SSScout

I presume you are near Chattanooga... Might be some bucks involved, but Cubs love train rides: Check out the Tennesee Valley Railroad http://www.tvrail.com/ KiS MiF YiS

! Make money! Lower FoS goals! Increase the camp endowments! Rent Lake Merriwether at Goshen to the Coast Guard for ice berg training! In the off season!

Ummmmm.... Possibilities here... Unit promotion... Fundraising... Charter Org relations (do it for the members of the CO for free or for fee) Community relations... I like it! How far to open this? Just the Troop? The attached Cub Pack? The CO? Friends and Family? Notice in the newspaper? Show Disney cartoons? Games? Hotdogs and popcorn? Liability issues (horror)?

Get a hold of the District DE or if you are lucky your assigned Unit Commish. Somewhere along the line there is a District Program Person (Executive, Chair, VP, Campchair, some sort title). He/she would love to come out and make a presentation to your unit about Cub Scout Camping and the various permutations thereby. Family Camping, BALOO Pack camping, Cub Scout Day Camp, Webelos Weekend and Webelos Camp at the Council Camp. Son and One, Troop/Webelos invite, OWL (could be called WELOT)Webelos Den Camping . Yes, your Council may have a promo DVD, but you will benefit from a gung-ho special presentation, if possible. Thank you for being the "go to" person in your Cub Pack. Keep up the better than average work!

Buttons, hooks, velcro... BSkip: No, but I did recently retire from a local guvmnt job ( they made me an offer...) and if you know of anything... Congressional planning? An oxymoron?

jblake: At my Troop summer camp, we had four patrols and our various activity areas spaced out thru about ten acres of woods. The Troop bugler served a real purpose and the Troop leadership insisted in it. Check out the thread "Taking a Poll - Bugling" "http://www.scouter.com/forums/viewThread.asp?threadID=213241&p=1"? It totally depends on SOMEONE being willing to bugle and SOMEONE encouraging them and using that resource.

Hal: Don't forget the "supercamporee" planned for that 2010 summer before the REAL NJ? NCAC was talking about 10,000 at Goshen? I recently received a email asking for an opinion about holding it over the Memorial Day weekend? Their idea is this would take the place of any District Spring Camporee? Trial run? Jammed roads? Organization test?

1) Buy the longer sash. (shoulda bought it first). 2) Take short sash, cut across the top of the sash, along the shoulder above the top merit badge row, and cut 1/2" below bottom MB row. 3) If you are a good seamstress, continue. If not, take #1 and #2 to your local dry cleaner. They might even do it for free, "Scouts". 4) Sew the shoulder end from the short one across the shoulder of the long one. The seam won't be as noticable if it is at the top of the sash. Sew along the edges and at the bottom. A neat job will not be noticable except close up. ==OR== 5) Cut the longer sash as appropriate and sew the two pieces together, top and bottom. 6) If you are really adventurous, you can cut the short sash further toward the back and BEHIND the bottom row of MBs so the bottom seam is covered by the badges. YiS Often quicker than transferring all the MBs.

It is difficult to drag the slower boys along with the quicker ones, so you will be tempted to divide your big Web Den along those lines. I would counsel not to. The boys will have their own friends and buddies, and those groups should be kept, and that is the way to divide if that is judged to be the best thing. Encourage the boys to pick a "Den Name" to set them apart. I've seen "C-17" , "Boas", "Rough Rider" Dens. Don't have to be the usual Scout Patrol names. Check with local Troops and the local District OA dance team for memorable crossover ceremonies. But don't be too eager to get the boys out of Cubs, some of your Webs may not be able to earn the AoL by the fabled February B&G . Let them use the rest of the year (with your encouragement and direction) as necesssary. If you can get all of them to C/O together, great. But the AoL is not a requirement to C/O, don't hold them to that requirement. They can C/O at the end of the year, when they are of age and grade, not WHEN they earn AoL. ?More than one C/O? Check with the local Troops in your visiting about summer camp and summer activities. Help the boys and their parents to see the various choices open to them. Keep them active, all the way up to the C/O. They are the "senior scouts" in the Cub Pack, let them bask in that glory alittle. Let the other Cubs see the Webelos' success as their possiblity. Heed Bob the Tomato: "It's for the kids".

I have been of the opinion that Feb. is too early for Webs to crossover. Our local packs/Troops usually arrrange for C/Os in April and May, sometimes at a Pack picnic, when the OA team can do their signature Flaming Arrow ceremony (NOT in the church social hall!). The expected bridging, and handover from CM to SM, they receive their new neckers,hats and handbooks and loops. I know in my home Troop, we have summer activities that seek to involve the new Scouts, and they are invited to attend the summer cqmp, where they invariably earn Scout and/or Tenderfoot. There's always room for some more Scouts at camp! I have never heard of a ustabe Webelos that wasn't eager to get in deep with Boy Scout stuff. Why make it difficult?

The last 1x6's that I bought from HD were labeled in German. Warum?

Old "Hawaii Five - O" episode. Arch enemy Wo Fat captures head cop McGarett, drugs him. When Mcgarett wakes up, he is in a sensory deprivation apparatus, black goggled so he can't see, ear muffed, stretched out and tied out in a wet suit in an 80 degree water tank. Wo Fat's goal (as I remember) was first revenge and second to gain info about undercover police operations. No physical harm, but when rescued by his loyal comrades, McGarett was not his old "book'em Dan-o" self for several episodes. Torture by Gonzolez standards? Or no?

JohninKC: Exactly so.

When I insisted that we listen to "Stainedglass Bluegrass" on the car radio sunday morning on the way to Meeting, my then young daughter would complain of being "tortured". Now a lovely grown married woman, I doubt if she would compare THAT torture with this discussion's topic. As has been said before, morality can't be legislated. Ethical behavior is not necesarily legal. The fault shown by Abu Ghraib and the secret prisons and secret rendition and the present discussion about whether waterboarding (selective drowning) is "ethical" or "legal" by American standards (?only American standards?) has more significance than mere legal argument. When the truth came out about the activities at Abu Ghraib, everyone asked who is at fault? The US guards? Their captains? The CIA interrigators? I believe the fault goes all the way back to the young guard's teachers, Scoutmasters, even parents and clergy (if any). The permission to engage in any activity (waterboarding, bamboo splinters under finger nails) be done in the name of it's goal (information, loyalty sworn, supposed truth be declared) is given both EXTERNALLY ("I was only following orders") and INTERNALLY ("the devil made me do it") and SOCIALLY ("everybody else was doing it"). Somehow, the ability to refuse to follow those EXTERNAL orders and SOCIAL permission must be enfused in the person by our moral example as parents, clergy, teachers and Scout leaders. The courage to "do the right thing" is , I think, not innate in humans. It must be taught and exampled. Torture is, more than not, I think, about revenge. The inability to see the "enemy" as a human such as ourselves, leads to the need to subjegate, dehumanize and punish. Are the Japanese or the Germans still the "yellow peril" or the "devil Hun"? Our perception and depiction of "the Other" is dependant on our personal experience and often the projected needs of our government and business interests. Is this, perhaps, an extreme form of... bullying? The ability to codify, and define what our society will and will not accept in behavior (even in time of war) goes a long way to displaying to others what it is that makes America unique and desirable. It also makes it impossible for other folks to point and say "see??? They did it!! We can do it to them!!!" so that we have no reason to point and say "see?? We need to do it back , just like they did it to us!!" In the mean time, how does the Golden Rule come into this debate? How would we , as Scouts, (at least), if not people of Faith (pick one), react in similar situation? Could we have the courage to say "nope. won't. It's wrong."? Or would we do the dunking?

A "derby" (hat) made out of wood (pine) is suggested to me by your question. Some type of award ceremony, with the "Pinewood Derby" as the prize? A crowning of the CM as the "Speed Racer"? The Cubs would recognize that reference. Anyone out there remember the "Kerwood Derby"?

Wear Scout clothes. Hats Oh... And Money. Bring money.

Hal: Thanks for the finger pointing. Yes, dispite what I wrote, I meant the reverse. HALF the working limit. I guess I was thinking, if the need is to support 100#, then look for a working limit of 200#. Tie me kangaroo down, boys, tie me kangaroo down...

Things to remember (and rarely mentioned, it seems) with big, serious pioneering projects: *Nylon rope will stretch. I was given some Plymouth Cordage "Goldline", a twisted 5/8 inch rope, used for climbing. I rigged it with a 2 sheeve, 4 fall, block and tackle to move a large rock. When I pulled on the rope, the rock did not move but the rope strretched to more than twice its original length without breaking. Then the rock moved! Such stretching is good for shock absorbing in climbing and such cord may not stretch (and loosen)in lashing use, but consider it. *Synthetics slip in knots and lashing, if not counter tied correctly. The cord is smooth. *As has been mentioned, natural cord (manila, hemp, cotton) can be wetted before use and then will shrink somewhat after tieing and tighten thereby. *Lashings must be as TIGHT as you can pull them. If the knots are the least bit loose, the lashing will loosen. The wraps should be snug and the fraps should be TIGHT. Ending and beginning clove hitches (or other knot, as appropriate) need to be rotated around the poles so as to not be able to be pulled around further. *I've seen wire cord (steel cable) used in big, pro installations (harbor piers, etc.) but should never be used in Scout pioneering installations. *Most cord packages list "working" limits and "breaking" limits. Double the working limits for judging your use. * And don't forget the Fourth Law of Motion: "You can't push a rope."

Tarp tent 10x10 or preferred 12x12. Diamond set up. Put back (slant) toward prevailing wind (NW). Pile leaves up around bottom edges to block wind coming in. Tie mid tie-offs out to other trees to pick up roof. Pick up twigs and rocks from sleeping surface. Put down plastic sheet (old shower curtain) for ground cloth. Spread out bedroll, head up hill if possible, side wise if not. Zipper to center of tent. Jostle with tent mate, who is doing the same. Check tent edge drip clearance. Cover up backpack against dew/rain, outside leaves more room inside/under. After going to sleep, slooooowly slide out of tent due to slant of ground and slippery ground cloth. Grumble, get up, find big rock, put against bottom of sleeping bag, slide back into tent, go back to sllleeeeep. Thunder and lightning. Down pour. Tent mate wakes up too. Both pull sleep bags further into tent, pull ground cloths back into tent, pull big rock further into tent. Assume fetal positions, try to get back to sleep. Rain abates. (probably didn't know that word back then). Sleep alittle. Sunup. Rain has passed. We are the driest of our Patrol, but what's wet will dry out. What's a door? On my first overnight with the Troop as an ASM, I was surprised by the number of Scouts that mentioned "that's cool" looking at my low pitched tarp tent setup. And my son's Troop issue 'umbrella' tent that went rolling across the field when the wind picked up because they hadn't staked it down yet, taking inside sleeping bags and gear with it. Run, run Rudolph, Scouts have got to catch them a tent! Tarp just sort of rattled. Door?

It's been a while since I've seen a waffle iron used over a campfire, but I can say with some experience that if one gets good with it, one will be VERY popular. The 'mountain pie' iron is a large favorite at our campfires. Like any cuisine, it takes some practice and adjusting of the rrecipe. An art form, to be sure. Bon apetit.

Didja hear about the Scout that burned himself on his pancake griddle? It was waffle... Seriously, do you mean those two-sided sorta clam shell things you put batter into and clamp together and put in the coals and count to 30 and turn over and count to 30 and pull out and open up and hope the waffle batter has cooked and doesn't stick to the shells? That thing?

It will happen for me at the next Troop CoH, next week. I received notice of my ticket passing back in November. I figured the example of an adult getting an award for something earned might be a good thing for the Scouts to see and the other adults to think about. The Beading, as I've seen with my other Patrol members, is a good Scout history and tradition lesson. Our WB SM is an excellent story teller. Enjoy your day, and let your Cubs and Pack scouters enjoy it with you.

Fieldbook, 1948 (1959), pg.141... "Green Bar Bill pack you can make yourself. Drop a line to Green Bar Bill BOY'S LIFE for pattern." :-)

"...how an individual... can have a positive effect on a community." I think that many times, the young Scout may not have seen (or heard about)enough appropriate movies to meet this requirement. When my kids would say "ah, why do I have to watchTHAT old movie" or "why can't I listen to MY music?" I always told them (and they came to expect it!) it's part of my duties as a parent to make sure they have a COMPLETE cultural education. How will they know how the music/movie/anime/novel/comic of today came to be without what came before? Scout son now that wants to know more about the good ole days. I have a grown stepson who wants to be a computer graphic artist/game designer. Part of that came from my insistance that they watch, with me and MTSO, old movies, important movies, and THEN Scout son could choose a movie to use for the CiC MB: Twelve Angry Men. Give them choices, watch with them, let them ask questions and answer as you can. Try The 49th Parrallel,British movie produced while the US was still nuetral, before entering WW2.

The thing to note is the idea that (as mentioned in Nationals response, paraphrased) "the voluneers direct the affairs of the Council". Such is not always the case, as we all know. When was the last time your COR attended the Council Meeting? Does Owassippee ring a bell? Chicago Area Council? If the insiders don't let the outsiders know about what is portended, then things happen that maybe shouldn't or at least should be discussed a little more. I believe the modern term is "transperancy".