Gonzo1

Eamonn,

Gunny and John-in-KC have good comment. If you're needing to improve the shoe shines of the ship members, you're probably wearing navy issue boondockers, right? A good shine on most of the boot is all you can expect. But, since the boondockers are steel toe, you'll get great results on the toe area.

Sorry SSS, not a big fan of the candle, but if you'd like to melt the polish (wax) into the leather, apply the was, use a bic type lighter and wave the flame about the wax to just barely melt it in. I have found this to be acceptable.

Patience is the key to shoe shining military type boots. Kiwi polish in the small can works best, cotton handerchief or t-shirt is what I've used.

Gonzo

Packsaddle,

From the requirements:

While a Life Scout, plan, develop, and give leadership to others in a service project helpful to any religious institution, any school, or your community. (The project should benefit an organization other than Boy Scouting.) The project idea must be approved by the organization benefiting from the effort, your Scoutmaster and troop committee and the council or district before you start. You must use the Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project Workbook, BSA publication No. 18-927A, in meeting this requirement.

It seems as you describe it, this internet project may not be of enough magnitude. not leading others and could be done "as a job" or "routine labor", it may be too easy.

In short, the scout should provide leadership to others, do a project, the thing should involve more than html and 1's and 0's

G

Packsaddle,

Thank you, you made me laugh (you bastard) (wink), everyday is a great day. Signed, Gonzo, another bastard.

Merlyn, I didn't mean to offend you or others by lumping those creatures in with Atheists. I'm sorry, I hope you accept my apology.

Venividi,

I believe the extremists are motivated by hatred. I'm glad I could clarify.

First, a message to this forum moderator:

I will take a brief hiatus from a non-communication with Merlyn to reply to a recent post then Merlyn, I will resume my silence towrad yu. for that, I hope you and others will be grateful as I will not argue with you and potentially make you angry.

Merlyn:

You said "That's about your style, gonzo1; gratuitously insult atheists, then refuse to debate with one"

Here is what I actually said: "I'm sure atheists who post here .......are nice people. That is, they are not "bad". Therefore, I am not some religous person spreading a common lie."

In other words, I think you may actually be a nice person. Being a nice person means you are not bad, got it? You're nice.

Attention everyone, Gonzo says today, 7/225/07 that Merlyn is nice. Maybe someday we'll shake hands and have tea and crumpets. (that means be nice to each other)

Self imposed communication ban with Merlyn is back on.

Venividi,

I conceed that the majority of people in the middle east are Muslims. It has been widely reported that most are not extremists. That Great! Whew hooo! On the other hand, the extremists who preach hatred towards others simply because we believe differently, insert ____ religion, we just believe differently. Let's say all the terrorist killers in Iraq are Muslims, they're extremists who interpret the Koran (sp) differently from regular sane people. Those terroists want to kill you, me, everyone else IN THE WORLD sho doesn't convert to Islam. Fake conversions (to save your rear if held captive) are treated as real conversions. My point is this: They may claim to be of a given religion, but are really not. I know this sounds confusing, but check this out. If terrorist hide behind the shroud of a religion and twist the message of the Koran, then they feel justified in their murdous activity. They feel they must brainwash and train their youth, women and children to kill the infidels (that's you and me).

Now, let's tie this to how hiding behind a shroud works at home. I know high ranking military officer who has studied gang activity in the United States for some time. The gangs in Chicago like the El Rukins and Latin Kings discovered a way to hide from police - they all "converted" to Islam and called thier hideouts a mosque. This change gained protection from police.

In the current war in Iraq, we don't shoot into or destry places of worship or places of signifcance like a museum. We play by the rules. Abu Graib discussion later. They actually hide behind women and children, they hide in home, mosques, hospitals, schools because they know we won't attack there.

I call them godless cowards because they are. I can not really believe that God would command anyone to kill non-believers, but rather to encourage the faithful to witness to others.

As for religious kooks here who beat up or rarely kill homosexuals, I don't believe their religion actually says to go beat up gays or to kill them. I don't believe God tells those kooks from the midwest to protest soldiers funerals either.

As to calling them bastards, well, I suppose some may actually kow their parents, but using bastard seemed nicer than other choice words.

I hope this helps to clarify.

John in KC

I truly believe (and now many will disagree) that the medical care (that is what the doctors and nurses do) at Walter Reed Medical Center is top notch, best of the best.

The problem at Walter Reed has (or had) to do with the transient barracks for those on "medical hold".

***********************************************************

Now hear this! Now hear this! (to attract your attention, insert sound of Boatswain's pipe)

I said in a post about a month ago or so that I would not communicate with Merlyn, so, someone please let him know that I'm through with him. Merlyn, send me a PM

Aahhh, W. Edwards Deming, he's the man!

I love TQM.

I don't think that going out of council is not supporting council.

I would say that not doing pocorn sales (of some kind) is not supportive or not doing Scout-o-Rama or whatever.

As to skimpy food portions, there can be lots of waste when junior doesn't like fish sticks or green beans or whatever.

As your troop goes ou of council, some other troop may come to your council.

Perfect example of why I like patrol cooking camps.

Venividi, (and anyone else who didn't understand my comment)

My reference to the murderous thugs who unprovokedly attacked US, The United States of America on 9-11-01 was a cleaned up version of how I really feel about the bleep bleeping SOB's who killed +/- 3,000 innocent people.

I don't insinuate that people who don't believe in God, like atheists are somehow "bad" because they don't believe in God, i.e. godless.

I mean to say that people, like the gutless creatures we fight today are cowards who hide behind women and children. They hide in places of worship and hospital and THEN shoot at us. Then WE get blamed for shooting at a mosque. These SOB's will torture women and children, they have dismembered women in public and beheaded people. We treat our prisoners will kindness. Some of you may argue, but we give our prisoners their religious material and allow them to practice their religion. They on the other hand execute non-believers.

I can not believe that their God actually tells them to kill any non-believers in order to achieve their place in heaven or some other after life and have their 72 virgins. If that really is the case, I hope they get well armed, celebut Catholic nuns.

Back to topic, I'm sure atheists who post here and elsewhere - I don't know that I personlly know any atheists - are nice people. That is, they are not "bad". Therefore, I am not some religous person spreading a common lie.

edited for typo, though there may be others(This message has been edited by Gonzo1)

ogghall,

Welcome.

I think we should all thank our lucky stars we have President Bush in office instead of some schmuck like Gore, Kerry or Edwards. I suppose some people think we could win by having tea and crumpets with these Godless, murderous bastards that want to kill all of us.

Local,

Dear Friend Local. So as to keep the tone here most civil and non-argumentative, I must ask that you check your email for PM.

G

Raise your children - spoil your grandchildren

Spoil your children - raise your grandchildren

Whatever your kids want, make 'em earn it. If they're old enough, make 'em buy it.

There is also the "Trained" strip, but that's obvious.

Also, for commissioners is the Arrowhead.

Gonzo

Fox,

I don't particularly like the title of this thread. "Get a Life" seems to imply (or is that really infer?) we don't already have a life.

Many of us have devoted countless hours (and dollars) to scouting, some of us are just getting started.

Regardless, it may be easier to get some answers here from a fountain of knowledge rather than asking someone at roundtable who may be prone to go back to your unit with other info. This is a harmless avenue to use, learn from it, enjoy it, even make friends.

I have backpacked with Packsaddle (and look forward to it again) and exchanged patches with Local1400.

enjoy,

Gonzo

I hope he has a good time.

The pull up thing was discussed a few months ago also. Improvement should mean just that, improvement, he should be moved up. It doesn't say that improvement must be in each of the areas.

Beavah,

Pretty much a ditto of mtm25653. I voted for GWB twice. I would again if possible, but not is Fred Thompson were in the mix.

I've never contributed to a presidential candidate before, but I will contribute to Thompson's campaign if he runs - which he probably will.

The main thing I like about Bush is that he did what he said he would. I believe if Gore had been elected, he would have treated the 9/11 attack as a criminal matter and not a military matter - like it shuld be, a military matter. If Gore were elected, we'd all be riding bicycles to work.

I do not agree with everything Bush has said or done, like illegal immigration. I like lower taxes.

Adults who are commissioners can earn the Commissioner's College patch with rockers for Basic, Bachelor's, Master's and Doctor's level rockers.

Maybe World conservation too, but I'm not sure.

Scoutldr,

Maybe we're suffering through the Hawthorne Effect.

Crossramwedge,

Don't be discouraged. Your son's time will come, be patient.

Gonzo

Perhaps BSA could "beef up" the BSA Lifeguard requirements to EXCEED those of Red Cross lifeguard standards.

Beavah and Packsaddle,

It sure is more pleasant to disagree with you two than with Merlyn.

I'll agree that Carter was honest and honorable. carter's character is probably what did him in, he was too honest and too honorable if there is really such a thing.

Regarding Ford, all he ever wanted to be (politically) was Speaker of the House. As we know, he became President, I think he did an acceptable job, but the nation wanted something different, and boy did we get that.

I'll also agree that it's different to fight a war and not have any real sacrifice at home. Americans (in general) have forgotten about Afganistan everything else happens at home without interruption.

The national debt was coming down until the war started, then, well, you gotta spend money to run a war, but I recall a recent news article correctly, President Bush has a plan to be debt free in 8 or so years.

I believe President Bush is a decent, honest and honorable man.

I don't agree with every W has done, but I'm glad he's our president.

Gonzo

Another contributing factor may be institutionalized softening. BSA may be softening scouting with the new WB course. As I understand it, the staff cooks for the participant for some of the course? C'mon. BSA took Cooking MB off the Eagle list, having the option of swimming MB and a couple of others, less outdoor activity.

Hmm, maybe a Gameboy MB, Playstation MB are in the future.

Eamonn,

You may have hit the nail on the head.

I took WB in '94, 3 weekends, 2 or 3 patrol meetings, it was more of an outdoors oriented course, sort of "advanced scoutmaster" type training. There was some touchy-feely stuff, some leadership and management, but not much.

Welcome to the forum!

Scouts are voted by non-members of OA for membership into OA.

The Tap-out ceremony is when anyone elected should have been "tapped out". Check with the SM and the OA folks who conducted the election.

Hmm, double digit inflation, high unemployment, double digit mortgage rates, "oil crisis", Iranian hostages, do-nothing presidency, I'd have to say that James Earl Carter will be remembered as the worst president in modern times. BUT, the media (and historians) will fall all over themselves because Carter was for a while the best ex-President for his work with habitat for Humanity. But then he called on the UN to post observers HERE!!!! The way he has ripped President Bush is appauling, he stay in Plains.

President Bush may not be the best in history, how could someone compare to Washington, Jefferson, Adams, Lincoln, Cleveland, that's right Cleveland - he used his veto pen over 500 times, that's chutzpah!

Beavah, no need to aplogize, would you rather have had Gore with the football? A long standing joke: How do you tell Gore from the Secret Service agents? He's the one NOT MOVING!

Gore is a disgrace! A liar and a hipocrit. Not to mention his former boss, also a liar, disgrace, hipocrit, impreached President, held in contempt of court and disbarred.

So Beavah, don't appologize, you voted for the guy who did what he said he would do. He's going after terrorists, he warned Saddam and enforced UN resolution 1441 like he said he would.

I voted for W both times.(This message has been edited by Gonzo1)

Packsaddle, I don't want to argue friend, but an examination of the Leading Economic Indicator at the Conference Board will show that the economy is actually doing pretty well. I know, i know, gas and milk are high, but, when gasoline is factored for inflation over time, it has pretty much done OK. I didn't thoroghly examine your post, byt c'mon, W isn't that bad, he graduated from Harvard and Yale, I'll concede that he isn't the best public speaker (an essential skill for his job) but he's better than either Kerry or Gore.

(This message has been edited by Gonzo1)

I think some of the weakness comes from weak leaders.

We have this guy in our church (not a scouter) who likes to camp, but the only thing he cooks is hot dogs and hamburgers. I offered to go on a two family campout and I could show him a thing or two, but he said "why bother, hot dogs work"

I told him I could make pizza in camp, he would rather call out to domino's.

He said if it rained, he would just hide in his tent with the family. I started to chuckle, in fact, I'm chuckling now.

Gonzo