Project Expenses

Below is all the materials needed, and their expenses.

Type of Material	Cost of Material
35 feet of wire fencing, 2”x4” mesh size, 4 feet tall, galvanized, 14 gauge. One 100-foot roll.	$72.00
10 wooden 4”x4” beams, 8 feet long (will be cut to 7 feet)	$72.70
1 sign	$28.00
8 bags of Quikrete (80 lbs) (1 has been donated already)	$35.00
1 package of U-shaped nails (>60 nails)	$3.00
2 yardsticks	(already have)
2 tape measures	(already have)
3 hammers	(already have)
1 roll of fluorescent cord	(already have)
Poison oak blocker	(already have)
1 pair of wire cutters	(already have)
2 pairs of pliers	(already have)
Garden hoe	(already have)
1 rake	(already have)
Water	(already have)
1-2 levels	(will borrow)
2 wheelbarrows	(will borrow)
2-3 manual posthole diggers	(will borrow)
2-3 shovels	(will borrow)
1 pair of work gloves per scout	(will borrow)
Total:	$210.70

All items marked with "(will borrow)" are items that had been offered by other scouts or parents for my project free of charge. My friend Ian's dad donated 2 shovels, 2 posthole diggers, a rake, garden hoe, and yardsticks. He was very generous, and I would have definitely had a hard time finding these items without his help, so I was grateful for his help.

Official Description of Project

This was the original official description of my project that was sent to the Lafayette Parks, Trails, and Recreation department:

I propose to install a protective fence along a dangerous stretch of the creek within the Lafayette Community Park, behind the Community Center. Currently, a hazard exists in two ways: there is a hidden cliff with a dropoff of approx. 70 feet, and also the cliff is eroding, making the bank of the creek unstable. The fence will be slightly curved with the shape of the cliff’s edge. It’ll be made with wooden 4x4 posts and mesh fencing. The end posts will be reinforced to strengthen the fence. We will clear any obstructing brush that may inhibit construction or hide any part of the fence. There will be a warning sign on the fence to warn people of the danger, and let them realize that the fence is there for a reason.

I found this dropoff when I was helping Andrew Kephart, a fellow scout, with his Eagle project. I noticed it was a hazard so I decided to fix it for my project. I introduced the idea to Jennifer Russell, director of the City of Lafayette Parks, Trails and Recreation Department, and she knew the exact spot I was talking about, and was very enthusiastic about my plan to fix it. I’ve been working with her since, on park standards, logistics, financing, etc. I’m extremely pleased that the Department has enough of a budget and is gracious enough to fund my project.

They were nice enough to fund all the products for my project, so for my next post, I will post the expenses.

Who will Work on my Project

I had to make a list of who would be contributing to my project:

The work will be done by myself and other scouts from my troop who would like to help out. I’m going to need at least 5 other people for the project to be done in time. No special skills will be required, just basic construction skills and the ability to complete tasks. At least two adult Scout leaders will need to be present, so I’ll ask the leaders who would like to help when I ask my fellow troop members for assistance. Mr. Rothfuss, a professional engineer, has volunteered to oversee the design and make sure that construction standards are met.

 There was a pretty impressive turnout, with around 12-14 people coming throughout the day.  We got the project finished faster than I had originally thought. Mr. Rothfuss, the engineer, stayed for the entire day, and helped to oversee the project. He also helped keep kids at work, which was helpful for me, since they were all my friends and I didn't want to be rude. He was there when I was earning my actual Eagle award; he presented me to the Eagle board and was my sponsor. He helped me a lot through this process, and I am grateful for his assistance.

Did Obama Violate the Constitution with Libya?

-Associated Press

The Constitution itself doesn't answer the question, because it gives Congress authority "to raise and support Armies," "to provide and maintain a Navy," and "to declare War." But it also provides that, "The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States."
Congress has formally declared war only five times in U.S. history -- for the War of 1812, the Mexican War, the Spanish-American War, and World Wars I and II. But presidents have approved dozens of military actions with no such declaration, including the Korean conflict and the war in Vietnam. 
Well over 100 military operations were ordered without any advance Congressional authorization at all. Recent examples include actions in Grenada, the overthrow of Manuel Noriega in Panama, and intervention in civil wars in Bosnia, Kosovo, and Macedonia.
A federal law, the War Powers Act of 1973, requires the president to consult with Congress "in every possible instance" before deploying U.S. forces. An exception was made for emergencies created by attacks on the U.S. or its armed forces. -msnbc.com

 There are good points on both sides. When looking at it from a superficial perspective, I believe that as the commander in chief of the Army and Navy, the president has the power to do these operations. They were not tried to be kept secret, they were done for a good reason (to protect innocent people), and they were not overpowered; they were tactical. Under these conditions, I think the president's actions were justified, though not America's priority at the moment.

Radiation Infiltrates Tokyo's Drinking Water

Today, officials in Tokyo have found that samples of drinking water contain levels of radioactive iodine twice the safe level for infants to drink. While under the recommended limit for adults, it is still unsafe for adults to drink as well. Stores have cleared their shelves of the contaminated water, and the non-contaminated water has been flying off the shelves. Some stores had to institute a limit of two 2-liter bottles per customer, and they still sold out. This radiation poisoning has also affected milk and 11 vegetables.

Concerns about food safety spread Wednesday to Tokyo after officials said tap water showed elevated radiation levels: 210 becquerels of iodine-131 per liter of water — more than twice the recommended limit of 100 becquerels per liter for infants. Another measurement taken later at a different site showed the level was 190 becquerels per liter. The recommended limit for adults is 300 becquerels.

"It is really scary. It is like a vicious negative spiral from the nuclear disaster," said Etsuko Nomura, a mother of two children ages 2 and 5. "We have contaminated milk and vegetables, and now tap water in Tokyo, and I'm wondering what's next." -msnbc.com

Mental Sickness Break 5

Project Religious Statement

To obtain my Eagle rank, a required part of my project was to submit a "religious statement" about how I am reverent to god. I refused because I have a backbone, so I wrote it my own way.

My family is Jewish, and I had a Bar Mitzvah when I was 13, so I am confirmed to that religion. It was a really interesting experience to explore all my ancestors’ religion and learn a new language, but I have never fully been able to connect with Judaism, or any other of the religions that I have explored. I find true happiness and salvation through my own accomplishments, by making people happy, by doing new things, and by enjoying nature and life around me. If I ever get in a rut, I pick myself up, and I believe that is a great way to do it. I feel that I don’t need to rely on a single religion to live my life happily. But I don’t neglect them—I take my own values from various religions. I take into account the Ten Commandments from the Torah, the concept of strengthening one’s “inner self” from Buddhism, and I’ve read many stories from the Bible, all with good moral values that I apply to my own life. I believe if someone is going to claim no religion, they should not be ignorant of any religions. Instead of praying to God when I need help, I seek solutions and carry them out, which not everyone may choose themselves, but I believe it will get me where I need to be, and it works for me. I am open to anyone’s religion, as I believe strongly in equality and mutual respect. People make their religions work for them, so I live and let live, I don’t see any reason to disagree.

I only capitalized "god" so they wouldn't think I am the antichrist. I never do besides that. 

Project Work Schedule

For my project, I had to set up a work schedule and total up all of my hours. I had to have at least 20 hours of personal leadership time. As it turned out, I was able to use committee meetings as additional leadership hours, and the entire project only ended up taking one day. Below is how I had originally planned it out.

*”Total work hours” is calculated assuming 5 scouts working on the project, unless otherwise noted.

Saturday

Job	Time	Duration	Total Work Hours*	Leadership Hours
Set temp. stakes, test soil resistance (for digging)	(pre-project)	2 hrs.	(w/ 2 scouts) 4	2
Purchase/collect materials	(pre-project)	3	(w/ 2 scouts) 6	3
Get materials to site	10:00 am-11:00 am	1	5	1
Prepare soil for digging, sort materials	11:00-noon	1	5	1
Clear area for work, set temp. barrier	noon-1:00 pm	1	5	1
Dig holes	1:00-6:00	5	25	5
Bring back materials, cleanup	6:00-7:00	1	5	1

Sunday

Job	Time	Duration	Total Work Hours*	Leadership Hours
Get materials to site	10:00 am-11:00 am	1	5	1
Cut wood	11:00-11:30	0.5	2.5	0.5
Finish digging holes	11:30-2:00 pm	2.5	12.5	2.5
Set 4x4’s, set concrete	2:00-3:00	1	5	1
Clean up area, while concrete sets	3:00-4:00	1	5	1
Attach fencing to posts	4:00-5:30	1.5	7.5	1.5
Bring back materials, cleanup	5:30-6:00	0.5	2.5	0.5

Grand Totals

Duration: 22 hrs

Total Work Hours: 95

Leadership Hours: 22

The Dalai Lama Announces he will Step Down

Today the Dalai Lama announced he will be stepping down as the political leader of Tibet.

"As early as the 1960s, I have repeatedly stressed that Tibetans need a leader, elected freely by the Tibetan people, to whom I can devolve power," the Dalai Lama said in a prepared speech on the anniversary of the 1959 Tibetan uprising against Chinese control. "Now, we have clearly reached the time to put this into effect."

 Tibet has had an elected prime minister for a while, with the Dalai Lama as a spiritual leader. He wants peace in Tibet and its foreign relations, and himself to live as a monk.

Full story here.

Suspect of MLK Day Bomb Plot Arrested

The backpack and shirts used with the bomb.

On January 17, 2011, in Spokane, Washington, a parade for MLK Day was about to happen, when a "sophisticated" bomb was found by parade workers just half an hour before commencement. Today, an arrest has been made.

Kevin William Harpham has been charged with illegal possession of an explosive device and attempting to use a "weapon of mass destruction," according to charging documents released today.
Investigators are looking into possible ties between Harpham and white supremacist groups, an FBI official told ABC News.

 It was found that Harpham was a member of a white supremacist group called the National Alliance in 2004. This shows that this could have been a racism-related incident, which would give him additional time in his sentence.

It makes logical sense that someone in a hate group would set up an attack on a group they hate. I was happy to find that an arrest was made, because I don't tolerate hate violence, and I don't think these groups understand that their beliefs are not justified in the least bit.