Tepuk Pramuka Tiga Kali Untuk Presiden

Presiden RI, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono sebagai Ketua Majelis Pembimbing Nasional (Mabinas) dan Pramuka Utama melantik pengurus Kwartir Nasional (Kwarnas) Gerakan Pramuka masa bakti 2008-2013 di halaman tengah Istana Kepresidenan Jakarta, Jumat (20/11).

Sebanyak 93 anggota pengurus Kwarnas Gerakan Pramuka yang dipimpin ketuanya, Prof DR Dr Azrul Azwar, MPH dilantik oleh Presiden berdasarkan berdasarkan Keputusan Presiden Nomor 90/M Tahun 2009 yang ditetapkan pada 11 Agustus 2009.

Dalam pelantikan tersebut, hadir pula Ibu Negara Ibu Ani Bambang Yudhoyono, para menteri Kabinet Indonesia Bersatu II dan sejumlah pejabat negara lainnya.

Dalam pengarahannya seusai acara pelantikan, Presiden menekankan pentingnya bagi Gerakan Pramuka untuk terus membantu pembangunan karakter bangsa melalui pendidikan kepanduan lengkap dengan aneka macam latihan yang ada.

Kepala Negara juga mengingatkan kembali tentang revitalisasi Gerakan Pramuka yang telah dicanangkannya pada peringatan Hari Pramuka 14 Agustus 2006 lalu. Presiden mengharapkan agar para pengurus yang baru dilantik terus mendorongnya revitalisasi itu agar Gerakan Pramuka dapat semakin menarik bagi generasi muda.

Ketua Mabinas yang sekaligus mengingatkan betapa bersemangatnya dia mengikuti latihan kepramukaan yang pertama kali diperolehnya ketika dia masih menjadi siswa kelas V atau VI SD di Pacitan, Jawa Timur, ingin agar diadakan pelatihan-pelatihan yang metodologinya terus dikembangkan. Presiden juga meminta diadakannya pelatihan kepemimpinan dan training for trainers. Pada gilirannya, kata Presiden, mereka yang telah mendapatkan pelatihan itu akan kembali melatih yang lain, sehingga dalam waktu satu atau dua tahun mendatang, para Pembina yang sudah terdaftar akan mendapatkan sertifikasi dengan kualifikasi yang sudah ditentukan.

Presiden juga menekankan perlunya kegiatan-kegiatan yang menarik bagi generasi muda. Misalnya, latihan kepemimpinan, keterampilan mengatasi rintangan alam, pelatihan pertolongan pertama pada kecelakaan, pelatihan teknologi dan informasi, serta bela diri. Menurut Presiden, bela diri perlu diberikan bukan untuk menjadi sombong dan mau bertarung, tetapi untuk meningkatkan rasa percaya diri.

Kepala Negara juga berharap agar seragam Gerakan Pramuka lebih disesuaikan lagi untuk keperluan-keperluan tertentu. Misalnya, untuk kegiatan di alam terbuka, kantung celana kurang banyak, dan kalau naik gunung agar celananya tidak robek.

Demikian pula tentang Bumi Perkemahan Pramuka Wiladatika, Cibubur, Jakarta Timur. Presiden yang mengaku sampai awal-awal masa jabatan pertamanya sebagai Presiden masih sering berolahraga jogging bersama Ibu Negara di sana, mengganggap bumi perkemahan itu sudah cukup bagus dan luas. Tapi sayang waktu itu agak kurang terawat, kata Presiden. “Saya waktu itu masih sering mencium bau yang tidak sedap. Masih ada sampah yang tidak pada tempatnya dan sebagainya. Tidak boleh hal seperti itu terjadi,” ujarnya lagi.

Presiden mengakhiri pengarahannya dengan disambut tepuk pramuka tiga kali oleh seluruh anggota Gerakan Pramuka yang hadir pada acara itu. Kemudian dilanjutkan dengan acara memberikan salam oleh Presiden dan Ibu Negara, Menteri Pendidikan Nasional M Nuh dan istri, serta Menteri Negara Pemuda dan Olahraga Andi Malaranggeng dan istri kepada seluruh pengurus Kwarnas Gerakan Pramuka.

This article is not about some new found flammable material that can quickly start the bonfire.  It is instead about kids who are fascinated by fire.

We finished up a camping event in October and all my boys wanted to do was to start the fire.  We are now in the mountains at a cabin and all the kids want to do is start a fire.

I have mixed feelings over how I should handle this.  On the one hand, Smokey the Bear pounded it into my little brain that I should not play with matches and that only “I could prevent forest fires”. I contrast that with my first summer at Boy Scout Camp when I was the last guy in the class to start a fire.  The very last, I had to stay for hours after trying to make it work.

The setup was a class in a 2 match fire.  You had to build a fire, capable of burning through a string, with only 2 matches.  Once you lit the match, you could not touch the fire or mess with it in any way.  No paper, no gasoline, no fancy firestarter.  Just what you could get in nature. If it didn’t light, you had to tear it down and start over.

I struggled mightily with this task. I tried every type of dried leaves I could find and was able to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that leaves do not make good tender for starting fires. I must also give lots of props to my teacher (an 18 year old eagle scout), who continued to let me fail. Instead of jumping in and doing it for me, he kept letting me do it my way.  That learning experience has stay with my for over 20 years.

Now, to my boys and there fascination with fire.

Option 1 – Prohibit them from starting fires, remove all matches from their reach, and force them to sit by on the sidelines while the adults make the fire. Could I make the forbidden fruit any more enticing?

Option 2 – Let them build fires under appropriate supervision so they can learn the same lessons like I did as a young boy scout.

I like option 2. I am sure that the guide to safe scouting says that cub scouts should not be involved in making fires and to be fair, my oldest boy (a webelos cub scout) is several years younger than I was when I was at scout daycamp, but I think even young boys can be taught this important skill and how to use it responsibly.

So the question becomes how do I teach boys important fire skills and important safety?

When I taught my Cub Scout den about knife safety (through the Cub Scout Whittlin’ Chip), I showed them how to do things right and made them aware of the possible consequences for not being safe. I also let them know that carrying and using a pocket knife was a privilege that could be taken away. I then observed several 8 yr old boys acting extremely maturely and responsibly as they willingly followed the rules associated with this new found privilege.  I am sure that this varies with the maturity level of boys, but I was still very impressed.

With that said, I think these are key points in teaching younger boys (cub scouts) about fire.

• Fire is a tool that is very useful but can also be VERY dangerous
• Starting a fire in the wrong situation or place (dry spells, heavy winds, next to explosive material) is always bad, regardless of the other safety precautions
• Fire needs plenty of air and successively larger fuel to continue to burn
  • Teach fire structures like tee-pee that encourage air flow and putting larger fuel above smaller fuel
  • Teach the difference between tender, kindling, and fuel
  • Show types of tender other than paper
• Let the boys try different starting sources from matches to sparkers to lighters
• Stress that they need an adult to watch the lighting of the fire
  • Tell them that this is where they get to show off
  • It also makes it clear that they are not supposed to go off by themselves and start fires
• Show them how to put out fires quickly so it doesn’t get out of hand
• If their fire doesn’t start, use it as a lesson on things that they could try that are different and let them get back to work

I know this is probably controversial. Lots of people will scold me on letting boys “play with fire”. I understand the criticism and would say that everyone is going to have a different tolerance on things like this. I would rather try to teach the boys now than continuing to keep this from them and make the desire to play with fire on their own even greater.

Luke has a tremendous Wolf Scout leader.  She has great ideas and organizes such nice events for the boys in her group.

This week she had three local veterans come to our meeting to teach the boys about the flag’s history and etiquette.  We were blessed to have these three men share with us.  One was a Vietnam veteran, and the other two were Gulf War veterans.  They did a fantastic job telling all about the flag and what it stands for.  The boys sat in rapt attention as they told about the proper ways to display and honor the flag.  Then they demonstrated the proper folding method, and had each of the kids try on their own.  At the end, they even brought little flag pins so the kids could remember our special evening.

I cannot begin to explain what a great event this was.  It is so important to pass the love of freedom on to our kids, and this meeting helped to do that.  Thank you, brave American soldiers.  We honor you all!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Jeśli jest coś czego niecierpię i za co sama do siebie mam żal, to jest to tracenie czasu na nic. Zwłaszcza czasu, który powinien być przeznaczony na realizację PRIORYTETÓW. Tymczasem urząd miejski w Zabrzu z całą swą “przeogromną sympatią” i co oni tam jeszcze o sobie wygadują zorganizował mi dzisiejszy czas, za co im serdecznie dziękuję…

Nie wiem, czy ci ludzie głupi są czy głusi, ale ileż razy mozna powtarzać, że my chętnie się spotkamy, ale wszyscy pracujemy społecznie, mając obok  ZHP pracę zawodową, studia, szkoły i inne zobowiązania. Tymczasem Królowa Matka wtargnęła wczoraj do hufca, nie uprzedzając absolutnie nikogo o swoim zamiarze, zadziwiona, że zastała tam jedynie stażystkę, opieprzyła ją za to, zę ściany niepomalowane, po czym stanowczo zażądała obecności kogoś władnego następnego dnia o godzinie jedenastej.

I tylko fakt, że byłam umówiona z policją (do którego to spotkania nie doszło, choć chłopcy przynajmniej zadzwonili i przeprosili, a wcześniej byli tak mili, że się umówili) i dzień uczelniany i tak spisałam na straty powstrzymał mnie od wygarnięcia skąd inąd miłemu panu urzędnikowi, co sądzę o metodach działania tego całego urzędu i jego naczelnej gwiazdy w szczególności. Bo Gwiazda oczywiście już się pojawić nie raczyła.

Tymczasem ja grzecznie o jedenastej się stawiłam, czekałam na zakończenie pisania jakiegoś protokołu, w którym i tak mieli błędy, jakieś dwie godziny, żeby się dowiedzieć, ze oni to i tak będą poprawiać i w związku z tym i tak się jutro muszę pofatygować do UM.

Ale tu już z panem wyjaśniliśmy sobie sprawę. Najbardziej zabawny jest zaś fakt, ze widocznie nasz czas tracony na rozmowy z Władzą Najwyższą i tak można spisać na straty i już lepiej wykorzystany byłby ten czas na pisanie wierszy do szuflady. Bo cokolwiek się nie ustali to i tak zostanie to pozmieniane. Jak się okazało nagle – Stowarzyszenie Guido, lider projektu, pod którym się Władza podpisała, który zaakceptowała i którym już się zamierza chwalić, nie ma w ogóle absolutnie prawa głosu i nie może, zgodnie z ustaleniami z Panem Prezesem z daleka rozmawiać o szczegółach, bo przecież nikt im jeszcze nie pozwolił rozmawiać o ogóle (który już moim zdaniem, zdaniem lidera i jeszcze paru innych osób, został dawno ustalony). No cóż…

Byle do przyszłej jesieni…

BSA has formally unveiled their plans for the new permanent National Jamboree site in West Virginia, which I wrote about in September.  ”The Summit: Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve” will encompass over 10,000 acres in the New River Gorge region near Beckley, West Virginia.

“Today is a great day for Scouting. Thanks to the generosity of the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation, the development of The Summit: Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve will be a source of fun, adventure, and discovery for hundreds of thousands of Scouts and leaders for generations to come,” said Chief Scout Executive Bob Mazzuca. “As we prepare to enter another century of service, this announcement demonstrates that Scouting is as relevant and vital today as it was when our journey began.”

Area residents, Scouts, community leaders, and elected officials attended the unveiling celebration at the Glen Jean Armed Forces Reserve Center. Guests included Gov. Joe Manchin, D-WV; U.S. Rep. Nick J. Rahall, D-WV; Superintendent of the New River Gorge National River Don Striker; Fayette County Commissioner Matt Wender; and Stephen D. Bechtel, Jr.

“I commend the Boy Scouts of America, Stephen Bechtel, and all of the supporters for working so diligently with our state and local officials to bring this project to fruition. This partnership will reap tremendous benefits for young people across the country and the Mountain State for many years to come. West Virginia is proud to be a part of this new chapter in Scouting history,” said Gov. Joe Manchin.

While I would have liked to see a more centrally-located site chosen for the National Jamboree, I am excited by the opportunity that thousands, perhaps millions, of young men in the Eastern United States will have to experience high adventure at this site.

The Summit: Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve will complement the BSA’s existing three high-adventure bases in New Mexico, Minnesota, and Florida and help meet demand for new high-adventure activities not offered elsewhere. Annually, the BSA’s three existing high-adventure bases serve more than 50,000 youth – with 20,000 or more regularly wait-listed to attend.

The site, located in the Glen Jean – Mount Hope area, will offer unique opportunities for high-adventure whitewater rafting, technical rock climbing, mountain biking, and other extreme outdoor sports. The beautiful backdrop of the New River Gorge serves as a living outdoor classroom, offering activities that build leadership skills and the strong principles rooted in the Boy Scouts’ mission.

I do want to give a tip of the hat to the folks on BSA’s Centennial social media outreach team for getting the word out in multiple medias on this and other Centennial stories.

BSA says they plan to break ground in the spring and take 3-4 years to be up to a full high adventure program.  If Philmont’s full and an Ely canoe trip isn’t on your calendar already start making plans for The Summit.

.

I’ve had the good fortune of serving on the Board of Trustees for Millsaps College for the past nine years.  Like most such  boards, its members are mostly older business executives who have given their time, talent, and treasure to the college.  And, of course, have a high-likelihood to provide for the college in their wills.  (Which lead one long-time member to comment that when he was young, he strolled around board meetings checking the health of elderly members but, now that he has had by-pass surgery, he strolls around wondering who is looking at him!)

At one particular board meeting, a sophomore Co-Ed detailed a special study abroad program in which she participated.  Rather than spend a semester at a particular foreign college, students board a modified cruise ship and spend a semester traveling between ports in Asia while attending classes on-board.   Sounded really cool; but of interest to the Board (and hopefully to my readers) was her recount of her social schedule during the trip.  Before boarding, she already had defined her friends, outlined their tourist schedule at each port, and become reasonably acquainted with other students (from other universities that they didn’t know) enough to define a solid social circle for the experience.

The study abroad program didn’t organize this socialization.  The students did it organically.  All through Facebook.

The purpose of the Co-Ed’s presentation to the Board was to reinforce the Social Media phenomenon that so impacts the College in recruiting, fund-raising, college community development, and more.  In effect, it was reverse mentoring at its best.

Alan Webber, co-founder of Fast Company describes reverse mentoring:

“Its a situation where the old fogies in an organization realize that by the time you’re in your forties and fifties, you’re not in touch with the future the same way the young twenty-somethings. They come with fresh eyes, open minds, and instant links to the technology of our future.”

Which leads to the main postulation of this post:  that Innovation Scouts should be appointed according to, among other things, their propensity to leverage social media and their ability to mentor their organizations (esp the ‘Old Fogies’) to leverage social media, too.  Scouts must do more than find innovation.  They must influence others to find innovation, as well.

I’m often reminded (somewhat erroneously) that there is nothing new about all of the innovation strategies being pursued today.  Companies have always bought and licensed outside ideas.  And companies have always tried to beat their competition’s product features.  But I don’t agree with these positions because  social media empowers outside collaboration like never before.

Many people I speak to often point out that the biggest limitation they have related to outside collaboration is the lack of knowledge of what is going on outside of their company.  How can this be?  The Millsaps Co-Ed knows her new friends’ ITunes music lineup but you don’t know who is innovating in your business space?

Fortunately, most of the people who take this position are older, less inclined to social media and online research, and less inclined to maintain massive networks of community friends within their industry space.  Unfortunately, too often these are the people in an executive position to sponsor innovation strategies.

To be effective, they need mentoring.  And the first step towards that is to recognize and admit that they need mentoring.  Then identify the scouts who can do it.

Krishna... Elland Road trial.

WE ALREADY have our seemingly knowledgable world-wide scouting network to thank for Luciano Becchio (definitely), Mike Grella (one for the future), Rui Marques (of course) and Davide Soma (possibly).

And only a few days ago we learnt of another trialist, Argentinian defender Walter Garcia, who started the recent reserve game against Middlesbrough at centre half – we conceded four. So it wasn’t the best possible start for Garcia, but another player did impress.

Fijian winger Roy Krishna started the game on the wing and eventually found his way on to the scoresheet. Though it wasn’t enough as we lost 4-3 (Somma scoring the other two).

Krishna is contracted to Waitakere United in New Zealand but has recently been linked with a move to Europe – PSV Eindhoven have been touted as possible suitors.

He has represented Fiji eight times, scoring four goals.

It’s good to see Leeds United’s scouting network still covers the globe.

Check out Krishna’s brace against New Zealand in a recent World Cup qualifier – his second goal is very well taken.

This is a draft item from the new IPhone app. Anxious to see how it looks.

Hidden away in our mind’s eye is an idyllic vision.  We see ourselves on a long trip spanning the continent.  We are traveling by train.  Through the windows we drink in the passing scene of cars on nearby highways; city skylines and village halls; children waving at a crossing; cattle grazing on a distant hillside; smoke pouring out of a power plant; row upon row of corn and wheat; expanses of flatland giving way to rolling hillsides, mountains, and valleys.

But most prominent in our minds is the final destination.  On a certain day at a certain hour we will pull into “the station”.  Bands will be playing and flags will be waving.  Once we get there many wonderful things will come true and the pieces of our lives will fit together like a completed jigsaw puzzle.  How restlessly we pace the aisles, cursing the minutes for loitering—waiting, waiting, waiting for the station.

“When we reach the station, that will be it!” we say.  “When I’m 18!” “When I finish college!” “When I can buy a new Mercedes!” “When I retire, I will live happily ever after!”

Sooner or later we must realize there is no station, no specific place to arrive at once and for all.  The true joy of life is the trip.  The station is only a dream.  It constantly outdistances us.

“Relish the moment!” is a good thought, especially when coupled with Psalm 118:24:  “This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.”  It isn’t the burdens of today that drive men mad.  It is the regrets over yesterday and the fears of tomorrow.  Regret and fear are twin thieves who rob us of today.

So, stop pacing the aisles and counting the miles.  Instead, climb the mountains and swim the rivers, watch more sunsets and less TV;  laugh more, cry less.  Life must be lived as long as we go along.  The station comes soon enough.

(adapted from pp.13-14 in BSA Troop Program Resources)

.

The US Postal Service is unveiling a ‘Celebrate Scouting‘ stamp recognizing 100 years of Scouting in America at an event Thursday 12 November, 10am EST, at the Smithsonian National Postal Museum in Washington, DC.

The Heart of Virginia Council posted this about the event:

In 2010, the Boy Scouts of America will receive an incredible honor from the United States Postal Service (USPS), the “Celebrate Scouting” stamp. Offering a tribute to the impact of a century of Scouting on the American landscape, the stamp will become widely available during the summer of 2010.

If you’re going to be in Washington, DC metro area, please join us. Scouts, volunteers, BSA professional staff, and community supporters are invited to take part in this momentous occasion.

A “Vice President Sustainability” will represent the United States Postal Service, and an Assistant Chief Scout Executive will represent the Boy Scouts of America.  They will be joined by National Honorary Chairman of the Boy Scouts of America National Hall of Leadership.  The USPS media advisory posted at the Scouts on Stamps Society International website says:

With this stamp, the U.S. Postal Service celebrates the adventure and spirit of scouting. Since the creation of the international youth scouting movement some 100 years ago, hundreds of millions of children have benefited from opportunities for adventure, skill building, leadership, personal development, and community service provided by scouting organizations. To create this original stamp design, illustrator Craig Frazier of Mill Valley, Calif., depicted the images of two different scouts in clothing and accessories that are often part of the outdoor scouting experience – hats, packs, boots and binoculars.

I’m a stamp collector myself, if not very active the last few years. Nations around the world have honored Lord Baden-Powell’s grand idea.  In 1960, the USPS honored the 50th anniversary of the BSA with a Norman Rockwell-design 4¢ commemorative stamp. The new design itself, as you see at top, isn’t bad.  It isn’t exactly Norman Rockwell either.  As BSA has dribbled out Centennial products and initiatives this year, I’ve been as interested in what they say about what the brass in Dallas are thinking about the organization, as I have been about the actual items themselves.

I don’t know how much say the BSA had into the stamp design, but their launch page has a link to a fact sheet-like page (pdf) on the stamp that describes the “international youth scouting movement” founded 100 years ago.  It further notes:

Historically, scouts had to find their way by the stars or map, to notice tracks and interpret their meaning, and to fend for themselves.

Each generation struggles to keep Scouting relevant to the next.  We take what we are given, the heritage of outdoorsmanship and citizenship, and add leadership and technology and other skills for the future.  In a fixed sum system, each addition means a subtraction.  Have we given up more than we have gained?  Do we still remember how to find our way?

Then there’s this bit:

Boys and girls alike have been involved in the scouting movement from its earliest days; female scouts are often called guides. Today, coed scouting is the norm in many countries.

And this is relevant how?  Yeah, as politically correct posturing.  It’s not factually wrong, but damns with faint praise.  It’s just not relevant, thank you very much.

The last bit is enlightening as well:

To create this original design, illustrator Craig Frazier depicted the images of two different scouts in clothing and accessories that are often part of the outdoor scouting experience—hats, packs, boots, and binoculars. At first glance, one sees the large silhouette of a scout peering through binoculars. Within this figure is another scout perched atop a mountain taking in the vista. “I wanted a level of discovery to be portrayed in the stamp itself,” Frazier recalls. He continues, “The small figure and landscape indicate very hard, directional light coming from low on the horizon—either early morning or late afternoon. The sky has that pale blue to indigo transition that happens only at those two times of day.”

Whether or not we see ourselves as pathfinders first, the people behind this stamp see us that way.

And I’m OK with that.

H/T to Scouting News.  If you are a Scout or Scouter with an interest in philately, check out Stamp Collecting Merit Badge and Scouts on Stamps Society International.

.

I have finally got round to completing my Scout training by finally validating Module 16 this evening.  Roll on my wood badge

On Friday i went to Kernow 24 with my Explorers and some of the older Scouts who will be moving up over the next few months.  The weather was freezing, windy and wet.   I tryed to get some sleep whilst the Explorers were on a night hike, but sleeping on benches in the cold didn’t work well.

The Explorers did really well crate stacking and i managed to get the highest score in archery outta the entire event.

During a heavy downpour we decided to keep dry by walking around with a car roof over our heads, which work very effectivly.

Whilst some of the scouts were having a kip, me, Kev, Wez and 3 of the scouts tied ourselves together at our feet and wrists and were climbing through scafolding in a little hut whilst we were waiting to do the laser battle field.  When we got raound to doing the battle field we stayed tied together which made moving around the woods very difficult but hilarious!  Unfortuently back at camp 5 of the younger scouts had fallen asleep in the cold and were really feeling the weather and getting very cold so we went back to make sure they were ok.  They’d been moved indoors, wrapped up warm and were giving a hot meal.  I stayed with them for the rest of the event indoors to make sure they kept warm and were ok.  They were fine after warming up but we were all exhausted and dozing.  We did’t go down to the campfire as we were all tired and still a little cold and the scouts didn’t want to risk being outside after spending the last few hours trying to warm up.  we did all go out to watch the fireworks before heading home.

It’s a fun event apart from the wintery weather and am looking forward to next years.

Sunday i went to the rememberance parade a Bude.  It was my first time at this one as i go to the one at Marhamchurch with the Explorers.  The was a huge turn out of organisations and onlookers.  It was very cold and my fingers were numb by the time a got to the church.  When i got home i was still tired from Kernow 24 and ended up having a little kip.  That event really wipes you out.

In yesterday’s post about Brock’s birthday, I wrote that we all had an unplanned surprise for his special day!  Well, here it is:  meet our newest guinea pig, Chip!

Now for the story:  We got our first two guinea pigs back in May as part of John’s pets merit badge requirements for Boy Scouts.  Dan brought them home from a pet store that assured us that both of them were females from the same litter.  Weeks and then months went by, and the pigs settled into their new home, and since no baby pigs appeared, we assumed that the pet shop was right and enjoyed our girl guinea pigs.

On Thursday after Brock opened his birthday presents, I sat down at the computer to check emails, and Luke came up the stairs telling me something.  You know how it is, though–most of the time, the kids come up telling me about what they did on their video game, or arguing about turns, etc., so I kind of half-listen sometimes.  Such was the case as I was reading emails on my computer.  Luke talked on, and I kept reading my emails.  Luke turned to go back downstairs and said, “So, what should we do?”  That caught my attention, so I asked Luke to repeat what he had been telling me.  He said that something was underneath Snickers, and he was pretty sure it was a baby guinea pig!  So, I went downstairs to check, and sure enough, there was a brand new, freshly born guinea pig!

Well, now we know that Abilene is a boy, and Snickers is a girl.  We immediately had to come up with different housing arrangements!  We scrounged around and found an old cage to put Abilene in until we can get something better, and left Snickers and the baby in the other cage.  I have never had much luck with my pets raising babies, so I cautioned the kids not to get too excited until we could see how things were going to go.  Within hours, though, that little pig was running all over the place, and Snickers was doing a great job taking care of it, so now I think it’s safe to say that we have three guinea pigs.

There is one problem:  we have NO IDEA if the baby is a boy or a girl!  So, this story might repeat itself in a few months. . . .

Torino fino al 20/12/2009 Via San Massimo 45 (interno cortile) Galleria Glance Dopo il successo del solo show di Chris Caccamise, un’altra prima italiana di una giovane artista newyorkese inaugura alla Galleria Glance, realtà ormai nota in ambito torinese e non solo per la sua capacità di scouting dei nuovi talenti della scena americana. Rebecca Saylor Sack considera i suoi quadri campi d’azione in cui esprimere le proprie sensazioni corporee. La sua pittura, stratificata e rielaborata direttamente sulla tela, prova diretta dell’azione, vive nel contrasto tra pennellate delicate e altre piu’ decise, fisiche, quasi violente. Una progressione spontanea, delicata e talvolta conflittuale emerge dalle composizioni costruite seguendo un processo di addizione e di sottrazione continua: l’artista, infatti, utilizza una tecnica particolare creata aggiungendo e togliendo strati di vernice dalle tele per rappresentare la sensazione di inquietudine, di instabilità. Il colore danza nei quadri di Rebecca con passaggi coreografici precisi pur incontrando momenti tumultuosi e attimi di riflessione. La sua prima personale italiana – intitolata Omoplata- fa riferimento ad una presa dell’arte marziale Brazilian Ju Jitsu. Le figure che rappresento, che siano rami, cespugli o il terreno – afferma Rebecca – sono impegnate costantemente a ad emergere rispetto al resto, come in una lotta in cui si cerca di non cedere la posizione dominante.
Rebecca Saylor Sack vive e lavora a Philadelphia, si e’ laureata alla Tyler School of Art della Temple University nel 2005 ed e’ una fra gli artisti della Lower East Side – quartiere di New York diventato recentemente un nuovo luogo di riferimento nel mondo dell’arte contemporanea grazie all’apertura del New Museum – piu’ promettenti del momento. (rebecca)

Innovation Scouting seems to be a hot topic these days but I’m not sure why.

Last week Nerac hosted a roundtable event on Innovation Scouting at the Executive Conference Center at Babson College. The idea was to invite Nerac clients to come to an open forum to learn about current practices in innovation scouting and discuss how companies are dealing with their challenges. We were thrilled when we had more registrants than we had chairs to hold them (only to be deflated by nasty New England weather that kept some folks home), but I’m still not sure what motivated these clients to attend.

Are companies fresh out of ideas? Are they scared straight because they aren’t hitting their numbers through internal development efforts? Are they in a mature industry dying a slow death? Have they been tasked with figuring out what open innovation means to their company and they’ve scratched their heads long enough? Maybe all of the above. Maybe there are other reasons.

I would argue that companies scout for external innovations for one fundamental reason. Not all smart people work for them. Now I didn’t come up with that (Bill Joy of Sun Microsystems did), but the rational ones among us will agree that although we (think) we hire smart people and that we support them with smart tools, processes, and other resources, that doesn’t cover all the bases.

For decades now, companies have tried lots of different ways to grow their business and beat the competition. They’ve cut their way to profitability. They’ve spent millions gaining ISO 9000 certifications believing it would get them more customers. They’ve patented everything that walked (and didn’t) to lay claim on anything that might possibly be commercialized. They’ve adopted rapid prototyping and stage gate methodologies to deliver a better product faster. And the list goes on. Now that we, as a collective business enterprise, have exhausted all techniques for growing the business through internal methods, we have turned to what the world outside our corporate walls has to offer.

This was echoed in the presentations and audience participation at Nerac’s roundtable. My benchmarking study found that the more integrated a company’s products are with other companies’ products, the higher the likelihood that scouting is considered important. This makes sense. A packaging company can’t “guess” at what kind of shelf life protection a particular perishable item will require. It has to work closely with its customers and other members of the value chain to understand breakdown and spoilage characteristics, distribution/transport times, labeling requirements, etc. So while a packaging company may have very smart people at its employ, it must by virtue of its business work closely with these other parties in order to deliver a sustainable and competitive product. Professional scout Jacob Wildeson (BASF) represents scouting at the extreme. BASF’s culture is shaped by the importance of networks, both internal and external. So while he no doubt identifies innovations outside of BASF worth exploring, he may also find innovations in other parts of his company. Further, he relies on smart people outside his small Future Business group to help evaluate a particular technology. Kevin Blackwell’s talk emphasized the importance of mission (versus specification) in order to reap the highest rewards – a truly disruptive innovation. Mission-oriented innovation leads to out of the box thinking, something organizations often struggle with internally due to ingrained processes and expectations, resource limitations, corporate cultural norms, etc. Opening it up to “outsiders” can result in addressing the problem or challenge without those unintended limitations.

So where does this leave us? Why is innovation scouting such a hot topic? It’s easy. Because the competitive and stockholder pressure is so high, companies need to pull out all the stops. This includes the willingness to use both internal and external innovations to their advantage.

Perhaps our scouting was not worthy of a merit badge, but it was a valuable reminder about the investment needed when fishing new water, especially if fishing without the benefit of a guide. For every hour we were on the water during our fall retreat in Iowa, the LBTS spent twice as much time scouting.

We started with the trout map which seemed indecipherable.  The scale was difficult to read.  We had trouble finding the names of the small streams and roads. The posted street signs were not referenced on our map which included only numerical road designations. Not all fishable streams listed in the text were identified on the map. 

After thirty minutes of confusion, the best course seemed to be a visit to the Highlandville General Store and “fly shop” that was located along the South Bear, a renowned Iowa stream containing big trout. 

The lovely gentleman in the shop sold us our licenses, during which a long line formed behind us.  One of the patrons, waiting with a six-pack, was irked to learn that we intended to fish with a fly.  Still other patrons, fly fishermen themselves, filled us in on their previous day’s good luck, inviting us to follow them on their way to fish that morning.  Had we accepted their invitation, perhaps we would have discovered a driftless paradise sooner than we did. 

Our collective memory is already hazy, but the general impression of the South Bear, from where we eventually started our scouting, was one of shoulder to shoulder combat fishing.  There is hyperbole in that statement but a kernel of truth exists.  Ladies on retreat do not want to fish with a crowd.

The lower sections of the North Bear were much the same as the south.  Disappointed, but maybe not surprised considering the big fish reputation and predilection for bait, the ladies abandoned the acclaimed North and South Bear rivers for the less acclaimed Waterloo.  To our satisfaction we found it: personal space, brown trout and peace.

The following day our renewed vigor prompted us to explore sections of Pine Creek, South Pine, Patterson and Coon, all of which were discolored, overgrown, or low.  The West Canoe seemed fine, but our weekend hours were dwindling and so, out of fear for not putting line to water, we drove back to the Waterloo and the very same section we fished the day before.  Working upstream, we cast our midge patterns into deep holes formed at the base of uprooted trees and fast runs over shallow ledges.  The few remaining minutes were spent casting a parachute Adam’s and midge pupae trailer to rising fish working a long slow run. 

All in all, the LBTS felt the trip worthwhile and, considering our scouting investment, would consider northeast Iowa a candidate for next year’s retreat.   In the meantime, we’ll read Jeffery Skeate’s book, Familiar World, a collection of essays about fishing the Midwest’s Driftless Region.  We picked up a copy of his book while browsing the Chick Store (& fly shop) in Decorah.  Mr. Skeate appears to enjoy the work of William Butler Yeats, an LBTS favorite.  We’re looking forward to a wintry day in a comfortable chair, hot toddy in one hand and Mr. Skeate’s book in the other.

Note: Upon our return from the retreat in Iowa, the LBTS found an article about fall fishing in Iowa, by Mr. Skeates, in the October issue of Midwest Fly Fishing.  We’re filing that issue in our retreat literature for future reference.

Alan Dzagoev showed exactly why he is Russia’s brightest new hope with a masterful display on how to use operational space.
______________________________________________________________________________

I was first alerted to the dazzling talents of Alan Dzagoev during a 1-1 draw against Aston Villa in last year’s Europa Cup campaign and it is noticeable to see just how far he has come since then. Still only 19 but Dzagoev plays with an ice cool head and seems to relish the creative responsibilities given to him by new coach Leonid Slutsky.

It was only February since that game at Villa and CSKA Moscow have since moved on to their third coach – Slutsky given quite a baptism of fire at Old Trafford. And indeed, things have also changed for Dzagoev as his then partner in crime, Vagner Love, has departed on loan which is a great shame as their telepathic understanding mirrored that of Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres.

But one could still see remnants of that understanding with new striker partner Tomáš Necid in the 3-3 draw against Manchester United as the Czech constantly looked to get into the spaces he hoped Dzagoev will find. The Russian’s ability to thread an eye of the needle passes is particularly impressive but it can at times be his downfall as this can see him ignore the simpler option.

However it’s this recognition of operational space that sets him apart and his movement and passes into such areas caused the Manchester United defence problems no end. Always on the move and looking for spaces to exploit he was the first man on the ball to initiate attacks while his tracking back also had a lot to admire. Making sure he stationed himself in the area where the deep-lying playmaker, in this case Paul Scholes would operate, stopping the United midfielder exerting much influence on the game and ready to pounce on the ball once it became loose.

And for his goal and CSKA’s first, he combined both power and pace to match his ingenuity and skill on the ball. Dropping deep to get the ball, Dzagoev dragged Wes Brown out of position which created the space for Necid to  fantastically weighted a chested pass into his path. His first touch looked to have taken him too far to the left but his close control and quick change of pace meant Jonny Evans was always unsure of the next action. And as quick as a flash, Dzagoev thrashed in a vicious left-footed shot which left Van Der Sar with no chance from the acutest of angles.

The warning signs were clear of Dzagoev’s danger but United continued to give the Russian much room. There was lessons to be learnt for rivals from watching this game as it highlighted the amount of space one can exploit due to Manchester United’s expansive style. And Dzagoev was at it again, as he gradually dragged Evans out of position for CSKA’s second, dummying the ball for Necid to play in the ever-troublesome Krasic and the Serb finished off a flowing move. At times he was reminiscent of Dennis Bergkamp, his awareness and anticipation only paralleled on the pitch by Micheal Own surprisingly enough and his dummy especially bringing into mind the fantastic goal scored by Bergkamp against Newcastle, knowing the only free area was behind him to his right before flicking the ball past Nikolas Dabizas.

His understanding of danger areas wasn’t just limited to a creative sense as he also made sure to position himself for rebounds and in one instance his positioning was so perfect, he nearly blocked a shot from his own team-mate.

Dzagoev’s night came to a premature end on seventy-two minutes, being replaced by Daniel Carvalho but it wasn’t before he was involved in the third. His devilishly whipped free-kick found Vasili Berezutski unmarked at the back post and the defender obliged with a strong header to put CSKA 3-1 up. The Russian’s certainly missed Dzagoev’s opportunism as they failed to handle United’s late pressure and in the end succumbed to a draw.

It was also interesting to note the tactical context of Alan Dzagoev’s substitution for Carvalho. His previous manager Zico, was reluctant to play him behind the main striker for balance sake, preferring instead the  Brazilian midfielder in an attempt to achieve the self-conscious symmetry that the 4-2-3-1 gives. He has been linked to Real Madrid and Pelligrini’s insistence on playing two forwards will ensure he will fit in well for the neo-galacticos but he has previously admitted to being a fan of Chelsea. But seeing as the Blues are currently in a transfer embargo, Dzagoev’s best bet would be to remain at CSKA and hone his skills as a world-class striker he so promises to become before moving to Western Europe.

Scout Report Card:
Age 19
Position Second Striker
Height 1.79 m (5 ft 10+¹⁄₂ in)
Weight 11st 9lbs (74 kg)

Heading ­7
Passing 9
Shooting 8
Vision and Awareness 10
Team ­responsibility 9

Value £15m

Tonight I am grateful for successful Cub Scout den meetings and for the ability to use candy to make successful den meetings possible.

I started my scouting experience 6 years ago, when my oldest turned 8.  In our church it’s assumed that the boys join scouts because the church uses the scouting program as it’s activity arm for the boys 8-18.  My dad had been an avid scouter for years, so I never even gave it a second thought.  Get the boy a uniform and a book and send him off to do whatever it is they do.  I jumped right in and tried to learn all I could so that we could help Hayden get his ranks.

About 2 years ago  I was asked to serve as a den leader in our ward.  We’re in a new ward now but I’m still here.  I love the position I serve in.  I enjoy the process of getting to know these 8 and 9 year old boys, figuring out how to a be friend but still be a leader.  I enjoy how silly they are, and that it’s ok for me to be a little bit silly along with them.  I love getting to play “Hello, neighbor” tag and building birdhouses.  But mostly I love to see my own boys grow and mature through this wonderful program.  In a few short weeks Ethan will be moving from Cub Scouts to Boys Scouts.  It seems crazy to have three Scouts and one of them should be an Eagle in a year or two.

I hope for and look forward to many more years in scouting.  We have one more boy after all.  Grayson will be 8 next summer and that gives us another three years of cubs.  Maybe we can shave Hattie’s hair again and put a uniform on her.  No one will notice, right?  I’m totally kidding!!!!

Tonight at beavers the kids were making rockets, cathrine wheel biscuits, toasting marshmallows and were told the story of Guy Fawks.  Some of the beavers managed to coat themselves in melted marshmallows!, they got covered and somehow got it in their hair!

I left beavers early to go along to Jacobstow scouts bonfire and firework fundraiser.  It was very cold and wet but a nice little evening, and on the way home i saw a badger for the first time ever

(via comments on DOB’s blog)

Amazingly, he graded below average on poise.

Two upcoming events remind me of the sacrifices we have made for freedom—Veteran’s Day on 11/11 marking the end of the First World War and the Fall of the Berlin Wall on 9 November which many mark as the end of the Cold War.

Our flag stands for freedom and equality. It is the banner of a people who are still willing to lay down their lives in defense of right, justice, and freedom. It is the emblem by which we proclaim to the world that this is “the home of the brave and the land of the free.”

Our flag is an emblem of true patriotism—the patriotism of deeds; the patriotism of courage, of loyalty, of devotion to freedom, justice, and humanity; the patriotism of men who have lived and died, not for themselves but for their country.

When we look at our flag—its star and stripes, its vivid red, white, and blue—and read its story and hear its message, when we contemplate what our flag means and what it stands for, and when we consider the sacrifices made and the lives given so that our flag could still be flying over us today, we are quietly reminded to cherish, to protect, and to defend it.

(adapted from p.13 in BSA Troop Program Resources)

 

On Tuesday of this past week, my Caravan girls joined Luke’s Wolf Cub Scout den on a field trip to our local fire station.  This was a special treat because our town got a brand new fire station only a few months ago.  So, it was interesting to see this new, spacious, up-to-date facility.   The kids were all really impressed with the fire trucks.  Luke especially enjoyed seeing the jaws of life tools that they had on board one of the rescue vehicles.

It’s been fun helping with Luke’s Wolf den this year, and I am thankful that the other leader not only allows my girls to tag along since Dan and I are both involved in leadership, but she actually allows them to participate in many ways.  This has been a great blessing for the girls as they are getting to know other kids in our community.

TEAM BUDWEISER . EVENTO DISCO PUB 1081. INAUGURACION NUEVO VIP.  OSORNO. JUEVES 29 DE OCTUBRE 2009 CON CARLA Y MONICA