The Patch Blanket

GreenMountainGear - home of the GOOD stuff! :-D

2007-12-29T15:51:00.000-05:00

If you're like me, and have been Scouting for ANY length of time, then you find out QUICKLY, what WORKS, and what DON'T! As I'm getting back into REAL Scouting with my son (OK... so he's a Tiger Cub... he'll be camping EVENTUALLY! MOREOVER, so will his two little brothers, coming along BEHIND him!), my attention is turning back towards outdoor gear. As not a few Scouters also have a military background, I - like they - come to prefer mil-spec gear in MANY respects; notably, if the United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, & Coast Guard can't break it, there's a fair chance it MIGHT hold up to Boy Scout-grade punishment as well!

No, Scouts may NOT attire in mil-spec camo, including caps & shemaghs (unless you're an ROTC Venture Crew, but that's a bit esoteric for our discussion here...), sheath knives are still forbidden at camp, & no matter HOW rowdy they get on that cross-country excursion, you probably still won't need a tactical bullet-proof vest (all of which they CARRY!), BUT... will your Scouts & troop ever need;

- a dependable folding/pocket knife?
- first aid kits that are field ready & tested?
- pocket survival kit (can you say, "Wilderness Survival Merit Badge?")?

I'm REALLY sold on the quality & price of their first aid gear - I've bought several med kits from them, for use around the house, my cars, and for my backpack. The service is great, the shipping fast (order by Tuesday, and you'll be able to take it in the field with you Friday night for that weekend camporee! That may vary slightly around the country, but it's true in Pittsburgh at least!), and the gear has been TESTED U.S. Armed Forces TOUGH.

And, if you have some other 'hobbies (can you say, "Rifle Shooting" merit badge?)' along these lines, GreenMountainGear will do you right there as well! Give 'em a try sometime - you won't regret it!

Bob McCanless
Pittsburgh

Some thoughts on Red Feather Lodge #403...

2007-12-29T15:45:00.000-05:00

Being a lifelong easterner (and most of that in the southeast!), you may wonder why I'd choose this topic for exploration. Fair enough - I actually married a girl who's three generations from Chadron, NE, which is about an hour north of Scottsbluff, NE, the headquarters of the former Wyo-Braska Council #325 back in the day. Chadron, a little town of about 6,000 (there's a small state university there, which accounts for MUCH of that - they didn't get a McDonalds in that town unti the early 90's!), was actually one of the BIGGER towns of the old Wyo-Braska Council, and since I still have relatives there - including an Eagle Scout father-in-law - this is why I find it so fascinating!

Needless to say, as scarce as Wiyaka Luta #403 flaps and patches are, these Red Feather #403 insignia are even tougher! Thing is though, there technically exists NO documented Red Feather Lodge insignia. Even though these flocked felt rounds pop up from time to time (and can be had fairly cheaply, too, I might add!!!), NO ONE has ever found the paperwork necessary, to prove these are THE OA insignia of the Lodge.

Sadly, I'm not going to shock the world here, by posting said proof (though I wish that I could). Rather, through my father-in-law (Eagle Class of '50 - Wyo-Braska Council), I hope to shed some light on Scouting & the Order of the Arrow in particular, that MIGHT explain why it IS so tough, to both find - and DOCUMENT - these early OA pieces.

Seems my father-in-law - & MOST of the boys in that town - were none too keen, on joining the OA! Racism was hardly limited to the "Jim Crow" south of the 1950's; seems most whites out near the Indian reservations of NE, SD, & MT, were as UN-fond of the Lakota, Cheyenne, & Crow, as had been a settler or twelve a less than a century earlier! To identify with so obvious a Lakota name/symbol as the Red Feather, and the OA in general, would have been akin to asking Gov. Wallace in 1964, for his NAACP contribution! Simply put, very FEW boys opted to exercise their OA invitation in those days, an attitude I'm sure, was reinforced in no small part, by parents, and even popular culture of the day. If you don't believe THAT, then take a look at Looney Tune Golden Classics Vol. V - it just came out this fall. Check out "Injun Joe" on Disc 3. Oy vey...

If you read my post from earlier this year, than you know I've spent a little time on the res in Pine Ridge. It is indeed, a different world there. Not SO different from us - people are people, and all have the same basic needs - food, shelter, love, a purpose in life - and all people have the same desires - peace in our time, a better future for their children, and the like. Getting to MEET and KNOW different peoples from us, makes all the difference in the world. I just don't know that those opportunities were there, in the early 1950's yet. Consequently, even our Boy Scout history of that part of the country suffers, and is incomplete still, as of this day.

A little more info can also be found here, but again, it's sketchy at best, and sheds no more light on these mysterious felt rounds either. I remain hopeful... for a few more years, at least, that something may YET be discovered about these pieces, before anybody who COULD still be old enough to be 'in the know,' is gone. It would be a shame to lose that history - good, bad, or ugly as it may be...

Bob McCanless
Pittsburgh

GUACAMOLE!!!! 2008 is here! :-o

2007-12-29T13:52:00.000-05:00

Is it 2008 already?!?! Seems like yesterday, it was Zachary's first Pack Award Ceremony! Oh yeah, that was the end of September. I missed Sox winning another World Series, The Festival of the Reformation, Thanksgiving, da' STILLERS makin' da' playoffs, and Christmas!!! Uhmmm... would you believe, that I've been BUSY?

Well, Zachary keeps plugging along at his Pack - he's good at memorization, but it takes him a while - he's finally gotten his Cub Scout Oath and Law of the Pack memorized, and will be getting his Bobcat badge soon (pictures to follow!). The boys started school with Zachary this fall, so the house is kinda quiet in the mornings whe they're gone, what with just mommy & Katie putting around. And - oh yeah! I got the call, to serve as the FULL-TIME Pastor here at Concordia!

The call committee finished up their work in October, and extended me the call on Oct.28 (Reformation Sunday!), which I announced my acceptance of, on Sunday, Nov.18. Given the proximity to Advent & Christmas, we just decided to put off the formal installation, until Jan.13, 2008. Besides, it's not as if they haven't been used to seeing me around here since the end of LAST August anyways. I might have a picture or twelve of that to post eventually, too.

I've had a LOT of thoughts of useful things to post for a while, but HAVEN'T - I wished I'd taken my camera to Cub Scout Fun Day out at South Park (no, not THAT South Park! We have one here in Pittsburgh, too) back in October, but I'm sure I'll get other pictures eventually. I'm proud of that fact, that being 9 generations from NC, I was the ONLY one there that day in SHORTS!!! Who's da MAN!?!?!

I'll post some other stuff here REAL soon, I PROMISE - SCOUT'S HONOR! For starter's, since Russell Means' group out in the Lakota Nation have declared independence again , this seems a timely post - a bit of insight, if not explanation & documentation of - the scarcity of Red Feather Lodge #403 insignia, & paucity of information ABOUT that Lodge. I've actually worked on this post for a sentence or two at a time for over 6 mos., it seems, but that will be coming up next!

Here's HOPING I get a chance to make a post or two this coming year... whew!

Bob McCanless
Pittsburgh

Pack 210 rides again!

2007-09-30T12:39:00.000-04:00

Well a new Cub Scout year is off & running, and we're still running with Pack 210 here on the south side of Pittsburgh! Our first two meetings, were Roundup/Fast Start Training nights, so Zachary didn't go to those, as I wouldn't have been able to stay with him anyway (I supplied the Fast Start Training materials, but I had to go to an Eastern District LC-MS Pastor's conference in Buffalo THAT week, so we BOTH missed that meeting!).

HOWEVER, we had our first Pack Award Ceremony of the fall last Monday, as all the boys who earned awards over the summer received them. Zachary was recognized as being a new Tiger, plus, he got his first activity patch - the patch from Cub Scout Day camp!

Many of you who have knowledge of - or experience with - your camp's summer woodcraft projects, probably know the name, "Bob Rietmeyer." We like Bob here at Pack 210, because he's our committee chairman! As a woodcrafter/carver extraordinaire, our Pack - as you might expect - NEVER has a shortage of things 'woodcrafty' to do!

Ergo, Zachary got to make a nice little toolbox for mommy's garden tools that night, as our Pack activity for the meeting. He's actually getting better at this already, as the pictures will attest (I still start the nails, and let him finish them).

We're having lots of fun so far, and mommy was quite happy with her toolbox. October 22nd is the next Pack Award Ceremony and our Halloween party (as a diehard Lutheran, we do not celebrate "Halloween," per se - I celebrate either, the Festival Eve of the Reformation, or, All Hallow's Eve, but I detest 'Halloween... '), so maybe I'll dress him as Luther or some such... unless MOMMY gets her way...

Bob McCanless
Pittsburgh

New Dance category for NOAC? ;-)

2007-09-10T23:59:00.000-04:00

Swedish Techno!

ACTUALLY... it's not AS far-fetched, as appears on the surface. Take a look, and a listen:

Heaven help me, it's 12 years later, and I can still get all 200lbs and THEN some of me on the dance floor, when "Cotton-Eye Joe" cranks up. I am of course, a child of the 80's. The EARLY 80's; think, Duran-Duran, A Flock of Seagulls, Ultravox, The Boomtown Rats, Oingo-Boingo, Gary Numan, et.al. Maybe that's why I like Rednex so much - everything they perform, sounds like everything ELSE they've ever done - there's a comfort, familiarity, and safety in that. That said, "Spirit of the Hawk" IS a bit different for them!

It'd certainly be a FRENETIC performance - First Place would certainly earn a Gatorade, to go with their ribbon!

Bob McCanless
Pittsburgh

OBV flaps are outlawed... again...

2007-08-24T06:34:00.000-04:00

Here's the link to the NOAC's actual (& latest) position. Big whup.

Here was my actual reply, when this came down the pipe on Patch-L;

Here's hoping that most Lodges meet it with the resounding YAWN that it deserves...

Were it not that MOST BSA patches (local & national) are made for a nickel a piece these days, in sweatshops by children to young to BE OA members, I probably wouldn't care. I think whether my flap looks like any of the other 30,000 (CONSERVATIVE estimate on how many of the current 57 s5 regular issue have been made over the years!) made just like it, or whether it has the special SMY VIG border that I'm having custom made for my OWN personal use, is small potatoes, compared to whether or not we should examine our own policies about who MAKES them, and where. I'm still holding my breath, to see if there'll be a recall notice on our s5; for too much lead in the thread...

Bob... *yawn*... McCanless
Pittsburgh

It set off a rather nice discussion on the topic, with most folks missing altogether, the following points;

a) Everyone - EVERYONE - in the Order of the Arrow, holds one of three distinctions - either, ORDEAL, BROTHERHOOD, or VIGIL HONOR. Is National planning on doing away with these three distinctions? Are they planning on ditching separate sashes? Are they planning on ARRESTING everyone at the next NOAC or Jambo, whose members show up, with one or more different-colored borders on their flaps?!?!

b) So, OBV flaps are verboten, because, everyone either IS - an Ordeal, Brotherhood, or Vigil Honor member, but HALO flaps can continue, because... those Lodge members who wear them, reside in a video game?!?!

c) OA flaps for Jambos, NOACs, Lodge 12th anniversaries, etc., can continue to contain up to 137 pieces, but OBV flaps are forbidden because... they can ONLY cover 1 pocket flap at a time on the uniform shirt?!?!

I can think of a LOT of things to ban, vis-a-vis OA flaps (JERRY BEARS, leaps IMMEDIATELY to mind!!!), but of all the nit-wittery that the NOAC can think of to occupy a meeting agenda, this HAS to rank right below mounting toilet paper in the bathrooms of National HQ, in an under-roller or over-roller fashion.

Sheesh... can we find these people some REAL work, please?!?!

Bob McCanless
Pittsburgh

2007-08-22T07:23:00.000-04:00

Got this in my e-mail this morning - for those of you on Patch-L, it's no big deal - for everyone else however, you'll probably enjoy this. It was done by the son of the editor-in-chief of The Blue Book Guide to OA Insignia (Bill Topkis), so I take no credit - other than being able to - remarkably! - make a YouTube viewer actually appear in my blog! Here goes!

Neat stuff, from one of the CO-founders, of the Order of the Arrow.

Ta da.

Bob McCanless
Pittsburgh

Don't worry - I got'cha covered! :-o

2007-08-21T08:30:00.000-04:00

I originally posted this story under humorous Police anecdotes on a different website. Upon further review, it's just TOO funny not to post here!

I don't mean to be obtuse when it comes to explaining how Scouting & Explorer Posts work - I simply posted it to a NON-Scouting site originally, and in case my readers there WEREN'T familiar with Scouting, I made certain to spell it all out, so as to leave no confusion, FYI.

Two things then - IF you are a Scout/Explorer reading this, by ALL MEANS - do NOT attempt to recreate this moment!!! This story originally took place over twenty years ago - you WILL be in more trouble TODAY, than you ever dared dream was possible!!! Always, ALWAYS, ALWAYS - follow the instructions of your Post Advisor and Law Enforcement officials TO THE LETTER. Furthermore, when in doubt - READ THE INSTRUCTIONS!!! They are there for his safety, as WELL as yours!

Secondly, this story comes to me, via a LONG-TIME 'perfhushanul' Scouter associated with that Council, and verified by two long-time volunteers, so I trust its veracity. Nonetheless, enjoy it for what it's worth - a humorous story, that ENDED up well.

When I was going to graduate school in Ft. Wayne, IN, I was also working for the Boy Scouts part-time, which is where I heard this story.

For High school-aged Scouts (ages 14-21, actually) interested in career exploration, there is a program called "Explorers." One of the more popular programs, is the Law Enforcement Explorer Post (a "Post" is what each Scout unit in Exploring is called). These units are sponsored all across the country by various PD's, Sheriff's Departments, Highway Patrol/State Police Barracks, and for military dependents overseas, even MP Units at the local bases. Scouts get to study firsthand with the local constabulary, all the various job requirements and duties of law enforcement; from the most mundane (paperwork), to the most complicated (DNA analysis) to - of course - the most FUN (firing handguns - under STRICT supervision at a range, of course).

Long a complaint by adult volunteers in the Scouting program, is the notion that to MANY a parent in this day & age, "BSA" stands for (in THEIR mind), "Baby Sitters Anonymous"), as evidenced by their tendency to slow to about 35mph, before pushing the kid out the car at the Scout meeting, and zooming off into the distance, until time to pick the kid up again. Univolved, uninformed, unenlightened parents, is what this story is all about, so now you have some background at least, in where it's coming from.

Seems that back in the mid-80's, the Allen County (IN) Sheriff's Department, sponsored just such a law Enforcement Explorer Post. During the summer - while school was out - Explorers could, after a certain amount of training & time in the program - even join a deputy for a "ride-along" on a week night. Since most of Allen Co. was rural, and as crime was fairly low - especially on weeknights - it seemed like a good opportunity, to stress how routine & dull (but necessary!) much of police work really is. Wouldn't you know it though - on THIS night - with a 17 year old Scout in the car, a call comes in, that a local 'Stop 'N' Rob,' is BEING robbed, and this deputy was the closest LE in the area. Rolling up to the scene, the deputy tells the Scout to STAY PUT, and STAY LOW in the squad, while he went to investigate. Moving towards the store, he could see a masked assailant rifling the register from his position of cover. All of a sudden - hearing footsteps, and the unmistakable sound of a gun cocking - he wheeled to see the 17 year old Scout - holding a 6" barreled .357 Magnum; the Scout then says - "Don't worry - I got'cha covered!

Turns out, that the brain-dead dad in this case - when Junior informed him that he was joining a Law Enforcement Explorer Post - figured he'd better outfit the kid, so he went out & BOUGHT him his own .357 Magnum!!! Never ONCE, did he check any Scouting manuals or paperwork (Scouts bearing .357 Magnums - or any OTHER caliber pistol - under any circumstances - OTHER than AT a closely supervised range - is verboten!!!), any of the information sent home by the Sheriff's office, or any OTHER information about Scouting. He ASSUMED the kid needed outfitting, and this was HIS idea of how to do it!

Thankfully, everything turned out well; no shots were fired, & no one got injured, maimed, sued, etc. The Scout AND his dad, got a THOROUGH tongue-lashing by the Sheriff AND the Boy Scouts, and spent MANY hours afterward, doing some remedial study of Scouting & Sheriff's Department guidelines, but all's well that ended well. If you have any Scouting experience at ALL though (as many of us do), it's still just a (VERY) funny visual!

Bob McCanless
Pittsburgh

WHERE did the summer get to?!?!

2007-08-21T08:21:00.000-04:00

I'm still amazed, that ANYONE finds my commentaries herein, in the LEAST bit "interesting." Having been off of Patch-L quite a bit of late, I threw out a comment on the proposed "new rules" from the NOAC, regarding OBV flaps (the same rules they've BEEN trying to push for 40 years, basically...), and was amazed at the feedback! Nice to know I still have "the touch."

Nonetheless, it has been a BUSY summer for me - I am still, the Vacancy Pastor at Concordia - Brentwood, which has kept me off the streets and out of trouble. The call documents of the congregation are now in the hands of the Eastern District President, so we'll see what happens there. I shall attempt to get on here a little more regularly this fall (we'll see how THAT goes...) - especially since I can make these new 'smilies' work on here!

To occupy you until then, I'll post a good Scouting story I heard while in Ft. Wayne ('01-'02) next - enjoy!

Bob McCanless
Pittsburgh

The Itibap188 Collection sale rolls on!!!

2007-07-21T08:38:00.000-04:00

Time for some more "whine" with my update! :-P

First off, MANY thanks to Mike Conkey, for even agreeing to take on this project! Having experienced the rapturous joy that IS Philmont, he has SINCE had to come back down off the mountain, and do some more of... THIS....

There are a LOT of good bargains to be had - some interesting and obscure issues from MANY merged Lodges, so NOW is the time to look into grabbing what you can, and enjoying YOUR slice of OA history, via the Itibap188 collection!

As for the "whine (the "why" you should buy my patches from Mike!)" - my car needs inspecting before the end of the month, and I need four new brake rotors (ain't 4 wheel anti-lock disc brakes a BLAST... :-(... ugghh...) - el pronto!!!

Aside from MY needs, go take a gander a Mike's "for sale" stuff - it's GREAT stuff to look at, and you just MIGHT finally find, that UNexpected bargain! ;-)

Bob McCanless
Pittsburgh

Cub Day Camp!

2007-07-21T08:35:00.000-04:00

(WOW! Has it been a MONTH now, since I PROMISED these?!?! I need a vacation... :-p At any rate, here's the pics!)

Well, Zachary being the newly-minted Tiger that he is, had a blast at his first Cub Day Camp last week!

Ours was a nautical theme, based on the wildly successful "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie - "The Search for the Black Pearl." Our staff was excellent, the games, events, & crafts well thought out, & best of all, the weather - despite being stormy all week - always worked out well during Day Camp hours! :-D

Being only 6 1/2, some of the stuff - like the USCG Boating safety presentation - simply went over his head (we don't boat). He GREATLY enjoyed making his nametag, the suncatcher, "beach-in-a-bottle," and the 'treasure chest (aka - "CD crate!" ;-)),' though!!!

As a heads-up - sadly, I only took my camera the FIRST day, so you see the other boys in THEIR t-shirts, but Zachary didn't get his 'til mid-way through the first day. Ergo, he wore his Tiger Cub tee the first day (and I wore one of my commissioner shirts!). The shirts are really nice, and I'm glad I bought us 2 apiece. He'll be the only new Tiger this fall, who already HAS two Class 'B' shirts (not counting his 2 orange Tiger Cub tees!).

Being autistic, some of the activities were just not his cup of tea. By the end of the week though, he was participating with more of the group - in things like, the water balloon fight, the relay races, tug of war, and the parachute lift. As expectd, he took very well to some of the individual activities, like archery & crafts each day. Some of the older boys (Webelos) were also good about encouraging him - giving him High-5's and cheering him on. It certainly restores your faith in (some) youth, simply by being around Scouts for a week - that's for sure! :-D

Because Zachary still has bolting issues, I didn't realize it until the end of the week, but BOY were my forearms tired, from just having to hold his hand EVERYWHERE we went, all week long! I felt like I had these big 'Popeye' forearms after the week-long 'Zachary workout program!' :-p

I met up with our Camp Director the following week at Scouts (her son is in the troop, sponsored by Good Shepherd LC-MS, which also sponsors my son's Pack), and told her, that of the dozen or so Day Camp's that I've staffed - going all the way back to my first - 1980 - as a DEN CHIEF - that this was perhaps the best! Granted, I'm a LITTLE biased, because it was my SON'S first camp, and we DID have a good time, but having also run these events from beginning to end - as a Council Staff Advisor - I KNOW what goes into pulling one off. She told me about some of the problems they'd experienced, yet, they managed each dawn to have it resolved, and everything - from a participant and close observer perspective - came off without a hitch! :-D

Can't wait 'til NEXT summer - or, our first Den Meeting this fall, for THAT matter! :-D

Bob McCanless

Pittsburgh

Zachary's first patch!

2007-06-21T18:02:00.000-04:00

Cub Day Camp (Steel City District - GPC #527) is this week - I'll add photos soon, but today he got his first EVER patch as a Cub Scout, and dad couldn't be prouder (that's because Dad's a shooter! :-D)!

It was a collaborative effort on the BB range, & if you've EVER seen two people try to fire a BB gun, it's definitely the stuff of Candid Camera. He's not a big fan of the BB gun at this point, as evidenced by the fact, that our grizzled - but kindly rangemaster - a retired USMC Captain - 'slipped up' and 'accidentally' punched a couple of bulls-eyes with his pen. :-p Nonetheless, we had a good time, and as he's not even 7 yet, we have a little time to work on the fundamentals of riflecraft yet.

He was MUCH more taken with archery though. I foresee a big target, youth compound bow, and blunt tip arrows for the backyard, in the not-too-distant future. Dad liked 'helping' with that, too.

Bob McCanless :-)
Pittsburgh

Presenting - the Itibap188 collection, FOR SALE!

2007-06-06T06:46:00.000-04:00

While I should have done this a WHILE ago - as I promised I would - nevertheless, for those who are interested, here is the link to, the "Itibap188" collection, now available through everyone's FAVORITE patch website - E-Bay! :-D

Mike Conkey, out in the CO frontrange, is a long-time trading partner of mine, and is well-known to many in our hobby. His was the best offer for my name/number collection, and so as to help him sell the unwanted parts of it, I hope that those who are reading this, will go by and give his site a once-over, to see if there is anything there of interest to them.

I took about ten years all told, putting that collection together - many of you have traded with me through the old Yahoo clubs, as well as on Patch-L, and at places like the Columbus, Indy, and Pittsburgh TOR's. Perhaps you even came across me at an Area C4 or C5 conclave back in the day, and we traded there, too.

With life changes, come hobby changes. Here's the BIGGEST reason for my life changing; this is my oldest son, Zachary. We were at a Veteran's Rembrance ceremony on Memorial Day with our Pack. I'm looking forward to doing Cub Day Camp with him in a few weeks, but as he also has 3 year old twin brothers coming along behind him, my life is really going to focus more on the SCOUTING, than the collecting, for about the next, ohhhh... 18 years or so! ;-)

I am deeply indebted to Mike, for taking on this responsibility, and overseeing the disposal of my rather modest little collection. As he notes in the item descriptions, I had gotten pretty close to a complete number collection, & had but a few more names on top of that to go as well. The flaps are mostly (99% of them) crispy/mint, unless he specifies otherwise. He also has my list, of where each patch was acquired, and the name of the previous owner, which for those of you who especially like to keep track of such things, will prove quite a boon. Many of them came from major dealers/collectors, like Johnny Pleasants, Bruce Shelley, Roy More, John Conley Williams, Roger Ward, Chris Jensen, and many others, so the QUALITY is there, if not quantity. ;-)

If you have any further questions about this collection, either of us would be happy to answer them - Mike does have ALL the flaps now, so if you want to arrange any private deals, you will need to contact HIM directly. Happy hunting, & may they give you as much enjoyment, as they certainly have to me, these past ten years or so. I'm sure, in a few years (about the time Zachary gets in the OA), I'll be chasing them all down again myself - such is the way of the world!

Bob McCanless
Pittsburgh

Gone home... Troy Herron

2007-05-25T07:22:00.000-04:00

I have a soft spot for Mountaineer Area Council down in Fairmont/Morgantown, WV. Not just because it's one of the smallest Boy Scout Councils left in America (and I LOVE small Councils!), nor because we border them up here in Pittsburgh, but rather because, I got to know their professionals & volunteers when I worked for Tri-State Area Council down in Huntington, WV years ago, and got to know many of them to be good people, & excellent Scouters. Nowhere was that more true, than with Troy Herron.

This was really my one meeting with Troy (left, in the picture) personally, down at the Area C4-A Conclave last year, which 550 hosted. As you can see by his uniform, he was first & foremost, a SCOUTER. That said, he was also a fine collector, which as those who have seen his collection can attest. I actually bought a Peta S3 off of him that day, but would have bought his whole collection of dupes if I'd had the money! We had a good time that Saturday afternoon, talking about section history, WV OA, and the nature of patch collecting in general.

Like all old Scouters, he will be missed the most, by the boys of yesteryear, whom he molded into the men of today. They are surely the most blessed to have known him, & I pray those folks in particular, keep telling stories about him, to the youth of today around the campfires. By living the Scout Oath & Law to the boys of today, that would be a fitting tribute that I know even Troy would agree with.

Bob McCanless
Pittsburgh

The influence of PATROL FLAGS on early OA patch/flap designs

2007-04-28T12:30:00.000-04:00

I got to re-reading my 1942 edition of the Boy Scout Handbook this weekend (my daughter conveniently pulled it off the shelf for me, which got me to looking at it again), and an interesting section on Patrol Flags, got me to thinking about their possible influence, on early OA patch/flap designs!

The 1942 handbook is a good line of demarcation for this comparison - after all, the OA is still 6 years away at this point, from being an OFFICIAL part of the BSA program, and OA patches at this time, are practically non-existent! Therefore, it will be interesting to see, whether I'm imagining the whole thing, OR... whether some correlation CAN be drawn, from the suggested designs for Patrol flags, and the earliest OA pieces.

Then, as now, the large Metro councils (limited really to the northeast & California in 1942) usually did their own thing, so I don't think you can go there for the best comparison. Boy Scouting however, being an inherently 'conservative' movement, probably didn't stray too far, when it came to ideas for usages of totems and color schemes - particularly in the smaller/more rural councils. The same cannot be said today, what with Teenaged Mutant Ninja Turtles, 'HALO,' Spiderman, & other such themes appearing regularly on OA flaps. In fact, I would dare say, that the National Council - especially through the one publication that bound all Scouts together - the Handbook - had the greatest influence in such matters, until at LEAST the early 70's. THEREFORE, let us begin then, with the 1942 Handbook's section ON Patrol flags, as found on pp.85 & 86.

Here are those two pages of Patrol totems, yells, descriptions, and suggested color schemes (click to enlarge). Some of these suggested color schemes, even survived into the age of the full-color Patrol emblem, used in the 70's & 80's. Now not ALL of them were utilized, of course; I'm fairly certain that VERY few 'pink & white' Rattlesnake Patrol flags were EVER made. Having been in the Rattlesnake Patrol of Troop 301 in the late 70's, I well remember the brown & orange patrol emblem that succeeded it!

But as I USED to be a Beaver (and a good ol' beaver, too! ;-)), the reason this whole notion struck me as an area for research, was the suggestion for the Beaver Patrol flag's color scheme - blue & yellow. The FIRST thing that popped into my mind was, Tittabawasink Lodge #469's OA flaps!

Now granted, 469 was a Michigan Lodge, and "Maize & Blue" ARE the colors of the U of M there in Ann Arbor. It's CERTAINLY not beyond the realm of possibility, that a well-placed graduate of the U of M, could have had some influence upon the Lodge picking THOSE colors for their flaps. But 469 was also a rural Lodge, in the far northern part (lower peninsula) of the state - I DARE say however, that the handbook's suggestion for the Beaver Patrol flag, might have been MORE than just a passing influence upon the design.

Some of the other totem designs are not too difficult to imagine. Surely Coloneh Lodge's black crow was simply a logical choice, as I've never seen a green or red crow! And while either a brown or white buffalo makes perfect sense, consider the red & white color scheme suggestion, for a Buffalo Patrol flag in the '42 Handbook, and compare that to the primary use of the red & white in these early flap designs! Coincidence? Maybe not...

Brown & red are suggested colors for the Bear Patrol - witness here these early brown & red bear examples, with a preponderance of brown & red on the patch - even the writing & the borders on these flaps/patches, is occasionally brown &/or red!

I rather thought the otter in the 76 F6a was a slam-dunk, both in the drawing shown in the handbook, AND the design/color scheme of the otter on the flap! Upon further review, I also thought this might explain the predominant yellow background, found in fully- embroidered 345 flaps.

I'll leave it to the reader, to simply look at the charts above, & then draw their own conclusions, as regards other flaps and color schemes (I hope by now at least, I'm establishing at least a 'plausible' pattern, that anyone else can follow - there is a fine line between 'establishing evidential precedence,' &, 'beating a dead horse,' so I'll leave it at this point!). I think you could also make the case, that while - for instance - "Herons" are not mentioned specifically as Patrols in the '42 Handbook, you could make the leap easily enough, from "Stork" to "Heron," and thus you end up with a LOT of blue &/or white schemes in 119 & 349 flaps, such as these examples.

Now here's another sort of example, that REALLY gets to be FUN! My old Lodge - Itibapishe Iti Hollo #188 - has a beaver for its totem, even though, it's never made a beaver patch/flap, in its 67 year history! Nonetheless, consider the predominant color scheme of their early F series flaps (along with the border); once again, you see the blue/yellow pattern being followed, with no immediately discernible reason as to WHY. My postulation again is, that this guide in the Scout Handbook, had a GREAT deal of influence - perhaps even greater than we realize - either consciously or subconsciously - on why these color schemes in particular, got chosen!

Now granted, 256 color was probably not POSSIBLE, when most of these flaps were made. Even 'Crayola 64' color would have been tough to accomplish in the 50's & 60's. Therefore, the types & amounts of colors that COULD have gone into a reasonable patch design at THAT time, were somewhat limited. Even the famous Malibu 566 shark, didn't come along, until the early/mid 70's. So the question that arises becomes, why not a simple red & white flap for 469, for instance, instead of blue & yellow? Amiskwi 505, for instance, used a lot of red & white in their (Brotherhood) flaps, & utilized a Beaver totem in their design.

I use this last example, simply to show that I'm not sold hook, line, & sinker on this theory, as CLEARLY not EVERY Lodge followed this train of thinking in the design of their patches BUT... since not EVERYBODY has a WWII handbook or earlier these days, and can check this info readily for themselves, & as many newer collectors wouldn't necessarily have even known to think of such a connection, I simply throw it out here, as a possible understanding, of WHY some patches ended up looking the way they did! Moreover, finding the designer of the Coloneh 137 F1, or Tittabawasink Lodge's flaps, is getting tougher & tougher these days, if NOT impossible, due to the fact that MANY of those early Lodge patch designers/artists, are probably no longer with us; we can't exactly sit down, & pick their brain on these matters anymore! What stories I'm sure they could tell us, but such is not to be.

Therefore, adhering to the standard investigator's credo (that the simplest explanation, is usually the best), and drawing some basic conclusions from what I've presented here (in considering "alternative causality," I can't FIND anything else from the day, that would have been as EASILY accessible OR plentiful, than Patrol flags, to refer to as inspiration for early OA patch design/color schemes. That's not to say I think the book SHOULD be closed on the matter - rather, if YOU can point to something MORE plausible, I'd LOVE to hear about it - I think it would merit investigation!), I think a GOOD case can be made, that early Scout Handbook suggestions for PATROL emblems, likewise led to a fair number of design & color schemes, for early OA patches.

Bob McCanless
Pittsburgh

p.s. - Thanks once AGAIN, to John Pannell at OAimages.com, for letting me borrow some of his flaps, & saving me a lot of time & trouble, from scanning my own! :-)

The Tiger's roar!

2007-04-24T17:15:00.000-04:00

Not that I'm biased or anything, but here's some pictures of America's CUTEST (& newest!) Tiger Cub. :-D

We joined Pack 210 last week, which, as sign-up nights go, was pretty dull (as most of them are - particularly out-of-season as we were). The current Tiger Den is already well-established, and, quite frankly, the main reason we're signing up now, is so Zachary can get a Day Camp under his belt, before the rest of the Tigers sign up this fall. It will take him a while to get used to being around other kids in general, so we're hoping the extra time spent NOW, will help that transition.

Last night was the Pack's crossover night, and last official meeting of the year. It was the first opportunity for Zachary to wear his uniform though, which was pretty exciting. I sew my own uniforms, not because Sheryl can't, but she doesn't make it the priority that I make it, so I did Zachary's this weekend. We think of him as our 'big' boy, since he IS the oldest of our four, but it wasn't until I put his uniform on him, that I realized how little he still is. Size 6 is the smallest pair of shorts they make; I also got him the smallest shirt & smallest socks. His knee-length socks, went halfway up his thighs, so we opted for the Cub Scout 'footie' socks last night (which STILL went halfway up his shins! It doesn't help that he's so skinny!!!). His belt (the smallest they make), after it was cinched up properly, went back halfway around his waist (through 3 more beltloops!!!), and his shirt - which looked awfully small as I was sewing on it, still billows on him!. Nonetheless, he still turns out pretty handsome, even with his missing two front teeth. :-P

Here's a couple of action shots of him from the outdoors bonfire. Of course, HIS favorite part was the refreshments (couldn't get him to try a smore, though) - once he figured out the spout, he helped himself to several cups of bug juice! When we got home, he tells me, "Gotta go potty!" I told him, I wasn't surprised!

We retired some flags, as part of the festivities, which made for a nice ceremony. We have his Tiger Cub book, so we'll probably work on a few requirements this summer, to get him a head start, and then we'll do Day Camp, and who knows what else. BUT... after 31 years of waiting for this moment, we're finally off and running! :-)

Bob McCanless
Pittsburgh

The Lodge totem you NEVER see

2007-04-16T15:33:00.000-04:00

Name - if you will, please - the top Lodge totems - especially the ones, that get depicted on OA flaps. There's the ubiquitous turtle, deer, eagle, bear & bison - beavers are nominally prevalent too, as are thunderbirds. Any other animal? Squirrel, chipmunk, coyote/wolf, & fish/whale/shark pop up occasionally, too, and all can be found around America (except thunderbirds of course, discounting those made in Dearborn, MI).

But what animal - which lives almost everywhere - has NEVER been depicted on a flap, though (late model NOAC & Jambo flaps are instantly discounted, because they're more gimmicky, than representative)? Why - it's everybody's FAVORITE - the jackrabbit!

I have a few thoughts on this that I thought I'd bounce off the gang - let me know if I'm on the right track. I think there are SEVERAL reasons for this, MOST of which were socio-cultural reasons in the 1930's, 40, & 50's. I should also point out, that, being NO expert in Native American beliefs, as regards the jackrabbit, I'm GUESSING that it doesn't exactly rank terribly HIGH on the scale of animals associated with mystical prowess in the pantheon of their beliefs. Perhaps as a foodstuff, but, I shall leave that to those with more expertise on the matter.

First of all, the rabbit hardly strikes fear in the heart of an opponent (Monty Python's rabbit aside...), which is also why you never see them as college mascots, either. From 1930 to 1960, when most Lodges were either being established, or establishing an identity for their patches/flaps, take a moment & think about what rabbits were most closely associated with in our American culture;

1) The Easter Bunny - self-explanatory
2) Bugs Bunny (a cool rabbit in ANY age, but as COUNTER cultural in the 30's & 40's, as the Rat Fink was in the 60's, or Fritz the Cat in the 70's, and COUNTER culture was NOT a thing to be associated with Scouting during the Great Depression & WWII years [and some would say so even today - that is, if Scouting isn't already counter to what passes for today's 'culture!']!!! He may have been an icon to Scouts OF that age, but wearing him on a uniform would have been HIGHLY frowned upon!!!).
3) Harvey the Rabbit - closely associated with mental illness in the film of the same name, this too, was a BAD concept for a totem!
4) Playboy Magazine - D'OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

As you can see, the venerable rabbit got around in the early/middle part of the 20th century!

While there is nothing inherently problematic with a rabbit totem, I think the problem wasn't so much the rodentia, as it was the socio-cultural use of the rabbit in some iconoclastic ways, that happened to converge, & coincide, with the development of the Order of the Arrow in Scouting. Ergo, we have never had a Lodge with a rabbit totem, and probably won't in the foreseeable future!

Bob McCanless
Pittsburgh

Google - anti-Christ of the internet

2007-04-16T15:20:00.000-04:00

Greetings!

Yeah, I HATE (detest) these people with a passion; the same yay-hoOoOooOOoooooOooOOos who deny websites about Democracy to Chinese users, donate heavily to the Democrat Party (they ceased being "democratic" in the late 60's...), and support many left-wing, fruitcake, nutbar causes, and here we are - STUCK with them; that is, if you want to use Blogspot anymore...

I even sent them an e-mail, telling them that they ARE the "anti-Christ of the internet," and in their obliviousness, they missed it altogether.

Ergo, I wanted it known - by my first post back here, with this new 'googlespot,' or whatever they call it - that they do indeed, hail from the nether regions of the universe, and by ALL means, do nothing FURTHER to support them. If you HAVEN'T started a blog here yet, DON'T - go use somebody ELSE'S service. Google BITES!

Bob McCanless
Pittsburgh

A new direction in Scouting (AND collecting ;-))

2007-04-09T08:11:00.000-04:00

I suppose I always knew this day would arrive - funny how it nevertheless seems to arrive even faster than we expect...

We're just a week away now, from this little guy (Zachary), finally being old enough to sign up as a Tiger Cub. I used to kid with Sheryl, that, if we had boys, if she'd raise 'em to age 7, that would be old enough for Scouting, & I'd get 'em the rest of the way. Zachary has autism, & while he's so very smart, he's also had a LOT of frustration along the way, what with having to learn to communicate (he lost his speech with the onset, and didn't speak coherently again until after he turned 4 - THAT... was a l-o-n-g three years...), learn self-control, & to overcome many self-stimulating behaviors. In fact, there were times we weren't sure he, OR we, would make it this far! :-o

BUT... here we are! And Pack 210 meets on Monday nights (we're signing up next Monday), so now we have a week to contemplate such things. As it is the spring, I believe 210's Tigers actually cross-over, if not next week, the following week, but that's OK. The main reason we're signing up now is - to help my DE with spring traditional membership :-D (yeah, once you've BEEN a DE, it's hard to forget these things ;-)), but more IMPORTANTLY - to help me save $5 on Cub Day Camp registration, which I also gotta do before NEXT Friday!

I suspect that's about all we'll get done this summer, unless the Pack has a couple more outings scheduled, to get their National Summertime Award (it's a GOOD Pack, but I notice a LOT of them - EVEN the good ones - seem to care very little about such things). To get him in early for Cub Day Camp, & to be around a crowd of others boys - working together - LEARNING to wait his turn with bows & arrows, etc. - is the main experience I want him to get used to this summer in Cub Scouting.

And WITH all that said... my perspective on life, Scouting, & patch collecting, is definitely changing. So much so in fact, that I'm going to step away from my name/number OA flap collection at this point, so as to pursue these other things. That's not to say I'm leaving flap collecting altogether. In fact, you might end up surprised some day, to find me bidding against you for something from one of the six OA Lodges I've belonged to, & think to yourself - "Say, isn't he RETIRED?" Nope. Just pursuing different (primary) interests now!

An with THAT said, I should point out, that I have a rather modest name/number collection of flaps that I wouldn't mind selling someone at this point. I am NOT (Hear me now & believe me later!) - repeat, NOT - interested, in piecing them out, trading them for magic beans, or any other offers you might think I'd be interested in. I am interested, in a CASH (check is fine) option, for ALL of them - at once - as a lot. If you are SERIOUSLY interested in such a prospect, drop me a note off-line (my e-mail address is here on the blog - just drop me a line), & I'll give you more details. Lodges 57 (all 3 incarnations), 75, 113, 188, 386, & 457 will NOT be included, as those are all former Lodges of MINE; otherwise, my flap collection (and let me stress, it IS primarily a flap collection - if a Lodge did NOT make a flap, I did not collect it. Ergo, I don't count such lodges as, a Hanigus 47 or a Missituck 261 as a name/number need for ME, or for purposes of defining my collection. I DO have some odds in my collection, like, a 130 Scarouady 130 P1, 234 Keemosahbee P1a, & 352 R1, for reference - with the intent that they serve as hole-fillers - until such time as I could find a flap) was 15 numbers/38 names away from being completed, just for reference.

Suffice it to say, I'd rather hobbyists/enthusiasts know about this, than trying to finagle it on E-Bay or some such - surely it won't be everybody's cup of tea, or even within reach for many folks, but there you have it. As things shake out, I'll probably make another post, to let everyone know where this stands, so as not to drag out the process or suspense.

I would be remiss however, if I did not pause for a moment, and sincerely thank everyone whom I've had the pleasure in this hobby to meet & deal with over the past ten years or so. It has brought innumerable smiles to my face, getting to not only meet & trade with some real luminaries in this hobby AND in Scouting, to say nothing of the hours of good conversation I've had with many of you at Trade-O-Rees, Conclaves, in on-line chatrooms, & through phone conversations. As we are all Scouters too, we share many of the same values, interests, & ultimately - hopes for our nation, and the children Scouting affects towards that end. Now that MY oldest is come of age to enjoy Scouting, I can certainly understand why Scouting dads don't collect like guys who are single, or whose kids are grown & out of the house!!!

Again, I'm NOT leaving collecting - just pursuing some OTHER interests more seriously at the moment. Feel free to drop me a line, if you're interested in acquiring a modest name/number collection, & I'm sure I'll see many of you still... out there!

Bob McCanless
Pittsburgh

p.s. - the blog ain't goin' anywhere either - it will probably turn a little more inward on Scouting though, and perhaps just a tad less on collecting... we shall see!

OA flap of tomorrow!

2007-04-04T07:44:00.000-04:00

Now here's a LOT of mental images to hold at once, but, as you all SHOULD be Scouters who read this, I'm certain you're all smart enough to do it!

Inasmuch as NASCAR's "Car of Tomorrow" has caused no end of controversy (and given some drivers/owners fits!), & as some have derisively referred to it as the "Car of Yesterday," given it's boxy nature & proclivity to drive & handle like a '79 Ford Bronco (I used to own one), thereby making it a perfect point of analogy for comparison, AND...

Inasmuch as nobody REALLY knows or understands, what National's decision to stop recognizing Lodge numbers ACTUALLY means - particularly when it comes to making patches, AND...

Inasmuch as both Takoda and Kittan Lodges - being brand new creations - can't seem to settle on a number either, AND...

Inasmuch as Scout Executives generally disdain their OA Lodges anyway (no money in it... ;-)), & would love to design OA flaps to their OWN specifications, AND...

Inasmuch as Huey Lewis & the News' "Back In Time" is some perfect theme music here, to be running through your head as you read all this (it also meets the "dorky" requirement for this post :-P), AND...

Inasmuch as I need to wrap this up & actually make a point, I THEREFORE present to you ('Gotta get BACK, in time...'), the OA FLAP OF TOMORROW!!!

Ta da. You can stick whatever number on it you want, but MOST IMPORTANTLY (to a Scouting 'perfeshunal'), the COUNCIL NAME is the most PROMINENT feature on the flap. In fact, I'm sure your friendly neighborhood Scout Executive, would prefer to remove all the other "clutter," and give you a flap-shaped patch, with just the Council name on it! Oooh - & maybe HIS smiling picture, holding a fistful of FOS dollars as a 'totem.'

Bob McCanless :-P
Pittsburgh

p.s. - thanks again to John Pannell, for letting me borrow his 'Bison!'

Welcome Back!!!

2007-04-02T20:32:00.000-04:00

Our old friends at The Scout Patch Auction are back on-blog! I'd just asked Roy at the Pittsburgh TOR when he would be getting his blog back, as many of us enjoyed reading it. His last site had actually been hacked by the Russian Mafia(!!!), & had become useless - therefore, he has 'self-incorporated' a site that will - hopefully - prove a little more tamper-resistant!

Roy always had fascinating stuff regarding his many 'finds' as he went through the various collections he acquired. He'd cull something out, & kindly explain it to the rest of us. As a major dealer, I'm sure he has plenty of other things to do, but it was well-appreciated by everyone, that he would take the time to provide this service for the rest of us gratis!

I'm also revising the link to his blog here to the right side of this page, so when this article is long-buried in the past, you'll still be able to visit -be sure to adjust your bookmarks accordingly, as I know he'll have some great stuff up there soon!

Bob McCanless
Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh TOR wrap-up

2007-03-29T07:32:00.000-04:00

Hard to believe almost THREE weeks have gone by (when I STARTED writing this column, only a week had gone by - I've had a couple funerals go by since then, too - hence, my tardiness!), since Joe Maloy (and his gracious wife), Roger Ward, & myself, were the last ones in the Holiday Inn ballroom, before we left for a late lunch at Bob Evans, & bade the 2007 Pittsburgh TOR goodbye...

My perspective got a little skewed this year - don't read that the wrong way - the TOR was as great & fun as ever - I was just preoccupied with SELLING this year personally. As my hotrods need vehicle maintenance, I was doing nothing BUT selling this year, although there was PLENTY to buy or trade for, had I been so inclined!

I saw plenty of old friends, found some even OLDER friends, & made a few new ones as well. I also took the digital camera for the first time to one of these things, so I'll walk you through a photo-retrospective, too!

Of course, the Pittsburgh TOR would be a naught, were it not for the great efforts of Conrad Auel (right) and Steve DeWick (below, left), who organize it each year. They clearly put in some extra effort this past year, in advertising it amongst the hobbyist and at other TOR's, and it showed! All the tables were a sellout, & the crowds were steady both days. Of course, we never see enough kids/Scouts at these things, but that is not their fault. I really believe it's up to us as collectors AND Scouters (we ARE all still Scouters too, right?), to advertise this better with our Scouts, & particularly our Arrowmen. It's not essential that they collect, per se, but just to see the HISTORY that is represented in such a place (and for FREE, no less - to Scouts in uniform!!!) - to NOT have to go to Dallas or Vegas & a Scouting Museum there - makes for a fascinating time well-spent for the youth! Well, y'all know where THIS soapbox leads - tell your Scouts about upcoming TOR's - for those with ears to hear, they WILL thank you for it!

Speaking of interesting stuff, here was Bill Bollinger's table. He collects pre-1960 Boy Scout & Girl Scout stuff - LOTS of stuff that I DON'T collect, but it's STILL fascinating to look at & contemplate!!! Just talking to folks like this, and seeing their wares, is worth it to ME! Bill is from Dayton, OH, so next time you're there, look him up, & tell him I said to sell you a bunch of his 'neat stuff!' ;-)

Now here's a couple of good ol' buddies from back in my WV/KY days (as a DE with Tri-State Area Council). Willis Hoy to the left, is from Russell, KY, & while he was practically a neighbor while I was there (I lived in the Bellefonte neighborhood of Ashland, KY), he did his Scouting in that "other" Council next door - the 900lb gorilla of Area C5 that shall not be named :-p. Of course, he was "Mr Scioto Area Council" back in the day, & always brings a neat assortment of eastern KY & WV stuff with him to sell or trade - provided you have Shawnee 109 items to trade. I always like checking up on the ol' hometown from him, & hear what Charlie Powell's up to these days (since Charlie's gerbil-wheel powered computer & internet connection never seem to WORK anymore!!! ;-)) Of course, to our right, we have Frank Prue (that's MISTER Adjudimo, to us mere mortals!), long-time advisor to Adjudimo Lodge #210, WV expert, & all-around swell guy. Frank & Willis are about as OLD School as they come, & always fun to listen to. Where else are you going to get a story about the good ol' days of Scouting & patch collecting down in the heart of Appalachia?!?!

Gary Cole was here as always, with a table full of interesting stuff. In the world of patch collecting, you can come across some 'strange' theories sometimes. Depending on how much evidence you get to back them up, you can feel a LOT like Agent Mulder out here - you just KNOW the truth is out there, & all the proof you'll EVER need for YOUR theory WILL pop up, if you just KEEP looking. We got to talking about the "435 YS-1" and "130 Scarouady YF-1" on Friday afternoon & while some folks might think such theories (issue designations) to be "crazy," at least we're not alone in our craziness!!! :-p On the plus side, I never mind putting in a good word about Gary's work with the Blue Book - he is utterly meticulous about staying on top of new Region 4 issues. I see him at conclaves in WV, every Region TOR, & even the occasional Lodge Fellowship, when he can work it in! It's hard to stay MORE on top of issues, than being WHERE they're issued - at the local Lodge level. I don't doubt that other Blue Book editors put in LOTS of time as well - it's just that I'm always running into Gary, though!

One of the neat things about Pittsburgh is, it's such a crossroads for collectors to come to. In addition to a lot of 'Buckskin Men' from the old Region 4 (OH, KY, WV), you ALSO get a lot of folks from the Northeast Region(s) drive & fly in, too! And you just can't have a RESPECTABLE TOR, without everyone's FAVORITE 'urban cowboy,' Dr. Gene 'Autry' Berman, making the scene! Sadly, I didn't get to talk to him much this year, but he did agree to pose for a picture for my blog, which, after he sees THIS, will probably be the last time he agrees to THAT request ever again! :-P

Another good friend of mine & Pittsburgh TOR regular, was Nick Lombardo, Jr., from NJ. I have bought & traded SO much stuff with Nick over the years, it's hard to keep track of it! He's always great fun to shoot the breeze with, & I felt guilty not being able to swap some stuff around with him this year (did I mention my vehicles need work? ;-)). I did promise however, to take a picture of his wife - working hard at the computer - and entitle that picture, "the brains BEHIND Nick Lombardo," which she was wholeheartedly in favor of. Nick's also an E-Bay regular, so throw some business his way, & tell him I sent you - maybe that'll help make up for my not doing any trading with him this year.

I hadn't traded with Mike Evans in YEARS (through some of the old Yahoo clubs back in the day!), but was happy to see him personally at this TOR! He brought a TON o' camp & activity patches with him, from a collection he'd recently purchased. I thought about getting an old Wyo-Braska Camp patch from him, as my wife loves such stuff - she's from Chadron, NE & finds such patches fascinating - but couldn't afford it this time around (I thought the price was good - just not in my range... THIS year...). Mike hails from over in northern VA, & informed me - sadly - that their recently retired Scout Executive, Bob Ferrell, passed away at the end of February! Bob started out as an Asst. District Executive in my home county (Rowan Co. - Central NC Council) back in '69, & went on to serve as a DE, SDE, DiD, & Field Director with CNC, before moving on to Norfolk, VA as Asst. Scout Executive from '92-'96. He concluded his career as Scout Executive in Winchester, VA, & hadn't even been retired 2 mos. when he passed away. Bob was truly O-L-D School as a Scouter & as a Professional - I remember seeing him at Camporees, Scout Shows & Summer Camp, as often as I saw other Troop's Scoutmasters; I didn't even know he was a professional until I was about 17 or so! All the Scoutmasters who had their Silver Beaver (including my own), respected him greatly, so I KNOW he always had the best interests of the boys, & the needs of the leaders, at heart. Scouting's ranks are certainly poorer without him, and the professional ranks will sorely miss him.

On the bright side, another old 'perfeshunal' buddy of mine made the scene on Saturday - Jeff Pickett, currently the Camping Director for Buckeye Council over in Canton - drove in for the show. I knew Jeff when he was still the FiD for Buffalo Trace Council in Evansville, IN, & I was still a DE down in KY/WV - Jeff started out as a DE back in St. Louis before that. He & I have swapped around plenty of cloth in the day - I even traded him a compound bow for OA flaps before!!! ;-) Jeff's a real credit to the professional ranks, & I'm sure Buckeye Council has a top-notch camp with him overseeing things. If you need a new summer camp experience this year, I'm happy to recommend Canton, OH as a destination - Jeff will certainly do right by your troop.

Rich Braessler, currently a DiD in that unnamed 900lb gorilla council in OH ;-) also made the scene, holding down a couple of big tables of his own. I actually first met Rich, at the Area C4 Conference in '99 down in Greenbriar, WV, as we were serving Area C4 Councils as 'perfeshunals' at the time - that's when I found OUT, that he was a big collector! I saw him next at the Columbus TOR that year, & we keep in pretty regular contact through the TOR circuit these days. He may be the ONLY person on the planet, with a COMPLETE set of Simon-Kenton CSPs, AND Tecumseh 65 Lodge flaps - no mean feat to be sure!!!

Of course, lots of major dealers come to Pittsburgh each year, Roy More of The Scout Patch Auction fame being one of them. Roy ALWAYS has fascinating stuff, & brings along tubs of activity & camp patches as well, which you don't usually see on his auction site, as he deals with bigger/better items there. When you get a collection though, the "other" items have to go SOMEWHERE, & that proved to be his table again this year! Of course, his "Enforcer" always comes along with him - Destry Hoffard - & being part of the younger crowd myself, I always enjoy a good patch story from Destry's perspective. That would be MY Cheerwine there at his table (I'll get to the Cheerwine story in a moment), but he wanted to try one, so I provided it. Wish I could've traded it for a 277 s1 or something, now...

Chris Jensen of course, made the trek from SC, in his big red Cheerwine machine! I know when most of you think of Chris & his big red machine, you think "patches," first (I do, too), but I also think of it as, "the Cheerwine truck," as he always brings me a half dozen suitcases of God's own softdrink (HEY - I went to seminary for 6 years - who ya' gonna believe?!?!), from back home in the Carolinas. When I was a little boy, you couldn't get it more than a half hour any direction from Salisbury, NC (my hometown, where it's made and the company HQ is located)! Camp Barnhardt was about 45 minutes east, down NC 152, & they didn't sell it there!!! Now you can get it all throughout the Carolinas, north GA, & southern VA & WV, but NOT Pittsburgh, so he always brings me some at each show! Not ONLY that, but he also bought almost $700 worth of traders off of me this year too, which was extremely generous on his part, so I have LOTS of reason to put Chris on my Christmas card list this year! And if you want to trade patches with me NOW, go see Chris, & buy 'em off of him - I'm sure he'll be HAPPY to get rid of them! :-p

Of course, my old buddy Roger Ward was there, with a table full of FASCINATING stuff! He's picked up a few BIG name collections of late, & has been disposing of them for their owners. I picked up a nice piece of the Dave Thomas First Flaps collection myself a while back, & while most of that is now gone, he now has John Conley William's OA collection to move as well. JC (as I've always called him - a lot of folks call him "Conley," but just so we ALL know who we're talking about, FYI) has been a major collector/dealer for decades, but with his boys growing up fast, he's stepping aside, to spend more time with the family (I KNOW what that's like, & can't say as I blame him!), and he's now disposing of his OA collection in particular. Roger brought both JC's South Carolina & Missouri collection with him to this show. The collection is being handled in a most unusual way - he's selling off an entire STATE'S worth of OA at a time (as opposed to individual pieces, a Lodge, section or region at a time)! Needless to say, for those so inclined, it's an opportunity to get a LOT of stuff at once, with a good chance for a LOT of "leftover" trading stock, & only the BEST stuff at that!!! I'm posting a couple of pictures here of the SC & MO books, just so you can SEE what you're getting, for reference (and these big 3 ring binders are each PACKED with PAGES full o' patches!). If I had $25k (for MO) or $35k (for SC) to spare, I'd surely have picked one up!!! What's happening in some cases is, a couple of collectors will go in together on a single state, and then split it up according to need, which is probably not a bad way to go (that's how the MI book got sold). I DO know - for those so inclined - the NC and the PA books are both still available, but PA I believe (e-mail Roger and get clarification!!!) is in the neighborhood of $50k+ - there's a LOT of good stuff there to be had!!! For those not QUITE so grandiose in their collecting, that big box in the foreground was FULL of '06 NOAC two-pieces... ugghh. Don't get me STARTED on NOAC 2 pieces... bleahhh...

Of ALL the people you could have knocked me over with a feather to see there, by FAR, the most surprising, was an old DE buddy of mine from Hanover, PA (back when I was still a seminarian in Gettysburg, & he was a DE with York-Adams Area Council!) - Craig Sweet! Last I'd heard, Craig was a SDE in Transatlantic Council in Germany, so to see him in Pittsburgh, was quite a shock! He'd actually left Professional Scouting a few years back, & is back in the Hanover area again. He came with another volunteer (I'm gonna KICK myself for not remembering his name... & misplacing his business card!!!), who does some wonderful Scouting artwork, and always brings it along to the show for sale (he did the artwork, that is on the 386 Black Walnut Chapter S1 flap, for reference!) We got to shoot the breeze for a while about the good ol' days (he was the DE of the neighboring District to Gettysburg - which no longer exists - the District, NOT Gettysburg!; he, & my DE, Brian Bramble, introduced me to the joys of "winter rules golf" while I was there. '97-'98 was a fairly mild winter in south central PA - lot of overcast days, no wind, temperatures in the low 40's - not bad for that place at that time of the year. The thing I discovered there [that I'd NEVER seen in NC!!!], was that, water hazards in PA freeze over in the winter - you can actually AIM for them up here!!! The ball just skitters right across, and you pick up extra yardage on your shot!!! Unless of course, you bounce or roll the ball up onto the ice - then you might be out of luck :-o!). Craig is doing well, looking for something with a little more pay these days, so anyone who wants to hire him, I'd be HAPPY to give a GOOD personal reference for him; besides, which, he's back to being an HONEST Scouter these days - he's a VOLUNTEER! :-D

And... as they say... all good things, must come to an end. Here's Joe & Roger, closin' the place down, as Joe picks through all those awful NOAC two-pieces... :-P I think a good time was had by all, I made a little money for vehicle repairs (did I mention my cars need work - oh, never mind), and a lot of good stories & trades were swapped around. I'm looking forward to our hometown TOR here in Pittsburgh again next year - if you haven't made Pittsburgh a destination before, you owe it to yourself, to be here next March!

Bob McCanless
Pittsburgh

Penguins to stay, in SPITE of state & local politicians!

2007-03-13T07:13:00.000-04:00

While I should probably be the LAST person you'd ever turn to for sports news - in Pittsburgh, or anywhere else - I'm probably only slightly less stunned than civic leaders & hockey fans in Kansas City this morning - that's because I was CERTAIN... the Pens were going to move!

I'm NOT a rabid hockey fan - the 1980 Miracle on Ice at the Lake Placid Olympics did turn me on to hockey in the 1980's (I was actually a fan of the Cam Neely-led Boston Bruins of that era), but lost interest in the sport when I returned to college in 1990. I have seen a few minor league hockey matches over the years since then (Winston Salem Thunderbirds & the Huntington [WV] Blizzard, back in the day), which were always great fun, but I've just never been a fan of the hugger/mugger style of play that developed in the 1990's in the pros. I have followed the Pens with mild interest, even as the Cosby/Malkin led team today is doing some VERY exciting things - especially in the won/loss column, but I've yet to attend a match since moving here over 4 years ago. The closest I get to Mellon Arena, is going to the Boy Scout Office across the street.

HOWEVER... I have followed the politics of keeping the team here, quite intently - namely, because it drives home my firmly held belief, that those who can, DO; those who can't, TEACH; & those who can't do EITHER, get elected to political office these days!

The Pens were told by local & state leaders YEARS ago, to "work out your own salvation," as it were, with regards to arena deals & financing, because THEY weren't going to help. The Pens said, "Fine," & they did - they worked out some casino-financed option (NOTE: I am NO fan, of "legalized" gambling; the state exists to protect & serve the interests of the people - NOT promote - & feed off of/prey upon - their weaknesses & addictions! Having now seen Atlantic City in person, I have NO DOUBT... that legalized gambling, will turn Pittsburgh into a gaping garbage hole [see - "The Simpsons" season 9 episode, "Trash of the Titans" for reference] on the banks of the three rivers, with churches in particular, left to pick up the pieces... oh boy... Thanks politicians on the take from organized crime/gambling interests!), which, while certainly the worst POSSIBLE option, they nonetheless did.

NOW... all of a sudden, the politicians, seeing an opportunity to cut a chunk of the pie for THEMSELVES... decide to foul it all up, by taking AWAY their financing option, and holding the Pens hostage to their own crazy schemes!!! Now, is it JUST me, or does anybody else - when looking at Gov. Ed Rendell think - this guy LOOKS like he ought to be the 2nd shift Asst. Manager at a McDonalds somewhere ("Would you like some fries with that arena deal Mr. Lemieux?"). Rarely have I heard an utterance from him though, that would lead me to think him SMART enough to complete management training with McDonalds, however...

Being from Filthadelphia though, he knows how to flex mob-like muscle, & squeeze all the local politicians into lock-step with him. Pittsburgh's Kid Mayor (NOT to be confused with Kid Rock...) is a nice enough boy, who ORIGINALLY backed the Pens plan, but quickly folded like a house of cards, when da' boss called from Harrisburg, and told him what he was SUPPOSED to be thinking on the matter.

Quite frankly, I don't care where ANY team moves, EVER. If you're a fan, you STAY a fan, regardless of what you call them. As far as I'M concerned, I still refer to the whatzamacallits as, the Quebec Nordiques, the Hartford Whalers, the Baltimore Colts, the St. Louis Cardinals, the Cleveland Rams, the Decatuer Staleys, the St. Louis Browns, the Seattle Pilots, the Washington Senators, the Kansas City Kings, the Minneapolis Lakers, the Ft. Wayne Pistons & the NY Nets!!! My car still gets 40 rods to the hogshead, & that's the way I likes it!!!!

Quite frankly, had the Pens gone, I think we should have made Kansas take Ed Rendell as PART of the deal, & Kansas City could have gotten Kid Mayor as part of the bargain!!! What will invariably happen NOW is, the politicians will take all the credit for "MAKING this 'deal (say... has anyone actually SEEN SuperMario lately?!?! He's probably tied up in a trunk in a Cadillac in Harrisburg somewhere...),'" & probably get re-elected in a landslide!!! Such is the lunacy of Pennsylvania politics.

Oh - & by the way - before you go back in the booth next election, & punch the straight ticket around here, I have five words for you to, "try on for size." Keep them in mind, when you think local & state politicians will never, EVER, mess up THIS badly again, when it comes to meddling with local sports teams (if that's your raison d'etre, by the way - it ain't mine, FYI...) & their stadium deals.

- New Orleans Pirates
- Raleigh Steelers

Just remember how close we were to saying, "Kansas City Penguins," next election.

Then again, maybe Bill Cowher was just beating the rush...

Bob McCanless
Pittsburgh

A Trade-O-Ree comes to town, & HOPE springs eternal...

2007-03-09T06:20:00.000-05:00

I don't know if it's coincidence, that this week's epistle lesson is Romans 5: 1-8 or not (I'll take it as a GOOD sign!), BUT... the Pittsburgh TOR also starts today, and much like that patch-collector of Maine prison fame, I too, find myself overcome with similar sentiments...

...I find I'm so excited, I can barely sit still or hold a thought in my head. I think it's the excitement only a free man can feel, a free man at the start of a long journey whose conclusion is uncertain. I hope I can make it across the border. I hope to see my friend, and shake his hand. I hope the Pacific is as blue as it has been in my dreams. I hope...

I hope the deals are as promising as I've heard. I hope the sky is as blue as Steve DeWick promised in his last message on Patch-L. I hope to see all my old friends there, and to sell them a big mess o' flaps, so I can get my cars worked on. I hope...

Bob McCanless ;-)
Pittsburgh

p.s. - Pittsburgh TOR pictures & wrapup to follow next week!

Pittsburgh TOR... loaded for BEAR!

2007-03-05T21:48:00.000-05:00

NO - not THAT bear!

I'm actually coming loaded with patches to sell (preferably, as one B-I-G lot!!!), as it's time for everybody's FAVORITE post-wintertime activity in Pittsburgh - VEHICLE MAINTENANCE... oh boy...

As ye olde tax refund is still several months down the road yet, I'll go ahead and post my "for sale" list ahead of time - drop me a line if you're interested in the lot (I'm NOT piecing this out - I have neither the time nor patience - it's still the LENTEN season, you know!). Obviously, if you're coming to Pittsburgh this weekend, I'll bring 'em with me Friday afternoon, and we can exchange our goods at that time. If you're out of town, an offer of $1,000 or more INCLUDES shipping, handling, & insurance! :-D

Posted below, is what I have - there are a lot of common issues, but also some VERY nice names included as well, so look closely - you just might pick up a name/number need, a few issue needs, AND some GOOD trading stock, if you take the whole bunch! Drop me a line for further details - all patches are CRISPY/MINT, unless otherwise specified - ALL variations to "crispy/mint" are noted. If I have multiples of an issue, it will appear in the (parentheses) BEFORE the issue.

Sanhican 2: s2a

Narraticong 9: s6a

Sassacus 10: s18; s21a

Nentico 12: s10

Wiatava 13: s33

Tonkawampus 16: F7

Totanhan Nakaha 16: s1 (FF); F2 (16/257 merger flap)

Ganienkeh 19: s6

Haudenosaunee 19: s1 (Ktemaque Chapter, 60th Anniv.)

Nentego 20: s2

Wulakamike 21: S17

Nacha Tindey 25: s42

Blue Ox 26: F1

Naguonabe 31: s7; s8

Ajapeu 33: S7 (lightly sewn, NEVER washed)

Ga-Hon-Ga 34: s6

Wichita 35: F4; S4

Onondaga 36: s22

Te’ Kening 37: S10a

Konepaka Ketiwa 38: S16

Wunita Gokhos 39: s14; s15

Lowaneu Allanque 41: s9

Coosa 50: S5

Moswetuset 52: s3

Wapaha 53: W1

Enda Lechauhannee 57: s5

Chippanyonk 59: s2a

Anna Topa Hutsi 60: F3

Awase 61: s2b

Tallegewi 62: s2b; s15

Ohlone 63: s12

Tecumseh 65: S? (Lodge 10th Anniv.; 2006)

Yah-Tah-Hey-Si-Kess 66: s42; eX2001

Tenacharison 67: s9

Miquin 68: s24

Kiskakon 75: S22; S25; S28; eX2003-2; eX2006-1; eA2006-1; eA2006-2; eA2006-3

Allogagan 83: S19

Manitous 88: s2

Canalino 90: s4b

Tatanka-Anpetu-Wi 94: s5

Kit-Ke-Hak-O-Kuk 97: S18

Navajo 98: S43; S46; S47

Apatukwe 107: s14; s18.5

Sac ‘N’ Fox 108: S16

Shawnee 109: s3c; s11

Aquehongian 112: s13

Croatan 117: s25

Gosh – Wha – Gona 120: s2.1

Zit-Kala-Sha 123: s2c

Kickapoo 128: F5

Egwa Tawa Dee 129: s4; s31

Ma-Nu 133: S72

Ah-Tic 139: s19

Papakitchie 142: s2a; s3

Tamegonit 147: S13

Ho-De-N-Sau-Nee 159: s2a

Mi-Gi-Si-O-Paw-Gan 162: F3b

Tisquantum 164: S17

Ho-Nan-Ne-Ho-Ont 165: s16

Kuskitannee 168: s5a (used)

Tasunka Witco 171: s3

Nischa Nimat 181: s1 (FF, used)

Itibapishe Iti Hollo 188: F2c (paper on back); N1 (NIB!)

Chequa 194: s3b (paper on back)

Mesabi 196: s3

Ka’ Niss Ma’ Ingan 196: s2b

Kootaga 201: s13; s14

White Horse 201: S7a

Chicksa 202: s27; s28

Adjudimo 210: F7a

Pamola 211: F11

Kayanernh-Kowa 219: (2) S1 FF; S6

Muscogee 221: s23

Agaming 257: S4b; F3

Ouxouiga 264: s12

Kamargo 294: s10

Karankawa 307: s42

Tankiteke 313: s38

Owaneco 313: s7

Woa Cholena 322: S4c; s26

Tipisa 326: S36

Huaco 327: s15a; s21

Otyokwa 337: S20

Sikhis Mox Lamonti 338: s8

Maka-Ina 350: s5; s14

Ajapeu 351: S17

Loon 364: s11

Sipp-O 377: s44/x-4 (2 piece)

Tahosa 383: S7a; S32; S33

Tuckahoe 386: s13

Shunkah Mahneetu 407: s5; s31

Nischa Nitis 410: S12b

Buckskin 412: s23; (5) s40

Musketahquid 414: F2

Hytone 416: s10; s12

Kiondaga 422: s47

Makualla 437: HS-1

Thal-Coo-Zyo 457: s2b; s13a

Amangamek – Wipit 470: s9b; s56; S60; S81

Kawida 480: s23; s30

Taunkacoo 487: s4

Ta Tanka 488: s27

Achpateuny 498: s4a; ZF-1

Yokahu 506: s34

Tu-Cubin-Noonie 508: S40; J5

Awaxaawe Awachia 535: S14

Menawngihella 550: C4; s23; s24

Eswau Huppeday 560: s7; s16b; s22

Osceola 564: S20a

Sakima 573: F12; s36/x14 (2 piece); (7) S38

Nendawen 618: s8; s10a; s14

Portage 619: s11

National issue 50th Anniv. “R” 1948-1998

Section NE-4B JP (6” b/p with all lodge names/totems – fully embroidered, nice!)

175 pieces total (counting multiples)

Again, if you're looking to get a LOT of flaps at ONCE, I'm da' MAN, BEFORE the Pittsburgh TOR, that is; afterwards... who knows?!?!

Bob McCanless
Pittsburgh