SSScout

Are they still considering combining "Pet Care" and "Cooking"?

Somebody has way too much time available.... Only fair results. Maybe in my short perusal I missed these, but Did They Consider.... ** Tightness of knot? ** Skill of knot tier? (self actuated indeed...) Who pulled it how tight? ** Material used? Cotton stays tied better than synthetics. Roughness of surface, etc. Every sailor and "pioneer" knows a sisal or manila rope will hold a knot better than a nylon cord. ** While laces are snug around a foot at rest, the lace will stretch a mite and the foot will shrink a mite as it exercises and the fluid/blood collected in the foot at rest gets pumped out . Hence, a loose lace will untie easier than a tight lace. Because... ** A properly tied , snug SQUARE bow will stay tied. A GRANNY bow will loosen by dint of it's own construction. Pulling on a Granny will untie it. ** One of the reasons for the flat lace is it jams more effectively than the round kind. Which did they use? ** Can this be replicated with other cordage? Bet they lost their grant on this and couldn't continue....

Umpteen years ago, my first wife decided she wanted her "freedom". I won't go into the details, but I eventually had full custody of our then four year old daughter. A single adult male. In the ensuing years, I was visited by my daughter's school staff, her best friend's father ,after allowing his daughter to visit our home, refused to let his daughter come again, I coached (with a male partner, out in fields) my daughter's soccer team (after three seasons, we were the league champs), daughter first wanted to join Brownies, but TPTB decided I would NOT be a GSUSA Leader. Daughter decided she did not want to be a "fashion and cookie" Scout (her words). I came to understand our unique situation, my unique situation. With help of other family, we progressed. There was always , it seemed, something hanging over me, us. But I think my previous reputation certainly did help, in judicial, social, and familial considerations. Now, the daughter is grown, the stepsons (second good marriage) are grown . All , I believe, have come to see the past situations as "learning" to benefit from. The youngest, Scoutson, is grown and almost on his own :-) . As a now "single " male in Scouting, I do what is appropriate in this climate. As a Jamboree Chaplain, I was called on to counsel some troubled Scouts. I would invite them to "step into my office", which was the hillside outside their camp, in view of a ASM. We would talk there. I was asked to speak to an adult Scouter, we stepped to the far end of the Dining tent, and he vented. I copy all emails to others. I was once asked by a ASM in our Troop to NOT cc him in every email, he was "tired of deleting my uninteresting stuff". I explained to him my need to apply YP standards to my communications, and he ultimately apologized. He had not considered that idea. I counsel Bugling MB. Folks have asked, couldn't you CLOSE the Band Room door?? I tell them no, I have to leave it open... And smile....

"His own genetic tree"? Scoutson's project was rehabbing the Rabbit Barn at the County Fair. He did have some Scout folks in helping, but in reality, the majority (in numbers, anyway) were Four H and Rabbit Breeders Club people. As has been said, the only Scout required to be there, is the Eagle Candidate.

Must be a loooooong way to go for meetings. And that makes HOW many Districts in the Council? Our County here in Murlin had three, then ONE big one, then six small ones then one big one with three service areas and now three Districts. Looks like the BIG Council is really four "Service Areas". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scouting_in_Michigan . "Stay tuned", I guess.

No COBAL? No FORTRAN? Why did I waste my time in college....

Does this mean we shouldn't plan when we tour :-) ???

So far, the one thing we humans seem to have in common, around the world, is our inability to learn from our mistakes. Now, that is assuming we all admit to being human....

"EMERGENCY< EMERGENCY... Everybody to get from street........" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TszIJX-F4U

Thank you NJ and Vclose. Perhaps the blood's use is a "lasting" effect, for sure. I realize the official guide assures us that the Eagle Service Project need not be "permanent" in nature. I am only trying to suggest that the Scout be shown the possibility that his well organized and publicized and promoted Blood Donation Drive COULD be more than just one Saturday afternoon.

It is the "lasting impact" that should be considered. Is it a "once-and-done" blood drive or the creation of the realization of the ongoing need for blood collection, that the venue (church, community center, service club ) will do this again, as the Scout showed them the way?

It comes when the SM , in his role as a "suggester" and "coach" insists on WAITING for an answer when he asks the SPL , "well, what do you want to do?" My favorite quote , ever, was from a nascent SPL who, at his first PLC, asked the SM, "you mean I can decide that?"

"JASMTech". Sounds like a Second Assistant Quarter Master to me. Don't get me wrong, there are "no small parts, only small actors". You may well be the fellow that knows where the fuse box is.... I was an AQM, and had a good time. I had to know where anything was, in what box, on what shelf, AND tag along with the CD as the Bugler....

Our council has a Tour Plan Coordinator. He name is Helen Weight. That is who we tell folks to go to.

Yep, another example of my #1 adage, "the work is done by whoever shows up". The most one can do is point to the BSA printed requirements. Proposal? Plan? If the Troop Committee/Eagle Mentor/Eagle Advisory Board/DAChair/ reads and hears the Eagle candidate explain his idea, they/he/she can advise (more word HERE, more duct tape HERE) and point out (will you have a first aid kit on site?) and question (is it really wise to back fill before you lay the pipe? ) . If the DAC is a problem to some folks, maybe the District Committee and District Chair (they showed up, right?) should be approached.

Great Allegheny Passage : (it's all down hill !) hike or bike. 280 plus miles.... https://gaptrail.org/ lots of history. hostels and campgrounds along the way. Go off trail to replenish. Appalachian Trail: Maine to Georgia, take your pick. http://www.appalachiantrail.org/ use their maps, the best. 90% in the woods. And you might want to see "A Walk In The Woods" and the AT in 5 minutes: The Green Tunnel = https://vimeo.com/20218520 Real Adventure? Habla espaniol? Look to the Camino de Santiago in northern Spain. Canoe/kayak/ the Allagash in Maine http://www.maine.gov/dacf/parks/water_activities/aww-river-conditions.shtml Or closer to home: Little Miami comes to mind: http://www.ohio.org/blogs/2014/06/paddle-ohio-the-top-five-places-to-kayak-and-canoe Like the man said, don't TAKE the scouts, let them LEAD YOU to the adventure !

Well, when you get right down to it .... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nDhzrSFef4 I forgive the enterer for her spelling problems and lyric transposing.

Well, when you come right down to it ..... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nDhzrSFef4

"Glorified plumber, sez the surgeon. Give them both Scout salute.

" A Scout(er) is Trustworthy." If a responsible adult signs up (fills in the three pieces of paper, turns them in to the Unit Commish or District Adv Chair somehow, registers thereby and gets a BSA ID number, takes the online YPT and maybe the MBCounselor online course) as a MBC, makes sure he/she is on the District/Council MBC listing, and answers his/her phone when the Scout (not the parent??) calls , we have a going concern. The number of possible MBCs should be cumulative and inclusive. For comparison, When I wanted a Aviation MBC, back in the days of Lilienthal gliders (!), I had to call the Council office, they gave me the names of the two (!!) in the entire Council and both were over the river in Virginia, maybe an hour drive from me. I called one, was interviewed by him extensively over the phone. Later, my dad took me over to his house, and I remember being his sole interest for maybe three hours, him and me and my "exhibits". Today, we can find a half dozen Aviation MBC in our District, if we know who to call to get the list. That is the secret here, finding the listing. The man I met way back when was a retired airline pilot. Most of the MBC nowadays are "interested parents", who may/may not have a career/history in Aviation. But they should, if the Scout is lucky, require the Scout to fulfill the requirements in the most fulfilling way. Could a responsible mother fill the role of a MBC for Nuclear Science? I can't say from this distance. "It Depends". Same with any MB. It depends.....

I bought a Texsport tent several years ago and have been quite pleased with it. Labeled "3 man", it is very commodious for 1 large Scouter, or two Scouts. Sealed the seams (expected_) and it has served well in many storms. They even sent , gratis, a broken hook for the rain fly.

Some years ago, a local Scout (Eagle project) developed a peer training program to help identify and help friends "at risk". It was done with the assistance of pro counselors and was a small success. His project was hooked into some national programs, but I can't remember which ones. Perhaps this one: http://www.suicidology.org/ncpys . Yes, video is dated , but hey, use what you can. Invite the discussion. Ask a local counselor to help. Like the Scout says, "be prepared" BEFORE you need the skills and tools.

"It depends". Reporting service hours is keeping score. The hours worked SHOULD be counted, it just matters how... 1) Consider: Did the first project actually accomplish something worthwhile, despite having to be "abandoned" ? Was it a total waste of time? Did somebody benefit from the effort? Anybody? 2) Hereabouts , we have a school requirement for "Student Service Hours", whereby the student is expected to do some volunteer work in the community. Soup kitchen, church, Cub Scout Day Camp, litter pick-up, lots of possible possibilities. The requirement is that it must fulfill some need from an "approved" agency, not just on the student or family, say, say-so. Can the workers on the first project use those hours, still? The school systems give awards and recognition for mucho hours or creative projects. Even Eagle service projects can be counted. 3) I must agree with Col.Flagg here. As was reported above, the Scout planned and managed a project with some obvious success. If the hours were worked 'in good faith" for a previously approved project, and , as has been said, it had to be "abandoned" thru no fault of the Scout or his supporters (wow !), report the hours. I would separate them out from the "successful" project, but definitely report the effort expended. Report them for the Eagle BoR, report them to "Good Turn for America (or whatever it is called now). Report them for the units JTE. 4) After all is finished and in the can, I might be persuaded to take this story to the local media and explore exactly what and why it happened. Some bias perhaps? Some unforeseen licensing/permitting problem? It would be educational for the next Scout who might have a similar idea. Perhaps the City/County needs to see what happened, not just the Scout and his supporters. Talk it up amongst the Scout intelligentsia of the area. 5) Lastly, at the Scout's ECoH, I would give him the "Stick -To -It -tiveness" Award (a nice mahogany plaque with his name and date and a tube of Cryacrilic attached ). See YOU on the trail.

"Special Neckerchief"? Eagle, Woodbadge, souvenir of Jamboree/Philmont/Camp Whosis... I have a "Smokey Bear" Forestry service necker in my collection. And an Amangemet Wipet (OA) award necker. And a Chaplain necker. And a District Leader Award necker. I have never heard anyone complain about any Scout necker as being inappropriate or "not allowed".

Now here's where "one shirt fits all". All First Class Scouts. Seal in plastic? Showcase it on the wall? I'm thinking it is a neat idea for encouragement, but this shirt is, I think, going to have more wear and tear than an ordinary shirt.