SSScout

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".

3/4" plastic plumbing pipe (donated by local plumber?) cut with hacksaw into 3/4" lengths. Check size for fit on neckerchief. Clothes pin (either spring type or push on type, donated by local hardware store?)). Blue and/or yellow pipe cleaners, cut to size. Fast drying acylic or poster paint. Small brushes. Fine line markers. Paint clothes pins to look like Cub Scouts. Put pipe cleaners in appropriately as arms. Hot glue or "Goop" the Cub pins to the pipe pieces, dry in minutes. Cub Neckers slides! Variations are possible: Go to art/craft store, find thin rubbery material, Blue and Gold and Red. (1)Cut Blue into 2" squares, (2) cut gold into 1 3/4" squares (3) cut red into 1 1/2" "100" siloheutte, deliniate with black fine line marker to read "100" (4) glue "100" on gold diamond, (5) glue gold diamond on blue diamond (6) glue gold diamond on blue diamond (7) glue blue diamond on pipe section, right side up! For "field day", alot of this can be pre cut. KiS MiF YiS

Example one: Scout promotional activity, out in public. A half dozen Scouts,two parents, and me (my Scoutson is not present). Parent one and I sit back and, after making sure Scouts are well instructed on how things operate, let them do it. Parent two adjusts Scoutson' hat chin cord. I mention hat cord placement is a "style thing". P2Sson smiles and grimaces toward P2. P2 reminds SSon how to hold on. P2 goes and lends hand before Scouts ask for help. P1 makes comment that P2Sson is a very capable boy, P2 should be proud. P2 smiles and giggles, and sits down nervously. Example two: Camping trip. Rain threatens. A dozen scouts, SM, 2 other parents and me. My Scoutson is present. Scouts are busy setting up dining fly, a task most of them are familiar with, but a couple of the younger ones are new to. SM notes that SOMEONE did not put the gear away neatly the last time. P2 goes up and starts untangling ropes and pegs. P2Sson says "Don't mom, we can do that". P1 and I and SM smile at each other. Example three: The previous weekend, the ASM had led a Totin' Chip class for some new Scouts. At next Tmeeting, P2 comes up and says,"Sson told me you taught him how to make this" and he holds out a well crafted tent peg. On an affirmative answer, P2 responds, "I can never get him to do anything at home. How is it you can get him to do this?" Conversation ensues.

About a year ago, Scoutson and I decided we needed to get CPR/AED trained. Couldn't find a cert class to fit our schedules, so I contacted an agency and organized a class for our Scout District. 25 people signed up. Good class, sensitive, knowledgeable teacher. Everyone very satisfied. Fast forward to last week. Scoutson is back from Jambo. County Fair is on. Wife, Scoutson (4H) and I are at the County Fair Rabbit Barn. Because of my allergies, I work the "front door" of the barn, where the fresh air is the most plentiful. Up walks a man who looks vaguely familiar. He greets me heartily, shakes my hand and says "You may not remember me, I'm John Smith. I was in that CPR class last year with you. I've been wanting to tell you, that class you set up saved my life. That instructor, what was her name? Janet? Jacky? Anyway, she described the symptoms of a oncoming heart attack? After the class I started realizing that I had some of those feelings. I went to my doc the next week and he checked me out. Had ((here, he described in lurid detail the artery replacement that was done)) and after, man, I hadn't felt that good in a LONG time. When will there be another class?". I breathed in deeply, said I was glad the class had been so "useful" to him. We both laughed. As to the next class, I reminded him that the Council had ongoing CPR/AED classes, but I had been meaning to get a new, local one scheduled. We parted company. I noted that he had not looked particularly overweight or in ill health, either then or now. And I felt glad I had been moved to set up that class. It will happen again in the near future. I promise.

To paraphrase a few BSA "guidelines", Scouting is intended to help our young people learn to make good ethical decisions. Along the way, they should also learn some skills and techniques that can keep them hale and healthy both in wild and urban settings, and perhaps help others in poor circumstances. They should be able to take pride in those skills. The rank awards (and others, like Tottin' Chip) give witness to those skills (or should). If the boys in the Troop seem to be lax in their skills, then tutelege and practice is in order. Games? Sounds like they are good at dodgeball. No need for practice there. Knots? Splices? Map and Compass? Flag ettiquete? Organizing things? Leadership? I would take the SM at his word, go to the PLC (such as it is) and the other ASMs and parents (you implied you had some agreement about the problems you described) and help the PLC (teach them and they teach the Scouts?) to organize knot tying games. An axe yard and tent peg making practice. Cut some sufficient poles and lash together a modest tower they can climb on. SAFELY (not 20feet tall, only 5 or 6). A schedule over several months' meetings and outings. It ain't gonna happen overnight. Work slow. Address the Scouts' concerns, the rest will follow. Pull out that old Field Book. Make copies of the pertinent pages. Make sure the boys have their Handbooks and share the instruction therein with them. They may never (by your description) have SEEN the pertinent pages in their handbooks, only the sign off pages. Do not go behind the SM's back about any of this. Make sure he is "in the loop". Help him to see the benefit of your efforts. You are making his job easier. Do not plan these activities without his knowledge and OK. Never embarass the Scout for his ignorance, but teach ALL the Scouts the skill, show ALL them how to tie the bowline, go down the line and individually help EACH be successful. Some, the technique will come naturally. Some, the lack is so usual, they will even challenge you to MAKE them successful. It will sometimes seem like one or two will CONSCIOUSLY try to make it IMPOSSIBLE for you to teach them. Trust me, concentrate on the others who are eager to get good at the skill (knots, canoeing, whatever) and the "proud" ones will come around. Eventually, you will find one or two Scouts who are good at the skill. Let them instruct/help the others. I had a new Troop learning knots and ropes. One young Scout was obviously a natural with things fibrous. He just naturally helped his brother Scouts. Guess who became their first SPL? Again, arrange to teach the PLC, and let them teach the Scouts. The "proud" ones ("I've already passed this") will come around as the others surpass them in REAL skill and knowledge. Make Scouting the game they play (now, where have I heard that? Maybe the GAME has a PURPOSE?), not dodgeball. One can lead, but leading is "come on" not "pushing on" and not "pulling on". As to removing a rank for punishment, I agree with friend Beavah, it may not be according to BSA standards, but encourage the boy to re-earn it, rather than insist that he already has it. "Prove the SM wrong" with his(the Scout's) good effort. He passed the requirements once, it should be a snap the second time. With good instruction, practice and encouragement, he will be the better for it. Along the way, the SM and other adult leaders can be encouraged to take the training (if they haven't) and see the benefit to their boys of the REAL Scouting program.

Did it again, see above. On "Advancement" forum and "Camping and High Adventure" forum. But not this one?

So I try to post something (new, spin off, or reply) and I get this page : ""Microsoft OLE DB Provider for ODBC Drivers error '80040e10' [Microsoft][ODBC SQL Server Driver]COUNT field incorrect or syntax error /forums/post_library.asp, line 91 "" Sometimes it appears, sometimes not. It appears more often than not of late. Any ... thoughts?...

Once upon a time,it came to pass that my registration was denied. Upon some research by people at Council who knew ME, we discovered that thru the years I had been recorded under three variations on my name (during training sessions) with three different BSA numbers (one for CM, one for ASM, and one for UC) AND there were three other men, registered Scouters in different Districts, with the same first and last name! One with the SAME middle initial, two with different middle initials. When I discovered this, I had to jump thru some bureacratic hoops to have it corrected. So far, all my online training is recorded under one name and BSAnumber.

"highest sales does not have to sell popcorn next year" ((tongue firmly in cheek)) Know a Troop (or two) that do their own fund raising (no popcorn) and then just send in a percentage to Council. FoS is another matter...,