Eamonn

I don't like winter and don't like the cold! However Rory and Friday (the new dog) really enjoy their walk and snow is an added bonus. We walk about 3 -5 miles each day. I have the dress in layers bit mastered. I have found that for me, mittens seem to work better than gloves. My latest add on to my Winter Walking Apparel is a set of 18os behind the head ear warmers, these things really work. They were kind of expensive ($28.00)But my ears stay nice and warm. Winter is a great time for a nature walk, tracking bunnies in the snow, seeing the doves rise out of what's left of the corn field. I even managed to get a great photo of "Our" owl up in the pear tree last week. I have a lot of trees. I know in the UK there are 28 species of oak tree, I'm unsure if the Pin Oak is one of them? Anyway. - I have a couple of Pin Oaks that have me puzzled. The leaves have turned brown and are dead, but they have remained on the tree. Is this normal? When it gets really cold and everything is frozen, please remember the birds and put some drinking water out for them! If your walking your dog, keep an eye on his paws, the ice can be very harmful to a dogs feet!! Eamonn.

"Before you talk to the CO, you need to get ALL the facts from an unbiased party, police, the Court or the DA. " Not exactly sure why? But I'm unsure who the "You" in the "you need to get .." Is? From what has been posted the guy here has not tried to hide anything. He brought this to the CC. The CC and GernBlansten (I'm not sure what position he holds?) have decided to bring it to the up to the CO's IH and COR. To my way of thinking this places the ball firmly with the CO. What happens next? If anything is up to the CO. Everyone else should back off. Let the Executive Officer of the CO do what he or she thinks is needed. If getting more details is what the Executive Officer wants let him get them or appoint someone to get get them? That is his call. If he wants to call the SE or the DE and find out what the local Council thinks? Again this is his call. Having a group of people or even one person with some sort of a bias (Either way.) Playing Dick Tracy is not what is needed. I wonder what might happen or would have happened if the guy involved had just not said anything? I'll admit to not knowing anything about RO's or Temp RO's. So far as I see it e has only been charged and no one has said if he is guilty or not? It might be that the CO might want to wait and see what happens? It might be that the CO sees this as a storm in a tea-cup? It might be that the CO feels that the best thing is to ask this guy to take a leave from Scouting until the court decides what happened? It might be a lot of things? But at the end of the day it is up to the CO. Of course I'm not the CO but if I were I think asking the guy to step down until the court has decided what really happened is what I'd go for. This however carries as much weight as my predicting who the winner of the next race at Belmont will be. Eamonn.

This is best left with the CO. If the CO feels that the BSA (Local Council) needs to be involved? That's their call. Ea.

While I do agree that fun is in the eye of the beholder; that is what might be fun for me, might not be fun for you. I also agree that fun or fun time doesn't always have to planned. I spend a lot of time trying to make or at least some sort of fun into most things that I do or have others do. If I remember right in the old Train The Trainer course there was a lot of time spent on "Pizazz". Trying to make Trainers aware that dull, boring, monotonous training sessions are dull, boring and monotonous. Which are not going to be that good. Troop meetings in the UK seem to include a lot more games than here in the USA. On the surface they might just seem like "Silly Games" but they do have a purpose and in fact are the very backbone of English Scouting. I in fact still have the log book in which I recorded what we did at every Troop Meeting (For 11 years!!) It shows what we did, who did it and how it went; using a rating system -Ten being great and one being "No we are never going to do that again!" While maybe I'm of an age where I'm too old to be a "Wild and Crazy Guy". I still enjoy times of complete and utter silliness. At the last Jamboree the Troop had a goal of trying to get the entire Sub camp staff to join us in the Polynesian Duck Dance. As the Scouts paddled their way through the waters around Savannah, they made up their own "Video Game" a wild and wonderful tale that twisted and turned and was really hilarious. At times paddling against the tide was tough, but they somehow managed to sing silly songs. The Boy Scout Troop from Atlanta that we were with thought we were nuts!! A big part of it is that they feel safe being silly and having fun. While it has never been said or asked they know that they have "Permission" to have fun. Like everything there is a time and a place. One of the best things about Wood Badge is the fun!! The Camp fire is entertainment, but still hidden away in them there embers are some great messages. So while of course there is no " There is no "official" chief merry maker reporting to the ASPL." Scouting without fun would be like a cup-cake with no icing. I like to think that BP understood that Lads needed fun and was a bit of an overgrown kid himself. Looking at what the other youth organizations that were around in his day (The Church Lad's Brigade and the Boy's Brigade) He seen that Boy's needed fun and adventure. While he was in the army he was involved with a lot of theatrical shows and entertainment type activities. I kinda like to think that even when he getting up there in years he was still able to stop and see the world through the eyes of a young Lad and who knows maybe he was as mischievous as they were and the Scouts of today are? Sure we have all the high tech toys, but still a good water fight or snow ball fight is fun. A late night Patrol Hike with a brand new flash light is an adventure. The Lad who returns home from a Troop meeting tired, sweaty with a big smile on his face and tells his Mom that he had a great time is far more lightly to attend next weeks Troop meeting. Ea.

Is Woodbadge worth it? It was for me. Of course a lot depends on what you want or what you expect to get out of the course. The 21st Century Wood Badge course is a leadership course. It isn't the old Boy Scout or Cub Scout Trainer course. If you have taken and participated in other management or leadership courses? Maybe you have a lot of what the course does provide? It has been my experience that unless the training is really bad! When a group of Scouter's get together with no Scouts around they have a good time. I have to admit that I think all this talk about a "Mountain Top Experience" is a little over the top. It's a leadership course!! It isn't a Philmont Trek, it isn't a trip to Disney Land. The course doesn't dwell on practical skills. If you couldn't tie a bowline on a bite before you attend the course, chances are they when you complete the course you still won't be able to tie one. The course seems to have been elevated to some kind of larger than life experience, but it's six days spend with a group of people who share the same values and a lot of time doing much the same things as you like to do, finding and looking at tools that help make you a better leader. If that's what you want? If your family and employer can spare you for the time it takes and you have a couple of hundred dollars that you can spare? Then the course is worth it. Eamonn.

"Does it really make a difference why we toppled Saddam's reign of terror? The country is better without him." As of Monday, Jan. 7, 2008, at least 3,911 members of the U.S. military have died since the beginning of the Iraq war in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count. The figure includes eight military civilians. At least 3,181 died as a result of hostile action, according to the military's numbers. The AP count is three higher than the Defense Department's tally, last updated Monday at 10 a.m. EST. The British military has reported 174 deaths; Italy, 33; Ukraine, 18; Poland, 21; Bulgaria, 13; Spain, 11; Denmark, seven; El Salvador, five; Slovakia, four; Latvia, three; Estonia, Netherlands, Thailand, Romania, two each; and Australia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, South Korea, one death each. Yes I think it does make a difference! Eamonn.

hops_scout, Did Saddam Hussein have weapons of mass destruction? No, he did not. We've known that for some time now. Most of the faulty intelligence came from an Iraqi defector known as "Curve Ball," whose fabricated story of mobile biological weapons drove the U.S. argument for invading Iraq. Rafid Ahmed Alwan, who provided the information is a small time crook. His story and the story he told is so full of holes that I don't understand why some hard working truthful journalist didn't see and report what just didn't add up. The Intel provided by "Curve Ball" which has now been proven to be a pack of lies is the material that was used by then Secretary of State Colin Powell before the United Nations. Eamonn.

At times looking at what goes on here in the forum, I wonder if we dwell a little to much on the "Purpose" and forget that this is also a game? Kids join to have fun, kids leave when they don't. Are we guilty of taking ourselves a little to seriously? Could the program (What we do.) Be designed so that the young people who join have more fun? Eamonn.

Some years back I was asked to prepare a Scout's Own Service for the people attending National Camp School. I choose Peace as the theme. I had a lot of poems that kids from troubled spots all over the world had written. There were a lot of people, the room was big but not really big enough. Being the good Scout I am, I had come up with two services, basically the same, but one was a little longer than the other. As the service progressed I noticed that one Lady seemed deeply moved by the service. She was crying. This put my ego into overdrive. I thought that I had found my calling. -Thinking to myself how good I was! Needless to say I went with the longer of the two services. When it was over a lot of people came up and said that I'd done a good job. The Lady who I'd seen crying was leaving the room. So I went up to her and said how I hoped that she didn't find the service too much. She said that her crying had nothing to do with the Scout's Own Service and that her daughter had just called to say that her cat had died. I'll keep my day job!! Eamonn.

Do we really need a password for this area? Eamonn

Used to be that I could sit on the tube (London Underground) on my way to work and by looking at what newspaper the other travelers were reading be able to make an educated guess as to what their political affiliation might be. The last time I was on the tube, I was taken back by how few people were reading a newspaper. They all seemed busy with their cell phones. Where I live now the newspapers are owned and ran by hard-line conservatives. I'm aware of that and make my own mind up as to what I want to agree or disagree with. I like watching and listening to PBS and NPR. Again I'm very much aware that at times the views expressed are left wing views. I don't trust Rupert Murdoch, I don't like Fox News but I'm not a great fan of Michael Moore. Network news here in the USA seems to be more concerned about rating than about news. I can't off the top of my head think of a network documentary that offers real news. (60 Minutes does at times come close.) Of course most of us choose what we want to see, hear or read. I'm not going to get my news from the 700 Club, because I made the choice not to. I do have a lot of choices, if I choose not to just take what is offered by the networks or the media giants. Saying that the media doesn't cover Boy Scouting is to my mind much the same as saying that the media doesn't cover Golden Retrievers and the good work that they do. If I want to read about Golden Retrievers I can if I make the effort find all sorts of interesting stuff. If I want to read about Boy Scouts I can read Scouting Magazine. I do worry that more and more people seem to be willing to accept that because something was on the radio, TV, newspaper or even on the web that it has to be true. With any luck everyone will learn from the weapons of mass destruction that this isn't the case. Eamonn.

No Chaplains Aide:Why ? I don't know the answer. There are some units where all POR's are a joke. Filled by Scouts who are allowed to wear a patch for the required length of time in order to say they have held a POR. We don't have a Chaplain of any sort in the Ship due to the fact that the Scouts said that they didn't want one. A couple of years back the then Boatswain herded all the Scouts off to church services at a Winter Training weekend. This didn't go over very well with the Ship. A lot of the youth in the Ship are at an age where they are questioning their religion, their faith and their believes. We don't have a job description for a Chaplain. We do have some deeply religious Scouts who could do the job. I'm not sure but I kinda think some of the other Scouts might feel that they were having religion forced on them. As a Ship we do invite Scouts to say a prayer before a meal. But to be very honest this seems to be a bunch of words that are just said and have little or no meaning to most of the Scouts. When we are away I normally attend Mass and invite anyone who wants to tag along to do so. At times I do make a point of inviting the RC Scouts. This might be me putting them in awkward position? Right now we really don't have enough "Work" for someone to do to make the title really mean anything, it would just be a title. Ea.

I'm not sure if I'm threatened by ideas. At times I'm scared or become defensive about things I don't understand or ideas that challenge my ideas; more so if they make me feel uncomfortable. At times my best defense is simply not knowing or wanting to know. The idea of eating sheep eyeballs turns my stomach. I can't say that they are not good as I have never eaten them. I used to eat breaded veal patties, till one day I took the time to read what went into them. Being raised in an Irish Catholic family, in an Irish Catholic community, the idea that Roman Catholics had the market on getting into Heaven cornered was pounded into my head. In fact every Easter we prayed that one day the Jews see the light. Over time I have developed my own value system. These values are mine. While things that once were unacceptable or were acceptable do change, my core values remain the same. I have to own up to being lazy. I don't get involved. This leaves an open field for the special interest groups (Both on the right and on the left) to push forward with their agendas. Sometimes I agree with these groups and sometimes I don't. Sometimes I see and hear people making a big fuss about something which in my view is a storm in a tea-cup. I don't care if Pepsi or was it Dr. Pepper? Uses "Under God" on the can of soda pop. I don't drink the stuff. I don't need 200 e-mails telling me that God isn't on the President One Dollar coin and asking me not to use i. Heck give me a truck load of these coins and you bet I'll use them! (I think God is on the side of the coin.) As a parent I have knowingly and unknowingly tried to pass on my core values to my son. Some things seemed easy" don't do that because it's wrong." Or "Do that, because it's right." Now at 19 he has his own ideas and his own values. At times we disagree. Of course I think I'm right and try to let him see why I'm right. For example we disagree on the death penalty. He is for it and I'm not. While of course he is entitled to his own opinion. I at times worry how he got there? To my way of thinking, he isn't as involved as he should be in what is going on around him in the world. He has been raised in a time where what happens to Brittany Spears is more important than the HIV -AIDS epidemic in Africa is. He knows how much a presidential candidate spends on a haircut but has no idea what the candidate stands for. There are of course times when I see and in my opinion the special interest groups go over the top. I don't have any problem with a "God Rock", but can see that it being placed on church property might have been a better idea. I know that had the KKK placed burning cross in the park, I'd find it offensive. I of course am a product of my time, my environment, my education. All of these have helped shape my values and helped create my "Comfort Zone". Sure at times other peoples ideas do make me uncomfortable, but rarely if ever do I feel threatened. Eamonn.

The wool shirts do look better and are more "Dressy"! They hold a crease better when ironed. But they do need to be ironed or dry cleaned, in order to look good. While I have yet to wear out a Scout shirt. The polyester shirts do tend to look a little sad after they have been laundered a lot. On the bright side the polyester shirts do dry a lot faster. I'm not sold on the idea of paying the extra for a shirt that in't really going to get that much wear. But that's just me! Eamonn.

I can't speak for the other moderators. Which as it been pointed out " Eamonn, well, he just goes on" Might be a good thing. I don't have a problem telling the person who has crossed the line that they have crossed the line. I do think however that this is something best managed by a private message. If they want to reply? I'm happy to receive any reply or feedback they want to send back. Secret prisons? That in the light of where I work made me smile! But bad as secret prisons are public floggings are worse. No one is questioning the bravery of a Scout, my hope is that we can be kind and in Eamonn's little world Reverent goes hand in hand with respect. A lot of the time I don't agree with the views that someone is posting. When that happens I look at my options. 1/ I can choose to ignore it and move to another thread or just ignore it and watch re-runs of Law and Order. 2/ I can post why I disagree with what they are posting. 3/ I can attack the person who posted something that I disagreed with, calling them names and just not being a very nice person. Sadly there have been times when I have allowed myself to take option 3! When this happens and I see that I have acted like a real twit, I get upset with myself. At times like that maybe there is a need for a little heavy handed moderation? Eamonn.

"... and heavy handed moderators." Come on!! Seeing what happens on other sites and talking with the people who serve as moderators on these sites, I really think heavy handed moderators is over the top. Sure the people who serve here (Yes I'm one) do have bad days, we do get out of the wrong side of the bed and at times the "You said" - "No I didn't say" does get old! Maybe we need to look back to Friday, 11/9/2007 http://www.scouter.com/forums/viewThread.asp?threadID=172728#id_172728 ? SCOUTER-Terry posted: "One cool thing about electronic Forums is that no matter how much nonsense someone wants to type, no trees or baby seals must die for the privilege. So, feel free to flame on with nonsense... but don't hijack other discussions, and don't be unScoutlike." Eamonn.

Maybe I'm wrong? But the neckerchief seems to be accepted world wide as the international uniform part. I had to smile to myself when in the other thread we had Gold Winger stating: "Allow the necker to be worn with the activity uniform. BP included the necker because it is a practical piece of outdoors attire. It also would help identify a group of casually dressed boys as Scouts." Clearly looking for a neckerchief that would serve as both a part of the uniform and be practical. Then we see evmori saying: "Neckers are nice for formal occasions. Other than that, they get in the way." It would seem neckerchiefs are just a part of the uniform. To be honest I don't know too many Scouts who wear their uniforms for practical purposes or when they are participating in outdoor activities. (OK some might wear the socks, shorts, belt and a T-shirt at camp). Back home in the UK, neckerchiefs were seen as being something special. Each Scout Group had it's own colors and the neckerchief was like a flag. It, more than anything identified you as belonging to that Group (Pack, Troop or Venture Unit.) Rarely if ever did a Groups neckerchief ever change, the colors remained the same as long as the group was in existence. English neckerchiefs do seem to be bigger than the ones normally worn here in the USA. I dislike the American Gilwell neckerchief, it just isn't long enough. I normally buy mine from Gilwell Park. I have a few of the polyester blends, which I like and a few of the wool ones that tend to bit a little to warm. (Wood Badge items can be purchased from Scout Shops on line at: http://www.scouting.outdoors.ltd.uk/cgi-bin/sh000009.pl?REFPAGE=http%3a%2f%2fwww%2escoutshops%2ecom%2f&WD=woodbadge&PN=Awards%2ehtml%23a1022508#a1022508 ) While of course I have a very strong bias!! I thought the neckerchief of my old Scout Group was the best looking Necker!! It was black, with a quarter-inch white boarder. It looked great when it was rolled. Near the point we had our Pioneer Badge, two crossed axes encased in a twisted rope tied with what was supposed be be a Reef knot only at some stage someone messed up and it was a Thief knot (The working ends are on opposite sides.)This was also white on black. The reason for the patch was that we were the 17th Fulham (Pioneers.) New Scouts were presented with their Troop neckerchief when they were invested as a Scout. Looking back, it really was something that everyone was very proud of. We of course said that neckerchiefs were useful as bandages and hats, but other than in the meeting hall when we were practicing First Aid, they were never used as anything but a part of the uniform. Sea Scouter's don't wear neckerchiefs and even when I wear the field uniform, other than for WB ceremonies, I rarely if ever wear a neckerchief. A few years back I seen a Troop up at camp who wore red neckers and they had all dyed their tennis shoes red too match. I had a chat with the SM,he said that it was the boy's idea. Every boy was in full uniform and with the red shoes!! I thought they looked sharp. We have one adult leader in the Council who every-time I see him is wearing a tie!! With his uniform. Someone should buy that man a necker! Ea. A tie!! Yuck!!

"How many of you are seein' this, or similar sorts of things?" See a lot of it in some Troops. "How are you addressing it, if at all?" While OJ was setting the world record for spending the longest time ever as a Life Scout, I explained to anyone who would listen that it was His Eagle, his goal and up to him!! gwd-scouter, makes a good point about it being an empty threat. We live out in the sticks, having someone who can run out for a gallon of milk does come in very handy!! Ea.

There is as I write this another thread running "Issues with the current SM". I started a reply. Thinking about the Methods of Scouting, but for some reason wandered off into Team Development. The good old:forming, storming,norming, performing stuff!!! I didn't post it because it seemed a bit too much like an old Wood Badge Director talking!! I've lost count of the number of times I have posted: Train them, Trust Them, Let them lead! The Methods of Scouting are a wonderful set of goals. Things that we all should aim to achieve. There are times when everything seems to fall into place and the methods do work and for a while Building Character,Fostering Citizenship and Promoting Fitness, seems to come easy. We the adults do need to keep reminding ourselves that Scouting is a game. Boys join Scouts to have fun. When it stops being fun they quit. It is a game with a purpose, finding the right balance between the game and the purpose can at times be really hard. Still no kid ever joined a Troop in order to meet the aims of Scouting. He joined to have fun, he wanted adventure and while maybe he didn't know it? He was looking for new challenges. Dr Bruce Tuckman published his Forming Storming Norming Performing model in 1965. In the forming stage it states: "High dependence on leader for guidance and direction. Little agreement on team aims other than received from leader. Individual roles and responsibilities are unclear. Leader must be prepared to answer lots of questions about the team's purpose, objectives and external relationships. Processes are often ignored. Members test tolerance of system and leader. Leader directs. Clearly a long way from Boy Led!! storming - stage: Decisions don't come easily within group. Team members vie for position as they attempt to establish themselves in relation to other team members and the leader, who might receive challenges from team members. Clarity of purpose increases but plenty of uncertainties persist. Cliques and factions form and there may be power struggles. The team needs to be focused on its goals to avoid becoming distracted by relationships and emotional issues. Compromises may be required to enable progress. Leader coaches. Sounds like a Patrol meeting of younger Scouts!! norming - stage: Agreement and consensus is largely forms among team, who respond well to facilitation by leader. Roles and responsibilities are clear and accepted. Big decisions are made by group agreement. Smaller decisions may be delegated to individuals or small teams within group. Commitment and unity is strong. The team may engage in fun and social activities. The team discusses and develops its processes and working style. There is general respect for the leader and some of leadership is more shared by the team. Leader facilitates and enables. Starting to sound like a typical PLC Meeting? performing - stage: Think about a well trained SPL!! The team is more strategically aware; the team knows clearly why it is doing what it is doing. The team has a shared vision and is able to stand on its own feet with no interference or participation from the leader. There is a focus on over-achieving goals, and the team makes most of the decisions against criteria agreed with the leader. The team has a high degree of autonomy. Disagreements occur but now they are resolved within the team positively and necessary changes to processes and structure are made by the team. The team is able to work towards achieving the goal, and also to attend to relationship, style and process issues along the way. team members look after each other. The team requires delegated tasks and projects from the leader. The team does not need to be instructed or assisted. Team members might ask for assistance from the leader with personal and interpersonal development. Leader delegates and oversees. The adults need to be aware that there is no "Leadership Fairy" We need to train the youth leaders. All to often we hear about the leadership capabilities of the youth! The role of the SM should be developing those capabilities. Training the youth leaders to lead is the most important job of the SM. Youth Led units, need youth leaders!! Adults need to be able to step back and allow the youth leaders to do their job. This can be very hard. Their way might not be the same way as you might do it! It might be doomed for failure!! It more than lightly is not going to be perfect, but there will be time for Evaluating, Reviewing and Reflecting to see what worked and what didn't! Back in the old Boy Scout WB Course there was a session on representing the group. I always thought it was kinda crafty the way it was done. Each Patrol was asked what they wanted to prepare and cook for the Feast. The Patrol made a long list of foods that they liked and some tried to ensure that maybe they weren't going to be overworked!! The SPL then brought all the Patrol Leaders up for a PLC Meeting (The Troop observed what was going on but were not able to participate!) He then went over the menu. As you can imagine a lot of the Patrols had come up with items that were either the same or were very similar. He (The SPL) then went about changing the menu using the suggestions from the PL's.With some input from the SPL. So maybe the Patrol that was doing Mashed potatoes, ended up making spaghetti and the lobster became shrimp. In fact a lot of times by the end of the session the entire menu had changed!! It was changed by the Patrol Leaders, led by the SPL. Needless to say not everyone was happy with final menu, but everyone seen and understood how the system was supposed to work. Youth led doesn't always mean that everyone gets what they want!! It does mean that the youth are trusted to come up with the plan and follow it through. In the Ship I'm happy to help and support them in doing what they want to do. However at times, I will say that I'm not going to join with them and they will need to find another adult. Or I will point out that in order to do something they need to do something else first. The real skill needed for a youth led unit is to be able to listen!! Eamonn.

From what I have read, which isn't a lot! Ownership of Trash seems to fall into a legal "No mans land". Police who have gone through someones garbage looking for evidence have been accused of violating defendants Fourth Amendment Rights. While I'm sure that the Dumpster Divers we have in the forum are not the type that go through peoples garbage and leave a big mess. It does happen at times. Of course where the trash is placed is a big consideration, going on to someones property to go through the trash might be an act of trespass. In these days of identity theft, going through someone else's trash might not seem as harmless as maybe it once was. At home now we take great care to shred all papers that might provide this sort of information. I still think asking the owner for permission is the best way to go. Our Township has two days a year where you can place big items out for collection. There is a list of what they will and will not take. One year we found someone trying to load up our old picnic table!! Even through it was in the back yard and no where near the stuff we had put out for collection. Eamonn.

The clock is ticking and soon we will say farewell to 2007. When it's gone it will leave behind traces and memories of times good and maybe not so good. Many of us will sit back and reflect what we did that worked and what didn't. If we are honest we will see the things that we had no control over and just seemed to be there or just happen along with the things that we did have control of. We can look back at the outcomes of our actions, seeing where we went right and where we maybe went wrong. I'm not big on "New Year Resolutions". Mainly because I'm not good at keeping them or sticking with them. Looking back to about this time last year, I was overjoyed that Jamie (HWMBO) was done with her chemotherapy. I set a goal for myself of not getting mad or upset with her!! She has a nasty habit of calling me from what I'm doing or where I'm at and not telling me what she wants or why she is calling me. Sometimes it's because a firetruck has gone down the road! Sometimes it's because the dogs have done something cute and sometimes she really does need something. All in all I did fairly well with this one. For the past couple of years it seems to me that OJ and I are not as close as I'd like. We seem to pick on each other. We know how to push each other buttons and end up in arguments. I know I'm guilty of teasing him. I know that he is at "That Age", but still I allow myself to get upset when it seems he thinks that I'm a know nothing twit. I'm going to work on this in 2008. As far as Scouting goes. Things in the Council and District, that I'm in don't look good. Again I look back and see that I'm guilty of moaning and groaning and really not doing anything. I have come up with a long list of excuses for not doing anything, but the list is of excuses and not real reasons. I now feel that doing something, no matter what will beat the pants off not doing anything. My big goal for 2008 is to try and get better at looking at and thinking of "What If". I work in a very dangerous environment. Just before Christmas a Lady and two Corrections Officers were attacked by a inmate with razor blade taped to his fingers. The Lady needed over 1,000 stitches to her face. A young CO was fifty feet away but didn't have a radio to call for help, he had to run to use a phone. I viewed the video of the incident and it's clear that something wasn't right in the minutes leading up to the attack. This year in the Forum there has been a lot of Threads and postings about insurance and liability. Seems to me that the best insurance is a plan and an awareness that looks at the "What If" factor. If we can do this we can avoid the liability. I'm not looking forward to the Presidential election. I know it's very important, but the media coverage seems to take away from the important things and dwells on the silliness. I'm thinking that the cost of living will soar in 2008. This will hurt everyone. But as ever the new year will bring opportunities for laughter and fun. We will be given the chance to do our best to help others and accept help from others. Kids will see us for what we are, as we try to serve them in this great organization. For some of these kids Scouts will just be another activity that falls on them once a week and the odd weekend, for others it could be the start of something that they will continue to do for a very long time. Who knows in 2058 they will be sitting around telling war stories about us!! I wish everyone a Happy and Brave New Year. I hope that as members of the forum we remember to be kind to each other and think twice before we hit the "Summit Your Message" button. Be safe in 2008. Eamonn.

RememberSchiff, Welcome!! Take my word for it, I'd much rather sing than in any way get involved with a last minute uniform inspection at a COH!! Knowing my luck, I'd be wearing the uniform with the upside down knot on it and one of the ASM's would be a narc for the Under the Covers uniform police. This would cause an international incident. I'd be deported. Rory would have to be quarantined for six months before he'd be allowed into the UK. Her Who Must Be Obeyed would get used to sleeping in the middle of the bed. OJ, would take custody of all the family cars, at least till the insurance ran out. I'd run for Parliament, become the next Labour Party Prime Minister. Rumors would be rampant that I was having an affair with the President of the USA. Her Who Must Be Obeyed would take me to the cleaners! I'd be broke, out of office and unable to buy dog food to feed Rory. But then I'd write a book which would become one of Oprah's Book of the month. The movie with Tom Hanks would make me a fortune and I'd be invited to a BSA function where without notice someone would ask me if I'd do a uniform inspection!! NO!! Please no. Eamonn.

One mans trash . . . Another mans infection!! I don't think I'd take the risk of wearing shoes that others have worn. How do you clean the inside of a pair of boots? Removing things set out on the curb, without the permission of the owner? I wonder if this might be considered stealing? Just because it's there really doesn't give someone the right to remove it and lay claim to ownership of it. I would hope that people would ask the owner before they remove anything. Eamonn.

Luge is starting to look more and more interesting. Ea.

". He (the SPL) will then invite a uniformed adult leader from the troop or a visiting Scouter to inspect the patrols along with the PL and the SPL." Have to say this is one of my many!! Pet Peeves. Over the years I have been invited to a lot of Scouting functions. Yes I have ate a ton of chicken!! When I get an invite. I do RSVP. If the invite only names me. I tell whoever sent it if I'm going to attend or not or if it is a family invite I let them know how many of us will be there. As a rule I ask "Do you want me to do anything?". My reason for this is that I hate being called upon to get up and give some kind of speech or pass on some words of wisdom if I haven't prepared something. I kinda think if I were invited to do a uniform inspection at a COH, I would find a polite way to get out of it!! Asking a visiting Scouter to jump up and do this just seems unfair to the Scouter and very much like window dressing. Maybe this is just me? But thanks, but no thanks. Eamonn.