Eamonn

First let me start by saying that I am in no way trying to reopen old topics. I have been thinking about the way the BSA is structured. Sure we need to have a National Office and I think because the country is so big we need to have Regional Offices. There may be a need to take a look at what these Regional Offices really do, but I will try to come back to that. The Area Committee does do a lot and seems to do it without much fuss. I am not so sure about the Council. In our area we seem to have a lot of very small Councils and it seems that they are having a very hard time surviving. They seem to be very expensive and as the expense grows the level of service drops. Many Scout Executives that I talk with tell me that having to make payroll is becoming a real chore. I am sure that some of the wise people in the forum know how or why we came to have the Councils that we have? I however look at them and it seems to me that they are there because they were there and have managed to make it this far for this long. Is it time that we took a long hard look at Councils? Looked at the area they serve with a view to making them more efficient? This might mean changing boundaries and could result in fewer or maybe more councils. I can't help thinking that we are doing it this way because we have always done it this way. I don't think this is a good reason. Eamonn

Boy am I pleased that so far no one has come up with the idea of deporting me!! For the record I am a Resident Alien. That term reminds me of the movie ET. I have called this great country home for the past 21 years. During which time I have paid taxes and never collected a penny from the State or the government. I have paid into social security, both here and back in the UK and do hope that one day I will collect on both. Thinking back to all the stuff that I had to go through to become a resident alien, I do get a little upset when I hear that others are not going through what I did. It seemed that every-time I went to the American Embassy in London, I raised my hand and swore to something or another and then handed over size-able amounts of cash. Add to this a medical at an approved doctors office, a chest X-ray and a photo of my left ear!! I then had to provide proof that I wouldn't become a Public Charge within the first year of my being here. Kinda hard when I was paying all that money at the embassy. I was checked out by the FBI, swore that I had never been a member of the Nazi Party and then checked out by Scotland Yard. What is funny is that Her Who Must Be Obeyed has the right to reside in the UK and now the EU and all she had to do was visit one office with our marriage license and her American Passport. She had a little chat with a very nice man and was good to stay. I don't know all the facts and all the numbers about illegal residents. I do think that it is unfair that I went through what I did to be legal and they seem to by-pass it all. Not that I dwell on it or lose any sleep. Eamonn PS If they do decide to deport me can I ask for a place with palm trees? London is kinda cold.

In my eyes this is no longer a Scouting problem, it has become a legal problem. The Pack Committee needs to look into what can be done to recover the money. Taking money that doesn't belong to you is wrong. We are in the business of delivering a Scout program, not recovering stolen money. Eamonn

Wood Badge Course Directors will do everything that they can to accommodate the wants and needs of the participants. However a lot will depend on the location of the course. We were lucky that we used a new building that met with all the new building codes, there are some councils and courses that are not so lucky. The best thing is to check with the Course Director. Eamonn

I like to think that when we look at the big picture, what we are trying to do is still relevant. Maybe not trendy or MTV cool, but relevant. It seems to me that we are as a nation in a state of confusion. Looking back to the map on the night of the presidential election and the blue states and the red states, it would seem that we do want to keep or maybe return to traditional values. However it would seem that those who are in the business of marketing seem to not understand this. Our TV shows seem to want to push bad values and at times I think they are almost seeing how far they can go and how much they can get away with. The youth who join our program's join because they want to have fun, they leave when we fail to deliver, at least most do. We still have parents who push for their kid to remain in a program that isn't fun until he makes Eagle Scout. I'm going to take this as meaning that even if the Scout doesn't feel the program is relevant, his parents still think that making Eagle Scout rank is. It seemed to me that a few years back we had Scouts who were unhappy telling anyone that they were a Scout. But that is changing, from what I'm seeing our kids are far more at ease standing up and telling everyone that they are their own person and saying yes I do go to church, yes I do sing in the choir, yes I am a Scout and what's more I'm proud to do what I want to do. I really don't want to get into a debate about anything that starts with the letter G. and I am aware that here in our corner of Southwest Pennsylvania we might not truly reflect the feelings of elsewhere in the country. Still the majority of the people on the street still think Scouting is relevant and are unhappy with the bashing the BSA and the Scouts seem to be receiving. The man in the street still thinks that Scouting is a good thing. Eamonn.

A Lad from our Council was in charge of the Boy's Life Burro at the 2001 Jamboree. At first the Lad thought this was a cake job, just walking around with the burro. All went well till the ill tempered animal bit him on the behind. After that they never seemed to have the bonding relationship that they displayed on the first day or two. Eamonn

I am really looking forward to meeting the Hops Scout at the Jambo. The Guy in charge of Rappel Tower D Subcamp 4 is a pal of mine and I know that he will look after him. OJ,my son takes off in the early hours to work on the COPE course. I picked him up from serving on our Council Camp staff today and as ever we had the last minute run to Wally World. I have our final pre-jambo troop meeting tomorrow night and we will leave on Sunday in the early hours. The excitement is really building and I know that the Scouts from Troop 412 can't wait. When I get back I will start working on 2007, I'm the NE-Area 4 World Jamboree Chairman, so we can re-set the countdown clock. 2010 seems a very long way off, but the last four years seemed to have flew by and having 2007 in the middle of it all will make it seem to go even faster. Eamonn.

acco40 I am with you all the way. However the statement that "Fewer and fewer Scouts are really Scouty" was made. A lot would depend on how you see the meaning of the word Scouty or maybe even really? Along with the methods we also have the Vision and Mission statements. Here we talk about Fun and adventure. I think that if we are going to provide this Fun and Adventure along with Instilling in young people lifetime values and develop in them ethical character as expressed in the Scout Oath and Law; Training young people in citizenship, service, and leadership; Serve Americas communities and families with its quality, values-based program. We need leaders who can do the job. Many of the methods depend on skills that Scouting has been using for almost 100 years. If there is a decline in Scouts knowing these skills, is it the fault of the Scout or his leaders? Eamonn.

OGE, I of course would hope that the Lad and myself would meet on friendly terms? I see people wearing, talking and saying things that offend others as not in keeping with a Scout is friendly. However if we were unable to have a meeting of the minds, then of course the next step would be his SPL or SM. As for the WWJD shirt, I don't see many people having a problem with it. At one OA weekend there was a Lad wearing a cap with a marijuana plant on it, the caption read "This Bud is for you." I did explain that this wasn't acceptable at a BSA camp and we had a long talk about Bob Marley and the Rastafarian religion. I love reggae music and back home in London had a few friends that were really into the Rastafari. By the time we were done, the Lad seen that I wasn't trying to pick a fight with him. Eamonn

Full details are now on the BSA Web site. Eamonn

For a very long time I have used the Cremation of Sam McGee as my thing at camp fires. For those who don't know it: There are strange things done in the midnight sun By the men who moil for gold; The Arctic trails have their secret tales That would make your blood run cold; The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, But the queerest they ever did see Was that night on the marge of Lake Lebarge I cremated Sam McGee. Now Sam McGee was from Tennessee, where the cotton blooms and blows. Why he left his home in the South to roam round the Pole, God only knows. He was always cold, but the land of gold seemed to hold him like a spell; Though hed often say in his homely way that hed sooner live in hell. On a Christmas Day we were mushing our way over the Dawson trail. Talk of your cold! through the parkas fold it stabbed like a driven nail. If our eyes wed close, then the lashes froze till sometimes we couldnt see; It wasnt much fun, but the only one to whimper was Sam McGee. And that very night, as we lay packed tight in our robes beneath the snow, And the dogs were fed, and the stars oerhead were dancing heel and toe, He turned to me, and Cap, says he, Ill cash in this trip, I guess; And if I do, Im asking that you wont refuse my last request. Well, he seemed so low that I couldnt say no; then he says with a sort of moan: Its the cursed cold, and its got right hold till Im chilled clean through to the bone. Yet taint being dead--its my awful dread of the icy grave that pains; So I want you to swear that, foul or fair, youll cremate my last remains. A pals last need is a thing to heed, so I swore I would not fail; And we started on at the streak of dawn; but God! he looked ghastly pale. He crouched on the sleigh, and he raved all day of his home in Tennessee; And before nightfall a corpse was all that was left of Sam McGee. There wasnt a breath in that land of death, and I hurried, horror-driven, With a corpse half hid that I couldnt get rid, because of a promise given; It was lashed to the sleigh, and it seemed to say: You may tax your brawn and brains, But you promised true, and its up to you to cremate those last remains. Now a promise made is a debt unpaid, and the trail has its own stern code. In the days to come, though my lips were dumb, in my heart how I cursed that load. In the long, long night, by the lone firelight, while the huskies, round in a ring, Howled out their woes to the homeless snowsO God! how I loathed the thing. And every day that quiet clay seemed to heavy and heavier grow; And on I went, though the dogs were spent and the grub was getting low; The trail was bad, and I felt half mad, but I swore I would not give in; And Id often sing to the hateful thing, and it hearkened with a grin. Till I came to the marge of Lake Lebarge, and a derelict there lay; It was jammed in the ice, but I saw in a trice it was called the Alice May. And I looked at it, and I thought a bit, and I looked at my frozen chum; Then Here, said I, with a sudden cry, is my cre-ma-tor-eum. Some planks I tore from the cabin floor, and I lit the boiler fire; Some coal I found that was lying around, and I heaped the fuel higher; The flames just soared, and the furnace roaredsuch a blaze you seldom see; And I burrowed a hole in the glowing coal, and I stuffed in Sam McGee. Then I made a hike, for I didnt like to hear him sizzle so; And the heavens scowled, and the huskies howled, and the wind began to blow. It was icy cold, but the hot sweat rolled down my cheeks, and I dont know why; And the greasy smoke in an inky cloak went streaking down the sky. I do not know how long in the snow I wrestled with grisly fear; But the stars came out and they danced about ere again I ventured near; I was sick with dread, but I bravely said: Ill just take a peep inside. I guess hes cooked, and its time I looked; . . . then the door I opened wide. And there sat Sam, looking cool and calm, in the heart of the furnace roar; And he wore a smile you could see a mile, and he said: Please close that door. Its fine in here, but I greatly fear youll let in the cold and storm Since I left Plumtree, down in Tennessee, its the first time Ive been warm. There are strange things done in the midnight sun By the men who moil for gold; The Arctic trails have their secret tales That would make your blood run cold; The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, But the queerest they ever did see Was that night on the marge of Lake Lebarge I cremated Sam McGee. As I say I have been doing this for a very long time. Some years back Benny Hill had a #1 hit in the UK with Ernie. While the lyrics might not be suitable for Cub Scouts, I'm a little unsure if it would be acceptable for Boy Scouts? Please let me know your thoughts. I still have that Brit humor. Ernie by Benny Hill. You could hear the hoof beats pound as they raced across the ground, And the clatter of the wheels as they spun 'round and 'round. And he galloped into market street, his badge upon his chest, His name was Ernie, and he drove the fastest milk cart in the west. Now Ernie loved a widow, a lady known as Sue, She lived all alone in Liddley Lane at number 22. They said she was too good for him, she was haughty, proud and chic, But Ernie got his cocoa there three times every week. They called him Ernie, (Ernie), and he drove the fastest milk cart in the west. She said she'd like to bathe in milk, he said, "All right, sweetheart," And when he'd finished work one night he loaded up his cart. He said, "D'you want it pasturized? 'Cause pasturized is best," She says, "Ernie, I'll be happy if it comes up to my chest." That tickled old Ernie, (Ernie), and he drove the fastest milk cart in the west. Now Ernie had a rival, an evil-looking man, Called Two-Ton Ted from Teddington and he drove the baker's van. He tempted her with his treacle tarts and his tasty wholemeal bread, And when she seen the size of his hot meat pies it very near turned her head. She nearly swooned at his macaroon and he said, "If you treat me right, You'll have hot rolls every morning and crumpets every night." He knew once she sampled his layer cake he'd have his wicked way, And all Ernie had to offer was a pint of milk a day. Poor Ernie, (Ernie), and he drove the fastest milk cart in the west. One lunch time Ted saw Ernie's horse and cart outside her door, It drove him mad to find it was still there at half past four. And as he lept down from his van hot blood through his veins did course, And he went across to Ernie's cart and didn't half kick his 'orse. Whose name was Trigger, (Trigger), and he pulled the fastest milk cart in the west. Now Ernie rushed out into the street, his gold top in his hand, He said, "If you wanna marry Susie you'll fight for her like a man." "Oh why don't we play cards for her?" he sneeringly replied, "And just to make it interesting we'll have a shilling on the side." Now Ernie dragged him from his van and beneath the blazing sun, They stood there face to face, and Ted went for his bun. But Ernie was too quick, things didn't go the way Ted planned, And a strawberry-flavoured yogurt sent it spinning from his hand. Now Susie ran between them and tried to keep them apart, As Ernie, he pushed her aside and a rock cake caught him underneath his heart. And he looked up in pained surprise and the concrete hardened crust, Of a stale pork pie caught him in the eye and Ernie bit the dust. Poor Ernie, (Ernie), and he drove the fastest milk cart in the west. Ernie was only 52, he didn't wanna die, And now he's gone to make deliveries in that milk round in the sky. Where the customers are angels and ferocious dogs are banned, And the milkman's life is full of fun in that fairy, dairy land. But a woman's needs are many fold and Sue, she married Ted, But strange things happened on their wedding night as they lay in their bed. Was that the trees a-rustling? Or the hinges of the gate? Or Ernie's ghostly gold tops a-rattling in their crate? They won't forget Ernie, (Ernie), and he drove the fastest milk cart in the west. Eamonn.

I can't help thinking that "Disciplinary Action" has a nasty ring to it. While I know that at times I am a pain, if I had seen the jacket and thought it was in such poor taste I would have spoken to the Lad myself. My hope being that a word in his ear might help avoid any unpleasantnesses. At the end of the day it would be far better if he decided that he wasn't going to wear it. I think it comes under the heading of making choices. Eamonn.

My couple of cents!! While I agree that this is a good idea. I would have no problem if both organizations got together and did manages to work out something? ( I really don't know what the feelings of the GSUSA are toward Venturing??) Still even with the best intentions in the world, people shouldn't start adding stuff to the official BSA uniform. If the Crew members wanted to use the patch design as a logo for a T-shirt and then make the T-shirt their uniform. That would be fine. I am very proud that I am a Queens Scouts, and have at times worn my QS Neckerchief and woggle. I do not wear the patch on the BSA uniform (No not even as a temp patch) because it isn't a BSA award or a BSA approved patch. If one day the BSA decided that Eamonn could start to wear it, I would be fine with that. However until that day I am OK not wearing it and I sure as heck am not going to design and wear a knot. Eagle Scouts who serve in adult leadership positions in UK Scouting can't wear their Eagle badges either. Maybe a World Scout Task force might want to look into some kind of patch that shows that youth members did reach the highest rank available to them in whatever Scout Organization or Association that they were in, but seeing how long it took for the World Friendship Badge to become accepted, I think I will be hearing Scoutmaster minutes from the Great Scoutmaster in the sky first-hand, before that comes along. Eamonn.

I can almost feel the love in this thread. While Bob is on the money. Having Bob, Ed and the gentleman from New Jersey all on the same page at the same time! I love this Scouting stuff!! Eamonn.

This made me smile. Preparing for the Jamboree and developing the Jamboree Troop has thanks to 3 stays in hospital been a little harder this time out. From the get go I let it be known that our primary method of communication was going to be via e-mail. This would save about $250.00, be fast?? and I wouldn't spent as long stuffing envelopes. There would be a monthly Newsletter, which would be e-mailed and also available at the monthly Troop Meeting. The Troop Meeting would be on the 3rd Wednesday of each month, at the same time and same place, our small council owned camp site. Each and every family had my e-mail address, my work e-mail, my home phone, my office phone, my cell phone. Along with about the same information and contact methods for the other leaders and the entire Troop. Dolly my PA at work, who isn't a BSA member knows everything that I am doing and at times I think she knows more about what I'm doing than I do!! If she doesn't know the answer to a question that a parent or Scout asked, she ensured that they did get an answer in a very short time. Add to this Her Who Must Be Obeyed, who tends to also know more about anything and everything than anyone else on the planet. We had our shakedown weekend in May. The very last thing was a parents meeting, where details of the personal equipment drop off were given along with directions. I sent out a e-mail to everyone. Covering all this stuff again. To ensure that everything was in order I then phoned each and every troop member. In some cases leaving a message on a machine, in all cases telling everyone if they had any questions to get back to me. One Lad wasn't home and I left a message with his sister that if he didn't receive my e-mail or had any questions to call me. I waited on the phone while the sister got a pen and took my number again. I checked my e-mail before leaving yesterday and sure enough this Lad has sent me an e-mail saying that he didn't receive the e-mail I had sent. I checked and the address was the same and he was on the top of the one that I had sent. I admit to being a little miffed. I e-mailed him back and said that I had sent the e-mail, spoke to his sister and that all the information had been given at the shakedown weekend. He e-mailed me back and asked "Was I there?" We only had one Lad miss the shakedown, due to illness and it wasn't him. I e-mailed him back and reminded him that he had been there. When I got home, I called him and we went to plan B,(He can drop the stuff off today) I asked why he didn't remember being at the shakedown? He informed me that he is very busy and just can't remember everything! I had to smile. Eamonn.

Today was load the personal Jamboree equipment on the truck day. I really like the Scoutmaster from the other Troop that our Council is sending. He is just a real nice fellow and I know that he has a good understanding of Scouting and how a Troop is run. He mentioned that over the past few months he has had six older Scouts transfer into the Troop he serves. This was causing him a little distress, he didn't want people to think that he was going out to take boys from other Troops, he said that he mentioned this to his DE, who said that he was aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the Troops in the District and that he had checked out the units before placing his son in a unit (The Lad is in this Troop!!) As we sat waiting for parents to arrive, it was mentioned that most of the little fellows who cross over really have no idea what a good or a bad program is, they just join. I am happy that these six older Lads with the help of their parents did seek out a Troop that offers a good program. I am just so sad that so many others don't. Hey Bob, will you be wearing your Sea Scout uniform at the Jambo? Eamonn.

OK, I'll buy into most if not all of the changes in our youth. But what makes a Scout "Scouty?" I really liked the analogy about the dog water bowl. Very few if any Lads are going to master the art of Scouting without the leadership and knowledge that we the adults provide. Could it be that the Leaders are less Scouty? Eamonn

As someone who was born and raised in London at a time when only the well to do parents owned cars, I don't buy into the idea that there is no place to camp and play this game. Some time back I was with a bunch of younger Scouts, we were going over some cooking skills.One little Lad had never ever cooked anything, other than stuff that he put in the microwave. The Lad had never ever in his entire life cracked an egg and cooked it. I was shocked and more than a little taken back!! Heck everyone cooks an egg - Don't they? But then the little Grey cells started working and I remembered that when I was his age, my Mum was a stay at home Mum, who took care of the house and raised us four kids and waited on my Dad. I don't think Dad could cook an egg!! It wasn't until I joined Scouts that I was given the opportunity to learn how to cook an egg. The point of all this is that I was given the opportunity. There was a caring, understanding adult who took the time to show me how and then let me loose with a supply of food. This was in a time when all Scout Patrol cooking was done over wood fires. So there was a little more than just the egg involved. I understand that wood fires are now not the best way to cook eggs and in some places wood fires are just not allowed. Still the idea that we the adults do need to take the time and pass on even simple skills is very much a biggie. Many years later after messing up one career choice I went on to become a certified executive chef. In part thanks to that egg. Eamonn.

Wood Badge courses in our neck of the woods are cluster courses. Our Council along with five other Councils takes turns hosting the course. The old Cub Scout Wood Badge was only as far as I know offered by the Region. In our area very few Cub Scouters took the course. When the new course came along, we had high hopes that we could hold two courses a year, instead of the one that we had offered for eons. Sad to report it just isn't working, for some reason we can't manage to fill two courses a year. Partly because some of the Councils in the cluster are very small. It is a real shame when a course does get canceled. A year or two back a very good friend of mine was to be a Course Director. One requirement is that you must attend the Course Director conference. In our case this is held at camp Alpine in New Jersey and costs $225. A cost which is not passed on to the participants. He attended the conference along with his course mentor and the staff member. He recruited a staff, with members coming from all over the area the cluster covers. Some staffers had a 3 hour drive each way in order to attend the course development weekends. These staffers paid to attend the weekends, again a cost that isn't passed on to the participants. The host council sent out mailed invitations. Then after all this there just wasn't enough participants to get the course off the ground. The staff had been working on this for about six months, they had taken vacation time and it was all for nothing. It really is sad. Eamonn.

Hi Bob, I did hear that "Little Bobby White" was on the look out for a program that offered him the fun, adventure and challenge needed to keep the spark alive. I'm overjoyed that he and you both have found a new home. However I'm a little saddened to hear that the Venture Patrol (Yes Patrol - Not Venturing) didn't provide the spark. I seem to remember that a little while back you were very enthusiastic and had very high hopes. As you know I have some very deep concerns about the Troops in our area not doing enough to hold the interest of our older Scouts. I would love to read your insight on this. John, I feel your pain. Still I really feel the fault lies with the adults. When we start looking at programs that revolve around a theme and get the PLC to buy into it. Then train them Lads and provide them with the skills needed things start to fall into place. Sure the Lad who wants to work on Dentistry MB is on his own, but as a troop we can still offer activities that meet the requirements of some of the other merit badges and the Scouts don't even know that they are meeting them. A week or so back there was a question in these forums about six Lads working on Camping Merit Badge. I didn't do a very good job of getting my point across, but I don't see Lads really working on the camping merit badge. It is something that is there in the back ground, the monthly theme which of course changes every month provides ample opportunities for the requirements to be met. Sure it's not instant gratification and yes there is a need for good record keeping, but working the program must be a better path than working the merit badge? Ed, I wish we lived in kinder times and I remember when every person who lived on the street that I grew up on seemed to share in watching us grow, keeping an eye on each and every kid on the street. When the local policeman on the beat knew us kids and wrong doings were dealt with by a stern talking too and we prayed he didn't tell our parents. I don't know where we went wrong. I do know this year we had the greatest number of CIT's at camp than we have seen in many years. Lads who are willing to give up an entire summer to work at camp for no pay. A small step, but one in the right direction. Eamonn.

I admit to being an old traditional type Scouter. A few weeks back a fellow forum member described people like myself as being "Grey Beards" Sad to say I past the Grey stage and am now on the white or as some kind people say Silver stage. I still think that good old traditional scout-craft activities are not only a lot of fun, but offer enormous opportunities for the youth we serve to learn and display leadership skills, problem solving skills,along with a truck load of you name it skills. I have never ever, not once thought that this game of Scouting or the purpose behind the game is rocket science. Life isn't that hard. I don't buy into the idea that due to the new style tents and high tech equipment that we don't need the Scoutcraft skills that challenged me when I was a Lad and challenged hundreds of other Scouts over the years. The action area at the 2001 Jamboree that had the most participants was the pioneering area!! Troop Camp fires that are well planned and well ran are a joy and will stay with the Scouts we serve forever. We have a wonderful selection of Merit Badges, that each and every Scout can opt to work on. A few years back in our Council there was talk of building a computer lab at the Council Summer camp. I nearly choked on my woggle!! I don't have a problem with computers and when I asked our local community college, they were happy to help out. I see summer camps that on the list of Merit Badges offered at camp are including the Citizen group of MB's. I can't help thinking this is wrong. Sure, we need to do a better job of training new leaders in the joys of basic Scouting and Scouting skills. We do need to get away from the idea of presenting Training Courses (Yes we still need to cover all that good stuff) and really have a goal of training leaders. Every Scout deserves a trained leader, but lets get back to the fun stuff. Let's watch the PL send the smallest member of the Patrol over the monkey bridge first - Just in case! Lets mellow in the embers of camp fire and listen to the Scouts discuss why the got a little lost on the six mile hike. Rope weaves and floating flag poles are marks of Patrol pride, even if they only last the weekend. It's not the Scouts that aren't Scouty!! It's the ..... (No not the District Chairman!!) Eamonn.

I lived in London during the IRA reign of terror. A couple of times I know that someone up there was looking out for me, as I for one reason or another I narrowly missed being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Without wishing to sound heartless, at that time it just became almost a way of life. When the IRA bombed Hyde Park, on July 20th 1982.The death toll was 11 and a total of 50 people were injured. I remember how in the days that followed some people seemed more upset about the seven horses that were killed or so badly maimed, than the people who were injured or dead. On that day I remember taking a group of Scouts on a London hike (a hike where you can make your way across London without using any right of way called a Road or Street.) Christmas 1983, Her That Must Be Obeyed and myself were spending our first Christmas together. I wanted to have a traditional English Christmas dinner. It is traditional to have Christmas crackers as a table decoration. These are a kind of party favor(In 1847, Tom Smith invented the cracker. It was a simple idea which became an integral part of British celebration and tradition which still continues today, 150 years on. In it's simple form a cracker is a small cardboard tube covered in a brightly colored twist of paper. When the cracker is 'pulled' by two people, each holding one end of the twisted paper, the friction creates a small explosive 'pop' produced by a narrow strip of chemically impregnated paper. The cardboard tube tumbles a bright paper hat, a small gift, a balloon and a motto or joke.) You can buy cheap crackers, but I wanted really good ones. The type with silver toys and things worth keeping. The best place in London to buy these is at Harrods. On Saturday, December 17, 1983, we had planned to go to Harrods in search of the perfect Christmas cracker, but the mailman knocked on the door with a package from the USA. A very dear and close friend had mailed a big box full of presents. Not just for us but for a lot of people that she knew in England. The package contained cigars, cigarettes, booze, clothes all things that I had to pay duty (Tax)on. I paid the mailman the almost 300 Pounds that was owed!! Which didn't leave very much money to spend on crackers. At about 1:30 PM car bomb parked outside Harrods killed six and injured 90 in the blast. After these acts of terrorism, we seem to rush around either telling everyone that we are OK or checking to see if everyone else is OK. When my family and friends across the pond heard that Flight 93 had gone down just outside of Pittsburgh PA, on 9/11 they were very worried and concerned, however the volume of transatlantic calls made it impossible for them to get a phone call through for four days. I know that I am not wise enough or clever enough to ever be able to comprehend or understand why anyone would want to go out of their way; no matter what the cause might be, to harm and kill innocent people that have never done them any harm. Peter Duncan the UK Chief Scout has sent the following e-mail message A message from the Chief Scout The bombings in London have touched us all in Scouting. We have been greatly encouraged by the number of messages of support and solidarity that we have received from Scouting friends around the world. There are many stories of personal support and assistance being given by Scouts and Leaders. Our thoughts and prayers go out especially to the injured and the bereaved, and to all those in the emergency services. In spite of the suffering, there have been so many signs of goodness. The principles of Scouting, and our theme for EuroJam and the Centenary on "One World, One Promise", are now underlined as being even more relevant." Peter Duncan Chief Scout In the face of terrorism ideas for Scout Leaders Programme material has been devised to help Leaders in The Scout Association who are facing the need to help Scouts to come to terms with the impact of terrorism. It can be obtained by clicking on this link. http://www.scoutbase.org.uk/library/hqdocs/facts/pdfs/fs260066.pdf The link does contain a Scout Prayer for Peace: O God we join with Scouts throughout the world to pray for peace. Grant that through Scouting we can come to understand each other better and learn to live together in harmony. Eamonn

Many,many moons back. British Scouts had one week a year where they went from house to house (Yes these were kinder times!!) Asking if any one wanted "Bob a job?" A Bob was a shilling or 12 pennies.Which became 5 pence when we changed to decimal currency, now about 9 cents. Most people gave a lot more, but there were times when people made you work your tail off for that Bob. Bob A Job week was a lot of fun, I have fond memories of drinking endless cups of tea with sweet little old Ladies. Eamonn http://histclo.hispeed.com/youth/youth/org/sco/country/eng/act/se-actfr.htm(This message has been edited by Eamonn)

As a District Chairman, who is on the way out! My third year ends this year. We have had Nominating Committee Meetings going on for a little over a month. Our new District Chairman has been serving as the District Finance Chair. For a little over a year. In in his real job he is the president of a local small town community bank. Sad to say the new District Commissioner, that came on board in January resigned and we are still looking to fill that position. We also need to find a new finance chair. I felt very strongly that we shouldn't ask a unit leader to serve on the District Committee. My feeling was that the District Committee is there to serve and support the units and if the committee was made up of unit leaders we were not supporting them, in fact we were hurting them. The Chairman elect, has never been a Scout or a Scouter and I am almost sure that he isn't going to go out and buy a uniform or attend Roundtable meetings. He will chair the committee meetings and hopefully work closely with the DE and the new District Commissioner. We have a very strong Activities committee. The Advancement Committee does a good job. Training could be better. Finance does great. Membership needs help.The camping committee does OK. Overall the District is in good shape. We could do with a few more people to get involved with Training and definitely need a New Unit Organizer. We have a rookie DE along with a rookie Field Director. So far other than the DE attending the Nominating Committee meetings, no one from the council has said a word. The District Commissioner when we select one will be approved by the Council Commissioner (Who has been invited to sit on the nominating committee) and will be approved by the Executive Board. As for me? I have spent almost nine years as a member of the key 3 (District Commissioner and as Chair.) It is time for me to step down. The Council nominating committee may or may not ask me to remain on the Board. That is up to them. I will remain a member of the District at large and will help if I'm asked. I serve on the NE-region Area 4 Committee. Maybe for a while that will be enough? But maybe I'll get back into doing something at the unit level. Eamonn.

emeritbadges.org Thanks for the link. I haven't read very much of the stuff on the web-site. I do promise to do so. Eamonn