Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings
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Movie Monday

First a word about the Oscar awards from last night, which I didn’t watch but when did first-hand experience ever stop an American from commenting on a subject?

To approach this circumlocutiously, I’ve been watching a lot of movie credits lately. I’ve decided this is because I’m knitting more complicated stitches and can’t stop to reach the remote as the credits roll. What I’ve found, even assuming one-third of those listed on only getting paid by having their name placed in the credits (no money changes hands but this is a bullet for a resume), is that all movies are small businesses (less than 100 employees) and many, many are big businesses. (I think I counted 100s of names in the POTC credits.) So you can say that when a movie goes into production, it’s creating a new business which may be in existence for a year or more.

Using the laws of commerce and not the laws of art (Art has laws?), it makes sense that the Oscars award those movies which are going to bring in the audiences and thus keep these businesses going. That’s why the Oscars almost always play it safe and very, very seldom do dark horses, small indies, get an award or even a nod at nominating time.

Looking at The King’s Speech and Colin Firth as Best Actor, you see a perfect example. I like Firth but I see him, the person, in every role he plays. He’s entertaining. A Single Man from last year looks interesting but I’m still watching Colin Firth play a gay man. But then, establishment movie making really doesn’t care how good an actor the winner is. This movie and Firth have had such a positive PR spin well before the movie came out that unless Firth went out on a drunk spree with Mel Gibson he and the movie were headed to Oscar gold.

I’m sure I’m going to like this movie when it gets onto my movie package. I liked The Queen, though I think that Mirren is a quirkier, more interesting actress. This movie has pre-WWII tension (though as someone commented: Do you think if George stuttered through that speech, England was going to sit out the war?), royalty, the common man (Rush, the speech therapist) as savior, and cursing. Wow! How could they lose?

Which brings me to The Runaways. It’s a small movie about Cheri Currie (Dakota Fanning) and Joan Jett nee Larkin (Kristin Stewart) who were lead singer and song writer respectively in the 1970s popular all girl band, The Runaways. Although it’s Jett who pitches the idea of a girl band to over-the-top record producer, Kim Fowley (Michael Shannon), and who writes their songs, it’s Currie as the lead singer who gets the publicity and brings on the jealousy. For a 15-year girl, it’s that and her drug addiction which finally leads to the band’s break-up.

Why should you watch this movie? For me, for the first time I really understood the appeal of “raw” rock music on teens. In just a few minutes, as Shannon, Fanning and Stewart work on a song, drawing deep, primal singing out of Currie, I got the connection which this music has with the angst every teen experiences. It was a “wow” moment of understanding and a “wow” moment of watching good acting.

Since the movie only focuses on The Runways, you get little mention of Jett’s later fame after the band’s break-up. Yet the last scene with Jett dressed very Reagan-era establishment doing a radio interview and Currie calling in from her job in a bakery captures quickly what the future was each of them.

A flawed movie? Yes, but raw, brutal, and real with great performances. Be ready for expletives, lesbians, masturbation. It’s not your grandma’ music. It’s an indie which is not afraid to stretch.

Trivia: See if you recognize Cher's mom. I didn't. Hint: She's an Oscar winner.

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Knitting Friday

Just a fast post today because it's a traveling day but I feel so guilty about not posting last Friday when I did have the time but I just lazed around all day knitting and blocking. It was heaven.

Because I had that time last Friday, all my projects (but one) came off the needles. There was nothing left to finish except my mitered square remnants shawl which was has been hanging around for a few years and I really should finish.

However by this Friday, I have two shawls in the works and two tops. One shawl is a purple (why did I buy that color?) mix of wool, mohair and acyclic. I didn't realize the mohair can be coarse so this purples went from a warm top (because mohair is also warm) to a trinity stitch shawl on US 13. It works.

The tops are both brown hues, a color I seldom wear so obviously the wool was on sale.

And finally, a picture of the Advent Calendar Shawl. The one on the right shows it being blocked. You can't see it but the dining room table has been extended and the chairs at the ends both have laundry baskets on them to hold up the mats because while the width blocked to 27", the length blocked to 100 ".

All this showed me that I need more blocking pads. However, using the table did save my back this time.

On the left is the blocked shawl with no wires on a darker background. Once again, I'll give you the web site for this shawl.

Advent Calendar Lace Shawl/Scarf:
http://www.von-stroh-zu-gold.de/muster/?p=40

Remember, you don't have to make a shawl but you should download the 24 lace patterns. I only worked up to Day 14 in the patterns and by then I was skipping around so I think the Day 14 spot is filled with the Day 18 pattern. (And, if you make nupps [I love nupps!], use the crochet hook method.)

Happy knitting.

Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings
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Website Wednesday

Today, I got an e-mail warning me of the terror of the Muslims. Last Friday, I watched my last Real Time with Bill Maher. Last time because I really can’t listen to a guy who shoots propagandistic drivel that all Muslims are bad husbands. That’s just crap and stupid. So I won’t be watching Maher (oh yeah, that boycott should bring him to his knees!) and I just sent a “Reply All” to the e-mail saying that was I ashamed to read such propagandistic, bigoted drivel. Thus reducing my TV choices and my friends/acquaintances during the same week.

Oh, and the US just vetoed the UN resolution condemning the illegal Israeli settlements (although the US does admit they’re illegal.) The illogic of our Ambassador Rice stating the reasons for this veto was breathtaking! So I guess this is the final nail and I can sit out voting for the top of the ticket in the next presidential election. This administration just hit the home run in the area of “same old, same old” in foreign policy. (And don’t get me started on the banks and Wall Street bailouts.) The Nobel committee gave this guy a peace prize? Wow!

But I am happy with my websites this Wednesday.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6egUsZvWu4

Yes, this is You Tube. I guess you could call it: Variation on Watching Paint Dry. Words don’t do justice to it; just watch and listen to the music. Creative and relaxing.

http://murphed.com/

I came across this page by navigating from Some Law To Live By:

http://murphed.com/2009/03/11/some-laws-to-live-by/ - which is a compilation of those wacky “laws” of life like:

Things get worse under pressure - Murphy's Law of Thermodynamics
Sometimes it takes several years to recognize the obvious - Sy's Law of Science
If you are in a hole, stop digging - 1st Rule of Excavation
There is no issue so small that it can't be blown out of proportion - Ruckert's Law

-which state what we all think, but states it so much better than we think it.

From “About”, we learn: [via diclib.com] All the humor on here is found somewhere else. I just pay the bills and post the material.

Click around on the topics in the right column from the main site. I chose: Economy and got sent to Proof the Economy is in Recovery. A click there sent me to a Wendy’s restaurant billboard with the words: Now Hiring One Person.

It’s not nuclear physics but it’s not fart jokes either (well, I didn’t find them ------yet.)

Humor can make you do more than smile; it can make you think. Take a look at Murphed, many times. And does someone know the music from the YouTube video?

Enjoy.

Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings
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Movie Monday

There's a old movie, The Last Angry Man, with Paul Muni (well, it would have to be old since the guy has been dead a long time) which was on TCM about a year ago (possibly during their Oscar-movie film time.) This is not a typical Muni movie. Any film buff could tell you that Muni made his name by playing "others" and usually famous others: Pasteur, Zola, the farmer in The Good Earth, Juarez and still always looking like Paul Muni. Now that's a gift!

In The Last Angry Man, from what I remember and it isn't much, he played an MD as an honorable man, the "last angry man" against injustice, who was the object of a TV documentary. The one scene I remember well is when he walks downstairs from treating an angry, verbally abusive boy. Before he leaves, the boy calls him back upstairs and you think the kid has seen "the light" but he hasn't. He's just an abusive and the walk back up the stairs gives Muni a fatal heart attack.

What I also took from this movie is: good guys get screwed.

Fast forward to today and a blurb in Balloon Juice about an online book group which is reading Nixonland. People who had lived through Nixon's reign had comments about the depression they feel when they relive this time through the book. This comment by Frosty summed it up and surprisingly brought back my memory of TLAM:

Essentially, my entire adult life has been fighting and losing the same fucking battle against the same evil people.

I said that I would look at some themes you could discuss with young girls re: the Twilight movies today. I was pretty optimistic when I wrote that last Monday but speaking with the girl later made me realize that you are talking into a paper bag if you think that young girls want any uplifting social values from these movies. I think the question of eternal life as a young, beautiful person is fascinating. I think it might lead to a discussion of the shallow values which Western society praises. Why would you want to live forever? Doesn't Rosalie have the best take on this when she votes "No" to Bella's wish for eternal life: This was not a life I would have chosen for myself. I wish someone had been there to vote "No" for me.? I still think the Twilight movies, shallow though they are, do have important talking points. Unfortunately, I don't think this is talking which will accomplish anything with infatuated teen girls.

Gotta go. A busy morning and evening (afternoon's a cake walk.)

Next week: Kristen Stewart in The Runaways.

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Website Wednesday

All during the protests in Egypt, I would ask the girl: Did you discuss Egypt in your history class? And the answer would be: No. And I would show her the pictures of the protesters. Fast forward to the day after the Grammys and I asked her again: Did you discuss Egypt in your history class today? Answer: No. Next question: Did you talk about the Grammys? Answer: Oh, yes. Scroll to last night at dinner. Question: What unit are you on in math? (Note: this is 7th grade regular math class.) Answer:.........

Well, I didn't get the answer because it sure wasn't anything I had done in math in the 7th grade, nor high school, nor college. Also, I know that her regular math class is really very advanced. How do I know this? First, some of her sections are well into advanced algebra and second, the boy, at 9, just in 4th grade in regular math, is already working with math concepts I'm sure Piaget would say: This is much too early in age to introduce. And probably add: Don't you know anything about maturation points, you dummy??!!

I'm coming to a fast conclusion that math is OK to delve into because it's non-controversial (though I am positive there is some yahoo here in the USA who doesn't like 2 plus 2 equaling 4) but history in the making, that's verboten.

However, I see myself as becoming quite sanguine, especially that in spite of the world being on fire, my website choices are sooooo cool and fun today. First, the more imaginative one:

http://typeisart.com/

Type is Art presents you with parts of calligraphic-type letters and by enlarging, minimizing and/or rotating them you can produce original medieval manuscript drawings. It's very relaxing to do this; like calligraphy without the leaky pen. You can "erase" back to the beginning; unfortunately it's a global undo. You can print your work (didn't try this though) but it looks like you can't get a "clean" page with only your drawing. A nice feature is the the explanations of the pieces of type which appear when you place your mouse over the tiny, tiny script under each one. Plus, there's another set of characters (P22 Stern Pro) available to work with. An imaginative, fun and easy-to-work site. Oh, and you can learn a lot more about this site by clicking the hyperlinks.

Second website:

http://www.bored.com/game/play/151056/Kamikaze_Blocks.html

Now, I read a lot of reviews which describe a game as "addictive." In fact, I paid for the app, Lost Temples, for my iPad because so many people in the reviews said the game was addictive. Well, it's a fine game, but addictive?

However, I do think Kamikaze Blocks from Bored.com definitely deserves to be called addictive. I'm basing this on generational evidence. That is, I spent yesterday morning shooting my way through the levels and then showed the game to the kids during homework time. Can you say: Bad idea and where can I get a crowbar to pry these kids from this game?

Blocks can be played as a puzzle, limited number of shoots, option or as an arcade, devil-may-care, take your time, you have unlimited bullets, option. I've tired both and the puzzle option is quite easy at the beginning though I can imagine this option becoming a cursing, hair-puller when you get to the spider web level. You can easily reset the level for a do-over and switch between the two options. Now this is an app I would pay for. (Bad news: As yet, it's not offered as an app.)

Go to go. Kamikaze Blocks in singing the sirens' song to me. Enjoy!

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Movie Monday - Clash of the Titans (2010) - why?

Long before I sort of went "dark" on Movie Monday (that is, the Mondays were occupied with snow shoveling and kids home from school), I had decided to review the latest Clash of the Titans. The earlier COTT comes from 1981 where on IMDB, Roy Harryhausen is listed as producer. Harryhausen is an iconic special effects master in earlier mythical, sci-fi, fairy tale movies. He could take a paper clip and a rubber band and produce screen miracles. What today, special effects guys brush off with elaborate CGI, Harryhausen gave birth too with real ingenuity. If you've never seen a Harryhausen movie, take a look. But look for the special effects; the plots are pretty lame.

Fast forward to the 2010 COTT. What a mess! Now, this movie has some good talent, not the least, Mads Mikkelsen. OK, I'm a sucker for Mads. (What a name!) If you read my review of After The Wedding, you know I liked that pic; the first and only time I saw Mads. But a Danish movie star! I was impressed. Unfortunately, Mads, nor Liam (Neeson), nor Ralph (Fiennes) can save this puppy.

Now, myths are very, very difficult to bring to the screen. You can play them straight (LOTR); you can play them camp (Alice in Wonderland.) It's the directors/screenwriters choice. But first and foremost, you have to play them right.

LOTR got it right because Jackson knew to tone it down during the dramatic scenes. Watch Boromir's death scene. Corny as hell but listen to the music. Shore brings on a dirge. As the action intensifies, the audio drops a notch. Watch the first screen meeting of Aragon and Arwen. This is the love story of the epic but a light squeeze of Arwen's hand and a brief look at Aragon's face are used to convey their relationship.

AIW takes a different tack. Eliminating the out-of-place, sop-to-feminists beginning and ending, Burton plays it over the top and it works. Depp is just as strutting as Captain Jack but the Mad Hatter is mad (which is an historic fact; hat makers did go mad from the chemicals they used.) Alice is used as the anchor to reality for all the CGI. Whether it's the March Hare nervously arranging his knife at the table when Stayne arrives looking for Alice or the absolutely delightful appearances of the Cheshire Cat (Oh, I would so love a Cheshire Cast stuffed animal. Like Chesh says about the Hatter's hat: I would give it a place of honor. And I don't even like cats!), the CGI is expertly meshed with live actors. It works as fantasy and fun.

But Clash of the Titans... It just doesn't work. It's not camp, not even bad camp; that is laughs-a-minute at all the wrong places camp. It's lousy as straight drama. Even the poignant story of Medusa's journey from rejecting maiden to hideous monster lays flat. And everything else is so annoying: When did Polly Walker get that breast enhancement?; Why was the wandering street prophet played like a queen in a flamboyant gay parade? Why didn't they trim Neeson's beard? Why did they even use the Kraken? (OK, so maybe he's mythical but after POTC; he really can't make a surprise dramatic entrance.); Why must everyone declare their sentences like gems of wisdom? Why is it a big deal that Zeus gives Perseus a coin for Charon after Perseus rejects his offer of asylum? (Was Zeus the only place to get money in the world of myth?) My list is endless.

Bottom line: Watch a good fantasy. This isn't one. Oh, and don't make it Prince of Persia, The Sands of Time.

Next week: Are there some good themes to discuss with teens from the Twilight movie saga?

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Knitting Friday

Well, it's my birthday; which comes once a year. I woke up in a cold sweat the other night thinking about my b-day/Valentine's day present from hubby: 100 skeins of Palette yarn (fingering weight) from Knit Picks. It's sort of a sale/sucker bait deal. You get $20 off the regular price (that's the sale) and you get what looks like a bouquet of flowers with all the different colors (that's the sucker bait.) For in the real world, the practical world, what the hell am I going to do with 100 different colored skeins of yarn!

I know my knitting creativity got bumped up alot when I finished that green hued shawl recently. It was just wool yarn spliced together randomly but it looked so good blocked (more on blocking later.) Then Knit Picks decided to adorn their web page with the 100 skeins of Palette deal and I was so sucked in like a whirlpool you can't avoid. I'm thinking shawls like the green one and striped tops and........ I think I need a course in imagination.

On to blocking. Have I mentioned enough times how much I love my blocking wires from Knit Picks? A little back-tracking: when I made the boy his Mario blanket and then his Mario pillow (I have finally found the perfect in-house pillow to cover with it), I wound up making three orders to Knit Picks. It got pretty pricey since you need a $50 order for free shipping and I would have to add single skeins of yarn (lace) to just get over the $50 mark. Therefore, the pink yarn which is pictured here as a shawl, entered my life.

Now, I made this triangular shawl about a year ago. It's only from one skein, 440 yards, and it really was a weird shape. The body was too skimpy and the tails were too long so it didn't look good as a shawl or a neck wrap-around. Enter the Superman of knitting, blocking wires, and you can see the beauty on the right stretched as a medieval rack with all it's length and width pulled out. Now, it's a 70" arm span and 30+ inches from tip to top. (The hat's for scale.)

How do you wear it, you ask? Well, still has a neck wrap-around but now it ties and falls so luxuriously. It's gone from something the rat dragged in to an accessory I would grab to give that extra punch to an outfit.

Today, as I b-day present to myself, I may block my Advent Calendar Scarf. I was waiting for the extra 60 T pins I had ordered from KP to arrive and they're here now. (Note to self: You can get along with one order of 15 blocking wires but the 15 T pins which come with it are not nearly enough. I used 80 with a shawl smaller than the one pictured.)

Finally, a shawl link for today. And some background on this too: a few years ago, I saw the only other shawl ever which was worn by someone who was not I. We were waiting to go into a Parents' Visitation Day at the school so we were crowded in the hall by the main office and a women ahead of me had on a beautiful grey shawl. It wasn't handmade but it was memorable.

Fast forward to today and I found this shawl called Abyssal:

http://1petitbazar.canalblog.com/archives/2010/09/23/19134980.html

It's from a French site but scroll down for the English translation, if you have to. This shawl is the closest match to the one I saw that day. Unfortunately, the comments about it on Ravelry (yes, it's also on Ravelry) are mostly in French and the one VG one in English complains bitterly about the problems with the short rows. I'm thinking about re-working the short rows or eliminating them completely. Plus, if you decide to make this shawl, it might be wise to work a few rows of non-curling stitches (that is: no stockinette) before you bind off. Curling was another complaint.

It really is a very easy pattern to work up and short rows are not scary as long as you wrap and turn to avoid the dreaded holes. Annis at Knitty was suggested as an easier alternative to Abyssal but that edging is lacier with nupps - not the look I remember from my "inspiration" shawl.

Happy Knitting. See you next week.

Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings
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Website Wednesday

Well, the newsletter got printed and delivered on Monday. Now, no bitching for about three weeks when I have to start the process all over.

I did watch the Superbowl on Sunday. It was a fairly exciting game, especially with my I Pad and knitting to fill the time during all those commercials and pre-game time, half-game time, three-quarter's game time shows (you name it.)

Today, my picks are pretty eclectic. I thought this one was rather peaceful feeling:

http://weavesilk.com/

I made a Z on the screen and then their program took over to color in and expand the shape. But it was still Z-looking.
I don't think clicking other links on the site is productive but this feature is quite zen.

Living in a country which seems to accept supernatural as real and science as doubtful, here's a fairly easy site for non-scientists:

http://www.scientificamerican.com/

Scientific American is not Science, which is a magazine for scientists and where I sometimes understand the summary of the article; but not always. SA, however, is very good for the non-scientist (or the scientist slumming it) because it tackles some high-brow subjects like: 'Next-generation' machines sequence single molecules of DNA and Mathematics' Nearly Century-Old Partitions Enigma Spawns Fractals Solution. I had no idea what I should be expecting here but I did scan the second article and it was quite easy to understand.

Truth be told, I linked onto this site because the lead article then was that the old adage that moms have told daughters through the ages: play hard to get, may actually be true: A Scientific Dating Insight: Create Uncertainty. (Good Valentine’s Day advice?)

Finally, some fun:

http://www.riddlenow.com/

If you click the riddles or the murder mysteries, you’ll get an assortment of choices. If you click the Chinese IQ Test or the Brain Teasers, you’ll only get one option to answer. (Both CIQT and BT are well-known puzzles.)

I do hate riddles because they can be so tricky. These riddles are more logic than riddle “got you!” puzzles. Like, figuring out the one statement the convict can make so the judge has to release him. The murder mysteries tell you a story and show you pictures and be sure to look at them carefully.

Well, that’s it for this Wednesday. See you on Knitting Friday when I will wax so enthusiastically about my blocking wires.

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Movie Monday

A fast blog, not at all what I planned to write, because I have to head over to our manager's office and print and prepare the newsletter in about 15 minutes.

Quick side stop: I didn't see the AOL/Huffington Post merger coming but the site had become more and more tabloid over the year, less and less hard-nose liberal, so I'm not surprised. Unfortunately, I well remember the AOL/Times Warner merger disaster of about 10 years. TLOTR first film, TFOTR, has that merger proudly listed in the credits. By TROTK, it was history.

Try and watch: How To Be. It's a small indie about a 20-something wanna-be musician who has big issues with parents and life in general. It has such a "real" feel to it. I only got to see the last hour of this movie (Sundance Channel) but even being plunked right into the middle of the drama, I got it right away. Scenes showed the knowing hands of director, editor, screenwriter and actors. Watch the barroom confrontation. It starts, escalates and ends with realism. It's a one-sided pissing contest, not Hollywood style with the "hero" flooring all the bar patrons, but real-life style. This is a troubled guy, he walks into the scene that way and leaves the same.

Want to know why I'm recommending this movie? First, it's worth the watch. Second, the star is Robert Pattinson! Not the Pattinson of Twilight, but a Pattinson who has all the makings of a very good actor. Here, you are never watching Edward; in fact, I had to click the guide blurb to realize I was even watching Pattinson.

Whether Pattinson will be forced into a Brad Pitt/George Clooney stardom after Twilight ends, I don't know. The movie PR machine could definitely steer him that way and the movie public might never accept him unless he makes star movies. That would be such a waste of an emerging talent.

Got to go. Want to write more, but no time. Maybe later.

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Knitting Friday

I'd like to report that on the snow day we had last Wednesday (Website Wednesday) I used a recipe from my website pick and made copy-cat nutrition bars. They were a hit. Well, not so much with the boy who insists they remind him of some food which made him throw up once. I added half peanut butter to the butter ingredients and mini chocolate chips to the jelly filling. OK, not that nutritious but the chips were dark chocolate. I'm like to try wheat germ mixed with the cake mix and a jelly which has fiber next time. But they were good.

Yesterday, I punched up the first draft of my newsletter, moaning and bitching the whole time. But it's basically done.

On to knitting: My blocking wires arrived from Knit Picks. I love them. Of course, my first blocking try on the floor was the most strenuous knitting time I have ever had - ever. Boy, was that work! I stretched a 55" shawl to 90"! It was amazing. Now, I'm wondering if I should stop my work 30" before the desired length and just block the hell out of it. It would definitely save on yarn costs.

Here's a picture of my second blocking project. Notice that I'm working off a table now? Notice the mistake in the center? I never saw that one before and, of course, I have no idea what pattern I used. However, I wear this as a scarf and no one will notice it. This one blocked to 55", which is too short for a shawl for me, but the width is an enormous 30".

Knit Picks sends you enough wires (15 - 32") for a project but not enough T pins (20.)

My mom asked me what I wanted for my b-day (I'm a Feb. baby; shortest month to celebrate in the year and I do think you should celebrate all month.) so I worked up a $50 free-shipping present from Knit Picks. I'm going to try their interchangeable needle sampler; get their Boye's crochet kit (I probably have all the hook sizes known to man but they do come in a convenient case) and a package of 60 T pins.

I just clicked on the Knit Picks site and the front page has 100 skeins of Palette - all their colors, one skein each - for $184. I am tempted........ (Back story: the shawl I just blocked to 90" came from a huge ball of green wools, spliced together. I was toying with a wacky winter vest but the girl said: Make a shawl. She was so right. I'm looking at the Palette sampler and imagining all the scarves/shawls I could make.)

Finally: Anna's Shawl at right. Jenny Coombe is the designer and it's a free Ravelry download so you need to be a member to view it. However, getting this pattern is worth Ravelry membership; which, of course, is free.

Jenny crocheted this in Paton Classic Wool on an I hook. The shawl you see at the right only doubles in size before you start the very wide lace border. What I like about this pattern:
1. It's Row 3 repeated all the way until you get to the lace section.
2. The center is chain 2, single crochet (center stitch), chain 2. This makes for a very nice open middle with substance. I really don't like the flimsiness of the knitted (YO, K1, YO) for the center of many triangular shawls.
3. The triangle is not pointed but more curved.
4. You can deepen the shawl by continuing Row 3 for more than 50 rows.
5. I started another shawl in this pattern in lace weight and an L hook and it looks gorgeous. (You may know, I love lace weight on large hooks or needles.)

What I changed with my pattern. First, what you see is my prototype. As you may also know, I've been burned so many times with patterns that I always start out on "inferior" yarn. This time, I'm making a "house" shawl where the yarn just has to be warm, never mind that it's a rip-out from a past afghan. It's the right weight as Paton Classic but I'm using an N hook which I think is making a warm fit without having the look of your grandma's crochet projects.

Oh, and I can save you some time if you like to experiment with your work as I do. I've tried half-double crochet and extended single crochet on this project. I've tried making the center more closed by chaining one and not two stitches on each side of the center stitch. Stick with the pattern as written; it works. Change the hook size if you want variation.

Happy knitting.

Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings
Tax the Rich

Website Wednesday

I added a line to my banner after I got an e-mail deriding how bad the USA was because it gives foreign aid (I think Haiti was mentioned) and yet talks about cutting Medicare and Social Security. I get stuff like this pretty regularly and I don't respond unless they link to a pseudo historian whose "facts" are just drivel. But the main theme with all these e-mails is: the government is being mean to me. Of course, the sub rosa message is: give me what I want now and remember not to raise taxes.

So I thought I would just add those three words which really say: Hey, you jerks! In a representative government you need tax money for programs and then it's part of your responsibility to see that this money doesn't work its way into corrupt practices. Governments need your participation; not your complaints. Of course, all that wouldn't fit. (Sorry, I’m a little worked up. I just re-read the section of the History of the Peloponnesian War where Thucydides lists the characteristics of an Athenian citizen. In these times, it’s worth a look.)

On to a really fun site this Wednesday:

http://www.budget101.com/frugal/copycat-clone-recipes-163/

As I wait for the dawn so I can see the ice field this latest blizzard has brought, I thought of food. Here's a site which takes popular restaurant items and lets you make them at home. Who can forget Cracker Barrel's biscuits? (Well, to be honest, I try to forget my two visits to Cracker Barrel.) The recipe here is quite simple (mix, buttermilk, a little sugar, a little butter) and really does look kitchen-friendly. (I hate those restaurant recipes which has you trekking to Cambodia which is the only place in the world with the needed ingredient.)

On the other side, Ben and Jerry's Cherry Garcia I.C. calls for 2 raw eggs which only seem to get frozen, not heated. I'll pass on that.

I do like the Carnation Breakfast Bars though; in fact all the breakfast bars, and I can see adding healthy stuff to give the kids their nutrients without a fight.

They have Chick Fila chicken sandwiches and salad. (Yes, I am mad at them and won't eat there [anti-gay] but I'm a whore when it comes to recipes.) They have the Bisquick copy cat (can you say "lard in a box.") They have Crunch and Munch. You can see a pattern of high fat here; but remember I'm living in what has been hyped as the worst blizzard in the history of mankind. I need comfort.

Looking through my notes, I see that Budget 101 was a pick in 2009. This time, you can just stop at the above page or hit "Home." This site is still worth many visits.

My second choice:

http://constitutioncenter.org/FoundersQuiz/

called to me after endlessly hearing that the USA should go back to the Constitution as the framers wrote it. Oh, no we shouldn't! Putting aside the obvious problem with the original document (inclusion and acceptance of slavery) this was a document written by the enlightened rich for the enlightened rich. It has evolved into a much more egalitarian document over the years. Many of the people berating the present day interpretation of the Constitution would probably be shocked to discover the founders weren't even considering them as "players" when they drafted the document.

That stated, take the test at the Constitution Center and find out what founder you are closest to in thinking. Me and Madison are buds. Once you discover your founding father BFF, go to:

http://ratify.constitutioncenter.org/constitution/index_no_flash.php

for an annotated stroll through the U.S. Constitution. Plug in keyword, topic or Supreme Court case and you'll be taken to the relevant part of the constitution. Click on the top banner of Constitution sections and you'll be taken there with a a section interpretation from the book, The Words We Live By by Linda Monk. (I checked this book on Amazon because I didn't want to recommend a right-wing screed. The two negative reviews - 1 star - were from right-wingers. Plus, I felt Monk's interpretation of the 2nd Amendment: The American Revolution was fought by minutemen, ready with their guns at a moment’s notice. Early Americans believed that a militia, composed of citizen-soldiers, was a better safeguard of their liberties than a standing or permanent army. Today the militia consists of the National Guard, drilling in state units. Does the Second Amendment protect only the right of the states to have militias, or does it give individuals a right to bear arms for self-defense as well as national defense? That question is at the heart of the debate over the Second Amendment and gun control. was quite reasoned. I have no trouble recommending this site or the Monk book.

So, if you're home in a blizzard, or just home and adventurous; try a "Copy Cat" recipe from Budget 101 and then brush up on the U.S. Constitution. It wouldn't hurt. I see Crunch and Munch or Cracker Barrel biscuits as part of my "fun with the kids" day which lies ahead.

Happy eating and reading.