Day: February 6, 2014

Interesting Information: Statistics that Scare Me

Interesting Information:  February 6, 2014

Statistics That Scare Me

 

1 out of 2 people are now getting cancer–so don’t for a moment think we are “winning” the “war” on cancer.  Or, curing it once you’ve gotten it.  The “standards of care” cures are horrific and carry their own horrors.

Interesting documentaries to watch:  both the Burzynski documentaries as they show that the cancer industry is not interested in a bona-fide cure that means they don’t make money and will do anything to stop such a marvelous thing from happening.

1 out of 50 children now have autism according to the May 2013 statistics from the CDC.  And, no, these figures are not because there are better diagnostic tools.

1 out of 6 children now have a neurological issue.

See the documentary, The Greater Good

The United States has an abysmal infant mortality rate–the worst among the other industrialized nations.  Take a look at this graph from The Washington Post:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/01/09/graph-of-the-day-the-united-states-has-a-really-high-infant-mortality-rate/

And, for some reasons why, see the documentary The Business of Being Born

* * *

We didn’t get here by accident.

There has been a long, slow change in the structures of how we organize our society.  If you want to understand those changes, those structures, take 90 minutes and watch Robert Reich’s Inequality for All, which quickly dispenses with the Democrat/GOP divide and gets to the historical heart of what has happened.  Understanding a problem is the first step toward solving it.

Best of all is that Reich leaves us with tremendous hope that something can be done, that change can occur, that we can all get out of the now-hot water that is scalding us.

When he is asked what other country we should emulate to get out of our mess, Reich says “America.”

That would be the America of my youth.

Bravo!

 

Blog Readers’ Quilts and Quilting Information: Oh No! Kaffe Fasset Fabrics Degraded

Blog Readers’ Quilts and Quilting Information:  February 6, 2014

Oh NO!

Kaffe Fasset Fabrics Degraded

 

I love Kaffe Fasset fabrics.

I love all of the Fasset books.

I love COLOR!  And the Fasset fabrics are all about COLOR.

I’ve made many a quilt with Fasset fabrics and thought to make many more.

But I’m not buying Fasset fabrics any more.

Here’s why:

Fasset fabrics are no longer 44-45 inches wide, but are now 40 inches wide.

The price is the same.  Or, more.

Most importantly, Fasset has changed to a cheaper griege, or the grey goods that get dyed to make the fabric.  The quality of the griege is what makes a fabric sturdy.  And you have only to look at some of the newer Fasset fabrics to see the difference.  I just bought some polka-dot Fasset fabrics, and they are like gauze.  NO WAY AM I PAYING $10 OR MORE DOLLARS A YARD FOR GAUZE.  I don’t care how “pretty” it is.

I found the Fasset email address and wrote to calmly say why I would no longer be buying Fasset fabric.  And I hope you take a look at the new fabrics, look at the quality and the width, and write him for yourself:  www.kaffefassetstudio.com.

In addition, Amy Butler is part of the Fasset group of artists.  I have refused to buy her fabric or her patterns for some years now.  I believe that when you sell a pattern or fabric, you’re done.  I do not believe you can threaten customers with law suits if they make something from your pattern or fabric and sell it, show it, or whatever.

And, yes, I shared in my email that I also refuse to buy anything of Amy Butler’s.

* * *

Fasset and Butler have gone too far.

They have become too greedy.

As customers, we have to protest and refuse to buy their goods.

It’s the only way to get them back in all their glory.

Turkey Tracks: Snowy Owls in Maine

Turkey Tracks:  February 6, 2014

Snowy Owls in Maine

We’ve had Snowy Owls in Maine this winter.

We don’t usually see them in the “lower 48.”  They are more present in Canada.

One was rescued off the end of the airport runway in Portland, fed, and released.

Their wing span is HUGE.

And of course, they are so dramatic.

Best of all, we have some very near Camden.

Friend and internationally recognized, amazing quilter Sarah Ann Smith took at artist trip, camera in hand, this week out to where Snowy Owls had been spotted.

This picture is from her very-good blog:

IMG_0167

As her blog story tells, there are about three of these owls wintering right near each other.

I think you can get to Sarah’s blog post with this url.  If not she’s easy to google.  The entry was made on Feb. 4th and has lots of pictures of the owls.

http://www.sarahannsmith.com/weblog/?p=9029

So enjoy Sarah’s blog.  She is extraordinarily generous with her time, help, and talents.  We are so lucky to have her as a fellow member of Coastal Quilters.  And, I am lucky to have her as a friend.

Sarah is primarily an art quilter, but she can make a wonderful bed/lap quilt, too.  Her book and DVD are about machine quilting, of which she is a master.

I wonder if an owl quilt is in her future?

I hope so.