SiouxRanger

I certainly don't have any answers on this topic, but the information and questions I have from a number of sources, namely, testing and treating the drinking water supply system at my local camp, portable water treatment for Philmont crews, and treating and testing pools, has all been brought to mind by the discussion above. So I just have a few observations and questions. Drinking water system at camp. The ranger would describe turning on the water system and driving the buried water lines looking for leaks each Spring. When a leak was found, it had to be dug out and repaired. Once

Generally, one cannot be grandfathered in with respect to health and safety matters.

My favorite legal doctrine. "Stare decisis" = "we've made this mistake before and feel compelled thereby to make it ever hence."

"Hair rising on back of neck." Probably the best explanation of it all. Not to prolong this discussion, but I DISTINCTLY recall that when I drew the boy from the lake, he was not gasping or choking. He could not have been underwater for more than some seconds, otherwise he would have been in some sort of distress. He was not. Under water long enough for the surface to settle but before he started gasping. I suspect he slipped off the boat ramp like I almost did a few minutes ago, and slipped into the lake nearly silently creating minimal surface distortion. Had I not exper

Our Diocese has decided not to recharter any BSA Troops. 77 years our Parish chartered our Troop and Pack. We found a new CO, but it took 5 months to do so. And so it goes. I am reminded of a M.A.S.H. episode where Hawkeye and BJ are sitting opposite a chess board, with a few chess pieces and checkers on the board, and holding about 8 playing cards each. Someone walks in, looks at the absurd concatenation of game pieces and asks "What are you playing and what are the rules?" "We're playing 'Double Cranko-' There are no rules." Welcome to Natonal's Bankruptcy. In

VERY nice to know there will be at least one more Town Hall. I hope Town Hall's continue through the entire course of the District Court review and any appeals. (The cave is shallow-thanks for your work.) The TCC is the only party to this proceeding that speaks (sincerely and plainly so) to issues of principle. Many of us were drawn to Scouting by the principles it espoused. Principles worthy of a life seeking to attain them and spent practicing them in an unprincipled world. That those principles appear to have been sacrificed historically on the altar of the Bottom Line

Being-- "More light-less heat." I think? So elegantly stated. Phrases are art. (Old and old-school scouter who can actually build a fire under any conditions.)

And these words foretell the end of BSA Scouting. No insurance for all the risks-no Scouting.

About 1966. Just me in the boat. All so long ago. And the lake was large enough that I could be out of eyesight for many hours. My parents trusted me. Not quite sure I would let my children wander off so as my parents let me do so. The whole incident happened in about 2 minutes. Being so young, I did not realize the significance of what I did for about 40 years. "Kid falls in lake, pull him out, start the grill, move on." Only many decades later, parent of 3, did it occur to me that what happened sent a child home to his family which may have had a much more tragic outcome.

Absolutely. I cannot recall WHY I jumped into the lake. I only recall that SOMETHING was wrong. And I got it right. It is why Scouting matters.

Over 50 years ago I saved a life. No doubt. Was on family vacation when I was about 14-16. At a lake in Wisconsin. The resort had a sloped wooden platform ramp into the lake onto which one could run up the boat to land it. Partially in the lake and partially dry. The ramp held about 6 boats. The ramp was at the base of a "cliff" of about 60', heavily wooded and shielded from view from everyone in the cabins above. I had landed my boat after fishing, got out, slipped on the algae growing on the portion of the ramp in the water, noted it was wickedly slick and dangerous.

Any particular year? (By legal convention, construction contract completion dates are specified as "Julember, no year stated.)

By the way, just took delivery of my M1A1 Abrams tank. Headed to the bank which holds my car loan. Need to "reason" with them a bit. And, I am gun owner. Quite a few-long guns and handguns. I want to keep them. Some inherited. Just keepsakes. Happy to have a review of my mental stability to own them, (had to do that to be licensed as a lawyer), and happy to pass a proficiency test on my ability to manipulate (handle) and shoot them under control and hit something close to the target. (I am a good shot.) I don't have a concealed carry permit though allowed in my state. I

Well, the current American "system" for "gun control" is to wait until some wacko, ambushes children, kill the wacko, and thereby, de facto, REVOKE THEIR FIREARMS LICENSE. Works good: one wacko, one revocation. EXCEPT: Just costs 10 or 20 lives of innocents. Children. What greater sadness, than the murder or abuse of children? My heart grieves for them all.

And not a single upvote. There has been a ton of angst expressed here for child scouts who were subjected to child sexual abuse, yet for children being MURDERED, not a word. I stand appalled.

It all boils down to a definition of "weapons of 'War.'" They should be banned from private ownership. Just consider the carnage they have caused. The souls of so many children. And the grief of their families. America is sadly broken. And I grieve for these children and their families that I do not know, but I grieve.

So, I have this question: Parent of a Scout, in their first 2 years of scouting , pay $600 for camp fees-things which are permissible to be paid by scouting account funds. Year 3, scout gets up to speed and raises $250 through unit fundraising activities. Scout then uses $150 for more camp fees, then quits Scouting leaving a $100 balance in the Scout's scout account. Can the remaining balance of $100 in Scout's scout account be refunded to parents to partially reimburse them for the $600 in camping fees they paid during Scout's first two years of tenure, leaving them with o

I missed your comment. And you are right, the program materials to put on the program are of minuscule cost. Our council camp provides a huge percentage of the council's revenue. And yet minor costs are not addressed, and program suffers, and scouts (customers) are disappointed.

And, I just remembered the tradition of retiring from a campfire (camporee or summer camp), to one's campsite in silence. An opportunity to reflect on things. That always just struck me. Even upon arriving at our campsite, scouts still spoke softly. It had an effect.

That is interesting. I've been on 4 Philmont treks since 2005 and no flags were issued. I thought that was strange given my experience in the early 1970's. The flags were probably 10" x 14" or so.

I'd draw a distinction between conducting an investigation (implying having authority to investigate, collect evidence, draw conclusions, and perhaps take disciplinary action), and merely collecting evidence and information to pass on to those authorized to formally investigate. If chartering organizations are going to be held responsible for the actions of those registered in their units, the leadership of those units ought to be interested in and take a part in investigating (collecting information at the least) alleged youth protection violations.

Amen.

Well, I think you have a valid point. Some of what has been around forever just has to go. The issue is what traditions enhance participation in the program and which have lost their usefulness. I wouldn't categorize every aspect of the program as a "tradition," such as requiring camping merit badge for Eagle. There are (or at least were) good reasons to require camping merit badge for Eagle. It taught valuable skills-even life-saving skills. And adopting modern business practices-that should always be a priority. I was thinking along the lines of the little things, prac

I have long made the argument that Scouting was in the entertainment business. Providing fun and engaging activities while intermixing learning and leadership aspects in those activities. A happy and engaged Scout brings his friends. And participation grows. It just seems that my council, and apparently National, has no clue. Math is not Scouting. Enthusiasm is.

Scouterlockport (Illinois?) what is the basis of your downvote? I can't learn from a mere downvote.