SSScout

Whoa... Memo to Fellow Staff: Misconstruing the unmeant misunderstood multiply referenced jargonistic lingo is to be avoided. Mebbe a new thread? SNAFU POTFH (Indiana U vs Purdue) GFY IMHO.... Write the letters to Outside, I've seen some very appropriate responses here, and THEY need to be addressed outside the choir, STS.

Osama dies and enters heaven. He is immediately met by Thomas Jefferson who nails him with a right to the jaw. As Osama gets up, he looks up to see Patrick Henry, who punches him in the stomach. Now doubled over, he looks up to see Robert E. Lee who is holding a table over his head and brings it down on Osama. Osama looks behind Lee to see a long line of people. He raises his hands and prays, " oh Allah, what is this? I do not understand..." A deep voice is heard: " don't you remember? I said 72 Virginians..."

Damdfudo, damdfudont...

Gern: Does the Significant Other know she's "current"? Or does that indicate a white water canoe partner?

Herr Ratzinger was elected Pope by the Catholic hierarchy. Since I am not Catholic, anything I might say would be as an outsider, nicht wahr? Be that as it may, Pope Benedict is the acknowledged head of his multi-national organization. As such, he is expected to make pronouncements about his organization. It happens to be a Church, which has as it's purpose, the definition of how its' members should (and why they should) worship God. I think that virtually every religion on this earth, from Anabaptist to Zoroastrian, would admit, if pressed, that theirs is the best way to God (and, in the Christian definition, "salvation"). So the head of the Catholic Church proclaims it to be the best way to God? This is a surprise? As the side show barker said, 'ya pays yer money and ya takes yer cherce'. "It is a sad Reflection, that many Men hardly have any Religion at all; and most Men have none of their own: For that which is the Religion of their Education, and not of their Judgement, is the Religion of Another, and not Theirs." ==William Penn== "The Fruits of Solitude" (This message has been edited by SSScout)

"National has just informed us that there is no truth to the rumor that the Cooking and Pet Care merit badges will be merged"

As per Monty Python>>>> "Attention, this is your Camp Director speaking. There is absolutely no cause for alarm. "

And shall we mention the movie "Castaway" with Tom Hanks?

One more thing occurs to me that hasn't been mentioned here.... Mosquitoes are attracted to the more odivarous person. Hence it is preffered to use non-perfumed soap OFTEN. And non-perfumed deoderant (not antipersperant). There's a selling point: Let the 'skeeters go to the more stinky Scout! YiS

Okay, here's your rope. Now, hold it on the table like this. No, make YOURS look like mine. Good. Now, you take the left end and,... no, the OTHER left end... There ya go... put it OVER... OVER the right end, and pull it under , like so... Hey, how does yours look like mine? yep. yep. Real Good! now see how the left end comes back to itself and the right end goes UNDER... and back... on its own piece... yeah! just like that!! sort of... And you call that.. what's your name again? yeah that's a Jamie knot!!... Now let's start again and see if we can do it really neat this time...You're right, it is like the shoe knot... Teaching a knot joins more than two pieces of rope.

Yep, gotta learn the benefits of cleanliness, which, if not 'next to Godliness' is oft times next to impossible. Recommend the movie/video: "NO MORE BATHS" (1998) by Feature Films for Families The kids band together to force a moral issue by refusing to take baths until the adults in the community 'do the right thing'. Kinda like a "Our Gang" with a deep thought.

mtm25653: I congratulate you on having such good rapport with your boy. Not everyone would divulge such to a parent. And, such skill and slieght of hand can be an asset. Now, how is he going to return the tab to it's rightful owner?

Yes, Just a little interest here... Okay, so some of us us oldsters think some of the Program has been eeeeased up abit, and some of us think it's just a sign of the times, and some of us see the PROGRAM being adapted to attract "todays boy" (marketing). Still, there ain't no more Blacksmithing MB, and some might mourn the loss of the Rabbit Raising MB. The 2x4 that my father built with measured 1-7/8 x 3-7/8. The "2x4" you buy at H-D today will measure 1-3/4 x 3-1/2. Is there a paralell? Or am I just being meloncholy, regretting the loss of my halcyon youth? At the past CSDC, my buddy the DC, observed to me, and we discussed how uncoordinated and unfit some of our Cubs seemed to be: left vs right, following directions difficult, hard to keep up with the group, soccer field slow, etc. compared with what we remembered and from talking to 'older' school teachers. Not statistics, just anecdotal... And Scouting goes on.

Le Capitain Ron.... Aw, Aw, Aw,,,, Zat is, 'ow you say, rich? N'cest pas? No fois gras por vous...

If there is/was such a thing as a nudest Scout Troop, how would the "uniform" method be applied?

""The society which scorns excellence in plumbing because plumbing is a humble activity and tolerates shoddiness in philosophy because it is an exalted activity will have neither good plumbing nor good philosophy. Neither its pipes nor its theories will hold water."" John W. Garner, Forbes Thought page Aug 1, 1977 from The Official Rules by Paul Dickson

Extreme Pioneering::: Google "Chinese Bamboo Scaffolding" and marvel at the 50 stories high, LASHED together outer scaffolding utilized in construction. start at www.inbar.int/nm At the Jambo, we saw a lashed together merry-go-round, several 'tensegrity' structures, all lashed from poles and rope. Maaavelous... Wrap it thrice, frap it twice...

In the topic of Neckerchiefs:::What Kudu and Nessmuk said... Since the Boy has become a Scout, I have had a chance to compare Then with Now. I have begun to feel that alot of Scouting has been 'softened' to supposedly make it more appealing to "Todays Boy". (a spin off?). Consider: ** Neckerchief becomes a decorative item, rather than of intended, practical use. It is "optional", by Troop decision. ** Rank requirements have been obviously eased, Frinstance, no signaling requirement for FC. (you find the others). ** Uniform in general is less military ( a good thing) but has lost it's practicality. Cuffs on short sleeves? Yeah, multi pockets on trou are better... ** Upper rank requirements (S,L,E) have been "stream lined" with many of the E required MBs now required for S and L. ** The boy no longer has to plan for himself, what MB to earn, how to find a MB counselor, how to become a POR, etc. The Troop has in house MB counselors and planned MB sessions, on a schedule, that by necessity MUST lead to Eagle. ** The beginning ranks (Sc,T,SC,FC), demonstrably have less outdoor stuff to do. The Scout Handbook has less instruction on outdoor skills and games than the older Handbooks. "Scouting for Boys" became "The Handbook for Boys" became "The Boy Scout Handbook". Is that significant? ** The "Field Book", which was a volume of advanced outdoor skills, is now more a manual of Junior Leadership Training. With my older FB I can identify trees, barbecue a whole ox, and pass the first Scout Ranks. With the new FB I can lead a trip to the Sierras. Is this better? ** Oh, that's enough for now. What say you, young and older ? YiS

Aw, aw, aw,,,,mon voyageur, he say... Iz zere a franch vershaun of zeze song, Eh?

I eventually had three books. Looking back, I think perhaps the "politically correct" folks may have been active even back then. My first book past Cubs (Lion then Webelos) was "The Handbook for Boys" . Read that title again. Small, thick, black and white, LOTS of stuff on nature, tracking, camp craft, etc.but pocket sized. Sometime later, the bigger "Scout Handbook" came out, bought that. Full color, pretty, but no indian/Scout on the cover, only a Scout in full stride.. Why the title change? I am not equiped to compare the two for content. The third was also a larger book, again with a "pretty "cover. Same difference in title. Seems even back then, 'they' were trying to make us more exclusive? Is that the right word? Boy vs Scout Handbook vs Manual Is there a difference? I have them all socked away in a box out in the garage. I'll get'em out again sometime the Boy gets curious about his old mans history...

Ah, the joys of the net... Many movie sellers for every genre, just google the title... First source for me is www.moviesunlimited.com Don't forget to review the GtSS when watching the rescue scene. YiS

Unmaking Makes The World by Wendell Berry The year relents, and free Of work, I climb again To where the old trees wait, Time out of mind, I hear Traffic down on the road, Engines high overhead. And then a quiet comes, A cleft in time, silence Of metal moved by fire; The air holds little voices, Titmice and chickadees, Feeding through the treetops Among the new small leaves, Calling again to mind The grace of circumstance, Sabbath econonmy In which all thought is song, All labor is a dance. The world is made at rest, In ease of gravity. I hear the ancient theme In low world-shaping song Sung by the falling stream. Here where a rotting log Has slowed the flow: a shelf Of dark soil, level laid Above the tumbled stone. Roots fasten it in place. It will be here awhile; What holds it here decays. A richness from above, Brought down, is held, and holds A little while in flow. Stem and leaf grow from it. At cost of death, it has A life. Thus falling founds, Unmaking makes the world. * * * Good Scouting to you all.

Local Bear story: WB weekend, out near Harpers Ferry, camp ground near the AT in VA. First morning we go to breakfast, one of the men asks if anyone had a "big black Labrador" (meaning dog) in camp? Well, we knew the camp caretaker had some dogs, but upon inquiry, nope, wasn't one of them... oh well. Next morning, one of my camp mates said he didn't sleep too well, seems there was a "big bull frog" near camp that kept him awake with it's "wonk, wonk, wonk" as it went thru camp...?THRU CAMP? FROG? This gentleman was a city kid, so some of us went back to camp and looked around and , by golly there they were, bear tracks in the soft dusty areas. Seems that 'big black Labrador" that was seen at a distance the day before was a Black Bear!! No food in OUR camp, just a lot of sweaty old men... YiS

"... and thought that acting up would get him sent home." Well, in that part of his life, I guess he got what he (thought) he wanted. Makes me wonder where else in his life he isn't getting what he (thinks) he wants? He probably isn't aware of it... I bet he'd enjoy a couple of lessons in carving from an patient expert.

Signs UP !! Before we dismiss the class for summer recess, let's review the summer reading assignments: Of course, the DoI and the C, all umpteen pages... Common Sense Speeches and Letters from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (choose two for report) Federalist Papers * * * Movies to watch: Day of the Jackal Z Gandhi The 49th Parrallel Follow Me Boys (don't forget to review the GtSS) Judgement at Nuremberg Soylent Green King of Hearts It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World And don't forget your assignment is to develope an essay of from 50 to 5,000 words comparing any American president with Idi Amin. Especially examine their social support programs. Have fun over the summer and see you next fall. "It's for the Kids".