RememberSchiff

Never know what you might run into in the woods.

On a scout camping trip, "a couple of the older boys began exploring what appeared to be a wildlife trail leading into a wooded area about a half mile from camp. There they found about three dozen marijuana plants, some standing 5 or 6 feet tall. The boys documented the find with photos on a cellphone camera and headed back to camp."

"(Police) gave credit to the Scouts for reporting the field and to their leaders for assisting with arrests afterward. Jackson County Sheriff Mike Sharp recently awarded the troop a commendation, thanking it for contributing to the destruction of 40 mature marijuana plants worth about $40,000.

They did the right thing, said Dan Cummings, an Independence police captain who leads the Jackson County Drug Task Force."

http://www.kansascity.com/2012/12/18/3972861/scouts-do-a-good-deed-bust-up.html

Leaf identification sure has come a long way since I was a scout.

My $0.02,

Let's ban drugs in schools, I dunno make it a safe, drug-free zone. We can put cameras and signs up and do drug testing of all students, teachers, employees... Well we got half-way there and then the Teacher's Union stonewalled any drug testing of teachers. Undeterred, I suggested "exercising" a state police drug dog in the high school parking lot during school..."Not without a search warrant." But the "Drug-Free Zone" signs are up and the school administrators did "take a bite out of crime" as no student can take an aspirin without going to the nurse.

My $0.02,(This message has been edited by RememberSchiff)

I suppose that depends where you place your IWB holster

From my experience,

- "Scouting is my family." No your family is your family, spend more time with them. Not even the CM/SM needs to be or should be at every meeting and activity.

- Focuses mostly on goals of just one or two methods, usually Advancement or Uniform methods. Sometimes it is the "big trek", all adult planned with the intensity of the Apollo program.

- Has little understanding of scouting or confidence in his/her "scout skills" so sticks with what he/she knows. Out comes the MBA-speak (suddenly we are called "stakeholders" and not scouters), Powerpoint, and management theory. "I run a boy-run program". (Yes I've heard that more than once). Heavy into the paperwork and forms. Yes crap.

- Banana republic generals

Generally good people who are in "serious" need of a reality check ("seriously chill" sounds contradictory ). Oh scouts too can be also be too serious.

My $0.02,(This message has been edited by RememberSchiff)

TT, A standalone death of one is a singular loss, this was a multiple murder in a community served by scouting. Some of those loss were or had been scouts, but we help others too. If the Scout Oath is not enough a reminder then consider the season.

Another $0.02,

(This message has been edited by RememberSchiff)

This thinking is misguided and selfish. Scouts help other people. There were 20 children and 6 adults murdered. All their deaths affected us, not just those who had some connection to scouting. Great set up a fund to help but help the other families and community as well.

Damn I expected better from us.

My $0.02(This message has been edited by RememberSchiff)

You could have a variety of discussions from this:

- Enforcing the letter of the law or the intent of the law. Doing what is right.

- How to "fight city hall".

- Negotiating solutions

- Legislating change (I suppose some may say if you don't like it, leave Indiana.)

- The cost of crime

- Theft prevention

The VIN of the trailer is known through vehicle registration, why issue a new VIN? Just make a new VIN number plate (even a temporary cardboard) and attach it to trailer and let scouts take it home!

Another $0.02

For you consideration, Boy Scout Troop 621 in America's heartland who was unlucky that criminals stole their trailer and more unlucky that the police recovered it.

http://www.wishtv.com/dpp/news/local/south_central/boy-scouts-fight-to-get-trailer-back

Maybe those scouts can author a bill, something to the effect that a crime victim will not penalized, fined, or subject to any fees as a result of that crime, you get the idea.

My $0.02,(This message has been edited by RememberSchiff)

Disconnect so-called "Outdoorsman" on the troop committee.

My $0.02

More hassle. This came up at committee meeting and along with some other issues - cellphone use while driving, recent fender-bender with scouts. The parent feedback was "I'll just drive my own kid".

(This message has been edited by RememberSchiff)

"Scouts is uncool"...been hearing that since the 60s...

Ditto. The irony today is that scouts may do more in scouting, but there is less they are permitted do themselves than back in the 60s. Uncool then more uncool now.

My $0.02,

Stay righteous, I see an extraordinary voyage ahead.

http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/Commissioners/newsletter/bsa_news/10_2012_liability_changes.aspx

"Old Republic Insurance Company provides the first $1 million in coverage. Additional policies, all providing primary coverage to the chartered organization, have been purchased so that more than $5 million in primary coverage is provided.

There is no coverage for those who commit intentional or criminal acts. Liability insurance is purchased to provide financial protection in the event of accidents or injury that occur during an official Scouting activity."

In Catholic COs around here, I have been hearing grumblings of almost a reverse charter process. Besides the liability insurance, the COs desire a "certification statement" from Council that the registered CO unit leaders have had a background check and undergone YP in the last year.

Perhaps the "certification statement" idea started as the diocese (and schools) have realized the following:

1. When their COR signs off for an adult leader application, that adult usually starts before Council comes back with any background feedback (if any). Oops.

2. The diocese has found that state background checks are taking 6 weeks, 8 weeks, even longer for old folk (microfiche and stone tablet checks), so if a new scout leader volunteers in Sept, he/she could not come on board until Nov/Dec.

3. The legal advantage of shifting the liability to BSA, even for leaders the CO approved/selected?

Thanks, I incorrectly assumed MOAB and all our high adventure bases were owned and operated by a BSA council or National.

I have seen councils sell traditional camps and then rent them back for summer programs, I wonder if the second tier (council owned) high adventure bases are next and if that is bad if costs are kept down? MOAB is within my troop's price point for a summer camp trek, i.e., about 2x cost of traditional summer camp week for a week+ of high adventure.(This message has been edited by RememberSchiff)

Must have been asleep, but this is the first I have heard of the BSA certifying an outside group to run a high adventure base in partnership with a local council, but the trial run has been ongoing for 3-4 years. My understanding the outside group owns and runs the ranch and the council runs the high adventure program. Cost $550/scout! Now that's more like it.

"Boone and Crockett Chief of Staff Tony Schoonen said the ranch will accept 50 Scouts a week during six weeks in July and August offering activities such as trekking, backpacking, mountain climbing, shooting, wildlife watching and more."

Who: The Boone and Crockett Club - conservation and hunting

http://www.boone-crockett.org/conservation/conservation_trmr.asp?area=conservation

Local council: Montana Council http://www.montanabsa.org/

Where: B&C's Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Ranch near Bob Marshall Wilderness Area, Montana

http://www.montanahighadventurebase.com/

Let's raise the bar and expectations

- served as fund-raising chairman somewhere

- did a five-year tour as a Cub Scout DL

- served as Pinewood Derby Chairman

Eagle92, Wow, didn't know of his scouting background. Here's an ESPN interview.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_P1rcOAwEA

More active, VISIBLE, younger person (yeah even 50 is younger) in the position and less do-little, missing, good ole boy hanging on for retirement.

My $0.02, make that $0.01 for sugar-coating my $0.02

(This message has been edited by RememberSchiff)

Congrats on your long running series on the Discovery Channel. There is no joy in Mudville, but another dirty job awaits in Irving. Heh I can wish can't I?

http://www.mikeroweworks.com/scrap-yard/mikes-blog/

My $0.02

Welcome back shortridge.

Lake Orions Camp Agawam, a Boy Scout camp since 1918, is one of three Michigan Scout camps that will not operate in 2013. It will likely be sold.

A letter posted over the signatures of Scout executives Jack Chandler and Richard Fisher states that, An extensive nine-month review was conducted for each camps program strengths that evaluated facility conditions, location to population centers, attendance and financial sustainability. As a result, a recommendation was presented to the MCC (Michigan Crossroads Council) Executive Committee and approved on September 10, 2012.

http://oaklandtownship.patch.com/articles/boy-scouts-closing-camp-agawam

Supposedly there is a notice regarding the closing on the Great Lakes Council website http://glcscouting.org/ or is it now another Michigan council? Anyway, I could not find it. What a mess.

Next up, good luck trying to book big corporate (Intel, IBM, UPS,...) events at the Summit.

My $0.02

Homonym phobia?

My tooth sense,

Toilet seat for the Air Force, $800

Claw hammer for the Navy, $436

Popcorn for the President, $20

Look on a scout's face, Priceless(This message has been edited by RememberSchiff)

When I first saw the statue, I thought the sculptor (Donald De Lue) had two left-over Greek statues in his shop that he could not sell. Then this Scout memorial project comes along, hmmm create an out of proportion scout and add a cock n bull symbolism story to sell and attach the two Greeks.

Calling Norman Rockwell.

My $0.02