walk in the woods

I thought the demo page for cooking was ok. Odd to have multiple references to myplate on the pages without a link to the myplate website. I like the idea of online content. I like it better as a subscription service that is rolled into the annual fees, a full library of all MB pamphlets, guide books, program guides, etc. and a print PDF option for those that want paper.

We used this http://www.rei.com/product/737349/katadyn-base-camp-water-filter in the BW and it was terrible. It worked great on the first two bag-fulls or so, but after that it continuously plugged up and procedures to clean the filter screen were only marginally successful. We took the built-in screen off, replacing it with a coffee filter which was marginally better. I think it uses the same filter as the Katadyn hiker so if you had both it might be more viable. On that BWCA trip I used an MSR mini-works filter (http://www.rei.com/product/695265/msr-miniworks-ex-water-filter) and I doubled up with Katadyn micropure tablets (http://www.rei.com/product/743202/katadyn-micropur-purification-tablets-package-of-20). I found myself cleaning the filter element in the miniworks about every third or fourth litre because of the sediment. I thought the aftertaste from the micropure tablets was really minimal although the boys about gagged at the taste and covered it up with flavor packets. One of the other leaders on that trip used a SteriPen. He typically used the pen after filtering in lieu of the micropure tablets because of the taste. It did chew through batteries though.

The religious awards are similar.

Stopped at the outlet store north of Gatlinburg a couple years ago. SWMBO drug me out by the ear to limit the damage to our retirement.

I paid for the service. It was $20 for 200 outbound calls at the time. That said at our peak we were a unit of 10 boys from 8 families so 200 calls went a long way. I didn't think about it above but we also had a small collection of office docs for duty rosters, grub master and menu planning, and outing schedules.

Can I be your ASM?

I thought New World Order was a Masonic conspiracy enshrined on the back of the great seal of the United States .

When I was still unit active: - Google sites for the web page - picasaweb for pictures that we pulled into the webpage - google docs occasionally which also got linked into the webpage for the troop - Callingpost for broadcast phone messages (coming home from campouts, short-notice schedule changes, etc.) - Facebook (our Crew used this as a base communications method for a while, the kids moved on from FB though) - Troopmaster. I used this for personal record keeping, camping and meeting attendance, etc. - paper copies printed out from Internet advancement that I kept in a folder? My Jambo unit used Shutterfly shared sites for rosters, communications, broadcast emails and pictures. It was ok but always seemed really klunky to me.

Or Klingon opera!

I agree with @. Even the Eagle reference might be too much depending upon your current age.

Or make these the minimum requirements to hold the job. No reason an aspirational ASM couldn't get the advanced training on his way to becoming the SM? Kind of like a Second Class Scout who's already passed some First Class requirements? Looking at the three bullets though the requirements for HA Crew Leader should probably be for a HA Assistant Crew Leader with an experience requirement for HA Crew Leader.

I think this would be an interesting idea to explore. Maybe something like: ASM: Complete current BSA training (YPT, SM Specific, IOLS, all the online *-ONs and Weather) SM: ASM for at least two years, ARC/AHA First Aid/AED/CPR, NWS Weather Spotter HA Crew Leader: SM requirements plus Wilderness FA, PowderHorn, activity specific (e.g. American Canoe Association for water, others?)

Isn't trek-planning the basis for PowerHorn?

This will sound like heresy but don't limit yourself to scouting when looking for the right fit for your son and your family. There are many folks in scouting that would be willing to work with you and your son, but the sad truth is this won't likely be the last time you run into such attitudes. Check this forum thread for examples, http://scouter.com/index.php/topic/24489-not-quite-right-in-the-head-our-responsibilities/. 4H is very popular in my area and seems to have more tolerance for parent involvement and customizing program for individual kids. If you're intent in staying in scouts there is such a thing as an Individual Scout Achievement Plan (http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/512-936_WB.pdf). I've never been through the process but it might be worth the effort to use it to document your discussions with the new unit and put in writing interventions and your willingness to step up.

It's not profit over truth if it's true. He received a distinguished service award from the local council in 2001 for serving 17 years with the explorer post in Yorkville. He also received the Silver Buffalo in 2004. It might be agenda-driven sensationalism but that sadly doesn't make it false.

^^^This.

I also have an Asperger's Syndrome son. If we were making a youth program decision again I'd push 4H over scouting as a better fit. I will second bad wolf's advice to be a ASM or other leader but it won't be the last time you run into this kind thing.

Wal-mart needs to be educated about the safety issues involved. https://youtu.be/5Xr4IRDg-B8

Unlikely. I enjoyed seeing the 2013 Jambo through my son's eyes but not particularly interested in spending the money to go again with a contingent or paying to staff. Besides SWMBO tells me we're going to be taking a family vacations now that #1 is through the program.

Urban dictionary has LGBTQQIAAP, FWIW. http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=LGBTQQIAAP

Funny, I've had several of the enlightened feel perfectly at home lecturing me and my son about the evils of the BSA membership policy over the last few years. Pot meet kettle.

Just having gay leaders won't make a hill of beans worth of difference. However, the actions of all leaders, nationwide, absolutely impact neighboring units. The BSA is a national brand. As such, they appeal to a national audience. As we're all no doubt aware, national opinion on any number of issues is widely varied, diverse and divisive. The action of a BSA unit marching in a Gay Pride Parade in NYC, with scantily clad men also in attendance, will absolutely affect the value of the brand in the rural more conservative areas of the country. Parents in those areas will make decisions about the entire movement based on what they see on the TV screens and read in their news streams. The same can be said in reverse. If national TV news covered a BSA unit placing Confederate battle flags on the graves of Confederate soldiers on Decoration Day, liberals in the US NE might think those leaders are tarnishing the brand while the locals see it as honoring war dead. Do any of us not remember the nationwide salvo the BSA endured when the idiots out west pushed those rocks over?

This will be the interesting thing to observe. A few comments from the NYT online article suggests to believe that local option will clear up the issue is foolish. R. TraweekLos Angeles, CA 19 minutes ago Gates seems to want to have his cake and eat it too basically saying, "We should not allow discrimination in the Boy Scouts of America while continuing to let our local chapters discriminate." If you are going to condemn discrimination, you have to condemn (and ban) all of it, not just some of it. "At the same time, religious organizations that sponsor a majority of local Scout troops, including the Mormons and Roman Catholics, should remain free to set their own policies for leaders, said the president, Robert M. Gates." No. If you are going to end discrimination, then end it. Do not say, we are ending discrimination but only for people who want to end it. Do not say we embrace those who want to end discrimination and endorse people who want to continue discriminating. birddogeastern oregon 33 minutes ago Well its a start. However I note this leaves much wiggle room for certain US religious leaders to contend that their understanding of the Gospels prohibits Boy Scouts from being gay, and therefore the scout troops who these religious groups sponser must continue to remain untainted by these wayword individuals. Can't wait to see what happens with the National Boy Scout Jamborees when they are scheduled to be held in Utah, for instance Carl Ian SchwartzPaterson, New Jersey 41 minutes ago So Mr. Gates seems to want it both ways--no discrimination in "secular" scout troops, but "religious liberty" in the majority of troops, which seem to be sponsored by religious groups. Lisa EversNYC 1 hour ago Unbelievable. So apparently the Boy Scouts still 'wishes the world didn't have gays' but since it does, they must deal with it? Well I suppose that's SOME improvement? But then they go on to say that religious groups (the scourge of the world as we know it ;-) should remain free to 'set their own policies' (continue to discriminate) with regards to their own troops and who can be leaders? How many Scouting groups have you ever heard of that were not aligned with religious groups? So basically nothing it seems will change.

I agree with Mr. Gates that BSA National has to do something. They can't run an organization with councils ignoring and flaunting membership policy. Of the two options available, revoking charters or changing policy, it seems changing policy is their choice. I suspect if our leadership had been as honest and forthright two years ago as Mr. Gates was today, instead of trying to push local option through a back-room deal, we wouldn't have had as much turmoil as we have experienced. And let's be honest, it is the practical choice. There will be a membership hit when this happens but it won't be as large as the polling suggested back in 2013 or whenever we did this the last time. That said, I think it's naïve to assume that declaring local option will make the issue go away. I suspect that in the hours following the BSA's adoption of local option, the first press releases from organizations opposed to the BSA will start with the words, "Today the BSA took another step towards the elimination of discriminatory practices against LGBT adults by allowing them to serve openly as leaders. However, we will continue our pressure on the BSA because they continue to utilize chartering partners that do practice discrimination against LGBT adults." This article from Slate, discussing the Utah Compromise (http://www.slate.com/blogs/outward/2015/03/18/gay_rights_the_utah_compromise_is_no_model_for_the_nation.html) demonstrates my concern. Here's a snippet: "But the Utah legislation should not become a model for the nation. The bill contains troubling exemptions for religious groups, allowing them to continue to discriminate in ways that would be impermissible in many other states and under federal law. In particular, the Utah law specifically exempts religiously affiliated nonprofits such as schools, hospitals, and social service organizations." On the purely cynical side, getting this out of the way while Gates and Brock are still in leadership will clear the way for the new CSE and Stephenson to get credit for whatever recovery happens after the fallout. It also attempts to get rid of the issue long before the BSA needs to start recruiting kids from around the globe for the World Jamboree in 2019.

NRO picked it up as well. Concluding with these thoughts: After all — it’s not like water guns are totally banned! You still can use them to shoot at targets! I mean, as long as you wear protective eyewear! Oh, and by the way — the targets are also not allowed to look like humans either. Just to be, you know, extra safe or something. The ban also extends to the obviously very dangerous laser tag. Read more at: http://www.nationalreview.com/article/418635/boy-scouts-ban-water-gun-fights-because-squirt-guns-are-simulated-firearms-Katherine