revealing of what I think the best way is for BSA to have a long term outlook and that is to fully engage 'local option'. Let the marketplace work. Let people determine their own fates and lives. Stop trying to control from a central authority. They can continue to try to dictate to us but that is just going to drive more and more boys and families away.

I think that is an unfair and inaccurate characterization. Yes, we have a few pencilnecks who know practically nothing about the outdoors but they're enthusiastic about learning. But the rest range from single moms who barely have 10 minutes to spare during an average day (and who just don't have time to care about the outdoor program) to well-seasoned young parents who have backpacked thousands of miles, canoed similar distances, and know a heck of a lot more about the outdoors than what you can find in BSA literature....and they decided to have a family. I can remember plenty of dads back in the 1960s whose outdoor skills consisted of knowing how to light a cigarette in the wind, who had no trail skills whatsoever, and were astounded by what could be done with a Dutch oven once their sons showed them. People ran the gamut back then and they do now as well.

KDD, perhaps that film wasn't as widely viewed as you and I might have thought.Or maybe they HAVE lost their essence. POE

Dedkad, I think that we all confront your anxiety, probably many times for our children, not just for sons either. You can't love your child and not feel that way when they're about to head out into the world. Your son will be fine. He'll come home and want to tell you all about it and you'll listen as if you just did it yourself for the first time in your life. And some day, he may even want you along, lol. This was tragic and there's probably no way anyone could have foreseen or prevented this loss. Sometimes real accidents, the ones that you can't foresee or control, just happen. That doesn't make it better. It just is what it is.

Yes, it's possible that a decision as good could have been made by a bucket of nails. Does anyone ever wonder why those guys get paid? I mean, really, outside of the summer camps, what part of the work of scouting is not done by volunteers? Not much.

Sentinel947, what is the connection between gay marriage and the membership policy?

I'm glad to hear of the outpouring of support and sympathy. I hope the families of all the victims can find some peace.

Just enjoy every moment you share with your little guy. These days are going to be few and go by quickly and you'll want to remember all of them. The cubs are the best by far. I have two grandsons who will soon be old enough to start and I am really looking forward to it.

First Aid is one of the merit badges for which I will heap praise on the scout summer camp. The guys at the health lodge do a really good job of 'hands on' and really fun activities for this one. They do a far better job than we could do as a troop. I guess if there was an EMS person who wanted to take some serious time to do it right that would work as well. I also give them credit for a good job on the waterfront merit badges, shooting sports, and a few others like fishing. I heap scorn on them for the terrible waste of time they offer with citizenship, and similar merit badges. Regarding the 'colleges', I agree and we discourage the boys from attending.

I have to add that everytime I read a new account of the aluminum foil 'casserole' or 'hobo dinner' recipe, I get hungry. It doesn't matter what time of day or anything...I get hungry. Pavlov was right.

Yeah, this is fairly common. We swap boys frequently for summer camps especially, not to mention the occasional high adventure trip. It's all done as a courtesy with no big deal over the details. We just treat them as ours for as long as they're with us and vice versa.

TT, one of my youthful acquaintances met his demise in your area. (and there's a good story involving the police that goes along with it)

WAKWIB, I grew up in an environment that had a few of these guys around. We learned early on to be really careful. Some of my childhood friends grew up into people just like him. They're everywhere. I've run into them in nearly every part of the country. The fact that this guy was 'lurking' should have been rather obvious really, given what I've been reading. I'd be willing to bet that he's not alone in your area either. 'Situational awareness' is the concept that comes to mind here. My heart goes to the boy's mother and family. I am in awe of the strength they are displaying.

I took the attitude many years ago that I am not playing the 'competition' game. I devote all of my time and energy to the unit and the boys in it. BSA and the fat, bloated-salary superstructure of the organization can worry about revenue and declining numbers to support their top-heavy bulk. I don't. To me the competition occurs among administrators who, in reality, are percentage parasites - more concerned about maintaining the status quo of their parasitic careers than anything else. Also...have a nice day!

Betrayal is, it seems to me, just part of what we should expect in our interactions with others. We have to assume the best but we know that sooner or later, we may be betrayed by someone. Might as well 'be prepared' to deal with it when it happens. The best we can do is to make sure we don't do it to others (that golden rule thing).

Should be the same approval process as for any other MB counselor.

Nextgenscouter1, I've heard similar things as well from Methodists, Presbyterians, and other Protestant flavors. EVERYONE seems to think THEY have the one and only truth. I guess they ALL could be right, lol. Technically, if TL only recruits one boy away from BSA, they are competition by definition. Not that I think TL will 'harm' BSA. I think that if TL survives, they will be a 'niche' program. But I wish them success. They have made a bold effort and they deserve credit for it.

Cool!

Heh, heh, I had a Baptist minister once inform me that there are so many Baptist churches and flavors of Baptist because they can't agree on much - every little spat caused another split and a new flavor. I really liked that guy.

Just was listening to this on the news. Really sad and even more so because of the scout's youth.

Let's see now: "When (not if) there are problems we can go to the bible...." and then, "... truly make any youth program fruitful. It is not what is in some book..." H'mmm, okey dokey. I'll repeat what I've written elsewhere: I'm glad for TL. I hope they are completely successful. No problems here.

No way that idea would 'fly' here.