mmhardy

Political arguments aside...don't buy anything oceanfront. If you do, sell. This ain't no 20-30year cycle kids.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Recent_Sea_Level_Rise.png

Part of the perception may be from how some units stress 100% attendance at all the troop meetings. Our unit has about the boys involved in varsity athletics and band. If a boy cant make a string of meetings during the season, thats OK. As long as we know what is going on. As a result we now have about two full patrols of 15-18yo who have been active in the troop since they crossed over. Its great to see all the guys with lettermen jackets stroll in to reveal a full uniform. Our unit stresses extending our duty of providing leadership to the community. To us thats Active The boys may come in looking nerdy and behaving like a geek but they dont age out that way.

Say what you want.Im just wondering what palm trees will look like on Lake Superior.

put a small tripod over my head and hung an afghan on it to form a "mini-tent" over my head/neck area

Your comment about a little tent over your head and neck area reminded me of an old sleeping bag my granddad used in hunting in Canada and Alaska in the 1950s. It was fleece lined and heavy and I also remembered some extra material where you could rig up a small shelter over your head area. There were pictured instructions on how to rig it up with a tree branch bowed over and hooked. Being a kid I thought you could use it if you didnt have a tent. But I suppose it would be good for setting up a similar rig like you mentioned.

Sorrylong weekend and I totally stepped away from the computer screen for awhile. Im neither a doctor nor a councilor but I have a kid with a formal diagnosis of Asperger Syndrome. Your boy sound kind close. Its on the high functioning tip of the Autistic spectrum. He may show significant difficulties in social interaction, along with restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior and interests. (they fixate on single ideas/thoughts/patterns) They are typically very smart but show little emotion or even acknowledge that youre talking to them. (Like talking to a brick wall)

On the plus side they tend to follow the rules and have high expectations for everyone; including the adults. You mentioned that you like the progress he has made in running the patrol. A job no one else wanted. You may want to mention this to him and give some small achievable goals that you would like to see. You may never crack him. Thats OK. But I found positive reinforcement techniques go a very long way.

Aspy traits can run in families so you observation about the father may be dead on. Working with them may be challenging but these people are diamonds in the rough. Their ability to zealously pursue a single goal has probability contributed the most in advances in human achievement.

Before I offer an opinion, do any of the following traits relate to this young man?

avoids eye contact, interrupts others, violates their physical space, and steers the conversation to his favorite odd topic, appears willful, selfish and aloof?

stiff and rule-oriented and act like little adult, typically does not care about teen fads and clothing styles, may neglect their hygiene and wear the same shirt all week.

The CEOs in many large organizations (Such as Jack Welsh) have stated that if it takes longer then a single sentence to outline a goal then you dont know what you want.

Personally I would be impressed with a short list of ambitions and life purpose that he could speak to. A Scoutmaster conference should be a chat not a reading exercise.

Yeah..a picture would be worth a 100 words. (I'll bet a cell phone was around snapping shots!)

Agreed. Ive used one for about 10 years now. I wouldnt stay in the room with it. The EPA warning is using an ozone generator as an air purifier. Im not sure what damage ozone can do to tent fabric. Car detailers use these devices. Compared to the caustic effects of chlorine bleach Id say its safer.

Borrow or rent a large Ozone Generator. I use it on my boat. Kills the critters, the odors and leaves a fine white powder in its wake. Set up your tents in an enclosed area, turn it on and leave the room. Will take several hours.

IMHOLooking at the size of this thread and the various interpretations of how this aspect is handled, its blatantly obvious that this is a significant point of contention. I would propose that National take it out of local council hands and spell it out as a requirement of rank. Period. As an Eagle advisor I tell each boy as soon as they achieve Life that reference letters are expected. (Does this make it a requirement?). If the boy can not come up with 3 to 5 letters of recommendation maybe they are not Eagle material.

Why arent letters of recommendation stated being a requirement for the Eagle rank? They are not listed in the Rank requirements and the letters themselves are not a requirement. This is been a point of contention for years.

Specifically the Eagle Scout Rank Application states, List the names of individuals who know you personally and would be willing to provide a recommendation on your behalf. Thus youre indicating a list of references not providing actual letters.

Doing a search of scouter.com showed over 600 occurrences of this topic. Obviously there is disconnect. What can be done to add this as a real requirement?

What would be the point of excluding them? Is there some kind of test BSA has? What is the threshold that a group has to meet?

Another trick is to throw 1-2 of those hand warmers or packs into the bottom of the bag. Ive totally dumped anything under me that holds or circulates air. Thus my Thermorest does not come out in the winter. I use a thick old 100% wool blanket (an old Hudson Bay) folded over several times for my pad. Im getting sleepy just thinking about it.

Well Done!

You may want to post this great question on www.bwca.com. It's not a Scouting site but the folks are knowledegable, and will provide answers and resources.

Overheard at a closed door disciplinary board at your local school district.

So Mr. School Principal you let John the Eagle Scout off with a warning for having a hatchet in his car after a weekend campout.

Whats that?..Hes a good kid? You is uncle or something?

Ill tell you what Mr. Principal, maybe you can try exercising that good horse sense you developed over the past 25 years with your next employer. The School Board put that policy into place for everyone. Your job is to carry out that policy. Zero tolerance means just that. Period!

It may vary by State but in my experience school administrators are to implement the policy of the elected school board. There is no school law.

Try outfitting two boys going to Jambo. Priceless.

What I found funny/strange is that here are a bunch of Europeans choosing and giving this award. They could care a fig about our little Left vs. Right tiffs. Has the bar sunk so low on American actions and values that just having someone new come in and turn on the lights now generates kudos of global recognition?

Im glad Obama got the award, but ashamed as to the potential rational for giving it to him. Is American politics playing out a version of Lord of the Flies? My 14yo thinks so.

Beavah,

School administrators have the zero tolerance policy hanging over their heads like the Sword of Damocles. View ANY case differently and the horse hair snaps.

Those working within such school systems know what I'm talking about. My challenge remains...if ya' don't like it then work to change it...see what kind of *^$@ comes flying your way. It's a no win argument.

tcora has a point. If restrictions on wearing the uniform were that important then the BSA would make those items more visable. Along the same lines as Youth Protection.

If you dont like it then work to change the law. This policy is nothing new.

Then Scouting will continue to shrink as a youth program. Simply put...the "Keepers of the Flame" will snuff out BPs vision.

Keeping with the church fair example. Youre telling me that BSA would NOT want uniformed Scouts helping out with a parish fund raiser?

This is confusing. So here we have a parish that basically owns the troop. They have to go to the Council Exec to ask if the boys in their own youth program can wear the uniform when supporting a parish event?

I knew some priests that wouldnt put up with that in a NY minute.

Say the CO is a parish KofC and they hold a fair with rides, food vendors and beer and bingo tents. There are raffles sold by the troop parents (who are also members of the parish) and of course a 50/50 drawing every hour. They ask the troop to help in exchange for $$. In uniform the troop polices the grounds and helps with parking. At the end, the KofC and the parish committee divide the proceeds among various areas, including back to the KoC who buys tents a trailer and stoves for its troop. Then whats the problem?

Its none of the BSAs business how a CO collects it money.

I suspect the parents here are conducting a similar thing but have the poor judgment to place a troop banner nearby.

The BSA charter is granted by the consent of the CO. The BSA is to provide the youth program and the support services not dictate what can happen in the CO.