Posted on 04/16/2010 2:10:09 PM PDT by Domandred
I wasnt a very good Boy Scout when I signed-up at 6 years old. It wasnt that I didnt have fun traipsing around the woods instead, I spent most of my time daydreaming about my brand new computer, a 1982 ZX Spectrum.
(Excerpt) Read more at bits.blogs.nytimes.com ...
Grabbed and scouted some cache locations and made the scouts find them using compass and map work instead of GPS.
They had fun doing it, then showed them how to do some others with GPS.
the Boy Scouts of America have figured a way to merge the two worlds of digital and nature with the launch of a new badge for geocaching.
What is geocaching you ask? Its like a treasure hunt, but instead of an old tea-stained map with a giant red X, geohunters use GPS devices to find hidden containers, or treasure if youre a Boy Scout.
lol
And I apologize because like many NY Slimes articles it’s inaccurate.
The BSA page is for Geocaching activities, but makes no mention that I could find of any actual new merit badge.
Would have been more fun back when unencrypted GPS had a deliberate 100-meter random error.
Uh, Nick?
I seriously doubt you joined the Boy Scouts at 6 years old...
But what would I expect from a NYT “Journalist”?
Scouting Ping SandRat.
GPS is cool, and should be included, but not at the expense of map and compass skills. I agree with your approach. Demonstrate and teach both. EDGE model.
Batteries do die afterall.
I noticed that too. He'd have had to join the Tiger Cubs at that age. Even too young for Cub Scouts.
My hunting area the logging roads that have been there since the 40's don't show on my hand held even at greatest detail. Had to find a third party download for that.
My car GPS wanted me to go over a bridge that had been torn down for a new byway down in Arizona.
Not saying a paper map would have been any better for the car GPS problem, but for my hunting area paper and compass beats the GPS.
A new paper map is a lot cheaper to update than electronic GPS map. Compasses never need updating, though done a lot of replacing of lost ones.
Agreed. GPS has its place in Orienteering, but I don’t know that I would bet my life on it.
I haven’t made the leap into handhelds yet. The costs are coming down and maps are getting better, but as you noted, there are still some drawbacks to GPS vs. map and compass.
How the hell do you sew on a digital badge?
Just funnin, go Boy Scouts! Ruin to your evil detractors!
“Can you build a firewall with just two sticks and some tinder?”
As the mom of an Eagle Scout and the wife of a computer software engineer, I would like to personally thank you for making me laugh! Great line!
The future's all yours you stupid bicycle .
Discontinued in 1995
Scout Ping
I’m surprised that a good liberal writer for the N.Y. Times would admit to having been in the Boy Scouts at all. The Scouts are considered evil and loathsome by the liberals due to the ban on homosexual scoutmasters. To the good liberals, that ban overrides any other good that the Boy Scouts have ever done.
Or, is this writer indicting his own parents for enrolling him in scouting, as obviously they were not enlightened enough about gay issues to keep him out of that loathsome organization. (sarcasm)
I already started a post with liar, liar but then thought.... Tiger Cub
Are they 6 or 7?
My work was at the other end of the line and I simply don’t know
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