40 YEARS IN PRISON FOR A POP-UP???

This is astonishing to me -- that in a time where almost EVERYONE you speak to, from the 3 year old in the grocery store to your 97 year old grandmother -- is at least semi-literate in computer-ease, and knows that this crap can find its way on to your computer without you ever having to "search it out" -- that there is a court in this country that is actually thinking about putting Julie Amero in prison for 40 years for a pornographic pop-up ad that appeared on her monitor during a class.

Are you freekin' kidding me? How in the world can this be happening to this poor woman!?

There are things you can do to help if you'd like (more on that towards the end) -- but if you would just like to read more you can do so here, here, here, and here.

Admittedly, I have not read ALL the articles about this case yet -- but it looks to me so far that this woman is getting a bum rap! Sounds like there are a bunch of computer illiterate people sitting on the jury here! There is another great piece here by Nancy Willard, M.S., J.D.

You can also use the power of e-mail. The State's Attorney responsible for supervision of David Smith, the prosecutor in the Amero case, is Michael L. Regan. You might want to write him and strongly urge he help Smith file a motion to vacate the conviction. An e-mail to the Chief State's Attorneys of Connecticut Kevin T. Kane and Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell can't hurt, either. If you write, however tempting, try not to go on a rant. Use your computing expertise -- and a civil argument -- and you'll likely get better results. (I hope it was ok that I borrowed this paragraph from Steve Bass's site, (Steve, if you by any strange chance happen to see this and have a problem with my using this, please let me know and I will remove it immediately).

Julie, if you happen to come across this site, I wish you all the luck in the world! I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers and hope that the powers that be come to their senses and realize that this WAS NOT YOUR FAULT and come sentencing day you are set free -- where you belong!!!

Malabrigo Swatch & Super 10 Cotton

I am so in love with this swatch, I may not even frog it! I just may continue to knit and make it in to a scarf ::gg:: This Malabrigo is the softest, most lush yarn I think I have ever touched! I have some cashmere that isn't even this soft! Don't know how they do it for this price, but I think this may just be my :NEW: favorite yarn, sorry Cashmerimo -- you are now second....

This yarn is something that is for sale now on the Destash site (scroll down) -- it may not still be there by the time you go to check for it, but I just had to share this gorgeous WIP with you, and tell you if you're interested, she has not frogged it yet and you may be able to get her to send it to you as pictured (sure wish I had the skills to continue that project! It is so pretty!!!) so you can finish it! And at a bargain price too! Check it out.....

Oh, I am one lucky knitter!

I received the most wonderful package FULL of rare Opal yarns today, and they are GORGEOUS! I am a very lucky knitting addict indeed, especially when most people in the country will never get to see these yarns!

I got most of the Lollipop collection (Opal Lollipop is a reprint of the famous hard-to-get collection, a real collector's item) and a few skeins of the Rainbow (Opal Regenbogen) Tryout collection....OH THE COLORS!!! I hope they will make this color combination a part of their regular line so I will be able to get more! Here is a quick shot of the Regenbogen, isn't it purty??

Yes, you can believe your eyes!

Wow! That's all I can muster for this one!! You can even make you own if you want to! You can find the pattern here

Be Still, my Heart!

Franklin has done it again! You simply MUST check this out!!!

Franklin's Perfect "I Love You's"

Franklin, be mine! Screw the logistics and all that other "stuff" that might get in the way....we're a perfect match!

Whew. I think I might be back!

Sorta!

This "thing" kicked my butt though! Still have a fever, but I am feeling a bit more like a human being today than I have for days. AND, I can sit up today too! Quite an accomplishment!

I started knitting the yarn from Cindy today, MAN is that stuff nice!!! So soft and squishy!! I can't wait to finish it and get it around my neck to see if it's really as soft as I think it is. It will be the first thing I have made for myself (if I keep it that is!!) since I started knitting, I think it's time. I will try to snap a picture later of the few stitches I've got so far!

In other news, we FINALLY got some snow today! First storm of the season! I think this is the latest it's EVER been for us to have gotten any snow!! Upstate has 153" and counting -- JUST IN THE PAST WEEK!! They don't even normally get that much in the whole SEASON, even with lake effect snow!! It's incredible! Just when Chris decides to move up there, they have a million inches of snow, how lucky for him! And the orangeina hat still isn't done either! Oops!

Regia, Trekking and Opal -- Oh MY!

Got a lovely package today, just full of LOVELY new things from Opal, Trekking and Regia!

Pictures to come tomorrow when I am hopefully a bit more alive than I am right now -- woke up a bit ago with 104.5º fever, freezing cold and feeling quite a bit like I am going to die.....Yep, it's the flipping FLU!

So what's a girl to do but knit, while the meds kick in, right??

I've started a new sock in the brightest color I have ever seen from Opal! Their new collection is SMASHING -- it's called Neon, that should give you some idea as to the colors! And there is also a new PINK Trekking that I just fell in love with too, and I was never in to pink before I started knitting a couple of years ago. I don't know what got in to me??

And Regia has a new line that's EXTREMELY limited that I was lucky enough to get my hands on called SURPRISE, where you never know what you're going to get when you knit it! t can differ from spots, stripes to a pooling effect -- depends, I would imagine, on your gauge, needle size and where you begin on the skein! Can't wait to try that one either! All I need are a few more hands and a few more hours in the day....maybe the flu moving on would help too! Oscillo and Air Borne watch out, here I come!

Here is a little peek at the NEON I am working on!

Here he is! DERF, my magical, mystical Llama from whose lovely fleece I will try to spin the yarn to knit myself a sweater...maybe. I hope!! Look at that sweet face!!!

Wish me luck and thanks, Derf!!

Llama, mama!

One of these lovely Llamas gave up his coat to send me almost two pounds of lovely pencil roving that I will try to spin in to yarn for a sweater!

I have a ton of practicing to do before I try my hand at this stuff. I've never done any spinning before, and I sure hope I can do it! Please send good thoughts!

Ellen = Love

You know, the more I watch her show...the more I love that woman! She's not only funny, she is one of the most kind hearted people on TV!

She just spoke with a young man that is going to join the armed forces (can't remeber the branch, sorry Michael!) and the conversation was heartwarming! You could just hear how thrilled this kid was to be speaking with her -- and she invited him to the show and said she would dance with him when they were there (one of his dreams).

How many celebrities do you know that would do that for someone?? She's an amazing woman!

Speaking of amazing women, my old boss and amazing friend Renee, who I have not spoken with for at least 25 years, contacted my mother today looking for me! It will be GREAT to be able to speak with her again. I can't wait until tomorrow! We touched base briefly via email, but there is nothing like a long heart to heart to make up for lost time!

Malabrigo....From Cindy!!

Pictures don't even begin to do this color justice. I fell in love the moment I saw this for sale on KH and just had to have it! It's a color I have never seen for sale at any retailer before, and in person, it has a bit of green in it as well that you can just barely see if you look really closely at the bottom of the skeins towards the right hand sides.

I am looking for a pattern for some sort of cowl collar or something that is close to your neck...I am not even sure exactly what I want, really! I just wish there was enough for a whole sweater! This stuff is sooooo soft and yummy!

Thanks, Cindy! For the great deal, and the score on a color I've never seen before! I hope you don't mind I lifted your photo, since it's about 10000000 times better than anything I could have done here!

The Panopticon: Homage

The Panopticon: Homage

This guy is AWESOME!! And a fellow Aquarian too - his birthday was Tuesday -- mine is today!

You have to check out this entry in his blog! It is PRICELESS!! And something only a knitter would appreciate....Enjoy!

Franklin, you have more talent in you little finger than most of us do in our whole bodies! You're AWESOME!

Today, I am going to try to enjoy my birthday, we will see how it goes.....that is if I can ever get some sleep first!