SSScout

Everybody is either on the bus or off the bus... A Scout unit owning a bus or the Charter Org owning the bus or a Scout parent owning the bus (A Scout is Trustworthy) should not be a problem... The problems will appear with the State insurance and driver Licensing requirements. Check out the requirements with your State MVA or DMV. The Commercial Driver License and Classification laws are very specific as to size of vehicle, seating capacity, etc. Passenger endorsement and School Bus endorsement for your CDL are very specific too. 'Course once one has the CDL, jobs are easy to get. Your Insurance Company will be very specific about WHO is allowed to drive the Church/Troop/Camp bus. Discount rates will be available to folks that certify a certain level of training and safe record. Check it out... What ever happened to the Automobile Driving Merit Badge?

Wonderful. That's why we're here. I am emailing my congrats to Eric via the articles author. But howcum this post isn't titled "Eric Burns"? Dan Snyder is only the Center Director...

My initial take on the post is that, yes, the Scout should get ALL his awards from the Troop. The Camp Class should always pass the TF, SC, FC, MB, Scout Lifeguard, Mile Swim, Totin Chip, etc. on to the Troop for final approval and presentation. I believe the TC class conselor was operating on the premise that this was an average Scout and "a Scout is Trustworthy". Pass the card to the Scout, he passes it on to the Troop. The Camp may have learned something here, the Troop may have learned something and hopefully the parents have picked up a piece of info about their son too. AND the Scout should find a complete bunch of adults in agreement here that ultimately he cannot manipulate. Standards of behavior have consequences.

Ah no... Ya gotta be a Camp Director... As the First Assistant Cub Scout Day Camp Director for Program Design, Procurement and Implementation, (guess what my significant other is...)I must say that if you build it, they will come and throw up on it. But you don't concentrate on the problems except to plan for the possibilities and solve them when and if they happen. You concentrate on the OTHER 200 Cubs smiling and saying 'OOO" and "AAAH". Even the Cub with the sprained ankle will remember the ambulance ride, if nothing else. The rest will learn alittle about map and compass use, what poison ivy looks like (maybe), the cool State Police Helicopter that landed, the big plastic sheet slip['n slide that no one else will have that summer, and the fish their buddy caught.. The parents will learn alittle about time with their boy, despite themselves. Maybe you can have a short conversation with the woman who sits behind her den, writing on her knee that proposal she HAS to have in the office TONITE. Or the Dad who is ASLEEP while the den pounds symbols into leather totems. Is he dedicated or trying to 'sleep it off' because... Lots of possibilities. Yeah, you want to be a CD or a FACSDCDPDPI. You know you do... Next years theme herebouts is "Wonderful World of Wheels". Finally, something we can get our Cub hands around... Gonna contact that Model T Club that disassembles a Model T and then Re-assembles it in less than 15 minutes...

At our CSDC this year (as in past years), we always have coffee and donuts on hand for the early staff settup folks. So we order 2 "Boxes o' Joe" from Dunkin'Donuts and 3 dozen donuts. Then two Packs, out of grattitude, bring us another "Box o' Joe", EACH. Then the staffer that comes in after lunch arrives with... another "Box o'' Joe". We take home 3 full "BoJs".... Next morning, change the order to ONE BoJ, and 3 doz Donuts...Same two Packs each bring ANOTHER BoJ each... Noon Staffer got the message... Home refrigerator is full of Iced Coffee... Third morning, we buy NO coffee, same two Packs (we did tell'em, gee thanks, but...) bring us ANOTHER two BoJ... So forth and so on... By the end of the week, we have given our neighbors BoJs, taken some to social hour sunday, and transferred mucho cafe to pitchers... **LET ME FINALLY GET TO MY POINT** If you take the BoJ apart, you will find inside a cardboard box (which can be recycled) an aluminized, double walled, mylar bladder with a safety grip ("squeeze and turn") cap. It is very strong, holds at least a gallon of liquid. If you attempt to wash it out, you find that soap, bleach, detergent will not faze the coffee taste. It will always make water held therein taste like coffee. So: What can you do with eight (8) gallon mylar bladders? Should one attempt to recycle more? Possibilities present themselves (both experimentally and theoretically): *Water storage (Camel backs?) *floats for rafts. *pool party toys *packing for shipping breakables *punching bags, hung from a tree limb *archery targets (tough, need SHARP arrows) *Water wings (duct tape, too) If really good ideas occur, should one go to DD and ask for free (cheap?) clean unused BoJ bladders?? Or do I really have too much free time? YiS

OO...OO...OO... By All Means... Love to compare... Did you do "Land of the Pharaoh-ohs"? The police and F & R folks came to our CSDC because they wanted to, not because they HAD to! Where do we send the coffee?(This message has been edited by SSScout)

Here's how I was taught. It works, but BE CAREFUL (you'll see why in a minute). Corfam? Nah... Collect: Shoes, Kiwi black wax polish in the little can (Esquire not so good, seems like), a small candle anchored on a plate, Cotton balls (cosmetic section), old wool sock, stiff bristle brush, cotton rag (T shirt?). Saddle soap, if possible. Allow AT LEAST an hour (HOUR) per shoe. Clean shoes with stiff brush and cotton rag as necessary. ( if they are new, just wipe dust off). Saddle soap to remove dirt. Water as nescessary. If leather soaks up water, let'em dry thoroughly before proceeding. Light candle. Take dry shoe, and with wool sock rub on LOTS of wax all over shoe. CAREFULLY, rotate shoe round and round (keep moving) over candle, (Non purists can try a hairdryer on high), melting the wax INTO the shoe leather. If you hesitate, or get too close, the wax may catch fire. BLOW IT OUT IMMEDIATELY. Burnt leather will not take a polish easily. The goal is to build up a base of wax soaked into the leather. You will be amazed at how much wax will dissappear into the shoe. Rub on some more wax, melt again. When you think you've got as much wax into the shoe as you want, proceed as follows: Take a cotton ball, and rub a leetle black wax ( I knew some, who at this point, used canning parrafin) onto the cotton. Soak it in COLD water, wring out most.And rub on the shoe in quick, circular motions. Wax dissapears. Dap on more wax. Rub. Wax. Rub in circular motion. Repeat as necessary all over shoe. When the cotton ball falls apart, take another and keep on keeping on. Not only go by visual quality but by tactile feel. EVENTUALLY (oh ye of little faith...), the shine will appear. Do not use the heat again. Only rubbing with the COLD water and wax on a cotton ball. The standard we held to was being able to see reflected in the toe or heel, two separate fingers from two feet away. (phew). A good job would only need a touch up before inspection. Not to be tried on desert boots... "Walk a mile in my (spit shined) shoes... Not on yer life!' Acronimically yours, YiS........

Might be too late to arrange this year, but we have 4 Troops that negotiate to work at the County Fair each year. In Uniform, they help direct parking and traffic, deliver ice to concessions, pick up trash, and act as 'gofers' for the Fair headquarters. I know, also, that the Fair is open to proposals from folks to operate food concessions and such. Are you chartered to a church or civic club like Lions? Perhaps they would partner with you for a funding project. Frinstance, at the Fair, we have several churches that run food stands and you'll see Scouts behind the counter in Troop Tshirts. Another idea::: Sponsor an "Outdoor Gear Flea Market" for your District or Council. Organize a place, advertise, rent tables and space for Troops and individuals to sell outgrown packs, tents, boots, etc. Good Luck... YiS

Thought: I hope this wasn't an IT class project. Fait accompli?

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