Saturday, August 30, 2008

People who Knit and Crochet May be Healthier and Happier

People Who Knit and Crochet May Be Happier and Healthier

Knitting and crochet enthusiasts are smiling because their hobb ies may have the added benefit of helping their minds and bodies

PRLog (Press Release) – Aug 17, 2007 – Manhattan, New York - August 17, 2007 – Have you ever wondered why people who craft yarn into garments always seem to be smiling and happy? It turns out that the repetitive actions needed for knitting and crochet can bring the mind and body to a state called a "relaxation response" that is quite similar to what people experience with techniques such as repetitive prayer, yoga, meditation, Tai Chi, and other relaxation disciplines. Research at the Harvard Medical School Mind/Body Institute has found that when an individual is knitting his/her heart rate can drop 11 beats a minute and his/her blood pressure drops as well. These results can have significant health benefits for people who knit and crochet.

In the U.S. many institutions are taking advantage of these health benefits by incorporating knitting and crochet into the activities that they provide. Gilda's Clubs which offers family cancer support in locations across the U.S., now provide knitting to help with the emotional upheaval of dealing with cancer. At the Duke Diet and Fitness Center, knitting is used to lower stress for its clients. Children and their parents are seeing the benefits of knitting and crochet as well. Grade schools from Oregon to New Jersey have incorporated knitting into their curriculum, not only for the health benefits, but to help build creativity and improve math skills.

"Knitting benefits an individuals emotional and physical health. Knitting can reduce stress in an individual who is trying to manage the severity of their chronic illness. It can also help reduce stress in individuals who lead very hectic lifestlyes."said Gary Scholar, Health & Wellness Consultant to the employees of the American Hospital Association. "I have incorporated knitting classes in my Health & Wellness programs for employees because of the health benefits. I would like to see implemented at Children's hospitals a program to teach sick children how to knit so they have something to keep their minds occupied and be proud of what they have made if they are in the hospital for an extended time,"

A new children's book ANGORA, I'm Knot Just Fluff I'm Always Enough was recently published by Scholar about a bunny who is taught by her mother and grandmother how to knit using magic carrot knitting needles to give her self esteem to dance in her dance recital. The two sequels to the book will be out this fall. www.angorathebunny.com
"For many years we've heard stories and witnessed how knitting and crochet have positively affected people’s lives. We once asked our customers to share their stories of how knitting and crochet have changed their lives on our website, and to date, we’ve received over 500 touching and personal submissions " said Ilana Rabinowitz of Lion Brand Yarn. "It has only been in recent years that studies have brought to light the mental and physical benefits that crochet and knitting enthusiast can look forward to while participating in this wonderful hobby."

For more information on learning to knit and crochet, visit the Lion Brand Web site at http://www.lionbrand.com

Media contact:
Ilana Rabinowitz
(201) 804-3999
Ilana@lionbrand.com

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About Lion Brand Yarn Company
Lion Brand Yarn Company is a 129-year-old entity and is America's oldest hand knitting yarn brand. Founded in 1878, the company began operation in New York and has been a leading supplier of quality hand knitting and crochet yarns ever since. Throughout its history, Lion Brand Yarn has been at the forefront of yarn trends while consistently providing its customers with the highest quality product, service and inspiration.

Vanna White

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Vanna White
Born	Vanna Marie Rosich February 18, 1957 (1957-02-18) (age 51) North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, United States
Occupation	Game show co-host^[1]
Spouse(s)	George Santo Pietro 1991-2002

Vanna White (born February 18, 1957) is an American television personality, best known as puzzle-board presenter and co-host on the long-running game show Wheel of Fortune.

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[edit] Biography

[edit] Early life

White was born Vanna Marie Rosich in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, the daughter of Joan Marie and Miguel Angel Rosich.^[2] Her family is of Croatian and Polish background.^{[citation needed]} White took the name of her stepfather, Herbert Stackley White Jr., a former real estate agent in North Myrtle Beach. One of White's ancestors, whose last name was Barnes, was one of the first mayors of the city of Ponce, Puerto Rico.^{[citation needed]} She is the niece of actor Christopher George.^{[citation needed]}

White's first car, a gift from her father, was a metallic blue 1972 "Marathon Edition" Volkswagen Beetle. Vanna's father reportedly encouraged her to consider other makes and models of cars, but Vanna held firm. She desired the car due to the corporate initials of Volkswagen AG being the same as her own: VW. A picture of Vanna's Bug was featured in a summer 2007 episode of "Wheel Of Fortune," in which she revisited her childhood hometown.

[edit] Television career

The handprints of White in front of Hollywood Hills Amphitheater at Walt Disney World's Disney's Hollywood Studios theme park.

White's first national television appearance came on the June 20, 1980 episode of the seminal game show The Price Is Right, in which she was among the first four contestants to "come on down." She did not make it onstage, but the clip of her running to Contestants' Row would be rebroadcast as part of The Price Is Right 25th Anniversary Special in August 1996 and also would be featured on the special broadcast Game Show Moments Gone Bananas. Two years later, White auditioned to become the letter-turning assistant on Wheel of Fortune, a job that Susan Stafford recently had vacated. Producer Merv Griffin selected her over two other finalists, and her first episode as Pat Sajak's assistant presenter aired December 13, 1982. White remained with the daytime version of Wheel until its cancellation in 1991.

White's popularity soared after the primetime version of Wheel made its debut in September 1983. Within a year, Wheel was the highest-rated syndicated program on broadcast television, in large part because of "Vannamania". Her 1987 autobiography, Vanna Speaks!, was a best-seller.^[3] Also in 1987, she was featured in a Playboy pictorial, showing photos taken of her (prior to her career on Wheel of Fortune) wearing see-through lingerie.

White is the subject of "Weird Al" Yankovic's 1988 song, "Stuck in a Closet With Vanna White". In 1989, she appeared in the NBC television movie Goddess of Love, in which she played Venus. The film was panned universally by critics, with TV Guide joking that White's acting was "wheely" bad.

White also has made cameo appearances on television shows such as Married... with Children, The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, 227 and Full House, movies such as Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult, and served as guest timekeeper for WrestleMania IV. In 1992, the Guinness Book of World Records recognized White as "television's most frequent clapper." On April 20, 2006, she was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

White's name, well known due to the success of "Wheel," is mentioned in the rapper Nelly's hit song "Ride Wit Me" which reached #3 on the Billboard Hot 100. -- 'I'm gettin' pages out of New Jersey, from Courtney B. / Tellin' me about a party up in NYC / Can I make it? Damn right, I be on the next flight / Payin' cash; first class - sittin' next to Vanna White.

[edit] Personal life

White dated Playgirl centerfold/Chippendales-dancer-turned-actor John Gibson in the 1980s, and they eventually became engaged. The relationship came to a tragic end in 1986 when Gibson was killed in a plane crash. White divorced her husband of 11 years, George Santo Pietro, in November 2002, maintaining custody of their two young children, Nicholas and Giovanna. From 2004 to 2006, she was engaged to businessman Michael Kaye, senior partner in a large leveraged buyout (LBO) fund based in southern California.

[edit] Litigation

In 1993, White won a lawsuit against the Samsung Electronics corporation over its use of a humorous ad featuring a robot turning letters on a game show. The decision later was affirmed by the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The issue was over the property right to publicity. The court ruled in favor of White's claim of a right to her property of publicity. The case has been criticized widely by property lawyers who cite the dissenting opinion of Judge Alex Kozinski after the denial of a rehearing en banc, which stated, among other things, that, "Overprotecting intellectual property is as harmful as underprotecting it. Creativity is impossible without a rich public domain. Nothing today, likely nothing since we tamed fire, is genuinely new: Culture, like science and technology, grows by accretion, each new creator building on the works of those who came before. Overprotection stifles the very creative forces it's supposed to nurture".^[4]

[edit] References

^ Vanna White biography at wheeloffortune.com
^ Vanna White Biography (1957-)
^ "About New York," The New York Times, May 23, 1987.
^ http://www2.bc.edu/~yen/Torts/Vanna%20White%20Koz%20ed.pdf

[edit] External links

Vanna White at the Internet Movie Database
Vanna White's biography on wheeloffortune.com
Judge Alex Kozinski's dissent in the White v. Samsung Electronics appeal

Wikisource has original text related to this article:

White v. Samsung Electronics America, Inc.

Preceded by Susan Stafford	Hostess of Wheel of Fortune (daytime) December 13, 1982–September 20, 1991	Succeeded by Cancelled
Preceded by none	Hostess of Wheel of Fortune (syndicated) September 19, 1983–present	Succeeded by incumbent

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanna_White"

Karen Allen Fiber Arts

I just posted an article regarding Karen Allen. She is a famous American Actress, but has started her own Fiber Arts company. She is a highly accomplished artisan, focusing on knitting. Here is a link to her site: Karen Allen Fiber Arts I am sure you will be impressed with the beauty of her craft.

Photo Credit: Lisa Levart