OAImages Blog

There was a discussion on patch-l on the proposed USPS rate increase.  

Nothing has been approved yet, and current media reports disagree with this published rate case, but it does promise changes that will result in significant increase in shipping costs for those who sell patches online.    It was reported that patches would be treated as “parcels” and subject to that higher rate, regardless of weight, if the package was not thin enough to pass through the Postal Service’s sorting machines.  These were topped only by the even more significant proposed changes in international shipping costs

In a related topic Chris Jensen of Streamwood, Inc. posted a message about how worthless the USPS’ insurance is, especially when shipping outside of the US.   With his permission, I share what he wrote: Continue Reading »

Sometimes patches are issued for rather unusual reasons.   Some of these reasons are intersting, trivial, or silly.   Ocassionally patches are issued for personal and charitable reasons.   I was recently made aware of one of these.

Japeechen 341 has issued a flap for breast cancer awareness.   There is a very good reason for this flap.   In explaining the reason behind this issue Nick DeMarco writes:

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Thanks to the guys at ScoutHistory.net, Cloth Talk #24 is now available for downloading either through iTunes or by direct download at http://www.scouthistory.net/blog/. Remember, you do not need to have iTunes installed in order to listen to Cloth Talk. They also have a dialup-friendly version available for those who do not have high speed internet connections.

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This image was recently sent to me. Those familiar with Occoneechee’s 2006 NOAC pieces may notice the error almost immediately. The thunderbird is seen here holding the Prince of Wales Trophy, which he only holds on the white bordered F5.

I have talked to my usual sources within this lodge. It is not a fake of any type. Rather it appears to be a manufacturer’s error that someone got into the supply of patches sent to the lodge when they reordered the black bordered fundraiser set. Continue Reading »

Tsali lodge has issued a flap and pocket dangle for the 2007 Dixie Fellowship (SR-5 Conclave) to be held this April.  The lodge has chosen a Super Mario ™ theme for this year’s conclave as both the patch and dangle show. 

You have to look carefully to find the lodge name on the dangle.   It’s written in Cherokee in white thread.

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“Come gather ’round people
Wherever you roam
And admit that the waters
Around you have grown
And accept it that soon
You’ll be drenched to the bone
If your time to you
Is worth savin’
Then you better start swimmin’
Or you’ll sink like a stone
For the times they are a-changin’. ”
– Bob Dylan

I had shared this with some friends of mine and thought it was worth sharing with readers of this blog.   The link will take you to an audio-visual presentation about 6 minutes long.

I had seen most of this information before, but not in one place in such stark form… for the times truly are changing.

 

Tsali has issued a new jacket patch and three segments designed to be worn with it.   While the jacket patch has no explictly specific purpose, the segments are all related to the lodge’s Dance and Drum teams championships.

The three segments are “Group Dance Champions 2006 Dixie”, “Group Dance National Champions 2006 NOAC”, and “Southern Drum Third Place 2006 NOAC”. Continue Reading »

Hank Birdsong recently sent me word and images of several new issues from Tsali lodge.  For reasons of clarity, I am breaking this up into three posts.

The first issue is an event patch issued for Tsali’s 2007 Winter Banquet.   Blue Book style information for this patch is as follows:

Yet another fake of a 2003 conclave flap has recently surfaced on eBay. Greg Grimes tipped me off to its appearance on eBay early this morning. This time it is the S32 that has been faked.

The seller of this piece, patch-works, has a reputation for selling fakes. Barring other evidence, you can safely assume anything he sells is a outright fake or Chang-type fake. Continue Reading »

In a perfect world the Order of the Arrow and its ceremonies inculcate the virtues of the Order upon its members. Brothers willingly serve as elangomats.  The attend service projects and give their service selflessly.  They eagerly seek more knowledge and seal their membership in the Brotherhood.  They look forward to attending lodge events and sign up for them as soon as registration is opened. Â

However we do not live in a perfect world so lodges have come up with incentives to increase various types of participation within the lodge.  One of most commonly used incentives is a patch.

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I recently upgraded WordPress and forgot to reactivate a plugin. As such, subscribers to this blog weren’t getting email when I added a message. This is a test to see if that is now running alright.

For those who haven’t already done so, you too can subscribe to this blog.

Felis Cattus, is your taxonomic nomenclature,
an endothermic quadruped carnivorous by nature;
Your visual, olfactory and auditory senses
contribute to your hunting skills, and natural defenses…

– “Ode To Spot” by Data, Star Trek: The Next Generation

There are those of us who worry and debate over how patches should be classified.   In most cases this is very easy:  a 3″ round is an “R”; a chenille is a “C”.   Sometimes it’s a bit harder:  What makes a patch a “P” or “J”?     Is a triangular patch on a neckerchief an “X” or “P”?   Is a 5″ round patch an “R” or “J”?  How do you classify the very odd-shaped “flaps” issued by some lodges, that will likely never be worn on uniforms?  

Beyond all this is one subject that can inflame passions more than all the rest:   What makes a patch an official issue?

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