SSScout

God's Drum By Hartley Burr Alexander (from "Gospel of the Redman"==Ernest Thomas Seton) The circle of the Earth is the head of a great drum; With the day, it moves upward - booming; With the night, it moves downward - booming; The day and night are it's song. I am very small, as I dance upon the drum-head; I am like a particle of dust, as I dance upon the drum-head; Above me in the sky is the shining ball of the drum stick. I dance upward with the day; I dance downward with the night; Some day I shall dance afar into space like a particle of dust. Who is the Drummer who beats upon the earth-drum? Who is the Drummer who makes me to dance his song? - * - YiS

Does a Bear fry frijatas in the woods?

Let me add my personal favorite... Contact your state police aviation division. I would assume there is one. Ours (Maryland) was quite cooperative about local tours of their helicopter barracks. The best thing, tho, was for our CSDC. When a Dauphin Medivac 'coper lands right in front of you,ooo the Cubs go crazy. Lots of up close and personal conversation with the pilot and his EMT about the aircraft , missions, flying, physics of flight, etc. And then they take off!!! 200 mph winds blow everybodys hats and everything everywhere. I might think, with the right place and polite invite, your state police might do the same. Check also local radio control model flying clubs. They love to welcome visitors and show off their skill. Don't forget, ""Take offs are optiional, Landings are mandatory""

OWLS... ""Rulers of the night,, Conquerers of the Day""

"Heart desease is natures way of telling us to slow down" Seriously, follow your docs advice, take it easy, call in those markers and get the friends to take your boy to Scouts. Make sure the boy knows how proud you are of his activities and accomplishments. Do the background stuff like wingnut suggests. Take the boy out on one-on-one things, as you are able. Invite him to come along on your walks or therapies. Does he have any competitors for your attention? It may be the case that Scouting was "his time with you" and he sees the need to sacrifice FOR you! You can still make that decision unnecessary. My dad had never been a Scout, altho in his younger days he had been (among other things ) a timber cruiser. He liked the outdoors but couldn't do too much hiking or active camping WITH me, but he was very supportive of my Troop. And when he had HIS 'minor infarction' (twice), he made it clear that my life would proceed as before, with certain adjustments on his end. Mom drove me to meetings for awhile, etc. He lived to see my Eagle and graduate from HS and college and marriage and granddaughter. Make it clear to your boy that he ain't done with you yet. God be with you and your family.

Considerations as they occur to me::: Hold a patrol campout in THEIR backyard (dad should be able to arrange this). Does the boy have a friend or two in the troop? have them come over to visit with the boy, lobby the mom, talk about the fun, pride, etc. Again, dad can facilitate this? Make sure the mom is included in Committee things. Ask her to help plan something. Be in charge of the "welcome home" picnic, perhaps. Good Scouting to you!

Spinning pins.... Look to the rear of the pin, clean it well with a little alcohol on a cloth. If the back is really smooth, rough it up a bit with a little fine sand paper or scratch it with a knife blade a little. THEN... A SMALL dab of hot glue on each side of the pin/pin. Not too big a dab, now. Let it dry. When you attach it (pin the pin with the pin) to your uni or hat, it will be not spin. You're welcome.

The single biggest hit at our CSDC? I contacted the State Police and arranged for their Medivac helicopter ("Trooper Eight")to land, on cue, as all the boys are sitted around "Akela Heliport". Blew tents, tarps, hats, Denwalkers shirts all over. The pilot and his EMT spoke about the aircraft, the equipment, their missions, the schooling they needed for almost an hour. The boys got to meet some real live local heroes. And when they took off, 300 MPH downwash wind from the rotors made everyone smile and hold on to their hats again! Make sure you have a large enough area. Call the State Police Aviation Section (or what ever their local title) early enough, and ask their advice.. Paint a "Heliport" symbol (big 'H' in a triangle) on the ground and enclose it with safety tape on posts. Keep the State Police Air Dispatcher phone number on your cell phone for the day, just in case. Bet your woggle we'll do it again this year! "Ask and they will come"

Discuss the computer concept of "G I G O" with your significant youngers.

"Religion::n. 1) the service and worship of God or the supernatural 2) devotion to a religious faith 3)a personalset or institutionalized system of religious beliefs, attitudes and practices 4) a cause, principle or belief held to with faith and ardor. Religious organizations that are not religions::: National Council of Churches, Habitat for Humanity, Tolerance, Inc., Interfaith Council, Cops for Christ, The Christian Childrens Fund, The Gideons, The Red Crescent, Knights of Columbus, American Friends Service Committee, any Department of Religious Studies at your local College, usw, etc. "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment..." don't mean Congress can't encourage the people to pursue the religion (or religious organizations) of their choice... hence, some orgs are tax exempt, without regard to their flavor of religiosity. I think the Ethical Society nearby is also tax exempt. It's all good. "By their fruits ye shall know them". Seems to me it's not so much what the persons action is, so much as the rationale that is in debate here. Our country is notable because of its protection of the minority group in any debate/conflict/discussion/argument. If the Majority wills one thing, the minority is free to do its thing so long as that thing does not interfere with the Majority. If the M wants to do rites and practices and does not coerce the m to also participate under the same conditions, we're OK. So if a m enters a XYZ church and the m starts making a commotion, the M of the XYZ church has the right (not rite) to remove the m. If the m wants to participate (or watch) and the M does not object (Mormon Temples are "private", Masonic Temples are "private"), then come on in. ??? At least here in the US... (This message has been edited by SSScout)

Go to "Oriental Trading Co." Wade thru the glitzy dross in their catalog, they have a very passable compass, colorful plastic, rotating bezel, degrees marked by 3s, on a string. DO NOT order the black and white compass without the string, it is NOT magnetic, only for looks. About a buck each, less if you order by the dozen. Used them for CSDC for Cub M&C Belt loop. Here's what we did: Maps on the wall, graded down by scale: National Geographic map of the universe, then the Solar System, then the world, then North America, then the State, then the County, then the Park and lake. Talked about scale, symbols, latitude, longitude,etc. Oriented the maps to each other. Then some fun "On three, everyone point NORTH! 1,2,3!!" Talk about confusion. Pass out compasses. Talk about magnetic north versus geographic north, east, west, south. Play with compasses, attracted to steel columns, table legs, etc. Stay away from them! Walk a set compass course, practice pacing off a set distance. Practice walking a straight line by sighting a compass angle, sight on and then walk toward a landmark.. All done in less than an hour. String on compass lets it be looped onto the totem cord or belt. KiS MiF YiS

Overly protectivity is not gender specific. I led trips for AYH. A father called me, his 14 year old son was signed up for a weeklong bike trip, would I check over his bike? I said certainly, bring it over. He and his son arrived alittle later. I tightened and trued and talked to them about the trip. The father asked how the teens on the trip would travel. I said once they were on Cape Cod, by bike. The trip was totally self contained, they and their leaders carry everything on their bikes and stay in hostels and campgrounds. He said, they carry EVERYTHING? I said yes. He said that wasn't clear when they signed up. The boy says, yes it was, don't you remember...? When I was finished with the bike, I told the boy to take it around the block and see how it rode. The dad followed in the car. It was starting to drizzle a little. When they got back, the boy thanked me and started to put the bike in the car. The dad asked, what happens if it rains? I said they get wet. He seemed honestly surprised by my answer, but said nothing, I remembered he looked at the boy. We talked about raingear and drying off. When they left, I was not sure if the dad wasn't going along to Cape Cod, but I thought I had seen an understanding grin and shake of the head from the boy as they got in the car.

What Hunt said and what OGE said... The biggest problem is always when one says their club/org/association is "so and so" and no others need apply. What one truly wants is a club/org/association with a defined purpose and character that will allow ALL to join in with the understanding that 'here's the way we is' and if they will allow for the way things is, welcome and be seated. But if the joiner is eager to change the definition and character, then they should be prepared to be unappreciated. Build houses for the disadvantaged? Great. Say a prayer over the new owner? That's what we are. Join Scouts and accept a 'Scout's Own' on sunday morning of the campout. That's the way we are. Join a Muslim CPack, expect a certain behavior. Join a Troop sponsored by an American Legion Post, expect flag waving. Etc. Usw.

15 Scouts. 3 adult Scouters. 3 "real" patrols in troop, but for the purposes of the campout, two patrols are created. Hike in short distance, set up Friday night dry. SM sleeps alone in his small tent. One ASM sleeps w/son in their tent. Third adult (parent of attending Scout) sleeps alone in his NEW tent. SPL sleeps alone in his small tent. Rest of Scouts pair up in troop tents, three in one bigger tent. Camp is set up, and map & compass, Nature study goes on Saturday.. It POURS down rain that night. Third adult new tent leaks like sieve. Three boy tent leaks in one side and soaks one sleeping bag (love those bathtub bottoms). ASM moves into van for night. One boy of three moves in with ASM son. SM and Third adult bunk together, snugly. SPL throw tarp over his tent and avoids the obvious. Rest of Troop stays reasonably dry. Sunday morning, sun breaks out and a dryer day is enjoyed. Boys learn how to adapt. YiS

"Daddy, what's that sign?" "That's a speed limit sign" "But what does it say?" "It READS 'speed limit 40', Jacky" "And why does it reeeead 'speed limit 40', daddy?" "Because that's the speed that the police think is a safe speed for cars to be traveling on the road in this area, son" "Is that your speed -oh-meter, daddy?" "Yes" "And does that show how fast we are going?" "Yes." "It's pointing to the six-five, daddy" "Uh, no it's not, see those little lines are the numbers between the big numbers, so now it's pointing to the 40 one two three four five, see?" "Uh-huh. What is the sign for, daddy?" "It's supposed to tell people not to go faster than forty miles per hour, 'cause it's not safe. If you do, and they catch you, you can get punished." "So you go faster so they can't catch you?" "No, son, I go faster because... because I get in a hurry and I forget sometimes. Doesn't make it right. But if everyone drove however they wanted, or as fast as they wanted, we'd have alot more accidents and alot more people would get hurt. See?" "Uh-huh. But isn't 45 more than 40?" "Uh, yes." "So are you going to get punished?" "I hope not." "So are you going faster than forty?" "Well, see, sometimes the speed limit is really really safe, but you can safely drive a little faster. And the police won't bother you if you exceed the speed limit unless you are traveling a whole lot faster than than the speed limit. It's called 'leeway'" "Leeway?" " Yes. The term comes from old sailing ship days. It's a persons judgement. You'll usually never go wrong following the rules. The authorities go to alot of thought and trouble to figure out these rules so everyone will be safe. So you should be really clear and have a really good reason not to follow a rule and be ready to take the punishment if they catch you at it. Sometimes if you explain what your reason was the judge or whoever is going to punish you.." "Like you and me, daddy?" "Yeah, like you and me. Sometimes they won't punish you if you have a really good reason for not doing the rule." "Uh-huh." "Jacky?" "Yes,daddy?" "You're a good teacher, you know that?" "I am?" "Yes you are. Okay, here we are. Put your seatbelt back, there. Hello Ms kelly, here he is..." "Goodbye daddy. Drive safely!!" "I will. You be good, now." "Okay, daddy"

Not only should the Ws' get a program that will involve them and lead them on to being "loyal Scouts" (where did I hear that?), a creative CM will know to include his Ws in the leadership of the Pack. The younger Cubs should be able to look up to the Ws as examples (Wow! I'll get to do XY and Z when I become a W!), but the Ws should be encouraged to take on some leadership roles in the Pack. Good flag ceremonies, skits, knot tying demos, uniform wear, etc. Don't let them become a CS elitist group, which only says to themselves (and as read by the younger Cubs) "Hey, when can I get out of this kiddie play group?" Include them, use them, appreciate them. Let's see now, it was only sigalevety ump years ago that I was a Lion Cub and then a Webelos and then... I seem to remember that when Lion Cub was eliminated, the graduation became Wolf, Bear, Junior Webelos , Senior Webelos. Am I remembering that right?

The Jambo can be, I would aver, divided into four types of people. There is (are?) the pro staff, the volunteer staff, the Scout participants and the visitors. And the military support staff, I guess. Five types. It is, IMHO, one of the best uses of military spending around. The Scout Participants are selected by a competitive method. Not everybody who applies can attend. I think (correct me here) but each national region/council selects the Scouts that attend from their area. Draw from a hat? Write an essay? Know somebody who knows somebody? The method is unknown to me, but in my attendance last time, I was led to believe that each area had their own criterion for selection. And any one else can show up and attend for the day, and participate in anything for which you feel like standing in line. Upwards of 43,000 last time, plans for 75,000 in 2010??? Whoa! Hope to see you there!

My Scoutmaster said,"soap the pot, And the cleaning will go like a shot" So that's what I did, Bottom, in, out and lid. Bubbly stew but edible...not! Poison Ivy has green leaflets three. Scouts certainly know this, don't we? Yet we sometimes get lesions In sensitive regions From using the wrong leaning tree...

Added Value... "And if you order your belt before 10:30, we will include , absolutely free, a simulated brass safety clip that is specially designed JUST for your belt!" Things I have seen hanging from the clip (sometimes more than one): -pocket knife. -compass. -match safe. -coil of rope. -signal flag (?linesman?) -ANOTHER clip. -dog leash, with small dog attached! Any more?

Oy veys mir... I'm not sure I have boots tall enough to wade thru all this... In no particular order... I was referring to Jesus' having no POLITICAL power, not spiritual power. Yes, he allowed a lot to happen to fulfill the prophecies and his Fathers will, but still, he had no POLITICAL power. And that is what is spoken of here. Constitutional law... as opposed to moral rectitude... The Great Compromise allowed the southern states to count the SLAVES as less than a whole human. And then not allow them to vote, because they (slaves) were not citizens, but "property". Back then, the Constitution Acknowledged slavery, but it's hard to say that it CONDONED it. Most of our Founding Fathers mentioned the moral evil of slavery, but had no easy way to end it. So the Constitution did acknowledge the holding of Humans as Property, not as Humans. But then so did the Bible (acknowledge, not condone...). Another topic. A whole lot of people worked to correct that error. I like the previous observation that the Hebrews were given the Ten Commandments, telling them "Thou shalt not kill" and then were instructed to go and annihilate an entire population so they (the Hebrew people) could inhabit that land. Makes me shiver. So, when it comes to personal relations, political action, social exchanges, language used, interpretation of law.... WWJD? TBC...

David.self: Welcome to the forum! ( or is it the colliseum? Hard to tell sometimes) Let's see now, Jesus was not european, but Pilate was. Jesus had no power, but Pilate had the power of life and death in the land, speaking for Caesar. Pilate "washed his hands" of the affair, and let the "locals" deal with their "problem". I perceive that the previous thread was (in part) dealing with how one treats people who are of a different color/heritage/religion/language than oneself. Some folks perceive themselves as superior to others by virtue of their place of birth or type of parents or professed religious faith and hence suppose that it is appropriate to deal with those "others" by excluding them from those areas that the self declared superior folks have control over: Schooling, housing, employment. The British attempted it in India.("White man's burden") . Mahatma Gandhi led a successful non- violent rebellion there. It was VERY non-violent, but people still died. So is Jesus' example appropriate here? What does THAT have to do with THIS? I think Lisabob spoke to part of it. Many primitive tribes have names for themselves that translate into english as "the people". If WE are "the people", that makes every one else NOT the people, and it is therefore correct to NOT deal with THOSE as EQUALS. It really did take an act of Congress (and the SCOTUS) to declare that someone with dark skin IS "a man". And not an "other". Why did the Constitutional convention come to "The Great Compromise" when dealing with the "negroes" of the southern states? I do not belive that the "war of northern aggression" was fought over purely "States Rights". Unless it was the "right" to keep the "others" in their place. Hope that helped. YiS

It occurs to me that Jesus was not a white caucasoid european. Presumably neither was the Sanhedron. But Pilate was. TS: WWJD?

Aztec human sacrefice... ummm... Well, I guess we missed that one back in Abraham's time. Here's a site to mess with your collective minds and stretch the idea of inclusiveness... it seems there are many, many "true faiths". www.religioustolerance.org Is there a Scout movement in Haiti? do they have a Voodoo religious award?

"Veeery Interesting. But Shtupid." =Artie Johnson= MRL: Now you've got my attention. Except for those who accept the faith given them by their family and environs ( Friends use the term 'birthright'), one's expressed faith is a choice. And it is correct to use the term "convinced". Most Friends these days ARE "convinced". That is the term we use for those that come to worship with us and after a time CHOOSE (decide??) to declare themselves in agreement with Friend principles and testimonies. It is ultimately a CHOICE, even if it is a choice not to change. Evangelicals, of what ever persuasion, have as their mission to CONVINCE you of the rightness, the correctness, of their position/opinion/religion/faith. And, yes, Athiesm is a religion. It is a belief in the non-existance of God. Look up any Ethical Society and you will find an organization with all the trappings of a church/temple/mosque except the name. Sermons (lectures), Study groups (discussions), Sunday school (youth groups), even hymn sings (musicales). Choose for an hour? Naw, that's experimenting, not choosing. Choosing is declaring onesself, much as you have. Choosing is telling the world what you are. "Here I stand". That's the importance of water baptism for a Baptist. Pick a religion, and there is usually a way for the proponent to publicly declare themselves. "Is you is or is you ain't my baby". Thank you Fats Waller. YiS

Friend LongHaul speaks much of my mind. I do not choose to be a Jew. I do not choose to be a Baptist. I do not choose to be an athiest. But I could. We have that choice and the results accordingly. But some folks, in their search for truth either 1) do not search, but accept what has been given them already by family, or school. or 2) settle in to a faith (yeah even atheism can be called a faith) that seems to suit them, a 'comfort zone' or 3) keep looking to find an explanation for how the world came to be, as it is or as it might be, or 4) to explain what comes after THIS life, or.... I am still reminded of Kipling's story of the several blind men trying to convince each other of their own perception of what an elephant is (or at least their portion of an elephant). Our elephant is, after all, far too immense for any one of us to fully understand or fully explain it to the rest of us. I am not convinced that the nations leaders from our founding on were ever fully guided by principles that Jesus would acknowledge as his own. Like many others, they picked and chose those that suited them and found ways to ignore the others. Watching "Liberty's Kids" with my son, we were able to see many examples, even in this simplistic exposition, of many of our Founding Fathers jealousy, greed, lack of trust, lack of 'Christian Charity' and racial and religious bigotry. It is well known that much of the Articles of Confederation and later the Constitution were inspired by the governance of the Iroquoi Confederacy. Did Christianity contribute, Of course. Were many of our founders Diests? of a certainty. Some were Jewish. Maryland had a religious war(!) before the Catholic Lord Calvert allowed the toleration of the Quaker settlers. Pennsylvania was at peace with all it's native population until the majority of the colonial legislature ceased to be Quaker and then Pennsylvania had every bit as much war as the rest of the colonies. Even Ben Franklin was questionable. As I think it was Winston Churchill who said that our system of government is far from perfect, but it is the best we've come up with. We are not perfect, tho we may strive for it. The important thing is being honest in our admission. I have to do some laundry. Been nice talking to you! TBC...