
Why the Girl Scouts Are Learning to Pick Locks and Hack Computers - ohjeez
https://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/security/a21986403/girl-scouts-pick-locks-hacking/
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ohjeez
This really makes me happy.

When I was in Girl Scouts in the 1960s, we were taught to cook. I guess that
was how they prepared us for our then-expected roles in life.

Even when I went to Girl Scout Camp (as I did from age 7 to 12), the outdoor
skills we were encouraged to learn were watered-down versions of what boys
learned. I canoed across lakes, where my husband canoed in wilderness areas on
10-day trips.

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kleiba
Well, despite this being HN, I'd still argue that for most people, knowing how
to cook is a more valuable skill to have than knowing how to pick a lock.

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toast0
I think being a locksmith earns more than most cooks (although certainly less
than high end chefs). Opening locks without keys is a big part of
locksmithing.

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jogjayr
I think they meant cooking as a life skill. Over a lifetime you'll save more
money on eating out, if you know how to cook, than you would on locksmith
services, if you know how to pick locks. Unless you're ridiculously careless
with your keys and get locked out every week, I guess. Knowing how to cook
will also keep you healthier and the value of good health is immeasurable.

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guard0g
Applaud the Girl Scouts for helping girls build skills for the 21st century!

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defkev
What "skills" exactly? Burglary and cyber crime?

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wand3r
This is part of a larger ethos of curiosity about how things work and
building, modifying and demystifying tools used everyday; e.g hacker culture.
I don’t think it is particularly fair to reduce skills like this, or frankly
_exploration_ of skills like this on private property, to one negative and
narrow usecase.

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bayesian_horse
Probably people have to check their cookie boxes for listening devices now...

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black6
Much, much better turn for the free-labor cookie-selling machine the Girl
Scouts has become over the past decade ($0.60/box back to the troop, and
available year round...).

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foolrush
So happy to see someone else flag this horrible abuse.

I would rather donate the cost of a case of cookies to the Guides than support
the free labour, but of course the policy forbids such donations. I would
think many other people would be happy to offer a 5$ donation direct to the
Guides rather than line the pockets of a corporate parasite.

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mmt
At least here in the US, it's quite easy to donate directly to a local chapter
(as well as higher levels of the organization). I've done it.

Is that not the case where you are? Or is the problem that you're trying to
support a specific troop or want to support a specific individual, and that's
forbidden?

Do you have a link to something documenting the prohibition you've
encountered?

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foolrush
When the girls are doing their rounds, I don't believe you are able to donate
directly as an "instead of" option. That is, instead of cookies, a donation
box, which would clearly state _all_ proceeds would be going to support the
local troop.

It is also quite shameful that the distribution of funds isn't clearly
indicated when the girls are funding. I suspect more people would donate
directly instead of the cookies if they saw the distribution ratios.

Here, I believe the Guides take 3.00$ of the 5.00$, with a mere 1.00$ going to
the girl in question. I would prefer to simply give 100% of the 5.00$ to the
local troop that the girl is supporting, and in turn support five girls in her
troop for the same donation amount.

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mmt
> I don't believe you are able to donate directly as an "instead of" option.

I'm pretty sure that's not the case, at least here, as I've been personally
present when a friend did exactly that.

Again, I question that what you're describing is a matter of any explicit
prohibition due to policy, rather than your conclusion based on observed
behavior (which, itself, can be explained by optimizing for maximum overall
revenue, rather than maximum revenue to any particular participant).

To me, the split between the individual girl and the scouting organization (at
troop, regional, national, or whatever level) is immaterial, because, at least
here [1], the scouting organizations have routinely been in the news for their
inclusive policies, even of otherwise politically marginalized girls,
including putting their _money_ behind such policies.

[1] Again, the US. Other countries may well be different.

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mhh__
And because it's cool? Not a girl, but I was a scout and if we were seriously
learning lock picking then the number of people going would have skyrocketed.

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test6554
If they learn to make poison and stealth, then I can finally roll a rogue
class.

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burntrelish1273
Start small: assassin merit badge.

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flatfilefan
Because there’s a large gender skew in prison population?

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ddingus
Awesome.

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ddingus
Well, seeing as how that was not taken well...

Growing up, I had an uncle teach me lock picking. Each one opened came with a
story, and some new thing he would share.

Those girls will likely see the world a bit differently, and yes. Awesome.

