Tampa Turtle

That is a good site. Enough gear for any gear crazed scout or scouter!

I say if in doubt direct the kid to intervention. If it is overkill no harm done. He will be none the worse the wear. I knew a kid in 6th grade who was a firebug. One day tried setting fire to a 1/2 gallon of gas or paint thinner in the field across from school before classes. Exploded, burning him over his face and torso. Darn near killed him. I was a safety patrol and I remember the screams a couple blocks away.

I would argue about the sincere Agnostic.

Seattle- great idea!

Beavah, I would like your opinion. Our Troop recently did a "reboot" to mixed age Patrols. So far so good. The old SM appointed the new PL's (with an eye for temperament toward working with the personalities in question --and they look like good picks). Now they are proposing APL elections, the elected APL works for 6 months and moves up to PL and a new APL is elected. What do you think?

At a previous job where we architectural work we lost power for a week and the younger guys panicked because the computers with CAD where down. I said "drag the drafting table by the window, and break out the T-square and the pens we are going old-school". I was the last class in middle school to have to use Log tables instead of calculators and the last class in architecture school to take manual drafting and CAD instead of just CAD. I like to to be able to do both...

In Tampa we have a LOT of parades --I mean 100,000+ people watching you parades. Boy Scouts usually get to march in on of the first units. It is a blast. I suggest: 1- Banner is great. 2- Have more than one flag. State, Troop or Pack (great advertising), even a City or historic one. Swap off as it is hard work. A pole holder that hangs off a strap or belt can be handy. I don't know where to get one; I have one from 1960. 3-Avoid Hard Candy -it breaks when it hits concrete. We throw beads but people get pretty crazy. Mix up what you throw, some soft candy, mini-footballs, frisbees, T-shirts. Any promotional items you can get donated. 4-Teach the boys to ration their stuff. I use to tell mine every three steps throw one thing. 5-Have some nice things you can walk up and hand to little kids that are not getting any stuff. 6-Have someone tote a wagon (with signage on sides) to haul water and extra stuff. Bring a first aid kit. 7-Have lots of extra adults. Boys tend to string out. Naturally make sure everyone is looking sharp in their uniforms. Years ago I did with my Wolf and Bear and we ran out of beads 2/3rds of the way through. Some 3 year old started crying and my Wolf ran up and gave her his little flag he was waving. Crowd applauded. While naturally I was proud it was also GREAT scout advertising.

Just don't put too much hand sanitizer in it; opps wrong thread.

In our Pack we usually had 8 to 10 dens. You kept the den number (even in Webelos when you became a "patrol") Once the Webelos aged out we reused the numbers. We always had multiple Tiger dens. They often called themselves "Siberian Tigers, White Tigers, etc to differentiate themselves. They still had the den numbers but usually didn't answer to them.

It was called the Just Water For You CAMP-356

Cheaper than Dirt has a charcol filter hang up bag that has gotten good reviews. I would send you a link but they are swamped due to the storm.

I wish I knew. Some of our old grey beards were talking about some of the hardcases they have had. Talked about one boy (always a troublemaker) who pulled a 6" knife on another boy and threatened to cut him if he tattled. Was banned for a couple campouts but eventually got Eagle!

This isn't being overbearing this is probably the sort of thing that can you fired. I would just go straight to the SE.

What about those charcoal filter bag thingies? Wouldn't that filter the muddy water?

We always have to tote our potable water. I have not hiked areas like the AT yet. I think I will go with the Steripen. I saw a filter demo and it just seemed like a big hassle. I always like the idea of the bandanna and iodine as a back up.

I belonged to one UMC church in Tampa that stated that attendance was optional on Sundays when Tampa Buccaneer home games starting with 1pm kick-offs. That was so folks could beat the traffic (2 miles away). I grew up in a south florida neighborhood as a the only catholic kid in a predominantly jewish neighborhood so I try to be sensitive of the majority/minority issues. I often was the only non-jewish kid to show up in my 4th grade class. In public school in those days (before "winter fests") we did Hanukkah instead of Christmas. I lived to tell the tale. Our public school we had a strong willed PTA president who started omitting the "under God" in the Pledge at the beginning of the meetings. Man you the next meeting the parents practically shouted the missing words during the pledge.

Clemlaw...that was you! LOL I saw that page a while ago. I liked it. When my boys were starting out in Cubs and we started buying our camping and cooking gear my rationalization to my wife was that it will double as hurricane gear. Also whenever we have a Hurricane threat (we lose power real easy around here in just a tropical storm) I always brew up a couple of thermos of coffee before I go to sleep. If I have to face the end of the world in the morning I want to face the ruins of Tampa with at least some Cuban espresso in my hand. One sunday our power was out for some time. This is the morning my wife always makes a big breakfast (bacon, pancakes, etc) before church. She turns to me and the boys and says "your the scouts, go out in the driveway and cook it".

Careful folks, the slope is just as slippery on the other side. If you avoid the topic at all costs than you might as well as cut out using the word "God" in the cub scout oath. Also a lot of parents want their kids in cubs because of traditional association with God, Country, and service. They hope it will be a good influence. The whole "God thing" in scouts is already pretty watered down. We have never really had an issue at our (public school) Pack in spite of having a pretty diverse (Catholic, Protestants, Jewish, Moslem, Buddhist) scouts and scout parents. I usually tell them that it is important enough issue to think about and talk to your family and leave it at that. Leave to the family, don't avoid it, be inclusive, and trust the kid when he said he did it. (my favorite was a kid who said "My mom says were lazy once-a-year jews" and I told him "yeah we got those too kid".)

Folks keep mixing Pack and Troop issues. I think while both often sell popcorn I think there are differing levels of commitment. Generally one is easier with the cubs and parents as they are newer to scouting and expect more of Boy Scouts and parents as they have self selected themselves to some degree. With our Pack we did not distribute popcorn revenues though we did do prizes, drawings, etc. Our sales funded 3 campouts, awards and beltloops, and subsidized 1/2 the membership/boyslife fees as well as books and neckers. In our Troop boys get the "Troop share" of popcorn sales for scout accounts. We have several other fund raisers we expect all boys to either sell or put in sweat equity. Those funds subsidize some trips, troop equipment, etc. In both cases we will help a family out but most will not ask. When I was unemployed I did arrange to swap my membership fees for becoming the den leader -- a move that probably cost me more in the long run!

Boomer, You are right. Everyone should have do something. I am a process person, my wife is a project person. I will go to the meetings and debate policy, she hates those but will work all day on a tree planting. A third might contribute cash for an outing. A fourth might have a valuable talent like sewing and whip up some patch vests for the new Tiger den. Everyone should find a way to contribute.

Basement, I did not see your description before commenting. Yeah, he has a problem...get help. And yes I agree he needs to have consequences...

For our Pack (the hated)Popcorn was a great fundraiser and financed almost all fees. We asked that all kids try to sell at least a couple boxes. 1'd say 10% of the kids sold 80% of the popcorn. I was one of the families that was financially strapped at times so I volunteered alot. In general we asked everyone to DO SOMETHING at least once during the year. In general once we hit a critical mass there was a culture of everyone pitching in.

We have had good luck in making those guys fire tenders and doing it right. We also have referred a couple to the local FD with good results.

One of our ASM's is the Crew Chief for the NOAA Hurricane Hunters flying out of MacDill here in Tampa. He has been real busy. I also work with some of local weather service guys as part of my job. I also use Jeff McMaster's Weather Underground site (wunderground). The discussion is usually good and his analysis usually precedes the NOAA. Their are some politics involved in the NOAA tracks as they are the official "trigger" for local governments so they can lag a bit. The models are getting better and better but I usually like to look at the "Spaghetti Model" runs. The good news for the NE it appears to be weakening some and may hit rather than skirt NC. Could still be plenty bad enough. Hurricanes have wind, rain, storm surge so they can get you a number of ways.

If you live on the coast from NC north to New England please pay attention. This storm may not do a right hook after NC but may go north. Real possibility of severe flooding and storm surge.