Blogcritics Author: Shannon Okey

Announcement: Short-content feeds

Phillip Winn — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 12:00:00 EDT

Sunday, August 26, 2007, marks the switch of all Blogcritics.org article feeds from full-content to short-content. This is the result of several converging factors, and is unfortunately a permanent decision (as permanent as any decision can be on the web, that is). We are aware of all of the reasons that this is a Bad Idea, and we are aware that some of you will be quite upset about having to click on something to read the free content, and we're sorry. Unfortunately, despite great effort, full-content feeds are not currently economically viable. Two other factors are involved: full-content feeds have resulted in an unprecedented level of content theft, with BC content appearing on many websites, usually spam sites, without attribution or permission. This duplicate content causes a cascading set of problems, not the least of which is that search engines generally aren't favorable to duplicate content, and don't always guess correctly. Finally, our RSS advertising partner is strongly in favor of short-content feeds. We hope that you'll continue to subscribe to BC via RSS, and when an article grabs your eye, it's only a click away, still free on the BC website. Thank you for your understanding.

Concert Review: Sold Out In Ten Minutes Without Selling Out - Tom Waits in Akron

Shannon Okey — Mon, 14 Aug 2006 21:14:24 EDT

Tom Waits, Akron Civic, 13 August 2006: [H]e hasn't performed in Akron, OH or Detroit since the '80s.[...]"We need to go to Tennessee to pick up some fireworks, and someone owes me money in Kentucky," says Waits about why he’s chosen this particular time and route to tour.Why the Civic? Why not some larger venue, in Cleveland perhaps? (Waits did add a second post-Akron show in Cleveland at the House of Blues, which, judging by the time the Akron show actually finished, would have started around midnight if his patient fans were lucky). According to this article, written after the first stop on the tour,"I know what you're thinking," he says. "What about having to wait in line to see you, Tom? Well, otherwise, you'd be paying $1,500 on eBay for tickets, right? But I was thinking of you. You can meet your wife here. You can meet someone else's wife here. And you can move forward slowly with them." One thing the show itself can't be accused of is moving slowly. With a five-piece band in town, including his son Casey on drums and Duke Robillard on guitar, Waits kicked off with a burst of songs from his most recent albums, played at a frantic pace with no space in between -- not even a "Hello, Akron!" (For more info on backing musicians and a detailed analysis of how Waits' team thwarted ticket scalpers, read this article about the Asheville show and the lengths Waits' management went to in order to make sure fans, and not scalpers, were able to get tickets).Photo by ElstonWaits' stage persona, at least while dancing, is akin to an epileptic carny channeling Screamin' Jay Hawkins. (This is probably not the most charitable characterization, nor a sensitive one, as it was Screamin' Jay's cover of a Waits song that landed him in a European court to fight once again against a corporation misappropriating his work). But the man's full of kinetic energy, no doubt about it. He entered the stage after pausing to throw a shadow twenty feet up on the backstage curtain, then trotted to the front, arms outstretched, like Frankenstein or Donald Rumsfeld putting a voodoo whammy on the front row. Without his trademark hat, you probably wouldn't recognize him at the gas station -- you might even ask him to fill 'er up. But that's what's so brilliant about Tom Waits. You know the man's a genius, you just don't truly realize how much so until you watch him perform a slew of songs old and new for over two hours without a break. He switches effortlessly between the hard percussive style of more recent work (son Casey even beatboxes on one song) and the sentimental, drinks-on-a-piano music many associate with him. When roadies rolled a piano onstage halfway through, he began to engage the crowd, telling stories, responding to hecklers, graciously accepting what looked like a guayabera by thanking the person for 'returning' it: "And clean, too!"The set list has varied wildly from show to show, judging from other reviewers' reports. In Akron, "Christmas Card From A Hooker In Minneapolis" got a giant cheer, probably thanks to its reference to Euclid Avenue and 9th (a major intersection in downtown Cleveland). Funny, since there were more Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and New York license plates parked outside the venue than you could count.Post-piano interlude, Waits pulled out his own guitar and went to town with Duke Robillard on a series of blues-infused numbers. Though the show was absolutely brilliant, my one regret was no Ralph Carney -- no horns at all, in fact. When the show was announced, I was having lunch with my father, a blues musician himself. Why Akron? I asked, and he pointed out Carney's early work with Waits. Although there was no horn section proper, there was an immense stack of megaphones on stage, which lay unused for this particular show.They played two encores, including the beautifully poignant "Day After Tomorrow," Waits' first overtly political song, from Future Soundtrack for America, a compilation album supporting political change. Stick that in your pipe and smoke it, Neil Young. Waits is much more effective at getting his point across and making a good song in the deal. As for political songs in general, you could haul out the Waits/Muddy Waters quote: "Don't you know there ain't no devil, there's just God when he's drunk." Waits can not only tell you all about it, he may have been the one who bought God the first in a series of shots.

Shannon Okey write books for several publishers and has her own publishing company, anezka media. She's been a Blogcritic since the very beginning.

Book Review: Big Girl Knits by Jillian Moreno and Amy R. Singer

Shannon Okey — Tue, 18 Apr 2006 12:32:32 EDT

I'm a knitting designer as well as a Blogcritic ... you can find my books on Amazon. Accordingly, I'm almost ashamed to think of how many sweaters I've knitted for myself over the years with boring, boxy shapes! After reading Big Girl Knits by Jillian Moreno and Amy Singer, I look back at some of the sweaters in my closet and want to tear them out!Here's the book's official description: Big Girl Knits features twenty-five unique patterns for women size 14 and up. From flattering pullovers and sexy tees to sleek skirts and fun accessories, this book is overflowing with options for knitting up an entire wardrobe to compliment your shapely shape. Part knitting instruction, part fashion guide, Big Girl Knits is packed with expert advice to help you make the most of the three Bs: Boobs, Belly, and Butt. All the garments and accessories featured in the book are proportioned to fit and flatter a big girl's body. Learn two fabulous adaptations to add to your knitting toolbox that you can apply to any sweater pattern. The book also features an easy-to-use measurement guide and tips to help you choose the right yarn, colors, and styles for you.What they leave out is that you don't have to be a size 22 to benefit from the tips and tricks Moreno and Singer teach! Knitting something that actually fit my (extremely wide) shoulders would inevitably hang over my (relatively flat) chest. Never a good look, and never again! Big Girl Knits is brilliant ... it's got all the shaping information you'll ever need to make yourself flattering, fashionable handknits. Whether you have a big chest, a beer gut or a booty like mine, there's something for you in this book. The clever writing and excellent technical data encourages knitters of all skill levels to take off the tents and knit things that really fit.(Added bonus: it takes more yarn to knit a tent than it does to knit a shapely sweater. Less money spent on one project equals more for the next one ... which, if you're a knitter, is a reason to buy this book all by itself). I can't wait for the sequel!

Shannon Okey write books for several publishers and has her own publishing company, anezka media. She's been a Blogcritic since the very beginning.

Concert Review: Playing the Angel -- Depeche Mode live

Shannon Okey — Wed, 30 Nov 2005 20:59:00 EST

It's 106 miles to Chicago. We got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark and we're wearing sunglasses.-- the Blues BrothersWell, it was more than 106 miles to Chicago, but you catch my drift. Instead of the cigarettes, I was armed with my best friend, my 1988 Depeche Mode tour shirt, and a surly attitude made worse by both the incompent service at our pre-concert restaurant choice and an Allstate Arena security guard who clearly got off on harassing me.Then the show started. I hadn't been to that venue since it was the Rosemont. A dear friend of mine had Grateful Dead tickets, it was warm out, the air reeked of...well, you can guess. Last night was bitter cold and the only thing you could smell in the air was anticipation and clove cigarettes. Every major concert I've been to in the past year has been "Favorites of My Childhood Return To The Stage" (such as the Pixies, and Bauhaus), so there's an extra dimension to the usual preshow excitement. Childish glee, if you will.On the stage: a giant silver ball with a peep-window and words which lit up according to the song: "sex," "angel," "love," "vice"...as well as UFO/donut-shaped keyboard stands for Fletch and the (sob) Alan-substitute keyboard player.Dave Gahan was wearing his usual:Tight black pants + suit jacket. This quickly became... Tight black pants + leather vest, then finally... Tight black pants + glistening six-pack + tattoos. Fletch wore his usual glasses / Casual Dad look (not that there's anything wrong with that). All the better for his "hit keyboard key, then raise your hands in the air and wave 'em like you just don't care" schtick. There was a live drummer. And then...there was Martin.Oh, Martin Gore. Seventh Sartorial Wonder of the rock world. Who else can get away with wearing (among other outfits over the years) bondage gear, frilly dresses, rubber pants, black nailpolish and a curly bleached coif on stage? I submit to you last night's getup:Black boots covered in feathers, black leggings, a black pleated leather kilt, black top, black feathered wings, and...oh, I couldn't even make this up: a black chullo-style hat with a giant, fuzzy wool mohawk on top, akin to a Tibetan lama's headdress. Not bad for an ex-bank teller, eh?The setlist? Similar, if not the exact same as previous shows. Despite my previous snarky comments about Martin Gore suddenly inheriting a cache of Kraftwerk records (there's quite a few beep-boop-bop noises on the new album), his songwriting has veered away from the gospel vibe that threatened to depress half of North America for a while back into the pure rock camp.In fact, watching Gore parade across the stage stage armed with his Gretschs during some of the guitar-heavy tunes, you'd think he was Angus Young wearing eyeliner! (If anyone knows what star-shaped guitar Martin is playing on this tour, do tell. Looks like everything else was straight out of his Gretsch arsenal. And for the true trainspotters in the crowd see this site and the previously-linked one...they list all the equipment DM's used on recent tours, and in some cases, read like the Ageing Synthesizer Museum's gallery guide).Speaking of equipment, let's discuss ex-heroin-overdoser Dave Gahan's fine physique, shall we? (My vocabulary has progressed beyond "omigod! like, totally!", but in many ways I remain a 14-year-old-girl when it comes to seeing a show like this). He's 43, he's still pumping those mike stands in the air like Henry Rollins on a weightstack bender, and whatever else he's doing to train is clearly working. Perhaps it's his dance moves, unchanged since 1980-something? I can see the workout tape now: fight fat with Dave's Whirling Dervish Workout!It should be noted that this is the first DM album where Gahan actually shares some of the songwriting credit with Gore. I guess his Paper Monsters experience is paying off. Although I'm probably one of the most OCD-laden DM fans you'll ever meet, I was actually getting annoyed by their recent albums. Ultra, as well as Exciter (umm, hardly), didn't do half as much for me as, say, Construction Time Again or my all-time favorite, Black Celebration (they performed "A Question of Time" early in the set, prompting insane cheers from the crowd). There were single-song exceptions, of course, such as "Home" (performed last night by Gore in a stark, unadorned yet intensely beautiful manner) and "I Feel Love," but... I never liked Songs of Faith and Devotion, with the exception of "I Feel You." I know, I know. Kick me out of the fanclub, revoke my orange megaphone...but fixin'-to-die music doesn't do much for me unless it's sung by Nick Cave, Tom Waits or Johnny Cash. The Fixin'-To-Die Triad, if you will. I'm heartened by the new album (Playing the Angel), because it mixes classic DM synthpop fun with guitar-laden rawk ("John the Revelator" and "A Pain That I'm Used To" are "shake your booty like an iPod commercial" songs if I ever heard 'em).In short, 4 years away from the band (save solo releases by Gore & Gahan) has brought Depeche Mode back from the edge. They're putting on high-energy shows again, and clearly enjoying what they do...even if it's just leading the classic crowd singalongs of "Everything Counts" and "Just Can't Get Enough." My favorite band -- they're back, they're really back!Photos by fellow DM fan Nick Mariano, from the St. Petersburg, FL show on 3 November, as seen in the DM archives.Editor's note: This work of yours now has another venue for success - and more eyes - at the Advance.net Web sites, a site affiliated with about 12 newspapers.One such site is here. Published:CMP

Shannon Okey write books for several publishers and has her own publishing company, anezka media. She's been a Blogcritic since the very beginning.

Concert Review: Bauhaus Live(s)

Shannon Okey — Sun, 20 Nov 2005 14:54:21 EST

See my full photo set of the Bauhaus show on Flickr.Babies born near Northampton, England in the years 1953 - 1957 were no doubt injected with some miraculous, strange substance that retards aging, causing said babies to remain utter hotties far into their late 40s and early 50s. Find me the doctors who delivered all four members of Bauhaus, and I'll put the plastic surgeons out of business!(Namely Peter Murphy, Daniel Ash, David J and Kevin Haskins. See also the official sites for Peter, Daniel, David, and for Kevin's Messy Music). To prove this theory can't be attributed to the usual excuses, such as a Dorian Grey-style pact with the devil, observe fellow 1950s-Northampton-born comic book genius Alan Moore. Although he did play in a one-off band with David J called the Sinister Ducks, so perhaps Satanic youthfulness pacts can rub off on subsequent bandmates.Last night, Bauhaus played the venerable Cleveland Agora. Though not their first tour since breaking up in 1983 (they also did some shows in 1998), this tour is remarkable. Unlike other bands who just won't stop (I'm looking at you, Rolling Stones!), Bauhaus never fell prey to annual-tour-to-fill-the-coffers disease. Sure, Peter Murphy made solo albums, as did Love and Rockets (essentially Bauhaus minus Peter), but neither milked the last drop of blood from their fans. We were waiting for this tour, and it delivered.Back in April, Bauhaus played Coachella. I get the feeling show reviewer Jonah Flicker is considerably younger than me from his statement: "Still, the surprise of the night, Bauhaus outshone many of the higher-profile acts at Coachella this year. And the competition was fierce: Wilco, Spoon, Keane, the Kills, Weezer, Coldplay..." Excuse me? You're comparing Weezer to Bauhaus? Weezer?!?! On what planet is Weezer higher-profile than Bauhaus? They'd sooner slap those babyfaced, fake-Elvis-Costello-glasses-wearing losers than share a stage with them. Peter Murphy makes bowel movements more interesting than Weezer. But I digress...and display my clear bias. (Hey, I'm not on the MSM payroll, I'm entitled). Before we left for the show, my boyfriend and I shuddered: would we be the oldest people at the show? Thankfully, no. Usually, when you go see a band that you've loved for more than half your life, you end up surrounded by 18-year-olds yelling for the only song they know. I pictured Phantasy [local gothy club] refugees with dyed black hair screaming for "Bela Lugosi's Dead" until I ended up decking one or more of them. But not last night. The band hammered their way through every back catalog-highlight you'd hope to hear them play (see set list below). Peter Murphy's elegant voice, a voice that could read the telephone book and make it sound interesting, was in fine form. (If this is to be believed, when Daniel encountered Peter five years after they'd first met, he suggested forming a band. "Rigging up a makeshift rehearsal space, Daniel played an Echo 12 - bar blues, while Murphy sang a series of newspaper articles." My point, she is proven. Hand that man a telephone book and you've got a box set in the making).Daniel Ash, wearing a sleeveless shirt that only served to emphasize his beautifully toned...ummm, guitar. Yes, guitar...well, let's just say that my previous statements about aging well are only too true with Daniel Ash. Even his hair, although slightly lower than, say, Love and Rockets-era Ash, remains seriously rockstar. His playing has improved with time while retaining its rougher stylistic edges. No overly-slick production here. Same goes with David J and Kevin Haskins: by providing an absolutely solid rhythmic canvas on which Peter Murphy could paint his magnificent vocals, every song was captivating, not even a "merely average" one in the set and its two encores.And what encores they were! Although not sung upside down like a bat, a la Coachella, Murphy managed to make even Bela extraordinary. I have heard "Bela Lugosi's Dead" more times than I can count, and yet I was absolutely transfixed...as if it were an entirely new song they were just introducing to the crowd. That takes serious skill. Murphy has been accused of prima-donna-dom, but the man's earned it. He's got the chops to back it up; they all do. If you read reviews of their live discs, such as Press Eject And Give Me The Tape, it's always noted how astonishingly close Bauhaus live versions are to their studio-born brethren...without backing tapes or the other standbys so commonly used today (Do I even have to invoke Jessica Simpson here? Or Milli Vanilli? You've heard it all before).I've been fortunate enough to witness some really amazing concerts over the years: from Robyn Hitchcock in the acoustically-amazing chapel at Oberlin College, to last year's Pixies reunion shows and, dare I say it? almost every single Depeche Mode show ever. However, I have never witnessed a show as impressive as this. Everything was spectacular: the venue, the lighting, the music, the band...even the fans, who were clearly enjoying themselves as much as we were. My boyfriend informed me that David Bowie once said that Bauhaus plays "Ziggy Stardust" the way he should have. To that, I have to say that Bauhaus plays entire shows the way they should be played.The complete set list is posted on my site here. Editor's note: This work of yours now has another venue for success - and more eyes - at the Advance.net Web sites, a place affiliated with about 12 newspapers.One such site is here.

Shannon Okey write books for several publishers and has her own publishing company, anezka media. She's been a Blogcritic since the very beginning.

Cindy Sheehan is no longer the point

Shannon Okey — Tue, 23 Aug 2005 13:04:00 EDT

A few weeks ago, I wrote an entry on my own blog about Cindy Sheehan.The first words that came to mind say a lot: Appalling. Disgusting. Incredibly fucking sick. This is the state of our country today. Bush's henchmen are now threatening to arrest Cindy Sheehan unless she leaves Crawford, TX immediately...I had just heard Sheehan interviewed on Air America Radio at the time. I don't recall reading or seeing anything about her in the mainstream media before that. And I was angry...so angry. What I wrote above was a visceral, gut reaction. It continued to burn me...for example:Cindy Sheehan is the sort of person who makes me proud to be an American. Those who would silence her do not. I'm tired of the hollow flag-waving, I'm tired of the hypocrisy, I'm tired of the "if you don't like it, why don't you leave?" crowd. Damn it. This is our country, too. Much as I'd like to see someone bitchslap Sean Hannity, I don't call in and tell him to move to France whenever he says something I don't like.But of course, in the past few weeks, we've seen a lot of that. All the kitten stuff flying back and forth between the liberal and conservative blogs (seriously, who dreams up these memes?), the name-calling, the memorial-crosses-being-run-over-ing. To what end? What's the point of knowing the details of Sheehan's pending divorce? It's all a distraction from the larger issues: free speech and expression, the right to dissent, the values this country was founded on and for... It's amusing to me that the English King at the time of our country's independence was also named George. We railed against his increasing limitations of our freedom, and we rebelled. Presumably, most of the populace supported this rebellion, or we'd be Canada today. No longer -- those who speak up, those who believe in the good fight are vilified.Cindy Sheehan may have a snowball's chance in hell of achieving her original goal, but I think she's done something even better: made us think more deeply about the big picture, and where this country is going.

Shannon Okey write books for several publishers and has her own publishing company, anezka media. She's been a Blogcritic since the very beginning.

Wal-Mart v. Cleveland: the rematch

Shannon Okey — Fri, 20 May 2005 11:55:49 EDT

Wal-Mart: they're baaack. Using sneaky, underhanded tactics, developers working on a project called Steelyard Commons bypassed Cleveland's City Council (and, by proxy, everyone who elected them). Cleveland's highly unpopular mayor, Jane Campbell (aka Queen Jane), helped them pull it off behind closed doors. Bloggers and grassroots activists are organizing yet again to take on the Bentonville bullies.Like Fox Mulder on the X-Files, I want to believe. I want to believe Cleveland can rise from the ashes and live up to its potential. This meeting is the first step.Democracy Guy and Brewed Fresh Daily are monitoring local links to posts about the controversy, and the meeting(s) taking place.What's Steelyard Commons? It's a proposed development (read: giant suburban-style shopping mall) in the former steel-producing industrial area of Cleveland, a section of town that can only be called "depressed." No one debates that new development and jobs are a good thing. But when contrasted with a promising redevelopment now underway by a local developer in the Flats (another formerly industrial area, located on the infamous "burning" Cuyahoga River -- it used to have lots of bars and nightclubs in the 80s and early 90s), Steelyard Commons comes up way short.The Flats redevelopment is the kind that brings people in from the suburbs instead of making them flee there. (Ok, the Cleveland Orchestra and art museum rolled into one, it's not, but it's better than a kick in the eye...)Developer Scott Wolstein is carving a whole new neighborhood out of the Flats' east bank, with retail, new housing, businesses, a riverfront boardwalk, parks...it'll be like Crocker Park, a popular new "lifestyle center," but without the suburban hell-sprawl. It will bring money, jobs, and positive economic development. Also, the RTA (metro / subway) already has a stop on the east bank, making it easy to hop on the train and go a mere 2 or 3 stops to your job downtown if you choose to live there.Steelyard Commons, though? We beg Bentonville to send us their poverty-wage, social benefit-sucking jobs (something Cleveland definitely can't afford) while we neglect the potential that's available locally. Read the Wal-Mart Factchecker and decide if you think those are the kind of jobs that will help out the poorest big city in America.Locally-owned Dave's Supermarket will probably suffer the most, which seems unfair in light of everything they've given back to Cleveland. Who built a brand new market in (Cleveland neighborhood) Ohio City when no one else would? Dave's. And now, Wal-Mart's going to undercut their prices in an attempt to annihilate the competition, probably wounding the historic West Side Market, too. Are you going to be able to buy Ohio City Pasta or Hungarian garlic sausage at Wal-Mart?Remember this, Clevelanders, when you save the price equivalent of a double latte or a gallon of SUV guzzle-gas by grocery shopping at Wal-Mart. Your money's going to Arkansas, not staying here. In February, when City Council passed anti-big box legislation, they were attempting to encourage positive development such as the Wolstein Flats project, instead of molding the historic Cleveland steelyards into a replica of every Wal-Mart supercenter parking lot nationwide.And even as the mayor proclaims no public money will be allocated to the Wal-Mart project, guess what? She's lying as usual.Say hello to our little friend, tax increment financing, or "TIF." From Bill Callahan's blog:"TIF" is a development tax subsidy that's a second cousin to tax abatement. The developer/property owner has to pay the regular tax rate on the new value created by the development, but the revenue doesn't go to schools and city services -- it gets diverted into a special fund for "public enhancements" to the project itself. Neighborhood revitalization and taking care of city services is so much more important than one more Wal-Mart. My neighborhood is a perfect example. Our local public school is on the Triple-B Hit List (Barbara Byrd-Bennett, Cleveland schools CEO and sleazy tax avoider). Many of our neighbors are policemen, firemen and city employees (due to the "work for Cleveland, live in Cleveland" law). In other words, the people who take care of the rest of us. How do we repay them? By laying off as many as possible (then sneakily bringing some back when it becomes a political nightmare), and by funneling obscure tax breaks to projects that will benefit Bensonville, AR more than Berea, Brooklyn or Bedford. [Cleveland-area cities].The Kamm's Corners streetscaping project will renew our local shopping area and make it attractive to those outside the neighborhood looking for a nice place to do business. (The storefronts there need serious updating, and more than half are empty right now). Still, it practically had to beg, borrow and steal to get off the ground. From the Kamm's website:As of May 2005, about 90% of the funding needed has been identified, including a commitment of $2,000,000 from the City of Cleveland itself. This represents the largest single public project in the West Park area in decades!If the remaining piece of funding can be identified soon, the project could start construction as early as the fall of 2006! Please consider a letter to your congressman, state representative, or city of Cleveland officials to voice your support for this important project.Two million bucks. Chump change. How much money will be diverted to Steelyard Commons, whether directly or in-kind with TIFs and other pseudo-abatements? Wal-Mart's getting more attention and money from Cleveland's mayor than its neighborhoods.

Shannon Okey write books for several publishers and has her own publishing company, anezka media. She's been a Blogcritic since the very beginning.

Sew Very Evil

Shannon Okey — Mon, 9 May 2005 23:17:21 EDT

Sew Fast Sew Evil is more like it!Watch the (fun) fur (yarn) fly at the link above. The owners of Sew Fast Sew Easy are going after "stitch 'n bitch" groups (so-called thanks to Bust magazine publisher Deb Stoller's popular knitting book series), claiming violation of their service mark. Never mind their mark is for "Stitch & Bitch Cafe". To the best of my knowledge, the use of the ampersand, and word "Cafe" within their service mark is key, as is the fact they registered it for sewing- and message-board related purposes, not bestselling knitting book spinoff group services. Could it be they want a piece of the (250,000+ copies sold) Stoller knitting book juggernaut?What's worse, especially from a PR perspective, is that the Sew Fast Sew Evil people are deleting polite comments on their message board relating to the situation...comments as innocuous as "I'm a member of your target crafty demographic, but I'll never buy from you again now that you've gone after the stitch 'n bitch groups"!Have we not learned the number one rule of the internet? Stand by your opinions. Stick to your guns. Don't just furtively delete things and act like an ostrich with your head in the sand. One commenter on their board says it best:(quoted here in full, because who knows when they'll delete this one, too?)You ask us to add our "stitchin and bitchin!", and when we do, you delete our posts. We were abiding by your rules -- no one was putting up any advertising. Your pursuit of legal action against Deb Stoller, and the many, many knitters across this nation associated with generic stitch n' bitch groups leaves me incredulous. Your deletion of our posts leaves me speechless. You clearly do not want to hear any critical feedback from your target audience. One word of advice, you should go back and read Businessweek from two weeks ago. The cover story was about the power of blogs. Looks like you'll soon gain some personal experience about just how powerful word-of-mouth is among knitters.Apres les bloggers, le deluge (of really, really negative publicity). Sew Fast Sew Evil stitched their own shrouds on this one, and only their lawyers will benefit in the end.

Shannon Okey write books for several publishers and has her own publishing company, anezka media. She's been a Blogcritic since the very beginning.

Crumbkafka

Shannon Okey — Wed, 30 Mar 2005 13:57:50 EST

Mmmmm, Crumbkafka!This weekend, my boyfriend bought R. Crumb's Kafka book. I read it, and I liked it. The next day, my mom called, and we both ended up on the phone with her. Since my dad's got quite the Crumb comic collection, I figured she'd know who I was talking about right away when I made a conversational segue from "what we had for Easter dinner" to "check out this cool book."I said something like "You should check out R. Crumb's Kafka, it was really great.", and she exclaimed "I can't eat that! I'm on a diet!"Huh? HUH?Me, confused: "Why would you want to eat a book?" Boyfriend: (laughing himself silly)It slowly becomes clear she thinks CRUMBKAFKA is some kind of CRUMBCAKE, so I say "Yes, with a side of angst pudding! Creamy angst pudding!" Accordingly, "crumbkafka" and "angst pudding" are the two most recent additions to our household lexicon.But what about the book itself? As an introductory primer to the author, his work and life, I've not read anything better. Crumb's illustrations evoke Kafka and Prague perfectly. When I lived there, there was always a certain energy to the city, but Crumb's style captures the nervous, angsty uncertainty of prewar Jewish life there. The text's author clearly lays out Kafka's major works and the experiences which influenced them. It's a must-read, even without the side of angst pudding.

Shannon Okey write books for several publishers and has her own publishing company, anezka media. She's been a Blogcritic since the very beginning.

Are human brains halal?

Shannon Okey — Fri, 4 Mar 2005 11:56:59 EST

A Kentucky high school junior is sitting in prison right now for writing a story about zombies overrunning a high school. Note my use of the indefinite article: "a" high school. Not his high school. Also please note: the bad guys in the story are ZOMBIES. Not terrorists. Not disgruntled teens. ZOMBIES! Zombies do not exist, unless you are planning to inform me that al-Qaeda has created and coopted a force of Muslim terror zombies. I wonder if human brains are halal.Even more creepy: the kid's own grandparents turned him in."My story is based on fiction," said Poole, who faces a second-degree felony terrorist threatening charge. "It's a fake story. I made it up. I've been working on one of my short stories, (and) the short story they found was about zombies. Yes, it did say a high school. It was about a high school over ran by zombies."Even so, police say the nature of the story makes it a felony. "Anytime you make any threat or possess matter involving a school or function it's a felony in the state of Kentucky," said Winchester Police detective Steven Caudill.Beware, fiction writers of Kentucky! Tom Clancy may be arrested at the border the next time he signs books in Knoxville... The thought police have caught on to your devious schemes!

Shannon Okey write books for several publishers and has her own publishing company, anezka media. She's been a Blogcritic since the very beginning.

Persecution Complex

Shannon Okey — Tue, 1 Feb 2005 18:23:21 EST

Privacy, schmivacy. From the American Community Survey to the Post-Abortion Grandparents' Kit - when will people learn to mind their own business?The Post-Abortion Grandparents' Kit is brought to you by James Dobson's charming associates, better known for recently outing SpongeBob Squarepants. It includes the book I'll Hold You In Heaven and the brochure "Your Daughter's Abortion and You"...which brings some pretty sick visuals to mind, if you ask me. Seriously. If my parents learned I'd had an abortion (which, for the record, I have not), I highly doubt their first concern would be whether they'd get to hold the baby someday in heaven.Dobson also has a special page devoted to "marriage under fire." Their persecution complex knows no bounds! "How your religious freedom is sacrificed at the altar of political correctness -- and what you can do about it"? Give me a break. The subheader above that little gem links to another book for sale called Persecution: How Liberals are Waging War Against Christians. Its description?Reclaim Your Right To Participate In The Political ArenaAuthor David Limbaugh exposes the subtle but pervasive discrimination against biblical Christianity in our culture. Using real, sometimes shocking, examples from Hollywood, public schools and other venues, he shows how terms like "tolerance" and the mythical "separation of church and state" have been used to portray Christianity as repressive, ignorant and offensive. This is a call to action for those who want to exercise their right to influence popular culture and find true religious freedom.They can't go for five minutes without invoking the evils of Hollywood, can they? It makes me laugh when Christians consider themselves oppressed and unable to "participate" in the political arena. Translation: if you don't listen to us and believe what we tell you our religion means and do exactly what we say -- no matter what you may personally believe -- then you're persecuting us. What about those who don't subscribe to your beliefs? Are we being persecuted? When we stand up for our right to function as secular human beings in a society that does not and should not enforce a prescribed religion, how does that affect you? I'm not rounding up any pregnant Christians and forcing them into an abortion clinic, so what gives you the right to try keeping me out of one if I need it?It all boils down to privacy. My body is my business. Your religion is your business. Keep your nose out of mine, and I'll do the same. (Unless your religion involves sacrificing gorgeous redheaded babes to the Aztec god Limbaughcoatl on the town square, that is).

Shannon Okey write books for several publishers and has her own publishing company, anezka media. She's been a Blogcritic since the very beginning.