Help, Poverty and a Wooly Blanket
Have some more Good News from Africa - Oxfam helping people to help themselves to reasonable lives. I'm still disgusted that Foreign Aid is necessary, but glad that such things are happening. Small scale 'aid' seems to be so much more effective than giving large sums to governments. I wonder why ; )
And to further inform, Dear Reader, poverty in the UK. Apparently things are so bad that these days one person in five lives below the official poverty line. One in Five! In the UK, the sixth richest country in the world! And with the way the Government is going that's more than likely to get worse. One in four? One in three? Heck, even now that's me, H, S, someone else and someone in poverty.
Of course poverty in the UK isn't as abject as poverty in, say, Ethiopia. It's still unforgiveable though. So maybe it's time to get political, though not party political, and start pushing those who are supposed to be representing us. As there's a general election due next May (or thereabouts) our 'representatives' might actually listen to our concerns, and listen in a way they probably won't once they're elected and looking at another four or five year term in office. It's amazing how the prospect of re-election can concentrate the minds of politicians!
Oh, and while we're on the subject - do not go falling for the UKIP (and others) line that the Government currently sends millions abroad in aid - which should be spent at home. The Government aid budget is currently 0.7% of the GNP. That's less than 1 penny in the pound. Far, far more is being spent on Defence and Social Services - and Social Services are always complaining they haven't enough.
'K, polemic over - have The Story of Bert's Blanket, part of Wovember - a concerted attempt by wool producers (well, sheep owners anyhow) and wool users to get us to use more Real Wool. Preferably named varieties of wool - by which I mean varieties like Shetland, Blue Face Leicester, Merino, Gotland etc, rather than Patons, Sirdar or Cascade!
My cardigan is coming on. I finished the body the other day and started on a sleeve last night - knit in the round, top down, a new venture for me. I'm enjoying it so far. The sleeves are in the new yarn I had to purchase cos there wasn't enough of the original yarn. The ball label reckons it knits to the same tension as the original yarn. I'm not so sure, it seems to be a tad thinner, but we'll see.
Y'all have a good day now!
And to further inform, Dear Reader, poverty in the UK. Apparently things are so bad that these days one person in five lives below the official poverty line. One in Five! In the UK, the sixth richest country in the world! And with the way the Government is going that's more than likely to get worse. One in four? One in three? Heck, even now that's me, H, S, someone else and someone in poverty.
Of course poverty in the UK isn't as abject as poverty in, say, Ethiopia. It's still unforgiveable though. So maybe it's time to get political, though not party political, and start pushing those who are supposed to be representing us. As there's a general election due next May (or thereabouts) our 'representatives' might actually listen to our concerns, and listen in a way they probably won't once they're elected and looking at another four or five year term in office. It's amazing how the prospect of re-election can concentrate the minds of politicians!
Oh, and while we're on the subject - do not go falling for the UKIP (and others) line that the Government currently sends millions abroad in aid - which should be spent at home. The Government aid budget is currently 0.7% of the GNP. That's less than 1 penny in the pound. Far, far more is being spent on Defence and Social Services - and Social Services are always complaining they haven't enough.
'K, polemic over - have The Story of Bert's Blanket, part of Wovember - a concerted attempt by wool producers (well, sheep owners anyhow) and wool users to get us to use more Real Wool. Preferably named varieties of wool - by which I mean varieties like Shetland, Blue Face Leicester, Merino, Gotland etc, rather than Patons, Sirdar or Cascade!
My cardigan is coming on. I finished the body the other day and started on a sleeve last night - knit in the round, top down, a new venture for me. I'm enjoying it so far. The sleeves are in the new yarn I had to purchase cos there wasn't enough of the original yarn. The ball label reckons it knits to the same tension as the original yarn. I'm not so sure, it seems to be a tad thinner, but we'll see.
Y'all have a good day now!