Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings

Tax the Rich

Website Wednesday

Autism.

No, my pick has nothing to do with autism. In fact, until about 10 pm last night, I didn't even have autism in mind. Then I saw a segment on autism on HD Net. I have no idea about the philosophy of this channel, though my husband watches a lot of very good travel show there. The segment on autism was part of a 60 Minutes type show. The segment seemed current and also even-handed since it did not dismiss the autism/MMR connection but rather it presented creditable reports from both sides of this issue.

For those who have no reason to follow the alarming growth rate of autism in the US (2010, CDC: 1 in 91 kids with autism spectrum disorders), signs of autism usually appear about 18 months, just at the time most children receive the combined measles, mumps and rubella shot (MMR.) And, for those who don't follow the MMR shots. Originally, all three diseases were vaccinated against individually. Your kid got the measles shot and the physician said: Call me if he/she gets a reaction. Then your kid got the mumps shot and the physician said......, well, you get the picture. Many parents say that the problem of autism began when the pharma companies decided to bundle three shots into one since the pharmas/MDs felt that this was a way to assure kids got all three shots.

And then, after receiving the MMR, parents began noticing that living with happy, healthy children changed almost overnight into lifetimes of hell and sorrow for all concerned. Pharmas have always pushed back with their data and studies saying: It's not our MMR, it's genetics, it's the environment. Genetics, which come from the parents; environment, which is established by the parents. they should just say: Hey, we're immune from liability, live with it, after all, it's all your fault.

Yes, I am bitter. Perhaps because we, as a family, have credible evidence that the MMR is a factor in the autism spectrum. (This is a story for another day and it does have a happy ending which is what makes our experience even more creditable.)

This autism/MMR controversy is a bitter, fighting issue. So much so, that when someone on the Off-Topic forum at Ravelry asked for any stories regarding autism and the MMR and I told the story I alluded to above, the responses to me were so heated (cripes, they were asking for our stories!) that not only did the moderator close the thread (which sometimes happens when things get heated) but Ravelry totally eliminated the Off-Topic forum and replaced it with a closely monitored Adopt-A-Topic forum.

The argument has always been by pharmas and their health official allies, that unbundling the MMR would lead to a rise in these childhood diseases since kids wouldn't get all the shots. Well, there is a such a rise in these diseases now since parents are opting out of the MMR in fear. So why don't they do a study of bundled shots vs. unbundled shots and track the autism rates? Why don't they blood test toddlers because giving the MMR to make sure they don't already have an immunity to one or more of the diseases? (And, yes, this immunity is real.) And finally, autism groups have got to get a PR shark and change their campaign to something like: Autism, a modern American genocide.

But my website is a fun one. Since I need some fun and you do too:

http://lokwi.com/

Lokwi is filled with silly, primitive (arrow use) games, silly pictures (not all child friendly) and wacky videos. Watching the videos on the out-of-control kiddie duck car ride was a hoot. And I do think the video of the guy hitting his head with a guitar multiple time was real. If he wasn't insane before the video, he sure was after it. The Close Call Compilation has to be seen to be believed. Talk about luck!

So why did I post my autism comments and this website pick? Because I guess it just emphasizes that our world can be cruel and senseless but we have to find pockets of smiles and laughter or it will all just become insanity. Enjoy.

Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings

Tax the Rich

Movie Monday

I'm thinking about taking the summers off from blogging. The days are really just too hectic and I'm just too lazy.

Before I get to my movie(s) pick, here's a comment from Eric on Deus ex Malcontent. He's talking about Steve Jobs but it's a fantastic generic answer to all the rich and wanta-be rich who bitch about paying taxes:

Even so, it is morally right that Jobs ought to pay higher taxes. Sure, he's earned his money; but this is something he was able to do because he received the benefits that go along with living in a stable, functioning republic in which there are good roads, an educated and mostly healthy public, and little chance of a revolution or invasion. He has benefited more than most people from the civilization he inhabits, and he had more to lose than most people and he has more to lose if it all goes to hell.

But instead of holding up a mirror to those-who-can-pay when it comes to their contributing to the general welfare, we get cute pictures of the Obamas on a date night.

Jesus H. Christ! We're hemorrhaging here, folks.

C-Span had an author talking about the fact that the "culture" centers DC, (He obviously has never gotten off the tourist roads in DC if he's calling it that), NYC, etc., have bounced back better economically than the rest of the country so our political and financial gurus really don't get what the heartland is experiencing.

But enough of my general grousing, let me get to the movies and my cinematic grousing. Remember I reviewed The Tourist and didn't find it as ghastly as the rest of the world? Well, I still think it's watchable (unlike The Road which is vastly superior movie but I still can't sit through what I will call the "shoes" scene.)

Then I caught Anthony Zimmer last Saturday afternoon on my movie package. What a title! Folks, Anthony Zimmer here and I have a set a knives for you which are sure to become your culinary favorites.

Anthony Zimmer (2005) pre-dates The Tourist (2010.) and both visit the same plot. So now I find out that The Tourist is another Hollywood knock-off. AZ is in French and it's with people who can act reading dialogue that sounds real.

Watching the passionate make-out scene at the end of AZ, I realized that Jolie and Depp couldn't pull this scene off at this stage in their careers. They have both become plastic icons way beyond playing the nitty-gritty roles that were so promising for them earlier on.

No feature film is real but good ones give you that empathy lifeline which is so necessary between the movie and its audience.

Take a look at Anthony Zimmer. As you know, I'm fascinated by the pull of foreign films on me. Unfortunately, I see the metaphorically significance in all this: It's just another example of America's proclivity for dross. What a pity.

Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings

Tax the Rich

Website Wednesday

I'm pretty depressed right now. Sunday night, I was watching Inside Job, a documentary about the worldwide financial collapse of 2008 and ten minutes before the end I get a call from the Obama campaign asking for money. Well, I was going to post the movie for Movie Monday but the call sort of added a new dimension to my review. (It was quite a call!) So I packed it in Monday and started to think about puppies and flowers.

The puppies part makes me sad though because today is the day Miss M is returning to the Seeing Eye trainer and she will start her training as a service dog. On Monday, we did a movie with her and the kids. I know we're going to be sad, but what about Miss M? You hear about dogs who travel miles to return to their former owners. How is she going to feel when after a week (she has been away from home during vacation times) she's not returned to us? Do dogs cry?

For my pick today, I decided to go to pictures because pictures can be so evocative and take your sadness to joy; and, of course, also do the reverse.

http://vi.sualize.us/

VisualizeUs says of itself: VisualizeUs is a social bookmarking website for visual contents - VisualizeUs (read visualize us) allows you to remember your favorite images from all over the web, and share them with everyone.

Sometimes, you are looking through pictures and one of them catches your eye. You know you want to remember it and been able to look at it again in the future, but it's not that easy: downloading to your hard disk is as useless as bookmarking the website in the usual way.

....The power of VisualizeUs resides in the possibility to share your bookmarks with the rest of the world. That's where the key of "social bookmarking" is. And at the same time it's the explanation of the term: bookmarks that you don't keep privately in your browser, but are shared with everyone.

This seems similar to the Ravelry feature where you can share your completed pattern pictures with the rest of the community

It looks like you don't have to register to see the pictures, only to post them. I checked the registration and it seems like a typical one: user name, password and e-mail.

Scrolling around I found Tumblr under Architecture. It's just the picture of a room but it's such a warm and cozy one that I'm sure my biorhythms (whatever that is) tilted to the positive side. Then I clicked on Funny and the first one, Bad Friend, removed all my frown lines.

Be warned: there is a Nude section where a lot of the pictures are labeled unsafe and fuzzed out so they need a second click to be shown, which I didn't give them

I enjoy seeing what the the world likes in pictures. Hope you do too. This is a good one-stop-shopping place for that. Enjoy.

Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings
Tax the Rich

Knitting Friday

This is a travelling day and it's been so long since the last one that I've almost forgotten the drill. I was very good and got the picture of the shawl I wanted to show you today but it's on the other computer so I'm typing sans pictures. (Oh, I love to use one of the three French words I know!) So, I'll wait till next week for the picture and the directions for my mystery, oh-so-simple shawl.

I do have to say that if you want a lace summer shawl which could probably be crocheted (the knitted version will follow later) in one day of heavy work, get a H hook and one skein of Aunt Lydia mercerized cotton # 10, 350 yards by next Friday. Michaels sells Aunt Lydia (what smooth feeling cotton to work with) so don't forget the 40% off coupon. My black shawl cost me $1.79. Talk about a bargain!

I'll leave you with a Ravelry shawl pattern this week just because it's one of the very few I printed out.

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/amys-scarf-2

It's made up of lace squares and is listed as a scarf but the repeats are 34 stitches and I think it would make a lovely shawl.

Enjoy.

Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings
Tax the Rich

Website Wednesday

I think you're going to say: What the.........? when you see my choice for today. Yes, it's all about the theater, its history, selected monologues, and a very small selection of full length modern (last century and up) plays.

It is, however, a treasure trove of theater history and well worth the read and then the re-read because, when you think about it, humans have been dramatizing their lives since almost the beginning of time.

http://www.theatrehistory.com/

But I do think you deserve some background info on my thought process for this selection. It all started when President Obama spoke to the nation the other day after Standard and Poor's downgraded the USA credit rating from AAA

The money quote from that speech, that is the one copied around the world was something like: The USA will always be AAA.

And I thought: Jesus H. Christ. Here's the president of the USA addressing our nation which is on the brink of dire economic changes and his memorable line sounds like a coach rallying his football team in a smelly locker room.

Now, perhaps other parts of that speech were as eloquent as I had a dream or Ask not what your country can do for you........ but it really doesn't matter if you pepper it with even one inane quote as he did. That's the one which becomes the shot heard around the world.

And that got me thinking: Words do matter. And what better place to understand the staying power and the carrying power of words but in the theater.

So start with the essay on the Egyptian "Passion" Plays under Ancient Theater and travel up to modern times. The essays are short but you're on the Internet so you have the world's largest reference book at hand for more research if you want.

A lot of humans used and use words very well. Enjoy this site.

Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings
Tax the Rich

Movie Monday - The Tourist

I know that Starz and Netflix are having some sort of grudge match to the death but why does Starz have to spit on its movie package customers at the same time? I say this because my Starz/Encore/you name it movie package has reached the nadir in selections in the last 6 months. I'm lucky to eek out one movie a week which is worth watching. And this is from a selection of almost 50 movies. Reese Witherspoon as a washed up baseball player in How Do You Know!

Therefore, hearing the reviews of The Tourist, I was ready to pass on it. In fact, I gritted my teeth through the first 50 minutes, looking at it as a remake of Charade, which in itself was a barely watchable fashion-driven May-December thriller romance between Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant.

The Tourist is in the genre of Charade: a classy thriller with beautiful settings and half beautiful people (Jolie is gorgeous; Depp seems always ready to slip into his Jack Sparrow demeanor.) At least, the age difference didn't glare and I like the touch of the note Jolie receives at the beginning of the movie: Board the train at Lyons. Pick someone who looks like me and make them (the police who are watching) believe it's I (they used "me" but I like to use good grammar when I know it and remember it.)

I liked that touch because the whole absurd adventure which follows and becomes the core of the film is given a reason. Jolie is the huntress and Depp is the hapless tourist whom we watch escaping killer Russians in his pajamas across the roof tops of Venice.

Really silly stuff with the de rigueur twists and turns necessary in such thrillers.

So I was able to stay tuned beyond the grinding teeth first 50 minutes and I was ready to write a C grade review - until I got to the end of this saga.

And here we get the final twist, and for me, it moved the movie up into a good solid B grade for this type of sophisticated thriller. For here I am, at the end of movie saying: I think I should watch this again. Which I did and that one piece of denouncement knowledge changed my perception of everything. It is worth watching two times.

If you're like me, you're going into this movie agreeing with the Rotten Tomato rating of 19% favorable. And the critics are probably right given the star power of this movie. But this genre, even done well, always insults reality so lower your standards and I think it might be an enjoyable hour and 43 minutes.

Grousing ahead: I was looking at IMDb and saw that remakes of Fright Night, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and new additions of Mission Impossible and Spy Kids will be released soon. These will be added to the mindless actions films which arrive each week. Is there not one original idea left in Hollywood?

Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings
Tax the Rich

Knitting Friday - and where have I been?

Almost a month since my last posting. A lot of guilt but no energy to post. It's a long summer with the kids, who are very good, but the school day is an unspoken covenant between education officials and parents: give us your kids for our bureaucracy and we'll give you 5 days a week. Summer changes that.

Also, I'm pretty depressed because almost 4 years ago, I helped to elect Obama for not the least selfish reason being that a McCain/Palin election would have had me researching Canadian citizenship. Now, I'm almost 4 years older and I may be having to start that research.

I never thought we were electing H. Rap Brown with Obama though his stump speeches had some of the passion of the '60 black leaders. However, I never, ever thought we would wind up with Clarence Thomas. (OK, OK, I know Thomas is just an angry, small man; but what a waste of promise with Obama.)

I have been knitting though. I have a closetful of sleeveless, open weave summer tops to wear over camisoles. I'm working on a shawl design which is think is unique. It can be knitted or crocheted so that the shape is almost rectangular but the top curves to stay on your shoulders. I discovered the design by one of those famous "what ifs" of history. I just tweaked the increases on a simple shawl and amazingly I had the shape. Right now, I've only made these shawls in my typical *YO, K2tog* pattern variations or in *ch 5, join with sc* variations. I want to stretch my patterns a bit before I post anything. But it's sooooo simple. Like socks first, then shoes.

I'll leave you with this pattern to ponder:

http://www.classiceliteyarns.com/WebLetter/202/Issue202.php

Yes, it's a shawl but take a look at the Japanese Feather stitch pattern. It's 11 stitches on 28 rows and I like it because it has two sections of resting rows (just stockinette) which makes it easy to bind off and on for armholes. I'm thinking about using just this pattern in a top -down pullover or cardigan. What do you think?

Happy knitting.