Shopaholic Reform: Wednesday's Daily Damage

Wednesday, March 10

Wednesday's Daily Damage

I totally caved to the Final Act Sale on Ruelala today...I am weak. Round two of the Final Sale is tomorrow. This could be bad.

$38.95 - Fleece Vest (Marmot Boutique on RueLaLa)

I felt that I needed a fleece vest for those in between days where a jacket is too much but no coat at all isn't an option. Oh yeah and it's green and I have a mild (ok, complete) obsession with all things green.

$4.88 - McDonalds (another coffee and a milkshake for the Kik-ster)
$7.84 - Panera (dinner)
$5.00 - Chipped in for the required bottle of wine for homework

In the effort of complete disclosure, I totally would have bought these Hunter boots if I had gotten there sooner. They sold out in minutes. Sad.

Cute right? AND they're so functional! I need some new vernal pooling boots for the upcoming season, which is coming up quick and these would have been perfect. Although I have man calves so they would have been tight on my legs. The plan is to get some boots, most likely the Hunter Huntress boots (a bit more roomy in the calf region), if I can find them in my size, which has been a problem. The great thing is that work will reimburse me for them. I mean I NEED them to do my job! It can't be helped.

***vernal pool: a contained basin depression lacking a permanent above ground outlet

***vernal pool-ing: (not so much the technical term but it's effective) Sloshing about in said depression looking for the egg masses of breeding amphibians in an effort to determine if the pool provide viable breeding habitat...every 10 year old boy's dream, and I get paid to do this. I love vernal pooling.

Here's an example of a wood frog egg mass. I know most of you were dying for a picture.

1 comment:

Olive said...: Oh! I want to go vernal pooling with you! Call me!; March 17, 2010 at 1:45 PM

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Something to Chew On...

The downside to Globalization

1. “The general complaint about globalization is that it has made the rich richer while making the non-rich poorer. It is wonderful for managers and investors, but hell on workers and nature.”¹

2. Multinational corporations are accused of social injustice, unfair working conditions (including slave labor wages and poor living and working conditions), as well as a lack of concern for the environment, mismanagement of natural resources, and ecological damage.

3. Multinational corporations which were previously restricted to commercial activities are increasingly influencing political decisions. Many think there is a threat of corporations ruling the world because they are gaining power due to globalization.

4. Opponents say globalization makes it easier for rich companies to act with less accountability. They also claim that countries’ individual cultures are becoming overpowered by Americanization.

5. Anti-globalists also claim that globalization is not working for the majority of the world. During the most recent period of rapid growth in global trade and investment, 1960 to 1998, inequality worsened both internationally and within countries. The UN Development Program reports that the richest 20 percent of the world's population consume 86 percent of the world's resources, while the poorest 80 percent consume just 14 percent.

6. Some experts think that globalization is also leading to the incursion of communicable diseases. Deadly diseases like HIV/AIDS are being spread by travelers to the remotest corners of the globe.

7. Globalization has led to exploitation of labor. Prisoners and child workers are used to work in inhumane conditions. Safety standards are ignored to produce cheap goods. There is also an increase in human trafficking.

8. Social welfare schemes or “safety nets” are under great pressure in developed countries because of deficits and other economic ramifications of globalization.

As manufacturing continues to decline, so does our ability to innovate. In the long term, this means fewer well-paid jobs, lower productivity, declining wages, declining living standards and low economic growth. Globalization is a big part of this decline and will affect all jobs and all sectors of the economy. From the point of view of multinational corporations and Wall Street investors, globalization is probably viewed as a wonderful phenomenon with many opportunities. But from the point of view of American manufacturers, manufacturing workers, the middle class, professional service workers and overall economic growth, I think the disadvantages far out weigh the advantages.

-Mike Collins, The Pros and Cons of Globalization (2010)