SSScout

Just one word: Ducttape.....

"Boss, do you have a minute? I have a new idea. Can I run it past you?" "Come in , Milford, come in. Sure, what's your idea?" "Well, we sell a lot of our (insert soda brand name), and the sales figures sure indicate it's popularity. It cost us (insert dollar amount) per pint bottle to produce and transport and market. Each bottle as produced, gives us a guaranteed profit of (insert dollar amount). What if I told you we could ELIMINATE all but the main ingredient of our product?" " Yes, go on..." " Well, why do people drink our (insert soda name)? Because they are thirsty. Why don't we just eliminate the sugar, flavoring, coloring and sell the water?" "...?.." " We convince folks to buy our (insert soda name) with our sexy marketing, I think we can convince them to buy bottled water! Think about it, is YOUR water save to drink? Why go to the trouble to fill up, carry, rinse out your own container? We will eliminate all that hassle!" "Milford, I think you may be on to something here. "

Yeah, I can see that. Local school installed a solar array, and I did some research for that (it is just "there", now, no longer an eyecatcher as you drive by), and the timing was a little shorter, but similar. Sandy Spring, MDâ€â€May 2, 2012 Sandy Spring Friends School(SSFS), a pre-K through 12 coed college preparatory Quaker school in Montgomery County, has announced plans to install more than 2,000 solar panels on the school’s 140-acre campus. The 473.7 kW solar photovoltaic system will be ground-mounted and grid tied with an estimated output of 600,790 kWh. The estimated carbon offset of a system this size is 414 metric tons which is equal to almost 82 passenger vehicles per year and 963 barrels of oil consumed. http://standardsolar.com/node/1921 Students, faculty and members of the Friends House community gathered at Sandy Spring Friends School on Oct. 24, 2012 for a ceremonial “flipping of the switch.†http://www.gazette.net/article/20121031/NEWS/710319433/1124/sandy-spring-friends-school-shines-with-solar-power&template=gazette

Hey, I'm not giving them permission, only saying it can and did happen! Not giving the permit, I mean, and as the ruling cabal of the town, that's what they did. Their reasons (not meeting the ordinance requirements, not being tall enough, not using black ink on the application, whatever) are why we are having this discussion, right?

Merlyn: That's exactly right. So long as they( the Council) can be democratically elected, they have shown themselves to be worthy of replacement. At least I would favor that , based on their displayed choices. The BSA Troop has shown them (at least a majority of them) to be more concerned with a perceived discrimination rather than the importance of their local children. As to the discrimination against otherwise worthy adult leaders, well , we're working on that....

Commendable. It took'em three years to build it?

The recent thread (can't "spin off" anymore) about doing a community service or good turn because it is "expected" or "in return for a benefit" or "just because" made me remember a poem . So I did some googling (!) and library searching and discovered the poem I sought was first, not authored by the person I expected and second, was originally not as I remembered it. Herewith, then, the original, as written by Dr. Kent M. Keith, and adapted by many others , in many other venues. Might make a good SMMinute, anyway.... The Paradoxical Commandments = by Dr. Kent M. Keith = People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered. Love them anyway. If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. Do good anyway. If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway. The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway. Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. Be honest and frank anyway. The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds. Think big anyway. People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs. Fight for a few underdogs anyway. What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway. People really need help but may attack you if you do help them. Help people anyway. Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth. Give the world the best you have anyway.

""The Town Council can deny permits for whatever endeavor for whatever reason they like"". (SSScout) ""No, they can't."" (Merlyn) Powers back on, so here we are... Yes, they can, and did. Doesn't make it legal, or right... (see above notes from Ms Hallsmith) . And, as she implies, it should make it easier to " vote the rascals out ". See Scoutmaster Minutes thread>>>

""Many Eagle Scout projects involve landscaping or minor building projects in the Scout’s community. While these projects are worthy in their own right, Ian Napoleon of Sandy Spring knew he wanted to do something for his project that would make a global impact. Ian, 16, is a student at Landon School, a private school in Bethesda. He advanced to the rank of Eagle Scout on June 13, after traveling to Nigeria in March to complete his service project."" http://www.gazette.net/article/20140701/NEWS/140709991&template=gazette

Somewhere on the AT is a cache of buried, slowly decomposing Dinty Moore cans....Maybe a whole lot of buried Dinty Moore cans, come to think of it.

The Town Council can deny permits for whatever endeavor for whatever reason they like. The citizens of the town can then judge what kind of a Council they elected and then UN-elect them the next time round, as they see fit. In the mean time, as in just about every democracy, they probably have the Council they deserve. Were it my Troop, I would favor giving the water away, (donations accepted). and cleaning up the streets as the good turn the town deserves, being the Troop is/are good citizens.

My father was an active (underline) member of the Lions Club. Where he went, I went. Deliver dinners to shut-ins, I was in the front seat (no seatbelts). Annual Horse show in Martin's Dairy field, I was there with the other kids, running messages, policing the jumps, directing parking, helping to sell hot dogs. Pancake suppers, I was there, carrying plates, picking up trash, doing what was asked of me. Blood drives, I was there to hand out paper if nothing else. Scoutson watched me work for the Meeting, helped with brush and tree removal, paint the rooms, shovel snow. He watched mom and me work the County Fair, pushing brooms, shoveling rabbit manure, directing traffic, counting tickets, helping the public understand animal behavior. He is a "server" now, doesn't wait for someone to tell him what to do, he will offer more often than not. The Scouts will learn by our example more than by our words. If it is the Scoutmaster's example rather than a parent, what is wrong with that? . Let them see and follow and learn thereby.

Yes, but.....

http://www.buzzfeed.com/christianzamora/indications-you-were-a-full-fledged-boy-scout Any of this seem familiar? Mmmmmm????

I would favor giving the water away. Walk the route of the parade, and give the water away. I bet you could find suppliers to donate the bottles, or heavily discounted. . Or suggesting another group sell the water and give the money to the Scout Troop. I would suggest asking Mr. Guerlain to come camping with us, and see how discriminatory the local Scout Troop is. And send him a subscription to Boys' Life.

What JB said. Phimont is not your hike up the local hill. And it is camping with low weight gear. Meals are planned out for no left overs. Water is often carried further than one might ordinarily expect. You do not camp next to the pump. Order the topo map of the area. Talk to the Troop leaders. FInd the District Camp Director (not Council) and ask them for the name of a Philmont veteran to speak to. And expect the memories for a life time.

Always a good question. I was doing "Scout Skills" one year and the CSDC Asst. CD sent me an email saying, essentially, "of course they pass on the following knots," and listed eight or nine knots. I responded, I was lucky to teach FOUR knots, and maybe they LEARNED three over my 45 minute period. I was specific: Overhand, square knot, figure eight and bowline.... Maybe the bowline.... Those were the four knots that were listed in the "Requirements Covered at CSDC" list they sent out I also pointed out that it was ALWAYS a good thing for the local Cub leaders to PRACTICE the knots with their Cubs. This was with three really gung ho Scouts helping (one of them did Scout Skills this year in my absence!), and encouraging ALL the Den Walkers to pitch in and help with the left over right, etc. I am always surprised at how reticent some parents are to actually HELP at CSDC.

Well, now we get into the "attend" versus "earn" conundrum. Did he earn a degree? or the Beads? or did he just "attend"? If you "attend" and don't fall asleep, I guess you have to learn/absorb something. Hey, I know folks that attend my R/Ts just to get outta the house! But I make'm worth it!

Twocubdad: Realize that we have a bit of a rare bird here, an actively engaged COR! I wonder if he/she goes to Council Meetings and votes there?

Shades of Owasippe ... http://www.scouter.com/search?q=Owasippe&searchJSON=%7B%22keywords%22%3A%22Owasippe%22%7D

1) Make sure all expenses were covered. Might be something somebody forgot, or "donated" to the event without telling anyone. 2) Every Scout "offishul" fund raiser needs to meet one basic requirement: Was something done that provided VALUE for the PRICE . Popcorn, donuts, mulch sales, car washes, flag placements, spaghetti dinners, you know the drill. I dare say your Troop provided VALUE for the PRICE. A fun family campout? Program to participate in? What do you think CSDC is? The Council ENCOURAGES the CSDCs to BE IN THE BLACK..... Overages (not "profit", perish the thought) fall to the Council. Many times I have heard from the Council Program Director, "your camp spends too much money on staff pizza...." 3) Compare your event with other, similar (District Camporees?). I would say some Camporees pay their way, some show an "overage" ( I would not say "profit", because it is not held to make a profit, but to have fun and do Scouting!), some may have a "loss". The District has (if it's like our District) a slush fund in the Council books that covers such contingencies. Any overage goes in the slush fund to cover the next time. Your Troop can do no less. 4) Extra money? Hey, give'm a patch! If you are pressed for time, you can go to the Council shop and buy generic patches. Pen on the year, use up the extra money. 5) Make a donation to your Council's Friends of Scouting. Use the money to rebuild the Council's bulletin board at camp. Use it immediately to benefit the Packs, maybe a Movie Night lock in! 6) IMRRHO, your Troop earned the money. Put it to good, Scout use. I have never heard (and, believe me, this Scouter.com would talk about it) of a Council auditing a Unit's books. They leave that stuff up to the CO. If you are, as I perceive, self chartered, then your adult committee folks need to make that decision on the suggestion of the COR. It is not just up to him, all by his lonesome. Remember the Cub Scout Mantra.... KiS MiF, KiS MiF.....

And the oft forgotten requirements #9A: "Discuss with your Counselor how Catsup can be used to improve almost any recipe. #9B: Explain to your Counselor the difference between Catsup and Ketchup. Discuss how the history of America has been changed with the invention of Catsup."

Marijuana is close to being legal in many areas, for many reasons. But beer and liguor and tobacco and some OTC drug products ARE legal. How about he offers some bourbon to a 13 year old Scout? How about he sneaks out to the waterfront for a chew? His hypocracy is my main issue and his "Trustworthiness " is his SMC issue here, to my mind. "Oh, a little weed won't hurt you, makes you feel good...." Yeah, a Scout is Cheerful, but how does that come about? One's feelings are largely choices. If you feel the NEED to create the feeling, there's another problem... " Everyone does it" No, everyone doesn't. And mere statistical popularity doesn't make something healthy or RIGHT. " It's my life, I 'm not hurting anyone else..." Don't think so. Somebody raised, harvested, smuggled, cut, sold that stuff. All illegally. The Mob (pick a name) syphoned off a large amount of money from that . Some Mexican gang is probably using his money. Just like alcohol affects drunk driving, Weed impairs your abilities, it does NOT improve them. Who are you going to hurt, really? Get those Scouts high on white water canoeing.

KDD speaks my mind. If the Troop, thru the mentorship of the SM and ASMs and etc. doesn't provide the adventure and activity and challenge (for physical skills, "getting dirty" and leadership and service) then the Type AA kid will move on to the groups that do challenge him. CAP, ROTC, Outdoor club, Young Republicans, whatever. The Young Eagle does it because he CAN and WANTS to. Others may watch TV or do Wii really well, or smash car windows. It all depends on our offerings and the boy's family support and/or encouragement. All one can do is offer, but if the offering is lacking......

That's a lot of popcorn.