Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings
Tax the Rich

Website Wednesday

I keep waiting for Obama to do the one thing that might justify my voting for him in 2012. But nada. This week we removed our funding from UNESCO because it seated the Palestinians as a member. Jesus H Christ! Yes, I know that US had to do this because Congress in the 1990s in honor of the dead Tom Lantos decided what the world needed for world peace was a law saying the US could not belong to any UN group the Palestinians were a part of. Great thinking, guys, as usual.

So Obama pulled the US plug on the group, quietly of course, without announcing: Hey, folks, I know this is stupid but my hands are tied (and don't expect me to do anything to untie them.)

But, I think the nail in the coffin was the White House's rejection this week of a petition to legalize medical marijuana. The mind boggles at the stupidity in high places.

Which leads me to my pick this week: People of Influence

http://cliptank.com/ab/PeopleofInfluencePainting2.htm

First, this is one big picture so you may need to refresh the screen before it all appears. Then you may want to scroll around identifying all the famous faces. And finally, the fun begins. Click on each person and get sent to his/her biography. It seems that Wikipedia is the only source for these biographies but all throughout the bios are links to more secondary source material.

The people pictured range through the centuries with the important (Stalin, Da Vinci) to the entertaining (Shirley Temple. Bruce Lee.) There's a real Asian influence since the painter are Chinese: Dai Dudu, Li Tiezi, and Zhang An and can be found in the upper right by Dante. Which is probably the most appropriate spot for them since the title of this painting is Discussing The Divine Comedy with Dante.

It's interesting to see whom the artists allowed to make the cut. Examples: Arafat and Sharon, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, Bill Gates and Marlon Brando in his Godfather garb. I bet you don't know Norman Bethune. Here, you can read about this Scot Canadian's medical care journey which finally led him to China.

So let me stop typing so you can start reading. It's not a one-stop visit this time. And don't forget to click on the non-human and inanimate objects; most of them have interesting stories to tell.

Enjoy.

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.

Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings

Tax the Rich

Knitting Friday

I'm posting without the promised picture but with a boring explanation and also, as a bonus, I hope, some knitting thoughts of value.

First, the explanation: Well, I'm discovering my shawl pattern design (2 stitch increase, each side, every row) works better with crocheting than with knitting. My original knit pattern of just rows of *YO, K2tog* produced a very tight and puckered edge. Which, of course, makes sense since the 2 K edge stitches produce a much tighter gauge than rows and rows of *YO, K2tog.* So that pattern, which was going to be my picture for today, returned to the frog pond.

Then, I began again on the old reliable trinity stitch and worked along quite well until I found a P3tog which was picked up as a P2tog some rows down. So this became another trip to the frog pond. (More on this below.)

Finally, I found the Vogue pattern Symphony. No, I'm not going to link because it's really the old stitch pattern I use in so many sweaters: 3 rows K; 1 row, *YO, K2tog.*

That pattern is working finally and I promise a picture next week. (It's too little right now to have it's picture taken. )

And, now on to a few random knitting/crocheting tips:

1. For waits in MD offices (or in my my case, DDS offices) bring crocheting (if you can crochet) not knitting. Not even simple knitting. Why? Because for all the faults knitters may find with crocheting, it's an easier craft to rip out. And, believe me, because I know from much hard experience, that you will make mistakes knitting in public. Especially in situations where you move from one area to another, dragging your project along.

2. Knit Picks nickel-plated interchangeable needles are really nice but P3tog needs lace tip needles. You can do P2tog,, K2tog, or ssk on regular tip needles but working lace without lace tip needles on combinations of three or more stitches joined together can lead to disaster. You must be very, very careful to gather all three stitches together and I don't look as knitting slow as knitting fun.

3. If you are a serious knitter and can afford it, buy the best needles you can. You don't have to go the whole 9 yards and buy every size in expensive needles (good needles are not cheap but they do range from moderately priced to high-priced.) Just get good needles in the sizes you use. For me, that would be US, 8, 9. 10, 10.5, and 11. Though I use US 13, 15, and 17, I think I can make do with the big store brands here. I would also get a US 6 in a lace tip and I would probably start with the US 8 through 11 sizes in lace tips though I might add the regular tips to these sizes also. Tomorrow, I'm going to AC Moore to check out the new Susan Bates line. I know it's a Big Box store but with my coupon (the new Susan Bates run $12 and that's moving up to Addi needles prices), I'm going to try only one size to start.

OK, gotta stop. I've been writing this blog since before lunch; just too many interruptions. See you next week.

Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings

Tax the Rich

Website Wednesday

As I tell everyone who will listen (or at least pretend that they're listening), I worked hard for the election of Obama almost 4 years ago because I was hoping with his election, I won't have to emigrate to Canada.

Now I'm four years older and I might be revisiting such a move since Obama may be a one-term president. That's one reason Obama is not on my "invite him to the party" list at present.

He, like Corzine (previous NJ gov who lost to Christie), fought hard to get to the position in which one failed and one has (as a former adviser said) a Titanic struggle to win reelection. Corzine left an oh-so-safe Senate seat to run for NJ gov and Obama fought hard against Hillary Clinton for his party's nomination.

Then, they both governed like they knew nothing about the art of power. They squandered achievements, ignored necessary political sound bites and watched a sea of red politics engulf them lacking the wherewithal to stem this tide.

Now, everything is converging into perfect symmetry as Christie, acting like the shy virgin at her first prom, insists he is not running for the Republican presidential nomination while making speeches with bon mots like: (Obama) still has not found the courage to lead.

Wow! Even this non-candidate knows how to eviscerate a potential opponent. Christie, bully that he is (and I don't dismiss that as a minor fault), has reduced Obama to the defensive mode, and the battle hasn't even started.

So that's where I am, folks. I haven't been a happy camper for a long time. Forget about climate change wiping out our species; Americans are going to dumb themselves to death long before that happens.

But I do have a great website pick:

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/

This is the Smithsonian Magazine online and it's a treasure trove. And assuming Smithsonian = federally funded museum vs. tax-phobic Congress = budget cuts, you'd better take long looks at this site before it becomes a slashed line on next year's budget.

Where do I begin? Currently, you can read about the jaguar (that is one magnificent animal) freeway proposed from Mexico to Argentina. It's a five page article with pictures (not a USA Today summary article) written as a first person feature article so you get the folksy tone with a lot of facts.

Or read a retrospective of Willem de Kooning and be sure to click on View More Photos for over 30 examples of his work. On the last page you'll learn that the author of this article, Mark Stevens, is the co-author of a Pulitzer Prize book on de Kooning.

Check Trending Topics in the right column. One topic lists 38 articles on the US Civil War. Be sure to go through all the categories listed at the top of the page and then check the Editor's Picks (right column) for each category.

OK, if you've read these Wednesday picks before, you know the drill. Just click around and enjoy the reading and the pictures. You won't be disappointed.

Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings

Tax the Rich

Movie Monday

OK, not to beat a dead horse (what a horrible image!) though I'm about to. I'd like to revisit The Other Woman, this time with spoilers. I watched it again yesterday being mad at myself again for crying; not tearing up but just this side of bawling.

I guess I want to look at this movie for a second week because I think it shows what's wrong with American establishment cinema: the lack of character development, the plot moves and the actors just follow.

In bad movies, you see these flaws immediately but good actors can take you along for the ride and you find yourself giving a rating of 5 stars without even knowing what happened. (Let me clarify something: I can like a bad movie. I can watch and enjoy one; in fact, I've done so many times. The Land of the Lost comes to mind.)

It's not that American movies don't have important themes; it's just that these themes seem to be hammered into you with too many examples or just allowed to float into the ether without a second glance.

Let's take some themes from TOW: infidelity. Jack is as "guilty" as Emilia here. She's attracted to him. She visits his house and walks into the room where his son is watching TV. She knows she's breaking up a family. Soon, we discover Jack will accompany Emilia out of town for some routine law work (Why is a partner doing this type of work? Emilia asks - my paraphrase) and then he accompanies her to her hotel room (But we passed your floor. Emilia says.) So both conspire to betray Jack's wife.

There's a theme here, folks: young woman pursuing/being pursued by an older, wealthy married man and only considering their immediate pleasure. OK, I'm not planning to moralize about this but I do wonder: Jack blithely betrays his wife with a 20-something. Only once? Doesn't anyone think he'll be betraying Emilia in time? Does Emilia (Harvard graduate and attorney) even once think about this possibility?

Then there's the wife, Carolyn. Lisa Kudrow nails the professionally successful, bitter, spiteful woman, who is a very good mother. A fact which is lost in the cloud of her bitterness and hostility towards Emilia. But, why shouldn't she be? This young woman arrived and destroyed her marriage and she now has to share her son with the bitch. However, she is the only adult who is able to rise above her feelings. When her son is upset because Emilia thinks she smothered her 3-day daughter, Carolyn, goes out of her way (and works past her intense dislike) to research the autopsy results thoroughly and then meets with Emilia to put to rest her fears. She still loathes the young woman but she is able to think of her son's needs.

And that's more than Jack does. The movie never explores the tremendous guilt and grief a SIDS mom feels. We see the motions - looking at Isabel's pictures, participating in a walk of hope - but when Emilia, still filled with grief, lashes out at her father in front of everyone, Jack's reaction is not one of understanding. And, Jack's lack of understanding just escalates when Emilia realizing she is not guilty in Isabel's death wants a reconciliation, Jack refuses.

Wow! Infidelity Infant death. Grief management. Anger management. I'm not even going to go into the step-family dynamics and much more. All powerful themes, yet all treated like a Lifetime movie (not that there is any wrong with those.)

But some much of this is what's wrong with American cinema of this genre. We haven't moved out the 1930's mode of problems, angst, resolution, and a happy ending. We're still rewriting that script for the zillionth time.

There must be a middle ground worth exploring between saccharine and life's a bitch and then you die. It's called the middle ground where real people live but America cinema is not ready to go there. Pity.

Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings

Tax the Rich

Knitting Friday

Not a picture today. In fact, not much of anything because I just realized that September does indeed have only 30 days and if I don't work on my October newsletter ASAP, I can probably kiss that month goodbye.

However, I do have some random knitting thoughts to share:

1. My top-down wool vest in a very simple lace pattern (*YO, K2tog) using four different colors of KP Palette is coming into the home stretch. (Oh, how I love those sport allusions!) I started with the darkest color for the neck band. Then I followed that with stripes of white, very, very light beige, light beige, medium beige, and then the darkest color (dark beige) again. This wool is a dream to work it and when I finish this project, I'll only have 92 full skeins of Palette left.

2. I realized that as long as the pattern has a resting row (an all K or all P row), I can work a multiple of a 4 stitch pattern for the shawl I posted last week.

Last week, of course, was a crocheted shawl with 2 increases each side on every row. Here's a quick pattern for the same type shawl in knit which I'm making now.

CO 8 stitches.
1. K in the front and back of the first and last two stitches of every row until the shawl is as long as you want it.
2. When you reach your length, just K (no increases) the first two stitches at the beginning and end of every row.
3. When your shawl is the width you want, bind off loosely.
4. And what about the shawl pattern in-between? Right now, I'm working a variation of the trinity stitch which is:
Trinity Stitch Variation: Multiple of 4 sts.
Row 1: *(K, front, back, front in one stitch), P3tog* Note: this row can be worked with the P3tog first.
Row 2 RS: *P*
That's it. Just be sure you don't increase within the pattern. That is, if you work an extra (K, front, back, front in one stitch) at the end of a row. If you do that, your pattern won't line up properly and your shawl shape with be wonky. Be sure that your P3tog "bobbles" line up on every other Row 1.

Row 1: xxx B xxx B xxx
Row 2: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Row 1: B xxx B xxx B
Row 2: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Row 1: xxx B xxx B xxx
Row 2: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Row 1: B xxx B xxx B

See how it should look?

While this knit version seems to be working well, it is much slower, especially in lace. Now, I want to search for more 4 stitch patterns and practice with heavier yarn and larger needles.

Next week, I'll post a proper pattern and a picture.

See you then. Happy knitting!

Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings

Tax the Rich

Website Wednesday

Lately, I've been thinking (not always a good thing to do) that the human species really has no value except perhaps as a stepping stone genetically to a species which does have some value. Of course, by saying this, I'm talking about human moral values which I believe provide a glimmer of a "soul" we may truly possess one day. But evolution is a tricky thing and the next step for mankind is a genetic crap-shoot. I can hear baboons saying as they look at man: This is an evolutionary step forward?

Of course, being an atheist I can have this thoughts. That is, I can look at the world humans have created and sink into massive depression while religious people would have to look at the shit-hole so much of the world is and just offer up another prayer. Thank god I'm an atheist!

Along the thread of this thought process, let me present my website pick:

http://www.infocobuild.com/books-and-films/social-science/terry-jones-medieval-lives.html

It's a series of videos on groups of people in the Middle Ages: peasants, damsels, minstrels, knights, outlaws, etc. It's narrated by Terry Jones of Monty Python fame so it's rather light but it looks historically accurate. Jones starts out with peasant life and then segues into the Peasant Revolt. If you remember that scene from MP and the Holy Grail where the peasants discuss philosophy and then offer the observation that you can tell a king from a peasant because he doesn't have any shit on him, you'll understand the tone and purpose of these videos: breaking down some medieval myths with humor.

Americans are long on opinions but short on historical knowledge. Unfortunately, I don't think I ever taught a kid who came into class liking history. The closest I ever got to wonderment about history was when a student was stunned that I knew so much about the Middle Ages. Implied in that astonishment was the feeling: Why bother about stuff that's not in your present world? (Except for help in passing tests, of course.)

So take a look at these videos. They're about 30 minutes each do don't forget to bookmark the site unless you have a large chunk of free time ahead.

Look at these videos as an easy way to brush up on your history. Since, like it or not, you'll living history right now and what you and I do here will affect our children's and the world's future. If we learn about our past we may be able to avoid those historical blunders which have unforeseen consequences. (Repeal of Glass-Steagall ring a bell?)

Enjoy.

Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings

Tax the Rich

Movie Monday

This should be a month when we remember Richard Gere in Chicago (where he literally tap dances around the evidence in Roxie's diary in order to convince the jury she's really innocent) as we watch the USA tap dance around the facts trying to convince the rest of the world that the Palestinians don't deserve statehood.

Remember when I commented that Obama's seemingly even-handed speech re: Israel and Mideast peace was a good start but we had to watch for the follow-up? Well, folks, the follow-up never came or rather did come in the form of more Israeli illegal settlements. I guess Obama can add the Mideast peace process to his list of "Things I'd Rather Not Tackle During My Presidency." It must be a very long list by now; I hope he has enough paper.

But let's approach two indie films, one USA and one Australia, where we can see even here how the US is out of touch with the rest of the world. The first film is The Other Woman starring Natalie Portman; the second The Japanese Story with Toni Collette. Both deal with emotions and sadness, but there the similarity ends. For in the American made TOW, we get a Lifetime channel soap-movie. It deals with family problems - infidelity, loss of a child, the step-mom - but it seems to tell us only to listen to the the female characters - Portman as the step-mom; Lisa Kudrow as the first wife (who is given the only dialogue with an edge) and Debra Monk as Portman's mom. The men just appear to be acted on. In fact, the only male who makes a difference is Portman's pre-puberty step son (no way do I believe that kid was an adolescent as stated in the blurb) who proves the deus ex machina ending American directors seem to love.

Oh yes, I cried during TOW; not teared-up, I cried. It plays on the fear of all moms but that doesn't make it a good movie. Perhaps a happy ending is so ingrained in the American psyche, especially when dealing with our sacred cow, the American family, that even with indies, if you're making a typical family drama, you had better end it happy or at least with the hope of happy.

The Japanese Story doesn't go that route. While we're not dealing with mom and apple pie here, (Collette plays a pissed off geologist who is given the job of chauffeuring the scion of the Japanese family which owns her Australian employer around the outback.) this is still is human emotion story. And when the wallop comes about 2/3 in the film, I thought: OK, that was scary. How are they going to fix it? But, of course, they don't. No deus ex machina appears. A relationship which was advancing suddenly stops dead. Shit happens and we have to deal with it.

Of course, it doesn't hurt the movie that we're treated to breathtaking scenes of the Australian outback. Perhaps that scenery was the sucker-bait; we're lulled into the beauty and danger of the country (they almost die when their jeep gets stuck in the dirt) as these two people of different cultures grow to like each other. So, while we're expecting a troubled ending (the guy is married), it's not the troubled ending we get.

Maybe that's why I can sit through foreign films, subtitles and all; foreign realism is realism (Oh yes, I know that foreign films are not immune from the boredom odometer); while US realism is just hurdle on the way to a happy ending.

How did we culturally get there? That's a field for deep study, but I do know our movies spent the Great Depression (1930s) presenting a lot of sophisticated fluff when the world was on fire and today, as the US sinks into second world status, we're keen on producing over-the top CGI movies or adolescent boys' frat movies.

So take a look at The Japanese Story. It's a small movie and worth the look. Skip The Other Woman or wait until it comes to Lifetime.

Final question: I watched as much of The Green Hornet this weekend as I could before heaving. The question: How do these dogs get financing?

Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings

Tax the Rich

Knitting Friday

What a lousy blogger I have been! Do you want excuses? Or how about a pattern? Let's go with the latter:


The picture on the left is the shawl I have been heralding for some time now. It's my own pattern, but it's so simple that I'm ashamed to call it such. I was working along with a typical top-down shawl pattern with increases in the center and at the ends. I always have trouble with those because by Row 7, I'm forgetting if this is the row I increase both center and ends or just the ends.

So, out of laziness, I said: What would happen if I increased two stitches each side on every row?

My first project was with thin cotton crochet thread in beige and I got a summer shawl which I wore all summer. Then I bought a skein of Aunt Lydia's crochet cotton in black. I wasn't happy about this purchase because Aunt Lydia and I had never been BFFs (no problems with her products, I just didn't know her) but she was a dream to crochet. You're looking at the shawl done in 1 skein of AL on the left. As you an see, I got the crescent shape and wonder of wonders, it stays on your shoulders.

My latest crochet version of this shawl was done in Coats and Clark nylon thread. Pictures of that on another Friday but with that one, I added picots along the bottom and the crab stitch along the top.

I've made this shawl also knitted but at this point only with US 17. I want to work it out with smaller needles before posting the knitted version.

But on to the Easy Lace Crocheted Shawl:
Materials: 1 ball Aunt Lydia mercerized cotton #10, 350 yards
H hook, (Note: I was interested in making an open summer shawl. If you want a winter shawl, you can adjust the hook size to match the yarn.)
20" middle depth, 51" from tip to tip; makes a stay-on-your-shoulders, crescent shape
Increase Section:
Row 1. Ch 5 and join for a loop.
Row 2. *Ch 5 & work 1 single crochet (sc)* in loop, 2 times (xs). You have two loops. Turn
Row 3. Ch5 & 1 sc in each loop, 2 times. You have 4 loops. Turn
Row 4. Ch5 & 1 sc in 1st loop 2 times, *Ch5 & 1 sc* only one time in each loop across. Last loop: ch 5 & 1 sc 2xs. Turn. You increase (inc) 1 loop in the 1st and last loop every row. Work Row 4 to 76 loops. End your last row with 2 increases in the first and last loops. Turn
(Try the shawl on and if it's the length you want, proceed to the straight knitting. If not, continue to increase each side as above until you are at your desired length.
Straight (no increases) section:
All rows: *Ch 5 & sc* in each loop across. Turn (No incs in the 1st and last loop.)
Continue this straight section until your shawl is the width you want.
You can end the shawl by just finishing the last row or you can add picots or any other edging you want.
Blocking:
I blocked my shawl on an ironing board by stretching it out over a towel and wet blocking it with a soaking wet linen handkerchief and a hot iron which barely touched the shawl.
Once the entire shawl is blocked this way, work blocking wires or flexible tubing through the top of the shawl and hang from a clothes line to dry completely. (Note: Blocking really opens the loops. I didn't block with my nylon shawl because the weight of the thread opened the loops.)
Weave in the starting and ending yarn and it's ready to wear.
This is absolutely the easier shawl in the world to crochet. Also, it's a great traveling project and gift project. Enjoy.
(If you find any mistakes in the directions, please tell me.)