(updated April 2000):
I'm so very glad that you are using my site as a source of additional information, resources, and entertainment!!
Because my sites and me personally has become well-known in and out of the Army, Scouting and Geoworks/NewDeal communities, I felt it neccessary to place these disclaimer statements to ward off those that want to somehow downplay or discount what I say here, or to rebut those that feel that I am somehow a part of the BSA's "information machine".
And to protect myself and Rose Walton and what we do for others.
This page is divided into separate areas concerning:
PRIVACY CONCERNS which we comply with not just because its the law, but because we choose to do so in the interest of being good Scouters and good people.
MIKE WALTON (who is he, who he is NOT...)
The INFORMATION that is found at The Tree and its branches and where it comes from
CONTACTING Mike Walton either in person, through "snail mail" (traditional US Postal Service mail), electronic mail or fax
The CONTENT OF THE TREE and its branches, indicating that some of it *may not be suitable* for children (including our own) under 17 years of age; where that content is and how will one know that they have reached such areas of The Tree or its branches
and SPAMMING (what it is, how we have controlled it from our end)
This series of statements discloses the privacy practices and explains all disclaimers for the following Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) and internal links to those URLs:
(these URLs are collectively known and will be referred to in this document as our "Homepages"; they all interconnect with each other as parts of The Tree)
Rose Walton PC Coaches is the sole owner of any information collected on this site. We will not sell, share, or rent this information to any other individual, business, company or corporation in ways different from what is disclosed in this statement. Rose Walton PC Coaches collects information from our users at several different points on our website through the user sending us electronic mail with the information requested or by the completion by the user of an online form which is sent electronically to us. We will collect only neccessary information needed to send your item or to complete whatever transaction we and you have asked. We will NEVER ask for passwords, social security nor passport numbers in ANY aspect of our business. We do NOT need it, and we ask you NOT to send such information to us. Our account information is maintained using a date/time code generally used within most databases and not indexed using any key numbers (to include telephone numbers).
Two times a year, if we have collected information from you which you have freely provided to us, we will ask you if you desire to receive additional mailings from us. These mailings will allow you to directly contact other Scouting, NewDeal, or Army firms or companies to obtain information and/or products from them. WE WILL NOT, and we ask you NOT TO ASK US TO, FORWARD nor PROVIDE ANY INFORMATION ON YOU TO ANY OTHER FIRM. If you are interested in the product or service they offer, it is up to YOU to contact them and inform them of your interest.
If you choose to NO LONGER RECEIVE any mailings from us, simply return the publication or card to us indicating "Please take me off your mailing list". We will immediately remove you from our mailing list until either you request to be placed back onto it or until you have ordered or purchased another product or item from us.
(This information was provided by Mike Walton:)
Mike Walton is my name. I am a honest, real person, and not a "made up" name for anyone that works at the BSA's National or Regional offices. You may call me, and hear my voice. You may snailmail me and I'll write you in cursive if you like. Invite me to come to your Council or unit, and if I can afford it, I'll be there (I can only charge for my personal travel under federal law, since I am a member of the military profession; I may ask you to put me up for the night on a floor somewhere...I have my own sleeping bag!). You may call my mother and ask her if I exist.
What I have posted, said/wrote and offer as advice is provided so you may make your own decisions, make your own choices and become more knowledgable in those areas that I know a little about. I do NOT profess to know EVERYTHING about Scouting, about Geoworks/NewDeal nor the United States Army...there are experts more "expert" than I that can handle those concerns or questions with a lot more finese and information than what I can ever offer here. I say what I feel and not neccessarily anything which reflects the official policies of the Department of Defense, the United States Army, the Boy Scouts of America or any local Council, Geoworks, New Deal, or even Rose Walton (unless those words are accompanied with a statement which says it is a policy). They are simply the musings, statements and personal thoughts and feelings of Mike Walton. However, what I state here on these pages and what I offer on various Scouting & military related forums is USUALLY "right on the money" and pares with "policy". How do I know?
I read about two novels a month...The latest books I've read are John Grisham's "The Testament" and I've started on "The Brethren"; I've also re-read John Irving's Cider House Rules in advance of the release of the movie based on the book; and I've also read and re-read Garrison Keeler's "ME! The Story of "Big Boy" Bobby Valenti" (which is supposed to be roughly about our Governor, the guy with the chrome dome...you know his name...."The Body" or "The Mind" or something like that...*laughter* I've also read two novels by Steven Cannell, my favorite TV producer! I encourage my children - and my Godsister's children and now Grandchild - to read and write and draw. I live for libraries and research!
I watch CNN and MSNBC alternating when I can, and enjoy the transcripts and information they provide via their webpages and in other ways. I use the Internet to conduct a lot of research for speeches, training sessions and for personal enjoyment.
I use the libraries...my own personal library with hundreds of books, magazines, manuals and pamphets; the local and regional libraries; the BSA's official library in Kentucky; the online libraries and stacks of files maintained all over the world; resources in other nations; and of course, "people libraries"... the ones in their brains.
I have been very blessed with knowing many friends early in their careers, and I use the term "networking" to the upmost. I have stayed in touch with those people, as they progressed upward in rank, in position, and in location over the past 25+ years. They in turn, have stayed in touch with me and provide me with information which, in part, I use to share with you. No "inside secrets", just factual information that eventually will come out anyway, given time. That's how I "seem to know about stuff before it comes out". Who are these people?
I'm not saying. They have jobs. They have families and careers. They have car payments and morgages. As a former Paraprofessional, I swore to "protect the program", which I will continue to do. For those reasons, I will refuse to reveal NAMES of who calls me, who writes or FedEx's/UPS's me, who send me email or snailmail, and who I gave or give advice to. "The powers that be" may be mad or upset with me; I call it loyality to those that have placed their confidences in me. If you ask me not to share your problem or concern or issue or information, I will NEVER do so. It will go with me when I leave this world. People have faith in what I'm doing, and I have faith in them that what they are telling me is factual and information which I can share openly.
I have also been blessed with being exposed to the military and Scouting in a wide variety of locations, under a wide variety of circumstances, and I thank my Savior every day for that blessing. As a result, I have some in-depth experiences that most volunteers and more than half of the BSA's professional cadre has never had. I share this information and experiences with volunteers because they need to know ALL sides of the various problems and issues within the BSA and not just the "volunteer side".
Finally, I am NOT presently in the employment of the BSA (I would love to serve again one day, but not right now...) and have *not* been in the professional employment since May 31, 1982. I am NOT a "spy" for the Boy Scouts of America nor any other organization, and am NOT personal friends with the current Chief Scout Executive nor any of the senior professional management of the BSA. I have, as a personal "can you do something about this?" or "head's up", provided some of my personal friends with postings from several electronic forums which address GENERAL questions or problems with the way the chose to do things...but only as a suggestion and NEVER as a way to belittle nor demean anyone or any local Council's program. Many of those "hints" and "winks" end up making its way to the senior leadership of the BSA and a large part of them (NOT thanks to me, but to those many Scouters whom posted their opinions and ideas!) end up as the catalyst for modification of several BSA policies and procedures!
I do NOT have any "private email addresses"...all of my addresses where I send and receive mail from are enclosed within my signature file, as well as my home and work telephone number and fax number.
That information is listed below for your information:
(c) 2000 Mike Walton ("no such thing as strong coffee,...") (612) 435-3068
(settummanque, the blackeagle) http://www.mninter.net/~blkeagle
15201 Greenhaven Drive, #129 Burnsville, MN 55306-7130 blkeagle@usscouts.org
kyblkeagle@aol.com or mike.walton@usarc-emh2.army.mil
---- FORWARD in service to youth ----
I may also be reached through the 88th Regional Support Command Public Affairs Office, toll-free at 1-800-THE ARMY and using extensions 3153 or 3013. Faxes may be sent to me toll-free at 1-800-713-6888 or 1-408-701-1000. I will receive them no matter where I am located at.
The site content is Copyright (C) 1988-2000 by Mike Walton unless otherwise indicated either at the header or at the bottom of the page. The page design is Copyright (C) 1995-00 by Settummanque for Rose Walton. All Rights Reserved.
Enjoy what you see and read here. Share it with those in your unit, District, Council or Region. Share it with those in your church, school or business. Please note where you got it, and please honor my right as a writer and publisher to publish what I (and hopefully you) like. Come back and visit this location again often, because I update information almost biweekly. (Not as often due to the military deployments, but I do update the information often!)
If you like or don't like what you see, have any questions or concerns, or just want to chat, I have a "post me" button near the bottom of every main page... just look for the letter or mailbox button. I try to answer my personal mail every 24 hours, and answer that before answering any mailing list mail.
The US Scouting Service Project and Scouters' Digest Magazine or their agents have my permission to reproduce anything seen on my site for the usage of volunteer or professional Scouters in the United States and around the world as long as they inform me what material will be used and where it will be placed on their server or within a future edition of a paper or electronic publication. Other BSA or other program Councils, volunteers or professionals have permission to copy any of the information here as long as they ask and receive my written permission IN ADVANCE and agree not to use it within any fee-based electronic or paper publication (to include websites whether free or not) nor to use it within any fee-based CD-ROM or other electronic archival item.
The Mining Company, About.com and its successors do NOT have permission to use ANY of my material, in part or whole, upon their website or through their "guide". Anyone representing the Mining Company or its successors need not contact me for permission; it will NOT be granted. The Mining Company has taken several of my pages and used it as their own content without consulting me or obtaining my permission for their usage.
I do not mind people using my content -- as long as they ask me. I have never charged anyone for usage of my content; I just want to know where it is and what specifically you're using. Considering that the source for much of it came from me, I believe that is only fair. And legal.
I do use some "rough language" in some of my postings, because I'm a real person and real people do cuss (sometimes). I note this fact at the beginning of the posting and at the entrance to the pages which contain those postings. There is also a special icon on pointers to those pages, explaining that those pages are NOT suitable for young children (and my defination of a "young child" is anyone under the age of 17).
I have also "rated my own pages and content" with SafeSurf and RSACi. These two are the leaders in allowing parents to "block out content" unacceptable to their households, and something which I personally and professionally support. On those pages containing such content, I have labeled them with their logos and agree to abide by their policies.
I trust that you will use your parental and adult influnces when allowing younger children to read or view those postings. I would not allow my three children to read those postings, but I have no control over what you permit or not. I will trust you will do the proper and adult thing.
All of the files at this site have been screened for content, do NOT contain adult images, and have been scanned using McAffe's SCAN software. This includes the Geoworks/NewDeal shareware site, the Eagletipstm and our general "try this out!" area.
This site and many documents linked to it contain E-mail addresses of people who contributed to those documents. If you use those addresses for the purpose of sending them or us junk E-mail messages (called "spamming") for purposes like, but not limited to, non-Scouting or NewDeal business promotion, advertising a WWW site not related to Scouting or Geoworks/NewDeal, or of your religious ideology, then by the act of sending them E-mail messages you agree to pay each addressee and our legal representation, acting for us.
The purpose of having those addresses attached to their documents is to authenicate their authorship as well as to permit those with specific questions or comments to directly address those questions or concerns to the originator.
The copyright of the below text is held by Junkbusters Corporation and is used here in accordance with the GNU General Public License, copies of which are available at http://www.junkbusters.com or from the Free Software Foundation, 675 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
"We do not want to receive uninvited solicitations by email (``Junk Email''). This includes unsolicited invitations to visit sites containing erotic or sexually explicit content. We are unwilling to receive Junk Email freely because it costs us time and money. If you send us ANY Junk Email other than on the terms of the offer set out in the following ten points, we will take this to mean that you plan to use what we offered you without paying for it and we will inform an attorney retained to handle such inquiries. If you ever try to do this we reserve our right to take any action available to us without further reference to you. Actions available to us include taking proceedings against you for negligence or breach of contract, which may result in substantial damages being awarded against you by a court. The unauthorized use of our computing facilities may even be a crime.
(1) We offer to receive all further email from you on the terms set out below. If you send us ANY solicitation by email without our express prior written consent this will be taken as your acceptance of this offer.
(2) For the purposes of points 3 and 4, you will be taken to have sent any email sent by any entity apparently associated with you for the purpose of sending email solicitations. This applies to all of our email accounts listed above and below:
rwcoaching@aol.com
coffeeweb@aol.com
kyblkeagle@aol.com
mike.walton@usarc-ehm2.army.mil
As well as to any email address you have obtained through reading/evaluating "The Tree" or any of its "branches", either visually or electronically.
(3) You must pay twenty US dollars ($20) for each such item of email that you send us. Each piece of email you send us will be forwarded to our retained attorney for record-keeping and possible legal action if you fail to pay.
(4) You must pay twenty US dollars ($20) for each copy of each email solicitation that you send to anybody or any email address referred to on this site, even if you don't send a copy to us. You may also have to pay other persons as well if they have sent you a similar offer.
(5) We may join with any of those persons for the purpose of efficiently collecting your payments.
(6) You must mail payment by certified check to the address below within five working days of the transmission of the email. If you do not know where to send payment, you must state this in the email and give us an easy way to tell you. Send all payments to Kenneth Kasacavage at the following address:
Kenneth Kasacavage, Attorney at Law
230 2nd Street, Henderson, KY 42420
Attn: Walton Internet Spam Payment
(7) Each email item must be uniquely identified, and each payment must clearly identify the relevant item or items.
(8)You must tell us your name and full business and residential addresses in each email message.
(9) We may vary the terms of or terminate this offer at any time (even after you have accepted it). Any new terms will apply to all email you send after you have been notified of a variation."
(10) If you are the target of an attack in which a third-party has stolen/illegally used your electronic mail account, we will consider vacating all fees due us if your ISP (Internet Service Provider) provides Mr. Kasacavage or Rose Walton within the same five day period with a statement confirming your report of illegal access or usage BEFORE the time/date stamp of your posting. Otherwise, you are still obligated to pay for each usage of our services.
Since implementing this effort in 1998, we understand that more than $400 has been cleared by individuals and firms that choose to continue to spam us or our sites despite our warning to them. Several additional individuals may also be sued. Since we do NOT receive a DIME of this money, this becomes an additional incentive for our retained attorney and his firm.