fgoodwin

Scoutnut writes:If your new Tiger den leaders took the required training they would have been informed of the change.Not necessarily -- it depends on the trainer, and whether the trainer himself or herself was aware of the changes. FWIW: the current Tiger course syllabus hasn't been updated since it was released in 2001. As district training chairman at the time, I made my Cub Training Coordinator aware of the change, and then left it up to him to decide how his Cub training team would address this issue. My concern was that, if we teach something different than what's in the book (almost every TDL had an old book that has Bobcat at the end), would it create more confusion than clarity? I suggested leaving it alone, but ultimately left it up to him and his trainers to decide how they would teach this. Hopefully, the Scout Shops now have corrected Tiger HBs, and trainers can safely teach the correct approach without worrying that they will be contradicting what's in the HBs the parents will actually be reading.

Incivility Creep(s) http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,2114711,00.asp When it comes to what's wrong with the Internet, incivility is second only to spam (you idiot). By John C. Dvorak 04.16.07 Don Tennant, editor of Computerworld, missed the mark when he left the "s" off the title of his recent editorial, "Incivility Creep." It should not be about creeping incivility but about the creeps who seem to relish it. In fact, when it comes to what's wrong with the Internet, incivility is second only to spam. This became a topic of debate recently when the unique blogger and insightful savant Kathy Sierra got what she interpreted to be threats on her life in various comment forums. Why she got these in the first place is a mystery to me, since she is strikingly inoffensive. But she did, and because of these threats, she canceled a public appearance at a Tim O'Reilly event. In response, O'Reilly declared that there should be a blogger code of ethics . . . as if that would help. (Check out O'Reilly's draft of his Blogger Code of Conduct.) Nastiness is an earmark of many bloggers, podcasters, and members of the herd; a few insane people; and those who feel that being an out-and-out mean and profane presence on the Internet is cool or funny. The level of nastiness that floats around the Net in various forms, forums, and Web sites is incredible. When O'Reilly first proposed his rules of the road for bloggers, I thought it was silly at worst and wishful thinking at best. Nothing would come of it except a debate and various columns like this one and the one from Tennant. The thinking is that once all this is brought to light, maybe people will rethink the way they act online. It's hopeless. Nothing will come of it. After the Kathy Sierra thing blows over, the meanness will continue unabated, with all sorts of dispossessed and borderline psychopaths blowing off steam online in one way or anotherusually by calling people names or being hypercritical. This seems to be a reflection more of society as a whole than of the psychological problems of a few individuals. There are too many people who go online searching for validation of their life choices. Anytime they run across anything that questions or counters their decisions, they see it as a personal attack, and they'll often strike back, attacking the perceived "enemy" in a personal manner. It all seems so ridiculous, since these people likely don't know each other at all. Tech columnists like me run into this all the time from computer-platform adherents such as Mac users or Linux mavens. The worst of the lot always seemed to be the old Amiga folks, who were generally over-the-top fanatics. The fanaticism seems to worsen during moments when a platform is waninga permanent situation for the Amiga. The users lash out at anyone they think may be contributing to the demise of their beloved platform. Validation is what they are looking for, nothing else. At the end of the day, all this online invective becomes like a high-school debate over Ford versus Chevy, with nothing really hanging in the balance. The world of computing wouldn't change drastically if Linux took over the desktop or the Mac supplanted Windows. Of course, at this stage nothing can change too dramaticallythe market is too huge and slow-moving. But the fanatics see a faster pace and threats all around them, so they lash out in every way they can to protect themselves from the dreadful possibility that they made a wrong decision or are wrong in their thinking. Online this phenomenon covers everything from politics to platforms, from restaurants to restrooms. I myself get irked when one of my favorite restaurants is condemned by a reviewer. The guy is obviously an idiot, and I might write that down as a comment. Aha, there is the problem. Long ago it actually took effort to do that. Now you click "comment" and type your response before you even realize that you are the idiot for letting the review get to you. Maybe you are protecting the restaurant, the OS, or the Amiga, but can you do it without calling the reviewer an idiot? I doubt it, since I'll probably be typing the same thing myself. Of course, I'll be "Charles T. Williamson III" when I do it. And I won't be including death threats. But no matter, the whole thing is hopeless. Let's just go back to work.

Lakeland frat takes Scouts under wings http://www.sheboygan-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070418/SHE0101/704180539/1973 http://tinyurl.com/2ooa4c Joint effort of fraternity, Cub Scouts may be a first By Janet Ortegon Sheboygan Press staff April 18, 2007 Every other week, 8-year-old Izaiah Annis heads out to Lakeland College for a meeting. Izaiah, of Glenbeulah, isn't a prodigy attending college-level economics classes. He's a Cub Scout and a member of Pack 3845, the first known collaboration of a college fraternity and the Boy Scouts of America. Izaiah is one of five boys the other four are from Sheboygan in the pack. The Scouts are also littles in Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Sheboygan County, and fraternity brothers are their big brothers. The idea to combine both groups came from Brian Collins, 27, a Lakeland graduate and former member of Zeta Chi fraternity. As a nonprofit administration major in college, Collins became familiar with many organizations like Boy Scouts and Big Brothers/Big Sisters. Once he took a job as district executive of Manitowoc and Calumet counties for the Scouts' Bay-Lakes Council, he started to think about ways to use what he knew to reach more kids. "You get to a point where doing things a certain way only serves a certain group of people," Collins said. "I knew the fraternity one of its main goals is service. I brought it to them and they were really excited about it." Working with the Boy Scouts and with Big Brothers/Big Sisters, the fraternity chartered the Cub Scout pack for the boys who were "little brothers" to members. Chris Wray, 21, a Lakeland junior, was already Izaiah's lunch buddy, going to Elkhart Lake-Glenbeulah Elementary School once a week to have lunch together when the Cub Scout idea came up. "I was already planning on becoming a regular big brother over the summer so I could hang out with him during the summer too," Wray said. "I was in Boy Scouts when I was a kid." When the group gets together, they do activities outlined in the Cub Scout handbook, including much to Izaiah's delight making balsa wood Pinewood Derby cars. "You get to make a demolition derby car," Izaiah said. "It's gonna look like a car with a little slant and with a number on it. We're still working on it." Wray said that while the pack adheres to the spirit of Boy Scouts, it's not identical to other Scout troops. "We've kind of worked around some of the stuff," Wray said. "The kids right now don't have uniforms. It's the program, the learning, the atmosphere. The learning you get from Cub Scouts. It's more looking at the big picture." Jake Kraus, Bay-Lakes Council district director in Sheboygan, Manitowoc and Calumet counties, said the collaboration has been a plus for everyone involved. "The fraternity even sold popcorn it was hilarious," Kraus said. "They sold $3,000 in popcorn on campus." Collins said he'd like to see more fraternity brothers sign on as big brothers so more kids could join the pack. "I realized that Big Brothers/Big Sisters all over the place have long waiting lists (of kids)," Collins said. "The hardest thing for them is to find volunteers that are young and male for their little brothers." And getting a group like the Zetas to charter a Scout pack has whetted his appetite for other, similar pairings. "There are only so many people in one fraternity," he said. "There are other fraternities, sororities A lot of student organizations that I think might like to get involved." And for his sales pitch to those organizations, Collins might consider bringing Izaiah along. "We just have fun," Izaiah said. "That's it." Reach Janet Ortegon at jortegon@sheboygan-press.com or 453-5121.

Maybe I'm just an old fogie, but I think showing a six-year-old how to wear to makeup is a bit much.

Sisterhood of Girl Scouts becoming ethnic patchwork http://www.columbusdispatch.com/dispatch/content/local_news/stories/2007/04/16/SCOUTS.ART_ART_04-16-07_A1_GU6D2CV.html http://tinyurl.com/2ut5uc Monday, April 16, 2007 3:29 AM By Sherri Williams THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH The 12 girls are beautiful, always moving and free, like monarcas, Spanish for a type of butterfly. But the lessons on appearance for the young Latinas aren't just on how to look pretty; they're meant to boost the confidence of the girls, who are members of Girl Scout Troop 1118, the Monarcas. At a recent troop meeting on the West Side, volunteer stylists gave the girls tips on dressing appropriately. They created a mixture of hairspray and happiness, along with lip gloss and laughs, to help the girls earn their "looking your best" badge. "The things they put on my face made me feel real pretty," said Yomaris Sierra, 6, who strutted across the room like a model, showing off her light eye shadow and sparkly stickers. "You should dress like a lady." The Girl Scouts are celebrating their 95th year, and the organization is pushing to recruit more immigrants, especially Latinas. Nationally, the participation of young Latinas increased 22 percent between 2003 and 2006, said Marion Swan, spokeswoman for Girl Scouts of the United States of America. Central Ohio has troops that are predominantly Latina or Somali. The area's growing ethnic communities led to the outreach, said Donna Hughes, membership director of the Girl Scouts Seal of Ohio Council. "The program that we offer girls to help them achieve their goals and raise their level of confidence really has no racial or ethnic boundaries," she said. The council, which serves 17 counties including Franklin, had 403 Latinas, 303 Asians, 67 American Indians and 1,800 black scouts as of the end of March. Besides being happy when they're together, the Monarcas "are becoming responsible," said their troop leader, Carla Breckenridge. They will use the fashion tips they learned to become bien bonitas at the Princess Ball, a dance arranged for scouts in the Westland Service Unit next week, Breckenridge said. Most of the girls were recruited from the Ohio Hispanic Coalition's after-school program. The troop's weekly meetings are held at the coalition's office on Sullivant Avenue. Maria Camargo said her daughters, Yomaris and 12-year-old Luz Reyes, are surrounded by girls in the troop who are a positive influence. "I don't have time to take them to the park to be with friends," said Camargo, who works full time. "Here, it's fun and entertaining, and they learn." Girl Scouting, which exists around the globe, is popular with Latino parents in Columbus, Breckenridge said. "In Latin American countries, it's like a privilege, like a social status." Scouting helps boost high-school and college graduation rates for Latina girls, Breckenridge said. "It's not just having kids. Most of them think that is their fulfillment in their life," she said, "but there is more than that." Two predominantly Somali troops are based at Westside Academy, a charter school at 4330 Clime Rd. The troop of girls between sixth and eighth grades started in January, and a Brownie troop of first- through third-graders started Wednesday. The girls have sold cookies, attended a basketball camp and gone to Ohio State University and Ohio Wesleyan University women's basketball games, said Heather O'Bannon, director of the Westside Academy and troop leader for the older girls. "They can still stay true to their family roots, but there are some good things they can do to take part in American culture and be OK," O'Bannon said. The troop of African, Arab and black girls also attempts to appeal to all of the interests of the girls, including faith, by having them work toward religious badges and share their work, O'Bannon said. The ethnic troops interact with other local troops in competitions and gatherings, Hughes said. For instance, during a chili cook-off in February, the Westside Academy troop won a prize for their Somali chili-type stew served with rice. Eighth-grader Saynab Hussein, a native of Somalia, said girls in her troop are like sisters. "We learn about all of us, African-American girls, African girls, Arab girls," Saynab said. "We learn about how we can work together." sherri.williams@dispatch.com Changing face of Girl Scouts The rise in membership of some ethnic groups in Girl Scouts, from 2003 to 2006: Latinas: 22 percent Asians: 13 percent American Indians: 8 percent Source: Girl Scouts of the United States of America

I saw a note on CUB-L about a Stouffer's commercial that features a Scouting family. I couldn't find it on Youtube, but it is available in Flash format at: http://www.duringdinner.com/ Select "During Dinner Stories" from the top menu bar, and when the three choices appear, select "The Happy Campers". It shows a busy family, all of whom (mom, dad, two sons and a daughter) are involved in Scouting. It shows uniforms, shadow boxes, a patch vest, and discussing their many activities over dinner. Maybe someone who knows more about video capture can load this gem onto Youtube? YiS, Fred Goodwin

Aquila calva wrote:Sounds like the ACLU is taking the side of the RELIGIOUS GROUPNot sure what you mean by "taking the side of the RELIGIOUS GROUP". The article quotes a local ACLU spokesperson commenting on possible First Amendment issues related to the case. The article doesn't say that ACLU is legally representing the evangelical group. So, while the ACLU may agree that Crossroads Ministries' free speech rights are being infringed (in fact, the spokesperson didn't go that far), the ACLU hasn't gone so far as to represent Crosroads.

Go to the Wayback Machine Internet Archive: http://web.archive.org/ and enter http://atryx.net/oa/ceremonies in the search box; it will bring up an archived copy of the website, with links to ceremonies.

Leave It to Beaver and Sputnik: Both Launched October 4, 1957 http://www.smmirror.com/MainPages/DisplayArticleDetails.asp?eid=5319 http://tinyurl.com/34ujm6 Jerry Mathers, now and forever a beloved icon, found a permanent place in Americas heart when at age seven he created the role of televisions clean-cut lovable kid, Theodore The Beav Cleaver, in the sitcom Leave It To Beaver. For those of us of a certain age, we fondly remember welcoming Wally, June, Ward, Eddie and The Beav into our living rooms every week as though they were members of our family. The show was in development for a year and a half, and when it finally aired, Leave It To Beaver enjoyed immediate success and soared to the top of the ratings. The show ran for six seasons, totaling 234 episodes, and generation after generation in over 100 countries has enjoyed the continuing reruns. The young Mathers was no stranger to performing, and by the time he auditioned for the part, he had already racked up an impressive list of credits ranging from modeling to being cast on The Ed Wynn Show at the age of two. He also appeared in films, including Hitchcocks The Trouble with Harry, playing Shirley MacLaines son; This Is My Love, playing Dan Duryeas son; The Seven Little Foys, playing Bob Hopes son; and he worked again with Hope in That Certain Feeling. His modeling career began quite accidentally. He and his mom were walking through a department store and a man ran up to them and said he looked like the little boy in their Christmas ad. He said that little boy was getting too big, and asked Matherss mom if her little one could model for their catalog. How did you get the part of The Beav? The audition process took four to five weeks and around 5,000 kids were competing for the role. The producers were down to the last 10 actors and it was the final audition. I didnt enjoy interviews particularly, and I had a Cub Scouts meeting that I didnt want to miss. They noticed I was a bit fidgety and asked me what was wrong. I explained that I had a Cub Scouts meeting and was worried about being late. They said I could leave. My mother thought that perhaps I shouldnt have mentioned that I wanted to leave. Well, I got the job anyway because the producers said they wanted a kid who was happier going to a Cub Scouts meeting than being an actor. Did you ever take acting lessons? No. But, I was not a hyper kid and took direction well. I found it really interesting going to the studios. My mom would take me on the Red Line or a bus and that was fun. I never received pressure to get a role so it was all like a big adventure. If I got the part, that was fine. If I didnt, that was also fine. So many child stars dont transition well into adulthood. Why did you turn out so seemingly well-adjusted? I come from a very strong, stable family. My father was an educator, and unlike a lot of families of child actors, I wasnt the sole source of income. Also, after Leave it to Beaver ended, I took a break from show business. I wanted to go to a normal high school and play sports. I attended Notre Dame High School where my dad was an athletic coach, and after graduation I went to Berkeley where I majored in philosophy. I was a self-made millionaire by the time I was 13 and used my earnings, which were invested wisely, to put myself through school. I took a straight job at a bank as a loan officer and then went into real estate development. I also served in the Air National Guard during the Vietnam War. I had a pretty full life. I think waiting around for the phone to ring is what has caused a lot of pain with some former child actors. During the six-year run of the show, you didnt have a regular school experience. How were you educated? I had three hours of private schooling around my shooting schedule, which was from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Since my dad was a vice-principal, he had access to the finest teachers and selected the best to tutor me. I received an education that only kings and queens get. Going off to school and working in the real world obviously served to help ground you. Was that one of the reasons you decided to turn down another long contract after Leave It To Beaver ended? Yes. When youre a successful actor, so many people cater to your every whim. At one point, I had 45 people looking after me. They tell you how wonderful you are and you can do no wrong. Its real easy to lose your way and develop a very jaded idea of your own importance. What brought you back to acting? I actually acted occasionally while I was at Berkeley. But I really got back in when my good friend Tony Dow, my brother Wally in the series, called me to do a stage play called Boeing, Boeing in Kansas City, Missouri. We sold out the eight-week run in one day and Ive been working pretty much ever since. In 1983, we made a television movie called Still the Beaver, which was followed by several years of The New Leave It To Beaver. Out of your long list of credits, what role had the most profound effect on you? The Beaver. I grew up in everyones living room and that fostered a very special, lasting feeling. That reminds me. One day I was home with my family and I saw a lot of flashes outside the living room window. When I looked out, there was a family from Indiana on my front lawn shooting pictures of my house. They thought it was perfectly okay to be there because they probably grew up with me. But, its a little scary because with all the information available on the Internet, anyone can find you and that might not always be a good thing. What advice do you have for aspiring actors? Do as much as you can while youre in school. Participate in plays or skits and learn how to sight-read, as thats really important. Do you have a close-knit family? Yes. I have three children ranging in age from 21 to 29. There are 35 of us in the immediate family and we all get together once a month and celebrate anyone having a birthday. We know what each of us is doing and it keeps us bonded. My brothers are policemen and my sister, Susie Mathers McSweeney, is mayor of Westlake Village. Youve been married twice. Whats the biggest challenge in making a relationship work? Knowing that the person I think I see is really that person. We all have defenses and shields, and I want to be sure that Im getting the real person and that we will accept each other as is. How do you want to be remembered? I would like to be remembered as a good person. That I didnt just pass through, but did something. Mathers certainly does give back, as he is involved in a multitude of charitable organizations including the Center for Healthy Aging in Santa Monica where he has been active in fundraising. Says Mathers, Seniors are not a protected class and the agenda at the center is to help them. He also speaks at conventions and trade shows on the state of the American family as compared to the mythical Cleavers of the 1950s. So, could a little boy born in Sioux City, Iowa become one of the most famous people ever on television? People magazine said yes when it named him as one of the most well-known individuals in television history. Americans, as well as people throughout the world, continue to recognize The Beav who will forever be in our hearts and remind us of a gentler, more innocent time.

St. Paul schools sued over religious flier ban http://www.wctrib.com/ap/index.cfm?page=view&id=D8OF4OO80 The Associated Press - Thursday, April 12, 2007 ST. PAUL An evangelical group has sued St. Paul schools to overturn its ban on religious fliers, contending that the First Amendment gives it the same right as Boy Scout troops and Little League teams that distribute recruitment material at schools. While administrators acknowledge the district's ban on materials of a sectarian nature, a school lawyer said the district's opposition to the St. Paul Area Evangelicals' flier is that it asks parents to take their children out of class each week. The evangelical group runs Crossroads Ministries, which for 50 years has offered Bible classes to students. It relies on a Minnesota law that allows parents to release their children from school up to three hours a week for religious education. Some schools in the district had allowed distribution in past years, according to the lawsuit, but the district now restricts access completely. "St. Paul School District has chosen to allow nonschool groups to distribute information to parents announcing activities and other opportunities for students," said Jordan Lorence, an attorney for the Alliance Defense Fund, an Arizona-based Christian civil rights group that's representing the churches. "Once St. Paul Schools opens up that means of flier distribution, the First Amendment requires them not to discriminate against religious groups and religious speech." Lorence said if the district has a problem allowing students to use in-school time for religious education, it should take up the issue with the state Legislature. Jeff Lalla, attorney for the school district, said groups like the Boy Scouts or sports leagues are allowed to advertise on school grounds because their programs aren't held during school hours. Just because state law allows students to miss school for religious instruction programs, "that doesn't mean we have to advertise that they're available," Lalla said. A 2001 district policy stated that administrators can't use staff or school property "to assist in the distribution of religious release time information to students." But First Amendment experts said the district could face problems if it's trying to limit what's distributed on school grounds based on content. "If they are letting virtually everyone else who has programs for kids have access, there's a pretty good argument this is a designated forum and they can't discriminate against the religious group based on the content of the speech," said Teresa Nelson, legal counsel for Minnesota chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union.

It is odd that the Boy Scout RT guide is a bin item, but the Cub Scout RT guide isn't. Who knows that BSA is thinking on this, but like you say, the inconsistency is no surprise at all . . .

gwd-scouter: When did you leave Potomac? My family attended St. Francis Episcopal there from 2001-2002 and really loved it. Fr. Billy Shand is quite the speaker, mixing history with his sermons (he majored in history at U. South Carolina). Eamonn: I never said I missed the snow. But my kids surely do.(This message has been edited by fgoodwin)

jblake47 / stosh wrote:Isn't it kind of strange that BSA provides for an ASL interpreter's strip and very little resource to provide for the boy's training?I don't think it at all strange that BSA doesn't offer training in ASL. BSA also offers interpreter strips in French, German, and Spanish, among many others. But BSA offers no formal training in foreign languages. I think the intent of the Interpreter Strip is to recognize a proficiency one already has (from whatever source), rather than as a recognition of acquiring a skill like a merit badge. You make some interesting observations about Scouting being more than the sum total of the current literature -- I agree, but I would hope that if (or when) we add to what's written, that we are careful to follow the policy as written, rather than deviate from it. YiS

David: I see you're in the Baltimore area; I used to live in Montgomery Village (formerly CC for Pack 468 of the defunct Seneca District, sponsored by the Laytonsville Lions, and met at Goshen ES). I moved to Texas four years ago, but my kids really miss MD and the snow! Welcome to the Forums.

April Is Youth Protection Month http://www.scoutingmagazine.org/issues/current/d-news.html Nationwide, April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, and for the seventh consecutive year, the BSA has designated April as Youth Protection Month for councils, units, families, and community organizations. Local councils will conduct youth protection training for more than four million youth and adults. Many councils will also provide this training, through BSA videos and DVD's, books, and an Internet course, as a community service to other youth-serving agencies. During Youth Protection Month, each unit is encouraged to participate in one or more of the following ways: Ensure that unit adult leaders (and other interested adults) take the online Youth Protection training, available at: http://olc.scouting.org/info/ypt.html The training is also available in DVD format, "Youth Protection Guidelines: Training for Volunteer Leaders and Parents" (BSA No. AV-09DVD01). Discuss with youth in a unit meeting the exercises in "How to Protect Your Children From Child Abuse: A Parent's Guide." These are found in the pullout pamphlet in the front of youth and adult handbooks. The guides can also be downloaded in PDF format at: http://www.scouting.org/pubs/ypt/resources.html'>http://www.scouting.org/pubs/ypt/resources.html Using the meeting guides (available in PDF format in English or Spanish at: http://www.scouting.org/pubs/ypt/resources.html present the age-appropriate, award-winning BSA training to youth and parents: For Cub Scouts "It Happened to Me" (No. AV-09DVD11) For Boy Scouts "A Time to Tell" (No. AV-09DVD04) For boys and girls age 11 to 14 "A Time to Tell for Learning for Life" (No. AV-09DVD05) For young adults (boy or girl, ages 14 to 20) "Youth Protection: Personal Safety Awareness" (No. AV-09DVD27). In Cub Scout packs, distribute and discuss the Power Pack Pals comic books, which focus on bullying (No. 33980), Internet safety (No. 33981), and personal safety (No. 34750). For availability of BSA resources, contact your local Scout council service center or go to http://www.scoutstuff.org/

The 2006-2007 Cub Scout Roundtable Planning Guide is available for $7.99 on Scoutstuff.org at: http://tinyurl.com/3c8pjh Unfortunately, unlike the Boy Scout RT Guide, it appears that this one isn't a bin item, although I would hope the district would provide a copy to the Cub RT Commissioner.

Boy Scouts to model for UK ID checks http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/04/04/scout_id/ By Mark Ballard Published Wednesday 4th April 2007 10:11 GMT The Scouts are prepared to help the Identity and Passport Service design a model procedure for checking people's identities against the ID database. A pilot in June will help the IPS decide how to incorporate passports and ID cards into the identity checking process used by authorised agents of the Criminal Records Bureau, which are organisations that approve or deny people permission to work with children and vulnerable people. A spokesman for the IPS and CRB said the Scouts were being used in the trial because they were one of the highest-volume CRB agents. At least one other agent would take part in a trial to create the "proof of concept" for the procedure over the next six months. He admitted that the procedure had not yet evolved enough for the IPS to have decided it was feasible. That was the point of the trial. "It's to help the IPS design ID-related services that will provide benefit to other business partners," he said. A feasibility study might compare the cost of running identity checks against people requesting CRB clearance for a job application with the benefits in reducing identity fraud. The spokesman said the current identity checking procedure used by CRB agents was 99.97 per cent proof and most of the mistakes were spotted by the applicants themselves when the CRB linked them with criminal records that were not theirs, as opposed to people fraudulently trying to get access to sensitive work. Nevertheless, it is feared that people wanting to fraudulently get approval for working with children will use false identities when they apply for a police check. Current checks are done by checking applicants' "biographical footprints" using documents like utility bills against the identity services of credit reference agencies. Guy Herbert, general secretary of No2ID, said that applying biometric ID to CRB checks appeared to be a marketing exercise to mitigate the burden placed on them originally by the obligation on them to do background checks on job applicants. Another group of vulnerable adults - people with criminal pasts - have been discriminated against by employers, either by mistakes in the CRB data drawn from the patchy police national computer, by being refused jobs illegally for minor or irrelevant convictions, or by having checks run - again illegally - for irrelevant jobs. The CRB is trying to root the discrimination out of the system.

If Nick's link won't work for you, try one of these: http://www.ca7.uscourts.gov/fdocs/docs.fwx?submit=showbr&caseno=&shofile=05-3451_054.pdf http://tinyurl.com/39o7x9 http://www.bsalegal.org/downloads/Seventh%20Circuit%20opinion%2005-3451.pdf http://tinyurl.com/2ywp8g

Minor League Baseball and Boy Scouts Step Up to the Plate to Encourage Families to Prepare for Emergencies http://www.dhs.gov/xnews/releases/pr_1175712102184.shtm Release Date: April 4, 2007 For Immediate Release Office of the Press Secretary Contact: 202-282-8010 2007 Season Participating Minor League Baseball Teams and Schedule of Ready Games (PDF, 2 pages - 10 KB) Minor League Baseball and the Boy Scouts of America are teaming up with the U.S. Department of Homeland Securitys Ready Campaign for the fourth consecutive year to educate and encourage Americans to prepare for emergencies. Forty-nine baseball teams are joining many local Boy Scout councils in stepping up to the plate and encouraging fans to prepare for all types of emergencies, including natural disasters and potential terrorist attacks. We appreciate continued support of Minor League Baseball and the Boy Scouts in helping us to spread the Ready message to American families, said Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. Through the assistance of these organizations, millions of baseball fans will learn how to get an emergency supply kit, make a family emergency plan and be informed about the different types of emergencies that can occur. Boy Scouts and community organizations will distribute emergency preparedness brochures throughout the 2007 season at team-sponsored Ready Nights across the country. The brochures and educational materials are available at www.ready.gov and provide valuable information to help individuals and families prepare for emergencies. Teams will also feature the Ready public service announcements on their scoreboards and in game programs. Like baseball, preparing for emergencies takes practice, said Mike Moore, president and CEO of Minor League Baseball. Our organization is proud to be part of Homeland Securitys efforts to educate Americans on how to prepare for emergencies through the Ready Campaign. Local Boy Scouts taking part in this effort can work toward earning their Emergency Preparedness merit badge and a Good Turn for America Award, which fosters joint community service projects between the Boy Scouts and organizations like the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Every year, Boy Scouts across the country take a Scout Oath in which they pledge to help other people at all times, said Roy L. Williams, chief scout executive of the Boy Scouts of America. Our relationship with Homeland Security is a natural fit for our Scouts because one of the most important ways we can help our communities is by providing our neighbors with the resources to always be prepared. The Ready Campaign is a national public service advertising campaign produced by the Ad Council for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Ready is designed to educate and empower Americans to prepare for and respond to potential terrorist attacks and other emergencies. Individuals interested in receiving a "Get Ready Now" brochure may call 1-800-BE-READY or visit www.ready.gov for more information. ### This page was last modified on April 4, 2007

Statement of Boy Scouts of America: Court Rules Boy Scout Jamboree to Go Forward http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/04-04-2007/0004559911&EDATE= http://tinyurl.com/396mft IRVING, Texas, April 4 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Boy Scouts of America is pleased that the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit dismissed the ACLU's lawsuit against the Department of Defense for supporting the National Scout Jamboree. For more than 25 years, Boy Scouts have held the National Scout Jamboree every four years at Fort A.P. Hill near Fredericksburg, Virginia. Scouts from all over the country camp together for ten days and participate in activities emphasizing physical fitness, appreciation of the outdoors, and patriotism. Seven Presidents have attended the Jamboree since President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1937. The Jamboree grounds at Fort A.P. Hill are open to the public, and an estimated 300,000 visitors attended in 2005 along with 43,000 Scouts and their leaders. The 2010 Jamboree will celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Boy Scouts of America. The United States Congress has found that the military's logistical support for the National Scout Jamboree is an incomparable training opportunity for our armed forces. The Jamboree requires the construction, maintenance, and disassembly of a "tent city" capable of supporting tens of thousands of people for a week or longer. Nevertheless, the ACLU sued the Department of Defense in 1999 over its support for the Jamboree. In 2005, a federal district court in Chicago concluded the Jamboree statute (10 U.S.C. section 2554) was unconstitutional under the Establishment Clause because Scouting has a nonsectarian "duty to God" requirement. DoD appealed the district court's injunction against military support under that statute for the 2010 Jamboree. In today's ruling, the federal Court of Appeals in Chicago reversed the district court's decision, concluding that the taxpayers named as the plaintiffs in the lawsuit did not have standing to sue DoD in the first place. "We are pleased that today's ruling preserves the training opportunity for the military that Congress wanted it to have," said Robert H. Bork, Jr., spokesperson for the Scouts. "Today's decision allows everyone to get back to planning the centennial Jamboree celebrating Boy Scouts' 100th birthday," said George A. Davidson, the attorney for Boy Scouts of America who argued before the Seventh Circuit last year. The case is Winkler v. Gates, No. 05-3451 (7th Cir. Apr. 4, 2007). SOURCE Boy Scouts of America

Rich Diesslin has developed a handy guide to the "degree of difficulty" of the various MBs: http://usscouts.org/advance/docs/MrDsReview.xls http://usscouts.org/advance/docs/MrDsReview.html

I know Troops have the option of designing and wearing their own caps, but I thought Packs had to wear the official BSA headgear? If you check the Boy Scout and Cub Scout uniform inspection sheets, you'll see that Troops can vote on a cap, but Packs aren't given that option. I'm not trying to be a uniform cop here, but I would like to understand on what basis Packs are designing and wearing their own caps.

Wilderness Tracker Creates Tracking Solution to Help Locate Missing Boy Scouts, Hikers and Outdoor Enthusiasts http://www.emediawire.com/releases/2007/4/emw515412.htm Wilderness Tracker offers tracking solutions to locate lost hikers, boy scouts, back country skiers and mountaineers. Using radio telemetry technology, the Wilderness Tracker Tracking System can lead search and rescue personnel to the exact location of the missing person. http://www.wildernesstracker.com'>http://www.wildernesstracker.com Springville, UT (PRWeb) April 2, 2007 -- On a family camping trip Keith Reber discovered that his 15 year old son had gone missing. An experienced scout leader, Keith quickly began a comprehensive search and was able to locate his son after just five hours. Although his experience ended successfully, Keith began to consider how the search for his son could have been simplified. As a result, brothers Keith and Matt Reber developed Wilderness Tracker tracking systems which utilize robust and reliable telemetry, radio frequency directional finding technology that has been in use for over 50 years as a simple way to locate anything from goods to animals and people. The Wilderness Tracker is a lightweight belt that includes a whistle, LED light and small transmitter that emits a radio signal wave that can be located using a Tracker Maxima receiver. How it works: 1. Boy Scout Troops, hikers, back country skiers, and outdoor enthusiasts are equipped with a Wilderness Tracker transmitter. 2. Each transmitter is programmed to a specific frequency. The individual's name is logged in with the transmitter frequency. 3. Search and Rescue crews have a Tracker receiver that picks up a wide range of frequencies emitted by the transmitters. 4. If a person becomes lost, the individual turns on their transmitter, and the device begins pulsing a small radio wave. 5. Search and Rescue crews identify the frequency assigned to the lost person and perform a sweep of the area using the Tracker receiver and identify the general area to focus the search. 6. Using telemetry tracking skills, Search and Rescue personnel hone in on the radio transmission and find the missing person. Commenting on the importance of his solution, Keith Reber offers, "After several scouts were lost on hikes, the Utah Scout Troops became aggressive in ways to recover lost kids in the wilderness. The most basic need is survival skills and how to stay calm in emergencies. The next step is to facilitate a quick recovery. Using the Wilderness Tracker we can quickly find the lost scout. This is an additional layer of security to protect these kids if they get lost." John Gailey, spokesman for the Utah National Parks Council, agrees with Reber's perspective. "We really try to teach the boys not to get lost in the first place, and that is still our primary focus, but recognizing that it still happens, we think this kind of technology is a great security blanket, just in case." Alternate organizations are also coming to the same conclusion. Using telemetry tracking, the Salt Lake Council of Boy Scouts was able to quickly find and recover a lost boy. What could have easily turned into a full search and recovery operation was quickly resolved without the danger, expense, and media spectacle that many search and rescue efforts turn into. Other outdoor enthusiast such as hikers and mountaineers report that the risk associated with mountaineering is part of the excitement of the sport and have traditionally been resistance to carrying any type of mountain locater unit or hiker's beacons. However, too often, even the most experienced explorers become lost or injured requiring a full scale recovery. A lightweight mountain locator unit such as the Wilderness Tracker speeds up and simplifies emergency recovery to protect the safety of both missing persons and search and rescue crews. Ken Barber, President of Tracker Radio, the company that supplies the Maxima receiver for the Wilderness Tracker, explains, "In this day and age there is no reason for a person to get lost in the wilderness. Search and Rescue personnel using our powerful Maxima receiver and telemetry tracking skills can locate a person in a million acre wilderness area. Not only does this speed up recoveries but significantly cuts the cost of a full scale search." Speaking from personal experience, Bill Hall, Executive Officer and K-9 Handler with Emergency K-9 Operations in Clinton, Iowa and a 10 year search and rescue veteran, has used radio telemetry while performing numerous missions: "I've been involved with searches from the Sawtooth Wilderness Area, to the Midwest, and the North Carolina Piedmont. These are enormous areas and each presents unique difficulties in locating a missing person. A radio telemetry system is an invaluable aid in many rescue situations, rather than looking for a needle in a haystack, we can quickly narrow the search area. This system should eliminate the need to call off a search before the person is found." About Wilderness Tracker Wilderness Tracker offers tracking solutions to locate lost hikers, boy scouts or mountaineers. Using radio telemetry technology, the Wilderness Tracker Tracking System can lead search and rescue personnel to the exact location of the missing person. http://www.wildernesstracker.com About Tracker Radio Tracker Radio offers a wide line of radio frequency (RF) and GPS tracking systems, including the receiver used by Wilderness Tracker. Tracker revolutionized RF tracking by introducing the world's first pocket-sized receivers. These powerful, systems are lightweight and simple to operate. About Emergency K-9 Operations Emergency K-9 Operations, Inc. is a professional, not-for-profit, 501©3, volunteer K-9 Search and Rescue Team serving eastern Iowa, western Illinois and surrounding communities. K-9 teams train to nationally recognized standards of performance to obtain operational status in a variety of disciplines.

The requirements for Star, Life and Eagle all state that the Scout must serve "actively" in a position of responsibility for four or six months. My troop defines "actively" as attendance at 67% of all troop meetings and at least four of six monthly campouts. I've read others advocate, instead of an attendance requirement (which is alleged by some to be an additional, and therefore not allowed, requirement) that Scouts be dismissed from their POR if they are not meeting expectations of the SPL (or SM). Of course, the dismissal could still be based on attendance, as in the Scout will be removed if he misses more than a third of troop meetings or campouts. I've done a quick google search, and apparently many troops define serving "actively" in a POR using some combination of troop meeting & campout attendance. How do your troops define serving "actively" in a POR?

Brent: I'm not aware of any recent email abuses using troop (adult) email addresses. But I'm told such abuses occured in the past. I don't think I said this, but my troop broadcast went only to adults, not the youth. So the YP angle isn't really an issue here.