RememberSchiff

Update Jan 16, 2022: Sad to report, Brigadier General "Charles McGee, one of a handful of Tuskegee Airmen pilots still alive in 2022, has died, his family announced Sunday. He was 102." https://www.nbcnews.com/news/obituaries/one-last-tuskegee-airmen-dies-rcna12432 Scout salute and farewell,

One of rarest eagles in world, a Steller's sea eagle, has been spotted in Maine this week. Maybe scouts can help track locations of this vagrant. Doug Hitchox, a naturalist with Maine Audubon, says because of the bird's unique feather patterns, it's believed to be the same vagrant. But the reasons for its lonely odyssey remain a mystery. Hitchcox and other experts say it could be prospecting for new territory. Or, it could have been blown off course or had an internal GPS hiccup. Mary Jenkins fears it's lost. https://www.npr.org/2022/01/14/1072706921/one-of-the-rarest-eagles-in-the-world-has-birdwatchers-flocking-to-maine It’s an awe-inspiring bird—about a foot longer and taller than an adult Bald Eagle and as many as five pounds heavier, with a massive golden bill that looks like pirate treasure. It’s rare: There are only about 4,000 of this vulnerable species left in the wild, compared to hundreds of thousands of Bald Eagles. And of course, it’s not supposed to be here. Steller’s Sea-Eagles are native to far eastern Russia, the Korean peninsula, and northern Japan. Vagrancy—the tendency for birds to show up far outside their normal range—is one of the most exciting aspects of birding. The Steller’s Sea-Eagle is the epitome of a vagrant bird, and the same individual has been tracked across North America since it was first spotted more than a year ago. The timeline and travels of this single bird, from Alaska to Texas to eastern Canada to New England, must be seen to be believed. Now the biggest question for birders is where this wandering giant will go next. More details and map of sightings at Audubon source link: https://www.audubon.org/news/inside-amazing-cross-continent-saga-stellers-sea-eagle https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steller's_sea_eagle

Yes on a new model but IMHO, it will not come from existing leadership. All scouting is local, except your SE.

For my sons' first year of camping, I would check but not pack. Once I found a GREEN ham and cheese sandwich from the previous campout. That I did unpack . IMHO for inexperienced scouts, the SPL/PL's should check packs before outing and at the next troop meeting after where packs should be clean, dry, empty or pre-packed with essential outdoor items. My $0.02,

page 4 of docket 8234. This docket also includes the Bates Rebuttal Report in Appendix A. "In light of Dr. Bates’s opinion that (i) the value of the Direct Abuse Claims has a midpoint of $3.0 billion, (ii) the size of the contributions already being made to the Settlement Trust (over $2.69 billion), and (iii) the expected value of non-settling insurance rights and non-settling chartered organization claims, the Debtors anticipate payment in full to holders of allowed claims in Class 8 in accordance with the Trust Distribution Procedures. It belies common sense that the TCC is continuing to attack a Plan with a preliminary accepting vote of 73% in a class that will be paid in full." https://casedocs.omniagentsolutions.com/cmsvol2/pub_47373/87262082-a853-42e8-8cca-b7e120c2836c_8234.pdf

Scout Augie Walsh, "Just to help them as much as I could," https://www.kmbc.com/article/kc-boy-scout-augie-walsh-families-affected-by-kentucky-tornadoes/38669078

The 1941 Requirements for Emergency Service Corps Member: 1. First Class Scout 2. 15 years old 3. Pass these qualification tests each year: a) Run 1 mile in 8.5 minutes b) Climb an 18 foot rope, hand over hand, in 15 seconds c) Tie following knots with a 1/2 in rope or larger: Square, Bowline, Ant line hitch, Blackwall hitch, Two half hitches, Cat's paw, Clove hitch, Bowline on a Bight, Sheet bend 4. Hold following merit badges: First Aid, Safety, Pioneering, Personal Health, Firemanship, Public Health and where required Lifesaving and Rowing

I doubt Prof Eric Green will officially become the Settlement Trustee. https://mediatbankry.com/2021/12/14/mediation-privilege-for-a-proposed-but-not-actual-mediator-in-re-boy-scouts/

Wed, Jan 12 7:30 P.M. "An old Scout named Willem Lange spends a weekend at the annual Klondike Derby at Camp Carpenter in Manchester, where Boy Scouts from around NH demonstrate their winter skills. Willem tags along with two teams patrols of Scouts (Dynamite and Fellowship) as they compete in a series of events that challenge their skills, including building a fire, ice rescue, first aid and hypothermia treatment, and using a compass. He also finds out what Scouting means to those at the event, young and old." Link to a page with a good Klondike video ( Episode 705, about 27 minutes) and broadcast schedule: https://nhpbs.org/schedule/summary.aspx?progId=WindowstotheWild705

Let's get back on topic. Thanks, RS

Let's get back on topic. Thanks, RS

Read your Messages,

Eagle Scout Dylon Nottingham developed a playing card game called Primal Jaws. It’s is a strategic dinosaur battling game in which he created all the artwork, branding and game play... “It all started with Game Design,” Nottingham said. “I had this concept for a dinosaur combat game, and my work on that merit badge helped me begin to put it together.”... “I was making a new business with this game, and the American Business and Entrepreneurship Merit Badges helped with everything I was doing,” he said.... “Earning merit badges was incorporated into my homeschool curriculum, and Primal Jaws was an important part of my earning all of them. I also learned a lot getting copyrights, a trademark, and working on a patent for gameplay,” he said... Nottingham’s now employing some of the skills he earned in the Salesmanship merit badge, working to secure placement of the game at gift shops and games stores around the United States... From concept to manufacturing, it is all a “Made in the USA” product. The game was manufactured in Florida and the display box is made in Massachusetts... More details at source link, Quite a story about the value of the merit badge program. https://www.claremoreprogress.com/news/eagle-scout-invents-card-game/article_4ec91812-6f42-11ec-a8ee-5f5297fec6a4.html Origin of "Scouting is a game with a purpose" http://www.inquiry.net/ideals/scouting_game_purpose.htm

01/09/20222: Camp Nutter Update 👍 Maine based non-profit Camp Kita announces today that it now has 28.5 acres on Loon Pond in Acton, Maine, which will be the future home and campgrounds of the organization. This property, formerly home to Camp Nutter, allows Camp Kita to expand its reach as a tuition-free summer camp for youth who have lost loved ones to suicide. ...Since its inception, Camp Kita has hosted its camps each summer by renting different facilities. In recent years, however, the group has had to limit applicants due to size limitations or availability of these facilities. Having a dedicated property of its own will allow the non-profit to host more campers, build a more consistent and impactful camp experience, and create a central place for camp alumni to gather and build memorials. ...Since 1937, the land has been a Pine Tree Council Property, owned and operated by the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). As part of the property sale, Camp Kita will continue to allow the BSA to use the facilities for many of their activities, and it hopes to partner with other local like-minded organizations throughout the year as well. More at details and history at source link: https://www.seacoastonline.com/story/news/2021/12/15/local-non-profit-youth-impacted-suicide-grows-mission/6506684001/

It was a suggestion by some scouters in the room. Not adopted, nor as crazy as some past decisions made.

https://casedocs.omniagentsolutions.com/cmsvol2/pub_47373/5e2eaa72-1e31-4d5f-a951-ac5a90474218_8190.pdf Above link, TCC status report was to be presented at Jan 10 hearing. It is an interesting read, for example, the frank suggestion that upcoming depositions are a waste of time and money. ...for the next three weeks, the Participating Parties will undertake the substantial time and expense—much of it to be incurred by the bankruptcy estates—to complete the depositions of as many as fifty fact and expert witnesses (which must be completed by January 28, 2022) to further the Court’s eventual consideration of a Plan which is already “dead on arrival".

@InquisitiveScouter you are a MBC for 61 merit badges and "The average person could do at least 10 or so, comfortably." ??? Before covid, I remember a meeting where some suggested MBC's have a simple uniform of a sash with the merit badges they counsel - advertising I guess.

As Professor Jacoby states "Recent district court decision in #PurduePharma gives extra heft to opponents' arguments that they cannot be forced to forfeit direct legal rights against third parties in a bankruptcy case, however their class might vote. That is big element of #BoyScouts case."

https://filestore.scouting.org/filestore/Merit_Badge_ReqandRes/Nature.pdf IMO, I know you can counsel these requirements. Make the class interesting and fun for your scouts. Some thoughts: - take it outside - flavor class with your interests, make it fun for you! For example, what animals have eyes that reflect light and what color light? - add habitat discussion during identification. Where does this species go at night, in winter, what does it eats, what eats it. Diseases - what they spread to us, what we spread to them (deer with covid?). - have scouts setup a trail camera, bug collection screens (compare species collected from daylight, cool white light, warm white light, yellow light) - visit a local nature center and get some expert help particularly in identifications - sight, evidence (scat, shredding, bark rutting,...), sound, smell. Most interesting fellow was a local exterminator, my scouts could have listened to him all day talk about bats. He explained he did not kill bats, rather encouraged them to hang elsewhere.

Agree, the information which @5thGenTexan is asking is not necessarily all in one place or the same place from council to council. IMHO, it would be helpful if a prospective or new MBC could observe another MBC's class. My $0.02,

Depends on merit badge, e.g., the shooting sports merit badges list more qualifications than say Basketry. As a start, look a Section 7, The Merit Badge Program of 2021 Guide to Advancement https://filestore.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/33088.pdf

Yes, your post misidentifying Bill (Microsoft) Gates as a board member was removed.

@IWasAbusedinScouting your post appears inaccurate. Bill Gates is not a national board member, rather Robert Gates. Image appears Photoshop'd, Hid post for moderator review, RS

Boy Scouts $2.7 Billion Settlement Plan at Risk of Failing https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/05/us/boy-scouts-settlement.html Mr. Stang said the committee wanted to see changes to the plan to bring better compensation, an improved plan for youth protection going forward and an independent governance of the settlement trust. With negotiations continuing, changes to the proposal could bring opportunities for claimants to change their votes. (interesting idea, could the Debtor make incremental changes and then see if a net 2% of voters would change their vote to AGREE. Technically more feasible with e-Ballot voters. Hmmm, which side would that favor?) More at above link.