Does Globalization = Greed?

I was out running errands today while listening to NPR. They were discussing globalization and it's effect on our economy, workforce, etc. It really made me think. As a small business owner who produces a (self) manufactured good, I understand wanting to outsource the labor to a cheaper workforce. We live in a country where so many companies have their products manufactured overseas...........China comes to mind..............that is hard for the independent businesses to compete with the prices. Think Wal-Mart, Target, ROSS, Marshall's, Mervyns, Big Lots. There are discount stores everywhere. These stores set a standard for those of us do not have a the means to purchase everything we own from Sak's, Neimans or higher end department stores.

I set my prices as competitively as I can and still make nearly nothing (sometimes not even minimum wage) on each baby sling.....AND I have people tell me all the time that they can't afford to pay what I charge. What is someone in my position to do? Well, I am not sure, but I do know that I will probably have to raise my prices, thus eliminating even more of the potential baby sling buyers, so that I am able to compensate myself enough to justify taking time away from my family. However, I will not send work overseas or hire an illegal and pay them a fraction of what their time and work are worth. Sending work overseas may produce a cheaper bottom line, but it does not necessarily mean that the product is of the same quality, or that the person producing it is being paid a fair wage or being treated ethically. How could I morally send work to another country when there is unemployment in my own country?

Ultimately, it comes down to how deep I want my pockets to be, right? Well, fortunately for me, being kind and fair is more important than padding my pockets. I may not be a practicing (and by this I mean church going) Christian. I am not even sure that I would be considered a Christian at all, but I do believe in karma and the golden rule. I know that when I behave nicely, am considerate to those around me, treat others how I would like to be treated and am conscious of my impact on the planet, I receive the same respect in return. There is much more to life than how much money I take to the grave. I wish more people realized that. It breaks my heart to see my country and all of the ulterior motives......truly sad. We should be ashamed that we allow and support people who behave so awfully.

How does the saying go?

Growing up, I remember my step-mom saying that there were only two things in life that were certain, death and taxes. I cannot remember exactly how she said it. I am sure it deviated from Mr. Franklin's original quote. None-the-less, I believed this up until this week. I am a member of Netflix and a total documentary addict. I love that they make recommendations based on ratings you give for other movies. This is the bomb. I have been getting some really fascinating things in the mail lately. The latest is "America:Freedom to Fascism." Sounded appealing enough. It discusses how the taxation of the American people on a Federal level is actually against the Constitution. And, subsequently, most states have a clause stating that anyone required to file a federal return must file a state return, so most people are not required to file either on their INCOME as wages. However, you are required to file on capital gains, which is fascinating to me, because by my guesstimate, most of the lower and middle class don't have much in the way of capital gains and therefore should not be subject to taxation, at least not by the IRS. Wouldn't it be grand if you woke up one day and there was a class action case against the IRS by all the little people....or the little people actually won and the only people who had to pay income tax were the really wealthy. I am not saying that there is anything wrong with being wealthy, but they should be paying more in taxes instead of cheating their way out because they can afford to. Oh my, did that just turn in to a rant? Bottom line, it is an interesting fact that not many people know and worth looking in to either way.

Adventures of a mother daughter team

Fi is on Spring Break this week so no break for either of us. We have had a great time learning about gardening. We checked out several books from the library on the subject and planted a bunch of herbs, which she cannot pass without leaning over, swiping them with her hand and then smelling her hand. We have been laying mulch and planting annuals, as well. Like Mother like Daughter, right?
Speaking of......Today, we were on our way to the store when we saw a dog, Hallie, about to run out on to Utica. We stopped at the end of our street and watched her for a minute, worried that the traffic coming over the hill might not see her if she were to run out. We chased her, by car, until she turned back in to the neighborhood, at which point, I was finally able to coerce her in to the car. I called her owners and left a message, then dropped her in my back yard and continued on with my errands. Fiona was so sad that we didn't stay home to play with her, so we made a stop at Petco and took a tour of all of the animals there, while we were out. After about 6 hours, Hallie's dad returned my call and came to pick her up. By this point, Hallie, Lucy and Fiona were running in and out of the back door as they pleased, having a grand old time. I guess Fi thought she was here for good because she kept saying "baby dog" after she left. Unfortunately, Hallie had a two-legged sister at home that was crying b/c she thought she was lost, so I tried to relay the scenario to Fi, using her and Lucy as a parallel. It is never boring around here, that is for sure!

What? You've never seen a 2 year old white girl with a Tupac shirt

Fiona and I were at ROSS, doing a little browsing when we came across this shirt. I picked it up and put it back with a big smile, She, then, picked it up and hung it on the cart. I started to put it back and she said "my shirt." I finally gave in. I mean, who am I to squash a girl's style? She looks cute no matter what she is wearing. I did take her to Wild Oats today and Melissa at the cheese counter said, "You do know who the mama is right?" insinuating that I have ultimate control of what she does and in this case wears! Whatever, she likes it! Better a gangsta than a barbie.

One step forward, two steps back

So, I went to drop off a sling to a woman here in town, on my way to pick up Fi from school the other day. I went inside for 10 minutes, tops, and when I came back out, someone had hit my car and knocked my driver's side mirror off. They must have been driving fairly fast because the actual mirror was about 15 feet away in the yard. It is so disappointing to me that someone would hit my car and not even leave a note. What kind of place do we live in? This is a nice neighborhood in midtown. I guess I was just at the wrong place at the wrong time. Unfortunately, I am afraid that my mirror will cost significantly more than the sling that I was dropping off. What a fricking bummer.

How very un-American of you to care about the environment

I would just like to say that I am thrilled with IKEA's recent decision to start charging a nickel for every bag they provide customer's with at checkout. I wish that companies like Whole Foods and Wild Oats (who I think may be one in the same now) would take a queue from our Scandinavian friends and step up to the plate. Many of the natural markets are already giving bag credits or wooden nickels (WO) in the amount of five cents per bag for those that bring their own, but this takes it a step further, and in the right direction, as far as I am concerned. There is no need to contribute the amount of trash that we do from grocery bags because we are just plain lazy and unable to take our own bags to the store with us. The only way we, America as a whole, can be expected to do this is if we are forced to do so. =) So proud.........

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17507534/site/newsweek/from/ET/

Cutie Patootie

Do kids get cuter than this? Seriously, I am afraid to have #2 because #1 has set the bar so high. I am ready for #2 but it looks like that will be on hold until the house sells and we get settled in Portland. I am so anxious. I don't want Fi and her counterpart to be too far apart in age, but I suppose I should heed my own advice and let things happen as they are supposed to. I have to go sew..................

Hiatus

I have been on hiatus for quite some time, but I am trying to get back in the swing of things. I have been diligently working on my website and sewing in all of my free time, when I am well. Our whole family has been sick non-stop, which has forced us in to a decision...we are putting our house on the market April 1st and moving back to Portland as soon as it sells. I cannot wait to be back where we belong, where we fit in, where people don't try to run me over when I am walking to the grocery store (1. because there are sidewalks and 2. because they realize that pedestrians have the right away), where organic vegetables are sold at most of the markets, not one market in town, where I don't get confused looks, like I am some sort of alien when I pull out my canvas bags at the market, where the population is not 62% evangelical and where there are not 4 story praying hands and gi-normous crosses off of the highway. Ah, that felt good. Watch out Portland, the Kanaly's are coming home.