Ducttape and Paperclips

Making things from old junk stretches the imagination of a boy and gives him freedom to invent, explore, and learn. I had access to lots of old equipment, building supplies, and junk while growing up on USFS ranger stations. I made some awesome things, from forts to kites to bombs - even electric motors.

I believe my time spent watching MacGyver on TV helped, too. On that show, MacGyver could make anything with some ducttape, a couple paperclips, and no more than 10 minutes of effort. That's why I'm excited to hear a new version of the show is about to launch and BSA is holding a contest about it.

Some scout is going to win a trip to the MacGyver set in Atlanta. Ten others will win some backpack full of swag. But, every scout that enters will get a patch - not just a patch, but a collector's edition patch! OK, maybe you don't need YAP (Yet Another Patch) but, then again, maybe you do.

Anyway, a tip for 13+ year old scouts - when you enter the sweepstakes, choose the 13-17 age range to enter your postal address. If you're just 12, your parents need to get involved. I don't know why it's not open to younger scouts, but it's probably some legal internet child protection stuff.

Good luck, Scouts! Oh yeah, the sweepstakes ends October 30, so don't wait too long to enter.

Now, I just need to find 3 more paperclips and I'll get that hang glider finished!