SSScout

I do love catching up on all this discussion. Jargon and linquistics fascinates me. wyomingi: "Gaffer Tape" : Gaffer is , if I remember correctly, Cockney slang for an Old Man. This led it to be the theatrical term for the fellow who is in charge of Lighting the Stage ( use to be with candles ane kerosene lamps) . The "Gaffer" is now the fellow in charge of the Lighting and electrical arrangements. "Gaffer Tape" is the stuff used to secure the e cables to the floor (so one doesn't trip over them) and the e cables to the battens (pipes) that hold the "babies" and "fresnels" and "ellipsoids" and such (spotlights). To canoeists, it's Duck Tape. To HVAC mechanics it's Duct Tape. To Red Green it's essential. FYI: "Best Boy" is the "Gaffers" assistant. TT4N.

Teach your Scout to Sew... " BADGES? WE DON' NEED NO STEENKIN' BADGES!!" " Teach.. your Scout to sew... your Daddy's patch... will never fall off... and see ... him stick his thumb.. he's not so dumb... he'll beg his motheeeer... and... don't you stop to ask him why... he'll just look at her and cry.. til she gives in and sews it oooon and he'll tell her "Mooooooom, you know I love you!! " ( apologies to CSN&Y) (personal experience) The aerosol can works , but not permanent. On the BACK of the patch, shoot a small bead around the edge of the patch, just inside the edge. With putty knife, smear it around til you have a thin even coating. On a table, QUICKLY place the patch BACK DOWN in place on the uniform, and place wax paper over it. Stack some heavy books on top and leave it over night.Next morning, carefully peel off the wax paper. Artfully done, no smear out the edges of the patch. It will eventually fall off, depending on how strong your laundry detergent (lasts longer if you never wash it!) Will NOT stick to nylon jackets. Plastic backing allows patch to be peeled off cloth. Soak Back of cloth with wd40 to remove most of stickum, but some stain will remain, no matter what. The sheet material is more permanent. I used it for my new uniforms when I had to get ready for Jamboree. Follow the package directions AND::: place a white handkerchief over the patch and iron (wool setting 30 secs.)Avoid getting it on the iron at all costs. DO NOT DRY CLEAN. everything desolves and patches come off. You can touch it up with another litte piece of stickum, should the patch start to peel off. I would never use either for the wool leader jacket, but the patches on the Cub Scout poly felt vest have not come off (aerosol can stuff.)

WOW! Really interesting replies to a small inquery. I leave a note on the board in the morning and come back and...And I had no idea there were so many retired (I know I have a money exchange activity to attend to) scout type people out there. Scenario: (this is fourth hand to you folks) Cub Scout from family who espouses a religion that will not say the PoA loyally (and I say correctly) does not recite the PoA, as his parents desire. He does know it, can correctly recite it (per the rank requirement) and participates in flag ceremonies (carries it in, posts the colors, etc. But CM has conniption fit. He is ex-military. How should Pcomm or other parents react?

Glue On Patches . Thoughts as they occur to me... An adult Leader leads by: Example: Properly attired. Correct Badges in place, uniform clean and worn without embarassment (even into the Mcdonalds on the trip). Do all the ASMs wear Scout uniform? Only the SM? How 'bout the CC? Anyone else? Encouragement: Take the Scout aside and remind him kindly and without rancor of his badge placement and uniform usage. Is there a problem you can help with? Guilt: Perhaps a SM minute could be used to ask about the pride of being a Scout. How to honor those that have trod the trail before us. What happens when we wear it "in public"? Instruction: Unit Commissioner (used to be called Neighborhood Commissioner?) comes thru and gives a Uniform Inspection, with appropriate reward for the best Patrols (advance notice given, natch) and appropriate comment about good and poor appearance. Hand Sewing: The practice of making the patches with the plastic back makes'em much harder to sew on. The needles don't go thru the plastic easily. The lack of uniform coloring makes it hard to find matching color thread. (MBs use to be rimmed all in green. Howmany different hues now?.) The "Badge Magic" works for a while, but falls off all by itself eventually. Don't dry clean!!! I would never use the "BM" on the wool leader jacket. Teach your Scout to Sew... " BADGES? WE DON' NEED NO STEENKIN' BADGES!!" " Teach.. your Scout to sew... your Daddy's patch... will never fall off... and see ... him stick his thumb.. he's not so dumb... he'll beg his motheeeer... and... don't you stop to ask him why... he'll just look at her and cry.. til she gives in and sews it oooon and he'll tell her "Mooooooom, you know I love you!! " ( apologies to CSN&Y)

It is good to make'm think. I'm only a fledgling ASM, but as a CM, the circle up goodnight was new to my pack. The previous CMs only marched the flags out and said goodnight. I marched the flags out, then gathered the boys in the hands-over circle and spoke of the Scout family. Then I invited anyone else who was a Scout or had been a Scout to join in the circle. The family gets bigger! Then I reminded everyone that family includes moms and dads and bro and sis , and invited everyone else to join the circle (hands over hands is HARD for some adults!). More reminding about the family that is Scouting, and perhaps how family helps each other, picks each other up when someone falls. Then ,if the time feels right, a short pithy something, then the SM benediction(...til we meet again) and SQUEEZE hands goodnight... MORALITY is what one does when one is with others. CHARACTER is what one does when alone... YiS...

Flag burning is , I seem to hear , either a very extreme form of protest or an extreme form of respect, depending on the context. And context is always an important consideration in making a judgement. Question: What sort of person (that is to say, why) would not recite the "Pledge of Allegiance" during the usual flag ceremony? And how would you react to such?

I must agree with trevorum. The numbers do sound a little dated, but yet they ring true. They are "close enough", I think. Scouting is, after all, a self selecting group, disregarding the non-participatory parent. Once a boy becomes a Cub or a Boy Scout, it will become apparent early on if they like it or not. As Scouters, we need to be sensitive to what 'enables' that self selection. YiS SSS