The Workday Reading: September 5, 2017
Sep 5, 2017
Thinking global and acting local works, productivity tips from a super-lawyer, and a peek at fall fashion.
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1) Maybe we all need a little less balance. (NYTimes)
2) The must-have basic fall bootie from Steve Madden.
3) Wait, I didn’t realize ‘fruitarians’ were real. (MyDomaine)
4) Aquaphor’s spray-on ointment is the cure for dry, fall skin.
5) Super-lawyer Lisa Bloom shares her secret to success. (The Cut)
6) AT New Arrivals: Twill moto jacket, flannel flats, dotted blouse.
7) Want to change politics: Stop calling your congressman, start calling your city councilman. (Refinery29)
8) This $78 Unique Vintage sheath is so Jackie Kennedy.
9) The career crisis affecting 30-something women. (HuffPo)
10) Must-have Fall Bags: A cool cognac tote & this AllSaints convertible bag.
11) How to answer the question, “When are you having a baby?” (Lifehacker)
12) Amazon’s denim trend-guide is a must. I need these black Joe’s.
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What I Care About. My homestate of Montana, and a huge section of the American West, is on fire. The choking smoke is forcing hazardous air quality warnings that last for days or weeks. Montana will likely lose one-million acres before fire season is over.
People and businesses are suffering, but no federal disaster declaration is forthcoming. For this Administration, if it’s not on TV, they don’t care. And the media doesn’t care about those of us in flyover country until it’s time for a ski vacation.
Homes are burning. Rangeland is gone. And we’re losing irreplaceable historical icons. The rain isn’t coming. And almost no one outside the Rocky Mountains is talking about this.
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That HuffPo article really speaks to me. I was recently let go from my job, because I’ve been so burnt out it eventually started to affect my work without even me realizing. I started working on the Hill bright eyed and bushy tailed and ready to save the world, and lately have just had this dreaded feeling of “what am I doing this all for?” Part of me wants to find a new job (albeit with a better work life balance) asap, but another part feels like I should force myself to step back and reevaluate what it is that I truly want out of my job and out of life. The overachiever in me and the constant comparisons to my peers though, is keeping me back from committing to the latter option.
I’m heartbroken by what’s happening in Montana and across the West. I can’t figure out how it’s not getting attention (though, living in MN, I know you are right about flyover country). Heartbreaking to see what’s happening to these breathtakingly beautiful lands, not to mention the personal, health and economic impacts to the people in the region. And the lack of coverage (and more so, the lack of efforts by the administration) is simply shameful.
Have governors officially declared states of emergency? I’m not too familiar with the situation (clearly like most of America). I knew about wildfires in Washington state, but hadn’t heard about Montana, which is pretty pathetic considering my boyfriend lives in the Idaho panhandle.
Yes, a state of emergency was declared in July.
My neighborhood in southern California was in flames this weekend and before it was finished, 7,000 acres had burned. My husband saw the fire begin Friday afternoon at which point there were enough fire fighters to have it out in under an hour but the decision was made to let it burn until structures were threatened. I’ve seen this happen here before and I suspect that is happening in Montana and other areas. It’s heartbreaking and I wish they would rethink these policies. It was 106 degrees in San Francisco; Houston and Asia are flooding but, no, we don’t have global warming.
Part of the reason for the burn policy is a result of the Yellowstone Fires in the late 80s. The previous policy was to put out fires as soon as they happened,in order to prevent wildfires like this, which meant a lot of tinder built up in the underbrush over several decades, and created conditions which caused a more intense fire than would have otherwise occurred.
Fires happen in nature, and are a necessary part of the rejuvenation process, which is why most fires that start naturally are allowed to continue. Doesn’t mean that the policy on fire suppression, or whether wildfires count as a national emergency, should not be revisited, but is a reminder that there is a reason for the current policy.
No one expects to prevent all fires or extinguish them immediately, but the current policy isn’t working. You have fires starting in wilderness areas and parks, tinder/underbrush growth in areas that aren’t being logged for suppression, and now, to make it worse, we have millions of dead trees killed by the Western Pine Beetle, which go up like matches. We need a new comprehensive policy that focuses on partnering the feds and the state.
Turns out the reason they let the fire here in So Cal burn as long as it did is that the city doesn’t get reimbursed until the fire has burned for 12 hours. So, it’s all about politics and money. By the time the fire was out there were >1,000 firefighters deployed, >100 fire trucks, 9 helicopters, and 3 houses were lost. Doesn’t exactly make financial sense.
I’m so sorry about Montana. I felt the same way about the giant floods in Nashville in 2010. Lives were lost, property (including priceless, irreplaceable historic musical instruments) was damaged, and I didn’t see anything on the news in DC. Heartbreaking.
Please keep us posted!
Abra – Thank you for bringing more attention to the situation out West. Any suggestions as to how we can help?
Some of the local united ways and red cross chapters are collecting money. Right now, what we need is more social media coverage in the hopes of getting more media coverage.
https://missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/here-s-how-you-can-help-people-affected-by-montana/article_a12407c0-fe6e-5b70-8409-68ad33e84435.html
I totally get this. What can we do to help?
Thank you for sharing about the MT fires. Like many people, I had no idea. I am sharing articles on Facebook and will make a donation in short order.
Thank you for calling attention to the wildfires out West. Oregon is also burning at an alarming, devastating rate and it breaks my heart.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-wildfires/oregon-wildfire-ravages-picturesque-gorge-ash-chokes-communities-idUSKCN1BG3A2
You are so right on about this administration. If there isn’t a photo op, or a rally where he can thank everyone for coming, there’s no attention to it. It’s terrifying.