Data Info

Placards in support of refugees Fear makes bad policy

Simple

Below are some easy to produce B/W placards for protest actions in support of refugees this weekend.

You can print them easily on A4 paper on a home printer. The designs have been cut in half so you can place the upper and lower halves together to make a larger sign. So 2xA4 for each design to make an A3 size sign.

Or, just grab a print ready pdf of all of the posters - whole. You can print them any size up to A1 size with enough quality. DOWNLOAD A PRINT READY PDF OF ALL THE POSTERS

Print and glue on cardboard... add a stick for a high tech version. Or do a Vivienne Westwood... print at A4 size, pop in an A4 plastic sleeve and safety pin it to your a clothing.

And lets rally for some common decency and common sense in Australias approach to asylum seekers.

Open Borders

You might like to have a read of this article on open borders. Heres an extract:
"The two-pronged move to (a) open borders, thus making migration part of the daily reality of a globalised world, and not an expensive, largely performative, and ultimately futile exercise in securing borders, and (b) humanise asylum seekers by talking about them as people "like us" would have the effect of detoxifying the poison that is contemporary asylum and immigration politics in Australia. Of course, the road is long, but the struggle to shift opinion has to start now."

Web quality images

 

Available link for download

Overzealous Is Your Middle Name Which Makes You Just Like Most Authors

I submitted three chapters and a synopsis to two editors I met at a very small regional SCBWI event. When I sent the 3 chaps, thinking I had a minimum of 4-6 months wait ahead of me, I was aware my MS still needed a last copyedit and a proofread. When Editor A requested the full MS, only three weeks later, complete with scribbled smiley face on her note to me, I was elated.... and horrified to find my story wasnt as ready as I thought. The second half (at least) had some serious issues which suddenly became glaringly obvious to me now that someone actually wanted to see the full. Im sure I made a complete gaffe of the situation: I sent Editor A the first half of the MS, and explained what had happened, with an assurance I was committed to fixing the issues. Editor A quickly rejected my half MS with a form letter. No real surprises there, I guess, a sharp rap on the knuckles, and a hard lesson learned.

Ah... well, I cant speak for all editors, but if I had the first half of a novel and was really excited about it, I would let the author know that Id love to see the rest when it was done.
Unless it was about vampires, zombies, or angels. Only manuscripts ready to be sent to the printer can have those in them right now. Damned angels.

At the same time, youre right, you shouldnt be submitting a novel that isnt finished, so Im glad youre taking this as a lesson.

Im wondering whats the best way to handle Editor B: just to send her a letter and withdraw my MS from consideration at this point? I dont want to waste her time. But Im not expecting that she will request the full. And I dont want to come across as Stupidity Exhibit A to someone whom I admire. How is an author, if shes silly enough to be there, expected to handle this kind of situation? Talk about arguing for ones limitations....

Let her know that you feel youve noticed a couple problem areas and want to send the manuscript to her once its really as good as you can make it. She should appreciate that. And give her an idea of how soon that might be: a month? A couple months? I dont mean to pressure you, but we like people who have a new book every year or two.

Available link for download

Olivia Palermo Makes A Furry Statement

Photo via: Who What Wear

We all have a slew of go-to celebrities to rely on when searching for some fashion and street style inspiration.  Olivia Palermo is definitely one of those stylish celebrities. Her style is always classic, elegant and on-trend at the same time. She stepped out wearing a fantastic furry coat, mock neck sweater, slightly distressed jeans and eye-catching ankle booties.

Get the look:
+ Nytt Mock Neck Sweatshirt
+ J.Crew Tippi Turtleneck Sweater
+ Topshop Unique Shearling Paneled Coat
+ Black Orchid Amber Zip Skinnies
+ Jimmy Choo Mitsu 110 Ankle Boots

Available link for download

Proof That Knitting Makes You Smarter Even If Youre Me

Hi, kids. Im sitting at OHare airport, waiting for a flight to Oklahoma. Ill be teaching this weekend at the Sealed With a Kiss Knit Out 2011 in Guthrie, in the exalted company of Fiona Ellis and Jane Thornley.

I only just got home from my last trip–a joyful co-production of Bostons Common Cod Fiber Guild and Minds Eye Yarn in Cambridge. The first event was a talk at M.I.T., in a terribly swish lecture hall designed with verve aplenty by Frank Gehry. We arrived to find the place crawling with equations. It looked like Einstein had inhaled too much chalkdust and sneezed violently across all twelve blackboards.

I had a few minutes of downtime before curtain, so I put on my thinking cap and got to work finishing what the class had started. Piece o cake. Add a couple yos, balance with a few k2togs, start and end with asterisks to indicate the repeat and now you have a theory of velocity (or electricity, or gravity, or energy, or something) that also makes a really cute lace capelet.



Hearty thanks to Patience for sharing her photograph with me. I hope the nastypants meanie meanie teacher who made me cry over long division in fourth grade in front of the entire class runs across this post and has a stroke.

Available link for download