2.28.11
Hoodie , Skirt and Leggings Target
Turtleneck H&M
Boots Merrell
Bangles Alex and Ani (handmade in US)
Earrings Gift they were handmade by a NY woman)
Necklace belonged to a grandmother that has passed.
Forgot my camera and with the rain everything took on weird hues.
As some or possibly no one? noticed I went MIA last week. I got the plague that was going around. OK not the plague but it was pretty icky. Then I had a very bad reaction to Claratin D and it caused me to be up for 40 hours total. (I am NOT even exaggerating) I was a very unhappy camper the first half of the weekend until I went to bed at 9 pm on Saturday. (Which I probably haven't done in 20 years. in 1990 my bedtime was moved from 9pm to 10pm so I could watch Seinfeld and that was probably one of the last times) I wish I could go to bed earlier. I fight myself like woah.
I try not to get political on here too often but every once in awhile I am willing to show my true feelings on some events that could be controversial. I try and have party manners on here. If I would bring it up with a stranger at a party I don't mention it here but sometimes I just need to get it out. Have you heard about the Galliano rant in Paris last week? John Galliano for anyone who doesn't know who he is, WAS the head of Dior. Dior is known for being insanely chic and CLASSY (and expensive). I think of Dior and I think of the beautiful dresses A line full skirted dresses they popularized in the 50's. Last week Galliano was arrested for an Anti-Semitic rant. Dior reacted immediately suspending him. They made the smart moved and are trying to distance themselves and have a no tolerance policy for that kinda of behavior, as well they should. If they hadn't it probably would of changed my mind forever as what Dior stood for. Today a video was released not of the rant but of some of the other things he said that night. He is obviously intoxicated but does that pardon anyone's behavior? If anything I think it allows your hidden thoughts to come to the surface. That said... about 10 years ago I saw a documentary about Bayer and their hand in WW2 and concentrations camps. (Just google it if you are interested. It is horrific and they were deplorable.) I have been avoiding any Bayer products since then. I will ask for an alternative than anything made by Bayer. I understand they make many lifesaving drugs and am not suggesting others stop using their stuff but if I can avoid it I would like to continue. Last night Dave and I watched a documentary on Wal-Mart The High Cost of Low Price. You have all already know how Wal-Mart killed the mom and pop shops but the actual facts and the numbers is SHOCKING. The amount of businesses they ran out of business than force people to work there because everything else closed and they offer such bad insurance that the number of employees on public assistance is mind boggling. All that is bad enough but the lack of caring and trying to correct it on Wal-Marts behalf is disgusting. They had some figures about how much money their employees have donates to help one another out and the Walton's donations. The employees gave something insane like 10 times more money. The Waltons are some of the richest people in the entire world. They got rich by some pretty shady practices. The factories overseas were highlighted in the video. Sad. We have all heard about it before but have you done anything about it? I want to but I am not sure where to start. Well first thing. I'd like to avoid Wal-Mart which is pretty easy since we don't have one here but when I go to other places. The local stores going out of business hurt your heart. I have had some personal experience with this and it hurts. Not only financially but the fact that people would prefer cheaply made low prices over local well made products. Yes I know Wal-Mart has helped some out and all that but the amount of people they are hurting is far surpassing the good 100 times over. (another awful statistic was the amount of crimes in the parking lots. The numbers were staggering)
Are there any companies you boycott or avoid? Who and why?
I will give a I Care button to two responders to the question I will choose tonight. I'd like to become much more of a conscious consumer (I am a bit of one now but I want to become more so) and would like to hear others thoughts on the topic. What is the price you put on your goods? I know money is always a concern with everyone. Hell I know what it is to grow up on welfare and I know what it's like to be able to afford to buy organic local. I know what it is like to pick up the free groceries and to count pennies to pay bills. I know what it is like to buy all my clothes at a thrift store and my mom to alter them to look designer. (she used to sew alligator on shirts for me when I was little pretending they were Izod, now Lacoste) I don't know what it is like to be well off, that is one thing I haven't experienced. But I do know what it like to be able to pay all my bills and have money left over. One thing I have never ever done is missed or paid a bill late in my life no matter what my circumstance. But I'd like to believe that in any situation I could be a much more aware consumer and make wiser choices. Yeah a $10 dress is great but is it worth the sheer hell but is it putting the factory workers through? I don't have the answers nor do I pretend I do. I am sitting here and all my clothing is from a big box store. But I did just notice my jewelry I wore is from small handmade companies in US.
Comments
I try to avoid Nestle whenever possible, although I don't always succeed at this. This is mainly due to their baby formula practices (if you're interested, this is the best summation: http://www.phdinparenting.com/2010/08/02/nestle/).
I recently read that Target has given money to politicians who are anti-gay marriage. This broke my heart because I love and adore Target and can't bear the thought of boycotting them.
I have mixed feelings about boycotting stores. I always worry that the corporations, if they even noticed, would respond by laying off people, and having a crappy job at crappy pay is better than having no job with no pay. I do love browsing independent retailers and of course have a soft spot for Etsy. But I have to say that my biggest contribution to sustainable commerce is probably my love of thrifting. I've axed my clothing budget, and shop almost exclusively at thriftstores now. I'm not sure whether it's due to living in an apartment that is insanely overpriced or due to conscience, but it works for both!
You look pretty terrific today, though. Do you have to use a ton of stuff to keep the big curls in your hair?
Pretty stunning about Galiano. I'm not sure how I feel about arresting people for hate speech. I do think he should have been fired. He reflected poorly on the brand, and needed to go.
I won't comment on your political speech. You know my views, and we like each other despite. I do listen to you though, and investigated the locavore movement a little. It was disheartening to see reports of "local" produce used in restaurants having come a far distance. Is one fill-up of a semi-truck really considered local?
I do have a question though. Do you regard Amazon as poorly as WalMart? Don't they influence mom and pop as much as anyone? We have a local camera store that I like, but when you go in and quote an Amazon or B&H price, they state flatly that they cannot compete. I like to buy locally, but is a 30% price premium worth it? Both WalMart and Amazon are putting pressure on brick and mortar stores.
He wasn't arrested in America I don't know what the laws are in Paris regarding "freedom of speech"
Which politics did I talk about you aren't in agreement with? I didn't think I said anything here.
Regarding Amazon. I don't know honestly. Especially since there is so many other businesses using the Amazon platform that isn't just Amazon selling.
Some quick googling said he was arrested for verbal assault AND anti-Semitic remarks, It appears paris has a law regarding the later in particular Gayssot law. But I am just guessing that is what it was as they obviously didn't say what exactly the charges were.
As far as boycotting goes - I boycott several places - Wal-Mart being one of them - also: Academy Sports (for their donations to anti-gay organizations), Chick-Fil-A (for supporting anti-gay organizations), and American Apparel (for their awfully sexist employment practices/generally misogynistic and gross CEO).
I will admit that boycotting places is easier with expendable income and living in a big city where my options aren't limited. I'm aware its a privilege thing. I try to shop thrifted, handmade, locally made, etc etc, but it's not a possibility for a lot of people. The issue is the system, unfortunately :(
"I try not to get political on here too often but every once in awhile I am willing to show my true feelings on some events that could be controversial"
I understood that to mean that you considered the following to be political, so I would prefer to remain rather more safe than sorry.
I saw that he was arrested for verbal assault. Reading definitions of verbal assault makes me conflicted. For example...
"At Common Law, an intentional act by one person that creates an apprehension in another of an imminent harmful or offensive contact.
...
The act required for an assault must be overt. Although words alone are insufficient, they might create an assault when coupled with some action that indicates the ability to carry out the threat. A mere threat to harm is not an assault; however, a threat combined with a raised fist might be sufficient if it causes a reasonable apprehension of harm in the victim."
Etc.
So. A threat and the apparent ability to carry it out. However, no actual battery or the like. Again, another crime that merely requires the "victim" to state that they felt a certain way.
The other crime was making anti-Semitic remarks... I see elsewhere that he referenced the Holocaust. Deplorable, sure, but a crime?
Oh, and regarding boycotting? I forgot to mention that boycotts are largely useless in my opinion. I think it is more effective to reward the good behavior of something you like. Hating WalMart and avoiding them has no real effect, but buying something from a struggling local store has a huge effect on them. *shrug*
I said political in the sense that I usually avoid "hot topics" in politics and that this was a hot topic but not necessarily that I was talking about politics which I was not at all.
Having been and known victims of verbal assault I can tell you that you have to do more than say you were assaulted to get the person arrested at least in the US that was my experience.
Also those are OUR laws French laws are much different and I can't even begin to say I know the ins and outs of it.
I could see someone defriending because you haven't been respectful of people with differing political views in the past and been vocal about your distaste. This was extremely hurtful to me to hear someone say this.
"I want to punch all my Flickr friends in the face who are posting their inane gleeful Obamagasms"
that isn't respectful to people who have different views at all.
neither is this "But let's face it, Obama voters are just not that bright in the first place."
To me, food is one of the hardest, yet most important, things for us to work on. So much of our food is made chock-full of chemicals and shipped thousands of miles (on non-environmentally-friendly freighters, no less) to get to our grocery store. I'm not one to tell others what they should do with their money, but as I said above, I'm willing to spend a bit more on items that I feel are meeting my ethical/environmental standards.
It's true that a few people boycotting Wal-Mart or McDonald's or whatever won't really make that big of a difference. It's really a drop in the bucket. But for me it's a personal decision that makes me feel like my choices are making the impact (however small it may be) that I want them to make.
Anyway, lovely post. I hope you continue to feel better!
That said I keep mostly away from Urban Outfitters (Anti-gay, pro-anorexia stuff) , Chick - Fil - A for the previously mentioned reasons. I had a highly uncomfortable not-conversation with my MIL's friend about why we SHOULD be supporting them and giving them extra support because "she doesn't want to be around that sort". I sort of goggled at her and walked away.
Overall, I'm creating a new thought process on shopping. I find amazing things in my thrift stores, and while not all of it is amazing quality and going to last forever - I can get "fast fashion" in a totally different way while supporting a good company (Goodwill). Some of it does turn into gem pieces that are quality items though. And I shop for shoes by brands I trust by reputation. Shoes aren't something I've gotten comfortable thrifting.
I was so inspired and enthused to be a part of a labor rally at the Capitol steps in Topeka on Saturday. Earlier in the week, union workers had been escorted out of the gallery at the Capitol for being too rowdy as their rights were being voted away by the Kansas House of Representatives who called them thugs. Kansas Minority Senate Leader, Anthony Hensley said in his speech on Saturday, "You don't look like thugs to me. You look like hard working people. You look like taxpayers. You look like Kansans!"
I also actively boycott Starbucks. I feel like their shops put us closer to the homogenization of America and I patronize local cafes as much as possible.
PS- Hillary, your hair looks fabulous today.
I wish we had more local places to get coffee. We only have one other one in my neighnorhood that is open in the morning and they don't have soy.
those non conversations make my eye twitch.
Love that zebra skirt and the great jewelry!
I also recently stopped patronizing Chickfila (which really, really hurts my heart and my tummy) due to it coming out recently that they've donated to anti-equality organizations. (Which isn't altogether surprising seeing as how they are a Christian-based company but I can't give them my money anymore.)
Oh, and your hair IS fabulous! Love the zebra skirt, too.
I buy local produce (CSA's are great) for two reasons because a) produce in season that doesn't have a stamp on its passport tastes better and i get to support local farmers which I love.
Whenever possible I buy things made in the USA - it has reached the point where the top with those three letters on the tag actually looks cuter than the top with the china tag.
Oh, and I love the zebra skirt.
Hope you are feeling much better!
Marie @ Lemondrop ViNtAge
I avoid Wal Mart, American Apparel, Nestle for all the reasons mentioned below. I do feel lucky to be able to have options. So many parts of this country do not have the ability to shop anywhere other than Wal Mart, etc.
It's so important to be an informed consumer. It's easy to hide under a rock and not realize/care that companies have hidden agendas, support things you do not believe in, etc. I am not perfect, I have stopped by a Wal Mart when traveling, etc. but I do try to wield my power with my pocektbook.
Thanks again for discussing this!
My husband and I say that we have the luxury of not shopping at Wal-Mart. We gladly pay more to shop at Target. My issue isn't the cost of Wal-Mart (and we call them Evil-Mart), but that they sell EVERYTHING. Some of the strangest stuff - if you're looking for it, Wal-Mart probably has it, and that's my problem. The Target stores in my area (Chicago) aren't as comprehensive in their offerings as Wal-Mart, and I'd like to say that I never shop there, but I do. For every 1 visit to a Wal-Mart, I'll do 5 visits to a Target store. I don't browse at Wal-Mart. I go in, get what I need, and leave. I do my actual shopping at Target.
I also stay away from L'Oreal (and their other companies: Lancome, Maybelline, Garnier, Biotherm, Armani cosmetics, etc), as well as Procter & Gamble (Cover Girl, Max Factor, etc) because they still actively test on animals. Come on, now. This is 2011. Do you still need to actively test on animals?
Oh, and for the record, L'Oreal owns The Body Shop and Kiehl's. To my knowledge, these are the only 2 companies under the L'Oreal umbrella that don't test on animals, and that's because they adhered to those practices before L'Oreal purchased their respective companies.
http://www.mediapeta.com/peta/PDF/companiesdonttest.pdf
FYI Kiehls is on the list of companies that DO test
http://www.mediapeta.com/peta/PDF/companiesdotest.pdf
I can say that if you're looking for a replacement for some things for Dave, Nivea has a very nice men's line, and they don't test on animals.
That pic of baby Holly kitty - she looks so sad! Wee baby kitty. <3
Thanks for the rec on Nivea I'll check them out for the boy!