SSScout

So you line up some big barrels and label them "Smith for senator" "Jones for Senator" Beetlebaum for Governor", Natchez Trace for Governor," Clyde Feester for County Council," Begeesus McMurphy for County Council," ETC. and tell people to vote with their Canned Food!! Fill up the barrel!! Gross tonnage wins the election!! Jes a thot... YiS

cmckean: mega dittoes: Welcome to the electronic crackerbarrel (a better appellation, I think. Fire tends to melt circuitboards. Check out some of the socio-political discussions here, and marvel that we have escaped meltdowns more than once). I was privileged to serve in the Chaplain Corps at the last Jambo. I was most gratified to see such a cooperative and accepting group of faithful men (and women). I was part of a very desparate group. And I never once saw or heard one faith disparaged at the expense of another. More stories about that another time... We had a survey that was as inclusive as I could imagine. It was very upfront, asking "with what faith do you best identify youself" and then listing maybe 40 religions names and 'other'! I don't remember the exact breakdown or census count, but you might contact the Relationships Committee at National and ask them. Now if I could only find that phone number... So, Unless your CO somehow limits membership to one faith (see particular threads about Catholic Troops), I don't think I would go fishing. These subjects generally come up either at the best, most opportune time, or at the absolutely worst of times. Either way you (as the Chap) may well be very surprised ("OOO, I didn't think...") or very amused (" well, I never would have guessed, Oh well...") or led to some very interesting conversations ("Wow, Really? Do you mean..." )("ya know, I never would have thought of that."). So what have you got to lose? You end up challenged and your own faith is reinforced or redefined, or perhaps you help reinforce or redefine someone elses, or at the very least you gain in knowledge about myriad parts of God's creation. In the mean time, I agree non-denominational "Scouts Own" services are a challenging, fun thing to attempt. Check out the various "Chaplain" links herein. ""May the Great Scoutmaster of all Scouts be with you til we meet again""" YiS

Thank you Hunt and Pack. Thee speaks my mind. I remember an old Arab (!) proverb that starts out with a camel who convinces his master that his nose is cold, so the master allows tha camel to put his nose inside the masters tent.... Soon the master is outside the tent and the camel is totally inside. Some of our wise leaders are trying us... what is allowed, what is not. What are their boundaries, the ones that we, the electorate, set. What will we allow?. What will our Constitution allow, not just for a "citizen" but for a "guest", whether willing or unwilling. How we treat a fellow human being shows to the world where our moral compass points. We already went thru alot of this back in 1865. It was agreed (against many peoples opinion) that the color of a man's skin does not presuppose him to be less of a man than someone else. That darker hued man is not TORTURED or executed due to his skin tone, but thru a public trial and due to publicly shown evidence of his guilt of a crime. (see Saddam Husseins trial). Here is where Habeas Corpus comes in. How many Dictators have "dissappeared" people that were ... inconvenient for them? Find the terrorists... prove their guilt or complicity... allow them a defence... then remove them from society to the degree called for. If our society and economic system is so distasteful to some in the world (and some of it is distasteful even by our standards. Another thread...uh ho) then find out how we can make it better. By some standards, the World Bank has done more harm than good. The railroad magnates of the 19th century were ugly greedy folks. Unions made them behave better. But many folks suffered thru that struggle. Is that simplistic? Is it true? Our world is a better place due to the struggles that our predecessors fought, the inventions they created, the ideas they argued, the 'truth they spoke to power' . Then how can Scouting, one boy at a time, make the world better?? Not just here in the US, but in Dafur? In Iraq? In China? In Haiti? (phew, too much to say, not enough fingers to type) "You have not convinced a man if you kill him"

Actual Scouts...Whoa... Actually, actual Scouts might be a nice change, actually...Nice change from all them virtual, make believe Scouts we've been hearing about. No kidding, ES06, glad to hear you (if not see). A more youthful perspective is always welcome to help counter the ole fuddy duddy side (we know who we are!) Think Rocking Chair Patrol. How you been? What's on your mind? YiS

Ditto about all that's been mentioned SPy Museum is a commercial venture. It is expensive, but cool. Accomodations??? Check out the International Hostel. Inexpensive, do some chores, meet some new people from all over the world. Right in the middle of Down Town DC. www.hiwashingtondc.org . One must join Hosteling International as a Troop or as individuals (think future use). Big groups NEED reservations... Also, look up the National Building Museum, in the old Pension Building. Near Metro, changing exhibits about construction, history of buildings, architecture. Introduce yourselves, they have Scout badge activiies, depending... Godspeed. YiS

Once upon a time, I was a "Special Tutor" in middle school. Kids with a particular problem (might be with a particular teacher, or a subject or needed help to catch up after a lengthy illness...) would meet with me for a period or two each day. I was a jack of all subjects! Worked close with the counseling office and the Asst Principal. One young girl had troubles with 5 of her 6 classes. Intelligent girl. With me, her school work was fine. But she could not meet with me 5 periods a day for the rest of the school year. The Asst. Princ. said he had met with the dad, who said, in essence, "not my darling girl!! Must be a problem with your *+?#$% teachers!!" Notes home got the same result. Asst princ arranged a meeting with both parents, the girl, all six teachers, and me. First time the dad had been presented with a united front. He could not refute eight adults all saying his "darling" was a hellion in class (except for math, which she loved). Result: Dad got homework: SPend one hour undiluted time with his daughter each night. Sign off her homework assignments. Sign off on weekly reports from each teacher thru the asst Princ. This lasted a month. The girls grades went from Ds to As and Bs, her activity reports went positive. She no longer needed my time and attention. Lesson for the present situation:. Mom may be getting (and believing) a highly filtered version of the incidents. She and Dad need to be made to believe that Cub needs everything that has been mentioned above, ("get his attention") AND Cub needs direct parent attention. AND the Pack needs 'bully' attention, too. What do we expect of a CUB SCOUT? "... the Cub Scout gives good will." I would be sure to somehow include the boys that backed up the Cub in the hat incident. They "got involved". Give'm a private Attaboy. Would that more people would "get involved" when they see something wrong happening. You may have to put it all in writing so all can finally agree on what happened, and what the consequences will be. And stick to it. It might not be a bad idea to include your DE, 'cause stuff like this can come back to haunt you. YiS.

Well, I can agree with some of my Scout brothers/sisters, but not all. Check the other thread about voting... SRBeaver: Thank you. I spent the best part of a week a couple summers ago teaching Cubs how to use a compass. (aside: recent NOVA PBS program about the earths magnetic field shifting.Gotta see that one again...) It occurs to me that along with a magnetic compass, we are charged with training our boys how to use their MORAL compass. Do we really want to have our country known for its great ability to enact REVENGE on captured soldiers/spies/alleged terrorists/convicted terrrorists/anti(pick a subject) folks ? And that is what torture ultimately is, not just to "extract" information, but to affect revenge for acts of our enemy, real or imagined. Read 1984 . And what evidence do we have that torture really reliably gains useful, real, intel? Is it worth our national reputation? Yes, we have enemies. Yes some around the world hate us (pick a reason). Do we really 'convince' them of our superior political/economic system by putting electrodes to their gonads? Read the thread about the Cub and the knife. What was that boy hoping to accomplish by his act? And why would the CM want to dissuade him from that choice of action? Perhaps the Abu Gharaib staff would like such a man in 10 years... I have a friend who works in the prison system, helping the inmates see a different way of living... She tells me that the biggest change comes not just when the inmate "gets religion", which ever one it is, but when the inmate sees the other fellow as HIMSELF. The Golden Rule we call it. It goes by other names in other faith and ethical traditions. I remember an interview by Jack Paar of Dick Gregory. Gregory has always espoused simple non-violence, but as young as I was at the time, I was deeply impressed by Gregory's argument and sincerity. One can not teach peace with violence. "The beatings will continue until morale improves" reads the poster on the boss's wall. Only half tongue in cheek. OOps. Gotta get to work. The bank says I don't yet own my house all by myself. Thank you for this chance to pray out loud. Romans 12:19-23 YiS

And I try to explain to my son (22 yearold daughter has already given up on politics) as we watch 'Liberty's Kids' how the electoral system works...and why his grummy and his mom and I am going to the polls to vote. And I try to explain why George Washington (the original dubya) refused to even think about accepting the title "your Excellency", how he preferred "Mr. President". We went to Annapolis last year and watched a recreation of George Washington resigning his commission as Commander in Chief of the Continental Army to the Continental Congress. Very moving... "...tip my hat to the new Constitution, take a bow to the new revolution, smile and grin at the change all around..." Vote. While you can.

Romans 12:19 - 21

Let me see if I fully understand this... 1) If I think that Tommy has some information that I need, I can grab him and take him to a secret location and whip him or sort of drown him or put electrodes on his earlobes and zap him a little until he tells me what I think he knows that I didn't. 2)And I probably don't want Tommy's friends to know the techniques that I used, so I might want to keep these things secret... 3) When Tommy has 'lost his usefulness' (told me all I think he knows that I didn't), I have the following choices of actions: a)kill him b)let him die accidentally (so sorry) c) release him to another country and let them 'extract' information they need (see above methodology) d) release him and make it illegal for him to tell anyone what happened to him while in captivity. If he does, We can (legally!!) arrest him and imprison him again? Have I got that right? And our Congress is OK with that? And the Consttution is OK with that? And this is the America of the High Moral Ground that pursued the Nurremburg trials because the Nazis did what?? And I am a Scout leader because...

If I were the CM, (useta be) I would take the Cub and his parents aside, privately, and speak about the importance about: 1) following thru with promises (keeping your word). You might even use the topic as a CM Minute...(not to mention any names, of course). 2)If he "earned" it,discuss the Whitlin' Chip card the Whitlin' Chip requirements, and did he think he had been true to those requirements? The 'pulling' of the card and it's privilege is an appropriate result of his actions, yes? Do the parents agree in this? I would hope they would. He can 'earn' it again at a latter date. 3) Let him know you understand his frustration in the actions of his fellow Cubs (speak to them seperately). Did he somehow feel threatened? Is there any history of "bullying" in the Pack? Maybe the other Cubs were expressing their affection of him in an immature way. The Cubs that went out of their way to help retrieve the hat certainly were supportive. Maybe the 'potatoe' throwers and the hat grabber were "trying" him, how would he react? If they get the 'rise' out of him they sought, they might be emboldened to do it again. Ask him how he might react in a different way? to get a different result? 4) Yeah, kids tease and try each other. Every elementary school class has a "pecking order" and cliques and gangs will develope But you must make it plain that THESE are not ordinary kids, but Cub Scouts and more is expected of them. Sure, they will make mistakes and they will experiment (that's what being human is about), but the way they treat each other is what we're dealing with here and what we, as parents and Scout leaders expect of them. 5) Is it possible to help the 'bullies' also realize the real results of their actions? Are there more esoteric reasons behind their actions? ((boy, bet you never thought you'd get into stuff like this when you stuck that blue spot on your left sleeve)) Okay, that's enough to think about. I hope I've not confused you too much with my observations. In the mean time, KISMIF YiS

Don't forget the grass skirt for the Cub Master And Volcanoes are always popular(think Mauna Kea.. Pele...) .Make a paper mache mountain, with a small caldera on top.A little red food coloring, Bicarbonate of soda and vinegar make a respectable lava flow. Experiment outside to see the effect before you commit to a public display. If you have a chemist in your circle, see if he can obtain some Ammonium Bichromate. In good ventilation, On an old cookie sheet, mounded up a heaping tablespoon of the Am BiChr. , drop a couple of drops of alcohol on the top. CAREFULLY light a match and set fire to the alcohol (sometimes it is not needed). The orange crystaline Am BiChro. will burn, turn green and QUINTUBLE in volume, making a nice simulated cinder cone. Aloha!

The best movie quote to use to respond to this news is... a) "I got a bad feeling about this..." b) "Go and bring in the usual suspects..." c) "Tomorrow is another day" d) "Be vewee vewee qwiet... I'm hunting wabbits.... hehehehehe..."

Hokey Dokey. The sash is worn OVER the right shoulder with the pointy end on ones left hip. Merit Badges are lined up in rows of three from the top down, on the FRONT, and "temp" patches may now be worn on the BACK of the sash. Well enough. Boy in our Troop has ADD issues, and very encouraging parents. Just made First Class. Seems he sewed his badges on the sash himself. Real nice, neat job. He showed it to me and I inspected it for him when he brought it proudly to the CoH Troop meeting. Trouble was, he sewed the mbs on so that the pointy end was the top and the tempo badges were on the front. I gently showed him my sons sash and let him make his own comparison. He nodded and went to his parents to confer. He received his FC without wearing the sash, but his folks were proud none the less.(This message has been edited by SSScout)

Lisabob: Amen... Scouts that would do a Webelos Weekend would do well to obtain a Web Book and plan the activities around the pin requirements. I would also suggest a Whitlin' Chip class. The back of the WhCh card lists the safety rules to cover: 1. I will treat my pocket knife with the respect due a useful tool. 2. I will always close my pocketknife and put it away when not in use. 3. I will not use my pocketknife when it might injure some one near me. 4. I promise never to throw my pocketknifefor any reason. 5. I will use my pocketknife in a safe manner at all times. One might also provide some training on proper sharpening technique and then show how to actually carve and whitle. We used bars of soap to good effect. They then have a CLEAN souvenir to take home!!. We also include some show and tell about different types of knives and their proper use. Give the Cub a small paper certificate as avidence of his successful completion of the class to take back to his Pack so they can make the award as appropriate: ""(blank) has completed the class in Whitlin' Chip requirements presented by Troop XXX at the (Webelos Weekend) held at (Camp Wet River) on 31 February, 2006. His Cub Master should review the safety rules on the back of the Whitlin' Chip card before presenting him with the award. Yours in Scouting (signed) "" Keep in mind they might not bring their own knives to the weekend, so have some 'loaners' available. Make sure the Scouts leading the class first have their Totin' Chip and are knowledgeable about knife handling. YiS (This message has been edited by SSScout)

Try this one::: Write up enough 3x5 cards numerically in order( 1, 2, 3, 4, etc.) enough for all your Cubs. Line'm up facing away from you. Go down the line and tape a number to their BACK. Here's the game: Each Cub must find a NUMBER BUDDY so that they are paired EVEN-ODD (doesn't matter if they are consecutive, 'course 3-4 works, but so does 6-13, so does 7-10) but SILENTLY!! NO TALKING!! Point out that they can help each other, but they can't touch the card on their own back, and NO TALKING!!CUB SCOUT PROMISE!! When everybody has an appropriate partner, lead'em in a ROUND of applause or a cheer. Talk a little about COMMUNICATING and Use that BUDDY for your next game/exercise... KISMIF YiS

Any Parents TV Council members out there? Since voting with our remotes hasn't helped much of late, maybe going 'public' with our observations might. try www.parentstv.org Anybody like The Truman Show? Sorry it was taken off the air...

One of my favorite things to do if I'm doing 'Map and Compass' at CS daycamp or even IOLS, or Camporee is to gather the class/crowd around me and say" ALright! On the count of three, everybody point NORTH! ONE< TWO< THREE!!" and watch out for the eyes that get poked out... (got this from a "3 Stooges " routine) Then I'll take a vote, and then start in on how NORTH really can't be a democratically selected direction... KISMIF

If "you are what you eat", did we "became what we watched"? And what do we do to help form our progeny? Almost right... Sky King flew a Twin Beech 18, later a Beech Bonanza Twin. Cessna is a different brand of Plane. No one knows poor Leonard Graves? (This message has been edited by SSScout)

Calico... My apologies... That should've been Leonard Graves, not Peter (altho Peter did introduce the rerelease, on History Channel, of Leonard's TV Documentary by saying he was no relation). Does that help at all? ummm? Next up... Identify this quote... "Plunk yer magic twanger, Froggy!!" Sky King flew what kind of airplane?? (either of two wins...) And... name any Saturday morning Show sponsored by Ovaltine... (Sorry, Eamon, all I know is early American TV. 'Cause I was an early American TV watcher!)

Sewing is definitely better.But... When I was getting ready for Jamboree, the BMgc worked well for me. Nothing has peeled off as of yet. My sons first Scout shirt (outgrown...) was BMgced, but we were able to remove all but a shadow of stain of the adhesive residue this way: Peel the old patches off. Turn shirt inside out. Lay an old towel under the shirt (against the OUTSIDE adhesive). Spray the back side of the stain liberally with WD40. Let it soak in an hour or more. The towel will soak up alot of the disolved goo.Do it again, as you feel led. Wash the shirt BY IT SELF, in a detergent rich wash. Rinse several times. It should be noted that ,used creatively and with good technique, , BMgc can be used to hem pants, mend rips, etc. rather permanently. Now, looking back at my Scout career, The original patches had no plastic backing. These were easy to sew on. The modern day patch has plastic backing, which makes the patch look good longer, I guess, but , boy, it is tough to sew thru!! YiS

Clarification: I did not mean to travel the length of the track on only two wheels. What you try to do is put the LEAST weight on the front axle and the MOST weight HIGH and behind the REAR axle. The front wheels are still needed to keep the car centered over the center guide rail. What he said about the axles and spinning wheels. YiS

uz2bowl: "...doesn't want to advance..." Boy, I wish all troops had a program that would involve their boys like your boys troop. All at age 12? "Advance"? Hey, a little patience, mom. It'll come. And I feel you won't be able to prevent it. Any siblings? What's the dads take on his son's prediliction for wanting to enjoy his Scouting career? Wow, there's a concept... ""ENJOY Scouting" Nice ring to that... YiS

Thing, from the rear...

Let's date a few people. Dave Garroway.... "Omnibus" And his signature sign off was...? Peter Graves was the narrator for what oceanic documentary? (and nothing else that comes to mind) TWTWTW means? and who was in it? BoBo Brazil was not a place but a...?