fgoodwin

I thought the carrots / onion rings comments were made in jest referring to Bill's famous appetite for fast food. Of course the "looking out for you" comment was probably in reference to her position on health care. I don't particularly care for Hillary, but I still thought it was a funny commercial.

In Praise of Skinned Knees and Grubby Faces http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/22/AR2007062201668.html http://tinyurl.com/2plywp By Conn Iggulden Sunday, June 24, 2007; B01 LONDON When I was 10, I founded an international organization known as the Black Cat Club. My friend Richard was the only other member. My younger brother, Hal, had "provisional status," which meant that he had to try out for full membership every other week. We told him we would consider his application if he jumped off the garage roof -- about eight feet from the ground. He had a moment of doubt as he looked over the edge, but we said it wouldn't hurt if he shouted the words "Fly like an eagle!" When he jumped, his knees came up so fast that he knocked himself out. I think the lesson he learned that day was not to trust his brother, which is a pretty valuable one for a growing lad. I wrote "The Dangerous Book for Boys" as a handbook for boys with scenes like that from my childhood in mind. I wasn't trying to please anyone else. I was just trying to free boys to be themselves again, the way we were when my brother and I were growing up. Back in the 1970s, our father was a schoolmaster and part of his job was caning boys. He was prepared to do this on the job, but the only time he ever brought his work home was when I stole money from him and somewhat naively put it in my moneybox. Perhaps because that punishment was a unique event, I've never stolen anything from anyone since that day. Looking back, I realize now that my father was an incredibly patient man. He loved wood, and whenever a school threw out an oak table or mahogany benches, he would rescue them and bring them home. One day, my brother and I took all that wood and nailed it to the tree in the front garden. It was perhaps the ugliest treehouse ever built, and my father was not impressed. In fact, I think he was close to tears for a moment. He was born in 1923. He has seen a different world -- one before television, before mobile phones and before the Internet. He flew in Bomber Command during World War II, and when he tells stories, they're always grim, but funny at the same time. He lost half a finger in one bad crash, and at various times in our childhood, he told us that he'd worked in a sausage factory and pushed the meat too far into the grinder, resulting in the best sales the factory had known; that a German sniper had recognized him flying overhead and thought, "That's Mr. Iggulden, I'll just fire a warning shot"; or that he was the new Bionic Man, but the British government could afford to replace him only a bit at a time. His generation understood the cars they drove, could hang wallpaper and fix just about anything. In his 80s, he is still an immensely practical man, but at the same time, he still quotes poems he learned as a boy, demonstrating that a man can love a good line as much as a good dovetail joint. Of course, my mother was important to our childhood. An Irish Catholic, she gave us a faith that endures today, as well as an appreciation for literature that made me want to be a writer from a young age. She kept chickens in a garden no more than 30 feet square in a suburb of London, and the neighbors complained about the cockerels waking them up. When she gave birth to me, the nurse walked down a line of babies saying, "This one will be a policeman and this one will be a footballer." When the nurse came to me, she said "Ah, but this one has the face of a poet." My father, though, made me the man I am. He was playing bridge on the night I was born. When he saw me the following morning, he said, "I hope he never has to kill anyone." We had books in the house with titles such as "The Wonder Book of Wonders" or "Chemical Amusements and Experiments," showing their age with instructions directing you to buy "a shilling paper of Potassium Permanganate." I read them all, and I'm lucky to have all my fingers. We made bows and arrows every summer, cutting them green and hunting in the local woods. We managed to trap a raven, though I think it must have been ill. I had an idea about training it to attack so that I would be the terror of the local park. Sadly, we found it cold and stiff one morning in the chicken run. The Black Cat Club gathered in the garden to give it a warrior's cremation. We used my father's lighter fluid and poured it over the bird where it lay in a nest of bricks. We lit it and stood back with our hands clasped in prayer. The flames roared, and I think we wept until the flames died back down again and the bird was still there. We poured more lighter fluid, and eventually realized we'd cooked the bird instead of cremating it. When I had a son of my own six years ago, I looked around for the sort of books that would inspire him. I was able to find some practical modern ones, but none with the spirit and verve of those old titles. I wanted a single compendium of everything I'd ever wanted to know or do as a boy, and I decided to write my own. My brother, now a theater director in Leicester, a city in the midlands of England, was the obvious choice as co-writer. I had dedicated my first book "To my brother Hal, the other member of the Black Cat Club." It was official at last. I persuaded him to come and work with me 12 hours a day for six months in a shed. We began with everything we had done as kids, then added things we didn't want to see forgotten. History today is taught as a feeble thing, with all the adventure taken out of it. We wanted stories of courage because boys love those. We wanted stories about men like Royal Air Force fighter pilot Douglas Bader, Scott of the Antarctic, the Wright Brothers -- boys like to read about daring men, always with the question: Would I be as brave or as resourceful? I sometimes wonder why people make fun of boys going to science fiction conventions without realizing that it shows a love of stories. Does every high school offer a class on adventure tales? No -- and then we complain that boys don't read anymore. We added sections on grammar because my brother once said, "If anyone had told me there are only nine kinds of words, I'd have damn well learned them." Boys like to see the nuts and bolts of language. Of course they can empathize and imagine, but they need the structure as well. Why should the satisfaction of getting something right be denied to those who have been educated since the '70s? We filled our book with facts and things to do -- from hunting a rabbit to growing crystals. As adults, we know that doors have been closed to us. A boy, though, can be interested in anything. Finally, we chose our title -- "The Dangerous Book for Boys." It's about remembering a time when danger wasn't a dirty word. It's safer to put a boy in front of a PlayStation for a while, but not in the long run. The irony of making boys' lives too safe is that later they take worse risks on their own. You only have to push a baby boy hard on a swing and see his face light up. It's not learned behavior -- he's hardwired to enjoy a little risk. Ask any man for a good memory from childhood and he'll tell you about testing his courage or getting injured. No one wants to see a child get hurt, but we really did think the bumps and scratches were badges of honor, once. Since the book was published, I've discovered a vast group that cares about exactly the same things I do. I've heard from divorced fathers who use the book to make things with their sons instead of going out for fast food and a movie. I've received e-mails from 10-year-olds and a beautifully written letter from a man of 87. I thought I was the only one sick of non-competitive sports days and playgrounds where it's practically impossible to hurt yourself. It turned out that the pendulum is swinging back at last. Boys are different from girls. Teaching them as though they are girls who don't wash as much leads to their failure in school, causing trouble all the way. Boys don't like group work. They do better on exams than they do in coursework, and they don't like class discussion. In history lessons, they prefer stories of Rome and of courage to projects on the suffragettes. It's all a matter of balance. When I was a teacher, I asked my head of department why every textbook seemed to have a girl achieving her dream of being a carpenter while the boys were morons. She replied that boys had had it their own way for too long, and now it was the girls' turn. Ouch. The problem with fighting adult gender battles in the classroom is that the children always lose. I expected a backlash. If you put the word "boys" on something, someone will always complain. One blog even promoted the idea of removing the words "For Boys" from the cover with an Exacto knife so that people's sons wouldn't be introduced to any unpleasantly masculine notions such as duty, honor, courage and competence. The dark side of masculinity may involve gangs and aggression, but there's another side -- self-discipline, wry humor and quiet determination. I really thought I was the only one who cared about it, but I've found many thousands who care just as much. I know there are women who can lift heavier weights than I can, but on the whole, boys are more interested in the use of urine as secret ink than girls are. We wanted to write a book that celebrated boys -- with all their differences and geeky love of knowledge, skills and stories. There just isn't anything wrong with trying to do that. We all care about our sons -- scabby knees, competitive spirits and all. It's about time we let our schools and governments know how much we care. Let the pendulum swing. contact@conniggulden.com Conn Iggulden is a novelist in London.

You're welcome -- sorry I didn't see your other thread before I posted.

A GPS Device for Keeping Tabs on the Children http://money.aol.com/news/articles/_a/a-gps-device-for-keeping-tabs-on-the/20070621115509990001 http://tinyurl.com/2u2nju By SARAH CHILDRESS Posted: 2007-06-21 11:57:51 Gone are the days when parents stood on the back porch and shouted for their kids. The AmberWatch Foundation, a nonprofit group focused on preventing child abduction, announced the pending launch of a Global Positioning System software application called AmberWatch Mobile. Parents can use the application to monitor their children's movements and children can use it to send an alert to their parents notifying them of their exact location. The software enabling the service can be downloaded to a child's GPS-enabled cellphone. It then allows parents to log on to a dedicated Web site, amberwatchmobile.com, and quickly pinpoint their child's cellphone location. The child can also zap his or her location from the GPS-compatible handset via text message or email to the parent's phone by hitting a few keys on their cellphone. The application can also be set up to send an alert to a parent's cellphone when the child gets home from school, or strays from a designated area, creating a kind of digital fence. Eventually, the application could also be linked to a panic button on the child's cellphone which, when pressed, emits a high-decibel sound to ward off potential abductors. It's still unclear when the software will hit the market, and it's still being developed by WaveMarket Inc., a company that develops location-tracking technology for cellphones. The foundation says it's in talks with major wireless carriers to support the service, which users would be able to download from a Web site onto their handsets for $4.99 a month. Half of the fee would be donated to the AmberWatch Foundation. No carriers have committed yet. The service is part of a wave of new GPS products appearing on the market, as GPS chips are built into an increasing number of handsets, partly a result of government regulations that require them for 911 purposes. Other GPS services include navigation tools and "buddy finders" that help track locations of friends. A few companies have already developed products that keep tabs on children, such as Walt Disney Co.'s Disney Mobile and Sprint Nextel Corp., which both offer similar Family Locator services that let parents look up their child's location on a Web site or cellphone. But AmberWatch Mobile will be the first GPS application that also lets the child initiate the sending of exact GPS coordinates to parents. 2007-06-21 11:55:46

The Boy Scouts http://www.americanprofile.com/article/22342.html http://tinyurl.com/2bogc9 by Elizabeth Johnson As an American flag waves high in the morning sky at the Meridian Historical Village in Okemos, Mich. (pop. 22,805), more than 80 khaki-uniformed Boy Scouts raise their right hands in a three-fingered salute. On my honor, I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; to help other people at all times; to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight, the Scouts recite in unison. The recitation of the Boy Scout Oath marks the beginning of a weekend of camping and outdoor activities for the youngsters, who will delight in skipping stones, throwing tomahawks, building campfires and following map directions with a compassjust as Scouts have done for 100 years. To fulfill their promise to help other people, the boys and their adult leaders take a break from the fun to trim trees and bushes, and spread 35 yards of mulch along the walking trails of the towns Central Park. As evening falls, the boys share a meal cooked over a campfire, then gather by Lake Catherine for a visit by a re-enactor portraying Sir Robert Baden-Powell, founder of the Boy Scouts. Birth of the Boy Scouts Baden-Powell, a 19th-century British military intelligence officer, penned an 1899 manual on wilderness survival and stalking game for British soldiers that became a hit with English boys. After learning of the books popularity with youth, he set out to write a new edition that focused on nonmilitary nature skills. To research the ideas he wanted to include in Scouting for Boys, Baden-Powell took 22 boys of mixed social backgrounds on a camping trip to Brownsea Island, off the English coast. During that August 1907 campout, Boy Scouting was born, and the new organization caught on quickly with British boys. Two years later, American newspaper publisher William D. Boyce became lost in one of Londons notorious fogs. A boy helped him find his way, but refused a tip for his service. When he explained that, as a Scout, he couldnt take money for doing a good turnone of Baden-Powells Scouting fundamentalsBoyce was intrigued. Boyce later met with Baden-Powell, and decided to bring Scouting to the United States. On Feb. 8, 1910, the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) was incorporated. Do a good turn daily Scouts have taken the good turn slogan and turned it into a tradition of community service. Throughout the nation, more than 2.9 million Scouts provide loyal, friendly service in hundreds of ways. BSAs Good Turn for America program, begun in February 2004, has recorded 4.5 million service hours by Scouts working on their own and with other national organizations such as Americas Second Harvest and the Salvation Army. In Fox Island, Wash. (pop. 2,803), Boy Scouts helped the Fox Island Community and Recreation Association (FICRA) transform a five-acre wetland purchased in 2004 into a community park and nature center. About 75 percent of the parks featuresincluding cedar picnic tables, wooden footbridges and boardwalks, park benches and a native species gardenwere designed and built by local Boy Scouts as service projects, part of the requirements to attain Scoutings highest rank of Eagle Scout. They made the park into what it is today, says John Ohlson, 50, FICRA president and a leader of Cub Scout Pack 202, which serves boys in first through fifth grades. His son Alex is a Cub Scout whose pack worked on the nature center as well. We built birdhouses and we even got to climb ladders and hang them in the trees, says Alex, 9, whos been a Scout for four years. It was fun cutting the wood with a saw and then hammering the pieces together into a birdhouse. Im not sure if a bird is living in mine yet, though. In Illinois, Scouts spent a year collecting more than 3.5 million aluminum beverage cans worth more than $50,000 to sponsor a Habitat for Humanity house in Peoria. I asked everyone I knew for their cans, even local businesses, says Alex Hoadley, 11, who belongs to Cub Scout Pack 85 in Morton, Ill. (pop. 15,198). He collected 14,000 cans in his familys garage, then periodically sold them to a recycling center. I felt really good when I turned them in, because I knew that I was helping to build a house for someone who needed it, he adds. In Delta Township, Mich. (pop. 30,904), members of Troop 111 place American flags on the graves of veterans buried at St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery in Lansing, Mich., prior to Memorial Day each year. It was kind of solemn and patriotic, says Paul Milligan, 12, who worked with 10 other Scouts and their parents to mark nearly 1,000 graves last year. I hadnt realized how many people in the cemetery had served in wars. It gave me a good feeling inside to honor them. I have a lot of respect for veterans. Maintaining the tradition Jan Medlam, an electronics/avionics technician and an Eagle Scout who has been active in the Boy Scouts for 40 years, believes the elements that made Scouting popularoutdoor activities, challenging yourself, achieving goals and becoming a leaderwill help the tradition thrive for the next 100 years. I enjoy the positive attitudes, the environment, the goals of Scouting, says Medlam, now a leader of Boy Scout Troop 497 in Andale, Kan. (pop. 766). When I was a Scout, there were a couple of adults I looked up to; I want to be that kind of adult for todays boys. Bradley Shuck, 18, of Williamston, Mich. (pop. 3,784), became an Eagle Scout last December. Only about 5 percent of all Scouts attain the rank, which requires serving as a troop leader for six months, earning at least 21 merit badges and completing a community service project. As the sixth member of his family to become an Eagle Scout, earning the title was like getting into the familyits a family tradition. A lot of people think that Boy Scouts is about helping little old ladies across the street, says Shuck, a recent graduate of Williamston High School. But Ive been camping, canoeing in the boundary waters of Minnesota, stayed overnight on the USS Silversides submarine, supervised 25 people on a building project, and learned CPR and first aid. He adds: Ive learned so much and had lots of fun. When I get married and have kids some day, I want them to be involved in Scouting, too. Scouting Principles Scout Law: A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent. Scout Motto: Be prepared. Scout Slogan: Do a good turn daily. Famous Eagle Scouts Neil Armstrong, astronaut Bill Bradley, professional basketball star and U.S. senator Gerald R. Ford, president of the United States Robert Gates, U.S. secretary of defense J.W. Marriott Jr., president of Marriott Corporation Michael Moore, filmmaker William Sessions, former FBI director Steven Spielberg, movie director Sam Walton, founder of Wal-Mart Elizabeth Johnson is a writer in Lansing, Mich. first appeared: 6/17/2007

Those who serve the Lord will be lifted up as ON THE WINGS OF EAGLES 2008 GOD & CHURCH /GOD & LIFE Retreat February 29 March 2, 2008 Camp Wisdom, Texas The 2008 Wings of Eagles retreat is an opportunity for youth, grades 612 in the Diocese of Dallas to work on their God & Church (grades 6 8) or God & Life (grades 912) religious award in a camping retreat setting. We invite parents and adult leaders to participate. Scouts and adults, use separate copies of this form for registration. For further information contact: http://www.stbarnabas.com/retreat or Fr. Richard Carlisle (972-494-6600 or pa-icarlisle@stbarnabas.com). PLEASE PRINT THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION CLEARLY Name of Youth _______________________________________ Please check: _____ GOD & CHURCH _____ GOD & LIFE Name of Adult ________________________________ _____ Unit Leader Unit No.________ _____ Dad _____ Mom Address____________________________________________ City _______________________State_______ Zip_________ Phone (Home) (____) __________________________ (Work) (____) ___________________________ Youths Age_____ rade in School____ (Cell) (____) ____________________________ Male/Female: _________ (e-mail) _____________________________________________________________ Organization(s): Please Circle: Boy Scouts of America; Camp Fire USA; Girl Scouts of the United States of America Scouts Unit:_______________ Scouts Rank: _____________ Home Church: ______________ Name________________________________ Name of Rector/ Vicar________________________________ Address:______________________________ City_____________ State _______Zip________ This Event is open to all youth, grades 612, participating in Boy Scouting, Girl Scouting, and Campfire. Participants bring their own camping equipment (tents, sleeping bags, etc). NOTE: Consonant with GSUSA regulations, there will be designated female camping areas for all girl/mother participants. T577 ---- Please return this entire page along with your Class I BSA Health forms (Class III where required for adults), and your check to: The Rev. Canon Richard Carlisle Diocesan Commission on Scouting St. Barnabas Episcopal Church 1200 North Shiloh Road Garland, TX 75042 Make checks payable to: St. Barnabas Episcopal Church With Check Memo Line: WINGS OF EAGLES 2008 RETREAT ---- Registration Fee is $25.00. (Includes meals, God & Church/God & Life materials, & the special WINGS OF EAGLES patch) ---- Sponsored by the Diocesan Commission on Scouting of the Episcopal Diocese of Dallas http://www.episcopal-dallas.org/forms/WINGSregistration2008.pdf

How children lost the right to roam in four generations http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=462091 http://tinyurl.com/yt6geg By DAVID DERBYSHIRE Last updated at 01:03am on 15th June 2007 When George Thomas was eight he walked everywhere. It was 1926 and his parents were unable to afford the fare for a tram, let alone the cost of a bike and he regularly walked six miles to his favourite fishing haunt without adult supervision. Fast forward to 2007 and Mr Thomas's eight-year-old great-grandson Edward enjoys none of that freedom. He is driven the few minutes to school, is taken by car to a safe place to ride his bike and can roam no more than 300 yards from home. Even if he wanted to play outdoors, none of his friends strays from their home or garden unsupervised. The contrast between Edward and George's childhoods is highlighted in a report which warns that the mental health of 21st-century children is at risk because they are missing out on the exposure to the natural world enjoyed by past generations. The report says the change in attitudes is reflected in four generations of the Thomas family in Sheffield. The oldest member, George, was allowed to roam for six miles from home unaccompanied when he was eight. His home was tiny and crowded and he spent most of his time outside, playing games and making dens. Mr Thomas, who went on to become a carpenter, has never lost some of the habits picked up as a child and, aged 88, is still a keen walker. His son-in-law, Jack Hattersley, 63, was also given freedom to roam. He was aged eight in 1950, and was allowed to walk for about one mile on his own to the local woods. Again, he walked to school and never travelled by car. By 1979, when his daughter Vicky Grant was eight, there were signs that children's independence was being eroded. "I was able to go out quite freely - I'd ride my bike around the estate, play with friends in the park and walk to the swimming pool and to school," said Mrs Grant, 36. "There was a lot less traffic then - and families had only one car. People didn't make all these short journeys." Today, her son Edward spends little time on his own outside his garden in their quiet suburban street. She takes him by car to school to ensure she gets to her part-time job as a medical librarian on time. While he enjoys piano lessons, cubs, skiing lessons, regular holidays and the trampoline, slide and climbing frame in the garden, his mother is concerned he may be missing out. She said: "He can go out in the crescent but he doesn't tend to go out because the other children don't. We put a bike in the car and go off to the country where we can all cycle together. "It's not just about time. Traffic is an important consideration, as is the fear of abduction, but I'm not sure whether that's real or perceived." She added: "Over four generations our family is poles apart in terms of affluence. But I'm not sure our lives are any richer." The report's author, Dr William Bird, the health adviser to Natural England and the organiser of a conference on nature and health on Monday, believes children's long-term mental health is at risk. He has compiled evidence that people are healthier and better adjusted if they get out into the countryside, parks or gardens. Stress levels fall within minutes of seeing green spaces, he says. Even filling a home with flowers and plants can improve concentration and lower stress. "If children haven't had contact with nature, they never develop a relationship with natural environment and they are unable to use it to cope with stress," he said. "Studies have shown that people deprived of contact with nature were at greater risk of depression and anxiety. Children are getting less and less unsupervised time in the natural environment. "They need time playing in the countryside, in parks and in gardens where they can explore, dig up the ground and build dens." The report, published by Natural England and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, also found that children's behaviour and school work improve if their playground has grassy areas, ponds and trees. It also found evidence that hospital patients need fewer painkillers after surgery if they have views of nature from their bed.

To those who celebrate such things . . .

Boys to Men: Raising three sons has helped me appreciate the masculine virtues http://www.opinionjournal.com/taste/?id=110010215 http://tinyurl.com/3xpo4z BY TONY WOODLIEF Friday, June 15, 2007 12:01 a.m. I think Father's Day ought not to be a celebration of every man who managed to procreate, but instead a time to honor those increasingly rare men who are actually good at fathering. But what makes a good father? This question holds more than philosophical interest for me. Though my father left when I was young, and my stepfather found me uninteresting, I now have three sons of my own (ages 7, 5 and 2). Not knowing any better, they think I have fatherhood figured out. They believe Father's Day is rightly my day. Judging by the greeting cards, Father's Day is like a Sabbath for many men, a day Dad puts his feet up. I think the Almighty was able to rest one day a week because he had just the two kids, only one of whom was male. I could really use a restful Father's Day, but recently I found my sons huddled over a book on traps, which makes me fear that they're planning for my gift to be something live. Already this spring they've captured a snake, a bullfrog and at least one deadly spider. While other men think about golfing or napping tomorrow, I'm praying I can weather the day without getting bitten. There's more than a little irony in the fact that I have three sons. I'm not what you'd call a master of the manly arts. I can't start a fire without a match, or track a deer, or ride a horse. I don't know how to fix cars, and my infrequent forays into home repair usually necessitate medical attention. But these are the things little boys want to learn--I remember wanting to learn them myself. Or maybe it's that boys yearn to do things with fathers, and those things usually involve a little danger. A new wildly popular book of essential boy knowledge recognizes this in its title: "The Dangerous Book for Boys." My oldest has dog-eared nearly every page. I'm allergic to most danger. I get a stomachache at the thought of confrontation. I'm grouchy and self-centered, and have few of the traits that William McKeever, in his curmudgeonly 1913 classic, "Training the Boy," considered essential to manhood: "courageous action in the face of trying circumstances, cordial sympathy and helpfulness in all dealings with others, and a sane disposition toward the Ruler of All Life." I'm hardly qualified to be a role-model for three boys. Many academics would consider my lack of manliness a good thing. They regard boys as thugs-in-training, caught up in a patriarchal society that demeans women. In the 1990s the American Association of University Women (among others) positioned boys as the enemies of female progress (something Christina Hoff Sommers exposed in her book, "The War Against Boys"). But the latest trend is to depict boys as themselves victims of a testosterone-infected culture. In their book "Raising Cain," for example, the child psychologists Don Kindlon and Michael Thompson warn parents against a "culture of cruelty" among boys. Forget math, science and throwing a ball, they suggest--what your boy most needs to learn is emotional literacy. But I can't shake the sense that boys are supposed to become manly. Rather than neutering their aggression, confidence and desire for danger, we should channel these instincts into honor, gentlemanliness and courage. Instead of inculcating timidity in our sons, it seems wiser to train them to face down bullies, which by necessity means teaching them how to throw a good uppercut. In his book "Manliness," Harvey Mansfield writes that a person manifesting this quality "not only knows what justice requires, but he acts on his knowledge, making and executing the decision that the rest of us trembled even to define." You can't build a civilization and defend it against barbarians, fascists and playground bullies, in other words, with a nation of Phil Donahues. Maybe the problem isn't that boys are aggressive, but that we've neglected their moral education. As Teddy Roosevelt wrote to one of his sons: "I would rather have a boy of mine stand high in his studies than high in athletics, but I would a great deal rather have him show true manliness of character than show either intellectual or physical prowess." Manliness, then, is not the ability to survive in the wilderness, or wield a rifle. But having such skills increases the odds that one's manly actions--which Roosevelt and others believed flow from a moral quality--will be successful. The good father, then, needs to nurture his son's moral and spiritual core, and equip him with the skills he'll need to act on the moral impulse that we call courage. A real man, in other words, is someone who doesn't run from an Osama bin Laden. But he may also need the ability to hit a target from three miles out with a .50 caliber M88 if he wants to finish the job. Not only do I believe that trying to take the wildness out of boys is a doomed social experiment, but I'm certain that genetic scientists will eventually discover that males carry the Cowboy Gene. That's my name for whatever is responsible for all the wrestling in my house, and the dunking during bath time, and my 5-year-old's insistence on wearing his silver six-shooters to Wal-Mart in order to protect our grocery cart. I only pray that when the Cowboy Gene is discovered, some well-meaning utopian doesn't try to transform it into a Tea Party Gene. The trick is not to squash the essence of boys, but to channel their natural wildness into manliness. And this is what keeps me awake at night, because it's going to take a miracle for someone like me, who grew up without meaningful male influence, who would be an embarrassment to Teddy Roosevelt, to raise three men. Along with learning what makes a good father, I face an added dilemma: How do I raise my sons to be better than their father? What I'm discovering is that as I try to guide these ornery, wild-hearted little boys toward manhood, they are helping me become a better man, too. I love my sons without measure, and I want them to have the father I did not. As I stumble and sometimes fail, as I feign an interest in camping and construction and bugs, I become something better than I was. Father's Day, in our house, won't entail golfing or napping or watching a game. I'll probably have to contend with some trapped and irritated reptile. There's that cannon made of PVC that my oldest boy has been pestering me to help him finish. And the youngest two boys are lately enamored of climbing onto furniture and blindsiding me with flying tackles. Father's Day is going to be exhausting. But it will be good, because in the midst of these trials and joys I find my answer to the essential question on Father's Day. What makes a good father? My sons. Mr. Woodlief's pamphlet "Raising Wild Boys Into Men: A Modern Dad's Survival Guide" is available from the New Pamphleteer. He also blogs about family and faith at http://www.tonywoodlief.com

In Hillary Clinton's new video / commercial, there are Cub Scouts in a booth when she first walks into a diner. The video is a spoof of the "Sopranos" finale, which also featured Cub Scouts in a diner. The blackout at the end of the commercial was also lifted from the Sopranos finale. I thought the Hillary commercial was funny.

On today's (6-20-07) episode of "Leave it to Beaver", Scouting was mentioned at the very end. The episode was "The Boat Builders". ** SPOILER FOLLOWS ** None of the episode guides mention it, because its not really germane to the plot -- but at the very end, Beaver asks Wally how their parents could be happy (that Beaver didn't drown) at the same time they were mad (at the boys for disobeying Ward). Wally answers by reminding Beaver when Larry Mondello got lost on a campout. When the SM told Larry's parents they had found him, they were happy, but when Larry got home, they started yelling at him. Beaver asks how a person can be happy and mad at the same time, Wally answers maybe you have to be a parent to be able to do that. So, although the mention of Scouting was only tangential to the main plot, I still thought it was nice to hear Scouting mentioned at all.

Dangerous Boys http://livingthegrandlife.blogspot.com/2007/06/dangerous-boys.html http://tinyurl.com/yrbdac Tuesday, June 19, 2007 You have read the stories in the news. (car fires & more) Police are seeking information about a spate of vehicle fires north and west of Lincoln Park early Sunday morning. Eleven vehicles and a Dumpster were set ablaze between 4 and 6:10 a.m Ill make a prediction. When they catch the culprits it will turn out to be an informal gang of unsupervised boys looking for trouble. Even if Im wrong in this instance, weve seen this kind of thing before. Windows broken or mailboxes randomly destroyed for the fun of it. There are no quick fixes. Building a rec center wont keep this from happening. At the same time I was reading about the fires, I received a notice from Amazon that they were shipping a book I had ordered. The book is titled, The Dangerous Book for Boys. The book has had a bit of play on different websites. It promises politically incorrect humor and adventure. It even includes a section on "How to hunt and cook a rabbit". I plan to read it and pass it on to my nephew and his three sons. I also plan on passing on my treasured 1959 copy of the Boy Scout Handbook. It teaches boys how to use a knife and build a fire. It even has advertisements for rifles and shotguns. If you are still with me you are probably wondering how these topics fit together. Boys, like puppies, are driven to explore their world. It is easy for them to get into trouble. When I worked for the Division of Youth Corrections, I dealt with a lot of boys in trouble. Some had started fires, boys like fire. No one had ever taught then to build a fire safely. Boys are fascinated with guns, but no one had taught them firearm safety. The first time some of them had fired a gun was at another person. Never having instruction or experience they had no idea what would happen. Schools have zero tolerance for knifes and a Swiss army knife will earn the boot. Yet, I've carried a knife since I was eight. My grandfather gave me a pocket knife (and instruction). He said, "A man should always have knife". I still think so. I think our experiment in changing the nature of boys hasnt worked too well. Boys need a little danger. They need to learn to build a fire even if they sustain a little burn. They need to learn how to use a knife and an ax, even if they cut themselves. And they need to learn it in a context of responsibility. The Boy Scout Handbook isnt just about dangerous things. It is also full of honor and duty to God and Country, to self and others. Reading parts of the book again I am surprised at how little schools and society talk about such things now. We have tried zero tolerance and wishful thinking. It may be politically incorrect, but I think every boy should own a knife, know how to shoot a gun, build a fire and learn the concepts of duty and honor. Posted by Gene Kinsey at 6:03 AM

Boy Scout Camper Killed by Falling Totem Pole Monday , June 18, 2007 LOYSVILLE, Pa. A 13-foot totem pole fell and struck a boy on the first day of Boy Scout camp, killing the 9-year-old, police said Monday. Tyler O. Shope, of Shermans Dale, died of head and chest injuries Sunday afternoon, Perry County Coroner Michael Shalonis said. The boy's parents were nearby when the pole fell, and his father helped lift it off him, Shalonis said. No one else was injured. Campers were arriving at the Hidden Valley Boy Scout Camp near Loysville, about 25 miles northwest of Harrisburg, for a week of camping, police said. The boy was waiting outside the camp's health lodge to have his health records reviewed at the time of the accident, officials said.

Fathers deserve a special salute for all they do http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2007/06/17/opinion/doc4675cd32b9bbf793658538.txt http://tinyurl.com/2gq4t5 Sunday, June 17, 2007 7:18 PM CDT By the Pantagraph Editorial Board Fathers dont always get the respect they deserve and we dont just mean children ignoring their pleas to take out the garbage or mow the lawn. On television and in the movies today, the theme seems to be Father Knows Nothing rather than Father Knows Best. Instead of Ward Cleaver in Leave It to Beaver, we have Homer in The Simpsons. A larger percentage of Fathers Day greeting cards lean toward humor rather than the sentimental variety more often seen on Mothers Day. But thats OK. Fathers, in general, have a sense of humor about such things. Besides, its easier to outshine Homer Simpson than the idealized physician/father Cliff Huxtable of the old Bill Cosby Show. Fathers Day is of relatively recent vintage. The first official Fathers Day is considered to be the one commemorated in 1910 in Washington State. Now celebrated in countries around the globe mostly in June, although the date varies the third Sunday in June wasnt permanently established as Fathers Day in the United States until 1972. Its worth noting that the idea for Fathers Day came from a woman who was reared by a single father. Sonora Dodds mother died in childbirth and her father took on the tasks of mother and father for Sonora and her five siblings. While listening to a Mothers Day sermon, she decided there should be a day set aside to recognize the contributions and sacrifices that fathers make for their children. She was able to get the governor of her home state of Washington to agree in 1910. There had been earlier celebrations of fatherhood, but Dodd is credited with getting the ball rolling for an official, ultimately nationwide, commemoration. Since then, many things have changed not only in the depiction of fathers in the entertainment media but also in society. Many fathers today take a more active role in the nurturing side of parenting as reflected in the presence of diaper changing tables in some mens rooms. Like mothers, fathers often have to juggle many different jobs. Its often seems amazing that parents get any sleep from a childs birth until they graduate from high school between what parents have to do and what they have to worry about. Theres no quitting time with this job. Happy Fathers Day to all you dads out there. You have earned your special day.

Our father figure? http://tinyurl.com/2up8xh Think about what that tells boys about the kind of men they can aspire to be Mary Jacobs: 03:31 PM CDT on Sunday, June 17, 2007 If you believe popular culture, the man we're honoring today is a complete idiot. A recent survey by FathersAndHusbands.org reports that, far more often than women, men in prime-time television are shown as inadequate parents, as sources of marital discontent or as "corrupt" and "stupid." You don't have to watch much TV to believe that. The dads who populate the small screen are mostly dorks, dunderheads or dimwits. Recent ads show dad as the ineffective homework coach (who only gets in the way, to his daughter's utter contempt), as the immature moron who gloats when he beats his small daughter at pingpong, or as the klutz who falls down the stairs. And wise, gently authoritarian dads like Howard Cunningham (Happy Days ) and Cliff Huxtable (The Cosby Show) are nowhere to be seen in today's TV lineup. Father Knows Best has been replaced by the Father Who Knows Nothing, Homer Simpson. Even children's books resort to this well-worn cliche. One otherwise well-done series occasionally lapses into the same weary plot: Papa Bear gets a stupid idea in his head and runs with it. Chaos ensues. Papa finally learns his lesson. On Father's Day, I'm tempted to plead to the media: Please, be a little nicer to dads. But what worries me more is how all these images might affect eventual fathers-to-be young men and boys. When we portray fathers as doofuses so relentlessly, what is that telling boys about the kind of men they can aspire to be? Granted, in our current cultural wasteland, a few fathers playing the fools are pretty small potatoes. But there's a reason why the dumb dad joke works. It fills a gap in our collective imagination. In America today, we no longer have a clear sense of the distinctive role of fathers. Kathleen Fischer, a Dallas parenting educator, believes that fathers do have a distinctive role and that it's essential. That's why she teaches a class called "Fathers are Not Assistant Mothers." And she's unearthed some fascinating research. Up until the 1700s, she says, parenting information was directed primarily at fathers. In the 1800s and 1900s, that began to change, and fathers were increasingly marginalized. By the 1900s, for the first time in modern history, boys no longer went to work with their fathers when they reached early adolescence. They spent their days in school or at home usually, with women. Feminism brought even more changes many of them good. Men were no longer necessarily the sole providers, for example. The myth of the "Superwoman" said that women could do it all. But it never really pictured where Superwoman's husband might come in. Yet study after study confirms that children are better off when a father is actively involved in his or her upbringing. "It's politically incorrect to even suggest that there's something about fatherhood that women cannot reproduce," says Paul Nathanson, a researcher on the religious studies faculty at McGill University. "And yet we know that communities in which fathers are largely absent have all sorts of problems." In a recent book, Spreading Misandry: The Teaching of Contempt for Men in Popular Culture, Mr. Nathanson and co-author Katherine Young say that "profoundly disturbing stereotypes" about men are hurting boys, too. "Our basic theory is that, unless someone can make a distinctive, necessary and publicly valued contribution, there is no such thing as a healthy identity," he says. "The implication for boys is if they can't have a healthy identity, they can turn to an anti-social identity." When dads like Ward Cleaver (Leave it to Beaver) and the Steve Douglas (My Three Sons) dominated TV, we all knew what dads were for. They earned the money, and they were the disciplinarians. Mr. Nathanson argues that some aspects of traditional fatherhood, now rendered disreputable, were actually useful, perhaps especially to boys. Dad's tendency to maintain emotional distance usually deemed a bad thing might actually serve a purpose. "Children need somebody who can lead them into the larger world and help them take risks," he said. "To do that, you have to have some emotional distance." Ms. Fischer agrees. In her experience, "dads worry if the kids will be successful; Dad's love is more qualified." And that may not be as awful as it sounds. Young children may need unconditional nurturing, but older kids need a dose of reality. "As children move into the world, performance is a reality," she said. "To have to stand and deliver [for Dad] helps them prepare for the outside world." We lost an appreciation for Dad's essential role, Mr. Nathanson says, thanks to decades of conditioning in Oprahthink. "We've come to believe that the only really significant factor is emotion, and it's all about how we feel," he said. Instinctively, we all know that dads are not just assistant mothers. (Maybe that's why, while Mother's Day is the biggest day for phone calls, Father's Day is the biggest day for collect calls.) Dads know that, too. They can laugh off the dopey dads on TV. They can take a joke they've got that emotional distance. But if you're lucky enough to have a dad in your life who wasn't entirely useless, please, mute those silly ads and give him a call on your own dime. Mary Jacobs is a Dallas freelance writer. Her e-mail address is maryjacobs44@yahoo.com

The father factor: Fathers and sons http://www.antiguasun.com/paper/?as=view&sun=281935077507132005&an=410802067106152007&ac=Opinion http://tinyurl.com/38wf8g Saturday June 16 2007 Men become biological fathers in a moment. Not much is required except the right anatomical equipment and opportunity. The father need not love the mother. The father does not need a course in parenting, nor does he need to even desire to be a parent. The father does not always even know of his progeny. Nevertheless, each child born into this world has two parents, and one of them is, by definition, the father. For many men, that is where their input begins and ends. Children need fathers. Ideally, those fathers will be married to their mothers, and living together in a loving family. But, even if children cannot grow up in a two-parent home, no child deserves to grow up without a father. Fathers play a significant part in a son's life. At a certain age, little boys begin to investigate the world outside of their mother's touch, and their mother's voice. Little boys discover they are not the same as little girls, and all of a sudden their world needs redefining in the light of this revelation. Fathers, when your son begins this search, whether at age two or age 12, wondering what sort of man he will become where does he look? Who does he see? Television dads? Sorry, but the days of Leave it to Beaver are gone and the new generation of television fathers are not on the same playing field as Bill Cosby. Soap opera fathers have switched partners so many times even they cant keep track. Sport stars sometimes recognise they can play a morally upright role model, but just as often fans see their drinking escapades, angry violence and drug violations. So fathers, what does your son see when he looks around? What kind of man do you want him to become? Honest, hard-working, ethical: the kind of man who keeps his promises; who is faithful to his wife, and who loves his children. You want your son to be like you or maybe not, but you have something in mind for your son. You want to be the kind of father whose son can come and sit down beside him and say, "Dad, Im really struggling with some things now, and I need your advice." How to begin...? The writer of Psalms 127 exhorts, "Sons are a heritage from the Lord; children a reward from him." (Verse 3) Now, if someone gives you an inheritance, it is usually something to treasure: a keepsake not only valued for its monetary value, but for its significance, for its intrinsic value. Begin, fathers, by valuing your sons. Recognise they are unique, and special; a part of you that no one else can duplicate or replicate. There has been no one else like your son in the past, there is no one like him now, or will there be someone just like him in the future. Children are a reward. A reward even if you do not deserve it, a reward even when you do not ask for it a reward from the Heavenly Father who has perfect love. Cherish and nurture your son, fathers, with an attitude of gratitude and love: they are your inheritance and your reward. -- Note: With the current state of affairs we thought it timely to reprint the above article published 11 Aug. 2003.

Dolly Parton named Girl Scout for life http://tinyurl.com/2elf6o Sat Jun 16, 5:41 AM ET Dolly Parton is a country singer, songwriter, movie star, amusement park owner and philanthropist. Now she's a Girl Scout, too. Parton, 60, was named a lifetime member of Girls Scouts of Tanasi Council during a presentation before 1,000 Girl Scouts at her Dollywood theme park Friday evening. "While I was never a Girl Scout myself when I was a kid, I always wanted to be," Parton said in a statement. "This great honor lets me live out a dream and to be part of an organization that stands for many of the same values I do and Dollywood does." Parton accepted a lifetime membership pin and led the audience in the Girl Scout Promise. Then she honored 28 girls who received the Gold Award, the highest honor in Girl Scouts. "Dolly realizes the importance of a program that helps girls grow into young women of courage and confidence," said Glenda McCarter-Johnson, board chairwoman of Girl Scouts of Tanasi Council and Parton's childhood friend. "She wants to let these girls know just how much they are appreciated for the work they do for the community." The Tanasi Council has 10,000 members in 16 counties in eastern Tennessee. ___ Girls Scouts of Tanasi Council: http://www.tanasi.org Dollywood: http://www.dollywood.com

As best as I can tell, the SafeRide program didn't discriminate in the service it provided; but it did have membership requirements for its drivers, and apparently that was too much for one atheist family to live with. This strikes me as just another example of an atheist with a chip on his shoulder, actively seeking cases where they can complain about discrimination, and creating problems for others whenever he can. So, instead of finding something else to volunteer for (a more constructive approach), this family threatens a lawsuit and basically kills a service of benefit to the greater school community. Yes, they proved their point, and the rest of the school is worse off for it. Typical "if I can't join, then no one can" attitude. God bless em', I hope they're happy . . .

OK, I saw the repeat on HBO last night, and not being a Sopranos fan, I don't have the background & history of all the characters that appeared in the diner in the final scene. Without giving away any spoilers, I think its safe to say the Cub Scouts really weren't the focus of the scene -- if anything, they were more like background scenery -- their presence didn't really advance the plot (unless of course, there was some connection to a previous episode that I wouldn't know about). They were very clearly wearing the Bear Cub neckerchiefs and caps; there were three boys and one adult, who didn't appear to be in uniform. As far as any "Cub connection" that's about all I can say, from a non-fan perspective. It was interesting that they were thrown into the finale, but if their presence had a purpose or reason, it escapes me.

MSU to offer scholarships to Eagle Scouts, Gold Award winners http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070613/NEWS/70613002 http://tinyurl.com/2th5xt June 13, 2007 By Andy Kanengiser andy.kanengiser@clarionledger.com New scholarships at Mississippi State University are available to students who are Eagle Scouts or Gold Award recipients. Mississippi residents who achieve the rank of Eagle with the Boy Scouts of America or obtain the Gold Award with the Girl Scouts of the USA are encouraged to apply. The scholarships are for $1,000 for the academic year or $500 per semester. The ranks of Eagle Scouts and Gold Award winners are among the most recognized and prestigious achievements in American society, said MSU President Robert Doc Foglesong. Entering freshmen applicants must have a high school grade-point average of at least 2.5. Community college transfers must have 48 credit hours and a minimum 2.5 grade-point average to be eligible. For additional information, contact MSUs office of admissions and scholarships at (662) 325-2224. -- To comment on this story, call Andy Kanengiser at (601) 961-7034.

Scouts Honor: One famous Logan Square building wont go condoat least for now http://www.philadelphiaweekly.com/articles/14825 by Gwen Shaffer Should the local assembly of Boy Scouts be evicted from its headquarters in the Art Museum area, the grand Beaux Arts building will remain institutional in nature, Philadelphia City Councilman Darrell Clarke assured neighbors during a recent meeting. Logan Square residents called for the June 2 powwow amid fears the historic building could be transformed into upscale residential units or a restaurant. Were concerned about many potential unintended consequences of this eviction, one of which is the property being developed in ways that arent compatible with the neighborhood, says Frances Dalton, who lives on adjacent Spring Street. A primary goal of nearby residents is preserving the historic building erected by the Cradle of Liberty Boy Scout Association nearly 80 years ago. In 1928 City Council adopted a resolution allowing the Boy Scouts to use land at 22nd and Winter streets in perpetuity, as long as any building on the premises housed Boy Scouts-related programming. But City Council members voted May 31 to authorize termination of the lease on grounds that the city will not subsidize any organization that discriminates against gays. The local Boy Scouts council provides programs for 40,000 children in Philadelphia, including after-school mentoring and job shadowing. Although this kind of support is clearly needed in Philadelphiawhere the School District was drowning in a $173 million deficit before the recent balanced budgetthe Boy Scouts ban on gay members and employees violates the citys Fair Practices Ordinance. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in June 2000 that as a private organization, the Boy Scouts of America may exclude whomever it wishes. Rumors about the fate of the buildingprime real estate just off the Benjamin Franklin Parkwayare now flying. The former School District headquarters next doorat 21st and Winter streetsis currently being converted into luxury condos. A spokesperson for one of the developers on that project, Synterra Partners, says the company hasnt looked into buying the property now occupied by the Boy Scouts. Clarke says the potential to pocket millions from the sale of the buildingwhich boasts an intricately tiled floor, a vaulted ceiling and detailed frescosplayed no role in the citys decision to move toward eviction. I met with local residents and assured them the building would be used for another nonprofit or governmental entity, Clarke says. But I dont want to talk about alternative uses of the building yet. Im hopeful we can come up with compromise language. City solicitor Romulo Diaz Jr. confirms the city isnt pursuing competitive uses of the property. Our move to evict the Cradle of Liberty Council is strictly a principled response to its lack of answers. Nevertheless, the property is zoned R-14, a classification that could permit the building to be redeveloped into you name it, one concerned neighbor cautions. During the June 2 meeting Clarke promised to introduce legislation that would tighten the zoning designation. But with Council poised to recess for summer, that cant happen until fall. The Fairmount Park Commission voted to evict the Boy Scouts last July. But the city Law Department couldnt take action without approval from the mayor and City Council, says Diaz. I find it amazing that in this day and age, if you were to seek a job with the Boy Scouts, youd be asked to fill out an application that overtly states gays are not welcome, Diaz says. The Cradle of Liberty Council has to determine whats more valuableto allow members to contribute their skills without fear of discrimination, or to have the blessing of the national Boy Scouts. According to property law, should the Boy Scouts ultimately be evicted, ownership of the land would revert back to the city of Philadelphia. But the Boy Scouts built the headquarters with its own funds, and the organization spends about $60,000 annually to maintain it, says Cradle of Liberty Council spokesperson Jeff Jubelirer. In 1994 the organization spent $2.6 million to refurbish the structure. I dont know what the citys legal rights are regarding the building itself and the landthats likely one of the issues that could be dealt with in a legal proceeding, Jubelirer says. Russell Meddin, vice president of the Logan Square Neighborhood Association, says a majority of the neighbors dont want to see the Boy Scouts booted. Theyve been excellent neighbors, in terms of taking care of their property and contributing to safety in Logan Square. Dalton, the Spring Street resident, stresses that no one in the neighborhood association supports the Boy Scouts antigay policy. At the same time, this council has an important role to play in childrens lives, she says. I cant understand why its necessary to take action at this point. Resolution of this 4-year-old drama may ride on the use of a single word: unlawful. Thats because the antidiscrimination policy adopted by the Cradle of Liberty Council in January 2004 states that the organization opposes any form of unlawful discrimination. Ironically, the Philadelphia Law Department suggested this exact language before realizing that the Supreme Court decision makes discrimination against gays perfectly legal. City solicitor Diaz is scheduled to meet with the local Boy Scouts council at the end of June. If the Cradle of Liberty Council provides clarification about whether it intends to discriminate at all, he says, we can end this impasse. The ball is in their court. This has dragged on long enough. -- Gwen Shaffer (gshaffer@philadelphiaweekly.com) last wrote about casino-related legislation being debated in City Council.

I agree with Lisabob, this is a very interesting apporach by this Council to reach out and provide a service to the greater community. I wish my council did something like this (but of course, like so many things, I bet they'd support if I stepped up to lead it!).

lizzygo, ABCDE: thanx and welcome to the Forums.

Boy Scouts offer 'Survivor' camp for middle schoolers http://www.herald-dispatch.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070611/NEWS01/706110350/ http://tinyurl.com/2s6yhs Monday, June, 11, 2007 ONA -- On July 15-20, the Tri-State Area Council, Boy Scouts of America, will offer a resident camp for all Tri-State girls and boys who have graduated the fifth grade through seventh grade. Membership or past experience in a Scouting program is not necessary. The camp will be offered at Camp Arrowhead near Barboursville, about five minutes from Huntington Mall. Cost for the week -- which includes food, program supplies and leadership -- is $180. The camp will be based somewhat on the TV show "Survivor." Campers will be divided into tribes and try to be the superior team during the week. The camp will be relaxed, with activities that include team-building, problem-solving and diversity while offering a chance to forge lifelong memories and friendships. Campers will also have the opportunity to choose to participate in climbing and rapelling, swimming, canoeing, rowing, arts and crafts, archery, rifle shooting, nature activities and fun theme events. The camp meets all safety standards for facilities, leadership and health care including an onsite EMT. The Scouts council decided to offer the camp after several parents with middle school girls expressed a desire to have an opportunity locally to experience a week-long resident camp. Prior to the camp, there will be an orientation session for campers and parents. For more information and applications, call (304) 523-3408.

I missed it (I was watching the Spurs-Cavs); can you fill me in on the details? I'm not a Sopranos fan, so I don't need a blow-by-blow of the entire episode, but I am curious how Cub Scouts fit into it.