Stepping Away from the Edge

Blocked

Tried Wikipedia today?

If you did. . . you got a message explaining that the site is blacked out.  Globally.  To protest SOPA.

In case you haven't been paying attention, SOPA is the Stop Online Piracy Act, a proposed bill aiming to crack down on copyright infringement by restricting access to sites that host pirated content.  (Read a great explanation about SOPA here.)

The main targets of SOPA are sites like The Pirate Bay -- an overseas site that offers illegal downloads of movies and other digital content.  "Hollywood" (and other industries driven by copyrighted material) are in favor of online copyright protection.  The bill, however, goes a bit further than just protecting copyright.  SOPA (in some versions) would actually allow for a level of censorship (similar to that used in China).  (Read a great explanation of the tech industry's concerns in this interview with Jimmy Wales - co-founder of Wikipedia - here.)

So.  Why am I writing about this?  I mean, I keep politics out of my blog (unless you read between the lines, of course.  And then . . .  well, it's there).   I've been following SOPA from the beginning, just not blogging about it.  (It's hard not to follow along.  My daughter, a true tech nerd, has been posting and blogging about SOPA for several months.  She's a bit of a zealot.)  But last night, as we drove home from the gym, Tom and I were listening to Marketplace on NPR . . . and two stories, back-to-back, got me thinking.  A lot.

First, there was a little story about Jerry Wang stepping down from Yahoo.  (Jerry Wang is one of the co-founders of Yahoo.)  One of the the things the reporters talked about . . . was that Yahoo hadn't "changed with the time"; that it was a "paradigm company of another era in computing."  Okay.  True.  But. . . we're talking about a company that was started in 1995.  A 17-year-old company.  Begun 3 years AFTER my son was born.  And it failed . . . because it couldn't "change with the time."  

It's stunning how quickly things change in this . . . "time."

Then, they shifted into a story about Wikipedia blacking out tomorrow.  And SOPA.  And they led with this quote from North Carolina Congressman Mel Watt -- who happens to be be one of the sponsors of SOPA.  Congressman Watt has this to say about . . . technology:  "Chairman, I'm a pretty old-fashioned guy who still hasn't figured out how or even whether I want to use all the fancy technological advances that are out there."  Yes.  This is the guy sponsoring SOPA.  He hasn't decided if he wants to use the "fancy technological advances" quite yet.  

Do we think he can even begin to understand the complexity of the situation?

So that is why I'm blogging about SOPA today.

Learn about it.  Understand what is happening.  Things are changing quickly in this "time."  And whether we use it all or not, we need to pay attention.

Please.

 

Getting Perspective

Of late, I've been . . . consumed. . . with a couple of issues I'd like to solve.  Not family-related; not health-related.  Really, minor things.  But challenging.  Frustrating.  Maddening.

Sometimes, unresolved issues end up taking over your psyche.

But now, it's time for me to . . . let it go; get it all in perspective.

Knitting helps.  Planning out my gardening tasks helps.  Studying French helps.  Reading helps.

And thinking about the scope of my problems. . . compared to the scope of REAL problems. . . helps immensely.

I know that much of the world's philanthropic efforts are headed to Japan right now, and that's a Very Good Thing.  (I've helped -- I purchased Kay Gardiner's Mitered Cross Blanket pattern.  More on that another day.)  As for me, though, I've decided to focus my Perspective and general Letting-It-Go-ness on a different type of philanthropy.

I'm going to put my support behind an excellent Heifer International project.  I'm going to put some money into building holistic communities in Nepal.  I'm going to fund goats, water buffalo, and pigs - along with cooking stoves and biogas units - for women in Nepal!

I may not be able to solve my issues.  But I can change my perspective.  And I can help build a holistic community for women in Nepal.  I feel better already.  The power of philanthropy.

I think that's pretty cool!

 

TGIFriday!

News Flash!

I was at a meeting earlier today when I heard this:  Today, for the first time in recorded history, there is snow on the ground in each of the 50 states! 

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Love (1,000)

After going back and forth several times, I finally made the decision to actually sign up for the Ravelympics.  Team Michigan.  I'll be participating in the Sweaterboarding event. . . and I'll be making a zipped vest for Tom.  Here's my little "training swatch."

I've been wanting to make this vest for Tom for quite a while.  He's very enthused about it -- cooperating most heartily through the measurement phase, and the yarn selection phase, and even the swatching phase (although he was mostly losing interest by then). 

The most fun part was choosing the yarn.  Tom is color blind.  Like, really color blind.  (I could have a lot of fun with this . . . but I'm a Kind and Loving Wife. . . so I am Helpful when it comes to color-matching.)  I gathered up appropriate stash yarns in "manly" colors and presented them to Tom -- under a really good light, of course.  We considered a nice olive green (which, to Tom, appeared. . . brown) and a heathered forest green (which, to Tom, appeared. . . brown) and a lovely greyish-rust color (which, to Tom, appeared. . . brown) and a warm cocoa brown (which, to Tom, appeared. . . brown).  In the end, we went with. . . brown (as if that mattered).

I look forward to casting on tonight - during the opening ceremonies.  It's going to be nice to make something for Tom.  He is always appreciative of my efforts when it comes to knitting --- and very supportive of my little habit.  (He also likes warm vests!)

{Note to Rachel:  I was sorely tempted to join you for the Ropes event.  If the moss stitch on this vest gets to be a little too tedious - which is a distinct possibility -- I will join you for a few "laps" on the Ropes!}

{Note to Lynn:  I was also sorely tempted to join you in making the Every Way Wrap.  I'm going to be watching your progress carefully -- because that is next on my knitting agenda (I think. . .)!}

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Hard Head Hat

Brian's hockey team has a little locker room award the coaches give after every game.  It's the Hard Hat, and it goes to the player that has made the biggest effort/difference in the game.  Wednesday's winner of the Hard Hat. . .

 

Great game, Bud!  (And that game winning goal was pretty dang awesome!)

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Stranger-Danger

Jenny and I go for a walk every evening.  During the summer our routes vary, but during the winter - when the roads are icy and snowy - we tend to follow the same path day after day.  Jenny knows our path Really Well.  She knows where the fenced dogs live; she knows where the loose dogs live; she knows where the loud-dogs-barking-in-the-houses live.  Not much surprises her during our winter walks.

Until yesterday.  We were walking along in one of the no-dogs segments of our route, when she suddenly freaked.  Her hair stood up on her shoulders and she growled and started walking sort of sideways.  She was beside herself.  It took me a minute to figure out what she saw.  It was this:

 

A tiny little snowman (with racing flags????) in someone's yard!  This snowman is about 2 feet tall!  What a goofy dog. . .

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Birds of a Feather

Don't forget -- this weekend is the Great Backyard Bird Count!  It's fun and easy to participate.

 

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Fermentation Continues

So far, so good on the sourdough starter.  After nearly 48 hours, I have no trace of any blue, pink, or green liquid in my starter.  Just a very yeasty-smelling mixture with the consistency of pancake batter.  Sourdough. . . here we come!

 

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Happy Valentine's Day

 

Have a great weekend -- with plenty of Olympics, knitting, and chocolate!