cheffy

The Ann Arbor United way issue had several things going on.

First there was the pressure by the Gay groups at the University of Michigan to get the University to stop its donations to UW as long as UW supported the Boy Scouts. Since UW didn't want to lose the University money they took Boy Scouts off the list. This just made FOS a bigger contribution for some people and less for UW.

Then there is the embezzlment thing which took them for a ride and lessened the confidience of alot of people in UW.

Then the economy takes a dive and now UW contributions are way down.

The Ann Arbor United way issue had several things going on.

First there was the pressure by the Gay groups at the University of Michigan to get the University to stop its donations to UW as long as UW supported the Boy Scouts. Since UW didn't want to lose the University money they took Boy Scouts off the list. This just made FOS a bigger contribution for some people and less for UW.

Then there is the embezzlment thing which took them for a ride and lessened the confidience of alot of people in UW.

Then the economy takes a dive and now UW contributions are way down.

While I havn't seen the ones you ae talking about it should be easy to make them up.

I would think some 1/8" stock(try the hobby shops but don't get balsa). mark out the pattern. cut the hole for the button with a router fitted with a "keyhole" bit. Do the holes first as it will be easier to handle the larger piece of wood. then cut out the tag. Next you could either stamp or burn the names into the wood and apply finish.

Another option I've seen is to printout names on the computer in mirror image and then use that as an iron on transfer on a piece of wood. Just line up the printout and hit it with a hot iron(no Steam). The print comes off and then you just need to cut, glue a pin on the back and finish. For these a spray finish works best as it avoids streaking with a brush.

HTH

I'm looking at the same thing.

Since we want to do the tourist thing also, the options are.

A. Amtrak to Albuquerque and rent a car. 3.5hr ride to Cimarron. Amtrak without a sleeper car is around $200

B. Southwest airlines to Albuquerque and rent car.

Cannot get a price from Southwest yet.

c. Drive all the way.

d. Amtrak to Raton and bus in then figure out rent a car situation.

do you have any more info on this program?

My son is working on becoming the troop bugler. He became inspired after reading about an American Legion Post that bought an electronic bugle because no one knew haw to play the real thing.

What I really need is a new sleeping pad.

What I really want is the Case Hobo knife. Knife fork and spoon all in one with bone sideplates.

What I'll get, socks and a hat.

acco

What session are you thinking of taking. I also got an invite.

I the past we have not had a SM minute. I'm thinking of add them.

Any ideas about easing them in?

I've printed out some of the short ones I liked and have been slipping them into the boys books after a SM conference. Kind of like a fortune cookie. The boys now look to see which one they got.

Volvo 200 series twenty years and still going

Swiss army knife by Victornoix. Vintage 1955 still sharp

Work knives by Henkles. Finally retired one I bought in 1979

FOG

I agree they are not stupid just making a buck to fund the magazine.

Yes a pinewood car can be rocket science if you want it to be. But some of the fastest cars I've seen look like Fred Flintstone made them.

the single mom who has no tools or woodworking abilities"

I've seen Dads that don't know what a hammer is, My boss is one of them and freely admits it.

If you can't build for whatever reason there are pre-cut kits. Sanding is easy and good therapy. Add some paint and it could be a job done without tools.

Maybe we sould all kick ourselfs and say "Why didn't I think of selling pre-built cars".

In this months Scouter MAgazine there was a nice article on the 50 anniversary of the pine wood derby.

The article gave examples of how building a car is a great learning experience etc.

On about page 4 of the magazine is a full page add for pre built pine wood cars now available at Target.

I guess the experience the Cubs are getting from going to Target is how to use a charge card and not have to work at anything.

I don't have a problem with the boys going to the hobby shop and buying a roughed out body and all the parts and then finishing the car but this pre built thing is crazy.

Is BSA that desperate for dollars that they would accept this advertising?

I'll get off my soap box now.

Fairness is not everyone getting the samething.

Fairness is everyone getting what they need.

This question came up over coffee this morning.

What qualities make up a good SM.

Let's get the ball rolling this should be a good discussion.

Being the new kid on the block I may not know everything but...I would not take the wine on a campout. If it was absolutly necessary I would do the no lead kind and put it in a different container. We did this last year when it was an event that was for adults and was cooked by adults.

I have bad visions of something bad happening at the camp and eventhough it was not involved the event gets blamed on the wine.

Can you just hear Little Jonny Scout telling Mom and Dad about the weekend. "First we got lost, then Billy pulled his knife on me, then Joe started a big fire. Oh yeah we also had wine in the patrol box."

As much as I like to cook with and enjoy it the fruit of the vine stays home.

OGE

I'm not sure how the truffle thing got started. Probably the same guy that said "I wonder what the liquid that come out of these things hanging below this cow tastes like." Or "Ooops I left this cow liquid in a cave for a year and it's all solid and moldy. Guess I'll eat it."

Oh I'm feeling cut and bleeding just because I can make a Pate and not call it meatloaf.

What a turn this thread has taken.

Now everyone doesn't think I like a good Samich from Philly.

One of the only things better is a good Southern BBQ sandwich like from the Pit Stop or Fresh Air.

Oh sure I've cooked with some of the best Chefs in the world, Served Presidents and their wives and have an armful of awards but if you knew what I do now you would be laughing.

I oversee the food production for a major University That cranks out upwards of 7000 meals a day.

Why? so I can have a real life and do other things like Scouts and give FOG a hard time.

FOG

Next time why not use grape juice?

Next time you want a steak whay not have a burger?

Next time you want a dog why not get a cat?

There is a difference between wine and grape juice.

Sure they are both made from grapes but thats where the simularities end.

If you are going to use Welchs you are better off leaving it out.

The next thing you will want to make duck a la orange with Tang.

Let me give you a professional slant on cooking wine.

Cooking wine you buy thatis labeled"cooking wine"

has salt and other ingredients added to make it undrinkable by itself. This started in the old days when most Chefs needed to go to AA meetings after their 16 hr days.

If you are cooking with "real" wine the alcohol will burn off but it neds to be added early in the cooking process and brought to a boil for several minutes and essentailly reduced to a half it's volumn.

A way to get around this whole situation is to use one of the alcohol free wines. Same taste no problems.

In some recipes the wine is not a big deal and could be left out but in things like Coq au Vin you kind of need it.

Give your brother a job with some resposibility.

Have him help the quartermaster.

Anything where he is busy and feels like he has a job and is making a contibution.

Have his whole patrol be responsible for a program such as first aid or knot tying.

That should keep them all focused.

Ya'all are more than welcome to stop by for dinner. You just have to find us.

Some of the boys are already planning their menu for our spring cooking campout. I'm a little scared. One of the boys asked where he could buy a sushimi knife.

Not all our meals have been gourmet meals. WE had a ban on bacon for awhile. We don't always cook elaborate meals but the once a year cooking campout has improved the quality of the other ones.

There is a good book put out by backpacker magazine on trail cooking. alot of good ideas for campout meals but not really any D.O. recipes. Ther is a web site from the dtch oven cookoff. Some great ideas there.

One option since all the patrols are eating the same meal is to divide the work. If for example the menu was homemade beef stew. One or two patrols would do the stew on the propane in a pot. two would do the biscuits and or noodles and one could do baked apples in foil in the fire or roasted corn on the cob.

Or blend the patrols so a few from each work on each portion.

Just make sure the different parts of the menus get rotated between campouts so the same patol isn't always doing the "main" course.

In not sure how your funds are but there are some good deals out there on D.O.'s right now.

If you want to do some open fire cooking, go to a resturant supply place and pick up some industrail sized cooling racks. you can lay them ovver the open fire as cooking grates. That's how our troop does Jamacian Jerk pork chops with a side of Callaloo.

Just as a side note.. Look into the pre-cooked bacon. No trying to find a way to get rid of the grease and many of the brands are shelf stable so you don't have to worry about refrigeration. Yeas they cost more but there is no waste, therefore you are being "thrifty".

Thank you FOG

That's my point exactly.

Kind of like do you wear a designer label or not.

Bob white.

My theory is that since Woolrich makes the jackets anyway and since this was an outlet store that there was some slight defect that put it on the discount rack. Now all I need is the pocket patch.

Early on in this thread there wwas discussion on if the jacket was offical or not. Here's my question...If someone was at the Woolrich outlet and there was the red wool jacket on the rack, same style etc, without the offical BSA tag. The price was down to $39.00. Would you feel bad about wearing it with your uniform? Remember you just saved about $60 and you would need to add a pocket patch.

Had to chim in on this one.

Our troop is probably one of the best fed troops around. We have to push to get the boys to eat canned food. Every spring one of our campouts is a cooking challenge. This year we went with an international theme where the scouts had to use authentic recipes and research the countries they were cooking. Lunch and dinner were manditory. Things like jerk pork chops, hummus and taboulli, roast leg of lamb, orange souffle(in a dutch oven)Chicken kabobs.

If you raise the bar I'm sure the boys will meet the challenge.