Fuzzy Bear

OGE, I think what you are trying to say is that Pee-Wee Team X will gather 50 kids and play 22. The others will get a few minutes play depending on the rules and the league. A few will get minor injuries and nobody will bother to check grades. This will be the same stats if they play for two or three years. Changes will come from moves and transfers. Everybody will believe that they are great and that a sport is their ticket to fame and fortune. Junior High Team X will take 35 kids from the Pee-Wees and play 25. 5 will fail and 1 will get a terminal sports injury and 6 will replace them. This will happen each of the three years prior to high school. At the High School level, two Jr. Highs will come together and they will take 40 of the best from the 70 Jr. High kids and they will play 28. 7 will fail, 4 will get a terminal sports injury and 11 will replace those for each of the three high school years. Then at college, they will take 30 of the top athletes from 50 of the top High Schools. They will keep 100 of the best athletes from all four of the year levels and 40 will be chosen for the traveling squad and 30 will play. Each year 10 will get a terminal sports injury nobody will fail but nobody will graduate from all 100 that play. Each year 2 might make it to the professional ranks but one will get a terminal sports injury and retire but the other will sit idly on the bench for three years and then he will get traded and/or cut. I agree the statistics get tricky but I think I see your point. In defense of sports, I want to say that many learn about competition and how to be a good sport. FB

Nobody as of yet has objected to the Methods of Scouting.

Group Rant with no Targets, pretty funny. FB

I followed all instructions to a dead end. Their survey must have worked because they have now moved on to other things. Scouting changes over the years and by the minute. Do they have a forum and if so how is it? FB

Ed, I was hesitant about asking but I thought that your answer would be what I would hear. In written form, several thought that there needed to be a quick-start for you but I see once again words just get in the way. FB

You have been berating and attacking the BSA for a long time and now you have even more reason to do so. That is quite an agenda. "They" have chosen their spokespeople carefully. Your organization must not be doing so well.

Over the years, I have wavered on the validity of some of the Scouting histories I have read. Some stories are slanted to appear seamless and without incident. Most of the time the stories are shortened to make a point just to elevate Scouting. I feel that it is important to let Scouts know that their history was made up of men in a new movement that struggled for its' very existence. People made mistakes and good decisions and came up with a program that needs little make-up. Scouting became bigger than life and better than most of what was written about it. It is that short-coming that drives people to search for more. Many feel that there has to be some secret or person or incident that made it so magical. Somehow, Scouting took on a life of its' own. The stories are more of a backdrop to the actual experience itself. It is as if Scouting is alive and the people that were here are still here, around the campfire sitting with us in the night with the stars. It is important that Scouts know that it was men that did this and that there were struggles. They need to know because they will one day take over and it will be their turn to struggle but it is those ideals of Scouting that keep people focused so they can keep the fire burning for those that come after and we will be watching. FB

Ed, Since the Methods are not required but important, does that mean you are doing something else? FB(This message has been edited by Fuzzy Bear)

kit, Scouting is a fun packed year-round program. Baseball is seasonal. After he wins the series, tell him to come on back. He will be missed but I am sure everyone will hold his spot. Scouting goes on. FB

Warren, Welcome, Please join in and feel free to express your opinions, facts, theories, ideas, and hypothesis on any number of subjects related and some indirectly related to Scouting. The group is always on stand-by with interesting replies and insights about the same. It is kind of like diving into a fountain of Scouting knowledge. The Buddy System is used but in a slightly different manner. We ask everyone to start in the shallow end until you have had your swim-check (*it only takes seconds) and then quickly jump in wherever you find a spot. The rules of the pool apply but we want to have as much fun as possible. Enjoy, FB

Ken, Welcome to the virtual campfire. It only takes one hour per week. FB

Hunt, Even though allot of people ascribe to your theory/hypothesis about the Reds; it will seldom be proved out. There is just too much evidence against it, so really it is just another ID type idea that takes religion way too seriously. FB

So, Dilbert is sitting in his cubicle having a thought experiment. He says to himself, "Man is not perfect." Then he says, "God is all powerful and all knowing." Then, "Man has free will" Then, "God knows man's every move." Then, "I want to conjure up a new color." Then, "This would not be a hard problem for God." Then, "Since God knows the answer and if he will give it to me, it will be a miracle and then I can patent it and become rich and famous." God to Dilbert, "You were right about Man." FB

What is it about a President visiting a Jamboree? It makes everyone feel like the Jambo is official and is being recognized for having great value. It makes people feel even better about Scouting longer. It makes people believe that Scouting is an important part of America and the world. It makes people believe in Scouting as being part of the American fabric. It casts a long shadow on one's overall experience. It will be remembered and cherished just because of one visit. That kind of advertisement, no emotional remembrance is very inexpensive and pays long-lasting dividends. I doubt anyone would pass that kind of opportunity up unless they have decided to take leave of their senses. FB

I think I have the answer! Let's say we have the NO advancement Troop. So, they have Troop meetings where they only play basketball and never have an opening or a closing. They go on outings but they only play Capture the Flag. They go to Summer Camp and free-swim and eat ice cream. They don't attend District or Council events because competition is not interesting to them and patches are not important. They never have a Court of Honor or an Eagle Scout. Then they find that they really don't need Leadership because nothing is structured, planned or evaluated. Patrols are out because they need only two teams to play most games. They do have two adults because that is required but since nobody advances, SM conferences are not needed, nor PLC's. Their committee is on paper, never meets and has nothing to support or to have BOR for because advancement is out. It is at that point that the uniform is not needed because they have nothing to sew on it SO it should not be required. It would be hypocrisy to do otherwise. Remember, Scouting is a Game:) FB

Fodder for the machine.

Two Scouts are standing on a corner waiting for a taxi. Along comes a truck and hits a puddle and splashes one of them with mud and water as he turns down the street. The dry Scout explains to the wet Scout how he knew where to stand, "Usually, I don't have to prepare because that driver makes that turn good daily." FB

I have gone at a few of these experiences that only are kind of like yours from a couple of different directions. During this last one, I told the involved parties that I have a limited lifetime and there are things that I love to do. One of the things that I enjoy is working with a group that wants my assistance. If a group asks for me, then I will be there to assist. Since the last group didn't ask, I told them that I have other things I love doing and that is where they will find me if they have the need. So, here I am. I already have enough frustration at my work to choke a good sized pig and Scouting is not going to take priority in that department. Good luck on your approach. FB

Hello, Hello, Hello, Hello, Hellooooo Your greeting was shouted into the hills behind us and echoed all around us. That felt kind of good. Welcome. FB

Forgive me, If a piece of candy is taken from the bulk bin and nobody is looking, the situations where a person should not pay for it are rare. FB

Karl, It is impossible to fix your past but there are some things to understand about Scouting today. People in Scouting are both good and bad. Some know about Scouting and some don't. Read the new handbook and find out what Scouting should be today. Visit a unit and ask questions about their yearly program. Make an informed decision based on that information. As far as finding the perfect Troop and protecting your son from hurt, that is also impossible. The best you can do is join the unit with your son as an Assistant SM or a Committee person and then make sure that you communicate with him and not wait on helping him during his experience. Mental illness is misunderstood by many and the symptoms, if untreated, are frightening. Make sure that you are working with a professional that can assist you with the disability. In many instances, it is a lifelong problem and if not properly treated the symptoms will reoccur, as well as the behaviors and experiences. Repairing your feelings about your past, may be found through forgiveness and understanding of those experiences. That may be done through your minister, your prayers, and your God. I wish you the best in your continued journey. FB

Does Dilbert and free will Dilbert, a character much like you and I, has free will. The cartoonist knows Dilbert's next moves but Dilbert believes that what he is doing is unique and that nobody could possibly know ahead of time his thoughts and actions. Dilbert could never go beyond the foreknowledge of the cartoonist. This does not bother Dilbert until he begins to think about it and get confused, which is ok because even that is written in by the cartoonist. I also thought of a color that does not exist on the color wheel and is not the result of any existing color. I just can't spell it. I think that this exercise is known as Color Fiction though. FB

We have written column after column about Scout leaders and Scouts having a duty to God. Very little has been written about the expectation of being physically fit. Maybe some need to have their tail in a crack over this issue also. FB

I had Charlton Heston in my head and it took awhile to get used to George Burns.

Debating Free Will and Determinism is like describing the inside and the outside of a box. They are different but very much the same. It is a maddening exercise not intended on finding answers. Take the argument of God's description. What does God look like? He made man in his own image so he must look like a man. OK, so which man and what about woman? Did God mean for the man word to be a general term meaning both sexes or was it where man was made to be over woman and therefore God would have made man in his own image for woman to worship? Well, not exactly. But if man is made in God's image and to be in charge why isnt he smarter? It is because an image is just a shadow of the real thing and that is man all over again, not very smart and kind of like God but a far distant second. Yes, but Jesus was God and he came to earth and many saw him and told us all about him but nobody really described him. So, even with all of the eye witness accounts this burning question is still unanswered? Yea, like Moses and the burning bush. God did not want man to look upon him because it would cause harm to man, so he came to earth in the form of a burning bush. So what you are saying is that God can only be looked at from a distance and then only through an image? Yes, that is right. And you are saying that if man looked upon God it would hurt him? Yes. But if Jesus was God and he came to earth and people looked at him why didn't people get hurt? It is because God can heal those that get hurt. So, why can't we see God if he can fix it when we see him? Well, what God did with Jesus' image was to take away the memory of what he looked like and that fixed it for everyone. So, God can change what people do? Yes, it is called miracles. One other thing, God doesn't like images of gods and he would like nothing better than to cast down any that might compete. Yes, but isn't man in the image of God? Sure, and it gets him into trouble all of the time but the ideal for man is to know that there is no other God than God himself. OK, but I just wanted to know what he looks like. It is a problem that man has with his eyes that gets him into trouble and God knows it. So, God wants me to know him through the understanding of my heart. Sure.