Effective this school year, the University Scholarship Assistance Program won’t be accepting  students who are taking up Mass Communication (ABMC), Hotel and Restaurant Management (BSHRM) and Accountancy (BSA).  BSA students are allowed to be scholars until their sophomore year only.

According to the Guidance Office, the said courses have loaded schedules and it would be difficult for them to complete their work hours and their school requirements at the same time. Furthermore, Accountancy students are advised to focus on studying for their board examinations so they are not advised to take on extra work.

ABMC, BSHRM and BSA students who were able to get scholarships in the previous year would still be allowed to continue their scholarship; however they would be the last batch of scholars from the said courses.

Exception of certain courses from the university scholarship program is not new to the university. Students who are taking up Nursing (BSN), Computer Science (BSCS) and Information Technology (BSIT) are also exempted from the program, given their high tuition fees and busy schedules.

St. Paul University (SPU) Manila scholars are mostly education grantees and student assistants. Both types of scholarships require students to render hours of office work to the school. They also take less units than regular students per semester, to give way for their office duty. Also, they should maintain a certain grade in order to keep their scholarship. Student assistants should not have a grade below 80 and education grantees should not have a grade below 82 in their minor subjects and they should maintain a minimum grade of 83 in their major subjects.

Other scholarship grants that are entertained by the school include PD451, Mother Bernard (children of SPUManila employees) and PD577(children of military personnel).

Based on the AY 2012-2013 data given by Ms. Azucena B. Magana RGC  (Coordinator of the Scholarship Assistance Program), there are 30 scholars in the campus (11 education grantees, 14 student assistants, 2 PD451 and 3 PD577)

ICYMI: Watch the Simulcast!

Yesterday, May 5, was “Stand With Scouts” Sunday which was spearheaded by Family Research Council in order to provide support for the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) and encourage Christians across the nation to urge them to stand strong against the homosexual agenda.  Currently, the BSA is in the process of reviewing it’s club policy and is under pressure from homosexual activists to allow openly homosexual boys to join the club.

>>>>>Watch the Simulcast and learn more HERE!

Hi there, reader. I’m not yet working and I haven’t had a job before so I’ll just talk about my life as a student. I’m currently taking up Bachelor of Science in Accountancy. If you’ve known me from Tumblr since then, you’re probably aware how deeply serious I am with my chosen course.

I know a lot of people who chose this course even if it’s not what they really want. I think it’s pretty normal these days for parents to choose their children’s course. It doesn’t sound right but even if we admit it or not, that’s how things usually work. In my case, I was the one who personally chose this. I knew it from the start how I need to sacrifice a lot of things to pursue this. I’m not overreacting. I’m pretty much sure of that. This was never easy.

I’ve heard so much about students shifting from Accountancy to other course even before they became sophomores. That sorta encouraged me a bit at first, but I thought I’m different from those people. Maybe I can be better if only I’ll give myself a chance to prove everyone around me that I’m not one of those people who gave up too soon.

I entered college a few years back with an open mind to whatever that might happen in the course of that five years that awaits me. Sure the first semester during my first year was as easy as pie. I even became part of the dean’s list and I’m more than grateful for that. Second semester came and my world was kind of being shaken because of my major. It saddened me how from three sections, we were down to two. The other one repeated the subject. With God’s grace I was still part of the dean’s list.

Then came my second year in that school. Two sections down to one. I couldn’t help but think that maybe I’m now a hundred percent sure I belong to this field. Oh how dumb I was to actually think that I have this assurance that I’ll be staying until the end, but who’s giving up? Definitely not me. Second year, first semester wasn’t the most crucial semester ever but it somehow made me feel like it was. I wasn’t a part of the list and that’s because of the school’s rule. I did get a mediocre grade in my major. My GWA was supposedly enough to be in the list but because of my major subject grade, I wasn’t listed. It’s not like I got a line of 7 grade!

The past semester was the most difficult for me so far. We had the privilege to be taught by one of the most amazing teachers in school. It was Sir Jerwin who made us feel like we can actually do it if we’re only motivated enough. The first term I was so close to failing and yet he wasn’t one of those people who’ll make you feel bitter if you didn’t get a high grade. Instead he’ll make you feel like it really is your fault. It’s actually yours, by the way. I don’t know how I made it but I did!!! Guess I’m back in the list this semester.

I’ve been through a lot during the past few years and I’m proud to say that honest hard work is one of the keys. Be tenacious and you have to be able to know your priorities. Think positively, no matter how cliche that sounds. Study hard; pray harder.

Now I’m an incoming third year BSA student. Few more years and everything will fall in its proper places. All my hard work and determination will be paid off.

Never, never, never give up. – Winston Churchill

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SALT LAKE CITY — It was perfect weather for a bike ride to Temple Square, and one father and his son biked all the way from Idaho to show their support for equality.

Dave McGrath and his son Joe are biking their way to Irving, Texas to attend the Boy Scouts of America National Meeting, and they are using their journey to campaign for a change in membership policy that will allow gays to join the BSA.

In his blog, Dave McGrath said, “I go to either celebrate victory for the proposed change, or if the initiative fails, to pin my objections to the door of the BSA HQs with my Eagle badge. And there leave it. I will have no further use for it.”

Dave and Joe McGrath have both served in the armed forces, and Dave is an Eagle Scout. Dave McGrath said they want to be vocal about their love and their support for those who are gay.

“We’re crossing the red heart of America loud and proud about loving people who are gay,” he said. “My son and I are not gay, but I have seven kids—six sons and a daughter— and two of my sons are gay.”

The father and son were at Temple Square in Salt Lake City on Sunday.

“We came to this place here because this place represents an institution that I loved growing up,” Dave McGarth said. “This institution is the largest supporter of the Boy Scouts of America in the United States.”

The pair of cyclists are using the scout motto, “be prepared” along their journey. They carry all of their gear themselves, they sleep on the ground, and they use other skills they learned as scouts.

Dave McGrath said the support from the community has been positive. He said while the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has said in the past they are opposed to allowing gay scouts and leaders, he said he believes the LDS church is a positive institution in the fight for equality.

“It’s difficult sometimes to talk to LDS people about these sorts of things because it—they don’t get very far out of step with their leaders, and yet their leadership have already declared that they are ahead of their people,” Dave McGrath said.

The McGraths will be blogging about their journey as they go. The blog can be found here.

Columbus graffiti in California for a charity event.

Well done organisers, well done weather.

glad I have these people in my accountancy days.
my-soon-to-be-colleagues

My thanks as ever to all and especially to www.ikba.co.uk and Facebook Bridge Club.

No doubt, there are evil homosexuals and heterosexuals who populate our lives and the lives of our children. As parents (both homosexual and heterosexual), we must be vigilant to keep our children safe from them. However, the “them” are not evil because of their sexual orientation. Unfortunately, the Boy Scouts of America’s latest proposal to change its discriminatory rules on gay participation suggests the opposite. The proposal would allow openly gay youth to participate in scouting and would prohibit openly gay adults from participating as scout leaders. At best, the proposal evidences BSA’s lack of confidence in its own programs. At worst, the proposal is blatantly homophobic, discriminatory and inconsistent in its moral teaching.

The new policy is based on the bizarre notion that when gay boys enter adulthood they suddenly become predators and abusers merely because of their sexual orientation. What is even more bizarre if possible is that the Boy Scouts of America, whose mission is to instill “lifetime values”, develop “ethical character” and teach “citizenship, service and leadership”, is making the proposal. Http://www.scouting.org/. The organization apparently believes that gay scouts will mature into predators and abusers notwithstanding years of immersion in the BSA’s character-building programs.

Since no credible evidence exists to support the theory that gay adults are predators as a result of their sexual orientation, the policy is blatantly homophobic and discriminatory. The BSA’s own experience provides some proof of the inaccuracy of this theory. As Kinsey told us, from the founding of the BSA on February 8, 1910, some percentage of youth participants (now over 2.7 million) and adult volunteers (now over 1 million) were and are gay whether or not the BSA permitted their participation. Consequently, for over a century the BSA’s gay adult volunteers at the very least have met the organization’s requirements and functioned in accordance with its stated policies.

By requiring tolerance with respect to only a portion of the gay population, BSA takes a morally incoherent position that cannot withstand logic. Such an indefensible position, however, is not new to the BSA. Until the late 1940′s, rather than prohibiting racial segregation in scouting, the BSA required segregation for those African American boys living in states having segregated schools. As a result, in those jurisdictions the BSA mandated “colored only” troops having facilities and programs inferior to those of their white counterparts and whose African American boys were often not allowed to wear scout uniforms.  Http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Boy_Scouts_of_America and http://www.aaregistry.org/historic_events/view/african-americans-boy-scout-movement.

Intolerance and discrimination are not “ethical” or a “lifetime value” in America. It is time for the BSA leadership to get in step with the reality of their organization. Homosexual and heterosexual men have been teaching and training homosexual and heterosexual boys since the day the BSA was founded, and will continue to do so whether or not its leadership finally does what is right.

See, http://wapo.st/14z1rdn and http://www.kansascity.com/2013/04/22/4196737/boy-scouts-latest-misstep.html

Photo courtesy of: http://www.glaad.org/blog/president-obama-announces-opposition-boy-scouts-ban-gay-scouts-and-scout-leaders

SOURCE

The proposed resolution that would change the Boy Scouts century-old membership policy and allow “open homosexuality” is “logically incoherent and morally and ethically inconsistent,” charges a coalition of Scout leaders and their families.

“Opening the Boy Scouts to boys who openly proclaim being sexually attracted to other boys and/or openly identify themselves as ‘gay’ will inevitably create an increase of boy-on-boy sexual contact,” says John Stemberger, Eagle Scout and founder of OnMyHonor.Net, in an open letter to Scout leaders.

Stemberger’s letter is specifically addressed to the approximately 1,400 rank-and-file Scout leaders who form the National Council, which will vote on the resolution at the Boy Scouts of America national conference in Grapevine, Texas, May 22-23.

The resolution, a revision of a plan issued in January, seeks to strike a compromise by allowing open homosexuality by boys but not adult leaders.

The previous proposal would have allowed local troops to decide whether to accept openly homosexual members and leaders.

Stemberger argues that under the new policy, “open homosexuality would be officially consistent with the Scouting code throughout a Boy Scout’s life until the moment he turns 18, when it suddenly becomes a problem.”

He points out that BSA’s own youth protection videos indicate that 70 percent of abuse of boys is by teenagers.

“The proposal forces and requires every chartered Scouting unit, irrespective of religious convictions, to facilitate open homosexuality among boys in their program,” he writes.

SIGN WND’S PETITION TO KEEP THE BOY SCOUTS STRONG AND MORAL

Stemberger asserts a change in policy would “gut a major percentage of human capital in the BSA and utterly devastate the program financially, socially and legally.”

He points to BSA’s own “Voice of the Scout” surveys that indicate tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of parents, Scoutmasters and Scouts will leave the program if the proposal is adopted.

A member of the National Council who plans to vote on the policy previously told WND a decision to change the policy will prompt many at all levels of the organization to quit.

Stemberger said internal estimates by the BSA project an estimated $44 million of lost annual revenue if the policy is changed.

Mormons support change

About 70 percent of local Scout troops are supported by churches or other religious groups, most of which have taught that homosexual behavior is sinful.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the Mormons, however, issued a statement last week affirming the proposal.

The LDS statement, April 25, said that while the church has not campaigned for or against a policy change, it has followed the discussion and is “satisfied that BSA has made a thoughtful, good-faith effort to address issues that, as they have said, remain ‘among the most complex and challenging issues facing the BSA and society today.’”

The statement by the Salt Lake City leadership said the proposal “constructively addresses a number of important issues that have been part of the on-going dialogue including consistent standards for all BSA partners, recognition that Scouting exists to serve and benefit youth rather than Scout leaders, a single standard of moral purity for youth in the program, and a renewed emphasis for Scouts to honor their duty to God.”

“We are grateful to BSA for their careful consideration of these issues,” the LDS statement said. “We appreciate the positive things contained in this current proposal that will help build and strengthen the moral character and leadership skills of youth as we work together in the future.”

‘Robbing parents’

In his open letter, Stemberger also asserts the resolution “robs parents of the sole authority to raise issues of sex and sexuality with their kids” and leaves all Scouting units “with no options and no legal protection if they refuse to allow open homosexuality among the boys of their units.”

He contends top BSA leaders “completely ignored the collective wisdom of rank and file Scouting family members when they put forth this proposed resolution.”

The BSA’s own official “Voice of the Scout” survey, he points out, shows respondents support the current policy by a supermajority of 61 percent to 34 percent.

The Scouts count more than 2.7 million members and more than 1 million volunteers.

Stemberger’s coalition wants churches to host a simulcast this Sunday of their event “Stand with Scouts Sunday.” Sponsored by the Family Research Council, it will feature Scouting officials, Scout parents, government officials and Eagle Scouts “to analyze the current landscape and provide action steps so that you and your church can stand with the Scouts in both your community and nationally.”

FRC’s president, Tony Perkins, said the outcome of the upcoming vote “will affect the very future of Scouting, as a shift in the policy would undermine the very principles held by the BSA for over a century.”

Stemberger was interviewed April 21 by CNN’s Don Lemon, who has declared he is homosexual, along with Zach Wahls, an Eagle Scout and founder of the homosexual-rights group Scouts for Equality.

In the interview, Wahls told his story of growing up with “two moms,” one of whom served as a Cub Scout den mother.

“This policy is about keeping people out of the program because of the problems they have with gay people like my moms, Jackie and Terry,” he said.

Boy Scouts public relations director Deron Smith has explained that the resolution would mean that “no youth may be denied membership in the Boy Scouts of America on the basis of sexual orientation or preference alone.”

OnMyHonor.Net argues that the current membership policy, “backed by more than 100 years of tradition,” allows “anyone to participate irrespective of sexual orientation, but only disallows the open and aggressive promotion of homosexuality and political agendas.”

‘Gay’-rights activists who have been pressuring the Scouts to change the policy, are not entirely satisfied with the resolution.

Jennifer Tyrrell, a lesbian mother who was ousted by her son’s Cub Scout Pack last year, said the Scouts are “once again forcing me to look my children in the eyes and tell them that our family isn’t good enough.”

She counts more than 1.6 million Change.org petition signatures that back gay-rights groups GLAAD and Scouts for Equality in urging the organization to end its “anti-gay policy.”

“My heart goes out to the young adults in Scouting who would be able to continue as scouts if this is passed, but then be thrown out when they reach the age to become leaders,” she said.

Rich Ferraro, vice president of communications for GLAAD, said the BSA “has failed its members, corporate sponsors, donors and the millions of Americans who agree that the time to end discrimination in Scouting is now.”

“By refusing to consider an end to its ban on gay and lesbian parents, the Boy Scouts have missed an opportunity to exercise leadership and usher the organization back to relevancy,” he said. “We’re living in a culture where, until every young person and parent have the same opportunity to serve, the Boy Scouts will continue to see a decline in both membership and donations.”

However, Wahls, has called the new resolution an important first step toward a “day when all Scouts and Scout leaders are supported within the organization, regardless of their sexual orientation.”

The American Family Association has been mobilizing supporters to urge Boy Scouts executive board member Randall Stephenson, the CEO of AT&T, to resign.

Stephenson, who is said to be positioned to become the BSA executive board’s chairman next year, has been praised by activists along with Ernst & Young CEO James Turley for publicly opposing the Scouts’ membership policy and vowing to work from within to change it.

The Scout executive board could have made the decision at its meeting in February but decided to delay it until May amid strong opposition voiced by its national membership. The board said that after “careful consideration and extensive dialogue,” it “concluded that due to the complexity of this issue, the organization needs time for a more deliberate review of its membership policy.”

This month, it won’t be the national executive board – comprised of many prominent corporate CEOs – making the decision but rather the BSA National Council, made up of the regional and local Scout leaders.

Last July, after a thorough two-year study, an 11-member committee of professional scout executives and adult volunteers unanimously concluded the policy should be maintained. The BSA executive committee announced that while not all board members “may personally agree with this policy, and may choose a different direction for their own organizations, BSA leadership agrees this is the best policy for the organization and supports it for the BSA.”

In 2000, the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed the right of the Scout organization to exclude homosexuals, because the behavior violated the core values of the private organization.

The BSA’s new policy proposal, as WND reported, coincides with a sudden drop in major corporate funding that began last summer after a “gay”-rights blogger for the Huffington Post published a collaborative report that named the donors and chastised them for violating their own policy of not discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation.

SIGN WND’S PETITION TO KEEP THE BOY SCOUTS MORAL

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In light of recent events, please take note of the following statement:

Assemblies of God is committed to ensuring young men grow up with strong values. Since 1962 our Royal Rangers program, designed for boys and young men grades K through 12, with 250,000 members across 87 nations, has sought to sharpen character and develop leadership skills in this critical age group.

We are saddened and disappointed to hear that Boy Scouts of America (BSA), an organization long devoted to biblical values, is now considering loosening the principles in which it was founded.

Homosexual behavior contradicts biblical teachings and God’s created order for the family and human relationships. We pray BSA will give careful consideration to this matter and hold firm to the beliefs that have made it a strong and influential organization for more than 100 years.

Dr. George O. Wood
General Superintendent
Assemblies of God

***May Roundtable/District Dinner as well as District Committee and Commissioners meetings have been cancelled to make time for this meeting***

Free speech has many challenges. So do civil rights. And does expressive association, the right of “free speaker” (in this case, a private group) to exclude someone that would undercut their message, limit free speech or civil rights? Both, really. The trick is, not letting it restrict either too much.

The Boy Scouts of America is a private group. They were sued because they expelled an assistant scoutmaster for stating he was gay. They argued, successfully, that their right of expressive association would be undercut by allowing gay people. Yes, their “message” supposedly includes the fact that being gay is morally wrong. Which was a big surprise to everyone, because they seemingly went out of their way not to convey that message to the public before their court case came about. And that’s just one reason the Supreme Court got this case wrong. They had no long-standing tradition of opposing the gay lifestyle in public, that’s the Westboro Baptist Church.

But, also, the case that supposedly set the precedent for this ruling wasn’t even really applicable. Hurley vs. Irish-American Gay, Lesbian, and Group of Boston was about this Group of Boston that wanted to march in a St. Patrick’s Day Parade. The parade organizers were a private group that didn’t want to be seen as pro-gay. They denied the GROUP, marching under their own banner, entry into the parade. The Supreme Court made a landmark case for expressive association, stating that the parade organizers didn’t have to admit GROUPS that conveyed a message they disagreed with. But, here’s where the precedent falls apart like the career of a politician that’s been hiking the Appalachian Trail: the parade organizers were happy to let gay, lesbian, and bisexual INDIVIDUALS march in the parade,  as long as they didn’t have their own section of the parade, identified as such.

Now, even though I disagree with this ruling, it does have its upside. The private group organizing the parade weren’t actively conveying an anti-gay message. Which, I think, should be one of the litmus tests for any case involving expressive association. But, the ruling does mean that the Westboro Baptist Church can’t force their way into having a float in a gay pride parade. I think the Supreme Court decision should’ve been a little more specific in what actually constitutes undercutting a group’s message.

Gay men and boys that want to be included in scouts have never tried to open up a special gay chapter of the Boy Scouts; they want to enter the scouts as individual participants. Also, the parade organizers were a smaller private group than the Boy Scouts. They weren’t granted the “public accommodations” status that the aforementioned Group of Boston was going for. But, the Boy Scouts is everywhere. And, like a Nevada casino, they aren’t too picky about the guest list. There is a much bigger case for the Boy Scouts being classified as a public accommodation. This was a factor in another case involving a private group excluding women. They were a large group, and weren’t exclusive with their memberships. I would guess that if the Boy Scouts aren’t much larger than that group, they are of equal size.

And, by the way, the Boy Scouts are now proposing letting gay youth be members. Not adult scoutmasters, though, that would be chaos. This actively undermines their own claim to expressive association. This is all in an effort to not look anti-gay. They wouldn’t want to be seen as people who would discriminate. But, wasn’t that the message that they so badly wanted to protect by keeping out gay people?

I was recently presented with the question, “Should expressive association be simple or complex?” I, if you haven’t guessed, think it should be somewhat complex. You add the individual to the group, multiplied by the size of the private organization, and divide by the message being actively conveyed. Simple? No. But, if we can navigate this country’s tax code, we can manage this.

If you liked this, or hated it and want to let me know it…. Listen to my show, POLI-PSYCHO: Mondays at 6-7pm on KSSU.com.

This is a magic walking stick. Oh, I know it looks like an ordinary stick. It’s vine maple. I cut it in my backyard in Maple Valley, WA about 15 years ago. I carved it, varnished it and somewhere in that process It acquired just a little bit of magic. You see, this stick. . .how tall would you say it is? About 5′?

It measures exactly 56 inches: 4’8″ tall.

But in actuality it’s 3,556 ft tall.

I discovered this about a year ago. I was invited to accompany my sons on a camping trip. It’s a trip the scouts do every year. They hike up Grove Creek canyon to Indian springs where they have dinner. They camp in the high meadow above the “G.” The next day they drop their packs at the top of Battle Creek canyon, summit Baldy, pick up their packs and come down Battle Creek.

The weather was perfect that day. We met in the parking lot which is at about 5,200 feet, but only a few hundred feet higher than Pleasant Grove. If you aren’t used to it, the altitude can really hit you. Shouldering into our packs, mine was a svelte 35 lbs, it was time to go. I brought along my walking stick.

Starting out it was great. When hiking a trail like that, you put one leader in front, and one in the back. Then the boys hike at their own pace. The scoutmaster, Brian Cryer is always the last person on the trail.

I had two sons going on this campout. The first one, took off like a shot. While just barely 12 at the time, he was determined to keep up with those 14 year olds and he did.

My second son while only a couple months younger is quite a bit smaller than his brother. This son was the slowest hiker in the group. Meaning he was only slightly faster than me.

Oh, he ran from the parking lot. We caught up to him at the first switchback, where he announced he hadn’t brought any water. . . for a hike in a desert! I gave him my extra bottle of water.

We set a reasonable pace. That trail has a LOT of switchbacks. The views were spectacular. until they were finally blocked by the canyon walls. My son was no longer running. He plodded along with the scoutmaster and me right behind.

The scoutmaster had obviously had scouts like this before.

“There’s a bench at about the half way point.”

“Really?”

“Sure. Just keep watching for it around one of these corners.”

For the next hour it was look. . .look. . .look

Finally, about the time he’d given up, we find the bench! Scoot over kid! Thirty Five pounds never felt so heavy.

Off we go again. Now, we’re into the rolling hills. Down. . .up. . . down. . .up. Several times I’m literally pushing him up the hill.

Finally, we get to our dinner site. Aughh. . .I’m just gonna sit here. No, I’m not really hungry. . Not if I have to actually move to get the food. (Having kids, they brought the old man food!)

Too soon, it’s back up and away again. Mostly flat. . .mostly.

The scenery really was beautiful. . . when I could wipe the sweat out of my eyes long enough to see it.

Our campsite was just inside the trees at the far edge of the meadow on the backside of the “G.” After sundown, we walked to the edge and looked out at the valley, a thousand glittering diamonds spread out on a black velvet blanket. Most people thought, “What a beautiful sight.” I thought, “How do I get back down there?”

The great thing about hiking is that it makes your bed more comfortable than ever. Oh and ibuprofen helps too!

Next morning I woke up about 20 minutes before my right knee.

It was a short hike to the top of Battle Creek canyon. It’s pretty there.

We dropped our packs and turned to face Baldy. You know, the SMALL mountain looking East from Pleasant Grove.

“Come on, knee. There’s no way we’re letting these kids beat us.”

“Come on, knee. There’s no way we’re not summiting.”

“Come on, knee. There’s no way, we’re gonna let them catch us on their way down while we’re still headed up.”

Finally, we reached the top. The view was great. . .and high. Baldy’s summit is 8,756 feet above sea level.

About the time I arrived, they announced,

“Okay, time to head back!”

Huh?

Back down.

You probably think that going DOWN the mountain is easier than going UP the mountain. Please explain that to my knee.

By the time we reached the packs, the older boys were gone. I helped my son with his pack and I shouldered into mine again.

“This is the last part.”

“I can do this!”

We make frequent stops. . .for my son.

We still had a mile or so to go when the scoutmaster called a break for our little group of three.

“Do you want to rest with your pack on or off?”

“Off”

. . .my son says, as he shucked it in the middle of the trail.

“Great”

He grabbed the pack and called over his shoulder,

“We’ll wait for you in the parking lot!”

I wanted to rest with my pack on anyway.

Then, it started to rain. . .and hail.

I wonder how far I could roll?

Finally, the last bend was rounded and there was the parking lot.

Now, you’re wondering about my magic walking stick? How do I know that it’s 3,556 feet tall? I know because I measured it. . .TWICE!

I left home late on Thursday on my old trusty Beemer, heading for the channel ports, in amazing spring sunshine, a sub plan existed, along the lines of, a beer with Graham, before meeting up with Geoff and Sarah, at the hotel, this would be the hotel that charges some people £45, and me £89 for the same nights stay! Bastards. But I digress, I did get to the hotel, and all was looking fine, the sun was still beating down, and my bike was running great, so I pop in to register at reception, and then pop back out to go for beer, with Graham, but the now flat tyre put a stop to that!…

So I have a puncture, no worries, I will just get out my kit and fix it, except, the spare tube, tyre levers, and repair kit are all back at my house, because I forgot to pack them! Arghhh.
Ok then I thought, I shall give Geoff a call, to see if he has a spare tube in the M21 outfit…

Now this is where things start to go off at a tangent, as my tyre flat takes its place behind this little tale…
Hi Geoff/Sarah, do you have a spare tube in the outfit, I could use as I have a flat, “yes we do, but we are not in the outfit, we are heading down now on the Triumph”
Well I am sure you have all seen the old silent movies, with Buster Keaton, or Charlie Chaplin, where the sidecar outfit is passed by its own wheel, well that is what happened to Geoff and Sarah, when the axle broke as they headed down hill to a roundabout, and ended up embedded in an embankment! I kid you not.
But they were both fine, the outfit was recovered home, and they loaded the Triumph and once again headed south.
At this point I phoned Ed, and asked him if he could help with a tube, he could, and would, but not till later, but that was fine, meantime Geoff’s mate Alan, turned up on the other M21 outfit, and he immediately set to helping me with the Beemer, wheel out tube out, and a small hole was found, but no cause could be seen anywhere? then Ed pulled up with a new tube before flying off again for a curry.

So we threw the tyre and tube back together, and gave it some air, but the new Avon would not seat on the rim, we tried everything, but it would not seat, 60psi with a foot pump over and over again, but still no joy, it was now dark and cold, and still flat.
So I called the breakdown services to get them to bring a compressor round, that combined with a liberal coating of silicone spray finally had it fixed.

So we all adjourned to the pub for a well deserved Beer, because in the morning we are off to Belgium.

Tea please

John Bull, A Family Event

With the morning came the rain, and we all awoke to a wet grey day in old blighty, but it was only a short hop down hill to the ferry port, and we were soon getting on the outside of a very nice breakfast. My tyre on the BMW was still inflated, Mr Ed and Bryan, had joined us by this time too, so we were looking forward to a ride, and the forthcoming rally.

The ride to the rally site itself was pretty uneventful, but pleasant enough in the cold grey morning rain, but by the time we arrived at Karelstaat, it had dried up, so we set to with getting the tents erected, and heading off for a beer or two and a big bowl of Chili.
The morning was dry and bright with the promise of a nice day, so I thought I would get the camera out for a few shots before breakfast..

Nice Single AJS

BSA Combo

So that was another John Bull Rally, it was overall a good rally, with great hosts, the site was fantastic, and it had a great atmosphere, the only negative to the whole weekend was the fiasco over the beer vouchers, that some of us, including me had paid for, but were  missing from our envelopes,  and although reported, no one wanted to believe us, they thought we were trying it on!  I opened my envelope in front of five or six regular rally goers, they all saw that the beer voucher was missing.  I never got a replacement voucher, or an apology! Bad form I think.

More pictures here…  http://kevindean.zenfolio.com/p291777001/slideshow

Head over to Turn Eight to check out my preview for Castle Combe, now only one week away!

We need 6 scouts and as many of parents that want to Dive!

Thank you!

Floyd E. Holcom
VP, General Manager
NAUI Instructor 48075
DAN Instructor 14024
Astoria Scuba and Adventure Sports, LLC
100 39^th Street
Pier 39-Astoria
Astoria, Oregon  97103
www.astoriascuba.com
www.pier39-astoria.com
503-325-2502