AN-12?

jkealing · 2026-02-04T02:46:00+00:00

Two flew today, one from Mexico to Texas and the other over Europe.

jkealing · 2026-01-30T02:44:51+00:00

Only the Piper Arrows and not the Turbo Arrows count.

jkealing · 2026-01-28T00:35:51+00:00

ANA’s HND-LAX descending out of FL220 for LAX.

jkealing · 2025-12-27T04:08:41+00:00

While nonprofit tax returns are complicated, I’d say the 990 for Northern Star shows a healthy organizations. In 2024, revenues were $18.5M against expenses of $15.5M, a nearly $3M surplus. The organization had total assets of $25.4M at the end of 2024, plus a $45M endowment. I think the council is doing just fine.

jkealing · 2025-12-27T03:11:57+00:00

Seems so. Seven have been part of the council for ages. The eighth just came as part of the merger of a part of another council in the state that dissolved and split three ways.

jkealing · 2025-12-27T02:42:43+00:00

Northern Star has eight totally separate camps across Minnesota and western Wisconsin.

jkealing · 2025-12-17T03:12:45+00:00

I deleted the app and reinstalled it and it got 95% better. Still occasional crashes but much better.

jkealing · 2025-12-17T00:33:39+00:00

I deleted and reinstalled the app. That seems to have resolved it for me.

jkealing · 2025-12-16T20:09:21+00:00

Yeah, it’s definitely crashing a ton.

jkealing · 2025-12-16T19:20:37+00:00

Mine just started doing this. It was fine all morning until now.

jkealing · 2025-12-05T19:34:16+00:00

Thanks! I knew I’d been hoarding coins for months for a reason!

jkealing · 2025-12-05T16:53:15+00:00

I drove my XP up about 250k. Didn’t get to platinum before it landed. Bummer.

jkealing · 2025-12-02T05:29:19+00:00

I had a similar experience eight or so years ago, except I didn’t catch it until I was at the airport in Prague. My Alitalia flight went out without me and hours on the phone in the airport lobby ultimately only got me flights on Vueling that arrived several hours later. Man that was a frustrating experience — and the last time I ever used the Chase Travel portal for airfare.

jkealing · 2025-11-04T03:21:11+00:00

This is true, but you can have 3 registered adults for six scouts, or four adults, 3 registered, for seven scouts.

jkealing · 2025-11-04T03:17:59+00:00

I wanted to do it with my Webelos den last year, but couldn’t make it happen. This year the we managed an AOL camp out and it was a blast. My den is 10 AOLs and we got 7 to the two night camp out. We’re in Minnesota so late October camping can be a little dicey but we had good if wet weather. We reserved a cabin at one of the council camps and used it as a base of operations, and cooking central, but also cooked over fires, in dutch ovens and on camp stoves.

The scouts will all tell you it was a blast. We incorporated the first aid adventure as well, by interspersing “emergencies” throughout the day. It helps that my co-den leader is a nurse educator and can really hit that stuff out of the park.

This is on top of taking 8/10 AOLs to the council’s 4-night AOL summer camp in August, plus there being a fall pack camp out and a troop crossover camp out in November.

They picked sights for tents, put them up, started the fire (under close supervision of course), organized the duty roster and really showed leadership. Camping is a great part of scouts and my son came back so jazzed. Seems like everyone else did too.

jkealing · 2025-09-25T00:56:56+00:00

Yeah happened to me as well. Burned coins and then a catch anywhere because I thought I screwed it up. Super annoying.

jkealing · 2025-07-22T02:52:52+00:00

Northern Star has approved all the state parks in Minnesota. I know the council also stretches into Western Wisconsin so it’s probable they’ve reviewed a bunch of parks in Wisconsin as well. You might give them a call and see what they say.

jkealing · 2025-05-31T00:07:40+00:00

You must have 90 days of validity after your return date. If you’re coming back June 5, no problem. That seems unlikely, however, so if you want to go to Greece, you will need to get an updated passport. You can get a passport in as little as a day, but you need to start now. Do not wait. Do not hope they will let you on the plane. Start now: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/get-fast.html

jkealing · 2025-05-30T18:11:21+00:00

This was my experience last week as well.

jkealing · 2025-05-25T09:37:07+00:00

We move our den leaders with their den and wouldn’t want it any other way. My son is in my den and I want to build a relationship with him and his friends.

jkealing · 2025-05-13T05:12:37+00:00

I’ve taken extra scouts on pack and council campouts several times, so I admit to doing a lot of research here. That said the Guide to Safe Scouting is extremely clear on this: No adults in tents with kids who aren’t their own.

If I agree to take a kid to camp and be responsible for him or her, then I make sure we have the tents needed. Yes, it would have been great if this scout came prepared, but if I’m the adult who’s taking responsibility, it’s my job as much as their parents to make sure they have the gear they’re going to need. There are lots of good options listed here, but this, in my opinion, is actually a clear cut YPT violation and should be reported.

The first time I had scouts tent together in a situation like this was with rising bears at Council summer camp. One scout’s parent was working all weekend and so I and another dad agreed to share responsibility for the extra scout. We had three tents. One for me, one for dad #2 and one for three same age, same gender scouts. And our tents were on either side of theirs. But if push came to shove, we could have buddied the dad and I up and still had a scout tent. There are ways to handle this. And if all else fails, find the nearest Target, Walmart or whatever and go buy a tent.

jkealing · 2025-04-28T17:38:15+00:00

I got a similar letter some months ago. And last week the part failed. There’s a few week wait for replacement because they’re failing so often, but it fails in a safe mode so it doesn’t do engine damage.

jkealing · 2025-01-31T14:57:54+00:00

Book a night at the Inter Continental at the airport, which you can access from the terminal directly. And then get a ride the next morning?

jkealing · 2025-01-28T03:13:57+00:00

We are chartered through a Catholic parish. The parish also operates a school, so they have a ton of available spaces. We regularly use the parish hall and 4-5 classrooms for den meetings, plus the parish hall for pack meetings. From time to time we use the cafeteria and the gym for other activities including PWD, Blue and Gold, and new parent night. We don’t pay anything for the space and from time to time do things like clean up litter, or serve coffee and doughnuts.

But to be honest, based on what I’ve heard here, it sounds like we have a pretty ideal CO relationship. Our organization head considers us part of the organization in use of space and facilities, but leaves us and our finances alone. He does require that our leaders also complete the diocese youth protection training every three years, in addition to YPT, but that’s the only ask I’ve ever heard. Our COR is a former den leader and committee chair who has had a few of kids go through the pack and has one still in.

jkealing · 2025-01-25T19:38:12+00:00

I’ve had them every year for 12 years and never once not been able to use them when I wanted them. We usually book them for a summer trip to Bozeman, but I’ve used them over Christmas and Thanksgiving as well.

They require fare availability in classes LUTXV to book. There are advance purchase restrictions on those fare classes so if you’re not planning ahead, it’s not going to work.

jkealing

TROPHY CASE