Free Comic Book Day in May

Free Comic Book Day coming 1st Saturday in May (May 7th, 2016).  Use the Store Locator to find a local participating comic shop.

Optical Illusion Dance

Optical Illusion Dance - if you watch the steps are very simple, but the illusion appears much more acrobatic.

Microsoft says we have to disown one of our children

With your Microsoft Account, you can create a Family Account to "to help manage your kid's online activity".

With a Family Account you can:

• Block websites - You can make sure that adult websites are blocked for the kids in your family. You can block specific sites, too—or choose which sites you want your kids to see.
• Play time is important. Let them have fun, safely - You can allow your child to download apps and games appropriate for their age, and still make sure they don’t get anything they’re not ready for yet.
• A window into their digital life - Get recent activity reports on sites visited, apps used, games played, and screen time. Or, check in online anytime.
• Set good screen time habits - Together, you can talk about good habits and set limits on how much time they can spend with their screens.

A excellent concept, except for one problem: the Family Account is limited to 3 children and 2 adults.  We have 4 children.  There are a number of Community Form Threads about this issue.

I tried contacting Microsoft support, and the exchange went like this:

Microsoft: "What that means is that you have the reached the maximum amount of persons that can be added, hence the reason why you are getting that message."

Me: "So how do we fix it?  How do we upgrade out account? You can't be serious in thinking that an acceptable answer is one of our kids just can't be part of our family?"

Microsoft: "Unfortunately once you are receiving that message then there wouldn't be anything that can be done with regards to changing the number of persons that can be added on the account."

Me to my daughter: "Microsoft says we have to disown you, because you can't be a part of our family."

Microsoft then forwarded me onto another tech support, who then forwarded me to billing, who then forwarded on again in a great big circle.

One community member found a ugly workaround that if they remove the second parent, they can add a 4th child.  There is currently no workaround for families with 5 or more children.

Star Wars vs Star Trek

Bill Nye chimes in on the Star Wars vs Star Trek debate.

... Star Wars is all about magic, royal family drama and sounds in space ...

... Star Trek is all about an optimistic scientific view of the future, and exploration ...

Why Do Scouts Go Camping

Why Do Scouts Go Camping

Camping requires living deliberately, examining the essential facts of life.

Camping requires establishing an outpost of civilization, managing resources, setting routines, cooperating, and learning the practicalities of interdependence.

Camping requires recreating the mechanisms of survival, applying specialized skills, depending on what we can do with our hands.

Camping takes us to the frontier where nature and civilization meet; we can learn a lot about both if we keep our eyes open.

Camping separates from everyday life because camping is at odds with everyday life.

Camping means leaving distractions behind; it is just us, the forest, and our fellow Scouts.

Camping means pushing ourselves physically and mentally beyond our normal sphere of comfort.

Camping asks us to take ourselves as we are, it’s hard to be someone you aren’t in the wild.

Camping inspires humility, to confront our frailty in the face of the natural world.


Camping inspires reverence for nature and teaches us where we fit in the grand scheme of things.


Source: Why do Scouts go Camping? - Scoutmastercg.com

Brook vs Primary Data

Brook attempts the obstacle course at Primary Data's booth at VMworld 2015

Favorite line: You got to love Rick's Fusion-io pride when he says, "Ladies and gentlemen thank you for coming by Fusion-io".  I miss Fuison-io too.  :-)

New Webelos Adventures Conversion

New Webelos Adventures Conversion

As of June 1st, 2015, the Webelos have new Adventure pins to be earned.  Many of the old activity pins have been converted, and some have been retired.  Here is a rough list of what I believe is the closest conversion from the old Webelos activity pins.

Webelos Required Adventures

New Adventure	Old Activity	Topic
Cast Iron Chef	new	cooking
Duty to God and You	aka part of past Webelos requirements	religion
First Responder	aka Readyman	first aid
Stronger, Faster, Higher	aka Athlete	exercise
Webelos Walkabout	new	hiking

Arrow of Light Required Adventures

New Adventure	Old Activity	Topic
Building a Better World	aka Citizen	citizenship
Camper	aka Outdoorsman	camping
Duty to God in Action	aka part of past Webelos requirements	religion
Scouting Adventure	aka part of past Arrow of Light requirements	boy scouts

Webelos and Arrow of Light Elective Adventures

New Adventure	Old Activity	Topic
Adventures in Science	aka Scientist	science
Aquanaut	aka Aquanaut	swimming
Art Explosion	aka Artist	art
Aware and Care	new	disabilities
Build It	aka Craftsman	building
Build My Own Hero	new	heros
Castaway	new	survivalist
Earth Rocks!	aka Geologist	geology
Engineer	aka Engineer	civil engineering
Fix It	aka Handyman	repairs/maintenance
Game Design	new	games
Into the Wild	aka Naturalist	bugs
Into the Woods	aka Forester	trees
Looking Back, Looking Forward	new	scouting history
Maestro!	new	music
Moviemaking	new	movie making
Project Family	aka Family Member	family
Sportsman	aka Sportsman	sports

Retired Past Activity Pins

Old Activity	Topics
Communicator	news, codes, language, computers
Fitness	health, alcohol, drugs
Scholar	school, math, language, chess
Showman	puppets, music, drama
Traveler	travel, maps

---

List Format

Webelos Required Adventures

• Cast Iron Chef - new  (cooking)
• Duty to God and You - aka part of past Webelos requirements  (religion)
• First Responder - aka Readyman  (first aid)
• Stronger, Faster, Higher - aka Athlete  (exercise)
• Webelos Walkabout - new  (hiking)

Arrow of Light Required Adventures

• Building a Better World - aka Citizen  (citizenship)
• Camper - aka Outdoorsman  (camping)
• Duty to God in Action - aka part of past Webelos requirements  (religion)
• Scouting Adventure - aka part of past Arrow of Light requirements  (boy scouts)

Webelos and Arrow of Light Elective Adventures

• Adventures in Science - aka Scientist  (science)
• Aquanaut -  aka Aquanaut  (swimming)
• Art Explosion -  aka Artist  (art)
• Aware and Care - new  (disabilities)
• Build It - aka Craftsman  (building)
• Build My Own Hero - new  (heros)
• Castaway - new  (survivalist)
• Earth Rocks! - aka Geologist  (geology)
• Engineer - aka Engineer  (civil engineering)
• Fix It - aka Handyman  (repairs/maintenance)
• Game Design -  new  (games)
• Into the Wild -  aka Naturalist  (bugs)
• Into the Woods - aka Forester  (trees)
• Looking Back, Looking Forward - new  (scouting history)
• Maestro! - new  (music)
• Moviemaking - new  (movie making)
• Project Family - aka Family Member  (family)
• Sportsman - aka Sportsman  (sports)

Retired Past Activity Pins

• Communicator - news, codes, language, computers
• Fitness - health, alcohol, drugs
• Scholar - school, math, language, chess
• Showman - puppets, music, drama
• Traveler - travel, maps