Twit2MSN Version 1.3a

I’m pleased to announce that work on the next iteration of Twit2MSN is well under way, with a couple of the major issues already addressed, and hopefully all of the high/critical priority issues being sorted for the final version.

For a preview (alpha status), you can download the appropriate files from http://code.google.com/p/twit2msn/source/browse/#svn/branches/1-3 and then compile into a .plsc file as described in the Messenger+ scripting API.

I’m looking for a dedicated bunch of beta testers – drop me a email if you’re interested!

What would Baden-Powell say?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1199191/Beer-cross-dressing-racy-dating-games-Scouts-trip-What-Baden-Powell-say.html

This article, headlining on the Daily Mail tomorrow I believe, has particularly annoyed me this evening.

From my experience, this kind of event happens pretty much every night on university campuses up and down the country without making headline news – just because this happened to be an official gathering of Scout Network members makes it wrong? Everyone at the event had to be over 18, all licensing laws were adhered to, no-one started smashing up a kebab shop afterwards. The only damage caused was a few dead brain cells!

I don’t have a particularly strong view on posting such photos on Facebook – but I presume they were posted with some privacy, which the Daily Mail has now breached by publishing them in a national newspaper. Those people did not ask to have their photo plastered on Facebook, nor was permission sought (a grey area), but using these as published material attributing the source to ‘Facebook’ is very very dodgy practice.

A comment from a parent cited in the article also pissed me off

The father of one of the revellers said: 'It's really let their image down so badly, the fact there's a seedy side to scouting. I can't believe HQ didn't put a stop to this whole sorry mess.'

I think that is put into perspective by one of the comments left on the article

Looks like a great party. I never knew Scouts were so "with it!" Where can I join?

18-25 year olds don’t necessarily want to spend every night “gathering round the campfire and singing Ging Gang Goolie” – Scout Network wouldn’t exist if that’s all we did! That said though – the Mail didn’t notice the photos published on the MAD UK website of people – wait for it – gathering around the campfire and singing Ging Gang Goolie!! Do your research!

The best comment so far sums up my argument completely…

They are young people enjoying themselves. What is wrong with that?

I await a response from Gilwell with bated breath – I hope they don’t cower down under media pressure, and instead defend what Scouting is all about – letting us “take acceptable risks and think for themselves” (Official Scout Association description)