The Fabric of Our (My) Lives

The fabric of our lives has come a long way.

Before we go any further view this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxdidDqtiT0

Fabric has journeyed a long way over the years. People (some) have moved from walking around comfortably naked, to wearing leaves, scrap bones and animal fur (like our Native Americans did), to a wide variety of fabric derived from plants, animals, hair, insects, and crude oil. Yes, crude oil! Can you believe it?

I have been fascinated with fabric for a while, thus my interest in it as my inquiry project. Most of my fascination with it occurred over the past 10 years as I became increasingly obsessed with Interior Designing and all the skills this amazing area involves. Designers, be it interior or fashion, uses a wide array of fabric. As such, their usage of it has to come from a place of knowledge and confidence as it relates to the final outcome of whatever project being worked on. Fabric pose this mystery to me and being the inquisitive person I am, I figured this was the perfect opportunity to start delving into the intrigue behind it all. Over the years I've wondered and questioned:

• How is fabric made?
• What does it come from?
• How do they get all those textures, colors, and patterns onto fabric?
• How come there's such a variety?
• What is the level of difficulty that goes into the process to the final product?
• Are there specific countries that certain fabric comes from?
• Is fabric dyes/ink/paint colors different from food, art, and what they use to color other items we use around the home?

As a child, I remember wearing and seeing in my home fabrics such as linen, cotton, rayon, polyester, suede, leather, and faux leather. Silk was a luxury item one paid dearly for and being in the low socio-economic status, on the most part, exempted my family from owning items made from it. Cashmere and wool were not very popular because we were tropical people and these were thought of as for cold climates. And so my love affair with fabric continued. As my interests grew, so too did my noticing as it relates to quality, softness, variety of colors: and how names for them were formed.

• Thickness vs thinness
• High thread count vs low thread count
• Egyptian cotton vs other types of cotton
• What fabric is best for certain projects
• How were names formulated for them and on and on.

I realized quickly that there was a lot more to fabric than meets the eye. As a result of this, I also realized that this had the potential to be a really wide topic, thus it can be explored at different angles, so I needed to narrow my inquiry search . Therefore, the steps I plan next and the directions I have been pursuing are, how fabric is made, what is it made from; the popular ones we have come to know; and finally how are various patterns and color transferred onto fabric.

So far, I have learned that both Interior Designers and fashion school students (depending on their areas of interests), have to study:

fabric: http://library.thinkquest.org/C004179/textiles.html;

fibers: http://www.amefird.com/fiber_science.htm and finally

textiles: http://www.economicadventure.org/visit/exhibits/textiles/brochure.pdf

One site I found particularly easy to read and understand, therefore helpful was, http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid. It gave succinct information about how fabric is made, where it comes from, the types of fabric derive from these sources, and much more.

Additionally, I also checked out www.thaitextilemuseum.com/.../Fabric_Making.../fabric_making_process.html. This site is obviously written by a non-English speaker and so though the information given is helpful, I was turned off by it because it contained too many convention and grammar errors. I wondered if there was no one to edit/revise for them - I guess not. Oh, and during my inquiry I also learned that textiles are different from fabric in that they are threads and yarns used for weaving, knitting, crocheting, and so on.

As mentioned above, fabric comes from various sources and therefore produce the types we know of:

Plant fibers from bamboo, pine, spruce, and hemp produces - cotton, linen, rayon, and hemp.

Animal/Hair fibers obtained from shaving, sheering, brushing and animal furs produces - cashmere, wool, and alpaca.

Insects - silkworms who form cocoons of silk moth by eating mulberry leaves produces - silk - the most expensive fabric there is.

Crude Oil produces synthetics processed into chemical polymers forming fibres that makes - polyester, nylon, acrylic, and so on.

Doesn't crude oil sound really crude - unattractive to our delicate sensibilities? Does it change your preference to wearing these fabric (if you do)? I know some professions who won't care:-}

In the long run, it's all very fascinating. What are your thoughts? How does this affect your feelings if (some of) what is mentioned above is news to you? If nothing else, as with me, I have a new found appreciation to the process of how fabric is produced, my choices and preferences in my home as it relates to what goes on my skin via clothing, underwear, towels, sheets, etc; what I sleep on and in, what I sit on and basically everything fabric that affect my (your) life.

You can also view:

1. http://www.viddler.com/explore/LauraDameeks/videos/115/ (how fabric is stamped)
2. http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XODQ1ODcxNjg=.html (a fabric bag making machine)
3. http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-video-10280605-making-batik-fabric.php (how batik - dyeing fabric, is made)

All this talk about fabric brings back an old memory of song artists Madonna's song, "Material Girl." In my country fabric is referred to as material or cloth, and it represents many things - wealth or lack thereof. The material we wore said a great deal about our financial status. Today, most people can afford some type of luxurious fabric/material/cloth.

With all there is to learn, my journey continues...

Susan's Post

Click here to link to the blog Susan created:  http://susanmcaulay.wordpress.com/

Paparazzi

The topic I have chosen is to look at what power the paparazzi have in determining who and what we consider celebrity. This topic interests me because I feel that there are so many magazines and shows that are dedicated to looking at the lives of celebrities. I wonder how much attention people actually pay to things said about these celebrities and how it affects them.

The questions I look to explore are:

What is considered to be celebrity?

How do pictures and news of celebrities affect our lives?

Do the paparazzi really have power over our view of celebrity?

So far I have been watching celebrity news shows like E news and TMZ. I have also been reading magazines like people and newspapers. I have spent some time talking to friends about celebrity news.

For my next steps I will continue my research through the news channels, magazines and conversations with friends about celebrities. This evening I will watch E news and count the amount of times they discuss certain celebrities. I will also be examining various blogs that discuss celebrities and the paparazzi.

In my inquiry process I have already examined the E network website to see what celebrities they have been talking about.

www.eonline.com/uberblog/theawfultruth/index.html

This site is a blog that discusses some of the things celebs are doing. It seems a lot more upbeat and more positive than others that I have been to. On it I saw a story about Jon Gosselin from Jon and Kate plus eight and they have news about the Emmy's.

Another website I've examined is TMZ www.tmz.com. This site focuses a lot on the negative side of celebrity. I saw a piece on John Travolta and an extortion case. There was also a story of an actress who has a stalker who was released.

Sounding Off

Noise pollution might not seem to be a fascinanting topic but it does make me wonder why it would appear that some poeple after experiencing loud annoying sounds as a constant part of their lives, somehow seem to get so immune to that noise, to the extent that they do not even become conscious of it after a while. Right now my specific interest lies in the fact that as a child I grew up in an area where an aluminum production company has trains that pass multiple times each day right behind my house. Having lived there all my life , the sound of the train which was loud and offensive to strangers would become even familiar, and strange but true, even comforting to me. I also realized that friends and acquiantances from my childhood share similar experiences.

This experience has definintely left some questions in my mind. What really is defined as noise? Can noise that is repelling for some, be comforting for others, and if yes what is the explanation for that? What makes people seem to be immune to noise? I am sure that as I dig further into this, I will probably have more questions.

At this time I am talking with ordinary folks like me to see if our experiences are the same, and surprisingly they are. There are people who are not bothered by the cacophony of noise in the city, but their rural counterparts do not share the same sentiments. I am also talking to colleagues who are scientific minded about different aspects of noise pollution, and I am discovering that some of the answers that I am getting are matching up with my experiences. For example, I was told that noise, which was at first a displeasure, could in fact become a pleasure. I am wondering what the real scientific data will reveal.

Definitely, my next step will be to still gather more data in the field, and finally compare these findings to see exactly if and how my wonderings are addressed. It becomes really difficult to even find other blogs that address my question. However, I came across a blog-"Noise Pollution" by Craig Harrison at http://craigharrisonmusic.wordpress.com/2009/09/16/noise-pollution/. This blog speaks to my research interest only as far as the over arching issue of noise pollution. However, unlike my experience, Harrison never mentioned anything about becoming tolerant of the noise in his world. In fact, he made a rant about the noise of the bus on his way to work, and the noise in the basement where he works. "The Daily Commuter" at http://thedailycommuter.wordpress.com/2008/11/25/deafening-music/and did not speak about the noise of a train, but basically about the noise of music blaring from electronic devices as he commutes on the train or bus to work. Again, he never seemed to transcend to the level of "noise pollution immunity". Am I to understand that such level of tolerance is only reached by few? Whether or not, it is still important to understand the mystery of noise tolerance.

http://thedailycommuter.wordpress.com/2008/11/25/deafening-music/

http://thedailycommuter.wordpress.com/2008/11/25/deafening-music/

http://shellgames.wordpress.com/2009/09/17/loud-noises-boogie-man-scare-young-maryland-football-players/

http://www.videojug.com/expertanswer/hearing-impairment-and-hearing-loss/how-does-excessive-noise-affect-my-hearing#

What can I do to help protect our planet?

I want to find out through research what kind of action I can take in order to help save our planet. I would like to educate myself and help to educate other people about the things we do on a daily basis that are damaging to our planet. I would then like to try and help people realize the importance of recycling and reusing things in order to prevent pollution.
Lately I've been curious to learn what contributions or efforts have been made or are being made by other countries as far as recycling industrial products, and protecting our planet from further pollution is concerned. What changes have these countries implemented in order to diminish or stop flow of toxic waste and pollution?
After doing some exploration of my City, I have noticed that the great majority of people are in total ignorance of what’s going on, ignorant of the fact that little by little, we are destroying our planet. Most people are unaware of how responsible everyone of us is for the pollution caused by the garbage we produce. Lately I've been more keen to notice the unconscionable behavior of people everywhere, disposing of their garbage by simply throwing it on the floor. Walking through Broadway, I can see all the trash everywhere on the sidewalk, on the streets, and in the park. I wonder if the people who litter our landscape with their trash are aware their behavior attract rats and other pests-not to mention the fact that they are contaminating the environment itself.
After doing some research on the internet I've come to learn that I'm not the only one concerned about pollution, and looking for some education on how to help remedy the problem. As it turns out, many people have been educating themselves through the use of videos found on the internet, or by reading articles that offer sensible suggestions an ideas on how to help protect our planet from further contamination. For example, I read a article written by Sarah Penniman and Lisa McColl which talks about the different things done by libraries in order to contribute to the recycling and reuse of different materials, as a measure to help protect our planet. For example, libraries donate “paperbacks to nearby prison, popular fiction books to stores like Goodwill, and picture books to a literacy initiative run by the Police Athletic League, (p. 1).” ).” According to Jane C. Neale, the author of “Go Green,” libraries are also donating books to their communities, (p. 1).” In her article, Sarah Penniman also points out that libraries are doing their best to use electronic mail as much as possible so as to avoid the use of paper.
In many schools, teachers are educating their students about the importance of recycling and reusing things in order to minimize the use of resources, which is a way to reduce garbage. For example, in an article written by John Wood, he mentions how some teachers are teaching their students such skills as recycling paper to make new paper, as well as other skills that involve the use of a recycled component.
Having read the above articles made me realize that there are other people out there who are doing something in benefit of protecting our planet. Unfortunately, however, it's sad to realize that there is so much more to be done. One very important thing remaining to be done is educating our communities. My contribution in trying to combat this problem will be to promote recycling through the lessons and activities I do in my school from here on out.

Philly Trash Matters

http://phillytrashmatters.wordpress.com/

I like this blog because it provides many interesting links related to recycling.
It also gives you ideas on how to re-use many of the items we use on a daily basis,
such as light bulbs, plastic cans, and cardboard. This Blog has many images, videos
and slide shows, with more information on recycling-related topics. One of the most
interesting videos I found on this blog is one called “ 12 Amazing Objects Made from Plastic Bags,” which shows how a Chilean industrial designer uses plastic to make boots, bags, and other useful things.
Going Green-Ask Anna

http://www.giveme20.com/blog/-

This is another great blog where you can find very interesting posts and comments that make you reflect on the importance of recycling, and the things that we could be doing to make it a practice. For example, there's an interesting post on this blog that tells us of how we often forget to bring reusable bags to the store. The creator of this blog provides us with interesting information about the ways in which we are destroying our planet, such as by throwing away millions of bags that end up in the ocean. On this blog, you can also find great ideas about the many recyclable gifts that we can give our children and loved ones, such as used toy truck, car, or doll. This blog also provides many videos and pictures of items that can be reused or recycled.
Mother Nature Network
http://www.mnn.com/

This is a blog where you can find many educational activities for parents and teachers. This blog also provides you with great tips on how to raise healthy kids. Here you can also find the news on important current issues in our schools, such as how our kids are not getting an adequate meal for lunch, and how we can protect our kids from toxic water.
I picked these blogs because they provide really useful information and ideas about
how to reuse and recycle things, such as bringing out reusable bags every time I go to the store. What I have learned by on these blogs is very valuable information that I can pass on to my students or fellow teachers.

Teaching people that are close to you about the importance of recycling is a way of helping your community become a cleaner, and safer place.

The blogs below are also other important and

interesting blogs were you will be able to learn

a lot, and share your ideas about recycling.

http://www.storyofstuff.com/blog

http://noimpactman.typepad.com/blog/

On a daily basis my husband finds it hilarious that I am extremely ticklish. Each day I got a poke in my side or a quick squeeze on my knee as my husband laughs. I often wish that he would be ticklish or I could be less ticklish. I don't understand how my husband and other people do not cringe at the sight of incoming hands and crack up with laughter while being tickle tortured. I have tried everything I can think of to control the uncontrollable urge that makes me fall out of the pedicure chair at the nail salon; holding my breathe as my face turns red while repeating silently in my head 'I am not ticklish, this does not tickle, I feel nothing' until I can not hold back any longer and make a extremely audible yelp that everyone in the place hears. The women who work there laugh and give me a smile while the customer sitting next to me says "I know how that is. I am ticklish too."

These experiences have led me to wonder:
Why am I and so many others ticklish?
Why are some people not ticklish?
What can I do to not be so ridiculously ticklish?

After searching the internet, I have realized the answers to these questions are not truly known. Scientists do have a theory as to why people are ticklish. It is believed that we are ticklish to alert us if something is crawling on us such as a bug or spider. Another reason is because our brains can not anticipate where our body is going to be attacked by someone ready to tickle us so it is the element of surprise and fear of being tickled. This is also why it is thought that most people can not tickle themselves since our brains know it is coming.
For more information on this:
www.livescience.com/health/050628_brain_tickle.html
http://health.howstuffworks.com/human-nature/emotions/other/question511.htm

I have also found out that rats are ticklish too and they laugh when being tickled!




What I can't seem to find answers to is why are some people not ticklish and is it possible to make myself not be as ticklish or not ticklish altogether? To find this out, I am planning to do more research focusing in this area of being ticklish. Also I would like to do some experiments to see if I can figure out a way to stop myself from being ticklish now that I know more about why I am ticklish.

I also would like to start looking into the social aspects of tickling. Why do people tickle each other? What is it about tickling that people enjoy? Why do people laugh and smile when being tickled even though they are not enjoying being tickled?

Community Murals: Who Makes The Decisions?

A new mural painted in my neighborhood has created a buzz like I have never seen before. When people walk pass, strangers unite to figure out where it came from and what it means. The mural was so mesmerizing that it forced people to stop and look. As a fellow passerby, I was just as intrigued. I read the mural and it had a very important story to tell and it spoke to me in a way that made me question the whole idea of a mural. I wanted to know:

• Who was behind it?
• What was the inspiration for the content of the mural?
• How was the artist chosen?
• Were other community members involved in the process?
• Did someone outside of the community organize this?
• How is the mural affecting the community overall?

To find the answers to my questions, I have searched locally by speaking to the people of my community. I began by asking my neighbors questions about the new mural. I have even went as far as hanging around the mural so I can engage in conversation about it with strangers. I have gathered lots of different opinions and feelings about our neighborhood gem. Most of the opinions were positive.

Currently, I have been interested in the history of mural making. I found a brief history given by a Brooklyn organization called Groundswell Community Mural Project. I have found that murals were used to express cultural and political issues of different communities. Also, mural painting was a very popular art form in America during the 1940s, after it died out, it returned in the 1960s. Now, hand painted murals are being revived in urban neighborhoods in major cities like Chicago, Philadelphia and New York City. http://www.groundswellmural.org/about_HistoryofMuralMaking.html

This link was very helpful because I have always seen murals and wondered when people began to paint them. All the murals that I have seen seemed like it was there forever, probably before I was born. Most of them were murals that captured the memory of some person in the community who died. It was only until recently that I have noticed murals that addressed social, political, and social issues in our communities. So when I read the history, I realized that “message murals” were at the beginning of its existence in America. Also, I learned that there are many organizations that assist in the creation of these murals around town in conjunction with the community.

Another useful link I found was a blog done by New York Times called City Room. This blog had a feature about NYC murals. It was a three-part question and answer session between NYC residents and the historian and muralist, Janet Braun-Reinitz and Jane Weissman. They are the authors of the book, On the Wall: Four Decades of Community Murals in NYC. Questions about murals are thoroughly answered by experts in the field. Janet Braun- Reinitz is a muralist herself as well as an historian. She was able to give thoughtful responses to the questions many people may have wondered about the current transformation or future transformation of their communities with the art form of murals. Many of these questions were great questions because they were questions many people may want answered. For instance, the question of how someone interested in having a mural painted in their community, can go about getting it done. Braun- Reinitz gave an answer that would help anyone to get started even if they only had an idea. She explained the whole process involved to bringing this idea to fruition. http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/20/ask-about-new-york-citys-community-murals/

The next steps I plan to take in answering some of my questions about this mural in my community is to speak to the groups involved in the particular mural in my community titled “Peace In, Piece Out.” I want to find out how and why this particular mural was placed in this specific location. Ultimately, I would like to know how I could become involved in future projects.