The Blancmange

I've had a similar procedure. I've experimented with several different combinations of cot, foam, air mattresses. The best combination for me is a closed cell foam pad, about 3/4" thick, topped with a medium thickness thermarest works best for me. I am a side sleeper, and I find that a small pillow between my knees helps quite a bit. You're still not that far out from surgery, so I would still be careful as far as how much weight you carry. Best wishes.

Thanks. That's a good idea. Menards (a midwest home improvement chain) also has similar offers. The only problem with them is that the items are "free" only after a mail-in rebate for store credit. Not really a problem for someone in the middle of a remodeling project, though :-)

>>We'll be passing on the guy who indicates he uses illegal drugs and has a suspended license...

Tell them you didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings by choosing and just go fishing instead :-)

You need to discuss this with your Cubmaster, Committee Chair, and Chartered Organization Representative (The CC and COR may be the same person). Has anyone ever talked to the DL about the perceived problems? There really isn't enough information here to form an opinion about whether what he has done merits removal. But assuming the Pack leadership agrees and he refuses to change, the COR is the person who has the ultimate authority to remove a leader. Ideally, the CM and Committee would be in agreement. But those are the people you need to talk to. Propose the solution you mention. If they don't agree, and the situation is still unbearable for your son, you might need to shop for a new pack. [edited for typos and clarity](This message has been edited by the blancmange)

LDS seems to be saying out loud what many Christians, hobbled by PC, are quietly thinking. And things that other Christians might find offensive and divisive. Your point?

I'm reading Aldo Leopold's A Sand County Almanac, and came across this quote that nicely sums up why Scouting remains relevant and why we do what we do. The context is that the author is recounting an encounter on the Flambeau River with two teenage boys who recently graduated high school and who were due to report soon for basic training. The elemental simplicities of wilderness travel were thrills not only because of their novelty, but because they represented complete freedom to make mistakes. The wilderness gave them their first taste of those rewards and penalties for for wise and foolish acts which every woodsman faces daily, but against which civilization has built a thousand buffers.

If I go out with one of my younger children, I will outweigh him or her by over 100 pounds and have the same problem that you describe. I have a 16' Wenonah Adirondack, and the solution in that boat is to turn it around, i.e. the bow paddler is actually facing backward in the stern seat and I am sitting backward in the bow seat. It works in this boat because there is no thwart immediately behind the bow seat. The same cannot be said of all boats. I agree with the advice to avoid the discout store plastic boats. I happen to see one of these recently on a rack at a store, a Water Quest, and they had the boat resting with right-side-up on a rack with two bars. The contact spot at each bar caused the hull of the boat to "oil-can" a good 3 inches. (Incidentally, a canoe should never be stored on a rack this way - rest it on the gunwales). You are much better off watching paddling.net, Craigslist or eBay for a good used boat.(This message has been edited by the blancmange)

Our district has a large Catholic population. Camporees for as long as I have been around have a Catholic mass followed by a non-denominational Christian service on Saturday night.

It could be that many have CO's that would only permit limited outside MBC's. Our CO is a Catholic church. The Diocese has regulations that any volunteers that work with other people are required to go through fingerprinting/background check and training. I'm curious how this works in practice. Does your troop attend summer camp? District events? Does the Diocese vet the entire summer camp staff and district volunteers?

Now all we need is to get that fourth corner back... Is Tim Jennings still a free agent?

Sorry if this seems like changing subjects, but I have a related question that doesn't merit its own thread. I'm fairly new to DO cookery, and have a minor problem when seasoning the oven. When I am wiping the oil on, I use a paper towel which very quickly starts leavings little bits of towel on the oven. Do you use a rag? I hate to waste a rag for this. Better quality paper towels?

Of course you can remove him. That is one of the most fundamental aspects of the SM's job. I do disagree with the poster who suggested it might be appropriate to allow him to continue as SPL, but with a short leash. Violent threats toward others? He is certainly not currently able to handle the SPL position. Some here might even suggest removing him from the troop. While I would probably not go that far, he needs some serious counseling and would need to demonstrate more self-control before he can be allowed to run for SPL again if he so chooses. The other possibility is that he may have some sort of mental health issue going on. Are his parents aware of the situation and have they considered this possibility?

Sally Leeser, Northeast Iowa Council http://www.thonline.com/obits/obituary.cfm?id=289157

How do they get the manatees to stay inside the swim area ropes?

I'm so sorry about your loss. This is such a sad story. I think everyone in your area would know of the circumstances. If anyone were to say anything about the pins not being "official" they would certainly not be living the scout law, and are lacking much more than that. Prayers and best wishes for your family.

Has your doctor told you you shouldn't go to camp? Are you totally non weight-bearing? The reason I ask is last year at our camp, there was a boy from another troop with a broken leg. The camp staff bent over backwards to help him, even hauling him around our rather hilly camp with a Gator. If your doctor is OK with it, have your SM talk to the camp director.

I agree that it is not the most intuitive set up, but after using it a few times, I like it. With all the driver and training information saved, it only takes a couple minutes to do a new permit. Several of mine submitted in the morning have been approved the same day.

Like everyone else said, it depends most importantly on whether you are paddling flatwater or current. On a moderate downstream current, 4 mph might be a good estimate. On flatwater, with relative novices, 2-3 mph might be a good expectation. Will you have portages, if so, how long and will you be single or double portaging? Post some more details and you may get a better answer.

Not only will you not find this "rule" in any BSA publication, but it doesn't even make any sense. Safety, huh? So a 17 year old, 6'2", 195 pound scout, bigger than most full grown men, needs to sit in the back of an ASM's Civic, while an 11 year old, 85 pound scout "safely" gets to sit up front simply because he shares some DNA with the driver?

I agree that finding a troop with whom your son is comfortable and likes the program a far more important factor. All those things being equal, I would probably be inclined to look at the camping facilities and that may be the deciding factor.

If absolutely everything for an Eagle canidate was signed off by one person, then I hope the EBOR would have concerns. I would hope they would be asking indepth technical questions to help satisfy that the scout actually learned something. I'm curious how this might work. Isn't it really too late at this point? The proper place to correct this should have been at the unit level. What you are suggesting sounds too much like retesting. Some of the badges might have been taken 6 years earlier. What would the board do if it decided that the scout does not have an adequate recollection of what he learned? Make him repeat the badge or requirement? What if the EBOR is after his 18th birthday, is the scout SOL? I certainly don't think the practice of a parent (or any single adult) signing off on a scout's requirements is sound, but I don't think the remedy is to penalize the scout for poor oversight by his unit committee.(This message has been edited by the blancmange)

I wouldn't want a guy who beats his wife as a leader in any unit that I am involved in.

Here is a nice story about the U.S. Grant Pilgrimage, an annual scouting event in Galena, IL; http://www.thonline.com/article.cfm?id=280684

This seems pretty clear: Bylaws of Boy Scouts of America, art. IX, 1 gIn no case where a unit is connected with a church or other distinctively religious organization shall members of other denominations or faith be required, because of their membership in the unit, to take part in or observe a religious ceremony distinctly unique to that organization or church.h From: http://www.bsalegal.org/duty-to-god-cases-224.asp