John-in-KC

gwd, For something that successful, those kids deserve being taken out for ice cream You're doing well, mentoring them, whilst they start making good collective decisions independently!

Gern, Yep, googlenews says Sept 30, he goes away. Had he decided to go for "Not Guilty, Your Honor" at the Bar of Justice, yes, this might have ended up as you described. That was my objection: He chose to plea out, apparently without thinking of the 2d/3d order consequences. One of the things we're supposed to be training our Scouts under the Citizenship Aim: Make good choices! I wonder if there's a Scoutmaster Minute in all this...

Things we do at our RT, thanks to a former RT Commish who earned his Commish doctorate on the subject of RT: - ONE STOP SHOPPING FOR UNIT SERVICE: -- Eagle Projects are done by advancement committee on RT night at RT site. -- NLE, MBC, and YP training are done by training committee on RT night at RT site. -- ALL THREE RTs (Cub, Boy and Venturing) meet at one site on one date. -- DE's set up and man a service table. If you need DE help (or even have stuff to go to Council), they deal with it. -- DC mans a service table, plus Commish roam the RT. Got a question, get an informal answer. -- Lots of people work late. We have a "chuckwagon corner." We make a few $ for the end of year program fair door prizes, Scouters can come straight from office if need be. -- All operating committees of District Committee have unit service tables. We do a couple of wacky things as well. Yes, Scouting is about the youth, but good friendships amongst the adults help keep things rolling along: -- We have a car show every spring. Lots of Scouters love to show off their restoration skills. We tie it into auto mechanics and metalwork MBs among others. -- We have a chili cookoff every fall. Bragging rights. -- OA Chapter is concurrent with RT. As to program, we seek out opportunities to showcase people and places. Sept RT theme is Athletics, for October. Our Program Feature is an area Scouter, who is an NFL referee. He's bringing his "show and tell." You don't think Scouts don't want to hear about this stuff? Last year, one of the themes was Nature. The Kansas City Zoo brought their community education truck... including animals! The one that seems to matter the most, though, is one stop unit service. Look at what RT does from the perspective of a new ASM or CC. How can you make his/her life easier to deliver the promise?

Coleman, 40 years ago, when it was making farmhouse gear and adapting same to camping, had the best stoves and lanterns in the world. They didn't do so bad on "heavy" (read car) camping stuff either, when they got into that line. Eddie Bauer (remember when Eddie Bauer was an Expedition Outitter!?), REI, Kelty, and Camp Trails were the specialists.

Beavah, offlist, pointed out a vital error in my post: If the Scout is removed from the trip, only those monies he's put into the Troop, not yet spent, get returned. In most cases that means the pro-rated share of Troop fees. Any other monies stay with the troop. I'm sorry for the confusion. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ On the subject of stay/go: - Part of the problem here is the Mom. Her choices on disabilities awareness seem to be making it difficult for the other youth of the troop to "buy in." The reaction, if I read you correctly Lisa is the other Scouters (lesser extent Scouts) are less willing to invest in him. - I understand she is a single mom. Are there any uncles (fairly important in Islamic culture as I recall) who are willing to step up to the plate and support this young man? - Finally, how much special needs support does your District and Council have available? I wish the one special ed teacher was willing to assist, but I can't fix that challenge. Frankly, I'm not sure anyone can Here's hoping you keep telling the story here, Lisa.

Just for clarity, I have no value judgment on Mr Craig or his actions up to the moment he stepped to the Bar of Justice. I do have a value judgment on his actions and comments following saying three words to his Judge: "Guilty, Your Honor." John

Does anybody here remember TUBE TENTS? My Dad and I used on on my very first backpacking trail... for ONE NIGHT. That was 1969. Super heavy gage plastic, Mr Gizmo (local packpacking store owner) said they were fantastic. The plastic was so bloody wet we used it for a ground cloth the rest of the week, and slept under God's Good Sky!(This message has been edited by John-in-KC)

I am being utterly pragmatic on this one. Craig was arrested and charged with a crime. He was going to have a close encounter with our criminal justice system. At that point, he had three options: - Plead not guilty, have a trial, and make the State convict him. - Plead no contest. - Plead guilty to some or all of the offenses (or their lesser includeds). You, I, Beavah, Lisa, and BobWhite didn't plead out. MR CRAIG PLED and was thus CONVICTED. The last time I saw a friend encounter the criminal justice system, judges tend to make sure Guilty pleas are fully understood and accepted as "I'm guilty." Mr Craig did not think folks weren't going to notice a criminal conviction of a US Senator, even for a misdemeanor offense? He's a member of the most exclusive club in America. He has an old World War II Carbon Arc searchlight blazing gazillions of candlepower into his home. He's whining because he was noticed. Why can't Mr Craig just shut up and take the punishment he pled to? And for the record, I am conservative and Republican by registration. EDIT: As of 1049 Central Time Friday Aug 31, Forbes Magazine is reporting on Republican Senatorial leadership pressure for Mr Craig to resign his seat. Isn't Google News wonderful?(This message has been edited by John-in-KC)

I like Pete's idea. Here's a resource from the National website. Don't know how much it will help: http://www.scouting.org/factsheets/02-508.html I think now is a good time to call your District/Council special needs folks. If your Council doesn't have any, ask your DE/SE for the contacts at Region or in a neighboring Council. Hopefully, there are resources available. Is there a Troop in your Council which focuses on special needs? You need to talk with your DE/DC before you do this anyway. BSA makes a point of serving kids with all manner of disabilities. You do not want to expose your Chartered Partner to a discrimination (mental ability) claim. Most assuredly that is not a good thing. If necessary, Lisa, PM me offlist with your email. Our District special needs chair has resources that tap very deep. I'll point you to her Finally, if you do decide to drop the boy, there are some things you need to do: - Remit him the balance of his Troop fees for the current year. - Make sure his advancement and activity records are current. Make sure he and Mom get copies in paper and digits. - You know this, so I'm preaching to the choir ... Make sure the Troop understands the most they can do is say "you're no longer welcome" and refuse to put him on-charter at the next recharter cycle. CC needs to BE PREPARED to answer to the DC why he has a "lost boy", if your District is anything like ours. He's not out of Scouting, just your Troop. John-in-KC) (John,asked if I would edit this post for him - Ea.) (This message has been edited by a staff member.)

For the record, When the kids do the fundraising, I generally melt in an instant. Our HS Jazz Band does an annual Cappucino Night. The dining commons overlooks downtown Kansas City ... it's a killer view! The band plays three hours one Saturday night each autumn. Yes, I gladly open my checkbook. Ditto when Mary and Billy come by in assorted scouting uniforms with popcorn and GS cookies. No, I am not tired of being hit up... unless it's a parental hitup without the kiddlets.

Paper does a lot of things: - It enables the Scribe to have a responsibility to update a wall chart (which the advancement coordinator can take home instead of Scout books). - It's a source document (blue cards, Scout handbooks... remember 1 fold of the blue card is for the Scout, 1 for the Troop, and one for the Counselor). - Again with the wall chart, it's a visible demonstration of progress between peers. Advantages of databases: - More comprehensive... integrating all MBs, bio data, medicalert data, training, ad infinitum! - Interfacable with ScoutNet. To me, you need both. At the adult level, I use electrons!

What scoutldr and Barry said, and if there is one time where we DON'T need the backstory, this is it. Get this to folks who have the authority to deal with it, and the two gents did a good job of describing them! John

I've never seen that particular MSDS at the Camp pools ...

Congratulations from Eagle Son and I. Having watched Eagle Son these past two years, Camp Staff anywhere can be a hugely rewarding job! Pay isn't often great, the learning is priceless

Most of what Eagle69 said. Of course, any database management software, be it digits or paper, is only as good as the folks doing regular and correct data entry and later data mining A great toy, sitting in a box, gathers dust. A great toy, in use, is a great toy!

Top Chef? No Iron Chef Japan? YES. The overdub voices are wacky!

Trev, You and I are pretty close to "violent agreement here." Above and beyond that, IF you plead, THEN you accept the consequences. Or... does personal responsibility for yourself at the bar of justice not matter anymore?

Listening to the local commercial radio station, the going thinking is Mr Craig will resign from the Senate sometime off the news cycle this weekend. We'll see...

JeffD, YOU BUDGET. Remember Personal Management Merit Badge from Boy Scouts? You BUDGET. Determine your expenses, then set your per capita revenue requirements. How the Scout and his family (any of the programs) meets the requirement is their business. The job of a select few in the unit is to know who can afford it, and who cannot. You help (A Scout is Helpful) those who cannot. IF you like The Pack helps the Cub Scout Grow... same principle. As it is, you're now running a FOR PROFIT BUSINESS by selling the BSA merchandise over cost. I actually hope someone from National Supply Division reads this. I would hope they have terms and conditions of sale. And Heavens to Betsy, yes, I've opened my checkbook to help out my Pack, and the Troop, and the Crew, when extra $$$ were needed. I don't know of too many of us who have not.(This message has been edited by John-in-KC)

LH, That's my point. He PLED. Once you plead, don't whine anymore. Take your punishment. Thanks for the clarity on his home constituency. I hear NPR at 530AM, I'm not actively listening.

The FD and UC need to be talking to your Chartered Partner's Executive Officer and COR!!! They are the ones who hire/fire.

What did he do wrong: If he was innocent, he should have asked for his speedy trial and gotten it over with. If he is guilty, he should have taken his punishment like a man, whether it be by conviction at trial or by plea agreement. What he did wrong? He's WHINING. I expect the people I elect to have the moral courage of their beliefs. I do not think that unreasonable. Since Mr Craig is not mine, I hope folks in Minnesota feel the same way.

Back in the days when Railroads had their own passenger service, and Railroading MB was cool, various Dining Car and Hotel Departments had a recipe to prepare various Viriginia country cured hams for the table. I like this one: Tools: Skillet and 9 x 13 pan Ingredients: 1 Pint milk 2 oz maple syrup (both of those are more or less) Mix the milk and the syrup together. Soak ham slices in the milk/syrup mix, the longer the better (I do it overnight). (Soaking leaches the salt out). Cook on a hot griddle/pan with just a little fat. Do not overcook. Serve with pancakes or eggs. My recipe comes from the Union Pacific, but there are others... Good stuff,

KANSAS CITY: BARBECUE: You ain't got barbecue. WE GOT BARBECUE. You don't believe, well, then it's time to get out the Whup---. FRIED CHICKEN. You ain't had fried chicken til you had STROUDS FRIED CHICKEN 'Nuff said.

I've managed Advancement for a while now... even through several other Scouting assignments. I've seen the piecework done on advancement reports at the Council Office: Each clerical staff member has a pile of reports to do when he/she doesn't have another task. It's their ongoing C priority. I've heard of internet advancement... but no one in our District has actually offered training and the passcode. I'm waiting to see the now VAPORWARE of "My Scouting" I've trusted my scribe to feed me info. I've also known the various Scribes have lives outside the Troop, and do take vacations. Even so, now and again, I've found an ongoing, multi-layered crosscheck (book to TM to ScoutNet report obtained from DE) to be a huge blessing for making sure the Scout is getting all the credit he's properly entitled to get. I'd like to hear from other unit and District Advancement people on this, and share thoughts.