Open Thread – The Quilt Part IV
5 11 2009We’re back once again for our “four squares at a time” tour through the awesome Mudflats quilt that was so kindly made for me by thesneaky cypber-quilters on the Mudflats forum. There are so many nooks and crannies over there, that you never know what fabulous thing may be going on at any given moment!
But back to our tour.
The first block is from our quiltmistress herself – Quince who signed it! The classic yellow boots are sitting upon the sand of the New Hampshire sea coast.. I have spent countless hours on one particular beach in the northeast, and it’s the only thing I ever feel homesick for, other than family. The fabric is really lovely and has all kinds of seaweed and interesting shimmery ocean critters on it. The green fabric has subtle metallic golden waves printed on it, and the sand itself has little gold rivulets giving it a more three dimensional look than the photo does. And in each corner of the block is a little silver scallop shell!
Next is the “adult beverage” square! Those came in handy for things like the vice presidential debate, and election night, and on many occasions of celebration or head bangery that have arisen over the past year and a half. Thanks to Mudflatter Mike for coming up with the great fabric of bunches of grapes, and wine labels! There’s even a little appliqued tiger peeking out from under the border at the top of the square. The enclosed letter hinted that there was a Mudflatter’s screen name hidden in this square, and it hit me immediately! Tigerwine! The beautiful metallic green boots and the fabric behind are decorated in vines, and the block is signed by both Irishgirl AND Ayerishgirl. We’d better move off the adult beverage block…we’re seeing double!
The third square was one of several that made me burst out laughing. This one was dubbed the “Is it Safe Yet?” square. Yes, each shimmering golden boot has, peeking out of the top, a turkey! They’re quaking in their boots! Hard to believe it’s almost been a year since the infamous turkey-gate incident. The fabric in the back is covered in turkeys. And they all look alive and well. I’m pleased to say that there is no “cone of death” fabric to be found.
And finally, we’ve got another beautiful geographic block. This one is Seattle, with the glittering skyline including the Space Needle. The boots are silver on gold and gold on silver, and they do look extra-waterproof. The background fabricis covered in … wait for it … rain clouds! What else? And the block was signed by Mudflatters EnoughWithTheTrainWreck, System Bucker, and Eyes Wide Open in Pittsburgh, all of whom I got to meet at the Pittsburgh Mudstock! I’m not sure at what point, after looking at all the signatures from the Pittsburgh Mudstock that I thought, “Heyyyyyy!” and I remembered a couple people off in a corner with a pen, and a few shifty looks in my direction at that Mudstock! Skullduggery at its absolute finest!
Only four more blocks to go….
November 5th, 2009 at 12:37 PM
Teabag Party Capitol Hill
The Tan Man fails 5th grade civics…………….
The republican leader of the House of Representatives really IS dumber than a 5th grader! What a proud day for the republican party…………………
If you want a laugh, this is a must see. John Bohner holding up his copy of “the constitution” and declaring to quote from it, then proceeds to recite the Declaration of Independence ! !
AND
Nancy Pelosi is sooo powerful she is “killing God” with “death panels”:
Todd Akin (R-MO) treating today’s Teabachle to the Pledge of Allegiance. Akin led off with a brief oration on the importance of the words “under God” in the pledge, because someone has to stop Nancy Pelosi from killing God, with death panels.
Perhaps the overemphasis on that mid-20th century drop-in was what led Akin to leave out another important word of the pledge:
“indivisible.” Though the setting strongly suggests that this may have been a Freudian slip.
Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/11/05/bungled-pledge-of-allegia_n_347278.html&cp
November 5th, 2009 at 1:06 PM
here are some pictures…the Dachau picture is truly disgusting and offensive , specially to those victims in this picture, these people are a bunch of idiots !!!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/11/05/the-12-most-offensive-sig_n_347398.html?slidenumber=YQKSlGc5xDU%3D#slide_image
November 5th, 2009 at 1:22 PM
Anyone watching msnbc?? WOW sooo many crazies out there.. 12 dead, 31 wounded so far..
November 5th, 2009 at 1:22 PM
If we have any folks here with family at Ft. Hood, here’s the Red Cross link to report them safe or to check on them. http://tinyurl.com/3gj8ul Maybe pass it along if you have twitter. I don’t see it showing up online yet.
Re: today’s insanity w/ Bachmann – The footage you see showing the specter of death roaming around, reports are that it’s Randall Terry.
People who were live “tweeting” from within the bldg said the whole thing had a carnival air to it.
The Holocaust images are just appalling. This wasn’t a spontaneous grass roots event – this was organized by GOP elect. Someone should have spoken out about those images. ( Perhaps it’ll end up being Grayson ? )
November 5th, 2009 at 1:25 PM
GlobalVillage posted this link last night but I thought it was worth moving up to today’s open thread to give it a little more exposure. It’s an awesome video of one of my favorite songs (Stand By Me) done by musicians around the world. I sing in a local choir and know how hard it is to get 100 people in the same room to sound like we’re singing together. I can’t imagine the blood, sweat and tears that went into coordinating this performance. I’ve watched this video a dozen times and it still brings tears to my eyes…while I’m simultaneously grinning from ear to ear!
One year into the Obama presidency, I think it’s a good time to remind ourselves that we all need to ’stand by’ each other. We have a long way to go to repair the extensive damage the previous adminstration inflicted on this country, and the majority of politicians on the right are doing everything they can to obstruct and halt the process, regardless of the impact on the American people. As frustrated as we get sometimes with the slow pace of change, we have to be patient and give this president and the smart people surrounding him time to turn things around. Of course, we still need to let them know we’re watching and will hold them to their promises!
Take a few minutes to watch this and be inspired:
http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=2539741
November 5th, 2009 at 1:28 PM
BuffaloGal~ my daughter just stopped by..Granddaughter and her husband are on that base..She did get a call that they are o.k. but scared…
November 5th, 2009 at 1:29 PM
#
53
Star Says:
November 5th, 2009 at 1:22 PM
Anyone watching msnbc?? WOW sooo many crazies out there.. 12 dead, 31 wounded so far..
————–
watching right now…they are saying the shooters where military, one a Major. I wonder what possessed them, such a horrible tragedy !!
November 5th, 2009 at 1:32 PM
I can imagine they are scared Star…this is just so senseless to me
November 5th, 2009 at 1:37 PM
Thank God, Star. Good to hear. Locals are being asked to donate blood per twitter post: http://tinyurl.com/y894xjb
POTUS just made the standard “Keep them in our prayers” commentary . Unfortunately, he started off the press bit with a light hearted mention about the Native American conference that was held today. I can see the right jumping on that immediately. Poor choice, me thinks.
November 5th, 2009 at 1:46 PM
Buffy, POTUS was actually speaking to those who attended the conference and began his remarks by recognizing a Medal of Honor winner in the audience.
It was an already scheduled event for short remarks.
I think he did as well as could be expected under the circumstance and no matter what he said or how he said it, the right would be all over it.
November 5th, 2009 at 1:55 PM
Justa – I know he was speaking to the conference members but it just struck me that a passing chuckle might’ve been left out. But you’re totally correct – the right will tear him apart no matter what. If he had come out ready to give blood to the Red Cross right there at the podium, they’d have found a reason to go nuts.
ABC is reporting that the shooter was an officer , Malik Nadal Hasan. There is buzz that he was a new convert to Islam but that could just be nothing other than buzz.
November 5th, 2009 at 1:59 PM
For those in the area that can donate:
Blood Donor Center 311 E Avenue D Killeen, TX 76541-5240 (254) 519-7766
They’re putting out a statement saying that blood is urgently needed
November 5th, 2009 at 2:30 PM
Buffy, the snarky comments are already starting.
some saying POTUS was disrespectful by giving a “shoutout” (it was to the Native American Medal of Honor winner; I suppose only Little Prissy Miss Quittypants is allowed to give “shoutouts”)
And, the right is going over the top about the shooter having a “Muslim” name… OMG, OMG!!!! The Muslims are coming! The Muslims are coming! Protect yer wimmin and children!!!
sigh…….
November 5th, 2009 at 2:38 PM
they are now saying he was a mental heath professional, getting weirder by the minute.
November 5th, 2009 at 2:42 PM
I think someone reported that the shootings happened at or near a ‘reset’ center (awful name for mental health and evaluation after coming back from war))
November 5th, 2009 at 2:42 PM
63
justafarmer Says:
November 5th, 2009 at 2:30 PM
And, the right is going over the top about the shooter having a “Muslim” name… OMG, OMG!!!! The Muslims are coming! The Muslims are coming! Protect yer wimmin and children!!!
____________________
I hope there will be no vigilantism
November 5th, 2009 at 2:46 PM
twain, I agree..I still remember the vigilantism after 9/11.
November 5th, 2009 at 2:50 PM
Justa – I’m watching the twitter posts. Are you catching it there? You sure get a view of the underbelly of America. They don’t even bother to self-censor , in the least. There is a running thread of “thank God it finally happened so people can finally see HUSSEIN Obama for what he really is”.
Even if it turns out that this guy was suffering from all levels of PTSD and that he was a “never miss Sunday mass” Christian, you know the right is going to say that “the truth was hidden”. They’re going to make it a terrorist attack on American soil and from there, we’re off! ( it won’t make a lick of difference that this guy is a major which means he’s been in the service for years and wasn’t ushered in by POTUS) .
Oy. and – *sigh*
November 5th, 2009 at 2:54 PM
This was sent to me and I thought I would share. It’s a link to pictures of the Naubinway, MI moose that was born on someone’s front yard. Too cute!
http://www.fleetfiretimbers.com/FFT/Collages/Fun%20Stuff/BabyMooseBornDowntown.htm
November 5th, 2009 at 2:57 PM
that moose is so cute…hope they made it save out of the city
November 5th, 2009 at 3:03 PM
I guess he was a psychiatrist , just promoted in May and stationed from Walter Reid to Ford Hood. He dealt with a lot of PTST….i’m starting to think he snapped. But of course the bigots will spin it their way.
Tragic none the less and no excuse for shooting all these people.
November 5th, 2009 at 3:09 PM
Trini, thanks for the very cute pix….I just LOVE the mom & baby “kiss”,
Really outranks & overcomes all of today’s insanity.
November 5th, 2009 at 3:17 PM
leenie17
Thanks for posting that. It is inspiring.
November 5th, 2009 at 3:37 PM
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/11/05/nine-arrested-protesting_n_347039.html
Way to go CT protesters! This coulda been me in the news!! LOL
November 5th, 2009 at 3:43 PM
I talked to a friend of mine who is a psychologist at a VA clinic. She said that the vets who come in are just ravaged by PTSD. They relive the sounds and smells of the war and are devistated and debilitated. They are angry too. The anger is directed to the government for the constant redeployments and lack of adequate equipment and vital needs. She agreed with me when I suggested that this incident sounded like “suicide by police.”
Sad, sad day. Must go look at the baby moose again.
November 5th, 2009 at 3:55 PM
Baby critters are all so cute and I hope the baby moose can survive. You Mudpuppies are all so right, I mean correct. The right would find something wrong with how our President puts on his trouser – my goodness he must put his left leg in first. Before I heard of the tragedy at Fort Hood, here in Texas, I was laughing so much about those paragons of patriotism, Boehner and Adkins, messing up at the big Teabagging assembly in Washington. Those who constantly wrap themselves in our flag and purport to represent the people should be better educated on our country’s founding documents. I bet our President wouldn’t make those mistakes. Of course, the Teabaggers probably didn’t notice the mistakes, just as Palin won’t acknowledge that her protegee was wrong to make that XXX video.
November 5th, 2009 at 4:04 PM
http://www.americablog.com/2009/11/wall-street-is-getting-h1n1-vaccine.html#disqus_thread
Today, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) asked Health and Human Service (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to investigate why the Center for Disease Control (CDC) approved the distribution of the H1NI vaccine to Wall Street firms at a time when the vaccine is unavailable to most Americans.
Recent news reports indicate 13 companies, including Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan Chase and Time Warner, have been cleared to receive the vaccine.
The CDC is distributing the much sought-after vaccine to Wall Street firms despite reports of vast shortages. In fact, just yesterday CDC Director Thomas Frieden informed Congress that only 32.3 million doses are available, far less than the 159 million needed to cover those at the highest risk. Given the scarce supply, the CDC has recommended the vaccine be directed only to those at highest risk: pregnant women, infants and children and those up to 24 years, those who care for infants, health and emergency services personnel, and adults with compromised immune systems or other chronic health problems.
Melanie Sloan, executive director of CREW said today, “Although CREW has been unable to uncover the demographic makeup of Goldman Sachs, Citigroup, and JP Morgan Chase, it seems safe to assume the vast majority of their employees are not pregnant women, infants and children, young adults up to 24 years old, and healthcare workers.”
http://www.citizensforethics.org/node/43232
Los Angeles County’s three public hospitals ordered 110,000 vaccines, but have received only about 18,000 doses, and UCLA’s two hospitals received 1,000 doses for 10,000 staff and 35,000 patients.
This situation is echoed around the country, leaving most of those seeking the vaccine unable to receive it with no remedy in sight. Frieden admitted, “It is quite likely the current wave of influenza will peak, crest and begin to decline before there are ample supplies of the vaccine.”
Sloan said, “In what world do Wall Street employees deserve to be vaccinated ahead of high-risk children, pregnant women and health care workers? Unfortunately, for the thousands being turned away in clinics across America, the CDC has decided to prioritize the millionaires over the masses. The public has a right to know how and why this has happened and when it will stop.” Sloan continued, “First, the bailout, then the bonuses, now the vaccine. When will Washington start putting the needs of Main Street above those of Wall Street?”
———–
(Incidentally, LA County is the country’s most populous county.)
November 5th, 2009 at 4:08 PM
awww Trini~ sweet baby, momma too..
November 5th, 2009 at 5:11 PM
The trauma of serving in a war zone never goes away. My husband is a Viet Nam vet and after all these years, he still experiences flashbacks and is startled by loud and unanticipated sounds. Our daughter works at the Army hospital near us and she mentioned that extra precautions were taken today, but no total lockdown. Her clinic sees many soldiers with PTSD, as well as their family members. There are more people in need of care than there are providers for them. Amongst those who are trained, the training is often not adequate to properly deal with many of the cases. So much of it is a whole new sphere, with the repeat tours and so many cultural differences for most of our soldiers.
Many enlisted in the last few years because of the bad economy and few job opportunities, then the military services offered large enlistment bonuses. Young, limited education, and often from a poor background – and we send them off to these wars but don’t have the resources to take care of them when they do make it home.
Regardless of the shooter’s name or religious background, the bottom line is he was a well-educated officer, and his training was in mental health. Reports are that he has been exhibiting anger about repeat tours and the war, yet no one seems to have followed up on the probability of his needing care. As someone else said, he probably just snapped. With security as tight as it is on most posts nowadays, if he had preplanned some sort of terrorist activity, it would seem more logical that he had additional people to go along with him, and that his target would not have been on a post where he knew he would never get away.
November 5th, 2009 at 5:23 PM
What is it at Fort Hood that soldiers go postal? Last year, an Alaska soldier back from Iraq deployment went violent. Of course, Sarah Palin probably didn’t issue press releases and attend his services:
ADN – “Eagle River resident Spc. Jody Michael Wirawan, 22, killed his lieutenant and then turned the gun on himself on Sept. 8, 2008, according to police in Killeen, Texas.”
And DON YOUNG hangs out with the folks waving inappropriate Dachau signs. That’ll do it for me. Even if he is a “Corrupt Bastards Club” member, I’ve given him brownie points and extended him respect and courtesy he doesn’t deserve. First, because he married into a Native family; his wife and children are indigenous Alaskans. Second, because I felt sorry for him with her recent death. But that’s it, Don.
WTF are you thinking, publically endorsing this garbage and this behaviour?! I think there should be recall action started on this basis alone. There has to be limits on what public representation will be countenanced by the Alaskan citizenry. This ISN’T about being Republican; this is about representing ALL of us. Don, buddy, you don’t have goodwill to spare.
WASHINGTON – Rep. Don Young doesn’t attend many big public events in Washington, so his presence was notable Thursday afternoon at a Republican rally at that drew thousands of people who oppose the health care legislation scheduled for a vote this weekend in the House of Representatives.
“I’ve been a big supporter of tea parties and public interest in government,” Young said of his attendance at the rally, staged by Republicans and organizations with ties to the conservative Tea Party movement. “I have quite a few Alaskans here that are interested in where we’re going and which way we’re headed.”
Uh, yeah, okay, Don. Good luck with that. I hope your daughters are very very very ashamed of you today.
Some of us have actually been to Dachau, know real history, and cannot articulate the burden and sorrow. It was so overwhelmingly bad that it makes you numb, like your brain can’t manage it, and renders one at a loss for words.
“April 19th 1945: Dachau, 16×16x12″
Bruises grip walls like moss;
white breath holds the air;
fog lulls our feet together.
We gather—hold our naked selves,
hands gripping arms and waists like twigs
sucking at the bitter nectar of new leaves.
Eyes close—fumigation flowers in wafts,
dews collect in the crevices of life—
The buzzing sings as a chamber choir.
Growing—clouds warm our thighs;
we sit so tight on this canopy.
Our gasping grabs at the sky,
but God throws his palm down;
storming rain flies ferociously,
our eyes flooding with prayer.
by Zarah Moeggenberg
Aquinas College’s The Sampler XXI (2009), Academy of American Poets Contest for Colleges and Universities (2009)
November 5th, 2009 at 5:50 PM
I was over at Daily Kos, reading comments on a video of Grayson listing the number of people to die next year in each district. Comments are very interesting and heartfelt.
This gave me an idea :
For those who feel up to it, why not send to your congressman a copy of a photo of a relative, family member, friend who died due to the lack of health care. The impact is, I believe, greater with a photo, more difficult to ignore and shred.
Or some type of “wall” of photos could be videoed and youtubed, sent out to the media.
I also recognize that it may be difficult for many to put out to the public view the image of their loved ones.
Any feedback ?
November 5th, 2009 at 7:19 PM
It has already started with the soldier a camp hood..Some seem to realize he worked at Walter Reed with those coming back from Iraq and had to listen to the horror stories and when he tried to get out of the army nothing was done.I think he just snapped.No matter what anyone says it could have been anyone of those people on the base that snapped,it just happened to be him and if I was a conspiracy theorist I might think he was pushed into it by his superiors to try and prove a point.
November 5th, 2009 at 11:38 PM
The Fort Hood shootings are tragedy for at least a dozen families. (Hopefully, for the wounded, it will eventually degrade into a colorful, scary story). What a terrible thing.
One part of me wishes (sorry, folks) that the shooter were actually dead, as first reported. It’s what he deserves.
On the other hand, perhaps we will be able to learn something useful from him. I mean, the guy is a psychiatrist. If I’m reading the stories right, he got his MD while in the Army, served his internship at Walter Reed, and had never been assigned out of the US. Personally, I have a little trouble with the idea that you can “catch” PTSD from those who have it; besides which, there are thousands of vets with PTSD, and very few of them gun down forty people at a whack.
What really bothers me is this. It has always been my understanding that psychiatrists (who are in a position to have major effects on the minds of their patients) are regularly analyzed by other psychiatrists (or, perhaps, meta-psychiatrists) to make sure that they are “stable”. I could be wrong about this; it’s just what I thought was the case. But if I’m wrong, and this isn’t standard practice, why the hell isn’t it? And if it is, how did the meta-analyst miss the clues of such a derangement?
I’ve never been able to put myself into the headspace of someone who thinks that the correct response to an offense (however nasty the offense may be) is to kill a bunch of uninvolved people. I can sort of understand the guy who decides to shoot the boss who fired him (understand, not condone), and that there may be “collateral damage” (not condoned). But how far out from the normal connection to humanity do you have to be to start out gunning down random people?
aggh. What a waste.
November 5th, 2009 at 11:42 PM
@51 Martha — On a much more trivial note, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Akin left out “indivisible” on purpose — not even a slip.
To be honest, I sometimes skip “under God”, since I remember when it was added, and it messes up the meter.
November 6th, 2009 at 1:45 AM
Ok i know hindsight is 20/20 but watching the news this morning it is clear that there where warning signs. He made comments ,had a blog etc. but they where still ready to send him overseas. It’ll be interesting to see how this will play out .