scoutldr

We did an "Aluminum Chef" competition at a camporee...the mystery ingredient was.....SPAM!

I am looking for a Quality District 2004 patch (more than one if possible). PM me if you have one to sell or trade.

Just curious...what is the purpose of registering "non-active commissioners"? Does the position patch on their uniforms say "non-active"?

We're having a Hegelian Dialectical spiral???? COOOOLLLL!!!!! Too bad Bob White's no longer around...this would have been REAL entertaining! Let me say publicly that I really appreciate the civil and mature, albeit passionate discourse. We can agree to disagree, but in the end, we're still friends and brother (and sister) Scouters. That's what it's all about. Now let's go have a beer...the first round's on me!

SR540: You should be proud. I am impressed that your SE takes the time to write a monthly column at all, especially one that is so erudite and inspiring! Great web site, too! Six camps and two service centers! Last Frontier must be doing a lot of things right! I'm envious.

Duplicate post...sorry.(This message has been edited by scoutldr)

Just received this letter from our Council Advancement Chair: All, Recently I have encountered an alarming number of instances where Merit Badge Counselors were using outdated Merit Badge requirements. In one instance, boys who attended a MB Fair spent more than a month working on invalid requirements for Citizenship in the Community and were virtually at ground zero when the error was uncovered and they met for their follow-up session. This year alone, there are revised requirements for 22 Merit Badges and updated requirements for six. These changes affected almost 30 percent of all Merit Badges. Most counselors have told me that they have the latest Merit Badge pamphlet. Please note that the inside cover of the 2006 Boy Scout Requirements book reads, The requirements listed in this book may not match those in the merit badge pamphlets because the pamphlets may not have been recently revised. The requirements in the book are the official requirements of the Boy Scouts of America. I realize that for the past several years, there has been an annual update of the requirements book. However, it is incumbent on each Counselor to verify each year that he/she has the latest requirements listing. Also, we should be publishing at Roundtable or other appropriate training venues the lists of recently updated Merit Badges. If the wrong requirements have been used, the badge is NOT earned until the correct requirements have been completed. The only exception is if the old requirements have been grandfathered. Normally, grandfathering does not exceed about 6 months. Please ensure MB Counselors are remaining current on requirements. Thanks, Council Advancement Chairman

One thing that pops out at me from your post is that "old CM" has no vote on who is selected to replace him. That is solely up to the CO and the Council. The "old CM" and unit committee can make recommendations, but that's it. Once he says "I disagree", he's done.

Acco40, amazing! I thought I was the only one who had that "conversation" at home. Now that my mother-in-law has moved in and taken control of the house, I have two women asking my opinion, so they can spend 30 minutes telling my why I'm wrong and why their way is better. If you don't want my honest opinions, then don't make me waste my time thinking about it. (sorry....didn't mean to vent)

Have to disagree with ASM59. Too many SMs out there doing it wrong, then they train the new guys with their bad habits. Better to have standardized training from a common source. Unfortunately, that common source is inadequate and outdated. Especially on the blue side. In our neck of the woods, we do allow the SM Outdoor Leader Training to be done by a "mentor". It's essentially all the outdoor skills up through First Class, and if they can demonstrate the skill, they can be signed off without having to commit a weekend.

When they pull an inexperienced and untrained secretary or DE out of the office and say, "go do training" (all you have to do is play the video and read the script out of the book), that's not "training" or "learning". That's a huge waste of time for all involved. It does make the stats look better, though.

As we've said once (nay, many times) before...unless the response is in quotes and references chapter and verse of a BSA publication, it's only someone's opinion. Granted, that person may have a wealth of experience, but I personally know some SMs wearing a 30 year pin who are still doing it wrong. Just because you're old and been around a long time doesn't mean you have a clue, eh? One of my favorite quotes is "when you don't know what to do, figure out what the right thing is and just do that." No point in making up things when you don't need to.

Normally, nothing should be registered in the Unit's name, since a unit is not a legal entity. It should be registered in the CO's name, or an individual's name. In our case, we "own" an old Chevy Suburban that someone donated. It is registered in the SM's name and he pays the insurance on it (liability only).(This message has been edited by scoutldr)

One of the best benefits of being an Eagle Scout was that I got to be dismissed first from the dining hall on one of the 6 days of summer camp. I'm sure there are other benefits...but getting anything free from the BSA is not one of them. Perhaps he is a Life Member of NESA and is just confused about what that means (you get a magazine 4 times a year, most of which is a list of new Life Members).(This message has been edited by scoutldr)

I agree with the ban on cellphones at camp, except for emergencies. And any kid who is allowed to spend 3 hours a night on a cellphone has morons for parents. Is it any wonder that your typical 14 year old can't read or write a standard English paragraph?

He asks the question Who is supposed to help and/or make sure things are followed in the BSA guidelines and help pack and troops that are not following those guide lines and make sure all the leaders are receiving training? A: That would be the Commissioner staff. The CO can insist that all unit leaders receive training, since they are the ones who approve unit leaders. The Council has no authority to "fine" units for non-compliance with BSA policies. It can, however revoke the charter if the terms of the charter agreement are not being upheld.

I was always taught that hitchhiking was a bad idea.

I would think the folks in Irving would be monitoring this forum constantly. What better way to get a cross-section of opinions from Scouters across the country (and other countries!).

I don't think anyone has said, "go back and kick up a fuss". We're just answering her question by stating BSA policy. What she chooses to do with the information is up to her.

The BSA uniform does not include pants from Campmor (yet). If the troop is doing this, then they are not "in uniform". If they want to wear the pants with a troop T-shirt, that's fine...but its not a BSA uniform. If the troop leadership wants to do this, what's to keep them from tweaking other rules that they don't agree with?

Rabies shots urged for 950 Girl Scouts LEESBURG, Va. (AP) -- Officials are recommending that nearly 1,000 Girl Scouts who may have been exposed to rabies at a Northern Virginia camp consider getting protective vaccinations. There is only a small chance that any of the girls were infected by bats that were found in some of the sleeping shelters at Camp Potomac Woods, Loudoun County officials said. But authorities are erring on the side of caution because around 1 percent of bats carry rabies, a viral disease that is incurable once symptoms appear. Bats can bite children in their sleep without waking them. "We think the risk is extremely small, but we can't say there is no risk," Loudoun County Health Department Director David Goodfriend said. "Really, at the end of the day, it's the parents' decision of what level of risk they are willing to bear." Last month, the mother of a girl who had attended the camp contacted the Girl Scout Council of the Nation's Capital. The girl had told her mother the shelter she slept in had bats living under the eaves. Five bats subsequently caught at the camp's shelters tested negative for rabies. But officials soon learned that a few girls apparently touched a bat captured by a counselor, and some girls had not used protective netting around their beds while they slept at night. The Loudoun health department sent letters to the parents of around 950 girls who attended the camp through July 22. Most of those contacted have declined to get the vaccine. At least 14 girls have begun receiving the monthlong series of shots, local officials said. They include the children authorities believe were most likely to have come in contact with a bat. The vaccine consists of six to nine shots, which can cost up to $2,000. The Girl Scouts organization is covering the cost of the shots. Camp officials have installed screens on windows, doors and eaves in all 54 of the camp's shelters since the incident. 2006 The Associated Press.

Not to get way off topic, but carcinogenicity levels are WAY below the LD50 (the level of exposure at which 50% of the test animals will die ). When playground equipment has been removed due to treated lumber, the soil around it also had to be removed because the arsenic contamination levels (which can migrate into the ground water) were above EPA limits. Personally, I think second hand tobacco smoke is a much greater risk, but parents don't think twice about exposing their kids (and your kids) to it.

Mea culpa. I shall defer to LongHaul's more current knowledge. BTW, that should have been "plastic" lumber.

Treated lumber contains chromated copper arsenate as a preservative. It is a carcinogen both from the chromate and the arsenic. If you wear N95 dust respirators while cutting it (these will not fit children or adults with facial hair), and work gloves, you should be fine. If the bench is to be used where children will be in contact with it (e.g., a school or playground), I would use something else, like cedar or that new plasting lumber. See the below article for more information. http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2003-12-29-treated-lumber_x.htm

Short answer...NO.