Since this is the blog that nobody reads, I though I would weigh in with my thoughts on overpopulation and such.
The birth of octuplets the other day has apparently spurred interest on the internet in the ethics and morality of doctors providing fertility servies to a woman who already has chidren (six to be exact). Now I suppose that it may turn out that all of these six were adopted, but I don't think so.
Fertility services should be for women who can't get pregnant, not those who have already bourne more than their fair share. Period. Do we have to pass a law, because people are so short sighted and STUPID? Fertility services should be restricted to those who have AT MOST one living child. Period. End of discussion.
We are collectively worried about climate change, about genocide, ethnic cleansing, about starvation in Africa and disease and our food supply, energy demands and growing healthy economies.
There are too many people on the earth. We can't feed ourselves, we can't provide energy and a good quality of life, we are paving over our fields and cutting down our rain forests, all to provide too little food and too little safety to the people we already have.
When I was a child, the prevailing scientific point of view, at least as it was passed on to school children, was that animals who over-procreated starved to death, thus limiting their populations to sustainable levels. It now appears that many animals limit their families in lean times, thus having only the size family that is sustainable.
Human beings also have the capability of limiting their families. While we don't know how animals do it, we humans have developed birth control and death control (well at least disease control and methods of protecting ourselves from some causes of "premature" death), to help us limit our procreation and popluation. But only China seems to have a national policy regarding population, and we don't like their methods, even if we can admire the purpose behind it.
Instead, we have religions deliberately prohibiting people from utilizing the science we have, encouraging large families regardless of whether or not the family and the world can sustain them. It seems that they believe that God would say, "Okay, I'll let other animals limit their populations, and I'll let humans discover simple safe methods of limiting their populations, but then I'll mandate that I, and only I, the one and only GOD, will decide family by family who should have children and how many." How can anyone believe in this sort of God? God, our loving, caring parent, is going to allow us to discover simple safe methods of population control, then forbid us to use them? What???? Particularly in view of that fact that having too many pregnancies is not only unhealthy for the mother, but also for the children.
Back in the seventies, when I was having my family (two children, thank you very much) there was an active group called Zero Population Growth, with the motto "Stop at Two". What happened to this group? What happened to this philosophy?
There was one compelling reason NOT to stop at two. If all intelligent, alert, caring people do in fact stop at two, leaving only the stupid and uncaring to unlimited procreation, then the population of uncaring and stupid people would increase while the population of intelligent people would stay stable, thus becoming a minority. Is that what happened? In fact, gross population studies seem to show that as people achieve the high standards of living that seem to be standard in the US and Europe, people naturally limit their families. European families have been notoriously smaller than on other continents for some time. I read somewhere that the population of Europe prior to the black plague in the 1300's (not sure of the time frame) was not reached again until World War II.
Apparently, as immigrant groups move into the United States with their large families, they adopt smaller families as standard within a generation or two. Currently, the Hispanic migration into this country is driving population growth, and Hispanics are becoming a larger and larger minority--soon to be a majority? But I read somewhere (don't remember where) that as they assimilate into the US culture, Hispanics are expected to embrace the smaller family size already common here, as other ethnic groups already have.
But they're Catholic, and the Catholic church is opposed to abortion and birth control? Yes but as my very devout Catholic friend said, she wasn't going to allow some old men who had never married or had families to dictate what was right for her family. Her two girls are about 6 years apart, and her son is about six years younger than the younger girl. She probably planned SOMETHING.
Although I didn't include this in my "If I were Queen" list, I think the time has come for the US to face upto the population crisis (we call it the energy crisis, but it is really population). Let us pass an income tax law which limits the deduction for dependents to the first two BIRTH Children ONLY. Adopted children could be exempt. {There might be a special exemption for those families who through no fault of the own have twins or triplets.) I have more problems with the following suggestion, but I think it may be part of the solution. Limit welfare payments, food stamps, and other government handouts to an amount based on two children. In others words, if you have two children or ten, you would get the same amount of welfare benefits. Let those who cannot use their heads and iimit their family size figure out how to provide for the remaining children.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
If I were Queen
If I were Queen of the world (because merely being president wouldn't do it, I'd want to do all this stuff by fiat, and not have to convince a couple of houses of Congress to go along), here's my list.
1. All schools would be in session 52 weeks a year, 5 days a week, except maybe for a few holidays, and (maybe)a week or two at the end of December and another week or two at the end of June for thorough cleaning. Not all of the time would be traditional class time, though. There might be 9 weeks of classes, followed by a three week intersession. The intersession would be a chance for schools to get creative and imaginative. There might be camp-like activities. There might be a "night school" session, meeting from 6 pm until midnight, with lessons on astronomy and a chance to view actual stars. There might be a foreign language immersion, live like the pioneers, or other "theme" activities. And these intersession sessions would probably be optional, or allow students to mingle in different ways for different activities. For instance, one group of students from many high schools might meet in a certain location to put on a play. Another group might meet in another location to do all week art projects, or go in depth into biology fieldwork or cooking lessons.
2. The age at which a person could drive a car would be raised to eighteen, and REQUIRE a high school diploma. (Just think what that would do to high school graduation rates. If a student didn't get a diploma, then he/she would have to wait until age 25 to get a driver's license.
3. Voting age would be raised again to 21, along with leaving the drinking age at 21. And members of the armed services could NOT be sent into combat until they were at least 21. That's only fair.
4. Every young adult would be required to put in at least a year of service in the armed forces, or volunteering at some charity, inner city program, Peace Corp, VISTA or the like. Every one. No exclusions for handicaps or anything. Maybe if you were totally dependent on caregivers to live, but being blind or deaf or in a wheel chair should NOT except you from serving your community or country.
5. A dormitory would be built near every high school. These dorms would house students who can not live at home. Following the rules would be required, and failure to do so would be a juvenile offence, landing the student in a Juvenile Correctional Facility. Noone under the age of 18 could choose to be homeless. Every person under the age of 18, not living at home (or obviously, at a boarding school or with other family members), would be required to live in one of these dorms, and follow the rules.
6. Rather than spending billions of dollars trying to convince people that trains and buses can and should take the place of automobiles, tracks would be installed along all freeways, and eventually, all major roadways. Cars would be fitted out with a "converter" to allow them to travel along the tracks. Drive up to the freeway ramp, pay the fee, and "put down your rail gear". Now a computer driven ramp monitor speeds up the car to freeway speeds, and pops the car onto the track in the next available space between other vehicles. The car is whisked along at 65 miles per hour until the desired destination is reached, at which point, the computer announces that it is returning control to the driver, the car is routed off the track and onto a siding and the driver once again controls the car as he drives off to whatever destination he desires.
Immediately, there is increased capacity (since the vehicles could and should be literallly bumper to bumper) and decreased fuel usage, since the cars will all be going at the exact same rate of speed. No accelerating to get around another car, no slowing down for traffic, just the same speed as everyone else.
I do not know whether it would be better to have the track system provide the propulsion system (which would then be very flexible and could be powered by whatever means would be more efficient given the local conditions) or whether each individual vehicle would provide it's own power. I will leave engineers to figure this point out. However, I see this alternate as being safer, more efficient and just as flexible and comfortable as our present system. (Ever been on a freeway at 4 am? Lots of cars. No buses or trains, just cars.) (Ever been 30 seconds late for a bus?)
This system would allow nurses, convenience store clerks, emergency personnel, retail store clerks, hospital staff, and a host of others with non-traditional job hours to benefit equally. Bus and train systems only benefit those who go to work and return home in the "eight to five" area, which leaves many many people out.
If you don't have a car, no problem. Small "buses" accomodating 6 to 80 or 100 people, could be available to take walk-ups (or those who choose to get to the on-ramp via bicycle, golf cart, or skateboard- it wouldn't matter.) Eventually, the system could be set up so that prior to leaving one's office at say, 10 PM, a user could log onto a web site, give the instructions "I will be at the Oak Street on-ramp, going south, at 10:10 pm" and a mini-bus could be there waiting for him/her. Try doing that with a bus system.
7. Internship/apprentice programs would be started in all sorts of areas for students in grades eleven and twelve. Traditional areas such as carpentry, auto repair, cooking, and plumbing, and non-traditional areas such as art, craft, and other areas would have programs to teach students how to do real jobs in real career fields. Included in these programs would be the necessary bookwork, including classes in such things as "how to manage a checking account and pay taxes" etc. as well as on-the-job training. The programs would be set up in such a way that a student would complete the program as well as earning a high school diploma.
We need to recognize that not all students are qualified to attend college, nor interested in attending college. We should also know by now that having a full time job and other responsibilities is not a bar to getting a college education to a motivated adult. We need to make a high school education prepare someone for meaningful work in a decent career field.
8. Communities would need to provide safe walking routes to every school within their jurisdiction. A town could either provide paved sidewalks, block off part of a street and prohibit motor vehicles, or otherwise provide safe walking paths EVERYWHERE. Having to bus kids a quarter mile because there is no way to walk to school safely makes no sense, especially in this age when lack of exercise and childhood obesity threaten to make this younger generation less healthy that the one before.
9. Schools would operate on an "eight to five" schedule, or perhaps even longer. "After school sports" could and should be moved to before lessons, to give teenagers, particularly, a chance to wake up and get going before they are required to think. All children would participate in these school sports, which could be expanded to include dancing, walking (see below) and other non-competitive physical activities. Homework clubs, and activity groups would occupy the hour or two after lessons. Students could leave early with parents permission, but would often want to stay to participate in the activities.
10. Walking would become a national sport. Everybody would get books to keep track of their mileage and participation, and awards would be given out for certain milestones.
Wow. I planned on seven, and I got ten. How's that for reaching or exceeding a goal. I just hope someone is listening. Thanks you for reading this.
1. All schools would be in session 52 weeks a year, 5 days a week, except maybe for a few holidays, and (maybe)a week or two at the end of December and another week or two at the end of June for thorough cleaning. Not all of the time would be traditional class time, though. There might be 9 weeks of classes, followed by a three week intersession. The intersession would be a chance for schools to get creative and imaginative. There might be camp-like activities. There might be a "night school" session, meeting from 6 pm until midnight, with lessons on astronomy and a chance to view actual stars. There might be a foreign language immersion, live like the pioneers, or other "theme" activities. And these intersession sessions would probably be optional, or allow students to mingle in different ways for different activities. For instance, one group of students from many high schools might meet in a certain location to put on a play. Another group might meet in another location to do all week art projects, or go in depth into biology fieldwork or cooking lessons.
2. The age at which a person could drive a car would be raised to eighteen, and REQUIRE a high school diploma. (Just think what that would do to high school graduation rates. If a student didn't get a diploma, then he/she would have to wait until age 25 to get a driver's license.
3. Voting age would be raised again to 21, along with leaving the drinking age at 21. And members of the armed services could NOT be sent into combat until they were at least 21. That's only fair.
4. Every young adult would be required to put in at least a year of service in the armed forces, or volunteering at some charity, inner city program, Peace Corp, VISTA or the like. Every one. No exclusions for handicaps or anything. Maybe if you were totally dependent on caregivers to live, but being blind or deaf or in a wheel chair should NOT except you from serving your community or country.
5. A dormitory would be built near every high school. These dorms would house students who can not live at home. Following the rules would be required, and failure to do so would be a juvenile offence, landing the student in a Juvenile Correctional Facility. Noone under the age of 18 could choose to be homeless. Every person under the age of 18, not living at home (or obviously, at a boarding school or with other family members), would be required to live in one of these dorms, and follow the rules.
6. Rather than spending billions of dollars trying to convince people that trains and buses can and should take the place of automobiles, tracks would be installed along all freeways, and eventually, all major roadways. Cars would be fitted out with a "converter" to allow them to travel along the tracks. Drive up to the freeway ramp, pay the fee, and "put down your rail gear". Now a computer driven ramp monitor speeds up the car to freeway speeds, and pops the car onto the track in the next available space between other vehicles. The car is whisked along at 65 miles per hour until the desired destination is reached, at which point, the computer announces that it is returning control to the driver, the car is routed off the track and onto a siding and the driver once again controls the car as he drives off to whatever destination he desires.
Immediately, there is increased capacity (since the vehicles could and should be literallly bumper to bumper) and decreased fuel usage, since the cars will all be going at the exact same rate of speed. No accelerating to get around another car, no slowing down for traffic, just the same speed as everyone else.
I do not know whether it would be better to have the track system provide the propulsion system (which would then be very flexible and could be powered by whatever means would be more efficient given the local conditions) or whether each individual vehicle would provide it's own power. I will leave engineers to figure this point out. However, I see this alternate as being safer, more efficient and just as flexible and comfortable as our present system. (Ever been on a freeway at 4 am? Lots of cars. No buses or trains, just cars.) (Ever been 30 seconds late for a bus?)
This system would allow nurses, convenience store clerks, emergency personnel, retail store clerks, hospital staff, and a host of others with non-traditional job hours to benefit equally. Bus and train systems only benefit those who go to work and return home in the "eight to five" area, which leaves many many people out.
If you don't have a car, no problem. Small "buses" accomodating 6 to 80 or 100 people, could be available to take walk-ups (or those who choose to get to the on-ramp via bicycle, golf cart, or skateboard- it wouldn't matter.) Eventually, the system could be set up so that prior to leaving one's office at say, 10 PM, a user could log onto a web site, give the instructions "I will be at the Oak Street on-ramp, going south, at 10:10 pm" and a mini-bus could be there waiting for him/her. Try doing that with a bus system.
7. Internship/apprentice programs would be started in all sorts of areas for students in grades eleven and twelve. Traditional areas such as carpentry, auto repair, cooking, and plumbing, and non-traditional areas such as art, craft, and other areas would have programs to teach students how to do real jobs in real career fields. Included in these programs would be the necessary bookwork, including classes in such things as "how to manage a checking account and pay taxes" etc. as well as on-the-job training. The programs would be set up in such a way that a student would complete the program as well as earning a high school diploma.
We need to recognize that not all students are qualified to attend college, nor interested in attending college. We should also know by now that having a full time job and other responsibilities is not a bar to getting a college education to a motivated adult. We need to make a high school education prepare someone for meaningful work in a decent career field.
8. Communities would need to provide safe walking routes to every school within their jurisdiction. A town could either provide paved sidewalks, block off part of a street and prohibit motor vehicles, or otherwise provide safe walking paths EVERYWHERE. Having to bus kids a quarter mile because there is no way to walk to school safely makes no sense, especially in this age when lack of exercise and childhood obesity threaten to make this younger generation less healthy that the one before.
9. Schools would operate on an "eight to five" schedule, or perhaps even longer. "After school sports" could and should be moved to before lessons, to give teenagers, particularly, a chance to wake up and get going before they are required to think. All children would participate in these school sports, which could be expanded to include dancing, walking (see below) and other non-competitive physical activities. Homework clubs, and activity groups would occupy the hour or two after lessons. Students could leave early with parents permission, but would often want to stay to participate in the activities.
10. Walking would become a national sport. Everybody would get books to keep track of their mileage and participation, and awards would be given out for certain milestones.
Wow. I planned on seven, and I got ten. How's that for reaching or exceeding a goal. I just hope someone is listening. Thanks you for reading this.
Friday, January 9, 2009
More lessons from spinning
I forgot to add item 4 (5):
Keep a notebook. I have spun four items so far, red wool, natural corriedale, blue colonial, and natural BFL, and already I can't remember what I did with what, exactly.
The natural corriedale was the second wool I spun, and I did it in two or three pieces, then dyed the three pieces at the same time, but not the same way. One was dyed multicolored (orange, yellow-orange, yellow, and green) and one green and gold and the last one was dyed redish and red-orange. Because I remember that I dyed it at the same time (my husband does not like the smell of vinegar, so I try to limit the dying as much as possible) and because I have pictures taken at the same time, I know the green-gold and the multi are the same Corridale.
However, you would never know looking at the wool. Somehow, between the first small batch (green-gold) and the last (multi) I evidently "got it" and began spinning much much more evenly. They even have a slightly different feel.
Wow, what I'm learning is awesome.
Keep a notebook. I have spun four items so far, red wool, natural corriedale, blue colonial, and natural BFL, and already I can't remember what I did with what, exactly.
The natural corriedale was the second wool I spun, and I did it in two or three pieces, then dyed the three pieces at the same time, but not the same way. One was dyed multicolored (orange, yellow-orange, yellow, and green) and one green and gold and the last one was dyed redish and red-orange. Because I remember that I dyed it at the same time (my husband does not like the smell of vinegar, so I try to limit the dying as much as possible) and because I have pictures taken at the same time, I know the green-gold and the multi are the same Corridale.
However, you would never know looking at the wool. Somehow, between the first small batch (green-gold) and the last (multi) I evidently "got it" and began spinning much much more evenly. They even have a slightly different feel.
Wow, what I'm learning is awesome.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
spinning lessons
I have been spinning since mid October. My second or third attempt, (all on a spindle) was very chunky and uneven. I had dyed it green and yellow-gold, using Koolaid. This was about 13 yards of very variable yarn. I also had another skein of the same fiber, more even, also Koolaid dyed. I would like to make a hat out of these two pieces. but the chunky/skinny part wasn't very good. So I took it apart.
That's right. I unplyed it, which wasn't too difficult. Then I took each ply and respun it, twisting it backwards to get out the excess twist where that had happened. I picked apart the chunky parts, which were somewhat felted together. Then I gently redrafted the fiber into skinnier strips which twisted into a much more even yarn. It broke dozens of times, of course. Each time, I carefully separated some of the fibers, and tryed to hold enough together as I twisted to create a thin, but not threadlike, yarn. Still not completely even, but way better.
I then washed the two pieces, the former plys, in order to get out some of the kinkiness. I just soaked them in hot water, with a dash of wool wash, for about 20 minutes, and hung them to dry on a plastic hanger, weighted down with water bottles (so I could control the weight and not put too much weight on each strand). Finally, I replyed them together.
In the original yarn, the colors had been somewhat handpainted to create two rather short lengths of yellow-gold (maybe four or five yards total) and the remainder a fairly dark green, (maybe 8 or 9 yards). However, what with dramatically lengthening the fat parts of the yarn, due to redrafting them into more reasonable thickness, the colors in the two strands (plys) no longer matched up when I replyed the yarn. Also, the colors became more muted, sometimes significantly, because the redrafting and respinning exposed some of the undyed fibers at the center of the yarn. At some sections, of course it matches pretty well, since there was more of the green. However, in some sections, there is now a barberpole effect with green plyed with gold. Other sections are in between in the color process. I don't want to redye it; I think it is nice the way it is.
Here is what I found out about my spinning process:
1) The thick parts felted somewhat. I had to pick and pick at some of them to get them separated enough to redraft. This happened even though as a new spinner, I hadn't heard about whacking your yarn in the finished process, and was VERY VERY careful to handle it gently, using only medium temperature water, not agitating it at all, and patting it gently to get the water out before hanging it to dry.
2) The thin parts were often way overtwisted. Sometimes the fiber had made a little series of corkscrews that I had not been aware of when I previously worked with this yarn. I kept it under enough tension to prevent it curling back on itself, but the corkscrews were abundant, and not always in the thinnest part of the yarn.
3) Although I had thought I had used a lot of Kool-aid, it had only covered the surface of the yarn. Thus the fat places were totally white inside, and even the corkscrews were white where the original plying had covered some surface of the strand. In other words, only the outside of the plyed yarn had dyed, not the inside, or even the side where the plys laid together.
4) I have apparently learned a whole lot about spinning in the less than three months I have been at it.
This was really worth doing. I am glad I took the time to undo and redo. I really like the new skein, which is now about 19 yards, and very pretty. When I finished it, having learned much more about yarn, I washed it in hot water, rinsed in cool, toweled it as dry as I could, whacked it a couple of times (I am still not sure about this, need to take a lesson or have a demonstration), and let it dry. Then I took pictures.
See even an old dog can learn new tricks.
Remember this is all being done on a spindle. I really like the spindle for learning. There seem to be three basic steps, drafting, twisting, and winding on. On the spinning wheel, I couldn't seem to separate the steps in my mind, and felt I had no control. I didn't know what I was doing, and although I did make "yarn", it seemed like magic and not something I was doing. With the spindle, I can see each step as I do it. They are separate somewhat. When I was practicing at home, I was very diligently parking, drafting, twisting, and winding on. Repeat. Then at some point I realized that I had been forgetting to park, and just drafting as the spindle merrily spun and spun, and the yarn got twisted. On the spindle, you can examine each half yard or so before you wind it onto the spindle, and make corrections for over/underspinning, over/underdrafting, and so forth, before you wind on. This is the way I have been managing to make a somewhat consistent yarn.
Naturally as I improve, I imagine that the whole process will become more automatic and easier, and just as I found myself drafting and twisting at the same time without really realizing this happened, I think the whole process will become more automatic and simpler.
I have been watching my grandson, age four, learning to write his name and the letters of the alphabet, and just as he improves gradually as he practices, so I hope to improve my spinning until I become the boss of it, and NOT the other way around.
That's right. I unplyed it, which wasn't too difficult. Then I took each ply and respun it, twisting it backwards to get out the excess twist where that had happened. I picked apart the chunky parts, which were somewhat felted together. Then I gently redrafted the fiber into skinnier strips which twisted into a much more even yarn. It broke dozens of times, of course. Each time, I carefully separated some of the fibers, and tryed to hold enough together as I twisted to create a thin, but not threadlike, yarn. Still not completely even, but way better.
I then washed the two pieces, the former plys, in order to get out some of the kinkiness. I just soaked them in hot water, with a dash of wool wash, for about 20 minutes, and hung them to dry on a plastic hanger, weighted down with water bottles (so I could control the weight and not put too much weight on each strand). Finally, I replyed them together.
In the original yarn, the colors had been somewhat handpainted to create two rather short lengths of yellow-gold (maybe four or five yards total) and the remainder a fairly dark green, (maybe 8 or 9 yards). However, what with dramatically lengthening the fat parts of the yarn, due to redrafting them into more reasonable thickness, the colors in the two strands (plys) no longer matched up when I replyed the yarn. Also, the colors became more muted, sometimes significantly, because the redrafting and respinning exposed some of the undyed fibers at the center of the yarn. At some sections, of course it matches pretty well, since there was more of the green. However, in some sections, there is now a barberpole effect with green plyed with gold. Other sections are in between in the color process. I don't want to redye it; I think it is nice the way it is.
Here is what I found out about my spinning process:
1) The thick parts felted somewhat. I had to pick and pick at some of them to get them separated enough to redraft. This happened even though as a new spinner, I hadn't heard about whacking your yarn in the finished process, and was VERY VERY careful to handle it gently, using only medium temperature water, not agitating it at all, and patting it gently to get the water out before hanging it to dry.
2) The thin parts were often way overtwisted. Sometimes the fiber had made a little series of corkscrews that I had not been aware of when I previously worked with this yarn. I kept it under enough tension to prevent it curling back on itself, but the corkscrews were abundant, and not always in the thinnest part of the yarn.
3) Although I had thought I had used a lot of Kool-aid, it had only covered the surface of the yarn. Thus the fat places were totally white inside, and even the corkscrews were white where the original plying had covered some surface of the strand. In other words, only the outside of the plyed yarn had dyed, not the inside, or even the side where the plys laid together.
4) I have apparently learned a whole lot about spinning in the less than three months I have been at it.
This was really worth doing. I am glad I took the time to undo and redo. I really like the new skein, which is now about 19 yards, and very pretty. When I finished it, having learned much more about yarn, I washed it in hot water, rinsed in cool, toweled it as dry as I could, whacked it a couple of times (I am still not sure about this, need to take a lesson or have a demonstration), and let it dry. Then I took pictures.
See even an old dog can learn new tricks.
Remember this is all being done on a spindle. I really like the spindle for learning. There seem to be three basic steps, drafting, twisting, and winding on. On the spinning wheel, I couldn't seem to separate the steps in my mind, and felt I had no control. I didn't know what I was doing, and although I did make "yarn", it seemed like magic and not something I was doing. With the spindle, I can see each step as I do it. They are separate somewhat. When I was practicing at home, I was very diligently parking, drafting, twisting, and winding on. Repeat. Then at some point I realized that I had been forgetting to park, and just drafting as the spindle merrily spun and spun, and the yarn got twisted. On the spindle, you can examine each half yard or so before you wind it onto the spindle, and make corrections for over/underspinning, over/underdrafting, and so forth, before you wind on. This is the way I have been managing to make a somewhat consistent yarn.
Naturally as I improve, I imagine that the whole process will become more automatic and easier, and just as I found myself drafting and twisting at the same time without really realizing this happened, I think the whole process will become more automatic and simpler.
I have been watching my grandson, age four, learning to write his name and the letters of the alphabet, and just as he improves gradually as he practices, so I hope to improve my spinning until I become the boss of it, and NOT the other way around.
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