Help us bring swords to Wollongong!

Wollongong, with a population of nearly 300,000, suffers from high unemployment — particularly youth unemployment — along with other socioeconomic problems. Involvement in sports has been shown to benefit youth as well as adults, as it gives them the chance to improve their fitness, determination, focus, teamwork, and social skills. Fencing is an excellent sport to develop all these things, and programs for beginner fencers are spreading all over the world. We at Bulli Swords think it's time the people of Wollongong had the chance to try fencing. Problem is, the sport requires a lot of equipment, and that equipment costs money.

Bulli Swords is the ONLY fencing club on the coast of New South Wales from just south of Sydney to the Victorian border. But we're an extremely small club. We don't charge annual membership, and our weekly sessions are as inexpensive as possible, so that even people on a limited budget can have a go. This means that buying beginners' equipment is beyond our means. The club has a very limited number of foils, masks, jackets, chest protectors, and gloves — nowhere near enough to run a dedicated beginners' class, or to welcome as many new fencers to our weekly sessions as we would like. And we would very much like.

YOU can help us. A thousand dollars will get us enough equipment to regularly run beginners' classes for eight people, and to be able to lend gear on our normal training nights to people who can't afford their own. If you love fencing, love what sports can do to help people become the best they can be, or just like watching the movie "The Princess Bride", please help us bring fencing to the people of Wollongong! Even a dollar or two, along with your good wishes, will help us get there.

Writin' Rations™: Easiest and most decadent dessert EVER

It's easy! It's quick! It's inexpensive! It's delicious! It's — Milo Mousse!

• 250 ml/1 cup pouring cream/whipping cream/fresh cream (whatever they call it 'round your way)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup Milo or chocolate-malt powder (except for Ovaltine, which is yucky), or even, at a pinch, hot-chocolate mix; if you like things less sweet, use plain, unsweetened cocoa powder
• some crispy, sweet biscuits/cookies; those wafers they serve in ice-cream parlors would be ideal, as would waffle cookies (I know of several different kinds of things that people call "waffle cookies"; all would serve very well)

Add the sugar to the cream and whip until it is quite, quite stiff (that is, to the point where it doesn't shift if you tip the bowl).

Stir the powder (whatever kind you're using) through thoroughly.

Add to bowls or fancy-schmantzy glasses. (If you like a little bit of Milo crunch, do this right away; if you'd prefer a completely smooth texture, let the bowl sit in the fridge for an hour or so before you dole it out.) Stick one of the cookies in each serving.

That — is — it!

It's not very nutritionally sound, I know, but even writers need a bit of indulgence now and again, and this literally takes five minutes to literally whip up. (Ahahahaha!) And it is so good you will plotz.