Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Some things I think, I think

Just some random thoughts:

Every time I hear the country name Yemeni on the news, which is a lot lately, the exclaimation "Yumpin' Yemeni!" runs through my brain. (I have never made any claims to being normal.)

I lost interest in and respect for Arlen Specter when he bailed from his party, when it became apparent he might REALLY lose the nomination. After his little dust up with Michele Bachmann, I'm seriously wondering about his mental capabilities. I'm less concerned about the sexism aspects, but the question I have is "Arlen, what the hell are you thinking!!" I saw nothing in the exchange that should have prompted such a response, and Bachmann was clearly non-plussed (as was the radio host who was completely silent for about 45 seconds). Props to her for not flaming his ears off, which I might have been wont to do. Yet another reason to retire Arlen to his wing back chair in Philly, so he can yell at the neighborhood kids riding their bikes on his street.

If I hear one more Democratic congress person, liberal talking head, candidate or any of these other "do-not-know-it-alls" tell me that; "The public doesn't understand the (health care) bill"; " We need to explain it better."; "The public REALLY wants this bill." I'm gonna toss my cookies.

For the record--are all you thick heads listening: I have a master's degree in a science/math field; I can read and understand content that would make your little pea brains 'splode; I can write in no less than 5 computer languages; I get really ticked when I'm patronized and marginalized. I do not need any more explanations. I need to have a bill produced and posted for WEEKS before voting, so I can digest the contents--and not on Christmas Eve. I am tired of dirty tricks, secret meetings, union kick-back, big pharma deals, and all the rest of it. While I hold out NO hope that these "things" will end, I will settle for having the opportunity to actually peruse the legislation at my leisure. Which is more that most of you, including the afore-mentioned Arlen will do. I also believe, that I am not unique in the above attributes.......

I wish I could give this appropriate credit, but who said it escapes me.

This health care bill is bad because; 85% of the public is concerned about rising costs. Health care costs are rising 3 times faster than inflation; 15% are concerned about access, meaning that they do not have, or can not afford health care. Instead of concentrating on the rapidly escalating costs that concern 85% of the country, the Democratic congress with the blessing of the President, invented a convoluted, and high cost way to cover the 15%. This will eventually hurt the 85% in one way or another. If rising costs were addressed (by any number of means) it would eventually mean that more people would have access to, or could afford, quality care.


Question for White House Press Secretary Gibbs: Are you on crack? To try and explain that the Brown victory in Massachusetts was an ENDORSEMENT of Obama policies is just too bizarre to contemplate. My head is actually hurting. Crack and kool aid are a lethal combination......

Buh bye Air(head) America. You won't be missed. You will never get anywhere bashing the land that feeds you. There just aren't enough crazies and vitriol lovers to support this kind of commercial endeavor. (Al Franken, not withstanding, and my guess is that Maddow and that blow hard Olbermann are probably not long for TV if the Comcast deal goes through. Disclaimer: I know Olbermann from his ESPN days before he got booted outta there, I've never actually watched him elsewhere. )

Friday, January 22, 2010

Sometimes I just can't help myself.....

... I admit it. John Stossel is a kind of hero of mine. I'm not a Libertarian, but he's a guy after my own heart. (And as a bonus, he's pretty easy on the eyes.)

Go get'em John.

The Stimulus Works



P.S. In the interests of full disclosure, I also have a soft spot for Geraldo Rivera. Ever since he used to have that show on late at night after Carson's Tonight Show (you know, the REAL Tonight Show). I used to watch him with my father when he got home after second shift.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Clue Phone is ringing.........

Thank you Massachusetts!!




He did indeed!!!


..... and Arlen it's for you!!
I'm one of those "unaffiliated" voters and we're coming for YOU!

(Party switch doesn't look like such a good move now, does it, Bucko?)

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Better late, than never...

....actually, last week at this time I was pretty sure it might be never.

You see we had an "interesting" holiday week. Spent Christmas through the 27th at my mother's. She's a lovely woman, who can drive a sane person to drink in 10 minutes. We stayed a day longer than planned, because my DH's back decided he didn't like the mattress on the bed, and began to devil him. (I made him promise to visit me at Muncy, SCI for women, if I attempted murder.) Got home, and spent an uneventful 3 days, unpacking, clearing up, and doing laundry. New Years, was peaceful and snowy, but who cared? We were not driving anywhere. Took a long walk, in the cold, quiet, dark neighborhood. It was divine.

Now here's riddle.....What does it mean when you don't feel like knitting?

Sunday, after New Years, something wasn't "right" with me. I was exhausted, and didn't even feel like eating....Big clue. Monday, my last day of vacation, it was clear, I was sick, and to add insult to injury I had a fever. I just spent the last week struggling with the flu. Not H1N1--I don't think I was sick enough for that, and had few respiratory symptoms, but "something". "Something" that wasn't in the flu shot cocktail that I dutifully got back in November. I had four solid days of feeling lousy, and finally one day when my temperature stayed below 99.

Answer: You've got the flu!

So despite all the "free" time on my hands last week the only thing I knit, sporadically no less, was this:


Yes, the Brooklyn Tweed Noro Scarf. I had just finished my second Ishbel (more on that later), and just wanted something that would be mindless and entertaining. So I used the leftovers from my Wrap Me Up (plus another colorway), and cast on for this scarf. This is knit in Kureyon, so it is rough rather than soft. (He uses Silk Garden.) But a soak in hair conditioner will fix that when I'm finished I think.




It was the perfect sick bed knitting. Except for the time I was trudging from the living room up to the bedroom and discovered that I had dropped one of the skeins downstairs, and had pulled the trailing yarn after me into bed. A little like Hansel and Gretel and breadcrumbs. I had to haul my flu ridden bones out of bed to retrieve the skein, because I didn't want to be responsible for my DH falling on the yarn and breaking his leg on the stairs.


So as of today, I'm 6 days behind in my office. With the retirement of my colleague, I am responsible for more than I was before, and I'm not starting out on the right foot. So Ishbel will need to wait another day. I leave you with a few other pieces though.

First: Fetching and Calorimetry in Malabrigo worsted, Ginger Carrot.



Fetching mods: I knit 8, rather than 4 rows for the palm. The four rows were too "short" for me.

Calorimetry mods: Used a size #6 needle for a more dense fabric, and cast on 88 stitches (I just took a leap.) The 120 cast on made it too wide, and long. I could have used a little more length, but not much.







This is a close up of the antique, or maybe the correct term is "old", button on the Calorimetry.
Pretty?









Here is ONE of the three Turn A Square hats I knit for Christmas. (Yes another Brooklyn Tweed pattern, notice a theme here?)


I ended up knitting THREE of these. Though the pattern says this is for an "average" head, and Ravelry didn't seem to dispute that, I'm thinking it was for an average pumpkin head. Now, I have a larger size head, but knit to the pattern specs it was way too large. In addition, my first attempts were for my father-in-law, who has a middlin' at best hat size, and were knit in Woolease. So some acrylic. Not a lot of "give".

Mod #1: decreased the cast on to 96 stitches (multiples of 4). Much better. This is the one I gave to my FIL, not pictured. But I wanted one for hiking, and this still felt too loose. I used Lamb's Pride and Silk Garden and

Mod #2: cast on 88 stitches. that's what you see pictured here. I like the way it fits, even on MY pumpkin head.

Ursis actually looks better in it than I do.

If I knit this again, and I might, I may add 4 stitches, and use a smaller size needle for a "denser" fabric. Anyway, this is a great "stash buster" project.

And just for your amusement: right before break our staff assistant sent this to me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h05ZQ7WHw8Y

(Caution: "mature" language, very politically incorrect, and funny, all my favorite things.)

I was bemoaning the fact that I had once received one of these as a gift.

Then lo and behold, Christmas came:


And Santa brought my sister a snuggie knock off. We hooted with laughter.

















To add to the hilarity, it is plaid, and has two pockets. (My sister says one for her "Bud" and the other for her pack of "Marlboros".)

Thanks to Curt for being such a good sport and modeling the monstrosity.......... Notice the Yuengling Santa hat, which probably explains the willingness to model.

My mother the giver of the gift was highly insulted.


My sister thinks the cats will like it a lot.