Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings
Tax the Rich

Movie Monday

Now, I totally punked out on Knitting Friday in spite of the lie I spewed the Friday before that I would have pictures. Liar! Liar! Pants on fire! But Friday morning I had a tooth pulled; a front tooth pulled. Unbelievable in this age of Save Everything but it had received a bad injury when I was a child, had had two root canals and now was causing abscesses every time I stopped my regimen of antibiotics. So on Friday, I started the long process to repair that section of my mouth. Right now, I'm sporting the tiniest little tooth on a bridge. Easy to use but I'm not eating with that in so I'll check back with you on weight loss in a month.

As you know, lately I've been thinking too much about the human species (maybe 24/7 news coverage is a bad thing) and I'm coming up empty. That is, empty of any reason for the species' existence except that evolutionarily species develop and species die off. We human just happened and then we globbed onto the fact of: Boy, ain't we special. And that's when the wackiness began. I would start the wackiness meter on zero at the time religion developed. Because at this time the species got a higher purpose and unlike the zebra who looked over the horizon at a pack of raging lions and said: Shit! Good bye world, we looked over the horizon at the shit coming at us and said: Oh, God will provide.

But this posting isn't about my angst, it's about the movie, Red.

Red is a caper movie with a twist. It's wacky, it's editorially inconsistent (just how did Urban and Willis wind up in the same room at the CIA?) but it's unbelievability hits you at such a speed that you just gallop along with it.

The cast sports your uber-tough guy, Bruce Willis but he's matched with the wit of Mary Louise Parker, the easy charm of Morgan Freeman, the always solid performance of Helen Mirrin and the virtuoso crazy man turn of John Malkovich.

For whatever reason, Hollywood suits made this a movie about CIA retirees with not a teeny-bopper to be seen. The youngsters, Urban and Parker (though in real life she's only 9 years younger than Willis) work well with the old-timers and you get to see a meshing of generations, not a clash.

The stunts are wild and crazy. In fact, one of those reality TV shows tried the stunt where Malkovich's bullet stops a rocket launcher missile (don't try this at home, kids) and they proved it wouldn't work. But while the stunts punch up this movie, it's the human relationships (Willis and Parker, Willis and Freeman, Urban and his family, and finally Willis and Urban) which allow the film to cross genres.

Good acting from all though I though Rebecca Pidgeon was wasted. She has a distinctive acting style more suitable to a Mamet production. Brian Cox, Ernest Borgnine and Richard Dreyfuss occupy smaller roles but play them seamlessly.

I know a lot of reviewers have gimmicky review meters like how many times did I look at my watch. I guess I have one of sorts too. First, there are the thematically worth-while movies like The Road, Dogville, or The Human Stain. Those are in a special category because they discuss the human condition and should be watched. They're the education part of the film craft.

Then there's all the rest, the entertainment which many times forms the background noise in my life, and, as with all noises, some you just want to shut off.

Red doesn't fit into in the shut-off category. Judging it on its knit ability score (that is, I can watch it again and again as I knit), it ranks very high. Unlike Prince of Persia which while just as wacky, is always a pass for me when it appears in my movie package.

Next week: Dogville. I think I should start practicing my angst mood again.

Happy watching.

Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings
Tax the Rich

Website Wednesday

Sorry for no Movie Monday. There I was in a strange hotel room looking at the internet connection plug (which I had pulled out the night before) and having no idea where it fit into the doodads on the side of the laptop. So, rather than fry the whole system (can you still do that?), I didn't post. But I did "X mark the spot" when I was shown where to plug in so here I am today

Being in Rockville, MD is an experience. A lot of sidewalks. Many of them bordering, crowded highways with fast moving cars. I see it as really walking in the shoulder of a major highway except your walking area is very slightly raised from road level. One distracted driver, cell phoning, reading the paper, putting on make-up, the list is endless, and you could have a pedestrian disaster.

Half a block away, there is what I thought was a Metro entrance. But the stairs just go down one level (way to short for the DC metro.) There's another identical "Metro entrance" opposite it across the highway. So I'm thinking its an underground walkway under the highway. But I don't see any people going in or out (they instead run across the highway usually ignoring the little man signal which tells you when it's your turn to cross) so I'm not taking any chances and I'm treating it like the roach motel. You know: roach go in but don't come out.

TV is better here than Arlington, VA. There are 2 HBO channels and the RT channel. What's RT? Well, that's Russian Television. An interesting, liberal, social-conscious channel. Nothing like our lazy MMM. I look at RT's extensive coverage of the Occupy protests and think: I wonder how this plays to the world? For this channel obviously is not guided by our domestic mantra, America uber alles.

A little history about my choice for today, A Don's Life:

http://timesonline.typepad.com/dons_life/

Anyone who studies US history should have heard of Charles and Mary Beard, husband and wife historians from the first half of the 1900s who fostered the view that American history was guided by economic principles not moralistic ideals. For example, they traced the causes of the American Civil War to a clash of economic cultures rather than a desire by the Union to end slavery. I've collected a few of their books at book sales and they're quite readable, telling history without the modern day historian's approach of: Washington awakened to a grey dawn. (Talk about chalk scratching a blackboard!)

As I understand it, Beard was a liberal and vehemently opposed the US entry into WWII. The opposition ended his career. And, something I didn't know: he is a co-founder of The New School in NYC.

So when I saw the name Mary Beard as a reviewer for The New York Review of Books, I thought: Daughter? Grand-daughter? Then I found the tidbit that she was one of people asked by TNYROB after 9/11/01 to comment. To paraphrase, she said something like: After the first wave of disbelief, I think most people think that America got what she deserved. Because a bully, even a well-meaning one, is still a bully. Wow! What a gutsy lady.

And that's how I got to her blog, A Don's Life. This Mary Beard is English and seems to be no relation to my Charles Beard. She teaches the classics at Cambridge and she blogs (40,000 hits a week) about them and her life and thoughts.

I like reading about the past. I especially like her links to primary documents. Right now, she's talking about the collapsing walls of Pompeii but scroll down to a posting about what first assignment she gives to her first year students. Click the links there to read the account of an ancient Greek's courtroom defense as to why he was justified in killing his wife's lover. Or go back to 8/26/11 for a discussion of Gaddafi's hometown of Sirte, it's Roman ruins and more.

Beard's blog is hosted by The Times Literary Supplement, and a right column entry clicks you to another TLS blog by Peter Stothard, one of their editors. Scroll down his postings to the one on the writer/"historian" Robert Hughes (Robert Hughes: a reply?, 10/21). Double wow! I haven't seen Hughes' book but if Stothard is correct, it's a piece of unbelievably sloppy history.

Well, I guess it's time for me to go and for you to start reading. Enjoy!

Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings
Tax the Rich

Knitting Friday

Not much today because I'm packing for a small trip (sometimes more difficult than a big trip) and dinner room table is suitcase laden; so no pictures, nuthin'.

Except for all you knitting addicts out there (as I am), I've reworked the knitted shawl (pictured last Friday) so that 2 stitches are increased each side on the first row and 1 stitch is increased each side of the second row. If you remember, I originally said that you should increase two stitches each side until you get to your length. Now, I think it looks better with 6 stitches increased every two rows, not 8 stitches increased every two rows.

These new increases limit your pattern for the body of the shawl since with four stitches increased every row you could work a 4 stitch pattern in the body. Now you can only work a 2 stitch body pattern and perhaps a 6 stitch (and multiple of 6 stitches) pattern but I haven't worked this out yet.

I decided on this increase change as I was blocking the shawl pictured last week. (It really is a wide scarf because I just got bored with the simple pattern. But I did add a corkscrew stitch crocheted fringe to the short ends. Pictures next week.) The curved area (neck area) was much tighter than the crocheted version. That's when I realized I wasn't really crocheting two extra loops each side every row for 8 increases every two rows; I was working 6 increases every two rows. So I was working the crocheted version looser than I thought. I'm knitting a lace weight pink shawl this way right now and I can feel there is more ease in the neck area.

OK, got to go and pack.

Happy knitting.

Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings
Tax the Rich

Website Wednesday

Owing to the fact that two, obscenely monster-large hospital complexes are almost completed in my area. (Screw you, America for thinking health costs will be controlled, love, the medical - pharmaceutical industry.) Add to this the fact that I must visit my MD tomorrow for a semi-annual BP check-up. (I despise going to MDs!) My mood is rather foul.

So, I thought: What better website pick than one on fashion.

Now, I like fashion. I'm not a slave to fashion and things like In Style magazine which I started reading when it really had some good fashion tips and stopped reading when it became a showcase for red carpet events throughout the world really piss me off. I love Joe Zee from Elle and his show All On The Line. He's helped me think "out of the box" in my approach to knitting. But I don't need fashion leaders telling me (especially in a worldwide recession) that pink is the new black. No, pink is pink and like all vibrant colors, it tires you quickly. Good for the fashion business; not good for the consumer dollar.

Then I started a google search for fashion sites. Wow! That was an eye-opener. Almost all the sites were hyping designers and expensive trends. What's with these new high heeled shoe? Are women really supposed to wear those things with their 5 inch stiletto heels? Orthopedists and cobblers must be ecstatic.

After a long search, I wound up with a very old stand-by, Glamour magazine:

http://www.glamour.com/

Now, Glamour is also in business to get the consumer to buy into fashion trends but their articles are much more sensible. For example on the shoe question: the article, 10 Shoes Every Woman Should Own, does recommend the wacky high heels but also it suggests flats, boots and sneakers.

The site is full of sensible fashion articles like: Are You An Over-Powderer?, one on healthy afternoon snacks, and Women In Tech: We Really Do Need More.

Of course, you're not getting articles written for Nature or Science nor are many of the topics more than fluff. But there's a lot there for a fast read and/or a fun read. For example, the article on women in tech gives mini bios of tech women and their accomplishments and the healthy snacks piece comes with doable recipes. (Note: Some of the ingredients look pretty exotic but they may be mundane to Glamour readers.)

So go and read about some fashion and don't forget to scroll down to Visit our sister sites. That must be one wacky family! Enjoy.

Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings
Tax the Rich

Movie Monday

As I look at the Occupy protests in the US, I really don't see much hope for the rise of economic progressive policies without an economic regime change. And that ain't goin' happen without a lot of violence. Just how do you rid the US of its oppressive capitalist system? A system which has been falsely but cleverly tied to our political system so that so, so many Americans believe that a blow to capitalism is a blow to representative government.

Occupy protests are not like the Vietnam War protests (which were also met with police brutality and government indifference) in that the VW protests were largely eliminated when the draft was ended; which basically removed the affluent college-aged student out of the killing equation which war always is. The poor became the military recruiting pool and the rich went on for advanced degrees - no blow to capitalism there.

Today however the Occupy protests are gnawing at the clay feet of capitalism. They dare to raise voices against banks and the financial markets. While capitalism will throw some of their sacred babies to the wolves in order to keep their status quo, I think they see the Occupy threat as a possible fatal body blow to their brand of capitalism, which it may be, and, to their dying breath, they won't let this happen.

Movies may show us that the little guy does win in the end (Meet John Doe); reality shows us differently.

Which is a long way to bring me to my movie pick: Even the Water and again, it's a foreign (Spanish) film. A film crew goes to Bolivia to make a realistic movie of Columbus' enslavement of the native population he found in the new world and they get caught in violent anti-government, anti-US protests when Bolivia sells water rights to American corporations and the corporations decree that the natives can no longer collect rain water. (This is based on a true event.) It's obvious that the film crew wants nothing to do with the protests but when their lead native actor becomes the lead native activist in the protests, they find they must protect him in order to protect their project.

We, the audience, get the Columbus inhumanity/corporation inhumanity comparison early on but it wasn't the message of the rich and powerful are bastards down through the centuries which hooked me. It was the fact that the "hero" who emerged from the film crew was your least likely candidate. Even the Water allows one character to verbalize progressive, humanitarian ideas but when the going gets tough (and it does get tough); he bails and the least likely person takes on the hero mantle.

Which, for me, makes this a realistic morality tale. It's not the crescendo music, Hollywood ending of the average-man hero walking forward into a bright future, arm around the woman he loves. It's a tale which tells me people can make changes if they are willing to endure perhaps savage hardships. It tells me that the least unlikely people will do the right thing sometimes. It gives me a faint hope, a very faint hope, that America can change.

But don't see this movie because I got some message of hope from it. See it because it's well-acted, realistic and adult. It's definitely worth a viewing.

Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings
Tax the Rich

Knitting Friday

This has been a week of finishing knitting projects. Three shells are done and three shawls. It's so bad that I have a brief trip in a week with no substantial bring-along knitting.

This a.m., I pulled the weed whacker cord (excellent for blocking crescent shaped/round shawls) from my white wool crescent shawl (see 9/16/11 post for the pattern) which measures 100" x 32". That is one big mother! I was always planning on wearing it as a very large open scarf since with make-up (including lipstick) no way can I wrap a white shawl around my face as I do with my dead-of-winter shawls.

Right now, I'm soaking the knitted crescent shawl I talked about on 9/23/11. However, from then till now, a lot has changed.

First, I learned that P3tog can get tricky with lace yarn and no lace needles. P2togs, K2tog, seem to work OK, but that extra stitch w/o lace needles can prove a disaster. And an disaster is what happened. I was tooling along with my trinity stitch (*P3tog, K-P-K in one stitch*) happy as a lark until I did a look-see and saw and one of the stitches in the P3tog running free, many rows down.

Bad news: I sent the shawl to the frog pond. Good news: I ordered three Chiagoo Red Lace needles in US 6, 8 and 10. (Side note: I've read a lot about lace needles on Ravelry and the consensus seems to be that Chiagoo lace needles are the pointiest. But if you want Chiagoo lace, make sure it's the Red Lace needles, not the Red needles.)

So there I was with two skeins of Knit Pick lace in a variegated green and no pattern. I stumbled on a Vogue shawl pattern which was only a basic pattern I use all the time. Three rows of K and one row of *YO, K2tog*. I usually make my shells with this pattern but I thought: The picture is pretty. Why don't I try this as a shawl?

I started my ubiquitous crescent shaped shawl but, wouldn't you know it, pretty soon I noticed a free roaming slipped stitch about 4 rows down. I did a lot of grumbling but finally decided to visit the frog pond again with this yarn.

And then the miracle happened. With all the stitches pulled from the needle and my hand ready to start ripping, I put the shawl on my shoulders and looked in the mirror. Talk about a last minute reprieve! This simple pattern looked great! Here's a picture of it, early on in the knitting. It was not much to look at then and even soaking right now, I can't imagine what size I'm going to get. However, no way did I ever expect that white shawl to get so huge.

I decided to block first and then add a border of crab stitch. I'll let you know how that works.

Right now, I'm waiting for a weather change so I can wear some of these beauties. I sorted my winter clothes from summer about two weeks ago but the weather didn't get the hint. I find I never have the right outerwear for that short period when spring just hasn't moved into summer or fall hasn't gotten the memo to let winter in. My dream is to find the perfect spring and fall coats that look hot with shawls. Maybe I should go shopping.........

Happy knitting.

Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings
Tax the Rich

Website Wednesday

Not feeling optimistic. Obama is cracking down on medical marijuana? What? Just where does this guy stand? Only with the healthy and the rich?

My mom got a call from Obama headquarters asking for money. They told her that she could pay by credit card right away. She told them to have Obama ask Wall Street for the money since he had done so much for them. They didn't like that. Feisty mom.

But then I found this website:

http://www.good.is/

which has been around since 2006 and says of itself: GOOD is a collaboration of individuals, businesses, and nonprofits pushing the world forward. Since 2006 we've been making a magazine, videos, and events for people who give a damn.

It's nice to find people who give a damn about the world. They may be naive and be trying to turn us into Martin Buber's ultimate human relationship, I and thou, and away from the cold human contact of I and it. (Google Martin Buber I and thou and it'll all become clear.)

But I'd rather have people listening to the Robert Kennedy quote (traceable to Shaw) of: Some people see things as they are and say why? I dream things that never were and say why not? than listening to the line from the Miniver Cheevy poem: Miniver sighed for what was not,/And dreamed, and rested from his labors; (Edwin Arlington)

GOOD is informative and fun to read. You'll learn about current stuff like that black lab who helps his deaf sister, or why Occupy Wall Street needs friends among Democrats, or last nights' GOP debate.

There are community feedback articles like What would you have on your bucket list? or Where do you want to see America in 10 years?

They have a lot of informational charts (ex., women's health) with sources, slide shows (ex., marginalized religions) - I LOVE slide shows, and videos (ex., Khan Academy) - and I love KA also.

So take a walk around GOOD. There's a lot to see and read. After all, we all need some good in our lives. Enjoy.

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Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings
Tax the Rich

Website Wednesday

Not feeling optimistic. Obama is cracking down on medical marijuana? What? Just where does this guy stand? Only with the healthy and the rich?

My mom got a call from Obama headquarters asking for money. They told her that she could pay by credit card right away. She told them to have Obama ask Wall Street for the money since he had done so much for them. They didn't like that. Feisty mom.

But then I found this website:

http://www.good.is/

which has been around since 2006 and says of itself: GOOD is a collaboration of individuals, businesses, and nonprofits pushing the world forward. Since 2006 we've been making a magazine, videos, and events for people who give a damn.

It's nice to find people who give a damn about the world. They may be naive and be trying to turn us into Martin Buber's ultimate human relationship, I and thou, and away from the cold human contact of I and it. (Google Martin Buber I and thou and it'll all become clear.)

But I'd rather have people listening to the Robert Kennedy quote (traceable to Shaw) of: Some people see things as they are and say why? I dream things that never were and say why not? than listening to the line from the Miniver Cheevy poem: Miniver sighed for what was not,/And dreamed, and rested from his labors; (Edwin Arlington)

GOOD is informative and fun to read. You'll learn about current stuff like that black lab who helps his deaf sister, or why Occupy Wall Street needs friends among Democrats, or last nights' GOP debate.

There are community feedback articles like What would you have on your bucket list? or Where do you want to see America in 10 years?

They have a lot of informational charts (ex., women's health) with sources, slide shows (ex., marginalized religions) - I LOVE slide shows, and videos (ex., Khan Academy) - and I love KA also.

So take a walk around GOOD. There's a lot to see and read. After all, we all need some good in our lives. Enjoy.

Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings

Tax the Rich

Website Wednesday

OK, I guess I'm in the nesting mode because what attracted me to this section of the iVillage website:

http://www.ivillage.com/home-organization-ideas/7-b-328549#328549

was their 50 unique organizational ideas, with comments. I love to look at how others store their stuff. Take a look at the 5th slide: that is one neat office. Of course, I wonder how much work gets done there, outside of constant straightening. Or the library in number 6. Look at all those neat books and extremely uncomfortable chairs. There are 52 slides and every type of room seems to get representation, even a three-bed small attic dormer bedroom, with storage.

You probably know that iVillage is owned by NBC Universal, gets about 34 million unique visitors a month and is the largest community-driven website for women. (Wikipedia) Sorry guys.

So you also probably know that iVillage ain't only about storage ideas. So grab a cup of coffee, (I would love to add: and grab a bagel and butter but, their Diet and Fitness section is shouting: NO! NO!) and click away along the top bar. You won't be disappointed.

Gotta go. Knit and Crochet Today is back on the PBS Create channel in a few minutes. I have become such a nester this week! Enjoy.

Next week: How about: Preparing your backpack for a trip down the Amazon in a canoe?

Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings

Tax the Rich

Thoughts on Tuesday

When I read yesterday (Huffington Post) that Obama considers himself the underdog in 2012, I nearly lost it. He's the underdog? Wow! And how could he have possibly gotten there? It reminds me of that classic defense when the boy who killed him mom and dad throws himself on the mercy of the court as an orphan.

I remember vividly the angst I felt almost three years ago to the day when the presidential election was a month away and specter of a McCain/Palin victory was still a possibility. Of course, I didn't know until well after the election that the Democrats knew from polling that by October 2008 they had captured the presidency. So, I dutifully donated even more money that October for as my husband said: How will we feel if we don't donate more and he loses?

He should have said: How will we feel if we do donate more and he wins?

During the Bush/Kerry election cycle, I spent so much time waiting for Kerry to respond to accusations. For example: he got "swiftboated" and didn't mount a vigorous denial and counter-offensive. So I said: Well, it's summer. The news cycle is dormant during the summer. Wait until after Labor Day. Then Labor Day passed and I said: Well, voters have short memories. He's going to mount a blitzkrieg publicity offensive in October. I guess we all know how that election turned out.

I was excited when Obama got elected. I thought his election night speech was electric. But it didn't take me long to realize he was great with speeches but even greater with appeasement. And I mean appeasement, not compromise. Whether it was his insane belief that he could work with the medical/pharmaceutical establishment and achieve a health plan beneficial to the average American, or his "making nice" with a Republican congress both before and after the 210 mid-term elections while looking for a payback, or his bluster speech to Israel telling them it was about time they got serious about Middle East peace; when things got tough and push-back was needed, he bailed.

His recent speech before gay rights groups where he condemned the booing of a gay soldier at the Republican event was an easy pot-shot at his opponents. That didn't take any balls.

Making a lightening visit to the Occupy Wall Street protesters, shaking some hands and saying he understands their problems would have been ballsy. Of course, it didn't and wouldn't happen.

So Obama will just keep lamenting his hard road to reelection. Bemoaning that the progressive base of his party just doesn't understand him or is just too radical to have its views considered. Never understanding that when you lead with the personality of a golden retriever all you get is your belly rubbed and a ball to chase.

What a pity. Not for Obama, but for any hope this country had that Americans, other than the rich, would have a representative government.