Fat Old Guy

"Tiger? It's been a while since I've been to PA, but any chance that's a lion on the plate?"

It's a tiger. The plate is for the Pittsburgh Zoo.

By BSA policy, if a crew selects the BSA Venturing uniform, it is all or nothing. In reality, that isn't the case.

I've never heard of anyone "Getting in trouble" for not having a complete uniform. I know that many, if not all, camps require staff to wear complete uniforms but I've seen some strange clothing at camp.

I like the idea of uniforms. However, I'd suggest that your son's crew give some serious thought to designing their own uniform. A polo shirt with tan BDU pants is a unform.

I'd also suggest that you put some distance between the crew and that Scoutmaster.

"What I don't understand is why a legislature wastes its time taking votes on individual plates"

Have you ever read the list of silly things that the Congrees votes on?

Certificates are nice. Just don't give them Xerox copies of one that was bought at the Scout shop.

Plaques are nice.

Tie tacks and watches are nice too. You can get watches with custom faces for about $30 each.

I'd say that you shouldn't make it a big enough gift that the folks say, "Hey, I raised all that money and now you're spending it on me."

Venturing is a whole different animal than Boy Scouts. In a properly run Venture Crew, the adult advise and the youth run the show. The Crew should have its own committee.

In Venturing, each Crew has the option of selecting a uniform: the official BSA uniform, their own uniform, or no uniform at all. I believe that some sort of uniform, even if it is just a T-shirt that says, "Venture Crew 954, East Wahoo, Georgia", adds to the esprit de corps.

Money is always a sticking point. However, a Venture Crew can have a ton of fun with very little money. A safari in Africa costs a fortune but a hike costs little.

Money can also be found in interesting places. The charter organization may will willing to cough up come cash. Your council may have a fund to help out. I know that my Council has thousands in a fund for "camperships" but little is given out because few ask for it.

Now, by the rules, you can't go around asking for donations of cash. However, local businesses may be willing to donate gear or transportation. I know of one local troop that has made a connection with an airport shuttle company and they go to all of their campouts in big vans. The vans are rolling billboards but they don't cost the troop a penny.

I would guess that two things need to happen. First, both the adults and the youth leaders need to take some training. Second, the crew needs to decide what they want to do and then find a way to do it.

There you go man, keep as cool as you can.

Face piles

And piles

Of trials

With smiles.

It riles them to believe

that you perceive

the web they weave

And keep on thinking free.

" I dare not put their names on the net."

Witness protection program?

I thought that it looked like a good idea until I saw that it could cost you $15 a year. Yeah, I'm cheap.

My bank is a credit union and they still offer absolutely free checking and with that free checking I can get a free VISA check card. I can also check my account on-line and move money into the account online as well.

If I ever let my son out of my sight, I may go the credit union route.

I remember going on a trip in high school and my mother insisting that I pin my extra money into my skivvies.

" Why is a state legislature in the business of who gets a license plate in the first place?"

And you call yourself a lawyer?

So what that tells us is that there are hundreds of lurkers out there.

"hops_scout, I'm grasping for the correct answer. How about this one, "Not everyone can be a member of Boy Scouts." Did I get it right?"

Not everyone can go to Harvard or even UVa. Not everyone can join the Marine Corps. Not everyone can win the Silver Star. What's your point?

Right now my computer has four windows open for this site and they show 919 users, 868 users, 892 users, and 925 users. Go figure.

Va. offers over 180 special plates, many for private organizations. See the list at

http://www.dmv.state.va.us/webdoc/citizen/vehicles/plate_search.asp

Maryland has BSA plates and they "belong" to the Baltimore Council since they took the lead on having them made. In Maryland, the organization has to certify that you are a member or are otherwise eligible to get the plates. Also, in Md., only 100 orders are required to get the plates made.

An internet search shows that BSA plates are available from

Alaska, Florida, Ohio, Arkansas, Texas, Idaho, Indiana, Utah, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Alabama, Tennessee, New Jersey, Missouri (Eagle and OA plates but no BSA plates listed), Montana, North Carolina,

Maryland.

Who runs the washing machine? You go to all this trouble to make a system, then you have to recruit someone to run it. Much simpler to have each Scout wash his uniform as it needs to be washed. KISS.

"On the official uniform inspection sheet (youth), proper patch placement is shown. One of the "patches" is the youths name, first and last."

That's usually a pin which is just as likely to get lost and even if it doesn't get lost, it doesn't help with pants, skivvies, or caps.

Why does it seem that so few parents or Scouts take the trouble to mark names on belongings?

After troop meeting we usually have two or three caps without names that will hang on the hat rack for the next six months.

At campouts and summer camp, there's always unmarked stuff.

Of course, we have the kid who didn't realize that his uniform shirt was inside out when he scrawled his name on the "inside" with black permanent marker. He spent the week at camp with everyone knowing his name.

" Instant washing machine."

Sounds like too much work for an adult.

"I agree with Acco40. I hold a COH on Friday night at Summer Camp."

We tried this long ago (before my time) and I was told that about 50% of the awards made it home. Before you say, "How'd that happen?" let me tell you that we had a Scout lose his uniform while WAITING for our convoy leave on Saturday morning.

" We will be there 10 days and we won't be doing laundry to my knowledge."

A bit of shampoo, five minutes of scrubbing in a sink (water required), followed by a rinse and you have a clean shirt.

I have no argument with the color(s) of the current uniform, I just don't care too much for the quality. I am concerned that if they come up with a new uniform, the quality will be even lower than it is today.

I once came across a troop in which all of the Arrowmen carried their sashes in a fringed leather pouch that hung from their belt. You can get the pouches at the Scout Shop. They folded the sash inside out so the fuzz from the pouch would get on the outside of the sash.

"I know that the reason the silver beaver was changed to a neck ribbon was because after women where allowed to recieve it wearing where medals are worn would have drawn attention the bustline."

I've read this as well but a medal dangling around the neck just draws attention to a different part of the bust.

For Mountain Dew lyrics try http://www.scoutsongs.com/lyrics/mountaindew.html

It's banned? By whom?

Try this one also, it seems to be an Irish version http://www.chivalry.com/cantaria/lyrics/mountain_dew.html

A logical assumption but in this case, not quite right.

Titanium Dude, I haven't been to a Jamboree so it couldn't have been me.