LettersCost MattersI was surprised to see that Great Gear, [“Gimme Shelter,” September-October] did not include one tent under $299 for mostly three-season, two-person tents. While all of the tents discussed are great, lower-cost, high-quality tents such as the Eureka! Forte SQ 2XT, Kelty Gunnison Pro, or REI Half Dome 2 would have balanced the article better in these hard times. Mark Smilor Face the MusicIn regard to Ethics [“To Pay or Not to Pay?”, September-October], I agree that music piracy needs to be addressed and stressed with our young men. I do not agree wholly with the author’s interpretation and explanation. He brought up the issue of iTunes. When I purchase a song or album from the Internet, by far the most common way to buy music, I burn it to a CD or have a way to listen to it from a portable device, unless I want to sit in front of my computer. You are allowed to have a CD, play it on a portable device, or listen to it on your computer—all part of the agreement. If the subject of ethics as it applies to the music industry is to be broached, it needs to be explained in the proper way. The author’s comment about leaders in front of Scouts not playing CDs downloaded from the Internet was a bit over the top. Ethics are a big part of my life, but they need to be taught fully, not haphazardly. Jacqualea Cooley We wanted to give you a nice shout-out for the music downloading article. The piece discusses the ethical issues surrounding illegal downloading among adolescents today and offers helpful tips on how to set the best examples for Scouts. We heartily applaud Scouting magazine for highlighting this important issue and encouraging Scout leaders to start an open dialogue with their Scouts. This kind of responsibility serves as a useful and teachable moment for those who may not yet know the harmful impact of piracy on our rich culture and American jobs. It’s also a great opportunity to discuss all the different ways young fans can access legal music today. After all, the best kind of Scout is a prepared one! Cara Duckworth An Insightful 'Bully'Thanks for “The Troop Bully” [September-October]. It provides great insight into what is happening or could happen in our dens and patrols. As a Webelos leader, this article helped open my eyes to potential problems and how to nip them. Keep up the good work. David Seijo Artifact FactsI enjoyed the article about Isle Royale [“Walk on the Wild Side,” September-October]. I am concerned, however, that the author talks about looking around and “stumbling” on an Indian artifact without noting that it is illegal to remove archaeological remains (among other things) from national parks. As an archaeologist, it is disturbing to find and hear of important sites that have been looted for their artifacts. The Boy Scouts have an Archaeology merit badge. Perhaps a quick read is in order before suggesting this activity. Sue Nolan A Raisin for ConcernI read with great interest the article in Fuel Up [“To Pack, or Not to Pack,” September-October], since I live in the area that produces 50 percent of the world’s supply of raisins. But the article leads one to believe that all raisins are processed with sulfur and/or sugar, which is not correct. The most common raisins purchased by consumers are the sun-dried natural raisins. These are not sulfured during processing, nor do they have sugar added during processing. There are raisins, like golden raisins, which are sulfured during processing, but they are labeled with that information on the package. Some raisins do have sugar added, but they are usually found in breakfast cereals and snack products. Mike Ridgway CorrectionIn Ground Rules [“The Bear Facts,” September-October], a sentence about bear-proofing your campsite should have read, “Set up the cooking area at least 100 yards downwind from where you sleep.” We regret the error. |