Knitting Friday

What I learned this week:

1- I learned that lace weight yarn is lovely but unless you want to tie yourself down to one place (a large area where nothing can drop) and watch snippets of CSI (a great lace show since you really don’t want to see everything that goes down on that show and what better way to divert your attention than lace); don’t use lace weight yarn to knit lace. Use fingering or sport; your life will be so much easier. I must have started four times on a knit lace pattern this week. It was a disaster. So much time; so little results.
2 - I learned that lace weight is lovely in crochet so I got to brush up on my crochet skills. (To digress: I don’t like to crochet because almost all the time the stitch definition looks so heavy. However......) I learned that with a large crochet hook and lace you can produce some lovely looking and lovely draping pieces. Right now, I working on the Schrap at:

http://crochetroo.blogspot.com/2007/07/schrap.html (Note: they use British terms.)

I’m using a H hook but if I can find my I hook, I may go up. Also, I just finished another 3 dc cluster shawl with an N hook and lace. (Pictures will follow.)
3- I learned that the picture of the loaded potato in the Charlie Brown restaurant flyer is not that loaded potato I ate yesterday. There I was, mentally preparing to scoop away all the rich stuff atop that very healthy baked potato. I shouldn’t have worried. It was pathetic; burned skin, 2 bacon bits, 3 diced tomatoes, and the oozing cheese??.... just where did they put that, obviously not on my potato. Next time, I’ll just eat the flyer.
4- I learned that when you finish a sleeveless top during a heat spell, the weather will immediately drop to the “ass-biting” cold range as if did for me. However, I was pleased to finish the little bugger (pictured below) since I think it had been languished months in the “To Do” pile; which is why my rule of: If I can’t finish it in two weeks, I’m not making it
The Top:
I’m pleased with the top. I probably should have used smaller needles to get a tighter stitch but it looks nice on. This time, after the hem (I will search for the magazine which had that pattern - it was so easy.) I did some increasing to 132 stitches and I think I got a nicer look because of this. The waist starts at 28" and I increased to 34" at the armhole.

It’s a basic cotton pattern after the hem: just straight stockinette in the round to the armholes. Then I decreased 6 stitches at each armhole (3 -1-1-1.) At the neck, I made each shoulder 18 stitches which I decreased at the neck edge to 15 stitches each side. After I joined the shoulders, I ran one row of single crochet and 1 row of crab stitch around the neck and arms. And then it was done. I’m not thrilled with the look of the cotton but that’s cotton. I’m debating whether I should block since it fits well now. I know it wouldn’t pass muster in a Master Knitting program as is. If I can locate the hem pattern, I’ll post the entire pattern.

Next Friday: Finally, a picture of the black Wisp shawl (it and I should be in the same place by then). And a winter vest pattern. I know it’s summer in my part of the world but I think I can handle a small wool vest.

Website Wednesday: More Pictures

OK, I’m on a picture kick but you have got to see this site:

http://smarthistory.org/

It is the best, most comprehensive site I have ever seen on art history. Not only do you get to see the paintings but you get detailed audio reviews of them in context with their time periods, biographies of the artists with primary source material (ex: letter from Theo Van Gogh to Vincent), detailed information on various museums where these painting are housed and so much more.

From the site: This site is being developed by Beth Harris and Steven Zucker as a dynamic enhancement (or even substitute) for the static traditional Western art history textbook. And: In Smarthistory, we have aimed for reliable content and a delivery model that is entertaining and occasionally even playful. Our podcasts and screen-casts are spontaneous conversations about works of art where we are not afraid to disagree with each other or art history orthodoxy

Click the round button at the bottom of the right column on the home page for a link to: For the Very Beginner. Click the link on the bottom of this page, Getty video: Looking at Paintings, for an excellent video explaining how to look at paintings.

This site won 2009 Webby for best education website; a deserved win.

Once again, this is a site worthy of a lot of return visits.

This is going to be a short Website Wednesday since in a few minutes TCM is beginning a day of the old (and I mean old, 1930s) classic Hollywood mystery series featuring different studio actors playing the detective Philo Vance. Any mystery lover knows that Vance, created by S.S. Van Dine, is an icon of mystery lore. (Although I do think Van Dine is pretty unreadable.) Today, all the “series” detectives have to be fast paced but these were written and filmed in the time before TV and film, back when movies had a lot of talking. I guess all the media excitement came from the radio.

I never thought I would see these movies. (Probably because I haven’t checked to see if Netflix rents them.) Kudos to TCM for showing them. I’m psyched. I’ve set the recorder but I’m nervous that Verizon may fail me so I’ll try to see a few before work. I’m not expecting Oscar-worthy material but like the pig who could sing - who cared that he sung off key.

Movies on Monday: Memories and Reactions

I read that when Oliver Stone made JFK he said in an interview that his models were Z and Rashomon. I decided to look at them. I've seen Rashomon often on PBS and TCM. I understand Stone’s interest in the movie because it’s a Japanese master director’s take on: What is truth? I seem to remember the subtitles running by too fast.

Then there is Z, the Costa-Gavras masterpiece. Available on Netflix; rent it, it’s worth it. Also, a must read is this blog about Z and Costa-Gavras:

http://www.dinaview.com/?p=159

It’s not about the movie I want to talk; it’s about my reaction to one scene. I saw this movie before our torture of “terrorist” prisoners and the spin so many government officials and journalists have given this atrocity. Not that I was ever naive enough to think that Americans did not and could not use torture. But if I had to triage my concerns when I saw the movie, torture was not even on the list.

And, my reaction which shocked me at the time and I still remember, really isn’t even about torture.

As I remember it, the movie left no doubt that the good guys were not going to win. Fascist thugs just killed the opposition and the military encouraged and protected them. Abrupt violence pervaded the movie. The quiet scene where Trintignant, as the prosecutor, is typing up charges and the complicit generals (notice as each general enters the office, the “fruit salad” on his chest gets larger) are forced to sign the confessions is atypical of the movie. (Note: this scene is available on YouTube.) It’s fast-paced, brutal, visceral film.

And that’s where I got caught up. There is one scene where the thugs are almost caught. It’s a scene that clutches you in, heart racing; and there I was, rooting for the thugs; hoping they would escape. Costa Garvas had artfully, if only for a moment, turned me, an ardent liberal progressive, into a quisling sympathizer for fascist thugs.

OK, that emotion didn’t last. I don’t see the two sides of torture; I adamantly oppose it. But I tucked that moment away. I didn’t have an epiphany; it wasn’t Paul on the Damascus road moment but I did understand that anyone could be “turned.” The old saying: Whatever man is capable of doing; he can be made to do, hit home. That’s why good propaganda is so effective.

Why, you may ask, are you blogging about Z on Memorial Day? I guess I could say: it is a movie; it is Movie Monday.

But it was a John King interview with three Iraqi veterans yesterday which made all this so current to me. King asked one veteran why he fought in Iraq and the veteran said: Well, after what they did to the Twin Towers... King, then, did try to extricate him from this error by telling him Iraq had nothing to do with that NYC bombing. (Unfortunately, if that lie had been uttered by a Cheney, King would have probably just gone on to his next question.)

The veterans was not believing that and just repeated: Well, after what they did....

You dumb schmuck, I thought. You bought into the lie. And then I thought to myself: You’re a dumb schmuck, don’t patronize. You, if only for a second, bought into the lie while watching Z.

It’s so easy to pontificate; keeping ever vigilant is the tiresome part.

Knitting Friday

I don't know how newspapers stay in business. I put out a tiny newsletter each month yet I spend so much time getting it ready each month. I've been working over an hour this morning, sending e-mails, editing articles, thinking (and that's really the hard part.) I'm not done yet but I do have until the end of the month. How do newspapers do it every day, all year? I would be a wreck. And I don't have to get ads to pay for my production. They must each have six zillion people working for them. Imagine coordinating six zillion people?

The morning was supposed to be an early start on my Knitting Friday, but better late than never (another one of those hackneyed phrases.)

I'm still waiting for the new Yarn Department at Michaels. From what the Ravelry posters say, those changes are appearing in very few stores. I've noticed that in the last few weeks, Michaels has advertised no yarn in their weekly flyer. Unfortunately except for Paton Classic Wool, Michaels has little yarn I want so while I may make a trip to A.C. Moore just to look, I don't with Michaels.

I stopped by A.C. Moore once again to look for the Bernat black cotton blend - no luck. But, as I said, they seem to have better yarn, all of a sudden. I found black in Red Heart Heart & Sole ("with aloe" no less.)
I'm using it to make a triangular Wisp shawl. I think I posted the pattern but it's worth another posting:

http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEsummer07/PATTwisp.html

I have never made a Wisp which looks like the pattern page picture. I have a white winter one in mohair and alpaca and this one in 75% wool, 30% nylon.

(To digress for a minute to talk about Heat & Sole yarn. The first skein was fine; no knots. With the second however, I was rolling from the center of the skein making a small ball when the yarn ended; no knot; it just ended. OK, so I start rolling away from the center again and after 2 yards, that yarn ended. I turned out the skein was in three pieces, almost like you start a project, cut it, frog it and stuff that yarn back in the middle of the skein. Except this skein was still "factory packaged", they just didn't both to splice it together. Weird, and first for me. Happy ending: at 70% wool it easily spliced.)

Both my Wisps are triangular shawls. Both because I didn't know how much yarn I needed and the second also because I thought of this as a summer shawl and I like those as triangles; airier looking.

How to make a Wisp in a triangle, you ask? CO 2 or 4 sts. Knit front and back each stitch, across. At 6 stitches, and keeping the first and last stitch as K, start the Wisp pattern on the other stitches. Continue in pattern, increasing each side, every other row. It's so simple and it is such a forgiving, and pretty pattern.

I make very few triangular shawls. I don't like an arrow pointing down to your butt and heels. However, I have two exceptions: a shorter triangle with a beautiful lace pattern (Swallowtails) and a reversible lace pattern. Wisp is the latter. I plan add an attractive edging (no idea where I'm finding this) to the black shawl and then fold the top over for a wide shawl collar. In my mind, it looks lovely.


At left is the purple heather shawl I finished, blocked and gifted this week. It's from the DC shell pattern I posted last week. This one was wet blocked to 24" x 70". It's 440 yards of lace weight, light as a feather and can be worn as a scarf for light shawl.

At right is a picture of the shell pattern up close. I don't like to block but blocking, as usual, gave me a much larger shawl.


My success with this lace weight yarn made me buy my own Mother's Day gift this year: $50 worth of Knit Picks lace. (Of course, you know, $50 is the cut-off for free shipping.) I went wild and basically got 1 skein of all their colors and when that didn't add up to $50, I added a second skein to colors where I thought I might like a larger shawl. I may continue with crocheting with an N hook but I know I'll try one in US 4, 5, or 6 needles and the Wisp pattern.

Oh, and I was disappointed this week when I had to give up on the new Mystery Shawl KAL. At first, I thought I wouldn't like the pattern, it's a half circle, but then I saw some photos and that changed my mind. But I was done in by the pattern. I just don't get it. I've made circular but not semi-circular shawls so maybe I'm just not familiar with it but I just can't wrap my mind around it, as they say. It's like the designer is talking in a code I don't understand. I think my best bet would be to work a semi-circular shawl from an Interweave shawl book I have. More on this other day. Now, back to knitting.

Next week: Pictures of the black shawl.

Website Wednesday

As I sit typing this entry, the TV is on in the room and I hear the angry blather of talking heads on some pseudo-news show. I can’t hear what they’re saying but as the tone of their voices rises, as they play a leap frog game of volume (the loudest voice wins) I can feel myself getting tenser and tenser. And, I’m not even viewing the show. But the constant drumbeat of yelling keeps ripping away any veneer of calm I have. I can just imagine the emotional and mental state of the viewers of this angry rhetoric, whatever the topic. I can’t believe they’re coming away from these shows capable of any rational thought.

So here I type; fingers tense; looking forward to the long weekend coming up. Longer for state workers in NJ also since Friday is the first, mandated, unpaid furlough day for all state workers. All of them. The state shuts down. That will show those state workers who are living high on the hog (now that’s an outdated expression.) Bond traders, bankers, fat cats; they’re not the problem. It’s government. Get rid of government is their mandate; not make government work. Unfortunately, the ruling class has convinced so much of the working poor to believe this and not to question the insanity of it. It could lead you to drink, but the rich eat it up. Boy, that was an angry outburst. Damn the TV.

So for my website today let’s look at pictures since pictures can calm you; so they say.

http://www.shorpy.com/

I know I had an old pictures site one Wednesday some time ago but they were pictures from historical events; these pictures are more mundane but none the less interesting.

Shorpy.com is: a vintage photography blog featuring thousands of high-definition images from the 1850s to 1950s. The site is named after Shorpy Higginbotham, a teenage coal miner who lived 100 years ago.

I think I mentioned once that I like to watch old movies, even the old bad movies, for what their background shots tell me about the culture of that day. Take a look at the picture of the 1911 girl’s dress on the home page. The caption says: The girl works all day in a cannery so we are looking at a poor child. However, if you have any knowledge of sewing there’s a lot of fine work in her garment. It looks like lace insets on the shoulders, a pleated front and belt and puff sleeves - all three which take extra fabric. If you don’t have children to dress, take a look at children's garments of today. Unless you are looking at the “Conservative’s Guide to Proper Child Wear” you will find that dresses are much plainer and therefore because they are using much less fabric are cheaper and easier to manufacture. And, I got this from only one picture! Scroll down to the 1940 black girl and you will also see a well-made dress (the collar and shoulder stripes match.) On other page you get to see Miss Washington, D.C of 1926's swimsuit and a family sitting on a front porch in PA in 1940 (take a look at the ornate couch the woman is sitting on.)

I know it’s “hot” to study your genealogy and it’s neat to have pictures of your great, great, great grandma. But usually these are just portraits devoid of the cultural trapping from their time period. Shorpy.com brings into focus our common genealogy in the U.S. It’s worth many, many visits.

Movie Monday

This Movie Monday posting is becoming problematic since I don’t have the energy to tackle my next project: Movies in the WWII Years. So I just meander around watching bad movies, parts of bad movies, parts of mediocre ones.

It must be tough for directors with vision connecting with the money which has the same vision. That may be why so many movies start well and then spiral into confusion. Money does that to you; you make the compromises, lose the vision or less think: It’ll be different once I’m successful. It isn’t.

Finally got to see the end of Wallender with Kenneth Branagh -end of Episode I and part of the Episode II. Loved the way even in second episode they keep verisimilitude by a shot of e-mail list written in Swedish. I guess they thought none of us would notice the cast spoke English.

And just what in the murder rate in Sweden? I don’t think the ape in that early, early, classic The Mystery of the Rue Morgue had such a body count.

From a U.S. State Department site, http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1032.html, for U.S. travelers, I discovered that: Sweden has a low crime rate with rare, but increasing, instances of violent crime. All these violent crimes see to be occurring under Wallender’s watch. I don’t know if I’m going to waste any more time with the second and third episode. I really don’t care Who Dun It? or how Wallender deals with his family problems.

HBO deemed us all worthy and made free its channel for a few days last week so more of the nation could see The Alzheimer’s Project. I saw bits of it. The first half hour were anecdotal stories, especially sad when teen-aged children had to deal with their grandparents’ Alzheimer.
They did get into the pathology of the disease but I missed (if they had it) any epidemiological studies of the disease or a comparison of rates among countries.

One researcher did state that aerobic exercise (proof of benefits of exercise in mice brains was also discussed) and diet were important. Great, I thought, Tell me more. But she didn't; that was it. Now I know what aerobic exercise is; I know what a good diet is but what an excellent platform to inform millions of people. That’s one problem with educated people: they talk code to their own. Still, it was a worthwhile show.

Right now, I’m watching a re-run of Becker starring Ted Danson. It was half-hour edgy comedy which flopped. It has your stock characters but there’s satire and wit also. Right now, Becker, an MD, is debating whether to commit insurance fraud in order to help someone with MS. I don’t think his decision is going to drip with syrup.

Got to go. Not to watch TV. This is another traveling day and it’s getting late.

Knitting Friday: the finished jerkin or why I love knitting shawls

First, this was another traveling day for me so everything is getting posted late. I did make a trip to A.C. Moore in Paramus, NJ today. I am on the everlasting quest for black fine yarn. Two weeks ago, this A. C. Moore had a Bernat fine cotton blend in black at 900 + yards for $6.99. But I only had a 25% off coupon (you know the special kind where your entire purchase is off 25% rather than just one item for 40% to 50% off) and I was cheap. So I didn’t buy it and the next week when I had a 40% off coupon there was no black cotton and today, when I had a 50% off coupon there was none either. The folly of cheapness.

However, I do think that the imminent arrival of the new Michael’s yarn department has caused A.C. Moore to add a better quality to their yarn. Last week, they had Lion Brand Fisherman’s Wool in brown. You can’t get that color even from Lion Brand in their Internet store. Today, I found black fingering yarn for socks (Red Heart Heart & Sole.) I’m not wild about Red Heart but the weight is good, it’s 213 yards, and it’s 70% wool and 30% nylon. I think that’s the best I’m going to get (especially for ½ of $3.99 a skein) unless I spend the big bucks. So I bought it and now I have to figure out the right needles. I can use a N crochet hook with lace weight yarn for a lovely light lace but I think I’m going to have to work with large needles here in order to achieve that look. More on this yarn later; on to the Tess shawl metamorphosis.

As you know, the Tess shawl which was cruelly frogged seconds before completion has been reborn as the vest pictured here. Every time I knit a garment, I grind my teeth and silently mutter: Don’t I ever learn? Garments always have the dreaded finishings; even mine which are knitted in the round bottom up or others that increase down from a neck cast on. This vest could have been developed into a pullover but I was so bored that it was OK that I will resemble a medieval peasant when I wear it; perhaps that's apropos in this economic climate. I did learn some things:

1. The vest is too big. I cast on 132 stitches for the body (multiple of 11.) I could have cast on 111 stitches which is a decrease of two pattern repeats and it still would have fit. The garter ripple does give you a stretchy width. I don't swatch, but everyone should.
2. Unlike the pattern, I decreased at the armholes. No problems with this but when you start to work separately for the front and back, put markers between the k2tog and the ssk stitches. It will make your life so much easier.
2. The bottom does flare as my picture and the Elann pattern picture show. I have close to 38" at the hem and 36" in the body. I might use smaller needles for the bottom garter ripple next time. Next time??
3. You can knit this garment in the round (unlike the original pattern) with the pattern row in knit in the round and purl when you have to knit flat. Just be sure to reverse the order of your stitches but:
4. When you start to knit flat, a ssp will not achieve the look of the pattern’s ssk, here’s what you have to do:
a: At the first stitch of the ssp, where the wrong side is facing you, turn your work so the right side is facing.
b. Move the first stitch which you will be using for the ssk/ssp from the right needle to the left needle and knit it. (It’s back on the right needle, now.)
c. Slip the second stitch on the right needle over it and off the needle.
d. Slip the knitted stitch back to the left needle; that stitch is finished.
e. Turn your work back to the wrong side and start the next stitch of the pattern.
f. This way you will get the same diagonal slant as the ssk you made when knitting this stitch in the round.

A final note: Elann has the skill level on this pattern at Advanced Beginner. I think my tweaking the pattern makes it an Intermediate skill level. But it is a very easy knit. Obviously, from the Elann picture this is summer wear but it works in other weights.

The Triangle Crochet Shawl made into a Rectangle:
Abbreviations: dec: double crochet; sc: single crochet; sl st: slip stitch; sp: space; ch: chain; dec: decrease; T: turn; ssp or ssk: sl 1 st, knit 1 st, pass sl st over knit st and off needle.
Basic Triangle Crochet Shawl:
Row 1: Ch 4 join, ch3 & 3dc in ring. Ch 4 T
Row 2: 3 dec in 3rd ch from hook; sl st ch1-sp of Row 1, ch3, 3 dc in same space (2 blocks made) Ch4, T (Put marker at beginning of this row)
Row 3: 3 dc in 3rd ch from hook, sl st in ch-3 sp of 1st block chain-3; 3 dc in same sp *sl st in next ch 3-sp & ch, 3 dc in same space* across, end ch 4, T. Rep Row 3 for triangle, to length and for a rectangle to width.
THE CHANGE: To dec on one edge at width for rectangular shawl: When you reach the edge opposite the marked edge, in the last ch3-sp, make 1 sc and T. Sl st in 1st ch3-sp and work ch 3, 3 dcs in this space. Work across with a *sl st, ch 3, 3 dc* in each ch3-sp. When you get to the marked edge, work as usual as above with an inc. (Marked side will inc and unmarked side will dec to keep your width even.) At the desired length, make both sides the dec side until you dec to 1 ch3-sp. The End. It's that simple. You can crochet an edging around the shawl if you wish.

Happy knitting.

Thoughts for Thursday

I went to the meeting about the hospital relocating to my community last night. They provided a rather lavish refreshment spread. I think I was the only one who didn’t eat or drink anything. Shades of Persephone.

I guess I can say that I have seen the future of medicine as the medical community desires it and - it’s time to emigrate. Because the almost $1 billion dollar mortgaged edifice which the CEO proudly told us had paid really, really big bucks to lure just two of what he considers “the best” MDs to this facility is not going to paid for by bake sales in the lobby. No mater who the insurer is, the government through Medicare or private, the American public is going to foot the bill for this bloated giant.

The CEO beamed about their treatments using all the advanced technological bells and whistles. I would have liked to hear about their commitment to help prevent diseases early before their billing department has to go into overdrive and figure out how to charge us for all these diagnostic toys.

He spoke about the fact that you would never see carts wheeled around the hospital; (though many of us, due to his accent, thought he said “corpses” which was the humor highlight of the evening); all rooms would be private; there would be restaurants...... It was obvious they intended to use state-of-the-art price gouging equipment in an atmosphere of sanitized and bowdlerized disease and death.

But on the bright side, for all those concerned that the economy is going over the cliff; have no fear, the medical establishment still sees itself as the shiny, monied star. It will drag us down and our representative government but hey, look at feudalism. Only a very few reaped such fantastic rewards back then but look at all those nifty castles they left.

Website Wednesday

Two hospitals are moving in my part of the state. One from a less desirable location; one from a very desirable but land-poor location. I’ve seen the artist’s rendition of one hospital (sorry, about my outdated term, I know they like to be referred to as medical centers these days) and it’s another modern obscenity to greed and glitz. But that’s not what has me puzzled since under capitalism I understand the never ending quest for profits. What puzzles me is the fact that this hospital is coming to our community tonight to talk to us. Why? The blurb sent out says that the CEO has “graciously agreed”...... What? Are we in negotiations with these guys and they are setting up a meeting with the head pooh bear? I just don’t get it. Why would a hospital come and talk to us about its new location? And, no, it’s being built in an adjoining town so this isn’t a “Oh, please don’t organize and storm the Zoning Board” type of meeting? What makes me even more curious is that they (the CEO) is serving light refreshments and we had to RSVP? “Wining and dining” us, even curiouser.

And my curiosity, or more accurately, my interest in curiosity, got even more piqued with two other things I learned this week. First, a friend is watching the PBS series on the U.S. Native American and she said: I didn’t know we gave smallpox infected blankets to the Indians. Her lack of knowledge doesn’t surprise me since the U.S. is curiously reluctant to discuss or teach our genocide of the indigenous people. But I was happy she now knew that fact. Second, there is a thread on Ravelry where some woman posted a simple request for a pattern for a U.S. confederate flag for a baby’s blanket and set off a firestorm which is still going strong with 250 postings. One posting from an non-American was interesting She wrote that she didn’t realize that the confederate flag was as volatile as the swastika is in Europe and she would have to learn about U.S. Civil War history.

So, I got two examples of people learning new facts this week; their curiosity being satisfied with knowledge. And that got me thinking about all the main stream news in this country which wrings its hands about some miscreant, some misdeed, some horror, as if this was the first time it was occurred in human history.

For example, we are bizarrely debating the good and bad side of torture today and just a few years ago we saw horrendous pictures of tortured and degraded humans with their smiling handlers. How can humans act this way? I bring you the Salem Witch Trials for your edification:

http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/salem/salem.htm

and for further primary source material: http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/salem/witchcraft/

First, you should read a summary (albeit a long one) of the trials and time period at:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salem_Witch_Trials

Wikipedia is, of course, a secondary source but this is a very well-written article. However, the true macabre reality of this time in American history can best be explored in the primary sources of the first website listed above.

You do get secondary sources on this site: a chronology of the trials, biographies of the people involved, procedures for the trials. Some primary sources include: “COTTON MATHER, MEMORABLE PROVIDENCES, RELATING TO WITCHCRAFT'S AND POSSESSIONS (1689)”, an arrest warrant, the actual wording of the testimony of the accused, the petitions from the condemned, and petitions for compensation by descendants.

The second web site listed above is basically primary sources so it should probably be viewed after the first and third. This site also seems to have a lot of broken links, especially the deeper you dig into it.

The Salem Witch trials were only a small, shameful piece of American history but it had all the ingredients which are still defining our culture: religion, torture, popular hysteria, belief in moral superiority. Read these sites and you may find some answers to: How can this be happening now? It's good to be curious.

Movie Monday: Random Reviews

I wanted to review a movie for today so I clicked through the 40+ movies in my TV movie package, eliminated the fart jokes movies, the vampire movies, the no-redeeming-value sex movies...... and I wound up watching some more of Sicko.

Michael Moore is mercilessly skewered by conservatives and loons in the U.S. because he so often holds a mirror to our warts. As I once said, I can only take him, and Howard Zinn, in short spurts because I get soooooo mad.

If I were to score this movie, it would be a dirge. The stress, the pain, the inhumanity faced by so many Americans without health care; it makes me weep.

I turned Sicko off this time before Moore's trip to Cuba but this movie has a quiet tone. Perhaps Moore, the director, is also stunned to quietness by the insanity of the U.S. health care. Insanity only if you are aiming for a representative, enlightened, advanced government. Quite believable if you're heralding the return of feudalism.

Then I caught most of Kenneth Branagh’s Henry V. I think Branagh is so much better than Laurence Olivier in the role. Then I realized: I have never seen Olivier in that role. Ah, hah, you’re saying, another snap judgment. Not really, I have seen him in Hamlet and Richard III plus many movies. Olivier, to me, was Olivier, playing, Olivier, playing the role. Got that? I always felt he wanted me to remember he was a star. Not that he wasn’t’ a very good actor but perhaps being nurtured when there was a studio star system that feeling got bred in his bone. After all, just how many swoons can you endure before you believe your godlike stature?

Branagh is more immersed in the role. That early scene where he lays the trap for the traitors is crisp and lean. He is jovial, he is king-like, he is a snake, and you believe it all.

Of course, you must compare the famous St. Crispin’s Day speech. Branagh is the tired, worried sovereign in a rainy field rallying his small band to fight what he knows should be their losing battle. He is not Branagh, playing Branagh, playing Henry. Additionally, and I don’t know if Shakespeare wrote this, his one line to the French herald who rides up after the battle and Henry asks him which side won, struck home on two levels: it was true to the character as Branagh played him (no bravado here) and it was true to battles - how did a ruler know who won after those bloody messes?

I stopped watching when Henry went to woo the French princess. I know that’s in the play but the play was over for me by then.

Last night, I saw about an hour and a half of The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian before I turned to PBS for another Branagh - more later.

Not having read the Chronicle books and not having liked Lewis much except for That Hideous Strength, I was surprised how much excitement I found in this movie. I only got to the part where Peter has failed in a raid on the castle but I found parts of the battle thrilling albeit unbelievable to imagine that children could carry out a successful Children’s Crusade. But as a bloody lesson to Peter (he was advised against it) the battle was a good learning tool in character development. There was a fair amount of good excitement in this movie; most of it being the spooky murder mystery type of let’s have some thing scary appear behind the trees, but it should keep young kids involved, if not shrieking under the seats. So far, it is a movie that moves; not a faint praise. I can’t write a final review yet since I have almost an hour more to see but the fact that I’m looking forward to seeing it is encouraging.

Now on to Branagh playing a Swedish detective in Wallender. This comment sums it up: Kenneth Branagh continues PBS tradition of brooding detective. He really doesn’t brood; it’s like broodiness is thrust upon him. Immediately, a teenager sets herself on fire and then three diverse people are killed and scalped. Wow! That’s a lot of brutality happening very fast.

And then there are the explanations. You really don’t seem to be able to kill people in mysteries today without multiple explanations all of which you must remember for the denouement which will tie it all together. (Yeah, right!) At least everyone was talking English here, the “king’s English” that is, but at least not with a Swedish accent. All of a sudden, someone would mumble something about a murder victim and I would try to mentally take notes which is no easy trick with mumbling. (It was interesting that they all spoke English but the shot of a newspaper showed it was written in Swedish. Note to failing newspapers: try to print in the language your reader speak.)

And then, there’s the personal brooding. You know there is personal brooding before you know why: Branagh hasn’t shaved in days. At least, in this go round, Branagh has a good relationship with his daughter; he just can’t get along with his dad. Little touches are added to stay current: dad’s wife is nice but a step; dad is showing the early signs of Alzheimers.

And then: I fell asleep. At this point, I don’t know who-dun-it or even if last night’s ending tied up all the questions (the series continues through the month.) But this is PBS and I should be able to pick up this tale of the mystery scalper on another night.

Moore, two Branaghs, and a Lewis. I guess it really was a productive movie weekend.

Coming soon: The 1940s war movies in the U.S.

Knitting Friday
I thought of that old, but clean limerick as I was finishing up on my Tess shawl:

There once was a lady from Niger
Who smiled as she rode on a tiger
They came back from the ride
With the lady inside
And the smile on the face of the tiger

The Tess shawl designer had recommended that you mark the side of the row which had the 4 increases so every time you were working from that edge you would know that was the row with the most increases. Of course, ever worried, I also used a row counter. There I was, just about to bind off and my row counter says I’m on a “most increases” row but my marker says: Oh, no you’re not. I’m here at the end of the row. So your next row is the most increases row.

Well, like the lady from Niger who wound up where she least expected, or liked, I knew I had made a major error. But the question was: Just where did this mistake happen? No way was I going to frog back. So the edges might look wonky, I would crochet a border. But the knitting gods are not kind and apparently not only did this mistake make wonky edges; it made a wonky center. About 2/3 up the shawl, the center increases looked different. The horror! You can fiddle with edges, but fixing the center spine of this beauty.

So I did frog. But then I thought: I love the Tess shawl. It’s such a good working shawl. In fact, I’ve converted my alpaca shawl into one…..Say, wait a minute. While I love this shawl, in fact I just cut onions with it on – it’s a real workhorse – why do I need another one at this time since I’m never going to be wear it outside of the house? This is definitely an indoor shawl. At least for me because I don’t think, how slim you are, a tied in the back shawl works over the age of 10. (It was rather a long bit of interior dialogue.)

And thus, I present the following link:

http://www.elann.com/ShowFreePattern.asp?Id=78024 to Elann’s Silk City Cotton Gauze Shell.

This shell is what the frogged Tess shawl is becoming. This is one of the easiest patterns. The picture left shows about 11 inches I’ve already done in the round on US 10 ½ needles. The pattern gives the directions for knitting flat but just eliminate any selvedge stitches, work the garter rows starting with a P row then, K row, P row, K row, P row so that when you start the stockinette ripple pattern on row 6, you’ll be on the right side of your work. And don’t forget the ripple pattern rows (6 – 12) are all K rows in the round.

A couple of other things: (Edited after starting knitting flat for the top of the shell)
1. When you knit flat, the garter rows become all purl and the pattern row is done in purl (P2tog, etc.) with the stitch order reversed. Don't worry, it's easier than it sounds. You just must copy the look of the knitting in the round.
2. In my version and the model, the hem seems to have a slight flare. I may be doing a slightly tight crab stitch around the bottom to compensate.

The picture on the right is a lace weight shawl, which I think the dog is wearing quite proudly, made from the pattern I posted last Friday and which is:

Triangle Crochet Shawl: 200 yards of lace weight; N crochet hook
Ch = chain; dc = double crochet; sc = single crochet; T = Turn; sl st = slip stitch; sp = space
Row 1: Ch 4 join, ch3 & 3dc in ring. Ch 4 T.
Row 2: 3 dc in 3rd ch from hook; slip st ch1-sp of Row 1, ch3, 3 dc in same space (2 blocks made) Ch4, T
Row 3: 3 dc in 3rd ch from hook, sl st in ch-3 sp of 1st ch-3 sp; 3 dc in same sp *sl st in next ch 3-sp & ch, 3 dc in same space* repeat * * across, end ch 4, T. Rep Row 3 to length. End. Block if desired; I didn’t.
Edging: Work 1 row of *ch 5 then sc* around. Then using every ch 5 and sc of previous row, work *ch 3, then sc* around. Join to 1st stitch and end. I wanted something light and lacy and in no need of blocking and I think I got it.

The swatch pictured right shows you the same pattern but knitted on the diagonal into a
rectangle. The swatch is pretty ugly, not the least because the yarn used in lousy and the stitches look stiff. But I wanted to show you that you could convert this triangular shawl into a rectangle.

Next week: The shell will be done, I hope, as a long sleeved sweater or a vest. And, I'll give you directions for making the Triangle Crochet Shawl into a rectangle.

Happy knitting.

Website Wednesday

They say that 3:30 a.m. is suicide watch time since more people attempt it at this hour. Perhaps they shouldn’t have shows like Keith Olbermann's Countdown on near that time. Especially when he’s talking about the attempt to whitewash the torture done to suspected terrorists after the World Trade Center bombing and our invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan.

Of course, it probably doesn’t help to channel switch to Countdown from a PBS documentary about the U.S. genocide against our indigenous population, the American Indian.

Sort of makes you want to puke. But then, ever the Pollyanna, I must look at the bright side: a year ago and before, all I would hear were apologists for torture weaving their twisted, sick, illogic and spinning it out on national television. At least, with Olbermann, he says: Hey, folks, this is wrong. We’re not looking at the two sides here. Some things are just plain wrong. Small, fragile comfort; but some comfort.

And on to Website Wednesday:

Let’s keep it simple and fun today with Games for the Brain:

http://www.gamesforthebrain.com/

These are short games, good time-fillers which have you think rather than just clicking the arrow keys (Are there even games out there today for which the keys W, A, S, D, and Z to fire are still needed?*)

Some of the games are:
1. Dragger is a jigsaw puzzle without the “cheat” picture available so you can see the desired outcome.
2. Guess the Colors is the perennial Mastermind game where you have 9 chances to put colored balls in the right order.
3. The Image Quiz was tough for me. You are given an assortment of related pictures and three chances to guess the right answer. After you’re third wrong guess, the answer is mercifully given. Hint: Don’t eliminate the obvious.
4. Chinese Checkers is really that old game where you jump balls around a board in order to eliminate all but one.
5. Mahjongg Solitaire wants you to pair and then eliminate all the mahjongg tiles. The tiles are large enough to see the intricate symbols.
6. Marsmoney is a cute adding game for kids as a twist on “Who has more money?” since it's played with Martian money.
7. In Memocoly, colors flash in order and then you remember the order and press the colors. Of course, it starts with only three flashes and continues up.

Additionally, there are a series of word games.

Philipp Lenssen developed the site. BBC Click (which is connected to the BBC) has a nice review: From Suduko to jigsaws to word puzzles and more, there are plenty of brain busting time wasters here for you to enjoy. It is not terribly sophisticatedly presented, but that does not stop it being plenty of fun and nice and quick to load for you narrowband surfers. On the opening page just click the link to the game you want to try. There are tests for your memory, your logic and strategy. Once you select a game the instructions are very clear and simple, and you will be told whether you are right or not after submitting your answer. When you have had enough you can switch to a new game using the links that are now at the bottom of the page.

Enjoy.

*Bonus: Sneeze at http://www.routesgame.com/games/?challengeId=2 has you using the arrow keys and the space bar to sneeze on as many people as possible in order to spread swine flu. What an inappropriate game! What poor taste! I wiped out 75% of the population just on Level 2. Oh, it does give you a germ factoid on each level.

Movie Monday

I’m really lazing around today. Usually my blog would be up hours earlier but I didn’t awaken in the early hours. It was an interesting weekend. Let’s just say the leaking ice maker which led to spackling and painting work was also the herald for a now totally defunct refrigerator. I learned two valuable economy lessons with its demise.

1. When you need a fridge immediately, the sale will start next week.
2. In this economy, kitchen appliance stores no longer have an ample stock of the “big stuff” in their warehouses. Everything is J.I.T (just-in-time); you order and you wait. Which is not OK when your fridge conks out, the weather is close to 60 and when you open the fridge doors you have a full-to-the-brim stocked freezer and fridge staring back at you which is going to SPOIL.

And now for my commercial endorsement: Lowe’s in Flemington, NJ had the new fridge here and installed within 18 hours. Fast service; really nice installer; kudos to them.

Now on to Movie Monday:

I guess I could review Wolverine; NOT! Wolverine (the character that is) reminds me of Edward Scissorhands. You remember the movie where Vincent Prince almost completes the creature Johnny Depp plays except he dies before he can finish the hands, hence, Edward Scissorhands. I see Wolverine as the sequel with some dialogue like this:

VP: Ah, now you will not have scissors for hands but these beautiful alabaster hands.
W: (looking at his Grecian perfect hands) Hmm. Dad, I really love these hands; they’re gorgeous but you know, those scissors did have some great uses: chopping onions; cutting meat, toenails; cutting out coupons. Do you think there is any way for me to have these beautiful hands and my scissors?

Well, he didn’t get exactly what he wanted but thus Wolverine was born.

I probably shouldn’t admit this but I don’t really care about the origins of Wolverine. I sort of liked the X-Men movies. They were pretty dumb but they are great background for multi-tasking. The same with Van Helsing and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. I do like movies which entertain and educate but except for some quality foreign films, Hollywood seldom produces these. Of course, with the only important demographic being 16 - 24 white males for them......wait a minute, have I started talking about the Republican party?

This may be a good time to pull out the old website (and I do remember this site from a long while back) at:

http://www.moviecliches.com/

It is what the link says, movie cliches which are always fun to remember. For example on heroes:
1. Stripping to the waist makes the hero invulnerable.
2. The hero will always be paired off with a female character. The sidekick never will.

Or what about this one: When there's an intruder somewhere in the house, the thing that jumps at the heroine in the dark turns out to be her cat, even if it comes from places cats wouldn't be, like inside a cupboard! As soon as she relaxes, the killer will show up and strangle her.

Roger Ebert tackled the omnipresent movie cliche once in a discussion of horror films. I’m sure you’ll find some of his favorites here. I also remember Ebert saying that we learn about life and how to act from watching movies. Check out this site and find out how cliched the movies think we live our lives.

Click around. These cliches will make you chuckle. Some will make you think. And then you can add your own.

Knitting Friday

A fast post today since this is a traveling day which means an hour plus drive turns into a half day journey because you have to pack. Ah, packing. I want to be rich, just in the sense you can travel from place to place with only a purse since you know wherever you land, all your stuff will be waiting for you.

But we have computer back-ups, food gathering, bag packing, just tedious stuff. Then we have those full flights of stairs to climb as we cart our precious stuff to and from the car. The time adds up.

Some fast knitting news:

1. The Tess Shawl is not done. It does feel so soft though which is surprising because I was really disliking the Red Heart 25% wool. However on US10.5 needles it's got a nice feel. (OK, nice is really a lame adjective but I am rushing here and the brain is lagging about 5 steps behind.) More on this next week (not the brain, the shawl.)

2. I did finish the white cotton thread shawl and here's the pattern.

Crochet Cotton Shawl:
With J hook and double strand of thread (you can use single):
1. Chain 5, join with slip stitch.
2. Chain 3 and make 3 double crochets in ring
3. *Chain 4. Turn. Make three double crochets in 4th chain from hook. (This is your 1 shell increase.)
4. Slip Stitch in Ch 3 space of previous row. Then chain 3 and make 3 double crochets in this space.*
(You now have Row 1 with one ch 3 - 3 dc shell and Row 2 with two ch 3 - 3 dc shells.)
4. Repeat from *...* making the ch3-3dc shells in the ch 3 spaces across and the increase with the Ch 4, turn, 3 dc in 4th ch from hook at the end of each row.
5. That's it. Just keep repeating *Ch 4, T, 3 dc in 4th ch from hook, (sl st in next ch-3 space, ch 3, 3 dc in same ch - 3 sp) across. When you get to your desired size, just stop with a shell in the last ch- 3 space. (See note)

Note: After a few rows when you start to see the shape, mark the edge opposite the Ch-4 edge. End your shawl at the end of the row where this mark is on the right hand side.

Here's a variation of this pattern:

http://www.marloscrochetcorner.com/sweet%20february%20shawl.html

This is a very popular pattern but I think my variation is the easiest. I also make this pattern as a rectangular shawl but I'll have to weed through my notes for those directions.

Next week: the Tess shawl and pictures