The Guardian British couples should consider having no more than two children to help reduce the environmental impact of the rising global population, doctors have said.

aqian100319 An editorial in the British Medical Journal today calls on GPs to encourage the view that bigger families are as environmentally dubious as owning a patio heater or driving a gas-guzzler.

Here is a worldclock that shows the constant growth of population: worldclock Here is what I imagine is a typical reply – don’t tell ME what to do Nicholas Lezard: Why are doctors urging Britons to stick to two children?

guardian.co.uk God, am I tired of doctors telling us what to do. First they tell us not to smoke. Then they tell us not to drink a bottle of wine a night. And now they’re telling us how many times men can impregnate their partners.I think that time is the most precious gift, because time is the greatest teacher.

Given time we all come to a greater understanding eventually. I think over-population takes away time from future generations – because it causes deforestation, lack of drinking water, lack of food, and eliminates so many species (more than 50,000 species become extinct PER YEAR due to human interference)…  Time is the most precious gift.  And I am glad the discussion has started.If you are new to this Diary I would like to point out the Binaural video we recorded last Summer. You can find the quicktime version here and a flash version here. 

Dry Cleaning Dry cleaning will work sometimes, but can come with no guarantees. Be very careful with dry cleaning because of the strong chemicals used.

aqian100316 Raw Silk Scarves – Hand Woven  The luxurious soft feeling of a raw silk scarf is very tough to beat. Especially as the fall and winter begin to set in, raw silk scarves become the “go to” pick in our closet to keep the cool temperatures at bay. The hand woven scarves have a unique and rustic look that fits into any denim casual outfit. Be prepare to get complements with this scarf as they are very difficult to find due to their popularity with college and university student. Prices Range from: $25 – $180 USD The prices deviate depending on the woven design and quality of silk, 100% silk are the most expensive

Weaving Wool-Silk Scarves  I just took these three scarves off my lovely, little counterbalance loom. The fiber is a wool-silk blend that was hand painted by the talented Tammy of Yarntopia Treasures.

My love of being in our Australian Bush with all our flora and fauna, my passion for art and my innate inclination towards natural healing could at last converge. Silk was the obvious media for me to bring ‘life’ to visual impressions of our Native Flowers. Being technically adept at finely detailed serti silk painting was just the beginning. How to instill painting with the ‘healing essence’ of the flowers was to become my ten year challenge.

Seemed like the best way to start was to attune myself to a flower that I most resonated with: the waratah was the obvious choice. The name ‘waratah’ means ‘seen from afar’ and standing tall amongst the soft blue/green/greys of our Australian bush ‘scrub’ a waratah in full bloom is a magnificent sight to see.

I decided to put her in a shawl I made last year. It’s the Autumn Lace Shawl, pattern and yarn from Kiparoo Farms. It’s a heavier, less delicate shawl than most of the ones I’ve made. That’s one reason I like it. The yarn is a deep, beautiful red although the strong late afternoon light in these photos washes it out a bit.Taking pictures with Lucy was great! She didn’t complain that it was windy, she didn’t mind being fussed with, and she even let me stick some pins in her.Thank you again, Kim!!! Also in the oversize novelty box were these slippers, knit for me as a surprise by my big sister:

aqian100315 I’m wearing them right now, although I suppose I should decorate them. Thank you, Susan! As for the Peacock Shawl, I’m almost finished with Chart 7, which is the last chart before the edging. I should finish it this week. I think Lucy will look lovely in it. PS from Susan — I guess mine will have to be Ethel!!

This will be a quick update. I’ve just started Chart 7 of the Peacock Shawl, which is the section with the large feathers (before the edging). I’m posting a photograph although there’s not much to see yet — always the case with pre-blocked lace.The color is deeper and richer than it looks here.I don’t think mine were looking all that attractive apart from the slanting problem, so I will replace that with a different double decrease. Finally, there is no strong center line up the middle of the shawl. I’m going to insert one. As long as I have to rewrite some of the charts, I may as well.

In the meantime, I felt like knitting on a shawl but I just didn’t have it in me to start this one for the third time right this minute. So I’m doing another head start project: the glorious Peacock Shawl from Fiddlesticks Knitting. Photographs of it can be found here and here. I started this shawl a loooong time ago. It was the first time I’d ever knit lace. Yeah. I chose this as my very first lace project. It seemed daunting, so I put it away. Well, when I pulled it out yesterday, I realized that it’s a very easy and manageable project. It doesn’t take much lace experience to suddenly be able to read your knitting as well as the charts. Reading your knitting is a big help always, but especially with lace. It’s nice to see that I’ve actually learned something. I don’t think mine were looking all that attractive apart from the slanting problem, so I will replace that with a different double decrease. Finally, there is no strong center line up the middle of the shawl. I’m going to insert one. As long as I have to rewrite some of the charts, I may as well.

In the meantime, I felt like knitting on a shawl but I just didn’t have it in me to start this one for the third time right this minute. So I’m doing another head start project: the glorious Peacock Shawl from Fiddlesticks Knitting. Photographs of it can be found here and here. I started this shawl a loooong time ago. It was the first time I’d ever knit lace. Yeah. I chose this as my very first lace project. It seemed daunting, so I put it away. Well, when I pulled it out yesterday, I realized that it’s a very easy and manageable project. It doesn’t take much lace experience to suddenly be able to read your knitting as well as the charts. Reading your knitting is a big help always, but especially with lace. It’s nice to see that I’ve actually learned something.

government should mandate funding for music education beginning in fourth grade, when most kids develop the attention span and coordination necessary to learn an instrument, all the way through high school.

aqian100308 This will not only contribute to a strong base of musical performers, but the kids who lack the talent or drive to pursue music as a lifelong hobby will at least learn to appreciate the skill it takes for others to pursue it–just like youth sports creates lifelong sports fans.And professional musicians should be able to take classes in new areas–theory, audio production–without having to pay the entire tuition out of their own pockets.Tax breaks. Bars, restaurants,

Same with radio stations that play a certain percentage of music from local or unsigned musicians. (Big corporate radio with its narrow audience-tested playlists has done far more to devalue music–and harm sales–than the Internet.)Cities should be encouraged to create music-nightlife zones with less-stringent noise restrictions and the appropriate level of police protection.Stipends for musicians. 

Same with radio stations that play a certain percentage of music from local or unsigned musicians. (Big corporate radio with its narrow audience-tested playlists has done far more to devalue music–and harm sales–than the Internet.)Cities should be encouraged to create music-nightlife zones with less-stringent noise restrictions and the appropriate level of police protection.Stipends for musicians.

Then he surprised the world by unveiling another timepiece which was more accurate, and it reached 1/50 th of a second. Soon Heuer gained world wide reputation for his obsession with precision.

aqian100305 In 1920, the chronographs stood out among other brand Tag Heuer watch and were appointed as the official timepiece of the Antwerp Olympics for their high precision as well as excellent quality. Heuer has been working heart and soul to manufacture these high precision timepieces.

And he has won a lot of patents for creating some unique mechanical functions such as the Time of Trip feature, which can be applied into the dashboards of planes and cars. And the oscillating pinion developed by him is still be applied into watch production by many watchmakers today.

With ever improving technologies and excellent craftsmanship as well as high quality materials, Heuer had created more and more innovative watches in the years followed.The year 1969 might be regarded as a milestone for Heuer 

which helped the brand established a solid position in the luxury brand watch industry. In 1985, the Tag Heuer watches company was officially established after its purchase by Tag. Since then, the new company has been engaged in manufacturing the best timepieces, which help the brand maintain a great position in the world luxury brand industry.Founded in 1853, Tissot watches were well known for their distinguished taste and ever improving craftsmanship. They quickly gained popularity and were well received all over the world both for the collectors and the public since the launch of the first watch. The infusion of high quality materials together with advanced technology have ranked the watch in the forefront of the watch industry.Tissot has been involved in sports such as hockey, cycling and cricket for decades, and it has been in partnership with a lot of sports teams. 

which helped the brand established a solid position in the luxury brand watch industry. In 1985, the Tag Heuer watches company was officially established after its purchase by Tag. Since then, the new company has been engaged in manufacturing the best timepieces, which help the brand maintain a great position in the world luxury brand industry.

Founded in 1853, Tissot watches were well known for their distinguished taste and ever improving craftsmanship. They quickly gained popularity and were well received all over the world both for the collectors and the public since the launch of the first watch. The infusion of high quality materials together with advanced technology have ranked the watch in the forefront of the watch industry.Tissot has been involved in sports such as hockey, cycling and cricket for decades, and it has been in partnership with a lot of sports teams.