Unravelings

Go Zenyatta: 18 wins, no losses!

Gulf oil spill video widget: both hypnotic and tragic

Birthday

Today, April 19, is my birthday. This year it is going to be a hard one, with my broken foot, massive bruises from crashing on the handicap ramp, and enormous personal issues going on.

April 19 is also a day that has seen a lot of history. I found the History Channel web site has a list of events that occurred on this day. They include:

AMERICAN REVOLUTION

The American Revolution begins, 1775

AUTOMOTIVE

Mario Andretti competes in first Indy car event, 1964

CIVIL WAR

Baltimore Riots, 1861

Lincoln's Funeral, 1865

COLD WAR

Soviet clowns lampoon U.S. foreign policy, 1949

CRIME

The Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building explodes, 1995

DISASTER

Earthquake rocks Guatemala, 1902

GENERAL INTEREST

Warsaw Ghetto Uprising begins, 1943

Branch Davidian compound burns, 1993

HOLLYWOOD

My Big Fat Greek Wedding released,2002

LITERARY

Lord Byron dies in Greece, 1824

MUSIC

The Captain and Tennille bring wedded bliss to the pop charts with their first hit record, 1975

OLD WEST

Wyatt Earp dropped from Wichita police force, 1876

PRESIDENTIAL

Jefferson sells servant to Madison, 1809

SPORTS

First Boston Marathon run, 1897

VIETNAM WAR

Air Force pilot cited for bravery, 1967

Vietnam Veterans Against the War demonstrate, 1971

WORLD WAR I

Discussion of Italian claims begins at Paris peace conference, 1919

WORLD WAR II

Warsaw ghetto uprising put down, 1943

Kiva Walk

In a growing tradition of Kiva lenders doing some amazing things, this March, Jonathon Stalls and his dog, Kanoa, will embark on a coast-to-coast cross country trek covering an estimated 3,000 miles from Delaware to San Francisco, CA - and he’s taking Kiva with him.

 He will be walking through hundreds of towns, cities, and communities in Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, and California.

Why is Jonathon going on this cross country trek?

“Since living in Ireland (2005-2006), visiting Honduras in 2007, and swapping life stories with many ‘travelers,’ I have craved an adventure that would challenge my daily activities, expectations, and priorities. The speed and growth of our commodity driven and over-communicated culture feeds a personal call to engage in quieter, slower, and more intentional experiences with less. This walk will be a journey in listening, eating, sharing, and growing with: strangers, neighbors, officials, hikers, animals, wind, and dirt.”

Why is he supporting Kiva?

"I wanted and needed a larger purpose that would stretch far beyond my own personal attractions to such a trek. I came across Kiva in my social entrepreneurship class at Metropolitan State College of Denver in the fall of 2007. I craved to do more the minute I clicked on the link, browsed the website, and began lending. I am excited to spread Kiva’s mission and build lending communities across the country. I am more than enthusiastic to do my part in helping our nation’s leading incubators in the fight to alleviate extreme poverty across the world – GO KIVA!” 

If you wish to support Jonathon, learn more here about the various ways you can get involved, including, in his words:

Walk: "I strongly encourage everyone and anyone to take a day, a week, or more and find a way to meet me on the trail."

Host: "Connect with me at [email protected] if you or anyone you know can host Kanoa and me along the way."

Inspire: "Have me be the reason to host a party and let me speak about how I was inspired to help raise awareness about Kiva!"Connect: "Put me in touch with someone you know at a University along the trail. I'd love to present to students and/or teachers who are interested in learning more about how Kiva inspired me to walk across the country!"
Kiva Walk website: "Visit my site to learn more about more ways to get involved!"

Also, Jonathon has partnered with Sports Basement in San Francisco! They will be hosting a fundraising party for Jonathan’s Kiva Walk on Wednesday, February 10th! Click here if you would like more information or are interested in attending. Jonathon would like to thank Kiva staff, the Sports Basement and all friends and family who are supporting this adventure. Check out Jonathon's website to stay updated on his trip!**Disclaimer: Please note that the Kiva Walk website is operated and monitored by Jonathon Stalls, and is independent of, and not affiliated with, Kiva Microfunds (“Kiva”), including its website (Kiva.org). Kiva and “Kiva Walk” are two separate and non-affiliated entities, and any transactions an individual may decide to make through or for Kiva Walk, Sports Basement or otherwise for Jonathan’s trek—whether financial or non-financial—would be solely for the benefit of Kiva Walk and would not be for the benefit of the Kiva organization.

via www.kiva.org

A Hat In Time: You can buy A Hat in Time now!!!

A Hat in Time is available for purchase as an e-book at £5 on Lulu, £4 of which will go directly to Save the Children's vital work on ending child poverty. You can also buy the ebook on Ravelry, for $10 with an even greater share going directly to Save the Children's work.The book is now also available for purchase on Lulu.If you wish to support a cheaper print run, please pre-order (button on your right) and pre-pay - these limited print run books are retailing at £7.50 per copy plus postage. They will be posted at the end of October. And as of 1st of November, they will be posted within 3 business day of purchase. It's up on Amazon too, but due to their share I had to make it a bit more pricey, feel free to purchase it through amazon.co.uk though.Can I also ask for your help to promote A Hat in Time wherever you can - feel free to grab image and text from this blog. Thank you! You can buy A Hat in Time now!!!

via ahatintime.blogspot.com

Saint Damien: Emotions run high in Rome, at home - It's about time!!!!

The man who lived and died caring for Hawaii's outcasts in Kalaupapa more than 100 years ago became St. Damien in Rome today.

In a Mass that began at 10 a.m. today in Rome, 10 p.m. Saturday in Hawaii, Pope Benedict XVI canonized Damien and four others, formally lifting them to sainthood.

The ceremony in St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican began with the pope reading a formal act of canonization, and continued with a chanting of the litany of saints.

Benedict then recited the formal words of canonization, and in reciting the names of Damien and the four others, made them saints of the Roman Catholic Church.

In the hours leading up to the event, the excitement was building, and so were the crowds, said the Rev. Gary Colton of Lahaina's Maria Lanakila Church.

"It's just really hard to move," he said.

Colton called The Maui News from Rome, where it was 1 a.m. He had just returned from dinner, where his group had enjoyed music and singing, and had only five hours to rest before he would need to start getting ready to head to the Vatican for the ceremony.

An emotional, "chicken skin" moment Friday was seeing fellow travelers from Hawaii gathered together for Mass at St. Peter's Basilica.

Also in Rome, Maui Community College professor Vinnie Linares, who portrays Damien in a long-running one-man play, said he was getting more and more excited as he got closer to the moment of canonization.

"I'm getting personally charged up waiting for Sunday and elated at the meeting with Hawaii people here and there," he said. "You see them wearing Damien shirts, T-shirts and carrying Damien bags - and so many Reyn's Damien shirts. I break my new one out on Sunday."

Back on Maui, Catholics were anticipating the big moment.

"We've been so excited," said Lucy Peros, a member of Christ the King Church in Kahului.

She expected to stay up Saturday night and watch the ceremony.

Peros said she was so excited about Damien's canonization that she put together a poster of things she has collected in the past about Father Damien and has it posted in the church.

She said the church has been devoting prayers and songs to Damien for more than a week.

Patients from Kalaupapa who made the trek to Rome were having the time of their lives - and eager to witness the canonization of the man many had prayed would someday be recognized as a saint.

"Two more days," Kalaupapa resident Gloria Marks said via cell phone Friday, as she and others took a bus tour to Assisi.

To the canonization itself, Marks planned to wear a shirt bearing Damien's picture - and said she would be thinking of Kalaupapa.

"I like to thank everybody who helped support this trip," Marks said. "Thank them for their prayers."

Norbert Palea, 68, was just jazzed to be in Rome.

"It's so romantic," the Kalaupapa resident said by cell phone. "Beautiful country, nice people."

He said the group was indulging in lots of gellato and pasta.

"Lots of wining and dining. We need a bigger plane to bring us back," he said with a laugh.

Although he said his feet were sore, he was still enjoying the sights and scenery.

"We're having a good time here," he added.

Back home, patients who stayed in Kalaupapa were not planning a jubilant celebration for the canonization - which began at 10 p.m. Saturday, Hawaii time.

Father Felix Vandebroek, who ministers at St. Francis Church in Kalaupapa, expected the night to be like it has been for more than a week: "quiet and peaceful." All the community's most energetic patients have gone to Rome, he noted.

The remaining patients, who are elderly and frail, would probably watch it on television from their homes or hospital beds.

Today, patients and their supporters at Kalaupapa will have their usual Sunday morning Mass, but they may mark the occasion with a processional through the town, followed by refreshments at the hospital, then a visit to Damien's grave in Kalawao, said Valerie Monson, coordinator of Ka Ohana O Kalaupapa, which works to preserve the history of Hansen's disease patients.

"It will not have the pomp and circumstance they have in Rome, but it will be no less spiritual and inspirational," Monson said.

Anthuriums will be placed on Damien's grave in Kalawao, just as the flowers were placed on Damien's tomb in Louvain, Belgium, by Kalaupapa patients visiting there.

Monson also wants to place the flowers on all the graves of those who died in Kalaupapa.

She said so many of them had waited to see Damien become a saint.

"They really wanted to see this day," she said.

* Melissa Tanji can be reached at [email protected].

via www.mauinews.com

Happy Independence Day

Happy Independence Day from GoDaddy.com!

Do you support Kiva's decision to allow loan requests from the U.S.?

Amazon gift cards for Mother's Day!

Revised CPSIA Guide affects online sellers and crafters

Auction Bytes has posted a report entitled Revised CPSIA Guide Affects Online Sellers and Crafters. It is a must read for all crafters. Don't be caught not knowing the law.