berliner

I got 2 in a cardboard moving box in the basement in europe.

Not too long ago I got myself a 2-piece US Army Sleeping Bag, so buttons both summer & winter into one if need be, optional bivy. A bit bulky but I love it.

Got that one in one of those vacum storage/space bags sitting under the staircase in Kiwiland.

 

I dont even have a sleeping bag where I am at now, just a good ol' poncho liner ^o^

Insurance? Wearing uniform is about Esprit de Coprs (please excuse my french spelling LOL).

I am for wearing uniform from and to camp, other events and all.

Got Class A's, Class B's and C's. (I wore the Centennial with basic patches as Class B and a full patched brown button old school as Class A).

I was one of the nerds who would wear his cub or scout uniform to school for class picture day 8-)

 

But this gruesome world sometimes has other plans: BSA TAC Packs/Troops are advised not to wear the Uniform Shirt in public in europe due to the Flag.

We got a terror warning before heading out to summer camp not to appear like 'mericans.

Committee member who relayed the message from the embassy was wearing a t shirt with eagle & flag at the time *facepalm* (she cool though. stubborn LOL).

 

When I took the cubs out to the world money fair it was also a no-uniforms activity.

Sort of sad if we can only wear our shirts locked up & out of sight if overseas.

 

Mind you on the way back from summer camp we spent a night at the new Camp Bayern in the army barracks (as in: we didnt sleep in the BSA camp site but the boys got a couple of rooms as the soldiers had left a couple of buildings empty). I love reveille in the morning and I only ever feel safe if I know all my scouts are behind barbed wire ^o^

 

Around Kandersteg and the International Scout Center you can take the public transport for free if you wear your necker.

 

In NZ uniforms are worn at all meetings, to and from camp. At camp t shirts with neckers is ok. (They just got new shirts, until 2011 the NZ Uniform was scout polo shirts, no pockets or anything)

Oh yeah: what the NSA is doing now was done by the Stasi, the communist East German Secret Service that ceased to exist in 1989.

The parllels arent even funny anymore.

I know it is nothing surprising nor new.

But as I posted somewhere "1984" was to be a warning of a then fictional threat, but has since become an instruction manual for big brother.

Put a show on tv with containers and cameras, to entertain the masses.

 

Many moons ago it was the "nutters" with tinfoil hats. I just saw a wallet for sale in the local outdoor store: the passport purse thingo is lined with a silver foil to help keep the RFIDs from modern IDs to be scanned unwanted ...

 

So spying is as old as humans are (funny how scouts and spies are pretty similar), but the problem is that a in this day and age a handfull of agencys are doing soooo many things that are against the law and what not. Let alone moral. Or respect towards citizens or foreigners.

 

Guantanamo was a PR desaster.

 

Prism next PR desaster.

 

But nobody is held accountable, nothing changes ...

 

I love this country but I hate what a handful of insider crooks have done to it.

Oh yeah: what the NSA is doing now was done by the Stasi, the communist East German Secret Service that ceased to exist in 1989.

The parllels arent even funny anymore.

"This is the song that never ends, it just goes on and on my friend ..."

[h=2]Edward Snowden says he is willing to cooperate with investigations into NSA spying. At a meeting with a German lawmaker in Moscow, he reportedly suggested he would be open to coming to Germany, and complained of a US "campaign of persecution." Berlin has at least signaled readiness to talk.[/h]

http://www.spiegel.de/international/...-a-931237.html

 

Against a backdrop of fraying ties between the US and many of its allies, sympathy is growing within Congress for European outrage at NSA spying activities. A bipartisan group of lawmakers is due to visit Europe to help address concerns about American surveillance.

 

http://www.spiegel.de/international/...-a-931618.html

Haha good one jblake: I am from West Berlin, the center of the spying universe. I grew up about 2-3 miles from Glienicker Bruecke, where they always exchanged the spies and U2 pilots. Berlin is where the CIA dug a tunnel under the Iron Curtain to tap into russian phones.

 

Funny thing about this story: Chancellor Angela Merkel loves to ignore things, or at least try to. She is one lousy politician if you ask me. So when it first leaked a not-so-well liked Minister was sent forward to declare the NSA scandal as closed and over and not important and hush hush ... and only about 2 months later after it is reveiled that Merkels phone is tapped does the german goverment have to start acting, having lost face already.

So now everyone one is like "OMG I cant believe it ... "

Days later it is revealed that the german spies didnt know their own goverment was spied on (failure LOL) but it turns out parts of the

programs or techniques used by the NSA was actually made/engineered by germans.

So the germans didnt know anything because the germans built part of it. Funny.

Reminds me of Assed: Nobody knew how or where he made all the chemical weapons, just the german companies that sold him the ingredients ...

 

 

I am so fed up with all this BS.

 

The Truth is out there. Trust no one.

Berliner,

I have been told that "English" interpreter strips have custom ordered for troops in Puerto Rico. And if it is a real language, BSA will make them. I had to custom order some for folks when I worked supply.

sorry Eagle92 but I cant believe that ... Puerto Rico is like a Colony, sort of the 51st State aye.

To my knowledge no BSA scout is allowed to wear an "english" interpreter strip as - with the exception of sign language - speaking eloquent and fluent proper english is the base requierment for being a Boy Scout in 'Merica. We had a few discussion alright but Trans Atlantic is hard on this issue. Mind you some SMs be handing the strips out while some actually demand the skills, as everywhere.

 

English is only my 3rd of currently 5-7 languages, depending on if starting them counts :-P

 

KDD - if you can run a program in fluent Vulcan or what not, why not?

Wear as many strips as you can really speak languages.

 

I had 4 years of french in high school and went to language school in canada twice but still dont wear the francaise strip ^o^ being honest.

I got Deutsch on all my shirts. I started a couple more languages already:

my grandma was and interpreter and spoke 8 or 9 languages and my grandpa as an historian could only speak like 7 O_o

 

The joke in our Troop was, as a majority did not have english as a first language, we should have "english" strips... but SM said that being BSA, even overseas, that was out of the question :-D

"This is the song that never ends, it just goes on and on my friend ..."

[h=2]Edward Snowden says he is willing to cooperate with investigations into NSA spying. At a meeting with a German lawmaker in Moscow, he reportedly suggested he would be open to coming to Germany, and complained of a US "campaign of persecution." Berlin has at least signaled readiness to talk.[/h]

http://www.spiegel.de/international/...-a-931237.html

 

Against a backdrop of fraying ties between the US and many of its allies, sympathy is growing within Congress for European outrage at NSA spying activities. A bipartisan group of lawmakers is due to visit Europe to help address concerns about American surveillance.

 

http://www.spiegel.de/international/...-a-931618.html

 

IMHO after 9/11 and the Patriot Act it was just taken too far.

Interesting is how americans and europeans view data & privacy issues differently.

NSA = Nanny State America (I just thought of that ROFL)

Funny thing is: the public debate on Snowden has been going on for months and as you said most people with half a brain have known/expected this for years; turns out a lot what the conspiracy theorists and nutters where going on about is actually true. In a camping store I just saw a special wallet lined with aluminum to keep RFID passports safe from unwanted scanning.

 

In Europe the politicans where trying to appease the people the last coouple of months, trying to play it down and calm everybody down.

Until it hit Hollande and Merkel. Then they got upset and their knickers in a twist.

But I think as heads of States they are Fair Game.

The French are known to spy in the US, the German BND is a tad bit naive. And more incompetent than they would want the public to know.

 

I just think with the Pope a new, totally different line is crossed.

The Vatican had already suspected it was going on.

I just dont get it.

How could the Pope make it onto a terror suspect list?

 

 

 

Sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction.

 

1984 was written as a warning, but someone mistook it for an instruction manual.

 

So we know that US Spies from some Alphabet Agency have always been spying. No surprise there.

Over the years, they have gotten a) pretty good and b) pretty paranoid.

 

Now that average US or German or French citizsens have all their data collected was to be expected.

Brazilian, Mexican President, Italian and French Goverment, German Chancellor Merkel, offices of the United Nationas and European Union are all bugged, tapped in some way or another by some US Intelligence Service. Still no surprise.

Listening and watching is what spies do. To protect the people. From terrorists. Criminals. All good.

I say if you can pin any evidence to someone to be linked to crimes etc - go for it. With a whole CF of Fed's.

Spying on diplomats, politicans, neighbours. Seems fair.

Frenemies.

Eavesdropping on Cardinals - well ... you better start having some good reasons.

But as was just revealed by the Italian Newspapers, the National Security Agency was eavesdropping on Cardinal Jorge Marion Bergoglio, amongst others.

 

You know who ol' Jorge is? He's the Pope. Head of the Catholic Church.

 

Now someone please give me a plausible reason or explanation why No Such Agency/Christians in Action (LOL) have to listen in on phone calls of clergy.

 

I am pretty sure the only place safer from Jihadists outside of Langley or Fort Meade is the Vatican itself ...

 

Eavesdropping on the Vatican Bank I would understand: RICO.

 

But the Pope? WTF? Excuse my french: WTH ?!

 

A whole lot of trade negotiations and all are about to go down the drain due to the NSA.

 

US companies/providers are losing overseas businesss as europeans scramble to replace google/apple/aol etc with non-american products.

And reactions to the "Propaganda" Video ... really?

 

Obama said he would make things more transparent right?

 

He kept his word: everybody is more transparent now ...

I have never been to NY, but funny enough my teacher in 3rd & 4th Grade was from NY so I learned the accent. If I moved there at least I would pass as a local LOL My US relatives are from St Louis

 

I cant understand how people cant differentiate between being social and sharing and full blown communism. There is a lot in between too ...

 

Base even posted twice by now that its not about hand outs.

 

Thing that gets me smirking and thinking:

when US Tax $ where given to Banks there wasnt as much of an outcry; try to help the sick and the country stops. Literally. Superpowershutdown.

the forced donations to the goverment are not donations, thats called taxes ^o^

I cant understand how people cant differentiate between being social and sharing and full blown communism. There is a lot in between too ...

 

Base even posted twice by now that its not about hand outs.

 

Thing that gets me smirking and thinking:

when US Tax $ where given to Banks there wasnt as much of an outcry; try to help the sick and the country stops. Literally. Superpowershutdown.

I just saw the video for the first time ... on KiKa News ... Kinder Kanal is german Kids Channel ^o^ They said the park rangers are very upset O_o

I am sorry, I apologize in advance:

 

Starting 2014 BSA National will introduce specialized training with patch "how not to destroy historic rock formations" & "Pebble Safety Beads"

 

 

Can you earn it and the Historical Trails at the Same Time?

Will it be a Jacket type Patch or will you Wear it on the Uniform?

No, its an extra month of full time training all on its own with 50 new professional scouters for each state.

 

The National Historic Rock Formation Trail Council is still debating on the patch ...

I am sorry, I apologize in advance:

 

Starting 2014 BSA National will introduce specialized training with patch "how not to destroy historic rock formations" & "Pebble Safety Beads"

Cub leaders should definitely attend Wood Badge. Leading a Cub Pack has different dynamics than a Boy Scout Troop, but it's no less difficult. It requires trained leaders too. Many of the skills you learn in Wood Badge are directly applicable to the Cub experience. Leading a team of adult, planning large events, developing an annual program - these are all the things that den & pack leaders do all the time.

Good one JoeBob. Now I am not a WouldBadger, but dont be so harsh on the Den Leaders.

They are like the New Guys and just want to be like one of the other Banana Republic Generals,

with a chest full of knots like us here ;-)

 

There is no such thing as "overtrained". If someone wants to move a Den like a Division, let 'em.

 

And 1 hour a week is always sweettalk - more like 1 hour per kid if you consider prep & clean up and the whole mess.

 

Brewmeister - stop playing with PowerPoint and have a cold one

 

Parkman - agree 1 or 2 hours intro is good. For larger Cub Programs as Prep dont look at Woodbadge but NDCS/NCS.

I still have the backpack my mom got me when I crossed over: purple and black Vaude with 65-70 L. In the past 20 (!) years the waterproof lining of the top has faded and I had to replace one plastic buckle. Such a great piece of gear. But I got myself a new one this summer: Tasmanian Tiger Pathfinder. TT is the german army version of Tattonka. A 92 L green monster with 2 detachable pockets that can be used as a day pack. So many MOLLE straps I can fit my entire ALICE collection on it LOL.

Bought the US Army sleeping bag a couple of years ago - a green and a black sleeping back that can be used seperate or in combination for varying temperatures. With the optional bivy bag

as a 3rd layer its really cozy.

Carried around 35-40 lbs up a mountain, touring europe due to airlines I was limited to 65 lbs ... ouch my back. Even thinking of 80-98 lbs ... good to know people out there even more crazy than me ;-)

Sadly the US education has not only had a bad repuation for the past 3 decades or so ... it really is that bad (outside Ivy League/Private Schools)

When I went to school in California as a foreigner I got the highest scores on spelling bees o_O and english was only my 3rd language ....

I took all the CTBS and PSAT/SAT stuff. The entire system of learning is so different in the US.

A 12 grade US High School Diploma is comparable to 10th grade in germany (Abitur is 13 years).

German exchange students who spend a year in the US usually repeat a year unless they are straigh 1/A.

And dont even get me started on how bad and dysfunctional the german school system is, they didnt do that great on PISA either ...

 

And you end up with politicans with the knowledge of Sara Palin *shudders* ....

I spent most of my days on a school that had the worst of both worlds LOL: a german-american school offering both 12th and 13th grade, depending on where a student wanted to study. Hard part was that all non-language subjects would switch languages every year: you would have history, physics, chemistry in english and biology, math and geography in german and next year switch languages ^o^ in 7th grade a 3rd language is added to the curriculum and in 10th grade one can elect a 4th language (I took lab, like AP science and started my 4th language as extracurriculer activity). Thing is with a HS Diploma getting into a european university is very difficult. Abitur is not really seen as Uni Prep here even if I know what you mean. But the german school system with its different parallel strutuces is in pretty bad shape now, and a few attempts at restructuring have failed. For example: the 13 year Abitur was to be shortend to 12 years with the same curriculum in less time. So a couple of years ago there was 2 graduating classes in one year. But as the new, shorter system is not that great some schools went back to 13 years. So it will be interesting to watch what will happen in germany. Current problem is that as being "integrated" there was a move to close down the special schools for the disabled and shove them all into normal schools, who in turn had to build ramps and all ... but somewhere along the way a lot of the professional staff got lost, with their schools and positions subject to budget cuts.

I am all pro-integration of disabled kids, but this move was so badly botched, its sad really.

And even private schools/academys arent all gravy ...

Spent some time thinking about this thread and all ... and totally forgot the most basic thing:

always carry a spoon (any Infantry Grunt will tell ya that one) and never forget your towel ;-)

 

P38.. You Can use the Lid from The Can for a Spoon..Can't Open a Can with a Spoon as Easily

I got one of those somewhere :-D But I try to avoid taking cans - too heavy ;-) Most trail food nowadays and MREs are in foil bags or ziplock bags for dehydrated etc. they dont have can lids. You can never go wrong with a spoon :-D

Sadly the US education has not only had a bad repuation for the past 3 decades or so ... it really is that bad (outside Ivy League/Private Schools)

When I went to school in California as a foreigner I got the highest scores on spelling bees o_O and english was only my 3rd language ....

I took all the CTBS and PSAT/SAT stuff. The entire system of learning is so different in the US.

A 12 grade US High School Diploma is comparable to 10th grade in germany (Abitur is 13 years).

German exchange students who spend a year in the US usually repeat a year unless they are straigh 1/A.

And dont even get me started on how bad and dysfunctional the german school system is, they didnt do that great on PISA either ...

 

And you end up with politicans with the knowledge of Sara Palin *shudders* ....

congrats KDD: so you speak engrish and fluent geek ^o^

Just read this:

AFN Back On The Air!

 

The American Forces Network (AFN) is working to restore full television service to the overseas audience within the next 24 hours.

 

As a result of civilian workers being allowed to return to work at the AFN Broadcast Center in California, plans are underway to launch AFN|sports, AFN|family, AFN|xtra and AFN|movie today (Monday, October 07). The programs required for AFN|sports are mostly live and, as a result, are immediately available; the inventory for AFN|movie and AFN|family exists on servers at the AFN BC and is also easily obtainable now that the workforce has returned.

The remaining channels, AFN|spectrum and the two AFN|prime channels (Pacific and Atlantic), will require a bit more time to restart since the programs have to be recorded from Stateside feeds and prepared for rebroadcast in the appropriate time slots. Service of these channels should be up and running by prime time Tuesday (Japan Korea Time and Central European Time).

AFN|news has remained on the air since the furlough began on October 02.

 

 

So the cold war and the communists where never ever able to shut off AFN, even way behind the iron curtin. Only Congress was competent enough to do it ...

Politicians taking it out on the back of the people is not a US phenomenon, same in the EU (albeit a bit different of course).

Sadly the US education has not only had a bad repuation for the past 3 decades or so ... it really is that bad (outside Ivy League/Private Schools)

When I went to school in California as a foreigner I got the highest scores on spelling bees o_O and english was only my 3rd language ....

I took all the CTBS and PSAT/SAT stuff. The entire system of learning is so different in the US.

A 12 grade US High School Diploma is comparable to 10th grade in germany (Abitur is 13 years).

German exchange students who spend a year in the US usually repeat a year unless they are straigh 1/A.

And dont even get me started on how bad and dysfunctional the german school system is, they didnt do that great on PISA either ...

 

And you end up with politicans with the knowledge of Sara Palin *shudders* ....

Sara, Sarah ... I know the difference between continents and countries ^o^

 

And I would like to see/hear your language skills KDD. How many?