I know I know, everyone is tired of reading repetitive articles on wine. But since I'm not trying to promote myself or my online casino website, I figure who cares if this is redundant? After all I am trying to systematically synthesize winemaking and viticulture information and find true enological knowledge. I’m looking for winemaking and winegrowing truth if it exists. However since this is old news I'll try to be brief. There are two topics I would like to comment on.
1) The well-known Sacramento importer Corti Brothers took a misguided stance on alcohol in wine. From the article in the San Francisco Chronicle: High-alcohol wines above 14.5 percent would no longer grace the shelves of Corti Brothers Way to really take a stand. Wow, what a declaration! Except one thing. Legally wineries that make wine above 14.05% are only obligated to print the labeled alcohol within 1% of the actual alcohol. Since above or below 14.05% requires different taxation, a wine at 14.6% cannot be labeled 13.6%, but it could be labeled 15.5%. More likely, a wine labeled 14.2% may actually be 15.2% and the consumer would not know. So if you really wanted to make a statement regarding wines sales at a certain alcohol level, then it seems you would choose wine in the < 14.05% tax category because these legally must be labeled below 14.05% (as opposed to a wine at 14.4% - within the Corti acceptable range - actually being above 14.5% - supposedly outside their acceptable range). I assume the reason they choose 14.5% is because this way many of the Italian wines they import would not be eliminated. Buyer beware: many stated alcohols on labels above 14% are nefarious. I know of many highly sought after and delicious wines labeled at 14.6% that are 15.5% and no one knows or cares because of the wine's delectability. 2) Tom Wark (whose work I usually appreciate) jumped on the now infamous comments of Randy Dunn regarding alcohol and added his own two cents: "Those who disagree with Dunn and who defend the high alcohol wines, particularly those in the 15%+ range are simply wrong. Unless it's Zinfandel or Port, a 15.5% alcohol wine is not good. It may not be bad. But it's not good." Wow, that's quite a statement. Especially in light of my comments above. I wonder how many wines Tom has had that have been labeled 14.5, 14.6, or 14.7% that we're actually above 15% alcohol? I bet more than one that he considered great. Of course I can never prove it, but neither can he. Such statements are - in my opinion - borderline hubris and dismissive of the facts regarding our perception of alcohol in wine; as I noted in a recent post summarizing such perception. I don't defend these wines per se, but much of the evidence speaks for itself.
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The law careers forums throw up the occasional little gem of a question from law students, aspiring solicitors, and barristers who want a little advice on the way forward. But there are times that a question appears to have emanated from a mind almost totally devoid of any ounce of intelligence that I'm tempted to post a response along the lines of Look, love, I don't think you have the brains to be a lawyer get out while you can and don't waste any more of your precious money on course fees.
One particular trainee solicitor recently posted a question and I'm still undecided whether to be even a little sympathetic. He is due to qualify in a few months time but he admitted to the HR manager that he lied in his training contract interview, although he does not specify what he lied about. He soon admitted to lying but still got the training contract, however, the senior partner doesn't know about the lie and he's worried about it coming out, and not being allowed to qualify. He admits: It was stupid but looking for TCS for 3 years sent me a bit crazy. So that's ok then. Or is it? Maybe I'm going soft but it's hard not to be even a little sympathetic in such horrendously difficult times for aspiring solicitors although I'm surprised this guy was offered a TC in the first place, once he'd admitting to lying. And it is a very serious issue which many do not grasp. The temptation to lie in applications, CV writing and interviews is huge, but the individual who gives in to that temptation should not expect to get away with it. And he or she who succeeds in securing a TC on the basis, in whole or in part, of a lie, has deprived an honest applicant of a training place. And all aspiring solicitors, this guy included, need to bear in mind that when they apply to the SRA to be admitted to the Roll of Solicitors on qualifying, they are specifically required to disclose anything that may impact on their suitability to be a solicitor. This includes lying in interviews to secure a TC. Lying in the application process at any stage precludes the person responsible for having the character suitable to being a solicitor. Students and trainees are warned. |
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