scottteng

Cooking is indeed a life skill but I am not so sure that the form of cooking the Cooking MB requirements requires is. The focus is upon a patrol cooking camping weekend and a backpacking weekend. As a rule these two situations call for fairly easy to prepare low preparation, waste, and in the case of backpacking weight. They do not consider cost per meal or limit preprepared items. I learned to cook out of necessity as a broke college student and long single adult frankly I did most of the cooking when I was married as well. I actually make things from scratch a lot of the time. Most of todays young adults are content to use prepackaged meals and even when they do cook it is a prepared recipe package. My 10 and 12 year olds do that as well as some light cooking. The art of cooking and making excellent quality meals on a budget is going the way of that 13" B&W TV unfortunately. Those who enjoy cooking will pick it up mostly by trial and error as I did the rest will be content with the prepacks.

And we had to walk to school five miles uphill both ways! Advances in a lot of things have made life easier on the one hand but more difficult on the other. The woods was more fascinating than the three channels on our 13" B&W TV but maybe not the 200+ on my current dish. As for wilderness survival MB maybe you should sit in on the class as delivered at the scout camp of your choice it really is not that hard of a MB one night in their improvised shelter. http://meritbadge.org/wiki/index.php?title=Wilderness_Survival

Sand Hill installed new rennai tankless water heaters in every campsite this year. Now they just need to install new mixing valves. the showers have curtains not locking doors but they are ok just have your buddy stand guard then return the favor.

I voted for him twice as the lesser of two evils. We have had an over the edge enviro-nut socialist and a traitorous socialist running against him. The dems don't want my advice but they need to find another governor of a small obscure state with a puffable record to be their standard bearer. Senators don't cut it they are all part of the Washington problem. Given a choice between Socialism and socialism light I guess I had to go with Socialism light. I refused to vote for Bob Dole in 96 and voted for Harry Brown. I would have liked to see Steve Forbes over GW Bush in the primaries because of his tax plan. I will not vote for Mr. Bush again as he will not be running. I would love to see him resign a few months to a year early and give Dick Cheney a term as president in reward for his years of service and to see the dems go apoplectic over it. Things I did not like: the immigration bill,non permanent tax cuts, expansion of medicare, backing off of privatization of Socialist security, kid glove ROE for the Iraq and Afganistan engagements ie the purpose of a military is to kill people and break things not to make nice with the natives. As for Iran they want to play with nukes lets send them three or four on the tips of missiles and see how they like them then.

If you want to make training more fun and have the experience to have some input call your district training chair and volunteer to be a trainer. You can "double dip" get credit for teaching a class and also being a participant. I never attended baloo started as a WDL so I went to Webelos leader outdoor instead. I have served as an instructor for Baloo with the main part I did being stoves, lanterns, tents and sleeping bags. Plus helping out with lunch and other stuff. Most districts need extra training staff. As far as the original topic of this thread Eagles can make good leaders if they have gotten to the point where they do not have to lead from the front any more. Most of the best troop leaders hang back and observe let the boys even run a little wild and only direct to keep them safe. A youth leader leads from the front by example with the rest of the troop following him.

I had better luck with records but wanted something much simpler. I had occasion to write to the council where I was a cub scout many many moons ago to see how many years I had been registered. They responded quite promptly and included all three versions of my name and address that had been written on paper. I do have a very uncommon last name which made this feat easier. Let this be a lesson to scouts today when you age out or are moving go to your council and get a printout of your records to keep with the other important papers you will need someday.

You mean his troop is not one of those whose opinion is no pullup to half pullup is not improvement so will stall his advancement there, even though most troops are lacking in proper equipment to properly demonstrate pullup's. Most 11 and 12 year olds are similarly lacking in the upper body strength to do pullup's our focus has always been upon the more scout friendly push up, sit up, 1/4 mile run and standing long jump. We are accepting of low pullup counts especially considering the various tree limbs etc. which are the indicated apparatus our CO not approving of our request to install a bar in one of their doorways.

Sometimes the problem is as simple as the BOR members define terms differently than the program side. Using the aforementioned requirement for second class 2D is: "Use the tools listed in requirement 2c to prepare tinder, kindling, and fuel for a cooking fire." if you ask any of the second or first class scouts in our troop if they have done 2D they will give you the deer in the headlights look. The question to ask them is if they have earned their totin and fireman chits. They will know they have those as those convey privileges that requirement 2D does not even though the material has been covered. We are sneaky we know they don't like to work on requirements so we put the pills in some fun syrup so they do not know they are getting them. Sometimes the people on the BOR need to be referred for some updated training like the committee member who asked me after my sons BOR for First class why he was confused on the use of a tourniquet. He had been asked when to use one and he had correctly answered never. I was at the Red Cross class with him where they covered this because someone had called attention to the fact that my first aid skills were severely out of date just like the committee member in question.

If you can find what you want on Ebay bid the most you are willing to pay in the last thirty seconds to come out a winner. Ebay is an auction market so what the items go for is by definition the market price. If you buy from a collector or a shop be prepared to pay that price plus a reasonably healthy profit. I do not know if this is the one you are seeking it is a JASM version but seems reasonably priced at the moment with reasonable S&H a similar item from a collector would probably run $40 plus S&H. http://cgi.ebay.com/WWII-Boy-Scout-JASM-Boyscout-BSA-Robbins-Hat-Pin-Medal_W0QQitemZ270141645044QQihZ017QQcategoryZ13889QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://www.scouter.com/hosting/ Our forum host also offers web site hosting for units up to 2megs for free.

http://www.boyscouttrail.com/content/song/song-612.asp The dreaded announcements song with lots of verses. How about some tongue in cheek lost and found announcements.

Our council camp canceled a week of summer camp this year due to no interest. An enterprising camp director might offer a patrol cook week and see what kind of interest they get. Maybe a big camp-wide covered dish dinner/cooking for Friday.

"Raising in excess of $200,000, this year's Sporting Clays Invitational was an unprecedented success. Held May 19th at the Peaceful Valley Scout Ranch and sponsored by Coors Brewing Company, AMG National Bank and Wells Fargo, the event boasted 31 shooting teams. The money raised during this year's event ensures that Scouts enjoy a quality and safe experience at Denver Boy Scout properties. For more information or to participate in the 2008 event please send inquiries to sportingclays@denverboyscouts.org.*" http://www.denverboyscouts.org/openrosters/ViewOrgPageLink.asp?LinkKey=10942&orgkey=1701 Please note the Scout Reservation is 3000 acres not exactly a middle of suburbia camp.

Scouts' firing range irks residents Neighbors say clay shooting events disruptive By Ivan Moreno, Rocky Mountain News July 7, 2007 ELBERT - Neighbors say the Peaceful Valley Scout Ranch is anything but that. The realization came after an explosion of shotgun blasts from the camp in May, when Boy Scouts held a two-day clay shooting fundraiser. "It sounded like Hamas had a training camp next door," said Elbert County Sheriff William Frangis, who fielded numerous calls from people who live near the ranch. The Scouts say no one complained to them. Although the camp has had a shooting range for rifles and shotguns for years, noise has not been an issue until now. Neighbors say part of their frustration is that the Scouts only notified them of the event with the sound of the guns, and they never applied for permit from the county. "They didn't talk to anyone; they just did it," said 75- year-old John Dunn, a former Elbert County commissioner and 44-year county resident who lives about a quarter mile from the Scout camp. "The noise was unbelievable," Dunn said, adding that it was enough to scare the elk, deer, and birds in the vicinity. "We haven't seen them since." The Scouts have planned five more fundraising events from July through August, but they're waiting for a permit from the county commissioners to continue using the clay shooting range. The commissioners will hear their case Wednesday. But while there's a cease-fire for now, residents fear more events like the one held May 19 and 20 will not only disturb their peace but will bring down the value of their properties. And Dirk Bird, director of the J BAR CC Ranch Camp, a Jewish summer camp across the road, said he's worried that if fundraising events persist on weekends they will "adversely impact our religious services." Then there are safety and environmental concerns. Frangis said in a letter to commissioners that the fundraisers the Scouts planned this year potentially could scatter thousands of pounds of lead from shotgun shells. He also said people have been seen smoking near stockpiles of ammunition at the camp. Jeff Herman, executive director of the Denver Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America, said he met with neighbors Monday and he's trying to reach a compromise. He also learned at the meeting that residents' frustration had been pent up for some time. "Many of them told me that they had been unhappy for a long time, but to be good neighbors they simply didn't tell us," he said. Dunn said he can't put up with the shooting because it's become a commercial operation in the form of the Brighton-based Colorado Clays shooting club. But Herman denied any affiliation with the club, even though the Colorado Clays' Web site in May boasted the grand opening of the Scouts' new shooting range surrounded by "pines, mountain valleys, lakes, and meandering streams." Richard Miller, director of Elbert County's Planning Commission, said the May event involved the Colorado Clays, and so do future events, which were also posted on the group's Web site in May. Herman said the Boy Scouts contacted Colorado Clays and asked them to remove the information from their Web site "because it was inaccurate." Herman said neighbors are asking the Boy Scouts to stop all shooting activity at the range. He said he's willing to accommodate the times when shooting can take place, but won't agree to stop shooting altogether. "This certainly cannot be an all-or-nothing proposition," he said. http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_5619407,00.html

Please also be aware that your CO or meeting place may have restrictions on the use of knives. For example back when I was WDL with a pack no one could have a pocket knife st any meeting not even the adults. We met in a local elementary school cafeteria and knives were forbidden. We had to do whittling chip instruction on campouts or other away from the school meetings.

Much better response and no timing out on the today's active topics. Thanks a bunch!!

I remember well the "expert" teacher conversations with my son's second grade teacher.Teacher "Make him do his work in class." Me Why is he failing? Teacher "No he gets A's on all the tests on Friday." Me Then give him some harder more challenging work to do in class. Teacher "No that would be rewarding him for not doing his class work." That is when I decided if I was going to be responsible for his disrespect of busy work in school anyhow that I might as well go whole hog and teach him at home. I purchased a computer based program and turned him loose when he finished his daily quota he could watch the tube play video games whatever he wanted. The state wants SAT tests yearly he is pretty consistent 90th percentile for his grade level after 4 years. The only thing he is low in is listening and I could have told them that. The boy is also a Star scout with so far 23 merit badges at 12 years old and also a computer whiz. Don't forget the expert said that Thomas A. Edison was addled and could never be taught. His mother thought otherwise and look where that has landed us.

You mean the troop really voted to keep neckers? I have heard of troops getting them custom made by a seamstress you could then screen print them for a graphics project. Find a couple of scouts who want to work on Graphic Arts MB.

We do the half hour b4 meeting thing with a monthly meeting and use a preprinted sheet for meeting plans for the month. Some blocks just logically fill themselves ie menu planning for next weeks trip. The SPL assigns a patrol to do opening and closing each week and comes up with a troop game or activity. The patrol leader is given his block of time to fill. The only patrol that we more closely monitor is the NSP the guide or the ASM will plan their instruction. Ideally the guide would do all of this but he has baseball commitments. We expect all our scouts to be prepared for the meeting with a notebook, scout book, and pencil. Our PLC members are easy to spot they are all scouts star and above, all patrol leaders, and SPL. The other scouts with POR are welcome to come but their presence is not required.

"The Night of the Broken Glass (Kristallnacht)the infamous Nazi rampage against Germany's Jewstook place in November 1938. It was preceded by the confiscation of firearms from the Jewish victims. On Nov. 8, The New York Times reported from Berlin, "Berlin Police Head Announces 'Disarming' of Jews," explaining: After invading, Nazis used pre-war lists of gun owners to confiscate firearms and many gun owners simply disappeared. Following confiscation, the Nazis were free to wreak their evil on the disarmed populace, such as on these helpless Jews from the Warsaw Ghetto. "The Berlin Police President, Count Wolf Heinrich von Helldorf, announced that as a result of a police activity in the last few weeks the entire Jewish population of Berlin had been 'disarmed' with the confiscation of 2,569 hand weapons, 1,702 firearms and 20,000 rounds of ammunition. Any Jews still found in possession of weapons without valid licenses are threatened with the severest punishment."2 On the evening of Nov. 9, Adolph Hitler, Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels and other Nazi chiefs planned the attack. Orders went out to Nazi security forces: "All Jewish stores are to be destroyed immediately . Jewish synagogues are to be set on fire . The Fhrer wishes that the police does not intervene. All Jews are to be disarmed. In the event of resistance they are to be shot immediately."3 All hell broke loose on Nov. 10: "Nazis Smash, Loot and Burn Jewish Shops and Temples," a headline read. "One of the first legal measures issued was an order by Heinrich Himmler, commander of all German police, forbidding Jews to possess any weapons whatever and imposing a penalty of twenty years confinement in a concentration camp upon every Jew found in possession of a weapon hereafter."4 Thousands of Jews were taken away. Searches of Jewish homes were calculated to seize firearms and assets and to arrest adult males. The American Consulate in Stuttgart was flooded with Jews begging for visas: "Men in whose homes old, rusty revolvers had been found during the last few days cried aloud that they did not dare ever again return to their places of residence or business. In fact, it was a mass of seething, panic-stricken humanity."5 Himmler, head of the Nazi terror police, would become an architect of the Holocaust, which consumed 6 million Jews. It was self-evident that the Jews must be disarmed before the extermination could begin. Finding out which Jews had firearms was not too difficult. The liberal Weimar Republic passed a Firearm Law in 1928 requiring extensive police records on gun owners. Hitler signed a further gun control law in early 1938." Hitler knew what he was about he disarmed his opposition first. Sound Familiar?

"Thomas Jefferson said: "No man shall ever be debarred the use of arms. The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government." Jefferson made himself even more explicit when he said: "And what country can preserve its liberties, if its rulers are not .warned from time to time, that this people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms.... The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants."" Are we there yet? That is something citizens must decide for themselves. At what point is the line crossed between a "well intentioned" nanny state and a tyranny?

I was referring to removing a boy from POR based on non attendance at troop functions and meetings. The idea being that they have self removed themselves. The old way was to count attendance in their "active" or "scout spirit" sign offs so the "attendance" requirement needs to quite properly shift to fulfilling POR requirements. They are not likely to be doing a very good job at those responsibilities if they have been MIA for a month or more. If they are registered they are active scouts by definition.

The answer kinds of depends on what type of drumming the boy is into if its native American handmade the Crazy crow is a great resource you buy the rawhide to make your drum. If however we have a rock and roller on our hands find out what exactly he wants believe me if he is that into it he will know and check E-bay and all local sources there is a robust secondary market in music equipment. It might help to check with his music teacher as to appropriate equipment.

More service is better than none we always offer the boys and even adult skills to rangers at almost every camp. An hour service project does then no harm and has the potential for good and is a payback to the camp or park in addition to the usually minimal camping fee. We even did a project for the Boy Scout reservation it was an adult project and involved removing and resetting with new wax rings the toilets in the latrine rerouting some plumbing and regrouting the toilets. We are probably going to start offering a merit badge time once per month as an alternate to skills time for the older scouts who are not teaching the younger ones. Hopefully some of the boys will follow through on the partials they got at summer camp with the in house counselors. The skills time seems to degenerate into a bull session or goofing off session for the first class and above who are not instructing.

More communication is always better than less. You may not like what you hear but at least you know. A lot of things cause people to be not as involved as others would like. For example I had always wondered why the family of our most gung-ho scout was not more involved well at summer camp parent visit I got my answer he has been battling cancer while working and has not felt well enough to be involved and he envied all of us for being able to go on trips. Get away from the hustle and bustle and have a frank discussion rather than relying on hearsay. The I don't want to burn a weeks vacation may sound more like my boss said I can't take vacation because it's our busy season. Hopefully if he is planning on leaving in a year this will be shared with you as well so appropriate steps may be taken