The Blancmange

>>>>>the unit is now acting essentially as an unlicensed savings bank and even though it's not a licensed bank, you could still be responsible for maintaining the privacy of such accounts just as a financial institution does.

Here is the page to get started with Scouter.com: http://www.scouter.com/hosting/ You do need some basic web design knowledge to use it, as it is just bare-bones hosting. You can use a free WYSIWYG program to design a site, like Kompozer. Google is much simpler for a beginner, as it has many templates to choose from.

I know when you make a change at Be A Scout, a notification is automatically sent to your council office. If the change is showing up initially and then reverting back to your council website, one possibility is that someone in the council office simply wants it that way and is changing it back. I would start with your DE and ask if they can change it to your site.

We use Scouter.com hosting (this site), which is free. Our site shows up near the top of any searches using "Boy Scout Troop" and the name of our town, or other similar terms. Also, I'm sure if you used Google Sites (also free) it would be indexed by Google. Not sure about other search engines.(This message has been edited by the blancmange)

Perhaps OldEagle didn't notice, but this thread is from 2006-2007 and the person to whom the post is addressed has not posted in over a year.

What are they waiting for? If they have told you they are leaving, hand them a printout of their records and wish them well.

Unfortunately their response was the equivalent of "pilot error." http://scout-wire.org/2011/10/25/learn-how-to-make-your-training-records-stick-2/ Of course, it has nothing to do with having a counter-intuitive user interface or other design problems. Instead, people who are well-versed in just about every other common office program are simply not paying attention to the right way to use it.

>>>>f a gay man gets married to another man, then has a sex change operation and becomes a woman..is he still gay?

We've had this for as long as I have been involved as an adult (7 years), so I can't compare it to Trails End as far as quality or taste, but compared to products you would buy in the store, it seems to be very good. The prices and relative value seem much better (compared to TE). I scanned the order sheet - see link below. I don't recall exactly how much the unit gets from each one, but IIRC, it is in the 25-30% range. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v225/pas219/Popcorn.jpg(This message has been edited by the blancmange)

I've never heard of this issue of units having to order full boxes. We can order one item if we want. I have also noticed that when you walk in to our council service center after popcorn sales are over, they have various containers of product for sale at a slightly discounted price. I assume they must be "eating" the odd numbers so units can buy how many they want. This would seem to be more efficient in the big picture, and certainly more "customer" friendly. It's also a misconception that councils must use Trail's End. Our council uses this place, and apparently is not alone: http://pecatonicariverpopcorn.com/history.html

>>>>we'd gotten word that the district Eagle board, for reviewing projects and scheduling Eagle boards, only wants to communicate with Scouts through email (thus requiring electronic submission of project workbooks). No parents.

Here is some compelling evidence that exposing kids to homosexuals causes them to turn out gay: http://www.wisconsingazette.com/breaking-news/christian-radio-host-warns-that-lesbian-nurses-can-make-kids-gay.html (Lets) say your 11-year-old has broken her leg rather badly and needs to be in the hospital a few days, which would you prefer: a nurse whos proud of her lesbianism, who has rainbow identifiers on her work clothing, or a nurse who does not? She certainly has me convinced. It's credible, evidence-based arguments like this that can stem the tide of tolerance. I'm just grateful I saw this in time. I have an appointment to take my kids for flu shots next week, and now I know that, if I'm not careful and vigilant, they could come home gay.(This message has been edited by the blancmange)

>>>>>Define "reasonable"

Now that we have had some time to digest the new Guide to Advancement, including the provision that allows units to set reasonable, pre-established standards for participation, I'd like to know folks' thoughts on whether units SHOULD be establishing such standards, and if so, what they should look like. Personally, I'm of the belief that a quality program is what should be encouraging participation, not a rule, and therefore would not want a formal standard. I like the program being flexible to accomodate scouts in other worthwhile activities. I still believe that a scout who takes a POR needs to participate sufficiently to fulfill the requirements of that position, but that should be handled in the context of evaluating that position. A scout who is not fulfilling POR expectations needs to be warned early and possibly removed from the position.

OK, I'll play Devil's advocate. It does strike me as unusual that a council would operate a camp that is so far from it's area (not to mention in another country). Look at the problems Chicago has with Owassipe. Perhaps a council would be better off supporting camping opportunities closer to home and leaving the distant opportunities to others (National high adventure bases, etc.)

Awarding AOL and crossing over to a troop are two distinct events. Granted, they are done back to back in many cases, especially in packs that hold their advancement until the end of the school year, but they are different. If the boys have met all the requirements, they should receive the award as soon as possible. It should be up to the boys and their parents whether they immediately want to cross over to a troop or wait until some later time. There is nothing that says a scout who has earned AOL cannot remain in the pack, especially if there are fun activities in which they may want to participate. Last year, I had 3 boys who earned AOL in December and received the award then. We had a ceremony at the B&G in March, followed by a crossover ceremony. There was also one 5th grade Webelos who had just joined and did not earn AOL. He was 11 at the time of B&G and crossed over then as well.

Training is not required to serve as a den chief, but it is required to earn the Den Chief Service Award. The actual language is pretty flexible, though: "Attend a den chief training (if available within year of service) OR be trained by the assistant Cubmaster and den leader."

>>>>How can that be? The youth application has a spot for the Unit Leader to sign. So unless the unit leader signs the app, how can the boy be part of the Unit?

Thanks, Structuralrik, but those were meant to be rhetorical questions. Sorry for not making that clearer.

Along the same lines, I wonder what makes people who have no interest in, or are annoyed by a particular line of discussion, continue to open and read threads that fall into that category. This would be particularly true in the case of a sub-forum that carries the following disclaimer: "Those not interested can skip this forum instead of spending time reading unwanted messages to identify content."

An excellent question. What about leaders who commit adultery? Smokers? Gamblers?

I'm picturing one of these things: http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_a1_f6usvOtA/SohauFWnQOI/AAAAAAAAAcc/SSuFVNvzLdU/s320/wanoka3.jpg That isn't an "open" well. It has a concrete cap, and the only time surface water can directly contaminate it is when there is flooding (that's not to say, if it is fairly shallow, that surface contaminants cannot leach into the water, as Beavah suggests). This is an open well: http://www.lwfcam.org.kh/lwf/donation/images/open_well.jpg I've never seen one in a public recreation area in the U.S.

I guess I would want to know more about this before passing judgment and concluding that anyone did anything wrong or careless. I'm not sure exactly what is meant by "open well." An old-fashioned hand operated pump or a Jack & Jill style open hole with a bucket and crank? I think most people when they come across a pump or spigot in a public area of a park or campground assume that the water is potable unless it is posted otherwise. Was this water usually potable and the e-coli showed up in a routine test? The fact that they were testing it would seem to suggest the Ranger thought people would consider it potable. Occasionally municipal water systems issue boil orders following test results. Does that mean I should boil my water at home? My in-laws have a private, untreated well that they test once a year. Are they being foolish?

I read skeptic's comment and interpreted it as being entirely directed at BP.

Let me ask a related question regarding the utility of this process: Is anyone aware of a scout, who otherwise appeared qualified for Eagle, who was turned down at his EBOR because of adverse information received from a reference?