RememberSchiff

Let your program be your guide to your equipment purchases. We have units with quite different outdoor programs - one is heavy into water treks (canoeing, rafting, kayaking - many PFD's), some backpacking (no dutch ovens there), and a few too many are 100% car camping (don't get me started). Once you have roughed-out your program, talk to other units with similar programs to get gear recommendations and who to buy from. Ask questions and research. For example, should I buy a Coleman propane lantern or an Orbit 3W LED lantern? Top ten equipment list 10. Cool troop neckerchief, hat, or Class B t-shirt (wicking poly, no cotton) 9. Tents 8. Stoves as fits your program 7. Cook kits 6. Water jugs and/or purifiers as fits your program - may want collapsible or hard plastic 5. Saw, ax, file 4. Tarps 3. Rope (1/4", 3/8" reel of manila, 550 paracord too) 2. A troop FIRST AID kit - Adventure Medical offers some well-considered kits. 1. A folding camp chair for SM! How about that, lanterns did not make my top ten. Maybe I can get by without a lantern My $0.02,

No disrespect intended, but this "new look" reminds me of Simon for some reason my $0.005, (This message has been edited by RememberSchiff)

Welcome. Give advice too! Would you have a recipe for making panzarotti's with a dutch oven?

Have scouts propose "den rules" to make sure they can do all the fun stuff that their DL has planned. My scouts proposed these rules at the start 1. Quiet when the sign goes up 2. Wait your turn 3. Raise your hand to speak. Print these rules in large letters on a big white poster board "Den 7 Rules". Display rules poster prominently on one side of the American Flag and the den meeting agenda ("structured meeting") on the other side. Read rules aloud at start of meeting like in the "Dirty Dozen" or pick a scout, 'Chris Rule #3'. Break the rule, activity stops, and lawbreaker(s) read rules aloud and they quickly become aware less fun time. As the year(s) progress, scouts add more rules to make the den meeting go smoother and so they have more fun time. 4. Respect others. 5. Safety first. (we were whittling at this point) 6. Obey your leaders (took them long enough!) 7. No whining. 8. Bring a hankerchief. This approach has worked for my dens. I never did any lighted candle, beads, stickers, hourglass, talking stick, ..doo-hickies (good name). Also, I prefer the simple term "rules" as in you broke rule #2 over the mouthful "Code of Conduct". Some were more challenged than others in following these rules, but all understood that they were expected to follow their den rules. I never wasted time with snacks either, unless the den was cooking at the meeting. Thanks for volunteering as a DL. Enjoy. One regret I had was not taking photos as I was so busy with the meeting itself. Maybe assign a parent to take photos. My $0.02,

I changed my bookmark from scouting.org to this entry point http://www.scouting.org/sitecore/content/Home.aspx which makes it easier to reach Boy Scouts http://www.scouting.org/sitecore/content/Home/BoyScouts.aspx and Information Center http://www.scouting.org/sitecore/content/Home/Media.aspx which I commonly used. For me, the same problems remain CONTENT and CONTACTS, finding existing content, and navigation is now more time consuming. Little advice, if you have a somewhat working website, you don't go live with the new website until it is ready to go live. Still no contact list on website. So far not an improvement for me. my $0.02

I will now wear two red shoulder loops on each silly epaulet if it gives Irving boys vacationing at Orlando something to do.

MD, Del-Mar-Va Council, Rodney Scout Reservation 8/9-8/14 http://tinyurl.com/rea2he

South Jersey, Pine Hill Scout Reservation 8/16-22/2009 http://tinyurl.com/p2hgpv

Maybe the position of Honorary President of the BSA is now an "opt-out" position instead of an "opt-in" position

I thought there might be some mention of the new Honorary President, maybe in the photo caption of the White House visit. I found this on the Boy's Life website, maybe I missed an official announcement http://boyslife.org/home/380/who-we-are/ HONORARY PRESIDENT, BSA THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES Barack Obama Scouting magazine still lists President Bush http://www.scoutingmagazine.org/about/masthead.html The President of the United States, George W. Bush, Honorary President, BSA I had hoped membership would stop declining and maybe looking at the numbers, a case can be made that total Boy Scout + Venture scouts remained constant.(This message has been edited by RememberSchiff)

http://www.scouting.org/Media/AnnualReports/2008.aspx Membership numbers reported http://www.scouting.org/Media/AnnualReports/2008/11memsummary.aspx I did not see a new Honorary President of BSA mentioned.

Agree that cellphone and gps units are new tools that we need to teach proper use as mentioned in the Wilderness Survival mb book. I like the Electronic Chip idea. We do not allow scouts to bring knives if they do not have a Totin' Chip card, the same could apply to cellphones. As I stated earlier, my unit has not had a problem with scouts carrying cellphones maybe that is because patrols have carried walkie-talkies for years and it was a natural transition or maybe it is our New Parent Orientation. Anyway when cellphones came along, parents wanted their sons to carry them. So far, no problems. If scouts were dumb enough to call 900 numbers etc, well those devices have electronic trails and parents pay the bills. No leaders have felt a lack of trust. As a trek leader, I welcome more phones in hopes of having one that works when needed. my $0.02

Doubt it. The minimum age to take a WFA course is usually 16, though I have seen 14.

If I am running the activity, scouts can carry cellphones (turned off). If they do not have a cellphone, I make it clear that mine (always on) is available. Reception has been spotty, otherwise no problems. Frankly I am surprise no cellphones have been lost. Parents want to know that if their child needs to call them, he can. I have not had any parents call me yet during an activity, bad weather or not. Many scouts call their parents on the drive home so no more late pick-ups. Times change, we are a wired society. Find another troop that is not in denial.(This message has been edited by RememberSchiff)

CNYScouter commented "We actually were in talks with Disney/Pixar about having an active promotional role with UP!, and the branding/marketing team at Disney was really excited. That it at least, until it went up their flag pole and reached the legal department, at which point it got declined due to our membership/leadership policies." I thought the problem was BSA Legal being a licensing PITA. Got me wondering why Hollywood doesn't outsource Boy Scouts from another scouting organization. But "Boy Scouts" negatively impacting sales, I am stunned. So Disney, the studio that produced "Follow Me Boys" back in 60's, now feels "Forget You Boys", that the BSA brand because of its membership/leadership policies would negatively impact the financial success of a Disney family movie. Are they right? Is Disney more in tune with current American values?

I wonder if Wilderness Explorer Russell will help recruiting. Looks like another fun family animation movie, maybe we can all laugh at ourselves. http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/up/ I receive as a joke gift Disney-Pixar Up Wilderness Explorer Guide which has the usual (merit) badges plus some interesting new badges - Cellphone, Kite Flying, Karate, Sewing, First Aid and Second Aid, Badge Overload, and a make your own badge.

I'll vent. This unit number nonsense is comical. Never cared for the council patches either as from 10ft or so, they all look alike. I do like Troop 111, Arlington, VA approach - a custom combined district, town, unit number patch - classic and sensible look. Quickly shows "warufrum". http://www.troop111.org/patch.html I also like their comment for the uniform police "Although most folks love our patch designs (this and several others we also wear), a few decry our "illegal" patches. As with all the other "No-No" folks in Scouting, we just ignore them." Speaking of the "No-No" folks at my council, I estimate another dozen or so scouts would have signed up for the National Jambo if Council allowed scouts the thrift and courtesy to wear the scout uniforms they had. Is uniforming about all looking alike (military), all looking like scouts, or all paying more to National? I suspect those empty scout Jambo slots will be opened to and quickly filled by No-No adults. My $0.02(This message has been edited by RememberSchiff)

Auditory impact has environmental impact - it can scare away and disrupt wildlife. Also a quiet hiker sees and hears more. So this is credible. Visual impact has no environmental impact. In the woods, I dress for safety not for politically-correct fashion. My $0.01

Stick with the common sense basics but also let scouts know when LNT does NOT apply. In a survival situation. You want to leave a trace, break branches if you need to, set a smoky signal fire, and make yourself highly visible. Some scouts get a little confused about that. IMO, LNT loses credence when it talks about "visual impact". Is there any environmental impact? I always wear patches of safety orange and safety blue. Its color contrast and my movement, makes me more visible. I want to be seen and I want to see others. Safety is job #1 particularly when it seems hunting season is wherever, whenever. I wear light colors (never white) in warm, ticky weather and I am a black ninja in cold, snowy weather. My $0.02,

With any communications, you have to know your sources and check your sources. I remember listening to a news broadcast on my scout crystal radio about an invasion from Mars. They landed in my home state New Jersey!... I think this elaborate spoof video interview was done by The Onion or Mad TV. That said, you can trust me

Found alive, well as reported by NH Union Leader. Here is story. http://tinyurl.com/c8k973 Check out the Google topo map link in middle of story. No mention of any hiking companions. Dangerous time of year to hike Whites. (This message has been edited by RememberSchiff)

and HOPEFULLY it will be Printed in the U.S.A.

So a cool Camporee patch is not enough. Neither I nor my unit want any part of it as it diminishes the merit badge experience and shortchanges the scout. We do not endorse the two weekend merit badge colleges either. Turning scouting into a cram-session school is not for us. But it seems most in our district believe you cannot get a scout to attend an activity, even a overnight gym lock-in, unless the activity coordinator sells merit badges or do I mean activity "belt loops". Patrol competition - fogetaboutit. I largely blame today's Cub Scout program with creating this belief that to get a scout to do anything he must be given a badge and the subsequent expectation of automatically receiving a badge by youth and parents. Do a good turn and you get a patch irks me the most. 'What 12 meetings to earn First Aid merit badge, shouldn't they be getting 12 merit badges in that time?' Should we take the "merit" out of "merit badge" and call it, I dunno, an "hour badge" as in "Camping in an hour badge", "Citizenship in an hour badge"...'Do as many of the following requirements as you can in an hour, but do not spend more than hour. It is okay, if you do not complete any requirements in the hour. Just do your best.' My $0.02

Eamon, I don't know if he "paid for" what he did, that's not our dept. We volunteer to teach scout values. Sounds like the CM has started that. I agree with you that Scout 1 probably wishes the adults would forget about this Also remember, there are two scouts involved here. I would be interested in hearing how Scout 2 is doing. John, We are not going agree on this. Neither I nor my scouts get a green light to ignore scouting values "outside of scouting". Will they break the rules? Daily. Parents and others handle these incidents, but occasionally scout leaders are asked to help as was done here. So we help, that's what scouts do. Peaceful Easter

Hotdesk is on track. "In helping boys develop character, Cub Scouting promotes the following 12 core values." Know, Commit, and Practice. Added related Cub Scout requirements. http://www.scouting.org/Media/FactSheets/02-502.aspx http://www.scoutingmagazine.org/issues/0303/a-cubs.html 1. Citizenship: Contributing service and showing responsibility to local, state, and national communities. (Related requirements: Tiger Cub: 2 - Where I Live, Bear: 3j - What Makes America Special, Webelos: Citizen Activity Badge) 2. Compassion: Being kind and considerate, and showing concern for the well-being of others. (Related requirement: Bear: 24f - Be a Leader) 3. Cooperation: Being helpful and working together with others toward a common goal. (Related requirement: Wolf: 10a - Family Fun) 4. Courage: Being brave and doing what is right regardless of our fears, the difficulties, or the consequences. (Related requirements: Wolf: 12a - Making Choices, Bear: 11g - Be Ready, Webelos: Readyman Activity Badge) 5. Faith: Having inner strength and confidence based on our trust in God. (Related requirements: Tiger Cub: 5 - Let's Go Outdoors, Wolf: 11a - Duty to God, Bear: 1a - Ways We Worship, Webelos: 8 - Faith) 6. Health and Fitness: Being personally committed to keeping our minds and bodies clean and fit. (Related requirements: Tiger Cub: 3 - Keeping Myself Healthy and Safe, Webelos: Health and Fitness Activity Badge) 7. Honesty: Telling the truth and being worthy of trust. (Related requirements: Bear: 18h - Jot it Down, Arrow of Light: 7) 8. Perseverance: Sticking with something and not giving up, even if it is difficult. (Related requirement: Webelos: Athlete Activity Badge) 9. Positive Attitude: Being cheerful and setting our minds to look for and find the best in all situations. (Related requirements: Wolf: 6a, Start a Collection, Webelos: Scholar Activity Badge) 10. Resourcefulness: Using human and other resources to their fullest. . (Related requirement: Bear: 21g - Build a Model) 11. Respect: Showing regard for the worth of something or someone. (Related requirements: Tiger Cub: 4 - How I Tell It, Wolf: 7a - Your Living World, Bear: 8g - The Past is Exciting and Important, Webelos: Naturalist Activity Badge) 12. Responsibility: Fulfilling our duty to God, country, other people, and ourselves. (Related requirements: Tiger Cub: 1 - Making My Family Special, Wolf: 9a Be Safe at Home and on the Street, Webelos: Handyman Activity Badge) Character building encompasses more than time spent at scouting activities. Occasionally, I get complaints from parents and the community regarding my scouts' actions outside of scouting - 'What are you teaching scouts...'. A few are funny, some are silly, and some are more serious. I address them all as best that I can. I review the incident; make it clear that we are always accountable for our actions (we make amends and maybe we lose privileges); we act like scouts all the time. Makes for gripping Character Connections discussions How many of the above Cub Scout character values are at issue here? The CM and DL have some work ahead. Another $0.02