I’m The Decider
You know, when President Truman put a sign on his White House desk that stated “The Buck Stops Here,” it seems he actually tried to live up to those words. I only wish our current administration was willing to take responsibility for their actions.
The Cloak Of Secrecy
If everything this White House is doing is above board, why would they care if any of the White House advisors had to testify before Congress under oath? What would it matter unless they have dreadful things to hide…or should I say more dreadful things to hide.
The President says that the Congress will regret any partisan fishing expeditions if they subpoena White House advisors. Maybe we should put Kenneth Starr on the job. I can’t even remember what he was supposed to be investigating before he got his hands on the spooged blue dress. Travelgate? Whitewater? Talk about partisan fishing expeditions.
I guess I just hate to see when cheating and lying seems to get some people ahead. It just seems so unfair. I think this is the main reason that folks would love to see Rove get crucified.
Current Knitting
Work has been inordinately busy, and it seems all I have time for is working, eating and sleeping (and of course, pooping and peeing).
I have started the third pair of felted clogs, but I’ve only just started the upper portion.
Current Spinning
I have been able to get quite a bit of work done on the bright multi-colored merino roving.
I really liked the idea of one commenter about plying in a solid color to try and make the tweedy colors show up more. I have a boatload of merino singles in different colors that would be perfect, if the technique actually works for this yarn. I can’t wait to finish my second bobbin of singles to start experimenting.
Readers’ Comments/Questions
Franklin writes, “Damage your reputation? With this blog? I can’t think of a single thing you’ve written that would make any clear-headed person think ill of you.”
At one point in my “100 Things” list, I included someone’s name and an activity that could be considered negative by a person’s employer. Some asshole did a google search on the name, and sent his employer a link to my list and cc’ed me when she did it. Fortunately, it wasn’t the same person that I mentioned in my list, and it would have been easily verified that it was a different person. It just surprised the hell out of me that someone would go to the trouble of being such a dick.
Cynthia writes, “Please comment on the consistency of felting. I did slippers, but one is considerably larger than the other. I am not sure why–same yarn, same needles, same machine at the same time to felt.”
I’m using Cascade 220, which I have always used for felting projects. They have a boatload of colors, it’s not overly expensive and it seems to felt quite uniformly. Only once have I had an issue where one slipper felted faster than the other, so I just took out the finished slipper, and continued agitating the unfinished one until it was about the same size.
BJREST asks, “Speaking of the ummm Willie Warmer… I can’t find the pattern for that though I’ve seen your name linked to this frequently in my search. Can you tell me where I can find it?”
I used to have a pattern posted to Blogger, but when they converted to the new format, I lost many of my pictures and web files. I no longer have that pattern, but if anyone saved it off at any point when it was available, and they forward it to me, I’d be glad to re-post it to the web.
Finally, StampinSue writes, “What do you prefer for felting yarn? I’ve tried a number of brands, just curious about your favorite!
As noted above, I have only used Cascade 220 for regular felting projects, and I like it a lot. I used Noro Kureyon for a couple of felted purses a number of years ago, and that worked very well too. I’ve considered using KnitPick’s worsted wool, but never got around to ordering any, so I don’t know how that felts.
I have plied a multi-colored roving with one ply of dark brown or black alpaca/merino instead of another color. It made the multi-colored colors really pop! Do a sample of each strand and see which you prefer. If you really want to get pissed at the current administration go online to last Saturday’s Washington Post and read about Valerie Plame’s testimony in the Hearing Room. Loraine
I’m not surprised that someone would google someone’s name, and fire the information off to an employer. I am surprised that you’d be cc’ed on the note, though.
Many employers are routinely googling potential employees names to see what’s out there on the web about the people. They read what’s there — including blog posts criticizing current employers, customers and work environments — and take it into consideration when making hiring decisions. College recruiters are *routinely* telling new graduates to clean up their MySpace accounts. I’ve read some things in posts by a few bloggers that, if I were asked about hiring them, I’d have to take into consideration — not only for the company and the job requirements, but also for my sanity as someone working alongside them.
I also read recently — and I’m sorry I can’t remember the details, I may have this slightly wrong — that employers have been concerned about their employees’ after-hours activities, as a few have faced lawsuits concerning employees’ behaviours outside of work. I find the idea quite intrusive, but if a company can be held liable in such a case, of course they’re going to take precautions.
If you ever read “The Ethicist” column in the NYT magazine, a guy who interviews high school students for his college alma mater Googled some of the interviewees and found some unwise references to one kid on the web. He was asking whether he ought to send the links on to the admissions office.
I will be snickering at “spooged dress” for the rest of the day.
“Spooged”. We too are ahhmused. (say it with some kind of snooty accent)
The slippers are also a Fibertrends pattern — but you’d have to buy it — I don’t know the number, but that’s another thing you could Google.
Glenn Greenwald’s blog post on Salon yesterday was about executive privilege and its abuse. It’s very interesting to see what Tony Snow had to say about it when Clinton tried to invoke it.
Knitpicks yarn felts up nicely.
I don’t know if you’ve heard much about it over there but there was a legal inquiry in the UK recently over the death of a British soldier who was a victim of ‘friendly fire’. Apparently the US refused to hand over critical video footage to be used as evidence in the inquiry. Fortunately one of the UK papers managed to get hold of the footage and it was handed over to the court.
The soldier’s death was found to have been unlawful.
This article provides a good summary:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6456191.stm
Googling has not only become common place; it’s become “gospel” for some, especially businesses and the current administration. It’s interesting that unfiltered information can be accepted as truth, sometimes preventing people (as in “we the people”)from getting jobs or accepted into a particular school, but this administration can blatantly lie and blame it on everyone but themselves.
While I can’t remember the name of the business(es) in Ted’s comment, a labor attorney I know has told me that employers could easily win on this issue if they can prove that what is done in private can adversely affect an employee’s performance on the job.
Assuming that the Democrats will take over the White House in 08, it is highly unlikely that even two terms could begin to undo the damage that this Administration has wrought. It’s leaking into every part of our lives.
Oops…I just scared myself!
Someone I know was consistently refused promotion by a homophobic boss. She was able to undermine her boss’s credibility in an appeal by presenting the boss’s ‘professional’ blog, which was anything but professional and even contained complaints about the behaviour of their director. Sweet victory!
It’s like listening to gossip really, and I’m sure everyones Grannies told them that was a bad thing to do!
BTW our PM has been over there chatting to George, and this morning I heard one of our TV morning show people snidely commenting that her voice was deeper than his. I am not sure just who that was meant to be a criticism of. Maybe both?
Any yarn with Merino should felt well unless it has been treated to make it washable in which case it just gets bigger and bigger. In the case of the willie warmer that might be taken as a compliment by the recipient do you think?
I like the idea of using black or dark brown for the other ply…thanks knitting ninja. I have some singles I’m spinning up now in multi colour, and I’m going to use that idea.
And thanks Joe for the political discussion. I always enjoy your take on things, and it helps clear it up for me (since I don’t always understand what’s going on by what I read in Canadian newspapers)
The whole searching people out on Google just creeps me out.
Barb B.
To misquote you “If everything the [Labour Party] is doing is above board, why would they care if any of the [Labour Party] advisors had to speak to [Scotland Yard]?”
Seems its endemic to your lot and ours. Least you get to get rid of yours after a set period of time, while we have Blair laying out his legacy for the next 10 years…
Since you do a lot of spinning I wonder if you might help me with a question. I wondered why yarn like Noro Silk Garden and a few others I know of come through with really bad strands of yarn. Very very thick in spots and very thin in others.
Thanks
Ellie