SSScout

We ASK the Scout to live by the Scout Promise and Law. If they have a well developed conscience (and part of what we Scoutleaders do or should do, is help with that developement), the conflict of saying the promise versus what they actually feel/believe would lead the athiest Scout to resign or drop out. 99% of all Scouts are in it for the adventure, camping, canoeing, etc. not directly for the moral ethical education. That part sneaks up on them. I think some boys do leave Scouting from that conflict and their desire to be "Trustworthy" and live a non-hipocritical life. We may not know the true numbers, and they might not all be known to us. In the rare case when a Scout is asked directly (as ,perhaps, in an Eagle BoR) about his faith/religion, this may serve as a catalyst to define what has been mulling around in his head and heart for a long time. I think that in the SM Minute, the campfire "bull" sessions, the "Scout's Own", grace at meals, the honest, sincere and open expressions of belief and appreciation by Scout Leaders, all do more to encourage a Scout's own faith than anything else. Not specific in your face challenges, but general nudges and reminders. Should we feel we have failed when that boy leaves Scouting? I don't think so, because (I hope) we have had some purchase in at least getting the boy to THINK about such things. In my dealings with the Muslim units I Commission, I have been told that their respect for me comes not from my Scout knowledge (which they appreciate) but more for my sincere faith and ability to respect their faith, however different it is from mine. Anyone can join. Not everyone can stay. I had a mom help at a CSDC and , as required, registered as a Scout volunteer. Her boy and she had a good time. Came next year, we asked her again to help. She said her boy was in Cubs for the program, and she would let him make his own decision about God when he wanted to, but after reading the "statement of faith" on the registration forem, she could not sign it again. But the boy came to camp, without her.

Sad. Mad. Chagrin. Sympathy? So is he an out of work steel worker or a over regulated bank VP? Were there any witnesses to your act of friendship (it isn't charity because he didn't ask for that, only a "loan"). I would: 1) write a letter, a real paper letter (Make it registered, return reciept requested, keep acopy or two for yourself), and mention your good will (there's a Cub Scout phrase) and desire to keep him as a friend. . Remind him of YOUR poor financial condition, and how you are sure he wants to do the right thing. The mention of small claims court should NOT be mentioned. Say you'd like to talk to him at his convenience, invite to coffee. 2) After a reasonable period, two weeks perhaps, if he does not respond, or if he responds negatively and not to your satisfaction, You can do one of two things: A) Forgive him. Formally send him another letter, (R,RRR) and tell him you are sorry, you understand how hard it must be for him not to be able to fulfill his financial obligations, but times being what they are, etc. And then forgive his debt to you. Perhaps that would shake him up. Mebbe not. OR... B) you then go and make arrangements at small claims court. Be prepared to DOCUMENT the way the debt was incurred (witnesses?), where the check went (council receipt for his Cub not yours?), and what attempts you have made to remind him and collect the debt (phone calls, emails, letters, etc. ). He will be supoenaed, and must appear to face you in court. He will prove he has no debt to you or will be required to pay you, to the court's satisfaction and yours. Good luck. My dad had a long time business partner on only a handshake. Mr. Awkard did the trucks, my dad did the organizing. Taught me about friendship there.

If something is a distraction to one's proper worship, then that distraction should be eliminated. I would say that a flag, of whatever hue or symbology, if it is a distraction to one's obeisance, then eliminate it. To whom is your ultimate loyalty owed? If a particular church/temple requires a flag to be part of their rites, so be it. If the rite or ritual speaks to you in your worship, then you are in the proper place for your condition. But if you are more concerned with the placement of a flag over the discernment of God's will in your life, I would ask you to reconsider your priorities.

Buy/borrow grommet set set. Buy 6 mil black plastic sheeting. Comes in 10' x 100' plus rolls. Buy heavy duty duct tape. Lots. Commandeer large, open floor, like church social hall, rec room basement, etc. Sweep floor very well. Suggest assemblers go barefoot or socked, no shoes allowed. Cut NEATLY plastic sheet in 10' x 10' size, lay out on floor. If using knife (not required, scissors are good), be sure to put wood board under cutting line to protect floor. Run duct tape on ONE side of each edge of sheet. Four sides. Run tape down center of sheet for reinforcing. Turn over, do same for other side. Take grommet set, set grommets in corners, along edges mebbe every 2 feet? If grommets are set evenly, two tarps can be "sewn" together to broaden the protected expanse. When tarps are worn, use them for ground cloth under tents. If you want to set up as the "Explorer" style tent, place a 2' X of tape about 3 feet on the diagonal from one corner, do same on t'other side, place grommet in middle of X. Pride of ownership comes from constructing it yourself.

Even if I still had my youth uniform, you do NOT want to see ME in it! LoL !

Wow. Exact link/page/url, please?

Nice topic. Two things: 1) Plastic bags. Specifically, that wrap up bread loafs. Pack your clothing, towels, foodstuffs. Seperatre, organize. Waterproof, collapsable, reusable, put dirty stuff in'em for collection (rocks, bones, ) for home taking. 2) Popcorn cans. (or christmas candy tins). Waterproof, noncrushable, modular, stackable. Depending on the size, shapes out your pack and helps crush proof stuff adjacent. I have one from 20plus years ago that holds my sew kit, matches, firestarter, small ducktape roll, goop tube. Don't want to crush goop. Another one is used to pack eggs, in carton fragment. Perfect fit.

Just saw a commercial on tv. Scoutlike uniform, blue sash with leetle patches thereon, bright yellow neckerchief and hat, unreadable legends. James Perdue in shorts. "Be prepared", he says, for quick dinners. Mebbe I go back to "the other white meat".

Weekend coming up... Choices...I've been asked to: *Help with Scoutleader Specific Training *Help with Commissioner Basic Training *Help plan/go to Troop Family Camping trip *Be a guide/docent at local historic site * Organize MB class... all on the same day! Gotta pick and choose, delay, reschedule, miss out, encourage from afar, Think I'll go for the Commish training. Spouse and Scoutson go camping, SST is in same place, I can duck in and help mebbe, the historic site will be there next month, MB desiring Scouts will be scheduled another afternoon. Phew.

So on the last AT trip our Troop made, it was late November and went down to 20's, so the weatherman said, at night, after being in the 50's all day hiking. At dinner/breakfast time, MSR's were hard to start, Jetboil wouldn't ignite, but my Primus 8R cooked dindin for 6 Scouts.

And the thirteenth point of the Scout Law is "A Scout is Hungry"... *(( The true author of this article is unknown. It is here copied from the COME HOSTELING newsletter, Sept. 1980, of the Potomac Area Council of the American Youth Hostels, who received it from Dick Schwanke, Senior PAC Staff Trainer, who read it in the APPALACHIAN HIKER by Ed Garvey, who got it from the Potomac Appalachian Trail Conference Bulletin, which quoted it from THE RAMBLER of the Wasatch Montain Club of Salt Lake City, which reportedly cribbed it from the I.A.C. News of Idaho Falls, which reported it from the 1966 PEAKS & TRAILS. I offer it here for your enjoyment and inspiration. Note that some of the ingredients are a bit dated. Adjust as necessary. Enjoy!)) "Courageous Cookery" by John Echo* Once the convert backpacker or cycle camper has accepted the subtle gustatory nuances associated with sustained operations beyond the chrome, he should try the advantages of ultra fringe living so that he will realize what he is paying for his nested pots and pretty pans carried so diligently and brought home so dirty after every "wilderness experience". The following system works. It is dependable and functional. It works on the big rock. It even works when the weather has gone to hell, you are wet and cold and the wind is blowing down the back of your hairy neck. It is not for the timid. It consists of a stove, a six inch sauce pan, a plastic cup and a soup spoon. If you insist on a metal cup, you must never fail to mutter "I'm having fun, I'm having fun", every time you spill the soup on your sleeping bag. Breakfast: Instant wheat cereal-- sugar and powdered milk added-- ready two minutes after water boils. Eat from pot. Do not wash pot. Add water, boil, and add powdered eggs and ham. You'll never taste the cereal anyway. In three minutes, eat eggs. Do not wash pot. Add water or snow and boil for tea. Do not wash pot. Most of the residue eggs will come off in the tea water. Make it strong and add sugar. Tastes like tea. Do not wash pot. With reasonable technique, it should be clean. Pack pot in rucksack and enjoy last cup of tea while others are dirtying entire series of nested cookware. Lunch: Boil pot of tea. Have snack of rye bread, cheese and dried beef Continue journey in 10 minutes if necessary. Dinner: Boil pot of water, add Wylers dried vegetable soup and beef bar. Eat from pot. Do not wash pot. Add water and potatoes from dry potatoe powder. Add gravy mix to taste. Eat potatoes from pot. Do not wash pot. Add water and boil for tea. Fortuitous fish or meat can be cooked easily. You do not need oil or fat. Put half inch of water in pot. Add cleaned and salted fish. Do not let water boil away. Eat from pot when done. Process can be done rapidly. Fish can even be browned somewhat by a masterful hand. Do not change menu. Variation only recedes from the optimum. Beginners may be allowed to wash pot once a day for three consecutive days only. It is obvious that burning or sticking food destroys the beauty of the technique. If you insist on carrying a heavier pack, make up the weight you save with extra food. Stay three days longer. YiS

Yeah, but who brings the herb tea and crullers? Who do you shake hands with and recognize at the roundtable? Who do you ask questions of and invite to your meeting to help out? When you're done, you're already home. No chance to pick up that dishwasher powder your spouse asked you get. Who will you commisserate with, oh yeah... Scouter.com. What other excuse will you have to get in among adult type people, without KIDS?? There are advantages to in-person training...

What IS in a name? All the talk about Camporee competition put me in mind of all the Scout activities we sponsor. Let's see now... * Jamboree: Large, national, international Scout gathering. * Camporee: Weekend get together of local Troops, skill competitions? * Cub-a-ree: Local Cub Packs' gathering, earn beltloops, pins, electives, fun stuff. *Cub Pow Wow: Like U of Scouting, but geared toward Cub leaders. More skills than philosophy, as it was explained to me. * Scout-a-rama: District took over county fair grounds and all units produced demos and participatory things Scouty for public to walk around thru. * Salamagundi: As I remember it, an OA only camporee, specializing in backwoods skills. * Hike-a-rama: Lots of Scouts and Venturers hiking in the Shenandoah, same days, same trails. * Scouting on the Mall: Council wide demo and public walkaround on the Capitol Mall. * (pick a name) Regatta: Seascout gathering and skill competition. * U of Scouting: Lots of courses and workshops about everything Scouty. Skills, philosophy, ethics, paperwork, stuff. * Webelos Woods: * Webelos Weekend: * Webelosworks: A planned camp to help Webs earn outdoor pins, get to know their local Troops. * Camp Akela: Psuedonym for Cub Scout Day Camp. What have I forgot? Where have you gone? Waddyacallit?

This takes a fair amount of bookkeeping and spreadsheeting, but I believe this is how it works in Scoutson's Troop: Boys sell product. If THEY sell it (rather than at the table on the sidewalk outside the drug store for "the troop"), their gross is divided up thusly: minus expense (to supplier), of the first $500, first 60% goes to troop, 40% goes to Scout until annual dues is paid, then to Scout's account. After the first $500., then 30% goes to Scout's account (on paper). Scout may use account to pay for summer camp or registration fees for Troop activities. Some years back, we had a Scout who saved up all his Scout account and bought a new trailer for the Troop.

Please record my vote as being NOT in favor of the idea as discribed in the first entry. The award does not name the Scout until he earns it. A third grader may be in Den 3, but he is not a Bear Cub until the rank is awarded. This sounds more like someone in National trying to justify their position with a "proposal". Thinking back, I like the original Bobcat-Wolf-Bear-Lion-Webelos progression. Stick in a Tiger Cub for the first grader and it still makes sense. 'Round here, we call'em Junior and Senior Webelos...

As has beensaid, intended use will determine what/which boat you purchase. I have two, for which niether I paid any money. I have the 15' ABS (polylayered plastic) on long term loan (it's 8 years now) from a friend who thought better of it's use after he and his wife turned 70. The Grumman 17' is at least 30 years old, was a tour boat for an AYH council that I was on the BoD for. When they disbanded the tour program, now 25 years ago, we divied up the supplies, well used and all but unsaleable. Tradition. We use both about 5 or 6 times a year for family and Scout trips, lake and easy river and easy white water. The difference in handling is obvious. The Grumman has been banged straight and rerivetd many times. Find like minded folk (American Canoe Association?) and go canoeing. Don't forget the PFDs! Something for the knees: basketball kneepads, sponges on a string, glued in pads, Hats on a string, camera in a zipper baggie, tie everything in... It's all down hill...

Do your TH or FL with wet leather thong, snug. When dry, it shrinks tight. Doesn't manila/hemp do the same? I know nylon/poly won't.

mpaull: Didst receivest mine pmail, didst? Sometimes they don't work...

A woman strides up to the Pearly Gates and St. Peter greets her: "Yes, my child, and what did you do back on Earth?" The woman replies," I was an emergency room nurse. I helped people every way I could. I know we couldn't save everyone, but I did the best I could, and we did save alot." "Indeed you did," St Peter answers. "Pray , enter and be glad!" Later, another woman walks up and St. Peter looks up from his desk and says,"Greetings ,my child. And what did YOU do back on Earth?" The woman looks down at her feet and says, " Well, I was a nurse in a hospice. I knew we really couldn't expect to save those folks, but I did the very best I could to make their last days comfortable and we tried hard to comfort their family." "So you did, so you did," St. Peter murmurs and smiles. "Pray, enter and be glad!" Later still, another woman walks up. St. Peter smiles and says,"Greetings, my child. And what did you do down on Earth?" "St. Peter, sir," she replies,"I was a nurse in an HMO. We worked long hours and I knew I couldn't save everybody, but I did the best I could." St. Peter scratches his beard, reaches under his desk and pulls out a big book. He drops it on his desk, opens it up and starts thumbing thru it. He stops and makes a note on a pad of paper, searches thru the book again, writes down something more. Taps the pencil on the pad, leans back in his chair, smiles and says,"I think we can give you 3 days."

Bando: That's my friend Raffi, alright. Istanbul, Roberts College. STRONG coffee. Make strrrong like boooll.

Backpack camping, Car camping, light weight camping...ah... here it is... FAMILY CAMPING::: http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/10559

I was the last of my Patrol to complete my tickets. I emailed everybody (folks spread out literally over an area of 100 miles across) and a few Scouters I wanted to share with from other areas. Four of the Patrol of seven said they could come, others sent regrets. I was able to schedule it about a month in advance at my son's Troop CoH; he received his Life badge there. Two of the four made it, arriving late; one had an illness, one didn't call. Still hasn't. Two old friends that I invited got hung up in a traffic accident (not theirs, thankfully) and arrived late, but they shook my hand. The CD/WBSM and my TG came on time (!). The "Special Award" (as listed in the program) was second to last on the nights agenda. After the CD told everyone the story of WB, they draped the necker around me and hung the beads and did the "mystic cord twist". We were the only WBers in attendance at the time, so the three of us sang "Gillwell". Presto! In walks everyone else! Juice and cookies.

Instant coffee, Freeze dry milk, whatever happened to ... TANG??

My college housemate Raffi Karahisar (you out there, some'ers, buddy?), made our coffee thus: Use coarse ground. *in a sufficiently commodious pot, for each cup of coffee desired: *Add One table spoon coffee, plus one. *One tablespoon sugar, plus one. *One cup of water, plus one. *Place on fire/stove, stir, and bring to a rolling boil for 30 seconds or so. *IMMEDIATELY pour into serving cups, let grounds settle out for a bit. Enjoy. Oh, and for your singing pleasure, this introduced at last WB class: Caffeination, Morning Caffeination (refrain): Caffeination, morning caffeination, Caffeination, helps me start the day! Make it of a brownish hue, Throw the grounds in, let it brew! Let it brew, brownish hue, Oh-Oh-Oh-Oh, (refrain) Make it strong, it melts the spoon! And Ill drink it very soon! Very soon, Melts the spoon, Let it brew, Brownish hue, Oh-Oh-Oh-Oh, (refrain) Burns my tongue, oo-oo its hot! Think Ill drink the whole darn pot! Whole darn pot, Oo, its hot, Very soon, Melts the spoon , Let it brew, Brownish hue, Oh-Oh-Oh-Oh (refrain) Sweeten it with glucose plain, Then well sing the same refrain! Add some milk or cream today, Maybe next Ill make Earl Grey!

Thanks , OGE , here goes again... "The scenario might have seemed unlikely; prominent Muslims and Jews from the United States, crossing the Atlantic in mournful, spiritual solidarity to visit two Nazi conzentration camps. Together." The Washington Post, August 21 2010, Pg. B2. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/20/AR2010082004832.html "Here it feels part of us were killed".