WIPS not dead but and that I'd really like to get to:

1 & 1a: WIPS neither lost nor forgotten but at least in the same room and not sequestered in the closet. Which reminds me I now have three spring/summery tops I MUST get outta the closet and actually finish, the FdC Phildar inspired tank is in there (needs 2 seams, that's it, 2 years for two seams), the Comfort tank, think I have to do sleeve caps, can't remember on that one and the uhm one with the German yarn, sleeves or something are needed, think it's off the needles and am pretty sure I didn't hold 'em on "waste" yarn. Don't really want to look in the closet now.

2: The Not so stripey Essential Stripe by Wendy. Frankly I should stop posting, grab the WIP and just finish it up. Had a running out of yarn ripping back issue, think it's under control.

3: The Olympic Wrap aka Shelagh (no, it isn't a saddle, that's for another post anyways). It will be done, hopefully before the next olympics, or at least the World Cup. Which reminds me of the fact that Skippy bought the rights to all the WC games but the National which will be on RAI so either we have to fork out the money for a sattelite (dish not the thing up there in outter space) or get a lido so we can watch the games on the big screen during riposo time when it's too hot to be in the sun anyways. I'm leaning towards the second option frankly. Sports bars are not really to be found here but lidos we got.

4: The first one hank project, that's the Lorna's Laces in Shadow. It's goin, slowly but surely. Question: The design can be written out in 10 rows if people are capable of understanding the fact that the stitch markers have to be moved 2 sts to the left on every WS row for the RS instructions to work. Otherwise there will be a 10 page (instead of row) set of instructions which only have the row number and 2 other numbers increasing. What to do, what to do. If I include 'move the st. markers like so' AND a row stitch count, that'd work yes?

5: The UnderWIPeverse. Three plastic bags filled with things to write up. The Hipknits shawl pattern will actually be out at the end of the Month/whenever the new Knitty comes out. Something special for those of you who can find it, not for the general public. Special Stuff I tell ya! Middle plastic bag filled with the lacy hat and scarf set in both a FdC Primo version and a HPY.com version showing what you can do with one hank of Ejido 160 wool. One hank! And the bag to the write with the blue print on it is Ali. Ali Ali Ali. She's a bag! She needs to be written up and shot!

6: The Woosta bag. Made some progress on it yesterday while watching Mad Max 3 with hubby while he was working. Here.. MM3 is just ties right in with the whole MinkiaMan the 80s are back! Rather fitting all the pigs considering yesteday was National Pig Day in the states. Oink! You can shovel shit, can't you?

7: Designs that need to be knit up, some waiting for yarn to arrive others waiting in line, patiently. Do be fooled by the patient one. Don't mistake the quiet and compliance for patience, there could be some major plotting going on. Here, a song. Hubby don't dig reggae but then I don't really dig the industrial/noise stuff so we balance out somehow. Kiddo certainly has a weird er ecclectic taste in the muzak suffice to say.

8: Something Red but it is't that something red. More Brilla by FdC. Picked it up at the LYS round the holidays for me. Ruby red, destined to be a wrap and now it's on the way to being just that. Will dress up the basic black of summer beautifully. Brilla *sigh*.

9: Because I have to have the proper sweater to chase down the Bad Guys in..the sleeves for Starsky. Had to drop what I was doing and on my third set of sleeve increases thought it best if I write out the Checkovs and marked prev increases. Using a deep dark purple with a gorgeous crepe texture wool which makes it a bitch to count how many rows since my last increase, best mark, don't want to end up with bat wings. I'm convinced I should just avoid KAL threads altogether. First up. OOH gauge! Lable says one thing pattern says another! Was like with the Ella KAL, somebody posted they thought I stated the wrong needle size because the suggested needle size for the yarn was completely different. If I roll my eyes any more they will fall right outta my head. The wool I'm working with has a row gauge of 24 / 10 cm so adjusting on the fly. Is it really so hard for people to THINK? It's basic numbers, stuff you should have had a grip on by oh second grade, or third. C'mon people it is NOT rocket science. Now watch, after that said I have one of those FO's that would only fit a 5 foot wide 2 foot tall person with 4 foot arms. HA.

10: There is no ten but it's nice to end with a number that ends with 0 no?

Earlier: How do you spell George Washington? Uh why? Because I want to name my horse George Washington! He was our first president! G-E.. Who was Italia's first president? I don't know, probably some Commie, before that it was the king who sold everyone out to the Nazis, O-R.. The Bad Guys? Oh yeah, G-E...I like George Washington, he is a good name for my horse. Space, W-A... mommy, when I am the president I want to be George Washingtina. Tina? Ton is for boys, Tina is for girls. Okay, S - H - I..but mommy, huh? First I need to go to dancing school and then I will make sure everybody has to work so daddy does not need to give them his taxes.

That's my girl.

Reads/links dump, it's about time no? The folder is getting too full and I have to scroll which means dump time.

Not knitting but dig her paintings - Libra Art Woman.

Corsair the Rational Pirate shares his photos from the Protest in front of the Danish embassy in DC a few days ago. Notice the burning of flags and general mayhem. Vital Perspective has more pics. A Carlsberg sweatshirt and a Danish Flag much cooler than those common "death to America, death to infidels you're ALL gonna die!" placcards me thinks.

On Opinion Journal we have a featured article - Democracy Angst What's the alternative to promoting freedom in the Middle East?

"For some, the promotion of democracy promises an easy resolution to the many difficult problems we face," says Illinois Congressman Henry Hyde. "But I believe that great caution is warranted here."

Yet simply because it took centuries to establish a liberal-democratic order in Europe, it does not follow that it must take centuries more to establish one in the Middle East. Japan took about 100 years to transform itself (and be transformed) from a feudal society into a modern industrial democracy. South Korea made a similar leap in about 40 years; Thailand went from quasi-military dictatorships to a genuine constitutional monarchy in about 20. As the practice of liberal democracy has spread, the time it takes nondemocratic societies to acquire that practice has diminished.

A couple pieces, deeper reads pulling from history on the Israelis and what the hell is amatterwithyou. From Steven Plaut - The Rise of the Hamas and the Decline of Israeli Determination.

Despite the long track record of military successes, the new generation of
Israelis lost its willingness to fight and resist. It convinced itself
that capitulation and appeasement are the only paths to peace. It decided
that self-abasement is the key ingredient to good relations with its
neighbors.

And it gets worse - Sultan Knish on The Perpetuating Cycle of Abuse in Jewish History

When we look at the panoply of Jewish history, time and time again we see Jews inexplicably turning on Jews. Whether it's in the earlier times of Hellenists or early Christians collaborating with the romans or in the 20th century with the Kapos or Messianic Judaism or Jewish liberals who hate Israel or the metal batons falling at Amona, they all have one thing in common. A segment of the Jewish people empathizing with their oppressors so much so that they do everything in their power to become the oppressor.

On Jihad Watch, Hugh Fitzgerald on What Israel and the world owe the "Palestinians". Personally I don't owe them a thing. Not a thing I say, unless it involves frogs, a lot of frogs.

Disengagement: What exactly did giving 60% of the fertile land to the neighbors prone to explode get? Nada, wait, they were kind enough to share a few of their missles. On Smooth Stone we see 450 missles. Apeasement does not equal peace. It's not that hard of a concept to grasp. Yet there are still kick the Jews out of their homes plans in the works. Heads out of the collective ass! Pronto!

Speaking of the Holy Land, More than Bombs has just that, photos, more than bombs.

Fluff! By way of Habsgirl - # 1 Song on This Date in History. Want to know what the #1 hit was per Billboard Magazine on a particular day? Take a look. Bday song for moi is "It's Too Late/ I Feel the Earth Move" by Carole King. It could be worse.

UPDATE: They SO SUCK! Iranian police attack female soccer fans. Because girls can't watch because they are girls. GAH.