May 26, 2009

Oxymoron #18- Dry Wetnaps

My lovely parents have made their way out to a sweet vacation spot to celebrate their 21st wedding anniversary (*party streamers and noisemakers cue*), leaving my sister and I to fend for ourselves all week. Of course, both of us are self sufficient, so we have had no problems. Tonight we decided to put our mediocre culinary skills to rest and took ourselves out to Crabby Joes, along with our cousins. Meal was delicious, dessert was excellent. Steven provided astounding comic relief. It was a great evening. The main source of amusement was when we openned a wetnap and unfolded it- only to find it was dry. Many jokes were made, someone made the suggestion that Steven should ask the waiter for a wet one, and then of course, we all realized rather quickly the connotations involved with that request. Cheap bill, thanks to 39 cent wings they had going on. All in all, a good deal.

Tonight I was passing time by flipping back and forth between Leno and The Hour (with George Strompo-something), and George had this really interesting economist on. He was the former head guy from CIBC and he wrote a book. His ideas were interesting, suggesting that three digit oil prices might just send globalization on a reverse course. He said that eventually, fueling everything to bring around the world for the demands- such as fresh fruit we have in the grocery stores- will just not be cost effective any more. Our world will become smaller, because people will not be able to afford gas prices to commute 40 miles to and from work. Supply and demand is going to need to be met within regions. Remember the old family farm? Suddenly back in business in the local markets. It makes sense. But what does that do to our manufacturing (or lack there of) businesses within our country? This economist suggested that triple digit oil prices will bring back industry. Yep, I was confused too. But it made sense. For the money that China, let's say, is using to transport the iron to it's factories to make the steel, and then ship it out again, will just not be cost effective. They aren't suffering for the hour's wages it takes to make the steel, but the transportation costs. Suddenly, manufacturing factories are reinstituted in places nearer to home.

One of the notions that struck me, was his insistence that our diets would change. We wouldn't have access to all the fresh produce year round (worst case scenerio), and so we would have to grow things appropriate to our climate. Carrots, potatoes, beans, corn, strawberries, raspberries- and start freezing veggies and making jam again. Local farm will come back to serve their communities, and backyard chicken farms (all the rage in Europe) will become a part of every home.

My decision about all this? Marry a farm boy with land and horses.

MCC: 8

Word of the Day: Wetnap

Quote of the Day: "You're an oxymoron!" "Yeah! Well you're an idiom!"

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