Splish Splash......

Photo is of SPC Jonathan Prewitt at FOB Dogwood Iraq notice the thermometer says 140 degrees! WHEW!

To all Troop 638 Scouts, leaders, and their families:

You are invited to a Memorial Day Cookout.

Where: 6029 Castle Road (in Camelot)
When: Memorial Day, from 10:00am until…?
What to bring: Bring bathing suit, suntan lotion, fishing tackle (and bait) and your pool cue (if you have one)

There will be swimming, fishing, boating and pool.

T-638 will provide hot dogs, burgers and drinks. If you want to bring snacks or desserts you may, but it is not required.

See you there!

RSVP 601-636-8029

PS if you need directions email Richard or call above number!

Upcoming Events

May 11, Thursday, 6:30 PM – Troop committee /SPL meeting. Dave King’s house (1917 Vicklan St.) Troop leaders and interested parents should attend. Scouts in leadership positions (Ryan Van den Akker, Travis Sigh, Curtis Tunnell, Conrad Reishmann) should attend if schoolwork permits.

May 29, Monday (Memorial Day), Noon-4:00PM – Pool party at Richard Van den Akker’s house. (A map will be sent out later.) Scouts and their families are invited. Lunch will be served. When we get finished, we will probably go over to the church to pack the trailer and make other final preparations for the trip to Pensacola. This will be done in lieu of our regular Troop meeting that night, so there will be no regular troop meeting on this evening.

June 3-6, Saturday-Tuesday – Pensacola trip. We will leave from PCUMC at 8:30AM Saturday morning. We will return Tuesday evening, probably after sunset. Tentative cost is $80/person (plus spending money for 2 fast food lunches and souvenirs)

July 1-9, Saturday-Sunday – Summer camp at Camp Mack Morris is west Tennessee.

For Those Of You Who Met Brody And Had Questions

Basenji Facts"A Breed Apart"

The basenji is an ancient African breed.
It is a primitive dog, like the dingo of Australia.
It is not like a traditional dog in many respects.
In fact, some say it behaves more like a cat than a dog.
Basenjis come from central Africa, where the hunters use them to flush out wild prey.
Basenjis have not been domesticated as pets very long.
In the middle of the twentieth century, some dogs were transported to England, and breeding began from there.
Basenjis are in the hound family, and they are both scent- and sight-hounds.
They enjoy lure coursing because of their high prey drive.
Basenjis have four color patterns: red and white, black and white, brindle and tri-color.
Basenjis give birth only once per year.
They generally hate to get wet, or even get their feet wet.
They are excellent climbers and have been known to scale chain-link fences.
They shed very little and are exceptionally clean.
They exude almost no "doggy smell" (perhaps to avoid being detected when hunting prey). They need no grooming (except toenail clipping).
The physiological reasons behind the barklessness have not been fully explained. Some experts say that the anatomy of their vocal cords is different from other dogs.

Disposition
Typically, Basenjis adore people. Occasionally, one can appear to be aloof upon first meeting. Most Basenjis love to be petted, to be hugged, and to be with you. They are wonderful companions and love to be loved. If raised with them, they will follow children anywhere. (Like children, however, Basenjis can also be very demanding of your time and attention.) They are comical, quizzical, highly intelligent and full of energy. It is hard to be depressed around a Basenji—-they have such zest for life. They seem to feel that each new day brings a new challenge, something new to see and explore (even if they have seen and explored it yesterday...) If Basenjis were Irish, they’d probably be leprechauns. Basenjis smell your breath and your clothes every time you come in for clues as to what you've been eating, where you have been, and what you have been up to. Every time you come in the door they greet you with great joy as if they hadn’t seen you for months.
They Are Clean
Naturally clean, with no "doggie odor" and very little shedding, they are sometimes better for people with allergies than the longer-haired breeds.
They Don't Bark
Known as "the barkless dog from Africa," they are silent most of the time. Although they do not bark, they have a large vocabulary of squeaks, cries, and a loud yawn. Some yodel or give a sound that is like a rooster beginning to crow when they are happy or want to get your attention. Basenjis can also give a one-syllable "woof" when startled and shriek loudly when in pain. When lonesome they can have a long, drawn-out eerie howl to "call the pack" to say, "Where areeeeeeee youu".
History
An ancient breed, Basenjis were probably first discovered in Egypt, where some researchers feel they were depicted in hieroglyphics. They appeared next in the Congo basin (now Zaire) in Central Africa, where a few pockets of pure Basenjis still remain today and hunt with their masters. They were imported into the U.S. in 1937 from descendants of English imports from Africa.
Basenjis In Africa
Basenjis hunt both by sight and scent. In their native Africa, they drive some game up trees (monkeys and civet cats). They also chase prey into hunting nets or out into the open where it can be shot with a gun or a bow and arrow (antelope, dik dik, dikers and other smaller game). Because Basenjis are silent, natives frequently tie gourd-rattles around their necks or loins to let their masters know where they are. In some areas of Zaire a good hunting Basenji is more prized by natives than a wife, as he is the one that helps put food on the table in a desperately poor country where food is at a premium. Native Basenjis reportedly have been bred to wild jackals in some areas, hoping to increase their speed and leg-length. (An interesting side note: Basenjis have the metabolism of a wild canine such as a fox, coyote, wolf, jackal, etc. rather than that of a domesticated dog.)
Basenjis are not naturally fearful. Noted for their courage, African Basenjis have on rare occasions found it necessary to attack leopards or other animals in defense of their young. Alert wariness, but not fear, is their usual response to a perceived threat.
Looks
They are beautiful to look at and have a gazelle-like grace when running. They have a long, swinging stride that they can keep up for hours.
Adaptability
Basenjis are adaptable—they can run like the wind or lie quietly beside you. They can live in the country just as easily as in the inner city. If raised with them, they can put up with most other living creatures in the household.
Other Dogs
Adult Basenjis have a bit of a terrier disposition around unknown dogs—especially unfamiliar Basenjis of the same sex--they were once called Congo Terriers. Primarily interested in rank status, they may growl first and ask questions later. (You probably will never be attacked or have your house robbed by a strange dog—certainly not by a strange Basenji!) Basenjis can learn to get along with other dogs—one male and one female dog to a household is best.
Obedience and Discipline
Being very bright and independent, they are not above trying to run the household. It is important that you be very positive, firm and consistent with them. When they understand that you intend to be the "pack leader" and are in charge, things proceed more smoothly.
One of the kindliest ways of dominance/discipline is to issue an obedience command such as, "Sit!" This gets both of you into a "win-win" situation where you have proved your dominance by making them do something, and you can simultaneously praise and treat them for having done what you asked.
If Basenjis are doing something that they shouldn't, it is much more prudent and productive to "change the subject" in this manner than to hit the problem head on. "Chewing out" a Basenji usually just convinces him that he'd better be sneakier next time, and hitting him makes him think that maybe you are the enemy. Obedience commands followed by praise and treats are the way to go.
Train Them Differently From Other Dogs
A domesticated dog knows that his food and safety come from learning how to please his master. Wild dogs provide food and safety for themselves and are not dependent on their master's opinion of them. Basenjis have been around for 4,000 years and have much of the wild dog mentality. You need to train them as you would a cat--make it worth their while to do what you want. Food, treats, petting, loving and bribery work like a charm with these fellows.
Leash-jerking and punitive methods not only don't work well with Basenjis, they can make your Basenji wary and occasionally hostile toward you. Good, loving, and trusting feelings nurtured with your Basenji from puppyhood on are "money in the bank" for later successful training. These dogs will work wonderfully as your "friend," but very poorly as your "slave."
Don't Trust Them Off Leash
Because of their inbred independence, you don’t want to trust Basenjis off-leash. There will come a time when they spot a squirrel or something very interesting and go “selectively deaf.” Your dog is likely to be killed if he is anywhere near a roadway, as he is a very dedicated hunter and tends to ignore danger bearing down upon him.
Basenjis Chew A Lot
Basenjis chew a lot, even as adults. Give them lots of things to chew such as Nylabones, sterilized bones and large beef leg bones cooked 1/2 hour water and trimmed of all fat. (You can smear the insides of bones with a bit of cream cheese or stick a small piece of cheese in the middle to make them more interesting.) Train them early with the "leave it!" command, so that unapproved chewing can be controlled.
Working And Crates
“Basenji-proof” your house, and crate them when you can't supervise them--at least when they are in puppyhood. Basenjis do well with another dog in the household for companionship (preferably of the opposite sex). If you work a very long day, you might want to come home at lunch or get a dog-walker to break up the day for them. Doggie day-care centers are another option to keep your pet from being lonely during working hours. Basenjis must be let out of the crate as soon as you get home, and letting the clean, little, snuggly dogs sleep with you is another way to increase their out-of-crate time.
Conclusion
Owners who appreciate high intelligence and creativity, a loving and friendly disposition, gazelle-like beauty, and who also possess the patience and stamina to deal with a lively, smart, trying,and very determined dog will do the best with Basenjis. People simply wanting a subservient, obedient, “watchdog” or a quiet lapdog will probably not do as well with this breed.

French Camp Trip Update

It looks like the weather is going to get the best of us. We still plan to meet at PCUMC by 5PM tonight, however, we will NOT be driving up to French Camp tonight. It looks like our chance of observing the heavens tonight is about zero. Instead we will camp out in the church basement. If the weather improves tomorrow, we may drive up to French Camp then, but that seems unlikely. So we will probably spend all weekend in the church basement. We will still work on the parts of the Astronomy Merit Badge that we can, and we will also spend time on basic Scouting skills. We will probably attend church on Sunday morning, so you can pick your kids up before or after that.

Sorry for the last minute change in plans.
David

Are The Stars Out Tonight ....

Camping trip this weekend

We have a few new scouts, so I am trying to include a little more information than usual in this E-mail. Please call me (601-638-4429 home or numbers below) or Mike Rasch, Scoutmaster (601-634-6294 home) if you have questions.

We will be camping at the Rainwater Observatory at French Camp, MS. It is on the Natchez tract between Jackson and Tupelo. We will use this opportunity to complete most of the requirements for the Astronomy Merit Badge. Other groups will be there (that got on the list first), so observatory personnel will have minimum time to be involved with us. Rainwater observatory is the premier astronomical observatory in Mississippi, and the boys will have a chance to look through some of their large, sophisticated telescopes at some point during the weekend. I will use both Friday and Saturday nights (if they are clear) and Saturday during the day to work on completion of many of the merit badge requirements. To finish this Merit Badge, scouts will be required to spend additional time on their own doing night time observing and daytime research.

Leave and Return – We will leave Friday evening. Please be at Porter’s Chapel Church by 4:45PM on Friday 5/5/06 so that we can leave by 5PM. We will need to hustle to try to be able to set up camp before dark. We will plan to return to PCUMC Sunday 5/7 in the early afternoon. We try to have the Scouts call their parents when we are 15-20 minutes out of town so parents can meet us at the church.

Cost – cost will be $18 per person (gas is going up). You can give me a check on Friday or Sunday, or we will just debit your scout acct. I prefer the latter since I won’t need to be dealing with a wad of checks, but will be happy to take the money if you want to give it to me. Our treasurer tries to get out information a few times a year as to the status of each scout’s and leader’s scout acct, and payments (or reimbursements) can be made then if necessary.

What to bring – scouts should bring their standard personal gear (clothes for three days, sleeping gear, toiletries, personal camping gear (pocket knife, scout handbook, compass, flashlight, canteen, etc). For new scouts – call the Scoutmaster or me if you have questions about what to bring, or check your scout handbook. Note to mothers – please get in the habit of insisting that your scout pack his own gear. If he forgets to pack his tooth brush or underwear, then he’ll just do without them for the weekend. No big deal. He will learn an important lesson, you will be relieved of one more burden, and we won’t be stuck when we are breaking camp of holding up a dirty, muddy sock and saying “All right, whose is this?” and everybody shrugging and walking away because the scouts don’t know what they’ve brought.

Wear - Scouts should plan to wear their class A shirts (Scout uniform) on the trip up on Friday and home on Sunday. Bring your class B red or green Troop 638 tee shirts to wear on Saturday.

Tents – we have scout tents, and the boys will sleep 1 or 2 to a tent (depending upon the number of boys). Scouts are welcome to bring their own tents if they have them and know how to set them up. Most leaders bring their own tents (because they like more room). It is BSA policy that scouts and leaders do not sleep in the same tent unless they are father and son.

Cook and eating ware – The troop has all the cookware and eating ware that the boys need.

Non-standard things to bring – Bring a sack supper for Friday night, something the scouts can eat on the drive up. If the scouts do not have the Astronomy Merit badge Worksheet that was passed out at the meeting a week ago, they should download one from http://www.meritbadge.com/. If they do not have the spring sky maps that were passed out at the meeting they should go on the Web and find a star map. These can be found on many websites. Just do a Google search for “star maps” or “sky charts”, etc. They should bring the worksheets with clipboard, the star maps, and a pen/pencil. They should have a weak flashlight (for reading their star map at night without screwing up their night vision.) If you have a piece of red cellophane, you can rubber band it over the flashlight lens. – But don’t bother to go out and buy a roll of red cellophane if you don’t happen to have some. Duct tape or your hand will do just fine. If they have a pair of binoculars or telescope, they can bring them IF THEY ARE USE TO USING THEM to look at the night sky. If not, I’d rather not be stuck with having to figure out how to set up a half dozen telescopes in the dark and then actually using them to find celestial objects. (It’s not that easy.) I will bring a small (bird watching) telescope that we will use to look at Jupiter and Saturn, and we should be able to get some time on the big telescopes.

Before the camping trip – All the boys should spend a minimum of 30 minutes to an hour outside some clear night before the camping trip with their sky maps looking up at the heavens. (They have been told this). At a minimum, they should be able to orient their star maps and be able to use them to find constellations. They should be able to know what the Big Dipper (Ursa Major) looks like and be able to find it with no difficulty (on a clear night). Hint – it is just north of straight overhead in the spring evening sky. They should be able to use the Big Dipper to find the North Star and the Little Dipper (Ursa Minor). Hopefully, some of the boys will be inspired to go further. (That’s the whole goal). Other prominent constellations in the spring sky that they may then want to look for are Bootes and Leo. From there, with a map, they should be able to identify many other constellations. Mars, Jupiter and Saturn are all visible and prominent in the evening sky this month. With a little searching on the web, the boys can find star maps showing the exact locations of these planets. Mars is in Gemini (near the stars Caster and Pollux), Saturn is in Cancer, and Jupiter is in Virgo (near the star Spica). For the next few nights the moon will be approaching first quarter and passing through Gemini and Cancer and into Virgo.
In addition, for those boys that want to complete the Astronomy Merit Badge (I expect that only some of the boys will be really interested in completing it), they should do a web search to find the information to complete Requirement 5b in their Astronomy Merit Badge Worksheet. 5b) - Find out when each of the five most visible planets that you identified in requirement 5a will be observable in the evening sky during the next 12 months, then compile this information in the form of a chart or table. Update your chart monthly to show whether each planet will be visible during the early morning or in the evening sky.
Again – absolute minimum requirements: 30 minutes some night, understand their star map, know the Big Dipper, find Polaris (north star). Please insist that your scout(s) complete at least this much.

Contact Information: I will have my cell phone (number below), Mike Rasch cell phone (601-218-1403) or you can call the observatory:
Rainwater Observatory1 Fine Pl.French Camp, MS 39745Phone: (662) 547-6377Fax: (662) 547-6302E-Mail: info@rainwaterobservatory.orgJames G. Hill, Director