Friday, November 28, 2014

A Rabble-Rousing Yet Thankful Weekly Link Round-Up




Hopefully today finds many of you recuperating from your Thanksgiving feasts, and I certainly hope you were able to have just the sort of day you wanted to have.

I have to admit that one of the many things I am thankful for is a bit of a negative positive: I am glad that I retired from retail before so many companies decided stockholders' portfolios and profit margins were more important than the emotional and physical well being of the people who play such a large part in creating those profits. Of course I'm talking about retail employees being forced to work on Thanksgiving Day.

I occasionally read both sides of the debate that rages this time of year over this topic. A lot (but not all) of the opposing side's argument shows that they've never worked retail a day in their lives. 

It's not my intention to wade into this argument. All I want to do is say that, if you don't like it, don't encourage these companies by shopping on Thanksgiving Day. If you're really up in arms about it, say so-- and I don't mean going into a store and bending the ear of some poor salesperson or cashier or even manager that you find. All those folks can do is follow company policy. (Ask me how I know.) Google the companies. Get the addresses of their corporate offices. Only those folks at the top can make the changes you want to see. Are you on Twitter and Facebook? So are those companies. Tell 'em what you think. Use hashtags. Work together with like-minded people. Be the change that you want to see.

Don't think it works? Pre-social media, I took part in making sure customers let my employers know that Christmas was not to be celebrated before Labor Day. And now with all the social media at our disposal? Have you heard what happened to Longmire? For so long, we Americans have been treated as though the only things of value that we possess are our bank accounts. Let's start working to change that.

Be the change that you want to see. And be very thankful if-- like me-- you live in a country where you can do these things without fear of reprisal.

Okay... someone help me off this soapbox before I fall and hurt myself!  Time for some links!

 
Books, Movies & Other Interesting Tidbits
  • English soulmates die just ten minutes apart.
  • I really like the look of the new "Normal Barbie." This one isn't under constant threat of falling on her face. I didn't have much use for Barbie when I was little... until her knees bent and she could sit astraddle a steed from my horse collection. Of course that meant that Barbie and all her friends and family were bow-legged. At least at my house.
  • If I collected typewriters, I wouldn't mind owning the one that typed the screenplay to "Psycho." Who wouldn't want a Psycho Typewriter?
  • It would appear that Amazon and Hachette have resolved their dispute.
  • Do men read books written by females? 
  • Not to put too fine a point on it, but... if any of your villages are missing their idiots, I think I might know where they moved. And they all seem to hate Winnie the Pooh
  • Fantastic news from the Tucson Festival of Books: within the past five years, it's donated $1 million to local literacy programs!
  • Two wonderful men who did the right thing when they really didn't have to. 
  • This World War I-themed Christmas ad is blowing up the internet. I can see why.
  • A UK publisher is dropping the gender-labeling of books for children. 
  • How paperbacks helped the U.S. win World War II. (My review of this book will be up next Tuesday.)
  • HarperCollins has signed on to provide exclusive book content for JetBlue's new inflight wi-fi program, Fly-Fi.
  • What do you look for in an eReader?
  • I love the reaction of the children in Fairfax, Virginia, to Little Free Libraries coming their way. 
  • I know what I'm going to be doing next June: Watching Jurassic World!
  • Dictionary.com has chosen "exposure" as 2014 Word of the Year.


Channeling My Inner Indiana Jones


The Happy Wanderer
  • 40 stunning places you should visit this winter-- unless you're like me, who's visited a few of them in winter and would much prefer to just look at photographs! 
  • Palawan, the most beautiful island in the world. 
  • The hidden antiques village of the Marais in Paris.
  • Geologists have cracked the secrets of Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite National Park.


I  ♥  Lists


That's all for now. Don't forget to stop by next Friday when I'll be sharing a freshly selected batch of links for your surfing pleasure. 

Have a great weekend! 




4 comments:

  1. Cathy - I couldn't agree more about 'voting with the feet.' If we don't like something, we can change it. Oh, and thanks for those lovely links, as ever. I love that - clothes from the Iron Age! Fascinating!

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    Replies
    1. I think too many of us have "given up the ghost" and believe that it's useless to try to change anything. And that link about Iron Age clothing? The second I saw it, I had to read it. Fascinating stuff, as you said!

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  2. The WWI Christmas Ad made me cry.

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