RememberSchiff

This is why we use the buddy system in Scouting so one does not get lost and wind up in Argentina, Brazil, or Vegas.

Meant this to be entertaining as it reminded me of former SOUTH Carolina* Governor Mark Sanford ( Republican and Eagle Scout) who told everyone he was hiking the AT but instead flew to ARGENTINA, so here we actually have a politician who will hike and is honest about it. Added some pack's voting options. Oh I set up poll to allow multiple voting but no voter id. We run a fair fake poll down here in Scouterville

Your are an elected representative with an upcoming budget session which is the same time that your son is going off on a "scout hike". Seems obvious, but here's a poll. http://www.citizen-times.com/story/e...sion/10857185/

It wasn't so long ago, that a camper was required to hand over his epi-pen to the nurse who locked it away with other meds. In NH, it took the death of a camper to change protocol. an oldie but goodie http://www.scouter.com/forum/open-discussion-program/5474-how-to-deal-with-nut-allergies-amp-parent

When it stops being fun, get out.

Darwinism...we may be evolving into the first known species whose body (immune and digestive system) killed it. Food allergies and intolerance (two different things) are increasing at an alarming rate. Currently about 1/4 of the scouts and adults in my unit have some food issue and for our unit peanuts is not the #1 problem, glutein is, followed by diary (lactose, casein, whey), then peanuts. Back in the day, a PB&J with a glass of moo was the universal meal for kids.

I have not attended any of their programs but I am somewhat skeptical of their approach. Their website http://www.shineinitiative.org is strong on flash but weak on substance. Not interested in raising awareness (code for donations) of the obvious, I need some pointers in working with spectrum kids, kids with anxiety disorders,... Better yet, it would be very helpful if some specialists could drop in at summer camp or another activity, see the situations, show me and others some techniques, and give specific advice. JoeBob, I thought "parity" was ironic as many councils around here have not held or required "physical" first aid training for adult leaders. Still it's a start.

Odd photo selection. I have not known fly fishermen to compromise and put an occasional worm on a hook.

Who: 36 teams of Sea Scouts from Brazil, England, Finland, Ireland, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United States qualified for the event. Where: Long Beach, CA (previously held Chicago, Cape Cod, Miami, the US Naval Academy, the US Coast Guard Academy, ...) When: Every two years, this year June 22-28 http://www.ocbsa.org/news/announcements-news-2/oc-scouts-sail-to-defend-the-international-sea-scout-sailing-championship/

Yes our camp is around that price point. We had an interesting suggestion at Troop Committee, "Why don't we just arrive on Monday morning instead?"

In the late 70's to 80's, because of the increasing distribution of child porn via the emerging boundary-less Internet as well as interstate mailing, the federal government became involved in making child pornography illegal, e.g., Protection of Children Against Sexual Exploitation Act of 1977 which was later amended. Some interesting reading of that period is in this Senate Hearing on the Child Sexual Abuse and Pornography Act of 1986 https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/Digitization/106466NCJRS.pdf Pages 25 thru 30 "Prepared Statement of Bruce A. Taylor" is particularly informative of this time period. "Timeline of Significant Events in Child Pornography" 1977-2008 http://www.uscourts.gov/news/TheThirdBranch/09-12-01/Timeline_of_Significant_Events_in_Child_Pornography_Legislation.aspx Child Pornography on the Internet http://www.popcenter.org/problems/child_pornography/ Another $0.02,

It really isn't that difficult, what we (you and I) proved is that local option does not imply a BSA national policy.

The BSA has since 1988 allowed female leaders, local option is a don't care in your logic statement.

So your answer to my question is no?

So if CO's are allowed the option to deny women as unit leaders = BSA disallowing women as leaders?

As scout leaders, we are entrusted with the care of other children. The standard of care that I give is the same that I give to my own kids. If I find scout leaders who cannot or will not share that standard, I have and will remove my scouts from their care. File a police report. But why the police can't do anything (don't assume) , what law applies (let others help with that)? File the police report. The incident is officially described and recorded in a police report for future reference. In 2002, Menton Berger, a former Arizona high school teacher, "was sentenced to 200 years in prison (without the possibility of probation, parole, or pardon) for the possession of 20 images of child pornography." This was the minimum sentence under Arizona law. A.R.S §13-3553 “Sexual Exploitation of a Minor†http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morton_Berger Here's some hindsight, IMO the BSA missed an opportunity to advocate child protection laws in the past 50 years. Didn't happened, instead lock up the perversion files and certainly do not lobby for mandatory reporting or sensible statute of limitations that leadership came from others. Another $0.02,

June 16, A Council Bluffs man was charged with possession of an incendiary device, which is an aggravated misdemeanor in this explosion that injured six Boy Scouts. "In March, the Boy Scouts were at his house working with gunpowder for special effects in an upcoming arrow ceremony when something exploded." His court appearance is scheduled for Wednesday. http://www.ketv.com/news/man-cited-i...couts/26515772

Georgia BSA Troop 412 recharters as TLUSA Troop 0412. http://www.worldmag.com/2014/06/boy_...12_breaks_camp Interesting article, gives both their troop perspective and a wider view of dissatisfaction. Here's parts "The altered membership standards were “probably the catalyst†for the change, said the troop’s charter organizational representative, Lewis Miller. But for a while the troop felt constrained when it came to expressions of faith. “What has bothered us for some time, for example, is that at summer camps we were told not to pray in the mess hall in the name of Jesus,†he said. On Monday, scouts and leaders alike enjoyed their newfound freedom to preach and practice their faith openly without fear of offending someone. Another factor in the decision to switch was the BSA’s emphasis on awards and ranks. “If we get them to Freedom [Trail Life’s highest award] but not to Christ, we have failed,†Scoutmaster Gregg French said." ... "And many of those who left BSA last year might have done so for reasons unrelated to the controversy. BSA membership dues increased from $15 to $24 the same day the new policy on homosexuality went into effect. “There are many factors that go into a family’s decision to join Scouting, and it’s impossible to point to any single factor that influences our membership numbers,†BSA spokesman Deron Smith told The New York Post. The last fee increase was in 2010, and prompted a slight decline in membership that year as well. Trail Life’s Matthews sees BSA’s new membership standards as the final straw in a history of growing concerns, rather than the main reason for the new organization’s creation. For example, some people were concerned about corporate sponsorship, Matthews said. Others worried about reportedly lavish executive compensation packages and the cost of the new Jamboree facility in Fayette County, W.Va. The latest projection puts the cost for the 10,600-acre park that includes miles of zip lines, a whitewater rafting circuit, and a technology center at $439 million by the end of 2015, Reuters reported last year." "

Side effect of this article, Vermont scouts may not be permitted to sell bottled water at July 4th celebration. I wonder if Montpelier is turning down Eagle projects too? "The Montpelier, VT Scouts’ request to be a licensed vendor (selling bottled water) in the July 3 celebration, expected to be an easy approval, was taken off the council’s consent agenda Wednesday at the request of Councilor Thierry Guerlain. Guerlain said he does not want any organization that discriminates to get the city’s endorsement  even if it means banning local Boy Scouts from selling at the parade. Guerlain found fast support for his stance, which objects to the Boy Scouts’ national policy of not allowing homosexual troop leaders. However, some councilors did not agree that jeopardizing the local Scouts’ fundraising efforts for a camping trip  or whatever their fundraising goal may be  was the right way to get the message to the Washington, D.C.-based organization. In raising the issue, Guerlain distributed a USA Today article printed Tuesday, in which Attorney General Eric Holder, speaking to an advocacy group for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people’s rights, Lambda Legal, was critical of the Scouts’ refusal to drop its ban on gay adult leaders. Guerlain said he was a Boy Scout growing up. “It was the best thing that ever happened to me as a kid, far and away,†he said, calling the experience “transformative.†However, the organization’s continuing ban on gay leaders “perpetuates the worst kind of stereotypes,†said Guerlain" .... “I hope that we don’t approve (the vendor requests), and I hope that it makes national press, and I hope that the message gets to Washington (?? Irving ) that we said no,†said Guerlain. “We’re not going to let a group that openly discriminates against gays sell water at our parade. ... It’s difficult, it’s uncomfortable, but I think it’s our chance to do the right thing.†... http://www.timesargus.com/article/20...STIN/706169942

http://news.morningstar.com/all/mark...g-program.aspx "Nashua Valley Council and The SHINE Initiative, a nonprofit that works to promote mental illness in children and teens as a mainstream health issue, teamed up to create the trailblazing initiative. Nashua Valley Council scout leaders will be trained in Youth Mental Health First Aid, an international evidence-based program. The program will be made available to Boy Scout councils later this year and then offered to Girl Scout groups across Massachusetts, Ed Manzi, chairman & CEO of Fidelity Bank, said. There are an estimated 51,000 boys and 60,000 girls enrolled in Scouting programs in Massachusetts. "This program will result in Scout leaders being better able to identify, relate to, and help a young person who is living with a mental illness," he said.Paul Richard, The SHINE Initiative executive director, said the training will give Scout leaders information they need to identify signs of possible mental illness. "They're going to be able to assess and listen to someone in crisis," he said. Manzi, chairman of The SHINE Initiative, added: "This is a powerful step toward achieving the much-talked-about but seldom-achieved parity between mental health and physical health issues in a grass-roots way. It has the potential to change thousands of lives for the better over the years." The crisis in youth mental health spurred the creation of The SHINE Initiative in 2004. Manzi said 50 percent of lifetime cases of chronic mental illness begin by age 14, and more than two-thirds of young people living with mental illness are not receiving treatment."

I cannot accept the assertion that since the BSA was not legally required to do the right thing, it did no wrong. This could and should have been reported sooner than 30 years, if only we had concerned men of good character. My $0.02

Mostly adult courses but some family and kids courses http://beargryllssurvivalacademy.com/ 4 US locations: Catskill Mountains California - Yosemite Colorado Rockies and coming soon Texas.

Troop photo with a scout or two holding a ubiquitous, editable handheld sign. "SPL in center back, adults on ends." Camp Runamuck Troop 100 2014

Anyone, then or now, could report suspicious activity to the police. "Suspect a crime drop a time". The difference in times were the victim families then put their faith in the BSA, Catholic Church, Schools to follow thru with the call to the police...,hopefully we have learned from those mistakes and call direct