Fuzzy Bear

Evolution is a theory supported by many known pieces of evidence. It is generally believed that it is not a fact. The underlying goal is to search for truth using a method of science. Creationist state that their idea is a fact based upon evidence and supported by Biblical truth. They would not posit it as a theory for obvious reasons. I believe it to be a non-search for truth, moreover, a proof for the existence of God. Fear of God not existing has pushed many to create ideas that have nothing to do with God's existence. It is a type of phobia. It could be called Theodemisephobia. Theodemisephobia makes people look at nonbeliever's (i.e., anyone with a different opinion than their own) with a discerning eye of doubt and suspicion. They continually question if this idea or that thought somehow leads a person to not believe in God. They rush to defend God's existence at every statement or curse. It becomes their duty to defend God. I believe their acts are truly heroic and are well meaning and without guile. But, the statement, God exists should be adequate. He exists in his own right and does not need a scientific proof to make him real. He is all powerful, all knowing, and is a Spirit of ultimate magnitude. The Creationism fact is a frail argument in comparison. When science fails in their search for truth, they may kill or heal people along the way. If they are truly searching for truth, they might one day even find God. When Creationist search for evidence to support their facts, they only strengthen their own fears and will find that they will not reduce people's disbelief in the existence of God. My truth: A person cannot be argued into believing in God. FB

FOG, Did you really gouge Gma? Remember, the uniform is only 1/7 of the methods of Scouting. There are seven other areas for us to be off by more than 3/8 of an inch. We really do need a lot more policing for all of the stuff in Scouting. Being busy is just an excuse for those who are not very effective. Laziness is an excuse given for those that have been too busy to sleep. Not caring is an excuse for those that have slept too much to be busy. Not knowing is an excuse given for those that have been too busy and are sleeping too much making them lazy. Knowing yet not doing is an excuse for those that are lazy and self indulgent but are also known to be too busy and ineffective. We all have our little shortcomings. We must find a way out of this mess and poor excuses are for those with little sense. (cents) Ha Ha Disclaimer: Humor is generally only a form of self abuse. So, don't try this at home.

The Captain lives! There just has to be book with all of the answers to the many questions the Captain left us with to ponder.

So, that is why they called him Captain. He was a Sergeant. I think I am beginning to understand. What about the Kangaroo? Maybe it was because he was shot in the down under? Sorry, awful joke. Shouldn't have done it, sorry

I would like a cheap or free solution to those dern ads that pop-up continually and interfere with my inability to write and spell. Does anybody have one? You could count it as a Good Turn project for a poor unfortunate one suffering from the pop-up aggravations. FB

Disclaimer: This response was not meant to stir great controversy or to send people spiraling off into fits of rage and argumentation. Treat this with the same consideration you would if a fly was in your soup. Swallow it politely and go about your business. Here are ten good reasons: 1. The prettier the patch the greater the trading value, the higher the praise, the greater the glory. A little ribbon hung neatly over a button tells people nothing of the person underneath. 2. Some people read a uniform like others read a book. To take it away would deplete the story by one or two chapters. Those lost chapters may be small to some of us but to others, they are the book. 3. The little ribbons were made as a decoration to enhance the patch. If you only use the decoration, then people might get the wrong idea about what you are trying to do. 4. Many people like to announce that they are in the O.A. If you took their patch away, then they would have nothing to announce, especially since they most likely are inactive. 5. The O.A. patch is a symbol of great sacrifice. Staying one night in the wilds, means you are fearless and intrepid, probably an explorer. The patch proves it. 6. What would the patch collectors do at Jamborees if you took away their pretties? They might resort to other avenues of expression less than desirable. 7. The BSA would have to look at other sources of revenue. This act of taking away the OA flap might generate a new flap over, where is the dough? 8. Some patch collectors may make a collection of a ribbon. You would visit them and they would take out a little box and show you their ribbon and exclaim with pride that it took over thirty minutes to complete it. You might have to learn a new skill of muffling a roar of laughter, not a sight we would like to consider. 9. You would essentially lose years of Scouting history without patches. Patches are like footprints in the sand of time, showing us what we stepped in. 10. What is the real worth of a patch? Please consult your Scout Collectors guide for current values. FB

I view this as an open forum. Openness tends to breed a variety of responses both good and bad. A person that cannot discern one from the other should be careful about drawing their answers to their Scouting problems here. Also, local assistance is advised because a book answer or an experiential answer may very well miss the point entirely. On the First Class badge there are two stars, one representing truth and the other knowledge. These two are never the same, although some like to believe otherwise. This lack of insightful awareness between the two can create confusion and misunderstandings when searching for an answer. In the field, using good orienteering knowledge, many have found their destinations easily. Others using the same knowledge but with slightly different circumstances were only off a little but found totally different results, sometimes with other unexpected problems. Knowing more about the person's circumstances than just a question can in effect lend credence to the direction given but that cannot be done from the distances we have here in this forum. FB

I am still interested in the "joke". I realize that it was a sharp upper cut to gather inspiration, instill religiosity, give a belly laugh, and to inflate pride all at the same time. This is a good balancing act for a paragraph. The author certainly has wit and ability but is shortsighted. I wonder what would have happened if the marine would have let the professor stay the full fifteen minutes? From what I understand about God, He would not have taken a swing nor would He have sent anybody to do it for Him. God could have knocked the man into the next country because He is all powerful. It would then be silly to send a marine or an army to do it for Him. The God I know would have allowed the professor to remain at the podium. God is not to be tempted. He is all-intelligent so it makes it unnecessary for Him to "prove" anything, especially in this situation. God does not want to scare anyone into believing in Him. Knocking somebody down would bring the opposite effect from the crowd. People would run from Him and not to Him. God would let the professor prove his point by allowing the proof to be made that God does not exist in an earthly form. In other words, the professor was using the experiment wrongly to prove his point. He could use an experiment to prove what God is and that is He is all-Spirit. So, the joke would need to be rephrased. I will stand up here for fifteen minutes and if God is who he says he is then I will remain in this very spot. The marine being a dutiful servant of the Almighty would have kept his seat and folded his fists in prayer. The professor would remain unmoved during the whole performance. The crowd would be astonished at the insight of the professor for proving beyond a shadow of a doubt that God is really a Spirit, that He is all-intelligent, and that His power is vested in the strength of his Word, which is not to beat people into submission. I guess it is not as funny but then I dont tell jokes very well.

The Captain was always a little strange to me. Did he dye his hair or was it naturally white or was it a wig, maybe a powdered wig? I couldn't figure out the big ring of keys or those big pockets. What was he Captain of anyway? I kind of thought he was a conductor on a train or the engineer of the train but neither is a Captain. Mr. Greenjeans didn't seem to fit either. He seemed like a kindly gruff Kansas farmer. His friendship with the Captain made it seem like he was avoiding his duties on the farm. Why a moose? Was the setting in Maine or Canada? The Captain was always so old and now he is dead after so many years? Are Captains supposed to be old? Was he a retired army Captain and if so, why wear such unusual clothes? I thought maybe he was a shop keeper but he didn't really lock anything up, so why the keys? I couldn't figure out if he was funny or trying to teach a lesson or trying to teach a funny lesson. He was a little scary but I liked him anyway and now he is gone. I wished I could have sat down with him and got some answers but most likely I would have only been disappointed. It is sad to see him go even though I haven't watched him in all of these years but I still think about him.

Guides, car camping, hiking; one troop's goal is another's joke. What is it that the guys want to do? You most likely already have a division of labor based on past experience. I am not sure that you want a long string of people writing their buns off explaining it. Leadership is a method and it is additive and progressive, in many ways. Your 17 year olds should be able to plan and do more than the 11 year olds. Without a context, most of us would rather quote the book to you or fill in the blanks with all kinds of tripe. If you are truly without a clue, first get trained and then I would suggest finding another leader in the district that you trust and get them to mentor you for a while. They will be able to see what you are doing and let you see what they are doing. Most likely it will not be right until you arrive at what fits you and your style. Always keep safety as a priority, FB

SM41, Keep up the good work. Don't worry too much about our Monday morning QB'ing. It is our specialty. Believe in yourself. Get all of the training you can. Find another leader that you trust and stand in the parking lot after a Roundtable or two and learn. As the guys set goals, recruit parents to help deliver on those goals. The first year will soon be over. FB

Dear Jasm, I hope you have learned that if the horse isn't dead when we get through with it, then it will be shortly. Actually, the deader the horse the more lively the discussion. (*poetic fragment) Or, we could type one to death if it were to come within ear shot of one of these threads. (? I think the name should be called ropes.) Good luck on sorting out an answer and tell your Scoutmaster to stay away from these dern things. Disclaimer: This was intended for humor purposes only. Don't confuse this with the end of this thread, not that anyone will but just in case it throws a slight delay in the next twenty replies. FB

Since the thread has been soundly answered, does anyone have a practical answer for this one? If your sash gets dirty, can you wash it? If you can wash it, what are the washing instructions? The red on white thread appears to be a combination for a pink sash.

What have you been using for the last 7 years?

I am wondering what the young man that you have described wants with another badge or with Scouting at all? I believe that he has shown that being elsewhere is a higher priority and that acting the part of a Scout is not his main goal. It is curious that he has stayed around long enough to advance. Is someone forcing him to be a Scout? What does being a Scout mean to him? What does earning this badge mean to him? What does he consider to be important in life? His behavior is confusing enough that the Scout master would do well to help him find some direction, even if it is not Scouting. At the very least, his Patrol being the recipient of his behaviors, should find a new position for him. Let us know how it turns out. Your concern for him is noted by your observations of his behaviors. What would you do if it were your decision? FB

Earlier today, I noted 1251 users. The site may have reached capacity. I also noted that writing seems to rely on fewer numbers. Many read but few write. Now some can do neither. Have you ever tried the search feature? It has not worked once.

I wore the official BSA campaign hat as a youth. Placing it on my head was the most natural of experiences. Sometimes I wore it forward when inspecting the troops and on the back of my head when enjoying a bit of frivolity with the same. I am sure I must have worn it parallel to the ground on occasion when feeling level headed. It went to Philmont with me. Those were the days before the backpacks towered over your head and pack belts hugged your waist. I remember buying two shoulder pads from one guy exiting and then slipping them over my pack straps. It was like heaven, the feel of one-half inch foam padding comforting my shoulders from the burden of a 50 pound pack. I remember thinking it won't ever get any better than this. If your try wearing the campaign hat today with the high topped pack, get ready to wear it with the front tilted to the ground for the first day and with the front tilted to the sky on the second, if it stays flat. For it to be really useful, you could ScothGuard the inside and catch rain water for a long cool draught. At the Ranch, even without the high topped pack, the hat bent up in the front and back after the first rain or two. I looked a little bit like the Rough Riders. It didn't keep the sun out of my eyes and was not very useful other than for hooking several of the flies that I learned to tie at one camp into the fabric band. Note: the band that came with it didn't move so the question of proper placement never came up. I still really liked the hat. I didn't have a press or a rain coat for it. I didn't use ScotchGuard or Aqua Net. It simply grew in character with each passing experience. You would think it would have perished in all of the Scouting I put it through but it didn't, so the quality/price ratio must have been good. I retired it years ago to set on the shelf so I could occasionally remember where we went together. FB

I took over for a great guy and SM that moved to another state. The CC decided that it was his job to teach me how the last guy did it right and that he was running the show. He made it to every meeting and stood in the corner to make sure that I did it right too. Tough times were to be had for awhile. Much patience was required for the one that knows all. He could quote the book but his interpretation was invariably askew. It is funny that the English language has all of these little things that make it tricky to understand. Also, quoting the book seems to delay the heart when needed and I'm sorry to say his just never engaged. I had many other jobs to perform like counseling that didn't need his direct assistance. I found that the Scouts wanted several changes, so we went in that direction. My hands were full, so we recruited others to help. We recruited and it got very busy. The book quoter couldn't observe as closely as was necessary because of all of the activity. Those Scouts seemed to enjoy activity so much! He left on his own for some reason and we recruited another CC that really supported the program. Of course, the last CC problem was followed by another, but it was different and the new CC handled it beautifully. I had some wonderful times with those Scouts, committee persons, parents, district support people, community assistants, relatives of Scouts, etc. I will be forever thankful for the Scouts and their program that they let me be a part of for a few years. FB

Michael Kauffmann's pages are very good. His thesis project in 1998 sited 69,000 BSA sites. I would not be surprised that one of those sites is not current. He has email and may be able to give you information that could help. FB

Earning, buying, working, bestowing it will all be done at every level if you watch long enough. We just have to be careful to watch what we say because as soon as we open our mouth that will most likely be the time that it was done properly and for good reasons. I was told by a Council Executive that I respected very much that awards were not important. I am still thinking on that one and it has been several years. Maybe soneone can work that answer in with whatever is left to say. FB

Objections to giving District and Council awards to unit leaders that have not served or lead District or Council functions are frequent. Generally, the belief that serving youth is only done at the unit level is the reason. The "rubber meeting the road" saying has been heard in more than one port. It is a good argument because it is a request for well deserved recognition. Recognition is important and should never be overlooked in a volunteer organization. The problem comes in the number of awards that can be given in any one year. If you count the number of adult volunteers and divide by the number of awards, it will quickly become clear that many will never ever be recognized. How do we resolve the issue? First by letting people know what the awards are intended for and at what level of work. Letting people know that there is recognition on the unit level and that if they wish to be considered for other awards, then work can be done at those levels. I have known unit leaders that snubbed all other work than the work they were doing. I believe that thinking is short-sighted for several reasons. In working in a particular office, this person that I know is the direct provider to the individuals needing the services for this agency. This highly important work would not get done if this guy did not do it. But, he depends on the support staff in his office and those from the state office and those from the national office. He understands and appreciates completely that it takes individuals from all levels for his program to work. Without those individuals doing their jobs, his work, his mission, the individuals being served would not even be a consideration. So, the logic of importance and recognition goes in both directions. In other words, the rubber meets the road both ways. I want to point out that there are awards given at the Regional and the National levels. If we were to apply the same logic with those awards, as given by those that feel the unit leaders are being forgotten, then we would rule out many large contributors and persons that give credence to the program. I for one would not want to overlook recognition to those people over a unit leader, no matter how hard and long the unit person had worked. It has nothing to do with snubbing the unit leader or that the unit leader is not important. It takes a community to run the Scout program well. Many unit leaders might agree with that statement. I hope that he or she hasn't been snubbing the assistants, the committee, the organization, the parents, and the community that is helping to keep his/her great program going. That would be a shame if it happened but then one just has so much time. FB

Eamonn, I agree with you for several reasons. If a person is working for a unit and is building program long term for youth and does it well, does that person deserve an award? The answer is yes and there is an award. If a person is working to benefit the District and supports the activities of the District for a long period of time, then that person should be considered for the District Award of Merit. Should it ever be considered for the long-term unit volunteer? Yes, especially if they have also assisted or lead District programs for a long period of time. But the District workers should always be considered over a unit leader that has only served a unit. Think about the logic. Are the District workers eligible for unit awards ever? This same line of reasoning should be considered when looking at the service record for those nominated for the Silver Beaver. Leading Council activities is a daunting task but some do it and they should be considered because of the strength and direction of their service. People that bring money in to the council are important for the continuance of the program and they should be considered for the council award. Should a unit leader ever be considered for the Council award? I believe the answer should be no but I have witnessed otherwise. Why was it done? Some have been awarded because nobody else was nominated. A few were exceptional leaders with outstanding service on the unit level but had helped on all three fronts for a long period of time. Is it all black or white? No. The reason is that there are always special circumstances and those are the times that we should consider defying the rules. I believe in one other rule and it is called being happy for the person that got it no matter what rule. It should always be followed to the letter. (Note: I call it a tough balancing act that is hard to swallow.) The reason is that you may be the one getting it someday and you (will) have your detractors. The awards banquet is not the time to bring an objection. The time for the objection will be next year and should be in the form of a quality nomination with deeds that are compatible with the award. FB

I despised what happened in NY. I disliked seeing the Taliban on TV acting with their usual defiance before the camera and shaking their fists at the U.S.A. I didn't like it that it took us as long as it did to cross the length of Afghanistan and to begin our non-nation building program. I dislike it that they hate us for buying their gas and making their leaders rich beyond belief. We are not what they think of us. How we act and react outside the field of battle to even one of them is our example and will form their opinion of us in the future. If they are to choose something other than money hungry despots and prophets for the submission and torture of their own people, then they must be shown something much better than what they have known. We have now beaten them into rubble. Hatred of the acts must now be tempered with thought when we deal with them off the battlefield. We have had our turn at shooting them; now let's take them to court. They may want to return and take their chances in battle. FB

I have just finished reading the material at the site mentioned about William D. Boyce. I then looked up a site for Ernest Thompson Seton. The site has several connected outs on the Woodcraft Indians. I tried to find a site for James E. West but most were sites for donations to the BSA. I couldn't find an overview of his life. I will next try Dan Beard. He seems to be the least controversial of the original leaders of the BSA movement.

I would like to know specifically where W.E. Boyce's grave is located. Thank you, FB