OldGreyEagle

I don't know how many of you watched the Tournament of Roses Parade, I was on my way home from Arkansas after visiting my father myself. One of the plethora of High School Bands that were on the parade were the Liberty Hurricaines from Bethlehem, PA. That tall thin Drum Major is an Eagle Scout. The Band has a rigourous schedule, some have said football games at Liberty were played so the band would have a place to appear (Then in 2008 the team won the state Championship in their class but I digress. Lots of kids want on the Band and the schedule is brutal. "Band Camp" in the summer is the worst, 8-4 or something like that matching in fields, getting down the footwork et al. The beginning of Band Camp always seemed to be during the week the Troop went to summer camp. And there was no leniency, you miss any part of Band Camp, and you can't be in the Band. Very powerful incentive as I understand. Our Scoutmaster made an appointment to talk to the band Director about letting the scouts stay at camp and come "Late". No Deal the scoutmaster was told. The Scoutmaster asked about the composition of the band and the student struture. The Band has student Officers and a student Quartermaster to take care of the equipment. The Scoutmaster then rattled off the names of the past 5 Quartermasters and various Band Officers, the Band Director asked why the Scoutmaster would know these kids and was told. "They are all Boy Scouts", not all from the Troop he served, but from the Troops in town. The Band Director said he appointed as Quartermaster Seniors who were diligient and trustworthy students, he did not releaize they were also Eagle Scouts. The Scouts got their repreive from Band Camp. During Band season its another story. The Bando's come to events when they can and since the football team has the unmitigated gall to win the State Championship, that was one long season. Stretched across Scouting for Food weekends and other events. Duty Rosters factor in when the band kids come so the work is spread out. BTW, one of the linebackers on the Football team is a Life Scout, prospective Eagle Candidate this Spring. There is noting like seeing the younger scouts run over to him and look at his Letterman's jacket with patches, medals, and then see the Boy Scout uniform under it. Pretty powerful stuff

All Male, All Female, Co -Ed, its up to the Crew

If the outgoing president is no longer in office, and after noon he isnt. And the president elect is not sworn in, then the line of succession would put it at the Speaker of the House, President Peloisi, I presume only if for a very short time

Obesity is defined by the new Medical form, naturally. Too Fat, Too Bad, thats it, fat is out and thin is in

GWD, I don't know if you have ever partaken of Local Sports Radio Shows. As I have travled around the country, I have listend to several Sports Radio Stations. Most do not have live independent programming, most are national broadcasts, but everyonce in awhile you get a live guy talking to a specific market. And, while each guy tries to be different, they all sound the same. Unless the home team is winning every game by a landslide, some idiot in the front office, either Owner, General manager or Coach needs to be replaced. If every star is not producing stellar "Hall of Fame" stats every game, then that player can be accused of "dogging it". In case the team is actually doing well, they will focus on how can they expect to keep up this level of play and shouldnt they be trading for this one, or signing that one, there always has to be controversy real or imagined. The same with policical radio. Unless the powers that be are doing exactly as thr hosts thinks they should, well then, obviously the politician has taken a blow to the head and can't be trusted. Always thought Rush Limbaugh should have donated big time to the Clinton Library in Little Rock. If not for the Clinton presidency Rush would still be in Cape Girardeau.

When it Comes to Wood Badge, you have to be careful, which Wood Badge do you mean? I mean not all Wood Badge is the same, right?

Jimmy Carter has done quite a bit of good with Habitat for Humanity as strange as he has been the last few years. There have been calls for Volunteerism in America before, I don't understand why when Obama calls for it, its like no one ever thought of it before

If I remember correctly, and if I don't, I rest assured I will be corrected, but didnt ol' 41 call for the Thousand Points of Light? Thousands of people volunteering in the community? That didnt get a lot of play either. The fear I have of guys like Hannity and the slew of Right Wing Hosts is their use of hyperbole. And I know hyperbole when I see it. Hannity has all but labeled Obama the AntiChrist. Others point at virtually everyhing he does as wrong so often that people have become inured to it. If Obama actually starts down the road to something really bad, who will pay attention to those who point it out? There has been so much naysaying about Obama, I am not sure many listen to it anymore, and the naysayers only have themselves to blame

isn't there a State Prison in Dixon Il?

Can you substantiate your claim "95% of the holders of the Wood Badge do not read about Scouting" or is that like the supposition that you can't Criticize Wood Badge on this site? I know, 95% of all statistics are made up, 50% of the time

Runs Batted in Homers Batting Average?

So while in McDonalds, I pay for my Big Mac with a bill that has printed on it, "This Dollar presented to you by the Burger King", I love the irony. I shall buy my Ford with money brought to you by, well at this point, any money has is brought to you by the American Taxpayer, not necessarily the American people. if they can have the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, we can have a Fiver brought to you by Bob's Big Boy

Sometimes I think we are in a position of betwixt and between. I don't know if I mentioned this, but I didn't take the version of Wood Badge prior to Wood badge for the 21rst Century as it was not available. But I do have a questin for those who did. Could the Wood Badge version before Wood Badge for the 21rst Century or any other version of Wood Badge teach a newbie all the camping skills required for a Scoutmaster? An ourdoorsman? I am reminded of GAHillBilly's thoughts on Scouters who couldn't tell a box elder from a willow, or something like that. Did you learn those things from The Elder Wood Badge courses? Did you learn to identify the Constellations and how to identify the North Star? Was that in the curriculum? If a willing volunteer came to you and told you he has lived in suburban and urban environments all his life and wants to be a Scoutmaster, he confesses he has no outdoors other than how to program a Garmin, would any version of the elder Wood Badges have taught him in 6 days all the skills he needs?

pack, have I ever lied to you before? At least as far as you know? Anyway, I googled the phrase "Hocus Pocus" and some references seem to support my story and others don't. I choose to believe it, you don't have to but even if we hold differing beliefs, we can still be friends in the Brotherhood of Scouting (quick Ed, cue the Kum Ba Yah Chorus)

How can you say "Oops! Admitting that Wood Badge is just a corporate business manager course is against the rules here," When have you ever been sanctioned, edited or otherwise effected for saying so? I don't agree with your opinions, but you still express them here. How can you say what is against the rules when you have no evidence such a rule exists?

Kahuna I can only explain myself from my set of experiences and situation, that is what I am trying to do. I object to the characterization that the whole of BSA are a bunch of money grubbing scum sucking pigs. Perhaps some are, I beleive most are not. To rage against the BSA continually is of no benefit.

Pack, to be accurate the bread becomes the flesh of Jesus at the Consecration when the priest says "This is my Body" and the wine his blood when he says "This is my blood". In Latin the phrase "This is my Body" is "Hoc Est Enim Corpus Meum". During the Prostestant reformation this phrase was mocked and became the origination of the taunt, "You don't beleive in all that "Hocus Pocus" do you?

being a Wood Badge graduate does not automatically imbue in you the ability to find the North star, start a fire without a match or anything else. It gives you a set of skills you are to use in your Scouting position. if the Wood Badge graduates had followed their training they would have been prepared and could have done what they were supposed to, the lack of preparation is a fault of the individual, not the curriculum. In any graduating class of Surgeons, there is the best and worst surgeon, the curriculum has little to do with who is which

Dean, don't le the naysayers kill Wood Badge for you. I took Wood Badge for the 21rst Century and liked it. I never took the old course, it was not available to me to I can't compare it. But if you want to get into a group of people who are as excited about scouting as you are, then don't be afraid. 21rst Century Wood Badge has been derided as just being "another management course" and the same ol' same ol'. But to the people in the course, the mechanics, the factory line works, the people who are not management, who have never taken any managerial training, it was quite helpful. It's easy to say what's wrong with something, how much more poor somehting is that its predecessor especially when those who are being derided have no opprotunity to experience that which is gone.

I kinda like the Wood Badge Course the way it is. I can't compare it with the old course because it wasn't available to me. I don't know why Wood Badge was changed, it was changed before I had a chance to take it. Perhaps one of the reasons it was changed was because of the good ol' boy network that seemed to develop, being invited, having to know the right people to get into the select group. Maybe BSA for all the knocks about not being inclusive enough wanted to have a singular experience for all, I don't know. I do know that continually harrassing those of us who did not have the opportunity to take the old course is not Helpful, Friendly, Courteous or Kind. Boy Scouts will have to change, then again when you think about it, it always has

I choose to stand by what I have said

Well, like I said, without any insults, what are you talking about?

And yet Venturing, as part of the BSA still has the same mission and vision. Whehter a Crew is Sports, Arts and Hobbies, Relgious Life, Sea Scouting or Outdoors they have the same vision and mission. I guess there are those think those who support the various aspects of Venturing are just trampling on B-P's grave. But I disagree Wood Craft skills are very important, and fun as well, but that doesnt mean we kick to the curb those who have no interest or have families who have no interest in Wood Craft skills or the outdoors

So I am greedy and dishonest because I beleive The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law. The Boy Scouts of America will prepare every eligible youth in America to become a responsible, participating citizen and leader who is guided by the Scout Oath and Law. There is a lot of talk about what B-P intended the Boy Scout movement to be. I have asked before that people listen to B-P himself descibe the Boy Scout Movement, I ask again, listen to B-P's Message to the Public, the 4th Speech down. http://www.thescoutingpages.org.uk/speeches.html B-P talks about Scouting as being a School of Charactor and spends quite a lot of time talking about how important Charactor is, and he says that Scout trains to be a Good Citizen. Lets see, Charactor and Citizenship, those two attributes sound familiar. And he talks about "The boys are eager to join in a jolly game of fellowship, with its Healthy camp life and handy pioneer training. " In the three minute or so speech he mentions camping once. He mentions "scout skills" once as Pioneer training. B-P wanted to help young men become healthy concerned citizens of good charactor. If he was around today, I am sure he would want to still produce men of Charactor who were healthy (Physcially fit) and good citizens, but I don't know as he would use the present delivery system. He would seek that what interests the boys and weave his program in that. How do I know what B-P would think or do? I don't, but what I have supposed is my opinion based on my readings of his life and listening to his words. Listen to that speech, it reveals a depth of humor I did not understand until I heard it. So before we talk to 60 boys and end up with 25% and consider that a fine days recruiting, what would B-P think of us throwing away the other 45 because they or their family do not fit the mold? Would he say that's just the way I intended or Hey guys, you missed the point? Not that I do not think the Outdoor Method is antiquated, it is not. But if you made the best buggy whips the world could buy and then decided maybe also making windshield wiper blades for those new fangled automobiles, are you running from tradition or running to the future? Still make whips, but don't be afraid to branch out either. By the way, does anyone know the present 5 groupings in Venturing?

Can you explain that Kudu, without insults? Are you saying I am greedy and dishonest because I believe in the Mission and Vision Statements of the BSA? And what is this "brown nose" you mention, can you elaborate? (This message has been edited by OldGreyEagle)