[Philmont]: Re: New Reservation System

I'm a fan of the new system. Part of that is being a statistician of
sorts...with more respect for "RANDOM SELECTION" than "5th caller--radio
phone-in" systems.

Our troop has never had a trek, nor has our Venturing Crew. The Crew going
in 2005 for the first time because of the new process last fall.

Honestly, I believe that crews/troops who have never gone or who have not
gone in several years COULD be given a bit of an advantage. Say that those
whose troops have not gone in 5-10 years could get a double-chance in the
lottery. And those who have never gone could get 3 chances. Or some other
statistical adjustment.

I think that would be a fair accomodation. But much walk down that path and
you also risk turning the system away from something that is inherently fair
for the first time in decades...purely random selection.

I also suspect that the staff requirements at Philmont would be pretty
different if suddenly they got a huge percentage increase of first-time
crews. I suspect first-time crews take a little more care and maintenance
than veteran crews who have been there on a regular basis.

In this random system, there will still be troops who get a slot every other
year, while some troops hang out there 5-10 years with no slot. Somewhere
in the guts of the system, some statistician could figure out the likelihood
that a troop would get skipped repeatedly. I'm sure that the Philmont/BSA
folks know this, even if they aren't sharing that statistic.

But adjusting the system requires someone to say what is a "fair"
adjustment. There's no real objective way of doing that. Purely random,
one-bid per unit is the only system that EVERYONE would agree is fair.

YiS,

Mark Johnson
SM T-281
Longhorn Council
The Colony TX

"I used to be an Owl, and a good old Owl too!"

-------------------------------------------------------
Scouting E-mail Discussion Lists @ usscouts.org
Subscribe/Unsubscribe at http://usscouts.org/lists/
Listserv Commands at http://usscouts.org/lists/lc.asp
-------------------------------------------------------
Send listserv commands to: listserv@troop47.com
Send postings to: philmont@troop47.com
List FAQ found at: http://usscouts.org/lists/faq.asp
List Administrator: philmont_owner@troop47.com
-------------------------------------------------------
As you gather around this virtual campfire with fellow
Scouts and Scouters, do your best to be trustworthy,
loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient,
cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent.
-------------------------------------------------------

 
Received on Sun Nov 28 05:11:17 2004