The Boss gets mad about a lot of things, Alisa, but not about anyone reading the magazine. You’re a girl and you enjoy it, so I guess that’s enough said.

Games Guru: Congrats on getting as far as you have. You need to do something with the AllSpark once you have it.

When Starscream gets near the AllSpark, pick it up and start a melee using AllSpark. Bam! Starscream takes to the air, and your final battle begins. It’s tough, so you may be writing me again for a tip! Just remember to always keep Starscream in your sight or you’ll lose the battle.

Games Guru: The golden eggs are on the Golden Egg page. This particular egg is on the bottom row, second from the right. Click it. Once you see the radio, click the two keys in the middle of the radio. Voila. You have your golden egg for the Angry Radio puzzle.

I don’t know how to beat these levels: Level 12 on Danger Above (not the first one, the one at night); The Big Setup, I can’t beat level 5 on the second page; Mighty Hoax, I can’t beat level 12. If you can please help me, please do.

Games Guru: It’s hard to explain this in a few words. Pictures work better.

Here’s one site that helps for Danger Above:
http://angrybirds.mobi/level-8-15-walkthrough-for-danger-above-in-angry-birds/

For the Big Setup:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzzcERrR5WI&feature=player_embedded

For the Mighty Hoax:
http://angrybirds.mobi/level-5-12-walkthrough-for-mighty-hoax-in-angry-birds/

Snow is a solid, Rond, and it can scorch if the pot is hot enough. It not only tastes funky, it smells funky, too.

The video above gives us a look at what a thunderstorm looks like from space. The purple pops of light are the lightning strikes, taken by the International Space Station as it flies over Africa.

Pushups strengthen chest, arm, shoulder and stomach muscles. Correct form helps you avoid injury and get the most from your workout.

1. Lie facedown with hands slightly rotated inward at mid-chest, slightly wider than shoulders. Look at floor to avoid neck strain.

2. Starting position: Rise, balancing on hands and toes while keeping legs, back and rear end flat. (Too hard? Try knees on the floor with legs bent and feet up.)

3. Inhale as you slowly lower yourself until elbows are at 90 degrees, keeping body in a straight line.

4. Think of pushing the floor away from you as you straighten your arms, keeping body straight. Exhale as your arms straighten out, keeping elbows slightly bent.

See how many you can do. Start with a goal of six sets of five repetitions.

Just how old do you think I am, Jonathan? Boys’ Life celebrated its 100th birthday in 2011. (But I tell The Boss he now couldn’t publish this magazine without me—and, of course, he snorts.)

The Hunger Games (March 22, 2012):

The Avengers (May 4, 2012):

The Amazing Spiderman (July 3, 2012):

The Dark Knight Rises (July 20, 2012):

The Hobbit (December 25, 2012):

Which movies are you most looking forward to this year?

Have you invited him to attend a meeting to check it out, Leo.? Letting him get to know the other Scouts might light a fire under him.

Q. Hi Mr. Gear Guy. I saw a sleeping bag in Boys’ Life. It is called Cub Scout lightweight bag and says Cub Scouts on the actual sleeping bag. Where can I purchase that bag? Thanks!

A. Hey Mrs. Mom. That’s an easy one. It’s called the Cub Scout Lightweight Sleeping Bag and it’s $39.99 on ScoutStuff.org. Here’s the link: http://www.scoutstuff.org/bag-sleep-cs-30-degree.html

Just type “learn to tie knots” in the search engine, Sam (it’s in the Video section). That’s one video I’ll never be able to use (these hooves).

Editor’s Note: This holster is designed for a belt 1 1/4″ to 1 1/2″ wide.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

• A soft scrap of leather about 8” long, 5” wide and 1/16” to 1/8” thick
• Hobby knife
• Metal ruler
• Pen
• 3/16” hole punch or awl
• Two large snap rivets
• Hammer

WHAT YOU’LL DO

Step 1: Place the best-looking side of the leather down and draw the holster and belt loop. For the length of the holster, measure around your flashlight and add 1 1/4”.

Step 2: Mark the holes on the belt loop and holster.

Step 3: Find the center of the holster length and mark off 1/4” segments as shown.

Step 4: Cut out the belt loop and holster.

Step 5: Punch out all six holes.

Step 6: Roll the holster, align the holes and push the rivet through from the inside.

Step 7: Slide the bottom end of the belt loop over the rivet and cap.

Step 8: Align bottom loop holes, push the rivet through from inside, and cap and hammer securely.

I don’t work for the cantina, Daniel, I’m just the best customer (and The Boss says it shows).

I got my job toting the mailbag because I learned how to tote heavy loads at Philmont, Austin. I guess if you learn how to design games, you’ll have an easier time landing a job. (Sounds more fun than this mailbag gig.)

The scary video above shows pro-snowboarder Meesh Hytner enjoying the fresh powder in Colorado, when a sudden Class 3 avalanche hits and snow suddenly begins barreling down the mountain. While this situation is always dangerous, Hytner was well prepared, and wearing an airbag system.

The Backcountry Access Float 30 probably saved her life, allowing her to “float” on her back as the snow swept her down the mountain. Hytner was very lucky to come out safe, and didn’t sustain any injuries.

I guess carrying this mailbag does have a benefit, Jonathan. Maybe I should suggest that The Boss lug it around to keep him on an even keel. (He’d never do it, but I’d like to see the look on his face when I suggest it.)

You’ve made me hungry, Michael—and tired. But thanks for the tips.

Games Guru: I’m thinking you’re in a place called The Streets of Godrics Hallow. Use your invisible cloak to pass enemies with stealth. Now, go over to the six Muggle Borns to free them. The Streets is an area that rewards you for exploration. Keep that cloak on. Use your potions to deal with multiple enemies. One of the keys is to avoid big battles with a lot of enemies coming at you. That’s why you have that cloak! If you get lost, make a little map of the area in pencil on a pad as you go — so you remember where you’ve been.

Games Guru: Here are the big ones:

– Unlock all modes and tracks:  959595
– Unlock Unlimited energy: 721953

I want to unlock professor z. The game said that I need to get to a skyscraper in Tokyo arena, but where is the skyscraper?

Games Guru: Begin by looking for ramps on your left and right. Use turbo before you hit one of the ramps, and jump once you get to the top. You’ll land on the roof and claim your precious trophy!

According to The Boss, my sweater is definitely trademarked (he says the smell is, um, distinctive). You can get a back issue (if it’s not too far back) by sending us the month you’re looking for along with $3.95 to Boys’ Life, 1325 West Walnut Lane, P.O. Box 152079, Irving, TX 75015-2079.

Being a dog looks like a lot of fun!

Speaking of cool dog videos, this one is a classic.

You can begin working on your Welding merit badge at the end of February or possibly in early March, but you can familiarize yourself with the requirements now. Scouts who choose to pursue the Welding badge will learn about the safety and techniques of welding. Eventually, they’ll complete their own welding project.

Welding is an important part of our country’s growth and stability. A large portion of the U.S. economy depends on welders who can do quality work.

Read the full list of requirements here.

Q. I have a 45-degree Lafuma mummy sleeping bag and a 15-degree liner to go with it, so it becomes a 30-degree bag. My dad says I’ll be fine in the cold, but I’m not so sure. It gets pretty cold in the tri-state area. What do you think I should do?

A. I think you should give it a shot. Sleep a couple nights out in your bag and find out if it keeps you warm enough. If you’re worried, pitch a tent in the backyard so you’ll be close to home if you do get totally chilled. That said, here are some ways to stay warm inside your sleeping bag: (1) be sure to use a sleeping pad because that will help insulate you from the cold ground, which will quickly suck heat from your body; (2) consider sleeping in warm clothes, like a set of long underwear and wool socks. Also, wear an insulated stocking cap since you lose lots of body heat from the top of your head. Lastly, keep in mind, the temperature ratings on sleeping bags and liners are just general guidelines. It’s up to you to determine at what temperature you can still sleep comfortably in your sleeping bag.

Here’s an easy way to trace your way from one winter constellation to another.

1. In the north winter sky, look for the Big Dipper constellation. It looks like an old well dipper, and is part of Ursa Major, the Great Bear.

2. At the “dipper” end, two stars nicknamed the Pointer Stars form a straight line to Polaris, the North Star. Polaris tips the end of the Little Dipper, also known as Ursa Minor, the Little Bear.

3. From Polaris, draw an imaginary line across the sky to a sideways M constellation recognized as Cassiopeia the Queen.

4. Turn your back to Polaris, and look for three stars in a row. These stars form the belt of Orion the Great Hunter.

5. Trace the belt stars down to the left, or east to the brightest star, Sirius, found in The Great Dog (Canis Major).

6. Trace the belt stars up to the right, or west to a V-shaped constellation, Taurus the Bull.

• Complete pinewood derby guide
• 100 cool Pinewood Derby car photos of 2010
• Click here to see 900 more pinewood derby photos
• Click here to submit a picture of your car
• Read about secrets to make your car go faster
• Watch video of a super-fast pinewood derby track
• Play BL‘s new pinewood derby game

When the race is over, enter the winner’s circle by building this display for your pinewood derby or model car.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

• Tape measure
• Ruler
• Saw
• Lumpy rock
• Screwdriver
• Wood screws
• Hammer
• Narrow chisel
• Scissors
• Utility Knife (Optional)
• Wood glue
• 3/4″ x 10″ x 10 1/2″ board
• 3/4″ x 3 1/2″ x 10 1/2″ board
• 12″ x 12″ cork board
• 1/2″ x 2″ x 9″ wood strip (optional)
• 1/2″ x 1″ x 9″ wood strip (optional)
• Some black paint and white paint
• Paint brush

WHAT YOU’LL DO

1. With the help of an adult, cut out the two boards and whack the small board with a rock. This will make the board rough like asphalt.

2. Chisel out four shallow depressions for the car’s wheels to sit in.

3. Glue and screw the two boards together using the three screws. Paint the whole thing black, or any color you like.

4. Use scissors to carefully cut the cork board into 1 1/2″ squares. Or, with an adult’s help, you can cut the cork with a utility knife.

5. Paint half the corkboard squares black and the other half white.

6. Glue the cork squares to the back of the display.

7. You can place or pin whatever you want on the completed stand. Display it on a flat surface or hang it on the wall.

HOW TO MAKE WALL MOUNTING BRACKETS FOR YOUR DISPLAY

You can use this trick to securely mount almost any heavy, flat object to a wall.

Cut the 1/2″ x 2″ x 9″ wood strip lengthwise at a 45-degree angle. Mount one piece about 1″ below the top of the back of the display and the other to the wall as shown. Attach the 1/2″ x 1″ x 9″ wood strip about 1″ from the bottom of the back of the display. The display will then slide firmly onto the wall.

The Cub Scouts from Pack 907 in Virginia found out just how cool when they visited the Leatherneck offices earlier this month. The boys spoke with the magazine’s editor, retired Marine colonel Walt Ford, about what it takes to produce a magazine and its accompanying website.

They even got to keep a (fake) copy of the magazine that featured themselves on the cover.

The term “leatherneck” comes from the leather collar that used to be part of the Marines’ uniform.

Click here for pictures of the Cub Scouts on their tour.

Whoever heard of an eagle toting a mailbag? The Boss makes this mascot earn his keep, Jimmy (believe me).

Sounds great, C. J. But that’s a long walk for a small burro, and I don’t think The Boss would put me in a crate and ship me there.

I complete meals, naps and my mail rounds, A&W. Merit badges are for Scouts, not burros.

The Boy Scouts of America and Edison Nation challenge you to get inventing in 2012.

Check out this video for all the details:

Here how it works:

• Inventors submit their ideas by Monday, May 7, 2012, at 11:59 p.m. PST.
• For kids 7-21 years old.
• Edison Nation will select winning inventors and invest up to $1 million to develop the selected ideas and help bring them to market.
• Selected ideas will receive a $2,500 minimum advance on 20 years percentage of sales. Plus, Edison Nation will split the royalties 50-50 with inventors on the products they select.
• Selected inventors will be named the “inventor” on any issued patents and will have an opportunity to appear on the award-winning Everyday Edisons television series on PBS.
• It’s $25 to submit an idea (or $10 for current BSA members).
• Ideas should be “well-communicated” and include sketches, images, or other media to support them.

Click here to get started.

Talking about work makes me sleepy, Sam. Keep plugging away at your goal, and you’ll reach it. The main thing is to have a great Scouting experience.

We enjoyed this quick video showing a very talented ballboy, catching a tennis ball during a tennis match between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal at the Aussie Open Wednesday. Sweet grab!

Hmmm, disappearing magazines. Perhaps you should start a file for the magazines and put each issue away when you’ve finished reading it, Anthony. That way you’ll always know where they are.

Games Guru: I’m guessing you mean multipliers. Here are the codes:

Invincibility: QQWC6B
Score x2: 74YKR7
Score x6: XK9ANE
Score x8: HUFV2H
Score x10: H8X69Y

A little research tells us that the dormouse species is mostly found in Europe, and is known for spending long periods of time hibernating. What they aren’t known for is snoring, but the video below shows a hibernating dormouse doing just that. He is really out!

They were headed somewhere off the beaten path: McGregor Smith Scout Reservation in Inverness, Fla,. from which they could explore the surrounding rivers by airboat, and snorkel and scuba dive with exotic manatees.

The water might have made their pictures a bit fuzzy, but you can still get the idea that it was an amazing experience.

For more on McGregor Smith, go to their Facebook page.

Well, I certainly never forgot to turn in a book report, Michael. I don’t believe I ever wrote one, though. Getting grounded wouldn’t be a punishment for me—no work and more time to eat and sleep.

This extreme, danger-seeking expert biker rides on a skinny and snowy mountain ridge in Colorado. The result is a truly jaw-dropping video, filmed with a helmet-mounted camera.

Ever wondered what it’s like to get major air on a skateboard? Here’s one more helmet-mounted video, showing a professional skateboarder preparing for the X Games.

Q. When I get a new traditional lock-blade knife, it often messes up within the first hour. When I close it, the blade flips in and out and will not completely shut. Why isn’t it working?

A. Without seeing your knife first-hand it’s tough for me to say what’s wrong with it. My guess is that the knife itself wasn’t all that well-made in the first place. I understand that price is usually a concern for most of us, that’s why I’m happy there are knives out there like the SOG AutoClip Mini [$23; sogknives.com]. I’ve field-tested this simple, affordable lock-back knife with its 2.86-inch stainless-steel blade for months and can say it’s well-made and works perfectly. You can also find several other affordable lock-back options from Buck Knives and Gerber. Good luck!

NFL BLITZ EA for Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation Network; Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older. Gameplay: 8.5 Graphics: 7.0 Sound: 9.0 Replay Value: 8.3 Overall Score: 8.3 Pros: Over-the-top gaming, strong online mode, players catch fire. Cons: Graphics are on the weak side, needs bigger playbook, “hard mode” isn’t difficult enough.

But football isn’t quite over: The Super Bowl is right around the corner.

So the time might be right for this truly over-the-top arcade game.

NFL Blitz is a cartoon-ish, downloadable tidbit featuring crushing hits on defense and amazing 50-yard throws. Add the sometimes-hilarious comments from the color guys in the booth and strong online play. The result is a game that’s really hard to put down.

If Madden is the lengthy mega-meal for fans of sports videogames, NFL Blitz is the quick dessert. You don’t have many plays to choose from, just 9 on defense and 17 on offense. There’s no create-a-player. There’s no draft. There are only 7 players on each side of field.

WHAT YOU GET

But what you get (as you do with NBA Jam) are wacky players that get so hot when you’re on a roll, they give off flames. You’ll play the Blitz Gauntlet, a ladder of teams, over and over until you play all NFL clubs. And you’ll encounter some surprises. These include some fantasy squads – bosses like gladiators, peg-leg pirates and smiling hot dogs in a bun.

I find that playing on Hard Mode is the best way to go after getting your feet wet on Easy Mode. Otherwise, there’s very little challenge. After you defeat the fantasy teams mentioned above, you can play as them, too. Just key in their special codes at the beginning of each game.

On offense, winning is often about looking down the field to find an open player and pressing buttons to throw the ball at the right time. But there is some wiggle room as far as creativity during plays goes. On offense, you can leap high over the pack or spin like a dervish. You can even give the tackler the stiff arm. With a satisfying “ding,” down he goes. His bell has been rung!

The comedic announcers are also essential to the kooky mayhem. Sometimes they wish they were more famous so they could be in a bigger game like Madden. Sometimes they say silly things like “in the end zone like a mobile phone!” They seem to like corn dogs a lot, too. And they get as excited as fans. You never see them, but you imagine they’re shaking with glee as they call the action on the field.

ONLINE WITH BLITZ BUCKS

The makers of NFL Blitz really want you to play online, so they’re offering Blitz Bucks to entice you. Win online and you’re rewarded with fake money that helps you get cool things like Big Head Mode when you play. Plus, you get Blitz Bucks if you’re the player who presses the taunt buttons the most.

Blitz Bucks are also essential for creating your Blitz Elite League. These card packs full of players require strategizing if you want a balanced team. Or you might choose to buy some powerups like an Earthquake, which shakes the field, possibly causing a fumble.

I’ve rarely had as much quick fun online with a sports game than I’ve had with NFL Blitz. While there’s the occasional lag during plays, I quickly was matched up with three other people to play in co-op mode, two for each team. Whoever my partner was, he knew the game as well as I did.

Yet the real key is on defense. Take control of a player and constantly try to sack the opposing quarterback. The same goes for blocking a punt or a field goal. That’s the way to winning online – and offline, too. Also, you can try to time your interceptions. The game makers say that if you’re near the ball and press the top controller button at either one-third, one-half or two-thirds of a second after a pass, your defenseman will catch the quarterback’s throw. That’s hard to time, so just try for an interception without thinking too hard about it.

THE BAD AND THE GOOD

There are things that I don’t like, however. Every player seems to have the same physical attributes, so they look nothing like the real-life players. So quarterback Eli Manning looks just as muscular as defenseman Justin Tuck. And while they often throw tantrums, when you check out their faces, there’s no emotion whatsoever.

Still, the old NFL Blitz used to sell for around $40 when you bought it in the store. The downloadable version is about $15. It’s completely worth the price of admission for access to one of the more clownish, cartoon-ish, generally super-fun games out there today.

My corral isn’t exactly a social hot spot, Logan. The Boss is always doing the same (picky and a bit demanding). The question is: Where is The Boss?

I wouldn’t feel like myself without my sweater, Cristian.

Oh, you know, Micah, Boss things: Look over Pedro’s shoulder, tell Pedro to tote the mailbag, chase Pedro out of the cantina, wake up Pedro, bark at Pedro. He puts out a great magazine every month, though, so I guess he does a lot of other things besides keeping me on task.

Here’s what you’ll find inside the February 2012 issue of Boys’ Life magazine. Remember, many articles are exclusive to the printed magazine and are not available online.

To subscribe to Boys’ Life magazine, please visit http://boyslife.org/subscribe.

WHITEOUT

Montana Scouts know that wintertime is the right time to explore one of America’s busiest national parks.

SLEEP RIGHT, SLEEP TIGHT

Here are some great sleeping bags for every kind of sleeper.

KNOCK ‘EM DOWN

Here’s how demolition pros take down an old building.

BL WORKSHOP: MAKE A FLASHLIGHT HOLSTER

Don’t be left in the dark. This leather holster keeps your flashlight handy.

LOST AND FOUND IN THE BLACK HOLE

FICTION. Poor Darin. Everything he touches just disappears. But he’s about to learn to care about things — or lose them forever!

SCOUTING AROUND

Part of cultural awareness is attempting to understand how people with disabilities face obstacles that able-bodied people never even think about.

• Visit the Scouting Around blog

WINTER WARRIORS

Scouts in Minot, N.D., know plenty about winter camping. They experience it much of the year.

MODERN-DAY SHIPWRECK EXPLORERS

It takes a high-tech team of experts to find historic shipwrecks deep under the sea.

ALL THE MARBLES

Earn your Marbles belt loop — and have tons of fun — by playing a marbles game called ringer.

LET’S LOOK AT ARCHERY

Read it! Color it! Get it all in this special Cub Scout section.

Click here to see all the links featured in the February issue of Boys’ Life!

Look for the regular score of comics, jokes, games, Scouts in Action, Tradin’ Post and more! Only in the February issue of Boys’ Life!

• The Wacky Adventures of Pedro

• Pee Wee Harris Looks at Hobbies