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WasE61

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Posts posted by WasE61

  1. On 1/19/2018 at 10:56 PM, NJCubScouter said:

    Maybe the heat would not be a problem for drones at Philmont, but the hailstorm that I recall witnessing there on a July afternoon in 1974 probably wouldn’t do a drone much good. :)

    Temperature extremes do effect battery efficiencies.

    Air density at 6400'  is 44% of that a sea-level...

    Without satellite based control, operation in heavy terrain is very limited. (Line of site or less).

  2. Just popping in to say adios.

     

    Scouter is all done with Scouting and is on college in the fall.

     

    Since I don't like leaving accounts open on the 'Net, I'll be shutting this one off.

     

    Bye.

     

    B

     

     

  3. I don't suppose anyone realizes that Scouting has some of this as well...right?

     

    The "instant gratification" model where a Scout is immediately awarded a badge or rank, is not very real world.

     

    It's possible to work on something and get no recognition at all...except for the negative recognition when you screw something up.

  4. OK... I'll chime in ... player of trumpet, trombone, french horn .. parent of bass trombone major

     

    Fundamentals of Brass Playing

     

    1) The bugle mouthpieces I've seen are really not conducive to learning to play a brass instrument...if the bugle will accept a trumpet mouthpiece, to to your local band instrument store and ask for a "Bach 7C" trumpet mouthpiece....is the standard beginner mouthpiece for trumpet. If the bugle has a Cornet size receiver, you can get the Bach mouthpiece for Cornet...if not sure...take the bugle with you.

     

    2) Embouchure setting -- in spite of popular view...the lips are not pressed together to get the buzzing action. The easiest way to learn the mechanics is to blow "long tones". Place the mouthpiece to the lips with a slight gap (like trying to blow out a very small candle), begin blowing slowly and increase the force of the air...do not jam the horn into your face. When you are blowing enough air, a buzz will start and you will get a note.

     

    3) Long tones - you don't care what note you play as long as you are not straining to play it.  Play long tones ... 6-10 second notes .. breath...6-10 second note...for 5 minutes.

     

    4) Changing notes...no..pressing your lips tighter together does not change the note...stretching your lips tighter from the corners of your mouth does. Start with a long tone, when pull the corners of your mouth back with your cheek muscles...keep blowing as you do...the note will "slur" up.  Make them looser, it will slur down.  Lip slurs (as they are called) are the ultimate strengthening exercise for brass players.

     

    5) Do not starve the horn for air...more is better.

     

    As you play more you will get additional range of notes.  But 15 minutes per day is essential...but do not overplay...bad things can happen...play for 4 days...rest one day.

     

    Good luck.

     

    P.S. If you have a bright red (or blue) ring on your lips after playing for 15 minutes you are pressing to hard.  Some swelling is normal after a practice session.

  5. I'm a little on the fence on the whole thing...it's not that he mismanaged his time as much as Scouting, at least subconsciously, reminded him of his Dad's death, not something your average teen wants to be reminded about.

     

    By getting back in, and then not being able to succeed ... might leave a bad taste in his mouth.,..and he's got big fish to fry over the next seven years.

     

    Dwelling on this (which I could easily see him doing) could be a detriment. I'll have to have a talk about that.

    • Upvote 1
  6. We did the math, and he's late.  Not based on CoH date. 

     

    One week short between Life and aging out...

     

    The SM and ASM's were will to backdate everything, but someone ratted him out to the Troop board.

     

    His project is to clean up a home used for emergency housing of families in crisis.

     

    I know this has to be churning up a lot of crap for him...he hadn't even realized that he had stepped away for all that time.

    • Upvote 1
  7. Public kudos to my son.

     

    For nearly 5 year he stopped Scouting.

     

    His father passed suddenly when he was 12. Scouting was their summer pastime.

     

    He took up Marching Band ... it was his gig...played along side my other son in jazz band.

     

    This year, he decided to try for his Eagle.

     

    Banged out the rest of this requirements for Life.

     

    Picked out his Eagle project...planning in progress.

     

    Then at one of the Troop Eagle Board reviews ... the adult in charge said, "Sorry, your Life Rank was one week too late."

     

    I think most boys would have folded it up and gone home...not my son.

     

    "Well, I'm going to do the project anyway."

     

    Good boy... 

     

     

    • Upvote 1
  8. This kinda fits this post' date=' since we can't start new ones... My Son crossed over in February after 5 years in Cub Scouts, went to one campout and several meetings, and decided Boy Scouts was not for him. I didn't make it easy on him, he had to tell the Scoutmaster himself that he wanted to quit. I'm not happy about it, but I'll support him, and have told him he can re-join at any time (same thing the Scoutmaster said). So, now I find myself as Cubmaster and ASM without a Son in the program. I was looking forward to years of campouts etc with my Son in Scouts, obviously more than he was :') He still wants to go camping, and we will together. Anyone else find themselves in the same position? ​Thanks [/quote']

     

    Sure have...I still coach youth baseball (on occasion) even though my son has moved on to other things. I figure its a natural cycle...everyone moves on to something else at one point or another. His new interest ... to the point of being a career path is Bass Trombone. To pursue that at a higher level, he had to drop Marching Band.

     

  9. Sentinel wrote: "I don't see the difference between this and the kid who gets forced by his parents to join the band or a sports team that they don't want to be a member of."

     

    I completely agree. As parents, I think we have to give out kids options. But it should be their decision to engage (or disengage).

     

    I've been involved in youth sports and band for a number of years, both as a coach and a sideline parent. I've only had one kid in baseball that was there and didn't want to be. He got in trouble in the dugout and left before the season was over.

     

     

  10. At the same time, if the kid is honest about it, "my parents won't let me get a driver's license until I get Eagle", then I'd flat out ask him, "OK, well, what are you going to do about it?" Is it a screwed up situation? Sure. But helping boys deal with a screwed up situation honestly and fairly may be just what they need.
    I doubt there is an "honest and fair" way to deal with the hostage situation. The kids is stuck under the thumb of the parent(s). About the most he could hope for would be to maneuver in such a way to try to pit the parents against one another, or get an outsider to exert pressure. Not sure that's a positive thing to learn.
  11. Maybe this deserves a different thread ... but I'll ask it here anyway.

     

    What do you for the older Scouts who are being held hostage by their parents? It would seem to me that a Scout in that position would be hard pressed to be interested, cooperative or anything close to functional as a Scout.

     

    The Scouts that I'm talking about are those who can't do (or get) X, Y or Z until they Eagle. There are a couple of those in my son's Troop, no driver's license until they Eagle. I'll bet that kid is one happy camper (no pun intended).

     

    My Scout was one of those, Grandparents, Dad, Uncles, Cousins, Mom all determined to drag him across the Eagle line, kicking and screaming if necessary. Mom has finally caught on...realized that Scouting is our boy's gig...not ours. He's all but done with Scouting now...done a couple of campouts and maybe 5 meetings this school year. High School (Marching Band, Honors Courses) have taken priority over reading Merit Badge books and filling out paperwork.

  12. Well written Cambridge!

     

    Sexuality and teenagers is always a volatile mix, regardless of the orientation of the teenagers.

     

    My guess is that most Scouts and Adults would never be able to identify a closeted gay youth or parent. Those most panicked about it are homophobes looking for stereotypical "signs of gayness" (yes, I heard it called that once).

     

    Walk though a mall on Saturday, you'll see many more sexually overt heterosexual behaviors than you will homosexual behaviors.

  13. 1) We only give advancements and patches at the three CoH's per year. No instant gratification here.

     

    2) Scout shop will not give out patches without entries in their system. Can't walk in with paper. Wife tried...got turn away and she was the AC of record.

  14. First, you have two problems ... "scout and his buddy with some sort of pipe and what appeared to be marijuana."

     

    But there are other problems as well, "The other two witnesses reportedly don’t want to get involved.", is bad since Scouting is supposed to be teaching moral character.

     

    If marijuana is involved, you likely have a few felony offenses on your hands. The one who brought the stuff to camp is a distributor, even if he gave it to the other without charge.

     

    While the meeting between you and the CC is warranted, I'm curious as to why the CO representive is not there?

     

    Of course Eagle is off the table....its not even a question. If the material was indeed marijuana, the both should be out of the troop immediately. I know I don't want my kid out in the woods with dopers.

  15. Mom,

     

    "I have a young man in our troop who ... well, the best way i can say this is he is uncooperative."

     

    There is part of the problem ... you've put the "best" light on the issue, instead of the "worst". That's the primary problem with the world today ... downplay everything ... make everyone feel good....

     

    There is only one thing to do ... get the parents and the boy together and read them the riot act....at length. Shape up or ship out...everyone else is behaving themselves, working together, respecting each other ... this boy must as well.

     

    Scouting is dangerous. Kids die while Scouting every year. Unrully boys increase that risk.

     

     

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