OldGreyEagle

Ok Judy, get your walker and lets do the time warp again...

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal..." Yeah, sounds like a bunch of weirdo hippie commie crapola to me

A long long time ago in a galaxy far far away, after Brownsea Island but before the demise of the red beret, I was working on my Eagle. The last merit badge I earned was the Nature I beleive, it was required and was more like the Environmental Sciences merit badge of today than todays Natuer MB. The closest counselor for that badge was in the next town over. I will never forget Mr Olsen. He was as mean and gruff and nasty an old man as I have ever met. The first time I met him,he looked at my pre work, said it was junk and told me I had to redo it. Which crushed me, I had always passed the merit badge first time out. I redid the work as he said and came back. He insisted I wear my uniform when I returned, so I showed up in my uniform. I think he didnt think I would do that because he wasnt in uniform. We went into his den and he excused himself, he was unbuttoning his shirt as he left the room. He came back in the room uniform shirt on, pulling up his pants and buckling his belt, and I know he is a boxer man. (funny, didnt think anything of it at the time). He reviwed my work, said it was ok and I got the badge. I remember later at the District Eagle COurt of Honor being asked who I did Nature with, and I said Mr Olsen. Wow said a few kids, he is tough, I said yeah he made me do mine over once, and one kid said, your lucky, most kids do it over 3 times, and I felt great. Anyway, learning to deal with adults you dont know, Adult Association, where have I heard that term before?

Ed, I'll play along just because I want to see your response. I will assume,and I understand the implications, that if your SPL is new, he understands the role and responsibilities of the SPL because you have gone over it with him. If he is acting SPL, he has watched other SPL's perform in the role and the reason he is the acting SPL is because he has it "going on" and knows what to do. If he knew he was to be the acting SPL, he would have been briefed by the SPL, or you, on what his role for the weekend would be. And lets say for hecks sake, the boy has a brain cramp. Just gets to the campsite and starts to pitch his tent, oblivious to anything else. You could go over and tell him to get the troop gear unpacked. That would work. Later that weekend you might have some scouts complain to you that the SPL is always running around telling people what to do and its driving the kids crazy. Then again, he is just modeling your behavior. On the other hand ( I have four fingers and a thumb, but I digress)you could approach the wayward SPL while he is pitching his tent and ask him about the troop equipment and who did he assign to get it set up. I wont give you a word for word script, but something that nudges him to realize he needs to get things going. Maybe later that weekend the scouts might tell you how ncie and relaxed the SPL is and how he asks questions and makes suggesitons rather than telling them what to do. Both methods would work, which do you want the scout to use for his life?

If you mean a reference sheet, with applicable BSA publications cited, I could see that for general public use. It would have to be reviewed annually to be updated, but I can see the value in it.

Ed, if you have to tell your SPL to get the gear unloaded when you get to camp, you have problems that will take longer than 10 minutes to discuss, the least of which will be why the gear needs to be unloaded.

::voice from the Gallery:: You Go Girl! Show up in full uniform nothing more intimidating that someone in a full uniform talking the truth. Bring along the Scout Handbook, Scoutmasters Handbook and Advancement COmmittee publication and speak in soft measured tones. If the conversation starts to get loud, speak softer, she will have to tone down to hear you. Stay on the BSA side of written things and see what happens

Interesting story here, Last weekend, May 6-7-8, I attended the Northeast Region Venture Quest at Camp Tuckahoe, Dillsburg, PA. As I was a presenter I brought along my extra long extension cord, video projector, computer and sound system as well as MY CPAP machine (the Crew calls it the de-snore-alizer)The cabin I was in only had electric outlets against the far wall from the bunks, but my extension cord made it with room to spare. I left the three way outlet adapter on the plug and set up my machine. Later that night, when I returned to the cabin after the cracker barrel, I got to my bunk and noticed the cord looked funny, it was glowing, then I felt a nudge, the guy in the next bunk over said he had a CPAP machine as well and didnt have a cord and saw I had an outlet open and did I mind him plugging in. I told him fine. The next morning walking to breakfast, I was told by another resident of out cabin it was the quietest night he had ever had in a cabin with that many adults. he doesnt know how lucky he was!

(I'm not a youth)

I don't think a youth only forum is a good idea. One of the methods of Scouting is Adult Association and it may be the most powerful one here on the net, where anyone can claim to be anyone else, as has been done here numerous times. I can see identifying a youth by some sort of Icon, but to have section just for the youth I dont think is a good idea.

Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light. Though wise men at their end know dark is right, Because their words had forked no lightning they Do not go gentle into that good night. Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay, Rage, rage against the dying of the light. Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight, And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way, Do not go gentle into that good night. Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay, Rage, rage against the dying of the light. And you, my father, there on the sad height, Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray. Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

"...I suppose you are required to stop being a scoutmaster as soon as you can no longer act as a teenager...." In that case I think I can be a scoutmaster for a very very long time as I have often been voted the Troops oldest teenager

Is this a "rule" made by the PLC or the adults?

Ok, as we have seen the Eagle Court can be boring, whats the best one you have seen and what made it special ?

(gavvin got his post in first and we have very similar examples, but I assure you, my post was written without seeing gavin's) Prairie_Scouter, The KKK is "allowed" to exist, The American Nazi party is allowed to "exist" for that matter Nambla is "allowed" to exist and Augusta National is allowed to not have females as members. So when you ask if there is a line that private organizations can't cross, I have to say from the empirical data, no, there isn't a line that private organizations can't cross. There may be exceptions and I can't wait to see what they are. You mention that "line", which I take is another way of saying what is acceptable in todays' society. The question is do the organizations care? Both the KKK and the American Nazi party could probably pick up quite a few new members if they backed off some of their key beliefs, but I don't see that happening anytime soon. Now, the BSA says they are a private organization so they get to make up their own membership requirements. How we are preceived by the public doesnt matter if keeping to the core beliefs is more important than our image. Then one may ask our image to who? After all, for all those they say BSA values are outmoded, there are plenty who say you guys are right on and dont change. So, who should the BSA be appealing to? Familiy units with youth for our programs or to a rather vocal minority that wants us to change? Its an interesting ethical controversy, aint it? If the BSA is to change, and all organizations change over time, I want it to come from within. We will change when we want, and not because somebody says you have to. Weird thing about that, I am not sure I wouldnt be opposed to changing the membership requirements, but only if the BSA decides to do it, not because somebody outside the organization wants us to. I guess the greater question is, if you dont like the BSA the way it is (no, I am not going to say start another group) what are you doing to change it. Are you working on getting on Council, Regional, National level Committees, what are you doing that will aide the change? Posting here is fun and at times funny and other times miserable, but hardly constitutes a grass roots effort to change the BSA. (BTW, there is no attempt to compare the BSA with any organization mentioned, they are are mentioned for purposes of illustration only)(This message has been edited by OldGreyEagle)

Sung to the tune of "As the cassions go rolling along Over hill, over dale As we hit the scouting trail and the Boy Scouts keep hiking along In and out Hear them shout Gee, I'm glad to be a scout and the Boy Scouts keep hiking along For its Hi-Hi-Hee Troop (insert number here) is for me Shout out those numbers loud and strong (Troop shouts the number) And wherever you go You will always know that the Boy Scouts keep hiking along Keep 'em hiking and the Boy Scouts keep hiking along... (repeat till insanity sets in, then why stop there? )

I think the best approach would be to have governmental units not Charter BSA units so the ACLU would have nothing to sue governmental units over, perhaps, cut off os this revenue, the ACLU would wither or die.

No, the First Aid merit badge requirements are a start, but in no way approach the core First Aid requirements for the Outdoor Bronze.

George Carlin and I may be funny, but I do know one thing he is that I am not, George Carlin is one of the biggest (correct use of word?) Atheists I know. No more Hippy Dippy Weatherman for the Edster

Ed, do you think George Carlin is Funny?

The Backcountry video found on the Yellowstone National Park web site talks about burning your trash and then sifting through the ashes to pull out unconsumables, such as aluminum foil, which is then packed out. My thought is the fire will destroy the food odor you would get with packing 2-3 day old garbage around.

Nothing like defining your terms whether its by-laws or pornography. There was a time when Thomas Hardy's Tess of the D'Ubervilles and Alexandre Dumas's Camille were considered porno. Tortdogs definition was for graphics/pictures. What about literature ? (This message has been edited by OldGreyEagle)

http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/cape/050105WHALEWATCHA30.cfm

Ed, I think the next time you see a Menorah on the steps of the City County Building (whatever that is), I think you should contact the local ACLU office and sue, I am sure Merlyn would be happy to assist you in finding the right person to contact. However, if you do not intend to contact the ACLU over this, don't talk about it

Personally I ise my fingers unless they are sugared or honey dipt in which case I will use the toothpick on my swiss army knife