RememberSchiff

I have not been a Perry fan but IMO he has handled this nonsense well. I like the double-sided T-shirt which his supporters are now selling. No the backside is not Hillary/Benghazi but that may be coming soon.

Absurd. Camp usage fees up? Seems they should be down to 0 from the closing and selling of camps by Michigan Crossroads Council. A few weeks ago, they sold Camp Awagam for $1,025,000 (appraised value $1.5mil). http://www.clarkstonnews.com/Articles-News-i-2014-08-06-255792.113121-sub14474.113121-Orion-Twp-purchases-Camp-Agawam-for-1025-million.html My $0.02

Well you would not likely use a throwing knife for the utility tasks that scouting knives are used - cutting, whittling/shaving, a throwing knife is only thrown at a target like arrows and bullets which we consider weapons. We are not saying no, we are saying we adults will keep them secure until the activity safely starts. Not a javelin, but we had a scout bring a set of 3 atlatls. I took charge of them quick. Have not seen any swords yet.

Ashyton's disabilities include autism, cerebral palsy and difficulty eating and speaking Great story. Watch video http://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/local/2014/08/23/boy-scout-pursues-dream-despite-autism/14506161/ Scout salute

No response to my emails. Yesterday, I was near one of the camps that I was seeking a reservation so I dropped in to see the camp ranger. He wasn't there but he was thoughtful enough to leave a note on his office door with a phone number that I had called in vane. I noticed there was an outside group camping there. Rather unusual camp gear.

If you reached a summit with a USGS marker, then you earned it. Note there is space to engrave information as you choose and can fit - summit, elevation, or date, or With My Dad,... This ebay seller has that medallion and specific summit medallions. http://www.ebay.com/sch/sis.html?_nkw=BOY%20SCOUT%20SUMMITEER%20HIKING%20STAFF%20MEDALLION%20USGS%20I%20MADE%20IT%20SUMMIT%20BENCHMARK%20BSA&_itemId=390680863449

CP, I like it! So far, no response to my emails either. Yo Al dwn dey www

Here's my money saving idea - cancel all Council phone (landline, cellphone) contracts. Over the past 2 days, I have phoned 3 councils multiple times and spoken to no one. Their robo messages seem to indicate they prefer e-mail, so let them have email and save us money by removing all phones. If I don't get any response emails by tonight, I'll tweet Al Gore who will take their internet away.

IMO, keep the scouts in the loop during research particularly about SAFETY. We were concerned about two issues: 1. knife bounce-back. New throwers are often inclined to throw a knife like a fast ball. Lighter knife mass and target geometries and hardness come into play more so than with heavier hawks. Couldn't find any knowledgeable instructors. 2. Scouts wanted to freely bring their knives which raised safety concerns as adults wanted throwing knives under lock. Agreement on this was not reached so end of game. Our scouts viewed a throwing knife the same as a scout knife. Adults viewed a throwing knife as a weapon same as a rifle. Some of us adults remember throwing scout knives in a dumb game of chicken. So no knife throwing range yet and maybe never, but we had some good safety discussions. Some links from our research. Professional group http://www.akta-usa.com/docs/rules.htm target http://www.instructables.com/id/Portable-AKTA-style-target-for-knife-and-tomahawk-/

I dunno since he has started wearing glasses, he has a Clark Kent alter identity working for him. t Mug Shot - guy no glasses, blue tie. Presidential candidate - guy with glasses and red tie.

8/18/2104 Homeland Security OIG released their official report All press releases http://www.oig.dhs.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=211&Itemid=201 Investigation of Alcan Boy Scout Encounter (allegations denied across the board, interesting how marijuana came up in the report.) http://www.oig.dhs.gov/assets/pr/2014/Inv_Alc_Boy_Sco_Enc.pdf Allegations of CBP Gun Incident with Boy Scouts Unsubstantiated http://www.oig.dhs.gov/assets/pr/2014/oigpr_081814.pdf

Albeit late, the PLC has decided their program year which the Troop Committee approved. Now to make the reservations. Regarding scout camps, some councils have an online system, some are still usng phone call and/or mail-in reservations. Worse some scout camps are holding off taking reservations on some fall weekends until districts and maybe OA post their camping plans, but that's another topic. So can you reserve a weekend campout online with your council?

Thanks for the information Merlyn. I found no information regarding recall elections in Travis County where she is DA.

Regarding Lehmberg, did voters petition for a recall election?

"The Eagle Scouts Cycling Across America are members of Troop 165, based in Spotsylvania County (VA). They relied on foot power, perseverance and mental fortitude to pedal their bikes almost 3,800 miles, through mountains of California, deserts of Nevada, coal country of Kentucky to the foothills of the Blue Ridge. But read the EXCELLENT story link below. There will be a quiz on fundraising, flat tires, participants, and great people they met, http://news.fredericksburg.com/newsd...-bike-journey/

Eastern Mountain Sports has annual Club Days with discounts of 20% or more on most items. "Club" as buyer is a registered member in an organized group: Boy Scouts, school outing club, AMC, Sierra Club... REI has Member (registered with REI) discount weekends with similar discounts.

That is a very good question. What have his scouts learned from this? He may have taught them to be sheep not citizens. If his scouts made a mistake then step up and admit it. If his scouts did see a gun drawn, step up and give a statement. A scout is Brave. If the IGO investigators were prepared, they should have brought along items that could have been mistaken for a handgun - clipboard, flashlight, etc .for scouts to examine. I wonder how many of his scouts will drop out this fall as a result. Good point about their names being placed on a warning or watch list.

We ALL review first aid (Readyman) periodically. Be Prepared. It does not need to be presented the same way or by the same person. You have the opportunity to give your Webs a taste of scouting by having those that completed Readyman attempt to teach those who have not. You might arrange a class with your local town EMTs Be sure to tell your scouts and their parents, that this is their THIRD and likely last opportunity to earn Readyman and the resulting consequences. We give scouts an abundance of guidance, activities, and opportunities. Most take advantage but some will not. Good luck.

Good points. For awhile, I thought Fox might be taking the heat for either the scouts or their parents. Back in the presence of the scouts' parents, it is not his decision whether the scouts come forward. I don't buy the national security issue with the videos either.

Update 8/13/2014 The probe by the Inspector General Office has ended. According to Des Moines Register article (link below) - Nobody  not other Scouts, not the adult chaperones, not Border Patrol agents and not video recordings of the time  saw a gun drawn and held on Scouts. - Only two 15 year old Scouts claimed they saw the handgun. And those Scouts, at the advice of Scout leader Jim Fox of Grimes, declined to speak - The interaction took about 50 minutes and was recorded by four different video camera angles. The Scouts, their chaperones and the Border Patrol agents were in frame for the entire video  except for a 13-second moment in which one Border Patrol agent was out of frame. SM Fox believes that is the moment the gun was drawn and pointed. He said he stands by his Scouts' statements. - Officials have declined to make the videos public citing national security. - The Inspector General Office has not issued a final report yet. My understanding, the IGO only investigated the gun drawing. http://www.desmoinesregister.com/sto...ends/14040877/

Hmm, Maine and a 100m rifle range at a scout camp, wonder if locals will be dropping in, uninvited, to sight-in their deer rifles?

Wow, thanks for posting that interview. I disagree with Sm Fox initial lone wolf response but I am glad he now has legal counsel. Not sure his scouts have learned any citizenship lessons. Maybe they need to watch Mr. Smith Goes to Washington? My advice, it is time to play offense Hawkeyes. Both sides agree the border camera incident occurred and most scouts and their families cannot understand why it was illegal at a port of entry, You have your Senator Grassley on your side, why not propose to Senator Grassley that he sponsor a bill. Call it the Scout Border Camera Bill or the Say Cheese at Our Border Bill. Help lobby support and observe the legislative action in progress . I bet even with the most Do-Nothing Congress ever, this bill will receive bipartisan support. A lesson in active, involved citizenship. Another $0.02,

Update http://www.keepmecurrent.com/front/military-pulls-out-of-camp-hinds/article_d70bafbe-1f2c-11e4-bbc5-001a4bcf887a.html Selected extracts follow: After three months, the military has pulled out of Camp Hinds. In their wake, the roughly 420 engineer reservists that cycled through the camp this summer left a new parking lot, five new shooting ranges, three new staff cabins and more at the 87-year-old Raymond Boy Scouts camp. The reservists also built an 1,800-foot access road, renovated the John P. Messer Rotary Scout Training Center, cleared a site for a future dining facility, added electricity to buildings, built a new loudspeaker, and constructed four shooting pavilions, equipped with roofs bolstered with 10-gauge steel. Although the training program has prepared a five-year plan for the site, Benko said, the future of the program remains in the hands of Congress. Reservists will definitely return next spring to begin foundation work on the new dining facility, Benko said. But it remains to be seen whether the project will be funded beyond next year. It is exceedingly rare in the Boy Scouts of America to have a modern, safely designed, professionally built 100-meter-rifle range,†Tarbox said. “We’re not aware of any Boy Scout camps nationally that have a 100-meter rifle range. There may be. We’re just not aware of any. So for us to have one at Camp Hinds enables us to offer a learning experience with long-range, .22 rifle shooting that can’t be offered anywhere else.†Scout salute to the National Guard and Army and Marine reserve units.

Yes and I agree as I heard those views from staff. Also heard from troop adult leaders and some older scouts who wanted "the weekend" after camp back. They felt camp consumed the better part of two weekends. And if you are adult using your vacation time while your family waits at home...