skeptic

As noted already, it's not really new. Even in the early years, I am sure that the level of attainment varied widely from unit to unit. Our small unit struggles with the amazing loss of skill regularly with our own youth. Last week, the primary adult suggested they may want to consider a complete review of pioneering stuff. When I was still actively working with COR events, generally the compass area, I was frustrated how many patrols had no clue how to even use the compass, much less orient it with a map and so on. I had a couple of senior youth that walked about 30 percent of the patrols through the courses each year. I was always glad to see the two or three expert backpacking goups come through, as I never had to help them much. We rand a pioneering event that had them lashing the traditional travois, but then taking it apart to create a flagpolt to hoist their flag on, though a few had to borrow a cloth for that. Again, some did well, but most had little idea about raising a flagpole and the attaching guys. Round lashings were a mystery to most.

Can never remind too often. Aaron on Scouting on YP https://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2025/04/14/when-it-comes-to-child-protection-we-are-all-mandatory-reporters/

Aware and taking precautions. "Be Prepared".

Simply a fabulous video about a major donation to the Museum. https://www.facebook.com/nationalscoutingmuseumbsa I likely will not have the pleasure of seeing it now, as travel is difficult, but I was fortunate to see part of this at least at the 2010 Jamboree.

Not sure I understand your question. No, I was or am not at the current international event. I have in the past attended three Nationals, and I observed many attendees either not getting the heat and humidity challenge or simply ignoring it for some reason. In my active adult life, I have encountered many extreme temperature and weather situations to which I needed to pay attention. Point is that heat and cold are major factors, but they include the levels of humidity as well which often are overlooked. Precaution is always the main consideration, and most of the time, those precautions are warranted. It they do not come into play, then nothing lost.

I first learned about humidity at Lackland AFB in 1965. I arrived in San Antonio at 7ish PM in the first week of June, coming from So Cal, 29 Palms. It had been over 100 every day the week before I left, but there humidy often was single digits. I got off the plan at the airport; it was in the high 80's, much lower than when I left home, by the thermometer. But I sort of just become a puddle of water right there on the tarmac. I had worked in an open pit salt mine in the Mojave just prior to that time, and I was used to hot, really hot; but as noted single digit humidity most of the time. We did have the occasional clothing clinging thunder storms on occasion; it smelled good, but everything just clung for hours after the storm moved out. Pay attention and do what has proven to help.

One of our long time adult staffers who was in charge of first aid and medical stuff for campers would get up in front of the group every morning at flags and say "drink water; don't puke!' While we were at a bit over 5000 feet, summer was very dry, as it was on the edge of the desert off the 5 between Bakersfield and L.A. I am a bit surprised that when the known weather is known, why the do not automatically furnish neck cooling rolls or similar devices. Also, making the youth, and some adults keep hats on is also a given. Today, we do have options not known at one time, wicking long sleeve shirts for example. A.P. Hill was hell due to humidity, and I guess the The Summit has that challenge too.

As long as it seems important to some to "pick sides" there will be issues. A bit of irony with how when BSA stood against the changing societal issues they got clobbered, losing sponsors and being sued. When they knuckled under, it just reversed itself and caused even more problems. Nobody wins with the refusal to simply find the middle ground and work within it.

Have no words: https://www.aol.com/news/pete-hegseth-senior-adviser-pushing-150435751.html Pete Hegseth senior adviser is pushing for Pentagon to cut ties with Scouting America Courtney Bruce Kubec

As in the beginning of this thread and its variants, nobody wins. The suffering and trauma never goes away, even with money settlements. Sadly, it almost seems as if the larger part of the iceberg had to show after the Catholic and BSA tragedies. The fact the issue is not limited to youth organizations or churches or whatever is finally being acknowledged. What is frightening is that the depth and expanse of this problem is still only beginning to be admitted. We live in and have lived in a society with seriously sordid and harmful personalities and problems that have been swept wherever or simply denied for decades. Sadly, it is likely no matter what the responses are or will be, the problem is tied to the human animal and its worst inclinations.

I tried to not say more, but the bill makes an effort to stop the lawyers from milking things. That is important, as it makes the whole process far more difficult for all concerned. The emotional insults were expected though, as ruined lives will always have pain, though putting that pain on others with no logic is sad, thus the sad emoticon. As far as my personal pain from a long life, it is nobody's business and I choose not to blame those not involved directly, nor to expand my scarring onto others if I can avoid it.

This just hit the net. Too little too late, but a step in the right direction IMO. https://www.aol.com/emotional-vote-bill-limiting-claims-093139185.html

The last few years of our scout camp operation, the camp is now gone, they had developed a flag retirement as part of the campfire program. When it came time for Taps, they had a real bugler, though his back up was a trumpet or coronet; but the interesting part was the response from afar on a trombone, repeating the notes like an echo. It always moved me. We lost our troop bugler to age out, and right now none of the few scouts care to learn. But our official bugle is almost a hundred years old, and we also have number of others that are newer. The hardest thing as I understand with the bugle is that most of the work is done with the mouth, though it appears there is a small slide of some sort on the instrument. We also have locally the what seems now requisite playing of taps with the bagpipes.

https://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2025/04/01/breaking-scouting-musical-to-premiere-at-jamboree-2026-then-move-to-the-sphere-in-las-vegas/

That is actually the best response and I apologize for bringing it in. Separating frustration from places it should be left from.