Krampus

Thanks! I do like BBQ. And gravitate to suspect hole-in-the-wall joints.

 

I think my daughter would simply like a nice campground to pull in late and leave early ... splitting the drive in half or 1/3. We'd be leaving first thing Tuesday (or late Monday if we can get the title transferred quickly), and I think she reports to work Friday.

Any Texas State park is nice, though the ones in East Texas got a ton of rain this week. There are spots in AR but none close to 30 and the ones east of Little Rock or south of 30 are suspect.

 

Enchanted Rock is a great park but a bit out of the way. Worth the trip but get to the park early. Weekdays you'd shouldn't have a problem. Watch for rattlers.

 

PM me if you want to share the route and timeline. I can give you a few more tips. Shouldn't take more than two days to drive. I do Dallas to DC in 16 hours.

So, in a couple of weeks I'm driving daughter's car to her new job sight. If we manage to spare a day (or even a couple of hours between shifts driving) where would be your favorite stop?

 

What route are you taking? 

 

If you take 40 over Nashville and Memphis, you GOTTA STOP at Bozos Hot Pit BBQ in Mason, TN. They don't serve booze, only sweet tea. The BBQ is to die for. Their sauce is pretty good too. It is off the beaten path but everyone knows about the place. The fried pies are pretty good afters.

 

If you love BBQ like I do, then the guys who keep up this map will be your folk heros. The Texas BBQ Posse has used Google Earth for the best purpose ever: To map all the best BBQ joints in Texas. As you go through the Dallas area be sure to try the Meshack in Garland. Hole in the wall but don't let that scare you. Great, cheap BBQ. 

 

If you hit Austin at lunch time there's Franklins.

 

The mecca down in San Antonio for BBW is the New Braunfels Smokehouse. 

 

Most of these joints are on the way and require little re-routing.

 

What else does your daughter like. There's tons to don on a drive like that.

I don't remember those characters. Were those from tv commercials? What decade are those from?

60s and 70s.

"Free" is a term of art and cannot be taken literally in any society.  Even the anarchists in Spain had rules.

 

The Wealth of Nations should be mandatory reading for every one.

I work in information security for a Fortune 25 company.  To be fair, information technology changes much more rapidly than fire building technique or proper knife/axe safety.  So I can almost understand needing to 'recharge' the Cyberchip.  That is, if they actually changed the material regularly, which I'm not sure they do.

 

First, the "recharge" topics are pretty lame and deal only with stranger danger stuff or things like Cyberbullying, Digital ethics, Digital literacy, Inappropriate content, Online privacy, Sexting, Unwanted sexual requests.

 

If BSA really wanted to prepare the kids -- especially the older kids -- they'd talk about data security, backing up files and devices, password management, texting and driving, etc.

 

Thank goodness you only need to earn this silly award at Scout and Star.

If economic structures keep pulling/driving to the median, how will it ever progress?  Shouldn't the economy be focused on that which moves it forward towards an improvement for all rather than the average for all?

 

Ask the sick people in England who wait 3 months for an MRI on a broken leg, thus requiring the leg to be re-broken in order to operate on it correctly. 

 

The people who advocate capitalism is "broken" have failed to read (and understand) any historical literature on what life was like around the world prior to the advent of a free-market, capitalist economy.

 

 

"How shall I ever understand this world? There is nothing on which it is so hard as poverty, and yet, there is nothing it condemns with such severity as the pursuit of wealth."

Doc says my A1C is a little to close for comfort so no more treats for me. Cholesterol is bad, liver enzymes not good, testosterone in the tank. Meat and veggies is all I can have for now with an occasional glass of wine. Been on the straight and narrow for about a month now. Thought I would be much grumpier. Thinking about requesting a medically induced coma for a month once December rolls around.

 

Hang in there. I gave up refined products (sugar, flour, etc.) over ten years ago and it was tough at first. Swore I wanted to be one of those guys that peopled looked at and thought was 15 years younger than I actually was. The first month was the worst but if you have a goal (dropping weight, looking better, feeling better, better health, grand kids, etc.) you can do it. The key is not to make any excuses to relapse. If you don't have that get someone who can help you.

 

I fall off the wagon no and again -- hard to give up my lattes -- but I plan for that. Funny, cannot drink the Frappacinos now...WAY too sweet for me.

It's such a treat to have you back.

Ding dongs = treat.

 

I see what you did there.

If you read the article, it is a defense of units not being Scout-led because they are "not ready" and have the wrong "culture."  A a result, the boys do not run things as "smoothly" as the adults and so need more preparation to be "ready."  "Oh we're all for it - when they're ready." Until then, we play and they watch.

 

It appeared to me the article was how to make your troop boy led (or more boy led).

 

The comments below were, well, a bit disappointing.

Any chance BD still hangs here? I miss you all dearly, but I must admit I miss him the most is a twisted sort of way. Lol.

 

 

Nope. He left last year as I recall. There were some seriously hot issues in IP and he left along with a few others.

Joe Smith

"According to Assistant Scoutmaster Joe Smith from Troop 1002 in Richmond, Texas, many Scouters mistakenly think a troop is either Scout-led or it’s not. Instead, he points out that being Scout-led is “a spectrum, not a condition; the level of independence given to the boys is dependent on the maturity and cultural personality of the troop.â€"

 

I think he's pointing to the reality we all see. Some units are boy led, some are not. The issue is not with the boys, but the adults unwilling to deal with the controlled chaos necessary for boys to learn...especially young, immature boys who don't know better.

 

I see a lot of troops from that area of Texas that say they are boy led but are really adult run. February we were at a State Park camping. Four other troops there.

 

Troop #1 wakes up at 5:30am, makes a HUGE racket getting up and packing. Only have a 2 hour drive to get home. Leave their camp sites a mess and honk their horns as a wake up call to get the boys up.

 

Troop #2 wakes up at 7am. The adults make breakfast for everyone. No cooking or KP, just doughnuts, cereal and playing around. Adults in charge shouting for boys to do this and do that.

 

Troop #3 wakes up at 7am. Cook breakfast. Half the troop doing work, the other half trashing the bathroom. Adults sitting down letting the Lord of the Flies routine to continue for three hours. Kids running all over every camp site, yelling, screaming and stepping on wild flowers and fauna.

 

Troop #4 wakes up at 7am. SPL tells the PLs to keep voices to whispers. Every patrol cooks a hot breakfast. Patrol QMs check out patrol gear during breakfast. KP takes a while but is eventually done well. All gear is checked and approved to be turned in to the QM. Again, takes a while but the boys are in charge...and quiet.

 

Troops #1, #2 and #3 are visited often by the Ranger for various infractions. Troop #3 is put on a list not to come back to that park because of the damage to the bathroom. These troops are all from the Houston area. All adult run.

 

Troop #4 was praised by the Ranger and give stickers for being so good and quiet. Only boy led troop of the four.

Sno Balls? (I prefer the pink.)

Twinkies ?

 

I believe there were four or five characters. Ding Dong was King, Captain Cupcake, Twinkie the Kid I remember. Cannot remember the names of the Ho Ho and the Pie, but I think it was Fruit Pie the Magician.

 

Hey, hey!  Welcome back!

 

If @@King Ding Dong is back, can Mr. Happy Ho Ho be far behind?

 

My pay for 7 weeks in 1972 was 75.00

 

Just out of curiosity, anyone know how much camps are paying these days for counselors? I have heard a few camps paying ~$43/day.

This country was founded on slavery.  We changed.  Inefficient and inherently unfair economic models need to be discarded.

 

ROFL. Riiiight.

 

Slavery, while distasteful, was not the basis for the founding of the country. Freedom from tyranny and the pursuit of religious and economic freedom was why the country was founded. You might want to read a few European history books to brush up on what living in 16th-19th Century Europe was like.

 

There's nothing unfair about a free market system. Everyone has a chance. Everyone is free to do what they want. Government does not control where they go, what they do or what they can become.

 

Ask the workers in Venezuela how they feel about their recently announced 5 day weekend. Ask the workers in China how they like being told how long to work, where to work, what to make and where they can live.

 

Seriously, I sometimes wonder if some folks here actually paid attention in school, or if they just swallow what the liberal press send to them to read.

An interesting take on developing a boy lead unit.

 

http://scoutingmagazine.org/2014/12/help-youth-leaders-build-scout-led-troop/

Interesting and timely article.

Forgot to add, I really think this debacle is another sign that the SM needs to step back and let others do more of the work. I know we have an ASM in charge of advancement now, and I'm working on the paperwork side of things. His health concerns all of us. He has his good days, and his bad ones. But I think Scouting is taking more out of him.  Problem is he's a Scouting Addict. When he was in the hospital last year, he was upset he was missing a meeting.

 

Wife tells me that will be me in 30+ years.

 

How many ASMs do you have? Are they able to be trusted to get the work done? 

 

Is the SM's reluctance to let go because he may not trust the guys underneath him? 

 

I know guys who rock what I give them. Others don't. Yes, I don't think everyone is going to do things like I would do them but that's both good and bad.

Maybe he will get accepted in to a paper Eagle mill where his skills will fit right in? 

I would say this is an adult problem in need of a boy solution.

 

My guys would do this:

• The SPL would assign on of our instructors to meet with the Scout during troop meetings to review the skills signed off on by mom.
• If he can demonstrate the skill (using EDGE) then the Instructor checks and moves on.
• If he cannot demonstrate the skill, the Instructor notes this requirement, and then teaches him the skill which will then be demonstrated back to the Instructor using EDGE.
• The Instructor would give the SPL and SM his "report" on what he thinks the Scout knows and doesn't know. Areas of weakness would be identified for the Scout to further practice.
• The Scout's official record would note that the mom signed off on certain requirements so that the situation is documented, as well as what the troop did to rectify the issue.

As you've already noted, the best way to stop this is to review books regularly so that parents can't slip one by the Instructors.

Yes and yes!

 

Now that is STEM that folks will support!

 

 

Don't laugh, but friend owns a microbrewery near here. I was trying to find a away to work STEM in to a brewery tour. But even with the most liberal interpretations of STEM, I found it hard to justify a trip.

 

Unofficial SM retreat is scheduled for next month. Tour permit includes tour, bubble ball, slip and slide fussball and a water balloon fight.

It is a nice loophole.   It gives the BSA the appearance of being concerned about the youth's health, but still allows trading posts to sell the heck of the energy drinks.   Profit.

 

This just in...

 

Crew Advisor for Crew 721-A, the scouts chose Itinerary #11 for 61 miles this time around.

 

In 2012 a older, larger in size crew chose #26 for 81. (We actually did 91 after a map reading error.) I'm liking the idea of a slower pace and a less miles.

 

-Phil

 

We are flatlanders. Slow and steady is always good. These guys did 50 last summer at elevations above Philmont levels. After that they swore they would slow down and look around. 

 

As one guy put it, "I'd rather spend half a day sitting on the Tooth, than looking at the back of Bobby's calves."

http://www.scouting.org/filestore/HealthSafety/pdf/Energy_Drinks_Statement.pdf- It's on Scouting Safely, feel free to take the time reviewing other stuff found there:   http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/HealthandSafety.aspx

 

This seems to be "suggested" rather than required. Which is it? It is hard to tell as it is written. Does the BSA prohibit their sale? If not, why not?

After retreat and evening chow, have a root beer float at the trading post and shoot the breeze.  

 

You know, if the BSA is looking for things to banish, I've got one: Energy drinks!

 

At our local council camps the Scout staff cannot serve coffee. They certainly cannot drink it. HOWEVER, for sale at the Trading Post is Monster, Red Bull, Jolt and assorted other caffeine-laden drinks that would put the weak, dark water the mess hall calls coffee to shame.

 

"No, Bobby, you cannot have a cup of coffee, but head on down to the Trading Post and get yourself a Dreamcicle with a Red Bull chaser."