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@withrowjs welcome to scouter.com. Let me have a look.

"...the most damaging development at NPR: the absence of viewpoint diversity." Thanks. Ironically perhaps, I find myself reading bbc.com more and npr less for balanced US news.

04/17/2024: U.S. to Pay Victims of Larry Nassar $100 Million Over FBI Failures "The agreement with around 100 women brings the final price-tag for settlements over the former gymnastics team doctor close to $1 billion." Sources: https://www.wsj.com/sports/olympics/larry-nassar-fbi-failures-18067a65 https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/justice-department-settlement-talks-pay-100-million-larry-nassar-victi-rcna148235

4/17/2024: DHS Launches Know2Protect™ Public Awareness Campaign to Combat Online Child Exploitation and Abuse With Many Public and Private Sector Partners, including Boy Scouts of America, Google, Meta, Snap, Roblox, NASCAR, U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, National Police Athletic League, and More WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced Know2Protect, Together We Can Stop Online Child Exploitation™, a first-of-its-kind national public awareness campaign that brings together public and private sector partners. Key partners include high-profile technology companies, national and international sports leagues, youth-serving organizations and nonprofits, and other private sector partners to raise awareness of this heinous and growing crime and how to keep children safe. Through Know2Protect, DHS and its partners will educate and empower young people, parents, and trusted adults on ways to prevent and combat exploitation and abuse both on and offline, explain how to report incidents of these crimes, and offer support resources for victims and survivors of online child sexual exploitation and abuse. Online child exploitation and abuse is reaching epidemic proportions and threatens the safety of children globally. In 2023, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received more than 36 million CyberTipline® reports of suspected online child sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEA), a 360% increase over the number of reports received 10 years ago. According to the 2023 WeProtect Global Threat Assessment, the volume of child sexual abuse material has increased globally by 87% over the past five years. ... Boy Scouts of America (BSA) will collaborate with Know2Protect to promote knowledge sharing and empowerment for youth and parents. The BSA will also facilitate Project iGuardian presentations for Scouts and parents and explore developing a co-branded BSA patch in recognition of taking an in-person Project iGuardian training at the local or national level. “Safeguarding our Scouts so that we can prevent harm will always be our most important mission, and that includes their online safety,” said Boy Scouts of America President and CEO Roger Krone. “Through this collaboration with DHS, Scouting will make the Know2Protect resources available to empower more than a million youth members and adult volunteers, further enhancing our education and training initiatives to help ensure that our Scouts, leaders, and their families remain safe from online dangers.” ... More at sources: https://www.dhs.gov/news/2024/04/17/dhs-launches-know2protecttm-public-awareness-campaign-combat-online-child https://www.dhs.gov/know2protect https://www.missingkids.org/home https://www.ice.gov/topics/iGuardians

Salomon Rushdie spoke on 60 minutes regarding censorship. "There seems to be a kind of growing orthodoxy, particularly amongst young people, that censorship … is a good thing," Rushdie told correspondent Anderson Cooper. "The thing that's different now is that it's also coming from progressive voices," he said. "There are progressive voices saying that certain kinds of speech should be not permitted because it offends against this or that vulnerable group." Rushdie said that when speech is suppressed, the people who are first impacted are often minority groups. "To support censorship in theory on behalf of vulnerable groups is a very slippery slope," Rushdie said. "It can lead to the opposite of what you want." In his interview with 60 Minutes, the author said there is value in hearing from voices that offend because they challenge people. "There's now a kind of offense industry," Rushdie explained. "Offense has become an aspect of identity politics. And my view is it's very easy for a book to stop offending you. You just shut it." Source: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/salman-rushdie-on-censorship-in-america-today-60-minutes/

Not just glow worms, flies, lures... Might be an interesting summer camp experiment. "Commercial saltwater fishermen began dying bait blue in the 1970s to cut down on the number of seabirds caught while swordfishing. The blue made the bait fish blend into the water from a bird’s eye perspective." Sources: https://www.bangordailynews.com/2024/04/17/outdoors/fishing/dyed-bait-fishing-maine-joam40zk0w/ https://www.ccmr.cornell.edu/faqs/do-fish-see-in-color/

4/16/2024: Sixteen-year-old Emily Green, a first-generation Costa Rican American is a Eagle Scout. Her family came to this country with practically nothing, living in shelters, finally getting help from the Scouts. During the Report to the State, she addressed lawmakers at the Massachusetts State House. "Scouting has been instrumental in shaping my character and learning essential life skills. I started as a little girl, joining my brother, who's also an Eagle Scout, in his Scout troops. Then I joined a progressive co-ed troop and advanced through the ranks from a cub scout to Eagle Scout...For many, it is a uniform, badges, and campfires. But on a deeper level, it represents much more. It's a journey of personal growth, camaraderie, and service...From now on, I’m going to keep attending troop meetings and keep helping my troop, and helping others with more community service, and after that I’ve got college, and who knows what then," Green told the Senate. More at sources including Massachuestts membership numbers and Scouts offering her family shelter at a camp. https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/16-year-old-girl-formerly-homeless-addresses-mass-lawmakers-as-eagle-scout/3341013/ https://whdh.com/news/eagle-scout-expresses-how-troop-helped-her-during-address-at-state-house/ https://www.wcvb.com/article/chelsea-teen-overcomes-adversity-earns-eagle-scout-massachusetts/60383396 Scout Salute, P.S. Add Link, BSA 2023 Report on the State of Scouting in Massachusetts https://malegislature.gov/Bills/193/SD3172

@MaleficentStitch welcome to scouter.com

Here is a recent example posted earlier

Zack Gridley was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy when he was just one year old after suffering from a double brain bleed shortly after birth. After years of developmental therapy Zack Gridley decided to join cub scouts in 2016. He's earned over 40 badges with Boy Scout Troop 55. "I would highly recommend because you get to develop a bond with people in your troop," Zack said. "Everyone helped me through this journey, and I worked very hard," Zack added. Zack's parents said though he received some accommodations on his journey, he mostly took on scout challenges on his own. "He biked on a recumbent bike 15 miles at one of his outings, so you know for someone like him.... It's a big deal for any kid that age but for him especially to be that dedicated to go out and do that ride," Zack's Father, Brad Gridley "It's very exciting to me because he's worked very hard, and he's embraced it all. I just feel like it's been a terrific thing for him to do. He's learned a lot of valuable life skills," Tammy Gridley said. "Work hard and if you want to achieve something. You can do it. But it may take a little hard work to get there,' Zack said. More at Source: https://www.katv.com/news/local/defying-odds-boy-with-cerebral-palsy-paves-unique-path-to-becoming-an-eagle-scout-zack-gridley-tammy-troop-rank-bradley Scout Salute.

Texas Skyscrapers are going dark to keep billions of birds safe - Lights Out Texas "For birds, Texas is a major flyover state: approximately two billion birds, or one in three birds migrating through the US, fly through the Lone Star State in the spring. It is snugly situated at the convergence of two major migratory flyways – the broad north-south routes that many different bird species all use to migrate. Both the Central Americas Flyway, which stretches from the Canadian Arctic to the southern tip of Argentina, and the waterway-rich Mississippi Flyway, beloved by migratory waterbirds, pass through Texas. Along the route, hazards abound – including bright city lights. Though the Galveston collision (May 4, 2017, 395 migratory birds died) was a particularly dramatic example, birds hitting buildings is a common phenomenon. Every year, between 365 million and one billion birds are thought to be killed in building collisions in the US. The risk increases when they migrate and pass through cities in large numbers." ... "Around the same time as the Galveston bird crash, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology developed a way to forecast bird migration during specific times and locations, using radar. The resulting BirdCast migration forecast maps are freely accessible. Their live migration map allows anyone to check how many birds are migrating now, and where, as well as how many are predicted to pass in the near future. For one night in October, they recorded a "billion bird night", with that number or more birds passing in a single night. In 2020, Cornell, Houston Audubon and a range of other organisations joined forces to start the "Lights Out, Texas!" campaign, which encourages building owners, developers and businesses to switch off non-essential lighting from 11pm to 6am each night during spring and autumn migration. Timed for around March-June (spring migration) and August-November (autumn migration), the campaign aims to help create a safe passage for nocturnally migrating birds. Since then, Lights Out Texas has taken hold in every major city in Texas. The state is considered an especially important place for the campaign given its position as a mass bird migration hotspot." Much more at BBC source: https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20240410-how-switching-off-lights-stops-migrating-birds-collisions-with-buildings

Is Stem Scouts as a separate scouting group officially gone? I just noticed their website stemscouts.org certificate expired on 5/23/2023.

I am unclear who violated which BSA policy if at all. Many here have voiced different opinions regarding various BSA policies and not just membership. I believe BSA policy still allows CO's/units some say in their unit membership. IMHO, part of leadership, character-building, and citizenship is teaching our scouts how to respond thoughtfully and positively (Scout Oath and Law) to what they perceive as an injustice, incorrect, or plain stupid. At a monthly School Board meeting should I pull scouts when cuts are discussed to their favorite programs? Let them hear, think, and then speak in their own defense. Here is an interesting read, actually as I understand BSA policy, from https://scoutingwire.org/social-media-guidelines/ I will quote a short extract. Note "social media" here includes forums not hosted by BSA or units. GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR SOCIAL MEDIA USE For practical considerations, the BSA expects adults intending to use social media on behalf of Scouting to follow the following: Social media must be monitored. A qualified staff member or volunteer should have the responsibility of monitoring social media channels daily, and backup administrators/monitors should be designated so there is no gap in the monitoring. Integrate your communications. Create a strategy to surround your intended audience with your key message(s) through print, the Web, email, radio, TV, word of mouth, and social media. Talk to your audiences and let them talk to and about you. By posting content on a consistent schedule, you can tell your story and encourage conversations in the community. Social media takes a thick skin. Negative conversations are happening already, but now you have a voice in the conversation. Don’t delete negative comments unless they violate the terms laid out in the BSA Social Media Digital Contract. Be prepared to respond to negative or inaccurate posts if response is warranted. Some negative comments do not require a response, while others should be taken seriously and addressed. Factors such as the number of followers and the severity of the conversations should temper if and how you respond. Direct media inquiries to the appropriate person. Media inquiries coming through social media should be referred to the Scout executive or a designee for an official response. Be Scout-like. When disagreeing with others’ opinions, remain appropriate and polite. If you find yourself in a situation online that looks as if it’s becoming antagonistic, do not get overly defensive and do not disengage from the conversation abruptly. Ask your Scout executive or the designee for advice on how to disengage from the dialogue in a polite manner that reflects well on the BSA. (Here in our scout-like way, we agree to disagree and move-on. Humor helps too.) Build trust by being open and transparent. Share information and what the challenges and opportunities are for Scouting in your community. So Scouts and Scouters how are we doing here? In another section of this link, it discourages PM's as akin to private rooms. Good thought or an infringement of free speech?

I believe Mr. Krone had been a PL and Philmont alumni before MBA book writers/professors observed and coined management names for leadership styles he had learned while a scout. My post was meant as a friendly reminder.

While visiting Councils, I hope Mr. Krone converses with volunteers beyond photo-ops. We have a lot to talk about. IMHO, seize this opportunity. Then BSA CSE Bob Mazzuca did a similar traveling community fundraiser for councils, it was dinners though. He brushed off volunteer questions in favor of photo-ops. My scouts were more interested in photo-ops with another attendee - Miss New Hampshire* who btw would take our questions. Mr. Mazzuca soon departed for his next Council dinner. My $0.02,

Silicon Valley Monterey Bay Council "Community Leadership Breakfast on Thursday May 23rd, 2024 at the Santa Clara Marriott. Our keynote speaker is the current President and the CEO of the Boy Scouts of America, Roger Krone, and he has some NEWS to share. We would like YOU to be among the first ones to hear about the exciting changes coming to the iconic youth development program! Please use the QR code to RSVP or go to: " Anyone planning to attend? I think Mr. Krone similarly visited a Virginia council.

Glen Pounder submitted a short article to ScoutingWire this week reminding adults to be constantly aware of the actions of other adults. I hope he expounds on this and our other YP concerns and feedback at NAM next month. Link: https://scoutingwire.org/beyond-criminal-background-checks-making-sure-that-great-guy-really-is/ also on https://www.linkedin.com/posts/boy-scouts-of-america_beyond-criminal-background-checks-making-activity-7183813959005749248-0pvL

Apparently in March, Mr. Krone named Neisha Joseph as his Chief of Staff. She previously worked at the Greater New York Councils. Is Chief of Staff a new National office position?

I prefer this version of Norman Rockwell's Freedom of Speech. Others may disagree, let them. Moderator awareness... IMMO*, some informative, robust yet scoutlike discussion here. Thank you. RS * In My Moderator Opinion

04/09/2024: NOAC 2024 Program Registration Guide released. "This guide provides all NOAC attendees with a comprehensive list of program offerings at NOAC 2024. Activity preferences will become available on April 22 and extend to May 17..." More at source: https://oa-bsa.org/article/noac-program-registration-guide-here

A Sea Scout on his way home from a doctor, stepped into action when he noticed his school bus broken down on the side of the road. Great story , there is some train 'em and trust 'em in story. Read the rest at sources: https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/boston/news/student-school-bus-repair-danvers-essex-tech-gavin-natti/ https://www.facebook.com/seascoutshipno.5/

Boy Scout Troop 47's Mighty Duck Patrol all earn LIfe rank. Scout Salute! More at source: https://www.times-herald.com/arts_and_community/mighty-duck-patrol-simultaneously-reaches-rank-of-life-scout/image_1c3ab2d8-f2b8-11ee-893f-8f204c1509a5.html

Horseshoe Curve, Altoona, PA "Scouts from Boy Scout Troop 9 of Clearfield recently rode Amtrak’s The Pennsylvanian from Altoona to Johnstown. Scouts also studied the history of the Horseshoe Curve and the South Fork Dam in Johnstown. The rail trip was part of a requirement for the Railroading merit badge." Sources: https://www.railroadcity.org/horseshoecurve https://gantnews.com/2024/04/07/scouts-complete-railroading-merit-badge-requirement/

4/5/2024 Related: ...creating a safer environment for kids