SSScout

Which only serves to make the important point to LABEL the photos you have as to WHO those folks are and where they are. I have a box of pictures of my mom's cousins and aunts and uncles and not a clue as to who these smiling relatives are or where they are. *sigh*

Ah, those were the good old days (well, old, anyway). WAAAAY back in Cub Scout days, our county/district held a Scout-o-Rama at the COunty Fair grounds every year. It was open to, and the public was invited. (hasn't happened in a looooong time). Every unit did something. BScout Troops did rope bridges, camp cooking, that kind of stuff. Think recruitment, I guess. Our Cub Pack sold POPCORN! I remember my dad found a contact and went to a place that supplied movie houses with already popped popcorn. We got it in HUGE bags, almost as big as ME (then!). Pop and I went to the place and stuffed the car with the big, warm, good smelling plastic bags. Then, our Pack repackaged it in small special sacks and sold those for, oh , I guess 10 cents. I remember we sold out earlier than expected.

Be glad it is flown over the store. That's where it belongs. Over the gas station. The Post Office. The School. The Hardware Store. Because that's the America I want it to represent. Not necessarily ONLY the battle ship or charging Marine. If you feel moved to speak to the owner (Apu?) or mangager about it, approach them courteously and remind them what it is they have out there on that pole. I often stop and speak to the folks/stores/restaurants with US flags atop the building. I ask them when the flag becomes too torn and faded and needs replacing ("Oh, I don't know when we do that") to call me (I leave them my phone number on my Scout card) and I will come and collect the old one for a proper retirement ceremony ("you do that? What does that mean? We send it back to the company. I don't know what they do with it"). I keep a supply of old flags for units to use and have been called for such many times . CSDC, Camporees, IOLS, etc. Sometimes the flag is still in useable condition and we save it for folding practice or to fly at a campout. I have one that is about 15 by 20 feet. Came from a carwash managed by an (old) Eagle Scout. He was very glad to speak to me. I use it sometimes for a teamwork exercise, where a group must work together to fold it (in right triangle!). Hey, next time you are in a store and see a display of US flags for sale, ask them about your STATE flag and enjoy the blank stare you receive.

Which brings up some questions. First, in what company is the BSA? What other (if any) organizations has the US Congress "chartered"?

SSSSSHHH!!!!! Don't give it away!!! This skit requires two characters: Both need to be fair thespians, and realize the importance of each role in the "set up" and "resolution": An Introducer, and a Historian. Now since the folks performing the skits around the campfire/Blue & Gold/Training are probably known by the audience, use that fact to good effect. ((INTRODUCER comes on stage and in DEAD SERIOUSNESS (!) announces the following)): "Good evening everyone. Now, as a slight change of pace to the usual funny skits we have enjoyed this evening, we'd thought you might enjoy something of a more serious tone. I'd like to bring on someone you already know, our Assistant Scoutmaster, Dave Jones. You probably know Dave for his (Scout Training, Dutch Oven Brownies, years of service, whatever), but you probably DON'T know that he is an amateur historian of some local note. He has memorized some of our Founding Father's more well known speeches and often is called upon to recite them at various events. Tonite, he will present to you , '"George Washington's Farewell to the Continental Army"'. And so, here's Dave, with GEORGE WASHINGTON'S FAREWELL!" ((INTRODUCER backs off stage, gesturing to HISTORIAN Dave as he comes on stage from the other side)). ((HISTORIAN comes to center stage. He does not smile. This is a serious occasion, his resignation. He looks out over audience, shifts his feet, looks down at his feet, seems alittle nervous, unsure how to begin. He slowly takes his hat off, places it over his heart, takes a slow deep breath, stands tall, and in one motion waves the hat over his head yells "G'BYE!!!" and strides quickly off stage.

Thank you, Berners-Lee. http://www.cubroundtable.com/assets/pdf-sundry/New-2005-Cub-Mobile-book.pdf and http://www.rockinghammemories.net/bd2012cubmobilederby.html

Wash it?? You don't like the smoky smell?? Just kidding. I have one of the old style red ones, supposed to be permanently moth proofed. Wife gave it to me for bday some years back. Chest pockets, no hand pockets.

Nike: My understanding is that the "foreigness" originated from the BSA knot NOT being a GSUSA badge. And , no, neither I nor my Indiana friend knows where the not would come from. But then, Scoutshops don't always ask if you're a Scout when they sell things. SWNecker: I heartily agree. Even the GS used to wear necksers. When our Troop holds it's February CoH, I give a short talk about neckerchief history and sponsor a Necker slide (woggle) contest. I obtain the prizes from local businesses ( Coupons for free ice cream, McD's fries, Cal Tacos, ) and it is becoming more popular each year. E92: A good point. The Baltimore Area Council is the center of this UnderArmor "test". I get the impression from my Baltimore friends that most Troops view them as a "class B" Tee shirt thing, but not a replacement for the whole uniform. But that's just anecdotal.

Uniform use... I have a friend who is a GSUSA leader out in Indiana. She recently emailed me a copy of a local Council memo the stated, quote, Troop - - - will present to the girl a PRAY patch, as well as the religious knot used by our brothers in the Cub Scouts. Both the patch and the knot can be put on the uniform, along with the medal that may be awarded by the girls religious organization/church. She said she had emailed to GSUSA National for claification, and had been told that it was "not appropriate" and the local Council would be counseled about the use of foreign badges (!).

Review the Watergate scandal. Lots of ethical deciding there. Man wants a newspaper. It is early in the morning. He passes the local drugstore, which has not yet opened, and there is a stack of newspapers beside the door. If he takes one, it is stealing. If he resolves to come back later and pay for it then, is it a "loan" or "borrowing"? If he leaves the right amount of money (tax at 6%) on the top of the stack, it might get lost or stolen by someone else. Is there anyone else looking? Does that matter? No, he does NOT have a wireless capable tablet.

If this does come to pass, it will certainly illustrate how the BSA is a top down organization. Was there any polling of the rank and file here? This is not just a change of color of the uniform, but a fairly basic change of program. Will a Tiger or Wolf really be able to recite (and mean!) the BScout promise and Law? Compared to the CS Promise and LotP, they are pretty long. I remember discussing the CS promise with my Cubs (and son). It made sense to them, but only after a little discussion. (*aside* Anyone remember promising to "Be Square" as a Cub Scout? That was almost as important as "Gives Good Will") And there is a good deal of tradition here to consider. Ihope the PTB think (thought?) long and hard about this.

Touche' , Wingnut.

I also see this idea as a solution in search of a problem. The progression of the Cub Promise and Law of the Pack to the full fledged Scout Promise and Law I feel is appropriate to the age and experience of the boy. As for the Venture Promise and Code, they are another version of the values esposed in the previous Cub Promise/Law and BScout Promise and Law. Just worded differently and in a more adult manner. I can see the reasoning behind the desire to simplify, but the need isn't there. Boys of Cub age, I feel, benefit from the progression of going from a simpler sense of what's "fair" to the more complex ideas explained in the BSP&L and the VO&C. As for the Jungle Book aspects of Cub Scouting, I am sorry to see the gradual dropping of the references. All kids love a good story. The classic Kipling story is redolent of those qualities Cubs seem to seek: a gang or "Pack" to belong to, a family, a wise and benevolent leader, learning from wise, experienced tutors, the idea of a group accomplishing fun and worthy projects, the triumph of good over evil . All these things become,I feel, less accessible with a more beauricratic, one-size-fits-all version. What lessons are learned from the Jungle Books stories? Why does Jesus teach with parables? It is because the ideas are sometimes better taught and learned from such indirect means. "Thou Shalts" often get ignored or skipped over, but a rousing tale of daring do will be remembered. It lets the hearer put the rule or consequence in his or her own life's context. I need to think about another thread....

During my days working with the transit service, I once made the suggestion that it would be more fair (fairer?) in the charging of the bus fare to mount weight scales in the boarding steps and charge by the pound. The suggestion was not adopted.

759 Boy Scouts of Harlem is on tonite in the DC-MD-VA area at 8pm, PBS WHUT Verizon channel 32. Sorry for the late notice, just noticed it on the schedule.

I tend to agree with BSA24. Our Troop did get one new Scout from a referral by a school counselor. The family had just moved to the area and registered for Middle School. The counselor knew a Scout in the school, he told her to call his dad (ASM) and he referred her to me (ADC) and I told her about the Troops in the school district. They ultimately chose our Troop. Boy had friends in it, so it was a good match, we think. The BeAScout has not been jumped on too eagerly hereabouts as a real recruiting tool, but it can be another resource for anyone seeking info about Scouting, anywhere. I have used it as a way to answer questions about Scouting in other areas of the country. I gladly recommend it to our area units, and it is up to them to update it and make it useable to them. Most of the units I have spoken to are not even aware of it until I point it out. Hey, here's a referral. We were talking about , I guess, surfing the web for Scouting, and the adbar above my posting space is for a company that makes wheely carts for your surf board.

I'll share my story again. During "Medieval Adventures" we often offered a toast "To The Queen!' (our camp director) or "To Her Majesty Queen Mary!" and occasionally singing "Ein Prosit! Ein Prosit, gemuchlichkeit!" after the first day, we were told by our DE to rephrase the toast, as it was seen by some as promoting alcoholism.... Wundebar!

"Guide to Sage Scouting" now that sounds like a freudian slip... The Little Red Wagon I rode downhill in had a one pivot steering, and from inside, it guaranteed to provide a tripped over trip. Little Tykes now makes a wagon that has a wheel pivot on each front corner, steers very nice from outside, but not at all from the inside. Shucks. I think the ban comes from Cubs falling off the wagon. I MEAN OUT OF the wagon. I guess we're just left with two wheel races, ala the Romans: http://www.28thcambridgescouts.org.uk/cubs/chariots.html Or ala the corrigated paperbord industry (no wheels. How do you have fun with that?): aaaaand you can go all the way, four wheels: and : http://57chevnut.smugmug.com/Competitions/Cub-Scout-Push-Cart-Race/1902399_mBWhnW/95994936_GTKa6#!i=95994936&k=GTKa6 Way back when, we built a three wheel CubCar, but it proved to be dangerous. Pulled by rope, it could run over the "engines". Going round corners, it could slingshot the "driver" out. Brakes were the feet of the driver. Not the best design.

HIJACK ALERT.... How to encourage a Scout to think about Eagle Projects before he 'needs' to... * Parents do work at church / synagogue/temple, take Sammy Cub Scout along and he carries the paint tray and helps mom lay out the drop cloth. * Dad goes to PTA meeting and signs up to help at the Bake Sale. Sammy goes along and makes sure the cupcakes do not fall of the table. * Cub Pack goes to the City Park and does a cleanup day, just because. Park Ranger comes up and says thank you. * The forth grade teacher writes to the parents and asks for help in a field trip to the museum. Mom and /or dad go with out complaint. * Big brother Eddie's Scout Troop PLC and Committee work to help their CO with the Community Pantry for less than lucky families. It is a regular thing, not just a "special". * Uncle John asks Sammy to come and work at the Community Museum with him. 9 year old Sammy meets other adults that find such things important. He gets to see the "back room". * Neighbor lady is getting on in years, and Sammy asks mom if he can sweep her walk. Mom says fine, I'll come too and we can mow her lawn. * Big brother Eddie is going to the Troop's trail erosion project and "drags" Sammy along because mom and dad have a memorial service for an old teacher to go to. * Dad explains to Sammy what he is doing. He is writing checks for the month's bills and the charities they support get the first checks, because...

What a challenge. *Make the changes in the project to garner the OK of a committee that made the young lady feel totally rejected. *Prove that she IS the capable, creative young lady that the committee did not recognize. *Overcome the obvious (can be a good thing!) sibling rivalry inherent in your comment about her brothers. Is there any chance that the rest of the committee were deaf and blind? I assume there was more than ONE person there. It almost sounds like some latent jealousy at work. Did you, the parent, ever have any problems with the person in question before? Is there the least chance that your daughter's project in any way challenged the other project in scope or , oh, I don't know, image, perhaps? I once applied for a position, a promotion. I was judged "well qualified", told I was definitely in the running by the HR office. At a social event, I met a person who worked in the office I was applying for, and she told me flat out I was wasting my time, that the position had already been filled, that putting it out for applications was only a "formality". I took this information to a counselor at HR, and he was aghast. Turns out , I didn't get the position, it went to a friend of mine (worthy person) and the head of that department was later given a sideways promotion out. Tell your daughter that if she has been treated badly, that you will help her sort things out. Play by the rules and make THEM play by the rules too. Choices as I see them: *Insist that the committee (or the Council Leadership) tell you what is lacking in your daughter's plans. They must do that or they are not doing their duty to you daughter in Scouting. * Make those adjustments and present those plans to a NEW committee. * If they will not or can't tell you what is needed , then request a NEW committee from the Council CEO. They can do that, and, I feel , will. Your young Scout deserves no less. And she will learn how to deal with such people in the future, because she will need to. Good Scouting to you and daughter.

I wish more Scout Troops had your problem. Adult leaders who are concerned the Scout is doing "too" much. Snug: Who is your CO? Back in my day, our Troop's Methodist church benefitted from our Scouts help in the chicken dinners (help direct traffic, bus tables, run the cloak room, sell baked goods), during "clean up days" (prune shrubs, rake and trim, wash windows), and each patrol took a turn being in charge of mowing the lawn once a week. Four patrols. So once a month on a saturday morn (early!) , we'd come out and with the church's mower and usually another Scout family's (or two), the job got done in an hour or two, max. And presto! we were free to go to the football game or a hike or movie. If there was a Troop campout, the chore got done during the week after school. No durth of service projects available. I think your Scout has an excellent idea, but as has been mentioned, it (the tag sale) should not be touted as a "Scout" sale. If the signs and PR mention "The Hugs Project", I think that is fine.

Aha! Didn't know there was another. That makes sense, then, that BSA would change the award to the Eagle!

My understanding is that the Silver Wolf was to be the highest rank when BSA was established in 1910, but none was ever awarded. Silver Wolf was abolished and Eagle (much more the American symbol) was then established as the highest rank and the first one awarded soon thereafter in 1912. Is this an authentic Silver Wolf Medal/Badge? Wow....

Is there Scoutlife after SPL? Oh, woe is me. I've been SPL, what to I do for an encore? Hopefully, the Scout's skills would allow himm to serve as Troop Guide or Instructor. He could be a PL, or Quartermaster who KNOWS how it should be done.Or Bugler! Let's not let the boy dissappear into early retirement, encourage him to make the Troop a better place to Scout.

Our MD Troop sells Chrismas decorations. Wreaths in various sizes and combinations of googaws, little table trees (suitible for palnting later), and table "bark baskets" which are surprisingly popular. We deal with Teufel Holly Farms, Inc. , all the way from Oregon(!). They provide a color brochure, which we edit and turn into a handout which also serves as a receipt and contact info sheet. We sell "in advance", door to door in the neighborhood, etc. , and when the stuff arrives ( 6 or eight pallets! A truck load!), we sell one weekend, "in person" in selected store fronts. The Scout sells the product, delivers the product, and even works on the Salesmanship MB! Boy, does our van smell good that weekend in December. We don't see it as competition with Walmart or Home D., because we have a "fresh" product, it hasn't been laying on the store shelf for a month. Also, Teufel will ship any product to your aunt Jane in Florida, or even overseas, with sufficient lead time.Folks in our neighborhood have watched Scoutson grow up, and told us they will miss us when he is all growed up. We leave the popcorn to our Cub Pack, and they do very well by it. We sell the wreaths and clear multi thousands. That's alot of campout fees.