RememberSchiff

Maybe that is why I like working with youngsters. My (stolen) old jokes are new to them. Now if they would only laugh.

Besides, I felt the need to counter-balance skeptic's joke on Democrats.

My $0.01

In 1904, Republican presidential candidate Theodore Roosevelt was addressing a rally when he was interrupted by a drunk who yelled, I am a Democrat! When Roosevelt asked why, the man replied, Because my grandfather was a Democrat and my father was a Democrat.

Mr. Roosevelt patiently nodded and said to the man, Let me ask you, sir. If your grandfather had been a jackass and your father had been a jackass, what would you be?

A Republican! the drunk shot back.

Feinstein has supported JROTC over the years even when that program had anti-gay issues.

"This program is an alternative to the sports teams, band or debate team that other students may choose as their extracurricular activity, and allows its members to gain the self-confidence and discipline needed for their future endeavors."

Go figure.

Back to the original question: Should we remove all shooting from Scouting?

Well we pretty much have. There is more talking than shooting. How many rounds will a scout shoot at camp in a week - 50? Bring back the marksmanship level of shooting. Remember when it was called Marksmanship? Shoot for score in prone, sitting, offhand. Show scouts the difference between video game shooting and real shooting - sight picture focus, breathing, trigger squeeze,.. As mentioned the caliber restrictions are idiotic. My son shot 22 at 7, did CMP (223, 30-06) at 14 but outside of scouting. Many of their friends hunt also outside of scouting. Make it more fun, add a little "Top Shot" to it.

My $0.02

ATF current leadership and budget situation are more a result of their irresponsible gun walking operation, Fast and Furious and their (and Dept of Justice) lack of cooperation with subsequent Congressional investigations. ATF Acting Director Melson was demoted in 2011, ATF Deputy Director Hoover resigned in 2012, four senior ATF supervisors recommended for removal - all due to FF. Current Acting ATF Director Todd Jones is a part-timer! Seriously, he also works as a U.S. attorney in Minnesota.

ATF's recent changes to form 4473 drew head-scratching and some cries of racism. Question 10a Ethnicity asks you to check either

Hispanic or Latino

Not Hispanic or Latino

Question 10b then asks your race. Why?

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

Agreed, not perfect but maybe if will give some pause (hassle?) to responsible gun owners. I know many "responsible" gun owners with kids (great people) who have no secure storage for their firearms. "Didn't have gun safes when I grew up. Keep my rifle in the closet. My 1911 in the glove compartment." Some states have no requirements regarding securely storing a firearm.

Just an idea, but maybe we need to "register" gun safes too or somehow make it a requirement to get a firearm license. Not perfect either.

Should kids be restricted from accessing stored firearms is not black and white either. Adam Lanza age 20 obviously no, Kendra St. Clair age 12 definitely yes (OK girl home alone who shot intruder).

Another $0.01,

As I understand, properly license citizens in Canada and Germany may own AR-15's and other semi-automatic rifles. I think Canada restricts mags to 5 rounds in those rifles, but as others mentioned low round count mags is a false security measure.

I would like to see some changes in the ATF Form 4473 Firearms Transaction Record (what a firearm buyer fills out) and the NICS background check. There are no questions about how your firearm will be securely stored and who will have access. Not all states provide mental health data to NCIS. Connecticut does.

I have not read any information about how Nancy Lanza stored her firearms. IMO when her son learned that she intended to commit him, her fate was sealed. If her son had not had access to a firearm, then a knife, bat, whatever. I would like to know more about her failed attempts to commit her son.

No solution(s) will provide an iron-clad guarantee against crime, but we can try.

My $0.01,

I dunno Merlyn, I responded with a "hahaha" to AZMike's effort at humor.

Using the internet laugh meter as measuring device

http://www.desipad.com/image-video-gallery/41998-laugh-meter.html

AZMike is "genuinely funny".

Merry Christmas Merlyn. Peace on Earth and Goodwill Towards All.

Back in the day, my troop worked with the fire department to shovel fire hydrants. Other troops shoveled for the elderly.

Read this article about the "Snow Corps" that City of Omaha set up to help disabled veterans across Douglas and Sarpy Counties. "Boy Scout Packs, Troops, and crews enrolled in the program will receive a map and a list of the homes of enrolled Wounded Warriors in their neighborhoods and the Scouts will be responsible for clearing their driveways and sidewalks after a snowfall."

"...following our latest snow storm. Boy Scouts enrolled in the Snow Corps program cleared the driveways and sidewalks of 19 disabled veterans across the metro area. Boy Scout Troops from Omaha, Bellevue, Bennington, Papillion, and Ralston all took part in the snow removal efforts."

http://www.cityofomaha.org/mayor/mayors-office-home/archives/2894

Youth know what they like in music.

2001

old timer who played Over the rainbow on a saw.

He went over far better than the Young Osmond's.

2013 (Schiff predicts)

the same old timer plays Over the rainbow on a saw.

He goes over far better than Justin Bieber.

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/