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2009There's a bit of a vintage sequence going on: '59 – high-quality and still quite masculine, '69 – high quality though gently fading, '79 – high quality but largely overlooked after '78, '89 – quite some high quality and not yet drinking in many cases, '99 – top-drawer and at least 10 years from drinking, '09 – well it's a bit early to be definitive but clearly it will be splendid! 2009 provided an embarrassment of natural riches, whether it was the cherries, the apples or the walnuts in your garden, or let's not forget, the grapes. A cold, 'cleansing' winter gave way to a calm, orderly spring – flowering was not to be upset by inclement weather. Early summer was far from a scorcher, but chemical treatments were leisurely as there was no major threat from rot. Hail ripped through the côtes in May and June, but the only real loss was a part of Morey and across the road into Gevrey Combottes – this was mid-May, so those vines had time to recover but with a significant loss of yield. July interspersed a lot of rain days with hot days, raising concerns about rot and oïdium, but those who treated conscientiously, had nothing more than their own concern to contend with. August and September were characterised by bright days and generally cooler nights, rain was typically light until a couple of weeks before harvest when there were heavier downpours for a few days. Despite many a vigneron suggesting the rain was 'needed for the vines' there was certainly a large swelling of grapes in many vineyards. Still the weather returned to dry and sunny and September once more benefited from the proverbial north wind – those grapes that had put in weight did shrink a little due to this. A significant quantity of the harvest was brought in before more rain arrived – that later rain was inconsequential for quality if rather inconvenient under-foot! Taking 2005 as our benchmark, pinot noir grape quality was less consistent in 2009; some vineyards actually offered better fruit in 2009, some less good – either through swollen berries or through rot or oïdium – but note that, on average, the triage was significantly lower and easier than 2006-2008 vintages. Picking dates were not as knife-edge critical for chardonnay as was the case in 2006, but timing was still important in 2009 as the sugars rose very quickly! I noted that I did not stick to the triage table (like a post-it) in 09 as much as I did in 05 – the grapes were often not quite so concentrated – but what they do have seems to be extracting very easily and quickly; colours, aromas etc., etc.. I'm really looking forward to following their evolution. Taking what I said four years ago about the 05s: "The question is not 'good or bad?', the question is 'how good?" I can use that same text for 2009… | 2008Well, what are people going to make of this? The reds are mainly the problem – well not the wines themselves actually, rather the ability to 'score' them in the 'traditional' October-November period that is favoured by 'critics' – malolactic fermentations were so late on many reds as to make utterances on individual wines effectively meaningless. So let's come back to the reds later and discuss what may be the real stars, the whites. The Whites: The malos on whites were typically not so protracted as with the reds, most were finished by July, though some were also done in January. No problems tasting the wines here. The best whites from 2006 had a slight tropical-fruit lift and sweetness, yet retained fine acidic balance that cut through the core, unctuous flavours to savour. The best whites from 2007 had a gushing waterfall of mouth-watering acidity coupled to an immense, mineral-laden concentration, wines of impact. Both super, but chalk and cheese expressions of white burgundy. What would happen if you made a hypothetical blend? I would say than in many cases you would get the 2008 vintage. I tend to taste most of my whites in January-February – particularly Chablis – so this is perhaps a little too early to be getting carried away with myself, so I will necessarily keep this paragraph short, but the bottom-line on whites I've tasted so-far is – wow! Back to reds: I would contend that even the normal 90-94pts scoring approach favoured by some critics – and that is a very wide range indeed – will for many wines need to be further widened and, hence, meaningless as a 'score'. Some wines were quite ready for bottling in November though, so there's no hard and fast rule at play here, particularly when compared to wines that have barely finished malolactic fermentation in the same cellar! That's enough about the perils of trying to assess and score wine on a certain date, but I can certainly tell you about the character of the wines. The whole vintage is built on its acidity, the wines are bright and can be a little lean (there is still opportunity to put on weight before bottling), but the fruit can be more than wonderful – dark-red, indeed approaching black in some villages and superbly pure. It was potentially the worst year for mildew in the last 50, growers had to spray and spray again to keep on top of things, and given that only two weeks of good weather pre-harvest enabled certain parcels even to produce wine, the average weather pattern across the Côtes was not one to endow the wines with benchmark depth, yet brightness, focus and purity are the words which will keep crossing your mind as you taste and discuss with producers. As is unfortunately usual, at least if you are a fan of Pommard and Volnay, that the wines steadily improve in quality as you head north and into the Côte de Nuits, here the vineyards were less challenged, the resulting grapes were cleaner and so, some exceptional wines can be found. Even in the Côte de Nuits though, the vintage character remains – brightness, focus and purity – 3 words for a vintage. Comparison to other vintages? I guess an obvious handle (crutch?!) for an 'equivalent' vintage would be 1996, at least in terms of acidity. Versus recent vintages these 08s seem much more 'serious' wines than the friendly-faced 2007s, perhaps with certain peaks that may surpass even those in 2006. There are certainly quite a number of wines with the potential to astound, but rather like 1996, I don't expect them to start unlocking those treasures before their 20th anniversary. Drinking. Where this vintage clearly mirrors 1996 is that a certain amount of youthful fat will make these very interesting bottles to drink young, but drinking in adolescence will be a sport only for masochists, oops, sorry, I meant enthusiasts! I would suggest drinking at 1-3 years and then post 15… | 2007Best First – The Whites The character of the best is like white-water rafting in your mouth – the rush of acidity sweeping you along – and coupled to superbly mineral concentration, I really often thought to myself, wow! That wines from (traditionally) my least favourite 'great village', Meursault, would smite me so, and that I would buy for the first time in my life, Meursault Charmes, must say something about the vintage. Yet it is not all plain sailing with 07 whites, any element of overcropping/lacking concentration and the acidity will punish you, and there is also a sherbet aspect to the aromas from some wines. Overall though, anything from a good producer will be a worthwhile experience. The Reds: They are soft, they are balanced, they are 'giving'. The 2007s are generally easy wines. There is an element of macquillage (make-up) to the sweet red fruit, but it successfully covers up any major blemishes. There is often a negative connotation to the term restaurant wines, I'm not sure why – I want to drink something in a restaurant, not fight with it. This is a restaurant vintage in the very best sense of that description – seemingly well balanced despite generally low acidity, open for business and hiding very little. My personal short-hand is 2000 but with better fruit. It's fair to note that I've had a few disappointing wines from Chambolle at home, but in each case it has been the oak-treatment that has been at odds with the soft character of the underlying wine. That I suspect these wines will never close down really hard, hopefully means that there will be a big improvement by their 3rd birthday as that oak wanes. Just as wines from 2000 can offer such pleasure now, this is the 2000 for the next 10++ years, and a slightly finer character than 2000 too. |
I try to remain consistent, so the generalisations above are in-line with the same ones each year. It's about looking at how the good, better, best producers fared in the vintage – nothing more…
Agree? Disagree? Anything you'd like to add?
There are 4 responses to "A Vintage Viewpoint (2009, 2008, 2007…)"
Hi Bill,
Curious to better understand your comments on Volnay and Pommard. In terms of quality (hail strom discounted), over 5 vintages in reds, I would say roughly that
CN has the edge over CB 2 times (2000 /2001 /2006 / 2008 ?)
CB has the edge over CN 1 time (1999 / 2007 )
CB equals CN 2 times (2002 / 2003 / 2004 / 2005 / 2008 ? )As for 2008 vintage, don't you think that it would be fair to disctinguish Volnay (hail) and pommard that are just delicious and had nothing to envy to CN
when are you next in Burgundy ?
would be good to see you
best EtienneHi Etienne,
My comment comes as a lover of both Pommard and Volnay, and is based on my own triage experiences since 2004 – those Côte de Nuits guys almost always seem to get the better looking (less triage needed) grapes. Not the case in 2005 and 2009 of-course.So less Volnay & Pommard to go-round (after triage) in most years, and 'easier' to make good wines in the CdN, so maybe I should have said
the average wines steadily improve in quality as you head north and into the Côte de Nuits
Cheers, Bill
A very fair assessment in my opinion – I think the 2008s will surprise a few. To me similar to how the 2006s tasted – quite austere but with a certain glint in their eye.
I agree with Etienne's comments on the CDB v CDB – top Pommard is seldom surpassed even in the higher echelons of the CDN!!!
Bill, big thanks for this, don't believe I've ever disagreed much with your sage observations on matters a la borgougne but, based on my amateur grafting, during the CDN 08 & CB 09 vendanges, totally agree with David B's comments entirely.
I always hoped cum thought the 2008's might surprise, not least the reds – but your description of the whites 'excites' my acidity loving taste buds just a bit (and then some !!).
Can't wait to try some of these.
Re 2009 you are totally spot on with what I saw in my Pernand / Corton 'bubble' in Sept – and we finished just before the rains came ! But, having been flamed on a certain UK wine forum (from folk who have never got their hands etc dirty in a vineyard ?) for simply reporting what I saw I'm not going to say anything else except to wait for the wine to be in bottle and hopefully more than speak for itself 😉
Etienne, really look forward to seing you I hope at the London January 2008 tastings – most probably at Loeb's tasting ?
Great report as always and a treat to get the 3 vintage comparison. things "down sarf" on the Macconnais/Challonais border are often different to the "oop narth" and we find that the 09s are eagerly awaited, (reds>whites) the 08s are almost all instantly forgettable in whites and ultimately thiner in the reds with 07 being a cracker for whites and a little patience required for the reds to come around – I've found 07 reds to be a little lacking so far…obvious exceptions of course with Fichet and Guillot Broux.
The pouillys, Vergissions, Solutres, and St verans are stunning in 07 veering toward a less riper style than 06. I suspect the 09s to be lush again with 08s being the mineral vintage but I've not tasted enough to make a really sound judgement yet….will keep you posted!
Ps we are around over the new year – ur very welcome!
A big thanks for that David, I rarely get so far south 😉


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New York, October 31, 2012–The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the criminal convictions of two journalists and the suspension of their newspaper in Burkina Faso on charges of criminal defamation in connection with their allegations of corrupt practices in the state prosecutor's office.
A judge in the capital, Ouagadougou, sentenced Roland Ouédraogo, a contributor to the private weekly L'Ouragan, and Lohé Issa Konaté, the paper's editor, to 12 months in prison and a fine of 1.5 million CFA francs (US$2,900) on charges of defaming State Prosecutor Placide Nikiéma, news reports said. The judge also banned the paper from circulation for six months and sentenced the two journalists to pay a total of 4 million CFA francs (US$7,800) in damages to Nikiéma in addition to the fine, the reports said.
News accounts reported that the defense lawyer, Halidou Ouédraogo, said they would be appealing, but Konaté was imprisoned after the sentencing. Local journalists said that authorities had issued an arrest warrant for Ouédraogo.
The charges were based on two articles published in the August 1 and August 8 editions of L'Ouragan, copies of which were obtained by CPJ. The articles detailed alleged abuse of power by the prosecutor's office, including obstruction, in the handling of a high-profile case of currency counterfeiting and a family dispute over inheritance assets. The prosecutor denied the allegations and said his honor had been tarnished, news reports said.
"The prosecutor's office should not be allowed to turn its critics into criminals," said CPJ Africa Advocacy Coordinator Mohamed Keita. "We call on judicial authorities to allow Lohé Issa Konaté and Roland Ouédraogo to be free pending their appeal, reverse these convictions, and focus their attention instead on the allegations raised by L'Ouragan."
The Society of Editors of the Private Press released a statement after the sentencing in which it expressed shock and said, "Since the inception of the press in Burkina Faso, such sanctions have never been registered." The group also called for the decriminalization of press offenses in the country.
- For more data and analysis on Burkina Faso, visit CPJ's Burkina Faso page here.
EDITOR'S NOTE: The alert was corrected after new information indicated that Roland Ouédraogo was not the editor-in-chief of L'Ouragan, as had been originally stated. It has also been updated to reflect that an arrest warrant has been issued for Ouédraogo.

subset: commoncrawl


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When I heard about the SafeKidZone service from MobileTREC, I understood it as a mobile phone "panic button" for kids.
Here's a great video about the panic button:
I thought it was a fantastic idea, but with my oldest child at just 6 1/2, and always by my side (except when at school) I thought I was years away from needing the service. Not only was I wrong about that, but I learned that the panic button is maybe 10% of this service. As valuable as it is, it's just a drop in the bucket, and there are far more features to the service.
Here's a short video that introduces the concept:
My husband and I grew up in the days where we'd go outside on a summer morning, and you wouldn't see us again until we were called in for dinner time, dirty and tired! We both grew up less than 10 minutes from where we live now…small town life, where nothing bad happens. There were no cell phones, so we'd have practices or games after school, and we'd have to find a quarter and line up at the pay phone to call for a ride. (We'd also have to hope someone was home and that the phone wasn't busy, LOL!)
Cell phones have become such a way of life that I can't imagine my kids being on their own like that, without having a way to contact me anywhere, anytime, no matter where they are, or where I am. My daughter is already asking when she can have her own cell phone, and my hubby and I already agreed that we would get her a basic phone when she got to the point that she was going to a friend's house or activity alone, or when we finally find a babysitter (since we don't have a home phone.)
So, enter SafeKidZone. I thought of it as a "panic button." Your child can hold down a designated button, and it automatically alerts the safety network via email and text (could be you, your spouse, grandparents, a neighbor, or any or all!), then initiates a conference call with the 24/7 call center. Your child can do this anytime they feel unsafe. It doesn't necessarily have to be an emergency in the 911 sense. If they are walking alone, home alone, feel threatened, have any kind of accident or medical emergency (I think every child with a food allergy must have this service!!), attempted assault or kidnapping, or just feel scared for any reason. They activate the safety network and the call center stays on the line until the situation is resolved.
When connected to the call center, your child's location is determined with GPS technology and the threat level is determined based on danger zones and a crime data/sex offender map. Your child's Emergency Safety Profile is made available to the safety network and 911 responders, and includes their location and one hour location history, medical concerns, blood type and other vital statistics (age, height, eye color etc.) as well as a current photo. The call is captured by audio recording (video recording is in beta testing) which could prove to be absolutely invaluable in finding your child in the worst case scenario. Pregnancy hormones are making me get upset/teary eyed even thinking about it, but it's the truth.
If the situation is truly an emergency, the call center instantly connects to the police, fire department/ambulance and since your child's location has already been determined, there is zero wasted time in trying to connect to the correct police department or trying to figure out where they can find your child. Every minute counts. Cell phone triangulation can help find the nearest pizza place, but when your child is in danger, you want to know exactly where they are.
You know the old saying "it takes a village to raise a child?" Well, you can have your whole "village" looking out for your child. With the safe neighbors program, you can alert others that you trust and they can come to the aid of your child if they are able to get there faster. You can also work together to identify "danger zones" in your area. In fact, you can create an online neighborhood watch where anyone in your community can discuss, rate, share, and comment on safe or dangerous locations in your city and neighborhood. SafeKidZone has already been tested as a school-wide safety program, and I want it in my daughter's school! In fact, I want to get involved with the PTA and see if we can get as many families enrolled as possible, to keep our kids safe.
Here's a great video about the "threat level" and "danger zone" features:
Hopefully now you understand why your child needs this service, but remember I said I realized that I need it now? Well, I had been doing some thinking about the fact that the things that "don't happen here" are now happening here. I live in a small town with a gas station, drug store and (cruddy, overpriced) grocery store, but if we want to do anything/go anywhere, we have to drive 20-30 minutes. I've been so shaken by the daily happenings there, that I drive a few extra minutes in the opposite direction to shop in the next county over. It's definitely not perfect, but I don't feel as panicky and unsafe there.
Naturally, that's not always an option. I have to take the kids to the doctor, take my daughter to gymnastics, go to birthday parties, go to stores that are only here etc. I always feel like a perfect target since I'm distracted by making sure my kids are safe in parking lots, dragging bags, toys, shopping carts and my purse, changing a diaper, buckling the kids in etc. What would I do if someone approached me? I've read articles about how women are often victims because they ignore the "little voice" in their head screaming "DANGER!" because they don't want to appear rude. If I had SafeKidZone service (or the "grown up" version, SafeTREC) I would be an inconspicuous button push away from help.
Here are some situations I've been in that demonstrate why I need this service:
- I've had a lot of car trouble over the years, and last year I was getting stranded so often that we ended up purchasing AAA service (TOTALLY worth it BTW.) We (and by that I mean my hubby) did end up figuring out the issue was a technical service bulletin for a $140 wiring harness that was causing trouble with the theft system. Unfortunately, that was after a few thousand dollars in repairs and three AAA rescues. One of those "rescues" happened after my daughter's gymnastics class. The gym is in a big metal building in an industrial area that's largely abandoned after business hours. The car wouldn't start, it was dark, people had left and my kids were tired, hungry and wanted to go home. As dumb as I felt, I started to get scared. This stuff always seemed to happen when my husband was out of town too. I was extremely grateful for AAA because the rep seemed to gather that I was upset (I seriously hope I'm not the first person to cry on the phone with them!) and she got them out as fast as possible. Still, I was sitting in the car, alone with my kids and I was nervous. If I had SafeKidZone, I could have connected with the call center while I was waiting, had someone to keep me calm, locate us using GPS, tell me our threat level and "wait with me" until AAA arrived. If at any time the situation became an emergency, they could have been on the phone with police in seconds.
- Last year I had a situation where I was face to face with someone at a 2-way stop leaving the grocery store. We did the hesitating is he going? Am I going? You go? I go? I eventually made the decision to make my left turn to go to the traffic light at the same time that he decided to go straight. Stuff like that happens, right? It wasn't intentional, no accident happened, no harm no foul. But I guess it really ticked him off because he made a tire squealing 270 degree turn and screeched to a stop in the middle of the lane beside me, screaming and shaking his fist. I have never willed a light to turn green the way I did that day (not even when I was in labor & on the way to the hospital!!) Thank goodness, there was too much traffic for him to follow me, but I was panicked. Maryland has a no hand held cell phone law, but I could have pushed the button on my phone and been on a hands-free conference call with customer service, been GPS located and had police on the way (and advising me what to do, where to go/stop) had the guy managed to follow me.
- I've been thinking about tons of other situations where the service would have benefited me and another was just a few weeks ago. For whatever reason, I crave a Slurpee every time I'm pregnant, but I've been hesitating since all the 7-11 stores aren't exactly in a good area, and I'm pretty sure that just about every one has been robbed recently. A few weeks ago my daughter, son and I were leaving a birthday party and we were all thirsty, so I decided to stop. As judgemental as it sounds, it makes me nervous when there are questionable looking people hanging in the parking lot, windows down and blasting music that makes even me feel old (and makes my teeth vibrate.) I didn't need a danger zone map to know that this area is so often in the paper for assaults, rapes, shootings and stabbings. Interestingly enough, the house my in-laws built about 35 years ago (and sold when my hubby & brother-in-law were little) is literally within spitting distance behind this 7-11, and back then she'd load them in the wagon and walk to go get ice cream. It was totally different then! Anyhoo, I'm getting my kids out of the car and trying to figure out whether it was this 7-11, or the one at the East end of the road that had already been robbed and I actually snapped at my daughter to hurry up and get out of the car! We made it in and out of the store, but SKZ would have made me feel safer.
- We waited for 6 months to get an appointment for my son with the area's top pediatric allergist at John's Hopkins in Baltimore. Of course it ended up being when my husband was on a business trip, so I had to take the kids myself. If you've ever been to Hopkins, you know that you have to drive through an area that almost looks like a scene out of a movie, with every other row house not just boarded up, but with windows and doors bricked over or filled in with concrete. You can peer out of the corner of your eye and witness drug deals and, *ahem* "working women." Thank goodness, I made it there (this was after we got AAA but before we fixed the car) and into the building (have I mentioned how much I dislike parking garages too?)
These are 4 situations just in the past year that SafeKidZone would have benefited me. What would a Mom do if she were in a parking lot, struggling with grocery bags and kids, and a carjacker approached her? What if she saw someone questionable/creepy at the park?
We live about an hour/hour and a half away from Baltimore, D.C. and Northern Virginia, where there are tons of awesome things to do with kids. I don't really like to drive down there without my hubby, but when I think about it, SafeKidZone could do a lot more to protect us than he could (sorry hubby!!) Your safety network can also assist you in the event of a natural disaster!
I am now signed up for the service and have had the chance to browse around and set up my safety profile. This information would assist 911 in case of an emergency. I was able to add my due date, blood type, height, hair color and so forth. Seeing as how I'm 28+ weeks pregnant, I elected to skip the weight field, heh. I had hoped to show you the app itself, but the iPhone app isn't quite ready yet, so I will use my speed dial to activate my "panic button" for now. Remember earlier I mentioned that the calls were recorded? Well, you can actually listen to the audio right from your account online!
Also cool is the ability to set up a code you use to escalate a call to 911. So if you were in a dangerous situation (or your child was) you could say something like "do we need milk?" and they would know the call needed to be escalated. You can also set up an "all clear" resolution pass code to let the operator know you're no longer in danger.
You can elect to "be a neighbor" or "alert a neighbor" so that if someone within 1km of you uses their panic button, you can be notified (and vice versa.) You can even connect your SKZ account to your Twitter account to tweet if you need help. You also decide who in your safety network sees what, including your location history, which could be pretty useful to keep tabs on your kids! It's really easy to add safe and danger zones to your account, and you can set up alerts to notify people in your safety network when they are nearing those areas. As more people in my area have the service, I will be able to browse through a database of safe and danger zones, and add them.
The service will work on any cell phone, though an internet capable/smart phone allows you to take full advantage of the features like the GPS location and threat levels. The full-feature plan is $9.95/month and they will have family plan pricing very soon.
Protect your family now by signing up for the full feature plan which includes the full featured panic button, live conference call, safety network, 24/7 response center, direct 911 access, advanced GPS location/mapping, emergency safety profile and text & email alerts. Simply enter promotional code CD625 and sign up now to protect yourself and your family.
Or, use promo code CD625 to sign up for the free, limited plan!
Be sure to "like" the SafeKidZone Facebook page and receive a free 15-day Trial using Promo Code CD625, follow SafeKidZone on Twitter and sign up for the SafeKidZone RSS feed. View and/or subscribe to the SafeKidZone YouTube channel for more great videos.
Giveaway: One lucky winner will receive 6 months of full feature SafeKidZone Service and a $25.00 Visa Gift Card! The combined retail value of this prize is $84.70!
Entries go in the Rafflecopter form below!


text: Adding a platform target dropdown to Visual Studio 09 September 2013 morten Lately I've been writing or using a lot of native libraries in my Windows Phone and Windows 8 apps. If you are using sqlite, Bing maps, or any other 3rd party native dependency in your .NET app, you've probably hit the same issue if your Visual Studio is configured for C# or VB.NET layout: There's no quick way to tell if you're compiling for x86, ARM or x64 or to change it. You'll need to go to the Configuration Manager menu, and change it there: It's really annoying when switching devices and I forget to pick the right platform, or think I'm working on a different target that I am. If you configured your Visual Studio for C++, you will have noticed this has a second dropdown next to the release/debug dropdown where you can quickly glance what platform you're targeting and can change it instantly. Fortunately you can add this dropdown to your Visual Studio even if it was configured for .NET. Below is a video of the steps needed to add it to your toolbar:


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Hi all! Got another scam attempt in "Ye Ole" e-mail today. Now this one is pretty obvious but, I thought I would go ahead and post it in one more attempt to thwart the evil doings of these stinking Scammers. As always, if you get this e-mail (or anything that resembles this e-mail) delete it!! Do not respond, do not pass go, send it straight to your "deleted items folder" . 49, Featherstone Street, LONDON, EC 1Y 8SY UNITED KINGDOM Telephone: + 44 703 194 6790 Fax: 44 207 901 … [Read more...]
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Organizing photo libraries |
The weather's picking up so it's time for spring cleaning around the house. When I moved back to Barcelona three years ago I took with me my old analogue photos and negatives, with the idea of sorting through them at some point and getting them digitized. And while I'm at it, maybe it's time to pull all my various folders of photos together too and organize them.
Well, I finally started. I grouped the negatives, labeled them by year, put them in individual envelopes, and handed them off to a professional lab to scan them after doing a quick test run on one set (which turned out great, but it's *really* annoying me that they scan to JPEG by default, charge 40% extra for TIFF, and use a non-multiple-of-8 resolution to scan at which means I can't losslessly rotate the negatives. Yes, I'm anal.)
So now I pulled together all my various folders of photos, and before I start doing tagging and stuff like that, I want to organize them in a decent folder layout. Googling for ideas pretty much suggests that the way to go is
with possibly some description together with the DD
I'm not really happy about that, however, because there are certain things I'd like to be able to do:
- easily see where photos come from - did I make them ? did I get them from someone ? Did I download them from Facebook ?
- Are these original files from a camera without editing ?
- Are these the original scans ? From negatives ? From actual photos ? Or are they retouched, rotated, denoised, ...
- Are these photos SFW ? Can I point my media center slideshow to this directory and have it safely show any photos under it ? (What do you mean, you've never snowboarded at night in only your underwear, and mooning the photographer ?) Or maybe not even SFW, but simply watchable and reasonable quality or subject material?
I realize some of these issues can not be resolved simply with a directory layout. But I'm sure some of you must have had similar issues or come up with a slightly better layout ?
Point me in the right direction please.


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Now or Never
- Number of players : 1 - 4
- Playing time : 90 - 180
- Recommended ages : 13+
- Language : English
Far to the south of The Last Ruin lies a cliffside village called The Monument. For generations, it protected an ancient shrine until the day a crystal meteorite descended. The meteor's denizens slowly crept out into the world—bizarre monstrosities from nightmare, attacking all in their path. As they spread across the land, there was no intelligent malice nor grand invasion strategy; the creatures acted like a fungus—spreading into new territory sporadically.
After many fruitless attempts to expel the monsters, the people of The Monument fled as their village crumbled, exiled to distant lands, resigned to a nomadic existence.
Twenty years later, there are rumors that the bizarre monsters are growing weak. They're slower, less impervious to attack, some undergoing a gradual petrification until they crumble to dust. Is it the atmosphere? Are they dying of old age? Do they suffer from a strange disease? No one is certain, but as the news spreads, various factions set their eyes on the vacant, ruined village of The Monument. The original villagers, now refugees, are desperate to return and rebuild. But they must do it quickly, before someone else claims their home. This is their chance. It's now or never.
In Now or Never, you and up to three friends compete to best rebuild your ancestral village and guide the rest of the villagers on their journey home. Although the creatures of the meteorite have lost much of their strength, many of them remain, and you must fight them off to protect traveling villagers. Now or Never is the third game in the Arzium storybook series that includes Above and Below and Near and Far.
Now or Never is a competitive strategy game that allows you to:
- Choose one of four asymmetrical characters to play.
- Rebuild the village so that returning villagers have a place to live. You must carefully choose what and where to build to maintain an advantage, earning the biggest rewards for long-term planning.
- Interact with other players by hiring their specialists to perform special actions.
- Combat dangerous creatures to rescue villagers.
- Explore a fantasy landscape filled with bizarre places, technology, and peoples.
Now or Never includes two modes of play: standard and story. When playing in story mode, you read from a storybook when you explore, making choices and learning more about the characters and the world. Each character has their own set of stories, unique to the locations they explore and diverse in plot, perspective, and motive, allowing you to choose what direction your own story will take.


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31 July 2011
Frozen Yogurt with Sour Cherry Compote
The title of this post should really be, "the easiest thing you will make all summer." Because it is. I have a thing for frozen yogurt, I always have. It's cold, it's tangy, it's light, and it satisfies my continual obsession with ice cream. The proliferation of frozen yogurt places in the U.S. (Sweetgreen, Yogenfruz, Pinkberry, etc) is great in my book because the frozen yogurt is tart and tangy and not overly sweet. There is one such place between my house and my yoga studio, and it taunts me every time I walk past, trudging home sweaty and tired. I have a rule limiting myself to one visit per week.
A few weeks ago I made the vanilla ice cream from David Leibovitz's ice cream book. (PS- For ice cream makers, this is the best ice cream recipe, and it even stays perfectly in the fridge for weeks without getting icy or anything, virtually unheard of in the land of homemade ice cream). Anyway, as I'm flipping though the book I alight (alighted? alot? ugh, you know what I mean) upon a recipe for tangy frozen yogurt. The recipe said stir together yogurt and sugar, process though ice cream machine.
With some amount of skepticism as to the simplicity of this endeavor, I whipped up a batch. The unfrozen mixture tasted exactly as delicious as I'd hoped it would. Surely, I thought, it couldn't be this easy? But it was, delicious, homemade frozen yogurt in literally a matter of minutes. My only qualm is that it does get rock hard and icy in the freezer after a few days, which is good news for my local frozen yogurt shop, because I'll still be keeping them in business.
P.S. Ramadan Kareem to all those observing!
Frozen Yogurt
It's optional if you want to add a splash of vanilla extract or other flavoring (Cointreau, orange flower water, almond extract, etc). I used good quality low-fat local yogurt for this. You can make a richer version by using thick Greek yogurt, but really whatever kind of yogurt you'd like, so long as it's plain, will work.
3 cups plain yogurt, cold
3/4 cup sugar
1. Stir together yogurt and sugar. Process through an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to the freezer to harden for about 1 hour. Best served fresh.
Sour Cherry Compote
1 1/2 cups pitted sour cherries
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1. Combine in a saucepan. Boil until mixture is thick and syrupy and cherries have collapsed. Set aside to cool.
9 comments:
- expert contabil said...
Hmmm this recipe looks so delicious and nice and i think that fits perfect with my taste and in my opinion is a very easy recipe, so i think i will try it. Thanks for sharing.
- August 1, 2011 at 11:49 AM
- email@example.com said...
The recipe is very nice, but I agree that it does not lend itself well to storage (becomes too solid). Not a big problem if one is bent on eating it all directly, of course;-) If you would like to try something against the iciness and rock-solidity, however, test to use honey instead of sugar. It is not really enough, but I find that it does improve things a bit in the right direction. To do even more, I would guess one would have to replace some of the yoghurt with cream, and/or add a little alcohol to hamper freezing:-)
- August 12, 2011 at 5:05 PM
- woodenmask said...
Made this this weekend with Greek yogurt. Outstanding. Especially good w/apple pie; the tartness complemented the apples, which were early-season and didn't have as much depth as I'd have liked.
- August 17, 2011 at 4:51 AM
- firstname.lastname@example.com said...
Very tempting images Mercedes! The Sour cherry compote looks delicious. I've tried similarly simple yoghurt ice cream recipes this summer, but with honey as main sweetener; since honey works as an inverted sugar, it does add some more "scoopability" to the final result (alas, without fundamentally changing the fact that these ice creams do not store very well ...).
- August 21, 2011 at 4:23 PM
- Evan said...
I love your blog! I came across it during a desperate search for hummus recipes. Your photos are beautiful and your posts are well written. If you ever want to ditch blogspot and create an independent blog, you should contact me. I'm currently building a web design team at Promozzi.com- and we'd love to have your blog in our portfolio. I know you'll be a hit!
- August 21, 2011 at 9:10 PM
- Eva said...
man i would polish an entire batch of this in about 5 minutes. looks great, great idea.
- August 21, 2011 at 11:26 PM
- Julie said...
Sounds delicious! I make my own yogurt, but I haven't even whipped out my ice cream maker yet this summer- you've inspired me to break it out again! Might add a little cinnamon, which I've been enjoying with plain yogurt and fruit lately :)
- August 22, 2011 at 8:50 AM
- cakebaker beerwife said...
Made the frozen yogurt last night. Added some home-made vanilla extract - super easy and super delish. Thanks!
- August 22, 2011 at 8:33 PM
- Anonymous said...
I want this. Right now. Unfortunately a) I don't have an ice cream machine and b) It's still winter over here. However, I now have a craving for frozen yoghurt. It looks so good!
- August 23, 2011 at 4:52 AM


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Thursday, 22 April 2010 08:16 AM EDT
A radical Muslim group has warned the creators of "South Park" that they could face violent retribution for depicting the prophet Muhammad in a bear suit during last week's episode.
The website RevolutionMuslim.com has since been taken down, but a cached version shows the message to "South Park" creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone. The article's author, Abu Talhah Al-Amrikee of New York, said the men "outright insulted" the religious leader.
The posting showed a gruesome picture of Theo Van Gogh, a Dutch filmmaker who was shot and stabbed to death in an Amsterdam street in 2004 by a fanatic angered by his film about Muslim women. The film was written by a Muslim woman who rejected the Prophet Muhammad as a guide for today's morality.
"We have to warn Matt and Trey that what they are doing is stupid and they will probably wind up like Theo Van Gogh for airing this show," Al-Amrikee wrote. "This is not a threat, but a warning of the reality of what will likely happen to them."
The posting listed the addresses of Comedy Central's New York office and Parker and Stone's California production office. It also linked to a Huffington Post article that described a Colorado retreat owned by the two men.
CNN, which first reported the posting, said the New York-based website is known for postings in support of Osama bin Laden and jihad, or holy war, against the West.
Al-Amrikee told The Associated Press in a phone call Wednesday that the posting was made to raise awareness of the issue and to see that it does not happen again. Asked if Parker and Stone should feel threatened by it, he said "they should feel threatened by what they did."
He said he was disappointed that publicity about the posting focused more on the potential danger to the producers but admitted, "I could shoulder some blame" for it.
He said he "can't answer that legally" when asked if his group favored jihad. But he praised bin Laden.
"We look up to him and admire him for the sacrifices he has given for the religion," he said.
Last week's episode, the 200th for the cheeky and often vulgar cartoon, was intended to feature many of the personalities and groups that Parker and Stone insulted during the series' run.
In 2006, Comedy Central banned the men from showing an image of Muhammad on their show. They had intended to comment on the controversy created by a Danish newspaper's publishing of caricatures of the Islamic leader. Muslims consider any physical representation of their prophet to be blasphemous.
Instead, "South Park" showed an image of Jesus Christ defecating on President George W. Bush and the American flag.
Comedy Central and the show's producers would not comment.
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Willard Scott never seemed to have much trouble getting work. He narrated shows at Carnegie Hall, he spent a decade hosting the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and he appeared in countless commercials — all after he found success as the lovable, oddball weather guy on NBC's Today show. Scott died Saturday at 87.
Al Roker, who announced the deathof his former NBC colleague on Instagram, said Scott was surrounded by family when he "passed peacefully."
"We lost a beloved member of our @todayshow family this morning," Roker wrote. "He was truly my second dad and am where I am today because of his generous spirit. Willard was a man of his times, the ultimate broadcaster. There will never be anyone quite like him."
Scott spent practically his whole life in the business. At 16, he got his foot in the door as a page boy at NBC's Washington, D.C., bureau. Three years later, he started co-hosting the Joy Boys radio show, a nightly hodgepodge of comedy bits.
He was the original Ronald McDonald
His goofy act became a staple of local radio and TV. Kids who grew up around Washington in the early '60s knew Scott by another name: Bozo the Clown. Then he landed a role that would become part of the fabric of American popular culture — Scott was the original Ronald McDonald.
In 1967, Scott got his first gig as a local TV weatherman. Thirteen years later, in 1980, then-Today show host Tom Brokaw introduced him to viewers from coast to coast. It wasn't long before his wacky persona won over a national audience.
"Weather can be pretty bland on a day to day basis, and so what you do is to add a little shtick to it," Scott told NPR in 1987. That shtick included playing around with his infamously bad toupee, impersonated pop star Boy George and then, one morning, the ultimate Willard Scott stunt: He delivered the weather dressed up as Brazilian singer Carmen Miranda. Not everyone at NBC was amused.
Wishing centenarians a 'happy birthday' became his trademark
"There are people up there, who made a lot of money, betting on me to fall on my face and that this whole cornball act would never make it," he told NPR.
But it worked. And even though Scott contrived a lot of his "shtick," his trademark act was actually developed by the folks watching at home. One day in 1983, a viewer wrote in asking Scott to wish his uncle a happy 100th birthday on air. Scott obliged, and more requests flooded in. The birthday wishes became so popular that after Scott left his post delivering Today's weather in 1996, he would still appear twice a week to greet his so-called birthday buddies. He even wrote books about them with his usual sense of humor.
He shared a story about one of his birthday buddies with NPR: "A stock broker had recently tried to sell this man municipal bonds that matured in 20 years. And [he] said, 'Hell,' he said, 'at my age I don't even buy green bananas.' "
Willard Scott may be best known for bringing TV viewers the weather, but what he always delivered was a laugh.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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We love to plan winter trips to North Carolina to offer our girls a chance to play in the snow. The weather during this year's trip to Boone, North Carolina called for snow showers, but to this Florida girl it felt like blizzard conditions. Unfortunately, the heavy snow and wind made it difficult to do anything outdoors. As much as we wanted to drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway, visit Grandfather Mountain or climb Chimney Rock, all those activities were simply out of the question due to the weather.
Snow tubing at Hawksnest Resort in Seven Devils was also on the top of our tourist "To Do List", however, that didn't seem to not be in the cards the first few days of our trip. Each day, we visited Hawksnest's website for updates on their activities, but the weather conditions made driving to the top of the mountain and snow tubing far too dangerous.
Of course, when we finally made it to Hawksnest, the girls had a fabulous time! Emmalynn and I rode together the first few times until she decided she was brave to tackle snow tubing alone.
Feeling a little less adventurous, Allana rode with Dad a few more times. Once she noticed Emmalynn's lack of fear, Allana attempted once alone and then her fear slipped away down the slope as well.
Since I lacked the specifics on how to snow tube, the friendly Hawksnest staff gave me a few pointers along with a big push down the slope. Of course, when one staff member heard I was from Florida, he teased me relentlessly. Hey, I know water sports not winter sports!
The trick to snow tubing is to use your heel as a break. Given my height, I discovered I lacked the ability to break. I heard a rumor that if you ride on your belly, then you could use your toe as a break, but I wasn't willing to try belly tubing with a bun in the oven.
I quickly learned the importance of lifting my rear when approaching blocks of ice on the slope…the hard way. (No pun intended.) The bruise on my backside would become a lovely North Carolina souvenir. I went snow tubing and all I got was this lousy bruise.
I also tried my butt hand on the tallest slope (~1000 feet), but preferred the smaller slopes. The height didn't bother me, but the constant spinning at full speed down the slope reminded me of the Mad Tea Party Ride at the Magic Kingdom. Since I felt as though I would produce chunks on the slope other than piles of ice, I stopped myself about 3/4 of the way down and walked the remainder of the way.
After riding solo, the girls wanted to try tubing together, but only one ride down the slope proved that to be a bad idea. When the girls hit an ice wall, Allana lost control and Emmalynn was propelled out of the tube. She landed face first on the slope. Thankfully, the staff ran to Emmalynn's rescue and carried her to the bottom. Poor thing scratched her face, bruised her forehead and was terrified to go alone again. She rode with Dad for the remainder of our session.
Two hours later at the slopes, we were all happy that we finally hit the slopes in more ways than one and ready for more snow tubing hot cocoa and delicious cookies as big as our head at the snack bar.


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Q. My husband has controlled moderate-to-severe asthma. We now have a four-month-old, and I'm concerned that he may develop asthma, too. Should we take any special precautions with the baby during spring allergy season?
Dr. Watson: There are many factors that contribute to the development of asthma in children. Having a mother or father with asthma is only one of the risk factors.
There are studies looking at an index called the Modified Asthma Predictive Index. In children with three or more wheezing episodes, one of which is documented by a physician, major risk factors include family history, personal history of allergy and allergies to inhalant allergens.
You also ask whether taking precautions will prevent asthma. There isn't enough evidence to support any recommendations. For example, exposure to pets in children has been protective in some studies, yet contributed to the onset of asthma in other studies. For children who developed asthma or hay fever, month of birth seemed a risk factor.
The bottom line is that these are things you really cannot control. If you have pets, there is not enough evidence to say to keep or get rid of them. The only option would be if your child develops symptoms around the pets, then you should give them away.
As far as the springtime, there are no special precautions to protect your child. Watch instead for early symptoms and, should you have concerns, speak to your doctor. As a father of an 18-year-old and a 22-year-old (and an empty-nester), the most important piece of advice I can give you is to relax and enjoy your child.
We welcome your question to Allergic Living's Ask the Allergist. Thank you for understanding that the specialists aren't able to answer every question received.
Dr. Wade Watson is a pediatric allergist and Professor of Pediatrics at Dalhousie University. He is also the head of the Division of Allergy at the IWK Health Centre in Halifax.
Submit a Question View all posts by this medical expert.


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Some 4,500 civilians have been killed and injured in Ukraine, according to the U.N. High Commissioner on Human Rights. The office acknowledges that estimate is likely too low due to the difficulty in reaching areas still under siege. And on the battlefield, casualty numbers are likely to be many times greater than that. Despite the mounting human costs, Western governments are warning that the Russian military is preparing for a renewed effort to advance in eastern Ukraine. NPR's Tim Mak joins us now from central Ukraine. Hi, Tim.
TIM MAK, BYLINE: Hey there.
ESTRIN: Let's start with the battlefield situation. What is the latest there?
MAK: Well, since the withdrawal of Russian troops from the area around the capital city of Kyiv, Ukraine has been bracing for a renewed offensive. And there are some signs that it could be coming soon. British intelligence has predicted that the fighting will intensify in eastern Ukraine over the next 2 to 3 weeks. And today, a senior U.S. defense official says that Russian forces are staging in and around the eastern Ukrainian area known as the Donbas. These military forces include things like ground troops and artillery and helicopters. Meanwhile, in the south, the city of Mariupol, which has been the scene of heavy fighting over the past few weeks, still remains contested, that U.S. official said. It remains a focus of the Russian air force's combat missions over the last day and over the last days and weeks. Despite a devastating weekslong Russian assault, though, Mariupol has stubbornly held out, even as soldiers have run low on ammo. And tens of thousands of civilians have been living in dire conditions with dwindling supplies of food and water.
ESTRIN: Wow. So with a new Russian offensive apparently in the works, tell us about what the U.S. is doing to ramp up its support for Ukraine.
MAK: Well, President Biden and President Zelenskyy actually talked by phone today. And in a statement, Zelenskyy said they spoke about evaluating Russian war crimes and also military aid. Biden announced this afternoon he had signed off on another $800 million in military aid. And specifically, the kinds of weapons that were being delivered were, quote, "tailored to the wide assault we expect Russia to launch in eastern Ukraine." So this new American aid will include things like artillery, armored personnel carriers, helicopters. What is really clear is that all sides expect violence to continue and in the coming days and weeks even escalate in eastern Ukraine. And one big question is whether the U.S. equipment and the training necessary to operate that American equipment can be delivered in time to make a difference.
ESTRIN: Right. Now, President Biden's assessment of Russia's war also seems to have shifted in recent days. He took the step of calling Russian actions in Ukraine a, quote, "genocide." What has been the reaction there in Ukraine and around the world?
MAK: Well, yeah, the images and information from the war have prompted Biden to take that step. He chose not to use the term genocide until Tuesday when during remarks in Iowa, he used it while describing Vladimir Putin's actions. And when asked to explain, he said he used the term genocide because Putin had been, quote, "trying to wipe out the idea of even being able to be Ukrainian." Zelenskyy praised Biden's use of the term, saying that they were, quote, "true words of a true leader." Zelenskyy also added that, quote, "calling things by their names is essential to stand up to evil." But French President Emmanuel Macron pushed back against the use of the term, saying that it was an escalation of rhetoric and that it might not be helpful in ending the war between Russia and Ukraine.
ESTRIN: NPR's Tim Mak in central Ukraine, thank you.
MAK: Thank you. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.


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Working in the machine shop the other day, curiosity got the better of me. I was thinking about how to add fasteners to my printed part, but with a minimal amount of work. Fasteners can be drilled and tapped, Helicoil-ed, or ultrasonically welded into ABS parts. If the thread is large enough, it can even be modeled on the part directly, but what about smaller fasteners?
Typically, to create a threaded hole on a 3D printed part, we'd need to add a few operations with the mill or the drill press. First, the part and the hole position would need to be located precisely, straight and true ("tramming and indicating"). Second, three tools need to be used – a center drill for the pilot hole, a tap drill of a specific size, and finally a tap. All these tools need to be used in the exact same location in order to generate an accurate screw thread profile. This is standard operating procedure in the machine shop. However, you're probably using a 3D printer to avoid the machine shop in the first place. You can save a few steps by inserting the tap drill size directly into the 3D print, with impressive results.
By printing parts with the tap holes already modeled in, we can save several steps in the process, eliminate the need of using a separate machine and several extra operations. We can hand-tap the precisely located holes.
After tapping, the 4-40 thread felt a little loose, indicating an oversize minor diameter. To remedy that, the tap hole can be made slightly undersize. The slop wasn't so dramatic of a concern on the larger threads (the largest here being 1/2-13). Loose fit wasn't a problem at all with the two tapered threads, 1/8-27 NPT and 1/4-18 NPT.
By printing the tap holes directly into the part, we avoid several steps typically needed to insert threads into 3d printed parts, only needing threading. All of these threads were created with a hand tap, and as long as the tap goes in relatively straight, it produces quality threads without all the usual effort.
BONUS ROUND - captive nuts
Don't have any taps handy? Well, if your printer can handle the geometry, I suggest using a "captive nut" like so.
Measure the size of your fastener, and add a little bit of tolerance to the hole size to accommodate any dimensional error (in this case, I added .005" to the size of this nut, which I believe is #8-32). This allows the nut to slip in and out of the recess, but without any extra slop. You may also want to consider a small interference fit, to make sure that the nut stays put when there's no bolt attached. Be sure to add clearance in the through-hole, as well. Also note the boss surrounding the nut - this is to add strength to the part. For more information on fitment and tolerancing, I HIGHLY suggest you pick up a copy of Machinery's Handbook.
If modeled correctly, using a calibrated printer, your results will be impressive.


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The information below is taken from the 2017 edition of "Guide to Advancement", BSA Publication 33088 (SKU 637686). The current edition of the Guide to Advancement is the official Boy Scouts of America source on advancement procedures.
The concepts of "reasonable" and "within reason" will help unit leadership and boards of review gauge the fairness of expectations for considering whether a Scout is "active" or has fulfilled positions of responsibility. A unit is allowed, of course, to establish expectations acceptable to its chartered organization and unit committee. But for advancement purposes, Scouts must not be held to those which are so demanding as to be impractical for today's youth (and families) to achieve.
Ultimately, a board of review shall decide what is reasonable and what is not. In doing so, the board members must use common sense and must take into account that youth should be allowed to balance their lives with positive activities outside of Scouting.
Since we are preparing young people to make a positive difference in society, we judge that a member is "active" when his level of activity in Scouting has had a sufficiently positive influence toward this end.
220.127.116.11 Active Participation
The purpose of Star, Life, and Eagle Scout requirements calling for Scouts to be active for a period of months involves impact. Since we prepare young people to go forth, and essentially, make a positive difference in our American society, we judge that a member is "active" when his level of activity in Scouting, whether high or minimal, has had a sufficiently positive influence toward this end.
Scouting is a year-round program administered by the adult leaders. Units should not be taking time off during the summer or at other times of the year. Regardless of a unit's expectations or policy, if a unit takes time off it must count that time toward the Scout's active participation requirement. The Scout must not be penalized because the unit has chosen not to meet or conduct other activities for a period of time.
Use the following three sequential tests to determine whether the requirement has been met. The first and second are required, along with either the third or its alternative.
- The Scout is registered. The youth is registered in his unit for at least the time period indicated in the requirement, and he has indicated in some way, through word or action, that he considers himself a member. If a boy was supposed to have been registered, but for whatever reason was not, discuss with the local council registrar the possibility of back-registering him.
- The Scout is in good standing. A Scout is considered in "good standing" with his unit as long as he has not been dismissed for disciplinary reasons. He must also be in good standing with the local council and the Boy Scouts of America. (In the rare case he is not, communications will have been delivered.)
- The Scout meets the unit's reasonable expectations; or, if not, a lesser level of activity is explained. If, for the time period required, a Scout or qualifying Venturer or Sea Scout meets those aspects of his unit's pre-established expectations that refer to a level of activity, then he is considered active and the requirement is met. Time counted as "active" need not be consecutive. A boy may piece together any times he has been active and still qualify. If he does not meet his unit's reasonable expectations, then he must be offered the alternative that follows.
Units are free to establish additional expectations on uniforming, supplies for outings, payment of dues, parental involvement, etc., but these and any other standards extraneous to a level of activity shall not be considered in evaluating this requirement.
Alternative to the third test if expectations are not met:
If a young man has fallen below his unit's activity oriented expectations, then it must be due to other positive endeavors - in or out of Scouting - or due to noteworthy circumstances that have prevented a higher level of participation.
A Scout in this case is still considered "active" if a board of review can agree that Scouting values have already taken hold and have been exhibited. This might be evidenced, for example, in how he lives his life and relates to others in his community, at school, in his religious life, or in Scouting. It is also acceptable to consider and "count" positive activities outside Scouting when they, too, contribute to his growth in character, citizenship, or personal fitness. Remember: It is not so much about what a Scout has done. It is about what he is able to do and how he has grown.
Additional Guidelines on the Three Tests.
There may be, of course, registered youth who appear to have little or no activity. Maybe they are out of the country on an exchange program, or away at school. Or maybe we just haven't seen them and wonder if they've quit. To pass the first test above, a Scout must be registered. But he should also have made it clear through participation or by communicating in some way that he still considers himself a member, even though - for now - he may not fulfill the unit's participation expectations. A conscientious leader might make a call and discover the boy's intentions.
If, however, a Scout has been asked to leave his unit due to behavioral issues or the like, or if the council or the Boy Scouts of America has directed - for whatever reason - that he must not participate, then according to the second test he is not considered "active."
In considering the third test, it is appropriate for units to set reasonable expectations for attendance and participation. Then it is simple: Those who meet them are "active." But those who do not must be given the opportunity to qualify under the third-test alternative above. To do so, they must first offer an acceptable explanation. Certainly, there are medical, educational, family, and other issues that for practical purposes prevent higher levels of participation. These must be considered. Would the Scout have been more active if he could have been? If so, for purposes of advancement, he is deemed "active."
We must also recognize the many worthwhile opportunities beyond Scouting. Taking advantage of these opportunities and participating in them may be used to explain why unit participation falls short. Examples might include involvement in religious activities, school, sports, or clubs that also develop character, citizenship, or personal fitness. The additional learning and growth experiences these provide can reinforce the lessons of Scouting and also give young men the opportunity to put them into practice in a different setting.
It is reasonable to accept that competition for a Scout's time will become intense, especially as he grows older and wants to take advantage of positive "outside" opportunities. This can make full-time dedication to his unit difficult to balance. A fair leader therefore, will seek ways to empower a young man to plan his growth opportunities both inside and outside Scouting, and consider them part of the overall positive life experience for which the Boy Scouts of America is a driving force.
A board of review can accept an explanation if it can be reasonably sure there have been sufficient influences in the Scout's life that he is meeting our aims and can be awarded the rank regardless of his current or most recent level of activity in Scouting. The board members must satisfy themselves that he presents himself, and behaves, according to the expectations of the rank for which he is a candidate. Simply put: Is he the sort of person who, based on present behavior, will contribute to the Boy Scouts of America's mission? Note that it may be more difficult, though not impossible, for a younger member to pass through the third-test alternative than for one more experienced in our lessons.
184.108.40.206 Demonstrate Scout Spirit
The ideals of the Boy Scouts of America are spelled out in the Scout Oath, Scout Law, Scout motto, and Scout slogan. Members incorporating these ideals into their daily lives at home, at school, in their religious life, and in their neighborhoods, for example, are said to have Scout spirit. In evaluating whether a member has fulfilled this requirement, it may be best to begin by asking him to explain what Scout spirit and living the Scout Oath and Scout Law, and duty to God mean to him. Young people know when they are being kind or helpful, or a good friend to others. They know when they are cheerful, or trustworthy, or reverent. All of us, young and old, know how we act when no one else is around.
"Scout spirit" refers to ideals and values; it is not the same as "school spirit."
A leader typically asks for examples of how a Scout has lived the Oath and Law. It might also be useful to invite examples of when he did not. This is not something to push, but it can help with the realization that sometimes we fail to live by our ideals, and that we all can do better. This also sends a message that a Scout can admit he has done wrong, yet still advance. Or in a serious situation - such as alcohol or illegal drug use - understand why advancement might not be appropriate just now. This is a sensitive issue, and must be treated carefully. Most Scout leaders do their best to live by the Oath and Law, but any one of them may look back on years past and wish that, at times, they had acted differently. We learn from these experiences and improve and grow. We can look for the same in our youth.
Evaluating Scout spirit will always be a judgment call, but through getting to know a young man and by asking probing questions, we can get a feel for it. We can say however, that we do not measure Scout spirit by counting meetings and outings attended. It is indicated, instead, by the way he lives his life.
18.104.22.168 Positions of Responsibility
"Serve actively in your unit for a period of ___ months in one or more ___ positions of responsibility" is an accomplishment every candidate for Star, Life, or Eagle must achieve. The following will help to determine whether a Scout has fulfilled the requirement.
22.214.171.124.1 Positions Must Be Chosen From Among Those Listed.
The position must be listed in the position of responsibility requirement shown in the most current edition of Boy Scout Requirements. Since more than one member may hold some positions - "instructor," for example - it is expected that even very large units are able to provide sufficient opportunities within the list. The only exception involves Lone Scouts, who may use positions in school, their religious organization, in a club, or elsewhere in the community. Units do not have authority to require specific positions of responsibility for a rank. For example, they must not require a Scout to be senior patrol leader to obtain the Eagle rank.
Service in positions of responsibility in provisional units, such as a jamboree troop or Philmont trek crew, do not count toward this requirement.
For Star and Life ranks only, a unit leader may assign, as a substitute for the position of responsibility, a leadership project that helps the unit. If this is done, the unit leader should consult the unit committee and unit advancement coordinator to arrive at suitable standards. The experience should provide lessons similar to those of the listed positions, but it must not be confused with, or compared to, the scope of an Eagle Scout service project. It may be productive in many cases for the Scout to propose a leadership project that is discussed with the unit leader and then "assigned."
22.214.171.124.2 Meeting the Time Test May Involve Any Number of Positions.
The requirement calls for a period of months. Any number of positions may be held as long as total service time equals at least the number of months required. Holding simultaneous positions does not shorten the required number of months. Positions need not flow from one to the other; there may be gaps between them. This applies to all qualified members including Lone Scouts.
When a Scout assumes a position of responsibility, something related to the desired results must happen.
220.127.116.11.3 Meeting Unit Expectations.
If a unit has established expectations for positions of responsibility, and if, within reason (see the note under "Rank Requirements Overview," 126.96.36.199), based on his personal skill set, the Scout meets them, he fulfills the requirement. When a Scout assumes a position, something related to the desired results must happen. It is a disservice to the Scout and to the unit to reward work that has not been done. Holding a position and doing nothing, producing no results, is unacceptable. Some degree of responsibility must be practiced, taken, or accepted.
Regardless of a unit's expectations or policy, if a unit takes time off, such as during the summer months, it must count that time toward service in a position of responsibility. (See "Active Participation," 22.214.171.124.)
126.96.36.199.4 Meeting the Requirement in the Absence of Unit Expectations.
It is best when a Scout's leaders provide him position descriptions, and then direction, coaching, and support. Where this occurs, and is done well, the young man will likely succeed. When this support, for whatever reason, is unavailable or otherwise not provided - or when there are no clearly established expectations - then an adult leader or the Scout, or both, should work out the responsibilities to fulfill. In doing so, neither the position's purpose nor degree of difficulty may be altered significantly or diminished. Consult the current BSA literature published for leaders in Boy Scouting, Venturing, or Sea Scouts for guidelines on the responsibilities that might be fulfilled in the various positions of responsibility.
Under the above scenario, if it is left to the Scout to determine what should be done, and he makes a reasonable effort to perform accordingly for the time specified, then he fulfills this requirement. Even if his results are not necessarily what the unit leader, members of a board of review, or others involved may want to see, he must not be held to unestablished expectations.
188.8.131.52.5 When Responsibilities Are Not Met.
If a unit has clearly established expectations for position(s) held, then - within reason - a Scout must meet them through the prescribed time. If he is not meeting expectations, then this must be communicated early. Unit leadership may work toward a constructive result by asking him what he thinks he should be accomplishing. What is his concept of the position? What does he think his troop leaders - youth and adult - expect? What has he done well? What needs improvement? Often this questioning approach can lead a young man to the decision to measure up. He will tell the leaders how much of the service time should be recorded.
If it becomes clear nothing will improve his performance, then it is acceptable to remove the Scout from his position. It is the unit leader's responsibility to address these situations promptly. Every effort should have been made while he was in the position to ensure he understood expectations and was regularly supported toward reasonably acceptable performance. It is unfair and inappropriate - after six months, for example - to surprise a boy who thinks he has been doing fine, with news that his performance is now considered unsatisfactory. In this case, he must be given credit for the time.
Only in rare cases - if ever - should troop leaders inform a Scout that time, once served, will not count.
If a Scout believes he has performed his duties satisfactorily, but his leaders disagree, then the possibility that expectations are unreasonable or were not clearly conveyed to the youth should be considered. If after discussions between the Scout and his leaders - and perhaps including his parents or guardians - he believes he is being held to unreasonable expectations, then upon completing the remaining requirements, he must be granted a board of review. If he is an Eagle candidate, then he may request a board of review under disputed circumstances (see "Initiating Eagle Scout Board of Review Under Disputed Circumstances," 22.214.171.124).
220.127.116.11.6 "Responsibility" and "Leadership."
Many suggest this requirement should call for a position of "leadership" rather than simply of "responsibility." Taking and accepting responsibility, however, is a key foundation for leadership. One cannot lead effectively without it. The requirement as written recognizes the different personalities, talents, and skill sets in all of us. Some seem destined to be "the leader of the group." Others provide quality support and strong examples behind the scenes. Without the latter, the leaders in charge have little chance for success. Thus, the work of the supporters becomes part of the overall leadership effort.
188.8.131.52 Unit Leader (Scoutmaster) Conference
The unit leader (Scoutmaster) conference, regardless of the rank or program, is conducted according to the guidelines in the Troop Leader Guidebook, No. 33009. (volume 1). Note that a Scout must participate or take part in one; it is not a "test." Requirements do not say he must "pass" a conference. While it makes sense to hold one after other requirements for a rank are met, it is not required that it be the last step before the board of review. This is an important consideration for Scouts on a tight schedule to meet requirements before age 18. Last-minute work can sometimes make it impossible to fit the conference in before then, so scheduling it earlier can avoid unnecessary extension requests.
The conference is not a retest of the requirements upon which a Scout has been signed off. It is a forum for discussing topics such as ambitions, life purpose, and goals for future achievement, for counseling, and also for obtaining feedback on the unit's program. In some cases, work left to be completed - and perhaps why it has not been completed - may be discussed just as easily as that which is finished. Ultimately, conference timing is up to the unit. Some leaders hold more than one along the way, and the Scout must be allowed to count any of them toward the requirement.
Scoutmaster conferences are meant to be face-to-face, personal experiences. They relate not only to the Scouting method of advancement, but also to that of "association with adults" (see topic 220.127.116.11, "The Methods of Scouting"). Scoutmaster conferences should be held with a level of privacy acceptable under the BSA's rules regarding Youth Protection. Parents and other Scouts within hearing range of the conversation may influence the Scout's participation. For this reason, the conferences should not be held in an online setting.
While it is intended that the conference be conducted between the unit leader and the Scout, it may sometimes be necessary for the unit leader to designate an assistant unit leader to conduct the conference. For example, if the Scoutmaster is unavailable for an extended period of time or in larger troops where a Scout's advancement would be delayed unnecessarily, then it would be appropriate for an assistant Scoutmaster (21 years old or older) to be designated to conduct the conference.
Unit leaders do not have the authority to deny a Scout a conference that is necessary for him to meet the requirements for his rank. Unit leaders must not require the Eagle Scout Rank Application, statement of ambitions and life purpose, or list of positions, honors, and awards as a prerequisite to holding a unit leader conference for the Eagle Scout rank If a unit leader conference is denied, a Scout - if he believes he has fulfilled all the remaining requirements - may still request a board of review. See "Boards of Review Must Be Granted When Requirements Are Met," 188.8.131.52. If an Eagle Scout candidate is denied a conference, it may become grounds for a board of review under disputed circumstances. See "Initiating Eagle Scout Board of Review Under Disputed Circumstances," 220.127.116.11.


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Admit it, we have all spent a good fortune on our looks—buying the latest fashion trend, having our hair professionally done, trying out the new makeup or skincare that's going to make our skin flawless, and so many more beauty regimens. Not that it's a bad thing! It's not shallow at all to care about our physical appearances. Because let's be honest, when we look good, we feel good.
But looking good doesn't have to hurt our pockets. Check out these tips on how to look and feel good while staying on a budget!
1. Maintain good personal hygiene
The most important thing about looking good is making sure that you are keeping yourself squeaky clean. So bath, wash your hands, and brush your teeth regularly! Especially with how hot it gets here in the Philippines sometimes, you have to make sure that you are keeping your body clean and fresh! You don't even have to go above and beyond for this. A simple hygienic kit—like soap, shampoo, toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, you know, the basic stuff—would suffice.
2. Get your beauty sleep
When you look good, you feel good. But it also works the other way around. When your body feels good, it will show in how you look. Beauty sleep is real, and it costs nothing to do it! Your body deserves it. When you sleep, you give your body time to repair and recover from the activities of the day.
3. Shop smart
How we dress is how we present ourselves. So there's always pressure to spend some cash on good clothes. But the thing is, you don't have to! The key is to shop smart. Try to avoid subscribing to fast fashions, as they go out of style quickly. Shop for staple clothes and mix and match them with your wardrobe. Or if you're really into fashion, go thrift shopping or wait for sales. There are a lot of rare gems you can find on your local ukay-ukays; you just have to look really hard.
4. Invest in good, simple accessories
One way to elevate your look is through accessories. It's okay, you can splurge a bit of cash on some silver or gold accessories—a pair of hoop earrings or a simple chain necklace, for example—as you can use them for a lot of your looks. We suggest you go for some minimalist designs as they can complement a lot of your wardrobe.
5. Keep your clothes clean and proper
Properly maintained clothes make is astounding. Even the most expensive clothes can look cheap if they're wrinkled and tucked the wrong way. So keep your clothes clean, neat, and well-ironed. Well-kept clothing can make you look polished and put together.
6. Stay hydrated
This is a sign for you to drink your water, STAT! Drinking water does wonders for your body and is essential if you want to look good every day! But staying hydrated is not only meant for you to have good skin; drink your water because it is also important for your health.
7. Have a simple skincare routine
The skincare industry is growing day by day, with new products launching left and right. At times, it can be confusing to keep up with all the products to use. But always remember that when it comes to skincare, less is more. You don't have to splurge on the latest miracle healing serum that probably cost you your month's salary. Most of the time, it's just a fancy product that you put on your skin. Keep it to a minimum. You only need three essential products for your skincare routine: a cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen.
8. Exercise
Exercising not only helps you achieve your desired body, but it also makes you stronger. Exercising doesn't have to cost you money. You can just keep it simple by going for a 30-minute to 1-hour walk or following an at-home workout video.
There's a lot of pressure on us to look good. And sometimes, the beauty industry preys on this pressure and our insecurities so they can sell their products to us. But don't give in to them! We don't have to spend tons of money trying to be something we already are. Remember, we are already beautiful just the way we are.
Find out more about these stories at http://thephilippinepost.com or you can visit http://thevisayasjournal.com/ for the latest news and updates.


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Family Life
3 min Read
Book Review: Cinder
February 17, 2012
Family Life
3 min Read
February 17, 2012
Once upon a time, you loved fairy tales.
Once upon a time, you loved princes and princesses, gnomes, and castles with moats and dragons. There was magic in a fairy tale, there were monsters and evil queens, and you had to use your imagination to see it all.
Then you grew up, and you began to think that fairy tales were just for kids. But as you'll see in the new book "Cinder" by Marissa Meyer, that magical feeling didn't just carry you through your childhood. You'll need it in the future, too.
Cinder hated her foot.
It was too small, for one thing, it was old, and it hurt. But new feet were expensive, so when she was finally able to hide enough money from her guardian, she bought a sleek new appendage.
Too bad she had to keep it hidden, just like she kept her metallic hand inside a glove. If people in the market knew she was a cyborg, they'd never approach her again and Cinder would lose her reputation as New Beijing's best mechanic.
But her reputation did no good when the market was closed, as it closed on the morning that the local baker noticed blue bruises on her own body and was hauled away, screaming.
Nobody knew where the plague had originated. It started with small blue marks on neck or chest, and quickly consumed a body. Scientists searched for a cure but Earthens still died by the hundreds… among them, the Emperor, and Cinder's human "sister."
In a fit of rage and grief, Cinder's guardian sold Cinder to a lab because cyborgs made great guinea pigs – but there was something about the teenager that interested one doctor: she seemed to be immune to the plague.
Meanwhile, as New Beijing mourned, there was also a celebration being planned for Crown Prince Kai, who would be the new Emperor. But it wouldn't be a happy event: one of the guests, Queen Levana from Luna, was scheming to marry Kai.
Cruel and ugly, Levana had the unusual ability to make Earthens believe that she was beautiful and benevolent. She could control Earthen minds.
But she could not control Cinder…
There is one word that best sums up this book: Arrrrrrrgggghhhh!
Though author Marissa Meyer uses some old "Cinderella" bits here, "Cinder" obviously barely resembles the original. Nope, this isn't your kindergarten fairy tale: filled with danger, relevant characters, and a could-it-happen futuristic spin, this tale had me grabbed by the end of the first page. Yes, I'll admit I had the "secret" figured out early, but I was so into this book that it didn't matter.
Then – at the risk of ruining things – Meyer does something that had me screaming: she leaves readers with the most incredible cliff-hanger ever. Ever. Seriously, you won't believe it.
If you're 12-years-or-older, grew up with Once Upon a Time, and are looking for a great new author to love, take a pumpkin-coach if you have to and find this book. You plus "Cinder" equals Happily Ever After.
Written by "Cinder" by Marissa Meyer
c.2012, Feiwel and Friends, $17.99 / $19.99 Canada, 400 pages