Shopaholic Reform: Impending Purchases

Monday, August 16

Impending Purchases

There are some purchases you can be expecting from me in the coming days/months/sometime in the future...

New rain coat. Every time it rains I think about how much I need a new raincoat, mine is useless.

Hotel room in Skaneateles, NY for a wedding in September.

Birthday gift for my brother. (gift card)

Plane pillow. I have decided that I will need one of those pillows that people are always lugging around the airport. I managed to mention that to Aaron every time we walked by one in the airport this past weekend. So clearly I will need one for Greece. The pillows you can buy (lame) on the plane gross me out.

Now I realize that these things are ridiculous, so I will most likely get one of those much cooler little pack pillows that smoosh down to nothing. Then I can take it camping too. More bang for my buck.

A robe. Clearly I will need a robe so I can let Maggie Mae out in the morning. Don't be alarmed...I will not be one of those people walking their dog in their robe. I am talking just opening the door so she can go out to the bathroom before I hop in the shower. That is all.

I will have you know that I passed up a deal on Rue La La today for a robe. I decided that I need to do more research before making a decision. An organic cotton, fuzzy, hooded robe would be ideal. All this one is missing is the hood. It just popped up when I googled robe, google knows me so well.Plus the site is called "Sustainify," love the name and they are 1%ers, AKA donate 1% of profits to environmental charities.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...: Finally, a new rain jacket!

I'm tired of you looking like a wet dog when we're out together. It's embarrassing....; August 17, 2010 at 8:32 AM

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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)