Peace, one stitch at a time

What started as a simple class project, Knitivism is becoming a growing presence on Penn State's campus as a form of peaceful protest and activism with only needles and yarn to do the talking.

Similar to Knitta Please and Jerilea Zempel, the students of Knitivism use the act of knitting as a way to promote peace. Because knitting has certain stereotypes, seeing students knitting in public is sure to gain some attention by people passing by.

It began in a women studies class taught by Stephanie Springgay and she asked her students to try knitting in public areas like the sidewalk or the bus, and see peoples reactions. From there, some of the students in that class realized that with all that attention, a lot of good could come out of it. In the Fall of 2008 Knitivism was started, and it is still growing.

Some of their events have been held to bring awareness to human rights issues like sexual violence against women and the genocide in Darfur. In addition to raising money through donations, the group also knits works that will be donated, such as scarves and peace blankets. Some events that they have planned are for Earth Day and Take Back the Night.

So if you're walking through Penn State's campus and you see a group of people knitting, stop by and ask what they're doing, they will even take the time to teach you how to knit.

Coming Soon

From Philly's favorite serial Poet
J o s é D í a z

OH SHIT, IT'S SPRING

Coming to a inVESTED blog near you.

13 Éxitos que Nunca Oirás: A Serial Poem (Part 13)

You’re so fucking special. There are two versions. You’re so very special. I once saw a video of Thom Yorke cynically enacting literal poses to the lyrics of the song. My brother owned that DVD, for a while at least, but then he lost it. Is that the point? Even though Johnny Greenwood tried to ruin the track, he just made neat cannon sounds that were perfect for angsty alt-rock radio (you’re listening to 105.7 THE X). The removal of “fuck” can derail a relationship, and as such I can’t really sit well with a clean version at the end of the album.

13 Éxitos que Nunca Oirás: A Serial Poem (Part 12)

Physics makes us all its bitches.

Mad Decent Days and Nights

Anyone From Philly knows about Mad Decent from their stickers posted on every “No Parking” sign in center city to their bang-up parties at The Mausoleum, their studio at 12^th and Spring Garden, but when the Mad Decent team isn’t busy arguing with Philly’s finest over noise violations, like last nights Diplo and Boys Noize show, they’re moving from city to city wreaking havoc, throwing parties, and wearing Toad Masks. SxSW in Austin, TX was no different. Being from Philly as well I was able to as Flufftronix called it, “Mad Decent’s 50 plus crew."

The Mad Decent takeover started on Thursday night after the premier of Diplo’s Baile Funk documentary, Favela Strikes Back. Our first stop was to be the official SxSW Showcase for IHEARTCOMIX, a record label similar to Mad Decent. The Showcase was filled with Philly favorites like; Juiceboxxx, Totally Michael, and Designer Drugs, the DJ team who throws Live Forever at the Barbary. The only problem was practically none of us had any of the SxSW badges, meaning their was no way we would be able to see any of the performances, but when you’re with Mad Decent, problems like that don’t seem to matter anymore. We walk around the side of the bar and head to the back door where we were let in with hugs and handshakes from the bouncers.

When we arrived Radioclit was finishing their set and getting ready for Drop The Lime, one of the most promising DJ’s spinning at SxSW. As Drop The Lime dropped banger after banger I was puzzled when I noticed that most of Mad Decent team were keeping to themselves, either drinking silently with bobbing heads or talking with friends.

I didn’t have much time to think before we were out in the Austin air again. This time headed to the Fools Gold Records party being Thrown by Richard Henry a promoter and DJ from Austin. When we arrived at the club the line of guests seemed to stretch on forever, so again, we went to the back door where, after waiting for several minutes we again got in effortlessly.

The Fools Gold party was apparently the place to be that night. As the hours passed I was able to meet a whole slue of celebrities including; A-trak, Kid Sister, The Blood Brothers, Steve Aoki, DJ Mehdi, Little Boots, The Mae Shi, Flosstradamus and I’m fairly sure an incredibly drunk Fred Durst. Most of these people fall into my most played list in Itunes and of them put up with me geekin' out a bit, but again, I noticed that most of these celebrities and the Mad Decent crew were keeping to themselves. They weren’t spurning the advances of fans, but they also weren’t swimming in a pool of self-love and inflated ego, again I was puzzled. As morning creeped up on us and when I was able to get the drummer of Champagne Champagne to quit telling me what its like to be have started a rap group with The Blood Brothers and after Paul Devro stopped singing about zombies I thought all that celebrity gossipin'/fanboyin'/unhealthy obsessions.

I know that I've fanboy'd before, recently it might have cost me something important, but in all seriousness I'm not a perpetrator, at least not to the extent that I witnessed. There were people climbing up fences and walls to be inside this party. There were people who had more fame then I had and they were abusing it to attempt to saddle up next to people more famous than them. It wasn't Beatlesmania, but it was almost as pathetic. Sure, it's already known that I have a severely low tolerance for people, but that night it was stretched to its limit. As I said I'm guilty of it, but there is a line between respect and balls out dick sucking. And some good old foreplay is what I saw.

So if you find yourself in a situation much the same as the one I've presented be sure to at least say hello before you haul out anyones cock to slob it off.

13 Éxitos que Nunca Oirás: A Serial Poem (Part 11)

I have fantasies of a wood fire, comforters, and a fine selection of DVDs (Criterion only).

13 Éxitos que Nunca Oirás: A Serial Poem (Part 10)

Sometimes I wonder if I’m a “RACIST”. I wonder this because I have never dated or really been romantically attracted to someone of my own “RACE”. Um, ethnicity? I would say something like this: my libidinal image-repertoire has been formed within a milieu of suburban whiteness and urban hipsterdom. So, really, you end up liking girls from the same parts of town. I saw some girls waving my flag; Philip said their brothers would beat us up.