On February 8th, 1910, the Boy Scouts of America was incorporated. For 100 years, the BSA stood as a strong bulwark of conservative, libertarian, moral values. They successfully united boys from diverse backgrounds, different religions, and different ethnicities – uniting them based upon the principles required for a boy to become an upstanding man. The BSA was attacked from all sides for their righteous stance and even persevered and won their case (Boy Scouts v. Dale, 2000) in the Supreme Court. Sadly, they have in recent years caved from within. Their desire to fill the executive board with powerful industry executives, like Randall Stephenson (CEO of AT&T) and James Turley (CEO of Ernst & Young), have brought this once great institution to its knees. They have conceded the high ground on moral issues. Regardless, the first edition of the Boy Scouts handbook, 1911 is one of the prepper’s classic friends.
My Eagle Scout award still holds meaning to me, but its value is not because of what the BSA now represents; it holds value because of my hard work and what the institution once represented. – HJL
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SurvivalBlog 2005-2017 Archive – Greatly Expanded!
It’s finally here! We have the archive memory sticks in our hands! Sadly, the U.S. Postal Service is dragging their feet , so we don’t yet have all of the shipping supplies required to get them out. We are now taking pre-orders so that you can reserve your copy. We hope to be shipping next week. The archive is only available on USB drive this year. This is because the download would be so large and unwieldy that unless you have a high speed connection, it would be problematic. Gone also is the DVD version as the archive is now so large that it would now require a dual layer DVD (or two DVD disks). In addition, the SurvivalBlog logo is now laser etched on the waterproof thumb drive rather than silk screened, for durability. You can order your copy on the product page or simply click on the ad in our ad stack.
We will accept PayPal, credit cards, checks drawn on a U.S. bank, or postal money orders. Be aware that if you pay by Postal Money order or check, it will delay the shipping of your USB drive until the check or money order clears. (Up to three weeks, because of mail forwarding.) If you choose to pay by PayPal or credit card, you will be sent to PayPal’s site to complete the transaction. Once on their site, use the blue button to pay with your PayPal account or the gray button to pay with a credit card. Note that you do not have to have, or create, a PayPal account in order to pay with a credit card. (Although PayPal will try really hard to get you to set one up.)
The new 2005-2017 Archive is greatly expanded, with more than 30 additional bonus books. These sticks are already selling quickly. They are priced at just $19.95 plus a flat postage/packaging/handling rate of $4 in the 50 States (or to APO/FPO addresses) whether you order one of them, or a dozen. The international postage rate is $14, also flat rate.
Last year, the limited edition of 1,000 waterproof sticks sold out in less than three weeks. We aren’t limiting it this year, but all orders are on a “first come, first served” basis. So order yours, soon!
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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest
Today features another entry for Round 75 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The nearly $11,000 worth of prizes for this round include:
First Prize:
- A $3000 gift certificate towards a Sol-Ark Solar Generator from Veteran owned Portable Solar LLC. The only EMP Hardened Solar Generator System available to the public.
- A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any one, two, or three day course (a $1,095 value),
- A course certificate from onPoint Tactical for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses, excluding those restricted for military or government teams. Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795,
- DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper. These have hammer forged, chrome-lined barrels and a hard case, to go with your own AR lower. It will allow any standard AR-type rifle to have a quick change barrel. This can be assembled in less than one minute without the use of any tools. It also provides a compact carry capability in a hard case or in 3-day pack (an $1,100 value),
- Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
- A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
- Two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value), and
- American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.
Second Prize:
- A Model 175 Series Solar Generator provided by Quantum Harvest LLC (a $439 value),
- A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, which have a combined retail value of $589,
- A gift certificate for any two or three-day class from Max Velocity Tactical (a $600 value),
- A transferable certificate for a two-day Ultimate Bug Out Course from Florida Firearms Training (a $400 value),
- A Trekker IV™ Four-Person Emergency Kit from Emergency Essentials (a $250 value),
- A $200 gift certificate good towards any books published by PrepperPress.com,
- RepackBox is providing a $300 gift certificate to their site.
Third Prize:
- A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
- A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard, and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206,
- Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
- Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
- Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances, and
- Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).
Round 75 ends on March 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.
AS A BROTHER EAGLE (CLASS OF’68) AND A BROTHERHOOD OA I AGREE WITH YOU 100% THE CORPORATIZATION AND POLITICIZATION OF SCOUTING AS WELL AS THE DILUTION OF IT’S UNIQUE PROGRAM HAS LEFT THE PROGRAM A MERE SHADOW OF IT’S FORMER SELF -ONLY THE BOYS AND VETERAN SCOUTERS HAVE LOST–I STAND BY THE OATH AND LAW AND LORD BADEN-POWELL OF GILWELL DANIEL CARTER BEARD ERNEST THOMAS SEATON AND A HOST OF OTHER LOYAL SCOUTS AND SCOUTERS – JOIN US AT THE CRACKER BARREL
Hugh [and James]
My Family is a THREE Generation Eagle Scout Family}… My Father, Me, All Three Sons, and soon,[in ~ 1 year], my only Grandson. That will make it FOUR Generations.
We all agree that the current position of the BSA is Wrong and should be reversed. What part of…. ” and Morally Straight” don’t they get??
It would be interesting to ASK your male followers …1. Were they Scouts ? and
2.Did they achieve the Eagle Scout rank ?
I Predict there are Thousands of readers who were !!
Scouting is indeed in decline. When Canada went this same route they lost over 70% of their membership and it remains low. Effectively killing off Scouting there. Boy Scouts has become a money making machine. Scouting professionals are professional fund raisers and that is a fact- not rumor. 60% of all money raised in the local councils go to paychecks and the rest goes to National. Very very little remains in the local council. I have seen the decline in my own council for decades and knew this further decline was coming. Child molestation is a problem but not a wide problem. With the admission of homosexuality it does put at risk other boys but not so much as the change to the very nature of Scouting. With the addition of homosexual leaders the checks on child molestation are removed completely.
I come from a troop that absolutely taught and required scouting ideals to be lived out in our daily lives. I took an oath and live it, even now. The decline of scouting is inevitable and must be under the current leadership. This is what happens when you place men in charge that have no stake in the future of scouting. As an Eagle Scout I will continue to live and teach according to pre-70’s scout handbooks read. Long live the ideals of Scouting and BP!
there is a group called “trail life” that is new and up and coming that has moral standards and such. they are an alternative to the boy scouts if your interested.
http://www.traillifeusa.com/
I was never a Scout. My life never took me that direction.
However I find the current story as told by HJL to be profoundly sorrowful. The destruction of great institutions is quite disturbing.
It may sound strange but I find this story similar to of all things Detroit. Detroit was great and by virtue of location and natural resources has potential to be great again. Same with California. Great places currently in horrible condition but still possessing the same potential for greatness. And I wait and watch for the day when the dysfunction can be shed and the greatness once again is displayed.
Perhaps the connection in my mind is strange but it is the same with great institutions like Scouting. Currently belabored with nonsense but still there with latent potential if cleansed.
So many things like that.
Scouting changed my life and I was part of the Cubs, Webelos and Boy Scouts in the 1970s and early 1980s. Part of the experience was learning and living the oath. We had great leaders and the boys in our troop had plenty of support. The life skills taught and exposure to new adventures via camping and merit badge courses was priceless. But all of this worked only because of the foundation of civil service and the concepts captured in the oath that we were expected to live out daily. Some of my best life lessons growing up were learned in the Scouts. That said I wouldn’t encourage my future grandchildren to join. Sure, I could contribute to a great troop. Unfortunately the BSA as a whole is not enforcing standards that are traditionally “morally straight” and they’ve allowed PC ideals to drive policy that is very damaging. So few truly good institutions left for our youth.
Gave the Scouts 22 years as a leader in various positions over the years. Have 2 sons who achieved the rank of Eagle and I am very proud of them both. Continued as Committee Chairman with our local troop after my sons were grown. I Told myself I would support the Scouts as long as they continued to take a moral stand.
Then the policy change took place. I tried to find a way to continue but was convicted that if I put the uniform on, I would be advocating that policy change. I have resigned my official position with troop but, I continue to help with merit badges, CPR, and other requirements. I was approached and asked ” what are the boys left with in Scouting if all the good leaders leave?” A great question. So, I will continue to help because I know the moral standing of the boys and their parents. Just unofficially.
I started a pack three years ago at my church. I will start a troop next year at my church. I see the PC agenda in the material. I focus on the good and useful. I will continue as long as the oath and law remain intact. I am turning boys into men.
I am a stand and fight kind of guy.
Started in Cub Scouts, passed through Weblos, Boy Scouts up to the Life Scout Rank; then life came along, wife, Viet-Nam era, but never lost the core values that made me the man I am today. My sons were brought up in Royal Rangers (Church group) and it makes me sad to see not just Scouting going down the drain, but the generations of youth that have been left out of a truly worth life long adventure.
The largest group of scouts in the USA are from the Mormon Church. Their program is a complete fraud. Boys are handed ranks with little effort or work on their part. Most cant tell you anything they did to earn their rank or merit badge when asked at a court of honor. They are simply eagle rank machines. Nothing in their program has anything to do with the patrol method or boys learning leadership or new skills. I was a member for 15 years and worked with four different troops and I can testify that their program is fake and is scouting in name only…
I want to thank you for the massive amount of good information you have facilitated over the years.
Is there anything on your archive stick that would prevent you sending it to Britain – I wouldn’t want EITHER of us to draw unwanted attention from your government or mine…
To my knowledge, there is nothing on the archive stick that would cause problems.
Don’t forget that it is our own Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, who actually led the charge of the BSA towards homosexuality, while he was on the BSA Board. And his company Exxon gives lots of money to Planned Parenthood to fund the murder of millions in the womb. Every time I see Tillerson’s photo I want to wretch! I was a BSA Scouter, and had boys in BSA (2 Eagles). Then I pulled them all out after Tillerson’s Gay Pride debacle.
Goat rancher Ron,don’t forget Tillerson is also taking over for Hillery in the campaign for war with Russia. His unprovoked attacks and seemingly delusional actions have brought us as close to war with them as any time in a long time.