Allan Turner has a nice piece in today’s Chronicle about a struggling Boy Scout troop in the Third Ward:

Since November, Jellins, 51, a businessman-engineer who negotiates multimillion-dollar construction contracts for Exxon Mobil, has struggled to revive the decades-old black troop that had lost its momentum and was on the brink of losing its charter.

With the church’s support, advice from an array of veteran troop leaders and the help of friends and parents who signed on as assistants, Jellins now has about 10 boys in the troop. In weekly meetings they learn about snakes and electricity, aviation and first aid, photography and the more creative aspects of outdoor cuisine.

Such lessons likely hold value for all Scouts, but in sometimes turbulent black communities, they can serve as an anchor to help buffeted teens achieve.

One minor beef, though:

“They’re taught to be trustworthy, loyal, friendly, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent, even when they don’t feel like it,” Jellins said.

Since a Scoutmaster presumably knows the Scout Law, it looks like the Chron reporter goofed on the quote. It’s really: “Trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent.”

Regardless, it’s a nice story about an institution that’s invaluable in shaping the characters of young men. Kudos, Chron, from this former Scout.

It’s Monday, and that means Chief Hurtt is back from Phoenix just in time for the MLK holiday. Here’s what he missed:

Man found shot to death in trunk:

The body of a man who had been shot was found inside his car early Sunday by police investigating reports of gunfire in northeast Houston. The victim, Jamaya Akeem Meyers, 23, was found shortly after 6 a.m. on Tidwell near the Eastex Freeway, police said.

Separate shootings leave 2 dead in southwest Houston:

A man was fatally shot about 6:15 p.m. by a neighbor at an apartment on Dumfries at Sandpiper. The men were arguing over an unknown matter, police said.

Two men were shot, one fatally, about 6:40 p.m. after a long-simmering dispute erupted into gunfire in the 9600 block of Kapri. Police at the scene said the dead man had been arguing with the cousin of his girlfriend for some time before the men confronted each other tonight.

Gunfire was exchanged and both were shot.

Welcome home, Chief!

UPDATE/CORRECTION (1/17/06): The headline above (”Man found shot to death in trunk”) is inaccurate. The victim was found dead in the driver’s seat of the car. The faulty headline was due to a Chronicle editor’s error.

Terror Groups Capitalize on Alienation, Need for Sense of Purpose

An essay posted today on the New Yorker website is worth a read. Azzam the American by Raffi Khatchadourian explains how one Adam Ghadan of rural California drifted from his hippy parents’ farm, to death metal, to Islam, and finally to Al Qaeda propagandist. The post includes an insightful analysis on the path from confused teenager to latter day Joseph Goebbels:

“[forensic psychiatrist Marc] Sageman discovered that most Al Qaeda operatives had been radicalized in the West and were from caring, intact families that had solidly middle- or upper-class economic backgrounds. Their families were religious but generally mainstream. The vast majority of the men did not have criminal records or any history of mental disorders. Moreover, there was little evidence of coördinated recruitment, coercion, or brainwashing. Al Qaeda’s leaders waited for aspiring jihadists to come to them—and then accepted only a small percentage. Joining the jihad, Sageman realized, was like trying to get into a highly selective college: many apply, but only a few are accepted.”

Terrorists seem to play to the yearning and searching for a bigger cause.

(Read more…)

Concealed Handgun License Training– New licenses $100 (classes approximately every other week), recertification $80 (done weekly). Price includes all range fee, fingerprinting, notary work and photographs. Basic training available for persons who want a license but have little or no experience with a firearm. Ask about special group classes. Contact Austin Arrington 281-948-8373.

——————–

Solutions for Schools and Families– Genia Development provides intelligent, sensitive and practical solutions to parents and educators, including parent coaching, counseling, staff and parent workshops and both home and classroom environment design. All services can be customized to fit your needs. Let us help you meet the challenges of caring for children. Contact us at 832-286-3308, or learn more at geniadevelopment.com

——————–

Christians United for Israel– Learn more from Pastor John Hagee about this unique opportunity for you to stand with the Jewish People and invoke God’s blessings on America; | 210-477-4714 | website |

——————–

Get paid to tell us what you think– Register to participate in one of our focus groups; earn money telling us what you think about politics, your community and consumer goods. Click here to learn more and sign-up!

——————–

——————–

Dawn Wolf Design– LST’s full-service graphic designer of choice. Talented, professional, competitively priced; a generous LST volunteer, we could not recommend her more highly. | 713-781-8900 | website

——————–