One of the non-knitting sites I subscribe to is FactCheck.org. The site is funded by The Annenberg Foundation. Wikipedia says:
FactCheck.org is a nonprofit website that describes its own goal as "[reducing] the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics." In its efforts, FactCheck claims to be nonpartisan. It is a project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania, and is funded primarily by the Annenberg Foundation.
Most of its content consists of rebuttals to allegedly inaccurate, misleading, or false claims by politicians. FactCheck has also targeted the misleading claims from various partisan groups.
I will admit that I do not read every day's entry in its entirety. Mostly I read the headline and perhaps the first few sentences. That is enough, though, to get a pretty good flavor of the lies and half-truths that are being flung about during this campaign season. What I have noticed, and this is only my own estimation, is that at least three-quarters (and perhaps as much as ninety percent) of the falsities are Republican-sponsored. In any case, the number of lies about Obama far outnumbers the ones that slam McCain or Palin.
Hmmm. What does that tell us about the Republicans? Even if you prefer McCain's policiies, it should make you wonder about his party's ethics.
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This just in -- more about false and misleading McCain ads. Thanks, Miss T.
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My greatest fear, and it grows every day, is that no matter who gets the most votes in November, the Republicans will steal the presidency like they did in 2000 and 2004. Problems have already surfaced in Ohio. HAVA, the Help America Vote Act signed into law in 2002, was intended to help prevent election fraud, but if not applied correctly could disenfranchise thousands, if not millions, of eligible voters. (The links are to stories about Wisconsin's voter registration woes, but WI is not alone.)
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If you have wondered just what the subprime mortgage/credit crisis was about, exactly, read this, the transcript of the May 9, 2008 episode of This American Life, "The Giant Pool of Money." It is the most complete and understandable thing I have found. Boingboing referenced it a few days ago, and after reading it I -- former economics and accounting major who has worked in the financial field her entire professional life -- feel like I understand the world better now. I even sent it to #1 son, the magna cum laude economics grad, and he found it informative.
To paraphrase Gordon Gecko, Greed is good the root of all evil.
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Hey, how about some knitting?
Back in June I made one sock. (Actually, between late April and early June, I made 4-1/2 pairs of socks. What we are talking about here is that 1/2 pair.) The poor sock sat all summer, waiting forlornly for a mate. It was a very warm sock, being knit of two strands of sock yarn held together; the heat and humidity of summer removed all sock-knitting motivation. While we were camping a few weeks ago the weather was cooler so I made sock #2.
To refresh your memory, here is sock #1 in progress:
When I was ready to do the heel flap in sock #2, I discovered to my infinite sorrow that I had neglected to bring a row counter. What to do, what to do?
I needed 46 rows in the heel flap, and I always make life a little simpler by counting only the right side rows. That would be 23, for those of you counting along at home.
Then I remembered La Harlot's method, mentioned in one of her books. Happily for me and the sock, there was a bag of peanut M&Ms handy. Twenty-three of little beauties counted into the drink holder of my chair and I was good to go. Any solution that involves chocolate is a winner.
Knit a right side row, eat an M&M...
Yeah, there are only 16 -- or maybe 17 -- M&Ms above. I forgot to record photographic evidence before I started.
Progress is made. Nom nom.
Nearly done.
I wore the socks yesterday. The heel flaps -- and the whole sock -- fit perfectly. Yay!
