Fuzzy Bear

This large of a gathering clearly violates Leave No Trace and the Conservation Code but I am also sure pointing it out also violates the Sacred Cow Code. FB

God can rest their soles and their souls. All of us feel the same sorrow no matter how it is expressed. FB

There is a deep sadness within me for the families and Scouts that will now begin to try and understand this horrible accident and the loss of such good men to them and to their world. FB

Rooster, Yes, I do miss the point, many times but nobody lets me get away with it, not here at home or at the office. I had to think about your 'legitimizing sin' approach to homosexuality. Yes, homosexuals do not want to believe that what they are doing is wrong. They want to believe that what they are doing is right. The explanation could be one of denial or perspective or a vain attempt at being happy. I don't know, nor is it in my job description to judge their choice for whatever their reasons. I would hope that they would not take up the robes of righteousness on me either. Getting me right has been a full-time job and I don't think it will be done in this lifetime. I have been wrong about too many things in my life and during those down times, it was not mankind that helped me. It was always God. FB

I disagree with STLS, it means "beat with a cane". This verse does not imply how severely or how often either. I suppose it is left up to one's own imagination. What about all of the other sins such as, greed, murder, stealing, lying, adultery, forgery, etc., etc., etc. The BSA should not leave out all of the other sins, since the intent is to recruit leaders that are moral role models. I am left to believe that atheists and homosexuals are simply hot button issues and all of the others are acceptable stealth behaviors. If we only stone the woman caught doing it, then how many must we stone before we finally kill all that are guilty? New translation, old parable. FB

After the OK bombing, everybody in the U.S. was not at fault. People wanted those responsible to stop them from further harm. Everybody that put on a uniform and practiced para-military maneuvers was not a suspect. Everybody that hated the U.S. and spoke about it openly was not at fault. The police found those that were the killers and prosecuted them. Today, what can happen in this country or other countries is that anyone from the Middle East can become a suspect because they look the part and they are an easy target. Terrorism is a method to bring people into an indirect conflict and repress the rule of law. It will separate people and coalesce those that would not have thought about being the enemy before. It becomes a continual killing spiral of hatred and vengeance. The idea is to make the U.S. look as bad as the lies the enemy spreads about it are. The more the U.S. looks the part of the bad guy, the more the world will take sides against us. The question was asked about what could be done. The answer is to support an even handed policy that is based on the rule of law and not to engage in a killing spree of innocents. We desperately need to find the bad guys and punish them. The harder question is can people that have had a member of their own family blown apart needlessly keep their sanity and keep themselves from abridging the law? The longer it goes on, the more likely we will become the tyrant that we have been painted. This type of war is a slow blood letting that is done in the dark by those that nobody suspects to be the killers. It wears down the capacity to be fair and then we mirror the enemy except everyone knows who we are.

Bush- 50,456,002- 47.8% Gore- 50, 899, 897- 48.38% 2000 OFFICIAL PRESIDENTIAL GENERAL ELECTION RESULTS General Election Date: 11/7/00 Updated: December 2001 Bush- 62,040,610- 50.73% Kerry- 59,028,111- 48.27% Popular vote counts: David Leips Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections as of May 28, 2005 Winning is winning, no matter what the outcome, as has been established both in Horseshoes and Hand Grenades. The Presidential election results do not indicate a "mainstream" America where there is a clear majority of people that are in charge. Mainstream America is a concept that was viable in the 70's and 80's but not now. The results indicate a divide and that there will be a swing one way or the other, depending on the issue(s). Oklahoma is 76% white and 86% Christian and 32% Baptist. In 2004, Democrats controlled the OK Senate 26 to 22 and the Republicans controlled the House 57 to 44. Third parties are not eligible for primaries but OK still has the Green Party, Libertarian Party, Constitution Party, and the Communist Party. OK now has 4 Republicans and one Democrat as Representatives in Washington. In 2004, GWB carried every county in the state. His victory in winning Oklahoma's 7 electoral votes was by the overwhelming margin of 32 percentage points and 65.6% of the vote. Yet, despite this, there are still more registered Democrats in Oklahoma than Republicans. So, it appears that voting the issues instead of the party is important, even in mainstream OK. I believe that war should always be the last option but it is an option, as opposed to the alternative. There are clearly ominous threats of weaponry much greater than C-4 waistbands and manure bombs, considering that the last two are still significant. Protecting ourselves in a complex and highly dangerous world has to be a priority. How it is done is an issue that takes skill and knowledge. Considering Gore's or Kerry's possible actions is a question that I have pondered. The problem with politics is that there is never a clean solution to a problem. Every choice is littered with lobbyists from all walks that demand their input and their part, so to figure out the possibilities are endless. Bush's record in the war so far is filled with that mixture of entities that have their own needs that are being met. I don't believe it is possible to change Iraq into a mainstream democracy no matter what is done or who is in charge. "Staying the course" appears to mean that nothing will be accomplished except the American lobbyists will be satisfied and more people will be killed for a goal that is unattainable which brings us full circle to the next election. Whoever runs in 2008 will need a message that is clear, one that has goals that can be reached. I hope that running the world is not one of them. Getting along with others is fine with me. FB

The idea is that in our country any person can choose any road to heaven or none and be protected from those that think otherwise. All roads go someplace or they did at one time, thus the practicality of building them. If 100% of the roads did not lead to God, then the ride would still be worth it. The words attributed to God can transport a person into heaven while one remains standing on this big meatball. It is ideas that bring God into one's life and remakes an individual into a saint bound for heaven. Assurance is generally not validated until one enters the door, and few return to explain the process, so it is a faith that keeps one traveling but like I said in this country, one does not even have to start their engine and that is a blessing. FB

KS, In the past year, I have seen a few serious volunteers that have lost their daytime jobs. They tried to continue being volunteers afterwards but then had to quit because they no longer could afford their leisure activities. All of it seemed to disappear overnight (*actually over a period of months). I felt they were serious about their daytime jobs also but it appeared that Scouting was where they spent most of their time and efforts. I am sure they defined themselves primarily as Scouters before so what they became once they lost both endeavors is uncertain. I know they will be missed. FB

When a person's intent is to understand the Bible, it is not an act that approximates ignoring the Bible. The act of casting dispersions (i.e., eternal damnation) on alternate interpretations inherently is based on a religion/god of fear driven by an insane desire for sameness. The centuries old Ecumenical Councils used a similar style to reign in the heretics but it generally was done with force instead of words. The present day fear is that words will turn into force. The sword of God will be wielded by those who have taken it upon themselves to divide the lambs from the rams to let the slaughter begin yet again. Obviously, Heaven doesn't belong to one person, belief, denomination, church, or faith as has been advertised. It appears that no one person has a lock on God. God has made his presence known in every corner of the globe throughout all times. It is a tribute that we pay to the greatness of our country that tolerates those differences. It is something to be admired. It is something that we may lose. It is something that many hate.

meamemg, I hesitate to say this but earning Eagle most likely won't get you into a school, obtain special favors, get you a job, etc. If you do receive any of those things, it will probably be through your academic achievement. Do your homework. Take college bound courses and make good grades. After you have prepared for the ACT/SAT entrance exams, then take the tests. Your score(s) will determine if you get into to college and if you get money to pay for it and if you will attend a specific school or study for a specific job. The higher the score the more privileges come with it. Obtaining Eagle gives you confidence that you can achieve and gives you practice in doing your best. Obtaining Eagle gives you insight and practice with leadership skills and will enhance your ability to make good choices. Obtaining Eagle will give you courage to go forward and try to do the right things in a complex and difficult world full of challenges. FB Eagle Scout

We have a geographically large Council. There are 140 units in our District alone. Some people have to travel 45 minutes one direction to make it to our one monthly Roundtable which means they don't come and the large majority isnt served by the Commissioners staff. Pow-Wow is rotated among the Districts which means one District puts on that event by itself and the attendees from other areas are few. Some Districts act like a Council and operate with very little direct service from the main office. There is marginal interference from on high. We get most anything we want from the small local Scout Shop that is centrally located. It is difficult to get to know people even if one grew up here, since there is allot of movement in and out. The logistics of deciding how much management and where appears to me to be a type of social accounting problem that most likely is a specialized field that may be done by a guy with thick glasses sitting in the National Office with the Regional offices gathering statistics from the locals. It does not make sense that somebody is asleep at the wheel allowing the whole meatball to run down the road on auto-pilot. Most large businesses havent operated that way for a long time but then again, maybe the guy in charge likes to let things alone. FB(This message has been edited by Fuzzy Bear)

If you don't believe that there are different interpretations of the Christian Bible, try the following exercises: 1. Go to a book store that carries Bibles and look at the many versions-compare and contrast some of them and then ask yourself about the validity of your King James edition; 2. Drive down any street in any city USA and look at the different denominations, visit several over the next few weeks and try to understand some of the beliefs that you think are wrong; 3. Look in the phone book under churches and ask yourself how many you feel would be acceptable to your personal beliefs, then call a few of the ministers and see if your beliefs would fit in; 4. Attend a church conference and try to get a unanimous vote on the use of buttons or dancing or graven images (*buttons was thrown in to give you a head start); 5. Hold a discussion in your own Sunday School class over the specific use(s) of alcohol or if birth control should even be a consideration, then point out the size of everyone's families; 6. Visit the home of three Scouters that do not belong to your denomination and peruse their book shelves-hold a discussion on acceptable books that has Christian values in them. By the way, it is not lending money that is considered biblically wrong but it is lending money at an excessive interest rate that is condemned. Yes, it has been thought of long ago and used by many over the centuries. An example of this would be charging someone a 21% interest rate. This would invite servitude instead of brotherhood, depending on one's understanding of servitude of course. Try discussing this principle with your local banker or a credit card company. See if any are willing to change their ways based on this evil.

A few ago, we attempted to recruit blacks into our district. There was a part of our city that had a large concentration and we tried to reach out. We established a Troop but it fell after a short period of time. We had donated camping equipment and uniforms so some of the donors got upset and found a reason to quit. We then visited a congregation and the Minister appointed some of the members to be leaders. I will always remember that church service as being one of the most spiritual meetings I ever attended. It was a story all by itself. A short training period later resulted in a Pack that lasted for a few months and then folded. We made too few attempts, didn't make any real friendships, so our lack of persistence paid its' meager dividends. We stood back and told ourselves that these people didnt understand Scouting, were too different and didnt have the time or the money to be in Scouting and those were good enough reasons to quit. I now believe it takes relationship building. Scouting has a kind of cultural barrier to it. It is not an intended barrier but it is there nonetheless. If you profile an avid Scouter, I think you will most likely begin to understand what I mean by a barrier. Some of it is just being lazy and some of it is not being friendly. Inviting a person to become part of your Unit and getting to know them is the first step in reducing that barrier and building trust. Hopefully, they will like something and then begin to be active to the point of becoming a leader. Later, they may even bring their friends and/or start a unit. Growing a Scouter takes time the same as growing a Scout. I think most other things are gimmicks and excuses that probably will lead to failure.

The term paper Eagle implies that a young person has not involved himself in the program. I have doubted that a person could miss the SM conferences, the leadership roles, the campouts, the hikes, the Scout meetings and all of the interaction and just simply be signed off for a badge. But again, I have known two young Eagles that became thieves within a few months of their last COH. They both stole from their adult leaders and both were found out. I guess they decided that they wanted to take something back from Scouting instead of giving. In both cases, their punishment was simply to pay back their thefts. Nothing else was done. They are still Eagles. One is now in prison for other thefts and the other was sent far away to college. These Scouts were not in my Troop but in the District where I was the D.C. and was involved in some of the proceedings. I do know that both had parents or relatives that intervened for them, protected them when they got into trouble, bailed them out at all costs, and held them to no particular standard. They both appeared to not be able to stand on their own without someone propping them up. Both got very little out of Scouting in the way of personal growth and that failure is a shame. The majority of Eagle Scouts that I have known have become good citizens and they have given back to the community, their families and even to Scouting. I am happy to have known so many young Eagles. Their involvement has brought meaning into their lives and they have something meaningful to share wherever they go in life. I don't ask or expect any of them to return to Scouting because life is full of opportunities and I believe that it is our job to prepare them. I have noted that many do return to Scouting and for that I feel thankful and quietly proud. FB(This message has been edited by Fuzzy Bear)

I hope that shooting shotguns does not become the type of advertisement necessary to encourage Hispanics to join Scouting. There are plenty of activities that help to build a young person in the right direction. I noted a few months ago that the BSA was using soccer as a method. Young white dorky kids have been a traditional part of Scouting. It has nothing to do with dorkiness though. All young people find many activities outside of Scouting to be fun and rightfully so. It just so happens that Scouting is not advertised or hyped, yet the activities could go well beyond any activity that youth find to be enjoyable no matter what race or category. Instilling and enhancing male qualities is not a trick or a method. It will happen without doing anything special. Scouting gives these activities a twist because it attempts character enhancement along with it. FB

Use cardboard, paint, nails and pointy sticks. or If you use a larger piece of cardboard and weight the bottom with rocks and lean them against a tree, you can do away with the nails and the pointy sticks or use large boxes and simply put a rock in each one, you can do away with leaning them against a tree. If you use large markers, you can do away with using paint. If you have medium pieces of plywood from a building site, you can do away with using cardboard. If you use 12 Boy Scouts, one at each station, to simply say each point of the Scout Law, then you can do away with all of the materials. FB

With the deluge of modern culture, I imagine that most youth are struggling with all of their might to remain in any program that teaches values. I applaud their efforts for overcoming formidable obstacles to reach lofty goals. FB

Try this next time you go camping. "Ok parents, nearly all will return home safely." Watch the parents bolt to the door with their son in tow.

The BSA is not a perfect program nor does it attract 100% of youth at any one time. The BSA excludes girls, gays, and atheists, so the BSA will continue to attract negative attention for their policy of discrimination. The lack of accounting control in some regions and the in-school Scouting programs that appear to be there only to increase numbers, draws criticism. For those that find sports, the arts, or academics as their primary focus, then the BSA might not fit their time commitments. For those that want to sit and type or joy-stick on the computer unceasingly, then the BSA is not as attractive. The BSA primarily uses the outdoor program so many with disabilities find it difficult to become active in those programs. With the self imposed problems and societal changes, it still leaves many from every category that do find that it does meet their needs. The BSA slowly changes as new challenges and demands confront it. So, Scouting remains a viable force in a complex world and in the world recreational programs for youth today. FB

Reading about Harry P. is one side of a coin that brought interest to the world of words. The real magic is for them to find interest in the other side. Then it may be said that the printed word was given a premature death sentence. FB

I purchased 3+ acres behind our home this past year. It has a steep hill, ruts from sheet wash and enough problems that nobody else wanted it. It is in the form of a long piece of pie. It has fallen trees and rocks both small and large. The people that sold it knew that it would be difficult to build a home on because of the lack of a road and the rough contour, so it cost a fraction of what other property in the neighboring area costs. When I first saw it, all I could see were these large trees, check dam projects, natural camping spots, and quiet walks where few people come and little noise interfered. I could also see tree houses in the biggest trees around anywhere, zip lines down and across open areas. I could see actual camping in woods where the lack of zoning allows for us to use wood for campfires. There is a wide area for a field for games of all kinds. There are plenty of trees both fallen and dying from the forest canopy for pioneer projects. I began some of the check dams this last winter. It will take about three years to bring about some of the environmental changes. It will be in time for the boys to get a little older and to gain skills and learn some of the things that it takes to enjoy a place that nobody else wanted. I can understand the reason behind some of the changes in boys. Lack of access is part of the problem. If a Scout does not have access to an area that allows for an imagination to work, then it simply won't develop in that direction. Providing full access to the woods on a regular basis can bring about the kind of Scouty stuff that is now missing. FB

PS, We must save our verbal ammo for the coming onslaught. Remember this is Harry Potter night. That one could easily make the list and really put a crimp in the crusade for better reading. In this age of information, it is ideas that besiege us not just the hordes of marauding words. FB

Did you say troll or toll? Well, just the other day I had to pay at the gate. So, it was with much loathing I paid it. I thought I would never hear of it again since it was sent away but today, right back again. That miserable creature!

NIscouter, You misquoted me so rage I must. What I really said was, ".". FB