Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings
Tax the Rich

Website Wednesday

Busy day so a short posting.

This is a fun but challenging physics game:

http://www.onlyfungames.com/playgame/1436/in-the-bucket.html

(Click the link "In The Bucket" to get to the playing screen.) You have to get 10 balls into a bucket using various props on each level. You may want to turn down the sound since after about 20 replays, the music grates.

I've never been on Only Fun Games before,

http://www.onlyfungames.com/

but it looks like you click the game once and then again in a separate screen before you get to play it Unfortunately, you get the annoying commercial first though turning down your speakers solves the sound part of them.

Planning, physics and logic seem to be involved with most (all?) of the games. Tiger and Monster I get; Escape the Musical Hall (room escape) I've played elsewhere ; Eva - Rescue Tom seems to have controls problems.

Only Fun Games seems to be a middle man site in that clicking their games connects you to games off site. Which, of course, leads to even more games when you hit "More Games" at the new site.

I didn't get any virus alerts as I cruised; always a good sign. So while I can't promise good quality on all the games, take a look. I bet you could kill hours this way.

And speaking about killing hours; gotta go. Enjoy.

Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings
Tax the Rich

Movie Monday

Things, they are a changin'.

Now, I realize that successful capitalism is a Ponzi scheme; you have to convince a vast amount of people that they need and want stuff, a lot of stuff.

Movies are no different. You have to convince millions of people that they want to get in their cars, drive to a movie theater, perhaps gorge at the concession stands on more calories than they should have in a week and then sit for up to 3+ hours, perhaps in a climatically uncomfortable room filled with squeals, shouts and chatter and watch a movie.

Movie PR people have to do a lot of fancy tap dancing to convince the public that week after week, year after year, this is all worth it.

Enter the movie infomercial. Perhaps I was asleep at the switch before but, as I said last week, it was during a Water for Elephants half-hour TV program that I realized all the show was missing was George Foreman hawking his grill (which really wasn't that bad, BTW.)

I heard how great the screen writer, directors, actors......everybody involved with this project was. Geniuses all! Working on this film was one big MENSA party. Great brains, great fun, great product.

And then, like the heroine in Working Girl, I read another blurb about the movies (watch WG and you'll see what I mean): Peter Jackson and others were protesting a new plan to send movies to DVDs about a week after their release. No more lead time so build word of mouth; if you flop at the box office on opening weekend, you're shipped off in a jewel case.

And all this got me thinking: I'm a pretty fair critic of movies but I'm watching them in an ideal setting. No squirming in my seat for 3 hours. No missing a section for a bathroom break. No inability to multitask while watching.

Perhaps, that's why I, unlike so many professional critics can give Robert Pattinson a break. I liked Remember Me. I really like How To Be. (In fact, I think the 2nd movie is his genre: laconic, confused, 1960's rebel, dry wit, fucked-up, messy.)

When I look at movies, I'm comfortable and happy like a warm puppy. Perhaps, that's why I would rate Cassandra's Dream much higher than the 46% on Rotten Tomatoes and How To Be higher than the audience reaction (not enough critics saw it for their rating to be recorded) of 54%.

Which all brings me back to capitalism, the Ponzi scheme and the movies. Decry though I may, for the foreseeable future, capitalism is here to stay. And with it, that very profitable, very large industry called the movies is also.

But perhaps, it's time for the means of distribution to change. Perhaps it's time for only a few movies to land in the movie houses. Perhaps most should be made for near-immediate DVD release. Perhaps, the home viewer should become the movie critic.

Just an idea. Enjoy.

Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings
Tax the Rich

Website Wednesday

There was no Movie Monday because I started to think about the whole medium of movies after I saw a show on ReelZ TV promoting Water for Elephants and I thought: I'm watching a bloody infomercial! The only difference being George Foreman is not going to step out and ask me to buy his grill. More on this next Monday.

I've listened to an entire course on the US Civil War and Reconstruction from the open courses program from Yale. Not my favorite university but then I have a problem with elitism in anything. But, I do think they have excellent free online courses. Here's the link to all the Yale courses, which I think I may have posted before with a list of other free online courses:

http://oyc.yale.edu/ just click on "History" in the left column.

Right now, I'm listening to John Merriman's course on European Civilization, 1648 - 1945. He speaks faster than I do but if you want a great explanation of what capitalism is all about and the damage it can do without government restraints, listen to him.

My website pick this Wednesday is:

http://aggsliterature.wordpress.com/

I must be in the learning mode but i love english literature is worth the view, and then some. I'm not going to spoil the trip so just click around. For example, you can learn The Observer's top 100 novel picks or read letters from WWI soldiers.

It's a current blog; the latest entry was April 2. Don't forget to scroll way down to the bottom for the Archives and Blog Roll.

Got to go now and see if I can squeeze out 50+ minutes for another Merriman lecture.

Enjoy.

Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings
Tax the Rich

Knitting Friday

OK, I wasn't going to post today because I've been nursing the beginnings of a dental implant with some bone grafting so my whole week has been planning three good meals a day so the antibiotic doesn't rip out my GI tract. I like to eat on the run with a minimum of fats or carbohydrates so this is hard.

But less than an hour ago I had to call Knit Picks to tell them that my nickel-plated steel T-pins had rusted. And I mean big time. It was a slow process or else, wherever you were in the world, you would have heard my scream when I discovered rust spots on my Mystery Advent Shawl. But that was my first blocking project so that one was OK. However, today as I'm unpinning a cotton white shawl I see the rust spots big time. For some reasons, I blocked this one upside down and I only have two stains on the right side.

Now looking at the pins, I see major scaly-feeling rust spots. Very discouraging.

Knit Picks has an excellent customer service and they'll send me new pins. (We both agreed that the wet-blocking I do is exactly what they advertise.) However, I''m pretty gun-shy thinking that I may be starting this rusting cycle again. So I've been scouring the Internet for knitting T-pins in pure stainless steel. I wonder if a place like Home Depot would have an equivalent? I really thought my quest was over when I got Knit Picks blocking wires and T-pins. But the hunt continues.

On another note, I'm teaching Russian joining and splicing to my needlework group on Monday. I finished a 20 color shawl to show that by using these methods you can knit with only two yarn ends. I'll post a picture next week.

Happy knitting.

Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings
Tax the Rich

Movie Monday

About a half hour into last night''s installment of the Mildred Pierce saga, I'm thinking: Can I just turn it off now and bitch-blog about this installment? But I didn't and as the poets have said: That made all the difference.

Because at this half hour point, like magic, Mildred Pierce took off. OK, it was still a lackluster tale of a frumpy housewife with a bitchy, selfish daughter but, like, it just jelled and for the rest of show to the final credits I sorta, kinda, cared.

Helping it along was the fact that Evan Rachel Wood arrived to play the grown-up Veda and she can act. She's a match for her mom and the scenes between the two become more emotionally charged. Wood plays a much, more evil Veda almost as a gentler, kinder Veda and I was surprised at my surprise (got that?) at the ending. I really didn't see it coming. I thought I had already looked into the depth of Veda's cunning, but I hadn't.

At the 1/2 hour point, the film editor seemed to have arrived. The pace picked up; not that important things start happening but everything seems to twirl just a bit faster.

Minuses?
1. Still no sexual chemistry between Winslet and Pearce. I realized last night that though Winslet is the Oscar winner and occupies the lead role; Pearce is much the better actor here. I see acting seams with Winslet. With Pearce, I'm watching a dissolute, insouciant Monty but with insights and understanding. I get Monty by fade-out and Pearce brings some redemptive qualities to his persona.
2. This movie does not have the look of the 1930s. From the street scenes to the clothes, it's crying out at least 10 years later. For example, while I'm not an expert on '30s clothes, I do know vintage knitting. Mildred wears an attractive green cardigan in one scene. You can see some of the interesting stitch work but it hangs open and loosely. 30s cardigans had a very fitted look - that's the reason I never make these patterns. Later, I noticed Letty in a Hooverette apron, definitely from the '30s, but that was an anomaly.
4. Veda has a great voice. Did I have to hear more than one song? Small point but it reminded me that I really don't like opera.
5. Winslet played this role in a dowdy fashion. No way can I believe, Monty is describing her when he talks about her great legs. With Joan Crawford as Mildred, you "feel" those legs.

Pluses?
1. As above, much better editing.
2. Also above, Pearce nailed Monty last night.
3. The exposition scene where Veda, Monty, Bert, Mildred, and many others are sitting around and Veda explains how she went from pianist to singer. It was pure talking but you, as unseen audience, are as interested in the story as the assembled cast.
4. Based on last night, with some expert trimming and use of witty dialogue (remember Eve Arden in the original?) to move the story along (so maybe it's dialogue not exactly from the book; how about the spirit of the book?) this might have been a top-notch movie.

And what I really learned but also already knew: With a well-run publicity machine, the Emperor's new clothes can still be found and admired in movie land.

Watch Parts 4 and 5 of Mildred Pierce. You'll get your money's worth.

See you next Monday.

Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings
Tax the Rich

Knitting Friday: On Shawls

No pictures again today (Sorry!) but rather a discussion of shawls. Every once and a while Ravelry has a question on: Do you wear shawls? or Am I too young to wear shawls? I read the answers but don't post. Probably because, except for 2 winter shawls and my summer shawls, I wear all my shawls as big scarfs. In fact, now that I'm getting compliments on my work (Some of it done a few years ago but now blocked. Oh, does blocking make a difference!), no one has ever said: Oh, what a lovely shawl. Everyone thinks they're big scarfs.

I think I mentioned this before but I really would not be comfortable wearing a gorgeous Estonian lace shawl or any of that type. To me, I would feel like I'm looking for compliments: See! Look at my handiwork! But I know this is just I, because gorgeous lace patterns are given free (and I so admire the generosity of these designers) or up for purchase all over the web.

And speaking about patterns; mine are almost always my same 4 row simple lace:

CO a multiple of 2 sts + 2 K sts ES for edging.
Row 1 RS: K
Row 2: K2 *P* K2
Row 3: K2, *YO, K2tog* K2
Row 4: K2 *YO, P2tog* K2

That's it; except, of course, I knit on the diagonal so always staying in pattern, I start with 2 sts and increasing Kfb each side to my width. At width, I Kfb one side and K2tog on the other. At length, I K2tog on each side. What a boring pattern! I can hear your yawns as I type. Oh, she is so unoriginal, you're saying. I get it. However, I would like to have a hundred dollars for each shawl pattern I have printed off the web. I must have a thousand. However, except for two mystery lace shawls (which are wrapped in white linen cloth so you can imagine how much wear they get), I always come back to my ho-hum 4-row lace.

I know that the major reason is that I want a carry-along project and I am just not capable of carrying along complicated lace. Second, I want a diagonal knit project. I know this is not good for yarn conservation since with a straight knit project you can eyeball it and say: I have enough (or not enough) for one more row. While with a diagonal knit, it's very difficult to predict when to stop for the length and being the "filling in" of the rectangle. Best case scenario: you have enough or too much yarn left; worst case: you'll tinking way back to shorten the length. However, the stretch of this bias knitting makes all this worthwhile for me.

Time is also a problem. I would say that I have enough time to knit but obviously, based on projects on Ravelry, time must stretch for other knitters. They can start a big project and finish in a few days. I think I'm doing good with my cut-off of two weeks (Done or almost done by then, or frogged.) With my lace pattern above, I finish fast.

There are lace patterns I do like. For example, the Appalachian Shawl:

http://www.classiceliteyarns.com/pdf/AlpacaSoxAppalachianShawl.pdf

It's got a feather and fan pattern and a star cluster pattern (which adds to the amount of yarn needed) mixed in a shawl that is CO for length and knitted to width. I think I might make it in one color with thin yarn and larger needles. Both the patterns are easy to remember so this would be a carry-along.

The second pattern is Sun (superscript 2):

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/sun2

Which is only available through Ravelry so it's another reason for joining. The shawl bills itself as summer wear and it works up looking a lot like roping - very light and open. But a warning: while the pattern row gets easy to remember (there is a counter-intuitive step) it is a bear to unravel. You can't slip stitches over others and off the needle without getting an almost "permanent" design.

And a final tip: the Horai Scarf (no longer free from Ravelry) which is a basic K3tog, YO, K same 3 sts tog again pattern versus the Trinity Stitch which is P3tog, Kfbf. After knitting swatches of both, I wound up with about 9 inches more yarn needed for the Trinity Stitch. So does Trinity take more yarn? Probably not since it stretches much more than the Horai so you could probably cast on fewer stitches with the Trinity and knit fewer rows.

That's it for this week. OTN: A sample shawl with zillions of yarn pieces spliced or Russian joined together for a mini lesson I'm teaching on how to get rid of pesky yarn ends. The pattern? Yes, my Old Faithful lace one. Pictures next week.

Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings
Tax the Rich

Website Wednesday

I'm sitting at my regular computer but with an older monitor, keyboard and mouse, in a new place. Yes, I have been relegated to my own desk; no more sharing. How's that for change? Boy, is the keyboard old! All it's wrinkles are showing in that I feel like I'm pounding the keys. No touch typing on this beauty.

But I do have a neat website:

http://www.activedad.co.uk/

The other night, I saw the sneak peek at Game of Thrones on HBO. I think it was a 15 preview which basically showed the scenes from the trailers they've been running. it looked OK. I won't be watching, except in desperation. Also, I thought Sean Bean looked much more stocky as this character than he did as Boromir but then 10+ years can do that to you.

However, they did have the mandatory feminist slant (and, yes, to repeat, I am a feminist; I just don't think that entitles you to wear a log-sized chip on your shoulder) where the daughter is working on her needlework (and pretty pissed because she is not the one getting praised for her finished product) and her brother is outside clumsily practicing archery. Not to overuse the phrase, but Wait for It!; sure enough the daughter slips away from her lesson, sneaks behind her brother and nails a bulls eye on the target. Isn't that precious?

And that got me thinking: OK, I get that the message is we only value male tasks and some women are just as good at them as men. However, by doing this we also devalue "female" tasks. The clip didn't show the brother sneaking in to work on needlecraft. So, instead of saying to kids: Achieve your potential as human beings to the best of your abilities, once again we're (they're) saying: Only boy stuff is valuable.

So, it keeping with this trend, the above link is to Active Dads. However, this site should be used by parents for all kids. its About says: ActiveDad.co.uk is a different kind of parenting blog. You won't find any advice here about potty training or how to deal with temper tantrums. Written by dads for dads, it's about helping you spend quality time with your kids and to give them an exciting childhood. It's about having FUN.

Now, I have a soft spot for UK stuff (which this is) after spending countless hours with kids on my lap working through BBC educational sites. (Hours, I might add, when questioned about yesterday, both kids had no memory of. How could they forget Digger and the Gang, The Little Animals Activity Centre, or Barnaby Bear?)

Take a look at Active Dads. It looks like it's sponsored by Microsoft so it probably has oodles of money behind it. This is a good resource for moms, teachers, scout leaders..... the list could be very long. I want to make to read the current article on making an animated movie from Microsoft PowerPoint (see 3/1/2011). Now, that's an important piece of knowledge; if it works.

Enjoy.

Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings
Tax the Rich

Movie Monday

Today is newsletter printing day and kids-home-all-day-because-of-spring-break day so time is tight. But I wanted to post because I just can't carry the second episode of Mildred Pierce around for another week.

First, I asked a woman who had been a child during the Depression and had grown up in NY and NYC to watch the first part (No, I didn't have to pay her.) Some of her comments were: 1. For what Mildred charged for the birthday cake, she could have bought the bakery. 2. There were not as many cars around at the time. (She remembers she and her step-mom driving into NYC and parking in front of Macy's well after Mildred's time period.) 3. She didn't think that hot dogs came in packages as shown in Mildred's grocery scene and she knows they wouldn't have been wrapped in plastic. 4. Women didn't dress in the morning around the house. They wore Hooverette aprons over house dresses (I guess because they didn't get worn outside) and then "dressed up" in the afternoon." On my own, I noticed the Great Books collection in Mildred's den. I don't think that iconic collection was around that early (early 1930s.) I think it was the also iconic Harvard Classics which occupied that time period and the Great Books "look" shown in the movie was its later face lift.

But while I find such incongruities fascinating, let me get to Mildred Part 2. A summary: Ray, the delightful, younger daughter has died, Mildred new restaurant is a success, Monty really becomes the freeloader, and Veda is still soooo obnoxious.

I'll keep this short: the movie is still way too long and now it's become just silly. First, an example of the length: We don't need the long shot of Mildred driving to the polo club and the pan of the rich people in contrast to Mildred's "sensible Republican" suit as prelude to the "Mildred picks up Veda who is with Monty and his rich friends" scene. Two examples of silly: Why would a mother allow her lover to babysit her pubescent daughter regularly? (One thing even I know: labor was cheap to hire during the Depression. There wasn't another woman like Letty around?) and why didn't Mildred drown in her mad car dash from Monty's house in hurricane-like rain, in the dark, on flooded roads she was unfamiliar with?

Finally, in a "kids get off my lawn" grouch mode, I am getting tired of the naked sex. It's not really advancing any plot or theme. We know she has the hots for Monty. Do we need to see them pinned naked against the wall? Do their contracts state "one horizontal and one vertical naked sex scene?" It's getting to be just another time filler; this one geared to the current movie sex scene climate. (And no, I'm not a prude. Perhaps Mildred is just making me grouchy.)

I know I own the novel, Mildred Pierce, bought during my "Oh, look, there's a book sale, let's stop" days and I'm going to search my zillions of books for it so I can make a comparison. This movie analysis has become a sick obsession I fear.

Bottom line for this week's section: Good acting, dull dialogue. I would say it also needs a cruel editor but I don't think even a top-notch editor can cut through molasses.

Next week: Last section, I think. We get to see Veda played still so obnoxiously but by another actor. See you then.

Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings
Tax the Rich

Website Wednesday

Once again, a fast post since I'm in PNS (pre-newsletter syndrome) since this is really the absolutely last, drop-dead day I have to punch up this baby. Plus, I am so addicted to blocking, I'm going to have to get my fix of blocking another shawl today or I will be a mess.

My website pick:

http://nedhardy.com/2011/03/10/34-cleverly-designed-inventions/

Cute site. Love his cat logo. This Ned Hardy's site. Ned bills himself as "the self-anointed curator of the internet." Sounds like it fits him and we all know that the internet could sure use one! Right now, as of 3/10/11, he has 34 Cleverly Designed Inventions (with 73 comments, I might add.) Take a look at them. Many are really very cleverly designed. A lot of them, I wish I had. Hit the "Tags in the right column for archival stuff. Click on the Blogroll on the right for other blogs Ned recommends.

An interesting read and look since it's basically picture and video heavy (and pictures done well are always a plus for me.) As always, approach with caution with little kids standing around.

Enjoy.

Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings
Tax the Rich

Movie Monday: Mildred Pierce HBO (only the first 2 parts; continues next Sunday on HBO)

Watching the HBO Mildred Pierce as I type, I'm wondering why is this movie mini-series so not connecting to me? Oh, there are moments, especially when Mildred interacts with her next-door, worldly-wise neighbor, that the characters come alive and do more than just walk through well-researched, but Hollywood stage set scenes.

It's funny that the opening shot with Mildred preparing a birthday cake sets the metaphor of the movie. During this scene, we meet Mildred, Veda, and Ray. Dialogue happens. The scene advances. But the whole time, I'm watching that damn chocolate cake because I'm waiting for something to crash it to the ground. (And this reaction is anticipated by the director since Ray dangles her skates over the cake - needless to do but she had to be directed to do it.) So, when I should be engrossed in the scene, I'm distracted by a cake, which is not even a McGuffin (as Hitchcock called a useless device which advances the plot) since it never advances the plot.

While the cake disappears, it set up my emotions for the rest of the movie: I watched but I didn't engage. I do think this may be the director's (Todd Haynes) style because he can pan a street in pre-Roosevelt depression USA showing men with placards looking for work, many men selling apples, and Mildred looking for employment and none of it feels real. It's, well, it's just too clean. This is Hollywood's view of the Great Depression. Or rather Hollywood's technicolor view of the Great Depression.

Then there is the movie's pace. So slow. Minutes pace the scene where seconds would work. Some critics have said that one or even two hours could be lobbed from the movie. I don't think even that would help; you would just have two fewer hours of a dully paced movie.

For me, the pace is doubly deadly because I think if makes you lose sight of some interesting themes. Like the similarity between the monster Veda and her mom, Mildred. Were they two sides of the same coin, ambitious women pursuing big dreams only with Veda, due to her mom's obsession with her, this dream turns nightmare for everyone? However, I think by the end of the 6 hours I'll be saying: Who cares? to this and all thematic questions.

Remakes are always a problem, especially when you're competing with the iconic 1945 Joan Crawford's Mildred Pierce. This 2011 version has been touted as much truer to the James Cain book and I don't doubt it. However, I've read Cain and he can be like reading paint dry. Hollywood may have tweaked and pushed and shoved and squashed many of his plots before (Postman Always Rings Twice, Double Indemnity, Mildred Pierce) but these original film noirs were taut and tight. Perhaps this version does show the Great Depression as Cain wrote it but it still doesn't connect me to it. It's presented like an historical fact. Mildred isn't actually suffering; Mildred doesn't interact with depression-affected people either. So, my question is: Why does Haynes even include it? He's only paying lip service to it. Is it just a needed time filler? Six hours is a very long time.

Re the performances. They're definitely worth watching. Some pluses: Wally is fat. Wally has sex with Mildred. Fat people score with beautiful women! Mildred is not a goody-two-shoes. She doesn't shy from playing Wally like a violin. I liked that this Mildred shows feminist qualities without any of them feeling false. Winslet is able to nail Mildred without the bravado of Crawford. Some grousing: Well, see above. But why aren't Mildred and Wally naked in sex as Mildred and Monty are? Mildred and Monty look good naked, that's a given. But Mildred and Wally would have been real life.

Bottom line: Slow, draggy. Good performances. It's a TV movie so you can do something else while watching. You can even skip scenes. HBO is very good with hype and this will probably get another Emperor's New Clothes reaction from most critics. But if you have HBO, watch it. Lately, HBO has had much, much worse on their schedule.

Final Note: Is Mildred Pierce's central theme (which I assume will be explored more fully with the grown-up Veda next Sunday; hoping Veda is finally grown by then) of a mother's obsessive love for a hateful daughter going to resonate today?

Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings
Tax the Rich

Knitting Friday

Late and fast today. it's been a crazy week but I'm going to end it (and begin it since this is my one and only posting for the week; mea culpas to come later) with pictures.

The first picture is the cotton and silk yarn I got in Carlisle, PA. I hope you can see the size of that yarn ball. I know, I should have used a coin for scale but take my word for it; this baby is big. And, it's very soft and fine so you really don't want any mistakes and have to rewind. This is going to be one of my simple shawls since I don't think the yarn has enough structure for a garment. At this point, the project has its own canvas bag and I'm very deliberate with my knitting since, as I just said, I don't want any rewinding. Worse than that, I don't want any yarn breakage.

This is one of those WHY? projects. I really don't need this shawl. I really didn't need this purchase but it's a reminder of Carlisle. Once I dig it out, I'll post of a picture of the scarf I made from wool I got in the LYS in the town of Carlisle. Now that I have my blocking wires, I'm realizing that I may be able to stretch this baby big time.

The picture on the right is variegated cotton from Mill Ends at AC Moore. Right now, Ravelry is having a lively forum question: What do you think about mill ends? I commented that I'm happy with Moore's mill ends as long as I stick to cottons or wacky acrylics. Most of the time, you're getting Sugar N Cream DK weight so it's pretty bulky; though I have knitted a sport weight shawl in black cotton. I'm using this top-down shell to wear over short sleeve tees in the summer and I'm at the stage where I have to try it on to see if I "stick a fork in it"; that is, I'm done. It was a quick knit and the second project I made from the same pound of cotton. Plus, I still have one skein left from the pound.

That's it. Short and sweet. Happy knitting.

Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings
Tax the Rich

Knitting Friday

I wasn't going to post today because I don't have pictures and I thought you really didn't need me to blather on about knitting without pictures. Then I got my Berroco free pattern (you get them and some other stuff every Friday if you give them your e-mail) and I thought that this really shows what I was talking about last week re: bulky, useless sweaters:

http://www.berroco.com/exclusives/buckland/buckland.html

(You might not be able to access the pattern without giving your e-mail but I think you'll be able to see the picture.) It's big, bulky and so V-necked that you have to wear a tee under it. This model looks happy, but why is she wearing a deep V-neck with a lot of bare skin while wearing a bulky, winter sweater? She's going to freeze going outside. I figured out that you could make these and wear them indoors when you have friends over. I can just imagine having a "bulky sweaters-to-be-wore-only-when-I-have-company collection." Perhaps, I'll start a feature of "bulky sweaters - what good are they?"

OTN: Right now, I'm working on a basketball sized skein of cotton and silk yarn. About two years ago, on the way to Pittsburgh, we stopped outside Carlisle, PA at a LYS. (And I should add that we stopped JIT because the woman was in the process of moving out and leaving the place [a converted church] to its new owners whom, she said, may or may not continue the yarn shop.)

Anyway, she had a tremendous spool of this yarn which I bought and then proceeded over the course of almost a month to roll it into the basketball it now is. Then I starred at it for about a year when I opened the basket it lived in. I really didn't have a use for this impulse purchase (as if all yarn purchases have purpose) but I finally got out US 10 needles last week and very gingerly (it is fragile) started to make one on my simple lace shawls.

And.....I love it! The yarn is so soft and the simple pattern with the white cotton thread with a strand of black silk weaved around it works well. Of course, this isn't a portable project (it's one heavy basketball.)

Next week: pictures. Happy knitting.

Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings
Tax the Rich

Website Wednesday

OK I’ll bring a note from my mom, but I really, really did try to post a movie review on Monday. I was even logging into this site when the shit hit the fan - figuratively. You see I wasn’t at home, nor was I on my computer; and I forgot the damn password. Well, I remembered the password, just not the order of the words. I gave it three tries before I quit because I know that come computers “freeze” if you take too many potshots (what does that word mean?) in password tries. It’s probably a good security measure since the computer starts thinking: Just who is this bozo trying to access this site?, but I didn’t want to mess up a friend's computer. Which was probably a good idea because I spent the hour watching Jerry and Tom before the kids got home early from school. Unfortunately, I had to leave it before the ending (definitely not suitable for kids) but that’s one good movie.

Today, I’m about to prepare a “cheat” sheet for the boy’s social studies test on the southern US states. No, he’s not going to write the answers on his palm. He’s having an extensive test on these states on Friday and the study guide came home yesterday. It’s a half page sheet of topics; beauties like: explain the significance of the Missouri Compromise and discuss the origin of jazz. JHC! Now remember that this kid is in 4th grade. The significance of the Missouri Compromise! The origin of jazz! Even got the hubby to say this time: His teacher’s a moron! We have been studying for this test for about a month now; identifying the states, going over the pages in the text (I question, he answers.) As with the last states test, when the study guide finally gets home, I prepare all the information in short paragraphs and we repeat the question/answer sessions for the next three days.

As the girl pointed out at the last such test: We were making poster boards for those topics when I was in the 4th grade. I wonder if teachers in NJ even know or care that 9-year-olds are not high schoolers or even middle school kids. There cognitive skills are developing. This is the time to teach them how to learn; not zing them into frustration.

Enough said. But I’m typing really fast because this task looms large. What did we do before the Internet?

http://www.toptenz.net/top-10-civilizations-that-mysteriously-disappeared.php

In keeping with my “the world is going to hell” ennui (Those poor people in Japan!), the above site is another one of my favorite of favorites: lists. This selection gives you civilizations which have disappeared and what’s really neat is that clicking on the hyperlinks within the sections brings you to more related lists. Now, I haven’t done any research to see if all their facts and conclusions are right but I do recognize these peoples who have disappeared. Well, most of them since I never heard of the Aksumite Empire in Ethiopia. Wow! Take a look at the edifice they left.

Of course, this site is not only known for erudition, so click on the main site:

http://www.toptenz.net/

and be greeted by the current first entry: Top 10 Beautiful Athletes Who Posed for Playboy or, just two down from this one: Top 10 Reformed Porn Stars. But don’t be put off by frivolity; there's a lot more on this site dealing with educating and entertaining.

So go take a look. I bet it'll produce more learning that this stupid social studies test will. Got to go, the Missouri Compromise awaits me. See you next Wednesday.

Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings

Tax the Rich

Knitting Friday

Just some grousing today (Hey, you kids, get off my lawn!) because I forgot to take pictures and also I don't have any wow knitting pictures. I hope to be starting on the body of my brown (Why do I knit with brown? I look lousy in brown!) shell by next Friday and I think that's a pattern worth listing. But to the grousing, in no particular order:

1. Why, whenever someone comments on Ravelry about the great yarn bargains they got at a big box store, other commenters have to chime in: But don't forget check out your LYS. JHC! The original poster doesn't say: What do you think about my shopping at a big box store? but others seem to think that every mention of those stores necessities a response of: Oh, but you must support your LYS. No people, I mustn't. (This time, other commenters said the same time and I had a good time clicking the "Agree" button.)

2. What is it with all the beautiful shawls being made? I mean the lace shawls with exquisite designs. Now, as you know, I love shawls. I wear them every day. In fact, I have made two exquisite shawls (no mistakes miraculously and one the girl says she wants to wear at her wedding) but they are packed away, wrapped in a white linen cloth. I just don't get where people wear all their beautiful shawls. Obviously, they travel in different circles from me. But also, I guess I would feel uncomfortable wearing these beauties. I would look at it as I'm fishing for a compliment. OK, I got that off my chest, on to:

3: Bulky sweaters. Now I know this is probably climate related but I don't think I wear a sweater over a tee without a heavy/fairly heavy jacket for more than a handful of days in the year. First, bulky sweaters are not warm in cold weather unless you cover them with a shawl and I don't like that look; or that look doesn't like me. I would rather wear a shawl (and I'm talking warm shawl, not fancy, lacy shawl) over a blazer in such weather. Second, bulky sweaters don't work under today's warmer winter jackets. (With them, you can usually just wear a tee and a light pull-over.) And, bulky sweaters don't work with the "out-fashioned winter jackets either (Navy pea jackets) since you look like your mom has bundled you up to go out and build a snow man. I just look at the underarms on some of the bulky garments put out in Vogue Knitting and think: That is never going to fit under any winter jacket I own.

So that's it. My three grouses for the day. I'm sure I could think of more but I'd rather be knitting. See you next Friday.

Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings

Tax the Rich

Website Wednesday

I’m noticing that the comments to articles in liberal blogs (I don’t think I’m including The Huffington Post in this category anymore since it’s gone from glitzy progressive to glitzy tabloid - big time.) are getting darker and darker: No future for the U.S. Our economy is doomed. Obama sold out.

It makes me pretty discouraged to read that. I may be an existentialist but I guess, like Dumbo and his crazy feather, I always thought some human would come up with a good idea. Silly me. I really did know that when Obama spoke on National Prayer Day saying he wakes each morning and thinks about Jesus that it was all over. Christ on a crutch! The POTUS should awaken each day and if he thinks about anything, it should be the Constitution. The P is POTUS means president, not pastor.

So as the thinking in the heartland gets darker, my website picks get lighter. No writings of Kierkegaard today.

First, a YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dY1Lr-yGtd8

Once again, a painter, but watch this guy. At first, I thought he was a local graffiti artist but the finished picture belies that thought. Like that crazy cooking show where the contestants were given a pear, a salmon and lima beans and told to make a meal (I miss that show!), here the artist uses common objects, trash objects and produces art that’s a Wow.

Then:

http://irinawerning.com/back-to-the-fut/back-to-the-future/

You know the pictures of “separated at birth”? We all get a chuckle from them. Here, the photographer takes the same person at childhood and then at adulthood in the same pose and the same clothes. It’s extremely interesting and gives me the wacky thought that with enough time to shop for vintage clothes, I could photography such pictures of my family. (Well, I couldn’t be the photographer since I’m world famous for my unintended photos of ceilings.) Now that would be an interesting family album. Hats off to photographer, Irina Werning. Be sure to click the links in the right column. This is a photographer with panache.

I’ll leave you now, I hope in a happy mood. See you next Wednesday.

Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings

Tax the Rich

Movie Monday

Robin Hood with Russell Crowe and a lot of other good actors reminds me of the "feudalism" in my banner, for you can't say "Robin Hood" without thinking "feudalism." Or, at least, you shouldn't. Mythical Robin Hood existed as England was coming out of the Middle Ages and the opening explanatory posters tell us that he lived in the 1200's. Though I know that directors and screenwriters play fast and loose with history, I'm saying this is all happening before 1215 when King John is forced by his nobles to give them some powers in the Magna Carta.

We first meet Robin fighting with John's older brother, Richard, who, while the king at the time, has been away from England for many years fighting in the Crusades. Ah, the Crusades! Don't get me started on that coconut. In fact, Richard and Robin when we first meet them aren't in the Holy Lands but rather storming French castles. Just let me say, I liked the look Ridley Scott gives to the Middle Ages. I like the depth of his royal characters. Although, Richard, John, Eleanor (queen mom) and Isabella (John's French tart and wanta-be future queen) are minor players, they do play important roles and Scott fleshes them out so you're interested.

For example, when we first meet Richard we see immediately that he may have the appellation Lion-Hearted but he should have the one: Foolishly Stupid. But he is regal and knows his powers. He asks Robin about a recent capture of a town and is told that it was a genocide and placed the king on the side of evil. Does Robin get a reward for his honesty? Does the king have an epiphany with this criticism? No way; the next scene shows Robin and his men in the stockades awaiting further punishment for insolence which will come after Richard captures another castle.

It's a nice touch and it happens again and again when Scott deals with the royals. When Eleanor confronts John back in England about his whoring with Isabella (who is the French king's sister, by the way) while he has a wife. John successfully counters her criticisms ending with: She's (Isabella) is my Eleanor. A witty swipe at his mom's sullied past. When Eleanor is later told John will lose England if he doesn't shape up, she's astute enough to approach Isabella as her messenger of bad news and Isabella catches on immediately.

Again and again, Scott shows character arcs in the royals. He is able to make them multi-dimensional; they may show villainy but it's with panache.

I wish I could say the same about Robin, Marion, and Walter (I won't even mention William Hurt's character. What a waste of a good actor!) Unfortunately, with them we get the Hollywood story of man and maid which is such an old, old chestnut. Robin, after his adventure returning Richard's crown to the John, sets off to return the sword of Marian's husband to his father, Walter.

Faster than you can say: Let the cat out, I can't stand its howling, Walter suggests that Robin pretends to be Marian's husband. Sweet, howling banshees! Why? OK, he has a feeble reason but we all know this gets Robin into Marian's bed chamber and they begin to play the courting dance which I assume leads to the after-movie (you just get a passionate movie kiss) "roll in the hay".

WTF? This movie was made in 2010. Not only could this movie have sex between principals without Code violations, it would have so been in keeping with the Middle Ages when forcible sex was still more common than courtly love. Even passionate foreplay without consummation because Marian says: Hey, if I get pregnant, we're in for big trouble, would have given more authenticity.

Don't present Marian as a "modern" woman (She even joins Robin in battle in armor near the end of the movie.) and then pull back to the innocent titillation which substituted for sex in the time of the Code in Hollywood.

I guess what gets me pissed is that this movie had a lot of promise in character development, just not enough daring.

But with all my grousing, watch it. Even disappointments are good time fillers.

Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings

Tax the Rich

Knitting Friday

I didn't so much forget Website Wednesday (and I did have good picks) as much as I was just too tired to blog when I got in at noon from my "gig" which began at 4 am that morning. OK, it really wasn't that bad; just long. But I realized that I really don't like to blog after the early morning hours since those hours are my laziest of the day.

But I'm not going forget knitting today. What you see on the right is my fingering weight Knit Picks yarn (Palette) which was the sky for my Super Mario projects. I obviously "saw" much too much sky in those creations for I still have enough of that color left for another shawl and probably a shell.

I'm showing this picture because I have been wearing this shawl for about a month before I blocked it yesterday with blocking wires. Yes, it had been blocked before I wore it blocked for a month; but it had only been wet blocked and then stretched using glass rocks to hold it taut.

Let me tell you that this method is NG. I was hoping that I had posted an earlier picture of this shawl but I didn't and I forgot to take a picture of it before this second blocking so you just have to take my word for it that blocking wires are fantastic.

I went from a shawl which could be stretched by hand to momentarily show a wider lace but which would immediately bounce back to a closed looking stitch. Now, the lace is wide open and the measurements went from 65" x 19" to 82" x 27". This is one wide baby. And, I walked into Sam's Club today and got a: That's a gorgeous scarf. First time that even happened.

To recap the simple, simple pattern: Row 1: K; Row 2: P; Row 3: *YO, K2tog*; Row 4: *YO, P2tog* Of course, that's the bare bones. Remember, I knit all the shawls I can on the diagonal so I have a stretchy bias. You can knit any 2-stitch pattern on the diagonal; working the increases, then increase and decrease (in the straight middle section); then decreases on Row 1 and 2.

But I really wanted to show this shawl, not for the simple pattern, but for the look that blocking wires produce. They are worth the investment and while I'd like to offer a cheap, generic solution when buying them, I do think that Knit Picks' price of of $20 for 15, 32" wires and 15 blocking pins (you will need more, trust me) is probably one of the most reasonable prices. If you're a lace maker, buy them. I think you'll be as happy as I am with them.

Next Friday: 100 skeins of yarn. What to do? There is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings
Tax the Rich

Movie Monday

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings

Tax the Rich

Knitting Friday

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Happy knitting.

Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings
Tax the Rich

Website Wednesday

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

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

But I am happy with my websites this Wednesday.

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

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

http://murphed.com/

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Enjoy.