RememberSchiff

As part of SOAR 2012 this weekend, Boston Minuteman Council Scouts and scouters constructed a 320 ft pinewood derby track to set the Guinness World Record. (320 ft is about 20 times longer than the longest unpock-marked section of Storrow Drive ) "The track was constructed as a replica of the Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Bridge." http://boston.cbslocal.com/2012/10/07/boston-boy-scouts-break-pinewood-derby-world-record/

Next up, GTSS bans the old flaming bag of poop Halloween prank.

This hassle is why we do Family events outside of scouting. Parental responsibility what a concept.

Pentagon Papers

"PORTLAND, Ore. -- The Boy Scouts of America plan to begin doing what critics argue they should have done decades ago -- bring suspected abusers named in the organization's so-called perversion files to the attention of police departments and sheriff's offices across the country. ...Scouts spokesman Deron Smith to say the organization will go back into the files and report any offenders who may have fallen through the cracks. Smith said Mike Johnson, the group's youth protection director and a former police detective, will lead the review..." http://www.mercurynews.com/nation-w

NJ, I believe General Powell stated his doctrine some 20 years in the context of conventional 20th century nation military conflicts. Today we have terrorism which may or may not be state sponsored. I thought it interesting that he did not directly mention treaty and alliance obligations and our self designated role as world policeman. By international support, maybe General Powell meant if not support at least no interference. When President Reagan ordered a bomber attack on Libya, it would have been helpful if France allowed our F-111'a to fly-over enroute from England to Libya. Ditto w

For the large scale, as a starting point for consideration, check out the (Colin) Powell Doctrine which states a questions/conditions checklist before military force is used. Is a vital national security interest threatened? Do we have a clear attainable objective? Have the risks and costs been fully and frankly analyzed? Have all other non-violent policy means been fully exhausted? Is there a plausible exit strategy to avoid endless entanglement? Have the consequences of our action been fully considered? Is the action supported by the American peo

We may be seeing a "We support our scouts" (not BSA policies) attitude developing similar to "We support our troops" (not foreign policies). Northern Star Council, even with a muted inclusive policy, appears to be doing very well with corporate donations at all levels. Ironic role reversal that Corporate America may be becoming the ethical role model for Scouting. I stuck an "Intel inside" sticker on my handbook. My $0.02

Agreed. Looking at the photo jpg properties,I was unable to determine owner and note there is no CNN copyright specified. I wonder if the photo came from Council/BSA??

A question, did this scout check Yes under Talent Release Agreement, Part B, of the "idiotic" (IMO) Annual BSA Health and Medical Record? If so, I wonder if he is SOL (though I hope otherwise)?

What aid to the victim(s) - our scouts, current and past - does the BSA now provide?

According to reports, the 12 year scout's father was there at scout summer camp but did not travel along with his son on this diving excursion. I think (and hope) that any parent watching a training session from shore, seeing two adults and two 12 yr old boys scuba dive down, and then only two adults surface would sound the alarm. Common sense. Safety is everyone's job. Another $0.02

Update from Salt Lake Tribune Boy Scouts denies responsibility in Utah drowning death, file cross claim against scuba company. "The Tuvells allege in their complaint that the defendants (BSA,Bear Lake Boy Scout Aquatic Camp,Blue Water Scuba,...) failed to ensure their son was properly equipped, dressed and weighted and that he was given defective equipment. When an emergency arose, the defendants failed to provide proper aid, they claim. In its response, the Boy Scouts denied any involvement or duty with respect to "preparing and implementing" a dive plan or to "oversee, monitor,

Good news and bad news Hornaday: A couple of scouts from El Dorado Hills Boy Scout Troop 465 organized a conservation effort to remove invasive plants from Yosemite. Both scouts are working on the challenging Hornaday award. http://www.villagelife.com/news/scouts-weed-yosemite-valley/ Hantavirus: Those Yosemite visitors who stayed in the park tent cabins are believed to most at risk. Two have died. "Park officials said the double-walled design of the cabins that were closed Tuesday made it easy for mice to nest between the walls. The disease is carried in the feces, urine and

Regardless how old their Inclusiveness Policy is, the question remains where did it go? It was still posted last week on their website. Now it appears missing.

Anyone know if something happened to Northern Star Council's Inclusive Policy? The OP link is gone! http://www.northernstarbsa.org/AboutUs/Leadership/Inclusiveness.aspx There is still an Inclusiveness link here on the Policies page, but the page itself is gone http://www.northernstarbsa.org/Resources/Policies/ ???

IMO, pack leadership typically has younger leaders with more frequent turnover than troops - so more fertile ground for change. Also I think units and CO's are realizing families are not necessarily traditional, i.e., reject one family member and lose the whole family, reject upstanding citizens and lose the community. What happens at crossover time to Webs from these packs? Will families find a troop with a "Policy of Acceptance" and continue on the Scouting trail? Evolution from the bottom-up. Will mutations thrive or die? Will the species itself adapt and live on? My $0.01 fo

Add Pack 24, Redlands, CA http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_21421165/developing-redlands-scout-pack-taking-stand-against-boy?source=rss

Good to read, Louisiana scouts filling and stacking sandbags to save homes from flood waters. http://www.nbc33tv.com/news/local-news/boy-scouts-helping-out-with-isaac-approaching

I looked last night and started thinking ... some BSA commemoration - do Jamboree on the Air at night with full moon? - do a nationwide model rocket launch next Aug 5 (his birthday) or July 20 (Apollo 11 landing)? - other ideas?? Back in the day, I had to know the names of all 7 Mercury astronauts. There was no Space Exploration merit badge. Today, it is hard to believe there is no specific requirement about astronauts. We can fix that too.

Scout salute and farewell....

"Marblehead (Mass) Pack 79 has created its own policy in response to the Boy Scouts of Americas announcement that it will continue to not allow openly gay people to participate." From their website http://pack79mhd.scoutlander.com/publicsite/unitcustom.aspx?UID=5990&CUSTOMID=55066 "Pack 79 recognizes the benefits of scouting for all boys and their families. We openly reject the national policy put forth by Boy Scouts of America barring gay boys from membership and gay or lesbian adults from serving as leaders. We believe that Scouting builds character and enforces important val

January 1, 2010. New form No. 34605, which replaced the Class 1,2,3 forms, required a yearly physical for everyone. Yep used to be 3 years.

No, we take responsibility here. This is our screw-up complete with the diminished BSA brand. Where this new merit badge did not interest my scouts in SAR, this recent gripping story of a volunteer search and rescue did. "A group of Colorado mountain climbers rescued a German Shepard named Missy from 13,000 feet, where the dog's owner abandoned her. Missy was stranded for eight days before two hikers found her close to death and bloodied. In a strange twist of fate, the owner wants custody of Missy again - a privilege the animal-loving hikers think the man lost when he left the cani

http://www.scouting.org/sitecore/content/Home/BoyScouts/AdvancementandAwards/MeritBadges/snr.aspx